Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Vic frowned.
“It’s difficult to say. I don’t know the exact number of pregnant females on board at this time or how long it will take to get them safely secured on another ship with enough warriors to guard them and bring them to Earth’s solar system via the wormhole route.”
“How big is the Mother Ship, anyway?” Torri asked. “I mean, if it’s so huge you don’t even know how many people are on board…well, it must be pretty big.”
Vic pursed his lips, his brow furrowing as he thought.
“I believe the Mother Ship is roughly one-fourth the size of Earth’s moon,” he said at last.
“Wow—that’s huge,” Torri exclaimed. “None of the ships we’ve built can hold more than a couple of people.”
“Well, your space-faring technology is very limited,” Vic pointed out. “The Mother Ship has the capacity to hold millions—though it is carrying much less than that at the moment. There are many warriors in the Unmated Males section who are desperately in need of brides.”
Torri thought that if all the Kindred were as sweet and considerate as Vic was, there would be plenty of Earth women who would be eager to sign up to be alien brides.
But just as she was opening her mouth to say so, they flew out of the other end of the wormhole…
And right into the middle of a horde of sleek, black ships.
Forty-Seven
“The Scourge! They’re already here!” Vic tried to take evasive maneuvers, but there were simply too many ships in the way. They surrounded his long-range shuttle like beela gnats clustered around the same fruit.
Suddenly his com-link crackled to life.
“Kindred ship, you are surrounded. Surrender at once.”
The speaker was a male with pearly gray skin and black hair. But the strangest thing about him was his eyes—the irises were red and the whites of his eyes were pure, jet black.
“I have no quarrel with you,” Vic said steadily, staring at the Scourge male. “This is neutral territory.”
“The Kindred always have a quarrel with the Scourge,” the male replied. “You will accompany us to the Fathership at once.”
Then com-link went dark and the black ships surrounding them began to herd Vic’s shuttle towards a larger, darker shape up ahead.
“Oh God, what are we going to do?” Torri’s big brown eyes were wide with fright and Vic didn’t blame her. It must seem like her worst nightmares were coming true.
“Contact the Mother Ship and let them know the Scourge are already here, to start with,” he said steadily. But when he tried his com-link, he found that his transmissions were being jammed.
“What’s the matter? Can’t you get them?” Torri asked anxiously, staring at the dark com-link viewscreen.
Vic didn’t answer—he didn’t want her to lose hope.
“Go and hide in the back,” he instructed her instead. “Get undercover and keep completely quiet. When they force us to land, I’m going to come out fighting.” He could feel his eyes getting hot and a red tint was creeping into his vision as the protective Rage prepared to take over. “I’ll kill as many of them as I can—I swear I won’t let them take you, sweetheart.”
“But—”
“Go hide!” he commanded. “Now! The Fathership is just ahead.” He nodded at the vast black bulk growing in the viewscreen.
Torri unbuckled her harness and rose from her chair, a look of fear and indecision on her lovely face. She hesitated, then put her hand on his shoulder.
“I don’t want to go, Vic,” she whispered in a trembling voice. Leaning over, she kissed him briefly on the lips. “I…I want to stay and fight with you.”
Vic shook his head.
“You haven’t seen the Scourge soldiers. They have no honor—no pity. They are soulless monsters. Please, Torri…” He looked into her eyes, which were filled with worry. “Please just hide yourself away. I can fight much more efficiently if I know you’re safe.”
Biting her lip, she nodded.
“All right. I’ll hide. But what if…”
“Go now—we’re docking!” Vic told her. Indeed, they were entering the docking bay of the Fathership, a huge space filled with the same sleek black ships that had clustered around them since their exit from the wormhole.
“All right—I’ll go!” Torri gave him one last kiss and then ran to the back of the shuttle.
Vic set his ship down and reached for his blaster. He set it to kill and got ready to go.
He might die on this mission, but he was determined to sell his life as dearly as he could and to protect Torri with his last breath.
Forty-Eight
Torri crouched in the back of the long-range shuttle, hiding as well as she could behind the diminutive couch, which was pushed into a corner of the small living area. There really wasn’t anyplace else she could get any kind of cover except the tiny bathroom, and she wasn’t sure how long the lock on its door would hold. So behind the couch seemed to be her best bet.