TWO
- Kill. Protect. Mate. -
The Instinct rose up within Vaxa’an, a familiar and comforting presence within him. The Instinct had been a part of his being since his birth, but he had never felt this urgency, this need, this frenzy.
The fight had begun with a slash of his black claws. In the Pit, no weapons were allowed. Vaxa’an felt the Nusseer’s brown hide give way, felt the warm gush of black blood trickling down his claws. This would be a quick fight. A necessary one.
The human would be his mate. Vaxa’an could hardly wrap his mind around that, but the truth rang through him, as clear as the rising twin suns on Luxiria.
Even though the Instinct wanted her fiercely, Vaxa’an couldn’t stop the disappointment from sweeping his body. Humans were weak, seen as nothing more than Breeders and pleasure-mates. He’d heard that a human woman could make a male see stars when mating, that their soft bodies were pliable and giving…but all he saw was weakness. A human mate would have a hard time surviving on Luxiria, where brute strength—even among their rapidly declining female population—was power. Luxirians were a warrior race, bred for it through strong, proud lineages. From a young age, they were trained using only the harshest of methods. It was insult enough that Vaxa’an had to search outside of their race to continue his line. As the leader of his people, he needed to ensure survival.
But a human…
They were a relatively new species to make themselves known, from a planet called ‘Earth.’ He could easily implant her language into his mind once he returned home, but would that be necessary? He only intended to Breed her, to create heirs. His sire had been the Prime Leader, a title passed down to Vaxa’an after his death. It would be his duty to impregnate her.
Vaxa’an couldn’t deny that the thought quickened his blood and stirred his cock in his coverings. His human was lush. Her nipples were a soft pink that he wanted to suckle. Her body certainly looked pliable, looked like it could take the rough matings a Luxirian like him could give her. She’d be impregnated before the lunar cycle was done, he vowed to himself, human or not. He dodged a swipe of the Nusseer’s claws, making sure not to touch its saliva. Poison would seep into his bones if he didn’t focus.
His training kicked in. He grew impatient to take his mate.
He let the Instinct take over, let it guide his movements and make him quicker, fiercer, deadlier. He dodged, he lashed out, he weakened his opponent like he’d been trained to do, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Every movement was calculated.
The Nusseer knew the moment his life was forfeit. The realization flickered in its dark eyes right before Vaxa’an thrust his arm out and embedded his claws deep inside the thick hide of its belly, where its heart was. He squeezed his fist, popping the organ, and the Nusseer dropped at his feet, rattling the ground like a quake.
The deafening roar of the crowd met his ears as he wiped his opponent’s blood across his chest, a sign of respect for its life and of his victory. It was an honor to wear the creature’s blood. His gaze sought out his mate’s and the Instinct rumbled in his chest, his need increasing tenfold.
- Mate. Fuck. Possess. -
Never breaking his gaze off her, he strode to the stand where she stood with the others. Up close, he studied her. His mouth watered, his eyes traveling over her curves, her exposed cunt, her full breasts. Her lips were an oddly enticing shade of pink, but she looked paler than she had a few moments before. Her eyes were strange as well. Black in the center, and then green, and then white. Different. And she was small. She stood in the stand off the ground and she still only came up to his chest.
He saw her eyes focus on the smear of black blood on his chest and his spine straightened proudly. She should know that he would kill for her, that he would protect her from harm, that he would be the one to provide for her until the end of their lives.
It didn’t matter that she was human, he decided in that moment. She was his. His people would accept it over time. He had to set the example that this was the only way their race would survive, by continuing the line through inter-species breeding.
To the Krevorag nearing him with its scaled skin and dark eyes, he said in its language, “I want her. Release the chains.”
The Krevorag had started the Pit. He hadn’t known that only human females were being offered and he thought it odd that other species were absent. Some females, specifically Wrillonians, volunteered for the Pit, reveling in the ferocity of males fighting for their right to breed with them. Some, however, did not come willing. Vaxa’an ignored the moral implications of his participation. He told himself it was necessary, that he needed an eligible species as a Breeder. The moment his Instinct had picked her, he knew that humans would be compatible.
The Krevorag approached the female and she swung her eyes towards him, stepping back, trying to avoid him. Roughly, the Krevorag pulled her forward, hissing, but a low growl from Vaxa’an stilled his arm immediately.
“You mark her and I will savor your death,” Vaxa’an warned, tone deadly. He saw his female shudder and the Krevorag made quick work of her chains, unhooking her, before reattaching the links to the other females.
Vaxa’an reached forward to take his mate but he only had a brief moment to enjoy the feel of her warm skin against his own before…she bit him.
Her blunt little teeth did little to cause pain. He was more shocked than anything, giving her the opportunity she no doubt desired. She struggled against his hold, scraping at his chest with her claws. But upon closer realization, he realized she had no claws, just nails as dull as her teeth.
The crowd was amused, no doubt drunk on Krevoragian Brew, which only added to their hysterics. According to rumor, it wasn’t anything new. A female had bitten a warrior before and a few had tried to escape. Unfortunately, Vaxa’an’s original fears about humans were correct. They were weak. He subdued her easily, sweeping her up in his arms, the blood of his opponent wetting her side.
She struggled against him, making mews of anger and frustration and fear. In time, she would realize she had nothing to fear of him. He’d turn her anger into need and her frustration into desire. He’d fuck it right out of her. Feeling her luscious form pressed into him, he decided that three heirs wouldn’t be enough. He’d sire many, many more with this female. His attraction to her should scare him, but all he felt was relief and wicked anticipation.
“Enough, female,” he growled out, feeling her struggles vibrate straight to his cock. Fighting already made his blood run hot. There was a reason why Luxirians, in addition to being a warrior race, were also known for their more carnal needs. “Unless you want me to lay you down and fuck you here.”
Of course, she wouldn’t understand him so she didn’t respond to his bluff. Vaxa’an needed to get her to his ship, so they could take leave of this planet and return to his own. The journey would only take three spans, but he was needful. If he could take her within the next moment, it wouldn’t be soon enough.
She was yelling something in his ear, which sounded like, “Laytmigao, laytmigao!” Vaxa’an would need to implant her language as soon as he reached his ship. It had been many, many lunar cycles since he’d needed the language implanter, so he prayed to the Fates that it worked. The female continued to struggle in his hold. He tightened his grip, but decided to throw her over his shoulder to subdue her best. She screeched against his bare back and he winced, his ears sensitive.
Her ample rump was on display for the entire arena and he ignored the possessiveness that ate at him. To further motivate her to cease her struggle, he brought his hand down on her rump, not hard, but he left it on her right cheek as warning, his Instinct purring contently at the feel of her.
The female finally stilled, frozen, and he strode back down the tunnel towards the ship bay. Species from all over the universe came to the Pit, to watch the fights or to try to win a female for themselves. As the Prime Leader of Luxiria, he’d been given the first fight of the night and the Krevorags had been thrilled by his sudden appearance. As far as he knew, he was the first Luxirian warrior to want a turn in the Pit.
In the ship bay, he spotted his vessel, a Luxirian emerging as he approached. It was Lihvan.
“Prime Leader,” his war general greeted him with a respectful nod, his dark eyes straying to the human female slung over his shoulder. Even though Vaxa’an and Lihvan were as close as blood brothers, his general knew the customs and abided by them among the public. “I see you were victorious.”
“Yes.” His chest swelled with smug pride. He held Lihvan’s gaze. “My luxiva.” His mate. Or, at least, she would be. Very soon.
“The Instinct chose her for you?”
“Yes.”
Back when there was an abundance of female Luxirians, the Instinct chose a female most compatible for breeding purposes. His race were monogamous and Luxirians’ were infamously possessive over their females. They didn’t share, but it hadn’t been uncommon for breeding partners to mutually end their union once young were brought into the world. If it did happen, the Instinct chose another female and the breeding cycle would begin anew.
But a luxiva was different. Vaxa’an felt it, deep in his bones. The Instinct knew. He would ask the Fates to bless their union and if they did, Vaxa’an and his human female would be mated for life. The deepest bond. A fated bond. The strongest of connections. There would be no others for them during their lifetime.
His general inclined his head. “I congratulate you on the highest of honors, Prime Leader.”
Lihvan averted his gaze, but Vaxa’an had seen the envy in his eyes. His oldest friend had wanted to find a luxiva as long as any Luxirian had. But after the sickness that had spread through the females like a blaze, many males had given up hope. The fact that Vaxa’an had found a human luxiva…it opened up a realm of possibilities, for him and his men.
“Shall we depart?” Lihvan asked, casting another glance at his mate.
His crew and Lihvan’s presence were cautionary ones. If their enemies knew the Prime Leader was traveling alone to the Pit…they might have made an opportunity out of it.
Vaxa’an gave a curt nod. “Immediately.”
He was eager to get his female home.