Page 2 of Saving Lauren

“Keep it together D’Var,” I hear O’Rec link to me as he is approaching. He is carrying a soft cloak and a bag filled with what are supposed to be clothes.

“Thank you, and I am trying.”

O’Rec stands beside me and looks from my mate to T’Rak. I am just about to lose it and walk towards the vendor when T’Rak saves me from my misery.

“We have come to an agreement, you will pay him 15 million Jos. Now.”

I grumble but there is no other option than to deal with the vendor directly.

“Will you watch her for me?” I ask O’Rec as I take the cloak from his hands.

"Always," Is his response.

I quickly walk towards the vendor and we transfer the credits into his account. I want to get this over with as soon as possible. My mate, my Zarra, she is not safe here, and I need to get her off this station and to the safety of our ship.

As I walk towards the window where she is on display, I can smell her intoxicating scent. I feel the pull she has on me, and it takes all of my control not to walk faster.

T’Rak stays behind me and O’Rec walks up to join him. When we get to the window, the vendor opens it and helps her down. She eyes us warily and I hate that her scent is tainted with fear. Not just fear, terror.

“How long?” she asks the vendor, and he chuckles.

"Indefinitely. Good luck.” With those words, he walks away. Leaving us with a terrified female.

“No," she whispers slowly. The defiance I earlier saw in her eyes has been replaced with despair. “No,” she cries out louder, but I take matters into my own hands. I pull out the cloak and quickly slip her into the garment. I gently lift her in my arms, wary of unseen injuries she may have.

“Put your arms around my neck,” I order, my voice gruff, almost breaking from the emotion I feel holding her for the first time. She inhales sharply and I can feel her try to pull away.

“Please,” I whisper. “I won’t hurt you; I promise.” She obeys hesitantly, but she huddles into my arms. I turn away from the windows and with my crew flanking me, we stalk towards the hallway.

I listen to her harsh breathing and hate the fact that she is so terrified of me, of us. My Zarra. I never expected to find her. Finding your mate is the most precious thing for us Warriors. Not all Warriors find them, because our race finds their mates within other species scattered across space. A Zarra is special, cherished and protected against all costs.

T’Rak touches my mind. “Do not growl too loud, D’Var. We must not let anybody get an idea of what you are carrying. You have to get her to safety first.”

“I apologize, my captain,” I respond. “My emotions are getting the best of me. To find her , then finding out she’s hurting.” I pause. “She is terrified of me.”

“Not your fault D’Var,” O’Rec touches my mind with his. “You did not know.”

I take a deep breath, searching for my calm as we enter the hallway. The need to center myself flows through me as we stalk through the crowd; I have to put my feelings aside and get myself under control. My boots echo in the narrow hallway as I take another deep breath and feel the calm settling over me. I give my crew a quick reassurance as we hurry towards our ship, getting my mate to safety.

CHAPTER 2

Lauren

They are silent, so silent, and it is scaring me, but reassuring me at the same time. I feel all sorts of conflicted and I decide hiding is my best option for now. So I bury my face into the alien’s chest. He is warm and strong, somehow the combination makes me less scared than I know I should be.

They walk steadily but fast through the maze of corridors that is the space station. Where will we go? Do they live on this station? Or are they taking me to their ship?

I haven’t been on a ship in years. I think it has been years, but I haven’t been out in the sun or in possession of any kind of calendar. But I am very sure I have been with the whorehouse for a very, very long time. They weren’t my first owner, that man was a very scary psychotic alien. I shiver when I think about him, but put him in the box in my mind where all the bad things go. I mean, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to survive right?

I hear the swirl of sliding doors and their boots echo on a metal landing dock. I guess I have my answer. Space ship it is. There is no time wasted once they’re inside. The one holding me sets me down on a couch, while somehow cradling me towards his chest. In the utter silence I hear the engine come to life. These guys don’t talk to each other. Could it be that they're communicating through telepathy? My translator picked up on their language at the station, so I can understand their spoken word. My curiosity beats my fear, and I look up to scan my surroundings.

The ship is sleek and all curves. There are three big chairs in front of a state of the art screen system. The controls are all black and shiny, but the rest of the ship is surprisingly light. Silver and white with a lot of windows. I look in the direction of the windows and I see… space… The ship must be very modern and expensive, because it hardly makes noise. This is not at all like the one that kidnapped me.

I look up at the male holding me, and he cups my face with his enormous hand and caresses my cheek with his thumb.

“I am D’Var,” he says. “What is your name, little one?”

I shuffle away from him as his hold on me loosens. The couch is curved somehow and I back up into the corner. I pull the cloak up, so it is covering all but my face. To my frustration, I start crying. It must be the adrenaline, and the fear.

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