Eve Vaughn (5 page)

Bella had never been more confused about anything in her life. What was going on? And why was Dar now treating her like she had some kind of communicable disease? For the past several days, he seemed distant and standoffish toward her, not even making eye contact. That was what hurt the most, especially after what occurred between them.

Before that instant, she’d fallen into the abyss of depression allowing it to nearly crush her spirit. Isolation and loneliness did that to a person and her treatment at the hands of her other captors certainly didn’t help. She’d thought Dar was different, that they’d made a connection, but now he was acting as if nothing had happened. Is this how he was with other women?

Envy ripped through her body, stirring within her heart. This line of thinking was irrational, but she’d come to think he actually cared for her. When Dar did come to see her, she tried to communicate with him, wanting to learn words in his native language and that way figure out what was going on.

Instead of so much as a glance from his direction, he’d come in, place some food in front of her, and leave. Sometimes he’d stay for longer spurts to clean her cell or to turn the water on for her to bathe, but he made no attempt to talk to her.

Bella was cut deep. It was hard not to break down into tears. How could he kiss her, touch her, excite her and then virtually ignore her? It was by far the worst thing that had happened to her since she came to this place.

She shivered with lust as she remembered his fingers sliding in and out of her pussy, making her so wet she couldn’t stay still. In her shamelessness, she wanted more. Under the circumstances, it made no sense that she should want him as badly as she did.

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But still the instant attraction could not be denied. She didn’t know what game he was playing or if he got off on fiddling with people’s emotions, but she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

When she closed her eyes to sleep, he was her last thought and when she’d wake, he was there in her mind. No one had ever elicited such passion from her -- such need.

If only he’d reach out to her once so she’d know for sure it hadn’t all been a cruel dream, then she could at least justify these warring emotions within her.

Bella should hate him, after all, he was one of her captors, keeping her here against her will, but there was something different about him. If only she could figure out a way to get through to him, maybe he’d help her escape this place.

She’d already figured she was no longer on Earth. The air was easier to breathe, and the atmosphere didn’t feel the same, her body felt heavier as if the gravitational pull was stronger. She wondered if her friends realized she was missing yet.

Sydney respected her boundaries most of the time and Bella appreciated that, so would her friend notice that she was missing? Hopefully a red flag would be raised after all this time. She knew for sure Holly would probably be throwing a fit. At times, Holly acted as though Bella wasn’t capable of handling things on her own, and it was mainly due to Bella’s disability although Holly would die before she’d admit it. Still, right about now anything would be a welcome change to what she’d been going through.

There had been times when Bella had butted heads with Holly over how overprotective she was, but at this moment she would give anything to be fussed over by her friend, who she knew meant well. She wished their last words exchanged hadn’t been an argument. Bella had been so gung ho over the prospect of hearing again that she hadn’t properly researched this experimental procedure.

Now that she’d had nothing but time to think over the course of events that had led up to her capture, she realized why Holly had been so adamant about her stance.

Why was she solicited for this thing and no one else she knew had heard about it? She worked at a school for the deaf for goodness sake. It was almost as if she’d been singled

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out for something shady, but why would they set up such an elaborate ruse in the guise of helping her hear?

Holly had warned her, but Bella had been so focused on getting what she wanted she wouldn’t listen to reason. Now it made her wonder what exactly the Cyrellians were up to. What else were those bastards hiding? Saviors her ass. Undercover dictators more like it. They weren’t saving the Earth; they were exploiting it for their own purposes.

If she could only get back home and warn everyone else. But would it do any good? She was sure they’d try to stop her. They might say she was crazy, but Bella was used to people treating her differently. Maybe if she could join up with the rebels once she got back to Earth, she could share her story and they’d believe her.

Unable to remain immobile, she walked around her cell. If she could she would have escaped, but those laser bars gave off a powerful shock when they were touched.

She’d already tested them with the tip of her finger. It hurt far worse than when she’d been tasered. If she tried to run through them, it would most likely kill her.

She paced back and forth; any exercise would do at this point. Bella never thought she’d become accustomed to her own nudity, barely giving it a thought, not even flinching when someone came by.

Bella became aware she was no longer alone when a firm hand fell on her shoulder.

After jumping in surprise, she stilled. Bella didn’t have to look behind her to know who stood there. She couldn’t forget his masculine scent or the way his touch made her feel. A shiver of remembrance raced up her spine. Slowly, Bella turned around, not knowing whether to smile in greeting or hit him for being so cold to her lately. Instead of doing either, she schooled her features to remain impassive, not giving anything away.

Why did he have to look at her that way with those intense blue eyes? His nearness was causing havoc to her equilibrium and she lowered her head.

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He grasped her chin, tilting her head upward and forcing her to look at him.

“Bella,” his mouth shaped her name.

“Dar,” she said in return for lack of anything better to say. Yes, he’d ignored her the last several times he’d visited, but her relief to have him acknowledge her again outweighed any other feelings she had.

He pushed a long length of cloth in her arms and began to speak.

What was this? The cell they’d put her in was temperature controlled so no blankets were needed. Why did he feel it necessary to give this to her now? Bella shook her head in bewilderment not understanding what this was for.

Dar paused for a moment before he began making gestures. Taking the cloth from her hands, he wrapped it around her shoulders. The material was large enough to engulf her entire body, falling the length of her frame.

She’d been without clothing for so long now, Bella wasn’t sure she missed them, but she appreciated his gift. She smiled her thanks, placing a hand on his taut, ripped chest. Temptation was too strong for her not to continue this exploration, allowing her hand to drift along one thick arm, corded with muscle. He was solid without an ounce of fat anywhere on his body.

God, he was hot.

Dar backed away with a frown. She took a step closer. There was no way she would let him ignore her any longer. “Help me,” she whispered, taking the chance that he might understand her even though it was a long shot.

He didn’t.

She took his hand. “Help me.” He pulled away yet again, making Bella wonder if he’d start ignoring her again. That isn’t what she wanted.

Suddenly, he captured her wrist and yanked her close. At first, she thought he would embrace her, or at least she hoped he would embrace her, and perhaps bring his demanding lips down on hers as he had before. She’d welcome that pleasure. However, Dar did something she hadn’t thought would ever happen. He led her out of the cell.

Freedom!

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Bella’s elation was short lived because after a few short paces he stopped them in front of another cage. Inside was a blue furry creature about the size of a wolf, but it had no legs, and slithered on its belly like a snake. She’d never seen anything like it. The thing sneered at her with sharp menacing teeth, and Bella could only guess that the thing was snarling. It looked as though it was posed to strike.

She clutched Dar’s arm, despite the laser bars separating them from the creature.

That thing, whatever it was, gave her the serious creeps. Dar placed a hand on Bella’s shoulder and moved her along to the next cell. This time, there stood a large bird-like creature with green feathers and strange black markings all over its body. The thing was resting when they approached but must have heard their footsteps because it lifted its red crowned head.

The animal had a sad look in its beady black eyes, making Bella’s heart go out to it. The poor thing. Bella almost made the mistake of reaching her fingers through the bars, but the bird creature stood up unexpectedly and raced toward the bars, halted by their sting.

Her eyes widened in horror as it writhed on the ground in obvious pain. What kind of place was this? Dar continued the mini-tour, showing her what was in each little prison. All the little jails contained animals of the likes she’d never seen. One had orange fur and three horns. Then there was what looked like a two-headed monkey.

She shrugged holding her palms up in frustration. Dar then took her to the big metal door. Finally she’d get outside.

He placed his hand against some kind of scanning device which she assumed controlled the door. Dar guided her into the dark night air. It was almost a shock being outdoors after all this time, but once the idea had sunk in she wanted to kiss this man for letting her out. She didn’t know how much longer she would have lasted in that tiny cell, with hardly any room to move.

But Dar wasn’t finished showing her around.

Bella didn’t understand what she was seeing at first until she recognized more animals in cages, and high fences. These spaces were as small as hers had been, some of

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these confinement areas being several square feet. And within each of them contained a more exotic creature than the one before.

If she had any doubts before, there were none now. This was definitely a zoo. But again she wondered why the hell she was here.

Bella received the answer to her question when Dar nudged her toward another gated area. Peering through the bars, she noted a prone figure lying on a pile of blankets, its back turned to her.

The steady rise and fall of his shoulders told her the creature was sleeping. It wasn’t an animal though. It was a man! Holy mother of God, it was a man in a cage in a zoo!

If that human male was an attraction then she… to them, she was an animal.

Dar was a zookeeper and Bella was truly screwed.

From the shock in her lovely green eyes, to the way her lips trembled, Dar knew the exact second when comprehension dawned on Bella. If he weren’t mistaken she looked as if she was going into shock. It broke his heart to see her this way and it made him wonder how he’d feel if their positions were reversed.

He’d stayed away from her the past few days for this very same reason --

because he didn’t want to care about her thoughts or feelings. Unable to meet her startlingly beautiful gaze, he looked away. Because if he did look directly at Bella, Dar knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from his carnal images of taking her into his arms and ravaging her.

Night after night he’d wake up in a cold sweat, wanting her, struggling with the feelings she’d awakened within him, making him express emotions he’d felt for no other woman. Focusing his attention toward other women didn’t help, nor did the cold showers. And all stroking his cocks did was offer temporary relief from something that could only be assuaged by burying himself deeply into Bella’s tight sheath and ass. No, his lust for her only came back tenfold to what he’d experienced before, so much so that he’d given up trying to ease the ache.

If the other zookeepers were to find out what had happened between him and Bella, he’d lose his position for sure. Not only that, but possibly face prison time for committing acts of the unnatural. But that was only on the basis that Bella was a dumb animal, not an intelligent being as he’d discovered her to be.

In the meantime, while he faced the dilemma of what he would do with her, Dar had stayed away from Bella, trying to resolve the issues whirling around his mind.

Zavian, however, had other plans. The head zookeeper had grown impatient with the acclimating of his new acquisition with the other
Human
. He wanted Bella to

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be introduced to Quark and placed in her new home immediately. There was only one thing left for Dar to do, and that was to prove once and for all that Bella was in fact sentient. He’d have to teach her their language, so she’d be able to let everyone know her plight.

The fact that she’d been able to effectively communicate her name to him in spite of her disability should be enough, but knowing how thick-headed Zavian would be on the issue, Dar had to go a step further. In order to enact his plan, he wanted to see how she interacted with Quark.

He had to help her. There was no way around it. What kind of man would he be to keep her imprisoned, knowing it was morally wrong? Seeing her reach an understanding about the kind of place this was sealed it for him.

Bella’s eyes shimmered with the suspicious sheen of tears.

Dar cupped the side of her face, circling the soft flesh of her cheek with his thumb. “Bella, it’s all right. I’ll figure something out.” Pulling away from him, she moved her hands frantically, fashioning them into crude signs, while she spoke a language he didn’t understand. It struck him as odd that her people didn’t speak the universal language. Though each planet had its own native tongue, Enwish was spoken by everyone. Wouldn’t the Cyrellians have taught them that… or perhaps not. Maybe they hadn’t on purpose.

Dar grasped her shoulders and yanked her back to him, but Bella obviously wasn’t in the mood to be comforted. She pushed at his chest, placing some distance between them. “No! No! No!” she said over and over again.

That word he did understand. Quark said it often enough when he was displeased about something. The sound of her voice must have roused the sleeping male, because he turned around and opened his eyes, blinking and then rubbing them.

Slowly, Quark rose to his feet and walked closer to the bars.

Bella’s eyes widened as he drew near. Quark looked at her and then at Dar, before returning his attention to Bella.

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Dar stood back and watched as the male began speaking. To his fascination, Bella answered back, and a conversation ensued. For the first time since Dar had seen her, Bella was animated, excited and almost happy. He knew she counted on lip-reading to understand others’ words, but the way she stared so intently at Quark’s lips sent a wave of resentment and jealousy through Dar’s chest. Yes, it was irrational, but he couldn’t help it. Over the past few days, he’d begun to think of her as his.

Could it be that she preferred a man of her own race? Was there a connection between those two? And furthermore, what were they saying to each other? Quark was actually smiling, his dark eyes sparkling, an expression Dar hadn’t witnessed from him before.

After several more minutes of being ignored by the two of them, he grasped Bella’s elbow and dragged her away from the stunned-faced Quark. Though she resisted at first by digging her heels in, he shot her a look making it clear he’d tolerate no rebellion. Propelled by his need to be alone with her, Dar ushered her past the cage, not even stopping when they went by the isolation chambers where she’d been held.

Dar didn’t stop until they reached the bungalow where the zookeepers on night duty stayed. He stabbed the security code into the console with quick strokes of his finger. When the door slid open, he nudged Bella inside with haste, not taking the chance that she’d try to escape him.

Bella made no attempt to move, staring at him with those luminescent eyes of hers, clutching the blanket to her small frame. Did she think he’d rip it away from her, and ravage that lovely body? The thought wasn’t far from his mind, but now wasn’t the time to give in to his carnal urges.

Unable to help himself, Dar reached out and tucked a stray strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear. Bella backed away from him, her expression suddenly mistrustful, and once again muttered something in that incomprehensible language.

Inspiration suddenly hit him as he thought of the lecto pad he often used to mark down his observations of the animals. “Wait here.” He steadied her when she looked as though she’d move.

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Retrieving what he needed, Dar returned and beckoned her into the living quarters. When Bella remained immobile, he strode toward her and gently took her hand, briefly reveling in how right it felt to hold it before he led her to the lounger.

“Please sit.”

He took a seat and stood up again in demonstration. “Sit,” he repeated and did the motion over again, while saying the word.

Slowly, she reached out and placed her fingers over his lips.

Dar instinctively knew what she wanted. “Sit.” Several moments pasted as she attempted to roll what he’d said off her tongue, until finally she croaked, “Sit.”

He grinned, nodding vigorously, elation filling him that she was able to learn this so quickly. Granted it was a simple thing, but it opened the door to more possibilities and gave him hope that he’d be able to accomplish his goal. “Yes,” he murmured, grasping her fingers once more and holding them to his mouth.

“Y-y-yes.”

Dar smiled, wishing he could take her into his arms, but knew it was much too soon for any signs of affection on his end. He had to make sure he had her complete trust.

Bella on the other hand wasn’t prepared to end their learning session. She now dragged him through the bungalow, pointing at different objects, and in turn he taught her how to say them. Some were more difficult for her to grasp, but Bella didn’t move on to the next item until she perfected each word.

A couple hours passed before Dar realized what time it was and finally called a halt to their game. “No more, Bella. Sit.”

She shook her head trying to take him to yet another object, but Dar remained firm.

“No.” He moved to the lounger and plopped down. While it was gratifying that he’d found a way for her to learn his native tongue, he needed to know more about her.

Picking up the lecto pad, he began to draw a picture, a crude rendering, but it would

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have to do for now. He added other images on the pad, telling her his story, his love for animals, his background, and how he’d become a zookeeper. Dar hoped she would get what he was trying to convey.

While he drew, curiosity brought her to him. Bella joined him on the lounger and watched what he was doing intently until he finished. Dar handed her the pad.

Her delicately arched brows knitted together at first in consternation, until she brought her gaze to meet his and then darted back to the lecto pad. Finally she seemed to understand.

Discretely, he handed her the pen and showed her how to erase what he’d done to create her own picture. “Now you.” Dar pointed at it.

With little hesitation on her part, Bella’s hand practically flew across the lecto pad. Bella was a fine artist, far superior to him. As her story unfolded before his eyes, Dar’s heart broke for her a little at a time. It spoke of her loneliness and isolation from the others of her kind although there were two other females she drew favorably, one short and plump, the other tall, dark and slender.

They must be friends of hers. Bella held up the pad and made sure he knew what he was looking at before she erased the drawing and began a new one. The next picture she created was what looked like a planet.

“Is that your home?” he asked before catching himself. He pointed to her and then at the world she drew, and then gestured around him. After making a few more indications that this was where he lived and then pointed back to the lecto pad.

“Yes.” She smiled before turning her attention back to her task. His heart tweaked within his chest. She was so beautiful. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to remain focused on what she was doing.

When Dar turned his attention back to her drawing, he saw a clear picture of a Cyrellian, looming menacingly on the world she’d drawn. It occurred to him that they were doing to Bella’s world what they’d done to so many other planets, the reason they’d been banished from living in this galaxy in the first place. They were leeches,

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offering their own brand of “help” to desolate planets until there was nothing left of the current place they inhabited.

The fact they were selling off humans to other planets told him it wouldn’t be long before they destroyed all that was around them. It might not be today, tomorrow or the next, but it was coming. Somehow, he had to make Bella understand the danger the rest of her people were currently facing under Cyrellian rule.

Dar twitched, unable to keep still as he waited impatiently for her to finish drawing. Her detailed renderings left no doubt in his mind what she was trying to tell him. When she was through, he took the lecto pad from her hand and nodded to show he understood her.

Erasing the items she’d created, he then conveyed his own thoughts -- a warning of what was awaiting the fate of Earth if something wasn’t done about the Cyrellians and soon. The inhabitants on that planet were in grave danger because if their patterns as world destroying predators held true, there wouldn’t be anything to salvage soon.

Perhaps they’d blow the planet up altogether. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d done it.

When Dar raised his head to look in her face, his heart went out to her upon seeing the expression of utter desolation. Tears glistened within the depth of her beautiful eyes and more than anything he wanted to make things better for her, assure her everything would be all right, but there was only one way he knew how.

With a groan, Dar tossed the lecto pad aside and then cupped her face in between his palms, massaging the soft skin of her cheeks with his thumbs. “Everything will work out, Bella. I know you probably don’t understand me right now, but there’s no shame in crying. I’m here for you.”

The flood gates seemed to open then as a sob escaped from her mouth, and her shoulders shook. It was obvious she was trying not to break down completely, but he wanted her to know he didn’t mind.

Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms around her and rocked her body back and forth. That’s when her body began to shudder violently and her cries grew louder

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and more primal as though her heart were breaking. His broke for her. He wished there was something he could do about her planet, but what? If he were to attempt to signal the Earthlings, who was to say the Cyrellians wouldn’t intercept his message? It was probably too late for Bella’s people, and Dar had a feeling she knew it as well.

If there was more he could do then he would, but for now, he’d offer her the comfort she needed. He stroked her hair and he swayed back and forth. Soon her cries subsided to mere sniffles and she raised her head to stare into his eyes.

There was an imploring quality about her gaze as if she were begging for more.

Pink, welcoming lips parted with a soft sigh, daring him to taste them.

There was nothing he wanted more, but should he?

What decided it for him was when her tongue darted out to slide along the rim of her bottom lip. How could he resist that?

With a sigh of resignation, Dar lowered his head to hers, brushing his lips against her, gently at first, reveling in her warmth. He tasted the saltiness of her tears on her mouth.

At first, Bella remained still beneath his tentative joining of mouths, but then she puckered, returning his kiss in earnest. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she moved into his lap, not breaking contact with their lips. The press of her body against his sent shock waves of delight up the center of his spine.

The blanket she had wrapped tightly around her petite frame earlier had fallen ever so slightly, revealing creamy white shoulders, so delicately formed, so perfect.

Dar had to touch her -- needed to.

Finally releasing her face, Dar slid his hand along the smooth expanse of her back, tracing the curve of her spine with his fingers. He loved the way her skin felt beneath his fingertips, like soft feathers.

Bella shivered, wiggling on his lap, inciting his arousal to unimaginable heights.