by E. M Reders
“It has to be a coincidence. Did you have dreams of Corr?” she asked, turning to Nora.
“No. But maybe things are different for the other tribes. Corr is a Warrior. Torq is a Slayer. There might be some difference in how they find their mates.”
Nora had explained all about the Chaetdorians and what the tribal markings meant. Warriors had black. Slayers had red. Technos had silver. But there was something about the marking thing that only confused Jessie. The male she kept dreaming about had black markings. But, low down on his stomach, he had one marking which was red. Why was that?
And why was she even thinking about him? She wanted nothing to do with the male. She would be long gone before they had even a chance at meeting. If he truly existed, that is.
“And anyway, Alice has always been sensitive to things. She knew we were going to be abducted.”
“No, I didn’t. I just had a sense that something was going to happen.”
“Well has anyone else had any dreams?” Hannah asked, looking around the group.
“Nope,” Jessie quickly replied.
Okay, maybe she shouldn’t have answered so quickly. The look Hannah gave her proved that she did not believe her.
When Katie did not answer the question, Hannah turned her focus on her instead. Thank God. “Well?”
“Arrghh,” Katie groaned. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? It’s simple. Has a hunky, tattooed alien male with fangs and shining eyes been fucking you vigorously in your sleep?”
That was one way to put it.
“Well...”
“Oh my God, you have. You’ve been dreaming about one of them,” Nora sang, clapping her hands in excitement.
Great, another of her friends was being brainwashed.
Chapter 8
Ever since the strange conversation with Doc, Xandr had been keeping an extremely close eye on the twins, especially Hecto. Hell, to tell the truth, he had been watching every male on the ship from the moment Mandy’s body had been discovered. He didn’t want to suspect his fellow Chaetdorians, but what over explanation was there?
Matching through the cargo doors and out of the ship into the bunker that housed it, he watched those around him, looking for any suspicious behaviour that could indicate madness. Seeing Neto scowling and mumbling under his breath he sent a quick message to Doc. Seconds later the ships medic’s voice came from his wrist unit.
“Neto – like everyone else you have asked me about – passed his assessment. You really need to stop this, Xandr. You cannot go around thinking that everyone who is showing signs of anger has succumbed to madness. Fuck, it that was true you would be the top of my list of contenders.”
“What is that meant to mean?” he growled, moving to the back of the cave where its natural features remained.
“It means that I don’t need to examine you to know you have been in a bad mood for days.”
“I’m fine.”
“No you’re not, but we will talk more about it when you come in for your assessment later.”
“There is nothing to talk about,” he snapped, ending the conversation by disconnecting his unit before smashing his fist into one of the millennia-old rock formations.
He didn’t want to talk about it.
SMASH.
What was there to be learnt from talking about it?
SMASH.
What was to be achieved?
SMASH.
He had failed, plain and simple. He had failed as a Warrior. Failed as a Chaetdorian. Failed as a lover.
SMASH. SMASH. SMASH.
At that moment, he was glad she had never met his true mate. He just would have failed her too.
***
“Come on,” Hannah demanded, jumping up from her seat and grabbing hold of Katie’s hand.
“Where are we going?”
“Hunk watching.”
“What?” Nora asked with a giggle.
“Well it’s obvious that Katie wants an alien hunk of her own, and I for one wouldn’t mind finding out which of these hotties have gotten their junk pierced.” Information Katie had shared that Jessie really had not wanted to know. “Also, for the first time in days, we are actually free from overprotective, domineering males. I say let's enjoy it.”
More like evil, brainwashing, freaks, with hard muscles and large cocks.
“One problem,” Jessie pointed out to the group. “We can’t leave the deck.” The main door was operated by one of those damn panels, and none of them had any idea how to work it.
Hopping to her feet, Katie announced, “Don’t worry, I know someone,” before vanishing through a door.
“What is she talking about? Who does she know?”
A moment later Katie returned, dragging a tall woman with her.
Now, Jessie had thought she had spoken to everyone – every human – that was trapped on deck seven, but she was positive she had never seen this woman before. She would remember talking to someone that stunning.
“Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Temple. Temple this is Nora, Alice, Hannah and Jessie. Temple is the one that showed me how to work those damn showers.” Another thing that was controlled by those stupid panels. Jessie had been worried that she was never going to get clean after being stuck in the white room with no change of clothing for Lord knows how long.
“Hi,” the woman greeted them. Turning back to Katie, she shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Yes you can, no one will ever know. Please, just open the door. I swear I will never ask you to do it again.”
Open the door? This woman knew how to do that?
A million and one ideas began to run rampant through Jessie’s mind. If Temple knew how to work the panels, she could help them escape.
As soon as possible she was going to have to get the woman alone and talk her into helping. She doubted it would be an easy job. If the woman knew how to open the door and hadn’t already escaped it was obvious she had already been brainwashed.
“OK, I’ll do it,” Temple sighed after being nagged almost to death by Katie. “But you must all promise not to mention this to anyone. No one must know.”
“Deal.”
Moving forward, Temple stood before the panel, using her body to cover what she was doing. Jessie tried her best to look over the woman’s shoulder, but it was no use. Within moments the door vanished, and she was being dragged through the doorway by her friends.
“Wanna join us?” Jessie asked. She needed to talk to her, find out how she had done it.
Eyes wide, Temple shook her head.
“You sure? It will be fun.” It wouldn’t, but she would say anything to get the woman alone.
“I’m sure it will, but I have things to do here. Maybe another time.”
“Thanks, Temple,” Katie shouted back with a smile before the door reappeared, sealing Temple back in and them out.
“So where to?” Hannah asked.
Where to? So after dragging them out here, she had no idea where they were going? “This was your idea. Shouldn’t you have at least some idea of where we are going before you drag us all along with you?” They could get in serious trouble being out here. What if they locked them back up in that white room or some other inescapable place?
“There is a large viewing window outside our cabins,” Nora said. “There are always males working outside the ship, loading supplies and stuff. We can start there.”
“Then lead the way.” Maybe she could gain a clue as to where they were exactly. It would make finding her way home easier once they escaped the ship.
The whole way through the ship her mind was focused fully on her surroundings, of possible ways of escape. But the second they entered the cabin bay and approached the large window she came across a serious problem, and it wasn’t just the mass of alien activity she could see in the dark cavern with no sign of an exit.
No, her problem was that her alien dream lover was out there, and she could n
ot take her eyes off him.
Her day was made even worse a little while later when Katie was chosen as an alien mate right in front of her eyes, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Chapter 9
Jessie had spent the last few hours totally freaking out. First Nora had been claimed, then Alice, and now Katie. Would she be next? She couldn’t deny that she was attracted to the male she had been dreaming about since she’d been abducted. But the fact that he was here, that he was real. She was just super grateful that he had not seen her. He had been too distracted pounding rock into dust.
Sat all by herself at one of the tables on deck seven, she did her best to push the image of her dream lover and his bulging biceps, of the sheen of perspiration that had coated his toned body as he let go of his frustration on the rock formations that filled the cave the ship was stashed in, out of her mind. She had more important things to focus on.
Hearing rapid footsteps coming from the corridor behind her, she turned in her seat to see Joel, one of the human volunteers living on the ship, moving quickly in her direction. He looked mad, angry.
“You OK?” she found herself asking. She wasn’t keen on the guy, he kind of gave her the creeps - what with the way he seemed to watch her friend Hannah, and some of the other females on board too - but at least he was human.
“Fine,” he growled, storming passed and back to his room.
Not knowing where Hannah had disappeared to, and wanting to do anything other than sit and dwell on the sense of doom gathering in the pit of her stomach, Jessie got up out of her seat and went exploring. It was time to find a way out of here.
She had looked around the place numerous times but never with the desperation she was feeling now. It seemed to help. She suddenly saw all sorts of ways she could escape. None of them was actually doable, but still, at least she was noticing things now. She could throw one of the many tables at the viewing window; though she doubted a spaceship would have windows weak enough for it to do any damage. She could climb into the garbage disposal unit located next to the food consoles and see where it led; though knowing her luck it would lead to some sort of incinerator, and she would burn to death. But still, at least she saw options.
Leaving the main area, she headed down the corridor she had seen Joel leaving and went to check out the feed rooms. Maybe there would be a way out down there. She hadn’t ventured into them before, too freaked out and scared that one of the aliens would grab her and feed on her like some freaking vampire.
Hearing voices coming from one of the rooms she quickly bypassed it and raced to the end of the corridor. Right at the end, there was another door with one of those damn panels. She guessed that that was the door the aliens that came to feed entered through as she never saw any of them coming in.
As she was inspecting the panel, just in case this one was different than the others she had seen and easier to crack, she heard the door further down the corridor open. Without a thought she dived into the nearest open doorway, pressing her back up against the wall and holding her breath. Only when she was satisfied that whoever it was had gone did she release her breath.
Looking around the small, plain room, she found nothing but a doctors bed and a small medical cabinet. She was in a feeding room.
Heart picking up at the thought of one of the aliens finding her in here and mistaking her for one of the insane humans on board, her legs began to shake. She wanted nothing more than to leave and lock herself in her room. But she couldn’t. She had to find a way out.
Finding nothing, she turned to leave, only to trip over her own feet when she suddenly found Joel stood in the doorway.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice sharp.
“Having a fucking heart attack thanks to you! What the fuck do you think you’re doing creeping up on me like that? I was just looking for a damn way out of here for fuck's sake.” Which, turning her head to the left, she realised she might have found.
Pushing herself up off the floor, she glared at the guy still stood in the doorway blocking her way. “What?”
“You want to leave?” he asked, eyeing her strangely.
“Well, of course I fucking do. Who in their right mind would want to stay here? I have plans, a life. There is no way in hell I am staying here and being brainwashed like all the others. The first chance I get, I’m leaving. Now move out of my fucking way,” she demanded, pushing past him and heading back down the corridor. She had somewhere she needed to be.
A few minutes later, after well and truly telling Joel where to stick it, Jessie banged on Hannah’s door. She had to tell her the great news.
“Who is it?” came her friend’s yelled reply through the closed and locked door.
“It’s me. I need to talk to you.”
“Can it wait? I was about to go to bed.”
Bed? How the hell could she sleep at a time like this?
“No, it can’t. I need to talk with you… now.”
A minute later, Hannah opened the door. “This better be good. I was really looking forward to getting into bed.”
“It is. Quick,” she whispered, looking around to make sure there were no aliens nearby, “let’s go talk over there.” The last thing she needed was for one of them to find out her plans and halt her escape. Knowing her luck, it would be him. She had to make sure that they never met face to face. She had only dreamed about him and seen him from a distance, and already she was feeling the pull. She had a feeling that if she actually met him in person, the alien brainwashing would be irreversible.
“Jessie, calm down. What’s the matter?”
“I can’t do this, Hannah, I can’t stay here. I’ve been thinking about how to get out of here for the last few days, and I think I may have finally found a way. We’ll wait till everyone is asleep and then we’ll…”
Eyes wide, hands held up, Hannah butted in. “Hold on. We? Jessie, there is no we in this. I’m not leaving, and don’t think you should either.”
“You cannot be serious. Have you lost your mind? Why in heavens would you want to stay here? We have already been attacked by insane aliens. This place is not safe.”
“It’s complicated. But it’s safe now. That male that attacked us is gone, we don’t need to worry anymore.”
Complicated. No, it wasn’t. Had Hannah been brainwashed too? Was it too late to save her last remaining friend?
Huffing, she flopped down in a chair and glared at Hannah. “Well, I’m still going, with or without you. I’m not staying here.”
“Then please just wait,” Hannah begged. “Don’t go tonight. Sleep on it; you may change your mind in the morning. This place isn’t so bad. And anyway, you can’t just leave without a word. The others deserve a chance to say goodbye.”
She knew what Hannah was doing. She was stalling, trying to give herself some time to speak with the others so they could come up with some sort of plan to get her to stay. But there was one thing she said that was true, she was exhausted. Maybe some sleep would be a good thing.
“Fine, I won’t go tonight. But I am leaving, mark my words.”
Chapter 10
“All done,” Doc said, snapping Xandr out of his thoughts.
“Already?” It only felt like a moment ago that he had sat in the chair and had probes attached to his head. He wasn’t sure how exactly they helped Doc with his assessment, but they did apparently.
“And?”
“All clear. There are no signs of madness.”
Good to know, though he suspected by the look on Doc’s face that there was a but coming.
“But…” There it was. “I am still concerned. Your stress levels are through the roof. There is a lot of anger in you. Are you sure there is nothing you would like to talk to me about?”
“No.”
“Sometimes it helps.”
“I said no,” he snapped.
Sighing. “Very well. You’re free to go.”
After removing the probes from his
temples, he stood and made his way over to the door, only to turn back around when he got there.
“What you said the other moon, about the twins, was there a reason for that?” The conversation had plagued him ever since. Did Doc know something he didn’t? He had watched them closely over the last few moons, and he had to admit the pair were acting a little oddly.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Doc said just as both of their communicators beeped, relaying that there was an emergency on deck seven. The human deck. “Or maybe not.”
Arriving on deck seven a few minutes later, they found the place in bedlam. Almost a dozen Warriors were stationed at every door, no doubt to keep the humans in their rooms until whatever they were dealing with here was done. Spotting Corr, his Chaer, outside one of the feeding rooms they made their way over. As they did Xandr couldn’t help but glance at one door in particular. It looked just like all the others, but there was something about it he just couldn’t put his finger on. He felt drawn to it. He had to force himself to concentrate on the matter at hand and not approach it and enter.
“What are we dealing with?” Doc asked.
“Same as before. Female. Bitemarks to the neck. Numerous fractures. Crushed larynx.”
“Same male?” Xandr growled, dreading the answer but knowing he needed to know. Had his failure as a Warrior, as a Chaetdorian, led to the death of another innocent female?
“Looks that way.”
When the door to the room opened, and Teks stepped out, he got a quick look at the body. It was Rebecca, a friend of Mandy’s. Was that just a coincidence?
When the Slayer Chaer growled in rage he brought his focus back to the male.
“Where are the twins?” Teks snapped before turning on Doc. “You assessed both males the other moon. They were both cleared, correct?”
“Correct.”
“Then care to tell me why there is evidence in there connecting them to this crime!”
“Oh shit.”
Now all Chaetdorians are pale due to the Earth’s sun being hazardous to them, but at that moment Doc looked as pale as death.
