Betrayed: The Blue Barbarian Series (The Blue Barbarians Book 6)

by Rena Marks

  From our higher position on the platform, I look into the sea of faces of my people and theirs. Now, our people. There is not one unhappy, jealous, or sullen face. No, there is simply love and happiness everywhere.

  * * * * *

  Eight season changes later:

  I found out what twins meant. It means not one but two adorable baby sons. They are not striped like me—the stripes from birth already show signs of fading—but for now they each have tails. I am excited to teach them to swim before the possibility of losing a tail may become reality. After all, they have as much their fathers’ tail-less genes as they have mine.

  “Sorry, I’m a little late!” The excited voice bursts from the front of the cave. “I was practicing language with Cammie and then Naag came, and we were all talking, and I know I should have been here sooner. Naag mentioned that he’s heading to his parents cave to help them get outdoors for the feast, so I came to get you. I know Diont is here somewhere, but won’t it be nice to surprise him out under the trees all set up?”

  “Leisha.” I smile at the lovely female who is not at all late, but who tries so hard to keep her job intact that she is always apologizing as if we might look for someone to replace her. When Atan and Diont and I stopped having sex three and four times a day finally, we discovered a small cave behind ours. It had been used for storage previously and one day, if we choose not to have more offspring and have to move into a larger dwelling, it will be the twins’ room.

  But then we discovered Leisha. The beautiful girl managed to ripen to adulthood before everyone’s eyes. And, of course, with females being rare in this village, she’d hidden her attributes under loose clothing. She currently takes classes from Cammie, perfecting her language to speak in the smooth way the humans do. When a protective Naag discovered she was much older than she let on, he approached us with a mutually beneficial arrangement for us all.

  Leisha moved into our back room, which is only accessible through our quarters. It staves off the males seeking her out, and she is provided with warmth and food. In return, she is what she has referred to herself as from the human world.

  A nanny.

  “Stop,” I chide. “You are not late.”

  “You’re not late,” she corrects with a smile. “See how they combine you and are? Pretty cool, eh?”

  She is rather good at coming across as a human. If one closes their eyes and only listens, she sounds just like Cammie. Or Niki. Or Lucie. So her lessons are paying off. Though why she wants to sound like the humans, I do not know. Er, I don’t know.

  “It is pretty cool,” I acknowledge with a grin.

  Diont and Atan think she is just entranced with learning. I think she is entranced with living life to the fullest and not settling for a mate. Oddly enough, I find life with my mates completely fulfilling in a way I never thought possible. Though, now that I study the situation, did I not do the same by handing the reign to my brother and studying herbs?

  “Come here, you gorgeous lil man,” Leisha coos to Zach’riah, lifting him from my lap. His brother, Teekland, kicks his fat legs excitedly, and I prop him up for one-on-one time between mother and son. Not that my sons are deprived of alone time. There are many hands in the village to help. And with a three-person parentage, we don’t have the difficulties that single parents had in my tribe. I deliberately gloss over the fact that back then, we had slaves to help the mothers because that is a situation I’d rather forget.

  Quickly, Leisha and I wipe the infants down and re-dress them in their tiny, matching loincloths. They are decorative only, draping over the diapers that cover their teeny, tiny, hand-sized butts. But the loincloths are adorable, mimicking the grown males of the village.

  “Such handsome men,” Leisha says pointedly, using the human word for males.

  “I get it. I get it,” I mutter.

  She laughs and picks up one of the bags we carry baby stuff in. I pick up the other, swinging the strap over my shoulder, and then we each lift a hefty twin, hauling them up to our hips.

  “Naag is grabbing the extra cradles from the main cave and is bringing them outside to set under the tree,” Leisha says. “And so many people are outside already. It’s going to be a great day.”

  An even greater day because Atan returns. He left to take a few of the females home and on the return trip will bring Hekran back to visit with his nephews. Diont stayed behind. As promised, my mates refuse to leave me alone without one of them present at all times. I hope eventually they will get over their trauma of my abduction because it’s important for my mates to have their own bonding time with each other.

  Leisha leads the way to where our family has gathered.

  “Sit, daughter,” says Niesac, Naag and Atan’s father. I set down the diaper bag and sit cross-legged, just as Leisha does.

  “He is so beautiful,” Niesac says, leaning over me to coo at Teke. “He has Diont’s chin.”

  “Definitely,” I laugh. “And Zach has Atan’s soulful gaze.” I look across at where Cammie and Naag sit and narrow my eyes because Naag has the same gaze as Atan and is proving it, even as Cammie laughingly shoves her elbow in his ribs to make him stop.

  “Despite their individual features, I also see a bit of your brother in them,” Niesac says.

  I study my babies. “Yes, I do see it in the curl of their lips,” I realize. I cannot wait to see Hekran again. I will compare them together for matching features.

  “Surprise! Guess who I found wandering lost?” Diont’s voice comes from behind me, where he swoops in to kiss my forehead and take our heavy son from my lap. Behind him stands Hekran. Next to Hekran, Atan is scowling as he looks toward Diont.

  “It was more like Diont was lost, searching for me because he missed me,” Atan counters.

  “I did not miss you. Last night, I was able to stretch out across the entire nest with my mate.” He makes it sound better than it was. We were stretched out across the whole nest, definitely. But it was because Zach’riah took too long of a nap and was babbling all night. Today, I kept the sleepy baby awake longer.

  Atan helps me up and kisses me swiftly before passing me off to Hekran. We greet in the way of our people between royalty, and then touch foreheads.

  “Brother,” I whisper. “Come meet your nephews.”

  “Atan said they both looked like him,” Hekran laughs, settling down next to Leisha. “He lied. They look like me.”

  “Your genes run strong in your line,” Atan acknowledges with a smile. “I just wanted to call it to your attention.”

  Suddenly I realize Hekran and Leisha have never been introduced.

  “Hekran, this is our nanny, Leisha. She takes the cave behind us and helps us with the offspring.”

  Diont is offering Teek to Hekran, who is sitting admiring Zach in Leisha’s arms. Then, the two of them are holding the babies together, pointing out their similarities and differences as our sons gurgle and coo at their uncle.

  I turn back to Atan’s arms. “I missed you, mate,” I murmur.

  A shadow covers us as Diont swings his arms around us. “He was gone but a day, my love,” he reminds me.

  “You both missed me,” Atan says knowingly. “Eretar forgot it’s only been one day, and Diont came rushing out to meet us.”

  “I will admit it,” Diont says. “Welcome home.”

  Nothing touches my heart like the tender moments between my mates. Wrapped in Diont’s arms, I lift my lips to Atan even as the people around us get noisier with new arrivals to the feast.

  Epilogue

  Leisha:

  My entire life, I wanted action and adventure. I come from a family of girls and one by one, I watched as my sisters were mated off. When my turn came, I changed things up.

  The humans use a strip of leather to hold their breasts still. I use a strip to hide mine against my chest.

  The humans shorten their skirts, showing long, tanned length of leg. I cover mine up with old, baggy leggings of my father’s.

&
nbsp; I avoid the attention of the suddenly “helpful” men in our village and barely paid any attention when newcomers came for a visit. Perhaps I should have.

  This job was a blessing from the Goddess. I will forever be grateful to Naag and Cammie for putting in a good word with Eretar, Diont, and Atan.

  But, Holy Mother, there are no words for the chief of her tribe. Her brother. I am trying to control my breathing as he sits next to me, making my ovaries swell with the sweet words of love he whispers to his nephews. Suddenly, I regret my castoff clothing and the hasty knot of hair on top of my head. I ran from the eligible men of our village so they wouldn’t notice me, and now the shoe is on the other foot.

  Definitely, Chief Hekran doesn’t notice me. For the first time, that hurts.

  And yet, isn’t that what I wanted? Why is my heart pounding and my breasts tingling?

  Xeno Sapiens

  Catch up with the first novel in the series! The original Xeno Sapiens story. Continue reading for the first chapter!

  Futuristic earth finds alien DNA and creates a new species of hybrids in hidden labs. It’s up to two small females to teach these beings they’re worthy, and beautiful, and loved…and to save them from mankind.

  My name is Dr. Robyn Saraven. Earth has changed greatly in recent years, the governments of the world merging into one united front, the Global Government. Disease, starvation, and prejudice have been eradicated from our existence, and it appears our growth as spiritual beings is finally on track.

  But the discovery of alien DNA pairs a prestigious research facility with our government to create new beings. Suddenly our spiritual growth is halted when mankind plays God. Like old Earth, our modern-day world has to deal with prejudice, corruption, and greed.

  Or was it always there, lurking beneath the surface?

  Book 1—Xeno Sapiens

  Book 2—Earth-Ground

  Book 3—Siren

  Book 4—Beast’s Beauty

  Book 5—Almost Human

  Book 6—Forbidden Touches

  Book 7—Coveting Ava

  Book 8—For Everly

  Xeno Sapiens Chapter One

  “Robyn Saraven. This way, please.” The stilted voice that came from the robot’s voice-box echoed. It should have phrased her name as a question to alleviate her fears of its invasive identification techniques such as facial recognition and retina scanning. But naturally, the pre-recorded words had no way of injecting emotional cues into speech. Likewise, the computer placed inside its metal skull had no way of even realizing how badly it jarred her with its toneless inflection. At least the programmers used the correct pronunciation of her name. Suh-Ray-ven. Too many times she’d heard it pronounced as Sara-VEN.

  Scientists had been working on artificial intelligence since the dawn of computers, but it hadn’t yet come to pass. That was what she did. She created computer generated personalities based on human emotions and feelings. No, it wasn’t one hundred percent accurate, but she was unrivaled in her field.

  And she knew it.

  It was exactly why the Earth government offered her an exorbitant fee to team up with one of their sponsored laboratories, Crested Utilitarian Labs, in a mission that was so top secret they refused to give her the details. She wasn’t worried. Naturally they’d have to tell her the particulars at some point.

  A contract for twenty million credits tended to make a person pretty easygoing.

  She followed the robot to the sleek black car. It was equipped for land but had wheels that would retract to switch into hovering capabilities. Only peons lived on the actual ground of Earth. Personally, she preferred the real ground. Crested Utilitarian was one of the huge, vertical buildings that hosted a floating city. The floating cities contained a soft pressured “floor” sometimes covered in smooth grass to simulate what was called Earth-Ground.

  The robot held the passenger door for her like an old-fashioned chauffeur. But instead of being impressed with the human-like characteristic, she again had the odd feeling. He turned and sat in the front seat—purely for aesthetics. Hovercars were autonomous.

  “Good morning.” The woman already seated inside had light brown hair, chunked through with blond, knotted into a roll at the back of her head, making her neck seem elongated and elegant. Her eyes were a lighter, golden brown, framed by darker lashes. She wore a whole-colored pantsuit that signified her status on the vertical cities. Doctor.

  Robyn smiled, watching the doctor smile tentatively back. “Hello. I’m Robyn. You’re also employed with Crested Ute?”

  The doctor nodded, her slender shoulder moving up and down gracefully. “Just signed my contract this morning. I’m Amanda Becker of Iota Nine. Did they give you any details?” Iota Nine, an upper-crust floating city she was more than likely born to, had given her a lyrical accent.

  “Not a thing. I’m from Earth-Ground.”

  The doctor’s eyes reflected faint surprise. She probably wondered what in the world they had in common that they were both recently contracted by Crested Ute.

  “By day I’m a computer programmer. I’m one of the team that put our court system to use.”

  Surprise showed in Amanda’s eyes again. “But you’re Earth bound?”

  “By choice.”

  She nodded. “I spent my internship on the surface. It was years ago. I should like to take another trip, see how things have changed. It was the oddest feeling, walking on the hard surface. I’d never been anywhere where the ground didn’t give.”

  Robyn’s attention was outside. “We don’t seem to be moving up.”

  At her words, Amanda looked out the window where Robyn’s gaze was glued. No clouds were surrounding the car. “We’re on the surface? Whatever for?”

  Robyn shrugged. No clue. Everyone knew Crested Ute was host to the Epsilon Five city. The actual building was the gravitation force that allowed the city to attach to its floating capabilities. Since they were picked up at the main hub, they should have moved directly north to arrive. Instead they were driving away, across the Earth-Ground surface.

  “I don’t know,” Amanda said. “But we’re picking up speed.”

  “Perhaps we’re taking a side-route hoverway? I’ve heard there’s a collection off the side of the largest cliff.”

  “It just seems to make more sense to move straight up instead,” Robyn murmured, her eyes on the distant horizon.

  “I agree,” Amanda said, her voice breathless.

  But the truth was, neither one of them had a clue as to where they were going. Unease trickled down her spine as Robyn noticed Amanda’s fists clenched on the seat next to her.

  The car picked up more and more speed and suddenly flew over the edge of the cliff.

  She inhaled sharply. The usual gravitation pull kicked on, settling them. But instead of zipping upward…they fell.

  “We’re dropping into the ocean,” Amanda said, her voice higher-pitched. “What the hell?”

  Before they could even think to scream out, they hit the edge of the water. Right before impact, the car shifted slightly, cutting cleanly through the surface.

  Utter silence filled the car’s interior. No water filled the compartment. And rather than sink, the car still drove.

  “Underwater capabilities,” Amanda murmured. “They didn’t bother to tell us.”

  “The only part of the planet yet unexplored,” Robyn said. “The depths of the oceans.”

  “They’re really serious over this top secret business.”

  “Apparently so.”

  Robyn didn’t mention the reservations she had, nor did she mention the car was probably bugged. Most people didn’t like to live in a constant state of paranoia, but in her field of work, it was necessary.

  The navigation through the ocean was dim, though a giant spotlight came from the top of the car to join the headlights shining into the vast expanse of saltwater around them. Still, the car moved downward at an alarming rate.

  “Submarine capabilities,” Amanda mutter
ed. “I imagine they’ve converted the hovercar into a submarine? I don’t feel the effects of water pressure.”

  “We’re past a hundred feet deep. If we were going to explode, we would have by now.”

  The only sound in the compartment of the car was that of their rapid breathing.

  Amanda began pressing the emergency button—which only dialed the autobot in the front seat. “Where are we going? Is this safe?”

  “Please sit back and enjoy the ride,” the computer voice answered. “We shall arrive in forty-five minutes.”

  “What? That didn’t even answer my questions,” she snapped into the intercom.

  “Please sit back and enjoy the ride,” the autobot answered again. “We shall arrive in forty-five minutes.”

  “It’s programmed with one response,” Robyn said softly. “Asking other questions will just result in the same answer.”

  “I don’t like the non-transparency,” Amanda said.

  Both women were quiet. Robyn was sure Amanda was thinking the same thing she was. They’d signed away transparency for the high salary.

  The hovercar continued to glide through the water so quietly it seemed they were still. Through the windows, various unfamiliar fish swam by, some of which looked like prehistoric creatures living within these depths. The thick, dark water rolled by endlessly, their only light to focus on was that of the headlights cutting through the ink of darkness. Once in a while, a mesmerizing pool of fish moved along.

  Finally, up ahead was a faint glow of light. Both watched, captivated as it grew brighter with their approach. In the center, a giant building set up with the wall of sea water rolling up and over it. A tube-like tunnel was positioned at a sixty-degree angle, seeming to hold the vast amount of sea water away from the building. The car moved into the tunnel, which remained incongruously dry. It switched back into its hovering capabilities and travelled the length of the tunnel. When it came through the other side, it hovered down to the man-made ground and drove over to the building.