by Jenika Snow
There was no hatred or sadness in her voice, but there was this tightness that he recognized well. She was hurt deeply, but trying to hide it.
“Anyway, that is my story, and if not for you being at the right place at the right time I’d be little pieces inside of that damn beast’s stomach.” She faced the window again and straightened her shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” Brawn said, but the words felt strange coming from him. He’d never said those words to try to comfort another person. He was a warrior, a male of the planet of Hades. He apologized and bowed to know one, defeated his enemies because they were weaker and a less advanced and brutal species, and made sure that the Hades name was feared amongst all. He was alpha all the way, used his strength to crush his opponents, and never showed emotions. Yet here he was, saying those two words to Minka because she hurt and he couldn’t stand that fact. She may have only been in his presence for a short time, but because he had already bonded with her, recognized that she would be their mate, and the mother of their sons, something shifted inside of him.
“Were you on that planet for supplies, or to take us?” she asked without turning around.
“The only reason we were on that fucking wasteland of a planet was because of a busted engine,” Lukin said.
Brawn snapped his gaze toward his brother. “Lukin,” he said on a growl.
“He’s right, it was a wasteland,” she said and faced them. “Is that where you’re from?” She pointed over her shoulder at the red planet of Hades that was in the near distance.
“It is,” Thorque said and took a step closer to her. “We should be arriving in the next few hours as we were not that far from home when the engine gave out.”
She swallowed after his brother spoke, and then nodded. “So, Brawn said that I am to be…” She lowered her head, but looked at them with just her eyes. It was this little look, one that had this lust pounding through Brawn’s body like a ship about to crash. He wanted her now, wanted his cock deep inside of her, but he needed to play this safely. “I am your mate?”
“You are.” Thorque answered first.
“Our breeding need has made us these mindless Hades warriors that need to implant our seed into a female,” Lukin said, his voice slightly slurred from the Monel sticks. He was acting out of line, and although Lukin was the youngest out of them by fifty years, often spoke out of turn and without thought, and most certainly enjoyed the mind altering substances that the many planets in their galaxy provided, right now he was about to get his ass kicked.
“Lukin, all you’re doing is frightening her.” Brawn didn’t stop his voice from rising, didn’t stop his fangs from descending more from his anger erupting. “She has had a difficult time as it is, so take your Monel stick and get high somewhere else,” Brawn growled out, and Lukin took a step forward.
“Do it, Lukin.” Thorque spoke now, his voice just has hard and unyielding as Brawn’s had been.
Lukin looked over at Minka, and Brawn did the same. She didn’t look fearful, but that might be because she was used to violence. Still, she shouldn’t have to see any of them like this, ever. They were to protect her and make sure she was happy, not have to fight with each other because one of them couldn’t control himself. Lukin finally cursed in their language and stormed out of the room. Brawn walked over to the rehydration center, grabbed some fruit and meat for her, and hydrated them. He placed the items on a stone slab and brought it over to the sitting area. “Come and eat something. You’ll need your strength when we land and have to fly to the cavern.” He pulled out the chair for her and gestured for her to take a seat.
She was slow in coming, but she did take the offered seat. “Thank you,” she said softly, and before Brawn did something stupid like take her out of the chair, press her to the wall, and fuck her until she was screaming his name, he called Thorque to follow him.
“We’ll be in the command center preparing for arrival.” They left her alone, and as much as he needed to be with her in every way possible right now because of the breeding lust inside of him, he forced himself to walk away.
****
Minka stared out the observation window and watched as the red, fiery planet of Hades came into view. She had finished eating hours ago, and aside from when Lukin came in to tell her that they were arriving and that she needed to prepare for the reentry, the three of them had left her alone.
The ship broke through the barrier of Hades, and Minka stared out the window as the red planet came into view. No longer were the darkness and stars her background. All she saw was giant black mountains, rivers of lava and fire, and a red tint that covered the planet that was now her home. Maybe she should have fought harder and not given in to them so easily, but the honest truth was that she had nowhere else to go. She had nearly died back on Arambria, and had almost been sold as an object in an intergalactic auction. These warriors said they wanted to have her as their equal, and all she had to do was give herself to them, and allow them to take care of her. No one knew what the future held, least of all her, but she had to start somewhere. What she did know was that her fate without them was grim and undetermined. If these three warriors vowed to offer her the peace and safety she desperately wanted, why would she refuse it? They could be lying, trying to keep her calm until they got to their home, but she didn’t think they were dishonorable. They were warriors, and if she knew anything about a warrior species it was that they were held by their word.
The seat she was in was a gravity controlled one that had no straps or belts to hold her down, but instead used the pressure in the cabin to keep her stationed. It was like this heavy weight keeping her down, not comfortable, but not painful either. The window before her showed her every small detail in crystal clarity. The monstrous mountains came into view, the color like the tar pit on her home planet. But there was this glossiness to them, one that reminded her of one of the rare Obliqua gems that were mined from the great Mindora caves. Dozens of lakes could be seen from her vantage point, but they were not the green or blue watery ones she had seen, but ones made of bubbling, boiling, steaming lava. The ship wove in and out of the tight confines of the mountains, and she had no clue how they maneuvered the large contraption so seamlessly.
Even though the room was overheated, and there was metal and temperature resistant glass that kept the elements out, Minka swore she could feel the heat of the planet right outside of the ship. The craft landed onto a smooth strip of rock that was clearly used as a landing pad, and then suddenly the engines were cut off and the silence descended upon her. She could hear the faint sounds of the ship settling, of the engines cooling, and of her heart beating wildly. This was it, her new home, and one that was like hell itself, although she told herself that her life hadn’t been anything perfect to being with. Even if she had thought about escaping once she got here, the scenery told her she wouldn’t survive one day on her own. But truth be told, she didn’t really want to leave or escape. What was out there for her? Even if this planet wasn’t death waiting to happen to her, she wasn’t safe anywhere. Minka had had to struggle just to live in a world that had necessities for her survival. She had even had men and women who had been there to help. Well, they had been until she was in the throes of being eaten, and then she had been forgotten. A part of her hated them for doing that to her, but another part knew that they were just thinking about their own need to live as well. But then there had been Jobe, the strong and fearless man that she had given herself to on more than one occasion, and that although she hadn’t loved him, she had respected him for everything he’d stood for. But he was gone, he was in her past, and she needed to focus on what her life was going to be like now.
The doors to the observation room she had been put in for their arrival opened, and she glanced behind her. At the same time the gravity hold on her lifted and she stood from her seat. The outfit she wore was a shift type dress, more universal for men and woman when they bathed, but she didn’t care if it was shapeless. It covered
her, kept her modesty intact, and she was thankful to have something clean on.
“Are you ready?” Brawn asked.
She nodded, not sure if she was, but she had no other options. Thorque held out his hand for her, and she took a step toward him, and then another. Before she knew what was happening Thorque had her hand in his and the four of them were walking out of the spacecraft and into the sanitation pod. As the mist surrounded them and they were cleansed of any foreign particles that could contaminate this world, Minka closed her eyes and breathed out. Once they were properly sanitized the door opened and the heat instantly engulfed her. She followed them out, Thorque still holding onto her hand as they walked out onto the black rocky ledge.
She took in the sight before her, and although she had seen it from the observation deck, seeing it like this, without metal and glass separating her from this planet, was surreal. They walked so close to the ledge of a cliff that this tingling started in her belly, and her knees grew weak. Instinctively she held onto Thorque’s hand tighter, and she noticed he glanced over at her.
“It will be okay.” There was this gentleness in his voice, and she found herself believing him implicitly. It seemed out of character given his intimidating appearance, and if she had seen him on the auction block she would have assumed he was an evil man wanting to hurt her. How wrong she had been, and she knew that without a doubt even if she really didn’t know him or his brothers.
Before she knew what was happening Brawn had her in his arms. A small noise left her at the suddenness of the action, but when he pressed her close to his chest this warmth that had nothing to do with the heat of this planet, or the fact his body temperature was higher than hers, slammed into her.
Brawn glanced down at her, and she felt her heart pick up speed. Thorque and Lukin were on either side of him, and although their focus was on the terrain in front of them, she could feel how tense they were as if it were her own emotions. The planet of Hades was scorching hot, far more uncomfortable than the temperature inside the ship. She swore she could feel the heat from the lakes of lava below them, or the burning red sun above her, and of the heat from Brawn’s body penetrating her skin as if he had gotten hotter. She was scared, and she’d be stupid not to be. But Minka wasn’t afraid of these three demon looking alien males, and she didn’t know if that was foolish of her, or if her instincts just told her that they wouldn’t harm her. She had relied on her feelings this far, and they had helped her stay alive.
They were strong and powerful, and she felt so weak and fragile in comparison. Even being in Brawn’s arms right now had her feeling like this delicate doll. His hands were on her waist, and his large, long fingers spanned all the way to her belly button. She had gained weight in the short window of time she had been with them, and it was strange being full and having some meat on her bones. For as long as she could remember she had been hungry, thin and boney, and never having enough food to go around. But whatever nutrients Torque had given her had helped her pack on the pounds, and she was feeling strong and healthy now. She had curves now, a rounded belly, and thicker thighs. Was this how she was supposed to look when not starving? The wind that moved across their bodies brought the heat even more over her. Smoke filled the air in a hazy kind of atmosphere.
“The heat is too much for her,” Lukin said, his voice clear, and his expression no longer showing her that he was on some kind of mind-altering substance. He glanced at her, his black gaze determined, but also somewhat gentle.
It was strange to feel this sensation inside of her when she looked at each of them. She didn’t know them, yet she felt this connection, this need that moved through her. Maybe it was because they had saved her from death and a life that was slowly killing her?
And then the sound of Brawn’s wings emerging, and of the wind increasing as he flapped them had her glancing at the other two brothers. They, too, had dark inked on wings that covered their backs, and right before her eyes these black wings emerged from their red flesh in massive, inky deadliness. They were tipped with caws, and the wingspan itself was monstrously large. And then Lukin and Thorque were airborne, moving high above them and looking like fallen angels.
“Ready, little human mate?” Brawn said and looked down at her.
She stared at him, got lost in the dark gaze he held her in, and knew that she had to have faith that things would be okay. “Not really.” She smiled for the first time since forever, and when he grinned, his fangs flashed bright white at her. He was so damn frightening, but she felt this arousal moving through her at the same time. And then he was in the air, too, and flying behind his brothers. She closed her eyes, so afraid that she gripped his bicep and felt the sweat pool even thicker on her flesh.
“Open your eyes, Minka,” he said in his deep, steady voice.
As if the sound urged her to have the courage to open her eyes, she did just that. She looked at Brawn first, but he was focused in front of him. Then she turned her head and took in everything. They were high enough that the tops of the jagged mountains were just feet below them. He curled his claws deeper into her skin, not breaking the flesh but keeping her close to his body, and for that she was thankful. Maybe it was a reminder that any sudden movement could bring her death.
“I won’t let you go,” he said and glanced down at her. His thickly accented voice penetrated her fear, and she nodded. She knew he wouldn’t. She knew none of them would, in more than one way.
“These are the Tartanaian Mountains, and that is where the home I share with my brothers is located.” He tipped his chin toward the largest peaked mountains in the distance.
She stared at those angry, violent looking rocks, and wondered what evil creatures also inhabited that space.
“It is only the home to the Hades warriors. All other creatures live in Brokaou forest of flames over there.” He nodded toward the forest with flames that tipped the braches, and of fire that encased the land. God, how could she survive this place?
He dipped low, and she noticed the way he curled his wings further into his body and turned to the right to clear the narrow opening. He was taking left and rights, dipping low and soaring higher to clear the mountains, and when he rose higher and higher and let his wings spread out their full width, she felt free. Brawn glided across the thick air the rest of the way, and Minka wondered if he was doing this aeronautic show for her. What she did know was that for the first time in her life she didn’t feel like she was suffocating in her own skin.
Chapter Four
Brawn swooped lower as the entrance to their cave home came into view. All Hades males lived within the safety of the mountains, because even if they were predators the earth of their home planet gave them the necessary strength and rejuvenating properties to keep them at the top of the food chain. He lowered even still, and she made a small noise. There was the scent of fear coming from her, but the more powerful aroma was her pleasure of freedom. Her species couldn’t hide their emotions from his kind, and in fact couldn’t hide much of anything from any other alien in the Stoker Galaxy. They were not as evolved as his kind, and able to hide their strengths and weaknesses. And because they hadn’t changed to become just as strong as their adversaries, they were a dying race. For some reason they had managed to hang on, though, to persevere despite the odds against them. They may have hidden in order to make that a possibility, but they were not stupid in that regard. To survive was to be discreet.
His kind was a feared species across all of the Stoker Galaxy. And after centuries of power and victory, that reputation had been earned ten times over. Brawn took one more corner before coming to a land on the ledge of the entrance to their home. He set her on her feet, and she took a couple of steps back. “Careful now, little human. The fall down would kill you instantly, but you’d have all that time to know you’re about to die.”
He hadn’t said it to frighten her further, but to let her know that she was in a very dangerous world right now. This planet was not made for her kind
, and without keeping an eye on her she would die. He would have caught her before she fell, but that was beside the point. The sound of wings and moving wind broke through his focus, and he saw Thorque and Lukin land right behind her. She jumped and spun around, but Lukin had her in his arms right before she fell backward.
“Easy there,” Lukin said softly, and his face was so close to hers that Brawn wondered if he’d try to kiss her. The breeding urge was running hard inside of them, and if they didn’t have her soon they would become these mindless beasts that had no clear thoughts on what they were doing. It was a way nature made sure they procreated and extended their bloodline. But then again fate and nature were cruel bitches because females were not born to their kind. Hades males had to venture out to find a female to procreate with, and even then the females had sons.
Brawn waited until Lukin let go of Minka, and then said, “This way.” He waited until she looked at him, made eye contact, and then he willed himself to calm the hell down. His cock had been hard as fucking stone since he had held her in his arms on Arambria, and his desire for her was only getting worse. He turned away from her and felt his fangs throb to mark her. His kind was a primal race, a barbaric and brutal species that was rough when they fucked, and when it was time to claim their mates they didn’t hold anything back. Brawn focused on the opening in the side of the mountain. Below them there were three lava rivers that ran parallel to one another. An acid lake was in the distance past the jagged rock garden that emitted toxic fumes, and behind them was the forest with the flaming trees. This world was a hell all in itself, and only a Hades warrior could live outside of the mountains for an extended amount of time. But this was also the only place they could live comfortably, and they would make sure Minka lived here without any problems. If they needed to take her out of the mountain they would take her to their spacecraft. She wasn’t their prisoner, but she was the prisoner to the planet of Hades.