always。
Thanks for that。Her voice was faint。 I couldn’t tell if she meant for my words now； or if she meant the
bigger picture； bringing her here。
I was suddenly exhausted； and I could feel that she was； too。 Now that my stomach had settled a bit and
felt almost halfway full； the rest of my pains were not sharp enough to keep me awake。 I hesitated before
moving； afraid to make any noise； but my body wanted to uncurl and stretch out。 I did so as silently as I
could； trying to find a piece of the bubble long enough for me。 Finally； I had to stick my feet almost out
the round opening。 I didn’t like doing it； worried that Jared would hear the movement close to him and
think I was trying to escape； but he didn’t react in any way。 I pillowed the good side of my face against
my arm； tried to ignore the way the curve of the floor cramped my spine； and closed my eyes。
I think I slept； but if I did； it wasn’t deeply。 The sound of footsteps was still very far away when I came
fully awake。
This time I opened my eyes at once。 Nothing had changed—I still could see the dull blue light through
the round hole； I still could not see if Jared was outside it。 Someone was ing this way—it was easy to
hear that the footsteps were ing closer。 I pulled my legs away from the opening； moving as quietly as
I could； and curled up against the back wall again。 I would have liked to be able to stand； it would have
made me feel less vulnerable； more prepared to face whatever was ing。 The low ceiling of the cave
bubble would barely have allowed me to kneel。
There was a flash of movement outside my prison。 I saw part of Jared’s foot as he rose silently to his
feet。
“Ah。 Here you are；” a man said。 The words were so loud after all the empty silence that I jumped。 I
recognized the voice。 One of the brothers I’d seen in the desert—the one with the machete； Kyle。
Jared didn’t speak。
“We’re not going to allow this； Jared。” It was a different speaker； a more reasonable voice。 Probably
the younger brother； Ian。 The brothers’ voices were very similar—or they would have been； if Kyle
weren’t always half shouting； his tone always twisted with anger。 “We’ve all lost somebody—hell； we’ve
all lost everybody。 But this is ridiculous。”
“If you won’t let Doc have it； then it’s got to die；” Kyle added； his voice a growl。
“You can’t keep it prisoner here；” Ian continued。 “Eventually； it will escape and we’ll all be exposed。”
My heart pumped hard and fast as I understood what the brothers were saying。 Jared had won。 I was
not to be tortured。 I was not to be killed—not immediately； anyway。 Jared was keeping me prisoner。
It seemed a beautiful word under the circumstances。
I told you he would protect us。
“Don’t make this difficult； Jared；” said a new male voice I didn’t recognize。 “It has to be done。”
Jared said nothing。
“We don’t want to hurt you； Jared。 We’re all brothers here。 But we will if you make us。” There was no
bluff in Kyle’s tone。 “Move aside。”
Jared stood rock still。
My heart started thumping faster than before； jerking against my ribs so hard that the hammering
disrupted the rhythm of my lungs； made it difficult to breathe。 Melanie was incapacitated with fear； unable
to think in coherent words。
They were going to hurt him。 Those lunatic humans were going to attack one of their own。
“Jared… please；” Ian said。
Jared didn’t answer。
A heavy footfall—a lunge—and the sound of something heavy hitting something solid。 A gasp； a choking
gurgle —
“No！” I cried； and launched myself through the round hole。
CHAPTER 16
Assigned
The ledge of the rock exit was worn down； but it scraped my palms and shins as I scrambled through it。
It hurt； stiff as I was； to wrench myself erect； and my breath caught。 My head swam as the blood flowed
downward。
I looked for only one thing—where Jared was； so that I could put myself between him and his attackers。
They all stood frozen in place； staring at me。 Jared had his back to the wall； his hands balled into fists
and held low。 In front of him； Kyle was hunched over； clutching his stomach。 Ian and a stranger flanked
him a few feet back； their mouths open with shock。 I took advantage of their surprise。 In two long； shaky
strides； I moved between Kyle and Jared。
Kyle was the first to react。 I was less than a foot from him； and his primary instinct was to shove me
away。 His hand struck my shoulder and heaved me toward the floor。 Before I could fall； something
As soon as he realized what he’d done； Jared dropped my wrist like my skin was oozing acid。
“Get back in there；” he roared at me。 He shoved my shoulder； too； but it wasn’t as hard as Kyle’s push。
It sent me staggering two feet back toward the hole in the wall。
The hole was a black circle in the narrow hallway。 Outside the small prison； the bigger cave looked just
the same； only longer and taller； a tube rather than a bubble。 A small lamp—powered by what； I couldn’t
guess—lit the hallway dimly from the ground。 It cast strange shadows on the features of the men； turning
them into scowling monster faces。
I took a step toward them again； turning my back to Jared。
“I’m what you want；” I said directly to Kyle。 “Leave him alone。”
No one said anything for a long second。
“Tricky bugger；” Ian finally muttered； eyes wide with horror。
“I said get back in there；” Jared hissed behind me。
I turned halfway； not wanting Kyle out of my sight。 “It’s not your duty to protect me at your own
expense。”
Jared grimaced； one hand rising to push me back toward the cell again。
I skipped out of the way； the motion moved me toward the ones who wanted to kill me。
Ian grabbed my arms and pinned them behind me。 I struggled instinctively； but he was very strong。 He
bent my joints too far back and I gasped。
“Get your hands off her！” Jared shouted； charging。
Kyle caught him and spun him around into a wrestling hold； forcing his neck forward。 The other man
grabbed one of Jared’s thrashing arms。
“Don’t hurt him！” I screeched。 I strained against the hands that imprisoned me。
Jared’s free elbow rammed into Kyle’s stomach。 Kyle gasped and lost his grip。 Jared twisted away from
his attackers and then lunged back； his fist connecting with Kyle’s nose。 Dark red blood spattered the
wall and the lamp。
“Finish it； Ian！” Kyle yelled。 He put his head down and hurtled into Jared； throwing him into the other
man。
“No！” Jared and I cried at the same moment。
Ian dropped my arms； and his hands wrapped around my throat； choking off my air。 I clawed at his
hands with my useless； stubby nails。 He gripped me tighter； dragging my feet off the floor。
Click； click。
I’d only heard the sound once before； but I recognized it。 So did everyone else。 They all froze； Ian with
his hands locked hard on my neck。
“Kyle； Ian； Brandt—back off！” Jeb barked。
No one moved—just my hands； still clawing； and my feet； twitching in the air。
Jared suddenly darted under Kyle’s motionless arm and sprang at me。 I saw his fist flying toward my
face； and closed my eyes。
A loudthwack sounded inches behind my head。 Ian howled； and I dropped to the floor。 I crumpled
there at his feet； gasping。 Jared retreated after an angry glance in my direction and went to stand at Jeb’s
elbow。
“You’re guests here； boys； and don’t forget it；” Jeb growled。 “I told you not to go looking for the girl。
She’s my guest； too； for the moment； and I don’t take kindly to any of my guests killing any of the
others。”
“Jeb；” Ian moaned above me； his voice muffled by the hand held to his mouth。 “Jeb。 This is insane。”
“What’s your plan？” Kyle demanded。 His face was smeared with blood； a violent； macabre sight。 But
there was no evidence of pain in his voice； only controlled and simmering anger。 “We have a right to
know。 We have to decide whether this place is safe or if it’s time to move on。 So… how long will you
keep this thing as your pet？ What will you do with it when you’re finished playing God？ All of us deserve
to know the answers to these questions。”
Kyle’s extraordinary words echoed behind the pulse thudding in my head。 Keep me as a pet？ Jeb had
called me hisguest 。… Was that another word for prisoner？ Was it possible thattwo humans existed that
did not demand either my death or my torture…wrung confession？ If so； it was nothing less than a miracle。
“Don’t have your answers； Kyle；” Jeb said。 “It’s not up to me。”
I doubted any other response Jeb could have given would have confused them more。 All four men；
Kyle； Ian； the one I didn’t know； and even Jared； stared at him with shock。 I still crouched gasping at
Ian’s feet； wishing there was some way I could climb back into my hole unnoticed。
“Not up to you？” Kyle finally echoed； still disbelieving。 “Who； then？ If you’re thinking of putting it to a
vote； that’s already been done。 Ian； Brandt； and I are the duly designated appointees of the result。”
Jeb shook his head—a tight movement that never took his eyes off the man in front of him。 “It’s not up
for a vote。 This is still my house。”
“Who； then？”Kyle shouted。
Jeb’s eyes finally flickered—to another face and then back to Kyle。 “It’s Jared’s decision。”
He gaped at Jeb； just as astonished as the rest； and then his teeth ground together with an audible sound。
He threw a glare of pure hate in my direction。
“Jared？” Kyle asked； facing Jeb again。 “That makes no sense！” He was not in control of himself now；
almost spluttering in rage。 “He’s more biased than anyone else！ Why？ How can he be rational about
this？”
“Jeb； I don’t…” Jared muttered。
“She’s your responsibility； Jared；” Jeb said in a firm voice。 “I’ll help you out； of course； if there’s any
more trouble like this； and with keeping track of her and all that。 But when it es to making decisions；
that’s all yours。” He raised one hand when Kyle tried to protest again。 “Look at it this way； Kyle。 If
somebody found your Jodi on a raid and brought her back here； would you want me or Doc or a vote
deciding what we did with her？”
“Jodi is dead；” Kyle hissed； blood spraying off his lips。 He glared at me with much the same expression
Jared had just used。
“Well； if her body wandered in here； it would still be up to you。 Would you want it any other way？”
“The majority —”
“My house； my rules；” Jeb interrupted harshly。 “No more discussion on this。 No more votes。 No more
execution attempts。 You three spread the word—this is how it works from now on。 New rule。”
“Anotherone？” Ian muttered under his breath。
Jeb ignored him。 “If； unlikely as it may be； somehow this ever happens again； whoever the body belongs
to makes the call。” Jeb poked the barrel of the gun toward Kyle； then jerked it a few inches toward the
hall behind him。 “Get out of here。 I don’t want to see you anywhere around this place again。 You let
everyone know that this corridor is off…limits。 No on