But no. It was wrong. Especially because her very own sister Valria was to be wed to Zor today. And certainly it wasn’t all right to lust after your sister’s future husband!
Violet brought her thoughts back to the present and forced a smile on her face. “Valria, everything’s going to be all right. I know it’s not perfect. Far from it. But it’s your duty, and your parents—and I—are so proud of you.”
“There’s something I didn’t tell you.” Valria’s bluish-greenish scales glimmered as she looked down at the bedspread, running her long webbed fingers over it.
“What is it, Valria?” Violet touched her sister’s cold cheek and looked into her swirling eyes.
“Part of the dictate was that the prince has to be gentle with me for purposes of procreation. Which makes sense since our species don’t even reproduce the same way! It will be medical, an egg withdrawn from me and fertilized by him. But there was another part of the agreement that stated he would be free to, um, punish me as Tethran men do.”
“What? What do you mean?” Violet sat back, confused.
“Apparently it’s customary for Tethran men to, um, spank their wives to, well, keep them in line. Or when they misbehave. I don’t want to be spanked, Violet!” Valria stared into Violet’s eyes with the saddest expression ever.
“Oh, Valria.” Violet wanted to comfort her, to find a way to make everything better. But mostly, she wanted to stop the surge of curiosity and desire that clenched her stomach when she thought of being spanked by Prince Zor.
What was wrong with her? To think of him sexually was one thing. But to imagine him punishing her was quite another.
She took a deep breath. “I will visit you as often as I can. And we can talk via our computers all the time. Every night! I know that doesn’t really help, but I’ll always be here for you.”
“Okay.” Valria’s voice was small.
“Come. It’s getting late.” Violet opened her closet and pulled out the standard outfit she wore, a quick and easy wraparound dress with a tie closure. As the only human on the planet, she’d started wearing it as soon as puberty set in, her breasts and pubic hair a distraction to the Ostarans, who’d never seen anything quite like her before. The king and queen had procured the finest fabrics they could find, and their seamstresses had sewn Violet a collection of beautiful dresses.
Valria and the other Ostarans didn’t wear clothing. They needed it neither for protection nor modesty, as their sex organs were all internal, so there was nothing to be seen or to see. Which, of course, had made Violet curious about how compatible Valria and Zor would be sexually. For Ostarans, sex was merely a form of procreation. A way to continue the species. And it was quite clinical as well, involving the male and female separately. The female produced an egg, and the male fertilized it. And then it was incubated for several months until it hatched.
But that wasn’t the case for Zor and the other Tethrans. From what Violet had learned, they copulated as humans did. The king and queen had made sure they’d taught Violet about human reproduction and biology, even though the chances of her ever encountering another like her were pretty much nonexistent.
Violet shook her head, once again dismayed at the way her body responded to the mere thought of Zor and copulating with him. It wasn’t going to happen. End of story. She needed to get it out of her mind forever.
She and Valria headed to the common area for morning sustenance, which Violet had learned was called breakfast on Earth, where her parents had been from. The king and queen had received the help of the best scientists to figure out the perfect diet for Violet when she’d first arrived on the planet, and it had been the same for as long as she could remember. A sort of chewy bar with little flavor, it contained the perfect balance of nutrients to keep a human in top health. Valria and her parents, on the other hand, drank a nutritional substance created specifically for their own biological needs.
Valria and Violet sat down at the table where the king and queen were already seated.
“The ceremony will begin in about an hour.” The queen looked at Valria with tenderness in her eyes.
“Yes.” Valria kept her gaze down at her hands.
“It is a supreme honor, and for the infinite benefit of our entire planet. You know that.”
“I do. And I accept the arrangement.” But Valria didn’t look happy at all.
“And after you’ve been there for thirty days, we will come to visit, and stay for another thirty days with you. Spend time with you and Prince Zor and his parents.” The happy look on the queen’s face seemed forced.
“I know. It will be wonderful to have you visit. As long as Violet can come too,” said Valria, taking a tiny sip of her drink.
“Of course Violet will come. She’s part of our family.” The queen gazed with love at Violet.
“We must get ready, my dear.” The king arose and the queen did as well, both of them tall, their tiny blue scales shimmering in the lights, like stars, that decorated the palace. “Please be ready in an hour.” He bowed slightly at both the girls, who nodded in return.
Violet could tell that the king was holding back emotion. He would miss Valria, as would the queen, and Violet as well.
Once they were gone, Valria pushed her drink away. “I guess there’s nothing I can do at this point. There’s no way out.” She looked down at her webbed hands. “If I could stay, I’d get to be with my friends. I could finally go free range! And Kavon...”
“Kavon.” Violet smiled. “I knew you liked him!”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? I get all nervous when he’s around. And if I could stay, I know we could get married! His family is high enough status. And he’s so nice! And smart. And, you know, the same species that I am!” She looked quickly at Violet. “No offense, of course! I’m not species-ist or anything!”
“Of course you’re not! But yes, I can see how marrying someone from your own species would be, you know, more acceptable.” She’d often thought about it herself. No Ostaran had ever been attractive to her. They were kind, creative, intelligent individuals. But they held no allure. She wasn’t sure if it was the physical differences that caused her to have no interest. In fact, the first interest she’d ever felt for another creature was what she felt for Prince Zor. Was she destined, then, to be alone forever?
On their way back to the bedroom to get changed for the ceremony, Violet and Valria wandered through the castle, witnessing the throngs of servants setting up for the important event. The decorations had already been hung, rich tapestries and coats of arms representing both the king and queen and the Tethran leaders. Seating had been arranged, and the rooms cleaned and polished to a sheen Violet didn’t know was possible. A red carpet down which Zor and his parents would walk to meet the king and queen and Valria divided the chairs into two sides.
Two servants followed Violet and Valria to the bedroom, where they assisted the girls in getting dressed. For the event, Violet had a beautiful blue wrap dress that sparkled like Ostaran scales. Though Valria wasn’t wearing clothes, a synthetic reptile skin scarf was wound around her shoulders, a shining white that looked beautiful against the cerulean of her skin. Ostarans never wore makeup, but the servant took the opportunity to put some on Violet. Sometimes Violet felt like she was a doll to them, someone for them to dress up like a toy. And she didn’t mind. Everyone here was so nice and had taken care of her so well for her entire life.
As time for the ceremony to begin got nearer and nearer, Valria’s skin became paler and paler, and soon her usual beautiful blue shimmer was a pale gray. When the queen entered the room to get the two girls, her face filled with worry as she looked at her daughter.
“Dear, I hate to see you so upset.” She drew Valria into her arms and held her tight.
“I’m fine,” Valria insisted. “I’m doing this for our planet, for our people. I know it’s the right thing.”
“And yet it isn’t what you want.” The queen sighed. “I knew from the beginning
it wouldn’t be an agreement that would make you happy, but it was the only way to save our planet. As you know, we have been threatened by other worlds before, to the point that the king and I were certain we would be annihilated. It almost happened, more than once. Now, with Tethra on our side, we will be protected forever. I don’t know how else to save us. To save you. You see it as a sacrifice. But you will be happy there.” If the queen had any doubt about her words, she didn’t let it show.
“I know I’ll be happy. I’m just nervous.” Valria’s voice was calm. “But I’m proud to be able to do this for our planet. It is a great honor.”
“Come then. It’s time.” The queen put an arm around each girl and led them to the great hall.
Chapter Two
The seats were filled, not just with Ostarans, but Tethrans too, their human appearance fascinating to Violet, and creatures from other allied planets as well. This was one of the most important ceremonies in a long time, at least as far as alliances were concerned.
The king and queen were part of the ceremony, and they sat in velvet-covered thrones in the front of the room. Violet had a seat of honor with other family members and the most important dignitaries in the front row of the audience. Her heart pounded as she watched her sister Valria tremble in front of everyone. And her palms became sweaty as the saxtone horns blew, announcing the imminent entrance of the prince and his parents.
The crowd stood and Violet, too, rose upon shaking legs. Why was she so nervous? Some of it was for Valria, of course. But there was something else, something she couldn’t quite articulate, except she knew it had to do with Prince Zor.
And, as he appeared, she felt her nipples harden under her dress and the telltale throbbing begin between her legs. His tight deep blue pants did nothing to hide his thick, muscled thighs or the bulge that made Violet’s cheeks hot. Shirtless as usual, his muscles were rippled, his chest and stomach rock hard. Or so Violet guessed. She’d never touched him, of course. Not in real life, at least, though in her imagination she’d done much more than run her hands over his body. He walked tall and proud, with unmistakable arrogance, his gaze straight ahead as he strode down the red carpet with his parents, his equally virile father and dignified and beautiful mother.
It wasn’t until he reached the row where Violet sat that his gaze wavered. He turned slightly to her so their eyes met, his dark and hungry as his lip twitched.
Violet’s knees felt so weak she was certain she was going to faint, but she sucked in a deep breath and tried not to think about how lucky Valria was to be marrying Prince Zor.
The prince and his parents took the three other velvet thrones, sitting in them tall and straight. A high judge, who would oversee the ceremony, stood between the two families and addressed the crowd after gesturing for everyone to be seated.
“We are here on this historical day to join the planets Ostara and Tethra in an unprecedented alliance, which will bring stability, peace, and happiness to those in both worlds. By the joining of the two families who sit before you, the unity we seek shall be achieved.”
The crowd broke out into mild cheers; at such a dignified ceremony, a huge commotion would not be appropriate. But it was also necessary to show thanks at the announcement.
“Today,” continued the judge, “you will witness the union of Prince Zor Maxis of Tethra and Princess Valria Orion of Ostara.”
Violet, who had been looking down at her fingers through most of the speech, glanced up, hoping for a quick peek at Zor. To her shock he was staring right at her, those arrogant eyes fixed on hers. Like he wanted to eat her up. Blushing, she looked down once more, wishing she could control her emotions and hormones a little better.
“As is customary, before we begin the marriage ceremony, I must ask if anyone objects to this union.” The judge looked around the room quickly, fully aware that nobody in their right mind would speak up.
“Well then,” he continued, looking down at his speaking notes, “if nobody...”
“I object.”
Violet’s gaze shot up as she tried to discern who had spoken. It was highly unusual and inappropriate to speak out against a union, especially one as important as this. Everyone around her seemed equally confused, whispers and low conversation breaking out around her. It wasn’t until Zor rose from his seat that they realized exactly who had objected.
But why? What was going on?
Violet was close enough to the front to see the confused look of the judge, to hear Zor’s mother exclaim in a loud whisper, “Please, Zor, we’ve already been over this,” and to listen to his father hiss, “Sit down now,” to his son.
But instead the prince whispered to the judge, who stepped aside to let Zor speak. The king and queen were whispering animatedly together, and Valria looked shocked. Poor Valria, thought Violet. She wished she could go up there and hug her sister, but she knew she needed to let this play out. So she stayed in her seat and watched as Zor began to speak.
“It is an honor to be here today in Ostara. Your planet is beautiful, filled with intelligent and compassionate comrades. My family and I have great and deep love for everyone here.” He gestured around the room, his gaze landing on Violet for a second, a moment filled with heat and passion, before he looked straight ahead once more.
“I want nothing more than for our two worlds to be united as one, for us to work together for a better future for our planets. I have thought long and hard about my marriage to the outstanding Valria Orion. Anyone on Ostara would be lucky to take her as a wife.”
He turned to Valria and smiled at her. “But it is not Valria I plan to wed.”
The crowd began talking and yelling out loud, words Violet couldn’t make out in all the commotion. She caught snippets. “What about the alliance?” “Ostara needs Tethra!” “What is to become of us?”
But Zor stopped it all by simply raising his hand. His mere presence emanated strength and discipline. He made people listen. And that made Violet quiver in anticipation.
“I intend to make this alliance. But it is the king and queen’s other daughter I plan to take as my wife.”
What? Violet’s sight blurred and she struggled to breathe. What was he talking about? There was no other daughter. Unless he was talking about her?
“What is the meaning of this?” The king was on his feet, approaching Zor, who stood still and strong and held his stance.
“Sir, I want this alliance. For my people. For our safety and preservation. But it isn’t Valria I want to wed. It’s not right to force her into a union with a species so incompatible in so many ways. Instead, I plan to marry Violet.” His eyes traveled up and down Violet, as though he could see right through her clothes. “I will take her as my wife instead, as she is your legal daughter and the alliance will be forged just as it would with Valria.”
“But the agreement...” began the judge.
Zor raised his hand. “The agreement is as I say it is. I have had the brightest minds on Tethra examine the contracts, and all have told me, and my parents, that it doesn’t matter which daughter I marry for the alliance to take hold. And, since Violet, at twenty, is the elder of your two daughters, I would prefer to take her hand in marriage and allow your younger daughter to wait until her time to be wed, and to find someone more physically compatible.”
“This is not... we must meet in private.” Now the queen stood, gazing quizzically at Violet before turning her stern attention to Zor. “Come. To the boardroom.” She left quickly, not looking back to see if anyone was following.
But follow they did: her husband, then Zor and his parents. And finally, Violet, who’d run up to the stage, and Valria, who took Violet’s hand and squeezed it hard.
“What’s going on?” she whispered. “I’m so confused!” Her eyes swirled with color as she spoke.
“I know.” Violet squeezed back as they walked behind the others. She knew it wasn’t the right time for such folly, but her eyes were focused on Zor’s strong back, the hard muscles
of his ass, as he walked in front of them. His thick black hair was pulled back with a leather tie, right between his wide, corded shoulders. Such strength, thought Violet, as a jolt of desire shot through her.
“Wait.” Valria stopped abruptly, pulling back on Violet’s hand so she was forced to stop too. “You... you like him.” It wasn’t a question.
“What?” Violet scoffed. “What are you talking about?”
“Zor,” whispered Valria. “You like Zor.”
“Valria, you are crazy. The prince is going to be your husband. Of course I don’t like him!”
“Violet. You know that Ostarans are better at sensing feelings than humans are. Humans, from what I’ve read and heard, can hide their thoughts quite well. But not from me. And I can tell. I don’t know how I missed it all along!”
“Valria. Stop. Please.” Violet grabbed her sister’s scaled hands. “Zor is going to be your husband. I would never do anything to stand in the way of that. I love you more than anyone, and you happiness is what I care most about. You know that.”
“I do know that. And I appreciate it with all my heart. But you know I have no feelings for Zor at all. And if he has feelings for you too...”
Violet shook her head. “This is insane, Valria. For years now everyone’s been talking about the union between the two of you. I’m just... your adopted sister.”
“Violet! No. You’re my real sister. I don’t care that you’re a different species! That doesn’t matter to me, and you know that!”
Their conversation was interrupted by the judge as he rushed past to enter the boardroom where the others were.
“Come on.” Violet pulled Valria toward the shut door so they could try to listen through the thick barrier.
Alien Alphas: Twenty-Three Naughty Sci-Fi Romance Novellas Page 98