Trapped: A SciFi Convict Romance (The Condemned Book 1) Read Free

body rammed
into her, making her stumble. “No more. You’ll get us killed. Keep moving.”
    “But—”
    “Go. Or I’ll leave you and your precious Council admirer.”
Pogue barreled into her, shoving her hard.
    “We can’t just leave the others here to die!”
    Without another word, he slammed into her again, sending
Winthrop’s boots into her hip and her sprawling forward on a pained gasp.
    “Move or I’ll run right over you.”
      That cowardly bastard.
He’d begged her to save him, but refused to do the same for anyone else.
    “Bella? Is that you? Bella, you’re almost there.” Davies’
terrified coaxing echoed from up ahead. “Come on.”
    Hating herself, hating Pogue, Bella stumbled down the aisle.
The burn in her throat had become agony, breathing difficult. Pogue was hard on
her heels, ready to stampede over her in an instant. On either side, dark
smudges taunted her with the possibility of other sightless eyes.
    “You made it.” Soft hands grabbed hold of her arm, guiding
her through a twisted hole in the wreckage she hadn’t even seen.
    Bella’s knees hit the ground. Her head snapped up and she
sucked in dry, hot air. Two orange suns blazed high in the sky. All around her,
desolate rock and dust swirled in a tapestry of bleak browns and rust as far as
the eye could see. Even the sky was the color of dried blood. No hoped for
vegetation in sight.
    The trip had been for naught.
    Pogue jogged by her, an unconscious Winthrop still in his
hold. “Move away from the shuttle,” he roared. “It’s going to blow.”
    Several soldiers followed. Apparently, Steve Meyers had been
wrong. This time the back of the shuttle had been the place to be. At least ten
of the military team still lived while everyone from the scientific team
besides her, Davies, and Dr. Winthrop had perished.
    Her gaze locked with Davies’. They shuffled away from the
burning shuttle. “All those deaths for nothing.”
    A loan tear tracked down her colleague’s soot-covered face.
“But we survived.”
    An inhuman shriek rent the air.
    Everyone froze. Eyes wide, the soldiers’ guns shot up,
pointing wildly at the rocky outcroppings where anything could be hiding.
    The hair at Bella’s nape prickled.
    Yes, they’d survived. But for how long?

Chapter Two

 
    “You can’t just leave them here.” A woman’s furious voice
reached prisoner 673 through the rocky canyon. He froze. Cocked his head. Inhaled,
but scented nothing except the usual arid scent of dirt and dust.
    After so many years alone, the sound of such loud squawking
was jarring. And that the voice was a woman’s? His cock twitched and rose,
taking notice. Eight years was a long time to go without. The last time the
droids had dropped a woman on Dragath25 was five years ago. 225’s pack had
gotten hold of her first. She’d lasted five minutes.
    It was a good reminder. Fragile things didn’t last here. And
nothing, not even long overdue pussy, was worth risking his survival.
      “You hear those
shrieks? They’re coming.” An equally enraged male’s voice boomed through the
canyon, thoughtfully telegraphing his precise location. “Our shuttle streaked
through the sky like a clear come-and-get-me invitation for the entire penal
population of murderers and psychopaths. We don’t have time to dick around. We
don’t have time for those who’ll only slow us down. We’re moving out.”
    “You coward. I saved your life. The least you can do is try
and return the favor.”
    673 cleared the canyon in time to see a bull of red-haired
soldier dressed in fatigues grab a far smaller woman in a torn grey uniform,
her boots dragging along the ground as he shook her hard.
      673’s whole body went
tight. He didn’t like bullies. He dropped into a crouch. Instinct taking over
as he slunk forward, his gaze absorbing everything. The way the soldier bastard
favored his right side. The large firearm strapped to his holster. The second
weapon at the man’s back. The