Chapter 8 – Motok
The human female was angry. For three Earth days she didn’t speak to me or my fellow warriors. I wasn’t certain what we had done to arouse her ire, but the silence had gone on long enough. She’d refused to speak to me for the last time.
I followed her into the observation room of deck four and hoped she wouldn’t dismiss my presence.
My anxiety had increased steadily and continued with each rotation of the Earth’s sun as she remained unresponsive.
She didn’t speak right away but I heard the soft sigh before she eventually acknowledged my presence.
“I suppose my anger seems childish.”
I shook my head and approached her slowly.
Given the opportunity to explain my actions, I was relieved.
“No. I understand your feelings. This must seem cruel and abrupt to a human with little to no interaction with alien species. Despite how it must seem, I am not kidnapping you.” It was too soon to say I was bringing her home to Vindar.
She wouldn’t accept that information after recent events.
“Am I free to leave this ship then?” She turned around and refused to be ignored. Not that I had any intention of doing so.
This was a sensitive subject. I didn’t want to lose any ground I had temporarily gained. “Not exactly.”
An uncomfortable pause stretched between us. “I see.” A frown marred her delicate furry brows. Humans had sporadic and odd placement of what they called hair. “You were at the bar, weren’t you?”
Bar? Oh yes, the place where alcohol was consumed. I’d met her at Riley’s that first night.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“I was wondering why you seemed so familiar until I remembered you were there. You followed me.” She didn’t ask and I nodded again to confirm. “You knew those aliens would come.”
“Yes. I thought it best to remain close.”
She sighed again. “I’m glad you did but that doesn’t mean it was okay for you to stalk me. You aren’t very open about things, are you?”
Confused, I didn’t know how to answer. “What are your words meaning?” Earth customs and phrases were irritating. I lost some of what she was saying in translation. No device could bridge that gap completely.
“Why didn’t you tell me that I had an alien piece of technology inserted inside my head?”
Startled, I blinked without responding.
“I heard what you said about some kind of translator. You put it in my body while I was sleeping and without my permission. That’s pretty shitty, Motok.”
Gulping, I nearly choked out my next words. “I apologize. It was meant to ensure we could speak to one another. Our ability to communicate is critical.”
She didn’t disagree but remained upset. “You’re missing the point. I should have been asked first.”
I never thought of it that way. Her point was valid. “You are correct. I will be sure to ask you for permission or consultation should the need arise in the future.”
She nodded. “You know what’s odd? I could understand you in the bar when you asked if I wanted a drink. How was that possible?”
“Experimental tech. I’m not willing to subject you to any device not thoroughly tested. The translator is the only safe option, so I installed it with care. Humans have used them with success for many span.”
My answer must have sufficed. She didn’t contradict me.
Kerra turned back around as she gazed out into the vast expanse of space.
I wasn’t sure if she was pleased with my decisions or not.
Her small fingers rose and rubbed her arms as a light shiver ghosted across her slender body.
She was so much smaller than my race, even the females.
Her body was pleasing to the eye in a way I never could have imagined.
Soft curves drew my eye downward as I admired the hourglass shape and the rounded slope of her ass.
“Deep space is cold.” I walked to the lockers on the far side of the room and pulled out one of my heavy jackets.
Slipping the material over her shoulders, I gestured to the sleeves.
“Put your arms through and you’ll be warm soon enough.
The Vindicator is a large vessel. You’ll find the corridors and alleyways cold and brisk.
The docking bays can be frigid. I’ll have extra blankets sent to your quarters if you desire. ”
She seemed to debate herself for a moment before slipping her arms into the soft material. “This feels like heaven.” Her teeth nibbled her bottom lip as our eyes met. “Thank you.”
“I could hardly allow you to freeze aboard my vessel.”
She tilted her head to the side as she regarded me with a perplexed expression. “You’re not at all what I imagined.”
Me? Or alien species? My confusion must have been obvious.
“Those red guys are exactly what I would imagine in my nightmares,” she began.
“The Zhorn,” I clarified.
“Ah, okay.” Her gaze roamed over my body in a way that made my hearts pump faster. “But you and the others here, you’re different. Kind. Polite. Protective. Is that normal for the Braxthar people?”
“We are warriors. That is our clan, our birthright should we choose to enter into service.”
“And your society? What do they think of humans?”
Caught off guard, I wasn’t sure what she meant. “We have no interaction with humans. You are protected by the Cardinal Edict. Our council hasn’t entered into any trade agreement.”
Kerra huffed and made a noise as if she was disappointed in my response. “So, only warriors have met humans?”
I was a bit reluctant to answer since I had a feeling that she wouldn’t like my response. “Yes.”
“Fuck,” she blurted.
Tilting my head to the side, I tried to discern her meaning. “What is this word ‘fuck’? What does it mean?”
She blushed; turning as heated and red as the furry little tengas that roamed my home world of Vindar. “It has multiple meanings. Do you have curse words in your language?”
Curse words? Ah yes, I knew what she meant. “Words you say when angry or frustrated? Like profanity or an obscenity?” I clarified. “Veet is common in my tongue.”
“Yes, exactly.” She wouldn’t meet my gaze. The pink in her cheeks deepened with her embarrassment. “Fuck is used in multiple ways but that’s the most common.”
Multiple ways? I was too curious not to inquire further. “What other way is fuck used?”
She fidgeted with the material of the jacket which humored me greatly. I sensed her unease and was torn with the thought of dropping the subject altogether when she blurted the answer. “It means to have sex.”
Sex? Intimacy between mated males and females? “This fuck,” I began.
“Fucking,” she corrected.
“This fucking . . . is between mates?” I asked specifically because my data on human breeding and mating rituals was limited.
There wasn’t much information collected in the Galactic Conclave databases.
They were a fairly new species in the intergalactic realm.
I’d be required to log what I learned but my fascination was piqued, and I had a vested interest in hearing her explanation.
“Humans fuck anyone they want. Sometimes people are married and sometimes they just meet and decide they want to be with that person for a short period of time. It’s called a one-night stand or hookup.
” She shrugged, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth.
“Personally, quick meaningless sex is not for me but many single people – and sometimes married or committed in a relationship people do it – which is just cheating.”
At this point I was confused. Some of those words had no context in my language. “Mating without being mates? What is this word ‘married’? What does it mean?”
“Marriage is when two people love one another and decide to make a lifelong commitment to that other person. They have a ceremony where they speak vows and promise to uphold those vows until they die.” She was staring out into the unknown of space as she spoke, and I realized I’d moved closer without thinking about it.
I was drawn to her so effortlessly and completely that I dismissed the world around us almost recklessly in my desire to feel her warmth close to my skin.
Since the moment we left the surface, I had been consumed with thoughts of this female.
“My parents were married for over forty years. Some couples manage to follow their vows and commitment. Others break apart and that’s a divorce. ”
Frowning, I placed my hands on her shoulders as I sensed her discomfort.
Her emotions were so strong that I could taste bitterness, regret, and betrayal on my tongue like a burnt yahna paste.
Someone had hurt her and the urge to find that person and inflict bodily harm was so fierce that I dropped my hands and stepped back from her personal space.
This human was a protected female. What was I thinking?
To touch her was forbidden.
I was her champion, her protector, but any attachment was strongly discouraged.
Warriors were given strict guidelines and they were enforced with heavy and serious consequences.
This human female was a temptation I couldn’t afford to indulge in.
My attraction was a surprise, but I wouldn’t cross the line.
I knew my boundaries. Three hundred span of discipline as a warrior had honed my skills.
I could and would resist the urges of my body.
What if she is my Venya?
The question popped into my head and I gulped audibly as the idea that Kerra could be my one true mate danced around in my head. No, it wasn’t possible. She was human. I was Braxthar.
My greedy eyes didn’t listen to the logic of my brain.
They roamed over her slender and curvy frame with delight and landed on the long brown strands of her silky hair that reached almost to her waist. Stray curls fell over one shoulder and I longed to brush them back as my fingertips grazed the soft contour of her cheek.
Human fur only covered select areas and I found the possibility of exploration exciting enough to send blood rushing into my quills and lower into my reproductive organ.
I remembered the way she felt in my arms as I held her close and the scent of her skin as hints of a fruity, light perfume clung to the surface.
This female was much more than I anticipated when I agreed to become her chosen protector. My life for her life. Undying loyalty. Total obedience. Swift justice. The creed of the Braxtharian Warrior.
I had pledged my house and my name in service of the council.
She owned me, commanded me, and held my life within her grasp and Kerra didn’t even know it.
Such power was a gift. I knew as her eyes met mine in the reflection of the ship’s observation window that I had chosen both wisely and foolishly.
She would be my greatest victory and my biggest regret.
Instinctively, I understood she was more than a simple mission.
Cosmos help me if I ever fell in love with this human female.
She would become my destruction.
My fate was already connected to hers and I hoped I could find a way to complete the task set before me and honor my people.
My council were brutal rulers. The Braxtharian enjoyed our prosperity and freedom because we instilled fear and demanded allegiance.
Vindar was the most luxurious and feared planet in the seventh system for these reasons.
My oath was given and the instructions of my council final.
I would protect and secure the marked female and bring her to my home planet.
That would be the end of our interaction.
Once she was safe, I would walk away and probably never see her again.
Kerra had a destiny that extended far beyond my simple assignment.
I had to release her with the knowledge that the council would fulfill their duty and bring her before the Galactic Conclave.
The fate of an entire race rested in her small hands.
My hearts beat a little quicker as our gaze remained locked.
“Sometimes people hurt the ones they love, Motok. I’m sure that’s not exclusive to the human race.”
Her sad tone broke every promise I had just made in my head and I walked forward, stopping only an inch away as my palms itched and my fingers flexed with the desire to feel her warm, soft skin beneath my hands. “You are correct.”
She blinked and a lone tear slipped down her cheek. “I don’t want to be here. Don’t you understand that? Can’t I go home, please?”
Devastation filled my chest with a powerful feeling of remorse, and it overloaded my senses. I wasn’t used to the emotion this human conjured. “I must take you to Vindar. It’s imperative. My mission isn’t negotiable. The fate of my people – and yours – rests on your cooperation.”
She startled at my words and spun around, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”
“You are marked. Protected. Your ability to reveal the truth to the council and the Galactic Conclave will save my people. We’re at risk for destruction.” The words lodged painfully in my throat with their truth.
“What are you talking about?”
She held up a hand as I opened my mouth to speak.
“I think it’s time you explained exactly what’s happening and why I’m here.”