Page 16 of Stolen Slave

I heard a sigh beside me, followed by a low rumble. It took a moment to understand that I was hearing words.

Not growls but words.

Words that didn’t make a lick of sense.

The rest of my memories shuffled into place. I wasn’t in the bathhouse anymore. Something had taken me from that hell, and I was ninety-nine percent sure it was a new type of alien. It had rubbed something into my skin that had taken some of the pain away before I’d fallen asleep. That, in addition to the exam table and stinging shots, led me to believe it was trying to heal me.

The possible reasons why still terrified me.

When it didn’t move or speak again, I cautiously lifted a hand even though my heart continued trying to bang its way out of my chest.

Fingers touched mine. The touch was light and undemanding.

After a moment, I took a risk and changed the contact so I could explore the hand. It felt like mine but much bigger. A dusting of hair covered the back of each finger near the base, which wasn’t very unusual for humans. In fact, everything felt pretty normal until I hit a weird bone on the outside of his wrist. Hidden by his sleeve, the small protrusion was pointy, but not overly sharp.

I knew I’d lingered too long on the oddity when he plucked at my fingers and nudged my touch farther up his bare arm. I didn’t want this little “touch me” session to go where it was inevitably headed, but I also didn’t want another beating. Everything still hurt. Maybe not as much, but enough to remind me what treatment disobedient captives received.

Shuddering at its implied command to keep going, I forced myself to sit up. With the thin blanket pinned under my arms, I tentatively used both hands to trace my way over his skin while I tried to find the silver lining. Maybe knowing what type of alien I was dealing with would help me in some way. Or maybe he’d just get down to business when I found his happy place.

A fresh wave of tears started to well behind the bandage, and I tried harder to focus on learning.

The guess that he was huge hadn’t been underestimated. His forearm diameter rivaled the size of my calf.

This was definitely not an alien to be trifled with.

He didn’t move as my trembling fingers skimmed over his shoulders, down his sides, and up across his chest. Everything I touched was skin-clad muscle. And I meant hard muscle like he was flexing. Only, I didn’t think he was because nothing ever tensed or relaxed.

His abs were unusually abby. I wasn’t sure how many a human had, but I counted twelve distinct ridges that disappeared into the waist of his pants. I quickly retreated from that boundary, and he let me.

He had two arms and a chiseled chest with no nipples. None. I checked twice before continuing upward. His corded, thick neck met with an angular jaw and a square chin.

I paused, unsure how far up he wanted me to go. Or how far I wanted to go. What if he had a tentacle on his face or something? Another shudder ripped through me.

He took my hand, talking to me in his low, growling voice, and placed my fingertips on his lips.

My pulse jumped, and my stomach dipped. I desperately wanted to believe he didn’t intend to hurt me, but nothing about this was giving me any vibe that things would end well for me.

He released my hand with a silent nudge for me to continue. I did so reluctantly. His lips were firm and smooth, and his nose wide and slightly flat.

I reached farther up.

My blanket fell.

I scrambled to grab it, but he was faster, catching my hands half a second after I removed them and planting them on his cheeks.

Heart hammering, I debated removing one hand to grab the blanket. Hesitation was why I’d been shocked blind. I over-thought things and froze in indecision. It was my biggest downfall. Acknowledging that motivated me to move my hands over his brows and along the long wiry hair that outlined his forehead as my heart pounded in my chest.

Cooperation showed obedience. Obedient captives didn’t get shocked to death.

When I was done, I slowly withdrew my hands. However, he didn’t let me go far. He caught my wrists and gently tugged me to my feet. The blanket completely fell off of me, and I trembled.

In the bathhouse, I’d had clothes. The things that kept me then hadn’t cared what I’d looked like, only that I kept my hands busy.

Now, I wasn’t sure what was worse. Giving happy-ending baths to abusive aliens or standing naked in front of one I knew nothing about. If I knew it wasn’t going to demand a happy ending or hurt me, I’d walk around naked in front of him all day if he wanted.

Caught up in my thoughts, I was startled when he placed his hand on my back. A moment later, I was in his arms. Bare skin brushed against my bare skin as he walked.

My panic climbed. Where was he taking me? And for what purpose?

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