One Thousand Brides (2 page)

“Yes, you were all brought here to marry us.” Was there an apologetic note in his voice?

Jan strove to remember everything from the announcement. “He said your females died.”

“All of us were ill after the landing on Rinora-3. Two-thirds of our males recovered but our females…” He closed his eyes briefly. “I’m sorry. It’s difficult to talk about.”

In spite of his nonhuman features, she was able to read the pain in his expression. “Were
you
married?” she asked.

“In our culture, all adults are married. I understand humans are different. We were shocked to find a thousand lovely females who were not yet pair-bonded.”

“How did you know we weren’t pair-bonded?”

“In choosing our Brides, we uploaded data on many females from the most technologically advanced areas of Earth. You’re the result of an extensive selection process. One of a thousand, chosen out of millions.”

Just like hitting the lottery.
“You know what? That makes me feel
so much better
about being brought here against my will.”

He didn’t respond to her jibe but answered seriously. “I know this is hard for you. You’ll understand more tomorrow.”

There’s got to be a way to escape. I’ll think about it when I’m not so tired
. “What’s happening tomorrow?”

“The council’s planning a meeting with all the Brides. I’d like to get you walking around before that. Are you ready to sit up?”

She almost answered that she wanted to go to sleep and never wake up again. But she didn’t want to look weak in front of him, so she nodded.

“Good. I’ll help you.” He put his arm around her shoulders. A strand of his long hair brushed against her cheek. His wonderful scent drew her like catnip attracting a feline.

A sudden vision came to her of cuddling against his chest. What would he do? Hold her, murmur soothing words? The idea was so intriguing that she almost cast herself into his arms.

More likely he’d give me a tranquilizer. Better behave myself.

“Here we go.” He raised her to a sitting position. Her head swam and the room spun like rows of fruit whirling in a slot machine.

“Dizzy!” she gasped.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Take deep breaths.”

Gradually the room steadied. In spite of herself, she drew comfort from Dr. Delos’ steady grip. Although he was an alien he also seemed to be a caring doctor.

She wore a plain yellow tunic that was embarrassingly sheer, considering her nipples were still peaking. Couldn’t he have provided a decent hospital gown?

“Bed—raise back to support patient,” he commanded. The bed obeyed him and the doctor released her. Jan suppressed an instant feeling of loss.

A twinge in her midriff brought her hand to her stomach.

“I took the feeding tube out yesterday,” the doctor explained.

“Feeding tube!”

“My examinations revealed that you were malnourished.” His voice filled with pride as he added, “You’ve gained ten pounds while you’ve been under my care.”

“Thanks a whole hell of a lot,” she muttered. Another question surfaced in her mind. “How is it we’re able to understand each other?”

“My team and I implanted brain chips when you first arrived. We’re actually speaking Terilian. Your brain’s translating it into English.”

If this wasn’t some horribly fantastic dream, she was in deep shit. Unless she and the other women could convince the aliens otherwise, none of them would see Earth again. She’d never see her mother or brothers again, never see her girlfriends.

Or Gary. She wondered why the thought of never seeing Gary again didn’t cause more than a tiny pang.

Stay tough, Jan.
Folding her arms across her chest, she said, “So the mass kidnapping was successful. When does the mass rape take place?”

Concern filled his eyes. “Rape is impossible in our culture. When the Spring Running takes place, you Earthian females will joyfully accept your new husbands.”

Don’t count on it.
“What is this Spring Running?”

He stood. “Don’t concern yourself with that now. We’ll speak more tomorrow.” As he turned to go, he added, “Just tell the bed to return to the sleep position when you want to lie down again. And don’t worry—you’ll attract one of our high-status males with your great beauty.”

* * * * *

Delos frowned as he rode the shuttle back to his quarters. Two years without a mate had been difficult. Worse than difficult. Almost impossible.

Still, that didn’t excuse his unprofessional behavior with Janis Stone. He hoped none of the council had been monitoring Sick Bay when he’d sat on her bed.

He’d been overwhelmingly tempted, determined to breathe in more of her aroma. The multi-layered scents of the new Brides had made it difficult to treat them. He remembered how Hannus, one of the orderlies, had fainted during Janis’ brain-chip operation, overwhelmed by his hormonal response to her.

Delos sighed. He’d been fascinated by Janis’ scent from his first day of studying her chemistry, administering the proper drugs to guide her through the Transition. She’d been an enticing medley of interesting aromas. Her hair had smelled different from her skin. Some of it was her, some an artificial overlay.

As the weeks passed, her natural scent predominated, a deep, woodsy smell that belonged to her alone. It brought back memories of his home planet, Teril. He recalled running through the forest as a youth, the sun dim through the mists and the green and red fronds brushing against his legs as he chased his brothers.

But most intoxicating of all was the distinctive aroma of her sex. He shivered, recalling how greatly her scent had intensified when he’d tested her orgasmic strength with the electronic stimulator. If he licked her, would that lovely skin between her breasts taste different from that smooth skin just above her female pelt?

His organ had hardened and lengthened while he spoke to her. Had she noticed? Probably not, since his tunic was loose and flowing. If only he could have her for his own, he would ask for nothing else in this life. He imagined her opening herself to him, the sweet, glistening folds ready for him to plunge into. She would scream with delight…

Don’t do this to yourself, Del. You know very well she can never be yours.

Chapter Two

The next time Jan woke, a large, gruff orderly named Hannus helped her out of bed. Leaning on his arm, she took tentative steps around the small room. Her legs felt rubbery, as though her muscles had disappeared.

Hannus brought her a meal on a tray—ten miniscule bowls, each filled with a different delicious food. Most of them tasted meaty, although one had a cornmeal consistency.

“Secondus Delos says to eat all you can. If you want more of anything, you have only to ask,” the orderly told her.

Thoughts of her diet flitted through her mind.
Hell, what does it matter now?
She finished everything on the tray.

Hannus gave her a clean tunic to wear. Much like Delos’, it was sleeveless, except that it was bright red and reached to her knees. Accompanying it were soft red shoes, somewhat like ballet slippers. “I don’t get tights?”

Hannus looked shocked. “Females never wear tights.”

He held up a mirror so that she could see herself. Jan blushed. Her large breasts were clearly visible through the sheer top, as well as the dark triangle of curls at the juncture of her thighs. She felt naked and exposed and her embarrassment was enhanced by the aide’s frankly appreciative glance.

“What happened to the clothes I had when I was brought here?”
Not that I want to run around in white satin…

“In storage. Besides, Secondus Delos was right.” Hannus’ eyes glowed with enthusiasm. “This color enhances your unique beauty.” She felt as though he were standing too close as he took a deep breath.
Is he…smelling me?

“The council is addressing the Brides in a few minutes,” he continued. “If I help you, can you walk fifty feet to the Great Hall?”

Excitement ran through her at the thought of seeing other women again. She held out her arm and he took it reverently, as though she were a queen.

They moved slowly through a long corridor. Jan narrowed her eyes to look at the walls, which showed twisted trees with red leaves and green and aqua ferns. If the illusion hadn’t ended with a plain violet ceiling, she would have almost imagined herself in a forest.

Most of the other Brides were already seated in the Great Hall when Jan came in. She stared at hundreds of faces, noting that all races of Earth were represented. The women wore sheer tunics in a glad rainbow of colors, from deepest blue to sunshine yellow to pale pink.

None of them were slender. Everyone she looked at was her size or slightly bigger. Could this possibly mean that the aliens prized large women?

The shrill sound of a thousand women chattering to each other filled the cavernous room and for a moment Jan had the impulse to put her hands over her ears.

Funny, she’d never noticed before that each woman in a crowd had her own particular scent.

Jan dropped gratefully onto a padded stool and looked up at the front of the room, where a row of aliens knelt on similar stools, murmuring to each other. Five of them wore gray. Their bodies were decorated with copper or silver—arm bracelets, ankle bracelets. Several of them wore necklaces.

At the far left, a little apart from the rest, Secondus Delos looked out toward the Brides. Clad only in a dark-green tunic and tights, he seemed younger than the other aliens. He caught her eye and smiled. Relieved to see a familiar face, Jan smiled back.

An earsplitting whistle sounded and one of the males in gray came to his feet. He was a tall, big-shouldered fellow with long black hair streaked with gray at the temples.

“Welcome, Brides. I am Primus Taddus of the Black-Striped Pelt. We’re so glad you’ve joined us on the
Ecstasy of Generations
colonization ship.”

Like we had a choice?
Jan thought wryly.

“While I realize it’s a shock for you to part from your families and friends, I’m sure that leaving your primitive, polluted planet will soon be seen as a blessing. In another year, we’ll make planetfall. You’ll be a vital part of our exciting colonization venture.”

Exciting—or dangerous?

“We chose you as our Brides because you come from the same Forerunner race as our ancestors. We already share ninety-eight percent of the same genetics. In addition, we find you almost as beautiful as our own females.

“Most of you have already received explanations from your doctors but let me quickly review what’s been done to you. The doctors have administered drugs designed to give you a complete cellular overhaul.”

What the hell?
Jan tensed.

“The changes are subtle but you are now much more like Terilian females.” His cocky voice implied they’d been given a wonderful gift. “Your sense of smell is enhanced, as is your hearing. You’ll find, in the weeks to come, greater muscular strength. Most importantly, you’ll be able to bear healthy young for your destined husbands.”

Ignoring the angry murmuring that swelled through the hall, Primus Taddus continued, “A little thought, a little reflection, will soon show you how lucky you are to be lifted out of your primitive lives and allowed to share our glorious Terilian heritage—”

Jan couldn’t stand it any longer. Shooting to her feet, she ignored the dizziness that assailed her. “How dare you? How dare you speak as though we should be grateful? You kidnapped us! On Earth, that’s considered a
crime
.”

As if her outburst had set off a Roman candle, a hundred other women jumped to their feet.

“We don’t want to bear your young!”

“Take us home, you bastards!”

“We’ll never marry you!”

Delos rose lithely and went to speak to Taddus. The two males’ conversation seemed to grow more angry by the second. Rising, Taddus stared threateningly into Delos’ eyes. Delos leaned forward and made a chopping motion with his right hand.

Delos must have won the argument, for when the whistle sounded again, he stepped closer to the Brides to speak.

“Primus Taddus has made an inspiring speech but he left one thing out—how very badly we need you.” Delos’ voice, in contrast to Taddus’, was filled with sorrow. “Without wives, our mission is doomed. We can’t colonize a planet by ourselves, with males only.”

“Then go back to your home planet!” a furious blonde shouted.

Delos turned his head slowly, his glance taking in all the Brides. “The council didn’t want to reveal this to you but I’ll tell you anyway. Humans can go for years without mating. Terilian males can’t.

“We’ve been without wives for two years. We’re at the end of our endurance. We cannot survive the four-year journey back to Teril. We’d all be dead before we arrived.”

The furious whispers in the room ceased.

“Janis Stone said we committed a crime. We did—but only because our very survival is at stake. People will do almost anything to survive. This is true on Earth and true on Teril. Someday, perhaps you’ll forgive us.”

Jan was still angry but Delos’ apologetic tone stirred something within her. Yes, she understood that they’d wanted to survive.

But forgive them? She wasn’t so sure of that.

Delos continued, “In the meantime, we hope you’ll find happiness in mating with us at the Spring Running. The cellular overhaul has made you respond to Terilian male pheromones. The Running is a joyous event in Terilian lives, a great pleasure that all anticipate.”

Taddus stood again. “Enough, Delos! No more talk of sacred things.”

Delos inclined his head and changed the subject. “I’ve heard questions as I tended you Brides in Sick Bay. Many asked if they could return to Earth. Although it would take only a year in space, forty years will have passed on Earth. So while it’s possible, I don’t think this is what any of you truly want.”

A dismayed murmur broke out following his words.

Forty years?
Her mother would be dead. Everyone she knew would be old.