The air between them crackled with . . . something, and every muscle in his body clenched agonizingly on bone.
"Her," X said, sounding dazed. "She's the one. She's yours."
"No way," Dr. E replied, incensed. "Just no way. She'll never want anything to do with him, and even if she does--which isn't likely, if I haven't made that clear--he'll kill her with his gigantor hands."
"She's the one," X repeated.
Yes, she's mine, all mine, Solo thought, then shook his head. Surely that thought had not budded inside his mind. She was too little, too delicate. And yet he heard, She's mine, a second time, a booming roar now, and he knew beyond any doubt. Yes, he had had that thought.
Jecis pivoted to say something to another captive, and Solo stretched his arm through the bar, reckless in his bid to touch the girl. Just touch her. He had to learn the texture of her skin. Would it be as soft as it appeared . . . or softer?
With a gulp, she darted behind the male named Jecis.
Finally Solo had frightened her. He bit back his bellow of frustration.
The crackle faded from the air at least, but Solo's body failed to relax. He wanted to carry the girl away caveman-style. He wanted to bang his fists into his chest, proclaiming to every man breathing that she belonged to Solo. He wanted to throw her enemies at her feet and bask in her adoration.
He would never do any of those things, and she would never adore him.
She wasn't the type to crave a monster in her bed. She wasn't strong, like the fire-breathing female, or rough, with an addiction to danger. As fragile as she appeared, as timid as she acted, she would scream for help the moment he approached her.
"Told you," Dr. E said in a singsong voice. "There was just no way."
His angry retort received the same treatment as the bellow.
Like him, X remained silent.
The little man had never before picked out a female for Solo, had even complained every day Solo had spent with his only long-term girlfriend, Abigail. The fact that X had chosen a girl who most likely belonged to the slab of beef about to announce he was the owner of the circus--and there was no doubt in Solo's mind the human was the owner--was almost too much to take in.
Jecis was moving his mouth, obviously speaking to Solo. As entranced as Solo had been by the girl, he'd lost focus. "--accept this welcome to Cirque de Monstres. As I said, and as I'm sure you have already heard, I am Jecis Lukas, owner, operator . . . your new master. Might equals right, and considering our different positions, I've proven mine. If you do what I say, when I say, you will have an easy life ahead of you. If you don't . . ."
Cirque de Monstres. French for "Circus of Fiends," yet Jecis certainly wasn't French. Solo had traveled the world many times over; names, languages, and dialects were a specialty of his. The name Jecis Lukas was Lithuanian, as was his very slight accent.
Solo hadn't heard of this particular circus, run by this particular male, but he had heard of similar traveling performing groups. They were illegally operated, with unsafe rides, unfair games, prizes that were nothing more than stolen goods, tents where drugs and women were sold, and unparalleled violence waiting in every corner.
Jecis continued his speech, saying, "You do not speak to, spit on, or harm anyone who approaches you. You just sit in your new home and look pretty." He snickered at his own joke. "You might have trouble with that last one, giant, but that's part of your appeal. Never forget that you are my pet. My animal. And if you behave, you are rewarded. If not, you are punished."
One word echoed in Solo's mind: animal.
He considered the cages more intently. There were letters scripted atop each one, though someone had tried to scrape those letters off. He read Lion. Tiger. Ape. And on and on the titles went. Bear. Alligator.
Forget anger. Rage shimmered just below the surface of his skin. The trapped otherworlders were to be the animals. They were to be viewed by circus attendees, studied and degraded. They were to be . . . petted? Fed? Ridden?
He would die before he allowed a human to pet him. He would die before he allowed a human to feed him by hand. He would burn the entire world to the ground before he allowed a human to saddle him up and ride.
"I told you," X said. "Fear not. A man will eat the fruit of his own way."
"If that's true, our boy should have a panic attack," Dr. E replied with a smirk. "He hasn't exactly planted the best of trees, now has he?"
X ignored him, saying, "Jecis will destroy himself. And you, Solo, you will find a way out."
"Doubtful." Dr. E checked his cuticles. "Sure, you've broken out of a prison before, S, my man, but the first time was a training exercise and the second was with help. Now, you're alone. These people have weapons, and they won't be afraid to use them. You're unarmed."
"You will succeed--and you will aid all the others."
"You will fail--and you will heap more suffering on everyone's head. Just behave and wait for rescue, and you'll be better off."
Jecis said something else, drowning out his companions, but Solo didn't hear him either. For the first time since waking up, he studied his own body. Like the other males, he was dressed only in a loincloth. His chest, arms, and legs were cut and scabbed, with black-and-blue bruises branching off in every direction. He was a mess.
His skin was redder than it had been five minutes ago, the first sign of his still-growing rage. He twisted his arms to look at his tattoos. His mother's name was etched into his right forearm, and his father's name etched into his left. There was an irritated gouge bisecting the M and the first A of MARY ELIZABETH, but JACOB was untouched.
His entire cage shook, and his gaze snapped up. A scowling Jecis stood right in front of him.
"You listen when I speak, giant. Tomorrow the circus opens, and I expect you to be on your best behavior." His voice boomed through the daylight, the skull beneath his skin seeming to move without the prompting of his body, coming forward, closer to Solo. "I mean that."
Evil left a cloying film in the air.
I'll be long gone, he told himself. "And if I'm bad?"
Behind the human, men lumbered into the clearing and placed buckets of--he sniffed--enzyme soap on the ground. The buckets were followed by piles of rags, and bottles of--another sniff--perfume.
"If one customer complains, just one . . ." A dramatic pause as Jecis lifted his arms and rubbed his fists together, "I'll put a bullet in your brain, no questions asked."
When Solo gave no reaction to the threat--been there, done that--Jecis punched the bars of the cage, the film thickening. "If you doubt me, just ask your fellow animals. Many of their friends already have died by my hand."
Four
I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.
--SONG OF SOLOMON 2:1
AS ALWAYS, VIKA WAS revolted by the induction of a new "animal." Whether male or female, young or old, the newcomer always begged her to show mercy and grant freedom the moment her father marched away. Mercy she would not show. Freedom she would not bestow. Could not.
Not yet.
Years ago she'd assumed the beating Jecis had given her for attempting to release One Day was the most savage he had to offer, that her father would never be able to inflict more pain than that, and that, to save someone else, she could bear such pain again. But then, the day she'd freed his human animals, he'd taught her otherwise.
He could always do much, much worse.
And what could be worse than losing her hearing? Easy. Losing her eyesight, too. Oh, yes. Her father was that vile. He'd destroyed her hearing with no hope of repair, simply to make her reliant on him, and he had threatened to take her eyesight if ever she betrayed him that way again.
If she wanted out, and she did, she had to adhere to a very strict escape plan. A plan that demanded she remain at the circus for another year. Just a year, and then she could free the otherworlders and run. She could hide forever and never have to fear being found.
Jecis finished his speech about rules an
d expectations, and motioned Vika forward. She stepped beside him like any other obedient robot. He placed a big hand firmly on her shoulder, and she looked up to watch his lips.
"This is your caregiver," he said to the otherworlders. "You will treat her better than you treat the customers. You will keep your hands to yourself and your mouths closed, or my men and I will have fun with you before you get that bullet."
He didn't wait for their replies--to him, they were irrelevant--but pivoted to face Vika. She met his gaze, no longer surprised to find eyes no longer the color of flowers, but black, like endless cesspools.
He cupped her cheeks and kissed her on the tip of the nose. "If you have any trouble, my heart, do not hesitate to shout for me."
I will never seek your help. "Thank you."
"Anything for you." Instead of moving away, as she'd hoped, he remained in place, his lips pursing. "My new animal is big and fierce and unlike any you have dealt with before. Perhaps I should summon your guard--"
"The circus opens tomorrow," she interjected quickly, hoping to stop him before he talked himself into it. "There's so much to do, and there's no reason to waste anyone's time watching over me. Besides, no matter how fierce he is, the newcomer would never dare to hurt me. He now knows the consequences of defying you."
Her father's grip tightened, nearly crushing her jawbone and defiantly worsening what remained of last week's "lesson." "I will waste whoever's time I wish. You are more important to me than a successful show, and if I think there's a threat, there's a threat. I'm far wiser about these things."
Won't cry out. "Of course," she managed to say. If, however, the show did prove unsuccessful and he had forced her bodyguard to remain at her side, preventing Matas from properly preparing for his magic act, Jecis would blame her. He would reprimand her. She would hurt.
With a sigh, he released her. "As if I can deny you anything. Very well, I will allow you to work alone since there are no townies nearby and the otherworlders are contained. But if you come home with a single bruise, my precious one, I will be very upset."
Well, then. She wouldn't point out the myriad of bruises already decorating her body. Besides, there was no need. He knew they were there; he had put them there. But while he was allowed to abuse her, anytime, anyplace, no one else was ever extended the same privilege.
He delivered another kiss to the tip of her nose before stalking away, fully assured she would do everything in her power to safeguard herself. He wasn't wrong. She would. She might dream of leaving her father, might even be planning to do so, but she would never disobey him while she was here.
Did the newcomer have any idea what was in store for him?
If he hadn't been convinced of Jecis's malevolence, he would be soon. Jecis punished his animals for the mildest of offenses, though the punishments themselves were never mild. His temper would get the better of him and he would erupt into a fit of rage. He would maim . . . he would ruin . . . and he would kill indiscriminately. . . .
Sadly, those who died were the lucky ones.
Vika walked to the supplies her father's worker had left behind, never allowing herself to shift her gaze to study the lips of the otherworlders to discover what they were saying about her--and they were saying something, she knew they were, because she could feel the vibrations of their words against her skin. At times like this, she was almost grateful for her deafness.
I'll escape this hellhole and take you with me, Vika, Wicked Witch of the Worlds. I'll put you in a cage and oh, the things I'll do to you . . . This had once come from the Mec she called Rainbow.
You're nothing more than a circus whore, and you deserve to be in this cage, not me! This had once come from the Cortaz named Crissabelle.
They needed a target for their frustration and rage, and she was the safest bet. She knew that, and had stopped letting it hurt her feelings a long time ago. She would never harm them and certainly never tattle, but it was almost impossible to keep a secret from Jecis. One day, he would find out about the two offenders and bloody their toast.
One day.
The words left a sick taste in her mouth.
The rest of the otherworlders refused to look at, talk to, or talk about her, too afraid of what Jecis would do. Actually, no, that wasn't true. The Targon actually seemed to enjoy her.
Is it time for my sponge bath yet, Vika I Wanta Licka? he was fond of saying. He often referred to himself as Daddy Spanky, and once a day asked her to do the same.
"Eat up, everyone. I'm feeling generous today." She threw vanilla cookies into each cage, even the Mec's and the Cortaz's. Rewarding the Terrible Duo for bad behavior was beyond foolish, but some part of her wanted to make their lives better, even in so small a way.
As the otherworlders dove for the desserts and devoured every crumb, she grabbed a bottle of enzyme spray, a brush and one of the rags, and approached the cage belonging to the Bree Lian she'd named Dots.
His race was known for the multicolored fur that covered their bodies from head to toe, and Dots was no different. He resembled a long-haired cheetah, with an underlay of gold and spots of black, yet his mannerisms were as uncatlike as possible. As muscled as he was, he didn't walk so much as thunder from one end of the cage to the other.
Still, he kind of reminded her of Dobi, the beautiful tiger who had peed on everything, including Vika, and every time she looked at him, a pang sliced through her heart.
Don't go there. Right. The past was off-limits, and for good reason. Looking back brought only regret. Regret brought sorrow. Sorrow brought depression, and depression brought torment. She'd had enough of that, thanks.
So. Moving on. Each of the different species bore different physical characteristics, as well as different innate abilities. Some Bree Lians could poison an enemy with their teeth or nails. Some Cortazes could teleport. Some Mecs could hypnotize with the changing colors of their skin. Some Terans could leap a mile in a single bound. But it was utterly impossible to know each and every one of the abilities these particular otherworlders possessed, which was why her father had gone black market and purchased slave bands.
The shackles were thick and bronze with long, sharp needles honed from some kind of alien metal that drilled into each wearer's bones, dripping a steady and constant supply of a potent inhibitor straight into marrow.
When Vika needed to get inside a cage, either to wash it or its prisoner, she had only to press the remote activator to send a different drug--a sedative--through the otherworlder's system, knocking him out for at least an hour.
The closer she came to Dots, the more fervently he prowled the length of his cage. Usually, he was the incarnation of composed. He ate when he was supposed to eat. He never spoke without first being spoken to, and he remained seated in the back corner whenever Vika approached.
But he'd been here long enough to learn exactly how her father operated.
The otherworlders were kept in the menagerie as long as they were healthy and humans remained fascinated with them. Eight days ago, the most senior of the slaves had been relocated to games because he'd appeared "feverish."
He was a Rslado-el, a delicate race, easily breakable. Many times she'd come close to freeing him. Close--but not close enough. Now he was the star of Mole Smack Attack, forced to bob his head in and out of holes, while humans tried to hit him in the face with padded bats.
The past few weeks, Dots had lost a lot of weight. Despite his muscle, he was beginning to appear gaunt. Vika had given him extra portions at every meal, but so far, the food hadn't helped.
He would be the next one to go to the chopping block.
She wanted to free him before that happened. She did. And if he could just hang on for a while longer, she would. He just had to hang on. But she couldn't tell him that, could she.
Stomach twisting with a stinging blend of guilt and remorse, Vika jumped up to press the button that would render him unconscious. How she disliked her lack of height! In a blink, the Bree Lian was lunging at
her, roaring, "I'll kill you before I let you move me!" and spraying cookie crumbs all over her face. He managed to reach through the bars and scratch her before he collapsed, already snoring.
There was a throb in her shoulder, and she felt the warm trickle of blood, but such a minor injury was barely a blip on her radar.
She performed a quick spin, making sure the Bree Lian's roar had not roused the attention of a nearby performer. A minute passed, then two. No one came running. Good, that was good.
But what about your father? she thought, the first spark of panic blooming. You aren't to come home with a single bruise.
An open wound was worse, wasn't it. Motions frantic, she tied her shirtsleeve around her shoulder, applying pressure to the claw marks. As soon as the blood stopped flowing, she would properly bandage the thing and change shirts. Something long sleeved, maybe. And if she finally wore one of the necklaces her father had given her, he would be too pleased with her to notice anything else. Surely. Hopefully.
"Anyone else tries that," she forced herself to say, never meeting anyone's gaze, "and I'll forget to feed you tonight." And oh, how she loathed making threats like that. Threats she wasn't sure she had the ability to see through. But she couldn't risk another injury. Her father would kill each and every otherworlder, just to make a point.
Well, that, and a profit. He had paid top dollar for them, and while he made a lot of it back with the menagerie and the games, he received the biggest return to his investment when he sold the bodies--in parts.
Hands trembling, she unlatched Dots's door and climbed inside. She spent half an hour cleaning his skin and brushing his hair, as gently and noninvasively as possible. All the while, pity welled inside her. His modesty was a thing of the past; common courtesy had been forgotten; and torment was a daily occurrence.
One day, I'll be able to help him.
Ugh. There were those words again.
She finished with the Bree Lian and locked up. The Targon was next. And though she had no nickname for him, she refused to refer to him as Daddy Spanky.