CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The school was finally built and we grouped all the children by age. It was obvious not everyone was on the same page, but that was to be expected. We worked with what we had.

The curriculum was vastly different from the ones on Earth. There was very little need to learn Earth history. The focus for older children was mainly on the sciences, engineering, agriculture, and everything else that would benefit us here. The young ones learned the arts - music, languages, literature, teamwork.

It was intense, but necessary. We had to adapt quickly to our new surroundings. Anything else was more of an elective and optional tutor for those who wanted to learn about the place they were born and how it came to be.

Clara seemed to be enjoying her time at school where she was able to meet more kids who didn't care that she didn't have a father. Erik was still her friend, but since he was older, they weren't able to spend as much time together.

For the first few days, I observed each teacher, making sure that no one was taking advantage of their positions. Most of them, I didn't know personally. I only had their files to support that no one was a pedophile. What I saw, however, was acceptable.

Even Joan seemed to be focused on her work. I would see Preston hovering near the classroom like a creepy stalker and I was very tempted to tell him off, but he wasn't doing anything other than loiter, so I decided to wait it out. I didn't need another enemy on this planet.

As I walked back home, I suddenly had a feeling that someone was following me. It couldn't possibly be either of the synthetics because they were far too quiet for me to detect if they wanted to remain hidden. That said, they usually make it known to me that they were around.

I quickened my pace, wondering for the first time why my home was so far from the school.

When I saw the small stone hut, I was racing down the path and quickly shut the door behind me. My heart was pounding in my chest. The blood was rushing to my head and my vision wavered.

Peeking out the window, I saw a shadow disappear past a tree and disappear into the distance. Someone was definitely there. That terrible feeling of paranoia returned in full.

I checked all my locks. They were fine.

I was fine.

No one was going to get in…

I walked to my bed and as soon as I collapsed on top of it, the door opened.

"Cassandra?"

I let out a shriek, tossing the first thing in range.

The white, fluffy pillow soared through the air and was gracefully caught by David even though it was nowhere near hitting him.

The locks closed as he moved them with whatever technological magic he had.

"What has gotten you so anxious?" he asked, strolling casually towards me with narrowed eyes.

I held out my arms and he obediently sat down and allowed me to hold him. "Someone was following me from the school. I don't know who it was." I had an idea though. Preston was the one who had a bit of a grudge against my right now and he too, had been at the school when I was there.

David stayed silent as I continued to cling on to him. "I don't know what they want with me…"

"It doesn't matter," he stated, tilting my chin up to look at him. "No one will take you away from me. You are mine, Cassandra. Everything you are; Everything that you have; Everything that you ever possess. You. Are. Mine."

I leaned in for a kiss and he met me halfway. I liked being his because I knew for certain that he was mine. I also knew he was never going to allow anything bad to happen to me.

The door opened as I was about to doze off in his arms.

"Miss Cassandra. David." Walter walked in and knelt in front of us by the bed. He ran his hand through my hair with a gentle smile on his face. "There is no one around the perimeter. Everyone has turned in for the night. Do you need to do anything else?"

"No." David laid us down and I continued to wiggle closer even though I was already as close as I could be. Walter was on his side, pressed against my back. Between them, I couldn't possibly feel any safer. Sometimes, I wondered if I'd be happier if I was alone with them and my babies.

Where was the Xenomorph? I could still feel him, but he had gone off elsewhere and it had been days since I last saw him.

As if sensing my curiosity, his mind nudged mine and suddenly, I knew why he was away.

I grinned at the cheeky charmer. He had found himself a mate! I couldn't wait to meet them.

With that thought, I finally drifted off.

The next morning, I was up bright and early to find him. He was already waiting at the edge of the forest and when I saw his mate, I shook my head with a laugh. His mate was very obviously male and resembled a larger version of him.

"Really?" I held my hand out and they both eased out from behind the bushes. My baby nudged my hand, purring as I began to stroke his bulbous head. I always thought he would be the dominant one, but one glance at his partner and I knew that that wasn't the case. The other creature loomed over me, sizing me up as I did the same. In a fight, I would most definitely lose. He had a long pointed tail and sharp spines all along his back. Unlike my Xenomorph, he had one glowing pair of eyes that were nearly neon green. He, too, had a rather bulbous head, but when his mouth opened, there was only one set of jaws and mouth. He looked like a modified version of my child and I wondered where he could've come from.

I held out my other hand to try to put him at ease. Cautiously, he took one step towards me, then another, and another until just the very tip of my fingers grazed his smooth head. The moment we touched, it was as if we suddenly connected and I could feel them both warm and fuzzy inside me. He had no ill intentions, only overprotectiveness for his new mate. He could feel me as well and grew more comfortable.

Their tails wound around my waist as they began to nuzzle my cheeks.

Cute…

I sighed contently, realising my happy little family was growing. I already loved them more than I ever loved my biological family because I knew they would never hurt me like they did. Even if father did consider me his daughter, he never spared the time to show me he actually cared. I had to find it through other people.

"Alright, off." I gently tried to push them away, but they were more playful than I thought and I was suddenly on my back with them laying their heads on my chest and stomach. "Really? You big babies!"

And so, I lied on the grass for half an hour before they finally ran off to hunt together. Still in a happy mood, I decided to take a walk in the woods, stopping when I spotted a familiar face slowly making her way towards David's cave.

I quietly followed her as she peeked past trees and bushes before finding the cave. Just as she was about to enter the dark tunnel, I called out to her.

"Cathy, what are you doing here? Does your family know you've been wandering? It's dangerous in these woods, especially when you're not trained for it," I told her, watching as her face scrunch up into a sneer.

"Yeah? And why do you care? Don't you have an orphan girl to watch over?" She turned back around to proceed forward.

"No, she's being well taken care of," I informed her. "Are you sure you want to go in there alone? As I said, it's dangerous on this planet. We've already encountered several creatures lurking about."

She rolled her eyes. "If you're really to scare me, it's not working. All of us had some combat training too. I'm ready for whatever is in there, especially since you seem to not want me to find what's inside. What the Hell are you hiding?"

"Nothing, but why are you out here? It can't possibly be because of me. You didn't even know I was going to be here."

She didn't deign to enlighten me. Instead, she continued on forward with her chin tilted upward.

I continued to follow, curious to see how she would react to his lab.

When she rounded the last corner, she abruptly stopped and gasped in horror. "Wha - "

David was in front of an empty cell. He was staring at us, bare as the day he was made.

"Miss Cathy." His voice was enough to snap her out of her shock. She seemed to manage to ignore the strange prison-like environment and made her way towards him, slowly peeling off her own clothes.

Confusion filled me. Was this why she knew to come here? What was David planning? If he was going to seduce another woman, I really doubt he would do it here. It was disgusting. I could see bits of flesh clinging on to the grimy stone walls.

"Walter..." Cathy smiled at him. "Oh, wait until I tell everyone. They'll all be so jealous."

She placed one filthy hand on his bare chest and I nearly lunged towards her to tear that limb off. Managing to control myself, I glared at David instead, who smirked back at me. Was he trying to prove a point? He knew I loved him.

Grabbing the scalpel from the table, I began to stalk over to the oblivious woman who was too enamoured by the perfect synthetic to notice.

As Cathy rose to her tiptoes to kiss David, I grabbed her by her shoulders and tossed her to the side, the scalpel hidden behind my back.

"What the Hell?" she shouted, rubbing her neck and brushing her hair back to snarl at me. "First you stick your nose in places that are none of your business, now this? I'm done with your royal fuckin' highness!"

"You're a married woman, Cathy. Leave this place and go back to your husband," I hissed, gritting my teeth to keep from lodging the scalpel through her skull. She was just a foolish woman. She didn't understand anything. She just needed to learn not to mess what was mine.

"Don't get in my fuckin' business!" she screamed, coming at me.

Just as I was about to defend myself and truly bring the blade into her eyes, David stepped between us and with one hand, seized her by her neck.

She gasped, kicking her legs in the air and hitting his arm. "What a-are you doing?" she squeaked.

"Did you think I truly wished to be intimate with you?" he asked, tilting his head.

"You… asked me…"

"You came to me - curious," he went on. "And I needed fresh specimens. Your curiosity is to be valued. I will make sure to use your life to its full extent."

"No! No, help me!" She moved her eyes to me.

I gently placed the scalpel back on the table. "I told you not to come here, Cathy. You should've listened to me."

"Please…"

David threw her into a cell and locked it before she could come out. He turned to me, his eyes dark with mischief.

"What are you…?" I never got to finish my sentence when he pressed me against the table, knocking over all the surgical instruments. He pulled down my pants and thrust in.

I let out a startled cry before clenching my eyes shut. "David!" My moans echoed up and down the tunnels.

He slammed quickly in and out, stroking every part that made me scream and convulse below him.

"Cassandra…" he purred. "Were you worried? Did I make you think I was going to let her have me? Perhaps that I would allow her anywhere near you?"

I whimpered. "I don't know…. I just saw… I saw…" Temporarily, my brain went blank as he licked a path down my neck. "Saw you naked w-with her fuckin' h-hands on you!" I gasped.

"So you decided she had to die?" He roughly tugged my hair back so that I had nowhere to look except at him. "What a naughty girl…"

I turned my head to look at Cathy who was gazing back at me with betrayal and horror. Her expression was priceless. She deserved this. She deserved to know that she was trying to take the wrong man.

Maybe he was right. Maybe I was naughty…

I pulled his head down to capture his lips with mine. There was truly no need to emphasise anything, but I wanted to. I wanted to make sure she knew he was mine and nothing she did would ever change this.

My legs wrapped around his waist, angling him deeper. This was all a show for Cathy, but what I didn't expect, was for him to throw his head back and let out a throaty laugh.

It brought chills down my spine and I was nearly driven over the edge.

He bowed down once more, grinning at me with a maniacal glint in his eyes. "Oh, Cassandra… My beautiful doll… Allow me to reassure you that you are irreplaceable."

Quickening the pace, he nibbled on my bottom lip, catching each breathy gasp that escaped me. "David…" I sobbed, overwhelmed by the sensations as his member began to vibrate in a way that had never happened before. "I can't… I can't…"

"Let go," he purred. "Give yourself to me."

"Yes… Yes…" I chanted, clenching my eyes shut as I shook violently through the orgasm that left me weightless and oversensitive.

He stroked my cheek, slowly bringing me back, but all I wanted to do was cuddle now.

Unfortunately, there was no limit to his stamina.

He flipped me on to my stomach and slammed back in. My walls clenched tightly around him. I was still too sensitive, but he didn't care. He kept going, pulled my head up by my hair, and making me look at the poor woman trembling in the cell.

Her eyes were still fixated on us as if she couldn't bring herself to look away. Or perhaps she was imagining herself in my position. It brought me great satisfaction and I let out a very showy moan, arching my back.

Suddenly, David had his teeth at the nape of my neck and bit hard on the sensitive flesh, but not enough to pierce the skin.

At some point, I was no longer aware that anyone else was in the room. It was only David and me.

I held him close to me, lavishing in the warmth he was emitting. He was the perfect temperature to make me tingle all over.

"Where are they?" I tiredly mumbled while resting with my head on his chest and looking up at him.

"Who are you referring to?" he innocently asked, his face completely emotionless.

I reached up and poked his firm cheek. He didn't react. "The others - Jared, Christine, Karen, Rupert, Milo…?"

He hummed, running his hand down my back and sending shivers down my back. He was definitely trying to distract me, but I wasn't going to allow him this time. "Tell me, David. Where have they gone?"

"I have released them."

I froze.

"What do you mean?" Jared was wandering outside? Would he be looking for me? He had to be angry, I knew he would.

Not only that, the rest of them would tell the colony about what happened. We were going to be exposed.

I wasn't ready for that.

David had me dressed before leading me out of the cave. I could see something flitting across the right corner of my eyes.

When I turned, it was gone.

"David…?"

Another ran by and another.

There were several… things surrounding us. I couldn't tell if they were friendly or not, but David wasn't concerned.

The creatures were semi-humanoid. Their skin was patchy - caught between shades of tan and black. Strands of hair were still attached to their deformed heads and their eyes were gouged out or perhaps… popped out? I couldn't tell. They were just gone, leaving two empty sockets in their places.

Stubs formed where a tail was slowly growing. And their limbs were all clawed.

If I squint hard enough, they sort of resembled a hybrid between…

I quickly looked at David who seemed to be observing his creations with pride. "Did you do this? Is this everyone who was there before? Why…?"

"Why not?" he asked, never taking his eyes off the hybrids. "Granted, the results are less than perfect, but eventually, I will have everyone like you."

I didn't know whether to be happy or not that he wanted to convert other people. I wanted to be his special one. I didn't want to be replaceable…

"Are you thinking silly thoughts again?" he whispered into my ear.

I crossed my arms and stared into the distance before something caught my eyes.

I walked over to the object and picked up a torn teddy bear. "What is this doing here…?"

Flipping over the stuff toy, I saw a small tag sewed into its back. There was a name on it - a name of a young two year old child I had seen several times being carried by his mother.

My face paled and I ran towards the direction of the colony. What had David done? Were they alright?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I had a huge rant regarding the coronavirus and over-preparing for no reason, but deleted everything because it was too much (Literally five paragraphs). Just be considerate of people who actually need things like alcohol for daily injections or pain killers for elderlies or people with migraines. Also everything else in general. No need to hoard excessively! Also strive to be clean even when there isn't a pandemic! (Don't sneeze or cough in people's faces because I'm tired of that from clients, co-workers, and friends. Just STOP!)

Okay, I'm done.

Thank you MageVicky, time-twilight, kingdomhearts49120, and MerkinViolet for reviewing!

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