by Josie Walker
I have a bird’s eye view of the dining hall as we circle around to one of the four sets of stairs descending to the massive space. Off to the sides I see two huge fireplaces with impressively large spits. Long metal rods hold entire carcasses which spin over the fire to golden perfection.
I don’t know exactly what type of meat this is cooking for dinner, but I’m in. Ever since the Krinar took over Earth it’s been nothing but fruit and vegetables. I’m ready to sink my teeth into something primal.
There are tables spread throughout the room, and each one is full of muscle bound men. There’s not a shirt to be had, although there are lots of decorative chains, arm bands and metal wrist cuffs. All wear either loin cloths or leather pants like Bocc-d’ar. It’s like I’m at Comic Con surrounded by a bunch of wannabe Thors. It’s so fun, that briefly I forget that I’m supposed to be planning my escape, because the other women need my help.
We’re headed toward a raised table at the head of the room. It has two ornate chairs, which are conspicuously empty. They look like thrones.
He leads me straight to those chairs and gestures for me to sit on one of them. So, I was right. He is the lord of the manor, because these definitely look like the royal chairs. Does that mean I’m his queen or something? I’d be flattered if the idea wasn’t making me feel like the room was closing in on me.
I study my chair, although I might as well quit prevaricating and just call it a throne already. It’s padded with a thick wooly fur. Like everything else in the castle, it’s too tall for me. I’m starting to relate more and more to the Goldilocks and the three bears story, and not just because I’m blonde. When he notices my struggle, he picks me up and sets me down gently on the seat.
“Thanks,” I reply automatically. Just because I know he doesn’t understand doesn’t mean I can’t still be polite.
No sooner am I settled than a huge platter of the steaming hot, roasted meat is placed directly in front of us. OMG. I haven’t had real meat in so long. I was still a kid when the Krinar invaded earth and turned everyone into uber healthy, earth friendly vegetarians.
My diet for years has been nothing but tofu and vegetables. It’s enough to drive anyone insane. Especially when all this girl wants is some bacon, and not the veggie kind. I still have no intention of staying, but I’m starting to understand some of the appeal of this alien planet.
Bocc-d’ar reaches out and grabs a nice medium rare piece of meat and holds it out to me. I open my mouth like a baby bird and gobble it up. I chew slowly, letting the sweet juices marinate on my taste buds. These people have taken roast to a whole new level.
He picks up another piece and offers it to me, but I brush his hand away. I’m perfectly capable of feeding myself, and besides that I’m starving. No dainty nibbles for this girl.
I can’t even remember the last time I ate, except for that one purple banana on our flight here. There is a stack of those in front of us along with some other brightly colored fruits, but I’m not even remotely interested. After I rescue the other women we’ll go back to Earth and I may never get to eat meat again.
I tear off a tender piece of roast and bite into it. It pretty much falls apart in my mouth. I wonder what kind of animal it is? I really don’t care what it’s called though, not when it tastes this good. Given the size of those carcasses roasting on the spits, I suspect that it is the large sheep-like cow creatures I saw grazing on the hillside. But it could easily be some kind of wild caught game. I really don’t care. It’s not like I’m planning on butchering one myself.
It is so good I groan in pleasure. The next piece I snag is still attached to a long bone, like a spare rib. But unlike the scrawny ribs I remember from years ago, this one is covered with plump juicy meat. I gnaw along the sides of the bone and groan again in pleasure.
Then somehow the utter silence of the room cuts through my meat orgy fog. I look up to see every eye on me. I realize too late that the sounds I’m making are virtually identical to the noises I make when I’m enjoying sex.
I wipe my mouth on the cloth that has been set in front of me and place my half gnawed bone on the silver plate which I assume is mine because someone set it right in front of me. Bocc-d’ar uses a serving fork and knife to cut me off a large portion of the meat from the platter and sets it on my plate. Then he puts another stack on his plate.
“VRA-LAKIN,” he says conversationally.
“Very lake in,” I mumble, guessing that is the name of the animal I’m eating.
“VRA-LAKIN SAISN,” he says again with a smile.
“Very lake in season,” I parrot his string of gibberish.
Then I forgo all attempts to carry on a conversation. I continue eating with my fingers because that’s apparently how we do it here. It isn’t easy, but I manage to avoid staining my new dress, which is impressive, especially given how the roast keeps dripping. Thank goodness they gave me a napkin!
I continue to eat, but eventually my stomach lets me know it’s not hungry anymore. That doesn’t mean I’m willing to stop eating yet, but I do slow down the pace. I gaze around me and study the other diners.
The men are still looking at me, with their unwavering stares and that’s when it hits me. Men. They really are all men. I crane my neck all the way around the room, and sure enough there isn’t another woman present. Just me. So much for my theory that all of the women were hiding out inside the castle.
Well, that is certainly odd. A server, male of course, comes up to our table and places two silver goblets in front of us, and a pitcher of something. He pours us each a glass, and I take a tentative sip.
“Mmmm,” I murmur appreciatively.
It’s some type of wine, and I approve. My stomach has shrunk since our capture, so I stop eating well before I want to simply because I’m out of room. I push my plate away and lean back in my chair so I can better observe my surroundings.
After a while, Bocc-d’ar pushes back his plate as well, saying something that I don’t understand. He stands and motions for me to come, so I get out of my chair. He takes my hand, and we leave the hall together.
I recognize the route he’s taking thanks to my mental map. I anticipate the turns as he takes me back to his bedchamber. Once again, we’re alone. I need to stay strong because my body is currently overrun with hormones.
He removes his Egyptian looking neck circlet and cape, placing them back on the table. I turn my back to him, and he takes off my necklace and places them next to his. They look good next to each other, and it’s obvious that they were designed as a set.
He carries me over to the bed, and sets me on top of the furs. I think he’s going to climb in with me, and I’m trying to work up the strength to resist his hot sexiness when he says something. I understand nothing in the string of unintelligible syllables he’s pieced together.
I stare at him blankly. He walks over to the door, then says something else, equally mystifying. It doesn’t even phase me when he morphs into his armor form with the trident on his back. Then, rather abruptly he leaves.
Well that’s weird. I sit upright in the bed, wondering where he went. When he doesn’t return after a few minutes I lay back and stare at the ceiling. I’m not really sleepy because I napped earlier.
Several minutes pass and he doesn’t return so I decide to explore the room. I flip onto my belly, spin my feet toward the floor and slide off the side of the bed. “That bed was too big,” I say quoting Goldilocks.
First I hit the bathroom because . . . well, just because. I use the toilet again and marvel at how it flushes itself. This whole bathroom thing is a luxury I wasn’t expecting.
These aliens are such a crazy mixture of primitive and advanced tech. Who would have guessed. Of course, thinking logically I knew they had technology because they have space travel, so I guess luxurious bathroom fixtures isn’t such a stretch after all. I look again at that walk-in
tub, but can’t for the life of me figure out how to operate it because it doesn’t have any faucets.
I notice there is a basin on a table under one of the mirrors and wonder if that’s a sink. I lean in to get a closer look and water pours into the sink from a silver tube. Yay! I can wash my hands after all.
I put my hands in the water and splash some on my face. There is a bowl of colorful marble shaped balls. I pick one up wondering if its soap. Sure enough it lathers when I rub it.
Like lightning I strip off my dress and wash up as best I can in the sink. It feels like heaven. Then I dry off with a scrap of material that I assume is a towel. I put the makeshift dress back on, and decide to explore the bedroom some more.
I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but I think it’s been at least an hour since he left. I look at the door, and I’m really tempted to see if it’s locked. I walk over, deciding to risk it. I softly grab the knob, and I’m surprised when it turns. I slowly open the door and peek my head out.
The hallway is empty. Seriously? No guard? It’s almost like they want me to escape!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Tessa
I make a lightning quick decision. This may be the only chance I get, and I’m certainly not going to waste it. I dart back into the room and grab a fur from the bed, draping it across my shoulders like a shawl. I figure that won’t look too suspicious if I get caught walking through the castle. It just looks like I’m cold, right?
I remember the route, and carefully make my way back to the dining hall. Fortunately there’s no one here now. I take off my fur shawl and lay it on a table, piling food inside. I take a platter of meat, complete with serving tray, knife and fork. I grab a full water skin, and some fruit. I tie the bundle shut and sling it over one shoulder.
I feel a little bit conflicted about stealing these things because Bocc-d’ar has been pretty nice, all things considered. But I wouldn’t be in this situation if he hadn’t kidnapped me, so I’m not going to feel too guilty about pilfering some supplies.
I try to remind myself that he’s not my friend. He’s my enemy, a very intimate enemy that I just happened to sleep with twice. Friends don’t kidnap friends. They don’t abduct people and fly them far away to alien planets.
Eclipsa, Xairia, and the others are my real friends, and they need me. They’ve got to be freaking out. I have to get back to the city. I’m also worried about my best friend, Sarah. Sadly, I have no choice but to trust that Vorek is taking good care of her. She’s not even on the same planet so I can’t help her. If anything, I’m hoping that she and Vorek are preparing a rescue party to come get us.
I’m not sure what we’ll do when I get back to the others. We’ll just take things one step at a time. Maybe we could steal the metal head’s spaceship. My Krinar friends are way smarter than me. I bet Xairia knows how to navigate it back to Earth, or Sagren for that matter.
Actually I have no idea if they can do that or not, so maybe that’s not much of a plan. But regardless, step one is to escape this castle without getting caught. Then I have to make my way back to my friends. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
With my makeshift pack slung over my shoulder I exit the immense dining hall through a different doorway than the one I entered. I know there’s not an exterior door along that route because I searched for one when I came down from the bedroom. The halls are pretty dark and deserted, probably because it’s evening.
There is just enough light being cast from the wall sconces for me to see. I’m not sure how they work. I pull one from its holder. They don’t seem to be actual fire, although there is no glass bulb so they don’t look electric either. Strangely enough, I find it’s cool to the touch.
Footsteps coming down the hall jerk me from my investigation. I turn frantically and see that I’m next to a door. Holding my breath, I open it. Thankfully it’s an empty storage room, so I hide inside until the footsteps pass. When I’m sure the alien is gone I decide it’s okay to continue.
But first, I open my bag and tuck the sconce inside it. It’s a greasy mess in there, but they didn’t have a big pile of Tupperware on display, so I’m making do. A light will be most helpful navigating the treacherous descent down the mountain in the dark, even if it is covered in roast fat. Still, I can’t afford to let anyone see the light now. I must get out of here and find a way back to my friends.
Cautiously, I emerge from my hiding place and continue down the passageway. The next thing I know, I’ve stumbled upon the main entrance. I almost don’t trust my eyes, but quite miraculously I have found the exit to this maze. It’s deserted. Where is everyone? Is this all some kind of elaborate trap?
There’s no turning back for me now, so I open the heavy door, and step out into the night. The air is much cooler and the street is pretty empty. I see a few aliens in the distance, but am able to duck around the sides of buildings until they pass.
I make my way to the front gate and my heart drops. I forgot about that. There’s no way I can figure out how to lower that massive thing, even if I could manage to do it quietly enough that it wouldn’t alert the metal heads to my escape.
I see alien guards patrolling along the top wall. They are obviously guarding the place from attackers. They don’t stand in one place though, so I think I would be able to avoid them if I could only get outside this mammoth gate. That’s when I see it . . . a small door, about thirty feet away from the big one. It blends in well with the wall, and I only notice it because of the handle.
With my heart pounding I wait until the guard has passed above me, then step toward the door. The handle turns and opens. I can’t believe it’s not locked. Their security measures so far leave a lot to be desired.
I sneak a peek on the other side and see there is no handle on that side of the door. It only opens from the inside, which explains why they aren’t guarding it I guess. I step through and it’s instantly much darker. The pale light from two purple moons is the only illumination, but I can’t take my sconce from my pack yet. The guards on the wall would see it.
I glance up and see one of the guards atop the wall heading toward me from the left. I jerk back, hugging my body close to the wall so that he can’t see me. I wish I was wearing darker clothing, my light colored dress isn’t exactly night gear.
When the footsteps fade away, I inch out of my hiding spot and scurry toward the treeline. I run between the rows of tall vegetation in their cultivated fields, glancing over my shoulder to spot the next rotation of guards marching on this side of the wall.
I bend down and lay my body flat between the rows to hide just before one of the metal heads passes again, high on the wall. I’m close to the edge and make my way into the cover of the forest before the next one passes. I am immediately blinded when the pale light from both moons is blocked by trees overhead.
Thrust into the stygian gloom, I halt abruptly. I stand stock still, willing my eyes to adjust to the inky darkness. They don’t.
I start to hyperventilate when I realize I can’t see anything ahead of me. There is a faint light behind me, but nothing in the direction that will take me away from the metalhead’s castle. The tree cover is just too dense. I pull the pack off of my shoulder, and stick my hand inside to retrieve the sconce.
It’s covered in slick grease, but it’s soft blue light is a relief to my eyes. I wipe my hand off on a nearby plant, but it doesn’t really help. I hold the light out and the rocky uneven ground directly in front of me is revealed. I cautiously place one foot in front of the other, holding onto branches as I begin my descent.
I am reminded again how ill prepared I am for the task before me. Back on Sagren I wasn’t even allowed outside the dome since I’m human, so frail compared to the Krinar. They have nanos or whatever they call them, to heal their bodies of injuries. Even Sarah was injected with the things when she became Vorek’s charl.
I have nothing to heal
me if I tumble off the side of this mountain and break my stupid neck. I know I’m a complete idiot for even attempting this escape. But I must make it back to my friends. They need me.
I know they’re freaking out and I have to let them know I’m still alive. Plus we need to be together when Vorek and the others come to rescue us. Everything is going to be okay, or at least that’s the lie I’m currently telling myself.
The descent is steep, but fortunately there are enough trees and shrubs to hold onto. That is, until I come to a spot that has nothing but loose rock. I shine my weak light around to see the best direction to take. I spy a lone bush down below, off to the right.
It’s my best option, but sadly it’s about twenty feet down. If I could get to that bush, there’d be plenty of things to hold onto after that. Would a nice paved path down the side of the mountain be too much to ask for? Or better yet, why not wish up an elevator?
I hold my light in my left hand and side step carefully. My bare feet search out solid footholds amidst the loose rock. I haven’t had shoes this whole time we’ve been captured, so my feet have gotten pretty tough, but they are already bruised from the terrain.
I’m trying not to think about creepy crawly insects, and whether or not there’s an alien equivalent of scorpions out here. The rock shifts underfoot, and I feel myself losing control. I scramble, arms flailing, and lose my footing.
I’m plummeting downward, but somehow I manage to keep hold of my light. And amazingly enough, I’m still on a direct trajectory for the bush I was aiming for. I catch a limb and manage to latch tight with my right hand as I careen by.
I feel as though my arm is being ripped from its socket, but I hold fast. My body jerks to a stop, heart pounding as I assess my situation. I’m still gripping the sconce, and I haven’t lost my pack, so things could be a lot worse.
Taking a closer look at the huge bush that saved me, I see that it’s covered with gigantic bell shaped flowers that have a sickly sweet smell. I tightly grip a branch and pull myself up onto shaky feet. I’m afraid to let go as I lift the light to see which direction I should go next.
