AllFreeNovel
Share Us
1
RHIANNON
I blinked several times, looking around at the obnoxious yellow wallpaper. Where was I? Slowly, I dragged myself up onto my elbows and surveyed the room. There was a large chest of drawers across from me, and wide double doors that appeared to lead out onto some kind of patio surrounded by colorful trees I had never seen before.
The last thing I remembered was being carried off the Patrol ship in the arms of a hulking alien man. I was so exhausted, and so worn down from lack of food, I passed out before we even reached the exit. I knew as soon as he took me in his arms that I was going to make it. But that didn't explain where I was now. Wherever this was, it didn't look like any kind of hospital I'd ever seen. And yet, fluids dripped into my arm through transparent tubes, and machines beeped and whirred beside my head.
I lowered myself back down to my pillows, my arms already feeling the strain of holding me up. I felt around at my side for some kind of button. Wasn't that how this normally worked? I could press a button and call for a nurse, and then I'd have my answers. That is, if there was a nurse.
My fingers fumbled around under the blankets and along the edge of the sheets, looking for anything that might help me. A tiny seed of panic was beginning to grow inside me as the drowsiness fell away. I was in a strange room, likely on a strange planet, with no way to call for help. My chest rose and fell heavily, and I tried to remain calm, but anxiety started to seep in, making it hard to keep my breathing steady.
At last, my fingers knocked against something that felt like a remote tethered to the bed. I was so relieved I nearly jumped, sending the stupid thing tumbling over the edge and clattering to the floor. Shit. All at once, the machines at my bedside started screaming bloody murder in my ears, and I found myself clutching the blankets, fingers curled into the fabric and pressing into my sides as my breathing quickened. Why couldn’t I ever do anything right?
Outside the door there was the resounding click of heels on tile coming toward me, the confident stride of a man in boots. So, not a kindly old nurse then, I thought with another wave of dismay. That inner kernel of dread finally burst, sending me into a full-on panic attack. The sound of those steps reminded me so much of something else, something far distant in my memories. It was the sound of the Patrol guards coming for me after I'd been taken from my outpost. The flashback cut me off from the present, sending me careening back through time, my muscles going rigid as I fought back against the thought of the commander of the Patrol's ship running his fingers over my body.
"You're awake," the voice came to me, watery and far away. I couldn't make sense of it. I still couldn't breathe. I was drowning in the visions that haunted me. "Are you okay?"
A hand on my arm sent a jolt of awareness through me and I was yanked back into my body, gasping for breath as I looked around wildly.
"Still a bit touchy, I see," the man remarked.
I looked up at him, blinking away the tears that came rushing in as the memories faded. "Where am I?"
He gave me a wolfish grin and held his arms out wide. "Where are you? You are in my humble abode! I thought you'd enjoy being here rather than in that stuffy old hospital. The food there is atrocious."
The man standing before me was all glittering eyes and sparkling teeth, but even from here I could see that his suit jacket didn't fit quite right, slumping off his shoulders, and the cuffs were just a little too long. He looked like a caricature of someone trying to play the gracious host.
"And who are you?" I gritted out, reminding myself that I needed to tread very carefully now. I didn't know this man, and I was in no condition to be defending myself if he turned violent.
He scoffed at me, dropping his hands to his side and giving me a look of mock reproach. "That's no way to thank your rescuer," he huffed. "Do you not recall being carried out of that horrific Patrol ship in my arms?"
No way. This could not be the same man. Searching through my memories, I dug up the image of myself being saved. The man who carried me off of that ship had been tall, and handsome, and chivalrous. He had been all brawn and taut muscles. The man standing before me now was…not that.Or at least, if it was the same man, he’d done a hell of a job hiding those abs of his beneath that awful suit. Or my memory was faulty.
"I, uh…” I faltered, not knowing what to say and hoping my expression wasn't giving my thoughts away. "I guess not."
He crossed his arms over his chest defensively and leaned against a wall, watching me. "Well then, I suppose that can be forgiven. You were in a rather dreadful state. Anyway, my name is Nikathy Vaen, and this palace is mine. You are welcome to stay until you have recovered. Your nurses have been coming to check on you regularly. They should be back any moment."
Despite his words, I could feel his ire at not being recognized. In the span of the few moments since he'd entered the room, he had already turned cold on me, his eyes narrowed and the toothy grin replaced by grim disapproval.
As he predicted, there was a knock at the door, and an unfamiliar woman came striding in, giving Nikathy a quick nod before bustling over to my side and blocking him from my view.
"Oh good! I've been so worried about you, but I see you've already been up and chatting with Mr. Vaen. Let's get a look at your vitals and then I'll call the doctor and he can give us a better idea of what to expect."
She was busy taking notes and checking the machines over my head, and I caught the slightest movement as Nikathy slipped out of the room without so much as a goodbye. I frowned. There was something very disturbing about this whole situation, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Obviously I’d needed medical care when I was rescued, but I would have expected my rescuers to take me to a proper hospital. And where were the other women? I wasn't the only one saved from the Patrol that day, but I didn't see any of them in this palace of his. Whatever had given him the notion that I wanted to be here, with him, instead of with my friends? It put me on edge. I was going to have to have a word with him, and given his attitude, I intended to lavish plenty of praise upon him for saving me before I demanded that he take me back.
