“I don’t understand! How is that even possible? Didn’t you say that Infernians weren’t like you? The humanoid form is natural for you, but not for them, it’s not like he’s running around with horns on his head. If the government knew this, even Vega couldn’t stop them from coming down here and making an example.” Jennifer hissed.

Ragal was pacing in his cell, “I don’t know how he got ahold of this but whatever it is, it's keeping him in his human form. It can’t last forever though. Mavic said he came to town five years ago.”

“So? Maybe he just sneaks off and changes into his other form.”

I shook my head, “No, we would have caught him if that had happened. We have sensors that expand far beyond this place that alerts us when an Infernian is near humans. However, he got this, he brought it with him and has been using it the whole time.”

“How is that even possible? Doesn’t your kind need to shift every once in a while?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m surprised that he’s lasted this long in one form. It’s a wonder he hasn’t slipped up yet.”

“Well, he almost did today,” Jennifer muttered.

We both looked at her in the dim light and she quickly filled us in on everything that had happened. I knew she regretted helping him, maybe if she hadn’t, the others would have seen what he really was and scattered. There was no way to tell when he would need another dose. Still, something bothered me about the whole situation. I found myself pacing the same way I had been before. She watched me as I moved back and forth.

“He wasn’t expecting it and neither were his people. They don’t know what he is,” she muttered, working through what was going on.

“If I had to guess,” offered Ragal. “I would say that his tolerance to the medication is started to wear thin. He won’t have long before he’ll need another dose. We need to get a plan together and fast.”

“What is it that he’s using anyways? I’ve never seen anything like it,” asked Jennifer.

I shook my head, “I guess we have the time now, do we? You know that the Dragselian and Infernians at one time were the same race, right?”

She nodded her head, “Yeah, you told me about that and the war.”

“Good. The planet that the Infernians were banished to forced them into their dragon state. They tried to fight it for many decades. In the end, though, the result was a mutated, but smaller, version of what you saw us shift into the other night. Infernians can’t hold their human form for very long but this serum can.”

“I get all that, but what is it made of?” she asked.

I saw Ragal shudder from the corner of my eye. “It’s not something we talk about, it’s too horrifying. The serum is created from the spinal fluid of sentient beings, with the best coming from Dragselians.”

“Oh, my God, that’s terrible. Is that why he plans on keeping all of you?”

“I believe so. Without the serum, Vega would revert back to the state of an Infernian pretty fast.”

“You don’t think that there are others out there who still do this, do you? You said you keep track of them.”

“Some,” offered Ragal. “But not all of them. This galaxy is too big for us to patrol all the time. We generally only watch certain ‘high risk’ locations.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean that we watch over our own, and those we trade with but even the Dragselians have their squabbles. There are certain colonies that are on the outs with our kingdom. The Infernians have raided many outlying colonies.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. They like keeping their Dragselian captives in stasis and harvesting their spinal fluid, then allow them to regenerate and do it all over again.”

“I see why you want them wiped out now,” Jennifer muttered. “What are we going to do?”

I looked at her, the worry in her eyes, broke my heart. As I reached for her hand, I made her a promise. “We are going to get you out of here and come back for our brothers. You promised that you would follow my orders and that’s what they are. The situation is worse than we ever could have imagined. You aren’t safe anymore.”

To my surprise, she nodded her head in agreement. “So, what’s the plan?”

A scuffle down at the end of the corridor pulled all our attention away from the conversation. The two guards were fighting someone off, but I couldn’t tell if they were winning or losing. After a few minutes of grunting and groaning, we heard a loud crack before the telltale sound of bodies falling to the ground ended the commotion. Silence fell over the cells as we waited to see what had happened. I pushed Jennifer behind me as best I could to protect her as one of the men came into view.

“Lee?” she called to him. “What’s going on?”

My mouth fell open when I saw him unlock Jennifer’s cell. There was the same young guard that we’d met at the outpost at his side. They both seemed less than thrilled to be there as the older man glared in my direction. To my surprise, he tossed me the keys and I quickly freed myself then my brother. The men kept some distance between us, I didn’t know if they were friend or foe until Jennifer threw her arms around the young man’s neck.

“What are you two doing here, Hardin?” she asked him.

He looked warily at me, then to his commanding officer before turning back to Jennifer. “Well, we couldn’t let you go without knowing what was really going on. We heard that one talking about a possible Infernian problem.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes, “That one, as you call him, is Zaruv. That is his brother, Ragal and you heard right. We’ve got a big problem and you just put yourself in the middle of it. You shouldn’t have come, it’s too dangerous!”

I held out my hand to Lee, “Thank you. I don’t know what changed your mind but we could use the help. The Infernian is parading around as a man named Vega. He runs the town and has a hundred men under him. We need to find my brothers and get out of here fast. If you would take Jennifer, I would forever be in your debt.”

Jennifer spun around, “Hell, no. I’m not leaving here without you.”

My mouth fell open in shock. “Two minutes ago, you were fine with leaving! What the hell changed?”

“Keep your voice down,” she hissed. There are five of us now.”

“Yes, but two came to save you, not us,” I retorted.

“I just don’t want to see our technology fall into the wrong hands, so you are all coming with us. If that means getting your brothers out first, then fine. Anything to get you off my planet,” muttered Hardin.

“Hardin!” Jennifer scolded.

I took her hand, “No, Jennifer, it’s okay. Your people have been terrorized by Infernians for far too long. I expect there to be a bit of hostility toward our kind. Many don’t know the difference. Either way, we have to get to my brothers, and standing here fighting won’t do us any good. Stay behind me, do you understand?”

She nodded her head and silently followed behind myself and Lee with Hardin and Ragal at the back. I knew the men were still unsure of us. Their division in numbers was all the proof that I needed. It didn’t matter at that moment though, they were working to help us and all I could concentrate on was freeing Karun and Pavar.

Jennifer tugged on my arm, “This is the way to the kitchen. I don’t know where they are keeping the pods.”

“It’s okay. We will find them but I think it’s best if we split up. It might give us a better chance.”

She looked surprised but nodded her head. I couldn’t tell her the truth as I pulled Ragal aside and talked with him while the others waited a few feet away. I wished we were in our other forms and could communicate without speaking but as it was, we spoke in Dragselian dialect that I knew none of them would understand. It was the only way to keep Jennifer safe, whether she liked it or not. She was too precious to me to lose.

“You have to get her out of here,” I told him.

He shook his head, “I am not leaving here without you.”

“I need to find Pavar and Karun but I can’t risk her life. Please brother, follow me on this one. You take her and the young one. Neither of them is ready for a battle if it comes to that.”

“And what about you? Even you can’t take on a hundred men with weapons. If you get caught, it will mean your death.”

“I would rather my death than hers, can’t you see that?”

His eyes widened as he realized the true depth of my feelings for Jennifer. It was a secret I hadn’t shared with anyone yet, the truth only dawned on me when Vega had threatened her life.

“I need to know that she is safe. My life means nothing without her,” I said softly.

He put his hand on my shoulder and nodded his head, “I will keep her safe. You have my word.”

“Thank you, brother,” I told him.

“Jennifer, you go with Ragal and Hardin. Search for a way out. Johnson and I will find the others and meet you.”

“How will you know where to find us?”

I looked at Ragal, “I can follow your scent, all of yours actually. It won’t be difficult.”

“Zaruv,” she whispered softly, as she cupped my face.

It didn’t matter that the others were watching us. In that moment, there was only her and me. Our bond was unbreakable, as I kneeled down to kiss her softly, praying that it wouldn’t be our last moment together. She kissed me back, pressing against my body and once again igniting the passion inside me. My body burned to touch her but there was no time. We had to separate and flee.

“Go,” I whispered to her, breaking away against my better judgment.

“Promise you will come back to me?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

I nodded my head and walked in the opposite direction, unable to watch her as she left me. Lee was close to me and we trotted in silence for some time before taking a break. The cellar was a labyrinth, but we were getting closer to the center and to my brothers with every turn. I could sense them, even in their slumber. They both seemed well enough, though I had no idea if my read was accurate.

“You really care about her, don’t you?” Lee asked.

I looked back at him and nodded. “More than even I realized until today. She has given me a new life.”

“Jennifer is a good woman. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“That’s why I sent her with Ragal,” I muttered.

“That isn’t what I meant. Even if we do make it out of here, she could still get hurt.”

“You mean her heart?” I asked, knowing the answer.

He nodded his head, “She is a friend to everyone, a heart of gold.”

“You have no reason to worry about me harming her in any way.”

“Oh yeah? Aren’t you going to leave once you find your brothers? What then? She will be heartbroken when that happens.”

“I know,” I muttered. “I won’t leave her if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Why should I believe you?” he asked defensively.

I looked him in the eyes and told him what I’d wanted to proclaim from the rooftops. “Because I love her.”