Page 51 of Tribute
“You like pussy then?”
“I—”
The door opened, and a female dressed in a white coat entered, carrying a cloth-covered tray. She came around to Aled first, wrinkling her nose as she got close presumably at the smell of sex and sweat coming off him. He was too tired to even be embarrassed.
She grabbed his arm and turned it out before jabbing two needles into his flesh. He watched the two microscopic pumps go to work, filling the blood vials attached to them until there was a beeping sound.
“Hold this.” She slapped a dressing over the oozing wounds, and he obediently held it in place while she attended to Graif. He closed his eyes, leaned his head back against the wall, and just let his shoulders relax.
All too soon he was jerked awake and instantly on his feet to find Mexr smiling at him. “No time for a nap, Price. Time to eat.”
Graif had already gone. Aled dropped the dressing in the trash and followed Mexr out into another of the identical rock passageways. There were no markings on the wall. He wondered how everyone found their way around and then realized that the authorities probably didn’t want the trainees to find their way anywhere. Although from what he’d seen on the incoming journey, there was nothing to run to, as the training camp was in the middle of a desert.
“Come on.”
Gods, he could barely pick up his feet. The smell of food became clearer and his stomach growled. To his annoyance Mexr walked past what appeared to be a mess hall and took him back into his cage. In the center of the concrete floor sat a tray with a box of military rations and a bottle of water.
“Enjoy your dinner.” Mexr unclipped the leash. “See you tomorrow bright and early.”
He sank down onto his blanket and contemplated the rations. He didn’t feel like eating a thing, but he needed his strength. He looked out at the other trainees and saw Graif three cages down, eating some kind of energy bar. Two of the cages were now empty, and two of the others held inmates who were curled up in the fetal position, crying. He almost didn’t blame them.
CHAPTER
TWO
“Get up, Price.”
Kai kicked his trainee in the ribs, but he didn’t move.
“Getup.”
With a groan, Price rolled over onto his back and stared up at him.
“I . . . can’t do this.”
“Sure you can. Get off the floor and fight.” When Price didn’t move, he raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong, soldier boy? Too much for you?”
He watched Price’s jaw harden in a way he’d come to recognize over the past few weeks. Palk would be here to assess the trainees soon, and Kai was determined that Price would be ready. There were only eight trainees left to even consider moving on to phase two.
“You . . . knocked the wind out of me.”
There was a rasp to Price’s voice that made Kai think of his own experiences with theUngrich. He’d screamed so long and so hard it had taken weeks for his voice to return. The memory strengthened his resolve.
“If I have to come down to your level and haul you to your feet, you’ll regret it.”
Price’s chest heaved, and he pushed one hand palm down in the sand of the arena and tried to get up. It took him a while, but Kai was willing to wait. The moment Aled righted himself, Kai was on him and sent him back down.
“Get up!”
Price bared his teeth and went for Kai from the ground, wrapping one arm around his hips and bringing him crashing to the floor. In a second, he found himself underneath his trainee and unable to avoid the fist colliding with his face.
“You fuckingbastard, you . . .”
Even as Price drew back his fist again, Kai reacted, snapping upward and landing a slashing cut with the side of his hand against Price’s throat. The blow had him doubling up and rolling to the side, coughing and choking.
Kai attached the long leash to Price’s collar and then tied it around his wrists, securing them behind Price’s back, tightening the knots until his trainee’s body arched in protest. He waited until Price went still again and then forced him into a kneeling position.
“Don’t lose your temper with me because you are incapable of defending yourself.”
