by Lisa Lace
He bared his teeth in his wrath, finishing off the rest of the mob moving behind them. He accelerated away from the scene. Hercules gurgled delightedly behind him as they soared up to Eden's height. They hopped off the sled at the top of the staircase. Thiago didn't bother to stop the vehicle, which wasn't large enough to accommodate all three of them. It jerked forward once before plunging into the acid pit underneath them.
"Let's get out of here. I don't know where Malatov and Ardela are, but I think they're coming back at any moment."
"You're okay, Eden. Everything will be fine." He searched in his satchel and pulled out a mechanism resembling a spring clamp. As a puffy-eyed Eden waited in her cage, Thiago fastened the jaws of the tool around the lock. He twisted a knob on the device to activate it. Within seconds, a powerful laser in the clamp jaws began searing away at the metal.
With Thiago's attention completely absorbed with helping Eden escape, he didn't see what was happening behind him. He didn't notice the wounded Noxx guard moving up the stairs, but Hercules did. As the grunting guard swung a rusty spiked baton over his head, intending to decapitate Thiago, Hercules launched himself at the attacker.
Hercules latched onto the guard, and the grappling pair tumbled over the staircase railing. There was a loud crash and splash into liquid. In moments, acid covered the two bodies.
Thiago and Eden looked at each other in disbelief. For the first time in years, Thiago snapped. The broken man collapsed to his knees. He clutched the sides of his head as their heartbreaking cries filled the vast space of the cavern.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
"We have to save Hercules!" Eden's words were drowned out by the roar of an animal-like sobbing.
As the pain of a thousand daggers twisted in his chest, it finally occurred to Thiago that the sounds were coming from his mouth. He was screaming in horror. He felt like a pillow covered his face.
More alarms started to go off in the chamber. They sounded like a symphony of foghorns. Thiago stopped looking at the ground, numbly observing the groups of Noxx pouring through all four entrances around them. He only broke out of his haze when he noticed the sneering faces of Malatov and Ardela among the mob of white scaly bastards. An adrenaline rush fueled with hatred and bloodlust drove him to his feet.
"Thiago! Get me out of here. They're coming!"
Thiago broke off the lock hanging from the cage and entered the tiny quarters. He refilled his laser magnum with clips of ammunition and fired at the hinges of the shackles. Eden's outstretched limbs fell from over her head. She yelped in pain as she slammed to the ground. Thiago snapped off Eden's cuffs, giving her a powerful hug before he set her free.
"Don't leave me again. I can't protect you if you run away. Can you move?"
"Yes. I'm sore as hell, but the feeling's slowly coming back to my legs."
"Here," said Thiago. He handed her a spare laser pistol from his satchel and the last orb bomb he'd collected from the abandoned sled. He took a moment to instruct her on how to operate the weapon.
He motioned to a switch on the side of the barrel and said, "The blue light's for stun, and the green light's for kill. Be careful with the orb. It's fragile, explosive, and dangerous."
"Okay, I got it," said Eden. The magnum shook in her hands as she slipped it into her belt strap. Peering over Thiago's shoulder, she gasped. Her eyes went round with terror at the Noxx guards gathering at the foot of the staircase. "Can we evade these guys?"
"We'll get them. Be careful." Thiago lifted Eden off the ground and started toward the open cage door.
"Thiago, wait." Eden pulled him down for a kiss. "Be careful, please."
Thiago paused. He tried to press his lips tightly together, but he couldn't help smiling.
"I will. Now let's get these bastards."
Eden threw away her useless heels. Her legs felt like lead underneath her as she ran after Thiago and she looked a filthy, bedraggled mess. Vast areas of her soiled halter jumpsuit were missing sequins. Inflamed alien bug bites peppered her dingy bare arms. The nest of coppery curls that ran past her shoulders had fluffed up from the humidity; it was untamable. Fortunately for Eden, there was no mirror, and discomfort was the last thing on her mind.
Thiago's aim seemed to improve in his trance-like rage. His barrel zeroed in on each of the Noxx running up the staircase, efficiently eliminating each target. Without looking behind him, he grabbed hold of two clips and put them into the chamber of his gun, reloading with mechanical efficiency.
Thiago and Eden started shooting in turns. One began firing while the other reloaded. Fallen guards toppled backward, creating an inescapable domino effect upon the soldiers behind them. As Thiago exterminated the last few attempting to crawl over their comrades' bodies, Eden sidled past them and down the stairs, knocking a few wounded guards over the railing along the way.
She was on a mission.
Eden made a beeline for Ardela. The beaming Arkadian woman stood with her spread legs locked and her arms folded across her chest. Her face looked primped for a red carpet, and her glossy pink hair stayed in place with two bejeweled hairpins. Even in the face of chaos, Ardela was as glamorous as ever.
Eden snorted, flicking away the sweat dangling off her nostrils. There was nothing more she wanted at that moment than to wipe the smug look off Ardela's face. The green bulb flashed on the nose of her pistol. But as Eden raised her weapon, Ardela lunged forward with a high kick and knocked the gun out of Eden's hands.
The weapon bounced on the ground and slid out of reach. Their eyes met for a split second before they both dove for the laser pistol. Eden knew her human strength wouldn't be enough to win against Ardela's Arkadian genes, so she had to resort to rough playground tactics. Eden sprang on top of Ardela and straddled her. She weaved her hands into the threads of Ardela's hair, immobilizing her bun as she pulled and twisted. Ardela shrieked. Tears fell from her eyes as Eden's fists tore off clumps of her hair.
Ardela shook her off, panting heavily. In her discombobulated state, she made the mistake of turning her back on Eden for one brief moment. Eden jumped at the chance, reaching for the orb bomb tucked away in her bra. She bit down on her lip and twisted the sphere to activate it. As Ardela turned back around, Eden stuffed the orb into her mouth. Finally, she gave Ardela a push.
Ardela's eyes bulged in astonishment. Her arms and legs flailed as she fell towards the acid pit behind her. Her cheeks ballooned and turned a ghostly blue before the orb detonated in her mouth. Body parts and jewelry rained into the murky yellow sea from above.
Gagging from the putrid stench, Eden whirled around, looking for Thiago. He was fighting with Malatov in a different struggle beyond the bodies of Noxx guards strewn across the floor. Eden watched as Thiago rolled on top of Malatov, jamming the barrel of his magnum between the Noxx's lips.
"Don't kill him!" Eden called out.
"Not now, Eden," Thiago hissed through clenched teeth. The marking on his forehead glowed a fiery red. "What about my parents?"
"He doesn't deserve a quick death," wheezed Eden as she ran up from behind him. She grabbed hold of his shoulder, squeezing. "Let the asshole rot in prison. We also need his face intact to collect the bounty."
Thiago struggled with himself as his shaking finger hovered over the trigger. He glared at Malatov's steely, unfeeling eyes blinking back at him.
His rational mind prevailed in a moment, and he let his body relax. He removed the weapon from Malatov's mouth.
"It's over now."
Thiago put restraints onto Malatov's wrists. He allowed himself one luxury, however. Thiago blew a glob of spit into Malatov's leering face before Thiago and Eden turned around, leaving the Noxx kingpin's empty threats behind them.
Chapter Thirty
THREE MONTHS LATER
"Why don't you set the ship to autopilot so you can enjoy a glass of bubbly?"
Thiago looked over his shoulder and smiled. Eden had noticed he was happier recently, and not a morose stick-in-the-mud like when she fir
st met him. She entered the cockpit, carrying an expensive bottle of vintage Pasquin ale in one hand and a fancy goblet engraved with ancient Arkadian hieroglyphics in the other. She looked stunning in an emerald green dress which accented her eyes. The asymmetrical neckline showed off a hint of her delicate collarbone.
He let the computer take over the ship and swiveled around in his chair to face Eden. She uncorked the bottle and poured a golden liquid into the glass, handing it to him. Sensing something was wrong, Eden tipped her head to the side and frowned.
"Is something the matter, honey?" she whispered. She snuggled up to him, gently massaging the hard knots permanently lodged in his neck and shoulders.
"It's nothing. I'm just a little tired of tossing and turning on the new mattress we bought last week."
"Me too. It's going to take a few more nighttime activities before we break it in," Eden said with a grin. She sighed and traced her finger along the buzzed sides of Thiago's head. "If a new mattress is our biggest problem, we've got a good thing going here. Malatov's going to prison as we speak. You're practically a celebrity now, and the payout for his capture was more than we had ever imagined. My family on Earth is living happy and debt-free. I'd say our life is divine right now, don't you think?"
"I suppose so," Thiago replied. He chugged back the rest of his ale and placed the empty goblet on the dashboard.
Eden took the passenger's seat and tapped her toes nervously against the leg of her chair. She wanted to say something to Thiago, but she wasn't sure how to open the topic of conversation.
"You know what this place needs? A little music."
Pulling up the radio on his dashboard screen, she selected a random station and started the music. A faint tune drifted through the speakers before the system sparked and died out. Eden pressed some random buttons, but they had no effect. Thiago bent forward in his seat and removed the cone of the exterior speaker.
"Well, this is a surprise."
The cone dropped between Thiago's feet. Eden clapped a hand over her mouth. Two baby alien arachnids the size of newborn puppies crawled out of the speaker opening. They each scooped one onto their lap. Thiago and Eden's heads hit each other as they peered into the radio opening. Two large broken eggs with purple polka-dots on their shells were nested deep inside the ship, incubated by the warmth.
"Hercules was a girl!" Eden said, gently crooning as she tickled the giggling creature in her lap.
"I suppose she was," said Thiago, his cheeks flushing with rosy affection at the baby animal burrowed in his lap. He glanced up at Eden. "This is amazing. I'm glad Hercules will live on, in a way, through her children. Why don't you take this one, too? These babies call for a proper celebration. You can't have any of the Pasquin ale, but I think there's some honeyberry champagne in the refrigerator that's safe for humans."
"No. I can't."
"Why not?"
Eden lowered her eyes meaningfully, rubbing one hand on her stomach. "Hercules wasn't the only mother on board."
Thiago smiled as Eden took his cold, clammy hand and warmed it between her palms. The pair leaned in close together. The tips of their noses touched as their lips locked in a long, passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, their eyes stared out into the distance.
A new adventure awaited them beyond the fluffy formations of pink clouds on the horizon.
EXCLUSIVE: Abduction Part 1
“Be sure to take the long route!”
“Sure, ok.” Bethany pulled her backpack over her shoulder. She closed the door behind her, grimacing as the wave of heat hit her. She glared at their car, wishing she could somehow shame it into starting up. Sighing, Bethany resigned herself to the long walk to town. She went over the list of things they needed in her head.
She got to the fork in the path and paused. Her mom always reminded her to take the long way, and she always did. After all, her mom was right – the shorter route may be more convenient, but it was also more dangerous. There were rumors of slavers who frequented that route, always disappearing when a patrol came by, but always at the ready to snare unwary travelers.
Bethany hesitated, knowing she should go right, the safe way. But it was so hot, and it was such a long walk. She was sure she’d be fine and headed left at the fork.
If she made good time, she could be home before her father returned from work. Lost in her thoughts, Bethany walked at a measured pace; this was hardly the first time their car had broken down, so she was well used to walking.
A sound made her glance up, frowning. Deciding it had been nothing, Bethany turned her eyes back to the path, but quickened her pace just the same.
Without warning, a huge ship rose from behind a small hill in front of her. Bethany screamed and leaped back, her eyes frantically searching the ship’s sides for a sign of some official seal, showing who it belonged to. There was none.
Two men wearing masks leaped out and came straight for her. Bethany didn’t stop to ask questions, she simply turned and ran.
The sound of a gun firing preceded a sharp pain in her leg, and she collapsed as her whole left calf went numb. The slavers loomed over her, waving their stun guns threateningly.
“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” It was the only warning she would get.
“Please – please just let me go. I won’t tell anyone I saw you, I swear.”
The man laughed harshly. “Always the same. Come on. You’re young enough, we’ll get a good price for you.”
The other squinted at her. “She may be young, but she’s old enough for marriage; what you say?”
The first slaver eyed Bethany. “Perfect.” His eyes glinted with pleasure that made Bethany’s blood run cold.
They grabbed her and shoved her roughly into the belly of their ship. Bethany screamed and kicked, but they simply laughed and slammed the cargo hold door behind her.
Hands reached for Bethany and she jerked away.
“It’s ok.” Bethany couldn’t see who the voice belonged to in the darkness of the cargo hold, but she could hear breathing. She knew she wasn’t the only one here. “Come on, sit in the corner here and hold onto one of these pipes. You’ll get bruised black and blue when we take off otherwise. There aren’t any seats back here.”
Bethany obeyed the voice, letting the hands guide her until she was sitting, clutching at a pipe for dear life.
Bethany trembled. “What’s happening?”
“What’s happening is we’ve been taken by slavers.”
Bethany groaned. She’d known before she’d asked, but was hoping to be proven wrong. “Slaving is illegal, they can’t do this.”
Another voice cautioned her from the darkness. “Quiet, these guys aren’t exactly slow to anger.”
“How long have you been here?” Bethany dropped her voice to a whisper.
“Just over a week. They’ve been flying around, trying to get a good haul for the auction tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Bethany’s voice rose in panic. “We’re being – being sold – tomorrow?”
No one replied, confirming Bethany’s worst fears.
She clutched tighter to the pipe as they took off, barely managing to stop herself being thrown against the hard metal wall of the ship.
The ride seemed to go on forever. Finally, the ship landed, the door opened, and a silhouette gestured impatiently.
“Let’s go, bathroom, make it fast.”
The woman next to Bethany rose immediately. “Come on, if you don’t go now, you won’t get another chance until tomorrow.”
Bethany got up and followed, blinking in the sudden light. She was followed by a woman around her age, another slightly older, and three just younger than her mother.
She stumbled as the slavers directed them to a truly disgusting little bathroom. Bethany believed that she wouldn’t get another chance and forced herself to do what was necessary.
They were shepherded back into the ship and the door was closed again.
“Where do w
e sleep?” Bethany sounded fearful.
“Right here. These guys don’t have a base, they work from the ship. It helps them avoid detection, I think.” She put a hand on Bethany’s arm. “Don’t worry dear, you’re young. I’m sure someone will take you as a bride.”
The other woman whimpered. “You say that like it’s a good thing?”
“Better than taken as a pleasure object, as they call us. Those who won’t make bride are used and thrown away.”
Bethany sputtered uncharacteristically. “But – but – I didn’t apply to be a bride, not for anyone. The Marital News is supposed to be a service that connects willing brides and grooms…”
“It’s supposed to be. If these guys are caught, they’ll no doubt be executed, but some buyers don’t care. Some don’t even know.”
The younger woman sounded breathlessly terrified. “We’re going to be eaten alive. Do you know what Evions do to their brides? They suck the life out of them – some say they even suck out the soul. Imagine, being without your soul. I’d rather die.”
Bethany had to agree there. Her stomach dropped as she wondered who would buy her. What would her parents think when she never came home? She should have listened to her mother -- why hadn’t she just taken the longer route?
Bethany’s urgency was apparent. “We need to escape. If our options are death or having our souls stolen, we can’t just sit here.”
“If we try that, we’ll be killed for sure. At least if we’re alive, we have a chance to be chosen as brides -- not so if we’re dead. I don’t want to die.”
A few of the others murmured their agreement. Bethany wished she could see their expressions. The two women said nothing. Well, Bethany wasn’t going to sit and do nothing. She wasn’t going to let herself get sold into slavery, not without a fight.
She started working on the pipe right next to her, twisting and pulling, trying to loosen it.
One by one, she heard her companions lie down on the hard floor and their breathing evened out as they fell asleep.
Though her eyelids were drooping, Bethany forced herself to stay awake and keep working on the pipe. Her fingers were aching by the time it started to loosen, but she kept going.
