Slavery

Alana woke to confusion. She had been dreaming about Jaron, and what he would do to her when he found out that she was pregnant. In her dream he had been determined to dissect the baby, and nothing she said would stop him. The silhouette in the room scared her, and for moment Alana thought that she was still dreaming. The silhouette stood, and in that moment Alana knew who it was; no one was as tall as Kalen. Before she knew what was happening, Alana burst into tears. Taken aback, Kalen froze. He had been stepping towards her, and was shocked by her outburst. He placed a small package on the end of the bed, then left the room.

Alana was furious with herself. She had been counting the days to Kalen's return with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, and now he thought that she was unhappy to see him. Alana decided that she had to act quickly; she certainly couldn't let her emotions overwhelm her, and ruin the chance to make things right. Rushing into the hallway, Alana shouted after Kalen. She hadn't bothered with clothes, and for a moment he just stared at her, his eyes travelling over her body.

"No." It was a whisper at first. "No, no, no!" Kalen's voice boomed with an anger that Alana didn't understand. He took a step back, head in his hands, before turning and punching the wall. The white paint was smeared with his black blood.

"Kalen." Alana's voice betrayed her fear and uncertainty. He strode towards her, his huge hands encircling the tops of her arms. He shook her roughly.

"How can this be happening? How?" Alana tried to pull away, but had little success. Shutting his eyes, Kalen took a deep breath. He seemed to realise that he was scaring Alana. In a much calmer voice he muttered into her ear, "I will protect you from this. I will not let this happen to you."

"I don't understand."

"Pregnancy." Kalen spat the word out as if it was something distasteful. Alana was shocked. She had expected that Kalen would be surprised, and maybe a little uncertain, but the anger and the disgust was not something that she had anticipated. Alana thought back the Mia's comment about expecting upset, and Jaron's comments about interspecies mating not ending well. Kalen pulled her gently to his chest, brushing strands of hair from her face. Alana's tear streaked cheeks were tenderly kissed as Kalen reassured her. As Kalen led her back to the bedroom, Alana wondered what could be so bad about the pregnancies. She couldn't imagine anything that would make her want to give her child up, and she was sure that, with time, she would be able to convince Kalen to agree with her, after all it was his child, too.

Settling into bed with Alana, Kalen reached for the package. She snuggled against him as he handed it to her.

"I thought you would like this." His tone was unsure. Alana kissed his cheek as she eagerly opened the wrapping. The contents puzzled her for a moment as she examined them. Once Alana realised what Kalen had given her though, she leapt on him, throwing her arms around his neck and covering his face with kisses until she found his lips. There were several books that were obviously meant for children, a pad of paper, several pens, and a handwritten dictionary translating this world's language to English. The rich, deep rumble of Kalen's laughter filled the air, but his joy at Alana's pleasure was only momentary.

Kalen's large, calloused hand rested on Alana's blossoming stomach. "This will kill you. It must be removed." Alana met his eyes and saw that he was completely serious. She shook her head.

"My baby won't kill me, Kalen." Alana put all the feeling that she could into her voice.

"I'm so sorry, Alana. If I had known that I could get you pregnant..." He looked away, not able to maintain eye contact.

"Why did you think that you wouldn't? Jaron told me about your history with his race. If your species could impregnate them, then why not me?" Alana asked her questions gently. Kalen looked lost, and unsteady, not at all like the warrior he was. For the first time, Alana started to wonder if maybe Kalen and Jaron were right. They certainly seemed to think they were.

"Jaron said that we were incompatible. I didn't consider that he might be mistaken."

"Kalen, Jaron knew that you could do this to me. I asked him for contraception, and he said he wouldn't bring it up with you. He told me if you didn't want a child, then you would tell him."

"He said this?" The growl that emanated from Kalen made Alana freeze in his arms. She could feel the rage. Alana nodded slowly.

"He isn't a good person," she whispered, hardly daring to say the words. A nod was all that she received in response, so Alana decided to carry on. "How will the baby kill me? I don't understand."

"Do you want this baby?"

"Yes."

"Me, too. I am more sorry than you could ever know. On our world, the baby would force itself out, here." Alana felt Kalen's fingers brush against the soft, slightly stretched skin underneath her stomach button. "Our women are strong, and heal quickly. Our babies are born fighters. Their teeth are as sharp as mine." He took Alana's finger and pressed it against his teeth, drawing a drop of blood which he lapped up. "Alana, you are not strong enough for that kind of punishment. Neither were the women of this planet, nor the women of several others. Some doctors tried to make the women give birth early, hoping that they would deliver the baby in a way more natural to them. The women were not capable of doing this as the baby was too large. You are far too small."

"What if I wanted to try?" Kalen shook his head. He kissed her lips, then bit her neck, hard enough to break the skin. Alana yelped.

"What are you doing?" She rubbed at the pain and her hand came away bloody. Quickly, she scooted from sitting on him, and sat wearily beside him.

"It is not a comfort to you as it is to me. Forgive me. With you, I seem to get everything wrong." He wanted comfort? Alana didn't know what to offer him. She settled for taking one of his hands between both of hers. "I will kill the doctor," he continued, "but not until he has corrected my mistake." Abortion. Alana felt a sense of dread building within her. She wasn't against the idea of an abortion per se, but pregnant as she was, the idea of killing a part of her seemed abhorrent.

"I won't let you kill my baby."

"I won't let it kill you. I am your master, I own you, and I know that you resent me for that. You are the first women who has willingly shared my bed other than the women of my own race, and I will not give that up."

"Do you think that I will want you near me if you force me into this?" Alana wasn't angry, she had seen the way the women had treated him when he was awarded a slave. She could believe that he was rejected, especially considering the history of his race.

"Alana, since I received you I have been shunned by men who previously accepted me. They expect me to hurt you, as my race hurt women before. When they saw your bruises... you saw that their reaction became physical. If I hadn't such a high position, they would have killed me without punishment. I am risking everything by keeping you, and I will not lose you."

With that, Kalen stood. He held a hand out to Alana who took it. She understood Kalen's point of view, understood that if people found out that she was pregnant that he would probably be killed, but she certainly wasn't going to give in. Alana couldn't help but feel that her unborn child's life was certainly worth her risking hers.

After sharing breakfast, Alana and Kalen decided to bathe together. In truth, Alana was eager to get her hands on her naked warrior. She knew the sex would be almost as painful as the first time, but she didn't care. Kalen looked powerful, exotic and just delicious. She remembered how he had skilfully brought her to orgasm, and how he always held her after their love making. He could be cruel, certainly, but after three months apart Alana had forgotten much of the pain that he had caused her.

Alana placed her hands on Kalen's chest, gazing up into his eyes.

"I've missed you," she murmured, blushing. A part of her felt stupid for missing him, but she silenced it quickly.

"And I you." His reply made Alana quiver inside.

"Show me. Show me how much you have missed me." Kalen shook his head, one hand straying to her stomach and caressing it.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I can't get pregnant twice." A smile slowly spread across Kalen's face, but he shook his head. Kissing her lightly, he swam Alana to the edge, then lifted her to sit on the side. His large hands spread her knees, then slid under her bottom and pulled her towards him. Alana's breath hitched as his long, wide tongue swept its way through the folds of her pussy. Teasing her, he deliberately avoided touching her clit, and instead nibbled gently on her lips and inner thighs. Pushing herself towards him, Alana tried to guide his talented tongue to where she wanted it. He was not to be coerced, though.

Kalen dipped his tongue inside her, making it undulate slowly inside her before making it stiff, and thrusting it in and out of her moist centre. He removed it, and swept it slowly down over her anus, teasing the rim, then sliding it into the tight puckered hole. Alana gasped and moaned, this being something that she had never tried. She groaned in pleasure as Kalen continued. Finally, Kalen took pity on the woman writhing before him. After lapping quickly at Alana's clit, he clamped his mouth around it, sucking fiercely until one of her hands tangled in his hair. As she started to quiver and cry out, Kalen sunk his teeth into her thigh, lapping at the wound as he had her pussy. Her cries of pleasure mingled with her protestations for a moment, before she collapsed onto the floor completely.

Kalen scooped Alana up into his arms and carried her towards the bedroom. Her hand, tiny compared with his, reached up to stroke his face. Her lips, feather light, kissed his neck over and over. Alana wanted to arouse him, but she wasn't sure how. Had the pleasure that he had given her excited him? Alana really hoped so. When they reached the bedroom, Kalen placed Alana on her feet. Immediately she sunk to her knees before him.

"Please, let me taste you. On Earth it is not a degrading act; many women enjoy pleasuring their men this way." Alana watched the effect that her words had on Kalen. He seemed to be warring with morals and desire. She could see his excitement so, hoping to help her case, leant forward and ran her tongue experimentally up his huge, hard shaft. When Kalen didn't pull away, she licked again, this time swirling her tongue around the large, swollen head. Alana savoured the taste of the drop of liquid at the top as it tasted much sweeter than a human male.

Bringing her hands up to help her, Alana started to lick and suck in earnest. The head of Kalen's cock didn't fit in her mouth properly, but she sucked at the little that did. Her hands worked him slowly, but firmly, one straying to cup his heavy balls. His groan rumbled through the bedroom, and Alana couldn't help but chuckle around his member, in turn making him groan more. She knew the vibrations would feel good to him.

It wasn't long before Kalen's hips started thrusting in time with Alana's attempts to pleasure him. He was holding back so as not to hurt her, but it was making him frustrated. He was tense with a need that her mouth could physically not fulfil.

"Alana, I'm sorry," he moaned as he yanked her roughly to her feet by her shoulders. Before Alana could register what was happening, she was being bent over the edge of the bed. Her feet were kicked apart to put her in an acceptable position. She felt a tightening, tingling sensation in her stomach as arousal rose within her. When two of Kalen's fingers thrust inside her, she gasped with delight. He worked them quickly in and out of her, soon adding a third finger. The third made her body ache and stretch in a way that she had not felt in months and, as the swollen head of his stiff cock pushed against her slippery entrance, she felt the burn that she associated with their fucking.

Kalen grabbed a handful of Alana's hair and tugged it as he started to work his way inside her. The pain was almost too much, but Alana gritted her teeth against it. Kalen was obviously trying to be gentle, trying to care for her, but Alana wished he would be a little less considerate; thrusting into her quickly would be more painful, but would make the pain last a shorter time.

Once inside her, Kalen stopped being so gentle. He slammed into Alana with a desperation that had her crying out in both pain and lust. As his rhythm became more punishing, and his body started quivering in anticipation of his release, Alana cried out a word that she had sworn she would never use again.

"Azeric." The man behind her froze, and she realised her mistake. It had been easy to forget that the name she had originally learnt wasn't his. "I'm sorry," she gasped, pushing herself back onto him. He didn't continue, though. Instead he withdrew, leaving Alana feeling empty, unloved. Kalen lifted her and cuddled her to him, sitting on the bed with her and wrapping them both in a blanket.

"I never meant for you to call me that, but here it is custom. I had no words to tell you otherwise." His hand stroked her hair, his lips kissing her face with butterfly softness.

"You didn't have to stop."

"I did, Alana. I shouldn't have touched you." His hand dipped between her thighs and came back smeared with blood. "I am taking you to the doctor. He will make you better, then I will eat his heart." Alana winced at the last statement. She hated Jaron, but did her deserve death? If Kalen was right, the baby would kill her, so yes, she thought, he did.

"Please, don't do anything hasty. On my world many women have to be cut open to deliver. They are then stitched back together. We could speak to him and ask. Please." Kalen nodded, kissing her cheek again. He sighed, then stood.

"Get dressed, we shall call on him, and Alana, don't tell him that I know he knew this could happen. I want him firmly on my side until it is time for him to die."

Looking up at the doctor's house, Alana felt a sense of disquiet. She had momentarily been transported back to England, and couldn't quite shift the feeling that she was dreaming. The two storey red brick farm house looked totally out of place in the midst of warrior's villas.

"What's wrong?" Kalen took Alana's hand in his, concern in his eyes.

"This house looks like home." Alana's voice cracked a little as she spoke. Jaron's house wasn't exactly like hers had been: the bricks were larger, and squarer; the windows looked bare as they didn't have window boxes with flowers; her house had been a little less symmetrical, a little more organic. Still, it was too similar for comfort. Taking a deep breath, without thinking, Alana took a step forward and knocked.

The woman that answered Jaoron's door was stunning. Her skin was the golden of her race, her eyes a piercing green, her lips generous. Thought her features were curved, soft and luscious, she still managed to look cold. For all their beauty, Alana realised that many of the people here looked, and acted, in a cold manner. They were filled with curiosity, but an analytical curiosity that had nothing to do with love, or passion, or pleasure. Alana didn't really understand the rules here, but punishment was swift and deadly, customs deeply ingrained and cruel. Her and Kalen simply did not fit in, and she was beginning to fear that it was only a matter of time before they would pay for their difference.

The woman led them into a living room without a word. The style was quirky; there were a lot of elements that belonged in a British home, but they didn't sit well together. Kalen kissed Alana on the head, then headed off into the house. He had obviously been before. Left to her own devices, Alana decided to investigate the room that she had been left in.

The sofa was cream with pink roses scattered across it. It was chintz, and made of a material that was rough on Alana's bare legs. The art on the wall was too modern for the room, the furniture too dark. The mishmash of styles in materials foreign to Alana made her feel more alien than anything else on the planet had so far. Whether it was this, or her pregnancy, she started to feel faint. Sitting on the rough fabric of the sofa, she curled up against the arm and closed her eyes against the aesthetic assault.

Alana dozed, or at least she guessed she must have. The next thing she knew, a hot, steaming mug of tea was placed rather noisily on the glass table in front of her, its contents slopping messily over the sides. Alana gazed into the frosty eyes of Jaron's woman.

"Drink," she commanded in her native tongue before she sashayed out of the room. Alana had always wished that she could walk with an attitude like that, but she had always imagined that she would just fall over. Alana lifted the tea to her lips and blew gently, not wanting the ripples she made to spill over her. The cup was delicate; the china seemed thin, edged with gold and patterned with more flowers. Her grandmother had a similar set before she died, and Alana wondered where Jaron's inspiration came from. He knew English, and seemed familiar with the culture. Had he been to Earth, to England? Alana thought he must have, and for the first time really considered the possibility of going back there.

As Alana thought, she sipped the bitter tasting tea. It was severely unpleasant, and made her want to spit it out, but Alana decided that she wouldn't give Jaron the satisfaction of not emptying her cup. So much the better if he thought her alien taste buds had enjoyed it. It was ridiculous really, she knew that, but he liked to play games with her. Now Kalen was back, she wanted a little payback.

It wasn't long after her cup was empty that Alana was called into a bedroom. It was void of any furniture except the bed, and was obviously used to examine patients. There was a box on the floor with medical equipment, bottles and tubes in. Kalen offered Alana a hand as she scrambled up onto the bed. As she settled down her stomach cramped a little.

"Are you well?" Kalen asked, obviously having witnessed her wince.

"Fine," she nodded in response, but seconds later was hissing through her teeth as a stronger cramp hit her. Seconds later, a third made her whimper. Accusingly, angrily, she glared at Kalen. "What have you done?" He shook his head, concern on his face that was quickly replaced by realisation.

"You! What have you done to her?" His voice trembled as her rounded on the doctor. Alana watched as Jaron snapped on a pair of surgical gloves, an innocent smile spreading across his face.

"You wished to terminate the pregnancy, did you not?" His voice was thick and slimly, dripping with a false sense of a desire to please.

"Not here, not now. You said you didn't know if it would work on a human!" Kalen, spun on the spot, planting his fist into the wall. He came away swearing in pain. The whole house was made of brick, a more sturdy material than that with which the villas were constructed.

"So much better to get the process started early then, don't you think? Now, Alana, spread those legs for me. This is something I wish to see." The glee in his voice was evident. Clearly, Kalen heard it too. His scrapped knuckles connected with Jaron's face sending him sprawling on the floor. There had been a pleasing crunch sound that Alana hoped was his jaw. Even as the thought left her, another cramp had her doubled over on the bed. Her hands were tangled in the sheets, a sheen of sweat erupting onto her forehead.

"Not here," she begged. "Take me home." Kalen was quick to agree. He scooped her up, almost running in his haste to get her to his home. Alana's fists wrapped themselves in the fabric of the robe he wore. She wished he had dressed the warrior today, then he could have killed the doctor. He probably could have without his sword, but it would have taken longer. All the way back to Kalen's her breath came in gasps, and by the time she was on his bed, she was shivering and sobbing.