by Ravenna Tate
She closed her menu as well, and gave him the most profound look of gratitude. Hadn’t anyone ever asked her about her life back on Earth before? “I was only there once even though we went to visit my mother’s family back in Labaro every summer, before the invasions…” Her voice trailed off and she glanced around, as if she was afraid to mention them.
“It’s okay, Gia. You can speak freely here.”
“Well, okay. Labaro is a small suburb, but it’s so close to Rome that you can do and see everything there easily. My maternal grandparents were born in that city. They met as children and married very young. My mother was also born there, but came to the USA to attend college and met my father while in school.”
“So you enjoyed your visits, then.”
She nodded. “Yes. Very much. There’s so much to do and see it would take a lifetime to experience all of it.”
Their server came over to take their orders, speaking their own language, but Gia was able to order using it, and she sounded like she’d been born on Sera. Thane and Rune exchanged an appreciative glance over her head. After their orders were given, Thane asked her about the restaurant in Rome with the same name.
“It was frequented by celebrities back in the day. US Presidents ate there, as well as royalty from other countries. It has a view from all sides across the historical parts of the city, and it’s crazy expensive. It looks like a palace inside with marble floors, antique wooden inlay, and mirrored tables.”
Thane glanced around at the red and white checkered tablecloths and the empty wine bottles with dried candle wax dripping over their sides on each table. He shook his head. “No wonder you laughed. This place doesn’t look anything like that, although I think you’ll enjoy the food. I wonder if they borrowed the name from Earth?”
“They did,” said Arlo. “It’s the newest craze. Choose a place on Earth that likely no longer exists, and slap its name on your business.” He leaned closer to the center of the table. “I think they’re going for the empathy vote because there are so many Earthlings living here now.”
Fallon shot Gia a sympathetic look, and then she raised her water glass. “But we’re not here to talk about sad times. We’re here to celebrate three new employees to our department branch, and we are so happy you’ve come to join us.”
“Hear! Hear!” said Gia, raising hers as well. “I’m very happy to be part of this. Thank you for the opportunity.”
“And I’m thrilled to have another Earth woman to work with,” said Fallon. She and Gia clinked glasses, and then the men awkwardly imitated them, nearly breaking their glasses in the process. Gia and Fallon giggled through the entire uncomfortable moment.
“I guess you all don’t do that here,” said Gia.
“Not very often,” said Thane. “But we are familiar with the custom.”
“How many Earth women have you had the chance to get to know?” she asked.
He couldn’t stop staring into her brown eyes. They were so dark, and full of warmth and light. Whatever this girl had been through, it hadn’t dimmed her spirit. Not entirely. It was there, deep down. He wanted desperately to help her find it again. “Not too many. We spent some time with a woman named Marianne Kowalski when she was living in Vaughn’s and River’s quarters on Addo, but not enough to really have a chance to talk to her about her life before.”
“You can talk to me about it. It’s all right. What would you like to know?”
He hadn’t expected her to be so willing to talk, and had no idea where to start. He wanted to know everything about her. “What sort of work did you do on Earth?”
“I worked as a translator, the same as I do here. I worked for a company that did more than eighty percent of its business overseas, and I was responsible for translating online content and written content into Italian, French, and Spanish so our customers could read it in paper form or online in their own language.”
“You speak all of those languages fluently, then?”
She smiled. “Yes. And now I know yours, as well.”
“Very impressive.”
They locked gazes, and everything else inside the restaurant faded away until Rune spoke. Thane had to blink a couple of times to focus his attention. Rune had asked her what kind of business she’d worked for on Earth. Or at least, Thane thought that was what he’d said.
“Shipping solutions by air or boat. We also did some coast to coast shipping in the USA over land, but most of our customers were out of the country.”
Cord smiled widely. “See? She’s perfect for this.”
“Not to mention she understands our former business, as well,” said Thane. “That’s what we ran. A freight company. We had customers on other planets, if you can imagine.”
She gave him a long, searching look. “I guess it’s not so different here after all, in many respects. That’s what always surprises me. How most days, if I don’t think too hard about it, I could easily be back on Earth, doing the same job I always did.”
Fallon nodded. “I know what you mean. As far as the day-to-day life, that is. I was a buyer for Saks in Manhattan, and it’s unlikely I’ll find work like that here, but when I step outside and watch people making their way into the Ministry, or going home, I might as well be back in the City.”
Gia smiled slightly. “Except for the two moons. They are beautiful, though.”
“They have four on Addo,” said Thane. “I wish you could see them. When they’re each in various phases, lined up next to each other, it’s spectacular. And each of them has a slightly different hue, so they light up the night sky with color.”
Thane caught the quick, amused glance across the table between Cord and Fallon, and when he cut his gaze toward Rune, his brother’s grin was mocking. Whatever. This girl had gone through horrible experiences, and she deserved to hear some positives about the home she’d now been forced to make her own.
If Gia had noticed the others’ glances, she gave no indication of it. “They sound breathtaking. Maybe one day I will see them.”
“It’s not a long ride over from here. Rune and I will take you.”
Her eyes lit up. “Do you have your own spaceship?”
He laughed. “No, but there are shuttles back and forth quite regularly now that the Tyranns are completely gone from Addo.”
“We were planning a visit to see Vaughn, River, and Marianne next week,” said Arlo. “Why don’t the three of you come with us? I’m sure they’d love to meet Gia.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude and happiness. “I’d love that.”
Thane and Rune exchanged another glance as their server brought the wine they’d ordered. How long had this poor girl been so lonely? It occurred to him she might not have made any friends at all during her time here. That was inexcusable. They needed to make sure she met others, especially people from Earth, and that she got out of the imposing Ministry and its attached apartments once in a while. That was no way to live.
They drank another toast once they each had a glass of wine, and Gia said it wasn’t bad at all. “Where do the grapes grow? Right here on Sera?”
“In the northern areas, yes,” said Thane. “And we have some vineyards on Addo, as well.”
“Are there any on Voyeur Moon?”
He shook his head. “It’s much closer to our star and too hot for grapes to grow. Most of it is rocky and dry, which is why the Regum were never interested in colonizing it.”
“The part I saw was heavily forested.”
He swore he saw her body shudder next to him as she spoke. “There are small forests near the Zoo and holding cells, but as you travel away from there in any direction, the trees and other vegetation become scarcer. Most of the planet is dry and rocky, especially the side opposite where the Tyranns built those two compounds.”
“People still live there. Why? I mean, why don’t they come here, or go to Addo?”
“It’s not that simple,” said Arlo. “Housing on all three planets
used to be controlled by the Regum, but now the housing on Voyeur Moon is under the Tyranns’ control. Anyone still living there who doesn’t identify with them is essentially stuck. There’s an entire department in the Ministry dedicated to trying to get those folks off the planet, but as you can imagine, it’s no longer an easy task.”
“What about the Tyranns who lived on Sera or Addo? Are there still some?”
Cord shook his head. “Doubtful. And if they are here, they keep to themselves.” He glanced around, then leaned closer and lowered his voice. “The rumor is that we’re one step away from the Regum sending troops door to door to make sure there are no Tyranns left on either planet.”
She shook her head. “A police state. But in a way, I see their point. They’d be a danger to the Regum and the Addonians as well if they were still walking around either planet freely.”
“I’m sure they’re still here,” said Arlo. “Whether they intend to make use of that fact remains to be seen.”
Gia drained her wine glass, so Thane poured her another.
“Thank you. I don’t normally drink in the middle of the day. This is just really good wine.”
“Drink up,” said Cord. “This is a celebration, after all. Didn’t people go to lunch on Earth during their workday?”
“Yes,” said Fallon, “but we usually didn’t drink.”
Gia giggled, and Thane thought it was the sweetest sound in the world. “Some people did, but they were the bosses, not us lowly workers.”
“Oh my God, I remember this one time,” said Fallon, leaning forward, “when one of the shift supervisors in women’s apparel where I worked went out to lunch with the owners. They were in town from Toronto for the week, and he was such a suck-up. We all hated him. He finagled an invitation to lunch, even though no one had planned on asking him. When he came back he was stumbling all over the place. We laughed our asses off.”
Gia held Fallon’s gaze for several moments, and then Thane felt a shift in the air near her. She placed her glass carefully on the table. “What was it like? In the Zoo, I mean. I’ve heard a lot of rumors but never actually spoke to anyone who was inside it.”
Her question was asked quietly to begin with, and Thane waited while Cord, Arlo, and Fallon barely breathed in response. Finally, Fallon spoke. “I was very afraid when I first woke up. I didn’t know where I was.”
Gia nodded, her face impassive except for a small tic in her left cheek.
“Walton, the dirt-bag Section Warden pushed me into the viewing room and explained the whole thing to me.”
Cord grabbed Fallon’s hand on the table, and Thane watched Gia’s gaze fall on it.
“And then he tried to feel me up while he threatened me with the holding cells if I didn’t cooperate.”
Thane swore he heard Gia swallow.
“The only thing that saved me from losing my mind was how wonderful Cord and Arlo were. Kind, understanding, and patient.” She gazed at each of them in turn with nothing short of adoration in her eyes. “They never pushed, and they didn’t hurt me. We had to make it look rough, but they made sure I was all right.”
“That must have been horrible for all of you,” said Gia, her voice practically a whisper.
Fallon gave her a long look. “Not nearly as horrible as what you must have gone through. At least I had a chance to get to know them before the first performance. And like I said, they didn’t hurt me. We did what the Tyranns ordered us to do, but in secret we kept it consensual. But you … you had no choice. You…” She sighed out loud. “I’m sorry. I can’t begin to understand what you went through.”
Gia looked like she was about to speak again, but their food arrived. Thane watched her carefully as she tasted it. Her praise sounded flat and automatic. He exchanged a glance with Rune, who leaned close to Gia. When she flinched slightly, Thane wanted to find every Tyrann who had done this to her and rip his dick off.
“You don’t have to be so brave, you know,” he said quietly. “If you want to talk about it, we’re all here to listen.”
“He’s right,” said Thane, leaning close enough to inhale the scent of her shampoo. “No one will hurt you ever again.”
“Not here,” she said quietly, flashing him a look of gratitude. “Maybe when we get back to the office.”
He nodded. “All right. That’s what we’ll do then.”
“Yes,” said Rune. “It’s important for you to be able to talk to all of us about it now. How else can you expect to write it down for others, after all?”
She almost smiled. “You’re right.”
They ate their meal and made small talk, but Thane sensed Gia’s discomfort. He only hoped they hadn’t all pushed her too hard, too fast. But whatever happened when they returned to the office, he was determined not to let her be upset or hurt over it. He had no idea where this protective streak had come from, but he’d learned long ago to trust his gut, so he was going to run with it.
Chapter Four
Gia was sure her delicious lunch would come right back up as soon as they were inside the offices of her new department branch once more. They didn’t have outside customers to contend with, and no one would bother them since the department branch heads were already here, so Arlo locked the outer door to the suite of offices and they all took a seat around the conference table.
Cord made sure they had water to drink, and then he asked Gia if she was ready to talk to them about her experiences on Voyeur Moon. She gave Thane and Rune, seated on either side of her, a quick glance each.
She’d just met these men, but could already understand why Cord, Arlo, and Fallon were so excited to have them work in this department branch. To say they radiated empathy and gentleness was an understatement. But she also sensed the same fierce alpha protective streak that Cord and Arlo showed. Most of the men she’d met on all three planets were the same way. But the Regum and Addonians she’d met, for the most part, lacked the viciousness of the Tyranns with whom she’d had close, personal contact. Thank goodness. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be here right now. Not voluntarily, at any rate.
But could she do this? All of the people at this table were strangers, really. She’d worked side by side with Honora and others in her former department for almost two years and never told them this story. Petroff had been like a surrogate father to her and she’d never given him all the details.
But how could she do the job they wanted her to do here without getting this out? She’d agreed to this, and in her heart she believed it was the right thing to do. If her experiences helped other women, any pain she felt in relaying the particulars of a few weeks to this group would be worth it in the long run.
Thane and Rune, especially, were watching her closely, as if assessing whether she was ready for this. They were both so damn good-looking. All the men on these planets were, but these two had a spark of something special in their auras. Both had striking blue eyes and blond hair. If they were wearing shorts and holding surfboards, they could easily be on the shores of California, about to catch some waves.
But it was more than their gorgeous looks. She sensed kindness in them, as well as passion. She’d always been drawn to passionate people because her family had been cut from that cloth. Being near people who reminded her of them made her feel grounded and safe. She still missed them so much it hurt.
Most of all, she missed having someone to talk to every day. Someone in whom she could confide anything and everything.
Rune brushed her arm with one finger, and this time she managed not to flinch. It wasn’t that the idea of being touched by him or Thane was repulsive. It was that she’d avoided physical contact like the plague since escaping from Voyeur Moon, and she was no longer used to it. The last men who had touched her hadn’t done so with kindness or empathy in mind.
“You don’t have to do this.” His voice was quiet, unassuming, and she could have cried at the emotion in his beautiful eyes. He and his brother both were covered in tats over their arms, and she foun
d herself wondering where else they went on their bodies.
She mentally shook away the images. If she was ever able to have sex for pleasure again it would be a damn miracle. “I have to do this. I want to do this.” Settling back against her chair, she took a few deep breaths before continuing. “I was taken from the streets of Boston on a dark night. It was a familiar story I had already heard from others on Earth who had witnessed such kidnappings. An alien spacecraft lands, one or two men approach a woman, they appear to inject something into her arm, she goes limp, and then off they go with her.”
“You wouldn’t survive the hyper jump necessary to make the journey from Earth to this system in an hour if you were awake,” said Arlo. “Our DNA is vastly different.”
Gia nodded. “Yes. That much was explained to me in the holding cells. Once I was there, I was given a coarse shift to wear, and what amounted to flip-flops. I was told to take a shower, and then shown to a room that was basically a metal jail cell. It had a bed, a chair, and a tiny toilet, sink, and shower behind a partition. No windows. I had no clue if it was night or day outside. There was very little sound from behind the door, so I became disoriented to time easily.”
She closed her eyes for a second. Just keep talking. “At regular intervals, someone would slip a tray through a slot in the door with food and a fresh pitcher of water. After six of those intervals, an armed female guard came inside to change out my shift and towels.”
Gia wiped her face as tears came, unbidden. “No one answered questions. It didn’t matter what I asked, or how many times I asked the same things. They said nothing to me other than to explain that first day why I’d been put to sleep. This went on for several days, I think. As I said, it was difficult to keep track of time. I had nothing to do. I wasn’t given so much as a deck of cards or a book. Finally, a man came to the cell with one of the female guards. I don’t remember his name. It doesn’t matter. He said he ran the place, and that I’d been taken by the Tyranns and why.”
