Page 13 of Mazorium Buys a Human

She handed him the wrapped item as I went back to singing to Nadia. He pulled something out and was fiddling with it as I burped and then snuggled her.

“I have something that will help keep you safe,” he said, making me look up. I sucked in a breath when I saw what he was holding in his hand.

It was a collar.

He didn’t force it around my neck, only held it up between us. “This has a tracker that’s keyed into my Ident. No one but me can unlock it without using a special tool or a great deal of force. No one would be able to steal you away again.”

When he moved the collar toward my throat, I felt tears burn the back of my eyes, but I also lifted my chin to make it easier to put it on.

The sound of the collar latching seemed like a boom to my ears.

It was cold against my skin, making me shiver.

“You’re a good human,” Mazorium said, tucking me and Nadia against him so I was once again surrounded by strength and warmth.

“Sleep, my human. I’ll watch over you and the pup. No one will touch either of you.”

I blinked back tears and forced myself to focus on his words and ignore the weight of the collar around my neck.

This was only my present circumstances, I reminded myself. Who knew what my future would hold?

Chapter 5

Mika

I woke up to the smell of ginger. No, not just ginger. It smelled like the ginger candy my aunt made when I was young. I loved that smell. It made me smile even before I opened my eyes.

I was a little confused when all I saw was a metal wall with various medical devices hanging from it. Recent events all came back to me in a rush. The warm, happy feeling was gone, replaced with anxiety.

Sitting up in a rush, I found Nadia sound asleep in her incubator and Mazorium in his usual chair, reading something on his Ident. He looked up at me and made the wheels-bumping-over-uneven-ground rumble of inquiry.

“Are you well? Does something hurt?” he asked, sitting forward and clipping his Ident back on his belt with practiced ease.

I shook my head, then remembered he probably didn’t know what that meant. “I’m fine.”

Purring, he leaned in close. The smell of sweet ginger got stronger. “Then why did you gasp when you sat up?”

“I was a little disoriented," I admitted.

“And that caused distress? Understandable,” he said. He opened his arms up, as if inviting me into a hug. “Do you need to clutch or cling to me?”

“I’m fine,” I repeated, even though the thought of getting a hug from him sounded nice. Then the weight of the collar around my neck reminded me that he wasn’t a friend, he was my owner.

Dropping his arms, he sat back. “You slept well. It’s almost time to leave for my ship.”

I had mixed feelings about that. On one hand, being on his ship meant I wouldn’t be running into anymore Tulks. Unfortunately it also meant I’d be alone with Mazorium. He’d been nothing but good to me, but what would happen if he suddenly got tired of having me or Nadia around?

Babies were loud, fussy, creatures. They couldn't help it. Would Mazorium understand that?

“Sir?” One of the med techs walked up with a large bag in her hand. “We have everything you’ll need to see to the humans’ continued healing. It’s important you follow our instructions or we can’t guarantee the results.”

“Of course,” he agreed without taking the bag. “Have that sent to my ship.”

The tech turned and walked away without another word. Another tech stepped up and came to a stop next to Mazorium. “All we need is for you to go to the kiosk at the front and read through the conclusion of service agreement. After that, you’re free to leave.”

Mazorium stopped purring as he looked at the kiosk. “I should be able to do that from any information square; this isn’t efficient.”

Despite his grumbling, he stood up and strode to the kiosk.