ROMANCE: Lion Protector (Paranormal Shifter BBW Military Romance) (Shapeshifter Alpha Male Short Stories Book 2) (53 page)

Chapter 3

              It was now their second day on the trip to Miuvis.  The three of them were tired and fatigued, but they were almost to the capital.  The sun was setting and they would have to set up camp soon.  Varius looked at his wife before saying, “We need to stop for the night.  We will travel the rest of the way tomorrow morning.”  Antica and Emma nodded as they looked for a good place to stop. 

              Soon they found a river that would provide them with fresh water.  “This looks good,” Varius said as he shrugged off the bags he was carrying.   “Emma, can you go and gather some food? I will stay here and set up camp.”  Emma nodded, grabbing her gun and clipping it to her belt.  The Wooded Area was full of wild creatures at night time and she couldn’t run the risk of bumping into one of them without protection.  Kissing her husband and sister-in-law, she left them in search of food. 

              Like the area around their cottage, this region was becoming plagued with death and disease.  Emma looked around for food, but no matter where she looked there was nothing edible to be found.  Instead, all she saw was dried up berries and the decomposed carcasses of wildlife trying to flee the area. 

              Emma looked at the horizon, watching the sun sink further and further.  She knew she didn’t have much time until it was dark.  She had to hurry or she would risk being separated from Varius for the night.  Looking around, she desperately tried to find something that would hold them over until morning.  She didn’t want to think of Antica going to bed hungry again. 

              As she looked around and thought about her family, she heard the sound of a branch breaking nearby.  She pulled out her gun, turning off the safety, as her hands shook with fear.  She had never encountered a wild creature by herself before and the fear of facing one now was making sweat.  She looked around, trying to calm down, but the planet’s sun was quickly disappearing and everything around her was turning an ominous shade of gray. 

              Suddenly, a large lion looking creature with three horns and a green colored mane entered the clearing.  He looked skinny and emaciated as he looked at her with hungry eyes.  His large forked tongue darted out of his mouth as he smelled what he thought would be his dinner.  He slowly stalked his way over to Emma, his eyes locked on her.  She tried to aim her gun at him, but she was shaking too much.  She knew she would miss if she tried to make the shot. 

              The lion creature was about to pounce on Emma.  She closed her eyes and uttered a small prayer under her breath as she feared the end.  However, instead of feeling his sharp fangs sinking into her flesh, she heard a loud whimpering noise.  Opening her eyes, she looked up to see a well-built Strenkon standing in front of her, in a protective stance.  Half of his body seemed to be covered with some sort of metal and his skin had a pale blue color to it.  Emma stared at his back as he walked toward the creature. 

              There was an impressive looking sword in his hand as he approached the creature.  Before Emma could stop him he had plunged his blade into the creature’s chest.  Emma flinched as she heard its dying whimper.  Her eyes were big and worried as she looked at the Strenkon.  What if he meant to hurt her next? 

              He suddenly turned around and looked at her.  His left eye was covered with a metallic looking eyepatch while his right eye was entirely blue with specks of white, like the nighttime sky on Earth.  She stared at it in disbelief.  These aliens had weird eyes, but she had never seen one like this before.  For a moment, Emma felt a pang of nostalgia. 

              “What are you doing here?”  The Strenkon asked gruffly as he looked at the woman.  His eyes looked at her, up and down, taking in her figure.  He had never seen a female like this before and he wondered what planet she was from.  Her form was supple and sensual.  Clenching his fists, he had to fight the urge to want to mate with her immediately.  He ran a hand through his spiky red hair, clearing his head as he stared at her seriously. 

              “I… I was looking for food…”  Emma stammered as she looked at the man.  Her heart was beating fast but for some reason, she didn’t think it was fear causing it.  Instead, it felt almost like she was sexually
attracted
to this alien.  But she was
married
.  Emma felt guilty as she looked at the stranger, but she couldn’t help herself as her eyes ran over his well-toned body.  There was something about him that was incredibly alluring. 

              The air around them became tense with their unspoken thoughts and feelings. They both wanted to reach out and touch the other, but they both restrained themselves, despite the desires raging through their bodies.  Finally, the Strenkon broke the silence. 

              “Well… it’s too dark to find anything now… I suggest you stay with me until the morning.”  His voice was cold, yet she heard a tinge of compassion hiding behind his words.

              “But… I am traveling with two others… and they will be worried about me.” 

              The man shrugged.  “Too bad.  It is too dark to do anything without getting killed.  If you want to die go on and try to find them.”  The Strenkon said as he turned his back and laid down next to a tree. 

              Emma thought about his words, knowing he was right.  She would have to settle with the stranger for the night if she had any hopes of surviving.  Hesitantly she moved over to him and laid down, still leaving a significant gap between them.

              In a few minutes, the cold air got under Emma’s skin making her shiver.  The man looked at her and sighed.  “Cold?” 

              “Maybe… a… l…little…”  Emma said through chattering teeth.  The man suddenly reached out and pulled her close, spooning her against him.  Emma tensed up feeling his body against hers.  She thought she felt something poke against her, but she wasn’t about to bring it up.  The man wrapped his arms around her tightly, making it impossible for her to escape.  Her heart beat even faster as she felt him press her even closer to him. 

              The hormones in Emma’s body went wild.  She tried not to think of the burning need between her legs she as closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep. 

Chapter 4

              In the morning, the bright sun shone on Emma’s sleeping figure.  She scrunched up her face, trying to escape the sun’s rays.  However, soon enough, she learned it was a useless task and groaned, forcing her eyes open.  She looked around, confused.  For a moment, she wondered where she was and why she was all alone. 

              As she got up her face turned bright red as she remembered the previous night.  The alien.  Where was he?  Emma looked all around her, but there was no trace of him anywhere.  Maybe it had all been some sort of dream, but the heat coursing through Emma’s body told her differently.  Her mind wandered to him as she tried to clear her head, but her thoughts kept going back to him.

              Sighing, she composed herself before trying to find her way back to her husband and sister-in-law.  Soon enough she found them sound asleep near a fire.  She walked over to them and slowly shook Varius.  His extraterrestrial hair sparkled in the sunlight as he slowly opened up his eyes and looked at her.  His eyes grew in surprise when he saw her and he suddenly hugged her close to his chest. 

              “Emma!”  He exclaimed holding her tighter still.  “I… I thought I had lost you… are you okay!?”  His voice sounded concerned as he looked her over, checking her for any injuries.  When he was satisfied she was okay he looked at her again, his bright red eyes staring into her own. 

              “It’s okay… humans aren’t that easy to take down!”  His eyes grew even larger, nearly popping out of his head. 

              “Wait… did something attack you?”  Emma looked at him, debating whether she should tell him the truth or not. 

              “Well… almost… and then this guy, well a Strenkon rather…. He saved me.”  Emma explained, looking up at him with her chestnut eyes.  Varius gently ran his fingers through her silky hair, nodding.  At least, she was safe. 

              “Well… I am glad you are okay… we should get going.”  Emma nodded before walking over to Antica and slowly shaking her awake.  She smiled big and hugged Emma when she saw her. 

              “Emma!”  She squealed in delight, clinging to the her neck.  “I missed you!”  Emma smiled down at the sweet Strenkon before kissing the top of her head. 

              “I missed you too… now come on we need to get moving again.”  Antica nodded, getting off Emma.  Together, the three of them packed up their bags and made their way, once more toward the city of Miuvis. 

              By midday, they could see the city gates in view.  Antica smiled big and pointed.  “Look! Look!”  They saw the large looming gates and smiled, thinking that the city would be their salvation. 

              However, as they entered the city, it was not as welcoming as they had hoped it to be. There was chaos all around them.  People were crying and screaming.  Emma frowned as she observed what seemed to be piles of the dead and dying at every street corner.  Varius tried to cover his sister’s eyes, to keep her from looking at all the dead around them, but the smell was enough to give it all away. 

              Emma looked around the town, thunderstruck.  What had happened to this city?  From what Varius had told her of Miuvis, it was the capital of the planet, a prospering place where most of the planet’s population resided.  Why, then, was it plagued with all this misery? 

              As they continued to walk through the streets, passing the miserable aliens mourning their loved ones, Emma noticed multiple eyes staring at her.  There was a harsh, accusatory sentiment in their gazes.  She became self-conscious as she detected this.  She tried to move closer to her husband, to escape their critical glares.  What had she done to them to afford this cruel treatment?

              As Emma thought about this, they entered the town square.  Varius looked around at the numerous buildings, trying to find an inn or someplace where they could rest for the day.  As he did so, a group of Strenkons surrounded them, forming a tight circle around them, trapping them within it. 

              “Um… Varius…”  Emma whispered, trying to get her husband’s attention.  Before he could say anything, a large looking Strenkon stepped forward. 

              “You… you are not from this planet.”  He pointed a spear looking weapon in Emma’s direction.  Varius growled, getting in her way. 

              “You brought this plague to us didn’t you!?”  Another angry alien called out.  Emma shook her head as she frowned.  Varius was about to defend his wife when suddenly the large alien was yanked out of the circle. 

              Emma’s eyes grew in surprise as she looked at the red-headed, metallic eye patch wearing Strenkon looking at her.  “No one here is going to lay a finger on her.  She did not bring the plague.  Now get out of my sight before I tear you all limb from limb.”  Emma flinched hearing his cruel words.

              The group of Strenkons grumbled before walking away, looking disappointed.  The red-headed Strenkon walked toward her now.  “Are you alright?”  He asked, emotionless.  Emma nodded, numbly.  “That’s the second time I have saved you.  I’m going to have to start charging soon.”  There was a sly smile on his face as he looked down at her.  The look sent a shiver through her spine as she tried to look away, but she was caught in his captivating gaze.  She bit her lip to stop her thoughts from floating to forbidden territory.  She had to remember that she was
married
. 

              “You know this guy?”  Varius asked, giving his wife a quizzical look.  He didn’t notice the subconsciously lustful look she had in her eyes.

Chapter 5

              “Follow me.”  The Strenkon said before walking away.  Emma and Varius looked at each other for a moment, before Emma nodded, indicating that she wanted to follow him.  The alien had saved her twice now and she felt the need to thank him. 

              He walked with a powerful step as he made his way through the deserted streets of the North End of the city.  It had been decimated by the plague and now there was nothing more than decaying carcasses and rotting houses littering the landscape.  The alien paid no mind to the desolation around him but continued to walk toward the only building still fully intact.  He opened the door and walked inside. 

              “Are you sure you want to do this Emma?”  Varius whispered as he held his sister close to his side.  He had a bad feeling about this and felt apprehensive about entering the home.  Once again, Emma nodded.

              “He saved me twice now… I think I need to thank him.”  Emma looked serious and Varius sighed.  He knew he wouldn’t be able to convince her otherwise and so they entered the building. 

              As they did, their footsteps echoed throughout the entranceway.  Things were broken and destroyed all over the house as if someone had broken in and stolen everything of value.  Emma looked around before spotting the Strenkon sitting down at a table. 

              She walked toward him.  “I… I just wanted –”

              The alien suddenly cut her off, his eye drifting to the chair next to him.  “Sit.”  The three of them looked at each other for a moment before hesitantly sitting down.  There was an intense air rolling off this Strenkon as he stared at them with his one nighttime colored eye. 

              “My name is Aurelianus.  I am a born native of this city, but unfortunately, there is no denying that this city is dying.  Its life is being squeezed out of it by some unknown force.”  He got up now, and paced across the room, making the three of them feel uncomfortable with his tense demeanor.  “The plague rolled in three weeks ago and has claimed multiple lives throughout the city… but its first victims were my partners.”  Emma’s head tilted in confusion. 
Partners?

              Aurelianus looked at Emma.  “What is it?”  He asked, sounding annoyed.  Emma’s cheeks colored as she realized that Aurelianus was staring at her.  She bit her lip before finding the courage needed to ask the question that was buzzing around in her mind. 

              “Well… you just said partners….”  Aurelianus cast a glance at Varius before sighing even louder.  “In this planet, if you want to reproduce you need two partners.  There has to be one female and two male.  Got it?”  He asked harshly.  Emma nodded meekly. 

              As Aurelianus continued to share his story Emma’s mind thought about what he said.  This reproductive system was dependent on
threesomes
?  Emma’s cheeks burned at the word.  Back home, on Earth, threesomes were frowned upon and now here, in this new planet, it was necessary for the survival of an entire race.

              She looked over at Varius for a moment.  This explained why he never feared her getting pregnant.  Emma continued to think about this possibility.  She wanted to stay true to her Earthly morals of commitment and a single romantic partner, but as she looked up at Aurelianus something bloomed in her chest.  She didn’t want to admit it, but she was slowly finding herself more and more attracted him

              A part of her was desperate to have him, to be with him, but another part of her wanted to stay faithful to her husband, the Strenkon who had saved her life when she had first crash landed on Strernon.  Emma bit her lip as she stewed in the turmoil of her own emotions.  She didn’t know what to do as she sat there and tuned out Aurelianus explaining the current situation they were in. 

              Finally, Emma managed to break away from her thoughts and she refocused her attention on the red-headed alien. 

              “We have been trying to solve this plague for three weeks now.  Some of the elders are suggesting the need to reproduce in order to repopulate our depleting numbers.  There is also a rumor going around that someone will have a set of twins capable of saving our race.  A lot of people are convinced that this myth is true.  Many people are conceiving in hopes of bearing these twins, but many people are dying before they even have the chance to see their child.”  Emma’s eyes went big as she heard the alien’s words. 

              Her eyes locked with Varius as they looked at each other.  It seemed like they both had the same thought running through their minds as they looked at Aurelianus.  If they needed a threesome to make a baby, then Aurelianus would be their best bet since they knew no one else. 

              But, suddenly Emma shook her head.  No, she couldn’t have a threesome.  It went against all of her convictions and morals.  She wouldn’t do it.  Maybe they would find a cure for this plague without the need of these mythical twins.  As far as she was concerned the plague was some foreign threat that couldn’t hurt her or her family. 

              Emma excused herself from the room as she felt Aurelianus’s eye looking down at her, once again taking in her figure.  He enjoyed the sight of her and the more he looked at her the more he knew he had to have her.