by Eden Ember
Stolen by the Alien Warrior Xyru
A SciFi Alien Warrior Romance
AARAN BARBARIANS Book 3
EDEN EMBER
EVE LAIRD
Cover by Eve Laird
Edited by Perfectly Plotted Books
Copyright 2020 Eden Ember & Eve Laird
All rights reserved.
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 persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. This work is property of Eden Ember & Eve Laird, please do not reproduce illegally.
About the Aaran Barbarians Series
For an Aarran warrior, there’s only one thing stronger than their will to defeat the Zeta Empire and that’s the primitive hunger that can only come from finding their fated mate. None imagined that the sweet whisper of love could exist in the midst of so much violence and death. Perhaps that’s exactly where it’s needed most.
Join the valiant, brutal and fierce barbarian warriors as they discover just how much stronger love is than hate.
Chapter 1
MARE
“We need these weapons,” I said. Behind us, the ground shook as a mortar went off, blowing through the side of the rock hill.
“How long have you been on Zeta?” Allegra asked.
“Too long. I came for a quarter run, over a year ago. Too much going on here to leave. The ships coming from Earth crash so easily in this volatile system.” I shook my head. The ship, Xonar, never arrived to carry me out seven months ago. It skirted in through the atmosphere while taking on fire and crashed into the Luthargian ocean. I didn’t even bother to find a way off the planet before realizing I’d probably die here.
“Oh yeah, our ship crashed on Zarsola. But if it had not, I would not have met Gandrox,” she replied.
I peered at the Aaran alien. I’d seen them around, barbarians they were to us, but they helped us with weapon runs whereas no one else would. The damn Kwobus made anyone’s life hell if they tried helping us. Allegra’s experience proved that point.
“You fell in love with the Aaran?” I asked her.
She chuckled. “It wasn’t like, well, yeah, I suppose so. I can’t describe it. He was rather calloused with us at first. Well, you know how we stowed away on their ship. I’m still amazed that he claimed me as his mate,” she said.
“I'm amazed that you allowed it,” I said as I shook my head. I could not imagine allowing such a thing to happen with me.
“Don’t knock it ‘till you try it. These Aarans are magnificent lovers,” Allegra told me.
The tall blue brute walked up, his light blue eyes set on me as he smiled. My heart quickened as I stared back at him. I mean, he might have been blue, but he was also well built, like the sexiest of a human male, only with blue skin. Maybe I can see why Allegra fell for Gandrox.
He waited and lifted his brow at Allegra. She sighed. “Okay. Mare, this is Xyru Florb. He’s one of the Torq Runner crew members, and right now he’s helping us with our mission here,” Allegra said.
“Hello,” I said as I stared at the tall blue and handsome alien. He peered at me as if sizing me up or something. “Can I help you?”
He chuckled, a low reverberation coming from his muscular chest. “Maybe,” he replied.
“Xyru,” Allegra said while rolling her eyes as she walked away, leaving me alone with the barbarian.
“How long have you been stuck on this rock?” Xyru asked as he sidled up next to me, helping to lift the crates of relief supplies for the embattled beings in the refugee camp.
“Rock? You mean planet? Zeta is a big planet, thriving with vegetation,” I said and laughed.
“Yeah, semantics,” he replied.
I loved his sense of humor. I have a habit of speaking my mind when I shouldn’t. “You know, I’ve been here longer than I originally signed up for, but that’s okay. It’s not like I have any family on Earth,” I told him.
“I’m sorry. What happened?” Xyru’s genuine interest in my story intrigued me.
“I have no clue. I grew up an orphan, shipped from home to home until I was old enough to leave and head out of the star system. It took two years of training before coming here and that was a year ago,” I said.
“You’re still a child?” He scrutinized me.
I laughed. “Maybe Aarans live longer than humans, but they consider us adults at eighteen. I’m twenty-three now. A perfectly legal adult.”
He nodded. “Are you tired of being here?”
“On Zeta? I mean, I was all set to fly out of here when the ship crashed.” I shrugged.
“You should fly with us. The Torq Runner has room. Some Terrans are staying here. My captain has a mate, he’s taking her with us. She could use the company of another Terran. Elgan has a Terran mate as well,” Xyru said.
I grimaced. “Fly out with you? What do you want to do, claim me as your own?” I asked. It really was a joke, but he didn’t laugh. I shrunk back and said no more while I turned to leave. Xyru had to be nuts.
Though the alien captured my attention, the thought of going off on a whim gave me pause. For a split second I considered it, but I really didn’t know him very well. Allegra and Diamond are my friends, but I’d just met them recently too. We were friends because we are humans and there weren’t many humans here on Zeta. They had spread the Earth Relief workers out over the war torn planet.
My little dive, a room in a hovel of a building near the edge of the refugee camp, offered little in home comforts save for a crude cot, Zeta’s finest flaxen cloth for covers, and what little I had in clothing from Earth. The bathroom area of our camp stood next to the building, and if one needed to use the facilities, one had to leave the comforts of their room to do so. Every night I made my way to do my human things, such as brushing my teeth and showering. The little bag contained freshly cleaned clothes to wear that night and the next day, plus all the toiletries I had. I paid no mind to the shadows, beings were always out and about. However, it startled me to see Xyru coming at me, rushed and harried.
“Quick,” he said as he held out his gigantic hand to me.
“What?” I asked as I stepped toward him.
“It’s Allegra. She asked me to fetch you to the ship, quickly. She needs you,” Xyru said frantically.
“Okay, okay,” I replied as he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward his surface scuttle.
“Hurry, there’s no time,” he said.
“Wait, what about my bag?”
“Hang onto it, drop it, whatever,” he answered as he sat upon the small transport.
I settled behind him, and shoved my small bag between us. I hung onto the alien as we soared across the surface toward the hangar. I couldn’t imagine the urgency, but I was very used to this sort of thing, where I had to drop all to help another. Allegra called for me, so I’d see about it and then return to my business. I thought they’d taken off already.
No one stood at the open hatch of the Torq Runner. “Where’s Allegra?” I asked.
“Inside, come on, she’s waiting,” Xyru urged.
I followed the giant blue alien through the myriad of passages within the ship until we reached a cargo hold. When I stepped into the plain room, the door shut with a swish behind me. Turning around, I found no one within. There were very few things inside except for a few crates of supplies. A pile of blankets was stacked against the far wall and a small closet which held nothing but a ship’s toilet was nearby. A ship’s toilet here?
The door wouldn’t budge as I pulled at it. I banged hard on the surface. “Xyru? Anyone? Help!” No one heard or came to my rescue. Af
ter pacing the floor for a few moments, the light dimmed and the distinct hum of engines sounded. I swayed as the giant ship shuttered. It was taking off! I crammed myself between the crate and the wall, on top of the pile of covers. The humming continued and finally, after a few minutes, the shuddering stopped. I remember the sensation of a ship taking flight.
“Someone, hello? Help! I demand to speak to Allegra!” I shouted. Apparently, Xyru had kidnapped me.
Eventually, fatigue set in as I slumped against the stack of covers. Surely someone would happen back here again and open the door. The lull of the engines sent me to sleep, although I wasn’t exactly comfortable. I remained calm because I knew Allegra was on the ship along with Diamond and they would straighten everything out. Deep inside, a secret thrill rushed through me at the change of scenery, but then the deceptiveness with which Xyru acted angered me.
I bolted awake when the door suddenly opened. Xyru marched in carrying a shallow box. The grogginess which had me previously cleared as I stood and glared at the beast. “How dare you! I demand to see Allegra,” I growled at him.
He smiled. “She’s busy. Here, I brought food. She likes this, it’s our famous Aaran grub, as she says. It’s breakfast. How did you sleep?” Xyru acted as if holding me hostage was nothing.
“You kidnapped me! I demand to see Allegra,” I replied.
“I didn’t kidnap you. You willingly got on the surface scuttle and followed me in here. It’s just a coincidence that the ship took off when it did. So you’re with us for the duration,” he said as he grinned.
My hand was planted firmly on my hip as I paced in front of him. “And what are you going to do next? Claim me as your mate?” I asked.
He smiled, and a chill and rushed up my spine. “Are you willing?”
“No, jerk,” I spat.
“Okay, you can call me names. Once you get to know me, you’ll like me better. You’ll see,” he said.
“I will not. You’re an asshole! I demand to see Allegra,” I said for the third time.
“Eh, not yet. I still haven’t convinced you,” Xyru said as he perched on the crates.
“I didn’t invite you to sit down with me. You captured me against my will,” I fumed.
“No, I didn’t. You willingly followed me on board this ship,” he countered.
“Then take me to Allegra now.”
“No, can’t do that. Not while you’re so angry with me.”
“Seriously? What do you expect? Besides, where can I go now? We’re in flight, aren’t we?” I spread my hands by my side. I didn’t like being controlled in this way.
“When you are calm, we can talk and you’ll see. I know it, but you don’t know it yet,” Xyru said as he stood.
“Know what?”
“That we’re fated mates,” he replied.
I grimaced. “So you admit that you’ve kidnapped me to claim me as your mate?”
“I admit to falling for you. I know you are my fated mate. You’ll come to this conclusion as well.”
“Against my will.” I folded my arms over my chest.
“No, you will see it soon. Until then, think about it,” he said as he stood to his feet. I opened my mouth, and he held up his hand and wagged his finger at me. “You can scream all you want. No one will hear you back here. This is our newly renovated cargo containment. I’ll be back with more things later,” he told me. After striding out the door, it closed with a swoosh.
I ran to it and checked. Still locked. Banging on it was of no use. I fumed as I paced. The barbarian had taken the wrong human. I would not take this lying down. The ship would have to land at some point and when it did, whether I saw Allegra or not, I’d escape from the mad barbarian’s clutches.
Chapter 2
XYRU
“Where have you been?” Gandrox asked as I walked onto the bridge. I smiled.
“Taking care of business. Even Aarans need a cleaning once in a while,” I replied as I climbed onto the stool and peered at the star charts before me.
“I’ll say,” Allegra chimed in as she sidled up to Gandrox and laced her arm through his.
“Leaving the Cantor System, we’ll stop off at Sector T-90m at Av’Na for refuelling in three days,” Gandrox announced. “And you are not to leave the ship unless I’m with you.” He was speaking directly to Allegra.
Sector Av’Na was a small system of minor planets with very little life except for the places we would stop with the Torq Runner. Still, Av’Na had a few spots where nefarious beings were tucked neatly away.
“I will go with you for the food.” Allegra turned to me with a brilliant smile. “I want to fill our cargo hold with little peachy fruits and tarkbeans.” The one and same cargo hold that held Mare, no doubt.
“Sounds good,” I said as I smiled.
“You are in such a good mood. What gives, Xyru?” Allegra asked. Nothing escaped her keen eyes.
“I’m just happy to be alive,” I answered as I poured over the star chart, hoping she’d take the hint and leave me alone.
By the time we arrived at Av’Na, I hoped to have wooed Mare, and then she’d be rightfully mine. Only she did not realize it yet. Keeping her hidden in the food cargo hold was easy because no one would go in there because it was empty. But after we landed on Av’Na, she would need to leave the room. By then, she would be mine.
Stealing away from the prying eyes of my very focused captain wasn’t easy. Gandrox barely gave me time to bring Mare food. The door opened, and she lunged at me, nearly making her way past me, but I forced my way inside and gently pushed her back.
“Now, Mare, why are you trying to escape?” I asked.
“So then you admit that you kidnapped me?”
I smiled. “I didn’t. You willingly walked in here, remember?” I set the tray of food down.
“I demand to see Allegra,” she said.
“I smiled. You have such a, how do Terrans say it, pretty face,” I replied.
She lunged at me, her hand out, and swiped at me. My hand shot up and stopped what would have been a slap across my face. I held onto her arm. “Feisty.”
“You have no right to keep me here,” Mare argued as she stumbled back to her pile of covers and slumped to the floor. Tears stained her eyes.
“Oh no, please don’t cry,” I said as I scooted closer to her and handed her a napkin from the food tray.
“Why not? I’m held hostage on this ship. You’re not even giving me a choice in the matter,” she complained.
I sighed. “Perhaps I overstepped my bounds with you. I’m sorry. I’m new to this whole fated mate thing.” All I knew was my heart beat hard the first time I met her. Time was of the essence and I didn’t have the luxury of waiting for her to realize that we were meant to be together. I did what I had to do to secure my future.
“You think?” she retorted. “Look, I’m not sure how Aarans do things, but kidnapping someone because you think they are your fated mate is not how humans do it. Doing what you did will have me hating you rather than falling in love.”
She said love! I smiled, my heart filled with hope. “I’m sorry. I just think if you were around me a little more that you’d see it too. I’ve seen it happen to my captain and to my friend with other Terrans. I didn’t think that it would happen to me, but when I laid my eyes on you I felt an instant connection. You really didn’t feel anything?”
“Xyru, you can’t just take someone against their will and expect them to instantly love you. You lied to me about Allegra and then kidnapped me. Look,” Mare said as she smiled suddenly and stood. “If you want me to trust you and let this play out as you think it will, let me out of here.”
I knew that I had no choice as I nodded. “Okay, but you promise to get to know me better and see if maybe there’s a connection between us?”
Her eyes narrowed into slits. “Do you promise that you won’t claim me against my will? Like you will give me time to figure out if I like you as much as you claim to like me?”
> “I won’t claim you without you wanting it as well.” Though I uttered the words, I wasn’t sure how long I could hold out before my raw nature took over. My fated mate stared at me.
“Good. Now, when we land, let me out.”
“You promise you won’t tell Allegra that I kidnapped you?” I asked.
“I promise. I won’t say a word to Allegra about it,” she told me as she held up her hand.
“I’ll be back once we land on Av’Na.” I left her in the room, locking the door behind me. Guilt riddled my mind as we prepared for the quick stop.
I strode ahead to the cargo room and opened the door. “Okay, you can stay in the bunk room with several other Terrans, I’ll explain why you’re here. Gandrox may have my head, but he’s calmer now that he has Allegra,” I told her.
“Great. Let’s go,” Mare replied as she held onto her bag.
“I’ll put your bag in your room for you. Follow me.”
The Egars of Av’Na came on board carrying crates of food. Gandrox and Allegra had stepped off for a while, and the crew took the time to stretch their legs on solid ground as well. The Egar stopped and peered at me, asking me where to put the crates.
“Go on, put the crates by my blankets. I’ll make myself at home on this ship,” Mare said as she disappeared into the interior.
“This way,” I said to the Egars and showed them to the room. Allegra had ordered so much food, the crates stacked nearly to the ceiling of the cargo hold. When they finally left, I made my way to the interior, ready to explain why a new Terran was on board the Torq Runner.
Gandrox and Allegra came up, laughing and in a happy mood. I’d just searched throughout the ship and couldn’t find Mare anywhere. Worried that someone else would discover her first, I wanted to make sure that she was with me when I told everyone about her.
“Time to fold up and head out,” Gandrox said.
“No! Wait! We can’t!” I desperately held out my hands.
“Why not?” Gandrox demanded.
“Mare. She’s missing and we’ve got to find her,” I admitted.
