by Maia Starr
“Nothing is more important than you,” Laike said, his eyes flashing darkly at me. “Look, I brought you something.”
I laughed when he pulled out a bouquet of strange flowers from behind his back and presented them proudly to me. I clutched them close to my breast and stared up into Laike’s handsome face. I wished I could just go home with him. But that wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen here. We weren’t allowed to leave until after the dance.
“I would like to ask you to accompany to the mating dance. It is the first in our planet’s history. I hear they have compiled an impressive collection of media for the event.”
I couldn’t be positive, but I was pretty sure that was Laike’s way of saying there would be good music.
A flush crept across my face when Laike bent down and stared deeply into my eyes.
“You must say you will go with me.”
I was glad that my trembling hands were concealed by the bouquet he had given me.
“Yes,” I finally whispered. “I will go.”
“Good,” Laike said, his handsome face pulling away from mine.
I was shocked by my crushing longing for him as he bowed to me and left without another word.
***
The whole camp was bustling as the Thressl’n women in charge did their best to supervise the construction of the dance. An entirely new tent had been constructed, far larger than the ones we lived in, and we had been ordered to make decorations and hang them.
To my surprise, Laike had been put in charge of doing the lighting for the event, and every once in a while he would catch my eye from across the room and smile. It would never fail to make my body respond, even though in my mind I couldn’t bring myself to accept it. It made sense. We had sex once, and now I was addicted to the danger. It didn’t mean I had feelings for Laike. I couldn’t. Not for someone who thought he could own me.
Still, the sparks between us couldn’t be denied. Even Heather had noticed, and raised her eyebrows suggestively. It was embarrassing, but my body had needs that I couldn’t deny. And right now, Laike was the object of them.
I needed to get away from him, get some air so that I could think straight.
“May I please go back to my bed? I have an idea for a decoration and would like to look at the fabric,” I lied, fixing pleading eyes upon Jennai’k.
She sighed.
“Fine.”
I ducked out of the tent, casting one last, secret look at Laike, who was bent over a device I could only assume was a speaker. He looked handsome from afar, especially when he was consumed in his own mind. He wasn’t trying to pretend that he was simpler than he was. He was fully in his element, and his element was sexy.
“Ugh,” I sighed, gripping the bridge of my nose as I tried to fight away the image of Laike.
“Oh no, the poor little princess is having a hard time working with her handyman.”
I groaned. The three women who had harassed me in my bed had cut off my descent to the camp. They were holding long metal rods that the Thressl’n had declared we use to cut shapes out of foam-like paper for decorations.
“What do you want from me?” I exclaimed. None of the Thressl’n women who ordinarily oversaw us were near enough to help me. That was probably just what they were counting on.
“I’ll take your man, for one!”
I cried out in surprise when a metal rod came flying at me. I dodged it just in time, but two more came at me and connected with sickening thuds.
“Cease!” Laike’s powerful voice thundered.
The women surrounding me all looked up in terror.
“If you harm a single follicle on my woman’s head, so help me, I’ll—”
Lake started menacingly toward the women, and suddenly Jennai’k was intervening.
“What is the trouble here, Laike?” she asked, her tone warning.
“These three are attempting to harm my female,” Laike said, his fists clenched into balls. The three women cowered together behind Jennai’k.
“Help us! He came at us for no reason!” one of them cried out.
Jennai’k’s face tightened, and she turned toward the women.
“I do not advise lies in this place,” she said darkly. The woman who had spoken paled. “There is a punishment suitable for you three. Come with me.”
A surge of satisfaction filled me as I watched Jennai’k lead the three women who had been harassing me away.
“Are you all right?” Laike asked, his hand gripping me lightly on the shoulder. My whole body buzzed in desire at his slightest touch, and I turned to face him. The sight of his handsome face so close to mine, with nobody else around to stop me, brought me to the edge of my self-control.
“Please,” I whispered. “Take me out of here.”
***
I followed Laike’s long strides through the foliage of the same forest I had fled from his home in, until he finally stopped in a small clearing.
“We can’t stay long,” he said, his face drawn. “The only way my plan will work is if you come home with me after the dance. Otherwise, they will ask questions.”
I didn’t care. I just wanted to be back at Laike’s house, with permission to be as close to him as I wanted to be whenever I wanted to be. Whether I could trust him or not was a different story. But what my body wanted wouldn’t change.
“Emily, I should tell you—”
But I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to hear why he had been ignoring me. Why he had left me feeling as if I had been abandoned on this terrifying planet by the only man I wanted anything to do with. All I wanted was him.
“Laike,” I said, touching his broad face and staring into his eyes. “Just shut up.”
A muffled cry of surprise was cut short by my lips against his. Laike resisted for a moment before surrendering to my touch, his strong arms lifting me from the ground and holding me steady against his groin as we kissed. I could feel him growing hard against me, and a thrill filled my body.
All logical thoughts left my head as Laike’s hands roamed over me. It was exactly what I had been wanting for so long, and my body was on fire from every slight movement of his body against me.
“Are you sure?” Laike asked, breaking his mouth away from me and casting a worried look toward the camp.
“What did I tell you?”
“Shut up?” Laike answered, a sexy grin lighting his face.
I nodded, gasping in surprise when Laike’s mouth began tugging at my neck. Heat filled my body, and I pressed myself firmly against the mound of Laike’s groin. He swiftly stripped the undergarments off from under the gown that the Thressl’n women had demanded I wear in return for my tainted Earth clothes and I roamed my hand down his thigh to grope his member in my hands.
It was an impressive size, and I closed my eyes as I shuddered in pleasure. When I opened them again, Laike was smiling at me and warmth filled my breast. I wished so badly that I could give my all to him. But right now, all I could give him was my body. That would have to be enough, for the both of us.
I gasped as Laike’s member found its way against my middle, pressing gently into the most sensitive part of me. Pleasure coursed through my entire body as he worked his way inside of me, and soon I was filled with the hot pleasure of Laike’s member inside of me.
I gasped softly against his broad chest as he moved carefully inside of me. I could feel Laike’s gentle eyes on me as I pleasured myself against him. He was patient with my slow movements until my heavy breathing made him swell inside of me.
I could feel the tension of his self-restraint leaving his body. He kept up the slow pace for a few moments longer, but soon he was supporting me with one of his unbelievably strong arms. His thrusts began to penetrate me more swiftly, and my body exploded again and again with bursts of pleasure.
I wasn’t able to restrain myself any longer, and I could feel myself beginning to contract around Laike’s thick muscle as my climax began to build. I could feel every s
ingle inch of him as he moved himself inside of me, and my body writhed involuntarily as bliss consumed me again and again.
“You will be mine,” Laike said suddenly into my ear. The deep rumble of his voice unlocked something primal inside of me, and a sudden explosive orgasm shook me against his body. His immense muscles hardened against my body as his hot flood of pleasure filled me. I closed my eyes, relaxing fully against his body, trusting him to hold my weight as I allowed the ecstasy to consume me.
It was an oddly intimate moment, unlike any I had shared with anybody else before. Even after our orgasms had finished, Laike held me tenderly in his arms with our foreheads pressed against each other.
Finally, he lowered me gently to the ground.
“You should be returning before anybody sees that you are gone,” Laike said. The idea of parting with him suddenly felt suffocating. “But I promise you, I will return for you.”
His handsome face cast me a comforting smile, and then he was gone.
***
The night after seeing Laike was long and quiet, especially with the three aggressive women out of the tent. Heather had approached me to talk more about Laike; she seemed very taken with him, just as the other women had been, and it made me feel wary of her attention.
Most of our conversations revolved around Laike, and it was starting to get on my nerves. I had forgotten how petty and small-minded humans could be. Laike always seemed to have something higher on his mind than Earthlings had. It made it so much easier to talk to him.
When it was finally time for the dance to begin, I was surprised by the excitement bubbling in my breast. I would finally be able to get out of the camp and live with Laike without anybody else coming after me.
At least, that would be my ideal for the situation. Even though I would never be free so long as I remained on this planet, at least I could be with someone who I understood.
“Earth females!” Jennai’k’s voice thundered through our tent. “Listen up!”
The excited chattering in the tent hushed at the sound of Jennai’k. She wasn’t particularly kind, and since the three women had been taken to the holding chambers in punishment, nobody wanted to cross her.
“The dance is about to commence,” she continued. “We have arranged outfits made of the finest Thressl’n cloth for you to wear tonight in honor of your mates. Those of you who wish to leave the camps with your mates are free to do so. Those who do not will face special circumstances upon return to your bunks. Choose wisely.”
Many of the women exchanged worried looks. It sounded as if we were being bullied into leaving the camps to make a home with the men assigned to us. I caught a glance at Heather across the room. She looked pale.
“Now, line up in front of your beds. The gowns will now be distributed.”
We all obeyed, and beautiful dresses, more exquisite than anything I had ever been allowed to touch on Earth, were handed to us one by one. We all dressed quickly; we knew enough by then to know that when we were given something, we were to put it to use immediately.
“Now,” Jennai’k said, with a broad smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Follow me.”
Chapter 10
Laike Ostra’ki (Repair and Maintenance)
The day of the mating dance had finally arrived, and I cast a final glance at myself in the mirror. I was wearing my best suit, though I knew that compared to the other men who would be in attendance, I was going to look remarkably scruffy.
Most of the human females had been assigned to generals and commanders, like Zerk’k Arkti. These men were wealthy and were sure to look dazzling in their attire. Mine was second-hand from my deceased uncle, and its style had been out of use for several revolutions. But I had no choice. I was going to have to put myself on the line for ridicule. With Emily in mind, that was easy to do.
I drove to the camps on Mount Zennith and parked among some of the most elaborate hovercraft models. Several of them I was solely responsible for designing, and yet I would never be able to afford such a craft. It seemed criminally unfair.
Still, that was the way of things. I pushed the thought out of my mind and made my way to the entrance of the tent, standing nervously among the long row of Thressl’n men waiting for the human females to emerge.
Finally, after what seemed like an unreasonably long time, a song began to play over the speakers I had rigged around the tent, and the lights dimmed. (Also my doing.)
The tent’s entrance opened, and a spotlight followed a long line of women as they walked, one by one, into the tent to greet us. Many of the women had looks of horror on their faces, but a large number of them were actually quite pacified. The tent looked magical after the crafty work of the humans, and combined with my lights and the sounds from Earth, a warm, festive environment had been created out of nearly nothing.
My hearts suddenly drummed loudly in my chest and my gaze fixed upon the single most beautiful human of them all. Emily was heading toward me, gliding in a beautiful Thressl’n gown that looked as if it were made of the stars themselves. And that was exactly where I was going to take her.
“Laike, welcome,” she said stiffly. I heard choruses of the same from the other human females and realized that she had been instructed to welcome me in such a formal manner.
“Thank you, Emily,” I said smiling. “Shall we?”
I held my elbow out in the same manner as all the other Thressl’n men; we had been instructed by Jenal’k’s love doctor after watching several of the films from Earth.
The feeling of her skin soft against my hand filled my chest with a warm feeling beyond lust or intimacy. But there was no word for such a feeling on Jenal’k.
I led Emily to the dance floor as a new song began to play. I held her close, the way we had been taught, and was surprised by how easily she moved to the sounds. They were grating and strange to my ears, but she seemed to be legitimately enjoying herself.
“I’m going to take you home,” I whispered into her ear. She pulled away from me and looked at me inquisitively. “I promise.”
Emily seemed puzzled, but soon the song changed once again, and the music was suddenly more fast paced.
“This is my jam,” I said, as I had been instructed.
Emily’s face broke into a broad smile.
“What?” she asked
I laughed sheepishly. “I don’t actually know what that means.”
Emily shook her head, and the smile spread across her face.
“So what do we do after this?” she asked.
“You will see,” I said. “For now, let’s just enjoy the dance.”
Emily nodded, a light smile playing her lips, and I held her close, my chest tightening with that warm feeling again as she laid her head gently against my shoulder. I prayed to the gods that my plan would work. It was what a woman like Emily deserved.
***
“I didn’t know how much I would miss this place,” Emily said, smiling as she walked through the front door.
“Don’t get too used to it,” I said, searching frantically for the bag of food I had packed before the dance. “We’re leaving.”
“What?” Emily asked, the smile falling from her face. “Where are we going?”
“Don’t ask questions; there is no time. Just follow me.”
I held my hand out to Emily. I would have to lead the way through the steep tunnel that I had dug from my closet to my underground workshop. She hesitated for a moment, and my chest burned with anxiety. If she didn’t cooperate now, there wouldn’t be any time left. Everything was ready.
I became nearly giddy with relief when Emily’s warm hand finally pressed into mine.
“All right,” she said with a sigh.
“Great!”
I rushed through the house and into the bedroom. Emily followed silently, though I could tell she was having a hard time matching my long strides. Fortunately, we still had a fair amount of time before the pictures were published. According to the prom tradition
on Earth, we had been forced into taking an image with our dates.
“What the hell is this place?” Emily exclaimed as I ducked into the steep tunnel. I didn’t answer her. Instead, I lifted her over my shoulder and carried her through the perilous terrain until we finally made it to the open space of the bunker.
“I told you,” I said, running into the ship I had built. “I’m taking you home.”
Emily’s eyes widened as I powered the ship on, and the ground above us began to quake. The large doors opened up from under the ground, making way for the ship to take off.
“If this doesn’t work, we may both be killed,” I said, glancing nervously at her from the commander’s panel. “If that happens, I am sorry I could not give you the freedom you deserve.”
Emily’s eyes filled with a strange liquid, but I didn’t have time to ask her if she was all right. I threw back the switch to ignite the engines, and a roar filled our ears. I squeezed my eyes shut with one final prayer to the gods, and hoped for the best.
***
“This is unbelievable,” Emily breathed. “I was half unconscious last time I was out here.”
I was filled with pride. My ship had apparently caused quite a stir. Several ships had left Jenal’k, but they were no match for my turbo-boosters. I knew the technology used by the other crafts inside and out, and had taken great pains to make sure my ship was the best crafted of them all.
“I have never been out in space either,” I admitted. Emily looked surprised.
“So this is new to us both, then.”
“Yes,” I said.
We were quiet as I put in the coordinates for Earth. It was difficult for me to imagine leaving her there, but I knew I would be all right. There were plenty of adventures out there for us in the universe, and a lot of friendly planets who enjoyed greeting wayward travelers. I had even made a machine that could sustain us should we run out of our food sources in case it took a while between trips to restock.
I paused. I was still thinking as if Emily was going to stay with me. I wanted to make her my own, but there was no way that I could do that on Jenal’k. and it was clear to me now, after seeing the way she interacted with the other humans, that she wouldn’t be happy unless she was home.