by Maia Starr
“I guess so,” Lain said. “Some people don’t think it means anything, while others think dreams mean everything.”
“What do you think?” I asked, fascinated by this beautiful human and her customs.
Lain laughed and looked down at the bed. She seemed embarrassed to answer. Eventually, she met my eyes again.
“I think sometimes it’s useful, while other times it’s not necessary. Human brains are very active, but we don’t use all of our capacities at once. It might be that it’s the brain’s way of getting the exercise we don’t give it ourselves.”
“Hm…” I said thoughtfully. Humans seemed more creative than the Thressl’n gave them credit for.
“I’m glad you rested,” Lain said as I sat up and took a look at the time. I wasn’t due anywhere anytime soon, but I still liked to be prepared. As Second in Command, I was always on call. “You looked tired.”
It was strange for the human to be showing any caring toward me at all. I had been expecting the total opposite. I knew she hadn’t been ready when we had shared the bed together, and it was my fault. How was it that she could be so kind to me even after that? Perhaps it was because I had saved her life.
“The meal is ready!” Trillis called from deep in the kitchen.
“The Thressl’n eat a lot,” Lain said, quirking her eyebrow.
Lain stood from the bed and stretched, and I suddenly realized that the outfit she was wearing was of Thressl’n origins, but it had been tailored to fit the perfect contours of her body.
Lain’s eyes settled on me, and a wildfire erupted inside of me. She looked more beautiful than I had ever seen another living being look before; even the depictions of the Thressl’n deities didn’t hold a candle to Lain in the elegant satin, wrapped snuggly around her perfect features.
She stared at me as I rose from the bed and her cheeks darkened into an attractive pink when I reached out to touch her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, not meeting my eyes. But she didn’t move away.
“I’ve never seen anybody so beautiful,” I said. And it was the truest thing I had ever said.
“You hardly know me,” she whispered.
“But I’d like to,” I said, moving close to her and burying my mouth against her hair. God, she smelled good. “I want to know everything about you.”
She pushed me away and looked me hard in the eye. The determination on her face just made her look all the more attractive. But I held back from touching her until she said her piece.
“You have to show me more respect. I might be stuck here for now, but don’t treat me like some little toy who has to obey you. I have my own mind. My own needs…”
Lain’s cheeks flushed dark pink again, and I was consumed by the electricity between us. I could tell what she wanted without her having to say so. I didn’t know what she meant by respect, but if it was what she wanted, if it was what it would take for me to make her mine, I would let her teach me all about it.
I couldn’t help myself any longer. There was a fire engulfing my entire body, and all I could think about was just how good it would feel to touch Lain again. It had been all I could think about all day long, and it was exhausting. Especially having no clue when my next chance would be…and thinking that Lain would rather die than be near me again.
But she was holding my gaze, even as I tested her and touched her, the deep flush on her face turned to soft gasps of pleasure. I continued to stroke the silky contours of her body, pressing my lips firmly against the soft nape of her neck as I selfishly explored the female who had been haunting my memories all day.
Finally, Lain’s brilliant eyes closed and she grew weak against me. I could feel her making room for me, her many icy barriers giving way to the heat of my heat of my body against her. There would be no stopping me at this point. I was thinking purely with my senses; with the deep, all-consuming longing that had continued to bring Lain into my thoughts, again and again, since the moment I had laid eyes on her.
I carefully guided her backward, until her back was pressed firmly against the wall of the bedroom. I gently pried her legs apart and explored the opening with my middle. There was a strange cloth blocking my way inside of her. I gazed at her curiously and the flush on her cheeks deepened. She hurriedly pushed the cloth down, and it fell delicately to the floor, leaving her open for the taking.
I didn’t waste any time and left her gown in place, quickly freeing my member from the tight confines of my armor. She gazed down at it with a soft gasp. It was the first time she had seen me in the light, and I’m sure the first time she had seen a Thressl’n male’s appendage up close.
Lain finally tore her gaze away and looked up at me, her eyes softly pleading. It brought a surge of fire to my loins, and an aggression that couldn’t be helped overpowered me. I pushed her against the wall, holding off all pleasantries in order to submerge myself immediately inside her. I was embarrassed by my animalistic display, but quickly forgot my reservations when Lain groaned loudly in pleasure. Her fingers gripped my shoulders tightly, and my mouth searched the gown, moving it out of the way just enough that I could bring the soft mound of her erect nipple into my mouth.
Lain threw her head back in pleasure, her body shuddering as I thrust deeper inside of her. I was enveloped by her incredible heat, and I could feel every muscle inside of her tightening around me. I grunted, tightening my mouth’s grip on Lain’s nipple as ecstasy coursed through me.
She cried out, moving her body against mine and wrapping one of her legs around me. She used it to push me against her. Lain’s every tiny movement brought me untold bliss, and she soon began moving of her own accord, pleasuring herself on the length of my shaft. I had never experienced anything so ingratiating, and soon my abdomen was tingling with a hot pressure to release.
I refrained as long as I could, until Lain gasped loudly and suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed and she gritted her teeth. I could feel her body contracting tightly around my member, and I wasn’t able to hold back any longer.
Lain’s body quaked hard, and I had to support her with my own as an explosion testifying to my desire erupted inside of her. She moaned deeply as I filled her completely, thrusting until every drop was spilled.
We panted quietly for a moment before looking at each other. I was hoping for some sign that she had grown to approve of me, but when I searched her eyes, I was let down.
“Trillis called us for dinner,” Lain said softly. She groomed herself briefly in front of the mirror and then left the room without another word.
***
The next week was very hectic. The human females in the camps were beginning to wind down in their rebellion, but it was a matter of time before the agitated Thressl’n men would stop demanding complete control over them and blaming me for my poor choice in potential mates for the continuation of our species.
Every night I would be out for many long hours, and upon returning to my home, I would eat and fall into a deep sleep. On occasion, I would wake up to Lain’s irresistible body draped over mine, and sometimes it would lead to late night flings that left both of us hungry for more. Still, she didn’t seem to be warming up to me, and would avoid my gaze whenever we were together during the daylight hours. Frankly, it was maddening.
“Just give her time,” Trillis would tell me whenever she saw the look of frustration on my face after Lain would retreat to the bedroom. “She’ll come around.”
I wasn’t so sure. As much as she seemed to crave me physically, there was something missing. Something I wanted from her more than I had ever wanted anything in my life. What was it? Commitment, maybe. I had even given her safety training for the weapons in the closet, now that I knew she could get inside. I wasn’t going to risk another incident like the one before.
But I knew I couldn’t fully commit to a human. Or maybe I would be able to talk to Aloitus about it. He liked to think we were friends. Perhaps I could use it to my advantage.
Even if he woul
d accept the unfavorable union between myself and Lain, would she? That was the question that kept me up at night, long after she had fallen into a light sleep beside me. How much longer would I have to wait?
“Zerk’k, what are you doing?”
Lain’s voice broke my thoughts, and I turned away from the window. I had been doing a lot of thinking there lately. It was rare that Lain would actually engage me in conversation, and I had to find a way to keep my mind off of her when I was at home. I wanted to throw myself more into my work, but patrolling the camps just filled my thoughts with her more than ever.
“Nothing. Is everything all right?”
“I want to go home,” Lain said, bypassing my question.
“I’d like you to try to think of this as your home,” I said quietly. The more often she brought up thoughts of Earth, the more it stung me. All I could do was think of ways to get her to stay with me, while all it seemed she cared about was leaving me. It was a one-sided relationship. I was tempted to give up, but I never gave up on what I wanted.
“You know I can’t do that,” Lain said, looking hard at me. “This isn’t what I want.”
I sighed. “Did you ever hear about the Goddess Kel’lach?”
“No.”
“She’s one of the main Thressl’n deities,” I said, nodding toward a chair. Lain sat reluctantly.
“What about her?” she asked dubiously.
“Kel’lach is said to have made the structure of the Thressl’n society. Her word is our law.”
“You guys really love your laws,” Lain grumbled.
“There’s a reason,” I continued, not letting her jabs at my people deter me. “Kel’lach was a nomad, and came to Jenal’k to find it in chaos. The world was untamed, but full of great potential. Unfortunately, it was ravaged by wars and greed, and the Thressl’n people were lost in the mires of our own ambition.”
“It’s not a bad thing to be ambitious,” Lain said. My story obviously wasn’t impressing her.
“It’s a great thing,” I agreed. “But the thing about the Thressl’n is we are single-minded when we choose a task. When left to our own devices, we get nothing done because we are too frazzled trying to figure out what our strengths are.”
“That sounds a lot like humans.”
I smiled.
“Yes. Well, Kel’lach saw the lost people and suggested focusing our energies, but nobody knew what to focus on. That’s when she taught us about fate.”
“Fate,” Lain repeated. I supposed by her tone that the doctors on Earth must not think very highly of fate.
“Kel’lach was gifted by some of the greatest powers in the universe to be able to follow the threads of fate, and recognize them in others. She promised to always stand by the Thressl’n, and guide us when the time was right. That’s when the system was devised; we are given our focus at birth so we can fixate all of our energy on the ambitions that serve us, and others, the most.”
Lain was quiet as she mulled this over. “I wonder why Kel’lach passed up Earth. It’s prime real estate.”
She smiled at me, and although I didn’t know what she meant by real estate, I was filled with warmth before she turned her back on me and left the room.
Chapter 15
Dr. Lain Brousseau
“Of course, Supreme Leader Aloitus, in three revolutions. I understand.”
Zerk’k hung up the phone and glowered at the floor.
“What’s the matter, Commander?” Trillis asked. I was burning with curiosity, but I had made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t engage in any conversation with Zerk’k.
Although there were times I couldn’t resist my feelings for him, it didn’t mean that we had to be friends.
“Aloitus has decided that there aren’t enough humans…he wants me to lead another mission to Earth. We’ll be leaving soon.”
“Oh, Commander, I’m sorry,” Trillis said, touching his shoulder.
Why would she be sorry?
“It’s all right. But Aloitus wouldn’t be recommending this if he was the one trying to organize the camps. It’s a madhouse there. We’ve even had a few casualties.”
“Casualties?!” Trillis exclaimed.
“I’m just grateful to the gods that Lain is safe,” Zerk’k said. The casual way in which he said it spread warmth through my chest. Why was this man growing on me? “I have no choice but to return to space.”
Trillis shook her head and walked into the dining room.
“Food is ready,” she called.
I walked behind Zerk’k and sat down to the meal. They had gotten predictable and comfortable, and I had grown to enjoy Zerk’k’s banter with Trillis over the weeks that I had been there. I had been keeping track of the days in my journal. It was coming upon about two and a half months of captivity.
I wanted so badly to like Zerk’k as much as my body did. And in truth, maybe if he hadn’t kidnapped me from my home, I would have begun to develop real feelings for him. I’d never met a more protective, considerate man before, on Earth or otherwise. Even in bed, he always put my pleasure before his. His generosity seemed to know no bounds.
And yet there was something keeping me from getting too close to him. The fact that he had taken me from Earth, away from my career…
Before I could let anybody into my heart, I had to know that I was free. I wasn’t a captive.
“I’m going to bed,” I said, as I had every night after our fifth meal. Zerk’k nodded absently. He was still busy talking to Trillis about the upcoming mission to Earth.
News of the mission had gotten my mind working. I had accumulated a lot of information that would prove invaluable to Project Orion. My teammates would be beside themselves with joy to know about my experiences. That, or they would think I was making it up for attention.
Rage burned in my breast. Working on Earth was hard. Even when all I wanted to do was benefit humankind, people with fragile egos were always trying to claw up the ladder and find a way to cheapen my work. Other humans didn’t have the same courteous manner toward me as the Thressl’n had. Unlike the men on Earth, Zerk’k took me seriously. Maybe too seriously at times. And every once in a while he would make me shudder when we were making love by whispering into my ear, “You are mine.”
In the heat of the moment, I relished in it. I felt like it was true. But in my mind, I belonged nowhere but Earth. And now, I had a way.
The door to the bedroom hissed closed behind me, and I made a beeline for the closet. The safety training Zerk’k had given me had been very informative, and I was now confident that I’d be able to handle myself using the smaller of his blasters. I felt bad using the knowledge he had so caringly bestowed upon me to plan my escape, but if he hadn’t kidnapped me in the first place, I wouldn’t need to escape, right?
I jumped when I heard Zerk’k’s heavy footfalls outside the doorway, and ran out of the closet as quickly as I could. It usually took him longer during meals than it took me, so I hadn’t been expecting him to return to the bedroom so soon.
To my surprise, he barely registered me coming out of the closet and sat down on the bed heavily. Zerk’k put his head in his hands and sighed loudly. It was rare that he showed his emotions so openly.
“What’s the matter?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. Something about his vulnerability stirred something in me. I didn’t want to see him hurt.
Zerk’k looked up and smiled at me tiredly.
“Do you want to know a secret?” he said, his handsome face creased with worry.
“I guess so,” I said, sitting down beside him.
“I really, really hate flying.”
“What?” I laughed quietly in disbelief. “You hate flying?”
“Nobody knows just how much. There’s nothing more desolate and lonely than flying through space in those small vessels. It’s just so…I despise it.”
I was waiting for the punchline. A capable, masculine person like Zerk’k was afraid to fly? A bright smile broke o
ut on his handsome face, and I was trapped in the magic of his gaze.
“I guess it must sound ridiculous,” he said.
I looked down at the bed, unable to repress the compassion I felt for him.
“No,” I said, taking his hand and squeezing it. “We all have things we don’t like.”
“What don’t you like?” Zerk’k asked, his deep purple eyes boring into mine. Why did he care so much about me? What had I done to deserve that kind of devotion from someone like this?
“I…don’t like being told what to do,” I said carefully. “I don’t like having my freedom taken away. Love means nothing without freedom.”
“Love…” Zerk’k said quietly.
My cheeks grew hot. I was surprised by how easily I had said it. Did Zerk’k know what love was? What was the point in talking about it with him? I couldn’t let myself feel it. Not for him. Not now.
“Never mind,” I sighed.
“I understand,” Zerk’k said, standing abruptly. His hand was torn from mine, and I felt suddenly very alone as he stalked out the doorway. I was used to him coming in and out on a whim, but lately, it had begun to feel like a piece of myself was leaving with him. Why was this so complicated? Especially now that I finally had a chance to leave.
***
“Goodbye, Lain,” Zerk’k said. He planted a soft kiss on my forehead that nearly brought tears to my eyes. Was this how it felt to betray someone who trusted you?
“Goodbye,” I said.
Zerk’k left out the door. He had to leave early that morning; the ships were destined to take off in just a few hours.
As soon as he was out the door, I ran to the bedroom and grabbed the bundle I had been preparing all week. Inside, I had my journal, a change of clothes, and food I had pilfered from several meals with Zerk’k and Trillis. I had been haunted all night thinking about how it was the last time I would eat with them and sleep in Zerk’k’s bed. He had wanted to make love, but I just felt too guilty.