by A. G. Wilde
Despite that its hands were so much thinner than its body, it was remarkably strong.
It lifted her in the air, its hand locking around her neck, as it turned its head slowly from side to side inspecting her.
“It is the first time the Isclits have returned to your planet in many years,” it murmured, ignoring the fact that she was struggling in its grasp.
“I am pleased with their find this time. A simple sample of what can be farmed.” It used its other hand to pull at her arms and legs.
“Intelligent life on such an undeveloped rock,” it continued murmuring. “Just the right size for breeding.” Its gaze dropped to her privates and a chill ran through Athena’s entire frame.
“Or for our sexual entertainment.” Another series of bubbles popping erupted from the High Tasqal. “The Tasqals will be happy with this find.”
Athena said nothing. The Tasqal’s words were too jarring. Too revealing. It was painting her future right in front of her and it was a life she definitely did not want to live.
“I will give you two options, human,” it said. “As I have two.” It glanced back at the woman on the slab and another series of bubble sounds erupted in its throat.
“Choose to be my sex pet, here for my sexual pleasure and I will not breed you.” It looked back at her. “Or choose to be my mate and bear my spawn.”
Athena gritted her teeth.
Two unbelievably generous options those were.
As she struggled against the hand holding her up and her gaze fell once again on the woman on the slab.
“It doesn’t matter!” The woman screamed. “It will rape you anyway. It is only playing games!”
“Silence!” The High Tasqal spun so fast, it made Athena dizzy.
She could see tears running down the woman’s face but the woman said nothing more.
Turning back its attention on her, the High Tasqal’s mouth opened and Athena watched its heavy tongue emerge, dripping with saliva. Kicking and struggling against the arm that was holding her up did nothing to help her situation.
If anything, her efforts to have him release her were spurring the High Tasqal on.
It was just about to lick her when it paused.
“You Earth scent is distracting,” it said, slipping its tongue back into its mouth and releasing her. She fell to the floor.
“You must prepare yourself,” the High Tasqal said, turning away, and Athena realized she’d been holding her breath. “Prepare yourself with spices.” It gestured over to a side of the room with what looked like another high waterfall, except this one looked like it actually had water running from it.
Was it asking her to take a bath?
Athena frowned, her breathing hard and shallow.
The High Tasqal had said enough for her to understand exactly what her purpose was. And what was worse, this was just the beginning.
She was a sample.
She assumed the other human women and men she’d seen were samples too.
Samples for a greater purpose.
Earth was in danger. Even if she did escape, it would mean only delaying the inevitable.
The realization had her frozen on the floor. Everybody she knew, everybody she loved, they were all in danger.
The High Tasqal grunted and turned its head toward where the door was supposed to be, as if sensing something. Its voice boomed as it commanded, “Enter.”
The door materialized out of the wall and Athena realized the doorway was filled with something big. The light shining behind the guest made it hard for her to see the face but the horns protruding from his head gave her a good idea of who it was.
Xul entered the room and his green eyes found her immediately. He scanned her body quickly before glancing at the High Tasqal then at the other woman on the slab.
She was sure she saw the bone in his jaw tick.
“Sire,” he said, addressing the High Tasqal before moving to stand by the door.
The High Tasqal grunted and moved over to the purple waterfall in the middle of the room.
Athena choked back a gasp as the robes fell from its body to the floor.
Its entire body was filled with the bubble-like sores and it looked like one massive dark green, leathery pouch standing on two flat legs. Lifting its body, it stepped over into the waterfall and settled itself in the thick purple fluid.
Athena tried not to gag.
Damn, it was hideous.
Were there no beautiful aliens?
Her gaze fell on Xul at that thought and she glanced away quickly, realizing his green eyes were still focused on her.
“Prepare yourself,” the High Tasqal said, again motioning to the tall waterfall in the corner. “With spices.”
Prepare herself for what?
So it could use her for its sexual pleasure?
No, thank you.
When it noticed that she hadn’t moved, it turned its head to look at her.
“Hmm,” it murmured, reaching its bony hand to the side to grab something off the rocks. Athena’s eyes widened and her heartbeat sped up as she realized what it was.
The torture remote. So it did have one.
A bubbly sound began in the High Tasqal’s throat as it watched her response.
“Prepare yourself,” it said more firmly than before.
Athena took a few seconds to run through options in her mind. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for anything she could use for defense. But the only weapon in the room was the spear being held by the devil and she was sure she couldn’t wrestle it from him.
She could probably outrun the High Tasqal, judging from how its body looked, but she knew she wouldn’t get far with the devil in the way. Plus, she’d have to find a way to release the other woman so they could escape together.
She also still hadn’t figured out how the doors opened and closed. Even if she did, she still had no idea of the layout of the place and it seemed to be teeming with aliens anyway.
Damn. She needed a light at the end of this tunnel and soon. She needed to warn the other women. They needed to hatch an escape plan. And, somehow, they needed to save Earth from a potential invasion.
She must have taken too long in her thoughts because, in the next instant, a pain like no other coursed through her veins, causing her to collapse to the floor on her hands and knees. It felt like burning and ice in her veins at the same time, and Athena gasped for air but found she couldn’t even breathe, as the pain had knocked the wind out of her.
It lasted only for a few seconds as the High Tasqal released the button on the remote but it left her collapsed on the floor writhing as the last of the pain left her body.
Thick, warm liquid ran down her lips and she realized her nose was bleeding.
Athena looked up at the High Tasqal, its expression unreadable, and was thankful it hadn’t decided to punish her further.
Getting to her shaky feet, she stood and wiped the remainder of blood running from her nose.
“Prepare yourself,” the High Tasqal repeated and Athena swallowed hard, glancing at the remote in its hand.
It had felt as if her body was being ripped in two. Whatever they’d done to her while she’d been unconscious, it was controlled by that remote.
If she had any chances of getting away, she needed to get rid of that remote first.
Glancing over at the devil standing by where the door should be, Athena gulped again.
Another sound erupted from the High Tasqal and it ordered, its voice commanding, “Make it prepare itself, with spices.” It motioned to the devil, and a snort of hot air came the devil’s nostrils as he moved forward, his spear glinting in the light.
“I do not wish to damage the sample, as I must be able to use it for pleasure tonight,” the High Tasqal continued, rising from the purple liquid as it moved toward the other woman on the slab.
The woman’s eyes widened as she started clanging on the chains and Athena stared in horror.
Taking her by the
arm, Xul pulled her over to the waterfall and placed her underneath it.
A scream from behind them made her try to spin and look but Xul was blocking her view. Holding firm on her shoulders, he kept her facing the waterfall.
“You do not want to see,” he murmured, his voice so low she was sure the High Tasqal could not hear him.
Another scream erupted behind them and a deep moan from the High Tasqal reached her ears.
Twisting out of his grasp, Athena spun so she could see what was happening and the world paused for a second as reality seemed to shatter right before her very eyes.
The High Tasqal was on top of the woman, its sex organ deep within her, as it thrusted into the woman over and over again.
The horror in front of her eyes made her spring into action immediately, as Athena made to dash towards them. She didn’t know what she’d do but she needed to do something.
But two strong arms circled her and pulled her back under the waterfall.
“Do not risk yourself,” Xul spoke low and level but she could see he was speaking through clenched teeth. “She is already infected. We cannot save her.”
His words puzzled her and she raised her fiery gaze to his.
“It is raping her! I have to do something!” She replied. Trying to keep her voice low was hard but the screams of the woman echoing through the chamber was good cover for their conversation.
Xul studied her for a second and she was sure she could see pain in his eyes.
But why? Wasn’t he a part of the same team?
“She is already dead,” he said. “Do not interfere or the same may happen to you.”
A low roar echoed in the chamber next and both she and Xul turned to the scene to see that the woman was biting down hard on the High Tasqal’s neck.
Raising itself above her, pure fury emanated from the Tasqal’s being.
“You dare try to harm me, you pathetic worm?!” It bellowed.
And with one movement, it took the woman’s head between its hands and twisted her neck.
A scream left Athena’s throat as the woman’s body suddenly went limp.
It’d killed her. Just like that. As if she was nothing.
Terrified, her heart hammered in her chest as the High Tasqal turned to look at her.
“Puny humans,” it said, pausing as it regarded her. “I guess you will have to be both my mate and my entertainment.”
Athena shuddered as she backed away into Xul’s hard body.
She was sure she felt him stiffen at the words.
“Bring her,” the High Tasqal said.
7
As Xul pulled her back into the center of the room, Athena found that she was trembling.
She needed to do something. Anything.
It seemed that either way she took it, she was going to die anyway.
“Good,” the High Tasqal’s voice boomed as it regarded her and the sounds of bubbles popping came next as it laughed.
But despite that it had just killed the woman, it appeared to have pleased itself because it was now slipping into its robes once again.
“Guard, you will transport us to my ship,” the High Tasqal hardly glanced at Xul as it spoke. Grabbing the chains she’d been wearing earlier, it approached her and all she could see was its hands circling the woman’s head as it twisted her neck.
A dry heave threatened to come forth as she glanced behind it at the woman’s limp body.
Backing away from the High Tasqal, her hands gripped into the billowy material of the bed. It was like cotton wool and her fingers sunk into it.
The High Tasqal approached and gripped her neck with the same hands it had just used to kill another and Athena swallowed hard, fighting back the slew of emotions rising in her stomach.
As it secured the chain around her neck, it began leading her toward the door, pulling her so hard that the chain bit into her neck and a large piece of the wool-like material ripped off the bed.
She was about to let it fall when the thought came to her that she might be able to use it later.
Anything might be useful at this point.
Trying to ignore the pain around her neck, she tried not to look at the woman’s body as she was pulled past it.
She was already close to tears at the vicious act. She couldn’t look.
Wrapping the wool-like material around her waist, they were in the hallway when she tied another piece of the material around her breasts.
Walking down the corridor, the bright light had a disinfecting effect on the surroundings. But she knew better.
There was blood behind these walls.
Xul was in front, the muscles in his hard back rippling as he walked.
He was different from the others. Very different.
More…caring?
Moving her gaze from him to the High Tasqal, it was a bit strange that two species that were so different could exist in the same galaxy.
Now that was a thought.
What if she was no longer in the Milky Way?
She still had no idea if she was in a building or a ship. It looked like it was a building, like some kind of alien base, but judging from the size of it, she could be mistaken.
But if it was a building, was it disguised on Earth somewhere?
And, if it was a starship, was it anywhere near Earth?
They came to stand in front of a wall and soon, a door appeared and opened to what looked like a lift. Stepping in first, Xul stood to the back before the High Tasqal entered next, pulling her in to stand beside it.
The door closed and the lift descended.
“We will take a transport ship from the dock,” the High Tasqal spoke. “You will pilot me to my ship.”
She assumed it was speaking to Xul.
One look at Xul showed that he was wearing that same unreadable expression. But his eyes were hard and his jaw was set.
His words back in the room repeated in her mind.
Once again, he had tried to protect her.
But why?
In the next few seconds, the elevator stopped moving and the doors opened to a large bay.
Unlike what she had seen before, this section of the place was filled with large metal pipes that networked overhead.
In front of them, several small starships were parked and there were Isclits and yellow-eyed monster guards everywhere.
Not only that, there were other aliens in chains just like her. Some were being dragged mercilessly and being loaded into the small ships. Others were being pushed into a corner where she assumed they were to stand and wait.
From what she could see, there were no other humans there and she wondered whether that was a good or a bad thing.
As the High Tasqal pulled on the chain, leading her through the commotion, something moving along a conveyor belt caught Athena’s attention.
It was large and hairy, like a lion, but the two long teeth protruding down either side of his jaw had Athena’s mouth fell open in shock.
It was the saber tooth.
The other women hadn’t been lying. That meant the T-Rex... Athena’s eyes darted around the area quickly. If it was there, she was sure it wouldn’t be hard for her to miss.
The High Tasqal pulled hard on the chain again and Athena winced, only just realizing that they’d come to stand in front of an empty starship.
Looking the thing over, it looked like something you would see at an amusement park as one of the rides.
Glancing at Xul, she watched him open the starship. The door opened like that of a DeLorean and reminded her of Back to the Future.
Then the High Tasqal entered, taking the seat beside where the captain should be.
“Get in,” Xul said, his voice gruff.
Athena shot him a look and then climbed into the back of the starship, jumping as Xul slammed the doors closed before entering the captain’s seat.
“Make it swift,” the High Tasqal said and Xul grunted in response.
The engine started in th
e next instant and the starship hummed peacefully. Athena watched the two aliens in front of her secure their seat belts and looked around if there was one for her. Finding the belt, she secured herself to the back seat and tried to calm her beating heart.
She had no idea what to expect next and it terrified her.
This was another unknown she was heading into.
Xul began pushing buttons and the ship slowly lifted into the air. Athena’s eyes widened as she looked out the window. As the ship rose, the Isclits and other aliens who were busy in the cargo hold got small and smaller. They were going high and she thanked the heavens she was not afraid of heights.
In the next few seconds, the ship moved forward into another area, where there was nothing but a wide-open space. Behind, she could see the doors closing on the cargo hold.
This must be an airlock, she thought. She had watched enough sci-fi movies to figure that out.
In front, two large doors the size of giants began opening and Athena gasped audibly.
It was space. Frickin’ space. She almost forgot who she was in the midst of as she leaned forward, her eyes widening.
It wasn’t how she’d imagined it.
In her head, space was full of stars but all she could see outside was a black void.
“Exit in three...two...one,” Xul grunted and then the ship shot forward with a sudden burst of speed.
Athena’s eyes widened further as she looked outside the window.
Behind them, from where they’d just left, was a gargantuan spaceship. It dwarfed the little spaceship they were traveling in a thousand times over.
So that was where she’d been all that time? Not some building in the Amazon. Not on Earth at all.
As the ship moved forward, Athena kept searching for anything she could see that was even vaguely familiar. Earth, the moon, Mars? But there was nothing. The only other thing that was close to them was another ship that was not far in front. It was smaller than the huge one on which she’d just been and she assumed that’s where they were headed.
They were moving fast. Behind them, the large ship was slowly getting farther and farther away.
“You are heading in the wrong direction, guard.” The High Tasqal’s voice boomed in the small spaceship.