Capturing Carmen

by K. A Knight

  “Sorry, there’s a dress on the bed for you,” she offers, quickly looking away from my body. I shrug, not bothered about being naked. Call it a naked protest for all I care, but I don’t want to put on anything those bastards give us.

  I notice the girls are all clean and put together, having obviously showered while I was knocked out. Daisy picks up her book and starts reading again. Tatiana lies down and goes to sleep like she always does when she’s panicked. Harlow plays with her dress as she stares at the ceiling, and Shiloh watches me in amusement as I pace around the room, picking things up and putting them back down before moving on.

  “You’re like a caged animal,” she jokes.

  “Anyone else scared?” Harlow asks randomly, and I stop my pacing to face them.

  Tatiana wakes up just then. “Huh?” she inquires, still sleepy.

  “I mean, I have known forever that this would happen, but it was easy to ignore when it was in the future… now that I know it’s happening… I’m scared. What if they’re mean, what if they don’t understand us, what if they treat me like shit? I don’t want to spend the rest of my life on my back as nothing but an alien baby incubator.”

  I stop at her feet and wrap my hand reassuringly around her ankle, while Tatiana grabs her hand and Daisy reaches across and grips the other. Shiloh gets up and snuggles next to her on the sofa. I look around at the girls with a frown.

  “Listen to me, they will understand you, our translator chips have seen to that.” I point at the translator chip in my neck, implanted inside us as kids so we can understand the aliens. “They have been without women for a long time… so they might be rough. But they are all vetted before we are given to them. They won’t be mean. They will love you for what you stand for… a future,” I assure them softly.

  Daisy nods. “For once, Car is right.”

  I snort, then in a lighter tone add, “Plus, if you really hate them, just pick a different set of aliens at the pub, there are enough of them.” They all laugh at my joke. My humour works because Harlow is smiling now and that’s all that matters. “Harlow, if you don’t want to be an alien incubator, don’t. Tell them. Set the rules.”

  “Easy for you to say,” Tatiana counters.

  “She’s right, you’re so strong and confident, Car, we aren’t like that. Hell, you even know how to defend yourself,” Harlow agrees.

  “And you’re smart, resourceful, and charming. Tatiana you are loyal, smart, beautiful, and adaptable. Shiloh, you’re crazy, fearless, and smart too. And our Daisy? She’s no wilting flower, as much as she pretends to be. She’s smart as hell and I’m betting she can kick serious ass if she needs to. We all can. We never got to pick our future, but we can choose how we deal with it. Do that. Be who you want, start new. Without the Harvest House and all the pressures, be who you want to be. This is a fresh start for us all,” I conclude.

  “Shit, when did you get so smart?” Shiloh blurts out in a surprised tone, breaking the somber mood and making us all laugh.

  “Hush, you. Now, who wants the birds and the bees talk?” I tease. Harlow groans and kicks me. I go down giggling as I fall onto the floor. “You see, when the alien penis enters the human vagina…” I start and they all laugh, including Daisy.

  Happier now, I start my pacing again, keeping my eye on them to make sure they aren’t stuck in their own heads worrying.

  “I swear, your mates are going to have to lock you up,” Tatiana comments with a laugh.

  I wink at her, but carry on prowling until a beep comes from the door and it slides open to reveal Vew. He scans the room to make sure we’re all still here. His gaze pauses on me when I stop in front of the sofa, crossing my arms under my breasts. His eyes dart down to them before he scowls and looks at my face. Clearly, someone is annoyed about being drugged.

  “Aww, Captain, you mad a little girl got one up on you?” I tease.

  He growls, stepping closer. “You are a vekking idiot,” he hisses. “Because of you, all of the Harvest Girls will be given over early. Congratulations, Carmen, you single-handedly vekked the whole ceremony and plans.” He sounds mad, he must be if he’s swearing… I’m way too excited.

  “Thank you, thank you very much.” I bow dramatically, still grinning.

  “You vekking gretan,” he spits. “You nearly cost me my job.”

  “Oh, you poor alien baby,” I coo with a pout. “Maybe you shouldn’t have gotten distracted by human pussy?” I taunt.

  He steps closer, gripping my chin hard enough to bruise. “Keep pushing me, see what happens.” He steps back then, sweeping his gaze down my body. “You’re nothing but a hole to mate, the sooner you learn that the better.”

  I hear Daisy gasp and Shiloh mutter, “Oh shit,” as I step forward. Curling my hands into fists, I wait until he’s distracted, and then knee him in his alien junk. He goes down hard, growling and swearing as he kneels, covering his hurt male parts. Then I grab his pointy ears and smash my knee into his face.

  “How does that feel, Captain Cunt?” I spit, grinning as I step back and watch as he spits blood onto the carpet. I turn to the others, grinning, and they laugh until I see Shiloh’s face whiten. I don’t spin in time to stop it, but I see the fist coming for my face.

  This is going to hurt, I think, right as it connects, and then I’m out cold.

  4

  Kronk

  My chains rattle as I lean against the reinforced stone wall. The others are still sleeping, I can hear their steady breathing. I sense the night still closing in on us as dawn tries to break through. Blood drips from my bound wrists to the stone floor below, the carpet was ripped up long ago in this section of our house. My wrists are rubbed raw from struggling through the bloodlust during the night. Dents and blood cover the walls in this room, but as I peer through the open doorway leading into the living space, I can see our racks of weapons covering the walls there. We have used each one before, and used them well.

  Settling back once again, I wait for one of the others to wake up and unlock me. Even here, in my own house, I am shackled away. If I wasn’t, I would break free and kill them all, murder everyone on this vekking planet without even meaning to. The thought should bother me, but it doesn’t. I’m a warrior, it’s what we do. But a warrior without a war doesn’t just stop fighting. The need for blood, to feel my weapons cutting through bones and skin doesn’t go away. It goes hand in hand with my desire, and I shiver in lust, my cock springing to attention at the thought as my horns and eyes darken in need. Leaning my head back, I close my eyes and ram my horns into the wall behind me, the pain reminding me of where we are.

  Urges war inside of me, the need to kill and bathe in blood mixing with pain until I’m heaving in air, fighting the chains once more. It’s all it takes for my mind to slip into madness again. I only have moments of clarity. It’s said when a Klan meets their mate, she softens them… offers them peace. I doubt anyone could soften me or my Klan. The moments of clarity are few and far between, and over the years they have grown rarer and I have stopped fighting the madness. It feels good, it keeps us alive and feared.

  I tilt my head when I hear someone’s breathing falter and feet slap on the floor, heading my way. Ryx appears and leans against the doorway, watching me, his tail wrapped around his leg and his horns slightly darkened. It seems I’m not the only one suffering tonight, fighting the urges that rise from living over a century without a mate.

  “Going to try and kill me?” he asks around a yawn, fingering the key to my chains.

  “There would be no trying, I would,” I retort.

  He snorts but moves towards me, realising I’m not going to attack him, that my mind is clear. If he only knew how much the madness has consumed my brain, my very soul. It’s there now, a part of me, no mate will save me.

  I automatically assess him, noting and discarding the weapons on his body. It would be easy, as he leans over to unlock the chains, to wrap them around his neck and squeeze, or take the dagger from his side a
nd slit his throat.

  As I shake the thoughts away, Ryx smiles, showing me that he knows what I was thinking as he strokes his dagger. I would never do it, of course, I couldn’t kill my Klan, they are safe from me. It’s everyone else on this planet who is not.

  The chains snap free and Ryx is no longer in front of me, but at the doorway again. I get up slowly, rolling my shoulders back, not really feeling any pain. I watch as the cuts on my wrists heal instantly, and then I step into the living space. Ryx follows and I sense when Xal appears as well, silent for such a large man. Vrid is the last to arrive, still half asleep as he shuffles in. Prowling around the room, I wonder why we’re fighting this darkness. I don’t want to. I need to feel someone die by my hands, to see the light leave their eyes and coat my body with their blood. My cock pulses again at the thought.

  Xal watches me silently from his position against the wall. Ryx and Vrid are eating at the table, ignoring me since they are used to my aggressive behaviour by now.

  “You’re getting worse,” Xal comments suddenly, and every eye goes from him to me.

  I clench my fists, digging my claws into my palms, gouging them. Xal says nothing else, which is not surprising as he’s usually almost always silent. I feel Vrid assessing me, his medical training doubtlessly kicking in. I go to speak when I suddenly feel it.

  Feel her.

  We all jerk, turning to look into the dawn-stained sky, our hearts racing and bodies like stone. It can’t be, but it is. I can feel her, feel the draw, feel the bond stretching and stinging.

  “It’s her,” I snarl. My cock aches and stands to attention inside my pants, ready to mate.

  An evil grin crosses my face as my horns go black. We will be fighting today, for her, and we will win. Poor little human... let’s hope she’s not breakable.

  5

  Carmen

  I gotta stop waking up like this.

  My head is groggy and my vision swims as I slit my eyelids open. I go to wipe the sleep from my eyes when I realise my arms are bound above me.

  What the actual fuck?

  I startle for a moment, thinking I’m back in Pinky and Greeny’s lab. I can’t handle another vial of blood being tipped down my throat. But as I look around, I can see that I couldn’t be in a more different place.

  I’m on top of a mountain.

  A big fucking mountain.

  It’s nighttime, and above me, several moons sit brightly in the dark sky with thousands of stars glistening around them.

  So they do have stars…

  But it’s what’s below me that I’m most interested in. I don’t even have to look to know they are there—my mates.

  Hundreds of aliens are scattered around the base of the mountain. Each and every one of them looking fiercer than the next. Klans upon Klans, all adorned with sinister weapons and snarls on their faces. I had expected something interesting when I was given to my new mates. But this? This is crazy, even for my standards.

  I fucking love it.

  Placed along the grass-covered mountain are various obstacles. I see dark pools of liquid and patches where sharp, metal spikes protrude from the ground. Trees and various foliage are cluttered here and there, making some areas impassable. The environment also seems to be manipulated, controlled by the aliens. Below me, a low hanging cloud releases buckets of rain near the base of the mountain, while another closer to where I’m bound dumps snowflakes the size of my head.

  Then there’s the crowd. Sitting on hovering benches that remind me of bleachers one might see in a gymnasium, are hundreds of aliens and even a few humans. The aliens are clearly of the same race—the Totiv—but have significant differences. Some have green skin, while others are blue or red. Some have massive wings sprouting from their backs, while others have tails or horns. It seems everyone has come to watch the games. I can only surmise, however, since I’m bound up here, that the Klans have to battle for me, that I’m the prize should they win.

  My pussy clenches in excitement. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I’ve been dreaming about my alien mates my whole life, visualising what they might look like, taste like. And now the day has come. The very fucking moment I’ve been dreaming of.

  I feel my nipples tighten behind the flimsy white dress they’ve put me in.

  I mean, seriously?

  I’m the prize in what’s sure to be a bloody fucking battle and they dress me in a see-through white dress? This is like the beginning of those shitty horror movies the girls and I used to watch at Harvest House—helpless girl in a sheer gown tied to something before the monsters come to get her.

  Only in this movie, the girl is just as fucked up as those that pursue her.

  A hovercraft flies over, its bright yellow lights shining down upon me. As my body illuminates, I can hear the aliens below begin to roar, stomping their feet, hooves, or claws. Howling and growling, even some screeching, reaches my ears. I know I should be a little bit scared, but all I feel is excitement. If that makes me a little fucked up, then so be it.

  “Congratulations to all of the Klans chosen to participate tonight,” a booming voice from above sounds, and I’m so grateful for the translating chip, allowing me to understand the alien language. “Tonight, we have thirty-five Klans, numbering over a hundred participants, each vying for a shot at winning the grandest prize of them all—their mate.”

  Shouts and hollers erupt from the Klans while the audience claps and cheers. I pull on my restraints, trying to get a better look down the mountain so I can scope out the ones I want to win. But they’re too far away for me to see them properly.

  “Her blood has been tested, and each Klan in attendance was found to be a match in varying degrees. Klans, I’d like to introduce you to your future mate, Carmen.”

  My body erupts in chills. Hearing my name called out over this alien stadium is just fucking surreal. For a moment, I thought I was the next contestant on The Price is Right.

  “Klans, on your marks. Steady… Begin!”

  The clanging of metal against metal reaches my ears. Swords, daggers, and weapons I’ve not yet learned the names of flash in a blur below me. I can hear the screams of the wounded and smell the metallic scent of blood already spilled on this night. My mouth starts to water, wanting another taste of the crimson liquid. I remember how good my body felt during the testing when a matched Klan’s blood absorbed into my skin, causing a deep desire to warm my chest.

  Even with just a vial, my body grew hot with lust and desire. Imagine what I might feel like with an entire cup, or even better, drinking right from the source like some fucked up human vampire.

  Yesss.

  So, that’s happening.

  As the battle below me moves farther up the mountain, the hovering bleachers rise up along with them. I can start to see the aliens better now. They are purple skinned and have black horns on their heads in varying sizes. A tail juts out from above their asses, but the ends of them are all different. Some are spiked like those dinosaurs whose names I don’t fucking remember. Others have needle-like projections sticking out of them, making me wonder if they’re poisonous.

  A warrior with a needle tail stabs another in the neck. He quickly falls to his knees, gripping his throat as white foam coats his lips and his black eyes start to bleed.

  Yep.

  Definitely poisonous.

  I kinda like the idea of tails. Watching them swish and twitch behind the warriors they’re attached to makes me hot. I can imagine them wrapped around my wrists, holding me down. Or slithering around my neck, lightly choking me during breath play. Hell, maybe those ones with flat ends would be good for spanking?

  God, I hope so.

  The leading Klans come up to a water obstacle as others continue to fight their way up the mountain. I can’t figure out the depth from way up here, but it looks to be no more than twenty feet across. As the aliens edge nearer, I can tell they’re nervous. They begin to regroup with the rest of their Klans. My guess is they’re t
rying to devise a way across.

  I search their faces when my gaze lands on one.

  The one.

  He’s perfect.

  Horns black as night, with one of them broken in half, probably during some epic battle. Scars line his face, only accentuating his rugged good looks. His dark eyes narrow on me, connecting with my gaze, and my heart literally fucking stops. He bares his fangs at me and beats his chest with one clenched fist, while his long tail flicks behind him.

  I know he’ll be the one to win me.

  I force myself to pull my eyes from his promising stare, and trail my gaze down his body. Other than a black sash across one shoulder, he’s bare-chested. His torso looks much like a human’s, but broader, bigger. Muscle upon corded muscle ropes along his abdomen, clenching as he breathes hard from battle.

  His pants remind me of something a soldier would wear. Not too baggy, not too loose, with pockets and zippers to contain various weapons. His tail flickers behind his back as he leans towards the male next to him.

  I follow that movement, my eyes fixing on another alien with the same black sash. The sash has an emblem on it, like a coat of arms. Squinting my eyes, I see that it’s two weapons, like swords, crossed. They must be Klan members. I look around them for other competitors wearing the sash and find two more, both are still climbing the lower part of the mountain and decimating anyone in their path. They fight with the grace of dancers and the fierceness of caged animals.

  It’s breathtaking.

  None of the Klans cross the water until they have found all their members. A red-sashed Klan with some type of plant on it unites and takes tentative steps into the water, but they jump back quickly when a shark-like creature, complete with back fins and spikes, launches itself out of the water and snaps at the aliens who dared disturb his home.