Page 6 of Riv's Sanctuary
“Sit.”
A firm hand pressed against her shoulder and she looked up to see the zookeeper’s eyes still darting around.
He wasn’t even looking at her.
What was his problem?
He was up to something, or something wasn’t right.
It was still early it seemed, because there weren’t many buyers.
This was a guy who cut corners and tried to save a buck at every turn.
Why would he bring her out now when there wasn’t a good chance of him selling her for much?
The sphynx cats beside him also had their eyes darting around, as if they were keeping watch.
Curious.
As Lauren frowned, a few beings caught sight of her and walked over.
The zookeeper leaned in, his breath brushing against her skin.
He pressed his torture remote into her side.
Great. She hadn’t realized he had the thing.
“Don’t even think about running.”
She knew what that meant.
Running would mean collapsing on her face as each and every cell in her body caught on fire.
The first time it happened, she’d thought she was going to die.
The second time wasn’t better either. Neither were the third, fourth, or fifth times.
“You have no alien status here. You run. You get caught. You go to the mines.” The zookeeper’s mouth twisted in a smile. “You choose.”
Settling back in her box, she said nothing.
It wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned the mines and, frankly, it didn’t sound like a place she wanted to be.
Instead, she focused on the beings beginning to surround the box.
It was a group of the same species of alien. They were all black with sharp edges, as if their bodies were made of blades compacted together. Standing at over seven feet, she supposed, they were taller than even the zookeeper.
Their dark eyes were focused on her and Lauren swallowed hard.
She couldn’t see any emotion in those eyes.
And they were male. She could see very clearly they were male.
“What sort of creature is this? ” One stretched forward to touch her and the zookeeper grabbed the alien’s arm.
Lauren’s wide eyes flew to the zookeeper.
Wasn’t he brave.