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“Here,” he said. “Letme carry you.”
ButAndreashied away from him.
“No, no—you don’t have to do that.I…Ican walk,” she said, slowly getting to her feet.
Heravoidance was another stab to his already wounded heart, butCadecouldn’t blame her.He’djust taken her by force and knotted her in front of a bunch of spectators.Ofcourse she didn’t want to be anywhere near him!
“Fine—we’ll leave,” he said shortly, trying to keep the anguish out of his voice. “Buthow do we get out of here?”
Andreashook her head.
“Idon’t know.TheNewOrderlocked us in here as a punishment becauseIlet you…Imean, they caught us…caught you, er, tasting me.”
Herface went red with shame as she spoke andCadehad another sudden memory pop up in his mind’s eye.Hesaw her lying on the bed with her legs spread and he was between them.Hesaw her trying to get up, saying his name, asking him to stop…and then he saw himself holding her down.Refusingto let her go as he continued to taste his fill of her…
Gods, what was wrong with him?Howcould he have done such a thing to the woman he cared for so desperately?
“Wehave to go,”Andreasaid again, breaking into his self-recrimination. “Thisisn’tZo’rathTwo—it’sZo’rathThree—there are spoors in the air here that turn all the men into mindless beasts—intoManimals.Youhad the antidote but it only works for thirty minutes—we have to go before you turn back!”
“Allright—then we’re getting the fuck out of here,”Cadeassured her.Hestrode up to the gate of the round metal enclosure they were in, tried it, and found it locked.Thepeople with green skin—Zo’rathians, he guessed—who were standing outside the fence, stared at him with fear.
“Watchout!” one of them hissed. “ThealienManimalis trying to escape!”
“You’refucking right,I’mgoing to escape,”Cadegrowled at them. “Youlet me and my female out of hereright fucking nowor you’re going to be fucking sorry!”
Theireyes got wide and they stared at each other and started muttering.
“Hecan speak!Manimal, how is it you have relearned the power of speech?” one of them asked.
“Whatyou need to worry about is my power to make you fucking sorry if you don’t let us out!”Cadesnapped. “Look…”Hetook a deep breath, trying to remain calm. “Wedon’t want any trouble—AndreaandIjust want to go to our ship and leave your planet.You’llnever have to see us again—just let us go.”
“TheManimalis truly a man!”one of the women shouted in a voice that nearly splitCade’shead. “Therefore, no sin was committed for he is not a mindless beast!Theymustbe released!”
“Releasethem…release them…” the crowd began to chant.
Anew woman—almost as tall asCade, came up to the gate.Shehad keys in her hands but didn’t look happy about it.
“Idon’t like this,” she said, frowning atCade. “Idon’t understand how aManimalcould suddenly become a man.Haveyou just beenpretendingto be aManimalall this time?”
Cadehad just about had it—he didn’t even know what a “Manimal” was, though the word itself sounded vaguely familiar, as though he’d heard it spoken many times in the recent past.
“Look, lady,” he growled at the woman. “Eitheryou open this gate orIopen it.AndIpromise, ifIhave to get it open on my own, you’re going to be in a world of hurt!”
Henormally wouldn’t have threatened a female, but he had the strong feeling that she was in charge here—possibly the one who had dreamed up this whole scenario where he had hurt the woman he cared for—the one he was supposed to be protecting.Ifthat was the case, she deserved more than just a few threats.
Herface went a pale, mint-green color but she fumbled with a set of keys and finally got the gate open.Thenshe stepped back quickly and drew a weapon.
“Onewrong move andI’llblow you apart—Manimalor man—doesn’t matter to me!” she snapped.
“Wedon’t want any trouble—we just want to go home!”Andreaexclaimed.Shewas right behindCadewith her hands up in a “don’t shoot” gesture.
“Goon and get then!”Thetall woman jerked her head at them. “Leaveright now andI’lllet you go.”
Cadestill felt like there was some blame here—was it the tall woman who had put him in the pen withAndreawhen he was so filled with angry lust?Hadshe known how dangerous he was and that he would either savage or ravage any female who came into contact with him?Heglared at the woman, trying to put the pieces together.
ButAndreawas tugging urgently at his arm.
“Wemight not have much time left.Please,Cade—we have to go!” she begged.
