Universe Hunters: Taken Read Free Page B

to the larger room where she knew she would find Deimos and Blazar. Both men stood quietly, or so she thought at first. Cali’s hands flew to her ears, and she cried out. Both men turned to stare at her, their eyes blazed a spooky yellow, neither had ears on their heads anymore. Cali fell to the ground in agony and fear. Large arms gripped her and she whimpered.
    “Oh my God, what did you do to yourselves, to me?”
    “Damn.” Cali heard Deimos swear, he was practically running through the ship with her clutched to his chest.
    “We should have known better. This is my fault for allowing her freedom to roam and not protecting her. Our natural voices are too much for human ears. We’ve hurt her again,” Blazar yelled.
    Cali groaned and peeked an eye open as she was settled once again onto the table. Relief was instantaneous. Both men had their ears back. Their eyes were, thankfully, perfectly normal. They stared at her in concern, except Deimos looked more confused. As he stared, Cali couldn’t help but feel she had blundered with something. It had to be the cotton material. Deimos leaned closer to Blazar to whisper.
    “Blazar? She is wearing our food.”
    “Maybe she missed her mouth, Deimos?”
    “She looks a little silly.”
    “Hmm, the food is strategically placed to cover her globes and fur,” Blazar said. “I think there is more to this naked thing than she is letting on.”
    I’m wearing their food? Ugh. “What happened to me?” Cali asked.
    “Humans cannot cope with the tone of our natural language. Your eardrums are too sensitive. My database has so little information, I deduced this myself. It would appear I am correct,” Blazar said. “You see, my species hears with all orifices. We absorb our language which passes through our entire being. Your skin is only semi-permeable. Our words cannot enter you though they try. I’m guessing the effect is less than pleasant.”
    “You think?” She choked the words out in annoyance. Knives digging into her would have been preferable. It was like jumping into a freezing cold lake while being assaulted with pins and needles.
    Cali lay there, the sticky substance moistened under the bright lights. The clothes she stuck on, or rather their food, was melting. It was worse than being naked. As she rose from the table there was a sick sucking sound and a pop as the gummy substance clung to her skin and the table surface, then released. Cali was naked again; the tacky mess lay on the table. Both men looked at the table in disgust.
    “You are that desperate for loose flesh you would wear food?” Blazar asked. “Your rituals are strange.”
    An odd noise began to emanate from all around the room and ship; perhaps an alarm of impending doom, and Cali looked at Blazar feeling concerned. The ship’s engines powered down.
    “It would appear we’ve reached our destination.” Blazar smiled. “It’s time to hunt.”
    “You’re leaving me alone on your ship?” Cali asked.
    Blazar looked a bit uncomfortable. “Yes. For now. It shouldn’t take long. I’m sorry, but I can’t risk you wandering again. This planet’s atmosphere resembles Earth, but there are no humanoids. Deimos and I must take our natural form before exiting the vessel. It would be too dangerous for you to accompany us.”
    Cali was certain she didn’t like the sound of that. “What are you going to do with me?”
    “We have a holding cell,” Deimos said. “You will be thafe, I mean safe.”
    Cali began backing away. Now she realized what the other rooms were, cells. These aliens did take captives. She turned to run. It was too late. In one swift action, Deimos had her over his broad shoulder. There was no sense in struggling, Cali could feel his muscles rippling as he moved.
    Damn, his ass even looks good from this angle. For a second, she felt like giggling hysterically. Well, at least his ‘asses’ do.
    ****
    The holding cell Cali had been plopped into was approximately eight feet