Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3)

by C. L. Scholey

  “See,” Adan sounded triumphant.

  “Well gee, Einstein, I had no clue they were from outer space,” Bethany said.

  After a thought, Bethany lifted her arms and then pointed at Finn and Blu. She did it a few times and made a motion sign as to leave. Blu howled with laughter and smacked Finn on the shoulder. Finn did not look happy, he began to rise.

  “No wait,” Bethany said and held her hands out, stilling him. Finn plopped back down, his expression between curious and frustrated. “I don’t mean leave; I mean when are you leaving? Or when did you get here? Or, damn there are so many questions.”

  Finn said a few words and held up five fingers. Bethany wondered if they had been here five days or were leaving in five days. It became apparent soon enough.

  “Beth-a-ny, Finn, Blu,” he said, then waved his arm indicating the others and again held up five fingers.

  “Um, Bethany?” Tasia sounded worried. “I think he means we’re all leaving in five days.”

  “But to where?” Dyani said. “I wouldn’t want to offend or anything, but these beings are more different from us than we’d like to think.”

  “I’m not going,” came a muffled shout from under the mound of furs.

  “I don’t think we’ll have much choice,” Chiyo said. “Dyani is right. If these creatures want to haul us off they can. Instead, they seem content to hunker down and wait out the storm. They must be from that huge space ship we saw appear a couple of days ago. Finn seems specific with his number; it must mean there is communication with them and their vessel, to an extent.”

  “They are scary,” Adan added. “But sitting here warm and with a full belly, well, if it’s any indication of their intention it might be for the best.”

  “Until one screws you, you idiot,” Bertha bellowed.

  “I’m certain you have nothing to fear, our bubbling personality Bertha,” Adan called back.

  “I’ll tell you I told you so if they eat us alive,” Bertha yelled.

  “I’m certain they know you’d leave a bad taste in their mouths,” Tasia said.

  “Have you missed the hard on they always have? Or are you all blind as well as stupid?” Bertha shouted. There was a moment of silence.

  “I just had a scary thought,” Bethany said. She swallowed hard and looked at Finn while gesturing what she hoped would get her question across. “Are there women where we’re going, or more males like you and Blu?”

  Finn pointed at himself and Blu, then using his hands he gestured many times there were more males just like them.

  “Oh shit,” Chiyo whispered.

  “Definitely not reassuring,” Tasia said.

  “They can’t all be as big as these two.” Dyani’s words were more hopeful than anything.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure,” Adan said.

  “Again, still not going,” Bertha bellowed.

  “We should be so lucky,” Chiyo muttered.

  “Something tells me this species doesn’t make any small aliens,” Bethany said. She made a move to get up but Finn caught her hand and rose with her.

  Finn took a few deep breaths. Blu growled something at him, a warning, but Finn’s reply was subdued. Bethany gasped when Finn seemed to shrink. He wasn’t small by any means but the bald spot on his belly became wrinkled into a ten pack. There were spaces between his teeth. His hair settled against his back. Bethany couldn’t help it, she reached out to touch his belly. He was rock hard. The fur on his chest was about an inch thick. He in no way resembled an animal, but a humanoid alien. Bethany felt her heart flip as her breathing increased.

  “Holy hell,” Adan said, gasping.

  “Very awesome,” Tasia said.

  “Good God, it’s still fucking creepy,” Bertha said as she peeked her head out from under the furs for only a second before ducking back under.

  “That’s amazing, I mean really amazing,” Tasia muttered while moving closer.

  “And very cool,” Dyani said while Chiyo remained openmouthed but nodded her agreement.

  Bethany studied his arms and lifted a huge hand into hers. The back of his hands had a small spatter of hair like a human male. His black fingernails were no longer claws. His impressive erection drew her attention for longer than necessary but she was curious. His cock was large but it was obvious he didn’t have a hard on.

  Finn was different than a human male and his uniqueness captivated her. Full blue lips pouted in a sensual way. The heat of his red eyes gave him an air of mystery. His hair was as white as Bethany’s was black and now lay flat and calm to just past his ass. Not small by any means Finn was close to seven feet. His black-booted feet made her wonder if he had toes. He was absolutely perfect. Bethany thought she’d give anything to see him naked.

  “Careful, Bethany,” Tasia said. “You’re holding the hand of a big ass alien and looking for all the world like you’d like him between your legs.”

  Bethany squealed and dropped Finn’s hand. She felt her face flame and her mouth dropped open. Finn grinned and before her eyes the wrinkles on his midsection flattened out, the spaces were nonexistent between his teeth. He was over seven feet again. His wild locks reached to caress her bare arms giving her chills. As Bethany stumbled away her eyes strayed to his cock. It was massive again.

  There was definitely going to be a problem.

  * * * *

  “See,” Finn said smugly as he sat down again next to Blu. “No problem. My little female is interested.”

  “Interested or not, when Titus arrives all of them will board the ship.”

  Finn chuckled. “I think it will be best if we take the one buried under the furs—in the furs. Some creatures are skittish, she has to be the most skittish alien I’ve ever encountered. Poor little human female. I wonder what she’s so frightened of.”

  “She won’t die of fright?”

  “Is that concern?”

  “I never said I wanted them dead. I’m not interested in a human female. Not yet anyway. They do have their appeal, when they’re quiet, or sleeping. You realize you’ll never have a son if you mate with the female. And if you have a female babe with her what will you do for a mate for her when the child grows up? What if your daughter wants to go off into the woods and only mate every two years like the Zargonnii females? She may choose her grandmother’s way of life and I bet Unna would embrace her gratefully. Or what if she decides she wants a Castian for a mate? ”

  “For a male who isn’t interested in human females you’ve been doing a lot of thinking. If I’m lucky enough to sire a daughter, watching her grow up will be its own reward. As for the one hiding in the furs, I have plans to make a quick trip to the ship before we board with the females. There is a useful drug I think I better use on the skittish one.”

  “Once you take a human for a mate you have to be responsible for them for the rest of their life. They can’t be left to their own devises. Our planet is too dangerous for them to wander. You’ll always have to be on guard. Your female offspring might have a better chance of survival, like our sons, but don’t count on it,” Blu argued.

  “Our males are so used to female loss I understand your apprehension, Blu. We are abandoned by our mothers at a month old for our fathers to find. The only way for you to ever raise a female child is with a human. For now, go and mate a Zargonnii female, if one will have you. Then wait like the rest of us poor bastards to see if you are given a son. I have done the wait—too many damned times. It hurts not knowing if your union was a success, if you have a daughter out there somewhere, never having laid eyes on her. My beating heart is done aching, I want to know what it’s like to love.

  “And our females experience the agony of loss when they hand over their sons. Don’t fool yourself, I bet your mother cried over her loss when she gave you and Zane up. There must be the remembrance of a female roaring in agony in your memories as your father picked you up for the first time. A human female can give me a child that will be mine. I will watch her mother carry,
I will feel the kicks and I will hold a female child in my arms. I will have a family I will love. The greater reward is worth the minimal trouble. You can’t begin to imagine the joy those words hold for me.”

  Blu settled back. Finn knew his friend had a lot more to think about. Blu was young; there was still time to Holiday with a Zargonnii female, if he hadn’t already which Blu suggested he had. Finn was tired of the Holidays and the time spent waiting after. Too much disappointment clouded his life. There was never a son to discover, to pick up and bond with in those first crucial seconds. A human female was a gift. If there were never any offspring, she would still be a gift of love.

  Finn leaned back against a fur-covered piece of furniture. He knew if he kept staring at Bethany she would be uncomfortable. He closed his eyes and pictured his female big with child, them cuddling together. Finn would help her deliver their baby. He felt the smile on his face before he snorted gruffly and opened his eyes to blink a few times. He was a healer and a warrior acting like a besotted cyron in heat. He knew once Zargonnii males came near females their urge to Holiday would increase. Bethany had him hard as a rock and his daydreaming wasn’t helping the situation. He closed his eyes again before they settled onto his desire.

  “Finn?”

  “What?”

  “I think we better go hunt something soon.”

  “We have enough for tonight.”

  “I may not be interested in mating a female but my cock has other ideas.”

  Finn opened his eyes. “You, too?”

  “Something tells me it’s gonna be a long five days.”

  “It would appear we have a new problem.”

  “You and your damn problems…”

  Chapter 5

  Bethany threw up the second her feet hit the tarmac inside the huge vessel. From the way a bowl was shoved under her chin before she spewed she guessed the reaction was foreseen. Bertha hung limply over one of Blu’s broad shoulders. She had screamed when Finn smashed through the back wall of the igloo and he and Blu dragged them all outside into the cold, it had happened so fast no one was expecting it. A massive black ship hovered overhead.

  Bethany had gaped in awe. It had been exactly five days as Finn had said. Bethany didn’t know what Finn had done to the woman but one second Bertha was howling her death cry, the next second she was unconscious. It was then Bethany felt the icy wetness seep into her fur and leather foot coverings. The blizzard was over and all too fast her sight had taken in their dangerous position. Huge chunks of ice dipped ominously barely feet from them. The sky was grey except for the odd brilliance of lightning—the hand of Zeus come to life. Their time had run out.

  Finn had her arm clasped in his. She had gazed up terrified as first one igloo then the next toppled over and crumbled into the vast ocean before them. The water was attacking the land—and it was winning. Ice chunks collapsed causing huge splashes as the ground beneath their feet shuddered. Solid icebergs in the distance bobbed and weaved hurling massive waves in their direction. Thick, jagged chunks of ice rose up splitting the ice, rocking the ground where they stood. Bethany had almost screamed wondering if they would all be impaled from below. Her body became a crazy dance as she slipped trying to desperately keep her footing.

  They were about to be drowned by a wall of fast moving water. The tidal wave careened towards them at an alarming rate. In seconds they would all die. Adan cried out and was hauled to Blu’s furry chest by a solid arm. A bright light glowed, zapping them in a heartbeat. There was never any chance of error of escape for the humans from these beings. Everything was calculated down to the last second. There was no doubt the humans owed these creatures their lives.

  Glancing around at the massive hanger at the many warriors, all as big as Finn, Bethany was wishing she was unconscious too. An alien bigger than Finn strode forward and slapped Finn on the shoulder. He took in each woman, smiled and declared he was Titus, obviously the leader of the bunch. Adan stared up at Titus in awe as she disengaged Blu’s arm.

  “Fuck me, can you imagine the balls on this dude?” Adan said.

  “We’re on a damned space ship and all you can think of are this thing’s nuts? Are you nuts?” Chiyo asked.

  “Oh, come on, it’s not like we all weren’t thinking it,” Adan said.

  It had been the farthest thing from Bethany’s mind. One second they had been on Earth, surrounded in chaos, the next they were on a space ship. Finn went to Blu and checked on Bertha. Bethany had been watching him these past days, there was something about Finn that reminded her of a doctor. He was stern with Bertha, demanding she eat and making certain they all drank a lot of water. He and Blu had turned them into lazy sloths, no one needed to leave their home to do anything except expel waste. The blizzard had eased for a few mere hours after three days before starting back up again. All were sick of Bertha but one growl from Finn and Bertha remained hidden in the furs, unable to leave to go to her igloo.

  Finn and Blu did the hunting; they found the fuel. Bethany had begun to think they were prisoners until one day she got up and left. She walked, the icy snow biting her eyes and stinging her flesh until her legs ached; not far really, the icy snow beneath her feet was a hindrance. She swiped at her leaky nose and rubbed her frozen hands together. There was nothing except water and ice as far as the eye could see—and it was closing in on them. She realized there wasn’t anywhere for her to go—except home.

  When she had turned around Finn was there, following her, not saying or doing anything. When she remained standing simply watching him, Finn had taken her hands in his, his eyes warming her. A gentle finger trailed her cold cheek. He turned, stood silently for only a second. When he began walking back she followed him—his broad back shielding her from the biting wind, his strange hair pulling her close. The snow was only shin high for Finn and he moved easily, while Bethany had struggled with each step. The trail he made was welcome.

  Titus and Finn exchanged a few words while the women gaped at everything surrounding them. All of the women were corralled further into the ship with many curious warriors trailing them. Bethany heard the low growl and grunts in their odd language as the aliens conversed; some laughed, others grunted seriously. The hallways were large, wide and high, lit with different lights going in different directions. Bethany was feeling very tiny. Finn stopped at an oversized door which slid open. Bethany gazed at her surroundings with curiosity. Blu settled Bertha on a table. Finn checked her eyes and her breathing.

  “Do you think he’s some kinda doctor?” Dyani whispered.

  “I do now,” Bethany said.

  It became apparent Finn knew something about human anatomy. He tugged Bertha’s mitts off and felt the pulse at her wrist. Bethany could see he timed the beats when his lips moved soundlessly. He pulled Bertha’s parka over her head in a gentle way, careful not to let her head fall back. Her leather undershirt revealed her bare arms and part of her midriff. A low growl was heard from behind her and Bethany spun to see a number of warriors had followed them into the room. Someone, perhaps Tasia made a small worried sound. The tallest of the women, Tasia was still dwarfed by the warriors. Before Bethany could offer a protest, as it appeared Finn planned on removing more of Bertha’s clothing, Finn turned primal and all the women shied back when he began bellowing orders in outrage.

  He had shaken off his battle size when they had boarded the ship but he grew again. One warrior was tossed out the door when he seemed reluctant to leave. Bethany stood wide-eyed, Finn’s tirade made seven huge warriors flee the room. Finn slammed his hand onto a panel and the door closed. He stood with his back to them taking a few deep breaths. When he turned he looked the essence of calm.

  “Shit, he’s a scary-ass bastard when pissed,” Adan said.

  Adan might have looked impressed if her face hadn’t gone a pale white and her arms hadn’t suddenly wrapped around Dyani in a vise grip. Bethany was thinking the same thing, but Finn hadn’t scared her, she was more surprised; he was always s
o gentle around them. All the warriors bailed, fast, except Titus. The two males exchanged words, but Titus held his ground. Bethany could almost see the wheels in the leader’s mind churning. If the female was sick, the leader should know about it. Bethany knew the only thing wrong with Bertha besides a bad case of the bitches—was she was scared. More so than the rest of them. Bethany wondered if it was the creatures she was frightened of or of being abandoned. For all the woman’s previous bluster, Bertha was afraid to be alone for too long.

  “Hmm,” Finn grunted as he checked Bertha over.

  He sounded so serious, Bethany moved closer. Because of the frigid weather they’d remained clothed, even when washing, not much came off. There were scars on Bertha, a lot of them. Too many not to see an unspoken truth, the woman had been beaten and from the looks of it for a very long time. Again Bethany wondered just what occurred to have made a woman with such beautiful green eyes so hateful.

  Bertha began to stir. Once she was able to, she began bellowing again. Bethany was feeling bad for her until she cut loose with every foul expression known to mankind. No one was left out of her tirade and though no one should ever be beaten, Bethany felt Bertha should also remember others had feelings too. Titus growled out something, loudly, to be heard over her howls. Finn sighed. He dipped his clawed black fingernail into a vial and penetrated Bertha’s skin at her neck. She was out again in seconds. Bethany realized Finn must have gone to the ship first foreseeing a problem. He had drugged Bertha. Bethany might have felt sorry for her, but she was going to have to accept her situation along with the rest of them. Earth was dead. The aliens were strange, but they had saved their lives.

  Finn picked Bertha up and handed her to Titus. In a quiet tone, he gave him orders and a small glass vial. No doubt there wasn’t a warrior on the ship who would go near Bertha while Titus had her in his care. Blu motioned to Adan and Finn smiled. After Adan was given a clean bill of health she was taken away by Blu. Bethany grabbed her hand before they left.

  “Are you okay?” Bethany asked.