Warriors' Providence
Stephanie West
Contents
Preface
1 A New Beginning
2 The Greater Good
3 A Brave New World
4 Safe and Sound
5 Double the Trouble
6 Game On
7 Triumvirate
8 A Rock and a Hard Place
9 Son of a Metcor
10 So That Others May Live
11 The Cold Hard Truth
12 Toufik Planet
13 No Way Out
14 Up Up and Away
15 Family Trees
16 Providence among the Stars
Author’s Note
Preface
Providence worked hard to become one of the first women to join her pararescue squad. It was difficult being one of the guys and yet not, all at the same time, but she was up for the task. Besides, there was nothing more satisfying than helping your fellow man, it was what she was born to do. Never in a million years did Providence expect to find herself abducted from a routine mission off the Florida coast by...ALIENS.
Dagaa and Madhava, once enemies, became fast friends after a centuries long civil war. Both of them were beyond ready to see Cadi enter a new era. But now they face a new battle, convincing all of Cadi to embrace and rescue the Toufik, their former slaves, from a dying planet. It wasn't going to be an easy task. Infighting threatened their hard won peace and put Cadi at risk from a new foe.
With so much at stake Madhava and Dagaa are blindsided when they find a fiery-haired human female on their enemy's ship. Providence's bold and loving nature awakens a side that both warriors had long since forgotten. The only problem, can Dagaa and Madhava share her affection, and can Providence withstand the love of not just one, but two overprotective warriors. Only fate knows a warrior's providence.
Note: This book involves M/F/M scenes.
1 A New Beginning
Providence
Providence sat at the bar wondering how in the hell she'd become one of the guys. Not that she minded... much. She enjoyed the close friendships she'd built with her crew. However, occasionally it would have been nice for her squad to pretend she was a girl, like now.
"Come on Angel, it's Flop's last night as a free man." Geronimo Jake tugged her off the barstool she was clinging to like a lifeline.
Providence smiled recalling how their close-knit group came together and how each of them earned their various nicknames. Flop, short for Belly Flop, was thus named since his landings were always rough, and Jake always hollered Geronimo before jumping out of the plane. Then there was Tangle who talked shit about his jumping prowess then tangled his parachute lines on their first jump as a squad.
Providence earned her nickname, fair and square. At first the guys had mocked her after hearing her father call her Angel. Their mocking tone changed when Providence launched herself out of the Lockheed Martin and latched onto Tangle, cutting his primary lines so his secondary chute didn't fail. It had been two years and the guys still gave her shit, but at least they accepted her as one of the crew.
Being a female among this group of mostly men was a mixed bag of tricks. To earn a spot as one of the first female pararescueman, Providence had to train just as hard as the men. But she also had to go the extra mile and constantly prove herself as women often have to do in positions dominated by men.
Providence got lucky and found a good group of guys. They respected her, which meant the world to her, but still she fought against the double standard. It seemed you couldn't have it both ways. You couldn't be a girl and one of the guys at the same time. Her crew seemed to have trouble and vacillated back and forth with how they treated her.
It was times like this that reminded Providence of the weird line she straddled. She appreciated being included in Flop's bachelor party festivities but she could've done without the invite to the strip club.
"Just because Flop is getting hitched doesn't mean I need a front-row seat to the ta ta show." Providence groused as she snagged her drink from the bar before Jake pulled her ringside to join the other guys.
"You know it wouldn't be a proper send off without the whole crew."
"I'm sure this particular entertainment could've been enjoyed without me." Providence rolled her eyes as she plopped down in a seat behind Jose near the catwalk.
"What's a bachelor party without strippers?"
"Angel needs a lap dance." Tangle waved a twenty at a scantily clad woman on six-inch heels that passed.
The woman sauntered up to Tangle who then pointed at Providence with an ornery grin. Before Providence could say 'wait' the glitter covered dancer straddled her lap and had her double D's pressed into Providence's face.
The men whooped and hollered as Providence sat cursing the perverts. This whole adventure might be a turn on if she had a hot stud sitting nearby watching the woman gyrate on her lap. Unfortunately that was not the case.
The gathered rabble treated her more like a kid sister than a woman which they took to extremes. Just last night as Providence sat talking to a guy at a bar near base, Jake had wandered in and run the guy off.
Providence had at first found several members of her squad hot. They were the kind of men that turned her on, brave, built and smart. But the fact that she worked side by side with them, made dating any of the guys a bad idea. Plus she wasn't a girly girl like Flop's fiancé. Providence didn't get manicures or squeal at spiders. She was a tom boy who could give any one of the airmen a run for their money.
It didn't help that Providence's dad was the Lieutenant Colonel at Patrick Air Force Base where she was stationed. Half the men she met wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole for that very reason. Providence didn't blame him though. Her dad was the greatest man she knew. He was the one responsible for teaching Providence to fly and her career on the pararescue squad, not that he got her the position. Out of all her sisters Providence took after her father the most. They were both bona fide adrenalin junkies and bolder than was likely wise.
"Ah shit. Hey babe stop that." Tangle nudged the stripper.
Providence snapped out of her musings as the dancer backed away.
"He's gonna kill us." Jose mumbled.
Providence looked up to see her dad coming straight for them.
"How did he find us?" Tony whispered.
Providence rolled her eyes. It wasn't like there were a ton of titty bars near base.
"Gentleman, Angel." Her father greeted them with a critical raise of his brow.
"Sir." Everyone replied with a salute.
"I hate to break up the party but we have a fishing boat that's gone missing. There's a search crew lined up, but the pilot has the flu."
"I'm on it let’s go." Providence jumped up thankful for the reprieve.
"Are you sure Angel?" Her dad looked down at her drink.
"Yeah, this is my first beer. Sorry guys I'm sure you'll be just fine without me. Congrats again Flop."
"Good luck hunting Angel." Jake hollered as she followed her father out.
"Is there really a missing boat or did you sense I needed an out?" Providence bumped into her dad playfully.
"Unfortunately it’s not a ruse." Her dad shook his head grimly.
Two hours later Providence was staring at the controls of the Hercules rescue plane as they cruised over the Atlantic. She monitored the altitude as the last airman leapt from the cargo bay along with the rescue gear needed for the sinking ship located below.
Providence smiled as she radioed the coast guard with the sinking ship's location. This was why she did this job. Hopefully the squad could pull the crew of the fishing vess
el out of the water without any casualties.
"Hot damn airman, they don't call you Angel for nothing. You homed in on that ship like nobody's business." Her copilot, Todd, rallied.
Providence's grin broadened at the man's excitement. She did have a knack for hunting down a target. Half of it was training, but another part of it was instinct. This was what she was born to do. Providence enjoyed the adrenalin rush and how her duty pushed her boundaries. But more than that, she treasured the ability to help others out of the worst possible moment in their lives. It was a gift to her as much as it was a reprieve to those she helped. There was something transcendental about reaching out and touching others in their moment of need. It was a blessing and an honor to be permitted and trusted to have such a profound lasting effect on someone's fate.
The pararescuers were called angels and in a sense it was as true. Providence believed God granted people with the ability and opportunity to be the mythical thing they believed in. All they had to do was take up a cause greater than themselves. Providence had been imbued with the ability and drive to do just that. And like her father said 'To whom much is given, from him much is expected.' She strove to live up to that ideal.
Providence glanced up at a bright light that appeared in the distance. It was the brightest spot in the sky, out shining even the moon.
"What the hell! There's no one else registered for this flight path." Todd said staring through the cockpit window as the pattern of lights got larger.
"You don't think it's a drug runner do you?" Providence asked as she adjusted their course.
"No it's too big." Todd said.
Providence listened as he radioed in the unidentified craft. Suddenly their plane stalled.
"Fuck!" Providence bellowed.
There was no reason for the loss of thrust. Engine pressure and fuel levels had been great just moments ago. Providence tapped the gauges in disbelief. Was there a fire in the electronics somewhere? She didn't smell burning plastic.
"Are we seriously going to bite it over the Bermuda Triangle?" Todd yelled as they scrambled to bring the engines back online.
The strange unidentified plane loomed closer. But that was the least of their concerns as the Hercules continued to lose altitude. The situation looked grim as fuck. Nothing Providence or Todd did kick started the plane, even power to the radio had cut out.
Providence took a deep calming breath even though she was losing her shit.
"I think it's time to bail." Todd announced as he unbuckled from his seat.
Providence agreed with an exaggerated nod. She followed her copilot, gripping the seats and hull wall as she struggled to reach the emergency chutes. Todd strapped on a parachute and grabbed a couple flares as Providence shrugged on a similar pack, hefted an inflatable raft and cracked open the door.
"Ready? I'll follow you." Todd yelled over top of the roaring wind that whipped past the plane.
Providence jumped into the nearly pitch black sky. She glanced at the glowing altimeter on her wrist then quickly yanked the ripcord on her chute. Any lower and their chutes would've been useless. Providence shuddered at the thought of slamming into the water as her parachute ballooned out and tugged her out of the downward descent. She glanced up and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Todd's billowing white chute silhouetted against the sky.
"Thank you Jesus!" Providence whooped with a fist pump.
Suddenly the surrounding light amplified tenfold. The whipping wind eerily died down to nothing. Providence glanced again at her watch. Not only was she no longer falling at a steady rate but she was rising. Providence's eyes shot up to see the unidentified plane had moved nearly overhead.
Pale blue lights were dotted along the exterior of the bizarre craft with a large brighter one in the center. It didn't look like any rescue or drug running craft she'd ever seen, though she could only make out a dim shadow of the giant hull.
"Dad would've mentioned if the Air Force was testing something new in the area." Providence mumbled to herself.
Still she rose up. Providence glanced towards Todd to see that he too was being pulled up by the same updraft. Except if they were caught up if the massive craft's updraft their chutes would've tangled and whipped them about.
Something was seriously FUBAR with this situation.
As the vessel loomed closer, Providence could see it was beyond huge. It more than dwarfed the biggest airbus she'd ever seen.
"Holy Shit."
The realization struck Providence like a slap to the face. Of course she didn't recognize the plane, no one would, at least not on earth.
"No fucking way!"
Dagaa
"I'll be damned if I'm going to put up with another sick bastard for a Daimio."
Dagaa pulled his head out from under the pile of blankets as Madhava stormed into his room cursing. The male looked pissed as hell.
"I thought Kagan was different. At least Vigdis never hid the fact that he was an evil prick!" Madhava clenched his fists as he paced the room, his long black hair a wild tangled mess. "I'm about to break down that door and..."
"Whoa. Hold up." Dagaa raised his hand to halt Madhava's mutinous tirade.
It was strange how quickly they'd gone from adversaries to allies. Madhava had been Vigdis quo Carnager's second in command, while Dagaa was Kagan quo Rordan's right-hand man. Dagaa and Madhava had fought on opposite sides of the bloody, centuries long civil war, which only just came to an end.
The protracted war might never have ended if it weren't for a strange little human female that wound up on Cadi. Dagaa first saw Giselle at the Cadi slave auction. Usually they only auctioned off the Toufik, a simian breed. Giselle was an odd creature that none of them had ever seen before. She was too small to be a beast of burden, like the Toufik, so she was sold as a pet.
To everyone's surprise her species was highly intelligent despite the differences between their races. Giselle was pale unlike the ruddy skinned Cadi, with flaxen not black hair. She stood barely taller than chest high and lacked a tail or fangs. But her delicate stature was a ruse. The female was a warrior at heart. Their leader, Kagan, had fallen for her instantly.
Giselle hailed from a planet called Earth that had seen more war in its past than even Cadi. It was her unique perspective and advice that made it possible to corner Vigdis' army once and for all.
However it was the male currently pacing Dagaa's bedroom that cast the final blow against his own Daimio. Madhava wasn't without honor as Dagaa was learning. At first it had been difficult to trust his former enemy, but Madhava had been trapped in a no-win situation with a vicious leader.
The decimation of an entire metropolis had been the straw that broke Madhava's back, turning him against his former leader. Madhava struck Vigdis down in the final battle, before the tyrant could kill Giselle, earning himself a reprieve and Kagan's undying gratitude.
A loud female cry followed by a male growl reverberated through the wall from next door, bringing Dagaa back to the reason Madhava stormed angrily into his room.
"I won't sit by and listen to that male abuse his bonded mate. Kagan claims she's not a pet or a slave but then he mistreats her." Madhava railed as he pointed to the wall separating Dagaa's room from Kagan's.
"Easy friend." Dagaa tried to interject.
"You're her Second. Are you going to stand by and do nothing?" Madhava continued, his face twisted with mounting rage. "I put up with enough of this shit from Vigdis and couldn't do a damn thing about it. It won't do that again!"
"Sit down!" Dagaa growled, and then groaned. It was doubtful he would get a lick of sleep tonight.
The noise coming from the next room was why Dagaa slept with his head under a pillow. Kagan and Giselle were noisy to say the least. Clearly it was Madhava's first time being holed up this close to the amorous couple. Dagaa did his best to avoid staying near them, but sometimes it wasn't possible.
"I guarantee you Kagan is not abusing Giselle." Dagaa insisted.
&nbs
p; Madhava opened his mouth to object till Dagaa raised his hand to silence the warrior.
"I'm going to tell you something, but if you breathe a word of it I'll cut off your tail." Dagaa threatened Madhava. "Giselle is nothing like Cadi females, you've seen that. Hell, the female carries warrior's ink on her back. Believe it or not, her wild nature extends into the bedroom. She likes it rough. Those are her words not mine."
Madhava's eyes widened.
"Yeah. If you think they're loud now just wait till we have to camp and there's only a canvas wall instead of stone blocking out the sounds. Why do you think I'm laying here with blankets piled over my head?" Dagaa asked.
"I don't believe... no female..." Madhava shook his head in disbelief.
Just then as if to prove Dagaa's point an arduous cry rang out.
"Fuck yes!" Giselle's muffled voice declared.
Dagaa nearly laughed as Madhava's jaw practically hit the floor.
"Come on my friend. I can see none of us are going to get any sleep tonight." Dagaa said as he rose up from the bed and threw on a pair of boots. "I think I saw a pub down the street. We might as well go have a drink."
Madhava
Dagaa and Madhava exited the stone fortress that had once been Vigdis' abode in Scelus Cadi. This was the largest and first city on Kagan's tour of the former enemy territory.
"We're going down the street to the pub. Notify me if anything is amiss." Madhava instructed one of his men.
Madhava and several other trusted warriors, formerly of Vigdis' army, were stationed throughout the large manor. They had been charged with guarding Kagan quo Rordan and the Vidya Cadi warriors he'd brought into the heart of Scelus territory. It was an honor Madhava took seriously.
The fact that Kagan trusted Madhava, his former enemy, was humbling. Madhava could easily betray Kagan, now that the Daimio and his men were vastly outnumbered. However that is not what Madhava desired. Kagan was not the tyrant Vigdis had been. When Kagan requested Madhava act as an adviser and ambassador while he traveled throughout Scelus Cadi, rallying the people to his cause, Madhava had been unable to refuse the opportunity.
Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2) Page 1
