Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2)(12)

The alien behind the large crate didn't reply or show himself. Providence listened for the sound of movement as she kept her back against the wall. She heard nothing, not even the sound of breathing as her eyes scanned the stacked boxes.

Again there was movement on her right. Providence fired and hit the crate of supplies. In her periphery she noted movement on her left. Providence swung around to see one of the reptiles aiming his weapon at her. Before she could aim and fire off a shot, a searing pain struck her in the side.

The last thing Providence saw as everything around her grew dim, were two looming scaly faces.

Fuck!





3 A Brave New World




Providence

Providence awoke in pain. Every muscle in her body cried out in protest as Providence struggled to sit up and open her eyes, only to be roughly shoved back to the floor.

Providence scowled at the handful of captors surrounding her, and then looked around the dingy cargo bay. She was obviously no longer on Cila and Zer's ship. This ship looked like it had seen better days and needed to be scrubbed.

Providence hoped the Miran Sona had gotten away safely with her fellow humans. She wondered if the reptiles discovered there were more of her kind on Cila and Zer's ship or were they content in capturing her alone? Providence couldn't tell as she surveyed the room.

The Jurou Biljana hissed in displeasure, their expressions menacing. Then again maybe that was just how the ugly bastards looked. Providence couldn't understand the overgrown iguanas without the ship to translate for her.

A clawed hand attempted to grab her but Providence swatted it away.

"Back off." She growled as she looked at the aliens closing in on her.

Undeterred, the lead male reached for her again.

Providence waited till he was close enough then struck out with a right hook, clocking him in his scaly thin lipped mouth. Her daddy didn't raise no weakling! The reptile reared back in surprise, his hand flew to his mouth feeling the split lip that poured blood down his bony chin.

The male quickly grabbed his weapon and fired on Providence. Her eyes closed as the searing pain lit her up. Fortunately or unfortunately the stunning blast didn't knock her out this time. Providence's muscles seized up like a full body charlie horse. She gritted her jaw against the pain. Providence refused to cry out. She'd known pain, hell she suffered through intense training just to join the Air Force pararescue squad.

The Jurou Biljana closed in on her while she was incapacitated. They tore at her clothes till Providence lay naked at their mercy.

Providence eyed her primary attacker with daggers in her gaze. The gleam in his eye as he hissed at his companions pointing to her, told Providence he was gloating.

"Congratulations, the seven of you overwhelmed an unarmed female." She taunted.

The male's triumphant expression turned to one of anger.

It was probably unwise to antagonize her captors, but Providence didn't care. These were slavers. It wasn't like things could get much worse. She refused to go down without a fight.

The disgusting male stunned her again.

Providence gasped then bit down on her tongue as she sealed her lips preventing any further sound. She refused to give them the satisfaction. She tasted blood as agony shot through her. It was hard to breathe as every nerve screamed out.

Providence crouched on her hands and knees as she panted, willing the pain to subside. She counted the rivets in the small patch of floor that she stared at, and then did it again by odd numbers. All the while Providence replayed the gruesome yet satisfying images of the Jurou Biljana she killed. If she concentrated on a dozen things at once she could shift the agony to the back of her brain. It was a trick she taught herself years ago.

Providence looked back up at her assailant when she was finally certain her face showed no evidence of the pain they inflicted on her. She looked the male square in the eyes. She refused to be broken though eventually her heart would probably give out from the repeated jolts.

Providence slowly rose to her feet and threw her shoulders back. She didn't blink as her gaze stared at the yellow eyes with black slitted pupils.

The reptile's clawed hand gripped his weapon.

Providence braced herself for the imminent discharge.

There was a hiss from behind the male as another Jurou Biljana appeared. Her assailant hissed back at the newcomer. The two exchanged words till her attacker reluctantly lowered his weapon.

The new reptile gripped Providence's bicep and tugged her out of the room. As they passed into a dimly lit corridor, the temperature dropped considerably. Providence noted the numerous barred doors that lined the hall. A throng of tall hairy beasts, that reminded Providence of Chewbacca the Wookiee, stood staring from the inside of several of the cells they passed.

Providence took some relief that none of them appeared to contain humans or the Miran Sona.