Piper

Warm water cascades down my naked shoulders. Tears run down my face, mixing with the water.

What on Earth have I gotten myself into?

The silver Zoran doesn’t seem to be as horrible as those alien pigs, but he’s not taking me home either. And that’s the only place I want to be right now.

I can’t get a straight answer out of him. It’s all gibberish to me. Clan. Vagreon. Power. None of those words mean a damn thing to me.

The only power I have is baking chocolate chip cookies. My cookie game is on point. Besides that… nothing.

Sure, my grades are okay, but I don’t think that is what the hunky Zoran is after.

No. His amethyst eyes demand something more. Something I’ve only ever seen in that stupid simulation…

That dream terrified me, but now I know the real thing is a thousand times worse. In that sleeping pod, I knew it was all fake. All a dream. All pretend.

My main concern was getting a telling off from Meredith. My main worry was losing my Sarah Granger scholarship. Now, those concerns seem petty.

Unlike the Zoran from my dream, Kane is very real. He’s on the other side of that door, waiting for me…

And I have no idea what the silver alien has planned for me.

“Are you okay in there?”

His deep voice makes me jump.

“I-I’m fine,” I stammer. “I’m fine.”

“Okay. If you need anything, just let me know. I’m going to head back to the cockpit. We’re getting close to Vagreon.”

My heart beats like a drum. For a second I thought he was going to burst through the door, and, you know… take me.

I can’t get a read on him. He’s terrifying, but also… nice? Dangerous, strong, aggressive, and yet… there’s something about him. He’s protective. And, dare I say, sweet?

I shake my head, trying to get those thoughts out of my head. That’s gotta be Stockholm Syndrome talking. This man abducted me. He’s not my friend. I shouldn’t project my feelings onto him.

I join Kane back in the cockpit, for there’s not really anything for me to do on this ship. I’m still wearing the white Federation bodysuit; I thought about asking if he had anything else to wear, but I’m too afraid he’ll pull out some golden bikini!

A dark planet looms in the distance, the sphere entirely covered with black clouds.

“What is that?” I ask, but I’m afraid I already know the answer.

“Vagreon,” he says. “Your new home.”

I swallow the lump in my throat.

Oh boy.

“Don’t worry,” Kane growls. “The Sahr will take excellent care of you.”

“Why are we going here again? Remind me.”

“Your power will help tip the balance in our favor,” Kane says.

“My power,” I say. “Right. You keep using that word, but I’m not sure it means what you think it does.”

He glances at me, and his purple eyes almost roll away, as if to say stop lying to me, human.

“Can’t we go to a pleasure planet first? Catch some sun? I heard Utopia VI is especially nice this time of year. Supposed to beat the heck out of Utopia V. What do you say, big guy?”

“No,” he says decisively. “We can’t waste another minute. You are needed. The people of Vagreon need your help, Piper.”

With every word that leaves Kane’s lips, I sink deeper and deeper into my seat. I’m needed? He talks like I’m some kind of princess or something. I hope they don’t expect me to lead, and make decisions and stuff.

At this moment I can’t even decide if I want to wear my hair up or down.

Screw leading a freaking planet!

Maybe it won’t be so bad.

Maybe they’ll treat you like a princess, and Kane will stay by your side as your bodyguard, and all you need to do is throw fancy ballroom dances every night and eat cake and it’ll all be just fine.

That’s what I tell myself as our ship punches it’s way through the thick black clouds, but as soon as I see the dark, blackened surface of the planet, I know deep down that this is not the type of planet for fancy ballroom dances.

This is the type of place where every life has a price.

* * *

“Wear this.”

Kane hands me a thick, heavy cloak. I try to get it on, but it’s so big and unwieldy it feels like I’m drowning in it. The Zoran helps me, pulling the hood down over my face so far that I can barely see a thing.

He puts on a similar cloak, hiding most of his features.

“Stay close to me,” he says. “Don’t look at anyone. Don’t touch anything. The streets are not safe for you. Understood?”

I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Got it.”

The shuttle doors open with a hiss, and my mouth just about falls open from shock. A sprawling alien city awaits us. Kane grabs my hand and pulls me along, while I just stare unabashedly at all the weird things I see.

Curious little shops.

Alien vendors hawking their alien wares.

A man with four arms.

A man with six arms!

I wish I had more eyes so I could take it all in.

And the smell!

Spices unlike anything I’ve ever smelled before! This city, while it’s grimy and rundown, (most buildings are covered with rust, their windows blackened with soot) feels alive.

I bet there’s something exciting around every corner.

I’m so lost in thought I forget Kane’s rules, and I manage to bump head-first into someone. I glance up at the tall figure.

“Vatch it, vrek,” a blue-faced alien with four eyes spits at me.

I stumble backwards, and trip over someone’s foot. I go tumbling down onto the rocky floor, losing Kane’s grip, and when I clamber back up to my feet, my hood has fallen off.

The entire marketplace has suddenly gone silent. Everyone is looking at me, and I mean everyone. Uh oh.

“Uh-man!” a voice belches.

In an instant all hell breaks loose. A rope is thrown around my neck and I’m pulled to the floor, the wind knocked out of me.

I struggle to breathe as my back is dragged across the ground. All I see is legs, legs everywhere, and it feels like I’m being pulled down into the abyss. I glance up, looking for help, but all I see is scowls, the alien faces filled with hatred and malice.

A figure grabs my legs and the pull on my neck becomes so strong I nearly black out. A moment later that same figure snaps the rope in two, and throws me onto his firm shoulder.

I don’t even have to open my eyes. I recognize his scent instantly.

Kane.

“Back off!” he growls. “Final warning!”

I open my eyes to see that we’re surrounded by a foul-looking bunch of aliens brandishing metal pipes. Are we going to die here because I was gawking like a tourist?!

Kane makes quick work of them. While still holding me over one shoulder he moves like the wind, knocking them out one by one, smashing their skulls in. Before any one of them can even think about retaliating, we’re back in the crowd, anonymous, our hoods pulled down far.

“What did I say?” he growls into my ear. “One rule! One! Rule!”

“You’re right,” I cough, rubbing my sore throat. “Who were those guys?”

“Slavers.”

A cold shiver runs down my spine. If it wasn’t for Kane, I would be their slave?

Then again, if it wasn’t for Kane, I wouldn’t be here…

But then again, if it wasn’t for Kane, we’d still be in that pen…

I don’t know what to feel anymore.

“I thought you were taking me someplace safe,” I protest.

“You are going to make this place safe.”

I must have misheard him. Surely he can’t mean that I’m going to change this foul city! Those guys had me in their grasp before I even knew what was going on!

We continue on, heading deeper into the belly of the city. All around me I see pens, filled with alien creatures. The wailing, begging sounds they are making breaks my heart. I can’t understand them, but a short while ago, I was locked up in the same kind of pen, along with the other girls. I wonder if they’ve made it home by now..

“We’re here,” Kane growls as he lowers me to my feet.

A dark tunnel, guarded by two men with snouts, awaits us.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” I whisper. I don’t like the look of the men. They’ve got fuzz all over their wiry bodies, and small, beady eyes that unsettle me.

Kane double-checks the coordinates. “This is the place,” he says. “Strange location for the clan, right here in the heart of the Slaver District, but, looks can be deceiving… come.”

The silver Zoran approaches the two guards, and I hold onto his arm for dear life. No one is ripping me away this time.