by Fiona Jayde
Been there. Done that.
Never again.
And this is just a stupid thing to be thinking about because I’m on a different planet with a complete and total stranger.
Ada, he’s an alien.
Yep. I know, but that knowledge is not crushing my current physical response to him. It must be the poison. The poison is making me irrational…and horny as hell.
He’s got barbaric ways and customs. A strange, green alien with giant horns who has basically kidnapped me. His hands are massive, making me feel tiny as he continues to touch me. God, he looks like he could crush me so easily, and I find the thought of those hands holding me incredibly sexy.
I hate my life.
His expression and his actions are nothing but gentle. His eyes are kind. I’m struggling to keep myself from leaning toward him. Dammit, I have to trust someone, but not at the expense of my body. I don’t care what he says or what being mated means. I can’t be a part of that when there is so much at stake right now. His hand reaches for my hair again, gently stroking it as if it’s the most fascinating thing in the known Universe.
And like an idiot, my mind goes blank. Maybe if I just grant myself one minute to relax against him and rest a bit, I’ll be able to think more clearly later. I’m just so damn tired.
“Do your females not have hair?” I ask, amused by his fascination with mine.
“We do not have females,” he replies quietly, his face coming closer to mine. “Not anymore. We lost them to a very fast-acting disease. It was a devastating blow to our people.”
I see the pain on his face and immediately realize he lost some family members. I recognize that kind of pain, and I feel for him. I truly do. “But now that your females are gone, how do you…?”
“How do we create children? As far as I know, we have never been able to with other species. There are some species that are compatible as bed partners, but breeding outside our species has never really been done since Elysiums wish to have children within their own species, though I believe my people were attempting to discover breeding possibilities before I was…before I left for this planet.”
“Oh. That’s…tough. I’m sorry.” Seriously, what exactly does one say to that?
He shrugs and moves his hand back to my cheek. “I did not think I was meant to have children.”
“Mmm,” I say. “Me either.”
“Why not?” he asks, still touching me. “Are you not able?”
I lean into his touch, finding myself pressed against his chest.
Well, this is nice. Nice and crazy.
“No, I just never thought I would be any good at it.”
“Good at… making children?”
I chuckle. “Not the growing them part…more the raising them. I didn’t get much in the way of parenting.” Understatement of the century. My mom, bless her heart, never could overcome her addiction to alcohol.
This conversation is taking an unexpected turn. I need to get back on track, and maybe discussing procreation with this giant, sexy devil is not the best idea. But Kyllell seems intrigued. He wraps his other arm around me. He’s holding me, caressing me, and I can’t seem to bring myself to move away.
Because I’m tired and can barely stand on my own two feet at this point. All true, but I can’t deny how good this feels.
“What is... parenting?”
“You know,” I say, my voice shaking a little. “Teaching your kids stuff, making sure they go to bed on time, feeding them, brushing their teeth, and caring for them.”
“Caring.”
“Yeah.” I pull back a little bit to look him in the eyes. He’s right with me, hanging on my every word, looking completely intrigued by the idea of actually raising children. Does his planet produce alcoholic mothers as well? Wait, no more females…can’t really remember why. I blink at him, trying to clear my blurry vision. I don’t want anything obstructing my view. He’s far too handsome for that. “Don’t you guys care for each other?”
“The females, yes. Elysium males are soldiers from birth. We are sent away to warrior colonies when we are very young. We stay there until we come of age. We train. If we cannot take care of ourselves or if we fail to develop as soldiers…” he shrugs again. I’m starting to realize that he does that when he thinks I already know what he’s going to say. Which, it turns out, I don’t.
“If you can’t care for yourselves…what?”
“Well, usually a child who cannot develop would be sold into indentured servitude by our military. If they did not want the child, it would be sent out into the wilderness to live or die on its own.”
I swallow hard, not liking the sound of that one bit. Being cast aside and abandoned is something I’m familiar with. My own mother cast me aside for the bottle. My own fiancé cast me aside for another woman.
“That sounds like a really hard life,” I finally manage to get out.
“I suppose. I was luckier than most. My colony was a good one, and I excelled at my training. Did you get much...parenting?”
“No, actually. My dad died when I was young, and my mom wasn’t really there much. She had her own stuff going on.”
I really don’t want to touch heavily on my history, but my thoughts immediately turn to dark memories. I think of the hundreds of times I had to go down to the corner bar and haul her back home while she swung angry fists at me, cursing me for ruining her body and her life. I would coax her into eating and drinking, give her a shower, and put her to bed. In the morning, she was always apologetic, saying she loved me and she would do better, but apologies aren’t worth much if you know someone is just going to do the same thing again.
“That sounds hard, too,” he murmurs, his hands gliding over my face. His body is starting to become electric or something. I feel like he’s a magnet and I’m stuck to him. I’m also starting to think I might have a fever, but I don’t really know what to do about it. Or maybe I’m just feeling warm from being so close to this guy.
My head dips a bit, but I shake myself and try to maintain eye contact. He lifts my chin and peers into my eyes. I see genuine care and concern. So strange. This dude barely knows me enough to care for me.
“You do not seem well, my mate.” Without any warning, he leans down and touches his lips to my neck. The spot is sensitive and swollen from the quill attack, but his lips feel cool and soothing. I feel a flash of arousal. “Your skin is warm,” he whispers in my ear. “Is that normal?”
“I’m not sure. I might be having a reaction to the poison from the quills.” He nuzzles my neck. I gasp. “What are you doing?”
“Just smelling your skin. You smell delicious. I cannot wait to taste you.”
My heart is pounding now. “Taste me? As in…are you going to bite me?”
He leans back and smiles, his dark eyes soft and filled with affection. “Not yet, my lovely mate. Biting is for bonding. I will lick you. I will taste your cunt. I will use my mouth to make you cum.”
I should be shocked. I should smack him, especially since I’ve never much liked the c-word, but when he says it, there’s reverence there, like he’s talking about something rare and worth treasuring.
And I can tell that he would be good at it.
Shit. I don’t know where that thought came from.
Shut up, sexy thoughts.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say. I take a step back and immediately sway to the side. He grabs me and holds me close, then sweeps me up into his arms, cradling me there. My head dips back so I can look at him, but his face has gone dark and stormy with worry, his extra set of ears twitch in agitation. His horns seem to be unfurling and changing color.
“Your horns are purple now,” I say.
He lowers himself into a seated position with me still cradled in his arms.
“That is because I am extremely concerned for your well-being. We are almost to our cave, and then I can give you some medicine that will help flush out the toxins from the Chassak quills.” He cups my cheek i
n his hand and rests his forehead against mine. “You must stay with me, my mate. I just found you, and I cannot lose you. I will not bear it well.”
“I’m not…your mate…you sexy alien.”
Did I say that last bit out loud?
The gentle rumble of his laughter lets me know I probably did. It doesn’t matter, though. I’m starting to lose my tenuous hold on consciousness, despite his insistent voice, urging me to remain awake.
I ignore it and allow oblivion to drown me into its dark depths.
※※※※
Kyllell
Ada is not responding to my voice, sinking back into that state of unconsciousness that left me sick with worry and fear the previous night. She is not reacting in the same manner an Elysium would. Depending on the dose, an Elysium either dies within the hour or suffers unconsciousness for days before recovery. Three quills. Three times the poison, yet she awoke from her slumber earlier. I had hoped her species was different.
But this…I don’t know what to expect, but I know I must get those herbs into her system. I wrack my brain, trying to find a solution to this problem, but all I can do is hold her and wait until we arrive at the cave.
Unless…
I am a stupid mate. I should have considered the cabin and what might be stashed in its stores. I’ve only had the ship for a day and had no time to investigate further, but there must be at least one vial of antidote upon this vessel, especially since this vessel was once used to transport slaves before I managed to steal it. Chassaks will poison, and then administer antidote, and then poison again as a way to break the mind of an especially rebellious slave. If I can find even one vial of this serum, I can help my mate. I can make certain the poison does not kill her.
I gently set her down and make my way to the tiny cabin where stores of supplies are kept. Then I begin my search. The translator chips are in abundance. I’ve already looked in that particular section. I branch off and discover rationed food for several days’ worth of travel and slave cuffs and restraints for multiple prisoners. The endless supply of provisions for transporting slaves from one point to another sickens me. I finally find a tiny compartment filled with three square containers. Upon opening one, I let out a sigh of relief. There are several vials here.
I quickly make my way back to my female, kneel next to her, take her by the arm, and inject the antidote into her shoulder. The moment I do so, I can’t help but worry I might have made things worse. She’s a human. I know nothing about their physiology. There is truly no way of knowing how her body will react to the antidote.
Did I make things worse for her?
I gather her in my arms again and rock her back and forth, feeling the burning of her skin and the layer of sweat on her brow. I am a worthless mate. I do not deserve her if I cannot provide for her and protect her.
Please. Please recover for me. I will not bear it well if you should leave me.
I wait for her to respond to the treatment, but there is nothing to give me faith other than her steady breathing. There is still another two hours before we reach the cave. Exhaustion settles in, but I will not rest until the danger has passed.
I will hold my mate in my arms and pray to our goddess, Elysarah, for her hurried healing.
It is all I can do, and I feel more helpless now than I did when my brother and the Elysium Council exiled me to this cursed planet.
※※※※
Ada
I blink my eyes open, feeling an unwelcome sense of déjà vu at the sight of a hunter green forearm and the feeling of a dull pounding behind my eyes. I’d hoped that maybe my sexy alien and this planet I’d accidentally been brought to had been some whacked out dream due to work-related stress, but here I am, yet again, waking up in the arms of a being from a completely different planet, feeling…well, besides the light ache in my head, feeling much better.
I blink up into golden eyes filled with concern and no small amount of relief.
“You are awake, Ada. I wasn’t sure the antidote would work.”
He pulls me into a sitting position, but still nestles me against his chest as his forehead comes to lean against mine. I’m still processing his words and trying to wake up, so I don’t exactly fight him off or push him away.
Not that I’ve really excelled at maintaining personal boundaries with this guy.
“Antidote? I don’t remember you giving me that.”
He groans and tucks my head under his chin, stroking my back and making a strange sound within his chest that vibrates against my skin. “I must beg your forgiveness, Ada. I did not consider the antidote the slavers had on this ship until you passed out again. I could have saved you so much unnecessary pain and suffering.”
His anguish over my…er…pain and suffering surprises me. He seems to feel it so deeply that I rush to reassure him, uncomfortable with this idea of him suffering emotionally at what he assumes is some failing on his part. Which is weird. Without really thinking about it, I lift a still shaky hand to his granite jaw, feeling the contrast of smooth skin to rough, scaly ridges as I look into his eyes. He sucks in a breath, appearing surprised at my initiating physical contact.
I’m just as surprised as he is, but I can’t stop myself from comforting him.
“You didn’t know, and I don’t blame you for it. As far as I see it, you saved me from drowning, and now you’ve saved me from this poison.” I stop talking as his eyes zero in on my lips. I swallow hard and force myself to keep my eyes locked on his. “My tolerance for pain is pretty high. I wasn’t suffering.”
He studies me for a moment, the ridges of his brows narrowing as my words register. “Have you had much cause to suffer through pain? At whose hand?”
His grip on me tightens, and a thrill shoots through my body. I ignore it and pat his chest as a low growl vibrates in the back of his throat. Why the hell does this sudden show of protectiveness seem so damn sweet?
“I had to learn how to take care of myself at an early age. I learned to fight to protect myself, and training can be intense.”
“You are a warrior. I knew this from the start, but I will protect you now. I will take care of you.” His eyes are filled with a level of affection I’ve never had directed at me in my entire life. It’s a heady feeling and one I have no idea what to do with. He studies my lips again and inches his face closer to mine.
“Tell me, Ada, do humans…mate with their mouths?”
I blink in surprise. “Are you talking about kissing?”
His full lips spread into a sensuous smile. “If by kissing you mean a joining of lips and tongue, then yes, that is what I am talking about.”
“Yes, we kiss—”
“Then I would kiss you now. I would kiss away all the pain you’ve experienced and all the disappointment in your life. I would kiss you until that sadness in your eyes leaves and never returns.”
Is this guy for real? The warmth spreading through my chest is as unfamiliar as it is unwelcome. I swallow hard, alarmed at the burning behind my eyes. I don’t cry. I never cry. I didn’t even allow myself to cry when we lost Bert.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kyllell. We barely know each other, and I’m not going to be here with you much longer.”
He gives me a terse jerk of his head, determination glinting in his eyes like I’ve just presented him with a challenge he’s more than happy to accept.
“I think it is an excellent idea. When we get to my home, I will show you. I will kiss away the bad and worship your body as it deserves.” With that, he runs his fingers along my throat, up my jaw, and starts massaging my ear in one of those sensitive spots that always sets me off.
I shudder despite myself, and without thinking, press my chest against his. He groans, and pushes back against me, rubbing closer and grabbing my ass with both hands. He leans down as if he is going to kiss me. In the back of my mind, I think to myself that I shouldn’t let him.
He’s an alien, the little voice in my head reminds me, but as
he comes closer, I start to lean in, anticipating the feel of his lips on mine.
A small, insistent beeping interrupts us. With a sigh, Kyllell gently disentangles himself from me, rises to his clawed feet, and moves to the helm of the vessel. “We are nearing my home now. I must steer from here.”
As he steps away from me, I feel myself coming out of a trance. What was I thinking? Did I seriously almost let him kiss me? How far would I have let this go? I’m shocked to realize I probably would have let it go pretty far. This guy is dangerous. A real test to my libido. I touch my forehead to check my head wound and find a soft, gauzy pad adhered to it.
“I dressed your wound while you slept,” he says, giving me a serious look. “I could not bear to see you covered in red liquid. It looked painful.”
“Blood,” I say. “Thank you for that.”
He nods, mumbling the word under his breath and then says, “No more blood shall spill from my Ada.”
I quirk a bemused eyebrow in his direction, but he seems to have said it more to himself. He has no idea who he’s dealing with if he thinks I’ll never run into a situation where I bleed again. If it isn’t marital arts classes it’s always something else. I’ve been a magnet for trouble most of my life.
Hence my presence here.
I stand on wobbly feet, staring at the terrain ahead, and my mouth drops open. I had been so involved in our discussion, I hadn’t noticed the approaching land. It’s magnificent. Huge cliffs covered in a blue substance rise high above the water. It looks like paradise. I see strangely feathered birds soaring above craggy cliffs and fish leaping from the water a few yards ahead. The fowl and fish look like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and my innate interest in the ocean, and crazy looking creatures in general, pulls my focus toward these particular specimens. As we get closer, I realize that the birds and fish are the same animal, jumping in and out of the water on wings that let them soar high above the cliffs if they wish.
It’s both freaky and gorgeous. I’m all about discovering new and interesting things in the sea, but I have no idea if these beautiful creatures are lethal or not. It seems like lots of things on this planet are lethal.
