by Piper Stone
I noticed quickly that there were several of the same poles, all asymmetrically placed, all with thick metal shackles meant for holding our wrists above our heads. The other girls were positioned and shackled in the same manner, the clanging sound of metal hitting steel exciting the crowd.
When one of the girls kicked her way into near freedom, wrestling with the alien, the hard crack as she was smacked could be heard above the chanting audience. I swallowed hard, trying to collect myself and jerk my mind out of this nightmare. I couldn’t be here, wherever here was. Every human knew there were aliens, and not the sexy kind depicted in old movies. Unknown sightings of various brilliant lights zooming across the sky had started the ugly rumors almost fifty years before. Teleprompter news reports had mentioned the world governments even working with an alien species as advisors in an effort to keep Earth safe. After years of scathing stories, only recently the various world leaders had been forced to admit that they’d been in contact with several alien species over the last twenty years.
But aliens with horns who could speak English and abducted humans?
That wasn’t remotely possible. Was it? The better question was why couldn’t I remember anything since being in my living room?
One minute, I’d had a glass of wine in my hand, listening to my favorite metal music as I read my book. The next—poof. Literally. I’d been pulled into a vacuum, chained like an animal. The visions were fleeting, my mind reeling. My throat was tight, nearly suffocating. I continued to struggle even though the same beast raised a strap, snarling under his breath.
“Stay calm,” the girl next to me said through clenched teeth.
Calm? Who the fuck could remain calm?
I took several deep breaths, trying to squash my nerves. Fighting wasn’t going to do any good. As soon as every girl was secured, the aliens moved away, standing with their feet apart and gazing in the same direction, their expressions full of reverence.
I glanced at their line of sight, narrowing my eyes from the bright glow in the sky. But I could still see the amphitheater-style seating, one box in particular covered in gorgeous ropes and sashes of various vibrant colors. On what appeared to be a throne sat a single beast, even more massive than the others. As soon as he rose to a standing position, all noise stopped.
“King Rajah!” a voice called from nowhere and everywhere.
Even from where I was standing, I was able to see his impressive stature, broad shoulders falling into a narrow waist and long legs. The tips of his horns were curled, as if indicating his ancient age.
And the fucker was staring directly at me.
Bile formed in my throat and I glared back at him with utter defiance. I could almost swear he smiled.
A simple wave of his hand and drumbeats began to pound from every direction.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Every beat matched the hard thudding of my racing heart, gut-wrenching terror digging at my mind.
Another group of alien soldiers stormed out of the same enclosure I’d just left, male prisoners in tow, moving directly past the line of shackled girls.
And I was last, far too close to the vicious crowd, able to see the disgusting leers the majority had on their twisted faces.
One of the male prisoners was struggling, roaring like a lion, refusing to accept his plight. The entire stadium seemed to be going wild, lifting primitive weapons toward the air while they chanted.
The guard’s reaction was swift, the hard strike of the whip driving the man to his knees.
“Cease or die, you Cryton beast!” the guard snarled, yanking the man back into position.
Cryton? From what I’d heard, they were the very aliens who’d sought peace with Earth, several of their high ranking officers even living on our planet. Their advisory positions had been vital, at least according to the news. I’d only seen pictures of them, but they were remarkably human-like in appearance, except for the light purple hue of their skin, eyes that were like molten pools of lava.
And their gorgeous, massive bodies rippled with muscles. Whew. My God, I was tingling all over from simply trying to catch a glimpse of him. How could I be attracted to any kind of beast?
The Cryton refused to obey, still struggling then looking directly at me.
His golden eyes penetrated mine, boring into my very soul, his gaze following me until he was forced past. He was beautiful, his skin more like the color of lilacs in the spring, a body carved out of the finest quarry stone. I was taken aback by his prowess, his absolute commanding nature as he kept his head held high, defying the tyranny of the monsters, his long hair blowing in the breeze. His rugged face was marked with what appeared to be red paint, a technique of warriors used prior to battle.
To ward off evil.
The tether holding the prisoners together was jerked, sending them all spilling forward. The warrior growled his disapproval before darting another glance in my direction.
I was aroused, my nipples fully erect, wetness pooling between my legs. How could I have this kind of reaction?
A haze formed in front of my eyes as I studied the various male species, their wrists and ankles impeded by thick chains, forcing several to stumble as they were dragged like animals.
Just like we’d been.
The majority of males were another form of alien life, various colors and sizes, atrocities that were difficult to look at. But a few were completely human, only their faces covered in scraggly beards, matted long hair swinging against the middle of their backs.
They’d been here for one hell of a long time.
I had no idea what to expect as the prisoners were positioned in a line. The obvious alien leader seemed to be enjoying himself, smiling as he gazed upon the group of bedraggled males. Dear God, he was sizing them up. What for?
I scanned the arena, noticing the dark stains covering the platforms holding the seats. Blood. This was a fighting arena. “What is this? What the hell is this place?” My hoarse whisper was heard by the girl next to me even as the drums continued to thump over and over again.
“Quiet,” she hissed. “Don’t let them hear you. They will make an example out of you.”
“Why? What is going on?”
“Silence!” The same soldier who’d escorted me out of the prison cell moved in my direction, raising his hand to strike me even as I glared at him defiantly.
“No!” The booming voice was shocking to the crowd, their gasps of non-approval followed by thunderous noise from their boots. And the perpetrator of the dangerous sound?
The roughhewn warrior, daring to defy all those holding him prisoner. He was also challenging them because of me. I was struck by his aura, the way the others seemed almost afraid of him.
The alien turned his head away from me, glaring at the Cryton warrior.
“Enough!” This time, the rugged voice came from the stands, the particular beast they all considered their leader. Their king. He looked in my direction before pointing toward the warrior. A flurry of activity occurred after his proclamation as the powerful Cryton was unchained from the others.
It took four of the aliens to keep him under control, finally dragging him to the center of the arena. As soon as he was there, his demeanor seemed to change, as if he was more than prepared to be the center of attention.
The warrior was handed a sword, which he wielded with finesse, swinging the massive steel blade through the air. I was surprised at how lithe his body was considering his obvious time of incarceration. In fact, I couldn’t take my eyes off him; his rippling muscles as they flexed with each fluid move, the rise and fall of his carved chest as he roared his obvious disapproval, and the sultry yet angry eyes that could penetrate the darkness.
Boom. Boom.
The thunderous rumble seemed to terrify the other girls, their hushed cries finally drowned out by the audience’s approval of the beast heading in the direction of the warrior. The brute was covered in an entirely different manner
of armor, the metal gleaming in the neon-infused light. If rules were laid out, I certainly didn’t hear them.
There was just one statement made.
“You will fight until the death for a chance at your freedom.”
What? This was barbaric in any language. I stretched and struggled, trying desperately to free my hands. The warrior was tossed what appeared to be a useless bunch of rusted tin. He hissed as he glared at the chest-covering armor, tossing it toward the stands.
The king was not amused.
“Come,” the warrior dared, beckoning with his hand as he took a fighter’s stance, shifting the gleaming sword from hand to hand.
I was shocked at the sight of the second fighter, the alien more animal than humanoid in form. There wasn’t a story from my childhood that could explain what I was seeing. As the alien advanced, the boom of his powerful strides rocked the entire arena.
Or so it seemed.
“He kills everyone,” the girl said, chuckling in a demonic manner as if she’d been privy to this horror show several times.
I glared at her, chafing my wrists in an effort to get any traction. This was insane.
The king held up his arms, quieting the arena. All eyes were on the two fighters. This was insane. The moment the king dropped his arms, the alien attacked but the warrior was too quick, easily jumping out of the creature’s way. The warrior smiled, beckoning with one hand until the alien lunged toward him.
Crack!
As the two swords smashed together, both struggling for domination, I became mesmerized by just how incredible the warrior truly was. Known as a peaceful species, the Crytons had been excellent visitors on Earth, never creating any issues that had been reported on the news. Just watching him, I could tell he was far superior, capable of killing a man or a monster with his bare hands.
The two powerful creatures went at it, slamming sword against sword, the clanging sound sending flutters into my stomach. The alien appeared to be winning, almost driving the blade into the warrior twice. The crowd was wild, every alien on their feet chanting in their own language.
But the warrior refused to succumb, using his agility to garner an advantage. He roared to the heavens as he swung his mighty sword, snarling like a savage beast. Suddenly, he struck the alien hard, knocking the monster onto his knees. The warrior was relentless, attacking from all sides.
The alien shifted and with one kick, sent the warrior tumbling several feet. The warrior responded by charging, managing to slice the alien’s arm.
Several harsh blows occurred, the alien’s fury evident by his raging barbaric grunts and the force of his strikes. Out of the blue, the alien made certain the warrior tripped, losing all momentum.
The crowd thumped their boots as the alien stood over him, reading to issue the killing blow. Then there was silence in the arena.
“No! Die, you fucker!” My bellow drew every alien’s attention, all glancing in my direction.
The alien fighter snarled his obvious disapproval, the girl next to me hissing.
“You’re dead. You’re dead. You’re dead,” she muttered in a singsong manner.
Guards stormed toward me, stopping two feet away then looking toward the king.
“You interrupted our game, our festivities. How dare you,” King Rajah stated with no emotion, the same boney finger pointed at me.
“The bastard cheated. That’s why.” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. Hissing, I glared back at the monster.
“You shouldn’t have done that!” the girl next to me managed to say.
“Fuck them. This isn’t real,” I countered. “There are no such things as aliens. There can’t be.”
“I assure you, little girl. This is very real. You are to be punished for your insolence,” the king commanded.
Two more alien guards approached, wasting no time surrounding me.
“Wait. I am from Earth.” As if that mattered. The entire crowd seemed to roar with laughter as I was swiveled to face the pole, the thin material covering my naked body ripped away. I heard commotion in the background, an obvious scuffle.
“Do not touch her!”
The warrior’s deep baritone boomed over the roaring crowd. Why would he bother caring? I was no one to him. “Let me go. I did nothing.”
“You defied our king,” one of the guards snarled.
“Who is this king? I don’t belong here,” I threw out.
“You are on Zatan and you are our prisoner.”
Zatan? I was nuts. I had to be. My rational mind attempted to take over, the little voice inside peppering questions. How could they have transported me here? Why? Who the hell was I to them? I struggled to see what they were doing and when my eyes fell on an evil-looking strap, I panicked, tears forming in my eyes. Every inch of my bottom and thighs still hurt from the painful spanking from before. I knew this punishment would be much more severe. I closed my eyes, willing my mind back to my apartment.
My safe haven.
I’d come home from working in the laboratory after getting groceries, making a sandwich for dinner. I’d opened my favorite bottle of wine and was prepared for a quiet night. Then... Then...
With no warning, the front door had burst aside, wood splinters flying everywhere, the noise as if a plane had crashed just outside my door. As the debris flew all around me, I’d dived toward the floor, crawling forward in a desperate attempt to get away from the carnage. I’d never forget how the stagnant air had swirled around me, vapid and nasty, forcing me to gag. I could almost smell the wretched stench today, as if the substance remained in my nostrils. Then black smoke had rolled in through the broken door, covering every substance like a sticky mass of goo.
I gasped for air, trying desperately to see anything in front of me. My instincts to survive kicked in and I managed to get to my feet. Within seconds I’d felt a hard tug, unseen hands gripping my arms, yanking me backward as if I weighed nothing.
The fear had been suffocating. I clawed my throat in remembrance, trying to calm my nerves. The nightmare had been real.
Then there’d been nothing but blackness, something placed over my head. I remembered screaming, begging to be set free, pleading with the unknown assailants, as if they cared.
Then there was nothing but a breath-stealing cold surrounding me as I was heaved into an unknown vehicle of some kind, the rumbles unlike anything I’d experienced before. My hands and feet had been tied, and even though I’d struggled, fighting with my captors, there’d been no way to escape.
I’d been captured.
Taken.
Stolen from everything I knew.
Now I knew why. I’d been taken to some godforsaken prison. What had I done?
As the first crack of the strap sliced against my backside, the pain nearly blinding, I realized that this was no dream.
This was my new life.
And I doubted there was a way home.
Chapter Two
Katarina
“Whip her.”
“Punish her!”
The words in English came fast and furious from all directions, although I had no understanding of how they knew our language. They. The creatures were nothing more than ugly beasts. I gasped as two then three more strikes were given, the strap hitting exactly on my sit spot. I was still in panic mode, although my rational mind kept trying to resolve the puzzle of who they were and what I was doing here.
With every hard smack, I was shoved hard against the coolness of the pole, my body flinching as I clenched my fists. I refused to cry. They would not break me no matter how many strikes they inflicted. The punishment didn’t fit the crime, although in this world, I didn’t think they cared. Their concept of justice was fighting to the death.
I counted numbers in my head, concentrating on doing math problems in an effort to ward off the anguish even as the punishment continued. From somewhere I could still hear the growls and roars of the warrior, furious that I’d been made an example of. He wo
uldn’t save me. He needed to worry about his own life.
“Five more!” the king called out, much to the chagrin of the entire crowd. They wanted to see me burned at the stake, given an entirely different level of discipline.
I held my breath, tears forming in my eyes as the lashes were given. The sound of the alien’s wrist snapping and the whoosh as the strap was brought down in the air was almost as horrible as the act itself.
Almost.
When the ugly round of spanking was over, there was no one to comfort me, no savior waiting in the wings. I was simply turned around once again to face the crowd and the game that had started. I hung my head, blinking several times as I endured the aftermath, my skin seared from the brutal discipline. Heat radiated all throughout my body, leaving me sick to my stomach. I almost laughed thinking how many times my sassy mouth had gotten me in trouble over my lifetime.
Maybe I’d been sent to purgatory for my sins. A bitter laugh finally developed in my throat as the barbarian battle began again.
Swords slashing.
Two fighters growling.
Audience members cheering.
And one of them would die.
Except it wasn’t the warrior as the entire crowd expected. The moment the brawny Cryton warrior stood over the fallen alien, the entire audience sat silently. Until the warrior wielded his mighty sword, shoving the sharp blade through the monster’s neck.
Then the arena went wild, stomping as if they were two-year-olds in a temper tantrum, their vile and crude screams in their own language. But I could gather exactly what they were saying.
I managed a smile even through the pain as the warrior threw up his arms, walking around the arena, snarling as he celebrated his win. His muscles gleamed in the odd sun, the sweat beading off his face, neck and arms shimmering as he basked in his glory.
“No one ever wins, not against the gladiators,” the girl next to me said freely, wiggling in her bindings as her face beamed from glee. Her laugh gave me chills. “A hero. A hero.”
