by Mira Maxwell
We’re moving as one through the fog, weapons ready, when we hear the first high pitched screech. It cuts sharply through my head, and the women cover their ears with their hands. The noise is deafening. This time I can see it just before it is upon us. It’s completely white, except for its claws and red eyes. It’s attacking with its talons out, ready to snatch one of us and carry us off to its nest above for dinner.
I raise my sword above my head, ready to strike, when there’s another sound coming from the side of us. It sounds like a different animal’s cry. The snow phantom abruptly pulls up and disappears into the fog above us. To our left, a herd of malosu appear out of the fog. We stay at the ready, unsure of what is happening. Malosu aren’t usually aggressive, but they can be if they feel threatened.
When they’re close enough I notice men sitting on top of the creatures.
“Adox!” Edek says. We all look to see a large Attalan dismounting from his malosu. He’s built like a warrior but dressed like a wanderer. There are a few other wanderers riding with him and they all dismount. “It looks like you arrived just in time,” he continues.
“You were in good hands,” Adox says to Edek while looking at our group one by one. “We were hunting the snow phantom. It was too close to our caves so we were out here trying to encourage it to move on its way. I apologize that you happened to be right in the middle of it all.”
“No apologies necessary,” Mallyk says. “It looks like snow phantoms aren’t fans of malosu herds. That certainly worked to our advantage.”
“Indeed. It’s helpful to know some tricks to surviving outside the walls. Though malosu aren’t generally aggressive, they travel in packs and easily outnumber the snow phantom. We’ve got a lot of helpful information that we’d like to exchange. Edek thought your men might be ready for a conversation. Would you be willing to join us in the tunnels? It’s much safer.”
“We appreciate the invitation,” Mallyk says. He signals us to follow them back to the caves. I grasp Savannah’s hand as we start walking again, keeping her close by my side. I look down at her and she smiles up at me excitedly. Now that the threat has passed, she’s very excited to be meeting Adox and Levina.
Adox and his men mount their malosu and turn them around so they’re headed back in the direction they came. We move quickly to follow them. It’s unlikely the snow phantom will return while we have such a large group, but I don’t want to take any chances. We haven’t gone far when Adox directs the malosu down a narrow path. The other men follow single file except for two. They wait for us to pass and then bring up the rear. We follow the path into the mountains, where it curves around and around until finally there is an opening. A few of the wanderers dismount in order to move a huge rock aside so we can continue down into the caves. I’m impressed with how tightly everything is closed off and hidden. They seem to have great command of the land outside the walls.
They lead the malosu down into the caves and I’m surprised until we enter the cavern below and I see how enormous the space is. This part of their tunnel system includes the mountain above, hollowed out all the way to the top where there’s a small circular opening that lets natural light into the caves. The malosu are let loose and they trot off together while Adox and his men lead us further into the tunnels.
The others are quiet as they take in the amazing sight before them. Savannah and I saw some of the tunnels the other times we were here but this is a first for the rest of our group. It is an amazing sight to behold. They’ve managed to create an entire living, working, breathing city underground. It’s hard to know how many wanderers live down here but there is plenty of space for all of them.
“Welcome to our home,” Adox says, breaking the silence. “We have Edek to thank for suggesting this meeting. I believe it is time for an alliance to be formed. From what I have heard, many of the warriors at the fortress have broken from the city, defying the prime minister. Something that I must admit I have been waiting for, for a long time.”
Adox is walking through the tunnels and we are all following behind. He appears to be talking to Mallyk though he isn’t directing his comments directly to any of us. The chain of command is somewhat muddled down here. Obviously Mallyk would normally be in charge but now that we’re on Adox’s turf, he takes command. I suppose Mallyk still answers for the rest of the warriors, though, and it looks like we have some decisions to make tonight.
“An alliance is good,” Savannah says quietly to me as we walk along. “Are you open to it?”
For the first time in a long time I don’t even hesitate when I answer. “Of course. I am indebted to Edek for saving your life. I will gladly pledge an oath to defend him and his people. I will do whatever he wishes of me.”
She squeezes my hand and kisses my arm. “You’re so sweet. It’s hard to believe you’re the same alien I met all those weeks ago when we first crash landed on this planet.”
“That’s true. A lot has changed since that day.”
Adox leads us into a larger cave off of the main tunnels. There is a fire burning in the center of the room with tables and chairs situated throughout. “Please, make yourselves comfortable,” Adox says, motioning for us to have a seat in the chairs by the fire. “Can I have any food or drink brought for you?”
“Thank you. I’m sure my wife would appreciate food. Perhaps some of the other women as well?” Mallyk asks.
“An attack by an alien creature is always enough to make me hungry,” Margo says.
“Or just a long trek through huge snow drifts and frigid cold temps,” Savannah adds.
“I’ll be ready to sleep after I eat and drink,” Diana says, rubbing her stomach. “But we’d also like to thank you for inviting us down into your home. It’s impressive, like nothing I could have imagined.”
“It’s my pleasure. And my mate is very excited to meet all of you. She has been the only human living in the tunnels for years. She’s very excited to see other human females again. She’ll be here to join us shortly.”
“We were also very excited to learn that you are alive and well. We’ve heard many stories of you over the years but never knew what was real or embellished. Now Diana and I are going to be having a child of our own and it feels like unchartered territory. It would be nice to hear how things went with you and Lavina. You have three children, correct?” Mallyk says.
“We do. Three grown daughters. There is nothing to worry about, Lavina never had any problems conceiving or delivering our babies,” Adox says.
“Whew,” Diana says. “I have to tell you, that is wonderful news. It’s hard not to worry when we’ve gotten ourselves into something that is so unknown.”
“So I assume you plan on staying? You’ll raise the child on Attala?”
“Yes, I am planning on staying. Savannah is our team doctor so I’ve asked her to stay with me as well. Margo is our team’s pilot and Natalie is our engineer. Mina is our scientist but she’ll also be staying. Crazy how things change, isn’t it.” Diana looks around at the other women sitting around the fire. Initially this was a research mission that required them to get in, get what they needed and get back to Earth. There are so many factors influencing their decisions now. It is still essential to get the Eclaydian back to Earth but it isn’t necessary that all of the women return. Even the ones that do go back have talked about returning once they’ve completed their mission.
“Perhaps you would like to relocate here to raise the baby. The invitation is available to you. To all of you, in fact. Lavina would be more than thrilled to have you here.”
As if on cue, a woman I’m assuming must be Lavina walks into the cave. She smiles at the other women while walking over to Adox. “Hello, I’m Lavina. It’s so wonderful to finally meet you.” She extends her hand to the women first and they all shake, a human custom. She then looks to the warriors and nods at us with a smile.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Savannah says. “We were all so excited when we heard that there was an
other human on the planet. I’m sure you have so much to teach us.”
Lavina smiles and laughs a shy laugh. “I hope I have some things to share with you after all of these years.”
“I plan on hearing everything you have to say about your pregnancies,” Diana says.
“Well, when you’re done here, I’d be happy to show you around. We have sleeping quarters for all of you so you’ll be able to relax and sleep well tonight after your journey.”
“Thank you, my love,” Adox says, kissing her hand.
“Before you take everyone on a tour, I wanted to talk with you about the prime minister. Have you had any contact with the city?”
“No, we’ve remained in the fortress with the women. Now that we’ve broken our oaths we knew it wasn’t safe to return. We need to get their team engineer, Natalie, back and then we’ll be able to sever ties,” Mallyk says.
“That’s what I was worried about,” Adox says. “I have spies in the city. They won’t be letting the other female go willingly. She is being held as their bargaining chip. I’m afraid she is a prisoner, not a guest.”
“Oh no,” Savannah says while the other women gasp simultaneously.
“We need to get her out of there,” Diana says to Mallyk.
“We will,” he says immediately. “Of course we will…she will be fine.”
“Yes, there is no need to worry. We will devise a plan and we will get her out of the city. I’m completely confident that we can get her back,” Adox says. “You should all rest tonight and in the morning we can start planning. If we work together we’ll be able to act quickly.”
It’s hard to stop thinking about what it’s going to take to get Natalie out of the city safely, without putting anyone else in jeopardy. But for the rest of the time spent around the fire together, we eat and drink and make friendly conversation to get to know each other better. The logistics of rescuing Natalie can wait until tomorrow. When Lavina finally offers to show us to our sleeping quarters, we are all more than ready.
We are staying in caves close to each other but I’m thankful that I get Savannah all to myself tonight. When we’re finally alone in our cave, I pull her close and kiss her long and passionately.
“I’ve been dying to do that for hours,” I tell her. “I wasn’t hungry for food, I was hungry for you.”
She giggles and nudges me playfully. “It is nice to be alone together, finally. And we have our own room. It’s like we’re moving in together.”
“Moving in together?” I ask.
“Yeah. On Earth, when you get serious with someone, you move in together. It usually means your relationship is getting serious.”
“Oh. Well, yes. Then we are moving in together. Though I think the actual process of mating on our planet is much more permanent than this moving in together.”
“That’s true,” she says, looking thoughtful. “I want to be a part of the rescue team for Natalie.”
“No,” I say without hesitation. “You have already been through a lot. I need you to stay safe so I don’t worry about you while I’m gone. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
She pouts and I know this conversation isn’t over, but for now she chooses to move past it. “Well, then it’s a good thing that you don’t have to live without me. Because for now, I’m staying. It’s you and me.”
“I like the sound of that,” I say.
And it’s true. Somehow through all of my grumpiness, I was able to get it together and figure out what I needed in my life to make me happy. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure I get to keep her forever.
Epilogue
SAVANNAH
We’ve been staying in the caves for a few days now and it’s starting to feel like home. Ozmyx and I have our own cave together and we’ve taken advantage of our alone time. When we’re not together he has been meeting with Adox and his wanderers as well as Mallyk and Lodyn. They’re trying to figure out a plan to get Natalie out of the city and back here where she belongs. There’s an urgency to getting Natalie back so the Eclaydian can be returned to Earth. It’s different for me now, though, now that I’ve decided to stay. Obviously I still want our mission to be successful and I’m invested in making sure we get the Eclaydian back to Earth. But I’m ready for it all to be over so I can move on with the next phase of my journey, adapting to a permanent life on Attala.
Tonight he’s later than usual. I’m tired but I can’t go to sleep without Ozmyx here. My body craves him now. The fire is warm and relaxing next to me but my body is humming, in need of his touch. There’s a pulsing between my legs that’s making me hot and bothered. I’ve already slipped my clothes off and am lying naked under the furs in anticipation of Ozmyx’s arrival. My hands slide down my body, in search of the heat between my legs. I’ve been trying to wait but as soon as I slide my fingers between my folds I feel how slippery wet I am. Once I start, I can’t stop my fingers from sliding over my clit. I’m going slow, trying to prolong the sensation, slowly going around and around, teasing myself until Ozmyx gets here. When I feel like I’m getting too close, I pull back.
I play like this for a while. I’m restless now, about to let myself orgasm when I hear Ozmyx’s voice. “I see you started without me tonight,” he says.
Relief flows through me knowing he’s here and I don’t have to wait any longer for the pleasure that I desperately want.
“You’re late,” I say. “I couldn’t wait any longer.”
He moves into the room and quickly strips off his clothes. He stands before me showing off all of his naked glory. I pull back the furs, revealing my naked body underneath.
“I can smell your arousal all around me,” he says as he gets down on his knees before me. I spread my legs wide for him, beckoning him to me.
His hands touch me first, spreading my thighs wider and gripping them, massaging them. He strokes up and down my thighs, running his fingers over my skin, somehow making me even wetter than I was before. I quickly realize that he’s playing along with my little game, not giving me the instant relief that I crave. Instead he’s touching my body all over, except for my pussy, the one place I’m craving his attention.
“Touch me,” I say, practically begging.
“I am touching you, my queen.” He answers me playfully, with a teasing tone to his voice. This is a side of him that I’m starting to see more and more. The playful, teasing, loving side of Ozmyx is quickly becoming my favorite.
“Here,” I say, using my fingers to spread my folds for him and let him know exactly what I’m desperate for. He takes my fingers away and smiles.
“I’ll always give you what you want.” And with that, he finally dips his head down between my legs. The first lick of his tongue has me gasping my pleasure out loud. He’s slow and deliberate, licking over my clit and down to my core. I’m already strung tightly, so close to coming when he starts licking using more pressure. My hips are lifted slightly off the ground as I rock my pussy against his mouth, chasing the pleasure that is just outside my grasp.
And then, he pulls away.
“Oh, don’t stop!” I say with frustration.
He slides his hands up my body and cups my breasts. “I want to take my time with you,” he says while squeezing my breasts. My nipples are so sensitive when his fingertips brush over the top of them. I grip his arms and pull his mouth down to mine, slipping my tongue in to meet his. He holds himself up on his elbows but lets his hips rest on me so I feel his cock nestle between my thighs. He settles into the kiss and it works me up even more than I thought possible. His cock is rubbing against me in the perfect spot. I start to move against him and I can tell that he’s not interested in playing games anymore.
“I need you inside of me right now,” I say between kisses. I’ve been holding off for too long. “I don’t want to take it slow anymore.”
“I don’t either,” he says. And then, he slowly pushes his cock inside of me. I feel every inch of him as he stretches and fills me, pushin
g his massive cock in to the hilt.
“Fuck, that feels amazing,” I bring my hands up and run my fingers through my hair, stretching my body in an attempt to accommodate the fullness in my pussy. “I’ve never felt anything this good in my entire life.”
He slowly pulls back out, the muscles in his arms and shoulders bulging from showing such restraint. He likes to fuck hard but tonight he’s trying to go slow, and it’s driving me wild. When he pushes back in, he goes slow until the very end and then he puts a little more force into it. He’s so deep inside of me I don’t think it’s possible for him to get any deeper. Instead of starting to thrust he leans down again and kisses me.
It’s like foreplay, having him deep inside of me without moving, just kissing me lazily, like we have all afternoon. I start moving my hips as much as I can with his weight on top of me. My pussy is throbbing so hard it’s almost painful. “Please, Ozmyx. Fuck me now…I can’t take waiting anymore.”
“Yes, I need it,” he says into my mouth, his lips still kissing me as he finally starts to move. He sits back, repositioning himself above me and then slams into me, making me scream out with pleasure. He pulls out and slams back into me again, massaging my pussy in the most perfect way. My entire body tingles with pleasure and I know that an orgasm isn’t far off. “Fuck, yes,” he says. He’s picking up the pace, pushing in and out of me, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
Watching him move above me is a huge turn on. He’s so strong and agile, his body moves impressively for a man who’s so large. And now he’s mine, all mine. And it does something inside of me that I’ve never experienced before with any other man. The next time he thrusts into me I hear him inside of my head. He’s proclaiming his love for me but I’m not hearing it from his mouth. His eyes lock onto mine and I know that he has experienced the connection as well. Our bodies are moving perfectly together, both of us so close to the pleasure we’re so desperately seeking.
