Conquered by the Alien: A Scifi Alien Romance (Fated Mates of the Titan Empire Book 4)

by Tammy Walsh

  Okhet snapped to attention.

  “Here we go,” she said.

  Shrisa stepped out from behind the observation room and stood before us. She looked a little frazzled and put out.

  “Listen up,” she said. “The client has made his selection.”

  The females muttered excitedly. Just the sight of them acting so giddy made my stomach cramp. How low were these girls willing to subject themselves for the pursuit of love?

  “He has chosen…” Shrisa paused for effect.

  As if it matters.

  “Vicky,” she said.

  It took a moment for the others to realize who she was referring to. Okhet reacted first. She squealed, grabbed my hands, and hopped excitedly.

  “You did it!” she said. “Your first appraisal and you won!”

  The others didn’t look so excited for me. Neither did Shrisa, who had her arms folded beneath her large breasts.

  “That’s not fair!” Tentaculus said. “She’s only the maid! Why would he want her?”

  Okay, that smarted a little. But I was still consumed with the Titan’s decision.

  Me? He’d chosen me?

  I’d never been more petrified my entire life.

  Shrisa walked quickly on her long powerful legs. It was hard for me to keep up with her.

  “I don’t know how you did it or why he chose you instead of everyone else,” she said. “Frankly, I don’t want to know. Maybe you humans have a little magic in you. I don’t know. There are more qualified, better-suited girls who have been waiting a long time for a Titan of his caliber to stroll in here. And you stole him from right under their noses.”

  She drew to a stop, making me skid.

  “I want you to know, I’ll be working hard behind the scenes to ensure he sees the error of his ways and changes his mind. He’s from a wealthy family and I don’t want a black mark against this company’s good reputation.”

  “Thanks for the confidence boost,” I said.

  Shrisa stepped up so close I could smell her overpowering perfume.

  “I built this company from the ground up,” she said. “It wasn’t easy. Especially for a woman in a man’s industry. I built one of the best matchmaking companies in the empire. I won’t let you ruin it with your backward thinking. I regret I ever purchased you.”

  I stuck my chin out.

  “That makes two of us,” I said.

  I didn’t really think that way. Pleasure houses didn’t exactly sound like the kind of establishment I ever dreamed of working in, but I was angry.

  “What makes you think I wanted him to choose me?” I said.

  Shrisa threw back her head and barked an ugly laugh.

  “He’s far better than anything you deserve,” she said. “You should be grateful he even sniffs your way.”

  I folded my arms.

  “And yet, he chose me,” I said. “And now, I have to be the one to choose him.”

  Shrisa looked me over.

  “You would consider turning him down?” she said. “Are you mad?”

  “I have a job already,” I said. “With enough time, I’ll earn enough to get back home.”

  “To your backward cesspit. You can’t be serious.”

  I was serious. It might be a backward cesspit to her, but to me, it was the only home I had.

  I wasn’t a fool. If there was a chance I could get home faster, easier, than working as a maid in this place, I would take it.

  “If what you say is true, I respect you for all the hard work you’ve done,” I said. “And I won’t do anything to embarrass you or your company.”

  Shrisa looked me over and raised her nose.

  “Good,” she said. “At least we can agree—”

  “I’m not finished,” I said. “But I’ll make you and your company a laughing stock if you do try to make things difficult for me to get off this planet. I’ll put a mark against this business so dark it’ll never rub off. I never asked to be abducted. I never asked you to buy me. I never asked for this asshole to choose me. But if it leads to me getting the hell out of dodge, I’m not going to turn him down. So, you do what you’ve gotta do to survive, and I’ll do the same. Do I make myself clear?”

  The blood drained from Shrisa’s face. She nodded.

  “Good,” I said. Then I softened my tone. “Believe it or not, we’re on the same side. You want to get rid of me and I want to get home. Neither of us want there to be any problems.”

  I’d shaken her. But I meant what I said. Nobody pushed me around.

  Nobody.

  “Then get to work figuring a way out of here,” she said.

  She opened the door and nodded at me in a way that signaled at least a little respect. I stepped into the room and she shut the door behind me.

  I let out a breath. Since when did living become so difficult?

  I found myself standing in the only well-designed room in the entire stinking place. The endless hallways and cavernous rooms reminded me of cheap porn sets from the seventies. This room, at least, was tasteful. An entire wall was taken up with old books and a large window ran along the back. There was no second door in or out, no way for me to escape. I moved for the window and looked for a handle but couldn’t see one.

  WHOOSH!

  I screamed and wrapped my hands over my ears as a huge shadow zipped past the window. I opened my eyes slowly.

  Rapidly departing into the middle distance was a small airplane. It was more futuristic, with short wings and powerful engines. A flying ship.

  A flying ship?

  Just how high up was I?

  I peered through the window at the ground below.

  Far below.

  This building was so tall I couldn’t even see the ground.

  Across the way were a row of similarly tall buildings. I couldn’t make out their tops either. I wondered if they even had one. They made our skyscrapers back home look like tiny needles. Surely it couldn’t be safe to have such big buildings like this? A stiff breeze might knock them over.

  The blood drained from my face and my body shivered.

  It wasn’t safe for someone to stand so close to a window like this either. Nothing but a skinny slice of glass kept me from falling out.

  I’d never liked heights.

  I stumbled back and fell into one of the large wing-backed chairs. It was made of hard leather and wasn’t the most comforting material in the world. I could still make out the hair follicles from when they’d killed the beast.

  And skinned it.

  For all I knew, that was what the Titan wanted me for.

  My rare skin for his rich girlfriend’s new handbag.

  I trembled.

  I didn’t want to be here.

  I’d been abducted and brought here against my will and then chosen by a man—an alien!—who’d taken a shine to me.

  I missed my friends. I missed our friendship and our jokes and the way we used to laugh and play games.

  I wondered where they were now. I hadn’t seen them in the other rooms. I was the only human they had here. That’s what Shrisa told me soon after I arrived.

  Of course, when I say “arrived,” I really meant when I woke up…

  Forget what Rod Stewart crooned. The first breath is the deepest.

  I sucked so much oxygen into my lungs my chest almost doubled in size. Then I coughed and sputtered as the breath fought its way out again.

  The bright light.

  That’s what I remembered. It lit up the minivan’s interior and plucked me and my friends out one after another like ripe grapes from a vine.

  And I flew, heading higher and higher at such a dizzying speed I could barely open my eyes. The white light burned so brightly it hurt and then—

  Nothing.

  Like falling to sleep.

  Or falling off a cliff.

  Now I was in this place.

  I clambered to my feet and pulled myself up using the edge of my bed. It was hard and white and very cold beneat
h my hands.

  A figure bent over me and helped me up onto my feet. The figure placed a blanket over my shoulders.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Thanks for—”

  A reflection of myself stared back at me. The figure, whoever he or she was, wore a visor and cloth that covered them head to foot in something not unlike a Hazmat suit.

  I started back and edged away from them.

  There were two of them. The closest one had placed the blanket over me and raised his hands in a manner that was meant to suggest he wasn’t a threat.

  I was naked beneath this blanket and there was nothing they could do that would convince me they weren’t a threat.

  The second figure raised an electronic device that beeped. A green light blinked. I shied away from it. The first figure pressed a hand to the device and lowered it to the ground.

  Then the figure spoke. It was in a deep, guttural sound in the back of his throat.

  His native language, I guess. I had no idea what language it was. It sounded very foreign.

  My heart thumped so hard I could feel it in my toes.

  “Where am I?” I said. “You have to let me out of here. I have rights!”

  The two figures shared a look before the first figure, much smaller than the other, reached into his pocket and extended something to me. He was very slow and careful with his movements.

  It was a small box, no larger than a matchbox.

  I peered from the object to the two figures and back again.

  I reached out and took it, holding the blanket closed with my other hand. I opened it and found a flat strip of plastic inside. It was flimsy, like a length of sellotape.

  The smaller figure made a motion for me to put it on my neck.

  “You must be kidding me,” I said. “I’m not putting this anywhere near my skin until you tell me what’s going on.”

  The men didn’t say a word. They just kept making that same motion with their hands for me to put it on.

  I was naked.

  I was scared.

  And I was in a room with two figures I assumed were men. I don’t know why I assumed that. It was the worst-case scenario, I guess.

  I glanced at the only door out of that cold sterile room. It was located behind them. Even if I could get to it, I was going to be just as cold and naked out there as I was in here.

  I ran my finger along the sticky side of the tape. I took a little comfort in the fact nothing bad happened. I placed it on my neck the way they gestured and waited.

  “Can you understand what I’m saying?” the first figure said.

  I was relieved to hear them speaking English.

  “Of course I can understand you,” I said. “Why didn’t you guys speak to me before?”

  “We couldn’t,” the first figure said. “Well, we could but you wouldn’t have understood us.”

  “Wait,” I said, picking up on the tone of their voices. “Are you guys really girls?”

  “Yes. We are females. Like you.”

  That was a relief. A small one. But it still helped.

  “What am I doing here?” I said. “Am I in some kind of hospital?”

  “No. This is not a hospital. It’s the Wake Up Room.”

  “What does that mean?” I said.

  “You were brought here from a great distance. We were worried it would take some time for you to wake up but you appear to be fine.”

  I pressed a hand to my head. I felt a headache coming on.

  “Please, sit down,” the figure said. “You’re still recovering from such a long sleep.”

  I sat down and wavered unsteadily side to side. I leaned forward and braced my elbows on my knees. I didn’t feel so hot.

  “Feelings of sickness will pass,” the figure said. “My assistant needs to check your life signs. Do you mind?”

  I waved a hand for them to do whatever they needed to do. Anything had to be better than his headache.

  The machine made a low humming noise and the light blinked green.

  “Normal,” the second figure said.

  “Good,” the first figure said. Then she turned to me. “Can you tell me where you come from?”

  Finally, some questions that made sense.

  “New York,” I said. “I was heading home in a minivan from a place called Party Central. We were out celebrating my friend Hazel getting married soon. We were attacked by this bright white light and the next thing I know… I woke up here.”

  “New York?” the figure said. “Which planet is that?”

  I was about to give her my address—I didn’t expect her to say the word “planet.” It drew me up short. I paused and looked at the figure standing over me. I must have misheard her.

  “Say that again,” I said.

  “Which planet are you from?” she said.

  I looked between the two figures, looking for any sign that this was a joke. I couldn’t see their faces through the visors so there was no way I could know that.

  But I had the distinct feeling they weren’t joking.

  They were genuinely asking which planet I came from.

  I tugged the blanket closer around my shoulders.

  “I want to speak to someone in charge,” I said.

  “I’m afraid Shrisa is busy at the moment,” the figure said. “Is there something I can help you with?”

  Yes. Check yourself into the nearest mental hospital, wacko.

  “I want to speak with a police officer,” I said.

  The figures exchanged another look.

  “What’s there to consider?” I said. “I woke up in this strange room with a couple of women wearing Hazmat suits. I saw Chernobyl. I know my rights. If there’s been some sort of disaster on the east coast, I had nothing to do with it.”

  Nothing else made sense. Why else would they be wearing clothes like this?

  “Her heart rate is elevating,” the second figure said.

  “No shit, Sherlock,” I said.

  I got to my feet. I was going to go full King Kong on their asses if they didn’t let me talk to someone soon.

  “Let me out of here!” I said. “Let me out now!”

  “Please stay calm,” the first figure said. “We’re wearing these clothes to protect us from any contamination.”

  “From what?” I said.

  “From you.”

  Wait, what?

  The figure reached for her hood. For the first time since I awoke in this looney bin, I wasn’t sure I wanted her to take it off.

  Her ears had been restrained by her helmet and bounced when she removed it. She wore a friendly smile.

  But that wasn’t what caught my attention.

  It was her green skin.

  Her friend had skin the color of magma.

  “My name’s Okhet,” the green one said. “It’s nice to meet you, Vicky.”

  The ground shifted beneath my feet.

  This girl, this thing, whatever she was, hadn’t lost her mind.

  I had.

  “I… I have to get out of here,” I said. “Excuse me.”

  I stumbled forward and shoved Okhet aside.

  “You can’t leave!” she said.

  “You just watch me!” I said.

  “You’re not dressed!” Okhet said.

  She was right. But the blanket was going to have to be enough for now.

  The girl with the red skin—red skin!—stepped aside to let me pass as I shoved the door open.

  I staggered into a hallway that bent and flexed, warping like I’d just stepped into a black hole. But it wasn’t the hallway.

  It was me.

  The world hadn’t stopped shifting and melting ever since I woke up.

  The carpet was red and thick beneath the soles of my feet. The gold embellishments along the walls were gaudy even to my distressed eyes.

  I clutched the blanket tight to myself. I leaned against the wall and pressed my hand to it as I scaled up the hallway. I banged on the first door I came to.

&n
bsp; “Hello?” I called. “Is anyone there? I’ve been kidnapped! Hello? Anyone? Somebody help me!”

  A door opened, but not the one I was banging on. It was at the far end. A pair of figures emerged, fuzzy to my panicked eyes. They gawped at me.

  “Somebody run and get help!” I yelled at them.

  One actually turned and ran. She headed inside her room. Maybe she had a cell she could use to call for help.

  More doors opened and figures filed into the hall.

  “Let’s get you back inside!” Okhet said. “Before—”

  I yanked my arm free and prepared to fight if I had to.

  The door I banged on earlier opened and a voluptuous beauty wearing thigh-high boots emerged. She glared at me with a big pair of angry eyes. Then she shifted her attention to the girls in the Hazmat suits.

  “What’s going on?” she demanded.

  Thank God, I thought. She’d help me get away from these crazy people.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” I said. “These people… these things… They’re trying to kidnap me.”

  “I’m sorry,” Okhet said. “We just woke her up and she got away from us.”

  “Then get her back inside!” the voluptuous beauty hissed.

  Oh no… She was one of them…

  “I’ll deal with you later,” the beauty growled. “Right now, I’m with a client. And if you want to be given the chance to be shown to another client within your lifetime, I suggest you get her back to the room and ensure this doesn’t happen again!”

  “Yes, Shrisa,” Okhet said.

  She placed a hand on my arm and tugged on me to lead me away. I resisted.

  “What am I doing here?” I said, surprised my voice sounded so steady.

  There was no mirth, no kindness in the eyes of this Shrisa. She leaned in so close I felt her breath on my face.

  “You’re here to do what I say,” she said. “Now, get back to that room or you’ll wish you stayed sleeping in the pod for the rest of your days!”

  She slammed the door in my face.

  Pod?

  Where was I? What was I doing here?

  I had no idea what was going on in this place.

  Okhet placed a gentle hand on my arm.

  “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get you back inside.”

  Dozens of figures had stepped from their rooms and gawped at me. Each one had brightly colored skin or some other odd feature.