by Luna Hunter
I pull the virgin along, but she can barely keep up with my large paces. Frustrated, I pick her up, resting one hand on her bottom as I use the other to open doors. I can feel the softness of her skin through the thin fabric — the bodysuit she’s wearing is the only thing separating my fingers and her curvy, shapely behind.
My cock hardens, pressing right against her. She must feel it. My cheeks burn with shame. This is not my place, yet I cannot stop myself.
She’s frozen in place, like a deer caught in headlights. The human breathes in sharply when she sees the dead bodies of the Ganon littering the hallway.
They fell easily before me.
I head to to bridge of the ship and set the ship on an automated course towards Federation space. Within a day the captured women will be picked up and rescued.
The virgin has a greater destiny.
Her sweet scent surrounds me. It’s stronger than the stink of the ship, stronger than anything I’ve ever experienced before. I almost feel a tinge of regret once we reach my vessel. I don’t want to let her go. She is not mine to have, though — I shouldn’t be so presumptuous.
I lower her down to the floor, and she scampers towards the corner of my ship, pulling her knees up to her chest. I sit down in my seat and pilot us out of there. Once we’re out safe and sound, I send a encrypted message to Ragh. He replies instantly.
Very good! Take her to these coordinates. Look for Melkov.
I plug the codes into my machine, set the ship to run silently, and turn around.
The human female hasn’t moved an inch.
“Where are you taking me?” she asks.
Her voice as beautiful as she is.
“Somewhere safe.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Kane.”
“Did you kill those men?”
“The Ganon? Yes. Are you hungry?”
She nods, not taking her eyes off me for even a second. I feel sorry for her. The Ganon are despicable, a bunch of vultures and leeches… they are a scourge. I’m glad that they haven’t touched her.
The thought fills me with a strange, strong emotion.
Jealousy.
If anyone is to touch this human female, it’s me…
I shake my head.
That can’t be right.
I am to deliver her to the clan. They have plans for her, they will use her powers. For good. If I intervened, if I took her power for myself… I would be as bad as the Ganon, or Grotto, or the lot of them.
And yet, I can’t put the thought out of my mind.
“Follow me,” I say.
I lead her from the cockpit to the kitchen. My ship is small and cramped, but for her smaller frame it’s more than adequate. I, however, keep bumping my head. A problem all Zoran encounter, I imagine.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Anything,” she says.
“Did the Ganon feed you?”
She shivers. “I’d rather not talk about that.”
“That’s a yes, then.”
My knowledge of human culture and customs is next to none — all I know is what Ragh told me, and what I picked up on the streets of Vagreon. I might have been an expert on humanity in my past life, a diplomat or ambassador, but all knowledge of my past life is now lost to me. I set the food-replicator to spicy kmua.
“Here.”
She stares at the plate. “What is this?”
“Food. It won’t kill you. Eat.”
“Do you have…”
“No,” I say, cutting her off. “Where you’re going, they won’t have anything you want. Better get used to it. And eat.”
She pushes the plate away.
“You have to eat,” I growl, my frustration growing with the second.
The human looks up at me, her blue eyes filled with tears, and it cuts right through me. Why am I such a boor? She’s gone from one trauma to the next, and here I am, yelling at her.
I’m doing my best to help her, but my best is woefully inadequate.
“Are you cold?” I ask. I take off my coat and place it around her shoulders. It’s way too big for her, but she snuggles into it.
“Why are you being nice to me now?” she asks. “Didn’t you just leave the other girls to die in that cage?”
I shake my head. What does she think of me?!
“No,” I say. “I plotted a course to Federation space. They’ll be picked up and rescued soon enough.”
“Then… why did you take me?”
“Because of your powers,” I say. “You are meant for something more. Something great.”
“My p-p-powers?” she stammers. “What powers.”
“Your powers,” I say matter-of-factly. “Now eat.”
“I can’t eat when you’re staring at me like that.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, and I turn my seat to the side. It’s incredibly hard to tear my eyes away from her for even a moment, but if that is what she needs, I will obey.
She eats in silence. I’m happy that she’s cooperating.
“What is your name?” I ask.
“Piper,” she answers.
Piper. Unusual, but a beautiful name.
“Tell me about yourself, Piper.”
“I don’t have much to tell you. I’m afraid I’m not very interesting.”
She couldn’t be more wrong. There’s no one I’m more interested in.
“What about you?” she says. “I’d like to know who you are… and what your plans are with me.”
“You are in good hands, I can assure you. The clan will take very good care of you.”
“The clan?” she says. “That sounds… ominous.”
“They are a force of good. Have you heard of the Vagreon sector?”
She shakes her head, which I catch from the corner of my eye.
“Be thankful for that. It’s a dire place.”
“So why are you taking me there?”
“Because you can change it,” I say, turning my body back to her. “You are the key, Piper.”
She throws up her hands in frustration. “I’m a nobody! I’m nothing! You’ve got the wrong one! Please, I’m telling you, let me go! Please!”
“I can’t do that,” I say coldly.
She is the one. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Just looking at her makes my body brim with energy, with power. And yes, with lust — but I fight it.
I’m her guardian, here to protect her innocence, not sully it.
“Then you’re just as bad as those pigs,” she says, her cheeks red with anger.
“You take that back,” I growl.
My calm demeanor has slipped away. I will not be compared to those criminals.
“Why would I?” she says. “I’ve gone from one cell to the next!”
I place my hands on the table and lean in, my forehead nearly pressing against hers. Piper’s blue eyes are narrowed in anger, and I match her fiery gaze.
She has spunk, this human female. I can’t deny that.
“Those Ganon rape, murder and torture for fun,” I growl. “You should be thanking me on your knees for saving you from them. I just spared you a world of hurt.”
“Well, excuse me for not throwing you a damn parade, Zoran,” she bites. “I liked you better in the simulation!”
“The simulation?”
Her eyes widen, and she clasps her hand in front of her mouth. Her angry scowl has turned into an embarrassed stammer in the blink of an eye.
“Nothing,” she says. “I didn’t say nothing.”
“But you—”
“Nope. You misheard. Anyway… do you have like, a bathroom or something?”
“Down the hall and to the left.”
She excuses herself, and I watch her hips sway as she walks away.
The tiny human female is an enigma. She feigns ignorance and innocence, yet I sense great power. Her mere presence has me burning as bright as a su
pernova. Piper resists my help… and it drives me mad.
And why?
My mission is simply to deliver her to Melkov. The clan will take it from there. They will use her power to free the Vagreon sector from the Seven Lords, and I will finally receive the answers about my past that I’ve been looking for. We all benefit.
She doesn’t have to like me for it. She doesn’t need to be thankful.
And yet, when she scowls at me, when she curses my name, I want to rip my very own guts out. It’s pure torture.
I just pray I can resist her power.
Chapter Five
Piper
Warm water cascades down my naked shoulders. Tears run down my face, mixing with the water.
What on Earth have I gotten myself into?
The silver Zoran doesn’t seem to be as horrible as those alien pigs, but he’s not taking me home either. And that’s the only place I want to be right now.
I can’t get a straight answer out of him. It’s all gibberish to me. Clan. Vagreon. Power. None of those words mean a damn thing to me.
The only power I have is baking chocolate chip cookies. My cookie game is on point. Besides that… nothing.
Sure, my grades are okay, but I don’t think that is what the hunky Zoran is after.
No. His amethyst eyes demand something more. Something I’ve only ever seen in that stupid simulation…
That dream terrified me, but now I know the real thing is a thousand times worse. In that sleeping pod, I knew it was all fake. All a dream. All pretend.
My main concern was getting a telling off from Meredith. My main worry was losing my Sarah Granger scholarship. Now, those concerns seem petty.
Unlike the Zoran from my dream, Kane is very real. He’s on the other side of that door, waiting for me…
And I have no idea what the silver alien has planned for me.
“Are you okay in there?”
His deep voice makes me jump.
“I-I’m fine,” I stammer. “I’m fine.”
“Okay. If you need anything, just let me know. I’m going to head back to the cockpit. We’re getting close to Vagreon.”
My heart beats like a drum. For a second I thought he was going to burst through the door, and, you know… take me.
I can’t get a read on him. He’s terrifying, but also… nice? Dangerous, strong, aggressive, and yet… there’s something about him. He’s protective. And, dare I say, sweet?
I shake my head, trying to get those thoughts out of my head. That’s gotta be Stockholm Syndrome talking. This man abducted me. He’s not my friend. I shouldn’t project my feelings onto him.
I join Kane back in the cockpit, for there’s not really anything for me to do on this ship. I’m still wearing the white Federation bodysuit; I thought about asking if he had anything else to wear, but I’m too afraid he’ll pull out some golden bikini!
A dark planet looms in the distance, the sphere entirely covered with black clouds.
“What is that?” I ask, but I’m afraid I already know the answer.
“Vagreon,” he says. “Your new home.”
I swallow the lump in my throat.
Oh boy.
“Don’t worry,” Kane growls. “The Sahr will take excellent care of you.”
“Why are we going here again? Remind me.”
“Your power will help tip the balance in our favor,” Kane says.
“My power,” I say. “Right. You keep using that word, but I’m not sure it means what you think it does.”
He glances at me, and his purple eyes almost roll away, as if to say stop lying to me, human.
“Can’t we go to a pleasure planet first? Catch some sun? I heard Utopia VI is especially nice this time of year. Supposed to beat the heck out of Utopia V. What do you say, big guy?”
“No,” he says decisively. “We can’t waste another minute. You are needed. The people of Vagreon need your help, Piper.”
With every word that leaves Kane’s lips, I sink deeper and deeper into my seat. I’m needed? He talks like I’m some kind of princess or something. I hope they don’t expect me to lead, and make decisions and stuff.
At this moment I can’t even decide if I want to wear my hair up or down.
Screw leading a freaking planet!
Maybe it won’t be so bad.
Maybe they’ll treat you like a princess, and Kane will stay by your side as your bodyguard, and all you need to do is throw fancy ballroom dances every night and eat cake and it’ll all be just fine.
That’s what I tell myself as our ship punches it’s way through the thick black clouds, but as soon as I see the dark, blackened surface of the planet, I know deep down that this is not the type of planet for fancy ballroom dances.
This is the type of place where every life has a price.
“Wear this.”
Kane hands me a thick, heavy cloak. I try to get it on, but it’s so big and unwieldy it feels like I’m drowning in it. The Zoran helps me, pulling the hood down over my face so far that I can barely see a thing.
He puts on a similar cloak, hiding most of his features.
“Stay close to me,” he says. “Don’t look at anyone. Don’t touch anything. The streets are not safe for you. Understood?”
I swallow the lump in my throat.
“Got it.”
The shuttle doors open with a hiss, and my mouth just about falls open from shock. A sprawling alien city awaits us. Kane grabs my hand and pulls me along, while I just stare unabashedly at all the weird things I see.
Curious little shops.
Alien vendors hawking their alien wares.
A man with four arms.
A man with six arms!
I wish I had more eyes so I could take it all in.
And the smell!
Spices unlike anything I’ve ever smelled before! This city, while it’s grimy and rundown, (most buildings are covered with rust, their windows blackened with soot) feels alive.
I bet there’s something exciting around every corner.
I’m so lost in thought I forget Kane’s rules, and I manage to bump head-first into someone. I glance up at the tall figure.
“Vatch it, vrek,” a blue-faced alien with four eyes spits at me.
I stumble backwards, and trip over someone’s foot. I go tumbling down onto the rocky floor, losing Kane’s grip, and when I clamber back up to my feet, my hood has fallen off.
The entire marketplace has suddenly gone silent. Everyone is looking at me, and I mean everyone. Uh oh.
“Uh-man!” a voice belches.
In an instant all hell breaks loose. A rope is thrown around my neck and I’m pulled to the floor, the wind knocked out of me.
I struggle to breathe as my back is dragged across the ground. All I see is legs, legs everywhere, and it feels like I’m being pulled down into the abyss. I glance up, looking for help, but all I see is scowls, the alien faces filled with hatred and malice.
A figure grabs my legs and the pull on my neck becomes so strong I nearly black out. A moment later that same figure snaps the rope in two, and throws me onto his firm shoulder.
I don’t even have to open my eyes. I recognize his scent instantly.
Kane.
“Back off!” he growls. “Final warning!”
I open my eyes to see that we’re surrounded by a foul-looking bunch of aliens brandishing metal pipes. Are we going to die here because I was gawking like a tourist?!
Kane makes quick work of them. While still holding me over one shoulder he moves like the wind, knocking them out one by one, smashing their skulls in. Before any one of them can even think about retaliating, we’re back in the crowd, anonymous, our hoods pulled down far.
“What did I say?” he growls into my ear. “One rule! One! Rule!”
“You’re right,” I cough, rubbing my sore throat. “Who were those guys?”
“Slavers.”
A cold shiver runs down my spine. If it wasn’t for Kane, I wou
ld be their slave?
Then again, if it wasn’t for Kane, I wouldn’t be here…
But then again, if it wasn’t for Kane, we’d still be in that pen…
I don’t know what to feel anymore.
“I thought you were taking me someplace safe,” I protest.
“You are going to make this place safe.”
I must have misheard him. Surely he can’t mean that I’m going to change this foul city! Those guys had me in their grasp before I even knew what was going on!
We continue on, heading deeper into the belly of the city. All around me I see pens, filled with alien creatures. The wailing, begging sounds they are making breaks my heart. I can’t understand them, but a short while ago, I was locked up in the same kind of pen, along with the other girls. I wonder if they’ve made it home by now..
“We’re here,” Kane growls as he lowers me to my feet.
A dark tunnel, guarded by two men with snouts, awaits us.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” I whisper. I don’t like the look of the men. They’ve got fuzz all over their wiry bodies, and small, beady eyes that unsettle me.
Kane double-checks the coordinates. “This is the place,” he says. “Strange location for the clan, right here in the heart of the Slaver District, but, looks can be deceiving… come.”
The silver Zoran approaches the two guards, and I hold onto his arm for dear life. No one is ripping me away this time.
Chapter Six
Piper
“I’m here to see Melkov,” Kane says.
The guard looks us up and down, and then motions for us to go in. We enter the tunnel, and I’m as good as blind in the darkness. I hold onto Kane’s arm tightly, wishing that this whole ordeal would be over.
“Nearly there,” he says.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
The dark path opens up into a massive, underground chamber. Candles and chandeliers illuminate the place — they’re just about the only pretty things there.
Because in the center of the room stands a garish golden throne, with a fat, rat-like man perched on top of it. Several scantily clad women surround him, feeding him grapes and washing his feet.
Gross.
“I’m looking for Melkov,” Kane growls.
The man looks up, irritated. “Well, you’ve found him. Who disturbs me, mid-bath?”
