by A. R. Ford
*****
A restless night passed in my quarters. The canopied bed, with its plush mattress constructed to hold my massive frame, gave no rest. I paced the floor. Reading did not help as it usually had in the past. Why did thoughts of the human female distract me?
I dressed and made my way to the medical facility just before the suns rose. Instead of remaining in the observation room, I entered the area where the female lay strapped to the gurney. Her eyes opened when I stood by her side. I leaned over her, my hand instinctively holding her much smaller one.
“Don’t let them hurt me again,” she whispered.
“What is your name?”
“Gracie.” Her voice trembled, green eyes glistening. The fragile grasp she held over her emotions tugged at my heart.
“I can remain with you while the procedure takes place.” My finger traced along the length of one delicately arched eyebrow.
The medical team arrived before she could respond. Dr. Ohnasi directed the team to roll the female onto her side. She was restrained, yet again, with straps that could hold one of my warriors with ease. The female’s whimpering cries of pain began as soon as the doctor punched the trochar into her hip. She sobbed briefly before going silent.
“She has fainted,” the doctor remarked. “Humans are allergic to our local anesthetic. It is the only reason it was not administered.” He withdrew the heavy needle after injecting a syringe of genetic material. “Now, we wait.”
“How long?” I asked, fingers gliding through blonde hair as soft as silk.
“One to two days should tell us if she experiences any ill effects. You can take her to your quarters to allow her to become acclimated if she tolerates the procedure without problems. She should experience estrus within a few months if the genetic material bonds with hers. The chances she will become pregnant during the first estrus are high.” The doctor stood silently for a few moments before continuing. “I think she will do well, sir. Of all people, I hope your rule is uncontested.”
Two days seemed like an eternity. I barely slept. Daily activities passed in a blur, my mind fixated on the female I knew only as Gracie.
My staff began work at once to ensure everything my human needed would be ready for her use when she came to live with me. During the moments when I was not busy giving orders, I paced the floor. I sparred with elite warriors. More than one spat blood and teeth on the ground after our matches ended.
Nothing could soothe me; not even Zanzi, the woman who raised me after my parents were assassinated. She served me still, as loyal and smothering in her maternal care as she had always been.
The call from Dr. Ohnasi came advising me I could claim my mate from the medical center. I wasted no time in doing so. The halls of the palace were filled with the thunderous steps of a band of warriors marching on a mission. A select few warriors served as my personal guard. Men I could trust to kill without question if anything threatened my safety. They accompanied me when I took my human from the center.
She lay in my arms, shivering and feverish, clad in a paper gown. Dr. Ohnasi’s reassurances that the fever was a normal part of the genetic manipulation did little to ease my worry.
Once we were inside my chambers, I stripped the paper gown from her, and replaced it with a full-length white gown made of the finest Dalaakian silk. The unimpeded view of my mate pleased me. Barely over five feet in height, I estimated her weight to be just over a hundred pounds. Full breasts with strawberry nipples roused an urge to hold them. Blonde curls guarded her sex. Generous curves marked her body as that of a fully matured female. My hands skimmed along the front of her body, from her neck to her belly where I knew my child would soon come into being.
This human female had promise. The urge to mate arose within me. The natural attraction to her would ensure my seed took root.
I stood admiring the pleasing curves of her form. Without warning, Gracie’s eyes fluttered, and she shivered. She tentatively caught my hand. “You saved me.” She groaned, body curling into a fetal position. “What did they do to me?”
“Necessary medical screening before you were brought here.”
There was no need to tell her about the genetic material injected into her bone marrow. The low-grade fever served as evidence of the genetic transformation taking place. I poured a glass of water, slid an arm beneath her shoulders, and helped her sit up. She drank the entire glass of water, without pausing.
“May I have more, please?” Her manners were impeccable. The silk of her skin created electric tingles where it touched mine.
I took the glass from her hand, refilling it from the pitcher on the table. A tremor in one hand told of my nervousness. She glanced at her hands which were folded in her lap. “How are you feeling?” The question came when I handed the glass of water to her.
“I ache all over, and I feel like I am running a fever. My hip feels like someone shoved a drill into the bone. What did they do to me?”
“As I said, medical screening was necessary. My people are susceptible to certain human conditions such as the measles. The doctor gave the all-clear. He says you are in good health, even after the barbaric way your people jettisoned you onto my planet.” I sat on the bed beside her taking in every nuance of her actions. It creaked beneath my sizeable bulk as it normally did; if the human noticed, she made no mention of it. “You said your name is Gracie. I am Zayn Bolden, warlord leader of Lonus.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Zayn. Wait ... am I allowed to call you Zayn? Should it be Commander Bolden, or something like that?” She laughed nervously before taking a sip of water. One hand pushed a curtain of hair away from her forehead.
“You may call me Zayn. Are you hungry? The doctor said you could eat.” Suddenly nervous, I stood up, placing my hands behind my back to hide the tremor that appeared there. Idiot, she is not the first female you have seen.
“I am not certain what type of food is available here. I have never been away from earth before.” She cleared her throat. Color filled her cheeks when she whispered, “I really need to use the facilities.”
“Oh! Of course, right this way.” I helped her from the bed. She swayed unsteadily when she stood on both feet. I caught her an instant before she collapsed on the floor. “Let me carry you.”
“I can walk,” she murmured.
“Nonsense. You nearly fell. I won’t allow you to injure yourself. Dr. Ohnasi would never forgive me.” Her body weighed practically nothing in my hands. One of her hands came to rest against the bare skin of my chest exposed by the open collar of the shirt I wore. A thrill of electricity shot straight to my groin at the exquisite sensation of her silky skin against mine. Gracie seemed unaffected by the casual contact.
“Dr. Ohnasi?”
“My personal physician. He cared for you during your time at the medical facility.” I omitted the true nature of the doctor’s care. Gracie need not learn the extent of the procedures performed on her.
She blushed again when I let her feet come to rest in the bathroom. “I should be okay by myself,” she whispered.
“Yes, by yourself.” A faint flowery fragrance caught my flaring nostrils. I froze for a second, mind racing as I fought against the urge to continue inhaling her scent. Like an idiot I backed out of the bathroom before closing the door. Why was my heart pounding? Why did the blood race through my veins and pool in my groin? My member became uncomfortably erect. The tailored trousers I wore would leave little to her imagination.
It would shock Gracie to see me in this state. For the next few minutes, I thought of every unappetizing thing on Lonus N88. Anything to avoid embarrassing my mate. I thought of petting a vottid, its mottled slug-like flesh smelling of every dead thing it had consumed. I thought about rotting corpses. Of succumbing to a full body massage at the hands of an aging Tirni.
Tirni were multi-armed creatures who stood erect, walked, and talked. Their bodies secreted a slime-like coating. Their arms resembled the tentacles of earth’s octopus. T
irni were prized for the use of their multiple appendages doing menial labor in factories.
That did it. The thought of the massage rendered my sex organ limp and lifeless just in time for Gracie to appear in the bathroom doorway. She hesitated, the tip of her tongue darting out to wet her lower lip. Her brows drew together. One hand braced against the door’s frame.
“I ... did you say I could have food?” The halting pace of her words reminded me of the difficulty with which stranded transports move forward when being towed. Pause. Shudder. Pause.
“Yes. Tell me what you’d like.” I took her hand in mine while guiding her to the table and chairs that sat just outside my room on an open-air balcony. Each measured step demonstrated an unhurried pace I rarely used. Yet, for this human, I felt the need to adapt my habits to something more readily accepted by her.
“I am not certain,” she sighed, and clasped clenched hands between her knees. “Whatever you think I would like will be just fine.”
“Is there a problem?”
Her shoulders rose and fell. Teeth worried her bottom lip for a moment before she spoke. “I am not sure what food is like here,” she reassured me.
We sat in companionable silence after I ordered a tray be sent to my chamber. Within minutes, a servant appeared bearing a tray. A silver dome covered the plate of food. Gracie gasped when she lifted the dome. “French fries? But how? That’s earth food. I was not aware Lonus had potatoes.”
“I thought it would be best for us to cultivate earth foods here. Potatoes were the first harvest raised here five years ago. The tubers do exceptionally well in our dark, rich soil. So far, we have been able to cultivate beans of various kinds, carrots, and potatoes. It will take a few years to see if the fruit trees thrive in this environment.” With one leg crossed over the other, I secretly admired her as she ate.
It appeared my human enjoyed ketchup with french fries as our research suggested. After the first bite of french fries, she sat back with a moan, eyes closed and a look of utter ecstasy making her even more beautiful. She ate the remaining food, including Lonus specialties, without faltering. An occasional moan broke the silence.
I shifted uncomfortably and forced myself to think of a Tirni masseuse.
“That’s so good!” Gracie sighed. She leaned back in the chair, both hands coming to rest on her stomach. “Thank you, Zayn. That is the first food I have had in a long time.”
“You are welcome. Is there anything else you need?”
The beautiful blonde female with luminous green eyes looked down. She fidgeted for a few minutes, teeth tugging at her lip. A sigh escaped before she spoke. Her behavior led me to believe something created turmoil. Turmoil I hoped I could easily address.
“Why am I in your quarters? Please be honest. I have been betrayed and lied to more than I care to remember.”
“You are more secure here than in the common living quarters.” The explanation was plausible. She frowned at my explanation. I could sense she did not believe my story.
“I don’t believe that. If you are hoping to be paid for my safe return to earth, don’t bother. No one cares what happens to me. I am a convicted felon. Accused, judged, and convicted based on a liar’s sworn testimony, and forged documents. At least do me the courtesy of giving me an honest answer.”
For the first time in my life I found it impossible to speak. Gracie took my silence poorly. She stood up, arms crossed on her chest, and glared at me. My tiny human stood up to me, the fierce seven-foot warlord. None of my people dared confront me in this manner. Fire lit her green eyes. I fought the urge to plunder her mouth. The tenuous control I held over my physical needs wavered in the face of Gracie’s spunk.
“Surely you don’t plan to keep me as a sex slave,” she snorted. At my silence she backed away, knocking the chair over in the process. Her eyes widened, mouth agape. “You bastard! You intend on keeping me as a whore?”
“Your assumption is in error!” I roared as frustration exploded within me. I stood up, stalking toward her even as she cowered against the wall preventing retreat. “You will be my mate. You will become my queen, and give me an heir to solidify my uncontested claim to the monarchy.”
My hands closed around her arms, claws extending to dig into the flesh. My human? She fainted with a wail, eyes rolling back in her head. A thin film of perspiration covered her face. A shiver wracked her body. The fever returned with a vengeance.
I swore in Lonusian. With great care, I placed her in bed. I stroked her hair even as I internally chastised myself.
There are times when every being should keep their long-winded explanations brief. I learned this lesson too late to protect my mate.
Chapter 5: Gracie
My first moment of awareness revealed a massive warrior in the room. He was different from the warriors who captured me. He wore dark trousers and a white tunic with several buttons unfastened. The garment exposed far too much of his muscular chest.
The room’s decor revealed more of the mystery warrior. Bronze silk drapes hung at the windows. Delicately carved furniture filled the room. Gold candelabras sat atop a tall dresser, and a low table sitting in front of a sumptuous sofa. Colorful throw pillows lay on the sofa. Other accouterments included several ornate rugs on the stone floor, and paintings hanging on the walls. The bed I lay in was so exquisitely comfortable I never wanted to leave.
This man was not a simple warrior. Even his clothing gave him away. I was no designer whore, but I knew designer garments when I saw them. Wait. Did aliens have fashion designers?
My attention turned to the alien. From what I saw thus far, Lonusian males were identical to human males in general. There were only a few differences. One was the steel blue color of their skin, and the navy markings resembling tattoos. Each warrior’s markings were unique. The second difference was their physical stature. All of them were huge.
My alien was massive, even when compared to the warriors who captured me. My estimate was he was just over seven feet tall. I had no desire to know how much he weighed. He was physically daunting and massive. His pupils were vertical ellipses which were vastly different from round pupils found in humans. My warrior had yet another difference. He had retractable claws—just like a feline.
And he frightened me more than anything. Even more than being jettisoned into the galaxy to land on some strange planet. I knew he would rip me to shreds when he roared a response. I dared question a high-ranking official. Punishment for a stranger in their world could only be harsh.
I knew when he grabbed my arms this was the end. He would rip me to shreds, then call some poor servant to clean up the mess. Terminated before I had a chance to learn how to survive in this alien world. The world spun in dizzying circles before darkness swallowed me whole.
Fluttering eyelids brought flashes of the world around me. I shivered with arms wrapped around my body. One second my skin felt like ice, only to change to an inferno the next. Every muscle screamed in protest. An area the size of a pencil lead in my left buttock speared pain deep into my hip bone. Various parts of my body screamed their misery.
Why was I so sick?
“Are you cold?” Zayn’s deep voice rumbled.
“You did not kill me?” My words sounded weak, and far away. Blood thundered in my ears.
“Why would I kill you?” He had the good graces to sound confused.
“D-Disobedience.” My teeth chattered so hard the sharp edges caught my tongue. The coppery taste of blood turned my stomach sour.
“Gracie, I will never harm you. Answer my question. Are you cold?” His voice buzzed at my ear. So deep. So exotic.
My tongue ached with the need to lick his glorious chest now only inches from my face. There would be time for that later. The sickness from before returned with a vengeance. Teeth chattering together, knees drawn against my chest, all I could do was nod. The mattress swayed, the bed’s frame creaking as he shifted. The most comforting warmth encompassed me. An arm as thick as a tree l
imb pulled me close against a body as solid as any stone wall.
“Th-thank you,” I chattered, jaws nearly locking with the force of the shiver that quaked through my body.
Time drifted and passed in drunken chunks of memories. I woke briefly, groaning in misery to find it suddenly sweltering hot, my body covered in perspiration. I shoved limp strands of hair away from my face. A moan broke free as the agony intensified. A glass pressed against my lips held cool water, sweeter than anything I have known. I drank it all, and begged for more.
“Not too fast,” Zayn rumbled. The cup pressed against my mouth again. I drained it all, whimpering when he refused to give me more.
He jerked the blanket away moments after I finished the water. “I have already been punished,” I muttered. “Biological warfare. Did the doctor make me sick on purpose?”
“Your body is undergoing many changes. Fever is part of the process.” His explanation made my head throb. There were no changes, only illness. A cool cloth slid across my forehead, and bare body. Folded arms obscured my breasts only to be pulled away.
“Let me help you, Gracie.” The faint nip of his claws reinforced the fact he meant business.
If he intended to strip me naked and have his way with me, he could certainly do so. The rhythmic movement of the damp, cool cloth across my feverish flesh began again.
Sleep snatched my awareness for a time. When I woke, Zayn sat by the bed in a chair, his bare feet propped on the bed beside me. Claws protruded from the end of each toe. His feet and hands were humanoid in appearance. Five fingers to each hand. Five toes to each foot. I giggled, cheeks burning when my thoughts went there--right in the gutter. My feverish mind wondered if his other parts were humanoid, or if, perhaps, he had a tentacle attached to his groin.
“What is so funny?” he muttered while knuckling the sleep from his eyes.
“You are.” I held my stomach when it cramped from the waves of mirth consuming me.
His face appeared inches from my own. The laughter died in my suddenly parched throat. His mouth was set in a line, brows drawn together. Fierce and dangerous, that’s what he was. “And what about me is so amusing?”