by Sue Lyndon
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
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
KENAN’S MATE
(Kleaxian Warriors, Book One)
by
Sue Lyndon
Copyright © 2017 Kenan’s Mate by Sue Lyndon
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Published in the United States of America
Sweet Savage Press
Editing by Celeste Jones and Kate Richards
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
About this book:
I’ve been taken by a fierce alien warrior, and my life is no longer my own.
My name is Laylah. On my eighteenth birthday, the Kleaxians attacked and killed all the human males aboard the Stargazer. The females were kept as mates or slaves. I was taken as a mate. Lucky me.
The huge alien who claimed me is called Prince Kenan. He says he’ll never let me go—that we are bonded for life. When I defy him, he punishes me in the most humiliating ways imaginable. But sometimes he’s tender and loving. I try to be good so he doesn’t hurt me.
I don’t know what scares me more—that I’ll never escape Prince Kenan…or that I’m starting to fall for my captor.
Publisher’s Note: Kenan’s Mate is a dark sci-fi alien romance, containing explicit scenes and themes of power exchange. If such subject matter offends you, please do not buy this book. This title originally appeared in the Human Surrender box set, however this version has been significantly expanded to include several new chapters.
Excerpt:
“You were taught many lies, human, and now I’m afraid you will suffer dearly for the crimes of your people.” He kneels and tips my chin up, forcing my gaze to his. His fingers are rough, his skin warm but abrasive.
It’s intimate, the tender way he holds my face.
He looks sad for a moment, and I wait with bated breath, sensing he’s about to impart some tragic news.
“Before our ships destroyed the Stargazer, we closed the wormhole. You are stuck on Tallia, little human, for the rest of your days. Humans don’t have the ability to create a new wormhole to Tallia. They never created one in the first place. They simply discovered a way to make a small, naturally existing wormhole larger, large enough to send ships through.”
Emotion tightens my throat. As the shock of his news settles over me, tears fill my eyes and wet my cheeks. I try to draw back, but he holds my chin in a vise grip.
I’m trapped with nowhere to look but his unforgiving gaze.
“Please,” I beg, but I don’t know exactly what I’m asking for. I’m desperate and afraid, and the word please is all that comes to mind.
Please let me go. Please don’t hurt me.
Please say you’re lying about the wormhole.
“You’re rather adorable for a human. And so pretty when you cry.” He cups my face and leans down to kiss my cheeks, but he’s not simply kissing, he’s also tasting.
Tasting my tears.
I sniffle and more tears fall. He inhales quickly and a moan vibrates from his throat. It terrifies me that he’s reveling in my sorrow.
“I want to go home,” I whimper. Let this be a nightmare. Let me wake up now.
“This is your home now, human. The mountains of Tallia.” He rises to his feet and looms over me like a fierce Viking conqueror. “And you belong to me.”
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
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
About Sue Lyndon
Chapter One
I’m here. I’m really here.
My pulse races faster, and boundless excitement makes me tremble.
The wormhole swirls brighter and larger in the window. I can’t look away. A vibrant shade of blue, this interstellar portal sparkles against the vast blackness of space surrounding it. God, what a sight.
All my life I’ve dreamed of this moment.
From my swanky quarters on the Stargazer, I have the perfect view.
With shaking hands, I snap a couple of pictures then sit cross-legged on my bed and watch as the ship travels closer and closer to its swirling blue destination.
Today is my eighteenth birthday, and I doubt any future birthdays will top this one. Aunt Mabel, my mother’s quirky younger sister, gave me this trip as a birthday/graduation present. Not only do I get to glimpse the Anders-Perkins Wormhole, but I also get to spend three months on Tallia, a beautiful tropical planet located on the other side of the whirling blue gateway.
My heart leaps when the captain’s voice blares over the intercom.
“Attention passengers. In moments, we will enter the wormhole. Please find a seat and buckle up for your safety. As always, thank you for traveling with Celestial Enterprises.”
I sink into the chair beside my bed, making sure to fasten the three-point harness securely. The brochures claim the ride through is usually smooth, but I’ll follow the captain’s directives anyway. Besides, I can still see out the large window in my quarters without any trouble.
Aunt Mabel had splurged on my accommodations, booking a four-room suite with a guaranteed view of the magnificent passage upon approach. You only graduate from high school and turn eighteen once, Laylah, she’d insisted after I protested she had spent too much money.
A shudder runs through the ship, and the wormhole resumes growing larger in the window. My skin prickles and a jittery sensation grips me. Sharp vibrations course through the hull, increasing my nerves. I tell myself I’m not scared, but, deep down, I’m having second thoughts about my interstellar vacation.
What if the wormhole rips the Stargazer into a million tiny pieces? What if the engines stall and we end up stranded in the bright swirling light forever?
No. Don’t even think it, Laylah. Pushing these worries away, I refocus my thoughts on Tallia. I can’t wait to explore the forests and observe the
animal life. I’ll stay on the tropical planet until early September, when I’ll return to Earth for my first semester at Harvard. If I maintain a 4.0 in my exobiology classes throughout my third year of undergrad, I’ll spend my last two semesters on Tallia, studying under leading scientists in the field.
My long-term goal, of course, is to work on Tallia as a researcher. Though it’s not my first career choice, it’s the best way to guarantee I’ll one day call the planet my permanent home. Earth’s fascination with Tallia runs deep, but since children aren’t allowed to accompany their parents to the planet and most scientific postings are contracted for a minimum of five years, there is oftentimes a shortage of skilled scientists willing to volunteer for the latest expeditions on the large, untouched continents of the alien world.
If I could be a waitress in one of the restaurants in Capital Acres or clean hotel rooms in the Tallia Grand, I would apply for such a position in a heartbeat. But the waiting lists are far too long. While it’s difficult to convince enough scientists to leave their families on Earth for years on end, young, unattached adventure seekers in droves line up for the more menial jobs Tallia offers.
The Stargazer enters the wormhole, and I clutch the armrests until my knuckles turn white. I feel lightheaded and tired, a common side effect of interstellar travel, but I force my eyes to remain open. I stare out the window at the fantastic swirl of blue. My stomach rolls as the ship picks up speed. Then, we’re moving so fast, the wormhole becomes a blur of blue and white sparkling lines.
I shut my eyes and my queasiness lessens. The trip through the wormhole takes all of five minutes. I blink at the new view after the captain announces our arrival on the other side.
From space, the blue-green planet of Tallia looks almost like Earth. I smile. I’m finally here.
After unfastening the harness, I move to the plush sofa in front of the window and gaze upon the planet I’ll call home for the next three months. I also snap a hundred more pictures.
Ten times the size of Earth, the previously uninhabited world will gradually be settled by more and more humans, and I’m grateful for the chance to visit before it becomes as overcrowded as my homeworld.
“Thank you, Aunt Mabel,” I whisper. “This is the best present ever.”
The next few minutes are an excited blur as the ship approaches the planet. I hurry to dress in a cute yellow and blue sundress and pack all my belongings, placing three large suitcases near the door. A Stargazer employee should arrive at any moment to collect my things and oversee their transportation to the Tallia Grand after we land. Until then, I have nothing to do but wait and stare at the breathtakingly beautiful planet.
As I stand at the window, a large object enters my peripheral vision. By the time I tear my gaze from the planet to glimpse the object, there is more than one. I gulp hard. I want to fetch my camera out of my purse, but I hesitate to spare a second to look away.
Five massive spaceships approach the Stargazer, until they’re completely blocking out the view of Tallia.
I don’t recognize the ships. They don’t resemble the passenger vessels built by Celestial Enterprises, like the Stargazer. Blue and green lights flash around the perimeter of the sleek gray vessels.
No intelligent humanoid species call Tallia home.
The brochures promise that. But these ships sure as fuck make me doubt the claim. Though alien plant and animal life has been found on Tallia, and fossils of once-living creatures have been discovered on a handful of other distant planets, humans are still very much alone in the universe.
Intelligent alien life hasn’t been discovered yet. However, looking at the ships, I can’t help but entertain the possibility they’re manned by a non-human crew.
An earsplitting alarm sounds, and the overhead lights flash red. The captain announces something over the intercom, but I can’t discern his shouted words. One of the strange ships sends a series of white blasts over the Stargazer.
Panic sets in. Weapons. The five ships blocking our course have weapons. As far as I know, the Stargazer isn’t armed. It’s a passenger ship, like all the other crafts built by Celestial Enterprises.
I stand at the window, trying to wrap my brain around what’s transpiring. In the midst of my burgeoning fear, a vast sense of awe rises. Beyond the panic and shock, I understand this is an historic incident—the kind of event humanity will eternally discuss and ask questions like, “Where were you and what were you doing when you heard the news?”
Will I live to answer that question?
Another series of white blasts zoom over the Stargazer. Are they supposed to be warning shots? Or are they aiming at something else? The wormhole rests directly behind us. But why open fire at the wormhole?
Terror makes my blood run cold. Whether the five gray ships have human or—God forbid—alien crews, I have a very, very bad feeling about this encounter.
The shrill alarm pounds against my skull like a hammer. I wince and cover my ears. My stomach flips when the five ships change their configuration to form a triangle.
Then all chaos erupts.
Countless white beams impact the Stargazer. I fall to my knees as the power of the blasts shake the ship. The hull groans. When I look up, I see nothing but blinding white outside the window. It hurts my eyes and momentarily steals my vision. The ship shudders for another minute, but then the blasting ceases. Smoke fills the air.
Suddenly, a voice comes over the intercom. I can’t tell if it’s the captain speaking, or someone else, but the panicked announcement sends a chill down my spine.
“We’ve been boarded. My God, we’ve been boarded.”
Boarded by whom, my mind whispers.
Coughing, I crawl toward the door. It doesn’t open automatically like it’s supposed to, and even when I frantically press buttons on the panel, it remains shut. By now, the smoke is burning my eyes and I can hardly breathe.
I’m suffocating. I’m going to die. Everyone on the Stargazer is probably going to die.
My life doesn’t flash before my eyes, but I do think of my family and friends back on Earth. Their faces appear in my mind, one by one, as if they’ve come to say goodbye.
Mom. Dad. Aunt Mabel. My best friend Sheila. Cousin Tammy, and so many more.
I inhale one last painful breath before my world goes black.
Chapter Two
Everything hurts.
I’m floating in that murky place between sleep and wakefulness. It’s warm and there’s nothing to see, but I hear voices. Deep voices, in a language unfamiliar to me. Have I died? Is this the afterlife?
No matter how hard I try to wake up fully, I can’t force my eyes open. It’s as if bricks are piled atop my face. The agony seizing my body intensifies. Though there’s a certain seduction in the promised warmth and safety of oblivion, I don’t surrender to sleep. I can’t.
The desire to understand my true surroundings becomes stronger and stronger, but the more fiercely I fight, the heavier my bones feel.
A breeze caresses my face and blows my hair around. Someone is carrying me; of that I am certain. A fiery pain stabs through me with each breath.
I whimper and turn my head. The heat of the sun hits my cheeks. At least I think it’s the sun. If only I could open my eyes. I must be on Tallia. I wonder how many passengers and crewmembers survived the attack.
The spicy, masculine scent of the person carrying me comforts me in the midst of the sharp pains continually shooting through my limbs. I’m cocooned in the safety of his strong arms. When I try to speak, only a strangled moan escapes my burning throat.
God, I’m thirsty. How long has it been since I lost consciousness?
At last, my eyes flutter open, but the sunlight blinds my vision. I stop trying to look around and instead bury my face against the man’s chest. He’s probably a medic taking me to a hospital. Tallia has one medical center, situated amongst the hotels, restaurants, and shops catering to wealthy tourists in Capital Acres.
The war
mth of the sun disappears, along with the breeze on my face. Every muscle in my body protests as I shift in my rescuer’s arms. We must have reached the hospital.
Without the sun blinding me, I’m finally able to force my eyes open again.
I gasp. This can’t be real. I blink again and again, but nothing changes.
Large, dark purple eyes stare down at me.
Inhuman eyes.
I can’t look away, and though my brain screams I should fight and run away from this strange creature who’s carrying me, I’m too paralyzed by fear to even push at his chest. His nostrils flare and a thick vein in his neck bulges.
He’s absolutely terrifying.
Details of the brief attack come racing back. The five sleek gray ships with flashing blue and green lights. The beams of white shooting from those strange ships. The Stargazer being impacted by weapons’ fire and smoke blanketing the air. Fearing for my life.
Realization crashes over me in an icy wave of horror.
The Stargazer was attacked by aliens. Honest to God aliens. I scramble to make sense of it all. Do Earth governments already know of these beings? Or is today’s attack literally first contact? Why did the aliens attack us?
Before I can process today’s events further, black dots dance in my vision.
Fuck, not again. Stay awake.
But I can’t. Not fully. I’m falling under. Deep, deep, and deeper still. Fatigue and dizziness force my eyes shut, and I once again tumble into darkness.
