Page 4 of Redeeming Captivity (Human Pets of Talin #7)

Chapter 4

Tarquin

Unlike the nap she’d taken before the evening meal, Lena’s nighttime sleep wasn’t progressing restfully. Tarquin pretended to go to sleep so she’d lie down and succumb to the rest she so obviously needed. She’d fallen asleep almost immediately but started thrashing around soon after.

Unsure what to do, Tarquin slid from his bed and knelt next to her nest. He didn’t want to cause her panic by touching, but he couldn’t stand to see her continue like this.

“ No! ”

The single whimpered word broke his heart.

“Lena,” he said, leaning his head over the nest. “Brave Lena, I need you to wake up.”

Her movement stopped for a few micromarks, then she started begging. “Don’t, please! No!”

“Whoever is hurting you isn’t here,” he said. “What you think is happening isn’t real. You’re having what humans call a nightmare. It’s like a memory episode but you're asleep. If you wake up, you'll be able to look around and see that you’re secure.” His words didn’t wake her.

“I’m sorry! Please don’t!”

He tried again. “Brave Lena, open your eyes for me. It’s Tarquin and I need you.”

This time it helped. She stopped thrashing and slowly lifted her lids. He’d left one light on so she could find her way to the elimination unit if she needed it but turned the rest off. That single light was enough for him to make out her features clearly, but she could probably only see his outline. He sat back on his heels to give her space as she transitioned from her nightmare to reality and hopefully put more light on his face so she’d recognize him.

He left one of his hands on a pillow that marked the boundary of her nest, ready to help if she needed to be carried to the elimination room. He’d read somewhere that sometimes humans had to vomit after strong emotional experiences like nightmares.

Her eyes found his. For the first time since meeting, she held his gaze. She was blinking rapidly and her lips were trembling slightly. She was trying hard to maintain her stoicism.

He was close enough that when she tentatively reached out, she could place her hand on his. This was another first, a voluntary touch. Her fingers felt impossibly small as they wrapped around his upper thumb. A tremor went through her hand even as she gripped his digit with surprising strength.

“I’m honored you feel confident enough to touch me,” he said without breaking eye contact.

They stayed like that for a full submark, her hand wrapped around his upper thumb and their eyes locked together. It was clear she was working hard to clear away the last of the nightmare.

He had an idea. “I could lay next to your nest for the night if that will help you sleep.”

When he said the word sleep, a violent tremor went through her. No, she wasn’t ready to try going back to bed yet. Maybe a distraction would help.

“Would you like to go outside and look at the moons?” he asked. “This place has five of them and they might all be visible at this hour.”

She slid her eyes to the door then back to him, as if gauging his offer.

“We can stay outside for as long as you like. You know I don’t need as much rest as you do. I can spend the rest of the night with you, pointing out anything interesting I notice.”

That seemed to make up her mind. When she stood up, he assumed she was accepting his offer. He rose to his feet, careful to move slowly so she didn’t have to strain to keep her hold on his thumb. She didn’t look overly steady when she stepped out of the nest. He wanted to pick her up and carry her but knew not to. He could tell further touching wouldn’t be welcome right now, and he didn’t want to disrupt the progress they were making.

She had to be the one to initiate.

At least she had a good hold of his thumb so when she stumbled a little she didn’t fall. He ordered the door open when they reached it, and no sooner did they step outside than she visibly calmed down. The grip on his thumb didn’t relax, but her body stopped trembling and her steps were steadier.

He walked them to a nearby flat-topped boulder thinking she could use it as a perch to sit on. He didn’t want to walk far because she wasn’t wearing shoes. Her soft human feet could handle the short dirt path to the boulder, but any further would put her at risk.

As if reading his intentions, she climbed up but didn’t let go of his thumb. Instead she tugged at his digit, urging him to climb on with her. There was just enough room for both of them to sit down, but she had to press her body against his.

She pulled a deep breath into her lungs and looked up into the night sky, her lips relaxing into an almost smile. As it had become his habit around her, he started talking.

“The red moon is called Yal,” he said, pointing unnecessarily to the only red moon. “It has an incredibly problematic surface. The red color is made up of sharp microparticles that cut into anything they touch that isn’t hardened metal. Although, given some time, even hardened metal succumbs to them. We haven’t found a way to put anything on that moon because of it.”

To his surprise she made a humming sound, as if encouraging him to continue talking. Was she listening to his words or was it that she didn’t like silence?

“In the past, the occasional asteroid would hit Yal and send a chunk off into space. Because the microparticles are so harmful, we set up a small squad of surveillance drones to keep it from getting hit. We don’t need any of that moon landing here or impacting one of our satellites.”

Her fingers uncurled from his thumb and started stroking his hand. It was hard to keep thinking while she was petting him.

“The yellow moon is H-H-Huv.” He wasn’t surprised at his stutter. Her soft fingers running up and down his hand seemed to be affecting him in interesting ways. “There’s a large comms array set up on that moon. Although it could be run entirely remotely, there’s just enough of Yal’s red microparticles on Huv to cause issues. A habitat had to be built to accommodate people to monitor and service the array.”

He told her everything he knew about each moon. He was explaining the strange orbit of the fourth moon when her hand stopped moving on his. Trying to be subtle, he dropped his gaze. Her lids were low and her mouth slightly open. As he continued to talk, her body relaxed against his.

When she started to slide down, he wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from tumbling off the rock. He felt a little trapped. He wanted to draw her onto his lap where she’d be more secure, but he didn’t want to take liberties.

She solved the issue for him by coming half awake, climbing into his lap, curling up against him, and going back to sleep.

“This was unexpected,” he murmured. “But not unwelcome at all. I’m going to finish telling you about the moons, then I’m going to carry you back to your nest. Never fear. If your sleep is troubled again, we can come back out here. We’ll do this as many times as you need.”

She made a humming noise but didn’t move or shift. He took that as agreement.

“The fifth moon has several interesting…”

Lena

She was back in her cell and no one would come to her calls. She was trapped, alone, cold, and hungry.

“I’m here! I exist!” she screamed, uncaring that she’d be punished for being loud. She couldn’t stand to be alone in this almost empty space for even another second. “I’m a sentient being!”

“Brave Lena, you’re not alone,” a familiar voice said.

She looked around wildly, trying to find the owner of the voice. “I’ll be good. I’ll be obedient. I won’t ask for anything else, just let me go outside.”

“You’re very good,” the voice assured her. “I’m going to take you outside now.”

Tarquin? Was this voice someone named Tarquin? Why was she having such a hard time thinking? It felt like her skull was full of mush instead of brain cells. A strange sensation of floating made her flail.

“Don’t move around, please,” Tarquin said, his voice never shifting from a gentle register.

She didn’t think Tarquin would punish her, but suddenly her eyes weren’t working any longer.

“I can’t see!” She didn’t mean to scream those words but they came out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“Open your eyes,” Tarquin requested. “You’re trapped in a place between nightmare and waking. Lift your lids and look up into the sky. The third moon is still visible.”

Her eyes were closed?

She ordered them open to find that she was exactly where Tarquin had said. Above her was a massive moon illuminating the world around them brightly enough to cast soft shadows. A light breeze ruffled the hem of her old, threadbare wrap. The cold air felt good, but it made her shiver.

“The temperature drop on this planet is stark at night,” Tarquin commented, turning to walk back into the room.

She wanted to beg him to remain outside but only went as far as touching his chest with her hand. The words wouldn’t get past her head, but Tarquin seemed to understand.

“I’m uncomfortable allowing you to be exposed to such cold temperatures,” Tarquin said even though he stopped short of stepping back into the room. “Can we compromise by leaving the door open? I could adjust the room's climate control to remain active even with the door ajar. But you need to stay in your nest. Is that acceptable?”

She patted his chest in agreement to his compromise. A wide open door would make being inside tolerable. The moon was shining into the room far enough to illuminate half the nest. Tarquin interpreted her pat correctly and crossed to the nest. Kneeling down, he set her in the soft bed, but she wasn’t ready for him to leave her. When he tried to withdraw, she grabbed his lower thumb again.

Then she realized what she’d done; she’d touched a Talin without permission! She let go as if his skin burned her, ducked her head down, and scooted back. Instinct made her brace for a blow, but none came. Instead, purring filled the air.

“Easy, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s good you want me to stay close.”

She couldn’t make herself look up, but her panic eased. It helped that he didn’t stop purring as he spoke.

“I’ll adjust the room’s temperature settings and come right back,” he explained.

She didn’t respond. He stood and hurried to the display next to the door. It didn’t take long and soon he was back, kneeling next to the nest. He set a hand on one of the pillows that made up the outer ring of her nest. He never stopped purring.

“I can stay right here. I’m ready to carry you outside again if you need open space. We can do this all night.”

Between his purring and continued gentleness, she found the courage to take hold of his two middle fingers and tug. She wanted him in the nest next to her, like they'd been on the boulder outside.

At some point he’d become her safety, even if he was Talin.

“Are you sure you want me in your personal space?” he asked, resisting her tugs. She lifted her gaze. It felt strange to be the one giving permission. She was a pet and he was her owner, at least for now. He had the power to simply do whatever he wanted to her, and yet he sought her reassurance.

It made her want him in the nest with her even more. She tugged again and he flowed into the nest with a level of grace someone his size shouldn’t have. He was big, even for a Talin. He moved with the same confidence as all the other Talins she’d ever met. They were a commanding species and members of a large, powerful empire. Except he didn’t only walk with confidence, he also had a quiet, watchful countenance. Even when she first met him in Jafinium’s office, he seemed to be noticing far more than any other Talin she’d met.

He sat next to her with his left side pressing against her right. “Do you want to lean against me to sleep?” he asked.

Feeling bold, she let go of his fingers and pressed a hand against his chest, encouraging him to lie down. He lay back, still purring.

Gripping his fingers again, she curled up against his side. Only her forehead and knees were touching him, but she tucked his hand against her chest. It was probably an awkward position for him, but he didn’t voice any complaints. What she really wanted was to crawl on his chest, but she didn’t have the courage.

She closed her eyes, his purring lulling her back into slumber.

Trapped.

She couldn’t get out of her cage and no one was going to check on her. She’d already been forced to urinate in a corner. Now it was the second day and she was desperately thirsty. How long could a human go without water before they died?

The first time she was left for over a day without a single person letting her out or bringing her sustenance, she’d thought something had happened. The base was under attack or there was an emergency.

There’s been nothing wrong.

She soon learned that this was the way she was going to be treated. If she got fed, it was only once a day. If she was let out to use the facilities, it was only two or three times a day at most. Sometimes they forgot all about her.

If she screamed, she’d be punished, but at least she wouldn’t die. She hated having to scream. Hated the choices she was forced to make.

“Please!” she called out. “I’m here!”

“Open your eyes,” Tarquin said. “Brave Lena, leave your dreams and look at the real world around you.”

Her cage disappeared and she opened her eyes to find herself outside, cradled in Tarquin’s arms. The night sky was moonless now, but that allowed all the far away stars to shine through in the darkness.

It was beautiful.

Tears built in her eyes as Tarquin walked to the same boulder they’d sat on before. It was incredibly cold now, telling her it was probably close to dawn. But she only felt the cold on her feet; the rest of her felt warm and sheltered by Tarquin’s body.

The moment he settled them on the boulder he tucked her in close against his body so even her feet were cozy and warm.

“We can’t stay out for long,” he warned her.

The tears she’d been trying to hold back started falling. It wasn’t because of the nightmare, but because Tarquin was doing as he promised, even though it was extra effort and didn’t get him any reward. His actions only benefited her.

It’d been a long time since that happened.

She sniffed, trying to hold them back. Talins tended to misunderstand human tears, and the last thing she wanted was for Tarquin to call the healer.

“I know water leaks out of human eyes for many reasons,” Tarquin murmured as he purred. “I don’t think you’re in physical pain, so perhaps it’s mental pain that’s causing this. I was told it can be cathartic for humans to expel water this way. If you need to, you can cover me in your eye-water, Lena.”

His words broke the damn. She thought she’d cried enough back in the cleansing unit, but she was wrong. She’d tried to be quiet before; this time she let her pain out. She pressed her face against the hard keratin plates of Tarquin’s chest and sobbed. This wasn’t polite weeping like her sister could do. No, these were great big bawling sobs that wracked her body.

Once she let go, they wouldn’t stop. She’d been holding in her pain for so long that she couldn’t shut the box now that she’d opened it. Tarquin never stopped purring or telling her that she was brave and safe.

When the tears finally dried up, she felt drained and calm. She didn’t mind that Tarquin stood up and carried her back into the room. There was no fear or anxiety as they entered. She was asleep even before Tarquin finished settling them back into the nest. This time sleep came to her with peaceful childhood memories. There were no more nightmares that night.