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“After we’ve had a little fun, you can throw him into space.”

Heather’s hands curled into fists. No one threw her alien into space.

She risked a glance into the room. All she could see were the backs of the two cyborgs.

She eyed her targets. If she was quick, she could remove the cyborgs’ panels and disable them with their override buttons.

Heather had no clue how many Banti were inside the room. They did not come with override buttons, only claws, teeth, and a desire to eat her.

“Cut off a limb,” another Banti said. “I’ve never tried Picar. I hear they taste bitter, but I wouldn’t mind a sample.”

“Keep your rancid teeth away from me.” It was Loka.

Heather ducked her head back as she let out a shaky sigh. He was alive. She couldn’t leave him to the Banti to have fun with.

Taking a deep breath, she knew what she had to do. She ran around the corner, yanked down the panels on the cyborgs, and slammed her hands onto the buttons.

One cyborg was half turning as it deactivated. Its hand struck her head just before it died.

She staggered back, her head pounding. The sight in front of her stole her breath.

Loka was on his knees, his hands behind his back. Three Banti stood around him. One had a plasma blade in his hand.

The Bantis’ eyes lasered onto Heather. They all licked their lips at the same time, making her shiver.

“Did someone order lunch?”

Chapter 21

Loka tried to stand when he saw the horrified expression on Heather’s face but was kicked in the back by a Banti.

“Move again and I’ll shoot you.”

“Make sure you take his arm before you do.” The largest of the three Banti flickered his tongue out.

“You’re not eating my boyfriend.” Heather stood in the doorway, the two disabled cyborgs framing her like dead metal angels.

“Boyfriend?” One of the Banti grunted a laugh. “This is yours?”

“That’s none of your business.” Heather took a step forward. She raised the laser. “Return him to me.”

“You need to leave,” Loka said.

“I’m going nowhere.”

Loka dropped his head. He’d been so close to getting past the Banti. When he’d arrived in the room, there had only been one, hunched over a control panel.

Loka had been about to jump the Banti when the others had returned and grabbed him. They’d injected him with something that made every movement feel like agony. He knew Banti used a slow-acting sedative on prey. It kept them alive while they began to eat them.

“The little human is right. She’s going nowhere. I haven’t eaten in hours,” the largest Banti said.

“I am not your lunch,” Heather said. “Give me back my man. I mean, my alien. Give me back what’s mine.”

Despite his body refusing to cooperate, a wonky smile crossed Loka’s lips. He was hers. Her alien.

“I don’t think so.” The Banti with the plasma blade slashed it across Loka’s head.

Fire flowed through Loka’s head as Heather screamed and fired her laser.