by Ava Walsh
“Please be quiet,” he said, as his jaw clenched. This woman was so confused. She didn’t make sense. Her lover might have left her for some other reason, but she was far from ugly. She was beautiful.
He drove on for a while and parked the car near the edge of a grove.
“Follow me,” he said curtly, as he got out and opened the door for her.
He took her hand and pulled her out as she steadied herself. Still holding her hand, he led her toward the thicket. They walked among the trees and came to a clearing on the other side. Then he stopped and, turning, he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her body against his. She gasped as she looked into his emerald eyes. He tapped the band on his wrist a few times, and soon small, white, glowing particles appeared to surround them, as their bodies vanished into thin air.
***
Natalie’s heart raced. What was happening to her? Within the next few seconds, she was standing close to him again. But the field was gone. She was in a dimly lit cabin which resembled the inside of an elevator. The glass doors opened and she clung to him. He had to pry her hands off him as he led her outside into a narrow hallway, although he kept hold of her hand.
W-where are we?” she asked, a bit dazed, as her head spun.
“No more talking, woman,” he said, teeth clenched.
“My name is Natalie!” she said, as tears pooled in her eyes.
Natalie couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t tell her. He strode on down the hall and came to a door. He tapped the figures on the panel on the wall and the doors slid open. He dragged her inside and let go of her hand as he walked over to the console and tapped in more commands there. She stood there, gazing at his back. They were in a circular room with huge windows on one side, and a large console with an array of panels lining the center. There was a chair, too. It seemed like some kind of control room. This wasn’t real. Oh, she must be dreaming. She would wake up soon, she thought, giggling.
There was a distant humming around them. The ship went into warp drive as it streamed across the universe. He came back toward her and she saw that his hood was down. She gasped as her eye caught the subtle ridges at his temples. What was wrong with the man? But before she could ask him, he grabbed her by the arm and took her outside into the hallway.
“Where are you taking me?” she implored, tears streaming down her face.
“To your quarters,” he said.
Quarters? He meant a room, right? What was going on? She had a feeling this was a very strange hotel and something wasn’t right.
He stopped by another door and tapped on the panel as it slid open. He stepped in and pulled her along with him as the door closed.
He turned her in his arms and gazed deeply into her eyes. He had long dark hair and his ears were pointed, she observed. She gasped as she took in his intense gaze, his dark brow, the subtle ridges, straight chiseled nose and the strong jawline.
“Wh-what happened to you?” she whispered, as her hand reached up to touch the ridges on his temples. He grabbed her wrist gently but firmly as he gazed at her. He caught her heady scent again, mixed with the scent of her arousal. His breath hitched, and his intense gaze pierced her very soul. She had a dazed look in her eyes, and he saw that she still couldn’t figure out that he wasn’t human. She clung to him, not wanting to let go, and he saw how vulnerable she was. Her brown eyes were clear as day, and for a moment he forgot everything and thought he held Kira in his arms.
Natalie gazed at him and, leaning forward, planted a soft kiss on his lips. A dark shadow flitted across his eyes as he felt her silky lips on his.
“Kiss me, Erdal... Kiss me now...” she implored, murmuring against his lips, gazing at him, as she bared her soul to him.
Natalie didn’t care who he was. She wanted him. She needed him so she could numb the pain in her broken heart. And she didn’t care anymore.
No. No. No... Get away from her. She is not Kira. The king won’t like it! He will kill you! A dark voice inside his head screamed.
Fuck him, Erdal thought. He grabbed the nape of her neck, tilting her head back, and bent his head, claiming her mouth with his at a perfect angle. His other hand caressed her back as she gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers entangled in his hair. She was eager, demanding as she slid her tongue into his mouth. He gasped, pulling back, surprised by her fiery passion. Her eyes were glazed and she wanted more. Desire raged through his blood as his eyes darkened and he fiercely claimed her mouth again. His tongue slid inside her mouth and grazed hers, urgent, demanding. She matched his dark passion as desire pooled deep down in her belly. His hand grabbed her behind and pulled her closer, his hips grinding against hers. They pulled apart to catch their breath as he peeled her dress off and admired her full breasts. Silly woman... how could she think she was ugly? He picked her up and roughly dropped her on the flat gray mattress, then took off his shirt and stepped out of his pants. His alabaster-white skin glowed in the dim, white light of the room, and his long, dark hair fell on his shoulders as she gazed at him. He bent down and peeled off her panties and, in a swift move, he was on top of her.
She loved the feel of his hard body on top of her, as he cupped her breasts and claimed her mouth with a fervent longing.
Time froze for them as they were soon lost to the rhythm of consuming passion.
Chapter Three
Natalie woke up to the dim, white light of the room. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Where was she? She tried getting up and, suddenly dizzy, she fell back on the pillow as a throbbing headache hit her. She was naked under the sheets. What the...? She sat up again and looked around. Her black dress lay on the floor. The room was hexagonal with a large rectangular window, and it didn’t look like she was in a hotel. She slowly sat up and tried getting out of bed again. Her head spun.
She looked around thinking. She had been out drinking at a bar and she had met a stranger. Oh, God... she remembered being in the car with him, and then it was all a blur. She had kissed him, hadn’t she? Or was it a dream? She couldn’t tell. Her head ached terribly. Water... she needed water. Coffee, too.
The door to the room slid open and Erdal stepped inside, carrying a tray. He had brought her food. He was wearing a dark gray suit and gray pants, and his long hair was tied at the nape of his neck. She looked up and gasped. Her heart thrummed against her chest like a frightened bird in a cage, and she quickly pulled the sheets to cover her chest. Her stomach knotted and color rose to her cheeks as he gazed at her with those intense eyes of his.
“Where am I?” she asked him, panic rising in her gut. “And why am I here?”
“You are aboard Star Ship Xoraii. And we are traveling to planet Estion,” he said.
“Oh, no! Y-your face! Wh-what are you? Let me go!” she stammered as her breathing became labored. She saw it now. He had taken her and this was no hotel room. She was far from earth in an alien spaceship.
He saw her trembling, and his chest constricted. What was wrong with him? She wasn’t the first woman he had abducted. There was something strange about her. She made him weak. And it unnerved him. No, that was unacceptable.
Get a grip, Erdal. She’s a weak human. And you detest humans, remember? The dark voice inside his head snapped sarcastically. She is the king’s bride. There’s nothing you can do about it.
“Calm down, woman!” he said firmly. Tears welled in her eyes. She hugged her knees, clutching the sheets as tears streamed down her face and sobs racked her body.
He gazed at her for a while and tried reading her mind telepathically. He couldn’t. Frowning, he strode toward the wall to her left and tapped on a panel. A shaft opened up in a wall, revealing a small silver container. He poured out water for her into a glass.
“Thank you,” she said, as she took the glass from him. He watched her as she drank. She could see he wasn’t going to kill her... at least not yet.
“I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” she said, taking a deep breath as she tried
to compose herself. She wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand. She gazed at him. He looked really handsome in that suit, she thought... and a wayward thought crossed her mind. “Um, what happened last night? I mean, did we...?” she asked, as she stared at the dress on the floor.
“I’m afraid we did, yes.”
“Oh, God...” she said, wide-eyed, and she stared at her hands as blood crept up to her cheeks and she blushed furiously.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he gazed at her, amused. She was a strange woman. Why was she so conscious of her sexuality now, when only last night he had loved the passion with which she responded to his touch? And the way she had wanted him, and cried out his name in pure ecstasy. His eyes darkened at the thought.
“What do you want?” she said softly, as fresh tears welled in her eyes. She had been drunk, and he had abducted her and then had sex with her.
“I serve my King. I have orders to take you to him. You are to be his bride. You will share a harem with many others he already has,” he said, as he sat down on a chair near her bed.
“What is wrong with you? I... I was drunk!” she said loudly. “You kidnap me and then rape me, and now you are forcing me to marry this... this king you serve?!” Her voice became shrill as her breath came in gasps.
“I did not rape you, woman! No matter how much I loathe humans, I would not dishonor my race and force myself on one of your kind!” he said, in a voice so cold that it made her shudder.
“I hate you! You knew I was drunk. It’s just not fair!” she wailed, blinking rapidly.
“You wanted it,” he emphasized, and she saw his intense eyes glint. “You kept talking about this Matt who left you.”
“Oh, no. What did I say?” she asked, as color rose to her cheeks.
“Nothing important,” he said curtly.
“Please take me back. I want to go home,” she said, her voice choked, eyes wide.
“What you say is irrelevant. From now on you will do as I say.” He tried getting inside her head again as he gazed deep into her wide eyes. He could see that she was scared, but he needed to read her thoughts so he could gauge her.
He used his ability to read her thoughts, but all he got was a blank. This had never happened before. Somehow telepathy wasn’t working with this woman. There was something unusual about her, he could feel it.
“Please let me go. Don’t make me marry your King. Where I come from, women are not forced into marriage,” she said, blinking rapidly as she clutched the sheets close to her. He saw genuine fear in her eyes.
“Well, why don’t you try telling that to the king himself?” he said dryly. “I’m sure he’ll reconsider.”
Her eyes grew wide, and her pupils dilated as she blinked back tears. Her lips quivered as her breathing became labored, and his chest constricted again. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes momentarily, trying to control his racing heart.
“Listen to me, woman,” he said, in a calm and cold voice. “You really don’t have a choice. And you had better hold your tongue before the king, or he will kill you.”
“Kill me, then,” she said, as she gazed up at him, challenging him. He could kill her if he wanted to, but she would never become a slave bride to some alien king. At the moment death seemed like a better option to her.
He stared at her, surprised, as if he had not expected her to say such a thing.
“If I killed you, I would be risking my own life. You are to be the king’s bride, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said, in a sober voice, as he got up to leave. For a second there, she thought his eyes grew sad. “Get dressed. There are clothes in the wardrobe over there, and the bathroom is to your right,” he said, showing her the wardrobe.
“How can you be so selfish?” she whispered incredulously, as tears gleamed in her beautiful, brown eyes.
He stood there gazing at her, not responding to her remark.
“I guess men are alike everywhere,” she said at last, in a quietly resigned voice.
“Here, take these. They will help you to breathe better.” He handed her two blue pills, ignoring her comment.
“And this is a communicator and a key,” he said, in a formally detached tone, as he gave her a small, round disc. He showed her how it opened the hidden panels in the wall, but not the doors. “You will wear it on your arm and, whenever you need me, you press it and hold while you speak, and then release. And Natalie... Eat. You will need all your strength. I’ll be watching you,” he said, with finality in his tone, as he disappeared behind the door.
Natalie stared after him, bewildered. She quickly swallowed the pills with the help of the water, and the air in the room seemed to grow thicker.
She could not imagine in her wildest dreams that she could be far away from home aboard an alien spaceship. Alone and with an alien. And she had already made the horrible mistake of sleeping with him. Well, she didn’t deny he was an unusually handsome alien. But she was in serious trouble and she had no way to escape. What she dreaded most was the fact that she was being forced into marriage. It was unbelievable. Rage surged through her blood as tears streamed down her face. She was trapped. Would he help her if he wanted to? But why would he want to? She was just another slave for him to take to his king. He was right, in a way. He was just following orders.
***
Erdal lay back in the chair in his chambers, a glass of dark purple wine in his hand. He took a sip and savored the silky taste as it slid down his throat. It was one of the rare native wines they had on Estion.
This woman could be a problem for you, Erdal. She has a sharp tongue, and she speaks her mind. The king doesn’t like that, the dark voice inside his head said.
She was unusual, he had seen that. Compared to the other women he had abducted, she was rebellious. She had questioned him like no other.
She thought he was selfish. Well, he was just doing his duty. He had seen the sadness in her beautiful eyes, and resignation, and he had felt a strange tug in his heart. The guilt was something he had never felt before.
It’s not your fault. She means nothing to you. And you don’t have to listen to her, she’s manipulating you. Your job is to take her to the king as planned, the dark voice inside his head prodded.
But still he couldn’t get rid of the strange pull he felt in his heart. It all seemed wrong somehow. Everything was wrong about this mission and he had no clue what to do. A headache returned as he took another sip of his wine. He strode out toward the control room to check on the course. They had another month and seven days left till they reached Estion. He heaved a sigh and decided to limit his interaction with the human female. She talked too much.
Chapter Four
Natalie stared out of the huge, rectangular window into the black void. Her initial fear had been replaced by rage and then, as the days went by and she saw less and less of her captor, despair had slowly taken over. She had been aboard the ship for over a month now, and she had been confined to her room for the whole time. In space, it was easy to lose track of time and the communicator on her arm was quite helpful. She would ask the computer anything she wanted and it would tell her whether it was day or night.
The first few days she would cry into her pillow and drift off to sleep after eating a lot. The food was the one thing she would binge on as it made her feel better, at least for a while. She would eat anything sweet, and later she would hear her mother’s haughty voice in her head telling her she was pathetic, or her sister telling her she was lazy and wasn’t making enough effort to control her eating habits.
All her life they had made her feel she was a loser in every way. She was not popular in high school. She had a stupid job that didn’t pay well. Her boyfriend had dumped her for a slimmer woman. And now she was being whisked away across the universe to an unknown alien world. Whenever she thought of what lay ahead, a chill would run down her spine. But as the days went by and she spent her time in isolation, she thought that nothing mattere
d anymore. Whether she lived or died, only time would tell. Matt had left her, and now she was far away from home and she would soon become a slave to a barbarian.
The door to her quarters silently slid open. Erdal stepped inside and saw her standing by the window. She wore a plain green shirt and black pants. Her hair flowed down her shoulders and back. She turned and saw him standing there.
“We land in two hours,” he said, in his cold voice.
He strode toward the wall and opened a panel, revealing the wardrobe there. He pulled out an ivory-white dress and placed it on the chaise longue near him. The dress had a low V-neck front and it flowed down from the waistline, cutting off just above the knees.
“Put this on. When we land, we will go see the King right away,” he said, as she stared at him. His cold, penetrating gaze made her shudder, and she blinked several times before looking away.
He saw the innocent soul behind those big eyes and the tremendous effort she was making to put up a brave front so he wouldn’t see how frightened she was, or how despondent. His jaw clenched as his hands tightened into a fist. He tried hard not to pull her into his arms and kiss her, and reassure her that everything would be alright. Oh, what was she doing to him?
Get a grip, Erdal. This is not the first woman you have abducted, the dark voice mocked. You are pathetic!
“Why me?” she whispered, as she stared down at her hands, which she was wringing together.
“What?” he asked, frowning.
“Why did you take me? You could have taken any other woman there. Prettier ones. I just want to know why me?” She heaved a sigh as she said the words.
“I don’t know. I just...” he began. For a split second his eyes softened, and then the cold walls were up again. “Never mind,” he said, as he gazed at her.
He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t tell her she resembled his dead wife. Or that he had run out of time on her planet and she had just happened to be there.