Defender of the Stars

by Lucee Joie

  DEFENDER OF THE STARS

  GALACTIC UNION BOOK TWO

  by

  LUCEE JOIE

  COPYRIGHT © 2019 by Lucee Joie

  Cover and internal design by Lucee Joie

  Time break design: OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay

  Cover images by DepositPhotos

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author and publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Thank you for respecting the creative rights and hard work of the author by purchasing an authorized edition of this book and not reproducing, scanning, or illegally distributing any part of this published work. Your support of legally purchased reading materials means that authors all over the world can continue to make an honest living from their hard work, so that they are able to continue publishing stories for readers to enjoy.

  (Please feel free to contact me on Lucee.Joie@outlook.com)

  The characters and events portrayed by the author are fictitious and are used as such. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter One: Shirley

  Chapter Two: Ece

  Chapter Three: Shirley

  Chapter Four: Ece

  Chapter Five: Shirley

  Chapter Six: Ece

  Chapter Seven: Shirley

  Chapter Eight: Ece

  Chapter Nine: Shirley

  Chapter Ten: Ece

  Chapter Eleven: Shirley

  Chapter Twelve: Ece

  Chapter Thirteen: Shirley

  Chapter Fourteen: Ece

  Chapter Fifteen: Shirley

  Chapter Sixteen: Ece

  Chapter Seventeen: Shirley

  SNEAK PEEK of Galactic Union Book 3: Protector of the Stars

  Chapter One: Danika

  Chapter Two: Bivir

  OTHER BOOKS BY LUCEE JOIE

  Chapter One: Shirley

  We have been cruising for the better part of two weeks and I am sick to death of looking at nothing but black space and twinkling stars. For someone who believed that space would be an awesome frontier to conquer, I am surely eating my words now.

  “Are we there yet?” I cringe at my wording.

  Ece peers at the digital map and I try not to huff indignantly at him. “Perhaps another two or three hours.” His head rises and he points out into the dark void. “Can you see that, Shirley?”

  I squint in the direction Ece is pointing, annoyed that the Ochek has uttered my name, that it has rolled off his tongue like he still owned it. One star seems bigger than the others and I pick up a pair of binoculars.

  “Is that really Bruxland?”

  Ece nods as Beth enters the room. “Are you two getting along yet?”

  She thumps a hand down on each of our shoulders before sitting in one of the command chairs. Swiveling around once, she looks out of the windshield.

  “Never,” I mutter. Ece might be an imperial prince but he is as annoying as hell and there is no way that I want to get mixed up with the son of the man who ordered my abduction -- not again.

  “Oh, come on, Shirl,” Beth continues and I glare at her.

  “You might have found the exception to the rule when it comes to Ocheks but, trust me, Ece is not the same as Horgeer.”

  Ece ignores me. He is used to me voicing my opinion on his race by now. Instead, he continues to stare at his map, fascinated by it, apparently. From his angle, his features appear in profile and I try not to ogle at him. I may not like him but, as far as his species goes, he is certainly the best-looking one I have seen so far.

  His feline features stand out in stark contrast to what I am used to seeing with human men. But, somehow, his cat-like eyes and rough mane that is darker in color than Horgeer’s adds a ruggedness that would never be possible in a human male.

  Oh my, he certainly was rugged.

  Ece looks up and catches me staring at him. I blush before looking away. Not knowing what to do, I snatch the map from his hands. His fur is velveteen in texture and I itch to run my fingers over it properly. Instead, I take to searching out the map as intently as Ece had been a moment ago. “How long do you think we need to stay on Bruxland?”

  “A least a cycle of its moon,” Ece says and I fight the urge to look at him. “My father will likely head to Earth first before branching out to other planets. To be honest, I don’t even think that Bruxland will be on his radar for quite some time yet. After all, there’s no one on this ship from there and I’ve never been known to mingle with them.”

  “What are they like?” Beth asks. “I only know of them from our escape.”

  “They’re a primitive breed which is why they are used mainly for servitude positions.”

  “They are taken captive like we are,” I advise even as I shudder at the level of power the Galactic Union has over the universe.

  “Are you sure they will shelter us?” Beth continues without even missing a beat. However, I know her well by now and there is no way my comment will go unnoticed.

  “Their planet is also considered a holiday destination by our own kind. All I need to do is pretend that I’m on vacation. Once in, I can work out just how much information they know about our rebellion.”

  “Do you think your father will have notified other planets about us by now?” Beth asks. “It might be better if you stay here and we send someone else in.”

  “Maybe I should go?” Horgeer asks, entering the cockpit. Beth is smiling at him and I feel a tug inside. I wish that I had someone to love as much as Beth loved Horgeer. “No one would recognize me regardless of what they know.”

  Ece shakes his head. “You’re still injured. No, it has to be me.”

  “I’ll go with you,” I say suddenly, not even sure it was me saying the words until I notice everyone staring at me. “You know, if it’s a vacation spot and all.”

  Ece actually laughs at me and I glower in response.

  “It was just a suggestion,” I say and turn away. Let him travel to Bruxland alone, then, let him get caught. Maybe they’ll send him back to his father and I won’t have to look at his stupidly handsome face any longer.

  “Actually, that is a good idea—” Beth says as radio static interrupts her.

  “Hello?” a stranger’s voice says and we all gape in surprise.

  Chapter Two: Ece

  “Hello?”

  I am confused by the voice as I don’t recognize it. Before the interruption, I had been concentrating on Shirley and her ridiculous idea of following me to Bruxland. Glancing around, the voice repeats itself and I finally realize that it is coming from the radio.

  “Shh!” Horgeer says and I am happy to oblige.

  “Is there anyone there?”

  I slow my breathing, making sure that there really isn’t any noise to be heard on our end. While the radio is not active and therefore doesn’t return sound to the party on the other end, I know that some programs have been developed that can crack through and access a radio so that it can be used as a covert listening device, even if that option is turned off by the receiving party. I know this because it is what we have one installed in order to eavesdrop on Bruxland as we approach.

  Horgeer reaches out and presses a button, disabling our intergalactic connection. While we have had a cloaking device on the entire time, I have also been hooking us in via a secret geo-address in order to access the universal web.
The potential is also there that our location could be accessed via the back door, so long as someone knew we were there and where to look to find us. It was slim, for sure, but now I wonder if it was such a good idea to stay connected.

  “I’m trying to contact the women who fled the Leonida,” the voice continues, leaving no doubt that the message is intended for us. “There are others who want to join you.”

  The person sounds a little robotic like it is being run through a really good voice disguising program. This means that it could literally be anyone. While the voice sounds feminine, it could actually be my father on the line and my heart races at the prospect. This sort of ploy was exactly the sort of thing that my father would implement.

  “Who do you think it is?” Horgeer asks now that he is more confident that we are not being listened in on.

  “I have no idea,” I reply. “It’s definitely a voice program.”

  “I agree,” Horgeer says. “I don’t recognize the voice at all.”

  “Let’s kill the radio then?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Horgeer unplugs the radio and the static from the open line instantly disappears. We all slump collectively, each giving out a hiss of held breath as we relax.

  “The radio stays unplugged until after we have landed,” Horgeer says and I nod in agreement.

  This will be an inconvenience. Now, it will be impossible to learn if the news of our rebellion has reached here or if my father is still trying to keep the news contained. After all, if other planets find out that the Union’s breeding program has been compromised then a much larger uprising could occur.

  It makes sense to believe that my father is remaining silent on the matter. However, I also know that my father isn’t a fool. If he remains officially and publicly quiet, he will have other avenues in order to try and locate us.

  And, perhaps the person on the radio isn’t my father. Maybe news has escaped regarding our departure. And not via my father, or being sanctioned by the Union. Could there really be others like us out there that want to see the Union overturned?

  I look at Shirley. Her jaw is clenched tightly so it is likely she is ignoring me as she seethes off to one side. Even after all of our history, I still find the woman attractive. A familiar twitch in my loins backs this up but I try to ignore it. After all, Shirley would never be interested in me in that way again. Not after what I did to her.

  “I think the vacation idea might be a good one,” I finally say quietly as I swallow my pride. Shirley and I have never been on good terms, will never be on good terms and I kind of respect her for that. We have too much history to be able to get along. However, for the sake of finding a planet that will shelter us, I am willing to set aside our differences, to ignore the fact that we once shared a bed.

  “I agree,” Beth says. “Like I was trying to say before I was rudely interrupted by the radio, it wouldn’t seem out of place for an Ochek to be on vacation with his breeder.”

  While most breeders were kept on board the Galactic Union’s space station, some were allowed to travel outside, especially those that had proved to be faithful or had provided many children. It was not a common occurrence but it certainly wasn’t unheard of.

  Shirley’s jaw is working away like she is trying to swallow something dry. I want to laugh at her but resist the urge while I wait for her reply. Finally, she nods.

  “Excellent,” Beth says and I actually can’t believe that I am looking forward to some one on one time with Shirley.

  Chapter Three: Shirley

  The planet is blue. But, not like Earth is when we look at it from a distance. No, this planet is blue up close. The sky, so much like ours makes me yearn for home. I swallow once, twice, trying to knock down the grief rising.

  It has been five years since I have stepped foot on Earth, since I have smelled the ocean and ran my fingers through coarse sand. I miss it so much. Not only the serenity of my beach house but the bustle too. I miss seeing my own kind en masse as they travel to work, as they frolic at the beach. Their lives menial, structured, normal.

  Around me, there is a sea, of types. Grey-trunked trees with aqua leaves surround us. I reach out, touch the shiny leaves, so familiar, yet so alien at the same time. The leaves are rigid, like those of a bay tree. I break one off and bring it to my nose, hoping for a reminder of home. This leaf has an aroma but it is bitter, not at all like the comforting smell of bay. For some strange reason, it makes me ache for home even more.

  “How much further?” I ask, to avoid the fact that tears are threatening. My voice is strange as it tries to vocalize the words around the lump in my throat.

  Ece is looking at the map. It’s not a very male thing to do. Well, not where I come from anyway, and it breaks my mood, almost drawing a smile through my sadness.

  “We need to find the Braxa River.”

  I nod and broaden my search. We are following a path through the thick forest but I can see the trees starting to thin as more light filters through up ahead.

  The sound of wildlife is abundant. Shrill sounds high in the trees intensify as we pass, as though telling others of our arrival. Then, lower down, at ground level, there is the rustle of things moving. Sometimes there is a brief low honk or a squeal of an animal. I wonder what these creatures look like, if they will be somewhat familiar to me like the trees are. Or, will they be entirely unknown to me, like something I have never seen before.

  I look skywards, hoping to catch a glimpse of a beast flying overhead, of some semblance of life other than the forest sounds but, there is nothing.

  Ahead, I can hear the faint gurgling of what I assume is the Braxa River. I close my eyes for a moment, listening close, pretending that I am home, that the gurgling sound is the river emptying into the ocean near my house. Once again, I fight against the tears.

  “Shirley?” Ece questions. His voice is quiet and I flinch when he touches me. His fingers on my arm helps to release the sob I have been holding back and I am embarrassed at the sound. “Are you okay?”

  His touch firms and I keep my eyes closed, pretending that this isn’t happening, that I am not losing my shit in the middle of some godforsaken alien backwater. His arm envelops me, pulling me in and I can’t resist, my grief is too raw.

  After all these years, I thought that I had dealt with my abduction, with being ripped away from my happy life and taken aboard the Galactic Union’s ship, the Leonida. But all I had done is compartmentalized it, locked it away in some dark recess of my mind that was now being torn open unexpectedly.

  I lean into Ece’s embrace. His smell is familiar to me, even if it brings back memories of my early abduction, of having to mate with him against my will. In the world we are present in today, he is the only person familiar to me, the only thing of which I have a memory. Everything else is new, strange, and, to a degree, frightening, if I am really going to admit things to myself as I wrap my arms around Ece’s waist.

  I sob quietly, still trying to hold it all in, to not let myself be overcome with the grief inside. I much prefer the void of emotion I had cultivated. I will it back. Instead, I find myself running my fingers through the fur of Ece’s waist that is peeking out from where his shirt has come free of his pants.

  I feel the weight of Ece’s lips on the top of my head and hear the purr that he makes when he is trying to soothe. It is a sound that I have missed.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he whispers as he kisses my hair.

  Releasing my grip on Ece, I bring the edge of my own shirt up to my face and wipe away the tears.

  “I really hope so,” I say as I try to get it all together again. My voice trembles and I am mad at myself for revealing my inner turmoil to Ece, of all people.

  Ever since he gave me up for not being able to produce offspring, I have vowed to never let him in, to never show how I really feel about this betrayal. I might have had feelings for the prince, feelings that even I didn’t want to admit most of the time, but they were n
ot going to surface and he was not going to use them against me once more.

  “When do you need to cuff me?”

  I really don’t want the wrist and neck cuffs but it is all I can think of to say rather than speak of my emotional breakdown.

  Ece is silent, his liquid eyes observing me, probing me. My own gaze darts away, not ready to be caught up in revealing any more of my dark secrets, of potentially revealing how I really feel for Ece.

  “Someone is coming,” Ece whispers and I turn to follow his gaze.

  A group of Brux are far ahead. There are five of them, which looks to be two males and three females. It’s hard to tell with their type, though, since I have only seen a few of them during my captivity.

  I am surprised to see that their skin is actually a vivid green. Onboard the Union’s ship, the ones I had seen were greyish in pallor, their bodies doughy from both restriction to their departments and a lack of sunlight. These Brux were much firmer, their muscles more defined and they are closer in physique to the males of my own kind. Well, if you exclude the fact that they have strange bulbous feelers sprouting from the tops of their heads.

  As they approach, I also notice more about the females, who appear to have three breasts. Along with this, their feelers are smaller and less noticeable with their wild crops of curly hair.

  “Quick,” Ece says and I look back.

  He has the cuffs ready and my breath hitches. These restraints are different from what I had when on board the Leonida. Yet, they are still restraints. It still revives my past and my memories of being Ece’s breeder.

  At least these ones are old school and have no electric shocking capacities.

  I reach out my wrists, presenting them to Ece. He snaps them quickly around my outstretched limbs before reaching up with the neck cuff. He steps in closer and I can smell the musk of him as he leans in to wrap the metal device around my neck.