by Luna Hunter
The Zoran’s Kiss
Barbarian Brides
Luna Hunter
Contents
Also by Luna Hunter
Foreword
Introduction
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
Epilogue
Afterword
Preview of The Zoran’s Bride
Preview of Alien General’s Baby
Preview of Nero
Also by Luna Hunter
About the Author
Also by Luna Hunter
Zoran Warriors
Alien General’s Baby
Alien Warrior’s Baby
Alien Soldier’s Baby
Alien Guardian’s Baby
Galactic Mates
Thabo
Fenrir
Bojan
Novak
Dusan
Zivan
Vukan
Drakan
Barbarian Brides
The Zoran’s Bride
The Zoran’s Mate
The Zoran’s Baby
The Zoran’s Fated
The Zoran’s Touch
Cosmic Champions
Nero
Romulus
Celestial Mates
The Alien Prince’s Captive
Copyright 2018 Luna Hunter.
Published by Luna Hunter at Amazon.
This work of fiction is intended for mature audiences only. All characters represented within are eighteen years of age or older and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. This work is property of Luna Hunter, please do not reproduce illegally.
Foreword
The Zoran’s Kiss is the sixth entry in the Barbarian Brides series, but it can be read as a complete standalone.
If you want to completely submerge yourself in a universe filled with imposingly tall alien warriors, I’d suggest starting with my Zoran Warrior series and reading your way through. However, it’s not needed to enjoy this book!
Never want to miss another book? Sign up for my newsletter at http://lunahunter.com/newsletter/
You’ll also get Zoran Wedding for free! It’s a short story that takes place between the events of the Zoran Warriors and Galactic Mates series.
Happy reading!
Introduction
Barbarian Brides is a series all about the Zorans: Seven foot tall, brightly colored, growly alien warriors who will stop at nothing to please their fated mates.
Their home planet Exon destroyed, the alien warriors seek refuge on Earth. They are welcome… at first.
Soon, tension builds, and erupts.
Violently.
In this chaos, humans and Zorans discover that their love is stronger than war.
Their bond can’t be broken, no matter what the human Federation or the Zoran Admiralty demands.
That is the story of:
Sarah and Kazim. (Book 1)
Ava and Turnon. (Book 2)
Aria and Dost. (Book 3)
Lilith and Daruk. (Book 4)
Yet, a lot has changed since The Zoran’s Fated (Book 4).
After the horrible events at Pazar, all Zorans were exiled from Earth. The human/Zoran alliance is thoroughly broken. The imposing alien warriors are shunned, hated, and feared by humans everywhere.
Most Zorans followed the order to leave..
Some still resist.
Some still believe in a shared future with their human mates.
This is their story.
Chapter One
Piper
“Be careful!”
“I always am, mom,” I answer. “Don’t worry. I’ll be traveling with the Federation. What could possibly go wrong?
My mother dries her tears on her handkerchief. “So many things, so many things,” she stammers.
My dad gives me a big bear hug, lifting me right off the ground.
“Our little girl is growing up, Mary,” my dad says. “Time we let this little birdie fly.”
“Thanks, dad,” I say. “I’ll miss you two.”
“And we’ll miss you, honey. You message us every day, you hear?”
“Got it.”
“Good. Now go on, get. Don’t want to be late on your big day.”
I give my parents one final kiss and hug and then I’m off. It feels like I’m walking on air as I make my way through Ferguson Spaceport with nothing but my bag and my hopes on me.
There’s people everywhere — I’ve never been anywhere this busy. Ferguson is one of the biggest transport hubs in the world (or the universe, I suppose! The human colonized part of it, anyway. Who knows what else is out there?) and it’s overwhelming in every way. All the people finding their way through the massive crowds look like busy little ants on a mission from the platform where I’m standing. All their voices, the jingles from the shops, and the messages over the PA system all mix into a symphony that sounds like adventure to me.
“Excuse me,” a man in a three-piece suit growls as he shuffles his way past me.
“Sorry,” I mumble as I clutch my bag to my chest.
That reminds me — I should go to my gate instead of daydreaming like a lunatic!
“Boarding pass?” the bored looking official asks.
With a big smile I hand her my pass. It’s my most prized possession, for it reads Piper Bell: Winner of the Sarah Granger Scholarship.
It’s my golden ticket.
This baby is the reason I’m going into space. Space! Freaking space! I’m so giddy I could break out into song and dance at any moment — but I don’t do that. That kinda thing is frowned upon in public in general, and at spaceports in particular.
I learned that lesson the hard way in high school. Fifteen years of homeschooling didn’t prepare me for that harsh reality as much as I thought…
However, it’s all been worth it, because all of it has brought me here.
Ferguson Spaceport. Golden ticket in my hand. One bag that contains everything a girl needs. Ready to rock this training camp and show the Federation that I’m the type of student they’re looking for.
When I saw the ad on the web, I knew I had to sign up straight away. A summer school for wannabe astrophysicists, in space, led by the Sarah Granger herself?! She’s, like, my hero. My mom doesn’t like her very much, ‘cause Sarah married a Zoran warrior, and after Pazar and the whole ‘forced exodus’ thing, inter-species marriage is kind of a touchy subject, but that doesn’t change the fact that Mrs. Granger is one kick-ass lady.
Also, did I stress how the summer school is in space? Okay, technically, it would take place on the planet Valure, but you’d have to travel through space to get there.
Same thing.
This study trip is also the only way I can get my parents to give me some space. I love them to death, but they put the Apache in helicopter parenting. I know they mean well, but… I’m an adult now. Even if they can’t see that yet. I need to stand on my own two legs. I had to fight tooth and nail to go to public school, and while it was hard I’m glad I did it anyway. (I can’t stress how hard it was enough. I had so many problems picking up on social cues, don’t even get me started. Apparently, a lifetime of watching high school movies from the 20th century don’t accurately prepare you for the realities of 22nd century teenage life. Who knew people don’t wear bright pink frilly dresses to dances anymore? Thanks mom!)
If I’m honest, this Federation summer school scares the crap out of me. A whole month with a bunch of strangers, who are all as smart as me? (Let’s not kid myself: they’re probably a whole lot smarter.) It’s a lot to take in at one time. At least in high school I could go home at the end of the day and recharge. Can’t do that now. No, this summer I’m being tested to my very limits.
Despite my fear, I grab my bag and push on. The insanely big spaceship that’ll take me to my destination is within view now. The UFC Hammersmith.
I gaze up at the majestic metal beast. There’s no other way to describe the ship. It’s so massive, so threatening, like an iron bull ready to take the universe by the horns.
That must be the feel they’re going for. The Federation has changed so much in recent years, it’s crazy. I remember when they were all about intergalactic peace and cooperation… not anymore, though. After Pazar, everything changed. Now, it’s all about security, about threat-levels and keeping aliens out.
To be honest, I don’t follow the news all that much. I prefer to focus on my studies.
All my life I’ve dreamed of being an astrophysicist. Now, it’s within reach. It’s so close I can smell it. It smells like… perfume?
At that moment a suitcase is jammed roughly into my knee, and I yelp from the pain, my daydreams thoroughly interrupted.
“Excuse you?!” a girl sneers at me. “Ugh.” She flips her intricate golden braid over her shoulder and continues on her way, pushing past me while quite literally lifting her nose up at me.
I hope she’s not part of the class. If so, this’ll be high school all over again…
I present my boarding pass to the gruff looking Federation soldier standing outside the Hammersmith. This is the fourth checkpoint I’ve been through. What’s next, a cavity search?
Oh crap I hope not.
I eye his jet-black laser rifle nervously. He’s got one hand casually resting on the stock, like he’s expecting an alien invasion at any moment.
“Go on,” he says as he waves me through.
I make my way up the metal walkway, the wheels of my bag making quite a racket behind me. I stare with big eyes at the sign at the entrance to the Hammersmith. There’s more than enough decks on this ship to make my head spin.
Where am I supposed to go?
“You green?”
I whirl around. Another soldier is looking at me, though luckily, this one isn’t holding his rifle and scowling like he’s constipated.
“I’m wh-what?”
“Green,” he quips, his eyes lighting up. “That’s what we’re calling you newbies. You’re part of the training group, right? The Granger folk?”
“G-green?” I stammer again like a fool.
I’m surprised such an attractive soldier is talking to me. No, not just talking, smiling at me. Warmly. The boys back at school certainly never did that.
“Yeah, ‘cause you’re inexperienced. Get it?”
“Oh, yeah,” I laugh nervously.
He has no idea how on the money he is. All my experience with men is based on books. That’s another reason why I need to put some space between my (well meaning) parents and myself. Can’t lose your V-card with your mom walking in every two minutes…
“Let me show you the way,” the soldier says. “Name’s Frank, by the way.”
“P-Piper,” I say. I cough and clear my throat — where has this damn stammer come from?! I’m not twelve. I’m a adult. Act like one! “Piper!” I say again, clearly. So clear I nearly shout it in his chiseled face.
“Piper, okay, got it,” the soldier smirks.
I follow him into the ship. I’m glad he’s showing me the way, or I would have definitely have gotten lost in here. There’s decks upon decks with people everywhere; doctors, scientists, diplomats and soldiers pushing their way past us, all with grim expressions on their faces. It all makes me feel very out of place.
“Don’t worry about them,” Frank says. “Everyone gets a little stressed when it’s so close to launch. Almost there.”
My heart is thumping like mad, and I feel so silly.
I thought I was an adult, I thought I could handle all of this, but seeing all these people makes me realize just how inexperienced I am.
Or maybe it’s just Frank who’s making me feel that way.
Was it a mistake coming here? Is it too late to turn back?
“Here you are.”
We arrive at a large room, filled with icy-blue pods. There’s dozens of other girls already there mingling, all of them around my age. To my dismay I see the golden-braid girl who scoffed at me as well, surrounded by a throng of girls. Every group must have a queen bee, it seems.
I take a deep breath to calm my thumping heart. This is the jungle I know (and fear). I’ve survived before, I can survive again. I got this.
Frank taps my arm to get my attention — which nearly makes me jump.
“Hey, don’t worry,” he says softly. “You’ll be fine. Everyone’s a bit nervous, and no one knows anyone here. Just be yourself.”
“Easy for you to say.”
It just slipped out.
Frank raises his eyebrows. “How’s that?”
Because you’re already fine.
“Cause,” I say. “Just ‘cause.”
The soldier laughs.
“You’re a weird one, Piper. Don’t let them change that.”
“Who? The girls?”
“No, the Federation,” he says, tapping the logo on his helmet. “See you on the other side.”
The soldier leaves, and just like that I’m alone again. I drop my bag at my feet and look around, hoping that I don’t look as out of place as I feel.
A young woman wearing the Federation colors walks up to me.
“Hi, I’m Meredith, and you must be Piper. Can I see your pass?”
I hand her my boarding pass and wait anxiously, biting my bottom lip. I know I’m in the right place, and she even used my name, but I still feel like she’s going to tell me my pass is a fake and is about to publicly shame me in front of the whole class.
Unrealistic, I know. But that’s just how my brain works.
“Everything is in order,” she says with a smile. “Follow me to your pod, please.”
“My pod?” I ask as I grab my bag.
The woman nods. “You will be placed in cryogenic sleep for the duration of the journey towards Valure.”
My eyes widen. “What?!” I blurt out. “That wasn’t in the brochure!”
Meredith shows me my pod. The glass covering it is transparent, but tinged an icy blue. The seat itself is red and plush, and looks quite comfortable actually.
“Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe,” she says. “Plus, there’s several different dream-modules to choose from to make your journey a pleasant one.”
Dream modules? Now that catches my attention.
“Err, thank you,” I say. Meredith walks away again, welcoming a new arrival, leaving me alone with my somehow-comfortable-looking-yet-still-kinda-creepy-sleeping-pod.
How does this thing even work?
“Pretty sweet, huh?”
I glance up. A girl with short brown hair and glasses offers me her hand. A tattoo of a skull peeks out from under her sleeve. She’s already way cooler than I’ll ever be.
“Name’s Rose.”
“Piper,” I answer.
Rose pats her sleeping pod. “Word on the street is that the dreams this baby can conjure are more realistic than even the strongest Jet high. Not that I’d know, of course,” she says.
“Uh huh. Of course.” I don’t know what else to say.
“Have you picked your dream module yet?”
“Not yet. Any suggestions?”
“Depends on what you’re into.”
Rose presses a button on the side of her pod and a holographic screen pops up. She scrolls through the dreams, and my mouth just about falls open.
“Let’s see, there’s Italian Rose, where you run a vineyard in m
edieval Italy, along with your faithful husband, Donatello.”
A beautiful, cozy house appears, overlooking a valley of grapes on vines, a winding river cutting through the green fields. I’ve never seen anything as majestic. The megacities have swallowed up every inch of space on Earth, so I’ve only ever read about sights likes these.
“That’s amazing,” I say.
“You think? Sounds kinda boring to me,” Rose says. “This is more my style: Run the Shadows. You play as a cyber-ninja working for the Berlin underground in a future dystopia.”
A holographic image of a woman clad in black leather wielding a katana appears.
“I don’t understand how this thing works,” I admit. “How real does it all feel?”
“It’s as real as you want it to be,” Rose answers. “You can’t die or get hurt in real life, but all your senses work perfectly fine.”
“So you can feel pain?”
“Oh yeah.”
No cyber-ninja for me then! I’ll stick to the quaint, rustic Italian village, thank you very much.
Rose’s lopsided grin catches my attention.
