2. Justice

Ipound out the door to check on this new emergency.

Because I must protect Ivy, the young female my Korn body has inappropriately scented and fixated on.

This day is turning out nothing like I expected. Thank gods I had the foresight to bring along my emergency supply of blood, just in case. It's proving to be the best decision I've ever made.

Ivy follows behind, out the front door and next to me on the porch of this rickety shelter. Dangerous levels of rain continue unabated and now I am concerned this storm has taken a turn for the worse. At first it was simply annoying, then it became a hazard, causing a delay. And now it might become a safety issue.

Flash floods are always a concern when too much rain drops at once.

A wall of heavy rain drops onto the roof, on the steps and out on the terrain below. I would rather she remain inside the primitive dwelling, but as usual my intern doesn't listen. She is independent and feisty which I normally admire, but sometimes her youth causes her to leap before thinking. Which is why even though I've managed to keep my distance since the moment I met her, I always monitor where Ivy King is and what she's doing so I can make sure she's safe and happy.

Today is no exception.

The distant sound of grinding and crashing continues, but I can't make out exactly what's wrong. The light is dim. "I'm going down for a better look." Because I need to know what I'm up against so I can keep this female safe.

Ivy grabs onto the back of my coat to stay close. The flash of her green eyes and the peek of long orange hair from under the hood of her rain gear is truly stunning. Even in the midst of an emergency she's still the most beautiful female I've ever encountered.

"Hold on tight. It's even worse and I want you close in case we must return or evacuate in a hurry."

She gives a quick nod.

We make our way back down the wet steps, through the beating rain. "Do storms like this happen often on your home planet?"

"This type of weather and location are not entirely foreign to me. Korn has a similar terrain to these mountains on Earth. I've survived many a sudden storm. This is nothing new."

In fact, the sound I'm hearing is familiar, causing me to tense.

We reach the last step and approach the parking area next to the ravine. We stand next to the rental vehicle and I examine the terrain. Thunder rumbles in the distance and the rain begins to fall even harder. My boots sink into mud and I instantly recognize that the nearby creek is our problem.

Ivy takes my hand and raises her voice to be heard, "Where did that noise come from? Is it the river?"

My handheld light beams on the rush of heavy water that sweeps through the formerly low riverbed. "This was only a trickling creek when we arrived but now it's rising fast." I train the light around the banks and I watch as small trees and bushes quickly become consumed by the water. "Oh hells. We have to get out of here." I grab my female and pull us both back from the edge, ready to enter the vehicle and drive us both to safety.

But the situation changes too rapidly.

Ivy screams with fright and stumbles when the ground beneath us starts to sink and become unstable.

I instantly sweep her into my arms and sprint instead for the cabin, which is on higher ground, taking the stairs two at a time, stronger and faster than a typical human male. In seconds we're high above and back on the porch. I set Ivy down and stand next to her, watching the horror unfold below us.

"Oh no, our car is falling into the river," she gasps.

A low growl rumbles in my chest as I watch the black vehicle we arrived in tilt down a cut in the riverbank into the rushing water. It's over the bank and flipped upside down in moments, with water flowing over it.

Ivy moves close to my side. "It's stuck in the mud. We couldn't even get inside if we wanted to. I can't believe that happened. All that water came out of nowhere. We're so lucky the cabin didn't get swept away too."

I glance around, evaluating the safety of the area. "This must be why it was originally built on higher ground. This is still the safest spot for us to remain while we wait for the storm to pass. This cabin is very stable. There is no need to evacuate. The water is already decreasing but the vehicle is ruined."

Ivy looks up at me with those sparkling green eyes, like none I've ever seen on my planet. My cock thickens in my trousers whenever she moves this close. I want nothing more than the ability to strip her naked, sink my cock in her wet heat and my fangs in her neck while listening to her scream her own release. But this is an impossibility.

"Thank you for carrying me up here. It always surprises me how fast you can move. You saved my life."

My voice deepens. "I will always protect you and keep you safe," I answer in all honesty, taking a step back. Because I cannot have her, even though my heart and mind will always put her first.

Ivy sighs with obvious disappointment. She hates that I keep her at arm's length, but I again do this for her safety. Minutes ago she was lecturing me, angry at how I keep her away. She knows of my attraction and admitted her reciprocal attraction. But this changes nothing. And I am always confused by her reaction to me. Her scent of arousal for me is again thick in the air, but how is this possible, considering she is tied to another male? Their mating ceremony is supposed to happen sometime later this year. I can only surmise she wishes for us to become temporary pleasure mates prior to her human mating ceremony.

This will never occur.

And in fact, it makes me angry and disappointed that this female would want to treat not only me, but her future mate, so disrespectfully.

And yet I still want her.

It is a very troubling situation.

She pulls out her communication tablet from her jacket and taps on the small screen. "Good thing we got everything out of the car already. Darn it. I don't have any cell service anymore to call for help."

I glance down towards the vehicle, only the tires and underside are visible in the shadowy water. This means I won't be able to sleep elsewhere because my alternative is literally underwater. I'm truly stuck overnight in this cabin with Ivy King.

The young female I vowed never to touch.

At least I was able to unload my bags of blood before it was too late. But what do I do when those run out? I already drank one earlier and it wasn't enough. I'm able to act reasonable only because I was distracted by driving the vehicle and kept my window down, which diluted her luscious scent. But now we will be together overnight in a one-room cabin with only a large bed in the center.

When the blood loses effectiveness, I will be in hot pursuit, wanting the female my body perceives as my mate.

She gives a rueful smile and tucks the useless tablet into her pocket. She pushes back her dark hood, exposing all that wavy, golden orange hair in all its glory.

My gaze sweeps over her lovely features. I could stare at her all day and night. For the rest of my days. Her lips are plush and her curves are deadly. Those eyes are the same color as a green meadow. And I've never seen any being with the same color hair. I often wonder if it's the same color and texture between her thighs. My mind perseverates over an image of my tongue licking at her core.

"I am sleeping in this cabin tonight," I confirm.

"It will be fine. Don't worry. I can sleep on the couch and you'll have the bed. Nothing will happen that we don't want to happen."

A chuckle rumbles in my chest at her innocent pronouncement. She has no idea what she's gotten herself into.

My heart still pounds with the adrenaline that rushed through my body at the thought of her in danger. I raced up the stairs with this fragile human in my arms because she's the female I want as my mate, but I cannot have.

Ivy King is vowed to another human male.

And she is much too young.

It is a difficult situation. And now that we've spent the day together, I can feel the blood frenzy for her I've been trying to avoid boiling under my skin, increasing in strength. This is exactly why I've kept my distance this whole time. I've been trying to avoid this condition for the last six months.

The frenzy flared back full force the moment we had to take a flight together, but I was able to remain calm because I demanded another seat in first class, two rows behind her. She was upset but it was a necessary precaution. Afterwards we sat together in the cabin of that vehicle and I was unable to get away and her scent entered my lungs, causing the frenzy to truly begin.

I am a Korn past his prime, who thought I'd never meet my mate, destined to have the occasional pleasure mate and never have offspring. At my age most Korn have already started a family line. This mission to Earth sounded like a great adventure, something to fill up my days that did not include a mate. I volunteered to work for the Korn delegation on trade relations between our two species.

Our scientists said that Korn and humans were not mating compatible, but not long after I arrived, an itchy feeling began under my skin which I did not understand.

A military ship dropped me off on this planet and left behind a large amount of synthetic blood in case of emergency. Earth is so distant there isn"t a commercial shipping or passenger route or any transporter stations. But I have enjoyed my time here. It"s a very welcoming planet. I understand why Hale Bloodworth, the first Korn to arrive, sent back positive dispatches. In fact, strangely, he found a mate soon after he arrived. I didn"t realize this had happened until I was already in the solar system and being dropped off.

"We should go back inside," I say.

Ivy nods in agreement and we move together into the primitive little dwelling and shut the door behind us. "I don't think this delay will interfere with the meeting. All the others who were coming aren't there yet. We are the only ones who arrived this early. Hopefully when the rain ends we can find a way to get either reception or some help by walking along the main road. It would be great if this simply eats into the time you would've spent hiking and we can still carry on with everything as planned."

Ivy continues to chat about the meeting with the west coast "tech bros" my team has set up, but I am unconcerned. Hale has already met with many of them, so I know this is simply a follow-up meeting so they can meet me too and work out some details.

All I can think of is the erection I'm trying to hide and the next bag of blood I need to ingest.

I try to remain busy by gathering logs from the inside bin and lighting the wood stove, which provides warmth for the entire cabin.

My small, delicate human female moves both our bags to the small kitchen area. The cold rain continues to thunder outside but soon we are warm and dry. The roof appears watertight, as do the walls, windows and doors. A small bathroom seems to barely work but we're able to get some water from the faucets and have the ability to flush the toilets.

I shrug off my jacket and hang it on a peg on the wall. The blood that warms my body and increases my strength also makes it difficult for me to settle down. My eyes track every movement this female makes.

Ivy takes off her own jacket and hangs it up on the peg, next to mine. And now I'm able to see her bare neck more clearly, which is highly distracting.

"This place isn't so bad," she says with her charming accent. "It's warming up now and at least the roof doesn't seem to be leaking. I picked up a load of supplies I'd preordered after I'd flown into the town nearest the mountains. Good thing these were in the SUV along with the lantern. It's not tons of food but there are snack bars, water bottles and a bunch of snacks you might like. Enough to get us by until we can get out of here and back to civilization. I wish I'd ordered more blankets and a space heater, but why would I think to need those considering we were staying at a hotel?" She takes food and drink out of a bag and starts checking the small kitchen along the wall. "What's in that bag you brought?" she questions. "Is it food?"

I open it so she can see what she's gotten herself into.

She shrieks with surprise. "Oh my gosh, are those bags of blood? Justice, are you sick? Is that extra blood for you?"

I shake my head. "I'm not sick. I'm in the midst of a blood frenzy. I already drank one of these when you got out at the last rest stop."

"You drank a bag of blood when I went to use the restroom? Why? And what is a blood frenzy?"

I clench my jaw and tell her the truth. "I drink this so I won't sink my fangs into your neck and drink your blood without consent. It keeps you safe since you keep insisting on remaining close when I've tried to keep my distance."

Her eyes widen. "Wow. You want to drink my blood? Is that a bad thing?"

I bare my fangs because again, she needs to understand the danger. This female needs to lock herself in the bathroom for the night or she'll end up pregnant by the wrong male. "It can be dangerous for the wrong female."

"Because you'll hurt me? Are you worried you'll drink too much of my blood and accidentally kill me?"