by Rosette Lex
“Kanatel.” He said and his head spots changed color, going almost pink.
“What do you want me for?” Ellie wondered. Kanatel stood again and approached her, covering the distance quickly. The human stood her ground as the space between them narrowed to almost nothing. He reached a thick arm around her, making Ellie wish she hadn't asked, then grabbed a bottle from behind her. He opened and drank before answering.
“This is good question,” Kanatel went back to his seat swilling some more of the drink as he did so.
“I am not knowing what reason I had for buying you.” He admitted.
“I have never before had any interest in others of your kind which have been up for auction. Only thing I can say is there was something about you which make me...” He paused and Ellie leaned forward to hear, “curious.” The big alien answered.
Curious? About what?
“Come with me,” Kanatel reached his hand out towards Ellie whose stomach clenched in fright.
What if he's curious about what I'm like in bed?
“Come.” He ordered this time. Ellie took a step across to him but refused to take his hand. Kanatel stood and smiled as if she had done something he approved of before leading her back to the hallway and to another door which, again, opened before he even got there.
***
Lenitiris ran a hand across his scalp, feeling his cranial spots burning with the rage he felt. He glanced at the Jarillian woman beside him in the bed, her eyes closed as if in sleep – Lenitiris knew better – and gripped the dat-pad in his hand so hard the delicate screen shattered and exploded upwards. Growling, he hurled the remains of the miniature computer at the girl in the bed. There was no response.
Hearing a quiet beep, the Jarillian owner of the largest flesh peddling outfit on the northern continent rose and wrapped a robe around his nude frame.
“Come in.” His snarled command was instantly followed by a door opening in the wall opposite him. Two people entered, one a Jarillian male almost as big as he was with light blue cranial spots, the other a human female in her sixties.
The old woman was bent from twenty years of abuse at the hands of Lenitiris' customers. In spite of the almost daily assault, Shirley Carrolgees still remembered the Texas ranch she had been born and raised on until being taken at forty, brought to this alien planet and sold to Lenitiris.
“Get rid of that!” He barked at Shirley, pointing at the corpse in his bed.
“Blow it out your filthy, alien ass.” The woman muttered, bowing.
Lenitiris stared at her for a second, he had never bothered to learn any of their crude, animal language.
They will have to learn our language or face punishment. Had been his sentiment. Turning to the other entrant, Lenitiris adopted a similar tone.
“Jornas, find out who bought that last human female, where they are, what defenses he hides behind and how I can get the bitch from him.” Jornas turned and slowly made his way to the exit, glancing at the human woman as she struggled with the dead Jarillian female. Shirley caught his eye.
“You just watch while I struggle, you dirty, filthy bastard.” Not known for his sense of humor, Jornas allowed one corner of his mouth to turn up.
Unlike his boss, this alien had taken the time to learn a little of the more popular human languages. He paused and grabbed one of the dead feet, dragging the corpse easily across the room. Lenitiris frowned and shook his head when he noticed.
Chapter 4
Ellie's nerves had calmed a little, the adrenaline from her extended captivity had drained from her system leaving her lethargic and on the verge of constant sleep. Kanatel had shown her where she could change and after showing her how to use the mechanisms, which piped in water and warm air to dry her, had left.
Ellie had scrubbed until her skin tingled bright red, swilling the grime and filth which had accumulated on her since being taken – some of which was purely psychological. Somehow the doors in this place knew she wanted them to open and she stepped from the bathroom – if she should call it that – to find her clothing had gone.
Completely nude – there was no need for towels – she frantically searched for something to cover herself with. Spotting her few meagre possessions on a shelf – cellphone, a few dollars in change and a photograph of her mom – she also found what looked like a robe hanging underneath. A shiver ran over her raw skin as she slipped the garment on, it was softer than silk and flowed across her like a lover’s caress.
She crossed to where she thought she had come in and allowed the door to open. Inside, what could only be described as mood lighting outlined a large bed in the center of the room, plush with plump cushions and luxurious sheets yet of a size to accommodate the tall alien.
My owner. I don't think I'll ever get used to that. Oh God, what if this is his bed and he's expecting...
Ellie's thought trailed off as a second door opened in another wall letting Kanatel into the room. He must have freshened himself up too as he wore a pair of loose fitting trousers and nothing else. Although Kanatel was from a different culture and planet – and had bought her – Ellie's stomach clenched as her eyes traced his muscular outline.
The light brown skin she had seen on his face, and all the others of his kind, extended down his thick neck. Broad shoulders led down to arms which looked like they could bend steel rods. Although his skeleton and the muscles attached to it, were slightly different to those of men, Kanatel was definitely, overwhelmingly, male.
Ellie could make out four large oval muscles, which folded around the sides of his chest and a ridged band of smaller muscles where his abs should be. At the top of each leg was an inverted triangular mass, which disappeared below the top of his trousers, each one of which twitched as he walked.
She noticed all this in the dim light, which came from what looked like candles without moving flames. Kanatel's dark blue eyes were almost black in the low light, a little glint from each, the only sign he was looking at her. Ellie's breathing slowed even as her heartbeat sped up.
For some reason she couldn't understand why she had an almost overwhelming desire to rip her robe open and display her naked body to him, to open herself to him and let him do whatever it was he had bought her for. Trembling, she fought down the feeling, which felt almost like a need, and rooted herself to the spot. Kanatel's head came up and she noticed the smile on his face.
Does he know? Does he know how this makes me feel? And why do I feel this way? He's a completely different species from me. Like an animal. Surely this is wrong.
“Your clothes being cleaned.” He said. “If you wanting them back for some reason.”
“Of course I want them back!” Ellie cried.
“What am I supposed to do, spend my time in this?” She fixed her gaze defiantly on Kanatel, whose expression had turned salacious.
“I would like this,” His deep growl sounded feral and made things spin in Ellie's abdomen. Pushing her wild thoughts aside, Ellie wondered.
“Why did you buy me?” Her tiredness had evaporated with the unwanted desire, which had flooded her system. Kanatel looked away in thought, as if recalling the auction.
“I watching them sell the others of your planet, they were scared, frightened and I think...” He paused, “They pitiful.”
He looked into her eyes, “Everything been taken from them, they have nothing to live for, so they just give up.” He chuckled.
“Then, then you was dragged out, kicking and screaming, try to bite that female who held you and I think, 'Now there is human who is like me, she never give up until they force to kill her.' And I place first bid.”
Ellie shook her head in complete bewilderment.
“You not know me, you not know nothing about my life. I get anything I want, it is boring times. When I seen you up there, challenging whole room of Jarillians people, seen the challenge in your eyes, I knew I had to have you, had to making you to be mine.”
Ellie's stomach clenched in fright and he mus
t have noticed some change, “Not like this.” He told her in a derisory tone, “If forcing you was my fun thing I could have renting you from Lenitiris, the other bidder, for very little.”
In a softer tone he added, “There was being something...extraordinary about you.” Kanatel shrugged in a very human way. “I think you must be very tired, yes? So be to sleeping now.”
Even though he spoke in this softer tone, this was clearly a command and Ellie was about to argue until she felt the bone deep weariness flood into her again. How long had it been since she slept?
How long has it been since I was taken?
“I do feel a little sleepy,” She admitted, “Maybe a cat-nap would do me the world of good.” Kanatel frowned, puzzled.
“What is cat-nap?” He quizzed. Ellie smirked at his expression.
“An Earth thing, you'd never understand.”
“If you say,” He replied in a slightly offended tone, “I very smart though.” He gazed at Ellie for a few seconds, until she began to blush and the circles on his head darkened, then left the room in silence.
Ellie waited for the door to slide down behind him and shrugged off the robe, slipping into the bed. The sheets were cool and welcoming and it felt as if the bed adjusted to hug her, making it the most comfortable thing she had ever laid on.
If I could take this technology home, I'd make a fortune.
Thoughts of Earth flooded her mind making her eyes sting.
Why me? Why did they have to take me? I hope my mom is alright.
As the human woman fell into a deep and, thankfully, dreamless sleep, a single word dropped from her lips,
“Mommy?” Anyone listening would have thought it had come from a child.
Chapter 5
Dull, orange light dribbled in through the window, which hadn't been there when she had fallen asleep. Ellie woke abruptly, her heart racing wildly as she sat straight up in the comfortable bed. Disorientation confused her for a few seconds until her mind recalled the recent events she had been through.
Kanatel. Ellie thought back to his words, 'There was being something...extraordinary about you.' No one – except her mom, perhaps – had ever though of her as extraordinary before. It made her feel special in an odd kind of way.
And he is hot! Her devious mind suggested.
The shock, which jolted through her, was replaced with warmth as she accepted the truth. He was hot. In a non-human, alien sort of way. But those hard slabs of muscle, flexing and twitching every time he moved. Her brain conjured images of him pushing her up against the wall, being trapped by all that hard maleness and her finally giving in to his desires, which she realized as her breath caught in her throat, she had started to share.
After a feline stretch, Ellie stood and gathered the robe around her, wondering, again, what kind of material it was which made it feel so amazing on her skin.
Time to have a look around.
She approached where she thought one of the strange invisible doors had been, nearly jumping when it actually opened, and stepped out into the hall that she had originally entered through.
Looking around, Ellie found it difficult to get her bearings because she couldn't see the doors. Her mind had been stressed and panicked when she arrived, and she wasn't able to remember all the minute details. Veering right she padded down a corridor, which she hadn't even noticed yesterday, passing areas where doors might have been, although none actually opened as she passed.
Are they locked against me, or just not there? What if he's got other people locked away behind these doors?
The short passage ended and a door opened in the same manner as the others. The room beyond, however, was unlike any she had seen before.
In almost complete darkness, the room's only illumination came from a large screen which dominated the wall opposite her. To her left was an array of crystals, set in the wall, which picked up the light from the screen and fractured it into rainbow hues across the wall.
The stones themselves were large chunks, jaggedly snapped away at one end to leave a jagged, milky stub, yet shaped and contoured farther down. Their purpose, if any, eluded Ellie completely.
To her right, the entire wall was home to an array of some type of electrical equipment, her eyes were able to pick out thousands of separate slim, glass boards. Ellie watched in fascination as tiny pulses of light jumped from board to board, making endlessly beautiful patterns.
She managed to wrench her attention from the sheets of glass, turning towards the screen. Kanatel lay on a long cushion in front of the screen, arms folded across his massive chest, which rose and fell slowly.
It looked as if he was unconscious and she approached, watching his face for any signs he was about to wake up. The screen flickered, flashing random images across like a digital video being forwarded through.
Ellie turned her attention fully to the screen when she noticed human faces on it. Her hand came up to her mouth when she recognized Juanita, as she was dragged out onto a stage. Surrounding the viewpoint she saw this from, Ellie could see hundreds of the aliens who inhabited this planet, mouths open in silent screams directed at the stage.
The auction? But from his viewpoint? Did he record it?
Her eyes caught sight of herself, but she was different. Her hair was like flowing gold, her face more beautiful than she had ever thought in real life. Ellie's hand dropped as her on-screen self fought the female alien with more power and ferocity than she had actually managed at the time. The whole scene was now overlaid by a pinkish cast and Ellie realized she was seeing herself as Kanatel saw her.
“Ellie.” Kanatel's voice rumbled through the room, making her jump as the images on the screen faded.
“Wha-what was that?” She asked, pointing at the screen with a trembling hand. Kanatel's expression changed – as did the spots on his head, to a bright pink – until he looked almost embarrassed. Gesturing around the room, the big alien explained.
“Room is being recorder of dreams.” He almost whispered, not meeting her eyes. Ellie was still puzzled.
“So that was..?” She let the question trail off.
“What I dreaming.” He said sheepishly. Ellie grinned in spite of the peculiar situation.
“So...” She asked in a conspiratorial tone, “You see me like what was on the screen?” Sitting up, which made his stomach muscles flex in an attractive way, Kanatel answered.
“This is what I dreaming. Room is letting us watching dreams over again.” He pointed to the stacks of glass sheets which had the points of light dancing between them.
“This is processing dreams,” He pointed to the group of crystals.
“And this to be storing them.” His voice gained a little strength. Kanatel rose in one smooth movement and moved away from Ellie.
“Should to be private.” He said over his shoulder. A flash of guilt stabbed ice into Ellie's chest and she reached for the alien whose shoulders were hunched.
“I didn't know,” She protested, “I was just looking around, I never knew anything about this room...” Kanatel spun round fast, stopping her words as Ellie saw he was grinning like some kind of fool.
“Got you!” He laughed, “Seeing your face is being very funny.”
“What?” Ellie cried, although she was smiling at the simple joke. “Why would you do that?”
“Is being funny.” He was still chuckling when the world exploded.
Chapter 6
Ellie could hear someone screaming over and over again. It took a few seconds to understand it was her. Kanatel had been standing next to her in one instant, in the next, he had been thrown across the room.
His muscular frame had been no match for the intense light that had smashed in through the wall, shattering the building and showering her with chunks of whatever it was built from.
Kanatel himself had smashed through the massive screen which exploded in a shower of sparks and glass, his legs jutted through the smashed remains, laid on the screen's frame like some h
ideous 3D film.
Fire had broken out, sparks from the screen and the glass boards igniting the bed Kanatel had been laying on when Ellie had entered. Smoke set off fire suppression systems and the human found it difficult to see or breathe as she stumbled towards where Kanatel's body lay, fear and sadness welling up in her chest as she saw the horrific burn marks on his chest.
The Jarillian lay with his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling and Ellie reached through the smashed remains of the screen to touch him when she felt a dull thudding pain in the back of her neck and collapsed to the floor.
Rough hands grabbed her arm and she felt herself lifted easily up onto something she supposed was another Jarillian. Completely helpless and unable to move, Ellie stared hard at Kanatel's broken body, a single tear rolling down her cheek, as she was kidnapped again.
Finding it hard to see properly with her head bouncing around, Ellie felt despair like nothing she had felt before. She could feel a pressure in her chest, growing like some abnormality, there was a matching pressure in her throat, one which she couldn't swallow away. Her entire body ached with whatever they had done to paralyze her but the memory of seeing Kanatel's still, dead form hurt more than she thought possible.
A door opened, her body was dumped on a cold, hard surface and the door closed again, leaving her in blackness. Tears of frustration, pain and loss trickled down the sides of her face as whatever kind of vehicle this was began to move.
Somewhere between being asleep and awake, Ellie dreamed she could hear people talking, snippets of conversation that made little sense to her.
“...do you think?”
“She's a strong one, all right...”
“...he don't care if she don't make him nothing.”
“That Goddamn Jarillian piece of shit!”
“Well now, honey, how're you doing?” The face that loomed over Ellie was human. She blinked a few times, wondering if it had all been some kind of fantasy or dream.
