Page 40 of Ragnar

Harsh angles and foreign metal make up the entire front, the only light coming from a spinning disk towards the bottom, nearly touching the ground. It is the vague shape of a kite with a spinning circle orbiting it so quickly that I can’t see the individual lights, just the inhuman glow. Horror grows inside of me when I realize the alien is headed straight for it, a small doorway appearing within the spinning light disk.

“Oh, hell no!” I shout, fighting with everything I’ve got. It does no good and I bite back another scream as we enter the lights. An unreasonable fear of being fried alive paints a painful picture in my mind, but after a few moments I happily realize that we weren’t fried like Oreos at the state fair.

My eyes take a few moments to adjust to the glaring brightness and just as soon as I do, the light changes once more. The alien’s feet land on a hollow sounding metal grating, drawing my gaze to the sterile looking hallway we are in. Everything gleams in different shades of metal, reminding me of a hospital or a research lab.

To his or her credit, the asshole holding me hostage doesn’t even hesitate to continue walking. It can’t be an easy task considering I use every opportunity to beat their ass…. even if I can’t bring myself to touch the bug-like face. Not even to punch it.

Tired of my bullshit, or ready to be done with me, the alien picks up their pace. A loud whooshing sound echoes out and I watch with awe and trepidation as part of the wall splits open and a huge, cavernous lab is revealed.

Machinery beeps and whirrs, the sound so familiar in such an unfamiliar setting. More aliens fill the space, peering down at their tablets. A few surrounds a two-way window, watching another alien prowl around in the room beyond, it is huge and covered in spikes and the Gilgamites take note of its every movement on their tablets.

The Gilgamites here are dressed in grey suits and are much smaller than the monstrosity holding me tight. A science lab full of scientists. Every b-rated horror movie about aliens plays on a loop in my mind. Am I to be dissected and experimented on? Those thoughts barely register when I am unceremoniously dropped onto a cold metal table. Fight or flight is a bitch and for some reason, I settle on both.

My alien turns their back to me, talking quietly with one of the scientists. It is almost offensive that they consider me such a low threat that I’m not even being watched. Taking the opportunity to prove them wrong, I try to jump off the table. A screech of surprise squeaks out when metal cuffs shoot out of the table, wrapping around my upper arms, wrists and thighs. Against my will I am slowly pulled down until I am lying flat.

Curses fly as I try to fight the panic that has my chest heaving with every breath. Every positive mantra I try to chant in my mind is shut down with every second that passes. Taking a note from my mate’s book, I growl long and loud, letting my frustration out in a feral way. It changes nothing but I feel better…until the science bugs move towards me with their tablets, long fingers and bug eyes.

My growl turns to a panicked scream as I fight the cuffs. The aliens either do not care or can’t understand me because they don’t react. They move their machines towards me, scanning me from head to toe.

“For God’s sake! Back off! She is going to have a heart attack at this rate!” A voice shouts, a very human voice. Twisting my head to the side, I watch as the science bugs part to let a petite, beautiful, dark-skinned woman push through their ranks. She has a kind face as she moves to the side of my metal prison.

“Help me!” I beg, my eyes wide and frightened as I look at the aliens surrounding us. With a cluck of disapproval she reaches for the cuffs, tapping the side of them a few times. A quiet click and then they are falling off of me, disappearing back into the table. Taking advantage of my freedom, I launch myself upwards, intending to escape.

Her hands are surprisingly strong as she pushes me back down, grabbing my wrist to check my pulse. Confused, I just stare at her, wondering what her role in all of this is. Why she is here.

“You’ve been through a fright. Stay laying down so that I can make sure you are alright.” She aims her words at me before whirling on the scientists. You heard me, back off and give her some space before she kills herself trying to escape.” She snarls, confronting the hovering science bugs. They scatter, cowed by her take charge attitude. I instantly like her, though I still have a thousand questions rolling around in my mind.

“Who are you?” I ask as she grabs a tablet from a table off to the side of my bed. She gives me a quick smile before tapping on the tablet a few times.

“I am Dr. Shields, but you can just call me Laura.” She murmurs, distracted by something on her screen. “How are you feeling? A few of your vitals are concerning me.” She asks bluntly, moving to my side so that she can scan my left hip.

“My name is Reggie and yes, I feel fine. As fine as I can considering that I’ve been captured against my will. What are you doing?” Her scanning moves a little too close to my groin for comfort and I shift away. She grimaces before fixing her gaze on my own.

“I am scanning you.” She deadpans and I fight the urge to grin.

“No shit, Sherlock. Why are you scanning me? I don’t remember giving consent and last time I checked, human doctors must have consent before treating a patient.” I match her energy, giving sass as good as I get it. It helps to keep my mind off of the fucked-up situation I am in.

“Do you know why they are interested in you?” She asks instead of answering me. Rolling my eyes I nod. “Then you know why I am here. They want to study you, to see what the effect mating with monsters will have on humans. You are subject 01 in this region. Congratulations.” Her tone is more ominous than her words let on.

“Well, it’s none of their fucking business.” She gives a humorless laugh.

“They already know the answer, they just need the data to justify all of this.” She waves her arms around the room, as if that explains everything.

“I wasn’t aware that aliens needed justification for a global take-over. It's not like we could fight back.” Anger fills me at the senseless devastation, a whole world destroyed so they could play matchmaker between other aliens and humans.

“They do when the Galactic Federation didn’t approve it beforehand.” She mutters, earning her a few glares from the surrounding science bugs. “They are touchy about it.” I’ll say, a few make annoyed sounds. Tiredness threatens to overwhelm me. I feel Ragnar’s absence like it’s a physical wound and I want this to be over. Either they kill me, or they let me go. All this information is causing a throbbing headache, trying to figure it all out.

“Can we cut the shit? Why do they have a human doctor and what do they want from me? Am I going to be cut to pieces or can I go back to my mate?” Lifting a hand to my face, I pinch the bridge of my nose. Laura sighs, tapping a few more times on her tablet.

“They want to know if you have had intercourse with your mate. If the answer is yes, they want me to do a full pelvic exam to make sure that you aren’t being injured.” She doesn’t make eye contact while she is speaking, and I am not prepared when she squeaks in alarm and widens her eyes at whatever she is reading. Her eyes shift from the tablet to me and back again.

“What? What is wrong?” I demand, freaking out at her reaction. What did she read to cause such panic in her eyes?

“You are mated to a Memnar?” Horror twists her pretty face and I hold back the laughter that threatens to spill out. It would be unkind considering she jumps into action, clearly concerned for my health. I’m also aware of the curious looks the space bugs send my way.

“His name is Ragnar and yes…we are fully mated.” Bright red spreads across my cheeks when she turns to stare at me, dumbfounded.

“Surely not.” She turns her tablet around so that I can see the digital rendering of Ragnar. She spins it with a flick of her wrist. She zooms in so that his body is outlined perfectly, the statistics about his height and weight scrolling beside the picture. Hmm I wasn’t far off. Fifteen feet and two inches. Always had a thing for tall men. This time I let the giggle happen, the ridiculousness of the situation finally settling in.

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