Shear punched Erik in the gut.
He grunted and doubled over. “Damn.”
Torque returned the favor, sending Shear to his knees. “Come on! Suck it up, Erik. Get back in here. Braden!” he shouted over his shoulder.
“What?” Braden kicked out, missing his target. “I’m kinda busy here.” He took a light blow to the arm, as he sidestepped Dare’s charge.
“The woman. Kam didn’t kill her. She’s coming to. And either reinforcements are on the way, or they’re getting ready to hold a convention down here.”
A moment later, Braden felt it. The ground. Strong vibrations. And a foul odor reached his nostrils. Egesa headed their way. Lots of them.
* * * * *
Leila fell to her knees, rubbing her aching thigh. A yellow-eyed creature pranced around her, chattering something she couldn’t understand.
“Good job. Now leave us.”
Her gaze followed the deep voice, but she only saw shadows. The Egesa backed off and disappeared through the door. She wanted to follow. She needed to find her way back to the others.
When she turned, a wall of monitors captured her attention, and she froze. One screen was only white noise. Their cell probably. Another screen showed… She couldn’t believe it. The spy who’d been at Alexa’s house. The woman was naked, chained to a wall, with some sort of collar around her neck. She looked pale and drained. She’d obviously made it back to the Marid ship, but didn’t look well. Why would they chain their own assassin?
Another monitor showed Erik. He wasn’t in the cell. He’d fisted his massive cock and was slowly stroking himself. She swallowed hard at the sight. Alexa’s bedroom. She recognized the background now. The Marid ship must have had the inside of the house under surveillance the entire time. But how? Xylon would have known.
Should
have known, considering their outside surveillance, and the one inside sweep they’d made, before deciding against invading the home’s privacy to that extent.
The large center screen flipped on. She blinked a couple of times, not believing what she was seeing. No! Her own humiliation was on video. Her Initiation, attended by Dare, Shear, and Rave. How had they gotten that? They’d performed the rite in The Lair. Someone had to be a double agent, filtering information to The Dome. It was the only explanation. And the realization made her sick.
She shuddered at the pictures moving across the screen. Her ceremony had been typical, nothing special. But the sexual appetite that had followed… While in a state where she couldn’t defend herself, those three monsters had totally victimized her.
“Quite a show,” the voice in the shadows said. “We watch it often in The Dome. It’s an Egesa favorite.”
Leila chewed on her thumbnail, and her whole body shook. She felt violated all over again.
On the monitor, Dare was holding her wrists, while Shear sucked too hard on one of her nipples, twisting the other one painfully. Rave’s tongue slashed her clit, demanding a reaction. When she got none, the woman’s teeth sank into the bud of flesh, and Leila arched in agony on the screen.
As she sat before the screen, a small sound of distress escaped her. All the memories and feelings returned in a wave of torment. Still on her knees, she turned toward the darkness. “You bastard! Who are you?” Was it Daegal himself aboard this ship and hiding in the shadows? “Show yourself!”
* * * * *
Alexa took a shaky breath. She wiped the sweat from her brow. The shaft walls were closing in on her. She could have sworn the tunnel was getting narrower with each breath she took.
“It’s all right,” Kam said, apparently sensing her discomfort of small places. “This will lead us to their transport bay. We can steal an orbiter to get to the Xylon ship—as long as it’s still nearby.”
“How do you know? You crawl through ventilation shafts often?” She knew she sounded snippy, but couldn’t help it.
“Turn left.”
She followed his directions. “How do you know which way to go?” This was crazy. Any minute a whole pack of lizard-people would probably descend upon them. How had she gotten herself into this situation? She ducked under a defect in the shaft.
“The Egesa use old Xylon freighters, slightly updated. I’m familiar with the layout.”
He tugged on the back of her shirt.
“What?”
“You’re giving me more of a view than I think you want your brother to see.”
Lovely. “Sorry.” She lowered her butt a fraction and crawled faster. She’d never realized how claustrophobic she was. Her knees hurt, she was cold, and she had to use the bathroom. She’d never again complain about having a boring life. “How long have you known about me?”
“Forever, it seems.”
She hesitated at that. It wasn’t the answer she’d expected. “Did you know I was a super breeder? Did Braden?” Visions of Braden and Erik leaning over her naked body filled her head. She squirmed at the memories. Never in her life had she ever imagined engaging in a threesome. Well, maybe she’d
imagined
it…
“Braden didn’t know until Leila did the test and told him. You were there. You know that. Keep going.”
She noticed he bypassed answering her first question. She moved forward, a thousand questions still clouding her brain. “What happened to you, Kam? Were you taken away from Mom and Dad? Or were you sent away?” When he didn’t answer, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Kam?” He looked almost pale. “What is it? Am I flashing you again? Maybe you should go ahead of me.”
“Your parents were never officially mated, Alexa,” he blurted, avoiding her eyes by turning his head to peer through a side grate.
She simply stared at him. Her muddled brain wasn’t processing well today. Too much had happened. “What are you talking about? Sure they were. And they’re your parents, too. But you were taken or sent away to grow up on Xylon, while I remained here to grow up on Earth. Isn’t that the way it all happened?” An uneasy feeling fluttered through her. She wondered if this had been a set-up all along, just to convince her to help them. But she and Kam had the birthmarks…”We do have the same parents. You didn’t lie about that, did you?”
He finally looked back at her. “Just our father is the same. We have different mothers. Our father is mated to my mother, always has been. During a Breeder Release, he had an affair with your mother. You were the result. He initiated her and couldn’t get her out of his system, I guess. And he went back for more. Repeatedly, from what I understand.”
What? Breeder Release? What was that? Never officially mated? She remembered her mother writing in the journal that she had suspected another mate. When she’d read the journal, there had also been a brief mention of another child—lost. She’d assumed that to be Kam, but apparently not. A miscarriage perhaps?
“Do you know where our father is?” That was the foremost question burning through her mind, right now, the question that had been burning through her mind for years. “No one else seems to. Leila said so.”
“He’s still with my mother. He’s doing some sensitive, secret work for Xylon. They’re living on another planet right now. But you didn’t hear that from me. It’s classified. Go on. Move.”
Her father was alive. Tears burned her eyes. She could see him if she wanted. Kam would allow it. She knew he would. But her father had lied to her. Lived a double life. No wonder her mother had been so bitter. Knowing there was another woman had to have broken her heart.
“Here.” Kam tugged on her shirt as she passed a grate. “Move aside. We’ll go through here.”
She scooted out of his way. They definitely weren’t at the transport bay. It looked like a storage room on the other side. At least there shouldn’t be any cameras in there.
Kam kicked out the grate. It clattered to the floor, and they both froze. When no one came to investigate, he crawled out, then helped her out. “Are you holding up all right?”
“I’m fine. Let’s just go.”
He listened at the door. Carefully, he slid it open and peered out. “All clear. I don’t see a camera in this section. We’ll be able to move undetected for a while longer. Let’s make the most of it.”
“Wait! I found something.”
* * * * *
Leila scrambled to her feet and backed toward the door, trying her hardest not to look at the monitor that displayed her Initiation. Especially now that Shear was landing a strap against her back and butt. She shuddered. Never again would she let anyone treat her that way!
At the time, in the sexual appetite, she hadn’t been in control. Since then, she always made it a point to be in control of all sexual situations where she was involved…or not get involved.
“Too bad there’s no sound,” the voice in the darkness said. “But then, I have a good imagination. You haven’t been fucked properly since then, have you, my dear?”
Her back hit the door. She reached behind her and felt for the control, but couldn’t find it. She’d been with two men since her Initiation—both completely unsatisfying encounters. She doubted she’d ever enjoy sex again, after what those three monsters had done to her.
“There’s no escape, Leila.”
She had to figure something out. Stall until she did. “What do you want?”
“You,” the voice rumbled, growing husky. “I can’t get the image out of my head.”
“Forget it.” She’d rather die than let anyone violate her again. “I asked who you are. Daegal?” She shuddered at the possibility.
“I am someone who can give you a life of leisure, if I choose…or a life of pain. Those are your only choices. Forgetting it isn’t an option. Don’t be a fool. Take what I’m offering. I have a lot of power. Not only on this ship, but on Marid as well.”
She knew he’d never agree to let her go, no matter what. So she had to sound reasonable here, at least from his point of view. “And if I refuse to choose?”
“I intend to have you, dear Leila, whether you cooperate or not. Whether you choose or not. If you don’t choose, I’ll assume you prefer pain.” He chuckled.
A shiver of ice ran through her. “If I cooperate, will you let me live?” She had
no
intention of cooperating, but men who thought with their dicks weren’t always at their sharpest. She might be able to fool him.
“You’ll live either way. And I’ll have you any way I choose. Cooperation is up to you. You know the consequences of the choice you make…or don’t make.”
“Yes.” Her mind raced, trying to piece together a plan. “You’ve been quite clear. But maybe you’d like me to do some things that would be more pleasant with my cooperation.” She hated what she was about to suggest, but it might work. “Like maybe…that.” Casually, or so she hoped it appeared, she pointed to a different monitor that showed Alexa licking and sucking Braden’s engorged shaft, while Erik fondled her breasts from behind. She wished…she shook her head. Now was not the time to entertain silly thoughts. “I’m very good and have been known to bring a man to his knees. Maybe we could strike a different type of a deal besides simply a life of leisure.”
She knew exactly how he’d react. He’d pretend to agree, then try to double-cross her. Typical male behavior, no matter the species. And that’s what she was counting on.
A moment later, he responded. “What kind of a deal?”
* * * * *
“What did you find?” Kam asked.
Alexa handed him a device. Certainly, it was important. “A cell-thingy. Isn’t that what it’s called?”
“Vid-cell. It’s one of theirs. We can’t use it. Their hand-helds won’t connect to the Xylon ship.” He banged the backside of it. “It doesn’t even look like it’s working.”
Disappointment filled her. “Can’t you hot-wire it or something?”
“It’s not a car, Alexa. Besides, as I said, we can’t use it. Even if it was working.” He peered out the door again. “I see a ladder. Good. We head down. I know a shortcut.”
He returned the cell. She stuck it in the pocket of Torque’s shirt. Just in case. The natural packrat in her wouldn’t let something go that might prove handy. When Kam cocked an eyebrow at the move, she simply shrugged. She peeked out the crack in the door. “Won’t there be cameras in the shaft?”
“I don’t know. Could be. We’ll find out soon enough. It’s our only viable option at the moment, so let’s not worry about it until we have to.”
“Okay,” she drawled the word, not sure this was the best plan of action, but unable to come up with an alternative.
Chapter Fourteen
Braden looked up at his chained wrists shackled to the wall. He tried to shift, pull himself loose, but it was impossible. With each unsuccessful tug, his anger and frustration grew. Locked in tight. Even his ankles.
This had not turned out as planned. Erik and Torque stood imprisoned next to him—Erik directly beside him and Torque third in line—both also shackled immobile to the gray wall.
One dim light hung from the center of the cell, casting eerie shadows. Some sort of straw-like material covered the floor, and large brown bugs crawled through the mess. The smell was overpowering. Like something had died within these walls. A camera and monitor hung from one corner as in their previous cell.
Rave stood in front of them, her arms crossed under her breasts. She looked every bit the dominatrix, as he’d seen in one of Erik’s sex videos, picked up during a previous Earth mission. All in black, from head to toe. Hair and fingernails included. She just needed a whip to make the image complete.
Dare and Shear weren’t with her. They were probably off somewhere licking their wounds. The Warriors had beaten them up pretty good. That one bit of knowledge made him feel some sense of satisfaction. Victory had been so close, until reinforcements arrived. Then he and the others had been outnumbered.
The entire ship must now be searching for Alexa and Kam. He’d heard the alarm go off. He just hoped they had gotten to the transport bay and were able to secure an orbiter.
“This is fun.”
“Shut up, Torque,” Braden replied. “You all right, Erik?” His friend had a nasty bruise on his temple, and a long, red scratch across his chest.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Rave stepped closer. “You were stupid to fight. There’s no escape.”