 
# A Warrior's Heart

### Marastin Dow Warriors

## S.E. Smith

### Contents

Acknowledgments

Copyright

Synopsis

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

Epilogue

Sample of Command Decision

Sample of Lily's Cowboys

Sample of Choosing Riley

Sample of Ha'ven's Song

Additional Books and Information

About the Author

# 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 Sally, Debbie, Julie, Jolanda, Jackie, and Narelle, who listen to me, read my stories, and encourage me to be me.

And a special thanks to Paul Heitsch, David Brenin, Samantha Cook, Suzanne Elise Freeman, and PJ Ochlan—the awesome voices behind my audiobooks!

—S. E. Smith
Science Fiction Romance

A WARRIOR'S HEART: MARASTIN DOW WARRIORS BOOK 1.1

Copyright © 2014 by S. E. Smith

First E-Book Published February 2014

Cover Design by Melody Simmons

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.

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All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations are strictly coincidental.

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Summary: Two human brothers, kidnapped and sold by an alien trader, discover love in the most unusual place when they meet two sisters fighting to stay alive among their own kind.

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ISBN: (Paperback) 978-1-942562-89-4

ISBN: (eBook) 978-1-942562-33-7

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Published in the United States by Montana Publishing.

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{1. Science Fiction Romance. – Fiction. 2. Science Fiction – Fiction. 3. Paranormal – Fiction. 4. Romance – Fiction. 5. Alien Romance – Fiction.}

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www.montanapublishinghouse.com

# Synopsis

Only the most ruthless Marastin Dow are allowed to live, and Evetta and Hanine have murdered enough of their own to stay alive, but they desperately want a different life. When they meet two human brothers fighting for their lives, the sisters are in agreement: this alliance could be their only chance.

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Ben and Aaron Cooper's lives have never been easy. Deserted by their mother and raised by a drunken father, each day on their Kansas farm was its own kind of test. Life dealt them a horrendous twist, however, when they were kidnapped by an alien trader and sold. The next fifteen years proved to be the most challenging of their lives. They did what they had to in order to survive, but now that their freighter is being attacked by a particularly blood-thirsty species, it seems like their time might truly be coming to an end.

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There is only one thing these warrior women can do to save them... run!

# Chapter One

"What do you think will happen now?" Aaron Cooper asked as he leaned his head back against the cold metal wall of their prison cell. "Do you think this might be the end? Do you think they'll kill us?"

"I don't know," Ben replied grimly, looking over his shoulder at his younger brother. "I've heard some nasty things about this species."

"Hell, heard! You saw what they did to the rest of the crew on the freighter," Aaron said tiredly. "Maybe it is just as well. I've given up hope of ever making it back to Earth."

Ben didn't say anything. What could he say? He had lost hope of ever seeing Earth again years ago. He might only be sixteen months older than Aaron, but he was always more pessimistic about life than his brother.

Life had never been easy for them. Their mother deserted them and their father shortly after Aaron was born. If that wasn't bad enough, their father began drinking so much that by the time they were old enough to open a box of cereal they were pretty much on their own. Then the unbelievable happened. They were kidnapped by an alien slave trader from the Kansas farm where they lived.

It has been almost ten years since that day. He was fourteen and Aaron twelve at the time. They were repairing barbed wire fencing along one of the less used fields when they were taken. Their dad was supposed to do the work, but he was too drunk to get his ass out of bed. Ben drove the old pickup truck and he, along with Aaron, did the work instead of their father. It was the only way to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, though they spent more time hungry than fed.

If they thought life was hard before, it became brutal for the first five years after they were taken. It wasn't until the captain of the last freighter won them in a game of chance that things changed slightly for the better. Life still hadn't been easy, but at least they were able to scrape a little bit of a normal life together.

Ben convinced every one of their previous owners that he and Aaron must stay together or they would die. It was the only thing he could think of to keep them together. Since their species hadn't been seen before, it had worked.

They had spent the last five years working on the freighter; cooking, cleaning and doing repairs. The captain even let them have a few credits from the sale of the illegal merchandise that he carried. They saved every credit in the hopes of buying their freedom or escaping, whichever came first.

That dream came to an end when the freighter was attacked. All of the crew members were killed except for him and Aaron. He didn't know why. Maybe it was because the Marastin Dow, a Spartan type species, according to what they learned over the years, had never seen a human before. Or, it could be because the purple bastards wanted to have fun as they killed them. He didn't know, and truthfully, he was at the point he didn't give a damn anymore.

Aaron stood up when the door leading down to the prison cells, opened. A large Marastin Dow male walked up to their cell door. He looked Ben up and down before turning his gaze to Aaron.

"Do you understand me?" The male asked gruffly.

"Yes," Ben replied.

"You will not fight. You will do what you are told. Do you understand?" The male stated.

"Yes," Ben replied again.

"What are you going to do to us?" Aaron asked.

The male looked at Aaron. "You will work. You will keep your head down. And you will live if you are careful. Do not trust anyone unless I say you can. Most of the crew would sooner slit your throat for the fun of watching you die than help you. If you do as I tell you, you might live long enough to get off this ship alive," the man explained in an emotionless voice.

"Why?" Ben asked, puzzled. "Why don't you just kill us like you did the rest of the crew?"

The man shrugged and briefly looked away. "I saw that you were different," he said quietly. "I saw the way you protected the younger one. You did not try to push him in front of you so you could escape. I want to learn more about you and your species. In exchange for information, I will do what I can to protect you both."

"Why?" Ben asked again, pressing the male standing in front of him. "Why do you want to know more about us?"

The man stared taciturnly back at Ben. "I am a scientist. I study other species. I believe there are other ways to... live. I want to know... learn about them. Others of my kind want it as well. You will give me the information I need."

"For how long?" Aaron interrupted. "How long will you protect us?"

The man finally sighed. "For as long as I can or until someone on this warship decides to kill me," he stated in resignation. "I am the Chief Science Officer. If someone else desires my position, my life expectancy significantly drops."

"Then I guess we better make sure that you have someone watching your back as well," Ben said quietly. "My name is Ben Cooper, by the way. This is my brother, Aaron."

The male looked at the hand Ben was holding out through the metal bars. He looked back at Ben's face for several long seconds before he hesitantly held out his own hand. He started when Ben shook it and released it.

"That is called a handshake," Ben explained. "You said you wanted to learn more about our species. Here's your first lesson. Humans shake hands as a way of greeting each other."

The man looked at his hand, turning it over to stare at his palm before his dark eyes rose to study Ben and Aaron. "My name is Behr De'Mar, Chief Science Officer of the warship _Disappearance._ It is best until you learn your way around that you stay on the levels I tell you. Those levels have crew that I trust and that is not an easy thing to find among the Marastin Dow."

**Four years later:**

**Aboard the Marastin Warship _Disappearance_**

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Evetta Marquette, Engineer Technician First Class, scowled at the large male who was crowding her in the deserted corridor. She seldom ventured far from her assigned post in engineering when she was working; today had been an exception. In fact, during the past year she and her sister had been aboard the _Disappearance_ , neither of them went beyond their assigned duty stations or the three upper decks that housed their sleeping quarters, dining and training rooms.

She wouldn't be here now if it weren't for a faulty sensor that she was ordered to replace. The technician who normally handled such things had been hurt during a fight the night before and was currently in medical receiving treatment. That, unfortunately, left her to repair it since she was the one on duty. Evetta realized the moment she removed the outer protective casing that the sensor had been tampered with. Her suspicion was confirmed when she turned and found a huge male standing behind her.

A sickening feeling washed through her at the malicious grin on his face. Instinctively, she knew there was only one way this situation was going to end – with one of them dead. Raising her chin, she stared back at the male with a hard, cold glare.

"Leave," she ordered, staring down at the lower class maintenance worker with a steely gaze.

"I've been watching you," the large male grinned. "I want you."

"That is too bad. I have work to do. I also out rank you. I order you to move away," Evetta hissed in a cold voice. "I will not tell you again."

"Not until I get what I want. Do you think your rank will stop me? I could kill you and take your position," he taunted, rubbing the front of his pants. "I hope you like it rough, female. I am looking for some satisfaction," the man continued as he stepped closer. "You and the other one that you room with have heated my blood. I have been waiting you for some time. You are not like the other females on board the ship. I like that. When I am done with you, I'll see if the other one can also help cool my blood, at least for a little while."

"I will kill you first," Evetta snarled, stepping back a step until her back was almost touching the wall. "You will not touch either of us."

The man just chuckled as he swung his fist toward her jaw. Evetta was prepared. She and her sister trained every available moment for just such a situation. They often tried to sneak up on each other and take the other unaware. It was necessary to be prepared for deceit and violence if they were to survive their mandatory required service in the Marastin Dow military.

Evetta jerked back at the same time as she kicked her booted foot into the male's groin. She didn't wait to see his reaction. Pulling out the small metal weight she carried in her pocket, she swung it at the back of his head over and over again when he bent forward.

She didn't stop even when he fell to his knees and then collapsed on the floor. He would kill her if she didn't kill him first. With one last blow, she jerked backwards away from the blood pooling on the floor around the dead man. Nausea threatened to choke her, but she swallowed it down. With shaking hands, she cleaned the small metal pipe and as much as she could of the blood on her skin and clothing before she slid the pipe back into her pocket.

She glanced up and around. She did not need to worry about anyone seeing her unless they walked up on her. The Marastin Dow were a bloodthirsty species who killed each other with ease and could care less.

She knew there were those trying to change the Marastin Dow's way of life. Unfortunately, those still ruling their world believed in the old ways; survival of the fittest. She could only hope there would be changes before too long. She had heard rumors of the rebellion against their leaders. Hopefully this rebellion will stop those who believe in and encourage the bloodbath.

Still, they were just rumors. She and Hanine hated living in fear. They hated the constant threat of violence. They witnessed the brutal murder of their parents, years ago, when their father was chosen to participate in the _games_ as they were called.

Her mother fought to protect her father only to be slain for resisting. Their parents believed in a better way of life. They were merchants who dealt in herbs from different worlds and met many other species in their travels.

They lived in a small village that was already starting to see that violence was not a normal way of life. It wasn't until a new governor for that region killed the existing one that things began to change for the worse. Their parents were vocal about living in peace and that was the beginning of the end for them.

Once she and Hanine reached the age of enrollment at sixteen years, they were forced into a twenty year enlistment with the military by a new law their governor enacted. This was their sixth year of service and their second assignment. She wasn't sure how much longer they would last before they were either raped or murdered. They barely survived their last assignment and this one was proving to be even more challenging. Hanine had already been attacked twice. This attack was the fourth in less than two years for her.

Drawing in a deep breath, Evetta turned to head back toward the lift. She stopped when she heard the echo of voices coming toward her. Glancing around, she turned in the opposite direction. She had never been to the lower decks. It looked like she was about to have that chance now.

An hour later, Evetta leaned back against the side of the bulkhead and sighed. She had been weaving in and out of the corridors, avoiding the other crew members. She pushed off the wall and frowned when she heard the unusual sound of music echoing through the empty corridor. The haunting chords wrapped around her, as if invisible ropes were pulling her toward the melody. She moved slowly, hesitantly toward the sound.

Pausing outside the opening to a small room, she tilted her head in wonder. A strange alien male sat in a chair up against the wall. His feet were propped up on another chair and he was blowing into a small metal device that made beautiful music.

Her eyes roamed hungrily over his bent head. He didn't know she was there, or at least she didn't think he did since he didn't change his position. She stepped gingerly into the room, wanting to see more of his face. His hair was a dark brown and was long and shaggy. The ends were ragged, as if he cut it himself. His skin was a natural tan color, and darker brown hair covered his forearms. He was tall. As tall as the males of her species and he was just as muscular if the fit of his shirt was any indication.

She froze when he glanced up at her. He never paused in the song he was playing. His dark brown eyes gazed back at her with intensity as he continued playing the unusual melody. She started to take a step back but forced herself to remain where she was standing.

Her eyes scanned the rugged face of the unusual male. He had high cheekbones and a long, narrow nose that was slightly crooked in the center. Dark stubble covered his cheeks, jaw and around his mouth. His long fingers moved with a grace that held her mesmerized as she watched him slide them back and forth across the silver metal, making her wonder what it would feel like to have them slide across her skin.

Her lips parted as the last notes faded away, leaving them in silence. Her eyes jerked back up to his when he slowly lowered the instrument in his hands and stood up. She was unable to prevent the defensive step she took backwards as he rose to his full height. He stood at least a head taller than she did.

"Who... what are you?" Evetta asked in a voice she didn't recognize as her own. Since when was she ever this breathless around a male before? She frowned. "Where did you come from?"

# Chapter Two

Ben knew she was there the moment the female entered the small room that he used when he wanted to be alone. The room had a small port window, two chairs and nothing else. Hell, not much else could fit into the narrow space unless he took out the chairs.

He was used to the occasional visitor when he was playing his harmonica. It was the one thing besides Aaron that he had left to remind him of Earth. It had been the last gift their mom gave him before she patted him on the head and gave Aaron a kiss, and then she walked out of the door never to return.

He was playing Red River Valley. It was the first song he learned to play. There was something about the haunting melody that pulled at him on days when he was feeling melancholy. Over the years, he taught himself other songs that he vaguely remembered from Earth or made up new ones. It was one of the things that helped keep him sane.

He continued to finish out the chorus, drawing out the last few notes before turning his attention to his unexpected visitor. Behr was very careful about who came to the lower sections of the ship. He and the rest of the crew on the lower levels were very suspicious of any crew member who came down without being screened first. Since Ben had never seen this female before, he suspected she found her way down without their knowledge. Behr was very meticulous about introducing him and Aaron to anyone new – or warning them who they should avoid.

His gaze swept over the woman. He was surprised by his reaction to her. He had met a few other women on board over the last couple of years, but he had never had an instant attraction to any of them the way he did with this woman. Curious, he ran his gaze over her again as he tried to understand what was different about her.

"Can I help you?" Ben asked, rising to his feet and looking down at the slender woman.

"I... who are you? What are you?" she asked again in a confused, hesitant voice.

His lips curved up in an unexpected hint of a smile. He couldn't remember the last time he felt like smiling. The woman looked like she wasn't used to seeing a smile of humor either if the way she took a hesitant step back and stared at him with a wary expression was any indication.

He quietly studied her as she studied him. She was very attractive for being an alien. He never thought he would be drawn to someone with _purple_ skin, but there was something about the female that made him want to reach out and touch her.

She had the most amazing eyes that he had ever seen. They were dark, almost black and were shimmering with a shy curiosity. She had long, black hair that looked thick and glossy and it hung down her back in a long braid. He couldn't help but wonder what it would look like hanging loose. For a brief moment, the image of her lying on his bed, her hair spread out across his pillow, flashed through his mind and he could feel his body's reaction to it. That image and his response made him even more curious about her.

When she bit her bottom lip, he fought the urge to soothe it with a kiss. He could feel his cock harden even more at the idea. A dark frown of confusion crossed his face as he tried to understand why he was reacting the way he was. Sure, it had been years since he enjoyed the body of a woman, but he was used to dealing with his desires either on his own or through hard work to take his mind off his sexual needs.

"Well," the woman suddenly demanded, flushing when she realized he recognized that she was staring at him in curiosity. "Are you going to answer me?"

Ben chuckled at her irritated tone. "Actually, I was thinking how much I'd like to kiss you," he admitted in a slightly teasing tone. "My name is Ben Cooper, by the way. I'm a human. And you are?"

She looked startled before a reluctant smile tugged at her mouth. "I'm Evetta Marquette, Engineer Technician First Class."

"Would you like to have a seat?" Ben asked, stepping aside so she could sit in one of the two chairs. "I'm afraid I don't have any refreshments to offer."

"You...," Evetta glanced nervously at the chair before she looked back up at Ben. "You say you were thinking of kissing me, but you aren't trying to force yourself on me. Why?"

Ben grimaced, but didn't look away. "I don't believe in forcing my attentions on a woman. A woman has the right to make the choice. I prefer her willing and wanting. I find it much more rewarding if she is enjoying herself."

Evetta took a cautious step closer to him. "I want you to kiss me," she said suddenly. "But nothing more," she added hastily.

Ben's eyes widened in surprise before they darkened with desire. His gaze swept down to her lips. While her top lip was thin, her bottom one looked full and lush. He fought back a groan when her tongue darted out to moisten it. He shook his head and clenched his fists.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Evetta," Ben replied softly, turning away to look out the small port window at the darkness of space.

"Why? You don't want to kiss me now? You do not find me... attractive?" she asked in a puzzled voice. "Is it because I am different from your kind?"

Ben stiffened and looked down. How did he explain that he was afraid to touch her? What if he couldn't stop at just a kiss? It had been over four years since he was last with a woman. Then, it was with a whore that the captain brought back for him and Aaron before they left the last Spaceport. Evetta was no whore to enjoy, that was obvious. Neither was she an emotionless sex droid that each crew member used for the long trips between dockings. Something told him that he wouldn't be able to just cast her aside once the edge was taken care of.

Ben cleared his throat before he turned back around. "It's been a long time since I've been with a woman," he explained gruffly. "You are a very attractive woman, Evetta. I think it would be best if I keep my distance."

He watched her eyes widen in surprise before she frowned in concentration. He could tell she was arguing with herself. Her lips moved ever so slightly and she impatiently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of dried blood on her hand.

He reached out and grabbed her hand, ignoring the way she stiffened defensively. He held her slender hand in his, turning it until her knuckles were facing upward so he could see them better. They looked slightly bruised but he didn't see any cuts.

"You're bleeding," he murmured. "What happened?"

Evetta tried to jerk her hand back, but he refused to let her go. Now that he was touching her, he never wanted to let her go. The feel of her skin was surprisingly soft. He gently ran his thumb over her bruised knuckles.

"It is not my blood," she finally admitted in a soft voice.

Ben glanced up at her sharply. "Whose is it?" he asked.

Evetta glanced nervously down at the hand he was holding. She wasn't sure if she should tell him about what happened. What if he told her commanding officers? They more than likely wouldn't care, but they may demand something for their silence – like the use of her body in exchange.

She had heard about it and had also seen it happen too many times over the last six years. A female that was in her department on her last assignment was attacked by one of the engineers. That female had killed him in self-defense, just like she had. Only that fight was witnessed by one of the upper level commanding officers. He demanded the female pay restitution for the loss of the male or face death. Three months later, the female returned a hollow shell of who she once was. The officers had used her. She was transferred to another warship not long after that when she killed the commanding officer.

"I killed a male," she whispered. "Three levels up. He disabled a sensor and I was sent to repair it. He came up behind me and attacked me. I knew if I did not kill him, he would kill me after he...." Her voice faded at the memory and what it could mean to her life if she wasn't careful.

Ben felt the tremble in Evetta's hand when she admitted to him that she had just killed a man. He knew enough of the laws of the Marastin Dow that any repercussions would have nothing to do with justice. That was one of the things Behr and the others were working on – they wanted to create a constitution to protect the people from the injustices of those in power.

He shared with Behr a little of what he remembered about the United States and several other countries. He wasn't the best of students when he had lived on Earth, but he loved history and he remembered a book report he wrote comparing several different countries' political structures. Behr, along with several officers and enlisted personnel, was working on developing a similar Constitution for their people.

Over the last four years, both he and Aaron learned to read, write and speak the language of the Marastin Dow thanks to Behr. In return, he and Aaron were helping them start the fires of a revolution. Behr asked them both repeatedly to look over the draft and comment on it. For the first time in over ten years, he and Aaron felt like maybe there was a greater purpose in their kidnapping.

Ben blinked and returned to the present when he felt Evetta's hand tremble again. He hated the slight hint of fear in her voice. He could tell she was scared even as she tried to hide it. Unsure of how to express his feelings of sympathy, he gently pulled the slender figure into his arms and held her close.

Ben closed his eyes as he rested his chin on the top of her silky hair. He wanted to rub his cheek against the soft strands, but didn't want to frighten her. She had been through enough without him pushing his desire for her onto her. It would be a fruitless endeavor anyway. He had nothing to offer her. He had no future, no hope of anything but uncertainty and life among the lower levels of an alien warship. Hell, he didn't even have his own room to offer her privacy.

_No,_ he thought in despair as his arms tightened around her. _I have nothing to offer her but a moment of compassion and_ _comfort_.

# Chapter Three

Hanine Marquette frowned and glanced around her work area. Except for the one item that was not there just minutes before, it was exactly as she had left it. Her office, if she could call it that, was in a small room with nothing more than the computer monitoring system and a chair. She worked as a programmer and was damn good at what she did. In fact, she was much better than what her commanding officers were aware of which was just what she wanted.

She might be assigned as a lowly Engineering Programmer Third Class but she was much more skilled than her peers. She learned early in her career that when others underestimated who you were and what you could do, they became sloppy. They talked too much and they ignored her when she was around. They also left her alone in her little room where she was supposed to monitor the ship's systems.

They had no idea that she wrote a program that would allow her to take over the entire warship if she wanted. They also had no idea that she developed other programming scripts that could shut down systems and shield her and her sister's movements. She was currently working on a device that would allow her to teleport short distances undetected.

No, what was bothering her right now was the small item on her desk. It, and the dozens of others she found, appeared only when she was on duty. She normally took small breaks only to relieve herself or to do the hourly checks that were required in the other room. It didn't matter how often she tried to vary the times, the small items 'magically' appeared. She even found a few on her bunk in her personal quarters.

She was frustrated because she had set up surveillance equipment to monitor who came and went out of the room. So far, she was unable to capture anyone who was not assigned to the area.

Even the system she set up for their private quarters showed that no one enter the room but her and Evetta. She had specifically programmed the door so that no one else could enter except for them and she changed the password every few days.

"Where are these coming from?" she murmured under her breath.

Hanine carefully turned the delicate shape in her hand. This one was in the shape of a soft pink flying creature. The intricately folded creature was made of the same material as the rest of them. It was made of cloth fibers that were mixed, rolled flat and then dried. She did an analysis of one when they first started appearing several months before.

She carefully unfolded the creature. She hated destroying it, but she was curious when she saw the hint of a printed letter on the tip of one wing. Making sure she didn't tear the material, she sank down into her chair and worked at unraveling the form. Soon she was able to read the message written on the creased square.

_Can I keep you? Forever?_

Hanine's breath caught at the simple words. Her fingers trembled as she carefully traced them. She bit her lip to keep the smile from showing. Whoever was doing this was driving her crazy with curiosity.

"Who are you?" she whispered with a shake of her head. "How are you able to sneak past my sensors?"

Aaron Cooper lay back in the vent above the desk of the woman he had been dreaming about ever since he saw her while he was working in one of the maintenance shafts four months ago. He fell in love with her the moment she rolled her beautiful dark eyes at the two women calling her names.

His lips curled into a grin as he remembered her face when the two women turned away. She stuck her tongue out and made a face before returning to her work. It was obvious she couldn't care less what anyone thought of her. It made him curious about her, so he began watching her.

He discovered shortly after Behr assigned him to one of the maintenance workers that it was easier to move around the ship using the maze of maintenance access tunnels. When his mentor was reassigned to another warship, Behr had suggested Aaron take over the task of maintaining the sensors and wiring. Aaron readily agreed as it allowed him access beyond the lower decks.

He bit back a chuckle when he heard her whispered words of frustration. He always loved origami. Ben gave him a book on it when he was five in the hopes of helping him learn to read. In the past four months, he created every type of animal or shape he could remember and gave them to Hanine.

_Hanine. Her name is just as beautiful as she is,_ he thought as he remembered hearing it for the first time several months ago.

He closed his eyes and pictured her face in his mind. He wished he could touch her in real life. She had short black hair that danced around her face as she talked. She was always so animated when she was with her sister or when she didn't think anyone was watching her. He loved observing her in those unguarded moments.

She was a lighter purple than her sister. Her skin was more of a soft violet and he would bet the few credits he had that her skin was just as soft. She had a long narrow nose and soft, full lips that begged to be kissed. It was her eyes, though, that held him captive every time he saw her. They were almond-shaped and framed by the darkest lashes he had ever seen. He felt like he could drown in their dark depths.

With a sigh of regret, he heard the next crew member come in to relieve her. She would go up to the dining hall on the upper levels, get meals for her and her sister and return to their living quarters. They never ate with the other crew members. He would have just enough time to leave her another origami. This time he made a giraffe for her.

Pushing up, he silently rose to his feet and hurried away. One day he would meet her, even if it was only to watch her turn away from him in disgust. He knew he was nothing like any of the males of her species. While Behr and the others did their best to treat them as equals, Aaron knew that he and Ben would always be considered different.

_Until that day,_ he thought, _until the day she sees me, I'll be the ghost who loves her from afar._

# Chapter Four

Ben sighed when he felt the warm body in his arms finally relax against him. He gently rubbed his chin against Evetta's silky hair. A soft moan escaped him when he felt her slender arms slide up his chest. He started to release her, thinking that she was pushing him away before his eyes snapped open in surprise as they stopped on his broad shoulders.

"I do not understand why, but I want you to... kiss me," Evetta whispered. "I have never felt this urge before. What power does your species have that makes me want to touch you, taste you... hold you?"

Ben pulled back just far enough to look down into her puzzled eyes. With another groan, he lowered his head and captured her lips. The moment she opened for him, he took advantage and deepened the kiss. She tasted as sweet as he knew she would the first moment he saw her in the doorway.

He broke the kiss when she buried her hands in his hair. The sound of her soft whimper of frustration pulled at him. He pressed soothing kisses across her temple and down along her face to her jaw. He wanted to taste every part of her.

"Ben!" A sharp, deep voice called out, startling them.

Ben shielded Evetta with his body as he turned toward the male standing in the doorway frowning at him. Even though he knew it was Behr, he didn't relax his protective stance. He had no idea what the huge Marastin Dow male would do to their unexpected visitor. He relaxed when he saw it was surprise, and not anger, that darkened Behr's voice.

"This is Evetta," Ben said in a calm voice.

"I know who she is," Behr replied with a deep frown. "What I don't understand is why she is down here," he paused for a moment before his eyes narrowed on her. "Unless you are the cause of a dead maintenance worker my men found three levels up."

Evetta trembled and would have pulled away if not for the tightening of Ben's arms around her. She tilted her head in challenge, refusing to back down. She would fight before she allowed the officer standing in front of her to abuse her for protecting herself.

"He attacked me. I defended myself," Evetta responded stiffly. "If I had not killed him, he would have either attacked or killed me at another time."

Evetta watched as the Chief Science Officer regarded her. His eyes did not hold the cold, calculating look she had seen in others. Instead, she felt like he was peeling away the layers of protection she surrounded herself with to see deep into her soul. She finally had to look away. She was afraid he would see the fear deep inside her and use it against her.

"Evetta," Behr murmured, waiting for her to look at him again. "It is important that you do not mention that you were down here or that you saw Ben. Many of the other officers have forgotten he is here. It would be dangerous for him and his brother if others knew about them."

Evetta glanced up startled when she heard the warmth in the Marastin Dow's voice. Seldom, if ever, did a Marastin Dow male speak in such a way. In fact, the only males she could remember were her father and the others from their village who sought out a different way of life other than violence.

"I won't tell anyone. Would it... would it be possible not to report what happened above?" She bit her lip before looking back up at Ben. "I would also like to know how you came to be here."

Ben glanced at Behr, who nodded. "You might as well tell her. I'll have one of the females among my staff escort her back to her level in a little while. Until then, keep her here while I let the others know that she is not a threat," Behr said. "I'll also have them dispose of the body. It will be documented that the maintenance worker had an allergic reaction to something he ate."

"Thank you," Ben responded, curling his arm protectively around Evetta's waist.

Evetta watched as Behr nodded once before turning to leave. She turned back toward Ben, suddenly realizing that she was leaning into his embrace. She reluctantly stepped back and folded her hands in front of her.

"So, how did you come to be here and what power does your species have that makes me react to you?" Evetta asked, raising her chin in determination to understand why she wanted so desperately to be back in his arms.

Ben chuckled and raised his hand to brush her cheek with the back of his knuckles. He enjoyed the way she unconsciously leaned into his touch. A wave of unexpected longing hit him hard. He wanted her. The unexpected intensity of need and protectiveness confused him.

"It is a long story, but an interesting one. If you'd like to hear it, I'd be happy to share it with you," he murmured, as he dropped his hand back to his side and nodded toward one of the chairs. "As for the power I have that makes you react to me the way you do, I could ask you the same thing. I've never felt this way about a woman before. Perhaps it is you who has the power."

Evetta could feel heat rising in her cheeks. She bowed her head to cover the sudden feeling of shyness that swept through her. Taking a deep breath, she released it and moved to the chair that Ben indicated.

Over the next hour, Ben told Evetta about his and Aaron's life before and after their kidnapping. He tried to relate only the amusing things that happened, but soon found he was telling her about some of the darker times as well. He didn't understand why he was sharing things he never would have with anyone else but Aaron. It was as if a floodgate had opened with just a quietly asked question.

He was soon asking her questions of his own. He listened as Evetta hesitantly shared the story of her and her sister, Hanine's, life with him. He was surprised by the silent rage that built inside him when she told him of her mother and father's death and the subsequent enlistment into the military. He knew from what he learned from Behr and the other warriors how difficult and dangerous life aboard a warship was, especially for the female recruits.

All too soon, Behr returned with Inez, one of the female medics. Ben reluctantly rose from his chair. He didn't want Evetta to leave, but he knew they had no choice. She must return to her duties in Engineering or someone might become suspicious. He fought with the desire to ask to see her again. It was a hopeless situation. Not only did he not have anything to offer her, he and Aaron were living on borrowed time. Eventually, someone would say something and bring them to the attention of the other officers. Once that happened, there was no telling what would happen to them.

Ben glanced at Behr and Inez before turning back to Evetta who had risen as well. "I....," he began before breaking off with a curse. He drew in a deep breath before releasing it. "Be safe," he said gruffly.

"I will," she replied softly before walking over to the door where Inez stood waiting for her. She turned to look at Ben. "I wish to see you again."

Ben stood stiffly, his fists clenched by his side. He knew he should tell her no. He knew it was too dangerous for both of them, but he was helpless to resist. He had to see her again.

"I want to see you as well," he responded quietly.

The moment he saw the small smile that pulled her sweet lips up and the glimmer of shy pleasure in her eyes, he knew it was worth the risk. He would fight every warrior on board for the chance to spend just a few minutes in her company. He ignored Behr and Inez who stood just outside the door staring at them. Stepping forward, he pulled Evetta into his arms and crushed her lips with his in a fierce, possessive kiss before releasing her.

Ben swallowed down the howl of rage as he watched Evetta walk away from him. He clenched his fists again when he felt Behr's hand on his shoulder, keeping him from following her. Drawing in a deep breath, he fought for the calm that he practiced years to acquire.

"You know that it will be dangerous if you see her again," Behr commented.

"I'm a man, not a machine, damn it. Some things in life are worth the danger," Ben responded in a cold, quiet voice.

He shrugged Behr's hand off his shoulder and stepped back. Turning, he retreated down the corridor toward the lower training rooms set up by Behr and the other warriors. He needed to release some of his frustration. Since Aaron was still working, he would have to be content with pushing his body through a hard workout.

# Chapter Five

"Where are you going?" Hanine demanded with a frown. "For the past week, you have been disappearing every day after your shift is over."

Evetta looked up at her sister and shrugged. "I'm tired of being cooped up in our living quarters. I have been doing a little exploring."

"Evetta," Hanine said quietly. "It is not safe to wander the ship. You could be attacked... or worse."

"I will be fine," Evetta replied, tightening the strap on the knife sheath attached to her leg. "I will be careful."

"What is going on? You've never kept anything from me before, but I can tell that there is something different about you. Talk to me," Hanine begged, stepping in front of Evetta. "Please. I could not stand it if something happened to you."

Evetta bit her lip and stared at her younger sister for several long seconds before she released her breath. She knew she needed to assure her sister that she was safe, but how could she without revealing where she was going? She knew she could trust Hanine, but her fear of something happening to Ben was even greater.

"You must promise me you will not mention this to anyone," Evetta finally muttered under her breath. "You must promise me, Hanine. It is a matter of life or death."

Evetta could feel her sister's worried stare. She waited until Hanine nodded before she relaxed. Breathing a sigh of relief, she wrapped her arms around Hanine and gave her a big hug before taking a step back.

"I've met a man. He is different from any male I have ever met before," Evetta whispered. "He makes me feel things deep inside, Hanine. I would do anything to protect him."

"You've met a... who... Evetta," Hanine stammered in shock.

Evetta shook her head. "He is different, Hanine. He is not like us. He is a different species. His name is Ben Cooper and I care deeply for him."

"What do you mean a different species? Why have I never seen him? Where is he from?" Hanine asked before her eyes narrowed in determination. "I want to meet him."

"Hanine," Evetta began in exasperation.

"No! I want to meet him, Evetta," Hanine insisted. "I have to know that you are safe with him."

Evetta's eyes softened as she thought of how protective and gentle Ben was with her. The past week had been like a dream. She met him each day after her shift in one of the access tunnels. They varied the place of their meetings so it would reduce the likelihood of getting caught.

Each night he took her to a different spot in the lower levels. One night he had a simple meal set up. They ate dinner and they talked for hours. Another night, he played his music for her. She loved listening to it. Last night he kissed her until her head spun. She wanted him. Tonight, tonight she was going to make sure he knew how much she cared for him.

Evetta looked at her sister. "I love him, Hanine. I want to be with him."

Hanine gasped and stepped back. "Evetta, are you sure?"

"Yes," Evetta whispered softly. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

Hanine watched her sister's face soften. She could tell that Evetta meant what she said. She really did care for this 'alien' male. Fear twisted inside her. What would happen to her sister if others found out? Would she be killed just like her mother was?

"I want to meet him," Hanine replied. "I will do what I can to help protect you and your male. You have my loyalty as long as he is the one you want and he feels the same for you. But know this, Evetta. If I find he is using you, I will slit his throat."

Hanine watched as amusement lit up Evetta's face. "You will see he is not using me, Hanine. You will love him as much as I do. Just do not... do not judge him by his appearance. He is very different from us," Evetta begged quietly.

Hanine couldn't help but think of her own unusual admirer. She had carefully hidden the small creatures away from sight, but she kept the small pink square, from last week, with her at all times.

_Can I keep you? Forever?_

The words were etched into her heart, as surely as if whoever gave her the small creature had been a skilled surgeon. Every day, she found a different creature. Every day, she grew more desperate to know who would give her such beautiful gifts but refuse to come forward.

She carefully observed each of her peers, but none of them acted any different toward her. None of the sensors she set up detected anyone passing through the doorways. She even expanded the range to include the outer lifts. Still, only authorized personnel came and went.

"I am off for the next hour. Let us go so I can meet this male who has captured your heart," Hanine replied. "And I promise not to judge him by his appearance."

"Thank you," Evetta said, reaching out to squeeze Hanine's hand.

"Do not thank me yet, sister," Hanine retort with a grin. "I promised I would not judge his appearance. I didn't say anything about his character!"

Evetta's lilting laughter sounded strangely soothing after so many years of silence. It brought back memories of happier times. Hanine hoped that this strange male didn't silence it forever.

# Chapter Six

Evetta glanced around before she knocked on the service access door twice, paused and knocked one more time. If it weren't for Aaron, Evetta would never have known the panel in the wall was actually a doorway. She had learned more about the _Disappearance_ in the past week than she had in the past two years.

Hanine was keeping watch to make sure no one else was nearby. She glanced at the tablet in her hand that monitored all the heat signatures within one hundred meters of them. She frowned when she saw two on the other side of the wall.

"Wait," Hanine hissed and looked at Evetta in warning. "There are two heat signatures."

Evetta smiled reassuringly at Hanine. "That is Ben's brother, Aaron. He knows all the access tunnels. He comes with Ben to make sure we do not get lost."

"Oh," Hanine said with a feeling of unease. "You didn't mention there were two aliens."

"Relax, Hanine. Aaron is very sweet as well. He is no threat," Evetta responded as the panel opened. "Come."

Evetta stepped through the hidden panel and straight into Ben's arms. She knew she should be used to it but she couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped her as his mouth hungrily covered hers. She felt his body shudder against hers before he released her when he heard Aaron's soft curse.

He started to pull Evetta behind him when he saw another figure step through the doorway before Aaron closed the panel. He paused when he felt Evetta's hand on his arm. His eyes narrowed on the slender figure of the other female.

"Oh shit!" Aaron whispered.

"Do not be alarmed," Evetta responded in a quiet voice. "This is my sister, Hanine. She will not betray us."

Ben returned the other female's sharp gaze with one of his own. He could see the surprise and shock in them as she took in his unusual features. With a nod, he tightly gripped Evetta's hand in his before he turned and headed down the narrow tunnel. It was only wide enough for one person. He took the lead, wanting to get Evetta to the safety of the lower decks before he asked her what was going on.

Hanine froze when she turned her head. Her gaze locked with a pair of dark brown eyes that were transfixed on her face. She watched as shock and dismay flashed across the young male's face. She tilted her chin defensively at his expression.

"I am Hanine," she stated.

"I know," the slender male replied in a hoarse voice. "You are supposed to be working. Your shift isn't over for another two hours."

Hanine jerked back in surprise. Frowning, she ran her eyes over the tall male. She had never seen him before, so how could he know who she was and when she worked?

"It was changed. How do you know when I am supposed to work?" she demanded.

A soft smile curved his lips before the whisper of his words touched her. "Can I keep you... Forever?"

"You? How? It was you?" Hanine whispered in voice colored with stunned awe.

She didn't move as his pale hand rose to touch her. She felt his warm fingers slide down over her cheek. A soft gasp escaped her at the tenderness of his touch.

"Your skin is just as soft as I imagined it would be," Aaron remarked in a thick voice.

Hanine's dazed eyes followed him when he turned away to follow her sister and his brother. She raised a shaky hand to touch her cheek. Her lips parted in confused wonder as he looked back over his shoulder. A small, boyish grin curved his lips before he turned back.

"Oh my," Hanine whispered as her heart melted at the look.

Evetta hurried after Ben. She could feel his concern. It was strange that just after a week, her body knew his well enough to sense his feelings. She squeezed his fingers in understanding. She had not planned on telling her sister about them yet.

She was breathless by the time he pulled her into the small room she had discovered him in a few days ago. He murmured something to his brother before the door closed, sealing them alone inside. She started to explain, but the words died on her lips when Ben pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

It was several long minutes before he released her and leaned his forehead against hers. Evetta held onto his broad shoulders for support. She drew in deep gasping breaths, stunned by the intensity behind his kisses. Her heart thundered in her chest and she swore she would have collapsed if he had not been holding her tightly against him.

"I missed you," he finally choked out, pressing another kiss to her forehead. "It tears me up every time you walk away from me. I have nightmares about you being attacked again."

"Hush, do not worry for me," Evetta murmured in a soothing tone, threading her fingers through his dark hair. "I miss you as well, Ben. I want you. I need you."

Ben's breath exploded from his chest at her softly spoken words. He had re-arranged the room earlier. He had removed the two chairs and installed one of the narrow benches that made into a bed. It wasn't much, but as no one else ever used the room, he had taken it over as his. Now, it would be theirs.

"I need you, Evetta," Ben groaned with a slight edge of desperation in his voice as his hands came up to cup her small breasts. "I want you."

Evetta could feel his desire pressed against her. That she had this type of effect on him ignited her own need to a raging inferno. She ached for his touch. Pulling back just far enough to put a small amount of space between them, her fingers moved to the fastenings on the front of his shirt. Her fingers trembled slightly as she began undoing them.

"Evetta," Ben whispered. "Are you sure? Once I make love to you, you will be mine. I won't let you go. I don't know what the future holds for me. I have nothing to give you, but I won't let you go."

Evetta continued undoing the fastenings. She pushed his shirt off his broad shoulders, running her fingers over them and down his arms. Her eyes met his, holding them so he could see that she had no doubts about what she wanted.

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life, Ben. None of us know what the future holds. All I need to know is that you care for me. I ask for nothing else," she murmured.

A shudder ran through Ben as Evetta's soft words poured over him. He knew beyond a doubt that he loved her. He was not lying when he said it tore him apart to watch her walk away from him each night.

He knew that violence was a part of life among the Marastin Dow even if Behr and the other crew members did their best to shield him and Aaron from it. More than once a crew member did not return from duty or came back bloody from a fight.

He groaned when Evetta ran her hands over his chest. The slight tug on the hair covering it was intoxicating. When her hands moved downward, following the path of hair as it disappeared under the waistline of his pants, he knew he had to stop her before he ejaculated in his pants.

"My turn," he demanded hoarsely.

His hands slid down to grasp the bottom of her shirt. With one quick tug, he pulled it over her head. Her skin was smooth under his rough palms. He slid them up to cup the rounded mounds of her unbound breasts. The tips stood taut and proud, the nipples a darker purple than the surrounding skin.

He lowered his head to grasp one of the stiff peaks between his lips. He sucked hard, holding it gently between his teeth while he teased it with his tongue. He was rewarded with her loud gasp and the feel of her fingers threading roughly through his hair to hold him against her.

He dropped his right hand down to touch her between the legs. Her pants clung tightly to her and he could feel her heat through them. He caressed her as he continued to tease her taut nipples. He groaned again when she began moving against his palm.

"Ben, I... please... do not make me wait," Evetta breathed out. "Please."

Ben heard her frantic plea and released her nipple with a loud hiss of desire. Sliding down her body, he pressed small kisses across her flat stomach as he knelt before her. He ran his hand down over her leg, unstrapping the knife she carried and releasing the straps on her boots.

He continued to press hot, moist kisses to her stomach as he pulled off one boot then the other. Once she was free of them, his fingers released the fastening on her pants. He pushed them off her slender hips. Holding her still, he buried his face in the black curls covering her mound.

"Oh Gods!" Evetta cried out, pressing against his warm lips.

Her hands tightened in his hair as she shattered when he slid two fingers into her as he ran his tongue roughly over her clitoris. She couldn't move without falling because her pants were around her ankles. All she could do was hold on as he caressed her in ways she had never felt before.

She cried out when he pulled away and rose in front of her. The cry died on her lips as he swept her off her feet. Her pants fell to the floor as he turned and lowered her onto the makeshift bed. Before she could do anything, he pulled her legs up and over his shoulders.

"Ben," she whimpered as he drove his fingers deep into her again while the fingers of his other hand parted her so he could tongue her.

"Come for me, Evetta," Ben moaned against her. "Come for me again, baby. I want to taste your sweetness."

He knew the minute his tongue touched the swollen nub the first time that he had found her pleasure spot. He pressed on it, wanting to bring her to pleasure over and over. Running his tongue over her clitoris, he felt her body tremble violently in response.

Ben felt Evetta stiffen before she shattered again as his tongue ruthless teased her. A low moan escaped him when her legs tightened over his shoulders and her sweet taste washed over his tongue. His body responded almost painfully to her exquisite taste. A fierce heat swept through him and he swore his balls were about to explode if he didn't come soon. There was something about the taste of her that had a direct line to his cock.

He pulled away with a loud curse and almost ripped his pants as he fought to undo the fastening. He quickly pushed them down and kicked them to the side before he fell over Evetta's panting form.

Sweat broke out on his brow as he felt the head of his cock slide into the entrance to her slick vaginal canal. The fluid coating her mixed with his pre-cum and he swore the fire exploded into a raging inferno. His arms trembled as he held himself above her.

"I don't want to hurt you," he choked out. "Evetta, help me."

"You won't," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his broad chest and her legs around his slender hips. "I am ready for you, my Ben."

Ben needed no more encouragement. He drove his throbbing cock into her as far as he could. He threw his head back, his eyes closed as she wrapped around him. All along his cock he swore he could feel the same small nubs. He pulled back and they caressed his shaft causing his breath to catch.

He rocked his hips forward. As the tip touched her womb, another wave of heat coursed through his body. The moment it hit, he lost all control. His hips began moving on their own, rocking faster and faster. Evetta's hoarse cries echoed in his ear as he pulled her closer.

He reached up and grabbed her left breast, trapping her nipple between his fingers. He pinched it hard at the same time as she stiffened underneath him. She exploded into multiple orgasms. He could feel the hot explosions around his cock as he drove into her.

One moment he was moving frantically, the next he was locked to her as the small nubs he felt swelled until his cock was held in a tight fist that squeezed his shaft. His orgasm blasted with such force he felt the backwash of his seed as it filled her. A choked sob escaped him at the intensity. He swore her body was drawing every ounce of his seed from him.

He fell over her, stunned by the intensity of their lovemaking. Even now, the tingling still flowed through him. He didn't know what just happened, but he wanted to make damn sure it happened again.

He rolled to his side, pulling Evetta's limp body with him so she was resting on top of him. He was still locked to her. A slight grin curved his lips. Hell, he never knew this could happen. He could definitely get addicted to making love to her.

"I love you, Evetta," he murmured as he brushed a kiss along her brow. "You are a miracle to me."

He continued to caress her back as she rubbed her cheek against his chest. Closing his eyes, he wondered how long it would take him to be ready for round two. When he felt his cock twitch inside her, another grin curved his lips. _Obviously not as long as it normally would,_ he thought with satisfaction as his body began tingling again.

# Chapter Seven

Aaron wiped his sweaty palms nervously down the sides of his pants. He didn't know why he admitted to Hanine that he knew who she was or that he was the one leaving her the small gifts. It may have been the shock of seeing her stepping through the doorway or finally being so close to her. Either way, it didn't bode well for him.

He stepped into his and Ben's room, for once thankful that Ben demanded they keep it neat since it wasn't very large. He glanced at Hanine as she paused in the doorway watching him. He twisted to face in her direction and nervously looked at her.

She was even more beautiful up close. Her short hair swung around her chin as she looked around the cabin. It didn't take long considering the room consisted of two beds, a table just big enough for two chairs and the doorway leading to their bathroom.

Aaron let his eyes roam greedily over her while she was distracted. She was wearing a dark gray, form-fitting uniform that highlighted the pale purple of her skin. His eyes lingered on her for several long moments while he lost himself in the fantasy of having her close to him at last. He quickly glanced away when she turned her sharp gaze on him.

"You are the one who is leaving the gifts for me," she said more than asked.

"Yes," Aaron responded hoarsely before clearing his throat. "Yes."

"Prove it," Hanine demanded.

Aaron looked up at her, startled. His eyes lowered to her outstretched hand. She was holding the small pink triangle of paper he had made for her. He glanced up at her again, an amused smile pulling at the corner of his mouth when he saw her raised eyebrow. He reached out and took the creased paper from her, careful not to touch her.

He briefly nodded before he walked over to the bed and sat down. Smoothing the small square on his knee, he began refolding the fragile paper. He decided he had nothing to lose so he began speaking in a quiet voice as he recreated the swan.

"The first time I saw you, two women were calling you names. I wanted to reach out and slap them both upside the head." He glanced up to see that she had not moved from where she was standing near the door. Looking back down, he focused on what he was doing. "I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I loved the way you rolled your eyes at them and when you stuck your tongue out..." He chuckled softly but didn't look up at her. "... Let's just say, that was an incredible turn on. I wanted to know more about you so I started watching you."

"Why did you leave me these things?" she asked quietly.

Aaron paused, staring down at the small form that was beginning to take shape in his hands. He thought for several long moments before he shrugged his shoulders. He was already in too deep to lie to her now.

"I didn't have anything else to give you," he admitted. "If I could, I'd have given you the world. Instead, I gave you the only thing I had to give... a piece of my world in the form of simple shapes. I gave you the lioness first because you reminded me of how fierce they are when protecting their young. I gave you the swan for your grace. Each shape reminded me of you."

"Including the one with a long neck? What does that remind you of?" she asked with a hint of suppressed laughter in her voice.

Aaron grimaced, but he continued to focus on the swan. "I couldn't help but think about how much I wanted to kiss you there. You have a beautiful neck and with your hair cut short, it looks long and... I just wanted to kiss you," he admitted as a tint of red washed over his cheeks.

He finished refolding the swan. He stared at it for several long seconds before he looked up. His eyes widened when he saw that she had silently moved until she was standing in front of him.

"And this?" she whispered, gently touching the wing of the swan. "What does this remind you of?"

"How beautiful you are. How special. How much I want to watch you fly free from the fear and the danger," he responded in a soft voice.

Hanine's eyes collided with his. She could see the truth in them. She gently picked up the swan he held out to her and set it on the edge of the bed frame without breaking the contact with his gaze.

Reaching out, she gently traced his face. Her fingers paused on the faint scar that marred one cheekbone. She could feel his heated breath against her as she stepped between his legs.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, touching him with both hands and watching as his eyes drifted close.

"I want to keep you," he murmured a breath away from her lips when she leaned closer to him. "I want to keep you forever, Hanine. I have loved you from afar. Now, I want to hold you and kiss you. Can I? Will you let me?"

Hanine pulled back a slight distance and her eyes dropped briefly to his lips before she smiled. "Forever, huh?"

"Forever, my beautiful swan," he whispered, opening his eyes wide so he could stare into hers as he pulled her lips down to his.

Hanine opened to him. She felt like she could fly. The warmth sweeping through her filled her with hope, joy and passion. In finding the answer to her question of where the gifts were coming from, she discovered the biggest gift of all... a strange but oddly compelling alien male who made her want things she had only dreamed of when she was younger.

Confusion swept through her briefly before her mind went blank of everything but the heat flooding her body. She didn't understand why she felt this way – especially toward a male she had just met. It was not like she trusted easily, yet there was something about him that told her that he would never intentionally hurt her. There was one thing that she was certain of as she returned his passionate kiss – whatever strange power he held over her, she wanted to explore it more thoroughly in case it disappeared.

Four weeks later, Aaron pulled Hanine into his arms as she stepped through the access doorway that they had prearranged the night before. He drank in the nectar of her kiss like a bee seeking pollen. His lips moved over hers knowing he had never tasted anything so sweet.

She was everything that he hoped for and more. The feel of her slender body against his burned into his mind every time he touched her. He wanted this beautiful, surprisingly tender woman with a passion that defied logic. He had expected her to turn away from him when she first saw him, but instead, she met him with the same fierce desire that burned inside him.

He had spent the last four weeks courting her. It troubled him to let her go each day, but he wanted her to be sure. If he thought he loved her before, it was nothing like what he felt now. The more time he spent with her the more time he wanted to spend. She was funny, smart, passionate and loyal.

At first, she only shared a little bit of herself with him. He teased her over makeshift picnics they had in the lower level storage bay and in the small room Ben used at times. He took her for walks through the access tunnels and enjoyed surprising her with little kisses and more origami animals.

Tonight, the playfulness of their relationship turned to heated desire and urgent need. Aaron groaned when Hanine pushed him up against the wall of the access tunnel and ran her hands hungrily over his body. His hands were frantically exploring her curves in return. He pulled back, gasping.

"Your quarters, Aaron," Hanine whispered as she pressed hot kisses along his neck. "Please, I need you. You have been driving me crazy these past weeks. I want more than a taste of your kisses. I want you."

"Hanine," Aaron choked out. "Are you sure, love? Because once I have you, I won't let you go – ever. You have to be very sure of this."

Hanine pulled back and looked up into his smoldering eyes, a soft smile curving her lips. "I'm sure. You have shown me what it is like to be special, Aaron. You are a very, very extraordinary man and I... and I want you," she hesitantly responded in a shy voice. "I need you, Aaron. I want to be with you forever as you promised me."

Aaron didn't say anything. He couldn't. Instead, he brushed a hot, urgent kiss across her lips before grasping her hand tightly in his and turning back toward his living quarters. Hurrying through the narrow passageway, he turned when he got to the door and swept her up into his arms. His face flushed with desire and determination as he carried her across the threshold and quickly locked the door.

Aaron carried her over to his narrow bed and sat down with her on his lap. With shaking hands, he cupped her face and kissed her deeply. He slowly sank backwards, taking her with him as his hands swept hungrily over her body. Soon, the heat of their kisses was too much to contain. He rolled, pinning her underneath him. Pressing desperate kisses along her jaw, he buried his face in her shoulder. A shudder ran through him as her nails scraped across his back. He turned his face into her neck and pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the side of her long neck.

"Aaron!" Hanine cried out, arching into him.

"Yes, Hanine. Say my name. Call for me, baby," Aaron whispered as he ran his tongue along her earlobe. "Tell me you want this as badly as I do. I need to know that you are sure, Hanine. I need to know."

"Yes. Oh, yes," Hanine breathed in a dazed voice. "What magic is this that makes me burn inside for you?"

Aaron leaned back and stared down at her with a serious expression. He wanted her to know that the magic they were creating was caused by both of them. That she wanted him for who he was – the man who loved her. He had known it for months, but she had only just discovered him a few short weeks ago. He didn't think he could survive if she thought this was a mistake or caused by something beyond their feelings for one another.

"We are the magic, Hanine. You and I, together," Aaron said quietly, calmly. "I love you. I have from the moment you rolled your beautiful eyes. I love the way you move and your tenacity. I love your strength and how protective you are of your sister. I love how your eyes glow when you do something you know others don't have a clue about. I love you and the way you hide my gifts to you."

"How do you know about all those things?" Hanine whispered in awe. "How do you know so much about me?"

"I see you, Hanine," Aaron replied with a tender smile. "I see the beautiful woman hidden behind the mask."

Hanine's eyes glittered with tears. She had never heard anything so beautiful and precious. Reaching up, she gripped his shoulders and pulled him to her and sealed her lips to his. She let him know what she couldn't say. She understood what her sister saw in this strange alien species. They were nothing like the Marastin Dow males. They were much, much stronger.

She pulled frantically on the clothing hiding his body away from her touch. She wanted to touch him as he was touching her. She leaned upward as his hand slid under her shirt.

"Off," she panted.

"Hanine?" Aaron choked out in confusion. "What did I...?"

"Off! I need your clothes off now," she demanded. "I need mine off. I need you!"

Aaron's eyes brightened in understanding. She wasn't telling him to get off of her. She wanted him! She needed him as badly as he needed her.

Rolling off her, he stood next to the bed and grabbed the end of his shirt, jerking it over his head. He quickly toed off his boots and removed his pants. His eyes watched with growing heat as Hanine did the same with her own clothing. They did not care where the articles of clothing fell, only that they fell away from their skin.

They collapsed together in a twisting explosion of skin, violet against tan, soft curves against hard muscle. Aaron twisted so that Hanine was on top of him. He feared he would hurt her. He moaned loudly when she rose up over him and reached down to grip his throbbing, aching shaft in her hand. Her fingers wrapped around him, holding him still long enough for her to align it with her slick entrance.

He broke the kiss the moment his pre-cum mixed with hers. A shattering heat raced through his cock, pooled low in his balls and sent a shockwave of tingling need up his spine. The force of her body wrapping around his left him panting. His limited experience with women had not prepared him for the effect of being with the woman he loved.

"Hanine!" Aaron called out hoarsely. "Oh God!"

"You like?" She grinned down at him before twisting her hips.

"Baby," he choked out, cupping her face between his hands and pushing up into her.

Her moan combined with his as the dozens of small sexual nubs that ran along her vaginal walls released more fluid, making her slicker even as they swelled deep inside her. The combination was driving him crazy. He could feel every nub against his cock as he moved inside her.

His hands moved up to her breasts. He pinched her swollen nipples between his fingers. She bowed backwards, pressing down onto him, making him swear as his cock brushed her womb.

"Yes!" She groaned, pressing into his hands. "Like that. Oh, Aaron. Yes!"

He rose up, encouraging her to ride him. He wanted to watch her face as she came. He knew the gentle rhythm of their bodies coming together wasn't going to last long. Sweat beaded on both their brows as they fought the desire so they could make this moment last as long as possible.

"I can't... I can't...," Hanine panted, looking down into Aaron's blazing eyes. "Oh Aaron!" She groaned, falling forward as she came around his hard shaft.

Aaron dropped his hands to her waist and began to frantically move inside her. He could feel her fisting him. It was becoming more and more difficult to pull backwards. His eyes widened when he felt the sensitive edge surrounding the bulbous part of his cock catch as he pushed back into her. His balls pulled up tightly before he exploded deep inside her. He rose up, still holding her hips as his eyes widened at the force of his release.

"Hanine. Oh, baby. Hanine," he chanted over and over as he pulsed into her before collapsing back on the bed with her in his arms. He stared up at the ceiling while he soothingly ran his hands along her back. "I love you, my beautiful swan. I love you."

# Chapter Eight

"Evetta, what is wrong?" Hanine asked when she saw her sister hurry into their quarters. "What are you doing?"

Hanine followed Evetta's frantic movements as she pulled a small bag out of the hidden panel. Her eyes widened in alarm when Evetta pulled out the weapons they had covertly stashed over the past six months since they met Ben and Aaron. They had talked about preparing for the time when they may have to run... escape the life they had been forced into. It was unheard of for a Marastin Dow to do something so risky. The few who had tried were publicly executed as a warning to others.

"An order for a change of command was given," Evetta said hoarsely as she continued with what she was doing. "All personnel will be moved. I copied a list of the new officers coming down and the security orders before I was locked out of the system using the program you wrote," she glanced at Hanine, fear darkening her eyes. "They are arresting us and will separate us. Behr and those working under him are ordered to return to the home world under guard. I overheard one of the Commanders say that they are to be executed for treason. A group of armed security personnel has transferred on board. They will find Ben and Aaron. They will be executed immediately, Hanine. We have to leave now."

Hanine's face paled. She nodded before turning when a loud noise echoed through the room. Someone was trying to break into their room and the warning sensors were triggered.

"Why would they come after us?" she asked confused. "We are not connected to Behr."

Evetta looked in despair at her sister. "I watched as Inez was taken by security earlier. She must have said something. What are we going to do?"

Hanine's face tightened in determination when she heard security shout for a manual door opener. She turned and opened the desk drawer. Pulling out the small box containing all of the creatures Aaron had made for her, she leaned over and pulled out the emergency bags they kept under their bed. She slid the box into it before slinging the straps over her shoulder.

Next, she pulled the small tablet from her hip and swiped her finger across it. With a press of her thumb, she opened the program she developed and entered several command codes. The lights began to flash in the room for several moments before going out. The soft glow of the emergency lights cast an eerie shadow.

"What happened?" Evetta asked, looking around startled.

"I've shut down the power to everything but the environmental system," Hanine bit out.

"What?! How?" Evetta stared in shock at her little sister.

A cold smile curved Hanine's lips. "I knew this day would come. I didn't just sit every day watching the ship's network. I learned to program my own codes. We won't have much time. Hold onto my arm."

"What are you going to do?" Evetta whispered.

"I'm not going to sit around and watch Aaron die," Hanine said. "We are going to steal one of the attack transports. I have reprogrammed one of them for our use. They won't be able to take control. We have to leave now, Evetta."

Evetta grabbed Hanine's arm just as the door to their living quarters cracked open. She felt a wave of disorientation before everything blurred. A moment later, she was in the lower corridors outside of Ben and Aaron's rooms. She swayed for a moment before locking her knees.

She jerked when a figure ran by her, knocking her into the doorway. Firm hands that she would know anywhere grabbed her, catching her when she would have fallen. She tilted her head backwards to stare into Ben's grim eyes.

"How did you get here? Behr and the others are preparing to leave," Ben growled. "It is too dangerous for you to be here."

"It was too dangerous to be above deck as well," Hanine said, glancing around Ben's tall form with a frown. "Where is Aaron?"

Ben's face turned even darker. "He was out when Behr received the call to escape," he replied in a tight voice.

"We have to go now," Behr said, striding toward them. "My warship is docking underneath the ship. We won't have much time once the power is back online."

"I took down the power. It will take them half an hour to reboot the system. I can lock down the weapons system for slightly longer. Where is Aaron?" Hanine said stubbornly. "I will not leave without him."

"He was in the flight deck access tunnel the last I heard," Behr said before looking at Ben. "We have to leave. He will not make it in time. You'll have to go without him."

"Would you leave one of your brothers behind?" Ben asked harshly.

He already knew the answer after the numerous hours he spent in Behr's company. The man was a true leader. If it meant freedom for the masses, he would not only leave his brother behind, but sacrifice himself for the cause. Ben wasn't so noble. He would not leave Aaron behind.

Instead, he turned to Evetta. "Go with him," he ordered. "I'll find Aaron and find a way to get to you."

Evetta shook her head. "I will not leave you and I know Hanine will not leave Aaron. We will stay by your side and find a way together."

Behr cursed when one of his men ran up to him and muttered a few sharp words. He turned back to Ben, Evetta and Hanine. His lips were tight with anger.

"We have to leave now," he said. "I am asking you to come with me."

"And I'm telling you no. Thank you and good luck, Behr. You are a good man and a strong leader. If anyone can change your world, I believe you can," Ben said, holding out his hand.

Behr stared into the stubborn face of the alien male he rescued four years ago and who had given him the foundations they needed to change his world. He gripped Ben's hand tightly in his before letting it go with a brief nod.

"Good luck," Behr said harshly before he barked out an order to the rest of the crew waiting for him.

Ben watched as his savior and friend disappeared. He looked down into Evetta's eyes, regret and rage ripping through him. This was the moment he feared the most.

"It is not over yet," Hanine assured him quietly. "I have a way for us to escape, but we cannot go without Aaron. I will not go without him."

Ben glanced at the young woman who had become the center of his brother's world. He saw determination and a steely resolve in the stiff lines of her body. The odds of making it out of this were a million to one, but he had a feeling that all they needed was that one chance to be successful.

"Let's go," Ben said.

Aaron wiped the sweat out of his eyes. The only thing guiding him back to the lower levels was his knowledge of the tunnels and the soft red glow of the emergency lights. He was on the upper level section of the receiving bay when he overheard the communication between the _Disappearance_ and another ship.

When he heard Behr's name he knew trouble found the man who had become their friend. He immediately contacted Behr when he peered out of one of the grates and saw at least a dozen security officers disembarking from a transport shuttle.

He was halfway down to the lower cargo bay when the lights went out. Now, he was past the cargo bay and working his way down to the lower levels. His only hope was that Hanine would be untouched by whatever was going on. He had no misconceptions that his and Ben's lives were about to change for the worse.

He paused when he saw a figure round the narrow passage. The curse on his lips died when he recognized his brother's large, lanky form. He hurried forward only to slow in anger when he saw that Ben wasn't alone.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" he bit out in a fierce whisper. "You're going to get them killed!"

He watched as Ben was pushed to the side when Hanine squeezed by him. A moment later she threw herself into his arms. A shudder went through him as he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

"What are you doing here, Hanine? You should be safely tucked away in your quarters," he muttered against her neck.

"They came for us," she whispered. "They broke through the door. We escaped. I couldn't leave you. I love you, Aaron. I cannot leave you."

Aaron looked with tortured eyes at Ben. He fought back a groan when he saw the regret in his older brother's eyes. A sense of hopelessness washed through him.

"Maybe if...," he started to say.

"No!" Hanine whispered fiercely as she laid her fingers against his lips. "Evetta and I have a plan. We are both skilled pilots. I can disable their shuttles. There is an attack shuttle in the lower bay. It was repaired, but never moved. I've reprogrammed it. We have to get to it. I will disable all the others."

"What about the other warship?" Ben asked. "It can still come after us."

A cold, deadly glint came into Hanine's eyes. "Not if I shut down the environmental system on the _Disappearance_. The commanding officers are here. They will need the other warship if they want to live."

Aaron pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Have I ever told you how much I love you when you are pissed?" he teased her.

Hanine turned and her eyes softened as she gazed up at Aaron. "You promised you would perform the ceremony to bind us as is the custom of your people. I am keeping you to your promise."

"What ceremony?" Evetta asked, turning to look at Ben.

"I asked Hanine to marry me," Aaron replied with a wicked gleam in his eyes as he raised an eyebrow at his brother. "I want her as my wife."

"Can we discuss this once we are out of here?" Ben asked gruffly.

"Do you want this marriage with me as well?" Evetta asked Ben as he turned to follow Aaron and Hanine, who were moving down the long corridor toward the lower cargo bay. "Well?" she demanded when he didn't say anything.

Ben glanced at his brother's retreating back before gazing down at Evetta who was staring at him with a slightly hurt expression. He tenderly brushed his fingers down along her cheek. Shaking his head in frustration, he brushed a kiss over her pursed lips.

"I wanted to do it right," he admitted. "As far as I'm concerned, you are already my wife. Evetta, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

"This means you belong to me?" Evetta asked stubbornly.

Ben chuckled before bending down to whisper in her ear. He loved the sound of the sharp hiss as she drew in a deep breath and the sight of the bright glitter that appeared in her eyes after he pulled back. A shaky smile curved her lips as she gazed up at him. He breathed a sigh of relief when she nodded at him.

# Chapter Nine

"Wait!" Ben hissed, putting his hand out to stop Evetta from entering the access door into the lower bay. "Let us go first."

"There are only two heat signatures showing," Hanine whispered back, pointing to the tablet in her hand. "Evetta and I can take care of them."

"No." Ben shook his head emphatically. "Aaron and I will take care of them. You and Evetta get to the transport and get it ready. We must leave in a hurry. You know how to operate the transport, we don't."

"Be careful," Evetta whispered. "Kill them. It is the only way. If you do not, they will kill you or notify the others."

"Don't worry about us," Aaron responded. "Just be ready to leave as soon as possible."

Hanine ran her fingers along Aaron's jaw. "I will shut down the environmental systems just before we depart. This will cause mass confusion. I've also set a disruptor to shut down communications, but it will only last for about thirty seconds. This will be long enough for us to depart," she explained before brushing a light kiss across his lips. "Be careful, my husband."

"Give us time to release the locks on the transport before you lower the platform," Ben murmured in a low voice. "Let's go, Aaron."

Hanine waited a few seconds, watching as the two men disappeared into the bay, before she turned to Evetta. "Are you ready?"

An expression of resignation swept across Evetta's face when she realized that Hanine planned on teleporting them. She nodded as the unfamiliar tingling washed over her again. She really should ask Hanine where she learned to use a teleporter. As far as she knew, only the Valdier, Sarafin and Curizan races had mastered that technology.

Ben and Aaron hid behind a large storage container and scanned the area. Ben held up his hand and motioned to Aaron before he began moving slowly around one side of the container. Aaron gave his brother a sharp nod and worked his way around the other side. The two security personnel had separated and were methodically searching the lower repair bay. Ben was thankful this area was used solely for storage and to repair damaged shuttles or battle transports. It did not require a large amount of personnel to maintain it.

It was obvious from the way the two warriors were dressed that they were not part of the normal crew. They wore a different uniform than he had never seen before. He paused when the warrior that he was stalking turned around and paused, as if sensing he wasn't alone. Ben pressed back into the shadows and waited. He hoped that the male didn't have the same technology to detect heat signatures that Hanine did. He released a silent sigh of relief when the man turned away again.

His eyes swept the area around the transport. They needed to pull the release pins on the two clamps holding the transport in place. It was bolted down to prevent it from shifting if something were to happen to the _Disappearance_. Ben turned his eyes back to the male who was walking under the transport's left wing.

Gripping the knife he held in his left hand, he silently sprinted the short distance between them. He struck the guard as the man turned, catching him in the side while his right hand grabbed the male's left hand. He pulled the guard's arm up and jerked the pistol the male was holding away from him. The guard yelled out in pain as the blade pierced him. His finger closed in reflex on the trigger of the laser pistol, firing upward into the air.

Ben swiveled around, drawing the blade across the male's stomach as he twisted the man's arm behind him. The pistol clattered loudly as it hit the metal floor of the repair bay. Sweat broke out over Ben's forehead as warm blood flowed over his hands from the deep wound. The guard's fingers blindly searched for Ben's arm, but Ben had already withdrawn the blade and slid it across the man's throat.

He dropped the guard's body and turned. He knew that Aaron must have taken care of the other male otherwise he would have been vulnerable while he fought with his target. Turning back to the transport, he rushed to pull the pin on the release holding the locking mechanism on the left side.

He pivoted defensively into a low crouch when he noticed a figure approaching out of the corner of his eye. He nodded when he realized it was Aaron approaching before turning back to what he was doing. He focused on releasing the second lock when the platform on the transport lowered and Evetta stepped out.

"Systems are ready," she called out in an anxious voice. "Hurry! Hanine has set the environmental systems to shut down as soon as the doors to the bay open. She will lock the outer doors so that they remain open to prevent anyone from entering." Her eyes widened when she saw the blood covering Ben. "You are hurt?"

Ben stood up and tossed the heavy pin aside. "No, it isn't mine. Let's go," he said, turning to look at Aaron with a frown.

Aaron nodded before he stumbled when he took a step forward. His face creased in pain and he turned a deathly white under his naturally tan complexion. He looked down at his bloodstained hand before looking up again.

"I wasn't so lucky," he grimaced as his knees gave out under him and he crumpled to the ground.

Ben's loud curse echoed in the empty bay just as the sound of alarms blared. He rushed forward and wrapped his arm around Aaron's waist. Evetta hurried forward and grabbed his other side.

"Damn it," Ben growled. "Let's go. Aaron, so help me. You keep your ass conscious. I am not losing you, bro. You hear me. We are finally getting off this damn ship! You will not die on me now."

Aaron chuckled hoarsely before a low groan escaped him. "Are you kidding me? Hanine would kick my ass if I did something as stupid as dying on her."

Ben gritted his teeth, ignoring his brother's gasp of pain as he and Evetta half carried, half dragged him onto the battle transport. The platform closed behind them. He carefully laid Aaron down on one of the benches that lined the inside walls and held onto him tightly as Evetta yelled for Hanine to get them out of there.

"If anything... anything happens to me," Aaron whispered as the transport shot out of the lower repair bay and into space. "Prom... promise me you'll take care of her."

Ben's face hardened as he stared down into the pain-filled eyes of his younger brother. They had been through so much together. He refused to believe he could lose him now that they had a chance at freedom.

"I promise, but you better listen to me," Ben ordered in a low voice. "We are going to get through this just like we've gotten through everything else that has happened to us. I can't..." He stopped to breathe deeply when his throat tightened in fear before forcing himself to continue. "I won't lose you, Aaron. I won't."

Aaron's eyes closed. "I love you, Ben. I haven't told you that in a long time, but I want you to know," he whispered before his head fell to the side as he lost consciousness.

Ben looked up at Evetta. She was holding tightly onto the grip bar with one hand. Her other hand held an emergency medical kit. Tears glittered brightly in her eyes, but none fell. Instead, a look of determination crossed her face.

"Hanine says several fighters were deployed," she informed him. "She told me to tell you to hang on. She is taking us through the remains of an asteroid that Behr's starship must have shattered. There are many large fragments from it. The fighters will not be able to maneuver as well as the transport through the debris. Is he dead?"

Ben barely heard the strained question she asked at the end. He shook his head before he nodded toward the medic kit. He needed to stop the bleeding. He was applying pressure, but could feel the blood still seeping out of the wound.

"No, give me the kit. I'll take care of him and make sure he is safe while you help Hanine. Don't tell her yet," he advised. "She needs to stay focused on getting us the hell out of here."

"Of course," she replied and handed him the kit. "Please... do not let him die, Ben. Hanine acts tough, but this would kill her. I cannot lose her."

"He isn't going to die," he said in a fierce voice. "Go help your sister."

Evetta nodded and turned, almost falling when the shuttle jerked sideways. Hanine yelled out from the front for Evetta. Ben gazed after Evetta as she hurried to help her sister before focusing his attention back to Aaron.

He silently cursed when he saw the deep cut to Aaron's side. He hoped it hadn't cut any major arteries or organs. Pulling the medical kit toward him, he worked frantically to save his brother's life.

Aaron floated in and out of consciousness. He vaguely heard Ben's curses. Pain exploded through him, sweeping him back into the darkness.

Images floated through his mind. He rushed the large warrior that he was stalking when the male heard Ben's attack on his partner. His blade struck true, slicing across the male's arm as he raised his pistol to fire at Ben's unprotected back during his struggle with the other warrior.

What he didn't expect was for the warrior to recover so quickly. The man had dropped his pistol, but he swung around with a long blade in his other hand that Aaron did not see until it was too late.

They struggled, gripping each other's arms in a battle for survival. The large male shoved Aaron backwards, causing him to trip. As he fell, he kept his grip on the man's arms, pulling him forward with him. The warrior's blade sank deep into his side as his knife pierced the man's chest.

It was only his determination to get to Hanine that gave him the strength to pull the blade from his flesh. He had clamped his hand over the wound and staggered to his feet.

Now, he tried to focus on Ben's voice. He knew they were still in danger. He wanted to stay conscious in case Hanine needed him, but the pain was too much. After a few feeble attempts to remain conscious, he felt the cold press of an injector against his neck. Ben was determined to shield him from the pain. A small smile curved his lips as the medication swept through his body.

_Always the protective big brother,_ Aaron thought before giving into the sedative.

# Chapter Ten

"He's getting worse," Hanine whispered in despair, looking up at Ben and Evetta.

It had been almost two weeks since they escaped from the _Disappearance_. They had spent almost a week hiding in the asteroid belt. It took another four days to reach the Kardosa Spaceport. Evetta had secured a rundown apartment in one of the lower decks. It was the best they could do since they were short on credits. Evetta was working with one of the local 'traders' to sell the stolen battle transport.

"He needs a doctor," Ben said in frustration. "We have no more medicine and his wound is infected. If we don't get help soon, he won't make it. I am going to see if I can find one."

"No, it is too dangerous for you to go out," Evetta said with a worried frown. "I have not seen any others like you before on this Spaceport. You will draw too much attention."

Hanine glanced up briefly from where she was sitting on a battered chair next to the bed before turning her gaze back to Aaron. She brushed the damp cloth across his burning forehead. Fear, sorrow and exhaustion swept across her face before determination set in.

"I will find a healer for him. I will not let him die," Hanine vowed. "Evetta and I will go," she said, rising from the chair. "We will return with a healer, even if we have to kidnap him. I am the only one who knows how to use the teleporter to return here. I've had to do some modifications to the program so it is not detected by the Spaceport's security grid. I may have to tweak it some more in case they have updated their codes."

Ben growled in frustration. "I don't want either of you out there! What if someone from the Marastin Dow sees you? They are still looking for you. They don't know about me," he insisted.

"You are too unusual and you do not know what to look for, we do," Hanine said stubbornly. "I need you to care for Aaron until I return. Do not let him die! We will be back shortly."

Evetta gently placed her hand on Ben's arm when he opened his mouth to argue. She waited until he looked down at her before speaking. She smiled up at him reassuringly. Hanine was right; only they knew what to look for. They had been to Kardosa several times over the last six years. It was one of the few times they left the warships they were assigned to.

"She is right, Ben. You would attract the attention of slavers. We have been here before. We have a good idea where to find a healer and can return in a short time," Evetta murmured.

Ben pulled Evetta into his arms and tightly held her against his body. Despair washed through him; fear of being captured and using most of the credits they had to secure a room left little for food. They were starving. The little they had was spent on medication for Aaron. They fed him the few nutrient drinks that remained from the survival gear recovered from the transport.

"Promise me you'll be careful," Ben muttered, rubbing his cheek against the top of Evetta's head. "Please. I don't think I could stand to lose you and my brother."

He sighed heavily when he felt Evetta's arms wrap tightly around his waist. She squeezed him to her before pressing a kiss against his neck. Leaning back, she stared up at him.

"We will return. I promise. Let us go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we return." She sighed as his arms reluctantly fell away at her promise.

"Hanine, do what you can," Ben said, taking a step back. "Just... be careful... both of you."

"We will," Hanine murmured. "I will mark the other room for our return. It is best not to use the teleport unless it is absolutely necessary. The security on the station will be able to pick up the disruption to the energy grid if I use the program. I do not want to use it if possible."

Ben nodded as both women pulled on dark cloaks. He knew from looking out the small, dirty window that they would blend in with the other residents of the Spaceport. Evetta checked the outer corridor before whispering to her sister.

Once they were outside the door, Ben walked over and touched the panel to lock it. A low moan from the other room drew his attention to the dire situation they were in. He wasn't sure if Aaron would make it through another day if the women didn't find a healer.

"Evetta, look!" Hanine hissed out frantically from the narrow entrance between two stalls in the crowded marketplace.

Evetta's eyes widened when she saw what Hanine was pointing to. A slender woman with very unusual coloring was walking down the overflowing corridor of the Spaceport.

"She is just like our husbands," Evetta muttered in an excited voice. "She will know how to heal Aaron."

"Wait!" Hanine bit out. "Look at her! Look at who walks by her side."

Evetta studied the pale female for a brief moment before letting her eyes move to her companions. She grimaced when she saw the two huge Valdier warriors. Not only were they dragon-shifters, these two were identical, making them a lethal opponent. Twin dragons were known to be virtually impossible to defeat in battle. On top of that, if the warriors and their dragons didn't kill you, their symbiots would.

Evetta's eyes moved to the three large golden creatures that walked near her. Frustration and despair fought with each other as she saw their one chance of saving Aaron's life slipping away.

"What are we going to do?" Evetta asked.

"We follow them and wait for a chance to take the female," Hanine responded in a hard voice. "I will not lose this chance to save my mate's life. It is a sign from the Goddess that she is here. She has the healing gold on her. It is not enough to attack us, but it may be enough to heal Aaron. She is like him and it has not killed her. She can make it heal him."

"What of the others that are with her? They will kill us the moment we approach her," Evetta replied with a worried frown.

"We will teleport back to the apartment before they can. Let's go, they are moving again," Hanine said, moving without waiting to see if her sister followed her.

She refused to lose this chance to save Aaron. She would do whatever was necessary, take any chance, if it meant saving his life. If she didn't and he died... her mind shied away from the thought.

_The Goddess would not give me this sign if she did not want my Aaron to live,_ she thought as she weaved between the other pedestrians looking for items in the teeming marketplace.

Hanine stepped into the bar first. She and Evetta decided it would be less noticeable if they split up. She stepped through the front entrance of the tavern a few minutes after the small group entered while Evetta went around and came in through the back. They would take separate seats as well. Most species knew that Marastin Dow traveled in groups; not so much for their own safety as they were not usually safe with each other, but because they would not attack a stronger species without the support of numbers.

Hanine shook her head when the tall, red-skinned waitress started her way. She ignored the sneer on the creature's face as she shrugged and turned instead to wait on two Tiliquas. These small two headed reptilian species were known for their business skills.

She glanced at Evetta who took a spot in the far back corner near the lavatory. Her eyes turned back to the two large warriors. She refused to think of the other three males that had joined the small group. She ignored the old male and the young boy who also looked like her mate. They did not have the same appearance of power as the woman.

She worried her bottom lip. Three Valdier warriors and their symbiots would be impossible to defeat. If the males and their symbiots didn't kill her and her sister, once they shifted to their dragon form there would be no stopping them.

"What are we going to do?" Evetta's voice echoed in the small communication earpiece she was wearing.

"I don't know," Hanine admitted under her breath. "Look! The Twin Dragons are leaving!"

"Yes, but the gold creatures remain by her side," Evetta muttered in frustration.

Hanine watched as her sister turned her head and acted like she was adjusting the boot on her left leg when one of the Twin Dragons walked by her and out the back entrance. She released her own breath when the other walked by her without looking in her direction. In truth, he looked angry and distracted. She wondered briefly if the small male had upset them from the look of dismay on his young face as he watched first one then the other Valdier warrior leave.

Whatever had happened, Hanine was thankful. She watched as the barmaid brought out their order and placed it on the table in front of them. A moment later, the female's face turned a sickly pale color that reminded Hanine of Aaron's face when Ben stitched up his side the first time.

"Now, Evetta," Hanine hissed. "She goes to the lavatory."

Hanine rose and casually walked by the table. Her heart thundered in her chest when the two werecats and the large 'dog'-shaped creature turned to follow her for a brief moment. A pang of longing hit her hard. She knew what a 'dog' was thanks to Aaron. He had made a small one for her out of the paper he had created. He said it was to protect her when he couldn't be with her. He told her a dog was faithful, loving, and protective, and it would always remain by her side even when she wasn't very nice.

"Oh, Aaron," Hanine whispered as tears burned her eyes. "Please, hold on for me."

The door to the lavatory opened as they waited in the dark passageway. Hanine watched as the female's eyes widened in surprise before rolling back in her head as Evetta sprayed the last of their sedative spray in her face. She glanced over her shoulder as Evetta wrapped her arm around the unconscious figure.

Within seconds, she heard the remaining Valdier warrior yell out at the same time as the huge golden creature shimmered and changed its shape from the dog to a huge, very angry Werecat. Gripping the tablet in her hand, she pressed the command to teleport them back to their apartment. Things blurred for a moment as their surroundings faded away.

# Chapter Eleven

Ben jumped when Hanine, Evetta and a third figure suddenly appeared in the small living area. He paled when he recognized the familiar human features of the woman in Evetta's arms. Rushing forward, he carefully picked the unconscious woman up in his arms.

"I thought you were getting a healer! You said there were no other humans on this Spaceport," he growled as he walked through the doorway into the second bedroom and gently laid the woman down on the worn, but clean, covers. "What have you two done?"

"She is like you," Hanine cried out defensively. "Look at her! She will know how to fix Aaron. She was with the dragon shifters. She wears their gold."

Ben glanced impatiently at Hanine before his eyes caught Evetta's worried ones. "What does their gold have to do with anything? Can we use it to pay for a healer?"

He watched as Evetta glanced nervously toward the door in the other room then through the window. Something was wrong. He could feel the tension flowing off of Evetta as she glanced down at the walkway before finally looking at him.

"No," she replied softly. "Their gold is a living thing. It is magic."

"It can heal Aaron if she tells it to," Hanine said desperately. "Please, it can save him. She can save him. Please, Ben. I cannot... I cannot lose him."

Ben glanced helplessly at Hanine. Silent tears slid down her face where fear and exhaustion had cut deep lines around her eyes and mouth. He turned to gaze down at the unconscious human female again. It had been so long since he had seen another human that she looked more alien to him than Evetta did.

"Alright," he agreed tiredly. "But I think I should be the one to explain. She might listen to me."

"Thank you," Hanine whispered, brushing the tears from her cheeks. "Aaron, is he...?"

"The same," Ben admitted. "Maybe a little weaker."

Hanine's face crumbled but she didn't make a sound. He watched as she quickly turned and hurried into the other room where his brother lay. He jerked when he felt a slender hand on his shoulder. His eyes swept upward until they locked with Evetta's dark, worried eyes.

"I hope she can help us. It is very dangerous for us to have her here. It will not be long before those she was with find her," Evetta said heavily. "If they do, they will kill Hanine and I. The Valdier have no love for the Marastin Dow." A bitter laugh escaped Evetta before she leaned wearily against Ben's side as he wrapped his arm around her. "No species cares for us, including our own people. When they come, stand away from us and do not try to stop them. They are too powerful. I do not believe they will harm you or Aaron."

Ben rose and pulled Evetta into his arms. He pressed a hot, powerful kiss to her mouth. He groaned softly at her desperate response. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he pulled her head back until she was forced to look up at him.

"I will protect you with my life. I won't let anyone harm you or Hanine as long as I have a breath in my body," he vowed. "If they come, we will handle it together."

Evetta's eyes softened. "I love you, Ben Cooper. You are a strong and noble man. I thank the Goddess each day for bringing you into my life."

Ben chuckled as he brushed another kiss across her upturned lips. "One day I'm going to be able to give you a proper home. A place we can call our own. A place where we can live without fear."

"A place where we can raise our children without fear or pain?" Evetta asked hopefully, desperately wanting the image to hold onto before the Valdier appeared.

Ben paled a little at the idea of children before he shook his head in amazement. He never thought of becoming a father. Hell, he never even thought of becoming a husband. Warmth flared deep inside him as he gazed down at Evetta's hopeful look.

"Let's get the home first, then we'll talk children," he suggested. He turned his gaze down to the still figure. "Something tells me she is about to wake up. Go check on Hanine. I'm worried about her."

"Thank you, Ben," Evetta said, reluctantly pulling away from him. "For giving me something to dream about."

Ben watched as Evetta walked quietly out of the room. His eyes lingered on the gentle swell of her hips. He felt his body's reaction to the thought of having a family with her. Dreams... He hoped there really was a Goddess somewhere looking down on them. Hopefully, she would see something in them worth saving.

He turned when he felt an unusual stillness in the figure lying on the bed. It looked like their guest was waking up. He just hoped she was willing to listen to him before she demanded they return her to her friends.

Carmen Walker frowned as she lay still. Her mind flashed through the events. She had been enjoying her first trip to an alien Spaceport. She was used to the idea of aliens. Hell, she better be as she was one herself now.

She might be human, but her mating with a Valdier dragon shifter had unexpected consequences. As the true mate of a Valdier male, she was accepted by his three elements: the man, the dragon and his symbiot. The other unexpected consequence was the change to her own body once he claimed her.

Carmen heard the faint sounds of feminine voices in the background, but they were not in the same room. She cautiously opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. She jerked in surprise when she saw a pair of dark brown eyes looking back at her. Worry clouded them as they gazed down at her.

"Can you understand me?" The male asked in a voice that sounded like it had been a while since he spoke English.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Carmen asked in confusion.

The man smiled nervously down at her. "My name is Ben Cooper. Are you okay? I'm sorry about what happened. I didn't know that Evetta and Hanine would do this," he replied quietly.

Carmen's eyes followed him as he pulled a chair up near the bed. Her eyes flew to the two purple-skinned women that came into the room to stand quietly behind him. One of them was biting her lip while the other looked at Ben with worry. One of the women said something to Ben before she turned and disappeared into the other room again.

"Why... why did they kidnap me?" Carmen asked, staring at the strange woman standing behind him.

Ben carefully watched the woman as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. He didn't say anything as she looked around the room. He knew what she would see. The room was dim, with only a couple of small lights on. The walls were dark and worn, but it was clean even if the furniture and fixtures were shabby.

He studied the room as well, trying to see it through her eyes. The walls and floor were a dull gray. The furniture was sparse with only the single bed, a small table, and a chair. The outer room did not look much better. She would see that it contained another beat-up table and four chairs.

"Where am I?" Carmen asked, turning her gaze back to him.

"In the apartment we are temporarily renting," Ben replied quietly. He turned slightly and held his hand out. "This is Evetta. She is my wife," he said gently as his fingers closed over the slender purple ones. "My brother and I were kidnapped from Earth almost fifteen years ago. We were sold as slaves several times before the freighter we served on was raided five years ago by the warship Evetta and her sister were eventually transferred to. We convinced every species, since we were taken, that my brother, Aaron, and I couldn't be separated or we would die. Evetta and her sister worked as engineering and programming specialists on the warship that hijacked ours."

"I saw Ben," Evetta said hesitantly, looking at Ben with a soft smile. "His touch and his voice made me feel things I have never felt before. I would give my life for him. He is my husband," she said proudly as she smiled down at him.

Ben returned Evetta's smile before turning back to gaze at Carmen with a serious expression. "We've been on the run ever since we escaped two weeks ago. Aaron was wounded in the escape. He needs help. Evetta and Hanine were searching for a healer who would work for cheap. We don't have a lot of credits," he said tiredly. "I am too unusual to go out. It would have immediately sent up a red flag."

Evetta looked at Carmen. "My sister and I saw you. You looked like my husband and his brother. We thought you would know how to heal my sister's husband. He is in much pain. You travel with the Valdier. Their gold is magic. You will use it to heal him," Evetta said with determination. "My sister's husband cannot die."

Ben waited as Carmen looked back and forth between him and Evetta as if trying to make up her mind. After several long seconds, she released her breath. Ben pushed backwards as she swung her long legs over the side of the bed.

"Let me take a look at him. I might not be able to do much, but the healer aboard the _Horizon_ can help him," she said, rising up off the narrow bed. "I'll do everything I can to help you," she added, placing her hand on Ben's arm in encouragement. "You, your brother, and your wives are welcome to leave with us when we go. We have two other humans who were also taken. I am hoping my mate will return them to Earth."

Ben smiled down at Evetta when she carefully removed Carmen's hand from his arm before pulling him closer to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and squeezed it in assurance before whispering that he loved her. He gently reminded her that he would never leave, even if given a chance to return to Earth. His place was now with her.

He glanced back at Carmen. "I appreciate the offer. We would be happy for the transportation to somewhere safe, but neither my brother nor I can return to Earth. As you can imagine, Evetta and Hanine would stand out, and we won't leave them," Ben said in a quiet, determined voice.

"I know exactly how you feel. Let's take a look at your brother," Carmen replied with a small grin.

Ben turned and walked into the other room. Aaron was lying on a narrow bed that was pushed up against the wall. Ben watched as his brother opened pain-filled eyes to stare up at the human female. He was too exhausted to even show if he was surprised at seeing another human. Hanine leaned over him and gently wiped his brow with a damp cloth. She turned and looked at Carmen with pleading eyes.

"Please, help my husband," Hanine said slowly. "He is in much pain."

"I'll see if I can help," Carmen responded in a gentle voice. "I will need to contact my friends. He will need more than I can do."

"No!" Hanine said, rising to stand protectively in front of Aaron. "You help! You are the same as him! You know how to fix him."

"I'm not a healer, Hanine," Carmen replied carefully. "I will do everything I can to help him, though. Please, trust me. I would not hurt any of you."

Hanine stared at Carmen before she reluctantly stepped to one side. It was killing her to see Aaron so weak and in so much pain. She watched as the alien female brushed her hand over Aaron's forehead before she gently pulled back the bandage over his wound.

"It's infected," the female remarked as she pulled the cover further back.

Hanine watched as the female paused, staring down at the gold on her wrist. She appeared to be having a silent argument with it. After a minute, the gold dissolved. Hanine watched in wonder and hope as it flowed over the gaping infected wound on Aaron's side. It only stayed against him for a few seconds, but Hanine could see the skin did not look as angry as it had before. Hanine's eyes flew up to the human female when the gold reformed around her wrist without completely healing Aaron.

The woman shook her head and rose to her feet. "His wound is too bad and my symbiot is too small to heal it completely. It was able to draw out most of the infection and clean the wound. He needs additional healing that my symbiot can't do," she explained, turning to look at them.

"No! You make it heal him! I want him healed!" Hanine demanded angrily.

Aaron was still in a lot of pain. Hanine felt the wall of despair and helplessness shatter around her heart. It was too much; the constant fear, the knowledge that she was helpless to help her mate, then the female's refusal to heal him. It was all too much for the fragile hold she held on her emotions. The female stared back at her, not moving, even as Hanine pulled her laser sword from the sheath at her side.

"He is too badly injured for it to completely heal him," the woman insisted calmly. "Hanine, I know what it is like to lose someone you love. If you let me contact my people, he can survive. Please. It is the only way."

"It is a trick," Hanine whispered hoarsely, raising her laser sword. "You could heal him if you wanted to, but you think to trick us and turn us in. My husband will not die!"

"Hanine," a weak voice whispered. "She is right. I could tell it did what it could, love. Trust her," Aaron forced out in a dry, raspy voice as he looked up at her. "For me... for us. Trust her."

Hanine started to reply when the door to their small, dingy apartment shattered. She cried out as a very furious golden Werebeast filled the doorway. Long gold tentacles shot outward, wrapping around her arm and jerking her roughly toward it while another section of gold flowed to form a shield in front of the human female.

Chaos exploded as Aaron roared out weakly from where he was lying on the narrow bed while Ben thrust Evetta behind him. Hanine's loud scream echoed in the room as the gold creature pulled her under its massive body.

Within seconds, the large figures of the Twin Dragons from the tavern burst into the room with their laser swords and pistols drawn. One of them raised his pistol, aiming it at the center of Ben's chest as he shielded Evetta. Only Carmen remained calm as the world exploded around them.

"Cree! Don't you dare!" Carmen yelled out at the top of her lungs. "Harvey, let Hanine go right this instant! I mean it. _Now!_ "

Hanine's eyes were frozen on Aaron even as the creature held her captive. She ignored the pain where two of the dagger-like teeth had punctured the skin on her throat. She struggled fruitlessly to escape. Her only thought was that she had to protect Aaron.

"Calm down," Carmen demanded in a sharp voice. "Harvey, let me out."

Hanine's eyes moved to the human female as the glimmering shield around her dissolved. The female took a step toward her. Hanine gazed up at her as she shooed the golden creature back and away. She carefully accepted the woman's outstretched hand.

"This is Harvey," Carmen explained with a small smile as Hanine moved slightly behind her in an effort to get away from the creature that had almost killed her. "Those two are the Bobbsey Twins, Cree and Calo. Don't worry about which is which. They answer to either."

"So help me, Carmen," Calo muttered in a dark voice. "What in the dragon's balls is going on, and why are you protecting a couple of Marastin Dow scum?"

"Shut your mouth," Ben growled, taking a step toward Calo. "That scum you are talking about are my wife and my brother's wife!"

The other Twin Dragon warrior whistled under his breath. "You mated with one of them?" Cree asked with a raised eyebrow, looking at Hanine and Evetta in surprise.

"Yes," Ben replied harshly. "I don't give a damn what you think about it. If you can't be polite to her, then keep your mouth shut, or I'll shut it for you."

Calo chuckled. "You look like a good breeze would knock you out," he remarked casually before turning back to the human female. "Carmen, do you want to explain why Cree and I shouldn't kill them?"

"Because if you do, I'll have to kick both your asses, and then I'll let Creon know you upset me. I think he might just kill you for that alone," Carmen retorted. "Evetta and Hanine saw me and knew I was human like Ben and Aaron. Aaron needs immediate medical attention. They thought I could help him since we are the same species. Now, quit being such an ass and help me get them back to the _Horizon_."

Cree looked skeptically at Hanine before turning to look at Evetta. "You realize that the Marastin Dow are not to be trusted," he commented.

Hanine bowed her head to hide her grin when Carmen flipped up her middle finger at the Twin Dragon warrior. "Go to hell, Cree. I trust them. If I categorized every Valdier the same way you do the Marastin Dow, I wouldn't trust any of you."

Hanine, Ben and Evetta all looked at each other in amusement as the unusual female ordered the dragon warriors to take all of them to their warship. It was only when Aaron's soft moan of pain echoed through the room that it drew everyone's attention to the urgency of the situation.

"We need to get him to the _Horizon_ without drawing too much attention," Carmen explained to the Twin Dragons in a voiced filled with worry. "Ben and Evetta are worried there might be some Marastin Dow still looking for them."

Everyone turned to look at Evetta when she quietly spoke up. Her eyes were glued to her sister as she spoke. She knew that what she was about to reveal would cost them a valuable tool should they need to escape, but right now Aaron was more important than the portable teleporter that Hanine had designed.

"Hanine has that covered," Evetta said, nodding to her sister. "Take us to their docking bay, Hanine."

Hanine lifted a computer slate into her hands and touched a series of commands. "Hold on," she said with a smile before she brushed her finger over it again.

# Chapter Twelve

Hanine bit her lip as two huge warriors shifted Aaron onto a medical skiff. She had teleported the small group to the landing bay where the Valdier warship was docked. One of the huge warriors had called for a medical team as soon as they arrived. Within minutes, Aaron had been transferred to the medical skiff. She ignored the suspicious looks the Valdier warriors kept casting her way, she only cared about Aaron. He had turned extremely pale again and was lying very still.

Another large Valdier warrior wearing the symbol of a healer walked over to check the wound on Aaron's side. Hanine stepped protectively toward her mate. She glanced from Aaron to the male.

"Please...," she started to say. "Please, help him. I love him so much. Please heal him."

Tandor, the Chief Medical Officer aboard the _Horizon_ , started in surprise when he felt the slender hand touch his arm. His eyes jerked from the pale purple fingers to the face of the Marastin Dow female who was staring at him with her heart in her eyes. He glanced over at Cree and Calo, who shrugged their shoulders.

"What happened?" Tandor asked more out of curiosity than the need to know. It was obvious the male had a knife wound that needed immediate attention. What confused him was the reason a Marastin Dow was in his medical unit. "He is in bad shape. Why wasn't he taken care of before this?"

Tandor watched as the female's bottom lip trembled and a single tear coursed down her cheek. He was surprised when a wave of remorse washed through him at his callous question. He decided the best course of action was to get the human in a regeneration bed and on a nutrient drip. He would find out what happened after the male was stabilized.

"Can you save him?" The other human male asked gruffly. "He's my brother."

Tandor raised an eyebrow when he saw the male's arm wrapped protectively around the other Marastin Dow female. Shaking his head in wonder, he realized the male mistook his response when he heard the sharp hiss.

"Yes," Tandor rapidly assured the male. "Your brother will recover. I just... oh, never mind. Get him into the other room. I need to finish cleaning the wound and close it. He'll need to be in the regen-bed for at least a day or two. He'll be weak when he comes out, but with proper food and rest he should make a full recovery."

Tandor jerked back in shock when he suddenly found a sobbing Marastin Dow female clinging to him. She was babbling her thanks and how she would never forget what he was doing. He looked over at Carmen when he heard her giggle.

His eyes swiveled to Cree and Calo, who held up their hands and backed away from him. He shook his head when he saw the other Marastin Dow female wrapped in the other male's arms. Both of them were crying.

"I think it is safe to leave them alone." Ben heard Carmen whisper to the security officer who arrived under orders when Carmen returned with two Marastin Dow. "Ben, if you like, I can show you and Evetta to a cabin. Tandor, I think Hanine would like to remain with her mate. If you don't mind ordering some clean clothing and food for her, I would appreciate it."

"Of course," Tandor replied, awkwardly patting Hanine's back. "I need to take care of your mate. Why don't you get cleaned up and eat while I do?"

He breathed a sigh of relief when Hanine nodded silently and released him. She smiled, her face twisting as she fought to regain control of her emotions. She breathed deeply and took another step backwards as Tandor ordered the medics to transfer Aaron to the other room.

"Will you be alright?" Ben asked softly.

"Yes," Hanine replied, watching through the glass as Aaron was transferred onto another bed and a large casing closed around him. "Yes, I think I will be now. Go. You both need rest and food as well. I will stay with Aaron. Now that I know he is being healed, I will be fine."

"Are you sure? Maybe you should..." Evetta started to say before her voice faded as Hanine turned to face her. "Get some food and rest. We'll check on you later."

Hanine reached out and hugged her sister. "Thank you!" she whispered. "Thank you so much for finding Ben. Thank you for being my sister."

Evetta's eyes filled again as she held her little sister. They fought hard to survive and discovered love along the way. The future may still be uncertain, but at least they had a chance for a future now.

"You are doing much better," Cree commented as he rolled his shoulders. "You are getting stronger."

Aaron grinned as he accepted the hand held out to him. He grimaced as he stood and rubbed his side. It had been several weeks since they were brought aboard the _Horizon_ and things were beginning to settle into a routine.

"You okay?" Ben asked, coming up behind him.

"I'm fine. Just a twitch," Aaron assured his older brother. "I have to admit I haven't felt this good in a long time."

Ben chuckled as he nodded to Cree who muttered he was needed elsewhere. It was true. He hadn't felt this good in a long time either. It was amazing what good food, clean clothes, plenty of rest and a daily workout could do for a person.

Ben walked beside Aaron as his brother crossed over to the benches lining the edge of the training room. Cree, Calo and several other Valdier warriors had taken him and Aaron under their 'wings', allowing them to train with them each day. Even the warriors' attitudes were changing toward Evetta and Hanine. Right now, their 'mates' as the warriors called them, were in Engineering showing off some of the programs they had developed on their own over the years, including bypassing the Spaceport's shields.

"So, what do you think about Ha'ven's offer?" Ben asked as he sank down onto the bench next to Aaron. "Should we take it?"

"Yeah," Aaron replied, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "Yeah, I think we should take it."

Aaron thought of nothing else but the strange and unexpected offer they received from the Curizan Prince named Ha'ven Ha'darra. They were working out yesterday when the man approached them. He had asked a lot of questions, many of which they couldn't answer, about where they had been and who had taken them. All they could tell him was a little of their life back home on the farm and about the changes going on with the Marastin Dow.

"Where do you plan to go now?" Ha'ven had asked toward the end of their conversation.

Aaron had shrugged, but Ben became more vocal. They found out that the Marastin Dow were not respected by other species as Evetta and Hanine had told them. It took several weeks before security finally stopped shadowing them and even now, they were never left alone unless they were in their cabins.

"Any place that will accept Evetta and Hanine," Ben had growled. "We will not allow our wives to feel inferior to anyone else because of the color of their skin."

Ha'ven's laughter echoed throughout the room, drawing the attention of several warriors who were working out. When he stopped, he had surprised them with his offer. It was too good to pass up.

"There is a village set up centuries ago on my planet for a mixture of species who left their worlds for various reasons. They are an unconventional group and would accept your mates and you. You are welcome to settle there. I know there is plenty of land. You and your brother are welcome to cultivate it, if you wish."

"Why?" Ben asked skeptically. "Why would you welcome us when you don't know us?"

Ha'ven's eyes darkened and his eyes moved over Ben and Aaron in a slow, measuring way. A dark, almost dangerous smile curved his lips. The smile did not show in his eyes, though.

"You and your brother are like Creon's mate, Carmen. I offer you a place with others that are different. It is your choice if you wish to accept my invitation," Ha'ven replied coolly. "Just know this, I see more than you realize. Believe me when I say I am not one to cross. If you decide to come, remember that and make sure your mates understand it as well. I have no mercy for those who would defy me, be they male or female. The choice is yours."

Aaron remembered the cold feeling that washed over him at the look in the Curizan's eyes, but the offer was too tempting to ignore.

_No,_ he thought. _A plot of land, a home and Hanine sounded like heaven to me._

# Chapter Thirteen

"Hey," Ben whispered as Evetta stepped into their room later that night. "How was your day?"

Evetta's eyes widened when she saw the table set with covered dishes, a small light and a paper flower in the center. She walked over and fingered the unusual shape. She turned and smiled up at Ben as he came up beside her.

"It went much better," she answered. "What is all this?" she asked with a wave of her hand at the table, the light and the turned back covers of the bed. "Were you expecting someone?"

"I once told you I wanted to do this right," Ben replied with a slight, nervous tick beating at the corner of his jaw.

"Do what right?" Evetta asked in confusion as Ben knelt down on one knee in front of her. "What are you doing?"

Ben took a deep breath and reached for Evetta's left hand. He thumbed the small platinum ring in his own. He and Aaron had found some discarded metals and crystals. They couldn't believe it when they were told that it would be either recycled or disposed of once they returned to their home world. Zuk told them they could take what they wanted. They had both grabbed the items they needed and worked on the delicate rings in their spare time.

Ben's fingers trembled as he held her hand in his. He knew that he had been referring to Evetta as his wife for months now, but this was different. This felt right.

Drawing in a deep breath, Ben looked up into Evetta's puzzled eyes and smiled. _Yes,_ he thought. _This is right._ Feeling more confident, his smile grew as he stared up into her beautiful eyes.

"Evetta, would you do me the honor of being my wife?" Ben asked in a low husky voice filled with emotion.

Evetta frowned. "Does this mean you still belong to me?" she asked suspiciously.

Ben threw his head back and laughed. "Yes, my beautiful Marastin Dow warrior. It means I belong completely to you and only you."

A small, satisfied smile pulled at Evetta's lips. "Forever?"

Ben slid the delicate ring, lined with beautiful diamonds and emeralds onto Evetta's ring finger before rising back to his feet. He tenderly brushed a stray strand of hair back from her cheek. Bending down, he brushed a light kiss over her lips, groaning when she rose up for a deeper kiss.

"Forever," he promised when they finally pulled apart.

"Then yes, I will be your wife," she giggled, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you, Ben Cooper!"

"Not as much as I'm about to love you, Evetta Cooper," Ben groaned as he pressed hot kisses into her neck. "You are an incredible woman, Evetta. I have to be the luckiest man in all the star systems."

"You have too many clothes on," she whispered, fighting to undo the unfamiliar hooks on his shirt. "That is better."

Ben hissed as her fingers worked their way to his heated flesh. His hands gripped her waist. He leaned his head back when her lips followed her fingers. A shudder went through him as her tongue teased his right nipple before moving to the left one.

He lowered his head with a low groan. "My turn," he muttered in a choked voice. "You are definitely wearing too many clothes for the occasion."

Evetta's delighted laugh filled the room as Ben pulled her shirt off. She soon had her boots, pants and underclothes in several piles on the floor. She squealed as Ben lifted her up in his arms and carried her toward the bathroom.

"Where are we going? The bed is the other way," Evetta giggled as he set her in the cleansing unit.

"I've always wanted to try this," Ben admitted with a grin.

Evetta's eyes followed his hands as he pulled his pants off. Her eyes warmed in approval at his arousal. She would never get tired of looking at him. Reaching out, she drew her fingers over and around his throbbing cock and tugged.

"Demanding little thing, aren't you?" Ben asked in a husky voice. "Do you want some of this?" he asked, rocking his hips so his cock slid back and forth over her damp palm.

"No," she whispered, looking up at him. "I want all of it."

"Then it's all yours, baby," Ben gritted out as she continued caressing him. Unable to stand it any longer, he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and twisted her around. "All yours," he repeated as he pushed into her from behind.

"Ben!" Evetta cried out as he pushed deeper.

"Forever, Evetta. You are my wife until death do us part," he grunted as he rocked deep inside her. "God, I love how you feel."

"Good, so good," Evetta panted as she spread her palms against the wall.

Ben watched as he pushed in and out of her. The contrast between his skin and hers was erotic. The slender curve of her hips, held captive by him, brought him to a fevered pitch. Her cries filled the small room. He could feel the nubs inside her closing around him as her climax rose. No matter how much he prepared himself, he was never ready for it. Her vaginal walls, lined with the tiny nubs that swelled as she became more aroused, ran the length of his cock. When she shattered around him, they clamped down on him, gripping his cock tightly while pulsing like tiny massagers.

His strangled gasp mirrored hers as he exploded deep inside her. He leaned forward and wrapped his arm around her as he came. He had to brace one hand against the wall as she sagged. He pressed hot kisses along her back and shoulders as he held them both up.

"I love the way your body locks around me," he murmured.

Evetta chuckled weakly and leaned back into him. "That is good since there is nothing I could do if you did not. Oh..." She moaned as he twitched inside her, pulling on the same nubs that locked him to her. "That is, what is the word you taught me... wow!"

"Wow is an understatement," Ben acknowledged.

"Ben," Evetta murmured as he pulled out of her.

"Yes, love."

"I'm glad I'm your wife," she whispered as she turned in his arms when he straightened.

"Me too, sweetheart. Me too," he said, kissing her again.

# Chapter Fourteen

Aaron looked around the room in excitement. Hanine came in a short while ago from work and he acted like it was no big deal. He casually asked her if she wanted to go to the dining area for dinner. She gave him a funny look, but agreed. It almost killed him to keep a straight face when she went into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

The moment she shut the door, he sprang into action. He turned when he heard the door buzz. Glancing at the door to the bathroom, he hurried forward.

"Not a word to anyone!" Cree hissed in a low voice. "I can't believe you roped me into this."

"You said anything if I could knock you off your feet!" Aaron responded with a grin, pulling the cart of food into the room. "You fell."

"You kissed me!" Cree retorted in disgust. "Whoever heard of a warrior defeating another with a kiss?"

"Hey, man," Aaron grinned. "All's fair in love and war and I am definitely in love."

"Yeah, with a Marastin..." Cree's mouth snapped shut when Aaron's eyes darkened in warning. "You are not to say a word about this to anyone or I will slit your throat myself."

Aaron ran his fingers across his lips as if zipping them shut as Cree backed out of the room. Ordering the door closed, he locked it and pushed the cart so that it was next to the table. He was about to move the covered dishes onto the table when the door to the bathroom opened. He turned, exhaling in a loud hiss as Hanine filled the doorway wearing nothing but a small towel wrapped around her body.

"Mu... music," he whispered. "Play music."

"Who was at the... door?" Hanine breathed out looking up at the ceiling. "Oh, Aaron."

Hanine stood in awe as Aaron walked slowly toward her. His eyes lit up with warmth at the tears glittering in her eyes as she took in the hundreds of small origami shapes hanging from the ceiling like stars.

"Can I keep you?" he whispered when she looked back at him. "Forever?"

"You've had me at the first origami," she admitted, biting her lip and laughing. "You are crazy."

Aaron's arms opened and he caught her as she flew into them. His arms wrapped around her bare, slender figure as she wound hers arms around him and buried her face against his neck. He could feel the hot, wet tears as she shook her head.

"I'm crazy about you, Hanine. I have been from the first time you rolled your beautiful eyes and stuck out your tongue. Man, I knew I was a goner," he murmured as he pulled back just far enough to slip the ring he created for her on her left hand. "You are my wife. I love you, Hanine."

"I love you, Aaron Cooper," Hanine muttered passionately. "I love everything about you, you crazy human."

"Show me," Aaron whispered as he bent to kiss her. "Show me what you love about me."

Hanine's smile was all the answer Aaron needed. The promise it showed was enough to ignite the fire in his loins. He reached for the clasp on his pants. He pushed them down at the same time as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders. Her fingers gently caressed the long scar on his side.

"I almost lost you," she whispered as she ran her fingers along the scar. "I was never so scared in my life." She looked up at him as he pulled her fingers up to his lips and pressed a kiss against them. "You make me feel things I never knew were possible. You give me hope. You make me believe..."

Aaron pulled her gently forward as he backed up to the bed. "What do I make you believe?" he asked in a husky voice.

Hanine's eyes glittered fiercely. A single tear escaped as she gave him a shaky smile. "You make me believe in us."

Aaron wrapped his arms around her as he slowly lay back on the covers. He held her to his chest marveling at how perfectly she fit against him. Running his hands up her back, he closed his eyes and breathed in her sweet scent.

"Believe, Hanine. Never forget that. Always believe in us and we can do anything," Aaron promised her. "Anything."

Hanine raised her head and gazed down at him. Rising, she slid her legs on either side of him until she was straddling him. She pulled his hands up and pressed them against her breasts as she slowly slid down, impaling herself on his cock.

"Hanine," he moaned. "Oh, baby, yes."

"I believe, Aaron," she promised. "I believe."

Aaron looked up, amazed at the beautiful creature above him. Her eyes were closed as she rode him. A soft smile curved her lips and her face was relaxed as she moved in a slow rhythm that was wreaking havoc on his body.

"Oh, God, Hanine," Aaron panted as he felt her swelling around him. "Baby, I can't... I can't..."

Hanine's eyes opened and she stared down at him in triumph. She increased the speed, twisting a little as she came down on him. Her lips parted when he pinched her nipples as his pleasure built to an unbearable pressure.

"Forever, Aaron," Hanine cried out as she shattered around him, locking him to her. "You can keep me forever."

Aaron's own body answered hers. His cock pulsed in time with her orgasm. The muscles in his forearms strained as he rose up, pressing deeper into her so every last ounce of his seed was taken. Satisfaction swept through him when she fell forward. He cradled her quivering body in the protection of his arms.

"I've got you, sweetheart," he murmured. "My beautiful warrior's heart."

He held her against his heart, staring up at the glittering array of origami. Each one reminded him of her in some way. He realized that he was going to have to make her many, many more.

# Epilogue

**C eran-Pax, Curizan home world one year later....**

* * *

Ben was checking the soil in the newly plowed field when he suddenly looked up. He slowly rose to his feet and put his fingers to his mouth. A loud whistle let Aaron know they had company.

His eyes softened on the slightly rounded figure of his wife. She was talking animatedly with several women from the small village where they had settled. Hanine was walking toward him with two men who had just purchased some of the 'hay' they harvested earlier.

"She's as beautiful today as she was yesterday," Aaron murmured, coming to stand next to Ben.

Ben laughed and slapped his brother on the shoulder. "You say that every day, bro. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were in love."

"Yeah, you'd think that," Aaron grinned as Hanine looked up at him and smiled before raising her eyebrow at him and holding out her right hand.

Aaron looked down at her hand when she opened it. Three bears sat in it. One large, one medium and one... his throat closed up as he saw the baby bear between them. His eyes flew to hers and a slow grin spread across his face before he ran the last few feet to her and swung her around with a loud laugh.

_Yes,_ he thought as he looked up into her shining face. _Dreams really can come true._

* * *

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed Ben and Aaron's story. They were first introduced in Cornering Carmen: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 5. The Marastin Dow world has been one of violence where survival depended on strength and cunning. As more of their people are exposed to the cultures of others, the dynamics have begun to change and the younger generation is demanding a better world for their people. Future stories will follow this revolution.

* * *

Read on for a sneak peek into four new series!

* * *

1. Command Decision

_A sci-fi adventure in a new galaxy filled with exciting discoveries, compelling characters, and devastating wars...._

2. Lily's Cowboys

_A mysterious woman lives again and again, dying when she's no longer needed. Three brothers decide they will_ always _need her love, but it isn't so easy to fight fate...._

3. Choosing Riley

_A brash, kick-ass heroine with a hidden vulnerability and an arrogant king forced to be a slave....When Riley discovers her employer's secret, she has to leave town in a hurry or end up buried with the dead guy she found. She ends up a little farther away than she intended when she is picked up by a trader from another world!_

4. Ha'ven's Song

_Emma has withdrawn from the world and wants nothing more than to fade into a peaceful death. Ha'ven annoyingly ignites her temper, bringing her fully into the moment with his impossible claims that her magic reached out to merge with his, that they belong together...._

# Sample of Command Decision

**Lyndon B. Johnston Space Center, Houston, Texas: 0800.**

* * *

Josh held out his hand to retrieve his security badge and picked up the small bag holding his belongings. His gaze flickered around the huge reception area of the compound before narrowing on an older woman that was walking toward him and Ash. She paused to speak with one of the guards, glancing at the two of them several times before she nodded.

"Commander Manson, Commander Haze, welcome to the space program. My name is Lydia Gaines. I'm one of the senior scientists that will be overseeing your training. Please follow me," she said with a warm smile before reaching out to take two badges that the security guard was holding. Turning back to them, she held one out to him before giving the other to Ash. "You'll need to keep that with you at all times. If you don't, you'll find yourself locked out."

"Dr. Gaines, can you tell us what this is all about?" Josh asked with a frown. "The information we were given was little more than an order to report here."

Lydia smiled over her shoulder as she swept her badge across a lighted post and stepped through. Josh did the same, following her. Ash glanced at Josh with a raised eyebrow as he did the same.

"Everything will be explained shortly, Commander. I apologize for the lack of information given to you so far. I've, uh, scheduled a briefing within the hour," Lydia assured him, pausing outside a bank of elevators. "I think it would be best if the entire team is present."

"Team?" Ash asked, watching as the doors parted.

Josh watched as Lydia Gaines nodded her head and stepped into the elevator. He followed and turned. Ash raised an eyebrow at him again. It was Ash's way of asking him if he had figured out anything. Josh gave a barely visible shake to his head.

He stepped to the back so that he was standing behind the woman. She was in her mid-sixties if he had to guess. His gaze swept down over her. She was wearing a pair of tan dress pants and a dark red blouse with a wide, matching red belt around her waist. Her feet were encased in a pair of sensible, tan loafers that matched her pants. Except for her badge, she didn't appear to be carrying anything else. The lack of information was frustrating to Josh.

"How long have you been in Houston, Dr. Gaines?" Josh asked politely.

Lydia glanced over her shoulder with a smile. "Almost, uh, ten years, Commander," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Josh said with a shrug. "I imagine the weather isn't much different from Louisiana."

Lydia's soft chuckle filled the elevator as it began to slow. "Very good, Commander. Can you tell me which part of Louisiana I came from?" she asked with a curious expression of her own.

"Outside of New Orleans, perhaps the Metairie area," Josh replied. "You have a slight French accent on some of your syllables and often use the term 'uh' which is common in the south Louisiana dialect."

Lydia's eyes widened and she nodded in approval. "Your files indicated that you were a smart man, Commander Manson. You'll need to be for this mission," she added before turning around and stepping out of the elevator.

"I wonder what in the hell that file says about me?" Ash muttered under his breath. "How the hell did you know where she was from?"

Josh's lips curled into a smirk. "The last woman I dated came from New Orleans and said 'uh' in just about every sentence," he admitted with a mischievous grin. "I immediately recognized it. It isn't something you forget, especially when it is inserted repeatedly between exclamations of passion."

Ash chuckled and shook his head. "Only you would pick up on something like that," he muttered.

Josh walked down the long corridor following their escort. Each room they passed was filled with people. What was strange, they all paused when he and Ash passed by to stare at them before bursting out in excited conversation.

"Something is up," Ash whispered, glancing at the rooms as they passed. "I swear I'm getting the feeling that we are about to be fed to the lions or something."

"It's the 'or something' that has me worried," Josh retorted under his breath.

He slowed his stride before coming to a stop when Lydia paused outside of a room. Her hand gripped the door handle and she smiled at the two of them with a hint of pride and anticipation. Josh was pretty sure she could feel their frustration and curiosity.

"Commanders, I'd like to welcome you to Project Gliese 581g," Lydia said, pushing the door open and motioning for them to step through.

Josh glanced at Lydia before he stepped through the door. His eyes widened when he saw instead of a conference area, they were in what looked like a huge training room. Dozens of people paused as he and Ash stepped inside.

In the center of the room was a strange looking spaceship, or at least a section of it. He walked forward, his eyes glued to the futuristic design. His gaze ran over the outer hull. Small windows around the bottom gave a hint as to what might lie inside. This was far different from the space shuttles that he had seen.

"What is this?" he asked with a frown.

"It's a replica of the Gliese 581 Starship," a soft voice replied. "A long range spacecraft made specifically for an extended exploration."

Josh turned to watch as a slender woman in her early thirties walked up to him. She was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a white cotton top. Her brown hair was piled up on the top of her head in a messy bun with small wisps fanning her face. Her dark brown eyes were piercing and held a look of curiosity and an intense assessment of them – as if she was evaluating whether he and Ash measured up to her expectations. In her left hand, she carried two binders.

"Dr. Julia Marksdale," she said, holding out her right hand.

"Josh Manson," Josh replied, shaking her hand before turning as Ash stepped up.

"Ashton Haze, but everyone calls me...," Ash started to say with the easy grin that melted most women's hearts.

"Ash," Julia Marksdale finished with a smile. "Your reputation is well documented, as is Commander Manson's. We are honored to have you as part of our team. Lydia, I'll introduce them to the Gliese's command center, if you like, while you let everyone know that they have arrived."

"Thank you. Gentlemen, I leave you in very capable hands," Lydia replied with a smile. "We'll meet for the in-depth briefing in an hour."

Julia nodded. She waited until Lydia had walked away before she turned back to look at them. Josh's eyes instinctively moved down to her left hand – it was bare and there was no sign of a ring having been on it. His curiosity grew when she turned and looked up at the replica. She waved her hand toward it and gave them a smile filled with pride.

"It is slightly different from the aircraft you are used to flying. Would you like to see the inside?" she asked with a smile when both men nodded.

"Is this replacing the shuttles? It was my understanding that private companies were taking over the development of reusable spacecrafts to ferry astronauts around," Ash commented, glancing up at the massive circular pod.

"This is slightly different," Julia replied. "While this has several private backers, this spaceship is designed for an interplanetary mission."

Surprise coursed through him at her words. He glanced at Ash. His friend had a what-the-fuck-does-that-mean expression on his face. He felt the same way as he started forward.

"Project Gliese 581g is an international project that was started six years ago. It is projected to launch in eighteen months, if all goes well," Julia said as she stepped around to a steep, portable staircase.

"What has to happen for it to go well?" Ash asked.

Julia stopped on the fourth step and turned to look down at them. A small smile curved her lips. Josh could feel that assessing look as she scanned both of them again.

"Whether or not you both agree to accept this mission," Julia replied, turning to climb the stairs. "The team needs you, but this mission is on a volunteer basis because of its nature."

"It would be nice to understand what in the hell is going on. Usually the briefing comes first," Josh retorted behind her.

"I second that," Ash responded in a frustrated voice, staring back at Julia. "It'd be nice if someone actually told us why we are here."

Julia bit her lip and nodded. "Let me show you the Gliese 581 and I'll explain what I can before the meeting," she replied, turning to finish climbing the steps.

Josh swallowed and looked around the futuristic dashboard. It was like something out of a movie set. His hand ran along the back of the seat as he gazed down at the sophisticated control panel. Julia stood to one side in silence.

"Is this for real?" Ash asked in a husky voice filled with awe.

"Yes," Julia replied. "It is an exact replica of the Gliese 581 control center. I apologize that neither of you were briefed before coming here. There are a few things that have to be approved before I can discuss them in depth. Lydia and I will try to correct that error as much as we can for the moment. I hope you understand the sensitive position that I am in at the moment. I promise to be open about everything once I receive final clearance to do so. Lydia suggested that you both might be interested in seeing the Gliese 581 trainer while she pulled the team in. Some of them are at other buildings on the compound. She thought it might help give a clearer picture of what we will be going over, as well."

Josh nodded, not missing strain in Julia's voice or the hint that there was a lot more to tell then just a mission to space. Whatever was going on, it was larger than a top secret spacecraft. This wasn't an orbiter. Just as Julia said, this type of technology was meant for long distance travel through deep space.

He paused in front of the console, staring through what looked like a large window at the technicians moving around outside the trainer. The interior glass pane didn't match with what he saw outside. His gaze ran over the console in front of him and he noticed a small screen that displayed the same image.

"From below it looked like there were just small windows," Josh commented with a frown.

"What you are seeing is an illusion," Julia said, stepping forward and touching several icons on the console screen. "It is a new technology the Chinese have developed. This will give us a greater view of what we see and help eliminate some of the feelings of being in a small space over a long period of time. At least, that is what we hope," she added, turning off the cameras.

Josh blinked when he saw a curved wall appear in front of him. It looked almost like a large IMAX screen without the cameras on. Leaning forward, he repeated the process that Julia had done just seconds before and a visual of the large room reappeared.

"The resolution is the best I've ever seen," Josh murmured in approval. "There's no distortion that could happen with normal windows. Can you record as well?"

"Yes," Julia replied. "It will be necessary for this mission to document as much as possible and send it back to Earth."

"I'm assuming the briefing will cover this mission? In a nutshell, what is it about?" Ash asked, sliding into the seat next to where Josh was standing.

Julia looked down at Ash. "To discover if we are alone in the universe or not," she replied in a quiet voice.

Josh's head jerked up from where he was studying the controls. In his peripheral vision, he saw Ash's head twist around as well. His mouth tightened at her quiet statement.

"Do you think we aren't?" Josh asked.

Julia glanced at him and nodded. "I know we aren't. The question is, what happened to the others and where did they come from?" she responded before glancing at her watch. "It's almost time to meet the rest of the team. I have more information that I would like to go over with you before the briefing."

Twenty minutes later, Josh and Ash sat in a large room that looked more like a mini-theater than a conference room. Every seat was filled. Julia had escorted him and Ash to the front row and indicated for them to sit down before she had stepped up onto the small platform next to Lydia.

Josh's mind buzzed with the information Julia had shared just minutes before. He glanced down at the binder in his hand. Julia had explained that he had been selected as the commander and Ash had been selected as the pilot for a very special mission into space. While she did not go into much detail due to the limited time, he was piecing together what he had seen. This was a top secret, international mission, possibly to Mars, definitely deep space. He half wondered if the scientists had found something on their nearest planet that hadn't been leaked to the news yet.

"Good morning. Thank you for taking time off of your busy schedules. This morning, I'm happy to welcome the last two members to our team," Lydia announced, glancing at Josh and Ash for a moment before scanning the group. "Lt. Commander Joshua Manson will be the commander of the Starship Gliese 581 while Lt. Commander Ashton Haze has been chosen as the pilot. Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the rest of your crew. You've already met Julia. She is a Mission Specialist and will provide navigation and contact support. While both Mei and Sergi are new to the crew, they are not new to Project Gliese 581g. Dr. Mei Li Hú is from the Chinese space agency. She is a Mission Specialist with a background in computer science, biology, and environmental systems. The last member of the team is Sergi Lazaroff. His specialty is in mechanical engineering, payload, and weapons."

"Weapons?" Josh asked with a frown as he glanced at the spec sheet in front of him of the Gliese 581. "Will the Gliese be equipped with a weapons system?"

"Only in Sergi's dreams," Mei interjected, drawing laughter from everyone.

Lydia smiled at their teasing before she answered Josh's question. "At the moment the answer is no, but we have not eliminated the possibility. The biggest drawback is the technology. We've advanced considerably over the last few decades, but a weapons system is still more science fiction than reality," Lydia said. "This is a review for many of you, but the countdown has begun. In eighteen months, Project Gliese 581g will depart for the Earth's first interplanetary mission."

"Interplanetary," Ash replied with a slight shake of his head. "This is huge. It would have been nice to have more than eighteen months to prepare."

Julia turned to stare at Ash with a strained smile. "I understand your reservations, Commander. The tight deadline is unavoidable," she explained. "The original crew for the mission would have received slightly more time to prepare. It is regrettable that the four of you won't have the same opportunity. On a positive note, both Sergi and Mei have been on several missions to the International Space Station and have worked on the Gliese 581's construction. It helps that they are familiar with space travel."

"What happened to the original crew?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They and the backup team were killed when the two helicopters they were on crashed while returning to the compound. There is only one original member of the crew left. I had a meeting in Washington that night and was delayed. It is the only thing that saved me, and possibly this mission. We lost some brilliant men and women in the crash, including my father," Julia replied in a quiet tone that resonated throughout the room.

"I remember hearing about it on the news, but didn't realize the magnitude of it. I'm sorry for your loss," Josh replied somberly after a minute of silence.

Josh studied Julia's pale face. There was more to the story, but something told him it was personal. He could see the shadow of grief in her eyes when she explained the tragic accident that took the original crew members.

Josh caught Ash's glance that told him his friend felt it as well. Turning his head, he stared at the others in the room. He listened while different project managers shared reports, progress, and issues they were having. It wasn't until the end of the briefing, after Julia and Lydia quietly congratulated all of them for their selection as members of the crew, that he felt a nagging suspicion there was still more information being withheld.

"I look forward to the mission," Josh responded with a sharp nod.

Ash was silent for a moment before he sat back in his seat. "Eighteen months to departure, huh?" he replied with a grim smile. "We have a lot to learn."

"Yes, you both have a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but I promise you will also have the best team in the world behind you," Julia said with a relieved expression.

"Does anyone have any questions before we begin?" Lydia asked, stepping up to the front again.

"I do," Josh said with a twist of his lips.

"What is it, Commander?" Lydia asked.

Josh studied Julia's face as he asked his question. "Where exactly are we going?" he asked.

Josh leaned against the outside wall of the training compound two days later. He drew in a deep breath and rolled his head on his shoulders to release the tension. He had just come back from his early morning run along the flightline.

It was still dark out, but the hint of sunrise was beginning to lighten the horizon. His gaze caught on the movements of another runner. It only took a few seconds for him to recognize Julia. He waited as she jogged closer. He knew the moment that she realized that she was no longer alone.

"Good morning," he called out when she slowed to a walk.

Julia glanced at him and placed her hands on her hips as she drew in deep, steady breaths through her nose to calm her respiration. She gave him a curt nod before she glanced at the fitness watch on her wrist.

"Good morning," she finally replied. "How are you settling in?"

"Not bad," Josh replied with a shrug. "I take it the small accommodations here at the compound are to prepare us for our living quarters in space."

Julia gave him a slight smile and walked in a tight circle as she continued to cool down. Josh watched her as she bowed her head. She appeared to be distracted. Whatever was bothering her, he still got the feeling that he and Ash weren't being told everything and she was struggling with that. Julia had left shortly after the meeting that first day, so he had not been able to confront her about his suspicions.

"There will actually be more room on the Gliese 581 than is normally allocated on a spaceship. Privacy was taken into consideration when the design was finalized due to the length of time we will be gone," she finally said, drawing in a deep breath while standing with her back to him and looking out over the horizon. "I love this time of the morning, don't you?"

Josh heard the hint of wistfulness in her voice. "What's really going on? I think Ash and I deserve to know the truth," Josh demanded in a quiet tone. "What aren't you telling us? I know you explained in the briefing that this was an exploratory mission to test intergalactic travel, but I can't help but feel it is more than that. We aren't heading to Mars as I originally expected, but into a section of the solar system that makes no sense to me from the information in the briefing that you gave us before the meeting. Why? I get the dangers, but I would have thought Mars would have been mankind's first attempt at long distance space travel."

Julia slowly turned to study him. He stared back at her, not breaking her intense gaze. He saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes before she released her breath and nodded.

"Yes, you do deserve to know the truth. All of the crew does. I couldn't say anything until I received permission. That took more time than I expected," she admitted. "The original crew knew what they were facing. Because of the classification of the mission, Lydia and I could not share it in the briefing the other day which is why Lydia did not answer your question when you wanted to know where we were going. Besides a very select group, only Lydia and myself are aware of the actual destination. It was important to keep it secret to prevent any leakage to the press. Even Sergi and Mei were not privileged to the information I'm about to share due to the complexity of the mission. It was important to prevent the public from discovering what my father had found," she explained, staring intently up at him.

Josh returned her intense look. "Trust is a very important factor on any mission," he said in a blunt tone. "Without trust, it isn't a mission, but certain death to one or all of those on it. If the government expects us to put our lives on the line, the least they can do is tell us what the fuck is going on."

Julia's jaw tightened before she drew in a deep breath and released it. "My father asked me a question six years ago when this project was first conceived that I will now ask you, Commander. Would you still agree to go on this mission if you knew that you would probably never make it back to Earth?"

Josh reflected on the softly asked question. Would he? What did he have to come back to? He wasn't married. Hell, he wasn't even seeing anyone at the moment. He didn't have any kids or family to return to. The only real friend he had was Ash, if he admitted it. His gaze flashed to the horizon and the soft glow. What would it be like to wake up and see the stars instead of the sun for the rest of his life?

"I don't really have much to keep me here," he replied, turning to look at her. "What about you? Surely you have a reason to return."

Julia shook her head. "Not anymore," she responded in a light tone. "Thank you for your answer. It is only fair that I ask the others the same question. Hopefully, they will feel the same way that we do. I planned on calling a meeting this morning for the team now that I've received permission to proceed. If you'll meet me in the conference room in half an hour, I'll explain everything. I promise, there will be no more deceptions or half-truths."

Josh reached out and touched her arm when she started to turn. "I knew when I applied for the space program that if I was accepted and sent into space that there was always a chance of never returning to Earth. I still wanted to go."

Julia stared back at him in silence for a few potent seconds before she stepped back. "Admiral Greenburg was right when he said you were the right man for this assignment. The President also agrees. I would say that is a significant level of trust, Lieutenant Manson," she responded with a somber smile. "I've been ordered to answer any and all questions that you or the rest of the crew have. I promise to be transparent in my answers."

Josh watched as she turned on her heel and quietly jogged away. He turned his head and he absently watched the horizon as the sun came up. For a moment, he felt a strange sense of surrealism, as if it was just an illusion before it rose above the curve of the tree line in the distance.

Turning, he headed back to the apartments set up for the crew. He would pose the same question to Ash. Deep down, he hoped his friend agreed, because something told him he was going to need Ash's expertise on this mission.

A half hour later, Josh and Ash stepped into the conference room. Mei and Sergi nodded to them in greeting. The other two members looked as puzzled as he felt.

Julia glanced up when they entered and she released the breath that she was holding. Her eyes swept from Ash to Josh.

"Thank you," she said in a quiet voice. "Once again, I apologize for all the secrecy; I was only given final approval late last night to share the information."

"Don't thank us yet," Josh warned in a slightly curt tone. "Since we were given this assignment, I would have expected that all clearances were approved. I don't like walking into a situation blind or with half the Intel."

Julia nodded. "Normally that isn't the case. With the sudden deaths of the majority of the crew, it has created a vacuum that was unexpected and had some of our supporters questioning the success of the project. As I told you earlier, Commander, the President has ordered me to answer any and all questions," she responded in a light tone. "If everyone would please have a seat, I'll explain everything from the beginning. I hope to answer any questions that still remain afterwards. It is understood that any information shared here is classified and must remain confidential."

Julia picked up the remote for the project and turned it on. She knew each slide by heart. They were a combination of ten years' worth of work. Only a very select group of backers, including some of the highest-ranking officials in the world, knew about Project Gliese 581g.

She swallowed as she turned back to look at Ash and Josh. They were staring up at the slide with a frown. She knew what they were staring at. It had been the same one that her father had presented before the Senate subcommittee during a closed session.

"Ten years ago an astronomer was doing deep space astrophotography in the hopes of discovering a star system that had the potential for Earth-like planets. During his search, he thought he might have found several such systems. Gliese is the eighty-ninth closest star to the Sun and is located in the constellation of Libra. It is a spectral type M3V star, which is also known..."

"As a red dwarf," Ash responded, giving Julia a crooked smile. "What can I say? I love watching the Science Channel."

"Ah, another true science fan, Sergi," Mei teased. "You should be happy now."

"You can learn a lot from the Science Channel, eh, Ash," Sergi retorted with a grin.

Julia chuckled and relaxed. "Yes, it is known as a red dwarf," she repeated with a smile. "It is located approximately twenty light years from Earth and is estimated to have a mass that is about one-third of the Sun. Observation shows that the star may have planetary movement around it based on current evidence. There is speculation of some additional stellar activity that could be the result of mimicking from the radical velocity variations of orbital planets. At this time, there are three suspected planets. Gliese 581c is considered to be similar to Venus." Julia turned and clicked to the next slide. "Rampant greenhouse effects make the planet too hot to be habitable. Gliese 581d and g have come under closer scrutiny, though doubt has been raised as to whether either one has the potential for life. Still, they have not been completely ruled out."

"If there is doubt, why call this project 581g? Why send a mission to explore it when the likelihood of finding a habitable planet twenty light years away is virtually impossible? You'd have a better chance of finding a diamond in the middle of the Sahara," Josh observed, folding his arms across his chest and staring at the grainy image with an ironic twist to his lips.

"Because it isn't the planet that we want to explore," Julia replied in a soft voice. She raised the remote and clicked to the next slide. "My father was looking in the direction of Gliese 581 for planets. Instead, he found this."

Julia watched as each member of her audience frowned and sat forward. Their gaze was glued to the image, or rather, the strange, unnatural object in the image. She clicked to the next slide. This picture was taken just six months ago by a new Russian space telescope. It was slightly smaller, but more powerful than the aging Hubble.

"What the...?" Ash exclaimed, rising out of his seat.

"What is it?" Josh demanded, glancing at Julia briefly before turning his gaze back to the slide.

"It looks mechanical," Sergi exclaimed.

"It is too symmetrical to have been made naturally," Mei whispered, sitting forward in excitement.

"We don't know, but we are going to find out," Julia replied. "This is our destination. The Gliese 581 is almost complete. A select group of top scientists from all over the world have been working day and night for years. This project was too big for just one country and if we find what we suspect is out there, it will affect every person on this planet. This could be the answer to where we came from... and whether we are alone or not in the universe."

Mei glanced at Julia. "If word of this spread to the public, there would be world-wide chaos," she stated in concern.

"Yes," Julia agreed. "In addition, the President thought it best that the launch occurred before the new presidential elections to prevent the project from either being canceled or publicized. That is the reason for the short window of time."

"Good ole politics, ruling the roost again," Ash muttered under his breath. "I'd like to send a few politicians on this one way trip."

Julia bit back a chuckle and nodded. She turned and watched as Josh stepped forward toward the screen. His face was chiseled into a hard mask. She turned to stare up at the screen. It didn't matter how many times she gazed at it, she still felt that yearning deep down inside to know if the object in these images her father took were real, and if they were, why were they there?

"How long will it take to reach it?" Josh asked in a quiet tone.

"Approximately thirteen months," Julia replied. "The object is twice the distance from the Earth to Jupiter."

"Thirteen? What type of propulsion system does the spaceship have?" Ash asked in surprise.

Julia smiled when she heard the curiosity mixed with a touch of wonder in Ash's voice. "A new combination ion-solar propulsion system that was a joint effort between China, Russia, and the U.S.," Julia answered, "The scientists in China and Russia are just as curious as we are to see if it works. Of course, due to the nature of this mission, it is for a different reason. They believe we are going to Mars."

"This is why my father is backing this project. He has always believed that it was possible to go to another planet. Does he know about the true nature of this mission?" Mei asked. "Does he know that I have been chosen to be a member of the crew?"

"He does now. That is one reason I was delayed. Your father's company, and his standing with the Chinese government, was imperative to the success of this mission. I met with the President and your father last night. You are one of the most qualified members of this project to slide into the position. I needed the clearance to not only tell all of you, but also to meet with your father. He has agreed to continue to offer support and to remain quiet about the true destination," Julia replied. "I admit, there was some hesitation about allowing you to be a part of the crew because you have a family. Your father wanted me to assure you that he is very proud to have you as a member."

Julia drew in a deep breath and braced herself for the question that she knew was bound to be asked. It was a question she and the original crew members had discussed numerous times over the past several years. She briefly closed her eyes when she heard Josh draw in a deep breath and she stiffened her shoulders.

"None of us have a family, that was why we were chosen, isn't it? There is an expectation that we won't make it back. Why?" Josh asked.

Julia opened her eyes and gazed back at the expression of hesitation and suspicion in Josh's eyes. A rueful smile curved her lips at the corner, but didn't quite reach her eyes. Now was the moment of truth. Would everyone still agree to the mission or would they decide they didn't want to take the chance?

"Because my father and I suspected that it might be a gateway. New data continues to support that possibility. If it is, there is a chance we might activate it," she whispered.

"Are you saying like a Stargate of some kind?" Ash asked.

Julia looked back up at the blurred circular object. "Yes," she replied.

"Well, shit," Ash muttered, stepping over to stand near Josh. "I always knew following you was going to get me into a world of trouble. I just never expected it to be out of the solar system."

Josh grimaced. "Isn't that the truth," he muttered under his breath, staring at the image again.

Julia turned to the small group. "So, do I tell the President that it is a go?" she asked in a slightly tense tone.

"Go for me," Josh replied, turning to look at her.

"It's a go for me," Ash said with a nod.

Julia turned to look at Sergi. He was frowning up at the screen before he turned and gave her a crooked grin. She returned his smile.

"Someone has to figure out how to make it work," Sergi replied with a shrug. "I can fix just about anything. I will go."

"Mei?" Julia asked in a soft tone. "Out of all of us, you have the most to lose. You have your family."

Mei glanced at the others before rising and taking a step closer to the screen. She was silent for several long seconds before she turned with a serene smile on her face. Her eyes glowed with determination.

"My family will understand," Mei said. "My father has always been proud of my achievements. He would never have backed this project if he did not believe in it. It is an honor to go."

"Thank you," Julia breathed in relief.

**Eighteen months later:**

**Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan**

* * *

"The first umbilical tower has separated," Launch Control stated.

"Copy thirty-eight," a woman's voice echoed in the background. "Auto-sequence has been initiated."

"Roger, twenty seconds and counting," Launch Control responded. "The final umbilical tower has now separated. Engines have fired with maximum thrust and we have liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:42 a.m. on their way to Gliese 581."

"Good first stage performance," Josh said sixty seconds later into the microphone attached to his helmet.

"Roll pitch is nominal," Ash stated. "All systems normal."

Josh breathed in and out, in calm even breaths, as the Soyuz rocket went through the different stages necessary before breaking through Earth's orbit. He followed Ash's self-assured movements over the controls as he monitored their flight path and the systems.

"Welcome to the twilight zone, boys and girls," Ash said as they exited the outer atmosphere.

Josh kept his eyes focused on the paper in front of him. This was their second trip into space. The first had been a year ago. That was when he caught his initial glance at Gliese 581.

It had been one of the most magnificent pieces of technology that he had ever seen. He remembered Sergi and Mei teasing him and Ash. It was at that moment when he knew he had made the right decision.

"So, you thought we were going to travel through space in a tin can?" Sergi had asked him with a grin. "If it helps, my friend, I felt the same way when I first saw the Gliese. She is magnificent ship, is she not?"

"She had better be! She has some of the most advance technology known to man aboard her," Mei replied.

Sergi rolled his eyes. "Mei's father's company supplied a great deal of the technology being used," he murmured, before wincing. "She didn't want anyone to know that, though."

"There is no keeping a secret with you telling everyone. My father has always had a fascination with space," Mei growled in exasperation before she grinned. "Besides, every time Sergi tells someone, it gives me a chance to hit him."

Sergi gave him and Ash a pained expression. "I should never have shown her how to fight," he muttered in pretend resignation.

Mei and Julia's laughter filled the cockpit. Sergi and Mei's constant picking on each other had become a source of entertainment among the crew. They were both intelligent and enjoyed the banter, which made it even more fun to watch as they tried to outdo each other.

"Mission Control, turning over control for core rendezvous and docking sequence," Ash said, jerking Josh back to the present.

"Copy," Mission control responded.

"We can see the pictures. Three hundred meters and closing. Begin fly around," Ash responded.

"We see thrusters are working and we are moving to docking assembly. Copy," Mission Control responded.

Josh watched on the screens as the docking mechanism came into view. Mission control continued to give them information as the two docking assemblies lined up. A few minutes later, there was a soft jerk and the sound of the docking assembly locking.

"Locking assembly has engaged, Gliese 581. Welcome aboard your new home," Mission Control stated.

"Copy that, Mission Control," Ash responded with a grin as he finished the final shut down and prepared to open the connecting hatch. "Let's go take a look at our new home."

Five days later, Josh stood in front of the huge virtual window, looking down at the Earth. Two of the crew members from the International Space Station had departed an hour before with the capsule that had brought them here. The two cosmonauts would dock with the outlying structure that had been used as a base during construction of the Gliese 581. They would release the last of the tethers. The remaining base would be joined to the International Space Station. At the moment they were waiting for final approval from Mission Control to begin a voyage unlike anything man has ever done before.

"It is good to know that the artificial gravity works," Julia commented as she gripped the handhelds near the doorway and lowered her feet to the floor before stepping inside the main control and living area. "Though, I have to admit floating is fun."

"It is more than fun," Mei laughed as she came up behind Julia. "I missed this part of being in space."

"Not as much as I missed watching you bounce off of things," Sergi retorted with a grin.

Mei turned and pushed Sergi backwards when he tried to come into the control room. Grabbing the handheld, she nimbly lowered her feet to the floor and stepped into the area with the artificial gravity. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned when Sergi stumbled.

"It's not as easy as it looks," he grumbled, flashing a quick grin.

Mei tossed her braid over her shoulder and laughed. "You are just clumsy," she retorted, darting out of Sergi's reach when he started to grab for her braid. "And slow."

Josh couldn't keep the amused grin from escaping. He wondered if those two would be like this the entire journey. Turning back, he stared down at the Earth again as the others slowly made their way over one at a time to join him.

"I wonder if we will ever see it again," Mei asked in a soft voice.

"I don't see why not," Josh replied, shooting a glance at Julia's calm face. "We get out there, find out what the object is, and come back."

"Almost three years in space, a trillion million miles from any other living soul, and totally self-reliant on a massive piece of equipment that looks great on paper, but has never been put to the test," Sergi reflected, rubbing his chin before he dropped his hand and shrugged. "It will be a piece of pie. I would say we have a billion to one chance of making it back in one piece."

"It is a piece of cake," Mei growled, turning and punching Sergi in the arm. "I'm going to go check on my plants."

"What?! What did I say this time? Mei!" Sergi groaned. "Chinese women are too difficult to understand."

Josh watched as Ash hastily moved aside as Mei swept past him. Ash's eyebrows rose when Sergi quickly followed. A grin curved Josh's lips when he saw the expression on Ash's face. It wouldn't be long before his friend joined in the fun.

"What'd I miss this time?" Ash asked.

"Mei asked if we would ever see Earth again," Julia replied before Josh could say anything.

"And Sergi's answer was...?" Ash asked, glancing back at the other two members of the crew who had disappeared through the doorway.

"A rundown of how far we are going in a prototype spaceship with no backup if something were to go wrong," Julia answered with a brief glance at Josh. "I have some tests to run before we get too much further away. Please, excuse me."

Ash and Josh watched as Julia disappeared in the opposite direction. Each person had to deal with the reality of their decision. It didn't matter that they had been training non-stop for the past eighteen months for this mission.

In the end, all the talk, all the planning, couldn't quite prepare them mentally for what was ahead. If something happened, there wouldn't be a damn thing anyone on Earth could do to save them. The knowledge that they would have to depend on each other, and a never-before-tested spaceship on a maiden voyage into the unknown, was unsettling and it would take time for each person to come to terms with it.

Josh understood this. It was one of the things his dad had talked to him about before each mission. For the first time in his life, he could finally appreciate what his father had been trying to tell him. His father's quiet voice rang through his memory.

"Every mission could be your last, son," Edward Manson said. "You can't go into it thinking about that. You focus on what needs to be done. In the back of your mind, there is always the thought of what could go wrong, that is why we train for it, but we don't let it consume us. If you do, if you quit, then you are doomed to failure, and failure in space means death."

Josh jerked back to the present when he felt Ash touch his arm. He pressed his lips into a firm line and nodded. He turned when he heard the sound of the communications console chime.

"Call the others," he ordered. "It's time to go."

**_Command Decision_**

# Sample of Lily's Cowboys

**Her First Death**

* * *

Lily O'Donnell pulled her hat further down on her head, trying to protect her face as much as she could from the rain pouring down around her. She was drenched through to her skin and shivered as cold raindrops ran down under the collar of her jacket. She let out a tired sigh as she struggled.

Her long dress wasn't helping matters as it kept tangling around her legs, making each step on the three-mile journey from town to home even more difficult. Pulling the small basket of dry goods she had picked up at the general store closer to her, she was just thankful she was almost home. At almost eighteen, she had taken over most of the work around the farm she and her mother lived on outside of the small town of Oak Grove, Oklahoma. It was all they had left, and they were determined to keep it.

Her parents had moved out to Oklahoma twenty years before, wanting to make a new start away from the hectic life found in the city. It had been a difficult journey for her mother, but her father, Gerald O'Donnell, had wanted to find a place where he could farm and raise a family. Everything had been fine until two years ago when a man from town named James Butler had started coming around. Lily didn't like him. Butler had been trying to pressure her father into letting him marry her.

Lily's father had ordered the man away, but it was unnerving how often he still seemed to show up on or near their farm. When her father had died a year later in an accident while working with Butler, she had become suspicious and begged the sheriff to investigate. The sheriff could find no conclusive proof that Butler had anything to do with her father's fall off a barn roof they had been working on together at a nearby farm. Now with her father gone, Butler had begun pressuring Lily's mother, Maureen, to marry him. Lily's mother did what she could to discourage him, telling him over and over not to come around.

Lily sighed again as she thought of the last few months. It had been very hard for them. She and her mother knew living on a farm would be hard. What they had not expected to discover was that for two women living alone on a farm it was almost impossible, as the work and repairs were never ending.

To compound matters, in recent weeks James Butler had been more insistent about coming out, ignoring Lily and her mother's protests that neither of them needed nor wanted his help. Yesterday, he had hidden in their barn and grabbed Lily when she had gone out to gather eggs. He had smelled heavily of alcohol and sweat, making her cringe in fear.

She had fought him off, screaming when he grabbed her breast in a brutal grip, leaving dark, painful bruises behind. When she heard Lily's screams, her mother had rushed out of the house, clutching her husband's old shotgun to her chest. Butler had threatened them both, telling Maureen he was going to marry her whether she wanted to or not and that Lily was going to be his, too. Maureen, small-boned and delicate, had stood there with the heavy gun pointed at his chest, fearlessly demanding he leave and not come back.

Lily had been hesitant to make the weekly journey to town, but they needed to get supplies and sell some of the items they had. So Lily had left early this morning to make the trip to town, hoping to be back before it began raining again. She took the items she and her mother had canned and fresh vegetables to Mr. Marshall at the local general store to help supplement their income once a week. They desperately needed the money, and Maureen had encouraged Lily to go, though it was against Lily's better judgment. It also gave her a chance to pick up any supplies they needed.

Her mother normally took turns with her, but she had been ill and was too fragile to make the journey right now, especially with the rainy weather they had been experiencing recently. Lily had also stopped by the local sheriff's office to tell him what had happened. She was tired of them constantly having to look over their shoulders.

After the incident yesterday, she was determined to end Butler's advances. She asked the sheriff if it would be possible for him to talk to Butler about staying away from them. The sheriff had explained he would talk to him, but suggested it might be a good idea if Lily and her mother found somewhere else to stay for a while. Lily had shaken her head; they had no other family. The farm was the only place they had.

The sheriff said he would be out the next day to talk with Maureen and see what he could do to help out. Lily had thanked him before making the long journey home. Now, as she struggled to get home before dark, she was suddenly filled with a sense of unease. Had she done the right thing? Would Butler become even more hostile? More determined?

Frowning as she made her way up onto the small porch, she realized there were no lights on in the small house. Opening the door, Lily pushed her wet hat off and laid it next to the door.

"Momma?" Lily called softly. "Are you here?"

Lily set the basket of supplies down on the rough table in the kitchen. Removing her wet jacket, she walked to the door of her mother's bedroom.

Hesitating, she knocked softly. "Momma?"

The door opened suddenly with a bang as it swung back and hit the wall. A very drunk James Butler stood in front of her wearing nothing but a pair of half-buttoned pants, with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. "Your momma ain't here no more, little girl. It's just you and me now."

Lily stepped back from the stench of bad breath and whiskey coming from the man standing in front of her. She looked around his large body into her mother's bedroom and saw her mother lying naked on the bed, her face bloodied and bruised, her eyes staring unseeing toward the ceiling. Lily's eyes grew wide in horror. Sobbing, she stumbled backward as Butler reached for her.

"You're gonna fill the bitch's position now, and I know just the position I want to take you in, too." He grinned as he grabbed his crotch. "I've wanted to fuck you ever since I first laid eyes on you. I wanted your momma too, but she couldn't handle me. Bitch scratched my face up when I told her what I was gonna do to you. She knew I wanted you. I made sure I told her as I fucked her what I was going to do to her baby girl. I even let her know her beloved husband had a little help in meeting an early grave. He didn't know what hit him until it was too late. You and your momma always thought you were too good for me. Bet she didn't think that as she was getting fucked. She kept begging me. You know how much that turned me on? You should have listened to her beg me not to hurt you when I told her how I was gonna fuck you too."

Lily shook her head as she moved around the table, trying to keep away from the monster who had murdered her family. She shook with grief over what her beautiful and gentle mother had gone through.

"How could you?" Tears poured down her face as she realized she was about to meet the same fate as her mother. "How could you?"

Taking another swig of whiskey, James laughed as he threw the bottle at her across the table. "You should have heard her. Your momma begged for protection for you with her dying breath. 'Please give my baby girl a chance to live. Please, oh God, please, protect my baby girl.' I don't think anyone was listening, do you? No one heard her as she begged for her life." He whined out the words, noting how each one pierced the heart of the girl in front of him.

"Come here and bend over, girl. It's time I showed you what a man feels like. Maybe if you are a good girl I won't have to beat you like I did your momma. She shouldn't have fought me. She got what she deserved," James said as he began undoing the rest of the buttons on his pants.

Lily backed up until her back was against the edge of the counter. Screaming when James grabbed the table and flipped it out of the way, Lily reached blindly behind her for some type of weapon. Her hands closed around the small lantern they used in the kitchen.

She flung it at him with all her might, not waiting to see if it made contact. Turning, she rushed to the back door of the small house and stumbled down the steps, sobbing. She ignored everything but the need to get away, running as fast as she could in the driving rain.

She headed around the back, running across the muddy yard past the barn and down toward the river that ran along the back of the property. Her only thought was to get away from the evil that had taken her family away from her. If she could get to the next farm she would be safe, she kept telling herself over and over.

She screamed suddenly in fear when her long hair was grabbed painfully from behind, pulling her off her feet. She landed on her back in the thick mud and began tumbling down the slight incline toward the river, fighting against the huge body trying to hold onto her.

Lily gasped as a fist came down along her chin. It hadn't been a hard blow, but enough to stun her for a moment. Her legs were tangled in the skirts of her long dress, and she couldn't seem to fight her way free of them long enough to get up.

When the muddy hand tightened its grip in her hair and began to drag her up to her knees, she screamed even louder in pain and fear. She frantically swung her fists as hard as she could in an effort to break free. She almost sobbed in relief when she connected, listening with satisfaction when she heard a grunt of pain over the rain and thunder. Pushing with all her might, she wiggled free from Butler's muddy grasp and struggled to her feet. She stumbled blindly toward the rain-swollen river.

Lily gasped in dismay as she realized she would never be able to safely cross the river. The rains had swollen it to over twice its normal size. The waters rushed in torrents, tearing away at the bank, twisting and churning in wild rapids of fast-moving water.

Turning in defeat, she wrapped her arms around her waist as she looked into the angry face of the man who had murdered her parents. She watched in despair as he moved toward her with a hateful grin on his muddy face. Straightening her shoulders, Lily spoke quietly.

"You won't get away with this. You'll receive justice for the murder of my family. The sheriff knows what you have been doing. He is coming out tomorrow to check on us. I told him about what you did yesterday. You are going to hang for murder."

"Who do you think he is going to believe when he doesn't find anything? He'll think you and your momma just up and left. If you want to talk about justice, girl, I'll show you justice. Justice is when I bury my dick deep inside your pussy just like I did your momma for thinking she was too good for me." James wiped the mud dripping down his face. "What are you gonna do now? You don't have anywhere else to run to. You're all out of choices."

"There is always a choice. You made yours, and I hope you rot in hell. If I'm going to die, I'll do it with the knowledge you will never do to me what you did to my mother," Lily replied with cold determination.

She raised her eyes briefly to the sky and let out a small prayer, seeking forgiveness for what she was about to do. Twirling around, she jumped off the eroding bank into the swiftly moving water. The dark, swirling waters closed over her head, the weight of her dress dragging her down deeper into her watery grave. Lily couldn't help but think how she hadn't even had a chance to live before she died and felt regret she would never know love the way her parents had.

**_Lily's Cowboys_**

# Sample of Choosing Riley

S.E. Smith presents almost two full chapters of Choosing Riley!

**Chapter 1**

* * *

"Choose," the disembodied voice said.

_Choose? Choose what?_ Riley thought, looking around her in disbelief at the rock walls. _Choose to get the fuck out of this crazy nightmare? Hell, yeah. Choose to kill the bastards who put me in this miserable spot? Oh, hell yeah. Choose..._

Riley jerked when she felt the ice-cold claw poke her in the back for the third time. Looking around, she followed the arm of the creature standing next to her as it pointed down over the edge of a small platform. She really was trying for that nice stage of being totally zoned out, but the damn creatures who kidnapped her twenty days before had an annoying habit of bringing her back to the unfortunate situation she was in.

"Choose," the nearly eight-foot-tall stick figure said again, this time losing some of the disembodied tone.

Riley couldn't help the little smirk that lifted the corner of her mouth. She really couldn't. After the first week of captivity, she had moved from being mind-numbingly terrified to just downright pissed off at life. She figured if she was going to die, she might as well do what she did best: piss everyone off around her. That was what had gotten her into this situation in the first place—her big mouth and smart-ass attitude.

Okay, maybe she shouldn't have pissed off her boss by telling him what he could do with his wandering hands when he grabbed her ass for the third time that day. Better yet, she shouldn't have broken his nose, his hand, and more than likely his nuts since he had been screaming more than an octave or two higher than a soprano. Yeah, that probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. Especially since his daddy happened to be the local sheriff. She was a bail bondsman, for heaven's sake. Any freaking idiot should have known better than to mess with her. Her line of work required she know a certain amount of self-defense.

_God_ , she thought. _I really should have never taken that job._

When her boss swore she would never leave town alive after she beat the shit out of him, she figured it was time to get the hell out of Righteous, New Mexico. Of course, the fact her boss owned the local bail bond company and had a somewhat lucrative business going with his daddy should have been her first warning that something wasn't right, she'd thought as she grabbed her purse and a large manila folder full of incriminating evidence against both of them. Finding out that daddy and junior were also running illegal weapons and drugs were definitely her second and third warnings.

Of course, the little tidbit of information she had found that morning about the dead guy buried under the storage unit had been the real reason she figured she had made a bad mistake. That information was now safely tucked into the manila folder stuffed in her purse, and it had gone along with her as she left the small town she had been living in for the past six months as fast as her old Ford could drive.

She actually might have had a chance to live a little longer if a series of life's usual little hiccups hadn't been blessed upon her. Again. Of course, if the car had been further than one push to the nearest junkyard it would have helped her great nonexistent getaway plans. It would have been better yet if the damn car hadn't broken down just over the state line on the outskirts of the desert. She knew she should have purchased a new one last month, but she was such a tightwad she wanted to get every last mile out of it. And boy, did she!

Oh, and she couldn't forget her best idea yet—getting in a truck with a guy who had more piercings and tattoos than a model for _Prick Magazine_ instead of walking the three miles to the bar she had seen a roadside sign for.

_No, I had to get my fat—_ Riley sighed. _No, my maturely figured ass into the scum-bucket's truck_.

Riley sighed again. _I really, really should have taken those anger management classes like my sainted sister, Tina, said I needed._

Unable to keep the grin off her face, Riley thought back to the look on the pierced, tattooed guy's face when she shot him the bird as he drove off, leaving her in the middle of that godforsaken hell's beach just as it was getting dark.

_Give him a fucking blow job if I wanted a ride out of the desert_ , Riley thought savagely. _Not bloody likely_.

She showed him! As soon as he pulled over to the side of the road, she had been out of the truck cussing him up one side and down the other. Her Grandma Pearl would have been proud of her. She remembered every cuss word her grandmother ever said and a few her grandma probably didn't even know. Of course, he had left her mature ass in the middle of nowhere.

Riley thought she was a goner until she had seen all those little lights coming toward her. How the hell was she supposed to know the fucking aliens had messed up where Area 51 was and ended up in Nowhere, Arizona? Riley had thought she was about to be rescued by a dwarf biker gang riding dirt bikes, not some alien spaceship out for a Monday night cruise for well-endowed women.

" _Choose!_ " the tall creature growled out loudly.

Riley cleared her throat before turning to the stick-figured alien dwarfing her. "Choose what?" she asked, unable to hold back the slightly crazed giggle that had been threatening to escape her.

She giggled again at finally making the creature's blank face break into a frustrated scowl. The creature slowly fisted its clawed hands before its shoulders actually drooped.

"Choose a male," Antrox 785 said wearily.

Riley raised her perfectly arched eyebrows at the creature before turning to look at the selection of men who had been paraded in while she had been reflecting on how her attitude _might_ have played a part in her present predicament. She had been watching haphazardly as a different female—at least she thought they were female—had been led to stand where she was now.

She was told—in a rather rude manner if you asked her—that she was being given the last choice because of her being so disagreeable, unpleasant, and downright ugly. She had, of course, taken it all in stride until the last comment and had to be restrained again after she'd punched the stickman guarding her in what she hoped was his balls. Whatever the creatures had under their tunics, it laid the guy out cold.

Now, she was staring at one eight-foot-tall glob of green, oozing snot, something resembling a two-foot, two-headed lizard, and three six-foot-four or more drop-dead gorgeous hunks. Riley's eyes widened. If it wasn't for the fact that she was thirstier than hell, so she didn't even have the capacity to produce enough spit, she would have sworn she was drooling.

She could tell by their build and their eyes and maybe the markings on their arms, chest, and shoulders, oh and did she mention their sharp teeth as they growled at the stick-alien, that they weren't human, but man-oh-man did they look yummy! Riley thought dreamily for a moment before perking up again.

"What happens to the males that aren't chosen?" Riley asked curiously, never taking her eyes off the three males.

"They will be used as food," Antrox said with a frown. "Choose! All mated males will be kept to work in the mines. Mated males are easier to control as they are protective of their female. Now choose your male!"

"What if I don't want to choose a male?" Riley asked sarcastically as she turned to face the tall creature next to her. "What if I don't _feel_ like choosing a male? What if I don't even _like_ males?" Riley added.

Right at that moment, she honestly believed she might not ever like any male ever again! After all, it was men who had started this whole hateful series of events starting with her no-good, dim-witted boss. Now, this overgrown toothpick expected her to just pick one of the bastards and mate with him?

_That is so seriously not going to happen. Restraints or not, I will beat the shit out of any guy who tries to mate with me_ , she thought fiercely.

She wasn't going to mate with any alien, no matter how cute they looked. She had watched enough science fiction movies to cure her of ever wanting any alien booty! What if those things decided to do some body snatching or exploding out of her? A shudder went through Riley at the thought.

Antrox 785 looked back and forth between Riley and the men on the platform below him with a confused expression on his face. "Why would you not want to choose a male? You are female! All of our data points to you being the weaker of your species and in need of a male for protection." Antrox looked from the males back to Riley again. "Why would you not like males?"

Riley let loose a slightly hysterical laugh. Okay, maybe she was still just a little terrified. "Why don't I like males? Now, that is the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question, isn't it? How about we go get a bottle or two of your strongest booze, get good and drunk, and I'll tell you why I don't like males anymore!" Riley's voice was growing louder with each word. "Let's start with you!"

Vox looked up in surprise as he heard a husky feminine voice shouting. He growled low as he caught his first sight of the buxom female who had turned toward the Antrox male. He wanted her. He didn't understand why, but he wanted her—right now. His body instantly responded to her voice. He felt the primitive need to mate. To possess.

When he saw the face and body that went with the voice, it took everything in him not to struggle against the restraints holding him captive. She was curvy, with large breasts, a small waist, and hips that made his mouth water at the thought of holding on to them. Her hair was the color of their sun and flowed in thick waves down her back almost to her lush, rounded ass.

_She is built for loving,_ he thought in awe as he watched her.

She was wearing a light pink top that molded to her lush curves. He couldn't see what she looked like below her waist, but he could imagine it. He wanted to see her eyes. He knew they would be flashing with fire, and he wanted that fire turned on him. He snarled as another guard joined in using the stunning rods to force him back away from the edge of the platform.

He jerked in surprise, and his eyes widened as the female, who was tiny compared to the larger male, started jabbing the Antrox male in his chest and yelling at him. Vox snarled again when one of the guards pushed him back harder with one of the long rods. He ignored the sting from the shock and focused on the female's hands, which were shackled in front of her.

Why would the Antrox shackle a female? Females were weak and to be protected. Vox had never heard of an Antrox male using shackles on one before. He listened in disbelief as the normally impassive species roared out in a loud, aggravated voice at the female.

"CHOOSE! Now, female, or I will choose for you!" Antrox 785 roared out.

He didn't know what else to do. He was in charge of the mining facility. It was not his job to question who was brought to the mines. His job was to match a female with a male to ensure the males would be more docile. He had never encountered a hostile female before and did not know how to handle a female like the one poking her sharp nails into his chest.

Riley looked at the stickman standing in front of her and let out a sniff of indignation. "Well! There is no reason for you to get so uptight!" she said, turning her back to him and tossing her heavy mane of blond hair over her shoulder. "I choose all of them," she said with an exaggerated sigh.

"What?" Antrox 785 practically shouted.

Riley turned to look at him and rolled her big, baby blue eyes. "I said, I will take all of them," she repeated slowly with a slight shake of her head showing she thought he was a dumbass.

"But...but..." Antrox 785 stuttered in confusion. He looked down at the five men looking up at him and then back at the female. "No, you must choose one."

"No, I don't have to choose just one. I choose all five," Riley said stubbornly. "Five or nothing!" she added with another determined shake to her heavy mane of hair.

"How can you have five males?" Antrox 785 asked in frustration. "All other females choose just one."

"Well, I am not all other females. I am Riley St. Claire from Denver, Colorado, and I choose five," Riley said with a stubborn tilt to her chin. "If you have a problem with that, you can just get over it. I've made up my mind, so there," she added with a raised eyebrow, daring him to tell her no.

She would have crossed her arms to show she meant business if they hadn't been tied together. Since she couldn't do that, she put her nose as high as it would go in the air and gave her best "that's my final answer" look. She even thrust one hip out to show she could not be intimidated into changing her mind. If she learned one thing while being a bail bondsman, it was that body language could be a very effective weapon.

Antrox 785 ground his gums together in frustration. Throwing up a hand to the guards below him, he signaled for them to take all the men to the cavern assigned to the female. With a jerk of his head, he motioned for the two guards standing back behind Riley to come forward.

"Take her to her living quarters where her mates are and bring me the trader who brought the female here," Antrox 785 said harshly.

One of the guards looked cautiously from Riley to Antrox 785 before replying. "The trader has already left, 785," Antrox 921 said.

Antrox 785 looked down at Riley, who was baring her teeth at him and snapping them together. He took a step away, curling his clawed fingers into the palm of his green hands. With a nod of his head, he watched as the two guards escorted Riley out of the choosing room. Antrox 785 had already decided if it had not been for the law preventing an Antrox from harming a female—any female—he would have gleefully fed the female to the pactors, the large creatures they used to pull the ore out of the mines, as food. Antrox 785 made a note to himself that the next time the trader came to the mines, he would not be leaving.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Vox jerked at the collar around his neck and received another burning zap from it. He growled at the other males who watched him. He knew two out of the four.

Tor was his chief of engineering, and Lodar was his medical officer. They had both been with him when he left his warship, the _Shifter_ , to purchase crystals at the Valdier spaceport. All three of them had been enjoying some refreshments when a Valdier warrior approached them and said one of the members of the royal house of Valdier wished to speak with them.

Vox vaguely wondered at the time if it was in reference to the tentative peace agreement they had established almost a hundred years before. As the ruling King of Sarafin, Vox d'Rojah, was expected to produce a son who would be joined in marriage with the first-born daughter of the King of Valdier. The problem was Vox had no intentions of having any sons, at least not in the near future. He was quite happy with the wide selection of females he had at his disposal.

They had sat down to drink with an older Valdier warrior named Raffvin. He said he had news for Vox that concerned the peace agreement between the two former warring species. He had already made up his mind to ignore whatever the old warrior was going to say.

The male had been pestering some of his councilmen to meet with him. He was annoyed the Valdier had not taken the hint he wasn't interested in meeting with him. As far as he was concerned, if he wasn't their leader, Zoran Reykill, or Zoran's brother Creon, he really didn't give a damn what the man had to say.

He had met Zoran Reykill off and on during their many years of war and respected the man for being a strong and fair warrior who fought with integrity and cared about his people. It was his friendship with the youngest royal, Creon, that had sealed the end of the war and produced a long and lasting alliance. Creon had saved his life during an assassination attempt by some of his own warriors aimed at igniting fury at the Valdier during the Great Wars.

The resulting friendship had led to a collaborative effort to discover who was behind the war. A small group from the elite royal houses of Valdier, Sarafin, and Curizan were discovered to be working together to bring down the current ruling class of each star system so they could gain power.

Vox was determined to cleanse his star system of those who would betray their own people. He had gone after them without mercy, whether they were male or female; to him, a traitor was a traitor. He knew it had affected Creon badly when he found out the female he was in love with, a Curizan princess, was one of those responsible for instigating the war.

They had discovered it almost too late to save their friend. Ha'ven, the ruling Curizan prince, had been kidnapped in a plot to implicate the Sarafin and Valdier and to gain important information about the location of the Curizan warships. Vox had discovered one of his warriors returning late one night after sneaking off. He and two of his brothers had confronted the man. They discovered he had met with Aria, Creon's lover. The warrior had been passing Sarafin information on to her. Vox had tortured every last piece of information from the man before he killed him and left his body on display in front of the palace for any others who thought to betray his trust.

He had approached Creon with the information he had discovered. At first, Creon had not believed him, but eventually he could not deny the evidence building up against Aria. They decided to set a trap for her. It had worked too well.

Only he, Creon, and Aria knew of their reported secret mission to transport a captured prisoner. When the mercenaries Aria hired showed up at the trap, they had killed all but the leader of the group. Creon had extracted the information from him. The man's dying words were of Aria's betrayal.

Later that night, Creon had the location of Ha'ven's prison, and Aria was dead. Vox never asked his friend how he got the information out of her; he knew what he would have done. They had found Ha'ven three days later in a mining asteroid not unlike the one he and his men were currently imprisoned in. Ha'ven had been tortured and was more dead than alive. It was a miracle he had survived as long as he had, considering what Aria's men had done to him.

Vox jerked back to the present when the door to the rooms he and the other men had been escorted to suddenly opened. He watched as three Antrox males entered. Two had long stunning rods, and the other had a strange-looking rectangular pink object on wheels. They were followed by the female he had seen earlier. She was talking to a fourth Antrox male who was following several steps behind her.

"Oh dear," she was saying as she looked around the room. "This place screams classic caveman! Fred and Wilma really outdid themselves this time. I'll have to be sure and send a thank you note for the lovely rock walls. Really, would it have hurt to have updated the décor by a few million years? I really am going to have to mark you down on Trip Advisor. This is simply too blasé considering today's fashions and travelers' expectations."

The Antrox male behind her was grinding his gums together as she continued to ramble on about the furniture, floors, ceiling, and everything else in the room. Vox's eyes followed the female as she tapped a slender finger on her chin when she stopped in the center of the room to look around once more. Heat filled him as her eyes swept by him. He wasn't sure at first if the heat was from irritation that her eyes kept moving by him as if he didn't even exist or his reaction to having her closer to him. One thing he did know, she was his and he wanted her now!

"Darling, can you put my luggage next to the bed? I hope you changed the sheets. I absolutely refuse to sleep on someone else's dirty linens. Oh, Sticky-pooh, be a sweetheart and take off these adorable bracelets. As much as I like them, they really do clash with my outfit and totally say 'prison inmate' all over them," the female said, walking up to the Antrox who was standing next to the one placing her suitcase next to the bed.

She smiled up at him and innocently fluttered her eyelashes. Instead of making the tall Antrox feel better, he actually took a hesitant step backward, looking at the male behind her for guidance. The one who had carried the strange large pink box looked relieved that she was focusing on someone other than him.

Vox's blood heated to boiling when he saw her beautiful face glow in amusement as she watched the way the Antrox moved nervously around her. Her plump pink lips parted to show off smooth, even white teeth, and a small indent appeared on her cheek. He had never thought smooth-edged teeth were sexy before, but he decided right then and there he loved the way they looked on her.

The Antrox behind her nodded once to the other male and stepped back another step. The Antrox lowered his stunning rod and held out the key to the locking device. He motioned for the female to extend her hands in front of her. She did with a wide-eyed look and a nibble to her lower lip. Vox's eyes followed the movement, and he almost groaned out loud as his cock swelled to a level of pain he had never encountered before.

The female gently rubbed her wrists and wiggled her little nose. "I hope you aren't expecting a tip," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Because I have to say, I am not sure of the hospitality yet, much less the rest of the accommodations," she added as she put her hands on her hips and tapped her booted foot.

"We must leave," Antrox 264 said from behind her. "You will keep your mates calm and satisfied. They will be working the first shift so you may be near them."

"Whatever," the female said with a casual shrug. "I want clean towels brought in daily, and I'll need a line of rope and several blankets delivered immediately."

Antrox 264 nodded at the other guards to move toward the entrance to the cell. "Why do you need these items? They are not budgeted for workers."

The female turned and glared at 264 through narrowed eyes, causing him to jerk backward another step. "Darling, put it in your budget unless you want me upset. You won't like me when I am upset, do you understand? I am _not_ a nice person when I am upset," she said, taking a menacing step toward him with her eyes glittering with fury and determination. "Now go get me what I requested! Chop, chop!" she growled out with a snap of her fingers, causing all four guards to jump and hurry out.

Riley drew in a deep, calming breath to steady her nerves in preparation to meet her five new 'mates'. She was shaking like a leaf on the inside, but she had learned a long, long time ago not to let it show. She put her hands back on her hips, drew in another deep, steady breath, and tossed her heavy mane of blond hair over her shoulder before turning around to face the five males again.

At five feet ten inches tall, she was a big woman. When you added in the fact that she was a solid size sixteen on a good day with double-D cup breasts, she was Xena on steroids. She had learned to live with her big-boned stature a long time ago.

She didn't have much choice since she practically towered over everyone she'd ever met between the ages of four and eighteen while she was growing up. She had reached puberty early and had to live through all the Amazon and she-giant jokes that any sensitive young girl would have had to endure. Only, other sensitive young girls didn't have Grandma Pearl raising them.

Grandma Pearl showed Riley how to punch anyone who made fun of her in the nose. When the fourth school's social worker threatened Pearl that Children's Services would take Riley and Tina away from her, Pearl showed Riley how to use her mouth as the weapon of choice after that. Riley had excelled at that much better than she had the physical forms of retaliation. Over the years she had plenty of opportunity to perfect her talent, as her grandma called it.

Releasing the breath she had been holding, Riley smiled brilliantly at the five alien males staring at her. "Well, boys, it looks like Auntie Riley is going to have to set some ground rules while we are together," she said, looking at each one of the males carefully to assess how she was going to handle them.

Alien number one was about three and a half feet tall, had two heads, and looked like a combination of a lizard and ET. He was cute in his own special way. Each head had large, black eyes that moved nervously back and forth between her and the other four men. He was a dark green with areas of tan, black, and red on him running in long lines down his body. He was wearing a small leather vest and cloth, plaid-colored pants with child-size boots to match. He must have decided she posed less of a threat than the other males because he emitted a weak squeak and scurried for a corner of the room. She also decided he looked like a 'Fred'.

Her eyes moved to the next alien creature. He—she was assuming it was a he, since the Stickman called him one—was almost eight feet tall. He towered over all of them, including the other three males standing next to him, but he just wasn't all that scary.

He reminded Riley of the big tub of Jell-O in the movie _Monsters vs. Aliens_. He was green instead of blue, but he had 'Bob' written all over his wiggling body. He even left a light liquid that she hoped wasn't radioactive or anything behind him.

He appeared to be wearing some type of robe over most of his body. She didn't even want to think what might be under it. It was his eyes that gave her the feeling he wouldn't hurt her. They were big, round, and the color of peach gumdrops with tiny black pupils in the center.

He was emitting a low humming noise that struck her as if he was terrified. She wasn't sure what he was so scared of. So far, she felt like everything was going pretty damn good considering she had been kidnapped by aliens. At least Daddy and Dudley Dip-shit back in New Mexico couldn't find her here.

Her eyes finally moved over the last three males. She felt like she needed an old fashioned fan like the women in the movies used to fan themselves to keep cool, because she could definitely feel the heat increase when she looked at them. The first one was hot!

He had his long hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. It was a long, golden blond with different shades coursing through it. He had patterns on his chest and left arm that looked like spots and was wearing a black vest, black pants, and black boots. Against his lighter color they really stood out. His dark golden brown eyes remained focused on her as she assessed him. He looked more curious about her than "interested." Riley was thankful for that because she had a feeling that her mouth and her one physical ability to bop someone on the nose wouldn't stop him for long if he decided to sink those sharp teeth of his into her.

Alien number four was the same height as the first one. She figured based on her own height they were probably about six feet four inches or so. It should have been nice to finally meet some guys she actually had to look up to except for the fact they were aliens!

Alien number four was looking at her with the same curiosity as number three had. He had more of a reddish-brown-colored hair and a darker tan. His hair was short and had stripes of darker reds and browns running through it. His eyes were a light greenish-tan color with specks of dark green in them.

He was dressed in the same type of clothing as the other guy. Riley assumed it must be a uniform of some sort. It was kind of like a biker outfit that the guys back home dressed up in on Sundays when they put their three-piece suits up for the weekend. Only she got the feeling these guys dressed like this all the time, and this wasn't a costume to just look bad for a day. She got the impression from all the muscles on the guys that they were bad all the time.

Her impression proved correct when she finally looked at alien number five. She had avoided looking at him in the hope he was somehow less intense than the first time she saw him standing on the platform in the "Choosing" room. If she thought he was hot from a distance, he was scorching up close!

It took everything inside Riley not to reach out and touch him just to see if he burnt her fingers. Thankfully, Grandma Pearl's wonderful teachings saved her from that impulsive behavior. Pearl drilled into both her and Tina not to play with fire. Ever! Pearl explained that fire came in many different forms and most of them had two legs, one head that hung between them, and no brains to speak of. Riley thought her grandmother was like that because she and her daughter, Riley and Tina's mom, had been left to fend on their own after the loves of their lives got them pregnant and left town.

It didn't take long for her to realize it happened to others, as well. Pearl pointed out to Riley and Tina just how often when their friends or just girls that lived in their neighborhood would ignore the signs. One by one, Riley saw the girls in her neighborhood fall for the "bad" boy only to be left at the first sign of another pretty face in the neighborhood, more often than not, with a baby to raise on their own.

Riley decided at twelve that she was not going to be one of those girls. Of course, that was also the same time that the dirty old man who ran the grocery store on the corner propositioned her. No, she was going to have a ring on her finger before she said yes to anything. She wasn't going to get stuck raising a kid on her own like her grandma had or her mom would have if she would have stuck around. As far as Riley was concerned, the guy could put up or shut up.

_It's funny, in a way,_ Riley thought. _That's about the only thing Tina and I ever agreed on without ending up in a major yelling match first._

Riley looked back at the huge male glaring at her. _Alien number five is not just screaming bad-to-the-bone,_ _but he has an international market on it,_ Riley thought before a giggle escaped her. _Make that an intergalactic market,_ she corrected silently as she saw his face darken at her laugh.

He was the same height as the other two, but seemed taller for some reason. Either way, he still towered over her by almost six inches. His black hair was cut short, almost military style. His upper chest was visible through the same black vest the other two were wearing.

He had darker spots across his chest that looked almost like a leopard's, not that she had ever seen a real leopard before. Riley let her eyes roam down the eye candy, appreciating the tight fit of his... Her eyes widened when she saw the very distinctive bulge in the front of his pants. Her eyes flew up to his in surprise, and she fought to draw in a breath.

_Somebody is horny,_ she thought in dismay, staring into the intense, burning tawny eyes.

"Okay," Riley said, rubbing her hands together. "First rule. That is your side of the cave and this is mine. You stay on your side, and you remain in one piece. You come on my side, and I cut your dicks off and feed them to you for breakfast," she said with a small smile and raised eyebrows. "I claim dibs on the bathroom for exactly thirty minutes every morning, and one hour every night, alone," she added as she turned and walked over to where her suitcase had been dropped next to the bed.

She bent over to unzip one of the side pockets. A low, rumbling growl behind her had her reaching in quickly to grab the item she had been hoping to retrieve since she had first been taken. Her hand wrapped around the small, leather-covered device with a relieved sigh. She turned just as the huge male took a step toward where she was bent over. She looked up into the glittering eyes and swore silently. It looked like she was going to have to prove she would follow through on her instructions.

"Get back on your side of the room. _Now!_ " Riley growled out, clutching the small device in her hand. "You stay! Bad alien. You are not to come on this side of the room!" she said fiercely, pointing her finger to the side where the other males stood.

"You are mine!" the huge male growled out as he took another menacing step toward her. "I claim you."

Riley's temper flared at his outrageous claim. "Last warning. Get your ass back on your side of the room, or I'll do it for you," she snarled back, straightening to her full height.

Vox grinned, showing off his pearly white sharp teeth. "I'd like to see you try," he smirked, taking another step toward her until he was within arm's reach of the female he knew was his mate.

**_Choosing Riley_**

# Sample of Ha'ven's Song

### 2014 RomCon Readers' Crown Winner!

"What is your name, female?" A dark voice whispered in her right ear. "I am called Ha'ven."

Emma froze as the voice washed through her, crashing against the wall of ice inside her. She wanted to gasp out in anger at the feelings that were threatening to awake in a torrential wave. She wanted to push away from the surge that threatened to tear down the barricades that she had erected to protect herself.

"You are too thin," Ha'ven continued harshly. "You need to eat."

Emma turned her head when long, slender fingers held a piece of meat in front of her mouth encouraging her to take a bite. Her lips tightened and annoyance burned through her. She would bite something if he didn't leave her alone.

_I'll bite one of those fingers off!_ She thought savagely, shocking herself.

"You will eat, _misha petite_ ," the honey voice continued.

"Leave her alone," Sara hissed protectively under her breath.

Ha'ven's eyes glittered back in challenge at the dark anger reflected in the pale female sitting on the other side of the woman who had knocked the breath out of him. No one would keep him from his mate. The pull of her power against his would not allow him to turn away even though he wanted to. The force with which his power blended with hers was like two super strong Neodymium magnets attracted to each other.

"She is too thin," Ha'ven replied with a shrug as he picked up a piece of the delicious fruit from his plate and held it up to Emma's lips. "If she does not wish me to feed her, she can tell me herself," he added mockingly.

"Ha'ven," Jaguin said quietly, looking at Emma's still face as she stared straight ahead. "This one is not for you, my friend. She is not well."

Ha'ven's eyes narrowed as he took in the translucent complexion of Emma's face. He pulled at the energy pulsing feverishly inside him and directed it toward the female sitting beside him. He could see the colors of his essence swirling furiously around her as if seeking a way in.

Astonishingly, she was pushing it away. He had never known another species with an ability similar to the Curizan. One who could harness power and manipulate it the way they did. Nor did he know of any other that could push his power away except perhaps a member of the royal family.

A silent curse escaped him as he looked first at the woman sitting on the other side of his mate before shifting to look at the other human females in the room. He could see no other evidence of power, such as those of the Curizan pulsing from them. The only other one had been the human male. His eyes glanced briefly at Paul, who was watching him through narrow, thoughtful eyes.

His gaze locked with Adalard. His brother had turned and looked at him in warning. Adalard shook his head and touched the corner of his eye. Ha'ven realized his eyes must be glowing with the barely contained power pulsing through him. Breathing deeply, he forced it back down and muttered a small meditation chant to strengthen the shields he had erected to contain it.

"What is wrong with her?" Ha'ven asked, moving his hand to touch one of Emma's hands which were clenched in her lap.

"She was..." Jaguin started to say before he looked at the woman at his side.

"We were kidnapped, tortured, and almost killed," Sara said through clenched teeth. "We just want to be left alone. Is that too much to ask? Emma was held longer and..." Sara's voice faded before she muttered a low curse under her breath. "She hasn't spoken since she woke on the spaceship. I can barely get her to eat. Please..." She looked at Ha'ven with a combination of a plea and a demand. "Just... leave her alone."

Ha'ven looked at the pale hand clenched tightly in his own. A smile curved his lips. He could see what no other could, the colors of her power twisting with his own. The bands were beautiful as they danced with each other before twisting into an unbreakable bond.

He felt the uncontrollable power in his own body being absorbed into hers. He wasn't sure, but he may have discovered the miracle he was seeking. For the first time since before his capture, he felt... balanced.

Leaning closer to Emma, he let her sweet scent fill his nostrils as he breathed deeply. "You are mine, _misha petite_. There will be no leaving you alone. The power within your body has already recognized mine. I do not know what magic your species wield, but you are mine and I will not let you go," he bit out huskily.

Fury washed through Emma. She pulled her hand out of the male named Ha'ven's grip with a sharp jerk and rose out of her seat with the grace earned from years of dancing. She schooled her features to remain blank as she turned to leave. Sara started to rise, but Emma wanted to be alone. Resting her hand briefly on the other woman's shoulder, she shook her head before hurriedly walking out of the room.

Ha'ven's eyes followed the slender female as she rushed from the room. He turned and looked at Adalard who was watching him with raised eyebrows and a confused look on his face. He didn't have time to explain to his brother what was going on. Hell, he wasn't sure what was happening. He just knew he needed to find the woman before she disappeared.

Shrugging his shoulders, he rose from the table and turned to follow the woman. Whether either of them liked the fact, she was his mate and some instinct deep inside him knew he needed her. He paused when he found Creon standing between him and the doorway.

"You haven't eaten," Creon pointed out, shifting slightly to the left when Ha'ven moved to step around him. "If you wish some company, my friend, I'm sure I can find more than one female in the palace that would be happy to be with you tonight."

Ha'ven glowered at his soon to be former friend if he didn't move out of his way. He had no desire to visit with any other female. The only one he was interested in was getting further away as he stood wasting time.

"I want only one female," Ha'ven said in a deadly calm voice. "And you are keeping me from her."

Creon shook his head. "The human females are off limits, Ha'ven. Especially the one that just left. They are under our protection."

"She no longer needs your protection," Ha'ven said gravely "I will assume it."

Creon frowned as he looked at the huge male staring intently back at him. Was this the same one that only earlier said he had no desire to settle down? Now he wanted to assume responsibility for a human female that was obviously not well. Creon shook his head again.

"Not with this one," Creon said quietly. "She is not well. I am not even sure she will survive, my friend. You saw her. She grows weaker each day. Abby and Cara have been going to see her daily and she still does not respond to them."

"She responded to me," Ha'ven growled, waving his hand to the door behind Creon. "You saw for yourself."

Creon raised his eyebrow at the dark tone in his friend's voice. "She runs from you just as she runs from the rest of us."

"She is my mate," Ha'ven bit out darkly.

"She's..." Creon's voice broke in shock as he stared in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

Ha'ven drew in a deep breath before responding. "Yes."

He didn't elaborate. How could he when Creon didn't know of the power he held inside his body? His friend thought all their power came from the gadgets they enjoyed. He did not know that the gadgets they created were merely tools for focusing the power held within their own bodies. He could no more explain how his power intertwined with the human female than Creon could explain how he, his symbiot, and his dragon all knew when they found their mate. It was a force of nature they did not question, just accepted when it came as being a part of who they were in the universe.

Ha'ven shifted to the right and breathed a sigh of relief when Creon stepped aside to let him pass. He knew he had shocked his friend. Hell, he was still in shock. He never expected to find his mate in a species unknown to him.

_Nor did I expect my mate to not be willing when I found her,_ he thought suddenly as he walked out of the dining area.

No, this was definitely a new experience. He frowned as he hurried through the corridors following the quickly fading swirling colors of the female's energy. His own surged as if trying to absorb it.

The female had walked away from him. In fact, she had not only walked away from him, but she refused to even look at him.

_When was the last time a female did that to me?_ he wondered silently as he reached a section where the corridor divided.

The traces of color were gone. He turned, glaring at the intersection where the hallways divided. He had three different directions in which she could have gone.

"Which way did you go?" he muttered softly. "Show me," he whispered and waved his hands outward.

Colorful bands of energy burst from his fingers moving a short way down one corridor before moving back to try the next. On the third corridor, glittering sparkles of energy flared as his own touched the residual energy left behind as the female passed down the corridor. Ha'ven's lips curved in triumph as he moved down the corridor to the left.

He sent small bands searching periodically trying to find which room she may have entered. He paused when a large set of doors on the right suddenly burst into color.

"You are mine, _misha petite_ ," Ha'ven growled. "You cannot escape me."

Emma raced through the empty corridors. She wanted to get back to the safety of her and Sara's living quarters. She would find the dark cloak she used to hide her pale coloring and escape into the gardens. She would hide so deep that no one would ever find her.

She pushed open the door leading into her living quarters and rushed through the elaborately decorated living room down the hallway to her bedroom. The floor-length black cloak lay on the end of her bed where she had dropped it early that morning. Sweeping it up in a hand that trembled violently, she pulled it around her like a suit of armor and headed for the balcony doors.

Pushing the double doors leading out onto the balcony open, she drew in a deep breath of the scented night air. A feeling of calm swept through her. This is what she wanted.

_I don't want to feel again,_ she thought fiercely to herself. _Feeling hurts too much. I don't want to remember. I just want to fade away like the stars do before dawn._

_But, they do not fade away,_ a husky voice whispered in her mind. _They are still there, unseen but there._

Emma gasped and looked around the balcony. She turned in a circle, backing up until her hip bumped against the balustrade running along it. Her eyes widened in fear and she raised her hands to her temple.

_Am I finally losing my mind?_ she wondered in terror. _Am I going to go mad before I die in this strange world?_

_You are not losing your mind, misha petite,_ the voice responded softly before hardening. _Neither will you die._

_Who are you?_ Emma whispered silently as she let her hands drop to her side.

No answer came. Emma bit her lip to keep the cry of frustration from escaping. Twirling around, she ran to the steps leading down into the garden. She ran down the long winding paths heading for the edge of the garden where it overlooked the ocean far below.

She was breathing hard by the time she reached the low wall. She half fell, half leaned on the smooth stone. Her whole body trembled, exhausted as overwhelming fear choked her.

What was happening to her? Was she turning into something else like the other women? She knew strange things had happened to the other human women. She had been out in the garden late one night a few weeks ago when two dragons had flown over her. She had hidden under the thick branches of a tree and watched as they landed on the balcony high above her living quarters. Trelon Reykill had shifted and turned in time to catch Cara as she changed back into a human as she touched the top of the balcony. Cara's giggles had echoed through the cool night air but that was not what had given Emma goose bumps. It was the fact that a human could change into something else.

_Never!_ Emma thought fiercely, looking down at the glittering water. _I can never fit in and there is no way to get back home. There is nothing here for me._

Tears blurred her vision as she sank shakily down onto the low wall. She stared out over the ocean, becoming almost hypnotized by the rolling waves as she let her mind drift. Her body moved without her realizing it, turning around until her legs were over the side of the short wall. In her mind, she could almost see herself dancing and twirling across the gentle swells like she used to do with her mom and dad in the dance studio. How she longed to be with her parents again, surrounded by their love and safe in her own home.

She closed her eyes, lifting her arms up and out as she imagined being back in the dance studio with her mom and dad. The cloak fell from her shoulders. She shivered as the cool night air brushed along her bare arms. Sliding forward so she could stand up, she reached for the imaginary hand of her father as he smiled down at her. She wanted to dance again. She wanted to sing. She wanted to...

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" A dark angry voice demanded harshly.

Thick arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her backwards and out of her memories. Emma's eyes flew open in alarm and she gasped as she realized she was hanging over open space. She would have fallen to her death if the male had not grabbed her.

A low, animalistic cry built deep inside her as she realized that the image in her mind was just that... a memory from her life before.

Ha'ven's heart thundered in his chest and he was actually shaking. He didn't know if it was from adrenaline, anger, or fear. It didn't matter which one it was, he didn't like it and it was the fault of the female in his arms.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded.

He pulled her back over the low wall and set her down. Once her feet were on the ground, he roughly turned her around and shook her. When she looked up at him with wide confused eyes, he let out a low, tortured groan before capturing her parted lips with his own and pulling her against his hard body, fear and relief warring inside him.

Ha'ven moaned as the taste of her washed over him. The moment his lips touched hers, he knew he was in trouble. The power Aria had unleashed surged through him and flowed around them. From the corner of his eye, he could see the bands of power swirling around both of them, encasing them in colorful whirling ribbons of energy.

He moaned louder as he felt the shift inside himself. It felt like a huge weight was being lifted from his shoulders. The feeling of relief was impossible to describe. He had never felt anything so....

His body jerked and he gasped as pain suddenly overcame the pleasure he had been experiencing. He rocked backwards, grabbing his crotch as the first wave of excruciating pain eased into a second, longer one. He breathed deeply through his nose as he fought to stay on his feet while the tiny figure he had been holding seconds before fled into the darkness.

"I hate to say this, but that looked painful," Adalard commented as he stepped out of the shadows.

Ha'ven pulled in a hissing breath as he glared at the retreating figure of the woman who had been in his arms just moments before. He finally turned his heated glare on his younger brother as he slowly straightened up. He closed his eyes as another wave of pain, thankfully lesser than the first two, washed through him.

"What are you doing here?" Ha'ven bit out harshly, slowly opening his eyes again.

"I was worried about you," Adalard admitted before he grinned. "It looks like I had a right to be. She kneed you pretty good."

Ha'ven grimaced as he turned and sat on the low wall. He breathed deeply as he sent a small amount of healing energy to his bruised crotch. He had definitely not been expecting the female to do that. Normally when he kissed a female they were more interested in doing something much more pleasurable with his balls. Relocating them up to his throat had never been one of those things.

"That was... painful," Ha'ven finally admitted. "And very unexpected."

Adalard chuckled as he sat down next to his brother. "So, what was all that about?"

Ha'ven threw Adalard a disgusted look. "It is called kissing. I thought you would know that by now," he remarked dryly.

"I know what you were doing," Adalard responded with another chuckle. "I'm talking about the fact that you both were glowing bright enough to be seen from the Spaceport orbiting the planet."

Ha'ven drew in another breath and realized he didn't feel the crushing pressure inside that had been his constant companion since Aria's betrayal. A small satisfied smile curved his lips. His mate was turning out to be an enigma he was determined to solve.

**_Ha'ven's Song_**

# Additional Books and Information

If you loved this story by me (S.E. Smith) please leave a review! You can also take a look at additional books and sign up for my newsletter to hear about my latest releases at:

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**The Full Booklist**

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**Science Fiction / Romance**

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Dragon Lords of Valdier Series

_It all started with a king who crashed on Earth, desperately hurt. He inadvertently discovered a species that would save his own._

_Abducting Abby_ (Book 1)

_Capturing Cara _(Book 2)

_Tracking Trisha _(Book 3)

_Dragon Lords of Valdier Boxset Books 1-3_

_Ambushing Ariel _(Book 4)

_For the Love of Tia Novella_ (Book 4.1)

_Cornering Carmen _(Book 5)

_Paul's Pursuit _(Book 6)

_Twin Dragons _(Book 7)

_Jaguin's Love_ (Book 8)

_The Old Dragon of the Mountain's_ _Christmas_ (Book 9)

_Pearl's Dragon Novella_ (Book 10)

_Twin Dragons' Destiny_ (Book 11)

* * *

Curizan Warrior Series

_The Curizans have a secret, kept even from their closest allies, but even they are not immune to the draw of a little known species from an isolated planet called Earth._

_Ha'ven's Song_ (Book 1)

* * *

Marastin Dow Warriors Series

_The Marastin Dow are reviled and feared for their ruthlessness, but not all want to live a life of murder. Some wait for just the right time to escape...._

_A Warrior's Heart Novella_

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Sarafin Warriors Series

_The St. Claire family may be slightly ridiculous, but they are formidable. Those cat-shifting aliens won't know what hit them!_

_Choosing Riley _(Book 1)

_Viper's Defiant Mate _(Book 2)

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Dragonlings of Valdier Novellas

_The Valdier, Sarafin, and Curizan Lords had children who just cannot stop getting into trouble! There is nothing as cute or funny as magical, shapeshifting kids, and nothing as heartwarming as family._

_A Dragonling's Easter_

_A Dragonling's Haunted Halloween_

_A Dragonling's Magical Christmas_

_Night of the Demented Symbiots_ (Halloween 2)

_The Dragonlings' Very Special Valentine_

_The Dragonlings and the Magic Four-Leaf Clover_

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Cosmos' Gateway Series

_Cosmos created a portal between his lab and the warriors of Prime. Discover new worlds, new species, and outrageous adventures as secrets are unravelled and bridges are crossed._

_Tilly Gets Her Man_ (Prequel)

_Tink's Neverland_ (Book 1)

_Hannah's Warrior_ (Book 2)

_Tansy's Titan_ (Book 3)

_Cosmos' Promise_ (Book 4)

_Merrick's Maiden_ (Book 5)

_Core's Attack_ (Book 6)

_Saving Runt_ (Book 7)

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The Alliance Series

_When Earth received its first visitors from space, the planet was thrown into a panicked chaos. The Trivators came to bring Earth into the Alliance of Star Systems, but now they have been forced to take control of Earth to prevent the humans from destroying it in their fear, and to protect them from the militant forces of other worlds. They aren't prepared for how the humans will affect the Trivators, though, starting with a family of three sisters...._

_Hunter's Claim_ (Book 1)

_Razor's Traitorous Heart _(Book 2)

_Dagger's Hope _(Book 3)

_The Alliance Boxset Books 1-3_

_Challenging Saber_ (Book 4)

_Destin's Hold _(Book 5)

_Edge of Insanity_ (Book 6)

_The Alliance Boxset Books 1-6_

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Lords of Kassis Series

_It began with a random abduction and a stowaway, and yet, somehow, the Kassisans knew the humans were coming long before now. The fate of more than one world hangs in the balance, and time is not always linear...._

_River's Run_ (Book 1)

_Star's Storm (_Book 2)

_Jo's Journey _(Book 3)

_Rescuing Mattie Novella_ (Book 3.1)

_Ristéard's Unwilling Empress_ (Book 4)

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Zion Warriors Series

_Time travel, epic heroics, and love beyond measure. Sci-fi adventures with heart and soul, laughter, and awe-inspiring discovery..._

_Gracie's Touch_ (Book 1)

_Krac's Firebrand_ (Book 2)

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**Science Fiction / Paranormal / Fantasy** / **Romance**

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_Magic, New Mexico Series_

_Within New Mexico is a small town named Magic, an... unusual town, to say the least. With no beginning and no end, spanning genres, authors, and universes, hilarity and drama combine to keep you on the edge of your seat!_

_Touch of Frost _(Book 1)

_Taking on Tory_ (Book 2)

_Alexandru's Kiss_ (Book 3)

_Magic, New Mexico Boxset Books 1-3_

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**Paranormal / Fantasy** / **Romance**

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Spirit Pass Series

_There is a physical connection between two times. Follow the stories of those who travel back and forth. These westerns are as wild as they come!_

_Indiana Wild_ (Book 1)

_Spirit Warrior_ (Book 2)

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Second Chance Series

_Stand-alone worlds featuring a woman who remembers her own death. Fiery and mysterious, these books will steal your heart._

_Lily's Cowboys_

_Touching Rune_

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More Than Human Series

_Long ago there was a war on Earth between shifters and humans. Humans lost, and today they know they will become extinct if something is not done...._

_Ella and the Beast _(Book 1)

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The Fairy Tale Series

_A twist on your favorite fairy tales!_

_The Beast Prince Novella_

*Free Audiobook of The Beast Prince is available:

https://soundcloud.com/sesmithfl/sets/the-beast-prince-the-fairy-tale-series

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The Seven Kingdoms

_Long ago, a strange entity came to the Seven Kingdoms to conquer and feed on their life force. It found a host, and she battled it within her body for centuries while destruction and devastation surrounded her. Our story begins when the end is near, and a portal is opened...._

_The Dragon's Treasure _(Book 1)

_The Sea King's Lady_ (Book 2)

_A Witch's Touch_ (Book 3)

_The Sea Witch's Redemption_ (Book 4)

* * *

**Epic Science Fiction / Action Adventure**

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Project Gliese 581G Series

_An international team leave Earth to investigate a mysterious object in our solar system that was clearly made by someone, someone who isn't from Earth. Sometimes we truly are too curious for our own good. Discover new worlds and conflicts in a sci-fi adventure sure to become your favorite!_

_Command Decision _(Book 1)

_First Awakenings _(Book 2)

_Survivor Skills_ (Book 3)

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**New Adult / Young Adult**

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Breaking Free Series

_Makayla steals her grandfather's sailboat and embarks on a journey that will challenge everything she has ever believed about herself._

_Voyage of the Defiance_

_Capture of the Defiance_

_Makayla is older now, but when she needs help, her friends from years ago join new and unexpected allies. Capture of the Defiance is a thriller mystery that stands on its own as danger reveals itself in sudden, heart-stopping moments._

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The Dust Series

_Fragments of a comet hit Earth, and Dust wakes to discover the world as he knew it is gone. It isn't the only thing that has changed, though, so has Dust..._

_Dust: Before and After_ (Book 1)

_Dust: A New World Order_ (Book 2)

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**Recommended Reading Order Lists:**

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http://sesmithfl.com/reading-list-by-events/

http://sesmithfl.com/reading-list-by-series/

# About the Author

S.E. Smith is an **_internationally acclaimed_** , **_New York Times_ and _USA TODAY Bestselling_** author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away.
