Chapter 15: Karina & Silo

KARINA

Karina felt sluggish as she sat at the table. She was so sluggish. Whatever they’d knocked her out with—~again~—had been powerful.

Why did she have to be so weak? None of the others had fainted.

“The aliens are gone,” Silo had told her once she’d fully woken up. “There’s nothing to fear anymore.”

“I’m not afraid,” she’d told him. And it ~was~ the truth. Her body and mind just couldn’t handle her courage.

She was glad the aliens were gone, but it didn’t change the fact that she was still stuck with ~this~ alien. He was lying in bed, dark shadows under his eyes, deep creases around his mouth and beard.

He was sitting up against the headboard, the blanket pulled up to his waist. He’d left once some hours back and was looking much better since his return.

He’d slept from then on, lying vulnerable in bed. She’d briefly contemplated attacking him—there were plenty of sharp objects to use—but she hadn’t.

And it wasn’t because she was uncertain about his size and strength; she didn’t particularly ~want~ to. What would happen if she’d murdered the only alien who was nice to her?

Who was patient with her? The only ~person~ who’d ever been patient with her?

~Don’t fool yourself, he only wants a fuck.~ The redhead’s voice popped into her mind.

~If all they wanted was to fuck us, then you would have been fucked already, don’t you think?~

Karina didn’t realize she was watching him until his yellow eyes met hers. Annoyed with herself, she looked away.

Astoundingly, she felt heat fill her cheeks. Exhaling between gritted teeth, she raked her fingers through her short hair.

“I worry about you,” he said.

“Don’t.”

“You’re not well.”

“I’m ~fine~.”

He paused. “We need to talk about this. You understand why you’re here, don’t you?”

Karina glowered at the wall. “You want to own me. To subdue me. Just like every other man.”

“That’s not true. And you know it.”

She turned her head and glared. “Then why else would you take me against my will? Why else but to forcibly make me yours?”

“It’s not the same.”

Karina raised her eyebrows. “How? You ~kidnapped~ me right from my room, where I was safe.”

“We are matched. We’re ~meant~ to be together. You just keep resisting. You could be happy.”

Karina laughed. “Yes. You all say that. It was ~meant~ to be. I will make you happy.” She snorted. “Fucking garbage.”

“The others are happy,” he said quietly.

Karina didn’t bother answering.

They both looked over when the door swooshed open. There were aliens: five of them, yellow eyes sweeping the room. They held guns and batons.

Silo ripped off the blanket and leapt to his feet. “What are you doing? You can’t come in!”

They ignored him. Karina stood as all their eyes fell upon her. She backed away until she was pressed up against the wall.

Silo hurried over to stand in front of her. He bunched his shoulders around his neck; his hands were fisted at his sides. “What do you want?”

“Her.”

“Not on your life.”

“Get out of the way.”

Silo straightened to his greatest height. The muscles were bulging in his arms. A thick tendon stood out in the side of his neck. “I will not.”

“Then we’ll stun you. Simple as that.”

One of the aliens aimed a mean-looking weapon at him.

Silo backed away until he was right up close to Karina, and Karina was forced to squash herself against the wall.

“We will take her,” the alien said. “To save our brothers’ lives.”

“What are you talking about? She’s mine!”

“Not anymore.”

They all piled inside.

“Stay with me,” he told her as he raised his fists. “Don’t leave my side.”

Easier said than done. The aliens were upon them—Karina screamed, Silo was shouting—but there were far too many of them.

They didn’t shoot as they’d threatened, but they managed to grapple Silo to the floor. He fell hard. The room seemed to shudder with the impact.

Four of them held him down as he bucked and shouted.

“Karina!” he roared. “Don’t touch her!”

Karina glared up at the remaining alien, her heart pounding. He was the only one left, but he was so big! She could see his muscles straining against the sleeves of his shirt.

Three of them had overwhelmed her before. Silo had abducted her as easily as if she were a child.

Breathing heavily through her nose, Karina raised her fists. The alien gave a mocking smile and stepped toward her.

Karina charged with a scream. She punched and kicked, but he was fast and strong. She managed to get in a few shots, but he hardly noticed.

Fastening his hands around her arms, he spun her around until her back was up against his front. He held her tightly as she thrashed and squirmed, screaming and shouting.

“Let me go, you fucker!”

“Let her go!” Silo roared.

“Take her! Get her to the infirmary!” someone cried.

Then he was pulling her toward the door, the heels of her shoes dragging along the floor. They reached the door. It opened.

Suddenly, she was up in his arms. She wasn’t small for a woman, yet he held her fast against his chest, her face buried in his shoulder.

He had her arms and legs pinned. He was ridiculously strong.

His boots thundered loudly down the corridor. The infirmary—she’d understood the word. Why the infirmary?

Needles. Pain. Sedation. Experiments! He could do anything to her there! To her brain. To her body. He could do anything to her anywhere.

How she hated it! How she hated being weak!

She heard a door open. Then she heard voices.

“Good! She’s the last,” came a voice. “Take her over there. Be quick.”

She could hear a woman screaming. Another was wailing. It seemed she wasn’t alone in this. Which ones were they? They sounded young. Maybe the Texan girl.

“Shut up!”

“I told you, it’s not going to work. How are we going to make them bond?”

“Semen. We need their semen.”

Karina squirmed against the alien’s hold. He twisted her in his arms as he tried to right her. She kicked out her legs and slipped. Her shoulder hit the floor.

“Be careful with her!”

Karina kicked out again. She heard a grunt as she connected with something. Then she was on her feet.

Big hands seized her from all directions. Tall figures surrounded her.

“Keep away!” she screamed.

They dragged her over to a bed and pinned her into it. Screaming, Karina thrashed her head.

“Shut her up!”

A Zibon came over and stuffed a rag in her mouth, taping it over. Tears were leaking down Karina’s cheeks.

~You like it, don’t you? You like being held down, being ~forced~.~

Karina screamed behind her rag as she continued to thrash her head, this time to be rid of her father’s sickening voice. Darkness crept into the corners of her vision. The voices around her muffled.

She was losing it. No! She must fight!

Karina stopped thrashing. All it was doing was sucking the air and energy out of her body. She must focus on staying awake—focus on her ~mind~.

Don’t be weak!

~Feels good, doesn’t it?~

“I hate you!” she screamed behind the rag.

The darkness crowded again. The voices muffled further, so much so that it was like her head was submerged in water. It felt ~cold~ like water.

Closing her eyes, she focused on her breathing. She felt her heart—it was beating wildly in her chest.

She suddenly found herself sitting in Dr. Olsen’s office. It was quiet. It was peaceful. A bird was chirping outside the window.

“How can I stop it? How can I take control?” Karina asked.

“Focus on something that comforts you,” the doctor told her.

Karina glared into her lap. “There’s nothing that comforts me.”

Tears were soaking the gag. They trickled down Karina’s neck. It was hard to breathe. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to get the air into her lungs.

She was starting to feel sick. She was feeling dizzy. Focus. ~Focus.~

~You want it. And I’m going to give it to you.~

“No!”

~You like the way I kiss. You like the way I ~fuck~.~

“No! I hate it. I hate it!”

~Please… I’m not going to hurt you.~

~Karina…~

~…he wants to protect you. He wants to know that you’re safe.~

~He wants you to be happy.~

In her mind, Karina turned her gaze toward Silo’s bed. His yellow eyes met hers, and this time, she didn’t look away.

Her breathing slowed as she filled her lungs with air. Gradually, the sickness subsided. Suddenly, the sound of yelling exploded in her ears.

Karina snapped her eyes open.

The room was bright and ~so~ noisy—yet she was alone. The towering aliens had left her and were now gathered around a spot further into the room. She could hear the sounds of shouting and fighting.

Sitting up, she ripped away the gag.

“My brother first!” came a shout.

“What gives you the right?!” retorted another.

“There’s only three! Why do you get to choose?”

“...recycle them. They can bond with our brothers enough to wake them, then we can break the bonds and reuse them.”

The aliens began shoving each other.

“You can’t do that.”

“That might kill them.”

“...worse than the Wrilings!”

“We’ve told you, there’s plenty of time!” exclaimed an alien in a white coat.

“Extract their semen!”

“I will not!”

Karina stared at the group, then looked around at the strange domes. She glanced into the nearest one and saw a man inside. Recoiling with a start, she realized he looked dead.

“Karina!” came a hissing whisper.

She turned and saw the Mexican guy. His eyes were wide as he hovered over another dome. Karina stared. He looked different somehow. What was wrong with his eyes?

She turned toward the group at the sound of more shouting, then toward the door. An alien was guarding it, but his attention was on the group in the corner. He rushed over.

Karina’s heart fluttered. She hesitated, then hurried over to the now unguarded door, ducking her head, trying to keep small. The way was clear!

Her heart was skipping beats as she pressed the button. She jerked back with a start. There was another alien standing in the doorway. His yellow eyes flashed in surprise as they fastened upon her face.

He frowned. Karina stumbled backward. He was older, with gray in his long black hair.

“What’s going on here?” his voice boomed around the room.

The group of aliens turned. He stepped inside and Karina saw that he wasn’t alone; armed aliens followed him.

“Karina!” the Mexican hissed again. She felt him grab her wrist. He pulled her away.

“Captain! We have the ~right~ to save our brothers,” spoke a red-faced Zibon from the group inside. “They are dying, and we have usable Rictorians.”

“And how’s that working for you?” the “captain” said calmly with narrowed eyes. He gestured at the chaos.

Nobody answered.

“I said, how’s that ~working~ for you?” he bellowed. “Do you think I haven’t considered it? Tell me, who have you decided to save? Come to a ~decision~?”

He sneered when no one answered. “We are heading for Rictor 5 as we speak. They will be bonded. And they will live. You have my ~word~.”

“And if they’re irreparably damaged?” someone spoke.

“Then they will suffer as heroes as they would have done anyway, without mutiny on ~my~ ship.”

Silence fell around the room. No more fighting. Some were looking away. Others were watching him. The red-faced alien was glaring.

“Now, let the medics do what they are ~trained~ to do—to save their lives. As for the rest of you, leave now, and I won’t note your insubordination down in your work records. Understand?”

Again, nobody argued. Silent, they began to file out of the room. The aliens standing by the doorway parted to let them through.

Other than the White Coats, three aliens remained behind.

“My brother…” The red-faced Zibon was close to tears. The other two were looking down at their boots, batons back in their holders, guns in their holsters.

The captain went over and grasped his shoulder. “He will be saved. You have my word. Along with the rest of them.”

Looking down at the floor, the red-faced Zibon nodded. One by one, they left the room. The captain glanced back into the infirmary as he followed, his yellow eyes glinting like a wolf’s.

“Get to work,” he told the White Coats. “We will reach Rictor 5’s orbit in less than three clips. Woe be it you who is not prepared.”

And he left, the door sliding shut behind him.

The aliens glanced at each other. The brown-haired White Coat sat down with his head in his hands.

“Karina.”

Karina turned toward the Mexican.

“Are you all right?” he said.

Karina stared into his mismatched eyes in disbelief. “You’re one of them.”

He jerked. Then straightened. “I guess I am.”

He turned toward the dome they were standing beside. Karina looked into it.

“That’s your alien.”

“Yes.”

“He’s sick?”

“Yes.”

Karina stared. He was covered in some kind of shiny goo. “Why?”

“From the battle against the Wrilings. Don’t you know anything?”

Karina didn’t answer.

“He won’t be sick for long,” he said, touching the glass affectionately. “I’m going to save him.”

Karina continued to stare at the alien, imagining Silo in his place. She abruptly turned away with an annoyed sniff. Somebody was crying. She looked and saw the Texan girl sitting on the edge of a bench. Her face was red. She was shaking. A White Coat was with her, trying to calm her down.

Then she saw the crippled girl—she was in the arms of the alien with the long blond hair. He was gripping her so tightly he’d pulled her off her feet. He kissed her on the cheek.

Karina felt a tug in her throat and quickly looked away. That was when she noticed the Asian woman. Was everyone here? Another woman stood across the room, observing the scene. Their eyes met. ~Yellow~ eyes, white hair. If it weren’t for her dark skin, Karina wouldn’t have recognized her.

“Jesus,” she whispered.

They were all ~turning~. What was wrong with these women? Would she be the only one left? The only one ~sane~?

The door slid open again, and Karina instinctively braced herself for more trouble. A Zibon entered the room, one with long dark hair and a fierce look on his face. Karina recognized him immediately. He glanced at Karina, then turned his eyes to the rest of the room. Once they found the Texan girl, he strode over.

Karina expected the girl to reject him. She watched in disbelief as the girl looked up at him calmly. He took her hand, and she let him. Again, Karina felt that tug in her throat. She couldn’t stay here. She was starting to feel sick. But when she tried to exit through the door, a White Coat stopped her.

“You cannot go,” he said. “It isn’t safe.”

Karina glared at him. “Get out of my way.”

She tried to shove past him, but he grabbed her arm. “You cannot.”

“It’s all right. She’s mine,” Silo said.

Karina whipped her head around. It was Silo—he’d arrived.

“I’m not ~yours~,” she told him.

~Not yet~, came her father’s snide voice.

SILO

Silo searched her face. She didn’t seem to be injured, just her usual biting bitterness. With a lurch in his guts, he grabbed her head so he could look deeply into her blue gaze, fearing the worst. Her eyes seemed no different, filled with the usual rage. It didn’t ease his fears. It only meant she wasn’t ~completely~ bonded.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked. “Did—did they attach you?”

The Rictorian ripped out of his grip, glaring at him.

He looked around the room and saw Drake’s black hair. “Drake!”

The Zibon turned, his eyebrows raised. He seemed to immediately understand and hurried over. “No injuries. No attachments. Have no fear, Silo. They didn’t touch her. They didn’t touch any of them.”

Closing his eyes, Silo released a breath and bent over, grabbing his knees, suddenly feeling dizzy. Drake grabbed his shoulder.

“What is going on?” Silo asked. “What did they want?”

“It seems the bond we form with a Rictorian insulates us against Wriling attack,” Drake said. “They wanted to save these men.”

Silo snapped up his head. “What?”

Drake was smiling as he shook his head. “Incredible, isn’t it? We’ve saved Roco’s life and now we’re going to save Clint’s.” He looked over his shoulder toward a capsule in the corner. “We’re racing back to Rictor 5.”

Silo stared back into Drake’s dark eyes. Silo had learned of Drake’s bonding when he’d briefly returned to have his cracked ribs fixed. It was still eerie to see.

Silo turned to Karina in amazement. Insulate against Wriling attack? Her blue eyes briefly met his. She was looking pale, and she was twitching.

She stepped back with a scowl. “What are you ~looking~ at?”

She was steadily turning more white. He could see the trembling in her fingers.

He took her wrist. “Come on. We’re going back to our room.”

“Silo, we should keep her here,” Drake said. “We need to study her.”

“No,” he snapped, turning on him. “She’s in ~no~ condition.”

Karina tried to yank her arm away, but he tightened his grip.

“Come,” he told her gently.

She was staggering after him as he pulled her outside into the passageway. He shifted his grip from her wrist to her upper arm, keeping her close to his side. The passageways were no longer empty, and he could no longer trust any of his so-called colleagues.

“Keep looking!” he snarled at a passing Zibon.

They reached their room. Silo didn’t realize how fast he was marching until Karina stumbled over the threshold.

He caught her. “Are you all right?”

She ripped herself away.

Silo’s heart sank. Her face was so white her lips were blue. She tried to hide her shaking by pacing and raking her fingers over and over through her short hair.

“You need to lie down,” he told her.

She scowled at him. Her eyes were now shining with tears, and she turned away, trying to hide them.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have protected you better.”

She stomped her foot. “I don’t need you to protect me.”

She stared at the wall. Silo watched her, perplexed, as she seemed to tilt and sway.

She stumbled forward. Silo rushed over before she could fall.

He helped her over to the bed as her head lolled. She felt cold and damp.

Her eyes were rolling. Her teeth were chattering as he laid her upon the bed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For all I’ve done to you.”

She raised her shaking arms in front of her face. She rolled over so she was facing the other way.

Silo laid his hand upon her shoulder.

“Stop touching me!” she screamed.

He jerked his hand back. She was sobbing.

Silo hung his head.