Snatched

Brenda & Zibry

Zibry was looking put out as he sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes to the floor, chin on his fist.

Brenda's heart lurched; the last thing she wanted was to hurt him. But she couldn't help it, preferring to sit at the little table, keeping her distance. Ever since her encounter with Karina and then with Juan in that weird hospital room, the mood had completely shifted. What had happened to Juan's eyes? What was going to happen to Karina? No longer did she feel so excited. Now she felt sick and worried.

You're on an alien spaceship. What the hell were you thinking?

She hadn't forgotten their night together, after they'd returned from Karina's room. They'd spoken with each other about the poor woman's situation. It wasn't a question—Brenda needed to talk things through after what she'd seen. That hollow ... dead look in Karina's eyes—Brenda would never forget it. She'd been so shocked by what she'd seen that she'd forgotten all about their brief sexual encounter. It had been more than an hour after her return before she actually remembered, flashing into her mind startling and unbidden. And their conversation had ceased. And everything had turned awkward.

Even now her cheeks flushed.

He'd been naked. He'd offered himself to her. She'd been so close to touching his bare flesh when he'd suddenly received the call on his "space phone". Now, things were awkward. The intimate moment had passed and she'd spent the night sleeping on the edge of the bed. A far cry from the previous night when they'd held each other so tenderly. It just hadn't felt right, haunted by those eyes, haunted by Karina's situation.

And now that guilty, sickly feeling had evolved into something bordering on fearful. Eyes. Juan's eyes! Why did it always come back to the eyes?

'I'm sorry,' she told him.

He looked up.

Brenda twisted her feet beneath the table. 'I'm just ... overwhelmed.'

'Speak to me,' he said in his deep voice, leaning back as he gripped his knees. 'Speak truly.'

'I'm afraid.'

Zibry's eyes seemed to bore straight through her, filled with so much knowing, so much intelligence. Brenda looked away.

'It's about that man. That Rictorian,' he said.

Eyes still lowered, Brenda nodded. Be careful! Don't let him fuck you! Juan's voice rang in her mind, as though he was right there in the room with her. It couldn't be a coincidence.

She dared to lift her eyes. 'What happens when we have sex?'

Immediately, she felt herself flush right up her neck. When we have sex. As though it was inevitable. Zibry stiffened. Something like a shadow passed over his expression.

Brenda straightened, heart thudding. 'And what about babies?' She hadn't thought of that. Why was she only now suddenly thinking it? Was that why the aliens took them all? To breed with? Was that why Zibry wanted her? Her heart sank into her belly. If it was, he was really barking up the wrong tree.

Though, perhaps they had technology to facilitate her age-related infertility. It was certainly possible. Brenda bit her lip. Why hadn't she thought of it sooner? There are too few. Precious. He'd even told her! There were no women here! Her stomach turned over.

He shook his head quickly, his sharp eyes, once again, seeming to penetrate right into her brain, like he knew her thoughts. 'No babies. We cannot. We are too different.'

'How can you be sure?'

'We have partnered with your kind before.'

Brenda raised her eyebrows. 'You have?' Fascinating. 'Where are they?'