Alien Bride

“You don’t know what we’ve faced,” I say.

None of us have the upper hand anymore. We are at a standstill.

There is a long moment of silence before she speaks.

“If I agree to this, I can enter your planet? I won’t be hunted down by savages like you?” she asks.

Savages. It’s a nice touch coming from a human.

“You have my word,” I say.

The door slides open. Tears drying on her cheeks, she stands, naked and unafraid.

“I’m Emma.”

Six

Emma

Ever think you’d tell three aliens you’ll have their baby? Yeah, me neither.

Things happen. You make the decisions to keep surviving.

There is no winner in this situation. Earth was invaded, and they chose to abduct me.

Me, of all people.

I woke up in their slime. I was given the ability to breathe in inhabitable atmospheres. And now, they want me to give birth to their child and become their bride.

Owned by all three of them.

Am I sure I’m not dreaming? I’m done pinching myself.

Considering they’re planning on excavating and destroying the entire planet, I guess you could say I’m lucky. But I didn’t agree because I wanted to join their abhorrent crew.

I agreed because every time I thought of home, of Ryan and the rest of the bull crap, I just didn’t think I could do it anymore.

Those bigger and better things I keep dreaming about? They don’t exist. I was offered a way out. That’s about the only gift I’m going to receive.

Some people get lucky. Others get screwed. Guess which one I’m going to get.

The three of them stare at me like I’m a piece of meat. Their naked bodies glisten against the neon glow of their mothership. They cast large and looming shadows across the walls.

I can’t deny they look good. Well, as good as an alien can look, I guess.

Their skin is covered in protective scales that shift to different colors depending on their mood. Their eyes glow, nocturnal.

I have to reiterate this point: they are frightening beasts.

But I can’t deny their strength. They are warriors, the kind one sees on the big holographic movie screens downtown. Although they seem so sinister, they look like Gods.

I keep telling myself I’ll find another way out of this...

I edge my face into my palms, sighing the stress away. “If this is going to happen, I want to be the one calling the shots,” I say.

“You are female,” Lök growls. “You do not call anything.”

I glance over my shoulder at the window to space. Outside, the planet I grew up thinking was the only reality is dimly lit by the ray of their drilling machine.