Chapter 2

" A T-bone medium well with homemade macaroni and steamed broccoli." Okay, it’s not breakfasty, but it'll be packed with protein, carbs, iron, and strength so I can get the fuck outta here.

A soft ping, then a white plate piled with aromatic food appeared in the alcove.

"Shit. Now this is cooking I can get behind." A fork appeared next to the plate, but I also needed a knife. Could this clone thingy create gadgets like that? I mean, I needed to cut the steak.

“Can you create a knife for the steak?” I held my breath, then a neutral voice spoke, but not in English. Nothing materialized in the alcove.

Well, damn. It was worth a try.

The scents of smoked meat, melted cheese, and broccoli filled the air. My stomach rumbled. I didn't know if it would taste as good as it looked, but that didn't matter. So long as it gave me energy for what I had planned, I'd eat it.

Grabbing the plate and fork, I sat on the floor and cradled the food on my thighs. Volderens must not use furniture. Maybe I should've worried about poison or drugs in the food, but that seemed silly. These aliens were obviously far more sophisticated than humans, so why stoop to such barbaric means?

No, they could've killed me at any point, but they didn't, which meant they did want me alive, and once I figured out how, I'd negotiate for my freedom. Or escape. Whatever seemed the best course of action.

The first bite of macaroni and cheese hit my tastebuds, and I moaned. Oh my God. This is the best thing I've ever eaten. I shoveled more into my mouth. If they were watching, I hoped my lack of manners would disgust them, and they'd send me home.

I scraped every bit of creamy cheese sauce from the plate, then started on the broccoli, which also did not disappoint.

"Don't worry. I'll get to you next," I said through a mouthful. One food at a time is how I'd always enjoyed my meals. It made it easier to savor the flavors.

I debated trying to get the replicator to create a knife once again but decided against it. They were probably watching me. But I can do something with the fork if I can keep it hidden.

Grabbing the warm meat with both hands, I bit a piece and ripped it away with my teeth. Juice ran down my chin and my hands. I tried not to chuckle at the sight I probably made; a grown-ass woman biting steak with her teeth like a savage neanderthal. The meat, tender to the point of perfection, also ranked high on my foodie list.

If I make it back home, I'll never enjoy any of these foods again.

After several minutes, with the plate clean, I stood and stretched, slipping the fork into the waistband of my underwear since the pajamas didn't have pockets. Casually, I raised my arms and stretched deeper, scanning the area for anything that might've been a camera.

But there was nothing besides the screen, replicator, the couch, and a small bed.

Do these guys even sleep, because there's no way they'd fit in that thing.

An even worse thought followed. This is a cage, and they'll keep me locked away forever.

Those wings of panic rose but I mentally shoved them away. My survival meant going along with whatever these jerks had planned and finding some way out.

Obviously, they didn't want to kill me—at least, not yet—which meant they needed me. Yeah, they need you for mating, Lilly.

I shoved that mental picture away. As long as I had something to offer, I had a chance.

But what happens when they're finished with me?

No. I couldn't think like that.

What did Baraxen say? Eat, clean up, and rest.

"Got the first part done." Breathing deeply, I strode to the folding screen and looked behind it.

A small tub, reminiscent of the deep porcelain baths of the old days, sat on clawed feet. No pipes showed anywhere, but a spigot jutted from the end. "How do I turn this thing on?"

I perched on the edge. You'd think with all the alien technology they had; they'd have come up with a better way to clean their skin.

Then again, they’re in the business of abducting human women. Maybe the bath is a replica to make their slaves more comfortable.

Inwardly, I shuddered. This had to be a dream.

The porcelain should've been cold, but it radiated warmth under my touch. Reaching out, I ran an index finger over the silver spigot. At my touch, water began gushing into the tub. Though there was no discernable stopper, but the liquid didn't drain away.

"Where’s the soap and shampoo?"

A shelf slid from the wall, and a basket materialized. Inside sat a bar of pink soap, a loofah, and a clear bottle of yellow liquid, which I guessed to be shampoo.

If I hadn't been kidnapped, I would've probably enjoyed these things appearing at my whim. However, knowing my freedom lay on the line tempered my excitement. I'm nothing more than a game piece to these beings, that's it. They probably see me as a wild, dirty animal. No wonder they want me to take a bath.

A rebellious streak rose within to refuse everything they’d asked, but I tamped it down. Play the game, get home. It's really that simple.

But deep fear churned in my gut. I'd always thought the most dangerous part of living alone would be someone breaking into the house, not being taken hostage by otherworldly creeps.

Still. Everything that had happened could be an elaborate fantasy created by my mind. How many times had my dreams seemed real, especially when Jeremy visited after death.

No, I didn't need to dwell on him. He was gone and I wasn't. I'd be strong; I would live.

Straightening my shoulders, I began stripping. "If you're watching, enjoy the show, creeps." I didn't know if they could see me and I didn't care. Modesty had never been a major concern. My body wasn't perfect, but Jeremy had always treated me like a goddess, and that confidence carried through even after his death.

I deftly slipped the fork into the messy clothing pile, then tested the water with a finger. Not too hot or too cold. The faucet still ran, and I gripped the edge and slid inside.

With a quick hiss, the water stopped. My weight or some other alien technology had forced it to stop. They might think they were winning me over, but I wouldn't hesitate to fight naked if it came down to it. If their aim was to disconcert me, they’d be sadly mistaken.

I sat in the water, listening for any signs of movement or whoosh from the entryway.

Nothing. Utter silence, except for a low drone vibrating from underneath.

Satisfied I truly had privacy, I leaned against the tub.

A meal and a bath within an hour of being kidnapped. What kind of abductors are these guys?

I remembered the ones asleep on those tables. Was that my fate? To be put under and experimented on? What if my idea of mating was nothing like theirs?

"What are you doing?" growled a voice from behind the screen.

My entire body jerked in startlement, sending water sloshing over the tub. The gravelly voice told me Voren—the alien who scared me much more than Baraxen—must've snuck inside.

"What does it sound like I'm doing?" I said, keeping my tone even, my words steady.

He stomped around the screen and came into view. His golden eyes burned with anger or something close. "You were supposed to get suited up." He tossed a square package onto the floor. "Not lounge around like a queen."

I wanted to shrivel under his stare, to dunk myself in the water and hide until he left.

Instead, I shrugged. "Brax told me to eat, bathe, and change." With exaggerated slowness, I grabbed the bar of soap and began rubbing it in my hands for lather.

Voren stepped closer, the scowl turning his lips downward, making his face even angrier than before. His booted foot stepped on my pajamas and underwear, where the fork hid.

A moment of panic flew through my chest. If he finds it, I'm doomed.

His hand reached out faster than I could follow, and he grabbed the hair at my nape.

I stopped breathing. His grip wasn't exactly painful, but it wasn't comfortable, either.

He leaned down, bringing himself so close, pushing his cheek next to mine. "Do you know how easily the human body breaks?"

Licking my lips, I couldn't stop staring at the black horns flanking his forehead. Their tips look sharp.

"Do you?" His tongue flicked out as he spoke, revealing the split at the end.

"Well, we do break pretty easy. I once fractured my tailbone in a fall. Hurt like a bitch for months." I smiled, hoping it didn’t look like a grimace. "Seems like Volderens can break, too, especially in their crotch area."

He continued staring at me. His eyelids narrowed. "Why are you not afraid?"

Was he fucking kidding? He terrified me.

"I lived in fear all my life until I met my husband. He showed me only weak men hurt others."

"Are you insinuating I'm weak?" He tilted his head and lowered his gaze to my chest.

I glanced down. My nipples hardened, and I fought an urge to cover them.

"Well, you're not a man, so I can’t say for sure."

His attention shot to my face. "That's a blessing for both of us."

I frowned, trying to figure out what he meant.

With a low growl, he released my hair and stood. "Lean forward."

"Wh-what?" The sudden change of his position and mood confused me.

"Lean. Forward. If I have to say it again, I will punish you."

The ominous tone of his voice sent goosebumps along my skin. " Punish me? Like a spanking?" My smart-ass mouth had always gotten me in trouble, and I immediately regretted my words.

"If you don't lean forward right now, you'll find out."

I hated myself for it, but I did as he demanded. Squeezing my eyes shut, I mentally braced myself for a punch or something worse and wrapped my arms around my bent knees.

Being naked in a tub didn’t bother me like the thought of being hit.

The soft swish of clothing rubbing together sighed through the silence, telling me Voren positioned himself at my back.

"Humans are filthy. You carry a plethora of bacteria and viruses. My brother was not wrong instructing you to bathe."

Something soft trailed across my exposed skin and I shivered. He lifted the hair from my nape, then pushed a muscled arm next to my side to retrieve the soap.

Is he going to…wash me? The thought seemed preposterous and crazy and ridiculous, yet I didn't know what else to make of his actions. Why am I not fighting harder?

His touch was nothing like his gruff personality; it trailed across my flesh with tenderness.

"Tell me, where is this husband you speak of?"

"Dead." My voice carried no emotion, even though my chest gave a painful squeeze.

"Good," Voren said.

A hot rush of fury flared through my veins. Unable to stop myself, I twisted around to face my abductor.

"How dare you." The fury kept building at his words, at my helplessness, at my shattered life. "You talk about filthy humans? What about disgusting alien creeps who steal women in the night like animals? You didn't know him. You're nothing like him. He was kind, he was loyal, and he loved me." I balled my fist and punched.

He didn't try to duck or grab my arm. Instead, he stared at me, as if waiting for contact.

My fist found his face, and a resounding smack filled the air. The shockwave traveled up my wrist and into my upper arm. I at once pulled my arm away and twisted around, putting as much distance as possible between him and me.

So much for playing the calm, cool, trustworthy prisoner.

His chest steadily rose and fell with each breath, and his expression remained placid, but a darker area of purple spread near his nose, under his cheekbone.

Only the sounds of my breathing and the low hum of the ship filled the air.

With grace, he stood, dropping the bar of soap into the water. "You will not do that again." His voice lost the arrogant aggression it held earlier. He bent and scooped the square package. "When you finish, put this on and walk to the door. Baraxen will be waiting. The timetable has been altered."

"What?" I had no clue what he was talking about. First, they tell me to eat, bathe, relax, and now they're busting in and hurrying me along? "Why do I care?"

"Because if you don't help us, all those humans—" He indicated the door hidden by the screen. "—will die."

Damn. There was more at stake than just my life. I would not put those people at risk by disobeying. There had to be a way out of this, a way for me to save myself and my fellow humans.

With a deep breath, I nodded. With a hand on either side of the tub, I pushed myself up to stand. Water cascaded down my breasts and legs.

His glance slowly roved my naked flesh. He flicked his pink, forked tongue against his top lip.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." I should've been grossed out by his possessive stare. Instead, a tiny part of me perked up at his obvious interest. I hadn't been touched by a man in two years, not since Jeremy, and sometimes, during the deep dark of night, I yearned for that contact once more. Not just the sex, but the closeness—the connection—once more.

"You have a sassy mouth for a human." His attention snapped to lips. "Why are you not scared of me?"

Oh, I am, just not as much as I probably should be . "You haven't hurt me. Other than being sadistic kidnapper, you haven't done much to actually prove you're evil." I gave him a smile, hoping it looked real this time.

He caressed a horn, his fingers rubbing the smooth black surface in circles. My lower belly tightened, and I had to focus on not squeezing my legs together. An image of his hand between my thighs, nudging me to climax, forced me to drag my attention away from his long, slim fingers. I don't know if he even realized what he was doing.

What in the fucking hell is wrong with me? I should not be having sexual thoughts about my abductor. He’s an alien and a criminal.

"Well?" I asked, making a shooing motion. "Do you expect me to get dressed in front of you, too?"

"I smell your essence, your lust." He moved his fingers from his horn and settled his hand on his hip.

His words sent a thrill of danger and desire through my bones and a flash of embarrassment to my cheeks. My throat closed up, leaving me unable to give a suitable retort.

Luckily, I was saved.

The door opened with a hiss. Footsteps approached.

Voren gave me one last unreadable glance before turning away. "She's almost ready."

Baraxen came into view and froze, his gaze riveted to my physique for two seconds until he forced his attention to my face. He swallowed, then quickly turned his head toward his brother.

These aliens are so goddamn weird. It's like they have no clue about privacy or how to act around humans.

"She's…" Brax cleared his throat. "She's not clothed."

"Insightful observation." Voren's words were sarcasm lace with a hint of humor.

Brax snatched the clothing package from Voren and held it to me. "Put these on. We're about to engage the enemy."

"Wait. What's going on?” I grabbed the dark gray jumpsuit and stepped out of the tub, water pooling at my toes. There were no towels, so I slid into the clothing, which was a tight fit, especially with wet skin. "Who's the enemy?" I had no desire to be on an alien spaceship while they battled whatever else was out there.

"Your people." Voren continued facing his brother even though the words were for me.

My people? Rescue. I could get rescued. The idea sounded though. First, how would they even know I'd been abducted? Second, how could anyone on Earth compete with the technology here? Third, why would they—Voren and Baraxen—bother telling me?

Maybe it's a ruse to see how I'll react.

Boom! A terrible rumble shook the walls and floor.

"Get her in the med bay. Quick," Voren said, shoving me into Baraxen. "I'll hold them off until we can get a tunnel opened."

"Hey! You can't—"

"Go, Vor. Get the ship ready." Baraxen grabbed my wrist, pulling me behind him. "Ner vani vru pasen."

Voren responded with two words or syllables that were more grunt than language. A bright flash of light appeared in the ceiling, and he disappeared.

Brax continued dragging me away, but I couldn't ignore the spot where we’d stood moments before. This can't be a dream. I'm not that creative when it comes to making things up.

Another shudder ran through the ship. Blaring alarms sounded as we stepped through the sliding door and into a corridor.

Brax broke into a run, forcing me into a sprint to keep from falling on my face.

Another alien ran from the opposite direction, her skin a deep blue. She wore a black leather jerkin, tight white pants, and carried a lightning rod in her hand.

"Nerini vu marethenanie pasen?" she asked, her voice lighter and more musical than the males of her species.

With a brief nod, Brax pointed behind us but never slowed down.

My lungs burned and my leg muscles tightened in protest. I hadn't exercised in over two years, other than the occasional walk outside to gather wood for the fireplace or down the driveway for a once-monthly grocery trip by car.

"Why are we running? Your brother transported or whatever the hell you call it."

"Because if we were to upload you right now, they'd recognize your DNA."

"What…" My head swam with darkness coalescing inside. Nothing he said made sense. Hell, nothing that happened recently made sense. "I…I need to rest. Please," I gasped, unable to move my feet fast enough.

"Just a little bit farther." He gave my palm a squeeze but didn't reduce his pace.

"Can't." My legs buckled and I stumbled. Darkness fell like a blanket of stars and night.