Since the human did not come alone—and I am almost certain of that now, in my experience, females do not venture to places alone and unfamiliar unless running from something worse, and this one was not running—that means she is here intentionally. But I cannot assume her intentions are her own, whatever they may be. The rest of her clan could be planning her rescue and my demise at this very moment.
Grabbing a spear off the wall and a whet rock, I untiethe metal blade at the end and settle by the far end of the pool’s edge, away from her. Watching her slumbering, I keep my hands busy sharpening the blade as I slip my tail into the water to cool down.
She does not wake that morning, and by the time the noon sun is directly above us and the cracks in the stone are pierced through with bright golden light, I finally break from my vigil with a growl of frustration.
It has been a full day and yet I have not gotten more than a groan.
She needs food, water…
Throwing my latest spear back against the wall, I return to the female’s side and retie her hands. This time, however, I wind the extra rope around the cement block, leaving her lying out on the hide rather than bound tight to rough stone. When I am done, I bend close and listen to her breath, finding it faint and soft, but steady. It fans my ear, tickling it, making the tip of it flex and prickle. I shake the sensation off as I pull away.
“Do not move until I get back,” I order.
She does not respond.
Skipping the tunnel, I dive into the pool instead, swimming through a large crack in the far wall at the bottom, the reason I made my nest in this location. There are many secret paths inRickton City, and I know all of them.
When I emerge on the other side, I weave through the dense stacks of crates to make a cursory check that the broken double-wide metal door in the back is firmly closed. Reassured, I return to my hoard, digging out the items I came for, then head back the way I came. Pulling my body out of the pool, I drop the supplies next to the human and run my palms over my head, brushing the remaining water off. Blinking it out of my eyes, I move toundress her, but freeze when a loud noise booms from above.
The ground trembles and several rocks shift. Dust and debris fall from the ceiling. Coiling my tail around the female, I brace for more to fall, ready to shield her.
Slowly the noise fades and the rumbling stops.
It might be her ship…
Without another thought, I rush toward the surface, hissing in frustration, already out of patience.
SIX
NEW SURROUNDINGS
Sabrina
Groaning,I struggle to open my eyes, hating that I survived whatever it is I survived because now I’m feeling as hellish as I ever have before in my shitty life. Pounding swells my temples, an intense pressure between and behind my eyes; I reach up to grab my head and curl into myself—but a pull on my wrists stops me.
Alarm manages to get my eyes open. I’ve wriggled my hands halfway to my face by the time I’m able to focus on anything, which is when I discover my wrists are bound taut near the ground, tied to a rock on the floor next to me.
Shifting my legs under me, I slowly sit upright, biting through the pain in my head to squint at my surroundings.
I don’t need to see more than a glimpse before the curses start expelling under my breath. I’m not onThe Wreckanymore, nor am I by the lichen on the tracks. I’m somewhere else completely. Still underground or inside somewhere: stone, broken plaster, and rocks make up the wallsand floor around me. Dust motes fill the air, floating through several shafts of light from cracks in the concrete far above. The space is cold and damp yet light and airy at the same time. A pool nearby reflects an opalescent greenish hue over everything, giving it all the same overlaying watery color.
I look down at my wrists and cringe, feeling my raw skin scrape against the rope. A laugh leaves me when I realize it’smyrope.
Of course it’s my rope.
Despite the pain, I yank at the bonds, trying to fray and loosen them. When I’m unable to immediately free myself, I give up on my wrists and opt to get free of the stone instead. I twist around and push at the squarish rock, only to find I’m unable to budge it. I kick it with all my might, pressing the flats of my boots against the side, and barely get it to tilt.
Someone put me here like this. Who?
I lift my eyes as a terrible thought occurs to me.
Who… Or what?
Orwhat!?My body freezes up as I take in my surroundings with a keener, quieter eye.
I don’t immediately see anything that saysnaga, or aliens. But neither do I see anything or anyone that could help me. I’m alone.
I release the breath caught in my throat. “Fuuuck,” I say, coming to terms with the fact that I might be on my own here and stuck. In the end, it doesn't matter who or what has captured me. Escape is what’s important. I tug harder at the rope, working it against the rock as I grit my teeth against the burn on my skin. Realizing the strange sensation in my boots is water, I glance at the suspicious pool, wondering why parts of me are wet.
