THE RED MIST TRILOGY: The Box Set

by R T Green

She was gone. She’d said nothing aggressive or threatening, and yet the dread was back in my stomach. It could have been the chilling monotones in her voice.

  The hours passed, but they seemed like minutes. Lost in my inner turmoil, time had no meaning. Lisa brought me lunch, but delicious though it was I could only nibble at it. There was no sign of the mysterious LaTiri, no indication of anything at all going on around me.

  My blue friends allowed me to press the door button, stand in the doorway. The metal-walled walkway was narrow, stretching away a short distance either side. No one was around, and I could hear nothing other than an almost-imperceptible hum. A few doorways punctuated the walls. I counted ten doors, including my own.

  Logic said this was the crew’s quarters. Maybe there was more accommodation, somewhere else. But I doubted it... Lisa had called it a shuttle, so it likely wasn’t too big. And if my theory was correct, I’d already eliminated six of its occupants.

  Could it be the all-powerful LaTiri now only had an entourage of three?

  Four against one. Not bad odds. Almost the same as it was back in Zana’s apartment.

  But then I had a weapon. And she was there with me.

  The day must have given way to evening when she finally came. Still no watch, no way to tell. She walked in with her damn confident grace, closely followed by Lisa, carrying a huge tray of food.

  As she placed it on the table, I tried to look her in the eyes. She wouldn’t look back to me. And still she seemed as unhappy as hell, scurrying out of the room without a word.

  LaTiri’s hand drifted across my shoulder. ‘We shall eat together this evening. If you do not mind.’

  ‘Do I actually have a choice?’

  ‘Of course. You are my guest.’

  I ignored the fact I didn’t have a choice on that one. ‘You may sit,’ I said, cringing inside at my probably-foolish sarcasm.

  She didn’t rise to it, instead just smiled as she sat opposite me. ‘Thank you.’ She removed the covers from the food, and wonderful aromas drifted around the room. ‘How are you feeling?’

  ‘Confused.’

  ‘I am sure you have many questions.’

  ‘Would you answer if I asked?’

  She speared a three-pronged fork into something I didn’t recognise, nestling in a light brown sauce, and leant into me so our faces were close, holding the fork next to my lips. ‘You must try this, it is exquisite,’ she said softly.

  I took the food, and intense flavours burst into my mouth, a perfect combination of hot and sour tantalising every taste bud I possessed. ‘That’s gorgeous. What is it?’

  A sad expression clouded her face. ‘It is a rare delicacy from my home, similar to the mushroom species on Earth. But unfortunately it is the last we have. That is why I wanted to share it with you.’

  ‘Why? Why me, LaTiri?’

  She fed me another piece of the food to die for. ‘Please, call me Tiri. The La is merely a prefix, you do not need to use it.’

  ‘A prefix? Meaning what?’

  She hesitated a moment. ‘In my culture, it denotes someone of noble descent.’

  I tried to hide my surprise, but probably didn’t do a very good job. ‘So you... you’re a princess or someone equally royal-ish?’

  ‘Something like that.’

  ‘Aw come on, Tiri... I need to know if I should bow or curtsy?’

  She laughed, took my hand. ‘You ask too many questions, Madeline. But for you, I will answer.’

  ‘I’m all ears.’

  ‘Calandura is a tiny planet, much smaller than your Earth. It is divided into three segments, a little like your continents. I am the queen of the Eastern Segment.’

  Chapter 95

  She’d stunned me, but I wasn’t going to let her know it. ‘Curtsy then.’

  She poured a little more of the equally-delicious wine, handed it to me. ‘You are funny, Madeline. I like your wit.’

  ‘And how do you know my name anyway?’

  ‘Zana informed us of your identity, before she betrayed us.’

  I felt my eyes misting up, fought away the emotions trying to embarrass me. ‘She didn’t betray you, just saw the error of your ways.’

  A fleeting look of anger passed across her face, but then she forced a smile. ‘You must allow me to disagree with you over that. Zana was committed to the cause, until... until you.’

  A wave of dread tried to floor me. Tiri knew too much for my own good. I tried to keep my voice from shaking. ‘So you hold me responsible, yet you invite me into your room, and feed me wonderful food?’

  She turned away, wouldn’t look at me. ‘I need to know what Zana saw in you.’

  ‘And are you finding out?’

  ‘I am beginning to.’ She stood, pulled another silver bottle of wine from one of the cupboards that refused to open for me. She sat next to me, our bodies close, and ran long fingers gently through my hair. ‘For a human, you are... desirable.’

  Oh fuck. That’s what this is about. My desirability is the only thing keeping me alive. Suddenly I had to fight to keep control of my emotions, not let her see I was quaking in my bare feet. Change the subject. ‘So no king for the queen of Calandura then?’

  She laughed, but there was no humour in it. It was almost like I’d said something insulting. ‘King? No Madeline, far from it. There are no kings on my planet.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘I assume Zana did not tell you much about her world?’

  ‘Not really. Most of the time there was rather a lot of other things going on.’

  ‘I can imagine. Allow me to fill in the blanks. On Calandura, women outnumber men by three to one, a ratio growing larger with each passing year. Apart from a handful of good men, our males are pathetic, useless creatures, fit enough only to work as servants. And expendable, if necessary.’

  ‘Wow. Girl power rules then.’

  ‘Quaintly put, but yes it does. The very idea of a king is laughable.’

  Yeah, I heard the humourless laugh. I’m all for girl power, but it still chilled me to the bone. I tried to lighten the mood. ‘Three to one. Calanduran guys must get lots of sex then?’

  She was not amused. ‘You do not understand, Madeline. Centuries ago we were like you, the norm being for a woman and a man to pair up. When the number of males began to decline, and our women grew in stature, sexual preferences changed. Today, sexual activity is genderless. In fact, most women prefer to enjoy intimacy with another woman. That is now the norm.’

  That explains how Zana and me got it together so quickly then.

  Chapter 96

  The wine was intoxicating. Tiri kept pouring, I kept drinking. But it wasn’t enough to stop me thinking. I wanted answers, and with my host in a chatty mood, it could well be the best opportunity I had to get her to spill.

  ‘Why am I here, Tiri?’

  ‘I told you, you are here for me.’

  Ok, wrong angle. ‘So why are you here? All the way to Tobago, for little me?’

  ‘Madeline, we are covering old ground. I wanted to see why Zana fell in love with you. Calandurans are incapable of this strange human phenomenon you call love.’

  ‘Maybe you don’t know your own people as well as you think, your highness.’

  She didn’t seem to like that. ‘Please don’t try and be smart. You are in no position to do so.’

  Ok, give you that one, my queen. Trapped on an alien shuttle, shackled by bangles that won’t be argued with, at the mercy of a vengeful moody royal... she made a valid point. I was clinging onto survival only because I fascinated her.

  I tried to stop a sudden shudder. Don’t think I managed it.

  I smiled as sweetly as I could. ‘Please Tiri, tell me about that day. You seem to have known everything that was going on. How?’

  She didn’t look too thrilled about answering, but filled my glass and sighed. ‘It will do no harm to tell you now. One of Zana’s colleagues grew concerned, told me he feared she was turning.’<
br />
  ‘That would be Arik then.’

  For a millisecond she hesitated. ‘Yes. Zana’s communications became less regular, and I began to suspect something was wrong. But I wasn’t sure. Then we could not raise any of the others. I felt there may be danger, but we were very close to London by then.’

  ‘So you got off the mother-ship and saved your own skin, just in case anything happened, yeah?’

  ‘No,’ she snapped. ‘The mission was to confront Zana, and if she had turned, replace her.’

  ‘So the queen of Calandura went on a confrontation mission?’ I stopped myself saying the next bit, reminding my gob of the precarious position it and me were in.

  Her head lowered, she spoke quietly. ‘I am of noble descent. If the worst was to happen, it was important I survived.’

  So you did clear off to save yourself. I chickened out from saying it in actual words. Instead I asked another question. ‘Were you watching us all the time?’

  ‘No, it was too difficult. Zana’s communication disc went live, and we knew she was in her apartment. It seems there was a fight, but then with all the confusion and the humans gathering outside, we lost you. Shortly after, one of the team reported he was chasing you, approaching the river. That was the last we heard from him.’

  I bet it was. It’s difficult transmitting from the bottom of the Thames.

  ‘By the time we reached the bridge you had gone. The mist was falling, we could not find you until a short while later, when Zana’s beacon began transmitting.’

  ‘Bet that surprised you.’

  ‘It gave me hope. I began to believe she was still loyal after all. My shuttle headed for the beacon, we had sight of you both on the hill. It was only then I realised, too late, what Zana’s plan was.’

  ‘So why didn’t you eliminate us, there and then?’

  ‘The mother ship was over the top of the hill. Zana’s weapon was firing into its belly. I knew what the weapon contained, and that there might be flash burn from it. If even the tiniest particle had hit my shuttle, we would have perished too.’

  ‘So you turned and ran?’ I bit my lip again, the wine giving me courage I really didn’t possess. But Tiri hadn’t heard my words. He face looked strained, contorted by bitter sadness, and there were tears in her eyes. When she spoke, it was a whisper.

  ‘The destruction of the mother ship and all aboard it was inevitable. I had to make a decision, but in truth it was the only one I could take. The fate of the many had been sealed by you and Zana. The fate of the few remaining Calandurans on Earth was in my hands. We retreated to a safe distance, and waited. By the time we returned to the scene, it... it was all over. There was no sign of you or Zana.’

  She looked devastated, and I couldn’t help myself. I felt sorry for her. They were her people after all, the ones I helped to kill.

  She looked into my eyes, and her desolation bore into me. ‘Do you understand now, Madeline? Would you not have done the same, to protect the last of your people?’

  Yes, I would.

  Chapter 97

  Tiri took my hand. ‘Come, it is getting late. You have been kind to me, now I want to show my appreciation.’

  ‘You taking me home?’

  She laughed. ‘No, Madeline. You have yet to discover the delights my couch has to offer.’

  Wondering what she meant by that, I allowed her to lead me into the alcove. She was controlling me, dominating my emotions with her own, wielding her power with one hand and giving away her vulnerability with the other. And now I was to be rewarded for my kindness?

  It kind of chilled me.

  But there was no choice. If I was to buy some time to work out how to escape, I had to play the willing captive. Up to a point, anyway.

  I could feel the blood coursing through my veins, a strange mix of apprehension and anticipation growing with each passing second. Tiri dimmed the lights, and a mellow pink glow bathed the room in a warm, soothing aura.

  She stood behind me, gentle hands delicately massaging my shoulders, drifting down my back and tightening around my waist. She kissed my neck, again and again, the caress of her lips so much like Zana’s.

  Oh Zana, where are you? I need you, not Tiri. She reminds me so much of you, but my heart knows the difference.

  Gentle hands lowered to my hips, and I felt the thin white gown sliding against my skin as she lifted it, higher and higher, passing it over my head. I could feel her warm breath on my neck, pimpling my skin as her breathing grew shorter, more erratic.

  ‘You are so beautiful, Madeline,’ she whispered, like thunder in my ear. What? This is the woman who brought me here by brute force? What game is she playing?

  ‘Lie down,’ she said softly.

  Whatever the couch had in store for me, I was about to find out. And my legs seemed to be turning to jelly anyway. I stretched out, Tiri’s hands guiding me, caressing me, making sure I was exactly where she wanted me.

  She leant over me, kissed me on the forehead. Her fingers sliced through my hair, long nails gouging my scalp, the feel of my hair between her fingers delighting her. But then she straightened up, her green eyes flaming with passion, her breathing sharp and rapid.

  ‘Enjoy...’ she whispered.

  I could feel movement underneath me, all around me. Something was coming out of the couch. Fronds of blue, tinged with red, like flames... but solid, and warm not hot. What is this? I cried out, a moment of fear getting the better of me, looked to Tiri for reassurance. ‘Do not be afraid, and don’t move... not a muscle. Let it happen...’

  The fronds were all around me, curling into tight spirals and uncurling again, mesmerising me, taking me away somewhere, playing with my subconscious. I was a mermaid on the ocean floor, laid on a bed of soft coral, wrapped in the tall thin leaves of an undersea plant, given a life of its own by the movement of the water.

  All my fear, all my thoughts were gone. I was no longer me, just a spirit made of nothing but incredible sensations.

  The fronds were curling around me, delicate texture like the finest silk caressing my skin, cocooning me and then opening up, arousing my desire with whatever magic stimulant it was they were dispensing into me. Knowing where to touch me, when to be firm, when to drift away and tease me.

  I was frozen with pure ecstasy, afraid that if I moved it might disturb the fantasy dance I was the centre of. Tears of utter joy welled up in my eyes, waves of sensual, sexual longing washed over me, like the warm tropical ocean it seemed had enveloped my body.

  My eyes wouldn’t see, but I could hear Tiri’s sharp breath as she stood by the side of the couch, watching me. And her excitement was beaming into me, getting me high without even being touched.

  The longing grew, fuelled by the fronds furling and unfurling across every part of me. My inner ocean was swelling, the coral supporting me writhing beneath me. Bubbles of oxygen began to rise from the ocean floor, bursting around me like fireworks, flooding my world with intense, white light.

  Please, I need to touch myself, bring joyous release. I was immobile, paralyzed by the magical undersea world that delighted and taunted me, unable to reach the place that needed my touch so desperately.

  But something got there first.

  The fronds between my legs were turning fiery red, performing their wavy dance around my crotch. The leaves of constantly moving silk brushed against me, danced away again, teasing my sex and making me scream in perfect frustration... then pressing back against me, harder, tasting the edge of my wetness, killing me with the anticipation of what must surely come.

  So high then, and yet frozen in this tropical marine paradise. Totally at the mercy of the fronds that knew exactly what they were doing.

  It was inside me... one of the fiery dancers, curling into a tight spiral and entering me. Please, don’t go. I could feel it, more than all the others, pulsing gently inside me, mirroring the pounding beat of my heart. Teasing me, making me angry, needing more. Give me more...

  And then I fel
t it begin to unfurl, sinking deeper and deeper into me, making me gasp for breath.

  Then more fronds were filling me, curling and unfurling... thrusting, expanding and contracting, an erotic symphony of constant movement inside me. My ocean became a whirlpool, a vibrant mass of swirling blue filled with bubbles of white bursting around my body, blasting hot steamy air into the fronds, making them tighten and cocoon every part of me.

  I was a willing prisoner, trapped in an undersea world from which there was no escape, except for the release I didn’t want but had to accept. Painful beyond perfection, my maritime companions knew it was time for the crescendo to peak.

  I exploded, tightening like a vice around my tiny dancers, unable to move any other part of my body, tears streaming down my face as a never-ending climax became the only thing in my watery world. Pulses of heavenly pain flooded through me, vibrated every atom of my body into a mess of electrically-charged sparks, which slowly, beautifully, died away as the tide washed me up onto the beach, the fronds faded back into the couch, and I was left to bask exhausted on the sand.

  My misted eyes noticed movement. Tiri took my shaking hand, kissed my fingers. ‘We are here for each other now, that is what matters. I look after you, and you look after me.’

  ‘I don’t think I have done very much looking after you.’

  She was sitting next to me on the couch, still smiling. But suddenly her voice was cold. ‘Perhaps. But I hope you will.’

  Suddenly I wasn’t basking on the beach anymore. The tide was coming in, trapping me on a sandbank. She leant right over me, a hand slipping behind my neck and grabbing my hair. I could feel it pulling at the roots, her hand shaking, her eyes blazing into me...

  ‘You will be there for me, won’t you, Madeline?’

  What do I say? This is likely the only thing keeping me alive. I forced a brain fogged by a mind-blowing orgasm and hair being tugged out at the roots to think.

  Those green eyes weren’t leaving mine, boring icicles right into my head. ‘Well, Madeline?’