Hunted Read online

  She had never been a slave to fashion before but in the end, she reluctantly agreed to leave off her underwear in deference to the Tranq Prime customs. It made her wish for her simple cotton sundress, though. Despite the fact that it was completely sleeveless and much shorter than the tharp, she had felt a lot less naked and vulnerable wearing it.

  “So tell me what really happened in the necessary room,” Nadiah said in a low voice as they walked slowly down the long stone corridor behind her mother. “Was there some kind of problem?”

  “A little,” Sophie confessed, feeling her cheeks get hot. “There was some kind of, uh, animal in there—I guess it must be your family’s pet? Anyway, when I finished, uh, relieving myself it suddenly got very, er, very friendly.”

  She shivered just remembering it…

  The facilities were strange—the toilet was on a stone pedestal and she had to climb a set of elaborately carved steps to reach it. It made her hope she didn’t have to go in the middle of the night—she could just imagine falling off because she was half asleep. When she was finished, Sophie looked for the tissue but she didn’t see it anywhere. Great, she thought to herself. So what am I supposed to do now—drip dry?

  It was then that the thing she’d assumed was a furry purple bath mat at the base of the pedestal, climbed up and insinuated itself onto her lap.

  Sophie was frightened at first and almost screamed. But then she remembered Liv’s story about Baird’s blue teddy bear, Bebo. The first time she saw him, Liv had been sure the little animal was some kind of predator intent on eating her up, when in fact he was just a harmless pet. Sophie was determined not to repeat her sister’s mistake. I’m not going to get all freaked out when it’s obviously just some kind of pet, she told herself firmly. I can handle this—it’s no big deal.

  The mat was a little creepy but she liked animals—especially little furry ones—and it sort of reminded her of long-haired purple cat. A very flat cat, to be sure, but it made a soft humming sound that was sort of like purring when she stroked it and seemed loveable on the whole.

  “Good girl…or boy,” Sophie murmured, petting its flat, furry back. “Aren’t you a good little…whatever you are? Good—”

  And that was when the mat started trying to work its way between her legs. “Hey!” she yelped. “Bad mat…cat…thing. Whatever you are. Stop it—no!” She pushed it firmly away but it was very insistent. Now it reminded her of one of those dogs that wasn’t happy unless it had its snout buried firmly in someone’s crotch. Only most people didn’t usually leave their overly-friendly dogs in the bathroom to ambush unsuspecting guests at such a vulnerable moment.

  As she fought with the alien animal, her tharp somehow got twisted around her legs and Sophie nearly fell right off the elaborate pedestal where the toilet was perched. She pushed the purple mat away long enough to hop awkwardly down and ran out of the bathroom—or necessary room as Nadiah called it—barely getting the door shut in time.

  “Oh my God,” she muttered, breathless from her narrow escape. She leaned against the door, her heart beating crazily as she tried to rearrange her tharp. But she could still hear it—the purple mat thing was scratching frantically on the other side of the door, trying to get to her…

  “Oh, you mean the cleaner?” Nadiah said, breaking into her too-vivid recollection of the bathroom break from hell.

  Sophie frowned. “The what? Is that what you call that little purple mat thing?”

  Nadiah nodded matter-of-factly. “Yes, that’s it. What was the problem?”

  Sophie could feel her cheeks getting even hotter. “Well it came up and wanted to sit on my lap. It scared me at first but then I realized it must be a family pet so I petted it some but then it…” She dropped her voice, not wanting Sylvan’s aunt to hear. “It tried to get between my legs.”

  “Uh-huh. That’s what they do—cleaners, I mean.” Nadiah didn’t sound surprised at all. “They clean.”

  “They do?” Sophie demanded. “And you don’t try to stop them?”

  Nadiah shrugged. “Why would you? Besides, how else would you get clean if you don’t let the cleaner take care of you?”

  “With…with something that’s not alive, that’s how,” Sophie sputtered. “You mean you just let it…let it get between your legs and…and…”

  “And clean you.” Nadiah nodded. “Sure. Why—how do you manage on your planet?”

  “Well on my part of Earth we use tissue.” When Nadiah frowned, Sophie tried to think of a way to explain. “Thin sheets of disposable material.”

  “Like fur?”

  “No. It’s actually made from wood pulp—from trees,” Sophie said.

  Nadiah frowned. “You mean on Earth you clean your bottom with trees? Doesn’t that hurt?”

  “It’s not like that,” Sophie assured her. “It’s—”.

  “I mean, if your trees are like ours—don’t you ever get splinters?” Nadiah interrupted. “Or do Earth people have really tough skin down there?”

  “No, of course not. You don’t understand—”

  “Well girls, here we are.” Zeelah turned to face them and Sophie realized that they had passed through the main grotto and were standing in front of a narrow opening in the pink rock wall. There was a muted glow coming from within that made Sophie think of candle-light and for the first time she wondered how the vast underground caverns were illuminated. Were the rock walls themselves photo-luminescent? Or was there some kind of plant or animal that gave off light way up on the ceiling, out of sight? She opened her mouth to ask but before she could, Sylvan’s aunt had her by the arm and was leading her into the narrow stone archway.

  “Come my dear, we need to get you seated.”

  “Oh, uh, okay. Thanks,” Sophie said uncertainly.

  “See you later,” Nadiah chirped, letting go of her other arm. “We can talk after the feast.”

  “Oh.” Sophie felt suddenly bereft. She’d assumed that Nadiah would be staying with her through the entire feast. “Uh, all right,” she said, trying to sound unconcerned. Of course Nadiah had friends of her own she wanted to sit with and besides, Sophie told herself, she would still be with Sylvan—right?

  But when they entered the smaller grotto Zeelah steered her purposefully to a large oval table with only one free seat.

  “Wait,” Sophie objected, looking around the cavern for Sylvan. There were many, many high, oval tables scattered around and most of them were already filled with people but she didn’t see him anywhere.

  “What’s the matter, my dear?” Zeelah’s voice was kind but the grip she had on Sophie’s arm felt like a pair of iron pincers.

  “I just thought I’d be sitting with Sylvan. Oh look—there he is!” He was standing against the wall talking to his uncle and few other males. Sophie tried to go to him but there was no escaping Zeelah.

  “Oh, you can’t sit with Sylvan, my dear,” she purred sweetly in Sophie’s ear. “Considering your rank and status that would never do.”

  “What rank?” Sophie asked, frowning. “Honestly, I’m not an important person where I come from. I just teach elementary art.”

  “Of course you’re important,” Zeelah said firmly. “Why, you’re a visitor from another planet! An emissary from Earth. I’m going to place you between Lady Whitethorn and Magistrate Licklow.”

  “I’m sorry? Magistrate who?” Sophie was sure she must have misunderstood the last name Zeelah had mentioned—were her translation bacteria acting up?

  “Lady Whitethorn and Magistrate Licklow. He’s only the most important male in the grotto.” Zeelah lowered her voice. “Now remember, as our guest you’re representing our family so I expect you to make a good impression, my dear.”

  “But I don’t know your customs,” Sophie said desperately. “What if I make a mistake? Please, I really think I’d be better off with Sylvan.”

  “Nonsense.” By this time Zeelah had dragged her all the way to the table and was motioning to a high, padded chair which remin