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“I know,” Danielle tells me as she reaches out to tuck some of my wild hair behind my ears then gives me a wink. “If it helps, this tangerine color suits you.”
“Tangerine doesn’t suit anyone,” I grouse. Leave it to Danielle to once again try to find something positive about our shitty situation.
“Are you finished yet?” the orc alien bellows from outside the doorway. “The boss wants to see you.”
My stomach drops, and Danielle and I exchange panicked looks.
“It’s just one; maybe we can overpower him and run,” I whisper.
“There’s only one now, but more will come, and they’ll only chase us down and catch us—again,” Danielle whispers back.
“I can hear you, female,” the orc grunts from outside the door.
Damn, of course they would have super hearing! Or maybe I’ve become predictable, and he can tell where my thoughts will go.
Danielle wraps her arm through mine and clasps my hand in hers, giving me a squeeze I think is meant to be reassuring. Together, we make our way out of the bathroom and toward whatever is in store for us.
The orc-alien gives us a once-over and then jerks his chin in a nod before turning on his heel and striding down the hallway. Gritting my teeth, I force myself to fall into step behind him. I tell myself that running in the opposite direction will only delay the inevitable and possibly make things worse.
To my surprise, the orc leads us out of the wing we’ve been trapped in for the last—how long has it been? Weeks? A month? The days run together, so it’s hard to tell. We move into virgin territory, and my eyes light up like Christmas. I know I’m being obvious, but I can’t help the way my head swivels back and forth, taking in everything I can, scanning the halls and rooms we pass, looking for anything that might help us escape.
“I know what you’re thinking. Don’t get your hopes up, girl,” the orc growls at me from under his breath. “There is no escaping from here. No matter what you might think.”
I snort. “Well,excuse meif I don’t take the word of my jailer.”
The orc snorts right back, and I swear I catch him trying to hide a smile.
After a literal maze of hallways, we’re led into a large room filled with round tables situated around a stage. All the room needs is cigar smoke, mood lighting and some naked girls, and it would look just like—
“What is this, a fucking strip club?” I grumble under my breath.
“Not today,” the orc mutters, pulling us to a stop in front of one of the round tables. The tabletop reminds me of red Formica with crescent-shaped red padded benches surrounding it.
His meaty green hand slips under the table, and a whirring from above has us looking up as a narrow bird cage descends from the ceiling.
Oh, hell no.
Before I have a chance to turn on my heel and run, he reaches out and grabs hold of my wrist.
“No, you don’t,” he chuckles.
Before I have a chance to really fight back, I’m being lifted up and shoved inside the cage. Danielle is helped up behind me, and as soon as we’re inside, the orc slams the metal door shut with a clang. The cage lifts back up until we’re swaying gently a few feet above the empty table.
The cage is tall enough that Danielle and I can stand without having to slouch, but it’s not wide enough for us to sit. The walls are made up of thin metal bars that are rounded over our heads like a bird cage. The floor under our bare feet is solid metal, so thankfully we don’t need to worry about anyone sitting at the table being able to look up our dresses. Every little shift of our weight makes it jiggle and sway, which has me pressing my back firmly against the bars, with my hands gripping them.
“You okay?” Danielle asks. Cocking her head, she gives me a concerned look.
I swallow past the lump that has formed in my throat. There is a reason I was made low to the ground. Heights have never been my thing.
“I’m fine,” I grit, trying my best to hold still so as not to turn us into a pendulum.
Danielle arches one of her eyebrows—which are no longer as manicured as they were when we were first abducted. Before she can say anything, the sound of voices has us turning our attention to the entrance of the club. Moments later, Kurrahstka strides through, followed by half a dozen other alien men. They are all wearing what looks like business attire, and none of them give us so much as a glance as they settle themselves around the table below us.
Once they are settled in, the lights dim, and soft music begins to play in sync with swirling lights. A waitress appears with a tray filled with drinks, and then, just as quickly, she disappears again.
Below us, the men talk and laugh. I can’t help noticing that whatever language they are speaking isn’t translating. I wonder if it’s on purpose. Then one of them lights up a cigar—or something similar. The smoke that drifts up smells like burning tires, burning my nostrils, and I make a face at Danielle.
She presses her lips tightly together, trying not to laugh.
