Page 13 of BrOdByc
Casey swung around and moved further from the door just before it hissed and slid wide.
BeOBard walked through and tipped his head at Brode’s woman in respect. Leaving several bottles of water, he left without saying anything.
Glancing at Casey, he was glad to see her relax even more when his brother left. Then he saw her frown.
“He looks exactly like you. Except he’s red and you are green. How many brothers do you have?” she sounded confused.
He smiled. “I have nineteen brothers. And yes, we look alike. Except each of us has a different color of skin, and our armbands are in unique patterns. It isn’t difficult to tell us apart. We have our own thoughts and feelings. Our own abilities. Yet, we are clones. Our DNA taken from the same father over a period of many years. I am the second oldest. The only one older is the captain.”
Grinning, Casey nodded. “My sister, Cameron, is my twin. We are identical, yet very different. I am five minutes older than Cammy. Is your captain going to be okay with me being here?”
“Our captain helped rescue you. Captain Bao stayed behind with another brother to see if they could discover who bought you from the Siloth and figure out what is happening. The planet Viant is one of the oldest members of the galactic alliance. Our most sacred law governs consent. Slavery is illegal, as are conscripted pleasure masters. Viant has long declared itself to employ only voluntary sex workers. Seeing you, breathing air thick with a local aphrodisiac flower, and watching them use the compliance pool… negates our belief that the women on Viant are here under their own free will.”
Frowning, Casey sighed. “I don’t think free will is working well for them. The monitor is red. Do we just go traipsing through the halls naked and wet… or stay in here until we shrivel up and drown?”
Chapter Nine
Casey
BrOdByc washed her hair and got her a robe from a hidden compartment in the wall. On him, the thick, white robe hit just below the knee. On her, it puddled on the floor. But it was warm and soft. She wrapped it around her and let the sodden sheet drop to the floor.
This alien male had been nothing but a gentleman. When she dunked her head in the water and then sat before him while he added shampoo and scrubbed away her captivity, Casey wanted to melt. His strong fingers massaged her scalp, creating a tingling sensation throughout her body.
He was gentle and careful of her. As he’d been since he saved her.
Walking down the hall, Casey noted how clean everything was. The light silver walls, floor, and ceiling gleamed. At first glance, she thought everything was metal. But whatever material was used to create this ship, it didn’t feel like metal. It wasn’t cold or slippery. A little warmth radiated from the floor and the walls. Her feet were bare, and she was perfectly comfortable. She had expected it to be freezing.
The air smelled fresh and there was just the slight scent of… vanilla. Or kind of vanilla. She could tell that Brode and his brothers took care of everything. Which was the exact opposite of how the red aliens behaved.
“Do you always go around rescuing women in distress?” The question popped out before she could stop it.
BrOdByc laughed. “My brothers and I were created to remedy inequality. To fight and use our unique abilities to right whatever wrong we come across in the universe. Our Band of Brothers seeks those who are downtrodden or oppressed. We dedicate our lives to rescuing any soul who needs saving. Our creator fashioned us for this specific purpose. You could say that objective is hard-wired in our DNA.
“We had just docked the spaceship. I went outside with two of my brothers to breathe fresh air and get a feeling for the surrounding area. We heard your scream. Then shortly after the Siloth appeared. We noticed they were holding two women. We watched you try to escape. There was never any question that we would follow and help. Our first choice is always to use stealth. We try to avoid direct confrontation or violence whenever possible. However, if we can’t sneak in and out without being recognized—we will use force and damn the consequences.”
Casey understood the subtext. If they couldn’t steal her away in the night, they would have forcibly taken her from her captors. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots. If they were seen rescuing her, they’d need to leave the planet. Abandon her sister to fate. Also, getting caught would prevent the captain’s investigation.
The need for secrecy meant she couldn’t leave the ship. Not to help her sister, or for any reason. “How long have you been doing this? Helping people.” Casey needed to know the answer to that. Could she count on Brode and his many brothers to help them?
“I have been awake for eighty cycles. Ummm... a clones awakening is our birth. Your years are a roughly similar amount of time to a cycle. For the first twenty of those cycles, I was in training. Receiving instructions on how to use our inherent ability with powers such as telekinesis. We had lessons in medical aid, on using weapons and explosives, and also worked on developing our unique skills. ReBOrB is the brother in charge of saving your sister. He is the Master of Biology—and studies all living things. Reb can look at her, figure out what needs to be fixed and how, then design a treatment plan. Just as Captain BaOBy is Master of All. He can look at the compliance pool and instantly know what chemicals are in it. He deduced the kack needed to be removed from your body as soon as possible.”
Casey frowned. “I dreamed there was an explosion.”
Brode tilted his head back and laughed. “There was an explosion. We have another brother who has an innate gift with all types of detonations. Bol is the Master of Destruction—he has the ability to simply create smoke or to annihilate an entire planet. This detonation didn’t hurt anyone but provided the perfect smoky distraction. Let’s get something to eat. Then you can get dressed. A few of my brothers went shopping, searching for clothing for you and your sister. Anything we have would be too big.”
Grinning up at Brode, she flapped the robe sleeves that were almost twice as long as her arms. “You think? Shopping for us was nice. I’ll have to figure out how to pay you back.”
BrOdByc
He was conflicted. Worried. Losing his mind. The mating bands were throbbing. His skin was ultra-sensitive.
Brode struggled to keep a little distance. To give his mate space. To ensure Casey trusted him and that she felt comfortable and safe. When what he wanted to do was take her in his arms and claim her.
Every once in a while, she’d look at him as if she liked what she saw. He’d seen her reach out, as if to place her slender fingers on his flesh… and then she’d draw back.
Was she having a tough time keeping her hands off him? He wanted her to touch him. So much.
Brode needed to pace. But there wasn’t enough room in the small bathroom to move more than a foot or two to each side of the toilet. Unless he planned to crawl into the shower, he could only go one step in either direction. So instead, he stared at himself in the mirror. Lectured that familiar face on patience and virtue.
