Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

W illow's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry and her head pounding. She was strapped to another one of those portable stretchers, the cold metal biting into her skin. For a disorienting moment, she thought she was back on the space station where her ordeal had begun. Had it all been a dream?

But as her mind cleared, the memories came rushing back. She'd been on the ship, organizing the supplies as Malacar brought them in, when she'd heard a muffled thud outside. When she looked out, she had seen Malacar sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Her heart had leapt into her throat, but she'd assumed he'd simply tripped and rushed outside to check on him.

As she'd bent over him, checking for injuries, a sharp pain pierced her neck. The world had tilted, colors swirling together before everything went black.

She fought back a sudden wave of panic. Where was she? What had happened to Malacar and Sooni? And Wraith—did he even know she was gone?

She tugged at her restraints, but they held firm. Looking around frantically, she tried to figure out where she was. The stretcher was in one corner of a vast empty room, half hidden behind a partial wall. More partial walls, some collapsed, created a twisted maze across the floor. The upper part of the room was open and a row of windows circled it, high above the rusted metal walls. It looked like an abandoned warehouse.

She opened her mouth to call for help, then reconsidered. If her captors were close by, she didn't want to alert them that she was awake. She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. She'd thought she was safe, that her days of being a captive were over. How naive she'd been.

Fear threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced herself to take slow, deep breaths. She needed to stay calm, to think. Wraith would come for her—she had no doubts about that. Until then, she'd have to be strong. To survive.

A loud clang echoed through the warehouse, making her jump against her restraints, followed by another. A door. Heavy footsteps approached, and she held her breath, trying to quell her rising panic.

A figure emerged from the shadows and she had to fight back a scream. Tall and almost skeletally thin, he had blood red eyes and an odd round mouth filled with a double row of pointed yellow teeth.

Terror clawed at her throat, threatening to choke her. She swallowed hard, forcing it down. She couldn't let him see how afraid she was.

"Who are you? Why did you take me?" she demanded, proud that her voice only trembled slightly.

The male's mouth stretched into what might have been a smile, revealing even more rows of those shark-like teeth.

"You're a valuable piece of property," he said, his voice a gravelly rasp. "I'll be well rewarded for bringing you to my client."

Property? Rewarded by whom? She opened her mouth to ask, but he kept talking.

"Humans are quite rare, you know," he said, circling her stretcher like a predator stalking its prey. "Especially pretty little things like you."

His eyes gleamed with malice and something that wasn't exactly lust but sent an icy streak of terror down her back.

"The King of Farlain has a bounty on me too," she said quickly, her voice steadier than she felt.

The male's eyes narrowed, a flicker of interest crossing his face.

"How much?"

"I don't know," she admitted truthfully, hoping that might buy her some time.

He considered for a moment, then shrugged those thin shoulders.

"I'll inquire, but I doubt he can outbid my client."

Her mind reeled. Outbid a king? Who could possibly have that kind of wealth and power?

"Why me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why is everyone so interested in me?"

The male's lips curled into a cruel smirk.

"You are of no consequence, but you fit the client's specifications."

Another chill ran down her spine as he moved closer, red eyes roaming over her.

"The color of your hair, your eyes," he muttered, as if checking items off a list.

Without warning, he reached out, using his claws to tear her gown open and expose her to the chilly air.

"Your body," he said coldly, the look in his eyes making her shudder.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately not to cry. She'd never felt so utterly helpless. Think , she ordered herself, searching for some way out of this nightmare. The snippets of conversation she'd overheard on the space station flashed through her mind.

"Your buyers won't want me damaged," she said desperately.

He paused, red eyes narrowing. For a fleeting moment, hope fluttered in her chest. But then he shrugged, his expression indifferent.

"I have no intention of causing permanent damage," he said, his voice cold and detached. "I don't usually indulge, but I'm curious why human females are considered so… desirable."

Her stomach churned. Wraith …

"Wraith will come for me," she said defiantly.

The male's lips curled into a cruel smile.

"I hope so," he sneered. "I have a surprise planned for him."

Her blood ran cold. She believed in Wraith, believed that he'd try and find her, but now she feared for his safety as well. She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. She had to be strong, to survive until he came.

When she opened her eyes again, she met her captor's gaze with as much courage as she could muster. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

"The skin I understand," he murmured. "Delicate, unprotected, easy to mark."

She flinched as he touched her, cold fingers followed by a warm trickle of blood where his claws broke her skin. She was determined not to cry out, but she couldn't prevent the tears welling in her eyes.

"But this…" His voice trailed off as he toyed with one of her breasts, making her shudder in revulsion. "It's soft. Why does a female need such a thing?"

A whimper escaped her throat and she flushed with humiliation. His hands continued to roam, leaving behind an angry trail of scratches, and she flinched again as they passed over her stomach, his destination obvious.

"But perhaps softness is desirable in other locations, even though it wouldn't represent much of a challenge."

As she struggled uselessly against the restraints, a blur of motion caught her eye. Wraith materialized as if from thin air, his face a mask of cold fury. Her captor spun around, momentarily startled, but quickly regained his composure.

"Wraith," he sneered. "Come to join our little party?"

Wraith didn't respond. He simply lunged forward, his blades flashing in the dim light. The other male met him halfway, and the two collided in a brutal violent dance.

She watched helplessly, still straining against her bonds. The fight was fast, almost too quick for her eyes to follow. Wraith moved with deadly grace, but her captor matched him blow for blow. Her heart pounded as she saw Wraith stumble, the other male's claws raking across his chest.

For a terrifying moment, she thought it was over. But then Wraith spun, faster than she thought possible. His blade arced through the air, and a spray of dark liquid erupted from her captor's neck. His eyes widened in shock before he crumpled to the ground.

Wraith didn't even look at the fallen body. He rushed to her side, scanning her body for injuries. A haunted look crossed his face when he saw the blood on her chest, and his fingers hovered over the wounds, trembling slightly.

"Willow," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the vulnerability vanished from his expression. He cut through her restraints, wrapping the remnants of her dress around her before he pulled her into his arms. She burst into tears, her body shaking from the force of her sobs, and buried her face against his neck, inhaling his familiar scent, desperate for comfort.

A deafening roar suddenly filled the air and the warehouse erupted into flames. The heat hit her like a wall, but Wraith was already on the move, shielding her with his body as he raced through the maze of walls. The heat scorched her skin, the roar of flames surrounding them, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trusting him to carry her to safety.

They burst out into the cool night air, and she gulped it down gratefully. Wraith was breathing just as heavily but he didn't slow down, carrying her swiftly through the outskirts of the spaceport. In the distance, fire alarms blared, their shrill cries piercing the night.

He manipulated a device on his belt as they ran towards the ship. The landing ramp descended as they reached the ship, and he carried her rapidly up it. Sooni and Malacar were waiting anxiously at the entrance, Sooni's eyes wide and scared. Relief flooded through her at the sight of Malacar, bandaged but standing, and she gave Sooni a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, sweetie," she said quickly as Wraith kept going, carrying her straight to their cabin. She saw Malacar put his arm around the little girl as the cabin door closed behind them.

Wraith gently set her down, immediately checking her injuries. His face was pale, his eyes almost black with worry as they roamed over her body.

"They're just scratches," she assured him. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You were… in time."

He nodded abruptly, his jaw clenching as she gave him a worried look.

"What about you? I saw him claw your chest."

"I'm fine. We need to leave the planet immediately," he added, his voice tight.

"I understand."

He flashed her a quick unreadable look, then gently touched her cheek before hurrying out of the room.