by A. G. Wilde
Where were they taking him?
They put him to recline on of the seats and looked at her, as if expecting her to do something.
“What do you want? Where are you taking him?”
One of the little aliens patted the seat beside Xul and pointed to her.
“Ok, you want me to get on?”
Muttering some more, the little alien pointed behind her.
Turning, to look in the distance, Athena’s eyes widened slightly.
This planet...
It was like a brown wall was some way off. That only meant one thing.
Sandstorm.
The little alien patted the seat again, this time not as softly as before.
As if she had a choice.
They had Xul and a sandstorm was heading their way.
Climbing up on to the dragon beast was not easy, she kept slipping and one of the little men had to pull her up.
As it held on to her hand though, she realized its skin had a sort of suction.
“Unfair advantage,” she muttered and she settled beside Xul.
He still looked unresponsive and she hoped the medicine was working.
She more than hoped.
She prayed.
As the little aliens settled on the dragon beasts, the creatures lifted their bodies and started gliding over the sand.
It wasn’t long before she realized they were heading down towards the wreckage of the Isclit ship.
As they reached the carnage, the little men began murmuring excitedly.
Athena glanced around, trying to ignore the pain in her head.
Either they liked the carnage or something else excited them.
They came to stop at what remained of the ship and their excited murmurs grew.
As they hopped off and began circling the wreckage, Athena turned her eyes on Xul.
The flower concoction seemed to be dissolving into his wounds and she assumed that was a good thing.
With one of her hands, she smoothed the hair off his brow.
He was going to be okay.
She was sure of it.
A loud sound caught her attention and she realized the six little men were lifting the entire ship, hoisting it high above their shoulders and bringing it over to the other dragon beast.
With a series of mumbling, they secured the ship onto the beast with rope before mounting the beast again.
Soon, they were moving.
Glancing behind them, Athena could see the sandstorm moving closer.
At least they weren’t heading in that direction.
20
It was almost dark when they suddenly stopped in front of tall walls that looked like they were made of...glass?
A little alien standing on what looked like a tower shouted something to the group and one of them replied, waving its arms about to some other alien she could not see.
Soon, the gates were opened and their little party entered.
There were little men everywhere. All dressed the same. All looking alike.
As soon as the dragon beasts stopped, they were surrounded and excited mumbling ensued.
It was evident the little men she’d traveled with were telling the others what had happened and though some of them were looking at her they all seemed more interested in Xul and the spaceship wreckage.
A feeling of possessiveness hit her out of nowhere, and she held him to her closely.
One of them was looking at the spear as well but at least they weren’t all pulling out their weapons to point at her.
They were mumbling things she could not understand when one of them turned to her and said something.
Athena shook her head. “I can’t understand you.”
The little alien kept mumbling anyway and pointed to Xul then further into the camp.
As she looked where the little arm pointed to, she realized there was a network of small holes all around the camp.
The one that had been talking to her said something to the others and suddenly there was a flurry around them.
Some were unloading the wrecked spaceship and others were busy lifting Xul off the seat. Grabbing his spear, Athena lowered herself and tried to ignore the pain shooting through her body.
It wasn’t time to collapse now.
The little aliens seemed good enough but you never knew with these guys. They were inhabitants on a planet that couldn’t be trusted. Maybe they were the same.
She followed behind them, feeling like a giant and they approached one of the little holes networked into the camp. Stooping as she entered, she was glad she wasn’t claustrophobic but the cave opened up into a large room and she was able to stand upright without bumping her head.
Around them, zehmip skins lined one section, which she assumed was the bed because that was where they took Xul.
Simple furnishings made of glass dotted the little room and above them, what looked like little glowing worms were wriggling in a glass orb, shedding light in the room.
The little men rested Xul and hustled out of the room.
Athena glanced around and went to lie by him.
His eyes were still closed but the petals had all dissolved into his wounds and they looked considerably less angry.
Athena’s shoulders shook as she released a sigh and rested her head against his chest, taking comfort in the slow rise and fall as he breathed.
She felt drained, as if she wouldn’t be able to move even in she tried and, as if her body took note of the fact that she wasn’t fighting for life at the moment, her consciousness waned.
She was out of energy.
If she could just close her eyes.
Just for a little. She wouldn’t sleep. She’d just rest them.
Just for a little.
* * *
Something soft was nestled against him, their little arm draped across his chest and their bare cheek against his skin.
Xul’s eyes fluttered open and he glanced around the room.
Was he dreaming?
He knew these walls well. Only one place in the galaxy looked like this.
He was at the outpost. How did he get to the outpost?
Lifting his head proved painful but he did it anyway. She was nestled against him, still caked in sand, dirt, and blood.
Glancing down at himself, he noticed his wounds had been tended to, the sand removed, and healing petals crushed and placed into every gash.
Brushing a bit of her hair off her face, he gazed down into her face.
He had bits and pieces of memory of her pulling him from where he’d fallen, crawling on her hands and knees as she struggled to get them both to safety.
Anyone else would have just left him there for dead. But not this human. She’d fought to pull him out of danger even though doing so had risked her own life.
The only other people he had in the universe who would do such a thing for him were his brothers in the Restitution—the men he fought with; the same men who were stuck on an Isclit ship going through hell to see this mission through.
He only had them.
And now he had her.
She was smart and strong. Stronger than he could have ever imagined and now he wished he could take back all the times he’d teased her about being weak.
It took great strength to do what she did.
As his eyes roved over her, he felt a pain in his chest.
She hadn’t even tended to herself. He could see that her wounds were still open, some still bleeding.
Glancing toward the exit, he let out a soft whistle and rested his head back down.
Qrak.
The little exertion of just raising himself had made him woozy.
It only took a few seconds for one of the Mukkians to walk into the room. Its little beady eyes blinked at Xul and when it realized he was awake, it rushed out of the room.
A few more seconds later, it returned with a friend and skins with water and food.
“Xul,” one said. “It has been many suns
since we last saw you. We have been awaiting your return.”
He knew they were referring to him sending word from the outpost but that would have to wait.
“You must heal her.”
They blinked at him then looked at Athena.
“Heal her?” One blinked at the other. “Your captor?”
Xul frowned then a low rumble began in his chest.
It hurt to laugh but he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“She is not my captor. She is my...”
What was she? His friend? The woman who’d appeared in his life and began awakening something in him that he never knew was there?
The Mukkians blinked.
“She is under my care. Heal her,” he said.
The Mukkians nodded and disappeared from the cave.
Brushing her hair back, Xul whispered her name. “Athena?”
She didn’t respond and he didn’t expect her to.
Her body had gone past its limit.
What she needed now was rest.
The Mukkians reentered with bowls filled with freshly ground healing flowers and warm water.
He watched as they lifted her off him and he immediately missed the feel of her body on his.
They lay her beside him and proceeded to clean her wounds and apply the healing salve.
“There are wounds all over No Horn’s body. Shall we strip her to heal them?” One Mukkian tilted its head toward Xul, waiting for an answer.
A soft smile smoothed his lips. He didn’t think she was going to like that name.
“Do what you must. My only concern is that she lives.”
The Mukkians went back to work, stripping Athena of her clothes and cleaning the rest of her body as they applied the salve to her wounds.
If it was any other species, he’d have been wary of them having their hands roving over her naked body, but the Mukkians were so sexless, he never thought of them as ever harboring hedonistic thoughts. When they finished and left the room, Xul turned his head so he could look at her.
Before, he’d forced himself not to, but now...
This little female had pulled him. She’d fought beside him. She’d saved his life.
Something felt strange inside his chest and he realized it was his heart.
His heart was yearning.
Taking a breath that made his body shudder, he stretched his hand and took her small one into his.
He was feeling things.
Things he didn’t know he would ever be able to feel.
Athena.
Athena from Earth.
What had she done?
21
Athena’s eyes fluttered open.
Something was different.
Her entire body didn’t ache anymore and from the cool breeze that was tickling her skin, she was naked.
Again.
As she tried to lift her head to look around, a headache that felt like a migraine crashed into her skull.
Ok, so maybe no head movements.
“You should rest.” The deep voice that floated so close to her ears made something jump with happiness inside her.
Turning her head to the side, she couldn’t help but smile at him.
“You’re awake.”
“I am.”
Something clouded her vision and she realized it was her own tears. It was immediate, as if she’d been bottling the emotion so much that the mere realization that he was going to be ok let the floodgates burst.
As the first teardrop fell, the rest followed in quick succession and she couldn’t stop them.
He was alive.
He’d made it.
“You are not happy that I am?” He used a finger to wipe away her tears and she grabbed onto his hand and held on to it, nodding as she did.
“I am. I’m just...” Athena gulped. “I’m relieved.” Wiping her tears, she cursed at herself.
“I am here because of you,” Xul said, frowning as more tears came from her eyes.
“Oh, Xul,” she mumbled beneath the tears. “You have no idea...”
Oh, but he did.
Xul watched her, bewildered, unsure of what to do. Then he did the one thing that he thought would help.
Tilting her chin up, he touched his lips against hers and for that moment, as their lips touched, time stood still.
It was just she and him alone in the universe.
Something strong resonated within her and she wondered if he felt it too.
Xul’s warm breath brushed over her face as their eyes met, neither of them moving. His intense green was against her blue, and what she saw in his eyes was something she couldn’t quite comprehend.
A sound like a low growl vibrated in his chest as he ran his tongue over her bottom lip and Athena closed her eyes.
“So sweet,” he murmured. “Like the nectar from the sweetest kioju tree.”
She didn’t know what that meant but she knew exactly how he felt. He tasted intoxicating, like she wouldn’t be able to get enough—ever—and this was with just a brush of his lips.
She felt a moan shudder through his frame as she opened herself to him.
Pulling her into his arms, Xul tried to hold her lightly, not wanting to upset her wounds. But she was kissing him back as if she didn’t want him to let go and her eagerness only lit a fire within him that he wasn’t sure he wanted to put out.
Flipping her on her back, he braced himself over her as his tongue played with hers, loving the feel of its soft smoothness against his.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, moaning into his mouth as she pulled him toward her.
Qrak.
If she kept doing that he was going to have to take her...and he wasn’t sure if she wanted that or was even ready for it.
Was he ready for it?
Running his fingers down the side of her smooth body, he circled one of her breasts and then held one in his palm as he kneaded it underneath his fingers.
Athena moaned again and nipped at his upper lip, causing him to press her deeper into the zehmip skins as he ravished her mouth.
As he broke the kiss and ran his mouth down her slender neck, a burning need seemed to engulf him.
He needed her. Needed to feel her.
As his tongue flicked over her nipple, Athena arched her back and gasped, causing another one of those growls to rumble in his chest.
She was responsive and he liked that but it was only making him want her more and he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to stop if they kept going on.
As he took her nipple into his mouth and played with the little bud between his lips, her soft little cries made him groan again.
“Athena,” he growled.
“Xul,” she said, her eyes fluttering open and he raised his head.
As their eyes met, Athena exhaled a ragged breath.
She knew what that look in his eyes was now.
It was need. Pure, unbridled need.
He was running his eyes down her body now, slowly, taking in every inch of her as if he had never seen her naked before and Athena squirmed underneath his gaze.
She’d never had a man look at her quite like that before. It was a wild, primitive, possessive sort of look that made something within her respond.
“Athena,” Xul growled again, as his gaze stopped at her center. She saw him gulp before looking back at her in the eyes.
“My body is telling me to do things...” His voice was coarse and it was as if he was fighting some sort of internal battle.
“Then do it...” Athena breathed.
His eyes fell back to her folds again as he leaned in close, burying his face in the softness of her inner thigh.
Athena closed her eyes and dipped her head back and Xul raised himself above her again.
As his fingers parted her folds, she felt him pause and she opened her eyes.
He was looking at her strangely and she felt the urge to slam her legs shut.
“What’s this?” He murmu
red.
“It’s my—” Athena gasped as he ran a finger over her clit and Xul raised an eyebrow. Brushing his finger over her clit again caused the same response and a twinkle lit up his eyes.
“It is the center of your pleasure,” he murmured, dipping his head to run his tongue over her throbbing bud.
Athena gripped the zehmip coat beneath them and inhaled deeply.
As he ran his tongue over her one more time, Xul murmured, “The women of my people do not have such a pleasure spot.”
Athena opened her mouth to answer but all that came out was a low moan as she felt Xul cup her fully, covering her folds with his mouth.
His tongue was heavy and slick and as he licked her, he ran the underside of it over her clit. There were ridges under there that made her eyes flutter back in her head.
“Oh God,” she breathed, reaching down to hold on to his horns.
Xul glanced up at her with a satisfied gleam in his eyes as he lapped at her juices.
She was moaning and writhing against his tongue now and it only made him hunger for her more. Her arousal was intoxicating, pulling him in. He felt consumed by her need and it was feeding his own fire within.
“Oh fuck.” Athena’s back arched high as she felt his thick, slick tongue slip between her lips and deep inside her. She could feel her breathing accelerating as if she was running on a track and that was just because of his tongue.
Maybe it was because she hadn’t had sex in a while but his tongue felt glorious.
As he began to pump it deep within her, Xul raised his hands to cup her breasts, kneading the nipples between his fingers.
Her orgasm crashed into her suddenly and hard, her body trembling as she held on to his horns to steady herself. And, as her breathing slowed, Athena opened her eyes to look down.
Xul was lifting his head now, his mouth glistening with her juices and his eyes alight with need.
She could see something bounce beneath his loincloth and her gaze fell to the spot.
Xul followed where she was looking and a slow frown suddenly creased his forehead.
“What is it?” Athena whispered.
Xul took a while to answer as he watched her warily. “I have just realized I may be different from your human lovers...” He trailed off, easing back on his haunches.
