Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
A tear seeped from her eye when she thought of the possibility of never seeing her precious daughter, Paris, again.
CHAPTER 2
ONE MONTH LATER…
“Iwant Paris, Mama,” London sobbed into her mother’s neck.
Callie was very close to tears herself. How could she possibly explain to the two-year-old what was going on when she was still trying to make sense of the entire mess herself? With each passing day on this Godforsaken planet, her hope of going home and seeing her other precious baby again dwindled.
“I know, sweetie. I want to see Paris too.”
“Wanna go home.”
Callie stroked London’s soft curls. “So do I. Remember what Mommy said? As soon as I find a way, I’ll get us home where we belong.” She could barely convince herself, so it was no surprise when her child glared at her.
“Mean Mommy! Wanna go home,” London screamed, kicking and flailing wildly. Normally Callie didn’t tolerate temper tantrums, but how could she scold London when she so desperately wanted the same thing?
She estimated they’d been on this world the Adieaens called Adlene for about a month now. From the moment she woke up until she went to bed, she was trained in the arts of pleasing men.
At first she’d rebelled against the teachings, trying instead to find ways to escape, but she soon learned that if she didn’t obey her trainers, she couldn’t see London. They kept her daughter sequestered in the nursery section of the training building with the rest of the children.
For good behavior, Callie was rewarded a visit to the nursery, and lately they had been fewer and farther between. She shuddered as she thought of all the things she’d been subjected to, but those moments with London were one of the things that gave her the will to live.
“Baby, I’m doing the best I can. I promise you’ll see her again. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Callie pressed her forehead against her daughter’s and cried at the futileness of the situation. A few weeks ago she didn’t think aliens existed, but now she was in another Universe about to be sold like a piece of meat on an auction block.
Her heart ached every time she looked at London because she was also seeing Paris’s face because they were identical. It was a constant reminder of what she’d been forced to leave behind.
They were ready to sell her. She’d overheard Rzxie and another Hunter discussing her fate. When she asked what would happen with London, no answer was given. Callie didn’t think she could survive if she were parted from this daughter as well. Her heart just wouldn’t withstand the pain.
“Mama, I sawee.” London gave her a kiss on the cheek and patted her hair.
A slight smile touched her lips. She looked into her baby girl’s big brown eyes, so like her own. “I love you so much. I just want you to know, that if anything happens to me, Mommy loves you.”
The door burst open. Callie’s head shot up. A feeling of dread washed through her when Theki strode through the nursery doors, a fierce expression on his face, or at least she thought so. It was so hard to tell with his species. “Your time is up. Let’s go. The buyers are outside and ready to bid. We don’t have very long to prepare you.”
Callie gasped. “I’m… I’m being sold today?” She thought she had more time.
“We feel that your training is adequate. Now let go of the child and come with me.”
“No,” she whispered, her eyes blinded by tears.
Theki stepped forward. “I must have heard incorrectly because I know you didn’t say no to me. Now come along or I’ll have to use the stunner.”
Her grip tightened on London, causing the child to cry out. “Too tight!”
“No. I can’t leave her. She’s all I have left.” Even as the words tumbled from her lips she saw Theki reaching for the weapon he used to keep the slaves in line. Callie didn’t care. They’d have to pry her child out of her cold, dead arms.
“I’ll give you one more chance, human. You can come with me, or you can feel the sting of this.” He pulled out the stunner. “I will guarantee you that it will hurt.”
As though sensing her mother’s anguish, London wrapped her arms around Callie’s neck and started to cry again. “No, Mama. Don’t go!”
Callie couldn’t remember crying so hard before. She knew Theki meant business, but letting go of London was something she couldn’t do. “I’m not going to leave her. I won’t!”
“You’ve been warned.”
She was blasted on the arm, but it sent a large electric shock through her entire body. Falling to her knees, she still didn’t let go of her sobbing daughter. “I won’t leave her. You’ll have to kill me first.” Pain rocked her entire being, but all she could focus on was that this monster was trying to separate her from London.