Page 4 of The Emperor's Concubine

“Huh?”

“A, B, AB blood, that kind of thing.”

Callie slowly nodded. “Oh yes, of course.”

“It’s my understanding that humans can donate blood to each other, but it has to match. Am I correct in that?”

“Yes, but I don’t know what that has to do with anything.”

“Most blood groupings can only donate to those with the same type. However O negative carriers can donate to anyone. Humans are like type O negative blood. Not only are you equipped to mate with several species in our Universe, you can also successfully carry their children as well.”

“Carry children? Whoa! Is that what’s expected of me?” Callie placed her hand over her heart as she visualized an alien clawing its way out of chest to be born, like a scene from a sci-fi horror movie.

Rzxie held up her hand. “Let me finish, human.”

The ominous tone in the alien’s command made Callie freeze.

Rzxie continued. “On the planet Tetian, for instance, chemical warfare has left many women on the planet barren. Couples wishing to have children take human females as slaves to bear them children. On Gusitivus, it’s forbidden for women to go to their mates as virgins. To learn the arts of pleasing men, the girls are trained with human males. There are a handful of other planets that use humans for many purposes. And there are even some beings that look humanoid in appearance. Perhaps, your new owner won’t look much different than the men on Earth. A beauty like you normally has no problem finding a good home. On quite a few planets concubines are treated like queens.”

Callie’s mouth gaped open as she tried to take all of this in. Was this for real? These aliens had kidnapped her for the solepurpose of selling her on a slave block like a piece of meat. At this point she would have preferred the anal probing, at least that way when they were finished with her, she’d be free to go home afterwards and pretend this was all a bad dream.

“Are you telling me that I’ll never be able to go back home. You’ve taken me and my child against my will, just because?”

“That’s not true. We’re taking you because you happen to fit what we’re looking for. Dark skinned women have increased in popularity on the auction block. For some reason, their brand of looks is in right now. Perhaps in another year or so fair skinned women with pale hair will be the rage once again, but for now, we go with what will bring us the most money. You’ll fetch us a pretty penny—you and your female child.”

A tear seeped from her eye when she thought of the possibility of never seeing her precious daughter, Paris, again.

CHAPTER 2

ONE MONTH LATER…

“Iwant Paris, Mama,” London sobbed into her mother’s neck.

Callie was very close to tears herself. How could she possibly explain to the two-year-old what was going on when she was still trying to make sense of the entire mess herself? With each passing day on this Godforsaken planet, her hope of going home and seeing her other precious baby again dwindled.

“I know, sweetie. I want to see Paris too.”

“Wanna go home.”

Callie stroked London’s soft curls. “So do I. Remember what Mommy said? As soon as I find a way, I’ll get us home where we belong.” She could barely convince herself, so it was no surprise when her child glared at her.

“Mean Mommy! Wanna go home,” London screamed, kicking and flailing wildly. Normally Callie didn’t tolerate temper tantrums, but how could she scold London when she so desperately wanted the same thing?

She estimated they’d been on this world the Adieaens called Adlene for about a month now. From the moment she woke up until she went to bed, she was trained in the arts of pleasing men.

At first she’d rebelled against the teachings, trying instead to find ways to escape, but she soon learned that if she didn’t obey her trainers, she couldn’t see London. They kept her daughter sequestered in the nursery section of the training building with the rest of the children.

For good behavior, Callie was rewarded a visit to the nursery, and lately they had been fewer and farther between. She shuddered as she thought of all the things she’d been subjected to, but those moments with London were one of the things that gave her the will to live.

“Baby, I’m doing the best I can. I promise you’ll see her again. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Callie pressed her forehead against her daughter’s and cried at the futileness of the situation. A few weeks ago she didn’t think aliens existed, but now she was in another Universe about to be sold like a piece of meat on an auction block.

Her heart ached every time she looked at London because she was also seeing Paris’s face because they were identical. It was a constant reminder of what she’d been forced to leave behind.

They were ready to sell her. She’d overheard Rzxie and another Hunter discussing her fate. When she asked what would happen with London, no answer was given. Callie didn’t think she could survive if she were parted from this daughter as well. Her heart just wouldn’t withstand the pain.

“Mama, I sawee.” London gave her a kiss on the cheek and patted her hair.

A slight smile touched her lips. She looked into her baby girl’s big brown eyes, so like her own. “I love you so much. I just want you to know, that if anything happens to me, Mommy loves you.”

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