Dusan (Scifi Alien Romance) (Galactic Mates)

by Luna Hunter

  “So you wear your heart on your sleeve?”

  I frown. “My heart is here,” I say, taking her hand and placing her hand on my chest. “And it beats for you.”

  “Ahh,” she says, melting in front of me. “For a tough warrior you’re quite a sweet talker.”

  Another strange saying. “My words are not sweet. They are true!”

  Cindy grins, dimples forming in her cheeks. “I know, Dusan. I know. I’ll explain some other time.”

  She wiggles her body underneath of me, her legs still wrapped tightly around my waist, my cock still buried inside of her.

  “You’re still hard,” she whispers, almost as if she’s shy to admit it.

  “Yes,” I say, surprised at her coyness. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Well. Because. You know.”

  “I do not.”

  “You just…”

  “Filled you with my seed.”

  Her cheeks turn crimson. “Uh-huh.”

  “So?”

  “…You’re telling me you can go again?”

  Her voice is filled with doubt, as if it is some strange, far-fetched concept.

  “Of course,” I growl, grinding my hips against hers. Instantly her body responds. “Are you ready for round two?”

  Her big blue eyes fly open. “How many rounds will there be?”

  “As many as you can handle.”

  “Oh f-f-fuck,” she moans as my cock throbs inside of her. “Oh yes!”

  I plan to fuck her until neither of us can move a muscle.

  13

  Cindy

  My god.

  I’ve never experienced a night like this.

  Dusan is insatiable. Ravenous. Unstoppable.

  He took me, again and again, in every way, position, and place possible. As soon as our decontamination was over he carried me, his hands on my ass, my legs wrapped around his waist, and his member snugly inside of me, to the showers, where he took me against the tiled wall.

  Then, after a quick meal, we built a fort out of pillows and blankets right in the canteen and spent the night together, our bodies coiled together tightly. I fell asleep with my head resting on his naked chest, the beat of his heart soothing me.

  The next morning, I wake with his radiant eyes looking right at me.

  “What?” I yawn.

  “Nothing,” he says. “I was just watching you sleep.”

  I curl up against him. The past 24 hours have let me forget everything — for a short while, it was just me and him, and our unbridled lust. Now I feel reality rushing back, and I don’t like it for a second.

  “How long do we have?” I ask. “Before this ship reaches its destination.”

  “Another day,” Dusan answers.

  “I don’t want you to leave,” I admit. “I bet your mission is dangerous.”

  The Zoran warrior laughs. “Don’t worry. I’m not a rookie. I’ll be safe.”

  “I know you’re capable, but I don’t want you in harm’s way.”

  Dusan boops my nose. “You have to let me be me, Cin. I’m a warrior. It’s in my blood.”

  I frown. “You’re telling me I can’t fundamentally change who you are? If I had known that…”

  Dusan makes a face, and I realize that I forgot that the gruff Zoran can’t tell when I’m being sarcastic. I have to change my repertoire of jokes, and fast!

  “That was human humor,” I say. “I know who you are.”

  “Your human ways are strange,” Dusan says. “Very strange.”

  “In a cute way?”

  “Perhaps.”

  I don’t want to ask this question, but it’s been weighing on my mind. It’s better to face the truth now, than let it linger.

  “What will you do after this mission? I can’t really travel along with your squad as your human mascot…”

  “Hm. I haven’t thought about it.”

  “You haven’t?” I ask, surprised.

  “I haven’t thought of anything other than pleasing you,” he growls, his hands groping me. “These are tough questions for the early morning. Let’s us eat first.”

  An unsatisfying answer, but I’ll take it… for now.

  We spend the day like we spent the night — our hands wandering all over each other’s body. We manage to stop long enough for dinner. He (or more truthfully, the food dispenser) made his favorite: a Zoran dish called rululon: A deep purple wrap filled with strangely colored vegetables and meat.

  “What do you think?” Dusan asks expectantly.

  “It tastes a lot better than it looks.”

  “Is that… a compliment?”

  “It is,” I smirk. I can’t resist teasing the salmon warrior. “I think it would go very nicely with a red wine.”

  “Do you have any with you?” Dusan asks.

  “I was hoping you’d have a secret stash.”

  Dusan breaks out into a wide, ear-to-ear grin.

  “As a matter of fact, Cindy Knox, I do.”

  The Zoran gets up and walks away, leaving me confused. Where the hell is he going to grab a bottle of red wine from?

  He struts back into the room triumphantly, placing a bottle right in front of me. “Here,” he say.”

  The purple liquid inside bubbles and glows faintly.

  “What’s this?” I ask, my eyes wide. “I’ve never seen anything like it! And I’ve been to most bars on the Observer, Zoran and Falurian alike.”

  “This, is sahapala. Moon wine. This specific bottle is forty-two years old; every member of the Special Forces gets one. I’m not surprised you’ve never seen it before, as it’s extremely rare. This wine is made from grapes that bloom only once every twelve years on the moons of Hycan. And, as you might know, Hycan and its many moons are used as training facilities by the Zoran military. As such, only the strongest and most successful Zorans ever get to sample its supposedly exquisite flavor.”

  “Supposedly? You’ve never tasted it before?”

  “I have not. Opening your bottle is bad luck, supposedly. It’s something you’re always looking forward to, that protects you from harm when on mission. ‘Have to make it back, haven’t opened my bottle yet’. That sort of thing.”

  “Wait,” I say. “You’re opening that for me?”

  “Why not?”

  “Because,” I say exasperated. “Of what you just said! This is a priceless bottle!”

  “And this is a priceless moment,” Dusan counters.

  “Are you… are you sure? I don’t want to…”

  Dusan places his hand on my cheek. “Cindy, you are my mate. I have never had a reason to open my sahapala before. Never had anyone to share it with. I do now. I want to share this drink — with you.”

  I feel flattered. It’s ‘only’ a bottle of wine, but no one’s ever done anything as special for me before. The only human guys I’ve ever dated thought grabbing me a milkshake was the height of romance.

  Exclusive wine from the moons of Hycan made from grapes that only bloom once every twelve years — now that’s special.

  “Okay,” I say. “I won’t stop you.”

  “You couldn’t if you tried,” Dusan growls with a grin as he uncorks the bottle. The sweet smell hits me instantly. It’s almost overwhelming! I feel light-headed and dizzy.

  “What’s the percentage on this?” I laugh.

  “High enough,” Dusan says as he pours us both a glass. “To us.”

  “To us,” I say, and we clink our glasses together.

  The wine tastes great: black cherry with a hint of vanilla, and an earthy aftertaste. Best thing I’ve tasted in weeks. The company of my growly Zoran warrior makes it all the better.

  As we sit there, drinking our purple moon wine, staring into each other’s eyes like two lovestruck teenagers, I feel like everything is right with the universe. I’ve found someone who, despite being very different from me, completes me.

  Nothing can ruin this perfect moment.

  Or so I thought.

 
; Without warning the ship lurches forwards. The bottle of sahapala falls off the table and shatters into tiny fragments, leaving a purple mess on the canteen floor. I have to grip the table to keep from flying off my stool myself.

  “DEVO, report!” Dusan yells. “What the hell was that?!”

  The ship doesn’t respond — but it does accelerate. I slide off my seat and stumble right onto the floor. The engines are humming loudly and the walls themselves seem to vibrate.

  “What’s going on?!” I ask.

  “I have no idea,” my Zoran growls, barely containing the anger in his voice. He runs towards the bridge and I chase after him the best I can. The ship is moving erratically, and we’re thrown from side to side, crashing into the walls as we go.

  Dusan rushes towards the control panel. Every light is blinking.

  “DEVO, come in! Answer me, damn it!”

  “Oh god,” I say, pointing at the front window. “Look!”

  A moss-green planet looms in front of us — and every second it gets bigger and bigger.

  We’re heading straight towards the surface with the speed of a lightning bolt.

  14

  Dusan

  The surface rushes up to greet us with a dazzling speed.

  The readings are off the charts. The ship is using its space-jump engines to barrel down at the surface of this green giant at full speed. This ought to be impossible!

  I barely have enough time to grab Cindy and shield her body with my own. Don’t even have enough time to search for the safety of an escape pod. Using my own body to cushion the blow is all I can offer her.

  “I got you,” I tell her. “You’re saf—”

  All hell breaks loose the moment we hit the surface. The force of the impact is incredible. Every inch of my body feels like it’s being torn in two by the sudden pressure. I keep my hold on Cindy tight despite everything.

  Don’t let go. That is all I can think about, the only thought I have.

  Don’t let go.

  The only thing worse than the pressure is the sound. It’s deafening, an ear-shattering cacophony of torn metal and shattering glass. Trees snap like matches, and dirt is launched hundreds of yards into the air as the ship burrows its way into the ground.

  When the silence falls I’m surprised to hear myself breathing.

  The ZMA Thunderbolt is sturdier than I reckoned. I thought the impact would kill us for sure…

  Cindy.

  I’m covered in wreckage, with my human mate lying underneath of me, cradled in my arms.

  “Cindy!” I say.

  I rise up, throwing the wreckage, the twisted metal, off of me. The human female’s body has gone limp.

  “Cindy!” I growl. I desperately search for a pulse, madness overtaking me in a flash. If her life has been taken, if she’s robbed from me, I will lose it. I will absolutely go mad with grief and anger.

  A small cough warms my heart. She opens her eyes for only a moment, but it’s enough to let me know she lives.

  “Stay with me!” I say. “Stay with me, Cin!”

  I stand up and quickly survey my surroundings. I need to take her somewhere safe, somewhere she can heal.

  However, all I see is complete destruction. The ship has left a trail of devastation miles long, plowing the earth itself, transforming the landscape into a blighted mess. The ground is soggy and wet, water seeping in from down below. In the distance I see no forms of life, no sign of civilization, just endless marshes and swamps and bogs.

  We’re lucky the atmosphere on this planet is even breathable at all. I have no idea what the hell went wrong, but taking Cindy somewhere safe is my top priority.

  In the distance I see a part of the ship that is surprisingly enough in good condition. I throw my mate over my shoulder and carry her there, making my way through the plowed earth and misshapen metal.

  As I do, my mind drifts to my squamates. Zlatan, Ruvim, Todor. Did they survive the crash? If I did, then so could they. They are my brothers in arms, and just because I’d break every bone in their body if they so much as looked at Cindy wrong doesn’t mean that we’re not family.

  I reach the metal dome. Relief fills me when I realize it’s the crew quarters — the place with the pods that my fellow Zorans were sleeping in. I kick the door open and find Zlatan and Todor sitting on the edges of their pods, strapped into their armor, talking.

  “You’re alive!” I growl. I gently place Cindy on the floor before quickly hugging my two best mates.

  “Where’s Ruvim?”

  Zlatan nods at the place where his pod is supposed to be. Instead, I’m looking at giant hole in the metal wall.

  “Pulverized,” my commander says.

  Fuck. He’s gone.

  “Who attacked us, Dusan?”

  “No one,” I say, returning to Cindy’s side. She’s still barely conscious. “We need to find some water, stat.”

  “We need answers, first,” Zlatan growls. “What happened?”

  “The ship went rogue.”

  “What?!” Todor growls. “Rogue?”

  “That’s the only way I could explain it,” I say with a grim determination. “The ship itself accelerated towards this planet’s surface, completely of its own accord. The AI wouldn’t respond.”

  “And what were you doing?” my commander asks. “It was your job to watch the ship.”

  “The ship didn’t respond to me!” I say. “Don’t you think I tried to stop the fucking thing? You think I wanted this?”

  “I think you skirted your duty,” Zlatan says. “You were too busy caring about that human of yours. I can smell the sahapala on your breath. You failed us.”

  “Fuck you, Zlatan,” I growl. “Don’t blame me for this shit. I’m telling you, it was the ship, that damn DEVO.”

  “Calm down,” Todor says. “Either way, we’re stranded here. We need to strategize. Prioritize.”

  “You’re right,” I say. “You’re right. I need to find water.”

  “Fuck that, we need to find a way off this rock,” Zlatan says. “Both of you, go form a perimeter.”

  “No,” I say.

  Zlatan stands still, his mouth hanging open.

  “No?”

  “No. I have to take care of Cindy.”

  “Leave her,” he says. “That’s an order, Dusan.”

  “No.”

  I straighten my back and puff out my chest. This is one fight I won’t back down from.

  Zlatan walks up to me, his eyes shooting fire.

  “If you hadn’t disobeyed my orders, none of this would have happened. Ruvim would still be alive. His blood is on your hands, Dusan. If you want to rot here in this forsaken swamp, be my guest. I never want to see you again.”

  Todor is watching our exchange with bated breath. “Come on,” he says. “I know we’re all a bit rattled, but…”

  “Silence,” Zlatan says. “I’ve made my decision. Come.”

  He walks off. Todor looks up at me and I shrug. The purple warrior walks off, leaving me alone with my human mate.

  And just like that, I gave up everything I have for her. My rank, my career.

  I just hope I haven’t made a terrible mistake.

  Cindy coughs, and I rush back to her side. She opens her eyes and looks at me.

  “Dusan…” she struggles.

  “Rest,” I tell her. “You need rest. I’m here.”

  She raises her hand and I grab it, locking my fingers with hers.

  “Hold on,” I say. “I’ll go find some water.”

  I rummage through the lockers, hoping, no, praying to find something; anything. There were enough provisions on the ship to last us six months if we stretched ourselves thin, but there’s precious little left of the damn things.

  All the while, my mind is going a million miles a minute. I haven’t had a moment of rest since we crashed, and it’s taking its toll on me.

  Ruvim is dead. My blue-skinned, foul-mouthed friend. We have fought countless battles side-by-
side. He saved my ass more than I’d like — and he’d remind of that every possible chance he got.

  I’ll never get to hear his growling voice again, never hear him complain about the lack of R&R, or hear him recount that story about the Zerublian girl and her tentacles for the millionth time.

  Did I make a mistake?

  Did I miss something?

  Is Zlatan right?

  The feelings I have are overwhelming, overpowering almost. I rummage through the lockers, throwing things out, desperately searching for something to drink, and it feels like my sanity itself is slipping.

  15

  Cindy

  I wake up with the world’s worst hangover.

  That’s the last time I’m ever drinking sahapala. My entire body feels like we just crash-landed on some alien planet!

  I open my eyes and the bright light hurts. My mouth is dry, the earthy aftertaste of the moon wine still lingering in the back of my throat. I try to raise my hand to block the light, but my muscles ache.

  Oh, right.

  We did crash-land on an alien planet.

  All around me I see destruction and devastation. I’m lying on the floor in the crew quarters, but there’s an entire section of the wall missing, and I see the destruction the ship has left in its wake.

  How did I survive that?

  I rest myself on my elbows, wincing from the pain.

  “Don’t move.”

  Dusan’s familiar voice fills me with warmth. He comes rushing into the room, a bottle of water in his hand.

  “Here,” he says, handing it to me. “Drink.”

  “Thanks,” I say as I gulp the entire thing down in one go. Only when I’m finished do I realize that I ought to have left him some.

  “Sorry,” I say as I give him the empty bottle back.

  “Nonsense,” he says. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I got hit by a train… but besides that, I’m okay, I think. What happened?”

  “I don’t know,” Dusan says, averting his eyes. “The ship accelerated and we crashed. I don’t know if the ship went haywire, or there was some outside interference… or perhaps this planet has some strange radiation or magnetic field or something.”

  “Do you know where we are?”

  “No idea.”

  Dusan stares off into the distance, a grim look on his face. He’s silent, but I can tell there’s something pressing on his mind.