Abducted by an Alien Savage Read online

  My stomach aches as I stare at myself. Tall, lean, with brilliant silver skin, but that’s neither here nor there. I have a nice shape. Good ass. A tail.

  I do a double-take and give the extra appendage a twitch. Well, there's that.

  “So weird,” I whisper to myself as I continue to stare.

  Then my face.

  Nice looking I guess. The eyes are purple, and I know they’re not mine, but I feel like I can still see myself in there.

  Ash-colored scales on the sides of my face.

  I grimace, coming back to reality. A fucking alien.

  It wasn’t bad enough that I was abducted by them―twice!―but now I am one?

  I kick at the dirt floor with a growl as a new wave of tears hit me. With a defeated cry, I flop down on the bed and sob.

  Chapter 8

  Gemma

  A tapping wakes me and I sit up in the bed of furs.

  I squint sleepy eyes in the dimly lit hut, but I don’t see anything moving.

  Damn, I need some coffee.

  Something taps again and my ears move toward the sound. A shadow is blocking part of the late afternoon sun spilling in underneath the tent flap.

  “Gemma?”

  Kovak’s voice is low, testing.

  Even through the hut walls, I can feel the uncertainty flowing from him.

  I can also smell the food.

  My stomach growls so loud I’m sure he can hear it.

  I stretch and rub my hands over my chapped cheeks. My ugly cry may have been a bit much, but I feel a little looser now. Settled. There’s nothing I can do at this very moment―not until I figure out where I can get my hands on some of this secret herb―so I may as well eat.

  “Come in,” I call.

  The tent flap parts and Kovak steps inside. He carries a big bone platter with some sort of cooked meat and a chunk of something that looks like bread. Or a spongy mushroom. Whatever it is, I’m going to eat it.

  “I thought you might be hungry,” he says as steps up to one of the tables and lights a lantern.

  The hut glows in a soft orange that’s rather soothing.

  And it looks pretty good on him.

  When he turns back to me, he stares for a moment before dropping his gaze to the floor.

  “I set you out some clothes at the head of the bed.”

  I can feel it now, even before I look down.

  Where’d that damn sheet go?

  I clear my throat, trying to pretend the instant flare of heat in my face isn’t happening. I’m not naked again and also blushing like a lobster.

  You’ve got to be kidding me.

  I snatch the sheet from the foot of the bed and whip around my body.

  Kovak is still staring at the floor, balancing the platter on one hand.

  “Thanks,” I mutter, both for the food and for the clothes, though I can’t make that much come out yet.

  I scramble to the top of the bed and start getting dressed. The shirt is a simple halter-top piece that covers my breasts and crosses over my chest, wrapping up around my neck. The bottom is not much more than a loincloth, but with more of a skirt flare to it. It covers more than the males’ at least.

  While I’m dressing, Kovak speaks. “What are you doing here, Gemma?”

  My head snaps up and I regard him with fire in my eyes.

  Does he really want to start that conversation again?

  He seems to catch his slip up and corrects himself. “I mean, in our world. What brought you and your people here?”

  That’s a better question.

  “We’re explorers. Here to explore your planet.”

  Once I’m fully dressed, I take a seat on the bed again and Kovak brings the food.

  Thank goodness. Gimmie!

  I dig right in while he continues.

  “To take our world?”

  I frown, juicy meat clutched between my fingers. “No.” Or, you know, not as far as I know. I am a lowly intern after all. “We’re here to study the environment and animals. We all have different jobs. We just want to learn as much as we can.”

  He nods slowly, a light flickering in his eyes. “In search of knowledge. What is it that you are searching for?”

  The smile is automatic, even around a mouthful of food. “Dinosaurs.”

  His head tilts an inch.

  “We had dinosaurs on our planet millions of years ago, but now they’re all gone. Then we discovered your planet and more dinosaurs. As a neo-paleontology student, you can’t believe how fast I jumped at the chance to study real dinosaurs.”

  His head is still crooked, so I elaborate. “The animals you rode. Dinosaurs. With the teeth and the claws.”

  Then his face eases with recognition.

  "The giants, yes. We ride levadon."

  I test the word, a growing excitement bubbling its way up.

  “How in the world do you ride those things?”

  I’ve finished a large portion of the food he’s given me and set the platter to the side to prop my chin in my hand, listening with a wistful smile.

  "We raise them from tiny pups. Each of the levadon bonds with a warrior. They can be dangerous if they're not your bonded mount. Be sure to watch your hands around them."

  My fingers roll across my palms as I continue to stare at him, drinking in his words.

  “Just warriors? What about females?”

  The way his lips skew to the side and his brow peaks is sexy as hell, and I swallow through a dry throat.

  “Females can form a bond if they wish. Some do not, but some do.”

  I feel like the kid in the back of the classroom, raising my hand so high in the air that I’m bouncing around in my desk.

  “I would love to meet some of them.”

  His smile grows. “I will take you there. Mokto will remember you.”

  “Is that yours, the one I rode?”

  He nods. “I raised him from a small pup. He’s carried me into many battles, on more hunts than days in the hot season. He’s a levadon fit for a chief.”

  I smile at the pride Kovak shows in his dino-mount. It sounds like these aliens form pretty close bonds with their dinosaurs.

  I can’t wait to see them all more up close.

  Kovak picks up my pushed-aside tray and sets it on a table. “I’ll leave this here for you. Get some rest.”

  As much as I wanted space earlier, I'm not so sure about being alone now. He's the only person I know in this village. But that food is settling heavy in my stomach and I am getting rather sleepy.

  I yawn as I shake my head. “As tired as I am, I’m not taking over your house.”

  “Not taking. Sharing.”

  Wait, excuse me?

  “Sharing a hut? As in we’re going along with that pairing up thing Dr. Voodoo was talking about back there?”

  Kovak leans on the strong post in the center of the tent, the tip of his tail swirling circles in the dry dirt beneath him. “Of course. The Shaman knows what he’s doing.”

  “How can you be so sure? I thought he was a trial and error kinda guy.”

  “That part is true. You’re the first to ever successfully go through the procedure.”

  His words send a chilly shiver through my insides. “Successfully?”

  Kovak gives me a silent shrug.

  Holy shit, are you kidding me? How many bad attempts there were before me?

  "Focus your mind," he says. "Don't dwell on past attempts. You made it here just fine. Now, you need your rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."

  “What’s happening?”

  “There will be a feast in your honor. So tomorrow the warriors hunt the plaxa, the beast that shines like a stormy sky. It is good luck for the women to accompany the hunters.”

  “Whoa, I don’t think so. I don’t hunt.”

  Kovak’s mohawk mane drifts back and forth as he shakes his head. “You would not be hunting. You’d just be observing the valiant effort of the plaxa and of the Kutarians who claim it in honor of
our people.”

  Observing? So, I’d be a sideline hunter, a cheerleader.

  I could do that.

  I purse my lips as I rub a pair of long fingers across my chin. “So, you guys are throwing a feast for me?”

  A corner of his mouth lifts in a crooked grin, and I swear if I was wearing panties, they would have just hit the floor.

  "Of course. You're a blessing. The Kutarians are honored to have you among us."

  Dang, a girl could get used to a life like this.

  Not that I’d trade pizza and beer for a life locked in a giant’s body and a simple welcome celebration. I still need to figure out where this doctor’s sacred grove is.

  But who would know its whereabouts? Not to mention who can I ask without them tattling on me?

  It's not like I can just go traipsing around this planet looking with no direction. I have no idea how big this place is, plus, there's dinosaurs. I could easily be crushed or eaten by the beasts.

  No, I need insight.

  Kovak didn’t seem interested in telling me before. I’ll have to work on him.

  But there are others around too.

  Seems like I need to settle into my role as the new gal on the block, and Kovak’s main squeeze by the sound of it, and get to know my neighbors. One of them is bound to know where I can get my hands on some more roofie.

  Chapter 9

  Gemma

  I’m not sure what I was expecting of the sacred hunt, but this was not it.

  Kovak stands in a group of four other warriors and they’re painting one another. Smears of black and blue paint across their cheeks and chest, down their arms and legs. The brown leather chaps Kovak was wearing beneath his loincloth are gone. In fact, all the aliens are naked but for loincloths. It’s hard to pull my eyes away from all the pewter-tinted bodies. Especially when Kovak’s ass is right there.

  I've tried to avert my eyes, but he keeps turning to where half of his hard, glorious ass muscle flashes from beneath that loincloth. What's a girl to do?

  Not only are they painted, but they’re armed. Spears, knives, bows. Kovak has a spear the length of his body tipped with a head of black glass. It looks like it can dice, slice, and do some serious damage. He also has a leather utility belt slung around his chest that holds two long daggers.

  A small herd of levadon hang around at the edge of the clearing in a grove of violet trees. They wear saddles and are on high alert. They know something’s happening.

  Kovak reminded me to eat a full breakfast this morning when he woke me with food. It wasn’t a problem, because I was starving again.

  But I didn’t want to stuff my face and talk about some hunt. I wanted more answers.

  Had any of the other humans woken up?

  Unfortunately not.

  Had the healer man asked about us?

  Thankfully, that was a no too.

  Kovak didn't even spend the night in the tent with me. He said something about being on night watch on the perimeter and left me to sleep in that big comfy bed by myself.

  Talk about a close call.

  Although now I’m afraid of seeing the healer around. Having him ask about our current breeding tally sounds about as fun as getting punched in the face.

  I stayed in the hut this morning until time for the hunt to avoid that conversation altogether.

  While I’m silently observing, one of the Kutarian females comes to introduce herself.

  Her name’s Kaami and she tells me more than I want to know about the hunt. Like they’ll hunt a plaxa, whatever that is, and it’ll be a fight to the death. That seems simple enough. It’s not as if you can hunt an animal and not fight to the death. I’m not eating anything that’s still alive.

  The way she says it though makes me think the real fight is for the warriors. I suppose the stakes are much higher hunting plaxa than hunting deer back on Earth.

  The women join the hunt to support the men, although I have no idea what we’re supposed to do. Wave pompoms? Kaami and another Kutarian woman who hasn’t spoken a word yet stand with me behind the prepping warriors.

  The other females look like me, tall and slim with smooth silver skin. Their ears and tails are adorned with silver rings. They wear simple skirts like mine, and Kaami has a short halter top like mine that covers the breasts and not much else. The quiet woman, who Kaami tells me is named Waella, has a similar top that stretches further down and covers part of her swollen belly.

  It’s hard not to stare at the round bump in her abdomen. It looks pretty similar to a pregnant human, except the belly is a bit more of a taller oblong shape.

  My mouth goes dry just looking though, knowing I’ve been brought here for that very purpose.

  But it’s no matter. I don’t intend on sticking around that long. I just need to pick a planet. How hard could that be?

  “Gemma, are you ready?”

  My attention jumps back to the warriors to find Kovak approaching. The sun has gone down past the tree line of the small clearing, and he looks rather majestic striding over in the dimming light.

  When he reaches me, he brushes his fingers along my shoulder. “You will be safe if you stay with the other women. I will be back.”

  The solid look on his stoic face is serious. Like, he’s going off to war.

  A strange cold shiver seizes me. I'm lost and alone in a brand new world and I'm just trying to survive with no friends, no other humans. Kovak is the only one who's met me as a human, who's spoken to me in my real body. I feel like he's the only tie I have left to my humanity.

  Plus I'd say we're rather beyond new acquaintances, with him groping my junk on our first meeting and all.

  If he’s getting ready to go die, I don’t know what the hell I’ll do.

  Suddenly a deep feeling of dread settles over me like I’m being buried alive. I can’t be lost in this place without him. I need Kovak to survive.

  My fingers find his arm and grip into the tight muscle there. He jumps a little, the edge of one of his brows lifting. My face must look as desperate as I'm feeling because he frowns. His focus shifts and he turns his body to face me. What looked like a quick, passing goodbye draws out, and I’m not unhappy about that.

  He hovers close enough that I can smell the musky scent of his body and the strange sweet and sour mix of his paint.

  I could feel the energy pulsing from him even when he stood with his men, but now it’s overpowering. It thrums in my ears and squeezes the breath from my lungs. I feel as if my heart may stop. It’s a pressure that squeezes my very aura, touches me deep in my soul. I’ve never felt anything like it on Earth.

  He must feel it too because his large chest begins to heave. Beneath the black line of paint over his eyes, the green glints like emeralds. There’s a foggy hunger there that steals my breath away. I’m surprised by the quick shift to arousal in his gaze, but not too shocked, as a tingling pulse of heat has already settled between my legs.

  His hand on my shoulder slides up my neck to cup my face in his palm. It's hard but warm and comforting. I fight every urge to lean into it and close my eyes.

  “I will see you at the end of the trail, Gemma, and you can paint me in plaxa blood.”

  Um, gross.

  That’s a first date I’ve never been on before. I can’t say I’m excited about it, but if it means Kovak is safe and sound, then I’ll go along with it.

  I give him a tight-lipped smile. “Be careful.”

  His eyes glow a little brighter, though the smile doesn’t exactly reach his mouth.

  When his hand drops and he walks away, I wrap my arms around myself, feeling a sudden chill as his energy departs.

  “He is a strong warrior,” Kaami says as she slides up next to me.

  I didn't hear her come up and she startles me. These Kutarians are like cats for being such big people.

  I nod, keeping my eyes on the warriors. “I’m sure he is.”

  “The Captain of his men. He has all of Rhafmur’s respect.” She
pointed out her mate earlier, a tall lanky fellow with a headful of braided hair. “The warriors will be back with plaxa for your feast.”

  All this for some celebration for me? It seems silly, but Kovak was insistent. I understood a little better after learning about their needing women. Why not celebrate a new woman?

  Quick crunching footsteps approach outside the clearing and my muscles tense. Kaami must be able to read my energy because she’s not even looking at me when she gently picks up my arm and tucks it through her elbow. Her gaze is on the purple trees ahead of us. A shadow moves through them, and I can’t even make out what it is before a red levadon stomps into the meadow.

  “He’s ready,” the warrior riding it calls out.

  I squint a little and realize I’ve seen him before. He’s big and beefy like Kovak and has a scar running across one side of his face. He was one of the warriors that picked us up.

  Kovak lifts his spear in the air and gives a long, loud war cry. It rattles my bones and I fight back the immediate reaction to duck down and cover my ears. But he’s not frightening. He’s strong and primitive. A barbarian with a really nice ass.

  Wait, focus.

  My eyes pop back up to his wide shoulders as he thrusts the spear in the air again, and the warriors around him do the same. Knives, bows, spears. Jabbed into the air as if these strong men are about to rip the head off some horrible beast. Which I assume they are.

  Then they’re running. They each leap upon the back of a levadon and take off after their scout. They’re gone in a blur, leaving us women standing alone in the new quiet of the clearing.

  It’s a rush, and I feel suddenly void when they’re gone. The farther they get away, the more silent our space becomes. I tilt my eyes over at Kaami, wondering if our cheerleading only includes a goodbye peck on the cheek and a half-assed good luck.

  “Are we supposed to just yell at them from here?” I ask.

  Kaami’s gaze moves to me and she chuckles. “Of course not, Gem-ma. We will follow.” She nods to the two levadon that still stand across the clearing.

  Their nostrils flare wide and their long hind-foot claws tap the dirt in agitation. They’re not happy about being left. The mute woman starts that way first.