Chapter 5
KAREN
Heat. It was the first thing Karen felt—a dense, radiating heat pressed against her back. As she opened her eyes, the dim light of the room revealed she was no longer in the cold med-bay. She was lying on a bed so massive it made her feel like a doll. The room was vast, easily the size of her entire house back on Earth, decorated with sleek, dark furniture that looked both alien and expensive.
She tried to turn, only to find herself pinned by a heavy, muscular arm draped over her waist. Her breath hitched. Behind her lay a man—if you could call him that—with grayish skin and hair as white as starlight. Even in the shadows, his profile was breathtaking: a jaw carved from stone, a straight, noble nose, and lips that looked dangerously inviting.
But as stunning as he was, Karen had a more pressing problem. She desperately needed a bathroom.
She tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but the movement only made him groan in his sleep, his arm tightening around her like a vice. She wriggled her hips, attempting to slide down, but a low, vibrating growl rumbled against her spine, freezing her in place. Then, he moved. He pressed his hips forward, and Karen felt something thick and incredibly hard nestle against her backside.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. It was huge. As he began to rub instinctively against her in his sleep, waves of treacherous heat flooded her body. To her horror, it felt good. A soft moan escaped her lips before she could stop it.
That was the trigger. The hand on her waist slid down, his large fingers brushing the edge of her panties.
"Ah!" Karen screamed, the sound echoing in the silent room.
The massive warrior jolted awake, sitting up instantly.
"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
Karen stared, her jaw dropping. "Y-You... you can talk?"
He tilted his head, a small, predatory smile tugging at his lips. "Yes."
"I can understand you... how?" She scrambled backward, but he sat back on his heels, his glowing blue eyes scanning every inch of her exposed skin. He leaned forward, his nose near her hip, and took a deep, audible sniff. A guttural growl ripped from his throat, his eyes darkening with an intensity that made Karen's blood run cold.
"Take off your clothes," he commanded, his voice like grinding gravel.
"What?!" Before she could think, Karen's hand flew out and slapped his cheek. Smack.
The warrior didn't move. He simply rubbed his cheek, his eyes gleaming with a new kind of fascination. She was a fighter. He liked that.
"Why did you do that?" he asked calmly.
"You're asking me to strip! That's an insult where I come from!" Karen snapped, clutching the blanket to her chest.
"I simply need to see if we are compatible," he explained, as if it were the most logical thing in the galaxy.
"Compa-what?"
"Let me see your Ussi."
"My what?" It took her a second to connect the dots. "Oh, no. No, no, no. We are not doing that!"
She scrambled to the far edge of the bed, hugging her knees. He watched her every move, his head tilted like a curious beast.
"I think you're moving a bit fast, big guy," Karen panted. "Maybe help me understand what's going on instead of trying to look at my... pussy. And where is the giant who snatched me from the other ship? I want to talk to him."
"You are talking to him," Drak rumbled. He watched her closely, his blue eyes shifting shades. "And... what is a 'pussy'?"
Karen rolled her eyes. This had to be a fever dream. "Pussy is Ussi. It's what we call it where I'm from."
"That word is not in the translator," he noted, sounding genuinely disappointed.
"I bet it isn't." She took a breath, trying to stay calm. "Explain the translator thing. Now."
He obliged, explaining how they had salvaged the device from the Lars. As he spoke, Karen realized just how much trouble she was in. She was light-years from home, trapped with a race of warriors who seemed to have a shortage of females.
"What is your name?" he asked, his voice softening.
"Karen."
He repeated it, the syllables sounding like a caress in his deep tone. "Karen... My name is Drak. I am a warrior of Dargox. What are you?"
"Human. From Earth. And I am definitely not a warrior."
"No warriors?" He looked surprised. "And your females... you said there are many?"
"Too many," Karen sighed.
"Interesting," Drak murmured, his eyes sparking with an unholy enthusiasm. "The Lars took you for a reason, Karen. I have an idea why."
"Why?"
His gaze dropped to her lips, then lower. "Take off your clothes and I will tell you."
"We're back to that? Forget it!" She stood up, legs slightly wobbly. "I need a bathroom. Do you even have those here?"
Drak suppressed a smile and stood up, his towering height making her feel tiny again. "Of course. Follow me."
He led her to a hidden door that slid open at his touch. Inside, the technology was mind-blowing—a toilet that appeared from the wall and a shower that responded to a wave of a hand. But as he showed her the blue water, Karen realized that in
this world, even the simplest things were going to be a battle of wills.