Chapter Two
He had a blinding headache.
And it wasn’t being helped by the way he was being jostled around. What was going on?
“Computer, keep the damn ship still, will you?” he grumbled. Had he gone off on another bender like he had the first night after leaving Zerconia? And Sophie.
Crap. He needed to get her out of his mind. She was never going to be his.
“And get me a pain inhibitor. The really powerful stuff.”
The computer didn’t answer. And it finally registered that rather than lying in his bed, he was face down over something warm and hard.
Rich opened his eyes, alarmed to see the ground moving beneath him. What the hell? Where was he? Was he lying face down over a horse? He turned his head to the right, trying to see what was going on. Fuck. This thing was like no horse he’d ever seen. Not unless this one had a major birth defect and had been born with two heads.
He closed his eyes. Maybe it was his vision playing tricks on him. No way did that horse have two heads and a purple mane. Nope, as soon as he opened his eyes it was going to go back to a normal horse.
He opened his eyes. Oh, damn it.
He turned his head the other way and saw a long leg. A long, lean leg. His kidnapper?
Okay, think brain. What was the last thing he remembered? Bobble-head Santa. Stress ball. Losing power. Calling Logan. Crashing…he’d crash-landed on Tiran. Obviously, he’d blacked out, and probably had a concussion if the pounding in his head was anything to go by. And then what? How had he ended up here?
And how was he going to get out of this? First things first, he needed to get off this two-headed freaky horse and away from whoever had kidnapped him from his ship. He tensed, getting ready to jump, when the horse came to a sudden stop.
Someone called out something. A female voice, and suddenly, he was lifted off the horse. Picked up like he was a damn child and dumped not too carefully on the ground.
Above him, someone snapped out what sounded like a sharp command in a language he’d never heard before. He squinted, the rays of the sun like sharp needles piercing his eyeballs as he glanced up and up and up.
A female sat on the strange beast, straight as an arrow, her long golden hair set into thick dreads that fell well past her butt. She climbed down off the horse and stood over him. Rich’s mouth went dry. She was magnificent. Eyes as blue as a summer’s day studied him carefully. Tall and muscular, she still had curves in all the right places and boy, were those curves on display. A tight body suit in a deep emerald green was molded to her body, leaving little to the imagination. Her arms and legs were bare, displaying how well-toned she was. Over her chest and torso was an armoured plate. She reminded him of this vid he’d watched of an Amazon female warrior. Fierce. Strong. Beautiful.
A total fucking turn-on
Okay, get a grip on yourself, man. You need to concentrate. You don’t know who this woman is or what her gig is. She could be a cannibal eyeing you up for her next feast.
Other females moved in behind her. Not as magnificent or beautiful but intimidating nonetheless. They all had long, dreaded hair as well. So, maybe she was going to invite all her friends to share in a bit of Rich stew.
Wonderful.
All he had to do was stay alive for another week or so, then Logan and his team would find him. He could do that. As long as he didn’t piss anyone off in the meantime.
His sister would call that an impossible hope.
“Which of you is in charge?” he asked. He was betting it was the golden female in front of him. And from the way the others all looked at her in confusion as he spoke, he thought his guess was correct.
Suddenly, the wind changed, and the scent of something rotten and putrid hit him. He started to gag. “Shit, what is that?” He held his hand up to his nose. “Please, don’t tell me that’s one of you.”
The golden warrior barked out orders, and suddenly everyone moved into action. He watched in amazement as the two-headed purple beast and its friends, who were also two-headed—not a birth defect then—were herded off into one area of the large clearing. A few of the females fed and took care of them. Another female gathered up tree branches, stacking them in the center of the clearing, while others erected what he thought must be tents. They threw large animal skins over a few branches of the trees surrounding them. The skins fell to the ground, and they placed large rocks on the edges to weigh them down.
Rich attempted to stand; maybe while everyone was busy with their chores, he could just slip away, somehow figure out where his ship was and find someplace to hide nearby until Logan and his team could extract him.
Easy.
The golden-haired warrior spun around as he moved, pinning him with her gaze. Okay, so not much got by her. Her hair whipped around her, as though mimicking her displeasure as she glared down at him.
She barked something out, and he held his hands out in supplication.
“All right, you caught me. Look, there seems to be some misunderstanding. I’m sure you’re just trying to be helpful by taking me from my ship, throwing me over the back of your freakish horse, and bouncing me around for God knows how many hours while I have a concussion. So, thank you for your hospitality, but it’s time I left.”
She narrowed her gaze then placed her hand out, palm up.
Stay.
Yep, they might not speak the same language but that gesture appeared to breach any language barriers. She barked something out then turned her back on him again.
Well, that settled things then, for sure. He was to stay where he was put, and the magnificent female in front of him wouldn’t eat him.
That stench hit him again, turning his stomach and he looked over, gaping in shock as three of the females dragged the dead weight of a huge woolly beast to the far side of the clearing. How the hell had he missed the giant carcass? And why did it smell so goddamn awful? He blinked, watching in amazement as one of the female’s hair dreads flicked out and wrapped itself around one of the beast’s legs, pulling at it. He’d seen some odd things before, met some aliens with strange powers, but he’d never met someone who could use their hair like another limb.
Fascinating. If a little scary.
The scent faded as they managed to pull the beast downwind of the camp.
The golden-haired warrior turned back to him. She said something then gestured impatiently with her hand. She wanted him to follow her? Really? Like he was a dog?
The way she turned her back and left seemed to imply she expected to be obeyed. Rich barked out a small laugh. Oh, this was classic. He was the one who was used to people falling over themselves to please him. Not that he’d had much of that lately; living with the Zerconians had been a humbling experience. Well, as humbling as it got for him.
But now this warrior woman, dressed in little more than a leotard, was ordering him around?
She turned back, scowling down at him.
“Listen, princess,” he told her, “maybe where you come from people jump at your every command. I am not one of them. I don’t follow orders well. Not even from gorgeous warrior women. Now, best you just take me back to where you found me.”
She simply turned around again, and he sighed. He wished he had the translator chip with him. It was a new invention of Kyle’s, who lived on Zerconia. It was largely experimental, but Rich had still been excited enough to purchase one of the test models to try it out. But it was back on his ship, along with everything else. And unless he could figure out some way of communicating with her then escaping was going to be his best bet. He’d wait until they were asleep then sneak off. How hard could it be to get away?
Suddenly her hair whipped out, almost seeming to double in length as it wrapped itself around his ankles and then she strode towards one of the makeshift shelters, dragging him along the ground behind her.
“Hey, let me go! What the hell do you think you’re doing! Fuck!” He groaned as his head pounded, nausea bubbling in his stomach. His top bunched up, so his bare back was scraping along the ground.
She came to a stop then pointed at the shelter in front of her. Rich glared up at her. “You’re a real bitch, you know that, right?”
She just continued to point at the shelter, and he got the point. Left without much choice, Rich moved into the shelter. “You know, you were much sexier before you started dragging me along the ground.”
She just grunted and disappeared.
“Well, good one, Rich. Somehow you have managed to land yourself in a situation that you can’t talk your way out of.”
This was definitely new and unchartered territory.
***
“Your prisoner is good-looking. Strange for a male to be so muscular and tall,” Amira stated as she sat beside Laylla and helped her to prepare part of the stampa beast for their meal tonight. They would drag the rest of the carcass back to the village tomorrow, but for tonight they could feast on one small part of the beast.
“He is not a prisoner,” she protested. She glanced over at the shelter worriedly. She felt guilty over the way she’d dragged him across the clearing. But he had been defying her, and she couldn’t allow that to go unanswered. If she had, then one of the others would have been within their rights to claim him. And that thought made her feel uneasy. So, she’d dragged him as a punishment and to show him who was in charge.
She hoped he did not push her to do so again.
Amira raised an eyebrow. “Then what do you call him? A prize? He has not been fought over. Although you may well have to fight for him if you wish to keep him.”
“Keep him? I have not said I will keep him.”
“Ah, then you intend to put him in to live with the unclaimed males? I believe it will not take long for him to be claimed, although no doubt the elders would rather he took part in the ceremony a few times first.”
The idea of someone else claiming the male sent a shard of jealousy through her. What was the matter with her? She did not get jealous over a male. Having a male of her own would be nothing but a nuisance. She would be charged with his protection, his care, and everyone knew how needy males could be.
No, best she just participate in the ceremony as the elders had dictated and raise a child on her own. Caring for a child would be enough of a challenge. She did not need a delicate male to watch over and protect as well. That would take up far too much of her time and attention, and she had better things to do than cater to a male’s needs. Their emotional needs alone would overwhelm her.
But there was something about this male. Perhaps it was his handsome face with its chiselled features and strong jaw. Or his hard, tight body. The males of her village were all soft and short in stature, their features not nearly as hard or defined as this male.
Or perhaps it had been the defiance in his eyes as he’d dared to disobey her. The way he’d challenged her had been shocking and a little intriguing. No male ever challenged a female. Not that she had ever witnessed, anyway. Although there were tales told of that other sky ship that landed years ago, about the males on that ship, their strength, their forcefulness, their refusal to submit.
“He is too disobedient. He would need too much training.”
“But wouldn’t it be worth it to have one such as him warming your furs?”
“Amira!” she said, shocked by the other woman’s forwardness. Amira had as little experience at having a male in her furs as Laylla did. Although that wasn’t to say that she didn’t know what to do once she had one there. The elders were most thorough in their preparation of females before the ceremony.
She grimaced at the memory of the elders teaching her about how to bring a male to pleasure. How to cater to his needs. To be truthful, it all sounded rather boring to her. And one-sided.
What about her pleasure? Her needs?
What was she thinking? It was up to the female to provide and cater to the male. Not the other way around. Although she couldn’t help but wonder whether this male would be different.
“I wonder where he comes from?” Amira asks. “Do you think anyone will be looking for him?”
“If he had a proper female, she would not have sent him out alone. Either he is unclaimed or running from his female,” Laylla stated.
Amira sighed. “I really hope he doesn’t have a female.”
“You wish to own him?” Laylla asked sharply. Too sharply, if the way Amira’s eyes widened was any indication. But she could not help but feel possessive over the male.
He is not yours.
“Me?” Amira said with a laugh as they placed the food on the spit. “We both know I could never hold onto him.”
“You are a great fighter. I would not have you hunt with me if you were not.”
“But I’m slowed down by my leg, and there are others who are better and faster than me. You’re the best fighter we have. You could keep him if you decided to claim him.”
Laylla stood abruptly. “Enough of this. I have jobs to do and no time for such foolish talk.” She strode off, trying to ignore the smirk on Amira’s face. Yes, she knew she had reacted too strongly for someone who was pretending to be indifferent.
And that just made her even angrier.
***
Rich watched the women move around the campsite from where he’d been ordered to sit inside one of the small shelters. He’d thought about making a move to escape, but his best chance was to wait until darkness had fallen.
In the meantime, he’d gather what information he could. Stealing one of those two-headed beasts would be ideal, but he wasn’t certain he could grab one without upsetting the rest of the herd and causing a scene. So, he’d have to head out on foot.
His stomach growled.
But hopefully he wouldn’t have to leave until after he’d tasted some of the food currently roasting over the fire. The carcass of that dead beast might smell like rotting flesh left in the sun too long, but cooked it smelled delicious.
Or maybe it was just that he’d gone too long without eating any real food. The freeze-dried crap he’d been surviving on was just about unpalatable.
One of the woman removed the meat from the spit and was now cutting it up with a wicked-looking knife. He watched that knife warily. From what he’d seen, no one had blasters or any form of advanced weaponry. Instead, they carried spears, knifes and some, like the smaller female with the limp, had carriers filled with arrows and a bow.
Primitive.
And yet, without any of his weapons, he was helpless as a babe against their old-fashioned weaponry. If only he hadn’t lost consciousness when he’d landed, he could have fought these women off easily. Although, the thought of harming the blonde-haired goddess caused his gut to tighten, even if she did deserve to suffer after the way she’d dragged him across the ground. He held a hand up to his temple, wincing as he encountered a bump. Ouch. She hadn’t done his head any favors, that was for sure.
His princess turned to look at him. The sun was setting, and it was hard to make out her features, but he’d be willing to bet she was frowning. She strode towards him, something held in her hands. Then she crouched in front of him. Being so close to those stunning blue eyes made his head spin. And that wasn’t due to the concussion he suspected he had.
“You’re magnificent,” he said without meaning to.
She held out something with both hands—some of the roasted meat rested in a hollowed-out shell that looked similar to the husk of a coconut.
His stomach grumbled again, and she pressed it into his hands with a command.
“Urgle.”
“Urgle? I’m guessing that means eat. Or it’s an insult of some sort.” He shrugged then winced as his head protested.
Her gaze narrowed and she raised her hand, brushing back his hair. He jerked his head back, reacting without thinking. She made a scolding noise and reached back with one hand to hold the back of his head while inspecting the lump on his temple with her other hand.
There was a tsking noise, and she gave him a sharp look.
“What?” he said bad-temperedly, almost feeling like he was being reprimanded. “You didn’t do it any favors by dragging me across the ground.”
She studied him closely, those blue eyes mesmerising. His gaze dropped to her plump, red lips. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her. If he leaned in just a little…
Another whiff of the cooked meat hit him, and his stomach grumbled loudly.
Princess pulled back, her eyebrows coming together in a frown. She reached for a piece of meat and pressed it against his lips.
“Urgle,” she repeated.
He opened his mouth to tell her what he thought of her orders, and she shoved the bit of meat inside. He intended to spit it out, just to make a point.
But damn, it was freaking delicious.
She pressed another piece against his lips. He drew his head back and took the meat from her fingers. “I can feed myself.”
She sat back, nodding and watching as he ate. He held the husk out to her. “Want some?”
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, pressing against his hands, as though indicating he should eat more. He took some more meat, but it felt kind of awkward to eat while she just sat there, watching.
“Aren’t you going to eat any?” he asked.
She tipped her head to one side.
“Right no comprehendo. Um.” Feeling a little foolish, he gestured eating then pointed at her. She shook her head and pointed back at him.
He sighed. “Fine, but if you’re feeding me up just to put me on the spit next I am going to be seriously pissed and when I’m pissed I…” He what? What could he threaten her with? He couldn’t threaten to make her wish she’d never been born. No doubt she already felt that way considering the primitive way she lived.
When he was full, he handed her back the husk which was still half full of meat. “I hope you people eat some sort of vegetation as well. Otherwise, your arteries are going to get clogged, and you’ll be dead by thirty.”
Was he seriously lecturing her about taking care of her health? She grabbed up the husk and started to quickly eat the meat. She shoved the meat into her mouth making him think that she’d either been starving or she had atrocious manners. She gave a soft burp. Maybe a bit of both.
“Why’d you wait until I ate? Why not just eat?” he queried. Why did he continue to talk to her even though she couldn’t understand? Maybe he did love the sound of his own voice. His sister had accused him of that often enough, perhaps she was right. Not that he’d ever tell her that.
He just hoped he had the chance to speak to Annabel again.
Of course, he would. These primitive beings wouldn’t defeat him. He was Reginald Richmond Rogers. His name alone brought him respect wherever he went. All right, so his reputation was a bit tarnished after a failed attempt to wrench leadership of the Earth Council from High-Councillor Duncan’s hands. But he was rich, smart, and powerful.
Sure, he’d kind of ran away from Earth after learning that High-Councillor Duncan wanted him gone. Permanently. He’d hidden out on Zerconia with his sister and her over-sized ape of a mate until his people could find evidence that High-Councillor Duncan was embezzling funds from the council. That would put Duncan away for good.
And as soon as he found a way out of this current situation, he would take his revenge and his rightful place as the leader of Earth.
Princess stood and moved away. He had to squash the urge to follow her. Even if she couldn’t understand him, he preferred her company to sitting here on his own. But then, he guessed she didn’t care much about his feelings on the matter.
But she returned soon after with another husk in her hands, this one filled with water. She held it out to him once more.
“I hope that taking care of my needs first isn’t symbolic of something. I’m not going to find myself mated to you or kept as your sex slave, right?” Images of those long, lean legs wrapped around him as he thrust inside her filled his mind. Okay, so being her sex slave might not be the worst idea in the world.
“More than likely you’re just trying to fatten me up for the stew pot. Don’t think I haven’t noticed there aren’t any men in your group.”
She pressed the husk against his lips. He grabbed it from her quickly, before it all spilled down his front. Not that he cared about the state of his clothing. His shirt was ripped and covered in dirt, and his pants weren’t much better. He took a sip of the drink cautiously, hoping that damn computer had been right when it said this place was habitable for humans. But it just tasted like water, and he gulped down the whole lot gratefully.
She disappeared again then came back with another husk filled with water. She held it out to him, and he shook his head. With a shrug, she gulped it down. Was it weird that he was turned on from watching her drink? That shouldn’t be a turn on, right? Especially when she wiped her mouth with her arm. He was generally attracted to sophisticated, well-mannered women. You know, ones that used napkins and didn’t belch like a drunken sailor on a bender.
“Obviously, it’s been too long since I’ve had sex,” he muttered to himself.
The golden-haired female turned as one of the other females called out something. It sounded like Layla, but with more emphasis on the second l. Was that her name?
She spoke briefly then turned back to him. He pointed at her. “Laylla?”
Her eyes widened with surprise, and he warily watched as her hair rose then settled around her head in some sort of complicated knot. That was going to take some getting used to. Still, it was less freaky than the alien with the three giant penises who’d propositioned him during his last stop to refuel.
He was not into men, and even if he had been, three penises were more than he was willing to take on. He shuddered.
“Laylla,” she repeated and touched her chest. He smiled and pointed at himself.
“Rich.”
“Reach?”
“Rich,” he repeated more slowly.
“Rich.”
“That’s right.” He smiled at her. “Laylla.” He pointed at her then himself. “Rich.”
She nodded then barked out something he couldn’t understand. The smaller female with the limp appeared and handed his female an animal skin.
His female? What was he thinking? She wasn’t his. Although it kind of appeared she’d claimed him as she placed the skin around his shoulders. It was surprisingly soft and warm. With the sun sinking, it was getting decidedly cooler. Was she taking care of him?
She moved away before he could protest that he didn’t need looking after. What sort of male did she take him for? Rich was all for equal rights. He believed women could do anything men could. But while he might not be a fighter, not physically, he still had his male pride.
He took note of the guards she’d appointed to watch over the camp. He’d need to move carefully to avoid them. While his female might have atrocious manners, she walked with a confidence that spoke of command.
Fuck, he was turned on.
When she returned, it was fully dark, only the light of the red-tinged moon and the flickering of the fire lit the darkness. She moved in next to him. Shit. She didn’t plan on sleeping in here, did she?
She laid down on her side, then said something.
Rich turned towards her, and her hair flicked out circling his wrists. Suddenly, he found himself dragged back, his arms held above his head while she loomed over him. He licked his lips, a mix of fear and arousal filling his blood.
Okay, what now, genius?
What if she wanted sex with him? How could he stop her? Did he want to stop her? He was attracted to her, but beyond her name, he knew nothing about her.
And since when had that ever stopped him from fucking someone? Except in those other instances, he’d always been the one in charge. The one calling the shots.
He pushed against her hold on his wrists, the golden threads of her hair were soft but firm. He couldn’t move. His heart beat fast, his breath coming in harsh pants as she ran a hand down his chest. She moved her hand under his shirt, reaching up to flick a tight nipple. His breath caught, and he groaned slightly.
She stilled then moved her hand to his other nipple. Something moved against his cock, and he looked down, just able to make out another coil of hair pressing against his cock through his pants.
“Okay, this is getting just a bit freaky. If you’re gonna jerk me off at least use your hand.” That coil of hair slipped beneath his pants, popping open the button and circling his hard dick.
Oh, God. He was about to go off like a rocket. He knew he was. He drew his legs up in protest, although it was half-hearted most.
She stilled and said something that sounded like a question. Was she asking him if he wanted to continue? Or was she telling him that he had a choice, let her fuck him or end up in the pot? Fucked if he knew.
The coils of hair disappeared from around his wrists and cock, and she slid her hand out from under his shirt. Disappointment filled him, hard and sharp, as she turned him, so his back was to her. She pulled him against her, swinging her arm and leg over him, spooning him from behind.
His cock throbbed insistently. The feel of her behind him only made matters worse, and Rich knew he’d be getting very little sleep tonight.
Shit.
***
Laylla lay there confused and uncertain. She knew the male ached. That he needed release. And yet, when she had offered he had refused her. Or at least, that is what she had gathered from the way he had pulled his legs up close to his chest.
She didn’t understand at all. She’d felt the hardness of his shaft. Everyone knew that males did not sleep well while they were in need. It was why they were often serviced each evening, and for the most virulent among them in the mornings as well. Although, there were not many males who needed servicing twice a day anymore. Most of their male population was aging. They needed new males. Younger, healthier males like this one.
He'd seemed almost shocked that she would serve him food and drink first. But all males took that as their right, didn’t they? To be served before a female. To have their needs—all of their needs—taken care of.
This male was most confusing. Did his females not care for him properly where he came from? Is that why he found himself alone and traveling around the skies unprotected and uncared for?
Perhaps it was up to her to show him how a male should truly be cared for.
There was no denying she was attracted to him. The folds between her legs were slick with dew, and her insides throbbed with the desire to take him deep inside her. She had never felt this way towards any of the males in their village.
He was strong for a male. And attractive. He would create tough, strong female babies.
Hmm, perhaps it was something to think about. If she could find the time to train him, he might make a good match.