by Maia Starr
“That smells good,” I said softly.
“Yes,” Aloitus agreed, hopping cheerfully out of the hovercraft. He quickly rounded the craft until he was at my doorway and offered his hand up to me.
I peered down at him as I took it, shocked by how different he seemed already. It was as if this place had brought out a different side of the man, and he was feeling comfortable and lively. The loose smile suited him, and I found myself lost once again in his rich beauty.
I cried out in surprise when he seemed tired of waiting for me to hop down from the craft and lifted me easily, his strong, huge hands wrapping themselves around my waist and sending jolts of forbidden pleasure through my loins. He was unbelievably strong, and I was set down gently beside the craft. Aloitus hummed to himself as he closed the doors to the hovercraft.
“It is this way. Follow me and stay close. It can be dangerous here.”
Dangerous? How?
But Aloitus was already walking forward briskly, and I had to jog to catch up. I wished he would slow down so I could take some time to enjoy my surroundings. I had always loved being out in natural areas, and the jungles of Jenal’k were unlike anything I had ever seen before.
Aloitus looked over his shoulder at me, his purple eyes twinkling. “You are going to like this.”
I couldn’t help but be endeared to him as he led the way, his powerful body stepping over obstacles and holding large leaves and branches out of my way. He was actually quite a gentleman when he set his mind to it, and the desire that I tried so hard to repress came back to me in powerful, unexpected waves.
Suddenly, Aloitus grew rigid and stopped.
“What are you—”
“Shh!” he hissed.
At first, I was hurt and angered by it, but before I could give him a piece of my mind, a dark shadow fell over us, and Aloitus sighed.
“You better hope skipping third meal was worth it,” Aloitus mumbled.
Suddenly his strong hands were on me again, and I was being whipped through the air. I cried out in surprise and fear when I saw that, in the spot where I had been standing, there was now a giant thorn buried in the ground that was nearly as tall as I was.
“What the hell…”
But Aloitus didn’t answer. He flung me behind his body and glared up into the sky at what appeared to be a giant flower-like monster. It towered above us, its head as high as the tallest trees in the forest, and Aloitus frowned deeply, drawing his weapon. It looked like a gun at first, but when he powered it on, a long beam of bright white light shone from it, and Aloitus charged at the creature.
It threw another thorn down at Aloitus, but he dodged masterfully, his broad, powerful body moving with the finesse of a panther. I was mesmerized by the scene. I had never seen a man so capable. If he could move like this in battle, imagine what he might be able to do elsewhere!
I was shocked out of the thought by the sound of Aloitus’ voice. He had cried out in pain, and I was horrified to see his arm wrapped in what looked like a vine controlled by the creature towering above us. He had dropped his weapon and was tugging his arm, fighting helplessly to free himself.
I couldn’t bear to see him in pain, and without thinking, I ran to him and picked up the weapon that had been cast to the ground. I didn’t know how to work it, but I handed it to Aloitus.
His purple eyes widened in surprise, gratitude, and what looked like fear.
“Get away before you are injured! Go hide in the shade; this is a being that seeks the power of the suns. It will avoid you there.”
I hesitated. I didn’t want to go until I knew Aloitus would be all right. He seemed to sense this and gritted his teeth, slicing the creature’s vine and freeing himself. A high pitched whistling noise filled the air, and the creature lashed out again at Aloitus.
“I said hide!” Aloitus demanded, before tearing his gaze from mine and running straight for the creature. But I was too horrified. I didn’t want to see him injured.
To my surprise, the whistling sound intensified as Aloitus plunged his laser deep into the center of the creature’s stalk, and began running up it, dragging the blade behind him. It was being torn in half as Aloitus ran, climbing it like a tree until he reached the top.
I watched in horror and amazement as Aloitus managed to get on the creature’s shoulders, plunging his blade deep into its neck. A strangled whistling sound was emitted as it collapsed to the ground, and Aloitus held tightly to its terrifying head as it fell forward.
“Look out!” Aloitus called, riding the creature down to the ground. I scrambled out of the way just as it landed beside me, and Aloitus climbed off and grinned. “Are you all right?”
I nodded dumbly, and Aloitus put his weapon away.
“Those guys are pretty destructive. They’re an invasive species from a planet not too far from here. They like to incubate here as seeds, but they completely destroy the foliage. It is partly due to them that the Red Deserts are so vast, though that is a good thing for our people as we prefer the warmer climate. But there are other creatures who are native to Jenal’k that need the jungles to survive. Everybody’s home here is important.”
As Aloitus continued to walk ahead of me, I felt the last of my self-control wavering. He was so handsome and considerate. And, he had just saved my life. My body was on fire, and I wanted him more than I had ever wanted anything in my life. The feeling was scary but thrilling, and I gripped Aloitus by the hand.
He turned to me, startled, and then his face softened and his four fingers closed gently around mine. “Come,” he said. “We are nearly there.”
***
I stared in disbelief, stunned by the beautiful rivers of Mount Zennith. Aloitus had more than delivered on his promise that I would like the scenery here; in truth, I had never seen a natural landscape more beautiful.
The hills were rolling and beautiful as the suns streamed down upon the water, casting dazzling and beautiful sparkles of color that I had never seen in the waters of Earth.
“How is this possible?” I asked Aloitus breathlessly. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
We had sat at the river’s edge, and Aloitus had rolled up the legs of his trousers and removed his stuffy combat boots to dip his feet in the cool water. He had invited me to do the same, but I couldn’t imagine muddying the beautiful sight with my feet.
“This is the source of Jenal’k’s fresh water. We do not need it to survive as humans do, of course, but all the same, it is here. But as it courses through the land and becomes filtered, minerals enter it that are wonderful for humans and Thressl’n alike. But it is an optional source of nutrition as opposed to a necessary one.”
“So…it’s basically a Thressl’n health craze, then,” I said, mulling this information over. Aloitus laughed, a surprising and pleasant sound.
“Yes,” he said. “It is a lot like that.”
We sat in silence for a few moments longer, enjoying the soothing sounds of the water flowing past us. I couldn’t help but feel that it was the most romantic moment I had ever shared with another living soul, and turned tentatively to Aloitus, a question burning on my mind that had been bothering since I had first laid eyes on him.
“Why am I here?” I managed to whisper. “Are you planning to breed with me?”
Aloitus turned to me, his brow raised high in surprise.
“The time is too young to tell such a thing,” he said, turning to face me, his purple eyes boring into mine. “There are so many tasks I must fulfill. My obligations to the planet are more urgent than my obligations to future races of Thressl’n. As much as I’d like to, finding a mate should not be my main priority right now.”
He seemed as if he was going to say more, but he bit the words back and turned away from me, casting his stormy purple eyes back out over the water. I felt a strong urge to hold him close to me then, to try and tell him that he was doing a great job. Although I resented being his prisoner, everybody at the palace was worried about him. Ev
en I had noticed that he was growing thin and gaunt, with a permanent expression of weariness and determination etched on his face.
“You know, this is the first time I’ve seen you look so at peace,” I said quietly. “Maybe we should come here more often.”
Aloitus turned to me, his face bright. “So you like it then?”
I smiled at him, warmed by his handsome features lighting up at my approval. “I love it.”
We were quiet for a few more moments, and then I sighed.
“Thank you.”
“What? Why?” Aloitus asked, taking another deep breath of the sweet air before turning his gaze to me.
“Thank you. For saving my life back there. I don’t know how to…”
Before I could finish speaking, my words were cut off by the soft, sensual thrill of Aloitus’s lips. He kissed me tenderly, sending gentle, tingling waves of pleasure creeping from my lips and deeper and deeper inside of me.
I knew I should push him away. There was no way I could condone being one of Aloitus’s conquests, especially after being abducted from my home.
But with every touch, he awakened a new desire within me, and soon, his gentle kiss had become more lingering and passionate. As his tongue massaged my own, the soft, sensual pleasures had begun to awaken into deep, hot flames with a desperate appetite. They were hungry for something only Aloitus could provide, and now that I had surrendered myself to them, there would be no stopping until they got exactly what they wanted.
***
My body was electrified as Aloitus pulled me close to him, his broad chest heaving and his purple eyes dark and steady upon me. I opened and closed my mouth, trying to get myself to protest; there was no way I should be allowing myself to fall into this trap with him.
But instead of telling him to stop, I gasped in pleasure as Aloitus roamed the curves of my breasts with his hand and buried his lips into the tender nape of my neck, sending deep thrills all the way to my core. Aloitus explored my body tenderly, with a gentleness and precision I should have expected from a man like him. And yet it surprised me just the same.
He pulled away just to examine the look on my face, and I gasped, closing my eyes as his lips found mine again, and he climbed above me. Our middles met, and suddenly I felt the urgency of his desire, firm against me. It sent an overpowering fire through my body, and I gripped Aloitus by the shoulders, bracing myself as he began to lift the fabrics of my clothes and leave trails of fire behind his gentle, exploratory touches.
“You are mine,” Aloitus said firmly into my ear. I wanted to tell him no. I didn’t belong to anybody. But instead, the concept of his claiming me thrilled me deeply, and I surrendered to his unbelievable power.
Aloitus stripped me quickly, careful not to tear any of the fabrics of my clothing from Earth. He studied my naked body, his eyes shining with need. I shivered beneath him, and again, my body was covered in sweet, gentle kisses. I never would have guessed Aloitus to be the type to be so caring, but he surprised me again and again as he generously filled my body with pleasure beyond anything I had ever hoped to experience.
But soon, his desire became apparent, and I moaned softly when Aloitus stripped away the layers of his outfit, revealing his unbelievably powerful body in full. I gazed at him, in awe of the rippling muscles of his abdomen. I gasped suddenly as Aloitus thrust his hips against mine, and I felt his rock hard member press against the boundaries of my middle. It sent a shock all the way through me, and he smiled down at me as if he knew exactly what I was feeling.
It was both embarrassing and thrilling, and he teased me once more with his hips, dragging the length of himself against my sensitive mound, until I was writhing beneath Aloitus in pleasure and anticipation.
I touched his broad chest, letting my hand fall down the pronounced muscle of Aloitus’s abdomen. His skin was surprisingly soft here, but he was dense and tight, compactly muscled even beyond his abs. Even his member was impressive; just the brief sight of it made me hot with anticipation.
I caught him grinning down at me before his mouth closed over mine again. I couldn’t help but moan as I began to feel him pressing inside of me. I could feel myself being pried blissfully open by the power of his unbelievable body, and I sighed in pleasure as Aloitus took his time, studying me and the effects his touch had on me. He seemed to relish in my every little reaction and did whatever he could to provide me with the height of my pleasure at every turn.
Never in my life had I experienced anything even close to this. I’d slept with two other boyfriends, but both had been lackluster experiences. Of course, my body would learn what it was fully capable of with a man from another planet. That figured.
Still, I was in no position to complain as Aloitus moved his powerful hips against me, plunging suddenly inside of me with all of his force. I cried out in pleasure and surprise, Aloitus showing no signs of going easy on me now that his member was buried inside of me. And I didn’t want him to show any mercy. I had been on fire for this man since the moment I had laid eyes on him. And now, only he had the ability to quell the flames.
Chapter 6
Aloitus Cloch’h (Supreme Leader of the Thressl’n)
I gazed down at the beautiful human beneath me. Her long golden hair was spread out beneath her, almost like a bed of silk to blanket her from the grassy shore. Her breasts were rising and falling hypnotically as she panted, getting used to the feeling of having me inside of her.
I closed my eyes, focused on the immense heat enveloping me. I had never felt such a thrill. Having this female beneath me was the single most sensual experience of my life.
When her long-lashed lids fluttered open, her eyes locked onto mine. The pink flush on her cheeks gave her look an ethereal quality that sent urgent spikes of desire through me. I felt the pull of longing urge my body to continue its quest, and I obliged.
Melinda gasped in pleasure as I plunged myself inside. I had never gone about claiming any female as my own. I had always had the understanding that the one you were fated to mate with would make herself known. And as I continued to explore Melinda’s body, a hot tingle began to rise deep in my abdomen, and I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that this was the one I was meant to be matched to for all of my life and more.
But would she ever agree to that? Well, it wouldn’t matter. Fate would sort matters out.
I pushed the thought out of my head and focused on the task at hand. The heat searing through my body erupted to volcanic temperatures suddenly, and my body began to take over. I half worried that I would harm the human, but despite her gritted teeth, her body moved with my own, sending a deep thrill coursing through me. She was everything I could ever have wanted. Even if I was killed by the Vellreq, I was glad to have been able to share this moment with her.
The thought of dying sent a sharp pain through me. I growled out loud and focused all of my energy on the act of gratifying our bodies. Considering my own mortality seemed to invoke an even deeper need to enjoy the body I had while I still had it.
Melinda cried out in pleasure as my thrusting became more rapid and deliberate, massaging her deeply as we rocked in unison, lost in the worlds of our own pleasure.
I was shocked when Melinda’s eyes opened suddenly, and she drew in a deep gasp. She tightened around my member, a contraction that surely heralded the arrival of her climax. Her uncontrollable pleasure sent a shocking wave of desire through me, and I focused my efforts on intensifying her pleasure, as it was the one thing that seemed to bring me closest to my own orgasm.
Suddenly, I cried out as the hot tingling in my abdomen sent an explosion of bliss throughout my body, and I finally let go of the tension I had been holding back for so long. The hot, blissful release brought Melinda’s body to quaking beneath me, and we panted together as I forced my body to move, carrying us through our climaxes until both of us were completely exhausted.
I collapsed on the ground beside Melinda and tentatively swept the golden hair out of her face. Sh
e gazed at me, her eyes surprisingly stormy.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t think I should have done that.”
My brow furrowed and I sat up, quickly dressing myself. What did she mean she shouldn’t have done that? I thought we were past this confusing and irritating bout of contempt!
“We should get back,” I said darkly, turning back once I was sure Melinda had sufficiently dressed herself. “I have a lot of work to finish.”
Melinda nodded without meeting my eyes, and we walked back to the hovercraft wordlessly. I drove back to the palace in silence, regretting ever having brought Melinda to the place I had always considered sacred. If she didn’t want to be with me, that was fine. But her life was going to be hell from then on.
She would learn not to cross the Supreme Leader of the Thressl’n. I was not a man to be trifled with.
***
“Supreme Leader Aloitus! Where have you been?” Peko exclaimed. “Second in Command Zerk’k Arkti is in your office. He had been waiting with breaking news of the Vellreq’s position!”
I rushed past Melinda and headed to my office. I could feel her eyes burning into my back, but I had no time for her pettiness now. She was going to understand my wrath. All she was to me was a bargaining chip with the Vellreq. Nothing more. I would be stupid to allow myself to develop true feelings for that female. She was nothing but a human. And humans were fickle and cruel. Not only to others, but even amongst themselves. It was a mistake to show any interest and always had been. How stupid could I have been?
“Zerk’k, tell me what’s going on,” I said, rushing into my office and sitting down at the desk. Zerk’k furrowed his eyebrows.
“Commander of the Fleet spotted the Vellreq ships launching from Earth, sir. They are on their way.”
The news chilled me. Our defenses hadn’t been secured yet, though Laike had been working tirelessly on them since our meeting.
“How long do you think it will take them to arrive?” I asked urgently.
