Ral's Woman

3

“Wake.”

Ariel opened her eyes and turned her head. She had been sleeping on her stomach.

Ral was already sitting up and he smiled at her.

“It is time to eat and go to work. You must come with me.” He reached over to brush her blonde hair from her cheek. His fingers wrapped around a natural curl in her hair then moved to trail down the length of her neck before pulling away. “It is time to work.”

She nodded. “What do we do for work?”

He stood up, stretching his naked body. Ariel swallowed. The man was beautiful and his muscular body was perfection. He walked forward and leaned down. Ariel appreciated the view of his tan muscular ass. He withdrew some clothes and turned to face the bed.

“You will just stay close to me. You can fetch me water when I need it.”

She nodded. “Okay.” She crawled from the bed.

Ral handed her clothing from his pile. The shirt and pants were huge. She eyed them with raised eyebrows. Ral laughed.

“I will get you smaller clothing soon. This is what I have.”

She put them on. The pants were too large and fell down her hips. Ral went to his knees in front of her, still naked, and used the ropelike belt he’d used on her wrists to wrap around her waist. The pants stayed up. His shirt almost went to her knees. She wished he hadn’t destroyed her underwear.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Bathroom?”

She flushed a little. “I have to pee. I have liquid inside I must release.”

He grinned. “Urinate.”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “We will urinate before breakfast.”

“Okay.”

He rose to his feet to put on his pants. He didn’t have shoes. He bent and picked up what looked like a hairbrush. He brushed out his long hair before walking behind her.

His hands were gentle as he brushed out her long hair. He threw the brush down on the clothes pile and walked to the door, pushing it open. Ral offered his hand when he turned to face her. She moved toward him and put her smaller hand in his larger one.

“Come.”

The hallway was dimly lit and empty of other people. He led her down a winding corridor. An open archway took them into a large room. She saw a crude bathroom with open shower stalls, some weird-looking toilets and three waterfall-like holes in the wall. She walked over to one of the toilets to study it. They almost looked like urinals.

He chuckled. “Not like your world?”

She shook her head. “No.”

He grinned. “I will guard the door.” His grin died. “Never permit another man see your bare skin.” His bright eyes narrowed. “They will want to breed with you and I will kill them. If another tries to touch you, yell for me. You never go from my sight.”

She nodded. “I don’t want anyone seeing me without my clothing or touching me but you.”

His large body relaxed. “Go. I will guard the door to not let anyone in.”

She used the bathroom quickly and retied her belt. “Ral? I’m done.”

He came back into the room and walked to a mini waterfall. He unfastened his pants. She watched him. He turned his head to grin at her as he used the wall. He 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.”

“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.”

“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.”

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.”

“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.

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.

It was brutal. It was bloody. Ral beat the hell out of all four of them. The men on the floor were bloody and some of them had broken bones. Ariel learned that Zorn also fought with their teeth. Ral had torn up one man’s arm when the man had tried to use that arm to batter Ral’s face. Ral turned to snarl at the room. He walked over to grab Gru by his hair. He yanked the man up to his unsteady feet.

“She is mine. I told you it would cost you your life, Gru.” Ral glared around the room. “Death to any man who tries to touch the woman I bound to.”

Ariel almost collapsed when she watched Ral snap Gru’s neck. He just twisted it and she heard the pop sound. Ral threw Gru’s body down. He reached down and grabbed up the next man. That man whimpered.

“Please, Ral—”

Ral broke his neck. He threw him aside. Ariel shut her eyes fighting a sob. She heard two more pops. Both of the remaining men had begged for their lives. Ral hadn’t hesitated to kill them.

“She’s mine,” he roared.

Ariel’s eyes flew open when a hand gripped her. A bloody Ral was panting as he jerked on her hand. She stumbled after him when he didn’t give her a choice. He dragged her from the room, around the dead bodies of the men he’d fought, and down the corridor. He didn’t stop until he reached the bathroom. He yanked her inside. Two men occupied the room. Ral snarled at both of them.

“Out. Baras, guard the door.”

One of the men nodded, glancing at Ariel. “Are you all right, Ral?”

“I had to kill four men stupid enough to try to take my bound woman.”

The man paled. “I will guard the door.”

“Appreciated,” Ral said softly.

He stared down at Ariel. She looked up at him fearfully. He frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You killed all four of them.”

He softly growled at her. “I don’t know how things are on your planet but you aren’t there anymore, Ariel. If I did not kill them then I would have to fight to keep you every day. Would you prefer I let them take you? Do you know what they would have done with you? They would have bred you until they passed you to other men. You are little. You would not survive long. They would hurt you. You are mine. You and I are in love. Do you understand?”

She nodded. “I’ve just…” She fought tears. “It scared me and I’m not used to violence. I realize you had no choice and I appreciate that you did that for me. I really do. I’m just in shock.”

He sighed as his hold on her arm loosened. “I will wash. Remove your clothes. We wash together.”

She stripped quickly. She kept glancing at the door. Ral chuckled. “Baras won’t let anyone enter. Most of my people fear me. I am stronger than all.”

“You fight really well.”

“I am a…” He hesitated. “I don’t know how to make you understand. On my planet some are stronger than others. I am from the strongest family. My father leads our planet.”

She was stunned. “Like a king?”

“I don’t know that word. My father is the strongest. He leads all of our people.”

“Shit. You’re like a prince.”

He shrugged. “I don’t understand that term but my people follow me here.

Sometimes some of them get stupid. They forget I fight the best. It is our way. The strongest lead the weaker. I am the strongest of my people here.”

“So why do they even fight you?”

“To win you from the Anzons…” He hesitated. “We do not like to injure each other but we are good at inflicting enough injury to make it look real. Sometimes we pretend broken bones. Sometimes the fight is real. Some fought for real for you. I always win the fight and award the prize to one of my people who deserve it. This time I kept the prize for myself.”

She was shocked again by the man who jerked her naked body into the shower stall and waved his hand against the wall. A waterfall of warm water fell from above the entire shower stall area like rain. It startled Ariel.

Ral chuckled. “The water cleans us. It will clean all. Just rub it on your skin.”

“There’s nothing to wash our hair with?”

He touched the rain. “It cleans your hair. There are chemicals in the water. Do not swallow it. It won’t harm you or your eyes since it gets in our eyes but it doesn’t taste good. If you swallow much it will come back up.”

“So that whole fight to win me from the Anzons wasn’t real?”

He hesitated. “We learned long ago when we were first captured how to show a fight to make it look good or they would withhold food to all to make us fight for real.

Some fight for real to try to win prizes they desire with much greed. I give away what I win to who I believe is the most deserving. Many fought for real today for you. They were being stupid and they wanted to win you from me so they could have you. They knew they were not in favor with me and I would not find them deserving of you so they fought.”

“That is why that man stopped you to ask you who I was being given to.”

He nodded. “Gru did not like it that I kept you but I have more than earned the right to withhold you for myself. He thought he was deserving enough for me to give you to him.”

“You’ve won other women?”

“Yes.”

Jealousy hit her. “You bred with them?”

He eyed her with narrowed lids. “No. I handed them over immediately to what man I had deemed deserving.” He reached to cup her face gently with his hand. He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “You are the only woman I have had taken to my bed since we were taken from our planet. That was six months ago.”

She was shocked again. “Why did you keep me? Why didn’t you keep any of those other women?”

He smiled. “I was attracted to you so strongly I felt it in my blood when I laid eyes upon you. I had to have you.”

She nodded. “I’m glad.”

“I am glad as well. Let’s go to our room. I feel the need for you in my blood and I don’t think it would be safe for me to have you here.”