Alien Slave

by Tracy St. John

  The other two laughed hard as they continued to harry the bleeding monster. The Kalquorians had scored quite a few blows with their knives on the animal. Despite its continued attempts to claw and bite Gelan and Wynhod, it hadn’t landed the first injury on them yet. There were plenty of near misses however, and Dani shrieked at each one.

  She’d had enough of the men being … well, men. “Kill that thing already!” she yelled.

  The creature squalled at the sound of her voice and abruptly left off trying to catch the Dramok and Nobek. It pivoted and barreled straight at her and Krijero.

  Dani held the ridiculously huge knife straight out, as if the beast would do her the favor of skewering itself in its madness. Krijero never wavered an inch, standing stock still and tense for the attack as it bore down on him. In a flash, both Wynhod and Gelan were on either side of the creature, staying clear of its quills as their knives flashed, disemboweling the animal. It happened so fast the monster bounded twice more before crumpling dead at Krijero’s bare feet.

  Dani’s scream dwindled as the men pounded fists against each others’ chests. She noticed every single one of them sported erections.

  Standing over their kill, Gelan grinned happily, like a kid who’d hit the game-winning homerun. “That was fun.”

  Dani scowled. She tossed Wynhod’s oversized blade onto the ground and tried to make her hands not shake. “You guys are such freaks. I’ve never seen anyone court death like you fools.”

  Krijero reached up to grasp her about the waist. He carried her to the fire, where the other two were already washing blood from their hands and knives in the water from their jugs. They jabbered at each other in their own language, no doubt reliving every jab and parry and congratulating themselves on being such masterful monster killers.

  Men.

  She couldn’t help admire how sweat gleamed on their muscles, how stunning they were pumped up with the glory of victory. How handsome they were with their faces alight. How very masculine they were with their primal power. Damn it, was she getting aroused again?

  I’m every bit as weird as they are.

  Dani shook her head as much at herself as at them.

  Chapter 14

  They set off first thing in the morning, Gelan instructing Dani to let them know the moment she felt weak or dizzy.

  “You’re still going to feel the effects of that bacterial infection,” he said, stroking her hair. “I don’t want you in trouble again, so if you have to be carried, tell us.”

  Dani felt she could have jogged all the way to their ship, but she knew he was right. The energy she had would probably be temporary. Besides, having the Kalquorians care for her was addicting. She fought not to wallow in their concern.

  Clouds scudded the morning sky, turning the surroundings a strange but beautiful tangerine color. In spite of all the trouble this little moon had caused her, Dani had to admit the forest surrounding them looked ethereal with beauty. Even the odd chirps and cries of the critters inhabiting the woods sounded musical.

  Funny how being healthy and in the company of people who take care of me changes my perspective on things.

  As she plodded through the trees with her companions, Dani asked, “What does Kalquor look like?”

  “Similar to Earth is my understanding,” Gelan replied. “We have oceans, beaches, deserts, and wetlands. Our clan lives in a cave in the mountains.”

  Dani was a little dismayed. It had been her understanding that Kalquorians shared equally in the precious ores mined from their home planet and other moons and planets within their empire. She thought all Kalquorians were at least well off enough to afford decent housing. “You live in a cave? Boy, you do like it primitive.”

  Krijero squeezed her shoulder as if he discerned her apprehension. “Not like the one we camped in these last few days. Our home has power, running water, technology … all the latest amenities. It doesn’t look like a cave system on the inside.”

  Wynhod added, “Our people choose not to disturb the natural landscape when possible. I assure you, you’ll find it quite comfortable.”

  Dani snorted her disbelief. “Yeah, and killing rabid monsters is fun entertainment for the whole family. I do like rock climbing though. Being around mountains would be an advantage.”

  The Nobek looked at her in surprise. “Really? I am fond of that myself, and we have excellent opportunities for it.”

  She felt a small swell of excitement. The thrill of taking on a near vertical wall of stone, creeping up its implacable face, defeating all the obstacles in order to gain the roof of the world was a high nearly impossible to match. She’d even belonged to a climbing club. It had been the one thing in her old life that guaranteed the dependable aid of others.

  The thought of returning to that adventure with Wynhod’s capable strength to trust in delighted Dani. “You’ll take me?”

  His smile gentled his fierce face. “Of course.”

  She warmed at his encouraging expression. She had to admit, she enjoyed getting along with this clan. It certainly beat being at odds with them. Dani saw possibilities for her servitude. The more time she spent with the Kalquorians, the less she found to dislike.

  It’s nice not to be pissed off with someone for a change.

  She almost laughed out loud at the thought.

  The morning passed pleasantly enough, with gentle teasing from her companions, questions regarding how she was holding up, and long stretches of friendly silence that allowed her to think. She found herself contemplating the positive qualities of the alien men: Gelan’s almost childlike enthusiasm when he came across the tracks of some large creature (“I am definitely coming back here to hunt,” he declared more than once), Wynhod’s never ceasing alertness as he hovered protectively near her and Krijero, and Krijero’s adorable clumsiness that matched her own awkward progress.

  “I swear if one more vine trips me, I’m going to stop and someone will have to carry me!” he finally yelled in frustration.

  The trees thinned as they continued into the afternoon. Dani saw the fingerlike protrusions of the rock formations in the distance. She wondered if she could climb those with the proper gear. The gentle earth scents were overcome by the salt tang and richer aromas of damp sludge. The soft soil Dani tread on grew wet, and she grimaced when it squelched between her toes.

  “I’m squishing,” she told the others.

  Gelan peered up at the still cloudy sky. The light had turned grayish-orange. “We’re getting into the marshland. I believe we’re making good time. We should be at the ship by tomorrow evening.”

  Dani smiled up at the clouds that had kept the worst of the day’s heat from beating down on her. Sarcastically she said, “Yay. In two days I get to trade the swamps and caves for mountains and caves.”

  Wynhod swatted her bottom with an affectionate grin. Dani yelped at the slight sting and laughed at his playfulness.

  “You’re a very bratty girl,” he told her.

  She stuck out her tongue. “Yes, I am. Get used to it.”

  “Correcting a brat can be much fun,” Gelan observed, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  Dani gave him wide eyes. “Are you flirting with me, Gelan?”

  That earned a grin from the big Dramok. He patted her rump, and her insides tumbled with desire at the warm touch.

  A sense of peace with her situation made Dani glow inside. Where she’d seen only frustration for the next three years, she now saw promise. And after that? She looked at the men surrounding her. Maybe there were possibilities for further on.

  The marsh became thicker, sludgier. Dani’s feet pattered through it, Krijero’s heavy tread squelched, and even Gelan and Wynhod made slight sounds as they passed through waist-high reeds. The slower going began to wear on the Earther, and she opened her mouth to ask for one of the men to carry her.

  At that moment Wynhod’s hand shot into the air, fingers splayed wide. The group halted as one, and the three Kalquorians’ scented the ai
r, their nostrils flaring.

  “Tragooms!” the Nobek shouted. He yanked his blaster from his belt in a motion so fast the metal casing flashed like lightning in the strange orange-gray light. He leapt behind the rest of them, crouching in a defensive posture facing the way they’d come. Gelan was at his side in an instant, and Krijero pulled his knife, shoving Dani behind his big body.

  She heard the enemy coming, booming thuds of heavy feet heading quickly their way. Gelan and Wynhod sank low to the mucky ground, the blasters pointed.

  “Protect Dani!” Gelan told Krijero. It was the last thing he said before the Tragooms hove into view and all hell broke loose.

  Looking like bastard children of a pig and rhinoceros, four Tragooms fired percussion blasters in a tremendous volley, the shwack-shwack boom of their attack shaking the very air. Wynhod and Gelan shot back as Krijero turned and fell on Dani, knocking her to the ground. At first she cried out in horror, thinking he’d been hit, but as his body wrapped around hers, shielding her from the blasts, she realized he was shielding her.

  Inhuman snorts, squeals, howling, and screaming added to the din, and Dani clapped her hands over her ears as firing continued. Somehow over the bedlam she heard Wynhod yell, “More are coming!”

  Gelan’s roar rang out. “Krijero, get her out of here! Run!”

  Krijero was on his feet in an instant, all his usual clumsiness gone in a surge of adrenaline. Hunched in a crouch, he yanked Dani to his chest and took off as more blaster fire shivered the air around them. The Imdiko put on a dizzying burst of speed, and the sounds of the blasters quickly faded from her ringing ears.

  Chapter 15

  As fights went, it was a bit of a disappointment for Gelan and Wynhod.

  They were outnumbered but these were young Tragooms, unseasoned in battle. No doubt they’d been sent ahead by their leader to be destroyed, ‘cannon fodder’ as an Earther might term them. It was no surprise to either Kalquorian for this to have happened. The leader of the Tragoom party might have sent these young ones ahead as punishment. He might have sent them ahead in order to cut the numbers so he didn’t have to share as much of the Kalquorians’ belongings with his crew. Maybe he hoped the sacrifice would result in hurting one or more of his enemy, making them easier to kill later. Or maybe he actually thought the young ones would get lucky and take a mature Kalquorian clan out, saving his own cowardly hide from danger.

  No matter the reason, Gelan and Wynhod killed all their attackers without suffering a single injury themselves. Triumph was shortlived, because they knew the larger party was still coming for them.

  Gelan dragged the last of the Tragooms he and Wynhod had killed to a deep pool of water, where the Nobek was heaving a bloody mess into the depths. The Dramok hefted his bulky burden and tossed it in after Wynhod’s offering. An explosion of water drenched him anew, but he welcomed the impromptu shower. The rancid stench of Tragoom clung to him as tenaciously as the disgusting race’s blood. The damned things had a bad habit of evacuating their bowels when they died.

  He and Wynhod returned to the site of their fight, strapping the fallen enemies’ blasters to their belts. Most were still at least half-full of power. In all, the Kalquorians had killed eight. Gelan felt as high on bloodshed as he had after the fight with the beast in the cave. He knew better than to give into the thrill of battle and forced himself to sober contemplation of their situation.

  He told Wynhod, “We may not have much time before the main phalanx of the Tragoom party arrives here, but I’d like to cover Krijero and Dani’s trail as best we can.”

  Wynhod nodded. “After that we’ll give the gurlucks a more obvious but false trail to follow, like I did before.”

  They set to work, quickly camouflaging Krijero’s fleeing footprints. Then they both went in different directions to roll around on the ground here and there, leaving concentrations of their scents in misleading routes to confuse the enemy. All the while, Gelan listened and scented the air, expecting the main party of the Tragooms to fall upon them at any moment.

  The light was reddening beyond the clouds, warning the pair that day approached its end by the time they met back up at the battleground.

  Gelan jerked his head in the direction he wanted to take. “Let’s head north for a few miles then we’ll make for the rock formation and meet up with the rest of our clan.”

  Wynhod’s eyebrows rose even as a slight smile warmed his face. “Are you including Dani in that?”

  Gelan started on their new route, and his Nobek fell in step with him. “I suppose I am. What do you think?”

  “You know me. I’ve never been one to turn down a challenge. I just hope our little fighter isn’t giving Krijero a hard time, since he’ll be the most difficult to convince.”

  “To that end, let’s move. She’s impulsive enough to try escaping him if the notion hits her. Plus I don’t like having my Matara and Imdiko on their own with Tragooms trying to find them.”

  Wynhod growled, and they broke into a run.

  * * * *

  Because Krijero carried her for the most part that day, Dani had the energy to help him build a small shelter when they stopped for the night. They both wanted a fire and with Tragooms trying to catch them, construction to shield the light from enemy eyes was imperative.

  While Dani laid fallen branches side by side to allow them to lie above the wet ground, Krijero tied a thick vine so that it stretched between two trees. Using more branches, he propped them against the taut line to form an A-frame roof. Foliage covered the timber, providing light-proof walls. More fibrous plants laid on Dani’s platform gave them a soft place to rest. Finding wood dry enough to light into a fire took some doing, but the pair managed. With sighs of contentment, they sat on the platform, sharing the meat the Kalquorians had smoked back in the cave where Dani had recuperated.

  Reflecting on the long stretches of silence in which they’d traveled that day, Dani told Krijero, “You sure are quiet compared to the other two. Is that an Imdiko trait?”

  He shrugged. “There are talkative Imdikos too.”

  Dani considered him as he stared into the dancing flames. She found Krijero hard to read. He was gentle, compassionate, and looked after her carefully. He’d thrown himself on her when percussion blaster fire raged around them. He’d even opened up to her a little the one time when they’d made love. His occasional clumsiness endeared him to her, made her feel better about her own awkwardness, and made him more approachable than the rest of his self-assured species. Yet he was mostly silent around her. He rarely looked her in the face. He often seemed ill at ease when she spoke to him.

  Dani remembered the vulnerability he’d shown that one night, how it had made her want to make him happy. Such a fascinating dichotomy, this man who demonstrated both courage and a sense of having been hurt. It bothered her that he continued to keep her at arm’s length.

  “You don’t like me much, do you?” She kept her tone nonchalant.

  He looked at her then, his eyes wide with surprise. “On the contrary. I like you more than I’m comfortable with.”

  Well, that was interesting. “Why do you say that?”

  He laughed, the sound embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to admit that. Your question shocked the answer out of me.”

  “You don’t want to like me?”

  Krijero shrugged. “I hate putting myself on the line with another person. Like you, I was hurt by someone I loved. I have a mortal terror of rejection now.”

  Dani nodded. Rejection was hard. Every rebuff she’d ever suffered had humiliated her, made her feel small and unimportant. And there had been so many.

  She swallowed. “Who pushed you away?”

  The Imdiko stared into the fire once more. “A Dramok I had a long relationship with when I was young. We were companions from childhood, and then when we were of age he clanned another Imdiko. I never saw it coming.”

  No wonder he came off so much like a kicked puppy sometimes. He’d been dumped for som
eone else. “Wow,” Dani breathed. “What a jerk.”

  Krijero laughed hard at that. “I suppose he was. I’ve called him much worse.”

  Dani scooted to sit closer to him, to give a show of support. To her delight, he circled her waist with one arm. “So how did you end up trusting Gelan and Wynhod enough to clan with them?”

  He admitted, “It took a long time. I thought it had to be some kind of joke they were playing on me, asking me to be their Imdiko. I mean, I trip over my own feet, I never remember to brush my hair, I have the worst time talking to people I don’t know. Why would they pick me?”

  “Nothing plays hell with your self-confidence like someone telling you you’re not good enough.” Dani sighed.

  “Believe me, I know that for a fact.” Krijero smiled and shook his head. “I was so scared it would happen again. I can’t believe Gelan and Wynhod didn’t give up on me, but they finally convinced me they really wanted me to join them.”

  “You’re lucky to have found them. I’m jealous.” She leaned back to consider him. “We’re a lot alike, maybe.”

  He nodded. A lock of hair fell over her face, and he gently smoothed it back for her. “I think we are. I like you, Dani. But I don’t want to get attached and have you leave when your contract is up.”

  She blinked hard against the sting of tears. “I like you too. But no one has ever stuck around, so I’m waiting for your clan to disappear on me too. You may end up thrilled to see me go when the three years are done.”

  He studied her in silence for a few moments, his face working as he seemed about to say something several times and stopped himself. At last he did speak, his tone so faint she had to strain to hear him. “I don’t think so. I think despite all my attempts to not fall in love, I might fail.”

  Dani bit her lips together. He liked her that much? Enough to think he might want to keep her? Tears escaped despite her best efforts, and she knuckled them away. She wondered how long it would take before her usual impulsive stupidity changed his mind. “We’re a mess, Krijero.”