by Sadie Carter
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Alien Sacrifice
Sadie Carter
Copyright
Sadie Carter
Alien Sacrifice
© 2017, Sadie Carter
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.
This story contains explicit sex scenes. R18
Cover Design: No Sweat Graphics
Editor: Christie Giraud: EbookEditingPro
Proofreading: Ave’s Editing
Chapter One
A screech of laughter filled the room, like a pack of hiale birds cackling over a kill.
Macon turned with a frown towards the female making the truly terrible sound. Why did no one quiet her? That sound was an assault on his ears and yet the humans gathered around the female just smiled and nodded.
He did not understand humans. Especially the female humans. This particular female had approached him earlier, had dared to place her hand on his chest while whispering preposterous suggestions to him.
As if he would waste perfectly good Sleva by pouring it over her body? And why she expected him to then lick her clean, he did not know. If she wanted to bathe, she could use the same cleaning products that other females did.
After he’d told her so, she’d sniffed, and strode back to the group of females she’d arrived with. Then they’d all turned and looked at him. More laughter ensued. He did not understand what was so funny.
He couldn’t believe his Emperor expected him to find a mate among these strange creatures. From what he’d observed, the majority of human females were noisy, undisciplined, and frighteningly fragile. They did not understand that rules were made to be followed.
No, he would not mate with a human. Only a Zerconian female would satisfy his need for order and peace. He would have a quiet, stable home with a mate who was obedient.
He winced as that same female laughed again, nearly falling over on her too-high shoes. He studied those shoes critically. They had tiny straps across the top and thin, spiky heels. They were definitely not built for stealth or speed, so he could not understand their purpose.
Perplexing.
But then he had resigned himself to never understanding these creatures. Thank the stars he did not have to.
The female stumbled again, her glass of Sola nearly tipping. Her friends giggled. These human females were part of a group that had arrived on an Earth transporter over a week ago. They were here as part of the new alliance with Earth.
The Zerconian race was dying. His people lived a long time, but only if they found their mates. Without their mates, males would fall victim to mating fever, often killing themselves. When Dex, their Emperor, mated with a human there had been much elation, as well as disbelief and some outright rejection.
Now many Zerconian warriors had human females as mates. He was glad for them, but he did not intend to follow their path. Which is why it was pointless that he be here at this human-Zerconian gathering. Perhaps he was being too negative. He should think of the positives. At least most of these women were only staying for a short time before the transporter left again.
“Macon,” a voice spoke from behind him. He glanced down as Empress Zoey moved up next to him. “Do you think you could smile a little? Or at least frown a bit less? All we’d need to do is dye you blue and paint a storm cloud on your belly, and you’d be the exact image of Grumpy Bear.”
What? He had grown used to not understanding the Empress’s words when he had been one of her personal guards. It had made it difficult to guard her properly, and he’d been greatly relieved when Boris had taken over that duty. They didn’t seem to have the same communication difficulties, despite the fact that Boris didn’t speak. Or perhaps because Boris didn’t speak.
So instead of answering, he just grunted.
“You know, some women find the moody, grumpy type sexy. Case in point, Mila and Koran. But at least Koran speaks to Mila. He even occasionally smiles. Now, I’m not asking for a miracle. But you’ve ignored all the women who have tried to talk to you, and now you’re standing here like a naughty child sent to the corner for misbehaving.”
“I do not intend to have a human mate, so why should I speak to them?”
The Empress sighed. “How do you know your mate won’t be human? It could have been one of the poor women you sent away in tears.”
He glanced down at the Empress. Way down, since she was ridiculously short. Another reason not to mate with a human. They were all far too small. “In tears?” Guilt stirred. He had not wished to upset any of them. But if he did not intend to mate a human, then he didn’t see any reason to engage in conversation with them.
“Well, no, I was exaggerating,” the Empress replied, the corners of her lips turning down. “They all bounced back pretty quickly. But that doesn’t mean they’re not crying on the inside. Macon, I hoped I could at least count on you to make an effort. Other warriors look up to you and they’re following your example.”
He glanced around the room. There were a number of warriors standing with their arms crossed, forbidding looks on their faces. The women were giving them a wide berth. But that wasn’t due to him. “Perhaps they do not wish for a human mate, either.”
“Okay, you’re saying human like it’s a dirty word. We’re not a piece of poop you’ve accidentally stepped on.”
He did not see humans as excrement, merely annoying and loud. “I did not mean to cause offense.” He hadn’t, not really. “But I do not need a human mate, as I intend to mate a Zerconian female.”
“Really? Who?” The Empress grabbed his arm, practically bouncing with excitement. “You found your mate? Who is it? How didn’t I know this?”
“It is Hagartha,” he said proudly.
The Empress took a step back, her mouth dropping open slightly as she gaped up at him. “Hagartha? Are you freakin’ kidding me?”
Around them, voices faded as people turned to stare. Mila, Koran’s mate, and the human Ambassador to Zerconia, strode up to them, a smile on her face and a warning in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”
The Empress glanced around then dropped her voice to a whisper. “Macon is mated to Hagartha.”
“Hagartha? Seriously?” Even Mila, who was usually composed, gaped up at him.
“We are not mated yet,” he added almost reluctantly. “But we shall be. Soon.”
Zoey frowned. “So, you’re not actual mates?”
“No. But we are compatible. Hagartha needs a male to take care of her, and I wish for a mate.”
“How the hell does that work? You can’t just choose to mate with someone, can you? And I’m pretty certain Hagartha doesn’t need a male to take care of her. That woman takes care of herself just fine.”
“It is not the same as if there were a mating bond, but there have been cases of Zerconians choosing to mate. It can hold off the mating fever for longer.”
“So, you’re choosing to mate Hagartha? Hagartha? Even knowing what a cow she is?” th
e Empress asked, looking aghast.
Macon frowned. He knew that a cow was an animal. “You liken Hagartha to an animal? That is my future mate you speak of.”
The Empress placed her hand on her chest. “You wound me. Seriously. It may be mortal. I may never recover.”
“Umm, Zoey,” Mila said, looking around uncomfortably. “You may want to tone it down a bit.”
Macon glanced over to see two other warriors coming towards them. Boris stepped forward and shook his head, and they paused.
“She will be my mate. I ask that you respect that.”
The Empress just shook her head, looking sad. “I can’t believe you would rather mate that she-devil than wait for your real mate. Do you hate us humans so much?”
“I do not hate you. I just do not wish for a human mate. Hagartha understands the rules. She understands our culture. She will allow me to care for her as is proper.” Order and peace. He needed to concentrate on his job, he did not have time to care for an impulsive, fragile human mate.
“Damn, I knew you were a stick in the mud, but I didn’t realize that stick went right up your ass!”
The Empress turned and strode away. Mila gave him a small smile. “Don’t take offense. Zoey will come around. Hagartha is just a touchy subject after everything that went on.”
“She was merely doing her job to the best of her ability.” Doubt stirred. Hagartha had been the Emperor’s personal assistant. She had only been doing her job to the best of her abilities, hadn’t she? Perhaps she had taken her duties a bit too seriously.
“Riight.” Mila patted his arm. “Well, congrats and good luck.” She turned away. “I think you’re gonna need it.”
What did luck have to do with anything? His plan to mate with Hagartha had been methodically planned and thought out.
He looked out over the human females as they laughed and drank. One flung her arm through the air, knocking over a full glass of Sola.
Macon pushed his doubts aside. Hagartha was exactly what he wanted. They were compatible, and that was enough for Macon.
Much preferable to a life of disorder and instability.
***
Annabel Fisher’s hands were steady as she plugged her tablet into the main hard drive for the settlement.
There wasn’t a hint of nerves as she hacked into high-security files, easily disabling any hidden alarms. The Zerconians might have good security, but Annabel was an amazing hacker.
“Child’s play,” she muttered to herself. Using a program she’d designed herself, she ran a search for any type of document or record that had High-Councillor Duncan’s name in it. She didn’t have time to search through the documents, so she was going to download them all then go through them somewhere private.
A whisper of guilt swirled through her, catching her by surprise. This was her job. This was nothing personal.
But the Zerconians wouldn’t see it that way and their human mates wouldn’t see it that way.
Jesus, was she actually coming to care about these people? Idiot. This wasn’t her first rodeo. She knew better than to get involved with the target. Her brother expected her to find some evidence about what the Zerconians really wanted with the human women they’d lured to Zerconia with their promises of a better life.
Earth was hugely overpopulated so she couldn’t really blame the women for taking a chance on a new life. Especially with how Zerconia was being marketed to them. Images of hunky males, thick with muscle, skin gleaming. Even she hadn’t been completely immune to the campaign the Earth Council ran to get women to visit Zerconia, and she was cynical as hell. A lot of women dreamed of a sexy, gorgeous male sweeping them off their feet, taking them from the congested, competitive society on Earth to somewhere as peaceful and beautiful as Zerconia.
And it was peaceful. The planet might have been mostly desert, but close to the ocean where settlements had been built, the scenery was spectacular. She didn’t have to worry about wearing an oxygen mask outside during the winter months when the pollution was at its worst. Or not going outside during the day in summer for fear of the harsh sun searing her skin.
In comparison, Zerconia seemed like the answer to a lot of people’s dreams—if it weren’t for the fact that something dodgy was going on. Or so her brother, Rich, assured her. He was actually her half-brother and very few knew about their relationship because her mother never placed her father’s name on her birth certificate. She hadn’t even known who her father was until Gregory tracked her down with the message their father had left for them before his death.
It had been a shock to find herself with a brother, especially a wealthy, well-respected member of the Earth Council. Rich was relatively young to be a council member, and it was probably his youth that had worked against him when he’d challenged the current leader of the Earth Council for his job. Now, as a challenge loser, he was somewhat in disgrace and determined to prove himself, to find some way of discrediting High-Councillor Duncan, whom he believed had reached some sort of agreement with the Zerconians that had influenced the alliance between Earth and Zerconia.
Now it was up to Annabel to find some evidence of that agreement. Something that would show that High-Councillor Duncan was corrupt. Or would at least prove that the Zerconians had some sort of nefarious plan for the human women who’d moved here.
Nefarious. She snorted softly. That had been Rich’s word. He could really be a drama queen at times. But he was certain there was something rotten going on. And he could be very convincing. So, Annabel had agreed to play spy for him. It wasn’t the first time. She’d been working for a private security firm when Rich tracked her down. Although she’d spent a lot of time behind a desk, where her biggest risk was getting a numb butt, she was highly trained and had experience out in the field.
She still didn’t know how Rich managed to convince her to leave her job and work for him. It wasn’t like she was a pushover. Annabel hadn’t had the easiest life. She’d grown up fending for herself. She could fight and she was tough.
However, Rich was family. And despite the fact they hadn’t grown up together, that meant something. He’d taken care of her mother in the last years of her life, hiring the best care for the fragile, ill woman. For that, Annabel would always feel indebted to him
Rich needed to feel respected. He longed for acceptance. Annabel didn’t give a shit about any of that stuff. But she did care about Rich. So, she’d help him find what he needed.
If she could find it.
Annabel studied her tablet. Everything she was copying over looked damn well legitimate.
She’d been here for three weeks now and managed to secure a job as the Emperor’s personal assistant. She had zero experience at being a P.A., but she was an excellent liar and a quick learner. A bit of work behind the scenes and she’d set up a whole new background story for herself.
She had no problems with the tasks she had to undertake as Dex’s personal assistant. And he wasn’t a difficult guy to work for. He was actually kind of nice. The best boss she’d ever had, anyway. Although that wasn’t saying much, most of her employers had been assholes. That was okay, she knew how to deal with assholes. Most people were assholes deep down, some just hid it better.
Or at least that’s what she’d always thought. Some of these Zerconians were starting to challenge her perceptions. They seemed so decent, like they actually cared about people other than themselves. She shook off that thought. She could not let herself be sidetracked.
Before sneaking in here, she’d tapped into the cameras remotely and switched them to a pre-recording she’d made earlier. She didn’t want to risk anyone spotting her and discovering she was a spy. Rich had made it clear that if she was caught, she was on her own. That had kind of hurt, but she understood it. At the end of the day, she could only rely on herself.
Overriding the security code to gain access to this room had been a piece of cake. She’d placed her own cameras, that contained inbuilt sensors, up outside so she c
ould be alerted if anyone approached.
So far, nothing. Most of the Zerconians and humans were inside the palace at another of those meet and greet parties the Zerconians were so fond of.
“They really are desperate for mates. Kind of sad, really.” Shoot. She had to stop talking to herself.
And some of those human women were desperate to be mates. Or to at least climb into bed with one of the Zerconian warriors. She would say one thing for these warriors, most didn’t seem to be into casual sex, if the complaints from some of the women were to be believed, that is.
She glanced up as her tablet beeped a warning. Quickly switching over to the video footage she’d set up, she swore.
“Fuck it. What is he doing here?” She checked on the download. Eighty-seven percent complete. Come on. Come on. It was just her luck that it was him. Why was Macon on watch? Shouldn’t he be guarding the Emperor? That was his primary job.
Unfortunately for her, that meant she got to see him every day. There was just something about Macon that set her on edge. Something about the way he looked at her. Like he could see through the image she projected to the woman beneath.
As though he could see that plain, boring, shy Annabel with her ugly, ill-fitting clothes and ordinary brown hair was a disguise for wild-child Annabel who was fond of purple highlights and leather pants.
But he couldn’t know the truth about her. If he did, she was certain she’d find herself locked up in some dungeon, trying to form a gang of rats to help her overpower the guards. Although they probably didn’t have rats here. Or dungeons for that matter. She’d never heard of anyone being arrested.
Maybe they just killed them.
She swallowed heavily. She had courage. But she didn’t want to die.
Her tablet beeped. Download complete. Thank the Lord. She quickly pulled the cord, grabbed her tablet, and moved to the door. She stared down at the video footage. He was heading straight for the main computer room where she was hidden.
Holy crap balls.
