by Sam Crescent
He laughed. “There’re no wolves here.”
“I beg to differ,” she said, growing increasingly angry with her wayward partner. “It was terrifying.”
“Stop being such a prude. Come on, let’s go.” Jeff grabbed her arm and tugged her toward the bus.
She couldn’t even gauge the next sequence of events, it was such a blur. Jeff was on the ground, moaning, and Roland charged Dhiro. After a few quick arm motions, Roland joined Jeff on the ground. Judging by the grotesque angle of his arm, it had to be broken.
The music on the bus stopped.
“Dhiro, what are you doing?”
The other two men rushed off the bus. Mike was in front. He was an asshole, the rookie in their research group. “What the fuck?” They both looked down at Jeff and Roland writhing on the ground. She was in just as much shock, frozen in place.
Mike pulled out a handgun. She gasped.
He aimed at Dhiro. “Who the hell are you?”
Dhiro didn’t answer. He only stared at the other man, his eyes seeming to glow in the darkness.
“Put that away,” she said. “When did you get a damn gun, Mike?”
“Shut up, you fucking cow,” he shouted back. “You’re the reason we’re back out here.”
“You’re the ones who forgot about me.”
“Get on your stomach and don’t move,” Mike told Dhiro.
Dhiro grabbed something from the side of his thigh, then flung it forward with a quick flick. By the time she looked to see what he’d done, Mike was on his knees, a blade glimmering from his shoulder. The last guy ran back on the bus and the driver hit the gas, taking the only light source with them.
Once darkness weighed down on them again, all she could hear were moans and cries.
Was she next on Dhiro’s list?
She felt his hand at the small of her back. “We must go.”
“But…” It was too much to process. Were they going to just leave them there in the darkness? Was Dhiro a criminal? Well, he was now. The other men would no doubt return with the police. She didn’t want any part of this. “You’re scaring me.”
“I’d never hurt you, Ella.”
“What about them?”
“They shouldn’t have threatened my mate.”
Chapter Two
Everything had been going so well, or at least Dhiro had thought so. Ella had been interested in him. Of course, with his lack of human understanding, he hadn’t been entirely convincing in his role as human and he’d inadvertently scared her. Totally acceptable. It was a note he’d make for future expeditions. The men who arrived made his decision even harder. They were not good men. The stench coming from their mouths and skin had repulsed him. He wondered if all human males were as filthy.
He didn’t understand it.
They looked intoxicated with one of the drinks that wasn’t allowed to be spoken of on their planet. He’d tried it a few times but hadn’t enjoyed the lack of control. Some friends enjoyed drinking the substance to forget about everything, but he hadn’t been one of them.
Infertile females had made the population on Trenu Zel … miserable.
Glancing across his ship, he saw Ella was asleep on his bed. She wouldn’t come to for a couple of days, which was more than enough time to fix his ship. The encounter with the men last night was too much. He didn’t like this species at all. The way they had looked at Ella, as if she were some kind of bug, had to be stopped. If he stayed here, it would put him, his planet, and his people at high risk.
He wasn’t going to have that. Working on his ship was enough trouble. Fortunately, the humans seemed to throw random pieces of necessary equipment away as if it were junk. He’d never repaired or built a ship from pieces just thrown out, and yet, here, he’d have had a great deal of enjoyment. There was so much to be had, but again, he didn’t trust the humans from his brief interaction with them.
Finally, he put the last piece of wire together, sealing it with his heat sensor and stepping back. His ship was nearly as good as new.
He climbed on board. Satisfied.
His mission … accomplished.
Now all he needed to do was get out of Earth’s atmosphere and begin the journey, which would be a matter of a few days, then he could begin breeding with the vessel. No, not a vessel, Ella.
After he closed his ship’s exit door, he moved toward her. She looked peaceful, her blonde hair fanned out on the blankets. He only had a few relaxers left. On his planet, they were used to keep the panic at bay. In his system, they simply mellowed him out. With humans, apparently it had the effect of putting them to sleep for an extended period.
Their systems were built differently, but there were many similarities. Their forms were the same. He was attuned to her emotions, so he knew when she was attracted to him. Humans were so easy to read, their hormone signature changing, pupils dilating, and heartrate increasing.
He stroked back some of her hair. It was soft. He liked it. He held the strands between his fingers. So beautiful. So delicate.
Ella was unique.
The men on his planet would be envious. He would have to warn them about coming to this planet. The men were hostile, and it was rather stifling. The heat had already annoyed him many times, and he prided himself on being calm in all situations.
He’d been distracted long enough. Getting to his feet, he made his way toward the front of his ship, beginning the starting sequence. The moment the monitors came online, he smiled.
A call immediately came through.
“Son, are you okay?”
“I am safe and well, Mother. I am coming home.”
“I’m so sorry your mission was a failure. You were warned.”
He frowned. “I wasn’t a failure. I’ve got myself a female. She is beautiful, and I’ll show her to you in a few days.” He stopped as he looked out of his window. Dust began to fill the air, but he saw what was coming toward him.
Military.
Dhiro would recognize it anywhere.
They were coming toward his ship with an abundance of weaponry attached to their vehicles.
“Son?”
He exhaled his displeasure with this new annoyance. “I will call you back.” He disconnected the call and pressed the buttons that would fire up his master engines. Then he navigated through all the necessary protocols until finally, he had everything ready. As the military brigade neared, he detected their weapons going hot. They weren’t great machines like the ones back home, but after some time, they would do damage. He didn’t want to be trapped on Earth if they hit a vital part of his ship.
Glancing back at Ella, he knew he wasn’t going to give her up, nor would he stay here in this fiery hell of heat and red earth.
His mission was complete. All of those who had laughed at him would only know shame for not believing in him. With hard work and determination, Dhiro always got what he wanted.
After a last glance at the men, he lifted from the ground. They backed up as dust billowed around his ship. At the press of his next button, the ship blasted to the outer edges of the planet. The speed increased in order to expel him from the Earth’s atmosphere.
He pressurized the ship to the necessary levels for Ella to continue to breathe comfortably.
After he moved to avoid a missile, he was in the clear, going past their main satellite and their moon and a couple of their planets.
All done.
He exhaled.
His mission was a success. With his ship set to course, he pressed the monitor and accepted another call from his mother.
Dhiro couldn’t stop smiling.
“Please tell me you’re all right.”
“I am all right, Mother. I’m on my way home.”
She put a hand to her chest. “This mission was too dangerous. You know the humans are not kind. Their self-destructive history should have told you everything you needed to know. I don’t know how you managed to get yourself a female.”
“Do you want
to see her?”
“You really do have her?”
He nodded. The excitement from his success flooded him.
Lifting up the camera, he carried it across his ship to where Ella slept. The ship’s radiant glow showed her beauty to perfection.
“This is Ella,” he said.
“She’s asleep.”
“I had to give her something to relax her for the journey.”
“Are you sure about this, son? We have never had a foreigner on our land,” she said.
“I am sure I want to breed with her. She will make a fine mother to my sons and hopefully daughters.” He put a hand on her arm. “She is fit and healthy. Young. She will be an ideal mate for me. I will be able to breed her for many years.”
“Son, you talk of duty right now, but what of love? The bonding is equally important.”
“I don’t care for love. Love is necessary for those who can afford it. I cannot. This is what I need right now.” His heart filled with pride. “I will make her happy.”
“What if she misses her life?” his mother asked. “Her planet.”
“There is nothing for her to miss. No reason for her to stay. I will give her plenty of reasons never to miss her home planet. I will provide a new home.” He stroked a finger down her arm, smiling. Soft, delicate skin. She’d need him to protect her from everything, and he looked forward to the task.
He looked forward to mating her. The brief flash of skin he’d gotten hadn’t been enough. He wanted to see her naked with all those curves she possessed. Her tits and pussy, he wanted to bury his face between both, engorge himself on her soft flesh.
“I must end this call now, Mother. I have preparations to make.”
She wished him luck and a safe journey before ending the call.
He set down his device, putting it back near the front of his ship. Filling his lungs with air, he stared out across the ship. He’d made the right decision. The gamble had paid off.
The hours passed on his journey. He continued to check on Ella. The day wore on, and he made excellent time. He’d hoped for her to wake up so he could explain to her what was happening. As the hours ticked on by, though, he knew there wasn’t going to be enough time to explain everything to her before arriving home.
He tapped his fingers against his thigh, a little perturbed she hadn’t woken up. He hadn’t given her enough relaxer to knock her out this long, at least he hadn’t thought so.
Dhiro sat at the ship’s front, navigating the path to Trenu Zel when he heard her moan, then sudden gasp. He felt her panic.
“Where am I? What’s going on? I don’t understand? Holy shit, are we on a ship? I’ve got to be dreaming. Come on, Ella, wake up. Wake up.”
She cried out and he had no choice but to coast the ship as he got to his feet.
“Ella.”
“You? Holy crap. This isn’t a dream, is it? I’m really on an alien spaceship and you’re not really a man, are you? It’s why you speak funny, and why you’re so damn tall and muscular.” She put a hand to her chest. “I was right. I knew I was right. There is other life, and now I’ve been abducted.”
He cupped her face, tilting her head back and forcing her to look into his eyes. “Ella, I am here. You are safe.”
“You did something to me. You experimented on me, didn’t you?”
“It was a mild relaxer.”
“How long have I been here?”
“A few days.”
“A few days!” she cried out. “That’s not a mild relaxer. That’s some kind of freaking sedative. You have to take me back home right now.”
“That is impossible.”
“Why?”
“I traveled a long way to find you. You are my prize now.”
“No, I’m not. I don’t belong to anyone.”
The ship jolted. He’d been away from his post long enough. He grabbed her arm and marched her toward the passenger seat. “Strap yourself in.”
He expected her to argue. She surprised him by strapping in, and then he took complete control, bringing his ship down into the spot his father built to store the ship. It was fitting that his father built the machine that would help him to bring back the woman who’d help him further his line.
As was to be expected at his return, many from his town ran toward his ship, all curious to see if he’d failed or succeeded.
“This can’t be happening.”
“Ella, you, yourself believe in other life forces. You said you wanted to discover life from other planets. I am merely making your dreams come true. Can we come up with a deal?” he asked.
She took a deep breath before turning toward him. “A deal?”
“Yes, you will … grant something to me, and in return, I will tell you all about my life, about who I am, and about my planet, Trenu Zel. This is your chance to learn about an alien race. With my assistance, I will allow you to explore.” He hadn’t told her the whole truth, but that would come.
“This is…”
“Yes or no?”
She licked her lips, and he knew her need to research was too strong. While she’d been out, he’d garnered as much information on her profession as possible. She was a woman who thirsted for knowledge, and he was more than happy to give it to her for a price.
“I’ll be safe?”
“You will have no reason to be alarmed here.”
She nodded. “Deal.”
****
No reason to be alarmed.
She was on an alien planet, and the impossibly handsome Dhiro said there was no reason to be alarmed. Maybe for him, but for her, she’d been abducted—or was it kidnapped? No, an alien being had abducted her from her home. She had no clue where she was or when he’d bring her back to Earth. What were his intentions? There was nothing interesting or special about her compared to the rest of the human race.
She sat in Dhiro’s home. The journey from the ship to his home had been an intense one. So many people stared at her, not even trying to be discreet about it. She felt like a monkey in a zoo.
Dhiro was an alien, but he wasn’t green with three fingers or anything like that. He looked human, well, the perfect specimen of a human. They all looked like humans. Beautiful people but bigger, stronger. The men were large, muscular, and well, just bigger than human males could ever aspire to.
The mask Dhiro had given her helped her to breathe. The air was a little thin, like being up in the mountains, but he promised her she’d acclimate very soon.
She sat on a sofa in an alien abductor’s home, sipping on what she imagined was oxygen. Other aliens were still visiting him, some constantly knocking on the door.
The buildings were dome-shaped, white, and minimalist.
His mother was also present, and she was looking at her with worry.
This was all too much. She enjoyed doing the research, not being the guinea pig.
Slowly, she lowered the mask, testing the air. It was a little thin still, but she could breathe. She didn’t want to keep wearing the mask since it made her stand out even more.
Dhiro entered the room, carrying a tray. “I see you’re finally stable.” He put the tray down on a table.
“Thank you.”
“Well, at least she has manners,” his mother said.
It sounded like they expected her to behave like an animal. Maybe that was what she was in their eyes. Their technology and lifestyle seemed far more advanced compared to life on Earth.
“I think it’s time for you to leave, Mother.” He got to his feet, and before Ella could complain or ask the woman to stay, Dhiro had her out of the door.
Gritting her teeth, she was now alone with her alien abductor. This was crazy.
She closed her eyes and counted to ten. Her stomach growled.
“You’re hungry. You must eat. May I present our prized fruit from our island?” He began to say names she didn’t recognize. “Let me feed you.”
She wanted to turn him down, but he hadn’t once been cruel to her
. All he’d done was save her from vicious wolves, bring her to an alien planet, make sure she could breathe, and now, he was going to feed her.
He was a good … person, from what she could tell.
At the flavor explosion from the fruit, she moaned. It was so tasty and juicy.
“That is incredible.” She closed her eyes as he gave her another piece.
More flavor explosion. Nothing like she’d ever tasted on Earth.
“We have plenty of fruits for you to enjoy, and many vegetables.”
She didn’t complain as he continued to feed her. Was this a custom for his people to feed their women? Either way, it was oddly … intimate. And titillating. She didn’t want to explore those feelings. She could claim the fruit was an aphrodisiac, but she knew damn well it was her own bodily reaction to Dhiro.
Don’t get used to this, Ella.
“You truly are beautiful,” he said. “I never expected to be attracted to a human. This has all been a learning experience.”
She smiled and averted her gaze.
“Have I offended you?”
“No, not at all. I’m not used to being called … beautiful.” This was cringeworthy. At twenty-four years old, she had zero experience with men. The few dates she’d been on had ended in disaster. None of the men liked her talking about rocks or meteorites. She was always called prude, cold, fickle. Of course, once she started to talk about alien lifeforms, well, they pretty much put her in the nutjob category and that was the end of the date.
Dhiro wasn’t like anyone she’d ever known.
He was another lifeform. As she thought about the reality of her situation, it really was fascinating. This was everything she’d been dreaming of since she was a girl. Ella wanted to absorb as much information as possible during her stay.
Everything about this adventure was new, including her connection with Dhiro.
“Well, the men on your planet are worse than corregs. You have no reason to worry about them. They are not worth your time.”
“You didn’t kill those men, did you?”
“No, of course not. I just dissuaded them from ever coming near you again.”
“You’ve been so nice to me,” she said.