by Sue Mercury
“Are you all right, Mia?” Sekor moved to her side and put a gentle hand on her arm.
“I-I’m fine. Just a little faint. Getting kidnapped by aliens can really take a toll on a girl.” Despite her comment, she smiled at him. His concern for her wellbeing touched her, more than he could probably imagine. No man had ever expressed a desire to protect her, let alone cherish her. He spoke as if he was deeply in love with her, and she would be lying if she claimed she wasn’t flattered.
“Please, sit down and relax. I will prepare you a meal to help you gain your strength back.” He guided her to the bed and helped her sit down. “I will even put clothes on, Mia. I sense you are uncomfortable with my body.”
She flushed and glanced around the room, avoiding his gaze and feeling suddenly shy. “Sekor, it’s not that I’m uncomfortable with your body, it’s just that you’re moving way too fast. We only met a few minutes ago and I’ve already seen you in your birthday suit.”
“I don’t understand your human phrases. Is your implant working correctly? Did my brother implant a faulty language chip?”
“Your brother didn’t implant anything in me.” Oh no. What would he think when she confessed the reason she already had the language chip?
“Do you work in Rahatha? I didn’t think any unclaimed females worked there.”
“Tell you what, Sekor. I’ll tell you about myself, and then you can tell me about yourself. Normally after boy meets girl, boy gets to know girl before boy takes his towel off and shows off his goods, but I’m willing to start over if you are.” She shook her head when he tried to sit down beside her on the bed. “Go get dressed first!”
He disappeared into what looked like a walk-in closet, and he emerged seconds later wearing the same black uniform Captain Heega and the other aliens aboard the ship had been wearing. The uniform fit Sekor like a glove, molding over his large, muscular form. He gave her a smile and left the bedroom, returning a few minutes later with a tray of fruit, biscuits, and two glasses of water. He sat down and placed the tray on the bed between them, and she appreciated the space he was giving her.
“Please eat, Mia.”
“Th-thank you.” She nibbled on a biscuit and tried to refrain from groaning after discovering it was filled with cheese. Yum. She took another bite and chewed slowly, keeping one eye trained on Sekor.
“You promised to tell me about yourself, Mia.” He reached for a glass of water. “Please, tell me everything about you. I wish to know you. I wish to know more about the beautiful female who will soon become my mate.” He stared at her with a dark, unblinking gaze.
“Okay, here it goes.” She sat the biscuit down and took a quick sip of water before she began. “My full name is Mia Amelia Alessandrini. Yeah, I know, it’s a mouthful. But please, just call me Mia. Anyway, I grew up in Salem, a city a few hours away from Rahatha, and I still live there too. I love to read, my favorite color is yellow, and I’m a waitress. However, I hope to open my own restaurant one day. It’s a dream of mine.”
She smiled. One day she would scrap together enough money to fulfill her dream. Probably not for another ten years or so, but she would get there eventually. No more working for jerkoffs like Mr. Benton. She wanted to be her own boss, in charge of her own future. But getting kidnapped by aliens put a serious kink in her plan. Did they even have restaurants in Giamot Clan?
“Tell me more, beautiful Mia.” His deep voice was a caress over all her nerve endings, making goosebumps rise up as a shiver rippled over her skin.
“Well, I love to cook. My grandmother taught me how to make all her favorite Italian dishes. Um, I don’t have a very large family. Just a few cousins and my mother. I’m an only child and my dad passed away two years ago. I make friends easily and love to travel.” The reason her restaurant fund was so low was because she kept traveling to Europe and South America, her two favorite continents to take a holiday. “I love learning about new cultures and I think that’s why I’m so fascinated with Reestrians. I got this language chip on the black market, um, that means sort of illegally, and had hoped to get a job in Rahatha, but no one showed any interest in hiring me.”
“You have a thirst for adventure,” he said, smiling down at her, his dark eyes glittering. He was the beautiful one. Heat suffused her cheeks each time she glanced at him.
“I suppose I do like a good adventure. I wanted to see the walls surrounding Rahatha with my own eyes, and that’s why I drove here today, just to glimpse some silly walls. Anyway, I ended up witnessing the battle and while I was trying to reach my car, your brother beamed me up to this ship.” It occurred to her that during the excitement of getting kidnapped she’d almost forgotten about the second race of aliens. “So who were the aliens in the black ships? The ships you blasted apart with your green laser zappers?”
“The Ettalians. They are a new species to us, and we have yet to establish a friendship with them. Fortunately, our technology is superior to theirs, and our warriors are stronger. Do not fear, beautiful Mia, for they will never defeat us. I will keep you safe, always.”
* ~ * ~ *
Keeping his hands off Mia was an exercise in control. Sekor ached for her, ached to possess her, ached to enfold her in his embrace. He wanted to feel her soft breaths against his chest, and he wanted to stroke his fingers through her dark, silken curls. Black spots dotted his vision, but he managed to stay conscious. His fever was increasing, but he sensed Mia still wasn’t entirely comfortable around him yet.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he watched as she finished her biscuit and took another sip of water. His eyes became riveted to her delicate throat as she swallowed. The pulse point on her neck throbbed. Was her heart beating fast due to fear or arousal?
He still detected her feminine scent when he inhaled a deep breath. Satisfied that she craved him as much as he craved her, even if she wasn’t willing to admit it yet, he reached for her hand.
“What are you doing?”
“Touching you, Mia. May I hold your hand?”
“Um, sure. Just don’t get grabby and try to hold anything else.”
He was beginning to understand her sense of humor. There were those on his planet who wore humor as a shield to mask their nervousness. Perhaps humans were not so different from Reestrians, after all. He threaded his fingers through hers and gave her hand a squeeze. She smiled and flushed, her vulnerable expression awakening his heart. He had never dared lust after a female in his clan or anywhere else on Reestria, knowing that his job protecting his home would keep him off planet often. Why risk feelings for a female that he might be leagues apart from when his mating urge struck?
Though he’d boasted to Mia he would please her in bed, he had simply assumed he would be good at sex. He wouldn’t admit to her that he hadn’t actually had intercourse before. His fellow shipmates who weren’t yet mated dallied in pleasure houses in every clan they visited, but Sekor had always abstained, citing his lack of time and his desire to watch over the Trinia in their absence.
How much experience did Mia have? As gorgeous as she was, he suspected she had enjoyed sex many times, with many different partners. He was lucky she didn’t have a husband already. A woman of her beauty wouldn’t last a day on Reestria without dozens of males fighting to claim her as a prize mate.
She watched him with curiosity, obviously waiting for him to tell her about himself. Where did he start? Did she really care about the glory he had found in battle? Did she care he came from a rich, powerful family? Had he known a human girl would be given to him one day, he would have studied all the literature about humans available on his planet, rather than spending all his free time honing his battle skills.
“I come from one of the most powerful families in the Giamot Clan, and my parents are both advisers to the emperor and they travel to the Galattak Clan City often. For as long as I can remember, I have been training to serve as a warrior for my people. The safety of Reestria falls upon all the males in the Giamot Clan, and we take our du
ty seriously.”
“What are your hobbies?”
“I enjoy sharpening my knives, hunting oglar bears in the forests, and vanquishing the Ettalians from our territories.”
She blinked several times, then a broad smile illuminated her face. “Um, never mind. How about games? Do you play games? Do you have sports on Reestria?”
“Games are for children. However, sometimes a male will challenge another male for a mate. The emperor will hold mating challenges on occasion, but I would not consider those a game. Males often fight to the death for the privilege of claiming the most beautiful female in a clan.”
“Okayyyyy. Forget about games. Tell me what you do for fun that doesn’t involve work or survival.” Her interest in him provoked his desire, and he drew in a steadying breath and had to remind himself not to touch more than her hand.
He pondered her question. Until now, the need to protect his people had driven his every action. In this moment though, all he could think about was the future he wanted to build with Mia. She would give him strong sons and pretty daughters with curly dark hair. Her gentle presence would calm his soul after he returned home from a battle.
“I enjoy gazing at the night sky on Reestria. Our twin moons dominate the sky and make me feel alive. One day soon I will gaze at the sky on my home planet with you at my side. We will join our bodies underneath the moon and the stars.” Unable to resist, he reached for her with his free hand and stroked her face. She shivered and her eyes fluttered shut. A tiny moan escaped her, and a second later her eyes shot open, concern filling her blue depths. He chuckled. “Do not fear your reaction to me. The Almighty One is guiding your heart to mine, and soon we will be bonded together for all time.”
“I had no idea Reestrian males could speak so sweetly.”
“I speak to you from my heart, beautiful Mia.”
Pink tinted her cheeks. Her adorable blushes were driving him mad. If he didn’t claim her soon, he would explode into a million pieces like the Ettalian ships had over Rahatha.
“Tell me something else about yourself. Tell me something no one knows about you.”
Should he confess his deepest secret? Though he never joined his shipmates during their trips to the pleasure houses, he joked around with them afterward and made it sound like he’d visited such establishments before.
He moved the tray and scooted closer to her, until their thighs touched. Clasping both her hands in his, he waited until she met his stare. He had never felt so nervous, and he hoped he wasn’t about to make a huge mistake.
“I must confess to you, my beautiful Mia, I have never been with a female before.”
Chapter Four
Mia must have misheard Sekor. No way was he a virgin. He oozed confidence and looked like a walking sex machine. How was this possible?
“Um, Sekor, are you serious?” Oh God. What if he was lying? Was he trying to trick her into liking him? She fumed at the thought.
His face turned red and he took a deep, shuddering breath. He looked pained, and she didn’t know if he was embarrassed or in physical agony because of his mating urge. She tried to ignore the massive bulge at the front of his pants, but her gaze kept dropping to his center, and her blood heated anew each time. The image of Sekor dropping his towel and showing off his impressive manhood kept flashing in her mind.
This is an adventure, she reminded herself. She liked adventures. Until she’d been kidnapped by them, she’d liked Reestrians too.
“Does it displease you that I have no experience?” He drew back from her and dropped her hands, and in that instant she believed he was being truthful.
“No, Sekor, it just surprises me. Please don’t be embarrassed. Um, does it bother you that I’m not a virgin?”
A grin replaced his frown, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t known him for long, but it pained her to see him so crestfallen. Why was that? She’d thought all his talk about the Almighty One guiding her heart to his to be baloney.
“No, Mia, it does not bother me that you aren’t a virgin.”
“Good. Think of it this way: at least one of us will know what we’re doing.” Her eyes widened and she backed away from Sekor, moving up against the headboard of the bed. Holy Mother of all stupid ass things to say, what had gotten into her? “Um, wow. I didn’t mean to say that. I mean, sure, I said it, but I was joking.”
“I like your jokes, Mia. You are a funny, sweet little human. What do you say, Mia? Will you have me as your mate?”
“Sekor, I appreciate that you haven’t claimed me against my will, and I appreciate that you have taken the time to speak with me.” She smiled. “I think you’re kind of sweet, and I have enjoyed our conversation. But I need some time to think about it, okay?” When Captain Heega had dragged her into his chambers, she had wanted nothing more than to leave the Trinia. But now the thought of being apart from Sekor made her chest feel heavy. In his own strange way, he had begun to win her over. She wished the mating urge didn’t come on so suddenly, and she wished she had known him before his fever had started.
“I ache to hold you against my chest, Mia. I ache to claim you and feel the magic of our mating bond. But I will not force you. You are a good, sweet girl. I will leave you alone and let you make your decision. If you don’t wish to mate with me, I will relinquish my ownership of you.”
She cringed when he said ownership, but didn’t correct him. Captain Heega had captured her and given her as a gift, and in his culture that meant he did in fact own her. However, she was thankful that despite how much he longed for her, he wouldn’t claim her unless she wished it.
Oh, how she wished it. But her mind screamed that it was too soon. Behind the screaming, a little voice whispered, “it’s not like you’re getting anywhere with traditional dating.”
Her head jerked upright. She gave Sekor a pleading look. “Please give me a few hours alone. This is sudden, and gosh, you haven’t even met my mother or any of my friends yet. My thoughts are a jumbled mess right now. I would appreciate the time to think.”
He rose from the bed, and though he hadn’t left the room yet, she already mourned the loss of his presence. A glimmer of amber flashed in his eyes, and she gasped. For a moment, his real eye color had shone through the black, and though she doubted he’d done it on purpose, she felt as if he had bared his soul to her.
“I will return in several hours, Mia.” He strode to the door. “The Giamot Clan is beautiful. We have cities like you do on Earth, with plenty of places for you to explore. You would love it, of that I am sure. And if you didn’t like it there, I would leave. I would follow you anywhere, Mia.”
A tear escaped down her cheek after he walked out the door. She clutched her chest. Why did it hurt so much that he’d left? Hadn’t she asked for time to think?
You were kidnapped. Maybe the stress has driven you mad.
She stared out the window at Rahatha. The spirals of smoke had disappeared. Hovercrafts zipped in and out of a large dome. The streets were lined with massive, exotic trees. Aside from the fallen debris, the city appeared as pristine as the pictures she’d seen in magazines.
Stop stalling. What will you tell Sekor?
She clutched her head and sighed. She heard the door zipping open and she looked up, annoyed that Sekor didn’t know how long an hour lasted. But it wasn’t Sekor, or any male Reestrian, for that matter. Blina rushed to her, wearing a dire expression.
“How long will he be gone?” the blonde alien asked.
“A few hours. What are you doing here?”
“Sekor is a violent Reestrian you should fear. If you come with me now, I can beam you off this ship and outside the city.”
“But you spoke so highly of him earlier,” Mia argued. “I don’t understand.”
“I couldn’t say anything bad about him in Vessa’s presence. Please, if you want to escape the Trinia and a fate that will bring you nothing but misery, we must hurry now.”
* ~ * ~ *
“H
er full name is Mia Amelia Alessandrini. She lives in Salem, Oregon, but that is all I know. Have you located her residence yet?” Sekor hovered over the technician who had hacked into the humans’ databases.
“Calm yourself, Sekor.” Heega put a hand on his shoulder. “We will find her.”
“I want to know how she escaped this ship!” Sekor gripped the back of the technician’s chair to steady himself. He was a mess and his fellow warriors knew it, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was finding Mia. Hours had passed since he had found her missing from his quarters. After searching the roads near Rahatha, they hadn’t found any sign of her car either. She had likely reached it and driven off, back to her home in Salem.
Her rejection stung. Perhaps he should let her go. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t erase the tender feelings for her that swelled in his heart. How could she leave the ship without saying goodbye? Mia was no coward, and he wondered if something sinister had befallen her.
“Check the transportation logs!” he roared, blinking fast as his vision blurred. “Check to see if anyone has beamed off the ship!” They had assumed she had overridden the exit door and walked away from the landing platform, but perhaps that assessment had been wrong.
The technician’s fingers flew across the buttons on his work station. “A human female was beamed outside the walls of Rahatha twelve intervals ago. The passcode used to activate the transporter is encrypted. Hold on, I’ll have it soon.”
Had Mia asked one of his shipmates for help? He refused to believe it.
“This is interesting.” The technician straightened in his chair and squinted at the display screen.
“What?” Sekor had never felt more on edge. He would strangle the young Reestrian if he didn’t provide answers soon.