Page 10 of Becoming Brandy

4

Brandy waitedin the smelly gym, running over every frustrating interaction with Tork.

Wrek was easy to figure out. Or at least she thought. And Tork? He was doing the standard douche-bag-dis routine. Brandy remembered when that book The Game came out and the subsequent TV show after it. For at least a solid year, guys were “peacocking” and “dissing” girls to much-varied effect. It was an infuriating year, and she was glad the fad had mostly petered out.

It was not over in space land, apparently.

She found a refrigerator and stared at the empty shelves. She’d had a meal a while ago, but with no clocks and no sense of time, she had no idea how much time had passed. Would these men let her starve? She didn’t think so, not if they thought she could produce an heir, but who knew if they remembered to feed their pets?

The Cartharian culture was so complicated. From what she understood, Cartharian females were nonexistent. Or at least, they were now. She had no idea what happened to them or where they went, but if the species was going to continue, they needed females from other species to produce their offspring for them. The problem was there weren’t many species that could do it. And not all members of those few species were able to get pregnant with Cartharian babies. So they created scouting ships and began scanning the populous trying to pinpoint females who could.

From everything Brandy had been told, her body was able to conceive and give birth to a Cartharian child, but so far, the proof was in the pudding. Lots of alien sex and no baby. Ergo, she was useless. And now she worried Tork might have figured that out.

But maybe he wouldn’t tell Drake. Or maybe the boys would become so enamored with her they’d beg her to stay on. Rahan had taken a liking to her enough to petition Han to let her stay after she’d proven unable to help with their baby problem. Han had agreed. Maybe these aliens would do the same. Hopefully, they’d agree to leave Charis the hell alone, too.

Right. And aliens were all little green men.

Finally, after a lot of poking through empty lockers and office shelves in the gym, she found a food replicator in a back office and convince it to make her scones and coffee. Normally she’d watch what she ate, but what did it matter? She could be dead tomorrow.

Depression was not her usual viewpoint. She’d been voted best smile and most optimistic in high school for a reason. She chose to think Charis was at her wit’s end right now, begging Han to intercede. And that Han, in his love for Charis, would do anything to get his mate’s best friend back.

“They’re flying here right now,” she said aloud, feeling only a little bit crazy. “Soon, they’ll be calling Drake up with their demands before they blast the shields away, or whatever.”

After eating, she curled up in a ratty armchair in the back office and went to sleep.

Sometime later, she was woken up by approaching footsteps.

When she sat up, Drake was standing in the office, a displeased expression on his face. “Did you seduce my brothers?”

“What?” She sat up further, shaking the sleep away. “What are you talking abou—”

“Did you seduce my brothers?” he said more forcefully. He was pissed.

“No, I…”

“Save it.” He held his hand up. “I should’ve known when I saw you that you would be trouble. And they’re so weak-minded, too. So easily controlled.” He was talking to himself now. She kept quiet, but it didn’t work for long. Drake’s accusatory glare found her. “Get up.”

“Where are we going?”

“What does that matter to you? Our deal is forfeit. You are trouble. I’m going to deal with you my way now.” He kicked the chair, causing the back to vault upright. Brandy nearly fell as she was trying to stand up.

“You don’t have to be so mean,” she said, gripping the desk for stability. “Everyone knows you’re in charge. You don’t have to flex your muscles all the time for people to respect you.”

“Apparently, I do. Both my brothers are asking for your release. They want you to have privileges on the ship like a real citizen. Now, why would they want that? Both claim they haven’t slept with you, but I’m not so sure.”

Brandy glared. “Maybe they want me free because they are decent creatures. It’s clear you have no idea what that feels like.”

He glowered, anger pulsing in the veins around his neck. “Let’s go.” He gestured toward the door.

“Where are we going?”

His icy stare didn’t waver.

She tried not to let her nerves show as he directed her out of the gym and into the hallway. The pace he set for them was brisk, and she was out of breath by the time he stopped in front of a wall and began opening it with his touch.

Brandy didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t for a gigantic angry beast to tear out of the room.

It all happened so fast. One minute, there was a smooth purple-black wall in front of them. The next, it dissolved and a giant alien beast bursted from it. Long, clawed fingers wrapped around Drake’s neck as it used its momentum to smash the man against the far wall.

---