by S. E. Smith
He could tell she was not a Valdier. Her scent was wrong but it was also right. He had never had such a powerful reaction to any of the females on his planet, or any other, for that matter.
He heard her set something on the table next to him before the bed sank down slightly from her weight. He bit back a groan as he felt her soft fingers slide through his hair and down along his face caressing him.
“Come on, fly boy. Don’t you want to wake up? It’s such a beautiful day outside. I need to go into town today and I don’t like leaving you alone when you are so defenseless.” Abby enjoyed running her fingers through his long hair and along his jaw.
Suddenly, strong tan fingers wrapped around her fragile wrist and she was jerked over his body until she was laying on her back under a huge chest. Abby let out a squeal as she was flipped over the long, hard body of the male who moments ago had been totally still and unresponsive. She laid still, staring up into dark gold eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up into the strong, fierce face of a man who could snap her neck between his fingers if he felt like it.
Zoran stared down into the face of the female laying beneath him. She was stunningly beautiful. Her eyes were a dark blue with little flakes of black in them. She lay perfectly still beneath him as he studied her. Her eyes were wide but they did not hold any fear. It was like she was waiting for him to make up his mind what needed to be done next. He held one of her slim wrists in his large hand while her other hand was pressed against his bare chest. He felt her fingers move, spreading out so they wove in the dark hairs covering his chest. He shivered as he felt her short nails scrape him lightly. His body tightened with need. He wanted her. It wasn’t until he bent to kiss her wrist that he noticed the gold symbiosis wrapped tightly around it. His gaze jerked down to her throat where her pulse beat a fast tempo. A spec of gold showed from her throat, as well as, from her ears and her other wrist. How was it possible? She was not of their species but his symbiosis had claimed her.
Jerking up into a sitting position, Zoran gripped the shirt covering the female and jerked it down ripping the buttons off. Abby cried out, startled, and tried to pull away. Zoran pulled her roughly to his chest pinning her to him as his hand moved to her throat and his symbiosis. He buried his nose in her throat, listening to her heart beat frantically as his fingers gently touch his symbiosis. He communicated with it making sure the female had not harmed it. If she had, he would break her neck. The warmth that flooded him took his breath away. Not only had the female cared for him but she also cared for the mother symbiosis which was his ship. Zoran saw flashes of her stroking and reassuring his symbiosis that it was safe and she was going to take care of him. He saw the way she struggled to bring him back to her home, how she bathed him, fed him, and held him at night talking to him softly. He felt a wave of desire so intense, he wanted to take her right then and there, claiming her as his; because, whether she realized it or not, she was his. His symbiosis recognized his true mate right away and his body recognized her as soon as he awoke.
Abby waited fearfully to see what the man was going to do. She knew he could snap her neck in a heartbeat if he wanted too. When he tore her shirt open, she feared he would do worse. She would not let him or any other man rape her without a fight. As the minutes passed and he did nothing, she began to relax. She could feel him running his finger over the gold at her neck and figured he must have reacted to seeing it, other than a desire to take her body. She had to admit she was a little disappointed. She had been fighting lustful thoughts ever since she found him.
“If you are going to kill me than please get it over with; otherwise, can you let me up as your brunch is getting cold?” Abby said calmly.
Zoran looked down into Abby’s eyes again before he seemed to realize he still held her tightly against him. Reluctantly, he released her, setting her up into a sitting position.
Abby smiled gently while trying to hold her blouse together. She blushed when she saw his eyes follow her movement and she felt her nipples swell in response. She turned even redder when she saw the desire come into his eyes, as if he knew her response to him.
Scooting to the side of the bed away from him, Abby stood up. “Do you understand me?”
Zoran watched carefully as the female moved hesitantly around the end of the bed. He knew she wanted to escape but he had no desire to let her leave his sight. “Zi.” Yes.
Abby frowned. He seemed to understand her but she didn’t understand what he was saying. “Zi. Is that yes?”
“Zi.” Zoran said with a frown. Didn’t her translator work?
Abby sighed as she moved towards the door. “I need to put on a new shirt. I’ll be back in a minute.” Abby whirled around to leave, only to find herself caught up against a broad chest; a very broad, naked chest and something suspiciously long poking her in the back.
“Oh, dear.” Abby whispered, closing her eyes as she felt the arms tighten around her. “I…I promise, if you let me go I’m just going in the next room to get another shirt. I…I’ll be right back.”
Zoran bent his head to run his lips along the female’s neck. He could feel her heart fluttering as she tried to hold herself still. He let one of his hands move until it pressed between her breasts over her heart.
“Please don’t hurt me.” Abby whispered hoarsely.
Zoran frowned when he heard her softly spoken words. She was frightened by him. He felt her body begin to shake. He did not mean to frighten her. He just wanted to prevent her from leaving his sight. The symbiosis moved around the female’s neck to wind around his wrist. He felt a slight shock, as if it was warning him to be careful. He jerked his hand back, staring in shock. Never had his symbiosis behaved this protectively against him.
Abby felt his hand move away from her and jerked away, turning and holding her hand out to stop the man from advancing on her. It wasn’t until then she realized he was standing completely nude in front of her. Not only was he nude but he had a very impressive hard-on. Abby blushed a bright red, her eyes widening as she jerked her gaze up to the man’s face.
“Oh dear.” Abby said putting a hand over her eyes as she tried to back up. She felt behind her until she felt the doorframe and moved in jerky steps until she was clear and could run for her bedroom.
Zoran watched as the female in front of him jerked away, her eyes widening as she took in his state of undress and her face flushed a bright pink. She looked adorable with her wide blue eyes and lush rounded lips. Just as quickly, she covered her eyes with one hand while feeling her way out the door with the other. Zoran did not understand why she felt the need to cover her eyes. His people were quite comfortable with their bodies and the females often walked around without clothing while inside. He felt a soft chuckle escape as he became aware the female was totally unaware that when she covered her eyes and felt for the doorway, she left her torn shirt open for him to observe her body. Her full breasts were covered by a thin lacy cloth that he found very arousing as it pushed her breasts up and only a hint of her colorful nipples were visible. She had a full figure with a small waist and hips made for grabbing. He felt himself growing harder as she moved away from him. He took a step towards her, watching as she twirled around and disappeared behind a closed door next to the room he was in.
Zoran moved into what looked like a living area of the female’s house. Another creature lay on a rug chewing on a bone of some type. It was small compared to most of the creatures he was familiar with and had golden fur all over it. It wagged its tail as it looked at him with large brown eyes. A round green ball lay next to it. The home was small but was very comfortable with simple furnishings. He waited until the door opened to the room next to him and watched as the female came out of it wearing another shirt, this one with no opening on the front. She was pulling her hair out from the back when she stopped suddenly looking at him.
“You…” Abby gulped. “You need to get some clothes on. You can’t walk around nude.”
Zoran r
aised an eyebrow at the sound of command in the female’s voice. She did not like him walking around without clothing on? He looked down. He was not bad to look at. Many females would give much to be in his home and in his bed. Why did the female not like him unclothed? Was he so different from the males of her species? He felt a burst of jealousy at the thought of the female with another male. She was his. He glared at her.
“Come on. I’ll show you where the shower is and you can get cleaned up and dressed. I’ll fix you something a little more filling than the broth.” Abby moved nervously around the man standing in her living room. God, she had never seen a more handsome male. Why did he have to be from so far away?
Zoran followed Abby into the bathroom. He listened as she explained how the shower worked, how the toilet worked, and where the towels were. She had some sweat pants out that belonged to her grandfather and a T-shirt. She figured they would be a little short and big on him but at least he would be covered. She said she ordered him some clothes and they should be in. She would go to town later to pick them up. She had them shipped ‘overnight’, whatever that meant. She never looked at him directly as she explained everything and tried to keep as much room as she could between them in the small space. When she was done, she quickly turned, closing the door after her saying she would be in the kitchen fixing lunch.
Zoran let a bemused smile cross his face. The female moved around much like the small flying creatures in the forest, moving from one flower to another, never staying still long enough to be caught. She aroused him with her sweet smell and the nervous glance in her dark blue eyes. He wondered if they would change colors when he made love to her. Turning on the shower, he closed his eyes as the warm water poured over his sore muscles. He connected with his symbiosis asking it to replay her bathing him. He could almost feel her hands gently washing his battered body. When it replayed her washing his long length, he felt his manhood flood with desire. Gripping the long length in his hand, he began pumping it, imagining her hands wrapped around him. He let out a loud groan as he felt himself swell before he crested, spurting his hot seed in the shower. He braced an arm against the side while he gently stroked his cock. He shuddered feeling some relief but he wanted the female- badly.
Stepping out of the shower, he stared at his image in the reflective glass. He was nearly healed of the cuts and bruises. His ribs were still sore but he could feel they no longer rubbed where they had been broken. His face turned dark as he thought of the revenge he would seek against the men who captured him. He would kill them all. They did not learn anything from him; but, he knew if he did not make an example of them, others would try to gain knowledge about his people from others of his kind. It was his duty to protect his people. He sent out a command to his symbiosis ship to let it know he was safe. He asked if it received word from his brothers yet. With a nod, he smiled. Soon, he would be returning home.
Chapter 5
Abby was just setting the table when her strange guest appeared. She let out a sigh of relief when she noticed he was dressed. The clothes hung on him and the pants were more like long shorts than pants but at least he was covered.
Abby smiled and motioned for him to sit down at the table. “I hope you don’t mind something simple. I don’t have any meat in the house. I’m a vegetarian. I made you one of my special veggie burgers with some chips. Would you like ice tea, it’s unsweet but I have sugar if you want sweet tea, milk, water, or coffee?”
Zoran frowned as he listened. He understood part of what she said. He wondered how she could not have meat in her home. Was she to poor or did not have a man to hunt for her? He watched as she stood looking at him with wide, nervous eyes. His eyes were drawn to her lips. She was biting her lower lip as she stared at him. He moved slowly towards the table and sat hiding a smile when she suddenly let out her breath.
“I would like what you drink.” Zoran replied, waiting for the female to respond.
When she frowned at him again, he felt a flash of frustration. He was able to understand her perfectly but she seemed to not understand him. He pointed to the glass in front of her and then to his. Understanding lit up her face as she smiled at him showing off a set of dimples in each cheek that had Zoran groaning as her face transformed. She was breathtaking when she smiled. Her eyes lit with an enter light and she seemed to glow. Reaching over, Abby poured ice tea into his glass.
“It really is very good.” Abby said hesitantly nodding to the sandwich on his plate. “I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Abigail Tanner but everyone calls me Abby. This is my home.” Nodding towards Bo who was sound asleep on the rug, she added. “That is Bo. He is the one who found you. He is visiting me for a few days while a friend of mine is visiting her family.”
Zoran watched as Abby spoke softly. He liked the sound of her voice. It was soft and husky and made him think of wild things and warm sheets.
“I am called Zoran.” Zoran said pointing to himself before he picked up the sandwich. He took a sniff of it before taking a bite. His eyes widened as he tasted the blend of spices. It was unlike anything he had ever eaten before, but was very good. He took another bite nodding his head as he chewed.
Abby smiled again. “Zoran. Welcome to my home.” Abby said softly.
They spent the next hour trying to communicate. Abby was puzzled how Zoran could understand everything she was saying but she couldn’t understand him. When she asked about it
he pointed to his ears and said a word. Abby finally figured out it was some type of device that translated what she was saying. When she pointed to the gold bands around his wrist and the one around his neck he said something else she couldn’t understand. Abby felt like she was playing a one-sided game of charades. It was very frustrating for her and she felt for him, as he wanted to ask her questions but she didn’t understand what he was asking.
Bo finally decided it was time to go outside and Abby got up from the table to let him out only to find herself pinned to a broad chest again. Abby looked up into the dark gold eyes wondering what she had gotten herself into. Abby flushed when she saw the dark look of warning in Zoran’s eyes.
“It’s okay. Bo needs to go outside and I need to check on Gloria. No one else is here. I live alone. Would you like to see where I found you? We still have plenty of daylight if you would like to go up to the meadow where your ship is.” Abby stared up at the man who held her so tightly.
“Zi.” Zoran was confused. Why did someone as lovely as Abby live alone? Surely it was too dangerous for her to be left unprotected. Who took care of her? Who made sure she had food and supplies?
Abby pressed her hands against Zoran’s chest until he loosened his hold on her. Turning, she called out to Bo. Abby opened the door to the cabin, pausing briefly to give him a reassuring smile, before walking outside.
Zoran gazed around at the lush vegetation surrounding the cabin. He followed Abby over to a small fenced in area watching as she called to a dark brown creature. He watched as Abby held out a small fruit to the creature that swept it out of her hand and crunched on it lazily.
“This is Gloria. She belongs to my friend Edna. She helped me bring you here from the meadow. She’s such a good girl, aren’t you Gloria? Yes, you are.” Abby murmured as she scratched the creature behind its ear.
“I’ll show you the meadow first. I’m sure you are worried about your ship. It’s strange but I swear it seems like it is alive. I could feel it responding to me when I touched it. It was worried about you.” Abby flushed as she looked up at Zoran thinking he was going to think she was nuts. “I know that sounds stupid, but it was just a weird feeling I got.”
Zoran had no way of explaining to Abby that his ship was, indeed, alive and was a part of him. He could feel it every time she would gently stroke the symbiosis on her wrists. It was like she was stroking him. He felt her doing it several times inside her home and she was doing it now as they walked along the path. He shivered as her fingers gently ran back and forth over the gold b
racelets. Reaching down, he grabbed her hand preventing her from doing it any longer. If she didn’t stop, he wouldn’t be able to prevent himself from taking her right there on the path. Abby looked up startled but kept her hand in Zoran’s larger one. They walked in a comfortable silence along the path. When they reached the meadow, Zoran released Abby’s hand and marched over to the gold ship murmuring to it as he ran his hand over it. Abby watched in wonder as steps formed on the side and Zoran walked up into the ship. It was like something out of a science fiction movie. Abby stood unsure of what to do. She didn’t feel like she could leave him and didn’t feel right walking up into the ship. She decided she would find a nice dry rock to sit on and wait. She still needed to go into town. If she left within the next hour she would be back before it got dark, otherwise, she would have to leave early tomorrow morning. She still needed to finish the piece she was working on and between the storm and her unexpected visitor, she was behind her self-imposed schedule to have it done by the time Edna got back.
Zoran felt a huge sense of relief as he checked his symbiosis. It survived the month of hiding and the sudden departure with minimal damage. Abby unknowingly helped to heal it. When she touched it, she gave a part of her essence to it giving it the needed strength to heal. He watched the images flash through his mind as his symbiosis replayed how Abby came twice a day, spending close to an hour just talking to it. She would run her hands all over it as she stroked it while whispering words of reassurance. He heard her talk about him. She had been worried about him. She was scared he might not recover and fearful of having to call someone to come look at him. She didn’t want others of her species to know about him because it would be too dangerous. She told his symbiosis she was doing everything she could to help him and would protect him from harm until he was strong enough to leave. What she did not understand was he would not be leaving alone. He had no intentions of leaving her behind. Pushing what he was going to have to do out of his mind, he focused on opening communications with his brothers. He knew they should be close and wanted to warn them of the possible hostile environment.