Sirein: A Dystopian World Alien Romance

by S. J. Sanders

  “Nerida!” Erik shouted, drawing her attention to him from the bloody remains staining the deck that he was striding across. His face was a mask of fury and stark terror, and his hand shook as he lifted a blaster cannon to his shoulder.

  “Do not make me do this!” he screamed against the wind as the boats pulled apart. “You will surrender and permit the boat to be boarded, or I swear I will blow it and those monsters to the bottom of the Greater Sea!”

  A snarl rose as Ji’wa circled around her cabin, the sharp spines on his fins glinting as he came face to face with her “husband” as their boats continued to pull away from each other. Her boat was on full reverse, but as lodged as her ship was in his, it would take a few minutes longer to fully separate from The Water Bird.

  Ger’se glanced her way, and she gestured him to the cabin just as a shadow appeared in her peripheral vision, and she sighed. As convenient as it would be for the worm to die and leave her a widow, she wouldn’t feel right without giving him one last chance to do right by her.

  “Ger’se, supervise for me,” she murmured to the male as he stepped inside. He trilled with interest as he stepped behind the wheel, leaving her room to step away and turn her attention to her mate. She grimaced and called out to her true spouse. “Ji’wa, just a moment.”

  The sirein paused, his head cocked toward her as he ceased his advance. He didn’t stand down; he merely waited. His eyes turned briefly to her and she gave him a small smile in thanks before she swallowed and emerged from the cabin to face the man who had tormented her for years.

  “I will only give you this one chance to leave, Erik,” she shouted across the distance as she walked shakily step by step from the cabin over the slick planks of the deck. Her fingers dug into the safety rope attached to the side of the cabin and she blinked against the rain pouring down into her eyes. She would have given anything to be able to look as balanced and superior as Ji’wa was at that moment as he stood easily in place, no doubt thanks to the claws on his feet.

  “Renounce any bonds you have to me and go live your life in peace with another bride—hopefully a willing one next time. Learn to treat women better rather than fucking the wives of your brothers in secret.”

  She smiled secretively as Varn froze, a hard look crossing his face as he glanced questioningly at his youngest brother. Erik shook his head before shooting a venomous look in her direction that promised retribution.

  “Nerida, this is madness. I don’t know what made you leave, but you are my wife, and you should know me well enough to know I will never relinquish that which is mine. You have nothing with which to bargain. Your monsters are formidable pets to be sure, but they are nothing compared to my cannon. This is your last chance, submit—now!”

  The hum of the canon charging filled the ear and Nerida grinned at it. That was her answer. Now she would have nothing to feel guilty over.

  “Uh, Nerida,” Ger’se called out from the cabin. “There is something…big—very, very big—coming up directly below.”

  Her smile widened as wood creaked and splintered as the nose of her boat finally broke free. It was damaged, but still appeared seaworthy enough as far as she could tell.

  “Nerida!” Ger’se bellowed as Ji’wa spun to face him.

  “Like I showed you—full reverse, now!”

  The engine roared, and the boat pulled back just as several enormous maroon tentacles burst from the waves. While her boat retreated, they wrapped around the nearest target, The Water Bird cracking beneath their weight. She supposed that she should feel sorry for Varn and the men who had accompanied them, but she knew that Varn was vicious to his wife, and many who had accompanied them weren’t much better. Nerida still wished them luck as they leaped from the sinking boat into the water, no doubt intending to swim to the smaller boat still some distance away as the leviathan worked to drag its prey into the depths.

  Despite everything, Nerida’s heart pounded fearfully at the sight of the creature. She had never truly believed until that moment that it existed. She had thought maybe a large dathli was surfacing…but this… It was beyond anything she had ever imagined.

  Among the tentacles, long feelers like those of a whip shardon slapped over the deck, sliding around men to drag them into the water where they would serve to feed the thing below. Erik stumbled around, his face green with terror as he ran to avoid the feelers and the enormous tentacles. After firing an ineffectual round at an enormous tentacle crushing the steering cabin with Varn trapped inside of it, he raced across the deck toward her boat. With a wild scream, he attempted to leap the distance.

  Nerida doubted that he would have made it, as far apart as the boats were, but Ji’wa reacted with instinctive born grace as he leapt, his long tail fin fanned out as it swung through the air to knife through Erik midair with a sickening wet sound that somehow was all too audible where she stood a short distance away.

  Blood spurted, and Erik dropped like a stone into the churning water. Several of the feelers followed him, no doubt drawn by the blood, and Nerida swallowed as she watched the sea claim him. She didn’t know how long she stood there, watching in disbelief that finally the story between them had concluded, when Ji’wa’s arms closed around her and jerked her back toward the cabin. Lightning flashed in the air as the storm gathered strength, their bursts illuminating the feeding frenzy of the leviathan even as it shrank in the distance. She couldn’t hear the screams over the storm, and for that she was grateful.

  Nerida brought up her scope and let out a sigh of relief when she saw that the second boat was fishing men out of the water a distance away. At least that settled her conscience some knowing that not everyone had died. Those who did, however, she couldn’t muster any tears for as Ji’wa pulled her inside the safety of the cabin.

  The sea rolled in increasingly violent swells, water spraying in large washes over the deck into the cabin.

  “Lock the cabin!” she shouted.

  Ger’se crammed himself fully inside, his tail snapping wetly as he hit the autolock. The door snapped shut, locking into place as another enormous wave crashed into the ship. It hit with such force that the spray completely whited out the window and the boat jerked so hard from the impact that Nerida’s head snapped back and then forward, cracking hard against the wheel. The last thing she heard was Ji’wa’s pained shout before blackness descended all around her.

  Chapter 26

  Ji’wa blinked against the sun filtering in through the window. The boat was no longer violently rocking, and for the first time in ages, he didn’t feel like he wanted to expel his stomach—which he did several times, much to his embarrassment. He would clean the mess before Nerida saw evidence of his shame. It was bad enough that Ger’se had witnessed it, and indeed wore some of it as he forced open the door with a heaving gasp for fresh air.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” the male grumbled as he shoved himself free of the cabin.

  Ji’wa made a face at his retreating back and gathered his female into her arms, not wishing to jolt her too hard with her head injury.

  “It is not like I did it intentionally,” he said sourly as he followed his friend outside. “At least the boat is no longer heaving beneath us. I will never get used to that feeling even on the gentlest of waters. It is a miracle it is so steady now.”

  “Uh, that would not be the miraculous part,” Ger’se said, drawing Ji’wa’s attention to him.

  The male stood in the center of the deck, his eyes staring out to the left of them. Ji’wa followed his gaze and froze as he took in the sight. The sky was pinkening with the setting sun, but that was not what filled him with such wonder. It was the white sandy beach that bled into flowering bushes and an expanse of trees tucked against the giant rise of an island mountain that appeared to stretch out farther than he could see into the distance. Colorful birds dropped down from the cliffs, warbling as they snatched fish from the water with long bills. Everywhere he looked, there were exotic splashes of color not
unlike the hologram of Earth that he had seen in their room on New Delos. Only the colors were different and somehow brighter.

  He drew in a deep breath as he turned his head, taking in the curved cove in which the boat rested, braced between two enormous sloped rocks. His arms tightened around Nerida as he stumbled forward over the deck. Ger’se strode to his side and steadied him with a concerned look.

  “Would you like me to carry her?”

  Ji’wa shook his head and tucked her higher against his chest.

  “No, I will bring my mate to the nesting ground.”

  Ger’se sighed softly and looked away, his eyes training on the greenery of the island. “You actually did it. You found a nesting ground for our pod. I didn’t imagine that you would succeed in this… It is more than I could ever have dreamed of…”

  Ji’wa felt his chest fill with a warm rush, but it soon faded. With a shake of his head, he stumbled over the edge of the railing and activated the walkway. It groaned unresponsively, but with a shudder it slid out with a loud metallic squeal as it sank into the water.

  Bracing his mate against his chest, he did not wait. He walked rapidly down into the water. He was fading as fast as the sun, but he would see to his mate’s safety and the young he was certain that she carried safely within her. His family would continue even if it meant being without him.

  “Ji’wa…” Ger’se called after him but he ignored him as he stumbled and fell multiple times up the sandy embankment.

  The claws of one hand buried deep in the sand as he dragged himself up to where the sand was dry and warm. Only then did he gently pillow his mate on the sand, his hand wiping away the excess water from her face as the sun lit her features beautifully. He smiled down at her, aware of the soft sounds of Ger’se’s footsteps as the male approached from behind. The male’s shadow cast over him, and he stood there for a long moment in awkward silence.

  “This is it, then, isn’t it?” he murmured.

  Ji’wa nodded. He could feel the moon in his bones, calling him back to the sea to rest. “Don’t forget your promise,” he murmured. “You will care for my mate and my nestling.”

  “Nestling…” Ger’se whispered. “Fuck,” he growled. Clearly, he had been listening a little too closely to Nerida, and the thought made Ji’wa smile. “This is not right,” the male groused. “Wake her and take her now. You can’t just let yourself fade out like this!”

  “She is injured. I will not demand that she wake and copulate with me in the sea, without knowing what harm she has suffered, just to extend my days. I love her. I cannot risk her. I told you before that I will not sacrifice her life for mine.”

  He leaned forward and pressed his lips on her brow, his heart soaring with all the love that filled it. Despite his weakness, his heart felt as if it could continue on forever even when he was no more. With a sigh he pushed to his feet, and with a final look at his mate, he turned away, stumbling back down the beach.

  Ahead of him, the gentle waves lapped at the calm waters of the cove, welcoming him. Here there would be generations of young reared. Here in the shallow waters they would play and eventually take mates of their own. A smile stretched over his lips, and he tilted his head back to feel the waning sun one last time on his face, imagining it to be the warm lips of his Nerida kissing him as he stepped into the sea.

  Chapter 27

  Nerida woke, blinking against the sun. Her mouth felt dry, and her skin felt strangely gritty. A voice was shouting at a distance away from her, and she winced at the pain that the sound sent spiraling through her head. It had to be Ger’se bellowing about something again. Ji’wa would silence him. She stretched out a hand for her mate, her fingers scraping over sand.

  Surprised, her eyes flung wide and she rolled painfully to her side, blinking against the sunlight piercing her eyes as she stared out at a long beach. Ger’se stood at the edge of the water, shouting to a familiar coppery male wading out into the water.

  Nerida watched for a long moment, caught in the way the setting sun turned his fins molten as he waded deeper into the sea. For a moment, she thought he was returning to the boat that was amazingly caught between two rocks, but that was until she noticed that he was heading away from them, moving deeper into the water of the naturally formed cove.

  She didn’t know what spurred her to action. Maybe it was the distress in Ger’se’s voice as he begged his friend to return. All Nerida knew was that she had to get to him before he submerged.

  He couldn’t leave her!

  With a cry, she struggled to her feet, ignoring the pain that surged in her head. The white sand sifted beneath her feet, threatening to dump her on her face, but she stabilized herself with every pump of her legs as she gradually picked up speed, careening down the beach, screaming at the top of her lungs.

  “Ji’wa! Ji’wa! Don’t leave me! Come back, please!”

  The last was screamed on a sob as her legs gave out and she crumpled to the wet sand. Water splashed against her legs and she looked up, tears streaming from her eyes just in time to see Ji’wa bend, his arms closing around her. She almost thought that he would pluck her off the ground as he had done so easily in the past. Instead, he sagged against her, dropping down to her side, his body curling around her. She felt him turn his mouth to her ear, his voice hoarse with emotion when he spoke.

  “Nerida… a’sana, I cannot stay. My time is done. I only had until the full moon to solidify our bond. Now the moon and the sea call me home.”

  “The moon Anaya… What does the moon have to do with it?”

  Ji’wa sighed, his face burying against her neck. Ger’se cleared his throat as he joined them.

  “It has to do with our biology. He knew that going in. The Record Keeper who arranged for him to take time from the colony without his absence being noted had warned him of it. He only had until the full moon to secure your bond. The mating hormones build within us… They eventually kill us. The damned fool wouldn’t wake you because he was worried about your injuries,” he growled.

  “What?” Nerida cried out.

  She closed her arms around Ji’wa, her hands grasping his horns to force his head up to look at her. His pupils looked wrong, but she desperately pressed her lips to his, willing him to live. Her breath fanned his face as she spoke urgently against his skin. “We’ll do this. We will mate. I refuse to walk this world without you.”

  “Your injury…”

  “I’m not dead. But so help me if you don’t mate with me, you’ll drive me to an early grave. I refuse to remain here without you. I will wait for you, but I won’t let you rest. Eventually, I will find you in the next world and hound you for the rest of eternity. You are mine, and I am yours. Now get to your feet. We need to get to the water.”

  She felt his lips curve against her skin, and although his limbs shook, he pushed himself to his feet. Nerida rose at his side and smiled as, with shaking hands, he helped her remove her clothes. As soon as she was bared, she tangled her hand in his as she rose by his side, and they walked together hand in hand into the sea. The water lapped against her legs, her sex, and her belly as he pulled her deeper within the water until it slapped just below her breasts. There he stopped, and she turned to look up into his beautiful yellow eyes.

  “I choose you as my mate, now and forever,” she said softly, his fingers tightening in his.

  He smiled and lifted a hand to gently thread his fingers through her hair.

  “And I choose you as my mate, now and forever,” he rasped.

  A smile lit from within her, warming her until it spread across her face. She was chosen… She was loved. Sliding her hand up his chest, she looped it around the back of his neck and pulled him down so their lips could meet.

  When he finally pulled away, she was captivated by the love glowing within the depths of his eyes, mirrored only by the intensity of the pink markings decorating his body. He turned forward again and gently pulled her deeper, and Nerida looked at the waves before turning a
quick glance back to her discarded clothes and the belt that contained the breather he gave her.

  “Are you sure I don’t need the respirator?”

  Her mate shook his head and grinned. “No. My kind shares breath when we mate. It symbolizes our trust and dependence on each other. While I know you have no gills to help, I have been building up my lung capacity during the period of our courtship so we could do this as it was meant to be done. If you trust me to do so, that is. I am weakened, but I can do this.”

  Her fingers tightened around his in a confident squeeze. “I’ll always trust you.”

  Ji’wa inclined his head with satisfaction and tugged her gently. “Hold your breath as we go under. I will find you.”

  With a smile on her face, she let go of his hand and dove into the water. The world turned shades of lavender all around her as she swam further out, watching the sandy bottom and rocks drop away into greater depths.

  Just ahead, she could see the barrier rocks standing tall and proud, forming the protective outline of the cove. It distracted her for only a moment until a pearly, luminous form sailed by her side. Wonder filled her at his beauty while she watched his fins fanning out around him as he swam through the gentle tide, his copper hair streaming out behind him. He was gloriously breathtaking. His yellow eyes were fastened on her as he slowly circled her. She allowed her own eyes to skim him lovingly, taking in every beautiful line of him until finally her gaze fell upon his sex.

  His cock was fully extruded, and it jerked and pulsed between his muscular thighs under the weight of her gaze. It was as long and thick as she remembered, and yet under the water it seemed even more so. Excitement flooded her when he darted around her with a quick flurry of his tail. She lost sight of him and she paused to float in place, turning as she searched for him. She was going to have to surface soon, but she wanted to see where he was before she did.