Nebula Book 1: His Breeder

Ak observed the little tunni bird under his scrutiny. Her eyes trembled, batting like wings, as she contemplated her options.

What will you do, little tunni? Will you fly away?

He saw temptation shine bright in those dirt-colored irises and strange whites of hers. After The Vanishing, he swam through pools of blood. His childhood was spent struggling to protect his brothers from the tar of despair that polluted his planet. Darkness had surrounded him for many snowfalls. He saw it in men that wanted to hurt his family and in men that wanted to hurt themselves.

And now he saw it in this little tunni.

He could not wait to see what she would decide to do. Would she elope with darkness? Leave him here to struggle?

She looked to her left one more time, before slicing her fleshy bottom lip between her teeth and reaching for his silver sword.

Choosing light over darkness; silver over black.

She had no idea that it was inappropriate to touch another person’s weapon without permission– how could she? She was literally out of this world.

He absorbed her struggle. Her blunt little teeth gritted as the rest of her warred to lift the heavy sword. It took all she had to lift the blade up for his hand.

I want her.

Not her womb. He wanted whatever else came with the mysterious, darkly-pigmented but brightness-loyal, tunni.

Reaching out, he gripped the blade of his sword and squeezed. Instantly, the metal betrayed its master, puncturing his skin.

Nebula gasped with horror when blood began to spill. It trickled down the blade of the sword and reached down for her, like a storm that was rolling in. She didn’t release the handle, however. She was both afraid that the added weight would worsen his bleeding, and morbidly mesmerized by the sight of red.

Aliens bled different, she realized. Their blood was dotted with small specks of gold. Or was it just this man? Was his blood just contaminated?

Ak held on tight, ignoring the pain. They had no language to exchange, but by offering her his crimson, he hoped that she understood that he was willing to bleed to her.

He’d bleed every drop if that’s what it took to fix this. He was a provider; it’s what made him tick. His brothers were now adult men that could take care of themselves, but he had a new mission with this female.

He used his other hand to grab the blade and scale the weapon up. Seeing his intentions, Nebula released it. Once he grabbed the handle, he swung at the rope that was tied around his ankle.

The rope snapped and down came a meteorite of a man.

Nebula watched him flip his body as he fell, so his legs were aimed at the ground. Life as she knew it trembled when he landed, his weight devastating the field. No part of him jiggled from the impact, being too tightly braided with muscle.

She stared at him.

I am at his mercy again.

There was no longer a rope between them. He could abuse the freedom she returned and take what he wanted. No mountain, tree, or lake would save her.

Subconsciously, she rubbed the back of her hand. A few droplets of his blood were on her skin, warm but unnerving.

Something had shifted in him. She could sense it. Was it a product of guilt? Did he now realize that he plotted to abuse not an animal that can only process primal instinct, but an intelligent being capable of kindness?

She had the option to run away, but she helped him, although he didn’t deserve it.

She had proved that there was more to her than a fertile vagina.

Without disconnecting their eyes, Ak raised his bloody palm and placed it over his heart.

“Akdronis Ezron,” he said.

It was his name: two words containing a promise.

Nebula understood, but her lips remained sealed. She wouldn’t give him her name. How could she offer him friendship while her shoulders were still healing from the burn that his dark intentions left behind?

She sighed deeply. Now that her adrenaline was diluting, the exhaustion was taking over. Her body now felt hotter, and her abdomen clenched with pain.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss her lightheadedness, only to sway and lose her footing. A huge, tanned hand suddenly appeared on her dark bicep, supporting her weight.

A beat of fear made an appearance. This was typical of them. Whenever this man got too close, their dark memories resurfaced.

With tired eyes, she stared at their connection.

Her dark brown flesh was entwined with his lighter one. A combination that was never supposed to happen.

His fingers felt rough against her silky one. She should have pulled away. If she was in her right mind, she would have fought with everything she had to offer, but she was so tired.

She was fevish and falling apart as her womb fought with the rest of her body. A blade was slicing across her stomach. Again and again and again, as if she had unlimited skin.

It was a pain like no other.

So just this once, she allowed him close. It was up to him to determine their gravity. They could work together like the Earth and the Moon, rotating around each other. If he tried to hurt her, however, they would clash violently.

She relaxed her arms, allowing him a small step forward in the long road to forgiveness.

Ak, understanding her permission, swept an arm under her and pulled her to his chest. The tunni was too ill to fly. He had to fix her wings.

With the female in his arms and his blade carefully hanging from one of his hands, he walked away.

He needed to find that pain medication.