by Sue Mercury
Alien’s Princess Bride
(Mail Order Human, Book Two)
by Sue Mercury
Copyright 2015 by Sue Mercury
All rights reserved
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Sue Mercury. All names, brands, characters, and settings, etc. are purely from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to real people, real brands, and real locations is a coincidence. Contact: [email protected]
Published by Sweet Savage Press, LLC
About this book:
Fearing for her life, Elizabeth signs up for Mail Order Human and hopes for the best. It frightens her that marriage to a stranger—an alien!—on a faraway planet is her only option for survival, but she can’t stay hidden in the English countryside forever. She arrives on the planet Sepkar, beyond nervous about meeting her new mate. He’s a fierce looking alien, after all, and a huge one at that.
Zarr is drawn to Elizabeth at first glance and hopes they can build a happy life together. But it isn’t long before their cultural differences cause a rift between them. It’s never a good sign when your new bride screams the moment you take off your pants on your wedding night. There’s also the problem of marking her as his and hoping she doesn’t hate him for it. Wooing his human bride just might be the most difficult thing he’s ever done, even more so once it becomes apparent someone on Sepkar is trying to harm her. Can he keep her safe and earn her trust at the same time?
Excerpt:
The bluest eyes he’d ever glimpsed stared back at him. Wavy golden hair flowed past her shoulders and freckles dotted her cheeks and nose. Her skin was pale and delicate, and his fingers tingled with the urge to caress her feminine softness. Though she was slender, her hips flared wide. Perfect for childbearing, he noted. And, ah, what full, plump breasts. Perfect for…other things.
Though normally calm and confident, Zarr’s voice failed him. Not only could he not think of anything to say to his beautiful new bride, but his throat momentarily closed up on him. She stood before him and sat a bag down at her feet, then peered at him with worry clouding her gaze.
Was she as nervous as him? Did she find him pleasant to look upon?
Finally, he cleared his throat and reached a hand out to her.
“Human girl, Elizabeth. I am Zarr of the planet Sepkar.”
Is that all he could think of saying? He felt his face flushing. Goddess Tika, he was a fool. The tall alien had already introduced them.
Despite his less-than-adequate greeting, Elizabeth smiled and accepted his hand. The air buzzed with electricity as he touched her, and all noise and activity around them faded. Sepkar could’ve stopped spinning for all he knew.
“I’m pleased to meet you,” she said, bowing her head slightly. A blush stained her cheeks and she looked away, as if embarrassed.
They were strangers and yet today they would be married. A mass nuptial ceremony incorporating both human and Sepkarian traditions would take place after nightfall.
His mind raced with images of this petite human girl becoming his, of her laying naked in their marriage bed as she awaited him to claim her. His cock went hard at the thought and he shifted his stance, hoping she didn’t venture a look at his crotch. The last thing he wanted was to scare her. He’d heard human females could be capricious.
“I worried you wouldn’t be able to speak English and that we’d have difficulty understanding one another. I’m happy we can talk.” Her lips turned up in another brief smile and a light breeze ruffled her long locks of hair, and with her face still flushed she looked like a woman who’d just been roughly tumbled by her lover.
This thought didn’t help the dire situation in his groin area. If his cock became any harder, it would bust out the front of his pants when he started walking.
Chapter One
“I never in a million years thought I’d be signing up for a mail order bride service, let alone one called Mail Order Human. Good God, this is mad.”
“No, it’s not mad. Staying on Earth would be mad.”
Elizabeth peered into her cousin Fiona’s sad, beseeching gaze. Once upon a time, her blue eyes had held a constant twinkle of mischief, but even under the beaming sun on a cloudless day along the coast of Cumbria, Fiona’s eyes appeared a listless shade of gray.
A lump burned in Elizabeth’s throat. She smoothed the wrinkles out of the blanket spread beneath them and flicked a stray ant back into the lush, green grass. Her hand lingered on the ground and she dug her fingers into the soil, unearthing the cool dirt as her chest tightened with the longing to stay.
But Fiona was right. The sooner she left, the better. Remaining on Earth meant probable death, and a gruesome one at that.
All around the world, presidents and leaders were falling and paying the price for the wars, famines, and diseases that were ravaging the planet. Even though Elizabeth’s parents had already been put to death by an angry mob five months past, there were those who wished to see her swinging at the end of a rope as well. She shuddered at the prospect of falling victim to such barbaric violence.
“I wish we’d been born sisters rather than cousins. Then I wouldn’t have to leave.” Elizabeth reached for Fiona’s hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
Fiona laughed. “I used to be jealous of you and wish I’d been born into your family. I used to think it odd my mother gave up her title. I used to wish I was a princess too, and whenever I saw you on magazine covers looking perfect I’d become angry with my mother.”
“Your mother wanted her children to have a normal life away from the cameras.” Memories of her late aunt swept down with the cool spring breeze, and for a distinct moment, Elizabeth thought she smelled the jasmine perfume Aunt Beatrice had always applied liberally. She glanced around, half-expecting her aunt to stroll over the rolling hills with a picnic basket tucked under one arm.
“I thank my mother for that now.” Fiona patted Elizabeth’s hand and stood up. “It’s almost time. Come, I’ll walk you to the landing site. I saw the ship earlier, a half mile down the shore.”
They left the remnants of their picnic behind and set off. Elizabeth carried nothing with her, as her belongings had already been delivered to her quarters on the Starship Matchmaker, the massive ship that would take her away from Earth and everything she’d ever known.
She didn’t know much about the planet she was headed to, a newly discovered and sparsely populated Earthlike planet known as Sepkar. Worries flitted through her mind. Would the people there be welcoming? What would her intended, Zarr, be like?
As they approached the sleek spaceship, she took notice of a line of women making their way onto the craft. An odd looking, red-eyed creature interviewed them before two guards escorted each woman aboard.
Having never seen an alien in person before, Elizabeth paused and stared at the scene. The guards wore uniforms similar to riot gear, which covered their bodies in full, but their towering height revealed they weren’t human either.
“Don’t be scared, Elizabeth. I’ve made all the arrangements. You can skip the line and enter your private quarters from the other side of the ship. Pull your scarf over your face so no one recognizes you.”
Nodding, Elizabeth concealed her face and followed her cousin, keeping her gaze on the ground and not once glancing up. She doubted any of the women in line would raise alarm even if they recognized her, since they obviously had their own good reasons for escaping Earth, but she couldn’t take the chance.
No doubt some of the women in line knew someone who’d taken part in the storming of Buckingham Palace five months ag
o. She’d been in Scotland at the time, hidden away with friends of her aunt’s, because her father had become worried after watching the downfall of the United States, Canada, Australia, and many other countries around the world. England and the rest of Europe fell last, but it fell just as swiftly as across the pond.
There came a point where too many people died from disease, where too many people were starving, and where too many people hadn’t returned from the various wars that had sprung up during the last decade. The breaking point, her father had called it. The point at which the rules of society gave way to a pitiless survival instinct, a point where citizens had to choose between stealing and starving, between looting and perishing, and between killing or being killed.
Much of the world had settled since the breaking point, with pockets of semi-civilized villages springing up here and there, but peace in the aftermath of a once industrious world never lasted for long. As quickly as new leaders rose, they were assassinated by those who believed they could do a better job, or those who were simply power hungry.
The world had gone irrevocably mad, yet Elizabeth still feared leaving.
Fiona led her around the ship and up a narrow ramp guarded by another tall alien, who let them pass after taking one look at Fiona.
Elizabeth wished she could repay her cousin for the risks she’d incurred while arranging for her safe passage off Earth. Saying ‘thank you’ didn’t seem adequate enough. Tears burned in her eyes and she dashed them away, determined to hold herself together at least until the Starship Matchmaker disembarked.
Another guard gestured for them to enter the dull gray corridors of the ship. Fiona gave Elizabeth a reassuring smile just as they reached a doorway that opened with a whoosh. The guard followed on their heels.
“Your private quarters, Princess,” the guard said, his tone mocking. He jerked his chin at Fiona. “Say your goodbyes now. The ship will be leaving soon.” He stepped back into the hallway, but didn’t take his gaze off them. Through the visor of his helmet, his eyes glittered an otherworldly shade of purple.
“I’m going to miss you, Fiona. I can’t thank you enough for hiding me all these months. I know you put yourself at risk, especially after I escaped the mob in Scotland…” Her voice trailed off and her throat closed up with sorrow, almost choking her with its intense burning. She swallowed hard and forced a smile.
Fiona’s face crumbled and she drew Elizabeth in for a hug. They clung to one another, uttering heartfelt goodbyes until the guard began making impatient noises in his throat. A sharp vibration rattled the ship.
“Goodbye, my sweet princess,” Fiona’s eyes sparkled a vivid blue for the first time in weeks.
“Goodbye, Fiona.”
Elizabeth kissed her cousin on the cheek and then watched her disappear down the corridor, the guard escorting her out.
She entered her private quarters and the door zipped shut behind her. The large bag she had packed sat against the farthest wall. A tiny oval window rested above a small bed. A chair was bolted to the floor, and a partially open door revealed a bathroom.
Though there was nothing luxurious about her surroundings, she felt a stab of guilt, knowing the other women would be housed in one large room, sleeping in bunk beds and sharing a bathroom for several weeks. Fiona had thought it smart to barter for private quarters, just in case any of the women aboard the Starship Matchmaker recognized Elizabeth and thought to harm her.
As it turned out, bartering was easy when you had royal jewels hidden away. Five diamond necklaces had afforded her this tiny room, for which she was grateful, but the realization of how alone she would be during the journey to Sepkar tore through her. She missed Fiona more than ever, and her cousin’s children and husband too.
She sank down on the bed and stared at the dirt caked beneath her fingernails, holding her breath as she awaited takeoff.
*
Zarr watched five women disembark the Starship Matchmaker, his heart racing and his nerves increasing. He had awaited this moment for months, and he gazed at the women and wondered which one was his bride.
Elizabeth.
He thought her name sounded lovely and anticipated staring into her eyes for the first time.
The women approached the five waiting Sepkarian males on the landing site, a tall alien clad in black ushering them away from the ship. The alien delivered each girl to her respective mate after calling out their names. He called Elizabeth’s name last, and Zarr eagerly stepped forward to claim his wife.
The bluest eyes he’d ever glimpsed stared back at him. Wavy golden hair flowed past her shoulders and freckles dotted her cheeks and nose. Her skin was pale and delicate, and his fingers tingled with the urge to caress her feminine softness. Though she was slender, her hips flared wide. Perfect for childbearing, he noted. And, ah, what full, plump breasts. Perfect for…other things.
Though normally calm and confident, Zarr’s voice failed him. Not only could he not think of anything to say to his beautiful new bride, but his throat momentarily closed up on him. She stood before him and sat a bag down at her feet, then peered at him with worry clouding her gaze.
Was she as nervous as him? Did she find him pleasant to look upon?
Finally, he cleared his throat and reached a hand out to her.
“Human girl, Elizabeth. I am Zarr of the planet Sepkar.”
Is that all he could think of saying? He felt his face flushing. Goddess Tika, he was a fool. The tall alien had already introduced them.
Despite his less-than-adequate greeting, Elizabeth smiled and accepted his hand. The air buzzed with electricity as he touched her, and all noise and activity around them faded. Sepkar could’ve stopped spinning for all he knew.
“I’m pleased to meet you,” she said, bowing her head slightly. A blush stained her cheeks and she looked away, as if embarrassed.
They were strangers and yet today they would be married. A mass nuptial ceremony incorporating both human and Sepkarian traditions would take place after nightfall.
His mind raced with images of this petite human girl becoming his, of her laying naked in their marriage bed as she awaited him to claim her. His cock went hard at the thought and he shifted his stance, hoping she didn’t venture a look at his crotch. The last thing he wanted was to scare her. He’d heard human females could be capricious.
“I worried you wouldn’t be able to speak English and that we’d have difficulty understanding one another. I’m happy we can talk.” Her lips turned up in another brief smile and a light breeze ruffled her long locks of hair, and with her face still flushed she looked like a woman who’d just been roughly tumbled by her lover.
This thought didn’t help the dire situation in his groin area. If his cock became any harder, it would bust out the front of his pants when he started walking.
He realized he hadn’t answered her and gave his head a shake to dispel the erotic images parading through his mind. “Yes, everyone in our village is learning to speak the most common Earth languages. Learning new tongues comes quite easily to Sepkarians, and we are expecting many shipments of females.”
“Shipments of females? Shipments?” She frowned. “You make it sound like we are chattel.” Her face grew even redder and she glanced away.
Zarr didn’t understand her sudden change of demeanor. He tilted his head to the side, realizing they stood alone on the landing platform. The other Sepkarian males had already departed with their human brides. The Starship Matchmaker rose from the surface, stirring the air around them to blow their clothing and hair about wildly. He picked up her bag and grasped her arm, then led her down a set of stone steps and into their village.
“Did you or any of the other human females come here unwillingly?” he asked with concern, still pondering her odd mood. Of course, he had witnessed willing human females step off the Starship Matchmaker before, but then later in the night watched as one fled down the street from her new husband. The difference between human males and Sepkarian males li
kely had something to do with it. From what he’d heard, human males were small and weak, and he thought perhaps the enormous size of Sepkarian males compared to their human counterparts frightened the new brides. Nevertheless, he resolved to ensure Elizabeth didn’t try to escape him in the night. He would keep a close watch on her.
“The women who sign up for Mail Order Human do so willingly, but usually under duress. On Earth, it’s common in most parts of the world for women and men to date for a while and get to know one another before marriage. Arranged marriages used to happen in certain societies on my home planet, but for the most part such practices have become a thing of the past. But now Earth has become a dangerous place to live, and many women are desperate to escape, desperate enough to leave Earth and marry a stranger. Forgive me, but referring to us as “shipments of women” sounds harsh. We are still people. Do Sepkarians view human women as slaves?”
She stopped in the middle of the street and gave him a fearful look. Around them, the market shops were closing down for the night, and children scampered through the street on their way home. The setting sun blazed orange over the mountaintops, the last rays light sparkling atop the solar rooftops. Night insects buzzed and lampbugs ventured out of the nearby forest to fly through the streets, their brilliant pink and white glowing backsides spreading around as the last of the sun slipped behind the mountain. The insects buzzed louder and Zarr turned to Elizabeth, taking both her hands in his.
“You are to be my cherished wife, Elizabeth, not a slave. I apologize for my choice of words.” He released her hands and put an arm around her, guiding her toward his home near the center of the village. “We must hurry home and prepare for the marriage ceremony. It begins soon.”
Chapter Two
Elizabeth stared at her reflection in the mirror, fingering the soft, translucent layers of white. The fabric mimicked silk but felt lighter, and it didn’t escape her that the dress Zarr had given her resembled a traditional wedding gown from Earth. She picked up the veil he’d provided her with and pushed the attached comb into her hair.