by Luna Voss
He extends his hand, and I allow him to help me out of the carriage.
The carnage isn’t as bad as I feared it would be. Several of Drokal’s warriors are dead, but I can see that it was Clan Broga that took the worst of the assault. Most of the bodies on the ground have blue face paint.
Drokal addresses his remaining soldiers, now all grouped around the front of the caravan:
“Once again, Clan Broga proves that they are the lesser tribe!” he shouts, and his warriors roar their approval. “We burn the dead. And then we continue on.”
Chapter Nine
We ride for several more hours, until the evening. Finally, we arrive at a spot on a hill, surrounded by trees, and Drokal orders that we make camp.
I have to say, it impresses me how quickly the Kyrzons are able to construct and deconstruct a camp while traveling. It takes less than an hour for Drokal’s cohort to set up, and by the time it’s dark, there’s a miniature city of tents on the hill, and meat roasting on fires.
As before, Drokal’s tent is in the middle. It’s clearly a place of honor, as his dwelling seems to be the largest and nicest in the whole camp. This time, his tent is set up with a table and chairs inside. He leads me inside, his arm wrapped around me protectively once again as we move through the camp.
“You may sit down. We’re having dinner together tonight,” he informs me.
Okay, then.
“What are we eating?” I ask him. I’m definitely hungry.
“Salad and roasted pig,” he grunts.
I smile. Pigs are one of the animals that humans brought to Kyrzon from Earth. We brought them to farm, and now, feral hogs run wild all over the entire planet, or at least this part of it. They’re basically part of the ecosystem. There’s something comforting about knowing that the Kyrzons eat them, too.
It’s almost like home.
A pair of Kyrzons enter the tent bearing food, both of them carefully avoiding looking at me. They put several platters down in between us, then stay to light the fire pit in the middle of the tent. I’m glad to have them light the fire: the night is starting to get cold, and I’m very appreciative of its warmth, as well as its flickering light.
The two warriors take their leave, closing the tent flap behind them. I’m left sitting across the table from Chief Drokal. It’s really a very cozy scene, with the fire next to us and the whole tent lined with warm furs.
“Please, eat,” says the chief, digging into his own plate. “You must be hungry.”
I am, and I do. I’m pleased as I bite in and notice that the food is delicious. The Kyrzons are clearly using some kind of spice that I’m not familiar with, but I like it very much.
Of course, anything would probably taste good right now, considering how hungry I am. I haven’t eaten all day.
“You enjoy the food?” Drokal asks, watching me eat.
“Yes, I do,” I tell him in between bites. “It’s very good.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he says. “I was worried it wouldn’t be to your taste.”
Drokal starts to eat, and I steal a glance at him while he’s chewing. He doesn’t eat like a brute at all. In fact, he’s quite well-mannered. Not something I would have expected from someone I watched pull his sword out of another man’s back earlier today.
“You’re thinking about the attack?” he asks me, as though reading my thoughts.
“Yeah, kind of,” I admit. “I’ve never been around violence like that before. It was… shocking to me.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Drokal says, and he looks like he means it. “Our way of life is hard. I can’t pretend that it isn’t. But I want you to know that I will do everything I can to protect you from experiencing that kind of violence ever again.”
The way he’s looking at me, I can tell that he’s being earnest. I look down at my plate, a little bit abashed. I’m not used to having people making promises like that to me.
“Do you have any questions you would like to ask me?” he asks. “I know this must feel like a very big change for you. Is there any information I can give you that would make it easier?”
I hesitate. I hadn’t expected him to offer that. Finally, I decide to ask a question that’s been gnawing at me since this morning.
“At the auction. When you were yelling at Chief Broga. You were saying that you had taken Chief Gutter’s land and his energy and his women. You said that your men would mate with his women.” I try to word this carefully. “Is it… is it common for Kyrzons to mate with their prisoners?”
Drokal thinks for a moment before he answers. “Among Clan Drokal, it is forbidden,” he tells me. “It is forbidden to mate with any woman who is not willing.” He takes a bite of his food, and chews it slowly as he considers his words. “But in the Kyrzon world, defeat in battle means assimilation. If I am able to dominate another tribe and kill its chief, its soldiers and its women will naturally fall to me. They will become a part of Clan Drokal. At that point, it is only natural for some of the women to take new mates.”
I chew my own food as I consider this. It’s certainly a very different mentality then we have in New Sutter. It amazes me how different life must be for those human women who have no choice but to enter the Kyrzon world.
Women like me.
“Why don’t you allow your soldiers to mate with captives?” I ask him. I have to admit, I’m both surprised and intrigued by the idea that a savage like him would have principles. Perhaps my understanding of Kyrzon morality is in need of some revision.
Drokal recoils, as though the very question offends him. “You have to ask that?” he responds fiercely. “Would you?”
“No,” I tell him quickly, taken aback by the strength of his response. “I guess I was just… surprised. In Human Territory, we hear a lot of stories about Kyrzon violence.”
“And I don’t doubt that many of them are true,” says the chief. “We are a violent people. I don’t deny that. But we live in a violent world. I’m not sure that we Kyrzons are much better suited for life on this planet than you humans are.”
I try to process what he means by this. Aren’t Kyrzons native to this hostile world? Didn’t they literally evolve to survive in this environment?
I decide to save this line of questioning for later. There are other things I want to ask.
“You said that when Clan Broga attacked us, they were trying to steal me. Why?”
Drokal laughs. “Because you are valuable.”
“Why am I valuable?”
“Cleopatra, Kyrzon females are extremely rare. It is why our peoples arranged the breeding auctions hundreds of years ago. Even the Kyrzon females that do exist, it is very uncommon for them to be fertile. For that reason, every human woman is valuable. It is through breeding with human women that we are able to maintain our species.”
“I know that,” I say, somewhat impatiently, “but you bid 100,000 power units for me. 100,000 power units! I know that isn’t a common price for a Bride. Why were you willing to pay such a high price?”
He smiles, and looks me directly in the eyes. I meet his gaze, resisting the urge to look down.
“You were worth 100,000 power units to me because I wanted you,” Drokal says simply. “Today was not my first auction, and I am not a poor man. I know what is available to me. I wanted you. I would have paid that price ten times over if it had been required of me.”
I stare down at my plate, my face burning red. For an alien warrior, Chief Drokal certainly has a way with words.
Chapter Ten
“I have a question for you, Cleopatra,” Drokal says to me as we sit across from each other at dinner in his tent.
“Cleo,” I murmur.
“What?”
“You can call me Cleo,” I tell him. “Most people do.”
He smiles. “Okay. Cleo. I have a question for you.”
“Yes?” I ask.
“When I first purchased you. At the auction. What were you thinking?”<
br />
I hesitate. The truth is, that whole experience was such a blur that I really don’t know what I was thinking, looking back. I don’t know that I was thinking. More like reacting.
“I was scared,” I tell him honestly.
“Scared of me?”
I think about it for a moment. “Not exactly,” I say. “I was scared of the whole situation. Of all the Kyrzons in the room yelling. I didn’t know who would buy me, or what was about to happen.”
I think about it a little more. I remember my eyes meeting Drokal’s from across the room, and noticing how handsome he was. I remember the spark of attraction that passed between us in that moment.
“Are you still scared?” he asks.
“No,” I tell him, and I actually mean it. I don’t think I realized it until this exact moment, but from the beginning of this entire experience, Drokal is the only person who I’ve really felt safe around. He’s fierce, yes, and probably terrifying to his enemies, but to me, he’s never been anything other than gentle. To me, he’s actually been incredibly protective.
“I’m glad you’re not scared,” he tells me, his expression surprisingly tender.
I look back at him, feeling a sudden flash of affection for the enormous warrior.
“I thought you were handsome when I saw you at the auction.”
The words slip out before I even know what I’m saying. I look down at my plate, blushing fiercely. I can’t believe I just admitted that to him.
When I finally gather the courage to look back at him, he’s staring at me with an expression that I don’t know how to read.
“Come here,” Drokal says to me, gesturing with his hand.
I stand up from my chair, my heart pumping. I walk over to him, and he pulls me onto his lap. I feel so small and feminine as he wraps his enormous arms around me, enveloping me. My whole body is buzzing with excitement, the feeling of his hard, muscular form undeniably stimulating. He begins to stroke my hair, his touch soft.
“I paid 100,000 power units because I couldn’t bear to let anyone else have you,” Drokal whispers to me. “I paid 100,000 power units because I couldn’t leave the auction house without knowing you were mine.” I look back at him, and our faces are very close together. When he continues, his voice is quiet, but very serious: “Cleo, I paid 100,000 power units for you because from the very moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew I needed to make you pregnant with my baby.”
I shiver, and not because it’s cold. I’ve never had anyone speak to me like that before. And I’ve certainly never had anyone look at me the way Drokal is looking at me right now. It’s as though he’s hungry for me. As though with every fiber of his being, he wants to make me his.
Maybe I’ve seen too many Earth movies. Maybe I’ve read too many Earth romance novels. Maybe I’m just tired, overwhelmed with the events of the day, and probably also a little horny.
But before I know what I’m doing, and without even thinking about it, I lean in and I kiss him on the lips.
Drokal reacts with surprise. He doesn’t kiss me back. For a moment he almost seems frozen, as though he’s not sure what to do in response.
I turn away from him, humiliated. I can’t believe I just embarrassed myself like that. What was I thinking? How did I let myself get lost in the moment like that? I’ve never even kissed a man before, and this is the situation I choose for my first time?
I try to get up from Drokal’s lap, but he keeps his hands on me, holding me in place. I turn back to glare at him, my cheeks burning. I want to yell at him, to order him to let me go.
And then Drokal moves his hand to the back of my head, and pulls me into a deep kiss.
Electricity buzzes through me as our lips meet. I melt against him, my embarrassment immediately forgotten.
So this is what kissing feels like?
I like kissing.
I wiggle myself around until I’m facing him, straddling his lap. Drokal continues to kiss my lips, our mouths moving around in concert, both of us exploring this new, sensuous act. I allow my mouth to open, only slightly, and he invades it with his tongue, probing my lips eagerly. I’m amazed at how sensitive my mouth is, and how good everything feels. I didn’t realize kissing would be like this.
Drokal continues to dominate my mouth with his tongue, his demeanor fierce, as though he’s claiming his territory. He moves his huge hands down to my waist, his touch making me feel very feminine. I keep kissing him, my mouth glued to his, not wanting this moment to end. I feel sexy, elated, as though everything else is a blur. I’ve never felt like this before. What Chief Drokal and I are doing together is wonderfully vivid and intense.
His hands move lower. They slide down my waist and he begins to cup my rear end, pawing at it, kneading it. I suppress a little shiver of surprise. I’ve never had anyone touch me there before. It feels naughty somehow, forbidden.
I start to notice something as I straddle Drokal’s lap.
Something big and hard.
Something that seems to be getting bigger.
Underneath me, pressing into my crotch, I feel an enormous lump that I realize must be Drokal’s erection. Unconsciously, I start to wiggle my hips on top of it, grinding myself against it as we kiss.
Oh fuck, that feels good.
Before long, I’m rocking back and forth on top of him, dragging my lower body over his bulge. I get a burst of pleasure every time I do so. It’s wonderful, addicting, yet also maddeningly limited.
I want more.
I feel Drokal’s hands slip underneath my dress and begin to touch my bare ass. Pure physical excitement surges through me, my heartbeat going into overdrive at the feeling of his fingers so close to my sensitive places. He pushes my dress up to my waist, exposing my lower body, and I moan. I start to grind against him even more fervently, my movement no longer restricted by the dress.
The war chief, apparently, wants more of me. He pushes my dress up higher, then guides my arms above my head so that he can slip it off entirely. I feel myself blushing as I allow him to do so. I can’t believe I’m letting him take my dress off. I can’t believe I’m doing any of this.
I press myself against him, embarrassed to let him see my naked chest. He grins, resisting, groping my breasts as I continue to kiss him. I moan without even meaning to. Feeling his huge hands on me is incredible. He’s gentle, but assertive as his fingers stimulate my nipples, causing me to squirm.
The bulge on Drokal’s lap is positively enormous now. I can feel my arousal mounting as I rub myself against it, warmth spreading from in between my legs. He kisses his way down my neck to my chest, his mouth exploring my breasts, and his lips close around one of my nipples. I gasp.
He makes eye contact, his expression pleased. “You enjoy this?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say, blushing.
Any further words I might have had are cut short as he returns his mouth to my nipple, and I begin to moan. Drokal is shockingly good at playing with my breasts. I’ve never felt anything like this before.
Nervousness and excitement shoot through me as I feel one of his hands move lower on my body, clearly heading to the place in between my legs. I hold my breath in anticipation, all of my attention focused on this new development. The idea of having another person touch me there is nerve-racking, but in this moment, I’m a little bit shocked at just how badly I want it.
I sigh as Drokal begins to touch me over my panties. His touch is gentle, soft, almost not stimulating enough. I buck my hips, grinding myself against his hand, desperate for more. He takes the hint, touching me with more pressure, and soon, I’m bobbing and moaning as he rubs me through the thin fabric of my underwear.
“You’re very wet down there,” he murmurs, frowning.
“That’s normal,” I tell him with a laugh. “It happens when I’m… excited.”
He grins. “Does that mean that you’re excited now?”
I look down, a little bit embarrassed. “Yes. I’m wet, aren’t I?”
> “You are indeed,” says the chief, and he slips his hand under the waistband of my panties.
I gasp at the sudden intensity of the skin-on-skin contact. Drokal slides his fingers down slowly, through my soft pubic hair, until he finds the source of my wetness. My breathing increases as he begins to stroke my opening.
“I like it when you touch me there,” I whisper to him, my voice trembling with excitement.
Chapter Eleven
Chief Drokal presses his lips back against mine, his fingers moving inside my panties. I cling to him, overwhelmed by the intensity of this new experience. The fire rages next to us, casting a flickering, golden glow over everything inside the tent. Outside, I can hear the wind picking up, blowing harshly through the trees.
Inside the tent, nothing matters but me and Chief Drokal. I’m in a frenzy. I feel almost like I’m drunk. All I care about is the feeling of his lips on my mouth and the incredible, delicious sensation of him rubbing me in between my legs.
I’m still straddling him. With a growl, he stands up from his chair, picking me up along with him, almost knocking over the table in the process. I wrap my legs around him, clutching him as he lifts me into the air.
Drokal places me down on the warm, soft furs lining the ground next to the fire. He looks down at me, hunger in his eyes, as though drinking in my almost-naked form. I look back, my chest heaving, feeling vulnerable but elated.
The great war chief begins to unclasp the raptor-hide cuirass that he’s wearing on his upper body. I watch, captivated. I’m eager to see what his muscular torso looks like uncovered.
I knew that Drokal was powerfully built, but I’m still not prepared for the glistening, chiseled muscles that removing his cuirass reveals. He looks almost impossibly strong, his chest and biceps bulging, thick veins running up his arms like cords. He looks like he could tear me in half if he wanted to.
I reach up with my hand and find his crotch. He grunts, looking down at me. I start to stroke him over his pants, and for a moment, his eyes close. He’s clearly enjoying himself. Then he reaches down and starts to unbuckle his thick leather belt.
