Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 119846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“Ahh… They’ll fetch a good price at auction once we reach the Flesh Bazaar,” the commander mused.
Flesh Bazaar. The words made Noelle’s skin crawl.
“But we have a few more traps to mine before then,” the bronze-helmed Skow who was the commander went on. “Take the three of them to the ship and throw them in the hold with the rest.”
“You fuckers—you’ll never take us alive!” Burn roared, crouching like he was going to launch himself again.
Bright was quicker.
“No, Burn. Let me talk.” He stepped forward, holding his blaster at his side. “They’ve got repulsion tech and personal shields. We can’t beat them physically,” he added in a low voice.
Burn snarled but held position, his red eyes glaring death.
Bright looked at the two invaders. “You want to take us alive,” he said. “But we won’t go unless you give us some assurances. I know the Skow are bound by their word—it’s part of your honor code.”
“You’ll get nothing from us!” the bronze-helmed commander snapped. “You are our prisoners—we give the orders.”
“Then you won’t take us alive.”
And with that, Bright lifted the blaster and placed the muzzle against his own temple.
Noelle’s heart stopped.
Dios, no. He can’t. He wouldn’t…would he?
Her body went cold again and her knees felt weak as she sent up a prayer to keep Bright from doing something foolish.
“Stop, stop!” the commander barked. “What is it you want?”
“Your word that we won’t be separated and our female won’t be taken from us,” Bright said evenly. “We must be sold as a unit to the same master or mistress—you can’t break the three of us up. We need to stay together.”
The Skow commander looked irritated—his finger-length teeth clenched and ground together for a moment, producing a sound like sandpaper rubbing metal. But finally, he nodded.
“Very well, you have my word as a Skow. The three of you will not be separated. You will be sold as a unit, to the same buyer. Now lower your weapon and disarm yourselves at once!”
“Very well. That’s acceptable.”
Bright lowered his blaster slowly and looked at Burn. The bigger warrior glared back at him, fury still radiating off him in waves.
“Come on, Burn,” he said softly. “You know it’s the only way.”
“I don’t fucking like this!” the Dark Twin growled and for a moment Noelle was sure he was going to launch himself at the Skow again. But after a long wordless moment, where dark blue eyes clashed with hazel green, he finally nodded.
“Fuck it. You’re right.”
He let his blaster fall to the floor with a metallic clunk and straightened up, though his big hands were still clenched into fists at his sides.
“Good.” Bright nodded and his broad shoulders seemed to relax. Clearly he’d been ready to fight to the death if he had to—if Burn couldn’t be talked down, Noelle thought. At least that dark fate had been taken off the table—though their future wasn’t exactly looking bright at the moment.
“I’ll hold back, but we keep Noelle between us at all times,” Burn growled.
“Agreed,” Bright said nodding, then he turned to the Skow. “We’re ready.”
The commander motioned. Two more creatures entered the ruined shuttle, holding heavy manacles. They looked like iron but pulsed with some kind of dull, green energy that made Noelle’s skin crawl just looking at them.
The Skow clamped them around Burn’s and Bright’s wrists. The cuffs hummed ominously, buzzing with restrained force.
Then one of the Skow gestured to her.
“And the female? Should we manacle her as well?”
“She is tiny and weak—she stays unbound,” the commander said. “For now. Get them moving!”
Noelle barely noticed the chill that crept over her as they were marched through the hole in the ship’s hull and down the long, accordion-like tunnel connecting the long-range shuttle to the Skow ship. Her thoughts were a dizzy mess, her body cold and numb.
Dios, this isn’t happening. I was supposed to be safe. I was supposed to be hiding from Branson… starting over. How did I end up as someone’s intergalactic property?
She risked a look back.
The long-range Kindred shuttle—their ship—was still there, battered and torn. It felt like she was leaving any sense of safety and control behind.
At least she still had Burn and Bright. The two huge warriors flanked her as they walked, and even bound, their massive bodies felt like living shields.
Noele swallowed past the lump in her throat.
Holy Virgin, please let this turn out okay. I don’t know what’s waiting for us on that ship, but if I have to face it… at least I’m not alone.
And then they reached the end of the accordion tunnel and the Skow ship swallowed them whole.
9
BURN
The cuffs hummed around Burn’s wrists like angry insects—a low, electric vibration that crawled under his skin. Every step he took down the Skow ship’s corridor felt like an echo of the past. His flesh felt too tight—like his bones were trying to burst through his skin.