by Kate Sheperd
“Jocasta, my love, you are so beautiful. If I do meet my maker I'm sure he would be just as astonished that he made such a beautiful creature as I am dumbfounded by your majesty every single day.”
“Vangorg, you are one in a million. If I had everything to do all over again, if I had just one heartbeat left, I would take that heartbeat and dream of your touch. You have made me complete. In a million lifetimes, I would marry you over and over again until we both turn to nothing but crimson ashes and stardust.”
Vangorg kissed her softly on the lips and ran his fingers through the delicate strands of her hair. While slightly curled and easily entangled, it clung to his fingertips like gossamer. He hoped he never forgot the softness of it on his skin. He took in her entirety: the rosy hue of her soft, supple lips, which he took within his own, the swoop of her neckline, the angle of her jawbone, a perfect combination of fragility and strength. He looked at the way her ribs slightly protruded from her belly, giving her body shape and form. Jocasta used to tell him stories from Earth, and that was one of their creation myths, that woman was derived from a man using one of the man's ribs that shielded his lungs and heart. He was mesmerized by the simple beauty of the tale that from one life there could be born a second, a soul mate made from nothing but a hollow bone. His people had evolved past the need for creation myths, just accepting themselves for who they were, scientifically evolved beings that once formed from pools of sludge and murk to be transient beings. They honored their ancestors through ceremony and praise along with prayer, summoning them and calling upon their spiritual ether whenever they chose, so he was always fascinated with her stories, myths, and songs. He was enamored with the romantic idea that of all the galaxies and all of the other bodies formed from mere one-celled organisms there was indeed another party, another person with whom there was meant to be a shared fate. If such a thing did indeed exist, he was certain he had found it in Jocasta. His eyes continued to roam the landscape of her body as he took in the dip of her hip and soft curve of her thighs. From the moment they had first made love he knew there wasn't any place he would rather be than wrapped around her warmth. Kissing her gently, then moving his lips to her ear, he murmured, “Is there anything you desire tonight, my dear?”
“Oh, Vangorg, you're all I ever desire. You know I am yours. I have been since the first night you took me in. You could have been a cruel master, and at first I was scared, but oh, how have I grown to love you and your honor.”
“Then allow me to be one with you tonight, Jocasta. The winds of war are looming, and if my time should be limited and I fall in battle, then I want to take this night, this memory with me to my grave.”
“Oh, my love, you will be all right. This I know in my heart of hearts. A wife knows these things about her husband, intuitively. A good wife knows just how little or how much a man needs of her attention or affection. A good wife also knows when her husband is in danger or is sick or is in need of support. You are not in danger or sick, but I know you need my support right now. It will be okay, my Vangorg. I know you worry about your people, my husband, but under your leadership they will survive and you will live for many centuries to do good work. If we were on Earth, I would call you a good man, and that is one of the best compliments I could give you using my limited human vocabulary. Now come to me, my husband, and let me soothe your troubled mind.”
Jocasta pulled Vangorg back down to her and kissed him fiercely, allowing her tongue to explore the crevices of his mouth. She took her time, though, and allowed herself to linger with each and every kiss, treasuring each and every feeling. Deep down, she was worried about the battle ahead, as she had become accustomed to being his wife. She did not have the innate ability to summon ancestors or loved ones from the past, so if anything should ever happen to him she would be truly alone in the galaxy. She loved the planet that had become her home, but there would be an odd shadow of silence that would follow her through all her days, a veil of mourning enveloping the rest of her nights if anything were to happen to Vangorg. She placed her hands on either side of his head and silently encouraged him to take her. He was ferocious in his passion, more so than normal. She could tell he was trying to memorize every single action, to force the feel of her flesh and her sounds into his memory.
Moving his mouth down to the sides of her neck he nipped at her gently, licking its tender sides while she gasped underneath him. He was quite surprised when they first made love that the pulse point was an erogenous zone for human females, and he had used that tactic to his advantage ever since. His strength and dexterity made him a wonderful lover, and he seemed to feel her body's natural rhythms getting in sync with her heartbeat so that he knew exactly what effect his actions were having on her. As he was caressing her jugular with his lips and tongue he took her arms and gently stretched them above her head. Holding her wrists in place with his strength, he knew she couldn't break free and would be completely at his mercy, which he also planned on taking full advantage of. “Jocasta, is that okay?”
“Yes, Vangorg, it is perfect.”
“Don't move.”
A small moan escaped her lips upon hearing those words. She wanted him all the more then. She wanted to take him into her arms, into her mouth and show him just how much she appreciated him, giving him all the pleasure he could stand. He held her still, though, as she squirmed underneath him. She could feel her moisture pooling as he took his tongue and continued his advances inch by inch, slowly savoring the texture of her skin. He relished the way her salty smoothness tasted as he made his way further down her body, taking one of her nipples in his mouth as she let another moan escape her lips. She moved even more then, desperate for more contact between them, but he did not relinquish his grip on her hands. He merely teased her even further, rolling his tongue over her hard peaks, then sucking gently. He felt her pulse point rise, and knew that her desire was peaking, but he used his subtle telepathy to lower her racing heartbeat slightly to prolong her pleasure. He was going to take his time, as he wanted to devote every inch of her being to his memory. If anything he knew that in the coming days he would have to rely upon this, the memory of their shared love for strength.
Gasping for breath, Jocasta was helpless under his command as he slowly touched, teased, licked and caressed every part of her body, yet she gave herself into it readily, only able to speak in broken sentences. “Vangorg...please. What are you? Oh... my love.”
“Jocasta, my wife. Do you give yourself to me once again?”
“Yes. All you need to do is ask, my love.”
With that Vangorg dipped his head lower and inhaled deeply. He closed his eye for a moment and simply enjoyed the anticipation. He breathed in her scent and committed it to memory as well. Her skin gave off a slight aroma of sweat, due to her passion and excitement, but it also had the faint scent of roses, which were exotic in the far reaches of the galaxy, a relic of the past that few people had memory of any longer. In the arid climate they did not bloom, nor were they genetically altered to exist among the cactus flowers that thrived there. So her rarity and her scent brought to his mind a sense of nostalgia and longing. He would never be able to think of something so beautiful and rare again without picturing her in his mind and recalling her scent. Jocasta shivered in anticipation, and Vangorg watched the goosebumps rise on her flesh as he breathed lightly into her folds. He increased the pressure on his grip as she bucked against him, desperately wanting her hands free to touch him and pull him onto her, to give her the release she craved so much.
Parting her folds, he dove into her center sucking her juices into her mouth. He hadn't understood this rather bizarre form of lovemaking until Jocasta had educated him that it had nothing to do with reproduction or the process of producing children, but instead it existed solely for pleasuring one's partner, as human females had highly sensitive genitalia and often craved stimulation before any lovemaking could begin. This was not the case for his race. They had evolved beyond the point of needing
anything more than an empty womb to carry their children in. The almost ritualistic behavior of having intercourse was inefficient to them. Jocasta, however, had taught him the joys of this process, and now he found the act to be almost meditative, a religious ceremony that somehow bound their atoms together as one. He understood how that intimacy was necessary now and even saw the benefits of establishing this bond for the process of bringing new life into the world. As he licked her clit she moaned and arched her back but he did not relent. He only continued his actions, occasionally varying his rhythms and pressure until her body was on the edge of ultimate pleasure.
It was only then that he inserted himself into her while letting out a guttural groan. His people were not inclined to expressions of emotion, so for him to utter anything in passion or pain was remarkable. His movements were catlike and quick as he pressed himself down upon her, feeling the warmth and softness of her innermost flesh against him. He was hard, and buried himself inside her deeper, forcing himself in and out of her crevices with complete control of her body and his own. He released her hands and she grasped his back for support as she worked her hips against him, panting and moaning. Allowing himself to feel every inch of her, committing that to memory as well, he took his time while inside her, moving slowly and gracefully before finally finishing her, pounding into her flesh furiously. Throwing his head back and howling, their bodies shuddered and collapsed into one another, spent and drained of energy.
5.
As the pair lay entwined in a peaceful embrace, the night grew still. There was no darkness, as the sun never fully set. It merely dimmed, giving the room an eerie glow, almost as if lit by candlelight. Jocasta's chest rose and fell while Vangorg's hand rested on her bosom and his head rested on her shoulder. He was relaxed and content, and Jocasta watched all three of his eyelids flutter open and shut like butterfly wings against his narrow pupils. She ran her hands along his powerful arms and felt grateful that he was hers. When he was around no other male even dared glance her way. It was widely known that, despite having reproduced[S44], they had claimed each other. Disrespect for their bond would be considered dishonorable and result in a swift death for anyone considering challenging Vangorg for ownership of her.
Jocasta felt an odd stirring in her soul, and inhaled and exhaled deeply as she alternately watched him sleep and gazed out the window. She didn't have any special sixth sense like Vangorg did, but she did feel as if something was just not right in that moment. Thinking Vangorg would stir at the feel of her blood pressure rising, she knew that something was off in the universe when he didn't and instead just lay silently snoring. She shifted underneath him and felt pressure on her bladder. Moving him gently to the side, she sat on the edge of the bed and placed her feet on the floor. Standing up to go relieve herself, she saw a shadow pass by the sun as the sky darkened. Before she could awaken Vangorg, she heard the explosions in the distance and heard the screaming as fires erupted. The sounds of laser beams and the tortured groans of dying citizens could be heard growing closer as Jocasta then shook Vangorg harder. “My love, wake up! You were right! We're under attack!”
“Wha?! Something's wrong. I didn't sense anything. I must go, Jocasta. Wait here for me and don't let anyone in our home until I return. I love you.”
“Go, please go save our people, my hero!”
Running to the war room, Vangorg picked up his shield and sword and lit the torches by the mantel to summon his ancestors and their own band of warriors[S45] from the ether to assist in the fight. His cloak rustled in the wind as he opened the doors to the palace and saw the enemy approaching rapidly. They were hulking creatures with tentacles on their heads, and appeared almost barbaric, with saliva and blood running down their chins as they tore through the guards with their razor-sharp teeth. They were bloodthirsty and they were numerous. Vangorg saw what appeared to be their leader walking behind his forces, shouting commands, and even when going into a large group of opposing soldiers they did not hesitate. They obeyed him even to at the expense of their own lives. Undisturbed by the loss of life, their general kept sending man after man into battle.
“Come, my friends,” called Vangorg, “let us fight for our lands and protect our women and children. We must be brave now. It has come time to stand our ground!”
Vangorg drew his sword and led his smaller army directly towards Hertzog's army. They growled and snarled as the Silvian soldiers[S46] stabbed and hit them with their swords and shields. Vangorg's troops fought valiantly, suffering burns from laser guns and broken bones that could be heard snapping throughout the battlefield. Rushing into the fray, Vangorg summoned the strength of his ancestors as a spiritual army of thousands stood by him. He cut through several infantrymen easily as his assistants made a force field around him. The summoning was always fleeting, though, and it took nearly all of Vangorg's energy to maintain it. When he reached the opposing general his strength left him suddenly, and he stood solo against the beast-like creature whose glowing red eyes shone with only hatred and scorn.
Hertzog looked at Vangorg, and as he towered over him, said, “Kneel. Bow to me and surrender your city.”
Lunging at Hertzog with a parry, Vangorg gritted his teeth and snarled, “Never. We will stand and fight for our home until death, you scum!”
“Very well then. Die.”
As Vangorg lunged at Hertzog, the beast-like creature sidestepped him and hit him in the back of his head with the butt end of his laser gun. Vangorg grunted and shook his head back and forth in pain, attempting to [S47]clear his double vision. Recovering, he ducked a punch Hertzog threw and extended his blade in the air, aiming for Hertzog's head. Had he been a few seconds faster he would have decapitated the being. Instead he sliced off a section of the alien's tentacles. Howling in pain, the beast salivated and roared in pain and anger. He reacted swiftly and brutally, grabbing Vangorg's cloak and flinging him to the ground like a ragdoll. He then towered over him and kicked him in the head, sending blood seeping into the sand underneath, turning it an even darker shade of crimson. Confident that Vangorg lay defeated, or possibly dead, Hertzog ordered his troops towards the palace to plunder anything and everything they could find.
“Go. Burn their structures. Steal their riches. Take their supplies. Bring me their women. All of them. We can make use of them more than anything.”
Walking among his troops as they approached the palace, he watched in satisfaction as stray citizens were easily bested in their combat efforts. He had not anticipated such an easy victory, but would take great joy in domesticating their remaining citizens and bending them to his will. He could see they were hearty people and would make good slaves as miners or farmhands. Yes. This would increase his wealth immensely and that would provide for future conquests. He was especially pleased with their women. Their bodies looked especially soft and supple. He enjoyed the way their curves seemed smoother and their hips angled differently than the alien women he was used to. Their demeanor seemed less harsh as well, matching their delicate appearance. He couldn't wait to break one in for his very own, to experiment with their bodies and see exactly how soft they were. They seemed delicate and breakable, both physically and emotionally. Again, this was an excellent combination.
Jocasta heard the glass door at the front of the palace shatter as she hid underneath her marriage bed. She knew that the invaders had broken through their front lines of defense if they had made it this far. She closed her eyes and thought about Vangorg. He couldn't have failed her. He was her champion and her hero. Surely he was still alive. She would feel their bond break in her bones if he had been killed in combat. She would feel his spirit entering her veins as he would be absorbed into her as part of the ether world.
“Hello? Anyone home?”
The chilling alien voice echoed throughout the rooms, and Jocasta could hear their movements thundering and plodding throughout, breaking glasses and artifacts, destroying ancient works of art, and taking whatever they chose. As the sounds appr
oached the doorway the only thing Jocasta knew to do was lie completely still in hopes they would not be able to sense her humanity and simply think the palace had been abandoned. She closed her eyes and focused all of her thoughts on Vangorg commanding her body to be motionless. She tried to slow her breathing so it didn't come out in fearful, ragged gasps. As soon as she had that thought, she heard a crunching sound to her right. There was someone in the room with her. Biting her lip, she made an effort to control any emotion as an otherworldly voice boomed, “I know you're here. I smell you. I favor it. Come out now and your punishment will be less severe.”
Swallowing, she still kept silent, even as the creature easily picked up their bed and flung it against the wall. “Haha. Some of you creatures never cease to amuse me. Hiding under the bed like an infant. Do I frighten you? I should.”
Jocasta attempted to get up and run out of the room before the alien beast, whose eyes glowed like the fires of hatred, could reach her. It was to no avail, however. He was much stronger and faster than she was. He easily caught her in his arms and with one swift motion knocked her unconscious. As her vision faded the only thought in her mind was that of Vangorg. As she mentally attempted to force life into his body, she looked out the window at the orange hue of the fading sun in the distance.
6.
Awakening, Jocasta felt nothing but a throbbing in her head. She shut her eyes tightly, attempting to control it and get her bearings. She was vaguely aware of a presence in the room with her. Suddenly she felt coldness along her body, and even though she could only see the room in front of her, she was aware of her nakedness. Shaking her head gingerly from left to right she surveyed her surroundings and realized she was still in the palace in their bedchamber, but it was altered. There was no warmth in the room, and their ancestral shrine had been removed from the wall, the crest and the shield no longer visible as a source of strength. She breathed in deeply to discover her mouth had been sealed closed with some type of a ball gag. Her hands were bound above her head, she was assuming with either chains or shackles based on the sensation of cold metal against her skin. As she stirred she saw a shadow loom in the distance, turning the corner. Instinctively she scooted closer to the wall as she heard it approaching her. Seeing the glowing red eyes approaching her she shuddered again as he loomed over her, looking down and smiling at her helpless state. “Good. You are up. I was hoping to get started immediately. You need proper training.”
