Ral's Woman (10 page)

Her thoughts turned to Ral. Agony ripped at her. He would
mourn her. She knew he loved her. She prayed he wouldn’t blame himself. If he
had come straight home he would have been there to defend her. She’d seen him
fight four men before. The four men who had come in the house weren’t as mean-looking
as the ones on the asteroid who’d tried to take her from him. Ral could take
these assholes apart easily. The bathroom door crashed in.

Ariel’s time was up. They were in the bathroom. The man
who’d attacked Erra yanked open the glass-like door. He reached in to grab her.
Ariel screamed and, using the shears like a knife, threw herself forward and
stabbed him in the chest.

The handles of the shears dug into her skin as well but they
didn’t cut her. She felt warm blood pour onto her hands. She screamed again as
the man roared out in pain. He stumbled back with the shears embedded deep in
his chest.

She threw herself back and hit the shower wall hard enough
to knock the breath from her. She stared at the man’s face as he stumbled back
into his companions. He looked down at the shears protruding from his chest. She
saw shock on his face. He went silent before he collapsed to his knees. His
companions were frozen in shock as they stared at the man whose blood was running
down his chest.

The injured man pitched forward. He didn’t move. The shears
must have pushed in deeper when he fell because she saw the sharp points
sticking out of his back. His was shirtless. Blood ran from the wound and over
his back to the bathroom floor. One attacker threw his head back, howling.
Ariel screamed. The three men went silent. She saw their expressions. They were
going to make her suffer before they killed her. She had no doubt of that.

One of the men had to step over his fallen friend to reach
into the shower stall. He grabbed Ariel by the front of Ral’s shirt. She heard
material tear in the man’s hand as he yanked hard. Her foot hit the low wall of
the shower stall. Pain shot up her foot as she was dragged forward. Her feet
hit the fallen man’s body as she was dragged screaming from the bathroom.

Ariel’s feet left the floor. The man threw her toward the
bed. She hit it hard enough that it bounced her body off to the other side. She
hit the floor hard. Pain exploded in her hip, thigh and arm that hit the floor
hardest. From under the bed she could see them moving around it. She knew if
she lay there she’d die.

She rolled under the bed. Zorn beds weren’t that different
from her bed at home except they were taller and on sturdier frames. She inched
to the center of the massive bed and lay there panting. She reached up and
grabbed the bars of the frame. Her fingers barely had time to fight between the
bars and the mattress before a large hand clamped down on her ankle.

She screamed out in pain as one of the men tried to drag her
out. It almost tore her hold from the bars. He yanked her hard enough that now
her feet were no longer under the bed and her arms were stretched painfully
above her since she refused to let go.

“Get her out of there,” one of the men snarled.

The
conis
was still on. It would pick up and
translate any speech in the room. She could understand them so they could
understand her. She knew it probably wouldn’t help but she had to try. The hand
around her ankle increased pressure until she screamed out in pain. It felt
like he was crushing her ankle. The bastard was purposely hurting her to make
her let go. The pain was enough to make her scream.

“Ral will kill you. Don’t do this.”

“Ral is busy,” another male snarled. “We will set fire to
his house when we are done with you and there will be no scent of us left for
him to track.”

“Get her out now. We don’t have much time.”

The man gripping her ankle yanked hard. Ariel screamed out
again. Her fingers were torn painfully loose from the bars. The man brutally
yanked her out from under the bed. She stared up at three half-undressed Zorn
males. The one gripping her ankle didn’t let go. Instead he reached with his
other hand and grabbed her pants in his hand. He fisted them and yanked hard.

Ariel kicked at him with her free foot. Zorn males were
freakishly tall in her opinion since she couldn’t reach his balls. Her legs
were too short. She did manage to kick his thigh hard. She screamed as her
pants were yanked down her body. She tried to roll and grab for the bed. If she
could just get away and crawl back under there she could avoid being raped just
a little longer.

Two of the men bent down, grabbing each of her flailing arms.
They lifted her and she found herself dropped on her back on the bed. The man
gripping her ankle put his knee on the end of the bed between her thighs. She
yanked her free leg up to her chest and with pure terror she found the strength
to kick at him again. This time she nailed the man harder and in a better
place. His head snapped back as her heel slammed into his jaw. The hold on her
ankle loosened as her attacker suffered from the force of his head slamming
back hard. Unfortunately it didn’t break his neck because he roared out in
pain.

She heard another roar and it sounded close. She saw the men
who still gripped her arms snap their heads in the direction of the bedroom door.
Ariel didn’t waste time looking at whatever got their attention. She jerked her
free foot back to her chest again. She was hurting. Her ankle might be broken
or at least sprained but she ignored the pain. She looked down. The man she’d
kicked held his jaw with one hand while still gripping her other ankle with his
other hand. Taking aim, she kicked out as hard as she could. Her foot nailed
his crotch.

She’d hit her intended mark. She saw his mouth open. His hold
on her ankle was suddenly gone as he grabbed for the front of his pants. He
fell slowly backward to crash to the floor. He made a high-pitched squeal. Joy
hit her in that second. That was another way men were universal no matter what
planet they came from.

Ariel twisted her body try to kick at another man who held
her but they released her. Both of them backed away from the bed before she got
the chance. Terror was etched on their faces as they stared toward the broken
bedroom door. Her eyes followed theirs. Ral stormed into the bedroom.

Rage like nothing she’d ever seen before twisted his
features. He roared. It hurt her ears. The
conis
didn’t translate. She
didn’t need to be told what that sound meant. Ral’s eyes met Ariel’s. She saw
his eyes flash over her body. He moved fast to throw himself at the nearest man
to him. He attacked the man to her right.

Something warm sprayed her. She looked at her arm and saw
bright red dots all over her body. Her brain registered it was blood. Her eyes
turned in shock to Ral and the man. She saw the flash of a metal blade in Ral’s
hand. The large intruder dropped to his knees. She saw that his throat was
slashed. He pitched forward. Ral roared again as he dove for the other man
before the first body even hit the floor. The second man didn’t even get out a
sound before Ral was on him. Ral’s arm rose and she heard a grunt. She listened
to silence for a second before she heard a soft whine from the end of the bed.

Ral rose up from the floor alone. He walked slowly to the
end of the bed. He glared down at the man Ariel had kicked in the crotch. She
saw Ral bend down. His expression was still masked in pure rage. A whine,
louder this time, came from the man. Ral dragged him up by his hair and Ariel
watched as Ral slit the man’s throat, tossing his body aside. Ral was breathing
hard. He was bloodstained—it was on both hands, the blade he still held and
splashed on his clothes. He turned to stare down at Ariel.

“I’m okay,” her voice broke. “You got to me in time.”

Ral dropped the blade on the bed as he reached for her.
Ariel didn’t flinch as Ral reached for her with both bloody hands. He gently
lifted her up into his arms and held her tightly against his bloody chest. He
buried his face in her throat. He was still breathing hard and shaking with
fury.

Ariel didn’t hesitate. She threw her arms around his neck to
hold on to him for dear life. Ral had saved her again. He’d killed for her
again. They had survived and they were both together.

Ral refused to put her down, refused to leave her side.
Ariel didn’t mind at all. They sat on the couch with Ariel firmly on his lap.
Ral’s arms were around her, holding her tight. After a shower, they were both
clean with wet hair and fresh clothing. The dead men had been removed from
Ral’s home. She’d been lucky. Besides some bruises, she’d just sprained her
ankle. Nothing was broken.

The uniformed Zorn police force had come and gone. Ahhu had
arrived to treat injuries. Erra was bruised but fine. She’d run for help but
Ral had gotten home before the neighbors could rush to Ariel’s rescue. The
conis
had been moved into the living room. The bedroom was bloodstained and off
limits until it could be cleaned up.

“I don’t understand why they would dare,” Erra said softly.
“You are Argis Ral.” Erra held ice to the large bump on the side of her
forehead. “It was death for them if they harmed Ariel or not.”

Ral eased his hold on Ariel and gripped her jaw gently. He
turned her face so they could stare into each other’s eyes. “I know why this
happened. I know you will be angry. I am enraged. When we took the tests at
medical we were monitored without our knowledge. Someone with access to that
monitoring released them to the population to watch on the
conis
. We
were seen by many.”

Ariel blinked. She was horrified as his words set in. The
blood drained from her face and she felt a little dizzy. Her heart almost
stopped. She stared into his eyes and saw his rage reflected there. He nodded
at her grimly.

“Many males probably viewed the monitoring of us. I think
that is why they dared come after you. They saw how it is between us.”

“Oh God,” she breathed. “I’m in a porn video on the internet
with you.”

He frowned. “I…”

“I know. You don’t understand but I do. What we did anyone
can see on the
conis
, right? Us naked and doing what we did together at
medical?”

“I had it removed from the archive.”

“But once it’s on the
conis
it is out there. You
can’t stop it from being seen.”

He frowned. “That is not true. Once it is removed from the
archive it is gone from the
conis
.”

“Can’t someone store it and watch it later or put it back on
the
conis
?”

“Our
conis
isn’t like that. It has to be in the
archive to view it on a
conis
.”

Relief hit her. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. That is why I was late. I was told about it and
had it taken care of. All monitoring of us was destroyed. It makes me burn with
rage to think of the males who saw you naked. They saw what I see when I touch
you. That is mine alone. I want to kill every male who looked at your beautiful
body being touched by me.”

She shut her eyes. She opened them after taking a deep breath.
“So why did they attack? I don’t understand.”

“You are very responsive to my touch and you are different
from our women. You make males very hard, Ariel. Very hard and very stupid if
they think they can touch you and come after you. I will make them very dead if
they try again. I kept you home out of fear that you would attract males with
your looks. I was afraid they might scare you by approaching you to talk to you
but I never thought anyone would dare come after you like this. You are mine.”

The front door opened suddenly. Ariel gasped as she was
moved from Ral’s lap so fast that the world spun as he leapt to his feet to
snarl at whoever walked into his home. He moved between Ariel and the front
door to protect her. She could see Ral’s tense body.

His large frame slowly relaxed and he sat down. He reached
for Ariel, lifting her back onto his lap. She stared in shock at their company.
She felt instant anxiety. Six men entered the room. Ariel recognized the three
brothers and Hyvin Berrr. The other two men were strangers but they were
dressed like guards with weapons strapped to their hips. The front door shut
firmly when the last male entered the room.

“What do you want?” Ral glared at his father. “I am furious
with you. You ordered those tests. Only you could order us monitored without
consent. This is your fault.”

Hyvin Berrr lowered his head slightly. His eyes, much like
Ral’s, locked onto his son’s raging glare “I did not know someone would steal
the monitoring to put it on the
conis
for all to see. That was not my
intention. You are slated to take my place one day to lead Zorn. I needed to
make sure you were not bewitched. I wanted her tested. I wanted to see how she
was controlling you.”

Ral snarled. “You put her in danger.”

The man lowered his eyes, glancing at the floor and then
back up. “I know. I have no excuse. I apologize. I know she is not bewitching
you. I saw the monitoring and the test results state there is no chemical
control.”

“Shit,” Ariel sighed. “Great. Did anyone not see us have
sex?”

“I did not,” Erra said in a very soft tone.

Ariel shot her a grateful look. “Thank you.”

“We all saw it,” Argernon said with a growl. He shot his
father a cold look. “We did not realize what we were to watch or I would have
walked out of that meeting. He called us all in to evaluate what he called a
threat.”

All of the color drained from Ariel’s face. “Great.” She glanced
at Ral. “I guess everyone in your family has seen us having sex now.”

He growled and glared at his brothers and his father. “I am
enraged.”

“I do not blame you,” Hyvin Berrr said quietly. “I never
thought it would hit the population for viewing. I am very apologetic, Ral. It
was not my intention to endanger either of you in any way. It was not my
intention that this happened. It was to be a private family matter. We viewed
the monitoring and realized what was between the two of you was not her
controlling you.”

One of the brothers snorted. “She could control me if she—”

Argernon shot out a fist and him hard in the mouth. He
growled. “That is your brother’s bound woman. Respect her now.”

The slightly younger brother winced and slapped his hand
over his now-bleeding split lip. He nodded and lowered his eyes. He said
nothing. Argernon sighed. He eyed Ral.

“What Father is saying is that he doesn’t know how to make
this right. Not only has he caused you problems with your bound and with other
males wanting her—”

“Desperately,” the younger brother said around his hand.

Argernon snarled. “Keep talking if you want to lose some
teeth.” His eyes went back to Ral. “Father has really made a mess of things. Unfortunately,
that monitoring was viewed by many males. It has caused widespread trouble. We
need your help. We need you to set aside your rage because there is serious
trouble brewing with our people.”

Ral tensed. Emotions filtered across his face. Ariel saw his
mouth press into a tight line. He looked pissed as he shot his father a glare before
giving his brother his full attention.

“What is the problem?”

Argernon hesitated. His eyes flickered to Ariel and then
back to Ral. “They want one of her. Some demand we allow them to go to her
planet to find women to bound with.”

Ariel knew she wasn’t the only one shocked by Argernon’s
statement. She heard Ral hiss as his body tensed. He relaxed a second later shaking
his head no.

“Tell them we are not into slavery. What they want is wrong.
We do not go to other planets to steal women. We have a good population of
women right here. Our males do outnumber our females but it is not an issue.”

“We tried.” It was the brother who hadn’t spoken yet. “They
are willing to revolt, Ral. We’d have a war on our hands. They would attack our
family en masse and we would be stripped of power. Too many of them want to
bring her kind here. They want one like her.”

“I’m not a damn toy,” Ariel was pissed off. “Ral is right.
You can’t go to my planet to kidnap women.”

“They are not the same as our women.” Ral frowned.

The younger brother snorted. “No shit.” His lip had stopped
bleeding. “She’s built for pure enjoyment. She’s way better than our women. It
was so hot watching you do her standing up facing you with her in your arms.”

Hyvin Berrr turned this time to punch him. The father hit
him hard enough to make him stagger back. Hyvin Berrr growled.

“Enough.” He turned to give Ariel an apologetic look. “He is
young and his mouth is run by his lower region. Please forgive his youth.”

Ral lifted Ariel from his lap and gently sat her down next
to him. He slowly stood up to glare at his youngest brother. “One more word to
embarrass Ariel and I will knock you out.” He shot his father a glare. “They do
not understand that she is different in more ways than sexually.”

Hyvin Berrr hesitated. “Will you share how?”

“They do not share with others sexually,” Ral tone was quiet.
He shot his youngest brother a glare. “That means only one woman to share sex
with until death.” He looked back at his father. “She is conscious of her nude
body. She won’t walk around naked unless we are alone. It is their way. They
need strong emotions from a male to have sex. She needs strong commitment and
attention from me to be happy. I am happy to do it but will others be?”

Ral eyed the quiet brother who had only spoken once. “Rever,
they are very uncontrollable. I find it refreshing but most males would take
issue with a woman who will not submit on demand. Her kind resists that from
what I have learned from her. She has not conceived so it is doubtful we will
have offspring. It matters none to me. I want her more than anything. I know
many males demand to bound to women who can provide offspring.”

Argernon smiled. “We will release this information. It will
make them think about wanting a female like her no matter how interested they
are sexually. It might work. Otherwise we still will face this problem.”

Rever met Ariel’s eyes. “Is your world very different from
ours?”

She hesitated. “The water is blue and so is the sky. We only
have one moon. The trees are brown for the most part. Men and women are equal.
Women fought for that right. We do love a good fight. We have a history of
fighting back when we are attacked. If I didn’t love Ral you’d have serious
problems with me.”

“She killed one of her attackers,” Ral said in a soft voice.
“They will kill to protect themselves. They are a strong people. They deserve
our respect. If some of our men wish to find women to bound with it should be
voluntary on the female’s part.”

“Agreed,” Hyvin Berrr growled. “We will give them the facts
of your female along with the drawbacks. We will say if any wish to attempt to
bound to one they must get the female’s permission and do so without giving us
away.” The man looked at Ariel. “Do your people know of us?”

“We think we’re alone in the universe. We suspect and hope
that other people exist on other planets but I don’t think we’re ready for someone
to openly come to us. It would make them afraid and my people are dangerous
when they are afraid. Most would attack what they fear. My planet is divided by
many leaders and not all of them are of the same mind. We still have fights
between them that sometimes turn into wars. I think they would attack you if
they knew you were there. We haven’t the technology yet to travel too far into
space. We’re getting there though. One day perhaps, but I don’t think my people
are ready for first contact with your race.”

“What would you suggest?”

She hesitated. Her eyes went to Ral. She loved him. He was
everything to her. If some of his men were willing to love one of her kind as
much as he loved her, who was she to stand in the way. She turned her eyes to
stare at Ral’s father again.

“Swear you’ll make it so the women have to agree to leave
with your men?”

“I swear.”

“You’d have to go to remote areas to find women and not allow
my people to know you are even there. You’d have to hide your visit. We have
great communication systems with portable devices to call for help if need be.
We have mechanical eyes in space around my planet that tracks movement. We have
weapons. I’d land a small space ship at night. There are tons of sightings of
space ships at night in remote areas of the United States. People just think
they are crazy when someone says they saw one. No one really takes it that
serious unless they have proof. Don’t give them any. We also speak many
different languages. I speak English. You will want to make sure you look for a
woman who speaks this language so you can understand her. I’m from the United
States.”

“We’ll work it out.” Hyvin Berrr nodded at his son. “I made
this mess and I will clean it up, Ral. I have set guards around your home to
protect your bound. I have asked Rever to take your duties for a few weeks so
you can bond with your bound and soothe her from the trauma that happened here
today. I never meant for this to happen. You have my deepest apology, my son.
Somehow I will make this up to you.”

Ral sighed. “You accept Ariel as my bound?”

Hyvin Berrr bowed low. “I do, my son.” He stayed bowed and
his eyes turned to Ariel. “You are to remain bound to my son. I give you my
apology as well.”

“Thank you,” Ariel whispered.

“You could make this up to us by making it a priority to
integrate the translation program from the aliens into our translation
implants. I would like to be able to communicate with Ariel at all times and
not just in a room with the current program running on the
conis
.”

Hyvin Berrr nodded his head at Ral. “Consider it a priority.
I will inform medical to put all their staff on it before the day is over.”

“Thank you, Father. Thank you for the guards as well to help
me protect Ariel.”

Ral pulled Ariel against his body. He was silent as his
family and the guards left. Ariel smiled at Erra as the woman quietly got up
and walked toward the kitchen to her bedroom that was on the other side of the
house. Ariel and Ral ended up alone in the living room. He sighed.