Servant For An Alien Leader by Roxie Ray
Rita
“Mmm,” I moaned. “Yes, right there.”
My entire body was on fire, burning from the inside out as the sexiest man I’d ever seen ran his tongue through my damp folds then flicked it over my clit, causing me to arch up off the floor of the spaceship.
Above me, through the clear Plastisteel ceiling, millions of stars glimmered and winked just for me as I floated on a cloud of exquisite pleasure.
Tap, tap, tap.
I groaned, trying to ignore the tapping on the window. I was so close, ready to explode, just one more—
Tap, tap, tap.
With a jolt, my eyes flew open, and my heart hammered as an unfamiliar room took shape in front of me.
Where am I?
I sucked in a few deep breaths to steady my racing pulse and bring myself back to reality. I’d been dreaming. About… Oh, God.
My face burned as I recalled the salacious thoughts I’d been having about Urul. My boss.
I gritted my teeth and took a look around me, everything about last night coming back in a rush. Not just the dreams of Urul—which I’d had all night long—but about my arrival on this gorgeous new planet. The new life I was getting ready to start.
Tap, tap, tap.
The same sound that had awoken me at the worst possible time. My body was still aching with need from what Urul had been doing to me, but I quickly pushed it all from my mind and shoved the blankets back, climbing from the bed and ignoring the throbbing between my legs.
The incessant tapping came from the window. Slowly, I crept over to the painted glass. The morning sun shone through, illuminating the artist’s rendering of a vibrant field of orange flowers. I couldn’t make out what was on the other side, but it looked like a horned giant trying to peek inside.
A soft slithering sound behind me had me yelping and spinning around, jumping up on the bed to get away from whatever was inside my room. My pulse raced, and I tried to collect my thoughts through the fog of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
What kind of creatures lived on this planet? Was it even safe?
Then my gaze landed on the source of the slithering sound. The blue plant I’d admired last night was uncoiling, its vines stretching across the floor. I watched with a mix of shock and awe as one of the vines began climbing up the wall…and unlocked the freaking window.
“No way,” I breathed. And not just because I’d seen a plant behaving like a living being, but because another plant—what I’d mistaken for a horned giant—pushed the window open. It was a large, flowering, bushy thing, but its tangerine petals were breathtaking.
The two plants wiggled and shook, and I could’ve sworn the blue vine pointed right at me. They shook and vibrated again, then the vine reached out and patted me on the head.
Any bit of fear I’d initially felt morphed into pure fascination. This was incredible. And Urul had been right—they were friendly.
Urul.
I sighed, flashes of my dreams coming back to me. That man was like no one I’d ever seen before. I’d been instantly attracted to him the moment I laid eyes on him. So much so, I’d barely been able to speak. The air had literally been knocked from my lungs.
Never in my life had I ever felt such a visceral reaction to another person. But there was something about him, a strength and a certainty that simultaneously thrilled me and left me feeling like an inexperienced teenager all over again.
Pretty much the exact opposite of David, who could be sweet but who’d never had the kind of sex appeal that practically oozed from Urul—at least not for me. Where David came off as cocky and arrogant, Urul had a confidence that left me breathless.
Even now, just thinking of him had my skin tingling and my breath coming in shallow gasps. What the hell was wrong with me?
I shook my head, trying to clear it of the thoughts. Urul was my direct supervisor, my boss, and I shouldn’t have been thinking about him like that.
But an unfamiliar awareness had swept over me when we’d first locked eyes last night. Then fucking David had to go and butt in with his crap about Raider men being scary before I could even get a word in. He’d made things awkward from the get-go without even trying. The man was oblivious and had no filter.
I still couldn’t believe we were here on the same planet. And not just that, we were working for the same people—Rahl and Wisteria. So much for getting away from each other.
There was nothing I could do about it now, though. I was here for a job, and I planned on giving my all whether David was here or not. At least he wasn’t working directly under Urul, which meant I might not see him much. One could hope. After all, I wanted this experience here on Macros to be mine, not ours.
Not that Urul had seemed to like me anyway. Sure, he was kind and friendly, but he’d been pretty closed off. He’d even appeared annoyed at one point.
Stop, I commanded myself, stepping down off the bed and heading toward my bathroom. You don’t need to think of your boss like that anyway.
I dressed in a pair of field pants and a lightweight shirt—I could already feel the warmth of the day seeping in through the open window—brushed my hair, then headed outside.
The moment I stepped through the door, a tingling, almost magnetic pull drew me further out into the morning light, and I looked around in wonder. It had been pretty dark last night, and I hadn’t been able to take it all in, but now, in the bright morning sun, it felt like I was stepping into a dream world.
The mint green skies were clear, and the fields that surrounded the mountaintop village were the most vibrant shades of emerald and jade I’d ever seen. Orange-leaved trees were scattered about, intermingled with dozens of species of exotic flora. In short, it was beautiful, and I could think of nowhere else I’d rather have ended up.
Then my eyes landed on him, and my breath caught. Directly across the dirt road, Urul worked in a garden. Shirtless.
His focus was absolute, and he didn’t seem to notice as I stared and stared. Holy shit, this was even better than my dream. His muscles bunched and coiled as he worked, his burnt-orange skin gleaming in the sunlight as sweat beaded on his chest. His long black braid cascaded down nearly to his waist. Damn, he was so strong, so tall, so—
I froze as Urul lifted his head and his eyes locked on mine, a bright piercing blue the shade of shallow waters. My heart thundered, my mouth watered, and all I could think of was what it would be like to have those strong hands on my body. To run my own fingers over his sinewy muscles.
I lifted a hand to my forehead as a wave of dizziness washed over me, surprised to find my skin was on fire.
“Are you okay?”
I blinked, and a couple seconds passed before it registered that Urul was speaking to me.
I shook my head. “Um, I’m not sure, actually.” I took a few steps forward, crossing the small strip of dirt road so I was standing just on the other side of his garden fence. “Is there a space version of jet lag? Not that my symptoms are like jet lag, but maybe it’s different with interplanetary travel?”
Urul’s eyebrows drew together and he set down the tool he was working with and came to stand mere feet from me. “Jet lag?”
“It’s something that can happen when you fly on aircraft back on Earth,” I explained, still off-kilter. “Mostly you just feel really tired.”
“Is that what you’re feeling like now?” he asked, his brow furrowing in concern. In a matter of a second, his stern expression morphed into one of concern. “You mentioned symptoms. What symptoms are you having?”
I took a breath, trying to clear my head once more—trying not to look at the chiseled pecs and defined abs that were on display right before me.
“Well, not exactly. It started inside the house. My heart was pounding, I felt lightheaded, then this weird sensation, almost like I was being pulled outside.” I wanted to look away from him, to keep my head on straight, but I couldn’t seem to make myself. “Now I just feel warm, a little restless, and…”
“And?” he prompted.
It sounded silly, even to me, but I said the words aloud. “Happy. I feel irrationally happy for some reason.”
Instantly, his face closed off, and I couldn’t get a read on him at all.
“You can rest longer if you’d like, Rita. Maybe you still need to recover from the trip.”
I shook my head. “No. Definitely not. The last thing I want is to be inside when it’s so beautiful out here. I’ll be fine. I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m used to hard work, and honestly, I’d like to get started right away.”
Urul watched me with that carefully blank expression for a couple heartbeats longer, then he bent down and rifled through a bag on a tree stump next to the fence.
“Well, if you won’t rest, you should at least eat and drink before getting to work,” he said, standing once more and handing me an unfamiliar snack and drink. “Here you go. Have those, and I’ll be right back.”
Without another word, he disappeared inside his house. Unsure what else to do but wait, I took a sip of the drink. It was thick, a bit gritty and earthy, but it had a sweet flavor, almost like pineapple juice. The snack bar reminded me of granola, but softer. They were different, but still tasty, and I instantly felt nourished and replenished. Better than Earth granola, that was for sure.
I’d finished them by the time Urul reappeared, fully dressed this time. A not-so-tiny part of me was disappointed he wouldn’t be working shirtless all day.
“You ready to get going?” he asked, not quite meeting my eyes.
“Yeah, of course. What will I be doing today?”
“We’ll head to the surrounding fields,” he replied, already starting to walk down the dirt road. I hurried along after him. “I’ll show you some of the basics, teach you about some of the plants, and let you get your hands dirty.”
I grinned up at him as I caught up. “Sounds like a fun time.”
He glanced down, and I thought I saw a hint of a smile on his lips, but maybe I imagined it because a second later, his face was just as stern as it had been before. I tried not to think of those lips and where they’d been in my dream as we made our way to the fields, but it was no easy task. In fact, the longer I was around him, the harder it seemed to be to push those thoughts aside.
Watch out, I warned myself. Crushing on your boss will only lead to trouble.
The morning passed quickly, and I became absorbed in everything Urul taught me. He showed me how to use various tools and gadgets—much more advanced than what David and I had on the farm—to weed out the little thorny, carnivorous weeds that grew all around, how to harvest the medicinal Balbus plant, and how to use a device called a sweep-suck to collect pollen from the Merry flowers, a bright orange plant with tulip-like blooms.
It was hard, physical labor, but there was nothing I liked more than really digging in with my hands and doing something that made a difference.
When we finished up there, Urul turned to me. “You still feeling okay or do you need a break?”
“I’m feeling great,” I said with a wide smile, meaning every word of it. “This is really fun learning about this planet.”
“Good. Then you’re up for seeing some of the animals?”
“Up for it? Are you kidding?” I clapped my hands excitedly. “I can’t wait to see what kind of animals you have here.”
This time he did smile, but it was such a brief flash I almost missed it. Still, the way his face morphed with that expression made him even more gorgeous.
“Okay, let’s head back then and I’ll show you how to milk the ookies.” He began gathering the tools.
“Ookies?” I asked, helping him carry the tools to the little shed we’d gotten them from.
“Kind of like…what do you call them on Earth?” He scrunched his face and snapped his fingers. “Goats! They’re kind of like goats.”
“I had goats on the farm,” I told him as we made our way up the hill, “so I’m pretty familiar with milking. Unless it’s done differently here,” I added with a laugh.
“Guess you’ll find out.”
Turned out, it wasn’t that different at all. Milking an animal was pretty basic, and I caught on with Urul only having to show me once what to do. He looked pleased, a slight smile on his lips again, but when I smiled back at him, he shut down once more. What was that about?
We both got to work milking the ookies, and several times throughout the late morning, I tried to strike up another conversation with him, but he remained mostly silent, focused on his work, answering me with grunts or one-word responses.
It was like he had an aversion to me or something, but I had no idea why. There had been a couple moments when I thought we were getting along nicely, but then he’d close up. Maybe it because of what David had said yesterday? Maybe he’d offended Urul so thoroughly that he wanted nothing to do with me outside of my job. Or maybe he thought I held the same judgmental ideas as David.
Just when I’d worked up the courage to ask him about it, footsteps clopped into the barn-like structure. I turned to see a familiar face beaming at me.
“Good morning, Rita,” Wisteria said, her freckled nose wrinkling as she smiled. Her large green eyes were identical to those of the man walking beside her. “This is my brother, Rahl.”
I stopped and stood, my eyes wide as they landed on Rahl Prospero, the leader of this planet. With his light green skin and large eyes, he had similar features to his sister, but his hair was dark brown threaded with green instead of red like Wisteria’s.
I looked from one of them to the other, then at Urul, who’d stood as well. Was I supposed to bow? Address him formally? I had no idea how to interact with him, and I definitely didn’t want to offend him.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” he said warmly with a kind smile that immediately set me at ease.
“No formalities here,” Wisteria said, as if she could tell what I was thinking. “While my brother is ruler, he likes to think he’s just a regular guy.” She winked at her brother.
I smiled. “And who do we have here?”
Balanced on Rahl’s hip was a beautiful little toddler with the same big, round eyes as her father and aunt, but her skin was much paler green, almost pastel, and her hair was a warm brown.
“This is my daughter, Aurora,” Rahl said, and the little girl gave me an adorable grin before hiding her face in her father’s shoulder.
Rahl chuckled. “She’s a little shy around newcomers, but she’ll warm up to you.”
“Looks like you’re already hard at work, Rita.” Wisteria looked around the barn. “David got right to it at the observatory, too. You are quite the hardworking pair, it seems. I think we lucked out. I have a hunch you’re going to be happy here. What do you think so far?”
“I think it’s wonderful,” I gushed. “The sky, the crops, the animals, the plants. They’re all so different and fascinating. I do miss my little goat,” I admitted with a small shrug, “but he went to a good family and I’m looking forward to working with all the animals here.”
“I bet they’re really different from what you’re used to,” Rahl said.
“Well, the animals have different physiologies, that’s for sure, but so far nothing too shocking.” Then I remembered the vines from my room this morning. I quickly told them what happened. “Is that normal?”
Urul nodded, then spoke for the first time since the Prospero siblings had arrived. “It is here. But I looked up some plants on Earth, and they aren’t nearly as communicative as the ones on Macros. At least, that’s what I gathered from what I read.”
He quirked an eyebrow, and I nodded in confirmation, my face warm. He’d barely spoken to me all day except in relation to my work tasks. Apparently, a few pleasant words from him was all it took to set my heart racing.
“I think Earth flora behaves more like those on Raider,” he continued, his eyes still on mine. “I bet seeing them communicate like that was a bit of a shock.”
I laughed. “You can say that again. I jumped up on my bed like a snake was set loose in my room.”
He smiled then, a full-on grin that had my pulse thrumming and my body coming alive.
I swallowed, trying not to appear affected. Because really, why was I having such a reaction to a man I’d only just met? I’d never experienced anything like it before.
Clearing my throat, I said, “If you really think about it, though, it makes sense. Plants on Earth have relationships as well. Trees communicate, fungi connect to their roots, they send messages, exchange nutrients. Mother hub trees send resources to their seedlings—sometimes even other species.”
It seemed like the same thing with these plants on Macros, they just cut out the middleman and respond much faster.
“I’ve thought the same thing about Raider and Macros,” Urul said, his gaze now locked on mine. “Plenty of similarities. Their relationships are just much more visible and obvious here. Take the roots of the Bilboo trees, for example.”
Urul walked over to a potting bench on the far side of the barn, and the rest of us followed along. “If split, the roots will pull towards each other. Like this.”
He took a little seedling and split the roots, and I watched as they did in fact strain toward each other, the roots visibly reaching out until finally they could twine themselves together once more.
“I can relate,” I muttered, thinking of the visceral pull I felt towards Urul. How I wanted to wrap myself around him, too.
I didn’t know if heard me, but he frowned and focused on putting the seedling back into its pot. When he turned around again, he abruptly said, “I have to go. I’ve received word of an orphaned clutch of rapuses.”
“I did as well,” Rahl said, shifting Aurora to his other hip. “Glad to hear my best man is already on it.”
Urul turned to Wisteria. “Do you have any rapuse milk stored up?”
“Yes. Our female has plenty to spare since her clutch didn’t make it.” Her face fell as she said it, and my heart went out to her. I knew that feeling all too well. Just because it was part of veterinary life didn’t make it easy.
“Great.” Urul nodded. “I’ll get some of that before I head out. Rita, I’m sure you’ll be fine here, or with Rahl and Wisteria if they want to show you around some more.”
He didn’t look at me as he said it, and my ridiculous heart sank.
“Oh, just take her along,” Wisteria said brightly, her smile widening. “She doesn’t have to hike up and down with you, but I’m certain she’d love to go along for the drive and see more of Macros. And if you happen to need to bring any back in, Rita can hold them on the way back.”
“Okay,” was all he said, but he sounded far from thrilled. He sighed then looked back at me, finally. “I’ll grab the milk and then we’ll head out together.”
Urul walked through a doorway, and I watched his retreating back until he rounded a corner, admiring the way his broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist.
“Rita,” Rahl said, startling me. I grimaced. Hopefully, they didn’t notice how incredibly attracted I was to Urul, or that I was clearly distracted by him. “I brought you a tincture—for space sickness.”
“That’s actually a thing?” Relief coursed through me. Maybe I wasn’t losing it over Urul then. Maybe my body was just having a hard time adapting and that was why I was feeling all kinds of weird.
“Kind of like jet lag,” he said, and I lifted my brows. “Yes, I know about these things. My wife is human. Trust me, it will make you feel better.”
He handed me a small vial, but I was still caught on what he’d just said. “Your wife is human?” He nodded. “That’s fascinating to me. Is it difficult to raise a child with someone from a different species?”
Maybe I was being blunt, but I was genuinely curious.
Rahl gave me a kind smile. “You’d be surprised. Most species have more things in common than they do differences if you’re willing to look past the surface.”
“I’d love to meet her.” I truly meant it. Having another human to talk to might help me adjust to all the changes—and maybe I’d find the courage to as her if this insane attraction I was feeling was normal.
“And I’m sure she can’t wait to meet you,” Rahl replied. “She’s currently back on Earth for a quick visit. The first one she’s had since she came to Macros. It’s for a friend’s wedding, and it won’t be long, but I have to admit, I miss her terribly.” He bounced little Aurora on his hip and bent to kiss her forehead. “We both do.”
“Gayle and Rahl are intolerably adorable,” Wisteria whispered, but her fond smile told me she was genuinely happy for her brother. “Maybe one day I’ll find someone as special as my brother has.”
Yeah. Me too.
“Anyway.” Wisteria clasped her hands together and gave me a knowing look. “Until Gayle returns, I’m sure you have ample company and won’t be lonely with Urul around.”
I cleared my throat. Was I that obvious? “I don’t know. He seems more like the strong, silent type.”
“Who, Urul?” Wisteria knitted her brows together, then threw her head back with a laugh. “No way. Not that guy. He’s usually as chatty as a flock of gazerits. If he’s quiet, he probably just has something on his mind.”
Or he just doesn’t like me.
The thought hurt more than I wanted to admit, but I chalked it up to my ridiculous attraction to him—something I’d have to ignore because I already loved it on Macros, and I wouldn’t allow myself to mess it up by falling for my boss.
