Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

She didn’t have money—she didn’t own anything—but if it meant she had to work to pay this female for her freedom, she wouldn’t think twice about it. As long as she was able to return to the Sanctuary.

A pit opened up in her stomach as she thought about the Sanctuary.

Just that morning, she’d been thinking about the state of her life, wishing there was more to her existence. The universe must have interpreted her wrong, for she hadn’t been asking for this.

“Listen,” she pleaded with the back of the female alien as they continued heading farther into the ship, “just stop!”

She was ignored.

In front of them, an inner door opened into a dimly lit corridor filled with levers and other things she wasn’t sure of, but the aliens holding her continued walking.

Nia struggled against the hands that held her, resisting some more. It was difficult, and she grunted with effort as she tried one more attempt at releasing herself.

“I suppose it’s begging for its freedom,” the boss’ voice drifted to her ear, just before they stopped in front of a metal door. The boss turned to her then. “You’re in my ship.” There was that smile again. The one that looked completely insincere.

The boss leaned in close. Close enough for Nia to smell a whiff of what she assumed was perfume that smelled like paprika.

“My ship. My rules. And,” she leaned in closer, her smile turning into a leer, “everything on this ship is mine…including you.”

Nia’s eyes widened a little at that, and it only renewed her efforts to release herself from the henchmen’s arms.

The boss chuckled. “You can understand me, I see. Poor little thing. I don’t know what you are, but I have a feeling you will bring me many credits.”

Something sank within Nia. She wasn’t going to get out of this, was she?

The boss stretched a blue clawed finger toward Nia and brushed the finger down her cheek.

“Don’t touch me. Why are you doing this?! Why are you aliens so twisted?!”

The boss leaned back and eyed her crewmen. “Put her in here and stay and watch her. I don’t want any…problems.”

With that, the boss strode away, barking orders to some of her other men.

The two that held her strode closer to the door, holding on to her tight even as she tried to shrug them off once again.

There were three buttons on the side of the door: a red, orange, and a yellow button.

One of the henchmen holding her reached forward and almost pressed the red button.

“No, fool, it’s the last one at the bottom that opens it.”

The one about to press the button growled. “How are you so sure, genius?”

“That top one will shut down the room and the entire sector, idiot!”

Nia eyed the button he spoke of. It was the red one.

The alien with his hand over it paused. “You’re sure?” He turned to eye his crewmate, and Nia realized with mounting horror that she couldn’t really see anything underneath the robe.

She didn’t even want to consider what that meant.

“You’re not just trying to get me in trouble?”

The other one cursed. “Go ahead then, fool. Press it.”

The other one hesitated before pressing the third button, the yellow one, and it sounded as if he was holding his breath.

A second later, the door in front of them hissed opened.