by Sue Lyndon
ZYLONN’S HUMAN BRIDE
Tarkkuan Masters, Book One
SUE LYNDON
Contents
About this book
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
About Sue Lyndon
Zylonn’s Human Bride
Copyright © 2019 by Sue Lyndon
All rights reserved
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Sue Lyndon. All names, brands, characters, and settings are purely from the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to real people, real brands, and real locations is a coincidence. Contact: [email protected]
Editing by Celeste Jones
About this book
The stern alien expects her absolute obedience.
Nova doesn’t want to leave home, but she doesn’t have a choice. Earth has agreed to provide the Tarrkuans with a steady supply of fertile human females—and she’s found herself among them. When her intended, Zylonn, catches her speaking out against the trade agreement only minutes before their wedding ceremony, the no-nonsense alien scolds her and promises her a strapping. His stern words both surprise her and leave her quivering with anticipation. Will the handsome blue alien really punish her on their wedding night? And does he really expect her to call him Master?
Zylonn has been waiting for his human bride his entire life. One glance at Nova and he knows the reluctant female is meant to be his. She’s the loveliest creature he’s ever seen, and he can’t stop stroking her beautiful golden hair or staring into her expressive blue eyes. He’s shocked by her rebellious behavior, but he’s determined to tame her, claim her, and make her his in every possible way.
A passion that knows no bounds soon flourishes between Zylonn and his precious little human. Once is never enough. He’s driven to claim her again and again, and her sweet surrender calms the darkest parts of him. But when an old enemy threatens their union, he’s forced to reveal a secret side of himself no one has ever seen. Can Zylonn protect the little human who holds his heart?
Publisher’s Note: Zylonn’s Human Bride was first published under the title Promised to the Alien in the Alien Alphas box set. This re-released edition has been significantly expanded from its original form. It includes spankings, sexual scenes, and other delicious naughtiness. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
Chapter 1
Nova stared out the window at the brilliant night sky, thankful the most recent dust storm had lifted to reveal the moon and stars. She sniffled and covered her face in her hands, shedding quiet tears in the privacy of her bedroom. It was her last night on Earth and she didn’t want her family and friends to know how upset she was over leaving. Her throat burned, her tears kept falling, and her body heaved under the impact of her increasing sorrow.
I can’t believe this is finally happening.
If only she could slow time down. She would give anything for another week with her family and friends. But, tomorrow, she would board a Tarkkuan ship and leave the only home she had ever known. Her stomach flipped when she imagined becoming a complete stranger’s mate. And not just any stranger—but an alien.
She didn’t want to travel to a faraway planet and become the bride of a Tarkkuan male she’d never met, but she didn’t have a say in the matter.
None of the human brides did.
She uncovered her face and inhaled several deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. The murmur of voices, the familiar song her sister was playing on the piano, and the clattering of dishes drifted upstairs. Everyone would start to worry about her if she didn’t go back downstairs soon.
She really should have tried to remain at her going away party, but the second her younger sister, Julie, had started playing the piano several minutes ago, Nova had had to excuse herself and rush upstairs. The knowledge that she would never hear Julie play piano again or hug her or laugh with her had hit Nova with a sudden, painful force that left her reeling with heartache.
Of course, if Nova hadn’t been chosen at a young age for the eventual honor of becoming a Tarkkuan’s bride, her parents would have never been granted permission to have a second child. Julie would have never been born. Saying goodbye to her sister would be especially bittersweet.
After a few more minutes, Nova managed to stop crying. She sat in front of her mirror and reapplied her makeup. Everyone at the party was sad enough that she was leaving. She didn’t want to add to their upset by walking around with swollen eyes.
Once, as a little girl, Nova had heard sobbing and followed the noise to her parents’ bedroom. She had peeked in and witnessed her father holding her mother, while her mother repeated over and over again, “I don’t want Nova to leave, I don’t want Nova to leave…” It was a week after she’d been chosen as a Tarkkuan bride, when she was almost too young to understand what it meant. But she remembered attending a ceremony in the center of New Leesburg and hearing her name called on a loud speaker. Her mother had gasped but many in the crowd had clapped, and then Nova had been escorted up onto a platform and introduced to the elderly Tarkkuan teacher who would take over her schooling from then on.
“I don’t want Nova to leave, I don’t want Nova to leave…”
Her mother’s despair had burned into Nova’s psyche.
From that point forward, she had resolved to put on a brave face and not let anyone know how frightened and nervous she was over leaving her home planet. She stopped asking questions that might upset her mother and she never dared voice her desire to remain on Earth.
Instead, she’d focused on her Tarkkuan studies with a forced enthusiasm and tried to act cheerful whenever the subject of her leaving came up naturally in conversation. Most of the time, she would smile and claim she was excited to embark upon an interstellar adventure.
Apparently, she was a good actress. Just this morning, her mother had hugged her and told her how much she admired her positive attitude.
She sighed, knowing she had to hurry up and go back downstairs and maintain the façade. Even if she screamed to the entire dome-city that she didn’t wish to leave, the Tarkkuan security guards from the spaceship would force her onto their vessel anyway. Her opinion didn’t matter and it would matter even less once she reached the alien planet.
With another glance at the moon and stars, Nova straightened her dress and exited her bedroom. She descended the stairs and joined in the party, her smile in place the entire time. She made a point to talk to everyone in attendance, even friends of her parents that she didn’t know very well. She soaked up each kind word and about a thousand hugs, by some miracle managing not to break down into tears again.
Maybe she was stronger than she thought. Maybe years of pretending to be strong had in fact left her fortified and ready to face this next, inevitable phase of her life. She could only hope.
“How are you holding up?” Maggie asked, appearing at Nova’s side with two pieces of cake. With a mischievous grin, she handed one plate to Nova, along with a fork.
“Thanks. And I’m fine. Promise.” Nova gave her best friend a smile and realized her cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much. She stabbed her fork into the cake and
took a bite, savoring the taste of the homemade icing.
Maggie lifted her eyebrows at Nova and her expression turned skeptical. “I know you better than anyone. You’re not fine, but it’s okay to be scared. Anyone would be. Just remember the Tarkkuans need us as much as we need them. Your new husband is probably anxious for your arrival and I’m sure he’ll treat you well. I know a lot of people think all Tarkkuans are barbarians, but I don’t think that’s true. Not all of them, anyway. For the sake of my best friend, I refuse to believe it.”
Nova glanced around to make sure no one was standing close enough to overhear their conversation. She allowed her smile to falter and gave her friend a solemn look. “I’m really going to miss you.”
“I know.” Maggie blinked rapidly as tears filled her eyes. She reached for Nova’s hand and squeezed it. “Besties for life.”
“Besties for life.”
They set their dessert down and enveloped one another in a long, tight hug. A few tears escaped Nova’s eyes, but she discreetly wiped them away, thankful that she was facing a wall and no one was standing nearby. Maggie seemed to know just how long to hug her, because she didn’t withdraw from the embrace until Nova had managed to regain her composure.
The party ended around midnight and Nova was exhausted by the time the house emptied out. Only her parents and sister remained. They all exchanged looks and started cleaning up from the party, but Nova’s mother put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.
“You don’t need to help. Go ahead to bed. You have an early start in the morning.” Her mother smiled, though tears glimmered in her eyes, revealing her true feelings. She was just as heartbroken as Nova. “I don’t want Nova to leave, I don’t want Nova to leave…”
“I want to help,” Nova replied in a cheerful voice. “Besides, I can take a nap on the ship tomorrow.” She suspected lots of human brides would board the Tarkkuan spaceship dead tired after staying up late to spend extra time with their loved ones. “Honestly, Mom, I can’t imagine even going to sleep tonight. I’m too…excited.” Another forced smile.
Julie walked up to them, holding a stack of dirty plates. “I don’t think I could sleep either. How about you have a sleepover in my room, minus the sleep?” She laughed. “It’ll be just like when we were kids.”
“I’d like that,” Nova said, her throat burning again. “Thanks, Julie.” She smiled and prayed she managed to hold it together for the rest of the night. Even though it would no doubt be difficult, she couldn’t bear to spend her last hours on Earth alone.
Once the house was in order, Nova hugged her parents goodnight, squeezing them so tight her arms hurt.
Her father made a humorous choking sound until she finally let go, making her laugh. He leaned down to kiss her forehead and for the first time in her life, Nova thought she saw tears shining in her normally stoic father’s eyes. “Everything will be okay, little slugger,” he said.
She laughed again. “You haven’t called me that in years.”
“Just promise you won’t punch your new husband in the face the way you knocked that neighbor boy down for pulling your hair all those years ago,” her father said. Though his tone was humorous, she detected a warning look in his gaze. Tarkkuan males were not as easygoing as most human males. Unlike Earth, Tarkkua was a strictly male-dominated society. Many of the freedoms Nova took for granted here would require permission on her new planet.
“I promise,” she finally said, trying to repress a shudder. Tarkkuan males were huge. She wouldn’t dare try to hit one, especially not her husband. “I also promise I’ll try to contact you, even if my new husband doesn’t own a video comm.” Most Tarkkuan males didn’t have one in their household, from what she’d heard, but perhaps she could ask her husband to arrange for her to use a wealthier Tarkkuan’s interstellar communicator.
“That’s my girl. You ladies have fun tonight,” her father said with a glance at both Nova and her sister. “But no jumping on the bed and no pillow fights! I mean it!”
Nova and Julie both laughed and headed upstairs.
She would miss her father’s good humor, as well as her mother’s patient wisdom and kindness. She couldn’t have asked for better parents. Though she’d felt unlucky for much of her life for having been randomly selected to become a Tarkkuan bride once she reached her twentieth year, Nova felt like the luckiest girl in the world whenever she thought about her family.
No matter what happened on Planet Tarkkua, at least she would always have her memories.
Chapter 2
Zylonn disembarked the transport ship with the other surviving asteroid miners and looked around. The lush greenery of Tarkkua instantly soothed his darkened spirits. After spending over two thousand days in space, he was glad to be home. He hoisted his backpack higher and walked down the ramp from the landing platform that led into Ashorr, the capital city of Tarkkua.
Thousands of people lined the streets, all of them outside to welcome the miners home. Mining the Feshinga Asteroid Belt was dangerous work, but all able-bodied Tarkkuan males were expected to make the sacrifice in order to help their planet thrive. Zylonn had done his duty and now he would soon be rewarded with a human female to take as his bride.
He wouldn’t have to wait long, either.
The pilot of the transport ship had informed the returning miners that their human brides would be arriving in ten days.
Only ten days.
Zylonn’s blood heated as he imagined his petite female. He had no idea what his bride would look like, but most women from Earth were tiny—compared to Tarkkuans, at least—and very pleasing to the eye. But no matter what she looked like, Zylonn would accept and care for the bride he was given. As soon as possible, he would get her with child and they would start a family. His heart warmed unexpectedly at the thought.
As he neared a Tarkkuan-human couple standing on the street, he noticed the male was glaring at his female. The woman had a defiant gleam in her eye as she returned her mate’s hard glare. While he had no idea what they were fighting about, clearly the male did not discipline his female on a regular basis, else she would not be defying him in public and making such a scene. Zylonn noted he wasn’t the only one watching their tense interaction. He observed them for several seconds more, wondering just how obedient his own chosen bride would be. Some human females were headstrong, while others were almost as meek as Tarkkuan females.
As he finally passed the couple, the male grabbed his human bride by the arm and led her away. Zylonn resolved that he would not abide any disrespect from his own female, especially in public. He would insure he had a study leather strap hanging on the wall in their bedroom to deter his mate from breaking any of his rules or planet-wide laws instated by the ruling class. Even if his bride did not wish to come to Tarkkua, Zylonn would expect her absolute obedience. The slightest amount of defiance would be swiftly punished, for both the sake of their marriage and for her own safety—he would not risk her breaking any laws and drawing the ire of the ruling class.
Zylonn had no intention of mistreating his female, however, and he resolved to show her kindness and affection too. He didn’t even know her name yet and already his arms ached with the need to hold her. It was a completely odd sensation, one he’d never experienced before.
He only hoped the darkness that had often hovered over him during his bleak years mining the asteroid belt didn’t prevent him from embarking on a meaningful relationship with his mate.
Would he truly be able to treat her with kindness?
His thoughts on his future bride, he finished the long trek to his home on the edge of the city, grateful to be home after what felt like an eternity spent in space. Two thousand and forty cold days, to be exact. Thank the Gods, not only had he survived, but he hadn’t endured any grievous injuries either. Several of the miners in his unit had lost arms and legs during the dangerous mining operations. Many had died as well, and he said a quick prayer for their departed souls as he entered his house.
He strode into the vestibule and tossed his backpack to the floor. Walking from room to room, he was satisfied that everything was as he’d left it—not that he’d expected to find anything missing. Tarkkuans respected one another’s property and instances of thievery were rare. The comm imbedded in his wrist buzzed and flashed with an incoming message, and he lifted his arm slightly and a holographic display appeared in the air. The message listed the arrival details of the Tarkkuan spaceship that was bringing this year’s supply of Earth brides to the capital city. His heart pounded faster. The message also revealed the name of his human bride-to-be.
Nova.
He said the name aloud and a great warmth filled him. Anticipation hummed through him and he hoped the next ten days passed swiftly. Upon closer inspection, he also noticed an image of Nova’s dome-city crest of New Leesburg. He committed the image to memory, then closed the message and traipsed upstairs, heading for his bedroom. Once inside, he opened all the large windows, allowing in much needed fresh air. It had taken some time to walk through the city and evening was now approaching, which meant the temperature was finally cooling down. Days on Tarkkua were sometimes quite hot, but the nights were soothingly cool.
He couldn’t help but wonder if Nova would like his planet. Surely it had to be better than the climate-controlled dome-city to which she was accustomed. He couldn’t imagine growing up in an enclosed space, never able to leave and go exploring on the planet.
At the thought of an enclosed space, he shuddered and tried not to think of the asteroid mining operation. Living on a crowded mining ship for years had left him greatly appreciative of large, open spaces. He reminded himself that his time as a miner was finally over. Now he could move on to the second stage of his life, claim his mate, start a family, and contribute to the welfare of his people by working in a defense laboratory on the other side of the city.
