Desert World Savages

by Lace, Lisa

  "I am honored to sit in the halls of Kerdos," she said with a quaver in her voice. Rev hadn’t said anything about making a speech, but they seemed to be expecting something more. "I hope…" Tracy started then faltered. "I hope that one day you will have the same warm regard for me as I have for you."

  Ja-Idin Du’s expression was unreadable. His black eyes glittered in the candlelight. Tracy couldn't help but shiver again, remembering his fangs and his declaration that it would be better if she were dead. Fortunately, she did not have to look at him directly. Tev and Rev sat in the two center spots at the table. Tracy was on Rev's right, while Ja-Idin Du was on Tev's left.

  Tracy sat and turned to the upper-class Kerdim woman sitting on her other side, quickly taking in her long, straight nose and her high cheekbones. "Hello," said Tracy.

  The woman gave her a bored smile. "Hello, my lady."

  "Please, call me Tracy. What is your name?"

  "My name is Se-Trila. I am the daughter of the high lord governor of the Northern Reaches, Se-Margen."

  "Pleased to meet you," said Tracy.

  "Yes," said Trila slowly and without enthusiasm. She took a sip of her wine.

  Trila was an odd choice to be seated at the head table. Tracy could only surmise that she was someone's pick, perhaps Pa-Kregan's, as a potential mate for Tev. Though she was beautiful, Tracy knew right off that Tev wouldn't like her imperious attitude.

  "You weren't supposed to have this seat, were you?" said Tracy.

  "My lord thought it better to talk with the Aligned Worlds representative."

  "Yes," said Tracy, mimicking Trila's delivery.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Soft music from a quartet played in the background, though Tracy didn’t recognize any of the instruments. Food was served and taken away. There was so much, it was impossible to eat it all. Rev spent his time speaking with his brother and other nobles close to him, leaving Tracy feeling alone in the middle of a crowd. She supposed this was normal. Tracy was human, not Kerdim, and she had much to learn about this planet if she was to fit in.

  An ache filled her heart. She missed Earth. She even missed her job. As unsatisfying as it was, she knew her place there. There were people she could share her days with. She missed the big, messy planet filled with people who understood the idea of love, and she realized then that no matter how much she learned about Kerdos, she would always be an alien to its people, even if she ended up their queen.

  Rev was in a discussion with his brother and Pa-Kregan. It seemed to be getting very intense, and Ja-Idin Du was paying rapt attention. Clearly, she couldn't expect Rev to rescue her. Haughty Se-Trila was speaking with a man seated on her right. Tracy could do little else but stare at her food. She tried to look like she was enjoying herself for Rev’s sake, but she didn’t think it was working. Looking for something to amuse herself, she started scanning the tables, looking for a woman that Tev might like. He was Rev's brother, right? It only stood to reason that he'd share similar tastes.

  On the other hand, since scent was the dominant feature in choosing a mate among the Kerdim, how could she possibly evaluate whether Tev would find a woman sufficiently attractive? Still, she could fantasize. If Tev didn't find his own mate, Tracy imagined she'd be subjected to many long evenings just as boring as this.

  Note to self, Tracy thought. In the future avoid getting abducted by aliens. The dinner parties will kill you.

  Finally, the last course was removed and then began a long round of speeches from various ministers and governors expressing their sympathy and sadness for the recent tragedy, their faith in the governing abilities of the two newly elevated princes, and their hope for the future. If Tracy thought she was bored before, she had to stifle real yawns now, especially since she had to act like she was paying attention.

  Each speaker returned to one idea over and over: One of you guys get someone knocked up so we can get on with the business of the empire.

  How fucking romantic.

  Tracy had to fight the urge to squirm in her seat. She had become aware that she had one simple role and that was to pop out a royal baby at the first possible moment. It was the only reason these noble lords and ladies suffered her presence. Otherwise they couldn't have been less interested in her.

  And then Ja-Idin Du got up to speak. "Your Highness Ar-Teven, Your Highness Ar-Reven, High Advisor Pa-Kregan, lords and ladies of the noble houses of Kerdos, I bring greetings and condolences from the Aligned Worlds government."

  Tracy stared hard at Ja-Idin Du. She knew he was responsible for the destruction of the palace and the resultant deaths of those within. He continued, unfazed.

  "It indeed is a sad time for your fair planet. It is also a loss for the Enforcement Wing as well that two of our best officers must set aside their duties to take up their rightful places in the government of Kerdos."

  Tracy's eyes narrowed. Why was this man engaging in revisionist history? He was standing right next to Rev when he’d been given his sentence.

  "The Aligned Worlds government understands this is a difficult time for the people of Kerdos, and it is with a heavy heart that I must discuss a serious matter with you."

  Every muscle in Tracy's body tensed. What was the counselor up to? Rev was apparently concerned as well. He grabbed Tracy's hand and held it tightly.

  "As you know, Prince Ar-Reven took a mate. What he hasn't told you is that this woman is from a nonaligned world. Her whole planet is interdicted, and with good reason."

  Murmurs rose up from the assembled noble guests.

  Rev had a murderous look on his face. "I'm warning you, Du," said Rev, "stop this now."

  "Do you see what I mean? Even now, your prince defies the laws of the Aligned Worlds government by threatening its representative."

  Rev stood, his green skin darkening with the flush of his anger. "Du, continue to insult my mate, and you'll suffer more than threats."

  "Continue with this ridiculous mating of yours, and you'll see more than threats from the Aligned Worlds," spit Du. "A bill of interdiction for Kerdos rests in the hands of the Council of Nine now. Return the woman to her planet before events go too far to be repaired."

  The crowd had moved beyond muttering and grumbling. A number of lords shouted at Rev, others at Du, and then at each other. Tracy shrank back in her seat, watching the pandemonium in horror. Every split and shear in the government was on display, and real violence threatened to break out among the lords of Kerdos. The ladies began to exit the room.

  Suddenly, As-Sali came from behind the curtains of the dais and moved towards Rev, whispering something in his ear. He nodded tersely.

  "Come, Lady Tracy," said Sali. "It is best the men work this out for themselves. I'll take you back to your apartments."

  She turned to her mate. "Rev?" She didn't like any of this at all.

  "Go with her. I'll be along soon."

  "Come," urged Sali. "It is not safe for you."

  With a last look at Rev and the incited lords of Kerdos, Tracy left quickly, walking behind As-Sali.

  Instead of leading her through the front doors of the hall, Sali took Tracy through the curtains that hid the throne. Behind a huge tapestry was a set of doors leading outside. It was dark, and it took Tracy's eyes a long time to adjust to the faint light cast by the moons hanging like slivers in the night sky. The dryness of the night air hit her.

  "Come," said Sali. "We will walk around the palace to your rooms. It is safer that way."

  Tracy didn't like the sound of that. Her instinct was to turn back to Rev.

  "Your lord commands this," said Sali. "He is only thinking of your safety. When the lords conference, it is not safe to be in their company."

  Sali continued down a path, and Tracy followed her, if only to ask about that last comment. "Conference? That's one hell of a term for it. Does this happen often?"

  "Not often. It is a tradition that stretches back ages when there have been grave disagreements. The princes have been wo
rking all week to reach a consensus, but the matter of your 'mating' with my lord is a subject upon which no agreements can be made."

  The dismissive tone with which Sali said "mating" made Tracy stop in her tracks. Her unease bloomed into panic. Something was definitely off. She turned and ran back towards the throne room doors, back to Rev. Someone moved into her path. For a second, she thought it was Rev, but in the moonlight she saw it was his brother.

  "There you are," Tev said. "Come along. Ja-Idin Du is waiting to take you home."

  Tracy stood in front of Tev trying to control her terror. He stood over her, the same height as Rev, with the same bulk in his shoulders, arms, and chest. She knew the strength that was in that physique, and she was sure he could easily and quickly overpower her. She ran through her options quickly, and every path led to the same conclusion. Without Rev to protect her, she was in a bad situation.

  "You can't mean that," she said.

  "I am tired of the problems we've suffered because my little brother was foolish enough to attempt to mate you."

  She darted around Tev, thinking maybe she had speed and agility on her side. Maybe she could make it back to the throne room doors before he could catch her. Something grabbed her arm and jerked her back hard. She was staring up at Tev's eyes once again. This time they were filled with anger.

  So much for agility.

  With a grunt, Tev lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked, trying to free herself. She started screaming. "Rev! Help me! Help!"

  "He can't hear you. He's occupied right now with the conference. By the time it's over and he starts looking for you, your alien ass will be off our planet."

  Tev started moving quickly despite her squirming. He held on to her bottom tightly. His fingers dug into her flesh as she bounced along on his shoulder. They passed a large garden, then Tev moved onto a gravel path that took them through the woods. He exited the wooded area and continued up a rise to a large clearing.

  After thirty minutes of Tev’s jogging, Tracy began to feel nauseous. Her overstuffed stomach churned and threatened to spill. "I feel sick," she said.

  Tev looked over his shoulder and saw they were far from the palace. He stopped running and set her down. "You're a weak thing, aren't you?" he sneered.

  Tracy bent over and lost the contents of her stomach. Her retching racked her body, and unbidden tears filled her eyes. She had been through too much, really, she had. There was only so much a woman could take. A galactic government chasing her through the stars bent on making her pay for the crime of being human brought Tracy to the breaking point.

  She whirled towards Tev. "You think I'm weak, you bastard? You know who is not weak? Your brother! When he finds out what you've done, he'll make sure you know real pain."

  Tev shook his head slowly. "I don't think so. Rev was my brother long before he met you. The bond between us is as strong as that between Mikten and Phaben. No matter how much we fight, we can't really hurt each other."

  Mikten and Phaben.

  Tracy remembered that story. It was a legend Rev had told her as they walked, stranded on the desert sands of another world. Mikten was the mate of Queen Endra, and Phaben was his twin brother. Phaben had a thing for Endra and slipped into her bed whenever he could. Cuckolded Mikten was torn between loyalties to his queen and his brother, and he was unable to bring harm to either. In Tracy's opinion, Endra deserved to be put in her place for how she treated Mikten, but she understood Mikten's reluctance to harm his brother.

  Until now.

  "You underestimate his bond with me," she said coldly.

  "Ja-Idin Du says the doctors declared your mating a failure."

  "He lies."

  Tev scoffed. "Ja-Idin Du can't lie. He's a counselor."

  "Are you really that dense? You were with us when Du allowed the pirates to attack our ship."

  "He had one ship against many. It was prudent he moved off."

  "Has the water here done something to your head?"

  He started pacing then, walking back and forth in front of her, muttering to himself. Suddenly he whirled and faced her. "No!" he spit. "You have. Since I met you, I've thought of nothing but you. I hated my brother because he had you and I didn't."

  "Tev?"

  "Don't you see? That's not normal. No man should want his brother's mate. Not like this."

  "That's how it was with Endra, Mikten, and Phaben," said Tracy gently.

  "That’s a legend. A foolish legend, one that no longer fits our society. We've given up mating by the old ways for good reason. There are problems with such matings. You do not know the insanity that rules a male when he concentrates only on one female. I should not feel this way. This burning, the need to have you, is unbearable."

  Tracy looked around, trying to find a way to flee.

  "You are dangerous. Dangerous to my brother's sanity and mine.” His crazy eyes burned with a feverish intensity. “Your very presence threatens our relationship with the Aligned Worlds. It is better for you to go back where you came from. In time, we will forget about you. We will find suitable mates and lead our people with the proper females beside us."

  So Tev was afraid of his intense feelings?

  Tracy couldn't fight him on his own terms and hope to win, but this was a weakness she could exploit. She didn't like what she was about to do, but if she didn't get away from him, she'd soon be on a ship bound for Earth. Two weeks ago, she would have been thrilled at the thought, but that was before she fell in love with Ar-Reven, before he mated her.

  Slowly she approached Tev. "Do you know why the doctors thought our mating failed? It's because humans can't be bound by a mating bite the way Kerdim women are."

  "So you are dangerous," he growled.

  She put her hands on his chest, and he trembled. "Oh no," she said pitching her voice sensuously lower. "We simply keep our options open, just like your people want to do."

  Tev stared at her, and she licked her lips for effect. She swirled her hands over his chest. Pushing aside his loose tunic, she brushed his nipples with her hand. "On my world, we take as many mates as we want."

  "You do?" he said, his voice breaking slightly.

  "Oh yes, and I've been eyeing you too, Tev. You are very handsome. It's just that Rev won't let me out of his sight. Now here you are, and here I am." Tracy slipped her hand down Tev's torso to his crotch. She found him hard beneath her fingers. His breathing hitched when she touched him. She rubbed him lightly, and his hands clenched at his side. He was fighting it, wrestling with feelings that were biologically driven.

  It crossed Tracy's mind that she was employing biological warfare on Tev. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but Tev was trying to keep her from Rev. She'd go to any lengths to stop that, even if it meant breaking Tev with the only weapon she had.

  She pressed her body against him, and again he trembled. "You shouldn't try so hard to resist me," she whispered in his ear. "Rev tried at first, but he gave in. I gave him pleasure he’d never experienced before. I can show you those pleasures, Tev."

  "Dangerous," he hissed.

  How long would it take Rev to realize she was missing? How long before he tracked down As-Sali and got the truth from her? How long would it take a search party to find them? Could they do that before Ja-Idin Du showed up to spirit her off Kerdos?

  She didn't know. All she knew was that she had to distract and stall Tev for as long as possible.

  "With danger comes pleasure, Tev," she said seductively. She slid her hand up and down his cock through his pants. "Oh my, you certainly are impressive."

  "Leave me alone," he said through gritted teeth.

  "Oh," she said, stepping back and taking her hands off him. "You want me to leave you alone? Does it feel better now that I'm not touching you?"

  In the faint moonlight, he stared at her like a hungry animal. "Yes," he said with effort.

  "Really?" she said, continuing her seductive tones. She unclasped the front of her dress, and the top sli
pped halfway down her arms, displaying her bra and panties. Tracy put her hand on the top of the band covering her breasts and slipped it down to display the tops of her mounds.

  "What are you doing?" he said, sucking in a breath.

  "Showing you what you are missing.”

  "Stop." His voice was a husky growl.

  Tracy shook her head and slowly continued to shimmy the band to the top of her areolas. The sight of the darkened flesh had an immediate effect on Tev. He rushed forward and swept her in his arms, moving his lips towards hers. At first, she took his kiss, but when he started grinding his erection against her she got alarmed. Just how far was she willing to take this? How far could she go before Tev took matters into his own hands?

  Not that far, she decided.

  Tracy clasped her hands around Tev's neck, holding him to her mouth, and jerked her knee hard into his crotch as she released her grip. He staggered back, howling in pain. He screamed something at her that the translator couldn't put into words. She whirled away and started running towards the palace. She looked over her shoulder and saw him straighten. He began to make limping moves towards her.

  "Come back here!" he shouted.

  Tracy ran faster and harder than she ever had before. But soon she was gasping and holding her sides thanks to the heightened gravity on this planet. Her feet skidded on the uneven gravel path. Tev was still shouting at her from behind, and his voice was getting closer. Tracy tried harder, and the pebbles slid under her sandaled feet. Her heart beat wildly in her chest.

  Rev! Where are you?

  Fear clutched at her heart. Had Rev been injured during the "conference?" Had he been detained? Or was he searching for her as frantically as she was trying to get to him?

  Behind her, she heard heavy footfalls coming rapidly towards her. Tracy looked around frantically for somewhere to hide, but then she remembered the fantastic sense of smell Rev's people had. The only place she could successfully hide was a place filled with water that would conceal her scent, and she didn't see anything like that nearby.