Chapter One
Ellie
Unlike most people, I always believed in aliens. Don’t get me wrong—I never thought they were part of a giant conspiracy, hidden by all the governments on Earth. But I always thought it was supremely arrogant for us humans to believe we were alone in the universe. That our planet just so happened to be the only one capable of supporting intelligent life.
Please.
“Earth to Crazy Pants,” a voice sounds, and I ignore it, continuing to rock back and forth.
I was as surprised as anyone when the Arcav made it clear that they were now in charge. But I shrugged my shoulders, did my compulsory blood test, and almost fainted with relief when I wasn’t a genetic match and therefore not an Arcav mate.
“Yeah, her lights are on, but no one’s home.”
I ignore that too, my rocking picking up speed.
I never thought I’d won the genetic lottery until that point. I’d been the last kid picked in gym, I’d never been particularly fast on my feet, and as much as I can appreciate the Arcav’s incredible bodies and lethal-looking horns, there’s no way I’ll ever be strong enough to deal with a male like that.
“She’s totally checked out.” The first voice sounds irritated. “We need to work together if we have a shot of getting out of here.”
I’m a kindergarten teacher. Plus, I have a boyfriend. Kind of. He’s a friend, anyway. And a few weeks ago, it looked like he would kiss me. Then he blushed and turned away, mumbling something I couldn’t hear. Tim’s kind and interesting, and dedicated to his job, just like me. Sure, he’s kinda geeky, but so am I.
The ship shudders, and I blink. It’s getting more and more difficult to pretend I’m not being abducted by aliens. No matter how much I try to wake up, it’s just not happening.
Voices sound across the cage. I shake my head. Across the room. I can’t be in a cage. That’s not happening to me.
“Girl, get down. They’ll hurt you!” someone shouts.
“Where are we?” a woman asks, and I mentally roll my eyes. Even I can figure that out, and I’m buried so deep in denial I’m almost choking on it.
“I-I think it’s some sort of alien ship,” someone replies. “We’ve all been kidnapped. You were one of the last to wake up.”
Not me. I was one of the first.
No one speaks as a huge shape blocks the light. I squeeze my eyes closed like a child. If I can’t see the alien, maybe it can’t see me.
“Sit,” the voice rumbles, and my eyes fly open. A fucking Grivath is in the cage with us—a hulking gray monster that looks like he could easily eat us and spit out our bones.
“Where are we?” the same woman asks, and I have to admire her spine. She may be an idiot, but at least she’s not pretending she’s still at home in her safe bed like I am.
I lift my head enough to see the creature’s grin.
“Nowhere near your planet.”
A scream leaves her throat, and I sit up, scooting back to the huddle of women who are hugging the wall.
“Let me go home! I need to go home!” she cries. She lunges, attempting to hit him, and he pulls a strange weapon, firing it at her until she falls to the hard floor.
Someone’s murmuring to the woman, likely making sure she’s all right. I jolt as someone touches my shoulder, and they quickly snatch their hand back as if I’m a wild animal.
I turn and meet huge amber eyes set in a striking face.
“What’s your name?” the woman whispers, and I swallow.
“Eleanor—Ellie.”
“Ellie, my name is Nevada. It’s going to be all right, okay?”
Tears finally fill my eyes. Maybe this is the acceptance part. “You really think so?”
She nods firmly, and I blow out a breath. I wish I had a drop of Nevada’s confidence.
I don’t know how much time passes, but we all sit in silence, scared to draw the attention of the Grivath. His people have been at war with for the Arcav for centuries, but the Arcav promised to keep humans safe.
Major fail, assholes. We’re a long way from safety.
When the Grivath returns, it’s with a large group of his huge gray friends. One of them reaches for Nevada, and she scoots back, kicking out at him. He simply grabs her by the arm, and it’s as if her punches and kicks don’t even register as he hauls her away.
I get to my knees, wishing I could do something, anything, but then I’m shrieking as a Grivath reaches for me, throwing me over his shoulder.
My struggles are useless, but I can hear other women screaming as we’re all carried out. I lift my head and see the women who are left staring after us, shocked.
Do something! I want to scream at them, but they’re stuck in a cage. There’s nothing they can do.
The Grivath carries me down a long corridor, following the screams of the other women taken from the cage.
Eventually, the air becomes warmer, and I bounce on the Grivath’s shoulder as he walks down some stairs. Sounds assault my ears. After the tense quiet of the cage, it’s terrifying, and thanks to the translator in my ear, I can make out some of the words roared in the distance.
When I was young, my dad flipped houses. He’d take me to auctions, and I loved the excitement of the crowd almost as much as I loved spending time with my dad. The auctioneer confused me, but my dad would simply laugh and lift me onto his shoulders when he decided not to bid anymore so I could watch and listen.
That’s exactly what this is. Some of my most cherished memories have been replaced with this nightmare.
We’re suddenly surrounded by aliens as the Grivath walk us through the crowd. No one dares touch, but they discuss us as if we’re cattle at a market.
“Human females,” someone mutters. “Expensive but worth it.”
Dear God, please tell me I’m not going to be sold at an auction.
The world spins, and I’m suddenly placed on my feet. I stumble as the blood rushes from my head, and sniggers sound from the crowd.
I’m standing on a long, raised platform with all the other women. One by one, aliens from the crowd bid on us, the winners taking their women as soon as their auctions are finished, ignoring their desperate screams.
I try to tune it all out. In my mind, the avid gazes staring at us are really my kindergarteners looking up at me from their desks. My denial almost works until it’s my turn.
I don’t understand what the shouted numbers mean, but I stand on the platform in my flannel pajamas and stare over the crowd. The auctioneer is a tall greenish alien with a tail, and he uses that tail to poke my hip, making the crowd roar with amusement as I shriek and slap it away.
This seems to drive up my price, and I turn my head, meeting Nevada’s gaze. She’s standing with another group of women who seem to have been bought together. It doesn’t escape me that they’re all gorgeous. Nevada’s tall, curved in all the right places, and her toned, tan legs speak of an active lifestyle. She’s obviously fit, and muscles dance in her arm when she attempts to shrug off the purple alien holding her.
The bidding continues, and I let my mind wander, choosing not to be here while I’m sold like a piece of meat. Why were we taken? How were we chosen? I run my gaze over the other human women, all of whom look like they could model professionally. I’m the odd one out, and my brain immediately goes to work, attempting to figure out how this could have happened.