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  “Ha. Well, don’t bother. We’re almost to the lab, and they’d make us strap in before you got near the door anyway. They’re about to leave.”

  Sweat tickles my skin as it drips down my spine, uncertainty threatening to crush my chest.

  I should have never agreed to this.

  Leandra has a death grip on her chair, straining as far forward as her harness will allow, and I’m fighting the urge to chew off my nails. It’s completely black outside, and damn it if I’m not desperate to catch a glimpse of Ren and Ragar. Our ship is rapidly approaching Xen’s suspected location, and both of them are about to leap through space to reach it.

  I can’t believe I agreed to this shit.

  There are so many ways this could go wrong. The tether could break, and they could go flying through space. Their suits could tear. They could hit the outer hull and bounce right off. The station itself could have a defense system and a perimeter alarm. I mean seriously, how could this be the best idea they could come up with?

  Pain explodes across my chest and bile rises in my throat at the thought of Ren being harmed. I swear I’m going to have a heart attack if this takes any longer.

  I barely register the feel of Iana’s hand on my shoulder. “Breathe, Ajayla. The Acia and Ragar will be fine. I am sure of it.”

  I give her a weak smile and return my attention to the void outside. The outline of the station should be in view, but because it’s coated with some sort of light absorbing shield it remains invisible. To make matters worse, we cut the exterior lights to avoid being seen so there’s no hope I’ll be able to track him. I can’t help but wonder, if people can’t see the station, how do they know not to smack right into it?

  “I’m going to be sick.” The words have barely made it out of Leandra’s mouth before she doubles over and begins to wretch.

  I grab her shoulders, trying to steady her. “Dude, are you okay? You want to lie down?”

  Leandra shakes her head and covers her mouth, holding back yet another gag. “I’m…fine. I don’t want to miss this.”

  Scooping up a thin piece of what looks to be metal off the floor by my feet, I fan her while keeping my eyes glued outside. “You sure you’re okay? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

  She leans over, sucking in several deep breaths, then sits back and closes her eyes.

  “Better?” I ask, still searching for Ren.

  “Yeah. Better. I think I’m—oh, fuck.”

  Ah, hell. I never pictured Leandra as a nervous barfer. I learn something every day.

  A quick flash of light, no more than a tiny blink, pops across the screen and my heart stops. Ren, Ragar—that’s them. I’m dying to invade his mind. Give in to the soul-crushing anxiety and take a peek to see if he’s okay. But I can’t. I won’t. I swore not to force the connection. Not to risk interrupting his focus. So, now I’m stuck waiting alongside all the others until he’s ready to contact me and let me know what he found.

  A small piece of me knows without a doubt I’d feel if he were in trouble, but that doesn’t stop the unrelenting worry coursing through my mind.

  Leandra’s clammy hand squeezes mine. “They’re going to be fine, right?”

  I swallow hard, trying to stay calm. “Of course, they will. They know there’d be hell to pay if they come back in anything but pristine condition.”

  Leandra sags against the back of her chair. “So, what do we do now?”

  “We wait. And hope they don’t do anything stupid.”

  She snorts and slaps her hand over her mouth to stifle the gag that follows immediately after. “You mean, anything stupider than they’ve already planned?”

  Chapter Eight

  Ren

  The reinforced suit squeezes my biceps tightly. I flex, rolling my shoulder to ensure the adjusted binds will hold. I cannot afford an air leak if I am to survive this jump.

  Sol lumbers out of the anteroom, prepared to pull the lever to seal off the door. “Are you ready, Acia?”

  I grunt, allowing Ragar a moment to respond before signaling Sol to initiate the process. With a pull of the lever, silver sheets drop from the ceiling, reinforcing the storage bins that line the walls. Sol disappears behind the door and the air lock engages. I wait a moment to ensure it is secure.

  Yanking on the white handle that releases the door, the room depressurizes before the final lock retracts. Ragar tugs on my tether, and I his, ensuring they are both in place correctly, and the hatch pops open. Double wrapping the cable in my fist, I loosen it slowly, allowing me to float out. Sol’s calculations confirmed we must be precise. We will only get one shot at this. I do not bother checking on Ragar. I know the male is close behind.

  Nearly impossible to visualize, if not for my advanced ability to see in the dark. The tether attached to the chest of my suit pulls taut as Rivan slows the speed of our vessel and rolls, yanking us hard in the opposite direction and throwing us around the tail of our ship. The station is within a manageable distance, but not if we stay attached to the tether. I did not mention this portion of the mission to my mate. She would not have agreed to the risk.

  Releasing the tether, I steel my nerves and grit my teeth as I’m thrown head over ass in the station’s direction. Slamming into the exterior, I slide down for a moment before hooking my gloved hand through a protruding handle. Ragar barrels toward me, having released himself seconds after I did. I snag his hand, pulling him until he can wrap his fingers around another outcropping.

  My heart pounds in my chest, the rush of adrenaline spiking my endorphins. I feel like I could fight and fuck like a human god right now.

  Hand over hand, I climb up the side of the station. There. The refuse chutes. Stealing the idea from the piece of shit Inokine and their traitorous human sponsors, we crawl inside the waste tube and inch our way up.

  The valves in this system are relatively easy to manipulate with very little sound. We advance up the chutes, wrenching open the valves then sliding them closed behind us. Squeezing through the final hatch, Ragar removes the scanner from the satchel tied to his suit and aims the beam at the area above us. No heat signatures. No energy or ion trails.

  Using a laser, we burn through the lock attached to the waste hatch and compress ourselves inside the final chamber, ensuring the seal is intact on the valve below. If not, the compartment will lose pressure and our presence will be discovered.

  Easing our way through the hatch, we turn and silently press the door back in place. The room is full of supply boxes stacked in rows of five. The footprints disrupting the thick layer of dust on the floor suggest this room goes unused a majority of the time. Occupied only long enough to toss the bags of waste inside. I unclick the helmet of my suit. My nostrils flare in annoyance at the filth. Disgusting humans.

  I jerk my head to Ragar, instructing him to take the left side of the station. We do not know what type of security measures are in place. Splitting up is the only option.

  Hiding in the shadows, ear pressed to the wall, I am greeted with nothing but the buzz of the air filtration system. I slip into the shadows, scaling the wall up to the ceiling. It is to my advantage that the Universal Community uses the same cheap stock supplies to outfit all of their stations. These synthetic tiles are silent when handled with care. Balancing on the struts above, I inhale, searching and categorizing each scent. Six males. One female. One fucking Illusian.

  Xen is here. Once again yanking on the cord that binds our race together, I search for him—receiving nothing in return. He cannot be reached with my gifts. Something stifles my connection. I suspect the humans have altered his mind, but I will not know until I have his skull between my hands.

  Bloodlust courses through my veins. The desire to crush his bones and relish his screams teases the rage within me. Xen failed to protect his most vulnerable, succumbing to the Haug because he allowed himself to be distracted. He grew lazy, complacent in his role, and was taken by surprise because of it.

  I jerk my ey
es open to the sound of footfalls and creep closer to the source. Two human males. One pale, wearing a white jacket—likely a scientist. The other, a human soldier. The pale human reeks of fear. The human soldier is imposing, following close behind the scientist. Shoving him when he moves too slowly. I remain in the shadows above, completely out of sight.

  They enter a room with several observation cages with see-through walls.

  “You can’t expect me to work like this. It’s inhumane.” The pale human waves his hands frantically and points to one of the isolated rooms. Rage bubbles up, and I stifle a growl as the trembling form of a female comes into view.

  “Suck it up, Brannigan. They aren’t fucking human. Rules need not apply.”

  Brannigan throws a stack of papers to the ground, then spits on the soldier’s shoes. “Are you mad? These are living, breathing beings! You can’t expect me to just pump them full of whatever. Science doesn’t work that way.”

  “It does when you’re on the Colonel’s payroll. Now get to work or I’ll throw you in one of those myself.” A human colonel. Blood bursts from Brannigan’s nose as the soldier slams him in the face with the butt of his gun. He crumples to the floor, no more prepared to fight than the caged female.

  He kicks Brannigan. “Pathetic little worm. Get up and do your job.” The scientist rolls over, still cradling his nose. A snarl builds in my chest. I have no taste for weak males. Even less for bullies.

  Brannigan attempts to climb to his feet and is greeted with another series of kicks. Enough. Breaching the shadows, I soundlessly drop from the ceiling and wrap my hand around the smug soldier’s throat.

  “Move and die.”

  The soldier flails wildly, attempting to break free. I forgot without my mate, her kind do not understand my words. The male reaches for his gun. Annoyed, I rip it from the strap and crush it before his eyes. He whimpers, and the smell of piss saturates the air. My eyes cut to the male on the floor. Dry. Disgusting. The sad sack of shit in my hands is pissing on my boots.

  I throw him against the wall. He trembles and crawls backward until he is up against the enclosure holding the timid female. Golden gray skin. A light sheen of scales. Could she be...? I slice my blade across my hand, and the flap at the base of her neck stirs. A female Yriq. She is rare. Treasured by her people.

  A growl erupts from my throat, and I turn to the male on the floor. Fuck, I have no way of communicating with him. Unless…

  Pulling on my mate bond, I access Jayla’s memories, ignoring the burst of surprise that tears through the bond. This will not hurt her.

  “Open it,” I roar, pointing to the skeletal female. She has not been fed in what looks to be a dozen Earth days. There is no visible palm scanner. No obvious lock.

  The male called Brannigan hesitates. “She will not speak, will not eat. I have been trying to help her…”

  Another growl tears from my throat. “You have nearly killed her. Open the fucking door.” The soldier on the floor slides his knife out of his boot when he thinks I cannot see. Slow. Sloppy. Sub-par in every way. His head lolls to the side as I slam my fist into the side of his jaw, taking the knife and throwing it so hard it embeds in the wall.

  The soldier stands on shaky legs, trembling underneath the anger in my gaze. Good. He should be afraid of me. His life rests in my hands.

  His shoulders hunch and he cowers as I approach. “I had no choice…if I didn’t continue my efforts they would have killed my family.” He stumbles forward, coming to a stop in front of the cage. Grabbing his collar, I yank him toward the female and the unconscious male. Ripping through his memories, I find the true source of his fear. He was caught stealing from the Universal Community and agreed to participate under threat of being reported. Greed. Lies. Selfish prick. Putting his own blood in danger over currency.

  “So, you choose to kill another’s family in lieu of your own. How fucking honorable.”

  “I—”

  Tired of his miserable excuses, I silence him, stealing his voice. His mouth flaps open, and panic ignites in his eyes. He stares at me, accusation and disbelief hardening his features. The soldier on the ground begins to moan.

  “Open it. Next time. I will not ask so nicely.”

  The scientist swallows hard and presses both hands to the door. A pale purple light scans his palms from top to bottom and an automated voice speaks. “Welcome, Doctor Stanley Brannigan. Permission granted.”

  He flattens himself against the wall panel next to the cage, slowly inching away from me. “What are you going to do? Are you going to kill me?”

  I rip the semi-conscious soldier from the ground, putting him on display. He begins to awaken, swinging his arms, trying to get away.

  “This male has overseen your supposed forced experimentation?” I ask, glaring at the piss-soaked cretin writhing in my hands.

  He nods. “Every day for the past two years.”

  “Very well.” I wipe the blood still dripping down my palm across the male soldier’s face and toss him into the female’s restricted quarters. He tumbles into the Yriq, callously using her feeble body to cushion his fall. The slit on the back of her neck begins to leak. To drool.

  The soldier doesn’t notice, he’s too busy scrambling to exit as the door seals shut. It is likely these males have never seen a Yriq female feed before. “You have five seconds to let me out before I call for backup and they rein down holy hell on your ass!” the solider screams and beats on the door, recycling his idle threats. I chuckle. Let them come. Let them all fucking come.

  The Yriq wraps a clawed hand around the soldier’s ankle, and his head jerks. She opens her golden eyes and peers up at him.

  “Looky here, Brannigan. Your little freak is waking up.” He runs a hand through her greasy hair and callously yanks her head back. The captive female remains silent, eyes exuding a docile need. The soldier ignores her and kicks out of her weak grip. She paws at him and releases a tiny moan as she tugs on the hem of his pants. He bends down to her level and glares, trying to pry her fingers off the material. His eyes widen in surprise when she digs her nails into the skin beneath his uniform. She shudders at the scent of fear pouring off him.

  The male soldier’s skin grays, her venom blackening his veins as it spreads and snakes through his system. He is unmoving, eyes frozen in surprise when the slit in the back of her neck comes to life and crawls over her scalp, slamming down over her face, revealing the monster that hides in plain sight.

  It is…fucking marvelous. Sharp knife-like teeth, black eyes, long black tongue. The soldier’s screams are muffled by his paralyzed jaw. What a special treat. The vocal cords stay intact.

  She latches onto the male’s throat and rips it out, chewing loudly on the cartilage and bone. Blood blankets the enclosure in red. She gorges on his flesh and swallows entire limbs whole until there is little more than slop left. Her wild eyes search for more. Now that she is strong enough to stand, she claws at the enclosure door. The human scientist stands horrified, gaping at the female as she beats so wildly on the walls a small crack begins to form.

  “Do you wish to be her next meal?”

  He shakes his head wildly, backing away.

  “Then you will show me to the male called Xen. Or I will release her to feast on your bones.”

  Ragar has swept the entire left side—only finding two male soldiers—slaughtering them both. There is one captive male in the wing. Another Yriq. Most likely mated to the withering female caged in the first lab.

  The human scientist glances up to the ceiling where I follow unseen. I am aware of Xen’s location. The human’s pilfered memories have already revealed where they have him confined. But the station contains multiple biometric security measures that will alert the central Universal Community command if they are overridden or destroyed. They did not see fit to extend those measures to the upper maintenance chutes, but the cages are completely sealed. I will not be able to access them if I do not keep the human alive.

  Unab
le to move further, I drop down, following off to the side. The drones in place do not activate unless triggered by a security breech. Too many secrets to hide.

  I slip through the unlocked set of double doors, following several paces behind the scientist, and wait. The stench of Xen’s misery—his fear—hang heavy in the air like decomposing flesh. He is near. A brief look into Ragar’s mind confirms he is close by, scanning for clues and useful information. It appears the majority of staff have recently evacuated. Turned over furniture, discarded belongings. They left in a hurry. Which carries the question, why were these humans left behind?

  “Stop right there, Brannigan. You have no cause to enter this sector.” Two armed guards—the last remaining alive—hold the male at gun point.

  “Listen, I was sent by Trechkian to check on all specimens. The female in our tank has grown listless. She’s dying, sir. I need to ensure the safety of the rest.”

  The larger of the two male soldiers grunts, shoving him backward with the barrel of his plasma gun.

  “I don’t believe that for one second. Trechkian couldn’t give two shits about the space rats we have locked in here. You heard the orders from high-up. All we’re to do here is sit and wait for those alien dicks to show up, then blow them away.”

  Fuck. Lunging for the two, I palm both their faces and slam them into the ground, knocking them unconscious. They shudder and seize below me as I tear into their minds and rip through their memories.

  My initial rush of concern bleeds into pure delight. A grin spreads across my face. This was meant to be a trap. But they did not account for our use of the refuse chutes. A deep sense of pride wells within me. Cocky little shits. If they desire a spectacle, I will give them one.

  Chapter Nine

  Jayla

  I swipe a cool cloth over Leandra’s pale, sweaty forehead, and she burrows deeper into the blankets. Fifteen minutes after Rivan gave us the all clear to get up from our seats, Leandra nearly passed out. All my supplies were already in Hana’s room, so we rushed her there.