Here's chapter 3, hope you enjoy. Big thanks to Archodus Vaxal for helping me with some Sangheili facts. Definitely helped this chapter get out faster. :)
The shadow of a large bird fell over them darkly before disappearing into the canopy above. Sheila had jumped twice now from a stray shadow and once from the crackling of leaves as a small raccoon looking creature, but with a long anteater like snout, had burst free from the undergrowth to send her almost jumping into Palo's arms.
He had merely looked at her with something like amusement in his expression when she jumped, and she had hurriedly looked away, embarrassed.
She couldn't stop thinking about their conversation earlier. It was stifling, the realization that he had actually saw her seeing him…doing that…with Nancy. It was just terrible. Terribly awkward…
"I wonder what planet inspired this simulation." Palo said randomly as he drew his gaze over their surroundings, "These animals are unique."
Sheila glanced at him as they walked, "You saw more? I only saw that long nosed one."
"There was a group sitting by the stream, near those red stalky trees." Palo explained, "They had many legs. Six. They remind me of tophi, they are native to Yor IV." He gazed up at the canopy as another shadow flew over, "Those are quite venomous when enraged."
What? Sheila stopped to look at him, her stomach turning, "Umm, venomous?" Gee, and I was worried about the sand pits…
Palo laughed, a gruff but warm sound. It was oddly comforting. "They left when they saw me looking. Into the stream."
Sheila sighed in relief. Well that was good news. "I guess we just stay away from water then." She smiled and she was surprised when Palo closed his mandibles to his face. She had to stare for a second. It looked strange. "What's wrong?"
This time he looked confused, "There's nothing wrong with me."
"Never mind." Sheila flushed. There was still a lot about sangheili facial expressions that were unknown to her. Sometimes they could look fiercely angry just by the sharpness of their teeth alone.
Palo of course, was quite intuitive, which Sheila found a bit unsettling with their dramatic chat earlier where he had admitted that he had saw and approved of her watching him be intimate with Nancy.
"I was displaying my pleasure." Palo explained. "We are opposites, our people. You open yourself up when you are happy and we close and…contain our joy."
"You…were smiling?" Sheila said in realization, and he nodded in response.
"We do share other things in common." Palo started as they began walking again, Sheila watching the trees above as another shadow flew over, "We both laugh. We have two legs, and two arms."
Sheila laughed as she looked back at him, "Is that all?"
Palo stopped and she stood by him as he regarded her with a tilt of his great head, his dark eyes shining in a meaningful way. "Two eyes." He paused. "Our females are short…you are short. Your hips are…rotund, but male hips are squared, like your males." His mandibles dipped in kind of a helpless way and he looked away, "That is all."
Sheila hid a smile at his abashed state, but she crossed her arms, an arched an eyebrow at him.
"Stopping while you're ahead." Sheila rolled her eyes, "If you had talked about my thighs I'd have to punch you."
Palo did that smiling thing again and nodded lightly at her, "Oh no, human females are a lovely shape. You come in so many…and your thighs are nicely rounded…they…" He paused and the long look Sheila gave him, "Did I offend you?"
"No." Sheila shook her head, unable to hide the smile that lit up her features. This sangheili constantly amused and surprised her. "You're just adorable." She felt her cheeks warm with this reply, but it was an honest one, and she didn't regret saying it.
Palo of course, looked insulted, and she couldn't tell if it was a façade or not, "Me? Adorable? How can this be?" He closed his mandibles in a smile, and she relaxed, certain he was just jesting now.
"You are a character Palo." Sheila laughed. He was quite charming. Which was unsurprising with how he had literally charmed the pants off of Nancy. She berated herself silently for bringing those images back into her mind. She was surprised when she felt a little glum…was she really envious of Nancy?
"Your comment brings me pleasure." Palo said simply and she watched as he continued forward, waving one hand back behind him, "Now let us see this journey to its end."
Sheila sped up to follow the sangheili's longer stride. They walked for another minute before the jungle trees seemed to thin out around them, and the ground come out into a clearing.
There also seemed to be more sand here and tangled looking roots that erupted from the ground in uneven places like ugly black worms.
Sheila was weary of walking and moved to take a seat on one such root. Palo made no move to follow, and instead paused on the green grass wrapped around the sandy ground. He looked up to the dark quiet canopies above and paused. He was as still as stone, not a finger twitching.
Sheila frowned as she noticed this stillness. "What's wrong? Do you hear something?" Her voice quieted as she looked around, feeling on guard all a sudden. There was something off about this location. It was…too calm, too quiet.
Feeling uncomfortable, the woman clapped a hand to the pistol at her hip and moved to stand. She took one step towards her sangheili companion and felt herself fall forward.
Sheila fell onto the sand with an 'oof' and as she tried to gain her bearings she released a broken scream as she felt her hands give through the salt.
It was at this moment when she realized that with every small movement she was sinking into the sand. A sand pit! Of course, Commander Beretta had warned them to stay alert for them, and Sheila, like some damn fool, had fallen right into one!
Sheila had no time to curse herself for her stupidity, for she was panicking now. Sand scattered but also compressed around her hands, tugging her down like some murderous earth monster that was pulling her into the depths.
She could only utter one more short scream before sand fell over her mouth and nose and her eyes slipped closed just as she was pulled completely into the ground.
Sheila felt bound to the earth that was an all compressing force around her body, suffocating, tight, there was nothing but this force clasped around her. She was being buried alive, and with each tug of her limbs in determination to free herself, she only felt herself sink further into the ground, and what air she had left in her lungs, burning out from within.
It was the worst death she would suffer yet. This she was certain of. Sheila couldn't even scream, there was nothing but this squeezing all-consuming oblivion.
Not like this. No one should have to suffer this.
Suddenly she could feel a disruption in the force holding her, near her left arm. She could move her wrist, fingers flexed desperately, and suddenly something was clasped tightly around her arm.
Her head broke the surface and Sheila tasted grit as she panted and gasped for breath. Her eyes burned in the open air. She felt tears of relief blur in her vision and ease the burning as a familiar shadow fell over her face.
She spat to the side, froth catching on her lips as sand crackled between her teeth. It was all over her, and in her. Sheila couldn't stop the sobs that shook and broke from her.
Then there was him. She felt his arms sweep her in, and tuck her away into the warmth of his body. She felt cold. As if she had truly been touched by death and freed the moment the sun hit her face again.
Sheila tucked her arms under his and pressed her head against his chest plate as he surrounded her with his embrace, hugging him like a child.
"Sheila." Palo said gently, "I have you. You are free now. Safe."
Sheila could only cry into his armor, hating the earth that even now tugged at her heels. She had never once felt so afraid.
"I will end it now." Palo told her. She knew what he meant. The safety switch, and she felt her heart seize up in her chest. She had failed, and had been emotionally compromised and so she had dragged him, and her team, down with her.
"Don't." Sheila whimpered, pulling back, moving to wipe her tears onto the sleeve of her uniform. She tried to steady her voice, "We can't fail this damn thing because of me. I can keep going."
"I should call it off." Palo made a slight hissing sound. He didn't sound angry, merely resigned. "You have been through enough. You are shaking…and leaking."
Sheila both choked and wetly gasped with something mixed between laughter and sobs, "Palo! You don't cry?"
Palo made a shushing sound with his vocals, and gently brushed a hand down her face, moving back the hair matted there by tears, "Remember Sheila." His voice was soft, and his warm breath smelled sweet rather than sour, "Sangheili keep it inside."
"But why?" Sheila sniffed, trying to stifle her shaking, one hand against her pounding heart, "Doesn't it hurt keeping it all inside?"
"We feel sorrow but we do not leak from the eyes. We sing from the hearts. We cry and we thunder with our feelings." Palo said softly, "We fight and we keen."
"Oh Palo." Sheila sighed, trying to wipe away the wetness sticking to her cheeks. Thankfully the simulation wasn't perfect and she felt no sand clinging to her sleeves. "I'm so sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for." Palo insisted and he pulled back.
"Just give me a moment and we can continue."
The sangheili dipped his head, "If you are sure."
Sheila brushed back the wild strands of her hair from her face and worked her hair loose from its holding. She shook her blonde hair out around her shoulders and then moved to bind it again. Palo watched her as she twisted her hair up into a tidy bun.
Sheila had turned away from him, embarrassed by the fact that he had saw her cry like a child. That and she was certain no one looked pretty when they cried. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She looked back at Palo who was staring at her, his hand now lingering under her neck.
"Your mane is lovely." Palo said. It was an unexpected compliment, but sweet. She smiled up at him.
"Thanks." Sheila said honestly. "And thank you for saving me. I'll be more careful next time."
He removed his hand but smiled at her in his alien way, "I will tell you a secret if you promise me something." He said suddenly and she turned to look at him, puzzled, but intrigued.
Sheila gave him a wry smile, sniffling away the last of her tears, "So...what is the promise?"
Palo moved closer and she felt a shiver go down her spine, like electricity, as he regarded her with his alien gaze. Sangheili had this deep way of looking at someone. There was this feeling of being read, searched.
"Promise me." His voice was a rich influx of warmth, "You will not use this against my kind."
Sheila cocked an eyebrow, and her lips peeled back from her teeth in a grin, "So, what is the big secret."
Palo sauntered forward, and she was surprised at how well he seemed to move with only a few steps. Once again Sheila imagined him with less armor and felt her heart begin to pick up pace yet again. Perverted mind…
He reached out with his hand. Sheila did not move or even breathe when she felt him brush by her neck. His two long fingers spread out to receive the bundle of hair at the back of her head.
Then he bowed his head, his eyes meeting hers for several seconds before he curved his neck to bath her ear in the gust of his breath, "Sangheili males appreciate..." His voice was an almost sinful sweetness and she trembled in the heat of it as his mandible brushed her ear lightly, "This color. It is like you wear the sun on your shoulders." She felt it then, a small ring of blonde hair bounce free from his grasp to sweep her neck.
He heart picked up beat, air catching between her teeth. An uncertain yearning.
And with that breathy dialogue, he pulled back and began walking away. She could definitely see it now, that tilt in his legs. The sly bastard, he knew how to play this kind of game. Sheila sucked in a deep breath as she followed him, once again eyeing the way his ebony body suit hugged the curve of his ass and wondered if she was slowly going insane for wanting to squeeze it with both hands.
She smiled when she imagined his reaction, his surprise, and her heart beat in her throat when she imagined a more assertive response from his end.
Mind on the mission…
00oo00oo00oo00
Nina was pissed. It wasn't her fault. It was all on them. She wanted to find whoever decided this grouping was a good idea and smack their head against a wall.
Or possibly one of the many large-ass trees in this forsaken jungle that two of her sangheili companions were currently duking it out against.
There was a roar and a gnashing of mandibles as the equally sized and equally enraged alien threw his weight against the other.
The one other human group member, of course, was a short cowardly man, who for the life of her, she couldn't fathom how he decided that enlisting in the damn military was a good life investment for him.
"What d-do we do?" The man quivered, and Nina had the mind to smack him upside the head. He had not only flirted terribly, and I mean terribly, the moment the simulation started, he also was so green, he apparently hadn't realized his gun had a safety lock on it.
She had almost gotten one-shotted by a damn jackal because the moron hadn't checked his gun at the first wave.
"We?" Nina snapped, "What are you going to do?"
The man gave her a helpless look and they turned to watch the battle of the two aliens once again. It had started with an exchange of words in an alien tongue, translators bugged, which Nina thought was a bit lame, as this was supposed to be a team effort, before fists started flying.
Nina was usually a bit shy around such large and dangerous looking aliens, but after realizing that they were just big stupid males with testosterone issues, she decided to treat them like the rest of the male population when they were being unreasonable.
"Hey, you two morons!" The woman screamed, waving her arms as they continued ramming into each other. "This is not a big dick contest! You're in a fucking group you bastards!"
The man, Kevin Hans, just looked traumatized as the two titans looked towards them. He, of course, chose to hide behind the much smaller form of Nina, who looked larger only because she was waving her arms around like a pinwheel.
The one sangheili reached her first, and towered over her short stature with his dominant height. His sleek body, colored like molasses, was taut with muscle, easily visible even with the plates of armor over his chest, shoulder, and legs.
"Woman." He bellowed out, rage contorting with his mandibles, "You insult my father with your insolent mouth."
Nina felt spittle hit her cheek and in disgust and fierce rebuttal, she pushed into the shadow he cast, glaring up at him with gritted teeth, "Listen you fat headed cretin. Like hell I'm going to be graded like shit because of you and shovel face."
The other sangheili rounded on her, having heard her insult tossed casually his way. He was a bit flatter in the nose than the other sangheili she had seen, but made up for it with a fierce toothy visage that betrayed lines of jagged yellow teeth.
"Human bitch." The other sangheili hissed, mandibles flaring, "Our contest does not involve you."
"What did you call me?" The woman hissed back, her pearl teeth flashing with the rage in her eyes, "Covie piece of shit."
"You dare-!"
Suddenly the world was cut off in a brilliant flash of bright light and she was pulled out of the darkness roughly by a snarling voice in her ear and a grip on her shoulder.
Nina squawked and fell gracelessly as she dropped to the tile floor. She hurriedly looked up to tell off the jerk who had grabbed her and thrown her like trash, but shut her mouth before she could make the error.
Major Merico glared down at her, the furrows in his forehead dark trenches, and his teeth ugly gritted cubes, "Private Scott, you are assigned to your room the rest of the day, and you've failed the exam."
"What!?" Nina reached her feet, ignoring the other voices complaining around her as each of her 'team' members were brought out of simulation. "That's not fair!"
"You should be ashamed of your childish behavior." He continued, "Your words could sabotage a relationship we have built decades fostering."
Nina gaped at him, "What? Seriously? I mentioned the covenant and these two morons are having a punching contest and they get the slap on the wrist? Are you fucking joking?"
"You're walking a thin line Private." Merico said, teeth bared. "I'd think carefully before you utter another word."
"May I intercede, Major?" The voice is male, confident. Nina can already paint a picture of the guy in her head before she even turns to acknowledge the speaker. He sounds smooth, handsome, maybe past his thirties…arrogant. Nina looks towards him and her jaw flaps open.
He is not what she expected. Even as she stares in numb disbelief, she can hear the sangheili imbeciles near her drop to one knee.
"Shipmaster Voss." Shovel face's voice sounds pathetic, and that only makes Nina nervous. She was afraid of the sangheili yesterday, because it had been her first interaction with their kind, and now she was all on edge again, because this particular sangheili was not a grunt.
And she wasn't sure how great her health would be if she insulted a sangheili with actual status, especially since Merico seemed eager to rip her a new one just for mentioning the covenant.
The other sangheili who was on her team, Gardo something or another, reacted similarly to his flat faced brother, but his head bowed, mandibles splayed and one fist over a slightly trembling chest. He looked…terrified.
Nina was certainly more nervous when she took in the Shipmaster in all his alien glory, and swallowed hard as he met her gaze with his fiery one.
For one thing, he was massive. She had to check the others at her side to be sure, but he had at least twenty pounds of muscle on these soldiers and was positively decked in armor that made him look more imposing with the added bulk.
His armor gleamed like gold, and was shades of both gold and silver. Geometric figures made up the texture but there was also some alien looking glyphs printed across the sleek arced helmet and leg guards.
The flesh under the armor, mostly seen on the neck, was a silvery kind of gray that complimented the shine of his armor. He looked like some sort of sangheili war god that had descended from the heavens.
Nina gulped as he took a step forward, casting a very dark shadow in contrast to his light colored visage. "Private Nina Noel Scott?" The sangheili said smoothly, and she flinched when he rolled out her middle name. Had he read her file?
"Yes sir, no, I mean, Shipmaster…" Nina said helplessly. She wrung out her hands, playing with the ring around her pinky finger. This would not end well. She would be at the very least, forced to scrub toilets for the next eight months.
"Calm yourself, sir is fine." She was surprised at the lightness in his voice. He had this casual tone to it, as if he was truly unconcerned by the trouble. Certainly a bold contrast to Merico who was a frigid ass.
"Shipmaster." Flat-face, err, Muda, spoke up, "This woman insults you, no, she insults all of us, and you would treat her softly?"
Now the noble looking sangheili turned with a fierce glower to the sangheili who Nina now realized has spoken out of turn, "Softly? Do you question my will minor?" Nina couldn't help but grin at the bite in his tone. He had called her a bitch, so it was nice to see him get lashed out at by a sangheili high-ranking enough to probably do a lot of bad things to not just his record…
Muda made a choking sound and cried something sharp out that her translator can't register. She made a face when a garbled hissing takes residence in her right ear. These things were in desperate need of an upgrade.
The shipmaster turned pointedly to glare at the disgraced sangheili, "You two pups are dismissed to your quarters. I will speak with Major Dineen to discuss your inadequacies. This will not be the last time we speak, I assure you."
"Shipmaster."
"Yes, Shipmaster."
Nina watched, feeling smug, as they scurried away, which was an uncharacteristically hilarious movement for a sangheili to make. She didn't feel sorry for them, they had started it.
"Private Scott?" Oh crap. Nina looked back at the shipmaster who was regarding her with eyes the color of Venus and just as bright, "I apologize for my men's behavior. They will be punished."
What? Oh. Nina couldn't help but smile with her lips. Take that Merico. One glance at the man made her smile wider. He looked pissed that he wasn't going to get his way this time. "Thank you Shipmaster." She said sincerely, flashing him a quick smile with the white of her teeth.
The sangheili made a noise like he was inhaling and his mandibles folded in on themselves. Nina recognized this much as a smile, having overheard men talking about alien facial expressions during lunch one day.
"However." Uh oh. "You would do well to remember that our empire is no longer aligned with the interests of the remaining covenant. Your words are senseless, and damaging." This last word he spoke with a grimmer tone.
Nina looked down, away from the intensity of his gaze and at her boots. "I-I apologize sir."
"Look at the shipmaster when he is speaking to you." Merico barked from her right and Nina jumped, turning her gaze back to the sangheili.
To her relief, the alien merely looked amused and cast a stern look at Merico. "Will you excuse us Major? I wish to speak to Miss Scott alone."
"I-I." The major looked flustered and Nina hid a smile as he stood there, stunned. "Yes. Of course." Merico turned to glare at her a final time before calling back at Private Kevin Hans to follow as he made a stiff exit.
Soon it was just the two of them, in a massive room with only the occupants still partaking in the simulation behind rows of closed doors. Nina then remembered that she had officially failed this exam, and tried to hide the disappointment in her expression.
"To be honest by my actions, I have a selfish reason for wishing to speak with you alone." The shipmaster said suddenly and Nina looked at him curiously.
"What is it?" Nina was undeniably nervous. She didn't know what this alien wanted from her. Heck, she was talking to him alone. She was always a bit nervous around Merico and his prickly ass, but being alone with a shipmaster was a bit…scary. I mean, he is the commander of a huge frigate and has command over a legion of sangheili…
"Over the years, the majority of our empire have decided that with peace comes cooperation. On both sides." Shipmaster Voss starts. "We have given you your ship, Imperium, aid by our technology, sangheili troops to train alongside you, but it is not enough. I can see that there is still some disseverance."
"Sir?" Nina said meekly. Just where was he going with this? There was this gleam to his eyes that was starting to make her nervous…as if he was eyeing her like some piece of meat.
Suddenly the alien stepped forward and Nina froze as her gaze settled on his armored chest, the shine easily reflecting her startled expression back at her, "We do not have women on my ship, but I hope that will not dissuade you."
"What are you asking?"
"Private Scott, would you willingly transfer under my command?"
Time froze. Nina froze with it. She stared at him, the words still in her ears. "Excuse me? I mean, could y-you elaborate?"
"It would be my pleasure to have you on Sublime Justice." The shipmaster's hand somehow found its way to her shoulder and she felt dizzy with the weight of his request and his digits. "I will not force you to accept my request, but if you would consider it, I will make your stay comfortable." Nina swore she could feel his fingers clench onto her for a moment, but perhaps it was in her head. What was she supposed to say?
Was she really allowed to deny a shipmaster?
Nina swallowed, her mouth feeling dry, like someone had jammed it full of cotton. "I-I. I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. What…what would you want of me?"
The sangheili smiled down at her, and removed the hand from her shoulder. He made a shrugging motion with his mandibles, "Honestly, you would not be expected to train with my men, as there would be no point. You are not as gifted as your dem-Spartans." He corrected himself fluidly and Nina sucked in a rapid breath as his bright eyes stole her own with their intensity. "It would be most unfair."
"You don't want me to train, so you want me to…" Nina finished, letting the sentence hang into a question. She was lost to what this alien wanted. This shipmaster, heck, this really huge sangheili warrior…wanted something from her. It was the most random thing to ever happen to her. It was just bizarre.
His hand found her own and she flinched as he curled his fingers around her tiny hand. He didn't release her, but he spoke softly, quieting her concerns, "I will not hurt you. I would not dream of it. I only ask for your participation."
This is crazy. "I…I have friends here. Relatives." Nina swallowed. She did have a third cousin on this ship somewhere. "And to be frank, I've not been around many of your…people."
"You are afraid?" Shipmaster Voss asked, almost a murmur.
"No." Nina said quickly, though she was unsure if it was honest. She was just trying not to insult anyone, especially someone as highly ranked as he. "I just…don't know."
"Then Nina." His voice played with her name, drawing out the Ni. "I will await your response. We will be off in four of your hours. This visit was only a formality."
"Before we part, I can promise you something." The sangheili bent down then, until they were face to face. Nina felt uncomfortable but refused to look away, even those the reptilian arcs of his eyes were giving her the chills. She was most terrified of snakes, and that is what they reminded her of.
He seemed quite aware of her discomfort and she couldn't help but gasp lightly as his hand brushed her cheek. "You realize now, that you are uncertain of me? You are afraid, but you fear more of disappointing me. Am I correct?"
She couldn't lie, and she felt sure he would know if she did. It was scary how observant this sangheili was, "Yes."
His hand lingered on her cheek before falling away. She took in a short unsteady breath. He made a noise with his nostrils then, his mandibles untucking slightly, "This is why I must have you, or another willing of your kind, to stay with me. If we are to truly understand one another, we must coexist. Do you believe it is fair for Imperium to have sangheili soldiers on her decks, serving your military, while we have nothing of humanity?"
"Don't most sangheili hate humans?" Nina regretted those words as soon as they finished from her lips. She and her assumptions be damned.
"Not all, but of the few…that is why it must be you." His words surprised her, and she met his gaze again. There was something warm in his expression, and she winced as his finger brushed by her ear to move a strand of hair back from her eye. "Sangheili males are too competitive with other males. I was told of an incident that occurred a cycle back and I know your rank were present. If I take a human, it must be a female. A fine woman like yourself."
Nina didn't blush, though she did appreciate the 'fine woman' bit. She had been told many times that she was great, beautiful, sweet, and 'perfect,' by males seeking her company in bed. Nina wasn't shy about her sexuality and had fucked them all with no thought of commitment. She treated intimacy as a casual thing. She had always been this way. It was easier than getting attached.
She was a bit disappointed that the alien didn't come out and say that he wanted her as his whore, but she supposed it was a good thing. Nina had no experience with aliens, and perhaps this transfer would have his perks career wise.
She just wasn't sure how Nancy would survive without her. That girl was always seeking her company, her opinions. She was like the baby sister she had never had.
Sheila and Emilee were big girls, they would get along fine. She knew Emilee was two-faced anyway. She always put on this mask when she was being social, but Nina wasn't stupid. She knew how close the two were, and Emilee was always the one with the opinion. If anyone was calling her a whore behind her back, it was Emilee.
Now that Nina thought about it, maybe it was time to cut ties. Make new friends. Not many humans would get this opportunity…but would they want it? She was trying to weigh the perks but she wasn't even sure what those exactly were. Sure she would impress a shipmaster maybe, represent humanity…heck, get to stay on a huge ass alien ship.
She decided it was time to play it up. Nina had enough of cowering, and this alien obviously knew what he wanted. And if she scared him away, then the decision was already made.
Nina reached out and took the shipmaster's hand. It was an almost desperate looking motion, her tiny hand reaching to grasp one of his large fingers, but he unfolded them and allowed her to place her small digits within his own. She twitched her lips at him in a smirk, gray eyes blinking dark lashes, "So, shipmaster, will I be bunking with you?"
She refused to pull back, even as he bent down, his mandibles opening slightly to reveal sharp white teeth. His bright eyes drew her in like the sun to the earth. Nina felt an excited jolt rush down her spine as he closed his fingers over her hand and stepped forward. She was no xenophile, but there was something sexually appealing about him trapping her in his grip.
His hip closed her in and she naturally stepped forward falling perfectly in his shadow. She discovered his other hand when she felt him brush down the small of her waist to grip her hip in an almost tugging motion. Nina felt a familiar flush of arousal warm her cheeks. She had been called a nymphomaniac in high school by the counselor, that and a trouble child. Nina couldn't help her appetite. She had always sought pleasure, maybe it was because that was all she had besides her brother Nathan. Their parents had been hopeless, they only had each other. He had been the one to urge her to apply to the UNSC. Set her on a steady career path—out of trouble.
"If you would share it with me." The shipmaster said smoothly, and she gasped lightly as his hand swept down from her hip to dip between her legs. The dog. He was fearless, bold, and dirty. Nina grinned as he made a growling noise under his breath. Men were all animals to her, she was not afraid. It merely satisfied her ego. She had a way of driving out the animal to play.
"Yes." Nina didn't think. She didn't have to. She spoke from the heat of her being, the arousal pooling in her core. It was an impulse, and one she felt certain she would not regret. Nina was tired of following the rules, lately her mind had been full of reflections about her life, and her purpose. She was exhausted with trying to decide on how to live her life when she could just be living. Nina loved dirty mindless fucking. There was so much you could learn about someone just by getting them naked.
And Nina was looking forward to learning all she could about sangheili anatomy.
It was good to be fearless.
She smiled with her teeth as shipmaster Voss led her away, her hand firmly gripped in his.
00oo00oo00oo00
Nancy Dodger: 16 hours earlier
She breathed out softly as she felt his hands brush down her hips. They were soft, leathery, and warm. The woman never let anyone get this close, not before, and yet here they were.
Nancy felt his breath on her neck and bit her lip gently as she felt him grasp lightly at the skin there with his mouth. The sharpest of his teeth were at the top, and he was gentle as he could be with her. They had only really nicked her once, and that was when had gotten carried away with her ear.
"Are you sure you want this?" She can feel tears burn even as they blur and slip from her vision. He asks. It's all the world for her that he just does this. Nancy had always imagined having that one special man in her life, and she was always met with disappointment in the past.
A father who could never keep his promises and a mother raising a daughter, swearing that there was that perfect someone for everyone. She could never find that one someone. Every man she met, she could never truly connect to.
What if he was never supposed to be human? Souls were what truly mattered right? The body was merely a shell.
Nancy bit back a gasp as her lover brushed a hand over her bare bottom. They were in his quarters. Sangheili were allowed large private rooms, better to equip their size. It was more than enough for her, for the both of them.
"Little female." His voice is sweet, darkly smooth in her ear. She trembled as he possessively stroked one hand across the small of her back and down her buttocks. She's sensitive everywhere. Every part of her was screaming for release. There's this stirring in her groin, like a cord tightening.
Nancy hadn't known what to expect when Palo had asked to speak with her alone. Then he had stolen her away in a dark corner of a janitorial room and confessed his interest in her. Somehow he had heard about her reservations with males, and found a unique opportunity present itself.
He was bold, romantic, assertive…being with him was dizzying, a whirl of confusion, but fun. Nancy had never felt this way about anyone before. She wanted him.
Nancy wanted him badly. With each beat of her rapidly thundering heart, with each pulse of her sex. She should have been terrified of how easily he dragged her in, lured her in with sweet promises, endearing compliments.
It had barely been two hours and she already wanted him hammering away at her.
She felt the urge to give him everything. Ever part of her, until she had her release.
"Palo." She moaned as his hand cupped her sex again. She could feel her wetness clinging to his palm.
"Nancy." Her name sounded like sex in his deep voice, and she clung to each word. "I hate to tease you, but your softness is enjoyable."
His hand swept out from her buttocks to draw down her thigh. Nancy breathed out, shuddering, as he pulled her back to sit on his leg. She was completely naked and at his mercy, yet again.
The bathroom had been too risky. She had allowed him to do what he would with her, only until she had heard footsteps in the hall, then she had panicked and very nearly crashed headfirst onto the floor. Of course, Palo had caught her easily and he had insisted he 'attend to her' in his room.
She didn't know why she was doing this. It was insane. But maybe she was tired of being the reserved one, the cowardly one. Her virginity was already front page news, maybe she was just weary of being made a fool of. The odd one out. There wasn't much risk in having sex with a sangheili anyway, it wasn't like he could impregnate her.
There was also something sexy and dangerous about being touched so intimately by an alien. He was bigger than any of her males, they paled in comparison to Palo. He was tall, lean, and sleekly muscled. His skin was flawless and smooth everywhere but his hands, and his wrinkled hands were soft and warm. He sounded and looked dangerous, but he also felt safe.
There was something about being with such a powerful male, and his attraction to her only made her feel special. An alien male found her attractive, he found her desirable. Every time he spoke her name, she felt certain of his lust.
And that of her own.
He was so big…that was her only hesitation. Would he hurt her more than one of her own kind? Nancy rolled the top of her lip with her front teeth. She wasn't sure. She was beginning to feel nervous again.
Then he hesitated and she looked up at him with wide eyes, unsure of his stillness. His mandibles seemed to slacken for a moment and then he made a sound like a sigh. He began to straighten and gently lifted her up.
Nancy frowned as she felt both of her feet touch ground, looking up at him…rejected, hurt. Why the change of heart? Did he hear the uncertainty of her own heart? Now that he was moving away though, Nancy felt almost panicked.
Tears bit the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill, "What's wrong?" Her voice cracked and she winced as he lifted a hand. She relaxed when she felt his hand stroke her cheek gently, his long fingers brushing back a spill of soft hair that had come lose from her pins.
"I don't want to spoil you." The sangheili said, his tone one of regret, "You are a beautiful creature, and you deserve better."
"Better? Better than what? You?" Nancy's voice rose a bit, almost hysteric. There was only so much she could take. It wasn't even his fault. She was far too sensitive for her own good, "I don't want anyone else. I want you."
His hand lingered on her face, too-large, but a gentle warmth. She could feel the rumble of his twin hearts in the pulse of his veins. Like two war drums.
"Are virgins valued among your race?" Palo asked.
Nancy paused before answering, a small tear spilling unwillingly to become trapped in the swell of his thumb, "I've been mocked for it. Like something is wrong with me. I've just never…no man…no one wants me."
He forced her head up to meet his gaze then, and she swallows at the intensity of him, "That is a lie." He says forcefully, "I see the way human males watch you. You are lovely, soft, sweet."
He says the last word while gently rolling his fingers over her cheekbone, and Nancy feels her heart began to pulse in her chest to each stroke, "I'm just…I don't want them. I've always looked for him, the one, the man I'm supposed to be with. I've just never found him."
The sangheili chuckles, "Am I to be your fated one?"
The last words come softly, almost unheard under the thrum of a shared heartbeat, "Maybe."
His eyes draw her in again, this time one hand bringing her to face him, the other drawing her close at the hip. Nancy gasped lightly at the sensation of his warm fingers gently sweeping the curve of her buttocks.
"If that is the case, then we will take this slowly." The male rumbles warmly, stroking her hip with one thumb. "I will take so much pleasure from you. Seeing you writhe beneath me." His voice deepens and she feels a twitch of arousal.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Palo asked her again. His fingers are now actively stroking the curve of her ass. She felt heat in her cheeks as her arousal peaked again.
Nancy swallowed the dryness in her mouth. Blue eyes met twin reptilian arcs in a deep amber pool.
"Fuck me Palo. Please."
00oo00oo00oo00
It had escalated, absurdly. Teasing became light touches, and light touches, firm grips. The sangheili shipmaster had been eager to show her to her…no, their room.
Then the unexpected had happened.
Nina had let out a thin shriek as she felt a force wrap around both hips and toss her forward. The short female was delighted and relieved when she only bounced on the thick bed, landing on hands and knees.
Suddenly, far too quickly, enough that she began to feel nervous, a shadow began to envelop her form.
"If I am to be honest, I quite enjoy this view." The sangheili's voice was teasing, but with a huskiness in the tone that betrayed his own desire.
She shot right back at him, keeping her ass firmly in his view, she only regarded him with a slight turn of her chin, "Looks even better without the pants."
At her daring she let out a squeak as she felt his hand lightly smack her across the bottom. Dirty aliens.
Her nerves began acting up again as the much bigger alien began to distribute his weight on the mattress. She could feel her weight bounce against the bed at his movement, only his suddenly growing weight on her back, keeping her from toppling over.
Nina swallowed as she felt her ass brush against his firm abdomen. He had already removed his chest plate and she faintly wondered how much of his armor he was still wearing, if any. If someone had told her that today she would be getting spread out across an alien's bed, doggy style, she would have laughed in their faces.
Now she felt only an urgency to feel more of him brush against every erogenous zone on her body. Currently he was doing a great job with her ass. She could feel him take his sweet time as he moved over her, dipping down to brush the swell of his muscles over her rump slowly, purposefully.
She was steeped in arousal, her cheeks burned with the fire of it. Nina uttered a soft quaking breath as he increased his weight, still brushing against her backside appealingly. The fucker knew what he was doing. Nina was getting the point where she imagined him dry humping her furiously, with that being almost enough to get her off.
"Bastard." She hissed under her breath. The sangheili stilled for a moment, and then she quaked again as she felt him clap a hand across her ass, hard.
"Whore." He retorted, and she stiffened.
Nina moved against him hard, in a bucking motion, which only made her hornier by the fact that she was making him hump her with the backward movement of her hips, "Screw you."
"I plan on it." The sangheili laughed gruffly, sounding smug with himself, "If I wasn't so used to humans, I would have made you pay with your mouth. You really are quite naïve female."
"How so?"
"That word is a heavy insult, at least to sangheili. We place a lot of values in family, in patriarchy."
Nina froze. Of course. "I'm sorry." She sat down on the bed, knees splayed at her sides, staring at the intricate threading on one of his pillows. She just couldn't keep her mouth shut when it mattered, could she?
"Don't worry." His voice was a low croon in her ear, and she gasped lightly as he flipped her back onto her hands, and moved over her again, this time placing his pelvis over the curve of her butt, "I'm sure you can make it up to me."
Nina felt her breathe come out in heady gasps. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. She could smell the musk of her arousal, even though she wasn't even naked yet. She could feel herself practically dripping with need as he began to…damn it all, do the one thing she was certain would drive her into orgasm faster than anything else.
The woman moaned lightly as she felt him began to move against her. No armor. He was in that sleek under suit that sangheili favored, the only difference was the bump between his hips that she felt sliding against her ass. She was overdressed for this, most definitely.
"You're shaped to fit." Voss laughed, moving even harder against her rump, humping her like a dog in heat, "I could hide you in my shadow."
Nina could only pant lightly as he her she felt arousal thunder in her groin like its own heartbeat. Damn alien. He didn't seem to be out of breath whatsoever, but she had already began to fall apart at the seams. Seams. These clothes need to come off now.
"Stop." She moaned. Nina felt a tinge of regret as he did just that. It was necessary though. The woman rolled onto her back to look up at the smug expression on his face.
"Too much for you female?" The sangheili shook the bed lightly with his rumbling laughter, and she swallowed as he drew a silver hand down her thigh, which was not bare enough to feel what she wanted.
"Shut up." She hissed through her breath, too distracted to feel anxious about telling a high ranking sangheili to zip his pie hole, "T-these clothes. Need." She fought with her shoes, "to come off."
He moved back to allow her room, and soon she was slipping her pants down her hips, her panties threatening to roll down with them, malleable from the heat. She hadn't planned on being naked this fast, but said the hell with it after struggling to remove the rolling material of her underwear against her thigh, opting instead to just throw it in with the pants.
Soon she was completely naked but for the black bra that was threatening to spill out her breasts with every heavy breath she took.
"So round." She felt a bit embarrassed as the alien patted the mounds of her breasts gently with one hand, "And I was impressed by your backend. Do your males enjoy these?"
Nina fought back another breathy moan as his palm swept over the nipple of her left breast in his exploration of her, "Y-yes."
"Are you ready for me?" He asked, and she trembled slightly as the growl in his voice. This was turning her on much more than it should.
Another yes.
Soon they were back in the earlier position, Nina on her hands and knees, rump in the air, and a sangheili eagerly brushing up against her.
He didn't have to remove his suit, instead she had watched as he had undone a portion of his suit folded over at the groin, revealing a slit in the material. Of course, males in full armor had to relieve themselves in battle as well…
The only thing Nina was regretting now was that she had no idea what his dick even looked like. He had been far too eager to push her back into position for her to see it reveal itself. Sangheili males kept their reproductive organs inside until they were ready for use, and now she could feel it began to emerge against her as he began to hump her again.
Nina wasn't used to doggy style sex, she usually had it missionary or 'cowgirl' style. She enjoyed watching her partner as they both came into orgasm, however, there was something immensely satisfying about being rode like an animal by something so…alien. It only made her feel more savagely horny as he began to growl lightly as his cock began to unsheathe against her ass.
Nina panted lightly as she felt him drop against her cheeks, hot, wet, and heavy. This was almost too much. She felt dizzy with the intensity of her heartbeat as she began to approach an orgasm. She fought the urge to buck into him hard, feeling more and more impatient with each pulse of her sex.
She felt Voss bend forward, and she could feel his hot breath awash one cheek, "Are you ready for me female?" He sounded positively villainous and she could feel fingers just as naughty began to play under her belly to sweep against the curve of her sex.
Sweet stars save me.
Nina gasped as he leaned over her again, "Y-yes." Her voice quivered, almost in a whimper, "Please."
She felt one leathery hand brush over her right hip, only to clasp all his fingers around it. The other arm stretched out to balance his body against the bed. Nina felt a throb in her sex as his weight was distributed over her head again, his hot breath washing over her neck and sending strands of her hair flying around her brow.
She felt it then, a slight taper, but then a round wet heat as he pressed forward. Nina gripped the sheets under her tightly as he began to penetrate her with a bit of force on his part.
"Gods, you're tight." The male grunted as she released a hot breathy moan at his continued intrusion.
She wasn't sure if he was going to fit. Nina imagined this would be a lot harder if she hadn't been so sexually active in the past. No male of course, came close to his girth.
Luckily he wasn't quite as long as she imagined he would be, and accustomed to his girth as he slid bodily the rest of the way in. In doing so, she felt something roll across her clit thickly.
He was ribbed. Like one of those dildos with the extra texture.
Nina couldn't hold back a soft sigh and a ring of pleasure called out from her nether regions as he corrected his posture. Damn, this was going to be a good day after all.
With no warning he began moving against her, and within her. Nina was already spluttering and contorting as he began fucking her steadily. She was sliding against his length with every movement emphasized by a wet smack each time he moved forward into her again and again and again.
Her heart hammered in her chest in a desperate dance, and her fingers writhed and squeezed against the bed sheets. Nina felt her breathe come out in ragged gasps as he began increasing his thrusts.
"Oh, fuck!" She howled as she felt her sex contort against him. The sangheili payed her no heed, continuing to slam into her like the dog, grunting and growling into her hair, her hair dampening with each moist breath he released at her neck.
In and out he pulled and pushed her with his body, his hands increasing pressure at her hips as he brushed against her ass with each thick thrust of his sex.
It was all too much. Her face was now pressed up against the sheets, her ass in the air, the sangheili continuing to pound her into oblivion. She could feet wetness escaping down her thighs with each wet splotch as his cock rammed into her.
And sweet oblivion it was. She felt a wave crash over her, her heart seized up, and an impassioned cry escaped her lips as she came around him in a hot grip, squeezing him violently as her mind was lost in a white canvas of pleasure.
It was a very good day, she decided, as at this same moment, her alien lover came himself in a thick jet within her. It was all too much, again, as she felt his spent seed dripping from her equally spent sex, hot trickles of their combined juices streaming down her ass.
He released her and she flopped onto her side, and found her eyes looking for her partner. He was still leaning over her and her eyes moved from his shining eyes, crescents dilated from his lust, and to his member.
It was glistening with their release, and was a distinctly a blue-gray color with a rounded head and barely a taper with ridges angled down his length.
She watched him with wide eyes as he moved one hand to his cock, his two fingers sweeping across its length lightly. The member seemed to straighten a bit in response, and she realized he had been retreating back into his sheath.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" He asked her, his voice an almost sinful purr.
Nina felt her face flush hotly, feeling all too aware of her nude and dirty state after the pleasure had ran from her mind. What would happen now? Would he brag about how he had lain the human whore out and dominated her only to send her back to her own captain in shame?
Nina wasn't sure she could bare it. She carefully moved to a sitting position, sliding her butt back until she was against the wall, "Yes." She said truthfully. The sex had been excellent.
"I am glad." His voice was almost kind, and she looked up, hopeful.
"It's been a while for me." She all but stammered, "I-." She pressed her arm back behind her head, feeling uncomfortable.
"There is no shame in this." The shipmaster's chest rumbled with his laughter, "You humans are far too prudish for your own good. There is a time for pleasure and a time for business."
"You called me a whore." She challenged, smirking up at him.
He tucked in his mandibles, "You called me a bastard."
She laughed in response, watching as his eyes ran over her nude form.
"I believe it is time to introduce you to the others."
Nina looked at him in horror, "Like this?"
His mandibles splayed out with a sound like a chuckle "My dear, what do you think of me? A monster? I'm not planning on throwing you out to the crew. Did you bring a change of clothes?"
"Y-yes." She laughed, feeling sheepish, "They are still on the first level…I kind of-"
He straightened up and moved off the bed and began adjusting himself. She found that his cock had already retreated into the puckered slit at his groin, though the area still shone wetly, "I'll return with your things. You may clean yourself in the back room. There is a sink, but please do not use the oil, it will give you an unpleasant rash."
"Thank you." Nina said, and she meant it. He really was going to be a gentlemen about this. It was almost staggering to her. There weren't many human males who would give their energy for her own comfort after taking pleasure. This situation…was new for her.
She could get used to this. When he left her alone she splayed back onto his bed and smiled up at the geometric tiles above, her eyes following the sparkles of blue energy sifting between the lines.
It had been a while since she had been allowed a real vacation.
She faintly wondered what fetishes sangheili males had, and grinned as her imagination began to play.
MERRY CHRISTMAS. Today I received my computer parts, as this chapter was trapped on an inactive comp…and finally accessed and edited the last page of Shades ch3…you're welcome. XD
This is my gift to you, I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know I promised more smut, but I sped things up a bit to get enough in here, at least for now. Hope it was good. I'm planning on exploring more, obviously, so look forward to it.