“We’re going to figure it out,” he said. “No one is going to make you do something you don’t want to do.”
His statement had the opposite effect in comforting me. Instead, I just felt angry.
“You’re going to figure it out. Just like you figured out how to make me not need your blood. Just like how you took me from Earth because you couldn't figure out how to keep me safe from the Khonsu when you were the ones who brought me to their attention in the first place. You figured out that I must have been unhappy in my life on Earth, and that I needed to be in your life. Just like you figured out the fact that I was the special human who could birth Vepar humans in the first place. You guys have really done a good job of figuring things out…,” I was almost screaming by the end, and the guys all looked shell shocked. It was the most emotion that I had shown to them.
Corran sank to his knees in front of the bed, crossing an arm across his heart. “I swear to you Ella, we will make this right. We’ll protect you even if it costs us everything.”
Thane and Derrial slid off the bed and sank down to their knees next to Corran, making the same arm motion.
I refused to let their vow mean anything to me. They had already let me down. They had already ruined my life. There was nothing they could do to make up for it.
“I’d like to go back now,” I said, even as my stomach sunk at the thought of being back in the cell. It said a lot for how upset I was that I would rather be back in a cell surrounded by monsters, starving, than be around the three of them.
The guys exchanged looks after they got off their knees. I was handed a new dress to put on. I guess the hut didn’t include the nifty changing cylinder. Corran and Thane left the room. Derrial and I were quiet as we both got dressed. There was no trace of the affection and ease that had been present between us earlier.
We walked out to where Thane and Corran were waiting solemnly. Derrial swiped his hand across the wall of the structure and it shrank before my eyes, disappearing into the black disk once again. Derrial pocketed the disk and turned back to us.
I felt a touch on my shoulder. “Talk to us,” said Thane, his voice sounding almost desperate.
“I have nothing to say. There’s nothing you can do to make this better.”
Thane sighed and ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. He looked at Derrial. “Did anyone see you getting her out of there?”
Derrial scoffed, his arrogance showing itself. “Is that even a real question?” he asked.
Thane rolled his eyes. “Let’s go,” he said to Corran. They both looked at me. “I guess it’s too much to ask for a goodbye?” Thane said.
I turned my attention to the ground resolutely, my emotions feeling ravaged at the moment.
“Just let her be,” said Corran. There was a faint buzzing sound that made me look up. To my surprise Corran and Thane were gone.
More cool Vepar technology.
“Let’s get you back,” said Derrial stiffly. I knew his feelings were probably feeling a bit hurt at my cold shoulder, but what did he expect?
“I’m going to have to touch you to get you back without anyone noticing. Try not to bite my head off,” he said sarcastically.
I humphed and reluctantly moved closer to him. I watched as Derrial turned into nothing but a blur. He wrapped his arms around me like he had before and I felt that sense of weightlessness.
We set off the way we had come. Nothing held quite the same wonder as it had before. All I could think was that this was probably the end. This would be the last time that I felt real air, the last time that I would see daylight.
I wondered how many times I would have to get pregnant if the fertility procedures worked. Enough that my body would probably be too tired and worn out to have my own kids.
Not that I would even have that opportunity. Even if somehow I was let go eventually, I was confident I would be so used and abused that I wouldn’t even be like a human anymore.
I literally had nothing to look forward to in life. It was all over.
We were back to my cell before I knew it. Derrial disabled the fake me who had still been on the cot, pretending to sleep, and then he let me go. I sank down gratefully on my cot, the nausea hitting me hard. I leaned over, trying to stop myself from throwing up again. After a minute, the nausea passed. I looked up wearily and saw that the blurred Derrial was still floating in front of me.
“You can leave now,” I hissed, keeping my voice down so I didn’t attract attention. His face appeared. “I promise we’ll make this right,” he said. I just shook my head, a tear escaping from my eye. I laid down on the cot. I felt Derrial’s hand stroke my cheek briefly, but when my eyes opened, he was gone.
I stared up at the ceiling, listening to the screams and moans of the prisoners around me. Their noses were the perfect soundtrack to my shitty life.
I closed my eyes. It was time to await my fate.