CH 1-10

Summary

Abducted to an alien world where human women are bred for survival, Fenn never expects to be chosen-nor by the alien king himself. Zarek’s claim offers protection, passion, and peril, as their forbidden bond threatens to upend an empire built on control.

Chapter 1

Year: 2200

They take what they want-when they want it.

I’ve been lucky, all things considered. I’m nineteen years old, and I’ve never seen an alien.

My parents have.

They were born to slaves-humans bound to aliens for life.

But their parents managed to hide them after they were born. They had to. By then, The Law had already been imposed.

The Law is simple.

Humans are not permitted to breed with one another unless authorized.

Humans are required to breed with aliens when ordered.

The aliens say it’s necessary for them to breed with us. Even with all their technology, their population is dying out. Something went wrong and reproduction became nearly impossible for them.

That’s why they took Earth.

Alien DNA is very dominant. When they breed with a human woman, there’s barely a trace of her left in the child.

So they come down, examine the fertile women, and take them away. They use their bodies like factories. Two children is the standard requirement. After that, a woman is given a choice.

Return to Earth-or remain in space.

The women always come back…

The children don’t.

They’re raised as aliens, never knowing the women who carried them.

My parents survived because they were hidden by their parents, as infants. Then, after years of being illegal, they were miraculously reclassified as servants.

And after that-by luck I don’t fully understand-they were transferred to a free colony.

“Free” is a loose word.

Aliens can still take what they want from us and they can still destroy us if we displease them. But we don’t belong to any one alien and we’re not owned.

Our purpose is production. We grow crops and make materials such as fabrics or sheets of wood and metal.

We live in shacks under a permanent gray sky, where grass still grows…well sometimes. But it’s better than slavery or servitude.

The aliens aren’t rumored to be kind, so we were lucky in that sense.

My father oversees deliveries for our colony, so at the end of each cycle, the colony loads his truck with whatever quota we’ve been assigned. Then, he drives it to the drop site, and if everything is acceptable, we’re granted another cycle of “freedom.”

It’s been this way for over one hundred years.

And today was supposed to be no different.

I was standing over a wooden barrel, stirring fermented wine with a long metal rod, when I felt it. A sudden shift in the air.

I swear to God, even the wind stopped.

I paused, squinting at the sky. It was like the sound was coming from…

Oh shit.

Around me, the colony slowed. Everyone froze mid-walk, their eyes shifting upwards. We all knew there was no use in trying to run if the aliens came. They’d check. For every single one of us.

And if someone was missing…well. The Law just didn’t allow it.

Humans are to be present and attentive when called upon. Any attempts to hide will result in loss to the surrounding populations.

So, in other words-if you run, we will destroy your entire colony and kill everyone around you. So, unless you were fine with your entire colony being blown into pieces, you’d better show up.

I swallowed, letting go of the metal rod in my hand. Then, I felt my mother approach my side.

“Why are they here?” I whispered.

She shook her head, “Everything was delivered as scheduled. So that only leaves one thing.”

I felt her reach for my hand. She squeezed it and I squeezed hers back.

“They need fertile women,” I replied, voice cracking.

She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. We both knew.

The ship was growing closer. It was enormous and made of polished silver and shining lights.

And for the first time in my life.

I knew I was about to see an alien.

The ship didn’t land completely, instead it hovered. Swirls of dust and debris clouded the air around us. I pulled my shirt up to cover my mouth, coughing as the dirt filled my lungs.

The doors slid open and they stepped out.

“Woah,” I said under my breathe. “They’re massive.” The aliens were far taller and larger than any human I had ever seen.

“Keep quiet,” my mother whispered. I looked over at her briefly. She looked cool, calm and collected somehow.

Her brown hair fell loose from her bun, small tufts brushing against her forehead-brown eyes vacant with not one ounce of fear.

That was my mother. She was tough as nails.

I’d seen her take down a Slog before. Slogs are massive worm-like creatures-triple the size of a human, with large sharp teeth.

I’d watched my mother spear one through the heart without hesitation. She was fearless then-and she was fearless now.

The aliens were emerging in neat rows, their movements stiff as they approached us. They all looked the same species-wise. They had the same elongated, pointed ears and golden glowing eyes.

They walked toward the center of the colony without hesitation and we parted instinctively to make room. I could hear gasps and whispers around me.

Most of the young people around me had never seen one. But most of the older people had, and they’d warned us about being fully compliant.

My father stepped forward. He was one of the few humans who interacted with the aliens, because of the deliveries. I suppose he thought he would be the one to speak to them. His shoulders were straight, and his gaze was confident. He spoke to them in their language, using slow, careful syllables that clicked and curved in ways mine never could.

I looked away, my heart thudding.

I was supposed to understand the alien’s language. It was the law. My parents had warned me when I was younger and begged me when I was older. Please, Fenn. Just learn it.

I hadn’t.

A small, stupid act of rebellion. One that felt fucking stupid now.

I knew enough to ask about the weather or ask someone’s name. But not much more.

One of the aliens replied to my father. The sound made me nauseous.

What if they spoke to me?

The alien stepped forward, voice carrying across the crowd. He towered over my dad, the man whom I had always believed was so tall.

He barked out orders that I did not understand. No one moved at first. Then people began to step back or step forward. I noticed that the young women were the ones stepping forward. I did the same.

So did my sister, Sola.

I saw her boyfriend Blaze, staring at her from across the crowd. His eyes were locked onto her. They were meant to marry next cycle.

I looked away.

An alien approached one of the women while carrying a small scanner with a holographic screen. He held it in front of her and waved it near her abdomen.

A tone sounded. The alien said something to her in his language, and her face fell. But it was only momentary as she quickly straightened out her expression, nodded and walked towards the ramp to board the ship. It was like she had accepted her fate.

The second was sent onto the ship. Then the third. Then the fourth.

Then it stopped in front of me.

I looked up, meeting the eyes of the alien in front of me. His eyes glowed back at me, bright and yellow. But he showed no emotion. He towered over me, his large body casting a shadow that swallowed me whole. He wore dark, plated armor that glistened. Yet when he moved, the armor flowed like fabric.

First, he took my wrist and examined the number that was tattooed onto it. The brand. A requirement for all humans. An identification number that helped them keep track of us. He tapped the screen of the scanner and my face appeared. He looked at me and then at the screen to confirm my identity.

Then, he reached out and waved the scanner in front of my abdomen. The scanner paused.

Then the tone changed, and a different sound played. It wasn’t like the others.

The alien tilted its head. It stepped closer. The scanner swept again but this time lower.

Over my hip. Over my thigh. Back down to my knee and then my lower leg.

The alien’s head snapped up, and he squinted at the panel on the scanner. He said something to me in his language that I didn’t understand. I saw my mother’s shoulders relax from the corner of my eye.

I decided to nod at him in response. Maybe that would work.

It did. Thankfully, the alien walked away.

“Augmented,” my mother whispered to me, translating the alien’s words for me.

I let out a sigh of relief. I stumbled back into the line, my chest tight, my ears ringing. For once in my life, I was happy that I had a prosthetic leg. A robotic, prosthetic to be exact. Created using alien technology.

I was born with only half a leg, the perks of being conceived in such a contaminated, polluted world. Sometimes we were born with only partial limbs-or even partial brains or lungs. Something else we could thank the aliens for.

The scanner moved on.

It stopped in front of Sola.

“No,” I said under my breathe, as I felt my mother tug on my hand. She was willing me to be silent.

It beeped. The way it did for the girls who had been selected. I felt my mother’s body tense but her face remained unchanged. My father was watching, his expression blank.

But I knew they cared-they just couldn’t show it.

My sister’s eyes grew moist, and I saw her turn to look at her fiancé. Blaze began to step forward.

“Wait-” he started.

I saw it then. How this would end. If Blaze caused a scene, we were all going to die. Because that was The Law.

Humans are to comply with all orders. Any attempts to disobey will result in the loss of the surrounding populations.

Before anyone could stop me, I stepped out of line.

“I’ll go! Willingly!”

Every head turned.

Chapter 2

The alien looked at me in confusion, then began to walk toward me.

“I will comply! Take me! I want to go!” I belted out, but I spoke in human language.

He stopped just inches in front of me and narrowed his eyes. Then he said something in his alien language.

Shit.

I racked my brain for a word to respond with. Finally, I remembered one. The word for yes.

“Ta,” I said quickly. I knew my accent was thick, but surely he would understand. Hopefully, it was enough to answer whatever he had said.

And somehow…it worked.

He began to laugh. Like, really laugh. Another alien stepped forward, and the two of them began talking back and forth. Every once in a while, they’d look at me and laugh again.

They thought I was funny.

But then their laughter suddenly stopped, and they stepped backward.

Their spines straightened and the aliens began moving to form two neat rows in front of me. They were clearing a path for another alien who was stepping off the ship; their bodies stiff, arms straight and taut at their sides.

A military stance.

He was taller than the others and broader through the shoulders.

His armor was darker, with blue threaded throughout. The threaded lines were brighter and more deliberate, more intricate, than the armor of the others.

It was obvious in the way they froze and moved aside that this alien was important.

Someone with authority.

He stopped at the base of the ramp and peered out at the faces of the humans in the colony. There wasn’t a sound to be heard.

When he spoke, his voice cut through the air and I swear the aliens in front of me flinched.

Fear. They felt fear.

I didn’t understand his words, but I understood the tone.

He was irritated.

The alien who had scanned me responded quickly, gesturing toward me.

My heart sank into my stomach. The new alien listened, his expression unreadable.

Then his eyes moved.

Down the rows of aliens.

And then…

To me.

I swallowed. My heart slammed against my chest as his gaze bore into mine.

It was heavy and cold. Like he was measuring or assessing me. I felt naked, as if he’d stripped me bare in front of the entire colony.

His gaze dropped to the mark on my wrist.

Then lower.

To my abdomen.

To my hip.

To the place where the scanner had paused.

My prosthetic was hidden beneath my linen pants. It usually was, to prevent dust from catching in the wires and gears. It wasn’t in great shape. We took what we could get in the colonies.

My dad had done his best with a prosthetic he’d managed to trade for. He’d attempted to fix it with scraps of metal and wire, but it was still too short. And it wasn’t exactly in good condition either.

His gaze lifted back to my face, then to the top of my head. A confused expression crossed his face.

Maybe it was my hair. I had fashioned it into two space buns. It was blonde with streaks of neon blue and pink, hanging loosely around my face. Maybe it wasn’t fashionable in his world.

His eyes moved all the way down to my toes, then back up again.

Why was he looking at me like that? He made me feel like a lamb headed to a slaughter house.

I was going to fucking die…wasn’t I?

Or worse, my entire colony was going to be blown to pieces. And it would be my fault for opening my big mouth.

His head tilted slightly, and the markings along his cheekbones began to glow, now a luminescent neon blue.

The other alien began speaking again. I didn’t need to understand the words to know what was being said.

She was rejected, but she says she wants to go.

The alien in charge didn’t look away from me. He continued to study me instead.

For a few moments, there was nothing.

Just the feel of my mother’s hand clutching mine and the feeling of my pulse rushing in my ears.

Then he stepped forward, slowly. His boot-clad feet thudded heavily against the metal ramp.

As he approached, I could see him more clearly. His features were sharp and distinctive, his cheekbones carved beneath smooth, flawless skin.

His eyes were an unnatural bright blue, and his brown curls were neatly styled. Like the others, he had elongated ears with pointy ends.

And as much as I didn’t want to admit it-he was incredibly beautiful.

He stopped in front of me, and I forced myself to stay calm. I lifted my chin, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. I needed to remain cool and collected. I needed to appear confident.

He spoke to me in his language, his tone cool and clipped. He was asking me something, I could tell.

Every instinct screamed that I was being addressed, and that I needed to answer now.

My lips parted, but nothing came out.

His gaze darkened and he leaned forward slightly. Then, he repeated himself.

Dammit.

“Ta,” I said.

Please let yes work again.

By some miracle, it did. He leaned back up again.

He lifted his hand slightly, fingers curling in a directive gesture toward an alien behind him. The alien placed a scanner into his hands.

His blue eyes looked me up and down again. Then he lifted the scanner.

He lowered it and then tapped on the panel, summoning a holographic display. Symbols flickered across the air as he read. He tapped the screen a few times, his face deep in concentration.

I watched his expression change.

His jaw clenched and his brow furrowed.

Without asking, he knelt in front of me.

I flinched, but he didn’t seem to notice. He caught the hem of my pant leg between two fingers and slid the fabric upward, exposing my prosthetic.

He squinted, tilting his head, before reaching for it. Then, his finger dragged along the top of it intentionally.

I couldn’t feel his touch. I was supposed to be able to, but the artificial nerve endings had never worked. No matter how many times my father had tried to repair them.

A light mist of dust fell as he rubbed a cluster of wires. He muttered something under his breath, meant only for himself.

Then his thumb brushed against a chunk of scrap metal my father had welded on during an attempted repair. He shook his head.

Maybe he was disgusted by the state of my leg.

He traced his finger upward, stopping just below my knee. Then his thumb slid along the seam where my skin met the prosthetic.

I shivered at the warmth of his touch.

Then he stopped abruptly and sighed. As if he were annoyed.

He stood and studied me for several long moments before turning to the others and giving them a command. I could tell by the tone of his voice.

Their reaction was instant.

The alien holding Sola released her.

She stumbled back, gasping, arms flying up as Blaze rushed forward and caught her. He pulled her into the crowd, standing protectively in front of her. He met my eyes and nodded. I knew what he was saying to me in that moment.

Thank you.

I didn’t move because I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening.

Instead, I waited.

The alien in charge turned back to me and lifted his hand, gesturing toward the ramp.

They were going to take me after all?

One alien hesitated, pointing to the scanner where the data was still hovering above it. He spoke quickly.

The alien in charge silenced him with a single word. The other alien immediately obeyed by turning to me and barking orders at me.

I understood without understanding.

I was being told to board the ship.

My legs felt hollow as I walked, like my body was floating. I passed my sister as she stepped out from behind her fiancé.

“Fenn,” she mouthed. I love you.

Her eyes were full of fear, pity…and confusion.

I looked forward. The ramp stretched endlessly toward the bright entrance and into the unknown. When I reached the top, I forced myself to turn and look back.

My parents stood silently, waiting until the aliens had turned away. Their hands rose to their chests, their fingers forming a claw.

A sacred symbol that humans had created after the aliens took over. A symbol of hope and perseverance. One no human dared make in front of aliens.

My sister and Blaze watched me, their hands now moving to their chest, to form a claw.

Then the rest of the colony followed.

My eyes burned with tears but I refused to cry. Not now. Not in front of my family. I needed to stay strong.

And then my gaze drifted and I found his again.

The alien who had broken his own species’ rules so I could board the ship.

He was watching me still, curiosity on his face.

Something told me there was a reason he had let me on the ship.

He wanted something from me.

Chapter 3

The door sealed behind me with a soft hiss. I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the clean metal around me. It smelled sterile, like it had been soaked in bleach.

The corridor curved ahead of me, the walls a smooth, sleek metal. Tall aliens towered around me, not even bothering to cast me a glance. That’s the thing about them-we were just livestock.

I kept walking, turning around the corridor. That’s when I saw them.

The other human women. They were clustered together near one side of the corridor, so I made a beeline for them.

As I got closer, I could hear them talking.

“I don’t understand,” one woman was saying. “Why the hell would they pick me? I’m thirty-two!”

Someone answered her. “They scan all women up to thirty-five. After that, it’s random.”

The woman let out a sigh. “Fantastic. I won the breeding lottery.”

That was Kita, I learned quickly.

Next to her was Era.

Era looked like she was waiting in line at the train station. Her posture was normal…even natural. Her expression was neutral as she watched the aliens passing by.

“Panicking isn’t helping anyone,” she said calmly. “They chose us. We’re here. Let’s stay calm and get this over with.”

Something was unsettling about how easily she accepted it. Like she’d flipped a switch in her head and cut herself off from her emotions.

Behind her, half-hidden, was Lina.

Her glasses kept slipping down her nose, and she pushed them back up the bridge every few seconds. Her eyes darted everywhere, like she was looking for the nearest exit.

When she noticed me, she gave me a shaky smile, but she didn’t speak.

And then there was Mika.

Mika didn’t look scared.

If anything, she looked… excited?

She leaned against the wall, arms loose at her sides, her eyes peering at the aliens with curiosity. When someone mentioned going back, she rolled her eyes.

“I’d rather be here,” she said with a bright smile. “Anywhere but home.”

No one asked her to explain. Because everyone from the colony knew.

Every night, without fail, loud sounds had come from her home-crashing dishes, furniture scraping across the floor, shouting and swearing. The kind of yelling that didn’t stop after an hour, or even two.

My eyes flickered to one of her arms. There was a set of new bruises, as if someone had held tightly to her.

Our voices fell silent when one of the aliens stopped in front of us. He began barking orders at us.

I didn’t understand a single word. But I didn’t need to.

He gestured sharply down the hall. The message was clear enough. Move…now.

Era was the first to step forward, because of course she was. Kita followed, her eyes full of anger. Lina hesitated, then scurried after us, nearly tripping over her own feet. Mika fell into step beside me as we joined the slow procession.

We walked in silence. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other and not doing anything stupid. Mika leaned closer, her shoulder brushing mine.

“I heard something,” she whispered, her voice so low that only I could hear.

I kept my eyes forward. “What?”

“They were talking back there,” she continued quietly. “About you.”

I scrunched my brows in confusion. “What about me?”

She hesitated, then said it anyway. “There was a rumour in the colony that you can’t speak the aliens’ language.”

I felt my stomach turn. “Keep your voice down.”

She glanced sideways at me. “You know they’re going to find out eventually, right?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

Mika went quiet, and the conversation ended.

We were herded into a wide chamber that opened up into what looked like a spa. It was… incredible. Shower rooms ran along the side of the chamber, with privacy doors.

The room smelled like lavender and roses. A long line of windows ran along one side, but they weren’t open. I wanted to know if the ship had taken off into space yet. They said the alien ships were so smooth when they flew that you couldn’t even tell.

The alien barked again and pointed toward the shower rooms, then to a row of hooks where black outfits were hanging.

He wanted us to take showers.

We each stepped into one of the shower rooms. The door slid open, then shut once I stepped inside.

I reached out and waved my hand in front of the sensor, and water shot from the ceiling.

And God damnit, it felt good. The water was incredible. It wasn’t rationed or re-used and the temperature was perfect. The shower room looked more beautiful than anything I had ever been in before, with its perfectly smoothed stone.

For a second, I just stood there, stunned. I let the water roll over me, watching as the water at my feet clouded from the dirt that had covered my skin. It was the best shower of my life.

But I immediately panicked when I remembered my prosthetic.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath.

Water was its enemy. Rust didn’t care how advanced alien technology was. I stepped back to prevent any more water from cascading onto it.

We stepped from the showers, soft, lush towels wrapped around our bodies. Then we took the clothing from the hooks. They were dresses, panties, and bras. The fabric was sleek and smooth.

“Oh my god,” Mika said, eyes bright. “Did you feel that water? I would happily be abducted again just for the plumbing.”

The others cast her the sort of looks that said, Is she insane?

I took the towel and quickly dried my prosthetic. It was no longer hidden now, under the dress.

Mika’s eyes flickered over it. “I forgot you had that thing.”

I sighed. “I didn’t.”

“They chose you, though…” Mika said thoughtfully.

I shrugged. “Probably because I volunteered. Maybe it’s easier when you’re eager.”

“You volunteered?” Mika raised an eyebrow. “We could have done that?”

I nodded. I had forgotten they were on the ship when I was scanned.

“They wanted my sister, but I asked to go in her place,” I replied.

Mika seemed thoughtful before she responded. “I would have volunteered if I had known I could.”

We stepped back into the hallway.

One of the aliens stood at the far end. He looked at us and nodded, before turning down the hallway.

We already knew we needed to follow him.

This time the walk was shorter. He stopped at an entrance, and the door opened into what could only be described as a house.

I had expected barracks or some sort of prison. A cage, even.

It was enormous, with an open-plan layout. The floors were polished, the seating plush, and there were low tables carved from some dark, glossy metal. Light spilled from long panels overhead. There was a kitchen with sleek surfaces and appliances that I didn’t recognize.

The alien spoke and pointed at a set of private rooms. The doors were all open. I could see oversized beds with plush pillows.

Mika’s mouth fell open.

“You’re kidding,” she breathed.

She spun slowly, like she was on a tour. “We get our own rooms?” She ran a hand along the back of a nearby chair. “I didn’t even know places like this existed.”

The alien looked at us briefly before turning and exiting, the door shutting swiftly behind him.

Era scanned the living room, suspicion on her face. “Why are they being so generous?”

Lina shifted uncomfortably beside me, pushing her glasses up again. “I… I heard something once. Back at the colony.”

We all looked at her.

“They say humans are treated well,” she said, “because it increases the likelihood of conception.”

Mika smiled again. “So they want us comfortable. I’ll take it.”

“Yes,” Lina said softly.

Silence settled over the room. Then Kita fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. I knelt beside her, rubbing her back gently.

“I have children on Earth,” she wailed. “What the fuck!”

I hadn’t thought about that. Women who were chosen who already had children and an entire family at home.

Lina sat on the edge of the couch, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Era walked over to the rooms to inspect them. Mika, on the other hand, bounced from place to place, pressing all the buttons on the new appliances.

Then I heard a distinct beeping sound. Puzzled, I stood and walked over to a glowing panel on the wall. Mika was next to me in seconds, staring at it with curiosity.

An alien’s face appeared, and we both jumped back. He said something quickly, then his face disappeared.

“Someone’s presence is being requested,” she translated for me. “Who is #0478?”

My heart fell to the bottom of my stomach, but I managed to squeak out, “Me.”

“No fair,” Mika groaned. “They want you to go speak to someone. They said to go out into the hallway and wait.”

I dragged my heavy feet toward the door. I stopped, took a breath, and looked back at the women once more. Their eyes were all on me. They were wondering what might happen.

I stepped outside, and the door sealed shut behind me with a quiet hiss.

Chapter 4

I was only there for a few seconds before I heard footsteps approaching. An alien stopped in front of me and said something.

I just nodded at him, then followed him down a few curved hallways until we stopped at a door. The alien barely looked at me, then walked away.

The doors slid open almost instantly, and I took a slow step forward. It appeared to be an office. Panels covered one wall, holographic numbers skimming across them.

A massive, curved, oval-shaped desk sat in the middle, made of the same black metal as the table in the room from before.

And there he sat. The alien who had allowed me to swap places with my sister. His blue eyes were already on me. I hated the feeling that washed over me when his eyes met mine.

Was it fear? Or something else?

The alien gestured for me to sit across from him.

He started speaking immediately.

Long sentences. Sentences that I didn’t understand. His tone wasn’t unkind, but it was probing-I could tell. He expected an answer.

I nodded.

“Ta,” I said. But I knew saying yes in his language over and over again wasn’t going to cut it.

He paused, then tilted his head at me, his expression shifting-an expression I struggled to interpret.

“Ta,” I said again.

His eyes narrowed slightly. He studied me for a long moment as nausea hit me at full force, and goosebumps littered my spine.

Think, Fenn. Say something. Anything.

Enough to make him think maybe you’re a bit rusty. He might think you’re just a bit shit at the language.

“Yuva ba uha tera vu?” I blurted.

I had just asked him about the weather.

The alien froze. Then, he switched languages. This time, he spoke in human language.

“Rainy,” he said flatly. Then he squinted at me suspiciously.

I was done for.

“You cannot understand me,” he said. His accent was faint, and his execution was flawless.

My mouth fell open, but nothing came out.

So much for pretending.

“You broke the Law,” he said, his voice low and deep.

“Yes,” I answered. “I did.”

He leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing. “Why did you not learn the language?”

I shrugged. “I’m just…shit at learning languages.”

His mouth twitched. Was that a smile?

“Hm,” he said, his eyes drifting up and down my face.

“What happens next? You kill me?” I said quickly. “Then what about the other women?”

He studied me. “I’m not going to kill you. As for what happens next, humans are taken regularly. You should know.”

“Not from my colony,” I said. “Not for generations. No one’s gone missing like this since before my grandmother was born.” My hands formed into fists. He noticed, his eyes flickering downward. “Why now? We’re smaller than the city colonies. Smaller than most.”

He lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “I do not decide destinations. That is left to the ship’s commander.”

“Which you are not,” I said.

“No.”

“Then who are you?”

His eyes flicked back to mine. “Someone important.”

“I do not usually accompany breeding vessels,” he added. “I was aboard for an unrelated matter.”

I decided to ask again. “What happens next?”

“The women will be presented to males seeking reproduction,” he said flatly, like it wasn’t a big deal. “Selections will be made. Each woman will be assigned an alien partner and the breeding process will begin.”

My stomach flipped. “Why couldn’t you just collect eggs and grow them in a lab? You’re capable of space travel, but not basic reproductive ethics?”

There it was again, the faint twitch of his lips, as if he was holding back a smile. “Our sperm is fragile. Once expelled, it survives for only a few seconds. Artificial extraction of human eggs is inefficient. Incubation outside the body is costly and less reliable.”

He paused. “This method is simpler and more effective.”

“Not impossible, then,” I snapped. “Just easier.”

“Yes.”

Something in me snapped at his response. Fuck it-they could just kill me at this stage.

I stood to my feet, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “You kidnap women and treat them like walking incubators because it is easier for you?”

My voice rose in volume. “It’s evil. It’s cruel. You are sick.”

He didn’t move, nor did he look surprised. I sat back down and attempted to even out my breathing.

He waited a few moments, then asked calmly, “What would make it less cruel?”

“Let them go,” I said immediately. “All of them.”

He rubbed the tips of his fingers along his lips, his expression thoughtful.

Then he said, “Choose two.”

I blinked. “What did you say?”

“Choose two women to be returned home,” he repeated. “You may include yourself if you wish.”

I blinked again. “You’re serious.”

“Yes, I am,” he replied.

The room suddenly felt too small.

Images of the women flashed through my head. Mika loved it here. Era was eerily composed. But Kita and Lina…they were losing it. I didn’t even think about myself.

“Lina and Kita,” I said finally. “They go home.”

He tilted his head at me. “Not you?”

I swallowed, then shook my head. “Not me.”

He nodded. “I will send someone down to collect them and return them to the colony. You’ll need to point them out. We don’t save human names in our system, just your numbers.”

Of course not. We were livestock to them. They were unlikely to recognise human names as being valid.

Then he stood and walked to my side. I sucked in a breath as he approached me, his large figure towering over me. It was slightly terrifying, yet… not as scary as I had predicted.

He looked down at my leg. Instinctively, my body tensed.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice clinical.

“I was born this way,” I said. “A typical byproduct of Earth’s polluted air.”

Something flickered behind his eyes, then disappeared. He didn’t comment further.

Instead, he turned back to his desk and reached into a drawer. He removed a small metal device, no larger than a coin.

“What is that?” I asked.

He didn’t answer.

He stood and crossed the space between us. As he drew closer, I could see the subtle patterns in his skin, the ones that seemed to glow blue from time to time.

He leaned forward and lifted the device, bringing it to the spot just above my ear.

“Hey-” I started to protest as he reached for me.

His fingers brushed my hair aside, gently and intentionally. It was only for a fleeting second, but goosebumps still rose along my skin. He placed the device above my ear, his fingers grazing my cheek as he pressed it against my skin.

I felt a slight jolt of electricity and a light pinch. I winced.

“Sorry,” he muttered softly. “There won’t be any more pain.”

Then he tucked my hair back over it and stood upright.

“What is that?” I asked, my fingers lifting to touch the smooth metal.

He ignored the question entirely.

He returned to his seat and began speaking in long, fluid sentences in his alien language. I obviously didn’t understand a thing he was saying…until-

Halfway through his sentence, something clicked.

The alien syllables shifted, rearranging themselves in my mind. Like magic, the meaning behind his words snapped into place.

I gasped softly.

I understood him.

“You are not to inform anyone that you have that device,” he said flatly. “If you do, I will deny giving it to you, and you will face the consequences. They will believe you stole it. That is alien technology. Humans do not possess such devices.”

Confusion washed over me. “Why did you-”

I gasped again.

My tongue moved without thought, forming syllables I had never used before. I was speaking the language too.

“You understand now,” he said, cutting me off. “That is what matters.”

“Return to the shared chambers,” he continued. “Identify the two females you selected for release.”

My stomach turned. “Now?”

“Yes.”

His office doors slid open suddenly. I turned to see an alien standing in the doorway.

When I looked back at him, he was already tapping his fingers along the top of his desk, holographic symbols appearing before him. He wasn’t even looking at me.

I stood and left the room. The alien escorted me back to the chambers.

The other women were in the living room when we entered. Kita’s eyes were still puffy and red. Lina jumped when she saw us. Mika made a beeline for me, curiosity written all over her face. Era sat still and calm, her eyes assessing me.

The alien stopped in front of them and looked down at me. “Which ones?” Thankfully, I understood him now.

“These two,” I said, pointing at Kita and then Lina.

Mika’s head snapped toward me, surprise flashing across her face. She was clearly baffled that I was speaking the language.

“What’s going on?” Kita asked, her voice rough from crying.

“You’re going back to your colony,” the alien said flatly.

Kita stared at me, disbelief on her face, as she stood. Lina scrambled to her feet, shaking so badly she almost tripped.

The alien stepped aside, clearing a path. “You will follow me now. You are being returned to Earth.”

They began to leave the room, now eerily quiet. As if they might loose their chance if they broke the silence.

Lina looked back once, eyes wide and shining. Kita hesitated, scanning our faces, guilt flickering across her expression.

The door slid shut behind them with a soft hiss, sealing their escape.

Chapter 5

“What the hell just happened?” Mika said, turning to me. “And how the fuck did you suddenly start speaking the language?”

“I do know a bit,” I lied. I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about the device. Instinctively, I reached up to feel the small bump beneath my hair.

“It was perfect,” she laughed. “Were you just self-conscious or something?”

“Yes,” I answered quickly. “I’m not great at the language.” I noticed I was responding in human language, as if the device knew when to make me switch back.

Era approached me then, her eyes locked on mine. “Why did they go back? And why did he ask you who was going back?”

I took a breath before responding. They couldn’t know the truth-that I had made the selections.

“They had me meet with an alien,” I said. “I have no clue who he was. They took too many of us, apparently. He said to point out the oldest human and the youngest because their system was down and they couldn’t pull up our profiles. They needed them off the ship before it got too far from Earth.”

I swallowed, my heart thudding madly in my chest. “Lina and Kita were the youngest and the oldest, so they left.”

The lie slipped from my lips far too easily.

“I guess the youngest might be less ready to conceive, and the oldest has a lower success rate,” Mika said.

It sounded rational. Thankfully.

“Today really is our lucky day,” Era sighed, shaking her head.

I stood there, heart hammering, knowing I’d just changed everything-and that whatever remained for the rest of us was about to begin.

---

Soon after the alien took Lina and Kita away, the alien reappeared and ushered us down the hall to a new room.

It was enormous, with high ceilings and tiered lighting. We were guided into position and arranged in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder, facing a long table carved from the same dark material as every other piece of furniture.

A cluster of male aliens sat behind the table, their gazes moving slowly over our bodies, as if they were assessing livestock.

My skin crawled, and for a moment, I thought I might vomit.

A female alien stepped forward. She was taller than us-but flawlessly beautiful. Her eyes glowed occasionally, a soft pink radiating from her irises. A holographic clipboard flickered to life in her hands.

She stopped in front of Era first. Era stood straight, her eyes looking forward, her chin lifted. But her face was unreadable.

The female tapped her clipboard with one long finger and began. “Age: twenty-two Earth cycles. Weight: average for human standards. Reproductively sound.”

Era didn’t flinch; she remained frozen and eerily calm.

The alien paused. “No observable defects.”

A few of the males nodded. One murmured something approving under his breath.

Then the female alien moved to Mika.

Mika beamed like she was at a casting call for a Broadway production instead of a breeding selection. She smiled brightly at the table, her eyes shining with genuine excitement.

“Female,” the alien said. “Age: twenty-one Earth cycles. Weight: average. Reproductively sound.”

Mika’s smile widened.

“She has expressed willingness to breed,” the female added.

The reaction was immediate. Several of the males shifted forward, obviously interested in this fact.

The female alien waited for them to die down, then stepped over to me.

My stomach knotted, and I felt sick.

“Female,” she said. “Age: nineteen Earth cycles. Weight: average, given her short stature.”

Her gaze dropped to my leg.

“Reproductively sound,” she continued, then hesitated. “However-structural impairment observed.”

The room changed again-but it wasn’t the reaction that Mika had received.

The males’ eyes followed hers, tracking down my body, lingering on the prosthetic. One alien clicked his tongue in disgust. Another leaned back and scoffed in disbelief, obviously unimpressed.

“A potential barrier,” the female alien finished.

I forced myself not to move, not to show weakness as they looked at me.

The doors to the room slid open.

There he was. The alien-whoever the hell he was-from before. The one who had given me the device and allowed Kita and Lina to leave.

I noticed that all the aliens in the room stopped to turn and watch him. He was someone important-that was still obvious.

He stood at the back of the room, arms folded. His blue eyes swept over the line of women. Then they stopped when he saw me. I ignored the pounding of my heart at the sight of him.

Surely that was my fight-or-flight response kicking in.

The female alien moved back down the line and stopped in front of Mika.

“Interest may now be expressed,” she announced with a smile, as if she knew what was about to happen.

The room erupted.

Several of the males immediately lifted their hands, calling out numbers. Each number was bigger than the last. An argument even ensued between two aliens in the front row.

Mika lit up, obviously delighted. She looked out at the males. “I told you,” she said cheerfully, eyes sparkling as she looked from one alien to the next. “I’m very cooperative.”

That only made it worse.

The arguing intensified. One alien slammed a palm against the table, and another turned to insult him. Mika did a slow little spin in place, showing herself off, then gave them a playful wave.

More excited chatter broke out among the aliens.

I risked a glance toward the back of the room.

He was still there. Still silent.

And he was watching me as if Mika’s little show was just background noise.

Eventually, one of them won.

The winner straightened in his seat, a wide grin on his face. He was an attractive alien-I’d give him that.

The female smiled. “Selection confirmed.”

I could tell Mika was pleased with the outcome. She leaned to the side and whispered in my direction, “I can’t wait to fuck an alien.” She stepped forward slightly, her eyes on the alien she was going to breed with. Then she winked.

He winked back.

The female alien watched the interaction, then laughed before moving on.

She turned to Era. “Interest may now be expressed.”

The response was less this time, but there was still a fair amount of interest. Era stood motionless, her expression hollow, her posture stiff.

A few voices rose, and hands lifted into the air. They went back and forth for a while until one alien raised his hand, his bid three times higher than the last.

An elderly alien sat near the end of the table. His skin was wrinkled with age, his posture slightly stooped.

The female alien nodded. “Selection confirmed.”

Era didn’t even budge-not even when she knew she had been selected to breed with an old alien.

The female alien stepped in front of me. “Interest may now be expressed.”

The room fell silent and nothing happened-of course not. They were all staring at my leg.

Moments of silence continued to pass.

One of the males spoke aloud, irritation in his voice. “Why is this female included in the selection?”

As if I wasn’t allowed to exist.

“She may produce defective offspring,” he continued. “The impairment could be genetic.”

The female alien didn’t hesitate. “The impairment is most likely a byproduct of planetary pollution, not hereditary.”

She added, “If it were hereditary, alien DNA should be sufficient to override such defects.”

A few of them scoffed in disbelief.

Heat crept up my neck as I stared straight ahead. A mix of relief-but also fear-swelled within me. Fear about what they would do to me if I wasn’t selected. Would they send me home? Or would it not be worth the fuel? They might just shoot me into outer space.

The female alien sighed. “No interest has been expressed. No selection will be-”

“I bid.”

The voice came from the back of the room. Every head turned as he stepped forward. It was the alien from before, and he wasn’t looking at the female.

He didn’t look at anyone but me.

“I bid,” he repeated. Then he gave his price.

The number he gave caused a ripple of shock through the crowd. It was higher than the bids given for Era and Mika.

The female alien looked confused. “Are you certain of this selection?”

His gaze snapped to her, and I could tell he was annoyed. His blue eyes began to glow.

“Do not question me. Remember your place.”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

No one spoke or moved, as if they were afraid to. Even the males at the table averted their eyes.

The female alien stuttered, then nodded.

“I apologise,” she said.

Then she turned back to the others. “Selection,” she said, “is confirmed.”

I thought my heart might burst from my chest. His eyes were back on me, his gaze piercing through mine.

The female then announced, “Planetfall will occur in sixteen hours, Earth cycle time.”

A murmur rippled through the remaining aliens.

“The selected humans will be prepared for breeding upon landing,” she continued. “The process will begin immediately thereafter.”

The words hit me like a shockwave. Reality was setting in.

Tomorrow.

I didn’t look at him. I didn’t dare.

We made our way back to our chambers. Mika burst through the doors like she was preparing for the adventure of a lifetime. She flung herself onto the couch and propped her feet up.

“I hear they have massive dicks,” she giggled. She turned to look at me. “Did you see mine? He’s so hot.”

As much as her words disturbed me, I didn’t want to deflate her spirit.

“I did,” I replied with a weak smile.

“I plan to stay, you know,” she grinned. “They can do what they want with me. I love it up here.”

Era walked toward one of the private bedrooms. She went inside and shut the door behind her.

Mika spoke, her voice low. “I can’t believe she ended up with an old one. Poor Era.” I could see the pity in her eyes.

“She’ll be okay,” I said. “I know she can make it through.”

“Now you,” Mika said as she sat upright. “You lucked out too. Yours is super hot. Like, wow. He seems important too. Maybe you’ll get some perks.”

I reached up to feel the small lump above my ear. “Maybe.”

I walked toward one of the bedrooms and slipped inside, then lay down on the bed.

I couldn’t escape the sinking feeling. The feeling that our lives would never be the same.

Tomorrow, this would become real. We would land on an alien planet just to breed with them-like animals.

And whatever he’d chosen for our time together… it was already in motion.

Chapter 6

We awoke to a soft chime, and for the first time since we boarded the ship, the electric shutters over the windows slid open.

We were on our feet instantly, all three of us rushing to the living room and crowding the glass like children. Even Era showed a flicker of interest. The glass on the windows was icy cold as I pressed my hands against it. We had never seen outer space before.

Stars scattered across the black like spilled salt, while ribbons of bright cosmic dust swirled in soft lines across the sky.

Out there, suspended in black, was a planet the color of pale ice. The alien’s planet.

I had never seen anything more beautiful in my life.

Era actually laughed. “Well,” she said, eyes locked on the view, “that’s the only good thing that’s happened to me since this shit began.”

Mika sighed gleefully. “It’s… really pretty.”

I didn’t say anything.

I just stared at the planet and wondered how something so beautiful could exist.

We stayed there until we approached the planet. Then the shutters beeped, and we jumped back as they snapped shut.

The landing was smooth.

“Landing complete,” a voice called overhead.

An alien appeared in our room, and then we were herded toward a long, sealed tunnel extending from the ship. At the far end, silhouettes awaited.

Our assigned aliens. The ones we were going to breed with.

The alien who escorted us turned to us and spoke. “This planet has artificial gravity,” he explained. “Without activating it, you will experience lift upon exit.”

“Lift?” Mika repeated. “Like… you mean… we will float away? Into space?”

“Yes.”

Before any of us could respond, he knelt and produced small metal cuffs. He secured them around Era’s ankles, then Mika’s. They hummed for a few minutes, then went quiet again. They must’ve been what we needed to wear, to keep us from floating away.

Then he moved to me.

He crouched, his eyes scanning over my prosthetic before fastening the cuff. When it clicked into place against the metal, it made a loud noise.

“Oh look,” he snickered. “It matches.”

I wanted to punch him, but I resisted.

Then a blur of motion swept past.

My alien was suddenly in front of him.

He grabbed him by the front of his uniform and slammed him hard against the tunnel wall. The sound echoed, and we all jumped back. Everyone froze.

“Do not speak to her that way,” he growled. “I require that this human remain in optimal psychological condition for breeding purposes. Your taunting does me no favours, you insolent little twat.”

The alien he was holding went rigid. “I meant no-”

“If you disrespect her again,” my alien snarled, “I will kill you.”

The alien nodded frantically. “Understood, your majesty.”

Your majesty?

He released him with a shove and turned back to me as if nothing had happened, his bright blue eyes staring at me intently as they always did.

The other alien straightened his back and composed himself. Then he handed us all a black cape, his hands shaking. “For the cold.”

We took them and draped them around ourselves. Then we all began to walk down the tunnel.

When we reached the end, the doors whirled open in a smooth, seamless motion.

I stepped forward, and cold air rushed over me, sinking deep into my bones. My planet had never been cold-just dusty and hot. Earth had lost its winter when the last ice caps melted.

For half a second, my body lifted, weightless. I heard Mika squeal beside me as her feet began to lift too.

Then my feet snapped firmly to the ground. The gravity device tugged me downward, anchoring me in place.

The ground was coated in pale ice and snow. Crystalline veins glowed soft blue beneath the surface. Jagged mountains rose in the distance. I squinted at the objects floating above the mountain peaks.

Three moons?

“Holy shit!” Mika squealed. “Three moons!”

Her alien reached for her, tugging at her waist. “You can see them from the window in the breeding chambers.”

Mika giggled but didn’t resist. I could tell her alien was pleased.

We were then guided down a short, carved path, snow crunching under our feet. Thankfully we had been given leather boots before we left the ship. A facility came into view quickly, long and angular, made of dark metal.

The doors slid open before we reached them.

It looked like a medical facility. Bright panels covered the far wall, and metal tables were positioned throughout, covered in medical supplies and tools.

Our alien partners stopped at the doorway but didn’t follow us inside. When the doors shut, someone rounded a corner and halted in front of us.

And she was… human.

She smiled gently. “Hello,” she said. “You’re safe here.”

Mika stared at her. “Why… why is there a human here?”

“I’m a doctor,” the woman explained. “Chosen by the aliens due to my experience with colonized human physiology.”

She gestured toward a side room. “#3645, if you’ll come with me?”

Mika smiled and followed her.

When she returned, Era went next.

While they were gone, I leaned toward Mika. “What is she doing to us?”

Mika giggled softly, covering her mouth like it was a secret. “She’s numbing us.”

My stomach fell.

“Numbing us for what?”

Mika smiled. “For what comes next.”

I tried to compose myself, but I was beginning to struggle.

“Don’t worry,” Mika smiled. “She also put some sort of lubricant inside as well.”

I could only stare at her in disbelief as the doctor returned and looked at me. I followed her inside and lay back on the exam table. She began to hum as she gathered her supplies, as if this were normal.

She positioned my feet onto steps and gently spread my legs. “This is a standard medical procedure and it won’t be painful.”

She hummed again, then I felt something smooth and metal slide into my vagina. I felt something gliding along the walls of my vagina. Then something cold-it must have been the lubricant being rubbed along the walls.

She pulled the metal out of me, and I soon felt something sliding along the entrance to my vagina.

“This is just the numbing. I only put it here,” she explained.

Then she was done, and I sat up.

She smiled at me. “You won’t feel pain, guaranteed.”

I wasn’t sure what came over me. Maybe it was the way she invaded my body. Maybe it was the way she casually prepared me like I was a cow at a breeding farm.

But I was pissed.

“Fuck you,” I said briskly. “Traitor.”

Her face fell, her expression shocked. She was still sitting on the stool in front of the exam table. And because words weren’t enough, I kicked her-right in the middle of her chest.

She flew backward, her back hitting the tiled floor. She screamed.

I jumped up and reached for my cape. Then I looked down at her. She sat up, her eyes full of anger.

I smirked and brought my hand to my chest.

And I molded my fingers into a claw.

Her eyes flickered to my hand.

She knew what it was.

“Guards!” she screamed.

I stopped the motion and left, re-entering the room I had been in before. Mika and Era were already gone, but an alien guard burst into the room, his hand on the holster of his laser gun.

My alien breeding partner walked in behind him. He stood still, watching and listening. His face expressionless.

The doctor ran from the exam room and pointed at me. “She assaulted me. She called me a traitor and pushed me from my chair!”

The guard turned toward me and grabbed my wrist. “That is a violation of the Law.”

I tried to pull away, but it was useless. His grip was too strong.

“It is not!” I screamed back. “She’s human! The Law says I am not to harm aliens!”

“You little-” the guard began, jerking my arm so hard I fell forward and onto my knees.

“Enough,” my alien said firmly.

The guard immediately let go and turned toward him. I stood and rubbed my sore wrist.

“She is correct,” my alien said. “There is no law that protects the doctor, no matter how insulted she feels.”

The doctor shot daggers at me, and the alien guard simply shrugged and left the room.

My alien walked to my side and gestured toward the door.

I followed him.

This was it. I was about to be ripped apart by an alien-both figuratively and literally.

We walked down a corridor until we reached a hall lined with rooms. We passed the first room-it was silent. We passed the second room, and this time I heard movement and voices.

“Yes!” someone wailed. It was Mika. “Give me that alien cock!”

I heard grunting and the sound of thudding. I turned away, my cheeks burning. At least Mika was enjoying herself. She must have been experienced.

Unlike me.

I was still a virgin.

We stopped in front of a set of doors. My alien reached down and waved his hand in front of the panel beside it. The doors opened, and we stepped inside.

One large circular bed sat in the middle of the room, under two tall windows. Veins of ice scattered along the glass and I could see the mountains in the distance.

The doors shut behind us.

He turned slowly, his eyes on mine.

“What is your true name, 0478?” he asked.

“Fenn,” I said.

He nodded once. “I am Zarek.”

“Can I call you that?” I asked.

His eyes darkened. “Not in public.”

“Why?”

He stepped closer instead of answering.

Chapter 7

I could feel his warmth now. His eyes dropped to my mouth, then back to my eyes. My breath caught in my throat. Surely my body would not betray me.

But it was. I could feel my core tightening with desire.

Snap out of it, Fenn.

Then he was leaning forward, and the space between our lips was narrowing.

Then…

Bang.

The sound echoed down the corridor like an explosion had gone off.

I heard heavy footsteps pounding down the corridor.

An alarm blared to life, and I jumped back.

Zarek moved instantly. “Stay here,” he snapped, but I was already following him.

We burst into the hallway.

Era stood outside her room door. For a split second, my brain refused to understand what was happening.

Her hand was wrapped tightly around a blade, dark purple blood dripping down her fingers.

Alien blood.

It was splattered across her clothes and streaked along her neck.

But she was smiling… and laughing.

“I did it,” she said breathlessly. “I killed him. The old alien. He thought I’d just…lie there.”

“Era,” I gasped, rushing toward her. “Are you hurt?”

She threw her head back. “No. I’m fucking free.”

Alien guards flooded the corridor, laser guns raised. They were now pointing them at her head.

Era turned toward them, blade lifted. “Go on,” she taunted. “Try it.”

They rushed towards her.

She moved fast and slashed one across the arm. He winced. But there were too many of them. They overpowered her easily, forcing her to the ground before snapping restraints around her wrists and ankles.

She was still smiling as they pulled her up and to her feet.

One guard entered the room behind her and returned seconds later.

“Deceased,” he said, his voice laced with anger.

They dragged Era away, her laughter echoing down the corridor.

I couldn’t breathe. My chest was heaving, gasping for air.

Then another door flew open.

Mika burst into the hallway, barely clothed. Only her black cape was draped across the front of her body. Behind her, her alien partner stood completely naked, confused and blinking.

“What’s going on?” Mika asked, her face confused.

Zarek answered before I could. “Everything is fine. Return to your room now.”

Mika shrugged and pulled her alien back inside.

The door slid shut, and I immediately heard her giggling.

And that was when I broke.

The sound ripped out of me before I could stop it. My knees gave way, and I sobbed as I fell to the floor. It was loud and ugly, but I didn’t care.

Zarek watched me, but not as if he were annoyed or confused.

He was… interested.

When I finally regained control, he spoke. “Return to your room, Fenn.” When he said my name, he lowered his voice, as if he were worried someone would hear him say it.

I looked up at him, confused. “But-”

“I will see you tomorrow,” he said quietly.

I was too tired to try to understand.

So I nodded.

And I obeyed.

---

The hours passed slowly. We had been locked inside our rooms for ages now, likely due to Era’s decision to murder her alien. I closed my eyes, and the image of Era’s laughing face and the sight of the purple blood on her hands filled my mind.

Finally, I heard a beep, and the light on my door changed from red to green. My door was unlocked. I walked from my room into the hallway. I made my way to Mika’s door and knocked loudly.

The door slid open almost immediately. Mika stood there, glowing like she had just spent a day at the spa. She frowned when she saw my face.

“Fenn? What is going on?”

“I need your help,” I whispered, my eyes darting from side to side. “Please.”

She glanced down the hall, then stepped aside just enough to let me in.

“We need to find Era,” I said quickly. “I’m not sure where they took her.”

Mika sighed. “Fenn… stop.”

“Just to make sure she is okay,” I said hurriedly. “She shouldn’t be alone.”

Mika rubbed her arms and groaned, as if I were annoying her.

“I can’t,” she replied.

I was more surprised than I had expected.

“You have to help. I need-” I began.

Mika’s eyes widened, and her voice grew agitated. “I understand. I just… I can’t do this. I am trying to survive, Fenn.”

“Besides, I like my life here,” she admitted. “I like that I’m safe. My alien is coming back soon, and if I’m not here…”

Her voice trailed off.

“I don’t want to be punished for someone else’s choice.”

I froze, staring at her blankly.

“Are you serious?” I whispered.

Mika nodded.

For a moment, I hated her.

I stepped back and laughed incredulously. “I hope it’s worth it, Mika. Betraying your own kind.”

I lifted my hand to form the shape of a claw.

She didn’t say anything, she only looked down at the floor.

Then I left.

I was back in my room, my mind whirling as I struggled to think of a new plan. I sighed, my gaze lifting to the ceiling.

The vents. They were in every room.

I had noticed them the first day-long, laser-guarded grates running along the upper corners of the rooms. Why would they use laser guards on vents?

Because they didn’t want anyone going into them. Obviously.

I dragged a chair to just beneath the grate and climbed up.

If I touched one, an alarm would likely sound-or I might be shocked with enough electricity to knock me out cold.

I groaned.

Think Fenn.

Then the memory came to me.

I could see my father clearly-standing by the pasture gates back home, gates that were guarded with lasers. He’d shown me then how to disarm them.

“Lasers are actually flickering; they’re not static,” he’d said, waving his hand at the gate. “When we disable them, we just need to disrupt the rhythm.”

I grinned as I remembered what he had told me. Then, I stared at the lasers in front of me until they flickered, ever so slightly.

I reached into the pocket of my dress and pulled out a metal screw pin I’d twisted loose from the bed frame in the room.

Slowly, carefully, I angled the pin between two beams, slipping it into the metal plates between them. I took a deep breath and began to twist, causing the metal plates to shift slightly.

The lasers began to flicker. Then… they stopped.

“Thank God,” I whispered, my shoulders finally relaxing.

I eased the grate open and slipped inside.

It was narrow, dusty, and dark. Unfortunately, the metal groaned as I crawled forward-but the noise was slight.

I moved slowly. I hadn’t gone far before I was looking down through the vent into Mika’s room. She was standing in front of her mirror, applying a thick layer of lipstick to her lips. Then she began combing her hair.

She was getting ready to see her alien.

I rolled my eyes and kept pushing forward.

The vents split and split again as I began mapping out the route in my head. Minutes passed, and I began to realize that I had no clue where she was-and I was unlikely to find her this way.

“I’m sorry, Era,” I whispered out-loud. “I’ll have to think of a new plan. One where I don’t get lost in the ventilation systems.”

But somehow, I was able to retrace my steps and emerged in my room again, sweating and covered in dust.

I opened the grate and dropped to the floor, landing flat on my ass with a heavy thud.

“Fuck,” I hissed as I wiped my hands along my dress, dust swirling around me.

I felt a tingling sensation in my nose and then sneezed.

Then I heard it-laughter.

I looked up and froze.

Zarek was leaning against the door to my room, arms crossed, watching me. His blue eyes were glowing, as they always did. I saw the corners of his mouth twitch, as if he were holding back a smile. Then the markings on his skin began to glow.

“Enjoy your little adventure, Fenn?” he asked flatly.

I felt my stomach sink.

I scrambled to my feet, pressing my back to the wall. “No, I-nope, I-”

“You wanted to find your friend,” he said calmly, his expression now serious. “The murderer.”

His eyes lifted to the vent and then back to me. “You disengaged the lasers.”

I could only stare back at him blankly, my hands trembling at my sides.

Zarek pushed off the door slowly, his face no longer amused.

I swallowed hard, my eyes locked onto his. “I didn’t go anywhere.”

He walked in my direction and then stopped right in front of me.

“You crawled through the vents,” he said coldly. “That is going somewhere.”

I took a breath. “Are you going to kill me? Punish me?”

He tilted his head at me. “If I wanted to punish you, you would already be restrained.”

I felt my heart flutter slightly and tried to ignore the way desire seemed to take over my body. It wasn’t right, the way I wanted him to…

He was still studying my face, his eyes moving slowly from my lips back up to my eyes.

Before I could think about it, I blurted, “She shouldn’t be alone. And she was only defending herself. She doesn’t want to breed. We’re not animals.”

Silence fell over us as we stood there, staring at each other.

Then, as if it were that simple, he said, “You could have just asked.”

I blinked in confusion. “What?”

He shrugged. “I could have taken you to see her.”

I shook my head. “You would take me?”

“If you ask nicely,” he repeated.

Then his hand lifted, and I felt his fingers on my cheek, grazing the surface of my skin and causing prickles of electricity to course through my body.

“Why?” I whispered.

His eyes darkened, the neon blue shifting to a deep shade of blue. “Because she is important to you.”

Before I could stop myself, more words tumbled from my mouth. “Are you going to make me breed with you or not?”

Zarek’s hand froze, and he pulled it back, his face falling flat.

Then he stepped even closer.

“Do I frighten you?” he murmured.

I stood frozen.

“Answer me,” he said coolly.

“Yes,” I said, my mouth going dry.

He seemed to think about my response for a moment before continuing. Then his voice dropped low. “You are mine. We will breed.”

My body reacted with a mix of fear… and something else I did not recognize.

He lifted his hand again.

His fingers trailed faint lines along the side of my jaw. I felt them slide underneath my chin, tilting my face up toward his.

“Tomorrow,” he said softly. “You will see your friend.”

He leaned forward, his lips just inches from mine. Then he paused and stepped back, making his way to the door of my room.

He didn’t look back as he left.

And for some reason… the air suddenly felt cold.

Chapter 8

A knock sounded at my door, pulling me away from my dreams.

I sat up slowly, my eyelids fluttering open. I peered around and sighed.

Oh. That’s right. I was still on the alien planet.

I’d been dreaming of home all night long. The dreams had been so real and vivid that I almost forgot I had been kidnapped.

The door slid open before I could even get out of bed. An alien guard stood in my open doorway, staring at me.

“0478,” he said. “You will come with me.”

I felt my stomach twist and turn. Reluctantly, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. “Where are you taking me?”

“Get ready,” he grunted. “You have five minutes.”

He stood there, his body rigid, waiting for me to move. I sprang from my bed and made my way to the bathroom. I quickly rinsed off in the shower and combed my hair before throwing on another one of the plain linen dresses they had given us.

I wrapped my cape around my shoulders and followed him out of the room and down the corridor.

We walked longer than I expected, passing several doors until we entered a new sector of the building. It wasn’t as luxurious as the suites we had been staying in.

We walked past sealed doors marked with symbols I didn’t recognize. Even the air seemed stuffier.

Finally, we stopped in front of a reinforced metal door, where two guards stood on either side.

The one escorting me waved his hand in front of the panel, and it slid open.

The room behind it was small, dark, and windowless. A single bench was bolted to the floor.

And that was when I saw her.

Era.

She sat slumped on the bench, restraints locked around her wrists. She wore a plain white pair of pants and a plain white shirt. Her hair was brushed back from her face.

She looked… oddly okay.

“Era,” I said, my voice soft.

Her head lifted, and when she saw me, she smiled.

“Hello, Fenn,” she said evenly, as if she were not locked in a prison cell. “What a surprise to see you here.”

I lunged forward without a second thought, but froze partway when the guard shifted behind me.

“What happened after they took you?” I asked quickly. “Have you been hurt?”

She shrugged. “A few bumps and bruises, but I am fine. They don’t like it when you stab one of their own.”

I sighed. “So what are they going to do next?”

She smiled, and in a calm voice, replied, “They’re going to execute me.”

Era said the words as if they weren’t a big deal. As if it didn’t bother her.

I stared at her. “How can you be so calm?”

Era leaned back against the wall. “Because I’d do it again. Every single time.”

She turned to look at the guard behind me. “Fuck them. Fuck them all.”

I stepped closer and sat on the bench beside her. I reached out and cupped one of her hands in mine.

“He wasn’t going to stop,” she continued quietly. “He thought I’d just lie there and take it. But I didn’t- instead, I slit his throat. Like the pigs back on the colony.”

Tears began to form in my eyes. “This is not fair.”

“Maybe not,” she said. “But I won in the end. How many aliens have died at the hands of humans? Not many.”

For a few moments, we sat in silence.

Finally, I managed to speak. “I’m so sorry.”

Era tilted her head. “Why?”

“For being alive when you’re—”

“Don’t,” she cut in. “You’re not the one who kidnapped me and tried to force me to breed with an alien.”

She turned to face me, her eyes locking onto mine. “You’re different.”

I frowned in confusion. “Different how?”

“I’m not sure. But he sees it,” she said. “Whatever it is.”

My back stiffened. “Zarek?”

Era nodded. “That one has power. You need to be careful.”

The guard looked over at us, his voice making me jump.

“Time’s up,” he said, his voice booming.

I leaned forward. “I’m going to help you.”

Era shook her head. “Don’t.”

I squeezed her hand.

“I’m not afraid of death, Fenn,” she added softly.

The guard placed a firm hand on my arm, and I stood.

I exited the prison cell, looking back one last time.

Then the door slid shut.

---

The next morning, I found myself standing in the execution room.

It was smaller than I expected. I thought an execution room would be more… dramatic.

Era stood in the center, her fate sealed.

Her hands were bound behind her back, but her chin was lifted. Her expression remained flat and unreadable.

As I had expected-she didn’t look afraid.

Mika stood beside me, her cape wrapped tightly around her. I could feel her trembling.

An alien guard stood to Era’s right, a holographic document hovering in front of him. His voice was devoid of emotion as he began to read.

“Subject: Human female, breeding unit. Crime: Murder. Punishment: Execution by disintegration of brain function.”

I inhaled sharply, my heart racing.

Era didn’t even flinch.

The guard turned to her. “Do you have final words?”

Era’s eyes moved to me and Mika.

“Don’t let them break you,” she said, her eyes dark.

Mika let out a soft whimper.

I stepped toward her, even though we had been told not to move. “Era-”

Then I felt it.

The air shifted as heavy footsteps echoed in the distance.

Every alien in the room straightened into military stances.

I knew who it was before I even saw him.

Zarek stepped into the chamber, his markings glowing blue as he surveyed the room. He paused, his gaze lingering on me for a few seconds before he spoke.

“Stand down,” he said. “Immediately.”

The guard looked confused. “This sentencing has-”

“Stand. Down,” he repeated.

The guard waved his hand, and the holographic document dissolved.

Zarek moved closer to Era, stopping in front of her. He studied her for a long moment, his blue eyes steady.

“The sentencing must be changed,” he said.

The guard frowned. “How?”

“The human will not be executed.”

Murmurs rippled through the room. Mika’s eyes widened. Even Era’s composed expression had been replaced with confusion.

“Her punishment,” Zarek continued calmly, “is reduced to bonded labor. She will be returned to Earth under alien authority and placed into permanent service.”

My heart slammed against my rib cage.

The guard stuttered. “That is-execution is mandated-”

Zarek rolled his eyes, as if the other alien was annoying him. “I have it on good authority that the alien she killed had an extensive history of physical abuse toward his assigned human females.”

The guard stiffened.

“I know we have spent many years disregarding guidelines surrounding abuse of human women during breeding,” Zarek continued. “But I will not allow this to continue.”

“That would place the deceased in violation of conduct law,” the guard said.

“Yes,” Zarek replied sharply. “And when an alien violates breeding law, if a human defends themselves, the sentence must be reassessed.”

His voice dropped. “How can we call ourselves the higher species when we cannot even control ourselves? When dealing with weak humans who possess only a quarter of our strength?”

Era’s confusion was now changed to pure shock.

The guard nodded. “Then… the sentence must be changed.”

Zarek nodded, “Get on with it.”

The guard’s voice boomed. “Sentence amended. Subject will be transferred to Earth under alien labor designation.”

Mika let out an audible sigh of relief.

Era stared at Zarek. “You’re sending me home?”

“You will live,” Zarek said. “But as a slave.”

Era shrugged, a small laugh escaping her. “Guess I don’t die today.”

“Escort her out,” Zarek ordered.

Era turned back to me and smiled.

“Don’t be stupid,” she whispered. “Survive.”

Zarek nodded toward Mika. “She will follow you out as well.”

Then, without looking at me, he gestured towards me. “My human stays.”

My human.

The doors slid shut behind Mika and Era.

I stood frozen, trying to process everything.

Zarek turned to me, his eyes travelling slowly over my body.

“You… you let her go,” I croaked.

“I did,” he said simply, his mouth twitching into a small smile.

Just then, the doors slid open.

“Zarek?” a voice called.

His smile vanished instantly and I turned to look at the door.

A female alien stood in the doorway. She was tall, at least a foot taller than me. Her skin was smooth and pearlescent, and her eyes glowed a brilliant amber.

She was impossibly beautiful. Her gaze landed on me, and disgust flickered across her face. She ignored me completely as she approached Zarek, stopping just in front of him.

“You missed dinner,” she said coolly. “My family waited over an hour.”

Zarek’s demeanor shifted instantly, he was now cold and distant.

“I was occupied,” he replied.

Her eyes narrowed. “Occupied with what?”

She looked at me again. “With… that thing?”

My cheeks burned a bright shade of red.

“Yes,” Zarek said, not looking at me. “Among other things.”

She sighed. “You should have informed me. My parents were not pleased.”

“I have been busy,” he said flatly.

She stepped closer. “Are you finished breeding with the human?”

The words hit me like a slap.

“I want a child soon,” she continued. “An alien child. For us.”

Rage flared hot and sharp.

“That is none of your business,” Zarek said.

“It is absolutely my business,” she snapped. “You cannot keep wasting time on damaged livestock.”

Her gaze dropped to my prosthetic.

“She is small,” the female alien said. “And broken.”

Zarek’s face fell, his expression now dark.

“That is enough, Vera,” he said quietly. “You will drop it. Now.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“You have been behaving strangely,” she said. “Ever since we arrived to this shitty sector.”

Zarek stepped closer to her, lowering his voice. “Leave. Now.”

They stared at each other in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

“This is not finished,” she said finally. “We will talk tonight.”

She turned sharply and marched from the room, her amber eyes glowing with fury.

I looked up at Zarek. “Who… who was that?”

“She is meant to be my wife one day,” he said.

I felt my hands tremble.

“Right,” I swallowed. “I’m the livestock meant to help her have a child.”

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming as he towered above me.

“She is wrong,” he said softly. “You are not livestock, Fenn.”

Chapter 9

The days passed slowly. It was always the same thing. Mika’s alien came every day. And every single time, Mika was a willing participant.

We received our food every day at the same time.

We were woken up at the same time.

I thought I might go mad.

As for Zarek-well, he simply stopped showing up.

I wasn’t overly familiar with alien hierarchies, but it had been made obvious to me that Zarek held some sort of powerful position.

It had been three weeks since Era had been let go. Three weeks of me simply sitting in my room alone.

Mika was now standing in the doorway of my room, her face beaming.

“They’re moving me,” Mika grinned.

“What?” I said in confusion. “Why?”

“I’m pregnant,” she said, clasping her hands together. “It’s a boy.”

“They can already tell?” I blinked. “We’ve only been here-”

She nodded. “Eighteen days. They can find out the gender pretty quickly. Some sort of alien technology. The best part is that we only have to be pregnant for three months.”

She sighed, her eyes lighting up. “Apparently, I get to move to a luxury suite. I even get…” She leaned forward for more effect.

“My… own… servant!” she squealed.

“Servant?” I squinted at her. “What?”

She nodded. “Yes! An alien servant.”

“What?” I said, my eyes wide. “They think we are the lesser species. Why would they have aliens serve humans?”

“Do you really think they would let us have human servants?” she laughed. “They want their own kind keeping an eye on us. The babies are very important to them.”

“Right,” I said flatly. I was already tired of hearing about her pregnancy.

“So,” she continued. “Once I have the baby, they take their little spawn, and then I have a rest period. Just relaxing in my luxury suite!”

“I’ve heard enough, Mika. I-” I began.

“Then,” she said, cutting me off, “I get to do it all again with a new alien. God, my current alien is… huge! By huge, I mean his dick is massive. Apparently, they are all massive. You just need to keep using that numbing cream, and then everything is fine.”

“You had to be numbed every single time?” My eyes widened.

She nodded. “I went to see the doctor every morning. Didn’t you?”

“I haven’t bred yet,” I said.

She gasped. “What?”

I shook my head.

“Does he not want to?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just want to get out of here, Mika.”

“You want to go back to the slums?” she laughed. “Not me.”

“Fuck this place,” I said, my eyes flashing. “Fuck every single alien on this godforsaken planet.”

“Oh, Fenn,” Mika said with a sigh. “You will love this place if you give it a chance.”

Then, without so much as a goodbye, she spun on her heel and left.

“You!” a voice ordered.

I turned to see an alien guard standing there.

Oh shit.

“Derogatory speech directed toward aliens is a violation of the Law,” he barked.

He was tall and wide and his eyes glowed a deep shade of red. He walked toward me, anger crossing his face.

He stopped just in front of me and looked down.

“It is punishable by death,” he said, a small smirk appearing on his face.

I refused to look scared. I wouldn’t be weak in front of him.

“Or,” he said, “an alien can choose to be lenient, and the punishment of death can be replaced with a lesser form of punishment.”

I swallowed, my heart thudding wildly.

He reached out and pulled on the fabric of my dress, dragging me forward and into the hallway.

“Hey!” I called out.

“Shut your mouth, human,” he growled. Then he pushed me backward, my back slamming against the wall. I cried out as the pain smashed into me.

“You’re not meant to hurt us,” I spat. “We’re meant to stay in perfect condition for breeding.”

He chuckled. “I will do what I please. You think you can speak about us however you wish? You are cattle. Replaceable.”

He leaned forward, his face so close that our noses almost touched.

“I could choke the life out of you right now and blame it on your friend,” he grunted. “No one would know. The cameras are being repaired today.”

“You are designed for one thing,” he said, releasing his grip on my dress and dragging his eyes down the length of my body, “and one thing only.”

He stepped forward and slipped his hand under my dress. I panicked and tried to step away. He growled and jerked me back toward the wall, slamming my back into it once more.

“What’s the matter?” he laughed.

“Get off of me!” I screamed.

His reaction was instant. He pulled his fist back and sent it flying toward my face. I heard the crunch. I felt the blinding pain. My vision blurred, and my body felt like it might collapse.

I heard him sigh, as if I had annoyed him. “It’s no fun fucking you if you lose consciousness. Then I can’t hear you beg for mercy.”

I felt my body falling to the floor as my vision faded. Then a new voice spoke.

“Kree!” it yelled. “What the hell have you done to the human? She’s meant to breed.”

I heard Kree reply, “She’ll be fine.”

“She’s meant to be for Zarek,” the other alien replied. “You idiot!”

“We’ll just put her in her bed and leave her there,” Kree said. “I’m not fucking her like this.”

Then I heard nothing more.

---

My eyes sprang open. I blinked, my blurry vision slowly clearing. I was lying on my bed. I tried to sit up, but pain smashed into my skull and along my spine. I waited a few more moments and then finally sat up.

That’s when the panic set in.

The last thing I remembered was the alien punching me in the face. He was going to-

I groaned and stood to my feet, stumbling toward the mirror. I gasped when I saw myself. One eye was almost swollen shut. My lip was split open. My mouth and nose were covered in dried blood.

“What the fuck?” I whispered. “That bastard.”

The door to my room sprang open, and I yelped in surprise. Was he coming back to do what he wanted with me? Now that I was awake? Now that I could beg for him not to touch me?

I turned, and there he was. In the doorway of the bathroom.

He stopped a few feet away from me.

Zarek.

His gaze moved slowly over my face. He examined each feature-my eye, my lip, the blood. His jaw tightened, and his eyes began to glow. I could see his posture shifting as his shoulders pulled back and his spine straightened.

He exhaled through his nose, closing his eyes for a few moments. It was like he was trying to regain control.

Still, he said nothing.

Instead, he stepped into the bathroom and stopped in front of me.

Up close, the intensity of him was almost unbearable. His eyes softened and stopped glowing. His expression was intense and focused, in a way that made me uneasy. He lifted one large hand and placed his fingers under my chin.

His touch was gentle and carefully controlled. He tilted my face toward the light, examining the injury. When his thumb brushed too close to my split lip, I winced.

He froze instantly, and his hand dropped.

Something dangerous flashed across his face. He turned his head slightly, jaw working, as though he were counting his breaths.

When he looked back at me, the anger was still there.

“Who did this?” he asked at last.

His voice was low and deep.

Before I could respond, he moved past me toward the small medical unit built into the wall. He tapped along the screen on the outside, and the door slid open to reveal its compartments. He began removing items-a roll of cloth, a vial of something clear, a metal instrument that hummed as he turned it on.

He gestured once toward my bed. I knew what that meant. He wanted me to sit.

I obeyed, walking from the bathroom and sitting on the edge of the bed. I winced as I sat down, the pain in my back making it hard not to slump.

“Is your back injured as well?” he asked.

I nodded.

He knelt in front of me, bringing himself level with my eyes, then soaked the cloth with the liquid. When he lifted it to my face, his movements were deliberately slow. He cleaned the dried blood away, pausing whenever I winced, adjusting the pressure based on my response.

His brow furrowed in concentration as he continued to clean away the blood. The swelling around my eye earned a low growl as he examined it.

His other hand came up then, gently tucking strands of hair behind my ears.

“You are under my protection,” he said quietly. “Whoever did this will pay.”

“Kree,” I managed to whisper.

He froze mid-motion, then he tucked one last strand of hair behind my ear. He stood and then sat on the bed next to me. He reached towards my back and pulled at the zipper. He tugged it downward until my entire back was exposed.

I held the front of the dress against my chest, to cover my breasts.

I felt his fingers tracing along my space, gently. Slowly. I winced slightly and he pulled away. Then, he zipped it back up again.

“The doctor will tend to you,” he said gently. “I will speak to her now.”

“No,” I shook my head. “I’m not seeing her again.”

He squinted at me. “Why not? She could ensure that you heal faster and provide you with pain relief.”

“I’d rather heal on my own,” I said weakly. Every time I spoke, it felt like a thousand needles pressing into my skull. “I don’t want to be touched by a traitor like her.”

I didn’t dare look at him as I spoke. Instead, my eyes stayed on the ground.

“Fine,” he grunted. “You will see a different one, then.”

I looked up-but he was already heading for the door, soon shutting it closed behind him.

Chapter 10

Only a few moments had passed before there was another sound at the door.

I sat on the edge of the bed, hands folded in my lap, waiting for the pain to come roaring back every time I moved my neck, head, or face.

The knock was light. Not the typical pounding that occurred when the guards were at the door.

It swung open, and in stepped the most beautiful alien I had seen yet.

She was tall and willowy, like some sort of whimsical creature from a fairytale. Her ears swept back elegantly and were adorned with bands of silver. Her eyes were a deep, luminous purple.

She smiled.

Like a real smile.

“Oh,” she breathed, like she had just discovered something wonderful. “You’re phenomenal.”

I blinked. “…Hello?”

She clasped her hands together. “I’m Vii. I’m a doctor. I hope you don’t mind, but I am going to treat your wounds.”

She didn’t wait for me to answer.

Her eyes examined me slowly, even the parts where I was not injured. She was looking at me like I was an animal in a zoo.

“I’ve only ever studied human physiology from videos and texts,” she said in amazement. “The human doctor is the only one who can treat the humans, you see.” She leaned forward, peering at my eye. “I never imagined the skin would bruise in gradients like that. Fascinating.”

“The way I bruise is fascinating?” I said.

“Immensely,” she mumbled, then pointed at my hair. “Is that coloration natural?”

I snorted. “Not the pink and blue, I dye that part.”

Her eyes widened. “You alter it… on purpose?”

“Yes,” I replied.

She looked flabbergasted. “Wow…”

Then she began to treat my wounds. She reached into a black bag that she had brought with her and retrieved a curved metal tool. She applied it to my skin. The moment it touched my lip, the pain vanished.

I gasped.

“Oh good,” she said happily. “That worked.”

Within minutes, the swelling was gone. My head felt clear. My body felt… light.

Then she motioned towards my back, “May I?”

I nodded and turned slightly and she pulled down the zipper of the dress. I felt something cold run along my spine, the pain subsiding almost instantly. She pulled the zipper back up again.

“There we go,” Vii said, stepping back with a smile. “Perfectly restored. Humans heal so inefficiently on their own.”

I touched my face. It felt smooth.

“Thank you,” I breathed.

She waved it off. “My pleasure. Truly. It’s not completely healed, but it’s not half as bad as it was before.”

Her eyes moved to my prosthetic leg and she squinted at it, “How old is that?”

I shrugged, “My father found an old one and repaired it with scrap metal.”

She knelt down and ran her fingers along it, clicking her tongue as she examined it, “Please excuse my language but this looks like shit.”

Then she tilted her head at me. “I was told to give you a message. You’ll be relocating.”

My hand froze mid-touch. “Relocating?”

“Yes. I’ve been asked to escort you.” She grinned as she stood back up. “How fun! I’ve never escorted a human before, but I need to head back that way anyway.”

I looked up at her. “Escort me where?”

She smiled again. “To the king’s home.”

I laughed. “I’m sorry-what?”

She tilted her head. “You’re moving to King-”

The door opened behind her, stopping her mid-sentence.

“Doctor,” Zarek said flatly. But he wasn’t even looking at her. He was staring at me.

Vii straightened instantly, all playfulness disappearing. She turned to him and bowed her head. “King Zarek.”

The word hit me hard.

A general, maybe. Some sort of military leader.

But king?

My stomach dropped.

The alien monarch was known for their brutality. Why had the king boarded a ship that was heading to the human colonies? Didn’t he have an entire planet to lead?

Zarek stepped toward me and knelt in front of me. He placed two fingers under my chin, moving my face from side to side as he assessed my injuries.

“Her condition?” he asked, his eyes still on me.

“Fully stabilized,” Vii reported. “No lasting damage. Pain receptors neutralized. She is in excellent health.”

He nodded once and pulled his hand away before standing to his feet.

I stared at him in disbelief.

He turned to the doctor. “I need you to escort her, as previously discussed. I know you are heading that way regardless. I will send some guards to follow.”

“Yes, sir,” Vii said, her face still serious.

“I trust you, Vii,” he said flatly. “But unfortunately, it appears that I can’t trust the guards employed in this facility.”

She nodded. “I understand.”

He turned to look at me once more, and then he was gone.

---

Moments later, I pulled on the black cape and fur-lined boots that we had worn the first time we left the ship.

Before I left, I wanted to say goodbye to Mika. I stepped out into the corridor and crossed the short distance to the next door.

“Mika?” I knocked.

The door slid open a few moments later. Mika stood there with a towel hanging around her naked body, her hair pulled back messily, her cheeks a bright red. Her alien was there, standing behind her, naked for all the world to see.

She was already pregnant-but it looked like he’d come back anyway. And I didn’t think Mika minded.

“Oh, hi,” she said. “I was just-”

“I’m leaving,” I blurted.

Her expression froze. “Leaving…?”

I nodded. “They’re moving me to another location.”

She squinted. “Where?”

“The king’s home,” I replied.

Her mouth fell open.

“The-who?” she demanded. She paused for a moment, then realization swept over her face. “Of course he is the king. I knew your alien wasn’t just some random soldier.”

I winced. “Apparently.”

Mika leaned forward. “What happened to your face?”

“A guard punched me,” I said flatly.

She pulled me into a fierce hug, her arms tight around my shoulders. “That’s terrifying.” Her towel slipped to the ground, leaving her completely naked, but I let her hug me anyway. She whispered into my hair, “Bastards.”

I smiled against her neck and then stepped back.

She reached out and cupped my face. “Stay safe.”

“I will,” I nodded.

We hugged once more, and then I turned back to Vii.

She was waiting in the corridor, her eyes shining. She must have loved seeing two humans interact. She grinned at me. “Ready?”

I nodded.

She led me through the facility until we reached a wide exit sealed with translucent panels. A group of guards followed closely behind us. She waved her hand in front of it, and the doors parted.

I stepped forward, and the cold slammed into me, seeping straight to my bones. Earth had never known cold like this. It had been dust and heat and sun-damaged soil. Even Earth’s winters were memories now, long gone with the ice caps.

For half a second, my body lifted.

Weightless.

“Oh shit!” Vii hissed, reaching for my legs and tugging me back. “I forgot your shoes don’t come with anti-gravity built in!”

She pulled me back inside, and the panels shut. She set me on the ground, and a guard rushed over to put metal cuffs on my feet.

“So sorry,” she said, patting my head as if I were a toddler. “Let’s try that again, shall we?”

She waved at the panels, and we stepped outside again.

I sucked in a breath as my feet left the ground. Then something tugged me back downward.

The ground was coated in pale ice and snow, with crystalline veins pulsing a soft blue beneath my feet. Jagged mountains sprang out from the horizon. And there they were again-three moons hanging above them.

I missed home.

Vii watched my reaction with interest. “Pretty, right?”

I didn’t answer.

The guards fell into position as we walked across the ice toward a sleek craft waiting nearby. It hovered just above the ground. Its surface shimmered under the light of the moons.

“This is a ground-skimmer,” Vii explained, patting the side.

The side of the craft opened, and one of the guards gestured. I climbed into the back beside Vii. The interior was warm, the curved seats molding around my body the moment I sat down.

The doors sealed shut.

The skimmer lifted, and my stomach fluttered. I turned to see the breeding facility shrink behind us.

I was moving further and further away from home.

We moved fast-faster than I knew was possible.

The terrain changed as we traveled. First, we navigated through open land. Strange vegetation dotted the landscape; tall crystalline plants swayed as we passed.

Then the horizon changed, and I spotted lights in the distance.

Soon we approached clusters of tall metal and glass buildings. They were smooth and sleek, just like the ground-skimmer. Skimmers like ours darted through the air at different levels, weaving between buildings.

I peered out the window at the city.

Massive structures curved across the sky instead of shooting straight up. They emerged from the ground as if they had been grown-not built.

“Oh,” I whispered.

Vii grinned at me. “You like it?”

I didn’t reply.

“We are in the heart of the planet,” she said. “The old bloodlines established this city when they first arrived.”

The skimmer eventually slowed and stopped. The tall, curved buildings became more spaced out until we were in the very center of the city.

In front of us stood a massive structure.

Curved spires rose from every corner, crystal-blue veins running through it, pulsing a bright blue.

The skimmer touched down silently in front of the entrance. The doors whizzed open.

Cold air rushed in, and I instantly felt my body shake.

“We’ll get you some better clothing,” Vii laughed. “You won’t last outside if we don’t.”

She was right. A human would never make it more than an hour in these conditions.

The guards exited first, falling into neat rows that led to the entrance. I stepped out of the skimmer and felt a wave of nausea hit me.

“You’ll acclimate to the skimmer as well,” Vii said lightly. “Do you want some anti-nausea medication?”

My pulse pounded. I was already over this.

“What I want,” I said, my eyes flashing as I looked up at her, “is to go home. Can you shut the fuck up? For two seconds?”

Vii blinked, shock crossing her face. But unlike the other aliens, she didn’t seem angry. Instead, she said nothing more. She walked toward the front doors, and I followed, my boots crunching along the snow.

The massive doors parted as she waved her arm in front of them. Inside, the space was open and wide. Smooth floors made of a metal-like material that resembled ice stretched beneath my feet. The ceilings were insanely high, and I could see three stories of balconies as I peered upward.

I stepped inside slowly.

And there he was. He’d managed to arrive before us.

“Hello Fenn,” Zarek said cooly. “Welcome home.”