Page 49 of Mated to the Vikings

I immediately rushed forward, slapping my hands on the surface. “What are you doing?”

The guards didn’t bother looking in my direction, their duties obviously fulfilled. They left the room, moving completely out of sight.

Shrinking back, I took several breaths in an effort to calm my nerves. This was all wrong. Everything about this place was very Earthlike in appearance. “Let me out of here!” My words echoed then just stopped, silence surrounding me. The lights were blinding, the white on white of the walls and ceiling stark. There was no bed, only a toilet of some kind. This was nothing more than a holding cell.

“Please don’t leave me in here. Please. I can’t take it.” I knew my cries had fallen on deaf ears. They weren’t listening. They didn’t care. I was a prisoner. I couldn’t be here. No, they would come for me. Erik would come for me. I knew that in my heart and soul.

But how long would I be forced to wait? Even through the walls were glass, I could see nothing and no one else. I slammed my hands on the glass until they stung. Until tears slipped past my lashes. I let out one last frustrated scream before crouching down in the corner, holding my head in my hands. My eyelids were almost instantly heavy. I was so tired. Tired of running. Tired of the fear. Tired of the worry.

I just…

“I have a gift for you.”

“A gift?” I asked, twisting my head in his direction. In his hands was a box of some type, plain white in design. He never gave me any kind of gift. Not for my birthday. Not for any holiday. Why now? Leery of his gesture, I moved away from the table, just like a good little girl. My caretaker required me to be respectful at all times, lording it over me when necessary. I was a grown woman, but still treated like a child.

“You’ve been so good that I thought you deserved it. Besides, your work has been exemplary lately.” His smile was so polished, his dark eyes locked onto mine.

I hated the man, loathed him in fact, but he’d been the only reason I’d survived. I could still remember my mother and father being gunned down in front of me. I’d never forget the horrible screams as my mother attempted to race toward me, her hand barely touching mine when the gunshots rang out. My caretaker had been the only one to come forward, assuring me that everything was going to be all right.

And I’d believed him after a time, learning to trust. I’d been such a fool.

“Come. Now,” he commanded, his tone growing more annoyed.

I knew better than to keep him waiting. I moved to within one foot of him, holding my hands in front of me as he’d taught me to do at the age of five. My posture was straight, my toes pointed forward, but my head was lowered out of respect.

Just as he required.

“Yes, sir.”

He chuckled in his same usual evil manner before rubbing his hand down my arm, lifting it so my hand was ready to receive his damning gift. “This is for your future. You are very special to me and I am excited that you’re going to be a part of the next civilization.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said with the sweetest inflection I could manage. I held the box, glaring at the tiny gold bow positioned exactly in the center. Everything had to be very precise with him at all times. The house. The lab. My clothes. My room. Everything.

Or I would be punished, only his kind of discipline wasn’t something that anyone wanted to endure.

“Well, go on. Open it. Tonight, we’ll celebrate your good fortune.” He leaned back, still all smiles.

I swallowed hard before opening the box, peeling away the pretty pink tissue. There was a crisp white card inside with gold lettering. I dared give him a look, questioning what kind of a gift this could be.

“Well, read the card, my sweet girl,” he instructed.

I eased it into my shaking fingers, struggling to form the words. I had no clue what they meant for the first few seconds. “Approved ticket for one.”

What in the hell?

A full minute ticked by. Then I knew. I’d been chosen.

“Aren’t you happy?” he demanded. “You have no idea what I had to do to get that for you. They are like gold, Cassia. Gold. People are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a single chance for the lottery. Imagine how much an actual ticket is worth.”

I was being allowed to go to Earth Two over so many others, everyone else left to die. There would be chaos, anarchy, and after horrific fires and massive floods as the Earth began to fall apart, the air would run out.

“Yes. Sir.” I had no idea if I’d even said the words, but his satisfied smile told me I’d managed to do so. God help us all. I wanted to lash out, to scream that this wasn’t right, and I knew then that he had more control over the selection than he’d told me.

“Excellent. Now, I will say that you’re going to have to perform for me, but that won’t be a problem for you. You’re an excellent actress. We’ll go over that later after champagne. You’re going to have a fabulous new life, my fabulous girl.”

Jerking up, I gasped for air, terror unlike anything I’d ever known rushing into me. The vision wasn’t a dream, but a memory I’d blocked out. Oh, my God. “No!” The scream jetted from my mouth just as the glass door slid open. “No. Please. This can’t be true. Please.”

“Jesus Christ. Cassia. What’s wrong?” Erik growled.