The one called Edie sits up, running her fingers through her long hair. “No one could tell us how. I think that’s been one of the hardest things to accept … that we’re just supposed to shove our past away and continue on as if nothing happened. Can you tell us anything? I know it’s been years, but I feel like I can’t move on from that point in my life.”
I open a live feed to where Falon is hiding as I feel like this knowledge is crucial and something he needs to know as well.
“I will accurately relay all that I can tell you, but most of the information will be about others, as that is what has affectedme directly. There is a race called the Korgon, who are massive, blue, four-armed beasts. They are not the smartest species, but they have technology and longevity that no one has been able to recreate. Thankfully, the known slavers are on the verge of extinction thanks to Commander DaR and his sons as they are trying to keep what happened to you from affecting others.
However, we believe they were the ones who took you from Earth, simply because of the cryopods' design. We also believe you were obtained many years before the planet destroyer consumed the planet, as they had been harvesting that area of space for an unknown period. Some things we are still learning, but we know they targeted females for youth and fertility, but they were not always successful, as with the Commander’s mate, Kira.”
“Wait, did you just say the big guy over the galaxy is mated to one of us?”
“Yes, I did and Miss Kira will likely greet you personally when we arrive at our destination.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I feel like we’ve missed so much. Please go on.”
“After the Commander acquired Kira, he started shutting down the slave centers and issued an order throughout the galaxy that basically said that if you were caught with a human that was not there willingly, it was punishable by death. Rumors started flying and one story was that there were four cryopods dumped in an uncharted part of the galaxy.”
“Us?” Kirsten asks.
“Yes, and honestly we only picked up the signals coming off your pods because we were looking for more survivors in thearea. It is hard to tell what part of your world you came from or even how long you had been in stasis before they jettisoned you out. You are all lucky that you landed on a habitable planet and were found by the Ruk’s. I have a feeling that if the Korgons had continued on their journey, your final destination would not have been as favorable.”
The one called Laura gets up and starts pacing around the floor, agitated. “Hell’s fucking fire, so what happens now?”
“Exactly what Captain EvO and the others told you. We will rendezvous with the rest of your kind and hopefully, assist you in building a new and positive future. Commander DaR does not make statements lightly, and he is determined to save as many of his mate’s people as possible.”
Laura stops, looking at the others. “You guys realize what she’s saying is that we could have ended up like Ruby or Rowen, in a damn bug ship that was going to use us to harvest their young. God forgive me for complaining but I didn’t realize how much worse it could’ve been. Other than the translators shoved into our brains at one point, at least we weren’t mistreated.”
Kristen begins to giggle. “Okay, I’m not making light of what happened to those two sisters, but if I’d been a bug, Ruby would have scared the hell out of me. That girl is a force to reckon with. Did you see how the captain backed away from her when she thought they were going to try and force the mated ones to come too? I don’t think even the big soldier guy knew what to do with all that personality. When she jerked her top down, showing the marks on her skin, I think the purple guy blushed.”
“What marks?” All eyes turn to Edie, who has been mostly silent this entire time. My system reruns the description Falon gave of his mate, and I do believe this is the female he is chasing.
“Oh, I forgot, you didn’t come to the celebrations, or you would’ve seen them firsthand. It appears that humans and Ruks are compatible, and somehow, when they consummate the union, the mate bond clicks into place. Then the woman’s life span matches her man’s, along with the magical symbols that show the world who she’s chosen.”
“What if she says no?”
“I believe Rowan said the guy could die. Why the sudden interest, Edie?”
“Just curious. So, what you’re saying is she’s practically forced to mate with him or live with his death on her conscious?”
“Mistress Edie, I do not have all the facts, but I believe the male is the one without a choice. The moment the mating collar snaps into place, he has eyes only for his mate, and I believe it is seen as a failure on his part if the bond is not completed, so his punishment is death.”
I see the distress cross Mistress Edie’s face before she gets up and leaves the common room headed to her private one.
“Destiny, will we be able to talk to Mam and the others ever again?”
“I believe SCOUT promised Mistress Ami Lynn that he would work on that issue, so I would say your chances are high. I am pleased that they treated you well enough that you want to stay in contact.”
Kristen lays down on one of the long couches I installed in the room, pulling a blanket over herself. “Mam and the others saved our lives and thankfully, all of us realized that quickly. To be honest, life was rather boring until those boys of hers showedup. I thought for sure Heather would come along with us when the captain gave us the option. I’ll say I was shocked that she decided to stay with the others.”
Laura sits down at Kristen’s feet. “I’m not, look at all of us. We’ve stayed together and I think because she was taken with them, they formed a bond no different from what we all did. She stayed, figuring that was her safest option.”
“But I mean, what about her future? All the guys were mated except for Falon and the others were old and days from death. What kind of future is she going to have there?”
“The one she chose, and that’s more than she had before.”
The room gets quiet, and I can tell they are all deep in thought, so I leave them, allowing them some time to adjust and pop in on Falon, who is still sitting on the floor. His words do not shock me.
“I had no clue the circumstances that brought her to my world.”
“And it appears she had no idea about your mate collar either. You cannot reside on the floor for the remainder of the trip, so if you will follow me, I will take you to better quarters. Please be advised that I have notified the captain that you are here, and you will remain locked in until further notice.”
