Taken by the Alien Savage: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Warriors of the Oasis Book 1)

by Ivy Sparks

  “Girlfriend, you’re gonna have to tell me the details. But first, what did you see out there in the desert?”

  “The sand storms aren’t a hoax,” I confirmed. “We weren’t lied to.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I figured. Lord Kali explained to me how the horizon can’t be trusted. That it might look like a clear day, only for there to be a horrible storm brewing only a few miles off. I’m just glad you’re safe now.”

  I nodded, then changed the subject. “Your hair—did you braid it yourself?” Her hair was styled in a gorgeous elaborate side braid with flowers weaved throughout.

  Sophie pointed to Demi, who was talking with a jewelry vendor nearby. I remembered how this mature Xeki woman showed us around the village, welcoming us so kindly, only for me to try to escape the moment I saw an opportunity. When she made eye contact with me, I looked away, ashamed by my actions.

  Demi approached, a warm smile on her face as she put both of her hands on my upper arms. “Beautiful Claire. You had me so worried.” She sat beside me on the stone bench. “We all heard about what happened in the desert. I’m so glad you’re here and safe now.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate how forgiving everyone is.”

  Demi smiled widely. “Would you like me to braid your hair?”

  “Yes, please!” Demi stood behind me and took all my hair in her hands, getting to work. It felt nice, having my hair gently pulled together.

  As Sophie watched Demi’s technique, she asked me, “Where’s Earl Ryker?”

  It was so weird to hear ‘Earl’ before his name, as I only thought of him as Ryker, or now as my mate. I looked around to see that he was a little ways off, speaking with some fellow warriors.

  “There he is,” I said, nodding in his direction. “He hasn’t been outside the entire time that I’ve been injured, except to hunt down sand beasts. I’m sure his men miss him. He’s arranging a hunt with them right now.”

  “I’m done!” Demi interrupted, setting my braided hair over my shoulder. “Absolutely beautiful. Now, excuse me while I take care of some errands. I’ll be nearby if you need me.”

  “Thank you, Demi,” I said as I watched her head back into the market area. I then turned to Sophie, barely able to suppress my smile. “Do I seem different to you?”

  Sophie looked me over. “Yeah, actually. You look… healthy? Almost glowing?” Her eyes suddenly widened as she whispered loudly at me, “Did you two have sex?”

  I gave her a coy shrug.

  “So it is possible!” she said, looking off with a smile. “And he didn’t… You know. Tear you in half?”

  “It was very pleasurable, I’ll say that much.”

  “Do you think you’re mated?” Sophie asked breathlessly.

  “I know it,” I said without hesitation. “I feel so different now. At peace, almost. I’ve never felt this way before, even with boyfriends who I thought were ‘the one.’ I see now that none of them came close. None of them made me feel this way. It’s as if everything that’s happened to me so far has led up to this. As if this is…”

  “Fate,” she finished for me. “So a human and Xeki can mate.” Sophie laughed. “Damn, that is good news for me.”

  Part of me wondered if it’d be that simple, though. I felt so good, so complete, yet I wasn’t sure what would happen next.

  He was an alien; I was a human. If such a mating never happened before, that meant Ryker and I were entering uncharted territory. Would there be more bumps along the way, more challenges, or was this the end of our struggles?

  I shook off my thoughts and asked Sophie, “So how are things between you and Lord Kali?”

  She put on a pout. “Well, things aren’t moving as quickly for me as they are for you and Ryker. I’ve been slowly breaking down Lord Kali’s walls though. He’s very distrustful of outsiders, but at the same time it’s clear he has an attraction toward me. I’ve seen more than enough evidence of that with what happens to his pants when I’m around.”

  I laughed and asked her in a serious tone, “Are you thinking of settling down here?”

  Sophie sighed. “Maybe. It depends on if I can ever get past his defenses. I think because of his position, he doesn’t want to be vulnerable with me only for us to not be fated. But then again, we wouldn’t know unless we… You know.” She gave me a look.

  “Oh, I know.”

  “Have you seen Nora yet, since you’ve recovered?”

  “No. Is she okay?”

  Sophie stood wordlessly and motioned that I follow her.

  We stopped by a field where a group of children were being taught by an elder. Nora sat a few feet away from them, looking despondent. Sophie whispered to me, “She’s been like that ever since you disappeared. She thought your not making it through the desert meant there really was no way off this rock. She didn’t even believe you were still alive, despite me telling her a servant confirmed you were fine.”

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “She just doesn’t trust the Xekis. Let’s show her some proof of life, shall we?”

  I nodded, and we both approached Nora. Sophie cleared her throat, shaking Nora out of her reverie, and she jumped up upon seeing me. “Claire!” Nora said, her sadness disappearing, if only for a moment.

  “Hey, Nora. I heard you were worried about me.” I splayed my arms out so she could see I was fine.

  Nora let out a breath, putting a hand up to her mouth. “Thank goodness. So they didn’t lie. Not about the sandstorms, and not about you.”

  I put an arm around her shoulder, and in turn she hugged me. “I’m all right,” I said. “More than all right. Ryker has taken good care of me.”

  “That’s so good to hear,” Nora said, pulling away. She then turned her attention to Sophie. “Have you asked Lord Kali yet?”

  Sophie merely shook her head. When I looked back and forth between the two, Sophie explained to me, “Nora wants to know if she’ll be allowed to leave once the storms clear. She wants a clear, direct confirmation. But I think a question like that will go down better after I’ve softened up Lord Kali. I’m working on him, Nora. I promise.”

  I added, hoping it’d ease Nora’s worry, “Ryker has made it clear to me that I’m free to leave at any time. He only cautions that I wait until it’s safe.”

  Sophie glanced over at me. “He can say that. You’re his mate. But an unclaimed female is the entire tribe’s business. It comes down to if the Lord allows it.” She put a hand on Nora’s shoulder. “But I think he will.”

  So even after all this time, that question was still in the air. Lord Kali had chosen to leave Nora in suspense about the fate of her life, and whether she’d see her husband and daughter again. It was a simple question to answer, yet he continued to say nothing on the matter.

  Were they just savages after all?

  “I’ll ask Ryker,” I said, breaking the silence.

  Sophie shook her head. “No, Claire. He’s second in command, but he doesn’t have a say in what happens to Nora. He only has a say in you.”

  I let that sink in, realizing that though I should be anxious at the idea of any man having a say in me, I had complete trust in Ryker. He’d always watch out for me. That was what our bonding meant. Nora, on the other hand, didn’t have good reason to trust any of the Xekis. “Well,” I began, “Ryker has the Lord’s ear, doesn’t he? So who better than him to ask Lord Kali?”

  “Maybe…” Sophie trailed off, not sounding entirely convinced. “Anyway, will you be joining us at the festival tonight?”

  “What festival?”

  Sophie and Nora exchanged glances. Sophie explained, “Every other night here, there’s a festival. Sorry, I should have realized you wouldn’t know after being in recovery for so long.”

  I smiled at her. “If Ryker will be there, so will I.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Claire

  I groaned as I pulled up the top of my traditional Xeki dress. It didn’t really leave much up to the
imagination in the cleavage department, but after looking at myself in the bedroom mirror, I had to admit, the dress hugged my curves in all the right ways. The hallway door creaked open, and Sophie’s light voice asked, “Are you ready?”

  I turned around to see her eyes wide with shock. “Do I look okay?” I asked, biting my lip.

  Sophie scoffed, as if that much should have been obvious. “Claire, you look stunning, and you know it.” I laughed as she stepped beside me, observing our matching dresses in the mirror. “Don’t you love the material? These dresses are more comfy than my comfiest lounging around pajamas—yet we look like we’re ready for a wedding!”

  “Jeez, I wonder what a Xeki wedding dress looks like,” I mused, not really thinking about it.

  Sophie gasped. “You just might know soon enough, at the rate you’re going! Anyway, let’s head out before we’re late.”

  We hurried through the corridors of the castle and down the mountain path into the heart of the village. The entire place was lit up in festive lights, and various bonfires were set up in the town center. I nudged Sophie, asking, “They really don’t do this every other night do they? This is bigger than my hometown’s 4th of July celebrations!”

  “Dude,” Sophie insisted. “This is literally how it is every other night. An enormous feast of the hunt’s latest catch. And so much drinking.”

  Tonight’s catch made me almost laugh from how ridiculous the bounty was. Above three vast fire pits roasted huge elk-like creatures, each bigger than a moose. Now I could see how the Xeki men managed to maintain their muscle mass, with the amount of protein they consumed on a near-daily basis.

  “Have you eaten any of that before?” I asked Sophie as we both stood in front of a fire in awe.

  “Only once. Those are Sand Elk. Tastes like beef, only more savory. It’s difficult to catch one, let alone three of them. Must be because Ryker was helping with the hunt this time. The Xekis usually feast on creatures that look a lot like boars.”

  “Ham and bacon?” I asked hopefully, looking around to see if they had caught any such creatures.

  “Hell yeah,” Sophie replied, pointing at a few such boars being prepared for a spit roast as we spoke.

  My mouth watered, as if the rich scent of the roasting Sand Elk hadn’t been enough to send my appetite into overdrive. Before now, I had been on a steady diet of carnia tea and vegetable soup.

  Sophie tugged at my elbow, pointing out Nora in the crowd. Despite her dreary mood earlier, Nora had a light smile on her face as she watched a group of Xeki children play in the center of the crowd.

  While Sophie and I had borrowed colorful celebration dresses from Demi, Nora wore a simple white dress that ended just above her ankles. On her wrist was a bracelet with little lettered beads that spelled out the word ‘Mommy.’ It must’ve been the only thing she had left from her old life. I tried my best to covertly blink away my tears, putting on a cheerful face instead when Sophie and I approached Nora.

  “Evening,” she said, playing with her bracelet.

  With how colorful it was against her white dress, it really stood out, and even Sophie noticed it. “Where’d that come from?” she asked.

  Nora looked down at her wrist. “Oh, it was in my pants pocket, when we first arrived here. I had chosen not to wear it on the trip, thinking it’d make me look…” She paused. “Unprofessional. Thinking about it now, I can’t believe how out of sorts my priorities had been. There I was, thinking of myself as a serious business woman, but ever since the pirates took us, the only thing I’ve thought about is my daughter and husband. Nothing else matters to me anymore.”

  Sophie squeezed her shoulder, and I touched her hand. Nora smiled at us both. “Thanks, you two. I don’t feel as alone, knowing you’re both here, even if we were complete strangers before all of this. Anyway, I don’t want to ruin the mood. I’ve actually started looking forward to these festivals.” She turned her attention back to the crowded town square, where meat cooked, children played, and Xekis congregated.

  I heard the sound of someone playing drums, and I whipped my gaze around to find the source. They started low, with oppressive thumps, until lighter drums picked up the mood, and several Xekis started dancing. Sophie immediately started clapping to the beat, then nudged me to join in. The mood was so infectious, I didn’t even think about it, clapping along with her.

  Xekis whooped and drank, several more joining the dance. A group of warriors sitting at a table yelled out, “Savast!” Everyone roared, drank their asnirs, then cheered. I couldn’t help but smile. The little lights dangling all over the village danced as wind hit them. The delicious smell of meat permeated throughout every time a breeze picked up. Two men handed the three of us mugs filled with asnirs and yelled, “Savast!” Sophie and I yelled with them and gulped down the ale, while Nora sipped at hers.

  “Wow, that is disgusting,” Sophie said with a sneer, and Nora and I broke into fits of laughter. The asnir had quite a bite to it, but was refreshing too, like a cold beer after a long walk.

  “Hey Demi!” Sophie waved toward a portion of the crowd, signaling her to come.

  Demi made her way over to us with two kids on either side of her. They were no older than six and they were super cute.

  “This festival is amazing!” I told Demi.

  She smiled and motioned at the kids. “I’m proud to introduce you to my children. This is Lili.” Demi motioned at her girl. “And this is Dorji.” She motioned at her boy.

  “Hey, Lili.” I lowered to my knees and shook her hand. She was a complete copy of Demi with her green eyes and little nose, while the boy had ocean blue eyes and a stronger nose and brow. “Hey Dorji.” I smiled at him too, putting a hand to my chest. “I’m Claire.”

  Sophie quickly introduced herself to the kids, before saying, “Sorry, I gotta go sit down somewhere. Feeling woozy. I’ve always been a lightweight, so drinking that asnir on an empty stomach was not the smartest idea.”

  Nora immediately moved to Sophie’s side and helped her stumble over to a quieter part of the village. As I watched, Demi’s boy tugged at my pinky.

  “Are you a hooman?” Dorji asked, his pronunciation about the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.

  I laughed and replied, “Indeed.” He looked fascinated.

  “Do hoomans celebrate like this?” Lili asked.

  “Not really. At least, not as often. You Xekis have us humans beat on that one.” I winked, and she jumped with happiness. Demi laughed and put a hand on her shoulder to settle her down.

  “Claire,” Dorji began. “Do you like it here?” His blue eyes looked into my soul, searching for any sign of displeasure.

  I smiled and cupped his face. “I love it here.”

  Both Dorji and Lili laughed then gave both my pinkies a tug, before tugging each other’s pinkies. I assumed that must’ve been the Xeki version of a high five.

  A man approached us and stood beside Demi as she placed a kiss on his lips. She then turned to me and said, “This is my mate, Gren.” He looked like an older version of Dorji, and was as handsome as all the other Xeki warriors.

  “Hello.” I stood up and greeted him, Xeki style, by pounding my chest and bowing.

  An amused smirk crossed his handsome face. “You’ve caught on to our customs so quickly. But I’d expect as much, given Ryker has already taken you as his mate. He wouldn’t have ever settled for someone who wasn’t a quick learner, among other things. Funny his fated mate was somebody from a distant planet.”

  Demi elbowed him in the ribs, and he quickly added, “Not that I disapprove. Ryker is a man of good judgment.”

  I took that as a compliment. “Thank you.”

  Demi took Dorji in her arms, as Gren took Lili, and the both of them said their goodbyes.

  “Wait, ‘Laire!” I heard Lili saying, and I turned to look at her.

  “Yes?” I smiled at how she pronounced my name.

  She clamored at me from her father’s arms, her eyes look
ing suddenly watery. “Are you going to leave someday?”

  That caught me by surprise. I knew I wouldn’t, but the fact that she didn’t want me to go after only knowing me for a few moments made me get choked up. “No, Lili. My place is here.” I couldn’t say as much for Sophie and Nora, but that answer seemed to make her happy.

  She giggled. “Okay. See you at the next festival!”

  I smiled and waved her and her family off. Now that I was alone, I scanned the crowd for Ryker. He had said he’d be gone for a few hours on a hunt, but I figured he was back by now, considering the bounty was already being cooked. Maybe he was at the castle, changing into fresh clothes.

  Not seeing him, I headed in the direction Sophie and Nora went earlier. I found them at a table farther away from the crowd where Lord Kali was trying to teach Sophie a Xeki drinking song. I laughed and crossed my arms as I watched from a slight distance, listening to her fumble her way through the lyrics. She managed to sing the melody well enough, but the words eventually devolved into ‘la la la’s. When Lord Kali frowned at this, I doubled over in laughter and made my way to the table.

  Sophie let out a groan. “Just in time, Claire. He insists I learn this song!”

  “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to learn it,” I said, gauging how Lord Kali would take it.

  His stern face became even sterner, until he said, “Yes, plenty of time. I just expected more from a human of such high education.”

  “I’m studying alien relations, not linguistics!” Sophie whined.

  Sitting next to Nora, I asked, “So where’s Ryker?”

  Lord Kali let out a little laugh, and even I could see that his demeanor was becoming lighter compared to the first time I saw him. “Ryker made a mess of himself. Fell into a mud pit trying to go for a fourth Sand Elk. Got greedy. I think he’s trying to impress you.” Lord Kali side-eyed me and smirked.

  I simply said, “I’m sure he was.” Considering Ryker claimed to have killed the whole sand beast population within a mile radius just because they hurt me, it wasn’t a big leap.