Taming the Alien King

by Rie Warren

  “You like it?”

  “Not as good as BoJack Horseman, but not bad.”

  I nodded, feeling as though I might be in some episode of the Twilight Zone.

  “X really likes you.” Kerta rolled to her stomach, locking her booted ankles together.

  “He likes my tits.”

  She yanked down the fur blanket. “Well, you do have great tits.”

  That time I did laugh—something I’d rarely done before meeting the most unlikely man who claimed to want me as his mate.

  I shimmied the girls that wore marks from X’s mouth and his teeth and his rough fingers, looking down. “I guess they’re okay.”

  “He’s never been in love before, you know.”

  “In lurve with my tatas maybe.”

  “No.” Kerta sat up, her supersized stature taking up more than half the bed. “He’s fucked a lot, of course. But he’s never been possessive before. Even now I can hear him, and he isn’t thrilled you’re showing me your tatas.”

  I brazenly stretched my arms above my head. “So you can read his thoughts like he can mine?”

  “Not exactly.” She shrugged. “He can hear everyone on the planet if he wants, which he’s learned to control because the mind-meld thing is just a recipe for migraines. He can also communicate telepathically with some of us. Zane sees images instead. And me? I just . . . well, I’ll have to show you my superpower sometime.

  “So, you should probably get dressed because The Great King requests your presence on the training field.” Kerta made clothes materialize in the same manner X had, tossing them at me.

  I remembered the amulet still nestled around my neck. “Should I take this off?”

  “Probably not. It’s only the most valuable gemstone ever mined on the planet.” She pulled her thick black braid over one shoulder. “It’s a mark of your betrothal to Xyib*eepthxnin.”

  “The hell you say.” I inspected the necklace, its pulsing pink-red stone warm to my touch.

  “He wants it on you at all times so everyone knows you belong to him.”

  “Chauvinist pig.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Prairie

  KERTA CLUCKED HER tongue. “He’s so fucking smitten.”

  My cheeks turned as pink as the stone, and I pivoted to dress in the clothes she’d conjured, hoping I hid my pleased reaction. More modest than last night’s outfit, the gear was once again a perfect fit. Leggings like Kerta’s, soft to the touch and fine woven, with a sleeveless tunic, leather boots, all in muted colors.

  “We really have to go to the training grounds?” Because I had a clue what that meant.

  Kerta leaped to her feet. “Yep.”

  “Damn. I thought I was gonna get a massage and a pedicure today.” That wasn’t really a joke because my body ached and my pussy needed a mental health day to heal from last night’s workout.

  ****

  Kerta escorted me through the palace. “You must never be unattended or—”

  “Let me guess, X will have a hissy fit?”

  “Something like that.” She slid a grin toward me.

  We walked through the enormous interior, every entrance to every room guarded by warriors, who bowed as we passed. Still with the sleek smooth cool decor, all very upscale Ikea-on-crack. Definitely not Versailles.

  Outside, she passed me a pair of sunnies.

  “Oh cool. Ray Bans?” I glanced at the sunglasses.

  She snorted. “Basically. The suns are bright AF but not retina-burning. Just thought you might like to accessorize. Anyway, the healer fully acclimatized you when you arrived here.”

  I settled the shades over my eyes before glancing up. Suns. Four of them? Jesus. George Lucas couldn’t dream this stuff up.

  We strolled down a path lined by trees that easily made Redwoods look like matchsticks, and the pebbles beneath our feet definitely weren’t garden variety. They gleamed like rose quartz, the occasional lapis lazuli-looking stone offsetting the rest.

  “So we can’t levitate or anything?” I brushed my fingers over a frond of green glossy leaves, and they tinkled like glass chimes.

  “I can.”

  My eyes flipped to hers.

  She knocked against my shoulder, almost sending me off the glitzy path before she pulled me back upright. “Nah. Just kidding. My party trick is way cooler than levitation.”

  “And you’re not gonna show me what you can do.”

  “Need to know only.”

  “Figures,” I muttered. “But really. No high-speed transits or anything like that? What’s with all the nature out here?”

  “Oh, we have high-speed vehicles. But Zenithia is not so completely unlike Earth. We have mountains, lakes, the ocean, animals—”

  “Tazek and kamsters,” I murmured.

  “Kamsters?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I guess the main difference is how we’ve evolved in terms of technologies and psychic abilities.” She smirked at me. “We’re also a fuckton bigger than the average human being.”

  “Word.”

  The trees opened to a stadium. Not like Madison Square Garden though. More like the Coliseum. Like I’d ever been to either place. But the training grounds Kerta had mentioned were more like a many-tiered arena.

  An escalator-type thing delivered us to a crystal-clear box filled with ornate thrones. The other seats in the risers were equally flashy—clear smooth cutouts in row upon row.

  “This is the royal box. My brother knows you’ve arrived.” Kerta winked. “I’ve got to jet. Personal training session, if you know what I mean.”

  Oh yeah. The kind of training I’d been put through last night in my almost royal box. I winced when I sat down.

  “But you said I’m not supposed to be alone.” I grabbed her hand. “Please stay. Don’t leave me with all this testosterone.”

  “X is right down there. And he’s already jealous you gave me a boob show.” Laughing throatily, she departed and left me to my little old self.

  As soon as I looked down at the field below, X’s attention zoomed in on me. His eyes locked on mine, a filthy grin spreading his lips. No doubt he was conjuring memories of last night’s naughtiness.

  Men. Aliens. Whatever.

  Jedrek, Magnar, and Dex were with him, his elite warriors he’d called them, and seconds later the foursome—ooh foursome—got into battle mode.

  I could’ve pretended it was a total yawnfest, but who was I kidding? What was better than one muscle-bound alien sex god? Four of them, mostly naked, bodies flexing, getting sweaty.

  They fought one another with a litheness belying their huge frames, swirling weapons, aiming fists, lashing out with wicked kicks.

  Woof.

  Another great Pornhub scene gone to waste.

  Sigh.

  I fanned myself with one hand, craning closer and closer to the edge of the stand when Magnar unfurled a whip, snapping it to the ground. X said something then threw his head back with a laugh.

  When Magnar whistled the lash through the air, X captured the tasseled end in his fist. Winding the whip around and around his gauntleted forearm, he lassoed Magnar to him as effortlessly as he’d tossed me around in bed last night.

  So Flipping Hot.

  Brought up short, chest to chest, Magnar sneered before lowering his eyes. And as soon as X freed the man, he fell to one knee.

  “Fuck you, my king.”

  Both he and Magnar laughed loudly, and as soon as Magnar stood they pounded each other on the back.

  X glanced at me again. The smug beast obviously knew how sexy I thought he was.

  Men. Aliens. Whatevs.

  Then both Dex’s and Jedrek’s attention snapped to the royal box where I sat alone . . . except they didn’t seem to be looking at me.

  Bummer.

  I startled at a soft tap on my shoulder and swiveled around.

  My mouth gaped open at the woman standing behind me. She was definitely not Zenithian. Another human? No freaking way
. But she couldn’t have been more than five-foot-five with pretty violet eyes and long black hair.

  I swung back to look down at the men.

  Dex and Jedrek still stared.

  Curious.

  But not as curious as the woman.

  “Holy shit.” I sprung from my seat. “You’re like me!”

  “Please, I’m not supposed to actually speak to you,” she mumbled.

  “Says who?”

  “It’s the royal decree. And with his highness down there . . .” Her voice faded. “I was only sent to see if you’d care for some refreshments.”

  “What’s your name? Where are you from?”

  “I’m—um—not really allowed to talk to you outside of serving you. I’m only a chattelian.”

  “A chattelian?”

  “I’m a slave. I’m not the only one.” Dipping her head, she wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I’ve gotta go.”

  I frowned, watching her hurry away.

  A whistle from below called my attention, and X beckoned me.

  Great. An afternoon with X and his merry band of aliens.

  If he thought I was gonna become one of his chattel he had another thing coming. And it wasn’t going to be his cock this time.

  CHAPTER TEN

  X

  PRAIRIE SLIPPED ONTO the training grounds, hips swiveling, her chin held high, and her body purely mesmerizing. My gaze fastened on the tits I’d sucked last night. On the red marks of my fangs drawing up the sides of her neck. On the curls of her red hair that’d been dampened by sexual sweat after hours of making her come and blowing my seed all over her, and into, nearly every one of her holes.

  I grinned loosely and brought her into my embrace. But when I slanted down to take her lips in a kiss, she turned her head away with a sniff.

  Definitely standoffish, and I didn’t know why. After the night we’d shared I thought I’d made some serious headway—literally, with my cock deeply embedded inside her. True to my word, I hadn’t really fucked her. I’d merely stretched her well and truly, making sure she could accommodate the full length and girth of my enormous need when the time came.

  Prairie moved away from me, which just wouldn’t do.

  I scowled, eyes narrowing and flipping to topaz bright.

  She paid no attention to me, instead turning to Dex. “Hey, Sexy Dexy. What’s shaking?”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “Probably X’s brains after the beat down I gave him earlier.”

  I snorted. Beat down my ass. All my Valkrane were truly accomplished in warcraft, but none had taken me to the ground yet.

  “Somehow I’m not surprised.” Prairie’s clear green gaze turned cool as she cast a negligent look over me. “I’d have been shocked he had any brain cells left at all after last night.”

  The infuriating Earth woman made light with my comrades, ignoring me as I became more and more tense.

  “So I heard.” Magnar inspected the coiled lengths of his whip.

  At Prairie’s questioning look, he continued, “I was on guard outside the royal chambers through the night.”

  “Kill me now.” Prairie groaned, her cheeks painted a beautiful shade of pink as she blushed.

  “Did the Earthling say kill me now? I’d be happy to oblige.” Hippodylka strutted across the arena, a sneer affixed to her lips and a long blade slapping against her thigh.

  And this day just kept getting better and better.

  Fuck my centuries’ old life.

  I moved in front of Prairie—Dex, Jedrek, and Magnar taking positions beside me. “What do you want?”

  The Zenithian female I’d once deigned to fuck until the fierce warrior woman gave way to a flimsy clinging harpy glared hard at me. “You have to protect the little bitch?”

  “Oh hell no.” Prairie jumped out from behind my back. “No man—or alien, I guess—coddles my ass.”

  “Prairie.” I grabbed her arm, staying her, but the look she shot me was so venomous I set her free.

  Hunkering down, she waggled her fingertips. “Bring it on, you hippo.”

  For one moment, Dylka’s eyes flipped wide. Then she threw her head back in a bold ugly laugh. “Tiny girl. It’ll be fun to stomp you into the ground. But I’ll only do it with an audience of the full court. Then Xyib*eepthxnin will rightfully belong to me,” she goaded my human mate.

  “Dylka,” I warned through tight lips, irises flashing as my fangs itched to descend from my gums, that time in pure vital fury.

  “Too late, X. The challenge has been witnessed by your Valkrane. I’ll fight her here on the sixth day of her stay. When I defeat her, you’ll be mine by Zenithian custom.”

  Anger at Dylka collided with worry over Prairie as I turned my back on the retreating female.

  Magnar, Jedrek, and Dex slowly sheathed their weapons, and their anxious eyes sought mine.

  “Talk about a C U next Tuesday,” Prairie said.

  “See you what?” I peered down at her.

  “Cunt,” Dex answered.

  Prairie smiled sweetly at me before she tugged my arm. “What was that?” Her eyes glinted with rage. “I gotta go head-to-head with every chick—and I use the term loosely—you’ve ever screwed in what? Three hundred years of life?”

  “Just Dylka.”

  Prairie sputtered. “What the shit, X? I didn’t even want you in the first place. Now I have to fight Resting Bitch Face for you?”

  My friends laughed at my discomfort when I shuffled my booted feet.

  “Thought you said the Earth women were a docile breed,” Dex oh-so casually mentioned.

  Arms crossed, I ignored my men. “To be accepted as my queen—”

  Prairie made a disgusted noise.

  “You must fight because you’ve been challenged,” I said to my angry little mate.

  She became more and more animated, pacing around, flinging her hands in wild gestures.

  Gods, but she was a red-haired beauty even when she was fuming. Especially when she was fuming. At least that time her ire wasn’t entirely aimed at me.

  “Right. L’il old Earthling moi against RBF the freaking bulldozer?” Halting in front of me, she made Dylka’s glare look like a loving gaze. “Me versus the Alien/Terminator beyotch?”

  “I will train you.”

  “Screw that. I want Jed to train me.”

  The others laughed, again.

  But I was not happy. Not one single bit.

  “And I only have four more days to train so we better make it snappy.”

  Prairie’s pronouncement hit me heavily in the hearts, once again reminding me our arrangement would end soon unless I won her over.

  And something sure had fired her up before she’d entered the arena. She’d blown me off even before Dylka’s ill-timed challenge.

  I’d planned to spend hours convincing Prairie she was destined to be mine, but a bright shower of midday stars zooming overhead signaled us to the Seer.

  “It is time.” Dammit.

  “Time for what?” Prairie followed my gaze, gasping at the starry array sparkling overhead.

  “Your wedding,” Dex joked.

  Prairie looked suddenly aghast, and I butted Dex’s shoulder to shut him up.

  I watched another glittering shower zoom across the sky. “We have to prepare for the Blind Seer.”

  “The Blind Seer?” Prairie popped out a hip, squinting up at me.

  “She’s our high priestess. She’ll decide if we’re compatible.”

  “Meet the Seer?” Her nose wrinkled. “First of all, what’s with all the rituals, rules, ceremonies? Second, you mean this whole thing is to figure out if I’m suitable. Third, I haven’t agreed to be your queen.”

  That last fact cut more than I’d ever thought possible.

  I gave Prairie a grim smile. “Please do this for me.”

  “Fine. But I expect something in return.”

  “Anything.”

  “I’ll let you know.”

  She and I were sep
arated quickly after that exchange, and I could only imagine Prairie’s choice words as hours passed while she was made ready to Meet the Seer.

  ****

  The court was in full attendance that evening. We gathered at the outdoor Temple, the scent of the sea mingling with the fragrance of the forest. Giant obelisks formed a ring, and only I stood inside, blocked from the view of all others, waiting.

  Prairie appeared from a narrow opening, swatting at the hands of several helpers arranging her gown as she emerged inside the Temple.

  The gown was diaphanous, sheer shimmering fabric clinging to her curves, nearly as revealing as being naked, which we would be soon enough.

  The sight of her went straight to my loins, hefty loins barely concealed by the cloth at my hips, but her comments as the attendants departed made a laugh tumble from my chest:

  “Okay already. Enough with the poking and prodding. I’m not a blow-up doll, you know?”

  With a last annoyed huff, my beauty fully entered the circle, the stones glowing with their own ambient light. Turning, she stared at the ancient temple.

  “So cool. It’s like Alien Stonehenge. I always wished I’d gone to England.”

  I shut my eyes, shaking my head, smiling. Surely there was no one else like Prairie on all the planets.

  “And look at you. Total eyegasm.” She lifted a hand to fan herself and blew out a low whistle.

  I couldn’t speak. My tongue was tied. Sweat gathered on my brow and licked down my chest, my chest where those new markings circled around as if they were the path to my hearts.

  Bending toward her, I was on the verge of lashing her ripe lips with a lush kiss when the Seer materialized in the Temple behind Prairie.

  “I got oiled up again,” Prairie whispered to me.

  “The official term is anointed.”

  “It wasn’t as much fun as when you did it.”

  My cock thumped in the loincloth while I tried to remain still and show respect for the Seer. “Good to know.”

  “I mean, I’m all cool with LGBTQ but I’m not really into girl-on-girl—” Prairie nearly jumped out of her bones when the Blind Seer appeared in front of us. “Oh crap! Where did she come from?”