Erotan swung his blade with a roar as the Alaki beast clicked its pincers in warning. But Erotan wasn’t deterred by the girth or length of his opponents. He was ready to take on all three at the same time. As though it were a performance, he dodged their white opaque acid spit, leaping around the village floor. Drums hammered out a rapid, fierce beat in the cave, heightening the cinematic effect of the show.

After several seconds, Erotan found an in. He lunged towards his prey. The Alaki responded by charging at him.

At the last second, Erotan rolled out of the way. The Alaki ran like a train right passed him as he dug his sword into its side, slicing a long cut along its body. The beast reared up from the injury, throwing itself around in agony. It bent so far, I half-expected it to split in half. Instead, the pincer nearest Erotan managed to get a swipe on his left arm. The cut wasn’t deep but it ran the width of his bicep.

Erotan didn’t even seem to notice, and if he did, he didn’t react. He stood beside the dying beast, pivoting as the other two Alaki practically crawled atop each other trying to get a bite in. One even spat a large wad at Erotan but missed and struck his fellow Alaki by accident. I didn’t think their acidic saliva would be able to hurt them, but the Alaki lost the use of a coated leg and jerked its body back at a weird angle.

After what felt like hours, other Subcotan warriors finally arrived with swords raised. One of the first in the charge was snatched and lifted by a pair of pincers. He screamed for help and tried numerous times to drive his sword into the beast’s claws, but the exoskeleton wouldn’t give. The rock blade couldn’t pierce it.

With little effort, the Alaki split the man in half, slicing him at the waist. Blue blood dripped from the monster’s pincers as it then proceeded to pick up the two halves and gobble down its prey.

But its greed was its undoing. While the creature feasted, Erotan rushed it with several other warriors. They hacked it to pieces in a matter of seconds. The sides of the Alaki weren’t nearly as armored as the head and back. The onyx-colored swords slipped through the flesh like a knife through warm butter.

Erotan then turned and faced another beast. The other warriors stood at his side, ready for his command. They worked together like a well-organized unit and proceeded to tear the Alaki apart one beast at the time. Blood, guts, and shrieks of pain flooded the village during all the chaos. Yet the one sound that trumped the cries of death were the drums.

They beat hard and fast like a teenage boy alone in his room. It was pure savagery.

When the battle was over, the drums stopped. The warriors stood with their chests heaving and bloody swords dangling beside their muscular thighs. They were covered in a milky glaze from head to toe. At first, I was worried it was Alaki saliva, but when none of them reacted to the weird substance, it hit me that whatever was on them might be similar to sweat.

“How many did we lose?” Erotan asked his fellow fighters. His eyes searched the massacre, looking for bodies.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Standing like a marble statue with his dark muscles glittering beneath a milky film, Erotan’s cock stood at full attention. The loincloth covered his penis but did little to hide his arousal. It was basically like wrapping a rag around a baseball bat.

“Three dead and several injured,” one Subcotan reported back.

“I’m not injured. I’m fine,” a warrior called out despite his legs clearly leaking blue blood from a deep gash.

Erotan patted one of his brother’s shoulders as he sauntered away from the horrible scene. “Mia?” he called out when he came closer.

I hadn’t moved from behind the fluorescent pink plants where he had shoved me. “Here,” I said, standing up. My eyes immediately dropped to the stiff Subcotan sausage. I couldn’t help it. I had to get a good long and hard stare at it.

“Are you hurt at all?” he asked as his eyes scoured my body, searching for any signs of injury.

“I’m fine.” The only thing that stung was my knee. It had absorbed most of the impact when he pushed me to the ground. “What was with the drums?” Even now I couldn’t get their incessant beat out of my ears. The memory had been hammered in.

“The Alaki don’t like the loud sounds. It helps to distract them and sometimes it’s enough to drive them away.” He swallowed hard as the weight of what just happened hit him. “That’s why we have all these parties at night and get together with music and dancing, it keeps them away.” He glanced over his shoulder. “But it’s obviously no longer working.”

“Why not?” The scientist in me took over. “What do you think brought them here?”

He released a heavy breath. The question weighed on him. “It must be a sign of just how bad things are getting for us down here.” His grip on his sword tightened. “They’re spreading and may soon try to take over the village. I have been reluctant to share with the elder the things I have observed out in the tunnels, but this changes things. The Alaki have taken the fight to my home. We can no longer rely on simple scouting missions. They are growing in numbers and extending the reach far beyond their traditional territory.”

My heart deflated as he practically prophesied the downfall of his people. Why weren’t the drums and music working anymore? Were they not loud enough? Did they simply need one gigantic drum? How could they even begin to construct such an instrument?

I gasped as the idea struck me like lightning. “I know the answer. I know how we can save your people.”

His brow furrowed. “You know how? It’s not as simple of a solution as you think. We have been dealing with this for some time and have yet to come up with a solution. How is it that after only spending one day in the village, you know how to solve our Alaki war?”

“Because the solution doesn’t come from your world, but mine. That’s why I believe I know how.” My weight shifted upon my feet as my mind worked to figure out how best to say what was about to come out. “You said that sound is a deterrent. What if I told you that I have a weapon that emits such powerful sound waves that it can demolish rock?”

His eyes widened in disbelief. “How could such a thing even exist? It’s impossible.”

“It seems like that when you don’t know the science and technology behind it, but I assure you it’s possible. And it’s here in the caves.” I had last seen the High Freck Gun near the tunnel’s entrance. It was lodged between two rocks with the butt of the gun sticking straight out in the air. “If the Alaki are as sensitive to sound as you say, this weapon could change things. It could save you and your people. Let me retrieve it for you.”

He cocked a black eyebrow, staring at me with an equally dark gaze. “Where does this imaginary instrument lie?”

“It’s not imaginary,” I answered with a huff. “You’re not going to like the answer. It’s near the tunnel’s entrance. Close to where you first found me.”

“The surface?” He nearly spat.

“No.” I took a stern tone like a mother reprimanding her child. It was awkward coming out of my mouth, but I did my best to work it. “It’s inside the tunnels. Just close to the surface.”

He shook his head vigorously. “No. It’s too risky.”

“Yes, it comes with a risk, but the reward far outweighs it.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I want to go.”

He shook his head again but this time it was accompanied by an adamant grunt.

“Look, I’m not asking permission. I’m asking you to join me. If you don’t want to, then I’ll go by myself.” I was a single, independent woman that didn’t need any man… or Martian to tell me what I could or could not do.

Without saying a single word, Erotan sheathed his sword, wrapped his large hands around me, and in one swift lift, hauled me over his shoulder. He turned on his heel and began carrying me off.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I yelled at him as my fists beat against his thick back. I did my best to wiggle and squirm free, but I couldn’t escape his grip. It was like iron, clamping me against him.

But I wasn’t about to give up that easily. “Erotan, if you don’t put me down, I’m going to …” Shit, I couldn’t think of anything to threaten him with. “Then, I’m going to ask Cotid to escort me to the High Freck Gun.” It was the only thing I could think of to goad him. Jealousy was never my favorite tactic, but seeing how territorial he was with me — especially with Cotid — I knew it was my most useful weapon in this circumstance.

“You don’t belong to Cotid,” he said as his foot hit the first step in a long stairway that eventually led to his cave. “You belong to me.”

“Excuse me?” I nearly squeaked. “What did you just say?”

I belonged to no man — only science. This mission, this job, this life pursuit, that was my real passion. Males had lost all use to me because they were, well… useless. They stomped around, acting like brutes, claiming things that didn’t belong to them, and acting like gods amongst men.

Erotan was a perfect example of this, but I couldn’t deny that he had managed to go one step further than any other male — he had my attention. The guy had a raw animal attraction that couldn’t be ignored.

“Erotan,” I said, returning to my stern, matronly tone. “Put me down this instant, or else.”

He slipped into his cave with me draped over his round shoulder, but he didn’t stop until we reached his bedroom. The beautiful white plants climbing the rock walls were lit up in a soft white glow, giving the room the perfect atmosphere for whatever Erotan had planned.

He threw me onto the soft mattress and immediately climbed on top of me. The weight of his body upon mine made my skin tingle. It was so soft and smooth.

“You belong to me,” he repeated as he yanked several loincloths from a nearby drawer. “You’re only leaving this village with me at your side.” His hands worked quickly, tying me to the bed using the loincloths.

“Stop!” I shouted, but my voice became breathy. I had never been tied up before, and it was eliciting a great deal of excitement within me. My chest tightened, and my core heated. I could feel the beginning of slippery wetness building between my thighs.

“I’m not letting you go,” he whispered as he stared in my eyes. The look lasted only a few seconds, but it was long enough to wake up the sleeping giant between his legs. I felt it scrape across my leg as it grew in size and rose to attention.

“Oh my god,” I breathed. One solid dick slap with that thing could knock a motherfucker out.

With his body still draped over mine, he lowered his head and placed a peck on my lips. He was testing the waters. He must have liked it because he went in for a full taste. The sensation made the hair on the back of my neck raise. It was electric and fiery, while also being undeniably tender and inviting.

I loved having his mouth pressed against mine. It was delicious, and left me wanting so much more…