Stranded with the Alien (Starbound #1)

Twenty Three

They knelt opposite each other. Kara twisted her fingers nervously, wondering how this was going to go. Vahn sensed her trepidation.

“If it makes it easier, human, you may go first.” He took off his T-shirt and threw it into the corner. “Examine any anatomical features that interest you. Ask whatever questions you like.”

Her eyes drifted over his sculpted form. Damn. He’s like an alien Michelangelo. With tentacles.

She cleared her throat nervously and decided to start on safer ground. Hesitantly she reached towards his forehead, touching the ridges which made Vraxians seem bestial and fearsome.

“Why do you have these?” she asked.

“Our ancestors had horns. They are what remains.”

“What kind of horns?”

“Large bony spirals on each temple for the males. Smaller more decorative ones for the females.”

She tried to picture it. Horns would have made Vraxians look demonic, she decided. Even more intimidating than they looked now.

“What about the scales?” She touched his chest, marveling at the warm, almost metallic texture of his snake-like skin. The scars from the hound-beast attack had faded to silvery lines which were barely visible.

“Our anthropologists believe they were once a form of organic body armor against predators. However, they became vestigial when Vraxians moved to the top of the food chain. Now they protect us from heat and cold. They can even shield us against minor radiation.”

“Useful to have in a battlefield.”

“Unlike humans. Your skin is weak and unprotected.”

“Thank goodness for Kevlar then.”

She moved behind him to examine his back. As before, she saw a row of flattened barbs running the length of his spine. They ended just before his waistband.

“What are these?” She brushed her hand down the spikes, jumping as they stirred fractionally beneath her fingers.

“Again, a leftover from more primitive times. But useful as protection.”

“Horns, scales, dorsal spines… did you evolve from dragons?” she teased.

“Dragon sounds better than snake.”

“Sorry. It’s a stupid nick-name.”

“It is understandable. A widespread pejorative acts to bind your people together against a common foe. We have a similar one for Terrans. We call you vermin.”

“Because we’re small and hairy?”

“Because you swarm into places where you have no business.”

She smiled ruefully. She’d asked for that.

“We mostly call you snakes because of these.” She lifted a serpetrus. It was heavier than it looked, as thick as a bicep where it emerged from just below the curve of his shoulder. “We thought they were just weapons. We didn’t realize they were also for protecting your fetuses – I mean, your hatchlings.”

He shifted a little. The touch of her hands on his back, his dorsal spines, and now his serpetrus was becoming harder to ignore.

“That is only one of their functions. We use them for anything which requires dexterity. Hunting. Defense. Pleasure.”

She was glad she was behind him so he couldn’t see her face.

“And the… dendra you called them?” She examined the bumps on the end of each serpetrus. “They have multiple functions?”

“Yes. Dendra can be used for rudimentary tasting, or to administer arak as you know. Depending on the concentration, arak can be a mere sedative or it can be lethal.”

“Can I touch them? Is it safe?”

“You can touch them. They do not emit arak unless I will it.”

She ran a fingertip over the bumps. It was like touching the skin of an avocado; a little rough but not cheese-grater rough.

“Do Vraxians ever get the two mixed up? You know, you’re trying to taste something and instead you accidentally inject it with poison?”

“No. Never.” He sounded amused. “Do humans often mix up their bodily functions?”

“I once meant to say hello to my commanding officer at a party, and instead I puked on his shoes so....”

“You are referring to involuntary reactions. Our dendra operate only on a conscious level, not subconscious. We are in control at all times.”

“Except when you’re delirious.”

He turned to face her, a smile ghosting over his lips.

“Touché, little human. Is there anything else you wish to see?”

It took every ounce of self-control for Kara not to glance at his waistband. And the area below it.

“I think I’m fine for now,” she said firmly.

“Then it is my turn.” He gestured at the jacket she wore. “Do you mind?”

Slowly, she unzipped the jacket and shrugged it off, thanking the stars she’d had the foresight to retain her underwear.

Folding her hands in her lap, she steeled herself for his inspection. He moved behind her and she assumed he was studying the structure of her spinal column. But he surprised her.

“We have noticed Terrans have numerous shades of hair color. Vraxians only have white and grey. For what purpose do you have so many variations?”

“Some of it is genetics. Some is choice.”

“Choice?”

“Yes. We can change our hair color using dye.”

“Dye.” He took a lock of hair and let it slide through his fingers. Her pulse ratcheted. “Some of our younger ones perform that affectation. I have never been sure why.”

“Why not? Who says you have to stick with what you’re born with?”

He leaned forward to inspect her hair more closely and she was conscious of his proximity.

“But your color is natural?”

“Yes. Well, kind of. On this planet it looks purple. Normally it’s black.”

“I find it pleasing.”

“Um, thanks.”

He was so close that if she turned her face, her lips would meet his cheek. She held very still.

“What of skin color? Earth people come in many different shades and yet they cannot change it at will. Why not?”

“You mean why don’t we have natural camouflage like Vraxians? We never developed that trick. Though we do have a lizard you might be interested in. It’s called a chameleon.”

“And why do you have this?”

He touched the inked image on her shoulder. It was a small bird of prey in midflight. She tried not to shiver as he traced it with his finger.

“It’s a tattoo of a merlin. Everyone in my squad has one because we pilot Merlin space-fighters. Don’t Vraxians have tattoos?”

“Our skins are armored.”

“Right. Tough to get ink through it, I guess.”

Vahn found he was having difficulty concentrating on her answers. Her scent was distracting him.

He moved to the front, hoping she hadn’t noticed his momentary lapse. Squatting in front of her, his gaze tracked south over her body, resting on the curves and planes which made it so different to his.

As a soldier, she had honed muscles and good definition. But that couldn’t hide her feminine contours. Without thinking, he reached out and touched a breast.

“Our females only develop mammary glands when they conceive,” he said. “They disappear again a few months after the hatchlings are born. But human females have them all the time. What other purpose do they serve, if not to feed young?”

Kara tried not to react.

“Sometimes for pleasure,” she managed.

“Oh? In what way?”

“The… the nipples are very sensitive.”

“This is your nipple?” His thumb circled the small protrusion in her bra. “This part that stands out?”

Kara couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Yes,” she gulped. “That’s it.”

“In our females, this is called the talata. But it is not as prominent as yours.”

“That’s, um, that’s interesting.” Kara was finding it hard to focus as his fingers repeatedly brushed against her nipple.

Sweet Jesus. For a species that rarely gets to play with boobs, he’s a quick study.

Vahn was intrigued. The tip of her breast seemed to be hardening and was now jutting through the thin material. Did it stiffen because it responded to touch? And if so, what else might it respond to? He wished he could see better.

“Could you remove your apparel?” he asked.

“Um, no. I don’t think so.”

He resumed his examination, cupping a breast in his palm to discover how it felt. Its weight and texture was pleasing, and he was surprised to note he was becoming aroused. Exploring her curves was making his zarnad as hard as rock.

Perhaps that was their secondary purpose. To entice human males. His curiosity was piqued.

“Kara,” he said firmly. “I permitted you to inspect my upper body without any clothing. I insist you allow me the same courtesy.”

He really has no idea he’s turning me on. She looked at him wordlessly, knowing it was a mistake but unable to come up with a reason to say no.

Fine. We’re both adults, let’s just try to stay clinical about this.

Reaching behind, she undid her bra and took it off. Vahn stared at her breasts.

It struck Kara that in that respect, he was just like every other straight guy she’d ever met. She stifled a giggle, suddenly feeling light-headed. He glanced up quickly.

“Are you all right, human?”

“I’m fine. Keep going.”

The alien returned to the exploration of her curves. Kara sucked in a breath as he gently pinched both nipples.

“Are they always this stiff?” he asked.

“Um, no. Not always.”

“Their texture is pleasant.” He hesitated. “May I apply my dendra? ”

“What? Why?”

“They can give more detail than I can glean from my fingers. You may feel some suction but I assure you it will not hurt.”

Suction?

“God, yes. I mean, sure. If you think it will help.”

Vahn glanced at Kara’s face and saw she had her eyes closed. Was she secretly repulsed by his touch?

“Are you certain? We can stop if you wish.”

“No. Really. It’s okay.”

At the back of her mind she wondered if she was letting him go too far. But then his serpetrus snaked over her bare breast and any coherent thought evaporated instantly.

Dozens of little mouths latched onto her nipple and started to pulse and suck at the turgid flesh. The sensation was intensely erotic, sending hot little bolts of pleasure straight to her core. It was all she could do to stifle a moan.

For Vahn, the effect was also immediate. Suckling at her tight little bud with his dendra made his zarnad swell and throb, forcing him to shift position to hide his excitement.

It wasn’t helped by the fact that her scent seemed to have grown perceptibly stronger. It dawned on him that he was enjoying the experiment far more than he should.

Drek. This wasn’t what he’d intended. This was supposed to be a scientific gathering of knowledge. If she knew how he was reacting, it would confirm her belief that Vraxians were no better than animals.

He forced himself to concentrate.

“Kara, I think that is enough for now.”

“Lick the other nipple.”

“I… what?”

He must have misheard. She opened her eyes and blinked languidly at him.

“I want to compare. Your dendra and your mouth. Scientific evaluation.”

His mind reeled. He knew he ought to say no but…

“You want to continue the research, little human?”

She nodded.

“Use your mouth, Vraxian.”

She took his face between her hands and guided it down to her other breast. He brushed the erect tip with his lips.

Vannla’s Sword. Could it be she is as aroused as I am?

The notion was intoxicating. He took the proffered nipple into his mouth and discovered the act exponentially increased his own desire.

Kara let her head fall back, the twin sensations of a gently pulsing tentacle and a warm wet mouth almost driving her out of her mind. She pressed her thighs together, not surprised to feel wetness pooling there. God, she was ready to blow.

You’ve let a Vraxian get to second base.

Her conscience piped up, trying to shame her. But it was fighting a losing battle.

“Vahn,” she said. “I think we should continue the examination lying down.”

She stretched out on the floor of the tent and the Vraxian was transfixed. Like a magnet, his gaze was drawn to the scrap of material covering the juncture of her legs.

“I will gladly inspect all of you, human,” he said hoarsely.

Kara hooked a thumb through the elastic of her panties and wriggled them off. She was now completely naked and Vahn could no longer ignore the aroma emanating from her core. It pulled at him, enticing him with its musky spice. He had to see more.

He put a large hand on each thigh and gently pushed them apart, telling himself that if she resisted or became fearful, he would stop. But she spread her legs willingly and her scent enveloped him, making his mouth water.

He had had many, many sexual partners. That was not unusual for a warrior such as he. And he excelled at pleasing Vraxian females, who were notoriously voracious in their appetites. But none had made his senses unravel like this.

He leaned forward, examining her closely. Her lower region was not dissimilar to females of his own kind, except for the sparse scattering of hair on the mounded entrance. Some kind of barrier, he wondered? If so, it was a pretty poor one. He ruffled a finger through it.

“Vraxian women are smooth here.”

“Bully for them,” she muttered.

He turned his attention to the lips guarding her entrance. He touched them lightly and she stiffened. He paused.

“Am I hurting you?”

“No… no, I’m good.”

He touched her again, this time a long sensuous stroke along the cleft of her sex. There was moisture there and he gave a low hum of satisfaction. He may not be familiar with human female genitalia, but it seemed that, as with Vraxian women, wetness was a sign of arousal.

He dipped into her slick and her heat enveloped his finger.

“Oh,” she gasped. He took it as a good sign.

Wanting a closer look, he gently spread her labia apart and stared in fascination. She bit her lip, trying not to squirm under his intense scrutiny. A small part of her was horrified at her own blatant exhibitionism, but the rest of her was unbelievably aroused.

Something caught his attention. There, at the top of her entrance. A little protuberance.

Hmm. Could it be a vieris?

Carefully he circled it with his finger and was surprised when Kara jumped.

“Shall I stop, human?”

“No! No, don’t stop.”

The urgency in her voice emboldened him. He bent closer, so close Kara could feel his breath on her swelling clitoris.

She found herself wondering what it would be like to have his Vraxian tongue on it. She knew from having kissed him that it was very different to a human tongue.

God, what was happening to her? Was she really hoping an alien might go down on her? Guilt flickered. She had to stop this. She had to stop it before it got completely out of…

He brushed his fingers over the engorged tissue and she moaned out loud. He nodded in satisfaction.

“I thought so. Vraxian women have a pleasure spot called a vieris high inside their abdomen. It is only stimulated by intercourse. But yours is right here.” He stroked it again and her hips jerked. “This is a much more convenient arrangement.”

The female’s scent was now headily intense. He cast his mind back to that delirious episode in the cave several days earlier. His recollection was fuzzy but he was fairly sure his dendra had been in contact with this part of her body. He had a vague memory of her taste and he suddenly, urgently, wanted to taste her again.

“Kara, may I kiss your feresh ?”

“My…?” She hoped that was what she thought it was.

“Your…” he frowned as his translation microbes came up with several options. “Your puss-sigh? ”

She giggled breathlessly.

“Yes, snake-boy. You can kiss my puss-sigh .”

He didn’t waste a second. He put his mouth on her and drove his tongue into her satin folds.

By Ayanlesh. She tastes like nectar from Shamhoreth itself. Never had he imagined a human could taste so exquisite. He began to lick. Steadily, diligently. Long, hot pulsing strokes that left Kara in a haze of bliss.

She writhed under the erotic onslaught. The thick, textured organ swirled over her slit and lapped sensuously at her wetness, lighting up every nerve ending in her body.

She could barely describe it. It wasn’t like a human tongue, it was bigger. More agile. More… ribbed. She moaned as it swabbed her clitoris, sending waves of excitement spiraling through her lower body.

Damn, that feels amazing.

She spread her legs wide in helpless abandon. Her clitoris throbbed as he licked at it repeatedly, making the muscles in her stomach tighten. The bony spurs on his head pressed against her inner thighs – a reminder, if she needed one, that she was being eaten out by an alien.

Perversely, it turned her on even more.

Vahn swirled her juices in his mouth and savored every drop. He would happily have stayed like this all night but the little female’s cries were rising in tempo. He had a sudden masculine desire to bring her to her peak.

“Don’t stop… oh…”

He licked rapidly at the little nub which had erected under his tongue. Tremors started to course through Kara’s body and her scent filled his nostrils. She put her hands on his head and pulled him closer, grinding in abandon. Her breathless little moans drove him on.

“Vahn, I’m so close…”

His only imperative, his only task at that moment, was to make her experience the ecstasy of jarna . It was a matter of masculine pride. He closed his lips around her vieris and suckled it.

“Fuck! Fuck, I’m coming!”

Kara arched off the ground as she was brought to a magnificent climax. Her body tensed, every atom of her being lost in a deep, satisfying explosion. With each convulsion Vahn thrashed at her clitoris, sending fresh shards of joy coursing through her body and filling his mouth with her juices.

She didn’t know if she was having several orgasms at once or one long one, and she didn’t care. All she knew was that Vahn was wringing every last ounce of pleasure from her.

Only when her body softened did he release her. She collapsed into languid contentment, barely able to speak.

Oh. My. God. That was incredible.

Vahn stared at the ceiling blankly. He should have been exultant. He had demonstrated his prowess and made the little human lose all control. She had spilled her nectar into his mouth and reached jarna with shattering intensity .

But as he lay there in the aftermath, only one thought reverberated around his head.

What the drek have I done?