Irresistible: A SciFi Alien Mail Order Bride Romance (TerraMates Book 9) (35 page)

With a shudder, I remembered my close call with the Surtu. I was on the verge of being light-bonded to someone who had only wanted my body for one thing, and it wasn't to produce children for him.

The Surtu's name was Kalij. He kept me locked in a room on the Fortuna once he claimed me. He had abused me physically, and I was only a moment away from light bonding with him when Jidden rescued me. The experience traumatized me. I had not been the same since.

Thank goodness he was dead.

I could not understand what I saw. I needed to talk to her and find out what was going on. If she was happy, maybe she didn't need rescuing. Maybe she was like Terra, and she loved her Surtu partner. I wouldn't have the whole picture until I spoke to her.

I crept around the back of the house; shrubs enclosed it on all sides. I intended to knock and enter through the back door.

As I crawled through the hedge, I snagged my shirt on one of the branches. I pulled and pulled, but I was stuck fast.

Getting stopped by vegetation had not been part of my plan. I tried to reach the dagger in my boot, but I couldn't because of the way the plant caught me. As long as no one came by, I would be safe. Maybe I could rip the fabric.

I heard a familiar man's voice behind me.

"I thought you'd come here. I've been waiting and watching since I heard you returned to Earth. You Earth women are all alike."

I froze in my struggles, unwilling to believe my memories. The voice haunted my nightmares, and I wasn't likely to forget it anytime soon.

Kalij.

He came around the hedge, and my fears were confirmed.

"Hello, Lucina. You didn't think death would stop me, did you?"

I held my breath in terror. Was he a ghost? Had he come to kill me and take me to hell with him?

He smiled then, a smug, bitter smile I had come to loathe. He reached out to fondle my breast. I could not escape.

"I think I like you trussed up. It's less of a struggle this way. Your ass is sticking out of the other side of the fence at a good angle." His voice trailed off as he stared into space, imagining an intimate encounter. "No, I think not. There are too many people around here. I'll have you alone soon enough. You'll find out what a Surtu is like."

I finally accepted he was still alive. Someone had spared him.

"You bastard. You'll never have me," I hissed at him.

"Those are big words from someone who's trapped. There's no one to save you this time, warrior woman. I'll have you, Lucina. Every way I want." He stepped in closer, and my mouth was at his groin. "Over and over again."

On the Fortuna, he was bound by Surtu rules. He wouldn't touch me sexually unless we were light bonded. On Earth, there were no rules or boundaries. He was going to do whatever he wanted with me.

LUCINA

Kalij. The Surtu bastard was still alive.

He had me cornered. There was no one from the resistance who knew my location. I could not expect outside help, and I was on my own.

Judging from the look on Kalij's face, he couldn't wait to fulfill his fantasies from the Fortuna. The thought filled me with horror but not fright. Terra's words echoed inside my head, and she had helped me regain my warrior spirit. If this were my fate, I would go out fighting.

Kalij drew a knife and advanced on me. My heart leaped into my throat as I wondered if I was about to die. When he cut my shirt, freeing my body from the bushes that grasped my clothing, I chastised myself.

I was not going to die. He couldn't get what he wanted from me if I was dead.

He jerked me roughly to my feet and pulled me out of the back yard. Freeing my mother would have to wait. I had to free myself first. The sun rose in the sky, offering the promise of another bright, hot day. I heard birds singing in the trees that had survived the war, and the peaceful environment contrasted with my awful situation.

I wanted to kill Kalij immediately. I knew many ways to do it, but I needed to wait for the best opportunity. He was armed and stronger than me. The Surtu learned ways to injure women without killing them or harming child-bearing organs as part of their military training. I needed to be careful.

I went with him, watching all the time for a chance to escape or murder him. He led me away from the inhabited part of the city and into rubble. There were no people around us. I only saw skeletons of buildings and tall hills of cement, partial walls, bricks, and other debris.

The Surtu were not only violating our women. They were raping our planet.

"I'm going to enjoy this, Lucina," he said. I hated the way he said my name. "I've been dreaming sinking into you since I was damned."

I flinched at his words. The prick of his knife in my neck reminded me of my place, and I said nothing. We stopped at the bare shell of a restaurant missing a front door. He led me to the back where there were large benches. I knew what he was thinking, and I searched my mind for a way to stop him.

But there was nothing around to aid me. I could wait until he was inside me and kill him when he came. He would certainly be vulnerable at that point. The notion made me feel like vomiting, but if sacrificing my integrity would let me save myself and take my tormentor's life, it would be worth it.

Perhaps I could stall for time. "How are you still alive?" I asked. The question had been burning in me.

He grinned.

"Fore spared me," he said. He had a smug look on his face that made me want to hit him. "He wanted someone to do special projects for him. He needed a person off the books to do his dirty work. I do anything for him that breaks Surtu law."

"You're a dead man walking, Kalij," I said. He was more dangerous than before. This animal had nothing to lose.

"That's one way to think about it. I'm more like a hungry cock walking. I've been taking any woman I can find. There's nobody to stop me down here." he said. "And you're next. But you're not going to be merely a quick fuck, Lucina. I have much better plans for you. We'll be light bonded, and you're going to be mine forever, whenever I want you. I'm going to get everything I wanted."

He sighed, and the knife poked me a little harder. "You will bear my children, and they will become great warriors." He broke out of his reverie.

"Get on there and spread your legs," he said, motioning to the bench. In that split second, I had a chance. While he was momentarily distracted, I was able to disarm him, knocking his knife away and running for the door. I managed to make it outside the restaurant and took off running down the ruined street, scrambling around bits of buildings and piles of rubble.

I heard him cursing and yelling at me, but I had a head start and was full of adrenaline. I was confident I could stay in front of Kalij. I had not counted on the speed and long legs of the Surtu. He tackled me without warning, his entire body weight landing on top of me and knocking away my breath.

He got up quickly, and I gasped for air, trying to get oxygen into my lungs as he lifted me. I bent over trying to get my breath back.

"You little bitch," he said. Kalij slapped me hard across the face. "Don't ever run away from me again."

He said more, but I couldn't hear everything. I was sucking in lungfuls of sweet air. My face hurt.

Kalij gave me a dark look and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder and bouncing me roughly on the way back to the restaurant. When we arrived, he made sure to bind my hands behind me with a rope he found in the kitchen.

"That's better," he said, making me sit down on the bench. "Now we can have some fun."

I glared at him.

"You touch me, and you're dead," I exclaimed, but we both knew I was bluffing.

"I'm already dead, remember?" he said. He took his knife and gently cut the top button off the short sleeved blouse I wore.

I hadn't brought much clothing with me from the refuge and Terra had thrown many pieces away, saying they were ragged. There were few clothing options on Earth.

Terra had searched the outpost looking for clothes I could wear. My blouse was cute, with a floral pattern on it, but it was too small. I regretted wearing it now. I had no bra because we couldn't find anything in my size.

He slit through the thread holding the next button, holding his breath as me blouse began to gape from the pressure of my breasts. I waited patiently, trying to be brave. I would kill him today.

When the knife cut through the third button that was at nipple level, I knew my clothing could no longer fight the battle to protect my modesty. The shirt burst open revealing my breasts, causing him to gasp. I noticed his pants were bulging already.

He moved towards me, never putting down the knife. His eyes were on my breasts. He reached out with his free hand and fondled them, squeezing and massaging roughly.

I seethed inside, remembering how he verbally abused me on the Fortuna. The warrior within me was waiting to emerge. Kalij would soon be dead. I had only to endure his touches a little while longer. He pulled out his cock, and it jumped in his hand. From the way he was looking at me, he'd be coming in about three seconds and then I could destroy him.

It was only a matter of time.

He pressed his knife into my guts until I thought it might pierce my skin. He held it in a precarious position as he took a nipple into his mouth. He knew that I wouldn't dare move with a knife about to cut my intestines. I tried to ignore the feeling of his mouth on me. I would not give him any more power to traumatize me.

I was surprised he was able to put forth the semblance of foreplay. Soon enough, he couldn't wait anymore. Wouldn't he have to put the knife down to fuck me? He placed it far away from me, in a place I would never be able to reach it. I wondered if he thought I could grab it with my hands tied behind my back.

Kalij lifted me onto the table and pulled my pants off, tossing them away. He pushed me roughly back until I hit my head on the wall. I leaned back on my elbows, holding myself up as he pulled my legs to get me into position.

I prepared myself. When he orgasmed, I would take the moment when he was off guard to snap his neck with a kick. After that, I would kill him again with his knife and make sure he stayed dead this time. I wanted to do it now, of course, but I was afraid he would block my kick. He would be defenseless in the haze of orgasm.

As he moved his cock into position, I saw an unexpected sight. It was the flash of a blaster. I watched Kalij collapse, and I wondered if I was safe now, or in more danger. I jumped up into a fighting stance, prepared to face whoever was attacking my enemy. I had no pants on, but I couldn't spare the time to clothe myself.

When I realized my savior was the attractive man from earlier this morning, I relaxed for a moment, then blushed furiously. What had he said his name was?

Kylu.

He turned away at the shock at seeing me half-naked. Perhaps Kylu was not a terrible Surtu after all. I didn't need to worry about him for the moment. He had saved me from a terrible fate. I raced for my pants and pulled them on quickly while he averted his eyes.

I glanced at Kalij. He was still unconscious from his injuries, but I knew he was beginning to heal already. I needed to kill him. I searched for the knife.

"Here," Kylu said, handing me a blaster.

I looked up at him in surprise, then smiled at him. He knew what I needed.

"I gave another woman the chance to kill her worst enemy recently, and she turned it down. I hope you make a better decision," he said. He calmly held the blaster in front of me.

"I wouldn't dream of it," I said, grabbing the blaster.

I walked over to Kalij. He was still lying on the ground. I kicked him hard in the ribs. It was strangely satisfying to hurt this Surtu when he was defenseless. He groaned and opened his eyes, trying to look at me. All he could see was my blaster pointed right at his face. His eyes were dark now and filled with fear.

"Dead man walking," I called out and saw his eyes widen a moment before I pulled the trigger.

I felt nothing inside me. No regret. No remorse. There was only a strong sense of relief that I had destroyed a horrible creature. The Earth and the universe were safer now because of my actions.

"Remind me not to piss you off," came a deep voice from behind me. Kylu was still here. I had forgotten about him while my vengeance consumed me. I whirled around, pointing the blaster at him.

"Help me save my mother," I ordered him.

He smiled and disarmed me in an unexpectedly swift maneuver. I scowled. I was not going to be in a position of powerlessness again.

"I gave you this gun, remember? You don't need to shoot me, Lucina. I'm one of the good guys," he said. His charming smile was as disarming to me emotionally as shooting away Kalij's blaster had been a moment before.

He reached forward and pushed my chin up. "Let's get her."

* * *

T
ERRA

Waking up next to Jidden was a luxury. Even after months of living together at the refuge, I was pleased to open my eyes and see his face or feel my Surtu warrior spooning me. Sometimes I would wake up to him holding me tightly. Other times we slept back to back.