Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) (22 page)

What a troubling revelation
.

The ritual was not based on the glorification of pain.

The bloodletting was an intimate gesture of complete submission to bind the male and female.

If the creature could not consciously deaden sensation partaking in the honoured ceremony would be nigh on impossible.

How would she take Venomous One as her life mate before his kindred?

Perhaps the humans used verbal ceremonies as the more primitive species did.

Brow ridge pleating, Fiercely paid more attention to what was being said.

Once Venomous One and his Rä’Na had been rescued, Fiercely had transmitted the particulars to the Northern Senate.

The Elder’s had given strict orders to confirm the human had not enslaved Venomous with offworlder trickery.

In the meantime, they were to treat the female well, and keep her under close observation whilst isolated from her Rä’Vek.

After sedation, Venomous had been put under immobilisation, so he didn’t tear the Trekker apart looking for her.

Such behaviour was expected and understandable; it was a biological imperative he protect his mate.

Unfortunately, caution came before consideration of their feelings because of the precedent their mating set.

This was the first time in unknown aeons a Rä matured for an offworlder.

How worrying Nāga highlighted such vast anatomical differences between the human and her new people.

How would she survive the deadly environment on home world being so physically vulnerable?

“What of her reproductive compatibility?” Fiercely asked and wondered what offspring between the two would bear a resemblance to.

Nāga startled.

Had he forgotten she was not a scientific specimen, but a bonded Rä’Na?

His voice wavered. “Warrior?”

“Simple curiosity, Healer.”

“I suppose you would be concerned.” Nāga sounded less apprehensive. “The Warriors Guild grieved for He, Venomous One for solars. Reproduction between a human and others of her simian genus, saurian, felid, and a few others is theoretically possible. She is not compatible with many species, like those of arthropod origin, such as the Krael. They could copulate, but little else. Her species hasn’t evolved that far as yet. What the offspring will look like is debatable.”

“It is possible, and that is all that matters.”

If the human had not been compatible, she might have ended up despondent, weary of life, and ashamed to show herself in public, unable to do her duty and provide her Rä’Vek with offspring.

“This membrane is astonishing.” Nāga bent over double. His claws retracted, and he undulated his fingertips over the female’s prone body, various flashing, beeping devices held in his grip. “Not only is it incredibly sensitive to pressure, it responds and adapts to changes in temperature. She excretes liquid as a means of instant thermoregulation, and her cells produce a hormonal chemical to darken their pigmentation to filter prolonged exposure to sunlight. It is a peculiar contradiction. The membrane is multifunctional yet easily breached leaving her internal organs vulnerable. She has no natural armour plating aside from her skull bone under her membrane. Even
that
is brittle. That Venomous One kept her alive in that place is a miracle. The alien female is–”

“Delicate,” Fiercely murmured hands clenched into fists.
What would it be like to have a Rä’Na like that?
“How long until she regains consciousness?”

“Nanosecs from now.”

Grabbing a fresh water pouch, Fiercely re-entered the enclosure and stood beside the examination slab.

Tension threaded through the a’Rä’s body, coiling and bunching its muscles tight, but it did not know why.

Fiercely stared at the mass of coiling filaments sprouting from her head, and flowing across her neck and shoulders.

Venomous One had stroked them as they’d come aboard, unashamed to be handling his female intimately outside the privacy of their nest.

She seemed to take comfort from the petting rather than see it as a gross presumption, as a normal Rä’Na would.

So strange, so different.

Captivating.

It had been proven she held no chemical or psychological hold over Venomous.

Theirs was a true mating, and they would be reunited.

“Shall we shave her bald?” Fiercely asked. “Remove the filaments on her limbs and the fur between her legs to make her more attractive?”

“My data concludes humans grow membrane filaments as a means to reduce contamination by hostile microorganisms and viral pathogens. Much like the Verak. As mentioned, the filaments act as sensors, a biological defence mechanism adopted by her ancestors’ evolutionary path.” The healer’s hand hovered over the cranial mane, as if he longed to feel the strands. “I advise against removing them. She has a considerable adjustment to make. If we remove body parts designed to protect, she may become distressed, and fear we mean her harm. I do not think the human considers their removal necessary as part of grooming.”

“Venomous liked touching it when we brought them aboard.”

“I can imagine why. I enjoy the softness of my Rä’Na. This female is very soft.”

Fiercely sighed.

Some species were so strange, and so were some males.

The a’Rä often wondered if it would be a male.

I do not think I would like to be mounted as a female is.

“The unsightly fur may remain.”

Fiercely remained unconvinced it was the right choice, but was willing to concede to a professional opinion.

Nāga looked offended on behalf of his patient.

As he stared at her, the outer corners of his brille softened. “The human is fine. She is one of us now. Rä’Na. She is to be honoured.”

“You do not think her hideous,” Fiercely observed.

“I do not.” Nāga looked surprised at the unspoken suggestion the warrior did. “Unnerving at first sight, but appealing once you get over the shock. She is different. I find it exciting and intriguing. Such is my nature though. Venomous One is blessed. Only the closed minded will think otherwise.”

The human made a low sound, and her head rolled.

Soft membranes veiling her eyes slid up, remaining concealed, and round pupils were circled by a ring of smoky quartz Fiercely had previously only seen on rare gemstones at market.

This attribute of the alien the warrior found pleasing, much more so than all the hair.

Did Venomous find this and more attractive about the creature?

Her eyes slid from side to side, and the flimsy filaments on her arms lifted as they settled on the healer.

Her breathing increased, and her eyes leaked fluid.

“Peace, Human. Call me He, Nāga Shadowed by the Bluest Moon. I am a healer. I mean you no harm.” He smiled, flashing his sharp teeth. “Have your optical orbs sustained injury?”

Blinking, the alien female turned her head, fleshy lips parting. “Venom?” Her eyes connected with Fiercely’s. “No, you’re not him. You look like him, but you’re not him.” Her voice was accusatory, as if she thought they tried to deceive her.

“The Rä to your other side is Warrior Fiercely Comes the Night and guild kin to He, Venomous One. Fiercely is unmated, a’Rä, and commands all aboard until your mate is ready to assume authority.”

The alien jerked her gaze from Fiercely’s when Nāga reached to touch her.

In a graceful movement, she rolled from the slab then landed crouched.

Avoiding the healer, she fled to the corner.

Frustration built within Fiercely. “She speaks, but she does not understand us when we say we mean no harm. You told me the implant would activate immediately.”

“Scans indicated it would. It has. The procedure was perfect.” Nāga was confused. “Perhaps her eye injury makes her inconsolable.”

“You told me she was unbroken.”

“The scans–”

“
I know what the scans say
. She remains uncomprehending. Either she is dumb, or the procedure failed.”

At his raised voice the female pushed further into the corner, her eyes snapping between them.

Nāga sent him a look of reproach. “You scare her.”

“Thsst!” Taking a step forward with the intention of shaking sense into her, Fiercely backtracked when the female pushed back with such strength her head slammed against the wall.

Predators understood prey, and instinctively they lowered to appear less aggressive.

Fiercely felt a welling of shame at scaring one so small.

“Female, please, cease.” The healer held out his hands claws down to signal his peaceful intentions. “You will damage yourself.”

The rocking stopped.

“She understood you.” Fiercely thrust the pouch towards her. “Drink. You are dehydrated. Drink or you will die and Venomous will take my head.”

The alien glared.

“She does not like you.” Nāga chuckled. “If looks could kill you would be meeting your ancestors.”

Fiercely ignored the jibe.

If the female felt anger at her treatment then she grasped an understanding of her situation.

“Unlike our esteemed healer, I have no patience. If you do not drink this, I will strap you to the examination slab and intravenously force nutrition. Do you wish to be treated as a science experiment instead of Venomous’ honoured Rä’Na?”

She reached, took the pouch then drank, eerily intelligent eyes narrowed.

“Praise Zython.” The healer slumped. “I feared the human lost the will to live. I would not have liked to tell a warrior we were unable to care for his mate when we forced him into stasis.”

Fiercely grunted. “Bring food, and more sweet water. Also, bring uncut roots and a selection of raw meat. She does not trust us. We may reassure her by offering a meal that has not been tampered with. Did you run an allergy analysis?”

“The human may eat our produce except for the Zýt eggs. She will acquire the nutrients she needs to thrive. No additional supplements are necessary.” He hesitated. “It is worth mentioning while she was unconscious, I gave her a sequence of vaccinations. There is no longer a risk of her contracting harmful microbes from our native foodstuffs, and in preparation for arrival on home world, I coated her airway with a gel cartridge that will dissolve in increments and regulate her biochemical respirations. It will ease her into breathing our nitrogen rich atmosphere, and absorb any impurities. Otherwise, she would have had a dreadful time of it. She must have felt light-headed and muddled on the slave planet.”

“That will not harm her?” Fiercely demanded sharply.

“Do not fret. I am monitoring her baselines and metabolic readings with great care. Once she develops the relevant antibodies her immune system will attack the gel residues, and discard it as sputum. Now then, Warrior, I will return shortly.” Nāga Shadowed by the Bluest Moon initiated a traditional bow of respect towards the alien. “Honoured Rä’Na.”

He left the enclosure.

Fiercely returned the female’s blank stare.

They stayed that way until the healer returned with a large platter and three water pouches.

Trailing behind him, Sylphs brought a low table and three seating cushions.

They left as silent as they’d entered.

Nāga lowered onto his seat, crossed his legs then motioned for them to join him after setting down his delicious smelling burden.

Deciding to give the cunning tactic a try, Fiercely rose, and left the female cowering in her corner to join his fellow Rä.

They ate in silence for what seemed an age.

Fiercely grew weary of the game, ready to give the order for the female to be sedated and fed through a tube.

Feet pattered across the smooth floor.

The alien sat, her movement refined, but wary.

Her gaze moved over the platter then a strange colour suffused the lower layers of her brown membrane.

“Scans suggest humans do not have anima.”

“They do not.” Nāga appeared deep in thought. “Their membranes communicate biological distress. Perhaps the food is not pleasing to her eyes.”

Fiercely studied the platter, and tried to see it objectively.

The fat grubs were rare delicacies, a treat.

They had been removed from a vat of sweet water kept cool to ensure their shells and innards remained the optimal consistency; a pop followed by a gushing pulp when bitten.

Fiercely supposed the wriggling would be off putting if you were unused to live food, but she distrusted previous offers of cooked nourishment.

Nāga also procured several berries and roots that were tasty eaten raw.

The alien’s chest expanded with air.

She released it in a stream from plump lips that curved at one corner as she shook her head.

“What does that gesture mean, do you suppose?” The healer’s interest in her behaviour was obvious. “We know her vocal range is impressive, but perhaps humans place an emphasis on nonverbal communication, like body language, facial and hand gestures, as the Yoni do.” He frowned. “However, the longer I spend in her presence, the more I am reminded of the Verak. I wonder why Venomous One matured for such a creature. He seemed intimate and protective of her, yet I do not get the impression they have been together long. He did not seem resentful, or ashamed of the fact she is not Rä.”

Distracted by a surge of jealousy at the knowledge Venomous had found a life mate, in captivity no less, Fiercely was unable to respond, and instead watched the human, finding it impossible to tear its brille from her slightest movement.

She selected a berry from the platter, as far from the grubs as possible then brought it to her nose to sniff it.

Her tapered tongue laved the berry surface then after an uncertain pause, she slipped it past her lips.

“She eats like a Rä’Vek testing the meal for his Rä’Na,” Nāga noted.

“Venomous must have taught her. I doubt the L’Odo fed them well.”

“He is malnourished.”

“Yesss, to keep his strength contained.”

“It is strange they let him keep his mate considering a’Rä grow stronger when matured into male to protect their female.”

“Perhaps they did not expect his anima to mature for an offworlder. We only match with our own species.”