Devoured

by Stone, Piper

  “You. Are. Everything.” His dark statement was so poignant, even though his mannerisms were suffocating, my throat seizing.

  I was unable to resist him, arching into him until the light touch of his hand was more powerful than his brutal actions. I palmed his chest, kneading his muscles. I was so aroused, my skin tingling.

  He placed one hand on the back of my head, digging his fingers in as he pulled me closer until I was on my tiptoes. “Beautiful. Amazing.” As he crushed his mouth over mine, I was thrown into the series of fantasies I’d had, the longing that had transcended time and space. My eyes were closed yet I could still see his face, the very one that had haunted me.

  Why was this happening? Was it possible I now belonged to him because of a chemical reaction of some sort? No. No! I had to remain rational.

  Even if the kiss was more passionate than any before, his tongue dominating mine. The feel of his throbbing cock jutting between my legs was far too stimulating, my pussy clenching and releasing several times. With a mere touch of his fingers, I could explode in a dazzling orgasm. I was rattled from the thought, my body stiffening in a defense mechanism.

  I pushed hard against him, struggling to get out of his hold.

  Draziak didn’t make a sound, merely breaking the connection but so many emotions rolled through his expressive eyes. “We remain here for tonight. We take off again tomorrow.”

  “Why tomorrow?”

  “As I already told you, I am in search of an item.”

  I was shocked he’d answered, although I could tell that once again, he was hiding something significant, a piece of the ever-growing puzzle. When he walked away, a slight stagger in his step occurred, forcing him to grip the back of the couch. What the hell was going on with him?

  “What item? What was stolen from you?”

  He laughed bitterly. “That is likely in a glass case secured by many of your soldiers.”

  What could be so incredibly valuable to humans?

  “I also need to locate another valuable tool before it is discovered,” he added, his voice trailing off. He was definitely in a weakened state.

  “Fine.” He was also blowing off the conversation, unable to trust me. “Draziak, talk to me. I really do want to learn more about what occurred. Maybe that will help me remember.”

  “Only when you are ready.”

  Ready. Who the hell was he kidding?

  I opened my mouth twice, trying to figure out what to say. “I may have dreams that can’t be explained, but I refuse to believe that I’ve been a part of some crazy experiment. That makes no rational sense whatsoever. I am not your mate, no matter what...” My God, I could barely say the words, let alone believe them.

  “You will remember.”

  “Jesus.” After taking a deep breath, I thought about the dig itself, how the expedition had come about and about the carvings I’d found. “Answer me this one question. Am I to assume that there were no children on your ship when you arrived on Bellenia?”

  He turned toward me, narrowing his eyes.

  “We were a battleship, Annabella. Children are infrequent amongst our kind, our genetics disposed to having no more than one newborn. The survival rates are atrocious given the horrific conditions of our planet. Children who live past infancy are highly revered. Why?”

  Such a tragedy for his people all the way around. I was beginning to believe every word he said, the experiences he and so many others had been forced to endure. I also couldn’t deny that this Scorpion had sabotaged them. How much so was the question and how did I fit in?

  “Because I found a crude drawing in that damn cave, as if a child had drawn pictures of alien creatures. Someone planted them there. Didn’t they? A damn setup simply to further intrigue me. My God, I was used.” My own anger swelled, anxiety reaching a boiling point. What if I couldn’t remember anything useful? Would he put me to death or keep me caged like he’d promised?

  “A drawing. Very interesting. Your memory will give you the answers you need, little human.”

  “That means you don’t trust me.”

  He gave me another harsh look. “I can’t afford to trust anyone, Annabella. It may be the only way to save my people.”

  “I understand. Whether or not you believe me, if this Scorpion was performing the kind of horrible experiments you described, then anyone working with him deserves to die. The Federation also needs to be made aware, so they can begin a full investigation into what occurred,” I continued, pacing the room. “That is if they didn’t have a part in this. I will help you all that I can. The truth must be told.”

  “Then perhaps your memories will provide knowledge about your government.”

  “Does that mean your people will attack Earth?”

  He didn’t seem inclined to answer. While he wasn’t comfortable opening up with me, I could glean information in my own way. I just needed to throw out a bone.

  “It would seem that some people who were involved were murdered, including the father of one of the group members. From what I understand, both worked closely with this Scorpion.” I stole a glance in his direction, clearly able to see he was interested in what I had to say. Sandra had either been right in her assumptions, or she’d fed me the story knowing I would investigate further, falling into a predesigned trap. Was she a part of this horrific scheme? Anything was possible at this point.

  Draziak inched closer, taking a deep breath and I knew in my gut he was reading my mind.

  “Colonel Withers,” he huffed through clenched teeth. “The bastard.”

  Now we were getting somewhere.

  “Yes. His daughter, Sandra, is convinced that her father was murdered while working on some secret project in the jungle. Are we talking about the same thing?” The strange smile crossing his face was horrifying. My stomach lurched, my mind trying to grasp onto every scrap of information. “If what you say is true, Colonel Withers and the other dead members of this project got exactly what they deserved. Perhaps that will ease some of your pain.” While I’d embellished somewhat, I knew it was necessary to try to pull any answers out of the alien.

  Draziak took a deep breath. “Pain? You don’t understand the true meaning of pain. I failed my soldiers the day I agreed to land on this planet. My own arrogance in believing that we wouldn’t be made out as enemies if we cooperated was the very reason they are all dead. However, their deaths didn’t go completely in vain.”

  “What does that mean, Draziak? What did this mysterious person steal from you?” I demanded, my tone defiant as hell.

  “Another truth for you to hear, Annabella. The ability to rejuvenate our planet. Without the device, one that was stolen by another species prior to arriving on their wretched planet, there will be nothing left on Tretonia. If there is a way to save what’s left of my people, I will find it.”

  “And the equipment you brought with you from the cave?”

  “One of our communication devices. The majority were damaged or destroyed, with the exception of the one attached to my pod, a recreation by the wretched human scientists who failed in their recreation, one who betrayed the Scorpion in order to give us a chance at survival.”

  “Is it usable now?”

  He jerked the bag onto the table, yanking open the flap. As he lifted what appeared to be a small black panel with no discriminate markings he shifted his hand over the console and immediately the front glowed in the same hue of neon blue as the light he produced using his hand.

  “You can contact your planet,” I whispered. “You can return home. That’s exactly what you want.”

  He shook his head. “From what I’ve learned, the unit is blocked, unusable at this time, and even if I could make contact, I will not return home without what was stolen from my people.”

  “Your loyalty and conviction are amazing attributes, but you might die here without others of your kind.”

  “Then so be it,” he snorted. “I was stripped of my honor the day we landed on this planet. At leas
t I accept that I deserve to die.”

  I could see the intense look in his eyes as he lifted his head that he continued to believe I was working with this... human.

  “No, Draziak. You don’t deserve to die. Whoever this asshole was who did this is a sick fuck and he deserves your wrath. He made certain you were aware you couldn’t contact anyone given the depth of the cave, yet he hoped you’d try.” I laughed bitterly.

  “Yes,” he hissed, elongating the word. “For me, enduring the years of being wide awake, yet unable to move was torturous. Being unable to contact anyone on my planet was also extreme punishment. The capsules are designed for long space travel, not for imprisonment. Several were destroyed. The human scientists rebuilt several and those were placed in the cave. I have no doubt the technology was stolen and reproduced. For what purpose, I can only imagine. What I do know is that my warriors who were forced into the capsules were wide awake, the man responsible enjoying every moment of his victory.”

  “Who is this Scorpion? Please tell me. Maybe I have heard of him and can shed some light on why he did this.”

  He hesitated once again, even looking away from me.

  “I realize we have no reason to trust each other, but from what I can tell, you need a friend. Maybe you’re right and I am a catalyst of some kind. If that’s the case, then we need to figure out why. If I can help you find him, then that’s what we will do. I have nothing to lose. Nothing. I’m certain that if I’m a part of whatever this horrible game is, my world at home has been destroyed along with my identity. I have no family, growing up in foster care, which is something you have no clue about, but it was lonely as hell. And I have no idea why I’m telling you any of that. You don’t care.”

  “I do care, human.”

  Why did his soft words send a chill down my spine? “I’m now a loose end and I assure you, I won’t survive on my own.”

  Draziak cocked his head, taking several deep breaths. When he spoke, a portion of his anger was gone. “Agreed.”

  I took a minute, closing my eyes, struggling to see any images. Even one. “What’s strange is that I do have a feeling I’ve been here before.”

  “This place?”

  “The jungle, although even this building is familiar in some crazy fashion. I didn’t lie when I said I’ve never knowingly traveled to any of the outposts during my lifetime. Yet in my mind I can almost tell you things about the mountains and certain areas of the jungle that I couldn’t have read about. I don’t know how that’s possible.”

  “The members of this geological group, did you know any of them from before?”

  I faced the smudged window, palming the glass. The rain almost blotted out the vision of the gorgeous lagoon as well as the roaring sounds of the waterfall, but in my mind, I could see both on a beautiful sunny day. I could almost hear faint laughter as if I’d spent time with friends relaxing. How was that possible? “I know the leader of our group, at least to a point. He’s arrogant, a man who fashions himself to be the world’s best geologist. He believes whatever incredible minerals we locate in the caves will garner him fame and fortune.” I was beginning to wonder whether a single aspect held any truth.

  “His name,” he demanded.

  I could see his hulking frame in the reflection, his muscles tense.

  “Stephen Myers. Trust me, he’s no government operative. He’s been a professor for over twenty years, using sabbaticals in order to feed his desires for greatness.”

  “And the others?”

  “They are all on their... first real geological mission.” I cocked my head, realizing that none of the other five had even been on an expedition of this magnitude before. Why in God’s name would Stephen put together what he considered the most important mission of his life with geologists who were wet behind the ears? And me? The mission was an honor to even be asked to be included in. It took years to be accepted into a program regarding research on one of the outposts, no matter what field. I turned to face Draziak, struggling to get the note from my back pocket. “Okay, I haven’t been entirely honest with you. The girl I mentioned to you told me a crazy story about aliens, the very secret project her father was working on.”

  “Then she knows more than she is telling.” He took two long strides closer.

  As I stared at the now rain-soaked paper, the blots of ink had all run together. I groaned, crushing the note. “That’s what she said, information provided by some survivor of the project who later turned up dead. She gave me this, a note written by her father years ago.”

  “Survivor?” His voice had raised significantly, anger tinging every syllable.

  “She didn’t get his name, but this scientist insisted he was working on the same project as Colonel Withers. I gathered this mysterious informant was terrified for his life. He was killed in some tragic accident soon after the visit.”

  “That was no accident. The Scorpion killed anyone who crossed him.”

  My lower lip quivered, my heart racing. “Why, this monster’s need for power?”

  “Imagine if your Federation realized the Scorpion had twisted their mandated project, turning it into political and monetary gain for himself.”

  “Then this Scorpion would have been shut down, people of our Federation told of your existence. What could this mechanism do for our world?”

  “Provide energy unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard of,” he answered in a deep voice, struggling with his anger. “It could also help with rebuilding minerals, controlling plant generation.”

  “Including for weaponry?”

  “Yes.”

  Oh. My. God.

  I hadn’t expected any reaction, let alone answers from the stoic man, but the anger crossing his face was vibrant and dangerous, the veins on the side of his face protruding several centimeters. He stormed toward me and for a few seconds, I cringed, prepared for a solid blow. When he yanked the paper from my hands, unfurling the edges, his chest heaving, I tentatively placed a hand on his arm.

  He issued several exclamations in his native language, his jaw clenching.

  “I’m sorry, Draziak. I honestly had no idea what happened before I contracted to come here. I would never agree to harming any human, animal, or other species. That’s not who I am. You’re going to have to believe me.” I kept my tone soft, fearful of riling him even further. He’d suffered so much and while he deserved to exact revenge on the person responsible, he also needed to heal.

  He angrily tore at the piece of paper, realizing as I had that the note was a complete loss. As he tossed the pieces across the room, the ugly red flash from his hand shot across the room, incinerating a portion of one of the living room chairs.

  I shuddered, swaying on my feet. “Jesus. You have to control your anger.”

  “You can’t understand.”

  “You’re right. I can’t. I’m nothing more than a lowly human, but I’m not responsible in any way for what happened to you.” I retorted, retreating further away. The flash of his angry eyes forced me to look away, the tension between us awkward.

  “Your friend’s father was a part of the project. Colonel Grady Withers was there every time one of us was questioned. He was also responsible for exterminating several of our injured and his reason why? That there wasn’t a chance they’d survive. I wasn’t allowed to see or talk to them before a bullet was placed in their brains, their bodies dumped in shallow graves in the jungle. Immediately after that, the remaining soldiers from my ship were dragged to what others called a paradise, the very colony we seek. Not that my soldiers here fared any better, some of the greatest minds exterminated in much the same way, although the general skipped that event. I was forced to watch with my own eyes right before...” He suddenly walked away, hissing under his breath.

  “Right before what?” I trailed behind him, refusing to let this go.

  “A change in Scorpion’s protocol.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “After my people were killed
and before my warriors were led to the caves, the incident occurred, something that changed the course of everything we’d been through,” he said quietly.

  “The incident? You mean the one you’re convinced happened between us? Tell me what you remember.”

  The guttural sound coming from his throat was as terrifying as before. “It was the Scorpion’s great experiment, something not sanctioned by the upper level members of his staff.”

  “Go on. What was the intention?”

  “I was paired with you, the Scorpion certain our mating would work. Other members of my ship must have been used initially.”

  “But it didn’t work,” I said quietly.

  “I do not know. What I remember is being dragged like an animal in chains. Unfortunately, certain details are foggy. The Scorpion believed I would be easier to control after our mating, even though he’d drugged me before the event. I was already locked away, imprisoned for what I thought eternity before I remembered any of the ugly details.”

  “What... What happened?” I managed, my skin crawling. When he hesitated, I placed my hand on his arm. This time, he didn’t bristle.

  “You were in a cage. They forced me to take you, to claim you in every way. I was completely unable to resist your scent.” He growled, licking his lips as if the thought alone brought his primal urges to the surface.

  “No way. That has to be a contrived memory. I would remember something as horrific as being caged like... an animal, let alone being dragged to another planet. I would...” A cold shiver trickled down my spine. By the expression on his face, I could tell he was absolutely certain of what had happened. How could I forget being given to an alien for sexual experimentation? How? I searched my memory banks, trying to fast forward and relive every year since the Volkodans’ arrival. I should be able to remember eight years easily. A series of images and experiences rushed into my mind. The finish of college, a first internship in the mountains in Colorado. Another internship in...

  I shrank back, my nerves on edge, a voice filtering into my mind.