Page 28 of A Monster's Light
The two continued their tour, completely unaware of the turmoil growing inside me as the truth came barreling at me like a heatseeking missile, Or was that a heart-seeking missile in this case? I was already in love with Gnnar. And I wasn’t his mate.
I followed behind my two friends numbly, not really paying attention anymore, and found myself sitting on a bench facing the fighting ring.
“It’s a lot to take in, I know,” Julie said, reaching over to a robot cart to pick up two colorful, fruity drinks and handing one over to me.
Before I could tell her that I’d manage, Penelope said, “Ooh, there’s my mate Vostak. You talked to him on the phone, remember?” She waved to the warrior.
Vostak was lean and mean, taller than many of the other Kadrixans, but just as muscular. He stomped toward us, looking almost angry. His eyes were solely on Penelope, like Julie and I didn’t exist. I gaped at the scary warrior. I knew Gnnar had the ability to tear someone apart; I’d watched him do it. But Vostak looked like a killing machine who’d laugh while doing it.
“I think the rut’s hitting him.” Penelope stood, looking apologetic.
Oh, that made sense.
Vostak approached, scooped Penelope up into his arms, and leaped into the air, the action reminding me of flying in Gnnar’s arms.
“Bye, ladies,” Penelope called from the air. “See you in a bit!”
Chapter 16: Gnnar
I blinked up at the familiar rock and metal ceiling of our stronghold. My head hurt, and there was a dull ache everywhere. I reached over to find the flask of water I usually kept by my bedside, but my arms could not move.
What the fuck?
I looked around. I wasn’t in my quarters but in one of our ship’s infirmaries instead. Vostak stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.
“Welcome back, Gnnar.”
“What’s going on? Why am I restrained?”
“Do you remember anything?” he asked, handing me a flask.
I chugged down the cold liquid as I reviewed my memories. The last thing I remembered was trying to decide whether to take the risk and fly across the grasslands and the channel to reach the safety of our continent. No. There was more. There were the robohounds and the drone. But that was it. I didn’t remember getting rescued or arriving at the stronghold.
But I did remember an overwhelming sense of rage mixed in with a bit of fear like I had to fight or I would die.
“Dana. Where is she? Did she get her translator yet?” I needed to tell her that she was my mate. That part I remembered.
“She did. She told us everything she could about your adventure. You are lucky Dana thought fast and held on to you, using your rut to distract you so Sami could tranq your ass. She’s brave.”
She was. But what was this about Sami tranquilizing me? Why couldn’t I remember that?
“I don’t remember any of it. What happened?”
Vostak recounted the story.
“We found a chemical in your system that we couldn’t recognize. It matched the chemical in the dart. It must be a new Exotech creation.” Exotech Pharmaceutical was the sister company to Exotech Robotics, the people who created the robohounds and Harbingers.
“And they decided to test it on me?” Was that why they wanted to transfer me to the other facility?
“That is one possibility. The surveillance drone hovered over you after you disabled the robohound.”
“Researchers watching to see what happened?” I guessed.
“That was our conclusion as well. You didn’t wake until you were already inside the transport. You were not yourself. Didn’t respond to your name. According to Sami and Macey, you calmed only when Dana was touching you, but even then, you flung her off you, and she hit the side of the shuttle.”
My eyes grew wide. “Is she hurt?”
“She is unharmed. There are a few bruises, but she insists they were from before. She even mentioned several times that she was sure you wouldn’t hurt her. ”
