Raven's Return - Ruby Dixon Page 0,7

wake up eventually, and the world is swaying. My stomach churns, and I sit up, because if I don't, I'm going to puke up a belly full of acid. My mouth has the same awful taste as before, and I fight back the urge to growl in frustration. This jerk is drugging me. I don't know what he wants, but I'm guessing it's a bride, ice planet style. Yeah, well, he's in for a really rude awakening, because I have no desire to be his little wifey or the mom to his kid. I rub my mouth, trying to get rid of the medicinal taste in it, and when the world bobs and sways around me again, I pay attention to my surroundings.

I'm…not on shore.

With a gasp, I jerk backward, trying to scuttle away from the man seated in front of me on what looks to be the world's crudest raft. It's the alien stranger, and he grunts and grabs my arm in a tight grip before I can careen off the back of the raft. He also makes the first noise that might be some sort of communication—a sound of pure irritation. He shoots me a look, gestures at the water, and then shoves his paddle in again. He's acting as if all of this is my fault somehow.

"How was I supposed to know I'd be on a fucking raft, dude? You drugged me." I curl my fists as I sit up, wanting to punch his scowling face. I don't care if he's got a kid or not, dude's a dick and a half. I sit up and glare at my surroundings. Sure enough, we're in the ocean—the creepy, creepy, cold ocean. The raft we're on looks like nothing more than a few trees that have been quite shittily hollowed out and lashed together with vines, and the guy seated across from me is using a paddle that looks like it's made of leaves lashed to the end of a branch.

Well doesn't that just instill confidence in a girl.

At his side, the little boy watches me with a curious expression. He holds one grubby little hand out and offers me a leaf.

His father shoots him a look.

I shake my head. "If it's all the same, I can guess what that leaf is for. No thanks."

The boy gestures again, indicating I should take the leaf, and he mimes eating it.

"Pak!" the man says in a low growl.

The boy shrinks back, moving closer to his father's knee. He puts the leaf on the raft, between us, and watches me.

"So you can talk," I muse aloud. "You just don't want to talk to me. I see how it is. Well, you don't have to worry—I absolutely am not interested in being your friend. And the moment we get on shore, I'm getting the fuck away from you." I smile fakely at the two of them and pick up the leaf that the boy offered. Pak is either his name…or it means “stop.” I try repeating it. "Pak?"

The boy looks over at me and smiles.

"That's your name, all right. Good to know." I file this in my brain for safekeeping and pick up the leaf he held out to me. The good news is that if it's drugs, I'll at least be able to pass out again. I sniff it, and it smells sweeter than the other stuff Pak's dad held against my face.

Pak quietly points at his mouth and makes a chewing motion, then casts a quick, covert look at his father, who's still paddling.

Hmm. I put the leaf to my lips, and when no one stops me, I take the tiniest nibble. It's different than the stuff before. The taste is almost sweet, and it helps get rid of the sour, medicinal tang in my mouth from the other stuff. "Thanks, Pak."

The dad scowls.

I grin. I plan on using the kid's name a million times a day, just to piss off daddy.

It's quiet on the raft, and the lull of it makes me drift off to sleep. I know I probably shouldn't, because I'm not safe, but what else is there to do? I'm cold and wet and hungry, and I'm far from shore. Actually, when I look around, I can barely see the shore. It's like my new “friend” has deliberately taken me as far away from the beach as possible so I can't get away from him. Even if I tried, he'd just drug me again. So I sit