Free The Chalice by P.L. Parker Page B

some m ight like to think they do.”
    “Do what?” Shagal’s brows rose curiously. “Are you whining again?”
    Vaux stalked from  the room , seething with righteous indignation.
    “One day you’ll push him  too far,” Mordaq warned the smaller m an. “He m ight act like an artisan, but he’s a Warrior at heart— born and nurtured by the best.” He grinned, silvered eyes snapping. “Though I’d pay to see the battle.”
    “You’d love to see m e bested, you mean,” Shagal grumbled around a m outhful
    of food. “I’ve no doubt you’d enjoy the show.”
    “W hat are they doing?” Kara crouched beside Ume. The Oriental girl was flat
    on her stom ach peering through the small opening. “Can you see anything?”
    “All I can see are feet. They seem  to be sitting at the tables. I can hear them
    talking too.”
    Kara’s stom ach grum bled. Her mouth watered. It’d been hours since they’d lastdined and from  the delicious smells drifting in, the breeders were eating. Pissesme off! Big tim e! The fanged weirdoes were out there enjoying dinner and thewomen were stuck in here starving. Didn’t seem  right.
    “W ish I had som e of that,” Dread m uttered darkly. “One of those hot bread
    thingeys.”
    “Look at this,” a girl called out, her voice high with excitement. “It just cam e
    on and we can see them .”
    On the wall above them, in full living color, a wide video screen of the
    community room  drew her attention.
    “You have got to be kidding.”
    The breeders were grouped in small clusters, eating or talking. As the wom enwatched, the entire assem blage looked up and—waved, sm iling like village idiots. Her eyes were drawn to the center. Surrounded on every side, the big guydominated the scene, but unlike the rest, he sim ply gazed in their direction as ifassessing their reactions.

    He has to be the big boss! No other explanation. Another thought surfaced.
    W hat if they can see us!
    “Do you think they have cameras in here?” Nervous, she pushed her way
    through the crowd, checking the ceiling for electronic equipment.
    “Probably wouldn’t see it anyway.” Dread bum ped into her as she stopped,
    staring at an object in the corner.
    “W hat about that?” She pointed to the article. “Looks like it could be a
    camera.”
    “Dam n right it does.” Dread scram bled onto the table, scrutinizing the object.
    Can’t tell for sure, but I’m  guessing it is.”
    “Can we cover it?”
    A woman ran forward with one of the thong things. “You can stretch this
    around it.”
    “Those freaking things’ll stretch around anything,” Dread laughed. “Check out
    Hanna’s butt.”
    “Dat is not funny,” Hanna frowned, wrapping her arm s across her bulging
    chest. “You vould not be so happy if it vas you.”
    “She’s never happy unless she’s harassing someone.” Kara patted the big
    woman’s arm . “Just happens to be your turn right now.”
    Hanna’s generous mouth turned down. “Vell. I don’t tink it is funny.”
    “Save the dram a!” Dread jum ped down, landing with a thump. “See any
    others?”
    The women scurried to every corner, their wound-up chattering permeating
    the enclosure.
    “I found another one!” A voice shrilled. “Got it covered!”
    Another was located in the bathing room  and likewise dem obilized.
    “Bunch of perverts,” Dread growled.
    “Nothing perverted about it,” Anne said. “This is a ship. Visuals would be
    needed in every room  in the event of an emergency. How else would they know if
    someone was trapped or hurt?”
    Made sense, even though Kara agreed with Dread. The bathing room  cam erawould stay covered as far as she was concerned. The women’s quarters affordedlittle privacy as it was. They didn’t need an audience too—especially thataudience. Wonder if they’ve been watching us all along. Like lab rats in a giant
    maze. She shuddered, skin crawling. How many other weird things