by Averi Hope
The women of his planet often chose to be seen but not heard. But not his Saura, her voice carried a power among the council even as a young girl. Many people argued it was because her father was the Khar’s greatest advisor, yet Raiden didn’t agree. Saura fought for the humans of Earth as loudly as Raiden himself.
But what had happened since he was gone? If they were sure he was dead, they may have given Saura to another man. Just the thought of it brought fury racing through his veins. Clenching his fists, he willed the anger back inside. Rusty might have accepted his strange friend was an alien, but he hated it when his magic flared.
“She must’ve been something special to get you so wound up.”
He almost denied it. “Yes. She was.”
“She’ll be waiting for you. I mean, look at you. I’d never swim in the man pond, but even I do a double take when you walk by.” Rusty shook his shaggy head, chugging the rest of his ale.
“So, you got a thing for me then?” Raiden said, grinning.
“Shut your damn mouth. Goddamned mouthy aliens, using their weird powers to make a man as straight as a ruler do a double take.” He thumped his drink down with a little too much force.
Raiden swallowed down his usual response: that’s not how my magic works. “Well, I’d better head out. I got work to do.”
Rusty rose from his seat, walking him to the door. “Your ship any closer to working?”
“It’s close.”
But not close enough. Because as much as he tried to reassure his friend that the Elementas wouldn’t just kill all intelligent beings when they arrived, the truth was he wasn’t sure. He needed to return to the mother ship before they reached Earth. Or all could be lost.
Chapter Five
The shuttle groaned and stopped as it connected with the mother ship. Any second now, the doors will open. And my life will change forever.
Saura tried, and failed, to pull the red dress more closely around her long legs. Her heart pounded. Her palms were sweating. Her blood was burning in her veins. She was finally going to get to see Raiden after all these long years.
As if the Xoater knew that she was thinking of him again, another probing object entered her core. She cried out and gripped the edge of her seat, gasping for air. Her pussy ached. Her need sent her inner muscles clenching around the foreign object inside her. Like four large fingers.
“Gods!” She ran a hand slowly down her chest. Her nipples hardened even more painfully, and she bit her lip. I almost want to touch myself, to soothe the fire burning within me.
But Raiden will be there to ease the pain soon.
The doors to the small shuttle opened. She stood, trying not to clench her thighs together as the muscles jumped involuntarily. Just outside the ship, her father and uncle waited.
She pushed aside her needs as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “Father!”
Even though her father hadn’t yet reached two hundred years, he looked older than she remembered. His dark hair had unexpected streaks of gray, and the red rings around his eyes looked strangely duller. Yet, it was like a dream to see him again after so many years.
In an instant, she launched herself into his arms.
He stood stiffly for one moment before wrapping his thin arms around her. “Saura. My daughter. Your presence brightens every room.”
She drew back from him and smiled. “The day is finally here.”
The corners of his mouth drew down, and he looked away. “It has been a long time.”
“What? No hug for your uncle?” a jolly voice asked from beside her.
Turning to her uncle, she smiled and hugged him softly. He returned her hug with a fierce one of his own, squeezing her against him until she could hardly breathe.
“Tayker…” her father said, a note of warning in his voice.
Her uncle instantly released her and stepped back, a wide smile painted on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Apologies. I’m just excited to see my little niece, grown into such a beautiful woman.”
“Speaking of which—” Her father eyed the other man, then his gaze flickered back to Saura. “The announcement of your arrival has been made. All the unmated males are restricted to their quarters until we arrive at our apartments.”
Just the thought of all the males on board made it feel as if an insect clawed within her stomach. “And what of Raiden? Why isn’t he here to greet me?”
Her father and uncle exchanged a glance she couldn’t quite read.
“Daughter, let us discuss such things in private.”
More claws seem to scratch at her insides. Something about this feels wrong. What aren’t they telling me?
Six guards gathered around them as her father and uncle flanked her sides. Somehow, their presence only increased her nervousness. How much danger could I really face just for being in my mating frenzy? Or is there something more?
They passed ship after ship in the docking bay before finally reaching the door to the main part of the mothership. The doors opened as they approached, and their party made its way through the large, pristine white hallways. A woman smiled as she approached and tossed brilliant blue flowers at her. Saura smiled and tilted her head in acknowledgment. More women lined the halls, tossing the flowers at her as she approached. And each woman she passed followed her down the hall until twenty or so women trailed them as they rounded a corner.
A male exited a room on her left. He turned surprised eyes on her party, and then his gaze fell on her. The red around his eyes changed, the color becoming more black than red. Suddenly, he dived at her. The guards blocked him, slamming him back into the wall, but still he clawed and fought to reach her, all along a strange animalistic noise emanated from his throat.
“Come on,” her father urged, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her faster.
She glanced back at the still-struggling male as they continued down the hall. Is this what my mating frenzy does to males? She shivered. Will Raiden control himself better than that male? Fear sparked to life inside her. She had started to imagine sharing his bed in the shuttle ride over to the mothership. To look forward to it. Now, she wondered if their night together would be more pain than pleasure.
Another door opened on her right, and the guards moved to block the male who exited.
“Kaemon, back in your suite!” her father ordered.
The man stood straighter. “Not to worry, Yurki, I only wished to see your beautiful daughter.”
Her father moved partially in front of her. “You are an unmated male! You may see her when her mating frenzy is over!”
Kaemon. Her gaze locked with that of the man being blocked by her father and guards. A man I remember as a boy, although he has changed little. He was short, for a male. In fact, they were almost of the same height. But his perfectly groomed black hair was styled such that long spikes of hair stuck out on top of his head, while other spikes had been smoothed down over his forehead, almost entirely covering one eye. It was unique and interesting, although it whispered of a male attempting to look taller. His face was symmetrical. Almost pleasing. But the sharp lines of his cheekbones, and his taut body, gave him the feeling of a man who was severe and controlled, almost to a fault.
“Saura,” he greeted, his nostrils flaring as the red rings around his eyes darkened. “It is good to see you.” His gaze raked over her body, lingering on her breasts, then trailing down and stopping to stare directly at the junction of her thighs. “You’re a woman now,” his voice was husky with need.
“Get. Back. In. Your. Room,” her father ordered, his tone dangerously low.
“No need to worry. I’ll go.” He turned to go, and her small party began to walk again.
Then, suddenly there was a flash of movement and a body smashed into hers. She had only an instant to recognize Kaemon before he was forcing himself between her thighs, one hand pushing away the fabric of her gown to squeeze one of her breasts.
She cried out in shock as
her nerves vibrated through her body. Her mind told her it was wrong. She felt angry and violated, but heat grew between her thighs and her hardened nipples cried out to be caressed harder.
And then, he was yanked off her.
The guards slammed him against the wall as he fought savagely against them. At one point, as she climbed from the ground, adjusting her dress, he almost seemed to free himself. But at last, one of the guards forced an arm against his throat.
He stopped struggling, his gaze burning into hers. “I will have you. That I promise. I will taste your sweet—“
“Enough!” her father shouted, his red skin growing darker with anger. “You will never touch my daughter again. She is Raiden’s.”
“Raiden is dead,” he spat. “His father is dead. Soon I shall be ruler of the Elementas, and your daughter will be my Khara.”
Raiden is…
“Father?” she whispered, turning to him with her heart in her throat.
He held her gaze. “We have much to discuss.”
Chapter Six
Saura’s father had left her uncle in his suite and entered a small room in a strangely quiet end of the ship, leaving the guards at the door. She followed him, walking on legs that felt strangely detached from her body. Raiden is dead? How? Why? And why am I here?
The room was small and empty, with one odd metal door and nothing else.
“Father?” she voiced the word quietly, but she wanted to scream in anguish. I’m here, in my mating frenzy, and Raiden isn’t. Gods, don’t let it be true. He can’t be dead.
“Quiet now,” he said, kindly. “I have much to explain to you, and we don’t have a lot of time.”
She nodded, gripping the fabric of her skirt.
“Raiden went to the small blue planet on a ship called a Starspeeder. It was the first of its kind, a great deal more than four times as fast as our own ships. But we have not heard from him since he left.”
“And when was that?” she asked, unable to keep the question to herself.
He took a deep breath, the wrinkles around his mouth suddenly looking deeper. “Two years ago.”
Her heart stopped. “Two… years?” Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “So you really do think he’s dead?”
“Maybe not,” her father answered slowly. “I know enough to know that he had a crash-landing, but that his ship was intact when it hit the ground. We lost communication and his exact location, but he should have survived the landing.”
The slightest relief flashed through her, but it was overwhelmed by shock and fear. “He crashed? How?”
“I have a few theories. One of which is that his craft was sabotaged.”
He went to the far wall next to the door and a large portion of the wall shimmered and turned into a screen. His agile fingers flew as he typed in code after code. At last, he pulled up an image of something that made her blood run cold.
“What is that?”
It looked like a giant metal creature. It had eight legs, a long tail with a sharp point, and a body covered in what looked like thousands of metal spikes.
“We’re calling it a Spyre. We found one scurrying about in the chamber his craft departed from. After some research, we’ve determined it is made to withstand a trip on the outside of a ship…”
“So you think it was supposed to be attached to his ship?”
“Precisely,” he said, nodding at her in approval. “And we suspect there were more than just this one, since for a short time it appeared to be trying to communicate with some part of his vessel.”
She felt a small measure of relief. “So when we arrive at the blue planet, we can simply use the tracker to find him and rescue him?”
He sighed, crossing his arms in front of his crimson robes. “If only it were that simple. No, we believe if we wait until we get close enough to the planet to communicate, whoever attacked his vessel will make certain that we never reach him. What’s more, our people are currently without a Khar.”
“So you’re certain Raiden’s father is dead? But he’s so young.”
“We are certain…he was poisoned in his chambers just two days ago.”
“Poisoned!” Saura gasped. She could scarcely believe it.
How long had it been since one of their people committed such an act? Yes, with how hot their males ran there were sometimes accidental deaths in the heat of a fight, but a carefully planned murder? Their natural empathy usually kept them from such acts.
“Yes, so if we cannot find Raiden in time that worm Kaemon will become the new Khar of the Elementas. And his first order will be to dispense the bomb to wipe out the dominant intelligent species on the blue world.”
She inhaled sharply. “So what must we do?”
Shifting to the door, a thousand multicolored lights ran over his body before it slid open. Inside was what looked like a small chamber. She inched forward. No, not a small chamber, the inside of a small, odd vessel.
“We have finally completed a second Starspeeder ship.”
Hope blossomed within her heart. “So, we can fix this. We can save Raiden and that unsuspecting world.”
He shook his head. “No, daughter of my heart, you can.”
“Me?” She stared at him, afraid his mind had started to slip. “This is too important a mission. You should send—“
“No.” He took her upper arms, staring into her eyes. “It can only be you. First, because we were betrayed the last time, you are the only one I trust.”
“And second?” she asked, her heart racing.
“I believe you may be the only one capable of bringing him back.” She opened her mouth, but he continued on before she could speak. “My fear, one that I have expressed to no one else, is that he will not want to return.”
“But why?” she asked, unable to conceal her shock.
“Because he had grown weary of this place. Of his people. The fighting. After his mother and little brother died in the birthing process four years ago, he was not the same man. And his father, instead of showing him kindness, showed him only constant cruelty and disappointment. The day Raiden left was the first time I’d seen him smile in longer than I can remember.”
“But, Father, what makes you think I can convince him to come back with me?”
A slight smile curved his lips. “First, you could convince anyone of anything. Second of all, he holds a special place in his heart for you. And finally, because you are in your mating frenzy. He will not be able to resist you. And once he has tied himself to you, he will need to go where you go.”
She shook her head, forming her argument.
“I know you have only just arrived and this is a lot of information. But you must trust me. I have thought long and hard on this matter, and this is our best chance.” He closed his eyes and began to speak in the way of the elders. “Listen to my warnings well. You cannot allow yourself to be consumed by your Biryut for too long. What I ask of you will be difficult, but you cannot forget your mission. You must be very quick, and very careful. If you do not find your mate in time, you will allow anyone to cool the fires that burn within you. Even, perhaps, the lower life-forms of the blue planet.
“I’m asking you to take a terrible risk, but I would not if there was any other way. But, my child, hear me now. If you do not find him within the next twenty-four hours, you must be mated anyway. If not, the fire within you can grow to a terrible inferno. Some women burn so brightly that they may never burn again…which means you will never be able to take a mate. While a rare few…well, they do not make it at all.”
She swallowed. This can’t be really happening. My father can’t be sending me to a strange planet while in my mating frenzy, hoping that I find Raiden in time to cure myself and tie him to me to bring him back to rule our people.
He touched his forehead to hers. “Time is of the essence. I have not received the council’s approval to send you. Soon they will discover what I plan, and they will stop me, which means all will be lost.”
Turning, because she was afraid if she didn’t act immediately she wouldn’t be able to, she strode into the small ship. The back area was the size of a small room, with panels lining the walls and a small bed against the far wall. She bypassed all of it, seating herself at one of two seats at the front, staring out at the side of the mother ship and stars.
“Farwell, my daughter.” His voice held pride tinged with sadness. “My heart flies with you.”
She forced a smile in return. “And mine.”
The next few hours were a blur as the craft flew at an incredible speed, its destination already known. She tried to sleep, but her imagination wouldn’t allow her too. What kind of creatures will live on such a planet? Images of horned giants, scaled men, and furry man-beasts flew into her mind. She wrapped her arms around herself as her teeth chattered. Even though my father warned me, I don’t think I could take another mate. I just hope I live long enough to find Raiden.
When the computer started chiming, she awoke with a start, not knowing when she’d finally fallen asleep. Her eyes widened as the viewscreen showed the massive planet, a swirling of white, green, and blue. It’s beautiful.
The ship tilted as it descended into the bright atmosphere. “Target acquired,” the computer’s deep masculine voice said. “Adjusting landing point.”
They flew just inside the atmosphere, spinning around the planet so fast her gut churned. With each passing minute, they flew lower, sometimes passing large cities that reminded her so much of her homeworld that she stared in shock. Are these creatures even lower life-forms?
Their speed finally slowed when they were just above a sea of treetops and lakes. A forest. Even as she fought her nausea, she gloried at the lush landscape. This world would make a glorious new home.
At last, the ship slid between the treetops, landing with only a slight groan. Then, it grew strangely silent. Unbuckling herself from the seat, she rose and looked out the screen. The trees were green, so different from the fiery orange and cool blue ones of her homeworld. She didn’t see Raiden’s ship, though. In fact, everything seemed quiet. Too quiet.
