Page 6 of Her Alien Beast
A curious shadow crosses his face, and the hardness in eyes gradually fades. “All right, little human. Go ahead. Say what you have to say.”
“Wait and turn me in tomorrow. I don’t want to get married today. My-my fiancé, Gregory, he-he doesn’t treat me well. Please understand.” I lower my head, anxiously awaiting his reply. It’s unnerving to find myself at the mercy of a total stranger, especially one as handsome and rough-edged as this huge alien named Vlann D’Zorr.
“And just what am I supposed to do with you for an entire day?” he asks in a sharp tone, though I can’t help but witness his gaze roving over my body. He’s not obvious about it, but I notice his admiration. Is he attracted to me? My pulse races at the prospect.
“My parents are rich,” I eventually say. “In fact, if you wait a few days—maybe even a full human week, that’sseven days—to turn me in, the reward will only increase.” It’s the truth. Both my parents and Gregory’s possess more money than they could spend in ten lifetimes, let alone one. The reward will increase substantially, I know it. Guilt fills me when the reality of my plan crashes upon me, but I’m not about to retract my offer. Besides, it’s not as though my parents would miss the money. My actions won’t harm them financially, but they will feel personally wounded when they discover that I ran away without leaving so much as a hastily written note explaining my actions.
My stomach twists as I await the bounty hunter’s reply. The mention of money doesn’t make his face light up as I’d hoped it would, but maybe, just maybe, he’ll decide to help me.
“Please, I need to remain hidden until all the wedding guests leave town. I’m a coward. I-I admit it! I should’ve never agreed to marry Gregory. But if I go back now, I’m worried the wedding will still happen. And, in case you don’t already know, divorce among humans on planet Marryyn is rarely granted. A Marryyn judge is not likely to grant us a divorce, even if I do have a good reason to leave him. Please, I don’t want to—”
“Can’t you just tell your family that you don’t wish to marry this male called Gregory?” A hint of compassion flares in the depths of his gorgeous blue eyes, bringing me a ray of hope.
I blink back tears. “It’s complicated. My father and Gregory’s father do business together. Our families are close and for almost as long as I can remember, my parents have been pushing me toward Gregory. When I was seven, my mother informed me that one day I would marry him. It was decided for me long ago. I-I kept telling myself I would say no when he proposed marriage, but he did it in public, in front of my parents and all their friends. I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint everyone, so I said yes. Maybe I’m a horrible person for running away, but I didn’t know what else to do. Please, please help me.” I can’t believe I’m revealing so much personal information to a complete stranger, but I feel a bit lighter after bearing my soul to him. It feels good to finally get all that off my chest. God, I hope he listens. I hope he understands.
“My hovercar is parked on the other side of the bridge, near the welcome center hover lot. We will walk at a normal pace toward my vehicle. You will get inside without fighting me. If you can manage to behave long enough for that, I will consider your request.” Vlann releases me and steps back, as if daring me to run.
“It’s a deal,” I say, reaching a hand out. He stares at my hand quizzically for a long moment before finally reaching forward and clasping his large hand around mine. We shake, sealing the deal. “You won’t be sorry, Mr. D’Zorr. The rewardwillincrease.”
“Just remember, Amira,” he says, “if you try to escape or disobey me in any way, I will make you one very sorry little human.” His eyes smolder, and he suddenly seems larger and more intimidating than before. A spanking. He’s threatening to spank me if I’m a bad girl. A quiver races across my bottom and heat pulses in my womanly core.
I shiver but manage a nod. I’ll keep my end of the deal, for now. Even as other hikers pass us on the trail, I keep my cool as I walk a few steps ahead of Vlann while we head for the hover lot. But to my surprise, when we reach his sleek black hovercar, he guides me into the back—behind the same shimmering blue force field I’ve seen in Enforcer vehicles.
“The back doors won’t open from the inside,” he says, reaching for the safety harness attached to my seat. He buckles me up, as if I were a child, and stares at me for so long I start to feel uncomfortable.
Another unexpected wave of arousal courses through my center. The bounty hunter Vlann D’Zorr is the most intimidating, most intriguing, and most handsome alien I’ve ever met. I experience the sudden urge to reach out and run a hand down his green, armored skin, but I don’t dare take such a bold action. I don’t want him thinking I’m coming onto him or trying to use my body to tempt him into accepting the deal I’ve offered him.
Though I hope he’ll move to the driver’s seat soon, another part of me aches for him to shift closer, for him to put his hands on me again. Even for him to threaten me with punishment. No man has ever threatened to spank me before, and something about that barbaric threat excites me more than I would care to admit.
“I understand we can both benefit from this deal,” he says, his voice deep and rich, a stern yet soothing rumble next to my ear. “Therefore, I’ll keep you at my residence for seven days before I return you to your family, just like you wanted. You will at least be safe there, safe with me, I give you my word.”
My throat burns and I swallow hard. “Thank you, sir.” My face heats. Why have I called himsirtwice now? The only other people I’ve ever called sir are my male teachers, though none of them ever made my heart race or caused little pleasurable quivers to assail me.
Shyly, I glance down at my knees, though it’s impossible to ignore the large alien beside me. His scent is a combination of musk and leather. Another pang of heat shoots between my thighs. When Vlann produces a pair of manacles, for a moment I fear I might pass out.
“Just in case you decide to back out of the deal,” he says. “I’ll return you to your family at your request, but I won’t allow you to escape me. You might get hurt in the process and as I said, you’ll be safe with me.” He pushes me forward and maneuvers my hands behind my back, then he secures the manacles around my wrists.
“But…”
“Quiet,” he snaps, and from nowhere he produces a strip of black fabric—a blindfold! My heart skitters. “I don’t want you to have any idea where I live. This way, it’ll be near impossible to escape.”
I nod meekly—what other choice do I have?—and he adjusts the blindfold over my eyes. The hovercar’s windows are so darkly tinted that I know no one will see me from the outside and wonder why this alien has a human woman blindfolded and handcuffed in his backseat. Once he checks my seatbelt one more time, he leans closer until his hot breath pulses against my neck, a warm and sensual caress that almost causes me to squirm in my seat. In all my life, I don’t believe I’ve ever felt so excited around a man.
“You will be a guest in my home, but you’ll also be my prisoner, little human,” he says. “I have rules, and I expect to be obeyed in all things. You will listen to me at all times. If you misbehave or attempt another escape, your bottom will pay the price. Do you understand?”
Again, I nod. “Yes, Mr. D’Zorr, sir, I understand.”
“Good girl.”
To my complete shock, he strokes a hand through my hair several times. His touch is intimate and it’s all I can do to prevent myself from leaning closer. I have to remind myself that he’s not only a stranger, but he’s my captor. But when he leaves the backseat and I hear him settling into the driver’s seat up front, I can’t help but miss his touch.
Good girl. Warmth fills me.
He had called me a good girl yet again.
