Pradorian Mate

by C. Baely

  “Don’t worry, our species are compatible in this regard.” Archail moved closer to her and picked up the fruit again. He held it near her mouth. “Trust me, it will not harm you in any way. Eat.” He touched her lips with the fruit, expecting her to bite.

  Sara sniffed the fruit suspiciously. It had a pleasant scent with no hint of anything rotten. Her stomach growled, and she saw no reason to starve herself. After all, if she wanted to stay strong and find another chance to escape, she would need to keep up her strength. With that thought, she took a small bite. To her surprise, it was very sweet and extremely juicy. When the sticky juice ran down her chin, she almost forgot her anger and hopelessness. She murmured a loud, “Mmm!” and moved to wipe her chin. Archail’s index finger rose to catch the drip. After brushing his finger over her chin to her bottom lip, he moved it to his mouth to lick the juice. Citrine eyes stared back at her as his dark blue tongue drew a long line across his finger.

  Sara wondered if he was trying to seduce her, taking the fruit from him decisively backing away a few steps. Well, it’s not going to happen! she retorted inwardly biting into the fruit again, enjoying its mild flavor. Glancing at the table, Sara regarded the various fruits and vegetables. One particular violet-colored item stood out to her. When she examined it closer, she noted its bumpy skin, which seemed hard when she pressed her thumb against it.

  Noticing her interest, Archail grabbed a knife the size of Sara’s forearm. She flinched and backed away ready to fight. Once he started slicing the vegetable, she relaxed again. Sara was fairly sure he wouldn’t harm her, seeing as breeding partners generally work better if they’re alive, but she couldn’t get past events out of her head. She’d already been abused once, and she’d be damned if it was going to happen again in her new life.

  My new life…that’s right. Sara remembered her death and subsequent resurrection. Her mind still had trouble grasping it all. Maybe she was still dreaming and didn’t realize it? She shook her head and came back to reality when a male voice reached her ears. “What?”

  Archail blinked and repeated, “I said I won’t harm you. You are my mate now. My warriors will also not touch you, just as I will not touch their mates.”

  Sara shook her head as she finished swallowing her last bite of fruit. “I’m not your property or your mate.” To make her point, she ignored him and kept her eyes on the sliced violet vegetable on the table. Its flesh was brown and interspersed with millions of white beads, probably seeds.

  His expression darkened. “Whether you like it or not, you are mine for as long as your body draws breath. You have no choice in this, and you will obey. Now, eat.” Despite his frown, he still held out half of the violet vegetable for her to take.

  Sara’s head jerked back, at the sound of his words, while she remained silent, her nostrils flaring slightly. She didn’t stay that way for long. “You eat your stupid food. I don’t need it. And as for being yours, I believe I have a say in this! Why don’t you just go and find a more willing mate to have your babies?” She paused, her brows creasing, expecting him to reply in kind, preparing herself, physically and mentally.

  Archail took a deep breath. Tilting his head sideways as though disappointed by her words, he replied calmly, “Fine, you will get your chance to choose. Now eat.”

  This calm promise helped her to relax a bit, but she wasn’t ready to believe him just yet. She knew nothing of his people or their culture. Why did they specifically want human woman to breed with? Despite her suspicions, she decided to play the subdued female. In her mind, she was already planning her next escape attempt. She looked down at his extended hand still holding the vegetable. She stared at the offering for a long moment. “Has it gone bad?”

  His frown deepened as he examined the vegetable before returning a confused gaze.

  She pointed and stated with a small grimace. “The inside is very brown.”

  “That’s how it’s supposed to look. Just take a small bite to try it if you want, but try to remember that not all things are as you would want them, woman,” Archail warned.

  Sara’s temper flared, and she ripped the piece away from him. “My name is Sara! Not woman!”

  Archail remained frozen for a moment, gaping at her, his jaw slightly dropping. “Interesting. So Sara is not a female of the human species. I must punish the one who delivered you. He seems to have given me the wrong gender, unless your males can also bear offspring.” A slight grin showed on his lips as he turned to slice more fruits and vegetables. He placed the pieces in two bowls, one of a white stone that glittered when it caught the right light and one of black stone that soaked up any light that hit it.

  Her eyes narrowed, unable to control the anger exploding through her. How dare he mock her! Who did he think he was, belittling her? When he turned to leave his home once again, though, the familiar fear of being locked in suddenly squeezed her stomach. “Where are you going?”

  “Meat.” He didn’t turn or pause before passing through the opening in the wall. The opening closed, again leaving no indication of its presence, and Sara was alone once more. She was alone in a world she didn’t know anything about or even begin to understand. Sara stared down at the supposedly healthy vegetable and gingerly took a large bite from it. Yet again, she was surprised as the bread-like texture hit her tongue. A second later, though, she spat it out and quickly tried to find something to drink. Without any water or other liquids in sight, she quickly gobbled up the rest of the obicon in the hope that the sweet, sticky juice would wash away the overwhelming taste of the vegetable, which had been as hot as horseradish with a sour aftertaste.

  Sara breathed a sigh of relief and leaned on the table, suddenly exhausted from all the constant surprises. Examining the room around her, her eyes met the fur-like rug in what she thought must be the living area. She pursed her lips thoughtfully and moved her gaze to the walls. She moved to one of them. “He said our species are compatible, so I should be able to do whatever he can do and open a door out of here.” She placed her arm against the wall, but nothing happened.

  Sara moved her arm along the walls until one opened without warning. She let out a surprised cry as she fell through the opening. The multi-colored tiles continued into the new room as well, so Sara concluded the whole cave must be paved with them. This new room appeared to be a bedroom. A chair, upholstered with some sort of yellow animal skin, stood in a corner to the right, and a strange bed sat against the far wall. The bed seemed to entice her, calling her to lounge on it. Sara couldn’t explain why she felt so exhausted, but her legs had to struggle to hold her, and she swayed as if she was drunk. “What’s wrong with me?” She crossed the room toward the soft-looking bed. On reaching it, she slid on to test it out.

  The cream-colored pad that covered the surface of the bed provided a soft texture for her body to lie on, yet the firm, smooth, metal-like support beneath it was curved. Just as she began to relax, something in the bed started to move. She quickly jumped off. As soon as she left the bed, it stopped moving and reverted to its original appearance. With more than a little suspicion, she gingerly laid on it once more and waited. Again it started to move, but this time she froze…and waited. She felt drowsy and disoriented as if she was drunk or drugged. The sensation of the bed’s movement matched the contours of her body perfectly. It was impossible to resist the urge to sleep, and her eyes closed involuntarily as the feather-soft mattress supported her where she needed, a little more in one area and a little less in another.

  A wide grin spread across Sara’s face when she turned on her side to see if the bed would react, and it did. No matter how she tossed and turned, the bed would adapt to meet her body’s needs. I wonder if this would help my arthritis. Sara realized her error. “Oh right. I don’t have arthritis anymore. Hah! Well, this is very comfortable I must say.” She mumbled to herself, noting how comfortably warm the room was, not at all how she would have imagined a cave to be. She let out a comforted sigh, her every thought, both past an
d present, being mixed up in her mind. Her thoughts seemed to clear, and soon she felt as though she was in a safe womb-like haven. With the comfortable temperature, there was no need for any kind of blanket, not like the heavy coverings she’d needed during the cold winter nights in Scotland. Her clothes would be dry in no time she thought, glad that she wasn’t outside shivering to death.

  Sara noticed the door had closed while she wasn’t looking, and a misguided feeling of safety enveloped her. She smiled, disorientation of place and time, clouding her thinking. I suppose I could sleep here. When he comes back, he’ll wonder where I am. A little worrying will do him good. Maybe he’ll think I escaped. A sense of lightheadedness took over every thought in her tired mind as she turned over. It didn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep as the fatigue finally set in.

  * * *

  Archail returned some time later. He entered the big cave carrying his prey, an adult lagoria with white fur, long pointy ears, and a long, curly, hairless tail. He entered the dining area, but wasn’t concerned to find it empty. She couldn’t get outside without a recognized voice imprint. He noticed the violet fruit he had cut for her earlier left on the table half bitten. He smiled with satisfaction when he theorized what must have happened to his young, ignorant captive. She had eaten from the Saphora fruit, which caused lightheadedness and sleepiness. He recalled telling her to take a small bite, but it seemed his little human didn’t do anything she was told. A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  In any case, her earthly scent was so strong in his cave he couldn’t ignore the drawing sensation it exerted on him. The realization troubled him, and he shook the sensation from his mind.

  He opened the molecular stove and placed the dead animal inside. Archail then headed to his bedroom where he was sure the female earthling, Sara, would be sleeping. He was unprepared for what he saw when the door opened.

  One of Sara’s tiny hands lay softly over one breast, gently rising and falling with every breath she took. The other breast was almost exposed beneath the short silky material. Her copper-red hair hugged the soft contours of her smooth face, now peaceful from her deep sleep. Her long, dark eyelashes threw small shadows on her eyelids, and her nostrils flared softly to match the steady rhythm of her breath. Her full red lips, were slightly parted, shone in contrast to her pale skin. She was a divine sight to behold. Sara reminded Archail of a painting his people possessed that showed a small alien goddess with exotic colors and a shapely form, tantalizingly long legs and smooth, glowing skin.

  His breath caught in his lungs as if someone had punched him in the abdomen. He ached to be rid of the urges he was feeling, he made an effort to subdue the need growing within, reminding himself that he wasn’t a savage who took advantage of a fruit-drugged woman, regardless of the arousal he felt. He knew Sara needed to rest. She had an exhausting night, and with that thought in mind, he entered the room. As the door slid closed behind him, he slowly walked toward the bed without making a sound. He gently lay down next to her, trying his best not to disturb her slumber. As he lay there, he tried hard to relax and ignore the incessant desire he felt for her.

  * * *

  When Sara woke, she stared into the dark room for a moment or two, trying to adjust her sleepy eyes. After a few moments, her sight became clearer. The granite ceiling and the leather-covered chair at one end of the room came into focus. Her gaze then fell on a long blue-black hand laid across her abdomen, as if it was holding her captive were she lay.

  Archail lay on his side next to her. His naked thigh touched her long but much smaller leg, and his steady breathing softly blew down her slender neck. His blue hair tickled her cheek lightly. He appeared to be in a deep sleep.

  Sara lay still, too scared to move. How had she ended up in bed with him? She tried to remember at what point she had gotten into bed with this large, intimidating alien, but she couldn’t recall going to bed with him at all. The more she thought about it, the more she was certain he wasn’t there when she went to bed.

  Her stomach tightened with fear. Had anything happened last night that she couldn’t recall? She searched her mind for any unusual memories, but nothing came. She blushed at the thought that she might have had sex with this alien male, even if it was while she was sleeping.

  Sara looked carefully at Archail, who was still asleep. He appeared surprisingly peaceful, and Sara thought he could even be classed as handsome. Hard lines shaped his face, and his high cheekbones stood out starkly against his smooth skin. He had a straight nose that was almost human aside from the color. His lips looked soft, yet they were slightly thinner than Sara’s. A strong, square jaw gave him a definite air of power. His body, on the other hand, was a perfect sculpture of outlined muscles from his shoulders down to his broad chest. His abdomen was lean yet muscular, and he had long, bulging legs.

  She decided he resembled a dark blue angel, subconsciously smiling before mentally chastising herself for being so naive. She wondered if she was still under the effect of the drug to think this way. While he had saved her from drowning and taken the time to feed her, she couldn’t forget that this thing had drugged her. She reminded herself that he was an alien who only wanted her for breeding purposes, and that fact alone put her in grave danger.

  Holding her breath, she slid quietly from under his hand and lowered it carefully onto the soft mattress. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and tried to be as gentle as possible while standing up. A male voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. She turned to find two yellow-flecked eyes staring at her from the darkness.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I…need water.” She felt like a child having to explain why she was out of bed. He didn’t need to know where she was going, and she didn’t need his permission. Yet still, he maintained the piercing stare, his every muscle moving with cat-like precision as he slid off the bed. He walked toward her and stopped about a foot away, close enough for him to reach over and touch her skin with his slender fingers.

  “You are very pleasant to look at. Everything appears to be where it should be.”

  Sara’s thoughts softened at the odd compliment before instantly returning to rage. “I’m not here to please you. You’re holding me prisoner for your entertainment. And for your information, everything is not where it should be! I am not where I should be. I should be on Earth, in the ground, resting.”

  Archail’s fingers curled into a fist and dropped to his side. A heavy sigh escaped him as he walked over to open the door. He glanced back over his shoulder. “You are here to help us. You are under the impression that we use human females like livestock, but you are wrong. Each of our females is ours and ours alone. As I said before, you will be given a choice. Do you not understand this?”

  “I understand that you hold innocent women prisoner and treat them like property.”

  Archail left the doorway and stormed toward her, stopping only inches from her face. His eyes and dark blue figure seemed much more imposing now. “We are not the licentious monsters you make us out to be. We are an intelligent and efficient society, but even one such as you, human, would die out if you couldn’t reproduce with your own species.”

  Sara frowned in confusion. “Why would that happen to you? What exactly is the problem here on this planet?”

  Archail’s nostrils flared once as he exhaled before turning to walk away. “It’s none of your business, or even your problem.” He strode through the door into the other room, leaving her alone.

  Chapter 5

  As the door closed behind Archail, leaving her standing alone in his cave bedroom, Sara stomped her foot down like a petulant child. She then marched toward the door, trying to find a way to open it. “You can’t keep me here against my will. I won’t stand for it. You hear me?” She thumped the door with her fists when it failed to respond to her searching hands.

  She was caught unprepared when the door suddenly opened moments after her outburst. Archail stood at the nar
row opening, perusing her body indignantly with his yellow eyes. “You are right. You are not worth it.” He then dismissively turned his back on her and marched out of the sitting area without another word.

  Sara fumed, lips pressed tightly together, at the absurd treatment by this alien. “He must be deranged or something,” she murmured to herself, as she left the bedroom. She revived her resolution to escape. She had been wrong to believe she could learn something by observing this being in its cave.

  Although he had admitted there was some sort of problem with their breeding, he hadn’t provided any more details about it. She honestly didn’t care enough to stay around any longer and find out. Anyway, he’s being an ass, she thought decisively, as she reached the main cave entrance. Imitating the alien’s movements, she tried to find a way to open it, unwilling to stay locked up any longer.

  “How on Earth does this door open?” she screamed in frustration, after several attempts at opening the main door. She had searched for a special button, but she didn’t feel anything unusual on the surface. She had tried pulling it apart with her bare hands, and when that didn’t work, she tried kicking it open. The door remained closed, however, separating her from freedom.

  “Open sesame,” she finally blurted out in desperation, as she threw a small punch at the hard wall. A sharp pain coursed through her fingers and wrist, causing her to involuntarily scream a series of profanities. She tightly held her hand until the pain subsided.

  This is stupid. She looked around the room, trying to find something that would help her open the heavy door. She wasn’t ready to give up yet. She looked for something like a crowbar, something strong and pointy, but there was nothing until her eyes fell on a large table. She approached the table, recalling the night before when he had used a huge knife to cut up fruit.

  Sara searched carefully among the colored food on the table until she finally found what she was looking for. She picked it up with a grin of satisfaction before heading decisively back to the rock door. On reaching it, she immediately started searching with her fingertips for some sort of crack or slit. When she found one just below head height, she worked the thick tip of the knife into it. She then pulled her weight backward while holding the knife’s handle, trying to budge the thick wall. To her dismay, the rock hadn’t moved in the slightest, yet her hands hurt and her arm muscles protested something awful. Sara was too stubborn to stop now. “Here goes nothing, girl.”