Chapter 12

Freddie

Aevo’s words seemed to echo off the walls, hitting my ears repeatedly but not quite registering. My breath caught in my throat, and I held it for a moment.

“Never?” My tone came out more accusatory than I’d intended, and I shrunk back in my chair immediately regretting how I’d said it. It wasn’t his fault I’d ended up in this mess. It was my own. Aevo watched me for a moment, his face set in something gentler than I’d ever seen. Even with the massive horns, he truly was breathtaking.

“If there was a way to bring you home, Freddie, I would.” Leaning back in his chair, his biceps flexed against the fabric of his jumpsuit as he ran his hands down his face. He looked exhausted, which only made me feel worse. I knew I was the reason he wasn’t sleeping as much as he probably did before I’d crash landed on his ship. “It would break intergalactic laws to enter Earth’s atmosphere and return you. I’ve spent plenty of time on the wrong side of the law, and I don’t want to go back to that life. As far as handing you off to someone else...”

Hesitating for a moment, his dark eyes studied my face. It made me feel vulnerable, like I was at his mercy, and even though I was coming to realize he wasn’t someone I needed to fear, it was still terrifying. “There’s something you need to understand about humans in my world, Freddie. The ship you stumbled onto, they weren’t supposed to be there. They were there for one reason and one reason only.”

It was like my body knew exactly what reason he was about to give and it turned my stomach, an uneasy feeling growing inside me. He continued. “Wherever they found you, they were there to steal human women so they could sell them for slaves.”

The words hit me like acid but they hadn’t been unexpected. If I hadn’t staggered into that parked ship like a drunken idiot, and had been snatched instead, I would have probably found myself in very different circumstances. A thought hit me and I gasped. “There were cries. I heard them.”

Aevo’s face twisted. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there had been other females on that ship, although I hadn’t seen them when we attached our ships for the trade. They had retrieved the products I was tasked to deliver. The Gresum are an unsavory species, at least the ones I’ve had the displeasure of working with.”

Suddenly, my priorities had changed. Sure, I still wanted to go home, but there was something I needed to do first. “We need to save them, Aevo. We need to get the humans from them...take them somewhere safe.”

“There is nowhere safe, at least nowhere within a reasonable distance. If there is, it’s not a place I know of. Also, there’s no way to know where those humans were brought. They have probably been traded by now. Our universe is filled with them. Although I refuse to take part in such a seedy trade, it’s profitable.”

There was so much growing desperation in my chest to rescue the human slaves, but I was so in over my head. I couldn’t imagine what they were going through. The only reason I wasn’t where they were was because the aliens whose ship I was on hadn’t even known I was there. It had been pure dumb luck.

“So, then what’s the plan for me? If bringing me home is not an option, and some sanctuary planet is too far away, what do you plan to do with me?” It was not an easy question to get off my tongue, mostly because I wasn’t sure if I wanted the answer. I couldn’t even process the possibilities. Never returning home wasn’t something I thought I could stomach, even if it was the only reality.

Aevo scratched at his jaw, his eyes flicking to Mechi who still stood against the wall then back to me. “I hadn’t decided, and it’s not completely my choice, but there are a few options I will not consider. I’m not going to leave you at a station in hopes someone does the right thing, and I’m not able to return to Earth. Although I can’t go straight to any faraway sanctuary planets, I am not opposed to doing so after I make my delivery. But this isn’t my decision at all.”

The genuine expression on his face, the softness of his eyes, sent a flutter through me. Maybe he wasn’t the male I’d thought he was when I’d first met him. “This is your life, and I’m not the kind to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I cannot say the same about many others, but that is who I am. If you want to go to a sanctuary planet, then I’ll have Mechi find the perfect one, and I’ll make sure you’ll be safe there before I leave you there.”

When he hesitated again, his eyes looking down at the table before lifting back up to meet mine, I leaned forward in my chair, anticipation and worry warring inside my chest. “I’ve been alone with Mechi on this ship for a long time, but if you want to stay here with me, I think we can learn to live together. I can keep you safe.”

Chapter 13

Aevo

As soon as the words left my lips, an offer to let Freddie stay with me on my ship, the breath seized in my lungs. The room had gone too quiet and I wondered what the human was thinking. The sadness on her face had morphed into something more contemplative, but I knew it still wasn’t the outcome she’d hoped for. She wanted to go home, but I couldn’t give that to her. No one could. I didn’t know what we would do if she stayed with me, or how I would incorporate her into my life, but I couldn’t just abandon her in space. That wasn’t even an option. 

“Is that what you want? For me to stay with you?” The hesitation in her voice created an ache deep in my chest. I’d known a hard life, having come from a poor family and been to war, but I’d never been in a situation quite like hers. Unless my life ended, there had always been a way to go home. 

I nodded, the side of my mouth lifting in a reassuring smile. “You may have to promise not to eat the last of my favorite meals, but I think we can manage.” 

Grinning, she slid the plate of barely touched meat and berries back to my side of the table. “To be honest, Aevo, space food sucks and I’d give anything for a cheeseburger or a slice of pizza.” 

“I do not know what either of those things are, but I’m sure we can find something you like when we stop to refuel and restock.” I stood, sliding my chair back under the table. “Come, let’s go to the bridge and plan for our arrival at Sanu station.”

For a moment, she only stared at me and I wondered if I’d said something wrong. I’d never invited her to the bridge before, but with her remaining with me on my ship indefinitely, I realized we may as well get to know each other. Although I’d been alone for a long time, I’d never considered myself lonely. I had Mechi, and I met my quota for socialization when I made stops for fuel and supplies. Never being an extroverted person, I didn’t mind the solitude. It would certainly be an adjustment having someone aside from myself and the android on board, but I was starting to think it wouldn’t be so bad to have the company. 

“Are you sure you want me to come with you?” Her eyes flicked from Mechi and back to me, but she didn’t stand. “I don’t mind hanging out with Mechi, or going back to my room. I should probably start learning how to use all the gadgets on the ship anyway, so I don’t get locked in my room again.”

One thing was for certain: when Freddie was nervous or unsure, she rambled, and I had a hard time keeping up with what she was saying. I cleared my throat, glancing at Mechi, who had started putting the dishes away. “Mechi can teach you how to use the tech on the ship, but so can I. It’s up to you who you want to spend your time with, or if you want to spend it alone.” 

With everything Freddie had already gone through, I didn’t want her to feel pressured into anything, even something as simple as coming to the bridge. If she wanted to be alone, then that would’ve been fine with me. 

She eyed me for a moment longer, but as soon as I took a step toward the door to leave, she stood from the table. “If you’re sure I won’t be a bother.” 

Chapter 14

Freddie

Aevo’s invitation to let me stay with him on his ship, followed by the invitation for me to join him on the bridge so he could teach me how to operate the ship’s technology, were both equally shocking. Although I’d been hoping he would offer to let me stay with him, at least until we were able to find somewhere better for human women to live on a more permanent basis, I hadn’t expected him to actually do it. Hearing that I would never be able to return home had hurt, but I was admittedly still in shock, and hadn’t quite accepted it just yet. What I needed more than anything was security and a plan.

Still, the charming way Aevo tried to make me feel better by teasing me about eating his food, and how he’d offered to teach me, made me see him in a different light. He’d tucked me into bed when I’d accidentally gotten drunk and then offered me a home when I’d been at my lowest. He may have been a big alien with horns and odd-colored skin, but he was starting to grow on me. His promise to keep me safe had been genuine, even though I was barely more than a stranger. 

Unsure if he truly wanted me to join him on the bridge or if he was just trying to be nice, I hesitated at first, remaining in my chair as he stood and started moving toward the door. The bridge was where he spent most of his time alone and working, so I wasn’t sure if it was the best place for me to hang out. I didn’t want to distract him or get in his way, but when he went to leave the room and I noticed the drop in his shoulders, as though he was disappointed that I wasn’t following, I’d risen from the chair quicker than I’d intended. 

“If you’re sure I won’t be a bother,” I said, taking a step toward him. 

Looking over his shoulder, a half grin spread across Aevo’s face and he opened the door wide enough for me to pass. “You’re not a bother. Plus, I think I could use a distraction anyway.”

A flush colored my cheeks as I moved past him and out into the hall. We walked toward the bridge in silence, Aevo taking the lead and turning the chair beside his so I could sit down. Taking his own seat, his fingers moved across one of the panels, the screen lighting up with pictures and words I couldn’t decipher.

“Will I be safe at the station? I know you said humans are often sold there… I just wondered what the plan would be when you’re inside…to keep me safe.” It wasn’t a question I wanted to ask, because it wasn’t even something I wanted to consider. Having Aevo offer to keep me safe only to be stolen at a space station would have been the cruelest irony. 

He turned to face me, abandoning whatever he’d been doing on the screen, the grin he’d had moments before dropping into something more serious. “I promised to keep you safe and I will.” Even though I couldn’t help but to be afraid, his words soothed me, if only a little. “There are certainly risks at the stations, but as long as people believe you’re mine, they’ll leave you alone.” Something must have flashed across my eyes because he leaned forward, taking my hand. He’d never tried to touch me before, but I couldn’t find it in myself to mind. If anything, it made me feel safer. “You don’t belong to anyone, Freddie, but although the trading of human slaves is frowned upon, there are laws to protect one’s property. If you're seen as mine, there is protection in that, at least in the laws that rule the stations. It doesn’t mean there aren’t those who would try to steal you, but as I said before, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

After a moment, Aevo seemed to realize he was touching me and pulled his hand away, but his eyes still searched my face. It took me a moment to respond, my brain still trying to process all the recent changes to my life on top of having to pretend to be his property. I knew he didn’t like it any more than I did. He’d made his disdain of the slave trade clear from the start, but even pretending to be someone’s property made me oddly uncomfortable. 

Exhaling a deep breath, I closed my eyes and thought about his promise, realizing as long as I was safe, it didn’t matter what I was pretending to do. “Okay. What do I have to do to make this believable?” 

Chapter 15

Aevo

Preparing to take a human female into the Sanu station was complicated. Freddie had been more than agreeable with every detail of the plan, but I knew she was scared. I could’ve left her on the ship while I gathered supplies, but I couldn’t protect her when she wasn’t with me. I needed to watch over her. If someone broke into my ship while I was on the station, I didn’t know what I would’ve done. So, although neither option was ideal, we’d made a plan for her to accompany me onto the station as my slave. It was the only way to ensure no one would try to take her as their own.

After we’d spoken in the kitchen, Freddie had spent the majority of the day on the bridge with me. Once we’d made the decision that she would remain living with me, she'd become quite interested in learning about the ship, my job, and the worlds she would be living in. We’d talked for hours as I showed her how to operate various pieces of technology. I’d told her about my life and she’d told me about hers. 

It was clear the language barrier would be an issue for Freddie when using the various panels throughout the ship, but Mechi had been able to reset most of them to her language, something I didn’t even know he could do. Once in the human language, I was able to teach her how to open and close doors, how to order food from the dispensers, and even how to watch videos. 

After spending the day with Freddie, I looked forward to more days like it. I’d always thought I preferred being alone, but I realized I enjoyed her company more. When she went to bed that night, I’d finally been able to do the same. I still had worries about going to the station, but no longer having to worry where she would live had brought with it a level of calm, for her and for me. 

Waking the next morning, I’d found Freddie already in the kitchen with Mechi, a bowl of breakfast mash in front of her. Unlike the day before, a smile graced her lips when I walked in, the expression lighting up her face. She was beautiful all the time, I realized, but seeing a smile on her face brought one to mine as well. 

“Good morning, Freddie. How did you sleep?” 

Crossing the room, I sat down at the table and nodded to Mechi, the gesture telling him I was ready for my meal. It only took him a moment to place a bowl of breakfast mash and a mug of liquid energy in front of me. The space station was only a few more hours away, so Freddie and I needed to go over our plans one more time before we docked. 

She smiled, taking another bite of her food. “It was certainly the best night of sleep I’ve had since waking up in space, that’s for sure. I also operated the shower by myself last night, even the self-drying feature. I do prefer using towels though.”

Arching an eyebrow at her, I flicked my eyes to Mechi, who had taken a position next to the wall. The android had replaced Freddie’s stretched out clothing with a bed sheet that was wrapped around his body, twisting over one arm and tied above his shoulder. I held back a chuckle, realizing I should probably get a few pieces of clothing for Mechi when I brought Freddie shopping. If I didn’t get him proper clothing, I had a feeling my towels and linens would continue to go missing. He’d always been a bit eclectic, choosing to fashion clothing from random material although he didn’t need any, but I had a feeling Freddie’s presence had made him even more insistent to dress himself. 

“Maybe we can find you a proper towel for drying at the station. I would imagine those used in the kitchen are too small.” 

Just thinking about providing her with what she needed filled me with pride. She wasn’t my mate but I couldn’t help but want to take care of her. I’d been alone for so long, only worrying about myself, but this tiny human had only just entered my life, and she already was changing it. 

Chapter 16

Freddie

Once we’d gotten within a few hours of the space station, I’d joined Aevo on the bridge again so he could drill the plan into my head a few more times. Reviewing the plan a million times should have calmed my growing anxiety, but it only made me more nervous. Still, how seriously he took my safety warmed my heart. It was funny how quickly he’d grown on me, how much I’d looked forward to his company. When I’d first found myself on his ship only days before, his appearance had terrified me, but the more conversations we’d had, the more I admired his appearance, and his secretly sweet personality. He was different from what I was used to, but that wasn’t a bad thing. 

Looking out the front windows of the ship, I watched as the lights of the space station came into view like a cluster of stars in the darkness. My stomach twisted into knots. There were so many things that could go wrong once I left the ship, and I was conscious of at least half of them.

“So, what do I do if we get separated?” I’d already asked the question at least three times, but it was all I could think about as the ship drew closer to our destination. 

Aevo turned away from his navigation screen to look at me, the softness of his eyes easing some of my fear. “I’m not going to let you out of my sight. You’ll be wearing a strap that will connect your wrist to mine. I’m not going to let you go. I promise.” 

I didn’t particularly like the idea of wearing a leash, but it wasn’t a bad idea in these circumstances, no matter how wrong it seemed. Reminding myself that I wasn’t actually a slave for the trillionth time, I nodded. “The slaves on the stations, do they all wear straps connecting them to their… owners?” 

Even the term “owner” was like acid on my tongue. Before ending up in space, I hadn’t lived in a world where slavery was common, at least not in plain sight. There had always been sex trafficking on Earth, but it wasn’t something most people even thought about, no matter how vile it was. In space, it seemed to be illegal, but tolerated. 

Glancing over his shoulder at the navigation screen again, Aevo pressed the intercom button on the panel closest to him. “Mechi, we’ll be making port soon. It’s time to get Freddie ready to disembark.” 

It only took a moment before the sound of Mechi’s metallic feet rang out from down the corridor, his steps moving in sync with my quickening heartbeat. I blew out a deep breath.

Although I’d spent most of my time with Mechi since arriving on the ship, Aevo had been keeping the robot engaged with other tasks while I spent time with him on the bridge. Since I didn’t know what their day-to-day life looked like before I’d stowed away on their ship, I wasn’t sure if it was common for Mechi to remain busy while Aevo captained the craft, or if Aevo had been keeping Mechi occupied for other reasons. Whatever the case, I hoped to spend more time with the robot after our stop at the space station. He may not have had a mind like a human, but he was still good company, although Aevo was certainly more pleasant to look at. 

Just as I thought about spending time in his company, Mechi sauntered in the room, still wearing the wrap dress he’d fashioned out of a bedsheet the day before. Aevo spun his chair around so he was facing Mechi. “Please take Freddie to get changed and then attach the strap on her wrist.” 

Scratching at his chin, Aevo turned his eyes to me. “Slaves don’t walk freely around the stations, so you will probably see others with straps. He hesitated for a moment, his jaw tightening as he looked at the navigation again. “Cover up as much of your skin as you can. I don’t want anyone to think they can touch what flesh they can see. If anyone lays a hand on you, they’ll find my blade at their throat.”