by Renee Rose
I nod, but I don’t feel like a princess, and my heart goes out to the naked women on the streets whose mates, for whatever reason, aren’t allowing them to wear clothing. It’s probably best my voice is gone, because I long to express my outrage for the other females.
We travel through a crowded square, and Kenan pulls the leash so close to him, I’m almost walking beside him. I avert my eyes from the other females. Will Kenan ever parade me naked through town? Or flog me until my back bleeds?
When we make it through the horde, the dock comes into sight. It’s crowded, too, but not as busy as inside the town. My hair sticks to my neck under the heat of the sun. Tallia is as sultry as Florida in August, though, back home, I typically kept my hair in a ponytail.
Back home. I’ll never see home again. My throat tightens.
We board a boat not much larger than a two-person canoe, and Kenan releases my leash after I sit down. He sits across from me and presses buttons on a panel next to his seat. As the boat drifts off, I dip my hand into the cool water and smile. Wherever we’re headed, I’m grateful for the breeze and to have finally escaped the crowded town.
Mourning the loss of my voice, I gaze at him as the boat travels by a larger vessel whose occupants are pulling a net bulging with crab-like creatures from the water. Will I really be unable to speak for days? Before I try to test my voice again, Kenan breaks the silence.
“Despite what you saw in town, Kleaxian males do indeed treasure their mates.”
Sure they do. I shake my head in a show of disagreement.
“Only a handful of the females you saw had been beaten recently, and, yes, those who were took a hard beating. When one of our mates errs or disobeys in some way, the honorable thing to do is punish the female. To leave her unpunished, would mean the male cares nothing for her behavior. The recently punished females you saw today were not unhappy in the least. Most of them chose not to wear clothing in town because it’s honorable to publicly admit their mistakes to make atonement for their transgressions. I doubt any of the males forced them to walk about without their clothes. Rather, it’s the female’s choice.”
I feel sick. How can this be the world and the culture I’m now part of? I glance away from Kenan and focus on the water rippling by the boat. A group of tiny fish flits across the surface and tickles my hand still dangling in the water. I gasp and cradle my hand in my lap, ever aware while tiny fish on Earth aren’t usually dangerous, that might not be the case on Tallia.
Kenan scoots closer and reaches for my hand. He stokes the water droplets off my palm and smiles at me. When he’s smiling, he looks ten years younger than…however old he is.
“Relax. Those are called novostos, and they are completely harmless.”
Compared to mine, his hand is huge and so very red. Sweat trickles down my temples, and for a moment, I fear I might burn out in the middle of the lake where I’m unprotected from the sun’s rays, but then I recall the ozone of Tallia is thick. The brochures said most people never got a tan, let alone a burn, even if they spent day after day in the sun.
The breeze picks up and I inhale the salty air that holds hint of seaweed and a fresh, fragrant aroma reminiscent of tulips. Most of the lakes on Tallia are salt lakes and contain as great a variety of life as an Earth ocean. Had my life gone according to plan, three years from now I would be helping to catalog hundreds, if not thousands, of new species. While I hadn’t been terribly excited by the prospect of such tedious work, I had looked forward to making Tallia my home. Now I must rely on tidbits of information from Kenan regarding the plant and animal life of this world.
He guides the boat toward the shore on the other side of the lake, still keeping my hand in his. He rubs soft circles on my palm, eliciting little shivers from me despite the blazing heat and humidity.
If he hadn’t stolen my voice, I would ask what the large blue birds soaring overhead are called. I might also ask more about his station as a prince on this mountain. Compared to the last remaining royal families on Earth, he seems quite hands-on and approachable to his people. Rather than call a dressmaker to his home, he visited the market himself, and he strides through the town without any kind of entourage.
The shore grows closer and I squint as a new dock comes into sight. Smaller than the first one, it also isn’t as crowded. Only about a dozen Kleaxian males are walking to and fro, hauling large nets of fish and other lake creatures over their shoulders, off the boats. I shoot Kenan a surprised look when we pass the dock.
“We’re having lunch at a lakefront restaurant owned by friend Marsalit,” he explains.
An excited flutter stirs in my stomach when he squeezes my hand before releasing it to carefully guide our boat to a tiny dock in front of the restaurant. A young Kleaxian boy runs up to secure our boat to a post, and Kenan rises with the end of my leash in his hand. Kindness gleams in his eyes and he gives the length a playful tug.
“The sooner you accept Kleaxian ways, Laylah, the happier you will be.”
I want to believe him, but I also don’t want to surrender to a way of life I find fundamentally wrong.
He helps me onto the dock and then steps in front of me, once again pulling me by the leash. After all I’ve seen in the town, I’m not as sullen and outraged as I was several hours ago, when he’d first pulled the leash from his pocket. At least I don’t have to wear it at home, and though I’ve only been with Kenan for two days, it appears I’m allowed to have the run of the house.
“Come, my mate, and I’ll take you to my usual table.”
***
I roll over and drape my arm on Kenan. He’s snoring lightly and sleeping later than usual. Two weeks have passed since our trip to town and the boat ride. I don’t find him repulsive or truly hate him, even though he still believes he has the right to punish me if I break a rule. I’m frequently bothered by my inability to despise him like the enemy and murderer he is.
The sun rises higher and warm rays of light spread over the bed. I keep still, not wanting to wake Kenan. In sleep, he appears peaceful and relaxed. And, in the dim light of morning, he looks more human than Kleaxian. I don’t know what his plans are for later today, but I hope he will take me on another walk in the forest after his return from town.
On the days he travels to one of the four towns nearer to the foothills, he takes a small hovercraft rather than walking. Yesterday, he took me on a ride over the trees in the hovercraft to glimpse the other towns he governs. The towns are all connected by stone paths, though they are more than a day’s walk apart.
I’m settling into life on Tallia faster than I expected. The beauty of the mountain often soothes my pains and calms the storm of loss in my heart. When Kenan first told me the wormhole had been destroyed and I would never return to Earth, it felt as if all my family and friends had died in the blink of an eye. Though I miss everyone from my former life dearly, I take comfort in the fact my parents and aunt have each another to lean on during their time of grief.
Surely the news about the wormhole’s closure has reached Earth by now. I hope each day gets easier for them, as it has for me.
Kenan stirs and murmurs something in Kleaxian, though his eyes don’t flutter open. He talks in his sleep often, though never in English. I find this odd considering his human father raised him until the age of twelve with little influence from his poor mother, who had only been permitted to see him three or four times a year. I drink up all the tidbits he offers about his past like I’m parched, because I long to understand him better.
The last of the nighttime insects cease buzzing, and the birds chirp louder. Most of the windows in the house are always kept open. Kenan has programed the shield to permit wind and the scents from the forest to enter, but no animals or Kleaxians, or humans, can enter, save for Kenan and several of his servants.
I stare at the huge red being who is my mate and wonder what the future holds. Though we’ve shared some happy moments during the last two weeks, our relationship is exceedingly
fragile. I spend all day, every day, walking on eggshells for fear of incurring his wrath. He hasn’t punished me since the morning he face fucked me on the patio, which deprived me of my voice for five long days, but only because I haven’t given him reason to.
Suddenly restless, I crawl carefully out of bed and slip on one of my new silk robes. It’s a perfect fit, like all the clothes from the dressmaker. The cage still looms at the end of the bed, but I hardly notice it as I move toward the window. Kenan hasn’t put me in the cage since my first day on Tallia, insisting I warm his bed all through the night.
Sex no longer hurts. In fact, I’m surprised by how enjoyable I find it. The second time Kenan claimed me, in the evening after our return from the boat ride, I didn’t experience the slightest discomfort. He’d carried me upstairs and then kissed me thoroughly, leaving me tingling and breathless with desire. He’d reached up my dress and stroked my pussy, spreading my growing slickness all around. Goose bumps rose all over my body as he undressed me oh so carefully, his eyes flaming with passion as he prepared to have his way with me.
I breathe out quickly and shake my head. The thought of Kenan fucking me is making me wet. My arousal glides between my thighs as I turn toward the bed. I gasp.
Kenan is standing in the center of the room. His nostrils flare and his muscles tense.
“I can smell you, Laylah.” He strides to me, completely naked, and grabs my crotch through the robe. “The scent of your naughty arousal woke me up, and now you are in so much trouble.”
I don’t know whether he’s serious or playing around. My stomach flips and I try to escape his grasp, but he forces me to the bed, ripping my robe off along the way, leaving me naked and trembling with fear.
He throws me onto the bed and I protectively cup my breasts. The welts of my last whipping have long faded, but I’m terrified of enduring another similar punishment. I swallow hard and meet his dark eyes.
“Please don’t hurt me. Please, Kenan.” I’m not sure whether I’d rather him hit me, or face fuck me and steal my voice. Perhaps if I’m repentant enough he’ll show me mercy. “I’m so sorry for waking you up. Please, forgive me.”
He strides to a dresser and removes his belt from the top drawer. My stomach lurches and coldness grips me. He folds the leather length in half as he approaches. A sob bursts from my throat, but I don’t cover my face and hide my tears because I’m afraid to let go of my breasts.
“Sit on the edge of the bed, with your legs spread.” He stands back, waiting, holding the awful belt. “And uncover your breasts, Laylah, or I’ll tie you to the bed by your wrists and ankles and whip you for resisting me. You ought to know better.”
My hands fall from my bosom and I scoot to the edge of the bed. Obediently, I spread my legs, revealing my ever bare pussy to his gaze. None of the hair between my thighs, underarms, or legs has grown back. I’ve never asked him why, but I assume it was removed with some sort of laser treatment. The doctor from the vision Hessag showed me probably did it. I gaze at my smooth legs and clutch the covers as if holding on for dear life.
I haven’t done anything wrong, yet I’m about to be punished. I sniffle and berate myself for the soft feelings I’ve developed for Kenan over the last two weeks. Though bossy, he’s been somewhat kind to me in the days since our disagreement over the leash. We’ve been getting to know one another better, and part of me had started to trust him. A huge part of me still felt safe with him, and whenever he calls me his mate, my heart swells with emotion because, if I’m stranded a zillion light years from Earth, it’s nice to at least be wanted.
“Why are you crying?” He trails the belt over my thigh, eliciting a shiver from me.
“I-I don’t want a whipping. Please, I don’t feel as if I did anything wrong.”
“I agree. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
Relief washes through me. Thank God, he’s teasing me. But it’s a dark tease because I’m still scared.
“If you had done something wrong, though, like run away from me, or disobey a direct order, would you gracefully submit to a punishment, even a harsh whipping?”
I’m stunned by his question. Is he trying to teach me a lesson? Is that what this is all about? Maybe he’s not teasing, after all. Wiping at my tears, I stare into his eyes as he continues running the belt up and down my thighs. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”
He snaps the belt across my stomach, but not especially hard. In fact, the sting barely registers. “Yes you do, Laylah. If you were a bad little girl, would you submit to your punishment?”
I ignore the flush of arousal his scolding tone provokes. “What does it matter, Kenan? You’ll punish me whether I submit to it or not.” Bitter tears escape my eyes, even as the wetness between my thighs increases.
Why am I like this? Why was I never really attracted to any of the boys my age back on Earth, but this huge mean alien makes me quiver with need, even when I think he might punish me? The fucked up thing is, the more scared I become, the harder my clit throbs. I hope he doesn’t make the connection, but the long inhale he takes while staring at my spread pussy tells me he knows everything.
He knows how fucked up I am, and how conflicted over my shameful desires. I wasn’t like this before coming to Tallia. Of course, no one has ever captured me and forced me to become their mate before.
“I’ve been obedient. I have. I’ve followed every order and I haven’t resisted you in bed, nor have I tried to run away. When we walk in the forest, I wear the leash without any argument, and I’ll wear it without arguing the next time we venture to town as well.”
“Laylah, look at me.”
Reluctantly, I meet his gaze. He drops the belt and cups my face in his huge, rough hands. “I was teasing you about waking me up. I’m not angry the sweet scent of your arousal pulled me from sleep.” He catches my fresh fallen tears with his thumbs, brushing the moisture away. But I catch the faint growl rumbling in his throat and the flare of need in his purple eyes.
I think he likes my causing my tears as much as he likes wiping them away.
“Kenan, you must understand where I come from, it’s completely unacceptable for a woman to be punished by her husband. I wish you wouldn’t threaten to hit me. I’m so afraid of you, afraid of being beaten again, or of losing my voice, I have been trying my best to please you.”
“I understand perfectly where you come from, Laylah,” he says, his tone sort of sad. “But Kleaxian blood also runs through my veins, along with the customs and memories of my ancestors. I possess thousands and thousands of years’ worth of Kleaxian memories. My instincts are largely Kleaxian, and my way of living is Kleaxian. My only knowledge of humans and Earth comes from the schooling my father forced me through. You are no longer on Earth and you have a Kleaxian as a mate. You must learn to accept the customs of my people.”
“You want me to promise to submit to the next punishment I earn?” Is that the point of this conversation? To secure my pledge to surrender to whatever brutal punishment he deems appropriate?
He places a hand over my heart. “I want you to accept my authority over you, deep in your soul, Laylah. I want you to strive to obey, but if you err, and you most certainly will eventually, I want you to accept it’s not only my right to punish you, but it’s my duty.” He speaks in a gentle tone and brushes more tears from my face.
I’m quiet for a few minutes as I gather the courage to ask my next question.
“Will you promise not to make me bleed? Will you promise not to cover me in cuts and bruises like some of the Kleaxian females we saw in town?”
His eyes darken, and when he doesn’t respond immediately, my stomach twists because I already know the answer.
“Get dressed,” he says suddenly. He releases my face and strides to the tall, wide dresser holding all his clothes.
My heart beats franticly and my hands won’t stop shaking, but I manage to select a fresh gown from the hanging closet area in the corner of the room and then face the m
an I fear, yet crave, more than anything. I hurriedly slip into the dress and approach him. He’s fully dressed, and his face is an unreadable mask.
Without a word, he grasps my hand and leads me downstairs and outside. Even though we leave his estate and walk onto the stone path twisting through the forest, he doesn’t put the leash on me. We’re in such a hurry, he doesn’t seem to have the time.
Eventually, he guides me into a small grassy clearing amidst the towering trees. Clouds roll in fast and block out the sun. As we near a long, flat stone, it begins to sprinkle. The sudden dreary weather adds to the ominous mood of this place. I’m certain a thousand souls have perished here. Coldness grips me, making my teeth chatter.
“This is where she’s buried.” He stops several feet from the stone.
Eyes wide, I look at the oddly shaped, smooth gray stone. Dark markings run across its length, but I can’t read his language. I swallow hard, past the immense burning in my throat. “Who is buried here, Kenan?”
“Ellonia. My first mate.”
Chapter Six
The wind picks up, and Kenan guides me away from the gravestone. I’m chilled to the bone and shocked to my core. My mind reels with the possibilities of how Ellonia died and why Kenan has decided to show me where his first mate is buried. I hope and pray he didn’t kill her. Kleaxian males aren’t allowed to kill females, but perhaps being a prince makes him above the law.
If I learn he killed her, my heart will shatter beyond repair. Despite all he’s done to me, I’ve never been able to hate him, and I don’t want to believe he’s that cruel and twisted.
We return to his estate, and he leads me back to the bedroom, where I’m certain he’s going to hurt me. His mood is as black as a starless night.
He strips off my wet gown, leaving me naked and colder still.