Chapter 4: Saved... or maybe not.Murry woke up to more terrible agony than he'd ever felt in his life. His eyes rolled to one side. A hairy creature was eating the layers of skin off the top of his forearm without the armband. His eyes widened at the horrible image. A long green tongue was licking and sucking his mangled flesh. Blood poured out of Murry as razor-sharp teeth scraped and sliced. Murry would never be able to get that image out of his head for the rest of his life.His body shifted on the glass table as the recruit alien bit at his calf. Fresh tears flowed out of his eyes. He had to die soon. The fat one moved closer, and his wide green tongue ran over Murry's cheek, lapping up the tears. The fat one's breath smelled like rotting garbage. The stench made Murry gag. He almost threw up and tried to keep down his stomach contents. A body couldn't take much more of this, right? He prayed he would pass out again.Gagging a second time, Murry wondered if he threw up in his mout
Chapter 5: The new alien."I am Keltrixtionlenz. Royal of the Dagerstanteens." The alien who had freed Murry scanned him as Murry struggled to get to his feet. Even though he spoke, the alien's mouth never opened or moved. He only smiled with his pretty pink lips. "Greetings." After a second, the new alien snatched a piece of fabric that dangled from his weapon's holster around his thigh. He wrapped the silk around Murry's arm. He then spoke again with that same deep husky tone."Stay here." Rising from his crouch, the blue creature spun back to the cages. When the hairy recruit peeked his head over the cage, both Murry and blue-tentacle-man saw the movement.Murry had no intention of going anywhere. His whole body hurt, even his hair. He nodded and then frowned at the introduction. He would never remember that long, hard-to-pronounce name, and he had no idea if he was supposed to be impressed by the alien being a royal. What Murry focused on right now was adjusting his body to accomm
Chapter 6: Kel is easier to say.For the second time, Murry awoke to more pain than he'd ever felt in his life. Was that even possible? His skin blazed, and he wondered if he was being cooked alive. He told himself not to open his eyes. He couldn't face more torture. His curiosity poked him. Was he still with Keltrix?When he finally looked around, Murry discovered he was back on a table. His heart began to pound as the icy claws of fear gripped him. No more. Since nothing was in his mouth, he began to beg. Even if no one would understand him, he didn't care. He couldn't stand to get ripped apart again. "Please," he whimpered. "Please, no more, please. I can't…""Calm, Human." Beautiful blue eye met his. This close, Murry noted the alien's thick black eyelashes and the way they fluttered. Keltrix leaned over him, and a soft, smooth tentacle stroked up his uninjured arm. There was nothing on the appendage caressing him, no indentations or spikes. The tentacles had no suction cups like
Chapter 7: One kiss.In an alien lab somewhere in space, Murry accepted his death. The only thing was, he didn't want to die alone.Slowly, Keltrix slipped one tentacle into his palm. Murry closed his fingers, gripping the soft skin and the more rigid muscles underneath. He held on with all the energy he had left inside of him. The heat grew, and he felt drunk or high. Since he lived with his mom and then in the group home, Murry had never done drugs. Even though he never did them, he figured this was what being high or drunk must be like for regular people. "What if the human drinks from me?" Kel's voice was husky, and he lifted his worried gaze to JP. "Would that be enough of our genetic composition inside of Murry's human body to use our medicines? It would help him live until we reach the main ship. Then you have the supplies to fix his human parts, yes?""Drinking from you would buy time, but you know the act is outlawed. Octnavin will be cross. Even if you are the favored siblin
Chapter 8: My only friend is a cup.Once more, Murry woke, confused, but this time no pain. At least not pain from someone hurting him.He rolled over to ease the ache in his shoulder from sleeping on the floor. His eyes opened to bright light and a pink ceiling. He sat and looked around the room. The square area he was in was empty except for a low metal coffee table. Everything was pink- pink walls, ceiling, floor. Running his hand over the floor, Murry felt the surface. The room felt smooth, like one giant tile from a hardware store. Murry came to his feet and stared down at his naked body. Nervously, Murry slipped his hand over his balls and then to his anus. There wasn't a bloody gaping mess anywhere. He sighed with relief and then looked at his arm. Exhaling his tension, he noted that there was no half-eaten flesh either. After checking a few other parts of his body, Murry walked around and around the pink room. He discovered two doors. One exit had no handles, or latches, or h
While Murry tried to gather his breath, he leaned away from Kel. Keltrix stared down at the white ejaculate covering his abs. Using his top right tentacle, Kel began to suck the fluid off his skin. The way the alien moved looked like a soft vacuum cleaner hose moving over Kel's belly. The tip was cleaning the cream."You can wash it off with water." Murry rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. He had no idea what just happened, but sucking his come off his abs was probably gross for the alien to do."I want to know what you taste like." Kel's eyes flipped to him. "But it is good to know you understand the idea of washing," he snapped. "Do not make me come in here again and clean you. I cannot do this again. There will be no more of that."Murry wondered if the alien couldn't come here again because he didn't want to have sex a third time. When Murry realized he'd used the word sex, his thoughts came to a halt. Was that sex? Was the kiss sex or not? Alien sex had never been some
Chapter 10: This isn't Earth.Murry was expecting more alien sex. The way Keltrix pulled him all frantic had him hoping they were going to find a bed. What was in the other room wasn't more sex. In fact, as Murry entered, he stopped in his tracks. Behind Kel, Murry gapped as his jaw dropped. The all-pink room had been transformed. Now his prison cell was a replica of the group home where he lived on Earth. Everything was there, down to the threadbare throw blanket over the back of the worn couch. The coffee table was still in the room, but that furniture was the only thing that didn't match his old living space. Keltrix turned around and faced Murry. "Now it is home? Not a prison?"Damn. Keltrix wasn't lying. The alien could totally see into his mind. Murry balked at that. Alien reading his mind was right out of a sci-fi horror movie. The alien had taken the memory of the day one of the other residents had broken a chair. The three-legged chair was tipped against the dining table be
Chapter 11: A new home.The alien's room was a sea of silk blankets. From the waves over the door to the rolling hills of sateen, there wasn't a single place that Murry could move that wouldn't be covered.As Murry entered behind Keltrix, he passed a low table that was the same as his cell. When he strolled next to the metal coffee table, Kel nodded to the piece of furniture. It was the only thing not overtaken with fabric. "I will give you clear information about your new living area, Murry-cat. If you do not understand, you can ask me or use our mental connection to ask. For me, it is easier if you use a mental picture. The image is easier than the words. The translation is not always accurate. I use your English words as best as I can.""I can talk to you in my mind?" Murry's eyebrows rose. That was slightly disturbing, but also he had to admit, it was kind of neat."You may talk to me in my mind as long as I wish it. My mind is stronger than yours. If you connect and I do not want
Chapter 136: The end of... Life and Death.Standing between his grove of apple trees and his rows of orange trees, Ike stopped and inhaled the blossoms in the wind. The bright star of the Dagerstanteen planet had him closing his eyes and sighing in delight. He'd never been outside this much, and he was addicted to the warm fresh air. He grinned. There were a few things he was addicted to now, one of which was the three humans laughing, chatting, and strolling toward him.Ike opened his eyes and smiled at the three men walking between his carrots."Ike," Chasm called. "We are here to learn.""Thank you for agreeing to take care of my plants while I travel with JP." Ike nodded."Caveman." Sloan approached him using the nickname he'd given Ike after they met. Sloan held up his hand, and Ike slapped Sloan's palm before his new friend jogged over to where the row of raspberry bushes was growing. "This is badass."Ike glanced at Chasm and raised an eyebrow."It means good," Chasm translated.
Chapter 135: Taking the fire back.JP didn't make a sound after Lee's announcement, but Ike could see his thoughts moving in a whirl. JP was making plans. The alien was rigging up a way to pull him from the fire if he said yes. The alien was also simultaneously trying to figure out how to keep Ike alive for a long time if he didn't hold the fire and if they didn't get the lifesaving water. Ike was very old and his Dagerstanteen blood would only do so much. Plus, all the humans needed the healing water. It wasn't just his life they were talking about here."I…" Ike pictured going back to the rain planet. He would have to watch time tick by while he held the fire again. The loneliness would eat at him. "I will have to return to the sanctuary," Ike murmured."Never," JP snapped."You do know that you burned that to the ground, right?" Keltrix asked."I will forbid you from returning to your old home." Octnavin's sentence was unmovable stone. "If you were to take the ember and regrow the P
Chapter 134: Life after the fire.As soon as Ike had the sensation of being set on a cold table, his eyes opened wide. It had been a long time since Ike felt the sensation of cold."JP?""He is here."Ike looked into Keltrix's eyes and then pushed away from the tentacles holding him. He sat and swung his legs until he was on the edge of an exam table in a laboratory."Where am I?" Ike glanced at Keltrix and then at Octnavin. Next to him on a second table was JP. The alien looked burned from head to toe. He wasn't moving, and Ike felt panic. Did the fire kill JP? Why was everyone acting like it didn't matter?"JP?" Ike set his hand on his blackened skin. The hard surface was rippled and rough."What is that thing that Sloan likes to say?" Keltrix asked Octnavin."He bounces back fast." Octnavin crossed his middle tentacles over his chest."Yes," Keltrix agreed. "That's it.""Where are we?" Ike glanced at the leader of the Dagerstanteens. "Is JP dead?""This is our ship, and we are parke
Chapter 133: At the fire temple.Ike kept himself conscious by listening to the Dagerstanteen that carried him. JP found the most boring things to list in Ike's head until he had to fight not to sleep. Although Ike struggled to stay awake, he did agree that JP kept his emotions and the fire calm.As the air got colder, the cooler air had him focusing. The six of them started to climb up a wide rock staircase on the closest side of a small mountain. The guards that had followed them stayed at the bottom. All around them was water, and there were no sides or railings to the steps. One move to the left or the right, and they would fall into the dark, murky moat.Ike lifted his chin and tipped his head as they marched. His heart beat a little faster when he spotted the Panchen Fire Shrine.This is where he would die.When they reached the end of the staircase, JP stepped onto smooth marble. Ike noted that the water lapped at the highest point and splashed like the liquid wanted to take ove
Chapter 132: Albeon.When Ike awoke, he was cradled in JP's tentacles, but the skin was not soft and silky. The tentacles that held him were stiff and hard and throbbing with heat. The alien had turned his skin into armor, and Ike didn't know why.Blinking rapidly, Ike was about to explain again how he was heading to Albeon no matter what JP said, but as he focused his eyes, he was shocked and speechless at what was happening around him.JP stood in front of Princess Lee and three old Albeon women. Ike knew who those women were. Shay had told him about the three elders. There was Dilma, Payson, and Rolla. He was finally on the planet Albeon and besides the women in front of him, all around the open field, stood male Albeon guards of every shape and size. The number of weapons pointed at him was concerning, and he found himself holding his breath.On the right of JP stood Octnavin holding a sizeable pink bundle in his arms. On JP's left side stood a fully armed Keltrix like a silent sen
Chapter 131: Out of control. Fenton and Shay stood in his living area. As Ike walked out of his bedroom, he began to roll a cigarette. He felt nauseous and wanted to curl up and cry and rail against the unfairness of life. But he wouldn't do that in front of anyone. He could fall apart later when he was alone. Right now, he had to get dressed and leave with some dignity. He could hear Baja in his head. He needed to get it together and keep the fire calm."Ike—" Fenton stopped when JP strode out of Ike's bedroom. "JP? What are you doing here?""Greetings," Shay murmured as her eyes went from JP to Ike. "I didn't know he was...." Shay lifted her eyebrows and then grinned. "What were you doing in your bedroom?""Talking." Ike gave Shay a warning look to let it go and then brought his cigarette to his lips."Arguing," JP said at the same time."Did you bring me a new ship?" Ike asked as he lit his cigarette and ignored the Dagerstanteen."I brought mine. I will escort you." Queen Shay nod
Chapter 130: Time to leave.Ike used JP's tentacle as a pillow as he stared at the ceiling above his bed. For the last two days, he'd had sex, talked, ate, laughed, and had more sex. In the end, he did everything he could so that he wouldn't have to tell JP that he was going to his death. He'd never been this happy, and he hated to end his relationship with the Dagerstanteen but....He knew he had to, and soon.Any moment Lee or Shay would show up with a ship, and he was leaving to fly to Albeon. He must get rid of the fire. The flame was staying calm right now, but the blaze could get out of control, and it was only a matter of time before the fire burst from him. His exhaustion was rising from trying to keep the fire from blowing, and he was scared to find out what would happen if he ran out of energy. He would not be responsible for that kind of destruction. Ike had to tell JP and explain. It was the right thing to do.Ike rolled over and cushioned his cheek against JP's shoulder. H
Chapter 129: Playing."I cannot believe I am about to make a fool of myself." Ike sat in the middle of the bench and stared up at the massive instrument. The strings were on the right and left and came down from a long bar across the top. He couldn't even reach some parts of the instrument unless he got up and ran around. He refused to be that ridiculous.Cracking his knuckles, Ike paused as he decided he would play the easiest song he knew, and even though he couldn't hit all the notes, it would probably sound good enough that his ears wouldn't bleed."Any time," JP teased."You'll regret this." Ike glared at the alien and then reached his hands outward and wiggled his fingers.JP made a slight giggle under his breath.Ike ignored the alien and began the song. He plucked at each string until the notes shimmered in the air. The sound waves rolled off the loominairin, and he grinned at the beauty of the music. The song was simple, and he had just reached halfway went JP moved behind him
Chapter 128: Flying back home.When Ike awoke, he pulled himself into a sitting position and leaned against the front window of his ship. He was naked and covered in a blanket. After he rubbed his eyes, he glanced over his shoulder. His home planet was coming into view."What happened?" Ike bounded to his feet in shock and then wrapped the cloth around his waist. He hunted for his armor and picked up the pieces of clothing strewn all over the command deck."I do not know what you are asking me. Nothing happened." JP gave him a quick look before he went back to flying his ship. "You fell asleep after you reached your third climax. You have quite the stamina. I think that is your Dagerstanteen blood." The alien sounded amused. "When we were free to leave the ocean floor, and there were no threats to the ship, I took over flying and let you rest. I said goodbye to Tullie for you.""I bet you did," Ike muttered as he pictured what JP probably said about Ike being placed in a sexual stupor