by Hope Hart
He frowns after Nevada and shakes his head, finally reaching for his cold morning meal. He gestures for me to sit, and I take a seat near the fire, thankful for the warmth on such a chilly morning.
Guilt hits me. I should have added an extra log to the fire in my kradi. Ellie feels the cold much more than I do.
“Asroz told me where the females were found, and I sent Hydrix and his men to this place. Hopefully, they can find some trace of the Voildi that took them.”
A muscle twitches in his jaw, and I sigh. We both know that the likelihood of finding the females alive decreases each day.
“These Voildi were unlike any I had seen before,” I say. “They wore clothing that covered their limbs and seemed to work together seamlessly, quickly separating the females and disappearing.”
Rakiz rubs his cheek, once again placing his morning meal to the side. “Asroz told us this. This is good news. I have not heard of such a pack. This knowledge will make it easier to find the Voildi that took the females.”
He doesn’t say what we’re both thinking.
That by now, the females may already be dead.
Chapter Seven
Ellie
I stare into the fire after Terex has gone. Why was I such a bitch to him?
He shouldn’t have mocked you.
What if he wasn’t mocking me? He’s made no secret of the fact that he finds me attractive, and he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to be so hurtful as to mock a woman who’s hurt and clearly out of her comfort zone.
What if he really finds me beautiful?
I almost push the thought away, but instead, I take it out and examine it.
Maybe the rules of attractiveness on Earth don’t apply here.
When Matt started dating my sister, I was devastated. Devastated enough that I made the mistake of writing down all my feelings in my journal. When Amelia found it, she waited until the perfect time for everyone to hear my innermost secrets.
The moment she looked across the cafeteria at me, I knew. I’d looked for my journal that morning, and horror had hit me when I’d found it missing. I’d thought I’d hid it in the perfect spot, beneath a floorboard in my closet. But Amelia knew my hiding spot. She was always one step ahead of me.
That morning, I’d pretended to be sick so I could stay home, but my mother had had no patience for me, declaring me perfectly fine to go to school. When I’d tried to explain what had happened, she’d snapped and told me she didn’t have time for my high school drama and that I needed to put on my big girl panties and fix it myself.
By then, my dad had already been in the ground for five years.
So the moment Amelia grinned at me from across the cafeteria and climbed on top of the table, I knew what was coming. I jumped to my feet as she reached into her bag and pulled out my bright-pink journal, covered in photos of Justin Bieber. And I turned to run only to find that she’d arranged for two of her jock friends to hold my arms, keeping me still and present for her humiliation.
Nausea sweeps through me at the memory. After all this time, I can still hear the laughter, still taste the tears on my lips, still feel the squeaky linoleum floor under my feet. I stood there and wished for the ground to open up, for a fire to rip through the school, for anything to happen to make it stop.
It never stopped. For the rest of my high school life, I was that girl. Matt tried to talk to me a few times, but I always ducked away, even after he finally saw Amelia for who she was and dumped her.
At fifteen, I still carried baby fat, some of which I lost by college and some of which is just my body. The thought of the weird, fat, unpopular girl lusting over the most popular guy in school? Hilarious. To everyone. I even caught one or two of the teachers staring at me, not bothering to hide the smirks on their faces.
I jump as a shadow appears outside the kradi, clutching the fur to me as someone steps into the entrance.
Terex is at my feet in moments, kneeling as he pushes the hair off my face. “Ellie,” he says. “What’s wrong? Are you hurting?”
I burst into tears, ugly crying even as he pulls me into his arms, careful of my elbow.
“I’m sorry,” I sob, wetting his shirt. “I was mean and rude and immature.”
“I’m sorry,” he growls. “I should not have left you. What happened to make you so upset?”
He pulls away and glances around the kradi as if searching for a problem to fix. He glances at the dress and raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t like the dress?”
I let out a hiccupping laugh, and his shoulders relax slightly.
“No, the dress is fine.”
“What is it that has made you cry? You will tell me, and I will fix it.”
I blow out a long, shaky breath. “You called me beautiful.”
Terex tilts his head, confusion dancing over his handsome features. “This is…an insult to humans?”
I smile, and his gaze instantly drops to my lips.
“No. I’m just not used to men finding me attractive.”
Terex narrows his eyes at me as if he’s convinced I’m lying. “Are the males on your planet blind?”
I laugh, wiping at my face. “Well, you’re good for my ego, that’s for sure. I’ve…never had much luck with guys. I was bullied in high school for daring to have a crush on the most attractive boy in the school. When I finally escaped to college, my self-confidence was at an all-time low, and I buried myself in books.”
I sigh, frowning as I stare into the distance. “You know…now I think I caused a lot of the pain myself by holding onto those feelings for longer than I should have. I let my sister give me this hang-up, that I was too awkward and ugly and no one would ever want me, and I played by those rules my whole life.”
Terex scowls at me. “How could you think such a thing?”
I sigh. “Oh, if only you knew. Anyway, I tried to get the dress on for about five minutes, and I just couldn’t do it. Will you help me, please?”
Terex’s scowl deepens, but he allows the change in subject. I doubt he’ll allow it for long though. He nods slowly, helping me to my feet. I pretend I’m not watching the way his muscles move while he grabs the dress and brings it to me.
I hesitate, clutching the fur to my chest while he patiently waits. Then I pull it up enough that he can help me step into the dress.
Terex holds the dress at my waist while I hesitate once more. This is ridiculous. I’m going to have to lose the fur.
I take a deep breath and drop the fur, standing before him, breasts bared and shaking like a leaf.
His gaze never drops from my face, but he smiles.
“Brave female,” he says, and I feel my cheeks redden as he helps me pull up the dress. He gently unties my sling, and I tuck my boobs into the dress as he pulls it up at the back.
“This dress will work with your sling, but it will leave your arms bare. I’ll find you a cloak to keep you warm.”
There are thick ties on either side of my shoulders holding up the dress, and Terex gently maneuvers the ties around my arm, tying them and then replacing my sling.
The dress is way too long, dragging on the floor, and Terex frowns down at it, pulling out his knife. I step back and almost trip, and he grabs my good arm, turning that frown to me.
“What are you doing? Be careful.”
“You can’t cut it, Terex,” I hiss. “It’s someone else’s dress.”
He grins up at me. “Clothes have been donated for our new females,” he says. “We have all noticed the size difference between our people and yours. No one would expect you to wear a dress you could trip on.”
I bite my lip but let him cut away the excess material along the bottom of the dress. I’m sure it could be hemmed, but I can’t currently do it, and I’d never expect someone else to do it for me. These people found us in dirty, torn pajamas, and they immediately offered us clean water, food, and clothes.
Terex uses his knife to roughly cut the bottom of the dress until it hits just below m
y ankles before he helps me put on my shoes. Then he gets to his feet and nods.
“Thank you,” I say.
A growl leaves his throat, and he leans forward, one hand reaching into my hair to hold me still as he takes my lips with his.
I let out a startled gasp, and his tongue immediately finds mine, conquering my mouth like the warrior he is.
He tastes like berries and feels like heaven against me, his hard body cradling me as he gentles his kiss, his lips playing with my mouth until I tentatively kiss him back, my body going pliant as I clutch his shirt, pulling him closer with my good hand.
Terex groans, his hand finding my lower back as he pulls me closer, and my knees feel weak at the feel of him hard and thick against me.
The sound of a bell makes him tense, and he curses as he pulls away. I feel dazed and overheated as I stare up at him, and he smiles gently down at me before stepping back and moving toward the entrance to his kradi.
“Thank you, Fini,” he says, taking a tray. I catch a pair of curious eyes glancing at me, and then the woman nods, disappearing.
“Come, Ellie. Have some more food.”
My mouth waters as an incredible aroma hits me, and I sit next to Terex by the fire. I’m still coming to terms with our kiss. It made my head spin, made the entire world fall away as if it was only the two of us.
I want to do it again.
“Ellie?”
Terex’s voice is amused, and he looks very pleased with himself, grinning at me as he hands me a plate. I narrow my eyes at him, and his grin simply widens. Yeah, he knows I liked the feel of his lips on mine.
Terex
I watch Ellie eat, thinking about what she told me. She lets out a tiny moan as she slides a piece of meat into her mouth, and I’m instantly hard even though I just managed to regain control of my body.
I cannot imagine a planet where males are not fighting to the death over my tiny female. I already regret the need for her to ever leave my kradi, where other males will stare at her dark eyes, long hair, and pleasing curves and attempt to coax her from my side.
I scowl at the thought.
“Terex? Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” I say, shaking off my dark thoughts. I will take Ellie to Moni, and she’ll tell us when Ellie is able to mount a mishua again. I understand that these females need to find their friends, and I will help them any way I can. But Ellie’s health comes first.
Ellie leans back, patting her stomach. “That was delicious. I don’t know what it was, but I’m stuffed.”
“I will take you back to the healer now, and then you will rest.”
Ellie raises an eyebrow, and I frown at her. Have I said the wrong thing?
I think over my words. “I would like you to rest so that you may heal and we can look for your friend Charlie.”
Ellie smiles at me. “Okay, that sounds good, but I need to talk to my friends too.”
I nod, placing our plates on the tray to be collected later, and lead Ellie out of my kradi.
The camp is bustling now. My kradi is further from the areas where most people gather, but the crowds of people pretending to be busy talking to each other make it obvious they’re desperate to get a glimpse of these human females.
I reach for Ellie’s hand, and my shoulders straighten as she threads her much smaller fingers through mine, allowing me to lead her to Moni’s kradi.
“People are staring,” she mutters, hunching her shoulders.
“It is just because you are new and different to the Braxian people,” I say. “Soon they will be used to seeing you every day.”
Her eyes examine my face, and she frowns at whatever she sees but slowly nods.
Moni smiles at us when we arrive, gesturing for us to sit. “How are you feeling today? I have already seen your friends.”
“I’m feeling much better, thanks. How are the others?”
“They are doing much better as well. Now let me take a look at your arm.”
Ellie sits quietly while Moni examines her, wincing slightly but allowing her to apply more of the healing paste. “When will I be able to leave?”
Moni’s gaze flicks to mine, and I sigh.
“We are hoping to find news of one of Ellie’s friends. The female was injured and disappeared during the battle.”
Moni nods and finishes tying Ellie’s sling. “Depending on how you feel, you should be able to sit on a mishua within one week.”
Ellie’s chin juts out stubbornly. “That’s too long. Anything could have happened to Charlie in a week.”
Moni narrows her eyes, unused to even the most hardened warriors arguing with her decrees.
She opens her mouth, and Ellie shifts, tears filling her eyes.
“Please,” she says. “She must be terrified, and she’s all alone. We’re all alone on this planet. We need to stick together.”
Moni sighs, glancing at me. I school my face, hoping she won’t see how the tiny female’s words sting. She is not alone on this planet. She has me.
I frown at these thoughts. For years, I have let females come and go, even in a tribe where we have so few available. I never found the one I wanted to spend every night with, to raise children with, to grow old with.
Ellie is that female.
But she will leave. She will leave you as soon as she finds her friends.
My frown deepens. These humans have made it clear that they wish to return to their planet. I do not understand how they will do so, but I do know that if such a thing is possible, these stubborn, determined females will make it happen.
Not if you convince Ellie to stay.
I mull over that thought while Moni and Ellie stare at each other silently.
Finally, Moni huffs out a laugh. “Fine,” she says. “Three days. But you must stop for frequent rests. And,” she says as Ellie gets to her feet with a grin, “the healing salve three times a day.”
I laugh at the look on the tiny female’s face at that decree, but she nods. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
Ellie
Terex leads me to another kradi and rings the tiny bells hanging at the entrance.
A head pokes out, and I grin as Alexis reaches out and grabs me in a hug.
“There you are. We wondered where you were.”
“I’ll be back soon,” Terex says, and I nod, following Alexis into the kradi.
“Where are Nevada and Vivian?” I ask.
“Both of them disappeared to find different clothes. Nevada wants something she can ‘move and fight in,’ and Viv wants something that shows off her figure.” Alexis gives me a look, and we both burst into laughter.
“Where’d you go last night? We turned around, and you’d disappeared, and all they’d tell us was that you were safe and in this camp.”
I blush. “Terex wanted me to sleep in his kradi.” I groan as Alexis laughs.
“Bow chicka wow wow,” she says, and I can’t help but grin at her antics.
“It’s not like that. Don’t look at me like that. It’s not. We made a deal. For whatever reason, he wanted me to sleep in his kradi, and he said if I did, he’d help me find Charlie.”
Alexis’s grin falls at the mention of Charlie, and she nods. We’re both silent for a moment.
Alexis sighs. “God, I hope she’s okay. She was a firecracker, you know? The first to suggest we could take on those assholes who abducted us.”
“She’s okay,” I say. “We have to believe that.”
If I let myself picture her lying dead in the forest somewhere, or imagine the others being eaten by the Voildi…I won’t be able to get up in the morning. We need to keep functioning so we can find them.
“I’m going with you,” Alexis says. “I was standing next to Charlie before Terex and his friends appeared. If I’d paid more attention, I would’ve noticed when she disappeared.”
I sigh. We all feel guilty. I’ve examined every moment of those few minutes in my mind, thinking up ways they could
’ve gone differently.
“So you and Terex, huh?”
I laugh, and for a moment we’re not two human women abducted by aliens and trying to get off a strange planet. We’re just two women gossiping about men.
“Yeah. Well, I dunno.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? Did you bang?”
“No!”
Alexis looks disappointed. “Did anything happen?”
I think of Terex’s huge hands on my body, his lips claiming mine, and I shiver.
“It did, you dirty dog! Give me the details.”
I tell Alexis about the kiss, and while she’s disappointed it’s “just a kiss,” she glowers at me when I tell her all about my crying jag.
“He told you you’re beautiful and you basically told him to fuck off and then cried?”
I groan. “It wasn’t that bad. He wanted to help me get changed, and I thought he was mocking me. So I told him I could do it myself, and he got annoyed and walked out.”
Alexis stares at me. “Poor guy.”
“Poor guy?”
“Well, look at the man. That’s probably not the usual response he gets when he tells women they’re beautiful.”
I scowl at the thought of Terex telling other women they’re beautiful. “I didn’t see it coming. He’s…you know. And I’m…you know.”
Alexis narrows her eyes at me. Then she reaches out and pulls my hair.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“For being an idiot. Why don’t you tell me exactly what you mean by that?”
I scowl at her, getting to my feet to pace. “He’s a huge, hot warrior built like a tank. I’m fat and average-looking at best. Ow, God, stop it!”
I slap Alexis’s hand away.
“You,” she says slowly, “are being ridiculous. First of all, if Terex thinks you’re beautiful, who are you to try to convince him otherwise? Second, how do you get through life with such shitty self-confidence?”
I glower at her. “Not well,” I mutter, thinking of the way I scurry my way through life in New York.
