Primal: A Dark Sci-Fi Reverse Harem Romance (Alpha Unknown Book 1) Read online

But was it such a surprise? At one point, I could have loved Zane. And why the hell wouldn’t I be interested in something so clearly enamored with me? Okay, there were a million reasons a woman shouldn’t fall in love with a demon-alien-beast from the other side, but the deep sensations earlier were like nothing I had ever experienced before. So, really... why the fuck not?

  Of course, I couldn’t quite admit that to my ex human-boyfriend. I had to remain clear-headed and intelligent. “I am not in love with them,” I said. “But they are living, breathing creatures just like us. You can’t mess with an entire ecosystem. You could end up killing them and us in the process.”

  “Living, breathing predators who will gladly murder the fuck out of you. Fucking hell, Addie. This is why your mom asked me to take you back home. You’re not acting like your old self. You’re... different.”

  “My mental health is perfectly sound,” I said, calming my frustration by pinching the center of my palm. “If anything, it’s you I need to worry about.”

  “Me? I was the man who saved your life! How many times do I have to reiterate that point?”

  I turned to look back at the path, mildly hoping I’d see a pair of eyes staring at me from the darkness, but nothing was there. Feeling a little let down, I said, “Fine. Whatever. You can celebrate the fact he didn’t get the chance to eat you for dinner. Next time, you might not be so lucky, but I have a feeling I will.”

  Soon, we came across another clearing. The off-colored light we had been temporarily following brought us to a small cabin in the woods.

  Zane dropped the argument and ran toward the porch. “Oh, thank God! Safe refuge,” he said.

  But I knew what this place really was, even if Zane couldn’t recognize it. I felt claustrophobic and wrong being here at my father’s cabin.

  Of course, the structure being here would have been impossible, but it’s what stood in front of us. The sight meant I was wrong about the hallucinations. They were still happening. The realm itself was playing a dangerous game with our mental compass.

  We were already lost within the depth of the forest. I had no doubt about that. In addition, I was sure I had messed up the beasts’ plans. They needed me to follow them, but I wasn’t sure exactly why. Maybe they weren’t fully in control and were also playing against the time of this realm.

  Unfortunately, that meant those beasts, the ones we so naively called aliens, weren’t giving us the hallucinations. This place was responsible for them. And that scared the ever-living crap out of me.

  But Zane wasn’t at all fazed by what he had just witnessed. Instead of trying to comfort me or even himself, he ran to the door, somehow managing to jimmy the lock with a thin credit card. “Addie, darling Addie. Looks like we can rest easy tonight. Just wait until you get a look at this place. We are hooked up.”

  I trudged up the wooden stairs and ran my hand across the clay Welcome Home sign hanging by the old rocking chair inside my parents’ room. Jesus. It nearly made me cry to see it all again. How long had it been since I had visited my father’s old cabin? Four years? Five?

  There were so many memories in this house, so many sled rides, snowball fights, and, in the summer, the family barbecues. These were the times I missed and longed for.

  I never wanted to admit I was getting homesick. And despite wanting to be near the creatures I had been studying for ages, I wanted the comfort of so long ago.

  Stepping further inside, I felt the warm and hearty glow of the light reflecting off the glazed oak that made up nearly every section of the small cabin. I opened the door to my left and took a peek inside my room. There weren’t any of my things, but the foundation was there. It was enough to send me into a quiet fit of tears. It was impossible to hold back, but I kept it contained and quick enough for Zane not to hear it from the living room.

  With a newly found energy Zane called out to me. “Hey! There’s a fireplace in here. It’s already going, too! Looks like me we made it, huh?”

  I wiped my eyes clean, glad I had left my mascara at home, and stepped out of the room again. “For now, we have found a nice place,” I said with a gentle smile.

  Sitting on the hearth in front of the flames, he stretched his arms and cocked his head to the side. “Come here. Feel the heat with me, Addie.”

  I was exhausted. By him, but from the trip in general. I couldn’t tell him for the fifth time not to call me by his nickname for me, but I could keep my distance because I knew what he was trying to get. One night alone with his ex-girlfriend—wasn’t that every guy’s thing? I wondered what would happen if I was stupid enough to agree. I’d wake up, and his whole mood would be changed. I was so tired of the same old games.

  “Sorry, Zane. I have to go to bed. I’m feeling kind of—”

  “Homesick?” he asked.

  “No.” I was lying. I was deeply homesick and saw no way of getting back. Worse, I didn’t know if I actually wanted to leave. Was I in the process of coming home or letting go? “Honestly, I’ve been traveling for a long time. Today has been the hardest day by far. I just need a few hours of shuteye before we continue. Is that okay with you?”

  For once, Zane didn’t fight me on something important to me. He merely nodded and stood up, clapping his hands together before loudly yawning. “You’re right. We should get to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  I gave a soft sigh of relief. Finally. Some peace and quiet. The one thing you weren’t supposed to do in this place was sleep, but it was something we both definitely needed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Zane.” I smiled and started toward my room.

  “Oh,” Zane added, “one more thing before you pass out.”

  “Yeah?”

  Zane smiled, exposing the cracked enamel on his teeth. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

  I tried to laugh, but it was a little off-putting given the situation. I had a strong feeling the night was going to end up even more interesting...

  I reopened my eyes for the last time, completely unable to get an ounce of sleep. It had been two hours since I first closed my eyes, and now it was impossible to get back in that zone. Rolling to my side, I swiveled out of bed.

  “So fucking tired,” I whispered.

  But then I remembered what I had found earlier. The blade of that punishing beast. Quickly, I unzipped the pack and looked inside. A small glow emanated from the stitching on the leather handle.

  For a long while, I just stared at it. Without knowing what to do, my curiosity took hold. Finally, I reached inside and carefully picked up the blade with a handkerchief. Outside, I heard quick movements rush through the vegetation, but I wasn’t sure if it was him or my wild imagination.

  Hearing another noise, this time coming from inside, I looked back at my door to make sure it was closed and locked. The last thing I wanted was for Zane to see me with the beast’s weapon. The blade was as ancient and beautiful as time itself. One look was enough for me to feel its magnitude pull me in.

  Slowly, I reached down and dragged my nail across the stitched lettering. When nothing happened, I frowned. Part of me hoped I’d be transported somewhere else, possibly far away from Zane. But I was still sitting in the same position as before.

  I leaned in and inspected. The leather handle wasn’t just made out of animal hide. A hawk’s feather wrapped around the center, and sticking out of the bottom was an eyeball, clearly cut in half and stuck on for decoration. The weapon was made from a... human.

  I recoiled in fright and dismay, but having already come across their gored and gutted victims. I took a deep breath.

  Okay, Adeline. It’s obvious what you’ve found.

  These beasts had clearly lost their minds. I should have stayed away, should have left the artifact behind and run for my life.

  But I hadn’t. I wouldn’t. I had to get closer to them.

  Without overthinking, I picked up the blade and squeezed my palm around it as hard as I could. “What do you want with me?” I asked.

  No response.
I lifted the blade and asked the darkness around me, “Just tell me, Goddammit. Is anyone listening, or has my whole life been one cruel joke?”

  I laid my hand flat against the mattress. My heart beat with a dark energy, as ancient as the blade in my hand. The edge was sharp but not smooth. It was toothed and notched, designed to cut through the toughest carcasses. But, still, I dragged the blade over my palm. I squeezed down and calmly breathed through the pain. All of this was done through me, as if something else had possessed me. Yet, they were my urges.

  The blood poured in a small stream, splashing across my thighs and feet. A sharp whisper ran through my ears, followed by the rush of energy outward. “Allow me passage.”

  I swallowed and allowed the blood to trickle onto my head as the pain swelled and grew. Behind me, the dresser shook, rumbling against the wall. Every drawer drew out and slammed back with a loud thwacking noise. Still, I kept my eyes closed until I felt a change in the air. Thankfully, Zane did not come bursting in the door. This was entirely too risky.

  He was there, right behind me. But, this time, something was different. He leaned down and forward, quietly sniffing my pheromones. A low growl emanated from his throat. “You ran,” he said. “Nobody runs from me without paying for it.”

  I gulped and felt my shoulders rise as goose bumps formed across every curve of flesh on my body. “I...”

  My nerves were tight and shaken, and my voice cracked as I attempted to form a sentence. But I had to take this risk. If not for me, for discovery’s sake. Maybe I’d end up with my spinal column forced out, but I wasn’t so sure. I was a woman. According to the legends, that meant something entirely different to them.

  “Speak freely. I do not play the same games as my friend, Cadmar.”

  Friend…

  I took another breath, but I wasn’t ready to look into his eyes. Instead, I carefully eyed the ground, moving up slowly with each breath. He was completely naked, and he had the dynamite body of a soldier. I lowered the blade and let it fall. He took my hand and tasted the blood as Cadmar did before him. “I want to know more,” I said.

  “You do not know what you want,” he growled.

  “I came here for a specific reason,” I countered.

  “You came here for the stone tablet, for the grand wish the stories claim it grants. You will find no such thing here. Wishes are for the weak. You are not weak,” he said. “So, what is it you really want?”

  He forced me to turn, and when I wouldn’t look him in the eye, he lifted my chin with a thick finger. Moving his face closer to mine, he asked, “Do you wish for immortality?”

  I parted my lips. He smelled divine, deep and masculine. His touch was heavy and commanding. “I don’t think I do,” I admitted.

  His lips hovered over mine. “But you wish to know... everything?”

  I choked. He had me there. My curiosity was a sin beyond all sins. I made a life around the declaration that it healed me. Truthfully, it created a void within my soul. There wasn’t a time I didn’t want to know more, and that very same philosophy had led me here.

  “Yes,” I said.

  Lifting my chin higher, he chuckled. “Open that pretty mouth, buttercup.”

  It was already open. He knew that. But I opened it wider and wider until I let out my tongue. He ran his thumb over the soft spongy muscle and groaned, cock starting to rise into the air near my thighs.

  I reached down and lightly brushed the side of my hand against the shiny crown. A bead of lubricant dripped out, and he growled with even deeper satisfaction.

  Breathing faster, he cradled the back of my head. Our lips met in the heat of the darkness. The first taste was sweet like red wine, but the second was even better. My pussy flooded with desire as his tongue slid over mine. I tasted him and breathed in his woodsy scent.

  He jerked forward, bringing my chest against his. The low rumble tickled my body. My heart pounded inside of my ears as I kissed him, endlessly. After what felt like an eternity, he released me and chuckled.

  I swallowed, panting. “Like that?” I asked him.

  “You are obedient. Yet, you act defiant,” he said.

  I bit my lip and shifted back. “Yeah, well, my life is a long and complex story no one needs to hear about.”

  “Do you think we are gods?”

  I shook my head, but I had no idea what they were. “I think you have certain abilities we don’t. I don’t claim to know what you are, but I’m intrigued.”

  Again, he laughed. “We are not gods, nor are we aliens. Those who enter the gateway come searching for the answers, but they get nothing from me.” When I looked away from him with confusion, he brought my chin back with his finger. “You are right. We have… abilities. I know you. I can taste every experience you have been through. Your memories are painful, but so are most.”

  I drew closer to him, intrigued by what he was saying. I had felt Cadmar searching through me on first contact, but I wasn’t quite sure what it meant. Now, it was obvious. They had adapted in a way no other animal had. They had speech, predatory behavior, and they had been able to use the realm’s supernatural qualities to their advantage.

  He continued, voice low and quiet. “I have been injured. My senses aren’t what they are supposed to be. I believe I’m...” He stopped himself from finishing the sentence, but I worried he might severely hurt.

  “Dammit, Zane,” I whispered. Maybe it was insane for me to care, but he did look injured, and I felt like it was my duty to tend to him. I put my hand against his clavicle and pushed lightly. “Lie down. I’ll take care of you.”

  “You don’t understand,” he rumbled. “You have betrayed us and yourself by bringing him in here. He is not to be trusted.”

  “Who, Zane?” I tried not to snort with laughter. “Trust me. He’s harmless. The only reason he came was to earn a couple of bucks from my mom. Now, I’m serious. Lie back.”

  In this weakened state, the beast acted entirely different. There wasn’t the same hunger or rage in his eyes. I noticed them sag with melancholy. None of us asked for life, and I was sure it was the same way for creatures like him. He was trapped here, made to be a monster and pariah.

  He relaxed and lay down. I leaned forward and looked at his masculine body. He looked so much like us humans. It was pretty miraculous. The only difference was the sheer size and the fact he seemed to have triple the muscle mass. I had so many questions to ask, but I wanted to gain his and their trust. Unlike Zane, I was also an outcast. I was someone they could confide in.

  I wrinkled my forehead and left my mouth open enough for him to see the rest of the soft throne of my tongue. Heat swept through me, and I could hardly even bear to converse.

  These... monsters. They were so much like us. They spoke and felt like us. They even looked like us. In some of the stories I was told, they were men who appeared as giant bird-like creatures. Others spoke of tall humanoids swiping through the tall trees. I even heard tales of a new breed of alien taking full control of a few tribal people. In the end, the stories weren’t all that different.

  “You laughed earlier,” I said, starting to massage his powerful chest. “That means you feel. Like me.”

  He relaxed and nodded solemnly. “Wasn’t a laugh.”

  My smile remained fixed. “What was it then? A chuckle?”

  “I’m not the one to turn gushy. You want sentimentality? You can speak to Cadmar or Donovan for that.”

  “And your name is? You still haven’t mentioned it,” I said.

  “Magnus. Friends call me Mag.”

  “Cadmar is the one I made first contact with,” I stated.

  A wicked smile stretched his lips wide. “He pleased you, did he not? He worshipped that sweet little pussy like it was an idol.”

  My cheeks flushed. Glancing down at his incredible body, I bit my lip and smiled, a bit bashful. “He gave me the best orgasm of my life.”

  He shifted his teeth angrily and grew tense, so I moved my hands toward his
abdomen. Each finger tenderly pressed and felt the way down to his pelvis.

  “Did he fuck you? Don’t lie to me,” he demanded.

  I didn’t stop moving my hand. I moved farther and farther down, feeling the light tickle of hair against my fingers. Before I touched his enormously hard cock, I stopped. Oh fuck, what was I doing?

  “I would have if he’d asked,” I whispered. “Does that anger you?”

  “We will all get to share you equally. I have no qualms with how our instinct leads us to behave,” he said.

  The crappy cabin heater unit rumbled within the walls. It spun until it formed a dull hum above. His head was damp with sweat. The excitement from the chase earlier must have made him rundown and feverish.

  I was playing my role well. Docile and concerned. Not too bright, but bright enough to be taught a thing or two. I wondered if he knew I wasn’t really somebody to fall in love with. I also wondered how in the hell this could even be possible. But I had found him. Them. The beasts had chosen me. My research had nearly been completed.

  “I would have let him take me in a second,” I said, assertively.

  Slowly, he sat up, eyes blinking into focus. “Dirty girl. You are that willing to do anything for your research on Earth?”

  Finally, I lowered my hand around the base of his cock. I could feel him growing, muscles pulsating out from the core. “Not for my work.” I grabbed hold with my other hand and pumped him nice and slow. “I’m doing it for you.”

  He let out an unearthly rumble of solid bliss. “Why?”

  I hung my lips over his crown and blew a cool breeze across him. He rocked his hips forward and back again. I pumped down and held it there. “Because I don’t have a home,” I admitted. “And I know there’s more to this world. And—”

  Magnus rose and grabbed my chin, squeezing harder than expected. “And you’ll do anything to know the truth.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes. “Yes.” I swallowed my tears with difficulty.

  “The quest for ultimate knowledge is futile,” Magnus said. “Evil. Only those born to know get to understand and experience it. But even we are left in the dark.”