Chapter Six

 

 

It’s now or never.

I swallow past the bile rising in my throat and push at the ajar door of my cage. Until now, Vonn has been careful to lock it each night. But he came home this evening, reeking of alcohol, and didn’t shut it properly after clumsily fucking me and shoving me back inside.

Holding my breath, I listen to make sure he’s actually sleeping, and once the deep sounds of his snoring drift from the bed, I nudge the door fully open.

Slowly, very slowly, I crawl onto the floor and move past the bed.

The door to the bedroom always opens automatically upon Vonn’s approach, but I’m afraid that even if it does glide open for me, the faint hiss will wake him, so I approach the open window instead. Climbing down the side of the house is my only option, and I’m determined to escape, even though I’ll be running away naked with no real destination in mind, other than as far away from this town as possible.

I can only imagine the awful beating he’ll dole out if he catches me in the act. I hold my breath and inch toward the window, ignoring the burning in my lungs and praying that Vonn remains passed out.

He hasn’t hit me in two days, and even the most recent beatings haven’t been as harsh as the first ones he inflicted when I initially came to live with him, but I’m not taking any chances that he’s changing or starting to detect the mating bond.

What happened when I took a chance with Harry? My whole life ended up fucked over, that’s what. The only person I can trust is myself. The only person I should ever dare to rely on is myself. I’m one of those people destined to be alone, and I’m fine with that. I don’t need or want anyone. I will escape and find a secluded place to live in the forests of Tallia.

It’s almost comical. Five years ago, I was living in Texas, teaching third grade. I had my own apartment and thought one day I’d meet Mr. Right, settle down, and have two or three kids. We’d buy a gorgeous little house in the suburbs and get a cat and a dog. We’d be the perfect, loving family, and I would never treat my children the way my family treated me. Then I met Harry and thought he was Mr. Right, but our path to happiness would take us to another planet for a few years before we settled back down in Texas.

Now I’m stuck on Tallia, a beautiful tropical planet far from Earth, dreaming about spending the rest of my life alone in the wild.

I reach for the windowsill and start pulling myself up, only for a firm hand to grab my arm and send me hurling backward.

The wind is knocked out of me in an instant, and I gasp desperately for air.

I hadn’t even heard him wake up. My hopes of living in the forest, alone but safe from Vonn’s wrath, turn to dust.

 I shift onto my side. Black boots enter my vision, and I curl up to protect myself from the onslaught of kicks and blows that I know are coming.

This is it. He really will kill me.

Deep angry growls echo off the walls. His rage is a physical thing, pouring over me and filling the room. He circles me a few times, then delivers the first heavy kick to my stomach. A few more to my center, and a few to my head.

Blood pools in my mouth. Everything hurts. I float and float away.

I’m not here.

This isn’t happening.

It never is.

I’m above my body, hovering outside myself and watching. Only watching. There’s no pain if I don’t let it in. There’s no terror if it’s not me.

The world fades and I drift into a dark void.

 

* * *

 

Shifting colors. Cold fear. Screams. Strange faces. Agony. Sorrowful cries. All blur together into an unintelligible torrent of images, sounds, and sensations.

The cries might be mine, but I’m not sure. I blink and everything’s hazy, and for some reason my eyes won’t open all the way, as if they are almost swollen shut. My head throbs and piercing pains stab at my ribs, like dozens of knives slicing into me all at once. Nausea rises in my throat.

A human woman is standing above me, and even a few Kleaxian males.

But not Vonn.

My mate isn’t here.

I don’t recognize these Kleaxians, especially the elderly one who is touching me and holding weird blinking devices over my body.

I hear a woman crying, but I can’t see her. Or is it me who’s sobbing? I don’t think it’s me. I don’t have the energy for tears.

An elderly human woman approaches and strokes my hand. She whispers in my ear, though I can’t discern her words. But I lean in her direction, because she smells like berries and flowers, and the pleasant scent is a brief distraction from my current torment.

Maybe I’m dying. Breathing hurts. Each moment is pure agony.

The elderly Kleaxian male presses something cold to my neck, and once again I tumble into darkness.

 

* * *

 

Sunlight.

It’s the first thing I see when I open my eyes.

Pretty white beams of light dancing upon a blanket that’s covering my body.

I’m in a bed, but that can’t be right. Vonn has never allowed me to sleep in a bed. Only the cage.

I stare at the light on the blue covers and wiggle my toes, luxuriating in the soft sheets and penetrating warmth of the sun. I suspect I’m sleeping, but I plan to enjoy every second of this blissful dream.

Usually, I only have nightmares, and I welcome this experience with an open but sad heart. Sad because I’m certain I will jolt awake at any instant, and Vonn will be looming over me, preparing to fuck me or punish me. Or make me lick watery breadcrumbs off the floor.

I think I dreamed of this room before, the room resting in my peripheral vision, though I’ve yet to actually tear my eyes from the sunlight on the covers to inspect it in further detail. I also dreamed of human women and male Kleaxians tending to me, which can’t be real either.

No one would take care of me. I belong to Vonn and he would never abide it. He hasn’t allowed me outside his house since taking me away from Capital Acres. He’s never even permitted me to peer out the windows.

I like dreaming.

When I’m asleep, I don’t hurt.

My head doesn’t ache, my ribs aren’t pierced with pain, and my pussy doesn’t throb from Vonn’s rough mating sessions. The back of my throat doesn’t burn from him fucking my face, either.

If only this dream would last forever.

I would give anything to remain here in this soft bed while the warmth of the sun spreads over the covers, warming my soul as much as my body. Then I catch the scent of berries and flowers, prompting confusing memories to stir in the recesses of my thoughts.

“Katrina, honey, you’re safe. Can you hear me? You’re safe and he’ll never hurt you again.”

The voice must be part of my dream. I’m certainly not safe. I’m far from it. Vonn won’t rest until he’s finally beaten me to death during one of his rages. And even if he never beats me to death, I’m still not safe, because he’s consumed by darkness and hatred, fueled by his grief over the loss of his mate at Harry’s hand.

Harry. He’s dead. How long since the attack and his death? My mind is fuzzy and I can’t remember. A month? Three months? A year?

“Katrina, honey. Everything is going to be all right. Please wake up.”

A warm hand closes on mine, and I finally peer to my right. The elderly woman from my last dream is sitting next to me, the lines on her face drawn with concern. She gives me a tentative smile, but she still looks anxious. Is she worried for me? What’s going on?

She releases my hand and holds a cup of water in front of my face.

Suddenly, I’m parched. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was until glimpsing the water. I sit up and take it from her, then drink the entire contents of the cup, each gulp of the cold water soothing the dryness of my throat.

Is this really a dream?

The elderly woman takes the cup and sets it on the bedside table. I inhale a deep breath and sit up further, leaning against the pillows stacked behind me, trying to focus both my gaze and my thoughts. The edges of my vision become sharper, like a camera lens finally coming into focus.

I’m in a strange but welcoming bedroom. This isn’t Vonn’s house.

“I…” My voice trails off. Panic tightens in my chest, making my breaths come in short gasps. “My cage,” I whisper. “Where is my cage?”

“Honey, listen to me. Vonn won’t hurt you anymore. I promise.”

I stare into her kind gaze, longing to believe her, yet worried this is some kind of perverse trick.

What if Vonn is lurking outside the door, ready to barge inside and beat me for talking to this old woman?

I don’t know what to do, so I press my lips firmly together and stare at the sunlight on the covers again.

If Vonn enters the room, my eyes will already be lowered, just as he prefers.

I shift in the bed and experience no pain whatsoever. There’s a euphoria to my mood that I think must be a deception. I’m floating high above the clouds, in the background of my worry, like I’ve taken a strong painkiller. But that can’t be right. I don’t remember swallowing anything. Unless…

An elderly Kleaxian had been leaning over me, and the instant he pressed something cold to my neck, I had passed out.

Images and noises come rushing back, and I flinch and draw the covers up to my chin.

“Where’s Vonn?” I dare to ask. He hasn’t given me permission to speak, so I ought to keep my mouth shut, but I have to know.

“He’s dead. Prince Kenan executed him two days ago.”

Her words hover around me, not quite sinking in.

My gaze travels around the large room. I count three windows, all open. A light breeze enters and caresses the tears on my face. Weird. I didn’t know I was crying.

I wipe at my face and sniffle, hating the weakness I feel. Why am I so tired and emotional?

Vonn isn’t here. The old woman says he’s dead, but I am still worried it’s a sadistic prank.

My mate is cruel. I wouldn’t put it past him to force an elderly human woman to fool me into thinking he’s dead, only to show up during my moment of relief and then beat the living fuck out of me.

I duck my head down quickly, the way I always do when I fear I’m about to be slapped.

“Katrina, honey, I promise you, Vonn is dead. He’s gone.”

“Who are you?” I whisper, still afraid to make a noise, in case my mate is lying in wait somewhere nearby.

“My name is Joanna, and I am a slave in this household.” At my startled look, she continues, “Though I’m a slave, I promise you I am treated well. Had a rough start here, I’ll admit, but my master, Zandek, has turned out to be a most understanding and compassionate Kleaxian male.”

I stare at her, not yet daring to believe her words.

“It’s true,” she says, as if sensing my hesitation. “Soon you will meet Helena, Zandek’s human mate. She is at the market right now with Zandek, but they should return in an hour or so. We weren’t expecting you to awake so soon, or they would have remained at home, I am certain. The doctor said you would be out for at least three days.” She pats my arm. “I see you are still afraid. I promise Vonn is really and truly dead. His head is actually resting on a stake on the edge of town. A most barbaric practice, if you ask me, but given that he nearly killed you, I would say his execution was greatly deserved.”

Her announcement stuns me.

“Take me there now.”

“Where, honey? To the market? I told you Helena and Zandek will return home soon.”

“No. To see Vonn’s head. I must see it. I need to know he’s really de-dead.” My voice cracks over the last word. I must confirm Vonn is truly gone from this world.

“I’ll, um, ask Master Zandek to arrange for you to see Vonn’s head when he returns home, honey,” she replies hesitantly. “All right?”

I release a deep breath. “All right. But I must see it as soon as possible. I-I need to make sure this isn’t a trick, and I must be sure I’m not dreaming.” I pinch myself hard under the covers, but I don’t wake up. Not that it’s proof all of this is real.

If I see Vonn’s head on a stake and smell the stench of his death though, I might believe he’s really gone. I might believe I’ve been rescued from my tormenter. I might believe this nightmare has come to an end.

“Wait. Where is the Ghessan servant from Vonn’s household? Zell?”

Joanna smiles. “He’s downstairs. Would you like to see him? Ghessans aren’t supposed to interact with females who aren’t slaves themselves, but I suppose if you know his name, you’re already past that. Zandek has left you in my care while he’s gone to the market, and I doubt he will object.” She rises to her feet and pats my arm again. “I’ll return soon, honey. Don’t fall back asleep.”

She departs the room and I immediately crawl out of bed. I stumble to the window on weak, shaky legs, barely cognizant of the tubes that are attached to my arms. A pole containing several bags of fluid follows me as I walk to the window.

The bright afternoon sun, larger than the sun of Earth, beams down upon the mountain. The vegetation of the nearby forest is green and beautiful, with colorful flowering trees and plants. Waves lap at the white sandy shore, and further down the coast rests a busy dock, where dozens of Kleaxians are hauling nets of fish and other lake creatures out of boats. On the horizon beyond a faraway mountain range, I spy the twin moons, white and faded but still large during the daytime.

But when I look down into the street below, I see a large splotch of red on the stones. My stomach flips. Though I have no way of knowing for certain, I think it’s blood.

Does it belong to Vonn?

Please let it be true. Please let my nightmare be over.