Page 29 of The Alien I Fell in Love with on Walpurgis Night

I see Axl and another man with grey skin, maybe from the crew, both with swords. They aren’t talking about anything that makes any sense, but they are attacking each other with the ancient weapons. When I realize that either they can’t see me or don’t care if I’m watching, I stand at the little window of the room they are in. I know nothing about fencing. I don’t even know if this is a real fight or just sparring. However when it looks like Axl might actually hurt the other man, I can’t help myself and yell, “No!”

Both men stop and look at me.

Axl puts his sword to the side and helps the other man up. I enter the room. “I didn’t know if you were fighting for real or not. I didn’t want to see you kill anyone.”

“Thank you for indulging me. May you walk in the gods light,” Axl dismisses all the men in the room which now I can see looks like a little gymnasium.

Five men pick up their swords and walk out of the room.

Then Axl walks over to me, “Did I frighten you?”

“Yes, you told me men killed women and then I wake up and find you attacking a man with a sword.”

He puts his hands around me and rubs the back of my neck with his thumbs. “We were sparring for exercise. Georgiana, I’ve never killed anyone without just cause.” He moves his hands down my back and pulls me against his sweaty hard half naked body. “I swear I will never hurt you and I would kill anyone that ever did.”

Axl’s words resonate with me. I never thought I ever wanted to hear something like that from a man, but now I know that’s what I’ve always wanted. Someone who is loyal to me, who is on my side. Not someone who just puts up with me out of obligation. And even if this is all temporary, now I also want to live out this fantasy for as long as it lasts.

Axl pulls me against him even tighter and I can feel his erect penis through the fabric of his trousers. And then he puts a hand in my braided hair and brings his mouth to mine. His tongue enters my mouth and any fear I had of him vanishes. His hands explore my body and bring up the hem of my dress as his hands snake under it, caressing my nipples then one hand between my legs. This is the advantage of a loose dress and not wearing any bra or underwear.

His large hand feels so good between my legs I start moving my hips to create more friction and I kiss his neck and chest, tasting the saltness there from his exercise. He increases his movements and I orgasm against his hand in this small gymnasium in front of the little window where anyone in the hallway can see us. When he brings his hand out from underneath my dress, he puts it in his mouth and sucks his fingers seductively in front of me. “You taste divine.”

“You can have more.”

“This will have to do for now, it’s time for the evening meal.”

13

Axl

Every day on the Hio is just like the last. There are three meals a day and in between those there’s not much else to do but pray at the small shrine, spar with swords, sleep or make sure Georgiana is satisfied.

For better or worse, we are over halfway to the Empire now. Only two more days until we reach the Capital Planet and then as far as I can understand, Georgiana imagines she and I will have won this competition then she can go collect the money waiting for her at the cabin on Earth. I have tried to convince her otherwise, but it’s impossible. She has her mind made up.

At the evening meal, we are just finishing when Captain Ace says, “Madame Georgiana? Are you all right? You suddenly look very pale.”

I look at her more closely and notice a redness around her neck that shouldn’t be there. “Maybe she ate something she’s allergic to.”

“You should know, you’re her husband.”

Without another thought I pick up Georgiana and rush her to the medical center. Ren is already running ahead of us.

When we arrive Ren is there waiting with a medical palmer in his hand. I step back and he begins to assess her situation. “I’m only a medic. I have only a little training or telepathic abilities.”

“Just find out what’s wrong with her.”

After a few minutes, Ren says, “She’s allergic to lunat.” He looks at me accusatorially. “How did you not know that?”

I can’t say it was never served in House Zu. It’s a common ingredient. “Can you do a scan to find out what else she’s allergic to?”

Ren gives me a distasteful look and then asks Georgiana, “Was there anything else you were allergic to while on the Empire?” He begins naming off vegetation, “Liplow, coonak, brujan?”

“I don’t know,” she says.

“I need to run some tests. I don’t have the kind of equipment to be completely thorough. But I still want to do them to be sure you’re fine now, so I want you to stay here.”

Georgiana looks over at me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know,” I say.

---