Damn! I drop to a crouch pulling Amara close to my chest then go still. The sand shifts down the dune in front of me in a slide. There's a tremble in the earth, its subtle, the zemlja must be deep but that won't stop it from detecting any motion. The senses of a zemlja are legendary. Bowing my head I offer my hopes to the stars. If I must fight a zemlja for her, alone, I will but I'm not a fool. Having a full grown zemlja as an opponent while trying to make sure she remains safe will kill us both.
The sand stops shifting. Gone or not I wait. A few moments of patience could mean the difference between life and death. The sand runs again, it's moving, then the sand is running faster. I tense but hold my position. If I move it will come for us.
In the distance there's an explosion as the zemlja bursts from the ground. The heavy dusk and the dunes block my vision of it coming through but I hear a scream as it claims its prey then the ground rocks as it buries its way back underground. The running sand slows then stops. I wait a few minutes to be sure then take a tentative step forward. Nothing happens so I take two more then stop. Silence. A few more steps, stop, then a few more until I'm satisfied the zemlja has moved on. Only then do I resume my dead run for the city.
"We're almost home Amara," I say. "Soon my lyutik."
She doesn't react, but I didn't expect her to. The grip of the ioza is strong. She will be deep in a hallucination of a better world. Something that makes her happy and content so that the plant can drain her without struggle. I wonder if I am in her dream? Ridiculous but it's a nice thought. She will see, in time, that we belong together.
I'm on the verge of collapse when I climb a hill and come up short. The city is right there. Lost in my thoughts of forcing one foot in front of the other and my destination is right here. Renewed vigor fills me and I run along the dome looking for an airlock that will allow us access. When I come to one and punch in the codes to open it people show up on the other side.
"What is happening?" some human I don't know yells, but he's speaking their tongue not mine so I ignore him.
The door opens with a swoosh and I step in. It closes behind me then I have to wait as the air equalizes inside and out before it will let us through. By the time I emerge a crowd has gathered. Do these humans have nothing better to do than gather in mindless mobs?
"Clear the way!" I hiss, pushing through them.
I need Jolie or Calista. They're among the only ones I trust to care for Amara. Or Rosalind. Rosalind will know what to do, somehow. I must get to them. The crowd pushes in around me, forced forward by those behind trying to see. They all talk, making a cacophony of voices and shifting bodies.
Anger flashes through me white hot. Instinct roars and the urge to kill them for being in my way pulses with each beating of my hearts.
"MOVE!" I scream, and most of them fall back creating an opening I push through without hesitation.
As I rush forward, I see a flash of white. Ahead of me Rosalind rushes up with Sverre at her side. The crowd is pushing up from behind and jostling against me.
"She needs help!" I scream at Rosalind.
"What's happened?" she asks.
"Ioza plant," I say to Sverre.
"Oh no," Sverre says, his scales edge green with concern.
"We have to help her, I don't know how this will affect her," I say and even I hear the note of begging in my voice.
"Where's Mark?" Gershom asks, pushing through the crowd. He looks at Amara then me.
I ignore him because I'm not supposed to know their language. Besides, I don't like him and right now he's just another barrier in my way of getting help for Amara. Sverre moves closer but the crowd of humans is pushing in close, jostling me. Someone hits into me from behind hard enough I stumble forward. My grip on Amara slips and once more I'm scrabbling to hold on to her. My anger explodes like a hungry zemlja bursting from the ground.
Whirling around I roar, spread my wings, and lash my tail side to side forcing the humans back. My rage finds focus in Gershom. He blanches as I lock onto him and march forward, shifting Amara to one arm and reaching for my lochaber.
A strong grip on my shoulder stops my forward motion and I whirl. Sverre meets my gaze while gripping my shoulder. He grabs my arm that is reaching for my weapon and shakes his head. He doesn't force me, instead he appeals to reason. It pierces through the cloud of my anger finding me in the tempest of emotions and pulling me up to a more reasoned state.
"Let me go," I say to him, my voice soft.
"You know I cannot do that."
"She needs help," I hiss.
"Then let's help her."
I look at Amara in my arm and the fury fades as fast as it came. She is what matters.
Three humans come closer moving tentatively. Sverre motions to them and they reach out for Amara. Instinct screams at me to not let them take her away. I push that aside. They're here to help. There is nothing I can do for her. That realization hits me like a punch to the stomach. I can't help her. She is mine, my treasure, and helping her is beyond any skills I have.
My wings fold in as the humans take her and then rush off. I let my tail fall to the ground as a weight settles onto my shoulders so heavy I don't know if I can even continue to stand. I've never felt so helpless in my life. Sverre moves closer and puts an arm around my shoulders. I'm staring at the ground as I try to accept the situation. Rosalind's white boots step into my line of vision so I look up and meet her eyes. There is a kindness in them I have never seen before.
"Where's Mark?" Gershom yells from behind me.
The crowd murmurs then takes up the question. They push forward surrounding the three of us. I look them over. They're scared but they're also dirty and angry.
"Shidan, what happened?" Rosalind asks.
"There was nothing left to the box but there were pipes leading off into the distance. We were trying to find where they led," I answer, shrugging and staring off in the direction they took Amara.
"What happened Shidan? Where is the other human?" Sverre asks.
I look at him. Gershom stands behind with his arms crossed, glaring at me.
"He killed him!" Gershom yells. The crowd gasps and then everyone is talking at once. "I said this would happen. No one wanted to believe me but I knew! You can't trust these aliens!"
"Everyone calm down!" Rosalind yells, but the crowd is becoming ugly.
Shouts flare up as they push in closer. They're yelling, someone calls out murderer and then something flies from the group and hits me in the head. Pain flashes. My vision turns red, my hands ball into fists and my tail moves into a fighting position.
They're pushing in and I will have to take them all out. They took Amara. Pain and anger mix and then the fog of the past covers my thoughts. There is nothing but survival. Everyone outside of me is an enemy. They've taken Amara away.
Spreading my wings I scream my anger at the betrayal. Gershom is in my line of sight and I head for him. Sverre appears in my face but I'll tear him apart if I have to, anything to get to Amara. He is just another barrier. Nothing will stop me from reaching her.
"SHIDAN!" Sverre yells into my face, gripping me by both shoulders. "Amara would not want this."
Something in his voice cuts through the bijass' fog. He's right. I know he's right. I have to be better than this. I am not the animal. I am in control.
"MURDERER!" someone yells from the crowd.
Sverre pulls me away. Rosalind is in front of me again.
"Shidan, what happened? Tell me the story," she says. "Please."
I tell her what happened. I leave nothing out. It is my fault. I should not have let the humans so far away from me. My mistake almost cost Amara her life. I was stupid. I put her in this situation. If I'd seen the ioza before they got close we could have avoided everything.
"There was nothing you could do to save Mark?" Rosalind asks.
"No," I say.
She nods then glances over and motions at Gershom. He comes closer with a tentative step, keeping an e
ye on me. She relates the story to him and it's obvious that Gershom doesn't believe it.
"He's lying," Gershom says, glaring at me but behind that glare is a grin.
"I doubt that," Rosalind says.
"You buy into their lies. I don't. He saved the woman, why? Because that's the one he wants to mate with. He's no different from these others. He's after our women. I'm not surprised at all that Mark didn't return."
"Then why did you suggest he go? Why send a man to his death if you were so sure?" Rosalind asks.
"I didn't send him to his death. A suspicion is not fact. Even now there is a hint of doubt, isn't there? I could be wrong," Gershom says, dancing all around the truth of what he means.
He's a zmeya, a sand snakes that strikes when you least expect. I'll deal with him, not here, not now, but soon. He's a hidden threat and I don't know why Rosalind and the others don't see it.
"It was an accident," Rosalind answers. "This world is dangerous. Mark knew the risks when he left."
"You would say that," Gershom says.
"Where is Ladon?" I ask Sverre.
"He is with Calista, she is not being allowed out of bed," Sverre says.
The motions of his tail, the rustle of his wings, and the green tinge to the edge of his scales shows he's worried.
"How bad is it?" I ask and Sverre shakes his head in response. "Jolie?"
Again he shakes his head but his concern is obvious. "She's fine, so far," he says. "We do not know. There are too many questions and no answers."
"Where have they taken Amara?"
"I will take you," he says, leading us away from the crowd of still arguing humans. Let them. None of them matter like Amara does. They can accept the truth or not as they like. I will not waste my time trying to convince them.
Chapter Seven
Amara
"What did you do!" I scream, jerking awake.
The moment my eyes open I know I'm back. It's all gone. The ship, home, is no more. My fighter, gone. I've lost everything that ever mattered and I'm here, in hell, with nothing left.
Again.
I defined my life by that fighter. I was the best. No one could deny it no matter how they tried. Here I'm a two-bit engineer because I'm the best we have. It doesn't matter that I know jack all about engineering. I know how to put a fighter together, which translates to knowing nothing as far as what we need here. There are no fighters to fly or maintain. There's nothing here but a big, empty, hell-hole desert. Fuck Tatooine, fuck Vulcan, fuck this place!
"Lyutik, calm dow-"
"No!" I scream, cutting him off. "And quit calling me that!"
Shidan holds his hands up.
It's his fault, it has to be. Everything was fine, I was back on the ship and happy but he couldn't be okay with that. He pulled me back here.
"Damn you Zmaj and your treasures. I'm no one's treasure! I don't need help, I don't need you!"
"Amara," he says, backing away from me.
I look for something to throw at him. "It's your fault!"
"What is?"
"That I'm here! I'm back here, I was there and everything was back to normal. I was about to show up that son of a bitch Draker. I would have beat him hands down! Then they'd all respect me. They'd know I didn't have help. I worked hard, I earned those damn wings!"
"Yes Amara but you don't understand. That wasn't real it was just a-"
"It was too! Damn it, it was real!"
Shidan shakes his head.
I storm forward, rage pulsing through every muscle of my body. I was happy. Things were how they're supposed to be. My life made sense.
He retreats until he comes up against the wall.
In my fury I press close enough I have to strain my head back to glare at him.
"Amara, the ioza plant, it makes you see hallucinations so you won't fight it, it-"
I slap him. Everything I have goes into the hit. My hand stings then burns like fire as it connects with his face. His head rocks to one side then snaps back and cracks against the wall. His eyes narrow as he turns his head.
"Shut up," I order.
He blinks and looks grim but I don't care. It's his fault. I raise my hand intending to slap him again. As I swing, he grabs my wrist. We're staring into each other's eyes. I swing with my free hand and he grabs it too. Holding me by the wrists he spins, taking me with him and pressing me against the wall. Our lips meet with crushing force. A fire rages in my core. Desire awakens in a blaze I can't control.
He holds my wrists with bruising force. His lips against mine, moving, I resist… at first. Struggling in his grip I push against him but he's big, strong, and in control. I want to escape but I don't. His lips are exotic, tasting of hints of spice. His tongue pushes its way into my mouth, an invader, and despite everything I open myself. My tongue rises to meet his almost like it has a will of its own.
His huge body presses in, his erection pushes into my belly. Heat, clenching need and wetness burn between my legs. I lose myself in his kiss, in the pressure of his hard body against mine. My sensitive nipples are crushed between us as we wrestle for control.
He shifts his grip, taking both my wrists in one hand and holds them up over my head. My shoulders scream discomfort but it only adds fuel to the fire of my desire. With one hand free, he grabs my ass and lowers his hips, pressing what feels like an impossibly large hardness onto my clit through my clothes and I grind against it. Our tongues work against each other, fighting for dominance over the kiss. His lips claim me and in that moment I am his. Helpless, he's in control. It awakens something deep inside. I can't let him have control.
"No," I push back.
He breaks the kiss and we stare into each other's eyes. His confusion is obvious and I want to pull him in close but I can't. I won't. I don't need his help.
"Amara?" he asks.
"Get out," I say, my voice hoarse.
My internal conflict rages but I can't. He lets go of my wrists but remains close. His head tilts to one side and almost every part of me wants to take him but I can't.
"GET OUT!" I scream.
He steps back and I see the pain in his eyes. He's confused, hurt, and it's all my fault and damn it I can't do anything about it.
Anger surges out of the burning fires of desire and I lose it. I hit his chest and connecting with the solid, muscled mass of him feels good so I do it again. I scream at him and he backs up, stepping away with each strike of my fist. He moves out the door and I slam it in his face. Turning I lean against it and slide to the floor.
"I need no one," I whisper, trying to convince myself. "I don't need help. I'm good enough, I'm good enough."
My mantra. How many nights did I lay in my bunk repeating that to myself over and over. They all thought I had help. They didn't think I could have done it on my own. I showed them then and I'll show him and everyone else now. I don't need help.
Climbing to my feet I rinse my face in a bowl of water then go to my bunk. I slip out of my clothes then under the salvaged blanket and stare at the ceiling. His lips were soft. So much softer than I expected. And that flavor, exotic, enticing. Long buried and forgotten need. An itch I haven't scratched in a long time, even before the wreck and destruction of my entire world.
My nipples stiffen at the memory of his strong hands holding me. In that instant I knew I was helpless. I hated it, but then something in me reacted different. Part of me liked it. I could have let him have it. Let him be in control but I had to fight it. He could handle it. The rough cloth of my blanket shifts across the diamond points of my nipples sending a shudder down my spine.
I cover the left with my hand to protect it and heat flares in my breast at my own touch. The memory of his body pressing hard against mine consumes my thoughts. The way he felt, his erection digging into my stomach. He felt huge, massive, and now I'm wondering what his cock looks like. What would it feel like if I let him slide it into me?
My other hand drifts down between my thighs. I'm soaking wet
with desire. Using a light pressure I rub a slow circle over my clitoris while my other hand pinches my nipple making it even harder.
He's strong. I like that. He took control, and he took what he wanted and it felt so damn good. My fingers slide inside. My back arches as I enter myself. I imagine it being him. Pinning me down, he slides into me. Fills me with his massive cock. My pussy spreads to take him in.
Pushing my fingers in and out as I think of him entering me, my core tightens. My fingers graze my clit. My back arches as muscles clench. His spicy, exotic lips claim mine. The bruises on my wrists, the ache in my shoulders as he holds my hands over my head. The way he'd take me, make me his.
I fuck myself faster. My fingers drive in and out as my wetness covers them. Three fingers slide in.
Imagination takes over. He's lifts me up by my wrists and carries me to the bed by hooking a hand under my ass. He squeezes my cheeks pulling my ass open as one of his rough fingers caresses my wetness. My delicate lips part before his touch.
A shudder races through my body. Spreading my fingers I fill myself up and drag them out and up over my clit. Pinching my nipple with my free hand I tug and pull on it as my fingers move faster. The pressure in my core is building. I'm gasping in air as my desire winds tighter.
Throwing me on the bed he leans over. His larger size engulfs me as he lowers himself between my legs. His tongue is rough as he drags along my opening, tasting my sweet wetness. He drives his tongue through my silken folds and I'm carried away to a new place.
My fingers explore as I dream of his tongue. He's dominating but attentive, I know he will be. The attention to detail he shows when he thinks he's caring for me make him an amazing lover. As my core tightens, I can't wait any longer.
His massive cock pushes into my opening. He's big, bigger than anything I've ever had. He slides in slowly, letting me get used to his girth. Nerves alight, everything is on fire. My mind explodes as I'm driven over the edge. Every muscle tightens and knots up, my toes curl and I can't breathe. Awareness returns in a slow pass back to reality as I collapse on the bed and exhaustion hits me.
Dragon's Love: A SciFi Alien Baby Romance (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss Book 3) Page 6
