Barsork was frantic. He had waited as long as he dared before going after Betty. He should have never let her go out on her own he chided himself as he headed down to the market.

He tried to convince himself at first that he was just being paranoid and that she was simply shopping and had lost track of the time, but something in the back of his mind told him that things were much worse.

After an hour of searching the market, Barsork realized in dismay that Betty was not there. That was when he truly began to panic. He ran from stand to stand asking everyone he came across if they had seen her.

He didn’t even know who to ask for though. Hopefully Betty had been wise enough to disguise herself before coming, but if so he had no way of knowing what she would look like and so had no idea who to ask for.

It was by chance that he overheard a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to him and he pressed himself to the wall. Another voice spoke up then. “I lost her on the other side of the art pavilion,” the voice said from around the corner.

Barsork flattened himself against the side of the clothing stand and shimmied as close as possible without being detected.

“How could you lose her, Crank? She’s the only human on the planet.”

Barsork held his breath at the words. So Betty hadn’t disguised herself after all, and the hunters had seen her. From the sound of things though she had gotten away.

“She’s not the only human, Rigor. I saw another one with her and they were running together in that direction. Then they just disappeared.”

Barsork slid another step closer being as silent as possible. He didn’t know this Crank fellow, but the other voice he recognized. It was Rigor. He was a Xicret hunter who worked only for Carzon. If he was here than Carzon had not given up the hunt.

“You’ve seen this other women?” Rigor asked quietly. “What did she look like?”

Crank described the woman in detail, but the features didn’t seem familiar to Barsork. Rigor on the other hand was very interested.

“I knew she was here,” Rigor said between clenched teeth. “Crank, you show me exactly where you lost those girls and then I want you to gather a dozen of the best hunters you’ve got nearby. Trust me the pay is going to be well worth the trouble.”

Barsork waited until Crank had disappeared and then followed closely behind Rigor who was scanning the area intensely. A wicked smile came across his lips as he looked at the empty stand where Barsork remembered Betty stopping the day before.

Rigor laughed then and began talking to himself. “Oh, Elena. You think you are so smart to get away from me, but I will not let you go so easily. Wherever you are that wench Kristin is as well and Carzon will pay quite handsomely for her head. Right after I have my way with her that is.”

His wicked laughter made Barsork cringe. If Betty was somehow with these women she was in more danger than she realized. They would get her killed. Barsork watched Rigor leave and then waited for the market to close down for the night and all the people to clear out. Barsork had an advantage that Rigor did not. Barsork had worked on Azu-Ban and he knew at least a little about their secrets.

When he was certain that no one was around, Barsork stepped out of the shadows and made his way to the fruit stand. He quickly walked behind the stand and began checking for markers. Only those who had need of sanctuary could see the small nuances of a hide out.

They were very tiny indents in the ground that to the naked eye looked like nothing but the lay of the land. But to one who had at one time or another had need of a hideout, as Barsork had, they were the keys to finding the entrance. At last Barsork found the matching indent and smiled. Whoever had built this hideout had been very clever. The entrance was nearly impossible to find.

Barsork checked one last time to make sure he was not being watched and then disappeared into the secret hideout, vanishing into thin air. Even if someone were to see him vanish, the likelihood of finding the entrance would be impossible.

Barsork headed down the path wearily. He couldn’t keep his mind from Betty. He was so worried for her. Even though Crank had seen her with another girl didn’t mean that she was safe.

Anything could have happened to her in the day that she had been missing. After going a small distance, Barsork decided it was probably safer to stay off the main path and he ducked into the heavy underbrush and thick trees to the side.

His arms and chest continued to be pricked and caught by sharp twigs and thorny bushes. Whoever was hiding in here had certainly done everything in their power to keep from being found. He had to admire the tenacity whoever they were.

When he finally came from out of the tree line, it was so suddenly that he had to catch himself. Barsork glanced around quickly and his heart thudded loudly in his chest. Betty was nearby that much was certain. He didn’t like being out in the open though and shimmied slowly back under the heavy brush out of site.

For the next forty-five minutes, Barsork moved slowly through the brush in the direction in which he sensed Betty. Several times he caught sight or sound of another human girl and he knew that he had found the place Ven had told him of. This was where the auction house women were.

Another ten minutes and Barsork had the spot he had been looking for. In one quick motion, he popped from the tree line and wrapped his arms firmly around the girl putting one hand to her mouth and pulling her quickly back under the trees. She squirmed for several seconds until his whispering registered in her ear.

“Betty, it’s me, Barsork. Don’t scream.”

Betty stopped fighting and looked at him in disbelief. For several seconds, Barsork thought she was going to scream anyways. The look in her eyes was one of hatred and then of dismissal, almost as if she didn’t know him, or didn’t want to know him.

“Betty, what’s wrong. I’ve been looking everywhere for you and I was scared something bad had happened. You’ve got hunters after you and they’re gathering more right now to try and find this place. They know you’re here and they know there are others. I came to get you out.”

Betty shook her head frantically. “Did you know what was going on at the auction house, Barsork? Did you know what your brother was really doing? How could you have helped him!”

Barsork took a step back his heart racing. “Betty, I told you the whole truth. You already know that I knew and that I helped him. I regret those actions very much, but I can’t go back and undo them. Betty, please tell me what is happening.”

Betty looked back over her shoulder at the clearing and suddenly felt conflicted again. Slowly she nodded her head and pulled Barsork further into the deep woods away from the clearing.

“Barsork you can’t be here. These girls know that you helped abduct women to give to Carzon. It doesn’t matter why you did it, they will kill you if they find you. They have been through hell, and a hell that you helped put them in. I know you care about me, but this is a lot to take in. I need some time to think things through.”

Barsork took a step back feeling like he had just been punched. “Betty how can you say that. I am bonded to you. I love you. I found you because of that bond, I can feel when you are near. I know I have done wrong and I will make amends somehow, but don’t ask me to leave you in danger. I cannot.”

Betty breathed deeply and looked into his eyes taking a step toward him. “I am not in danger right now, Barsork. These women want to help me, not hurt me, and I want to help them. Please. I am okay for now. Let me stay with them for a while. Maybe when you have secured travel we can help get them back to Earth.”

Barsork leaned his head down to touch Betty’s forehead. “How can you ask me to walk away? Do you not love me as you said you did? Is this truly your wish? You do not want to come back with me to our own hideout?”

Betty reached up and laid her hand gently on the side of his soft blue face. “Barsork, I do love you, more than I could have ever thought possible. If there is a way for us to be together I will try to find it as I know you will.”

She kissed him fully on his lips, tasting his sweetness. Her hands came up almost involuntarily to wrap around his neck as he pulled her closer to him with his strong arms. She could feel her body filling with need and desire and she wanted nothing more than to be laid down on the forest floor and made love to. With a longing regret, Betty pulled herself from his kiss and placed her hand on his smooth chest.

“I need to be here for right now. Please, Barsork. I think that I can help, and I need you to trust me. Do what you promised to do and find transport for us. I love you.”

Barsork felt his fierce eyes brimming with tears, something he had never experienced before. The thought of leaving her there was cutting out his heart. He knew she was in danger even if she couldn’t see it.

Those hunters were not going to give up until they had their prey and she was walking straight into it. She was too naïve to think that she was safe with these women just because they were human. They were going to get her killed.

Even so, he could not deny her. His heart ached with the need to see her happy even at his own expense. With a last longing look into her eyes and a single tear sliding down his pale blue face, he stepped back and watched Betty turn back toward the clearing.