Her Alien Protector

by Siren Allen

  “Take your eyes off my ass,” she ordered.

  “Where would you have me stare?”

  “Anywhere, but my ass. You know what, move, get in front of me.” She pressed her back to the wall, making room for him to move in front.

  Chuckling, he did as he was asked. His little mate, so used to giving orders. He couldn’t wait to turn the tables on her, to teach her what it was like to give in, to submit.

  “Hurry up,” she ordered.

  “Why are you always in a rush?” he called over his shoulder.

  “Because I have somewhere else to be.”

  He paused. “Where?”

  “With a friend.”

  Raynor turned around. Her eyes widened once their gazes met. He knew the darkness he was trying to hide was slipping free, spilling into his eyes. He couldn’t help it. His mate was in a rush to be rid of him so she could step into the arms of another.

  “Raynor, your eyes…”

  “What friend?”

  “Why do they swirl like that?”

  Because I’m close to losing it. “What friend?”

  “Why?”

  “What. Friend?”

  Lark rolled her eyes. He could sense how nervous she was. His brave mate hid it well.

  “Not friend, friends.”

  “More than one?” he snarled. Stars, what type of female was he mated to?

  “Of course.”

  He would kill them all. “How many?” He stepped forward. He needed their names. Where did they dwell? They would all die before the next solar flare.

  She stepped back, shrugging. “Ten maybe.”

  Ten? Ten!

  “The females here seem to pop out babies the way humans of Earth do.”

  Babies? “What?”

  “The nursery. I want to go there before they lock down for the waning.”

  “The babies are your friends? You mean, little ones?”

  “Yes, and we call them babies here. The babies and their mothers are my friends. I like checking on them.” Forehead creased she placed her hands on her hips. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  Raynor grinned, finding it easier to breathe now. “No problems here.” Little ones. She liked little ones. Could his mate be any more perfect? He turned and continued his trek up the stairs, not wanting to keep his mate from her friends.

  Little ones, he didn’t have much experience with them. Yet, he wanted them, young vampires running around calling him father and looking to him for protection and love. Yes, he wanted young vamps.

  And he wanted them to have Lark’s eyes.

  Chapter Six

  The space they finally entered was more of an alcove than an actual room. It was a tiny nook that was decorated in his favorite color, red. There was a red and gold chaise against the wall, large enough to seat three.

  “After we leave here, you’re going directly to the bathing chamber. You reek of Cochran’s…. you smell like blood.” Clearing her throat, Lark pushed past him, entering the room. “Close the door,” she ordered.

  Again, he obeyed, for now. Raynor eyed his surroundings. The walls were painted red with gold circles drawn on them. The carpet was gold with flecks of red spattered here and there.

  A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling. And in the center of the room was a black table. On top of the table were two champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne. He frowned at their choice of beverage.

  Warriors didn’t drink alcohol. It addled the brain, rendering their reflexes slow for the entire time it was in their system. Here, on this new planet with these strange people, he could not partake in drinking. He turned his eyes to Lark, who already had her eyes on him.

  “A gracious host would’ve ordered blood for her guest,” he teased.

  Again with the eye rolling, she said. “I’m not your host. I’m your mistress and we’re fresh out of blood on this planet. Wring some of that out of your jacket and drink it.”

  He loved her attitude. She would fit in well with his brethren once they arrived. He smirked, it was a good thing that once mated he could survive off her blood alone. He doubted that animals thrived here. Once claimed, Lark would be his food source. And he would be hers.

  The thought of mating her caused his gums to ache. His fangs wanted a piece of her. A sudden noise behind him caused him to swivel around. He crouched, lips peeling back. The wall began to move. Laughter filled the air. Lark. Why the hell was she laughing?

  “Quiet, woman.” He didn’t face her, too busy watching, waiting to see what was coming for them. The wall slid back, moving slowly. He allowed his fangs to extract, ready to rip the head off any threat to his mate.

  The wall opened up to reveal another room. Ignoring the laughter from behind him, Raynor stood up, no longer sensing a threat. He walked over to the wall and touched the glass that separated them from the room on the other side.

  This must be the harem. Like the nook they were in, this room was decorated with red and gold furnishings also. There were no chairs in the room and the floor appeared padded. Perhaps that was where they sat.

  Red sheets of silk fell from the ceiling, a few feet apart, sectioning the room off into twenty to twenty five smaller sections. The room was dimly lit but it was growing brighter each second.

  What was is with bright lights around here? The darker the better, at least for him. Back home, the sister of his ruler, Dhara, was trying to fancy up their world. She too wanted to decorate each room in silks and other soft materials. What was the point?

  He turned to Lark, who was leaning against the wall clutching her stomach. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she laughed. His pride had him upset, but his heart was happy to see her laugh.

  “I don’t find anything funny,” he told her. There was too much technology here; too much he would have to learn to fit in with his mate’s people. Back home things were much simpler.

  She pointed at him. “You.” More laughter. “You were all like,” she lifted her hands and scrunched up her face, hissing. It was a poor mockery of his behavior.

  “I did not look like that.”

  “Yes,” she laughed. “Yes you did. Oh my gosh. What did you think was happening? Did you think the wall monster was about to get us?” She laughed harder at her unfunny joke.

  “No, I believed an assailant was after you. I was preparing to protect you, even forfeit my existence to keep you safe.”

  That shut her up. She immediately stopped laughing, her lips forming an O as her eyes widened in surprised. He’d shocked her. Good. Because everything about this mating business was a complete shock to his system.

  He turned away from her and stared at the room, ignoring the scent rising from behind him. His mate was growing aroused by the thought of him protecting her. He hid his smile from her as he stared into the empty room.

  A bell dinged and doors in the other room slowly opened. In walked two guards followed by a row of male concubines. The guards stood on either side of the door as the males strode fully into the room followed by a petite female with slanted eyes.

  Her body was slim, hair long and black, skin a smooth caramel color. A few shades lighter than his mate. But it wasn’t her appearance that intrigued him. It was her scent. She was his mate’s lover. Raynor moved closer to the glass, his eyes trained on her.

  “You can sit down,” Lark informed him.

  “I’d rather stand.” Always on guard.

  Behind him he heard her shifting around. He kept his gaze on the scene unfolding before him as he tried to figure out how much of a threat this female was to him. The petite creature directed each male to a section of the room.

  Once they were seated she clapped her hands and the lights dimmed. Females filed into the room, ushered in by female guards. The petite female with the slanted eyes paired each female with a male while the four guards stood with their backs to the wall.

  Happy with the pairing the female walked to the front of the room where one lone male awaited her. She sat bes
ide him on the padded floor and began talking to the others.

  “What is she saying?” He asked Lark. She tisked. He turned to find her rolling her eyes. His brow raised in confusion. What was wrong with her? “What is she saying?” he asked again.

  “She’s introducing herself to the new trainees.”

  “Is there no way we can listen in?”

  “Isn’t watching enough?”

  No, it wasn’t. He wanted to know all he could about the creature in the other room. Why did Lark find her so appealing? “I would like to hear what is taking place in the other room.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “Now have a seat, before I change my mind and decide not to let you watch.”

  If he continued gritting his teeth he would have no fangs to mark her with. Frustrated, he made is way over to the chaise and sat down next to her. Soon she would know who he was to her. Soon she would be mindful of the things she said. His beast calmed. Soon.

  “Now,” she told him. “Watch Ana with the enhanced trainees and you’ll see why enhancements are so important.”

  Ana. He frowned. “Is that her name?” His gaze was on the female who was now removing her long purple dress. Once she was naked, the others in the room began to undress also.

  “Why do you want to know her name?”

  Was that a hint of jealousy he was detecting from his mate?

  “I just want to know her name.”

  “Her name doesn’t matter to you, just watch.”

  Yes, that was jealousy. Raynor cast a curious glance at his mate. She didn’t seem one bit uncomfortable by the fact that they were staring at a room full of naked people. Had they no shame here?

  No one had ever seen him naked except for his mother. Showing so much flesh in front of many was unheard of to him. And they called him the animal. Raynor leaned back against the chaise, attempting to relax.

  He fought the urge to shield Lark’s eyes from the display of flesh in front of them. Enhancements, what was the point? He watched as each male stepped forward to reveal what their enhancement was.

  A few of them had extra penises. The idiots actually smiled as they showed off their appendages. Still seated, the females giggled, some blushing as they watched the proud males turn this way or that way.

  Idiots, they all were. If his mate thought this would make him want to join the double dick club she was going to be sadly mistaken. He would sit through this display, only because it allowed him time to be near her, time to allow her to grow comfortable being in his presence.

  He wanted her to feel safe with him and to overcome her fear that his darkness couldn’t be contained. He would never deny that there was darkness inside of him. He came from a planet that thrived in the shadows. It was who he was. That didn’t mean he couldn’t control it.

  Inside the room, one particular male was getting all the attention. The petite female pointed to the creature next to her and all eyes zeroed in on him.

  “See him?” Lark asked.

  “How can I miss the behemoth?” If she complimented the male, even to say his eyelashes were attractive, this would be the day the male died.

  “He’s an ogre from Mercury.” She sounded excited.

  “Why is he here?”

  “He tried to kill his brother’s wife.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “His brother died and the ogre wanted to claim his brother’s wife. She didn’t want to be claimed. For ogres, once a male dies, his family becomes the property of his strongest brother.”

  “For protection,” Raynor nodded. He’d heard of such traditions.

  “Do vampires do that?”

  “No, we don’t die.” And once we find our mate, we never give her up, ever.

  He heard her gasp. “But, everyone dies.”

  Everyone with a soul. Vampires didn’t have souls. All they had was darkness, a shadow that dwelled deep within. Darkness never died. Now was not the time for that discussion.

  “What is she doing to that male?” He asked. The male’s back was to him. The petite female was circling him, every time she touched his hand, he shivered.

  “I don’t know,” Lark declared. She shifted on the bench. He watched from the corner of his eye as she touched a red button on the wall next to her. It was barely noticeable, blending in with the décor of the room.

  “Ana, please turn him around. We cannot see what is going on.” Lark leaned back against the chaise.

  The trainees began looking around the room and up at the ceiling. Finally the petite instructor pointed to the back wall. She turned around and stared in their direction. Smiling, she waved.

  He didn’t wave back, he glanced at his mate who was waving and smiling. His gums itched. Love, was that love showing in her eyes? Love for another. Raynor balled his hands into fists. I will not destroy them all and steal Lark from this wicked place.

  “That’s Ana, she’s my best friend.”

  And lover he wanted to add for her.

  “She was there for me when my parents died.”

  Damn. Raynor faced forward again, staring at the petite female in a new light. He was familiar with the pain one felt from the loss of a parent. Both of his parents had been killed in The War of the Cursed.

  His mate had needed someone. How could he hate the person who helped her through her time of grief? The petite instructor seemed to be staring straight at him, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

  “Can they see us?”

  “No, this is a one way glass.”

  Yet Lark’s lover was staring directly at him. He could feel her eyes on him. What was she up to?

  “What is she?”

  “Who? Ana?”

  He nodded.

  “She’s a succubus from Uranus.”

  A sex demon had enthralled his mate. Fury raced through him.

  “Raynor, are you shaking?” Lark touched his arm.

  He stilled, feigning calm, but the anger still remained.

  “Ana stop it,” Lark said into the intercom. The sex demon smiled shyly then returned her attention to the behemoth of a man rising to stand next to her.

  “Sorry,” Lark apologized. “Trust me, I know how hard it is to resist a succubus.”

  Is that what she thought was taking place? He wasn’t struggling to resist the creature. He was fighting the urge to rip her head from her body. He hated sex demons. Their compulsion was almost as strong as vampires.

  And there was darkness inside of them also. He wondered if his mate knew that or did she think his kind were the only ones in the galaxy that needed to be feared. Creatures like Ana might appear fun and adventurous, but they were still dangerous, still demons. They were just as deadly as he was.

  “Relax.” She patted his shoulder then removed her hands from him when she felt him tense underneath her touch.

  One pat and he was almost ready to beg her to put her hands back on him. Raynor shook his head, refusing to let her presence calm him to the point of letting his guard down. There was a sex demon here. What trickery was this Ana up to?

  “That’s right, shake it off. Succubi affect people differently. I’ll make sure she doesn’t come near you, unless you want her to? Do you uh, want her to?”

  He turned to Lark, eyebrow raised. “Why would I want that?”

  “I’m just saying,” she shrugged. “You may be a prisoner, but this isn’t a prison. We’re not going to keep you locked away the whole time you’re here.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Our concubines lose the name prisoner once they agree to the enhancements and begin working.”

  “So I’ll be free to roam the grounds?”

  “No, but you’ll have your own chambers.”

  “My own cell.”

  “It’s not a cell.”

  “Does it remain locked?”

  She had the nerve to blush. “Yes, but it’s more comfortable than prison. And you’ll be free to socialize in the main hall during meals each day. You will be
able to go on shopping excursions and…”

  “With armed guards surrounding me?”

  Blush deepening, Lark rolled her eyes. “Look, you’re the one who committed a crime not me. You should be grateful that you’re here and not on Mercury.”

  He returned his attention to the display taking place in the other room. He didn’t give a damn about how the prisoners here were treated. He wasn’t one of them. Focusing on the action, he noticed that the ogre shivered every time Ana touched his hands because in the middle of each palm was a penis.

  Why the hell would anyone want that there? How could they fight with those things in their palms? Ana placed her hands on the ogre’s shoulders and pushed gently. The beast slowly sank to his knees. She pushed him onto his back, he stretched out.

  Naked, all of the creature’s cocks stood at attention. Raynor threw a quick glance in his mate’s direction. She was watching this with a slight smile on her face. Perhaps he should change his plans. Instead of living here with her, he should return home with her in tow.

  This planet was too corrupt. Too much temptation ran rampant here. The female called Ana instructed three females to rise to their feet. They approached the ogre, each dropping to their knees in front of one of his three cocks.

  “This is the purpose of enhancements,” Lark whispered. “You can please multiple ladies at one time. Ogres are the newest rage. Everyone wants one, as long as they’re clean and have gotten all of their shots. Add a few cocks to their form and the females go crazy for them.”

  What was the point of that? He only wanted to please one lady. And his cock was more than enough for that job. He was ready to prove it to her. Unfortunately, she wasn’t ready.

  “What are they going to do?”

  “Watch and see.”

  Having no other choice, he kept his attention on the scene unfolding before him. What happened next blew his mind.

  “Are they, will they…” He couldn’t even form the words.

  “Are they about to suck him off?” she voiced his question for him. “Yes they are.”

  Suck him off, as in put their mouth on his… yes, that was exactly what they did, all three of them. Raynor stilled, whole body tensing.