Slavery Ch 09

The next morning, Alana was shaken awake early. The sun had barely passed the horizon, and already she was pulling on clothes. T'arik had told her that he would teach her how to cook. What he had failed to mention was that he was also going to teach her how to find ingredients. Alana's leg had almost returned to normal; the swelling had subsided leaving her with several bumps where the suckers had been, and a patch of skin that looked like it had air bubbles under it. It was tender to touch, but Alana found that it would support her easily. The rest of her was scabs and bruises still.

"T'arik? Kalen used to have pink cream. Do you have any? It made me heal really fast," Alana enquired as she tugged on the grey leggings, wincing as the material rubbed her wounds. T'arik spluttered into his drink.

"He bought that for you? It's really expensive. We don't have it here." Alana said no more on the subject, but it seemed to her that the best place for magic healing cream was on a battlefield.

The morning proved very tiring for Alana, but by the end of it she didn't care. There was a forest around thirty minutes from the campsite, and it was full of a variety of edible flora and fauna. The adventure that T'arik had taken her on was amazing, and so much more fun than she had experienced since arriving. T'arik had first shown her several plants and berries that were edible, then he had sent her to pick some. He had watched from a distance, allowing Alana a little freedom.

It was the hunting that Alana enjoyed the most, though. With bow and arrow in hand, Alana managed to shoot a huge number of trees. T'arik, on the other hand, was fantastic to watch. He was fluid and graceful, never missing a target. He helped Alana to skin what they had caught. She had been disgusted at first, though that feeling soon turned to enjoyment. Doing something active and useful, Alana felt as if she had a certain value again. This was something that she could do.

The afternoon flew by also. After storing their food in a cooling chamber that Alana hadn't realised existed, they bathed in the river. Funny and gentlemanly, T'arik made sure that Alana was confident before he helped her in. He teased her, supported her, washed her, but made no move to push their relationship further. By the time Alana returned to the tent, she was ready to sleep. Unfortunately, she found that T'arik was always true to his word. He sat Alana by the camp fire, and gave her instructions as she prepared the meal.

Before Alana could really take her day in, it was over. Bed time came swiftly after a passable dinner. T'arik was polite about Alana's cooking, but cooking over a fire was not as easy as it looked. He had promised her more practice, though, which hopefully meant more time in the woods. Once again, T'arik cuddled up to Alana, but did no more than that.

Morning came and, unfortunately for Alana, it brought stiffness and shivers. Even wearing her clothes, and with several blankets piled upon her, Alana just couldn't get warm. Her body ached all over. She had tried to drag herself out of bed, but T'arik would have none of it. Alana was desperate to avoid having a doctor come to see her. T'arik had other ideas.

"Alana, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked as he peered into her eyes.

"Like shit." A smile spread over the doctor's face at Alana's response.

"I'm sure we can fix that, love." His accent was strange, and a little hard to decipher. Alana couldn't help but smile back at him through her discomfort. He seemed nice. After stretching out Alana's limbs, taking her temperature, and watching her wince, the man finally spoke, "Well, the prognosis is grim, I'm afraid. There will be no more frolicking in the woods until tomorrow." The doctor grinned a cheeky smile then winked and whispered, "Here, don't tell anyone, especially that grumpy old bastard." He cocked his head in the direction of T'arik as he handed Alana a tiny bottle of pink lotion. It looked good enough for one application at least. The new doctor raised a hand to her as he stood and left the tent. Barely thirty seconds later T'arik stepped in.

"Was that O.K.? He thought it better to see you alone." There was worry in his voice.

"Thank you, T'arik." T'arik frowned. Alana held up the pink lotion with a grin.

"That isn't from me. I haven't got that sort of money." Oh. T'arik looked confused, but Alana felt nothing but concern.

"Should I give it back?"

"No," T'arik shook his head. "If it was a gift, returning it would be ungracious. Use it, enjoy it. I did wonder at his optimism when he said we would be hunting again tomorrow."

It was, in fact, two days before Alana felt well enough to gather the ingredients for dinner with T'arik. She had slept for twenty hours. After a hot meal and lots of fluid, Alana had slept for almost another twenty. The bite from the creature in the river had taken it out of Alana, as had her adventure escaping her would be attackers.

Flora gathered, Alana was practising being stealthy. T'arik had told her with exasperation that she was scaring all of the wild life away with her clumsy feet. As well as treading carefully, Alana was also trying not to shoot herself. The bow that T'arik brought had an arrow fitted so she could shoot in a speedy fashion, if not a particularly well aimed one. Spotting an animal much like a deer, Alana froze. All she could hear was the rustling of leaves and undergrowth in the wind.

The heat from T'arik's body as he pressed himself against Alana's back almost made her loose her composure. His hands gripped her arms to put them in the correct position to shoot. One hand cupped her right breast making her gasp.

"Watch this when you draw." He whispered in her ear. His hand covered Alana's to help her draw, then allowed her to release the arrow. It flew true, taking the creature in the throat. A pained gurgle erupted from the animal as it bucked, turned, and started to fly over the ground beneath its hooves. It didn't run for long. The arrow tips had been coated in a poison that would kill the animals they shot quickly and painlessly. Although T'arik claimed an animal poisoned with the substance was still safe to eat, Alana would have avoided meat if she had known sooner.

T'arik took the bow from Alana, his chest still moulded to her back. He cast the weapon away as he took her hands in his. Wrapping his arms and hers around Alana, he nuzzled at her neck. Her body broke out in goose bumps as his lips caressed her sensitive flesh, and she lost the fight to suppress a moan. Releasing T'arik's hands, she turned in the circle of his embrace so that she could look at him. Before she had a chance to disentangle herself his lips met hers. They were almost timid in their exploration, perhaps expecting rejection at every movement. Alana kissed him back tentatively. It was so different from kissing Kalen that she couldn't help comparing the two men. She knew that should stop her, but it didn't.

T'arik steered Alana backwards until her back was against a tree trunk. This felt almost too familiar for her. Only T'arik's gentle affection stopped Alana from pushing him away. He was undemanding, considerate, and was taking his seduction slowly. His hands strayed across her stomach, working their way up before coming to rest on her breasts. Alana moaned into T'arik's mouth as he squeezed lightly, running his thumbs over her nipples through the rough fabric of her tunic. His body pressed hers into the scratchy bark as he fitted himself to her, getting as close as he could whilst still being dressed. Alana could feel his excitement pressing against her, and longed to be laid down so that she could have it between her thighs.

"Tell me you want this." T'arik sounded breathless as he broke their kiss. His eyes searched Alana's for a sign of encouragement. It allowed Alana time to gather her wits.

"No." How could she tell him that she wanted it? Doing it was bad enough. Asking for it was too much. Kalen, Kalen, Kalen. It was a mantra in her head. He loved her, he cared for her. It didn't matter that she felt something genuine for T'arik. It could go nowhere.

"Then I apologise. I will exercise better control in future." T'arik sounded genuinely distressed. Alana reached to touch him, but he stepped away. He couldn't meet her eyes, and instead turned away. "We should head back."

"Yes," Alana croaked. She felt terrible. She didn't want to hurt T'arik. She wanted to call him back, to wrap her arms around him, and kiss a smile back onto his face. She longed to feel him on top of her, inside her. She just couldn't do that to Kalen. Alana ran her fingers over the metal band at her throat. They lingered over the inscribed symbol that showed Alana as property. Maybe she was being loyal to the wrong man. "T'arik." He turned, one eyebrow raised in question. "I want to. I really want to, but I belong to another man."

Sighing, T'arik held his hand out to Alana. Walking hand in hand out of the forest, he told her someone else would collect the carcass. It was about time that they bathed.

After another interesting attempt at cooking, Alana tried to stifle her yawns. She stretched languidly across a pile of cushions, gazing at the stars above her. Her stomach felt almost too full, and all she wanted to do was sleep. T'arik sat behind her stroking her hair. His fingers felt good as they moved over her scalp. He seemed to understand Alana's predicament, and seemed content to just be touching her. T'arik's fingers trailed down her cheeks before coming to rest on the band she wore around her neck. He tugged it gently.

"It comes off, you know." His voice was quite, relaxed, but it seemed forced. Underneath, Alana knew there was tension, anticipation.

"Would that make it right?" Alana desperately wanted him to say yes. Instead, he stood. Reaching for her hand, T'arik pulled Alana to her feet then led her to the bed. Alana half expected T'arik to undress her, instead he laid her fully dressed on the bed then, also still clothed, climbed on top of her. Alana felt a thrill rush through her. Nervousness and arousal made her breathing fast as she met T'arik's eyes. They weren't really touching each other, but that somehow made the contact more exciting.

T'arik used his knees to spread Alana's legs. He nestled his groin against hers, pressing his hardness into her. With no sense of control over her actions, Alana ground against him catching her sensitive flesh against his over and over again. T'arik kissed her, stealing her breath. He seemed urgent in his attentions. His hands ran up and down her body, pinching her nipples through her tunic, grasping her hips, pinning her hands.

"Is it enough?" Alana panted. The friction between them was certainly getting to her. She could feel the throbbing between her legs, the wetness seeping into the fabric of her leggings. Fabric that was being forced across her engorged clit, rubbed by the heavy, hard weight of T'arik. He nodded in response to Alana's question. His own breath seemed short. Alana's hips sped up in their action, Tarik meeting her motion with his own. Alana felt her body clench, then tremble. Pleasure exploded, starting low in her stomach and spreading through every inch of her. Still, T'arik kept moving. It was almost too much for Alana. She whimpered as sensation started building again.

T'arik held Alana's wrists above her head with one hand. His other ran down her body even as his cock pressed against her. His fingers tugged at the top of her leggings until he exposed her hips, then the smooth flesh that was so sensitised. Alana only half realised what was happening as her leggings were torn from her. She tried to speak past T'arik's eager lips, but didn't have enough time. The hardness that Alana had been craving plunged easily into her wetness. For once, having her urges satisfied was not painful.

T'arik thrust into Alana with a ferocity that she hadn't expected. The length of him crashed into her sending sparks of pleasure to ignite the thick pool of desire that filled her. With the pressure off her clit, she could enjoy the sensations that T'arik was causing her. He had seemed close before, and now was holding his orgasm back.

"In my mouth," Alana murmured around his lips. He picked up speed between her thighs. Alana's nail dug into his neck until he shifted his body quickly over hers. Suddenly it was his cock plunging into her mouth instead of his tongue. A hot, sweet spurt of liquid splashed the back of her throat, forcing her to swallow. She almost choked. Another load splashed her mouth as her lips locked around the head of T'arik's cock. Alana brought a hand up to its base, steadying it as she sucked greedily. Her other hand slipped between her sticky thighs, working her fingers into the hot folds of her pussy. Her clit wasn't too sensitive to touch anymore, and she rubbed frantically at the swollen flesh. As T'arik's pleasure ebbed, Alana's hit. She convulsed beneath him, gasping in air that held his scent.

Sweaty, and constricted by too many clothes, the pair finally relaxed, intertwined with each other. They were both satisfied after weeks of tension building between them. Alana shifted from under T'arik as she kicked the remains of her leggings away from her, then pulled her tunic over her head. Lazily, T'arik reached up to stroke her bare breast. He ran fingers lightly down her stomach earning a giggle as Alana wriggled to escape his tickling. The calloused skin of his fingers stroked the smooth, hairless flesh of her pussy as he explored Alana's slick sex. Alana moaned with renewed pleasure, but it was not T'arik's intent to initiate sex. He simply wanted to get to know her alien anatomy. All too soon, in Alana's opinion, he rose from the damp sheets of the bed to undress.

Alana climbed under the sheet, settling herself down. She dozed, content. T'arik joined her, curling his body around hers as he had done previously. His hands no longer came to rest innocently around her waist any more, but found their home atop her breasts. Alana's nipples grazed his palms, and she longed to turn, to encourage him into more sex. He kissed her bare shoulder as if he knew what she were thinking, but made no move to do anything other than sleep.

Alana awoke to a soft stroking that had her half way to orgasm. Long fingers moved slowly against her pussy, circling her clit. Pushing backwards, her buttocks came to rest against T'arik's hardness. He wriggled a little until his hard cock was nestled between them. He thrust lazily, enjoying the strange sensation. T'arik's fingers left Alana's aching flesh to explore her ass.

"Please don't stop," she begged, and tried to roll over, but T'arik held her still. His fingers freed his cock before taking its place. He stroked the crevasse, rubbing against the puckered hole. Sliding a finger forward, he dipped it into the wetness of her eager pussy, coating it in Alana's juices before bringing it back to the hole he was so interested in. Slowly, he pushed his finger into her. Alana tried to pull away from the foreign pressure. It felt strange to her, and she wasn't at all convinced that she was enjoying it.

"T'arik!" Alana wondered if he could hear the panic in her voice. He chuckled against her back as he pulled his finger from her. Quickly, he rolled over, pulling Alana on top of him as he went. She struggled to sit up, facing away from him. This was more familiar territory. On earth, she had an ex who had loved the reverse cowgirl. She had always laughed at the name, but decided that this was the perfect time to reincarnate the practice.

Expertly, Alana slipped T'arik inside her. She gasped at the fullness that came from sitting astride him. Slowly, she started to move. Alana put extra effort into making sure her butt moved in an alluring way, and soon she felt T'arik's hands squeezing the fleshy orbs as she thrust herself against him.

It wasn't long before one of his fingers slid back inside her. With the arousal that came from being in charge, she found she was actually enjoying the exploration. As she moved, the finger in her ass wriggled deeper, and was joined by a second. She groaned at the stretch. At this first sign of discomfort, T'arik stopped and withdrew. His hand hooked around the front of her body so that he could rub against her clit, something that he did with vigour. After that, it wasn't long until either party was spent.

Three days passed whilst they luxuriated in each other's company, but both parties knew it must come to an end. They had one more night together. Kalen was due back the following morning. Together, they had cooked, and now sat enjoying their meal. T'arik kept reaching out to touch Alana. They would still have the time during the day when he took her to bathe, but they would both miss the long nights spent wrapped around each other.

It was a shock to both when they looked up to see a bloodied Kalen stood over them. Alana bolted up from her cushions, embracing him. Fear had blossomed in her chest at the sight of him; he looked half dead. T'arik also stood, leading the man he despised to a place by the fire. Alana pushed water towards Kalen as T'arik filled a bowl with food. Kalen took them both gratefully.

There was no hint of suspicion in Kalen's eyes as Alana took her place next to him, but she could see the anger and jealousy in T'arik's. Alana felt guilty, awkward. Her hands twisted constantly, evidence of her inner turmoil and her confusion about who to touch. Her discomfort was short lived.

"We need to go." Alana and T'arik both looked at Kalen as he spoke. There was urgency in his voice.

"Back to the tent?" Alana's voice quivered as she feared she already knew the answer. Kalen shook his head. No, of course not to the tent. It was earlier than planned, but Alana knew they were leaving the planet. Her lungs seemed to stop working as she caught sight of T'arik. His fists were clenched. She wanted to throw her arms around him, to tell him she would stay. Instead, she swallowed the urge. It wouldn't do anyone any good.

"Mia has organised some things to take with us. We need nothing that we have here, unless there is something you value." Alana nodded, and went in the tent to find her earrings. When T'arik followed, she burst into tears. He pulled Alana close, smoothing her hair with his hand. He quickly found her lips, kissing her passionately. For a moment, she didn't care if Kalen saw her. T'arik broke the kiss, and thrust the package with the earrings in into her hand. His face was a study of indifference, but the tremble of his hands gave him away to Alana.

"Go." His voice was full of authority and arrogance, just as it had been the first time they met. Alana kissed his chest. She held her head high as she left his tent, tears streaking her cheeks. Kalen took her hand without a word. He didn't speak to T'arik, just lead Alana off. At the edge of the tents there was a wagon waiting. Kalen lifted Alana into in. There were bags at their feet that must belong to them.

"What happened?" Alana's voice was barely audible. She cuddled into Kalen's side as he wrapped an arm around her. He felt comfortable and familiar, but there wasn't the spark there that she had with T'arik.

"Do you love him?" Alana froze. Kalen's voice gave nothing away. It was steady, without emotion.

"No," she whispered. It was the truth. She didn't love T'arik, but she knew that she could. She loved Kalen, but not romantically. She was happy to share her body with him, and he could turn her on, but she would never have chosen him. T'arik, however, she could see herself being happy with.

"Do you want to stay?" This time Kalen's voice was quiet, almost defeated. Yes! Yes! Alana wanted to scream that she was desperate to stay, but how could she? She remembered the misery with which he had spoken about his wife.