Slavery

For once, Alana was pleased that Kalen had spent the night in his wife's bed. The furs were soaked with her sweat, yet she shivered with cold. She could see the concern in Yrin's eyes as he looked down at her.

"You cannot come into work." Alana nodded in agreement. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt so ill. Her chest felt heavy, as if a weight was pressing down upon it, and she just couldn't control her limbs. When she had tried to climb out of bed she had fallen to the floor. It had taken all of her strength to pull herself back under the covers. The effort had left her exhausted.

"Drink," Alana managed to croak. Yrin nodded, then hurried out of the room. His face was set in a frown.

It was Kalen that came back with a cool drink. Alana gulped at the liquid as Kalen touched the back of his hand to her clammy forehead. He didn't say a word to Alana; his expression was eloquent, though. Alana's stomach churned at the desperation stamped across his features. When he returned, Neekesh was with him.

"Is it fever?" He demended. Alana nodded, not trusting herself to speak. "Can you stand?" He continued. When she shook her head, Neekesh sighed. He jerked the covers from the bed exposing Alana's damp, naked flesh. The air hitting her skin made her moan. It was almost painful to feel the kiss of the cold. Neeksh studied her without touching her. Looking for what, Alana didn't know. The covers were flung back at her, but she was too weak to arrange them. Instead, she whimpered, pulling at them as best she could. Kalen stepped forward and smoothed them over her.

"If she makes it through the next three days she might be alright," Neekesh stated in a detached voice. "The case studies suggest that if they survive three days, they tend to live."

"What are the odds?" Alana could hear the pain in Kalen's voice. The room seemed to be wavering in an odd way, and inside she felt numb. Part of her brain knew that they were saying she would probably die, but she couldn't quite manage to be upset.

"Even Brint wouldn't bet on them." Kalen stilled as Neekesh spoke. Alana reached up and touched her face as something warm and wet trickled from the corner of her eye. At first she thought it was a tear. When she examined her fingers, they were stained red.

"The bleeds," Kalen whispered. Neekesh merely nodded. He turned and left as Kalen clambered onto the bed. Every move made Alana's body scream in protest. She couldn't believe the pain that seemed to be eating its way through her bones and joints.

"Dying?" Alana managed to croak.

"No. No, you'll be fine," he whispered as he climbed under the furs with her. Alana was embarrassed about how wet they were, but couldn't find her voice. Her vision was turning crimson, and for a moment she wondered if that was how Kalen saw the world. A giggle escaped her, then a rattling, wet cough. Everything seemed to be moving, flowing.

The first thing Alana heard as she woke was Olivine.

"I'm sure. I'm pregnant." Her voice was excited. Alana was desperate to open her eyes, to look at the woman and offer her congratulations. Her eyes wouldn't open though.

"Wife, now is not the time," she heard Kalen chastise. Alana wanted him to be happy, too. After all, he had wanted a child.

"A death, a birth. It is the perfect time." The voice was unmistakably Neekesh.

"Get out," Kalen growled. Alana felt the bed move beside her. It elicited a small whine from her throat. She felt the room still.

"Alana?" Kalen asked. She longed to look at him, to reach out and touch him, but all she could do was groan. Strangely, she didn't feel too ill. Her body ached a little, but she was warm and felt steady. A little weak maybe, but not really ill.

"Alana," Kalen repeated, a little more loudly. It wasn't a question this time. There was a sense of urgency. Hands moved her, propped her up. Alana felt her head loll a little before she was able to keep it upright. Still she couldn't open her eyes. She was starling to panic.

"Eyes," she managed to croak. No one responded. It took her a moment to realise that she had spoken in English. She tried again in their language.

"Alana, they have been secured shut. We were afraid that they would become damaged. You mustn't open them, my love." Kalen's hand smoothed the worry from Alana's forehead as he settled her back against the pillows. She felt his lips brush her cheek, then the weight of him snuggle down next to her.

"Pregnant." The word came out raspy.

"You heard that?" It was Olivine speaking.

"Good, it's good." Alana started to cough then. A cup was pressed to her lips and a cool, sweet liquid swept through her mouth. It made her feel drowsy.

"Sleep, Alana. I won't leave you." Alana did as she was bid as Kalen lay beside her. She could smell his skin; a warm, familiar smell that made her feel safe.

Alana awoke to the sounds of Kalen's breathing. Looking around the room, she realised that her eyes were no longer taped shut. Pushing herself upright took it out of Alana. Pulling the covers back left her panting with exertion. She couldn't believe how weak she felt. When a warm hand circled her wrist, she shrieked.

"Kalen," she chastised, "you made me jump." Her voice was breathy, as if she had been running. She looked down at her lover and gave him the warmest smile she could. The look of concern on his face eased a little, and he pushed himself up to join her in sitting.

"You're feeling better?" His voice was tentative and unsure.

"Yes." Alana wanted to tell him that apart from a little weakness she was fine, but Brint chose that moment to fly into the room. Before Alana could react, he was clambering onto the bed and wrapping her in his arms.

"I thought you would die!" He hissed with an accusatory tone in his voice. Though his body language proved he was happy to see her, his tone of voice left Alana with the distinct impression that he was angry about her illness. "We aren't used to such fragile creates, Alana. Don't scare us again." Grasping Alana's face in one huge, calloused hand, he met her eyes. Brint's eyes were just as red as Kalen's, his skin the same shade of purple. He wasn't as devastatingly handsome, but reminded Alana of a guy she had known at school. He had been a lovely person, pleasant looking, and always acted like the class clown. A lot of the girls had crushes on him, yet he had seemed really self-conscious. It was like he knew there were better looking men out there, and he couldn't understand why the beautiful girls flocked around him. Alana wondered if Brint felt the same.

"Will you get off me if I promise not to die on you?" Alana spluttered with laughter in her voice.

"This is the ninth day, Alana. It was only a matter of time until your heart stopped as far as we were concerned. That you're alive is a miracle." Alana looked at Brint's serious face, then Kalen's nodding head. Shit, unconscious for nine days.

"Did I just wake the once?"

"No," Kalen replied. "You woke many times over the first few days. I am surprised you don't remember, but pleased. The memories would not make for pleasant thinking."

"I was that bad?" Kalen didn't answer. Instead, he climbed out of bed.

"Run her a bath, brother. I am going to bring her food." With that Kalen left the room. Brint waggled his eyebrows at Alana, as if he wasn't sure about his brother's abrupt departure either. Alana giggled at his attempt at puzzlement, something that left her coughing as Brint went to run her bath.

After nibbling at some food, Alana found herself relaxing in the steam of a hot bath. It felt good to be clean again. The steam, however, made her feel a little dizzy; the humidity made it hard to breathe.

"Neekesh says it will only get worse as the winter progresses." Kalen's voice was thick with emotion, and Alana had a sneaking suspicion that he was crying. Leaning her back against his chest meant that she couldn't look, not without being obvious.

"Is he a doctor?" Frankly, Alana wasn't sure that she approved of Neekesh giving her medical advice. He didn't really seem to like her that much.

"No, but he is the closest thing that we've got. Doctors are few and far between here. We let the weak ones die, and soldiers glory in the death that battle brings." Kalen's voice was bitter, angry. Alana thought of his dead sister, and knew that he was thinking the same. She didn't want his thoughts to be painful.

Turning in the water, Alana pressed the front of her body against Kalen's. The water made his chest deliciously slippery. Sliding her body up his, Alana wrapped her arms around his neck, crushing her breasts against his chest. Underneath her, she could feel his body hardening, lengthening against hers. It made her shiver with the desire to have him inside her. Not quite able to reach his mouth, Alana ran her tongue slowly across one shoulder, lapping up the water that beaded there. The moan that escaped the lips above her gave her a deep sense of satisfaction.

"You are not well," Kalen whispered, his voice a little horse. Hands wrapped around Alana's waist, stroking hips that had never protruded before. As his fingers skimmed Alana's stomach, she felt them settle on her hip bones. Having not seen herself yet, she didn't know quite how drastic the weight loss was, but she imagined she must have lost a fair amount.

"I'm well enough," was her reply. Without waiting for consent, Alana nibbled her way down the smooth chest of her lover, stopping only once she reached the nipple. Greedily, Alana sucked both the nipple and the flesh surrounding it into her mouth. It was damp from the steam, soft from the heat, but hardening quickly as she suckled, grazing the sensitive area gently with her teeth.

Kalen's hands came up to her shoulders, pushing her back. For a moment, Alana was tempted to keep hold of him between her teeth, to hurt him. The urge was so unlike her, though, that she let go.

"Did I hurt you?" Alana was puzzled. She didn't know why Kalen had stopped her.

"No," he chuckled, "but Alana, you have had no birth control since you fell ill." Alana stilled in his arms. For a moment she thought bitterly about the fact that Olivine was pregnant with his child, but then pushed the thought to the side. He didn't think Alana would survive the pregnancy; he would refuse her a child to keep her safe. She wriggled slightly in his lap causing him to inhale sharply. She could feel his readiness pressed against her, so close to where she wanted it.

"There are other things we can do," she whispered against her ear. The words sent shivers down her spine. His hands came up to cup her breasts. He squeezed them gently, her nipples only just peeking above the waterline. Alana arched into Kalen's fingers as her circled her nipples before tweaking them sharply. The brief pain was a surprise, but not unpleasant.

"Sit on the side," Alana commanded. Kalen raised an eyebrow but did as he was told, his body slithering from beneath Alana and gracefully arranging himself on the edge of the bath. Looking up at Kalen, Alana felt breathless. With water trickling down his chiselled body, and his dark hair plastered to his head, he looked like some alien god. Moving as elegantly through the water as she could, Alana positioned herself before him. Her hands found their way to his knees. She prized them apart, pulling herself as close to him as she could. With his legs either side of her, Alana felt dwarfed.

The tension in the air was palpable. Both of them were desperate for the others touch, and for release. Alana stuck out her tongue, gently licking the loose skin of Kalen's testicles. The skin was too slack for what she wanted , so she brought her fingers up to delicately stretch the skin over the heavy sacks. Exploring with the tip of her tongue wasn't quite enough. She sucked him into her mouth, rolling him around slightly, enjoying the tenderness. She knew that one bite could cause serious damage, and was surprised that she had to fight the temptation.

To stop herself doing something that she might regret, she switched her attention to the shaft that towered above her. Tracing the ridges, Alana worked her way up as far as she could. In the water, and out of her depth, she couldn't push herself up far enough to reach the thick, smooth head. A frustrated sound that she barely recognised as herself escaped her lips. Strong hands wrapped around Alana's arms, pulling her out of the water, and on top of Kalen as he lay on his back on the cool stone floor.

Slithering her way down his body, making sure to trail her peaked nipples against him, Alana came to rest her head on the well-defined stretch of his stomach. Alana's tongue darted out from between her moist lips to taste the drop of liquid poised on the tip of Kalen. Even that little attention made him shudder beneath her. Wrapping a hand around the pulsing shaft of his cock, Alana lowered her lips over the taught skin. It felt warm and good in her mouth. Sucking gently, she worked her mouth further down, until Kalen was as far inside her as he could go.

The water from the bath allowed Alana's hand to glide over the cock in her mouth as she swirled her tongue around the hot, musky tasking skin. Kalen's hand found the back of Alana's head, stroking her hair encouragingly, but not forcing her to take more than she was comfortable with. As she increased the pressure, Kalen's moans filled her ears. Hard enough to mark, but not to break the skin, Alana raked her nails down Kalen's inner thighs. His gasp had her smiling around his cock.

With a gentle tug to her hair, Alana was pulled up the length of Kalen's body. His still damp skin, she slithered over him easily. Feeling Kalen's hardness beneath her, Alana made a snap decision.

"As long as I take my tablet after, sex will be fine," Alana purred. Kalen didn't ask for clarification, he simply groaned and positioned himself to enter her. Meeting his eyes, Alana smiled in encouragement. Kalen's thrust, when he entered her, was barely held in check. It left Alana gasping for breath. There was no way that she could match the passion in her lover's movements as he held her still against him.

Alana used her mouth to nip lovingly as she panted against Kalen's chest. Her body was tight around him, her wetness allowing him to glide in and out of her with little resistance. Over and over he came to the end of her, sending a spark of pain shooting through her body. It was a pain that Alana had come to enjoy, however. Her moans became more frantic as Kalen started to tighten his grip on her. When his body shuddered beneath her, she had a moment to regret her hasty decision, before falling limp and content in his arms.

"I've missed you," he muttered. Alana felt her stomach twist with guilt as she thought of her deception. She wanted a baby, his baby. She knew it was wrong, but this might be the only chance she had at falling pregnant. She had no idea whether he had been checking to see if she had been taking her pills previously, but whilst they lasted she would have to dispose of one a day.

"I've missed you, too," Alana replied, snuggling against his damp skin. The steam from the water swirled around them. It wasn't long before they were back in the water, Kalen gently cleaning Alana and checking her body for injury.

"I shouldn't have touched you," he muttered as he found a bruise forming on her thigh. It looked suspiciously like a thumb print.

"I would have jumped you if you hadn't," Alana laughed, stroking a hand down Kalen's chest in an attempt to sooth his guilt. His concern for her made her feel a little queasy. It wasn't long before he decided she had exerted herself enough for one day, and shoed her off back to bed. Whilst Kalen was out of the room, Alana took out the box that she kept the pills in.

There were enough pills left for a few weeks. Alana took one from the box and put it in the pocket of the tunic she was wearing. Quickly, she pulled back the covers and snuggled under. Her Limbs felt leaden from the exertion of bathing and love making, her chest tight and her head a little spacey. Still, when Kalen returned with stew she managed to consume it in record time.

Six weeks passed before Alana was allowed back to work. It was a relief for her to have something to occupy herself with, but more importantly it gave her the chance to question Yrin about Olivine's pregnancy. Kalen had been reluctant to discuss the subject, and Brint was too playful to talk about anything serious. Neekesh, who would have been the best person, spent too much time away from the house.

"How long are women pregnant for here? I was surprised to see Olivine showing before three months."

Yrin smiled gently at her, "Only six months here, Alana." Alana felt her stomach lurch. She hadn't really considered how fast Olivine had announced her pregnancy, but in hindsight it had been extraordinarily early, or would have been on Earth.

"How long were the human women pregnant for when they carried your children?" Alana realised that her hand was resting on her stomach. She removed it quickly.

"Between seven and eight months." Alana plastered a grin on her face. She thought about the empty pill box, and the tiny white pills that were scattered in the snow around Kalen's home. It had been six weeks. Olivine had known she was pregnant in three. The disappointment was bitter. Still, she consoled herself, there was a chance. She had had to tell Kalen that she was running out of pills. Yesterday had been her last one, and now he refused to have sex with her. Alana knew that it could take him a while to find someone who knew enough about humans to get her some more, so that meant no more secretly trying for a baby.

"Alana?" Yrin questioned gently. She realised that she had been lost in her own thoughts. "I know this must be hard for you," he continued, "but it's you that he loves. Without your permission, he would never have given Olivine his child, no matter how much he wanted one." Alana nodded. It was much easier if Yrin thought that was the reason for her interest in the subject.

In truth, Alana wasn't very jealous that Kalen had slept with Olivine; it had, after all, been with her consent. The real issue was that Olivine could give Kalen a child, and Alana couldn't. On Earth a child had not been important to her, but after having her unborn baby taken from her forcibly, it was something that plagued her thoughts. Watching Olivine's stomach swell was a daily torture.

"Please don't mention this. It would upset Kalen if he thought I was unhappy." Alana felt a little guilt at her deception, but when Yrin winked and told her he would keep things to herself, she was immensely relived.

It wasn't long before Alana found out just how bad the winter was going to get. Temperatures plummeted, and she was forced to spend more and more time in the underground town where she worked. It had taken her a while to realise that there were houses down there, too. As it became apparent to Kalen that Alana wouldn't survive the cold above ground, he purchased a beautiful home for them both. It was small, and cosy, and only two minutes from her job at the bookstore.

Alana enjoyed the freedom that the move had given her. She could wonder the streets safe from the elements, and even thought she might be able to make friends. She was a curiosity to everyone, and when she went out alone, many people stopped to talk with her. After being back at work for almost a month, Alana really felt as though she had the opportunity for real happiness.

It was whilst at work that that looked set to change.

"Yrin!" Alana cried out as the room spun around her. Blackness was pushing at edge of her vision as she clung desperately to the bookshelf in front of her. Strong hands grabbed her just as her knees collapsed.