Abducted by the Dragon Lords: A Paranormal SciFi Reverse Harem Romance (Dragon Shifters of Kiyria Book 1)

by Lexa Lumos

  He averted his eyes, his fingers making lazy circles against her back. “We don’t know for sure.”

  “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

  He met her gaze. “You and the other women are the first females we’ve taken. You are the first to mate with one of us.”

  Her eyes widened. “We’re goddamned experiments?” It came out as a shriek.

  “No. No! Never that. You are our hope. Our chance at a future. The new matriarchy.”

  She blinked, utterly baffled. “What?”

  He grinned. “You’re the boss of us.”

  AFTER ERYS HAD LEFT her to go about his vedic duties, Anya had taken a quick shower, thrown on some clothes and headed out of her pod to find somewhere she could think.

  She didn’t want to be their boss. She didn’t want to be anyone’s boss. Didn’t they get that? The whole thing was utter nonsense.

  What had happened between her and Erys couldn’t happen again. Not ever. She certainly couldn’t have sex with the other two men. That was nuts. Okay, some people on Earth had polyamorous arrangements. Back in LA she’d known more than one couple with open marriages. A friend of hers from high school was “married” to two guys. That was fine. Whatever floated your boat. But that wasn’t her style at all.

  Except....

  She had a vision of herself, naked, tangled up with her three men.

  Her knees wobbled. No, not her three men.

  “You okay, Anya?” Jane’s voice broke into her fantasies as she poked her head into the pod.

  Anya whirled away from the viewscreen, pretending she wasn’t about to spontaneously combust. It was like she was sixteen again.

  “You okay?” Jane repeated. She held a white cylinder in one hand and tilted her head, eyeing Anya up and down.

  “Yeah, fine. Just, you know, thinking.” She turned back to stare out the screen.

  Erys had explained that, other than the one on the bridge, the viewscreen on the observation deck was the largest one aboard ship, even larger than the one she’d first seen in the dining pod. It gave her an amazing view of space. Not that there was much to see. They were doing something called “folding space,” and everything around them was warped and weird looking, like looking at stars through an aquarium wall.

  The room had been empty when she arrived. Quiet and serene. She liked the potted plants scattered here and there along the bulkheads. They were frothy things not unlike giant ferns, but in varying shades of blue, green, and red.

  “It’s crazy, isn’t it,” Jane said, standing beside her, staring out into god knew what. “I know I said I was abducted. I was. I thought I was, anyway.” She scraped a hand through her short, spiky hair. “But this... I don’t even know what this is.” She pulled something from the cylinder and popped it in her mouth.

  “What’s that?”

  Jane held out the container. Inside were cream-colored puffed pieces about the size of jelly beans. “Khtaya. They’re the Kiyrian version of popcorn. Try some. I’m assured they’re very nutritious.”

  Anya selected one of the smallest pieces she could find and popped it in her mouth. It was surprisingly light with the texture of a Cheeto, but buttery and cheesy at the same time with a kick of spice. “Those are good.”

  “Help yourself.”

  “I guess Brea was right,” Anya said wryly as they munched on the treat. “About the whole alien abduction thing.”

  Jane snorted. “Who’da thunk it. Am I right? So fragile, that girl. But I think she was the only one of us who believed that nonsense. The rest of us thought we were going bonkers. Except Carla. That woman is crazy. She once told me the aliens were angels.”

  Anya turned to stare at her. “Angels? You’re kidding me.”

  “I’m not. She said that when she was aboard their ship, they showed her they had wings. She didn’t want to tell the group because she was afraid they’d laugh at her.”

  “They would have.” She would have. Wings? The Kiyrians didn’t have wings. But she remembered the strange golden shine of the Kiyrians’ eyes. The way something had shifted inside Erys’s gaze when he’d made love to her. Could it be—?

  No. It was ridiculous. No such thing as angels.

  “I screwed one of them,” she found herself blurting, then wished the deck would open up and swallow her.

  It was Jane’s turn to stare. Then she gave Anya a wide grin. “Which one?”

  “Erys. The one I was talking to in the mess hall.”

  Jane’s eyebrow went up. “He’s one fine piece of man flesh, I’ll give you that. How was he?”

  Heat spread from her cheeks to other body parts. God, she really had regressed to sixteen years old. “Best I ever had.”

  “Huh. Isn’t that interesting. You haven’t bedded the rest of them yet?” Jane asked the question as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

  Anya blinked. “You know about the whole triad thing?”

  “Sure.” Jane turned a little red herself. “The captain, Vane... he seems to be under the impression that he and his triad are my mates.”

  “Jane, you sly thing,” Anya teased, nudging her. “Do you believe him? I mean, you’re okay with this?”

  Jane fidgeted. “Back on Earth I was all blustery and didn’t need men, but to be honest with you, I was lonely. It’s just... I was tired of the misogynistic bullshit. You know?”

  “Believe me, I do.”

  “I figured it wasn’t worth bothering. Never met a married woman who was truly happy. You?”

  She thought about it. “A couple, but it’s really rare.”

  “Extremely. Somehow, we got it all wrong. Humans, I mean. But these guys? Their whole society revolves around the importance of women.”

  “All hail the matriarchy,” Anya murmured.

  “Exactly. So I thought, why not hear them out? It’s not like we’re going anywhere. Might as well see what they have to offer. Make an educated decision.” She eyed Anya. “I think we can put off the escape plan. At least for now.”

  Anya wasn’t sure she agreed. Was Jane really considering staying with the Kiyrians? Giving up on going home? Instead of asking, she said, “What are they like? The captain and his triad.”

  “I haven’t met the other two. They’re back on Kiyria. I guess that’s unusual, to split up a triad, but one of them was injured in a skirmish with the Krull, and the other had to stay behind to take care of him. But the captain is interesting.”

  Anya raised an eyebrow. “Interesting how?”

  Jane gave a little secretive smile. “Interesting like no man I’ve ever met before.” She gave Anya a sideways look. “They’re not like us, you know.”

  “Yeah, that’s the problem.”

  Jane shook her head. “You’re not hearing me. That’s what’s right about them.”

  Anya knew Jane was right. Her triad, her men, were exactly what she’d been waiting for.

  The very thought gave her hives.

  Chapter 10

  “Brace yourselves!”

  Vane’s shout jarred Taryk out of his maudlin thoughts. A blast streaked across the bow, rocking the ship hard enough to toss him off his feet. He landed with a thud, unable to shift in time to avoid falling on his ass. Pain lanced through his shoulder.

  “Frell. What was that?” he shouted.

  “Krull ship,” the captain responded. “Came out of nowhere.”

  “Hiding behind the last planet in the system, sir,” the comms officer yelled over the blaring alarm.

  “Return fire!” The captain’s order rocketed around the bridge, jarring the crew to action.

  Within seconds, the gunners returned fire, each blast rocketing off the Krull shields. Another shot streaked across the bow. Sparks flew from one of the consoles.

  Two more explosions hit the ship, though this time Taryk was able to brace himself. Then came the ear-splitting grating sound of metal on metal, and the ship shimmied sideways.

  “Status,” Vane bellowed.


  “Sir, the Krull ship has attached itself to our hull. We’re being boarded.”

  Anya is in danger! The warning screamed through his brain, though Taryk hadn’t needed instinct to tell him that. “They’re after the women.”

  “Go,” the captain barked.

  Taryk didn’t need Vane’s command. He was already halfway out the door.

  Anya’s door slid open on an empty room. He cursed. Not again.

  “She was on the observation deck.” Fen came up behind him. “Erys says they took her from there, along with the captain’s mate, Jane.”

  “They’ve got Anya?” Taryk gritted out.

  Fen was pale, his eyes sparking dangerously as scales popped along the surface of his skin. He was in danger of losing it. “Yes. What do we do?”

  “Go after them.”

  “Right behind you.”

  ONE MINUTE SHE AND Jane were getting tossed around the observation deck like rag dolls. The next, the door blasted open and weird bug-like things stood in the opening with smoking blasters in their... hands? Claws? What the heck did you call them?

  There was a series of chittering and clicks and then something in her brain ticked over and translated it into language. It was rudimentary at best.

  “Come,” the largest bug chittered. “Us.”

  “Fuck that,” Jane snapped. She grabbed the nearest potted plant and heaved it at one of them.

  A blast from the bug’s rifle, and she slumped to the ground. Anya let out a scream and sank to her knees beside her friend. “What have you done?”

  “Unconscious only,” the bug said in it’s strange, grating voice.

  Anya checked Jane’s pulse. Sure enough, it throbbed under her fingertips, nice and steady. She let out a sigh of relief. She did not want either of them dying at the hand—claw—of giant cockroaches.

  “Come. Us,” the bug in charge repeated, the universal translator struggling with their scratchy language.

  “Fine, coming,” she grumbled, staggering to her feet as a second bug—smaller than the first, but still several inches taller than her—picked up Jane and slung her over its...shoulder, she supposed. Or the insectoid facsimile.

  The rest of the half dozen bugs surrounded Anya, and they marched off the observation deck and down the corridor. Other bugs appeared from side corridors, herding the rest of the humans like so much cattle. The women looked scared to death, not that Anya blamed them. Who were these freaks, and what did they want?

  Something suddenly occurred to her. She was able to send Erys thoughts, right? Erys?

  Nothing.

  Erys!

  Still nothing. She forced down panic. Why wasn’t he answering?

  Up ahead a hole had been punched in the side of the ship. Instead of opening into space, there was a large tube extending from the Kiyrian ship to what she assumed was the bugs’ ship. Some kind of hard foam sealed the edges between the tube and the hull, maintaining pressure and oxygen. They were shoved into and along the tube, where they exited—sure enough—onto another ship. But this one was... odd was the only word for it. The lighting was a sickly green glow that made her feel a little queasy. Panels were labeled with what looked like scratches, but she assumed it was the bug alphabet. More bugs milled about, moving to and fro in a sort of complicated and claustrophobic mass. And the stench....

  She choked back a gag.

  “Where are you taking us?” Anya demanded of the bug who was obviously the leader.

  It ignored her.

  They were marched down a series of ramps until they reached what must be the bowels of the ship. The heat and humidity were oppressive. Her clothes were immediately damp, and her hair hung in soggy tendrils around her flushed face. And the reek! Even worse than above. It smelled like those god-awful stink bugs times a thousand. She tried hard not to retch but was only mildly successful.

  Breathe through your mouth, she reminded herself. She only half managed it.

  At last they came to what she assumed was a prison. Clear glass walls defined cubicles large enough to hold four or five humans each. She was shoved into one, along with Jane, who’d finally regained consciousness, Brea, Clara, and another woman she didn’t know. The rest of the captives were shoved into nearby cells. Then, without a word, the bugs marched away.

  “Hey!” Anya pounded on the glass. “What’s going on? Let us out!”

  “I don’t think they’re going to listen,” Jane said, sinking down on a hard ledge that edged the cell and holding her head in her hands.

  “Why not?” Carla demanded. She was still clutching her rosary. “Who are they? Why have they taken us?” The beads clacked softly as her fingers furiously worked at them.

  Anya and Jane exchanged glances. “Are they who I think they are?” Anya asked Jane.

  Jane nodded. “Based on what the captain said, yes.”

  “Who? Who are they?” Brea wailed. She was even paler than usual, the greenish light making her appear downright sickly. “Maybe they’ll take us home,” Carla said hopefully, fingering her cross.

  “I don’t think so,” Anya said grimly. “These are the Krull. They’re the ones who murdered every single female on Kiyria.”

  Chapter 11

  Taryk slammed his fist against the bulkhead. There was a gaping hole where the Krull had punched through and boarded. A hastily-applied force field kept the atmosphere from venting into space. The Krull were gone, and they’d taken every woman with them.

  “We must go after them,” Fen said. His expression was grim. Determined.

  Taryk nodded. “We cannot let them get away with this.”

  Fen’s jaw worked. “More than that, we took those women from the safety of their world. It’s our responsibility to care for and protect them. Currently we’re failing miserably.”

  They turned to Erys, who was staring off into space.

  Taryk had never wanted to punch his brother so bad. “Snap out of it,” he snarled.

  Erys blinked. “I’m trying to communicate with Anya.”

  “Oh.” Taryk felt ashamed of his anger. “Any luck?”

  Erys shook his head. “She was able to call to me, but she can’t hear me. Her mind is chaotic. Too much fear. I can’t reach her. Perhaps I can once she calms down.”

  “Is she safe?” Fen demanded.

  “She’s with the Krull. How safe can she be?” Taryk said dryly.

  “For now she is well, though scared.” Erys blinked, focusing on Taryk. “You are right. We must go after her. We can’t let them take her or the others.”

  “Computer, where is the Krull ship?” Taryk demanded. It couldn’t have gotten far.

  “Unknown. The Krull ship does not appear on scanners.”

  “Shit!” He punched the bulkhead again hard enough his knuckles stung. “Now what?”

  “The last planet,” Fen said. “They appeared from behind it, correct? So that’s where they went. It’s the only way they could’ve vanished from our scanners that fast.”

  Taryk agreed. “We’ve got to get to the shuttle bay. We’re wasting time.” He broke into a jog, and they followed.

  In the shuttle bay, which held thirteen craft of varying sizes for everything from planetary exploration to close-combat fighters, two more triads waited. One of them stepped forward. He was nearly as tall as Taryk, with locks almost as golden as Earth’s sun hanging to his shoulders. Although Taryk didn’t know him personally, Vaden, Lord Oden, was well known on Kiyria for his many successful campaigns against the Krull.

  “Lord Oden. I was not aware you were onboard.” Taryk gave him a warrior’s salute, fist over heart.

  Vaden returned the salute. “We weren’t meant to be, but I had a mission on Earth. Very secret. You weren’t to know I was here. No one was. That, however, is no longer important. Our mate has been taken.”

  Taryk nodded. “As has ours.” He turned to the third triad. “Yours?”

  Jarys, Lord Zaren, shook his head. “We have not found our mate yet. However, the cap
tain’s mate was taken, as you know. He cannot leave the ship, so we go in his stead.”

  “The nine of us against a Krull warship. Those are not good odds,” Fen, ever the pragmatist, pointed out.

  “They will have to do,” Vaden said. “The ship is running on a skeleton crew, our people stretched thin. This was supposed to be a top-secret mission.”

  “How did the Krull know we were here?” Taryk muttered.

  “There must be a leak somewhere,” Jarys growled.

  “We don’t have time to figure it out now,” Taryk said. “We must go.”

  “I suggest we take three ships,” Vaden said. “My triad will distract them while yours and Jarys’s hit them from either side. Divide and conquer.”

  Taryk saluted again. “It shall be done.”

  Within moments they were aboard the smaller vessels and exiting the ship. Before them loomed the dark hulk of the final planet in the Sol System. What were the Krull planning?

  “Nothing good,” Fen murmured, as if reading his thoughts, though Taryk knew he couldn’t. Their bond with Anya was not yet final. “They are too close to Earth.”

  “You think they would destroy that planet simply to prevent our survival?” Taryk asked grimly, already knowing the answer.

  “Yes.” Fen’s jaw was set in a hard line. “Our only option is to free the women and destroy that ship.”

  “What if there are more Krull ships in the area?” Erys pointed out. “Or they got a message back to their homeworld about Earth’s location?”

  “We’ll figure it out later,” Taryk said. “Right now, our mission is to take back our mate and her friends. Earth will have to wait.”

  ANYA AND THE OTHER women huddled behind the force field. Jane had tried to touch it and gotten zapped for her troubles. She was still shaking her hand in an attempt to get feeling back.

  “What do you think they want with us?” Brea whispered.

  “No idea,” Anya said grimly. “But I’m sure it’s nothing good.”

  “They’re probably gonna eat us.” Carla’s tone was dark.