by Pearl Tate
“She’s a nice enough person, but the exploration in space is a young person’s choice. I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. She wasn't informed, but my uncle was counting on me too. He expects me to keep an eye out for anything new and different that could be brought into our society for trade.”
“Like women?” I poke him in the chest. “That’s all kinds of fucked up, too. Someone hasn’t really gone over ethics properly in your society.”
“I wasn’t planning on telling my Uncle Reelo about that. Originally, I suspected Bren brought Hannah on the Discovery to share. When nothing was said, I approached him to see if he would sell her to share. I recognize propositioning him was wrong and I’m sorry that I ever considered the idea!”
I can sense his regret. It’s interesting that somehow—somewhere along the lines, he missed the fact that you shouldn’t buy, sell, or trade people—or sentient beings or whatever. “Is there a history of prostitution, slavery, or trading and selling people on your planet? What are the laws? How does your council handle it?”
Travek’s still holding his plate in his hands in front of him. He looks torn as he stares at me. “We have some issues, but I’m not even supposed to know about them. And I have zero control over it.” He clamps his mouth shut, looking resigned.
“Okay. Spill.” When he finally takes a bite of brownie, moaning enough that my thighs clench, I realize he’s debating changing the subject. Distracting me with either food—or sex. “Come on. We’re supposed to trust each other here.”
“Yes, but…” Travek swallows. “You have to realize, if anyone was aware of what I suspect, there could be some major political blowout!”
“It doesn’t sound that different from Earth. If it’ll make you feel better, we have some major trafficking rings on Earth too. Children, women, and even men are sold into slavery. Some kind of sex trade? It’s on the news periodically.”
Putting down his empty plate, Travek grabs mine and stacks them. “This is only speculation. So, don’t tell anyone else.” I glance around the room pointedly.
He laughs, but the sound is brittle. “There are agreements with other planets that worry me. The Marel and Sinth which are highly developed, but very different species. What could they possibly need to go there for? It’s all males—orphans and undesirables. And I don’t know any specifics. Just that whatever is going on--whatever they're using them for--can’t be good. No one ever comes back to talk about the experiences. It doesn’t seem like anything I’ve ever stumbled upon is good.”
Tugging him to the sofa, he collapses onto the cushion next to me. Crawling into his lap, I rest my head on his shoulder. “Let’s not worry about anything right now. All I want to concentrate on, is getting out of here. I get the heebie jeebies thinking about how we’re being monitored. And we’re having sex with no protection.”
“Protection? I’ll protect you.” Sitting up, I look at his fierce expression.
“You’re kidding, right? You get what I mean.” I can’t believe it, but he really doesn’t. “Protection to not get knocked up… pregnant?”
His expression changes to one of shock. When his mouth drops open, nothing comes out. “Yeah. What if they’re just waiting for me to get pregnant and then they separate us? We’ve no idea what they want… what if they take our baby?” I’m whispering by the end.
Sure, I’m not jumping up and down about the idea of getting pregnant. I’m not trying on purpose! But the thought of someone taking my baby from me makes my blood run cold.
Travek’s arms tighten. A low, feral sound comes from his lips, and when he does finally pull himself together, his voice is a growl. “No. I hadn’t thought of that, but I won’t let them touch you or any child we have.”
“We have no control! They can zap us from one place to another. Their technology is unfathomable!” Throwing my arms out, I can’t keep the dismay from my response.
Travek’s hair and stiff body language let me know that I’ve made my point. I want to take action, but there’s no point in getting all freaked out right now. What can we possibly do? What if we bust out, and there isn’t air outside this room? “We’re together. They haven’t hurt us. But we need to communicate with them—somehow.”
He nods his agreement before pulling me flush against his body. His very naked body. There isn’t any barrier between us under this short robe as he hardens under me. “Let me spend some more time investigating before I get cleaned up. What do you plan to do?”
I consider my options. We could have sex, but that'll keep him distracted. “I’ll go through our food supply again and use up some fresh stuff. If the food is any indication of how long they plan to keep us here, it could be weeks. I’ll make something up and give you ten minutes warning or so. If you want to clean up before we eat. You’re kind of dusty.”
Giving him a quick peck on the lips, I slide down his legs and climb to my feet. He’s slouched on the couch with his hard cock laying against his stomach. He’s so tempting.
Spinning on my heel, I move into the kitchen without looking back. As I open the fridge, I hear him climb to his feet and gather up his assortment of tools. They’re really nothing more than kitchen spatulas and knives. I guess it’s better than nothing.
Pulling out the most perishable items, I load them on the countertop next to me. I should be able to make up some soups and then freeze them. I wonder if the Ashen have ever heard of a crock pot?
Shutting the fridge, I start opening and closing cabinets. Sure enough, I find the familiar green and white appliance. This is the weirdest prison I’ve ever seen or heard of.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
- Travek
My mate has made some valid points. I hadn’t thought about the possibility of them breeding us. Everything I’ve been taught about the Ashen, has been directed at avoiding them. Because once they have you—they can control you.
That’s one reason why where we are seems so unusual. If they can manipulate our minds like they can talk using telepathy, why haven’t they done so. We’re here, together. They technically rescued us from terrible conditions.
It leads me to believe they aren’t malicious. They don’t plan to eat us or torture us. We’re being provided for. Could that mean that Lisa’s suspicions are warranted? Do they want our offspring?
But, why?
As I continue my circuit around the room, I come to the area where I’ll have to access the circuitry behind the cabinets mounted on the walls. It makes sense that if there’s any kind of incoming area for the wiring, it would be hidden under multiple layers to make it harder to locate. I should have started here.
There’s a large corner cabinet where I begin. Removing all the pots and pans, I wonder who’d ever need this many prepping and cooking tools? But then I look up at Lisa, who’s humming softly to herself as she chops.
She’s set up a pot that plugs into an outlet and is loading it with vegetables. I can’t get over how right at home she is in this setting. Everything she’s looked for has been available to her from pots, to food, to spices.
I have to shake myself to focus and break my fascination with her upper thighs that peek out of the short robe. It takes some time to remove the shelf before climbing inside. The back of the cabinet's box is thinner, and I don’t have any trouble pressing through it along with the wall.
Sure enough, I find what I’m looking for. A large tangle of clear wiring is exposed as I penetrate the box near the corner. It runs off in multiple directions, servicing all the items in this dwelling.
Staring at it, I realize that this won’t be difficult—just time consuming. I want to expose them without compromising what they’re maintaining around us. There’s no sense in handicapping Lisa if I kill myself and she continues to live here.
Will they keep her here, even if I’m gone? Maybe without the hope of offspring, they’ll let her go. I can’t think that way. I want to get their attention, pulling them into dealing with us. Using myself as bait looks
like the best way.
Halfway through my task, Lisa calls me out for what she calls sandwiches. When I shimmy out, she whistles and winks. “I love having a naked man in my kitchen.”
Smiling, I drop a kiss on her lips before heading into the shower to rinse off quickly and throw on my robe. By the time I get out, she’s already set a plate for me on the table. There's a bowl holding a wonderful smelling soup and two sandwiches on a plate beside it.
“How’s it going?” I moan a positive response around the bite of food I just took, and she smiles softly. “I’m glad you like the soup.”
Laughing, she settles next to me and we eat in silence. My head is spinning with the gravity of the plan I’ve made. My bites slow as everything that could possibly go wrong plays through my mind. From hurting Lisa to dying and leaving her alone...
“Is everything alright?” Lisa’s looking at me curiously, and I force a smile and grab her hand. She’s finished already. I really am distracted. Pulling harder, I scoot my chair back so I can settle her across my legs.
“I just missed you.”
“Missed me?” She swivels and drops her other leg over my lap so she’s straddling me. “I was literally at arms length. You’re taking this ‘staying near me’ to a whole new level.”
Lisa makes a strange signal with her hands when she talks, but I understand her point. Even now, she’s rubbing her chest and looking at me seriously. I pull the cord on her robe and watch as the silky material loosens, exposing most of her breasts to me.
Nothing will make me feel better quicker than looking at her… touching her. Running my fingertips down her neck, I watch bumps appear on her skin. Now that she’s in my lap, my cock has risen and it’s bumping up against her soft skin of her rear. It knows where it wants to be.
She seems to be on the same page. Pulling her robe apart, she shifts her weight to her legs, brushing her hard nipples along my chest. Groaning, my cock’s instantly between us. I grab her ass with both hands to pull her against my length.
She’s scorching hot and wet as she writhes in my lap, rubbing her cleft along me. The first touch of her lips to mine is chaste, but I change that immediately. Tilting my head, I plunge my tongue into her mouth, tasting her and the soup. All mine.
Shifting herself higher up my cock, she sinks down on me, enclosing me in the warmth of her body. It’s torture as she rocks on my tip, working me slowly inside her, but it’s definitely what I need… this connection with her. Making me forget where we are and what I plan to do.
We continue to kiss as excitement ramps up between us. I’ve slid down the back of the chair, so I can pull my robe apart further and penetrate her deeper. She’s so snug, so tight. I can barely concentrate when she pulls her lips from mine.
“Travek. Oh, god. You feel so fucking good.” She begins to rock on me in earnest as her body swings above me. Pulling her robe further to the side, I suck a taut nipple into my mouth, rolling it around before biting it softly.
Lisa goes wild in my arms, sinking down further on me before pulling up to grind me inside her again. Releasing her nipple, I’ve already pushed the other side of her robe open and cup her firm, full breasts together as I run my tongue lightly over to the other.
I’m so close to exploding already, but I need to wait. I want to watch her come apart on me. Pulling her other nipple into my mouth, I roll the other between my fingers as she thrusts me inside her. Harder and harder she sinks onto me, until my balls feel ready to explode at any second.
Suddenly, I notice her touching my balls, stroking lightly before she drops further down and rubs a spot behind them. It’s as if an explosion descends on me. Releasing her nipple, I throw my head back and groan as wave after wave of pure ecstasy courses through my body.
She sinks onto me, and I realize she’s coming with me. Gripping my hands on her hips, I arch to push deeper into her as my cock twitches and releases everything inside her. I’m so deep now, I’d be worried if I couldn’t detect her excitement oozing around me. It drips onto my balls where her small, clever fingers spread it around, encouraging aftershocks that take my breath away.
When my mind is able to control my body again, I release her butt to pull her closer. Kissing her chest, I work my way up her neck and along her jawline. Her head tips down to meet mine, and our lips lock in a much slower and less frenzied kiss.
Pulling back, I don’t let her move far. Staring into her eyes, I declare myself seriously. “You’re everything to me, Lisa. I love you. Forever.”
Her lips tilt up even as she draws her robe together and hides her breasts from view. Sinking her hands into my hair, she brushes it back from my forehead and laughs as it arches out over us and reaches for hers. “All of you wants me, I see.”
“Oh yes, we do. You’re irresistible.”
“And you’re insatiable.” She slowly lifts off me and looks down at my still hard cock, dripping with both our juices. “You’ll need to take another shower.” Laughing, she steadies herself by grasping my shoulders and throwing her leg over to climb off me.
“I’ll plan on showering a little later. Are you alright to clean up?” I stand and look down on my half-finished meal.
“You aren’t going to finish?” When I shake my head, she scowls but grabs my plate and moves into the food prep area. “I’ll save it. It’ll just be in the fridge here, so let me know if you want the soup reheated.”
Nodding, I carry the other dishes over to her. A lump of dread has formed already in the pit of my stomach. It won’t be long before she notices. I need to get this over with.
I’m gambling a lot on what I’ve been told about the Ashen. They’ve always been considered the watchers. Not killers.
Climbing back into the cabinet box, I listen to the occasional bang and shuffle from Lisa. I quickly work to strip the rest of the wires as effectively as possible. If she feels any of my worry and anxiety, she doesn’t comment. In contrast, I feel her contentment. She’s happy, even if she's still worried about our predicament.
When I have every accessible wire exposed a fingers width, I consider my placement, and how I will grasp it. I must hold on to it as long as possible, and I expect the kick back will make me release it. I don’t want to still be locked onto it when Lisa realizes what has happened. She may inadvertently hurt herself trying to see what she can do to help.
Looking at the wires I’ve exposed, I roll onto my back and turn my head to get the best angle with my wrist. I couldn’t get at some of the wires inside the bundle, because they were inside and also inaccessible.
Reaching out slowly, I’m about to grasp the bundle, intending to place my palm in the most exposed area. That's when I hear an echo low in my head.
“Don’t touch them.”
But I don’t hesitate any longer. Right as I grasp them, I think: “Then come and stop me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
- Lisa
Travek is acting strange. He’s been so good about communicating that I’m not sure what to think. But now, right after sex and telling me he loves me, he’s back at it. Laying in the lower box although this time he’s wearing his robe.
Does he know something he isn’t sharing with me? I can feel a dull ache in my chest. It radiates out into my body. Stopping to study it, I realize there’s fear too. His worry makes me worry.
Could he be worried about me not telling him I loved him back? I just believe it’s awfully soon. We’re under this pressure with our imprisonment, and I don’t want to just say it to say it. Right?
I mean, I know that I care about him. A lot. Like a lot. But love? Isn’t it too soon?
Sure, we’re mated. But that’s some kind of biologically driven imperative that puts us together. It’s not the steady, committed love that’s so damn important for me to find for myself.
Of course, every time I look at him for any length of time, I’m horny. All he has to do is look at me, and I’m ready to jump him. It’s awesome, but it catches up to you and makes yo
u wonder how much of what you’re feeling is really you.
When I think about the fact we're in a gilded cage, all I do is worry. Is this it for us? Will we live and die here of old age and never see our captors? Is it actually the Ashen, like Travek thinks? Or grays that are so popular in Earth’s pop culture and conspiracy theories? I’m not even positive they’re one in the same. Pretty sure, but not positive.
Travek shuffles around again in the corner cabinet. Briefly, I consider taking a shower, but I remember he likes me to be in the same room with him. Whatever he’s doing in there is probably some serious shit? That’s what’s making this feeling leak through our bond to me. It wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t feel like… fear?
Yes, definitely.
I’m just about to check in on him when I hear a loud bang and then a deep roar I instantly know is Travek. I can sense a jolt go through my system as a series of aftershocks trip off in the place's electrical.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
All around me fixtures and appliances die, and the lights get dimmer. As the noises continue from echoing bangs to faint pops, all the lights blink out.
“Travek!” He doesn’t answer as more percussions go off. I’m left in complete darkness. Even though I was only ten feet away, I drop to my knees and crawl over until I hit his legs. Grasping both in my hands, I shake them. “Travek!”
I can barely move the dead weight they’ve become, and I crawl up his body frantically. “Travek!” Patting his stomach, which is halfway in the lower cabinet, I pull his robe apart and press my head to his chest. I can’t make out a thing!
“Travek, please!” Following his shoulders, I reach up and pull his hand down that was over his head. The skin is hot, and blisters burst under my fingers, wetting my hands. He’s electrocuted himself again!
“Travek! Come on!” This is bad. I’ve no idea what to do, and I freeze as I lean over him. It’s pitch-black in here. Maybe he’ll come to at any second?
