Straniera

by Daniela Jackson

  “Dardana?”

  “She’s very far from here.”

  “In the Scarlet City?”

  “In the Scarlet City.”

  I shiver and try to lift my hands, but pain immobilises me.

  “Slowly, dzie’ta,” Vahan says. He massages my tummy and kisses my forehead. “Rest. I’ll take care of you.”

  It takes me a while to recover enough to get up. Vahan guards me day and night. He massages my weak muscles, feeds me, bathes me. Loves me. My belly is rounder and rounder. There’s a thin scar on my cheek and a few on my chest.

  There is hunger for life in every molecule of my being.

  I want to live.

  I want to love.

  I want to hold my baby in my arms.

  That’s true what they say.

  If you’re between life and death, you gain a new perspective. You stop worrying. You start appreciating and cherishing. You live, love and enjoy.

  And I love my husband.

  I’m far from Earth, but I found my true love on Zaria.

  ***

  We saunter along the path that stretches across the garden as I loop my arm through Vahan’s. My palm rests against my swollen stomach. Vahan puts his hand on the back of my neck.

  “I want you on all fours,” he says.

  “Here?”

  He points his finger to the round pergola bathed in the vegetation of all shades of green and purple. Tiny green insects and blue birds inhabit the density of plants.

  “I want to sink my dick into your wet cunt, Alyssa. Now.”

  Excitement surges through my veins. I’m so horny now. And so is my husband. He pulls me inside the pergola and gently pushes me so I put my knees and hands on the mattress spread on the floor.

  I chew my lower lip as he kneels behind me and gathers my dress up to my waist. He glides his palm over my ass cheek as his mouth follows with a shower of hot and wet kisses. He sinks his face between my thighs. His hot breath makes me shiver. He runs his tongue against my swollen clit, jolting me.

  “You’ll give me four more children,” he says as the head of his cock circles my entrance.

  I moan as he gently pushes in.

  He rocks his hips and slides his cock deeper, inch by inch. I gasp at his divine thickness stretching me. He fucks me slowly, every thrust like the promise of bliss.

  “Harder,” I demand.

  “You are pregnant, woman.”

  He picks up the pace. I shiver. I melt. I moan my satisfaction.

  He moans just after me, filling me up with his cum.

  We lie on our sides, his body spooning mine.

  “Do you miss your homeland?” he asks.

  “Sometimes.”

  “The gods sometimes take the foreigners back.”

  My heart stops beating as he braces me with his arm.

  “But you are pregnant so we have to stay here,” he says.

  “We?”

  “I mean I learn about you more and more. I’m curious about your homeland. Nobody’s allowed to travel as our gods do, but I have connections.”

  “Maybe one day we could ask your god…”

  “Maybe. I’ll try to make your life on Zaria as happy as possible. As safe as possible.”

  “I know and I love you, Vahan, you’re my home and my life.”

  “That’s what I wanted to hear from you.”

  He knows how much I miss my parents, and I know if there’s the chance to see them he’ll take me to them. Maybe one day…

  “Give me my freedom back,” I say.

  He inhales deeply. “Alright. After our fifth child is born.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I turn to him. “You know I’m mad about you. I’d never leave you. Ever.”

  “After our second child is born.” He strokes my belly.

  I see joy in his eyes then his deep love for me.

  “Tomorrow,” I say. “I want to be a free woman from tomorrow.”

  “Alright.”

  I erupt into laughter and we kiss and kiss and kiss like we’re teenagers.

  One day I’ll find a way to go back to Earth. I’ll take my husband and kids with me. I will teach Vahan to drive a car. I’ll take him out to a nice pub. I’ll buy him a burger and a bottle of coke. A pair of jeans. He’d look hot in jeans. One day.

  Now I’m going to enjoy my life how it is. I’m going to love my husband even more and I’m going to bear his children.

  “We’ll free all the slaves in Nassara,” I say.

  I sit up clumsily and he sits opposite me with his knee bent.

  A grin crosses his face. “When?” he asks like he’s amused.

  “As soon as possible. I know you need people to work in the vineyards, but I want them all to be free people. We’ll employ them and pay them decent wages.”

  “Alright.”

  I settle myself within his body, my back against his chest. “We’ll go to the auction from time to time so as to buy one or two girls and free them. I want to help some of them, you know. I want to do what I can.”

  Vahan strokes my hair. “Alright.”

  I turn my face to his. “Really?”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t mind being poor.”

  “I make the best wine on the Continent. We’ll never be poor. Other high-born people may avoid us but we’ll never be poor.”

  I cup his cheek with my palm. “I love you and I will always love you. You are a good man.”

  Vahan

  She thinks I’m a good man. Pride surges through me.

  I learn about Earth ever day. I understand my wife better and better. Her race loves freedom and hates slavery.

  I want to be an honourable man for her so I’m going to be like an Earth man.

  We go to the auction after my first child is born. We buy two girls. We give them shelter and care. We give them employment and freedom.

  I see love in my wife’s eyes.

  My neighbours start seeing me as a renegade, but Wuylir stops them from invading Nassara and smashing us.

  Something is going to change on the Continent. Wuylir calls it a revolution, a milestone.

  I don’t know what he is up to, but his excitement sometimes intrigues me. He says he wants to be like Prometheus—his great-great-great…great grandfather.

  I asked Alyssa about Prometheus. She laughed and said my friend was a liar.

  I don’t know. Wuylir is different to the others of his race. He’ll sometimes say bad things about them like he disapproves of what they’re doing.

  Epilogue

  Alyssa

  I lean back in the armchair as a warm breeze scented with herbs and flowers kisses my cheek. Peace fills me. Joy flutters inside me as orange as a mandarin.

  The baby in my swollen stomach kicks me. I laugh and stroke my belly with my palm. Kohar said it would be a boy, and she’s always right so I’m busy sewing blue clothes for him.

  Vahan loves our three daughters like mad, but he wants a boy. He wants an heir.

  The sound of footsteps diverts my attention, and I see my oldest daughter, Isabella, walking towards me. She turned nineteen ten lunar triads ago.

  She loops her arm through Arnau’s as he glides his palm over his shaved head. A thought hits me—he hasn’t aged at all, but a few grey hairs appeared in his hair after Kendy had died in an accident. Arnau took her to the city and a stallion kicked her, killing her at once.

  She left him a son. Isabella has been his son’s babysitter since I remember and Vahan is like a grandfather to the boy.

  Isabella and Arnau are moving closer and closer to me.

  Strange. I’ve never seen them together like this. They barely speak to each other—if they do, it’ll be only about Arnau’s son’s care and only during our family dinners.

  “Math’ca,” Isabella says and kisses my cheek.

  She stands in front of me with her hands clenched against her stomach as Arnau stands behind her. Isabella’s naked feet move as though s
he has the desert’s hot sand beneath her soles.

  “Sit down, you two,” I say.

  “Mom,” Isabella says as her voice falters.

  Right. She’s in trouble. Only does she call me Mom when she is in trouble.

  I put in a lot of effort in order to make an Earth girl out of her, but she belongs in Zaria. My stories about the life on Earth always sound like fairy tales to her and she scrunches up her nose at my nostalgia.

  “We need to talk, Alyssa,” Arnau says in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “Have a cup of tea, Arnau, and you, Isabella, you’d better tell me what’s going on.”

  Isabella kneels in front of me. “Mom, I’m pregnant.”

  I stiffen. “What?”

  “I’m pregnant,” she says.

  My heart races like mad. “You are the fuck what? And who is the father?” I look at Arnau. “One of your soldiers? I’m gonna fucking kill him.” I rise to my feet and sway as he grabs my elbow so I won’t fall down.

  “Mom, calm down. The baby—“

  “Your father will ground you,” I yell. “No he’ll ground me. Fucking hell. What are we going to do?” I huff out. “Okay. Don’t panic, Isabella. I’ll sort it out.” I fix my eyes on Arnau. “Who is the father? Mati? Jergen?”

  Arnau is here with her so it must have been one of his soldiers. There’s at least five soldiers her age in his troop, and I saw them devour her with their eyes.

  “Me,” Arnau says. “I am the father, and I want to marry Isabella as soon as possible. I’ve decided to speak to you first so you won’t be too shocked when I speak to Vahan. I’m taking my son and my wife to my tribe after the ceremony.”

  My hands itch to crush something or twist someone’s neck. My daughter’s or Arnau’s, I’m not sure.

  I flick my eyes over them. A thought hits me and it fills me with amazement.

  I see love in my daughter’s eyes that’s as fresh and joyful as spring on Earth. I see love in Arnau’s eyes that’s as mature and strong as an oak tree hardened by bad storms.

  Pain and beauty squeeze my heart. I haven’t noticed anything and there’s been an affair in my house.

  Arnau deserves to be loved as hell.

  I remember that boy who once was in love with me.

  He is a man now. A man loving fiercely. A man loving eternally.

  “Fuck,” I say through tears. “Everything is as it should be, right?” I nod several times. “I will be a grandma. My old man will be a granddad.”

  Arnau leans towards me and kisses my forehead. “Thank you for Isabella. I will respect her and love her. I give you my word.”

  “I know,” I say. “You are a good man, Arnau.”

  My daughter clings to me. “I love you, Mom.”

  I kiss the top of her head and they walk off, holding hands.

  I drop into the armchair and freeze. Thoughts bombard my head. Arnau is a free man now and my daughter is an adult. I knew she’d leave me one day. I’m happy that she decided to love Arnau. He’ll carry her in his arms her whole life, and he’ll smother her with his love for her.

  I rise to my feet and saunter towards the house. On my way, I visit the catacombs and wipe the dust away from Yasen’s tablet with my hand. He died some time ago in his sleep. He was drunk as hell but apparently very happy because I found him dead yet with a wide grin on his face.

  I breathe in the cold damp air and walk out of the catacombs. My naked feet touch the path leading to the front door of Nassara. Tania, my other daughter, catches up with me.

  She’s eighteen now and looks like Vahan—a true beauty, but she’s as tiny as me.

  We enter the house and go to the living area. Chills go down my spine when I see Vahan in the company of a god.

  I’ve seen a few before. That was when my husband brought me to the Scarlet City.

  I hate them. They frighten me and repulse me.

  Vahan waves his hand to me. “Come here, you two. This is Wuylir.”

  I feel like a hammer has struck against my brain. “Wuylir?” I put my hands on my hips.

  Wuylir—the dick who takes my husband away from us every five moon cycles so they can attend the senate’s meetings. Wuylir—the god who also saved my life.

  I step forward and extend my arm.

  We shake hands like we’re on Earth. Wuylir’s palm is enormous, as hot as fire, covered with calluses like he’s a builder.

  “This is Tania,” Vahan says. “My daughter.”

  Wuylir bows his head and stares at my daughter like he wants to kill her.

  Goose bumps pop up all over my skin. My heart pounds in my chest. Subtle creepiness brushes against the back of my neck.

  “Tania,” Wuylir says like he’s tasting the sound of her name on his tongue. He raises his hand and gestures for her to come closer. His fingers close around her wrist. “Tania. Tania. A little goddess.” He looks at Vahan. “It’s time for you, my friend, to pay your debts. I need a wife.”

  An electric blue mist envelops Tania and him.

  Vahan growls. I blink. The mist dissipates and I can see neither Wuylir nor Tania.

  “Vahan,” I shriek. “What does that mean?” My heart thumps in my ears. “What is happening?”

  Vahan steps towards me and encloses me in his embrace. “He’ll be good to her.”

  I stiffen. “No.” A stifled cry leaves my mouth. “No. It can’t be.”

  “I didn’t know, I swear.”

  “No.”

  “He’s not like the others.”

  “No.”

  “I didn’t know. I would never—“

  I curl up into his chest and sob.

  “It’ll be alright, Alyssa, I promise.” He kisses my head. “I promise.”

  “All of this is because of me,” I say as my voice breaks. “He saved my life. The gods don’t do this. They never do this.” They never interfere. Wuylir broke the rules his race had established a long time ago. “We knew he’d demand something in return one day. We knew that, Vahan.”

  I can’t even blame my husband—he did what he could to save my life. I’d kill for him if needed.

  My daughter is a tough young woman.

  My daughter will survive.

  My daughter will come back to me.

  I look at Vahan. “Wuylir will regret this. He doesn’t know Tania.”

  Vahan nods as one corner of his lips crooks up. “No, he doesn’t know our Tania.”

  We’re together. We’re strong. Nothing and nobody can break us.

  ***

  Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review.

  Tania and Wuylir’s story coming soon—Tania: Scarlet Empires Book 2

  Check out my other books:

  The Shadow Wolves MC series.

  The Shadow Immortals MC series.

  The Devil’s Tears MC series.

  Excerpt: Tania

  Scarlet Empires Book 2

  (Subject to change at any time prior to publication)

  Chapter 1

  Tania

  Nausea courses through my stomach as my heartbeat speeds up. My surroundings waver and blur. I feel like I’m drifting on a sea wave. On a cloud. A hand strokes my cheek, and I blink. My vision clears, and I see his eyes. A scream of fear escapes my mouth, and I jerk my body away, but Wuylir grips my arms and immobilises me.

  “Tania,” he says. There’s a warning in his deep husky voice. “Tania, calm down.”

  He is so massive compared to me—his hand could crush my head.

  “Tania,” he repeats with a hint of softness. “My little goddess.”

  Dread surges through me, and I feel like an animal facing death.

  Giggles bounce off my ears and the whispers follow. The whispers in a language I can’t speak. My eyes travel to the source of the sounds, and I see three women. They look like triplets—their skin is as blue as the sky on Earth, eyes purple, eerie, and curious. They’re tall and slim. Translucent fabrics of grey colour envelop thei
r bodies and I see their large breasts and shaved mounds. My cheeks heat up.

  “Your mother told you about Earth?” Wuylir asks.

  “Yes,” I murmur.

  My eyes sweep over my surroundings. I see stone walls, arched windows, colourful ornamentation on the ceiling. My eyes roam over the huge mattress I’m lying on. Wuylir is perching on the edge and the women are clinging to his back.

  I take a deep breath and the air irritates my throat. It’s smelly. I cough and Wuylir strokes my cheek with his knuckles.

  “Do you want to see Earth?” Wuylir asks.

  I nod. “I do.”

  He rises to his feet, shaking off the women, and he tugs me out of the bed. I sway as his arm wraps around me, and he moves me towards one of the windows. It’s ajar. We stand by it and I push it wide open then look out.

  The cold stinky air whips my nostrils. My eyes sting. A stream of thin fluid trickles down from my nose, and I sniffle. I wipe my nose with the back of my hand.

  I absorb the view with my whole being.

  I see trees; they’re as tall as mountains and so green that their fresh and intense colour blinds me. Everything is so crystalline—stinky but clear—crisp but rich. And the enormous ball of brightness in the sky makes my eyes hurt. I blink a few times. My eyes travel to a strange vehicle parked by one of the trees two stories below from where I’m standing.

  “The trees are called oaks,” Wuylir says, “and the vehicle is called a motorcycle.” He stands right behind me, pulling me to him so my back rests against his hot naked chest. I feel his massive erection rub against my ass even though he has a pair of strange blue trousers on. “The motorcycle is mine. You’ll love it when I take you for a ride.”

  “Where are we?” I gasp.

  “On Earth, Tania,” he says as he plants a wet hot kiss on my cheek. “You’ll love it here.”

  “I want to go back home.”

  “No.”

  “Please.”

  He tightens the grip around me. “You’ll love it here, sweetheart, I promise.”

  His women surround us and one of them strokes the back of my hand with her fingers.

  I growl with fury.

  “You don’t want them?” Wuylir asks like he’s amused. “I thought you’d like them. They’re clones engineered to give entertainment.”