by Emma Vance
I really wanted to see his face. His body was made of molded muscle, he had thighs like massive tree trunks, and a soft pelt coating sculpted abs.
And I just noticed his whip-like tail with a tuft of fur at the end.
That was all I knew about him—that he had a hot bod and was a guard on a Stryxx Pleasure planet.
I didn’t regret asking him to remove his helmet, especially after his mouth had finally flashed into a smile. Only for a brief moment, mind you, but it was enough. He was real after all, not some statue I’d wandered into and begged to fuck me. At my request, he brought his big hands up to the bronzed metal helmet and pulled it upwards, revealing his face to me, inch by inch.
He wasn’t beautiful by any means. In fact, the word that first came to mind was harsh.
I’d seen his jaw, mouth and eyes of course, but it was surprisingly hard to put together a face out of those elements. From his tail and fur, I was expecting more cat like features, but he was decidedly not feline-looking. His nose was large and flat, and the bridge of it was sliced with a sharp scar. His eyes were hooded, the earthy-green color the only warm and inviting thing on his face. His jawline was square and dominant, and it made for a severe effect when combined with his strong forehead. All together, he looked entirely unforgiving.
The silence stretched between us, but it was not uncomfortable. He was watching me, waiting for something, but I didn’t know what.
I reached up and cupped his jaw, smoothing my thumb across his cheek. It wasn’t fur-covered, like the rest of his body. It had more of a leathery texture, the same as the inside of his hands, but much softer. I traced his wide, full lips and wondered what they would feel like against mine. I’d orgasmed multiple times with him, but we’d never even kissed yet. I reached my hands around the back of his neck to pull him closer to do just that, when I was distracted by his hair. Dude was rocking a serious man bun.
I must have made some noise, because his lips curved slightly, and he moved a hand to where mine was. He loosened his hair, and long black strands spilled over his shoulders.
“Do your males not have manes?” he asked, pointedly looking at my own, long, dark hair.
“Er, yes, they do. I just didn’t realize you had hair. I thought it would be furry like the stuff on your body.”
“Kenari take pride in the length of their mane. My father would say—”
He broke off, his mouth twisting in a grimace.
I got it. There were people I didn’t want to talk about either.
“I like it down,” I said, stroking it. It didn’t feel like human hair, it felt woven, like cotton threads.
I was still horny as hell, but the worst part had gone away. It was like a haze of pain had lifted and I could think clearly again.
I scooted closer to him on the bed, so close that I could see the little flecks of gold in his green eyes and feel the warmth of his breath on me. I laid my palm flat on his leathery cheek and moved my lips inches from his.
“Do your people kiss?” I asked, my voice coming out as a throaty whisper.
His response was to crush me to him, fastening his lips to mine so quickly it almost took my breath. His tongue was velvety and met mine with enthusiastic abandon. I tangled my hands in his hair, pressing myself flush against him.
The fur on his chest rubbed against my nipples in delicious ways. His teeth were large, like fangs, and I could feel that they were sharp, though they didn’t hurt me when I ran my tongue along them. He growled when I did so, and then I found myself underneath him, his weight pressing me into the bed as he delved into my mouth.
I moaned, my desire returning full force, and I recognized he was entirely naked and on top of me. I rubbed my exposed pussy on his muscled thigh between my legs and the texture of his fur on my clit nearly caused me to come again.
His mouth left mine, and his two massive arms hooked under my knees and spread me up and back, so I was entirely open to him.
I glanced down and my breath caught in my throat as his cock rose triumphantly from in between his legs. It was huge, and I was so glad I hadn’t seen it properly before he fucked me the first time.
Then he positioned his cock at the entrance of my core and thrust once, all the way in. We both gasped. He paused for a moment and I recognized that he was letting me adjust to him, which I definitely needed.
I felt crammed full. My legs were splayed back, the soles of my feet resting against his forearms. I couldn’t move if I tried, and I certainly didn’t want to.
When he pulled out of me and thrust forward again, I tipped my head back and moaned low and wild. I’d never felt anything like this before. We started on a steady thrust of his cock into my pussy and I held on as he pounded into me.
“You’re so deep,” I gasped out, as he pumped into me furiously. “I can feel you everywhere.”
He growled and moved faster, his thighs smacking against mine. His face was contorted into a grimace, and he bent forward as I watched him, our gazes locking. The eye contact was intense, but neither of us broke it. With every thrust, I felt the thunderous storm of pleasure drawing closer. Watching those green eyes watch me only pushed me closer to the edge.
I reached down to my clit and began rubbing it. He tore his gaze from mine and his eyes followed my fingers there. His thrusts grew more erratic, but he never looked away from my fingers dragging across my wet clit, even as he pounded into me.
I screamed as I came, my orgasm exploding through me and clenching his cock so hard I nearly blacked out. His relentless pace didn’t let up. If anything, he fucked me faster and harder, roaring as I felt his come shoot out of him in hot jets.
My legs fell to the side as he fell on top of me, his fur slick and sweaty, his breathing labored.
“Holy shit,” I muttered into his slick skin.
He grunted and rolled off me, and I felt the loss of his satisfying weight.
“My apologies,” he said after a moment, the gruffness of his voice the only thing that betrayed any emotion.
I turned my head towards him. “What are you apologizing for?”
He glanced at me sideways, then away again. “I can be intense. I know you were only seeking a male to relieve you of the pain from the lansian root poisoning, not for any type of affection.”
He stared at the ceiling.
Oh. I hadn’t realized what it must have felt like. But I was basically asking him to perform stud service for me.
“I don’t mind affection,” I found myself saying. “I’m not just looking for a cold, clinical lay.”
I had no idea what I was looking for, or what he was, I just wanted something to ease the ache. All I knew was that with him I’d felt more comfortable than with any male in a long while, and that was something worth holding on to.
He turned to face me, and I traced his jaw with light fingers. He didn’t seem to mind that I kept touching him, despite all his bluster at the beginning.
“How long have you been a guard?”
He was silent so long I didn’t think he would answer me. “Stryxx has owned me since I was ten seasons in age. I have been a guard on this pleasure planet since leaving training.”
Ten years old? Shit. And I thought being kidnapped at twenty-two sucked.
“I’m sorry,” I offered, an inadequate sentiment.
He tilted his head, his focused eyes unnerving. “Why?”
“Well, you didn’t have much of a childhood before you were taken.”
His nostrils flared, and his mouth firmed. “I had more than most. I knew my parents. Many here were born into slavery.”
I nodded. I’d heard as much from some of the other females here. And I got the message. He didn’t want sympathy.
Fair enough. He could have gratitude instead.
“Thank you.” I smiled at him. “I think I might have died if you hadn’t helped me.”
“You would have found another male,” he said bluntly, not taking his eyes from mine.
Okay the
n.
“Yeah, I guess. But you could have left me at the gladiator pleasure house. Or even on the ground in the luxury gardens. But you didn’t. And I’m glad it was you who helped me, and not some other male.”
He breathed heavily and caught my hand in his, stopping me from touching his face.
“This place is harsh,” he said, his voice low. “Many do not last long here.”
“Maybe that’s why we should take comfort in each other,” I said, knowing I genuinely meant the words. It hadn’t been long, but I’d liked being with him. I felt safer with him, and that was something I hadn’t felt in a long time. “Because we don’t know how long we have.”
“Comfort yes.” He nodded, his words clipped. “But nothing more.”
“Nothing more.” I agreed.
What more could a human sex slave and her alien guard have? `
Chapter Seven
Present day, Otun
Nisha’s words about the Dragorians who were trying to rescue the humans echoed through my mind. I’d heard Dragorians had docked here recently. If I’d thought it strange, I didn’t dwell on it, as I’d seen many confusing things in my time here. Dragorians were a species who were very vocal of their disapproval of pleasure planets, a thought which I obviously agreed with. When Nisha told me they had come here to steal someone—a scientist they were looking for—I thought they were stupider than the rocks beneath our feet. Stealing from Bardoa was suicide. He would hunt you across galaxies, if you even made it out of here alive.
But if they could make it out of here alive, then escape might finally be a possibility. Freedom was so close, I could almost taste it.
Nisha slept beside me, and her hair spilled onto the pillow around her, and I swirled my fingers in it, savoring the softness and the gentle rhythm of her breathing.
We didn’t often get nights like this. It was more often frenzied coupling, stolen kisses, not knowing what was happening. But every so often, when she wasn’t chosen and I wasn’t on patrol, we would get an entire night together. Gods knew how I treasured it. It was my only salvation, watching her sleeping form beside me.
I left the bed and scrubbed my hands over my face, walking towards the moonlit window. The Stryxx twin moons were bright tonight and flooded the room with a glowing halo.
Bardoa would have locked the Dragorians’ ship. If they wanted to escape, they’d have to disable that first.
I knew how to do that.
But would it be enough?
I turned my gaze back to Nisha on the bed. I would die before seeing her thrown in the pits to be torn apart by the gladiators for sport. That was what Bardoa did to those who tried to escape—something Nisha and I knew too well.
Nisha stirred on the bed and I went to her, sitting on the edge.
“Did I fall asleep?” she asked groggily, wrinkling her nose and squinting a little.
“Yes, but it’s all right. Go back to sleep.”
“Why aren’t you sleeping too?”
“I cannot. I have too many thoughts running through my mind.”
“About escape?” she asked, waking up more fully.
I nodded. She knew me too well.
“I told you I wanted to stop them. I don’t want more humans dying because of some stupid aliens. What if it’s like last time?” she asked, fear staining her voice.
“It won’t be,” I assured her, though I had no way of knowing that. Anything could go wrong. “I’ve planned for something like this.”
She raised her knees to her chest, looking away from me. My fingertips found her chin and raised it.
“Keep your distance from them,” I warned, as I had repeatedly. If she wasn’t with the Dragorians, she couldn’t be accused of trying to escape with them if Bardoa got wind of what they were up to. If Bardoa found out, I might have to act fast.
“I cannot worry about you too. If you end up in the pits, I do not know if I will be able to concentrate on what I need to do.”
In addition, if this didn’t go to plan, Nisha would be safe. Well, as safe as she could be while still remaining a slave here. But at least she wouldn’t be thrown in the gladiator pits, futilely fighting for her life.
I’m not sure I could withstand that.
She nodded, and I cupped her tiny face in my hands and kissed her, tasting her sweetness. I’d intended it to be a kiss of comfort, before we both went back to sleep. But it turned heated, and my cock responded as she ran her hands up my arms and arched into me.
When I finally thrust into her, it wasn’t a frantic, quick coupling. Instead it was slow, deep, and intense.
Whatever happened, we would meet it head on, but for now, we savored each other as if we’d never get another chance.
Nisha
It was hard to avoid the rest of the humans. I’d given them a lot of guidance in the first few days, and I missed talking to other humans. I also missed hanging out with Kat and Mei, who didn’t understand why I was avoiding them like the plague. But they had firmly latched on to this escape idea and no matter what I said, I couldn’t dissuade them from it.
If they got captured, I don’t know how I’d endure it all again. Otun said he had a plan, but I didn’t know if I was willing to take that chance. As bad as things got here, I liked living. And entering the gladiator pits as punishment for trying to escape was terrifying.
I sighed and headed back to the females’ tent in the luxury gardens. It was no use worrying about it now. I stepped into the tent, relieved to see that there were no human women there. Good. But as soon as I had the thought, a hand gripped my shoulder and whirled me around.
“Where have you been?” Kat asked, her eyes flashing with anger. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not!” I didn’t meet her gaze.
“Don’t lie to me, Nisha.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Is it about the escape? Is that it?”
I looked away from her.
“Yes,” I said after a minute. “I’m sorry, but I’m not getting involved in this. You know what happened the last time, Kat. We were both there. Are you willing to risk that again?”
“This is different, Nisha. These aliens have a ship of their own and there’s like ten of them. It’s more sophisticated than just our ragtag bunch of humans and shitty gladiators trying to takeover a stolen ship. You know it is.”
I agreed with her. But Otun was right. I couldn’t be seen with them in case their plan got blown. It was best if I just kept my distance.
But it was hard. It was even harder not speaking to Kat, who I’d grown close to these past three years. We’d gone through everything together and she knew everything about me.
Well, not everything. I’d never told her about Otun.
I don’t know why. Maybe I didn’t even believe he was real, and I wanted to stay dreaming.
“I just don’t feel safe hanging out with them when they talk so openly about escape,” I said, honestly. “You know why.”
“I know why,” she said, her voice quiet. “Not a day goes by where I don’t think about the other girls. Where I don’t hear their screams in my sleep. Or feel guilt because I’m here and they aren’t. But we have a chance now, Nisha.”
“A chance to get thrown into the pits, you mean?” I grit my teeth.
Kat gripped my arm. “It won’t turn out that way.”
“Yeah, because the other girls who tried to escape didn’t think it would happen to them either?”
Kat released me. “They were my friends too, Nisha. It didn’t just affect you.”
“I know that.”
“I know you were close with Sarah. But that doesn’t mean this is going to be the same thing.”
The smiling, bright face of the girl I’d been so close to flashed through my mind and a sharp pain accompanied it.
“I know it could be different, but I don’t think I’m willing to risk it.”
“And if we all escape, and you stay here?”
&nbs
p; I raised my chin. “Then I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing. Survive. And I will be so happy for you that you’d managed to make it out of here. It’s what we’d always planned.”
“Damnit, Nisha! You can’t let fear dictate everything.” She looked at me, some sort of realization dawning on her face. “But it isn’t because you are afraid, is it?”
I schooled my features into indifference. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t want to leave because you don’t want to leave someone behind.”
Of all the things I expected Kat to say, it was not that. I forced my face to remain blank.
“Oh, come on, Nisha. You think I haven’t noticed all these years you going to one place over and over? You think I don’t know you are meeting someone? Or that your eyes scan the guards whenever we entered the tents? Always searching for him?”
She rounded on me and her eyes filled with understanding. “We should have been honest with each other these past three years, you and I. Because if we were, I would have told you I have the same problem. That there is someone here for me that I cannot leave behind. That I won’t.”
My eyes widened. All this time I hadn’t wondered about Kat and if she had someone to seek solace in as well. I had been too wrapped up in my own misery.
“But we can bring them with us,” she said, her tone confident, assured.
“It isn’t so easy as that.”
“It can be if you want it to be.”
“He’s a guard, Kat. They have even less freedom than we do.”
“And what freedom do you suppose gladiators have?” she asked, her voice soft.
Her guy was a gladiator? Holy shit. That was a whole different ball game.
“Maybe you’re right,” I said finally, biting my lip. “We should have been honest with each other from the beginning.”
She clasped her hands to mine. “So, you’ll come with us?”
“I’ll consider it,” I said, extricating my hands, hating lying to her. “I have someone to talk to first.”
She nodded. “Of course. Go to him. We are meeting at the dining tent later. Join us.”