by Alana Khan
“You have a choice, Tawny, and six days to make it.” I hurry out of the room and take the stairs two at a time.
Chapter Fifteen
Tawny
I hear Thantose loudly knocking on doors up and down the corridor before his heavy hand lands on ours. “Arise fair maidens. We’re going on a trip through town. Please dress in some of the casual clothes my ahma provided for you. Wear comfortable walking shoes. We leave in two hoaras.”
“I guess that’s good,” Brin says as she walks to the restroom. “If we’re going to consider staying here, we should have an idea of what it’s like.”
Valeria provided everything: soft pajamas, fabulous-smelling soaps and bath salts, the intergalactic version of toothbrushes. No shampoo, though. Primians don’t have hair.
I’m downstairs in twenty minutes; Brin started her shower after mine so I’m alone. One minute later, I have a steaming bowl of sumra sitting in front of me, served by a shy, young maid. This bowl has bits of what I assume are various types of dried fruit and nuts. It smells and tastes delicious.
Valeria sweeps in, bustles around for a minute, then sits next to me with her own bowl of sumra. She asks me a few questions about my life on Earth, seeming genuinely interested. I answer between bites, again noticing what a nice female she is.
“Do you have animals that you ride on your planet?” she asks seemingly out of the blue.
“Well, there are several animals that people around the world ride, but the most common are horses.”
“That word didn’t translate well, dear. Describe them.”
“They’re one of the most beautiful animals on the planet—graceful, swift, and compliant. They used to be more useful for farming and transportation, but there aren’t a lot of working horses these days. Many people keep them around for recreation, though.”
“I see. Did you ever ride?”
“No, but I always wanted to. It was a childhood fantasy. I didn’t have the kind of life where that was possible.”
“I can fix that!” Valeria beams happily. “We have an animal very similar—mroncks.” She’s nodding happily. “We used to own many, but Thantose grew up and is seldom home. I haven’t found riding pleasurable since I hit one-hundred-and-ten.” She shrugs. “We still keep one around for when T.T. comes home. I go out to pet him occasionally—the mronck, not T.T.” She laughs.
“I bet you didn’t know Devi was a champion rider when he was in secondary school—won lots of awards. Finish your sumra, dear. I’m going to ask Dev to take you for a ride before we all tour our lovely town.” She stands up and sweeps out of the room before I can protest.
After Dev’s speech last night, she has to know Devi and I were a thing. I believe she’s throwing us together on purpose. Is she playing matchmaker?
A few minutes later, the room is full; the three other women are here, as is Thantose. I hear Valeria’s commanding voice drifting in through the doorway, “Come on Devi, you used to love to ride. It will do you good to get some sunshine, it will be healthy.” She enters the kitchen with Dev close behind, looking hesitant. “T.T., let your cousin borrow one of your riding outfits. You’re about the same size.” She pins him with an authoritative look until he rises to comply.
“Ladies,” she says, “Their little ride shouldn’t delay our departure. Devolose is going to take Tawny to ride the family mronck. I can teach you all a fabulous card game before we leave.”
This female is used to getting her way, I’ll give her that. A minute later Thantose returns with what looks like a pair of buff-colored suede pants. He reluctantly hands them to Dev, who just as unwillingly takes them and leaves, I guess, to put them on.
“Ahma,” Thantose says through clenched teeth, though he keeps his voice even, “could I see you out here, please?”
I wonder if he’s going to scold her for her heavy-handed matchmaking, because that’s certainly what it seems like to me.
A moment later, Dev returns, wearing nothing but the pants and a matching pair of knee-high boots Thantose must have scrounged for him. He’s scowling but doesn’t protest. It seems what Valeria wants Valeria gets.
“T.T. take them to the barn, get them settled, and then come back and play arnita with us.”
As soon as the door closes behind us on our way to the barn, Thantose apologizes, “My ahma considers herself quite the matchmaker.”
Neither Dev nor I say anything, and soon we’re at a large stone barn. Not nearly as fancy as the house, it feels calm and welcoming. Its eight stalls are all empty except for one. The mronck is huge, built thick like a workhorse back home. I keep scanning its legs, all six of them, trying to figure out how it can run without tripping on itself. I’m also wondering how this beast looks beautiful and not clumsy. It’s an amazing animal.
Even though I never got to ride one, as a girl I was fascinated with horses. I used to endlessly check out pictures on the internet. One of my favorite breeds was the Fresian—big, black, and beautiful. And that’s what this one reminds me of: black as midnight, long, flowing mane and tail—except for the six legs.
“I wound up with all your trophies, Dev. Believe it or not, they’re still in my room.” Thantose chuckles. “Dev, meet Ampire. Ampire, meet Dev.”
Dev’s face isn’t angry anymore. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was in love. He reaches out to pet the animal’s huge arched neck, and Ampire leans into his gentle touch—it looks like the feeling is mutual. Dev enters the stall alone and seems to be having a conversation with the thing. By the looks of it, you’d think they were communicating telepathically. Their heads are bent toward each other, and I can occasionally hear Dev’s lilting words drift toward me.
“He hasn’t been ridden in a while?” Dev asks as he runs his hands slowly along the mronck’s neck, back, and flanks. He lifts each hoof in turn, inspecting them.
“I doubt it. I haven’t ridden him in almost an annum.”
“Stallion or gelding?” Dev asks.
“Gelding, he’ll be safe for Tawny.”
“What’s a gelding?” I ask.
“He’s been cut,” Thantose says as his gaze slides to the ground.
“Testicles cut,” Dev interjects matter-of-factly. “Can’t make babies. Toss me his bridle.”
Dev places the bit in Ampire’s mouth, easily slips the bridle over his head, and walks the animal out of its stall.
I pay close attention to its feet, amazed at the graceful movement.
“Thanks, T.T. Go play arnita with the ladies.” He laughs and swings up on the mronck. “I’m going to ride him by myself for a few minimas. These animals, no matter how gentle, can get a little rambunctious when they haven’t been ridden for a while. Tawny, I’ll come back to give you a ride after I’ve tired him out a bit.”
He enters the arena which is maybe sixty feet around and takes off at a walk.
“Close the pen, would you?”
As soon as the gate is closed, he quickens the animal’s pace. I know horses go from walk to trot to canter to gallop. I have no idea what gait this is; the six hooves flashing in the sunlight are confusing. I just stand back and admire.
For the first moment, I’m fascinated by the mronck’s movement—all those legs, all that action, the rhythmic hoof beats. Then I look at the entire picture, and it takes my breath away. Dev is shirtless, wearing just those buff-colored leather pants hugging him like a second skin. He’s one with the animal, effortlessly moving in tune with the beat of the hooves.
His red-and-black skin is already glistening with a thin sheen of sweat. He looks primitive and tribal and freaking gorgeous. My stomach clenches in desire, and I simply stare. I can barely think; I’m overwhelmed at the beauty of what I’m watching. It’s perfection. They’re both attractive, and together, in sync with each other, it’s like magic.
Time seems to stand still; I’m mesmerized. I must be dripping wet with desire. I want this male. The thought of lying naked with him in one of those clean, hay-filled stall
s flashes into my mind. I picture his mouth at my breast, my head thrown back in ecstasy. Then I imagine his hand pumping hard into me in rhythm with the beat of Ampire’s hooves.
I drag my attention to the movement in the arena, trying to pull my awareness from the insistent throbbing in my clit—no such luck. I’m captivated by Dev’s effortless command of the huge black horse.
“Okay.” He stops near the gate and vaults off in one swift, graceful movement. A moment later, “I’ll help you up, then jump up behind you.” His face is happy and more peaceful than I could have ever imagined. He inspects mine. “You afraid? Ampire is a gentleman.”
“I’ve never ridden. He’s kinda big.” The mronck is three feet in front of me, and the heat of his exertion is radiating off him in waves. I barely stand to his withers; if I raised my arm, I couldn’t reach the tip of his ears even if I stood on my toes. My heart hammers in my chest. I’m not sure I want to do this.
“Listen to him, he’s panting, Sprout. I tired him out. Even if he was a bad boy, he’s too tired to do anything naughty. But he’s a good boy.” He leans over and affectionately pets the mronck’s forehead. “If you want to ride, today is the day.”
His eyes don’t run from mine, he hits me with a lazy smile. How wonderful to finally see this male in his element. He’s happy. Lord knows he deserves it.
“Come on.” He positions himself so one leg is stretched back, the forward leg is bent at the knee, forming a step. He pats his thigh, “Step here and then swing up. I’ll be right behind you.” When I don’t move from where I’m glued, “We won’t go faster than a walk if you don’t want. He’s got such a smooth gait, you might just take a nap.”
I walk up and pet the mronck’s nose. Feels like black velvet, just as I suspected. “Good boy?” I meant for that to come out as a statement, but my vocal cords made it a question.
“Yes, he’s a good boy,” Dev says as he pats his thigh.
I want to do this, and know that if I delay one more second my fear will take over. I step on Dev’s thigh then swing my other leg up and over. If my hands weren’t tightly fisted into the beast’s long, black mane, I would raise my arms above my head and shout, “Ta-da!”
“Great job.” Dev effortlessly hoists himself up on Ampire’s back and grabs the reins. “Okay, feel your body. Feel your seat bones. Those should be firmly planted on Ampire’s broad back. Just keep those bones where they are right now, and not much can go wrong.”
“Humans are different than Primians, Dev. We don’t have seat bones.”
He slides forward, so my ass is pressed directly against his pelvis, my back plastered to his broad chest. Putting his mouth directly next to my ear, he whispers, “I’m intimately acquainted with that fine ass of yours, my dear, and I guarantee you have seat bones. If you don’t figure out which ones they are, I’ll reach under you and point them out.”
He glances toward the house, some sixty yards away and waves, smiling. “I guarantee my Aunt Valeria is hiding behind one of those windows watching us even as we speak. I doubt you want her to see that.”
I face forward with a loud huff and wiggle my bottom enough to figure out what he means by seat bones. “Okay, I think I found them.”
He moves back an inch, and I immediately miss his warmth. “Grab some mane, Ampire won’t mind. We’re just going to walk.”
I have no idea how Dev communicated to the animal, but we take off at a slow walk. We silently proceed around the ring several times. Once the initial panic recedes, I’m more confident. One more time around, and I shutter my eyes and allow myself to feel.
The warm suns are pouring down and the animal’s gait is relaxing. Knowing Dev’s in charge makes me feel safe. I love being in Dev’s arms. That thought has been drumming in the back of my mind for a few minutes, but I allow the thought to drift to the front of my brain. Yes. There, I said it. I love being in his arms. What would bitchy Lexa say about that? Fuck her.
“Ready for more?” His tone is gravelly, his mouth is so close to my ear his warm breath fans my skin.
More? Did he read my mind? Does he know I’m fantasizing about making use of the clean hay?
“Faster?” He clarifies.
I nod.
We step up the pace. I assume on Earth this would be trotting. I can’t even imagine what all those legs are doing down below. What I do know is that up above it’s like swaying in a rocking chair.
“You like?”
“Yes.”
I want to talk. I want to ask a thousand questions about his life on this delightful planet, and if I can see his trophies, and what it felt like to grow up with people who loved you—not just loved, but delighted in you. But I’m silent. I don’t want to stop the magic. I don’t want his muscles to tighten, and his happy calm to evaporate. I just sit here, paying attention to my seat bones, which are perilously close to all sorts of sexy places that are telegraphing interesting variations of lust and need and desire.
“Faster?”
I nod.
“Make sure you’ve got a good hold of his mane. Tell me if you’re scared and I’ll stop.”
He somehow commands the animal to kick into the next gear, and the transition is a bit rough. A noise escapes my lips that sounds something like, “Eeek!” Then the mronck hits his stride and, if anything, this gait is smoother than the last.
My heart is pounding, though. It’s a little scary. My hair is rustling in the breeze, and I don’t believe I’ve ever felt more free than in this moment.
Dev scoots up and presses against me. I tear my thoughts away from my fears, away from the breeze and the motion and the hoofbeats. I focus on the warm, naked torso behind me. I replay the image of him riding wild on the mronck’s back.
My stomach clenches in yearning. I want this male so much. I know he wants me. Why am I denying it? Right now my thoughts are so full of excitement and movement I can’t think straight to remember why I can’t have this forever. I’ll have to remind myself when I’m back in my room.
“Having fun?”
I nod.
“Too scared to talk? I’ll slow us down.”
“No! I’m having fun. You’re in control; I know nothing bad can happen.” Did I really say that? Is that how I really feel?
He leans down, “Tawny…” then sits up straight. Whatever he was going to say is lost.
We ride in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, and then we slow to a walk.
“Ampire hasn’t been ridden in an annum. We should give the poor guy a rest. We’ll walk for a bit to cool him off.”
The dismount is much easier than getting on, and soon we’re in the cool shade of the stables. I’m watching Dev curry the mronck, who if anything is more beautiful now that he’s worked up a full sweat. A few of his muscles are tremoring under his shiny black skin.
I sit back on a bale of hay and watch them both. Dev’s facing away from me; I watch his muscles play under his skin. His quiet lilting “horsetalk” drifts over to me from time to time. I wonder what he’s telling that fabulous animal. I’m smiling, so is Dev. I wish this could last.
Devolose
I wish this could last. This calm. Being on a mronck again after all these annums, my body feels right, like I’m finally back in my own skin. Communicating this way with Ampire, the rhythmic movement, I feel eighty annums younger. The suns feel fantastic on my flesh. For just this moment, everything is right with the world.
For the first time since I left Emirus, I feel like I can create a new life. It wouldn’t be bad to stay on Primus, live with Valeria until I find my own place. Find a job in the family business. Ride Ampire on weekends. I could cobble together a life. I know how to forget things. All those annums in the dungeon taught me that. I won’t be able to forget Tawny, but maybe that will fade over time. I nod my head, optimistic for the first time in so long. I want to live—with or without Tawny.
Chapter Sixteen
Tawny
Half an hour later, we’re all gathe
red in the ornate foyer, with its mosaic flooring depicting a tree burgeoning with red leaves and laden with yellow blossoms. The chandelier overhead is dripping with crystals that refract the light into rainbows of color.
“Let’s all get into the hovercraft.” Valeria directs everyone through the double doors to the waiting vehicle. “Tawny, Devolose, can I speak with you for a moment?”
I watch everyone file out as Dev and I stay behind.
“How was Ampire? Did you enjoy your ride?”
“It was amazing!” I gush. “I was afraid at first, but he was a perfect gentleman.” Will she think I’m talking about the mronck or Devi? “Ampire,” I amend.
