Chapter 2: KAREN
He growled again, but Karen shook her head to show she didn't understand. He was clearly trying to communicate. He looked at the others and barked a command; they nodded and pushed deeper into the ship, leaving only the leader with her.
Karen realized two things. One: they were enemies of the lizards. Two: if they hadn't killed the humans yet, they were likely being rescued. What else could go wrong? she wondered grimly.
She released Jess and gripped the bars to pull herself up, but her legs were like jelly. She swayed, nearly collapsing, until large, powerful hands clamped around her forearms to steady her. She looked up at the being who had growled at her, getting a better view this time. He was massive—well over seven feet tall. Large, corded muscles rippled beneath his tactical suit. Without warning, he stepped closer and hoisted her up, carrying her size-sixteen frame as if she weighed nothing at all.
"Put her down!" Jess screamed.
"I'm fine," Karen rasped, trying to steady her voice despite her trembling. "Jess, look at me."
"Are you really going to let them just take you?"
"If you have a better idea, I'm listening," Karen said. "But let me remind you: nothing could be worse than those lizards. We aren't on Earth anymore, Jess. That much is obvious."
Jess fell silent, her eyes wide. "Do you think we'll be okay?"
"I can't guarantee anything. But they killed the lizards, and I don't want them to turn on us. Please, stay calm." Karen searched for Jess's gaze. "Come with me, Jess. Please."
Jess reminded her so much of her little sister, who had died in an accident three years ago. The protective instinct was impossible to ignore.
"No... I'm scared," Jess whimpered.
"I am too. But I'll make them keep us together."
"How? They don't even understand us!"
"One step at a time."
It was clear these beings didn't want to hurt them; otherwise, they would have used force. The sound of heavy footsteps echoing from inside the ship alerted Karen. Her captor—or rescuer—turned toward the sound. The newcomers began to growl at each other in what was clearly a complex language. Karen nodded at Jess, signaling her not to resist. Another warrior lifted Jess, who instinctively wrapped her arms around his thick neck.
They exited through the shattered hull, crossing a short gangplank into another cargo bay. There, four more tall, muscular warriors stood waiting, weapons aimed and ready.
Karen gasped. If it weren't for their grayish-white skin and strange, feline eyes with oval pupils, they could have passed for human. Their long, silky hair flowed down to their waists in shades of white, black, and brown. They had sharp, aristocratic features—high cheekbones, square jaws, and pointed ears. They were strikingly handsome, like statues brought to life.
She tilted her head, trying to imagine the face of the one carrying her. Was he as breathtaking as the others?
They moved deeper into the ship, navigating long corridors with doors that slid open automatically. They entered an elevator, and as it descended, the sudden drop made Karen's stomach flip. She clung tightly to her carrier's chest. She felt a deep vibration against her palm—was he laughing at her? She was too terrified to care.
The doors opened, and they stepped out into a sleek, high-tech medical bay. A tall male with raven hair and amber eyes stood waiting. He wore a white coat—clearly a doctor. Karen's mind went blank at the sheer scale of the technology surrounding them.
The warrior carrying her laid her down onto a strange bed shaped like a large canoe, designed for their massive frames. He stepped back, grunted something to the doctor, handed over a small object, and turned to leave—taking the warrior who held Jess with him.
"Wait! You can't take her!" Karen scrambled to sit up, nearly tumbling off the oversized bed. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Bring her back!" She pointed accusingly at the warrior. "You have to keep her with me, do you understand?"
He didn't even look back. He began pressing buttons on a glowing console. Panic flared in Karen's chest. They're going to experiment on us.
"Holy crap... what have I gotten myself into?" At that moment, death seemed like a mercy.
The dark-haired doctor approached her, holding a small object. Karen squinted at it; it was a device the size of a headset, white and made of a soft, gel-like substance.
"What is that?" she whispered.
He gently brushed her hair aside, exposing her ear. He tapped a similar device on his own ear, then pointed to hers.
"You're putting that in my ear?" she asked, mimicking his gesture.
The doctor nodded. He gestured for her to lie down and close her eyes.
He wants me to sleep. For the experiment, she thought, her heart hammering against her ribs. Still, she had no choice. She lay back, and the canoe-bed began to slide shut like a pressurized capsule.
Saturated blue light enveloped her. Karen watched through the glass, her pulse racing so hard she thought her chest might burst. The doctor leaned into her line of sight, speaking softly in his strange tongue. Her eyelids grew heavy as an unnatural fatigue washed over her.
He smiled at her—the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.
And then she saw the fangs.
Darkness swallowed her whole.