Page 14 of Captured By The Alien Barbarian
His claws are like tiny scythes, and their gentle grazes along my ankle send shivers crawling up my legs. This is an utterly unexpected reaction, one I ought not to have. Yet, a caress is still a caress, no matter who provides it. Despite their menacing nature, he has never used them to hurt or maim me. In fact, he has done quite the opposite: healing me, shielding me when I was sick, and even attempting to provide for me.
He is so different from me, and yet... we have far more in common than I’d ever thought.
His eyes are lined with little creases, revealing the weight of many thoughts, concerns, and emotions. A prominent wrinkle rests between his brows, begging to be smoothed away. He frowns—a lot. Those all-too-human eyes gaze at me, tinged with hints of desperation, fear, and uncertainty.
It’s a look I know all too well. I’ve seen it on my own face plenty of times when I catch my reflection in the mornings.
His green hide, while thicker than that of any human, is pliable, rolling with the punches—his smiles and movements. And oh, his smile is a sight to see! Sure, it’s borderline terrifying with those razor-sharp dentures of his, and it does appear a tad mechanical, as if he isn’t quite used to employing his facial muscles that way. Yet, there’s a certain handsomeness to his features when they lighten with pleasure. A rakish man up to mischief—in all the good ways. It certainly seems like he has only taken up this mysterious art of smiling in an attempt to set me at ease—or at least give it a go.
An inexplicable tug in my chest, a magnetic force, pulls me toward this strange creature. I keep wondering if he isn’t the monster I’d pegged him to be. Time and time again, I have disregarded that idea. Perhaps there is a spark of goodness within him. Perhaps it’s my fault, not his, in this miscommunicated situation. After all, his only crime has been to tie me up. Wouldn’t I have done the same in his shoes? Suddenly, Taccit lunges towards me, his large hand clamping over my mouth. Before I know it, he’s hoisting me up into his arms and dragging me into the surrounding tree line. My back finds itself intimately acquainted with a silvery tree trunk, and I feel the rough bark dig into my skin with cold fingers. Instinctively, I try to distance myself from the unwanted chill, only to snuggle up even closer to Taccit. In a peculiar turn of events, Taccit’s warmth and sturdiness provide a strange comfort, enveloping me like a cocoon. He traps me between his arms, enveloping me in his warmth like a comforting blanket.
As his body presses heavily against mine, a sudden “ahoy there!” from an eager part of his anatomy greets me. The thick bar of his cock pressing against my sensitive flesh should not feel this good.
This is wrong. Very, very wrong. Isn’t it?
In a desperate attempt to free myself, I squirm against him.
Meanwhile, Taccit’s hand muffles my yelps. I can’t pry it away, and my fingers hopelessly wrap around his much larger wrists.
Taccit edges nearer, his warm breath fluttering against my ear and neck. “Don’t worry, my Nika. I will kill to protect you,” he says.
Uh, what is he even talking about? If anything, I need protection from him!
His body inches even closer to mine, making me groan. The material of his pants rubs against my clit and sensitive skin.
I bite down on my lip as his shirt grazes my pert nipples, sending what feels like tiny lightning bolts zapping through my body in the most confusingly delightful way.
This is all kinds of messed up! There is no way I can be attracted to him. I am not attracted to my captor like some Stockholm victim.
I want to push him aside, but the chilly air is creeping in and his body is so delightfully warm.
Determined, I wiggle until I free my mouth from his grasp.
I draw in deep, much-needed breaths, and am greeted by a rich, intoxicating scent—a mix of pine needles and freshly turned soil. It is a smell I know well, having spent my life working on farms; curiously, it has a comforting effect. In this bizarro world moment, I feel safe, even while being held against this tree against my oh-so-feeble will.
Then, I hear them—the voices. Everything comes rushing back to me. Taccit’s grand entrance had completely overshadowed the humans, rendering them totally irrelevant in my mind.
“I don’t see anything here. There’s no sign of her,” I immediately know that voice belongs to Maya’s husband, James Lewis. It sounds slightly distant, as if he’s standing atop the small rise I’d tried (and failed) to climb just moments before. Only hunters venture beyond the safety of the town, and this man would be armed to the teeth and more than capable of rescuing me.
All I need to do is catch his attention and my emancipation from this extraterrestrial barbarian will be a done deal.”Ariana must be out here somewhere.” I freeze. Now that’s Walter’s voice. What on earth could he possibly be doing out in the wild? Walter is the epitome of a clean freak, terrified of getting even a single spot of dirt on his fancy clothes. So what brings him into the great outdoors? Has he come looking for me? Perhaps I’ve been wrong about him all this time?
Taccit looks down at me, his eyes locking onto mine. He tilts his head back, and I can’t help but notice his nostrils flaring like some kind of alien bloodhound. “I just hope the beast hasn’t got her,” Walter calls out to the others.
My eyes nearly pop out of my head. Walter knows about Taccit? He must have come armed for a showdown. I quickly glance up at Taccit’s face. As much as I don’t want to be in this situation, I also can’t bear the thought of him being harmed.
Taccit shoots a glare in the direction of the humans like a bull eyeing a matador. I don’t know if I need to be more worried about him or the humans.
“Well, if the beast’s already got her, I say cut our losses. She’s as good as dead,” James says, his casual dismissal sending an icy shiver down my spine. They’re just going to abandon me? Not even bothering to find out if I’m alive or dead?
Walter curses under his breath, his voice sounding dangerously close. “Just find her, James. I need her alive. At least until the marriage is certified.”
My scowl rivals Taccit’s. Needing me only for marriage? That’s not what someone says when they genuinely care about another person.
James mutters something under his breath, which is barely audible. Nonetheless, it seems to tickle the funny bones of some of the other men, who burst out laughing.
“What was that?” I can practically see Walter’s growing rage, his face twisting into various shades of red.
“I said you might need pointers on how to seduce a woman!” James finally blurts out.
