The bride contract

Chapter 29 - Niska

I have been strapped to that breeding bench so many times over the past couple of weeks, that even stepping foot over the threshold into that room gets me wet. And don’t get me started on what happens to my body when I hear sounds that are faintly similar to Kiahn fastening my restraints. Just the other day, right before he was about to present me to his people as his breeding bride, Kiahn fixed the golden buckle of this beautiful cape-like coat he’d gifted me, and the noise of the clip at my throat set off some kind of Pavlovian response in my brain where all I could think about was getting railed by that huge, Adonis of an alien.

Of course, it didn’t really help that he was going to be presenting me to his people while we were standing on the very balcony where he made his guards wait while he made me come all over his fingers.

The roar of the Xavia

As soon as we stepped away from the balcony, Kiahn had presented me with yet another gift. It was a pair of stu

And so he did - three times that day.

It seems I’m not the only one suffering from a Pavlovian response of the x-rated kind when Kiahn’s eyes flare when he sees me wearing the earrings for tonight. I smile up at him and give my head a little jiggle, causing the tiny bells to gently tinkle on my ears. Kiahn’s big chest expands and he readjusts himself in his pants with the heel of his hand.

“Perhaps we have time to-” he starts to murmur, leaning down to clearly suggest we slink off and use the bench before tonight’s party starts.

“Oh, no you don’t, mister,” I protest, pushing my pointer finger into his big, hard chest. “I’m already nervous about this party, I don’t need to show up with my face all flustered because of what you’ve just done to me.”

Kiahn places his palm over my hand, flattening it to his chest as he steps forward. “That is strange, because I am sure it would cause me to show up with the widest smile on my face because of what you allow me to do to you.” I can’t help but smirk up at him for that. But then his other hand snakes down and presses to my stomach. “I know it is early, but do you think that maybe my seed grows?”

My smile slides right off my face and I straighten. “I… I don’t think humans can tell that early.” I am suddenly so very uncomfortable. Not just because Lady Zalora assured me that it would be virtually impossible to fall pregnant while taking those contraceptives, but because it’s also a reminder that this is all I am to Kiahn in the end; an incubator for his baby.

He grunts a response, his gaze still dipped down to where he now caresses my lower belly back and forth, almost in a trance. The soft longing in his expression almost winds me. Could that longing include me also? “Is there any way to safely up the dosage of your human fertility medication?” he asks, his green gaze flicking up to meet mine. “You know, to… increase our possibility of being successful?” I can’t help but suck in a breath at that as I step away from his touch.

“Maybe we can discuss this later. Let’s get tonight over with first.”

He steps closer, seeming to sense my frayed nerves - even if he’s not aware of everything that’s causing them. Raising one of his big, strong hands Kiahn cups the side of my neck, his thumb sweeping across my jaw as his fingers curl around to my nape, sending a cascade of goosebumps down my spine. “Do not fret, my Niska,” he tells me, eyes shining with something I ca

He waits to see my mouth pull up into a smile before he brushes the crown on my head with his lips. “Because if they do not, I will charge them with treason, and have them thrown into a pit of hungry yizzian desert fanglets.”

I playfully slap his chest. “For not liking me? That sounds harsh… and I don’t even know what a fanglet is!”

Kiahn grins down at me. “Savage little fuzzy creatures that hunt in packs,” he tells me, his thumb still gently stroking my jaw. “They actually look pretty cute. But they could strip a Xavia

“That doesn’t sound very cute.”

Kiahn dips his head again, resting his forehead against mine. “Well, then they had better all treat you like the little Goddess you are, hadn’t they?” We stand there together for a moment, and I can’t help feel entrapped by those beautiful bright eyes of his as we gently sway on the spot. Kiahn’s hand slips from my neck to twirl a small section of my hair with his fingers. “You will tell me if anyone makes you feel uneasy or is anything other than friendly, Niska.”

When I pull away looking at him, it’s clear by his expression that he means what he says, so I nod my head and continue to get ready for the party tonight - the one meant to welcome me as the prince’s bride.

His current one, anyway.

I shush my own internal voice as I fasten my golden bridal collar around my neck. Maybe all this with Kiahn is only temporary. But that’s his culture. It wouldn’t be fair for me to demand more, even if I thought he wanted the same.

No, I just need to pull up my big girl panties and do what I can always count on myself to do - get through everything my weird life has thrown at me.

* * *

I enter the huge ballroom on Kiahn’s arm to more fanfare than I’d expected. A room this large almost packed with bodies - bodies of Xavia

Up until now, Kiahn, Zalora and Vel had done a good job of keeping us humans away from a lot of the other Xavia

The cavernous ballroom is decorated in duck-egg with accents of gold, and if it weren’t for the floating orbs of light dotted around the place, you’d be forgiven for thinking we were on set for a period drama.

I find myself squeezing Kiahn’s arm a little too tightly when all the faces are turned toward us, their smiles and glittering eyes directed right at me. A large, warm hand covers mine, and Kiahn leans down to murmur, “if you wish, we can make excuses after only a short while and leave.”

No, I can do this. It’s only a party. I’m just not used to being the center of attention is all.

Shaking my head and forcing a smile, I tell him that I’ll be fine.

Soon, Vel comes to link her arm in mine, attempting to tug me away so she can introduce me to others. But Kiahn’s grip on my other arm grows tighter as he throws his cousin a glare over my head.

“You go

But instead, it makes me feel like I’m about to be a sacrificial offering.

In the end, Jaya, Lois, and Vel manage to wrestle me out of Kiahn’s grasp. Only after I’d assured him that I’d be fine without him, though. As soon as I leave his side, Kiahn is quickly swallowed up by well-wishers for his contract, and other males wanting to get in his ear about their own interests. I crane my neck trying to take in the opulence of the event as Vel ushers Lois, Jaya and I over to a particular group of Xavia

“But, I don’t understand,” one male Xavia

“To control them, Keveen,” Vel interrupts, rolling her eyes. “It’s a trap. Keep up.”

While the discussion continues around me, I find my eyes drifting back across the ballroom toward Kiahn. He cuts such an impressive figure in here. Even in amongst all these Xavia

“Niska, dear,” a voice breaks its way through the stupor I find myself in over the intense eye-fucking Kiahn is giving me from several feet away. Blinking, I see that Lady Zalora has joined the small group. “This is Gibbi,” she says, indicating to the beautiful Xavia

Gibbi’s smile is wide as she offers her hand. “Hello, Niska. It is wonderful to meet you.” For a second or two I seem to have forgotten what a handshake is until Gibbi’s eyes dip down to her own offered hand. “Am I doing it wrong? I wanted to learn how to properly greet a human. I was told this the correct way?”

Stumbling over myself with embarrassment, I grab her hand and shake it - perhaps too thoroughly. “Yes! Sorry, I wasn’t really-”

“Gibbi would like to ask a few questions about what Prince Kiahn likes,” Lady Zalora says, completely derailing my already jumbled mind.

“What?”