by Amber Stuart
“What’s wrong?” I asked, taking note of Skraykirr’s weary eyes and dull skin.
“The Guruthun raiders have penetrated the defenses of Saltar City,” he said, not wasting time. “The situation is dire. We need reinforcements, and we need you. I hesitated to call upon you on the day of your coronation, but I would not have done so otherwise.”
“I see,” I said, a pit of unease rising in my stomach. Skraykirr wanted me to come help his army. It would be an emergency mission, and a dangerous one, at that. “Would an auxiliary force be enough to help defeat them?”
“Yes,” said Skraykirr. “We can defeat them in this skirmish. But if they take over Saltar City, we will lose the entire planet.”
“I’ll come,” I said, sighing. Skraykirr hung up. I had been hoping to have the week off, without any emergencies to deal with. At least I could be thankful that this had happened after the coronation, and not while I had been on Earth, getting Maia. She was not going to like the news.
I also resented the fact that we were going to be torn apart, right when we were warming up to each other. I walked to her chambers, making sure that she was ready before I entered.
She beamed when she saw me. “I’m ready for our outing!”
I frowned. “I have bad news, Maia,” I said. “I will need to go on an emergency mission to Saltar 7.”
“What’s happening on Saltar 7?”
“The Guruthun are fighting for control of the planet. If I do not bring my auxiliary forces, then we will lose the colony.”
“Oh.” Her face fell. “So you have to go. And it’ll be dangerous.”
“I do. But I will keep you updated.”
“I suppose it can’t be helped,” she said, shrugging.
There was a moment of hesitation while we figured out how to say goodbye to each other. In a burst of spontaneity, she ran up to me and threw her arms around me, squeezing tightly. “Be safe,” she said quietly.
“I will.”
I turned and left before I could feel worse about leaving her. Selmine had told my crew to get the ship ready. They were unhappy about leaving as well—coronation day should have been a holiday for everyone—but we had to do what we had to do. When I arrived at the spaceport, we were ready to leave, along with the auxiliary ships.
It was a short ride to Saltar 7, even shorter than it was to Earth. If it had been any farther, I would not have been able to arrive in time to help. We saw the bright flashes of the battle surrounding the planet, as ships darted around each other. But this fight wasn’t going to just be in the sky—it was going to be on the ground. I would have to get ready to bring my inner animal out.
We prepared to land and transform. I knew that my soul animal—a wolf, from Earth—was going to be most effective against the fleshy bodies of the Guruthun. They had excellent weapons technology, but I knew my wolf body would be agile enough to dart around their blasts.
Saltar 7 was primarily a water planet, named for the immense amount of salt in its oceans. It was very much like Earth in that respect, except that the oceans were full of more valuable minerals, rather than the land itself. We had set up underwater mines to extract these minerals, which the Guruthun were also after. However, we needed the small pieces of land to store our ships and live on, so we were vulnerable. The Guruthun, being a primarily aquatic species, had the advantage.
The piece of land that Saltar City was on was ringed by beaches, where most of the fighting took place. I saw an assortment of clawed and fanged species from all parts of the galaxy, including Earth. After parking at the spaceport, my crew and I fell into our animal forms and ran towards the beaches, into the fray.
As I ran, I fell forward, my hands and feet turning into wolf claws and a coat of gray fur covering my body. My sense of smell became more acute and my hearing sharper. I was ready for battle.
I immediately tackled a Guruthun raider, slashing at his body with my claws. His skin ripped easily and a clear, plasma-like liquid oozed out. But his round, blobby body didn’t betray any pain. If I didn’t kill him immediately, he would be able to regenerate as soon as he went back into the water. I fell on him with force, clawing and biting until I was sure he was done, biting his gun as well so that it would be useless. The Guruthun were physically weak, but their weapons could kill in just one or two hits.
I lost track of time as I kept fighting. More than once, I nearly got hit by one of the guns. One of the blasts nearly grazed me, sending a painful electric shock through my leg. I howled with rage and fear, shuddering to think of what a full blast would feel like.
The battle was so dense that I could not keep track of my crew. I could only hope that they were safe. The scene was chaotic; every time I defeated one Guruthun, I would turn around to be faced with yet another.
After what seemed like several hours, I was exhausted, yet it seemed like our progress was painfully slow. Having the battle so close to water was a problem; every time the tide washed over them, the Guruthuns’ skin started healing automatically. I growled in frustration. We were going to win this battle, but only because we had reinforcements. If the reinforcements had not been able to come in time, or if the Guruthun had sent a larger army, we would have been defeated. We would have lost the planet, and even its entire solar system.
The Guruthun eventually surrendered to avoid further loss of life, but we could tell that they were feeling cocky because of their wide, frog-like grins, promising that they would be back, stronger than before. They knew that they had an enormous advantage, and that we were wearing thin. How many troops could we deploy in the name of protecting this one planet?
I sent Maia a message as soon as I got back to my ship. I didn’t want her to see me dirty and bruised, so I sent only an audio recording. “Maia, I’m fine,” I started. “The battle was tough and we lost some good men. But my crew and I sustained light injuries. We will be back as soon as we are able, within a few hours, I hope.”
I had a lot to think about on the flight back. The current forms we had gleaned from Earth and our other colonies were not sufficient. Lions, tigers, bears, and wolves were all fearsome creatures. The humans were scared of them, and with good reason. But they were not as effective as we had hoped on the Guruthun, simply because of their healing abilities. I ran my brain through all of the possibilities I could think of. Earth had the highest level of biodiversity, so it was our best bet; Tirik didn’t have any aquatic predators that I knew of. But what kind of Earth animal would be a match for the Guruthun? I would have to do more research.
I already had some knowledge about the creatures of Earth. My formative years, from my childhood to my young adulthood, had happened while our fleet had invaded Earth and remained there to oversee the colonization. I had been able to return to Tirik towards the end, but I came back with a wide variety of forms to use for battle and for leisure. One of these had been my soul animal, the first creature I chose to take.
I cheered up a little when I remembered that I still hadn’t shown Maia the secret room. She too, would be able to find her soul animal, now that she was officially married to me. I smiled and looked out over the bridge, watching the blue gem of Tirik zooming up towards us. I couldn’t wait to see my wife again.
CHAPTER SIX
Maia
I was so relieved to hear from Tal, and to be honest, I was surprised at how relieved I was. Had I become so attached to him that the thought of losing him was unbearable? It sure seemed that way. I paced around the grounds anxiously, eager to see the shadow of his ship landing at the spaceport. I could see the place from my window, a domed structure a few miles away from the castle. Ships and hovers swarmed around it like tiny insects.
While he was gone, I had a videochat with my sister. The money had come through, just like Galactic Matrimony had promised, and now my whole family would never want for anything. I felt an altruistic burst of pleasure in my heart. I had done the right thing; I knew it now.
Now
that Tal was coming back, it would finally be time for us to consummate our marriage. I tingled at the thought. I had slowly been getting used to his touch; his hand on my shoulder felt comforting now, not unwelcome. It didn’t hurt that he looked good. But even if a guy looked good, being touched by him was a different story. And then, there was the fact that I was a virgin.
I was looking forward to finally getting in bed with him. When I was a teenager, I had always mused about how I would lose my virginity. Now I knew the answer. It wasn’t just a hypothetical anymore; it was really going to happen. Instead of feeling apprehensive, I felt excited. When I thought of his hands on my breasts or legs, my heart rate increased and jitters went up and down my spine.
“The King is here,” said Melisse, a soft smile on her face.
It took me a moment to remember that Tal was a king now. That made me a queen, I thought. His tall form appeared in the doorway to my corridor. He didn’t look like he had been through a battle at all—his skin was bright and smooth, and his eyes were clear. He looked energized.
He walked up to me and picked me up in a bear hug, lifting me right off the floor. I buried my face in his chest. Wow, I had missed his smell. And now that he was holding me in his arms, I never wanted to let him go.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I started gushing, “I was really worried and I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened…”
He put a finger to my lips and looked at me, his eyes a dark shade of purple-crimson. “It’s okay, my Queen,” he said. “It’s over.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep, slow breath. He scooped me up easily in his arms and carried me into my bedroom. I peered over my shoulder and saw that Melisse had shrewdly closed all the doors to the rest of the palace to give us some privacy.
“I trust you’ve seen the pleasure garden,” said Tal.
“I haven’t been inside it yet,” I said.
“Of course you haven’t.”
He carried me right through the green glowing door. I looked around. It was a real, earthy, beautiful garden, fragrant and humid. The ground was carpeted with soft grasses and moss, and thick foliage pressed up against the walls. It was like my own personal rainforest. The canopies of the tall plants and shrubs prevented the light from being too bright as it shone in through the clear ceiling. In fact, once we went in a little further, I found that it was quite cozy. I couldn’t see the door from here.
Tal gave me a curious look. “You don’t know what a pleasure garden is for, do you?”
“I think I’m starting to guess,” I said.
“I’ll show you.”
He set me down on a bed of moss under the boughs of a pale green plant that had drooping branches like a willow tree. It gave the same effect as being in a canopy bed. In fact, the plants were at least as comfortable as my bed. I wondered why the Mirrotirik didn’t just sleep in their pleasure gardens, if they were capable of making them this plush.
I sat on his lap, cradled in his arms. I felt beautiful, and I was surrounded by beauty; it was like a fairy tale. “You don’t, um, use beds?” I asked.
“Beds? We sleep in beds,” he said.
“You don’t do anything else?” I asked.
“Pleasure gardens are for pleasure. Beds are for sleep,” said Tal with a laugh, stroking my arms. His gentle touch sent electric shocks radiating across my skin. I was suddenly aware of the thinness of the cloth I was wearing, and my proximity to him. The silk was so lightweight that I felt like I was pressed up against his naked body.
I was even getting a little wet.
“I see,” I said, shivering a little. He was extraordinarily confident, like he knew exactly what he was doing—the total opposite of me. I wondered if he had experience. He had to have some, since he knew exactly what he was doing.
He slipped the strap on my shoulder down and started kissing my skin. His warm lips sent quivers through me, and the soft hair of his crest brushed against my cheek. I couldn’t help but whimper a little bit. I hadn’t been touched like this by anyone. It was better than I had ever expected it would be, and we had only just gotten started.
“Sounds like you like this,” he said.
“Yeah.” My voice was small.
He paused, as if he was carefully choosing his words. “You are a virgin, correct?”
“Yeah. I’ve never done this with anyone.”
“Then it will be a pleasure to set as high a bar as possible for your first time,” he said, smiling.
Wow, I thought. Was the garden already humid, or was I just heating up?
His kisses traveled to my neck and up my jaw, then found my lips again. He held me tightly to his muscular chest as his tongue penetrated my mouth, then stroked my whole body. I found that I really wanted him to touch my breasts, and I squirmed involuntarily.
“You’re getting excited, aren’t you?” he asked.
“I’m pretty excited,” I admitted.
“Me too.”
He slipped the rest of my dress down and undid the tie at the back that held it all together. The gauzy, smooth fabric slid down and pooled at my waist, leaving my chest exposed. My nipples were already stiffened, and I was sure that I was soaking wet. My clit was throbbing.
I wondered how Tal was going to know how to get me off. He was an alien, after all, and while we seemed to have similar bodies, there were bound to be differences between me and alien women. I was glad I had learned how to pleasure myself—I could show him how if need be.
But it turned out that it wasn’t necessary. His hands glided over my nipples, squeezing my breasts and caressing me gently. I wriggled and squirmed in his lap, and he held me tightly with his forearms. I was sure that I was getting him hard—at least, if he were a human, all the squirming I was doing would definitely have done the trick.
His mouth came down to my shoulder again and worked its way down, at a leisurely pace, to my breasts, which he mouthed softly, nipping at my taut peaks. I moaned; I couldn’t help it. I had never been overwhelmed with so much pleasure before.
He took a moment to slip off the rest of my dress, and it was all I could do to not rip it off. I instinctively spread my legs, hoping that he’d dip his hands—his wonderful hands, which were bringing me such pleasure—down there, but he was taking his sweet time, teasing me relentlessly.
“You’re so eager,” he said. “I suppose I’m doing a good job. And we haven’t yet arrived at the best part.”
I moaned. “Please touch me,” I said. “Down there. I’m sure I’m very wet…”
“Is that what happens to human women? They get wet?” he asked softly. “Let’s see…”
His hand slid down to my slit. As I discovered when he thrust two fingers in, I was dripping wet, well-lubricated, ready to take his cock. I had never felt more ready for something in my life.
He took some time to stroke the area, finding my swollen bud and rubbing it, sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body. I was melting in his arms, having a hard time staying upright. I gave in to the impulse and went limp, gasping and moaning as he continued to finger me.
“You’re definitely ready to be penetrated,” he said, his voice low.
“Oh yes, please,” I moaned.
He laughed and helped me sit up, then I got off his lap and he took his own clothes off. I drank the sight of him in as his muscles were revealed, running a hand over his chest and marveling at how firm it was.
When the rest of the fabric fell to his feet, I saw that he was hard. And huge. Wow. I instantly felt another gush, telling me that I was really ready to take him. It was going to hurt a bit, but in a good way.
He sat down again and positioned me on the bed of moss. I spread my legs wide and he grinned, lowering his weight on top of me. We were face to face, and his eyes were dark with arousal. The head of his cock pressed against my opening and I tried to relax, wrapping my legs around him.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Yeah. Please.” I practically moaned the words.
He gently pushed his cock in, inch by inch, and as he filled me up, I gasped. It felt amazing and it didn’t hurt at all, probably because I had been so lubricated already. “This feels so good,” I said, sighing.
“You feel good,” he said, amused. He wrapped his arms around me, and I was pressed up against his body. Every little detail, like his warm breath on my cheek, and the way his weight felt on top of me, was incredibly arousing. I closed my eyes and focused on all the wonderful sensations coursing through my body.
He started thrusting in and out, going a little deeper each time. Every time I thought he had completely filled me up, he surprised me. I squeezed myself tightly against him, feeling the intensity that was rushing through me. I had the urge to press myself against him and become one with him. It was like if I could just get closer and closer, the pleasure would increase.
He was going faster and faster, and even though I could tell he was fucking me hard, I felt only pleasure. So much for notions of my first time hurting. This was the best sensation ever. I kept wanting more and more, and as he brushed up against my clit, I received jolts of orgasmic pleasure.
It was building inside me like the pressure inside a dormant volcano. I felt the urgency inside me and I pushed myself against him, bucking my hips to meet him on every thrust. I whimpered in his ear as I felt the shudders that told me my orgasm was building in intensity. I had never come like this before. I was sure it was going to rock my world.
He kissed my shoulders and neck, sucking on the skin hard, in such a way that he was sure to leave marks. But I didn’t care; I felt like I was floating away, removed from everything. I was working hard to bring my orgasm to the surface, out of the depths. I wanted to come so bad.
His expression was strained as well; I could tell he was getting close. I squeezed his buttocks with my hands, digging my nails in, encouraging him. I wanted to feel him explode inside me, filling me up with his seed.
