by Poppy Rhys
Trapped creatures, like himself, hauled there from who-knew-where. Very few lasted long, which, didn’t bother him. A change of scenery was always nice.
Surely he would’ve gone mad if he’d had to stare at the same ugly mug across the way for five space terms.
Then again, maybe he already was.
He sighed, shifted uncomfortably on the cot that was too soft, and closed his eyes.
CHAPTER FIVE
Finley stirred awake, that uncomfortable ache of laying in one spot too long creeping up her entire right side. The muscles in her legs groaned as she readied to stretch them, and failed.
She cracked a gritty eyelid open, squinting at the small amount of light filtering in through the frosted window when she felt her pupil dilate painfully at the sudden change.
Slowly she became aware of her body, especially when something physically jostled her.
Fin lifted her head, heavy lids stretching open as her eyes roved her body.
A green arm was wrapped around her middle, elbow resting along her belly as a large hand cupped her right breast, thumb brushing over her hardened nipple.
Her sleep stuffed brain tried to make sense of it, neurons snapping against other neurons to put two and two together.
Something hard bumped against the crack of her ass, fitting snuggly, as if it was created just for that spot.
Further down, a muscular emerald hued leg wrapped over hers, the skin uncomfortably warm against her own.
The next breath hitched in her throat as it all clicked together, her brain hurling ‘danger, danger’ signals to every muscle and tendon within her body.
“Mmmm,” he groaned in his sleep, Hunter, and buried his face further into her hair just as his hips jerked again, pressing his morning wood against her ass.
In a matter of seconds, she was freaking out.
Her limbs flailed, flying in every direction as the core muscles of her body worked harder than they had in a long while to free her from his solid embrace.
The sudden disturbance stunned Hunter so intensely, he woke up baring his ferocious teeth, the start of a menacing roar collecting in his chest as he fell backward onto the floor with a hard thunk.
Fin scrambled back against the wall, plastering herself to the rough stone as her pulse throbbed through every part of her being, even her fingertips.
Hunter’s wide, frantic gaze darted around the room, his chest grunting breath as he continued to bare teeth and try to find the threat.
Fin saw the moment he realized what was happening, as his features went slightly lax and he quickly flopped back against the floor with a groan, panting like he’d never tasted air before.
“Leeshi,” he puffed, grasping at his chest. “I almost pissed myself.”
“What the fuck were you thinking?” she shrilled, still vibrating with adrenaline.
“Me?” he raged, shooting upright, swallowing as he continued panting for air. A look of loathing lit his eyes.
Fin gulped, the anger there a little frightening.
“You woke as if Guard was invading, damned human!” he snapped his teeth at her, the sharp, pearly white’s clicking loudly. He shot to his feet, adjusting his loincloth as if he had no shame whatsoever.
“My name is Finley!” she hissed. “Not ‘damned human’!”
“I don’t care.”
He swept his wild, loose hair out of his face with one hand, causing her throat to dry up at the sensual act.
Damn her body. Pinch!
“Is everything alright?” Senna asked curiously from the other side of the curtain, causing both of them to stare in that direction.
“Yes, Senna,” Hunter responded, smoothly switching from English to Lotyne. “A small misunderstanding.”
He pinned her with a fiery look.
“I’ve made first meal, if either of you are interested.”
“Thank you,” he answered as Senna’s soft footfalls retreated down the hall.
He responded to the woman as if she were his mother, so sweetly, patiently. Completely opposite of how he talked to her just now.
He sent her one last wrathful glance before he awkwardly adjusted himself again and ducked through the curtain.
Fin exhaled, sagging against the wall as she rubbed a palm over her forehead.
She took a few deep breaths, trying the breathing exercises Dana was so fond of that never, ever seemed to work for her.
Part of her wanted to laugh, part of her wanted to cry, and another part wanted to scream and shout.
She felt like a giant mess.
Soon, it would all be over. She’d get to a shuttle, and be back on Dor Nye, resuming her life per usual in no time flat. She might even be home in time for first meal tomorrow.
What she wouldn’t do to stuff her face full of waffles drenched in the berry compote her dad, Elex, was known for.
After a few minutes ticked by, she stood, finger brushing her hair until it was smooth enough to work with.
Her hands made quick work of the strands, twisting the partitioned pieces into a single braid that dangled along the small of her back once she tied it off with her lone, red hairband.
Her eagerness to use Senna’s comm was putting a purpose in her step as she ducked through the curtain and made her way into the main living area.
The table that had been scattered with papers the previous night was cleaned and holding three platters of food along with a pitcher of water.
The familiar, delicious spiced scent of pan fried tain fruit and cinnamon hit her square in the gut when her eyes landed upon the dish. They were drizzled in a dark syrup, and she was suddenly aware of how famished she was.
She put the berry compote drenched waffles to the back of her mind.
“Good morning,” Senna greeted, setting three glasses upon the table. “I hope you like tains. I had too many, and didn’t know what to do with all the excess.”
“Morning,” she half smiled, lowering herself into the wooden seat across from Hunter as Senna sat at the short end. “I actually really love tains. It smells amazing.”
“Oh good!” Senna exclaimed, a sense of relief relaxing her features as she lifted multiple slices of the round, long, purple fruit onto Fin’s plate with a pair of tongs. She proceeded to do the same for Hunter before grabbing some for herself.
Finley’s eyes focused on the food, because she couldn’t really look at Hunter without her cheeks flaming a bright red.
She just knew it.
He was still shirtless, and pantless for that matter. A loincloth counted more as barbaric underwear in her opinion.
She scooped a spoonful of pink eggs onto her plate, sprinkling salt and pepper on them before she took a forkful. It felt weird focusing so intensely on her plate when Senna struck up conversation.
Every fiber in her being wanted to snap to attention, as was natural when carrying on a conversation with someone.
“Where will you go?” she asked Hunter, piquing Fin’s curiosity, and damn her willful eyes, because they lifted, landing on the Yarian.
“Bocern, I think,” he responded after a slight hesitation, his piercing eyes locking with hers.
The muscles in his jaw drew her attention as they worked while he chewed. The act was strangely satisfying to watch.
Get it together.
“They do not have treaties with Vishik, last I checked.”
A loud crack and boom shook the water glasses, causing Finley to jerk and nearly choke on the bite she was swallowing.
Hunter’s back went ramrod straight as he switched into high alert.
“It’s alright,” Senna said quickly. “The idiot on the hill, he blows up his drug lab at least once a month.”
They finished the meal in silence.
“I have to leave for work soon,” Senna said once she cleared the table with Hunter’s help. “Maybe I’ll hear something.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Hunter’s brows pinched together, worry etched all over
his face for the old woman.
It was extremely strange, witnessing his quick and smooth transition to different moods.
Scratch that. There was only two; hostile, and affectionate. The later reserved strictly for Senna, it seemed.
Not that it really mattered. Soon, she’d be far, far away and wouldn’t give a damn.
“It will look suspicious if I don’t show,” she patted his bare arm. “Can’t draw any attention. Now, let me show you both something.”
Finley tilted her head to the side, curiosity moving her the few steps to the kitchenette.
They both watched as she pointed behind the metal trash bin, her toe scooting the recently emptied receptacle to the side. Fin bent down as Hunter sunk to his haunches.
A piece of corrugated metal that nearly matched the other three kitchen walls stood around three feet high and two feet wide.
Senna gripped the bottom of the piece, lifting it to reveal a dark hole. It faded into black, making it impossible for Fin to gauge how far it stretched.
“My late partner had a knack for acquiring contraband,” she shook her head. “If anyone comes calling, you can hide here. It might be a tight squeeze, but it’s the only hiding place I have.”
Finley shivered, not liking that idea at all, but the threat of being toted off by Xeno’s thugs made the dark pit look like home.
She eyed Hunter’s shoulders, doubting he would be able to fit without his arms scraping the sides.
Shame. Guess he’d just have to be dragged back to that unholy sex shop while she stayed nice and snug in a dank hole. All of her troubles would be over.
Bad Finley.
Senna put everything back in place, brushing the dust from her hands. “That reminds me, you wanted to make a call,” she said, looking as if she was checking off a mental list as she hurried to her room, emerging with her comm. “And your dress is with your shoes in the cleansing room.”
“Thank you,” Fin brightened, accepting the thin, rectangular glass comm.
She tapped the small button on its side, the screen lighting up with blue text. She quickly drummed in the coordinates for Dor Nye, and then the number for her residence.
On the second beep, her dad, Theo, answered the vid call. He was using the kitchen comm, because she could see the messy countertops in the background which meant her other dad, Elex, was worried.
He was a stress cook.
“Finley!” he gasped, his confused expression -how he always looked answering a vid call- morphed into one of surprise. “Elex! Cait! Finley’s on the line,” he yelled.
She heard a pan crash to the floor, and then Elex bumped into Theo, crowding the screen and peering closely at the comm.
“Oh honey,” he sighed, Cait crowding in on Theo’s other side.
“Finley where are you?”
“Are you safe?”
“Why haven’t you called?”
“Where’s Dana?”
“Mom, dads,” she said, trying to get in a word. “I can only answer one question at a time.”
“Are you safe?” they all repeated at the same instant, as if they were riding the same brain wave.
“Right now? Yes…” she hedged, to which Elex sucked back a breath in that way he always did when he was about to have a meltdown. “It’s a long story...”
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Theo inquired, always the level headed one, which was expected since he and her mother were both legal counselors for residents of Dranza.
Fin made her way to the room she’d slept in so she could have a little bit of privacy. She lowered herself to the cot, noticing how her parent’s eyes were scanning the comm screen, trying to gauge where she was.
“I’m still on Vishik, in Kru,” answering one of the questions they’d rushed her with.
“Kru?” his green eyes bespoke confusion. “I thought you were shopping in Wesko?”
“Well, I was, and then I was in Trion last night because-”
“Trion?” Elex paled.
“Honey, please, let her talk,” Theo told him.
Finley blew out a sigh, embarrassment heating her face as she prepared herself to explain what happened in the shortest way possible.
She sucked back a breath, and then quickly relayed everything from going to Carnal Bazaar, and the abuse of a worker who she specifically refrained from naming, to the events that led to her trapped in a cage with said worker.
That was bad enough, but when she hesitantly relayed a possible high speed chase involving the Vishik Guard, who may or may not be corrupt based on the word of a worker, and her ultimate landing in the slums… they all but lit the comm on fire.
Finley looked at anything but the screen for a span of seconds as she waited for the trio to regain their sanity.
What may be left of it, anyway. They could be so dramatic.
Her parents had a habit of treating her like she was a youngling, but this time around she actually felt like she deserved it. She knew even if she was sixty with two generations under her, they would still worry like she was five.
“Deep breath,” Cait coached her dads who looked like they were about to implode.
“Firstly, what is Carnal Bazaar?” Theo asked tightly, wanting her to spell it out for him, like he usually did. His legal training often manifested, making sure he had all the facts.
Fin’s eyes darted around the room before landing back on the comm. “Sex slaves.”
There was no beating around that one any longer.
“What the hell were you doing there?” he ground out.
“I couldn’t let Dana go alone!”
“This is what happens Theo, when you scare off every nice boy she brings home,” Elex huffed. “She goes and pays to get laid!”
“What?” Theo scowled at her dad. “I don’t scare people off.”
“You kind of do, dear,” Cait added sympathetically.
“I didn’t pay for sex,” she said defensively.
Technically, she didn’t. Paola did.
“This was Paola’s idea, wasn’t it?” Elex growled, seemingly reading her mind. “I knew that girl was trouble. Where is she now? Where’s Dana?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, ‘you don’t know’?” Elex got close to the screen, anger and worry fighting for dominance on his face. His almond shaped eyes from his Asian ancestry from Earth, eyes that she inherited, narrowed at her.
“I got separated from them, and I lost my comm, else I would’ve called sooner.” She waved a hand, trying to get to the point. “It doesn’t matter how I got here. I’m making my way to port today, and I’ll catch a shuttle from there,” she said evenly, twisting her ring as she wondered how she was going to get there.
“How do you plan to do that with corrupt officers on your tail?” Cait inquired.
A question that’d just crossed Fin’s mind.
“They don’t know my name,” she began, realizing that was true. She didn’t think it’d be all that hard for the Vishik Guard to actually find out that information, but it was all she had right now.
Time was of the essence.
“I’ll figure it out, don’t worry.”
She could see the anger drain from their faces. Fin could tell they were trying to hide their unease, which only made her anxiety rise because she knew she was operating on borrowed time the longer she lingered on Vishik.
“Alright,” Theo said, running a hand through his short blond hair as he shifted into legal mode, which gave her a small sense of comfort because if there was one thing her dad was good at, it was the law. “If, for any reason, you’re taken into custody, say nothing until we can get there.”
“You’re overreacting, dad,” she half smiled, though a small part of her twisted with fear.
“Finley, are you sure you’re safe where you’re at?” her mother asked.
“As safe as I can be, I think.”
Her parents exchanged a glance.
“Call us back at two Dranza t
ime, alright? Not one minute after.”
“I will.”
“We love you honey,” Elex said. “Be safe.”
Finley sat there, the silent comm in her hands after the vid call ended. She shook her head, feeling like a huge idiot, and intensely overwhelmed.
Two Dranza time was nearly four hours away, and she wasn’t sure if she’d have access to a comm by then.
If all went well, she would be on a shuttle in transit, Vishik growing smaller and smaller behind her.
“Thank you for letting me use this,” she said, depositing the comm in Senna’s hand after she freshened up in the tiny cleansing room and changed into her clean clothes.
“I’ll be back tonight,” she told them both. “Remember, hide if anyone comes to the door, and don’t go outside.”
Then she was gone.
Finley’s gaze dragged slowly to where Hunter stood. Their eyes locked and she rubbed her thumb and index finger together nervously.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about being alone with him again.
The last time, he’d done wicked things with his fingers. Wicked things she loved.
Her throat worked when his eyes flickered down her body now that she was dressed again.
Hostility. Desire.
Fin wasn’t sure if he knew how to look at her any other way.
She wished with all her being that she’d gone to Carnal Bazaar in a frumpy turtleneck sweater, and baggy pants, with an ankle length trench coat instead of the robe that showed cleavage.
She cleared her throat before saying, “So, what’s the best route to port from here?”
Hunter eyed her suspiciously.
“I need to get home.”
“It’s unsafe,” he said.
“It’s safer to leave than to stay,” she reasoned. “Look, I’m not asking you to help me get there, I just need a general idea of the nearest transport service, and I’ll find my way from there.”
The doubtful slant of his expression made her think he wasn’t convinced.
“The longer I’m on Vishik, the likelier they are to discover my name,” she huffed, “and then I’ll be screwed, thanks to you.”
Not even the slightest hint of guilt could be seen on his face for dragging her into this mess. Even though a tiny part of her felt guilty for trying to make him feel guilty, since he thought he was doing her a favor by ‘saving’ her from the arresting officer.