Chapter 41
GILLIAN
I’ve not had any more visitors. Not only am I hungry, but it’s rained, and I’m frozen.
I keep working my way around the cage attempting to find the way out, but so far, I’ve been unsuccessful, and now I’ve lost the feeling in my hands.
I have them tucked under my armpits as I drip and the jungle steams. It doesn’t make any difference the outside temperature, my wet trousers stick to me, and while my jacket was reasonably waterproof, water has run down my neck, soaking my shirt, and this hasn’t improved things.
I can’t remember the last time I ate, and with every shiver, I’m losing vital energy. Perhaps the Sarkarnii will return, perhaps they won’t, but it’s beginning to feel rather like being back in the pit.
Where time played out in an endless loop of cold, and horror, and hunger, whether mine or the creatures’ sent in for me to battle. At the time it felt like a punishment I should accept because I was stupid enough to go walking at night and get myself abducted by aliens.
But this time, I burn with anger, the only warmth I can generate. Anger at ending up like this again.
An anger I can’t control. The one which says you can’t fall in love.
Not now.
Not here.
Not him.
Because I have to go home. I have to get back to Earth. I can’t develop feelings after all these years being able to avoid love.
I had enough with my mum. We were a team. We didn’t need anyone else.
I don’t need Dalox.
But I don’t want him harmed by an unhinged female Sarkarnii either.
Above me, there is a rattle, and the cage shakes violently for a moment before it slowly descends towards the ground.
I wipe my face and look down between my feet to see three female Sarkarnii staring up at me, one of which is Dyoti and the other Dyris.
The third is using some sort of remote which must be operating the cage.
“She’s still here,” Dyoti says. “He hasn’t come for her.”
“We should put her back up,” the unnamed Sarkarnii says. “Bait.”
“No, Dyniis,” Dyris says. “Makes it too easy for the males, and we wouldn’t be able to cover this whole area.” She narrows her eyes at me. “We’ll take her with us instead.”
“Oh dear,” I say through chattering teeth as the Sarkarnii, Dyniis, presses the remote against the bars and one side falls away. “Have you lost something?”
Dyoti reaches in and grabs my arm, wrenching me out of the cage with little resistance as I haven’t got it in me.
“The warlords are going to find out what happens when you nev about with females,” she snarls.
“If they think envenomation is bad…” Dyniis chuckles. “They’re wrong.”
“I wonder what would happen if I envenomated this one.” Dyoti opens her mouth, revealing a set of fangs which wouldn’t be out of place on a viper.
“Venom doesn’t work on females,” Dyris snaps. “You know it doesn’t.” She glares at Dyoti. “You’ve bitten enough of us.”
Dyoti grins at her. “I have, haven’t I?”
Dyniis rubs at her neck. “I wish you wouldn’t too, Dyoti.” She sighs. “Some of us are beginning to feel like sarkarnling teething toys.”
Dyoti releases a snort and some smoke as she continues to grin. My stomach warms a little. I don’t think these Sarkarnii ladies are bad at all. They just have Dyana for a leader.
“My friends have babies…sarkarnlings,” I say out loud.
Three heads snap to me.
“With the other warlords.”
I know this is risky. But I want these females to see me as a being, as one of them, not just a chew toy.
“Your species has bred with Sarkarnii?” Dyris says, her mouth falling open.
“Sarkarnii can breed with most species,” Dyoti says. “My mother had mates from across the galaxies.”
“Why does that not surprise me?”
“It gets boring waiting for males to go into rut. It’s the reason we envenomate them if they’re nevers,” Dyniis says. “I should know, I bit a few before we ended up here.”
“But you’re so small.” Dyris circles Dyoti and me. “How?”
“Nature finds a way,” I respond.
“So, you really are Dalox’s mate,” Dyris breathes. “He does rut for you, and he hopes to fill your belly too.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I say quickly. “But he is in rut for me.”
“If he ruts for you, he will breed you.” Dyniis gives me a searching look. “If you ride his cock, and I presume you have ridden him.”
“He says not,” I respond. “If he doesn’t hook me.”
All three of the females burst out laughing.
“That’s the line the males are using these days?” Dyris guffaws. “They’ve been without females too long.”
“Hooking helps.” Dyoti leans into me. “It’s very pleasurable.” She studies my face. “But if you’re fertile for a Sarkarnii, you’re fertile for a Sarkarnii.” She puts her hand on my abdomen and holds it there. “And he’ll have filled you for sure.”