Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“They killed her,” she whispered to V’rex in the darkness. “Killed her because she couldn’t have any more babies. They would have killed me too, if we had stayed.”
“I wouldn’t have let that happen, sweetheart.” His voice was a soft growl. “I made a vow to protect you, remember?”
Yes, but that was in the Compound, Penny thought. We’re out of there now. How much longer will he still wants to hang around with me once all the Spice is out of his system? He’s going to look at me and see that I’m not the type of girl he wants at all!
The thought made her sad and she climbed off the big Hybrid’s lap, though at first he didn’t want to let her go.
“You okay, sweetheart?” he murmured, when Penny was sitting beside him again, rather than on his lap.
“I think so.” She sniffed. “It’s just…a lot to process, you know? I mean, first I see my friend like that and then that awful scene at the bakery…” She sniffed again. “I was upset with you for chopping off Skrug’s finger and then I went and chopped off his, well, you know.”
“Yes, you did,” V’rex said firmly. “I’m fucking proud of you, sweetheart. You did the right thing.”
“Thanks, I guess.” Penny sighed. “I just…never thought I’d be in a position to do anything so…so savage.”
“Savage actions call out savagery,” V’rex murmured. “Sometimes you have to let the animal out.”
“I guess,” Penny said again, still not convinced. “I just…I’ve never killed anyone before.”
“Your first kill is always the hardest,” V’rex said grimly. “Did I ever tell you what happened to my father?”
“No.” She shook her head, looking up at him. “You mean you saw him again after…after he abandoned you?”
“Saw him?” V’rex barked an unhappy laugh. “I fucking tracked him down. And what you did to Skrug with that cleaver, well…” He shook his head. “Let’s just say it’s nothing compared to what I did to my Sire.”
“You…killed him?” Penny asked hesitantly.
“I avenged my mother,” V’rex growled. “His death paid for hers.”
Penny felt her stomach fist into a knot. He had killed his own father! But then she remembered she was in no position to point fingers. People who live in glass houses and all that.
“I…I guess I can understand that,” she said at last.
“My Sire got what he deserved,” V’rex said bluntly. “And so did Skrug. Don’t agonize over it, sweetheart. You did what you had to do.”
“Okay.” Penny took a deep breath and made an effort to push the awful memory away. It was over now—no sense dwelling on it. “Anyway, where are we hiding? Is this a cave?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“In a way. It’s a hollow in the side of a tree—down at the base. Nothing in here is poisonous but I’m afraid before we get going again, I’ll have to sting you to give you some immunity to the plants we’re going to be walking through.”
“You really have to?” Penny asked. She had a vague memory of something intensely painful that had to do with his sting, and though it might just be a dream, it still made her uneasy.
“I’ll try to make it good for you.” V’rex’s deep voice sounded unhappy. “I’m not sure what the problem was before. Maybe something to do with the plants you were exposed to. Could be their poisons reacted with my lust-honey somehow.”
“Okay.” Penny nodded. “Uh, do we have to go right now? And are we heading for the NeverBreeders’ launching pad?”
“That’s where we’re headed,” V’rex confirmed. “But not yet—it’s the middle of the night. I don’t know how many animals can survive in this kind of poisonous environment, but it stands to reason there have to be some and this is when the predators will be out. The safest time to get moving is probably at dawn.”
“All right.” Penny sighed and shifted on the spongy stuff she was sitting on, which seemed to be moss. “I guess I’ll try to get some more sleep then. I still ache all over.”
“Probably aftereffects of the poison,” V’rex told her. “Go on back to sleep, sweetheart. I’ll keep watch.”
“Okay.” Penny sighed and snuggled down in the darkness but the moss she was lying on felt damp and cold. She was grateful it wasn’t poisonous, but it was still pretty uncomfortable. She shivered convulsively and put her arms around herself.
“Problems?” V’rex asked in the darkness.
“I’m just so cold.” Penny shivered again. She wished she could ask the big Hybrid to put his arms around her and keep her warm, but she felt shy about asking.
There’s no Spice in the air here, a little voice in her head reminded her. Whatever attraction he had to you is probably going to dissipate pretty soon…if it’s not already gone.
Turning over on her other side, she tried again to get comfortable, wrapping her arms around herself and pulling her knees up to her chin.