Half a rotation later, and Sone has gone silent. I do not presume to think that it’s because he trusts me or my judgment. I’m certain he is making good on his threat and is procuring a shuttle to come after me.
It can’t be helped. I’ll deal with that when I must.
As I follow behind the Xar’ad ship, I watch as they steal beings and creatures from planets along the way. In fact, it becomes such a common occurrence that when they stop at a swirling blue planet, I don’t even pause. Not until I see more than one creature being drawn into the ship. Switching to telescopic view, I zoom in on the ship’s tractor beam, and my heart starts to pound in my chest.
I haven’t been counting how many women they’ve taken, but I watch the last one. There is something about her. The limpness of her body, perhaps? Maybe it’s the riot of dark curls that dance around her serene face. A face that wouldn’t be so serene if she knew what was happening to her.
My heart give another thud, and my palms itch, wanting—no, needing—to reach for my weapon. To fight the Xar’ads for her. This Earth female who, if Anna is to be believed, knows nothing of life outside her planet.
I watch the woman until she disappears into the Xar’ads’ ship and the tractor beam flickers out.
Quickly, before I can lose them, I send coordinates back to Rovos and then latch on to the Xar’ads’ signal so I can follow them through hyperspace.
I still don’t have words to explain why I need to do this alone. But now I understand a little more. That Earth woman is mine.
To be continued…
* * *
