Kept: An Erotic Anthology (38 page)

“If you would just try a small bite,” Altair continued to coax her. “Our scientists developed this over thousands of years. It has every nutrient and vitamin. It digests perfectly.”

“Get bent,” Cali muttered.

“You are just being stubborn. The council will be displeased if you perish.”

“Gee, I’m all broken up over it.”

“How did Deimos and Blazar keep you healthy?” Altair demanded. His hand gripped her arm.

Cali turned to glare at him. “Go away you creep.” She then yelped when his hand heated to such an intensity her arm began to blister.

Altair released her immediately. He looked appalled as she howled in agony and scooted away from him.

“I’m sorry, human. I was angry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Altair raced off and returned with water. He doused her blisters which did little to soothe her.

Cali gasped. “A healing bed. Deimos and Blazar put me on a healing bed.”

“I have no such devise on my vessel,” Altair said. “I’m a scientist, not a hunter. A hunter may have need of the bed, some are prone to violence. I would never harm… You are so much more fragile than expected.”

Ripping off a strip of her clothes, Cali soaked the fabric in water and wound it around her aching flesh. She again turned from Altair and lay with her face pressed into the mat. Abandoned and now injured she wanted to sleep to escape. She heard Altair stand. He again apologized before moving away.

Altair hadn’t gone a few steps, his large feet scuffling across the silver polished floor when the ship was rocked sideways. Cali screamed as she went flying. Altair yelled and Cali fled as far from him as fast as possible, he had transformed into a bright light. They were under attack.

Cali managed to make her way into another room to escape Altair’s intense heat. The floor beneath her began to warm with the temperature increasing every second. The walls started to glow. A terrifying thought entered her mind. These beings were light, would the ship become a big ball of fire and incinerate her? Would Altair kill her to save his life? She was about to find out.

The floor beneath her feet had her dancing from foot to foot in agony. She could see her flesh steaming making her scream louder. The walls turned red baking her. She was in an oven the heat rising ever higher. A loud
boom
and Cali toppled over. Her face and body were coated in sweat which sizzled across her skin. She was flung once more to the other side of the room where she blacked out.

***

Cali was drowning. Water poured down her throat, she was soaked and floating. Strong hands held her face up and out of the water before letting her slip back under. She struggled and coughed, fighting her way to the surface again where she gasped for air.

“Hold still, I’ve got you, human. The Gars hate the water. We’re safe as long as we stay put and out of sight.”

It was Altair’s voice. He sounded scared to death. Cali opened her eyes. Fleeting images of huge trees and lush foliage dotted the sides of the river they were floating down. The river was fast paced and they moved at a good clip. The waves lapped over her, slapping at her face. For now the cold water aided with her burns.

“You burned me,” Cali cried out.

“We were being attacked. I had to weigh the pros and cons of being captured. To get to this planet first I had to risk the faster pace. It was either that or hightail it home and kill you altogether. This way you are injured but alive—for now. We haven’t much of a head start on the Gars.”

“You said anyone could hunt Gars.” Her tone was accusing.

“I may have been a bit boastful.”

“You dirty fuck.”

A huge log came into view. Cali made a grasp for it. The log was slick and her handhold was tenacious as the rapids crashed over her shoulders. She slipped as she struggled. With Altair’s help and a shove to her ass they were sitting on the riverbank. Cali yanked her way higher using the tall grass at the river’s edge. Once safe, Cali scowled at him. Her flesh was red, sore. But the burns weren’t as bad as what she had surmised. She did look like she had gotten the ultimate sun tan gone wrong.

“Oh God, I look like a tomato.”

“You’ll be fine, human.”

“I have a name, you dick.” Cali sat back and studied him. “What the hell happened to your clothes?” Altair was naked.

“They were incinerated the moment I ignited.”

“Oh for the love of God. Here.” Cali ripped off a length of her clothing for him to wrap around his hips. Parts were singed, some areas had small holes but it was salvageable. “I’m not going to have to stare at your dumb ass.”

“Quiet, human.”

Cali stiffened as Altair gripped her shoulder. Across the river was a huge beast. It moved in a weaving fashion, its soulless yellow gaze centered on them. It was the largest bird Cali had ever seen in her life standing at least twelve feet in height. White as snow feathers covered most of its body. A massive black beak opened to expose razor sharp teeth all in a neat row. Huge light brown wings fluffed lifting it off its feet for mere seconds before returning it to the ground. Foliage swooshed up under it giving indication of its great mass. It hissed at them in frustration and Cali realized it couldn’t fly. She bet it could run like the devil on its two three-toed feet.

“The Gars,” Altair whispered.

“Why don’t you just burn it? Roast the bastard and maybe I can finally eat something. Those drumsticks would be mighty tasty right now.”

“We should be fine. It won’t cross the water.”

“For heaven sake. Why don’t you kill it? Deimos would.”

“Have you seen the size of Deimos?”

The question made her blink. “Um, yeah.”

“Then you know how powerful he is.”

Cali turned to study him. For a second, she swore Altair was in awe of Deimos. Blazar was built bigger, so was Altair. What was she missing?

“You have to be at least seven inches taller than Deimos and a good twenty pounds heavier.”

“Exactly.” He was staring at her as though she must comprehend what he meant.

“But, but,” she spluttered. “He’s
smaller
than you. Granted he’s strong.”

“He has twice my strength. Surely you must see that? He is smaller therefore much stronger.”

Cali was stumped. It was obvious she was missing something. A thought occurred. It was Deimos who had fought Crone, not Blazar. Blazar had seemed humbled when he mentioned to Deimos he didn’t need to be so brutal. Deimos was the physical one. Perhaps size in their culture meant something.

“So, are you saying because Deimos is smaller, he is stronger than both you and Blazar?”

“Of course. A smaller intense light burns hotter because it takes only seconds to light. A larger fire, or greater light takes more time. Time is of the essence to a hunter. Deimos begins to conquer his foe immediately while brighter lights need more time to gain their exact potential. Deimos shines with his potential the second he ignites.”

“I suppose bigger lights don’t always burn brighter.”

The bird creature snorted and screeched making a heck of a racket. Cali stood up and began moving away. Altair jumped to his feet and caught her hand. His skirt-loin cloth slipped low on his hips. His chest was broad and his long legs were as white as snow. Cali resisted the urge to giggle at him, he looked ridiculous.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To find shelter. Looks like it will be
dark out soon.”

“We mustn’t stray far. I was able to send a distress call.”

“I’m not going to sit around like a damsel in distress waiting to be saved. I can save myself.”

Cali turned on her heels and began walking. This might not be Earth, but it had a primitive familiar smell. A shadow formed overhead, casting her gaze skyward. Thousands of birds looped and dove as though dancing in the sky. They were beautiful. Foliage was in abundance making Cali wonder the season, perhaps mid-spring. That would be a bonus.

They walked not more than a half hour. Cali ripped small strips of material off her clothing to make certain she could find her way back to the river. They came to a cave. She peeked inside. It wasn’t too deep but it would keep them sheltered until help came. Then, she surmised, she would be kidnapped again and stuck on a strange planet being accidently burned for the rest of her life. Cali determined that wouldn’t happen. If she couldn’t go back to Earth she would remain here. Freedom in nowhere was better than no freedom at all; she was tired of being captive.

Digging deep into her memory of her limited Girl Scouting experience, it didn’t take Cali long to gather sticks and larger pieces of wood, Altair followed her like a puppy refusing to help. He was a scientist after all. Menial work was beneath him. Striking two different types of rocks together onto some fluff from a nest she had found high in a tree, Cali made a fire. She carefully stuck the three eggs she had discovered in the nest into the hot coals as the fire burnt down at the sides. With a sharp rock she found, Cali had been able to somewhat remove the very tops of the shells. She didn’t need eggs exploding all over her. Next she gathered ferns and branches thick with soft needles. She lumped them in a corner near the back wall close to the fire. As darkness fell, Cali took a stick and pulled out an egg. She settled back onto her bed and peeled the egg. It was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.

“Well, where do I sleep?” Altair asked.

“Who the hell cares?”

“Well, what about the food. Give me some; I’ll attempt to eat your meager offerings, human.”

Cali finished her second egg and fished out the third. She remembered what Blazar had said about not needing to eat food as long as they regenerated. Altair hadn’t regenerated during her stay with him so he could examine her every move. Cali peeled the egg and when Altair stuck out his hand she shoved the entire thing into her mouth. She chewed with exaggerated movements enjoying the look on his face. Altair was wide-eyed.

“That was mine,” he said obviously flustered.

“Um, no, it was mine. I found it; I cooked it so I ate it. Get your own.”

“I provided you with clothing, sustenance and warmth,” he spluttered.

“I have provided you with warmth and clothing. As for sustenance, you gave me shit. You stole me away without regard to how I felt. I’m not going anywhere with you again. When and if you leave here, I’m not going with you; I’m staying.”

“The council will give you to me when I state my case.”

“I don’t belong to the council. I belong to me. The council can go screw itself.”

Cali curled up onto her bed.  What was left of her wrap had dried out, making her flesh feel hot but at least her tummy was finally full. Altair huffed for a moment before settling a few short feet from Cali. Both of them closed their eyes.

***

In the morning Cali woke with Altair sound asleep right beside her. Sometime in the night, he had scooted closer. She struggled to free herself from his grasp. He woke groggily. Cali had never seen either Deimos or Blazar groggy or disoriented; she had never seen any of the aliens sleep before. Altair’s hair was disheveled. He groaned as his hand went to his belly.

“This hurts,” he moaned.

“You’re hungry.”

“Is this what you felt aboard my vessel? It’s loathsome.”

“Will you suck it up? You ate less than twenty four hours ago. I saw you chow down on that cobweb crap. Try three days with nothing but water in your stomach and then complain.”

“I’m dying. I needed the substance because I refrained from regenerating.
Because of you.”

“My God you’re a drama queen. Go out of the cave and change into your fire form and find something suitable…preferably far away from me.”

“I can’t change,” Altair whined. “I can’t regenerate until I reach my planet.”

Cali dropped before him. “Are you saying you’re stuck in human form?”

“Yes. I told you, I didn’t regenerate before we were attacked so I could stay close to you.”

“Then what do we do about the Gars?”

“We wait for the universe hunters.”

Grumbling Cali marched out of the cave. Altair followed closely, so closely when she stopped to gaze around, he barreled into her upsetting them both to the ground.

“Get off, fat ass,” Cali shouted. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“How would you like to suddenly be stuck in a different form?”

Cali took a good shove at him and jumped to her feet. She stopped when he howled in terror. Horrified he stared at his hand.

“I’m leaking,” Altair yelled.

“For the love of God. You’re bleeding and it’s only a tiny bit.”

“Make it stop.”

Rolling her eyes, Cali grabbed his other hand and dragged him to the river; thankfully there was no sight of the bird-creature. She dunked his hand into the cold water and washed the cut thoroughly. By the time he had cradled his hand to his chest the bleeding had stopped. Altair screeched and yanked her in front of him. She landed on her ass while Altair crouched, peeking over shoulder.