Ral wasn’t even out of breath as they ran. “Have you damaged the other ships?”

“Yes,” the Zorn jogging beside them growled. “They won’t be able to follow us. Not for a long time.”

Panting hard, a pain in her side, Ariel started to slow down. Ral growled. He halted and spun, shoving the blanket and clothes at the other man as he released Ariel’s hand.

In an instant Ral grabbed Ariel by her middle. Her hips hit Ral’s shoulder hard. He spun around and started to run again as he held her tight against his body.

They ended up in an elevator. Ral stood there with the other Zorn man as the elevator jetted upward. Ariel pushed hair out of her face to stare at the Zorn man standing a few feet from her and Ral.

“The ship is full.” The Zorn touched his ear. Ariel saw a metal device clipped to the man’s ear. “They are securing the cargo doors. We’re ready. All are accounted for.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Ral snarled. “Do not wait for me to reach the command center.”

“Liftoff,” the Zorn ordered. “Argis Ral has ordered liftoff.”

The engines of the ship weren’t loud but Ariel still heard them as they vibrated to life. The elevator door opened as it stopped. Ral moved fast into the room. He bent over to deposit Ariel on her feet gently. He gripped her arm and spun her around.

Ariel stared wide eyed in astonishment at the large window. The room was some kind of control center. Five Zorn were at the controls. Ral moved to the large seat, tugging Ariel with him. He sat down, yanking her across his lap. He wrapped his arm around her waist securing her so she couldn’t move.

“Report,” Ral ordered.

“They triggered the alarm when the ship was started but we’ve overridden their systems.” The man behind them snarled. “The dome is retracting. Forty seconds to liftoff.”

Ral growled. “Faster, damn it.”

“We can only go so fast. The dome has started to open. They cannot reach the ship.

The pressure seals were broken when the dome started to open. They would be sucked out of the dock even if they could bypass their safety measures.”

Ral nodded. “What about their defenses?”

“They are destroyed.” The man sitting in a chair to their right laughed. “We blew them at once when you gave the order to lift off. Those blue bastards are busy right now dealing with the fires we set. We will be clear. They cannot stop us.”

Ral nodded. Ariel’s eyes flew to his. He didn’t glance at her. He looked grim as he gazed at the large window. “Until we are free and clear I will not feel too confident, Avi. Viz, have you accessed their charts? Do we know where we are and how to get home?”

“Yes, Argis Ral. We are three weeks from home at full capacity.”

Ral shut his eyes and smiled. “Home.” His eyes snapped open. “Time?”

“Ten seconds. We are ready. I will alert our people to hold on.”

Ral tucked Ariel tighter to his body. “Hold on, Ariel. This ship has strong engines and we are not easing out. We want to cause damage when we leave here. It will burn up their docking bay.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck to cling tighter to him. The engines of the ship vibrated harder as the ship shot forward into space. Her body was slammed into Ral’s. He held her tighter. She turned her head to look at the view as the ship flew into space.

“They have one weapon that didn’t blow,” a man snarled. “Evasive maneuvers.”

Ral growled. “Can we avoid being hit?”

The man laughed. “Not a problem. We are out of range in three, two, one, now.

We’re free.”

Ral laughed. He held Ariel in his arms as he stood up. He grinned at her. “We are free, my Ariel.”

Shock hit Ariel. She stared at Ral. He winked at her. “Open full ship communications.” He gently sat Ariel in the seat he’d vacated.

Emotionally Ariel was reeling from the shock. They’d escaped the Anzons. She hadn’t known they were even trying to escape. Ral hadn’t told her. That was what that meeting had been about last night. The Zorn hadn’t been excited about new prisoners.

They had been excited about a large ship being prepared so they could use it to escape.

Hurt washed over Ariel. Why hadn’t Ral told her? Hadn’t he trusted her?

“This is Argis Ral,” Ral snarled. “We are free. In three weeks we will be returning to our home. We will see Zorn again.”

The men threw back their heads in the room and howled loudly. Ariel started. Ral smiled widely at her. He ran his hand over his throat. The man to the left nodded.

“Communications are off, Argis Ral.”

Ral glanced at one of his men. “Any pursuit?”

“No, Argis Ral. We damaged them too well.”

Ral nodded. “Keep a sharp eye on it. I don’t want any surprises.”

“Yes, Argis Ral.”

Ral turned to stare at the large window facing space. He crossed his muscled arms over his chest. Satisfaction was the clear emotion displayed on his face.

Ariel swallowed. “Ral?”

He grinned at her as his arms dropped to his sides. “Yes?”

“Are you taking me home?”

He nodded. He moved toward her and crouched down in front of her. His hands gripped her face gently. “We are bound. You will be very welcome on my planet.”

“I meant Earth,” she whispered.

Ral’s smile died. “We are bound, Ariel. I don’t know where your world is or where to even look. I am sorry. My home is now your home.”

She nodded feeling a little numb. What else could she do? Ral smiled at her and released her as he stood up. He headed for one of the stations and spoke softly to his men.

Ariel sat in the chair he’d placed her in and just watched Ral. He was taking her to his planet. She wasn’t going to ever get back to Earth. Pain and anger filled her as she realized that his men had access to the Anzons Charts to find his world but he wasn’t even going to look for her planet. She shut her eyes and fought tears that burned behind her eyelids.

She finally opened her eyes and stared out into space when she had her emotions under control. She turned her head sometimes to watch Ral. He looked excited as he moved around the room from station to station. He finally walked toward her and held out his hand. Hours had passed.

“We are not being pursued. They don’t have anything faster than our ship and we have been watching for them. We made a perfect escape. I have memorized the floor plan of the ship. We are going to the leader’s sleeping quarters.”

“All right.” She let him pull her up to her feet.

Ral retrieved his blanket-wrapped clothing by the door. They left the command center and walked down a hallway. Ral stopped by a door and opened it. It wasn’t locked. Ral stepped in first and dropped his clothes. The lights automatically came on.

Ariel eyed the large room.

“Nice.” The room was huge and looked fitted with every comfort the Anzons had to offer.

“They put us in rock rooms with thick mats.” Ral looked pissed off. “Yet they lived in luxury.”

Ariel looked at the room again. It had a living room area with comfortable chairs and then there was a bedroom area with a large bed. One wall was a window of space.

It was beautiful. When they lay down in the bed they would face the view of space, staring out at it, she knew it would be an experience. Ral reached for her, pulling her into his arms.

“You will love Zorn.”

She locked eyes with Ral. “You could find Earth if you wanted to.”

“I can’t let you return to Earth.”

“I don’t understand.”

He held her tighter. “I could find your planet, but I can’t let go of you now, Ariel. I am in love with you. You are everything to me. We are bound.”

“What does that mean? Bound?”

“It means I have taken you as mine until death. It means we are together until death. I have committed my life to yours.”

“You mean we’re married?”

“Married?”

“That means committed to each other until death.”