by Olivia Black
Eric's brows furrowed. "You don't want me to touch you?"
Gru knelt down in front of him. He reached out and cupped Eric's face. "I would like nothing more than for you to touch me, but you can't, not right now. You're meant to be a Noglion male's pet. Until you are properly claimed, you cannot touch another male."
Pet. Gru said, "pet." Eric's heart hammered wildly.
"What's wrong?"
"Um..." Eric wasn't sure if he should say anything. At least, not at this moment. He didn't want to sour the mood. "You just touched me."
"I can give you pleasure, up to a certain point, but you can't return the favor."
It didn't sound like a bad deal in Eric's opinion. Who would object to a blowjob, especially one done so expertly? Gru leaned forward, and Eric held his breath, waiting for the male to press their mouths together. Just before their lips could touch, Gru groaned and pulled back.
"I don't have enough self-control." He moved to the opposite corner, sitting across from Eric.
Eric relaxed, pressing his back against the slick surface. He stared at Gru, running his eyes over the male's body. "Can I ask you a question?" He had a ton of questions about Noglion, about how humans were treated on the planet and about the males.
"Of course," he said. "You may ask me anything."
"What's going to happen when we reach Noglion?"
"There will be a battle. On Noglion, the males fight in the arena for the privilege to claim a mate. And a human is considered a special prize compared to other alien races."
Eric nodded in understanding. On Glecerus, the humans were auctioned off to the highest bidder. And on Sweshan, a human couldn't be claimed unless he was pregnant. So, it wasn't a big surprise that the Noglions fought in an arena in order to claim their mates.
"Why do your people call us pets?"
"It's just one of many terms that my people use. Pet. Mate. Lover. They all mean the same."
"Is it true that humans wear collars on Noglion?"
Gru chuckled. The sound was rough to Eric's ears. "You didn't read the manual," he said, without answering the question.
Eric couldn't help but smile. "No," he admitted. "I didn't read it."
"I bet you never thought you would go to Noglion."
Eric shook his head.
"The starship you were on was heading toward Sweshan."
"Yes."
"I'm curious. Why didn't you stay on Glecerus? Why did you choose to go to Sweshan?"
"It wasn't my choice," Eric told him.
Gru's bony brows rose, as if he were surprised by Eric's answer. "What do you mean?"
"When I first volunteered, I had to go through a series of tests. Humans have to take a medical test, a psychological test, and a sexual personality test. It's a really long and tedious process. And through it all, we are told that if we leave Earth, we could either end up living on Glecerus or we might be sent to one of the planets the Glecerians have an open-trade agreement with. So, you see, I didn't have a choice of where I would end up."
"You left your home planet without knowing where you would be going."
Eric nodded.
"That takes a lot of courage."
Eric wasn't courageous. It was a nice thought, but it wasn't true. He was merely running away from a bad situation. His father, an overly religious homophobe, had hated Eric his entire life. By volunteering and leaving Earth, Eric was hoping to stop hiding who he truly was. He wanted to have a mate and start a family. He wanted to be loved and cherished.
Now that he was gone, Eric's remaining family members would be taken care of for the rest of their lives. They would live a modest life, without worrying about food, water, or other basic necessities. It was a good deal for them, considering so many people went without. And it was all because of him.
"Why did you volunteer to leave?"
"There wasn't a reason to stay."
"You don't have a family?"
Technically, Eric still had family living on Earth, but they had never accepted him. And if they weren't going to claim him, he wasn't going to claim them either.
"No. I don't have a family."
Gru moved across the bathtub and sat beside Eric. He wrapped his arm around Eric's shoulder and pulled him in close, enveloping Eric in a hug. "You must have suffered a lot."
Eric's lower lip quivered, and the backs of his eyes burned as they filled with moisture. After years of holding the pain of rejection inside, Eric felt as though the dam might burst at any moment. He tried to push the emotions away, but those feeling wormed their way to the surface, threatening to spill out. Eric pinched his eyelids together and took a few shaky breaths. Nobody had ever cared for him before. Nobody had ever considered his feelings.
Gru's hand moved up and down Eric's back. The motion was comforting, consoling. It helped Eric to reel in his emotions.
"Thank you," Eric murmured.
"Your life is going to be different on Noglion," Gru told him. "Soon, you'll have a mate and a family unit. You'll be happy there."
Eric smiled. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. Gru dropped his arms and moved over a little bit, putting some space between them.
"I should escort you back to medical before it gets too late."
"Yeah." Eric nodded. "I should get back. I don't want Dennis to be worried."
The male stood up, rising out of the tub, and the water cascaded down his body. He stepped out, grabbed a towel, and started drying off. Eric watched him. He stared at Gru appreciatively as the male moved the material over his naked body. When he was done, Gru grabbed the loincloth from the floor and put it on, tying it back into place around his hips.
Gru grabbed another towel. He shook it out and held it open, silently waiting. Eric climbed out of the bathtub and walked right into Gru's open arms. The male wrapped the towel around Eric, enclosing him in a warm cocoon.
Holding him close, Gru moved his hands up and down Eric's back. After a minute or two, Gru took a step back. The male moved the ultra-soft material over his body, drying him off. As soon as he was dry, Eric picked up his clothes off the ground and got dressed. Compared to the loincloth Gru was wearing, Eric preferred the pants and shirt.
"Are you ready?"
Eric nodded.
Gru turned on his heel and strode out of the bathroom, and Eric followed him. The male pressed his palm against the door scanner, and it slid open. They walked, side by side, down the maze of hallways toward medical. When they reached medical, Dennis was awake and sitting up in bed. He smiled brightly as soon as he saw Eric.
Dennis's eyes bounced back and forth between Eric and Gru before asking, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Eric walked over to Dennis. He reached out and grasped the man's hand, giving a little squeeze. "How are you feeling?"
Dennis sighed. "I'm okay."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Eric let go of Dennis's hand and climbed back into bed. Before he could grasp the blankets, Gru was there. The male pulled the blankets up, covering Eric's legs.
"Get some rest," he said.
"Thank you."
"You are welcome."
The male leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on the top of Eric's head before leaving medical. Eric watched him go. When the doors closed behind Gru, Eric leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
"What's going on?" Dennis asked, his voice a mere whisper.
"Hmm?" Eric opened his eyes and turned his head, focusing on Dennis.
"Why did you leave medical? What happened with that male?"
Eric didn't kiss and tell. Plus, he didn't want to tell Dennis what happened between him and Gru. It wasn't any of the man's business.
"He let me take a bath," he simply said.
Dennis arched a brow. "A bath."
Eric nodded. "In a large tub filled with hot water."
"Ah," Dennis groaned. "I'm so jealous."
The man obviously understood what a privilege it was to take a long, hot bath. On Earth
, water was scarce so it was impossible to take a bath or even a shower. Eric bathed in a freezing cold pond near his home. And on Glecerus, there were only showers available in the dormitory.
Eric smiled. "I gotta tell you, it was wonderful."
Chapter Four
The next day, or at least Eric assumed it was the next day, he and Dennis were escorted back to their room. Soon after, a tray of food was delivered. As Eric ate, his head was filled with thoughts of Gru. Eric couldn't get the Noglion male out of his mind. He thought about Gru all night long. Gru was even in Eric's dreams, and in the morning when he woke, Eric's erection throbbed and he ached for release.
He wanted to feel the male's mouth wrapped around his shaft again. He wanted to come down Gru's throat. Unfortunately, he couldn't do a damn thing about his raging hard-on, not with Dennis by his side and the doctor hovering nearby.
Eric couldn't get the male's yellow-colored eyes out of his head. When Gru looked at Eric, the male really saw him. It was a connection that Eric hadn't felt before. It was strange and completely unexpected. When Rett, the Glecerian ambassador, had taken Eric off the starship, he'd been devastated. At the time, going to Noglion was his worst nightmare, but now, Eric wasn't sure how he felt.
"Attention, crew," a phantom voice said from a speaker located on the wall. "We are approaching Noglion airspace. Report to your stations and prepare for landing."
At the announcement, Eric rose to his feet. They would be arriving on Noglion soon. Nervous energy poured through Eric's system. He started shaking so hard that he couldn't stand still for another moment. Eric started pacing, his gaze on the door, knowing that Gru would be arriving to collect them once the starship landed on the planet.
What would life be like on Noglion? What would happen once they got off the starship? Would he ever see Gru again? Or would he end up with a different male?
Dennis stood up and stepped into Eric's path. "Are we going to be okay?"
Eric stopped. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his frayed nerves. Truthfully, Eric felt safe on this starship and with Gru. But he wasn't sure what would happen once he stepped off the ship and onto the planet of Noglion.
"I[?]" Eric wanted to tell Dennis how scared he was. He wanted to voice all of his uncertainties, but the fear in Dennis's eyes prevented him from saying what he truly felt. "Of course, we're going to be fine."
"Do you really believe that?"
Eric pasted a smile on his face. "Yes."
"I wish I was as strong as you, but truthfully, I'm not. I'm scared. I don't know what they are going to do to us."
The uncertainty in Dennis's voice gave Eric pause. He didn't want to feed the man's fear. Instead, Eric wanted to erase it. This was their life now. Noglion was their home.
"I'm telling you, with no uncertainty, that we will be safe on Noglion." As Eric spoke, his confidence grew. "The males won't do anything to hurt us, not when they want human mates." He reached out and grasped Dennis's hand. "There's no reason to be scared."
Dennis nodded. "As long as we have each other, everything will be fine."
Eric smiled. He was glad to have Dennis by his side. Together, they would be able to get through whatever they faced on Noglion. It took a little while longer than Eric expected, but eventually, the door to their quarters opened. Gru stood on the other side of the threshold with a group of Noglion males.
"Please, follow me."
Eric took Dennis's hand and locked their arms together. Side by side, they exited the room and followed Gru down the corridor. There wasn't much to see except sleek, black walls that rose to an arched ceiling overhead and the grated floors beneath his feet. It was a comfort knowing that Gru was in front of him. Even though Eric didn't know the male very well, he still felt a connection. His interactions with Gru, although short, had changed Eric's perception of the males.
They walked through the starship and ended up where this whole journey had all begun, in the docking bay. One of the males stepped forward and pressed a series of buttons on a keypad. Several locks disengaged, and a large black metal door opened, moving downward.
"Welcome to Noglion," Gru said.
Eric grimaced. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but this wasn't it. Eric lifted his hand and squinted his eyes, trying to block the light from burning his retinas. A gust of heat blew into the ship, so hot that it was unbearable. Eric couldn't even imagine how bad it would be once the full heat of the sun beat down on him.
The males started walking off the starship, moving down the ramp. Eric was reluctant to follow, but he didn't have a choice. He followed the Noglion males, emerging into the bright orange light. Dry heat instantly surrounded him, making it difficult to take a breath. Eric fought for each breath, coughing and panting, his throat burning. At this point, Eric would give anything for a glass of cold water. He was dying for a drink.
Eric's eyes hurt, and his skin burned. His throat felt as if it had been scorched by fire. In front of him, there was nothing but dry, lifeless earth. There didn't appear to be any trees or bushes. The planet just looked like a sea of brick-colored nothingness. Wavering currents of heat boiled on the horizon, floating upward. Dirt and dust surrounded him, and the grains of sand pelted Eric's skin like stinging raindrops.
The place looked like a wasteland. It was hell. Literally. And worse, this was Eric's new home. He was going to live out his remaining days on this planet. The wind picked up, spinning around them like a dusty tornado, beating against his face and hair and clothes.
Eric lifted the front of his shirt and covered his nose and mouth. Blindly reaching out, Eric grabbed Gru's arm, holding on for dear life. Eric was scared that if he didn't, he might lose contact and get separated from the group. He ducked his head and closed his eyes, trying to avoid the sandstorm, but it was impossible to escape.
The Noglion males strode forward, marching on. They didn't seem to be fazed by the conditions of the planet. But why would they be? This was their home.
They ended up inside a cave. It was dim and spacious. Although the temperature didn't change, at least now, they were no longer being pelted by dirt. Eric lowered his skirt and started coughing. He brushed off his clothes, removing a layer of brick-colored dust.
Gru pressed his hand against a pad beside a metal door, and several locks disengaged. There was a hiss before the door slid open, exposing rough rock walls. The door led to a passageway. As he stepped into the tunnel, Eric glanced around. Metal sconces lined the stone walls, lighting the path. Eric noticed a slight temperature change, but without the wind blowing, sweat drenched his clothes.
As they walked, Eric waited anxiously, wondering what kind of place Noglion was. So far, he didn't have a very good impression of the planet. It was hot as hell and dirty. On and on they went, the tunnel stretching out ahead. As they walked, the ground shifted, and Eric suddenly realized they were moving at a downward angle.
They were going further underground. And the further they went, the more bearable the temperature got, although it still wasn't comfortable. Moisture coated his face, and rivulets of sweat dripped down his back.
"Fuck," Dennis muttered. Eric glanced at the other man. He looked just as uncomfortable as Eric felt. "It's so damn hot."
Eric nodded in agreement.
He hoped like hell that the temperature within the cavern would cool down. Otherwise, living on Noglion would be miserable. They made their way deeper. The air cooled a bit, and the dusty scent cleared, making it easier to breathe. They walked and walked. It seemed as though the tunnel went for miles.
When they stepped out of the long tunnel, a city spread throughout a massive cavern for miles. From what he could see, the entire thing was carved from the same rust-colored stone that covered his clothes. The buildings were crafted in such a manner that they looked as though they were carved out of the walls. As Eric looked around, he realized that Noglion was similar to Glecerus in that the city was located underground.
Eric wandered closer to t
he edge of the precipice, wanting a better view. The cavern was immense. It stretched out as far as the eye could see, and it was as wide as it was deep. The Noglion people milled about.
"What do you think?" Gru asked.
"It's different than I expected." It was the nicest thing Eric could say.
"Welcome back, Commander Poez'iq."
Eric turned when he heard the male's voice, as did Gru. Gru gave a slight bow, and the male mimicked the action.
"Word has gotten around that you acquired two humans while on your mission."
Gru nodded.
"It's been announced, and there will be a battle soon. But first, please escort the human named Eric to the arena waiting room. The king's mate is waiting to speak to him."
Eric glanced over at Dennis, wondering what would happen to his friend.
"And the other human, Dennis, you can follow me."
"Yes, sir," Gru answered without question.
"Wait!" Dennis shouted, panic evident in his voice. He reached out and grabbed Eric, wrapping his arms around him. Dennis hugged Eric, holding him in a tight embrace. "I don't want to leave your side. I'm scared."
Eric patted Dennis's back, hoping to soothe the other man. "They aren't going to hurt you," he whispered into the man's ear. "I promise. Trust me. Nobody is going to hurt you."
"I don't think I can do this."
"What do you mean?"
"I've never..."
"You've never..." Eric repeated, gently coaxing Dennis to finish what he was saying.
"I've never been with a guy before."
Eric leaned back. "Tell them that. Whoever ends up being your mate, tell him the truth. I know he'll be gentle with you."
Dennis left with the other male without another word, and Eric watched him go. Eric didn't know what would happen to them, but he hoped that they would be able to see each other again soon. When the other human was out of sight, Eric turned his attention back to Gru.
The male tilted his head before turning and walking in the opposite direction. Eric followed Gru. As they walked, Eric noticed that they were getting a lot of attention from the Noglions. The males stared at him with open interest, calling out, making hissing sounds, and some even moved closer.
