The Torid Affair by Laurann Dohner
Chapter Eight
Maith brought Jessa a hot meal. He found her sitting on the floor of the cage next to the ill male cub. Her eyes were closed but her breathing was too fast for sleep. He crouched down and touched her.
Jessa snapped her eyes open and met his gaze.
“You need to eat.” He held out the tray with food and a drink.
She crossed her legs and took it, her gaze leaving his to study the male on the cot. “He looks better. I should run another scan.”
“I will.” He opened her nearby kit and performed the scan. “He’s better. Stable.”
“I know. He probably wouldn’t have lasted more than another day or two.” She spoke the words softly as she opened the drink and took a sip. “Where’s Wilma? How is she?”
“I took her to one of the private sleeping apartments and remained until after she showered, to make certain she didn’t need help. I also retrieved her new clothing. She’s resting.”
“She ate?”
He nodded. “We both did.”
“Good. We should probably drag the guard, the bitch, and the governor into those other cages. We just need to find the keys.”
“They were in the security room.” He withdrew lock cards from the pocket of the too-small sweatpants he wore. “Were you trying to sleep? You can take one of the private apartments to rest.”
“I’m not tired. I was kind of meditating.” She took a bite of the meat pastry on her plate and grimaced. “Not my favorite flavor but it will do.” She took another small bite. “I was imagining that I was anywhere but inside this bunker. It helps. I’m also putting off moving those dead bodies. That’s a chore I’m dreading, but it needs to be done.”
“I already did.”
She appeared surprised.
“I moved them to the room where the first set of freezers are located. There was no room in the freezers, but I placed them on the floor.”
“You should have come and got me to help you.”
“There was no need. Roth contacted me. They should be able to start the rescue for us within hours. The area around the mansion has been stabilized and all injured treated.”
“How bad is it up there?” She glanced at the ceiling briefly before meeting his gaze. “I can handle the truth.”
“The entire building collapsed. The bombs were well placed.” He got more comfortable on the metal floor, sitting close to Jessa. She didn’t look well. She was too pale and her lackluster tone worried him. “They will get us out. I forced the code from Carlton for the storage closet off the main room containing the oxygen pumps. The numbers you gave me didn’t work on that one. They came on when I flipped the switches. We’re going to be fine until my grouping and the fleet reach us.”
Jessa forced a smile but he knew it was false. “Did you hurt him?”
“No. I told the male that we would all suffocate, him included, if he didn’t. He gave me the code and location easily. The male’s desire to live is strong.”
“Yeah. He’s a total narcissistic shithead.”
“I don’t know that word.”
“He’ll do anything to save his own ass.” She finished the meat pastry and drink. “Thanks for dinner.” She glanced at her fleet watch and rolled her eyes. “I keep forgetting that it’s broken.” Her gaze met his. “What time is it?”
“We’ve been down here for nearly five hours.”
Jessa closed her eyes. “Fuck. It feels like days already.” She opened her eyes and sighed. “We should drag our prisoners in here and lock them up before they wake. I’ll change the door code to this room in case any of them are able to break out of the cages.” She glanced at the male cub. “Can you lift Ned and carry him to a private room? He’d be more comfortable there, and no way am I leaving him alone with any of those assholes. They’ve hurt him enough by damn near killing him. They were going to let him die rather than ask for medical help from the fleet. Their doctors had no idea what he had or how to treat it. Which pisses me off even more. What lazy assholes.”
He didn’t understand. “Lazy?”
“This colony was established ten years ago. Prissa happened six years ago. The fleet and United Earth send updated information for new diseases to all colonies and stations. They obviously haven’t been paying attention to the updates or they’d have known what he was infected with, and how to cure him.”
“He woke and spoke to you? He said they were going to let him die?”
Jessa shook her head. “I paid Carlton a visit right after you left with Wilma.”
That angered Maith. “You shouldn’t go near that male without me being present.”
“He’s still locked to a toilet.” She set the tray under the bed and went to rise to her feet.
Maith quickly stood and helped her up. He felt her hand tremble a little in his. He studied her face. “Are you well? I’m feeling fine after your vaccine. Are there consequences? Wilma became sleepy. Is that a normal human reaction?”
“If I were pregnant and held captive by assholes, I’d be exhausted too.” She gave him another false smile. “I tweaked the vaccine from the original one. There are no side effects when it’s given to healthy people as a preventive. A few might experience some mild body aches, but that takes hours to develop and only lasts as long.”
“You are shaky.” He kept hold of her hand when she tried to pull it away. He stepped closer. “Perhaps you should rest. I can handle transferring humans where they need to be.”
“I’m good. Really. The food will help. It’s the stress of everything.”
“My grouping and the fleet are going to get us out, Jessa.”
“I know.” She squeezed his hand and tried to tug it free once more. “Let’s move everyone in here and then I might lie down. I doubt I’ll sleep though. Not until I’m out of here.”
He released her. “Tell me the truth, Jessa. How deep is your fear?”
She stared into his eyes. “It’s not fear as much as anxiety.” She paused. “About a seven on a scale of one to ten. I’m holding it together though. I promise not to fall apart again. But I’ll suffer nightmares if I sleep. Big pass on that.”
Maith gently lifted the human male. The almost fully grown cub needed a bath but they’d deal with that later, when the human woke. Jessa carried her med kit and opened doors for him, pulling back the covers on the bed when they entered a private sleeping apartment.
The male never stirred. Jessa ran a scan over him again and lowered the lights, but left them on enough that he could see he was no longer in a cage if he woke. She turned to him and nodded.
“He’s doing better. The parasites are dying off. He’s still got enough of them to be contagious though. I need to dose the three goons in the main room.” She withdrew an injector and her scanner, pocketing both. “Let’s go move them. You drag and I’ll open doors.”
Maith passed her the lock cards for the cages. They walked side by side to the main area of the bunker. The guard, female human, and governor still were unconscious. Jessa ran the scanner over them and injected each with the vaccine. “I can get the bitch if you drag the guard.”
“I have them.” He didn’t want her doing anything physically straining. Jessa looked exhausted.
“It’s faster if we work together.” She shoved the cards in her pocket and cursed. “I forgot to get something to cut the restraints.”
“Allow me.” Maith unleashed his claws and sliced through them on the female, before doing the same to the male.
“Partial shifting is a pretty neat thing to be able to do.”
“Yes.” He gripped the male by his wrists and began to drag him along the floor. Jessa did the same with the female. He had to slow his pace to keep her within view. They reached the room that contained the cages but when he tapped in the code, it didn’t work.
“Sorry.” Jessa was out of breath. “Try it again. I just sent the new code. I already changed them and deleted the manufacturer overrides.”
He yanked open the door and braced it, then dragged the male into the room. Six cages remained undamaged. He waited as Jessa released the other female and passed him a card. He ran it over the scanner and the cage lock popped open. He left the male on the metal floor after seeing Jessa do the same with her prisoner. They locked the cages and returned for the governor.
“Do you mind carrying him? I know he’s not light, but I don’t want his wound to reopen from any jarring.”
“Of course.” The older human male weighed more than most. It wasn’t a problem for Maith. Jessa led the way and unlocked the cage. He entered and gently placed the male on the cot she’d folded down.
“We should probably move Carlton as well, but do you mind if we do that later? Once these three are awake, we’ll have to feed them.” She chuckled. “I bet they’re going to be seriously unhappy when they wake up to their new reality.”
“That amuses you?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “I try not to hold grudges but I’m only human.” Her smile was real that time. “Aren’t you a little pissed at them?”
“Not anymore. They pose no danger to us now.”
“You’re the bigger alien.” She winked and spun away, leaving the room.
Maith followed, wondering what that wink meant. Some humans did so to show sexual interest. He doubted that was her reason.
Jessa waited in the hallway. She stared at the lock pad when he closed the door after them.
“What are you doing?”
“These have an alarm setting if anyone messes with the pads. I turned it on. If they get out of their cages, we’ll know it.” She also whispered the new number code for the door to him.
“I doubt they will get free.”
She leaned against the wall. “I like to be safe over sorry. Besides, while those cages look sturdy, they aren’t actual cells. I’m pretty certain that big guard takes muscle enhancements. It’s why I chose him to be the supposed blood doner. He seemed like the biggest threat. I’m guessing, from the signs I saw, that he’s addicted to koropian.”
“What is that?”
“It’s an illegal muscle enhancer. The fleet doesn’t allow them onboard. Anyone caught taking them is put in detox and fined. Do it three times and they boot you without benefits.”
“Why do you think he takes them?”
“He was a bit jumpy, didn’t talk much, and kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He also had bloodshot eyes and frequently clenched his jaw. The reason the fleet bans the use—as do most colonies and stations—is because extended use makes users extremely violent. They don’t feel pain while on a rampage, and it kind of fries what little brains they have until they do really stupid shit that progressively gets worse. Paranoia is common too. They start to think everyone’s out to get them. Hence the violence.” She rolled her shoulders. “Plus, did you see the size of him? That wasn’t normal. You work with the task force teams. Some of them are pretty buff…but not like him.”
“You think he’s strong enough with these drugs to break free?”
“Maybe. What I gave him will keep him mellow for a while after he wakes, and then he’ll be facing withdrawal from whatever he’s been taking. Between the two, I’m hoping he won’t test the cage door. If he’s getting off koropian, he won’t want to move from the massive migraine he’ll suffer. He’ll experience light sensitivity and moving around too much will make him nauseous. That drug is harsh to come off of, but not deadly. Long-term use is, however. It messes up the heart and causes organ damage.”
“You know a lot about humans for an alien doctor.”
“I’m technically both. And I have too much down time to learn more since a certain Veslor grouping won’t let me study them.” She smiled. “I’m blaming you for all the knowledge I pick up while reading because I’m bored. Like all the new shit that human doctors are seeing come into their Med Bays.”
He was surprised she said that without anger. “Our king may have sent us to your fleet, but he didn’t want us to share too much with humans.”
“Right. Like your technology. I noticed you don’t use a fleet scanner, and not all your med kit supplies are from Med Bay.”
“Few humans notice such things. I find working with what I’m familiar with easier. Commander Bills swore no one would touch my med kit or ask what was inside it. He respects our wishes.”
“He’s a good commander. I’ve worked with some shit ones. I love being on Defcon Red the most, out of all the assignments I’ve been sent on since I turned eighteen. Bills lets me do my job without putting restrictions on me, and he gave me that amazing lab.”
“Abby trusts him, so my grouping does as well. She said Howard is family to her. That makes him ours as well.”
Jessa pushed off the wall. “You should get some rest. I’ll take first watch.”
“You set an alarm to go off if the humans get out of their cages. We should both rest for a few hours before checking on the cub and pregnant female. The locked-up humans will need food and drinks after they wake.”
“I’m not going to sleep. I’ll go feed Carlton and then peek at those files in the security room.” Her features hardened. “We have some time to waste.”
“We will be freed soon,” he reminded her.
“I know. I just want to keep busy.”
“Rest while the humans sleep.”
“I’m not risking nightmares, Maith, and I know myself too well. It’s going to happen.”
“At least sit and relax. Meditate.” He remembered the word. “I’ll take a quick sleep. I need an hour or two. I didn’t rest well last down shift.”
“Because you were worried someone would try to take me from your tent?” She stepped closer. “Thanks for that. Okay…tell you what. You sleep, and I’ll go lock myself in the security room. How about that? We’re the only two down here who have the new access codes. I’ll be safe there if our prisoners break out.”
He gently took her arm. “We’ll rest together. I’ll sleep on the bed and you can take the sitting place. Don’t get mad, but you appear tired. Your body needs the rest, even if your mind doesn’t.”
“Couch,” she sighed, allowing him to lead her to one of the unused apartments. He opened the door and turned on the lights before dimming them.
“Couch,” he repeated. “Having a back on them is strange.”
“That’s a total Veslor thing. Us humans like something to lean against instead of straddling a padded chaise lounge. That’s what we call some backless couches on Earth.”
“We enjoy sprawling on them and letting our limbs hang.”
“Of course you do.”
Maith glanced at her to see if he’d said something to upset her, but she was smiling. He motioned to the bathroom. “I can get you clothing if you wish to shower first. I plan to take one before I sleep. I already brought in spares for me to this room. It’s the closest to the cages.”
“I’m good. I didn’t get doused in blood the way you did. Go ahead.” She walked over to the couch and took a seat.
He hesitated, watching her lean down to remove her footwear. She appeared to at least be getting comfortable. He entered the bathroom and stripped, turning on the shower. It was a cramped space, built for humans, but the water was hot.
Once he was done, he put on another pair of what humans called “sweats.” There had been a large bag of them in one of the boxes he’d searched earlier. They fit better than the other pants he’d found in another box. At least the material on exercise clothing stretched and nearly reached his ankles.
He didn’t bother with a shirt. The human ones stored in the bunker were too small and uncomfortable. He would need to clean his boots before rescue. They remained with his bloody uniform in the main room, where he’d killed the mansion guards.
He stepped out of the bathroom, prepared to ask Jessa if she wanted him to check on the other humans before he slept. The question never left his mouth.
Jessa’s breathing was slow and her eyes were closed. He crept closer, already knowing she’d fallen asleep. Her head was tilted at an odd angle. Some humans on the task force teams had complained about sleeping wrong and getting a neck cramp.
He very carefully touched Jessa. She didn’t stir. He adjusted until his arms were under her body, then gently lifted her, carrying her to the nearby bed and placing her on it. She didn’t wake when he withdrew his arms. Instead, she crinkled her nose slightly and turned on her side, rubbing her face against the pillow that cushioned her head.
It was a good time for him to go get her spare clothing for when she showered. He quietly left and went to the main area of the bunker and searched the boxes. One of them was marked for females. He tore it open and looked at the photos on the sealed packets. They appeared to be shirts and the lower half of dresses. He grabbed one of each and returned to Jessa. She slept on. He placed the packages in the bathroom and then paused after exiting.
The bed was large…but he didn’t dare share it with her. That wasn’t appropriate.
He walked to the couch, his lips curling in a silent sneer. He hated the backs on them. It was impossible for him to get comfortable on something that prevented him from dangling his limbs on both sides. He stretched out as best as he could and tilted his head back to rest on the arm. He had to put his feet on the other arm, since he didn’t fit. Most human couches were too short for Veslors.
He’d take a quick sleep. An hour or two at most. He was a toughened fighter used to a lack of sleep, but they did have down time. No danger could reach them locked inside the private apartments. The four humans they’d captured wouldn’t be a threat. He’d hidden all the weapons in the security room earlier. They would have zero chance against a Veslor in hand-to-hand fighting.
Maith closed his eyes and replayed the day. Pride for Jessa welled inside him for the strength and determination she’d revealed. He hadn’t liked her when they’d first met. She’d annoyed him. Especially when his grouping had taken mates and the human A.R.S. became friends with those females. He’d had to deal with her during the birthing of Gnaw and Darla’s twin cubs.
The memory used to make him snarl in frustration, but now he found himself grinning as he remembered her stomping on his foot and elbowing him out of the way to deliver the second cub. The little human wasn’t going to allow him to “hog those babies.” Those were the words she’d hissed at him.
She’d never ceased to stand up to him and showed no fear. He used to think she was insane and had no inner survival instinct, since she’d seemed to not realize he could be a serious threat should he wish to cause her harm.
He'd also believed her to be rude and an unlikeable human. But Jessa wasn’t either of those things, now that he knew her history. She had wounds in her heart from losing her family and being alone for so long. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose some of his grouping to death, then someone keeping the only remaining one from him.
It explained why she could be so prickly. Pain would cause that to happen even in Veslors. Jessa wasn’t mean just for the sake of it. She was like an injured animal, biting at anyone who came too close. It was a way for her to protect herself, since no one else was around to care for her.
He decided to include her in his grouping more often and not grumble when she was invited to dinner. In fact, he’d ask them to invite her to all their functions. She shouldn’t be alone ever again. Especially after what they’d just gone through.
Jessa had killed humans to protect herself and him. He knew that would cause her distress. She’d also had to relive being trapped underground. She needed support to recover fully. His grouping could give her that.
With that decided, Maith pushed all other thoughts away and finally slept.