Page 46 of Indentured Companion
“Ay.” Olphan sighed. “He’s right. We won’t see who took Miss Stone on any footage. This was a professional job, damn it.”
“Why do you think that?” I ask, my heart racing.
“They had regulation issue uniforms.” Ninthor nodded and slowly walked away from the protective line of officers to join us. “They knew the current security code and were in and out without alerting anyone. They’ve covered their tracks, and took Miss Stone with an ease that speaks to beingfarfrom simply being opportunistic protestors.”
“If anything, I bet the Chaos outside helped as a diversion for them.” Getrata folded his arms and commented with one head looking at me, and the other looking out the window to the nearest riot. “Someone went to great lengths to target your girl.”
“Someone?” I swallow venom and my diamond pupils narrow on that slimy fucker. “You meanyou,of course. Is that how you planned it?” I storm towards Getrata, and startle everyone in the room when not even Olphan’s four hands can hold me back. The peacekeepers tense, and I could hardly care less. All of Getrata’s eyes widened and both mouths opened in outrage.
“Howdareyou accuse me of-”
“You changed the date and time of this meeting to try and make me miss it.” I hiss and point at him aggressively. “You were shocked when Miss Stone and I realised what you did, and turned up anyway. You even faked my acceptance codes so no one would question it, with the desire of ruining my chances of petitioning for my admission to this council. I thought we had thwarted you, but here I stand without Miss Stone.” I swallow a lump in my throat and red mist starts to curl at the edges of my vision. “Clever of you to have a back up plan, but if you hurt her I will make you pay dearly. Give her back to me, right now.”
“I hadnothingto do with this!” His left head barked angrily. “I might not like the idea of you being in our council meetings, or your people walking the same streets as mine, but I wouldn’t put another Theskian at risk just to stick it to you.”
“But you would interfere with and forge council records?” Justina glowered up at him. “Which we will fully investigate later, but right now Miss Stone is the priority.”
“She is myonlypriority.” I hiss and look for the nearest door. I have no idea when in the last two hours this has happened, but can she have gone far? Her ID would have pinged, surely, if they took her off the star base. Due to being my feeding companion, her biosignature and face is on the hot list at any customs gate. They wouldn’t move her through official paths, which leaves smuggling routes. Those will take time as to not risk discovery. But how much time do I have?
I am forced to stop mid stride towards the nearest door by Olphan. “What are you doing?” I snarl, and his four hands ball into fists.
“I could ask you the same thing?” He counters, not aggressively, but certainly on edge.
“Are you mad?ObviouslyI am going to look for-”
“Because without your feeding companion, you technically can’tbehere.” He forces out like it leaves a bad taste, but it doesn’t matter. He still said it, and then he made it worse. “Answer me honestly Dynast. When did you last feed?” His words hit me like a knife in the back and right in the heart.
“When did I last…?” I glance around me and see I’ve been surrounded on all sides. “You vote me your equal, and then when my dear Miss Stone has been kidnapped underyour watch, you then surround me with guns like I’m a wild animal?”
“Yes, and it pains me to do so, as you seem like a good sort, but you are still a Korvis without a feeding companion in Theskian space.” He gives me a hard yet pained look. “Councillor or not, you are currently breaking the agreement we have with the Hive council, even if it’s not of your doing.”
“I see.” And it makes me sick with betrayal. He isn’t wrong, however, and I grip my hands down by my sides. Valerie’s tiara digs into my palm through my glove. “So I will be detained, then?”
“Must we?” Justina stood beside me, not afraid of me, which does her credit. Everyone else, Olphan included, are keeping their distance from the big bad Korvis. Is it a human female quality I wonder? This compassion and loyalty? Every human woman I’ve met seems to have it, in any regard, though I have met few. Or was this a rare quality that Justina simply shared with Valerie through her own merit? “Can’t he just be escorted back to his ship?”
“I would rather be detained here.” I interject and place a hand gently on her shoulder. “So the moment Miss Stone is found, we can be reunited.” Justina pats my hand on her shoulder and nods. “I wouldpreferto help look for her, but I can see that is not an option.” I glance over at a Peacekeeper coming towards me with handcuffs. “I should hope I am affordedsomerespect? I am, after all, complying and showing no signs of aggression.” When the human officer doesn’t slow or lower his cuffs, I feel so helpless.
“Surely that isn’t called for?” Justina tries.
“Is it?” Olphan asks warily with all his arms folded. “Note, Justina, that the Dynast did not answer my earlier question.Whendid you last feed?” I close my eyes and feel everyone staring at me.
“…five hours ago. Iamdue to feed, but I will not suffer any side effects for you to worry about for-” My wrists are taken and forced behind me. They are gripped tightly in magnetised handcuffs. Valerie’s tiara and veil fall from my hands, and it feels symbolic. Like I’ve lost my grip on her too. I swallow down my grief. Valerie has been taken from me, and she could be in serious danger. My freedom has been taken from me like I’m some sort of criminal. And my dignity has been taken from me like I’m a mindless bloodthirsty beast. I hang my head, powerless and weighed down in fear for my precious Valerie, and my own future. The calls for violence from the vid screen cut me deeply, and I fear terribly that those monsters have done something to Valerie just to cause this very moment to take place.
I hang my head over and weep. There is nothing else I can do. I am about to be shoved by peacekeepers to a holding cell somewhere whilst I begin to starve. I do not trust that these people will find her in time. For her sake, or mine. After all? It’s as Olphan said. This was done by a professional group, and they couldn’t have done so without someone on the inside helping them. This is likely the exact turn of events they were hoping for. To be arrested in handcuffs. I am saddened at my failure to succeed for the future of my people, but I am distraught as I think of Valerie’s fate.
“Fuck.” Getrata grunts from both mouths, and charges over towards me. “Yes, I fudged the records because I think the rest of you are making a huge mistake letting the Korvis back into our space, but this is wrong.” I cast a glance up at his faces, confused by his sudden admission and support. Surely he’s the inside source? Surely Getrata’s hands are all over this?
“I think we all agree it’s wrong, but we have no choice.” Olphan snaps and holds up his palms. “I don’t like this either. We’ve all been manipulated, but he hasn’t fed for five hours. Who knows how long it’s going to take for us to find Miss Stone? If he isn’t put under guard and detained now whilst he’s agreeable, what happens when he enters a feeding frenzy.”
“That phrase does not mean what you think it does.” I hiss at him, making him tense. A feeding frenzy occurs with one’s feeding companion, and no one else. If I don’t get Valerie back within the next 3 hours, we will likely enter one. The longer I starve, the more dangerous it will be for anyone between me and Valerie. Since we have achieved full symbiosis, I will desireherblood over all others. Her desire for my bite will also make her suffer whilst we are parted. Ihatethe thought of her in pain without my venom. Oh! It suddenly occurs to me they will not know of how Valerie will also be affected by our separation. “I-I should also make you aware of-”
“You need to leave, so we can get our people to work.” Olphan nodded to the peacekeepers on either side of me.
“But you need to know that-”
“No,youneed to know that I’m not going to rest until we have found Miss Stone and the bastards responsible for taking her.” Olphan throws over his shoulder at me, and then starts talking with the other councillors. I am forced by either bicep by a Sacron to march out of the waiting room. They take me through a side room and a security tunnel, rather than outside of the building. That’s one saving grace, I suppose. At least my degradation is not being made public.
“Move faster.”
