Thank you to everyone that has followed Ana and Lux's journey so far. I really appreciate all the feed back. This chapter is a bit short, sorry in advance! Hope you all enjoy!
The Draxis Invasion Ch. 07
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Ana
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I felt exhausted by the time we got home. As soon as we made our way inside, I collapsed against the back of the couch.
"I have some work to do this evening. So you will have to entertain yourself. Do I need to put the locks on the doors?" Lux questions me with a playful smirk.
"Hell no. That will only make it harder for me to run away." I reply with a smile. His smirk falters for a second until he realizes I am joking then he returns with a smile of his own. I settle back onto the couch as he makes his way down the hall to a room I haven't been in yet. To be frank, I have only spent significant time in 3 rooms so far. I surmise that the room must be his office.
"Great deduction there Sherlock." I mumble to myself and roll my eyes. I really am a ditzy blonde sometimes.
I relax against the back of the comfy couch and let my eyes roam over my surroundings. There are some pictures on the wall. One is of a strange looking world. The sky is a deep red, like the inside of a juicy plum. There are swirling gray clouds that dot along the horizon that are sandwiched in between what looks like two suns. The ground is covered in what looks like a tall grass. It is wispy and a faint blue color. Beyond the grass are some tall unfamiliar trees. The trees look like massive cacti, if cacti were covered in small clusters of leaves.
I wonder if this is where the Draxis are from. As much as we are taught about our invaders in the training camp, it is mostly limited to sex and servitude. This is my first time ever glancing at their world. A feeling of awe passes over me and I shift my weight, bringing my right leg to tuck it under me while my eyes continue to move along the wall. My arm grazes my nipple and I wince.
When I thanked Lux earlier it wasn't for the piercings. I was taken aback by him correcting the piercer and allowing me to speak my mind. It was the first time he had treated me like a real equal. My heart soars in my chest. And he wants me as his mate! I have never considered being someone's mate. When I was a little girl I spent plenty of time daydreaming about getting married and being someone's wife. However a mate is different than a wife. There are a few key differences:
1. Mating is for life. Draxis have never heard of divorce. Actually Draxis have no court system. Most things are settled with fists or through their hierarchy (the one with the higher rank is right). Getting in a fight with Lux would not end well for me, I bruise easily. Oh and the fact he is a massive killing machine.
2. Once mated, if the non-Draxis mate dies, the Draxis also dies. So basically, after if I tie the knot with Lux, if I die then he dies also. But it only works one way. Humans don't have the same connection. This connection is felt only during the most intense moments: sex, childbirth, and death. It allows the Draxis mate to feel and take in some of the sensations of their mate, strengthening the shared bond. The pain that comes from the death of their partner is what kills the Draxis mate. However it is supposed to also give mind-blowing sex.
3. The Male always holds rank over the female and is solely responsible for her well-being and actions. I can't help but roll my eyes at this one. A bit antiquated if you ask me. It is basically the old "Men are the head of the household" rebranded. It's why the doctor would only address Lux and not me. The flip side of this is, he is responsible for everything I do. If I break the law, Lux has to pay the price. I take back my eye roll, I could have some fun with this one.
4. Infidelity from either party is strictly prohibited and the penalty is death. The mate that was wronged has the right to kill the offending mate. Step out of your mate pairing and your a goner. Side note, this does not include polyamory or swingers.
It is a heavy topic to consider. I am young and would be promising to be with Lux and allowing him complete control over me for the rest of my life. If today was any indication though, he wouldn't be that domineering. I just don't think I am ready for that, but if I was, Lux wouldn't be a bad choice.
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Lux
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I sit down at my desk with groan. The last thing I want to do right now is anything to do with the Empire, but I have to submit the records from the human uprising. I also need to check my comms for any pertinent situations. Normally, when one of us is in a rut, they get paid time off and aren't disturbed. However, like with the spider hero the humans worshipped, with great power comes great responsibility. Being a commander means putting myself aside for the greater good. Though my mind keeps meandering back to a certain human female.
I had meant what I said about making her my mate. She is a strong and formidable human and I enjoy her wit. I also suspect she has a deep caring heart, although she attempts to hide it. I hope one day she will give her heart to me. Metaphorically of course.
I reach out and activate the hollo-screen and bring up the paperwork I have to finish filling out. The basic what happened, why did it happen, how did I fix it and why did I fix it that way. I can't tell them the truth. I was fine with letting the humans die, but one look at Ana's face, seeing her panic and fright, it crushed me. I knew I had to try to come up with a solution that would save them. If I told the higher ups that I chose to save the humans because of my human companion I would be demoted. That sort of emotional, illogical thinking is not tolerated in the Draxis ranks.
I can feel myself changing for her, becoming more human-like. On the one side I like it, I feel more connected to her, but on the other, I am sure this will lead to our deaths. Acting emotionally is going against what is best for the Draxis Empire which is considered treason. Treason equals death. Gods! What has this woman done to me! Never before have I deviated from the mission and now I am wanting to risk my life by mating with her?
Yes. That is the simple answer. The more complicated answer is that now that I know her. Now that I have seen her smile and kissed her lips and been deep inside of her, the act of being without her has become another type of death.
After typing up the reports, I check my comms and respond to the critical messages. It seems another attempted uprising happened but this time it was females at a training camp. The women hadn't figured out the collars though, so it was easily squashed. The troubling part of it was the women that chose to take their lives after the uprising was defeated. They tore bedsheets to make nooses and jumped from high windows.
Humans are a spirited people, they prize freedom over everything else and yet before we came they policed each other with laws and societal norms. This juxtaposition of humanity confuses me. I don't claim to be free, nor do I value freedom in the same way they do. Draxis trade their freedom in for less metaphysical things like security, housing, and a full belly. If only humans would come to the same resolution as our ancestors.
