The Breeding Experiment (Veslor Mates Book 3) Read online

  Gnaw pictured the stream he and his grouping used to splash and play in as cubs. It was always a soothing memory. His skin tingled, bones began to reshape, and he ignored the slight pain of transforming. Once it was over, he opened his eyes and rose to his feet.

  Roth glanced at one of the humans, tossing him his helmet. The team member caught it. Then Roth reached behind him, yanking a pair of pants from where he must have tucked them into his weapons belt.

  Gnaw accepted them, putting them on. They were loose fitting, the type they wore to train and exercise. “There’s a female…Darla.” He tried to walk around Roth to go find her.

  His grouping leader moved, blocking his path. “The medics are treating her.” Roth inched closer until their faces were inches apart, gazes locked. “Let them.”

  “She might be afraid. I need to check on her. An Elth took her down. She hit the floor hard before I could get it away from her.”

  Roth refused to move. “The female is being treated. Right now, we need to figure out if anything is wrong with you. Were you drugged? Altered in any way that you’re aware of? The Elth enjoy doing both of those things.”

  “No.”

  “The Elth didn’t operate on you?”

  “No.”

  Roth turned toward Craig Treeton. “Give us a few minutes alone.”

  “That’s against protocol until the medics have cleared him.”

  Gnaw’s grouping leader spun, snarling low at the human. “He’s calm and not a threat. We’re contained inside a room with only one exit. This is a Veslor matter. Leave the room and allow me to speak to my male. That’s not a request. I have authority from Commander Bills to deal with my grouping. Leave!”

  The humans didn’t appear to like it, but they exited the room. The door closed, sealing them inside. Roth slowly faced him.

  “You smell of the human female. What happened?”

  “The Elth demanded we breed. They seem to believe a half-human cub would be easier to manipulate and train for whatever purpose they’d intended.”

  “You agreed to do this?” Anger flashed in Roth’s steady gaze.

  “No!” he snarled.

  Roth sniffed.

  “We bred, but it was the female’s choice. The Elth threatened her sister.” Gnaw refused to apologize for his decision to copulate with Darla. “I didn’t hurt her. I wouldn’t do that. They threatened to kill her and bring her sister to me if we didn’t do as they demanded. She felt we stood a better chance of surviving, along with the other females, if we copulated together to stall the Elth. I knew you would come for us.”

  Roth reached out and grasped his arm. “We will always find you. The other females located said one of them was taken away by force to be bred with you.” He growled low, his frustration showing. “I had hoped you hadn’t copulated with the female. I don’t know how the humans will twist this.”

  “Darla will tell the humans she insisted that we copulate. There was no force. She’s a sincere female.”

  “I hope it is so. Some humans look for reasons to hate us.”

  “I would never harm a female.”

  “You never need to say that to me. Is there a chance the female is carrying your cub?”

  “No,” he growled. “I didn’t transform unless it was to kill my enemies.”

  Relief flashed over Roth’s features. “Good. Now Maith wants to see you.”

  Gnaw looked down at his body. “I’m unharmed. I avoided being shot by the Elth today, and my initial injuries after capture have fully healed.”

  “Let him check you over. You know how he worries. It will also give you time before the humans question you. They will want to know every detail that took place between you and the female.”

  Anger rose inside him, but he pushed it down. “I won’t reveal too many details.”

  His grouping leader sighed. “Humans seem to not understand private boundaries. They will ask you questions about your time with the female that might provoke your rage. Keep in control, Gnaw.”

  He gave a sharp nod. At least Roth wasn’t ordering him to answer the questions. Just to avoid showing how insulted or angry they might make him. It was a warning that the humans would try his patience and control.

  “How are you?” Roth pulled him against his suit, touching their foreheads together.

  Gnaw reached up and put his hand on Roth’s arm, giving it a squeeze. His grouping leader was worried about his mental state. “I am good. Strong. Resilient. Nothing done here has damaged me. I need food, a shower, and rest. That is all.”

  The door behind them suddenly opened and they stepped apart, releasing each other. Clark Yenna, Craig Treeton, and most of the members of Teams Two and Four openly stared at them.

  “Our medic will look Gnaw over. I know you want to interview him. Once he is medically cleared, has a shower, and eats food, we will let you ask your questions,” Roth announced.

  “That’s n―”

  “Sounds like a good plan,” Clark Yenna said, cutting off whatever Craig Treeton had been about to say. “I’m glad to see you, Gnaw.” The older human male smiled. “Good work tearing the shit out of some of those slimy bastards.” He spoke to Roth next. “The shuttle is ready to fly you over to Defcon Red. I’ll have the rest of your grouping meet you there.”

  “Sir,” Craig Treeton hissed. “You heard the report. Gnaw needs to be processed for evidence and interrogated immediately.”

  Clark spun on the human male, clearly furious. “Those survivors have no idea what took place between Gnaw and the woman taken to him. That’s not an official report. It’s speculative bullshit at best. I know Gnaw. He’d never rape anyone. Now shut your trap and remember who’s in charge. That would be me.”

  Craig Treeton pressed his lips together.

  Clark addressed Roth. “Take Gnaw to shuttle six. Drak and Maith should already be waiting for you. I’ll stick around here to clean up this mess and let you know when I return. Then we’ll deal with debriefings.”

  Roth nodded. “Follow me, Gnaw. We studied the deck plans of Elth ships while in pursuit. I know where we’re going.”

  Gnaw walked behind Roth. The humans parted for them. No one else stopped them as they traveled through the Elth ship. Gnaw saw bodies of the aliens being stacked alongside those of humans. There were many of them.

  Roth slowed his pace to allow him to walk at his side.

  “Why did it take so long to reach us?”

  “They attacked a civilian transport in orbit, causing failure to their life support and engines. Defcon Red responded to that ship’s distress beacon. That’s when we received your alert that something was wrong. Defcon Red couldn’t abandon the eighty-two lives in jeopardy. We rescued them, and then were able to pursue the missing shuttle. Our grouping knew which direction to go…I had to tell Commander Bills about our locators. He swore to keep them secret. The Elth have technology to shield their ships, but we could still feel you.”

  “You fixed on me and found them.”

  “Yes.” Roth bumped his arm. “We weren’t going to lose you.”

  “I’m surprised the humans would go to such trouble to retrieve me.”

  “It wasn’t only you taken. It’s a matter of pride with the fleet to retrieve their own people.”

  Gnaw respected that.

  “Gnaw!”

  He jerked his head up as they entered a large room. It was where the transport shuttle had been when the Elth had torn open the top, and he’d attacked them. The original shuttle wasn’t there anymore, but three others from Defcon Red were sitting in the vast space. Drak and Maith rushed toward him, happiness and relief on their faces.

  Drak reached him first, pulling him into his embrace to give him a hard hug. “We were worried.”

  Gnaw gave him a strong pat on the back. “I am well.”

  “It’s my duty to determine that after I’ve checked you over.” Maith shoved Drak aside and hugged him next, only gentler. “What is the most serious injury you have s
ustained?”

  “I’m not hurt,” Gnaw promised, hugging him back.

  Maith released him, glancing up and down his body again. Then the male reached up and removed his helmet. He sniffed loudly…and his features tensed. “You’re carrying the faint scent of a female on you.”

  “We will discuss this later,” Roth whispered. “Not here.”

  Drak removed his helmet and inhaled a few times. His gaze locked on Gnaw.

  “Later,” Roth reminded them, glancing around at the few humans milling around the bay.

  Drak jerked his head toward one of the shuttles. “Let’s return to Defcon Red. The human named Gracer is piloting shuttle six. We’ll be alone otherwise.”

  Gnaw knew the males wanted to know exactly what had happened with Darla, and why her scent clung to him. Washing from a sink obviously hadn’t removed all traces of her.

  He looked around the large shuttle bay, hoping to catch a glimpse of Darla. There were no females in sight.

  He worried about her. That Elth had knocked her to the floor hard before he’d been able to tackle it away. Was she seriously harmed? He wanted an update on her condition.

  He also wanted to see her with his own eyes, to make certain that she was well.

  * * * * *

  “Talk to me! Darla!”

  That familiar voice snapped her awake. Darla peered up into her sister’s eyes, hovering about a foot above her own. She was glad to see Becky and instantly reached up, cupping her face.

  “Tell me that you’re okay.” Her sister appeared panicked and her voice was too loud.

  “I’m fine. Are you okay? Did the Elth hurt you once I was taken away?” Darla wanted to sit up to see more of her sister, but Becky didn’t back off, keeping her face close. She’d probably headbutt her if she attempted to move.

  “They didn’t hurt us. Once they took you away, they didn’t feed us, but we were given water.”

  Darla gently pushed at her sister, and that finally prompted Becky to straighten. She tried to sit up but felt weak and dizzy. Her sister helped her get upright. That’s when she realized she was on some padded type of gurney with a blanket covering her. She turned her head, taking in her surroundings.

  “It’s a special space shuttle with gravity,” Becky whispered. “To treat injured people. Like a space ambulance.”

  “I see.” Darla saw four people in dark blue uniforms with medical patches on their arms, helping some familiar faces. It was the women who’d been taken off the shuttle from Radison and locked up by the Elth. The women sat on similar padded gurneys, placed randomly in the long shuttle. A few of the women were lying flat, being attended to by the four medical personnel.

  “The Elth hurt them?”

  Becky took a seat on the edge of the gurney, next to Darla’s knees. “They’re weak from not eating.” She lowered her voice. “Barbara kept ranting and screaming at those aliens every time they came to check on us in that room, right until the door opened to reveal half a dozen armed fleet people.”

  Darla turned to her sister and saw Becky rolling her eyes. It made her smile. “I’m not surprised by that. She seems to enjoy drama.” Then her humor faded. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “I’m feeling better. The doctors gave us some energy drinks immediately, and something to eat that reminded me of lumpy mashed potatoes.” Her sister reached out and touched her shoulder. “They also slapped some patches on our skin, under our clothes. I don’t know what they’re for, but I was told it would help us recover faster.”

  Then Becky took her hand, tears filling her eyes. “What did…he do to you? Are you alright?”

  Darla knew her sister well, probably too much. She’d assume the worst. “It’s not what you’re thinking, I promise. Gnaw didn’t hurt me at all.”

  “But the aliens said they were going to make him breed you.” Pink tinted her sister’s cheeks. “Your clothes are gone. I mean, you have your shirt still, but nothing else. No undergarments. I know because I was there while they were cleaning and patching your thigh, where you were torn up when you were first brought onto this shuttle. The doctor said the Elth did that to you, but was he lying?”

  “Elth tentacles have hooks on them. One of them grabbed me and yanked me to the floor.”

  “Did it also take your undergarments?”

  Darla shook her head. “I removed them.”

  “Why?”

  “Um…”

  Becky leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “Did he hurt you? Was it painful? I assume you were forced to…you know.” She blushed again.

  Her sister had never had sex, or even been on a date. They’d rarely left the greenhouse on Radison. Their father and brothers were the ones who did most of the travel. The few strangers who visited were kept far away, with no chance of catching even a glimpse of either of them. It had always been so, for safety reasons once they’d hit puberty.

  “Oh goodness.” Tears filled her sister’s eyes.

  “No,” Darla whispered. “Gnaw didn’t hurt me. I swear. Gnaw and I had to do some things, but it was all my idea.”

  That halted her sister’s tears, and her eyes widened, shock plainly stamped on her features.

  “It was either that or they’d have killed me, taken you in there next, and then killed you when you didn’t breed with him. Gnaw would never force a woman. Ever. I know he looks scary but he’s extremely respectful and kind. We knew that the fleet would look for us. That meant we just needed to stall for time.”

  Her sister didn’t look convinced.

  “I wouldn’t lie to you, Becky. Gnaw didn’t hurt me in any way. He’s a very good man.”

  Becky closely studied her face. “I believe you. Can we go home now? Do you think the fleet will take us back to Radison?”

  Darla took hold of her sister’s hand. “We can’t ever go back there. I’m sorry.”

  “Why? None of this would have happened if we’d just stayed at our greenhouse.”

  “Oh, Becky.” Sadness had Darla feeling as if she might cry next. She just wanted to protect her baby sister. “There were things happening on Radison that we didn’t tell you about. Bad things.”

  “Like what? After all this, I deserve the truth, Darla.”

  She was right. Darla knew the time had come. She could have been killed by the Elth. That would have left Becky alone to fend for herself. And what if her sister tried to return to their home world at some future point? “It’s common knowledge that women aren’t treated the same way men are on our planet.”

  “Yes. Men have a lot more freedom, like saying curse words and dressing however they wish.”

  “It’s more than that. Men get to choose what career they want. They’re the ones who decide who they wish to marry and when. They don’t need our permission, only our father’s, to take us as wives. Becky…inspectors and other officials on our planet look for attractive women who aren’t married or engaged. They take them to work in the brothels. Women aren’t allowed to say no. They’re forced into that line of work. Our old inspector, Anthony, agreed to never let that happen to us. The new inspector wouldn’t have hesitated to turn us in.”

  Becky paled.

  “That’s why we left. Mom, Dad, and our brothers knew I was getting us jobs with the fleet. United Earth has laws that protect women from being forced into sexual servitude on fleet ships.”

  “But brothel workers are women who don’t want marriage; they chose to make money by selling their bodies.”

  “That isn’t true, Becky. Our leaders make a lot of money by selling sex to visitors. It’s highly profitable. Young, unmarried women are taken from their families against their wills and never returned.”

  Becky shook her head. “That can’t be true!”

  “It is. We never wanted you to worry about being taken away when we were doing everything we could to prevent that from happening. It just would have upset you to know there was a risk.”

  Her sister suddenly yanked her hand away, ange
r flashing in her eyes. “Our leaders can’t do that! They’re breaking their own laws. It’s wrong. It’s not fair!”

  “Life isn’t always fair. We can’t go back to Radison. The new inspector will have already visited our greenhouse, noticed we’re gone, and alerted the law keepers. We didn’t get permission to leave. Not that they would have given it to us. Women aren’t allowed to leave Radison unless they’re traveling with their husbands.”

  Tears flooded Becky’s eyes and her lower lip trembled. “You’re saying we’ll never see our parents and brothers again?”

  “That’s not true,” Darla quickly stated. “We will be a family again. It was part of our plan. Once more jobs open in the gardens on Defcon Red, they’ll apply for them.”

  “Miss Mitt?” A masculine voice startled them both.

  Darla turned her head, staring at the man in the dark blue fleet uniform with the medical patch. “Me or her? I’m Darla, and this is my sister, Becky.”

  “I’m Doctor Jenson.” He glanced at Becky. “I need a moment alone with Darla.”

  “I’ve got nothing to hide from my sister.” Not anymore, Darla silently added. Now that she’d finally told Becky the painful truth of why they’d had to flee their home.

  He frowned as he turned his dark gaze her way. “I have private questions to ask you. Intimate ones. It’s about what took place between you and the Veslor while you were with the Elth.”

  Darla didn’t look forward to answering. “Give us a few minutes, Becky.”

  Her sister hesitated but then stood, moving away. Darla glanced down, making sure the blanket kept her modesty in place. It was covering her legs, feet, and lap. Her shirt was still on.

  The doctor pulled out a small data pad and seemed to read from it. Then he looked up. “There was no severe damage to your body picked up on the scans we took, but the handhelds aren’t as reliable as full med beds. We’ll run a more thorough one and set up a pelvic examination to collect evidence once we dock with Defcon Red. An emotional trauma councilor will be in attendance. The one assigned to you will also serve as your legal advocate to begin criminal filings against the Veslor. Justice will be served. Rest assured of that.”