by Presley Hall
A flush of warmth works its way up my cheeks. I haven’t tried to hide that fact, but I haven’t exactly been shouting it from the rooftops either. I did what I had to do to survive, but…
Lucy’s brows shoot up as she reads the expression on my face, and she holds out a hand, shaking her head quickly. “Oh no, Autumn. I don’t mean it like that. No freaking judgement here at all. I used to be a stripper, back on Earth before I was kidnapped. So I get it. And I know how men can be.”
“You… you were?”
I blink at her in surprise. She’s certainly beautiful enough to be one, with her long, wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and a perfectly proportioned figure, but I wouldn’t have guessed from her demeanor.
“Is it hard for you, being here?” I ask. “I mean… it’s a very different life than what you’re probably used to. And you definitely wouldn’t want to dance in the bars here, it’s not the same at all.”
“No, it’s not,” Lucy agrees with a laugh. “I convinced one of the warriors to let me tag along one night.” She winks at me, and I blush again. “It wasn’t the same as working at the Pearl in Vegas, let me tell you.” She shrugs. “But to tell you the truth, I’m pretty okay with everything.”
“Really?” My footsteps slow as we browse more stalls in the crowded market. I’m only half paying attention to the wares now, too focused on my conversation with Lucy.
She shrugs. “Sure. I mean, I could’ve gone without the kidnapping and those awful Orkun and nearly getting handed off to one of their gross warlords…”
She shudders, then catches the look on my face and bites her lip, seeming to remember that I know exactly what she’s referring to. That I lived the nightmare she escaped.
The Kalixians and the other human women don’t know the exact details of my history, but it’s widely known by now that I was yet another of the Orkuns’ tribute brides, and that Chloe is of Orkun parentage.
Sorsir has promised me that none of his men will speak ill of my daughter without facing his wrath, and I’m grateful as hell for that.
I’m also grateful that he hasn’t had to make good on that promise. Both the Kalixians and the women they rescued know what it’s like to be held captive by the Orkun.
“Yes,” I say wryly, giving her a small smile to let her know I’m okay. “I think we all could’ve done without being handed off to the Orkun.”
She nudges me with her shoulder, a gesture of support and solidarity. “Yeah. Fuck those assholes.”
That actually draws a startled laugh out of me, something I don’t think would’ve been possible even a few weeks ago, and I shake my head at her blunt but accurate statement. She shoots me a grin, seeming pleased at my reaction, then continues.
“Anyway, my life is definitely different now. I don’t have a lot of the things here that I had back on Earth. But I’m trying to make the best of the crazy shit that’s come my way. There are things I get to do here that I never got to appreciate back home, because I worked six nights a week, slept during the day, and then either slept or went shopping on my day off. The lights and glamour and hustle were exciting, but this is good in a different way.” She shrugs. “I’m trying to see it as not all bad, I guess.”
“That’s a good way to look at it. I’m glad you all ended up with the Kalixians.”
“Same.” She pauses, then looks at me with her eyes twinkling. “So? Sorsir? What’s confusing about it?”
Oh. Right. I guess she’s not going to let me off the hook without an answer.
“We’ve… He’s…” Trailing off, I tug my bottom lip between my teeth. I feel suddenly shy, not knowing how to explain it. “We’ve been in bed together. But we haven’t…”
“Gone all the way?”
I shake my head, my cheeks burning.
Lucy stops at another street vendor and pays for two meals made out of some kind of flat bread with meat and a sauce on it, along with grilled vegetables, and hands me one of them along with a squeezed juice.
“So what have you done?” she inquires as we sit down, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “Come on, I know you want to tell me. Christ, if I got to sleep with one of those bronzed gods, I’d be shouting it from the rooftops.”
I laugh before I can stop myself. It’s the second time that’s happened in one day, and I realize in a rush how good it feels to just laugh with a friend, sitting outside in the bright sunshine with lunch and talking about boys. It feels like a million years since I’ve done anything like this, as if lifetimes have passed since then.
“He’s… done things to me,” I whisper, flushing red all over again.
“So he’s gone down on you?” Lucy asks bluntly, grinning.
I can’t quite answer, and she chuckles. “It’s okay, Autumn, I definitely don’t think less of you. If anything, I’m jealous! I’ve been chasing one of them for weeks and I can tell he’s interested, but…” She shrugs, looking a little disgruntled. Then she shakes it off. “Anyway, we’re not talking about me. Was it good?”
“It was incredible,” I admit. “And he’s done it more than once. But he won’t let me touch him. I know he wants me. I can tell every time we’re together. But he says he won’t let me touch him or sleep with me unless I accept the mate bond between us, and I don’t entirely know what that means, but…”
Lucy’s eyes go wide. “Wait. Hold up. Autumn, he said that? That you have a mate bond?”
I pause, licking my lips nervously. “Y… yes.”
“What did he say, exactly?”
“I can’t remember all of it. It was after he rescued me from the mercenary who was after me. I was so afraid and stunned, but I remember he mentioned a strange word. It sounded like… Irisa. He’s said it more than once, along with something about a bond. And the thing is—I can feel it. It’s like I’m in tune with his emotions somehow, and he’s the same with me. We just understand each other even though we hardly know one another. And in bed…” I bite my lip. “It’s incredible. I never knew anything could be like that.”
“Oh, Autumn.” Lucy shakes her head, but she doesn’t look upset. If anything, she looks happy for me. “The Kalixians don’t choose their mates. They rely on some connection, some mystical bond. To be honest, I’d think it was a load of horse shit if I hadn’t seen Rose and Tordax together,” she says bluntly. “But they call this mate their ‘Irisa,’ and once they recognize the bond, it’s a pursuit like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s honestly romantic, if you think about it—I’ve never seen any man on Earth try so hard to woo a woman as a Kalixian who’s found his Irisa. At least, if they’re all like Tordax when it hits.”
“So how would you feel?” My voice is quiet. “If one of these men bonded with you? Not just for a night… but this mate bond. It’s almost like marriage, it seems.”
“Yeah, I think that’s a fair comparison.” Lucy narrows her eyes thoughtfully. “The thing is, the Kalixians may seem rough around the edges. They’re a warrior race, they don’t wear much in the way of clothing—not that I’m complaining,” she adds with a grin.
“God, those loincloths,” I groan.
I both love and hate the one Sorsir wears. It’s like a constant tease, taunting me with what I can almost but not quite glimpse.
Lucy chuckles. “Right? The Kalixians fight in gladiator matches, and they’re savage in those fights, like ancient Rome or something. But all that aside—and I’m not going to lie, it’s kind of hot—they’re good. They’re honorable, to a fault almost. It’s not just Rose they’ve kept safe on account of her being mated to Tordax. They’ve kept all of us safe, even though no one else has felt that bond until you and Sorsir. They’ve protected us, even though they have no obligation to. They saved us from the Orkun even though they didn’t have to. And in my experience of men…” She glances down at her half-eaten flatbread. “I’d count myself lucky to be mated to one of them, honestly. Alien or not, they’re a hell of a lot better than any man I’ve ever known.”
I believe he
r.
Not only can I tell how sincere she is, but I’ve seen the truth of what she’s saying.
In the days I’ve spent living with Sorsir, all of the Kalixians have treated the other women with respect, never behaving lasciviously toward them or getting too aggressive. I’ve seen one or two of the younger warriors do some flirting, but it seems innocent and playful.
If they wanted to, they could certainly take whatever they desire. They’re strong enough, and besides, they have the advantage in that these women need their protection. But they don’t seem to have used that as leverage at all.
For the first time, I stop to wonder if maybe my single-handed determination to get Chloe and myself onto that ship and away from this planet might not be the best choice. If what Lucy is saying is true, my connection to Sorsir is something deep and long-lasting, something that he will be willing to do anything to preserve. He will move heaven and earth to win me over.
I can’t deny that having a man like him, alien or otherwise, pursue me so single-handedly is attractive. To be looked at, touched, and held forever the way he does now? To be cared for so deeply?
It’s hard to imagine anything better.
And besides that…
If Chloe and I run, I don’t know where we’ll end up. It’s been the two of us on our own for the last four years, with the exception of Taloo. I planned on it being that way forever, just my daughter and me.
I never dared to hope that there might be someone out there for me—for us—who might want to create a family with us. And I certainly never imagined that I might find a group of people I could stay with, a new home.
But the idea of my daughter being surrounded by these fierce, protective warriors and these sweet women is something that pulls at me. It tempts me to hope for things I shouldn’t.
Is it possible there’s a real alternative to a life on the run?
17
Sorsir
As I head back to my pod after the evening’s fights, all I can think about is Autumn. I was victorious tonight in the arena, but that seems like nothing next to the prospect of getting back to her, of seeing my Irisa.
I’ve fought battles where death seemed almost certain, I’ve competed in the arena night after night, I’ve been captured and made a prisoner and plotted escapes, but at the moment, nothing seems as difficult as biding my time until she’s ready to accept the bond between us.
I’m impatient by nature, eager to push forward, and it’s been a constant struggle with myself to give her space, to take things as slowly as she needs. But at the same time, it feels natural to protect her, to keep her safe from anything that might harm or frighten her, even if that might include my fierce desire for her.
She hinted this morning that she wanted to come to the fights, mentioning carelessly that it would be interesting to see where I “work,” but I carefully avoided answering. I’m worried that it might be traumatizing for her, that the violence and noise and blood might be frightening. For all her strength and bravery, I know she’s sensitive, and the urge to protect her runs deep within me.
One day maybe, but not now.
It’s late, and I expect that she and Chloe will be asleep already. I’m quiet when I open the door, trying to make as little noise as possible. But to my surprise, when I walk in and turn on the light, I see her curled up in the living room with Chloe in her lap, telling the little girl a story.
Autumn looks up as I close the door, and the unfettered look of happiness in her eyes when she sees me sends a flood of warmth through me, a comfort like I’ve never known. Seeing her there on the couch with her daughter in her lap, sweet and maternal and happy for me to be home, makes me crave a domesticity that I’ve never even allowed myself to consider.
And you should be careful of it now, I caution myself.
I don’t know if Autumn still plans to leave. She hasn’t accepted the bond between us, she is not yet fully my mate.
Trusting in this picture of happiness that I’ve walked into could lead to hurt, but I can’t stifle the hope that rises up in me. I realize in this moment that it’s not just her I want, but this.
A home.
A family.
All of the things that we Kalixians have believed for years were lost to us.
She stands up, gently setting Chloe down, and I realize with surprise that she’s dressed differently. I’m used to seeing her in the shapeless clothing that she wore when she wasn’t dancing at the bar, but tonight she’s wearing a dark blue wrap dress made of thin woven material, belted at the waist with some light blue gauzy material that trails down her hip, and tied at her breasts with a thin gold cord.
The sleeves stop just below her shoulders, leaving her slender arms bare, and when she steps forward to greet me, the material shifts and flows over her body in a way that makes my mouth go dry and my cock start to stiffen immediately.
I’ve seen her in much less than this at the bar, but somehow this is more desirable, because something tells me that she’s worn this for me.
“Are you tired?” she asks shyly, and my blood throbs in my veins as I wonder why she’s asking.
Surely not…
“I’m never tired after a fight.” I give her an impish grin. “In fact, I think I could take on the Orkun horde still, if need be.”
Autumn rolls her eyes, but a smile twitches at the corners of her mouth. “Lucy agreed to watch Chloe tonight,” she tells me, taking a step closer.
I smell something on her skin, some scent that I’ve noticed on the other women on this planet. It’s sweet smelling, like the oils that we use, and I notice the faint hint of it on her cleavage. Her skin shimmers softly with it.
She really did do this for me.
The knowledge floods me with desire. I want to take her in my arms here and now, but I resist, focusing on what she’s saying instead.
“I thought we could go out on a date,” she says hesitantly.
I frown, cocking my head slightly. I have no idea what a “date” is, but it clearly involves spending time with her, so there’s not a chance in this galaxy or any other that I’m going to turn it down.
“That sounds like a great idea,” I tell her with a nod.
She gives me a brilliant smile, the biggest one I think I’ve ever seen on her face, before turning away and scooping Chloe up.
“Come on, baby,” she murmurs to the little girl. “Let’s go see Aunt Lucy, okay? Mama will be back later tonight.”
Chloe claps her hands, cooing Lucy’s name as she snuggles against Autumn’s chest. I could watch the two of them forever, but I drag my gaze away and step toward the bathing room.
“I’ll wash off quickly so that we can leave when you return.”
“Sounds good.” Autumn beams at me. “I’ll be right back.”
I rinse off the dirt and the lingering traces of blood from the fight in the arena as quickly as I can, gritting my teeth as my hands slide past my cock—it’s half hard just from the sight of Autumn, and I’m tempted to take care of it right now.
It feels as if I haven’t stopped aching since the night I first saw her in the bar; for over a week now, I’ve been walking around in a constant state of arousal. But I don’t have time, and I know it won’t help much anyway. The brief release would feel good, but it’s not my hand that I want.
It’s her, and nothing less will satisfy me for long.
The minute she walks through that door, I’ll crave her as desperately as I ever have.
I get out of the bath, rubbing sweet oil into my skin and combing some through my shoulder-length hair before braiding it back and securing it with a leather tie. I pause for a moment, wondering what Autumn would be used to back on Earth.
What do men dress like there?
It’s not as if I have options—or anything I could borrow from anyone else—but she’s clearly gotten dressed up for this “date,” and I’ve never thought of wearing anything other than my loincloth. In fact, the thing I hate most about visit
ing Jocia, the capital city on Kalix, is that I have to put on more clothes. For any official function, a specific sort of clothing comprising a tunic and more fitted pants is required.
By the time I’ve given up trying to figure out if Autumn will be disappointed or not, I hear the door open and her footsteps pad softly inside.
I’m out of time.
I shrug, securing the tie in my hair a little more firmly before straightening my shoulders and walking out of the bathing room to meet her.
The look on her face when she glances my way tells me that she’s not disappointed in the slightest by my appearance. I see her cheeks go pink, all the way down to her chest, and I swallow hard, fighting the urge to cross the room and sweep her up into my arms, lay her back on the couch and take off that dress. And then…
“Ready?” she asks with a sweet smile, and I look up into her beautiful blue eyes.
She looks… excited? Eager?
The idea that she wants to spend time with me, of her own volition and away from the pod, sends another small flare of hope through me. Is it possible that she’s considering what it might be like to be mated with me? That she might not leave after all?
“More than ready.” I smile at her as I step forward. Those are the truest words I’ve ever spoken.
“Good.” Autumn smiles.
She takes my arm, and we leave the pod side by side.
“So tell me about these ‘dates,’” I say as we exit the building, walking out onto the dusty streets. “What are they like on Earth?”
Autumn cocks her head to one side. “Well, if we were on Earth, you’d probably take me out to a restaurant—a place where people gather and eat and have other people serve them food. There are all kinds of them, from simple to extremely fancy. Some of them are so upscale that you have to wear specific clothes and use specific utensils, and a meal could cost as much as a week’s pay for an average person.”
I laugh. “We have places to dine on Kalix like that. Places where you are served food. And some are very extravagant, as you say. Have you ever been to a place like that?”
