“Why don’t you run?” I boomed.

  Paz hesitated for a few heartbeats without breaking my gaze. “You’re clearly stronger and faster than me, Kur’tok. Running wouldn’t help.”

  I felt a smug flash of pride. So the human understood its place.

  “You are right,” I conceded. “You are small, slow, and weak.”

  Paz made a breathy sound of amusement. “Pretty much.”

  I frowned. Why did it agree with everything I said? I wanted Paz to put up a fight. Annoyed, I prodded it in the side with my tentacle, but its skin was covered by a fluffy garment.

  “What is this?” I demanded. “Some kofotta fiber thing?”

  Paz recognized the word and perked up. “Oh, yeah. Another Maeleon made it for me. Do you know Linn’ar?”

  The dark green face of that fruit-eater flashed before my mind. It was jarring. I hadn’t thought about Linn’ar or any of those other fools in a long time.

  I scoffed. “Yes, I know.”

  “You do?” Paz asked, looking excited. “That’s great! My friend Jaeyoung—he’s another human—he’s actually Linn’ar’s filum, and they’re probably both pretty worried about me by now—”

  The human spoke too much. I slapped my tentacle over its mouth for silence. But its use of that word shocked me. How did this mysterious creature know of filum? My feelers lit up, humming in thought. The human said he wasn’t alone. How many others were there? If Paz was tasty enough, perhaps I could hunt the rest.

  “You came from the village by the Sweetfields,” I muttered, drawing my tentacle away from Paz’s lips. I noticed they were oddly soft, like the freshest of flower petals.

  Paz still looked hopeful. “That’s right.”

  I sank deeper into my throne, and my maw curled into a grin. “You should not have left, Paz. Now you are my prey.”

  Still, Paz didn’t make a break for freedom. It stood right where I’d put it, looking up at me with those stark, enchanting eyes.

  The fact that I found my prey compelling irritated me. Was it possible humans were more dangerous than I realized? I needed to eat this one promptly before it charmed me with its tongue. But first, the shell had to be removed.

  “Take that garment off,” I ordered.

  The corner of Paz’s mouth turned upwards. “You could at least take me on a date first,” it said playfully.

  I slammed my fist into the throne. “Do not sass me, food-thing.” After growling sufficiently at the human, curiosity got the best of me. “What is a date?”

  Paz slipped its arm out of the garment. The limb was the same pale brown color as its face, and to my surprise, it was smaller and thinner than the garment suggested. Human creatures seemed utterly fragile.

  “A date is when two people hang out together, usually in a romantic or sexual way,” Paz explained. As it removed the second arm, the garment slipped halfway down its body. “Maeleons go on dates all the time, don’t they?”

  I ground my teeth. “You presume too much. Stop now.”

  Paz froze, catching my gaze expectantly. “Stop undressing?”

  “Yes,” I snapped.

  “You got it, Kur’tok.”

  “Be quiet,” I grumbled, though it lacked bite. I was too enthralled by the human’s mysterious body. It had nothing—no scales, no fur on its body, no spines. The impractical thing only had four limbs total. The lack of feelers made its thoughts difficult to gauge, and the lack of horns and claws made it absolutely pitiful. How could such a miserable creature survive?

  “Come closer,” I demanded.

  Paz stepped forward on the rocky ledge. Its blunt face was at my thigh level. I caught it staring at the space between my legs.

  “You’re too smart to run,” I said. “Or is it that you’re too stupid to run?”

  Paz lifted and dropped its shoulders. “I have average intelligence, I guess? Like I said, I know you’d catch me instantly.”

  “You are correct. You belong to me now.”

  Paz’s eyes widened, and for a moment, a deeper color flashed across its face. Then it coughed and said, “Sure. You got it, Kur’tok.”

  I grunted in approval. Now that I was satisfied Paz wouldn’t bolt, I could freely explore its strange body. My tentacles began at the shoulders, then snaked down Paz’s flat chest. The human shivered. Below the ribs was a soft, squishy mound of flesh that moved with my tentacles. Touching it made Paz inhale a series of quick breaths.

  “Why are you making that sound?” I muttered.

  “I’m giggling because my tummy’s ticklish. You can keep touching it, though.”

  “Of course I can,” I barked. “You are my prey. I can do whatever I want with you.”

  Paz swallowed. The deep color dusted its cheeks. “Yeah, you sure can.”

  I ignored the human’s incomprehensible behavior. Now the garment was in the way again. Instead of wasting time asking Paz to remove it, I shoved it down with my tentacles. Paz’s whole form was exposed.

  Including a small fifth limb pointed right at me.

  I sharply withdrew my tentacles with a hiss of displeasure. Paz hadn’t mentioned another limb. It could be a weapon. What if it shot acid, or poison, or quills? I could’ve been killed before I knew what hit me.

  “What is that?” I roared. “Explain yourself!”

  “Um... that’s my dick,” Paz explained.

  I curled my lip, suddenly fearful of the dick. Was that like a Maeleon cock? I didn’t know, and that concerned me.

  “Is it poisonous? Does it conceal a sharp weapon?” I demanded.

  Paz glanced down at the erect limb. “Well, all my previous sex partners are still alive, so it’s not poisonous. And there’s definitely nothing sharp in there.”

  Even though the comment about the previous partners inexplicably angered me, my feelers slowly relaxed. “It’s a sex organ?”

  “Yup.”

  “Why is it outside your body?”

  Paz crossed its arms. “Listen, dude. I’m a human. That’s just the way we’re built. Cis men, like me, have dicks on the outside.”

  “It is stuck there all the time?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Unless you shove it back between my thighs and tape it there like a drag queen, pretty much.”

  I barely understood the words coming out of Paz’s mouth. What was a dude? What was a drag queen?

  “Humans make no sense,” I grumbled. Still glaring at the dick, I asked, “Why is it standing upright like a serpentes about to strike?”

  Paz huffed. “Because you turned me on by rubbing your tentacles all over my naked body?”

  I was shocked. I’d aroused the human? My own meal? What a lascivious creature.

  Yet I couldn’t deny the thrill of pleasure at hearing Paz’s words. It had been so long since I’d engaged in anything carnal...

  A pulse of arousal shimmied down my spine. Regardless of whether I was going to eat Paz or not, there was something deeply enchanting about this weakling human that I was powerless to ignore.

  I wrapped my tentacle around Paz and lifted it into my lap. The human let out a tiny squeak of surprise, but didn’t struggle. Paz’s brown-on-white eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement. As its bare skin touched my legs, I was stunned. I couldn’t believe the soft, silky sensation.

  “Why are you as delicate as a flower? Tell me now,” I demanded.

  Paz chuckled. “Wow, talk about a backhanded compliment.”

  “It was not a backhand or a compliment,” I grumbled. “Answer my question.”

  Once more, Paz met my eyes like an equal, despite being naked on my lap and completely at my mercy. “Humans are just squishy creatures. Like, every part of us. Except maybe our skulls, but they’re not exactly sturdy, either.”

  Was that the truth or another trick, like the secret dick? Curiously, I poked Paz’s side with my claw.

  “Hey, careful with those talons,” Paz warned, squirming away.

  I growled. I didn’t like that the human dodged my touch. “You are that fragile?” I asked, incredulous.

  Paz shook its head up and down—I assumed in affirmation—then looked thoughtful. “Humans are like... Do you know what a balloon is?”

  Again with the exotic words. I couldn’t appear stupid in front of my own meal.

  “Yes, of course. It is like a dick,” I stated, confident in my answer.

  Paz’s face lit up as it suddenly belted out a bright laugh.

  My ears flattened and I growled, “Do not make fun of me, prey. I will eat you right now.”

  “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you,” Paz said, still grinning. “That was a funny answer. I guess a balloon is kinda like a dick, in a way? Anyway, my point was, our skin is super thin. Not like your...” Paz stalled as its eyes raked my chest. Then its throat bobbed as it swallowed. “Scales.”

  Motion flickered in my lower vision as Paz’s dick twitched. My prey was still aroused. Why? There was no suitable partner for it.

  Except me.

  Staring at Paz’s sex organ, my nostrils flared. Liquid heat pooled at the base of my spine. In a perplexing turn of events, my prey had turned me on.

  “Your schemes are devious, Paz,” I muttered. “I underestimated my prey.”

  It blinked round eyes. “What schemes?”

  “You arouse me so I won’t consume you,” I growled, impressed. “Very clever. But you won’t escape. I will partake in your tender flesh.”

  Paz shivered. Its cheeks flushed deeper and its dick twitched again. “O-okay?”

  My feelers floated as I considered what to do with my prey. Trapping it inside my den was an option, but then I wouldn’t be able to see it. I wished to have Paz in my sights at all times.

  Suddenly, I remembered the snare, and how adorably helpless Paz looked dangling from the rope. Such a fragile, squishy creature could not escape even the simplest binding. It was the perfect plan to counteract the human’s wiles.

  My tentacle reached down to the base of the throne and disentangled the rope from the snare. In a quick motion, I dangled the loop around Paz’s neck and tightened it enough to hug the human’s delicate neck.

  “Paz the human, you are now my prey-pet,” I stated.

  Paz inhaled a sharp breath. Its chest rose and fell rapidly, a sign of fear—yet it didn’t look scared at all.

  5 / Paz

  Well, that’s one way to discover a new kink.

  When Levi first crashed our ship on Eukaria, I’d imagined terrifying outcomes: being eaten, turned into pleasure slaves, getting sacrificed and killed... Then the Maeleons turned out to be a village of vegetarian, consent-respecting lizards who didn’t engage in corporal punishment, and all those fears vanished.

  Until I became Kur’tok’s captive. He was like an anti-Maeleon. He vocally wanted to eat me. Kill me. He put a literal collar around my neck, forcing me to be his pet—and eventual snack.

  And I was super weirdly okay with that.

  Not the killing part, obviously. But I didn’t actually think Kur’tok was going to murder me. If his goal really was to end my life, he would’ve done so by now. I saw how he treated his other pet, Kookee the pandar. He was kind and gentle with the shaggy alien beast. If Kur’tok cared for one pet, maybe he’d care for me, too.

  Besides, there was something about the way he glared at me that awakened an inkling of hope that he might be my—

  “Prey-pet!” Kur’tok called.

  I jolted at his deep, booming voice, like heavy bass that made everything vibrate. Including my cock.

  “You don’t have to shout, Kur’tok. I’m standing right beside you,” I reminded him.

  Kur’tok pursed his scaly mouth. It always amazed me that, despite looking rigidly reptilian, Maeleon mouths were surprisingly flexible.

  “I am not shouting. This is my normal volume,” he grumbled. “I'm tired now. I’m returning to my den. You will come.”

  I held back a snarky remark about how I’d almost done that earlier. Thank god none of my friends were around to witness that shameful scene. The way I squirmed in Kur’tok’s lap with a huge boner was fucking embarrassing. But I couldn’t help myself. What was I supposed to do? Stay limp while a hot alien felt me up with his silky tentacles?

  Whatever. I was weak-willed and horny, and on top of that, I literally just discovered that being collared was a kink of mine. Sue me.

  Kur’tok held my leash as he led me into the den. The smooth stone interior was cooler than the warm air outside. I shuddered at the sudden temperature change.

  I glanced up at my captor. I still didn’t know exactly how far I could push my boundaries, but Kur’tok was surprisingly amenable to questions.

  “Is this where you sleep?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Is this where I’ll sleep, too?”

  He grunted like that was obvious. “Yes, prey-pet.”

  I rubbed my arms. “Right. Just so you know, it’s kinda cold in here for a human.”

  Kur’tok whirled, frowning at me. “Cold? How weak are you?”

  “Super weak,” I confirmed. “Especially while naked.”

  Kur’tok curled his lip to expose fangs. “You will not wear that garment again. I forbid it.”

  He sounded pissed. I noticed that any mention of the Maeleon village sent him into a tizzy. I had a feeling there was a lot to unpack.

  “Is that because Linn’ar made it for me?” I ventured.

  He sneered. “Yes. You are mine. That fruit-eater’s craft will not touch you.”

  Despite everything, his possessiveness thrilled me. It felt good to be desired to the point of jealousy.

  Maybe a bit too much jealousy. But we could work on that.

  Kur’tok’s red gaze swept over my nude form. “Also, I need to see your body at all times.”

  My cheeks turned hot. “Y-you do?”

  “You are my prize,” he snapped. “It is natural to view and enjoy you.”

  I could’ve fanned myself. Toxicity aside, Kur’tok would make an awesome dom back on New Earth. Too bad I didn’t realize I was into that stuff until ten minutes ago.

  Kur’tok grunted as he surveyed his den. Unlike any other Maeleon den I’d seen, his was full of junk. Mostly fur and bones, hunting weapons made of wood, and a collection of random shells. The village Maeleons didn’t own possessions, but apparently Kur’tok did.

  And I was one of them.

  He shoved everything aside, clearing a path to the back corner of the den. The sunlight didn’t reach the stone here, and it was even colder. I shivered, hugging myself. Freezing was also a boner-killer. Now that I was no longer horny, all I could think about was how cold, hungry and tired I was. Homesickness seeped into me.

  “Prey-pet Paz,” Kur’tok said gruffly. “What’s wrong with your face?”

  I lifted my head. I must’ve frowned and looked upset. I tried forcing a smile. “I’m just cold... and hungry. And tired.”

  Kur’tok grunted. “You are fragile.” He stated it as a fact, not an insult. “Stay here. Do not even consider running.”

  “I won’t,” I promised. I was way too exhausted to bother, anyway.

  To my shock, Kur’tok dropped my rope leash and left the den. Either he was utterly convinced I was too weak to escape, or he trusted me to stay put. Maybe both.

  I sat on the icy stone floor and hugged my knees to my chest. My breath came out shakily from the cold. Looking around the den, I noticed there was no thick sleeping branch. Didn’t Maeleons usually cling to those while they slept? Did Kur’tok sleep on the freezing floor? No wonder he was so grumpy.

  My mind wandered back to the Maeleon village. Did anyone notice I was gone? Was anyone looking for me? Did anybody have a clue I was trapped in the clutches of a rogue bad-boy Maeleon?

  Heavy footsteps alerted me to Kur’tok’s return. He dumped an armful of items unceremoniously on the floor.

  “Why are you balled up like a pill-insectoid?” he asked.

  I hugged myself tighter. “I’m freezing.”

  Kur’tok hesitated. “I don’t like cold food.”

  Suddenly, he was on the floor beside me, his thigh touching mine. I sucked in a breath. I hadn’t expected him to get so close to me. I wasn’t scared, though—more pleasantly surprised.

  He snatched a couple items with his tentacles and dragged them towards us. One was a big fuzzy blanket the size of a tablecloth. He draped it over my shoulders. It was heavy and carried a thick animal scent, but it instantly warmed my frigid bones.

  “It’s made of shed pandar fur,” Kur’tok explained gruffly. “You will stay warm.”

  I blinked gratefully at him. “Thanks, Kur’tok.”

  He grunted like a caveman, then shoved the second item in my face. It was one of the pink fruits I’d seen earlier. The fruit-bearing trees must’ve grown all around the area.

  “I have no meat to feed you,” he grumbled.

  That confirmed my suspicion. Kur’tok was a carnivore, or at least omnivorous. Why was he so different than the other Maeleons?

  “Eat,” he commanded, pressing the fruit to my mouth. Of all the things I expected him to shove against my lips, a fruit wasn’t one of them.

  “Okay, okay, I’m eating.” I opened my mouth to take a bite, then paused. “By the way, is this one of those aphrodisiac fruits?”

  Kur’tok scoffed. “No, prey-pet. You are lecherous enough.”

  A startled laugh bubbled out of me. “What? Lecherous? You’re the one who’s got me captured, collared, and tied up like I’m the heroine of a smutty romance book.”

  Kur’tok’s eyes momentarily flickered to my neck, flashing with intrigue. Then his long snout inched closer as he growled, “Eat.”

  His warm breath ghosted across my face, making my heart leap. One bite from those fangs and I’d be toast. I was grateful Kur’tok liked me enough to keep me as a pet... for now.

  My stomach rumbled. As I bit into the fruit, hunger took over. Its juices ran down my chin, but I didn’t care. I scarfed the whole thing down until only the pit remained.

  “You are messy, human,” Kur’tok complained.

  Before I could apologize or ask for a napkin, Kur’tok’s long tongue shot out of his mouth and lapped up the fruit juice staining my face.