Alex stopped in mid slurp. Her ears tingled, just on the edge of hearing something. Like they wanted to twitch, but there just wasn't enough sound to react to. She looked around, scanning the dark shadows cast by Jack's fireball. Jack noticed her change in demeanor. His questioning eyes begged an answer, but he stayed silent. Alex closed her eyes, concentrating and straining to hear anything.Her eyes popped open. She slid off her rock and into a crouch, knife at the ready. Jack spun around, flame in hand. The can slipped from his hand and rolled across the stone floor. They stood back to back, waiting for an attack from the unknown darkness."A dozen, from all sides," Alex whispered.From the shadows emerged glittering cat eyes from all around. The painted warriors came away from the shadows as one. They were human-like with large ears and sharp oval eyes. They stood barely chest-high and took stealthy steps forward with spears and bows at the ready. The firelight caught the zigzags o

Weylin led them back to the Great Circle where the festival was just getting started. Deep brass drums thumped, vibrating the cavern walls and Alex's ears. Trumpet-like instruments blared a deep, fast tune encouraging people to dance. Antarians wearing bright yellow, red, and blue colors skipped around weaving long colored ribbons through the air as people filed into the cavern and took their seats around the stadium.Alex and Jack were seated in a raised area close to where the elders sat. Jack sat at a large table facing the soon-to-be empty middle expanse of the arena. Alex was positioned on a lower tier a few meters away from him with Weylin at her side. Guards stood behind each of them. Jack looked like a king ready to watch a jousting match.After everyone was seated, waiters came around with giant platters of food. They set a plate with a variety of delicacies down in front of every person. Alex thought that every piece of food looked like the remnants of some large roasted in

Now the hard part.She poked her head down into the room for a brief look. What she saw appalled and saddened her. How could they use Jack like that?Jack was tied naked to a metal four poster bed. A large breasted burly brunette had her dress pulled up and was sitting on top of him moving her body up and down.The girl chattered on and on. "And then I'm going to raise him to be a big strong warrior and my family will be honored. Those Vestarians don't-" and on and on she went.Jack's head lolled from side to side with a look between a grin and a grimace. His chest hair was matted with sweat and vomit. A bucket full of pink vomit sat on the floor next to his bed. His eyes were tired, glossy, and drunk.Alex was in luck though. The room was set up the same way hers was and the girl faced away from her. She timed the drop of her bag with the movement of the rocking bed. The girl didn't even hear the bag hit the ground. Alex held on to the sides of the rock and hung, then dropped sil

Jack woke, his head throbbing painfully. There was a hand on his head and his pillow was rather- hard and made of muscle? Opening his eyes, he saw a yellow rag in front of him with pink chunks on it. It smelled like vomit and his throat burned. He knocked the rag away. Beneath, were two knees covered in dark denim. Alex. He patted one knee and rolled on to his back. Alex's jacket covered him and his feet hung off the edge of a couch.She had her head leaned against the wing of the couch arm. Her right arm was on the arm rest and her left hand fell to her lap as he moved. Alex's navy blue shirt was buttoned to the bosom. The white tank top underneath was splattered with tiny specks of blood. The splatter marks ran all the way up the porcelain skin of her delicate neck.Memories faded in and out. He remembered the underground lair of the Antarians. Then the festival. Flashes of women's faces. The smell of sex and vomit. Alex and - a bubble bath? That can't be right. Then running in the

Alex woke to an internal banging drum that made her ears ring and sent blood pounding to her head. She rubbed her temples until it subsided slightly. Her right hand ached. The whole train rumbled as it ran down the track, rattling the windows in their panes, irking her headache more. The failing sunlight streamed through the cracks in the blinds as they shuddered with the lively train.She pushed out of the chair. Jack lay sprawled across the bed, shoes still on. How terribly uncomfortable that must be. Alex checked that her knives were secure in her belt and pulled her maroon jacket closed. She lurched forward as the train started to slow. What was it now? They needed to keep moving if she was ever going to make it to Lexi.Alex made her way to the cabin. Weylin lay napping in the conductor's seat. She slapped his shoulder and he jumped violently. "Why are we slowing?" she growled.He looked around with his big eyes. "We must be out of power," he stuttered, wiping his face with his