“I take that as a no,” Stevens said. “You’d rather be with the orcs than your own kind. That’s sad and disturbing.”
“She’s been brainwashed by those fucking orcs,” a man I don’t know says from the back of the group. “It’s what they do, or some of the women would have returned by now.”
“Many of us wanted to return but couldn’t. Did you even try to find us? “
“Council said it wasn’t worth the risk. Or the trouble.”
“What about talking with the orcs that came to Pen’Kesh? I know they’ve been here many times.”
Stevens shrugs. “It’s easier just to get more women with the next ship from Earth.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing, but I no longer care. “Give me a fucking blanket for my child.”
“Are you coming back to New Earth with us or not?” Stevens persists.
“She could already be preggers, Henry. With one of those monsters. Leave her here.”
“I never said I was going with you,” I speak up. “And you need to check the definition of monsters. Oh, wait, I can help you withthat. A person who denies a child a fucking blanket when he’s obviously cold, shivering, and in shock!”
“Two months with those monsters and look how aggressive she’s become,” Stevens says to the man beside him, his eyes rolling over me as if I’m an animal in a lab. “Maybe there’s something viral that causes the orcs’ aggression.”
“We can’t risk it,” Lisa says.
“They shouldn’t be in here, Henry,” Mark agrees. “Throw them out before we all get sick.”
I look at Holly, the only voice of reason. Her eyes dart side to side as if she doesn’t know what to do or say. Her head lowers. I’m on my own.
“We’ll leave when the storm ends.”
“Not good enough. These storms can last hours.”
“Seriously, Mark, should we be breathing the same air?” Lisa asks.
“Leave, Tansey. Both of you. Now.”
A crack of lightning nearby makes me jump. Ethan starts crying against my shoulder. I can’t put him down, even if I wanted to. His arms have locked around my neck like a vise.
When I make no attempt to move toward the door, Stevens pulls his shirt above his mouth to serve as a filter and grabs my upper arm.
“Get the fuck away from me!” I yell.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
VERIG
The second I hear Tansey screaming from inside the shelter in the human quarter, I break into a run, my lungs straining for air and horrible thoughts racing through my mind.
I kick in the door and punch the male, who has his hands on my female. The human flies backward into the crowd of humans. They break his fall, unfortunately.
Tansey runs to me and throws an arm around me, crushing her youngling between us. I’ve never felt so vekking whole as in this moment, but I cannot revel in the joy of having her and Ethan in my arms, not when they are still in danger.
I position Tansey and Ethan behind me, my sword already raised. “I’m leaving here with my female and youngling.” I do not need to levy the threat of what I will do to them if they attempt to stop me. My sword is covered in blood, as am I.
The human males fidget in place, and several hands go to blasters at their side.
Then Baloq enters. And Sojek. Though Atox’s nephew is too small to be a warrior, he wields a knife as well as one. Despite being smaller than Baloq and me, he’s learning how to intimidatethe humans quite well. He’s had enough opportunities watching me and other warriors in Pen’Kesh.
One male slides the blaster free from its holster, as if we are not alert or savvy enough to know what he plans. Baloq’s sword slides from its sheath, joining mine. We stand poised and ready to take heads. The male’s eyes dart between us. Then he releases his grip on the blaster and raises his hands, empty, in surrender.
