by Octavia Kore
Stop panicking, she chided. If it was a giant spider, it would have wrapped her entire body up, not just her wrists and ankles, right? Clara worried her bottom lip as she looked around for something to cut through the threads. Giant spider or not, she didn’t plan on sticking around to find out. Shifting around on her knees, Clara made it over to the wall where a few small baskets had been stacked on top of one another. They looked to be woven, but there was something on the outside, a layer that looked eerily like the material binding her wrists and ankles. If she could break them open, she might be able to find a tool or a weapon, or perhaps even work her way through the bindings on a jagged edge.
Movement to her right caught her eye and Clara froze, the breath trembling out of her lungs as every fine hair on her body stood on end. When she finally worked up the courage to turn her head, Clara gasped and jerked backward, falling onto her butt. Turns out she hadn’t been very far off when she’d thought of the spiders. While the creature in front of her didn’t look exactly like the ones she’d known on Earth, there was enough of a resemblance to them to send a shiver down her spine.
It was tall and slender and covered in short white and black patterned fur. Like the Grutex, this creature had multiple eyes, one set positioned much like her own and three additional sets just beneath those for a total of eight inquisitive solid fuchsia eyes, all of which were focused on her. Its mouth moved, and Clara wasn’t sure if it was trying to communicate with her or if it was merely getting ready to eat her. Using her legs to propel herself, she scooched back across the floor, hoping and praying the walls really were as thin as they looked. Maybe if she pushed hard enough, she’d be able to tear through…
The creature held up its hands, and Clara realized that it had not one set of arms, but two. She tried to kick as it approached, but the binding on her ankles made it difficult to get her legs up in the air. “Get the fuck away from me, spider! Stay back!”
All four arms dropped down to its sides, and it halted, cocking its head as if it was confused. She wasn’t sure if it was male or female, but now that the creature—or alien—was a little closer, Clara could see that they had long braided black and orange hair. A tuft of dark fur circled their neck like a collar and matching stripes ringed each arm as well as the double tail.
Life was seriously unfair. She’d heard people say that so many times, and had even thought it herself on more than one occasion, but it wasn’t until then that she realized just how true it was. First it was her abduction by the Grutex, then she’d dealt with the lab, and just when Clara thought she might be on her way to freedom, she woke up bound inside a strange space with some humanoid spider-like alien watching her.
Was she all alone here? Where was Jun, Nuzal, Xavier, Roman, and––oh, God, Layla! Clara felt herself blanch, and her already racing heart kicked into overdrive. They’d noticed the other woman was missing moments before the creature attacked her, and the thought that something awful could have happened to someone she considered a friend made her feel sick.
Had these beings taken Layla as well? There was no one else in the room with her aside from the fuzzy alien, so if they had taken the other woman, they were keeping them separated. Clara looked up at the alien, and something in their gaze was almost accusatory. Maybe they’d accidentally done something during their time in the forest to offend these beings? She’d learned in school that throughout history, many cultures considered certain foods sacred. It was possible one of the fruits or even the roots the group had taken were important to them.
The alien’s mouth moved again, and Clara clenched her jaw, frustrated that she couldn’t understand or even hear the words it spoke. There was a time in her life where she would have given anything to leave Earth and all of its judgmental inhabitants behind, but now she wished she was home again, curled up on her secondhand couch in her tiny apartment. Life before the war with the Grutex hadn’t been ideal, but at least she’d had a place to call her own and the freedom to come and go whenever the mood struck.
That was back before Clara knew that aliens existed, back before the Grutex started abducting humans.
Clara’s gaze cut back up to the alien as it took a step toward her. She felt the scream claw its way up her throat as she attempted to scramble away, but heard nothing. The silence was still so unsettling after a lifetime of living with the cochlear implant. Her new reality was terrifying and this situation wasn’t helping in the slightest.
Reaching out with her mind, Clara searched for anyone familiar, desperately searching for the few bonds she’d formed after the loss of her hearing. “Layla! Layla, are you there? Can you hear me?”
No response.
“Hey, stay back! If you can hear me in your head, keep away from me!” she said, trying again to speak with the alien.
It seemed as if it either couldn’t understand her or it didn’t possess the ability to form the bond with her. This was the first time she’d come into contact with a sentient being she couldn’t communicate with. The Grutex had tried out her gift on more aliens than she could count, but none of them had looked like this one. Maybe it was choosing not to answer?
“Stay back,” she repeated, out loud this time. She hoped like hell she’d formed the words correctly, but fear was beginning to seep into her mind and she could barely concentrate. Her eyes were locked on the alien’s face as the mouth filled with sharp teeth moved, no doubt forming words they expected her to be able to at least hear.
Movement off to the side caught her attention, and she jumped when another alien of the same species walked through the wall of the room as if it weren’t there at all. Her terrified gaze moved over this new one, taking in the subtle differences. Neither one of them showed any outward signs that would help her identify them as male or female, assuming their species even had the concept of gender. If they were anything like the Grutex, then it was possible that their size was the biggest indicator.
Many of the humans she’d been imprisoned with on board the Grutex ship believed there were no Grutex females, but Clara had known that wasn’t true, even before Nuzal’s revelations. She’d seen them with her own eyes, and aside from their slighter build and softer features, the females were incredibly similar. Maybe that’s how it was with these aliens?
The sheer size of this new one compared to the first alien led her to believe that he might be the male. Unlike the other—possibly female—alien, his dark hair was cropped short, stopping just above his sharp jawline. His base coloring was identical to the first alien’s, and it made her wonder if this was a species trait or if these two were related.
There was something about this new one that radiated power, and it wasn’t just the chiseled muscle rippling beneath the short fur that covered his body. His presence demanded attention, and it felt like the air in the room disappeared as his hard dark eyes focused on her face. Clara tore her gaze away and moved down his body, over the broad shoulders, wide chest, and both sets of muscular arms.
The fur that covered his torso looked so soft that her fingertips tingled with the urge to brush through it. A dark strip of hair bisected his lower abdomen, tapering down over the front of his pelvis. Twin tails curled near his feet, and Clara shook herself as her eyes darted back up to his face.
Was she really sitting here, hands and feet bound, gawking at this alien? Maybe she’d just been away from Earth and other “normal” humans for too long, but she found she could appreciate this alien’s beauty. More than appreciate it, she thought, and then shook her head. Hardly the time for that, Clara.
The male blinked all of his eyes rapidly before frowning down at her and Clara couldn’t help but feel as if he’d just shaken himself as well. It made her feel a little less insane to know she wasn’t the only one being affected. He took a step toward her and Clara jerked back, losing her balance and ending up on her ass. She did her best to plant her feet and pushed as hard as she could, propelling herself backward into a space she assumed was a hallway.
; Nope, nope, nope. Sorry, bud, but I’m not ready to be your next meal.
The aliens glanced at one another, and Clara watched their mouths move as they spoke. God, she wished she could read their lips. Even if she could, Clara was well aware they wouldn’t be speaking English. The male said something that made the other alien frown and look at Clara. Whatever he’d said, it was obvious this one didn’t agree. Her twin tails twitched as her hands balled into fists, and she stalked out of the small room, stepping through the wall where the male entered moments ago.
If she waited for the right time, would she be able to get through the wall as well? Back on the Grutex ship, they’d used force fields to keep the humans within their cells. Were the walls here similar? Would they allow the aliens to pass, but keep her locked inside?
Even if she got out, Clara had no idea what waited for her on the other side. The way the light shined through the material, she’d figured that it led outside, but maybe this was merely a ruse.
And what if it did take her outside? Clara didn’t know if she was even still in the forest, and she doubted she would be able to find her way back to the ship on her own. Her abilities were useful, but they couldn’t lead her back to the others.
From what she’d learned during her time in the lab, her range was rather small. She could communicate with people close by, but she hadn’t been able to master anything long-range. Clara envisioned a thread connecting her mind to the alien’s and prayed that she would be able to speak to this one.
“If you can hear me, I just want to let you know that we never meant you any harm. My people and I had no idea this place was inhabited. I apologize for any offense.” Clara raised her bound hands.
If the alien heard her, he didn’t show it. His black eyes roamed over her body, and she fought not to fidget beneath the scrutiny. Tit for tat, Clara. You gawked first. She watched his head tilt slightly, and when he reached a hand behind his back, every hair on her body stood on end, her muscles tensing as she prepared for what might be coming. Instead of producing a weapon, the alien held out a strange sphere made of the same material that kept her bound and covered the outside of the stacked baskets. He took a cautious step forward, all eight of his dark eyes on her as he extended his arm toward her slowly.
Clara’s brows furrowed. Even if her hands weren’t bound, Clara sure as hell wasn’t going to take anything this alien offered her. He might look warm and fuzzy, but God only knew what he wanted and what was inside of the little woven orb. Food? Water? Hundreds of little baby spiders ready to hatch and eat her alive? No thanks.
Okay, maybe she’d watched one too many internet videos of baby spiders spilling out of egg sacs, but she couldn’t shake the terrifying mental image. The male crouched down in front of her, and before she could think better of it, Clara kicked out with her bound legs. The orb he’d offered her flew from his hands and landed with a soft vibration on the floor a few feet away.
Shocked at her own actions, Clara stared first at the orb, praying to every god in existence nothing burst out of it, before her gaze swung back toward the alien’s face. His eyes were narrowed on her and for a moment he looked like an exasperated parent admonishing their child for throwing food off the table.
Had he really expected her to just accept whatever he was offering? As a child growing up in the foster system, it hadn’t taken Clara long to learn that you couldn’t trust everyone no matter how kind they seemed. Aliens were no different. At this point, she wasn’t sure if he wanted to feed her or feed on her.
The male’s upper lip curled, and Clara caught sight of his fangs just before he turned around to retrieve the orb. He brushed it off with one of his lower hands and brought it to his mouth, tearing a hole into the top. Steam rose up from the hole he’d created, and Clara stared, more curious than she cared to admit about what could be inside, but the savory smell that wafted from it made her mouth water.
Did this species cook their meals inside of these spun spheres? There was no sign of a cooking area in this room, but maybe there was one somewhere else within the structure. When he pulled the orb away from his mouth, Clara swore she saw the hint of a smile on his lips, but it was there and gone before she could say for sure. He held it out to her once more, his lips moving as he spoke.
“Is this food? What do you want me to do with this?” The words took her back to the day on the Grutex ship when she’d looked down at the strange objects on the table.
When he didn’t come any closer, Clara reached out and he nudged the orb into her hands. Her fingers brushed over the web and she shivered as images flashed through her mind. His memories had been woven into the sphere, and she felt her breath hitch as she watched him contort, his body bending at angles that were unnatural. Bones broke and reformed as shimmering black skin replaced his fur and a new monster began to take shape.
The memory changed, and then she was racing through the forest, seeing the world around her through this alien’s eyes. She felt free and wild, like nothing could touch her, and through him, Clara heard the sounds of the forest. She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat and took it all in. There was something here, a connection she couldn’t explain.
The images disappeared and Clara felt herself sway at the sudden loss of contact as the male jerked the orb away. He watched her closely, his expression guarded, and she wondered if he’d felt what she had. The fur on his stomach moved as if the muscle beneath it rippled, and Clara swore she could see it giving way to the same shimmering black skin she’d seen in the memory—the same skin as the beast who’d attacked her in the forest.
Was he going to turn into the beast again? She should have been scared, she should have tried to get away from him before he lost control and hurt her, but his memories lingered in her mind. Like the first time she’d laid her hand on Nuzal, one of the Grutex scientists who’d aided in their escape, Clara knew this alien didn’t want to hurt her. Not yet, at least.
Clara couldn’t see the future, but she could feel him now, and although he was certainly on guard, the male was also curious. That makes two of us, buddy.
Instead of handing her the orb, the alien brushed it against her lips, waiting for her to open her mouth before tipping it. Warm, salty broth rushed over her tongue, and she was thrown back in time to senior year on prom night. Her date had been the captain of the football team, popular and handsome, and she’d been floored when he asked her to go with him. His parents were charming and seemed genuinely interested in her, asking Clara all sorts of questions about her life as they sat across from her at the table in one of the most upscale restaurants in the city.
It was a place Clara would have never been able to dine at normally, and she’d taken every little detail of the dining room in with wide eyes. They’d told her that dinner before prom was a tradition, something all the kids did, but she wasn’t like most of the kids at school. When she balked at the prices on the menu, his parents simply waved away her concern, urging her to pick anything. “It’s our treat!” they’d said, their smiles so wide that she wondered if it hurt their faces.
Before the food arrived, Clara excused herself to use the restroom, but her steps faltered as she passed the divider on her way back to the table.
“I know this spoils your plans, Mason, but think of this as charity work. We’ll get a few pictures of you taking the little deaf girl to the prom and maybe some of the two of you dancing together. Colleges eat that sort of thing up.” His mother hadn’t even bothered to lower her voice, and it scraped across Clara’s mind.
Charity work. That’s all she was to them, all she’d ever been to so many people. Clara sat back down with them, a smile plastered on her face as the waiters brought them their dinner. She’d eaten that expensive kobe steak, and afterward she’d bailed on the dance with zero guilt over the cost of her food and the ticket she would never use.
Whatever was in this woven orb the alien was feeding her tasted just as good as that steak had that day. To avoid another fla
sh of the male’s memories, she used the back of her hands to help him tilt the orb, careful not to make too much contact. While the ability to gain knowledge of an individual through touch was useful, it could also be tiring and inconvenient.
Maybe he was only feeding her so that she tasted better when he finally ate her, but Clara didn’t care at that moment. The broth was so much better than the horribly dry nutrition bars the Grutex provided them with, and it didn’t even compare to the mystery food the replicators onboard their escape ship produced. This stuff was heavenly, and if she was going to die a gruesome death at the hands of this fuzzy alien, then she was going to at least go with a full stomach.
As the last drops fell onto her tongue, fingers slid across her cheeks and over the fine hairs near her ear. The male’s eyes moved over every inch of her face, and something strange flashed across his, an emotion that Clara couldn’t quite place. A part of her believed it might be something close to sympathy, but alien expressions were a lot harder to read than one might think.
His mouth moved as his lips formed words she couldn’t hear, and when his eyes met hers, Clara’s lungs seized. The male frowned and shook his head as if he’d caught himself doing something he shouldn’t before retreating across the room. She had a feeling he found her strange, and for some reason that brought a smile to her face.
Right back atcha, buddy.
Chapter 3
Zaheer
If Zaheer could say one thing about this creature, it was that she was a determined little thing. He’d sat awake most of the night watching her toss and turn on the floor of the outpost, but now she was still, her bound hands propped beneath her cheek as she snored softly. With those alarmingly odd eyes of hers closed, Zaheer had taken some time to study her, trying his best to see what it was his guardian saw. It was fascinated by her, enamored by the tiny brown flecks that covered her exposed skin and the softness of her tangled hair.
