by Luna Hunter
The brilliant marble is a splash of colors, all different hues of purple and blue. I’ve never seen anything as radiant, as beautiful and humbling as that planet.
The shuttle starts its slow descent, and Kelly and I are glued to the window, drinking in the magnificent sight.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” Dimtri says.
For the first time, I have to agree with the man.
As we get closer, shapes take form. I see continents, mountain ridges, swaths of deep purple forests, and an azure-blue ocean covering the planet’s surface. Even if everything goes south once we reach the surface, I feel privileged for having seen such an amazing sight.
A massive, sprawling city comes into view as we get closer. I’d estimate it’s the size of a whole worldly continent — buildings upon buildings, all rich, different colors, as far as my eye can see.
“The great city of Rydam,” Dimtri says, spreading his arms. “The Grand Jewel of Exon. Oh, how I’ve missed you. It’s good to be home. Take a good look, humans. Not many outlanders are allowed the privilege of gazing upon its splendor.”
Even the largest mega-city on Earth pales in comparison to what I’m seeing. Human cities are covered in a thick layer of smog, with drab, gray skyscrapers disappearing into black clouds the only view. Here, the sky is a beautiful violet and the odd-shaped buildings are a fiery red, a cool blue, a warm bronze, a bright yellow. I didn’t know colors could be this vibrant.
Besides being galaxy-renowned warriors, I never thought the Zorans would also prove to be exquisite architects and designers. They keep on surprising me.
The shuttle lands and the doors open to let fresh air rush in, and the guards at my sides stand to attention, bringing me back to reality. I’m not a tourist here. I’m a prisoner.
A fanfare is waiting for us outside. Thousands of Zorans are lined up, all in uniform, the colors of their skin as varied as their buildings. The crowd buzzes with excitement, and Dimtri smiles and waves. Kelly was right: We’ve really been abducted by alien royalty.
The guards march us through the crowd, the sea of people parting for us. Vinz trails behind us, his sight not leaving us for even a second. Dimtri leads us to what I can only describe as a motorized chariot.
“Wave,” he hisses under his breath. “Wave to the people.”
We hop on the strange contraption and it hovers up in the air, gliding over the masses. I wave at the crowd. They all appear so happy and innocent, no doubt completely clueless to how evil their leadership really is. Anger bubbles up inside of me, and I have to stop myself from whacking that smarmy grin of Dimtri’s face.
We turn a corner and a gigantic golden palace dooms up in front of us. Trumpets greet us from both sides as we glide through an intricately adorned archway. There’s a long, steep staircase in front of us, a plush purple carpet leading up all the way.
Vinz takes my hand and helps me and Kelly disembark from the hovering chariot.
“Nice place you’ve got here,” Kelly says. “I could get used to this.”
“Silence, human,” Dimtri snarls. “Do not speak until spoken to. You will show the Emperor the utmost respect. Is that understood?”
Kelly points her finger-guns at the angry senator. “You got it, boss.”
Dimtri mutters under his breath as he leads us up the staircase, and I can’t help but laugh, despite the tension. He brings us into the palace and to the throne-room. Every second I wait for Vinz to make his move, but he doesn’t match my gaze. He’s completely focused, every muscle in his body on edge.
Any time now, Vinz. Save me.
The throne room is a large, circular room, with two levels. In the midst stands a golden throne, and upon it sits a horrifying, shriveled up creature. He is flanked on either side by men dressed similar to Dimtri, and I realize this must be the High Command.
“Ahh, Dimtri, welcome back, welcome back,” the creature on the throne says. He’s all wrinkles and lilac skin, a violet sash draped across his small chest.
“Emperor Qleiord,” Dimtri says with a deep bow. “Thank you.”
This is the emperor of the might Zoran Empire? I expected a beast of a man, a brutal warrior, but this old man couldn’t even dent butter.
“I bring you a gift, my dear Emperor,” Dimtri says. “Two human females.”
A guard prods me in the back, and I hesitantly take a step forwards. Multi-colored alien eyes bear down on me from all sides, and I feel very much like a circus-freak. Kelly, however, smiles and waves at them, even doing a little twirl as if she was on a catwalk. She’s crazy, and I love her for it.
“And due to General Vinz here, I have some more good news to share with you. For you see, the brown-haired one is pregnant with his child!”
The crowd erupts in an excited buzz at this revelation, and the Emperor even licks his lips as he stares down at me. A cold shiver runs down my spine. Any time now Vinz, really.
“Is this true?” the emperor croaks.
Vinz walks to the middle of the room. He stares every senator down, one-by-one. He’s twice as broad as any of them, and the room falls silent. I forget to breathe as I watch him.
“Yes,” he says. “Yes, it is true. Jillian is pregnant, with my child. She is my mate. You must be surprised, hearing that a general will father a child. After all, such a thing is unheard of, since the trouble started, is it not?”
The senators exchange some quizzical glances, and I struggle to suppress a smirk. They have no idea what’s coming. I love watching my man work, to see him dominate a room so. That’s what he is. My man.
Vinz reaches into a pocket and throws something on the ground. I recognize the slimy, black goo instantly. A quino bar. The food the emperor used to poison his own people.
“Look familiar?” Vinz asks.
The emperor’s eyes widen, his nostrils flaring. “Seize him!” he bellows.
Two guards hesitantly approach, but they freeze dead in their tracks when Vinz casts a glance towards them. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he says. He turns back to the throne, shoulders squared, his eyes fixed on the emperor himself.
“Your time is up, Qleiord. Your toxic reign ends. Now.”
The emperor musters a haughty laugh. “You and what army, Vinz? You are in my throne room, and you dare challenge me? I’ll have you flayed and quartered.”
“This army,” Vinz says.
At his signal, a soldier steps forward from behind every pillar in the room — and at that moment, everything happens at once.
14
Vinz
Tyr steps forwards from the shadows and with one, smooth motion runs a sword through the emperor’s chest. The old fool falls to the ground, a surprised look on his accursed face. I would have loved to have done the honors myself, but I am the distraction. Dimtri, however is mine.
I grasp my trusty axe by its handle and lob it towards Jillian. It flies through the air, cutting through the throats of the two guards at her side, before returning to my hand. We’re consumed by chaos. All around us my and Tyr’s soldiers battle the emperor’s guard. They may outnumber us, but we outgun them.
“Get down,” I tell Jillian and Kelly. “Stay close to me!”
I press my back towards them as I cut and slash my way through the crowd, the emperor’s men falling like fleas before my onslaught. It brings me no pleasure to kill my own kin, but they leave me no choice. Some senators lie dead on the throne room’s floor, but to my anger, a few managed to escape their just rewards in the chaos.
“Where’s Dimtri?” I growl. “I don’t see him!”
“Vinz!” Jillian cries out.
I turn on my heels to find Dimtri — and he’s pressing a knife to Jillian’s throat.
“Easy there, Vinz,” he says. “Nice and easy. Put the axe down, or I run this knife through your mate’s throat.”
“Do that and I’ll tear you limb from limb,” I growl.
He draws a trickle of blood, and Jillian struggles against him. “Don’t
test me, traitor.”
“You’re the traitor,” I scream. “You poisoned all of us! All these years! Whose idea was it? You?”
He snarled, exposing his fangs. “You forced our hand, Vinz. The generals were getting unruly, they forgot their station, they started to covet our position. All we did was help… thin the numbers a bit. Make everyone fall back in line. Bring back stability.”
“You did more than that,” I say. “You brought us to the brink of extinction!”
“On the contrary,” he says, licking his lips. “The aristocracy has never been more plentiful.”
“Not after tonight.”
His eyes narrow. “Drop the axe,” he hisses.
I see no other choice. I drop my axe to the ground where it clatters.
“No,” Jillian gasps, struggling against the knife at her throat. “Don’t do it!”
“That’s the first smart decision you’ve made in in years,” Dimtri says. He pulls the knife back, as if he were about to throw it at me — and at that exact same moment a vase shatters on his head.
“Kelly!” Jillian says, struggling free from Dimtri’s arms. He crumples to the floor, unconscious.
“I’ve been waiting weeks to do that,” her blonde friend smiles.
I rush to Jillian’s side. “Are you okay?” I ask. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” she smiles. “Thanks to you.”
All around us the fighting comes to an end. The High Command lies on the floor, either dead or unconscious, and the emperor’s men lay down their weapons in surrender.
Tyr strides towards me, wiping the blood off his blade with a cloth.
“This is your mate?” he asks me.
I introduce Jillian and Kelly to Tyr.
“It was nice to fight by your side once again, brother,” he says to me, resting his hand on my shoulder.
“I agree.”
“Two senators remain at large, but my men will hunt them down.”
“I’ll join your hunt,” I say. “I want to make them pay. Every last one.”
“No,” Tyr cuts me off. “You must stay here. These people, this city, needs a leader. This has not gone unnoticed. You must make a speech, explain yourself to the public.”
“Me?” I scowl. “I’m a warrior, not a politician.”
“We see what happened when we let the politicians in charge last time,” Tyr grins. “You started this, Vinz. Now you’ve got to sit on that throne.”
I can barely stand the thought, but Tyr’s right. The people need a leader.
“For now,” I say. “Temporarily. I’ll call a meeting of all the generals, and we can sort it out then. I’m not crowning myself Emperor, though,” I warn him.
Tyr smacks me on the shoulder. “Good. You’ll make a fine Warrior-King.” He turns to Jillian and Kelly and gives them a polite nod. “Until next time.”
He stalks off, his men following close behind him. The throne room looks like a slaughterhouse, countless bodies strewn around. My men busy themselves disarming the emperor’s guard, and providing medical aid to the survivors. My first decision as a temporary leader is to pardon everyone who fought for the High Command — it was not their fault. They were misguided.
“It seems I have to make a speech,” I tell Jillian. “Any tips?”
“Just be honest and straightforward,” she tells me. “I think the people will respect that.”
“Fine,” I grumble. “But the moment this is over, I’m taking you to up to my royal chambers.”
15
Jillian
Vinz wasn’t lying. The moment after he finished his address to the Zoran population he sweeps me off my feet and carries me upstairs, to one of the many royal chambers this palace has. The people were of course upset at this coup, but Vinz promised them an open, fair trial of Dimtri, where everything would come to light.
He throws me on the bed and strips off his ebony armor.
“What’s next?” I ask as I squirm in the satin sheets. After a night in that horrid, cold cell, this is pure luxury.
“First thing tomorrow morning, we find a cure for your niece,” he says. He grabs my legs and pulls me towards him. He tears the clothes from my body, and I love how much he wants me.
“Then, I will have a meeting with the other generals, and we will decide who and how we’re going to lead our people. There’ll be a trial for Dimtri, of course. The whole world will see the truth.”
He pounces on top of me, planting his lips against mine. His rigid member pulses between my legs, and his strong hands roam my body.
“But first of all, I’m going to make you mine,” he growls.
“I’m already yours,” I say as I push my tongue into his mouth.
“I want to taste you again,” he says he drags his tongue down my body. “I’ve been waiting far too long for this.”
He grabs my thighs and pushes his face between my legs. His hot tongue brushes my lips and finds my clit. I squirm underneath his skilled movements, his fingers entering me as he licks me.
I wouldn’t trade the alien sex god between my legs for the world.
I scream his name as I reach my climax, my fingers clawing at him. He climbs back up, a cocky grin on his face. With one push he enters me, and I throw my head back in pure pleasure. His groan is low and feral, like an animal, and it pushes me to new heights.
He holds me down as he pounds himself into me, and I push myself back at him, eager to feel every inch of his cock inside of me.
He grunts my name, and I feel his cock swell up inside of me.
“Yes, yes,” I moan. “Do it!”
I feel his warmth flood me, and I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him as deep as possible. He whispers my name into my neck as he kisses me softly, his broad chest heaving with every deep breath.
I lie there, catching my breath, my hands stroking his back. There’s no place I’d rather be.
Afterwards, we enjoy a moment of silence, our fingers gently tracing each other’s bodies.
“Will you stay here with me?” Vinz asks.
He looks up at me, his clear blue eyes searching for mine. “You said that in your world, the men ask their mates to stay with them. I do not know a lot about your customs, but I do know I want you to stay here by my side.”
He places his large, gray hand on my belly. “I want to raise our young one here. Together.”
I can’t help it — I tear up instantly. For the alpha general to suddenly show me such a soft, vulnerable side must mean he really cares about me.
“Of course, you… silly man,” I stammer, kissing him. “I want to stay by your side. I want to go on this adventure with you.”
His eyes light up with the biggest, happiest smile I’ve seen in my life. “Then let us practice making more young ones,” he growls as he rolls onto his back and pulls me on top of him.
I can’t think of anything I’d rather do!
Epilogue
One Year Later
Vinz
“So it’s decided,” Tyr says, banging his fist upon the round table. “Vinz, you are appointed for your second term as Warrior-King by the General’s Council by a unanimous vote.”
The other generals clap and cheer for me, demanding a speech.
“I accept,” I say. “Thank you all for your support and trust.”
One year ago, I never saw any of this coming.
I never imagined myself being happy living planet-side. As a general, my position was on a starship, right in the thick of the action. I went wherever I was needed, and I didn’t question the status quo. I certainly never envisioned myself a political leader. And I absolutely didn’t think I’d mate with a human.
How things can change!
The transition was smoother than I dared to hope. Once the peoples saw Dimtri for what he really was, they rallied behind me. He was banished from our lands and now spends his day on one of the icy moons, paying his debts to Zoran society. Luckily, the effects of the High Command’s po
ison proved reversible, and currently there’s a baby-boom happening all across Exon Prime.
After the ceremony I walk to my chambers where I find Jillian breastfeeding our own child.
“How’d it go, honey?” Jillian asks. At first, I disliked her human terms of endearment. Honey, baby, sweetie. I still pretend to, but secretly I love hearing them, almost as much as I love her.
“They re-elected me.”
“I never doubted it.” She smiles. “Want to hold Aidan for a sec?”
“Yes.” I scoop our little young one out of her arms. He’s got my silver skin, and Jillian’s big, hazelnut eyes. He wraps his tiny hands around my finger, looking up at me, his brown eyes filled with wonder.
“There you are,” Kelly says when she walks in, hand-in-hand with Koryn. The two of them hit it off not soon after Jillian and I moved into the palace permanently, and as different as the two of them are, they make a perfect couple. “Is Michael here yet?”
“Any second now,” Jillian says. “I can’t wait!”
My wrist-com beeps. “You weren’t kidding. They’re here,” I announce.
Jillian
“Auntie!”
Claire runs towards me, and tears are already running down my cheeks before I wrap my arms around her little body. She jumps into my arms and I hold her ever so tightly. She’s followed into our chambers by Michael and his wife, Sophie. They look around with their eyes as big as saucers, clearly intimidated by the giant aliens in the room with them. Vinz arranged for them to vacation here. He wants to open Exon Prime up to humans, but it’s a slow process.
“Michael! You made it!”
I hug my brother for the first time in years, and my heart feels like it’s going to burst.
“I’m so glad you could come,” I say.
“I’m glad you invited me, sis. It’s not every day we get to visit an alien planet,” he jokes.
Vinz steps forwards and shakes my brother’s hand, causing his entire arm to move up and down.
