Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3)

by C. L. Scholey

  “Have you been here before?”

  Finn stacked the blocks he cut in record time. “A few times.”

  “What are the inhabitants like?”

  “It’s a planet made up of male warriors who fly.”

  “Are they homosexuals?”

  “A what?”

  “Do these men like other men?”

  “Well, I guess they must if they live together.”

  “So they’re not into females and I have nothing to worry about.”

  Finn looked at her oddly. “I’m going to have my hands full, keeping them off of you.”

  “I don’t understand. If they like other men why would I interest them?”

  “Their females live on a different planet. The female of their species don’t fly and are incredibly delicate, or so I’m told. I’ve never seen one, they are said to be more fragile than human females. They don’t come to this planet. They raise all of their children together until the males become fighting age and join their fathers here.”

  “So the males just head over for booty calls when the mood hits? Wham bam, thank you ma’am?”

  “The warriors destroyed anything harmful on the other planet and protect it with their lives. Not even a Zargonnii would want to go near that planet. These warriors are deadly when it comes to their families.”

  “But why live apart?”

  “Centuries ago this planet was attacked. Many females and children were slaughtered. The warriors took them all to a shielded planet. When they were attacked next, the warriors only needed to concentrate on the fight. It worked in their favor. In fact it worked so well the females decided to stay on their protected, quiet planet. Not all of these warriors have families and some are volatile. The females never have to worry about setting a warrior off. The warriors never have a need to fight each other. The warriors like to battle, they like the dangers on this planet.”

  “So many different aliens, I never knew there were so many culture shocks,” Bethany mused.

  “Humans have different cultures.”

  “Yes, I suppose we did. Not too many of us left.”

  “There are only a few humans on my planet. Many from Earth were lured away to a planet called Ulsy.”

  “Ulsy. I heard there were shuttles leaving for that planet. I wanted to stay with my people, but they perished with so many others. We didn’t have the money to buy our way out.” That was still a sore spot for Bethany. All of the women in her Earth family were dirt poor and left behind, even though they were in good health.

  “In some ways you were the lucky ones. Tonans are grey-shielded evil bastards, at least the rogue Tonans are. It was they who lured the humans to capture the females to force Castian prisoners to do as they were told. A Castian goes a little nuts when in must. Introduce a naked female that many have never seen and it gets explosive. A Castian warrior is encased in a black shield when in warrior mode. Other races find them frightening, but they are friends to the Zargonnii. Almost all human males except children were slaughtered by the Tonans. Cobra, leader of the Castians, claimed the planet, scattering the Tonan rogues.

  “You met the Gorgano. Mind fighters. They want all human females dead because for some reason a human female can channel their thoughts. Human females are super sensitive and strong willed. I’m uncertain but believe this planet was once attacked by the Gorgano. They have no effect on the males who can shield themselves, but the females aren’t so lucky. For me, the culture shock is the opposite. Our females kick ass. They, too, cannot fight the Gorgano, but as little as you are, you can kill a deadly enemy with a thought.”

  Bethany grinned. “So what you’re saying is you need me to protect you from the big ugly Gorgano.”

  “No.” Finn sounded annoyed.

  “Submit to me, and I will protect you.”

  Bethany lunged into his arms hard enough to knock him back. Finn lay back in battle mode, groaning.

  “You realize you’re killing me,” he grumbled.

  “Am I squishing my big bad ass warrior?”

  “I have to battle my battle urge when you try to be the dominant. Which, by the way, you can’t.”

  Bethany was over him, her elbows slowly buckled as she lowered to hover over his face. She could feel his breath bathe her cheeks. Teasingly, her lips slipped across his. Her bottom lips captured his bottom lip and she sucked with tenderness. Finn groaned and she released him.

  “Feeling the domination, yet?” she purred.

  Her breasts were pressed to his warm chest. She felt more than heard the deep rumbling as he began the crazy tune she had grown to love. She spread small kisses across his face, then nibbled an ear. His breathing grew rapid and she was moved with the rise and fall of his chest.

  “The noise I make is intended to calm a dominated female. You don’t seem to be cooperating,” Finn complained. He made her smile.

  “Oh, I’ll try harder.” Bethany lowered to reach a hand down to grip his cock, she squeezed. Finn growled. “How’s that?”

  “You shouldn’t tease a warrior. It’s dangerous.”

  “This is me, being scared,” Bethany taunted. She dragged her body down the length of him and stopped to bite at the bare oval patch on his belly.

  Finn took her shoulders in his hands and pushed her lower. Bethany knew what he wanted, but she wanted to play rough, she resisted. Finn was firm but not cruel. There was no way she could stop him, she didn’t want to stop him; she just wanted more resistance. She got it. Finn gripped her hair in one hand and pushed her lower, harder. Bethany’s breath caught.

  Fuck me, he’s a strong bastard.

  Without so much as a tiny struggle, her face was over his huge cock and she had no choice but to take him in her mouth. Finn kept his hold on her. Everything he did was dominant in a way that drove her wild. He controlled how much she took, he controlled how fast or slow she moved. Bethany whimpered small sounds and sucked harder.

  “A warrior could never do this to a female Zargonnii, I’d lose my cock. Even if you bit, it wouldn’t hurt me. I can feel your heart pounding against my thighs. You have no fear whatsoever. I’m intrigued.”

  Keeping his cock in her mouth, Finn turned. He gripped her hair tighter and pinned her wrists over her head. He groaned as she took him deeper. Bethany couldn’t move. Enough of his weight pinned her into immobility. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of him, his power, his length. His rocking grew harder and she tried to struggle.

  “Our females are more vulnerable on their bellies.”

  Bethany groaned when Finn removed his cock and flipped her over. She had barely enough time to gasp for a breath before he impaled her insides. She screamed when she came. Finn held her tightly or her ass would have been thumped around the room. Her wrists were still pinned overhead. A large hand had a breast gripped which he played with mercilessly. She was going to have to remember if she wanted it rough she’d get it and better be prepared.

  “Finn,” she gasped as he relentlessly pounded against her.

  “Are we feeling dominated, yet?” was his taunting reply.

  “Fuck yes.”

  “Good.”

  Finn flipped her onto her back. He lay across her without using more weight than necessary. His tune began again and this time Bethany relaxed under him. Her body melted into his with his final thrusts. She was exhausted.

  “You have the cutest ass in the universe,” Finn muttered.

  “You keep squeezing it like that and it might fall off.”

  “It’s all soft and squishy.”

  Excuse me? “Finn?”

  “Rounded and plump.”

  Grrr. “Finn?”

  “Temptingly tasty.”

  “Finn?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Go to sleep.”

  * * * *

  The being was humanoid and yet not. He wasn’t as tall as Finn but he was as broad. Bethany had never seen any creature with a back and chest as broad. On his bare chest from his diap
hragm up to his shoulders on either side were tattoos of black wings with golden tips. His short, thick black hair and black eyes made him appear sinister. Long black lashes blinked under unusual eyebrows. There was a dark shadow to his face which darkened his high chiseled cheekbones. Finn had one long white eyebrow that ran across his forehead and down either side of his face. This dark-looking warrior had fine eyebrows, almost drawn on in appearance in ebony ink; they spiked into wings at the tips in fine lines four times on either side. Like Finn, he wore black pants and boots. Bethany wondered if there was some alien market for the clothing.

  The two warriors stood facing each other. Bethany hung back behind Finn, plastered to his side. The shirt Finn salvaged from the sharp plant Bethany had dubbed ninja bush was in tatters and barely covered her breasts. Testosterone hung thick in the air. The dark warrior’s fierce glare made her hair stand on end.

  “Dalanee,” Finn growled.

  “Zargonnii,” the man-beast said and cocked his head in acknowledgment.

  Bethany gasped when a solid black wing, void of feathers, emerged from the creature’s naked back. It wasn’t like any wing Bethany could imagine. The ebony color was smooth and shiny, glistening off the planets sun to blind her momentarily as he manipulated the wing’s degree, a useful weapon. In that single blinding second, he could have captured her or killed her if Finn wasn’t at her side. The wing was a foot higher than the being and touched the ground. The wing had multiple tips until they turned to razor edges and curled half way in front of the Dalanee joining together to make one smooth blade. A deadly-looking weapon.

  “Yes human,” the being said. “My wing could slice you in half if I chose.”

  How did he know what I was thinking?

  “You had best choose not to,” Finn snarled.

  “This is my planet.”

  “We didn’t mean to come here, well not really, just sort of,” Bethany rushed to explain. “We were on our way to Finn’s home. This is just a stop over.”

  “Finn may continue his journey—without you, female.”

  “Not fucking likely.” Finn balled his hands and Bethany screamed when the being’s wing tried to decapitate Finn.

  Finn caught the wing between two hands and threw the being off-balance. Another large wing sprouted and the being landed square on two feet, swung using his other wing for leverage and kicked his booted feet into Finn’s chest. Finn didn’t move except for expelling a small amount of air. Finn attacked. Bethany had never seen Finn move so fast or hit so hard. The being curled his massive wings around his body. The wings fused together, wrapping around him. He had formed the perfect oval shield. Finn smashed into it but the shield held. Finn stepped back, his breathing hard, but he looked more pissed than anything. The being stepped from an opening as the wings slid back to allow him to exit and he sized up Finn.

  “You are fast, I’ll give you that. I was told Zargonnii were strong creatures. My informant was correct. Why do you protect this female? Your kind does not mate.”

  “Your kind are slavers,” was Finn’s retort.

  “Many humans, male and female are happy here. They are protected from other aliens who would cause them harm. They are not allowed out of the compound for their safety. I will make certain this female is given to a kind master. Perhaps I will take her.”

  “Not bloody likely,” Bethany said and glared.

  “This female is mine,” Finn ground out.

  The wings on the being disappeared into its back without a trace opening in his skin, but the most amazing tattoo of sorts appeared on his back to match his front. Fierce angel wings looked tattooed on his skin where the wings disappeared. The black tattoo resembled a smaller version of powerful wings and Bethany wondered if it was an actual folded outline she saw and not a tattoo at all.

  The alien male studied Bethany. “I am Kier. Injuring a female is beneath most species. There are those who cross the line and we will kill them for it. The war between Gorgano and rogue Tonan warriors has become heated. Humans are a welcome distraction on my planet. There are few enough, it’s not hard to keep them safe. The Zargonnii have no respect for females.”

  Finn snorted. “At least our females live on the same planet as us. And we are allowed access to our sons.”

  “The Dalanee are great warriors. We keep our females and children on a separate planet, cloaked for their safety. Our sons come to us when they are of age. Our females are too gentle to fight as we do. Warriors have no time to wipe snotty noses or change a toddler’s behind. We are peace keepers. It is because of species such as the Gorgano and Tonan and others we must separate ourselves.”

  Bethany could hear his anger. It boggled her mind the diversity of aliens and all of their strange ways.

  “We wish safe passage. The Dalanee and Zargonnii are not at war. I have not come seeking to steal your humans. Though you better beware of Castians. They don’t take kindly to the exploitation of humans,” Finn said.

  “Castians have their own battle,” was his scoffing reply. “They have no time for the mere amount of humans we possess. Each human is coveted and guarded closely. Nothing is allowed to harm them or cause them an upset. You may come to the city compound, but be warned. Your female will cause problems not being owned by a dark warrior. She is also covered. Covering of the chest is suspicious to our warriors. Weapons can be concealed. She must accompany us unclothed.”

  “Not fucking likely, pervert,” Bethany said in a growl.

  “We will stay here and await your return. I won’t subject my female to warriors ogling her. I only need a message to go to the Zargonnii people. They will need safe passage to retrieve us.”

  “I will get word to your people. But you realize it will take time for them to find the right worm hole to bring them to a different dimension. We are a planet within a world of different ways of entry. Your people can follow your DNA pattern to reach us; it’s your own homing device in my world. Your leaders have been here before. It’s recommended you don’t visit often.”

  “Tell them Finn and his mate are alive.”

  “Mate?”

  “I’m Bethany,” Bethany said.

  “I’ll bring back food and drink, little Bethany.”

  The way Kier looked at her made her shudder. This powerful warrior wouldn’t play at domination. He looked heartless and cruel. When he smirked at her, she saw beautiful even white teeth. He was gorgeous, and she had no doubt he was dangerous as hell. He leaped into the air, his massive wings soaring on updrafts until he was gone. Goose bumps dotted her arms knowing they hadn’t seen the last of him. From Finn’s grim gaze she understood he was none too pleased with their situation. That made two of them.

  Chapter 12

  Finn watched as Kier took to the sky and disappeared. There were many warriors on this planet; if he ever saw Arax again, he would kick his ass all the way into a pond of flesh-eating scum. When he turned to look at Bethany, her expression was of mixed emotions. He lifted his hand to trace her jaw line with his thumb.

  “No wonder their females don’t want to live with these warriors. They’re obnoxious womanizers. Neanderthals,” Bethany muttered.

  “These warriors are gifted in the battlefield. It would be wise not to cause a war, but I think it would be best if you stayed behind me when we deal with him again.”

  “He looks at me like I’m some kind of prize.”

  “You are.”

  “Finn.” She sounded outraged.

  Finn clasped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I only mean you are worth having and loving and keeping safe.”

  “Well, all right then.”

  “I don’t think it would hurt to explore the planet for a while,” Finn said taking her hand.

  “More ninja plants?”

  “No. There are dangerous creatures on the planet, but there are also wonderful sights you will enjoy.”

  They strolled hand in hand as the warm sun beat down on them. It didn’t take long to discover an ani
mal source of water.

  “All these creatures live in harmony?” Bethany whispered.

  “Not exactly,” Finn said.

  Little creatures no more than ten inches high took quick drinks of water. Bethany whispered they looked like tiny dragons. An off-yellow in color, they grabbed their tails with their mouths and rolled from here to there. Foot-long red creatures Bethany said resembled snakes, even with their four heads. For a moment, she looked on curiously.

  “I wonder what that would be called, besides a freak show?” she muttered as she pointed to another creature.

  Finn had no clue, but Bethany explained it had the beak of a platypus, ostrich legs, but was covered in fur not feathers. As it ducked and weaved, the long fur covering on its face swished back and forth giving images of a single eye.

  Bethany jumped when out of nowhere a massive creature appeared and swallowed the furry creature whole.

  “A fucking dinosaur,” Bethany whispered.

  Finn pulled her back behind a huge bush as the smaller creatures scampered for cover as large beasts, some reptilian, some fur-covered, lumbered over for a drink.

  “Oh my God, the landscape is alive. Walking trees. Look over there, walking trees.” Bethany clutched his arm tighter. Finn sighed.

  “Actually, they are giant stick bugs. I’m guessing Earth’s creatures were smaller,” Finn said.

  “Just a wee bit,” was her high pitched response.

  “On my planet there are live trees, their vines will catch smaller creatures for inspection. If they find the creatures entertaining they will cover them over and mummify them until they become part of the tree.”

  “Yippee,” Bethany replied, again in her high pitched squeal.

  “I think perhaps you’ve seen enough of this planet for now,” Finn said and grabbing her arm he led her back to their make-shift hut.

  A sound caught Finn’s attention and Bethany stopped moving. A deluge of water from a huge cloud drenched an area high in foliage. It stayed in the small area unmoving. After a while, a rainbow slid across the sky as the storm ceased. Dark fog from the ground began to rise and hover. Shapes formed from the fog and bounced together harmlessly making popping sounds.