by Jenika Snow
“Minka,” he said, and leaned forward. “The air you breathe here is no different from any other planet a human can sustain life on.” Thorque spoke softly, and it was strange to Brawn that he could hear those kinds of emotions come from his brother. “We have a water reserve stored in a cavern within the mountain. Since our kind doesn’t require a substantial amount of H2O, we have plenty. If we need more we can easily get it.”
“As for a creature coming into our home,” Lukin said, and there was this hardness to his voice. “We are the predators on this planet, and even if some of the creatures try to challenge us, they find out with their lives that it was a mistake.”
“Lukin,” Brawn growled out. “You’re not fucking helping.” His youngest brother seemed to like to let his alphaness out when a threat was even spoken of.
Lukin stared at Brawn, and then finally breathed out and nodded. “I apologize, Minka. If I frightened you further that wasn’t my intent. My point is nothing will dare come into our territory.”
She nodded, and Brawn felt movement against his chest.
“Among the three of us we have lived for a total of three-hundred years, so believe me when I say we know how to protect what is ours,” Lukin said with a hard tone in his voice, and then he moved toward her.
“Three hundred years?” She had since pushed away from Brawn and now stared at Lukin who stood in front of her. She looked among all of them, and although she sounded shocked, surely she wasn’t honestly.
“You do realize that humans are the only beings in this galaxy with a minimal life span, right?” Thorque asked.
Brawn looked at her, wanted to push the hair away from her face, but instead curled his hands into balls.
“Of course I know that, I just didn’t realize you were that old.”
The silence stretched between them, and then Brawn started chuckling. That had his brothers doing the same, and soon the tension in the cavern lessened marginally. “I suppose compared to your species one hundred and twenty-five would be old,” Brawn said.
She nodded. “And how old are you two?” Minka asked, and she said it softly, but her voice was steady and strong.
“Thorque is one hundred and five, and Lukin is only seventy,” Brawn answered.
“Even the youngest one is fifty years older than me,” she said and then started rubbing her hands up and down her thighs.
“Listen, the trip back to Hades was long and you’re still healing mentally, so how about we rest for the remainder of the night, and in the morning we can talk about what being our mate really means?” Thorque said.
“I know what it means,” Minka said, but stood. “But I think sleeping is probably better right now for me than talking about…” She paused and stared at each of them for a second. “I think talking about you three breeding with me right now is probably going to have me flip my switch.”
Brawn didn’t know what that human term meant, but he could assume. He stood and led them out of the sitting area and into one of the rooms in the cavern. There were four rooms, one mainly used to clean their weapons, and the other three for them to sleep in. And although he would prefer taking her to his room and being with her in every way possible as Lukin and Thorque watched before joining in and breeding with her, he would give her this time to come to terms with everything. This life wasn’t normal for her in any sense. She had nothing else out there. He knew that, and she knew that. It was a dangerous, frightening, and hungry galaxy, and its inhabitants were anxious to tear the others down.
“You can sleep here tonight, but it is hard for us to stay away from you, Minka, especially when we want you as badly as we do.” Brawn stared at her, knowing she wouldn’t possibly understand what was happening between them. He knew humans didn’t have the need to breed, or have this undisputable and unbreakable urge to find their mate. They fucked whomever they wanted, and when they finally found the person they stayed with there was nothing that bound them aside from this thing they called love. Hades warriors did not have an equivalent of love aside from the mating-and-claiming desire. They did fuck females when they needed to relieve themselves, but the only time they took a female to be their mate was to procreate and to have her as a lifelong companion.
“What about when I die?” She asked.
Confusion filled him for a second, and then realization struck him. He took a step closer to her. “Even though you’re human, Minka, once we have completed the breeding and marked you, a chemical is released into your body.”
She breathed out. “What does that mean?”
“It means you would stop aging as long as one of us marked you every time we were with you sexually.”
She didn’t respond right away, but he could see she was thinking hard about what he said.
“And what happens if you don’t mark me? What happens if you three die?”
He was already shaking his head before she finished talking. “If we die, then the chemical wouldn’t be in your body any longer, and you’d age naturally.” He cupped her face, ran his thumb over her bottom lip, and didn’t stop himself from leaning forward. He pressed his mouth to hers, feeling this spark of warmth and need filled him when their lips were together. She smelled good, felt incredible, and tasted so fucking intoxicating. His dick was rock hard, and his blood pumped hard and fast in his body. He pulled back, and breathed out. “But we’ve survived a long time, and we have no plans on letting anything happen to you.” The kiss hadn’t been anything enticing, but even the press of their mouths together had shifted something inside of him. “We just found you, and no way that anything or anyone will take that away from us.”
She swallowed, stared right in his eyes, and then nodded. “I believe you.”
And he knew she did, even if she was jumping into this with both feet, her eyes closed, and no idea what in the hell would happen.
Chapter Six
Minka lay in bed, stared at the stalactites above her, and thought about everything the brothers had done and said to her this far. It was easy to accept something when she didn’t have anything to gain or lose, but in all honesty these men had treated her better than anyone ever had in her life, Jobe included. Although Jobe had showed her kindness and pleasure, they hadn’t been in a relationship, and hadn’t really known each other for very much time. Everyone else that she had ever come in contact with had treated her as if she were just another mouth to feed, a body to clothe, and as if she was holding them down. But Minka supposed when her species was on the brink of extinction it was a fight for their life kind of situation.
She moved off the bed and grabbed a light animal hide to wrap around her body. The lighting was dim, and everything was so quiet. Minka padded out of the room and down the short hallway. The stone around her was almost ominous with the shadows playing across it. She couldn’t sleep, and she thought walking around would help clear her mind. Stepping into the main room that held the sitting and cooking area, she stopped and just looked around. Everything was so dark, and the few flames that were in the walls, lighting those little spaces, made everything so much more frightening. The entrance to the cave was about ten feet from her, but all she could see was the small flames flickering back and forth. The entrance had many twists and turns, but she wasn’t enough of a fool to try to escape. For one thing this was not a planet she could live on. Minka was smart enough to know that for as unsure as she was about all of this, she was safest with these Hades warriors.
“Thinking of escaping?”
She turned and saw the dark figure rising from the sitting bench. He turned and faced her, and the flickering flames illuminated his face. Even if she hadn’t been able to see Lukin’s face, she’dhave known it was the youngest brother. He moved closer, and she took one step back, not because she was afraid, but because it was like an instinct.
“You weren’t going to try to leave, were you?” he said with an almost tired tone in his voice.
Minka shook her head, but then licked her lips and said, “No,
of course not. I’m not an idiot.”
He moved closer.
“I know that I’m safer with you three.”
He nodded, and when he stopped in front of her she inhaled deeply, like she was instinctively bringing him into her body. “That’s good, because you are,” he said and reached up. He snagged a lock of her hair, held it up to the light, and rubbed the strands between his fingers. When Lukin dropped her hair and it landed back on her shoulder he took a step back. “There isn’t anyone on this planet, or in this galaxy, that will protect you the way we will.”
“I know.” And she did, without a doubt, which was as strange as it was comforting. She knew this because she felt it deep in her body, in her bones and cells—in the very make-up of her soul. She relied on her instincts to help her survive, to have her keep moving away from threats, and give her strength to fight when she needed to. Her instincts were telling her that these men really would lay down their lives for her if it meant she would survive another day. A part of her couldn’t wrap her brain around that because she didn’t know them, or really understand this whole mate and breeding mentality. That wasn’t how humans were programmed, but if she wanted to make this work she needed to accept that this was her fate, and that it could be a lot worse.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said softly, not knowing why she even spoke. Maybe she just wanted to break up this weird silence that stretched between them? She looked over at the bench he had been lying on. “You slept out here?”
He was silent for a moment, and then exhaled. “I couldn’t sleep either.” He stared into her face, and despite the fact she couldn’t see him very well, she had a feeling he saw her as easily as if the sun was in the room with them. “I usually leave for a few hours when everything is silent, and my brothers are asleep. It lets me think and clears my head.” The silence stretched between them for a second. “But I know you need plenty of water, and I was going to go out tonight and stock up.”
She swallowed, and her mouth and throat were so very dry, but not because she was thirsty, but because this male made her feel strange in a good way.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” he asked just as softly, but because his voice was so deep it seemed much louder in this great cavern.
“No.” She held onto the hide tighter and felt sweat start to bead between her breasts.
Lukin tilted his head to the side and examined her like she was some kind of experiment. “I can assume how difficult all of this is for you.”
“Can you?” She didn’t say it with an attitude, but was genuinely curious if he really did understand what she could be feeling.
“Well, I guess I have never been in your situation, so I can only imagine. But you’re probably frightened, confused, and not knowing how everything will play out.” He smiled, and she realized that that small act changed his entire “demon-like” appearance. He seemed almost softer.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, and then she found the courage to ask him. “Can I go with you?”
“You want to go with me to fetch water?”
She nodded. “Yes. I just want to get out of here, see the planet that is my new home, and clear my head.”
He didn’t respond for a moment, and then exhaled. “That is not a good idea, Minka. It is dangerous out there—”
“I trust you,” she said without hesitance, and she did, with her life.
He shook his head, turned his back to her, and the silence once again intensified.
“I do trust you, Lukin, but I have to get out of this cave. I feel like my life is unraveling right before me.”
He faced her again, and then breathed out as if he were relenting. “I should let my brothers know, because they wouldn’t want me t take you…” He ran a hand over his hair and looked at the cave entrance. “But they would say you shouldn’t go, and I can see you desperately need to.”
She nodded slowly.
“I’m going to get in trouble if they find out.But would you like to see something?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
He nodded, but didn’t verbally respond further. Lukin held his hand out, and she looked down at the rugged, calloused, and large offering. Minka’s heart was racing, but she shifted the hide off of her and placed it on the rock counter beside her. She slipped her hand in his, and her heart seemed to increase its rapid tempo. He grinned, and the sight of his straight white teeth, and those wicked looking fangs flashed in the darkness.
“You’re brave.”
She didn’t know what that meant exactly, aside from the obvious, but Minka had a feeling it meant something different. Maybe because she was putting her trust in this male, her very life in fact, and that he was making it known that she was strong for going with him? She needed to stop analyzing things and just go with it all. He started to lead them out of the cave and into the tunnel, but she tugged at his hand until he stopped.
He glanced over his shoulder. “Second thoughts?”
She shook her head and glanced down at herself. “I’m only wearing this shift. Is that fine for whatever you have planned?” She was also barefoot, but she supposed wherever he wanted to take her would require him to carry her as she couldn’t possible walk comfortably or safely on the rocks.
“I’ll be flying us to where we need to go, so no worries on your appearance.” He turned and led her out of the cave. Once out of the cave she was surprised that it wasn’t unbearably hot as it was during the day. Lukin pulled her closer, but she placed a hand on his bare chest, stopping him. He glanced down at her, looking curious. “Frightened?”
Minka stared at her surroundings. The sky was pitch black, but the view was phenomenal. What made the sight amazing was the fires that burned brightly all around them. The lava that made creeks and running streams below her bubbled and popped with fire. The forest in the distance looked amazing as only the branches were lit with the orange and red flames.
“Wow.” She glanced at Lukin, saw that he stared at her intently, and then he squeezed her hand gently and pulled her close to him. Her chest pressed to his, and the muscles that lay beneath his skin flexed from the contact. She swallowed again, feeling this arousal start to claim her as she stared into his onyx colored eyes.
“This isn’t what I want to show you,” he said low, deep, and she felt his words right on her clit. He inhaled deeply, made this low rumble, and then in the next second they were airborne.
Minka clutched at him, but she knew he wouldn’t let her fall. He had shifted her right before he took off so her back was to his chest, and his arms were tightly wound around her belly. His wings made greats gusts of wind around them, but it was the feel of his claws lightly pressing into her body, and of the danger that lay right below her that had her alight with anticipation. This was frightening as much as it was exciting, and all she could do was take it all in.
Minka didn’t know how long they flew, swooping low and taking turns around the giant mountains and crevices that lay between them, but soon she had her eyes closed and her arms out. She could almost imagine herself flying alone, of taking in this freedom that she had only dreamed about. He soon landed though, and when she touched her feet against the cool, smooth surface, she finally opened her eyes. Right in front of her was this massively large ocean, or at least she assumed it was. But there was no vast body of water, but of flames that danced along the lava.
“It’s…” She couldn’t finish the sentence, because she didn’t know how to put it in words.
“It’s something, isn’t it,” he said without phrasing it as a question.
“I’ve never even dreamed of something like this.” She looked up at him, and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.
“It’s the Baltinka Ocean, the largest body of lava on Hades.”
“There isn’t any water on your planet?” she said but still stared at the lava and flames.
“There is some deep within the mountains, but it’s minimal, and anything that is out in this climate
evaporates far too quickly to be of any use. Besides, Hades warriors don’t need much water to survive. But there is one mountain in particular where we gather what water we do need, and after this I’ll take you there and show you the Rubina gems that we sometimes extract to barter with.”
The waves crashed along the sharp, black stone shore. And then right in front of her this giant beast erupted from the surface, his frighteningly large scaled body, and razor sharp teeth coming into view. It was a monster, a creature that looked gruesome and right out of her nightmares. It crashed back into the lava, and then another jumped out. The sounds they made had her ears ringing.
“They’re hungry, and looking for food,” Lukin said and held her tighter. They were far from the shore of this horrid scene, but still he kept her safe, held onto her, and she knew he wouldn’t let anything hurt her.
“Surely making those god-awful sounds will have its food going in the other direction?” she said and stared at the ocean of monsters.
“Yes, but they are desperate now, and calling others like them. Soon there will be hundreds of the beasts to scour the ocean and hunt down prey.”
A chill ran up her spine despite the heat. God, this place had unspeakable beings living on it. Compared to them she was this weakling,a fragile human. And to think that the Hades males were the predators on this planet, even to those fearsome beasts crashing above the surface of the fire water. “It’s certainly a sight, that’s for sure, but it scares the hell out of me.”