Chapter song: Leave My Body by Florence & the Machine
This could not have happened at a worse time. Only a few hours ago I was asking Ronan to open up to me in order for me to trust him, yet here I was being portrayed as a lying hypocrite. The last thing I wanted was to give him a reason not to trust me.
"It's not what you think," I said, quietly sniffling. "I was–"
"Your stubborn, self-entitled demeanor should have been the first indicator of your status. The children of politicians never possess the trait of docility," he taunted in a condescending tone.
"I was going to tell you eventually. Honestly, I didn't even think about it! It's not like it's relevant to my situation now," I said, my voice rising with anger.
"The point is you purposefully hid this from me," he sneered as he straightened himself up.
"No, I didn't! You never asked," I retorted sharply, causing Ronan to glare at me.
"Silvia," he warned, his voice rumbling with irritation. I leaned back into the couch, crossing my arms and shaking my head with frustration while I glared at him.
"Tell me about this heiress matter," he said after a moment of silence. "And do not lie to me," he hissed as he sensed my reluctance.
"My great-grandfather was an oil tycoon. When my parents pass away, I'll take ownership of the company," I said with a sigh. It would be perfectly fine with me if that day never came.
"Then my following grandfather invested early in an engineering company called Stark Industries, which is now my world's largest supplier of aeronautics and robotics. We own a significant amount of its shares," I said as I watched Ronan's eyes narrow in thought.
"You are speaking of a great deal of wealth," he said quietly, eyeing me up and down.
Great, here we go, I thought as I silently stared at him. I could feel the resentment and frustration slowly building inside of me, making me feel like I was being wound up like a spring, ready to bounce at any second.
"Your family is powerful," he said with conviction as he leaned forward. My silence was the only answer he needed, and slowly his mouth began to curve into a devious smile. He could tell I was getting upset, but this only seemed to ignite him.
"Perhaps princess would be a more fitting title for you," he said in a rough, mocking voice.
"Stop it!" I snapped, jumping up from the couch. His arrogant smirk disappeared, but his eyes still shined with mischievous glee as he looked up at me.
"I don't want to be treated like a fucking princess. Every time someone finds out who I am they start treating me differently and I hate it! Don't do that to me," I said, my voice shaking with anger.
Ronan snorted with amusement as he leaned back against the couch and stared at me. As his brilliant, smoldering eyes remained locked on my face, I could see flickers of desire, curiosity, and eagerness hidden within the purple orbs, and my heart slowly sank with disappointment; it was the same look I had seen on every boyfriend before him and Ronan was the last person I suspected to care about wealth or social status.
"I thought you were different from the other men," I muttered disappointedly, shaking my head as I began walking away.
"Stop," Ronan ordered quietly from the couch. I ignored him and continued heading towards the stairs, trying my best not to falter when I heard his feet angrily slam against the floor as he stood up from the couch.
"I said stop," he growled loudly from behind me, causing my stomach to tighten with fear. I hesitantly stopped and turned around to see him slowly sauntering towards me, with his mouth turned down in a frown.
"You dare compare me to Terran men?" He asked, his deep, masculine voice resonating off the walls.
"I saw the way you were looking at me," I grumbled unhappily as he came within arm's reach. He continued slowly advancing upon me as he began speaking, causing me to step backwards.
"Clearly you have misinterpreted me. I am not impressed nor do I care about your family's fortune. In fact, I find it amusing that you assume mere Terran wealth has power over my mind, especially when it is obvious you despise your privilege. I'll admit your disregard for wealth and power is admirable, and I find your attitude to be rather curious," he said as he continued walking forward until I felt my back press against the wall.
I had to admit it was relieving to hear Ronan say he didn't care about who my family is or how much money I'm worth. Although I had heard this line many times before, there was an obvious sincerity in Ronan's voice that convinced me he was actually telling the truth, and the way he was cornering me now only proved he was not going to treat me any differently.
"The only thing I care about is that peculiar mind of yours and what other secrets lie within it," he said as he reached out and gently held me by my neck, keeping me from running away.
My breath caught in my throat as his warm hand made contact with my bare skin, instantly reminding me of the things he was doing to me earlier, and I couldn't prevent myself from blushing. I remained silent as his eyes trailed up my neck and across my face, obviously noticing the pink color spread across my skin.
For some reason, I was even more attracted to Ronan now that he knew who I was and I knew he didn't give a damn. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like just another tool to be used by hopeful politicians, young philanthropists, or gold-digging men. He truly was nothing like the men back home, and I absolutely loved it.
"What else are you hiding from me?" He asked seriously, tilting his head down at me. He was so big, so, so big, I thought as I bit my lip.
"Nothing," I whispered as I felt myself unwillingly tremble with arousal.
"There are ways for me to find out the truth," he said, his voice low in warning as he leaned in closer, mistakenly judging my trembling to be caused from fear.
"I'm not hiding anything from you," I said quietly as I looked up at him. I nervously swallowed before speaking, wondering if what I was about to say next would be too bold.
"You could always strip search me," I teased softly, unable to hide the yearning I felt for him. His eyes faintly twitched, obviously caught off guard by my suggestion, but his hand remained wrapped around my neck.
"Do not try to distract me," he growled with unexpected anger, causing me to flinch.
"I'm not hiding anything!" I shouted frustratedly as I attempted to remove his hand from my neck. After a few seconds of achieving absolutely nothing I gave up and sighed loudly.
"Let go of me," I said impatiently, trying my best not to lose my temper. Not only was I sexually frustrated, but I was now trapped by the man who was responsible for it.
"No," he said smirking down at me. There was a twinkle in his eye that made it clear to me that he was enjoying his power over me and I was certain he knew the affect he was having on me.
Fine, two can play that game, I thought mischievously as I began to do the unthinkable.
I closed my eyes and began softly trailing my hands across my abdomen, slowly moving upwards towards my breasts. When my hands reached the soft flesh of my bosom, I began gently squeezing and cupping the large mounds in my hands, seductively biting my bottom lip while doing so.
"What are you doing?" Ronan asked, for once sounding unsure of himself. I ignored him and continued caressing myself with my delicate hands, genuinely enjoying the soft touch.
As my left hand remained cradling my left breast, my right hand began slowly trailing downwards, heading straight for my sensitive mound. I slipped my hand underneath the fabric of my dress and began rubbing myself over my panties, causing myself to involuntarily moan. In response, Ronan slightly tightened his grip around my neck, but not enough to affect my breathing. I slowly opened my eyes to look up at him and found him staring at me with his mouth slightly parted and his brow furrowed with confusion.
"What are you doing?" He asked more forcefully, obviously becoming frustrated.
"I'm pleasuring myself," I whispered seductively, enjoying the way his eyes slightly darkened.
I closed my eyes once again and began rubbing faster, tilting my head backwards against the wall as pleasure began to consume my lower body. My respiration and heartrate increased as I came closer to reaching my peak, and Ronan's hand tightened around my neck as if he could sense it. I gasped as my airway became tighter, but I continued stroking myself through the thin fabric.
"Stop it, Silvia," he said in a rough voice. My eyes remained closed so I could not see what he looked like, but I could imagine he was glaring at me right now.
"No," I moaned loudly as my knees started to shake.
"You look ridiculous," he growled, but I could tell from the sound of his voice he was beginning to become aroused himself.
Sure enough, only a few seconds later his hands tightly gripped my waist and lifted me up in the air, roughly throwing me over his shoulder. His right hand held my legs against his chest to prevent me from falling off, and he quickly began making his way to the stairs.
"You are an irksome creature," he muttered as we ascended the white, stone stairs. I couldn't help but smile at his annoyed tone because I could tell he was secretly enjoying the situation.
When we entered my bedroom door I expected him to set me down on the floor or on the bed, but he continued walking towards the bathroom. He stopped in front of the shower and lifted me off his shoulder, placing me down so my back was to him. I barely had time to register the sound of fabric ripping before I realized my dress was hanging off of me in two pieces, with my bra and panties removed shortly after. He then gently pushed me inside the shower and turned the water on while he remained standing outside, staring at me with devilish glee.
I stood in the shower as warm water trickled over my body, causing my nipples to harden from the change in temperature, and watched with excitement as Ronan began taking his armor off. It had to be one of the most thrilling moments of my life, watching him undress before me while his lustful eyes remained transfixed on my body. He truly looked like he was trying to devour me with his eyes, and it made me more aroused than anything else. After his heavy armor was removed and he was left standing in the thin fabric of his leather tunic and loincloth, I felt my heart flutter with anticipation. My eyes raked across his magnificent physique as the last remains of his clothing were removed, and Ronan wasted no time in getting down to business.
In the blink of an eye, I was pressed against the shower wall with Ronan's hand gently grasping my neck. I could feel his hard length pushing against my stomach as he reached down and began stroking me in between my silky folds. The suppressed sexual energy I had been feeling earlier came back with vengeance as Ronan pushed down on my swollen bud, and I came around his fingers in less than a minute. I looked up to see the water was slowly melting away the black paint from his face, revealing his handsome features underneath the terrifying mask, and I had the sudden urge to kiss him.
As if he knew what I wanted, Ronan roughly grabbed my ass from behind and lifted me up against the wall so we were at eye level. With my legs wrapped around his waist, we began kissing with a fiery passion that was noticeably different, our mouths moving perfectly in sync with each other, craving and tasting each other's flesh. I had never felt this type of connection with anyone before and the fire in which it consumed me now was absolutely mind-blowing. Ronan pulled his head back and gazed at me, as if he were truly looking at me for the first time, and I knew right then that something significant was happening, but I didn't know what.
"Silvia," Ronan said softly, making my whole body tingle in response.
"Ronan," I breathed, my chest rising and falling with excitement.
Ronan's face flickered with surprise as he looked intensely into my eyes, making me curious as to what he was thinking, but that surprise was quickly replaced with a dark, ravenous need.
His eyes remained locked on my face as he lifted me up and positioned his thick head at my entrance. I placed my hands on his shoulders as he began lowering me down onto him, causing me to gasp at the enormous pressure of him filling me up. It stung a little, but it was a welcome pain. His gaze lowered to my parted lips and his own mouth curved with gratification as he watched me take him in, once again claiming my body for his own.
I felt as if I weighed nothing at all as Ronan moved me up and down along his length, slowly burying himself deeper into me with every push. My head felt dizzy from the carnal intoxication his thick girth was bringing me, and soon I found myself frenetic with animalistic desire. I boldly leaned forward and began sucking on his beautiful, muscular neck, bringing the blue skin into my mouth. Ronan grunted in response, his fingers burying themselves deeper into my ass with bruising strength. He began kissing me with renewed frenzy, pulling my bottom lip into his mouth and gently biting it, before moving down my neck and nuzzling the curve of my neck and shoulder. I moaned softly as his mouth lowered to my collarbone and I felt his teeth graze the sensitive area, causing my walls to clench around his cock.
"I will not be gentle tonight," he growled into my neck, making me shudder with delight.
His left hand remained underneath me holding me up, while his other hand reached up and grabbed a handful of my breast. His mouth eagerly latched onto my nipple, licking and sucking it until it was swollen with blood. When I looked down I saw the pink, engorged bud in between his teeth and I quietly whimpered when I felt a sharp sensation as he bit me.
With my back still pressed against the wall, Ronan began roughly thrusting himself inside of me, almost to the hilt each time. The short, piercing cries that escaped me were involuntary as he deeply penetrated me, but my loud vocalization only seemed to spur him on. My back slid along the wet, slick wall as he moved my body with his powerful thrusts. It was not long before I felt the familiar fire pooling in my lower abdomen and my entire body began to quake. His right hand dropped back down to my ass and held me up as I lost muscle control over my legs and could no longer wrap them around his waist. When my tight walls began to quiver around his pulsing length, he grunted and began fervently nuzzling my neck, lapping at my tender flesh with his warm tongue.
My nails raked along his backside as I violently came on his thick cock, my screams of pure bliss being music to his ears. He growled passionately before once again capturing my mouth, slamming himself deeper into me to prevent my muscles from pushing him out as I climaxed. My hands frantically grasped at his shoulders, arms, and face as he continued to drive himself further into me, all the while exploring my mouth with his skillful, demanding tongue. He then unexpectedly pulled himself out and placed me down on the floor.
"Turn around and bend over," he ordered, his voice rough with lust. "Now," he growled when I hesitated.
I turned around on shaking legs and slowly bent over in front of him. Ronan's hand pressed down on my lower back, forcing me to bend over even more.
"Grab your ankles," he instructed huskily, and I immediately obliged. I felt my face flush with embarrassment as his hands began caressing my ample, round bottom, gently squeezing and stroking the soft cheeks with tender care.
Just as I started to relax, his right hand slapped my delicate cheek, immediately making me yelp with shock. Although it stung, it didn't actually hurt, and I found myself surprisingly turned on by the act. Excitement and mild fear coursed through my body as I waited for the next spanking, but I remained frozen in my spot and whimpered softy with anticipation. I heard Ronan hum with appreciation as his hands roamed across my backside.
"You never fail to surprise me," Ronan murmured with amusement as I felt him step closer.
His left hand grabbed my hip to keep me steady as he positioned himself at my entrance and in one thrust he was all the way inside me, making me cry out with a delicious mixture of pain and pleasure. From this position it felt as if he were taking my virginity all over again, but I could feel him rubbing along my G-spot, and that definitely made up for it.
His hands used my hips as leverage, pulling me backwards onto him as he slid into me from behind, making the penetration deeper than ever. Within minutes I was moaning and breathing heavily with pleasure as another orgasm quickly approached me. I gasped as his hand slapped my other ass cheek, which caused my core to tighten around his organ, and this increased friction unexpectedly brought me to my climax. My eyes widened with surprise as pure ecstasy rippled through my body, causing my legs to shake and my mind to become momentarily lost. A few seconds later, I heard Ronan grunt before his pace quickened and his hands dug further into the flesh of my hips. After a few deep thrusts and a delicious, masculine groan, I felt the warm release of his orgasm trickling out of me and down my leg.
As I slowly straightened up, Ronan's fingers traced the groove of my spine and stopped at the base of my neck, before running down along my arms. I turned around to see him intently staring down at me, his expression a mixture of pride and intrigue, while he began lathering soap between his large hands. Without saying a word he started rubbing the fragrant suds all over my body with a gentleness I had not expected. If it weren't for the possessive look he was giving me, I would have thought the act to be romantic.
When I was clean, he reached over and cut the water off and promptly stepped out of the shower. I followed behind and grabbed a towel from the cabinet to wrap around my body. Suddenly remembering that I was still on my period, I quickly began making another pad with toilet paper and walked into my bedroom to put on a new pair of panties.
As I was drying my hair, I felt an eyelash get stuck underneath my eyelid, causing me to hiss with annoyance. After nearly a minute of failed attempts to remove the irritating hair from my eye, I walked over to the mirror to get a better look. When I gazed at my reflection, a loud, startled gasp escaped me as I looked into a pair of unfamiliar bright, purple eyes that should have been blue.
"Ronan, my eyes…" I whispered, suddenly feeling light headed. Ronan was already standing only a few feet behind me, looking not at all surprised.
"Yes," he said calmly.
"When did this happen?" I asked with shock, leaning in closer to look at my new eyes. They were certainly prettier than my boring blue ones, but I felt almost disappointed knowing a part of me was gone forever.
"In the shower, only seconds before I was inside of you," he said with gleaming eyes as he stepped closer.
"It was indeed a curious sight to behold," he said in a thoughtful tone. He ran his hands along my shoulders in a comforting manner, almost making me forget about the startling change.
"But what does it mean?" I whispered anxiously, turning around to face him. He smirked down at me, obviously not concerned with what was happening to me.
"It means your transformation is complete. You are now half-Kree," he said with visible pride, before walking away into the bathroom.
"Half-Kree," I whispered to myself as I walked over to the bed in a daze. I pulled myself up onto the fluffy mattress and lied down, vacantly staring at the ceiling while I became consumed with thoughts.
My life was so fucking weird now. Here I was on another planet, having amazing sex with this mysterious, hot alien man, and now I was considered half alien. I felt like I was trapped in some bizarre science fiction movie. Growing up, I feared I would have a dull, predictable life, but that certainly wasn't the case anymore. Still, I wish I knew what the hell was going on between Ronan and me because I was growing more attached to him by the minute. He was definitely not the type to open up about his feelings, so I knew if anything was going to happen, I would have to be the one to make the first move and it scared me to death.
He came out of the bathroom dressed in his full armor once again, and stopped when he noticed I was watching him closely.
"What is it?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at me. Judging by his tone, I could tell he didn't like being watched.
"Nothing," I murmured nervously, quickly looking away.
"Silvia, speak," he said with growing agitation as he began walking to my side of the bed.
"I just… never mind. It's nothing," I whispered as my eyes remained locked on the ceiling.
"Must you always be so infuriating?" He growled, stopping in front of me.
"I'm just really confused," I said before rolling away from him onto my side. Ronan's large hand grabbed my shoulder and forced me to roll back over, and I was immediately met with glaring purple eyes.
"Confused about what? Speak your mind and be done with it," he said, his harsh tone flaring my own temper.
"I like you, OK? I don't know why, but I do," I blurted out. With an incredulous look on his face, Ronan took a step backwards and turned his body to the side, as if he was trying to distance himself from me.
"You cannot," he muttered as he looked at me from the corner of his eyes. I felt the familiar tightening knot of disappointment in my chest and throat, and to make the situation even worse my eyes began to water with tears.
"I can't control how I feel about you. Trust me, if I could turn it off I would," I sighed unhappily, closing my eyes from embarrassment.
"I am leaving, Silvia," he said quietly, and I nodded my head in agreement and gingerly wiped my tears away.
"Goodnight," I whispered, trying my best to avoid eye contact with him.
"No, you misunderstand. I leave in three days for a mission," he said more loudly, causing my face to wrinkle with confusion as I processed his words.
"How long will you be gone?" I asked, not even trying to hide the disappointment in my voice.
"I do not know. It could be a matter of weeks, perhaps months," he said, his voice growing softer as I began crying into my hands.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I cried out loudly as a wave of hopelessness washed over me.
"It is not my doing," he retorted angrily. "I was given orders," he said with clear resentment.
"Just take me home then! Please, let me go back to Earth," I desperately pleaded, sitting up in the bed to look at him.
"That is not going to happen," he said, his deep, guttural voice full of anger. I shook my head in disbelief as his steely glare burned into my face, silently warning me to drop the subject.
"Go to sleep," he barked, before turning and walking towards the door. After his careless dismissal of my feelings and then informing me that I could be alone here for months, I unsurprisingly lost my temper and every ounce of control.
"Damn you!" I shouted bitterly as I threw a pillow at his back, and he came to an abrupt halt. His fists tightened up at his sides, and he remained perfectly still as if debating whether or not to turn around.
"Look at me," I said, my voice shaking with anger.
After several seconds of him remaining turned away from me, I threw a second pillow at him, and he immediately snarled and began striding towards me. The intimidating sound of his heavy footsteps hitting the floor was nothing compared to the furious glare he was giving me. I could hear him breathing heavily through his flared nostrils as he came closer, but I remained frozen, staring at him with wide eyes. When he came within five feet of me, I forced myself to speak up.
"If I mean anything to you, you won't hurt me," I said in a trembling voice. The remaining courage I had left nearly vanished when he pulled on my hair, forcing my head backwards to look up into his angry, blue face.
I winced at the sharp sting of his hand pulling on my scalp, but I did not lower my eyes from his because I wanted to witness every second of this moment. I wanted to see every twitch, every wrinkle, and every flicker of emotion that crossed his face, so I could discover how he truly felt about me.
As he held my hair in his tightly clenched fist, he pulled his other hand back as if he were going to strike me, and I instinctively raised my hands to protect myself, but his hand remained suspended in the air. With my hands held out in front of me, I watched as conflicting emotions danced across Ronan's handsome face, making his lip curl and his eyes flicker with resentment. It became clear that he was having some kind of internal battle with himself, and I desperately hoped his good side was winning.
A quiet growl escaped his tight lips before I noticed his hand twitch in the air, and I impulsively whimpered with fear and closed my eyes. It came as a complete surprise when his large, rough hands grasped both sides of my face and I felt his warm breath on my lips as he spoke.
"I should kill you now and put this madness behind me," he grumbled, but his tone lacked the conviction necessary for me to believe him. I slowly opened my eyes and found him lazily scanning my face, his purple orbs always returning to my plump, parted lips, as if he desired to taste them once again.
"You won't," I said quietly with confidence, although I could barely hear myself speak from the blood pounding in my ears.
"And why is that?" He asked with a sneer. His eyes flickered with curiosity as I placed my small hands on his broad shoulders.
Although he could have easily stopped me, I slowly leaned forward until our lips were gently pressing together, and started kissing him ever so sweetly. Ronan remained perfectly still as I softly kissed each corner of his mouth, but when I languorously grazed my lips across his, I felt his hands tighten around my face before he pulled me closer and easily took control of the kiss. His tongue traced my bottom lip before it gently parted my mouth and lightly swirled around my tongue, while one of his hands languidly ran down my bare back. It was a deep, sensual kiss that made my head dizzy and my skin tingle all over with excitement. He ended the kiss with an irritated growl and gently pressed his forehead against mine.
"That's why," I whispered under my breath. Ronan pulled his head back to look at me and I immediately noticed he appeared no longer angry, but rather tired and frustrated.
"Sleep, Silvia," he said in a low voice as he straightened himself up and looked down at me. He drew his brows together in a troubled manner before swiftly turning and walking out the door.
"Goodnight, Ronan," I whispered sadly as the door closed behind him.
Although he didn't admit it, I knew he liked me, especially after that kiss we just shared. He had to, right? Plus, he didn't hit me as he surely would have only a few days ago. That was a step up at least...
I can't believe I just thought that. What the fuck, Silvia? Since when did 'non-abusive' make the list for positive attributes? Jesus, I deserved a slap in the face for thinking that.
Domestic violence is definitely a no-no in any relationship, and if anything were to develop between Ronan and me, it would have to stop immediately. However, even if he were to stop, could Ronan make me happy or was sex clouding my judgement? He is an alien after all, not just another human man. Obviously he is not going to think or act human because he isn't one, and I needed to accept this if I wanted to be with him because I was not going to be receiving flowers or boxes of chocolates anytime soon. I had a feeling he was not the sweet, romantic type. Perhaps in his own way he was, but he surely would not hold up to Earth's standards of a perfect boyfriend by any means. Still, I would never know unless I tried…
Why did he have to leave now, right when things are getting better between us?
I tossed and turned throughout the night as dreams of lost love and abandonment plagued my mind.
The next morning I lazily rolled out of bed and began my morning ritual. After showering and picking out a pair of blue pants and a short-sleeved shirt, I headed for the courtyard for breakfast. As I walked down the steps I could see Ronan speaking heatedly with Nebula, whom I hardly saw anymore. His harsh, clipped tone suggested he was mad at her for something, but I couldn't imagine what she might have done. I couldn't hear everything he was saying, but as I came closer I detected the words intelligence, discretion, and forces.
"What's going on?" I asked cautiously, causing both Nebula and Ronan to stop and face me.
"What are you doing here?" Ronan asked in a harsh tone, his eyes filled with suspicion.
"I just wanted breakfast," I muttered nervously, not liking the way they were staring at me. Nebula pursed her lips in annoyance and turned to face Ronan before whispering something in his ear. Ronan stiffly nodded and continued to glare at me while Nebula proceeded to walk by me without a glance.
"It is disrespectful to pry into others' conversations," he said as he began casually walking towards me.
"I wasn't trying to be rude. It just looked...intense," I said irritably, not enjoying be scolded like a child.
"I have business to attend to and I shall be gone for the remainder of the day," he said as he stopped in front of me. Ronan smirked when he noticed me frown in response, and grabbed my chin and tilted my head back to face him.
"Pouting is unbecoming," he sneered with heavy eyes. As his gaze lowered to my lips, he quickly let go of my chin and brushed past me.
"You will have that pile completed by the time I return," he ordered as he made his way up the stairs. So damn bossy, I thought as I rolled my eyes.
For the remainder of the day all I did was eat and read, which I honestly did not mind at all. Ronan's servants kept the table filled with fresh, hot food, and the material I was reading was genuinely interesting. I was learning about things I had no idea even existed on my planet, such as a cube they called the Tesseract which possesses an unlimited amount of power. For some reason, a U.S. government agency called S.H.I.E.L.D., was trying to contain its power and use it, but every attempt thus far has been unsuccessful.
It seemed that the longer I read, the more bizarre the topics became. If it weren't for the red, bold letters spelling out 'classified' on the top, I wouldn't have believed some of this information. Apparently there were thousands of humans with special powers living on Earth. Men and women who could teleport, move objects with their minds, run faster than the speed of light, and even regenerate new limbs – it was unreal, but true. I couldn't even begin to imagine how the public would react if this information got out.
By the time Ronan returned, the sun was already down and I was on the couch lying dazed with shock. My mind faintly registered him standing over me, but it wasn't until he started speaking that I was pulled out of my daydream.
"If I discover that you've been sneaking into the medicine cabinet again…" He growled accusingly as he scanned my face with suspicion.
"Oh, um, no," I said sitting up. "I'm just…distracted. Did you know there are humans that can teleport? Well, I guess they technically aren't human," I mumbled, still confused about this whole topic. Ronan slowly sat down beside me and placed his hands on top of his thighs.
"Yes," he said tiredly. "My people created them," he added nonchalantly and leaned back against the couch.
"Um, what?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I didn't know you've been to Earth," I said with blatant surprise as I twisted my body towards his.
"I haven't," he quickly replied, glancing at me from the side. He slowly blinked his eyes and exhaled deeply through his nose, almost identical to the way my mother does when she's annoyed.
"They are called the Inhumans," he said in a gruff tone. "A long time ago, Kree scientists genetically altered a primitive form of your species in order to create a powerful mutant race of soldiers for our use. Although the experiments were successful, the Inhumans proved themselves uncooperative, and the project was soon abandoned. Even without Kree assistance, they continued to thrive and evolve on your Terra's moon, and eventually many ventured to your planet," he said before standing up.
"People live on our moon? That is…fucking unbelievable," I whispered in shock. Ronan glanced down at me impatiently, obviously annoyed with my lack of understanding, and slowly removed his helm.
"There will be a commemoration tomorrow to boost morale among the soldiers before our military campaign," he said as he looked down at me.
"Wait, military campaign? So, there's a chance you might die while you're gone?" I asked with rising concern, and Ronan immediately snorted at my question.
"No, I will not die," he sneered with repulsion before turning away.
"You should expect my servants in the morning," he said grumpily over his shoulder as he began making his way up the stairs.
I went to bed shortly after that, but I did not sleep very well. How could I after everything I learned today? Everything I thought about the universe was a lie, and my world's governments were in on it. Secret weapons, superhumans… what next? Godzilla? I was thankful there was nothing else for me to read, because I wasn't sure if my brain could handle another mind-blowing revelation.
Just as he said, Ronan's servants entered my room the next morning and silently woke me up. It was odd how I never once heard them make even the slightest sound, as if they were living spirits who walked on air and moved with the grace of water.
As they undressed me, I was happy to discover that my period was over. Well, at least that's one less thing to worry about, I thought as I stepped into the warm water of the bath.
After being thoroughly washed and doused with therapeutic oils, the servants led me out of the bathroom and began combing my hair. They dressed me in a white, one-piece pant suit which had a high halter neck, so thankfully my cleavage was safely tucked away. It was made of a soft, flowy material, but it was form-fitting. Around my waist lied a gold chain which reminded me of the Aztec-type symbols I had seen on Ronan's ship. My wrists were also encased in thick, golden bracelets that felt surprisingly soft against my skin. My makeup was similar to last time, but my hair was pulled into a single, elaborate braid that started at the back of my head and hung over the front of my shoulder. By the time Ronan's servants were done with me, I was fit to walk the red carpet, and I felt more beautiful and confident than ever before.
Shortly after they left, Ronan walked in and smirked when he saw me. He languidly approached me as his luminous eyes wandered across my body, momentarily pausing at the golden belt around my waist.
"You look…" he said, his deep, sultry voice trailing off as he tilted my chin upwards.
"Like a princess," I answered in a teasing manner, mimicking him from yesterday.
"Yes, you do," he replied in a rather serious tone, causing my eyes to flicker with surprise.
"Well, thank you, Ronan," I whispered shyly as my face became suddenly warm. His thumb softly ran across my chin before he suddenly let go and began walking away.
"Come. Let's not keep Hal-Dan and his horde of imbeciles waiting," he muttered resentfully.
We were chauffeured to the festival in one of Ronan's obviously more luxurious ships. Its shining black exterior and sleek design reminded me that even though he was an alien, he was still a man, and apparently men across the universe enjoyed their toys. Judging from the looks we received when we exited the ship, he might as well have owned a Lamborghini.
"Perhaps I should start dressing you in rags," he said in an annoyed tone. He glanced around irritably as we entered a spherical, metal building and began making our way through the crowd.
"What are you talking about?" I whispered at his side, trying to keep up with his long strides.
"They are all staring at you," he growled quietly as the crowd parted for us.
"Maybe they're staring at you because you look like you're about to rip someone's head off," I muttered under my breath. Ronan glanced over at me and snorted with amusement as we approached the center of the room.
There was a long, expansive table in the heart of an empty space and seated in the middle was Hal-Dan, who was dressed in his usual red, armored suit. There were about a dozen other Kree officials sitting among him, with Mac-Varr seated at the very end. Before I could stop myself, I glanced over at him and caught him playfully wink at me. Ronan must have seen it too because he hissed quietly next to me as we approached the large table.
"Ronan, how nice of you to finally join us," Hal-Dan said condescendingly as he leaned back in his tall, impressive chair.
"How nice, indeed," Ronan replied in a low voice, his eyes bearing into Hal-Dan's with contempt.
"Silvia," Hal-Dan called out, making me flinch with surprise. How did he know my name? Oh, of course, Mac-Varr, I thought as I saw him smiling in the corner of my eye.
"I did not expect Ronan to honor my request of your presence tonight. I am pleased to see you here," he said with a tight smile that never reached his eyes.
"Likewise," I stiffly replied, my own smile lacking genuineness. The tension in the air felt almost suffocating. A second later, a large assortment of drums began playing an intimidating beat that made me shiver slightly.
"Please, help yourself to the food and wine," Hal-Dan said, motioning with his hand to the right side of the room. I nodded politely and glanced nervously at Ronan before making my way across the room.
Everywhere I looked there were crowds of elegantly dressed Kree people. The majority of the people here were military officials and soldiers, but there were also a large number of civilians – mostly women – who were wearing elaborate gowns and suits similar to mine. As I gingerly sipped on a glass of wine, I gazed around the room and noticed the blue Kree significantly outnumbered the white ones. When I looked closer and observed the segregation of races, it became clear that the blue Kree were the ones with the power.
I was nibbling on a small piece of sweetened bread when I noticed Jul-Linn appear at my side almost inconspicuously. She flashed her teeth at me in a mischievous smile as she reached for a small, round fruit on the table and popped it in her mouth. I stared at her with obvious dislike, no longer afraid of what she might say to me.
"Keep staring at me like that and I'll start to think you hate me," she said in a sarcastic tone as she stepped closer to me.
"I don't hate you. I actually pity you," I boldly replied, trying not to laugh as Jul-Linn's smile faltered.
"Pity me?" She asked, her voice going rough with rage. "Who do you think you're talking to, Terran?" She asked, spitting the last word with disgust.
"I'm talking to a disgusting, cheating whore," I answered, my own voice rising with anger. Jul-Linn's lips parted in shock before they curled back, revealing her bright, white teeth.
"You –," she snarled, taking a step closer before Mac-Varr stepped between us.
"Jul-Linn, quit tormenting the poor girl," he said smoothly. He casually picked a piece of bread off the table as Jul-Linn seethed with rage in front of him.
"This vermin –," she growled.
"Do not cause a scene," he interrupted, holding his finger up to her as if she were a child. He slowly turned to face her before speaking again.
"You know as well as I do that there are more dignified ways of handling such a matter," he said light-heartedly with his back to me.
There seemed to be some kind of significant exchange between the two, because within seconds Jul-Linn was smirking up at him with a malicious glint in her eye. She briefly glanced at me before strolling away with her head held high, looking rather celebratory.
"I didn't need your help," I grumbled as Mac-Varr remained facing the opposite direction. He casually turned to face me and smiled at me sincerely.
"Of course not, Silvia," he agreed, his dimples deepening as his grin widened.
"You should have avoided her as I advised you to do," he said in a light tone. "She is a fiery one," he said with a chuckle.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" I retorted sarcastically before taking a sip of wine.
"Yes, I would," he replied almost immediately with a smile.
"I hope you enjoy the festivities. They should prove to be rather entertaining," he said in an amused tone as he lazily walked away, thankfully leaving me alone.
Over the next hour, I wandered around the room while the daunting pounding of drums echoed my footsteps. Although the loud, ominous thumps made my heart race with anxiety, there was something strangely intoxicating about the sound. It was both terrorizing and hypnotizing to feel the heavy vibrations flow through my body, but the Kree crowd around me seemed to be very little affected by the large ensemble of drums. Military members of all ranks drank and conversed together, while some got into heated arguments. I received a large amount of smiles and nods, but there were also a handful of glares that made me cringe on the inside. There was no dancing, no laughter, or typical party games, but instead a plethora of patriotic speeches and drunken debates.
Eventually, I ran into Ronan where he was conversing with a group of high-ranking military officials. As he nodded gently in my direction, the pounding of the drums immediately ceased and the entire room became silent. Ronan casually walked up to my side as he held a large goblet in his hand and turned towards the large, empty square in the middle of the room. A large, blue man wearing the typical silver armor of a solider walked into the space and held out his hands to his sides.
"I submit Dar-Van into the tilt," he declared loudly into the crowd, and seconds later another large, blue soldier entered the space.
"What's going on?" I whispered next to Ronan.
"Our finest warriors will melee for the title of Primo Commando, the First Soldier," he said as he eyed the table where Hal-Dan and his men were sitting.
"Let the championship begin," Hal-Dan announced as he stood up from his chair. Almost immediately the two large men ran at each other with crushing force, growling as their bodies collided together.
"Shouldn't you be fighting together though?" I asked, wincing as the slightly smaller man was slammed onto the ground.
"It is healthy for the soldiers to release unwanted tension before battle. It clears their minds and keeps their skills sharp," he said quietly next to me, smirking as I shuddered next to him.
"They're going to kill each other," I whispered nervously as the larger man was placed in a chokehold.
"No, only until one is forced into submission. Watch," he said seriously. I looked on with surprise as the man in the chokehold tapped the other man's hand and was immediately released. The men briefly tapped each other's shoulders before the larger man exited the square and the smaller one remained.
"I submit Tokk," he called out above the cheering crowd.
This time he was not so lucky and was forced out by a larger man wearing a red uniform. The man in the red uniform successfully defeated three more men before being submitted into an arm bar by a bulky green-armored man.
"Why don't you fight?" I asked curiously as we watched the bulky man defeat his second opponent. When he didn't answer, I turned my head and noticed he was looking down at me with his eyebrows drawn together.
"Because I do not have to prove myself," he grumbled, frowning at me as if he couldn't believe I asked him that. I shrugged my shoulders at him in an apologetic way and was surprised to hear him snigger in response, as if he found the gesture funny.
I found myself smiling at the unexpected noise and turned my head forward once again to the square, completely aware of Ronan watching me from the side. The man in green walked towards the center of the square and held out his hands at his sides like the first soldier.
"I submit Jul-Linn," he shouted with a smile on his face, and I immediately sensed Ronan tense up next to me. Jul-Linn strode into the square with a haughty smile on her face as the crowd cheered with excitement. She placed herself only ten feet away from the large man and assumed one of the fighting stances Nebula had taught me.
Watching her fight made me rethink the way I spoke to her earlier, because she was fearsome, unrelenting, and ruthless in the square. The powerful blows she dealt to the man went nearly undetected by my eyes. Before watching her, I didn't think it was possible to move so fast or flip so high in the air, but she proved me wrong. She truly was a great warrior, and it was intimidating as hell to witness it for myself.
I swallowed nervously and looked over at Ronan, who to my surprise was not watching the fight but glaring angrily into his goblet. When I heard the thunderous sound of people stomping their feet, I looked up and saw Jul-Linn lying parallel to the man on the floor. Her entire body was wrapped around both of his arms, pulling them into what looked like a painful double arm bar. The man tapped his foot on the ground and Jul-Linn immediately released the man with a triumphant smile. As she patted the man's back, her eyes found me in the crowd and seemed to darken with vicious intent.
She walked to the center of the square and without hesitation, pointed directly at me.
"I submit Silvia," she loudly declared, making my lips part with shock. A deathly silence descended upon the room as I felt hundreds of eyes on me at once.
Almost instantaneously my view was blocked as Ronan stepped in front of me, blocking me from her.
"No," he snarled as the people around us slowly backed away.
"Why not?" Jul-Linn asked in a sickly sweet voice.
"Yes, Ronan, why not?" I heard Hal-Dan ask from his table. When I glanced around the room I could see many people in the crowd staring at me; some looked at me with pity, others with piqued curiosity.
"She is not a soldier," Ronan growled with rising anger. My heart anxiously hammered away in my chest as Ronan continued standing protectively in front of me.
"She serves you, does she not? You cannot tell me you have accrued a Terran civilian into your company," he said in a derisive tone. Ronan remained silent and completely still as he faced Hal-Dan's table.
"A little combat will be good for her," Hal-Dan said mockingly, and instantly the room became filled with hushed whisperings and murmurs. I watched with growing apprehension as Ronan widened his stance, readying himself to fight.
"That is an order, Ronan," Hal-Dan declared seriously, his voice dropping with warning. The crowd once again went silent as a noticeable tension filled the room.
"Ronan, it's fine," I whispered nervously behind him, not wanting him to get in trouble.
After several seconds Ronan slowly turned around to face me and my stomach twisted with unease. His face was wrinkled with horrible rage and his knuckles were nearly white as he clenched his fists, but I knew his fury was not directed at me so I was not afraid. He stepped to the side of me, unblocking my view of Jul-Linn who was giving me a devilish smile, and I instantly felt my mouth run dry with anxiety.
"Do not let her harm you. Submit, Silvia," he harshly whispered next to me. I nodded meekly in response and stepped forward into the square.
As I kicked off my slightly heeled shoes, I glanced at Hal-Dan's table and noticed Mac-Varr watching me intently with an uneasy smile. Hal-Dan on the other hand looked absolutely thrilled, though I had no idea why.
I cautiously approached the center of the square, now breathing audibly with fear as Jul-Linn centered herself in front of me. She stopped within five feet of me and her eyes widened with maddened, violent blood-lust.
"I am going to destroy you," she hissed so only I could hear. Her words sparked something in me that I could not describe as anything other than pure hatred. A hatred that made my blood boil and my heart pound wildly with adrenaline.
No. I'm sorry, Ronan. I will not submit to her. Never.
"You may begin," Hal-Dan announced, though I barely heard him above the sound of my beating heart.
And it was on.
Author's Note: Oh yeahhhhhh... it's on ;)
Sorry this update took longer than the rest, but I made it longer to make up for it!
Thank you so, so, so much for the reviews/favs/follows. I love you guys :)
As you may have guessed... the next few chapters are going to be rather intense.
Reviews are always welcome and helpful. Thanks! :)