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"Don't you cry," I whisper to myself. "Don't you dare let them see you cry."
The woman hits another button. The door in front of me unlocks. “Okay, lucky sugar. Are you ready to take the stage?" she asks.
The stage?
I hold my breath. "I guess we'll find out."
Anna
I am thrown through the door. Tossed into the center of a strange stage as alpha aliens of all races ogle me. I'm shuffled out of the shade, where the big boys play poker, watch dancing women, and eat elaborate plates of strange crustaceans. They hastily devour the seafood and throw the shells onto the floor.
The lights of the club flash green and red, and the smoke from fat cigars wafts into the air. It’s an outright nightmare.
"This way. Right here. Yes, here." An alien points to some orange tape on the floor, presumably where I am supposed to plant my feet.
The alien alphas stand and applause as saliva falls from their sick faces. Jaws twisting, they bite and howl. Tables flip, and drinks crash to the floor. The liquid spreads into the carpet, and all eyes are fixed on me.
These alphas disgust me.
Music plays. A wonky bass-line resonates deeply within my belly as it shakes the stage. I walk forward, standing in the center of that bright spotlight. I look straight into it and feel the burn of my pupils. I don’t care anymore. I’ve lost all hope.
A wormy alien with a long neck and protruding teeth slithers onto the stage. He sways around me, coiling his fingers around a microphone. "This is a rare one, folks. Anna Longdale. Born on Planet Kurrek. Settled in Earth Federation’s base near Elysa. Recently, she became an officer, and she has always strived for a top position. Let's give a round of applause for this military beauty queen!"
One alpha sniffs, holding the air deep within his lung. His arms flex as he balances on the edge of his toes. "A human?"
“Unheard of…” another says.
An alien ashes his cigarette onto the carpet. "Military cunt. Boy, such fun."
The wormy announcer taps the microphone a few times. "She may look tough on the outside, but she really is a lovable sweetheart. Her talents include ballet, alien linguistics, and won't you look at that body? She is a perfect fit for managing a family."
Ballet? Linguistics? How do they know everything about me? There’s no way the Syndicates have access to the Earth-Federation systems. Access is only possible with a general’s admission.
An alien hastily slurps a plate of oysters, tossing the shells aside. "Get on with it! Let's start the bidding!"
"The bidding starts at 1 krown, a very rare discount," the announcer says.
He nudges my elbow and pinches down on the skin until a red mark floods the surface. "Ouch!"
"Dance for them, sweetheart," he says. “Dance as if your life depends on it.”
"I'm not something to sell," I say. "I need to get back home. Earth Federation will hang you for this."
How many times will my mind urge me to say things I know will get me into trouble? I understand they won't let me go. No one in this room cares about the Earth Federation. They only hold contempt for the institution.
"Dance," he commands. "Very wealthy alphas here. The better you look, the better life you'll have. If you come across as a bitch, you’ll be given to a swine."
I hate the fact that he’s right.
The bidding begins with the men spitting and yelling over each other. Five krowns. Ten krowns. Three hundred krowns. The number keeps going up.
The worst aliens on the planet fight over me. I think about what life they plan to give me. The abuse they have already dealt is too much for me to handle, and my fever is growing with intensity. If one of these aliens buy me, I'll find a way to kill myself.
At the high point of auction, a mysterious alpha alien walks inside. The door shuts loudly behind him. "Ten Thousand krowns."
The music cuts. Everyone turns to look at the alien that jumped the bid. He walks forward, pulling down his shirt to show his slaver branding. Black tattoos; they look so familiar. And then it hits me. He is the alien who stuck me in the jungle.
The presenter coughs into the microphone. "Ax. She has already been processed. That means you have been paid your dues. You know the rules. Please, let the alphas have a chance at buying their mate."
