“Will this human really die if exposed to simple toxins?” Veikko asked.
“Do you care?” Blu said.
Adan felt his grip on her tighten when he began to stride away. When she peeked up the gas was falling closer. Sand in an hour glass had become her life while on this planet. Night was a silent killer.
“It would be a mercy to kill the human,” Veikko said. Adan could see him trailing them.
“I won’t allow her to die.” Blu’s words were so harsh in tone Adan relaxed against him.
“But she’s useless, small, frightened. She slows you down.”
“She’s mine.” Blu stopped and glared at Veikko. “You have no compassion, no mercy, you have nothing. You are alive with no life. You’re dead inside. Your planet is the same. Nothingness begets nothingness. Go sleep with shit, it needs nothing from you. My female is life; she can give life.”
“If she were to conceive here, I imagine the Braxians would take her and her child and keep them safe. It’s another reason our females kill the weak little ones; the rulers steal those with compassion. They have a fondness for the weak and unusual,” Veikko said.
“Then why covet assassins?” Blu said.
“They covet power more.”
“Stop following me or help me find shelter,” Blu demanded. He resumed his trek.
“This human will really die?”
Adan found his inability to process the information hard. He didn’t seem stupid, just skeptical.
“Yes,” Blu raged. “Is that what you want to hear? Does death of an innocent please you so much?”
“I have no use for innocent death. There is no honor in killing innocents when it’s unnecessary, unless it’s to spare them pain and suffering. I have killed many who do not possess my power, but not many do.”
“Then help me or get the fuck out of my way.”
“There is a place called a tutus, a safe haven. You may stay there with your female while I send word to the Braxians of your status.”
“Will she be able to breathe?”
Adan saw Veikko nod. “The tutus is lower than ground level. The gas only falls to the ground but stops short of holes and indentations. I will escort you there. The human will live, for now. I will ask my warriors to respect your space, but if our females hear of a helpless female it will be, touchy. They will want to kill her. Not from malice, but sympathy. Perhaps a rumor of her exploits is in order. We can make up something. What is questioning someone to death?”
“Painful,” Blu replied.
Adan yanked on his fur.
She heard Veikko sigh. “Try and keep up with me,” Veikko said and he was gone.
Adan found herself taken on the ride of her life as Blu did in fact keep pace with Veikko. The green of the toxins lowered past Blu’s head and neck as they moved until Adan was in his arms to his waist. She began coughing as Blu took a huge leap, then clung for dear life as they spiraled down. Adan was almost jerked from Blu’s arms when they hit the ground. Adan plopped onto her bottom when released.
Sitting on the soft ground with her arms wrapped around one of Blu’s legs she gaped at the scenery. The images of the sights and sounds before her were slightly beyond the mouth of a cave. What lay ahead was anyone’s guess.
Chapter 5
The tutus was amazing. Blu had seen beauty amidst ravaged but this place was an anomaly in a world of violence. Veikko moved forward enticing them onward. To see a deadly assassin up top in the deadly jungle wasn’t a surprise. Down here…. The shock was akin to that of the golden creature having a hell hound for a mother. An entire underground of mysteries was before them and above them, green lights twinkled. A small green light dropped lower to investigate Adan, and Blu noted it was a bug filled with gas. Human and bug gazed at one another curiously. Blu growled, he didn’t want anything near Adan. Veikko offhandedly told him the bugs were harmless. The bug zipped back up to the ceiling where it was surrounded by other bugs until they made a swarm.
“They look like they’re talking,” Adan whispered, her face tilted to the ceiling with her awed expression.
Blu held Adan’s hand while she clung to his arm with her other hand. He could hear her heart pounding in her chest. To her credit she didn’t whimper or complain. She moved with him, pressed to his side, eyes wide in wonder.
“What is this place?” Adan whispered.
“My home,” Veikko replied. “I normally don’t allow strangers here, especially other male warriors, but on occasion I have entertained female companions.”
Adan reached to touch a tall green plant with white flowers. Veikko grabbed her hand. Before Blu could kill him, Veikko explained the plant would burn her skin or cause blindness. Adan was gazing at the assassin strangely.
“Your hand is warm,” she said.
“Did you expect ice?” Veikko asked.
“I don’t know what I expected. The sharp needles that come out, where do they go?”
“They retract. I control them, watch.” A few of the sharp needles immerged from the palm of his hand. The quills unfolded in slow motion, each individual quill unraveled, a stepping stone to greater height until they stood tall. The quills retracted the same way until only the pin prick was left visible. Blu could see Adan was mesmerized. Veikko closed his palm, gazed at Adan then opened his palm; the quills went from slow motion to faster than the speed of light, shooting to stand at attention. Veikko gazed sharply at Blu. “I control my battle mode when and if I morph.”
Blu stiffened. “I have control of when I change. I choose not to when I’m protecting another life.”
“She’s in little danger here.”
“It’s not our surroundings I have a problem with.”
“If I wanted you dead, you would be,” Veikko said.
“I doubt it.”
“Guys, let’s not get into a pissing contest,” Adan said.
Blu and Veikko stared at her, Blu scowled. He never had and never would get into a pissing contest with anything. Some things were private.
“You may sleep here,” Veikko said.
Adan wandered over to the place indicated. There was nothing more than huge green leaves on the ground. When reaching the middle of the leaves, all eight leaves closed around her making her disappear from his sight. Blu panicked—so too did Adan. He heard her yelling.
“The damned thing ate her,” Blu yelled.
“It didn’t eat her.” Veikko shook his head, Blu wasn’t certain if the alien was amused or disgusted. “Adan, just say ‘lower’ and it will open.”
Adan kept up her steady howl. “Open it,” Blu demanded.
“I can’t, it only activates on commands from within. It’s a safe haven. Nothing can get in.”
Blu smashed against the plant. He didn’t leave a dent. He tried jumping and grabbing the top of a leaf but couldn’t peel it down.
“What the hell is your female yelling?” Veikko demanded.
Blu stopped his attack and listened. Veikko was right; Adan wasn’t randomly screaming she was yelling words.
“Open says me, damn it,” she bellowed. “Abracadabra. Hocus fucking pocus. Alakazam, poof. Bibbidi-bobbidy-boo. Shazam.”
“Order her to stop,” Veikko demanded.
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that ass wipe. She’s scared. I wonder why, oh wait, she’s been eaten by a giant fucking plant.”
“Alla peanut butter sandwiches.” Blu heard Adan cry out in a small voice.
Blu hunkered down near the ground. He placed his hands against the leaves. His heart hurt when he heard her sob. For Adan to be crying, Blu knew this was her limit.
“Adan?” His voice was soft.
“What?” Huge snuffling.
“Honey, say the word ‘lower.’ Try, for me.”
“Lower.”
The leaves rolled down, exposing Adan’s crumpled form. She crawled into Blu’s waiting arms.
“I was eaten by a plant,” Adan sobbed, snuffled and gripped him tighter. “I thought it
was the same as the dirt death. I was waiting for the zombie worms to eat me.”
No wonder she’s so upset.
“It’s a safe haven. Nothing can harm you when inside.” Veikko stood with his arms crossed over his chest.
“This is my safe haven,” Adan whispered in Blu’s ear making him smile.
“Your female cannot do that,” Veikko said.
“Do what?” Blu asked.
“Tears are for weak babies.”
Adan pulled from Blu’s arms and struggled to her feet. She stood in front of Veikko. “Listen, you heartless ass, I’ve almost been blown up, tossed around in a tin can. Poison gas threatens every night. And my pet’s mother is a hell hound. I was eaten by a plant. If anyone deserves a few tears it’s me.”
Veikko’s jaw twitched. “After all of that, you risk the wrath of an assassin?”
“Next to all that, you’re as scary as a Bubble Guppy or Mike The Knight. If I need something to save me from you, I’ll call in the Wonder Pets.”
“Something tells me you’re not being very flattering,” Veikko snarled.
“Yeah, you really should go with that feeling,” Adan replied.
The foggy green glow of his eyes brightened for a second. His hand rose as though to grab her. Blu shot to his feet and put himself between them. Veikko took a few deep breaths. He gazed at Blu.
“How do you discipline something you can kill without trying?”
“You learn to control your temper,” Blu said.
He scooped Adan up and stepped onto the green leaves which snapped into place.
“Are you okay?” Blu asked her as he settled her down, kneeling beside her.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry I’m over-emotional. It’s under control now. It’s been a long day.”
“Actually, the days here are short compared to my planet. But I suppose the assassins prefer the cover of darkness.”
“It’s not too dark in here.”
“My eyes make for a great night light. The leaves seem permeable when it comes to some light.”
Adan reached to caress his face. Her hand was so soft. “I’ve never made love on a bed of leaves.”
Blu had Holidayed on the forest floor on his planet. Out in the open, naked as the day he was born. This plant smelled nice but it wasn’t home, he couldn’t wait to take Adan home and have her meet his family. Another reminder he already had family. This new way of thinking made more sense each passing moment.
Adan was tracing his arousal on the outside of his pants. “I love your cock.”
“You are in love with my cock? That sounds a little unnatural, and kinda odd, but okay if you say so.”
She giggled. “No, loving something and being in love are two different things. I used to love ice cream but I haven’t eaten it in years.”
“So you’re comparing my cock to food? Not sure that makes me happy.”
Adan gave him the most curious look. “You might be surprised.”
Adan pulled his pants lower until his erect manhood sprang free of his confines. Both small hands captured him in a slight grip. She wiggled lower and gazed up at him before licking the tip of his cock. Blu’e eyes widened. She was tasting him.
“Eep.” The small sound tore past his lips. It was a silly word he’d heard Adan use when uncomfortable.
Wait, warriors don’t fucking say eep. Hey, she’s fucking tasting me, my cock, something I really need, my manhood, back to eep. Eep works for some reason.
He realized, after a few seconds, her teeth were too dull to do damage and Blu stopped being alarmed, but when she took his huge erection past her lips, he wanted to roar. Her tiny warm tongue, the smooth velvet of her mouth made him suck in a huge amount of air.
“If this is what you do to ice cream, have all you want,” Blu said and groaned.
Back and forth she moved, her little bottom came closer and retreated. As she moved closer, he peeled her short pants down. She was able to wiggle from them and her footwear. Blu grabbed her shoulders and flipped her over while she still sucked him. From this position she took him deeper. Blu lifted her shirt over her breasts to her neck by reaching behind him. He gripped a tit and squeezed, careful of his long claws.
Blu had never felt anything like what she did. She was vulnerable, eager, so eager her naked legs and feet pulled up to rub his back and shoulders.
Shit, she’s flexible.
Blu trapped a knee under his elbow. He rocked faster, pulling away slightly every once in a while from her mouth for her to gasp in air. He grew wet with her saliva and the first drops of his seed flowed. He was frustrated as hell when that happened. He couldn’t make love to her if he was ready to explode. Adan still gripped him with her hands. He grasped her wrists and pinned them high overhead.
“I need to be inside you somewhere,” his words were torn from his mouth, his breath ragged.
Adan tightened her lips over him and he plunged further. Her legs gripped him harder as he rode her sweet mouth. Blu bellowed when he came, he released her so she could turn her head and spit out his seed, but he had been inside her. His seed was designed to burst fast, coupling with a female Zargonnii was tricky. Adan gasped in air, his speed was a surprise. Blu knew without a doubt she had been given his gift. Without fully mating her, she was his. Blu fell forward covering her face, fueled with emotion. His hands made fists as he punched the ground.
“How is it you trust me so much you would allow me to do that?” Blu asked.
“It is trust,” she said. “But the first time is more a cautious surrender.”
“Is that considered making love?”
“Making love isn’t the act; it’s the feeling that goes with it. It’s who you’re with. So, yes, it was making love.”
Blu pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his body around her. He buried his face into her hair. Spending the rest of his life with her seemed right, rethinking what a family should be. He too was making a cautious surrender, what would come would come because he trusted her too.
“If making love is a feeling then is this making love?” Blu asked.
“It’s being loved,” she whispered.
Blu wanted to ask her what she meant, but she was asleep.
* * * *
Adan woke and stared up at the closed leaves. If they were white she could picture her and the others inside their igloo on Earth. As their small pack of women had traveled further north as the waters rose, they became colder and hungrier as time passed. Their group had grown in numbers as they traversed the harshness. Bethany and Tasia had traveled together finding Adan, Dyani, Chiyo and finally Bertha. The women were as close as they could be with perhaps the exception of Bertha who could be difficult. Adan wondered again if any survived.
She gazed at Blu who slumbered. Their last day on Earth had been horrifying, the water and ice attacked brutally. Their igloo crumbled into the ocean. Blu had Adan but even a powerful warrior couldn’t fight Mother Nature. Icy polar spikes had shot from the water; glaciers slid lower then rose higher.
For a while, Adan survived day to day in the Zargonnii vessel. Everything was different. The warriors were like Blu and yet not. The food was interesting, the replicators weird. The Zargonnii spoke using growls and grunts, their voices deep, even spooky. She hadn’t seen too much of her friends but was warned the warriors were having a hard time with their fired up emotions at having females aboard. Their tiny group of six wasn’t the only females discovered. Adan didn’t understand Blu at first, he hadn’t said much in the igloo, but with the console on the ship converting their words to aid them every day, she grew closer to the alien. He had become her world in such a short time.
Not wanting to wake Blu but needing a drink, Adan crept to the edge of the leaves after changing into her clothes.
“Lower,” Adan whispered the word.
Blu remained sleeping as the leaves rolled down then spread out. She left their circle. For a second she panicked when the leaves rolled back up but remembered he could h
ear her if she called to him. She was parched. All was quiet as she tiptoed around the burning plant which was in fact burning. Adan stared curiously at it. Within, the leaves were fine and undamaged even though ablaze. There was no smoke and no real heat.
“Weird,” she muttered.
At another strange plant she paused. The leaves were curled at the sides making small boats containing water. Adan reached to scoop some up. Her hair stood on end when the water retreated down the leaf into the next leaf joining more water. She pulled her hands back and stepped to her left when that water fled to another leaf. Listening she swore she heard whispered words.
“Spooky new meaning to the term a babbling brook,” she said and spun on her heels.
She collided with Veikko. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her. Adan gazed up at him. The green gas of his eyes rolled. The same gasses were prominent in each fingernail. The tips of his fingers were dark next to her pale skin.
“Why do you wander?” Veikko asked.
“I’m thirsty.”
“My safe haven provides everything.”
“I don’t see any faucets. And your water is creepy.”
“I don’t know what a faucet is, but if you mean a spout, it is in plain view.” He waved a hand in a direction; Adan had no clue what he was showing her. She shrugged. “Never mind, come with me. I don’t know anything about your planet. but it’s apparent it was primitive.”
My planet was primitive?
Adan paused and gazed to where Blu was sleeping in the safe pod, away from her; she had wandered. I really need to work on my listening skills—at times. Veikko watched her and smiled smugly. She knew what he was thinking; if he wanted her dead she would be already. She padded quietly after him. The small pond was breathtaking. Huge dark blue rocks surrounded the clear water. She watched Veikko scoop a large amount and drink thirstily. She supposed he wanted to show her it wasn’t poisoned. Or perhaps he thought she was stupid and in need of a lesson.
Adan lay flat on a rock and leaned over, her face hovering close until she was sucking cool liquid past her lips. She paused to pull her hair away and slipped losing her balance. Veikko moved close and steadied her by grabbing the back of her t-shirt. He gripped her hair, not cruelly, studying it. When Adan was done she sat up.
Cautious Surrender Page 6
