I didn’t even take the time to notice what everyone else ate.
By the time dinner was over, I was stuffed. I took the candy bar and hesitantly passed it to Coltan.
“May I save this for later, Master?” I asked, and he nodded, taking it and putting it in his pocket. I grinned, but quickly dropped my gaze at noticing some other Vakarrans pointing in my direction.
The great big dining hall would quiet for a minute and then the whispers would begin again. I began to feel uneasy. I could feel more fingers pointing at me, heard my name several times and then the sound of several loud footsteps walking into the room made everyone go silent. I was getting a bad feeling about what was going to happen next.
“Kira Stryke. I’m so pleased to finally meet your acquaintance,” a loud male voice echoed into the ensuing silence.
Shit.
“First battalion, I congratulate you on conquering public enemy number one. I’ll have to reward the four of you for finally capturing the human who killed our brethren, my own close personal friends. I hope you’ve taught the traitor a lesson or two in obedience in the time you’ve had her,” he continued.
Double shit.
I bit my lip and kept my eyes glued to the floor. I stayed next to Coltan and my men, noticing that all of them had tensed up as well. Whoever this man was, they didn’t like him either.
“Who is that,” I ventured timidly, using the link only the five of us shared.
“Strohass,” Aedan answered angrily.
The four of them stood and took a small bow as a large Vakarran male walked up to them. I followed suit, only I dropped to the floor on my knees and placed my forehead on the floor, just like my men had taught me. My heart was pounding in my chest, the sound echoing in my ears.
“Stand up. I want to see the rebel up close,” Strohass said.
I moved quickly to obey. I pushed myself back up to my feet and crossed my arms behind my back. Strohass reached out and grabbed my chin and I forced myself not to recoil away from his touch. He made me look at him. Bastard.
His touch wasn’t gentle, his pointed fingernails pricking into my skin, but I guessed that he was doing that on purpose.
He looked like he wanted to make a meal of me, and not in a good way. The more we locked eyes, the surer I became that he wanted me dead. I shivered inside. This was the type of Vakarran I’d heard so many terrible rumors about over the years. This man scared me.
Alarm bells tolled in my head. I had to get away from him.
His eyes perused up and down my body. It made me feel dirty. Unclean. Shivering with disgust, I did my best to stay still.
“She’s fucking gorgeous. What I wouldn’t give to fuck her tight little cunt and punish her for every single thing she’s done wrong in her life,” he grinned wickedly.
He glared at me and I dropped my eyes, feeling his malice practically drip from his skin. He wanted to hurt me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted me dead.
“For a human, she’s better than I’ve ever had,” Zaavyr responded hesitantly, his body tensing as he stepped toward Strohass.
My four captors moved around me, potentially sensing that this situation could turn dangerous for me at any moment.
“Did you fucking like it when you killed them? When you tore your knife through my comrade’s throat like it was a stick of butter? Huh?” Strohass growled.
My tongue felt like cotton in my throat, but my answer rose to my lips unbidden. My anger surged, and I couldn’t stop myself from fighting back. It wasn’t in my nature. Deep inside, I would always and forever be a rebel. I was a leader. I didn’t bow to scum like Strohass.
“Yes,” I whispered courageously.
Everyone around me froze. I lifted my chin in defiance. I wouldn’t be bullied by the likes of Strohass. My four men would punish me, and I would take whatever they gave me. I knew the laws because my Vakarran captors had trained me. This man couldn’t touch me. Only my masters could. I was their property. Only theirs and despite my deep-seated hatred of the Vakarran race, I trusted them not to hurt me.
Strohass’ purple skin darkened and turned the color of rancid wine. I could practically see his black blood pulsating in his veins.
“I can see she is too much for you men to handle, first battalion. I’ll have to train her myself and break her of her wild ways. I invoke chapter two, bylaw one hundred and two. This human female is now mine. I claim her as my own and I will sentence her and punish her for her terrible behavior. I will carry out her sentence tomorrow. See to it that she is delivered to my chambers tomorrow by noon. You can rest easy tomorrow night, first battalion. No longer is Kira Stryke your problem,” Strohass roared and I shook on the floor in front of him.
What the fuck did that mean?
His arm swung out of the corner of my vision and the back of his hand slammed into my cheek. The slap was so unexpectedly hard that the power of it threw me to the floor. My palms slapped against the metal floor and I cried out in pain. I touched my cheek slowly, the pain radiating across my face.