too.
****
Jakara
felt like a blood traitor standing in one of the rooms reserved for clients to
look over the girls brought from the holding cells. This was where men waited
to hand-pick the women they wanted to use until they grew tired of them, or
until they sent them back here, broken and terrified to be touched. He had no
place here.
But
Eldon had explained that this was the only way to avoid all-out war. He had the
power to come here and demand Callie’s release, but it would start a chain
reaction that would end only in bloodshed. This was more risky, but in the long
run would do the least damage.
Callie
wouldn’t know Eldon, even without the ridiculous hood, and she wouldn’t
recognize him until he was able to remove his. She’d be so frightened, but
fortunately it would only be for a short time. And then he’d spend the rest of
his life making this up to her.
His
pulse raced as they heard footfalls. This had to work. A sour-looking woman dressed in green fatigues brought in close to a
dozen Earth women, and Jakara recoiled at the way they were dressed. Their hair
hadn’t been combed, and it was obvious they were frightened out of their minds.
This
was the fate he’d condemn her to if this plan failed. He and Eldon exchanged a
glance. None of these women were Callie. What if they didn’t bring her? How
would he or Eldon ask for her specifically without tipping their hand?
Finally,
the door opened again, and a second female guard brought her in. As soon as she
saw them she tried to back away, shaking her head. It was all Jakara could do not to run toward her and put his arms
around her. The woman yelled at her to behave and stand still. Jakara made
fists with his hands, pinning his arms to his sides.
Eldon
caught his eye and then glanced toward the ceiling. Jakara followed his gaze, spotting the camera. He made a show out of moving next to
each of the women, pretending to look them over, but inside he was screaming.
It was important to keep up the ruse, but Callie looked as though she would
faint any second now. His heart nearly burst from pain.
He
grabbed her arm, dying inside at her frightened moan. Her body stiffened, and
then her eyelids fluttered and her breathing became rapid. If he hadn’t held
her up she’d have fallen.
He
glanced toward Eldon. “This one.”
Eldon
nodded, and the others were herded out of the room. He and Eldon took Callie
out of the building. She barely resisted them, and Jakara knew she must be in
shock. They had to get her someplace where he could reveal himself to her so
she’d know she was safe.
Jakara’s
heart pounded as they approached Eldon’s ship. Would they be stopped? He didn’t
relax until they were inside and he placed Callie in the third chair and
buckled her in. Her eyes were closed tightly, and soft whimpers escaped her
throat. Jakara went to pull off his hood, but Eldon stopped him.
“ Wait until we are safely in the air.”
“ She’s going into shock. Can’t you see how frightened
she is?”
“ Then put her to sleep for the ride.”
He
didn’t want to do that, but it was in her best interests. He strode over to his
flight jacket and pulled a syringe out of the pocket, then squirted half the
liquid onto the floor. It wouldn’t take them longer than an hour to reach Sera,
and there was no hyper jump involved. She didn’t need to be asleep as long as
she’d been when he’d first brought her here.
Just
before he injected her arm, she opened her eyes and looked at him with the most
heart-wrenching plea imaginable on her face. It actually hurt to see the fear
in her eyes. Jakara didn’t care if Eldon disapproved. He would not put her to
sleep without her knowing she was safe.
He
leaned close and whispered in her ear. “Callie, it’s me. Jakara. You’re safe. Sleep now. And when you wake, we will be at our new home.” He
heard her soft gasp, and then he pushed the plunger down.
Chapter
Twelve
Callie
opened her eyes and sat up,
****
Jakara
felt like a blood traitor standing in one of the rooms reserved for clients to
look over the girls brought from the holding cells. This was where men waited
to hand-pick the women they wanted to use until they grew tired of them, or
until they sent them back here, broken and terrified to be touched. He had no
place here.
But
Eldon had explained that this was the only way to avoid all-out war. He had the
power to come here and demand Callie’s release, but it would start a chain
reaction that would end only in bloodshed. This was more risky, but in the long
run would do the least damage.
Callie
wouldn’t know Eldon, even without the ridiculous hood, and she wouldn’t
recognize him until he was able to remove his. She’d be so frightened, but
fortunately it would only be for a short time. And then he’d spend the rest of
his life making this up to her.
His
pulse raced as they heard footfalls. This had to work. A sour-looking woman dressed in green fatigues brought in close to a
dozen Earth women, and Jakara recoiled at the way they were dressed. Their hair
hadn’t been combed, and it was obvious they were frightened out of their minds.
This
was the fate he’d condemn her to if this plan failed. He and Eldon exchanged a
glance. None of these women were Callie. What if they didn’t bring her? How
would he or Eldon ask for her specifically without tipping their hand?
Finally,
the door opened again, and a second female guard brought her in. As soon as she
saw them she tried to back away, shaking her head. It was all Jakara could do not to run toward her and put his arms
around her. The woman yelled at her to behave and stand still. Jakara made
fists with his hands, pinning his arms to his sides.
Eldon
caught his eye and then glanced toward the ceiling. Jakara followed his gaze, spotting the camera. He made a show out of moving next to
each of the women, pretending to look them over, but inside he was screaming.
It was important to keep up the ruse, but Callie looked as though she would
faint any second now. His heart nearly burst from pain.
He
grabbed her arm, dying inside at her frightened moan. Her body stiffened, and
then her eyelids fluttered and her breathing became rapid. If he hadn’t held
her up she’d have fallen.
He
glanced toward Eldon. “This one.”
Eldon
nodded, and the others were herded out of the room. He and Eldon took Callie
out of the building. She barely resisted them, and Jakara knew she must be in
shock. They had to get her someplace where he could reveal himself to her so
she’d know she was safe.
Jakara’s
heart pounded as they approached Eldon’s ship. Would they be stopped? He didn’t
relax until they were inside and he placed Callie in the third chair and
buckled her in. Her eyes were closed tightly, and soft whimpers escaped her
throat. Jakara went to pull off his hood, but Eldon stopped him.
“ Wait until we are safely in the air.”
“ She’s going into shock. Can’t you see how frightened
she is?”
“ Then put her to sleep for the ride.”
He
didn’t want to do that, but it was in her best interests. He strode over to his
flight jacket and pulled a syringe out of the pocket, then squirted half the
liquid onto the floor. It wouldn’t take them longer than an hour to reach Sera,
and there was no hyper jump involved. She didn’t need to be asleep as long as
she’d been when he’d first brought her here.
Just
before he injected her arm, she opened her eyes and looked at him with the most
heart-wrenching plea imaginable on her face. It actually hurt to see the fear
in her eyes. Jakara didn’t care if Eldon disapproved. He would not put her to
sleep without her knowing she was safe.
He
leaned close and whispered in her ear. “Callie, it’s me. Jakara. You’re safe. Sleep now. And when you wake, we will be at our new home.” He
heard her soft gasp, and then he pushed the plunger down.
Chapter
Twelve
Callie
opened her eyes and sat up,
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