Melinda’s love life had been a very rocky road indeed and she was not what she would have called well-experienced when it came to sexual activity. Random sex with someone she had met had never really been her style, not to say it had not happened. She had lost her virginity during her senior year of high school to some guy she had met at her cousin’s quinceanera, and a year after that she had hooked up with a man she met through a dating website who, after they had fucked, confessed to being married. That had been right after she moved in with Brandi.
She finally had her first steady boyfriend with Roy Banning, a musician who played in a local pop/rock band that was making the circuits around all of the clubs in the area. She had met him at a gig his band was performing at; Brandi had drug her out of the house away from her precious movies one Friday night and Melinda had to admit she was very glad that she ended up going.
During a break in their set, she met Roy when he went to the bar to get a drink. To Melinda’s surprise, he started to talk to her and asked her how she liked the band. They ended up talking the rest of that break and every break he had for the rest of the night. After the show, she gave him her number and the two had dated fairly seriously for six months until she found out he was cheating on her when his band went on the road to gigs out of town. One of the other band members wives told her about it because they thought she should know.
Melinda was devastated; she thought that Roy and she would end up getting married eventually. But she was glad to move on and find out what kind of man he really was before things went too far.
Melinda had stayed out of the dating scene for the most part for about a year after that, eventually dating casually for a while and until she met Brent Way. He was a traveling pharmaceutical rep who made a point to spend as much time with her when he was in town as he could. The relationship started slow, Melinda wanting to take things cautiously, but ended up being the most fulfilling relationship she’d had to date. But eventually, the fact that Brent was not home enough because of his job ended the relationship. So it was back to the drawing board. Not that Melinda was that focused on a love life; she had other dreams to work on that mattered much more to her right now. But still, she was not getting any younger.
Since then, she had relied on toys to pleasure herself. She knew what she liked, though, and somehow Roth knew it, too – he was hitting all the right spots, and at the speed she enjoyed. Melinda gave herself over to it completely.
She felt her thighs quivering again, and she tried to clamp them shut but Roth jerked her into his thrust. Melinda looked up at him, and the moment their eyes met her body quaked and she came. “Yes!” she cried out, arching her back and thrashing. “Fuck, yes!”
Roth kept going, just a few more strokes, before hissing something between clenched teeth. He planted himself deep inside Melinda, his cock sputtering with vibration as he emptied out.
Melinda could feel the heat of it. For an instant, it crossed her mind that they had just engaged in unprotected sex. You’re two different species, she reminded herself. It’s not like he can get you pregnant.
After Roth pulled out, Melinda pushed herself upright, supported on her arms. “Whoa.” She sat on the edge of the tub, still dazed and breathless, and watched him gather together his discarded clothing floating in the water around him.
“What the hell just happened?” she asked. “One minute I’m in the water and you’re kissing me, the next I’m on my back and you’re eating me out. It’s like I blacked out, only I didn’t…it was…like a dream or something.”
He started for the steps leading out of the bath but paused. Without looking at her, he asked, “What did you see?”
“Us – you and me – but we were in another place.” She swirled the water with her feet. “It looked like ancient Aztec…”
She saw him tense, his head lifting and muscular back going rigid.
“You entered the trance state,” he said. Dropping his wet clothes outside the tub, Roth turned to face her. “It ties into your genetic compatibility with my people. The women would enter a dream state. During this time, the transference of energy is made.”
“Wait,” she said. “‘Energy transference?’ Is that what happens during these ‘blessings?’”
“Yes.”
“So you guys aren’t just dragons – you’re some kind of energy vampire!”
“I assure you, we are not. It is not energy as you would perceive it. You are not being depleted of your life force. What you are doing is helping to activate dormant genes within us, which allows us to rejuvenate.”
“I was told that it was all spiritual; not physical.”
Roth looked at her blankly. “Like I said, you were not given the whole story.”
She stared at him. “I don’t believe this. Transference of energy--so, basically, I just gave you a jump-start energy thing plus, a little bit extra?” Melanie put the last words in finger quotes in the air as she mocked the situation. She was really trying to come to terms with all of this, but it was just not happening. She was going to have to find out a lot more before she committed to anything.
Roth considered this a moment before nodding. “Yes.”
“And this is what I can expect if I agree to be the Oracle of Life?” Melinda asked. “I go into a trance, you get your genes pumped up, and that’s it.”
“You are leaving out one very vital element to the procedure,” Roth told her. He climbed out of the tub, the water running off his flawless skin, following every contour of his rock-hard body.
Turning around, Melinda got to see him in all his naked glory, his gorgeous torso completely hairless and his now spent cock hanging between his legs, thick and uncut. “You must copulate with every Volosian male in order to attain the trance level.”
Melinda felt a chill creep up her spine, making her shiver. “Okay, time out,” she said. She jumped into the tub and waded over to the steps. “I don’t care if I zone out while it’s happening – that was some pretty trippy stuff I saw during it – but I don’t want to be gang-banged by a bunch of alien dragons. Nobody ever said anything about that.”
“As I said, Athan did not explain all that would be required.”
“Yeah, I get that.” Melinda threw up her hands and shook her head. “Okay, you know what? That’s it. I’m done. Turn this ship around and take me back to Earth. You guys are going to have to find someone else to be your ‘Oracle of Life.’ I’m out.”
Roth rumbled in amusement. “You never had a choice in this matter; therefore, what you want does not matter. Athan misled you. He has no intention of letting you go of your own free will.” He treated her to a salacious smile. “Which is why I will be abducting you again.”
She frowned at both his choice of words and the ominous manner in which he said them. “What do you mean?”
“I want you for myself,” he answered simply. “What was it you said? ‘A hunter keeps his prize.’ I found you, so you belong to me.”
“The only person I belong to is myself,” Melinda back in defiance.
“I could offer you a choice, now,” Roth said, ignoring her last remark. “Belong to me and be mine alone, or belong to Athan and be used by the entire Volosian race.”
It would be easier trying to escape from one man than a whole race of them, Melinda thought. “Well, at least you’re giving me a chance to decide on my own,” she muttered, words slathered with sarcasm.
“As usual, you do not listen.” Gathering up his wet clothes again, he treated her to a smug smile. “I said I could. I did not say I would.”
Chapter Six
Melinda spent the rest of the journey to Volos in her chambers. The trip seemed to pass quickly, which prompted her to ask Athan about it during one of his visits. “So, how do you do it? Are you folding space? Journey by wormhole?”
“The ship travels across space in much the same manner that we use to transport from the ship to a planet’s surface,” Athan explained. He seemed distracted as he look
ed around the room, his nostrils flaring. “We utilize the power of our minds.”
“You mean you just think of being in a place and bang! You’re there?” Melinda chuckled. “And how many people have you wished into cornfields?”
He turned his gold eyes on her. “I do not understand the significance of that question.”
She rolled her eyes and waved him off. “Never mind.” She sat on the couch, idly toying with an ink pen and notebook she had the Super Special Magic Wish Panel – as she had come to refer to it – conjure for her one day when she got bored and wanted to take down some of her thoughts on her present situation. I’ll turn it into my memoirs and title it ‘Life as an Intergalactic Sex Slave,’ she mused.
She had also tried to figure out how many days had passed since her abduction, at least by her own body’s clock. According to her sleep cycle, she figured it had been three days. In that time, Roth had not returned.
Melinda kept waiting for him, determined not to let him scare her like he did the last two times when he appeared out of nowhere.
She thought about his promise to abduct her again. Maybe he’s waiting until we get to their planet, she thought. Then what’s he going to do? Steal a ship and run away with me? Would he be willing to take me back to Earth?
The more she thought about Roth, the less she thought about escaping. She could still feel him inside her, the touch of his hands on her body, and the way he looked deep into her eyes.
She remembered the vision she had, how real it had been. On more than one occasion she had to refrain from asking the Super Special Magic Wish Panel to provide her with a big vibrator shaped like Roth’s cock.
Why do I want him so much? He’s a jerk and he creeps me out. He doesn’t care about me – he just wants me for himself, to be his own personal Oracle.
“…prepared for arrival,” Athan said.
Melinda shook herself and blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“We will be arriving at Volos within the hour. We have sent word that we have found our Oracle. You will be greeted with a celebration. I have chosen the proper garments which you are expected to wear in preparation for our arrival.”
“Oh. Okay.” Melinda unfolded her legs and stood up. Her pajama top rode up over her belly a little as she stretched.
“This is going to be kind of weird for me. I’m not used to being the center of attention.” She paused. “How soon before you want me to start, you know, blessing people?”
She did not want to let on about the things Roth had told her about her duties and even wondered if he might have been the one lying just to shake her up and make her want to run away. She wanted to give Athan the benefit of the doubt.
“In two days’ time,” Athan replied. “There will be an initiation ceremony, where you will be anointed by the High Holy Council. They will then place you in the Temple of the Sacred Pool, where you will begin to present your supplicants with their blessings.”
“Sounds like a lot of pomp and circumstance,” she said dryly. “When do I get to take a break?”
“The time to rest will come,” Athan assured her. He trailed a fingertip along her cheek and smiled.
Melinda found she had to suppress a shiver at his touch, forcing herself to return his smile. She held that expression as he turned away and started toward the door. “I will return to retrieve you shortly,” Athan called back over his shoulder.
“I’ll be ready!” she said. As soon as left, Melinda dropped the cheery attitude. “Fuck my life,” she muttered.
A flash of light caught her attention. She turned around to find a dress draped across one of the sofas. She fingered the diaphanous material, layers of shimmering gauze of blue and gold, and something that looked like a belly dancer’s girdle, covered in precious stones and tiny gold bangles that jingled when she picked it up.
“This thing weighs a ton!” Sighing, she put it down. She considered calling Athan back and telling him she had changed her mind and wanted to go home, but she had already agreed that once they reached Volos she would spend one cycle as Oracle until they could find a replacement.
Maybe Roth lied, she kept telling herself. Maybe it’s not going to be that bad.
Chapter Seven
When Athan returned, he stopped short and just stared at Melinda for a full minute.
“Breathtaking,” he whispered when he found his voice again.
Melinda gulped and averted her gaze self-consciously. The dress fit perfectly, attached at the shoulders with gold clips and gathered at the waist with the girdle. Full-length sleeves, open along the arms, ended at the wrists with delicately-tooled gold cuffs.
The material covered her front and back but left her legs exposed on the sides. It clung to her as she moved, showing off all her curves.
Her shoes consisted of simple sandals with thin golden cords that laced up her calves. She had piled her hair up in a bun and secured it with a pair of golden sticks provided by the Wish Panel.
“I look like I belong on a Grecian urn,” she said.
“You are beautiful,” Athan told her with a sincerity Melinda wanted to believe, but that seed of doubt Roth had planted left her wondering.
As she followed him from her rooms – her first time leaving them since arriving on the ship – Melinda decided to try another test of Athan’s honesty.
“I’m really nervous about this,” she said. “What if I’m too nervous to perform the blessings?”
“You need not worry,” Athan said, walking beside her.
“But what if I can’t enter the trance state?” she pressed. “Isn’t that kind of imperative to the ritual?”
“The High Holy Council will guide you,” he said. “They have methods.”
“Like what, exactly?”
“I cannot say.”
Cannot? Melinda wondered. Or will not? She glanced around. And where the fuck is Roth?
She remembered the married man she had met online, how he had lied to her to get what he wanted. Had Roth played her the same way?
Got your ‘blessing’ and ran. Seems like every guy I ever meet is the same way – human or alien.
The ship had docked on Volos. When the doors opened, a cheer went up from the large crowd gathered at the platform. Melinda frowned.
“I thought you said there were only two thousand Volosians left,” she said. “This looks more like two hundred thousand.”
She looked around, remembering what Roth had said about the women dying from a plague, something Athan had neglected to tell her.
“And why are they all men?” This is it, she thought. This is his chance to come clean.
“You will receive your answers soon,” Athan said, shutting her down right away. “Now, no more questions. It is time to meet the High Holy Council.”
He escorted her down the ramp to the waiting throng. She heard them chanting one word, over and over.
“Oracle! Oracle!”
Four men dressed in green robes and carrying staves approached, their faces tattooed with strange symbols. Athan bowed low.
“High Holy Council of Volos,” he said, “I bring you the new Oracle of Life. Long may we receive the Blessings of Eternity.”
“Eternal Life,” the eldest of the four said. White streaks threaded through his red hair. “We shall now escort the Oracle to the Temple of the Sacred Pool.” He held out his hand to Melinda, palm up.
Hesitant, she accepted it, feeling his warm fingers close around hers. He tapped the stone beneath their feet with his staff and in a blink they disappeared from the station.
They reappeared a moment later on some pinkish stone steps at the base of a huge, sheer cliff face. A great doorway had been chiseled into the stone. Melinda frowned. It looks like Petra, she thought, recalling images of the ancient city in Jordan she had seen in movies and books over the years. She looked around but did not see Athan. She began to grow anxious again.
“I don’t know if I’m ready for this,” she said.
“
All will be well,” the red-haired Council member told her. “Come with us.”
Reluctantly, Melinda followed, lifting her skirts so she wouldn’t trip on them.
They went inside and followed a passage that opened up onto a large grotto filled with beautiful mosaic tiles, twisting columns of marble that reached high into the shadows above, and flowers that gave off a heady, almost hypnotic aroma.
A dais stood at the center of the chamber, three steps up, each step adorned with images of dragons. At the top, Melinda saw a round pool that reminded her of the tub in her room back on the ship.
Maybe that was intentional, she thought. She noted the steps descending down into the water. On the opposite side, she saw something that made her frown: a chair carved of white stone – perhaps alabaster – the back of which reclined while two large arms rose up on either side from the seat.
No, Melinda thought, remembering her last trip to the gynecologist. Not arms. Stirrups. Suddenly, she realized Roth had been telling the truth.
She would be placed in that cradle, her legs propped up and open. They’re going to drug me and have sex with me.
“Oh, hell to the no!” she said, and turned to run back the way she came – only to be blocked by Athan. She stared up at him.
“You tricked me,” she said, glaring at him in accusation. “You didn’t say they were going to fuck me. You probably have no intention of ever letting me leave, either.”
One side of Athan’s mouth twitched in a smile. “Such crude language in such a sacred place,” he murmured. “At least you will be silent through the blessings.”
“Because you plan to put me in a trance and keep me there?” she challenged. She tore off the heavy girdle and threw it to the tiled floor at his feet.
“I’m not doing it. I’ll die before I let you touch me. Your whole race will be right behind me, too, unless you can find someone else to take my place – and I hope to hell you don’t. I hope not one more woman has to be forced to cater to your whims.
‘Preservation of your race…’” She snorted in derision. “You just want to live forever, revered as gods, and you don’t care how many innocent people you use to achieve that goal!”
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