Chapter Thirteen: Erica
Erica glared at the Suesue taking a tissue sample from her. It was the fourth time in an hour. Her arms were covered in bruises and scabs. But if she didn't sit still and allow the alien to insert a large-caliber needle in her arm, retrieving a layer of adipose and muscle, she would be restrained. They would also refuse to give her a localized anesthetic. As awful as it was to watch the needle inserted into her arm, it was worse to actually feel it.
The human rested a hand on her large, pregnant belly. It had been months since the Planchet Corporation took her. Months since she last saw Ronan lying in a pool of his own blood. She didn't know if Tag and Bethy had escaped the Planchet attack alive. She didn't even know exactly how many months she had been in this stark prison.
The walls were glass, and she could see the scientists working outside. In her little prison was a bed and a water fountain. She was let out every couple of hours or so to use the bathroom, and other than that the only contact she had with anybody was when the samples were taken. Even the food was automatically delivered by a robot.
Lately, things had been a little different. Nobody would tell her what was happening, but from the probes that buzzed around her, taking pictures from every angle, she assumed she was going up for auction soon. Apparently, the Planchet Corporation decided that it wasn't cost-effective to keep her around as a lab rat or selling off her tissue samples, or whatever they were doing with her.
At least here she knew they weren't going to kill her or end her pregnancy. If they were, they would have done it already. Whoever bought her, though…
"There we are." The Suesue put the needle and sample into a sterile container and gestured for the assistant to start using the regenerator. "That's all for today."
Once they used the regenerator, they wouldn't take any more samples for at least twenty-four hours. Apparently, regenerators tainted the sample for a time. Erica didn't care about the science behind it, she was just glad to be able to have break.
Erica watched the regenerator pass over her arm. The holes made from the needles disappeared before her eyes, the old scabs healing as well. "Do I at least get to shower today? It's been two days—I stink."
The Suesue ignored her, turning to the assistants that were marking down what samples had been taken. They never talked to her. Probably to maintain a good professional buffer from acknowledging that she was a living, sentient person that had more than once begged them not to do what they were doing.
"Mr. Lirreb wants to inspect the specimen himself. Make sure it's clean and dressed presentably."
"Inspect?" Erica drew back from the Suesue, her heart jumping to her throat. "What does that mean? Inspect how?"
They ignored her questions, as per usual. Erica's heart pounded as they escorted her to the showers and gave her a pretty, flowered smock belted at the waist to wear. She considered the situation–she didn't know what Lirreb wanted with her, but he was the one that had ordered Ronan… killed. Would she have the chance to kill him?
Her hand rested on her stomach. No. She couldn't take that risk. She didn't know what her future held, but if she attacked the Planchet CEO, then she'd most likely dead by the end of the day. And her baby, too.
***
Saliva pooled at the corners of Lirreb's blubbery lips as he ate, all but ignoring Erica. Her hands were clenched under the table. The delicious-smelling foods that were spread over the table made her mouth water, but the toad-looking creature across from her stole her appetite with his mere presence.
"Are you planning on selling me?"
Lirreb patted his wide mouth dry and leered at her. "Are you referring to the images we have been capturing? You're being sent to market, Miss Chase. As soon as that is born." He pointed at her stomach. "T'shav babies are selling for high prices this year. People do so love to raise them for their own little armies."
Erica wrapped her arms around her stomach. "We'll be sold as slaves, then?"
"No. You will be sold as part of a breeding program. The T'shav you carry will be sold as a slave."
Erica's mouth went dry. Lirreb was planning on taking the last piece of Ronan away from her. She shook her head. Unacceptable. She could submit to all of the poking and prodding she had gone through. She could even accept being sold because there was a chance that she would find someone sympathetic to her, like she had Ronan. If not, there was always the possibility to try to escape, or somehow contact the Zon Sanctuary for rescue.
But if she was separated from her baby, there would be no meaning to life anymore.
"No. I won't let you."
Lirreb folded his hands on the table. "You don't have a choice in the matter."
"I have medical skills. You only took me to pay off the debt that Ronan incurred. I can work it off. Please. Please don't take my baby from me."
"I didn't bring you here to listen to you begging, Miss Chase. I only thought that it was about time you know what was happening."
There was a knife halfway between them. Could she get to it before he did?
"I was not part of Ronan's schemes." She hated saying that as though it was his fault, but what choice did she have? Ronan was gone. Protecting their child, preserving that piece of him, was the most important thing right now. "I didn't want him to buy me, but he did. But I had no part in his botched mission and you already killed him. Isn't that enough for you?" Erica slammed her fist on the table. "Isn't it?"
Lirreb's arrogant smile didn't change. "No."
Erica lunged for the knife. Lirreb snatched it up and clucked his tongue at her, shaking his head.
"Killing Ronan was personal. Not only did he not do as I wanted, but he disrespected me. Made a thinly veiled threat to kill me, even. But that’s all it was. Personal. I would have killed you, too, but my business head brought me around. I have investors to think about. I've already lost money, feeding and sheltering you while you come to term rather than just terminating your pregnancy."
Erica snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure all the tissue samples you've taken from me are worthless."
"You should count yourself lucky that the market for T'shav babies has picked up in recent years, otherwise I would have already ended your pregnancy. But I lost money on the baby, and I need it back somehow. Selling it will cover the cost of keeping you in my care."
"I won't let you take my baby."
Lirreb stood. "As I said, you don't have a choice. Guard, come take Miss Chase back to her cell."
Erica jumped to her feet, looking around desperately for something to fight with. She couldn't let them take her baby from her! Lirreb sighed dramatically as she picked up the chair and turned to face him. Suddenly, she saw a T'shav enter the room.
Only it wasn't just any T'shav. It was a ghost.
The chair clattered to the floor. Ronan stood in the doorway, looking as glorious as he ever had, all muscle and sinew. He twirled a broadsword as he advanced on Lirreb. The toad stumbled back, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. Erica couldn’t breathe. She couldn't believe her eyes. This had to be some sort of sick joke… or wasn’t it?
"You're dead!" Lirreb shouted.
"Your man didn't check to make sure." Ronan overturned the table that separated him from Lirreb. Erica backed away, gaping, still unable to believe her eyes. "I would never have been so sloppy. He assumed one blow would kill me and left me to die. But guess what? I was in a medical facility."
He drove his sword through Lirreb's chest. The toad's eyes bulged. He choked as Ronan withdrew the sword.
"If you had left my mate out of this, you would have lived. But you had to make it personal."
The sword swung. Erica turned her head away, but still heard the twin thumps of the body and severed head. Her heart hammered and she backed against the wall. This couldn't be real. It had been months—months! She had forced herself to accept Ronan's death. This had to be a dream. She couldn't let herself believe it. When she woke up and he was dead again, it would kill her.
Warm, strong hands cupped her face, making her look at him. "Erica. I'm sorry."
A tear ran down her face. He brushed it away with his thumb. A sob escaped and she threw her arms around him. "I don't care if this is a dream, I'm never letting you go again."
Ronan hugged her back, holding her so tightly she thought she might break–but she didn't care. "I'm so sorry."