Ral’s Woman
looked amused that she was curious. He fastened his pants and walked toward her. He took her hand, leading her to a washbowl, so both of them could clean their hands.
He led her down corridors that twisted and turned. She smelled something good that made her stomach growl loudly. Ral turned his head to eye her.
“You hunger greatly?”
She nodded. “I haven’t eaten in a long time. I’m starving.”
“They did not feed you since they took you from your planet?”
“They gave me food once when they first grabbed me. It has been days.” Rage hardened his face. “I hate them.”
She understood hating the Anzons too. They walked into a large room. Tables had been set up and she saw about fifty men but only two women. She couldn’t help but stare at the women. Their features revealed them as Zorn. She could tell what they were by their wide, flat noses. They had breasts and smaller facial features than the men.
They were attractive. The women eyed her back. Ariel gave them a smile. Both Zorn women looked away from her. Ariel sighed. It didn’t look like she would be making friends with them.
A buffet-style table had been laid out. A Zorn man was serving. He stared openly at Ariel. Her hand tightened on Ral’s. He smiled at her.
“They are curious. We have never seen a homin before.”
“Human.”
He chuckled. “Human.”
She smiled up at him. “Right.”
“From the planet Earth.”
“Yes. You remembered.”
He stopped at the table, studying it. “Do you recognize anything you can eat?” She studied the food too and shook her head. “No.” 27
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“This.” He pointed. “Is very sweet. This is bitter. This is strongly hot to your mouth.” He kept pointing out things to her and explaining their taste. She settled on a few things to try. Ral loaded down two plates and walked to a table where no one else sat.
“Sit. I will get us drinks.”
She sat down with both plates. She waited. Ral returned in moments. He placed water-filled mugs by their plates. He smiled. “Eat, Ariel.” She loved the way he said her name. It sounded like “Ori All”. She tasted the food and gave Ral a smile. It was delicious. He looked relieved as he dug into his own food.
Sometimes he’d pick up something from his plate for her to taste. She decided she didn’t like the red banana-looking thing. It set her mouth on fire and made her choke.
She drank water.
When they finished their food Ral led her to a wide hallway. He paused. “Stay with me. Do not leave my side. It is dangerous.”
She nodded and felt a little fear. “What is dangerous?”
“My people were taken by force from our hunt planet. We are strong and we are hardy. Do you understand? There were few women taken with us. A woman is rare and much wanted here. Some will be angry that they lost yesterday when we fought for you. They will want to touch you. If a fight breaks out just get behind me. I will not lose.
I am very tough. I will win.”
She nodded. He reached up to caress her cheek.
“Some Zorn will think I only won you to mount, to quench my need for a woman.
They might think I won’t shed their blood for an alien. In time they will realize I am bound to you and not dare challenge me for your body.”
“Bound to you?”
He grinned. “In love.”
She smiled back. “Okay.”
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“They will offer me things to have you. I will not sell you for anything so do not worry if you hear them make offers. You are mine. You will remain mine.” Ariel put her hand on his naked hairy chest. The men didn’t wear shirts but he obviously owned them since she wore his. “I trust you.” He smiled. “Good. We should go. Stay close to me.” The mines were a large cavernous area where men were chipping away at the rock-lined walls to enlarge the space. Some men hung by their waists from ropes along the walls using tools to break large pieces loose. Ral sat Ariel on a large boulder, gave her a nod and then went to work. He picked up the broken pieces from the floor to load them into machines that wheeled away from sight when Ral pushed a button to tell the cart it was full, an empty one appearing in its place.
After a while Ariel got up to stand closer to Ral. She picked up the small pieces and started to work with him. Ral looked over at her with a surprised smile. She smiled back. They worked together for hours. She noticed three Zorn women in the cavern.
They all sat by men but didn’t help their men. She caught many eyes watching her.
A buzz went through the room. Ral dumped a basketball-sized rock in the cart. He turned. “We are done. Our shift is over. Thank you for helping me.”
“I can’t lift the big ones like you do but I’m good with the small chunks.” He laughed. “Hungry?”
“Yes. I’m starving.”
He led her back to the large eating room. It was packed now. Ral gripped her arm pulling her tightly against his side. She knew she was in danger. She could see it in the alert way Ral watched every man around them. They moved up the line to the buffet table. Ral filled both plates for each of them, handed them to Ariel and got water with her this time. He led her to table. It was crowded. He put down the water and sat. He spread his thighs.
“Sit on my lap.”
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She eased onto his lap after placing the food down. He scooted back so she had room between his thighs to sit on the bench. A man who sat down next to them sniffed loudly and turned his head. Ariel met his bright green gaze. The man sniffed again and growled. Ariel jerked her eyes from his. She could feel Ral tense as he snarled.
“Mine.”
The man next to them inched away about a foot. Ral leaned into Ariel so his lips pressed to her ear. He said something in soft growls. She frowned, realizing he was talking in the wrong ear. She turned her head so she could look up at him. She pointed to her other ear.“This one is the only one they implanted. I didn’t understand a thing you said.” He frowned. “Only one of your ears is implanted?” She nodded.
“I said don’t meet anyone’s eyes and eat fast.” She nodded and turned to face her food. She ate fast. Ral wolfed his down. He rubbed her arm. He lowered his face again, next to her implanted ear this time, to whisper to her.
“Ready to leave?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll go to the urinate room and then go back to our room.”
“Sounds good.”
Ral stood up and helped Ariel to her feet. He pulled her against his side. They headed for the door. They were almost out of the room when three men moved into their path. Ral tensed, easing Ariel behind him. He growled at the three men.
“Move.”
One of the men frowned. “Share her. We have needs and she’s a different species.
She’s not a Zorn woman.”
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“She’s mine. I have bound her,” Ral growled. “Move away from my woman or I will kill you to protect her.”
Ariel turned her head. Some more men had moved closer. They stared openly at her body. She didn’t like the hungry looks on their faces. She inched closer to Ral, trying to mold herself to his back as fear set in. He turned his head and snarled. The men moved back but not far enough away for Ariel’s comfort. Ral turned his head to face the three men in front of them.
“Gru, if you do this you will die. Do you understand me? I have given to our people plenty. I will keep her. I will kill anyone who tries to take her from me. She is not to share. She is bound to me.” He eyed the men with Gru. “I will kill you all if you don’t back away now.”
“Then one of us will die but we want her.” Gru snarled.
Ral snarled back. He turned his head. “Rham, Ber, Hosh, protect her.” Three large men moved forward. They shoved men out of their way. Ral met Ariel’s eyes. “My pack. They will protect you. Go with them.” Terror hit her hard. “Ral—”
“You will be in my sight. They will make sure you stay there.” The three large men surrounded Ariel. One of them gripped her arm and yanked her against the wall out of the way. She stared at the three men protecting her. She wondered what a pack meant to Zorn. She heard a roar and jerked her head toward Ral.
Four men attacked him instead of three.
Horror rushed over her. She looked up at one of the three big men. “Can’t you help him fight?”
One of the men shook his head. “You are Ral’s woman to fight for. We only guard you. It is our way.”
“Your way sucks,” she whispered. Terror for Ral hit her as she watched him fight.
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Ral was damn good. There were four men surrounding him. Two of them grabbed his arms while the third man gripped him from behind. The fourth man came at him from the front. It was Gru. Ariel gasped and tried to get to Ral. She wanted to jump on one of those bastards. Ral needed help. One of the men ordered to protect her gripped her arm yanking her back.
“Stay.” He spoke softly. “Ral needs no help.”
Ral threw his head back slamming it into the face of the man behind him. Both of Ral’s feet shot out in the same instant to kick at the man coming at his chest. Both men gripping Ral’s arms staggered backward trying to keep hold of him. It knocked both of them off balance.
Gru roared in pain when Ral had kicked his chest. His body flew backward, slamming hard into a rough rock wall. When Ral’s feet hit the floor he yanked his arms together. It sent both off-balanced men crashing into each other in front of Ral. He yanked an arm free to slam his fist into the face closest to him.