Alien Romance: The Barbarian's Hunger: Scifi Alien Romance (Commander Of Rista Book 1)

by Ana Hunter

  As much as she wanted to make her point, he was making an equally good one. He made his way up from her neck to her lips and she couldn't help but give in.

  No matter how hard she tried to resist him, or how much she knew that doing anything with him probably wasn't the smartest idea, she couldn't help herself. He was good and she wanted to do more of that kind of research.

  This time, they didn't even bother moving to the bed. Ava lay down on the floor in front of him, before he lay down beside her and kept kissing her in that way that had won her over.

  He breathed lightly into her ear as he kissed her neck, making her gasp with pleasure. Running a hand down her body, he settled at the top of her leg, making her tingle all over. When he reached further and played with the edge of her bikini bottoms, she couldn't help but moan.

  ″Please. ″ She whispered.

  ″Gladly. ″ He breathed and pushed his hand into her bikini.

  Later, when they had moved to the bed and were relaxing in each other’s arms, Ava couldn't help but wonder how differently they actually did things on Rista.

  ″So, you told me about the whole courtship thing here, the Tok and the Tak. But we haven't done anything like that yet. ″

  ″No. That is not something to be taken lightly. ″ Erox explained, ″Some of the males here, they will just do it. In fact, it is a big part of our culture. However, as I have said, I believe there is one female for me. When the time is right, we will do it. Only when my soul mate and I agree it is the right time. ″

  ″Wow. ″ Ava said, ″I wouldn't have expected you to be so romantic. ″ Although she wondered, was it a romance thing or another form of control the men exhibited over the women?

  ″Well, once we have done it for the first time, we will live together. She will work in the fields and make my food every day. It is an important role. ″

  And just like that, Ava knew it was the latter.

  As Ava slept with his arm once again wrapped around her waist, she had a terrifying nightmare. From a distance, she was watching as an Earth rescue ship was coming to collect her. She felt elated as she realized she would soon be free.

  With great excitement, she ran towards it, only to find the ship was actually moving away from her. She tried to scream for them to come back but they couldn't hear her. From somewhere else, she heard Erox telling her that they had decided not to rescue her after all, and she would be staying on Rista for the rest of her life.

  Then she saw herself months later, working in the fields to pick the crops with the other women. Then, preparing the food and delivering it to the single men of Rista, all of them watching her with that wanting in their eyes. At night, she returned to Erox's home, now her home too and she knew this was it until the end of her life.

  Ava woke with a start, struggling to catch her breath. She knew she had to try and get home sooner than planned; she couldn't wait for the rescue crew. She slid out from under Erox's arm as gently as she could and reapplied her heat spray to be safe.

  While she was there, she picked up some of the flares in case she managed to get far enough away that she could set them off. Thankfully, it was only a curtain to open rather than a door, Ava made her way outside. It was eerie. Although it was technically nighttime and everyone was asleep, it was still just as bright as it had been during the day. The whole village was silent.

  Terrified that someone might see her and know something wasn't right, Ava ran as fast as she could in the direction she remembered Erox carrying her when she arrived. They'd told her that there was nothing left of the wreckage of her ship but she needed to see it. It was a long shot but she needed to see it for herself, in case there was anything she could salvage.

  She knew there had been a small emergency pod on board and that it had most likely been destroyed, but if there was any chance she could get back to Earth, she had to try.

  It didn't take Ava long to find the crash site. It had been cleaned up a bit but not much, which she was grateful for. She had almost expecting it to have been looted but with so little technology on Rista they wouldn't have had much use for most of the parts anyway.

  Parts of the ship were still in tact, though it all hung at a difficult angle as it was mostly the section that hadn't made contact with the ground. Ava saw that the ship must have slowed down somewhat on the approach because it wasn't in the worst condition, which explained how she had survived with so little injury.

  Treading carefully so she didn't disturb any of it or make any noise, she tried to figure out where the emergency pod would be. Right in the middle, she noticed the seat she'd been sitting in on the way. It reminded her of the moment everything began to go wrong, of Wayne disappearing into space.

  For the first time, the trauma of the crash really hit home and Ava felt her eyes fill with tears. She stepped away from the wreckage and sat down on the ground. Covering her face, she let it all out.

  When the sobbing began to subside, Ava realized how ridiculous she'd been in thinking she could use anything left from the ship to escape from Rista. That dream had terrified her into thinking it was possible but as she looked at what was left, she knew the pod had been destroyed in the crash.

  Even if it hadn't, she had no food, no water, nothing to make the weeklong journey back to Earth. She didn't want to have to wait a whole week but to go off alone would be a suicide mission. It was worth the wait, she told herself.

  With nothing else to try, she set up a flare in the hopes that a passing ship or a satellite might see it. At least if Erox had been lying about making contact with Earth, if she could send up a sign that she needed help then someone could see it and start a rescue mission. She set two flares overall and decided to keep going until she had used most of them.

  When Ava was about to get up, she heard something on the other side of the ship. Hesitating, she waited to see if someone was there. She hadn't seen any animals on Rista so far so she couldn't safely blame the noise on a stray.

  After a minute of silence, she concluded that it must have been her imagination. She got up and started to walk back to the village, hoping to sneak back in without Erox realizing she'd been gone. Then, she heard another sound. Before she could even turn around to look, something hit her, hard and she went down with a thud.

  ″What are you doing out here stupid Earth female? ″

  Ava opened her eyes as a strong pair of hands turned her over. Suddenly, a man she hadn't met before was in her face. He knelt above her, holding her wrists against the ground above her head.

  ″I don't know who you are, but I'm not a danger to you. I'm going back to Earth. ″

  ″I am told you want to get to know us. You want to know everything about us. ″ He growled. Ava lay helpless as he studied her body.

  Before she'd been getting used to wearing so little, she'd been feeling less vulnerable. Now she couldn't have felt more vulnerable. He seemed to drink her in with his eyes, licking his lips to emphasize what he thought.

  ″If you want to know everything, I'll show you everything. ″

  He held her wrists securely in one hand, while he used the other to pull down his shorts. Ava couldn't look. She lay in shock below him.

  ″Laypak!″ Someone shouted. It was a cold, screeching sound that seemed to fill the air, ″Laypak! Stop! ″

  ″She is not truly yours Erox, we all know it! ″

  ″My name is on her! That is all you need to see. ″

  Even as Erox's voice moved closer, Laypak refused to let Ava free.

  ″Let her go! ″ Erox screamed one last time. Ava heard him running at them then, and everything seemed to happen at once.

  Laypak finally let go of her wrists. Erox rushed at him, knocked him over and away from her. Ava pushed herself up and scooted away from them, watching Erox take out all of his anger on Laypak face and body. Laypak tried to get in a few punches but he didn't stand a chance against such a furious Erox.

  Ava couldn't believe it. Not so long ago, the thought of bein
g stuck with Erox for any length of time had literally been a nightmare, yet as she watched him fight to defend her, she wondered what it was that had made her so desperate to get away.

  If he would keep going to such lengths to save her from danger, why should be doubt his promise to send her back to Earth? Just because a jealous, possibly crazy other woman suggested it? By the time Erox was done, Laypak was a bleeding mess on the floor.

  ″Is he dead? ″ Ava whispered.

  ″Sadly no.″ Erox said, ″But do not be concerned, when it is morning and everyone is awake, he will be dealt with. ″ He said all of this while still looking down at the bloody pulp he had created.

  ″What will happen? ″ Ava asked, unsure of what she wanted to see done with him.

  ″There is very little crime on Rista. Before you arrived, we had rarely seen crimes of this nature, now twice in few days. ″ Erox sighed, ″Not only am I in charge, I caught him committing the crime and he had no respect for the fact that I have claimed you as mine. I get to choose the punishment. ″ He thought about it for only a moment, ″When everyone is awake, we will hang him from his hut and remove his Tok.″

  Ava gasped. It sounded horrific, but then it had also been one of the most terrifying experiences she had had to endure in her life. It wasn't the kind of punishment she could ever imagine being used on Earth.

  ″That's barbaric. That's insane! ″ Ava said, ″Isn't there something less violent you could do to punish him? ″

  ″No. Just because we are born with it does not make the Tok a privilege. He has misused his. It shall be taken away. ″

  ″Ok. ″ Ava said with a nod. Erox nodded in return and Ava knew it was settled. The thought of it made her feel queasy. On the ground, Laypak couldn't comment on his punishment, he was still unconscious.

  Later as the village awoke, Erox and one of his employees tied Laypak to his hut. They hadn't cleaned him up yet so his face was covered in blood. Soon, the rest of the villagers had gathered to find out what was going on.

  Ava heard several of the males give vague descriptions of Laypak's crime to a few people but they didn't include her name, which she appreciated. Some of the others were whispering about the severity of the punishment; Ava heard people saying it wasn't the usual course of action for such a crime.

  She watched Erox make sure he was tied securely and wondered if there was a chance it was because he had feelings for her. The thought of it made her feel surprisingly good inside.

  He could be awful at times but over the two nights she'd spent with him, when they talked about soul-mates and relationships, he seemed to have a softer side buried deep inside, albeit very, very deep. It was easily forgotten in the violence and the ego.

  ″He is ready! ″ Erox announced. Some of the crowd cheered, some shuffled from foot to foot uncertainly. Although it was Ava that Laypak had attacked, she sympathized with those who seemed unsure. The punishment was going to be ghastly after all.

  Erox prodded Laypak in the stomach a few times until he seemed to come around again. Every time he'd woken up since the first time, Erox had knocked him out; Erox had delivered another swift punch to keep him out. This time he gave him a moment to figure out what was going on.

  ″Why am I here? ″ Laypak asked.

  ″Last night, you attempted to force yourself onto a female who belongs to another male. A female who made it clear she did not want you. ″ Erox explained, as much for the villagers as Laypak himself.

  ″Lies! ″ Laypak shouted, ″They all want it.″

  For that, Erox punched him hard in the stomach.

  ″Now, as you were so enthusiastic to remove these last night, you should not be affected by me removing them now. ″ Erox said, pulling Laypak's shorts from his body.

  ″What are you doing? ″ Laypak asked, spitting dried blood on to the floor. Weirdly, Ava noticed, there seemed to be a lot of dried blood but the actual injuries looked like they had healed.

  ″To be sure that you cannot commit a similar crime in the future, we will remove your Tok.″

  ″No, Erox you cannot be telling the truth! Erox no! ″ Laypak's cries rang out as someone handed Erox a sharp knife.

  ″I can. It is mine to decide. ″ He said, bringing the knife up to Laypak's Tok. With a swift moving and no warning, Erox took hold of the end of it and brought the knife down quickly, close to Laypak's body. His screams were almost unbearable to listen to.

  Soon, he fell back into unconsciousness and Erox and his colleague untied him. Once they had brought him down, they turned him over so he lay with his back on the ground and his legs against the wall of his hut. Then, they bound his arms and legs.

  ″I and a few of my trusted colleagues will keep watch over Laypak until the bleeding ends. It will take some time. Those of you who do not want to witness this process should take a differed route. ″ Erox announced.

  The crowd quickly dispersed, many people unable to handle what they had just witnessed. Soon there were very few left and Ava felt comfortable approaching Erox.

  ″Thank you. Really, thank you so much. ″ She whispered.

  ″It is part of the job. ″ He replied, but Ava saw something else in his eyes, something warmer.

  ″It doesn't seem like it is. But I appreciate it. I'll go back to your hut for a lie down. ″

  ″That's a good idea. ″ Erox said, ″Be careful. We don't want to do this again. ″

  Ava had no intention of taking a risk like that again.

  It made sense now that Erox had done so much to 'claim' her. Although it was difficult to adjust to, she wondered if it was all that had kept her safe until that point.

  Chapter 5

  Although Ava had wanted to make the most of her time on Rista by exploring, getting to know more of the Ristites and collecting more research, after Laypak's attack she had little desire to leave the hut. For several days, she stayed inside, promising herself that she would continue her work the following day.

  ″Do you want to walk with me to the Command Center today? ″ Erox asked, finishing his morning shower.

  ″I suppose I could do. ″ She said, nervous at the thought of leaving, even if being stuck inside for so long was driving her crazy.

  ″I know you are frightened Ava but I will protect you. I promise you, no one else will dare to touch you after Laypak's punishment.″

  ″A rescue mission is on its way, isn't it? ″ Ava asked him once again. Every day when he had returned from the Command Center, she asked him if he had heard anything.

  Each day, he insisted they were on their way to Rista. While he was gone she always convinced herself he was lying and no one was coming, but at night when he returned, he would tell her once again that the crew was one day closer.

  ″Why do you doubt me? ″ He asked, raising his voice in anger instantly.

  ″Why else would you keep me from the Command Center? ″ Ava asked, becoming angry herself, ″If you would let me in to communicate with Earth, with the crew then I wouldn't have to doubt you! I would know! But you won't let me! ″

  ″You are a woman! You have no place in there! ″ He shouted.

  Ava felt fury burn inside her just as she had when he had first told her. She felt so helpless.

  ″Break the rules this one time. ″ She pleaded.

  ″You know I can not. ″ Erox sighed, calming down, he sat beside her on the bed, ″I have already lost the respect of several of my employees for taking you in the way I have. If I break the rules for you, they will see me differently. ″

  As someone who had had to work hard to gain the respect of her peers, Ava could understand his feelings.

  ″You don't want them to think you're soft, that you have feelings for me. ″

  ″You know I do. ″ Erox told her, ″I have been waiting for you my whole life.″

  ″That is ridiculous. ″

  ″No, it is the truth. I always knew I would find someone who was interesting, passionate and a little bit wild like you. You are unlike every fe
male here and yet you are fascinating. ″

  Ava shook her head, ″Let's get walking. ″

  It was good to finally get out of the hut, Ava thought as they walked, and it was clear from the way others looked at them that being at Erox's side kept her safe.

  ″I'm not sitting outside with the other women waiting for you. ″ She said, ″I'll take a look around, see what I can learn. ″ Now she was outside, she felt more confident. In a short time the village had become oddly familiar. The dusty path and the lush green fields just as familiar as the concrete road of home.

  ″Great. Just be careful. ″ He said. When they reached the Command Center, he kissed her gently on the forehead.

  ″People might see. ″ Ava teased and was happy to see him look a little embarrassed.

  On the short walk back to the hut, Ava didn't see many other Ristites. Until Clar appeared as though she had been waiting.

  ″It was you, wasn't it? Who Laypak attacked? ″ She asked. It was hard to judge her tone. Ava thought perhaps this would be when they would call a truce. A crime like that should bring women together, she was sure of it.

  ″Yes. I was hoping to salvage something from the wreckage of my ship and he caught me off guard. ″ Ava explained.

  ″So you were just wandering around alone at night? And you did not invite Laypak to yourself at any time? ″ Clar asked. It was then that Ava realized there was no chance of a truce after all. And if they couldn't get along after something like that, they never would be able to.

  ″No, I didn't. ″ Ava said, ″It was something that Erox warned me about, that the men here might struggle to control themselves. I'm just glad that that wasn't used as an excuse in the end. I'm glad he's been punished accordingly, though I believe it was far too brutal. ″

  ″Was it your idea? Is this how it is going to be now that you are here? ″ Clar spat, ″Every day we will leave our homes and find someone else has had their limbs torn from them. ″

  ″Not at all. None of it was my idea. I know you aren't happy about Erox taking me in but he has a mind of his own, I'm not forcing him to do anything.″