****
A throbbing headache woke Savannah. When she sat up, her skull felt as if it was splitting open. She fell back with a moan. There was a chirping noise, like a bird singing. A hand brushed her hair off her forehead. Fingers trailed to her ear. Something wiggled against her earlobe. She yelped when it crawled inside. Her arm was pinned to her side, stopping her from ripping out whatever was burrowing into her. The chirping morphed into words.
“…know it is uncomfortable, but trust me.”
Savannah blinked. The face above her came into focus. The dark-skinned woman gave Savannah a kind, closed-mouth smile.
“It’s translating and enabling us to communicate. I have one, too.” When she spoke, it looked as if she was whistling. Savannah heard the chirps, but in her head, she understood it. It was disorienting.
The woman turned her head and tucked her dark red hair aside. Her ears were long and pointed. A silver bead was stuck inside her ear like an earplug. “It sends impulses to the language center of your brain. Nothing harmful, but this is much quicker than learning another race’s language. With time, you will get used to it.”
Sitting up, Savannah touched her ear and felt the silver bead. Before she could speak, the woman spoke.
“I am sure you have lots of questions. But first, as my custom dictates—” She crossed one arm across her chest and bowed. “My name is T’inissi.”
“Savannah.” She looked around. The room they were in was painted in gray and blue. A thin outline of a rectangle on the wall was barely visible. There was a large purple button in the bottom left corner. Thick, black fabric coated the floor. The mat she lay on was also blue. A sliver cube with lines and flashing white lights on the front sat nearby. Nothing else adorned the room. “Where am I? Where is Evan?”
“Easy.” T’inissi placed long fingers against Savannah’s forehead. Warmth flowed into Savannah. Her muscles relaxed, and her thoughts calmed.
She gasped. “What did you do?”
“A little trick my kind can do. We can project emotion into another with a touch. It is regulated to prevent someone abusing it, but it will help if you do not get agitated,” she explained. “Evan is fine. He is with a healer.”
Tears sprang to Savannah’s eyes. “He’s alive? Will he be okay?”
“Yes. The healer says he mostly needs rest to recover.”
Savannah sniffled and wiped her face. “When will I be able to see him?”
“Soon, but first, we need to get some difficult facts out of the way.” She motioned Savannah to follow her to a wall. She hit the purple button, and the blue and gray within the rectangle faded away.
A vast expanse of stars spread before Savannah. In the distance, Earth hung like a giant green and blue marble. Behind it was the moon. Savannah felt a flicker of warmth and a familiar pull, but it was like a candle about to be extinguished. Soft enough for her to ignore it.
“Wow,” she breathed and reached out. She was half afraid to feel nothing, but cool glass met her fingertips. “So that was a spaceship above us and,” she faced the woman, “you’re an alien.”
“To me, you are the alien, but yes, I am a Ruu’lian from Ruu’lia. It’s a small moon orbiting a gas planet.” T’inissi smiled widely. Her teeth were like a whale’s brown bristles.
Savannah looked away, not wanting to stare. She probably looked weird to T’inissi, too.
“You rescued us.”
“Twice.”
Savannah turned to T’inissi.
The questions were on her tongue, but T’inissi silenced her. “Come. Let me show you around, and I will take you to Evan.”
They stepped into a narrow hallway. Two aliens that looked like T’inissi were walking toward them. They chirped and whistled at each other. The translator in Savannah’s ear told her they were discussing travelling across space. Questions filled her mind, but she hadn’t the faintest idea what to ask first.
T’inissi led Savannah into another room. Tables were lined up in the center. About a dozen men and women sat at them. She recognized them as human. The women had long, flowing hair and were athletic. Some of the men she saw had their faces covered. Others, she noticed had mouths and gills like Evan.
A teenage boy was huddled in the corner. When he saw Savanna, his green eyes widened, and he hid his face in his arms.
She’ll see me as a monster.
Savanna walked to the boy and crouched down. “Hi.”
The green eyes peeked at her. “Hi.”
“I’m Savannah. What’s your name?”
“Emmett.”
“Hi, Emmett. Wow, you have beautiful eyes. I bet the rest of you is the same.” She cupped his chin with one hand. He looked down, and his thoughts turned frantic. “There’s that handsome guy.” She smiled. “Don’t ever believe you’re anything less than Emmett.”
Emmett’s mouth twitched. His eyes sparkled. “Thank you.”
Savannah rejoined T’inissi. They watched the teen join a group. With his hands folded in his lap, he kept a little distance. Slowly, he inched closer to them until the woman next to him noticed and reached out to him, squeezing his shoulder.
“They only have each other,” Savannah murmured. Her heart tore. “Why us?”
“Your world is one of many inhabited planets. Currently, it is under jurisdiction of the Arge race. As such, they have rules and regulations about your planets.” T’inissi’s face turned sour. “Or they should. Your world is considered a fourth level planet. First level is the highest, with advanced technology and capabilities. Fifth is the lowest. As such, the Arge believes the inhabitants of yours are—”
“Primitive,” Savannah finished. Her fists shook at her sides. “Evan said he always got the impression the aliens who kidnapped us thought we were mindless animals.”
T’inissi’s expression was sympathetic. “Just because a race doesn’t have evolved technology does not mean they are stupid.”
“But the Arge believe they can do whatever they want to humans?”
T’inissi nodded. “There is a market. The luxury circuit brings in big business for them. They take your people and make a few alterations so they can perform to the standards they desire.”
“And what about your planet? Your race? What do they think of the Arge’s actions?” She didn’t mean the words to sound so bitter, but anger was pulsing through her. She wanted to lash out and rip into something.
“My people do not approve. There are those of us appealing to the Appointed Council to take action, but the council can be sluggish with making decisions.”
Savannah snorted. “Even aliens have bureaucrats bogging everything down.” She stared at her surroundings. The answers to her questions had to be on this spaceship with her. “Evan told me some of the things they did to me.” She touched one of her many scars. “But he never talked about himself. I wanted to know, but I was too afraid to ask. I wanted to believe they wanted to show him off as they had me, but deep down, I knew that wasn’t the case.” She looked at Emmett. “They wanted him monstrous.”
“The Arge take females for competition, but use males for hunting food. On their planet is a creature called welbaas. I have never seen one, but I am told they are vicious predators. The Arge tried to domesticate them but failed. Instead, they blended them with your species to get something controllable.”
Tears slipped down Savannah’s cheeks. T’inissi laid a calming hand on her forehead and gave her a gentle smile. “That is where I come in.” She led the way back into the corridor, and they walked down it. “Since the council is taking their time, we decided to take matters into our own hands.”
Savannah didn’t need to hear more. “You’re rescuing the abducted people.”
“Technically, we are the ones doing the abducting, but yes. We liberate who we can, giving them their freedom back.”
“Who you can? What does that mean?”
T’inissi hung her head. “We can not save everyone. Sometimes the change is too much to han
dle. What they were is lost. At first, we tried to rehabilitate them, but it failed. They became violent, and it usually resulted in their deaths. But we do all we can to rescue those capable of living free. Most of the males stay with us.”
“I don’t understand. Why did you return Evan with me?”
T’inissi opened a door and motioned Savannah. Inside, Evan lay on a blue mat on the floor. The wall next to him was covered in lights, buttons, knobs, and handles. Wires ran from it to pads that covered his arms. A pale, pink paste coated his chest like a layer of slime. His breathing was steady, and his heartbeat was strong. Savannah rushed to him and clasped his hand.
T’inissi knelt next to her. “He said he could not live without you.”
Chapter: Evan
The smell of lilac and honey drew Evan back to conscious. His eyelids felt as if they weighed a ton, but he forced them open. The endeavor sapped him and left him on the edge of passing out again. Savannah next to him, her face pale with worry, kept him conscious. She clutched his hand. Her skin was warm and familiar. He tried to squeeze her fingers, but he didn’t have the strength. He turned his attention to the woman behind Savannah.
“You heard.”
T’inissi crouched down. Her smile was gentle. “A weak whisper pleading to save her.”
Savannah looked from T’inissi to Evan. “Save who?”
Evan looked at Savannah. “You. I had to save you.”
Savannah wiped her tears. “I thought I was the one saving you.”
Evan tried to laugh, but movement sent a spasm of pain through him. He groaned, and his head slumped back. Being motionless made the pain recede. The memories, though, stayed fresh. The whir of a saw echoed in his head, and he felt the ghostly touch of cold fingers. He closed his eyes and shuddered. A gentle hand on his forehead eased the nightmare playing on loop.
“How far away were you?” he asked T’inissi.
“In orbit. We recently rescued a group and have been prepping those who decide to return to the planet.” T’inissi sighed softly. “There were many we failed to help. The Arge have been increasing security, trying to stop us.”
“How did you hear Evan up in space?” Savannah asked.
“We’ve learned once an altered male speaks to someone, he can communicate with that person—even from great distances. It is not as easy. Evan’s voice was a whisper, but I recognized it. I knew I had to come to your aid again.”
“Again?” Savannah’s head cocked left. “You rescued us from the Arge the first time?”
T’inissi nodded. “It was a routine mission. Get in and release as many as possible. Two teams were dispatched; one for the males, one for the females. Evan insisted on staying until you were found and safely onboard our ship. I had never seen such devotion in any species I have met. It moved me to ensure you were reunited.”
Fresh tears formed in Savannah’s eyes. “I would have done the same.”
“And you did.”
Savannah looked at T’inissi. “Why can he remember, but I can’t?”
T’inissi looked at Evan. He heard her silent question. Should she tell her, or should he? It didn’t matter; the truth was going to hurt. He gathered the strength to make himself heard. “You didn’t want to remember anything because of what they stole. It hurt you too much, and T’inissi wasn’t sure if she and the others on the crew could find her.”
Savannah’s mouth turned bone dry. Automatically, her hand went to her stomach. It was if she already knew the answer, but she asked anyways, “Find who?”
Evan placed his hand over hers. “Your daughter.”
Chapter: Savannah
Savannah’s knees felt like spaghetti noodles, and her mouth as if it was full of ash. Even if she had the strength to speak, she didn’t know what to say. She pulled in a trembling breath.
T’inissi nudged Savannah forward. “It is okay. She knows about you and has been waiting.”
The room was decorated in bright blues and purples. A mat lay in the corner with a rumpled blanket. Colorful blocks formed a castle. A tiny flag was on the top. Drawings covered the walls at waist level. Savannah picked out a ship in one, a planet in another, and what she assumed was T’inissi in a few.
Entering the room, Savannah took one step then another. “There’s no one in here.”
T’inissi smiled and hefted a sigh. The action eased the storm throwing Savannah around. Evan was unable to be with her for this. He was too weak and needed to heal. But she had T’inissi by her side. The woman had a soothing presence. Her voice was like a gentle lullaby when she spoke. Savannah wondered if it was because of her native tongue.
T’inissi walked to a closet. She knocked on the purple metal. “Atiyya, will you come out? There is someone special here to see you.”
The closet door opened a crack. A rose-colored eye peeked out, looking at T’inissi. “What if she does not like me?”
The tiny, angelic voice spoke in T’inissi’s language, but pierced Savannah’s soul. Tears filled her eyes and overflowed. She choked on her breath and pressed her hands to her mouth. She couldn’t move.
T’inissi coaxed the little girl out. The top of her head came up to T’inissi’s hip. Her strawberry blond hair was cropped short. Little tufts of white fur stuck out of the tips of her ears. Her skin was pale and made her pink eyes appear to glow. Behind her lips, Savannah saw little fangs. She had claws instead of fingernails. T’inissi led the girl to Savannah. The innocent eyes stared up at her, shining with hope and fear.
Savannah dropped to her knees and hugged the girl. The sobs she had been fighting broke free. They shook her and the girl, making her chest ache.
Several minutes passed before Savannah regained control of herself. She dragged in deep breaths, but another outburst threatened to overwhelm her. She cupped the child’s face. Her skin was as soft as velvet.
“Hi.”
Atiyya looked at T’inissi. An encouraging nod turned her focus back to Savannah. “Hello. Are you back to be my mommy?”
Blinking back her tears and unable to speak, Savannah nodded. Evan’s psychic ability would be great to have. Then she could think what she needed to say instead of fighting to regain her voice.
Atiyya cocked her head as seconds of silence ticked by. “What is wrong, Mommy?”
Savannah swallowed. How could she describe the joy soaring through her? Her return to Earth had been plagued by an emptiness in the pit of her stomach. She had assumed it was because of Evan, but when he came back to her life, the feeling persisted.
“I… I’m too happy for words,” she managed hoarsely. “I missed you.”
“But T’inissi said you would not know me.”
Savannah pulled the little girl against her chest and dragged in a breath to ease the surge of rage. Once she was certain she was in control over her emotions, she stroked Atiyya’s hair. It was coarse, like a dog’s coat. She moved back to stare into Atiyya’s eyes. “I never forgot you or stopped wanting to hold you.”
Atiyya ducked her head and looked at Savannah from under her long, blond eyelashes. She nibbled on her bottom lip. Her voice was timid. “You can hold me now.”
Tears spilled down Savannah’s cheeks. She gathered Atiyya into her arms again and buried her face in the rough hair. Silently, she vowed to never let go.
****
The door to Atiyya’s bedroom shut with a hiss. Savannah turned from it and closed her eyes for a brief second. With a snarl, she slammed T’inissi against the wall. “How could you steal my memories? Why erase my daughter?”
Choking for breath, T’inissi clawed Savannah’s hands.
“Tell me!”
Savvy!
Evan limped to her. Pink salve oozed down his chest, and wires trailed behind him. He laid a hand on Savannah’s arm. She looked at him. His face blurred from her tears.
“They took my baby from me! Didn’t they think I’d love her, too?”
“But it wasn’t T’inissi’s doing. She’s not the one who sto
le your baby. Let her go. You’re killing her.”
Savannah let T’inissi go and whirled on Evan. He sagged against the wall. His skin was a sickly shade of gray. Savannah knew she should insist he return to the healer, but she only cared about the most important question.
“Who took her?”
“The same aliens who stole us,” he replied. “We were animals to them, no better than a pet. I was made for hunting. But you were special. They wanted more out of you than something to show off. They bred the girls they abducted.” He shuffled closer to her. His voice was weak and wispy in her head. “I saw you from afar. You and the other girls were pampered, kept inside, and fed well, while I was outside in a kennel with the other guys. They took us out when our owner wanted to kill something. But I’d see you. I saw your belly grow and the fear in your eyes. You knew they were going to take her away. It was a matter of time. The night you gave birth… I heard you cry and scream.”
Savannah buried her face against Evan’s neck. He groaned but wrapped his arms around her. The salve covering his chest smelled like sour oranges. It smeared on her, dampening her shirt, but she didn’t care. “Why did they steal us? What’s the fucking point?”
“What is the point of anything?” T’inissi asked, rubbing her throat. “For profit. They stole you from your home and sold you to the highest bidder. With your planet being ranked low, no one cared to speak out.”
“You did.” Savannah reached out to T’inissi. “You saved us. Thank you… and sorry for going berserk on you.”
“A mother’s instinct to protect her child is nothing to apologize for. I am honored to help. My planet has a long history. Not all of it good. And a long time ago, my ancestors knew what it meant to be slaves. Everyone on this ship believes we would be doing them a great dishonor by not acting.” She turned to Evan and scowled. “You must not overexert yourself.”
Together, T’inissi and Savannah helped Evan back to the healer. He received another berating as he was hooked back up to the machine. He fell unconscious quickly. Savannah brushed his hair out of his eyes.
Abducted Life Page 11