Page 127 of Sohut's Protection

“Where did they take her?” Sohut turned, raising his fist. On his shoulder, Wawa puffed up his fur, his teeth protracting even more.

“Phek,” the Gori muttered, raising his hands higher as he glanced in his friend’s direction.

“Tell me,” Sohut growled, moving too fast for the male as he closed his unclenched hand around the Gori’s neck. “Speak the right words or they might be your last.”

The Gori tried to swallow, his eyes darting to his companion, who was still crumpled on the ground.

“You don’t want to mess with the Tasqals, Merssi. It’s not worth it.”

“Wrong answer,” Sohut growled, his fist connecting with the male’s cheek. Dark-green blood spewed on the ground and even more shoppers screamed and ran away.

“I’m going to ask you again,” Sohut growled as he brought his fangs close to the male’s face. “Last chance.” He barely was able to say the words as he grit his teeth, trying to pull back the rage pulsing through his veins. “Where. Did. They. Take. Her?”

No answer.

Pulling his fist back, he punched the male again and the Gori’s head lolled a bit.

The Gori spat, some of his teeth flying. “To Sector 89. It’s an underground private auction. There’s no way you can get in.”

That one word made his blood run cold.

Auction.

“When is this auction?” In his peripheral vision, the male he’d knocked out was rising.

Wawa growled and hopped off his shoulder to stand in front of the male, his fur bristled making him appear larger than he was and his teeth were bared.

The Gori took one look at the slizz and stopped moving.

“Two moon cycles from now,” said the Gori in front of him.

Phek.

Two moon cycles to find a stronghold guarded by the secrets of the entire planet.

It wasn’t nearly enough time.

* * *

Cleo sat under the sakura-like tree, her eyes darting to look through the pink blossoms every now and then.

The other females were still huddled in the same spot they huddled in every day.

Between moving to get the food the guards placed in the enclosure and moving to the pool at the back to clean themselves, they always sat in the same spot, seemingly unconcerned.

It’d been days, too many days to count and the longer time passed, the more anxious she became.

Every time the guards entered the terrarium, she was sure it was time to get sold and her heart would lurch, but so far it seemed time was on her side.

She was still working on a way to escape her god-forsaken situation.

Eyeing the alien females now, Cleo pursed her lips.

They were mumbling to each other but she couldn’t join them in conversation.

They all seemed to have accepted their fate.

She did not.

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