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. She 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.
“It should take just a few revolutions. By the time they arrive, we will have had a chance to create the formation.”
“That is good news,” I said thoughtfully. “But if Laike isn’t finished by the time the Vellreq arrive, do you think we will have a chance?”
“Supreme Leader Aloitus, you had this plan in mind without Laike’s technology. You said it was worth the risk. If we are able to get rid of the Vellreq, we will be liberating the entire universe of their corruption. Even if it comes down to the worst…”
“Yes,” I said with a sigh. What the common Thressl’n didn’t realize was that if all other efforts were not successful, Jenal’k was going to make the ultimate sacrifice. I was going to have Zerk’k Arkti evacuate the rest of the Thressl’n, along with my crown and the sacred scrolls, and detonate the most dangerous weapon that the Thressl’n had at their disposal.
Unfortunately, that would leave no trace of our beloved planet. Fortunately, there was already an agreement made with the people of Kalron to welcome the displaced Thressl’n onto their humungous planet. The Kalron were a small, modest race of people who took up but one continent on their huge planet. If all else failed, my people and everybody else in the universe would be safe from the Vellreq. And I would be responsible.
Still, I had to hold out hope for Laike’s superweapon to protect the planet and destroy the Vellreq once and for all, without having to sacrifice our beloved planet. I couldn’t imagine having to live without the beautiful world I had been raised in, but it was the same plight facing so many other species in the universe. Even the Earthlings were soon to be killed or relocated into slave camps elsewhere in the universe. The Vellreq were a malicious breed, and the whole universe would be better off without them. If that meant the destruction of Jenal’k, and the sacrifice of my own life, then so be it.
“I have complete faith in you, Supreme Leader Aloitus. It will all turn out as Fate decrees. We must not lose faith. There is bound to be some good to come of all of this.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “I would like you to help me organize a service to honor the gods of Fate. It should be held no later than tomorrow. All Thressl’n and Earth females should be in attendance.”
“Of course, sir…Laike as well?”
I considered this for a moment. “Laike does not even believe in the Fates. Invite him, but if he isn’t interested, let him work.”
“Of course,” Zerk’k said, standing to leave. He hesitated before reaching the doorway and turned to me. “Sir?”
“Yes?” I asked tiredly.
“Please eat something. You are looking haggard. I shall tell Peko to bring you something.”
Without waiting for my response, Zerk’k left the room, and I sighed. Things were coming along just as I thought they might. Although I had anticipated this, now that things were finally unfolding, it was beginning to feel as if everything was happening too fast. It was more important than ever to focus everything I had on my work.
***
I worked late into the night, and had barely touched the fourth or fifth meals that Peko had sent up to my office. Everybody was surprised when I refused to come down for the meal. Everybody, I’m sure, except my female.
I hadn’t been able to get our encounter out of my mind. Every time I closed my eyes to think about the next move I had to make, the memory of Melinda’s body struck me. It was unbelievably frustrating, despite the thrills the memories surged through me at random.
“Supreme Leader Aloitus?” Peko said, hesitantly poking her head into my office.
“What is it, Peko?” I asked, sighing.
“I am so sorry to intrude, but I wanted to bring this to you.”
Peko walked slowly into the office and sat down a small dish with a square of my favorite dessert in the middle. She was afraid to intrude, but all she was really doing was interrupting thoughts that should not even be in my head in the first place.
“Thank you, Peko,” I said, more grateful for the distraction than the food. I didn’t feel much like eating anymore. Not after what had happened with Melinda. And despite my body’s needs, I was swamped with work. Not only did I have to plan for the attack, but I also had to arrange for all of the Thressl’n’s most important affairs to be accounted for should a move to the Kalron’s planet be necessary.
“Are you all right, sir?” Peko asked, sitting cautiously down in front of my desk.
I sighed heavily. I hadn’t been able to speak to anybody about the weight of my potential sacrifice, and the truth was that it, and everything else, was weighing heavily on me.
“Not really,” I said, doing my best to look pleasant. “There are some things that are very difficult about being a leader.”
“Such as abducting and taming a human?” Peko asked.
I shook my head in bewilderment. “I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t have time to worry about one human female right now. The whole universe is at stake. And yet…”
“Take it from me,” Peko said. “She is going to be able to see you the same way we do in no time. Don’t waste another thought on it.”
I smiled half-heartedly at Peko. “Thank you. Now if only I could guarantee the safety of the Thressl’n and win the war against the Vellreq.”
“Well, the Kalron said they would do anything they could. And the Old Ones are ready to fight to the death. You will not be alone, no matter what happens.”
It was true. The Old Ones refused to leave Jenal’k, no matter what happened. They were the race of people who lived in underground caves deep in the mountains of Zennith. They followed ancient rules and protected sacred scrolls, copies of which were entrusted to the Thressl’n Elders. The Old Ones were the predecessors of the Thressl’n, who had evolved to love living in the open and beneath the nourishment of the three suns, while the Old Ones preferred dark and secrecy.
They would rather die than surrender the planet to the Vellreq or flee to Kalron, and had pledged their loyalty to me no matter what the cost to them. The thought was comforting, and I smiled in gratitude at Peko. “Thank you.”
“Of course, sir. Now please, eat this and feel heartened. Fate will have her way.”
I nodded, and lifted the plate, feeling better for the first time since Melinda had retracted her passions.
“All right, Peko. Peace to you.”
Peko bowed. “Peace to you.”
I watched her as she retreated from my office and shook my head, taking a bite of the dessert. Peko was right. Fate would have her way. All I could do was play my part, and hope that she would be on my side.
***
I didn’t get to sleep until about three rotations before I had to wake up, so when I came down for first meal, I was not feeling very well. When I saw the human female fidgeting in her seat, her malicious beauty just as striking as ever, it put me immediately into an unhappy mood.
“Good morning, Supreme Leader Aloitus,” Peko said brightly. She was obviously pleased that I had come down to the first meal of the day. I had decided that I would no longer let my inappropriate feelings for a human get in the way of my work. It was far too important.
“Good morning, Peko. Thanks to you this morning for the meal.”
“Of course, sir,” Peko replied, beaming. I usually wasn’t one to heap praise onto anybody, but I was feeling very grateful for the intervention she had given me the night before. It had been just what I needed to hear. Especially after the horrible experience with the human. It could have been so wonderful. Why had she ruined it?
“Greetings to you,” I said coldly to the human, as it was customary for me to greet everybody the first time I saw them during the day. That way I could go about my business the rest of the day without having to be a slave to social custom.
“Good morning,” she said, keeping her eyes pasted on the food that she was moving around on her plate.
Peko left the room, leaving me alone with the female. We avoided each other’s gaze, and I would have been happy to leave it that way for the rest of the day, but the human, for the first time at the table, broke the silence.
“Have you no tact, human?” I snapped, disgusted. Did humans really discuss such intimate matters over a meal? I didn’t want to hear about it, especially not in a place where Peko or Chef could easily overhear.
“Your sorrow has no place here. In fact, nothing you feel has a place here. This whole situation is strictly business, and you are just a bargaining chip. Or have you not gotten that through your thick human head yet?”
I regretted letting my angry, tired words out on the human this way, but there was no stopping my temper once it had flared up. I could see her face falling in pain, but still, the onslaught continued despite my best efforts to slow it down.
“I brought you to Jenal’k for a purpose, and it wasn’t to sit across from me every day, feeling high and mighty, as if you are too good for me and my people. It wasn’t to give me the same smug look day in and day out and make me serve you. You are my human, my female, and as Supreme Leader of this planet, you are to do as I command you do.”
Melinda stayed quiet, her beautiful eyes downcast and her face drawn in anger. I was thankful she didn’t attempt to retaliate. When I was angry like this, on so little sleep with so many responsibilities pressing urgently upon me, it was almost as if I was looking for a fight. If she had indulged, there was no telling what might happen.
“I don’t feel like seeing you right now. You think your petty feelings and actions are worth talking about beyond their impact? After the fact? How self-absorbed! Are all humans the same?” I exclaimed. “Why don’t you take your meal into the bedroom and stay out of my sight for a while. You can do that, can’t you? There are much more important things on this planet than you, and it is my job to tend to them. Is that clear? Do not approach me again.”
Melinda stood from her seat, her eyes crystal and cold. I was chilled by the quiet malice in her face, but there was nothing I could do to take my words back. Besides, who cared if she was angry at me or not? There was no good to be had in occupying my mind with such petty matters. Emotions would only get me in trouble.
Again and again, I had been told this during my training. And now, that training was being put to the test during the most crucial time in Thressl’n history. I would be stronger than this. The human could be damned for all I cared. I would do my job to serve my people, and that was going to have to be the end of it.