Page 50 of Indentured Companion
“You can drop the Miss, and absolutely. We’ll use an interview room on the next floor, but in short, you are no longer under arrest, and your name has been cleared of the false accusation made by Mrs Fellows.”
“Was that the redhead woman’s name?” Xetolota nods, and escorts me slowly into an elevator. The armed guards hold their weapons and watch me go in with her. We are greeted on the next floor by guards as well.
“She has been arrested and is being interrogated as we speak. It seems that her puncture wounds in her neck don’t match your dental records,andyour Queen played her ace well.”
“Her ace?” Xetolota glares at a guard to move out of the way as we arrive at an interview room. The chairs in here are leather and much more supportive than the cell I came from. I lower into the chair nearest to the door and grip my hands on the table. I hiss and shake with the intensity of my pain.
“Dynast! Do you need-”
“Miss Stone.” I grit through my teeth and I pin her to her seat with my diamond pupils. “She isallI need. In the meantime? What ace did my Mother play?” I pant and Xetolota’s pity is sweet, but unhelpful. She nods and cups her hands on the table between us.
“She waited for the results of the independent blood work to come back, and then produced a legally registered document where Miss Stone agreed for your secondary ducts to be removed.”
“And therefore anyone I fed off would have my Bonding Succour present.”
“Which Mrs Fellowsdid not, and is therefore, a liar.” She smirks, tasting an easy case to prosecute, no doubt. I don’t care about Mrs Fellows past the fact that I have been proven to be innocent. “They are working on her now to find out who put her up to it, and hopefully, who took Miss Stone in the first place.”
“Or who hired them to do so?” My money is on the Anti-K movement. I grip my chest and shudder at the pain twisting through me like toxic vines. I am starving, I am in pain, andIhave had Synth-Red. If Valerie hasn’t had any Regen pills, she will be in deep withdrawal by now. “That can wait. Miss Stone’s safe return must be paramount. Without my Bonding Succour, her life is in danger.”
“We are doing everything we can to find her.” She sympathises, but that does not help either. “In the mean time, your status as Councillor is safe, since you didnotattack Mrs Fellowsorbreak the treaty agreement between the Hive and the Empire. They won’t release you until Miss Stone has been found, and that I believe, is in accordance withyourwishes?”
“Yes. I need to be here to give Valerie my Bonding Succour the moment she is found. She will die with out it, now we’ve been apart over 24 hours.” I worry dearly if she will be found in time, and I’m moved to tears. I close my eyes and hang my head. How hard are they looking for her? Really? She’s just one human to them, but she is everything to me. I love her, and I will not take another as my feeding companion. I only want her. I want to hold her forever. I want to grow even closer to her and stand side by side in the Korvis Embassyshehelped me to achieve. I want her to meet my mother. I want us to have the rest of our lives together.
Yet, every second that ticks by lowers the chances of getting my beloved back with her heart still beating.
“Here.” I look up and see Xetolota is offering me a handkerchief.
“That is kind of you. I have had little kindness as of late. Thank you.” I take it from her, my hand trembling, and dab around my eyes.
“Excuse me?” Someone pushes the door ajar and leans their head in. I can’t tell who or what species this guard is, as they are wearing full white armour and the helmet hides their features. No antennae holes though, so they are not Qeknian. “I-I ran here.” They pant. “A Miss Cassie Stone and a Miss Valerie Stone just turned up at the front door of the Council building. I was told to come and get-”
I stand and the chair I was sitting on skids back. The newcomer gasps and drops silent. Adrenaline thunders through my veins with a primal roar booming out of my chest. I raise my hands and my pupils dilate to fat diamonds. I feel strong, but it’s a lie. I know what this biochemical all or nothing response is. It’s a biochemical last resort to get me quickly to my feeding companion.
“Feeding frenzy.” I stagger towards the door and the guard backs up with alarm. “I am entering a feeding frenzy, for my feeding companion. I need her. She needs me.”
“Okay, alright.” Xetolota shuffles around me into the corridor, and has to run to keep up with me as I stride towards the nearest exit. “Erm, I’m pleased that Miss Stone is safe and sound, but erm, when you sayfeeding frenzy, what exactly do you mean? Dynast?”
“Geteveryoneout of my way.” I hiss and the rest of the world bleeds away. I know the way to the front door. I know where Valerie is. She needs me. My lips become slick with venom dripping from my fangs. She needs my venom. I need her blood to put out the flames inside my veins.“Anyone between me and my feeding partner are in danger, Xetolota. Warn them to move.”I snarl, and Xetolota spreads her wings to fly ahead of me in a blur of black and yellow.
“Shit shit shit!” The lawyer zips out of sight down the corridor, and is warning everyone she passes to get out of the way. Good. Because right now I’m afraid of what I will do to anyone who stands between me and Valerie. I must get to her. Bite her. Drink her.Fuck her.She’s mine. Valerie!
Chapter 36
The feeding frenzy begins
Valerie.
15 minutes earlier.
“Hold on Val.” I hear Cassie’s voice and groan. I’m not in pain anymore, but I am numb and cold. I ache down to the bone and I feel like I’m lagging from the world around me. Out of step, like, I know I heard Cassie’s voice, but my brain took a while to realisewhatshe said. Hold on? To what? Or until when? I crack my eyes open and realise I’m in some sort of wheelchair. The platform hovers off the ground and I’m slumped in a slightly reclined position. I’m buckled in with belts around my waist to keep me in place. How did we get here? How long was I out? Should I be worried that my body isn’t screaming in pain anymore? And what the fuck happened to the big crimson skinned Sacron everyone kept calling Boss? I also want to know what the hell Cassie has to do with that guy, but can’t find my voice. I groan and blink as I realise I’m not even on the same ship or building I was being held hostage on. We’re moving over concrete roads, and high fence walls separate us from the high street. I do a double take as I see Cassie is pushing me towards a wall of white armoured Peacekeepers. “Help!” She calls out to them and they spot us. I can’t imagine we’re easy to miss. One little human blonde woman running and pushing a hover chair, with another woman half unconscious and slumped in said chair. I shiver with the cold breeze whipping past my arms, and roll my head against the backrest to look up at my sister. Cassie’s wavy blonde hair is a strewn mess, her cheeks are rosy from exercise, and her blue eyes are focused on the guards. “Help!”
“What’s wrong ma’am? Did you come from the riots? Does this woman need medical attention.”
“No drugs.” I mumble and turn my head back towards the guard. My vision is hazy, so can’t really make much out about the white armoured figures in front of me. Even Cassie was out of focus when I stared up at her.
“I’ll call for the emergency services, Ma’am. What happened?”
“You need to let us into the Embassy, right away.” Cassie tries to push me past them, and I whine with a dull ache as my body is jarred. Someone is standing in our way. “You don’t understand. My sister-”
