by Zena Zion
“That sounds incredibly unfulfilling.” Thren’s quiet response hit her in the gut like a ton of bricks. He was right, in a way, she supposed. Her life did not hold the same wonder and appeal as his own, but she had made the best of it and for the first time was doing something that would make a difference.
Beth shrugged, not entirely sure how to respond.
“And there are no men that catch your interest?” He angled his head to look at her.
Beth felt her cheeks redden under his gaze.
“Of course, there were.” She replied with failed nonchalance. Of course, at the moment, she could not think of a single one. Or at least, not a single one from earth. Her eyes followed the length of his prone body and she felt the blush deepen.
All the while, Thren watched her. After all of their time together, he was extremely skilled at reading her features, a luxury Beth had not perfected with his. When his eyes narrowed thoughtfully, she knew that he had not missed the lustful thoughts that had flashed through her mind.
With slow, tempered movements, he rolled to his side and pushed himself into a seated position. Never once did his eyes leave her face.
Beth felt her mouth grow dry as she watched his lithe body move, the muscles of his back and arms contracting made her hands long to touch him.
When she did not move, but clearly understood his intention, Thren leaned forward, one hand braced on either side of her knees. He waited for her to withdraw, to reveal her usual disgust or refusals, but she did not. There was no hesitation on her part.
He had been right, they had been inching nearer to this event from that first moment that they had laid eyes on each other. Though she had refused to admit it, she knew now with certainty, that it was inevitable.
He paused with his face parallel to her own. What was he waiting for? His eyes were searching her own for… something, but she did not know what.
Beth’s heart pounded in her chest with anticipation. When she could stand it no longer, she placed one cool palm against his cheek and drew him closer.
This time, when their mouths met, it was with a slow burn, rather than an abrupt collision. Soft, and gentle, he plied her mouth with kisses.
Beth sighed against him, the aching need within her, no longer suppressed, burst forth with a vengeance.
Why was he being so patient when she needed him now?
She curled her fingers into the dark hair at the base of his neck, pressing her lips against his with bruising force. She needed to convey her urgency.
Thren chuckled against her.
“There is no need to rush, little human.” His fingertips rubbed soothing circles at her temple. “We have all the time we need.”
Beth could not decide if his response frustrated or excited her. All she knew was that she had made up her mind that she must have him and now that the decision was made, she could not wait another moment.
Throwing caution to the wind, she hooked her fingers around his biceps and tugged, the action sent both of them flying back into the pillow on which she had been leaning, Thren’s body perched cozily on top of her own.
Except, it was not as cozy as she had expected. In fact, the result practically drove her insane. The length of his chest pressed against her tender breasts and she tried, unsuccessfully, not to think about the other parts of their bodies that had now come into contact.
The heat that was burning between her legs had her pressing herself against what could only be described as an impressive erection.
Again, she heard his chuckle as his mouth closed around the lobe of her ear.
He was not boasting about the fact that she had finally given in to him. That, if nothing else, encouraged her. Instead, he was enjoying himself, with pure inhibition.
When his tongue grazed the sensitive hollow of her neck, Beth felt herself arch against him. After months of foreplay, disguised as arguing, she was primed for the taking.
Her hands found the waistband of his pants and lowered them as far as possible. With a swift adjustment, Thren removed them and flung the clothing somewhere out of sight.
She stared at him with awe and undeniable lust. Never had she seen a more perfect body. Never had she wanted one so badly as this very moment.
He allowed her a moment of observation before turning his attention to the removal of her own clothing.
Her pants came off first, which was a little backward in Beth’s experience but when she saw his look of appreciation of her body, she quickly forgot the expected order of removal.
Her shirt came next, quickly drawn over her head and flung alongside whatever pile he was collecting in the distance. For a moment, his hands skimmed her body.
Shivers crept over her as he touched and toyed with her sensitive skin.
His eyes roamed to her stomach and he did not conceal the small laugh in time.
“Excuse me?” she slapped his arm playfully.
“It’s just… strange.” His hand smoothed over her stomach, covering the object of discussion. “Not bad, but different.”
“This coming from the one with blue skin.” She replied with a half grin.
He shrugged. “It’s not very blue.” He pressed his arm against her own in comparison. “From a distance, I doubt that you could tell the difference.”
“True.” She admitted. She had been about to make some sarcastic comment but she forgot what she had been about to say when his hand dipped lower and came to rest between her legs.
The play of his fingers against her warm center was enough to drive her to the brink of orgasm. Before he could complete her satisfaction, she pulled his hand away and pierced him with a very serious stare.
“If you want to participate in this at all, I suggest you stop there.” She warned.
With an exaggerated sigh, he positioned himself above her, though hovering just far enough away that she was denied the touch that she so badly wanted.
“Are you implying that I don’t have the stamina to pleasure you more than once?” His half-grin was devastatingly sexy and Beth knew that he was teasing her.
“Maybe.” She countered with a smirk.
“Hmm,” he lowered himself against her at last. “Well perhaps there are still a few differences that need to be revealed between my capabilities and that of a human.”
She gasped with pleasure as he entered her with a slow but steady pressure.
She could not have formulated a response if she had tried. Whatever differences there were, he appeared determined to show her.
Beth felt the firm length of him inside of her and gave herself over to the pleasure of the sensation.
Together they moved as if, as Thren had often implied, they were destined to be together. Their bodies perfectly molded for each other, his hard angles complimented by her soft curves in every way possible.
When he pressed himself even deeper than she thought was possible, Beth cried out in ecstasy. She clung to him as the waves of her orgasm rocked both of their bodies, her response bringing him to his own resolution.
For a long while after, they lay, unmoving. Beth’s breath continued to come in shaky gasps, while Thren’s fingertips rubbed lazy circles on the curve of her hip.
Had she thought that it would be awkward or uncomfortable after the event, she would have been wrong. Thren rolled to his side and pulled her against him, allowing her the first instance of peaceful sleep since her arrival on the planet.
When she awoke, Thren walked her to her chamber, as usual. Again, he offered her the opportunity to join him in his own. Knowing that, despite their sexual encounter, entering his chamber would be a formal acceptance of her position as his permanent mate, she politely declined.
With a level of understanding, and patience, that she had not expected, he left her for the night. It was likely, she rationalized, that he thought she would shortly be giving in to him in more than just a sexual manner.
Despite the indescribable pleasure that he had just given her, she was still determined
that she would not remain on this planet much longer.
CH. 6. ACCUSATIONS
Over the next few days, the pair did not address, or repeat, the events that had transpired between them. The only difference, perhaps, was a silent truce that sprung up between them. For the first time, they worked well together without arguments or comments meant to rile the other up.
Thren was neither cold, nor overly affectionate. Had they been observed by others, it would only have been determined that they had agreed not to interfere in each other’s ways. Beth, who mirrored her behavior after his, was agonizing inside with desire for their next encounter. The truth was that, instead of satiating her appetite for her alien counterpart, the experience had only made her want more.
It was not until a week later that Beth completed the repairs necessary for re-establishing communication with the base.
Her excitement was a bit hesitant, as she wondered what her colleagues would have to think of her extended absence and whether or not they had any worry about her safety.
On the night that she finally activated the system the machine crackled to life.
“Coulter to Base 1.” She spoke into the microphone.
“Base 1, we read you!” Came the excited reply loud and clear a few minutes later. Beth turned to volume knob down so that the crisp response was no more than a whisper. “What is your status?”
“I had a safe landing but lost communications immediately. The mission is on task.” Beth waited for a reply.
“Coulter,” the frantic voice of her eccentric boss came over the speaker, “You have to get out of there. We’ve received information that the Asreen are intending to use some sort of biological warfare to wipe out the entire human race. We need a blood sample from a healthy specimen, preferably one of their leaders as they appear to be the strongest. If you get it here in time, I might be able to analyze it fast enough to create an antidote. You must hurry.”
Static took over the machine and all further transmissions were left without a response.
Beth felt a panic rise within her.
Biological warfare. Thren had made it sound as if there was nothing of interest that Earth held for his people. How wrong she had been. She felt an icy chill race through her body. It all made sense. He was not interested in studying her for the sake of pure scientific information, he was evaluating her weaknesses, devising a plan that could destroy her and every other human alike.
Rage blinded her as she returned to her chamber for the night.
Tomorrow she would collect that blood sample and then there would be nothing stopping her from leaving this terrible planet.
The following morning, Beth made no attempt to mask her surliness. She knew that Thren was confused by her erratic behavior, but he made no comment.
She withdrew a vial of his blood without suspicion, but cringed when he requested a sampling of hers in return. If she refused, he would know that she had become aware of his intentions. If she complied, she might be giving him the final piece to the weapon that he was attempting to create.
An entire day in close quarters with him left her nerves raw and ready for a fight.
When he began to ask about the resources on Earth, Beth could no longer contain herself. Was that the reason that they wanted to eliminate all humans? For the resources on her planet? She had been led to believe that the Asreen were incredibly peaceful people. How wrong she had been.
The more questions that he asked, the angrier she became. Her memory strayed to the barren landscape that she had witnessed upon landing. Compared to the lush ecosystem of Earth it must be considered substantially lacking.
Finally, she cut him off.
“What exactly is it that you hoped to gain from this arrangement that was made with Professor Margwall?” she snapped.
Thren looked taken aback.
“We exchange information with many species all over the galaxy. We believe that our knowledge is not our own and should be shared. Similarly, we aim to gain knowledge from other species in hopes that these exchanges will encourage relationships of peace and understanding.” His response was a little too perfect. It grated her nerves.
“You wouldn’t be interested in our resources then?” Her attack was straightforward and it did not take Thren long to recognize the accusation that was being made.
“You think that we want your planet?” He had the gall to laugh. “Beth, there is nothing that you have on Earth that we do not have of our own, here.”
“Well that’s a lie.” She said with an antagonistic tone. “I haven’t seen a single plant or animal, other than yourselves, in my entire visit.”
“No, you wouldn’t have.” He countered. “Because on Asreen they are all underground.”
He shared the information with a bitter tone that made it clear that this was one of the pieces of information that his people guarded above all.
“You think our planet is devoid of nature?” He scoffed. “That we would lower ourselves to stealing sustenance from other planets, and thereby destroying their life force?” He turned his back on her and walked away, shooting one last comment over his shoulder. “If that is what you humans are so concerned about then you are less intelligent than I even realized.”
Beth reached blindly on the table behind her and launched the first thing that her hand closed around. She had meant to hit him with a book or a set of measuring vials.
The knife that stuck into the back of his shoulder left her gasping in horror and running toward him.
“I’m so sorry.” Her pleading eyes begged him to forgive her.
He seemed completely unfazed by the event. Glancing over his shoulder at the protruding handle, he sat on the stool with a weary sigh.
“You’ll have to remove it yourself.” He sounded more annoyed than pained and Beth realized that the angle would make it nearly impossible for him to remove on his own.
She ran to her table and collected a surplus of gauze, antiseptic, and bandages before returning to where he sat patiently waiting.
Depositing the items in his lap, she grimaced at the task before her. With one swift pull, she removed the small blade from his tender flesh.
Picking up a wad of gauze and the bottle of antiseptic, she faced the stream of blood that had begun to run down his back.
Pouring the liquid over the wound, she began to gingerly clean the blood away from the point of entry.
The only problem was… she could not find it.
Rubbing more vigorously now, Beth had wiped the entire length of his shoulders before she was forced to admit that there was not even the slightest sign of a wound on his back.
She carried the blood-soaked gauze to stand in front of him with her mouth hanging open, unsure how to phrase the question that was literally beyond her comprehension.
She held the gauze out to him but the only sound from her mouth was a small, confused squeak.
Thren laughed.
“How do you think that our bodies could handle such extreme transformations if they were not able to heal themselves almost instantly?” His amusement at her shock was in contrast to the reaction that she expected from him, considering that he had just been stabbed.
“It isn’t a pleasant experience, changing your entire muscular and skeletal structure in an instant, but we survive it with no damage thanks to this ability. It is also the reason that we have incredibly lengthy lifespans compared to other species.”
Beth continued to stare at him as if seeing him in an entirely new light.
“So, I know that you can’t morph your bodies,” he was trying to calm her nerves but the result was only raising more questions, “but, are you telling me that you don’t heal in the same way?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.” Her voice was a mere breath of a whisper.
“Then your lifespan is not the same as ours?” It was clear that this had not occurred to him. He had assumed that the similarities that they shared, when their physical forms appeared almost
identical, would include rapid healing and longevity for Beth as well.
She shook her head once more.
Thren looked crushed. He rose from his seated position and began to pace the floor.
“You’re telling me that you could fall victim to some silly injury or illness? That you’ll die before your body actually wears out of its own accord or receives a fatal wound?” he muttered to himself, “Not that I would ever allow that to happen.”
“More often than not, that is how we die.” She confirmed.
This knowledge sent Thren into an uproar. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her face close to his own.
“How am I supposed to keep you then?”
Beth suppressed the urge to laugh. Despite his brutish ways and alpha tendencies, he was truly worried about her feeble human existence. Though she tried to ignore it, her heart swelled with the knowledge that he cared more than he let on.
Before she could respond, he released her.
With frantic movements, he grabbed both vials of blood and began some sort of complicated procedure at his worktable. Beth stood idly by as she watching him combine the fluids and perform a series of strange experiments on them. None of the equipment was familiar to her. The tests, often resulted in multicolored puffs of smoke, except for one which was black as the darkest night.
Eventually, Thren came back to stand in front of her. His dark hair was mused and his eyes were wild with excitement.
“I can fix you.” He beamed at her as if this were not the most insane statement that she had heard in a long time.
“I don’t understand.” She stared at him, trying to figure out what exactly about herself needed fixing.
Thren placed his hands on her shoulders and Beth tried not to be drawn in to his childlike euphoria. She had never seen him so animated before.
“I was right. Our blood is compatible.” His smile was wide and true. “I can use my blood to make it so that you can heal in the same way that I do. I can’t make your body transform into an Asray, or anything else for that matter. That experiment didn’t work.” He clarified. “But, when I’m commander, my mate won’t transform anyway so that really isn’t an issue.”
