He leads me through the forest for what feels an eternity, but I have no way to gauge the time. When we emerge from the trees, I spot what looks to be buildings similar to earth skyscrapers, yet somehow not. They’re too advanced, too high tech for what you would see on our planet, even with the advances we’ve made in the years prior. He greets a guard in what must be his mother tongue, gesturing towards me. The guard considers me for a moment, his expression blank. After a moment, he steps aside and allows us entry into the city. I’m not sure what to expect, but I have scarcely any time to consider my surroundings before I’m taken to a building which seems to focus more on structure stability than architectural appeal. He presses his palm to a pad that rests beside the door, dragging me inside.
“I can walk just fine, thank you,” I spit venomously, but he ignores me. We come to a room that is sectioned off by a force field of sorts. He touches another pad, typing in some commands before tossing me inside. The force field flickers just long enough for me to be thrown in, before locking back into place. I realize that this must be some sort of holding facility. “You’re just going to leave me?” I demand, and he fixes me with an ever blank expression before slipping away. It seems that this is my new home for now.
I don't know how long I spend in the cell, pacing from one end to the other. It feels like an eternity, but it's impossible to tell time. There's no clock in the cell, though I have no idea if I'd be able to read it, in any case. I spend most of my time alone, though there is the occasional guard who peeks in and provides me with a strange platter of food. I can only liken the food offered to earth's crustaceans, and I have a deadly shellfish allergy. I don't want to take my chances, though the differences in the DNA of the creatures are likely stark. I don't speak to the guards, and they don't attempt to engage me in any way. They seem vaguely disdainful about my presence, and I don't make a point to make myself a more proper guest. If they want to treat me like an animal, I won't be wasting my kindness on them.
I’m lying on the cot I’ve been provided when a familiar face appears outside my cell. Recognizing it as the male who captured me, I narrow my eyes as he drops the force fields and steps inside. He wordlessly takes me by the arm, leading me out of my cell. Once again, I’m essentially dragged to my destination like some sort of fool. He walks me into another room, this one dimly lit with some sort of restraint chair in the center. I fight against him, but he narrows his eyes dangerously at me. His gun is ever present on his hip, and as much as I’d like to continue fighting, I suppose I may as well see what these bastards have in store for me. I’m pushed into the restraint chair, jolting in fear as metallic bands snap around my wrists and ankles. My captor approaches me, holding some sort of leather-like band in his hand. He wraps it around my neck, and I realize with a start that they intend to collar me like some sort of animal. I struggle uselessly, and the slightest of shocks radiates from the collar against my skin. I curse, though he seems not to recognize the gravity of the words I’m spitting at him. He simply watches me with some small measure of interest.
The bands slip away from my wrists and ankles, and I leap to my feet. My captor quirks a curious smile, offering his arm. I look at him with narrowed eyes, and he breathes an exasperated sigh.
“The collar is to keep you from straying too far. It has a tracking device embedded as well. If you would follow me,” he says, his words amicable but his tone leaving no room for argument. I hesitate before dropping my head. I trail obediently after him, relieved at least to be allowed to walk on my own two feet.
“Where are you taking me?” I inquire softly, and he hesitates for the briefest of moments.
“To my home. The council wanted to kill you, but I argued that would be a wasteful notion. I’ve been entrusted with the duty of watching you until the council decides what your fate will be,” he says brusquely. My eyes widen in fear, but he seems not to recognize the emotion, turning his back on me and walking ahead. The collar begins to shock me, growing more intense the further away he gets. I jog to catch up, tugging anxiously at the strap around my neck.
“At the very least I deserve to know your name,” I blurt angrily, falling into step beside him. The shock leaves a lingering tingling in my nerves and it’s not something I want to grow accustomed to.
"Names are of little importance to my people. We typically refer to one another through identification numbers. However, Kajin is a nickname I had as a child. It's the approximation for the phrase righteous one in my mother tongue. You can call me that, if it pleases you," he says mildly, and I want to curse how calm he is. However, I realize that the best option, for the time being, is to play nice with my captor. Though I'm not exactly pleased to have been captured, I suppose I should be grateful that he did not allow me to be put to death. However, though he did not say as much, it's clear that death is very much a viable fate for me at this point.
“My name is Kara Nolan. I’m from the planet Earth. What is this place?” I inquire hesitantly, glancing at the other native people we pass on the street.
“This is Planet 347, sector five. Earth, you say? What a strange name for a planet,” he mutters absently, leading me ahead. We come to a rather extravagant looking building, and he guides me through the door. It’s not entirely unlike a human home, though much more luxurious than even I could afford back home.
“Why did they allow you to keep me, Kajin? If they wanted me killed,” I ask quietly, the question having been a burden upon my mind.
“The council knows I will not hesitate to put you down if you are to step out of line. However, I was the one who expressed an interest in further study, so… here you are,” he hums. His voice seems less gruff, and it’s obvious he’s less agitated than he was when we first met. I suppose he’s realized that I’m not a threat to himself nor his people. “In any case. I do not know how your species regulates energy, but I have supplied a bed for you to rest upon should that be to your liking,” he says, gesturing to the corner. It’s a simple cot, but it looks a bit more comfortable than what I had been subjected to in the holding facility.
I nod my head, stepping towards the cot and sitting on the edge. He seems to take that as his cue to leave, and steps into the other room. Not knowing what else to do, I stretch out on the cot and consider my next move. Perhaps I will somehow be able to send a signal back to Earth at some point. For now, I have to focus on pleasing my temporary master.
CHAPTER THREE
I only realize I’d drifted off when I blink my eyes open and am jolted by the sight of my captor looming over me. His gaze is intense, though it seems to soften marginally when I edge away from him. I look myself over, realizing all too unpleasantly that my skin has become slightly grimy for going some days without a shower of any kind. I turn to my captor-- Kajin, I reminded myself, I would have to adjust to using his name. He seems fascinated by my every movement, and I brush my hair away from my face a bit self-consciously.
“Uhm… do you have a shower?” I ask with uncertainty, though I’m not altogether sure I look forward to the idea of bathing in a strange alien’s house. He quirks a brow, seeming to consider my words.
“Shower…?” He repeats, and I rub the back of my neck, struggling with how disjointed conversation with this male is.
“I need to get clean. With water. Shower,” I elaborate, and his eyes widen in recognition.
"Oh, yes. I have the facilities you require. We are not as unlike as I thought, though this ‘shower' as you refer it is something of a luxury on our planet. Our bodies technically have a self-sanitizing system, and…," he trails off, looking a bit chagrined. "Sorry, I tend to ramble. It's not every day we get an alien form of life crashing into our hunting grounds, either," he smiles, perhaps the first time I've seen the human expression on his face. I chuckle to myself, rising from the cot and stretching my arms out over my head. My joints give an audible pop, and his eyes widen almost comically.
"It's not every day I crash land on an alien planet, either,"
I retort. He hums a distinctly amused sound. "The shower, then?" I suggest once more, not wanting to sound like a broken record, but wanting the small comfort.
“Yes, right. Follow me,” Kajin says with a smile, leading me through the vast expanses of his home. He takes me to an extravagant bathroom, with small bottles sitting on a tray beside what I assume is the tub. “You may use my scent obscuring salve. I’m told by non-hunters that it smells rather nice,” he says carefully, slipping towards the door. I hesitate for a moment before beginning to undress, slipping out of my dirty space suit. “Oh, yes, and by the way--,” he says abruptly, peeking back in the bathroom. I swallow a shriek, trying to remain casual as his eyes rove my nude body. Perhaps nudity isn’t as intimate on this planet as it is on Earth, I can only hope… but the look in his eye is not altogether unfamiliar, and I feel myself redden beneath his stare.
“Uhm, Kajin? A bit of privacy, please?” I say awkwardly, and he blinks his eyes, seeming to shake off his reverie.
“Yes, of course,” he mutters. He slips out the door, and I can only wonder what was going through his mind as he took in my nude form. My mind wanders to what he may look like beneath that armor he always seems to be clad in, and I curse myself for the thought.
The last thing I need to do is become infatuated with an alien life form.
For a while after my bath, the man avoids me. I can hear odd trilling sounds coming from his bedroom, but I give it very little thought, instead busying myself with exploring what areas of the house I am able. Though the differences between life here and life on earth are distinct, they are also similar in remarkable ways. I do miss the steady beat of my bedside radio on an easy listening station, but the mother tongue of the natives here is almost musical in nature, already. Even the trilling coming from Kajin’s room has an odd sort of melody to it. I sway my hips from side to side as I explore his home, humming softly under my breath in tune with his trills. Abruptly, however, they come to a stop. Some moments later, he emerges from his sleeping chambers looking somewhat disheveled. He glances towards me with something akin to shame in his eye, refusing to meet my gaze for long. I hum to myself, approaching him with some hesitation.
"Kajin," I begin, not sure how to word my request. He fidgets under my stare, his actions oddly suspicious. "I was wondering if you would escort me to the city, today. Obviously, I would be under your care, I'm just… quite eager to explore the area for myself," I mutter. He seems a bit surprised by the request but actually, considers it.
“I suppose there’s no harm in it,” he says agreeably. I grin gleefully from ear to ear, trailing behind him as he leads me out of his home. We walk side by side, attempting to remain discreet. It likely wouldn’t serve me well to draw attention to myself. He guides me to what seems to be a large marketplace, with natives selling wares of all sorts. Having been reluctant to slip back into my filthy space suit, I eagerly eye some clothes being sold. Kajin seems to notice my interest in the attire, drawing me nearer the stall. The woman, or what I presume to be a woman, considers me with a curious stare. He speaks to her in their native tongue, and I shift awkwardly from foot to foot. I can only wonder what they’re discussing, but she slips away to rummage through some boxes behind her stall. She emerges moments later with an extravagant dress that appears to be my size. Kajin presses some sort of code into a tablet-like device that she offers, and she smiles cheerfully as he takes the dress.
“Is that… for me?” I inquire nervously, not wanting to seem presumptuous.
“I’m certainly not going to wear it. You don’t have to take it, but I thought you seemed interested,” he says, seeming to force a casual tone. I smile gratefully, reaching out to take the dress and hold it against myself.
"I'll try it on as soon as we return to your home," I grin. He gestures to what looks to be, for all intents and purposes, a high-tech portable toilet.
“There’s a changing station. There are dozens of clothing vendors in the marketplace. It doesn’t seem to be occupied. If you’d like to change, I will grab sustenance for us and we can explore a bit more before heading back,” he offers kindly. I hesitate a moment, looking at the dress with adoration. It’s beautiful, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before-- it seems the galaxy is woven in its threads.
"Alright. I'll trust your judgment on the meal," I grin before slipping towards the changing station. I step inside, surprised to see that it appears much larger on the inside than it had from the outside. There are around a half-dozen stalls held within, and I step into the nearest, slipping out of my space suit. I pull the dress on, amazed at how it feels against my skin. It's like the most luxurious silk, woven from the finest threads. I run my hands down my body, shivering at the sensation.
Realizing I’m taking a bit too long, I slip out of the changing station and glance around in an attempt to spot Kajin. Internally, I panic for a moment before I spot him approaching from a distant stall. I rush towards him, beaming at the sight of the armfuls of food he holds.
“Miss me?” He asks teasingly, and I roll my eyes in spite of my blush.
"Hush. Let's head back, there's no way I'm letting you lead me around with that armful," I smirk. He laughs awkwardly but nods his head in agreement. We make our way back to his home, and I'm unable to keep my hands off of the dress. He watches me with a vague sense of amusement, tempered with something darker and more primal. I find myself flaunting for him, and he seems all too receptive to the actions.
We step inside, and he lays the food out on the table. Though food is the last thing on my mind, I idly crunch on a small berry, humming with pleasure at the taste. He watches me with a quirked brow, and I feel a rush of heat wash over me. I continue to nibble the berry, giving a somewhat sensual air to my actions. Before I realize what’s happening, he pushes me against the wall and presses our lips together. Though I couldn’t have expected it, I find myself more than willing to accept the attention. He presses his groin to mine, trilling softly. The sound is familiar, and I realize with a start what he had been doing in his bedroom previously.
“Take me to your room,” I order gently. He lifts me off my feet, and I hook my ankles around his waist. He stifles soft trilling sounds, and I find myself utterly enamored with the strange sound. He seems somewhat chagrined by it for his part, and I realize it’s not slipping past his parted lips; instead, the sound reverberates from some gill-like protrusions on his neck. I reach out to ghost my fingertips to his neck, and he shivers in pleasure.
“If I take you to my quarters, I’m not certain I will be able to contain myself,” he mutters, and I can’t help but giggle at how flustered he seems.
“No one is asking you to contain yourself, Kajin. I’m certainly not, in any case,” I purr against the column of his throat. He moans throatily, and I feel a surge of excitement as he begins to carry me in the direction of his quarters. Though I’ve not said as much, it’ll be no small wonder if our parts are compatible enough to make this entire situation work. It should be more worrisome than it feels at the moment, but I can’t help feeling as if I’m embarking on some grand adventure. It goes beyond any sort of science I may have expected to explore previously. Then again, one never really plans to make love to an alien life form.
Swept up in the moment, I crash my lips to his once more. He falters, nearly losing his grip on me before adjusting enough to continue staggering in the direction of his room. The telltale bulge I might have expected juts from the front of his pants, though it looks significantly larger than I am used to-- both in girth and length. He shifts his grip on me as we reach his room, holding me in one arm as he presses his palm to a scanner to allow us entry. The door slides open, and there is a noticeable musk that permeates the room, likely from his activities earlier that day. It’s not an unpleasant smell, reminiscent of an earthy and almost fruity scent. I nearly salivate, lapping at the flap of skin that hides his gills. His flesh tastes unlike a human man, lacking that usual saltiness of sweat. His trills grow in pitch, and h
e takes me to his bed where he gently lays me on top of the sheets. I watch him with trepidation, and he seems a bit lost on what to do next.
“It can’t be so different, can it?” I murmur, shifting to my knees and drawing the dress up and over my head. Having ditched my filthy underwear, I sit fully exposed before him as he rakes his eyes up and down my body. He inhales shakily, stepping closer to the bed.
“You look so soft,” he murmurs, sitting just on the edge. He’s out of reach by mere inches, and I quirk my lips in a coy smile before taking him by the hand. He twitches at my touch, eyes dark and filled with desire. I guide his gloved palm to my breast, shivering at the sensation of the leathery material against my skin. He gropes experimentally for a moment, and I gasp breathily as he ghosts his fingertips to my nipple.
“It brings you pleasure when I touch you here?” He inquires softly, drawing away to remove his glove. I shyly draw my lip between my teeth, nodding in response to his quiet query. “Strange,” he murmurs, drawing my perky breast into his bare hand. He moves with purpose, an almost scientific preciseness to his motions. I gasp out his name, and he meets my gaze with a small smile.
Captured By The Beast I Page 55
