by Emma Vance
When the ship landed, we disembarked, and guards waited for us there.
“Stand aside!” I shouted out, dragging Nisha out of the ship behind me. “I’m taking this one to Bardoa.”
Nisha hid her face in my arm as I pulled her from ship.
“Wait,” a voice called out behind me. I turned. Another faceless guard approached. “Where are the other guards that were with you? They commed that there were three of you.”
“They stayed behind to help look for the other female.” I pushed Nisha behind me. It was a lie that was apparently believable, as the guard nodded, then turned back to the ship. I breathed a sigh of relief, then exchanged a look with Nisha.
“I can’t believe we pulled that off.”
“We are still on this forsaken planet, and they are likely watching all air space. I don’t know that we will be able to get off anytime soon.”
“But we are alive, and perhaps able to save the other humans. That’s got to count for something.”
“We aren’t out of danger yet.”
As if I had spoken it into existence, an alarm sounded behind me. An army of guards descended upon us, marching fiercely, blasters at their side.
It seemed our luck had run out.
Nisha
As the guards raced towards us, I reached for Otun’s hand and clasped it, taking whatever comfort I could from his warm, leathery paw. It might be the last time I ever touched him. But, as the guards got closer, they didn’t appear to be slowing down or stopping. Instead, a line of them rushed right by us, towards the docking station.
Otun grabbed one of them by the arm and the guard whirled towards us.
“What is happening?” he demanded.
The guard shrugged and pointed to the endless desert beyond. “Someone massacred the guards at the crashed ship. They managed to comm the docks and call for backup. They think it’s the Beast, the gladiator that escaped seasons ago. Thought he was dead, but it sounds like he’s not.”
The guard ran off. Otun turned and met my gaze.
“Let’s go,” I said, taking his hand.
He didn’t hesitate. We headed towards the guard barracks, trying to avoid notice. We were almost there when a voice called out to me.
“Nisha?”
Kat was standing on the path towards the gladiator pleasure house. She was alone.
“Kat?” I walked towards her, both immensely glad to see her and furious. She hadn’t showed up when we were meant to escape. But if she had, she might have been recaptured by now.
“Where were you?”
Kat put her hand on my shoulder. “Me? Where were you? Clio was looking for you and I covered so she thinks you were at a pleasure house. But I thought you were in the group that escaped. I thought . . .” She trailed away, and I noticed she looked terrible. Her eyes were rimmed red, her hair greasy and matted, and her lips raw and cracked. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days and that she’d been crying during all of them.
“I worried about you when you didn’t show up for our escape.”
“I couldn’t make it. I was chosen and the patron hired me to be with him all day. I was devastated, thinking I’d missed my chance. But now, now I just feel guilty that I wasn’t there with you all. That it’s just the two of us left—me, and Mei. Well, three of us now that you’re here.”
“It doesn’t have to be just us,” I grabbed her arm. “We could find a way to save the others, I know we could. We can’t just lie down and let them die.”
She looked down at my hand and frowned. Then she placed her own over mine and squeezed hard. She looked up at me and her eyes were filled with tears.
“Oh, Nisha. You don’t know. The other girls were thrown into the pit this morning.”
I froze as her words sank in.
“Everyone’s already dead.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Present day, Nisha
I felt like I was watching it all over again and I was powerless to stop it. Except this was another group of human women, another group of alien males with promises as high as the heavens, telling them they could get them out of here.
Maybe this time they could. Maybe I was being too hard on them. But I thought of the other humans and their failed escape and I clenched my fists. If they failed, they wouldn’t get a second chance.
One of the new women, Beatrice, couldn’t contain her excitement. She thought she had a first-class ticket out of here. I watched as the women chatted happily among themselves, not understanding what could happen, or not caring, I didn’t know which. I crossed my arms over my chest. I knew I was glaring, but I didn’t care.
I didn’t want them to die.
I didn’t want anyone to suffer. I knew what happened when an escape went wrong.
“It’s hard not to be bitter, isn’t it?” Mei appeared at my side, a smirk on her face as she followed my gaze to the other women. “They haven’t had to deal with this shit for years. They just got here and already have a chance to get the fuck out. They are taking it.” She turned to face me, all traces of humour dissolving. “As they should. Do you know what I would have given to get out of here three years ago? To not experience all the shit we’ve had to experience?”
“Mei, I know you mean well, but you have to listen, after last time—”
“No, Nisha, you have to listen. Stop being afraid. I know you were a part of the escape last time, and that Kat and I weren’t. I know you blame yourself for some reason after what happened. But this isn’t last time. You need to give these girls the chance we never got.”
I sighed heavily, sounding like my Nani when she disagreed with something I had wanted to do. “I just think that they are being a little reckless. You know as well as I do, Mei, no one gets second chances here. If it goes wrong, then they don’t get another go at this. I’m afraid for a reason.”
“I know you are,” she said. “We all are. But being afraid doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try. Just because they failed last time doesn’t mean this time is doomed too.”
I thought of Otun’s argument. It was similar to Mei’s. He thought I should take this chance too, that this time it might be different.
“I just can’t stop seeing the faces of the girls who used to be here. Who would be alive if we hadn’t followed that stupid plan. I know this time might be different, but it is so hard not to be crippled by fear.” My hands shook, so I folded them across my chest in an effort to still them.
Mei placed a hand on my arm. “It is hard,” she agreed.
I sensed a ‘but’ coming.
“But you are strong, Nisha. Just think of everything we’ve been through over the past few years. But what’s going to happen when we are old? Have you seen any old body slaves around here? I haven’t. So, if we are going to die anyway, then why not die with even the chance at freedom?”
They were all right. Otun, Kat, Mei.
I knew it, but still I struggled. “I need to think about it.” I knew I had to talk to Otun before I made any decisions. “You give a good argument,” I admitted and smiled at her.
She shrugged. “I was a lawyer on Earth. Being trapped on a sex planet is not unlike practicing law, you know. Putting in billables at all hours, being subject to the partners whims, newbies coming in and senior associates wanting them to go through the wringer just because they did.” She gave me a sidelong glance.
I snorted. “That’s not it, you know. I’ll be happy if they can escape. I just don’t think they understand what they’re getting themselves into.”
“Then maybe it’s our choice to fail.”
“You are going with them too?”
She nodded, looking forward, but not really focusing on anything at all. “I missed out on the last escape, which turned out to be a good thing. But you cannot imagine how I would feel knowing you were being left behind.” Her mouth twisted and she put a hand on her shoulder. “I want you to come with us, Nisha. Don’t let fear guide you. It won’t do you any favors in the end
.”
“I know,” I agreed. “Just be careful. Don’t trust anyone but yourself.”
She lifted her chin. “I never do.”
The human women had dispersed, gone in search of someone their Dragorian rescuers needed to find before they could leave the planet. It sounded like a wild goose chase.
I went in the opposite direction and walked towards the guard pleasure house. My day was mine until the choosing tent tonight, and I needed to talk to Otun.
I found him at the fighting rings again, and his face was like thunder when he saw me there. I smiled, something in my belly fluttering at his expression. I’d been through worse on this planet than being at the fighting rings, but he still always tried to protect me when he could.
He pulled me into his arms when he reached me, and I pushed him away at once.
“Are you insane? People will see us.”
“I’m sure other guards have put it together by now. We see each other regularly, and you are always in the pleasure house, even though you don’t fuck anyone but me.”
My face heated at his words, even though it was true. “You are the one I choose every time. I’d choose you every night if I could.”
His gaze smoldered at my words and he pulled me upstairs with him. We found our regular room and our tongues tangled together, his hands on my bare skin before we’d even made it to the bed. He was on top of me in an instant, bracing himself with his forearms and staring down at me, his mottled green eyes heated with lust.
“You grow more beautiful every time I see you.” His voice was hushed, almost reverent, and he leaned down and kissed me gently.
I sighed into him. I never got tired of his touch. Every time we were together it was as if the rest of the world melted away, and anything before or after didn’t matter. Even if we met and he just held me, it made all the difference.
I don’t know how I’d have survived here without him.
We kissed deep and slow. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he melted into me. His cock was insistent at my entrance, but we stayed like that for a few minutes, just drawing out the moment.
We drew apart, breathless.
In the back of my mind I recalled Mei’s words, that I was letting fear guide me. Maybe I was. But the other humans didn’t realize the vengeance Bardoa would wreak upon them when they failed.
If they failed, a little voice niggled in the back of my mind.
They could actually succeed.
“Are you all right?” Otun asked, his brows drawing together with concern.
“Perfect, now I’m with you,” I said with a smile. He didn’t smile back. Instead, he sat up.
“What’s wrong?” His eyes narrowed on me.
“Why does anything have to be wrong?”
“Your body changed. Something is on your mind.” He tilted his head, studying me. “It’s the escape, isn’t it?”
“I’m worried about them,” I admitted. “And Mei said . . .” I trailed away.
Otun frowned. “What did Mei say?”
I swallowed a lump in my throat, the tears from her words threatening to spill over. “That I was afraid. Afraid of failure. Perhaps even of success.” I looked up at Otun, a few tears escaping and streaking down my cheeks. “And I think I am.”
He didn’t say a word, but enveloped me in his arms, and let me cry on him. I sobbed into his chest, dampening his fur. After I had quieted down, he spoke.
“Those idiots two years ago were not who we should model escape plans after. From what I’ve seen and heard of Dragorians, they aren’t the same. They respect females. They are organized. Trained. And they fly damn fine ships.”
I smiled, the fur of his chest tickling my face. “Trust you to know what ships they fly.”
“Their models were my father’s favorites. We once visited one at a refueling station and they let me go inside, showing me all the controls. It was an experience I’ll never forget.” He rubbed his hand at the back of his neck. “They know what they are doing. Perhaps you are being too cautious. Maybe we can take this plan seriously and join them.”
I had begun to think the same thing. Maybe it wasn’t too good to be true. Maybe I could stop being afraid and we could try again.
The only thing that kept me from trying to escape with them was fear.
I was tired of being afraid.
I looked at Otun, who was watching me with hooded eyes.
“I’m not leaving without you.”
A grin split his face. “I’m not letting you leave without me.”
I nodded, tears still leaking from my eyes, but this time they felt more like relief than despair. “Let’s try this again.”
“The escape, or us fucking?”
I laughed and punched him in the arm. “Both.”
His humour transformed into something feral, and he pushed me back down beneath him, resuming his kisses. Before long I was moaning against his mouth.
He trailed his fingers down my front, teasing and caressing. He thrust his hips forward and the tip of his hard cock pressed against my pussy. I held my breath with anticipation.
But we didn’t get to continue.
Shouts rang out outside the door, and an alarm sounded in the distance. Otun swore and jumped off me, and we both righted our clothes.
“I will find out what’s going on,” he said, striding towards the door. “Stay here, don’t move until we know what’s happening.”
“Be careful!” I called out to him, but he had already left the room.
I clutched the starchy blanket underneath me, anxious. More guards shouted, and they stomped down the hallways furiously.
Before long, Otun returned, his face grim.
“What happened?” I jumped to my feet. My stomach filled with dread at his expression.
“It’s the humans.” He paused, then considered. “And the Dragorians.”
“What about them?” I knew what he was about to say before he said it, and I hated that I was right. Hated it with every fibre of my being.
“They’ve been caught.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nisha
I sat down on the edge of the bed, my body numb.
Not again. This couldn’t be happening again.
Otun was still talking while I sat in silence. I barely heard the words he spoke.
“They’ll be thrown into the pits.”
“When?”
Last time it was so fast, we’d hadn’t had a day.
“This afternoon.”
I was too frozen to sob. “Who was caught?”
He hesitated a moment, then clenched his fists at his side. “All of them.”
All of them. All the new humans. Kat. Mei. Everyone. They would all die in a matter of hours.
Unless we did something. My gaze snapped to Otun. “You said you knew how to fly a Dragorian ship?”
His eyes widened, and his hand came up to rub his chin. “Are you saying what I think you are saying?”
“Can you fly the ship or not?”
His mouth spread in a slow grin. “Absolutely.”
Otun tipped my chin up to him. His green eyes lit up, reminding me of the first time I saw him, crouching over me, with eyes that reminded me of home.
“That won’t be the hard part, you know. Flying that ship is just the beginning.”
“I’m ready for the hard part.”
I was. I was done with being afraid and I would be damned if I were going to let another group of humans get killed on this planet.
“Are you?” he asked, his voice not containing a trace of doubt. He sounded almost proud.
I nodded. “We couldn’t save them last time, but maybe this time we’ll have a chance. We at least have time to try.”
He stroked my face with his padded finger, and my hands found his.
“You have my heart, Nisha. I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“Let’s hope you aren’t following me to our deaths,” I whispered into the silence of the room.
Otun
We left the gladiator pleasure house as swiftly as we could, following the influx of guards racing towards the docking stations.
I’d been planning for this moment for many seasons, waiting for the right time. I’d ignored my gut two years ago when I’d agreed to go with the fool gladiators. I didn’t know the ship, and I didn’t trust the other males.
But this was different. A Dragorian ship could outrun almost anything in the galaxy, and their males were known to revere females. They were no fools, Dragorians.
I almost laughed at myself. Before Nisha had arrived, I had an intricately planned escape for me alone. Then, it changed to both of us. Now, I was hatching an escape for Gods knew how many males and females—who were already held captive by Bardoa.
I’d seen my father handle worse odds and come out of it alive.
I’d also seen him handle better ones and die.
I clenched Nisha’s hand. She would not die today. I repeated that like a mantra, burning it into my brain so that I believed it.
She would not die today.
Blending in with the swarm of guards was relatively easy. I knew there’d be guards on high alert in the luxury gardens considering the escapees had been from there, but the docking stations would be less guarded.
This would be the best chance we had.
We slipped through a hall heading to the control room. I needed to find out where the Dragorian ship was and turn off the locks on its system. Only then could we rescue the humans and fly off this planet.
We reached the docking station control room and I assessed the guard patrols.
Fuck. They had been doubled. So much for an easier escape.
A shout echoed behind us, and Nisha stiffened, grasping my arm. I turned as a guard approached us.
“You there, what are you doing here?” The guard’s eyes shifted from me to Nisha. I gripped the knife in my belt. His eyes dropped there next, then widened. He reached for his own weapon.
It was only when he drew closer, that I recognized who it was.