I eyed my burger. "How was that cooked then?"
"With air pressure." Gar seemed confused by the question.
If they hacked into Earth's entertainment channels, apparently they hadn't watched Masterchef.
"I'm pretty sure you can air cook potatoes…" I sighed. "It doesn't matter."
I was basically a captive on a ship flying across the galaxy. In the scheme of things, potatoes weren't that important. I wasn't the only breeder, as it turned out. At least fifty other women, each with two level threes in tow, ate at the same time I did each day. We exchanged glances, and the occasional word, but that was about all. The others either looked too traumatised or too into their captors to want to interact. And, from what I could tell, few spoke English. They all conversed with their threes in their native tongues.
"How do you do that?" I asked, nodding toward a trio speaking what sounded like Spanish.
"We open our mouths—" Fin started. His eyes shone with humour, but he closed his mouth when I gave him a look. He didn't seem the least bit sorry for being a smart ass. If anything, that seemed to be his thing.
"No shit," I replied. After three weeks on the ship, constantly in their company, I felt comfortable enough to give as good as I got. "I meant how do you speak perfect English?"
"We learnt how," Gar replied. "When you were chosen."
"Oh? And how long ago was that?" I propped my elbows on the table.
Gar might be quiet, but he was more straightforward than Fin. "Halfway from Jebar to Earth."
I shook my head. "Didn't you say it took a year to get there? You learnt English in six months?"
"We're smart," Fin declared. He picked up the pickle I'd left on my plate and ate it. Even alien men were weird enough to eat those things. Ewww.
"Uh-ha," I replied drolly. "What's the real explanation?"
Fin pretended to be offended. "Are you suggesting—"
I interrupted him with an arched eyebrow.
He sighed and slumped down in his chair.
"We're attached to an interface," Gar said simply. "It sends the information directly to our brains."
I sat up. "Can I do it? Can I speak Spanish, or Jebari?"
"The interface would fry your brain," Fin said.
"Now you know what fried means," I grumbled.
"Unfortunately Fin is right. The interface would damage the human brain. If you were a Centauri or Laxarian, maybe then…"
I slid back down, then eyed them both. "Who chose me? Why?"
"A level two on the scouting team." Fin leaned back and scratched at one of his wings. "He would have scanned the planet, looked for the right body type, then studied your life and—"
"I beg your pardon?" I asked, outraged. "They stalked me?"
Gar looked uncomfortable. "It was necessary to know what connections you had so they could be removed."
"Please don't tell me you killed Zade?" I'd been pissed off at him for the last few weeks. If all of that rage was for nothing…
"Absolutely not." Gar looked horrified at the idea. "We merely removed you from their memories."
"Oh well, that's so much better," I said sarcastically. Tears prickled at my eyes. "That's why my cards were blank. And why my apartment was empty? And why Helene didn't remember me?" A tear slid down my cheek. "You erased my life?"
Fin reached out a hand as if to comfort me, but placed it on the table instead.
"By decree of the Emperor of Jebari," he said softly. "Isn't it better than them searching for you for the rest of their lives?"
"Isn't it better that you left me on Earth and let me live my life?" My voice rose with each word.
"You wouldn't have been chosen if your life was a contented one," Fin replied.
"Hey, I was doing okay!" I protested. I ran a hand over my hair. "I had a job and Zade. I was making ends meet." More or less. On the up side, my horrendous credit card debt was gone.
The guys exchanged looks.
"What?" I asked. "Don't tell me, Zade really was cheating?" I waved a hand. "You know what, I don't want to know. Nothing justifies rubbing out a person's entire existence. Nothing."
I jumped up from my chair and stomped away. I didn't know where I was going, I was only allowed in my cabin, the dining hall and the entertainment room. The latter was a wide space full of screens on which we could access a wide range of streaming platforms. Presumably for a horrendous monthly fee. More likely, they hacked Earth wifi.
Right now, I just needed to be away from these two.
I hurried out into the corridor and ran square into an expanse of green chest.
"Sorry," I muttered. I stepped back and looked up. And up. I'm only average height, but compared to me, seven feet was enormous. Added to that, he was wider than my level threes. His arms would have put a tree to shame.
"Um." I swallowed. "I should have been looking where I was going." Only I would miss a huge, green alien.
"It's perfectly all right," he replied in English. "You seem upset." He wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb and made my heart flutter.
Dude, I reminded myself, he's one of them.
"Here." He took my hand in his large one and drew me aside, into a room off the corridor. "It might help to talk about it." He lowered me onto one side of a wide bench under the window and sat beside me.
I swallowed and reminded myself he was on this ship to plant an alien in a human woman's womb, not to be my friend. And yet, I felt comfortable with him. More than that, I might have considered letting him use my womb if I didn't control my suddenly out-of-control hormones.
"It's this whole erasing-my-life-and-abducting-me thing," I said, holding back a sob. "How could anyone think it's okay to do that?"
"I know it must be—" I didn't hear whatever he said next, it was muffled by his chest as I was pressed against it while I sobbed.
"Linx, our apologies."
Through a curtain of tears I saw Fin and Gar hover in the doorway.
"It's perfectly fine." Linx rubbed my back until my sobs subsided. "It's been a bit of a shock to learn our ways. You must understand, if there was another way…"
"Have you ever asked anyone for their permission?" I sniffed.
"In some instances, yes, but we came too close to detection by human authorities. The Emperor deemed this to be a safer course of action. A traumatic one, to be certain." His voice was so soft, yet so deep it almost lulled me. "But you've been well treated, have you not? If you have cause for complaint—" He shot the level threes an accusing look.
"No, they've been fine," I said quickly, without knowing why I was defending either of them. Okay, maybe I did know. In spite of them being my captors, they were nice. Kind, funny, and attentive. They were my friends. That realisation surprised me. More than that, I was shocked to realise I actually cared about them. Maybe more than I should.
Maybe I didn't have a choice. They made it clear they weren't going to turn the ship around and take me back. What would I go back to, anyway? I no longer existed.
I swallowed a knot of emotion. "I just…"
"I know." Linx's hand traced circles over my back. "It's a big adjustment." He sat back and gave me a smile that made my heart flip. "We only chose women we knew were resilient and strong. I think the word you might use is badass?"
I snorted.
Fin hurried to hand me a clean cloth to use as a handkerchief. Once I'd blown my nose, I said, "I don't feel very badass. I feel…"
"Homesick?" Fin suggested.
I thought for a moment, then shook my head. "No, I'm actually not." Well, maybe a bit. I missed fresh air and lazy weekends. "Life was hectic and stressful. This is like a spa in comparison." Like all my lazy weekends all came at once, but without vodka.
"That's exactly our intention," Linx said. "Once we reach Jebar, that won't change. We'll attend to your every need and desire. We only ask one thing in return."
He made it sound like carrying alien babies was no big deal. I don't know, maybe it wasn't. I
certainly didn't find the idea of his hands on me objectionable. Or Fin and Gar's for that matter. If it wasn't for the whole abduction thing, I might have let them have me every which way a dozen times already. Assuming they had the equipment.
I eyed Fin's groin speculatively, but couldn't make out more than the bulge in his pants. Same with Gar. For all I knew, they had perfectly normal dicks. At least, the kind I was used to.
"If you like, we could go to the galley and see if the cooks can make some of those potato things—" Gar suggested.
"Chips," I replied. "Fries in some parts of the world." I chewed my lip. "That might make all of this easier. Maybe some more chocolate." I already knew they didn't have any wine. As far as I could tell, they had no alcohol of any kind on board. That was probably just as well, given the situation.
"Consider it done." Gar gave me a bow, but it was Fin who held his hand out to me.
"Here, how's this?" Gar lifted a slice of air fried potato out of the cooker with a pair of long tongs and offered it to me. After several tries which were all varying levels of overcooked, he didn’t lose his patience. What would it take to get him to lose it?
"Thanks." I took the slice and blew on it a few times. It threatened to burn my fingers, but I quickly bit into it.
I had to suck in a cooling breath, and chew quickly before I swallowed.
"Mmm, that's better. Try one." I nodded toward the handful of other slices, each as perfectly golden brown as the other.
Fin looked at them doubtfully, but took the one Gar offered him and bit into it.
"Curious sensation. Hard on the outside, soft on the inside." He popped the rest into his mouth and chewed.
"All they need is salt." For all their technology, I knew that was another thing they didn't have. If the ship was a spa, it was a health spa. Just my luck.
"Tasty," Gar declared. He stepped aside as a pair of hovering first levels moved in to clean the air fryer. They looked outraged to find the two third levels doing such menial labour, but they hadn't said a word.
"I think they want us to leave," Fin whispered loudly.
One of the level ones sniffed, plated the rest of the chips, and handed them to Gar, who handed them to me.
"Thanks." I ate as we hurried out the door. "Will they really change into level threes some day?" I asked around a particularly crunchy one.
"If they survive," Fin replied. He placed a hand lightly on my back and steered me toward my cabin.
"Oh? They don't just wake up red one day?"
Gar made a sound like he was choking back a laugh.
"No, they have to go through a series of trials and then fight to the death," Fin said.
I stopped. "Really?"
Gar chuckled again. Fin grinned.
"No. Come on, I'll show you." He took the empty plate from my hand and gave it to a passing level one. An arm around my shoulders, he guided me toward the back of the ship, where I had never been before.
He touched the wall and a door slid open silently. He placed a finger against his lips in the apparently universal sign for quiet and gestured for me to look inside.
I peered into the room. It was almost near dark, but I was able to make out several long, tall shapes in the gloom. I squinted. Did one move a little?
"Are they cocoons?" I whispered.
"They are and you shouldn't be here," a voice behind me said.
I jumped and spun, hit my shoulder on Fin's arm and winced.
The level four who addressed us was at least as tall as Linx, and maybe slightly wider. Where Linx looked gentle and kind, this man's look made me want to shrink away.
Fin closed the door and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Xarn, we meant no offence. By order of the Emperor, the breeders are supposed to learn everything about Jebari culture," he said respectfully.
"The cocoons are delicate," Xarn replied. He looked as if he wanted to eat me whole and spit out my bones. "If they become damaged, you won't be permitted to make your own."
I suspected he'd happily let Gar and Fin devolve to level ones, if such a thing was possible. Was it?
"I'm sorry, I just got curious—"
Xarn's face darkened and his eyes flashed with fury. "Breeders and not permitted to address level fours without consent," he snapped.
I blinked, but shut my mouth so hard my teeth clicked.
"Has she been impregnated?" Xarn asked, his gaze on Gar's face.
"Not as yet, sir," Gar replied, and bowed from his waist.
Xarn eyed me speculatively, as if he might rip off my dress and force me then and there.
"She hasn't been readied yet," Fin said quickly. "Soon."
"See to it," Xarn said coldly. "To delay is to shame the Jebari Empire." He looked as though he might say more, but he turned on a heel and stalked away.
"What an asshole," I muttered.
"He is…concerned about the preservation of our race," Gar said.
Fin made a rude noise. "He's a part of a growing faction which believes we shouldn't ask you to bear our offspring."
"Then who…" I stopped. "Oh, you mean he wants women abducted and impregnated without our consent?"
"Exactly. The Emperor doesn't believe that's the way things should be done." Fin glanced toward Gar, who nodded.
"He is losing power, bit by bit. We're hoping this ship load might help to bolster his power. Otherwise…"
"He'll be replaced by someone who think it's okay to rape human women, just to keep up your numbers," I finished for him.
"Yes." Fin led me toward my cabin and opened the door.
Once it closed behind us I asked, "Is there any chance Xarn is supposed to be my…the one who I…" The food spoilt in my stomach at the idea.
"It's possible," Fin agreed. "Unless," he sucked in a breath. "Unless you let Gar and I ready you for Linx first. Xarn won't touch you once you're pregnant."
My heart skipped at the idea of all three guy's hands on me.
I licked my lips. "What does that mean? Readying me? Does it hurt?"
Fin chuckled. "Only if you want it to." He reached down to finger the hem of my dress. "Jebari are different to human males. We would simply get you used to the difference."
"Okay," I said slowly. "What difference?" I looked toward his groin, suddenly eager to see what they kept under their pants.
"Like this." Fin stuck out his tongue.
I gaped. "How the fuck does that fit in your mouth?" I was long and thick, and seemed to stiffen in the air.
He grinned and drew it back in. "It just does. All the better to pleasure you." He hesitated, then, with my help, pulled my dress up and over my head. He tossed it aside and guided me to the wide bed.
Fin grinned and gently pried apart my legs. He positioned himself between my thighs and flicked that tongue right at my clit.
I shivered in pleasure. If that's what one touch could do…
The bed moved as Gar lay beside me. He looked me right in the eyes, and then, with his own insanely long tongue, licked one of my nipples. As he began to lavish attention on my erect bud, I swear his tongue was vibrating. The sensation it sent through me was like nothing I had ever felt.
I moaned.
Fin moved in closer and his tongue too seemed to vibrate as he massaged my clit. It buzzed around my folds and toward my entrance. His eyes on me, his tongue stiffened before he slid it inside me.
"Oh my gods," I breathed. The vibration was enough to send me absolutely wild. It rumbled inside and out, from my core to the tips of my toes.
Fin thrust in and out of me several times, then pulled back just before I came.
At some unseen signal, Gar drew back from my nipple and rose to stand beside the bed. I was all but whimpering with anticipation when Gar undid his pants and pushed them down his hips.
I gaped again. "Is that…ribbed?"
Gar smiled.
While Fin took his place sucking and licking my nipples, Gar knelt between my legs. Not only was his cock ribbed,
it was enormous.
"I'm not sure I can—"
Fin pressed a finger to my lips. "You can take us. We promise."
Gar passed his cock to my entrance and waited when I tensed.
"Relax," Fin said softly. "We won't hurt you."
Maybe not, but it was my first time fucking an alien.
I nodded and forced myself to relax and let go.
Gar slid slowly into me, filling me fully. The ribs on his cock rubbed firmly on my insides, touching every bit of me and leaving me gasping. No man ever felt so good.
He drew back, then thrust gently. My body responded to every bit of movement like the universe evaporated, leaving only pleasure. No wonder so many of the women on the ship were into their guys. If I'd know it would be like this, I would have done it sooner.
He began to thrust more rhythmically.
I wanted to scream so loud they'd hear me on Earth.
"Oh my gods, Gar," I said, my breath ragged. "I had no idea."
He smiled and propped himself on his elbow to thrust from a different angle, one that felt even better.
Fin's tongue vibrated on my nipples as he licked and sucked each in turn.
"I'm going to come," I said after a couple of ecstatic minutes.
"Come," Fin urged.
I did, my head back, a scream escaping from between my lips. I came like I had never come before. Every inch, every drop of me was on fire in the best way possible.
Gar grunted a moment later and thrust frantically, making my orgasm last until it felt as though I'd been lost in it for days.
I barely started to come down when Gar pulled out of me.
Fin rolled me onto my stomach and slid his own ribbed cock deep into me.
I gasped. He was even bigger than Gar. I felt my muscles stretch to take him in.
He stayed still for what seemed like ages, waiting for me to get used to him. Once I relaxed, he thrust several times.
Thrusters, in space. How about that?
Just as I sank my face into the pillow and let him set the pace, he pulled out. He rolled us both over until I straddled his hips.
"Time to let you take control," he said, smiling up at me.
I bit back a retort about being in control of something and sank down slowly on his erection. When I thought they had no more surprises for me, another appendage unwound from just above his cock.
Stolen and Seduced Page 45
