by Zena Zion
“Oh, my great warrior,” Benjloc bowed low spreading all six arms out beside him. “I would hate for you to lose such a valuable treasure. This Earthling cannot be trusted.”
“I believe my payment has been made, Slaver. The she-ling belongs to me now and I will not have her serve me with such a blatant symbol of disobedient tendencies.” Rox gently grasped Eliana’s chin so that she was forced to look at him while he delivered his message. “Her fate would be worse than death if she attempts to flee again. Understood?”
Eliana nodded as best she could before he released her chin. When he dropped his hand, she once again held her wrists out to the slaver whose pale gray face was now staring incredulously at her own. He efficiently located the appropriate key and released the manacles.
The decreased weight on Eliana’s wrists felt heavenly. She rubbed the skin, which was chapped and blistered with angry red stripes, and silently followed the warrior out into the fading sunlight.
Rox found his way through the marketplace and toward the village with Eliana trotting behind him in an effort to keep up with his lengthy stride. He did not appear to be paying her the slightest attention but simply expected that she follow obediently and without a sound. This she did without instruction, at least until she saw him stop outside of a large building with a surplus of soaking wet female Heptonians rushing in and out of the numerous doorways.
Eliana didn’t know if it was because of the miniscule shorts and cropped tops that the women were wearing but she had the strange impression that this was a whorehouse. Rox strode briskly through the doors but stopped and turned to address her for the first time since they had left the tent. She knew that he must see pure terror on her face. She could feel her eyes pulled wide and her breathing coming in short bursts.
“Come.” He commanded.
Eliana trembled. This was it. Did he really expect to exact his fee so soon? Even before the first nightfall? Her hands shook violently. She clenched them in the folds of her dress to try to stifle the motion, as well as to focus her energy on something other than the sickening bile building in her stomach.
Rox relaxed his formal stance and proffered a single hand.
“Come.” He repeated. “You will like it here.”
She could not open her mouth to tell him that she was positive that she would not like this palace of women. She did, however, lay her quaking fingers softly in his hand and allow him to guide her slowly into the enormous reception hall.
If she had expected a dark, sultry room full of plush cushions and nude women, she was wrong. Instead, the glowing blue floor illuminated the way to a series of interlocking staircases that flowed upward in an elegant design that completely masked any ceiling that might have existed above.
The walls and staircases themselves were comprised of a mosaic of metallic looking shards that glittered in the light from below. Together, the curving formations and shimmering details created an effect that, Eliana thought, was similar to flowing water.
Eliana released a sharp intake of breath. She stared upward, unable to count the staircases or the doorways that branched off casually toward rooms of unknown purpose. Hundreds of individuals, both residents of Hepton and strange creatures alike, wandered up and down the staircases smiling and greeting each other pleasantly.
Whatever this place was, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. If this was a small market town, Eliana thought, what wonders would there be in a true Heptonian city?
“I was right.” Came the matter-of-fact statement from her side. Rox had been watching her reaction, she realized. “On Earth they always liked pretty things.”
“You’ve been to Earth?” Eliana gaped.
Rox gave a positive murmur before he released her hand. He then headed toward an attendant who was handing out room keys with both hands and writing in a ledger with the tip of his tail. After ten customers, Eliana realized that the attendant never dipped his tail in ink, which must have meant that his tail was, in fact, producing the ink in which he was writing.
She chased after Rox as he ascended the centermost staircase with a large brass key in his hand. She understood now why he had not felt the need for cuffs. Where would she go? She had none of the local currency, no contacts, and most importantly no functioning knowledge of the planet on which she was trapped. Even if she had escaped into the forest she had no clue what kind of fearsome creatures awaited her demise.
They climbed past fourteen closed doors that did not appear to have any definitive markings. Eliana was not sure how Rox would know to which door his key belonged. Ten steps above her Rox stopped at a door and stared at the key in his hand. It had begun to change to a pale orange.
He continued up the staircase to the next door, where he again stopped. This time it had turned to a deep burnt umber. Again, Rox continued up the staircase until finally stopping at a door where the key transitioned to a vibrant red. There he inserted the key and entered.
Eliana followed Rox through the doorway expecting to behold an opulent bedroom or lounging chamber. Instead the windowless room appeared empty but for a series of markings on the floor where furniture would have been expected to be.
Rox was kneeling over a rectangular pattern on the tile. Eliana watched as he dropped a pale blue gem through an insignificant hole in the floor and then stood up and walked briskly toward her. There was a soft clicking sound and Eliana watched with horror, as rising up from the floor was a neatly dressed bed done entirely in pure white.
The beauty of the building vanished from her mind as she remembered her first impression before entering the doorway. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears.
Her mind was telling her to run but her bare feet stood frozen to the cold tile. In her peripheral vision she could see Rox inserting another gem into a slot in the wall that produced a tray of bottles filled with what looked like various sorts of oils.
He turned and set the tray on the edge of the bed then faced Eliana and, once again, held out a single hand in her direction.
With her damp eyes on the floor Eliana stood in front of Rox but did not accept his hand.
“Sit.” He said, and pointed at the center of the bed. Without hesitation he turned his attention back to the tray and began mixing the oils into a series of small glass bowls.
Eliana pulled herself up onto the plush white comforter and sat with her hands clamped between her knees.
Slowly, Rox moved to stand at her knees with a bowl in his hand and a small white towel hung over his arm. He placed his free hand under her chin and exerted slight pressure so that her face was turned up toward his own.
“Do not move.” He stated as Eliana closed her eyes with resignation. She felt a single tear slip from the corner of one eye, which he must have seen but did not wipe away.
Eliana flinched when she felt his oiled fingers touch the tender lump on her forehead. Her eyes burst open and she watched as he worked on her wound with slow determination, almost as if he was unaware that she was watching him.
The warm oil cooled as it soaked into her skin and Eliana closed her eyes again as the pleasure of her receding headache began to take effect. She was not afraid anymore. Whatever medicine he was applying was unlike anything they had access to on Earth.
When Rox pried one of her arms from its clamped position to begin applying the oil to her damaged wrist, Eliana raised the opposing hand to her forehead to run her fingers over the raised lump that she had felt only hours before.
Not only was all trace of swelling a thing of the past but any bruising or tenderness had disappeared with her headache. Eliana wondered, if she looked in a mirror, would her skin look as fresh and unmarred as it had a few days before.
Her question was answered as she watched Rox’s slow progress on her wrists. As if by magic the tender skin healed and transformed back to its smooth olive tone.
“Are there any more?” Rox asked before applying the oil to his own chin where her forehead had left a dark brui
se.
She shook her head and spun her wrists in amazement before her eyes.
“What was that?” Eliana asked, as Rox cleared away the tray and received a smaller gem in return for the unused oils.
“It is for healing.” He stated bluntly.
“Yes, I can see. But, where does it come from?” If Eliana ever made it back to Earth, that would be the one thing from Hepton she would want to take with her.
“It comes from our Permas.” When he could tell she did not understand he continued. “Permas. You call them… Doctor? Our Permas make it from the skin of a Malatar, a vicious shelled creature that swims in our oceans. A Malatar can heal itself almost instantly, so long as its heart remains beating.”
Eliana now knew why the Interplanetary Coalition had never waged war against Hepton. If the Heptonian military, as ferocious as their reputations profess, also had the ability to rapidly heal any wound or injury, then no army in the galaxy would stand a chance against them. It also explained why this renowned warrior would have such flawless skin. Eliana realized that Rox did not have a single scar on his massive torso.
Without waiting for a reply Rox walked around the room inserting all sorts of gems into various slots in the floor and along the walls. A large stone bathtub rose from another section of marked tile, a wide array of women’s clothing sprouted from the adjacent wall and a table bursting with steaming plates of food appeared a few feet away from the bed where Eliana still sat.
“Eat and refresh yourself.” Rox instructed. “I have some business to attend to in the market before we leave for Rathsmura, our capital, in the morning. I have paid for two attendants to help you with any needs. They will arrive shortly.” He moved to the doorway and Eliana noticed that he took the key with him.
“I have asked the attendants to choose four or five outfits to take with us, and to leave your slaver’s gown here. Make sure that at least one of your outfits is presentable for formal occasions and another functional for travel.”
Before Eliana had a chance to respond he had closed door and left her completely alone.
Chapter 3
Eliana climbed down from the bed and decided to explore the room. A bath would be nice, she thought. She had not had a chance to clean herself since prior to her abduction. She did not even want to think about how dreadful she must smell.
Rox had smelled delicious, her brain provided, like crisp spices mixed with a slightly woody scent. She chastised herself for that traitorous thought. Well, she admitted, just because he was her enemy did not mean that she had to be oblivious to the facts. He did smell good, very good.
That was just an observation she told herself. Just like it was an observation that he had been surprisingly gentle when tending to her wounds. They could still be enemies even if she recognized, and possibly even appreciated, his tender care.
She had been unsuccessful in her attempts to turn on what was clearly a bathtub when the two female attendants entered through a hidden door in the wall. They did not appear to speak English but casually gestured for her to browse the edibles while they prepared the bath.
Eliana lifted the lids of an assortment of steaming trays before settling on the dish that appeared least frightening to her. She would loosely have compared it to a dense muffin except for the meaty taste and the fact that two small servings filled her almost to the point of discomfort. Whatever she had eaten, she could guarantee that it was better than the spaghetti-like dish whose ‘noodles’ were wriggling around at the base of the bowl.
Eliana watched as the Heptonian women wheeled a small control panel into the room through the hidden door. From their station they entered the codes that prompted the bath basin to fill with lavender perfumed water.
When the women gestured for her to approach the washbasin Eliana became noticeably agitated. Weren’t they going to leave her to bathe in peace? When one of the women began to release the clasp at the shoulder of the slaver’s gown, as Rox had called it, Eliana clutched the fabric to her breasts and backed away.
It shocked Eliana when they started laughing and plucking at her gown. Without words the Heptonian females had effectively communicated the futility of a pleasure-slave’s modesty. Eliana realized that it was likely that only hours remained to come to terms with her own nudity before Rox became witness to everything Eliana had so carefully protected.
With a sigh of resignation Eliana dropped her gown and allowed the women to help her ease into the temperate water. If she had not been aware that she had been purchased as a slave only this afternoon, Eliana would have felt positively pampered.
The harsh reality was that Rox was probably disgusted with her grungy hair and sweat soaked skin. Of course he would want her properly cleaned and attired before having anything to do with her. She instantly regretted the luxurious bath. If she could only have remained filthy then maybe she would be able to dissuade him from any attentions that he might request.
One of the attendants, a malnourished looking teen with an artificial black braid that trailed behind her on the ground, washed Eliana’s hair with extreme care. The other, and elderly female with sharp blue nails and Hepto’s double suns tattooed on her forehead, tapped commands into the control center that released a series of soaps and lotions for her counterpart.
Eliana now understood why so many of the women outside of the building had been wet. It was likely that they were workers who had been drenched during a bathing, much like her young attendant was now.
Once she was thoroughly clean, Eliana stood motionless as a clear cylinder rose out of the tile around her. A swirl of warm air dried her hair and body with surprising speed. Once the cylinder had retreated to the bowels of the room she looked around for something suitable to wear.
After rejecting a pair of miniature white shorts and cropped top that were traditional Heptonian fashion, Eliana settled on a pair of pants that were identical to the ones she had seen on Rox. Unable to find a decent length shirt, she opted for one that fluttered around her navel rather than the style that ended right below her breasts.
She allowed the attendants to choose a formal gown of emerald green, to enhance her hazel eyes. It had a jeweled clasp behind her neck and the sheer fabric skimmed the front of her body, covering a revolutionary backless bra that blended perfectly with her skin.
Her back would be entirely bare until the skirt joined staggeringly low on her hips. Surprisingly, this was the least revealing of all the formal gowns and her attendants had not understood Eliana’s request to pair it with the nude bra, which was considered a stand-alone shirt for a casual outfit.
She carefully chose the rest of her outfits, including a pair of thick riding pants with boots, before dismissing the women.
Eliana wondered what time it was. She was exhausted and was sure it must already be late in the night. Yet, Rox had not returned. Would he be offended, she wondered, if she simply went to sleep.
After pacing the room, now empty except for the bed and changing station, Eliana found herself too tired to remain awake. She changed into a gossamer nightgown and crawled beneath the brilliant white sheets.
She scooted low in the plush bed and pulled the feathered comforter high over her head. Perhaps it was because she had spent two days lying on the hard floor of a space shuttle, but within moments she had slipped peacefully into the comfort of a deep, dreamless sleep.
Eliana vaguely remembered hearing Rox return to the room. She heard him open a series of floor panels followed by the distinct sound of the bath filling. That was the noise that finally woke Eliana from her slumber.
She held still and practiced slow, controlled breathing. She could hear him disrobe, quickly bathe, and enter the drying chamber. Luckily, the blanket was still positioned above her head so that she had no fear of the temptation to peek at his activities.
Finally, she heard the basin and cylinder retract into the floor Eliana braced herself for Rox to pull the covers back and join her in the bed. Maybe, she thought, if s
he pretended to be too tired to wake, he would leave her alone for the night.
Instead, he activated another panel in the floor that she could tell was very near to her own. Unable to stem her curiosity, she inched the blanket down far enough to peer secretively from beneath its edge. A mere four feet away rose a bed identical to her own.
She hadn’t realized it, but she must have made a sound, because Rox turned to her and lifted the bedding enough to glimpse her guilty face.
“You can come out.” He chuckled. It was a deep resonating laugh that hinted to the fact that he used to be less serious at some point in his life. “I’m decent.”
Eliana raised her head slightly and clutched the cover beneath her arms.
“Another bed?” she whispered.
Rox sat softly on the edge of her bed. Eliana realized that from her position on her side he was nestled gently against the curve of her stomach. She wanted to pull away but was afraid to move or offend him. The large bed seemed very small now that it held both of their weight.
“Does that surprise you?” He leaned one hand into the mattress on the other side of her body so that he was leaning directly over her.
“Yes.” She whispered again. She knew she was trembling again. Eliana wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement. She hoped it was the first.
“Would you like me to put it away?” Rox eyes bored into hers with vigor. Eliana knew what he was suggesting and a small part of her wondered what it would be like to invite him into her bed, a larger part of her rebelled from the idea entirely.
She shook her head in what she prayed was a convincing refusal.
Rox laughed again. It was a sexy laugh that Eliana liked much more than his normal, brusque directives. She was too busy berating her own mind for its contradictory thoughts to notice him lean forward and brush his lips against her own.
This was nothing like the forceful kiss in the woods. It was soft and inviting. When she didn’t pull away Rox cupped the back of her head with his spare hand and pulled her closer to him.