“Promise me, you won’t tell anyone about her,” I begged Wyck. Even with his constant protection, I never felt completely safe anywhere on the Dark Anomaly. I dreaded to think what would happen to Val if she were discovered by the crew while on her own.
“It may be a good idea to tell the captain,” Wyck suggested. “He would assign her a protector and ensure she is looked after if she is found.”
“Is there any man in here who would protect her the way you’ve protected me?” I challenged.
His expression grew blank.
“Protection” had a different meaning for the rest of the crew. Nocc had made it clear last night that his idea of “not harming” me would be not killing me after a gang rape. That was as much mercy as a woman could count on from him. The rest of them weren’t any better.
I doubted that any of them had Wyck’s willingness to learn and his ability to change. Being so much older than Wyck, they all had come here as hardened criminals already. Brutality was the only thing they knew. It was also what they chose to live by.
“I can help you look for Val,” I offered.
“No.” He shook his head resolutely. “You will need to remain here, in safety. I’ll search for her myself.”
I thought about the cameras I’d installed throughout the living area of our ship. They were to capture the daily routine of the crew on our way to the Dark Anomaly. Now, I wondered if I could use the footage to find out more about Val’s fate, provided the captain or the crew hadn’t removed the cameras and destroyed or damaged the recordings.
“What happened to our ship?” I asked Wyck. “Is anyone occupying it?”
“No, not yet. Its location is inconvenient, being on the very edge of the habitable sector, away from everything—” he cut himself short, a sudden understanding spreading on his face. “Do you think she would sneak back on it?”
I hadn’t thought about that, but it was entirely possible.
“It would make sense.” I perked up, feeling hope rising inside me. “The ship has everything for her to survive for weeks if needed, even months.”
“All the supplies have been taken from it,” Wyck pointed out.
“I doubt all have been. One would only take what he thinks can be taken.”
“What do you mean?”
I shifted to face him fully, eager to explain.
“Until recently, spaceships had to bring all their food and water on the journey with them. The latest technology allowed us to make most of it onboard. We didn’t carry canisters of food and water. We have built-in replicators that create them both on demand, from ingredients that take up just a fraction of the space and weigh much less than the final product.”
“Are such things even possible?” he gazed at me in wonder.
“They are now.” I smiled, patting his knee. “If Val has made it back to the ship, she might be okay. That’s where we should start looking.”
My excitement was reflected in his eyes.
“I’ll go check on my own, first,” he said. “But I’ll take you to the bathroom first. You’ll need to take a shower to wash off your scent.”
“That’s right. It’s been almost twenty-four hours since I showered last. I must be gross and dirty.” I winked at him, teasing.
He cupped my chin, bringing our faces closer.
“Not dirty. Sweet.” He brushed the tip of his tongue along my bottom lip before taking it in a kiss. “Sweet like sugar,” he whispered against my mouth. “And so irresistible to all of us here.”
Chapter 17
I LAY ON THE PILE OF Wyck’s blankets on the floor of the small room behind the vasai farm. He wasn’t here, and bouts of worry and terror wracked me.
Tonight would be my third scheduled “performance” at the mess hall. The captain had officially cancelled my appearance days ago. Deprived of their “entertainment,” the enraged crew had started a hunt for me. Hundreds of males had been raging through the Dark Anomaly, crushing everything and everyone in their way.
Wyck had forbidden me to leave this room out of fear that the crew would find me. I’d begged him not to go out tonight, either, afraid for his life more than mine.
“I need to know what’s going on out there,” he’d explained. “I’ll lead them away from here if necessary. As soon as it’s safe again, we’ll go to your ship.” He’d kissed me before leaving.
During the past week, Wyck had made a couple of excursions