Fury to the Stars (Universe in Flames Book 2) (2 page)

It had been days since
Sarah had been left to rot in the dark cell. From time to time, a reptilian
Zarlack would come in to leave what they obviously took to be food. It tasted
horrible, a green-grey goo that Sarah had decided to pass on for at least five
or six meals, until eventually her hunger grew too strong.

The interrogation sessions had been grueling, but
she had staunchly refused to say anything about Earth or the Alliance to
Chase’s brother. She still couldn’t accept, understand, or even fathom the fact
that he
was
Chase’s brother. How could brothers be so different? Chase
was such a good man. He was so kind, brave, selfless. Willing to sacrifice his
life, even for those of a different world. But this man, this thing, who looked
so much like Chase, was nothing like him.

She wanted to stay strong, but in moments like this,
moments when she was finally alone, feelings of utter helplessness would
overtake her and tears began to flow freely down her dirty face. She lifted a
shaky hand and wiped them away. She could feel the calluses and caked blood on
her palms scratch against her cheeks. Her fingertips ached where the nails had
been cracked and splintered. She couldn’t see her body, but she could feel
where each massive bruise cried out in anguish.

Her cell was so dark that she could barely see
anything. There was no bed, no view to the outside. It was a pit, a dark hole.
And the longer she was trapped within it, the darker her own thoughts began to
grow.
That must be the point
, she thought. Another mind game crafted to
make her talk. She knew she needed to buy as much time as possible for Chase
and the Earth Alliance to come and rescue her, but she wondered how long that
would take. Maybe the Droxians went to war with the Alliance, as she had feared
they would. If that was the case, she could be here for a very long time.

The only thing that kept her going was the firm
belief that no matter how long it took, no matter what he had to do to get
there, Chase would come for her.

She heard sudden footsteps coming down the hall
beyond the door of her cell and hastily wiped her face. She was determined not
to give them the satisfaction of seeing her break. The steps stopped in front
of the door, and shortly after, it opened. A Zarlack grunt stepped inside. With
no preamble, he grabbed her by the elbow and started dragging her away. Long
gone were the days when they’d try to coax her to her feet or wait for her to
walk beside them. Everything was force now. Unceasing, unrelenting force.

The room was unpresuming but somehow menacing at the
same time. As though her own pain, and that of the prisoners before her, had
seeped into the taupe walls. It was also, by now, eerily familiar.

As soon as they arrived, the Zarlack released her
elbow and left her alone. Just like the day before and the one before that. The
monster wasn’t there yet, but she had no doubt he would come soon enough. Even
before she could hear him, her body started to float in the air.

Here we go
, she thought. Without
a word, she closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind of
everything—everything except an image of the one thing that was keeping her
going.

Chase.

It was her only sanctuary. Her only escape. The only
thing that made these interrogation sessions slightly more bearable. She would
retreat to a place where the monster couldn’t follow. He couldn’t touch her
there. Unfortunately… that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.

“How about we don’t lose another few hours torturing
you for nothing today?” he asked as he swept inside. At this point, he didn’t
even bother to look at her.

“How about you go fuck yourself instead?”

“Impetuous as always. I can already tell today won’t
be fun for you. I have neither the time nor patience, so let’s expedite things,
shall we?”

Sarah bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself
from trembling with fear. Now was not the time to show any weakness. The
previous sessions had been nearly impossible to endure already. And while she
was strangely proud that she hadn’t cracked under the pressure of the pain, the
mental abuse, and the feeling of helplessness that grew every single day—if
things got more violent, she wondered if she would be able to get through it.

I have to,
she thought,
I
just have to
.

And with that, she closed her eyes and thought even
harder about Chase, projecting him mentally, trying to block all her other
senses even as the pain started shooting up her body.

Today she focused on the image of her and Chase
walking down the aisle, hoping such a wonderful image, though fictional, would
help her face what already promised to be the worst session yet. She had
considered using this particular tactic a few times before, but kept it in
reserve for a truly horrible time. Rationing the happiness for a day when she’d
need it the most. Judging by the overwhelming sensory return she was getting
from her pain receptors, today was going to be that day.

The hall of the cathedral was magnificent. High
ceilings, sparkling stained glass. Sarah stood in the center of the floor and
pulled in a deep breath as she looked around. In just a short matter of time,
she would marry the man of her dreams in this cathedral. It didn’t even matter
to her that he wasn’t from Earth.

He looked human, of course. A good looking, tall man
with long, dark hair. She’d noticed him the first time she saw him in the
briefing room back on Earth. He’d noticed her too, though he’d tried to keep it
together in front of his commanding officer. She remembered the first time they’d
made love in her apartment. She wasn’t the kind of girl who usually allowed
herself to form such an intimate connection with someone so quickly, but Chase
was different. She had felt it in her very soul.

The fact that mere hours before he had invited her
to pilot the first Earth-Alliance hybrid fighter to leave orbit and make a
hyperspace jump had definitely helped. That alone had counted for at least
twenty dates in her book. It had been the most exhilarating experience of her
life, so when he came to see her that night, she already felt as though every
single nerve was firing, aching for another adrenaline fix.

She remembered how gently his hands coursed her
naked body, how sweet and attentive he had been, how his tongue and lips softly
caressed every inch of her burning skin, making her tremble and vibrate with
pleasure.

A piercing scream ripped the fantasy apart.

Sarah felt like her skin was being ripped apart from
the inside out. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her contorted face. She was
still floating in the air, but her back was arched at an impossible angle, as
though some invisible hook was pulling her spine to the ceiling, leaving her
limbs to dangle towards the ground. As she was rotated to face the fiend, she
could see that his mouth was moving. He was clearly exasperated, demanding that
she give him some kind of information. She quickly closed her eyes again,
willing herself back to her beautiful memory of the wedding that might have
been. That could still be.

That will be
, she thought as her
lips curled into a wistful smile.

All at once, she was back in the dream. The wedding
would be magnificent, though she was slightly disappointed to miss an
opportunity to be the first Earthling to actually marry on an alien world. She
had thought about it, but the circumstances made it more logical to marry on
Earth at the time. Chase was such a sweet man, she couldn’t really know for
sure if he had been disappointed or not. He had suggested that they use some
flowers from his native planet to add a breathtaking alien touch to the hall,
and she had loved the idea. The aisle and altar were both magnificently lit
with star lilies, each pulsating a luminous white light into the cathedral,
adding what looked like a living, breathing energy.

“I have to say, I’m impressed by your tolerance,”
her torturer taunted. “Most people would have given up by now, or at least lost
consciousness. But you? You continue to surprise.”

A sudden burning pain in the side of her body showed
her how impressed he was with this little revelation. She gritted her teeth and
forcibly tuned him out, returning to the dream.

When she rounded the corner and proceeded down the
aisle, the entire church stood up with a gasp. She and Chase met eyes
immediately. He looked as happy as she had ever seen him, a radiant smile
erasing every trace of his usually shy demeanor. The lace of her gown whispered
across the smooth marble, and, a second later, she was by his side. They locked
eyes for another moment before Chase suddenly winked. Then the ceremony began.

A sharp pain in her belly made her open her eyes for
a split second, just long enough to catch a glimpse of her imaginary groom’s
brother smirking at her, his hands dripping with her blood. Even though she
closed her eyes as fast as she could, she could still hear him laughing in the
distance as she returned to the cathedral.

“Are you alright, my love?” Chase whispered
questioningly.

“Yes, I’m good,” she panted. “Don’t worry, just
some… cramps.”

The minister began to talk about the beauty of marriage,
the value of commitment. It all felt so perfect, so magical. She had to admit
that she had never imagined a big wedding. Most days, she never thought she’d
be getting married at all. While other girls spent their childhoods planning
out the big day, Sarah had dreamed about going to the stars instead. Flying
through the celestial heavens and exploring brand new worlds. But she realized,
as she held Chase’s hand tightly in her own, that in this moment, she was truly
happy. The longer she stood up by the altar, the happier she felt.

The minister took a step back as it was time for the
vows and rings. With a little smile, Chase stepped forward to go first.

“I promise to always look after you and love you for
as long as I shall live. I will always be there for you. I will always be kind
and patient, and give you strength and support when you need it the most. You
can always count on me, through thick and thin. I love you with all my heart
and soul. I pledge myself to you for the rest of our lives.”

Simple, yet beautiful
, she thought. It was
exactly what she would expect him to say.

As
his long, thin fingers slid the ring gently up her finger, she fought the urge
to forget the crowd and just kiss him. The cool metal made her feel safe,
somehow. Wanted.

It was her turn now. She looked at him with a smile
so broad that her face hurt, and, before she could stop it, a single tear ran
down her cheek. With a deep breath, she began to speak.

“You are my everything. My best friend, my teacher,
my role model, and my true north. I love you now, and vow to love you forever.
In sickness and in health, through sorrow and success, through times of
darkness and light, I shall forever enjoy your sight. I love you more than
anything in this world, and today you make me whole.”

She slipped the ring onto his finger as well, and
when she looked up his eyes were swimming with tears.

The minister stepped forward again with a smile. “If
anyone here sees a reason why these two should not be joined in matrimony,
speak now or forever hold your peace.”

There was perfect silence in the cathedral.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Sarah gave a silent gasp as another wave of pain
threatened to rip her from her body. It was greater than anything she’d felt
before. Like a sand storm beating against her raw nerves. She stared into
Chase’s peaceful eyes and held on with every ounce of strength she had.

She would not let go of this moment. Not
this
moment. She would hold on with everything she had.

Chase leaned towards her and she leapt into his arms,
pressing herself into him as their lips finally met in a kiss. It was as if
everything around them had melted away. It was just the two of them in their
own little perfect world. Alive and in love.

The crowd jumped to their feet in applause, but she
barely heard any of it. Even when she and Chase finally pulled away and started
marching down the aisle, the noise was nothing but a warm hum in the back of
her head.

She was with Chase now. She was
with
Chase.
Nothing could ever pull her away.

A huge smile spread across her face as she tossed
the bouquet over her shoulder to no one in particular. The happy faces of the
crowd swam before her eyes, and she and Chase walked hand in hand back through
the cathedral. They didn’t have time to stay and mingle. They had a fairytale
life to get to, after all.

But one face suddenly stood out above the rest. One
face… that shouldn’t be there at all.

She squinted and leaned forward for a better look,
but the next thing she knew, she was flying towards the ceiling with a scream.
It was as if someone had lassoed her around the stomach. One second she was
standing next to Chase, the next her hand was ripped from his as she flew
backwards up into the air.