Fallon's Capture
Page 1
Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2015 Ravenna Tate
ISBN: 978-1-77233-272-8
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
For my readers. Thank you for giving my Voyeur Moon series a chance. I hope you enjoy Fallon, Cord, and Arlo’s story.
FALLON’S CAPTURE
Voyeur Moon, 2
Ravenna Tate
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
Fallon Myers stumbled into the room and flinched when the metal door slammed shut behind her. The two men who had brought her here eyed her with boredom on their faces. “This is your new home. The Section Warden will be here shortly to explain how things work.”
“Warden? Am I in prison? Where is this place? Why am I here?” The last thing she remembered before being frog-marched across a dark tarmac and brought to this imposing building was walking along Central Park South on her way home from the local bodega. Then someone had stepped in front of her and pushed a needle into her arm before she’d had time to react. It stung for less than two seconds before she fell asleep.
“He will explain everything,” said the other man. They turned to leave and she ran after them, but the man who had spoken first held up a device that was no larger than a smart phone. He pushed a button on it, and she cried out in pain as an electric shock raced through her body.
“What the fuck did you do that for? All I want to know is what the hell is going on!”
“When he arrives, you will know.” They opened the door, and she nearly ran after them again but didn’t want to get shocked a second time. Her damn fillings actually hurt now. She glanced around, fighting against rising panic. If there was one thing New Yorkers never did, it was panic, but every fiber of her being told her she was no longer in New York City.
The room was beautiful, if decorated a bit too modern for her tastes. The chrome and leather gave it a male ambiance.
Fuck the decorating. Why am I here? It didn’t look like a prison. At least not the ones she’d seen pictures of. She hadn’t been able to see more than the outline of the exterior as they’d dragged her across the tarmac. For all she knew it resembled Rikers on the outside.
To the left of the foyer was a kitchen. As she opened and closed drawers, and then checked out a large walk-in pantry, it was obvious they’d stocked it with the intention of making sure she ate enough. There was a refrigerator, an oven, and a cooktop, but no microwave.
The fridge was stocked with raw foods that resembled fruits and vegetables, but nothing she’d ever seen at home. There were also several large items wrapped in brown paper, but she decided not to take a peek inside them just yet. Right now, she needed a clue to her whereabouts. And then she’d find a way out of here.
She returned to the pantry and tried to read the writing on labels, her panic returning. It grew into a hot ball of fear that rendered it difficult to breathe, even though the temperature in the room was quite comfortable. She knew those letters. Everyone on Earth no doubt knew those letters by now. They’d been exposed to this language on numerous placards and flyers for well over a year now. They were always written in both this language and English, side-by-side, but Fallon had never bothered to try to learn their language because fuck them.
The first invasion had been eighteen months ago. The aliens had blown up their satellites, disrupting communications and defense systems on the entire planet. They’d begun taking whole families, but especially women, in droves. For several weeks no one had ventured outside their homes.
Trade between countries was dead. It was difficult enough to get produce and other goods from state to state. Weather prediction had reverted back to flying small planes over the storms, and using the old-fashioned radar equipment from World War II. Radio communication and television stations had been restored, but only at the local level. There were no longer any cable networks or satellite radio stations in operation.
So far, all attempts to re-launch any satellites had proved unsuccessful because the aliens kept blowing up the launch pads and the buildings where the rockets were built. They were determined to keep Earth in the dark, and no one knew why.
The flyers that fell from the sky weekly, and the large signs found tacked to boarded-up store front windows or nailed to utility poles, explained nothing. They merely reiterated what everyone already knew. They were in charge now, and the planet was a prison. The only clear thing about their plans was that no woman was safe from capture, unless she was under eighteen or over sixty.
Fallon’s heart raced as she glanced around the kitchen again. Her mouth was dry but her palms were damp, and she wondered what would happen if she fainted or went into shock. Would they know how to take care of her? Why was she here? What did they have planned for her?
The kitchen contained a table with three chairs. Were there others here? She sprinted out of the kitchen and into another hallway, opening doors along its length. Three of the rooms were bedrooms, each complete with its own bathroom, but she didn’t linger in any of them. The fourth door at the end of the hall was locked. It was metal, like the one they’d brought her through, and she tugged on it, convinced it would lead her out of this place.
Fallon banged her fist on it, and then sucked the side of her hand as pain shot up her arm. She didn’t need broken bones right now. At the other end of the hallway, an arch opened into a great room, complete with a TV monitor and several sofas and chairs.
She searched for a remote or a keyboard, but didn’t see one. There were no buttons or controls on the monitor, and it was mounted against the wall so she couldn’t see whether it was plugged into anything. Were they watching her through it? She flipped it the bird, just in case they were.
One piece of equipment in the room caught her eye, and she walked around it, wondering what the hell it was doing in this room. It was a metal arch, with attachments at the points on the length of the archway for chains or other restraints. The base was wide, and it was placed in a spot that allowed access to all sides of it.
She shivered, stepping away from it. Was it here for kinky sex, or something else? And who was supposed to use it? She shook her head as she walked through the quarters once more. There were three bedrooms. Three. Did that mean she’d be sharing this space with two others?
There were no other rooms, and she hadn’t found any windows. She went back into the kitchen, trying to slow her breathing, and found a glass. Staring at the faucet, she wondered if it was safe to drink the water. There was only one way to find out. She poured a tiny amount and sipped. It tasted far better than the tap water in her apartment, and when nothing happened, she drank an entire glass full.
It only helped a little, but at least she no longer felt like she would faint any second. Fallon placed the glass in the sink and returned to the great room, but instead of sitting she paced, trying to remember any other details that would lead her to a different conclusion than the one her mind refused to accept as the truth.
She was not on an alien planet. She couldn’t be. She had not been taken prisoner by them. This couldn’t be real.
The sound of a metal door opening forced a yelp from her. She peeked around the corner into the foyer, where a
stern-looking man in a dark green uniform entered, followed by four men. Two wore a uniform similar to the man’s, and the other two were dressed in jeans and button-down shirts, but they were also in shackles.
She was sharing a prison cell that looked like an Upper East Side apartment with two men? Her gaze cut to the bondage equipment.
Well, at least they’re gorgeous.
Right. Because that’s all that mattered inside a prison cell.
She stepped into the foyer and eyed the stern-looking man. “Why have I been brought here? What is this place?”
“Silence.” He turned to the two guards and spoke in their language. Icy cold fear shot through her veins. Any shred of doubt she’d been harboring that she hadn’t been put to sleep for the journey to another planet was now gone.
Fresh panic washed over her as the two guards led the men down the hallway. The one who had told her to shut up advanced toward her. Fallon planted her feet and squared her shoulders. She would not show this man fear.
He pointed toward the great room. “I am Walton, the Section Warden. Sit down in that room, and I will explain the rules.”
He spoke perfect American English. Did all of them speak it? How long had they been studying the people on Earth before they’d invaded the planet? Fallon perched on the edge of the sofa, then glanced toward the hallway.
“You will meet those two men shortly. You have been selected by our newly-formed Zoo Retrieval Team. It is a great honor to be chosen. We dispatched thousands of drones to your planet, searching for girls of a certain type.”
“Zoo retrieval team?” Fallon hadn’t heard much Walton said past that point.
“Come with me.” He rose and Fallon hesitated at first, but then she remembered the electric shock from a few moments ago, and she followed Walton.
This isn’t real.
She repeated it over and over in her mind like a mantra as they walked down the hallway toward the metal door. It was the only way she kept from screaming.
Walton unlocked the door and ushered Fallon over the threshold. It wasn’t a way out. It was a dark room, and when the door closed behind them, Fallon cried out in fear, thinking he had locked her in. But then soft lighting illuminated the space, and she wiped her damp palms on her jeans.
“This is the viewing room. You will have forty-eight hours to become accustomed to your new home, and to become acquainted with the men who have been chosen for you. After that you will be expected to perform, in this room, on days of our choosing.”
He pointed toward the far wall which was covered by an opaque screen. “They will be watching from the other side. And they pay a high price to do this, so your performance must please them.”
Fallon stared at Walton, trying to wrap her head around what he’d just said. “Performance?”
“Your sexual performance. You and the two men chosen for you. Instructions have been written down in both your language and ours. We expect the three of you to follow them.”
Well, at least now you know why that archway is in the great room.
She shook her head and backed up a few steps, glancing around the room as she fought to keep breathing once more. It looked ridiculous. Red and black velvet wallpaper, tassels on the lamp shades, and heavy fabrics gave it an ambiance that conjured up images of a Victorian brothel. Where the hell had they come up with this idea?
In addition to an oversized sofa and armchair, there was a chaise large enough to comfortably hold three people, right in front of the screen. “You want me to have sex with two men while people watch through that screen.” That must mean the window behind that screen led outside this place. Was it possible to escape that way?
His smile didn’t reach his eyes, and a shiver ran down her spine at the coldness of his gaze. “Earth women are so intelligent. You will not see or hear those watching you, but they will see and hear everything in this room.”
If it wasn’t so sick and twisted, and if she hadn’t realized this was now her fate, Fallon would have laughed. Only a truly perverted mind could come up with an idea like this. “You know, I really don’t understand why you people ruined my home. But if this is why you did it, to kidnap us and force us to put on sex shows for your…” She waved her hand toward the screen. “For your planet, you’re in for a big shock. We’re not going to cooperate.”
“Oh I think you will.”
His voice was soft, but icy cold and firm. She swallowed hard at the look in his eyes. It was a combination of arrogance and lust. He took a few steps toward her, and she flinched, backing up against the wall.
“You see, if you don’t, we have an alternative. But I don’t think you’ll enjoy it as much.”
She stared at him, her heart hammering in her ears. This wasn’t happening. It had to be a horrible nightmare, and any second now she’d wake up. She knew she shouldn’t have had that gejang yesterday. It tasted so good going down, but it always gave her weird dreams.
He was inches from her now, and his gaze traveled slowly up and down her body. It made her skin crawl. “You see, if you refuse, you will be sent to the holding cells, where you will wait with others from your planet to be selected by men to be passed among them.”
He brushed a finger along her arm, and she flinched again, but all that did was earn her another fake smile. “Passed among many of them, and taken forcibly by all of them. At the same time, or one after the other while they watch. It’s their preference, and there are no rules. You will have no choice but to submit to them.”
He shook his head slightly. “Most of the girls do not last more than a few months. As I said before, this is a great honor bestowed upon you. So I believe, given the choice, you will cooperate.”
Walton gripped her face with one hand, and Fallon cried out, moving sideways to try to get away. He pushed her back against the wall with the other hand. “The choice is yours, Fallon. Yes, we know your name. We know everything about you. You see, the drones watch all of you, and send back reports. We know your name, where you live, where you work, what you eat, and who your friends are.”
“Why?” she whispered. “Why us? Why do you want to do this?”
“I will leave it to Arlo and Cord to explain our politics.” His grin sent another wave of fear coursing through her. “They each have plenty to say on that subject. But for now, I want to make sure you understand your situation. You have forty-eight hours to make a decision. Submit to Arlo and Cord, in this room, when we say, or we will simply choose another Earth woman for them and send you to the holding cells. I don’t care either way.”
He let go of her face and grabbed her arm. “It’s time to meet Arlo and Cord.”
It had been sixteen months since Fallon cried. Sixteen months and two days to be exact. The day Jim’s fighter plane had been shot down by one of these bastards. That had also been the six month anniversary of their marriage, and Fallon had been waiting at home for him with dinner. He was killed while trying to shoot down one of the alien ships circling Washington D.C.
She swiped at the tears falling down her cheeks as the memories washed over her. Walton pushed her out into the hallway, locked the door to the viewing room, and then led her to the great room and told her to sit down.
Fallon did as she was told without protest this time. She crossed her arms and legs, and tried to keep from passing out as male voices reached her ears.
Chapter Two
Arlo rubbed his wrists where the bastards had clamped the metal shackles too tightly around them. At least they were off now. He followed the two guards into a large room, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that this was his so-called prison sentence.
He had trouble believing this was the infamous Zoo he’d been fighting against for over a year. The place was larger and more tastefully decorated than any dwelling he’d seen on Addo or Sera, except for the palaces of the Regum, of course.
The guards had explained why he and Cord were here. At first, Arlo had laughed, thinking it was a joke. But then
the bastard had shocked him. If Arlo’s hands had been free at the time, he would have choked the life out of the damn guard.
An Earth girl sat near the edge of the sofa, arms crossed and legs drawn up, and it was obvious she’d been crying. Arlo’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at her. Hair the color of summer sunshine and eyes as blue as the sea, plus a curvy body. Hail the stars and the gods who keep them. This wasn’t a prison sentence. It was a permanent vacation.
His gaze flicked over the bondage arch across the room, and he shook his head. Subtle, aren’t they? As he took a seat across from the girl, he remembered why they were here. She’d been taken from her planet. He’d been accused of a crime he hadn’t committed, and likely Cord was here under the same bullshit pretenses. He knew who Cord was, and although he hadn’t had business or personal dealings with him, he had trouble believing the man had committed high treason.
They were prisoners, no matter how tasteful their surroundings. And this girl would be no more willing to go along with the sick purpose of this place than they were.
He glanced toward Cord, who stared at the girl like a dog in heat. He couldn’t blame him, but he wished the man would show a little restraint. She looked both terrified and defeated.
“You three know why you’re here,” said Walton. Arlo knew who this man was, too. His reputation was legendary among the Tyranns and the Regum alike, but for very different reasons. “The quarters are monitored so if you need anything, simply ask for it. You have plenty of food and other essentials for now.”
This was the man who had betrayed his best friend, Jakara, a year ago. Jakara used to work as a Special Retrieval Commander, and made the mistake of keeping for his own one of the Earth girls he’d been sent to take. Walton had discovered them on the other side of Voyeur Moon, living in Jakara’s house, and he turned them in.