by Jorja Kish
The Solace Dawn 1
Mackenzie’s Surrender
Dr. Mackenzie Chambers can handle anything. Being captured by an enemy intending to breed her body for an alien war she didn’t know exists terrifies her. Yet she finds solace in a sexy stranger’s arms, who rescues her.
Alpha Setti Prime is furious. His bond mate, Keene, convinces the captain of the Solace Dawn to send their bond mate Braydok on a dangerous mission. Setti doesn’t know if he can trust Keene’s vision. However, to lose Braydok for an unknown female Keene insists is their Sheeala has Setti torn. Complications arise when the Terran female enters her Heat cycle, forcing Setti and his mates to ease her sexual appetites or lose her to another Alpha pod. When their worlds collide, Mackenzie wonders if she can surrender in the arms of the men she craves. Does she have the strength to let go of her past and face a new future or is she destined for another Alpha pod?
Genre: Futuristic, Multiple Partners, Science Fiction
Length: 71,479 words
MACKENZIE’S SURRENDER
The Solace Dawn 1
Jorja Kish
POLYAMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: PolyAmour
MACKENZIE’S SURRENDER
Copyright © 2014 by Jorja Kish
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-357-4
First E-book Publication: October 2014
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Prologue
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
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Epilogue
About the Author
MACKENZIE’S SURRENDER
The Solace Dawn 1
JORJA KISH
Copyright © 2014
Prologue
The chamber was inky black, solid, soulless, and had the faintest scent of rotting carrion. It was a place where countless species stood before the Tribunal, awaiting their final sentencing.
Perched on separate daises, each master cloaked in crimson robes, robes so deep and dark they appeared stained with coagulated blood, they watched with a perverse intensity.
A single light barely shining through the surrounding darkness speared a crouching figure, naked, bloody and broken. The battle-scarred warrior wore heavy chains clamped around filthy wrists and ankles, while a spiked collar tore into the welts of scars on his neck. He growled. There was still defiance inside him, something the Inquisitors couldn’t break from the warrior as they carved flesh from bone.
“I will never give you what you need,” the swollen, bloodied lips of the prisoner vowed.
A cold, pitiless chuckle coming from the dais had a master leaning forward. Its snakelike tongue slipped through thin, leathery lips and flickered, tasting the warrior’s hatred with amusement.
“Oh, but you already have,” an ominous rasp hissed.
A gruesome curve to its mouth exposed sharp teeth as its crimson eyes pulsed in dark pleasure.
“Your species shall fall. We will breed many from your females.”
The chains embedded in the prisoner’s wrists stirred at the smug proclamation in one last attempt to show his contempt.
“You will fail, you mangy bottom-feeders. The Resistance will destroy you and your filthy brethren.” The chains pulled tighter, dragging the arms and legs from the struggling form. A cry of agony pierced the chamber before the prisoner screamed his last defiance. “I give my soul, my blood, my life for the Resistance. Rot in hell, you fuckers, and choke on my bones!” He screamed in agony, unable to remain silent as the chains pulled tighter.
The sharp snap of bone separating from joints accompanied by a wail of misery had each master lean forward mesmerised with the shrieking warrior.
The tear of flesh, the coppery spray of blood arc and the final gurgle of death covered the chamber in silence.
The master who first spoke snorted at the display of defiance. He chortled at the useless act. The wondrous sight of torture and death had him standing to a height of six foot six. The other two, identical
in height, stood as well, shivering from the arousing scent of blood. As one, they dropped gracefully on wings of ebony leather to land silently by the severed, bloody shards of bones and flesh.
“So begins our hunt,” one master crooned.
“So begins the spread of our prodigy,” another rasped with longing.
“So begins the destruction of the accursed Resistance,” the final master stated coldly, a dark gleam of hatred in its crimson eyes.
As one, they threw back their hoods and screeched into the council chamber, exposing their hideous features and razor-sharp teeth, and as one, they lunged at the pieces of what was left of the prisoner, an Alpha Leader. They succumbed to a frenzy of ecstasy as they devoured their fallen enemy.
Chapter 1
Mackenzie didn’t know that the world ended when she saw the blue balls of light fall from the night sky.
She sat on the couch in her family room, watching the pre-taped soaps that clustered on her PVR. Glancing out the window after rolling her eyes at the antics of soap opera, she caught another light shining in the dark, like a beacon for lost ships at sea.
“Did you see that?” She turned looking at her daughter.
“What? Look at what?” Shayane mumbled. Her eyes focused on the actors splayed across the screen.
“I think I saw blue lights falling out back.”
Shayane snorted and wiggled her fingers, but didn’t turn away from the soap.
“Ooh, maybe you saw an alien spaceship landing in our backyard, Mum.”
Mackenzie rolled her eyes and frowned. “Funny, but—Look, there it is again,” she gasped, grabbing Shayane’s arm and pointing at the falling blue light.
The two women stood and walked closer to the picture window. They leaned toward each other. A cold shiver trailed down Mackenzie’s spine and in a hushed tone, she whispered, “See, I told you I saw something.”
Shayane nodded her head and chewed her bottom lip, “Yeah, it’s really pretty, but what could it be?”
Shrugging her shoulders and scratching the back of her neck, Mackenzie stared into the sudden dark landscape. Her deep blue eyes focused on the spot that held the peculiar mystery, but there was no way in hell she was going to investigate what was outside the house.
One too many late-night horror films reeled in her head, the scenarios gruesome and ridiculously make-believe, but it didn’t stop her from closing the thick drapes and turning away.
“Mum?”
“It’s probably nothing. In fact, I bet it’s some kind of night manoeuvres at the Base. I’ve seen something like this before in the past.”
Mackenzie turned away and walked back to the plush couch. She sat and pulled the throw blanket to cover her cold limbs. She glanced at the cream-toned drapes, quickly averting, afraid to see movement from behind their protective barrier.
Forcing herself to take a deep breath and watch the revolving feed of soap opera life, Mackenzie forced the unwanted thought in her head to go away.
In the twenty-odd years living in the town of Spring Valley, she never witnessed lights that glowed so eerily. Grabbing the remote from the coffee table, she increased the volume and tried to focus on the scene unfolding in front of her troubled gaze.
Movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention, just as her chest tightened. She huff a sigh of relief when she noticed her daughter’s nimble fingers text on her iPhone.
“Seriously?” she asked.
“Well, yeah, I want to know if anyone else saw the weird lights, too,” Shayane murmured, eyes glued on her cell phone.
Mackenzie watched her daughter, until she grabbed her cell phone and scrolled down her contact list.
In a matter of minutes, the soap opera was forgotten and a flurry of text messages consumed the two women. It didn’t take long for the small village of Spring Valley to stir. The most exciting thing that had happened in a while was George McGrady falling in the local swimming pond piss-assed drunk and stumbling home to one irate wife.
Tonight was different, though. Mackenzie wasn’t one to spook so easily, but she was definitely spooked now.
The shrill of the house phone forced a high-pitched squeak from her throat.
“Holy fucking shit, that scared twenty years off me,” she panted, dropping her cell phone and climbing off the couch. Her heart pummelled against her chest from the fright. She snatched the portable phone and pressed the flashing green button.
“Hello?”
“Mackenzie Chambers?”
“Yes, who is this?”
“It’s Armand Zimmerman, Ms. Chambers. I’m your new neighbour. I was wondering if you were having problems with your television. My satellite seems to be acting funny.”
She frowned and shook her head.
“What’s wrong, Mum?” Shayane asked, unfolding her long legs from beneath the blanket. She began to stand when her mother motioned her to sit back down with a wave of her hand.
Mackenzie shook her head and shrugged her shoulders as the man on the phone called out.
“Ms. Chambers, are you still there?”
“Sorry, I’m still here. Um, I have to check my TV and find out for you. Shay and I were watching the PVR. Give me a minute.”
Mackenzie motioned to her daughter to get the remote for her. She fiddled with the device, switched to the live feed, and noticed the satellite disruption flag on the screen.
“Sorry, Mr. Zimmerman, but my signal is on the fritz, too. It happens out here, being in the country and all.”
“Okay, sorry to bother you, Ms. Chambers.”
“Please call me Mackenzie, and don’t worry about it. We’re neighbours, after all.”
“Thank you Mackenzie. Call me Armand.” Armand’s deep voice answered.
“Ah, Armand, did you see any strange blue lights outside this evening?”
There was a pause and the sound of movement from the other line when the man’s voice filled the quiet space between them.
“Nope, I was just checking now. Sorry.”
“Well, okay, I guess I’ll see you later then, Armand. Have a good night.” Mackenzie smiled when her new neighbour thanked her and hanged up.
She placed the portable phone in its docking station and walked back to the couch. She turned off the satellite and TV, before turning toward her daughter. Shayane sat in silence, but a curious gleam in her blues eyes twinkled.
“I don’t know about you, but our new neighbour sounded pretty damn hot.”
Mackenzie rolled her eyes and snorted.
“I’m just saying…” Shayane shrugged her shoulders and giggled.
Mackenzie leaned back and settled her lithe body into the plush couch before she grabbed the fuzzy throw blanket and wrapped it around her chilled skin. Her fingers picked at the knitted material Aunt Miriam had painstakingly knitted for a house-warming gift.
Since the nasty divorce from Kevin just over six months ago, Mackenzie had managed to fix up her parents’ old cottage and renovated it into a charming little home.
It didn’t take long for Aunt Miriam and the small community to open their arms for Mackenzie and Shayane when they finally settled. Of course, it helped that Mackenzie had opened a medical clinic for the small town.
It was easier for the older residents to see a local doctor instead of travelling an hour away to the larger city of Brenton. Besides, she loved her town and had many wonderful memories visiting when she was a teen.
“Mum?”
Mackenzie glanced up and turned toward her daughter, spreading a warm smile on her pretty face. “What is it, hon?”
She watched Shayane chew on her thumbnail and leaned forward to swat the nasty habit.
Shayane rolled her eyes and swatted back before she giggled.
“Fine, I’ll stop the nasty habit. I just want you to know that maybe you should invite our handsome neighbour for dinner or something.” She quickly continued, cutting off her mother’s reply, “Think of it as a welcome to the new town, and who knows? M
aybe you’ll like each other or something.”
Mackenzie stared at her daughter. She heard what her daughter was saying, but she knew she wasn’t ready to go back out and start to date again. Even though her marriage was long over before the divorce, Kevin’s betrayal still lingered.
Her best friend’s betrayal cut deep in her heart. Knowing that Stacy was pregnant with Kevin’s baby was the final blow. Out of all the nameless faces and willing bodies, Stacy had to be the one that got pregnant. She shook the memory off and sharply inhaled.
“I can’t make any promises, but I can fire up the BBQ and invite Armand for some steak and salad tomorrow after work. That’s if he’s available. Happy?”
Shayane grinned and nodded. She bit her lip to stop the giggle. “Sounds like a plan, Mum. I’m off to bed, goodnight.” She kissed her mother’s cheek and hopped off the couch before sauntering toward the stairs leading to the second level.
Mackenzie mumbled a goodnight and watched her daughter. She sighed and pulled the blanket tighter around her body before leaning her head back on the oversized throw pillow. Her blue eyes stared at the empty monitor of the flat-screen TV, watching the image of her body huddled on the couch. She stared for long minutes, trying to dull her thoughts of the past and the possible future. Frowning, she stood to her five and a half feet and shrugged off the warm blanket, before calling out to old Reggie, her golden retriever.
“Come on, old man, outside for a pee break before I close up for the night.”
His white-blond muzzled head rose and the short sweep of his tail brushed the hardwood floor. He groaned when he stood on all fours and huffed as he plodded toward the front foyer. He turned to look over his shoulder, waiting for his human to open the front door and let him pee.
