Stolen: A Science Fiction Alien Mail-Order Bride Romance

by Lisa Lace

  “I just don’t know if that’s good enough,” she said softly.

  Jurgen felt something break inside of him. “Please, Zandra,” he begged. “Just let me prove it to you.”

  She didn’t say anything, letting the tears fall freely down her cheeks. He placed his head in her lap. She tangled her fingers in his hair. Her tears fell, hitting him on the cheek as she cried silently. They sat like that for a while, two lovers in grief. He wanted this moment to continue. But it was a false closeness. They both stood, facing each other across a deep divide. It was a canyon he had created, one that was thousands of miles deep and wide, and as the moments passed in silence, it only grew bigger, separating them forever.

  Finally, Zandra pushed him away from her. He watched as she wiped the tears from her face. Keeping her gaze on the floor, she stood up. She paused for a moment. She seemed about to say something. He watched her, poised evenly between hope and desperation. She looked at him. She had stopped crying. Her eyes were rimmed in red, her cheeks still wet.

  “I’m going to stay in the bachelorette hut,” she said.

  Jurgen got to his feet. “No,” he replied. “I’ll go. You can stay here.” He turned away from her, quickly making his way to the door. Night had fallen while they had sat in silence. He frowned. He could hear screams in the distance—women, children. Immediately, he burst into motion, setting off at a sprint.

  As he ran, he encountered Javi, running towards him. The younger male looked panicked.

  “Javi, what is happening?”

  “The goddess,” Javi said, his breathing heavy. “She’s attacking the settlement.”

  “Go sound the alarm,” Jurgen instructed, running for the wall.

  Jurgen

  He arrived to find a massacre happening just inside the gates. The goddess was in her animal state—a long-limbed, red-eyed beast, her great maw coated in blood. She had attacked the Mawari women and children, who had been gathered by the northern gate and the homes of the Beta males. With her sharp, pointed teeth she tore out the throat of one female, drinking deeply of her life blood with a sickening sucking sound. The woman’s struggle soon slowed, and the goddess threw her aside. The ground was already littered with the broken bodies of several warriors, Betas, females, and children. The goddess was in a frenzy.

  Jurgen loosened his blaster from its holster. He had not removed it since returning. In his peripheral vision, he saw the Alphas join him. They watched as the goddess tore the head off a small child, lapping at the blood that coursed from his neck. Jurgen held up his blaster, taking aim at where the goddess’s heart should have been. He saw the other Alphas take aim as well.

  “Those were not given to you,” he yelled.

  The goddess paused, throwing the body aside and turning her eyes toward the Alpha warriors. She moved, too quickly for Jurgen to see. Her claws were on his throat, squeezing. Jurgen fought to free himself. She was stronger than he had thought, but she was drunk on the blood of the other tribe. She bared her blood-soaked teeth at him. His Alphas began firing their blasters, their shots lighting up the night. The goddess laughed again, unharmed by their assault.

  “They are mine,” she hissed. “I will drink these in sacrifice to me, and then I will drink your entire tribe dry, until there is nothing left but the dust of your bones.”

  The Alphas ran at her with their blades. She easily swept them away, flinging them from her. She threw Jurgen to the ground to free her grasp. She caught Grendel by the throat, snapping his head to the side with a loud crack. She leaned in, biting his neck, and then drinking his blood with that same awful slurping noise.

  Jurgen coughed, taking a few gasping breaths. He looked up at the goddess.

  “No goddess drinks blood, shade,” he said.

  She laughed, throwing Grendel’s body aside like a rag doll. “Blood sacrifices are what give the divine life,” she said. She reached down again, pulling Jurgen up by his neck. “I will drink your Zandra dry in front you.”

  Jurgen’s mind switched off. He needed to protect Zandra.

  He pulled his blade from its sheath. The goddess squared her body to face him. He struck her with his blade, watching as it flashed. She held up a clawed hand, catching it. He leaned in, pressing against it. She pushed against the weapon, unfazed by the cut which dug into her palm. She swung her other hand, almost catching him in the head with the knifelike claws. He began a series of cuts and jabs to the beast’s body with his blade, but the goddess was winning. His blade was deflected every time by a swipe of her claws. He swung low, trying to take a stab at her throat. Again, it was deflected, and she held on tight to his blade.

  They grappled as she sought his throat with her talons. He pushed her away with all his might, but she found purchase, her elongated fingers wrapping around his throat. He slid his fingers beneath hers, trying to pull them away from his neck. She squeezed, and Jurgen felt himself begin to lose consciousness. She leaned in, pulling him to her. Her felt her razor-sharp teeth sink into the skin at his throat. He felt her suck, drawing his blood out of his body. She held him close to her.

  As darkness overtook him, he saw Zandra, running towards them. She held a flaming torch. He tried to warn her away. He fought to form the words, but he was weakening rapidly. She ran forward, plunging the torch into the goddess, whose body erupted in flames. He felt her teeth pull from his flesh, tearing it as she screamed, a preternatural sound. Jurgen fell to the ground as she released him. He watched as she fled to the gate, slipping through, but falling to the ground as the flames consumed her.

  Zandra fell to her knees beside him. She pressed her fingers to the wound at his throat as he turned over onto his back.

  He looked up at her face. “How?” he asked weakly. “How did you know?”

  “That fire would destroy a shade?” she asked.

  He nodded.

  “On Earth, there is a legend about vampires.”

  He frowned, unfamiliar with the word.

  She went on, explaining. “That’s what we call the living dead. They are killed by fire.”

  He nodded.

  “Rest now. You’re hurt.”

  “Will you be here?” he asked, his voice breaking in his aching throat. “When I wake up?” He could barely speak. He was beginning to feel cold, his limbs shaking lightly.

  “I will take care of you,” she promised, her fingers wrapped around his. “You fought bravely. Rest now.”

  He was too weak to respond. He let his body relax, letting the darkness overtake him as he lost consciousness.

  Zandra

  The moans of the injured filled the medical pavilion. Somewhere in the room, a child sobbed. Zandra’s attention was on Jurgen, still unconscious in the bed beside her. He was pale, almost bloodless in the harsh white lighting of the medical pavilion. Bruises were forming where the goddess’s fingers had pressed into his throat. She grasped Jurgen’s hand as the doctor expertly stitched the tears along the side of his neck, where the goddess had bitten him. She swallowed, ignoring her nausea at the sight of the torn and bloody flesh.

  “He’s lost too much blood,” the doctor—a Beta—said, addressing the Beta males who assisted him. “We need to give him a transfusion.” One of the attending Betas ran off, returning quickly with small packages of blood. Deftly, he attached one to an IV, sticking the needle into Jurgen’s arm before taping it into place.

  Jurgen’s body shook violently, convulsing until he almost fell on the floor. His large arm nearly smacked Zandra in the face. She found herself being forced away by a member the medical team. She heard herself screaming, but she didn’t know what she was saying.

  “Calm down,” the Beta told her. “It’s up to them to save him.”

  Zandra sobbed, collapsing against the Beta male. He held her like a child, patting her reassuringly on the back.

  “He’s going into shock,” she heard the doctor say. “Hold him down.”

  It took three Betas to wrestle him down. The doctor took out
a syringe, tapping it and squirting the clear liquid to make sure there were no air bubbles. He stuck it in Jurgen’s arm. Zandra watched and listened as Jurgen’s heart rate slowed. She stood back, watching helplessly. Her heart hammered in her chest. She had never been this frightened before. Jurgen’s life wavered before her.

  They all waited, watching as the beep of the heart monitor stabilized. They drew a collective breath of air. Zandra felt the Beta release her as she raced over to grab Jurgen’s hand.

  “He should be fine,” the doctor said. He looked to Zandra. “Keep an eye on him. I have others to attend to.” He pointed toward some kind of remote control with one button. “Press that if you need me.”

  She nodded, sitting down on the bed beside Jurgen and taking his large hand in her own. The medical team moved on to the next bed, where Auslur lie bleeding. Clara calmly held a wad of cloth to the wound.

  Zandra continued her vigil next to Jurgen’s bed as he slept in the medical pavilion. The monitor beeped regularly, assuring her that her mate’s heart was calmed after its close call, and that he was resting comfortably. She watched as his chest rose and fell.

  The doctor walked over to her. “As I told you earlier, he lost a lot of blood,” he explained. She nodded. “He also sustained extensive injuries to his throat. If she had squeezed any harder, his larynx would have been crushed.”

  “How long will he be out?” she asked.

  “A while yet,” he replied. “The meds that I gave him to bring his body out of shock should keep him asleep while the transfusion replenishes his blood supply. That’s for the best. Jurgen Apaknor isn’t one to rest of his own accord. You could head home and get some rest. He’s in no danger.”

  “No,” she said, her gaze on Jurgen. “I promised him I would stay.” She watched out of the corner of her eye as the doctor nodded.

  “Then get some rest,” he repeated. “There’s no reason for you to exhaust yourself.”

  He walked off, and she climbed into the bed beside Jurgen, curling up next to his large body. Even in rest, he looked fierce. She wrapped her arm around his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his deep and even breathing. She laid her head down on his shoulder, letting him be her pillow.

  She wondered at what point she had stopped being angry. Perhaps it was when she watched the goddess crushing his windpipe, and Zandra had faced a world without Jurgen. Perhaps it was when his body reeled from shock, his heart dangerously near to stopping from lack of blood. Or maybe it had happened in the hours she had watched over him as he slept, her fearsome warlord, laid low. Whichever it was, she now knew there was no spaceship in the universe that would take her back to her old life. She was here, with him, for better or worse.

  She felt her body begin to relax as she snuggled up against him.

  He’ better be ready to spend the rest of his life making it up to me, she thought as she closed her eyes. She slept deeply.

  Jurgen

  When Jurgen awoke, Zandra was curled up on the bed next to him. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was slightly open, and her breathing was the slow, steady rhythm of the deepest sleeper. He gently slid himself away from her and sat up. Melian, the tribe’s doctor, made his way through the beds of sleeping Alpha warriors.

  “It’s good to see you up. We almost lost you. You lost a lot of blood, and you went into shock,” he explained in a low voice. Jurgen’s hand went to his throat, which was covered in a gauze patch. The doctor held out a hand. “I was able to patch up the bite at your throat, and then we had to give you a transfusion. You’ve been asleep for about ten hours.”

  Jurgen nodded grimly. He could feel every injury.

  “I will have someone bring you something to eat,” Melian said. “You need to build up your strength.” Jurgen was barely paying attention as he removed the IV from his arm. “Leave it! We need to get you hydrated.”

  Jurgen glared at the doctor as he dropped the IV.

  “At least take it easy,” the doctor pleaded. “You should try to eat something.”

  “I’ll go myself,” he said hoarsely.

  “You really shouldn’t force yourself,” Melian said doubtfully.

  Jurgen glared at him. He would go himself.

  The doctor sighed. He had known Jurgen his entire life. He knew this would be a losing battle. “At least let me help you get to the mess hall.”

  Jurgen nodded, letting the doctor slide an arm around his back. Slowly, Jurgen stood. His limbs were shaky, and his joints felt like jelly.

  “Steady now,” Melian instructed. Slowly, the doctor helped Jurgen to the communal building next door.

  “I will come back in a little while to help you back to bed,” the doctor said, helping him to sit down at the long table. “You need rest.” Jurgen nodded and helped himself to some food that was set out.

  As he chewed a strip of dried meat, he looked around. The surviving and uninjured Mawari women and children sat in a small group at one of the tables. They glanced around warily. He knew he would have to send them somewhere safe where they could start making their lives among the Apaknor. He would have to make them feel welcome. Zandra would do it better, he thought.

  He took a sip of water from a large flagon. It felt cool on his throat, which ached. He knew that it was swollen. When he was finished, he stood. He knew he would have to get going soon if he wanted to avoid Melian dragging him back to his bed in the medical pavilion. He left the mess hall, making his way to the gates of the settlement.

  “Good to see you up and about, Jurgen,” Grav said, falling into step beside him. Jurgen nodded. “I have some news for you.”

  “What is it?” Jurgen rasped.

  Grav turned serious. “I’ve made contact with a merchant vessel,” he said. “They are headed past Erusha on their way to Earth.”

  Jurgen felt a weight settle in his chest. He nodded. “They will take Zandra?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “Thank you.” He walked through the gates.

  Jurgen stood on the edge of the settlement, watching as the twin suns set. He leaned heavily against the warm stone of the wall. He felt weak and tired. There was still a patch of scorched earth where the goddess had burned. He wondered absently where they had buried the corpse, as though he needed proof that she was, in fact, dead.

  He felt a hand on his arm, and he turned to find Zandra smiling up at him. He hadn’t heard her approach.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked.

  “Weak,” he replied.

  Zandra nodded. It was clear this was the answer she had expected. She had rarely left his side, watching over him as he had slept. He felt his guilt over his betrayal wash over him. It came in waves, threatening to swallow him whole. His heart pounded in his chest as he reached out a hand. He feared that she would reject him. She looked at it for a moment, as though thinking, before she finally took it.

  “I shouldn’t forgive you,” she said solemnly. He nodded in agreement. “But I do.” Warmth flooded his chest.

  “If you want to return to Earth,” he said, “Grav has found a ship that will take you. I will pay for your safe passage home.” It hurt to tell her the news. He knew it was what she had wanted.

  “What about the child?” she asked. “Don’t you need me to uphold my part of the bargain?”

  “No,” he replied. “That’s my problem to handle.” He wondered, briefly, if stepping down as chief was in his future. She was glaring at him.

  “Do you love me?” she asked, surprising him.

  “Yes,” he replied honestly. “More than life itself.”

  She nodded and looked down at their clasped hands. “Then don’t send me from your side,” she said softly. Her voice shook with emotion. “The only ship I will get on is one that you are on as well. I love you too much to leave you.”

  He moved closer to her, and it took more effort than it should have. He wrapped his arms around her. She took his hand in hers, kissing it.

  They watched in silence as the sun
s set in a blaze of fire. Jurgen kissed Zandra’s hair. He was happy, and he couldn’t believe his good fortune. He almost couldn’t let himself trust it…almost. He trusted Zandra. Silently, he promised that he would never let her go again. He knew she didn’t need to hear the words. Actions, not words, were what he would give her because they meant more.

  Zandra

  “Come with me,” Zandra told Jurgen as the suns’ setting left them in the purple haze of twilight. She led him toward the orchard nearby, where the transplanted trees had begun to bear fruit. The dark, leafy branches bowed low with the weight of the purple orbs. As they walked, Zandra’s blood sang within her. Her body ached to be with Jurgen.

  Once they were deep inside the orchard, she turned toward him. He was watching her curiously. She knew he was unsure of what she was doing. She was throwing him off-balance on purpose. His breathing was ragged, uneven. She stepped back and away from him, twirling slightly. She could see his golden eyes, glowing a little in the half-darkness. She could see the hunger that lived there. Her body surged with desire.

  Stepping towards him, she stood on the tips of her toes, kissing his full lips. She pushed him up against the trunk of one of the bigger trees. She knew she was exploiting his weakened state, but she liked being the one in control. She moved away from him again. She stepped backwards slowly, letting her hips sway from side to side. She watched as he watched her, letting her take full control. Zandra slid the straps of her dress down and off her shoulders. She let the soft, thin material slide to the ground.

  Jurgen’s eyes traveled over her body. She felt the coolness of the air, which warred with the heat that rose across her skin as he looked at her.

  “I want you,” she murmured, stepping toward him.

  He growled in response, reaching out for her. His hands gripped her, the strength of his desire overtaking him. He inhaled deeply, then picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist in order to take some of the stress off of him. He used one hand to undo the opening of his pants. In a moment, he entered her, fast and hard. She arched her back, pressing her breasts up against his bare chest. She raked her fingers through his long, loose hair. She tugged on it, making him growl. She felt the rumbling, deep within his chest.