by Arden, Mari
"What if she fights?" Lenora asks.
"It will be all right," he says quietly, gently.
"I don't know, Rhys." Lenora sounds uncertain. "She doesn't seem like she'll come quietly." Smart girl, I snarl silently. Now if only you can come closer so I can claw your eyes out! I must've made a sound because Rhys's arms tighten.
"I'll take care of it," he says.
"We have to undress her and put the offering on," Lenora says, amused. "And I don't think you should be doing that."
Rhys makes a sound, and it sounds suspiciously like a smirk. "I'm sure I can figure it out."
More images of things I want to do to him enter my mind, including using the ropes on my hands to tie him to a tree for the wolves.
"How about this, you can get the offering on her and I'll be close by in case you need my… skills." Rhys suggests.
"All right," she reluctantly agrees. "If she wakes up the whole compound with her screaming, don't tell me I didn't warn you."
"She won't."
"If she tries to run, don't tell me I-"
"She won't." There's a pause. "Don't you trust me?" Rhys asks softly.
"You know I do," Lenora replies just as softly. "But Malachi-"
"Shh!" he hisses, and I know he doesn't want to say more in front of me. "Let's go."
My legs stir, and I try to stretch them, testing them without him noticing. I'm scared he does though, because he walks faster. I can hear Lenora's heels clicking softly, and I know we're inside a building. A few more doors open, and then we stop. He settles my body onto something hard.
A chair.
I try to sit, but my body's slouching like my bones have disappeared. A gentle hand hoists me back up, tenderly laying my neck back. I'm facing the ceiling and faint light penetrates through the cloth over my eyes. Lenora's clicking fades away, and we're alone.
"I know you can hear me," Rhys says in a low voice. "Just do everything you're told and you'll be ok. Nod if you understand."
Bastard, I try to say, but nothing comes out.
"Nod if you understand." Maybe he senses my fear because his voice is gentler. "Lenora's going to undress you. She's going to put you in something else. Please don't try to leave or they will send someone to get you. There are consequences for prisoners who try to escape."
Prisoners? My throat feels dry. What did he mean by that? Why was I in prison? My questions can't be voiced, and he won't answer them anyway so I keep the growing terror to myself.
His hands touch my shoulders, and I'm surprised. I wonder if he knows they're shaking. "Please don't leave, Kenna," he repeats softly.
I don't answer him. I couldn't if I wanted to anyway.
"I'll wait by the door," he informs Lenora. "She's alert."
I hear her walking, approaching me with hesitation. "I think you have to keep your blindfolds on. So I'm just going to help you pull your shirt and pants off, okay?" She lifts my shirt up, but it's hard because my hands are still tied in front of me. Lenora pauses. "I wonder if I should cut the ropes off.'
Yes, yes, my mind is screaming. Do it!
She asks Rhys, and his quick "no" seals the deal. She goes back to struggling with the thin shirt, and I hear a tear as she finally pulls it over my arms and head.
"I'm sorry!" Lenora sounds apologetic. "I hope you didn't like that shirt. There is a... very cute bird on it." She sounds so contrite I'm almost amused, but then I remember how I got here and I hate her again. "There are many birds on your pants though. I'll be careful, I promise."
The pants are easier, partly because my legs feel like putty she can move any which way she likes. Within seconds I have on nothing but a bra and panty.
"Don't peek, Rhys!" she calls out.
"I'm not," he responds, but he sounds like he's laughing, and I get madder.
She puts something soft and silky over my head. It smells fresh, like clean linen. Struggling, she calls out, "Rhys! I have to cut the ropes. I can't get the dress on."
He sighs and walks over.
I'm mortified. Even though the top part of me is covered, my thighs and legs are not.
"Pull off the dress," he tells her.
I make a loud strangled sound, the loudest I've made yet, and they pause. Rhys comes closer and whispers to me, "I won't look. I promise. Do you trust me?"
Hell no! I shout in my head.
The words still can't come, but he knows what I'm thinking because he's saying, "Use this pocket knife to cut it off. I'll stand behind you in case she tries something." His voice gets dramatically loud to make sure I hear. "I'm turning my back, Kenna, I won't see a thing." All I can think about is I wish my legs could kick.
When the ropes finally come off, I make a sound of relief. I want to rub my wrists, but I have to stretch my fingers and arms. It's hard to raise my arms without help, but I try anyway.
"Good," Lenora says encouragingly. "Just keep stretching them." I'm confused. Ten minutes ago she wanted to knock me out with a needle, but now she's encouraging me to regain my strength back? It makes no sense, but I can't think anymore because she's pulling the dress over me again. This time it flows down without a hitch. Lenora adjusts my top until I'm properly covered, then says, "Ok, Rhys, all done."
All I hear is a sharp intake of breath. There is silence for a long moment and I'm wondering what he sees.
"I'll take her to her room," he finally says, his voice thick and strained with something that makes my insides warm. His arms are gentle when he picks me up.
I want to squirm with frustration. I want to hate him so bad. I do hate him, but he plays with my emotions when he touches me like I'm something precious. He pulls my head closer onto his chest. His breath is warm on my forehead, and I'm tingly there. Something sounding like metal opening drifts into my ears, and I brace myself.
He sets me down on the hard floor. "When your hands are back to normal you can take your blindfold off."
I try to speak, but only disjointed sounds form.
"You'll be able to talk in an hour or two," he says. "You might not see me much. Do what you're told, but listen to your instincts." He touches the side of my head. "Listen to the voices in here."
There's a long moment of quiet where I can't hear anything but his breathing. In the darkness, my sense of touch is heightened. The barest whisper of his fingers trace the sides of my face. Against my will, I shiver. For some sick reason I want this moment to last forever. My body repulses me. Within seconds, he's gone, his strong footsteps fading as more terror grows inside me.
I'm more scared alone than when I was with Lenora and Rhys. Feelings of confusion and betrayal flow through me. For a long while, I remain motionless, willing myself not to cry. I lay my head down, but don't close my eyes. It's still dark either way.
Out of boredom and adrenaline-filled fear, I stretch my body and attempt to move it. My legs are sluggish, but my arms are coming around. It takes time, but eventually I can lift them. Soon my fingers can move with enough coordination. I'm able to rip the cloth from my eyes. More darkness greets me. With enough concentration my eyes adjust, and that's when I see where I am- what I'm in.
He was right. I'm a prisoner. And Rhys had locked me in a cell with no way to get out.
Chapter 12
I hear the screams first.
At first I think it's a nightmare. I see the dingy walls surrounding me, and the foreboding metal door, and I know this is no dream. The cell is archaic with only a hole for a toilet. There's no bed and no blankets. The floor is even and smooth, but it's cold and uncomfortable.
The voice screams again, louder this time, and I jump up. There's a small rectangular window in the door, and I stand on my tiptoes to peek through.
Someone is dragging a girl by her hair. They move past us and I gasp. She's wearing the same scarlet colored dress I have on. What does it mean? Do people wearing red die first? I watch them until they round a corner, and the last thing I see are the ends of her ruby dress flittering helplessly in the win
d.
I step back, numb with fear. All at once understanding comes at me full force. I'm alone. No one knows where I am. I don't even know where I am. No way to get in. No way to get out. Trapped, and at the utter mercy of aliens.
I start hyperventilating, something I've never done before, but the short breaths keep coming, smaller each time. My chest constricts because I'm fighting to take in enough oxygen, but it's not enough, and I'm shaking so badly. I curl into a ball, covering my face with my arms. No one can see the tears glistening in my eyes. No one hears my sob over my harsh breathing. And, even as I lay on the cold floor, looking defeated, I know I can't be.
I have to get out.
I have to tell everyone the truth.
The Saguinox are not what they seem.
Shame covers me, making my body hot with anger. How the aliens must've laughed, seeing how malleable we were. Humans welcomed them with open arms like the baby life forms they thought we were.
My humiliation is mixed with guilt. Every lustful thought I ever had about Rhys runs in my head, bulldozing my conscience and crumbling my heart. I literally handed myself to them tonight, tricked by a pair of Angel eyes and a handsome face that's poison.
My anger's the only thing that gets me through the night.
Chapter 12
I hear the screams first.
At first I think it's a nightmare. I see the dingy walls surrounding me, and the foreboding metal door, and I know this is no dream. The cell is archaic with only a hole for a toilet. There's no bed and no blankets. The floor is even and smooth, but it's cold and uncomfortable.
The voice screams again, louder this time, and I jump up. There's a small rectangular window in the door, and I stand on my tiptoes to peek through.
Someone is dragging a girl by her hair. They move past us and I gasp. She's wearing the same scarlet colored dress I have on. What does it mean? Do people wearing red die first? I watch them until they round a corner, and the last thing I see are the ends of her ruby dress flittering helplessly in the wind.
I step back, numb with fear. All at once understanding comes at me full force. I'm alone. No one knows where I am. I don't even know where I am. No way to get in. No way to get out. Trapped, and at the utter mercy of aliens.
I start hyperventilating, something I've never done before, but the short breaths keep coming, smaller each time. My chest constricts because I'm fighting to take in enough oxygen, but it's not enough, and I'm shaking so badly. I curl into a ball, covering my face with my arms. No one can see the tears glistening in my eyes. No one hears my sob over my harsh breathing. And, even as I lay on the cold floor, looking defeated, I know I can't be.
I have to get out.
I have to tell everyone the truth.
The Saguinox are not what they seem.
Shame covers me, making my body hot with anger. How the aliens must've laughed, seeing how malleable we were. Humans welcomed them with open arms like the baby life forms they thought we were.
My humiliation is mixed with guilt. Every lustful thought I ever had about Rhys runs in my head, bulldozing my conscience and crumbling my heart. I literally handed myself to them tonight, tricked by a pair of Angel eyes and a handsome face that's poison.
My anger's the only thing that gets me through the night.
Chapter 13
An alarm rings, screeching through dreams of glowing eyes and fire. I jerk awake, and notice that I'm still in the same position from the night before. I stretch my neck, arms and legs, feeling lighter as I realize my body is back in working order. The alarm sounds again, and the buzzing hurts my ears. There is a loudspeaker in the room somewhere. I stand.
Walking, I peer through the door. I try to look for faces, but the windows are small, and the lights dim. I see nothing but an empty corridor with gray walls. It reminds me of a nightmare I had, and goose bumps ripple over my arms.
"All clear."
Someone's walking, and I press my face against the glass to see. He has dark hair and eyes, and his lips are turned in a frown. There are two other men with him. All three look ahead, their glowing eyes a beacon in the dark. He nods, and the sounds of opening doors rumble in the corridor. I step back as the door of my own personal prison push out. My hands tighten on the handle, and with a shaky breath I shove the door forward, stepping out.
When I'm in the corridor I see there are about a dozen people standing with me. I gasp. I'm wrong. There are a dozen people and other creatures standing with me.
My eyes are wide. I can't help but stare at the one closest to me. Her skin is green, completely and vibrantly green. Her black irises are large and luminous. Her body is shaped like a human girl, but scales that cover her chest, belly, and crotch. A tail hangs behind her, and I only notice it because she swings it, sweeping it to the front. Her feet have toes, but they're oval shaped, and are like green raindrops. She's not wearing a dress, but a red shawl covers her. It's the same color as mine, and she pushes the hood over her face. She turns to the Saguinox, and I do, too.
"You will be fed this morning, and then you will return to the caves to harvest. Tomorrow some of you will offer yourselves to the crystal." There is a collective sound of horror, and I look around, afraid. He is unperturbed. "Do as you're told. Escape is an illusion. Should you try," -a malicious smile appears on his face- "he will find you."
I'm not sure who "he" is, but the alarm on every person's face makes me not want to find out.
As suddenly as he comes, he leaves, and the people to my left turn. I follow knowing that my survival depends on my ability to blend in.
We march like soldiers, each behind the other, heads bowed. The corners of my eyes scan my new surroundings, taking note of the nightmare I've suddenly found myself in. We join other rows of people, all dressed in scarlet red. Even though it's hard to see, I put the pieces together like a puzzle. Cells line either side of me, and I know there's more than one level because I can hear the same monotone footsteps echoing above. It looks exactly like what I'd imagine a prison to look like, but instead of white walls, gray is the color most used. We pass by what I assume are guards, though they're dressed casually in shirts and jeans. They're probably dressed that way to blend in when they leave the prison. Anything less might cause suspicion.
Glowing eyes watch us. Each gaze is filled with disgust, and their thoughts are reflected on their faces: we are inferior. They're the superior.
A few Saguinox hold weapons like guns and daggers, but the majority don't. They don't have to. The warning is palpable, even to me: obey or else.
I feel like a lamb, moving toward her slaughter. We enter into a cafeteria -like space. The tables are placed in straight rows. They're cafeteria tables, but metal handcuffs are attached to the center of each. I can smell food, but instead of making me hungry, it has the opposite affect and I want to vomit.
We're herded into two lines. They give us wooden bowls and a spoon, and watching the others, I kneel to receive the meager portion. The silence is delicate, and I try desperately to quiet my stomping, but my fear seems to have made my feet louder. My only consolation is that, like everywhere else, everyone here ignores me. They don't hear my feet. Or maybe they do, but they just don't care.
I follow the person ahead of me to my seat. There are guards around, but no one moves to handcuff us. Instead, the prisoners do it themselves. I observe the girl beside me adjusting one handcuff over her left hand. I feel sick, watching her. What kind of perverted game is this? They're forcing us to confine our bodies, to do the one thing we're desperate not to do.
I slide in next to her, and repeat her motions. When the cuffs click onto my wrist, I fight back the urge to take it off. I want to throw the restraint against the wall, and break it into a million pieces. I need to blend in, I remind myself, taking a deep breath.
The anger is boiling underneath me, but I try to ignore it. I take a bite of the cream-colored soup, and gag. I clench the table in an effort to force it down, and it works even thou
gh my stomach is heaving. The creature from before notices me, and she pauses, catching my eye. She demonstrates taking little sips at a time. No one notices my outburst, except her and I follow her motions, taking tiny sips. The herbal taste is more bearable in bits, but she's sipping fast. Maybe I need to, too.
Soon another bell rings. No one moves, though. Slowly the guards move between us, taking their sweet time, showing us how insignificant we truly are. I watch as one guard unlocks the metal handcuff of the girl beside me. When it's my turn, I hold my breath in anticipation. When the metal opens, falling back from my wrist, I bite back a gasp. My hands feel lighter.
We take our bowls to the other side of the room, and hand them to other scarlet clad workers. There is no eye contact, and when my finger accidently touches the worker's, she shrinks back.
I continue to follow the person in front of me, but the two rows are closer together. The creature from before is next to me, and her tail lightly touches my calf. I pause for a millisecond before moving.
"You blend in very well," she whispers. Her voice is thick with a European sounding accent. "It's hard to notice you."
I decide to be honest. "It's sort of a trick of mine."
"Oh." She grins. "It's a nice trick to have."
I don't say anything.
"My name is Chloris."
"I'm Kenna," I murmur.
"I'll show you what to do when we get to the caves," she offers.
"Thanks."
When we step outside, I'm greeted with a rush of cold air that sweeps the folds of my dress between my legs. If they notice the cold, no one shows it and we move as silent as ghosts. In the distance I can see trees and hills. I hear the wired fence around us, buzzing with electricity, and it's so cold I want to move closer. Soon I see a cave up ahead, its mouth stretching high above us. I want to see more, but my head remains bowed, submissive.
Good girl, the thought whispers in my mind, and I almost stumble. I clutch the red fabric of my dress in my palms so I won't trip. My heart's racing. Had a guard just talked to me in my head? Head low, I search around. All I see are scarlet folds and shuffling feet. Anger, desperation, and terror pulse through me, shooting panic through my body. What sorts of powers do the Saguinox have? Suddenly, I remember Lenora's eyes, and the tingling in my head. I wonder if she's done something to me. Has she opened my brain up to the other Saguinox?