Page 15 of Captured By The Alien Barbarian
A sudden hush sweeps over the group, so quiet that I can hear every breath I take. Taccit’s steady inhales and exhales whisper past my ear, and warmth from his body seeps into me. I press closer to him, though I try convincing myself that I’m only after some extra warmth. It isn’t because I’m confused and need comfort.
Walter stews. “Let’s just focus on finding her. After I get what I need, she can be thrown back to the beasts for all I care. It’s not like someone from a lower tier would make a good wife.”
I try to hold back my tears, but the injustice overcomes me, and they spill down my cheeks. Does nobody care about me at all? Taccit lets out a barely audible growl. The sensation dances around my core, momentarily distracting me.
“I want to know where the beast is living. Hunt him down. Make sure to find any of his family too. I don’t want any of them around.”
I shudder. How could my people be so cruel? Taccit is more than some animal; he is a sentient being. The thought of them murdering him and his family is absolutely horrifying.”And for heaven’s sake, watch what you say at the colony. We can’t let it get out that there are sentient aliens living here. I don’t want another Eve incident,” he says.
The mere mention of Eve sends a chill seeping deeper into my soul. She disappeared into thin air. James—Maya’s husband—discovered her destroyed campsite, with wild beasts presumably to blame. That’s why the colony council decided to build walls around our new home and keep the people inside them for protection.
Only, I discover that everything I have been led to believe isn’t true. My surroundings fade away as a realization settles over me: someone—possibly human, perhaps alien—has killed my friend Eve.
My life might very well be next.
ChapterSix
ARIANA
Warmth. Blessed warmth. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, I am no longer cold.
For months, I have been fighting the chill, constantly moving or huddling under blankets, trying to find even a shred of warmth to cling to.
But now, I am almost too warm—not that you will find me complaining. A heavy, cozy blanket envelops me, and the warmth of a fire heats my side.
Being half-asleep, my thoughts wander, reminding me of the harsh reality I face. Apparently, everything in life is out to get me.
Will I return to a life of captivity, forever a prisoner to an alien?
I dig in my heels. Enough is enough. Life has dealt me a bad hand, treated me poorly for years. If I am going to rough it out here in the wild, away from the colony, it will be on my terms. Easier said than done, though, with a hulking alien breathing down my neck. Ironic, when just the other day, I feared Walter doing just that.
I squirm and discover, to my relief, that I am not tied up. Excellent. I do a quick inventory check of my limbs, giving myself a reassuring pat-down. There is an ominous grumbling inches away from me, and I freeze. That is not just heat—that is something alive.
My eyes zero in on the furry lump beside me. Green-tinted skin, a mop of dark hair—that is not just any lump, that is Taccit.
I bolt up, scooting as far away from him as humanly possible. Clawing my way out of the pile of furs, I scramble across the room, pressing my back against the cave’s cool, rocky walls. I cannot tell if I am panting because I am terrified or just really out of shape.
Taccit grunts, eyes snapping open, but does not move to catch me.
My gaze drifts toward the door. Outside, the world is bathed in a hopeful, irresistible light. It shines like a beacon of hope. It beckons me. I could run, but with my track record? Not a chance. Sure, I can farm, but a wilderness survival expert? No way.
I cannot do this alone. I need Taccit, whether I like it or not. Because one thing is for sure, I am not returning to the colony. Not anymore.
If I cannot run, then I will have to put up a fight. Assert myself. Stand my ground. I will stand up for myself, and for once, I will get what I want.
Suddenly, I spot salvation—my bow and arrows, neatly arranged on a nearby table. I do not stop to ponder their miraculous arrival; I just lunge for them. As I grab them, the sound of movement behind me makes my heart race. I turn to find Taccit propped up against the rocky wall.
I raise my bow, nocking an arrow and pull the string taut. I am so scared that I am honestly surprised that my hands are not shaking more. He is as naked as I am. Unlike how I stand in front of him in my birthday suit, he has a small fur draped strategically across his muscular thighs, hiding his manhood. I can’t tear my eyes away from his chiseled chest and washboard abs, which form a tantalizing pathway down to... uh, his fur. He’s like a living, breathing, muscle-infused sculpture. Captivating? Definitely. Absolutely terrifying? You bet. The amount of strength this alien must possess!
A bizarre tingle forms in the pit of my stomach. Is my sudden interest in alien anatomy a side-effect of my abject fear, or is he really that sexy? Chills—definitely not him—make my nipples stand at attention. As his gaze sweeps across my body like a warm, possessive touch, my innards do a little dance.
Damn him.
“Don’t move!” I yell at him. My voice bounces back at me in the deathly quiet room.
The big green brute obeys, keeping his distance while studying me with an intensity that’s almost unnerving. It doesn’t look like he’s going to try rushing me. Taking a wary step closer, I notice there’s no trace of malice or fury on his face—dare I say, is that... resignation?
Bow quivering between us, I make eye contact. His gaze flicks from the weapon back to my face. And there we remain, sizing each other up like a couple of alley cats.
