by Stone, Piper
“You’re going to become an important part of my project, Ms. Caruso.”
I snapped my head in Draziak’s direction as the words continued to tickle my ears, the memory snapping at my synapses.
Only the voice I heard was foreign, the husky laughter terrifying. I could swear I’d asked the mystery man hiding in the shadows what he wanted.
“What is it?” Draziak asked, the vibrant colors in his eyes shimmering intently.
“If your instinct tells you that some type of experiment occurred eight years ago, then why? Why not kill you like he did the others? He might be nuts, but keeping you buried in a cave? That takes a very sick man.” I rubbed my temple, more frustrated than ever. I’d had a distinct dull ache behind my eyes since leaving the cave, but now the pain extended down both sides of my neck. I’d ignored the nagging in my mind for far too long.
Since the day I’d arrived in Bellenia, a familiarity had hovered over me like a warm blanket, yet I’d been unable to determine why. A slight hum buzzed in my ears, the sound nauseating. The thought that I’d been railroaded in some way was incomprehensible.
But why was it?
I’d known unscrupulous people my entire life, had seen the worst in mankind. Even several of my teachers over the years had marveled I hadn’t turned to drugs to dull the pain.
The world had changed significantly in several decades; various countries prepared to enact war at a moment’s notice. Initially, there were more dictatorships than ever before, hatred of politicians and lawmakers, the majority of people glorifying fake celebrities. Then every country and government leader had come together, forming the Earth Federation, taking back full control. In my mind, it wasn’t impossible to believe that one man had been afforded enough power to do exactly everything that Draziak had mentioned.
Then again, the Scorpion had been given the power to command an entire planet of his own.
If he’d happened on a powerful weapon, he could rule not only his world but others. And...
He could destroy anyone and everyone he considered an enemy.
I winced as a sharp slice of anguish rushed into my temporal lobe, a flash of some kind of light giving way to a grainy vision.
And his voice. The same monster as before. The Scorpion...
I swayed from side to side, no longer able to feel my legs as the vision became brighter. A cold room with cement walls. I remembered hearing... chains—steel bindings holding back one giant beast.
“What I required is simply your cooperation,” he answered.
I rubbed my eyes, taking several deep breaths. Where the hell was the voice coming from? Over my head. I’d never forget trying to catch sight of the person responsible.
“In what?” I finally asked, jerking my head to the right. From what I remembered, I’d heard a series of scraping noises. Metal against metal perhaps? Yes, that was it. I held my arms; the memory of a brutal chill sweeping through every cell and muscle seemed fresh in my mind, goosebumps that had popped along every inch of my naked skin.
“An experiment.” He issued another laugh, cold and calculating.
God, the stranger reveled in his answers, the deep baritone voice I’d never forget even though my gut told me it had been disguised.
I’d shot another look in my captor’s direction, yet I hadn’t been able to see his face. He was hiding behind a... a glass wall. I did remember thinking how I would rip out his eyes if I ever had the chance. “What are you talking about?”
“Needed research in a very special project. You were chosen for specific reasons, Ms. Caruso.”
Special research. I turned slowly, my gaze shifting all the way down the length of Draziak’s body.
“You will help bring me great power,” the dark voice had continued, laughing again.
“You are remembering something, little human,” Draziak stated as he walked closer.
I held out my hand in an attempt to stop his advance, my breath skipping. “Don’t. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but right now, I need some time alone.”
As I took a step away, he gripped my arm, pulling me against him. “You will not leave this cabin. There are many dangers in the jungle. I can’t lose you.”
“I don’t care if there are flesh-eating monsters. I need time to process this, Draziak. Please understand. Please.” I managed to twist my arm, getting out of his hold.
“You will obey me, human.” While his words were as commanding as always, he didn’t attempt to stop me.
“No, Draziak. You don’t own me. I’m not able to go anywhere. You’ve made certain of that. We are miles away from the camp, let alone the colony. I will be very careful.”
“You are very important to me.”
His words were just as haunting as many of the others. I backed toward the front door, racing outside onto the porch, jumping off into the sand. While the rain was no longer torrential, all I could concentrate on was the heavy drumming sounds as it pelted against the surface of the lagoon. I glared at the outbuilding, wanting nothing more than to break inside, and determine whether the vehicle was operable. Then I’d get the hell out of here.
And go where?
I laughed, realizing that was the underlying issue. I had no idea of who to trust or where I could go. The majority of my things, including my identification were stored along with the rest of the group’s personal effects with Stephen in charge of them. I couldn’t get the hell out of the country if I wanted to. The irony was damning and also hysterical at the same time.
I was a prisoner whether I liked it or not.
At least for now, I could have a taste of freedom.
I ran as fast as I could, trying to clear my head, attempting to gather a sense of rationality. What information had been blocked from my mind and why? By whom? Was it the same monster who’d betrayed the Volkodans?
Everything was a blur, including my emotions. I continued running until I was forced to take a breath, an anguishing pain rushing into my head. I dropped to my knees, pressing my palms against my temples.
“Let’s go swimming!”
This time, the voice I was hearing was entirely different. A girl... Wait. I knew her. She was my... cabin mate.
“You know we can’t. The master will be waiting for us.”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake, Annabella. Live a little,” she huffed as she ripped off her shirt and shorts, racing toward the beautiful blue water.
“Fuck,” I hissed, not realizing I’d walked off the porch until I was close to the water’s edge, staring down at the surface. I could swear I was able to see her face just under the surface. What the hell had been her name? Jas... “Jasmine,” I whispered, inching closer until the water lapped at my boots.
“It’s wonderful!” Jasmine yelled before diving underneath, kicking a solid splash in my direction.
I scanned the lagoon, finally staring up at the waterfall. I was well aware there were dozens of locations where waterfalls fell into bodies of water, but none were so beautiful in their surroundings.
Or so haunting.
I no longer cared about the soaking rain even as it dripped into my eyes or the chill that swept through me. The memory was necessary, as if my psyche was screaming to uncage this one in particular.
“I’m coming after you!” I could hear my own laughter as I rushed to disrobe, jumping in the water after her, yanking her to the surface. I placed my hand over my lips as I envisioned her dancing eyes, the way the sun highlighted her flaming red hair.
I held my arms, taking two more steps until the water was calf level, the continuing wind creating a hint of waves in the normally calm water. We weren’t supposed to be away from the camp. We’d been forbidden. I cocked my head, trying desperately to remember. That’s right. We’d both been... “Punished,” I whispered, my stomach lurching.
I could see the strap in his hand as it came down over and over again against Jasmine’s naked bottom as I stood watching.
Waiting my turn.
&n
bsp; I could hear his admonishing words, chastising two bad girls for disobeying the rules. I would never forget her cries, begging him to stop, promising to be good. Yet he’d refused, striking her even harder.
Then it had been my turn.
I shuddered, my teeth chattering as I struggled to remember anything else. It was as if I’d blacked out my punishment. Why couldn’t I see the asshole’s face? A single tear slipped past my lashes. I rubbed it away furiously, angry that I’d blocked out everything about the man. But my gut told me he’d been in charge of... The camp.
I shot another look up at the waterfall, a sickening feeling sliding into every muscle and vein. This wasn’t the second time I’d been to this particular spot. This was the third. I shifted by gaze back toward the cabin, not realizing just how far I’d run. Although I knew Draziak could be hiding in the damn jungle, prepared to sweep me into his arms like some brute, I was thankful for the time alone.
I was lightheaded, the hammering of my heart forcing my blood pressure to rise. As the haze began to lift, another memory coming into focus, I was able to see it play by play.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, racing beside Amber.
“It’s Jasmine. She disappeared last night,” Amber half whispered.
“Disappeared? What are you talking about?”
“Did you see her in class this morning?”
I realized I hadn’t seen my best friend since the night before, hours after the... spanking. “Where the hell are we going?”
She placed her fingers over her mouth, shaking her head. “Not so loud. Just trust me. I overheard the general and two of the soldiers talking. She was accusing them of horrible things. Just... horrible. I don’t want to be here any longer at this terrible place. I want to go home.”
I shivered as I followed her through the jungle, trying to rationalize what she was saying. Jasmine knew better than to leave the camp alone, especially at night. While some of the campfire stories were larger than life, we’d all been taught about the savage animals living in the wild.
Amber continued on a path until I realized that we were going to the lagoon, the rush of the waterfall just off to the right. Just as we heard voices, she hunkered down, motioning for me to do the same. When I was in position, we both peered through the thick foliage.
I was able to see three men, two of them in the water, the other remaining on shore.
“Hurry the fuck up!” the soldier by the water’s edge barked. “We have to get back before any of the damn interns venture out after class.”
“What are they doing?” Amber whispered.
“There’s something in the water.” I strained to see, narrowing my eyes.
“Oh, God. Jasmine. I think they’re trying to save her.”
Jasmine, the best swimmer of any of us, once considering trying out for the Olympic swim team. There was no way. There was...
“Wait, isn’t she...” Amber couldn’t find, slapping both hands over her mouth as a wave of water splashed over the other two soldiers.
“Would you fucking get this over with? Goddamn it. We need to shut her up and it has to look like an accident.” The one remaining on land scanned the perimeter, locking eyes on our position.
“Oh, no,” Amber moaned.
“Sshh...”
“No. Run. Run!”
I was paralyzed, no longer able to feel my feet. My throat seized, leaving me unable to breathe yet I was floating. Free. I’d never felt so free. As I opened my mouth to gather a breath, it was filled with water.
The realization hit me. I was underwater, my foot tangled in something. Rope. Oh, my God. No. No! I struggled, able to see the thickly woven piece clearly. I tugged, pulling myself closer. The rope was biting into my leg. I shifted my gaze to the surface. It was at least ten feet away.
Everything was in slow motion as I tried to free myself, but with every second, the exhaustion became more debilitating. My fingers were numb, fumbling to dig at the strands. Oh, God. No. I didn’t want to die.
“Don’t let them get away with this. I was murdered.”
The voice was clear, ringing in my ears.
Jasmine...
I wanted to help. I would try and...
As the anguish in my lungs increased, I was able to see her face clearly, her vivacious smile as she beckoned for me.
Whoosh!
The whirlwind of water tossed my body, the rope yanking it back. There was no air, the suffocation almost welcoming. As I began to close my eyes, I could see his face.
The alien.
The monster who’d saved my life not once but twice before.
Chapter Eleven
Draziak
“You will learn your place one way or another, alien beast,” the Scorpion said quietly, a sneer forming on his face. “What I have in store for you is exactly what you deserve.”
“And you will learn what it’s like to hunger,” I retorted. “Trust me, human. I will hunt you down. You will not get away with the atrocities you’ve forced on my people. No matter how many years it takes, I will find you and on that day, you will regret crossing me.”
A strangled moan yanked me out of the memory.
What. The. Fuck?
Anna-bel-la...
Anger as well as a rumble of fear kept my entire body shaking. She’d disobeyed my order, almost getting herself killed. I was rattled, more so than any experience before. I’d heard about love from several of the human scientists. Was it remotely possible I cared for Annabella that much?
A dark rumble shifted into my hearts, an ache that I wasn’t accustomed to. Whatever we shared had far-reaching tentacles, affecting my rational thinking. Everything around us seemed ominous, a foreboding of what we would face.
As I eased her limp body under the cover of the trees, I glared at the water. What the hell had happened in the minutes she’d been by the shore? There’d been no sign of anyone or anything chasing her. I scanned the area, my keen eyesight unable to detect any close predators. In fact, everything surrounding us was far too quiet, unnerving in ways that would keep me on edge.
As if we were being watched, studied like what had occurred all those years before.
She exhaled, coughing several times, her eyelids fluttering open and closed. Her lips were thin, her frail body shivering. I rubbed her arms, increasing circulation.
Snarling, I made certain she wasn’t hurt in another way, tearing what remained of the rope away and scanning the indentations. What I couldn’t understand was how she’d gotten the rope tangled around her ankle in the first place.
The ragged and frayed piece of thick twine had been snagged under a boulder, but several feet under the surface. I brushed hair from her eyes, making certain she was still breathing normally. Whatever she’d remembered had troubled her, pushing me away. As a light rain continued to fall, every synapse was electrified and this time, it had only little to do with our connection. I glanced at the waterfall. I’d been at this location before, the great Sampson O’Rourke taking me here only two days before following through with his subterfuge.
He’d expressed his desires for the future, a special city where information could be shared between our two species. Even growing into something else. Only the wealthiest and most powerful humans would be allowed in, living amongst little more than lab rats, an expression I’d learned early on. Was it possible he’d already created such an exclusive and very protected environment?
I curled my lip from the memory of his claims; a violent and irrational man with an unbridled hunger to become the superior force on Earth, not merely a distant planet he’d been forced to accept as his home. He’d fashioned himself to be more of a king establishing a monarchy than what he truly was.
A coward.
However, his cunning abilities had led to my ship’s demise. I fortified the promise I’d made, both vocally to the bastard as well as to myself.
I would defeat him one way or the other.
I felt her cool hand pl
aced against my chest and as I looked down, she was able to offer a slight smile. “What... happened?”
“You were in peril, your disobedience almost costing you your life.”
“I...” she whispered, swallowing several times as she blinked continuously. Finally, her pupils appeared less dilated. When she spoke, her voice was raspy, fueling another round of vicious anger. I had to protect her. “I just needed space. I’m sorry I ran. I just... I have no idea what happened.”
“You almost drowned. What were you doing in the water?” I demanded, angrier with her than I should be.
Slowly shifting onto her elbows, she took a quick glance toward the lagoon. “I don’t know. I was thinking about a friend of mine and how she’d drowned in a body of water. I was lost in my thoughts, water licking at my feet. I’d forgotten all about that horrible incident, but that particular memory was disgusting, a reminder that life is precious.”
Humans held so many secrets, harboring lies that only created the need for others.
“You are not telling me the entire truth, human.”
“I am telling you the damn truth,” she hissed, struggling yet managing to crawl away from me. After taking several scattered breaths, she fell back onto the sand, shaking her head. “While I was under the water, I did remember something. I was here before. So were my friends as well as others. Friends. There were other buildings just like this one. I know it. How is that possible?”
The words surprised me only so much. I was one hundred percent certain of my assumptions, my own memories bolstered during the last day alone. “This very location?”
“Yes, including by this lagoon. All I know is that I was involved with some kind of a camp.” She hesitated, her hand floating to her mouth as she continued gazing toward the water. “I was young, barely out of college. What’s crazy is that I just don’t remember why the hell I came here.” Annabella had a faraway look in her eyes. “But I am certain my friend was also murdered at this location, two soldiers holding her under the water. She was going to expose something she’d seen or heard. Maybe you’re exactly right about what happened eight years before. Maybe.”