Cavas (The Vorge Crew Book 5) Read online

  Cavas gave a sharp nod. Dovis might not have meant to cause a fight but it had worked in their favor. “What’s the pay?”

  The bartender held his gaze. “Three hundred a day. Free room upstairs included, and two meals.”

  Cavas nodded and leaned down, grabbing hold of Dovis and hoisting him over his shoulder. The male kept his body lax. The bartender led him to the back of the bar and through one wide door before pointing out another. “Go down. Tell the guard that Mall sent you, and you’re new. His name is Grah.”

  Cavas realized the second door didn’t hide stairs, but a lift instead. He entered, glancing around stealthily, but there were no signs of security measures to monitor them. He shifted Dovis’s limp body to a more comfortable position over his shoulder after the door sealed. “You weigh a ton,” he whispered.

  “You punch like a child.”

  Cavas fought a laugh and pushed the old-fashioned button to make the lift go down. “Interesting that they have a floor underground. Wouldn’t it be great if Crath is down here?”

  “We can’t be lucky enough to find him that fast. They wouldn’t make it too easy for us.”

  “I know. I just want to find him.” The doors opened and Cavas stepped out.

  A large red male with horns stood from his chair, reaching for the gun strapped to his hip. Dolten aliens were dumb creatures, mostly known for hiring out their muscle to others and eating uncooked meat. They were strong, though, and excellent fighters.

  “Mall sent me. I’m Jorgan. You’re Grah. I’m supposed to lock this one up. Mall said he’s a traitor. Did he work here before or something?”

  The guard took his hand off his weapon and came closer, his black eyes scanning Dovis. “No. Never smelled him before. Probably law. That’s what we call them. They come here sometimes. We make them disappear. Good eating.” He turned, walked to a solid metal wall, and pressed his hand against a reader pad nearby. “Follow me.”

  Cavas’s humor had faded as the alien talked. They ate law enforcement? It sent a shiver down his spine. What kind of planet was Yorlian Trevis running?

  A far worse one than they had imagined, if he allowed his hired thugs to eat prisoners.

  Cavas followed the large alien into a mostly lit corridor with a long line of cells. The three they passed contained various aliens. Grah pulled his weapon, pointing it at the two occupants of the barred cell he stopped in front of, and waved his other wrist over the lock. The door slid open.

  “Toss him in there.”

  Cavas tapped Dovis’s leg to warn him. He couldn’t see all the cells farther down, but he hoped Crath would be in one of them. But no way would he allow Dovis to be locked up—especially after the eating comment. “Sure thing. Just make sure you don’t accidently shoot me. That’s no stunner.”

  “Right. Mine makes big holes in prisoners if they rush me.” Grah moved to the side, keeping his weapon pointed at the two males in the cell.

  Cavas tensed as he stepped closer and gave three light taps in rapid succession for Dovis. His men knew what that meant, but he hoped the Amarian figured it out.

  He reached the open cell—and suddenly twisted, dumping Dovis off his shoulder and lunging for the gun.

  He grabbed the red alien’s wrist and shoved it upward. The gun discharged into the ceiling, chunks of debris falling around them. Pieces of it hit Cavas but he barely noticed. He was too focused on the guard.

  The bigger male recovered from the sudden attack and tried to use his clawed fingers to tear at Cavas’s eyes. But Dovis was there, grabbing the red hand heading for his face and preventing it from doing damage. It took them both to steal his weapon and use it.

  Grah wouldn’t be eating any more prisoners ever again.

  Cavas turned to study the two males inside the cell. They were against the back wall, watching with leery expressions, but they didn’t try to escape through the open door. He pointed the weapon at the skinny blue alien he couldn’t identify. “What are you in for?”

  “Being the wrong skin color.”

  Cavas arched an eyebrow.

  “Truth,” the alien swore. “They hate blue skin here.”

  The yellow alien nodded. “They do. I’m here for not paying a bill—but they charged me four times for the same night. Nobody would listen to me.”

  “Have you seen a Tryleskian my size? Longer hair, black? He’s probably going by the name of Brit?”

  They both shook their heads.

  “Stay put. We’re releasing everyone soon, but I’m checking the other cells first. We stand a better chance of escaping if we all rush out of here together. Understood?”

  The blue one wrung his long, skinny hands. “Truth?”

  “Truth. Just stay put for now while we search. Then we’ll leave. Everyone goes.”

  The yellow alien pushed off from the wall. “Don’t release the green beast! Leave him.”

  Cavas frowned. “Why?”

  The yellow alien shuddered. “He kills anyone they put in with him. Crazy. No control. He’ll attack us all.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  Leaving Dovis at the open cell, Cavas moved to the next, peering in. Three prisoners were in the small space, all staring at him with hope. He guessed they’d overheard his conversation. Crath wasn’t amongst them.

  “Did you see—”

  “No. Your kind run this planet. They don’t get locked up,” one of them said before he could finish.

  Cavas moved on, peering inside each cell and asking about his brother. No one had any information to share. So far, all he’d learned was that Yorlian Trevis must have hired every dishonorable Tryleskian he could find.

  Seven cells down, a Parri male stood holding on to the bars of the door. Cavas kept out of reach.

  “I’ve seen Brit.”

  Cavas wanted to believe him. Most Parri were honorable. “When? Where? What do you know of him?”

  The Parri hesitated. “You’re letting us all out? I didn’t do anything but visit. They grabbed me in the bar and brought me down here. Been here for a long time. Over a week. Maybe ten or eleven days. They do hate blue-skinned aliens here.”

  “We’re letting everyone out but the green whatever he is. I’ll toss him a weapon as we go. He can free himself after we’re gone.”

  “Lost in rage,” the Parri muttered. “They torture him when they get bored by shooting at him with electric sticks.”

  The news sickened Cavas but didn’t surprise him. “Tell me about Brit.”

  The male pressed his face against the bars. “His eyes are blue, and he’s got a scar on his neck. Left side.”

  Excitement filled Cavas. It sounded like his youngest littermate. Brit was the name he used when on questionable planets, to avoid someone attempting to ransom him as a Vellar. Crath had gained his scar three years before when someone had tried to grab him for that very purpose. And Flax had a lot of Tryleskians living there who’d easily identify their wealthy family name.

  “Tell me everything.”

  “I met Brit the first night I was here, in another bar. He likes to drink and have a good time. Big on telling jokes and laughing. He also likes to fight.”

  That sounded like Crath. “What else can you tell me? He went missing. Do you know anything about that?”

  “Sure do. We were drinking when a large group of security came looking for him. I don’t know why. He seemed confused, too. I tried to help him get away, along with Kneello. They pulled out stunners and got all three of us. I woke up here.”

  Cavas wanted to snarl. “They didn’t bring Brit here with you?”

  “No. Kneello was. They took him away a few days ago. I heard one of the guards say it was to fight in the pits. He warned me that my turn would be coming soon.”

  “The pits?”

  The Parri gave a grim nod. “I didn’t believe it until they dragged Kneello out of here. Word is, they’re illegal fights. I’m not rich enough to see them, nor am I into blood sport. A Crippon told me anyone who