Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3) (7 page)

“Oh, come on, it’s not like we all weren’t thinking it,” Adan said.

It had been the farthest thing from Bethany’s mind. One second they had been on Earth, surrounded in chaos, the next they were on a space ship. Finn went to Blu and checked on Bertha. Bethany had been watching him these past days, there was something about Finn that reminded her of a doctor. He was stern with Bertha, demanding she eat and making certain they all drank a lot of water. He and Blu had turned them into lazy sloths, no one needed to leave their home to do anything except expel waste. The blizzard had eased for a few mere hours after three days before starting back up again. All were sick of Bertha but one growl from Finn and Bertha remained hidden in the furs, unable to leave to go to her igloo.

Finn and Blu did the hunting; they found the fuel. Bethany had begun to think they were prisoners until one day she got up and left. She walked, the icy snow biting her eyes and stinging her flesh until her legs ached; not far really, the icy snow beneath her feet was a hindrance. She swiped at her leaky nose and rubbed her frozen hands together. There was nothing except water and ice as far as the eye could see—and it was closing in on them. She realized there wasn’t anywhere for her to go—except home.

When she had turned around Finn was there, following her, not saying or doing anything. When she remained standing simply watching him, Finn had taken her hands in his, his eyes warming her. A gentle finger trailed her cold cheek. He turned, stood silently for only a second. When he began walking back she followed him—his broad back shielding her from the biting wind, his strange hair pulling her close. The snow was only shin high for Finn and he moved easily, while Bethany had struggled with each step. The trail he made was welcome.

Titus and Finn exchanged a few words while the women gaped at everything surrounding them. All of the women were corralled further into the ship with many curious warriors trailing them. Bethany heard the low growl and grunts in their odd language as the aliens conversed; some laughed, others grunted seriously. The hallways were large, wide and high, lit with different lights going in different directions. Bethany was feeling very tiny. Finn stopped at an oversized door which slid open. Bethany gazed at her surroundings with curiosity. Blu settled Bertha on a table. Finn checked her eyes and her breathing.

“Do you think he’s some kinda doctor?” Dyani whispered.

“I do now,” Bethany said.

It became apparent Finn knew something about human anatomy. He tugged Bertha’s mitts off and felt the pulse at her wrist. Bethany could see he timed the beats when his lips moved soundlessly. He pulled Bertha’s parka over her head in a gentle way, careful not to let her head fall back. Her leather undershirt revealed her bare arms and part of her midriff. A low growl was heard from behind her and Bethany spun to see a number of warriors had followed them into the room. Someone, perhaps Tasia made a small worried sound. The tallest of the women, Tasia was still dwarfed by the warriors. Before Bethany could offer a protest, as it appeared Finn planned on removing more of Bertha’s clothing, Finn turned primal and all the women shied back when he began bellowing orders in outrage.

He had shaken off his battle size when they had boarded the ship but he grew again. One warrior was tossed out the door when he seemed reluctant to leave. Bethany stood wide-eyed, Finn’s tirade made seven huge warriors flee the room. Finn slammed his hand onto a panel and the door closed. He stood with his back to them taking a few deep breaths. When he turned he looked the essence of calm.

“Shit, he’s a scary-ass bastard when pissed,” Adan said.

Adan might have looked impressed if her face hadn’t gone a pale white and her arms hadn’t suddenly wrapped around Dyani in a vise grip. Bethany was thinking the same thing, but Finn hadn’t scared her, she was more surprised; he was always so gentle around them. All the warriors bailed, fast, except Titus. The two males exchanged words, but Titus held his ground. Bethany could almost see the wheels in the leader’s mind churning. If the female was sick, the leader should know about it. Bethany knew the only thing wrong with Bertha besides a bad case of the bitches—was she was scared. More so than the rest of them. Bethany wondered if it was the creatures she was frightened of or of being abandoned. For all the woman’s previous bluster, Bertha was afraid to be alone for too long.

“Hmm,” Finn grunted as he checked Bertha over.

He sounded so serious, Bethany moved closer. Because of the frigid weather they’d remained clothed, even when washing, not much came off. There were scars on Bertha, a lot of them. Too many not to see an unspoken truth, the woman had been beaten and from the looks of it for a very long time. Again Bethany wondered just what occurred to have made a woman with such beautiful green eyes so hateful.

Bertha began to stir. Once she was able to, she began bellowing again. Bethany was feeling bad for her until she cut loose with every foul expression known to mankind. No one was left out of her tirade and though no one should ever be beaten, Bethany felt Bertha should also remember others had feelings too. Titus growled out something, loudly, to be heard over her howls. Finn sighed. He dipped his clawed black fingernail into a vial and penetrated Bertha’s skin at her neck. She was out again in seconds. Bethany realized Finn must have gone to the ship first foreseeing a problem. He had drugged Bertha. Bethany might have felt sorry for her, but she was going to have to accept her situation along with the rest of them. Earth was dead. The aliens were strange, but they had saved their lives.

Finn picked Bertha up and handed her to Titus. In a quiet tone, he gave him orders and a small glass vial. No doubt there wasn’t a warrior on the ship who would go near Bertha while Titus had her in his care. Blu motioned to Adan and Finn smiled. After Adan was given a clean bill of health she was taken away by Blu. Bethany grabbed her hand before they left.

“Are you okay?” Bethany asked.

Adan grinned. “Hell, yes. If Finn’s going to hand us each to a protector I’d rather be with Blu. At least I know him. I’m the smallest of all of us so familiarity is a good thing.”

Finn came over and took Bethany’s hand in his. She had no idea what he growled but she imagined she was being told Adan would be fine and she would see her again. One by one, Finn checked each woman over and one by one they were given over into the care of a warrior who Finn threatened soundly.

Bethany was last. She stood alone in the room with Finn. He checked her over, noting any bruise or red mark. He had her strip to her small leather shirt and short leather pants. The heat in the room had been turned up and she marveled at the feeling of being so free of bulky clothing encumbrances. For a creature with such large hands, Finn was careful, his touch gentle. For days, Bethany had spent time trying to communicate with him. She understood few words but realized his guttural way of speaking would be hard for him to translate into English. A small word here and there were noticeable if she listened intently.

Finn asked her if she was hungry. It was one word, she presumed it meant food. Bethany placed her hand over her belly and shook her head no. After recently barfing, her guts were belly dancing without her.

“Sleep?” Finn growled the word, it rolled from deep within his throat.

“No sleep,” Bethany replied. She growl-grunted both words in his language, feeling a little silly. Each word the Zargonnii spoke had to be picked apart and analyzed for the pitch and harshness. At first it was nothing more than baby talk to her, gradually she came to understand it was so much more complex.

Finn took her hand and eased her off the high table she was sitting on. He propelled her towards the window. Bethany was amazed; they were already soaring across the heavens. There were so many stars she wondered how the ship avoided them. Tearing her gaze from the window, Bethany circled the room. The furniture was huge; everything was large to accommodate the Zargonnii.

Taking her hand Finn led her to a panel. Buttons lit up at a command. Finn growled into the computer. Bethany jumped back when words were spoken back to her.

“You are safe.”

Openmouthed Bethany looked up at Finn. “How did you do that?” Grunts and growls were repeated by the computer. Finn had his head cocked then answered her, allowing time for each sentence to translate.

“A Castian warrior was kind enough to help me create this device. The words are in his voice, his name was Rask, son of the Castian leader Cobra. We aided their warriors on a planet named Bagron when they were attacked by cruel beings, rogue Tonans and the mind-battling Gorgano. I want you to use this device every day to learn our language. I’m not capable of learning more than a few of your words.

“I can’t drag this machine everywhere we go together. I can however hook it up to all of my rooms. I don’t want the entire ship hearing our conversations, the warriors would be too confused with so many different words being said aloud regardless. They would all end up with headaches if too many females were in our eating area and all of you spoke at the same time. Human females seem to like to speak—a lot.”

“I have so many questions.”

“I’m sure you do. I’m certain all of you do. Each warrior will answer their female’s questions in privacy. One on one. I’m a Zargonnii warrior-mercenary. More warrior as of late because we are at war with certain creatures. Mostly my people eradicate nuisance creatures on other planets for a price. Humans were discovered a short time ago by my kind. Unfortunately for humans, they were discovered some years ago by a nasty species called Tonans. I’m sorry, but there is no hope for your planet. The skies are volatile with other species. I brought you here to save your life and take you to my planet where we will mate.”

“Excuse me?” Bethany crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance.

“Isn’t the machine working right?” Finn looked worried and tapped the panel.

“Oh, it’s working fine. You saved me to keep me?”

“Our planet isn’t like Earth. I’m sure Earth had frightening things for you to deal with, but that white thing you called a polar bear is harmless compared to creatures on my world. I can keep you safe.”

“But only for fringe benefits. Happen not gonna, Jaws.”

Finn was shaking his head. “Fringe benefits?”

“Sex.”

“No, not sex, well, yes, sex, but no, not sex.”

Bethany narrowed her eyes and tapped the panel. “I think this might be broken after all.”

“What I mean is our people are different. Our males and females don’t cohabitate. We Holiday every two years for the sole intent to produce offspring. Males are left in their fathers’ care, females in their mothers’ care.”

“Then why not just hand us over to your females?”

“You would be terrified of our females.”

Bethany frowned. Terrified of their females? They couldn’t possibly be scarier than the warriors. Could they?

“I don’t understand. Do they grow like you? Why do you seem to grow?”

“The male of my species grows in battle mode. Our bodies lengthen, our claws grow longer, our teeth expand. Females don’t need a battle mode.”

“What do your females look like?”

“I have one image. My mother allowed me to take it before I left for Earth. She doesn’t stay with me or my brother, it would be uncomfortable, but she cares for us in her own way.”

Finn called up an image and Bethany stared in stunned surprise. If this was what a male Zargonnii was used to mating with, Bethany even standing beside him was weird. The female was naked and yet not. Nothing showed, there were no breasts, the genital area was covered in fur. The entire being was covered in a fine layer of fur. She was at least nine feet tall. Her white hair flowed to the ground. She too sported red eyes and jagged teeth. Her muscle mass was nothing short of amazing.

She was majestic in a spooky way. There was no facial hair except the one eyebrow. At least it looked like only one from a distance, like Finn’s, that went directly across her forehead but not nearly as thick. She didn’t appear delicate by any means, but not as rough. Her cheekbones were high, her lips a darker blue. Bethany stood amazed. The creature was in fact beautiful, if different. Her tapered hips and slimmer waist was a dead giveaway she was not the same sex as Finn. Her belly didn’t sport the oval bald spot with the wrinkles. This female had no need of a battle mode. She was a gorgeous tank.

“How can you be attracted to me when you’re used to females looking like this?” Bethany asked.

“It isn’t just your looks, it’s everything about you. You are so small, so weak. Your mating rituals are different. Our males and females battle for dominance during the Holiday. Almost always the female is victorious. You cannot battle me, it would be useless.”

“I’m not into Doms and Subs,” Bethany said dryly.

“I’m guessing you mean you aren’t a female to be dominated. That isn’t what I want either.”

“What do you want?”

“Someone who will love me and not abandon me.”

What?

She then remembered he had said their species only came together every two years. Males stayed with males, females with females, how sad for them. Bethany couldn’t help but believe him. He stood there looking so solemn and vulnerable Bethany’s heart was moved. Her mother had told her once, when she met her father her heart spoke to her. She was always glad she listened.

“Finn, do you have anything on your ship that resembles alcohol? I sure as hell need a drink.”

* * * *

Finn sat at a table with a mug of strong garneg. After initially giving a few sips of the potent beverage to Bethany while in his room she was out cold and Finn had placed her on his bed. She was too tempting, lying vulnerable, spread eagle in her favorite fashion. She had changed out of the multi furs he was used to seeing her in when he examined her and found it too warm to put them back on. She was clad in a leather sleeveless shirt that didn’t cover her tummy and leggings, also leather, that rested right above her exquisitely tanned knees. She had shed her moccasins and her tiny toes wiggled in their freedom.