Page 83 of Mated to the Alien Warrior

Unlike earlier today during the midday meal, the females do not eye the food with uncertainty. Instead, they all devour the food like hungry scrof and my chest clenches at the thought of what was done to them. What was done to my mate.

I look up as Vrenner and Isabella finally finish their discussion and stride across the clearing towards us. One of the data pads our ancestors brought to this planet is clutched tightly in my cousin’s hands.

“We have a problem,” Vrenner speaks as he and the human draw near. They come to a stop at the edge of the circle, and I am shocked to see a hard scowl darken the face of my normally unruffled cousin.

“Isabella . . .” He nods to the female standing beside him. “Found a small control panel hidden in one of the walls. We were able to download some files from it. Files such as the itinerary and the route. Just as suspected, the files contain the Zyfeliks’ plans to sell the humans to be used as slaves for reproductive purposes. As incubators. Their owners would impregnate them over and over. The younglings, both future and the two here. . .”

He nods towards the two younglings, then continues, “Would either be raised by their owners or sold. From what we can decipher, this was not the first time they have done so. The Zyfeliks have been selling humans for a long time, and they have grown wealthy from it.” Some of the females gasp, while the rest sit in stunned silence at Vrenner’s words. The stench of their fear is heavy in the air.

I think of how much my mate has suffered at the hands of the Zyfeliks. If they hadn’t decided to make a detour to sell my mate somewhere else, Haley would even now be consigned to life as a slave. A red mist clouds the edges of my vision. My second heart speeds up demanding I search the universe and round up the sardos who stole my mate from her home and make them suffer for the hurt they have caused her and others like her. I want to make them pay for what they did to her. To all of the humans, but most especially Haley.

I can feel the need for vengeance growing in my chest and spreading as it threatens to drown out everything else. But before it can, a soft touch lands on my arm and breaks the spell. My forearm twitches as my mate’s warm hand strokes my skin. A calm, loving presence emerges in my chest, growing bigger until it overshadows the need for vengeance that I felt. It is her.

It is my mate, Haley. I stare down into her upturned face, and I am transfixed. Her bright eyes shine with love for me and hope for our future together. That is all that matters, now.

Vrenner looks down at the data pad he carries and with a single swipe, the screen brightens, and he types away on it in search of something. He grunts in approval when he finds it, and he holds the pad up so that we can all make out the image on the screen.

It looks like a layout of some sort.

“What is it?” Enosir questions, curiosity in his young voice.

“This is a layout of the primary ship this vessel was attached to. It was in the files we were able to download.” He uses his fingers to zoom in on the image on the pad before displaying it to us again. “I cannot decipher all of the writing, but Isabella and I believe this. . .” He points to a section of the image that he has enlarged even further. “Is a second cargo hold that was positioned on the opposite side of the primary vessel.”

On the screen is a large boxed in area with text next to it that looks similar to Galactica but slightly different. There are six smaller boxes lined up that stretch along one side. Six smaller boxes. Six cells.

Cells just like the ones in the ship that sits just over Vrenner’s shoulder. Which means. . .

My mate speaks first, her voice rising in the shocked silence that has fallen over the group.

“There are more women here.” Haley looks out at the darkened edge of the dense jungle, and I can see the shiver that runs down her spine. “Somewhere out there.”

I place my arm around her, and she leans against me, burrowing her face against my neck as I vow, “We will find them.”

And we will. No matter what it takes. We will find the other humans.