development. But I wonder why this is the first I hear about that plan. It would seem a perfect answer for Juri’ex to give to my question. Could it be that you are making it up, little woman?”
“My name is Jennifer,” I state loudly. “You will call me by that.”
“You paint a pretty picture for us, woman,” he pointedly ignores me. “And if it is indeed true, then I’m sure your friends don’t need you to help them make it happen. No, we will keep you here, in our tribe, mating with you whenever we want. Then, if your far-fetched story turns out to be true, we will accept the new women. And if it doesn’t, then we have lost... nothing.” He lays one arm around my shoulders, and with the other he cups my chest outside the dress.
“Take your filthy hands off me,” I hiss, recoiling and trying to get up.
The chief easily holds me down. “In fact, I think it’s time we become the only tribe on Xren where every man may mate with a woman. I am the chief, and I will go first. Then in order of age, starting at the oldest. I believe that would be you, Baliduz’ar.”
“Yes,” the man on the other side of me says, his voice hoarse. “You go first, chief. We will all observe, and then we will take our turns. Let us also not forget the scout party that discovered the dragon and the woman on the other side of the swamp and signaled us to be ready. They will be here in a few days, and we must not wear this woman out before then.”
“Of course,” the chief says, pawing at me, his eyes glassy. “We are only twenty-eight here. Each man will only mate once tonight, to save the woman for the others. Lay down soft furs,” he commands. “No need for this to be the least bit uncomfortable.”
“Stop it!” I yell, as some men get up from their places and gather around me, curious hands and fingers touching me and stroking and pinching.
“Rejoice, woman,” the chief says hoarsely and gets to his feet. “Your married friends only have one man to mate with. Whereas you now have almost thirty. You will scream out your joy all night.” He takes me in his arms and lifts me.
I kick and hiss and slap and punch, and most of my strokes connect. “Get the hell away from me!”
But the chief effortlessly ignores me and carries me to the heap of furs a couple of yards away. “Such an energetic young woman,” he wheezes as he forces me down on it. “I can see you are eager for this to happen.” He fumbles with his short pants, where there is an obvious bulge.
I go crazy with fear and anger, screaming and clawing and scratching and kicking wildly.
Even so, I distantly notice the stars are gone and the night has suddenly gotten much darker. A hard rainfall right now would be extremely welcome, but those clouds came really fast.
Suddenly, an unearthly howl of sheer fury resonates among the trees and throughout the clearing, and everyone freezes.
“It’s only the dragon,” the chief hisses, freeing his stiff manhood from his pants. “He’s tied, he can’t interfere. I will kill him when I’m done with the woman.”
“Caronerax!” I call, curling up into a ball and making sure not to look at the naked man next to me. “If you can get free, this is the time! If not, remember that I love only you!”
Someone pulls my dress off me, not too gently. They grab my hands and pull me onto my back, holding me tight.
Shit. This is it. A total nightmare is about to become real.
The chief grabs my ankles and spreads me open, drawing in a trembling breath. “Holy Ancest—”
He stiffens, his eyes roll back in his head, he sways for a second, and then he collapses backwards.
For a moment, everything is quiet.
Then the clearing explodes in a chaos of screams, thuds, metallic noises and strange, chilling shadows in the flickering light from the fire.
I curl up and cover my ears and eyes.
When things calm down again, all the cavemen are on the ground, lying in strange positions and looking dead.
And in the air above me is a dark, ghostly blob, balancing on a hundred thin, strong tentacles.
Three eyes on stalks are looking at me from above.
“Marshie,” I wheeze.
A brown tentacle snakes along the grass and curls around my upper arm, gently pulling me