Obsidian - Miranda Bridges Page 0,5
my head profusely.
Hell no. I’d rather crawl than let them do that.
“Very well,” she says, tossing the handkerchief into a waste bin. “Please place your feet on the ground. I will steady you.”
Three of her tentacles slither around my waist. At first my legs tremble and threaten to puddle underneath me, but the alien steadies me against her, and I take a step.
“Computer, are there any signs of discomfort?”
“No signs of injury detected.”
The doctor nods, her grip on me slackening. “There we go. You may feel a little nauseous and unsteady to begin with. That will settle by the time you enter the auction.”
My teeth chatter again, and I rub the chill from my arms. The blanket does little to warm me now that reality has settled in, leaving me numb. The doctor guides me slowly to the door and summons one of her minions. The creature is tall with dark feathery wings that cover his humanoid arms, and he has horns protruding from his skull.
“Number four is ready to be prepped for the auction now.” The octopus nudges me forward with the end of her tentacle. “In the meantime, I will continue to thaw number five. I should have it ready within the hour.”
And with that, the creature slams the door behind her. I stand rooted to the spot, clutching the blanket to my naked body like a cotton shield. But there’s nothing I can use to thwart the alien’s unwanted gaze as he takes me from this hall into another lined with steel doors. His bulging eyes follow me with each step. Even if I did manage to knock him out and make a run for it, it wouldn’t be long before I was captured again.
I scan the hallway, counting at least six cameras, and from what I can tell, the doors don’t have visible access points. Locating a way out would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Besides, antagonizing my alien captors before I truly know what I’m up against? Probably not the best way to go about this situation. I need to act rationally if I want to get back to my friends.
Tears sting my eyes at the thought of them. Did they manage to escape the aliens back on Earth? The twins were herded onto the shuttle with me, but I never saw them after that. And what about Hazel? She’d gone hunting just before we were invaded.
I hope she managed to escape.
It takes everything to push their faces to the back of my mind and focus on the present. I need to get away from here, and then I can worry about them.
It’s easier said than done, especially when the alien shoves me into a room draped in silks. The instant I stumble over the threshold, he rips off the blanket, exposing me to the cool air. I wrap my arms around my breasts and scan the rest of the room. My instinct is to search for any threats, but here, there are only racks of clothing beside a floor-to-ceiling mirror mounted on the wall.
At the sound of the door clicking, I snap my head around and watch a female alien rush into the room. She’s a similar species to the male, but her feathers are ivory, and pink ribbons adorn her horns.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” She bares a set of sharp, jagged white teeth at the male. “There is nothing at all desirable about this one. There are no feathers and barely any fur. Do you see the tuft between her legs? How strange.” She circles me, clicking her tongue while ruffling her wings. “Why Madam Pim purchased her from the Torags, I will never know.”
Well, that makes two of us, but unfortunately I’m about to find out.
“It’s not your job to know, Zelga.” The male rolls his eyes. “Your job is to prepare the auction’s merchandise.”
“Yes, but there is only so much I can do.” Zelga prods me, and I jump back, still trying to hide my body. “Did you see how she cowered when I touched her? She will never withstand the inspection.”
A cold chill snakes through my body. What does she mean by “inspection”? Didn’t I just have one with Ursula back there?
“Let’s just hope she passes Madam Pim’s inspection first,” the male says, shooing me toward the clothing racks.
Either they’re unaware I have a translator in my ear or they couldn’t give a shit if I hear what they think of