by S. E. Smith
Ha’ven’s Song:
Curizan Warriors Book 1
By S. E. Smith
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my husband Steve for believing in me and being proud enough of me to give me the courage to follow my dream. I would also like to give a special thank you to my sister and best friend Linda who not only encouraged me to write but who also read the manuscript. Also to my other friends who believe in me: Julie, Jackie, Lisa, Sally, Elizabeth (Beth) and Narelle. The girls that keep me going!
—S. E. Smith
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
Science Fiction Romance
HA’VEN’S SONG: CURIZAN WARRIORS BOOK 1
Smashwords Edition
Cover Design by Melody Simmons
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Synopsis
Ha’ven Ha’darra is the Crown Prince of the Curizans, an advanced species known for their technology. They may not have the power to shift like the Valdier or the Sarafin but they have hidden powers of their own that they closely guard. Not even his best friends, Creon Reykill of the Valdier or Vox d’Rojah of the Sarafin, are aware of the powers he holds within his deadly frame.
Ha’ven is happy to help out his Valdier friend when he calls. There are only two things that satisfy the restlessness inside him – a good fight and an even better evening with a hot, willing female. He has no desire to settle down like his two friends have. He enjoys having his freedom and the wide sample of females at his disposal.
All of that changes when he catches a glimpse of the delicate beauty who looks through him as if he doesn’t even exist. His blood calls to her, his magic aches to meld with hers, but she blocks his every advance.
Emma Watson’s life was perfect. Her love for music and dance let her escape the overwhelming shyness that she suffered from all her life. When she is invited to travel with a group to promote music and dance for children in South America, she believes it is the perfect chance to discover who she can really be. Everything changes when she is kidnapped by a powerful drug lord. Beaten and forced to watch the torture and murder of other women, she withdraws into the world she feels safest – the one inside herself.
When she is rescued by creatures not of this world, they heal her physical wounds but cannot touch the ones deep inside her. She has given up on ever returning to her world and has little hope for the future. That is why she does not understand why one aggravating male suddenly won’t leave her alone. She wants nothing to do with men! They cause nothing but heartache and pain. She had been on the receiving end of their fists often enough to know that! Why would she want one that could crush her with one hand?
No woman has ever turned Ha’ven Ha’darra down and he isn’t about to accept his mate doing it. He will show her that not all men are the same, even if he has to kidnap her and take her to his world to do it. He plans to show her the power she has hidden deep inside her and open her heart to the love he has in his.
Now, he just has a few extra problems to overcome. Her Valdier protectors have given him six months to change her mind about wanting to return to them, a traitor is trying to kill them both, and they have crashed on a remote moon.
Can he unlock her magic in time to save their love or will the traitor, determined to kill them, destroy her before he can?
Prologue
Over a century ago a Great War raged between three of the fiercest species in a galaxy known as Heron Prime. The species were the dragon-shifting Valdier, the cat-shifting Sarafin, and the powerful Curizans, a species whose skills in technology were only surpassed by their ability to use and manipulate the energy surrounding them.
The war raged long and fierce for nearly a century as the skills of each species matched the other. It was only when two young princes and a very young king came together in a surprise alliance that it was discovered forces from within their own worlds were behind the war. These forces were determined to eliminate the ruling Houses so they could gain control and rule through deceit and terror.
The friendship that developed between Ha’ven Ha’darra, Prince of the Curizan, Vox d’Rojah, King of the Sarafin, and Creon Reykill, Prince of the Valdier became unbreakable as they worked together to bring peace to their people and capture those responsible for the death and destruction on each of their worlds.
The traitors, still determined to eliminate the royal families, had kidnapped Zoran Reykill, Leader of the Valdier in the hopes of restarting the war. Zoran, severely injured, escaped in his symbiot warship to an unknown planet in a distant star system. Landing on Earth, he is rescued by a young female. Claiming her as his mate, he returned to his world with her and several other females. On a return visit, other women from Earth were brought back to Valdier.
Chapter 1
Curizan Home World of Ceran-Pax:
Ha’ven breathed deeply as he ran through the twisting paths. His focus was on reaching his living quarters and the re-enforced lower chamber beneath it. He cursed when he felt another blast of heated energy surging up inside his body.
I should have returned to my living quarters hours ago, he thought darkly.
He stumbled and slowed as he approached the fork in the path. He carefully scanned the huge garden that separated his home from those of his parents and brothers. Dread engulfed him as he realized he would not make it home in time as the surge built until he was breathing heavily from the effort of holding back the dark power inside him. His eyes shifted as he came to a stop at the crossway and he found himself staring up into the clear night sky wishing for a miracle. His eyes burned as he felt himself losing control.
Why? He demanded in silent agony. Why can’t I find a way to harness the deadly power that was unleashed during my captivity? How long will I be forced to suffer before it drives me mad or I kill those I care about?
The stars glittered down at him, as if mocking him for his lack of self-control. His body was humming with pent-up power. He had wanted to get further away from the palace but had been in meetings all day and had waited too long. Now, he feared he would be unable to control the excessive energy building inside his body like a volcano that had lain dormant for far too long. Colors swirled around his fisted hands, moving up his arms. He gritted his teeth, fighting against the energy threatening to scorch him from the inside out.
Drawing in a ragged breath, he glanced around the gardens once more to make sure no one was near him. With a loud groan he sank to his knees and unclenched his fists, spreading his hands palms down toward the ground. A shudder shook his tall, broad form as he closed his eyes. He released the long tentacles of energy that swirled around him before it burst downward into the soft soil. The ground buckled and moaned under the onslaught. A cry ripped from his lips as a powerful surge exploded from him. He knew everything within half a kilometer would be destroyed if he didn’t rein in the surge of power escaping his body. He breathed heavily
as he pulled back, trying to regulate the flow, but it was useless. He was out of control… again. He could only hope he was far enough away from everyone as the power inside him broke free.
“No!” Ha’ven roared out, opening his glowing eyes and looking up to the stars. “No!” He groaned again, clenching his teeth as pain flooded his body as raw power burst from him in waves resembling the effects of a massive stone being tossed into a still pool.
“Ha’ven!” His father yelled in a harsh voice. “Focus, son. Release it slowly. You can do it,” Melek said in a quieter voice. “I’ll help you if you can’t.”
Ha’ven hissed as he fought to control the ropes of swirling energy. He could feel the bands wrapping around his thick forearms. He drew in deep steadying breaths, fighting to clear his mind of everything but the strands. Closing his eyes, he focused the way his grandfather had taught him. He imagined the energy moving deep into the ground, nurturing the garden. Red and gold bands wove together digging deeper in the darkening soil. He didn’t see the new life bursting from the ground, the trees stretching higher or the vines winding along the lush soil. Just when he thought he might have control once again, another wave struck harder and longer this time.
Ha’ven threw his head back and roared as dark energy bands shot out like a supernova, flattening the new growth and shattering trees like toothpicks. Just as quickly, the swirling colors of energy faded, leaving him weak and sick. He fell forward onto his hands and lowered his head almost all the way to the ground. Breathing deeply, he fought against the paralyzing weakness threatening him. Forcing his head up, he looked over to where his father’s voice had called out.
He forced back the nausea and stared back the way he had come. He released a sigh of relief when he saw his father standing several meters behind him. He turned his face away so the man who had only recently come back into his life couldn’t see the shame on it. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he slowly sat back on his heels until he was holding himself upright with his hands on his thighs. He continued to breathe deeply until the trembling finally stopped.
“You shouldn’t have followed me,” Ha’ven bit out in a dark, husky voice. He turned his head again to glare at the tall male as he slowly lowered his arms. The brilliant shield Melek had thrown up dissolved as his hands fell silently to his side. “I could have killed you,” Ha’ven growled as he rose on unsteady legs.
“You should have told me,” Melek said gruffly as he walk over to where Ha’ven was standing stiffly.
Ha’ven looked at his father and grimaced in distaste. “Tell you what? That I’ve lost control of my powers? That I’ll soon be too dangerous to be left alive?” He asked in disgust.
Melek laid his hand on Ha’ven’s shoulder. “I cannot help if you do not let me,” he replied quietly.
Ha’ven stood frozen for a moment before he shrugged in resignation. He looked at the destruction around him. He drew in a deep breath and focused, pulling on the power deep inside his body. This time he was in control as he raised his hands. He sent the winding flows of energy that he had gathered from around and inside him and directed it toward the broken and mangled vegetation.
Melek watched silently as the swirling bands touched the damage and knitted the shattered pieces back together. Deep down, he felt sorrow that his oldest son could not do the same to his own soul. Bitter regret tore at him that he had not been there when Ha’ven needed him.
Once Ha’ven had finished the repairs, he turned on silent feet and continued on his way to his living quarters. He knew his father walked by his side, quietly analyzing what he had seen. A part of him wanted to rant and rave at the man beside him to leave him alone while another realized that was never going to happen. If there was one thing he knew about his family, it was that they never turned their backs when one of them was in trouble. Hell, he was no different. He had sent his twin younger half-brothers, Adalard and Jazar who everyone called Arrow because of his passion for archery, on missions that were supposed to ensure their safety. Instead, both had almost been killed by the assassins sent after them.
“Ha’ven,” Melek started to say in a quiet voice.
“You cannot help,” Ha’ven interrupted his father abruptly before stopping and turning to look at him. “There is nothing that can be done to save me,” he continued in a quieter voice. “What Aria unleashed is consuming me.”
Melek studied the grim expression on his son’s face. His own darkened as he thought back to the damage his cousin’s traitorous daughter had done. Aria had been born to the lineage of the Royal House of Ceran-Pax but she had been anything but satisfied with her pampered lifestyle. She had been greedy for power.
Aria had united with Ben’qumain, Ha’ven’s step-brother, in the hopes of ousting the Ha’darra family from power. Ben’qumain had been jealous of his older step-brother’s power as heir to the leadership of the Curizans. The two traitors had not been satisfied with bringing down just the Curizan ruling family though. They had joined in an alliance with Raffvin Reykill of the Valdier and rebels looking to overthrow the d’Rojah, the Sarafin ruling family, as well. Their plan was simple. They wanted to divide the three strongest species. They had been successful to a certain degree. The Great War between the three species had been elaborately orchestrated by them. Thousands from each of the three had died unnecessarily. A plan that Melek felt guilty at not discovering sooner.
Melek put his hand on Ha’ven’s shoulder to stop his son from turning away from him. He knew he would do whatever was necessary to save the family he had only recently been able to claim. He would not lose a single one of them again. Not his beloved mate, Narissa, nor his three sons. He had quickly claimed Adalard and Arrow upon his return.
“There might be a way,” Melek insisted determinedly.
“How?” Ha’ven demanded throwing his arm out and waving to the path behind them. “You saw what happened! I am slowly losing control. It grows more powerful each time. If I lose control at the wrong time even your shield will not save you. Do you think I want to take a chance of killing you or mother or my brothers?”
“All I’m asking is that you do not give up,” Melek said. “I will not lose you. I spent too many years watching you from afar. I will not lose my family again now that I have regained it.”
Ha’ven opened his mouth to make a bitter retort but swallowed it. He knew the sacrifice his biological father had had to make for his people. Even in the darkness, Ha’ven could see the lines of anguish around the corner of his father’s mouth.
As the second son of the ruling family, Melek had to step aside when the woman he loved was given to his older brother, Hermon, in an effort to strengthen the ruling family. Hermon had not mated with the mother of his son, a woman from a lower social class. Ben’qumain was born just days after Narissa had given birth to Ha’ven who was conceived during the one brief night his mother and Melek had together before being torn apart.
Ben’qumain’s mother had sent her newborn son to Hermon in an attempt to undermine the new alliance between the royal houses. Instead, Narissa had taken on the responsibility of raising the two newborns as if they were her own. Six years later, she had given birth to twin boys, Adalard and Jazar. Ben’qumain’s resentment grew over time as it became obvious he had not inherited the powers that Ha’ven and his two younger brothers possessed.
During this time, Hermon had fallen in love with his new mate, unaware that her heart belonged to his younger brother or that Ha’ven was not his own son. Over time, Narissa had come to care deeply for Hermon although not with the deep passion that she had for Melek. Melek, out of respect for his brother’s rule, had chosen assignments that had kept him away from the palace as much as possible. He had commanded the Curizan military, eventually guiding and working alongside Ha’ven during the Great War when he was old enough. He had cherished his time with his son even if he could never claim him as such.
It was not until recently that Ha’ven discovered that not only had Ben’
qumain been responsible for Hermon’s death but that Melek was his true father. He had always respected Melek for his integrity, honor and wit. Still, it was difficult to accept the male that he always thought of as his mentor, was indeed also his father.
Fortunately, Melek had returned in time to prevent those working alongside his nephew from killing his mother and younger brothers. Zoran Reykill, King of the Valdier, had eventually killed Ben’qumain when he made the mistake of attacking Zoran’s human mate. Ha’ven’s lips curved as he thought of the dragon-shifting species they had fought in the war and who had eventually become one of their strongest allies.
He and Creon Reykill, the youngest of the royal family, had become good friends after finding themselves trapped in the same mining tunnel during the war. Not long afterwards, Creon had met and fallen in love with his cousin, Aria, unaware of her devious plans for power. Aria had used her connection to them both against them. She had used her knowledge of him to kidnap and imprison him. She had used Creon to find out information to help those trying to overthrow their governments. Eventually, Creon had learned of her betrayal and had saved his life.
Their alliance was sealed and Ha’ven knew he would do whatever he could to help Creon and his brothers defeat their uncle. Unfortunately, he still needed to deal with the Curizan traitors who had worked alongside Ben’qumain. They were now desperate to overthrow the ruling family because they knew the moment they were uncovered they would be sentenced to death for treason against their people.
“I… would appreciate any help you can give,” Ha’ven admitted reluctantly.
Melek nodded solemnly before he looked up at the stars shining high above. “The ancient archives might hold information. I will work with those in charge of keeping them,” he said looking back at Ha’ven.
