Page 13 of Shattered Silence

Layla’s throat went dry, her heart beating so fast she could barely feel it anymore. She’d never been so fucking scared in her entire life. She hadn’t been this scared even when that asshole Damien had wrapped his hand around her throat and squeezed, his blue eyes hard with rage.

The night he’d almost killed her.

Fucking asshole.

A slow, rhythmic scraping sound reached her ears, filtering through the solid metal walls of the pod.

They’re coming for you.

Layla froze, trying to remember what Enki had told her.

Don’t fight back. They’ll kill you.

So what the hell was she supposed to do? Try and hide? She’d been scanned. They knew she was in here. They probably knew a lot more about her than she realized.

Not knowing what else to do, Layla tugged on the oversized jacket, zipping it all the way up. Her feet were bare, her legs encased in the strange thermoregulating fabric of the cryo-suit. It wasn’t the most appropriate outfit for getting abducted in, but she didn’t have much choice. With a gentle tap of her finger, she was able to open the storage compartments. She stuffed the inner pockets of her jacket with Nutricubes and searched around for anything that might be remotely useful.

Her fingers curled around a small but powerful guide-light. Layla undid her zipper a fraction and slipped the slender object between her breasts. To her surprise, a utility knife lay at the back of the compartment. She grabbed it and stashed it at the small of her back, slipping it beneath the waistband of her tights, where it was hidden beneath her jacket.

Perhaps her captors would easily restrain her and take the items off her, but just doing something made Layla feel a little less terrified.

A little bit in control of an impossible situation.

The scraping noise grew louder. Screech! The sound of metal on metal grated in her ears, sending an unpleasant shiver down her spine.

Footsteps.

They were in!

Voices. Deep, harsh, male voices, speaking a language she’d never heard before. Someone snapped commands in a distinctly military tone. Someone replied in the affirmative.

Enemies, Enki had called them.

The only thing that stopped Layla from freezing in fear was the thought that he was coming for her.

When he’d said it in that ice-cold-yet-gentle way—almost as if he understood her predicament—she’d believed him.

And based on what she’d heard, Kordolians were not to be taken lightly.

He’s coming.

She had to believe it.

With nothing left to do but wait, Layla shoved her hands in her pockets and stood with her bare feet slightly apart. She tipped her head from side to side, loosening her stiff neck, and took a deep breath.

It hurt to breathe, but she ignored the pain, staring at the door with a clear, steady gaze.

Any second now…

Swish. The door to the storage compartment slid open.

“Shit.” Layla swore under her breath as half a dozen males appeared before her, crowding the narrow escape pod.

She took a step backward.

Six pairs of eyes focused on her. Eyes that were shades of sunset and fire, from golden to deepest red.

Six grim faces stared at her, sharp-featured and mean looking, their silver skin luminous under the bright cabin lights.

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