His hand stroked over my back and his soft touch made me melt, easing the internal pain. Again my stomach protested loudly. I had no idea how long it was since I ate, but from the gnawing emptiness inside my stomach and my weak limbs, it must have been days.
Morrdrook shifted his warmth away, rolling to his feet. He gripped my upper arms, drawing me off the bed.
“Feed you, make you stronger. Still very little thing.”
I snorted an un-lady like protest. “Not where I come from, I’m too big.”
Height and bulk worked for my brothers. Women fawned and drooled over them, everywhere they went, but for a woman—tall and wide turned men off.
Morrdrook seemed to ponder my words. “I see other hu-mon females, smaller, not like you; you better.” He gave me a lopsided grin. “Where I come from, you tiny.”
Despite the hunger, I found myself smiling back, liking his unique way of making me feel better about myself.
He sat me down on the edge of the bed, knelt down and reached under the bunk, dragging out a metal crate the size of a baby bath. Curious, I peered in. It held, what I assumed was clothing. He pulled out a large square of dark fabric, handing it to me.
“Cover tups. No want other Zakiu to see what is mine.”
“Thank you.” I was more than grateful to have something to wear. Standing on wobbly legs, I wrapped the material, from my upper thighs, and over my generous breast much like a toga. I knotted it on my shoulder, to ensure it stayed in place.
Morrdrook nodded his approval. When I glanced back, he put his loincloth and butt flap back on. Admiring his muscular frame, I giggled as an image of Morrdrook as Tarzan flashed through my mind. Oh, god, I had totally lost it.
His brow arched in curious amusement.
“Sorry, males on my planet, they um, don’t wear, your um, kind of covering.”
He shrugged with a small smile. “They cover more or less?”
“Oh, much more. Humans like to be covered.” Mostly. I felt the heat creep up my neck and into my cheeks.
“This easier for battle practice. We use armour and weapons to fight big beasts.” He offered his hand. Without hesitation, I placed my smaller, pink hand into his. So many questions bounced in my brain.
With a firm, secure grip, he tugged me along towards the door. To my surprise, it slid open.
“I thought we were locked in a prison.”
“Not to go beyond outer walls, machines will drag back, Druel will punish. Inside we eat, train and fight. But now,” he paused at the door, lifting his hand to stroke his knuckles down the side of my face, “give us new females.”
“You said there were other females?”
He dropped his hand from my face and resumed walking, tugging me along beside him. “Other species, they bring us, put into our cells. At first, we not even try, too different. Druel take away. Give us different ones. Try to find ones like us. Some scream and scream when try to breed. It no work. Again they take away, destroy.” His hand tightened. “Hu-mon females, small like child, but more same like Zakiu. No want them to take away my Aunna.”
God, the pressure to get pregnant fast was dizzying. Despite the tenderness between my legs, sex with Morrdrook hadn’t been a bad experience at all, thanks to his skilled attentions. Heck, I was even quite willing to go at it again, just to be sure I survived.
I should be appalled at myself thinking like this, but I wasn’t.
“Why do they want to breed you?”
“There no more Zakiu females. We their best fighters. No more Zakiu, no more games for Druel.”
Holy shit, they were just like Gladiators of ancient Roman times. Only the Druel used them to the point of extinction. Now, they were desperate to keep their pet fighters alive, so they wouldn’t run out of entertainment. If the arena in which they fought for us was any indication, it was a bigger pastime than sport-worshiping humans, back on earth.
Swallowing, I glanced around the long wide corridors, whirling with activity, mostly robots, zooming back and forth. Beneath my bare feet was compacted dirt. I caught the odd glimpse of other alien creatures, but not the bug-like Druel. My thoughts turned to the other women, somewhere within this labyrinth of a prison.
“The other human women, are they okay, are they safe?”
“Druel made us choose and fight for the female we wanted. They know if Zakiu fight and win, it belongs to us, we protective. Other hu-mon females are safe in their care. You safe with me, you are mine.”
“Yeah, I got that the first time.” Annoyed he kept repeating the whole ‘I own you’ thing; I could have sworn he cocked an amused eyebrow at me, but said nothing.
Entering through a set of doors, we walked into a long hall, lined with silver, metal tables and benches. To the far right, a long thin table attached to the wall held different metal boxes and flashing lights. There was no one else, except for one of the other human women, seated at the table next to her Zakiu. He was attempting to feed her something from his hand. Her arms were folded as she glared at the alien—I recognised the American lady.
“You must eat,” the other Zakiu growled softly at her. He pushed the pink, spongy thing between his fingers, towards her lips.
“Leave me the fuck alone, you overgrown alien ape. I’m not eating that shit.” She slapped his hand away. The Zakiu growled in clear frustration.
Morrdrook pulled me away toward the line of boxes, pressing the first button. I watched while several trays popped up, with an assortment of multi-coloured cubes, I could only guess to be food.
Handing me a tray, Morrdrook started piling it high with the cubes. At the end of the line was a large jug. He gripped it and ushered me to the table. I walked ahead, quickly bee-lining for the other side where the American and her Zakiu sat.
The two Zakiu acknowledged each other with nods. Morrdrook took the tray from my hands, set it and the jug down. Before I could scramble onto the bench, he scooped me into his arms and placed me on his lap. He picked up a clear orange cube, resembling diced jelly.
“Eat.” I was so hungry I opened my mouth without question. He smiled in approval, I moaned in delight as an orangey tang exploded in my mouth.
I licked my lips and swallowed. “Wow, I like that.”
The American woman glared at me and the Zakiu glanced from me to Morrdrook. The other Zakiu spoke.
“Morrdrook, how you get your female to obey?”
“Have difficult female, Makkiu?”
The one named Makkiu frowned down at his American woman, nodding.
Hungry, I greedily accepted more cubed food from Morrdrook’s hand. He chuckled at my eagerness.
“Turned native already,” grumbled the American. I sighed not wanting to put up with her shit now.
“I’m Anna by the way, what’s your name.”
“Joan,” she muttered, trying to inch away from her Zakiu, but he hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her back against him.
“Look Joan, Makkiu doesn’t mean you any harm, the Zakiu are slaves here as much as we are. Anyway, this food is good, tastes almost like real food—food from Earth.” I nodded towards her plate. Morrdrook picked up a green cube, feeding it to me. It tasted like broccoli.
“Zakiu, how the hell do you know what they are? I can’t understand the gibberish it says.”
“What are they saying?” Joan’s Makkiu glanced between Joan and I.
“You did not do a blood with your female, Makkiu?” Morrdrook kept feeding me. A pink cube tasted like strawberries. I love strawberries! I hummed contently, as the juices slid down my throat. Morrdrook glanced down, smiled and fed me another.
“She refuses all I try to do. Ask your female to explain?” Hope flashed over Makkiu’s face.
“Why are you giving her a choice? You won her. She is yours, and it is up to you to make sure she protected, even from herself.”
“Her name is Joan,” I offered. Makkiu scowled at me, I realised he couldn’t understand me as neither he nor Joan had done a blood t
ransfer.
“My Aunna says your female is named Joan.” Morrdrook translated, I smiled my thanks at Morrdrook.
“You can understand them?” Joan frowned at me.
I nodded. “Makkiu can’t understand me yet. You need to drink his blood, and let him drink yours. It’s kind of like a translation thingy. Don’t ask me how, I just know it works.”
Joan’s face scrunched in clear disgust.
“Joan.” Makkiu pronounced the word carefully. Joan’s eyes widened.
“Gratefulness, you are right Morrdrook, she is mine to protect. I will make her understand.” Makkiu stood abruptly, lifting Joan as if she weighed little more than a pillow. She kicked and screamed, while he carried her out of the eating area.
“He won’t hurt her, will he?” Worry made the food in my stomach feel like lead.
Morrdrook stroked my cheek. “You care for your fellow hu-mon’s. No fear for them, Makkiu will help care for her. You smart not to fight. Know what is good for you.”
He reached across the table commandeering the plate Makkiu left. “Eat more now. It quiet, but soon more will come for food. You like this one.” He picked up the pink cube.
“Do you have to feed me? I can do it myself you know.” Despite my protest, I opened my mouth to accept the strawberry flavoured treat.
“It gives me happiness to care for you in everyway.”
Well, apart from the whole abduction and forced into being a breeder for an alien thing, his dedicated attention was kind of nice. If feeding me kept him happy, who was I to argue.
He started wolfing down a healthy share of the cubes. Once he was satisfied I ate an adequate amount, he pushed the large jug at me. “Drink.” I obeyed. A watery, coconut flavour slid over my tongue. I drank deeply, before handing it back. Morrdrook finished the rest.
A chime sounded, and he twisted around to set me on my feet. “Come, we go before others arrive.”
“Why?”
“We have time before training, I want you again.” His blue eyes darkened, scanning down my body.
A rush of heat speared through me, my sex clenching in response; I winced realising how sore I was.
He kept his hand wrapped around mine. I had to jog to keep up with his long strides.
“I don’t want to say no to you. I know I have to get pregnant, but I… I’m not used to your… your size. I feel sore. If we have sex again, it will be painful for me.”
He stopped abruptly, bending to sweep me up in his arms. Automatically I wrapped my arms around his thick neck. He frowned, continuing at a faster pace. “Why you not tell me this before?”
My mind blanked. “Um, I… didn’t think.”
“No matter. I make feel better, heal you.” His head bobbed in a resolute nod.
“Oh, okay.”
A crowd of mixed aliens filled the corridor, filing into the meal room, as Morrdrook carried me out. I saw many other human women being carried or walking beside their Zakiu gladiators. Some with mournful expressions, others still filled with fear. Not that I could blame them.
Make the most of any situation. My dad drummed the motto into all of his five children. Mum died when I was barely five. It broke his heart. Afterwards, dad taught us to live life like it was our last day, because it was what mum wanted for us. My chest tightened, knowing I would never see my family again. As much as my older brothers annoyed me, I knew they were also protective.
“Sad, faraway eyes, Aunna.” Morrdrook’s deep rumbling voice roused me from my memories.
“I miss my family, my home. I… I will never see them again.”
His grip tightened on me, his face darkened in visible rage. “I protect Aunna from Druel. I family now. You mine, no be sad. When cycle soon be over, Druel return us to home planet. I make you new home. We be safe.”
I stared at him. “I don’t understand, aren’t the Druel keeping us here?”
He turned a corner, ignoring the stares of the single Zakiu who openly leered at me.
“This place only for fight games. Druel have cycles of waking, they are active. They have cycles of sleep, hibernating. They return all game fighters to home planets for breeding. When awake they come choose their fighters for games.”
Hope soared through me. “Oh, so they’ll take the humans back to earth?”
“Hu-mon female not fighter. I win you, you belong to me. All hu-mon females won by Zakiu are now Zakiu. Take to our planet not hu-mon planet.”
My hope shattered into a million pieces. Helpless emotions battled inside, making my eyes blur with unshed tears. I swallowed, trying to blink them back. Rage gripped me. I unhooked my arms, pushing against his chest and twisting my body.
“Put me down, I want to walk.”
He set me on my feet, but didn’t let go of my hand, as if he feared I would escape. Too damn bad. “Let me go,” I hissed.
“No.”
It was suddenly all too much. I needed to get away. I needed to be free. With the self-defence lessons taught to me by my oldest brother, I gripped Morrdrook’s middle fingers and yanked them back, forcing him to release my wrist, and at the same time kicking at his shin. He yelped, taking a defensive step back. Free at last, I bolted.
Chapter Six
Oh shit, what did I do? I’d let my overwrought emotions get the better of me, but I couldn’t stop. I ducked and weaved around surprised and curious onlookers. Adrenaline spiked though my veins, my heart pounded hearing Morrdrook’s footfalls so close behind.
A scream tore from my throat when a hand clamped on my arm, spinning me; reflectively, I thrust my balled fist up towards the face. Morrdrook's head whipped to the side, avoiding my blow. Quicker than I could think, he caught my wrist. He was faster and stronger, spinning me around taking hold of my other wrist, and then pulling me into his body. My back pressed into his front. Both my wrists crossed over my body holding me tight as I struggled and screamed in frustration.
“Calm.” He growled, his breath hot near my ear.
“Go to hell!”
In a blur of dizziness, he spun me again, lifting and tossing me over his broad shoulder, marching swiftly to his destination. I doubt he even broke a sweat with the little effort it took to subdue me.
Possessed by insane rage, I beat and twisted on his shoulder trying to get free. He clamped a hand over my legs holding my ass firmly. A door opened and slid shut, before he dumped me onto my back and loomed over me.
I stilled, staring at him in shock. We were back in his cell, our harsh breathing echoing in the room. I went to scramble off the bed, but he was on me, gripping my wrists, pinning them on each side of my head. I bucked and kicked out, hitting nothing but air.
“Get off me you son of a bitch, I don’t want this, I don’t want you! I want to go home!” My scream turned into a sob, the emotions swamping over in a tidal wave. Warm and wet, the tears slid down the side of my face. I struggled to pull breath into my lungs, while I shook and sobbed uncontrollably.
Morrdrook released his steel grip, sat back on the bed and gently scooped me into the cradle of his arms. Rocking and tenderly stroking my hair, arms and back, my tears dampening his chest.
He didn’t seem to notice, or didn’t care.
“Brave Aunna,” he murmured. “I sorry, very sorry, want to take you home. I am slave, too.”
The tears diminished and my breathing slowly calmed, but still he held me. I sniffed, and he wiped my nose with the corner of my homemade dress.
Of course, I knew it wasn’t Morrdrook’s fault I was here, and lashing out at him was unfair.
“I’m sorry Morrdrook,” my voice sounding hoarse and throaty in my ears. “I didn’t mean to run, I just…”
“No, I very angry, too, first time they take from my planet.”
Damn it, why did he have to be so sweet and understanding. I wanted to hate him, hate his touch, making me feel open and vulnerable. With a finger under my chin he tipped back my head, he swiped at my tears and brought the remnant of my tears to his l
ips.
“So many beautiful flavours. I want to taste all of you.”
He bent his head and licked my cheek. I gasped at the raspy sensation of his hot tongue. He nuzzled in at my throat, breathing deep. His hands swept over the sides of my body in a gentle caress.
He caught the corner of my dress and slowly unwrapped me, like a fragile Christmas present. I lifted my hips letting him drag the fabric off and toss it to the cell floor. I drew in a deep, shuddering breath. The need for him to touch me was almost overwhelming, the blood pounded in my ears, drowning out everything but Morrdrook.
“You scent is so sweet, you so soft, never have touched one as soft as my Aunna. Never want to stop touch you, feel you, taste you.”
His tongue swirled across the pulse point at my throat. Goosebumps rose over my skin as he leisurely explored with his tongue. He cupped my breast, moulding it into his palm. I gasped when he lightly nipped my hardening nipple.
He raised his head, studying my obviously flushed face and rapid breathing. He lifted his hand and traced his fingers over my lips, puffy from crying.
“Soft,” he murmured again, dipping to capture my lips with his own, the gentle exploration turned blatantly hard and possessive, until I felt as if I was drowning in the sensation. His hand glided up through my brown tresses, gripping them holding me captive as his free hand played with my breast. He teased them until I felt them swell with need. Each pinch of my nipple sent a sizzling current of electricity into my pussy.
I groaned, my hips shifting off the bed, seeking closer contact, trying to ease the throbbing ache. His heavy erection, scalding hot against my inner thigh made me softly whine. “Please.” I whimpered in need.
He pulled away, I growled in protest, but he gripped my hips, lifted and flipped me onto my hand and knees, pushing my legs wide.
Shy of my body, I never had sex in any other position other than missionary. Who knew Zakiu aliens had such sexual prowess, to which I was now happily reaping the benefits. I tucked away a mental note to ask him about it later.
My heart rate rocketed, I felt my hot juices coating my sex, ready and waiting to be filled. Morrdrook’s large, calloused hands stroked over my sensitive skin, across my hips, heating me to a fever pitch.
Beast Planet 1: Captive Surrender Page 4
