by Hope Hart
The Arcav King's Mate
Hope Hart
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
THE ARCAV KING'S MATE
by Hope Hart
Chapter 1
Harlow
When the aliens came, there was no resistance. Humanity simply raised its hands and let them take what they wanted. After all, our weapons were nothing compared to theirs.
At least, the weapons we used to have.
“What did I say, asshole? You get your money when you give us something good. So far, you’ve given me nothing. We had a deal- you give me a name, and I won’t make you piss your pants.”
I wave my taser threateningly, and watch him turn pale even as he sneers. “Think you’re so tough bitch? You don’t even have a gun.”
I sigh. He has a point. While the aliens hadn’t seen our weapons as a threat, apparently they weren’t too keen on us being armed. They took all the most effective weapons away, which is why I’m left threatening a drug dealer with a taser.
“You’re right, I don’t have a gun. That means I’ve got lots of practice using Mr Friendly here.” I inch it closer to him. “You know where it really hurts?”
My partner groans loudly and I shoot him a look.
“Is this going to take much longer?” he asks. “I’m ready for lunch.”
I frown at him.
“The balls,” I continue, as if Blake hadn’t thrown me off my stride. “It really hurts when Mr Friendly meets your balls.”
The snitch chokes, eyes the taser, and tells me everything I need to know.
“Mr Friendly?” Blake asks as we walk away, planning to grab lunch before we stake out our suspect.
“Yeah, it just came to me. It’s what I used to call my vibrator.”
He groans and I grin as we get in the car. I’m driving today, so he picks up the radio. “Code seven,” he tells dispatch, announcing we’ll be on lunch. My stomach grumbles, and then sinks when I realize what day it is.
“Great, my sub is going to be ruined by the sound of Arcav morons.”
Blake curses under his breath. “I’d forgotten. It’s the first of the month.”
The Arcav are the aliens who invaded Earth. On the first day of every month, humanity comes to a standstill, as we all tune in wherever we are. Every available screen is used to showcase their message, and humans who refuse to watch are usually snitched on and taken away for questioning. The United States lucked out. The viewings are at noon Pacific Standard Time. People who live in Asia are expected to get up in the middle of the night to comply.
I groan and pop a Tums. I can practically feel my blood pressure rising at the thought.
Blake glances at me. “You need to chill,” he says. “They’re here, and we have no control over the situation.”
“This is me chill,” I shrug. “I’ve even started meditating.”
Blake took the invasion like he took everything else in life- in his stride. He doesn’t like it, but he also doesn’t let it impact his day-to-day life.
I’m not quite so accepting. I spend hours imagining ways that us humans could rise up and kick them off our planet. I wake up in the night, reaching for my gun, and then feel naked when I realize it’s no longer there. If I could, I’d send each and every Arcav back where they belong.
We pull up to a diner with multiple TVs. Unfortunately, ignoring the viewing would mean instant suspension and I like my job.
I order a coffee, no longer able to stomach lunch. The pale faces around me confirm that the diner won’t be having a great day, despite the many people squeezed into the booths.
Blake orders and then offers me a menu, frowning when I shake my head.
“You should eat.”
“Don’t start on me, mommy.”
“Look, this sucks, but we’re going to have to get used to it some time.”
I scowl at him. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not at risk of losing your life to these aliens.”
He shoots me a look and I lower my voice. “You have no clue what the women in this room are feeling,” I say. “And I hope you never do.”
Blake leans forward. “I know it blows,” he says, and I snort at the understatement. “But the chances of being called are miniscule. There are so few of them, and so many of us.”
“For now,” I say. “What happens when more of them start arriving?”
The familiar bell sound announces that the viewing is starting, and everyone in the diner turns their attention to the TVs.
The Arcav male is the same one who appears for every viewing. He’s obviously their PR guy, and I smirk as I realize the Arcav are trying to make him look as human as possible.
“Have they filed down his weird fangs?”
Blake shoots me a warning look and I sigh, focusing on the screen again.
The Arcav holds up the tablet in his hand. It’s disconcerting how the Arcav are so similar yet so different to us. They’re much larger, usually at least seven feet. Their skin is golden, with silver tattoo-like markings on their shoulders and chest denoting rank and status. Their eyes range in color like ours, only theirs seem to glow, in shades that are completely inhuman. The most different part of them is their horns, which jut straight out from their head.
The viewings were originally pitched to us as a way to keep humans updated about everything we needed to know- almost like the news. But it wasn’t long before their true purpose became clear.
The Arcav are extremely long-lived. From the rumors I’ve heard, the male who caused this invasion is still alive, although I hope he’s rotting somewhere in a dark hole.
For whatever reason, this Arcav had poisoned their water. Female babies were no longer born, so the Arcav men had no way to find their mates.
When the Arcav invaded, all human females were forced to give blood, so we could be tested for compatibility. When mates were found, those women had no choice- they were forcibly taken by the Arcav, or worse, given up by their family and friends who were either scared of the consequences or lured by the money.
Blake was right. The chances of being picked are small. So far, around one million women have been taken out of approximately four billion. But many of those women had families of their own. While some chose to leave, and were even happy to be picked, many were forced from their boyfriends, husbands, and children— something that’s unforgivable in my eyes.
This viewing will be like all the others. The Arcav will read from the list, and a photo of any women found to be a match will show on the screen. Those women will come forward, or else face the consequences.
I swallow back bile as the Arcav’s eyes seem to glow with excitement.
“Today we have a very special announcement,” he growls. I wish I could pull the translator out of my ear, but it was developed to stay in unless the host is dead. Pulling it out could mean deafness or even death.
“Blood results from all human women have been analyzed, and our King has found a mate.” His eyes light up with excitement. “This woman will join him as his Queen, creating peace between humans and Arcav for the rest of time.”
I roll my eyes. “Sure, buddy. One helping of pe
ace coming right up,” I mutter.
A blonde woman with earrings the size of snow globes glares at me and I stare back. She’s obviously an Arc- an Arcav groupie. I bet she’s crossing all of her fingers and toes that she’ll have her name called one day.
The Arcav pauses, and the diner goes silent as we wait to see which poor woman will be losing her freedom.
“Harlow Black,” he says. My picture flashes up on the screen, and the hair on the back of my neck rises as I stare into my own eyes.
I widen my eyes at Blake. “Don’t react,” he whispers. “They might not recognize you.”
I nod, pick up my coffee and nonchalantly take a sip.
My eyes meet the blonde woman’s, and my stomach sinks as her head swings wildly between our table and the TV.
“Her?” she screeches incredulously. “The Arcav King wants her?”
Fuck.
Blake jumps up, hauling me out of the booth. We both draw our tasers and I almost laugh at the absurdity. What I wouldn’t give for a gun right now.
People stare, shocked. But it won’t be long before they realize how much I’m now worth. I keep my taser out, staring people down as we stride toward the entrance. A man reaches for my arm and I don’t hesitate, pressing my taser to his neck.
“She’s the one! She’s the Arcav King’s mate!”
We burst through the front door and run for the car, locking the doors as we slide in. I hide my face as people from the diner follow us out, holding up their phones as they record my every move.
Blake speeds off, sirens on, and heads for the highway. I sit in shocked silence until he snaps at me to put on my seat belt.
“And just like that, my life is over,” I laugh hollowly as I buckle myself in.
“It’s not over,” he says, hands tightening on the wheel.
I stay silent. My lips feel numb, and I’m cold. Distantly, I wonder if I’m in shock. My thoughts are fuzzy, and it’s like I can’t process the world around me.
Blake curses. “You need to pull yourself together.”
I must look terrible, because when I turn to look at him, he pulls over.
“Look, Black, if you don’t want to go, you have options.”
“Of course I don’t want to go! You know how I feel about them! And now I’m supposed to be their King’s ‘mate?’ What does that mean anyway?”
He shrugs. “If you want, I can get you out of here. But we don’t have much time.”
My mouth drops open. “It’s suicide. If they catch you, you’re dead.”
He grins at me. “They’d have to catch me first. We’ll make it look like you escaped on your own. And if they figure it out and catch me, I’m sure the Arcav Queen can beg for my life.”
I gag at the thought, and the amusement leaves his face. “What’s your choice, partner? Stay or go?”
I don’t have to think twice. “Go.”
Blake nods and puts the car in drive. “Good choice. Here’s what we’re going to do. You have five hours before you have to turn yourself in. But it’ll take some time for everyone to mobilize once they realize you’re not going to play by the rules. You can get pretty far in twenty four hours, but you need to go somewhere as remote as possible, and stay away from any cameras. Their technology allows them to use facial recognition in ways we haven’t yet achieved. That means this needs to be a smart, well-executed plan.”
I stare at him. “How do you know all this?”
“I guess now is the right time to tell you. I’m a member of HAA.”
“What?” HAA stands for Humans Against Arcav. The organization is completely illegal, and I would never have imagined that Blake, with his seemingly complete acceptance of the Arcav would be a member. If he’s caught, he faces prison on Earth at best, and execution or a sentence working on Arcavia at worst.
He smiles humorlessly. “I’m a good actor, huh?”
“Yeah, the best. I really thought you’d accepted the invasion.”
His face hardens. “When those parasites arrived, my grandfather shot my grandmother and then himself, ‘cause they were convinced humanity was gonna end and they didn’t want to see it happen. My cousin ran away to beg to be taken to Arcavia and my aunt had a heart attack from the stress. I hate them just as much as you, Black. I’m just smarter about letting people know.”
“Your cousin’s an Arc?”
“Yeah. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with her. But she had a mediocre life and obviously saw the Arcav as a chance to be someone. She’s working in one of the corrals, hoping to be picked.”
The corrals are buildings where Arcs stay, pleasuring the Arcav. Occasionally, one of the Arcav will find an Arc so appealing that they’ll take them back to Arcavia with them. Humans consider Arcs to be the lowest of the low. While mates have little choice about being taken, Arcs chase the Arcav, and are traitors to the human race.
“Look, I know it seems impossible. They have technology we could never hope to have, and by now you’ll have a sickeningly high price on your head.” He grins at me. “If I wasn’t your partner I’d consider turning you in myself. I’d earn more than I could spend in four lifetimes.”
I roll my eyes at him.
“But all this cooperation and technology has made them complacent. Humanity may have bent over for them, but it doesn’t mean you have to.”
I choke out a laugh. “What a lovely image.”
“Well you know what they say about alien sex, there’s a reason why there are so many Arcs,” he says drily. “All I’m saying is you’re a figurehead now. If you want to keep your freedom, you’ll be a symbol of rebellion. And there are more people than you can imagine who are willing to help.”
I feel the first stirring of hope. “I just have to stay one step ahead of them,” I say. “Then I can disappear.”
“That’s the attitude.”
Chapter 2
Varian
I stare hungrily at the footage of my mate. My advisors had immediately notified me of the human’s recordings and sent the data on the humans’ phones to me.
She’s tiny, with curly dark hair and eyes so light they look almost violet. Her uniform shouldn’t look sexy, but it clings to her every curve.
I frown as I notice the weapon she holds in her shaking hand. She seems… terrified. I do not know if she is afraid of me or of the humans following her.
The man she is with guards her as they run to their automobile and I growl. I want to know who this man is and why he is touching what’s mine.
I sit back, replaying every recording and studying her face. Her lips tremble at one point, and I want to assure her she’ll be safe with me. I check the time. Mates have five hours to go to our closest base or call us for a pickup. She will have time to say goodbye to her family, and then I will finally be holding her in my arms.
“Your majesty.”
I turn to Jaret, my second in command, and the leader of our army. He too has been waiting an eternity for his mate. My stomach clenches at the thought. We are all barely hanging on to our sanity. He has supported me without fail all these years, understanding that if the King falls, all Arcav will fall. Now that my mate is so close, it will soon be my turn to support him.
None of us wanted to come to this planet. But Jaret wanted to least of all. He refuses to have his blood type matched to the samples of human women already in the system, stating that he will know his mate with the appearance of the mating bands.
I haven’t told him that I will be finding his mate as soon as I have settled my own in Arcavia.
“Yes?”
“Our spies have brought us news of the Grivaths.”
I tense, hands fisting as I picture the brutal race. Huge and grey, they’re a threat to every other race in the universe.
“And?”
It is no secret that we broke interplanetary law when we arrived on Earth- a Level Three planet which had no prior knowledge of other alien races.
While we carefully weighed the risks a
nd considered them worth it, the moment we landed, Earth lost its Level Three status. Unfortunately, that means that other races have Earth in their sights. Including the Grivaths. We have long been on the verge of war with the Grivath people, who are renowned for stealing resources from planets near and far and running an interplanetary slavery ring.
“Our sources say they are fueling up on R-21. After a year of threats, it seems that they have finally decided to travel to this planet.”
My blood heats at the idea. Humans do not want the Arcav on their planet, but they have no idea of the destruction the Grivath could cause. Without the Arcav in place to defend Earth, billions of humans could die or become slaves under the Grivath.
“Keep me updated. We may need to deploy our fleets sooner than expected.”
Harlow
“The cameras will be down for five minutes, so we need to hurry.”
Blake drives into an underground parking garage. He drives up to the fifth floor, and then we walk down to the third, where he opens the trunk of a car and gestures for me to get in.
I climb into the truck and curl into a ball.
“Hey,” Blake says. “Don’t look so sad. It’s not for long.”
I smile weakly at him and he slams the trunk closed. My shoulders slump and I realize that he’s wrong. This is my life now.
In the small, dark space of the trunk, I give in, biting down on my fist as tears spill down my cheeks. In the blink of an eye, with two words from an Arcav, my life is over. No more patrolling the streets and keeping my fellow humans safe. No more drinks after shift, boozy brunches on Sundays, and movie nights with friends. I’m now a social leper.
