by Octavia Kore
“Yes, Alpha.”
From the ground, Zaheer watched as his cousin slipped from the other outpost dwelling, her fingers and toes easily finding purchase on the bark as she followed the path he’d taken moments ago. There was a soft thump as she landed in front of him, black leaves falling all around them, and when their eyes met, Zaheer knew Ivnalth was bursting with curiosity. “How is the female?” she asked, not nearly as subtle or casual as he knew she’d intended. “Did she bore you already?”
“I assume all is well with the dark-maned female?” Zaheer asked, choosing to ignore the teasing.
“She is alive, if that’s what you’re asking, but her actions leave me questioning her age. Do you think these females are considered mature for their species?”
A crease formed between Zaheer’s brows as he narrowed his eyes on his cousin. “Explain.”
“Even after she was freed, the dark-maned female seemed to have little control over her limbs, and if I hadn’t seen her walking through the forest with my own eyes, I would be inclined to believe she’d never attempted it before today. It’s like watching a pup find their coordination. She’s a disaster with legs, Zaheer.” Ivnalth’s primary eyes widened dramatically. “Feeding her was a trial I do not wish to repeat.”
The memory of his female kicking the meal sack across the room had his lips tipping before he realized that he’d thought of her as his. No, despite what his guardian clearly believed, the outsider wasn’t for them. There was no one for them and they would both be better off if they kept that in mind.
“Maybe it’s a side effect of our venom or maybe they just lack basic survival instincts?” Krunkeeli pups were taught from birth that the smallest miscalculation among the branches of the trees could end in tragedy. “They’re aliens, Ivnalth. What do you expect from them?”
“A little common sense?”
Zaheer brushed past his cousin, his shoulder colliding with hers as he attempted to storm away. “Keep watch, Iv. I’ll return as soon as I finish my business in the village.”
“Do you smell that?”
Zaheer halted mid step, the fur on his neck rising as he listened to her scent the air. Ivnalth drew closer.
“It’s you, but it’s not your scent…”
When Ivnalth pressed her face against the tuft of fur at his neck and sniffed, Zaheer shoved her away. “Stop that.”
“It’s the other female, isn’t it? You smell of her.” Her voice was colored with disgust, and it sent an involuntary jolt of anger through Zaheer’s body.
“We were in the same room for an extended period of time,” he told her, avoiding eye contact.
His cousin snorted. “You expect me to believe that is the reason, and that you weren’t foolish enough to scent––”
“Mind your tone, Ivnalth,” Zaheer snapped, rounding on her. “Perhaps I’ve been too lax where you are concerned if you feel you can speak to me like that.”
Ivnalth immediately averted her eyes, but her frown remained. “My apologies, Alpha. It’s just that the outsiders––”
“Are being dealt with.”
The look Ivnalth shot at him from beneath her lashes made it clear to Zaheer that she didn’t believe his claim for a moment. Her lack of faith grated against his already frayed nerves, but he clenched his jaw before speaking. “I need to speak with the High Priest.”
“About the aliens?”
Zaheer shook his head. “Tratek is missing, and I need to find out if they have any knowledge of where he might have gone.”
“Have you checked his dwelling? The last time he went missing, we found him holed up with a book about our ancestors. He hadn’t eaten for days, remember?”
“This is nothing like before. He’s fading in a way that I don’t understand.” It was terrifying to even consider some of the things going through his mind when it came to his pack member, and still, all his guardian could focus on were all the ways Zaheer could break his vows.
“What did the priests have to say when you spoke to them before?” Ivnalth asked as she fiddled with the ends of a braid, a nervous habit she’d had for as long as he could remember. Her tails curled around the calf of her right leg as her eyes narrowed.
“I was told not to worry and that he would be back soon.”
Ivnalth pursed her lips before scanning the forest around them as if she were afraid someone was listening. “And what does your guardian think?”
He didn’t want to tell her what the beast was thinking about right now, but his guardian had been wary after meeting with the younger priest and he couldn’t help but feel something wasn’t right. “He is concerned and agrees that there is something off about the entire situation.”
“Then I say trust him and trust your own instincts.”
Gods, if she only knew what his guardian and his instincts were really telling him to do, Zaheer doubted very much that Ivnalth would have chosen those words. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about either one of the situations he found himself in, but Zaheer knew he wasn’t going to be able to rest until he’d uncovered the truth.
Chapter 4
Clara
Purging the sight of the alien’s erect cocks—yes, cocks, as in more than one—was proving to be much harder than she’d anticipated. Pun totally intended, she thought, laughing silently at her own joke. When they’d popped out of whatever slit or pocket lay hidden beneath his fur, her mouth had gone completely dry.
Clara couldn’t help but picture them as she stared down at the opening in the center of the bloom. Pitch black and practically gleaming, the thick appendages sat one atop the other, the ridges running from the base all the way up the sides resembled the dips and curves of a loose braid. There were four ridges along the underside of the flared heads, followed by a row of blunted protrusions.
The two wriggling tendrils at the base of each shaft filled her mind with all sorts of tempting, dirty images. What would they feel like inside her? What would they feel like running over her clit as he pounded into her body?
Jesus, Clara, what the fuck?
She pressed her thighs together, hoping it would relieve some of the need swirling inside her belly and bank the fire beginning to spread through her. You’ve known him maybe a day, you can’t even properly communicate, and here you are fantasizing about what sex with him would be like. Clara wasn’t some straight-laced, prim and proper, virginal type. She embraced her sexuality, took what she wanted, but was this taking it too far? God, she didn’t even know anymore.
This male might be alien, but that didn’t mean Clara found him unattractive. Before meeting Jun, a fiery take-no-shit Filipina captive, and her alien mates, Clara hadn’t imagined anything good could come from the Grutex abductions. Maybe it was seeing and feeling how suited the three of them were to one another, but she couldn’t say she found the idea of her own alien unappealing.
Drawing a deep breath into her lungs, Clara mentally shook herself, shoving down the arousal coursing through her. It had been a hell of a long time since she’d touched herself, and even longer since anyone had touched her. Maybe she was just a little deprived?
Clara looked down at the bloom with its large red petals and gaping black hole in the center and pursed her lips. This thing was unlike any toilet she’d ever seen, but who was she to question an alien latrine on an alien planet? Her bladder was already strained and if she didn’t hurry, this suit she wore was going to be absorbing more than just the dead skin cells it rid her of. Her fingers skimmed over the sleek black material of the suit she’d been given onboard the Grutex transport ship she and the other humans escaped on. “Suit down.” She mumbled aloud, watching as it retreated until it was barely more than a tiny speck on her foot.
The idea that something intelligent enough to follow commands was plastered to her body in the form of a skin-tight suit was still a strange and unsettling concept. Before she could overthink it, Clara lowered herself into a squat over the bloom. When in Rome… she thought and did he
r business faster than she ever had.
There was something incredibly nerve-racking about exposing such a sensitive part of her body to an alien plant. When she was finished, Clara stood and moved away, recalling her suit so that it covered her body once more. That was certainly… interesting. If I ever get back to the others, I’m not sure how I’m going to explain peeing on a flower.
There was no sink or anything that resembled a tub or shower. She wasn’t sure where they cleaned themselves, but it was obvious that it wasn’t in this room. She flicked her gaze toward the spot where she’d shoved the male from the bathroom. There was nothing here she recognized as a door, just one wall that she knew wasn’t as solid as it appeared. Clara brushed the material with her fingers, marveling at the strange, almost fleshy feel of it. The fact that she’d passed through it before gave her confidence that it wasn’t going to hurt her, but she’d been with the alien then and he’d given her no time at all to think about where or what she was going through.
Come on, Clara, this isn’t your first time. Take a deep breath and don’t stop walking until you’re on the other side. Fighting the urge to pinch her eyes shut and hope for the best, Clara took a fortifying breath and moved forward before her courage wore off. There was a little resistance before the material gave way and she found herself in the hallway half a second later. It’d felt like pushing a needle through soft leather, only she was the needle in this situation.
She patted her body, making sure all of her had made it through the wall. Still in one piece. Cautiously, Clara moved toward the entrance of the hallway, scanning the small room she’d woken up in. The alien was gone, and he hadn’t even tied her back up. Should she take the chance and attempt to escape, or was he watching her from somewhere in the shadows, just waiting for her to make a move? It couldn’t hurt to take a peek outside, right? It’s not an escape attempt, it’s just appeasing my curiosity.
Stepping up to the spot where she’d watched the male enter, Clara closed her eyes and pressed against the material, grimacing at the feel of it as her face passed through. When she opened her eyes, nothing but the tops of the trees, snowcapped mountains, and open sky greeted her. A screech rolled up her chest, and though she couldn’t hear it, Clara felt the sharpness of it as it burst from her lips. Her eyes had only a moment to take in the alien forest around her, noting the same colors she’d encountered when she’d stepped out of the ship when their group first crash-landed.
A cold breeze bit at her cheeks, stinging her flesh, and her arms cartwheeled as she frantically threw herself backward, catching only a glimpse of the distant ground beneath the very tiny landing she’d walked out on.
“Shit!” A sharp pain raced up her spine when she landed on her rear end inside the room, but Clara ignored it, pushing herself away from the wall until she sat in the middle of the floor. Holy hell, she could have plummeted to her death. One more step and she’d have been like one of those old cartoon characters her fosters would sometimes let her watch. The one where the coyote chases the bird. They were always stepping off cliffs and falling dramatically into canyons, but unlike those cartoons, Clara wouldn’t have lived to chase the bird another day.
Note to self, do not try that again.
Compared to the sun-lit forest outside, the room was dim, but it was bright enough for her to take stock again. A few deep breaths and one quick panic attack later, Clara turned her gaze toward the baskets along the wall at her side. The alien had taken the dagger from one of them before he’d brought her to the bathroom. What else would she find hidden within? Dumping them one by one onto the floor of the main room, Clara discovered a surprisingly useful assortment of items.
What kind of abductors left their victims with weapons? A few knives of varying shapes and sizes, blankets, pillows, and things that looked like roots were laid out on the floor in front of her. In her rush to avoid a sudden and likely painful death, Clara hadn’t taken the time to search for an obvious way down to the forest floor. If she could find a way to reach the bottom that didn’t involve her dying, then she might be able to escape and reunite with the others.
Would they be looking for her or had they assumed she was dead? She wasn’t exactly sure how much time had passed, but it couldn’t have been more than a day or two at most. Xavier, one of the human survivors and a grade-A asshole, probably wouldn’t waste any time searching, but the other humans, Roman and Jun, might.
The Grutex scientist, Nuzal, who’d helped them escape the horror onboard the floating lab he’d worked in, was someone she considered a friend. The others, aside from his mate, Jun, were cautious when it came to the alien, but Clara could see the real male beneath the terrifying exterior. He genuinely cared and wanted to atone for his mistakes.
If anyone was going to stick around and search for her, it would be him. Maybe, if she could escape quick enough, Clara might still be able to catch up to them or find her own way back to the ship. Brin, a Venium male also mated to Jun, had been working his poor tail off to get the escape ship up and running after their not-so-gentle landing days ago. He was insanely smart when it came to tech, but would he be able to repair the ship before she could make it back?
The realization that no one was coming to her rescue caused pain to radiate through her chest. The only one who could save her this time was her.
I’m so screwed.
No, she shouldn’t think like that. Whenever characters in movies and books were faced with a challenge they always gave themselves an epic motivational pep talk, something that spurred them to act.
All right, Clara, so you’re stuck in what appears to be a treehouse with no proper way down. You’re not just gonna sit around and pout while you wait for that alien to come back, are you? She glanced down at the pillow and blanket and pursed her lips. Maybe? God, she was horrible at this pep talk business. Pushing herself to her feet, Clara popped into the bathroom and snagged the bonds the male had cut from her wrists and ankles.
You’ve got this. How many times had she been forced to defend herself as a child? While there were many good and caring fosters in the world, there were also a lot of shitty and abusive ones. She’d ended up with more than her fair share before turning eighteen. How many times had she shoved the few belongings she had into a trash bag and waited to be shipped off to a new home? So much of her childhood had been one gamble after another. Would this home be better than the last or would she be going from bad to worse?
“Can anyone hear me?” When there was no answer, Clara sighed, but decided to leave the bond open in case someone tried to reach out to her.
Should she take her chances and run, hoping this alien world didn’t kill her before she could find the others or the ship, or should she try to feel these aliens out and pray they weren’t going to eventually turn her into dinner?
“Clara?”
The familiar hushed voice in her mind had her jerking upright.
“Is that you, Clara? Is there someone else out there?”
“Layla?”
Words spilled into Clara’s mind in a rush of pure excitement. “Yes! Oh my God, I’m so fucking relieved. Where are you? Are you safe? Are you hurt?”
Clara glanced around the room she sat in. “I’m not hurt, and I think I’m safe. Pretty sure I’m up in some sort of treehouse. Fleshy walls, no doors, strange bathroom...”
“Jeez, if I couldn’t see every inch of this place, I’d think we were in the same room.”
Clara grinned, imagining the little grimace Layla always made when she was trying to figure something out. “Where did you go, Layla? We were all gathering the roots one minute, and the next thing we knew you were gone.” She could still remember the fear when they noticed she’d gone missing.
“I have no idea, honestly. The last thing I remember was a noise above me in the tree and then… nothing. I woke up here—wherever this is—and that’s about it.”
Clara’s mouth went dry at the memory of her abduction, but she wasn’t ready to share th
at with her friend. Layla had always been easy to spook, and she definitely didn’t want to add to her friend’s fear.
“Have you figured out what’s going on yet?”
“You mean, aside from us being abducted by aliens… again?”
“I was really hoping that wasn’t the case this time,” Layla grumbled. “I wonder what they want with us.”
“Your guess is as good as mine. I don’t even think they can understand us.” And if they do know what we’re saying, they haven’t shown any signs.
“Did you… Do you know what happened to the others?” Layla asked, concern and fear creeping into her voice.
“I have no idea.” Her stomach lurched at the thought that they might also be captives, but it sank even further at the thought that they might be dead.
Maybe they’re leaving the two of you behind on this planet. The idea brought the panic from earlier back full-force. Her hands trembled, and she squeezed the threads she held in her hands.
“Oh, shit,” Layla whispered.
Hearing someone in your mind might not be exactly the same as hearing someone with the cochlear implant in place, but Clara was finding that the longer she used this skill, the more information she could glean from another person. There was fear in her friend’s voice. “What is it? Is there someone there with you?”
“I know we’ve seen some crazy aliens, but these guys are… something else.”
“Is it one of the spider aliens?” Clara asked.
“Spider aliens?” There was a long pause as if she were thinking. “Oh my God, Clara. Now that’s all I can see when I’m looking at this one.”
Vibrations along the floor warned Clara that she wasn’t going to be alone for much longer. She gathered up all of the thread she’d found and shoved it into the baskets, covering them with the objects she’d found inside of them. There might not be much to work with, but if she could use those threads and any others she could get her hands on to make a rope, then maybe she and Layla could get free. All those months of forced summer camps and the seemingly useless activities just might pay off.
