Fated Mates of Breeder Prison: The Complete Series Box Set: A Scifi Alien Romance Series

18. Grace

The shadows of the walls seemed to stretch and reach out, echoing my turbulent thoughts.

Uhah’s dream had become a labyrinth of emotions for me, both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

A cold, silent reminder that the dreamworld, as mesmerizing as it was, could be perilous and unpredictable.

I’ve always known Tix as the one who could navigate the intricate maze of one’s nightmares, the one who stood strong and unyielding against the darkness.

Last night, when I saw him cornered, vulnerable, about to be swallowed by the abyss, something inside me snapped.

The thought of losing him to the shadows, to the terrifying depths of the dream world, consumed me with a rage I had never known.

And before I could comprehend it, it had erupted from within me, shattering the very fabric of the dream.

I was scared, not just of the raw power I’d unleashed but also of the realization of how deeply I cared for Tix.

Love and fear, two sides of the same coin, intertwined and compelling me forward.

I rubbed my temples, trying to shake off the unease that clung to me.

The lights of the pit blared, creating an atmospheric haze that hung in the air like a tangible entity.

The fighters’ names flashed on the holographic board above, giving the awaiting audience a glimpse of the line-up for the night’s battles.

As always, I scanned for Tix’s name, the bright letters illuminating my face in the dark.

His name was conspicuously missing.

My heart started to race.

Tix never missed a pit battle.

It was more than just a fight for him; it was for us.

I quickly approached one of the guards, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. “Excuse me, there seems to be some mistake. Tix’s name isn’t on the list today.”

The guard barely spared me a glance, his face devoid of emotion. “If his name isn’t there, it means he isn’t fighting.”

“But why? He’s the Champion,” I pushed, my concern growing.

Instead of answering, the guard turned away.

I felt a surge of frustration and concern.

Tix’s sudden absence made no sense, especially after everything we’d been through in the dreamworld.

His abrupt absence from the battles was unsettling.

Was he in trouble?

Did something happen?

With no other recourse, I decided to retreat to the one place I felt a connection to him — the dreamworld.

Slipping into the cold sheets in the dorm room, I closed my eyes and let the exhaustion from the past events take over.

The world blurred and dimmed, pulling me into the intricate realm of dreams.

This was our territory, and if I couldn’t find answers in the real world, perhaps the dreamworld would offer some.

As soon as I entered the realm, a soft, silver luminescence bathed everything.

The dreamworld was a manifestation of thoughts and feelings, a place where the subconscious roamed free.

The familiar sensation of floating, unburdened by gravity or physical constraints, enveloped me.

“Tix?” I called out, hoping my voice would reach him.

The only response was the distant echo of my own voice.

Pushing forward, I tried to conjure up memories of our past adventures, using them as beacons to guide me to him.

The dreamworld was vast, an ever-shifting labyrinth of emotions, memories, and subconscious thoughts.

Finding someone, especially if they weren’t looking to be found, could be a daunting task.

I went everywhere we had been together.

From the local forest of his childhood to the park on Earth I had shown him.

I scoured every nook and cranny.

Tix was nowhere to be found.

Doubt began to creep in.

Was he avoiding me on purpose?

Was he upset about something?

Or worse, had he entered Uhah’s nightmare by himself and been unable to break free?

The weight of worry pressed down on me.

My heart ached with every fruitless search.

With each passing moment, a sinking feeling grew, the dread of not finding him overwhelming.

Hours felt like minutes, and minutes like seconds.

As the dreamworld’s time-warped and twisted, my determination never wavered.

“Tix! Where are you?” I shouted, tears streaming down my face, the silver realm around me starting to darken, reflecting my escalating fear.

As the dream realm twisted with my emotions, a fierce storm began to form.

Thunder boomed, and the luminescent sky grew angry and dark.

The very fabric of the dreamworld seemed to echo my pain and anxiety.

A sinking realization hit me.

Tix was not here.

I’d searched every corner, every memory, every emotion, and he was simply not here.

The dreamworld, our sanctuary, our meeting place, had no trace of him.

A profound sense of loneliness washed over me.

* * *

Sunlight streamedthrough the flimsy curtains, creating a mosaic of light and shadows on the floor.

My eyes, still heavy with sleep and the weight of the dreams I had navigated, struggled to adjust to the brightness.

Before I could gather my thoughts, a frantic shaking brought me back to full consciousness.

“Wake up! Wake up, Grace!” a familiar voice hissed in my ear.

It was Lina, a fellow Prize, her coppery eyes wide with panic.

“What’s happening?” I mumbled, pushing my tangled hair out of my face, my thoughts still consumed by my fruitless search for Tix in the dreamworld.

“A Champion is coming!” she said, her voice quivering with a mix of excitement and fear. “He’s won in the pits and he’s coming to claim a Prize!”

A pit formed in my stomach.

I barely had time to pull on a negligee and hurry into the Prize Pool when the door creaked open and a hush fell over the room.

The sound of heavy boots on the stone floor echoed through the silence.

Every Prize in the room straightened, their faces a mask of anticipation.

In my heart, I still yearned for Tix.

His absence from the pit battles had left a void that no Champion could fill.

Distracted by these thoughts, I barely registered the approaching footsteps.

It was only when they stopped right in front of me that I realized the Champion had made his choice.

I forced myself to look up, expecting to see a stranger, but my blood ran cold when I met the piercing red eyes of Fleth.

A sneer tugged at the corner of his lips, and his malicious intent was clear.

“Looks like it’s your lucky day,” he drawled, reaching out to twirl a strand of my hair around his finger.

His touch sent shivers down my spine.

The room was filled with hushed whispers.

Everyone knew of Fleth’s reputation.

He was a brutal fighter and even more brutal lover.

Tales of his cruelty were legendary.

My heart raced, thoughts of Tix and our adventures, our shared dreams, were replaced by a rising panic.

Being chosen by Fleth was a curse.

A heavy silence filled the room.

I could see the fear reflected in the eyes of the other Prizes.

I tried to summon some semblance of courage, to show Fleth that I wasn’t afraid, but it was hard.

Especially since my mind was still consumed by Tix’s sudden disappearance.

Fleth, perhaps sensing my distraction, gripped my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. “You will serve me,” he hissed, his voice dripping with menace.

Though I tried to find my voice, to tell him that I would never bow to his whims, fear choked me, rendering me speechless.

The weight of Fleth’s presence, combined with the emotional exhaustion of the dreamworld search, had taken its toll.

Fleth laughed, a cold, heartless sound. “Good. Silent obedience is acceptable.”

The other Prizes watched, some with pity, others with relief that they hadn’t been chosen.

As Fleth led me out of the room, his grip on my arm painfully tight, I cast one last desperate look around, half-hoping to see Tix come to my rescue.

There was no sign of him.

The corridor outside was cold and dimly lit, the walls lined with torches that flickered with an eerie glow.

I stumbled, my thoughts a whirlwind of fear, confusion, and desperation.

Fleth’s cruel laughter echoed around me, and as we moved deeper into the heart of the prison, I could only fear what was going to happen next.