Alien Romance: The Alien's Captive Bride (Alien Protectors Book 6)

by Zena Zion

"Then I take it you intend to return to Earth?"

  Jasmine paused for a second, considering, then shook her head.

  "No, not really. I didn't really leave anything back there I'm anxious to get back to. This place is bound to be more interesting. I'd rather just hang around here for a while. Besides, the prince made it very clear he wasn't going to let me go home."

  "Well, that is one less difficulty, I suppose," Efnysien was watching the tailors drape fabrics over her, still trying to steal the sheet at various intervals, "It would not be impossible to return you, but it would take time and a great deal of difficulty. The prince's quest to fetch you was one requiring massive effort both his part and that of everyone in the palace."

  Jasmine frowned, curiosity peaked.

  "Is it really that hard?" she asked, "I figured you were some kind of super advanced civilization to be able to snatch people off of other planets."

  A look of bitter regret crossed Efnysien's handsome, dignified features.

  "We were, once," he looked away to fuss with his robe, clearly bothered, "Many centuries before I was born we were a powerful and unified people, traveling the stars at a whim, with technology beyond all imagining at our fingertips. But only a few trinkets and antiques from that time remain now.

  A terrible ecological disaster ravaged our planet. A winter that lasted a thousand years reduced mighty forests to frozen wastelands and smothered once grand cities beneath the inexorable progress of glaciers. Few living on the surface survived, less than ten percent of our once vast population.

  Much was lost with the dead. Knowledge we will never reclaim. Technology forgotten beneath miles of ice. Now, thousands of years later, the only remaining ships capable of space flight are the three silver chariots of the Taliesin royal family. And we have no way of deciphering their inner workings to create more. Meanwhile, the ice has only just begun to recede. It will be many centuries more before we can excavate what was lost."

  Jasmine listened curiously as he spoke, sympathy stinging her heart at the look of loss and frustration on Efnysien’s expression. She couldn't even imagine losing so much. It was too big for her to conceive of.

  Suddenly, the tailors began tugging on her again, pulling her away.

  "Ah, it seems they've found something for you," Efnysien said, "Go and dress, I will wait here."

  Jasmine made an uncertain sound, but allowed herself to be pulled away behind a cloth partition. She started to shoo the handsy tailors away, assuming she could dress herself, but when she saw the complicated tangle of white fabric they presented her with, she realized her had no idea where to start.

  Reluctantly, she finally let them take her sheet and tried to cooperate as they dressed her in a complex white and orange dress that seemed to have more cut outs than it did fabric.

  If she'd gathered correctly, the current fashion trend seemed to be bright, warm colors and strong geometric patterns on formfitting dresses accented by huge sweeping scarves and mantles.

  The top of the dress they were putting Jasmine in was a made of maybe six strips of white fabric, folded and braided artistically over her chest, leaving an opening from the center of her breast to beneath her sternum.

  Her midriff was bare, a loose white wrap skirt hanging below her hips all the way to the floor where it pooled around her feet, draped carefully to leave her left leg exposed half way up the thigh.

  The obligatory scarf attached to her arms by three thick golden bracelets at her bicep, just above her elbow, and at her wrist, hanging from which were three bands of silky white fabric, embroidered with orange accents, as were all the hems of the rest of the outfit.

  It took far too long and was far too restrictive for Jasmine's taste, but the tailor's didn't understand English, so telling them she'd prefer sweatpants was pointless.

  At last, they released her and she stumbled out, glad at least that high heels had never caught on in this culture. The white sandals, though unnecessarily complex, winding around her calves like they were painted on, were at least reasonably comfortable. Efnysien looked up as she emerged and his eyes widened in surprise.

  "Oh," he said, "You do clean up well."

  "I feel like this whole get up is just going to fall off any second," she muttered, patting to make sure her top was still in place, "This can't be what anyone normally wears."

  "It is a bit formal for every day wear," Efnysien chuckled, tilting his head as he admired her, "But as the prince's Amorent it is expected for you to dress more finely than the average citizen."

  "I'm just going to mess it up," she tugged the skirt up, testing her range of motion in it, "I don't intend to sit around here looking pretty. I want to see some amazing things while I'm here."

  "I'm not sure that would be wise," Efnysien said with a small frown, "As I said, the prince has many enemies who would gladly see you killed."

  "Then I guess you'd better arrange some security for me," she tied back her hair with a strip of leather lace she'd stolen from the tailors, "Because I'm not staying here."

  She started to breeze past him, but he caught her arm with surprising gentleness, leaning down to look into her eyes with an intensity that made her breath catch.

  "Whether you bond with him or not," he said, "You are the prince's Amorent. And therefor it is my duty to keep you safe. Please, let me to protect you Jasmine."

  Jasmine, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice, found herself unable to reply, her words sticking in her throat. Luckily, someone else replied for her.

  "Get your hands off her!"

  Before Efnysien could even turn, black talons caught the collar of his shirt and yanked him away, practically throwing him. Prince Gwydion's handsome features turned bestial with rage, his shockingly sharp teeth bared and his tail lashing.

  Efnysien stumbled backwards into the loom. The tailors caught him, seeming as worried about their loom as about the head of the royal family. As soon as Gwydion saw the man was not a threat, his fearsome expression shifted to one of worry, turning to Jasmine and taking her by the shoulders, inspecting her with frantic concern.

  "Are you alright?" he asked, and she could feel his hands shaking as he touched her cheek, "What did he do?"

  He was dressed now, though in little more than loose pants and a draped cowl, the neck of which fell well below his chest, showing off the golden tattoos that ran over his sculpted muscles.

  "He didn't do anything," Jasmine answered, confused by the sudden violence, "He got me some new clothes, we talked, that's all. Why the hell are you throwing people across the room?"

  In response, he suddenly pulled her close, hugging her tightly. Confused and not able to fight like she would have in more practical clothing, Jasmine let him, feeling a flutter of strange delight in her stomach as she heard how fast his heart was beating, the strength of his arms around her. Then he lifted her, making her yelp, so that he could turn and glare at Efnysien.

  "You stay away from her," he snarled, "I don't know what you're planning, but she's not going to be a part of it, understand? Get back to your politics old man."

  He gave Efnysien, still disheveled and startled, no chance to reply before he carried Jasmine out of the room. As nice as it felt to be held by him this way, and Jasmine had to admit it did send tingles down her spine to be carried this way, she began squirming and kicking to get loose as soon as they were in the hall.

  "Hey. Hey! Put me down! I can walk, damn it!"

  Finally, reluctantly, he set her down, though he was frowning anxiously as he did so.

  "You should not have run off that way," he scolded her, "You walked right into the arms of the man who would most benefit from your death."

  "Efnysien was nothing but polite to me," Jasmine stared right back at him, unintimidated, "Whereas you stripped me naked and tried to have your way with me. I'd say I'm probably safer with him."

  "You have no concept of how this world works," he hissed, "Don't you understand that you could die?"

  "
I understand that I don't care," she crossed her arms, glaring at him ferociously, "I'm not going to be an obedient little breeder for you, and I'm not going to hide in your room the whole time I'm here either. I want to explore. You're right I don't have any concept of how this world works, but I intend to learn."

  For a moment Gwydion looked so offended by her words that she was afraid that he might lash out at her like he had at Efnysien.

  "Then I will show you," he shouted instead, "I will take you wherever you desire. I will show you whatever you want to see. Only stay where I can protect you!"

  He reached out to stroke her cheek and slide his fingers into her hair. His other hand found her hip, pulling her against him as he looked down at her with desire and fear mingling in his eyes.

  "I am your Amorent," he almost whispered, his voice rough and throaty with feeling, "I know you can feel it, as I can. Please, Jasmine."

  Jasmine swallowed hard, her heart racing, very aware of how badly she wanted to kiss him right now. But she pushed the feeling away. It was just lust. He was a hot, passionate guy.

  But he came with too many strings attached. She wasn't going to involve herself with something that complicated when she could drop dead any minute. She turned her face away and pulled back from him. Reluctantly, he let her go.

  "There is a feast tonight in your honor," he said after a moment, unable to look at her, "To celebrate our finding one another. It will no doubt be spectacular. If you truly wish to see one of the best sights in Taliesin, join me there tonight."

  Jasmine's instinct was to refuse, but he had a point. She did want to see the party.

  "Alright," she agreed, "Will this dress be enough, or am I going to have to get another one?"

  He smiled, and she knew at once that she was going to regret this.

  Chapter Four

  She did have to get a second dress, this one even grander and more ridiculous than the first, in skintight purple with a huge scarf as broad as her torso whose ends dragged the ground. Jasmine wondered if Gwydion hadn't intentionally picked something that restricted her movement, just to keep her from kicking his ass again.

  The party was to begin at sunset. Days on the planet Dyfed, Jasmine learned, were quite short, caught in eternal winter as it was. The nights, by contrast, were long and frigid. Gwydion assured her that this just allowed for longer, more elaborate parties.

  Gwydion guided her into the party by the hand. He'd cleaned up well in a tight, elaborate suit, heavy scarf thrown over his shoulder like a sash. He looked almost as uncomfortable as she felt and she enjoyed a spark of sadistic glee every time he tugged at his collar like it was strangling him. At least she wasn't the only one miserable.

  Far more impressive than Gwydion however, was the building he led her towards. She saw the reason for the huge scarves as they stepped out of the palace and into the palace gardens, which were all spiky evergreen shrubs and decorative rock sculptures.

  It was frigid outside, colder than Nebraska in January. Jasmine, shivering, pulled her scarf close and huddled against Gwydion's side. Fortunately, they wouldn't be outside long.

  In the center of the gardens, was a massive glass structure like a small mansion. It was a hot house botanical garden, she realized as they approached, the thick blue green glass insulating the plants inside from the frigid chill of the outside world.

  And right now the inside of the garden was alive with light, thousands of colored paper lanterns strung across the ceilings illuminating everything with an ethereal glow.

  Their colors splashed on the far more stunning colors of the flowers growing below them, a panoply of blooms more strange and beautiful than anything Jasmine had ever seen. There were blossoms in colors she couldn't even name. Trees heavy with jewel colored fruit, rich and ripe and smelling sweet and strange, like clove and peppermint.

  "Here grows every variety of plant we managed to save from the old world," Gwydion said proudly, "It is not a fraction of the splendor Taliesin once supported, but it is more than any of the other three kingdoms can claim. When the world grows warm enough again, these are the plants that will restore life to the planet."

  "They're beautiful," Jasmine stared, wide eyed, her guard briefly fallen as she stood stunned by the beauty of the life in front of her, "When Efnysien told me about your ice age, I assumed you had lost everything."

  "Nothing is ever truly lost," Gwydion replied, "Only buried for a season. Once the ice melts, the world will return."

  The many halls of the glass house were crowded with hundreds of beautifully dressed aliens, some of their costumes more elaborate than even Jasmine and Gwydion's. The closer they moved towards the center of the glass green house, the more elegant and detailed the costumes became. Jasmine noticed the golden tattoos growing more intricate as well, and the horns longer and more well-kept.

  These must be high nobility, she assumed. Relatives of the royal family, or visiting royalty from other kingdoms. She noticed that some of the guests’ facial tattoos had very similar patterns, and those tended to group together. Efnysien’s tattoo had resembled Gwydion's as well. Perhaps their purpose was to identify family and rank?

  The guests parted whenever they recognized Gwydion and his strange companion, making way for them to pass through the crowds towards the center, where a single, massive tree was growing. It almost looked like an oak, though she'd never seen an oak tree that shade of blue.

  A strange palanquin had been set down in front of the tree. It was massive, as tall as two men, and its walls were made of loose rose colored silk.

  Gwydion led her to stand just before the raised platform on which the tree was planted, staring up at the strange silk structure. A hush fell over the guests and Jasmine felt a sudden creeping worry that she didn't understand what was happening.

  Before she could ask, a graceful hand the size of Jasmine's head parted the rose colored curtains. She watched in blank awe as a woman rose out of the palanquin, taller than anyone Jasmine had ever seen. Certainly taller than anyone else at the party. She was at least ten feet tall, possibly as much as fifteen.

  Her huge, antler like horns swept out behind her like wings and her elegant crown brushed the high domed roof of the hot house. She was utterly beautiful, so strikingly gorgeous that Jasmine was left breathless, struck dumb by the magnificent angles of her face, looking as though they'd been carved out of marble.

  Her facial tattoos did not match Gwydion's or anyone else’s. A simple stark, golden triangle, its points at the ends of her dark, expressive brows, plunging down to her chin. When she opened her eyes Jasmine's heart quaked.

  "Welcome, my family," she spoke softly, but there was no ear that didn't hear her, nor any voice that dared speak over her, "Today is a day of great joy. When I bore my final son, I received a vision, and was filled with despair, for I believed he would never know the deepest love of an Amorent. I spoke this prophecy that day: 'Gwydion, Aetheling of Taliesin, last son of Rhiannon, is doomed to never know his destined love, for they are farther apart than the morning star is from the evening star.'

  But Gwydion took this as a challenge rather than as his doom. He found the distance between the morning star and the evening star and he searched the cosmos for her.

  He dug star charts and ancient instruments from the ice and single handedly restored much of the knowledge we once thought lost regarding the universe beyond our planet. And at last, he found whisperings of an inhabited planet the correct distance from our own and he sailed out into the stars in the very first star-voyage since the ice began to melt.

  Over an impossible distance he flew, farther that the morning star is from the evening star, and he found his fated love on a strange and distant planet, and he brought her home to us. Through the human Jasmine Lane, the line of Rhiannon is now assured. May they be fruitful, and rule well, and live lives long enough to see spring return to Dyfed once again."

  A cheer went up at once, almost deafening as it filled the glass dome. Jaz, overw
helmed and still staring at Queen Rhiannon in awe, could barely react. She had wanted to see incredible sights. What could be more incredible than this giant, beautiful woman, surrounded by glittering flowers, speaking softly of prophecy and love? She realized somewhat belatedly, that she'd been able to understand Rhiannon perfectly, despite the fact that she was quite certain the woman had not been speaking English. She wasn't certain what magic or advanced technology was at work here, but certainly it was something amazing.

  "Are you alright?" Gwydion spoke in her ear and she realized she was leaning on him to stay up. She felt dizzy and suddenly worried she was about to have one of her fainting spells.

  "I need to sit down," she told him, and he nodded and led her away, the crowd parting at once to let them pass.

  He found seats for them beneath a canopy of tiny purple bell shaped blossoms, which draped around the seats like a curtain and chimed softly when he moved them aside.

  "Was that really your mother?" Jasmine asked, closing her eyes as she tried to gather her senses, "She was huge!"

  "Yes but, loosely speaking, Rhiannon is everyone's mother," Gwydion replied, "She was one of the original survivors of the first winter, and the only one still alive."

  Jasmine's nose scrunched in confusion.

  "I thought you said that happened thousands of years ago?"

  "It did," Gwydion didn't seem to understand her confusion, "Rhiannon is more than ten thousand years old. Her and the other Elder's knowledge of the time before the long winter was invaluable to our survival as a species."

  Jasmine stared at him, eyes wide and round with shock.

  "Ten thousand?" she repeated, "On my planet it's rare to make it to one hundred, and by then you're a shriveled, helpless walking corpse that can't go to the bathroom on its own. That woman could have used limos as dumbbells."

  "My species can be incredibly long lived, given the right circumstances," Gwydion explained, "And we never stop growing. It is unlikely anyone alive today will ever reach Rhiannon's size.