Imprisoned Read online

  Ari shivered and tried to push the thought away as they moved from one room into another, this one filled with stacks of prison uniforms and rubber slippers. She could still feel the big Kindred’s hands on her…in her. And she still didn’t understand why he had done what he did.

  Was he just being kind and trying to spare her the pain of having a Horvath digit shoved roughly up her back channel? Or was he trying to claim her in some way, as Tapper had been doing when he added her name to his “list?”

  Ari considered this second possibility much more likely. Why else would the big Kindred have been so eager to get her into the infirmary alone? Had he been planning to use the cold, slimy stuff she could still feel running down her inner thighs as lubricant to ease another part of himself inside her? Was there anyone here she could trust besides Jak, when she found him? Anyone who wouldn’t want to rape her?

  And what would she do if the big Kindred did try something? The Horvath guard was right behind them but Ari got the distinct impression he wouldn’t give a damn if she got assaulted right in front of his eyes. He was only watching them to make sure they weren’t plotting—whatever that meant. The Kindred was almost seven feet tall and outweighed her by at least a hundred and fifty pounds, all of it pure muscle—plus he had poison fangs. If he wanted to do something to her, Ari doubted she could defend herself. All her years of Ton-kwa training wouldn’t help her if she was poisoned. He—

  “Here—these look about your size. Put them on.”

  Looking up, she saw that the big Kindred was holding out an orange and blue striped prison uniform and a small pair of rubber slippers.

  “Thank you,” Ari said, clutching the bundle to her chest, and was appalled at how weak and girly her voice sounded. She needed to butch up quickly or she was going to be dead meat in here. “I mean, thanks a lot,” she said, making an effort to deepen her voice and look the big Kindred directly in the eyes.

  But she shouldn’t have done that because the moment she looked, she was lost. His eyes were jewel-toned—the most mesmerizing shade of clear, bluish-green that she’d ever seen. They reminded her of clear tropical waters…of gem stones…of…

  Of someone I’ve seen before. But who? Where? My dreams?

  The big Kindred was staring just as intently at her, a worried frown on his face.

  “Are you well, little one?” he rumbled softly.

  “I…” Suddenly Ari remembered the feeling of his big warm hand on her bare back while the other probed inside her and she had to look away. “I’m fine,” she whispered in a choked voice.

  “No plotting!” the Horvath guard hissed at them. “Get drezzed.”

  Quickly, Ari scrambled into the blue and orange striped jumpsuit. It was clearly the smallest one available but it still hung on her petite frame. She didn’t care—she was grateful to be covered at all. Being naked in front of so many strangers—even wearing her solid-holo body disguise—had been humiliating and extremely uncomfortable.

  “Now what?” she made herself ask as she slipped the too-big plastic slippers on her feet where they flapped at her heels.

  “Now you go into a holding area until all the rest of the new prisoners are processed,” Medic said. “After that, Last Meal—or ‘supper’ as they call it here. After that, you’ll get your permanent cell assignment and you sleep.”

  “But…” Ari felt panic building up inside her and fought to keep it down. “But what about the exercise yard? When…when do I get to go there?”

  “Already missing the zzky?” the Horvath guard asked. He chortled guttural laughter. “Get uzed to it.”

  “We get recreation hour every day after Mid Meal as long as there’s not a lockdown going on,” the big Kindred told her.

  “So…I can’t go out until tomorrow?” Ari tried to keep the dread out of her voice and couldn’t. So much could happen between now and the exercise period the next day. Tapper could catch her or she could get hurt in whatever cell she was assigned to or any of a hundred other awful, lethal, disgusting things that sprang readily to mind.

  The big Kindred shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling under the green and blue striped uniform.

  “Sorry. That’s the way it is.”

  “But…will I…do I get my own cell at least?” Ari was aware that she sounded weak and frightened but just at that moment she couldn’t help it—she felt weak and frightened.

  “Only trusteezz have their own zellz,” the Horvath guard hissed. “Now come—to the holding area.”

  He shoved Ari hard between the shoulder blades with the butt of his pain-prod and she stumbled and nearly fell. Only the big Kindred’s hand under her arm kept her from face-planting on the scuffed metal floor.

  “Watch it,” the Kindred growled at the guard, his fangs plainly visible. “Can’t you see how small this little one is?”

  Ari shook off the big male’s hand, feeling vulnerable and not liking it.

  “I’m fine.” She lifted her chin. “I can take care of myself.”

  He didn’t answer, just put himself between her and the guard as the three of them proceeded into the next room which was divided up into several large, clear plasti-glass boxes with air holes cut into them near the top.

  The holding areas were lined with metal benches and had a dull silver commode in the corner. They were big enough to hold ten or twelve inmates in relative comfort—or eighteen to twenty if they were really packed in. Most were already filled past capacity with newly minted prisoners, all wearing the same blue and orange striped jumpsuits Ari had on herself. None of them looked happy, probably because of the way they were jammed into the overflowing holding areas.

  There was shouting coming from almost all of them and several large males were fighting in the closest one, which was apparently where they were headed. There were smears of blood on the clear walls of the holding area and Ari saw something sticking out of one of the ventilation holes near the top.

  When they got closer, she saw it was a severed finger.

  Goddess of Mercy.

  “Here.” The Horvath guard motioned for her. “In here until zzupper time.”

  “He won’t be alive come supper time if you put him in there.” The big Kindred’s deep voice was an angry growl.

  The Horvath shrugged. “Not my problem. Mukluk zzaid to put him in a holding area.”

  “Put him in a cage,” Medic said.

  “A what?” Ari looked up at him but he didn’t even spare her a glance. His brilliant turquoise eyes were locked with the Horvath’s in what appeared to be a silent battle of wills.

  Finally, the guard shrugged.

  “Fine. A cage it izz.”

  He shoved Ari again but this time she was prepared for the brutal action and leaped nimbly forward almost before the butt of his weapon could touch her.

  “Where are we going? Where are you taking me?” she asked, looking up at both the guard and the Kindred.

  Neither one answered her. She was marched to the back of the big room where a lot of identical black metal structures made of heavy-duty chain-link stood. There were fifteen of them, all in a row, all about six feet tall and three feet wide like coffins stood up on either ends.

  Ari looked at the closest one—it really was a cage.

  “In here,” the Horvath hissed, unlocking the mechanism on the front with a wave of his scaly hand.

  Claustrophobia clawed at Ari’s throat. For a moment she felt almost faint.

  “But I can’t…I don’t need to be in there,” she protested, feeling sick. “Please, I—”

  “Shut up,” Medic said harshly, glaring down at her. “Get in—it’s the safest place for a little one like you.”

  “I’m a grown wo—uh, man,” Ari protested, so upset she almost forgot her disguise. She hated small spaces. She’d gotten trapped in a tiny closet once playing hide and find with Jak when they were kids and it had been hours before anyone found her. She couldn’t go in the tiny, cramped metal box—she just couldn’t.