by Kyle, Celia
“No,” she pushed once more. “Is that… is that what kode means? You think I’m your destiny?”
He nodded. “It is our way.”
“It’s not mine.” She turned away and huddled under the hide.
“But…” Drazan did not understand. She denied her instincts. He knew her body responded to him. “You are prepared. I can—”
“Look,” Sheri glared at him, “just because I was having a pleasant dream doesn’t mean I’m going to fuck you.”
Drazan scowled now. He did not know this word, fuk, but she used it with such distaste that he assumed it to be an insult. “Very well.” He rolled to his back and stared at the tent ceiling. “I apologize if I offended you.”
She was silent so long he assumed she had fallen into slumber once more. “Good night, Drazan.”
“Sleep well, my kode.”
Sheri soon grew still, her breathing settling into the steady rhythm of sleep—a sleep that would not come for him. Aside from sexual frustration, he had several other problems clouding his mind, such as explaining to Sheri that only a handful of the remaining females were accompanying them to the Red Sands, not all. Yet it was the only way to confirm peace. Had Drazan not told Nakan of Traze taking some of the gifts from Eana, it would be an act of war against the Hard Sands. He was not fearful of battle—he had fought many in his lifetime—but war between territories was another matter. Many would die. If the only way to avoid full-scale war was to gift the human females to Nakan and the warriors of the Hard Sands, then so be it.
He only hoped his kode would understand. Somehow, he did not believe she would.
Chapter Fourteen
Sheri woke alone, Drazan already gone. She was grateful he hadn’t tried to make a move a second time during the night and yet… Yet there was some part of her that wished she hadn’t denied him. He was attractive in his own, non-human way. The ruby red of his scales, the shape of his eyes, the dry heat that emanated from him whenever they were close. There was something exotic and taboo about the idea of giving herself to the scaly warlord and letting him ravish her like a conquest of war.
She sighed and rolled to her feet, pushing the tanned hide aside as she got up. She couldn’t allow herself to get lost in those kinds of thoughts. No matter what he said about her being his kode, she still had free will and could make her own decisions.
Except, of course, she had a certain lack of freedom at the moment. As soon as she nudged the tent flaps aside, the waiting guards told her it was time to prepare for their return to the Red Sands. She was handed a quick and simple breakfast and then hurried to a gathering of ceaq where the Aterans and human women prepared to depart.
It wasn’t until she was settled behind Drazan, the six-legged beast tromping into the desert sands, that she had a moment to look and check on the other women. She scanned their long trail, gaze skipping over groupings of warriors to find the pale-skinned humans. One, two, three, four… She counted and re-counted their numbers only to come to the same conclusion each time—several were missing. She couldn’t find Kalinda or a few of the others she’d spoken to while they’d been guests of Drazan. Sure, Traze had taken the injured women, but there should have been a lot more of their group left behind.
Aside from her, there were only eight others.
“Where is everyone?” she spoke to Drazan but kept looking for the women in the crowd. “What have you done with them?”
Drazan stiffened. “Your companions will be the guests of the Hard Sands.”
“You son of a bitch.” She clenched her hands to form two tight fists. If they hadn’t been moving, she would have jumped down and retraced their path to search for the other women. “You promised—”
“That your companions would not be harmed. They have not been. They are merely Warlord Nakan’s guests.”
“Guests,” Sheri spat. She didn’t feel like a guest. More like a prisoner.
She closed her eyes, fighting the tears that fought for freedom. As much as she wanted to change the situation, there was nothing she could do. She could try to fight, but… But what? Fight a bunch of alien warriors? Not physically. As for verbally… Her words fell on deaf ears.
She tried to lie to herself, telling herself that once they got to the Red Sands she’d find a way to contact the other women. Drazan had said they had some form of communication. She would check on Kalinda and the others, make sure they were safe. Were they being treated well? If any of them said they were unhappy, she would insist Drazan bring them back. He’d listen to her, right?
Probably not, but she wanted to lie to herself a little longer.
* * *
The ride across the desert was long and exhausting, the ceaq’s lumbering steps causing her to sway back and forth in great waves. They stopped at midday in the shelter of a lush oasis, drinking water and resting until the two suns finished their trek across the skies. It was hours later before the endless desert showed any signs of changing.
“How long have we been travelling?” Sheri spoke above the bellowing calls of the ceaq. Structures gradually came into view, the distant buildings growing in size as they drew nearer, and the shadows lengthened. She suspected that the Ateran days were longer than Earth’s, but she couldn’t be sure. The aliens, as far as she could tell, didn’t track time in small segments like humans. There were no hours and minutes. She had only heard them use terms like “dawn,” “dusk,” and “midday.”
“We are almost to my home.” Drazan assured her. He remained silent for most of the ride, only speaking when she asked him a direct question, which was fine with her. She wasn’t really up to talking to him. Not at the moment anyway.
They approached the structures, in truth, the beginnings of a sand city. The buildings were all squat and wide, made of what looked like some kind of white metal. To reflect the heat? They appeared sleek and modern compared to the tents and herd beasts she’d experienced so far. Surprise caught her when they got closer to the center of the city and she spied Aterans riding through the streets in some sort of hovercrafts. Sleek vehicles glided over the ground without any obvious power source.
“I didn’t think you had all of this technology.”
“Technology is forbidden in the Heart Sands,” Drazan said the words as if it was obvious.
“But, why?”
“The Heart Sands are neutral territory. No one may control those lands or possess anything within. They are sacred and we venture there for Ulmur and spiritual celebrations. During Ulmur, we focus on the bond between one Ateran and another, in the most primal, instinctual way. It is fitting that we go as we were born—native creatures of this world—and not the masters of all you see.”
“You bring swords,” Sheri pointed out.
Drazan snorted. “Had I not, the sand beast would have feasted on you. We have advanced weapons, but they have no place in the Heart Sands. And most warriors find them offensive.”
“Why? Is killing someone with a gun not dirty enough?”
Drazan stiffed. It seemed he’d hit a sore point. “War can be ugly, Sheri of Earth. To do battle is to take another’s life with your own claws. We avoid war when possible, but when it must happen, it is better to engage blade to blade. A foe killed from a distance is easy to dismiss. It makes the decision to take a life a simple one. I have never killed a warrior without meeting his eyes and knowing he is as ready to lay down his life for his people as I am. That is the way war must be.”
“Better if there’s no war at all,” she countered.
“That is the way on your Earth?” Drazan twisted to look at her. “Your males do violence without cause, without honor.”
She sighed and broke their stare. “We have war though it’s very impersonal. Maybe you’re right. Humans find it easy to kill. Maybe your way is better.”
Drazan nodded. “I have seen war. If I have my way, I will not see it again, but if I do, I will face it with my head held high. I will treat my foes with the respect they deserve. It is
far easier to find peace with a foe you respect than one you do not.”
Sheri didn’t have anything to say after that, the thoughts of war, violence and pain pushing all others out of her mind. She wanted to ask for more details, to learn of the reasons Aterans would fight, but she decided she’d rather not know the answer to that question. Besides, it probably wasn’t all that different than the reasons people fought on Earth.
War never changed.
Lost in her own thoughts, she remained quiet for the rest of the ride until they reached a large station where handlers emerged to take the ceaqs. Aterans of every shade of red moved among their group, helping some down while others led the beasts away.
Drazan led her away like one of those beasts. He drew her to what seemed like an elevator that took them down beneath the sands. They stepped out of the car to find themselves in a cavernous space that reminded her of an Earth subway station, sleek hovertrains carrying passengers off into dark tunnels. The main difference she noted was there weren’t any ticket takers—everyone rode for free. Did the Aterans even use currency? She’d seen no sign of money so far.
Their group boarded one of the trains, settling into the plush seats before it took off down a dark tunnel. It felt like hours later their transport slowed and came to a stop inside a station that looked identical to the last. When they emerged from the hovertrain station, she found that this new city was built inside a broad canyon made of red stone. Buildings sprawled across the canyon floor with more built into the high walls. The air was cooler, the walls providing shade to protect them against the worst of the desert heat.
The human women huddled behind Sheri as they all looked out across their new home. A couple remarked on its beauty, but at least one broke into sniffles.
“How long are we going to be here?” Sheri recognized the woman’s voice but couldn’t recall her name.
And unfortunately, she didn’t have an answer to that question. “Drazan promised to show me their communication systems. We’ll see if there’s a way to get a distress signal out. For now, I think we all need to accept that we’re going to be here a while.”
The sobs of the crying woman increased and one of the Ateran males approached, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The woman turned and buried her face against his scaled chest and Sheri frowned. Had the Ateran claimed the woman as his kode? She didn’t understand how the process worked though it was obviously about mating, marriage, or some combination of the two.
Had it even occurred to the Aterans to ask the human women if they even wanted to be mated to them? She hadn’t asked for Drazan’s advances. How would he react if she told him she was going to leave? If she said she wanted to venture into this alien city and find a job or someone else to live with? Yeah, she doubted the big, bad, red guy would be happy with that idea. The bigger question was whether he would stop her. Would he use force to keep her by his side, or would he accept that she deserved to have her freedom?
For now, the idea of venturing out on her own was far scarier than staying with Drazan. Like it or not, he had kept her safe. Safe, fed, and warm at night. Under the odd circumstances, it was the most she could ask for. She’d give it a few more days until she could settle into her circumstances. Then she’d try and figure out what other options were available.
They were loaded into a hovercraft that then whisked them through the city streets. Even though they were surrounded by civilization, she still spied a few ceaq in the city—the animals outnumbered by hovercraft. A sign of the difference between the upper and lower class? That assumed the Aterans had such distinctions.
It was not long before they arrived at a large stronghold in the center of the city. A thick, tall wall of red sand bricks surrounded the complex and the gate was guarded by several massive Aterans who bowed in deference to Drazan as they road through the gates. The inside of the stronghold held several buildings—some looking similar to Earth military barracks and she wondered how many warriors lived within the stronghold’s walls.
Their crafts stopped just past the gates, the large, metal panels slowly swinging shut behind them. They closed with a resounding thud, a scrape of metal on metal accompanying the doors being secured. Once they were secured within the tall walls of the stronghold, Drazan got out of the hovercraft but didn’t go far.
Drazan remained close, his red eyes on Sheri. “I will see you this evening.” He reached up and touched her hair, clawed tip of one finger teasing a large curl. “My warriors will provide you and your companions with anything you require. Food, water.”
“Communications equipment,” Sheri reminded him. She hadn’t taken her eye off the prize no matter how comfortable she was with the warlord.
Drazan hesitated a moment, his forked tongue darting into view with a flick before disappearing once more. He turned to one of his warriors. “Make it so.”
He didn’t look at her again, instead turning and striding off toward one of the distant buildings to attend to whatever business kept an alien warlord busy. The Ateran warriors helped the women exit the crafts and then led them toward one of the smaller buildings nearby. Sheri exited the hovercraft and moved to follow the group, but one of the males—Telu—stepped into her path.
“Lady Sheri,” he gave her a short bow, “this way.” He gestured toward the largest building, the one that sat dead center in the complex. She assumed this building belonged to the warlord—Drazan.
Sheri glanced at the building and then to the retreating backs of the women before returning her attention to Telu with a shake of her head. “No, I’m staying with them.”
Telu frowned and stared at the ladies. “Warlord Drazan stated—”
“That you’d give me anything I needed.” Sheri crossed her arms and raised her chin with more than a hint of defiance. “I need to stay with my friends.”
Telu exchanged a look with one of the other guards before finally giving her a slow nod. “As you wish, my lady.”
He bowed again and gestured for her to lead the way. He escorted her to a small barracks—filled with a row of bunk beds, small seating area and a little kitchen-ish area tucked away in one corner. “You will find all you need here,” Telu spoke to the group. “If there is anything else you wish, I will attempt to meet your desires.”
“Get me the comm unit first and then we can talk about the rest.” She wasn’t going to let them forget Drazan’s promise of communications equipment.
“Yes, my lady.” Telu bowed and then left. Two guards remaining behind were stationed outside the building, but the women were alone inside.
“He listens to you,” one of the other women whispered, her gaze on Sheri.
One of the others snorted and rolled her eyes. “Because she’s sleeping with their leader.”
“I’m not sleeping with him.” Sheri glared at the woman.
The other chick shrugged and crossed her arms, turning away. A few of the others—ones who had been getting attention from some of the Ateran males—blushed and turned away as well. Sheri wondered if any of them had already slept with their captors. Though she decided it wasn’t really any of her business. Whatever anyone chose to do on their own was up to the individual. She wasn’t anyone’s mother.
They did their best to settle into their new—hopefully temporary—home. One of the women went into the kitchen to poke around and see what could be done by the way of food. The others sat and discussed their options. Escape was still put forward as a possibility, but after traveling through the desert and witnessing those sand monsters, no one was eager to attempt to find their freedom.
Telu brought a communication device, as promised, but it was small—a video comm unit the size of a tablet computer. He gave Sheri a basic explanation of how it worked, transmitting data across a city-wide network. One thing he did reveal—exactly as Drazan had explained—was that a device like this wouldn’t be capable of transmitting a signal to the stars. Or beyond.
Sheri and a couple of the other women gave it a s
hot anyway.
And discovered it was basically useless.
Sheri found herself wishing that Kalinda had been brought to the Red Sands with them instead of being sent with one of the warlords from another territory. Without anyone with expertise in engineering or computer tech, they were helpless.
They couldn’t get in touch with anyone from the outside world and it was about time for her to realize that she might very well be stuck on this alien planet.
Forever.
Chapter Fifteen
After seeing to the business of all that was missed while he ventured to the Heart Sands for Ulmur and consulting with the local governors, Drazan returned to his stronghold. Sheri had remained at the forefront of his thoughts the entire day and that intensified now that he was on his way to her side. He grew more and more frustrated with each passing moment they had not yet bonded, his frustration mounting with the beat of his two hearts. To wait two full turnings was all but unheard of with his people. Most mated couples joined in the private tents at Ulmur immediately after finding each other. He and Sheri… had not.
He stalked through the halls, intent on getting to his private quarters—to Sheri. He strode past guards that patrolled the halls and nodded a brisk greeting to each male he encountered. He had not seen most of them since prior to his traveling for Ulmur. Only the younger, unmated warriors attended Ulmur. Those who remained were older and more experienced, many older than Drazan himself. Though he still ruled over them by right of strength.
When he reached his quarters, he paused just before the door and forced himself to calm his outward expression. He had pushed Sheri too quickly in the past, sometimes even frightening her with his aggression. He suspected this behavior was part of the reason she refused the bond. He was determined to do better—to be the caring and attentive mate she deserved. He breathed deeply and released the breath slowly, begging the goddess to give him a sense of calm serenity.