Page 113 of Auctioned to the Convicts
“Need to find her,” Sersie said, shoving Vaughn away.
Sersie toppled over again, but Vaughn caught him. “She’ll be fine with Ky’Li and Ren. Though I’m still not sure why she attacked you.”
Sersie grabbed Vaughn’s wrist.
“She’s high. Completely strung out.”
The words didn’t sink in at first. Hannah had no access to drugs. In fact, she was deathly afraid of the very idea of getting high, because of what had happened to her sister. If anyone was likely using, it was Sersie. Except Sersie’s eyes, pulse, and complexion were normal, considering the head wound. He wasn’t using, but if Hannah was. . . that explained everything including why the others were chasing after her.
As hard as it was to accept, Vaughn gritted his teeth and asked, “Flight or Crash?”
“Neither. Different symptoms.” Sersie grabbed his head again and Vaughn leaned him against the base of a succla tree.
Dread coursed through Vaughn. A new drug? The unknowns could be dangerous and neither Ky’Li nor Ren had medical training. “Don’t move from this spot, Sersie. I’ll be back for you.”
“Just find her.”
Vaughn ran, not caring that he tripped over several tree roots, crashing and scraping arms, face, and knees. He needed to reach Hannah.
“She’s mine!”
“Mine!”
“Everyone will get a turn with her. Grab her already!”
Eight men were outside the water treatment plant, arguing. A ninth was on the ground, clutching his bloody side.
Totally naked except for the onyx pendant bobbing between her breasts, Hannah stood in a circle of plant workers, swinging the flower vase from the house.
A hand clamped over Vaughn’s mouth from behind.
“It’s me,” Ren said, as he released his hold on Vaughn. Ky’Li stood crouched beside him.
“What’s the plan?” Vaughn asked.
Ky’Li’s eyes remained fixed on the men. “We fight.”
“That’s your plan?” Vaughn asked. “We’re not fighters like you, Ky.”
Ky’Li grunted. “You grab her and run. Ren and I will hold the men off as long as possible.”
Vaughn shoved his hand through his hair, calculating the odds of getting her to the house. “She’s tired and high. We’ll never make it to the house.”
“You giving up, doctor?”
Hannah screamed as one of the men caught the vase and ripped it from her.
“Go!” Ky’Li yelled.
Vaughn leapt forward as two men grabbed Hannah and dragged her to the ground.
Vaughn threw himself at the men, knocking them away from her as Ky’Li and Ren split left and right, keeping the other workers away. Vaughn grappled for her, snagging her by her arm.
“Vaughn!” she cried out as one of the men grabbed her around her waist and pulled her toward the water treatment facility entrance.
A fist landed in Vaughn’s face, sending him backward. He tripped over a body and went down.
Even as a man drove his fists into Vaughn’s abdomen, her screams haunted him. He pushed himself as hard as he could, catching and twisting the man’s arm until he heard a pop and the man fell back in pain.
