Knowing what Kelsey did now, it had to be a major coverup, from the top of police command all the way to the government. They would have the power to silence the news outlets.
Her department heads not only knew the truth, they’d also handed her over to be shipped off Earth.
She wondered how many women were being sold. It must be happening in more cities than just hers.
“Are you well? You have gone pale.”
Crath’s deep voice brought her out of her disturbing thoughts, and she peered into his blue eyes. They were truly magnificent. “I was just thinking. I know I can’t go back to my planet.”
He appeared pleased. “You’re highly intelligent.”
Kelsey bit back a snort. “I wouldn’t say that. I’m here, aren’t I? The public needs to be told what’s happening on Earth. It’s the only way to shut that shit down. Unfortunately, our media outlets must be working with the government.”
He cocked his head.
“The people in charge on Earth are selling our own women. It’s more than just the police behind this. There were military personnel where I was held. Slavery is illegal on Earth. The public would riot if they knew the truth. Especially because the people in charge of sharing important news on my planet are purposely not reporting what’s going on.”
The whole thing upset her enough to want to change the subject.
“Is there a hole in my back where I was shot? It aches.”
“No hole. Station security targeted you twice with an energy charge. It tends to stun anyone it hits. It’s painful and will cause bruising. My concern was about the cuts to your skin. Humans are prone to infections. That’s why I was grateful to have abrasion cream with me. As I said, let the cream work for another hour and then we’ll remove the bandages.”
Kelsey frowned doubtfully, looking at the bandages.
“Your cuts and scrapes will be completely healed,” he assured. “Our medicines are far more advanced. I apologize that I have nothing for deep bruising, but we’ll take care of that once we reach The Vorge. It will only take minutes to heal them.”
She glanced again at her wrapped wrist and hands, realizing there was no pain. Her leg didn’t hurt at all, either. She forced herself to wiggle her fingers and roll the injured wrist. “Nothing feels broken.”
“I’m glad. I don’t have a medical scanner, and the Nupa owner of this shuttle didn’t own one to borrow.”
She glanced around the room. “Tell me more about this shuttle.”
He leaned back a little. “The important information is that it’s sufficient for our escape. I suspect we’ll be hunted, though. The Cristos will want you badly, after the vast amount they paid to win you at auction.”
She shuddered.
“You’re familiar with their race?”
“The pink alien in the cage next to mine told me enough that I knew I had to escape or die a horrible death. Nexis was my friend. A Parri bought her. Do you know anything about that race?”
“Yes. One of the crew on my family’s vessel is a Parri.”
“Will a Parri hurt my friend?”
“I don’t believe so. The vast majority are honorable. They treat women extremely well. It won’t matter, though. Another member of The Vorge crew went after that female.”
Kelsey gaped at him.
“To rescue the female, the way I did you. It was clear to us that she must be your friend when you started yelling at the male to buy her. Marrow will retrieve the female and take her back to The Vorge. They might already be there. My communicator was lost while we were running from station security. I was unable to hear more than Marrow saying she’d boarded the ship where your friend was taken.”
“What do you plan to do with her?”
“Her race are called Titans. Her planet isn’t too far from my own home world. We’d heard they’d suffered a raider attack last year and sent some of our military vessels to prevent it from happening again. There were reports that hundreds of their females were kidnapped. Your Nexis must have been one of the unfortunate. We’ll return her to her home world, if that’s what she wants.”
Kelsey was relieved to hear that. “Thank you for getting me out of there before more Cristos could find me…and for rescuing Nexis.”
He gave a grim nod. “Cristos are banned on most worlds and all space stations. One male breeding with a female can create over twenty of their offspring. Breeding young is always fatal to the females, unless there is constant medical care to remove the eggs when they first begin to hatch. Only wealthy families can afford that kind of care. Poorer males buy slaves to breed with, since they don’t care about killing them to have young.”
As he talked, she figured out how to release the belt clips, removing the straps across her body, and slowly tried to stand. Crath rose to his feet, towering over her in height. He was a big alien. She flinched away when he attempted to touch her.
That made him take a step back.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Kelsey. I think it’s best if you remain seated.”
She stretched a little, her back aching worse, but at least she felt whole. “Babying injuries isn’t my thing.”
He scowled.
Kelsey stared up at the blue-eyed alien, trying to determine if she really could trust him. “I survived police training and became a red-code responder. It means I was sent to any calls involving violence. I’ve suffered way worse injures than some cuts and a bruised back.”
“Your people send females on your planet to handle violent males?”
She snorted, amused. “Most of the calls I responded to were women fighting each other. On Earth, there are a lot more of us than men. Sometimes, though, it was a guy beating on a woman. Obviously. It’s how I ended up being sold to aliens. The asshole I arrested was a high-paid boner donor living in a swanky penthouse apartment. And my department still picked him over me.”
“A bone donor?”
“Boner donor. It’s a slang term for attractive men who sleep with women for money. With the low male-to-female ration, they’re in high demand by wealthy women wanting to have kids the old fashioned way, by having actual sex. This guy had sired fourteen verified sons, which really upped his price. He ranted about that while I was hauling him down to the station, swearing he’d be free as soon as his lawyer found out.” She grit her teeth in anger. “And I’m sure he was.”
Crath scowled harder.
She glanced down at the skimpy nightgown she wore, just realizing she was barely dressed. “I don’t suppose there are other clothes I can wear?”
He shook his head. “The Nupa who owned this shuttle was very dirty. I hunted his cabin for clean clothing while you were out. There were none. The blanket was the only thing I found not stained or used by him. It was sealed in a bag. Just wrap it around your body.”
That would have to do. It wasn’t a thick or particularly large blanket, but big enough to wrap around her and tie at one shoulder. Kelsey kept the nightgown on beneath it. Once done, she stared back up at Crath. “I’d like to see the rest of this shuttle.”
He nodded. “Come with me.”
Chapter Three