Page 115 of Auctioned to the Convicts
Dilated pupils stared at him, not recognizing him at first, and then she tilted her head. “Vaughn?”
“Yes, precious. I’m here. Will you let me help you?”
“Ky’Li’s going to be mad, Vaughn,” she said, shivering.
“No, he won’t.” Vaughn inched closer.
“I won’t be mad,” Ky’Li added.
She didn’t look at Ky’Li, didn’t respond to his voice even.
“Let’s go home, Hannah,” Vaughn said, his hand still outstretched to her.
He took another step forward.
She slid further behind the pipes.
Ky’Li moved forward. “Come, Hannah.”
Vaughn clamped his hand on Ky’Li’s arm and whispered, “The intake tanks are on the other side of those pipes. We’ll never get to her in time if she falls in.”
“She can swim.”
“Toxic water, Ky’Li.”
“Why are you whispering?” Hannah asked.
“Because we’re worried about you,” Vaughn said, forcing his body to relax, to appear non-threatening. “I bet you’re cold. Would you like my shirt? Or maybe Ren’s?”
“Ren is here?” Hannah’s hands gripped a set of pipes so hard, her knuckles turned white.
“Hannah, please look at me,” Vaughn urged, straining to stay calm. “I need you to look at me.”
Red, dulled eyes found him.
“Would you like Ky’Li’s shirt instead? So you can be warm.”
A second later, Ky’Li thrust his shirt into Vaughn’s hand. Vaughn held it out for her hoping she’d reach for it. One shot, that’s all he needed to grab her wrist.
“See, Hannah. Nice and warm. Probably smells like Ky’Li,” he said, hoping to relax her. “The shirt will feel good, I promise.”
“I smell like Ren,” she said in the lowest of voices as she leaned her forehead against the pipes, eyes vacant.
Ren? What the. . . Fuck. They’d had sex. That’s what she was afraid to tell Ky’Li.
“Bastard,” Ky’Li growled somewhere behind him. Vaughn glanced at Ky’Li who looked ready to kill Ren but didn’t dare move, not with Hannah so skittish that she could flee into the maze of pipes any second.
Vaughn glanced back at Ren, who was still clutching at his eyes, blinking, trying to clear his vision.
“Ky’Li, go around, get between her and those vats on the other side. Ren will guide you. If she falls into that toxic water—”
“He can’t see yet.”
“He knows this place better than anyone. He’ll talk you through the turns.”
There was a slight thump behind Vaughn. When he turned, both Ren and Ky’Li were gone.
“Ren’s gone. No worries. Come out here so you can get warm, okay? Then we’ll go back to the house and have some hot tea.”
