Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

She needed to get out of bed and head outside to feed the animals.

When another moan reached her ears, it was enough to have her hopping off the bedding.

Her feet hit the floor in one smooth motion as she stood.

The bed was like a huge cushion on a hard slab, but it worked well. She always got a good night’s sleep…well…apart from the times when she was awakened by people doing the dirty.

Slipping on the brown trousers and matching blouse that Lauren had gotten her, Nia tiptoed to her door and slowly opened it.

The bathroom was right across from her room and she slipped into it quietly, but not before another one of Lauren’s moans reached her ears.

Yep, she definitely needed to head out.

It was way too early for anyone to be going outside to start their day, but it had become a sort of ritual for her.

It was either that or lay awkwardly listening to the closest thing to porn that she’d have in this new world.

And she wasn’t a creep or anything, but the more she heard them, the more it stirred things inside her that she’d rather not face every morning.

Listening to them reminded her that she had no one.

The other human who lived on the Sanctuary, Cleo, was mated to Riv’s brother, Sohut. That couple wasn’t any different either. She was sure she’d probably hear them going at it too when she had to go by their side of the house on her way outside.

There was just a lot of…sex happening in this house.

As she washed her face, Nia forced away the last bits of sleep.

The water was cool as it ran over her skin, and she scrubbed her eyes so she would wake up faster.

She had nothing to complain about. Life could have been worse.

According to some of the stories Cleo and Lauren told her, she could have ended up in a zoo, or worse, sold as a sex slave.

It was an easy decision. Listening to sex was way different from being forced to perform it.

This was her life now.

As she smoothed the last bits of water over her skin, she ran through the chores she had to do.

She’d have to deal with the umus first—little round animals with wool like sheep. They were so round and fluffy, they didn’t look real. But they were incredibly stubborn and were always trying to bite her or escape.

More than once, they’d almost gotten out of their enclosures when she wasn’t paying attention.

Feeding the umus while half asleep was a bad, bad idea.

For that reason alone, she washed her face again.

There was mouthwash, and she took a mouthful. It fizzed as she shook it around in her mouth, cleaning her teeth.

Spitting the fluid out, Nia took a breath and cracked open the door.

The hallway was quiet.

Maybe they’d finished?

Well, even if they hadn’t, she wasn’t waiting around.

She slipped out of the bathroom and hurried quietly down the corridor.