Page 14 of Alien Prince’s Fake Bride (The Tentacle Throne #1)

“The events in the cabin are regrettable,” Mareliux says stiffly.

“I would give a lot to have that undone. But when we’re pretending to be married, you will not be expected to do anything of the sort again.

We will sleep separately and keep our distance as much as possible, while keeping up the illusion for others. ”

For a second I think that this could be interesting. But this scheme has crazy alien nonsense written all over it. And danger.

“No,” I state firmly. “Absolutely not. Count me out of that insanity. And then bring me home.”

My words echo from the far walls of the hangar before the big hall goes quiet.

“Home,” Mareliux finally rumbles and walks towards me, tentacles a cool blue. “Such a warm word.”

I hurry to get out of his way.

He walks past me towards the black ships, then stops and puts his hands on his hips, looking at the alien craft.

“What is life without a home? Be it ever so humble. My home is the army and the navy of the Khavgren Empire. I’ve spent my life fighting, Umbra.

I’ve conquered and killed and kept the Empire safe.

And I have expanded it. Do you know how we expand the Empire? ”

“Do I need to know?” I ask, looking away and trying to seem nonchalant.

I feel the prince’s imposing presence as a tension in my spine.

This is plainly a man with power over life and death of many people.

Including me. He’s regal and calm, and now he has chosen to show me a more menacing side of him.

He’s an impressive creature, somewhere between human and demigod.

And still, the one thought that goes through my mind is he knows what my pussy tastes like .

“Yes, I think you do,” he goes on, deep voice echoing from the walls of the hangar.

“When there’s a planet the Emperor wants, I send gunships like these.

Not just these eight, you understand. We have thousands.

But only about a hundred are ever needed, at the very most. They stay in a low orbit and bombard the most important parts of the planet, taking out all the leaders and whichever armed forces they have.

Sometimes that’s enough. If not, I send in my legions.

Bellatriz, how many soldiers do I command? ”

“ Prince,” the sword says in its own voice, different from when it’s translating, “ you have seventeen million, eight hundred and eleven thousand, five hundred and fifty-six legionnaires under your command. This number will fluctuate by a few tens of thousands from one day to the next because of deaths, retirements, and new recruits.”

The prince taps his lips thoughtfully. “How many are needed to conquer a planet?”

“ In the worst case, taking over a spacefaring planet with high technology and the same rough level of technology as the Empire will require ninety gunships and two million legionnaires.”

Mareliux gives me a red glance. “And a less developed planet? Say, one that has just started to explore space and still only has access to small shuttles made from paper, metal foil, and sticky tape?”

“ After the bombardment, maybe a thousand troops to march through the streets and demonstrate who owns the planet now,” the sword says. “ There will be no military resistance left after such a planet is bombarded by a few gunships. I estimate that these eight in here will be enough.”

“So do I,” the prince says. “And then the planet will be opened for the slave traders. Usually, about half of the original population are taken and sold. To pay for their conquest, you see, Umbra. The remaining half will have to try to keep their planet running. Because of course they must pay taxes to their new emperor. That usually never works out well. After a decade or so, there’s no sentient life left on a planet like that.

All that remains is a couple of billion slaves on Imperial planets. ”

I understand what he means. He’s threatening to conquer Earth and sell people as slaves if I don’t go along with his scheme.

An icy coldness settles in my stomach. I don’t know how much of that is a bluff.

But not all of it can be. Those ships look terrifyingly capable and scary.

This huge ship I’m on right now could be more than a match for Earth’s total military, all by itself.

The artificial gravity alone speaks of a level of tech that Earth can’t even dream about right now.

Our only spaceship with a weapon now lies broken in the other hangar, a sad heap of aluminum, copper, and plastics.

“You’re threatening me,” I state calmly. “You’re threatening a lone female held captive in your ship. Is that princely behavior?”

“It’s not a threat so much as a description of what will happen if I don’t soon pretend to be married,” Mareliux says coldly.

“I have given you a choice, Ambassador Umbra. One choice leads to a fun adventure, rewarded with significant riches you can take home with you. The other leads to… well…” He glances at the row of dull, black gunships.

I wish I had a gun. “If I agree to fake marry you… how do I know you won’t conquer Earth anyway?”

“I give you my word of honor that I won’t.”

I manage to not laugh out loud. From what he’s shown me, I’m not sure he’s the most honorable man in the universe.

But saying that might be unwise. And the real answer is obvious: There’s nothing he can say to make me sure that he won’t break his promise.

“Will I be required to… be intimate with you? Again, I mean?”

“There will be no such requirement, as I have already made clear,” Mareliux says coldly. “You will be expected to play a role in public. In private, we will be strangers to each other. If that’s what you prefer.”

“Oh, it is,” I assure him, despite not being at all that sure. My lower regions are still tingling from that climax.

“Then it’s settled,” the prince says, a little smile playing on his lips. “Ambassador Umbra Hadley, Second Lieutenant, will you agree to not marry me?”

I think fast. I’m not interested in a reward that will make me rich. But if this is going to happen, I have to make it a good deal for Earth.

“I will need you to share technology with Earth,” I state firmly.

“Spacecraft and such. The tech that makes it possible to make a ship like this. And warships like those.” I point at the gunships.

“Help Earth become a seriously space-faring species that can defend itself against an aggressive empire like yours. That’s the price. ”

Bellatriz translates what I said, but then she and the prince have a short, but intense argument. I think the prince wins, judging from the satisfied look on his face.

“I’m not sure if you know what you’re asking for, but I agree.

When I am in a position to do so, I will drag Earth into the space age.

As a friend, not as a conqueror. Earth shall be free to make its own way among the other civilizations of the galaxy.

That may be tougher than you think, Umbra.

I predict that your world will look back on its pre-space time as ‘the good old days’. Most other worlds do.”

I think I can spot the weak part of that. “When will you be in a position to do so? If you’re a prince, don’t you have that power now?”

He raises his golden eyebrows. “The power to give away high-level technology for nothing? To a barbarian planet like Earth? That kind of thing will need the backing of the emperor. Which you will help me become by not marrying me.”

“But until then, you can protect Earth?” I persist. “From a distance, I mean. With all these great warships that you’re so proud of?”

He stares me down with his laser eyes. His jaw works as he thinks about it, and his tendrils stand out from his head, their color pulsating between orange and red.

It’s a fearsome display, and I half expect him to draw his sword and kill me.

But it’s also a good indication that he’s actually going to follow through on his promises.

If he wasn’t, he would agree to anything much more easily.

“ That would mean diverting a full squadron from the navy to Earth,” Bellatriz says, “ while there’s still a lot of vital fighting for them to do elsewhere. We sorely need all our warships. There is such a thing as being too demanding, Umbra.”

“Don’t back down,” Vera says quickly. “It’s a fair request.”

I think she ’ s right. This opens the very real possibility that Earth can be protected against those damned flying saucers well before Space Force can become a fighting navy worth the name.

In a sense, Mareliux’s forces could keep Earth under its wing until we’re strong enough to not need it.

“You just made a big show of how big the Imperial forces are. Now show me that it’s true. In a way that’s nice .”

Mareliux smiles tightly. “You drive a hard bargain, Ambassador. You’re more of a diplomat than you ever thought.

Very well, Umbra, you have a deal. You will not marry me on Grefve as soon as we can get there.

Then we’ll go on to Khav, and we will pretend to be a married couple.

” His face goes scary and he bends down, putting his face close to mine, predator laser eyes piercing me and tendrils pointing straight at me with silvery, dagger-like tips.

“And at this price, I expect you to play your part to perfection. ”

His deep growl makes my lungs tremble. I swallow from both fear and sudden arousal. What is it with this guy and making me horny? It’s not helping that I know what those lips, that tongue and those tendrils feel like.

“I’ll do my best,” I promise. “After we’re not married.”