by Sophie Stern
Me?
I can read because I’ve spent the last four years learning how. It’s not even hard anymore. Reading Taneyemm script is like reading English to me. It just makes sense. Hal and Jenika drilled me for months. They were ruthless. I don’t know if they wanted to give me the best chance of success or if they hoped learning to read meant I’d be worth more when I go to auction, but they essentially forced me to learn.
Now I’m grateful. The other girls look lost, scared. I can read all the signs, so everything seems straightforward to me. We’re foreigners in a foreign planet, but I’m lucky enough to have read the guidebook.
The other girls are going to be fucking shocked when they find out what we’ve gotten ourselves into.
The train is long and, like my dress, bright green. It hovers just above the ground.
Nothing like the trains on Earth.
A couple of mouths drop open and I hear a few people going nuts talking about the train. Hal and a few of the security men move to shut the girls up. Rule number one? They want us quiet. Quiet girls look like meek girls and even if we aren’t meek on the inside, we need to look it on the outside. No one wants a servant or toy who is going to give them trouble. Going nuts over something as simple as transportation isn’t going to bode well with the customers.
I step up onto the train and turn down a narrow walkway to find my seat. I slide into my spot next to the window and stare out of it while Hal gives us instructions on how to behave. His instructions mostly consist of, “sit still” and “don’t touch anything.”
The trip will take two hours, which is nothing compared to four years, so I zone out as he gives warnings and reminds everyone to stay in their seats. It’s good advice, though there are a few girls who look ready to run. They were all set to come to the new planet, but now that it’s happening, they’re starting to freak out.
Hal also warned me about this.
Sometimes a girl will do just fine until it’s time to actually go to the auction house. Then she’ll have a sort of stage fright and try to run away. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make the Taneyemms very happy. They already don’t want humans in their midst. Why would they let a bunch of slave girls wander around unsupervised?
Running away is not allowed.
Ever.
If one of us runs away, we’ll be considered a threat, and the guards can keep us themselves or put us down.
Hal says we don’t want to know what happens if a guard keeps a runaway. It’s that bad.
There are armed guards at either end of the car we’re in on the train, basically to prevent any ideas about running. If someone needs to pee, they’ll have to get special permission to go. Once, a few girls actually tried to escape from the train. They actually jumped off, thinking they’d be able to roll away and be fine.
The problem is that with hover trains, you’re already far up off the ground and the area beneath the train creates a sort of suction, which pulls you under and can smash you.
No one who has ever jumped from a train here has survived.
That’s why we have guards now.
When Hal is done giving instructions, he turns back to me. He holds my eye for just a moment too long, a silent question of whether or not I’m okay. I nod so he can see, and he leaves.
“What was that about?” The girl next to me turns to glare. Dark circles under her eyes indicate she hasn’t been sleeping well. She’s nervous.
And jumpy.
“What?” I act like I don’t know what she’s talking about. Obviously, she saw Hal looking at me, but what would I say? None of the girls here know I was awake the whole time. If they knew, I’d be public enemy number one because they’d all try to kill me. They would think I got some sort of preferential treatment. In reality, I wouldn’t consider anything I went through to be “preferential.”
It was just necessary.
“Why did Hal look at you like that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She narrows her eyes, and suddenly, I completely hate her. She’s got this bright, frizzy yellow hair that looks like it hasn’t been washed in months. I know for a fact she had a shower this morning, so what’s with the grime?
“You do know! Is he giving you special treatment? Did he tell you anything we don’t know?” Maybe she’s not crazy, I tell myself. Maybe she’s just tired and nervous like everyone else.
But that’s the thing: everyone is tired and nervous.
She’s not special and neither am I.
It’s going to be a long fucking ride. I ignore Goldilocks and her continuous whiny noises. Instead of talking to her, I just stare out the window as the train pulls out of the station. Soon we’re moving, and in just a few hours, I’ll find out where my new home is.
***
When the train stops, everyone is stressed and tired. Two girls tried to escape during the trip and are now sitting in the front row with their hands bound behind their backs. They’ve also been stripped, which means they’ll be naked when they get their assignments and their new bosses or owners will know they didn’t behave.
Not something I want to happen.
Starting a new life on Taneyemm is going to be hard enough without my new “owner” or “boss” thinking I’m some sort of troublemaker who can’t be trusted. Being naked at auction means you’re going to sell for less, which means you’re going to get a crappier position, which means you’re going to hate your new job.
None of these are things I want.
Hal and Jenika’s goal was for the King to want to buy me, but none of them know whether or not that’s going to happen for sure. They made me as marketable as possible, so I know I’ll go for a good price. I won’t see a fucking dime of that, of course, but someone who pays a lot for me is going to want to protect their investment.
I hope.
We’re led off the train. Instead of a normal train station, we’re in front of a large, historic-looking building. It’s huge. I know from my lessons that this is one of the King’s mansions. It’s not the castle where he lives, but he uses this place for business transactions. In this case, it’s being used as an auction house to sort the girls from Earth.
The other girls stare in shock and awe, but I remember what Hal told me: don’t get distracted. Stay focused.
Today is the most important day of my life. If the King actually wants me, he’ll bring me back to his castle, where I’ll basically live a life of boring luxury. He’ll fuck me when he wants and I’ll probably have a few little dragon babies, but my life will mostly consist of hanging out and drinking tea.
In other words, it’ll be boring as fuck, but it’s better than being a house slave, right?
My breathing is deep and regulated as we’re paraded inside the large building. A few girls murmur about the size of the exterior, and they’re right: it’s incredible.
Like the train, this building is bright green. The sides are straight and tall, but windowless. I know this is because the inside has a huge, open space where dragons can shift if they want to. Most of the girls probably assume this building has 30 stories or more.
I know better.
Sometimes, I wish I didn’t.
The truth is that I got used to life on the ship, and I shouldn’t have. Hal, Jenika, and Ruby all warned me not to get too comfortable. They tried to mess with me as much as possible so I’d learn to adapt and be flexible, but I still grew to love them.
All of them.
Knowing my world is changing now is a little scary.
We’re led into the building and into a large, oval shaped area. Stadium seating surrounds the center area. I have to blink several times to make sure I’m not seeing things, but every seat is filled.
According to Hal, that’s unusual. He warned me that the mansion might be decidedly empty and warned me not to freak out when I didn’t see very many people.
Now I’m feeling concerned, but for the opposite reason. Why are there so many Taneyemms he
re?
“Hot damn,” the girl next to me whispers. “Guess that whole last-of-the-humans thing makes us worth a bit more, huh?”
Realization dawns on me. I’ve been so ignorant. Of course the last ship of women from Earth is going to catch a higher price. Earth has already been destroyed. Jenika told me before they thawed the other girls. Another planet, Bleoi, destroyed the entire thing shortly we were extracted.
Apparently, it was the best way to ensure no pirates or fugitives took refuge there.
Seems a bit extreme to me, but it’s not my world anymore, so I can’t really complain.
Still, this makes us human girls a rarity. What will that mean for us? Maybe we won’t have to do menial labor. Maybe we won’t have to be locked away in factories as cheap labor.
Then again, I suppose this means all of us will become baby makers.
Fuck.
We’re paraded around in a circle until we’re all lined up. There are close to 100 girls who will be auctioned off, maybe more. Hal and Jenika show up and begin making announcements. They explain how we’re the last girls from our planet, how we were cared for and prepped during the trip, and how the auction will work. When a girl is purchased, she’ll be brought to the side of the arena. This means she’ll still be able to watch the entire auction, but when her new owner purchases her, he’ll come claim her and take her away.
I wonder what happened to the other girls, the ones who were sent to work in factories and offices on the planet. A few were selected as teachers and will work in schools, teaching Teneyemm children about Earth and how to speak English. It seems like a fun job to me. I hope they have happy lives. Those girls, the ones who were chosen for tasks like that, aren’t even at the auction house.
It’s just the rest of us lucky brats who are.
Hal and Jenika wouldn’t explain the entire selection process to me. Honestly, I wonder why they couldn’t just place me at the King’s castle. They placed all the secretaries. Shouldn’t it be the same with the King’s little fuck dolls?
Apparently, it’s not.
Apparently, he’s a bit choosy and likes to select girls at auction.
Maybe it’s some sort of game for him.
I take a deep breath as I stare around the room. Lights turn on, enveloping the center area in light. This makes it difficult to see the crowd, though not impossible. It definitely makes seeing us easier for the men.
The auction begins.
They start with the girl next to me and begin moving away. This means I’ll be the last girl showcased, which I knew. Hal planned it like this so he can try to fetch an even higher price. The King of Teneyemm, or one of his men, is here today. They said he sometimes comes in disguise, but he has some sort of presence at every foreign auction.
Why?
He needs a bride, or so the rumors say. I don’t know if he needs an heir or just someone to look pretty at royal events, but I’m here.
There’s no guarantee that he’ll choose me and to be honest, I don’t want to be last. Who does? When I asked Hal how he knows I’ll stand out, he just held my face between his palms and whispered sweet nothings to me.
Though I had years of training in preparation for this moment, I can’t help but feel a twinge of nervousness. What if I’m not chosen? What if I have to go to another planet? What if I’m cast away?
I take a deep breath and look out into the crowd. I can’t see faces. There are bright lights shining on us girls the way lights would shine on a stage during a play. I suppose that’s to keep us from freaking out when the crowd sees us. When a girl is chosen, a cameraman moves in front of her and her image is projected on screens throughout the stadium.
The whole auction is digital. Each attendee has a screen on a handheld device that shows everything the auctioneer is saying, the film of the girl, pictures taken before the auction began, and other information. If someone wants a girl, they bid on their screen. The numbers are also projected on a large overhead screen we can all see.
The first girl goes for 22,000 units. Most people don’t notice Hal and Jenika exchange looks, but I see it. They’re happy about this. It’s more than they expected to get and I wonder what I’ll go for.
Despite a few girls who are crying quietly, the auction goes by quickly. The truth is that most of us are happy to be here. Most of us are happy to have a shot at life again. I sure as hell am.
Goldilocks gets picked for 29,000 units. She seems insanely happy. She might have been a bitch to me, but I don’t wish any harm to her. I hope she finds happiness at her new home. I hope she doesn’t go to a sadist or someone who would hurt her. I hope she gets a real chance.
Before I can think about her, the next girl is sold.
Then the next.
And then it’s my turn.
The cameraman steps in front of me and I give him a small smile. Hal coached me on exactly how to smile like a cute little slut without looking like an overeager beaver.
Yes, he used that phrase.
“Riley is an earthling who knows how to cook, sew, clean, and dance. She is also fluent in Drakonai.”
Immediately, murmurs start spreading throughout the stadium and although the girls are now lined up against the wall, I can tell they’re glaring at me, seething.
They’re probably wondering how the fuck I learned the dragon language before we arrived. Most of them can speak enough to follow orders, but I’m the only one who knows the language inside and out.
The numbers on the screen start scrolling up and up and up. Just when I think they’re about to slow down, the announcer adds, “She is also a certified virgin.”
And I know we’re going to be here for awhile.
Chapter 6
The man who buys me is tall, dark, and handsome. He introduces himself as Lee and we leave the mansion hand-in-hand. I feel very, very small next to him. His hand is so big that if he squeezes mine too hard, he’ll break me.
But Lee doesn’t seem like that type of man.
He takes me to a small vehicle and opens the door. Like the train, this doesn’t have wheels. Instead, it hovers slightly off the ground, and I climb inside.
Lee stands outside the hover car and leans inside. I can smell his cologne and almost instantly, I’m aroused. It’s been years at this point. Years of teasing and taunting and testing. I’m just ready to finally get to have sex.
Oh, he’d better fuck me.
And soon.
He straps me into my seat and then shoots me a surprised glance.
“I thought you were a virgin,” he says, and I nod, biting my lower lip. Fuck. He can smell my arousal. I need to keep that under control, at least until I get my bearings. I don’t know if he’s the King or not. I don’t know if he’s some wealthy businessman. I don’t even know if he plans to keep me. Some people “flip” girls the way old Earthlings would flip houses. It’s illegal, but it still happens. Hal warned me about this. Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done to stop it.
“I am.” I look away, suddenly embarrassed and shy. My reaction to him shouldn’t be so feral. Lee is a typical Taneyemm. He’s taller than me by a full foot. His broad shoulders showcase a muscular chest and his hair is just a little bit shaggy.
It’s just a little bit perfect to run my hands through.
I start to reach for it, but then I catch myself and pull my hand back. What the hell is wrong with me? He seems to notice my reaction, too, but doesn’t say anything. He just closes the door. I hear him talking, and I try to peek out and see who he’s speaking with, but the windows are too dark to see out.
Instead, I wait very not-patiently and twiddle my thumbs. Is he the King? He doesn’t look like a King, and I wonder if he’s just some billionaire playboy. He doesn’t seem mean, but that could all change once we’re alone.
The auction was so crazy that Hal and Jenika didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to me. Not properly, not in my opinion.
They each hugged me quickly, but then they were rushed
away to care for the other girls, manage paperwork, and deal with processing.
Now I’m alone with the man who purchased me and it’s time for me to remember my training. He gets in the car and mumbles something in Drakonai.
“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” I look sharply at him, but don’t say anything. Did he forget I could speak his language? Lee reaches for something on the dash and holds it in front of me.
“I’m sorry,” he says in English. “I need to blindfold you.”
“Why?” I ask, even though I know it’s standard for all the girls. “I’m not going to run away.”
“You might, once you see what I have planned for you.”
“I have nowhere to go,” I say simply.
“Your planet is gone,” he says. “What about your family? They could have escaped. Maybe you’ll want to go be with them.”
“My family is dead,” I say. Then I close my eyes. I hear a sigh, then Lee touches me very, very gently. His hands press the soft silk to my eyes, then he ties it behind my hair. For just a moment, I think he’s going to run his hands through my hair, but he doesn’t.
“Is something wrong?” I ask him softly.
“You aren’t what I expected,” he says.
“What did you expect?” I say in Drakonai.
“I expected a refugee,” he says. “But you are a seductress, little human, and you are throwing a wrench in all of my plans.”
***
When we arrive at our destination, Lee guides me from the car, but does not untie me.
“May I see, please?”
“Not yet, and don’t speak.”
I open my mouth to say okay, but clap it shut. He rubs my back softly.
“Good girl,” Lee murmurs, and I feel a rush of pride. Something so small, but it makes me feel really good, like maybe things won’t be so bad.
Like maybe they won’t be awful.
“Careful. There are a few steps,” Lee warns, but instead of helping me climb, he swoops me into his arms and carries me up the stairs, into the building, and down a hall, I think. When we stop moving, he sets me down, and reminds me again to be quiet. Then he knocks on the door and opens it.