by Maia Starr
“We are Draqua,” he answered.
“Draqua. I have never seen anything like you,” I said.
“I am more like you, human female, than you know,” he said.
“Meaning what?” I said arching a brow at him.
“You will find out in time. For now, just hold on, and we will get you fed and to safety,” he said.
Find out in time? What the heck did he mean by that? I didn’t like the way it sounded because it almost seemed like he meant he was part human, but that couldn’t be. It just couldn’t be.
CHAPTER TWO
LEUITENANT DEKARIO DUNDRA
Being second in command of a warrior troop of Draqua was right where I wanted to be. Battle was where I thrived, and it made the blood course through my veins. I was a warrior, and I was damn good at it. I could fly and dive faster than any other Draqua I knew. I was skilled with the long knife we held strapped to our boots, and I was a great shot with the blaster guns.
But nothing compared to my ultimate weapon. It was the weapon that made me the best of the best and the envy of many elder dragons, including my commander, Commander Triq. This ultimate weapon of mine was the ability to move objects with my mind. I was the only hybrid Draqua that had it. Others, like Kavik, who fought at my side often, had different powers. He had the ability to paralyze others with just the touch of his hand. My ability was better, I thought. But I was glad to have Kavik at my side fighting at any time. He was a trusted friend and a hybrid like me, and he was always up for a mission. So when Commander came to us with a new mission, we could not say no.
“Dekario! Kavik! We move out at the noon sun today!” Commander Triq shouted at us as we stood at attention on the beach of the village. We had been doing water drills only moments before.
“Yes, Commander!” I shouted.
“Where to, Commander?” Kavik shouted.
“We are to go to Tiok. Be ready, warriors, as you know there are many dangers on that planet. Be ready,” he said. Then he turned and walked away.
Kavik turned to me, and we both grinned. “Woop! Tiok!” I shouted.
“The most dangerous planet near us. Sounds like a good time to me,” Kavik said.
“Agreed. Tiok, the planet of giant deadly creatures that want to swallow you whole, sounds like a party to me,” I said.
“And of course, there’s the rumors…” Kavik said.
“Oh come on. You don’t believe that, do you?” I said.
“Why else would we be going?” Kavik said.
“Same reason we always go: to flesh out any opposition,” I said as I shifted out of dragon form. Kavik did the same. Then we walked back toward the village to make our way to the launching ports.
“Yes, to flesh out the opposition, which we have been doing for years now and we never find anything. If the opposition still exists then they have been really good at hiding.”
“Well this is how we keep them in hiding and not be active again: we go patrol any rumors we hear about them,” I said.
“Or the other rumors…” Kavik said.
“I don’t believe it. Another hybrid of Draqua does not exist on Tiok or any other planet. We are the only hybrid Draqua. That is the way it has always been and always will be. The rumors of Aeriwana crossing with Draqua are just that” rumors,” I said.
“Still that would be one mean hybrid. The Aeriwana are mean as shit by nature. Can you imagine?” he said.
“No, I can’t. Come on, let’s prep for the mission,” I said.
So then we were off to Tiok, but we were in for a surprise. It was a pleasant surprise as far as I was concerned. We were patrolling the outskirts of Tiok a few miles outside of Pacu when we saw three figures running across a grassy plain headed toward the trees.
“Are those humans?” I asked.
“Yes. I think so. It looks like human females,” Kavik said as we all looked at each other.
“They are running from the creature,” Nalox said. I looked behind the humans to see a massive spider-like creature swallowing a human whole. Shit.
“We should save them. We need those human females to keep our species going. I think it is worth it. Commander?” I said as I looked over at the black dragon. This was Commander Triq’s dragon form. He was an elder, and elder dragons were not hybrids, so when they shifted, they shifted into full dragon. He nodded and flew straight for the creature.
“Woop! Yeah!” we shouted as we followed our leader to fight off the creature. It was a fun battle. We took down the creature in no time at all and then flew to the aid of the humans.
But I was not expecting to be so immediately enchanted by the human female with her long brunette hair in a ponytail. She spoke with confidence and leadership. But her full lips and ample hips were distracting me from her words. So I jumped at the opportunity to pull her into my arms and fly her to the safety of the village of Pacu. It was a nice surprise when she wrapped her legs around my waist. As I held her against my body and her small delicate arms encircled my neck, I inhaled her scent. It was maddening. I wanted to take her right then and there. I felt my staff growing hard under my waistcloth. My hands moved to her small waist, and it was easy to know what it would be like to push her against a wall and push my cock inside of her. I knew then that she would be my mate for life. I had found her. I would take her.
“Oh my god. Is that it?” she whispered.
“Yes, it is Pacu, the village,” I answered as she turned her head, looking down as we flew over the bustling market village.
“It’s beautiful. It is not what I expected,” she said.
“It is beautiful, but dangerous. You will need to stay close to me at all times,” I said.
“I think I can take care of myself,” she said defiantly.
“Yes, you demonstrated that when we found you. That creature was about to tear you apart,” I said, reminding her that she did, in fact, need me.
“Yes, thank you for that,” she said as her voice softened. It only made me more aroused. We couldn’t get to the ship fast enough at this point because I was about to have a full-scale hard cock. There would be no hiding it.
“There it is,” I said.
“There’s what?” she said as she turned. “That’s where we are going? I thought we were going to the village,” she said.
“We are. We are going to our ship that is parked in the village port. It is the only place we can guarantee your safety and ours. It is ours and ours alone,” I said as I flew down with the others and landed on the port floor.
“Where are we?” the human female with red hair asked.
“This is our ship. This is where we stay. Com, we will get you fed and get you some water,” Commander Triq said to the humans. They all looked at each other hesitantly. I didn’t blame them. They could sense that something was up, and it was. But they wouldn’t find that out until later.
“Are you coming, human female?” I asked the brunette.
“Reena. My name is Reena. This is Luka and Phoenix,” she said.
“I am Dekario, as I have said before. Our commander, who has already stepped inside, is Commander Triq. This is Kavik, and this is Nalox. There now that we have had the introductions, are you coming inside?” I asked.
They looked at each other and then stepped inside the ship.
“Holy shit, this is awesome. I’ve never seen anything like this,” the human male, Phoenix, said.
“Yes, we are very fortunate with our fleet,” Kavik said.
“I will see to food and water,” Nalox said as he walked past us and into another section of the ship.
“Come this way,” I said as I led them into a large communal room with four sleeping benches and a table. “This is your quarters; you can rest here. There is a washing closet through that door should you need it. You are all covered in dirt from your crash. The Commander will be in soon, and Nalox will bring you some food,” I said as Kavik and I left them to the room.
“I’ll close the entrance,” Kavik
said as he left my side in the hallway.
“Dekario!” I heard the familiar feminine voice shout. I turned to see Reena coming into the hallway.
“I would like to see the village,” she said.
“No.”
“What?”
“I said no,” I said turning toward her completely.
“But I want to see it. I am a scientist, and learning is in my nature. There is much to see and learn out there, and I might as well make use of this damn crash and loss of life that we have suffered. I want to go out there and gather information,” she said.
“It is too dangerous for a human female out there. No,” I said, moving closer to her.
“I am going with or without you. I am not your prisoner. I can do what I want when I want,” she said putting her chin in the air and staring me down.
“You are a fiery human, aren’t you? You want what you want when you want it, don’t you?” I said moving closer to her as she backed away until her back was against the wall. I pressed close to her. “I can understand that. I am the same way, and guess what I want right now?” I said.
“What?” her voice was a quivering whisper.
I didn’t answer. I pressed my lips to her soft full lips. She moaned softly, and I felt her body go limp as I pressed my body against hers. I was hungry for her. For a split second, I forgot that we were in the hall of the ship. Her hands pressed flat against my abs and she pushed me away from her.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” she slapped me. It did not sting my face at all. I found it amusing.
“I apologize, Reena. I couldn’t help myself,” I said as I stepped back away from her. I heard a thick sound. It was the clearing of a throat. I turned to see Commander Triq standing there staring at us. He was pissed.
“Commander,” I said nodding to him.
“If you will return to the quarters, Nalox is bringing the food and water now,” he said to Reena. She was a flushed pink and embarrassed. She didn’t say anything. She turned and walked back into the quarters with the other humans.
Commander Triq stepped over to me. “What do you think you are doing, Dekario?”
“Just welcoming our guests,” I smiled.
“That one is mine,” he said bluntly. Then he walked past me and into the quarters to speak to the humans.
“Like hell she is,” I said as I turned to join Kavik. I knew what she wanted, and she wanted me; her body made that obvious to me. There was no denying that she felt the attraction as well. I knew how to please her. She was interested in the village, so I would make it a point to take her on a stroll. It would please her; then she would please me. I grinned at that last thought.
“So, what do you make of it all?” Kavik asked as I helped him look over the map of the Pacu village where we had marked hot spots that the opposition could be hiding in.
“About this? I think we have swept these areas over and over and there’s nothing,” I said rolling up the map.
“I don’t mean this. I mean about the humans. The redhead is very sexy,” he said.
“Yes, she is. But not as sexy as the brunette,” I laughed.
“What is Commander going to do, you think?” he asked.
“The same as any Draqua would do: take them back to Kelon and make wives out of them. It is what our race needs and these two just fell out of the sky, literally. It is unheard of,” I said.
“Do you think they are lying? Maybe Earth has finally figured out what has been happening to their missing females and this crew was sent to figure it all out? They seem to be different,” Kavik said.
“Yes, they are. The brunette, Reena, mentioned she is a scientist. We have not come across that before. We have never come across an Earth ship and mission this far out from Earth. There is something strange about it. I guess we will find out.”
“Dekario! Kavik! Commander Triq says we leave for Kelon in ten hours. Keep that information to yourself,” Nalox said as he walked into the room.
“Confirmed, ten hours. I will go out on another patrol, the last one planned on the east side of the village blocks,” I said, already planning ahead.
Nalox nodded then left the room.
“Patrol? By yourself?” Kavik asked.
“No, not by myself. There has been a request to see the village. I will make that request happen,” I said, smiling as I walked out. Then I popped back in and said, “And Kavik, keep that information to yourself.”
He laughed and said, “Understood.”
I made my way to the quarters of the humans and found them eating and drinking. I stood quietly in the doorway as Reena turned to me.
“You requested your research time. Now is a good time, but I can only take you,” I said.
“What? Where?” the redhead named Luka said.
“I don’t like the sound of that. Exactly where are you going? Where are you taking her?” the human male asked.
“She requested some information from me, and I am here to see that request through, unless you have changed your mind?” I said.
“No. No, I have not,” she said standing up. “I will be right back. Don’t worry. I trust Lieutenant Dekario to return me safely. They did rescue us, remember? And they did offer us food and shelter as promised. We have no reason to fear them. I will return shortly,” she said as she followed me out.
“The village awaits you, but stay at my side. I am very serious about this. The first sign that you might even be thinking about disobeying that order and we return to the ship. Is that understood?” I said as we stood at the entrance of the ship.
“I understand. I’ll do what you say,” she said.
“I like the sound of that,” I said as I opened the door. She narrowed her brown eyes at me. I grinned. “This way.”
She followed me out as I closed the ship door behind us. “So this is the port, one of twenty or possibly more around the village. Of course, smaller ships are able to land inside the village, but larger ships like ours are only able to land just outside the city at these ports.”
“Is everyone on this planet like you?” she asked. “Able to shift into dragon form like that?”
“No, absolutely not. All sorts of races from all over the galaxy inhabit this planet of Tiok. I don’t know which ones are the natives, but it has been a trading post for so long that there are many mixed races here.”
“Humans?” she asked.
“No, not that I know of. But it is a very large planet, so the possibility is there, but I don’t know of any humans here. Which is why you have to stay close. Outlaws here always want something they have never seen before. That would be you, human female,” I said, whispering in her ear as we walked out the port gates and into the village.
“I see,” she said gulping in fear.
“This is one of the many markets. See all these booths here?” I said.
“There are many like this all over the village, but there are areas that specialize in a certain trade. The center of the village is where you will find the sale of servants. On the east side of the village you will find ship parts and mechanical parts and such,” I said.
“Servants for sale? As in beings are being sold for slavery? That’s just wrong!” she said loudly, and a few of the aliens in the area turned and looked at her.
“Quiet. You don’t want to attract unnecessary attention to yourself. Come this way,” I said as I grabbed her arm and led her straight into the market to get lost in the crowd.
“I would like to see a living space,” she shouted at me over the hum of the crowd.
I laughed. “How about a watering hole.”
“A what?” she shouted.
“I’ll show you.”
A few moments later we walked into a darkened hall bustling with activity. I still had Reena’s hand in mine. It was a necessity, but something that I was enjoying anyway. I didn’t linger in the doorway. As soon as we walked in, I pulled her to a corner with me.
“What is this place?” she
said, looking around with awe.
“It’s a gathering place for refreshments and food,” I said.
“Oh yes. I see it now. It’s a tavern. Can we sit and have a drink?” she said as she turned to me and smiled.
“Absolutely,” I said as I led her over to the counter and ordered two strong drinks. “This is called Hiwa. It’s from a plant, and it’s strong, so be careful,” I said.
She tasted it. Then out of nowhere, she shot it back and swallowed it all. Then she started coughing. I laughed. “Yes, it’s strong. But that was impressive.”