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The Marauders laughter echoed through the chamber, though Jo’Nay caught a few muttered complaints. They dragged him and Winn and the other captive women back to their cells. As they threw Jo’Nay into one across from the women, he caught Winn’seye.

Her gaze held a mixture of fear and determination, asilent plea for strength, apromise to endure. He would not fail her. He would find a way out of this, away to protect her, away to ensure their survival. His love for her demanded it. His honor as a Vettian warrior compelled it. He would not break. He would not yield. He would prevail. He had to believethat.

He watched, helpless and enraged, as they shoved Winn into the cell opposite his, her body slumping against the cold, metal bars. The other women, their faces etched with terror and exhaustion, huddled together, seeking solace in their shared misery.

He settled onto the cold, hard floor, his back against the wall, his gaze fixed on Winn. He would watch over her, protect her, even if it was only with his eyes. He would be her strength, her hope, her anchor in this storm of despair.

He had failed her once, on Earth, when his Vettian instincts had overwhelmed his human disguise, exposing them both to danger, to the scrutiny of the authorities. He would not fail her again.

He would find a way out of this, away to free them all, away to strike back at Skarrp and his ilk, away to restore balance to this chaotic, unjust universe.

He had to believe that. For Winn. For himself. For the future they were fighting to create.

THE METALLICclang of the cell door echoed through Jo’Nay’s weary soul, astark reminder of his captivity and powerlessness. His gaze followed Winn, his beloved mate, as she was dragged away with the other captive women, their cries of protest and fear echoing through the dimly lit corridor. Skarrp, his single, malevolent eye burning with avarice and cruelty, lingered a moment, his voice a venomous whisper that filled Jo’Nay withfury.

“Think about what I’m doing to her, Vettian,” Skarrp taunted, his voice dripping with malicious glee. “I’ll be back soon. And we’ll have another chat.”

The Marauder’s grating laughter echoed through the cell, ahaunting melody that amplified Jo’Nay’s sense of dread. He was alone, trapped, his strength drained by the Marauders’ relentless interrogation, his body a tapestry of pain. He had endured torture, unimaginable agony, but the sight of Winn, her face etched with terror, her eyes mirroring his own anguish, had shattered his resolve. He would do anything to protect her, even betray the secrets he had sworn to guard with his life. Fortunately, Skarrp, despite being a cunning, ruthless predator, didn’t fully understandthat.

He had seen they shared a bond, but not the raw, unbridled love that bound them together, aconnection that transcended species, that defied the very laws of the universe. He simplysaw a master and his pet. And he intended to exploit that vulnerability, to twist it, to use Winn as a weapon against him. If he ever fully understood how deep their connection…

The weight of his failure pressed down on him, heavy and suffocating. He had sworn to protect her and shield her from harm. To be her haven in a storm. And yet, here he was, broken and trapped, aprisoner in a cage, while she was being dragged away, her fate unknown, her safety hanging precariously in the balance.

He yanked against the restraints locking his arms above his head, the metal biting into his flesh, aphysical manifestation of his powerlessness. Once upon a time, when he’d been stronger, he could have broken the cuffs. But not when they kept him so weak. Somehow, he needed to get to Winn. To protect her. But his body, wracked with pain, refused to cooperate.

Time stretched into an eternity, each agonizing second filled with the illusory echoes of her cries, the imagined horrors she was enduring. He closed his eyes and forced his mind to conjure different images of her, her laughter, her warmth, her unwavering spirit, clinging to those memories as a drowning male clings to a piece of driftwood.

He couldn’t let her down. He wouldn’t.

He had to find a way out of this. To defy the odds stacked against them. To escape and rescue her. That meant somehow reclaiming his strength.

He focused on his breathing, the rhythm a mantra, alifeline in the swirling chaos of his thoughts. He recalled the teachings of his youth. He’d experienced rigorous training along with brutal discipline. All of that had forged him into a weapon. An Intergalactic Warrior. He summoned those teachings, drawing on them as a parched man draws on a hidden spring.

He had faced death before, countless times. He had stared into the abyss, felt its icy breath on his skin, and emerged victorious. He would not be defeated now. Not when so much was at stake.

He had to believe. Hope. Fight.

He opened his eyes, the amethyst fire within them rekindled, the warrior spirit reawakened. He would endure. He would survive. He would prevail.

The scraping sound of metal on metal, the grinding of gears, jolted him from his contemplation. The cell door creaked open, revealing a group of Marauders, their faces contorted into grotesque masks of cruelty, their eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. They shoved Winn into his cell, her body a fragile silhouette against the harsh glare of the corridor lights.

“Skarrp wants you and your pet to have a little reunion before he sells her off,” one of the Marauders sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. He slammed the cell door shut, the metallic clang echoing through the chamber, then leaned against a nearby wall watching them avidly. “The buyers are coming soon. She’ll make an excellent sex slave, as I’m sure you’ve already discovered.”

Winn stumbled, her legs weak, her body trembling with exhaustion and fear. She collapsed onto the cold, hard floor, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her eyes, wide and filled with a pain that mirrored his own, met hisgaze.

“Jo’Nay,” she whispered, her voice a brokenplea.

“What did they do to you?” he demanded, straining against his manacles. He wanted to rush to her, to gather her in his arms and shield her from the horrors she had witnessed. Butthe restraints held him captive, atangible manifestation of his helplessness.

“Nothing,” she said, then dropped her voice so the watching Marauder couldn’t hear. “Nothing, Jo’Nay. They asked questions and I played stupid. They think I’m your pet.”

“Yes, Igot that impression, as well.”

“But you…” Tears slipped down her cheeks and her mouth trembled. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine,” he lied, the words a betrayal of the pain that ripped through him with every breath. He wouldn’t worry her. He would be strong. Forher.

“Don’t lie to me, Jo’Nay.” Her voice, though soft, held a steely edge, acommand that resonated with his warrior’s spirit. “I saw what they did to you. Your injuries aren’t invisible.”

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