Starport: Zeta Prime (Alt)

by S. A. Jackson

  All this speculation was driving her mad. He had been perfectly happy to talk to her in his language before, and he was under the impression that she didn’t understand, so why the silence? She made her way to his side of the bed, and this time kneeled before him so that she could see his face properly.

  “Faron.” She spoke his name as phonetically perfect as she could–knowing that this, at least, he would hear. It worked. He looked to her, his expression an impenetrable mask.

  “Jillian. You do not understand. My people are angry with you, but it is me they should be angry with.” As he talked, he touched the side of her face.

  Both of them turned as they heard a noise by the door. It was the female from before, the one who had given her such a foul look.

  “Sorry Faron. I wanted to check that you were alright. I should’ve realized…I didn’t think you’d have company.” She apologized, hovering by the entrance. Her tall, lithe form was backlit by the naked flames burning to provide light for the village center.

  Jillian stared at her in disbelief. Why would he not have company? She was his mate, for crying out loud, of course she was going to be here with him. She knew for sure now that this was who Sennan had spoken about.

  “Misha. I am fine. Thank you for your concern but I wish to remain here with Jillian. I will speak to the tribe later.” Faron dismissed her politely.

  The flash of annoyance was perfectly obvious to Jillian, and she wondered if Faron had seen it too. If he had, he didn’t show it when he turned back to her. Misha took the opportunity to glare at Jillian. She was unsure if the hostility was to do with her being blamed for the injuries to the men, or purely because she felt that Jillian was in her rightful place. Jillian suspected the latter, from what she had observed from her so far. Knowing it would be far more irritating than a defensive reaction, Jillian gave her a sickly sweet smile before she left.

  “So. What happened,” she asked in her own language, hoping that speaking herself might encourage him to? Before he could reply, there was another rap at the door. Crikey, could she not get five minutes alone with him?

  It was his Mother. She carried a plate of food and a steaming cup of hot liquid. She acknowledged Jillian briefly, not in an unkind way, but clearly pre-occupied by the welfare of her son. Jillian moved to the side so that Sennan could set down the plate before him.

  “Thank you Mother, but you needn’t wait on me.”

  “You are injured my boy, and you need to rest. The tribe is eager to hear from you about what happened out there. You need to speak soon, everyone is anxious and speculation is growing.” She cast her eyes quickly in Jillian’s direction and she knew she was speaking of her being part of that speculation. Faron simply nodded. Sennan, as curious for answers as Jillian was, sat next to him, not prepared to give up that easily. Jillian decided to hover as close as she could without raising suspicion, hoping to eavesdrop. She scanned the room for something to do so that she wouldn’t make herself too obvious. With delight, she noticed that the small fire pits embedded into the earthen floor had not been lit, so she busied herself with the task, cocking her head to hear as discreetly as she could.

  “Talk to me Faron. Let me help you with your troubles,” Sennan said.

  “I just need to work out what to say to my people. I don’t need help, but thank you for the offer. I want to make sure Ashan is going to make a full recovery before I speak.”

  “Ashan is going to be fine. I have just been to visit him. He is awake, though in a lot of pain. You made it back in time, Faron. You don’t need to feel bad.” She assured him.

  “With respect Mother, you cannot tell me how not to feel. Leave me with Jillian. I will speak to everyone soon.” She knew not to push it further and Jillian was disappointed as well as warmed by him wanting her to stay there. Sennan made a mime of eating food, and gestured toward the communal hut. Jillian nodded that she understood Sennan’s instructions that her meal was waiting for her, but there was no chance that she would be leaving Faron now – not to go and face the animosity that she had experienced there before.

  She thought back to her happiness of this morning, of how she had felt like she finally fitted somewhere. Sure, the language barrier made things difficult, but so far she had found this race nothing but hospitable and friendly. Well, all apart from one that is. That Misha, she was different from the rest–colder somehow. More scheming. She valued Sennan’s advice earlier–glad that her reactions had been noted by others. The women thought she was at fault, even Fenn, whom she had spent time with and she assumed the whispers in their ears from Misha had not been favorable towards her.

  “Those people of yours. They are very dangerous. How is it that you have not been affected by their blackness? Their narrow-minded assumptions?” Faron’s voice snapped her out of her daydream as she finished lighting the last fire. The glowing orbs flickered amber on his face and their hypnotic waves danced in his eyes. He was breathtaking in that moment.

  Not all are dangerous. Some are very kind and loyal, she thought defensively. She pointed to his wound again, now neatly bandaged with absorbent blood-stained cloth, miming the question about what happened.

  “You would have been hurt by them. I’m glad I took you. They would have destroyed the best of their kind had they caught you.” He ignored her plea, wincing at the stab in his shoulder as he moved his arm.

  Jillian pushed the plate towards him. She wanted him to get better, to be strong again. He took it with a small smile and started to eat.

  Deep down, Faron was a hunter, like his Father had been. He did not wish to start a war. He had gone to avenge his mate. They had fought for her honor, as a warning to those that may choose to seek her. The guards had been surprised by their ambush, by their strength and ability. Faron felt that they would assume she had been savaged–by either his people or the beasts in the wilderness. Whichever, he felt an instinctive certainty that they would not be crossed, that Jillian would not be hunted. They had learnt from this that the death weapons had to be removed first. If they did ever come, they would know now what to do.

  If he had to be a warrior, then so be it. He would do whatever it took to protect his tribe and his mate. His Father had died on a hunting trip, having been ravaged by what appeared to be an entire pack of beasts. Since then, the men of the tribe had not gone hunting alone. That had been the lesson of his Father’s generation. These were different times, but the potential outcome was the same. All that was required was cunning and caution.

  He felt bad for Ashan, for Fenn. But wounds would heal, and his biggest mission now would be to assure the tribe that although they were her people, Jillian was not the one responsible for the men’s injuries. He saw that she cared for him, that his powerful feelings were reciprocated and in fact, made him stronger, not weaker. The security gave him courage and lifted by the thought, he began to eat.

  Jillian began to wonder if that closeness from after the ceremony had been imagined, and thought of how pleased Misha would have been to hear her doubts. Faron had showed her a little tenderness, sure. But she wanted more than that – she wanted the fire in his eyes that had been there. She wanted to feel a part of him again, for his touch on her. Did he not find her desirable? She thought that perhaps he found the meeting of the two of them too hard, being as they were from other worlds. Maybe he would prefer Misha? Despite sitting next to him while he ate, Jillian felt very alone, and didn’t realize that tears had started to run down her cheeks until he brushed one away. His touch was instantly comforting, and the look in his eyes when she searched them with her own was heartbreakingly understanding. It was as if he saw into her soul, and without words, made her feel as though everything was going to be okay.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I felt so angry towards your people for treating you the way they did. They would have killed you and I just couldn’t keep my head thinking about what might have been.” Faron left his thumb on her cheek as he spoke. Jillian processed what he’d j
ust told her–it was more revealing than anything he had said before. It was as if he were insinuating that he had gone out looking for the men. That he had gone to fight.

  The thought of it boiled her blood slightly–had he gone out looking for them? Because of what they might have done to her? She couldn’t help the anger. It was borne out of her care for him ultimately, not that she could see it in that moment. He could have been killed–she didn’t want that on her shoulders, she couldn’t take that kind of guilt.

  As he leant forward to kiss her, she yielded straight away. She wanted to comfort him, she wanted to apologize for putting him in that situation in the only way she could. But she also felt scared of her feelings for him. No one had ever fought for her before, she normally had to fight for herself. Having him stand up for her, taking care of her, was overwhelming to the point of fear. Despite herself, despite all her barriers and toughness, she was falling in love.

  Faron kissed her deeply, running his hand round to the back of her head and wrapping her curly hair over his fingers. She flung both of her arms around his neck as their tongues met with fleeting, tantalizing flicks. He sucked on her lower lip, pulling slightly and she exhaled hard. She had been waiting for this.

  He kissed down her neck—fluttering, butterfly kisses that sent shivers up and down her spine. With soft hands, he removed both her top and skirt and discarded them to the side. The rest of the world melted away as Jillian maneuvered her arms down and ran her hand along his groin. Underneath his covering garment, she felt his throbbing hardness grow more solid from her touch. As she removed the cloth, an exquisite thrill coursed through her as she clasped him in her palm. It was hot and smooth, and she moved along the shaft slowly at first, taking in the feel of him.

  His fingers flitted between her legs, dipping into her moistness and then circling her bud. She stopped her motion for a second, unable to focus on what she was doing as pleasure froze her exploration.

  Faron climbed on top of her, his hair hanging loose and tickling the side of her face. He thrust into her smoothly with a grunt. She was open, wet and ready for him and their hips rocked in sync. Lifting himself up on his arms, his eyes held hers steady as he glided in and out of her. The movements were small, slow. Jillian held on to his shoulders, watching his desire, seeing the tip of his tongue touch his teeth and his lips slacken.

  The only sound was an odd crackle from the fires, their staggered breaths and pounding of hearts. He teased her puckered nipple with his nail, keeping the rhythm, massaging her from the inside. The heat within her body concentrating into a fizzing orbit around her groin as he hit the spot, again and again–building layer upon layer of eroticism.

  A low moan formed in her throat. He got her so close, so quickly. Like he was made to penetrate her in exactly the right place—the tip of him satisfying a throbbing need while his pubic area rubbed on her button that prickled with the stimulation.

  “I love being a part of you,” he said, breathlessly.

  “Faron,” Jillian gasped as she tried to speak. She was tight around him, feeling every ridge of his shaft as it stroked and stroked her inner walls.

  “Faron.” She tried again to say the words she wanted, but all words were washed from her as she drowned in a tsunami of orgasm, releasing ragged cries as she came–digging her nails into the tops of his arms and arching her back. All her muscles tensed, the whole world disappearing as the only thing that she was aware of in this moment were the fireworks going off inside of her.

  Faron paused his grinding as he waited for her convulsions to slow, delighting in her furrowed brow and open mouth as she moaned. It turned him on even more, and his hips worked at a faster pace this time. Jillian had barely got her breath back before she felt him shudder and spill into her. A hot liquid that mixed with her own.

  He remained inside her as he softened and she kissed every inch of his face, feeling content and satisfied. The gentle light in the room showed his smile and she felt an unusual security–the sense that her feelings were reciprocated. She hadn’t forgotten the fact that he could have got himself killed, that he possibly went out to hunt her men, but she had well and truly forgiven him. There was also admiration, she found him brave and fearless–willing to take on anything in order to keep those close to him safe. A loyalty and pureness no longer found in the human men she had romantic experiences with. He was selfless and strong, a very rare combination. Jillian couldn’t stop her kisses, realizing how lucky she was to have found this.

  Faron twisted himself off of her and pulled her head to his chest. He felt ready now to face his people–no longer guilty or regretful, he knew all he had to speak was the truth and they would all understand.

  Jillian ran her fingers over his velvet torso, wanting to remember every inch of him. They lay there comfortably for a long time, caressing each other with delicate strokes, occasionally meeting lips and searching the depths of one another’s eyes. Different in shape and color, but matching in the intensity they reflected back.

  Faron had to force himself to rise from the downy covers on the bed, from Jillian’s body wrapped around his–he had a duty and it could not wait until tomorrow. He smiled as he caught her watching him dress.

  “You need to come, too. I know you won’t understand but you need to be there. The people need to see you,” he said and passed her the tiny coverings that passed as her outfit, the bottom of her skirt still torn from where she had ripped him a dressing for his wound.

  “I’ll get you new ones in the morning.” He commented, and she felt excited at his words–it meant they would get to spend all night together.

  She lifted the clothes in front of her in a question, ever mindful of her now annoying and pointless lie. He nodded affirmation and so she began to put them on. Following him first to the medical building and then to check in on Ashan.

  He was still lying on the table, but was now propped up by bundles of fur. It was warm inside–the tiny fires that had been lit to provide light giving off a lot of heat in the small room.

  “My friend. How are you?” Faron asked, standing by his side. Ashan’s blood was soaking through the bandage on his chest, and there was an alarming amount of it.

  “I’m going to be fine. It’s a little sore but the healer says I can go back to my dwelling later. He’s just gone to gather some herbs to redress the wound. To be honest, I think Fenn was in a worse state than me.” He managed a cheeky grin, much to both Faron and Jillian’s relief.

  Once Faron was satisfied that there had been no lasting harm done, he clasped Jillian’s hand and led her to the communal hut. They walked through the center of the village together, the elevated flames not really needed to illuminate their path–the five moons were all full, shining silver into the night. They passed the water pump and onto the main hut.

  Jillian could hear that is was bustling before they stepped through the door and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She wasn’t expecting to be attacked, but in a way, the embarrassment of being shunned was even worse somehow. Faron squeezed her hand as they entered.

  It seemed the whole tribe was there. The tables were cluttered with plates of exotic-looking fruit, and what looked to Jillian, but couldn’t have been, great hunks of bread and yellow blocks of cheese. The atmosphere was almost festive with everyone gathered together, talking at once, but it significantly changed as the aliens spotted their leader. Their respect was obvious, palatable almost and not one would betray him so as to openly hiss at the woman on his arm. But they did their best not to acknowledge her specifically, most of them eyeing her with uncertainty.

  Faron left her near the top of one of the tables, towards the front where he took his place. She kept her eyes on him, not wanting to know who she was stood near or what reaction she would get if she cast around a friendly smile.

  “Today was not a great tragedy.” The room went instantly quiet as Faron began to speak. Several of those who had been standing sunk to the benches at the tables, and children
climbed onto parents’ laps.

  “We experienced injury to our flesh, but no loss. I led our men to the invaders of our planet. I led them to a specific place. Where there are ones who were cruel to my mate–Jillian.” Several heads turned to her at the mention of her name, but she kept looking straight ahead.

  “She would have been killed by them. They had no mercy or consideration, and I wanted to extend a warning to them. We fought well and now understand their weapons better, so the mission was useful. Knowledge and understanding bring forth power. I wish for you to know and accept that Jillian had nothing to do with their injuries to us. She was not there, and she did not point the weapon–thusly should not be treated as though she did.”

  Jillian could have cried with relief, hoping that his words would be enough to convince them, hoping that they would be heeded. Faron’s speech had appeased the crowd. There was a more relaxed feel to the air. The chatter started back up, and several peals of laughter drifted from the back of the hall.

  She waited for him to come back to her, needing him by her side. She realized completely that her wellbeing was totally tied to this man. She owed him her life, and now she owed him her future–he was the only reason she stood here, in this village, with this tribe. If anything happened to him she may not be welcome, she may even have to run. Then she’d be a fugitive from his people as well as her own. And where exactly would she run to? She couldn’t go back to the colony. Or to Earth.

  Jillian’s future was now with the cat-people, and she was determined to make the best of it. It may have been an opportunity forced upon her at first, but it was still an opportunity. As mate of the leader of the tribe, she was going to try her hardest to make him proud and to fit in. This was now home.

  Chapter Sixteen

  She spent the night snuggled in Faron’s arms, and was pleased that his mood was light when they awoke the next day. He kissed her firmly, and she felt a now familiar stirring down below, but to her disappointment though, he got up, leaving her in the bed once again.