by Ramona Gray
It was raining as hard as ever and thunder and lightning was crashing across the sky. It showed no sign of letting up as Steve pointed to the forest.
“C’mon, we should head for the trees.”
“Are you sure that’s smart?” Craig asked nervously. “We don’t know what’s in there.”
“It’s better than standing exposed in the middle of a field.” Steve’s brown skin was glistening with water. He shoved past him and started towards the trees. After a moment, the others followed.
It was even darker in the forest, but the trees were so dense and their branches so thick that the rain could barely penetrate the trees and was reduced to a light drizzle.
“God, I’m so cold,” Veronica moaned. Silas shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to her. She took it with a nod of thanks and slipped into it.
They gathered under a large tree and stared blankly at each other.
“Anyone have any goddamn idea what’s happening to us?” Gage asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Kyle pushed his thick black hair off his forehead.
“Isn’t what obvious?” Craig asked.
“Time travel.” Kyle touched the tree behind them, rubbing his finger along the bark and then staring at the pad of his finger.
“Shut up, Kyle,” Evan said testily.
Kyle shrugged. “Then you explain it.”
“I can’t and neither can you. But we didn’t just fucking travel in time through a giant glowing orb.”
“I think we did.” Kyle stared solemnly at them. “Shit like this happens all the time.”
“It does not!” Paula said indignantly.
“Sure it does. People disappear under mysterious circumstances. Their family and friends say it was aliens but what do you want to bet it’s some type of time travel.”
Lacey snorted loudly. “Or maybe it is alien abduction. Maybe that orb is some kind of alien life force that sucked us into space and dumped us on its planet.”
Kyle shrugged. “Maybe. Anything’s possible.”
Lacey rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t being serious, Kyle.”
Silas wiped the blood from his face as Gage took a few steps into the forest. “Gage, stay with the group.”
Gage frowned. “Did you hear that, Silas?”
“Hear what?”
“It sounded like singing. Everyone be quiet for a minute.”
Silas listened carefully. Although he heard nothing, Gage frowned and moved deeper into the forest.
“Gage!” He hissed quietly.
Gage shook his head. “I heard it. Can’t you hear it?”
“No. Just stay here. Don’t - ”
Silas cursed as Gage broke into a jog and disappeared into the forest. “Goddammit, Gage!”
He chased after his brother and after a moment the others followed.
Chapter 2
“Gage! Wait up!” Silas held his hand to his aching head and jogged faster. The blood was really flowing now and he felt sick to his stomach and woozy. Great. He probably had a concussion.
Behind him, he could hear the girls grumbling and complaining as they struggled to keep up in their high heels. He dodged around a tree and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Gage standing motionless in front of him.
“Gage? Are you okay?” He stood next to his brother and peered anxiously at him.
“Yeah. Look.” Gage pointed in front of him at the large pit in the ground. Silas frowned at the young woman who was standing in the pit, staring up at them.
“What the hell?”
“Please help me. Please.” The woman’s voice was soft and anxious.
Silas stared at her. Her blonde hair was long and wavy and she was dressed in an ankle-length blue skirt and a form fitting halter top that left her trim stomach bare. The halter top was cut low and revealed the tops of her small breasts. Her skin was pale and her light blue eyes stared pleadingly up at them.
“What are you doing in there?” Gage whispered as the others joined them at the edge of the pit.
“Please help me,” the woman repeated. “I’ve been trapped in here for days.”
“Did you – were you singing?” Gage couldn’t stop staring at the woman and he paid no attention when Angela pulled lightly on his arm.
The woman smiled. “You heard me?”
Gage nodded and Angela frowned a little at the look on his face before staring down at the woman. “What’s your name?”
The woman ignored Angela completely. She was staring at Gage with a combination of delight and desire and Gage was returning her look unabashedly.
“Gage – knock it off.” Silas shook his younger brother roughly.
“We need to help her. We need to get her out of there.” Gage took a deep breath and tore his gaze from the woman’s face. “We should find rope or - ”
“Guys, is it just me or is the chick glowing?” Evan was peering into the pit and the rest of them followed his gaze.
“Holy shit. She is,” Steve whispered.
Silas stepped back. The woman in the pit was glowing. Glowing so brightly that the entire bottom of the pit was illuminated and soft light was flowing up to wash over their faces.
“She’s so beautiful,” Gage whispered. He took another step forward as Angela gave Silas an alarmed look and tugged hard on Gage’s arm.
“Gage, what’s wrong with you?”
“Please help me. It’s been days and I’m hungry and thirsty,” the woman pleaded again.
Gage’s eyes swept down her body, lingering on her breasts and then her hips. She began to glow even more brightly and her pale face reddened.
Silas frowned. Something didn’t feel right. The woman looked too good - too clean - to have been in the pit for days. He took a few steps back, abandoning the group that was still gathered around the pit, and looked suspiciously into the trees. He squinted into the darkness that suddenly didn’t seem as dark as it was before. There was a glow coming from the trees. He was sure of it. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and the throbbing in his head increased until it was a pulsing, blinding pain. He turned back to the group.
“Get away from there!” He suddenly yelled.
The group, except for Gage who was still staring transfixed at the girl in the pit, turned toward him.
“Get back now! It’s a trap! Get - ”
There was a soft whooshing noise. There were curses and startled screams as a large rope net hidden under the leaves that littered the forest floor swept the group off their feet and into the air.
“Gage!” Silas ran toward the gently swaying net. His foot hit something spongy and soft, something rough tightened around his ankle and the world was suddenly turned upside down. He swung back and forth, the tips of his fingers just brushing the ground as the others fought to escape the net.
“Silas! Silas – are you okay?” Gage stared at him, his face smashed up against the net. A foot rested against the side of his head.
“Just great,” Silas groaned. The blood was rushing to his head and he could hear the blood from the cut on his temple dripping onto the ground in a steady patter.
Someone brushed by him. He caught a glimpse of long tanned legs and then a low voice was calling quietly, “Kila! Kila – are you hurt?”
“No, Quinn. I’m perfectly fine. Get me out of here.”
Silas watched as the dark-haired woman uncoiled a rope and dropped it into the pit. She wrapped one end around her arm and braced her feet. “Climb,” she instructed.
He was rotated in the air by strong hands around his hips.
“Ooh, this one is big.” A blonde, pale woman ran her hand down his chest. “Strong too. I’m going to claim him.”
“Like hell you are, Fionn! I saw him first.” Another blonde, she was shorter and curvier than the woman who was touching him came out of the trees and squeezed Silas’ ass.
“You did not, Barkha! You’re lucky he even got caught in the trap. He saw you glowing.” Fionn glared at the woman.
&
nbsp; Barkha shrugged and ran her hand up and down Silas’ thick thigh. “I could not help it. You know I like the danens. Just thinking about having this one between my legs gets me going.” Her pale skin began to glow and Fionn rolled her eyes.
“God, Barkha, you’re such a tarnan.”
Barkha scowled at her. “Take that back, Fionn. Take it back right now or so help me I’ll - ”
“Enough.” Quinn’s voice was quiet but the two women immediately stopped their bickering and bowed.
“Forgive us, massina,” Fionn murmured.
“There will be plenty of time to claim him later. Right now we need to chain them and go.”
“Are we taking the females as well?” A fourth voice could be heard and Silas strained to see around Barkha’s ample hips.
“Yes, Akia, she wants them all.” Quinn squatted beside him and poked roughly at his blood-stained temple. “This one is injured.”
Silas quickly grabbed her wrist and twisted hard. “Let us go, now.”
Before he could twist again, two long and very sharp blades were pressed against his throat.
“Release her,” Fionn snarled as Barkha pressed her blade deeper against his skin.
“Silas!” Gage yelled and struggled frantically in the net. There were grunts of pain and shouts of anger as his friends were kicked and jostled.
Silas released the dark-haired woman’s wrist. She was staring at him with amusement in her dark grey eyes as she stood and indicated for the others to follow her, leaving him to swing helplessly. Working together, they released the net and it fell to the ground with a hard thump.
“You’re on my hair!” Gemma screeched and Steve grunted loudly as he was kicked in the stomach by Paula.
“Quinn, what of the danen?” Kila asked.
“We’ll cut him down and chain him quickly,” Quinn replied.
Akia was already scaling the tree. She reached the branch that the rope was tied to and sawed through the rope with a knife she pulled from her belt. Silas collapsed on to his back with a loud grunt, hitting the back of his aching head on the hard ground. Before he could rise, Barkha and Fionn had their knives to his throat.
“Stay steady, danen,” Fionn warned as Quinn straddled him and dropped to her knees.
She sat firmly on his sternum. Barkha handed her a large, thick leather collar and she quickly buckled it around Silas’ neck. She rose up a little and smacked him lightly on the chest. “Turn over.”
He stared unblinkingly at her and her eyes narrowed. “Turn over.”
“If I don’t?” He challenged.
She leaned over him, her breath warm on his face. “I’ll kill one of your females. But first, you’ll watch me cut out her eyes.”
He grunted and she leaned back, smiling with satisfaction when he turned onto his stomach and chest. She took his wrists and locked leather cuffs around them. The cuffs were linked with a piece of heavy chain that was just long enough to allow him to move his hands to his hips but no further.
She patted him gently on his back. “Turn over and lay on your back again. Don’t move. Watch him, Barkha.”
She moved off of him and joined the others who were opening the net. Silas stared at them. There were seven of them including Quinn. Correct that - eight. The one they called Akia had shimmied down the tree and joined the others.
With the exception of Kila, they were dressed similarly in short, blue cotton skirts that were cut into long strips so the fabric flowed easily around their legs. Their tops were leather bustiers with metal cups. On their upper arms they wore wide leather arm bands with metal studs hammered into them and leather wrist bands adorned each of their wrists. Knee-length leather boots completed their outfits.
They were of varying shapes and sizes with Kila being the smallest and Quinn the biggest. He guessed that she was around six feet tall and she had wide hips and large breasts. Exactly his type, he decided, if she hadn’t just buckled a collar around his neck and chained his hands together.
“Listen to me!” Quinn stared at the squirming bodies in the net. “Quiet your tongues and listen.”
Her tone brooked no refusal and they quieted as Akia and Fionn worked together to open the net.
“If you stay quiet and obey us, you will not be harmed. If you fight or if you try to run, I will kill you. Do you believe me?”
She squatted and stared at each of the prisoners. “Do you?”
“Yes.” Craig cleared his throat. “We do.”
“Good. We are going to open the net and each of you will lie still until you are collared and chained. For every unnecessary movement you make, I will cut off one of your fingers. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Craig replied again.
Akia and Fionn opened the net. All of them stayed perfectly still as one-by-one they were collared and chained. Kila helped Gage to his feet, her pale hands lingered around his waist and she smiled shyly at him. “Your name is Gage?”
“Yes.” Gage swallowed as her fingers explored his chest through his t-shirt.
“My name is Kila.” She pronounced it with a long e sound, and Gage repeated it softly. His hands were bound in leather cuffs and he clenched them tightly when she slipped her hands under his shirt and stroked the smooth skin of his chest.
“Get your hands off of him!” Angela glared at the blonde woman and Kila studied her carefully before looking at Gage once more.
“Is she your woman?” Her hands caressed his chest as Gage stared at her light blue eyes.
He hesitated and Angela scowled at him. “Gage!”
“No.” Gage continued to look at Kila. “She isn’t.”
“You son of a bitch!” Angela tried to kick him and Fionn pulled her back and laughed.
“Quiet down, girl. It wouldn’t matter anyway – we share the breeders.”
“What do you mean breeders?” Gemma frowned. A woman with sandy brown hair and plump cheeks attached a chain to the metal hoop that was on the front of her collar.
“It will all be explained later.” She smiled in a friendly way at Gemma but Gemma gave her a look of suspicion.
Kila was smiling at Gage. Her white skin radiated a soft glow and Quinn spoke sharply to her. “Enough, Kila. Remember who you are.”
Kila flushed. Her glow cut out abruptly and she removed her hands from under Gage’s shirt. “I remember well enough, Quinn.”
“Good.” Quinn turned around and rolled her eyes. “For Garna’s sake, Barkha! You are a tarnan.”
Barkha was emitting her own soft glow as she cupped and caressed Silas’ dick through his jeans. “What? I am only touching the fabric of his pants. They wear such strange clothing when they get here, do they not?”
She continued to rub Silas as she spoke and Quinn stomped over and knocked her away roughly. She fell hard onto her backside and glared up at Quinn.
“Garna! You don’t have to be so rough, massina.”
“Your orders were to watch him not fondle him.” Quinn crouched over her and grabbed her chin. “Disobey me again and you’ll find yourself working in the kitchens. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Quinn,” Barkha said sullenly.
Quinn grabbed Silas’ bound arms and heaved him to his feet.
Jesus, she’s strong, Silas thought as he weaved a little in front of her.
“Garna, he’s so big.” Barkha stared up at him and glowed brightly.
“Barkha!” Quinn sighed with annoyance and Barkha cast her eyes to the ground, her glow dissipating immediately.
The darkness was still lit up and Quinn glanced around to see that everyone besides herself and Kila were staring at Silas and glowing brightly.
“Oh for the…” Quinn shook her head. “Have you all gone mad? He is only a man. If your queen were to see you this way – her own personal guard acting like wanton tarnans – she would have all of your heads.”
She clipped a heavy short chain to the metal ring at the front of Silas’ collar. “All of you are to stay away from him. No one
touches him except for Naveen or myself.”
“Who are you to make such rules?” Akia spoke quietly. “Do you mean to claim him for yourself then?”
Quinn stared coolly at her. “I guess you’ll have to wait until the claiming ceremony to find out. Until then – no one touches him. He’s dangerous.”
She gave the chain a hard yank and Silas had no choice but to follow her deeper into the trees.
Chapter 3
“Garna, there are a lot of them this time!” A man ducked out of the tent and hurried towards them. He was on the small side and his back was bent with age.
“Welcome back, massina. Did any of them die coming through?” He asked Quinn curiously.
“No, Naveen.” She glanced behind her at Silas. “But this one is injured.”
Naveen peered around her. “Ooh, he’s a danen.”
Barkha winked at him. “He’ll be popular at the claiming ceremony.”
Naveen stepped closer to Silas and looked him up and down. “She will want him for herself.”
“That’s not fair,” Barkha pouted. “We should have the chance to fight - ”
“Enough, Barkha!” Quinn pulled Silas toward the tent that Naveen just exited. “Fionn, give the others some water. Naveen, come with me.”
She led Silas into the tent and pushed him toward a small stool. “Sit down.”
He sat down. It was awkward with his hands chained behind his back and he winced as she bent until her face was directly in front of his. “Naveen is going to examine you. If you try to harm him, I will hurt you in ways you’ve never dreamed of. Do you understand me?”
Silas stared into her grey eyes. “Who are you?”
She gripped his chin and squeezed it hard. “Do you understand me?”
“Yes.” Silas pulled his head free of her hand.
“Good.” She stepped behind him and nodded to Naveen.
“Hello, I’m Naveen.” The man smiled at him in a friendly manner.
“Silas.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Naveen brushed back Silas’ thick dark hair and studied the cut on his temple. He probed gently at it and Silas hissed in pain.
“Do you feel sick to your stomach? Light headed?” The old man questioned as he turned and rummaged through a leather bag on the floor of the tent.