by Zara Novak
If her life wasn’t in immediate danger, Emma might have taken a moment to stop and appreciate the beauty of the land around her. Wherever she was, the Yark had dropped her on a pristine ice planet, which took her breath away whichever direction she looked. For someone like Emma, who had been kept in the dim halls of the breeding pits all her life, glimpses of outdoor scenery like this were next to non-existent.
You can enjoy the scenery when you find a way to survive. Emma told herself. There was a good chance that her alien suitor would never find her at all, and that prospect invigorated her a little. If she could survive long enough to find a local town, she might be able to make something of herself here, she might finally find some sort of peace, no matter how small.
The snowcapped trees loomed over ahead as Emma’s tiny figure walked through the gargantuan bracken. She pushed on through the cold, despite her fatigue, wondering how much further she could walk before it got too dark.
She kept looking back over her shoulder, aware that the mysterious blue sun was setting fast. She had to find some where warm for the night, and find some way to make fire, or surely she would be dead before sunrise.
She pushed onward, snow crunching beneath her feet, when an almighty roar echoed in the distance behind her. Emma froze at the noise, staring back over her shoulder in the direction from which the roar had come. It seemed to rattle the very trees themselves, causing several birds to take flight. She turned with the intention of walking away from whatever that was as fast as possible, when he landed in front of her, pristine snow exploding upward from the floor.
“You.” The red skinned figure practically snarled the words.
Emma opened and shut her mouth several times, trying to find the strength to scream, but nothing came. The alien man took a step forward, pleasant heat radiating from his body. His amber eyes pierced into her soul, burning like embers.
“W-w-who are you?!” Emma stumbled back, nearly tripping on a frozen root.
“Vax. And I’ve come to claim you.”
Vax grabbed Emma, swung over his shoulder, leaping up from the snow and into the trees.
*
Vax padded around the cabin impatiently, drumming his fingers on the thick muscle of his upper arms. Today was the day the company would deliver his mate. His stomach was knotted with apprehension. He’d thought of nothing else since he’d placed the winning bid twelve suns ago. He stared at her picture that was projected in the air, eyes burning at her beauty. A message popped open on the screen. It was from Space Brothel. Finally.
“Your mate has been delivered to the following coordinates! Thanks for doing business with Space Brothel!”
A small map popped open, showing a flashing beacon on the south side of the forest. Vax roared furiously, leaping for the door immediately. Those sons of bitches had left her out there to die alone. On Zangia of all places? He had mentioned specifically that they specify the drop off time so he could be there. The fucking cowards must have been too scared to face him.
He bounded out of his cabin on all fours, launching himself off the high balcony that overlooked the surrounding forest, soaring through the air, into the trees below.
Vax always traveled through the canopy of the trees. It was much faster than trudging through the herculean drifts of snow that marred Zangia’s surface this time of the year. If the snow didn’t kill the girl, then the local wild life surely would. God knew there wasn’t anyone else on this planet to save her.
He moved through the forest quickly, wrapping his thick fingers around cold tree bark, launching himself through the air with a rapidity that he hadn’t used in some time.
He was close now, he could sense it. He didn’t need to follow the signal of her bracelet to find her, he could hear her heartbeat thumping slowly just a couple hundred feet south of his position.
He heard another heartbeat too. The loud swollen drum of an Ice Xanther. Normally the colossal cats slept until the the spring solstice, but it must have been woken by her scent. Vax moved at full speed, determined to get to his mate before the Xanther had time to stir.
Just then, a shrill and fractured scream of a fully grown Ice Xanther ripped through the cold air. Vax could hear his mate’s heartbeat racing in fear. She didn’t have to be scared anymore, he was here now. She was his.
He fell through the air like an arrow, zeroing in on his target. He crashed into the snow just in front of her, powder falling all around him as he stood up straight.
The girl’s face was a terrible picture of fright.
“W-w-who are you?!”
“Vax. And I’ve come to claim you.”
Vax jumped towards his mate and threw her over his shoulder. The Xanther screamed again somewhere in the distance behind them, closer now. Vax looked over his shoulder before looking up at the treetops.
“Hold on. I’ll keep you safe.”
He crouched and sprung from the ground explosively, launching up into the tall Zanga Oaks. The Xanther might have been looking forward to a little mid hibernation snack, but it wouldn’t be getting one today.
Chapter 2
If there was one thing that Emma didn’t want to admit to herself, it was how much of an effect the goliath alien male was having on her already. Sweeping through the trees with her arms held tight around him had been scary at first, but she had quickly grown to enjoy it.
His skin as well, it was so peculiarly hot. An extremely welcome respite from the cold that had soaked into her bones while walking through the deserted forest. He had said his name was ‘Vax’, it was a curious name, decidedly alien, but there was something about it that she liked.
Vax was a tower of muscle and flesh, his dark red skin a warm haze. Beneath is flesh there seemed to be the faintest trace of swirling. To Emma it looked like dark crimson marble, with peculiar smoke, just under the surface. Whatever it was, the effect was pleasurable, and only added to the delight it was to stare upon his already beautiful body. She hadn’t been sure what to expect when she discovered she was being auctioned off to an alien suitor. The only aliens she’d ever really known were the Skrax, and they were a far cry from her red skinned savior.
Where the Skrax where tall, thorny skinned and almost arachnid looking, the red skinned Vax was the complete opposite. Vax was basically humanoid, be it a little taller and in much better shape than the few human males she had seen during her time on earth. Overall looking upon him was a pleasant experience, and it was a welcome surprise when compared to what Emma had come to expect from aliens.
It only took three minutes for Vax to return them to his home. Upon seeing which, Emma was surprised once again.
In the middle of the forest, stemming upward from the trees on the side of the hill, an expansive and modern looking log cabin stood on tall stilts above the canopy. With one last leap from the forest, Vax landed on the wooden balcony with a hollow thud. The front of the house was bordered by a wide wooden veranda, which swept across in a wide curve that would cover the third of a circle. Tall broad windows covered the front of the building, Vax pulled one of the patio windows to the side, closed it behind him and set Emma down.
Inside, the house was just as beautiful, and to Emma’s relief, much warmer than the bare winter forest outside. The house was wide and open, and in this room she could make out a lounge area, an eating area and what looked to be a kitchen area. There were elements she recognized, and it reminded her in some ways of a picture she had seen in a contraband magazine some few years ago. The picture had been of a ski lodge, and Vax’s home reminded her of one in some ways. There were also alien elements to it that she didn’t recognize. Compared to the cell that she had spent the last eighteen years in, it was a beauty to behold regardless.
“Vax your home… it’s amazing.”
Vax had walked through the large room into what Emma presumed to be the kitchen area. He shouted back across the room to her as he rummaged through cabinets.
“Thank you Emma. I built it myself. Please se
at yourself in front of the fire area.”
Emma saw Vax raise a hand to his forehead. A moment later the large obsidian hearth at the center of the room sprung into rich green flame. Emma hurried toward it and sat in front of the fire, reclaiming the heat she had lost to the cold outside.
Perhaps this place won’t be so bad after all. She thought as she looked around. She could scarcely believe that Vax had built the beautiful home all by himself. It must have taken a lifetime.
“Here.” Thick furs draped over her shoulders, smothering her body in warmth. Emma looked back to see Vax had placed them over her. He sat down beside her on the couch with a large wooden bowl in his hands, in the bowl there were small red orbs.
“I can see that your body is a few degrees below it’s suggested temperature.”
Emma turned her head curiously. “You can see that?”
“Yes.” Vax nodded. “Heat vision is a normalcy for our people. According to the Space Brothel manual this isn’t the case for humans?”
“No…” Emma shook her head. Vax’s utterance of the slaver company that had brought her here was a cold reminder of everything that happened in the last few hours. A shiver passed over her.
“Are you still cold?” Vax’s voice was filled with concern. “I can get you more blankets. It’s of most importance that you are comfortable.”
“No, please.” Emma held out a hand to stop Vax from rising again. For an alien barbarian whom had bought her, he seemed awful considerate. “I was just thinking about Space Brothel, and the way they left me here to die.”
Vax’s grip seemed to tighten around the bowl in his lap and heat flared in his eyes. “Yes. I can only apologize. They were supposed to give me the coordinates and drop off time. Those cowards must have been too afraid to meet me…”
“Afraid?” Emma swallowed at something in her throat and became overtly aware of the brief distance between Vax and herself.
Stop it you stupid girl. You’ve only been here five minutes and already you assume he’s to be trusted. Just because he rescued you from outside.
“Never mind, you’re safe now and that’s all that matters.” Vax seemed to glance over the question, staring into her eyes with warmth. His eyes burned like summer coals, flooding her body with strange reassurance. Emma didn’t want to give up her line of questioning, but his beauty disarmed her, and she quickly found the only thing she could think about, is what his lips would taste like.
Emma shook the notion from her head. She knew nothing about this man, knew nothing about his intentions for buying her. She couldn’t fall victim to the spell of his beauty, no matter how handsome he was.
“What was that thing outside? That roaring I heard in the distance of the forest? Did you hear it?”
“I did. It was an Ice Xanther. I believe they are similar to what you would call mountain lions, but much bigger. The manual said their size is more comparable to that of an Elefunce?”
Emma popped an eyebrow in confused amusement.
“Elefunce?”
“Ah… yes… I believe that was the pronunciation. There was a picture, er…” Vax set the bowl onto the floor aside him, looking flustered. He held his shoulder against his face and straightened his arm out, waiving it around like a trunk.
Emma burst into a fit of laughter, understanding his impersonation immediately.
“An elephant!”
“Yes! Curses.” Vax laughed with her too. “Forgive me, my pronunciation for non essential human is poor.”
“It’s okay.” Emma smiled, feeling a little more relaxed. “Your English is much better than my alien. But really, lions the size of elephants? This place must be dangerous.”
Grave seriousness seemed to pass over Vax’s face at her comment. “It is. Very dangerous. The planet we are on is called Zangia, it is a zoo planet of sorts for extremely dangerous animals, and I am their designated guardian.”
Emma leaned back a little, fear an admiration bristling through her.
“That sounds very dangerous. Why must you be the one to look after them?”
“That is a story for another time.” Vax stood up from his seat, skirting yet another question. He looked down at Emma and held his hand out. “Come. We will begin the bathing ceremony, and I shall feed you the heart fruit. Then we begin our mating.”
Emma recoiled in horror.
“What? Mating? I beg your pardon?! No such thing will happen! I’ve barely been here five minutes!”
Vax laughed briefly to himself and nodded. “I’m sorry Emma, but the ways of the human female are unfamiliar to me. Amongst my people, males are guardians and females are their property. I bought you and you are my property, but I recognize that your traditions vary slightly to ours.”
“Slightly?!” Emma jumped off the couch, taking a step back from Vax. She felt foolish at having come to trust him so fast, at having been won over by his charm, his humor and his pleasant home. She reminded herself of the Yark’s words back on Space Brothel, about slaves that died during the mating process because of low genetic compatibility.
Compared to Vax, she was tiny. They might have had a good compatibility rating according to the computer but mating with Vax? Such a process would surely kill her. There must have been some sort of mistake.
“This is all too much Vax, I don’t think this is going to work out at all. Perhaps you should just return me, I don’t think this is going to work.”
The smile dropped from Vax’s face completely at her suggestion. “I’m sorry, but that is not an option. You are here now and you are mine. That is the end of it. I’m willing to help assist you in transitioning to my alien ways, but I’m not letting you go. Not now that I’ve seen you.”
“What?” Emma shook her head, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find words. “What do you mean?”
Vax took a step closer, heat radiating from his body.
“I bought you for mere pleasure, but already I can tell you are much more than that.”
He lifted a hand to her face and brushed his warm fingers down her cool cheek.
“No, please…” Emma’s mouth persisted in asking him to stop, for reasons that were unknown to her mind. His touch brought warm electric to her skin, but it was nothing compared to…
His lips pressed against hers gently, and to Emma’s surprise she pressed back, moaning into his mouth as he held her in his arms. A moment later he broke away, and she stared up into his twinkling eyes, feeling almost drunk.
“What are you doing to me?”
“I needed to kiss you. Forgive my forwardness.”
Emma shook her head, trying to rid herself of his intoxicating effect. She didn’t know how he had done it, but she’d succumb to him completely without so much of a struggle.
“How did you do that?”
“Our bodies are one hundred percent compatible. Our pheromones will be extremely aphrodisiac on one another. Just standing here right now, I want to mate you. But I will wait until you’re ready.”
Emma bit her lip without realizing. All she could think about was the strange musk of his scent, and how she wanted to throw herself onto him, taking him all in. She clenched between her legs, imagining what it would feel like sinking down onto his alien length…
The Yark’s words flashed through her mind again, and she snapped out of her trance.
“Well I’m not ready. So you’ll just have to wait.”
Emma didn’t know how, but she’d have to find a way out of here somehow. Planet full of dangerous animals or not.
“Come.”
Vax held out his hand. “We will begin the bathing ceremony at least, and I will make sure to take our time. Your pleasure is absolutely paramount.”
“Bathing ceremony? I’m sorry Vax but-”
“This part is non negotiable. I will delay our mating to make you happy, but the bathing will happen. You can stay partially dressed if you wish.”
He stepped closer to her, and she caught scent of his irres
istible musk once more. It’s allure dissipated her feisty manner and she blinked hard, trying to remind herself why she wasn’t kissing him some more.
“O-okay…” Emma nodded absently in her stupor. She took his hand and he led her up a set of wooden stairs, up to the second floor of the house.
*
Vax liked his human, not only was she beautiful, but she was feisty, and he found her rather amusing.
They sat in the large tiled bath together, relaxing as the water soothed their muscles.
“I’m drawing the line at bathing together Vax, I’m not eating whatever that is!”
“Come on.” Vax smiled warmly, wishing that Emma would have taken her underwear off to bathe. The water had made her bra and panties see through however, and he was harder than Tragarian steel. “It’s part of the ceremony. There is nothing unsavory about the heart fruit, it only heightens pleasure of those who eat it.”
Vax popped one of the small red orbs into his mouth, and made a sound to indicate he enjoyed it’s sweet taste thoroughly.
“You could have drugged them! I’m not trusting you!”
“Come Emma.” Vax laughed once more. “You’ve just seen me eat one. Please. Trust me.”
Something in his voice seemed to put her at ease. “Fine.” Emma huffed and took one of the fruits from the bowl, popping it into her mouth. Vax watched as she bit down on the fruit, bursting the sweet flavors across her tongue. He smiled as her eyes widened in approval.
“This is delicious!” She grabbed two more out of the bowl and Vax set it onto the side. “You got these here?”
“Heavens no. They’re from my home planet, I get an import once every moon, with any essentials or desired luxuries.”
“They ship these from another planet?” Emma raised an eyebrow. “They must like you. Can’t you get them from another town over?”
“No, for I have already explained that we are the only ones on this planet. I am the guardian of these animals.”