Nieve & Thar'n

Nieve

A shriek of terror escaped Nieve at the sight of the tall Ky’Tain who had just appeared in front of her. She stared up at him with wide, terrified eyes. She had never seen a Ky’Tain warrior like him. It wasn’t just that he was seven and a half feet tall, well above the average Ky’Tain man.

He was beautiful. While all Ky’Tain had leathery skin of multiple, subdued shades, this man’s body was made up of shades Nieve had never seen before. She let her eyes wander over his body.

Most of his body and head were a dark, cool brown, while the stripes and spots that crisscrossed his body and face went from a dark orange to an almost luminescent yellow, and everything in between. His body, his neck, and the back of his head were dark, and his face and the front of his neck were light.

The ridge along his ascending skull, which all male Ky’Tain had, was much thicker and more pointed than she had ever seen. Like his peers, he had the same thick, leathery hair, but with much thinner strands in between. His hair looked many times thicker than that of the men she knew.

Her breath caught at the sight of the large sharp tusks protruding from his upper jaw. What shocked her most was the double row of teeth in his lower jaw.

When the giant tilted his head, Nieve realized she had been brazenly staring. She lowered her eyes.

Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment and she felt her hands begin to shake in fear. How stupid could she have been to look at a warrior this openly? It was considered a great insult for a slave to look at a Ky’Tain.

Dead still, Nieve waited for what was to come. She wouldn’t be surprised if he beat the crap out of her. The fact that Akila was quite a kind master to her did not mean that the rest of the Ky’Tain people would treat slaves the same way. To most of the clans, she was little more than a piece of meat.

The man sniffed.

She flinched. “I’m sorry. I know I stink. I was just on my way to freshen up.” Speaking to him was guaranteed to get her a beating, so she stopped. Her legs started to shake.

“Stink? Your smell is strong, little human…but to say you stink…”

Her heart skipped as she heard the man’s deep baritone voice close to her ear. A wave of goosebumps ran down her body. She glanced sideways to see the giant’s face next to hers. Her stomach clenched at the sight of his huge head and the predatory look in his eye.

He surprised her by pushing his head into her neck. She felt his tongue caressing her skin. “What are you doing?”

Nieve’s voice was nothing more than a trembling whisper. Her heart raced.

She backed away and looked up at him, feeling confused. His razor-sharp teeth and those two gigantic tusks made her think of the rumors that these clans ate humans.

“I wanted to know how you would taste…”

His matter-of-fact comment made every hair stand on end.

“Your skin tastes salty from sweat, but underneath…you taste…warm. Nutty, spicy, yet sweet. I’d like to taste more.” A grin formed on his snout, and his gaze drilled into hers.

“Master Akila will certainly not appreciate it when you take a bite out of me.” She was too scared to hold her tongue now.

His eyes widened, then narrowed into slits, and his grin turned into a smirk. “Take a bite out of you, huh… Woman, I’d love to taste you, but in a slightly different way than what you probably assume…”

It took a few seconds for his words to sink in.

“What? You can’t be serious?” She darted past him and ran back to her room. Behind her, she heard him snickering.

Goosebumps ran all over her skin as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. The feel of his mouth on her skin lingered.

Thar’n

Grinning, Thar’n took another look at the little woman running away from him like a devil’s cat was right up her tail. She was clearly not used to male attention, at least not to male attention of his kind. A wave of satisfaction washed over him. This meant she’d never slept with a Ky’Tain man.

The first thing he would do tomorrow morning was to ask Akila if he could buy her from him. He was ready for someone to warm his bed every night.

Nieve

With a pounding heart, Nieve ran through the halls of the complex. What had she gotten herself into? Hadn’t her kidnapping six years ago and subsequent sale taught her anything?

When she reached her bedroom, she almost jumped inside. Panting heavily, she leaned her back against the closed door.

Why had his attention fallen on her? She was not one of those gorgeous, brave, muscular Ky’Tain woman. Her hair was short. And she smelled like a boys’ locker room. Simply rancid, not delicious as he made it sound.

Her eye fell on the wall projection that indicated the time. She closed her eyes for a few seconds. She still had half an hour to make herself presentable to prepare and serve dinner.

Nieve took off her clothes and threw them into the basket standing in the corner of her room. She walked over to the shower cubicle, feeling calmer now.

As she let the cool jets of the water stream over her heated, sweaty body, her mind drifted back to the tall Ky’Tain man. His looks were absolutely remarkable, and she could well imagine the women dying to be impregnated by him. She had never before found a Ky’Tain man attractive, but this man had her lower body tingling.

It wasn’t just his well-built body that attracted her. His body was drooling, that was obvious, but his unique appearance and color pattern made him beautiful. Despite his small eyes and gigantic teeth, he was, at least for an alien, really cute.

His eyes had twinkled with pleasure at her confusion. It seemed to her that he had a sense of humor. That was rare among the Ky’Tain people. Nieve wondered if the rest of his clan were like him. Maybe he was unique.

After the invigorating shower, she put on a new anthracite-colored hip wrap and wrapped her breasts in a sea green bandeau, just like her hair. Akila wanted everyone to wear a hair bandeau while preparing food.

Now, after all the years he had been her master, she was used to these clothes and found them comfortable to sit in. After all, the hair wrap kept her forehead from sweating while cooking.

Nieve looked at herself in the mirror. She still looked pretty nice at forty-two.

She had built up a tan from the hot searing climate that prevailed on that part of the planet, even though she stayed out of the garden, as she had no talent for planets and had once accidentally killed a cactus. She had a decent face, and a firm but well-proportioned figure, and her good genes meant that her facial wrinkles were almost unnoticeable.

She shook her head at her own thoughts and called herself to order. Who was she kidding? No one, especially no Ky’Tain man, was interested in her. The stranger was just playing games with her.

Nieve hurried downstairs and joined Rose to prepare a simple meal. There wasn’t time for the fancy dinner Akila had had in mind. To her surprise, Nieve was told that Ayli would join the meal, something she rarely did these days.

She was relieved to hear that her master was entertaining the guests in the living rooms, on the other side of the building. She ran to set the large oval table for their dinner.

Dinner was almost ready and Rose was putting the finishing touches on dessert. Nieve was trying to work fast, but she couldn’t help thinking about her encounter with the visiting warrior.

“That looks great, Nieve!”

With a shriek of surprise, Nieve accidentally dropped the glass in her hand. She watched, as if in slow motion, as it fell and shattered.

She turned to the smiling warrior woman with a furious look. “Damn it, Ayli! Sneaking up on me like that? Think you’re funny?”

Without an ounce of regret, the female looked at her with a wide grin.

“Come on, it’s just a glass. I’m just happy, because for the first time in my life, I found a suitable candidate with whom I think I want to raise offspring with. I might even be getting mated! How about that?”

Nieve rolled her eyes. Ayli found someone suitable? That would be the day!

Pushing the giant female aside, she went over to the cupboard that held the glassware and took out a new one. “If you have nothing to do, call your father and his guests. Dinner is ready.”

Snickering, Ayli did as the little human had asked her. As Nieve was finishing off the dinner plates, the males and female sat down at the table.

A wave of relief swept through her as she entered to see the stranger with his beautiful-patterned skin sitting with his back to her.

Good. He won’t see me.

She hustled to the table with three of the five plates in her hands and placed them in front of her master and two of the guests.

“Ahh, Nieve, this smells great. You’ve outdone yourself once again.” Akila gave her a nod.

The leader of the visiting clan gave Nieve a warm smile. “You’re right, the food smells and looks good indeed.”

Like the stranger, this man also looked different from the Ky’Tain she knew. This man had the same mixed complexion as the stranger she’d spoken with. The leader’s pattern was mainly mottled and not striped, but his head was shaped more like those of the Ky’Tain she knew. The same applied to the man who sat to the other side of her master.

As she turned to collect the two remaining plates from the kitchen, her eyes fell on one of the newcomers. Only then did she realize that he was examining her extensively.

She felt her hands become clammy with sweat underneath his penetrating gaze. A deep blush rose from her neck. Nieve lowered her eyes and took off in a hurry.

Fortunately, she only had to bring in two more plates. With trembling hands, she picked up both plates and carried them to the table.

The last plate was for the stranger she’d met. He gave her a devilish smirk as she placed the plate in front of him. “This smells really nice, indeed…”

The double meaning wasn’t lost on her. Her breath caught in her throat.

With her cheeks burning, she gave him a quick nod and took off in a hurry.

***

The dinner lasted several hours. Each time she entered the room, the tall visitor made a few more ambiguous remarks that seemed directed at her.

She blushed, feeling uncomfortable. But his ambiguous remarks also gave Nieve a boost of confidence. No one had looked at her like that in years, and it was not lost on her that he was flirting. Better yet, he made her feel attractive.

Nieve knew very well that some men were interested because she was an alien, and that sort of curiosity had always been obvious. But that was not the case with this strange warrior.

Nieve rolled her stiff shoulders after putting the last plate in the cupboard. In the dining room everything had already been cleared up. Rose had already disappeared to her quarters an hour earlier. She would prepare the breakfast table tomorrow, so Nieve could stay in bed for an extra hour.

She turned off the lights, checked that all the alarms were on, and trudged through the dim hallways to her little bedroom.

An unfamiliar noise stopped her. With a fast-beating heart, Nieve looked around, but saw nothing. She trotted to her room.

Once inside, she snapped the door shut, locked it, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Without turning on the lamps, she first went to the door that led to the courtyard to open it. The night was warm and inside it was stuffy, but outside there was a fresh wind.

She went to the bathroom to change. Dressed in only underpants and a loose, soft orange-colored blouse that hung just to her thighs, she went to the cupboard. She pulled out a bottle of Impa, a local red wine, and poured herself a large glass. She deserved this after everything that had happened today.

Nieve took a sip and set the glass down, then opened the cabinet to put the bottle back.

“Don’t you offer your guests a drink?”

Nieve’s heart skipped three beats and she let out a yelp of terror at the deep, raw baritone voice of the tall visitor. As if stung by a wasp, she jerked to where the voice was coming from. She felt a heat rise to her cheeks as she saw the tall warrior sitting on her bed, his forearms resting on his thighs.

“I must confess that at one point I thought that you wouldn’t come back again. But I have to say that, now that you are standing in front of me, you were worth waiting for.”

She saw his eyes slid admiringly over her body and she felt completely naked under his approving gaze.

“What are you doing here? How the hell did you get in here?” She tried to take a step back, and she ran straight into the front of the cupboard right behind her. She was trapped.

The tall visitor walked over to the garden door. With his back toward her, he looked out at the garden. “Coming in wasn’t that hard, beauty, you hadn’t locked your door… Not a smart thing to do, if you ask me.” He twisted his head slightly and looked at her from the corner of his eye with a teasing look.

Nieve looked at him. Her rapidly beating heart had already calmed down a bit. The sweet night air drifted in from the open garden door. Yes, what he said was correct, she had indeed forgotten to lock her door. Usually, it wasn’t necessary.

But why was he here, in her room? What did he want from her? She didn’t feel like he intended to harm her.

“That may be so, but you still haven’t told me why you’re here?” She knew she was being bold in talking to him this way. It wouldn’t occur to her to strike that tone with one of her clan mates. Somehow, with this stranger she felt safe enough to do so.

He turned back from the door and grinned. “Isn’t that obvious, gorgeous?”

Nieve felt the blood rise to her cheeks. “I’m not a cheap whore, if that’s what you thought!”

The beautiful stranger’s grin fell and his eyes widened.

Seeing his reaction, she slapped her hands over her mouth in fright. Had she misjudged him? Was he now going to punish her for her boldness?

“Why should I think you’re a whore, little female? If I gave you the wrong idea, I’m really sorry. I admit I’m interested in you. That’s why I’m here.”

Nieve could feel he was sincere.

“Since you're Akila’s slave, I can’t approach you outside the house, and I don’t think he would appreciate it if I showed my interest in you in front of him… I hoped you were listening to our conversation at dinner. By the blush that kept appearing on your cheeks, I thought I had judged your signals correctly. I thought that you were also interested in me. Did I judge this wrong?”

He was interested in…her?

“I…I…” She had been tongue-tied before, but never for this reason.

“Uhh… I… Why the hell would you be interested in me? I mean, I’m a human female, for god’s sake. I can’t even carry your kids!”

He started to grin. “So, if I understand correctly, I was right? You are interested in me as well!”

Nieve thought that she’d been blushing all night, the way he was talking. Now she felt the heat spread from her cheeks to her ears and neck.

She dropped her gaze to the ground. Her heart beat twice as fast as normal, and her hands began to shake. Her guts twisted and fluttered as if she was on a roller coaster.

He stepped up to the short-haired woman and lowered his head until his face was next to hers, almost touching her neck. “What are you afraid of, love? I’m not going to hurt you…but you act like you’ve never seen a man take an interest in you or try to court you…”

She stiffened.

The tall visitor lifted himself up and gently cupped her face in one hand. “Were you harassed, little one?”

Wide-eyed, Nieve looked up at him. She gave him an uncertain smile. “No, but it’s been over six years since I was kidnapped and bought by Akila, and well, since Ky’Tain men don’t find human women attractive…” She rolled her eyes. “Well, to be honest, they think we’re downright ugly…

“Even though I had a husband, back on earth, I wasn’t considered a beauty. So, no, I wasn’t harassed, but I don’t have a lot of experience with the whole courting thing, either…”

“Married?” The visitor gave her a puzzled look. “As in mates?”

Nieve sighed. “Yeah, as in mates. But it wouldn’t have been for long though. We were working on a divorce… I guess he was lucky, no wife, no divorce, no problems…” She gave him a crooked smile.

“You didn’t love him?” Confusion rippled across his face.

She shrugged. “Yep. I was done with all of his lies. He was a narcissistic bastard. When we got together, I was pretty young and naive, and looked up to him. But after years of mental abuse, I finally had the courage to leave him and file for divorce, just a couple of weeks before my abduction…”

Nieve put her hand over her mouth, instantly regretting everything she’d said.

What was he going to think of her sharing her whole life story with him? He didn’t know her. In fact, she didn’t even know his name!

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you with this. I mean, we don’t even know each other…”

The tall man in front of her started to laugh and Nieve felt her heart beat faster. His smile made him more terrifying, but also more attractive. “You don’t have to apologize for anything. It’s nice to know you open up to me so easily, but you’re right, you don't know me… So just ask!”

Nieve started laughing at his relaxed demeanor. This man was so different from the Ky’Tain men she knew, except for Master Akila who really was gentle. Most of the time.

“Okay… Let’s start with your name. I’m curious about your name.”

“Nieve. Nieve! Are you still awake? Is someone with you?”

Both Nieve and the visitor froze when they heard Akila’s voice at her door. She looked at him with wide eyes. To her dismay, she saw his grin widen.

“Go! Quick! Pssst! If he finds you here, I’m screwed.” she whispered hurriedly, eyeing the door. Her master might barge through the door any moment now.

But before she was able to push him out through the door that led to the garden, he turned his head and bent, bringing his face closer to hers. “Thar’n, the name is Thar’n, pretty Nieve.”

With that, he sprinted through her garden door and disappeared into the night, leaving Nieve with a heart beating way too fast.

“Nieve!”

She rushed to the door and opened it a crack.

Akila was frowning. “Who was with you? I heard voices coming from your room…”

Nieve’s brain was working overtime. How was she going to talk her way out of this?

“I had my music on and was jokingly translating the words into my own language…” Although it sounded incredibly stupid, this was the first thing that came to mind.

His eyebrows furrowed. “Open the door.”

Being only a slave, she had no choice but to do as he asked. With a frightened, pounding heart she stepped aside, hoping only that he would not smell the pleasant scent of Thar’n.

His eyes searched her room, but to her relief he couldn’t find anything. Akila turned and walked out of her room without a word.

She gently closed the door behind him and stood with her back against it.

Slowly her fast-beating heart sank back to its normal rhythm. She began to giggle softly. She felt elated from the unexpected visit, and from getting away with it.

She had never experienced anything quite like this, not even when she was a teenager!

Even though she hadn’t expected to sleep, the moment her head hit the pillow, sleep overtook her.