Alien Affair

by Gloria Martin

  The human village wasn’t far away, and Lizette was eager to be with her own kind. Conrad and Sterling had surely saved her life, but being held captive in their home was really not much better than Dallin’s lair. She was a free woman, and she wasn’t about to give that up without a fight.

  The cabins were deep in the protected forest, so even in the dead of night, she should be able to make her way to the gates in relative safety. She wasn’t sure how she’d get in once she got there, but she’d deal with that when she did.

  She sat down beside the fireplace, letting the warmth seep into her body while she tore at her old shirt. She took the strips of fabric and wrapped them around her feet, binding them tightly to give some support and protection. She felt much better, but she wouldn’t get far if she was hobbled by pain.

  With one last look at the cabin, she slipped out the door and into the night.

  She moved quietly against the wall of the cabin in the shadows, and headed the direction she’d seen Conrad ride off in early that day. The forest was quiet around her, the silence thick and heavy. Lizette wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the cold and picked up her pace. She was confident she could do this. It wasn’t that far.

  She took a deep breath and stepped away from the wall and onto the trail. She walked quickly, trying to put as much distance between herself and the cabin as possible.

  A large hand closed over her mouth while his other arm clamped her arms to her side and pulled her close. Her scream was muffled as she was pulled off her feet and back into the shadows.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Sterling whispered into her ear. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

  Relief flooded through her. She’d been caught, but she wouldn’t pay with her life. This time. She sagged against Sterling, her already frozen flesh soaking up the warmth of his body.

  “Woman, you’re freezing.” He turned her towards him and looked into her eyes. She cast them down at the ground, his concern for her after she’d tried to escape filling her with shame. They’d been so kind to her and yet she’d tried to run off, putting herself in danger.

  The stress of the day crashed down on her. Waking up to find herself held captive by a crazy woman devoted to a vampire. Running through the woods for hours, afraid that any moment would find her captured once again. Being found by two mysterious men in the woods and wondering what her fate would be.

  Her face crumpled and she began to sob. Her crying wracked her body, but Sterling stood there, unsure of what to do. He shrugged off his heavy coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, scooping her up and carrying her towards the cabin door.

  The door swung outward and Conrad appeared, looking in both directions before he spotted them. He ran to them, his face showing his concern.

  “Is she injured? What happened?”

  “No. She tried to run, but I found her. Good thing too, Able told me they’d picked up the scent of vampires closer to our woods than normal. They’re surely looking for this little lady, and I’m about out of patience waiting to find out why.” His voice was gruff, but Conrad knew his friend better than that. He’d been scared for her, as Conrad had.

  She’d put her life in danger by running away. It was about time they talked to her to find out why she in the woods, and why the vampires were after her.

  ***

  Lizette sat on Conrad’s bed, still wrapped in Sterling’s coat. Conrad and Sterling sat on the foot of the bed, listening intently as she told her story.

  “The last thing I remembered, I was in the woods gathering berries and fruit for my parents. I took a step, and the ground fell out from under me. When I woke up, I was being bathed by a horrid old woman in a small castle built into a hill.”

  A look passed between Conrad and Sterling, but neither said anything. Lizette trembled as she spoke, the reality of what had almost happened to her finally setting in. All day she’d been running on adrenaline. Now that she was finally safe, she couldn’t stop shaking.

  “The old crone was speaking gibberish, talking about preparing me for the King and how I had a higher purpose and I needed to be strong and ‘put some meat’ on my bones to serve my purpose.”

  “Did she say what that purpose was?”

  Conrad interrupted Sterling. “I can guess what it was, and it’s good that you fled.”

  Sterling and Lizette both regarded him questioningly. “He was hoping to use you as a breeder. Since the treaty, food is scarce. They have to choose between turning a human and building their army or draining that same human of blood and feeding themselves. It’s not really much of a choice. So Dallin is doing the next best thing and plans on impregnating human women to grow his army.”

  Sterling reached out and grabbed her hand, “Were there others?”

  “No. Just me. She said I was the first; the Queen. I would belong to the King.”

  Conrad nodded, but his expression didn’t hide the rage he felt welling up inside of him. There had long been talk that the terms of the treaty were being violated by the vampires, even though the Lycans were honest and true to their word. They’d given the vampire clan the chance to live within the confines of the treaty and it had backfired. Neither of the men were surprised, but both were very angry.

  Lizette leaned back on the pillows, scooting down and burrowing under the heavy blanket. Her body continued to tremble, though from cold or fear she wasn’t sure; probably a little of both. Taking her cue, both men stood to leave her to sleep.

  “Don’t leave. Please. I don’t feel safe and I don’t think I will alone. Just for tonight, won’t you please stay? Both of you.”

  Both men hesitated, but the look on her face was hard to ignore. She was all but begging them to protect her. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears and her lip quivered. They looked at each other and Conrad was the first to shrug. He pulled off his boots and moved to the bed, surprised when she pulled back the covers for him.

  He slid between the sheets and settled close to her, trying simultaneously to keep from touching her and falling off the bed onto the floor. Sterling followed suit, his face set in a grim line as he removed his boots and went to the other side of the bed. Conrad smiled knowing when Sterling’s nostrils flared at the sight of her milky flesh beneath the blanket. His friend wasn’t hesitant because it was a bother; he was attracted to this woman, and he was trying his best to hide it.

  Conrad winked at Sterling, he shot him an angry look before slipping in between the sheets. The bed was large, but it wasn’t meant to accommodate the three of them with any room to spare. Both Lycans were forced to move beside her, lying on their sides and cradling her between their bodies.

  Lizette sighed heavily and some of the stress melted off her face.

  “That’s a lot better. Thank you.”

  She rested her head on Conrad’s shoulder and nuzzled her cheek into his back. He faced away from her, eyes riveted to the wall, mind focused on keeping his arousal under control. She smelled beautiful, and it was all Conrad could do to keep his thoughts chaste.

  Lizette reached behind her and pulled Sterling’s arm over her hip, wiggling until her hips fit neatly into the bend of his. Sterling suppressed a groan. Her backside was resting against him, heat seeping through his thin trousers and making it hard to control himself. He closed his eyes and counted, slowly, willing his growing erection to stop before it was too late.

  She wiggled again and slid her hand down between them, running her fingers over him and making it clear that she was well-aware of his erection. Her fingers teased the edge of his waist band, working their way inside. Sterling held completely still, wondering if he was dreaming. When her hand wrapped around his shaft, he knew he was awake.

  Conrad heard the sharp intake of breath from Sterling and turned over in bed. His eyes met hers and she bit her lip before leaning in to kiss her. Was he dreaming again?

  “I just want to forget about today, about the danger. I want to feel alive and safe.”

&
nbsp; She squeezed Sterling, causing him to groan softly. She used her free hand to pull Conrad toward her, kissing him deeply once more.

  “Are you sure? You don’t owe us anything.”

  “I do. I owe you my life, but that’s not why. Please, don’t argue with me. I just need this.”

  He didn’t need to hear any more to know that he wasn’t going to turn her down. Over her shoulder, he locked eyes with Sterling, who nodded his head in agreement. This wasn’t the first human woman they’d shared, but she was by far the sweetest.

  Conrad slid the shirt over her head while Sterling slid off his trousers behind her. Lizette helped Conrad remove his own clothes as Sterling trailed affectionate kisses down her neck and spine. His hand slid down her back, over the smooth curve of her backside and between her legs. She was hot, and ready.

  He moved against her and pulled her knee back and over his hips. She moved into him and he slipped inside her. He rocked slowly, his movements slow and steady. Conrad kissed her deeply, his hand fondling her breasts, his body pressed against the front of hers.

  The three of them moved together, each finding his or her own beat in the shared rhythm. There made love slowly, unhurriedly. While Sterling filled her and stretched her, Lizette held Conrad’s rigid shaft, stroking him in time with Sterling thrusting inside her. Her mind cleared and she relaxed.

  The tension built within her so gradually that her orgasm caught her by surprise. She gripped Conrad tightly, her strength almost more pleasure than pain as Sterling rocked her over the edge. Conrad held her tightly as she fought the passion, trying to move away from it before it overtook her entirely. Her orgasm was replaced with a more intense one, crashing over her like violent waves along the shoreline. She screamed out but Conrad covered her mouth with his. She trembled and bucked between them, the intense pleasure more than she could bear.

  When Sterling was thoroughly spent he slowed, struggling to catch his breath. He stayed inside her for several moments, enjoying the way her body flexed involuntarily around his. Conrad continued stroking her face, running his hands down her body as she floated back down to reality. He murmured softly to her, his words tender and loving. Sterling drifted off to sleep, still resting inside of her as he listened to the two of them talking quietly together.

  His last thought before sleep overtook him was that he would never be the same again, and that was all right with him.

  ***

  Epilogue

  Owen Wrigley came to on the hard stone floor, his blurry vision slowly coming into focus. A rotund woman moved around the room, humming to herself while she set the table while another man brought food out on large serving trays. Owen could hear the steady drone of conversation around his.

  Several men sat around the large room, some on plush sofas and others in a semi-circle of gathered chairs. No one seemed to pay him any mind at all.

  He pushed up and leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes against the wildly spinning room and willed his head to clear. The last thing he remembered was being so close to his goal and then falling into a trap.

  Across the room, a handsome man with long, straight blond hair watched Owen as he fought to fully regain consciousness. The man stood and walked towards him, a brilliant smile gracing his face.

  He kneeled down so he was eye-level with Owen.

  “I’ve spared your life, Friend. I’m sure you’re eternally grateful for that, as many humans are.” His smile widened as he spoke. “I have a proposition for you.”

  ***

  PART 2

  Sterling tilted his head up, trying to catch the scent on the breeze. Like his hair in his human form, as a wolf his fur was significantly lighter than most Lycans, making blending into the dark shadows harder. Conrad, the typical dark-furred wolf with deep brown eyes, was nearly invisible in the shadows across the path. Even with Sterling’s heightened senses, he could barely make out the outline of his friend ten feet from where he stood in the pitch black night.

  Conrad stood still as the pair listened for any sign of trouble. Another pair of sentries, James and Tristan, had seen a vampire moving a little too close to the protected wood, but Tristan had lost sight of him an hour before. When Tristan and James had come in to change shifts with Sterling and Conrad, Tristan was still angry at letting the vampire slip through his fingers.

  A branch snapped softly several yards to their left. Sterling crouched down further under the overhanging brush, keeping completely still in the darkness. The two wolves watched the path ahead of them, waiting to see who – or what – was coming their way before attacking. Bradenton had a curfew, but occasionally a youth would sneak into the woods after being dared by his friends. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if two of the werewolf sentries killed a young human. Accidental or not, such a death would likely cause the bond that the Lycan clan and the villagers had formed over the generations to break. Even if it were a foolish youth.

  A single man stepped into sight, and Sterling had to steel himself against acting too hastily. The vampire stood in path, scanning the ground before him, his nostrils flaring slightly. A second vampire came up behind him, surveying the forest beyond briefly before speaking.

  “Can you smell her?”

  “I can, but this forest reeks of Lycans, and it’s hard to tell where her scent is strongest under the mangy dog stench.”

  Conrad rolled his eyes. The vampires were less than ten feet from them, but somehow completely unaware that the overwhelming scent was because they were right there. Conrad wondered to himself for the millionth time how this clan of vampires had survived this long. Aside from their leader, Dallin, they were quite literally a band of fools.

  “I smell her too. Do you think they have her?”

  “Dallin thinks they do. He tracked her to the edge of this forest and almost immediately, the smell of dog covered up hers. He doesn’t think she could have gotten to the village before he discovered her missing without help. It is much too far a distance for a human on foot.”

  The men kept walking, moving closer and closer to where the men waited to ambush them.

  Suddenly, the man in the lead stopped, holding his arm back to stop his companion from moving forward.

  “Do you smell that? They’ve been here recently.”

  “It smells the same to me.”

  “No, it’s thicker here. It’s almost nauseating how they smell.”

  Sterling motioned to Conrad and the two leapt out of their hiding places; there was no use hiding any longer, and the vampires were almost on top of Sterling and Conrad. Better to grab them now when they were distracted by their conversation.

  Sterling tackled the first vampire fiercely, taking him down hard on the ground. Conrad passed over them as he ran after the second one, who had spun on his heel and fled like a coward the instant he saw Sterling appear in the darkness.

  Growling, Conrad sailed into the air, catching the man and taking him down in a flurry of fur, tail, and flailing vampire.

  Sterling fought the one beneath him, teeth bared, trying to get his mouth on his throat. There weren’t many ways to kill a vampire in wolf-form; ripping their heads off was pretty much their only death dealing blow available. But the vampire under him knew this, and was protecting his throat all the while trying to bite Sterling with the sharp points of his fangs.

  The vampire pulled his legs up to his chest, working his feet beneath Sterling, and kicked him as hard as he could. Sterling yelped and flew through the air. His body hit a large, old oak tree. With a thud, he landed at the base of the tree, out cold and completely vulnerable.

  Conrad, still holding his pinned vampire beneath him, turned in time to see Sterling slam into the tree and fall to the ground with a sickening thud. His friend lay in a heap on the ground as the vampire advanced on him, but he didn’t move a muscle.

  Conrad looked to his friend, weighing his options for a moment before turning to protect his friend. Unconscious, he was at the mercy of the approaching vamp
ire, and Conrad wasn’t about to let that undead beast kill his friend.

  With an angry growl, he jumped onto Sterling’s assailant’s back, teeth sinking into his flesh. The vampire turned, slamming his back against the tree and crushing Conrad between himself and the mighty oak. Conrad held on, shaking his head and burying his teeth further, pulling with all his might as the vampire slammed him against the tree repeatedly.

  Conrad released his jaw and opened wide, going in for the kill. The vampire dropped to his knees, nearly severed neck holding his head on with a narrow strip of flesh and connective tissue. He collapsed, breathing heavily and in agony. Conrad was on top of him in a moment, pinning him down so he could deliver the final bite that would destroy him once and for all.

  “You’ll never stop us.” The vampire’s words were labored because of his wounds. “Dallin won’t stop until he has her back. Is every life in the village worth less than a single, useless girl?”

  Conrad sunk his teeth into the vampire’s throat once more, ripping his head off and flinging it to the side. The vampire’s body dissolved into a pile of ashes almost instantly. Its head hit the ground, exploding into a burst of powdered ashes on impact.

  The other vampire was long gone, having fled towards the safe-zone without bothering to look back to see if his comrade was alive.

  Conrad shifted back to human form quickly, running towards Sterling. He ran his hands over Sterling’s shaggy fur, looking for signs that his friend was still alive. A faint heartbeat pulsed beneath his skin and he was breathing. Groaning under the weight of his friend, he threw the heavy werewolf over his shoulder and began walking back to their cabin. Muttering about vampires as he went.

  ***

  Lizette sat on the thick rug in front of the blazing fire. The evening was chilly, and without Conrad and Sterling to keep her warm, Lizette had been shivering on the makeshift bed across the room.