“What is it? Where are we? What are they?” I was still in shock, my questions escaping me in an unintentional barrage. She stood slowly, walking over toward me. Her legs were bare and bruised, as well as blue-tinted and bloodless from the room’s temperature. She held a bright silk shoe, the match of which was obviously missing. She crouched down beside me.
“What is your name?” she asked me. Her look was impassive—her eyes seemed tired; dark circles pressed beneath them. She had a soft accent. Her English was learned, modulated.
“Shay,” I whispered. I had the distinct feeling that I had seen her before.
“Sarita,” she replied. “They left me here to acquaint you.” I frowned, not understanding what she was saying. I felt my lips go cold as I went into shock. “Lean back. You have been in stasis, and your body needs time to adjust.” She held my shoulder as she helped me to sit back. I felt my mind breaking away, as though reality had the ability to fork, splitting in two. She then waited for me to calm down, rubbing my arms and legs to bring warmth into them. Her touch brought me back.
“Stasis?” I asked, my voice shaky.
“Asleep. For the duration of our journey.”
“How long?”
“Eighty years.” The realization that I had slept through my natural human life left me speechless. Grief welled in my chest—everyone whom I had known was likely dead by now. My mother, my father, Jenny… even Greg. I sat there, looking at Sarita in shock, my mouth hanging slightly open.
“They are the Ak-hal,” she began, not waiting for me to ask. “They destroyed their home planet long ago. They have colonized another. It’s what the human race terms arctic, and they live in a palace made of the same metal as this ship. It’s called mithrim. Is it not beautiful?” Beautiful. A word I would come to hate.
“Why did they take me?” It seemed that I couldn’t catch my breath enough to speak above a whisper.
“The Ak-hal have no women,” she replied. “They died, along with their planet. So, they take women from Earth, whom they find beautiful and very like to themselves.” She caressed my cheek, her voice soft and comforting, a lullaby in this horrible, bright place. “You will be dressed in the finest clothes, and fed the most delectable foods, and treated like a princess.”
“But I—” I began to protest, but Sarita shook her head.
“You are the property of the Ak-hal, now.”
“Why? How did they find me?”
“It’s likely that they followed you for some time. The Ak-hal are exquisite hunters.” I thought of how they had seemed to hold back until I was tired. I thought back to leaving the barbecue… eighty years before—how I’d paused before unlocking my car, looking about me, feeling as though I had been… watched. I had seen nothing, no one lurking about on the tree-lined street. I’d gotten into my car and driven off, right into their trap. My stomach felt queasy, and it ached with hunger. I sobbed, and Sarita slapped me across the face, hard. She looked into my eyes fiercely.
“You must not fall apart.” I nodded, inhaling. Something in her tone told me that to lose myself would be the death of me. I understood that Sarita was instructing me on how to survive. I took a few steadying breaths.
“The Ak-hal are not like us,” she said. “They don’t like emotion. They prefer to master their own emotions, since they are a race of dragon shifters. When they get angry… it can mean utter destruction. They look for mates who will not anger them. They cannot control themselves when they do. So, you must show them that you are like them, so that one of them chooses you for his mate. Once that happens, everything will get better.” I sat there, stunned. Anger, confusion, and fear all flowed through my veins. “Once you mate with an Ak-hal, you will go through a mating ritual, which will make you immortal, like them.” Her eyes had taken on a strange glow.
“Are you—” I began to ask, suddenly realizing that Sarita wasn’t on my side. She nodded, no emotion whatsoever crossing her face.
“I am mated to Ak-hal,” she confirmed. So, the missing shoe, the bruises—they were all a ruse. I had been set up. I had trusted that which had seemed familiar. My first lesson in the twisted, manipulative minds of the Ak-hal. My mind whirled.
“When did they take you?”
“Two hundred years ago,” she said simply. “I was taken from my life as a lowly human, considered next to nothing on Earth. Now, I have status, eternal life, and any comfort I never would have dreamed of otherwise.”
“Who were you?” She shook her head.
“Nothing,” she replied simply. “Viewed as something lower than a worm.” I squinted, trying to figure her out. I wasn’t sure whether I could trust her or not.
“Come,” Sarita said. “I must prepare you.”
“For what?” I asked cautiously.
“Your presentation to the Ak-hal,” she explained efficiently as she guided me to a standing position. “When you first arrive, you will be presented at the palace. You have two weeks following your presentation to secure a mate. If you fail…” she paused, looking away. She cleared her throat before looking me in the eyes. Despite her lapse, she still didn’t show any emotion. “If you fail, you will be executed.” I felt sick, and my knees buckled. Sarita caught me as I fell against her, hard. She supported me, helping me to stagger awkwardly over to the far wall.
A door appeared in the mithrim, evanescing like the bottom of a glass of milk as it emptied. Sarita had one arm wrapped around my waist, and the other grasped my elbow. We left the bright room, entering a dimly lit hallway. This, too, was crafted of mithrim. The lights, in red-orange lily-shaped sconces created a warm glow. She led me, slowly, to another room. It looked very much like a beauty parlor, with a vanity and a large bathtub. It had sage-colored tiles covering the floor. The walls were a soft green to match. Another woman entered. She was dressed in an elaborate green silk dress with a tight bodice and long, fitted sleeves. The skirt was full, and rustled softly as she walked. She had her hair pulled back in an elegant chignon. She said nothing, instead, taking my free arm and helping Sarita to guide me to the bathtub.
I wanted something to cover myself. I had rarely been naked in front of others, and to find myself in this situation was… a tad frightening to me. I stood awkwardly in the tub. Sarita bent down and turned on the faucet. Hot water came out, and I knelt down on my knees in the tub, letting the water heat my skin. I sat down fully, my body beginning to relax in the blessed heat of the water.
“It will do you good after you have been in stasis,” the other woman explained.
“What is it—stasis?”
“Your bodily functions are paused. It’s like being frozen in time,” she replied. “Until you mate with an Ak-hal, you are still mortal. I am Clara.” She smiled at me kindly. I nodded, letting it sink in that I had been in some kind of coma for eighty years.
“When will we reach the planet?” I asked.
“In a few hours. The planet is called Gorodrim by the Ak-hal. The original inhabitants call it something else,” Clara said as she began to wash my hair, using a lavender-scented shampoo. She massaged my scalp, rubbing with the tips of her fingers. She was a little rough—tugging my hair a little as she worked the shampoo into it, much like a hairdresser. Sarita used a soft-bristled brush to clean my skin, scrubbing until my flesh was rubbed pink.
“Who are the original inhabitants?” I asked, curious. Clara seemed to be the more communicative and kinder of the two.
“The Kamani,” she replied, wrapping my hair in a towel. “They are a race of bear-shifters. They aren’t as advanced as the Ak-hal.”
“What do they call the planet?”
“It doesn’t matter. You will never be allowed to converse with the Kamani,” Sarita said in her blunt manner. “They are lesser beings.”
“But… isn’t it their planet?”
“No, it’s soon to be the Ak-hal’s,” Clara said brightly. Her rosy lips smiled delicately. She reminded me of one of the porc
elain dolls that I had owned as a child—I had called her my “angel-baby.” She had the same bow-shaped lips, deep blue eyes, and strategic blonde ringlets escaping from her bun.
“Up,” Sarita ordered as soon as they were through with their ministrations. I sighed, standing. The water was still hot—it seemed like a waste. Goosebumps broke out across my skin as soon as I stood. Sarita wrapped a thick, soft, white towel about me before helping me to step over the steep side of the mithrim tub. I shivered as I was guided over to the soft chair in front of the vanity. Using what looked like a laser, Sarita removed the hair from my legs. It burned a little as it traveled the length of my legs. She lifted my arm, doing the same with my armpits.
“This removes the hair permanently,” Sarita said. “You will never have to worry about it again.” I thought bleakly about it running over my scalp. Would the Ak-hal not want me then? How ugly could I make myself? Would they then take pity on me? Let me live and work in their kitchens? Clean the floors? Meanwhile, Clara tugged a brush through my hair. She pulled out what looked like a hair straightener. However, when she ran it over my hair, it dried it with a hissing sound.
“What is that?” I asked.
“It’s a higher-tech version of a hair dryer,” Clara explained. “It’s much quieter, don’t you think?” I nodded. She took out a curling wand and began to go to work. If I hadn’t had been so terrified, it might have felt nice being pampered.
“Clara?”
“Yes?”
“When did they take you?” She was silent for a moment.
“They took me in eighteen-fifty.”
“Your mate—is he nice?”
“He is good to me,” she replied. “Since they lost their women, we are considered treasures to the Ak-hal. They treat us like queens. You will see.”
“Are you happy?” This time, she was quiet for a longer period of time.
“It’s a woman’s lot to adjust,” she replied archly.
“You missed the women’s suffrage movement,” I said softly. “We have power now. Not total equality, but we do have a say in things… on Earth, at least.” Clara seemed about to ask me something. Her brow was furrowed.
“Hush,” Sarita said sharply. “You aren’t on Earth any longer. That power is gone now. That time is long gone now. You don’t even know if it’s still true. The Ak-hal is your present and your future.” Something inside of me began to heat up. I kept myself quiet. I studied my eyes in the large mirror before me. I saw them—still alive, still thinking, still feeling. They could demand that I bend all that they wanted. But I wouldn’t break. I had read so many novels throughout my existence on Earth. They had all taught me—courage. Courage in the face of adversity. I had expected to live out a quiet existence—with my books and my cups of tea. But it seemed as though I had, like many of my favorite characters—I, too, had been thrown into the fray. I noticed Clara studying my face in the mirror as she worked on my hair. She smiled slightly, and I saw both fear and sadness in her look. I smiled back confidently. I would survive this. I would look for the first opportunity to get free, and I would take it, grabbing on with both hands and holding on tight.
Chapter 3
When they were finished, I hardly recognized myself. Usually, I had tended to favor the goth-chic look—dark, heavy black eyeliner, dark crimson or cherry-red lipstick, pale skin. But now, my hair fell down my back in soft, thick, brunette waves. My eyes were done in gold shadow, with an ultra-thin, barely there lines of black eyeliner. Delicately shaded bronzer brought my cheekbones into prominence. My lips were a dusky rose color. I twirled my hips a little, listening to the soft swish of the satin skirt. They had put me into soft black lace-edged underwear, similar to Spanx, but in a finer, softer fabric. Almost a body suit, its thick, padded cups lifted and separated my breasts. Thick, soft tights covered my legs. They were warm, made of a material close to cashmere.
The dress itself was made of thick satin. It was gold in color, with royal blue flowers of a kind that I had never seen before: seven lush interlocking petals with a purplish center and tiny flecks of scarlet. It had sleeves that fit tightly and a snug bodice. It had a low décolletage, the neckline plunging daringly and edged in a thin, dark-blue lace. The skirt was snug down over my hips, flaring out halfway down my thigh. It absolutely hid the delicate boots that I wore. The boots were knee-high, and laced up. They were made of a soft tawny suede. Clara stood behind me, affixing a choker about my neck. I placed my hand on the charm that hung from the black velvet ribbon. It was shaped like a tiny gold heart, a smaller heart-shaped piece of Mother of Pearl set within the very center. A tiny pearl, like a teardrop, hung off the bottom point of the heart. Sarita re-entered, carrying a golden crown-like headdress. She placed it on top of my head. It fit snugly, with significant weight; it had the same flowers that adorned my dress close to my face, with golden rays coming out of the top and sides, like the sun.
“I don’t look like myself at all,” I remarked. Sarita smiled. At some point, she had snuck off and changed. She wore a bright red dress, similar in make to mine and Clara’s. She looked regal in it, her posture straight and confident. She, too, wore one of the strange headdresses, this one on a grander scale. I wondered if her neck didn’t hurt supporting such weight.
“You are no longer yourself,” she said, and the thought struck me as sad, but I hid it. I realized that, in order to survive in the world of the Ak-hal, I would have to build a strong façade. I had two weeks. As soon as I stepped foot outside of this ship, the clock would begin ticking. Although I wasn’t sure that escape would be possible, I knew that I would have to keep both eyes open for any chance that I would get. The idea of spending an eternity with one of those beautiful, awful creatures that had hunted me down absolutely sickened me.
At that moment, there seemed to be a soft, yet slightly jarring movement within the ship. A chiming sound rang through the room. Sarita grinned widely as my stomach lurched.
“We have landed,” she said lightly. She had rarely shown emotion in the two short hours that I had known her, but at this moment, she was obviously excited to get me onto the chopping block and wash her hands clean of me. My hands shook slightly. Clara took my hand within one of her own. I looked at her, and she smiled at me kindly. I wondered, and not for the first time, if I could trust her.
“I was nervous, too,” she said. “It will all turn out right. I’m sure of it.” I nodded and took a deep breath. Sarita handed me a long, thick cloak made of blue satin and lined with a thick, warm white pelt. I snuggled into it, wondering what type of animal the fur had come from—it seemed like polar bear? Those couldn’t exist on another planet, could they? I shook the thought away. Fear made me cold, and the cloak was warm and luxurious. I followed Clara and Sarita down the dim hallways of the ship. There was a tiny, arched doorway at the very end, opened to reveal a bright, white landscape. As we grew nearer, I realized that what I saw was snow.
The glare of the sun was bright on the snow. And I squinted as we exited the ship, making our way down a mithrim gangplank. An icy wind came across the plain, and it stung the exposed flesh of my face. I pulled the cloak tighter about me. Far away, I saw a great, white lumbering shape. I pointed.
“What is that?” I asked.
“One of the Kamani,” Clara explained. “A bear-shifter. Your cloak is made from the skin of one.” I felt sickened by the thought—the creature, despite its large size, moved with a breathtaking elegance.
“Are there no other animals? I mean, didn’t you say they were people?”
“They are lesser, I said,” Sarita said firmly. She pulled her own cloak tight about her. I turned to my left to see a massive castle, gleaming against the snow, made of pure white mithrim. Its towers were high and spindly, like a castle in a fairytale, but this building was awful in its brilliance. A castle of ice and ghosts, I thought. Sarita smiled proudly, as though she owned the castle. The sun glinted off her headdress.
“It’s
called Argaram Castle,” she said proudly, looking at me.
“It’s… beautiful,” I replied for lack of anything better to say.
Upon entering, I saw them everywhere. The Ak-hal, I thought to myself. We were in a wide courtyard, walled in by mithrim. The stones of the courtyard were of a sky blue, porous stone. Bushes grew along the walls. The strange flowers that adorned my dress grew on them. I wondered at how this was possible—it was bitter cold.
The Ak-hal stood in groups. I noticed some of their bright, fearsome eyes glancing over at our small group. They were dressed in tawny-colored fitted pants, with white tunics and cloaks with the pelts of the Kamani. How many Kamani had died at their hands? I listened to them speaking to one another. I realized with a jolt that I understood their strange, musical tongue.
“I understand them…” I mumbled in shock.
“While you were in stasis, you were taught the language of the Ak-hal,” Sarita said. “You have also been taught their ways and customs. It’s dormant now, but as you require it, it will come to you.”
“Can I speak the Kamani tongue?”
“Why would you need to know that?” Sarita scoffed with a laugh as we entered the main fortress, and walked down a blank mithrim hallway. From time to time, a window was set in the wall, like a bright jewel. The heels of my boots made barely a sound as we walked across the floor, made of the same porous stone as the courtyard. Inside, it was warm, although I couldn’t see a heat source nor vent. Many human women passed us, walking in groups of two or three. They kept their heads down, their gaze fixed upon the ground. Suddenly, my own head snapped downward, my eyes fixed on the ground before me.
“You see?” Sarita asked me, looking at me sideways as her head was tilted downward, “It comes to you as it’s required.” It felt as though my own body betrayed me.
Assassin's Bride (SciFi Alien Romance) (Celestial Mates Book 9) Page 14