2. Female

He winked at me!

My rescuer was a sight to behold. His large, leathery wings spanned an impressive width, easily twice my height or more. The wing membranes were a dark charcoal with intricate patterns of scales. As he shifted, the wings caught the warm light filtering in from the window, casting flickering shadows that danced across the room.

My heart raced at the sight of those magnificent wings. They were spellbinding. Dark and imposing, I saw a webbing between the bones that made up the wing structure. A small, jagged scar on one wing stood out, a pale line against the rich coloring, hinting at battles fought or dangers faced.

He was quite handsome, if one overlooked the fact he wasn”t human. Intriguing was the word that came to mind. Chiseled features, high cheekbones, and a strong jawline gave his face a striking, almost regal appearance. His eyes, a mesmerizing blend of amber and gold, glimmered with an ancient wisdom. He was so unlike anyone I had ever met. Or at least, I didn”t think I had.

But that wink when he introduced himself! A playful, roguish gesture that was at odds with his imposing stature. I couldn”t help the girlish giggle that escaped me, the sound tinkling like a wind chime in the stillness of the room. It almost made me forget the dire circumstances I found myself in. Almost.

My memory loss was a strange, unsettling thing. I remembered some aspects of life on Earth – fragments of knowledge and trivia that clung stubbornly to the edges of my mind. For instance, I knew most humans didn”t believe aliens existed. There were outliers, the conspiracy theorists and self-proclaimed abductees, but they were often thought of as strange or attention seekers. Maybe even delusional sometimes. Now, faced with undeniable proof in the form of this magnificent creature before me, I wondered if there had been some basis, in fact, for all those stories of alien encounters.

I remembered who the last president was, but I didn”t remember my name or who I was. My life on Earth was a big black hole where my existence had once thrived, now gone in an instant, leaving me scared and unsure. I hoped I had been a good person. Who really knew? I could have been a criminal mastermind back on Earth, and maybe this whole memory loss thing was a cosmic way for me to have a do-over. It was unsettling, to say the least, not knowing the core of who I was.

Gingerly, I sat up, my hand going to my throbbing head. Though tender, there wasn”t any blood when I looked at my hand. I must have hit my head pretty hard to be knocked out and wake up with no memory. The room spun for a moment, and I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the dizziness to pass.

Looking down, I didn”t see any open wounds, though somebody parts were still a little sore and sensitive to touch. It was as if I”d been injured some time ago and had healed, but not all the pain was gone. A faint, medicinal scent lingered in the air, sharp and slightly astringent, hinting at the advanced technology that had mended my wounds.

”Are you in pain?” Keldor”s deep, resonant voice cut through the silence, laced with concern. ”The medbay is good at learning new species on the fly, but I was hesitant about having it give you any pain medications until it was updated with human physiology.”

”It”s not bad. A little tender,” I shook my head, marveling at the idea that a machine had healed me. That was so far beyond anything we had on Earth. At least, I didn”t think we did. I was so confused. And tired. The weight of exhaustion settled over me like a heavy blanket.

”I think I need a nap, which is ridiculous since I just woke up!” I couldn”t keep the frustration out of my voice, the words tinged with a weary resignation. How could I be so weak?

”Your body has been through a lot,” Keldor said, his tone gentle but firm. ”The slave traders would have done their best to not injure you because you are more valuable whole. However, considering how long it”s been since the first female was discovered on Reazus Prime, I would guess your pod had been floating in space for some time before it crashed onto my land. The stasis programming appeared to still be functioning, but any emergency medical programming was faulty and did not engage. You had some serious wounds when I opened the pod.” He took a deep breath, the sound rumbling like distant thunder. ”I”m sure picking you up and flying to my home didn”t help your injuries.”

”Flying?” I looked at Keldor”s wings as they moved around him, the leathery membranes rustling softly. ”You mean you carried me and flew?”

He had to be incredibly strong to carry me like that. The muscles in his arms flexed beneath the dark scales as he shifted his weight, rippling with power. I wished I remembered how it felt to be in his arms. It was such a strange thought, but I wondered what it would be like to be in his embrace again, cradled against that muscular frame. I wasn”t a dainty woman. Even without my memory, I knew I carried more weight than humans would probably deem healthy. Despite the tender spots, I didn”t feel unhealthy. I was curvy and no feelings of shame or inhibition popped into my rattled brain.

I hopped off the medbay, the cold metal floor sending a jolt through the soles of my bare feet. Immediately, I regretted the impulsive move as a wave of dizziness washed over me. I wobbled, my legs threatening to give out, before Keldor scooped me up into his arms with surprising swiftness and grace. For the first time, I knew what it was like to be held in his strong embrace. It was comforting and safe, like being enveloped in a warm cocoon. His scales were smooth and surprisingly supple against my skin, not the rough texture I had expected. A faint, earthy scent, like freshly turned soil after a spring rain, enveloped me, earthy and primal.

”Tell me about Reazus Prime,” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. If I couldn”t remember who I was, I would learn about where I was.

”You are on Reazus Prime. It was a prison planet,” Keldor began, his deep voice resonating through his chest and into mine as he cradled me close. ”Now? Now, it is a place where many go to get lost. A place where they can live their lives without the interference of others. Though some still try to leave. It is not a simple task since few ships that come this way ever intend to go back.”

We passed through a doorway into a dimly lit corridor; the walls formed from smooth, gray stone that absorbed the faint illumination. Our footsteps echoed hollowly, the only sound apart from Keldor”s voice and the soft rustle of his wings.

”That”s a nice way of saying it. You mean it”s a place where criminals go to hide,” I said, my tone laced with a hint of wariness.

”Sometimes, yes,” Keldor nodded, his gaze steady and unflinching. ”There are many who are hiding from those who would kill them. There are also those who are not criminals who come here to escape difficulties they cannot overcome on other planets. Some beings here are descended from those first prisoners. It was rare, but not unheard of for females to be sent to Reazus Prime. For some species, there are males who are breeders. My neighbor”s race is of that kind. They have male omegas who can breed and carry their offspring. I believe Devkon”s parent was an omega.”

I nodded, taking it all in. Not everyone who came to this planet was a criminal. That was good to know, though the thought of being surrounded by potentially dangerous individuals was still unsettling.

We emerged into a spacious living area; the walls formed from the same smooth stone as the corridor. Tall windows spanned one side of the room, offering a breathtaking view of a rugged, alien landscape. Twin moons hung low on the horizon, bathing the craggy peaks and valleys in an ethereal, bluish-purple glow. The sky itself was a tapestry of unfamiliar constellations, glittering and shimmering like diamonds strewn across a canvas of deepest indigo.

”What about you? How long have you been here? Were you a criminal or someone who needed to get away?” I asked, tearing my gaze away from the stunning vista.

Keldor paused outside a door before gently kicking it open with one booted foot. Inside was a luxurious bedroom, a massive bed piled high with plush furs and silken sheets in rich jewel tones took up only a small portion of the space. Dark, heavy drapes covered the window, but I saw flashes of that otherworldly landscape through the gaps. Soft lighting glowed from sconces set into the walls, casting a warm, flickering ambiance.

”I am a special case,” he said, his tone taking on a somber note as he crossed the room and gently deposited me on the bed. ”I am the only one of my kind on Reazus Prime that I know of. I was but a youth when an insurrection occurred on my planet. Most of the royal family were slaughtered.” He paused, his gaze haunted. ”That would have been my fate as well, but someone had the brilliant idea that I might be useful. They only needed to secret me away in some place where I could be retrieved if needed. They chose Reazus Prime, as no one would think to look for a prince on a prison planet.”

”A prince! You mean you”re royalty?” I gasped, my eyes widening as I took in his regal bearing with a new perspective. The way he held his head, the confidence in his movements, the air of command that emanated from his very being--it all made sense now. He was impressive whether or not he was royalty, but knowing his true lineage added an extra layer of mystique.

As I thought about everything he”d said, my mind snagged on the detail that Keldor had been here during the time Reazus Prime had been a prison planet.

”How long has it been since Reazus Prime was a prison planet?” I asked, my brow furrowing slightly. He didn”t appear to be old, at least by human standards, but then again, I had no idea what the lifespan of his species might be.

Keldor pulled back the sheets and settled me down on the plush bedding, a look of concentration creasing his stern, handsome features. As he spoke, the rich timbre of his voice filled the room, resonating deep within my bones.

”I do not know how long Reazus Prime had been a prison planet before I arrived. I had never heard of it before I came here.” He shook his head slightly, as if dislodging the memories. ”Reazus Prime did not gain its independence until the mines were no longer profitable. Once that happened and the residents revolted because of the even harsher conditions, the planet was more or less abandoned, letting those of us here to survive on our own. I had already been on the planet for many generations of other races by that time.”

I tried to wrap my mind around the concept of generations passing while Keldor remained an ageless constant in this ever-changing world. ”How old are you?” I whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer.

A low, rumbling chuckle escaped him. ”Very old, little one.” He patted a clawed hand gently against my shoulder, the scales smooth and cool to the touch. ”Now get some sleep. I will go prepare you some nourishment. If you aren”t hungry now, you will be shortly now that your body has woken from stasis.”

Questions continued to swirl through my mind, a maelstrom of confusion and curiosity. ”But how did I end up here?” I pressed. ”I don”t remember anything. I don”t remember leaving Earth, or being taken by aliens. I don”t even remember who I am, which is the most frustrating part of this whole experience! So how did I end up here?”

Keldor hesitated, his brow furrowing as if weighing his words carefully. When he spoke, his deep voice was laced with grim undertones. ”There was a ship flying near our planet,” he began. ”A ship full of females of your species. It was a slave ship. Rumor is that something happened to the ship, and it exploded. No one knows for sure. Only that something happened that caused all the females in stasis pods to be expelled from the ship. Some of those pods landed on Reazus Prime. However, that was many months ago. There were rumors that escape pods made it to the surface. Few of those rumors have been confirmed. Confirming those rumors would be too dangerous for the females. Even on this backwater planet, we have heard that human females are universal breeders. For that reason alone, it is best that no one knows for sure where such females are.”

My head spun as I tried to process his words. A slave ship? Explosions? Escape pods? The pieces didn”t quite fit together in my addled mind. ”Universal breeders?” I echoed, grasping at the unfamiliar term.

”Females who can procreate with almost any race,” Keldor explained patiently. ”There are a few exceptions where breeding would be impossible. There are some races where it is only possible to breed with one of their own kind.” He rose to his feet, his massive wings unfurling slightly. ”Enough. You need rest. I will prepare food and be back soon. Try to get some sleep.”

And with that, the dragon turned and strode from the room, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving me alone with my whirlwind of thoughts and the eerie silence.

It was all a bit much to take in. My brain got muddled and confused at the enormity of what Keldor had told me. I would think about it all later. For now, I would rest and dream of my sexy alien savior.

I smiled at the thought, settling deeper into the plush bedding as the weariness washed over me once more. My eyelids drooped. I blinked, fighting the alluring pull of slumber for a few precious moments.

I smiled again at the thought of Keldor being my alien. Aliens weren”t supposed to exist. And yet, here was proof in the form of a tall, muscular alien with scales and large, magnificent wings. Wings! I should be scared, shouldn”t I? But Keldor wasn”t scary in the slightest.

Sexy? Yes, undeniably so, from the chiseled lines of his face to the powerful physique that radiated raw, primal strength.

Intimidating? Definitely, with those piercing, ancient eyes and that commanding presence that filled every space he occupied.

But scary? Not even a little. In his arms, cradled against that muscular frame, I had felt utterly safe and at peace.

With a contented sigh, I allowed my eyes to drift shut, surrendering to the welcoming embrace of slumber. For now, at least, the mysteries could wait. In this moment, cocooned in the plush warmth and bathed in the flickering amber light, I was home.