Page 3 of Willow and the Wraith

Forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths, she tried to calm her racing heart even as she pulled harder against the restraints. Her body was responding more easily now, but her struggles were useless. The cuffs weren’t painful, but neither did they yield to her efforts.

“It’s not as if she’s a virgin,” the second voice grumbled.

How did he know that? Had they examined her – or done worse? She shuddered at the thought, but thankfully, her body felt normal, with no unusual aches or soreness. Hopefully that was a good sign, along with the fact that she was still wearing the colorful skirt and blouse she’d been wearing earlier.

Earlier… How much earlier? How long had she been unconscious? The fact that she didn’t know threatened to bring on another wave of panic.

“Her physical state is irrelevant. Your kind of use leaves marks, and that is not acceptable,” the first male said coldly.

The second one continued to argue, but their voices grew fainter, as if they were moving away from the room where she was being held. She hoped that meant the first male wouldn’t allow the second one access to her. There was a sadistic note in that harsh voice that terrified her.

A faint whirring noise caught her attention and she looked frantically over at the door, but it remained closed. The whirring noise came again, a little louder this time. It seemed to be coming from close to the floor, and she craned her head, trying to look down.

A rolling cart of equipment suddenly began to move silently along the wall, revealing a metal grate covering what appeared to be a ventilation shaft. Then the grate slid to one side and a pair of bright yellow eyes peered out at her from the shadows beyond.

CHAPTER TWO

Willow held her breath, braced for some new horror, as the eyes came closer but there was nothing frightening about the alien who climbed out of the ventilation shaft - the very small alien. It had green-scaled skin beneath a bright yellow jumpsuit, its features oddly appealing despite indications of reptilian ancestry. The figure paused to study her, tilting its head curiously, and she suddenly wondered if it was a child rather than just a small race. The cheerful color of the clothing and the eager curiosity on its face reminded her of her students.

A long, thin tongue flicked out to taste the air, and then the newcomer nodded decisively.

“Who are…” she began, but the small alien quickly put its finger to its lips as it approached her.

“Don’t let them hear you,” it whispered in a quiet, soft voice.

A feminine voice, Willow decided, a young feminine voice, confirming her suspicion that the stranger was a child. But what was she doing here, and why had she been hiding in the ventilation shaft?

“Who are…”

Even though she whispered the question, the little girl hushed her again as she bent over the restraints, unfastening them with quick, nimble fingers. As soon as the last restraint fell away, she held out her hand.

“Come with me. Hurry.”

She hesitated, not sure if she should put her trust in the little girl, but then she looked into those bright eyes again and decided that going with her had to be a better option than anything the two males had planned for her. Her legs trembled as she slid off the bed, but they steadied quickly and she followed the child back over to the opening.

“Hurry!” the little girl repeated, gesturing for her to enter the ventilation shaft.

She looked at the dark, narrow opening and gulped nervously, but the voices were growing louder again so she took a deep breath and obeyed. Fortunately she was not a large woman and the shaft was larger than it first appeared. The little girl crowded in after her and pulled the rolling cart back in place before sliding the grate across the opening. She secured the grate with a small electronic screwdriver - the source of the whirring noise - before turning to Willow with an unexpectedly sweet smile.

“I’m Sooni,” she whispered. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.”

The idea that this child could protect her seemed ridiculous, but she managed to return the smile.

“Thank you. I’m Willow. Where are we?”

Before Sooni could answer, a piercing alarm sounded from outside the room, loud enough to echo through the confined vent. Sooni flinched, covering her ears.

“What was that?” Willow whispered when it finally stopped.

“I don’t know. I never -”

The door to the room beyond slid open and both of them froze.

“What the fuck?”

It was the harsh second voice, so close she shivered. A small hand crept into hers. She wasn’t sure if Sooni was offering reassurance or seeking it, but she returned the clasp gratefully. Something slammed against the floor in the room beyond and they both jumped.

“What is taking so long?” the cold voice of the first male asked.

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