Rafaroy

by T. J. Quinn

  Too many things happening at the same time, and the unexpected attraction she was feeling for that man wasn’t helping her, at all.

  They brought her food a few minutes later and a clean tunic. The man, Egil was his name, explained to her how to use the shower and where to leave the tray when she was done.

  “Do you know how my friend is? Has she awakened?” she asked before he left the room.

  “The doctor sedated her, so you won’t be able to see her soon,” he explained, with a kind smile.

  “Will you let me know when she’s awake?” she asked, once more.

  “Yes, we will, please don’t worry.”

  He left the room, and after she had eaten the delicious food he had brought her, she headed to the bathroom and entered the shower stall.

  Chapter Two

  The orange liquid that came out of it was quite a surprise, but she was feeling so sticky and sweaty, she didn’t doubt getting under the warm stream.

  The water felt so good, she allowed herself to stay there more than she usually did, and she looked for some kind of soap and found a bottle with a whitish liquid that resembled a lot like soap. She tried it on, pouring some in her fingers and when it created foam, she decided to use it. A few minutes later, she was out of the shower wearing the clean tunic and feeling a lot better than she did a few hours ago.

  She wanted to see Eleanor, she needed to be sure her friend was really here and that she was safe, at least for now. She had no idea what the future held for any of them, but knowing she was safe somehow made things easier.

  She paced her room for a while, trying to decide what to do when the swishing sound of the door announced a visit.

  “You could knock, don’t you think?” she protested when she saw him coming in.

  “Perhaps I could, but I really don’t see why I should,” he replied, in a sassy tone, leaning against the closed door.

  She pursed her lips and snorted. “Do you have a name?” she asked, suddenly realizing she had no idea who he was, other than he had bought them all.

  “Yes, I have a name,” he nodded but didn’t provide it.

  “Is it that ugly you don’t share it with others?” she asked, arching her eyebrows.

  He chuckled. “That’s for you to judge, don’t you think? I’m Asgar, Captain of this vessel and head of the War Council, back home,” he explained.

  “I see,” she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “What about you? What’s your name?”

  “I’m Sasha O’Donnell,” she replied, in a cold tone as she approached him a little bit. “When can I see my friend?” she asked.

  “She’s still sedated.”

  “I just want to see her,” she insisted.

  “You don’t trust my word.” It wasn’t a question.

  “And that surprises you? Would you, if you were in my place?” she asked him, in a sarcastic tone.

  He nodded granting her reason. He stepped away from the door and stretched his hand out to her. “Come, I’ll take you to the infirmary to see her,” he offered.

  Sasha looked at his hand and considered to ignore it. She didn’t want to touch him. Not because he disgusted her, quite the opposite. Each time he touched her, strange things happened to her body. She couldn’t remember last time she had felt this attracted to someone and that didn’t please her at all. This wasn’t a moment to think of her primal needs. This was a time to fight for her life and her freedom.

  Taking a deep breath, she rested her hand on his, determined to ignore anything she might feel.

  But it was easier said than done. The moment her hand touched his, she was able to feel the jolt of energy that rushed through her arm and spread through her whole body.

  ‘Damn man.’

  With a wicked smile, he guided her out of the room, through the dim lit hallways. The place was a real labyrinth, and she was sure she would get lost easily. The hallways all looked alike; there was nothing different to help you figure out where you were.

  Asgar finally stopped in front of a door and pushed a button to open it up. She immediately recognized the infirmary, though it looked like something out of a science fiction movie.

  “Colborn, do you have news for me?” he asked, greeting a man that was coming out of a room on the other side of the infirmary.

  “No, I told you she would sleep the whole night,” the man replied. “I’ll be around, just in case.”

  “Allow me to introduce you to Sasha O’Donnell, she’s the other female’s friend,” Asgar said.

  “She has a name, you know. It’s Eleanor, and I need to see her, make sure she is alright,” she demanded.

  Colborn looked at her with an amused smile, while he examined her. Tall, almost six feet tall, with a powerful body, not muscled, but yes, strong and fit, but still very feminine and voluptuous, clearly defined under the loose tunic she was wearing. Her black, long, straight hair was quite similar to Asgar’s mane, but her amazing blue eyes was definitely the feature that stood out on her face.

  Asgar cleared his throat, with a deep frown on his forehead, not happy with the way the other man was looking at her.

  Colborn looked at his friend, and his smile became wider. “Of course, allow me to take you to her room.”

  He guided her to the room he had left from, and Sasha was able to let out a sigh of relief when she saw her friend lying in bed. She was extremely pale, more than usual, but other than that she looked very well.

  “She will be alright,” Colborn assured her.

  “Will you tell me when she’s awake?” she asked, caressing her friend’s forehead.

  “Of course. But she will sleep the whole night.”

  “You also need to get some rest,” Asgar intervened, from the door.

  She tilted her head to the side to look at him, clearly not very happy. She let out a deep sigh and walked to where he was.

  “I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?” she asked, sarcastically.

  “I guess not,” he replied, mimicking her tone, as he took her by the elbow and guided her out the infirmary. “I’ll see you in the morning, Colborn.”

  Sasha pulled her arm from his grip, but he didn’t release her. “I won’t run away,” she spurted out, feeling the warmness of his hand spreading through her body.

  “I know,” he said, tightening his grip even more.

  She snorted, furious.

  He took her directly to her room, but instead of leaving her at the door, he insisted on going in with her.

  She tensed up when he closed the door behind them, walking away from him as much as she could.

  “Are you pleased now?” he asked.

  “Yes, thank you. It was very kind of you to take me to see my friend,” she said, through gritted teeth; sure, he was there to collect the favor.

  “I didn’t want you to be worried about her the whole night,” he assured her, taking a couple of steps into the middle of the room.

  “I’m sure you didn’t,” she nodded, with disbelief written all over her face. “Now, I’ll be able to sleep in peace.”

  “Exactly. Will you need anything else?”

  “No, I’m fine, thank you,” she assured him.

  “Good. We’ll reach Zuvrak in the day after tomorrow,” he informed.

  “What’s Zuvrak?” she asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.

  “Our home planet. I’m sure you’ll like it there,” he said with a smile.

  “You’re assuming way too much. All I want is to go home, back to my own planet,” she grumbled.

  “That’s not even possible,” he said in a cold tone. “Have a good night. I’ll let you know when your friend wakes up.” With those words, he turned around and left the room.

  Sasha let out a sigh of sheer frustration and walked to the small window. She was expecting to see a starry night, but it was evident they were traveling at unknown speeds for people on Earth because all she could see was flashes of light.

  She bumped her head
against the cold glass of the window, a few times, trying to make any sense of everything that had happened to her.

  Sure, these guys had treated them a lot better than the lizards. They weren’t locked in cells but yes locked on bedrooms. They were still locked, but there was a huge difference. They had provided them with clothes, and they hadn’t been mistreated in any way. But they didn’t have any guarantees that would remain the same, once they arrived at their planet. She was sure they hadn’t bought them to save them from the lizards or from being purchased by the other aliens gathered at the auction. They served a purpose, and she was sure they would soon tell them about it.

  She decided to get some rest. She needed all her energies to face whatever was waiting for her the following day.

  Asgar leaned on the closed door and took a deep breath, as he rubbed his face. It was becoming harder and harder to control his instincts with her around. He wanted to make her his, as soon as possible. Patience had never been one of his strengths, and he had always struggled with it, especially when he was in the middle of a battle.

  He guessed he would have to fight the hardest war ever, against her mistrust and her contempt. He couldn’t imagine her believing they meant no harm to her or her friends. Sasha was distrustful and quarrelsome. Something told him she wouldn’t buy the soulmates explanation, even when it was the purest truth.

  He understood her feelings, he would be feeling the same, if he was in her place, but in the face of all the problems they were facing back on his planet, he had to disregard them and hope for the best. They didn’t have any other choice.

  He walked back to his own quarters and prepared himself to spend another sleepless night. Having her so close wasn’t going to help, that was for sure.

  Despite her resolution, Sasha wasn’t able to sleep, too many things running wild through her mind. Not knowing what to expect was worst the part, it unleashed all kinds of dreadful possibilities, and though she tried to control herself, she hadn’t been able to do so.

  After a few hours, she gave up and got up, starting to pace the room.

  At some point, she was so stressed; she walked to the door and tried to open it up. To her surprise, it was open. With a wicked smile, she took a peek out of the door, and when she didn’t see anyone around, she decided to go for a walk. She was probably getting in trouble, but she didn’t care. Not even a little bit.

  With a mischievous smile, she scurried away from her room, determined to explore the vessel as much as she could, before they realized she was out of her room.

  The halls were as dull as the rooms, with no adornments and just the basic furniture. But walking through them it was a lot better than being locked between four walls.

  His communicator buzzed on top of the small table next to his bed, and Asgar growled before he picked it up. “What’s up, Egil?” he asked.

  “You forgot to lock her door. She’s wondering around.” His second in charge scolded him in an amused tone.

  Asgar closed his eyes and smiled. Yes, he had forgotten to lock her up. He had his mind focused on other things. “Where is she?”

  “On aisle five, about to reach your quarters.” The other man informed, clearly smiling.

  Asgar grunted. “I’ll take care of her.”

  “I’m sure you will.” This time, Asgar was able to hear him chuckle.

  He ended the call and jumped out of bed, determined to intercept her.

  Quickly, he put on a loose tunic most people used to sleep and left his room to go after her.

  It only took him a couple of seconds to find her. She saw him the minute he spotted her, and she froze, for a second.

  “Looking for me?” he asked, in a devious tone.

  She scowled, turning around she ran away from him.

  Asgar let out a loud laugh, amused. Did she really think she could escape him? There was no place on board his own vessel, where she could hide from him. Not her anyway. Her scent flooded his nostrils, and he knew he would be able to find her wherever she was. But he was faster than her, she didn’t stand a chance.

  He rushed after her, with a predator’s smile on his face. A bit of chase would do wonders to his soul.

  He captured her just a few yards away, throwing his powerful body on hers, turning at the last moment so that he would be the one hitting the floor and not her.

  “Let me go,” she grumbled, struggling in his arms.

  “Why should I? I captured you, so you’re mine,” he whispered in her ear, loving to feel her body against his.

  She gasped loudly. “No, I’m not. Let go,” she struggled some more, her body wagging over his.

  He chuckled, tightening his grip on her, feeling the way his body responded to her proximity.

  She felt it too.

  Chapter Three

  Suddenly, Sasha felt something hard poking her buttocks. ‘Damn man, she was arousing him.’ Feeling as the heat colored her cheeks, she stopped moving immediately.

  “Please, allow me to get up,” she asked, in a cold tone.

  “Why should I? I feel quite comfortable the way I am,” he teased her.

  “Let me go. This is indecent,” she asked once more, her tone getting stern.

  With a broad smile, he sat up, with her still on his lap, his arms still keeping her close to him. “Is this better?” he asked.

  “No! Let me go, damn it,” she grumbled, trying one more time to release herself from his embrace, but it was impossible.

  He chuckled but finally released her, watching her every move, as she got up. He got up as well, crossing his arms over his chest, ready to jump into action if she tried to escape again. And she did.

  Though her common sense urged her to stay still and not provoke him any longer, her reckless mind disregarded any advice, and she tried to escape him again.

  This time, he captured her even before she was able to take more than a couple of steps away from him. Picking her in his arms, he carried her to his room, locking the door behind him and throwing her on his bed, pinning her down with his own body.

  “This is far more comfortable, don’t you think?” he asked, in a mischievous tone.

  She struggled to pull him out of her, but despite her size, he was far too strong for her. “What are you doing?” she protested, ceasing to struggle.

  “Making sure you are alright,” he teased her.

  “I assure you I would feel a lot better without you on top of me,” she grumbled.

  He chuckled and buried his face for a few moments at the base of her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent. He could spend the rest of his life right there, in her arms.

  “What were you doing out of your room?” he asked, trying to keep his emotions under control.

  “I couldn’t sleep, and when I realized the door was opened, I decided to go for a walk. It’s not like I can escape. We’re in the middle of nowhere.” She explained, sulky, struggling not to moan, feeling him rub his nose against her neck almost destroyed the little control she still had over herself.

  “Actually, you could, if you were able to access the ships’ docks,” he stated.

  She snorted. “You have to be kidding. Back on Earth, we’ve only made it to our satellite, and only a small bunch of people are able to handle the spaceships that take them there. I wouldn’t know what to do,” she informed him. “God, I was one of the people that didn’t even believe aliens actually visited us in secret.”

  He smiled. “You have a very basic technology.”

  “Yes, so you can get off of me. I’m not going anywhere,” she agreed, struggling a bit harder to push him away.

  “Why should I trust you? You could be lying,” he suggested, with a wicked smile, pinning her harder against the mattress.

  “Oh, come on…” she grumbled, and before she could utter another word, he claimed her mouth with a demanding kiss. His rough tongue assailed and conquered her mouth, delving every single inch of it, spiking her arousal up to the roof, making her lose consciousness of
where she was.

  All that matter was him and his powerful body pressed against her, fueling a fire she didn’t know burned inside her.

  When he finally released her lips, they were both breathless and heaving heavily. She allowed herself to submerge into the depths of his gray eyes, finding there a passion and a craving need as powerful as hers.

  He leaned over to kiss her again, this time, not so hungry, not so demanding, but still full of passion and sheer desire.

  Her fingers entangled with his, eager to capture even if just a tiny piece of him.

  An insisting buzz interrupted them. When the annoying sound penetrated the haze of passion they were in, Asgar jumped out of bed and grabbed buzzing device from a bedside table.

  “Yes, Egil?” he asked, in a cold tone, as he tried to control his breathing.

  “Just checking everything is alright.” His friend replied on the other side of the line.

  “What could possibly be wrong?” he asked, though he knew exactly what Egil meant with his words.

  Though he was sure she was his soulmate, he shouldn’t be with her, not before she had been taken to the palace and his claim on her was official.

  “You tell me.”

  Still, on the bed, Sasha covered her face with her hands, scolding herself for being so weak and having surrendered to the enemy so easily and with practically no fight. What kind of dark magic had he conjured over her to make her act that way?

  She finally jumped out of bed and stayed there, waiting for him to finish his conversation.

  “Can you take me back to my room?” she asked, the minute he ended the call.

  “Yes, that’s a good idea,” he said with a self-deprecating scowl in his face.

  He guided her to her room, but this time, he didn’t touch her. It was as if he feared a single touch would trigger another explosion of passion between them and he was probably right.

  Asgar waited until she got in before he closed the door, making sure he locked it this time. Sasha leaned against it for a few moments recalling all of the passion they had shared just a few minutes ago.