Page 8 of Tortured

I chuckle. “Yeah. That too.”

With one last glance around the room, my eyes lingering on the female across from me, I step out of the door, sighing when it hisses shut behind me.

But then I think about the males who vrecking ruined the females’ lives.

And I fight the need to hunt them down and show them exactly what an Arkadian male does to those who mess with weaker beings.

I guarantee they’ll remember it. As long as they live, however long that might be.

5

KOEHN

We’ve all fallen into an edgy day to day schedule. Some more men have flown out to help us and to take our prisoners back to the base. I’ve talked to command and let them know that as soon as the females are able, we will head home and hopefully get all of this straightened out.

Not in the way the females would hope. I’m almost positive about that. I’ve heard some men around the ships talking and I know that they just came from base. They have a better idea of what’s going to happen and it sounds like just what I thought.

These females will be required to stay as honored guests that never leave and never really get a choice. I know that that’s not what anyone would hope to hear. But it is the only option that the council will entertain.

I slip into the med bay and catch Varnack there, watching the little one with the temper that threatened to rearrange his manhood. He turns to glare at me.

“How much longer must we stay on this vrecking piece of shit? They already look a lot better. I think we could move them without having a problem.”

His voice is angry, bitter.

“I know that you’re tired of our mission. It’s not that exciting. But this is what we’re required to do. We are responsible for these females. We found them and I cannot see leaving them alone to deal with all of the changes that they’ve had to deal with. At least they know us. A little.”

He rolls his eyes. “This one would kill you in a blink if she got the chance.” His lip tilts and I swear he almost smiles.

Then he growls and moves away. “I need to walk.”

I watch him go and turn back to Gardon. “He’s been here every day checking on that one. On all of them but especially that one.”

I grunt, not sure if I want to examine why exactly he feels drawn to one of these females. We have our missions to continue and if I lose one of my men to a female of another species, I’m sure that they will no longer be eligible.

But like a small fregat, I move closer to the female that I carried. Her skin is smooth and unblemished, the dark marks fading to a light green color. The cuts have healed and there doesn’t even appear to be scarring.

“She looks…at peace.”

“She’s mostly healed up. All of them are. Except for the last one.” He nods towards the woman in the farthest z-tube. I glance inside hers and sigh. She’s still moving back and forth, rocking, even in stasis.

“Can’t you give her more meds to calm her down?”

“I tried. But I’m at the highest level that I can give a female her size. Anymore and I risk the chance that she won’t come out of it at all or if she does, she comes out with injuries to her brain that will never heal.”

“Okay. I get it.”

His eyes stay on her and he sighs. “Believe me if I could, I would. I don’t want her to suffer as she is now.”

The ship jerks slightly and I skid to the side, grabbing the side of the z-tube, not able to keep from sliding across.

“What the granth?” I mutter, eyes turning to Gardon. “What’s going on?”

He shakes his head and turns towards the door as Zaycor comes running, his mouth tight. “We’re under attack. Looks like the traders downstairs have friends.”

There’s a loud boom and the ship shudders. “Do they not realize they’re destroying their friends’ ship?”

Zaycor growls, his eyes flashing. “I do not think that they care. I think they want the cargo.” He glances over at the females. “What should we do? Right now we’re not able to defend ourselves very well. And the females are locked in stasis so they’re more vulnerable than we even are.”

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