the king of the Carthians to find a way for her to return home. Under no circumstances would she stay on Karrx7, Kordan’s home planet, for longer than necessary. Once she was back where she belonged she would soon forget this brief, passionate affair. In New York. She had a job, friends. She had a life for goodness’ sake. This bizarre alien spell that he had apparently cast upon her would surely wane once she was out of his range.
“Are you ready?” Charly’s voice could suddenly be heard next to her.
Lory looked up and nodded. She rose slowly from the armchair and stared at Charly, appraising the situation.
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know,” replied Charly vaguely. “I like him. He’s very … nice.”
Lory snorted.
“Nice?” she blurted out scornfully. “You’re clearly suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. How can you think it’s nice that he’s abducted you and dragged you here to his damn alien planet?”
“They rescued us, Lory.”
“Rescued us! Of course. Have you already forgotten, darling? We already had our re-turn-ticket to earth in the bag.”
“Amano says that this Ellyod Allegrass is a renowned space pirate and very dangerous. He thinks that man would not have flown us to earth but would probably have sold us as slaves somewhere.”
“Does he have proof? No! He does not. He can claim whatever he likes to soften you up.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I’m not going to listen to this any longer. I’m to take you to the transporter room because we’re leaving the ship now, but if you’d rather stay up here? Be my guest! As for me, I’m going now.”
Lory watched Charly leave the room. She knew that she had not been very tactful again but she could not change that now. And perhaps there was some truth in what Charly said. On the other hand this Amano could tell them all sorts. This Ellyod had not come across to her like a pirate or a villain. He had been very charming. On the other hand she did not trust this cat on two legs at all and if her hunch was right then Amano was also a shapeshifter. But they had no idea what awaited them down on the planet.
On the other hand her only hope was that the king of these Neanderthals would help her. So she had to go down there for better or for worse.
She sighed. She could not just stay up here on her own anyway.
“OK then,” she murmured.
Just as she was about to follow Charly the doors opened and a clearly infuriated Kordan burst into the room. “Why didn’t you go to the transporter room with Charly?” he yelled at her.
Lory put her hands on her hips.
“In case you oversized ice block haven’t noticed – I’m not here of my free will! This is a damned ab-duc-tion!”
Kordan groaned indignantly and his blue eyes flashed at her angrily.
“Are you going to come with me voluntarily now or should I carry you to the transporter room?”
“Lay your filthy hands on me and I’ll castrate you and shove your dick up your ass!”
“Just try!” Kordan challenged her with a cruel grin.
He slowly approached her. Instead of backing away, which would have been pointless, she went for the counterattack. Lory punched and kicked him skillfully, but even though she struck him hard a few times she was not able to wipe this obnoxious grin from his face. Then he halted her blow with his fist and twisted her arm up her back. Lory suppressed a cry of pain.
“Let me go, you repulsive, mangy pussycat!” she bellowed.
“I’ve now had enough of your insults,” snarled Kordan and before she knew it he had thrown her over his shoulder and was marching out of the room. Her screaming echoed down the long corridor but he did not let that bother him.
Being beamed down was an awful sensation. Lory would never get used to it, that much was certain. Indignantly she followed Kordan, Amano and Charly across the clearing on which they had landed. They were walking along a wide forest