Survivor Planet III by Juliet Cardin

me.
    â€œMaybe I’ll let you return to your precious Ayres. Although, you won’t be quite the same way he remembered.”
    His nasty look spoke volumes. He would rape me, beat me, and send me back to Ayres in a bloody, half-dead heap.
    I met his gaze, challenging him. “Then he would have nothing to lose, would he? And that would make him a very dangerous man. You want to spend the rest of your life on the run? Always looking over your shoulder? ’Cause know this, there will be no peace. No mercy.”
    He shrugged his shoulders. “We’ll see.”
    Then he reached for me again.

Chapter 18
    As the dirty, vile pig began pawing at my clothes, something happened to me. My head grew dizzy and my vision began to blur. Light danced before my eyes and pictures flashed round at record speed in my mind. Not Lara’s life, but my own. The life I’d shared with Ayres. All the way from the beginning when I’d first thought myself mad, through to the last moment we were together. I could see his face as clearly as if he were with me now. A feeling of peace and contentment washed over me. Almost as though Ayres held me in his arms. I no longer felt alone with a sadistic madman.
    Forcing myself into the present, I concentrated on the man before me. The man who had denied me and the man I loved, not to mention so many others, our freedom. Our chance to live our lives the way we wanted. Instead, we lived like outlaws in the dregs of the universe on a planet no one in their right mind would dare call home.
    I’d never see my real home again—not without the threat of discovery and death looming over me and the ones I love.
    With that realization came rage.
    As though possessing a will of its own, my body switched into battle mode. With clear, cold determination I pulled up my knee—hard. As Baynar froze, I brought my right arm across my chest, made a fist, and swung my elbow back with force cracking it into the side of his head. Baynar groaned and rolled off of me, one hand on his nuts, the other on his cheek. Catlike, I leapt to my feet. Seeing him lay there, stunned and helpless, I snatched up the coin and tucked it deep into my pocket. I didn’t know if or when my allies might rub it and I couldn’t take the chance it’d wind up in Baynar’s hands again. Seeing a small dagger on his desk I slipped it into the side of my boot, recalling how I’d foiled Baynar’s plans a year ago by stabbing him in the leg. Fearing backup may come running down the hall at any moment, I locked the door. And recalling that painful kick to my ribs, I gave him one in return, relishing his cry of pain. Then I straddled him and began punching him in the face. I wanted to kill him, but first I wanted him to pay.
    â€œYou…piece…of…shit!” My words accented each blow.
    Suddenly his fist shot out and hit me hard in the chest. I fell back. Using the momentum to his advantage, Baynar twisted his body so that he came out from under me. Gasping for breath I wiggled away from him, dismayed when he clamored to his feet.
    â€œI’m a piece of shit?” he snarled. He leaned over and slapped my face, making my head snap sideways. “You and that bastard and his brother left me on Taleon to die! Some of my men did die. Their deaths are on your hands.”
    I shook my head. Using a chair for leverage I got to my feet and faced him. The metallic taste of blood was in my mouth and I knew my lip was cut. My face stung where he’d struck me and I felt lightheaded. My breath came out in ragged pants. “You dare? How many deaths are on your hands? How many men and women from Earth have you killed? Hundreds, thousands?”
    â€œWe created you,” he snapped.
    â€œFucking with our biology doesn’t give you the right to play God, you egotistical bastard!”
    Both of his hands flew up to grasp the top his head as though he suffered from sudden pain. His face