Page 60 of Conquered Pet
The quiet steps of someone behind me echoed and I stopped, looking back. Was someone following me?
They needed to know that I meant them no harm. I cleared my throat and called out.
“Is anyone there? I need some help!”
I waited for someone to answer, but no one did. I stopped moving, trying to listen intently, but I heard nothing. Maybe I’d imagined it. I gave it several minutes and when I heard nothing further, I decided to continue in hopes that I found someone who would listen to me.
For a while, all was silent. Then I heard another set of footsteps ahead of me. I paused and searched at the edges of what I could see. It was too dark for me to make anything out. I called out once more. No one answered.
I looked around, trying to evaluate my location. There was another bend in the path ahead and I knew from Talyn’s maps that there would be another staircase that descended to another level, where I suspected most of the human commune lived on. I couldn’t be certain, however. Much of this was based on rumors I’d heard at least ten years ago.
With a bit of nervous anxiety, I took a few steps forward. With each one, I moved a bit faster, needing to find someone before the darkness that surrounded me overwhelmed me. The shadows started to swirl around me, oppressive and perilous.
I wished the light from my flashlight was brighter.
As I approached the bend, a flurry of movement behind me made me look over my shoulder. I started to run and as soon as I made the turn, I skidded to a stop.
A group of men were waiting for me. I searched their faces. None of them looked friendly.
“Hi,” I began hesitantly.
“Who are you?” one of them barked.
“My name is Raiza Nix,” I answered. The one who had spoken cocked his head, searching my face more closely now. At first, his gaze was curious, and I smiled in greeting. I relaxed my hold on my gun, showing him that I meant no harm. He watched my hand closely as I pushed the weapon back into the holster at my waist. I held my hands up.
“I just want to talk,” I offered.
“Raiza, you say,” he repeated, and I nodded. The glimmer of recognition that crossed his face was odd, but I overlooked it in the necessity of time.
“I wanted to warn you,” I offered.
“Did you now?” he echoed. His tone was patronizing, and an uneasy jitter sputtered to life inside of me. “You know, I’ve seen your face before somewhere, I think…”
I looked at him in confusion. What the hell could he be talking about?
“I’ve never been down here before,” I answered timidly.
“No, but we’ve been warned about you,” he countered.
“About me? How could you know me?” I asked suspiciously.
He reached into his pocket. I should have been concerned that he was about to take out a gun or something, but I was too shaken to reach for mine. When he pulled his hand back up, there was what appeared to be a piece of paper. It was homemade and a bit lumpy, but when he held it up in the light, I was able to discern a picture drawn on it.
It was my face. Above it were the words that branded me a traitor.
The man walked a bit closer, and I was able to read more of the makeshift poster. It detailed that I’d betrayed my own people, that I’d chosen an alien over my own species, and that I was not to be trusted. The more I read, the sicker I felt. When I finished, I flicked my gaze back up to the man holding it.
“That isn’t true. I want to help you,” I offered quickly.
“Do you though?” he asked sarcastically. “Is that the same thing you say to that alien when you spread your legs for him? When you beg him for his cock?”
His vitriol was polarizing.
“Did you think the same thing when you dragged him out of harm’s way? When you bandaged the wounds of the alien you were supposed to kill?”
I stilled completely. I hadn’t thought anyone could have seen me. I opened and closed my mouth in shock, looking from him to the others and finally realizing that none of them looked like they wanted to welcome me. If anything, they looked like they were ready to kill me.
“I only wanted to warn you that the aliens know where you are now,” I began. “They’re going to come for you, and they mean to take your city as theirs once and for all.”
