CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
Bela
I’m practically vibrating as theShadelatches onto Treto’s shuttle, which is attached to an unknown cruiser.
Rovos and Igid get to work creating a new airlock; since the shuttle’s original one is already attached to the cruiser, that means cutting a new one. I jump at the sound of the shuttle’s outer wall hitting the ground with a loud clang, then watch as Rovos and Igid disappear inside. When I go to follow them, Brox’s hands tighten on my arms.
“No, you don’t,” he tells me. “Rovos told me to keep you here so—”
He’s not expecting my elbow in his belly, and his grip loosens just enough for me to slip away and through the newly created airlock.
“Bela, no!” I hear him shout behind me, but I don’t slow down. After being on theShadefor a few days, I’ve forgotten how small shuttles are. It only takes a couple long strides before I’m rushing through the second airlock that leads to the cruiser, and I practically run straight into Rovos’ back.
“Ah, there she is.” Volethos is holding a blaster to Treto’s temple. His other hand is still buried in his opposite shoulder, where blood blooms down the side of Treto’s shirt. The alien’s yellow eyes dart past me. “Where are the others?”
Treto’s eyes widen when he sees me, and I watch as his breaths quicken, but otherwise he doesn’t move.
“You think Rovos would hand all of us over to you? Just like that?” My laugh is harsh. “First, release Treto.”
The alien presses the blaster harder against Treto’s temple, until his head is cocked almost to his shoulder and he’s making that rattly growl in the back of his throat.
“You’re in no position to be making demands of me, you stupid bitch.” His eyes roam over me in a way that makes me feel violated, even though I’m fully dressed. “Unless you want to see his brains splattered across this shuttle.”
I try to keep my face even as I wring my fingers together. “Fine. In exchange for me then,” I say with far more bravado than I feel.
“Bela,” Treto grunts, struggling against Volethos’ grip until the alien slams the butt of the blaster into the side of his head. His eyes roll up, and he goes limp.
No!
“Come here then.” The alien motions to me with the blaster, keeping hold of Treto’s limp form with the claws embedded in his shoulder.
Clenching my hands in front of me, I push past Rovos, taking slow, careful steps until I’m less than an arm’s length away.
The whole time he watches me with a lecherous grin before shoving Treto away and then grabbing me, pulling my back against his chest and placing the blaster to my temple.
Damn. I should have seen that coming.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Igid slipping along the back of the craft and then leaning over Treto’s prone body.
“Now,” the alien hisses next to my ear, his sour breath hot against the side of my face, “where are the others?”
Swallowing down the urge to gag, I turn my head to the side, just slightly, and give him my most innocent look. “What others?”
As if in slow motion, I watch as his face contorts into a mask of feral rage. His nose wrinkles, and his slitted pupils sharpen to blades. A cat-like yowl rumbles from his throat, and his lips peel back from sharp, yellowed teeth. I have no time to react before he grabs the back of my head, fisting my hair so tight, it forces my eyes wide.
“Tell me where the fuck the other human females are!” he roars before giving me a shake that rattles my teeth.
“I—I—” Before I can even get my bearings to give him some kind of answer, there is a rush of color, and suddenly I’m airborne. No, I’m falling.
My elbow hits the floor first, absorbing most of the impact, along with a flare of sharp pain, followed by the back of my head, which hits hard enough for me to see stars.
The room is filled with snarls and growls.Christ!It sounds like some kind of animal attack involving every animal that lives in a zoo!
When I try to roll to the side, fresh pain lights up from my elbow, and I gasp, cradling it.Damnit,it really hurts! It would be just my dumb luck I broke something.
There is more growling, followed by what sounds like wood splintering, then I hear it. My name.
“Bela?” Treto croaks.
