by Luna Hunter
His name is Novak and he’s sitting right next to me — our knees are an inch away from touching. He’s the biggest man I’ve ever seen, and in more ways than one.
I can’t stand him, and at the same time, I crave his attention, his approval. Every time his fierce, honey-colored eyes land on me I feel a fire burning inside of me. It’s getting harder and harder to resist it.
I’ve never experienced anything like this. Is this what Riley felt when she met Thabo? I have no idea. She’s told me at length about how much she loves him, and what a good father he is, and how well he treats her.
She’s never said a single word about a sudden yet powerful addiction to thick Zoran cock.
I can’t believe I grabbed it. I actually did it. That is so typically me. I’m at the fanciest gala in the galaxy, with everyone who is anyone there, and what do I do?
I accidentally grab a Zoran general’s cock when I try to shake his hand.
And I didn’t let go right way, either. I held it for a good few seconds, feeling it pulse in my hands like an angry beast that wants nothing more than to dominate me, to lift me up and yank my clothes off and slide every inch into me.
A flash of heat spread through me the moment I touched him, and my body hasn’t stopped burning since. My panties are so wet that I’m afraid I might slide off my seat, my nipples so hard they could cut diamonds.
It’s not my fault.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. Why was Novak’s cock so hard?
Because he was staring at me and he wants me.
Why isn’t he wearing anything underneath that ceremonial garb of his?
Because his muscles are so big. His robe is already stretched out over his chest and biceps.
Why can’t I stop thinking about him?
Because you want him. Admit it to yourself, Michelle, you want his big, fat Zoran c—
No. Focus. I’m here to a do a job. Not to be swept off my feet by some arrogant general. Sure, he has the body of a god. Yes, his cock might just be the thickest, biggest one I’ve ever come across. Plus, he commands an entire army.
He’s still a Zoran, though. He’s still an alpha asshole; an arrogant, condescending prick who thinks he’s better than me. I’m not falling for him. I’m not.
The spaceship is making its way around Exon Prime. From up here, the planet’s surface is gorgeous. It’s a mixture of different colors, each equally brilliant. The beautiful sight makes me forget about my burning desire for just a moment.
“Engage hyperdrive, Vojin,” Novak says.
His low voice is an aphrodisiac to me. It’s so smooth, yet it commands attention. This is a man who is not used to being told no, ever.
“Engaging hyperdrive, sir.”
The stars around us turn into streaks of light as the ship speeds up, going faster and faster. The ship starts to rumble, to shift, to shake. The ride is bumpy, and I have to grasp the sides of my seat to keep from falling out.
“I-is this normal?” I ask.
Novak’s furrowed brow tells me it isn’t. Officer Vojin is furiously tapping the buttons in front of him, turning the dials, while he mutters under his breath.
“Report status,” Novak says. “Vojin! Report!”
“The engine is overloading, sir!” he says, his voice shaking.
“Abort hyperdrive immediately.”
“I can’t.”
“You can’t?”
“The system’s malfunctioning!”
A siren starts blasting and red lights flash. An ominous, computerized voice starts blasting from the speakers. “Engine overload imminent. Evacuate ship immediately. Engine overload imminent. Evacuate ship immediately.”
Time seems to stand still for just a moment as everyone sucks in their breath. I grab Novak’s knee, my fingers digging into his blue skin.
“Impossible,” Novak says under his breath. He gets up and gestures for Vojin to get out of the way. He takes one look at the readings before he turns back towards the crew.
“You heard the ship. Evacuate, now!”
Novak runs towards me and swoops me off my feet. He throws me over his shoulder and sprints down the hall at full speed. I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life, my heart going a million miles a minute.
Is this how it all ends? Obliterated by a stupid malfunctioning engine?
The evacuation is proceeding surprisingly orderly. If this was on a human ship I’d expect total chaos, but then again, these are all extremely well-trained Zoran soldiers and engineers.
Once we reach the escape pods, Novak curses. I turn my head to see that half of the pods are missing.
“They weren’t finished yet,” Vojin says, who is only a yard behind us.
“I told them the ship wasn’t ready. I told them!”
“There is still room over there!” the officer says, pointing to the left.
The Zoran general runs towards the shuttle. There’s still room for two more in there; ten other engineers and soldiers are already strapped in and waiting for the pod to be released. Novak enters and lowers me, placing me firmly in the crash seat. It’s a bit too big for me as it’s built for Zorans, but Novak grabs the straps and secures me tightly.
“It’ll be a rough ride,” he says, “as we’re in hyper speed. But the shuttle will hold. Vojin, take the other seat!”
Novak turns around to leave, and right at that moment, the doors of the shuttles snap shut.
I can see Officer Vojin on the other side through a small window, a determined look on his face.
“Vojin!” he growls. “Open this door!”
“No,” Vojin says through the intercom. “You’re a general, your survival is more important.”
“A general goes down with his ship! Open this door right now, officer. That’s an order!”
Vojin shakes his head. “No, sir. Serving with you has been a privilege. Good luck.”
He hits a button and a second later the whole world is turned upside down. The escape pod is ejected from the ship, and we’re thrown into the emptiness of space at a breakneck speed. Novak is flung into the only open seat and he grabs the straps, cursing profusely.
The pod rattles, shakes and groans. I fear it’s going to tear apart at the seams as I’m pushed back into my seat. It feels like an elephant is sitting on my lap. Everything hurts. Every inch of me is being crushed by the sheer force of gravity.
I close my eyes tightly, tears streaking down my face as I bite my tongue to keep myself from screaming.
And then everything turns black.
6
Novak
Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
I warned them. I fucking warned them. The ship wasn’t ready. This test came too soon. When dealing with a project of this magnitude, of this scale, this cost, every single precaution needs to be taken.
It shouldn’t be rushed just to meet a fancy dinner party deadline.
Who the hell authorized this test drive without enough escape pods present?
Fuck.
As commanding officer, I should have noticed. I gave Michelle a tour of the damn thing, for Zora’s sake. I didn’t see. The blood had rushed to my cock. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts about her supple, curvy, naked body.
This is, at least partly, my fault.
The escape pod is spinning like mad, the damn thing shaking its bolts off. Michelle passed out, the G-forces proving too much to bear for her. The other crew members are silent, their faces expressionless. A quick, sudden flash brightens our shuttle for a single moment.
That was the Andromeda exploding into a ball of hell fire.
Once the pod slows its spin, the thrusters engaging to stabilize our vessel, I get up and glance out the window.
The Andromeda is scattered across the sky, bits and pieces of twisted metal being flung across the dark galaxy. I failed to spot the lack of escape pods, and now officer Vojin is dead because of it.
The only question that remains is who to assign t
he blame for the engine failure. It was constructed by the humans and the Falurians, working together.
Was it a construction failure… or was the engine tampered with?
I will get to the bottom of this. I will turn over every stone, I will interrogate every single engineer personally if I have to. I owe that to the crew who needlessly lost their lives. I owe that to Vojin.
The Andromeda’s plotted course was one that circled Exon Prime, so reaching the space station of Kozara takes only an hour. Once we arrive there, it’s complete pandemonium.
Everyone saw it happen. Every diplomat, every ambassador. The whole galaxy witnessed this spectacular failure. The crowd is unruly and they demand answers, and armed Zoran soldiers are needed to control the situation.
Michelle is still groggy, and I carry her into the station. I find her personal assistant bawling her eyes out in the main hall. Her face is red and puffy, her chest heaving with every sob.
Her face lights up the moment she sees who I’m carrying.
“W-what happened?” she stammers.
I hand Michelle over to her care. “Accident,” I growl.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s unharmed. Give her some water and some rest and she’ll be fine.”
“Thank you,” the assistant says.
I nod, taking one last look at Michelle before storming off. Several diplomats get in my way, shouting questions at me. Some even blame me for this disaster, pointing their fingers at me, but I just push my way through the crowd. I won’t dignify their fear mongering with an answer.
I head to the elevator when Jakob, the Falurian ambassador, blocks my path. He’s got that same smarmy smile fixed on his face, like the damn man is happy about the tragedy that unfolded.
“Didn’t go down with the ship, huh, captain?”
My balled fists connects with his jaw a microsecond later. He goes down instantly. Lights out. I step over his body and enter the elevator, heading back to my own ship, the Behemoth.
I’m heading straight to Audur, where the faulty engine was built. Time for some damn answers.
“I received your report, Novak. Very disturbing news. Do you suspect foul play?”
King Vinz’s holographic image fills my personal quarters. He’s wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waistline, his dripping wet silver chest on display.
“The readings didn’t make any sense, your highness. None. This ship was in no way ready for a test-drive like this. Someone fucked up royally. I intend to find out who.”
I clench my fists to stop myself from lashing out in anger. I keep seeing Vojin’s face every time I blink. It should have been me who died in that explosion, not him. A general is supposed to go down with his ship. The stubborn fool robbed me of my dignity, of my honor. Damn hero.
“Forgive me sir, but I have to say it. I warned you. I fucking warned you.”
“I know, Novak. I know. You did. That is why I am entrusting you with this investigation.”
I was going to do this without my King’s permission — but it’s good to have it, either way.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Head to Audur immediately. And take the human and Falurian ambassador with you.”
“What?!”
This time I can’t control my anger.
“Are you kidding me?! The humans, those Falur, they might be the ones behind this!”
Vinz nods. “Exactly. That’s why you’ve got to keep them close.”
My mind is clouded by anger. I don’t want Michelle or Jakob on my ship. I don’t trust Jakob worth a damn, and I haven’t made my mind up about Michelle either. I find it hard to focus, to control myself when I’m around her — which could be part of a human plot. Did she purposefully distract me?
No, if I hadn’t rescued her she would have died, same as me. However, that doesn’t mean humanity didn’t have a hand in this.
“If you listened to me before, none of this would have happened. Listen to me now! I don’t want anyone else on my ship! It’s a damn liability!”
Vinz sighs. He leans forward, his hands folded in his lap.
“Look, I don’t like it any bit as much as you do. Do you think I don’t feel guilty? Responsible? I know good men died on that ship, and I know it’s not your fault. I trust you with my life. That’s why you’re a general, Novak. However, the rest of the galaxy doesn’t know that. They know that you, a vocal opponent of this plan, was in command when the ship inexplicably malfunctioned, and you, the captain, made it out alive, which casts you in a bad light.”
“But I— ”
Vinz raises his hand. “I know, Novak. I know. But look at it from an outside perspective for a moment. The humans and the other members of the Alliance want to know what happened, same as us. If we shut them out and go at this solo, and you start interrogating their engineers… then this whole project, which started as a way for our species to grow closer together, will actually drive us all further apart. If this was the result of sabotage and not gross negligence, then that will surely have been our enemy’s goal. We can’t allow that. We have to remain in dialogue with the other species, and the humans and Falurians in particular, seeing as it was their component that malfunctioned. Understood?”
Now I remember why we, the council of generals, unanimously voted for Vinz as our leader. He’s a truly gifted speaker, able to sway even the most stubborn Zoran’s mind, namely, mine. As much as I hate to admit it, my leader has a point.
“Very well,” I say. “Very well. I will take the ambassadors along. However, they are on my ship so they will have to follow my rules.”
“Of course,” Vinz replies. “Good luck, Novak. Come back with an answer.”
“I will, your highness. I will.”
The feed cuts out and I’m left alone with my thoughts.
I’d hoped for my sanity’s sake that my time with Michelle would be limited. That has all changed. I’ll have to learn to control myself, and fast. I can’t let my feelings, my lust, cloud my judgement.
Not again.
7
Michelle
I wake up with every fiber of my body aching. My throat is dry, my muscles ache and my head is pounding like a drum. I feel like I just got hit by a freight train.
A warm cloth is dabbed against my forehead.
“Where am I?”
A soft hand pushes me back down when I try to sit up. I try to open my eyes, but the light is too bright.
“You need to rest.”
“Cindy?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
She grabs my hand, her fingers intertwining with mine.
“You are still a little woozy. Rest.”
“No,” I say, my voice croaking. “The ship, I have to, to…”
“You’re safe now. I’m here. You made it out.”
The memories come flooding back. The alarm. The shocked look on Novak’s face. The way he valiantly rescued me. The spinning of the escape pod. The force, the overwhelming force that seemed to smother me whole, that stopped my brain from forming any coherent thoughts, that seemed to crush me.
“Novak…” I groan.
“Don’t worry, he’s here too.”
…Wait… he is? But… where am I?
Before I get an answer to that question I drift back into sleep.
I’m in a hallway, thrown over Novak’s left shoulder. He’s carrying me away from danger. I can feel his warm skin, the tight hold he has on me, and despite the great danger we’re in, I feel perfectly safe. Once I am in his broad, blue arms, I know that I am safe.
Smack!
A big hand lands right on my ass. I scream out in pain — and pleasure.
Another smack. And another. And another!
I turn my head, tears stinging my eyes. Novak slaps my ass with his open right palm with every step, spanking me as he carries me.
“Stop!” I yell. “Ow!”
“You’re a bad girl,” he says, his voice a low, menacing growl. “You need
to be punished. You need to be trained.”
He spanks me again. My ass must be glowing red by now, his hand firmly imprinted on my skin. My body burns for him, and every time he strikes me I moan unwillingly. Every touch, every punishment sends a wave of pleasure coursing through my veins. I’ve never known joy like this. I’ve always been in control, always called the shots.
I’ve never had man make me his like this.
I beg and plead for him to stop half-heartedly, but he does not relent. Instead, he lifts my robe and yanks my panties clean off with a single pull. His strong fingers find my wet lips instantly.
“See, you’re a bad girl,” he says in that same lustful, commanding, panty-melting voice of his as his fingers touch my most sensitive spots. “I know just what you need.”
Yes.
I know what I need.
It’s big, blue, and as hard as a rock.
I’ve had a small touch, a single grasp, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. His Zoran cock. Is it the same beautiful blue color as he is?
How will it feel when he slides that giant thing right into my—
“Michelle?”
I wake up with a jolt this time. The room is dark, and my body is sticking to the covers.
“Are you okay?”
Cindy is standing over me, a worried look on her face.
“You were having a bad dream.”
I was having a dream, but I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as bad. Naughty’s more like it. I just hope I didn’t say anything in my sleep!
“Thank you,” I say, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
Cindy sits down on the edge of my bed. “Are you sure?”
I stretch my arms over my head. The pounding in my head is finally gone, and I feel like I can think clearly once more.
Well, partly, anyways. My heart is still thumping, and there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m dripping wet. Luckily, Novak is probably light years away by now, doing whatever Zoran generals do, while we are on our way back to the Alliance’s space station. I won’t have to worry about him physically disciplining me, except for in my dreams. I can handle the alpha warrior in my dreams. Hell, he can do whatever he wants with me in there. Spank me, tie me up, take me…