by Corin Cain
I try to convince myself that it’s all part of my plan – that’s it’s just part of acting like I’m a submissive little fool. I try to convince myself that my body is merely playing a part, just like my behavior is. That I’m merely lulling Korgath into a false sense of security, until I have the opportunity to strike.
I tell myself I’m only reacting this way because I know, with just a thought, that Korgath could send agonizing pain shooting through my body, thanks to the Orb-Collar still attached around my neck.
But my cheeks burn red with shame, because I know none of it’s true.
I can lie to anybody – but I can’t lie to myself.
Somehow, when Korgath ordered me to kneel, a part of me ached to obey him.
There’s a presence about this towering Aurelian that makes me feel things I’ve never felt before…
I instantly remember what I’ve heard about ‘the bond’.
The bond is mostly a rumor these days – until recently, just a barely-remembered tale from ancient times.
Aurelians are an entirely male species. They live for hundreds of years – sometimes even more than a thousand. For as long as most can remember, their species has continued through science – through the rebirth of a new Aurelian using the genetic material of one dying of old age.
But it’s an unsustainable system. These days, with the Scorp scurge even more prevalent across the universe, an Aurelian is far more likely to die in battle than of old age. Their numbers are dwindling; with fewer and fewer Aurelian sons born to continue the legacy of the once-great Empire.
But it hadn’t always been this way. Legends say that Aurelians originally used to breed much like other species – through an Aurelian male impregnating a human female. A woman bred by an Aurelian would deliver a pure-bred Aurelian son; strong and proud.
But it wasn’t just any woman who could bear the child of an Aurelian – given their prodigious appetite for sex, the universe would be teeming with them, otherwise.
No, she had to have what they called ‘the bond’ – a connection so rare and long-forgotten that there were some who had dismissed it as merely legend.
The current Emperor of the Aurelian Empire, Raegan, had recently revealed that the bond did exist, however. It wasn’t legend – it was just unbelievably rare.
When Raegan took to the throne of the empire, he revealed that he was bonded – along with his triad of blood-brothers – to a single human female, Jasmine.
A human female who now sat beside him, at the throne of the Aurelian empire, with their natural-born son on her lap.
Emperor Raegan and his two Aurelian blood-brothers form a triad – a connected circle of three Aurelian warriors who share each other’s thoughts through an instinctual telepathic bond. They’re all bonded to Jasmine in the same way – sharing their thoughts and emotions with her.
She’s their destined, fated mate; paired with all three of them in a manner that is barely understood, but revered by all Aurelians.
That’s the mystery of the bond – how it can only ever be one particular human female destined for an Aurelian male – just one out of millions, born to be bonded to them in body and spirit. It’s why Aurelian males collect their harems of women; hoping beyond hope to collect that one woman meant to be theirs.
The bond is a rare and powerful thing – but it’s also terrifying.
The idea of sharing thoughts isn’t what scares me about the bond. It’s the way it’s said to affect the human female in a bonded partnership in a way no less intense than it affects the bonded males.
It makes the human females more submissive, craving to be bred and used by their dominant, alpha Aurelian mate. And while it makes the human more submissive, it also enhances the dominant characteristics of the Aurelian male – making them physically stronger, and their frenzy to mate almost uncontrollable.
Raegan and his triad demonstrated that the legends were true – that fated mates and ‘the bond’ truly existed. Now Aurelians across the empire were searching for their own bonded females.
How would they know when they found them? One kiss is all it takes to know – or so I’ve heard from the stories.
As I kneel before Korgath, warring with this uncharacteristic submissiveness, a terrifying thought flashes through my mind: What if I’m bonded to him?
Gods, no! Even if by some miracle – by some astronomical twist of fate – we are bonded, I’ll never let myself succumb to the power of the bond. I’ll not be turned into a docile slut, eager to be bred.
Bond or not, I’ll kill Korgath before he can touch me.
My only reassurance is that the chances of Korgath and I being bonded are miniscule. Before Raegan and his triad, it had been a thousand years since the last heir born of a bonded female. In all that time – in all the millions of miles of the universe explored by the Aurelians – no other bond had ever been formed.
So, I know it’s unlikely – practically impossible. But somehow, the suspicion still forms in my mind, and I can’t shake it. Why else would my behavior – my emotions – change so suddenly?
If I could only kiss Korgath, I’d know one way or another – that I’m safe from the mind-altering effects of the terrifying ‘bond.’
I fight back the budding need, kneeling at his side.
There’ll be time for that – just as there’ll be time to escape the chain Korgath still holds in his huge hand.
All the ribald chatter in the bar stops suddenly, and I’m snapped out of my thoughts.
There’s a hush across the crowd as a huge Aurelian enters the room.
I look up, and gasp.
It’s Xeres.
Mr. X.
He’s the only other Aurelian to rival Korgath for sheer size and menacing presence. He wears an impossibly expensive suit, perfectly tailored to fit his blocky body.
Where Korgath is lean muscle and lithe power, Xeres is a barrel-chested beast – with a hard layer of fat all over his body. One of his eyes is marred by a scar, while the other burns a dull red.
I gasp. I’ve never seen an Aurelian with colored eyes before. I heard that has something to do with the bond – that it reveals the true color of an Aurelian’s eyes, instead of the slate-grey that’s uniform among their kind.
But what does it mean in the case of Xeres?
Mr. X waves his hand, and the bar clears out. Patrons leave half-empty drinks at their table in their rush to scurry away. I’ve never seen a room cleared so quickly – not even the gambling dens, when Law Enforcement raids them.
Within seconds, only the bartender and two nervous waitresses remain.
Those three… and us.
Xeres strides across the now-empty bar, and calmly sits down in front of Korgath.
He nods silently across the table at his fellow Aurelian.
“Korgath. Your reputation precedes you. I didn’t take you for a slaver, though.”
There’s no emotion in Korgath’s face. It’s a blank, unreadable slate.
“I thought it was time to learn about the business I’m about to engage in,” Korgath says flatly, and his words feel like insects crawling over my body.
I’m disgusted enough at myself for being attracted to this dominant, powerful alien. My self-disgust is made even worse when he reveals that he’s entering into the slave trade, just like Xeres.
As a crime boss, Korgath was bad enough. Now, in my eyes, he’s the worst scum there is.
Xeres reacts differently to me, however. As he hears Korgath’s words, his face changes slightly. Something approaching a smile flavors his lips.
“A new competitor? I should warn you – I’ve destroyed all who stood before me in the past.”
Korgath waits two, full seconds before replying.
“As I have, as well. But I had hoped to work with you, not against you. There’s no greater slaver than you, and no greater smuggler than I. Together, we could bring more slaves even deeper into Aurelian space; where such taboo merchandise carries ten times
the value it does on fringe worlds like Titus.”
Xeres’ eyes narrow ever so slightly. I try to keep my eyes downwards, submissively, but keep sneaking glances up at them as they converse.
Xeres raises a finger, and wordlessly a waitress comes by with two glasses of deep, red drink.
Korgath ignores his drink, while Xeres quaffs it deeply.
Smacking his lips, he speaks: “So, tell me Korgath – what is it about this one that enticed you?” He glances over at me as he says it, and I realize Mr. X is talking about me. “You have quite the eye for flesh.”
Korgath idly reaches down, stroking my hair as I would pet a puppy. I bite my lip in frustration, looking at the knife on the table next to me. I imagine plunging it into Korgath’s heart.
And then what? Xeres would skin you alive!
“She met my eyes,” Korgath eventually says.
For a moment, Xeres is implacable – tasting Korgath’s answer like one might sample a new wine. Then a sincere smile comes to the huge Aurelian’s lips; stretching them thinly.
It’s funny the things you’ll notice about people. Xeres is big, even by Aurelia standards. His face is fleshy. I’ve never seen an Aurelian with so much weight on his bones, and his enormous muscles are all covered with a thick layer of bull-like fat…
…all except his lips. Xeres has unusually thin lips - a contrast to his jowls.
The thinness of his lips adds a sinister element to Mr X’s smile. As I kneel there, I decide I never want to see him smile ever again.
The two Aurelians are oblivious to my thoughts.
“You like a challenge?” Xeres asks, glancing at me with amusement.
Korgath ignores him, and continues talking business:
“Like I said – I’ll expand your slave trade deep into the Aurelian Empire. Places no other smuggler would dare to go.”
Xeres pauses. Just as Korgath ignored his comments about me, Xeres is ignoring Korgath’s attempts to discuss business.
He’s still looking at me – and still wearing that sinister smile.
“This one killed two slavers, you know? Perhaps next she’ll try to kill you.”
I freeze.
How did he know?
“I know how to train a female,” Korgath says flatly. “I’ll have this one eating from my hand by tonight.”
He says the words with no bravado – as if stating a simple fact. Maybe in regards to another human female, it would be. But I’m not so easily subdued.
I look at the chain, clasped in Korgath’s massive hands. He leads me around and strokes me like I’m some kind of pet. Gods, I hope he never tries to feed me like one. I’m reminded painfully of the hunger in my belly, and I resolve to never take a scrap from this alien’s hand.
Xeres nods at the answer, and studies me.
“I almost didn’t sell this one,” he admits. “I was told she was a prime specimen. In buying her, you demonstrate your excellent taste.” Then his eyes narrow. “But I fear you will not have her trained by tonight. She’s a fighter.”
Then Xeres pauses. He looks up at his Aurelian rival, and asks: “Are you a gambling man, Korgath?”
“My rivals call me lucky,” Korgath nods, and Xere laughs – a sound that’s strangely high-pitched to be coming from such a big man.
“Good,” Xeres grins. “Come to my casino tonight, and bring your new acquisition. Off leash. I’ll give you 100,000 in chips to entertain yourself in my establishment… But if, during that time, this one tries to escape… Well, then I get to keep her.”
Korgath’s eyes narrow as he listens to Xeres’ challenge.
“My security is tight – she’ll never escape my casino. But I suspect she’ll try. She’s a feisty one – and independent. I even heard she owned her own ship before her capture.”
Xeres turns to me: “Is it true you were a deep-space miner, slave?”
Xere’s red eyes burn as he stares at me. I wish I could just disappear. He addresses me with a cold tone, and I can’t find words. As if sensing my anxiety, Korgath reaches out and gently brushes his finger across my cheek, and somehow I feel reassured.
I hate myself for it – but, at the same time, I’m grateful. As much as I hate Korgath, I know deep in my bones that if Xeres had kept me as his slave, he’d be doing something terrible to me even as we speak.
Korgath turns his slate-grey eyes in my direction.
“You may answer his question, slave.” As if I need his permission to speak.
I look back to Xeres.
“I… I am. I mean, I was.” I can’t hide the tremble in my voice.
Great. If I wanted to portray myself as a scared little thing, I’m doing a bang-up job of it.
Xeres seems satisfied by my answer. He looks back to Korgath, grinning with those thin lips of his.
“Bring her tonight. My bet is she can’t resist making a break for it. Then I’ll be the one to claim her as my own.”
Korgath’s eyes narrow – as if intrigued yet insulted by the proposition.
Ignoring his reaction, Xeres keeps talking:
“As for your suggestion of a partnership? That idea is… intriguing. I’d like to get to know you a little better before we agree to anything, though. Just as you do, I like to get to know where a man stands before I do business with him.”
Korgath says nothing. Xeres takes his silence as agreement.
“So, the bet is on?”
Korgath glances over at me. He runs his fingertip down my cheek and grazes it against my lips. Despite myself, my mouth opens slightly at his touch.
“You’re on,” Korgath nods.
“Very good!” Xeres thin lips curl into a smile.
He stands from the table, and gives Korgath a respectful nod – before turning and striding towards the doorway of the bar.
A moment later, I’m alone with the alien who purchased me.
I tremble as I kneel by his feet, staring at the chain in Korgath’s immense hand.
Between the two of them, I am immensely grateful that it was Korgath who purchased me – not the terrifying, sinister Xeres.
Yet, at the same time, I’m terrified at what this towering Aurelian is going to do with me once he gets me alone.
8
Juliana
I’m marched out of Xeres’ towering manor, forced to almost run to keep up with Korgath’s immense strides. He barely looks at me as he leads me towards the landing field – as if I’m not even worth a glance.
The immense Aurelian leads me past row upon row of expensive, luxurious spacecraft, until we reach a sleek, black ship radiating menace. With a click of a button at his belt, the hatch of the vessel swings open, and Korgath leads me inside.
I sit cowering in the corner of the cockpit as the Aurelian skillfully launches the craft – soaring into the sky and piloting back towards the capital city.
The streets blur beneath us, at Korgath pilots his powerful cruiser to a private landing deck on a huge penthouse, perched on the top of the tallest building in Titus.
I’ve seen this towering black spire many times in the few days I get to spend on-world, between my lengthy asteroid runs. It’s a tall shard, obsidian black, and a malevolent presence looming over the capital city.
This is Korgath’s headquarters – and whenever you land on Titus, you feel like the crime lord is personally watching you from the top of it.
As he lines up to land, with the vessel hovering over the glittering city beneath, I contemplate my fate.
It’s strange to be up so high, looming above everyone else on this planet, alone with the most vicious man on Titus.
I’m tense, already imagining the things that await me. The ‘training’ Korgath referenced.
I know how Aurelians ‘train’ their women, and I imagine the weight of his huge palm landing across my bottom if I disobey him. I shudder as I imagine him bringing a whip to my flesh, lashing me mercilessly as he forces me to obey him.
Will I succumb? Disobedience has becom
e the last vestige of dignity I still have. But is my pride worth the punishment it might bring?
Korgath lands his sleek craft atop the towering, black building and opens the hatch. Instead of leading me out of the vessel, he simply grabs me – lifting me cleanly out of the cruiser as if I weigh nothing.
It’s humiliating, but when his huge hands touch my body, it sends ripples of desire through me. I hate myself for it. Somehow, despite all my hatred for this man, my body responds instinctively to his touch.
It’s ironic. Aurelians boast of how human women are naturally submissive to them. I’ve even heard humans tell stories of how human DNA is hardwired to submit to these dominant aliens. I never believed these stories… Until now.
Korgath hasn’t spoken a word since the encounter with Mr. X. He sets me down on the landing pad and walks away – the leash in his hand. He never looks back to see if I’m following – he knows instinctively that I will.
Korgath leads me into his massive penthouse building. It’s made of black marble as far as the eye can see. There’s barely any clutter – a few wine glasses lay about – and overall Korgath’s home seems masculine and spartan, with an air of dark, minimalist luxury.
I never stop scanning the place – trying to identify anything that might be useful to me.
My eyes widen when I see the one thing that could save me:
A letter opener is on the counter, next to an unopened envelope. Despite all the advances in technology, sometimes the most serious business is still done with pen and paper. The letter opener is long, and sharp – as good a weapon as anybody could ask for.
But that can wait. The tension of the silence is killing me. I don’t care what Korgath is planning to do to me, but I need to break the silence first.
“So, what happens now?” I ask, no hint of submissiveness in my voice. “Do you force yourself on me?”
There’s venom in my words. I had planned on pretending to be a subservient pleasure slave, but I can’t help myself. I hate this man with the entirety of my being. I loathe him even more now that he’s revealed he’s about to enter the slave trade.