The Men on Mars

by Shara Lanel

  I slipped the pen from my pocket and pressed the button. The burning beam shot out, slashing Clint’s arm. He howled, and around us moon people tightened the circle, snarling. It was like seeing famous vid stars turn into rabid dogs. Freddy grabbed the pen from me, thank God. I had no idea what to do. Should I kill Clint or attack the de Lunas at my back? Freddy pressed his back against my side and faced out. Nate did the same. He didn’t have the same weapon, but he had something, because moon people scrambled over each other getting out of the way. I was the center of the man sandwich.

  “Ju, come on,” Nate said, attempting to tug her away.

  “She refuses to go with you. She is not your mate. You have no right to take her,” Clint said in a high-pitched voice. The skin I’d slashed on his arm actually bubbled like it was melting. “Leave her, and Vincent will allow you back to your ship with what you need for repairs. Kill even one of us, and none of you will leave here.”

  “Come on, Nate,” Freddy said over his shoulder. “I don’t want to die here, no matter how pleasurable the experience.”

  “Ju.” I could hear the desperation in Nate’s voice. He was going to hate me for this, and I couldn’t blame him.

  Finally he gave Clint a curt nod. The men and women surrounding us backed up in unison. The kick-in-the-gut sensation of their pheromones finally lessened. We backed up slowly. I hoped someone knew how to find Vincent. More than that, I hoped he’d fulfill his end of this bargain.

  * * * * *

  “Can’t we go get her?” Helena asked again. Her cheeks had been puffy and her eyes red for the past two hours. “Couldn’t they just want her for sex, since she’s not an earthling?”

  Freddy was on the vid-com, trying to find out whether Ju was dead or alive.

  “Earthlings are delicacies, but aliens are casual fare,” Nate growled. He felt numb. His only desire was to get off this rock. They’d drop Helena off on her dream planet to be arrested again, and then he was outta there. The rest of the crew could fly to wherever the fuck they wanted once they’d planted his feet back on Mars. He was done with space travel, done with sex. He’d take vows and become a celibate monk in honor of Ju.

  Daed was in a rage, partly because they’d waited to tell him about Ju until after he’d fixed the core, and partly because Ju had chosen a moon man over him. He refused to believe she could be so influenced by alcohol or pheromones. Helena swatted Tracha’s patting hands away. “Don’t be nice to me,” Helena spat.

  Nate could go along with that. This whole damn trip ... fuck. He should be blaming Daed for not fixing the ship, or Ju herself for distracting him. Even Nate shouldered some blame for not checking on Daed before they’d left the space station. But that brought him back around to Helena. She was the one who distracted him after the romantic dinner they’d had. Her fault. She’d wanted to dine in view of Earth, just like she wanted to get to Earth. None of them would be here if not for her.

  Freddy turned from the vid-com and swiped a hand down his face. “They won’t confirm one way or another. Maybe they’ll keep her as a pet.”

  “Did you see any other ‘pets’ while we were there?” Helena asked. Then she caught Nate’s eyes and looked away. “Nate, do you want me to go to my bunk? Do you want me to trade myself for Ju? What would make it right?”

  He stood suddenly as pain choked his chest. “Nothing, dammit. You can’t do anything to make it right. It’s time to get the fuck out of here. Freddy, you’re pilot. Daed and Tracha, get to your posts, and Helena, continue to be as useless as usual.” He ignored the flash of pain in her eyes. He needed to get out of here, so he could breathe. The kitchen held the liquor supply, so that’s where he headed.

  “He didn’t mean it,” Tracha said softly behind him.

  “Yes, he did,” Helena replied with a hitched voice.

  * * * * *

  Several days had passed, and Nate had stayed drunk the whole time. I’d tried to talk to him, just to make sure he lived, but he’d shut me out every time. No one else had had any luck, either. They tiptoed around his bunk and avoided drinking any liquor, since he was going through it double-time.

  “We should have gone in with a better plan,” Freddy said for the fiftieth time. I was sitting across from him on the bunk in his room, staring at the tiny vid-sat screen.

  I sighed. “What should that plan have been? I mean, you’ve had a week to think about it. What plan?”

  Freddy shook his head.

  “The only way we could have avoided this was to stay on Mars, but I’m too fuckin’ stupid to be happy with what I’ve got.” If I’d had a cat-o’-nine-tails, I would have indulged in some literal self-flagellation. As it was, I stuck to the mental kind. “I’m just worthless, aren’t I?”

  “Don’t talk like that. You tried to act. You’ve had no fight training.”

  “If only there’d been a fire extinguisher ...” And that’s when I started bawling, the loud, pitiful kind that was best done in private.

  Freddy scooted to my side and threw his arms about me. I sobbed against his shirt, dousing it in tears. I couldn’t have explained everything that I was feeling in that moment, even if someone had asked me. My heart ached in the space reserved for Nate. Guilt roared through me for Ju and for my stepfather. Every bone and sinew eked worthlessness. If only Nate hadn’t rescued me from the de Lunas in the first place, I’d be exactly where I belonged, in some dark, smelly place of punishment. Well, dead, actually, but being in someone’s stomach seemed like a fitting vision of hell.

  Freddy’s hands roamed across my back and down my arms, rubbing, as if I needed help with my circulation. His breath kissed my cheek. “Hey, you’re worth something to me.”

  The words meant nothing, just a superficial attempt to make me feel better. Not going to work, but there was one drug that would distract me for a while, distract me from my heartache. Emptiness echoed in my chest as I kissed Freddy’s unshaven cheek. He jerked, surprised, as if he’d thought his come-ons were falling on deaf ears. I kissed him again.

  “It’s easier this way,” I murmured, already hating myself, aching inside.

  “You know I go with the opportunity, even if I don’t think it’s sincere, but are you going to regret this?” Freddy continued to pet my arms, long, slow strokes.

  “Thanks for asking, but my regrets started long before this.” I nipped his chin and the side of his mouth. His broad palm wrapped around the back of my head and forced me to his lips. His mouth was open, waiting, and he took over. His tongue stabbed into my mouth. He was going with aggressive, as if he instinctually knew I didn’t want gentle. I didn’t. That would have broken me down. I wanted him to dominate me, take away my control so I could lose myself in this thing.

  Removing our shirts took no time. His eyes glowed, with admiration for my well-shaped breasts and with pure-and-simple lust. They lacked the something more that was always present in Nate’s eyes. My hands were in my lap, so Freddy circled my wrists with his fingers and drew my arms up above my head. My breath caught. His chest was leaner than Nate’s, but still athletic and sexy, with a dark tan. He set one of his hands free while keeping my wrists captured so he could unhook my pants and his own. Then he shoved me back against the bed. It was narrow, so he threw the excess clothes and pillows to the floor. It was also hard, as were all the bunks on the ship. My head hit the mattress none too gently.

  “Keep your hands here, do you understand?”

  I nodded, and he let go. Even though there were no physical restraints, there was something scintillating about keeping my hands where he told me. He tugged my pants lower, and I lifted my legs to help him.

  “You know, I haven’t stopped thinking about your hand on my cock since we left the moon. That was so hot! It made me wonder how your mouth would feel in the same position.”

  “Better than you can imagine,” I drawled.

  He left my pants at my ankles and perched atop my thighs. With his thumbs, he parted my labia and blew hot breaths onto my cl
it. I hummed in response, but my mind was starting to wander to the dangerous places. I wanted to feel something intense to take me away from the pain.

  “Suck me,” I demanded. He complied, and for a while I lost myself.

  Someone knocked on the hatch. Freddy ignored it as he crawled further up my body to taste my nipples. He paused to strip off his pants. “It’s locked.”

  Yeah, to everyone but the captain with the all-access pass codes.

  “Let me in, Freddy. I know she’s down there.”

  Freddy shook his head. “Crazy man. Hates you one minute, hunting you down the next. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, but first let me get these pants off you.”

  When the banging continued, I covered my breasts. “He’s coming down here.”

  “Let him. We’ve got nothing to hide.”

  “You know, I’m not sure I’m ready to confront him this way.”

  “Do you want to get up?” He rolled to the side, but his fingers dragged down my stomach to my pussy and tickled me there. Not that I was feeling particularly erotic at this point, more like petrified and sick to my stomach.

  The sound of sucked air clued us in to the opening of the hatch. Nate’s feet appeared on the ladder, and the hatch banged shut again.

  “G’day mate,” Freddy said. “Um, if we’re both down here, who’s flying this boat?”

  “Autopilot,” Nate growled as he dropped the last few feet. He turned and faced my naked body. Freddy’s, too, but I doubt that triggered any emotions in him. His jaw looked tight, as if he was grinding his teeth.

  We all froze, and I was pretty sure the air had grown thicker, because I was having a hard time breathing. Freddy’s fingers still touched my bush, and after a moment he started moving them again. Um, stop that. Hmm, damn. Didn’t say that out loud. The fingers moved lower and triggered some automatic feel-good responses. I wanted to squirm, but was afraid to move at all. What was Nate thinking? Why didn’t he storm out of here, secure in his loathing for me? I could wallow in my guilt while he wallowed in his superiority.

  “Suck her breasts,” Nate said.

  Freddy’s eyes widened. “Say what, mate?”

  “Suck her breasts. That’s an order.”

  Holy shit, and yes, I should be protesting here, but I felt like I deserved any abuse Nate wanted to dish out. Freddy’s lips circled one tit, suckled it until it was erect and red, then he moved to the opposite one and did the same. I kept my eyes glued on Nate, wondering what he was going to do. He hadn’t moved at all, and I was torn between wishing he’d beat Freddy to a pulp and wanting to continue this erotic madness.

  “Now sit up,” Nate said. “Freddy, sit. Lean back against the wall.” Freddy ignored him, still sucking my nipple -- which I was quite enjoying -- until Nate yanked his hair and pulled him to a sitting position.

  “Oh, that’s it. You’re dead, captain or not.” Freddy launched to his knees.

  “Helena, suck his cock.”

  Freddy sat back on his heels, shock on his face. I adjusted myself on the bunk so that I could reach his slightly sagging cock. I think the whole other man in the room thing had taken away some of his zeal. I could fix that.

  Nate placed his hands on Helena’s hips, which evoked a small squeal from her as she sucked Freddy’s cock. He adjusted her lower body so that her stomach lay across the mattress and her legs reached the floor, while her ass wriggled in the air. God, what an ass! All ripe and delicious and ready for him.. He undid his pants and pushed them to the floor. Then he knelt behind Helena. His cock was a stiff pole at the ready. He nudged against her bottom, which elicited more muffled squeals and a lot more ass movement. Freddy’s eyes were slits that watched the proceedings while he was lost in the pleasure of Helena’s lips.

  Nate, the boss, the captain, was aching in so many ways he couldn’t think clearly. He wanted Helena more than anything, but he blamed her for Ju’s death. And she didn’t love him. How could she if she was here with Freddy? Why did that hurt so much? She was a witch who took his friends from him. And all he wanted was to sink his cock into her soft folds.

  His cock found her wet center. He guided it with his fingers, which he also used to spread Helena’s legs to a more accessible angle. Then he drove into her. Freddy met his eyes, which was weird, scary. He shouldn’t be here with another man. It was wrong, but it wasn’t about Freddy at all. Yeah, it was erotic, but not because he was with another man.

  He concentrated on hard thrusts with his hands resting on her hips, holding her in place, helping her keep his rhythm.

  “Trade up, man?” Freddy asked.

  Pulling out felt like a loss. “Have her lay back flat.” He and Freddy adjusted Helena. Nate refused to meet her eyes. Why was she agreeing to this? Could he love a woman who allowed herself to be used this way? She spread her legs for Freddy and moaned as he entered her. Nate finally looked at her face. Her eyes were just for him. They burned with emotion -- desire, sadness, emptiness, hope. Nate propped one knee on the bed and bobbed his dick near her lips. She opened her mouth to catch him.

  “Why are you doing this?” he asked, even as the pleasure of her lips shot through him.

  She backed off to answer. “You deserve it. I hurt you.”

  Deep in her throat, he lost himself. In-and-out thrusting, coated with wet heat. Freddy yelped from orgasm, pulled out slowly, then lowered his face to Helena’s pussy to lick. Nate enjoyed the suction of Helena’s mouth. It was comforting and familiar. Was he hurting her? Was he humiliating her? To punish her? Did she deserve it?

  He pulled free to kneel next to her. He caressed her breasts and stomach, felt the tightening of her muscles as Freddy tempted her to climax. Nate leaned in to kiss her chin, her lips, her cheeks. Tears fell from her eyes. He licked those away and realized his cheeks were wet, too.

  He turned to Freddy. “Stop.” His voice was low, no longer an order, but a plea. Freddy backed up and sat on the end of the bed.

  “I’m sorry,” Nate said, his lips close to Helena’s ear. “I’m so sorry. It’s not your fault.”

  Helena’s sobs wracked her chest.

  “You don’t deserve this. You deserve love and care and consideration.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t.”

  He cradled her against him. “Yes, you do. I love you. I wanted to hurt you because it hurt, but I love you. I don’t want to play these games anymore.”

  He rocked her gently as she continued to cry. At some point, Freddy left the room, hopefully clothed. Nate didn’t see whether he dressed or not. His attention was all on Helena.

  “It’s my fault about Ju,” she said. “My idea for the trip. My stupid pen weapon thing. I’m a murderer. I told you that.”

  “I love you. I love the fact that you killed the man who beat your mom. I love the fact that you wanted to return to your home to become whole again. I love what you were willing to do for that. Helena, you and I are matched souls. We’re both stupid fuck-ups, but we’re meant to be together.”

  She laughed. “Really? Stupid fuck-ups can have soul mates?”

  “Shit, yes. Absolutely. And you’re mine.” He grinned. “By the way, did you realize we’ve been orbiting Earth for a few hours now?”

  “No, I’ve been holed up down here.” Funny, but her eyes didn’t light up as much as he’d expected.

  “Are you ready to land?”

  She glanced down. “I’m naked.”

  “Well, get dressed.”

  She inhaled and exhaled slowly, then shook her head. “You know what? Earth can wait.”

  Nate scanned her naked body, the sheets mingling with her curves, her curls glistening from another man’s tongue. Then he focused on her eyes and the emotion he saw there. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” A sob caught her off-guard, and she laughed even as her eyes glowed with new unshed tears. “I want to be alone with you, just you. Freddy was just there. I didn’t mean ...”

  Sliding his palm down her cheek, Nate shook h
is head. “I know. I understand.” He glanced up at the hatch, so glad the man was gone. “But I’ll cut his balls off if he poaches again.”

  “You didn’t think it was erotic?”

  “Erotic, but you’re mine, and messing with other men would just be too complicated.”

  Helena placed her fingers over his heart. “Yours?”

  “If you want me.” God, he hated the need in his gut, hated knowing that she could destroy him if she didn’t feel the same. “I mean, do you love me, Helena?”

  Her lips quirked upward. “I love you, Nate. I love you more than that damn planet floating below us.” She guided him onto the bunk with her, laughing as he bumped his head on the wall and groaning as he plopped on top of her. His cock grew hard from the silken feel of her inner thighs, and soon, passionate kisses replaced the awkwardness. He caressed her arms, her stomach, the sides of her breasts, as she squeezed her thighs together, hugging his cock between them, taking him home with pleasure.

  Epilogue

  “Where is it? Where is it?” I was scrolling through the School of Interplanetary Pilotry’s web-sat-site looking for my grade in Rocket Core Dynamics. I’d taken the final a week ago and was pretty sure I’d aced it, but I wanted to see that 4.0 personally so I could rub it in Freddy’s face. I know, I know. Not mature to want to gloat, but Freddy and I had maintained our good-natured friendship for the past several months, and part of that friendship involved challenges at the shooting range and tons of reminders that he was a pilot while I was not.

  Yes, there’d been some awkwardness just before we’d landed on Earth, particularly between Freddy and Nate. I smiled, just thinking about Nate’s expression whenever Freddy came into the room. Bright red cheeks and a scowl. Poor guy didn’t know whether to die of embarrassment or explode with hatred in Freddy’s presence. A little work on my part -- reminding him that I’d chosen him, not Freddy, not to mention some persuasive petting -- and I think I had Nate in a calmer place. He’d managed not to abandon Freddy in the asteroid field in only a space suit. Progress.