CHURGRED, THE CHARMING

HORGERIANS

BOOK 0.5

NOVA EDWINS

ALIEN ROMANCE

CONTENTS

Churgred, the Charming

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

About Nova Edwins

CHURGRED, THE CHARMING

Planet Earth as I knew it no longer exists, and I have no choice but to leave. However, I have only one chance of starting over: convincing someone with a spaceship that it's worth taking me with them.

When I hear the rumor that a Horgerian man will be leaving for his home planet Horgerion fairly soon, I decide to throw myself at him—shamelessly.

There are a few minor obstacles, though:

I'm not the only woman with this idea.

I know nothing about Horgerians or the planet Horgerion.

And when I find out that Horgerians like to eat human flesh, it's already too late ...

This short story contains a touch of the apocalypse, an unexpected savior, and a desperate heroine who is prepared to do (almost) anything.

1

Lizzie leaned closer to me. "And then you turn right, and walk along the rampart to the end of the street. He must have set up camp somewhere at the old market square. A huge dark blue tent. You really can't miss it."

"When you say rampart, you mean the pile of burnt-out cars, right? Not the wall of sandbags near the hospital?" I asked.

"The burnt-out cars." She nodded.

"And what was the name again?"

"Churgred, the Charming."

I stared at her. "The Charming?"

"Don't ask me. These Horgerians all seem to have nicknames. You're lucky it's one of the nicer ones. I've heard some of them are called something like 'The Cruel' or 'The Devious.'"

My throat was tight, and for a moment, I dwelled on my thoughts. Was this really my best option?

The next second, Lizzie reached out her hand eagerly because she wanted to be paid.

"Right." I pulled my backpack out from under the so-called table, which was really nothing more than a board on two discarded tires, and opened the zipper. The information had cost me five packs of hair dye, but it had been worth it.

My roommate had called me crazy when I had come home with the hair dye, but I knew that even after the apocalypse, humans would stay vain. Personally, I didn't care that the red in my hair had grown out and that the dark roots nearly reached my ears.

Whatever food I found, I ate myself, but all the luxury goods that I scavenged, I used for trading: batteries, cosmetics, toiletries, and books.

But two years after the big disaster, the bang, the invasion, the end—or whatever you wanted to call it—it became increasingly difficult to find anything at all. The nearest supermarket that had not yet been looted bare was seven miles away, and walking seven miles alone as a woman after the apocalypse had become impossible.

I hardly knew how I was supposed to make it to Churgred. Churgred, the Charming. Hopefully, he lived up to his nickname.

Lizzie cleared her throat impatiently after I handed her the hair dye, and I knew it was time to leave. There was a long line of people behind me who also wanted to do business with her.

With a thin smile and a pounding heart because I had to go outside again, I stood up and slipped my arms through the straps of my backpack.

On the way out, I pulled the hood over my head and kept my eyes down as I pushed past the people waiting.

I used to hate the fact that I was slightly taller than average for a woman, but I had learned to appreciate it after the collapse of Earth. With the shoulders of my parkas stuffed and my face down, I could pass for a slim guy, at least if I kept moving.

The sun was slowly setting, so I had to hurry home. The first fires were already burning, and soon the looters and human traffickers would come crawling out of their hiding places.

I bit my lower lip and hesitated. Perhaps I should try to reach this Churgred fellow as quickly as possible. If he left for Horgerion in the morning, I’d be too late.

The situation on Earth was continuously getting worse for women, and I could hear the big imaginary clock ticking slowly.

Back then, after humanity had found out that we were by no means alone in space, a few smart women had made friends with nice aliens and gone with them. I had thought they were crazy—until the not-so-nice aliens showed up and destroyed our civilization. We humans hadn’t been as advanced as we had thought, because there had been nothing we could do to fight back the invaders.

The colony I was living in was still reasonably safe, but that could change quickly. I spoke from experience, unfortunately. It was already my third place after the apocalypse. Like everywhere else, almost three quarters of the residents were male. Many of them vied for my favor, but the fewer women were available, the more aggressive the courting became.

It was hard enough just to get through the daily grind of looking for shelf-stable food and all the other necessities, hoping that tomorrow wouldn't bring the next batch of aliens who hunted humans as a pastime—just surviving without having to dodge all those ... love-starved men.

A while ago, I had come to the conclusion that my chances of survival were probably much higher on another planet. I had heard of a space station called Leto 5 and of planets with names like Ulna, Jittania Prime, and Horgerion.

However, the visits from friendly aliens became less frequent, because Earth was hardly worth visiting anymore.

I had no choice. I would have to pay Churgred, the Charming a visit and hope that I could convince him to take me with him.

Heart pounding, I made my way toward the market square and through the other people, my head down and my shoulders hunched. Thankfully, most of the men didn't even glance at me.

Just as Lizzie had said, the large dark blue tent was impossible to miss.

I stopped in front of the entrance and gathered all my courage. "Hello?" I asked. Nobody answered.

Instead, I heard voices behind me.

"I swear I'll go crazy if I don't get my hands on a woman soon. I almost don't care what she looks like anymore," said a man with a deep voice and an accent that sounded Southern.

"I know exactly what you mean. If you let me have a go afterwards, I’ll hold her down for you." A dirty laugh followed.

The men were walking right into my direction, and I had definitely heard enough. Although I had no idea what to expect in the tent, it could hardly be worse than out here.

I pushed the flap aside and entered the tent. The inside looked nothing like I had expected. So far, I had deliberately avoided too much contact with the various alien species, so I was surprised to see this mixture of high tech and the dark ages. The tent was lit by small LED-like lamps hanging on the walls, but on the bed—which was alarmingly large—were furs that obviously served as blankets and pillows.

Something in front of me made a cooing sound, and when I looked down in surprise, I saw a strange little cross between a dog, a pig, and a crocodile sitting on the floor. Churgred, the Charming wasn't nearly as scary as I had thought.

"Oh!" I said, forcing a smile. "Hi! You must be Churgred. I hope I'm pronouncing that right. Is it okay if I call you Churgred? My name's Mira."

Churgred bared his pointed teeth and laid back his equally pointed ears, which reminded me a little of a bat's. The gesture seemed friendly, but I wasn't quite sure. At least the creature only reached up to my knee. If he chose to attack, I could probably just step on his scaly head.

"You're probably wondering why I'm here," I continued, wiping my sweaty palm on my jeans.

"I wonder, indeed," rumbled a voice behind me. A deep, reverberating voice that didn't sound like its owner was ... small. "And I’d also love to know why you're bothering my pet."

2

All of a sudden, my stomach felt like it was filled with ice water. As if in slow motion, I turned around, instinctively making myself smaller to make it clear that I was not a threat.

I stared at a chest—a broad, muscular one with yellowish skin that had a greenish hue. Yep, definitely an alien.

The guy was at least six feet two inches tall and almost as wide. And ... I'd never seen such strong muscles up close before. As he was naked, except for some kind of loincloth and a heavy belt across his chest, I had plenty of opportunity to stare at his body in horror.

He stood on two legs and had the same number of everything as me—two arms, a head, two eyes, one nose, and one mouth.

However, his neck was so broad and, like the rest of him, so packed with thick muscles that there was practically no clear transition between his shoulders and head.

And his mouth. I shuddered and had to fight down a whimper.

The longer Churgred, the Charming looked at me, the more—indeed—charming his smile became. I just had to ignore the countless pointed, razor-sharp teeth. Definitely more than the thirty-two teeth that humans had.

His so-called pet released a kind of squeak before throwing itself at its owner's legs and letting out an alien version of a pant.

"So?" The Horgerian stared at me, his brow furrowed. He didn't have eyebrows. No hair, either.

"I ... I ... I ..." I stammered, still distracted by his appearance. He didn't look horrible, but after I mistook his cute pet for him, the actual Churgred was pretty terrifying. "I'm ..."

"Mira." He nodded, bent down, and lifted the animal into his arms. "Alright. What do you want here, Mira? Do you want to buy something, sell something, or do you need a loan?"

"Buy something?" I was on my guard and rubbed my upper arms. Although it wasn't cold in his tent, I shivered.

"And what would that be?" Churgred scratched his pet behind the pointed ears, and I was somehow envious. It had been months since someone had last touched me. A friend had hugged me goodbye, and since then, I had avoided being touched. Touches meant that I had fallen into the hands of men who I didn’t want to be touched by.

"A place on board your spaceship." I managed to make my voice sound a little firmer.

"Tell me, Mira, what do you know about Horgerians?"

"Not much," I admitted reluctantly.

"I thought so. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't be here. You don't seem quite as psychotic as the other women."

"What other women?" I followed him with my gaze as he crossed the tent and set his dog-pig-crocodile down on a fur on the floor, where it happily curled up.

"The kind of women who don't mind that Horgerians are carnivores."

"Okay." I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "I have to admit that it also doesn't really bother me."

"We eat all kinds of meat," he said.

I stared at him uncomprehendingly.

Sighing, Churgred folded his massive arms in front of his even more massive chest. "All kinds. Literally."

My brain needed a moment to fully process the information. Then, panic spread through my body. "Including humans?"

"Sometimes. Admittedly, usually only in a ritualized context, but ..." He grinned and licked his lower lip with his outrageously long tongue. "Delicious."

I took a step back from him, even though he hadn't even moved in my direction yet—not that I could’ve done anything to deter him.

Those were my options? Either wait to fall into the hands of human rapists—or accompany an alien who had acquired a taste for human flesh on a journey back to his home planet, where even more aliens fond of human flesh lived?

Churgred threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Relax, Mira. I tried it once as a child. Most Horgerians can behave. Or at least the ones who live on Horgerion can."

"Is that supposed to comfort me?" I asked.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "I don't really care whether you find that comforting or not, because the answer is no, anyway."

"You're not taking me with you?"

"No."

"But why not?" I didn't even know why I sounded so desperate. There was still the possibility that he was lying, after all. That he actually wanted to rip the flesh from my bones with his razor-sharp teeth and devour me head to toe.

Those teeth looked really, really sharp. A shiver ran down my spine.

"Because I don't have to. You haven't made me a good offer, and as I've already mentioned, you’re not the only woman trying to win my favor. I've been offered a whole lot of sex," he said.

My heart started beating faster. Of course, that's what it came down to—what it always came down to. "I can have sex with you," I offered hastily, wondering in the same second if I had finally lost my mind. Horgerians ate human flesh, I had no idea what his penis even looked like under his loincloth, and yet I was offering him sex?

I peeked at his pet, dozing blissfully on the fur. No one who was deeply evil kept a pet, did they?

My reasoning was weak. I knew that. But after two years of fighting for survival day in, day out, I didn’t have anything left. I was exhausted, and I was running out of time. Either I had sex with Churgred voluntarily or I would have to find a lover who would hopefully be able to protect me. The ten packs of hair dye I had left, hidden under my bunk, wouldn't get me very far.

Churgred snorted. "Why should I have sex with you? You look like you're about to cry, and you won't stop shaking. I'm sorry, little human, but I really don't need this. All I have to do is snap my fingers, and I'll find a willing playmate who can hardly wait to suck my cock. After all, you're here because you've heard that I'm wealthy and a strong, caring protector. Why should I go to the trouble of forcing you into my bed?"

"I'm not afraid," I claimed, and it was actually true. I was more afraid of the alternative than of Churgred.

He shook his head, trudged over to a table, and picked up a cup. "Very convincing."

"And even if I was afraid, can’t you ... um ... turn a blind eye? You could just take me to Horgerion, and I'll find a protector there."

"That won't work. The rules there are pretty strict. I can only bring as many women as I can take care of. If I arrive with a cargo hold full of women, I could just as well save the high priestess the work and stick my own head on a lance to place it at the edge of the settlement as a warning."

High priestesses and severed heads? I couldn’t follow.

"What are you even talking about?" I asked.

"Listen, Mira. You're definitely a pretty thing, but my mind is made up. I assume you'll find your own way out?" He gestured toward the tent entrance with his chin.

"No!"

"Excuse me?" He laughed, but I thought I could see a hint of impatience in his dark eyes.

"There must be something I can do."

He put down the cup without drinking from it. "For all I care. The other women all have an unpleasant aftertaste."

My eyes widened, and I backed away from him again.

"Oh, bad choice of words as a carnivore, I guess." He laughed. "Be that as it may, I did indeed come to Earth because I'm looking for a mate. For a—how do you humans say—partner? But the women who have come to me so far have not been very appealing. Your reaction to the fact that Horgerians eat human flesh was at least honest."

"Of course it was! It’s scary."

"I hope everything about me is scary, little weak human."

My throat tightened, but I managed to make myself nod.

"Good, then here's my offer: I’m flying back to Horgerion tomorrow morning, and tonight, some merchants have invited me to a club. Alcohol, music, dancers, all of that stuff. There'll probably be hookers there too, if I've understood correctly. I want you to come there."

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes. Come and prove to me that you're serious."

My heart was beating faster and faster and faster. "How?" I asked with a trembling voice.

Churgred, the Charming showed me the smile that was clearly responsible for his nickname. "By seducing me."

3

"This is so stupid," I muttered, bowing my head and making my way through the groups of other people on the sidewalk. "I’m so stupid."

I should have listened to my roommate. She had told me, quite clearly, that she thought I must have lost my mind after I had asked her if she still had any clothes that were even remotely "sexy."

Of course, she no longer had any—just like me. Lace underwear, miniskirts, and plunging necklines along with make-up and curlers didn’t seem all that useful after the apocalypse. By now, it was all about not attracting attention.

Just the thought of walking across the marketplace with bare legs was enough to scare me. I had gotten used to my parka with the stuffed shoulders walking with my head down.

I knew I'd have to think of something if I actually wanted to seduce Churgred—especially since I had never been good at flirting. I laughed too loudly when I was nervous and tended to trip over my own feet. In the rare moments when I had gathered up all my courage to approach a man, it had usually involved a bit too much alcohol to lower my inhibitions at least a little. And now, I was supposed to seduce an alien? After doing everything in my power to keep men off my back for over two years?

I didn't even know where to start. When I finally arrived at the club where Churgred had told me to go, I felt tense and anxious. My stomach was already a hard knot, but then I saw the long queue, which consisted exclusively of men. Not a single woman in sight.

Joining the queue would probably take hours, if I was even to get in at all.

Okay. I took a deep breath and walked straight through to the front, stopping in front of the doorman. He didn't even look up. "Queue at the back," he said to my shoes.

My hands shook as I slipped off my hood and—also for the first time since the apocalypse—smiled invitingly and fluttered my eyelashes. "Really? Is there nothing you can do?"

His head jerked upward, and he looked at me intensely. Then he stood up to open the door for me.

"Thank you," I whispered, fighting the rising nausea.

Inside, I was immediately hit by a mixture of heat and so many smells that it felt like an assault on my senses.

Music was thumping out of big, scuffed speakers, and a pale blue light illuminated the scene. This is what clubs looked like now—what used to be called "industrial chic" had become the norm. I probably didn't even want to know where the electricity that powered the club came from.

The bar was made of old rims, and instead of a mirror, there were just shards of glass on the wall behind the lined-up bottles that didn't look very trustworthy.

My instinct told me to flee as quickly as possible. I had never felt comfortable in crowds, but the fact that I saw only men in my immediate proximity didn't make it any better.

I was about to turn back when I spotted Churgred's massive frame. He was sitting at a table with several men and a few more aliens and ... playing cards? I narrowed my eyes. Yes, it looked like a card game.

My heart started beating faster as I walked closer to Churgred, because he was surrounded by women. Three of them were standing behind him, pressing their breasts against his broad back, stroking him and cooing in his ear. Unlike me, the women were beautifully dressed up—with make-up, chic hairstyles, and revealing clothes.

So, that was the competition he had been talking about. The women who also wanted to be taken to Horgerion.

Two more women were sitting to his right and left, one of them shamelessly stroking Churgred's thigh. Every time she was about to slip her hand under his loincloth, he grabbed her wrist and pushed her arm aside—like a bothersome pet.

He threw some cards on the table, revealing his razor-sharp teeth as he smiled. According to how the others reacted, Churgred must have won the round.

My fingers trembled as I undid the buttons on my Henley shirt. A pair of jeans and the shirt, both skin-tight, were the most provocative things I had found in my "closet"—a trekking backpack into which I could throw everything I owned, if necessary. Being mobile was important. Immensely important.

I was talking myself into approaching the table, at least halfway confident, and trying to come up with a strategy on how to proceed, when a hand touched my waist.

"Which way, beautiful woman?" a man asked far too close to my face. I could smell his sour breath. He grabbed my wrist. When I tried to pull my arm away, he tightened his grip. "Answer me!"

That's how quickly the mask fell. I knew the harsh tone of voice, this barely concealed threat.

At the beginning of all of this, I had tried to talk, justified myself, and even apologized in between. Now I just pulled up my knee.

His eyes bulged out, his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, and his grip loosened. I immediately turned away, disappearing among the other clubbers.

My heart was pounding in the back of my throat because I realized I simply had to convince Churgred to take me with him. So many women had disappeared since the apocalypse—either to other planets or to places where they’d never be found again. I'd heard of some kind of fortress in Montana where only women lived, but under the current conditions, it was just as realistic for me to make it to Montana as it was for me to reach another planet.

Pull yourself together, Mira, I told myself and straightened my shoulders. As I had almost reached the table, the other women noticed me first. Without a plunging neckline or a short skirt, I knew I had to be bold.

The fact that I had just been molested gave me the courage I needed.

Churgred looked up, visibly impressed that I had actually come.

"I see you saved me a seat," I said, wondering why I didn't just pass out. I brushed the other woman's hand aside like an annoying fly and sat down on Churgred's lap.

Not a second too soon, because my buckling knees almost gave way. Holy shit, his thighs were as hard as iron under mine.

Churgred laughed and looked at me, his dark eyes sparkling. "You came, little human."

"Of course. I told you I'm serious." Although the fear nearly made it impossible to speak, I put my hand on his bare chest. He was warm, wonderfully warm, and his skin was just a little rougher than mine.

"Hey!" one of the other women protested. "We were here first!"

I ignored them because I needed most of my attention for Churgred and the little else that was available to keep my panic at bay. I laid my hand on his cheek. "I would really appreciate it if I could accompany you to Horgerion. Very, very much ..."

"Is that so?" Churgred took a strand of my hair from my shoulder, lifted it to his nose, and inhaled deeply.

At first, I didn't have the slightest idea what this sharp feeling in my belly was, and it really threw me off. But then I remembered. It was desire. I hadn't felt desire in such a long time that I could barely identify it.

"Yes," I claimed. Part of me was actually convinced that I was better off with Churgred than on Earth—a long-forgotten part that I thought had died right after the apocalypse, along with my smartphone and access to my now-useless bank account.

One of the women complained in a shrill voice about my audacity, but I ignored her. My hand was still on Churgred’s cheek, and I leaned toward him, closed my eyes, and pressed my lips to his.

The hot tingling sensation in my belly traveled straight down into my clit, yet upward at the same time, making my nipples hard.

I felt Churgred's big warm hand on my hip, but he didn't grab it or hold me down. He just left it there while he opened his mouth. Even though I'd seen his teeth, I was horny enough—or reckless enough, depending on the perspective—to give in to his kiss.

Churgred's scent enveloped me. He smelled thoroughly masculine, but different than what I was used to. More earthy, somehow? Did that even make sense?

I heard a soft whimper and was shocked to realize that it was coming from me. What was the kiss doing to me? And why was I getting wet? My heart was beating faster, my pulse was pounding, and the blood was rushing in my ears.

Panic took hold of me, but for a completely different reason than I had originally thought. I had assumed that I wouldn't be able to throw myself at Churgred's neck, but instead, I now had the exact opposite problem—I couldn't bring myself to let go of him again. I wanted to lick him from top to bottom, touch him everywhere, and have his babies.

The thought was like an ice-cold shower suddenly returning me to reality. Miraculously, I managed to let go of him.

Churgred grinned, licked his lips, and eyed me intently. "That’s more like it."

"I ... I ... I can't do this," I said, slipping off his lap, grabbing my jacket and making my escape. Hastily, I hurried toward the exit, trying not to bump into the other guests, and stumbled outside.

What the hell was wrong with me? I wanted to have Churgred's babies?

I put on my parka over my head and was just about to slip the hood over my head when a voice shouted, "There she is! It's the stupid bitch! Get her!"

4

I wheeled around, and in a split second, my whole life flashed before my eyes as I saw four men coming toward me. A scream rose in my throat, but I fought it down and pressed my lips together.

I was surrounded by men, anyway. No woman in her right mind was out alone at night. The women in the club, the ones in the short skirts, either had protectors or worked in the club.

If I screamed now, I would only attract more men who would take great pleasure in participating in a gang rape.

Fuck! I knew that it was a stupid idea to come here!

I braced myself for the attack, or at least tried to, when I realized that the men were standing rooted to the spot just ten feet away from me, staring behind me.

"All right, all right," said the leader—the guy whose balls I had kneed. "We don't want any trouble, okay?"

His words made no sense until I turned around. Churgred was standing behind me, an imposing sword in his hand that looked like I couldn't even lift it. He looked at me sternly. "Don’t ever do that again!"

I swallowed hard. Today really couldn't get any more humiliating. Of course, he didn't want me to kiss him. What was I thinking?

"I'm sorry," I said with a trembling voice. I was close to breaking down. I had just prepared to die, and suddenly, I was safe.

"You should be," the alien growled, leaning forward until his face was inches from mine. "If you put yourself in that kind of danger again, you'll regret it."

I nodded eagerly until my brain had processed the words. "What? You're not talking about the kiss?"

"Why should I be angry about the kiss?"

"I thought you didn't like it."

Churgred frowned. "How exactly did you come to that conclusion?"

"I don't know." My voice was hardly more than a breath because my throat was so tight.

The alien snorted, put a hand on my lower back, and pushed me forward. "We're going."

"Where?"

"To my place."

It felt like a cold hand gripped my heart. "Why?"

"To finish what you started, little human."

With my long day and way-too-exciting night, it was impossible for me to think clearly. "Are we talking about sex or our negotiations about you taking me to Horgerion?"

"We are no longer negotiating," the Horgerian growled with a steely tone in his voice, and I didn't dare ask any more questions.

So, we were talking about sex. My stomach fluttered, but at the same time, I was worried that Churgred might eat me afterward. Maybe he wanted to impale me and grill me after he had … impaled me with his cock.

Nevertheless, I was pretty sure that I wanted to go to his place. By his side, in his bed, I would be safe tonight. I wouldn't have to sleep with my face toward the door and a knife in my hand.

I was still worried about what would happen in the morning, but I pushed that thought away. It had been too long since I had relaxed. I deserved a quiet night. At least one quiet night.

It was the first time since the apocalypse that I didn't feel uncomfortable outside, that I was out after dark and didn't fear for my life.

Churgred took me to his tent and held the flap open.

I entered before him, and his pet lifted its head, wagged its scaled tail, but didn't get up from its furry blanket.

"Poki likes you." Churgred laughed softly. "You should feel flattered. She's very picky."

"Poki? That's her name? I wouldn't have thought she was a female."

"It is. The females are more aggressive, more nefarious, and more vigilant than the males. Aren't they, Poki?" His tone softened, causing Poki to stand up, stretch, and trot over to us with a yawn that revealed a lot of teeth.

Churgred patted her on the butt and pointed to the tent door. "Go keep watch."

Poki huffed and trotted off obediently, and I gazed back at her.

Then I realized that the Horgerian was staring at me. "I was impressed by your courage, little human," he said, tracing my lower jaw with his finger. "Are you still brave?"

Immediately, I felt like I was getting incredibly hot. It was ridiculous because I had already sat on his lap and kissed him, but somehow, it was different now. "I'm afraid I lost my courage on the way."

Churgred laughed. "I doubt that. You're brave enough for three." He touched my cheek. "My brave little human."

Churgred's deep voice had such a calming effect on me that I almost sighed.

"You feel it, too, don't you?" He looked me straight in the eye.

"Yes," I whispered. It was impossible to ignore how horny I was. I wanted sex—for the first time in ages, even if it was reckless because I didn't know what to expect.

"That's what I wanted to hear." He stroked my lower lip with his thumb before straightening his back. "Take your clothes off, Mira."

The way he said my name sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.

I slipped off the parka and carelessly threw it on the floor. As I reached for the hem of the Henley shirt, I was overcome with doubt. It had been a long time since I had last undressed in front of a man, and back then, I had at least known what I was in for.

I bit my lower lip and looked at Churgred—his broad head, his strong shoulders, his muscular chest, his loincloth.

"You first," I croaked out.

"Excuse me?" He folded his massive arms. "You're making demands, my little human?"

"I’m ... I'm worried about your penis."

"My cock is fine."

The blood rushed to my cheeks. "I’m sure it is, but that’s not … That’s not what I mean. I don't know what it looks like. What if we're not compatible? Or it’s ... enormous?"

Churgred's loud laugh rumbled through the tent. "Oh, it’s definitely big, but you don't have to worry. So far, I haven’t had any complaints."

That statement didn't help at all. Nevertheless, I gathered up the last bit of courage I had and pulled the shirt over my head.

I realized that I had lost quite a bit of weight since the beginning of the apocalypse. I hadn’t thought about my weight in a long time, but right in that moment, I couldn’t help it. It was what it was, though. The weight loss wasn’t all that surprising, after all, considering that I had worked a desk job, and treats like chocolate bars had been easily available before the collapse, while now I had to walk several miles to just find a can of beans in tomato sauce if I was lucky—a can of beans I usually shared with my roommate. Back then, I had to feel for my hip bones; now, they were clearly visible.

To my relief, however, Churgred didn't seem any less interested in me. Quite the opposite. The hunger in his eyes was hard to miss. "Take it all off," he growled.

Hastily, I unhooked the bra behind my back, because the Horgerian sounded suspiciously like he was about to lose control. The bra landed on my parka, and the panties followed.

Churgred licked his lower lip, which promptly reminded me that he had mentioned human flesh. Hopefully, it wasn't that kind of hunger in his eyes. "So pretty." A smile curved his lips. "And it's all mine."

I swallowed hard, as I didn't have the slightest idea what he wanted to hear.

"Get on the bed," he ordered. "Now."

I couldn't move because at that moment, he not only took off his sword and the belt that had been strapped to his chest but also reached for his loincloth.

I breathed in sharply as the fabric fell, revealing Churgred's massive shaft. Everything inside me tensed up, overwhelmed by a wild mix of excitement and fear. His penis didn't look as alien as I had feared. The skin was greenish like the rest of his body, but at least I couldn't see any thorns, claws, or similar painful extensions. The glans was a little more pointed than the one of a human male, but not at all alarming. Only its size caused my body temperature to rise.

The fact that Churgred closed his hand around the heavy shaft right this moment and began to massage it didn't necessarily help to calm me down. His cock quickly became hard and, of course, bigger. I involuntarily squeezed my legs together. Running away screaming didn't seem like the worst alternative right now.

However, the underside of his shaft caught my attention.

"Do you like what you see?" Churgred asked, pumping his dick leisurely.

I decided to stick to the truth. "I don’t really know, to be honest." After swallowing hard, I managed to bring myself to ask what I was most curious about: "What are these ... um ... nubs?"

Churgred's smile deepened as he stroked the ball-like bumps on the underside with his index finger. They stretched from the center of the shaft to his heavy testicles and grew larger and larger toward the bottom. "This?"

I nodded hastily, unable to look away.

"Lie down on the bed, and I'll show you."

My pussy tightened with desire because it was obviously not very good at estimating sizes. I took a step toward the bed and then hesitated again.

Churgred came closer, grabbed my chin, and growled, "Do as I say, my little human."

"I'm scared," I confessed hesitantly.

"You don't have to be afraid." Without letting go of me, the alien placed his other hand on my belly and pushed it down. My breath caught as he touched me between the thighs, where the wetness had gathered to betray me. "You want it," he said close to my lips and kissed me.

I whimpered at his lips. I felt dizzy as he dipped his tongue into my mouth and pulled me closer. His rough skin was warm and felt good against mine, but the heavy shaft pulsing against my stomach made me nervous.

Churgred raised his eyes. "You want it," he said once more.

His voice made something deep inside me resonate. Something telling me that everything would be all right. That I didn't have to be afraid of him. Quite the opposite. He would look after me, guard me like the apple of his eye.

"I want it," I repeated with a nod.

"You'll be good, and let me do what I want."

The anticipation caused new desire to flare up inside me. "I'll be good and let you do what you want," I whispered.

My answer obviously satisfied him. He gave me a slap on the butt and nodded toward the bed.

This time, I actually went to the bed and felt the furs on it. The bed frame was so high that I nearly had to climb to reach the mattress to lie down, as he had instructed.

The soft fur was an unfamiliar surface but felt good against my bare skin.

Churgred joined me and held out his hand. He circled my breasts, rubbing over my nipples. "You will hold still for me. You know how sharp my teeth are."

I nodded. "Okay."

He shook his head and pinched my nipple with his strong fingers. "Say it, Mira."

"I'll hold still."

This time, it hurt more when he squeezed his fingers together. "Who are you going to hold still for?"

"For you." I gasped out. "I'll hold still for you."

"Better."

The mattress sank in between my thighs as Churgred pushed his knee between them, leaving me no choice but to spread my legs wider for him—wide enough for his massive body.

I whimpered at the first touch of his mouth and dug my fingers into the soft fur beneath me.

The Horgerian was careful. I had to give him that, but the fact of how dangerous his teeth could be was ever-present. I thought about when he licked over my wet pussy, when he slid his tongue inside me, when he put his hands on my thighs and nibbled gently, and also when he finally focused on my throbbing clit.

However, he was obviously a sadist because he wouldn't let me cum. He licked, sucked, and nibbled on me for minutes, but it wasn't enough to get me anywhere near a climax. I instinctively knew that Churgred was well aware of this fact.

The alien pushed one finger inside me, twisted and turned it, added the second, and breathed a feather-light kiss on my swollen clit.

"Please," I begged, daring to let go of the fur and place my hands on Churgred's head instead, stroking it. I would much rather have pressed him between my thighs and rubbed against him, but I didn't have the courage for that.

"Not yet," he just answered. He circled my most sensitive spot with the tip of his tongue, running his hands all over my body.

I couldn't think straight anymore because everything inside me was screaming for release.

"Churgred, please." I swallowed hard. "Please, please, please!"

He slipped a third finger into my hot opening. "Please what, my little human? What do you want?"

"Come on, please. I need an orgasm. Oh, fuck, please!"

"So, you need it?" He spread his fingers inside me, widening me—no doubt to prepare me for his hard cock. I was desperate to have him inside me, regardless of the size, but at this point, I would have promised Churgred just about anything because I felt like I was about to lose my mind.

"Yes, I need it bad." I gasped and lifted my hips toward the Horgerian. "Please, please, please, please!"

"No."

"What?" Desperation gripped me, only amplified by Churgred, who was licking me and sliding his fingers deep into me.

"Not yet," said the alien with amusement in its voice. "You're nowhere near ready."

"But ... but ..."

"Shh." He pressed his mouth onto me, closing his lips around my clit and actually letting me feel his teeth. He was careful, but I still cried out.

Churgred laughed and started to move his fingers faster.

It felt so, so good. My thighs tensed, and when he pressed his tongue against my clit, I almost exploded. It didn't need much anymore to send me over the edge, but once again, this lousy sadist stopped exactly at the crucial second.

"Please," I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice. I let out a sob.

"Not yet." He touched me everywhere, caressed my breasts with his free hand, fucked me with his fingers, and sucked on my clit.

Tears came to my eyes as he brought me close to orgasm another time and didn’t let me finish once more.

Crying out angrily, I tried to push him away with one hand, feeling for my clit with the other. I moaned as I placed my fingers on my clit, greedily rubbing the little bundle of nerves.

Churgred laughed softly. "I have to warn you, Mira. As soon as you come, I'm going to shove my cock inside you—and once it's inside you, you're mine."

The blood rushed in my ears. "Okay."

He didn't take his eyes off me, watching closely as I touched myself and pushed his fingers into me faster and faster.

I curled my toes, tensed up, and finally—finally!—the wave of relief broke over me, washing me away.

Churgred gave me no time to savor the last ripples of the orgasm. He grabbed my hips with his big hands, positioned his huge, iron-hard cock, and pushed the glans between my labia.

Although his fingers had prepared me, I felt every single inch. I savored the way my body let him in, how he widened me. The friction was indescribable, and when I felt the first bump on the underside of his shaft, I gasped.

"You like that?" Churgred whispered close to my face.

"Yes." I groaned and bit my lower lip. "It feels ... good."

"It's about to feel even better." His dark eyes glittered promisingly.

But before I could ask what he meant, he rammed his cock into me all the way and sent an earthquake through my body.

"Fuck, Mira." He took a deep breath and shuddered. "It’s like you were made for me."

I couldn’t help but agree. When he began to move, his fat shaft filling me again and again, the bumps on the underside of his cock stimulating me, I felt like paradise wasn’t far away.

"Don't stop," I pleaded.

"Like this?" Churgred changed the angle, and my eyes rolled back.

"Exactly like this!" I trembled beneath him.

The Horgerian laughed and made me yelp as he pulled his dick out of me without warning. "If you liked that, you're going to love this," he said, turning me around. He pulled me in his direction until I was kneeling in front of him. He dug his fingers into my hair, pulling my head back. "That’s why Horgerians do it better, my little human."

I didn't know what he meant at first until he pushed into me from behind with a hard thrust. The protrusions on his cock were now rubbing over the other side of my pussy, and I had never felt anything like it—or anything better.

"Fuck!" I gasped and clawed at the fur. "Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

I commented on every single one of his thrusts like this; I just couldn't stop. It was so good. So, so, so fucking good. Indescribably good.

"Come for me," he demanded.

I couldn’t have refused even if I had wanted to. My body obeyed his every word, lust racing through my veins. I curled my toes and arched my back, meeting every single one of his hard thrusts.

I was convinced it couldn't get any better when I felt the little nubs on his cock swell. "W-w-what?" I stammered just before the next orgasm took me by surprise.

"That's normal," Churgred growled behind me, digging his fingers deeper into my hips. "They get bigger just before ejaculation."

I barely had enough time to process the new information when Churgred groaned and filled me with his cum. His shaft twitched, and I felt every single droplet, which was a whole new experience. It felt depraved. Depraved and sexy.

My arms gave way, but the alien was faster than me. He held me with one of his strong hands, gently pulling me backward until I was leaning back against his chest, his cock still inside me.

"Mine," the Horgerian said quietly, and I just nodded.

My eyelids fluttered. I barely noticed as he slid out of me and then carefully laid me on the mattress and placed one of the furs over me.

"Thank you," I barely managed to say.

Churgred stroked my hair. "Get some rest, my mate."

Mate. That sounded nice.

5

It took my brain a moment to identify it, but I was quite sure something was licking my hand. When I opened my eyes, Poki was squatting on the bed next to me, sucking my fingers with abandon.

I pulled my hand away hastily, and Poki let out a shrill squeak.

"Poki," Churgred growled in his deep voice and snapped his fingers. Light-footed, his pet jumped off the bed and trotted toward the tent flap.

I sat up, rubbed my face with the hand that wasn’t wet, and looked around. The tent was ... bare.

Churgred had obviously already packed and was just about ready to leave for Horgerion. There were only two furs left on the bed—the one underneath me and the one he had covered me with.

Thoughts were racing through my head, so it took me a moment to realize that Churgred was looking at me intently.

I cleared my throat and only now realized that I was parched. "You could have woken me up; then, I would have left so that you could …"

"You would’ve left?" he interrupted me. His tone made it clear that I had to choose my next words carefully.

"Leave for ... home?" I asked cautiously. "I don’t want to be in your way."

The Horgerian crossed his massive arms in front of his chest and gave me an angry look. "What part of 'mine' don’t you understand?"

I felt that my cheeks were turning red. "I thought that was just something you said. I mean, last night, you were still talking about how there wasn’t anything left to negotiate about. That's why I thought you wouldn't want to take me with you."

"You’re wrong," he growled. "You, Mira, are mine. Besides, there's a relatively high chance that you're already pregnant."

"What? Excuse me?"

He frowned. "You remember the sex, right? All those orgasms that made you more receptive to my cum? My warning that once my cock is inside you, there's no going back?"

I pressed my lips together to keep myself from whimpering. When he phrased it like that, it sounded kind of logical, of course, yet I still felt clueless.

After taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Okay. So am I really coming with you? Away from here?"

"Yes," he said. "And that's non-negotiable."

My euphoria far outweighed the fear of the unknown. I was finally getting something like a second chance.

"Quick question." I showed my best smile. "Since you keep emphasizing that I'm yours, I don't have to worry that you might dump me at the nearest space station or abandon me on some remote planet, right?"

The look on his face said it all. I'd better keep my mouth shut.

I couldn’t, though. "And you're not planning to eat me, either?"

"I can't deny that I will put my mouth on you often, but no, I don’t want to eat you."

I lowered my eyes to my trembling hands. My whole body was trembling. Was I really and truly ... safe?

Churgred gestured toward my clothes, which lay neatly folded at the foot of the bed. "Get dressed, and we’ll be on our way."

"With your spaceship?"

"How else?" he asked with slight confusion in his voice.

"You realize that I've never been on a spaceship, right?" I pulled my clothes toward me.

"Never?"

I shook my head.

"Don't worry about it. I'll show you everything as soon as we're on board." He hesitated and smiled at me. "But first..."

"Yes?"

A pleasant shiver ran down my spine as his smile became incredibly charming. "More sex."

6

Later

I tightened the belt to prevent the empty transport boxes from sliding around the storage room and then switched off the light. In the corridor, I locked the door and pressed the button to let Churgred, who was on the bridge, know that I had completed the check.

I glanced at the display of my communicator—the space version of a smartphone. We now had three days off before we would pick up new cargo on Leto 5 and take it to Jittania Prime.

If someone had asked me before the apocalypse where I saw myself in ten years, I certainly wouldn't have answered that running a courier service with my alien mate sounded kind of interesting. Officially, we delivered merchandise from point A to point B. Unofficially, we often smuggled human women and children toward a better and safer future.

My Horgerian had no problems with breaking the interstellar laws, and I was deeply grateful about that, because although I was safe now, I still had not forgotten how I had felt before.

The ground beneath my feet vibrated, but as usual, that was the only thing I noticed once the spaceship took off.

A spaceship. I laughed quietly because it sounded strange to me even after all this time. Shaking my head, I crossed the corridor and stopped in front of the door to our cabin.

Churgred had recently readjusted the door so that it slid open almost silently. Poki barely lifted her head, yawned softly, and then curled up again.

Vakka lay in his bed with his eyes closed, breathing evenly. His mouth was open a little, revealing the first pointed teeth that had appeared in the last few days—a clear sign that he no longer needed to be breastfed.

Churgred hadn't been comfortable with breastfeeding anyway because he had wanted to feed our son raw meat straight away, which, in turn, had very much confused me.

These days, we were good at finding compromises, though—also because we had no other choice. There wasn't necessarily a manual for Horgerian-Human relations.

Despite that, we’d done quite well so far.

I heard heavy footsteps in the hallway, and Churgred entered the cabin. He stopped behind me and put his hands on my shoulders.

"How peacefully he sleeps," my mate said and pressed a kiss on the back of my head.

"And how tall he's already gotten," I said.

"Soon, he'll be tall enough for his first broadsword."

I turned and stared at Churgred. "You want to give him a sword?"

"A small one. As soon as he starts walking."

"He has to learn to crawl first."

"Horgerians don't crawl. As soon as he's had his next growth spurt, he'll start walking. And if he can walk, he can hold a sword." My silence clearly was answer enough, because Churgred immediately laughed. "Don’t worry, a blunt practice sword."

"Let’s just wait and see. If he really walks without crawling first, you're probably right."

"Okay." My companion nodded. His gaze wandered over me, and his eyes began to sparkle. "I have an idea how we could pass the waiting time."

"Is that so?" I stroked my hand down over his muscular chest until I closed my fingers around his shaft under his loincloth. "And what do you suggest?"

"Let me put it this way: You're on the right track."

I closed my eyes with a smile and raised my face to Churgred so that he could kiss me. A request that my Horgerian was more than happy to comply with.

ABOUT NOVA EDWINS

USA Today bestselling author Nova Edwins likes aliens, cyborgs, and tentacles—maybe a bit too much.

You can find more books here.

You can also subscribe to her newsletter here.

Instagram icon Instagram

TikTok icon TikTok

Facebook icon Facebook

Copyright © 2023 Nova Edwins

Cover © anne-edgar-119373 – unsplash.com

ISBN 978-3-910412-64-4

https://blackumbrellapublishing.com

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.