Bound

by Iona Strom

  “So, you can take that douche bottle and shove it up your ass!” Natu continues to look calmly on while I shoot daggers at him. “Do you hear me, Natu? Kiss. My. Ass.” I give my head a firm shake. “Not gonna be forced to douche. Not even for you.”

  There’s just something so rude about forcing personal hygiene on someone else. That would be like me pushing a toothbrush in Nulis’ hand and telling him to go brush his teeth. I would never do that—Tic Tac suggestion aside—it’s rude!

  “What’s with the sudden scrub down, anyway? I’ve never had to do this before?”

  Setting the bottle aside, Natu steps in closer, bringing his clothed form more into the spray. Placing his hands on my shoulders as if I were a disobedient child, he speaks to me in a composed, explanatory voice.

  “Avay.” He pauses. “The cleansing ritual must be completed before the ceremony, so you are properly presented to Xuel. As your primarius, you must honor him in this way.”

  With the mention of Xuel’s name, I can’t ignore that all the soap and rinse routine has something to do with him.

  As if a piano had just been dropped on my head, it suddenly hits me that it must be Xuel’s turn. The male I’ve been craving wants me washed before he’ll have sex with me.

  Makes sense.

  Xuel appears to be the one in charge, so Natu has been tasked with getting me cleaned up. Besides, Xuel doesn’t come across as a male who would accept sloppy seconds… or fifths, in my case.

  I hesitate only a moment before reaching for the slender bottle that was set aside.

  “Turn around. I’m not doing this with an audience,” I say, twirling my finger in a circle.

  Natu looks at me sideways, so I give his shoulder a nudge, rolling my eyes at the grin spreading across his face as he presents his back.

  Sniffing at the blue liquid, I get a nose full of cotton candy. Xuel must have a sweet tooth because there’s not a single thing Natu cleansed me with that doesn’t smell like a cavity-causing treat.

  Speaking of treats…

  Yum. Xuel. Now that’s a male I can’t wait to sink my teeth into. Yes. Spoken like a true slut. I admit I’ve more than embraced the station forced upon me. Panning my eyes down Natu’s muscular back, how could I not, given who my captors are.

  Examining the bottle clutched in my hand, I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what I’m about to do. Positioning the tip at my entrance, I’m doubtful of the penetration. Though small in diameter, the ease of insertion without a slippery coating is sure to be uncomfortable.

  Giving the bottle a gentle squeeze, a line of the fluid inside leaks out over the edge and drips down my fingers. Silky smooth, I use it to coat the outside. Before I chicken out, I widen my stance and push the bottle home. I squeeze out the in a forceful eruption; the warmth that begins to heat up my insides has me worried. I swear there’s a shifting deep inside before the heat levels off and begins to cool.

  “Natu,” I give his shoulder a tap. “What the hell is this stuff?”

  It’s a little too late to be asking now, but…

  “Why did it get all warm?” I ask as he turns to face me.

  His face glows when he sees the empty bottle in my hand and takes note of the blue liquid now leaking down my legs.

  “Avay! You are now ready to complete the ceremony to become shoulsis to your preferred males.”

  Natu’s excitement does nothing to ease my concerns.

  Taking the spray head in hand, Natu pulls it from the wall and starts to rinse away all the suds that still coats my body. Last place he shows attention is between my thighs. With a blast of spray, he hits me directly in the center. A wave of desire licks me senseless, and all I can think of is having Xuel where the water is splashing my sex.

  I whine when Natu takes away that which was giving me pleasure. Wrapped in the familiar material that’s doubled as my toga for as long as I’ve been here, I follow Natu into the main room. I stay put towel drying the length of my hair as Natu crosses the room to a full-length cabinet. Popping the door, it’s filled with an array of beautifully colored dresses—a feast for the eyes.

  Natu sifts through the selections and pulls free a silvery confection of gossamer cloth. Diaphanous and light, the material appears to float as he holds the length above the floor to carry over for my inspection.

  “Is that for me?” Reaching out a hand, I’m afraid to touch the delicate weave. “Wow! Do you males have a band of fairies stashed away somewhere, weaving cloth I don’t know about?”

  Carrying the shimmering fabric over to a hook, Natu hangs up the garment. Leaning over, he pulls open a long drawer nestled inside the illuminated wall and lifts out a long, thick chain. The links glisten and sparkle as if made of diamonds. That too is hung on the hook. Next to come are silvery bands, much like the bronze ones the males wear to gather together their waist-length hair.

  The door suddenly dissolves, making me jump. Stepping inside are two of the child-sized creatures with the rows of shark teeth and pink eyes. One of which carries my ash wood chest full of trinkets. Natu assists with finding an empty alcove to store it.

  I suppose this means I’ve officially moved in.

  The second creature carries a sack made from some poor animal’s hide. Setting its load down on a table, it releases a bench stored inside the wall and pats the seat with its child-like hand.

  I don’t move a muscle. The last time I got up close and personal with one of those things, I nearly shit myself, so I keep my distance despite the continued patting to coax me to sit.

  Natu circles a hand around my waist, escorting me to the bench. The child-like alien steps aside as I reluctantly sit.

  “The leelia will not harm you. They are gentle people. They are here to ready you for the ceremony. I must leave you to prepare myself.” Natu squeezes my hand. “You are safe with them.”

  Natu steps aside, and the child-like creatures begin to move around me with purpose. One empties the contents of the bag while the other places the items in some sort of order. With a small hand the color of my own flesh, the creature pulls free a shiny panel, thin as paper, out of a crevice in the wall.

  Shocked to see my own reflection after all this time, I don’t go into a panic as Natu leaves me in the room alone with the shark-toothed twins.

  Leaning in to get a closer look at the stranger with the familiar face, I’m not sure if the fact I don’t recognize myself is because it’s been so long since I’ve seen my reflection or that I’ve changed so much. Whatever the reason, my skin glows with health and vitality. My hair is lustrous and full of body even though it still hangs wet from my shower. I haven’t looked this good since high school.

  Dragging a boxy stool behind where I’m perched on the edge of the bench, one of the creatures steps up behind me. With a palm up, its creepy twin hands over a triple-layered comb. Equipped with terrifying faces fit for a horror movie, I keep my gaze averted away and concentrate on what they’re doing.

  The first swipe of the comb through the length of my tresses and my eyelids grow heavy. Once I’m tangle-free, a sheet of fabric covers my hair. A jar is opened, and a small hand scoops up the healing ointment I’ve come to know as jakato.

  Shrinking back as the creature’s hand nears my face, I try to avoid the contact. A touch to my shoulder stops my backward movement. Completely stiff, I hold my breath and give in to the touch. Smoothing the ointment over my face, the facial is proving not to be as bad as I thought. Knowing Natu wouldn’t put in me harm’s way, I force my muscles to relax and shut my eyes.

  Hmm… new dresses, new room, treated to a spa day—my males must be feeling guilty over keeping me locked up in that boring ass prison.

  The second layer is an almond-scented cream applied over the first. My feet and calves are next on the agenda. With a gentle massage to my forearms and wrists accompanied by an unusual manicure, I’m completely relaxed.

  The facial cream is then wiped away with a moist, warm cloth.

 
; The shock of looking at their faces is like a Halloween mask on crack, so I keep my eyes closed as the sheet of fabric is removed from my hair, and something that feels like a bristle brush touches my scalp, making several passes all the way to the ends of my hair.

  Both creatures begin to fuss over me, arranging my hair to sweep away from my face. I enjoy the attention and let them do what they want. Fasteners are then applied to hold my hair where they want it.

  Too curious not to look, I crack open my eyes.

  Pleasantly surprised and confused how my hair became completely dry with no heat applied, I don’t immediately notice the change to my skin until I lean into the odd mirror for a closer look.

  My eyes go all buggy. My jaw hangs by the hinges.

  In the few minutes these two have been playing beauty salon, I’ve become younger—as if the hands of time were thrown into reverse, back is the plump fullness of youth in my cheeks. Gone is the haunt of aging that threatened to line my face and darken the delicate skin beneath my eyes.

  “What was the other cream you used? The almond-scented one.” I turn to ask the creature closest to me.

  With a tilt of its head, I didn’t expect to be understood. Picking up the jar of jakato and the unknown almond cream, I hold them both aloft and try again.

  “This is jakato,” I say jogging the one cream I know, and the creatures nod. I do the same to the other. “What is this other cream?”

  The shark-toothed twins share a look. Then the most bizarre sounds begin to emanate from their mouths as they communicate with each other. This is the first time I’ve ever heard them vocalize anything, and it’s proving damn near impossible not to stare at their thin lips moving over their razor teeth with all those strange clicks mixed with sing-song words.

  Finished with their conversation, their attention swings back to me.

  “Ne-click-athew.”

  “Nee-click-athew,” I repeat. Vigorously shaking their heads, I admit my click was more like a cluck, but surely, I didn’t screw it up that bad.

  “Ne-click-athew,” the creature repeats, making hand gestures as if to describe something.

  Oh yeah, alien charades. This should be interesting.

  Standing taller, the creature strikes a pose by curling up its arms as if it’s trying to look larger. Then touches the top of its head and makes a long sweeping motion down to the middle of its body.

  “Ne-click-athew.” It repeats doing more of that posing.

  My head shakes slowly as I try to decipher what the hell it’s trying to say.

  “Ne-click-athew.” More with the sweeping hand down its back.

  “Natu!” I clap my hands together. “Are you saying Natu?”

  Their happy smiles —with the rows upon rows of terrifying teeth— fade as I recoil, a knee jerk reaction that concedes to guilt. These two have done nothing to make me fear them. Now that I’ve hurt their feelings, I have to find some way to make amends.

  “Sorry,” I begin. “That was rude of me.”

  Offering a hand to each of them, my heart is hammering, but I stay steady.

  “Thank you for my spa day. It was lovely to be pampered.”

  The creatures exchange a wary look before extending their own hands. Small and oh so human, they briefly touch my palms before pulling away. I smile. This time I don’t freak out when they smile in return.

  “What is it you’re trying to tell me about Natu?”

  A long moment ticks by before one of the creatures holds up a hand, making a talking gesture and points to the cream.

  “I should ask Natu about the cream?”

  Large, blinking pink eyes stare in answer. Their unresponsiveness is what I expected from beings who don’t speak the same language.

  One creature remains with me as the other retrieves the silvery dress and diamond chain. Discarding the fabric wrapped around me, I’m excited to know the feel of that twinkling material on my body.

  With the help of my new friends, I’m draped in the filmy fabric. Shimmering and light, it’s as if I’m clothed in a whisper. I repress the urge to twirl around.

  Next to come is the sparkling chain. Now I know what a Christmas present must feel like being fitted with a bow. With one creature at my back and the other to my front, they pass the chain back and forth between them, creating a bodice from an intricate weave.

  Stepping back, they stand side-by-side, looking me over with a critical eye—another adjustment here, a tuck there and more toothy grins. Seemingly satisfied with their handiwork, I turn to take a look in the mirror.

  Stunning!

  Not that I’m tooting my own horn, but I don’t ever remember a time when I was more pleased with my appearance. Not even that strapless, after-five dress I begged my mother for senior prom looked this good on me.

  Overtaken with the need, I swish around in a fast twirl, causing the skirting to float out in all directions. Prancing around to keep the silvery fabric afloat, I’m lost in the playful moment.

  Abruptly, I stop my girlish flouncing when I notice my audience has turned serious, bowed at the waist, the hoods of their robing hide their faces. Hands tucked into the long sleeves; I can see nothing of the two beings that stand before me.

  Clearing my throat, I keep my voice low. “What are you all doing?”

  Slowly, their heads rise. Looking up at me with their pink eyes, I find adoration there that carries me back a step. As if choreographed, they make some synchronized hand movements and bow before me again.

  Swallowing hard, my belly flutters wildly. All this preparation is beginning to feel less like a spa day and more like something else.

  Chapter 9

  Two more of the child-like creatures present themselves at my door. Ushered out of my room and into the corridor, I’m surrounded by the creatures.

  We travel as a group in the opposite direction, away from my prison but also away from that gigantic window where I was hoping for another look. My consolation prize at being denied the epic view is freedom—more freedom than I’ve had since I was brought aboard.

  I wonder at the extent of that freedom. Am l allowed to roam the hallways alone or be out of my room without an escort?

  I glance at the waist-high creatures around me. I could easily break away and outrun them. So tempting. But then where would I go? It’s a little too early to be testing boundaries when winning the trust of my captors is my next step.

  The endless curve of the corridor comes to an unexpected end. The familiar structure peppers a wash of chills over my skin as we near a hatch embedded in the wall—so similar to the one the turquoise female tried to escape the grey aliens that abducted us. My feet freeze, refusing to go near it.

  That’s definitely not a door into another room. That looks way more substantial, more like a door that leads off the ship.

  Are they sending me back? Back to the sex-slavers on that red-earthed planet to be chained to the wall for sale or given over to my original captors? Is that what all the bathing was about? To clean me up before returning me?

  Without realizing I’ve moved, my back makes contact with the warmth of the curving wall. Whirling around, I trip over my own feet, trying to get back to my new room but landing hard on my backside. Scrambling to my feet, my four traveling companions look on with concern and move toward me while one stays near the hatch to access the panel.

  One touch and the panel releases the hatch with a soundless slide, revealing an encapsulated pod. Turning to run, the other three easily catch me and drag me over. Their underestimated strength is shocking as I’m manhandled into the tightly enclosed space.

  The hatch slides home, and I release a strangled cry. The four aliens inside look at me as if I’ve lost my mind. As the pod begins to move, my panic rises faster than our slow ascent.

  My heartbeat jackrabbits. Just before I explode with my rising panic, the hatch opens. I lunge out, my forward momentum rushing me down what looks like the exact same corridor I just left.

  Regat
hering around me, my escorts slow me to a stop. My breaths are quick and fast as I frantically look around. Small hands begin touching me, fussing over my silvery attire that’s now in disarray.

  Forward is my only directional choice. I want away from their fluttering attention. My long strides carry me down the endless corridor as they scurry to keep up, rapidly clicking in that sing-song language to each other. I can only imagine what they’re saying.

  Making some headway, I manage to avoid their grasping hands as the corridor’s curve puts some distance between them and me. Glancing back as I begin to run, the floaty material of my dress catches around my legs tripping me up. Ping-ponging off the walls, I throw out my hands to keep from falling when my palm lands on a panel, and I trigger a dissolving door.

  Coming to a halt, I peer inside. It’s a space outfitted very much like my new room, so I move down the hall, searching for more panels as I go. The next panel I come to doesn’t open. Undeterred, I try another. The next room I access is identical to what I’ve already seen—an spacious studio with a bed and a sitting arrangement.

  The next panel down, my four escorts catch up to me. Gathering around, their hands rush to straighten my dress and hair. I take a few steps back, my anxiety ratcheting up a notch. I don’t understand any of this or why I’m here.

  Taking stock of my surroundings, there is nowhere to go. Like a hamster in a cage, this spaceship is my prison until I can get myself back to Earth.

  One of the creatures reaches up and accesses the panel to the door I’m facing. Different from the others, I come forward and lean in, peering into the crowded space. There are lots of creatures I’ve never seen before, all lined up, side-by-side—row upon row. My three males are lined up as well, mirroring the audience they face.

  It’s another auction to sell me off!

  I’m surrounded once again by my four traveling companions, configured in that same formation as when we first started down the corridor one level below. Panic overwhelms me, but instead of bolting back the way I came, I push aside the alien in front of me and sprint into the room and head directly for Natu. I drop to my knees in front of him, wrapping my arms around his legs, I beg to remain with them.