Out of the Ashes (Maji 1)

“It is complicated,” Kol replied to me, his voice deep and husky.

His voice was so damn alluring. I felt like if I got my ear close enough to his mouth while he was speaking, my body would explode with bliss. I gritted my teeth, hating myself and my body for acting so foolish over an alien who stole me.

“Uncomplicate it then,” I said through gritted teeth.

I looked at Surkah because she was still crying. Mikoh was still glaring at me, so I stuck my middle finger up at him, and he growled, “Sera told us what that action means.”

I stuck my other middle finger up at him.

“Good.”

“Enough,” Kol snapped, causing me to flinch with fright and drop my hands. “Do not fear us. We’re helping you.”

I humourlessly laughed. “You’re helping your-fucking-selves by taking me. I see no benefit in it for me.”

“No benefit?” Kol repeated. “We’re saving your life.”

I made eye contact with him, and my anger was the only thing helping me keep that contact.

“How are you saving my life?”

“The sun is dying, and that means—”

“My planet is dying,” I finished for Kol.

My heart pulsed with pain as the words left my lips.

“I know that,” I continued. “We all know that. Do you think we humans are too dumb to realise that? We know the sun is becoming a red star, and that it will eventually vaporise the Earth, but what do you want us to do? Those who have credits live off the planet, and the rest of us are stuck here.”

“That’s where we come in,” Kol said, stepping forward. “We aren’t here to rebuild the Earth as Surkah told you. We’re here to rescue as many human females as possible before your planet becomes uninhabitable. Being here right now is an incredible risk. No planet within a light year is allowing space travel in this district of the galaxy with the knowledge of the Earth’s pending destruction.”

I knew Surkah had lied to me! I fucking knew it!

“Why did you say females?” I demanded.

Kol blinked. “What?”

“Why did you say ‘human females’?” I repeated. “Why not just use the term humans?”

“Because we’re only allowing healthy human females aboard.”

My gut tightened.

“Why?” I stressed. “I don’t understand any—”

I cut myself off when my first meeting with Surkah replayed in my mind. She said her species was endangered like mine, and she also mentioned that human females were one hundred percent compatible with Maji… did that mean with the males?

Compatible.

“Almighty,” I breathed when I knew why they wanted human women. “You want to breed with us.”

“You’re making it sound like we’re—”

“Kidnapping us?” I angrily shouted. “Stealing us to ensure the survival of your own species?”

“And yours,” Kol growled. “Have you forgotten humans are endangered?”

“No, but a human and Maji breeding won’t create a human or a Maji; it’ll create a new breed.”

“It will still be the continuation of both species, but our offspring would mostly likely be Maji as our genes are stronger than that of humans.”

I felt sick.

“I can’t believe this.” I exhaled. “What if we don’t want to breed with you?”

Kol didn’t reply.

“Will you force us?” I asked, fear evident in my tone

“No,” Kol replied, his hardened gave telling me he took offence to my question. “We’d never force ourselves upon an unwilling female, and we don’t have to.”

“How do you know?” I demanded.

“So far, you are the only human female with a problem with humans and Maji breeding.”

What?

“Explain that,” I said as my body began to involuntarily shake.

“Your arrival on this ship was different to other females of your kind. You were unconscious when you were rescued, but the other females were alert and healthy when they were informed of the terms for their rescue. They knew that their arrival aboard my craft was their acceptance of our terms.”

“And what were the terms?” I asked, hearing pounding against my chest.

“Sanctuary on the Ebony and eventually on the Maji home world—Ealra—had only three requirements. A human female must be young, healthy, and willing to mate with a Maji male to ensure the survival of both species. In return, the females would be cared for, protected, and loved and cherished by their mate.”

I stared at Kol, my mind trying to dissect his words and make sense of them.

“And they all agreed?”

“All aboard agreed. Those who did not were left on the surface.”

I felt like I was sucker punched.

“You just left women who didn’t want to be part of your sick science experiment?”

“I do not understand your words,” Kol growled, “but your anger is very clear. We have mission orders. We only take willing human females, and all those who opposed were left alone. If we brought them, then it would have been kidnapping.”

“What a time to show you have morals!” I barked.

Kol growled at me, but I didn’t back down. I advanced on him until I was an inch away and staring up at him with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not scared of you,” I told him. “I don’t agree to your terms, and I would like to be left alone.”

“No, Nova!” Surkah yelled. “Do not ask us to leave you to your death. Please!”

“All my choices have been taken away from me, Surkah,” I replied to her with my eyes still on her brother. “I was born on Earth, and I will die there.”

“Your stubbornness will get you killed sooner than you think with this decision,” Kol said to me. His voice was so low I knew only I could hear him.

“Why do you care if I live or die?” I asked, swallowing.

“That is a question I am asking myself right now too,” Kol replied, his chest rising and falling fast.

“You have a craft full of women who are willing to breed with you; you don’t need me for anything.”

“Thanas damn me, but I do need you,” he replied and took hold of my arms.

I didn’t flinch because I was too concentrated on the glow that suddenly appeared around his iris’, illuminating just how violet his eyes were. I blinked, worried I was seeing things, but I wasn’t. Kol’s eyes were glowing.

“What do you need me for?”

“Let me show you,” he murmured, the indication to what he meant in his tone.

I shoved at his chest. “Don’t touch me. I don’t want you like… that.”

I don’t want you at all.

“You don’t?” Kol asked, suddenly grinning.

“No, I don’t.”

“You lie.”

“I don’t.”

“I’ll prove it.”

Mikoh suddenly said, “Kol, you’re not thinking clearly.”

Kol’s hold on me tightened as a menacing growl left his throat.

“Do you wish to challenge me for her?” Kol asked his friend, his voice gruff.

Surkah sucked in a huge breath while Mikoh cursed.

“You know I have no means for a challenge; your sister is my intended.”

“Then back off,” Kol growled, his voice changing to menacing.

Mikoh cursed again. “Friend, she does not want this.”

I yelped when I was suddenly thrust backwards and pressed up against a wall with Kol’s body covering mine.

“I can convince her,” he murmured.

My eyes fluttered shut when I felt his head dip and his luscious lips skimmed over the flesh on my neck. My skin broke out in goose bumps, and a shiver raced up and down my spine.

“Fight it, my friend, do not let the need win.”

The need?

Mikoh’s words drew a growl from Kol, and the vibrations of said growl against my throat sent a jolt of heat straigh

t to the centre of my thighs. I instantly squeezed my thighs together, but I knew it was too late when Kol inhaled, and a different kind of growl left him. Surkah said everything had a scent, and I knew that the Maji in the room could smell my arousal.

My body was betraying me.

I placed my hands on Kol’s large shoulders. “Kol, I said I’m not stayi—ohmyAlmighty.”

He attached his lips to my neck at the same moment he spread my legs with his knee and pressed his thigh against my cunt. He moved his thigh ever so slightly, and the friction of his clothing, and mine, rubbing over my now swollen clit caused me to buck against him. He growled against my neck and placed his huge hands on my hips to hold me still. He flattened his body against mine, and I could feel his long, thick erection pressed snug against my stomach. It sobered me and brought me back to reality.

How is this happening?

“Mikoh,” I breathed. “Help me.”

“Thanas curse it,” Mikoh hissed. “Your body, and its scent, are telling a different story to your words, Nova.”

“I know,” I groaned when Kol’s teeth nipped my neck. “I can’t help my reaction to him, but he has to stop touching me or… or…”

“Or what?” Surkah asked.

“Or it’ll end up in sex, and I don’t want that.”

Kol gently bit into my neck, and I winced in pain, but only for a moment because the sensation that replaced the pain was a greater pleasure than I had never felt in my entire life. I squeezed Kol’s arms so tight my nails cut into his flesh. I felt myself clawing at him as if trying to get closer to him. I never wanted him to stop what he was doing, but in the back of my mind, I knew I would hate myself if I let this continue.