Page 31 of My Alien Sunshine

To my relief, the woman nods, her expression softening. “We have. Right now, we’re following the Crimson Serpent. They seem to be headed to an empty space in quadrant 5. Do you know why? Is Drayth meeting someone there?”

“I wish I knew.” I rub my forehead. “I swear, I know nothing about Drayth’s operations. I just worked for him. Unwillingly,” I add, shuddering as I remember the things I had to do. “I know he deals in all kinds of shady shit, including slave trafficking. He…sells children, too.” My fists clench at my sides. “I would have run away years ago, but I couldn’t.”

The woman gives me a questioning look. “Because of this captive Faelin is rescuing?”

I give a mute nod.

Nodding again, the woman reaches for the cell door control. The Syndoran steps in to stop her, but she waves him off. “It’s okay, Tareq. She’s a victim, not a cold-blooded murderer. Go get ready for the mission. I’ll be fine.”

His glare sends a chill down my spine. “I’m not leaving you here alone, Astra.”

“I’ll take her to Nikolai. It’s going to be alright.” She caresses his cheek, giving him a seductive smile. “Go kill some bad guys. I’ll be waiting for you with a reward later, my tiger.”

The Syndoran gulps, putty in her hands. “Be safe, please,” he murmurs, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Then he leaves, but not before giving me another bone-chilling glare.

The woman, Astra, chuckles as she watches him go. “He’s a little overprotective,” she says apologetically. “But he means well. Come, I’ll take you to Nikolai. He’s another human you can gawk at,” she teases.

Once again, I’m led through the ship’s corridors, but at least this time, nobody’s pointing a gun at me. The place is eerily quiet. “How many crew are there on this ship?” I ask, overwhelmed by curiosity. Did they leave part of the crew behind on the station or are there only a few people manning the entire ship?

“Now, that’s something a spy would ask,” Astra retorts, the tone of her voice letting me know she’s joking. Mostly.

“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to gather intelligence or anything, it’s just that this ship seems so large and I haven’t seen anyone except for that Zyderi b—... Uh, female.”

Astra snorts. “Lyriana can be a bitch. There’s nothing wrong with saying it. I don’t know anything about her kind’s reproductive cycle, but it feels like she’s constantly PMSing. And no, there aren’t many people around. Aside from Nikolai and I, it’s just six people from Tareq’s team. Well, six aliens, but I guess you’re used to that by now.”

“Only six?” I try to recall how many guards Drayth usually has around his compound. Fifteen? Twenty? They come and go a lot, so it’s hard to keep track, but I’d bet it’s at least twelve and there would be even more on his ship. How can six people possibly defeat him?

I flinch back when Astra raises her arm, instinctively thinking she’s about to hit me. I don’t even realize it until she freezes and slowly draws her hand back. “Sorry,” she says. “I was just going to pat your back. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t scare me. Well, you did, but… Ugh.” I huff out a desperate laugh. “I didn’t even realize how messed up I am.”

Astra gives me a compassionate smile but doesn’t try to touch me again. “I can’t even imagine how you must be feeling. I was a slave for how long, three days? And I’m still having nightmares about it. How long has it been since they took you?”

“Almost five years. I think. It’s difficult to keep track with the galactic calendar being so different to ours. It wasn’t really that bad, though. Drayth gave me a lot of freedom as long as I came back every day and brought in enough money. It could have ended up much worse.” I squeeze my eyes shut as the memories from the first days after my kidnapping play out in my mind. The fear, the pain, the degradation… Yes, I could have ended up so much worse. In a way, Drayth had saved me from that. Not that I’m grateful to him. I’m still going to kill him.

“Yeah,” Astra agrees, shuddering, “we both could. And don’t worry. There might only be six of them, but Tareq and the others know their stuff. They’re the best in the galaxy.”

I fail to stifle my derisive snort. Every single mercenary I’ve met claimed to be the best in the galaxy.

Instead of getting offended, Astra grins. “I know, I know. It sounds cocky. But it’s true. They’re some super special elite team trained by the best experts in the UGC.”

“The Voidstalkers?!” I freeze midstep, my jaw hitting the floor as I gape at Astra.

“Mhm. You’ve heard of them, then?”

“Of course I’ve heard of them. They’re rumored to be like Navy SEALs on steroids. Teams filled with Chuck Norrisses, Terminators, Rambos, Sarah Connors and the Bride one—”

Astra’s laughing interrupts my ramblings. “Okay, you lost me there. What bride?”

“Uma Thurman played her,” I explain absentmindedly, my mind still reeling. “The one who goes on a murderous rampage in a yellow jumpsuit after they shoot her at her own wedding and steal her unborn baby. Kill Bill?” I add, seeing Astra still doesn’t follow.

“Oh, right. I don’t think I’ve seen that one. Anyway, yes. These guys are Voidstalkers, so as you can see, everything will be fine. You don’t have to worry.”

It actually makes sense. Faelin’s too kind to be a common mercenary. Too honorable. Too handsome. I stop myself before my thoughts spiral in the wrong direction. “So, they work for the UGC? Catching Drayth is their mission?”

Sadness darkens Astra’s expression. “Unfortunately not. They’ve had a bit of a misunderstanding with some idiot of a general and, well… Technically, they’re outlaws now. But they’re still trying to do the right thing whenever they can and they’re dead set on freeing every single slave in the galaxy.”

It sounds a little too good to be true. Then again, Faelin’s also a little too good to be true. I lied to him, stole from him, even shot him, and he still helped me, asking for nothing in return. Perhaps he really is this selfless? “And you? Didn’t you want to return home?” Are they keeping you here against your will? is what I’m asking, but I don’t find the courage to say it out loud.

---