Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

BrOdByc

Brode knew that trust would be hard-earned. His mate had been kidnapped, sold, and her sister taken from her. No, he would need to give her many small reasons to trust him before he could ask for more.

He glanced at the water monitor. Pointing, he explained to Casey, "The bathing pool monitors impurities. Once the dial moves into the red zone, all the gel will be dissolved and disposed of. You asked how long you were unconscious. It was about fifteen minutes in the hovercraft, five minutes in the med bay, and we've been in the pool for about thirty minutes."

"Less than an hour. It feels like more." Her sigh filled him with compassion.

Casey sat up straight. Her body was tense, her face remained pale. The sprinkling of freckles over her nose intrigued him. Her beautiful blue eyes followed his every movement. As if waiting for him to pounce on her.

Brode explained before she asked him. "We have about another hour in here." Slowly, carefully, he leaned back in his seat and relaxed his body. Hoping that she would follow his lead. "Ask me any questions you have and if I know the answer, I will tell you. But first, may I ask something of you?" Brode intended to stay on his side of the pool. Hoping to give her enough room that she would feel safe. Comfortable.

"What do you want to know?" Raising one hand, she touched her hair and wrinkled her nose.

"I washed it when we first got in the water. I tried to clear away the obvious bits. If you like, I could wash it for you again now that I can use two hands. Are you hungry? Thirsty? I can have something brought into the room," he offered.

She smiled at him and let her shoulders relax, just a little. "I am thirsty. It feels like days since I've had any water to drink." Casey rubbed her throat. "And I screamed a lot, so it feels raw. I can wait to eat until we get out of the water. I might take you up on shampooing my hair. For at least five days, I was in a cell on the alien ship and it's pretty dirty." She shrugged. "It might have been longer. I don't know how long they held us before inserting the translator."

Using the connection with one of his brothers, he requested water for them both. Then returned his attention to Casey. "When I noted that the compliance pool caused you a great deal of pain—you said something about it wasn't supposed to hurt, but because you are a medical unicorn … it hit you wrong. What does a horned horse have to do with this? And how can you be one? I didn't realize that Earthers could shift forms."

Casey burst out laughing. "Oh, my hell. A unicorn is a unique and mythical animal. When I say I am a medical unicorn, it means that medically… I am unique… and, well, mythical. My body doesn't respond to medicine or any drug the way it should . The way others react. It was that way back home and seems to be that way here. When I'm given a sedative for surgery, one that is supposed to keep me asleep during the procedure—it doesn't. Those red aliens gave me something to knock me out, then put in the translator. I woke before they finished and listened to their plans. The compliance pool was supposed to make me horny. It did, for a few moments. Then everything started to hurt. Until the pain became too much to bear."

Brode frowned. "That could be dangerous for you."

She snorted. "Yes. When I was young, I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a rare form of the disease that was extremely uncommon in girls my age. It was difficult to find a medicine that would work for me. The drugs either reacted in a way no one expected or didn't work for me when they did for everyone else. My doctors were constantly saying things like… it isn't supposed to do that . Or… I've never seen this before . So, they labeled me a medical unicorn."

She would always be at risk. For a moment, his thoughts spiraled. Thinking about what this would mean for his mate. He couldn't concentrate on that now. He held up his hand, feeling his brother approach. "The door will open in a moment. Don't be afraid. It is one of my brothers."

Casey swung around and moved further from the door just before it hissed and slid wide.

BeOBard walked through and tipped his head at Brode's woman in respect. Leaving several bottles of water, he left without speaking.

Glancing at Casey, he was glad to see her relax even more when his brother left. Then he saw her frown.

"He looks exactly like you. Except he's red and you are green. How many brothers do you have?" she sounded confused.

He smiled. "I have nineteen brothers. And yes, we look alike. Except each of us has a different color of skin, and our armbands are in unique patterns. It isn't difficult to tell us apart. We have our own thoughts and feelings. Our own abilities. Yet, we are clones. Our DNA was taken from the same father over a period of many years. I am the second oldest. The only one older than I am is the captain."

Grinning, Casey nodded. "My sister, Cameron, is my twin. We are identical, yet very different. I am five minutes older than Cammy. Is your captain going to be okay with me being here?"

"Our captain helped rescue you. Captain Bao stayed behind with another brother to see if they could discover who bought you from the Siloth and figure out what is happening. The planet Viant is one of the oldest members of the galactic alliance. Our most sacred law governs consent. Slavery is illegal, as are conscripted pleasure masters. Viant has long declared itself to employ only voluntary sex workers. Seeing you, breathing air thick with a local aphrodisiac flower, and watching them use the compliance pool… negates our belief that the women on Viant are here under their own free will."

Frowning, Casey sighed. "I don't think free will is working well for them. The monitor is red. Do we just go traipsing through the halls naked and wet… or stay in here until we shrivel up and drown?"