Published by Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
When Vaaden warriors claim slaves from Earth they will face emotions they never knew they possessed.
Vaaden Captives: Captured on Earth, Sorcha, Enid and Susan are slaves, bound to owners who crave them for the pleasure they can bring, the women despair of ever finding happiness again. But then the unthinkable happens. Sorcha falls for her owner’s brother; Enid, despite her fears, falls for the man who claims her; Susan finds herself drawn to two men, but in the end, only one will claim her heart.
Vaaden Warriors: When three Vaaden warriors claim slaves procured from Earth, they will face emotions they never knew they possessed. Rheul doesn’t believe in love, until he meets his new slave; Randar must choose between his duty or his heart; Thale thought he was saving Moira, but in the end she saved him.
Publisher’s Note: Vaaden Captives & Vaaden Warriors contains scenes of slavery and forced consent some readers may find offensive.
“The collection of stories in this book are intriguing in a lot of ways. I enjoyed reading about the world the author created… I do want to find out more about Vaaden society and what changes may be in the future based on the special permission given to the three warriors. I am looking forward to the next book.”
Published by Changeling Press
Cover Artist: Karen Fox
Entwined: When tragedy claims his brother, Bane steps forward to claim the Earth woman Ariana as his own, but Keshpan law states a slave can never be a bonded mate. A political storm is brewing that may rip Ariana from his arms. Bane may be forced to walk away from everything he knows to keep the woman he loves by his side.
Cherished: Lucie and Drexyl are drawn to each other from the very first, but the Tarnans aren’t going to give her up without a fight. Will it come to an all out war between the races, or will the two lovers find another way to be together?
Surrender: All Meghan wants is to return to Earth. But before her kidnappers can sell her, she is rescued by more pirates and taken to the alien world of Tarnan, where she is told she must choose a warrior mate. Zayne isn’t sure what to make of the Earth female. The road to their union is a bumpy one, and both are left wondering if they will ever be allowed to be together as more than friends.
Fated: There is but one thing a Tourmalane prince wants above all else — his mate. When Lyros finds Roux on a floating brothel, he knows he must rescue the small human. Lyros finds he wants to shelter her, protect her, and make her his in every way. But what if all he’s feeling is lust and not the true mating pull? Just when Lyros thinks he has everything figured out, Roux gives him yet another surprise.
Happily-Ever-After has never felt so good.
Publisher’s Note: The individual stories in this anthology have been previously released in E-Book format.
“All right. I’ll have someone at the auction house draft the transfer papers. You don’t have to pay me for her since you’re my brother, but I’ll take you up on your offer to cover the hospital bill. I’ll make sure all that’s in there.”
Bane grinned. “I’ll be ready to sign them first thing in the morning. You can bring them here.”
Arko frowned. “Why don’t I bring them by your house?”
“Because I’ll be here.”
Tyre folded his arms over his chest. “Your brother hasn’t left Ariana’s side since I brought him up to this room three days ago. It may injure your pride, but maybe knowing she doesn’t have to go home with you will snap her out of this… well, whatever it is. I don’t have a diagnosis for what’s going on with her other than depression. I think it killed part of her to lose that baby.”
“I’ll go now and get it taken care of,” Arko said. “I’ll return at first light.”
Bane nodded. “Tell Cael that I’ll be back to work once I have Ariana settled.”
“I still can’t believe you’re working with our baby brother.”
Bane shrugged. “I come up with the ideas, he helps put the logistics to it. We make a good team.”
“Until tomorrow, then.”
Tyre checked the IV fluids, walked over to a panel on the wall and punched in a bunch of numbers. When a syringe with orange goo popped out, Bane frowned.
“What’s that for?”
“To wake her. I think you need to tell her the good news. It might be just what she needs right now.”
Bane settled on the edge of the bed and held her hand as Tyre administered the injection. Almost immediately, her eyes began to flutter.
“Ariana? Can you hear me?” he asked softly. “Come back to me, sweetheart. I have something to tell you.”
“I’m not dead?” she croaked.
“No, you aren’t dead, and I hope you won’t be anytime soon. I have good news.”
“This was all a nightmare?”
He ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “I wish that were so. I can’t take away what happened, but Arko did agree to sell you to me. You never have to see him again after I sign the papers tomorrow if you don’t want to. I can arrange it so you’re never in the same room. Once you’re able to leave the hospital, you get to go home with me.”
“You’ll need time to procure quarters for me.”
“No, you don’t understand. You’re coming home, to my home. I want you to live with me, Ariana.”
Her eyes widened. “In your house?”
“Your life is going to be very different from this point forward. No more slave apartments, no more slave dresses. When you’re back on your feet, I’m bringing a clothing designer into the house, and you can have new clothes made. I know the Keshpan dresses won’t fit you because our women are stick thin, and you have such a lush delectable figure, but there’s no reason they can’t be tailored to fit your needs. I want you to be comfortable.”
“Why are you doing this, Bane?”
“I told you why,” he said. “It’s time you were able to enjoy the beauty of my world. Let me share it with you.”
She nodded. “I’ll try to get better.”
“Does that mean you’ll eat now?” Tyre asked.
Her gaze flicked to his a moment before returning to Bane. “Yes, I’ll eat something.”
Bane smiled. “Wonderful. Tyre will get you anything you want. Their food simulator can produce meals from your home planet, if you’d like something familiar. I had one installed in my home, as well, so you can enjoy pizza or spaghetti. I’ve tried both meals and found them fascinating. I think, perhaps, my favorite was pancakes and scrambled eggs.”
She smiled. “Eggs and bacon sounds good. Maybe a biscuit on the side?”
“Whatever you want.” He kissed her hand. “I’d give you the moons from the sky if I thought it would make you better.”
She made a face.
“What is it? Are you hurting?”
“No, it’s just… you’re a little hard to get used to after being with Arko for so long. He’s always been considerate, until now, but he’s never been very enthusiastic about my wellbeing. It’s going to take me some time to adjust to the differences between the two of you.”
Bane squeezed her fingers. “You take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
No, he wouldn’t leave her side. He hadn’t told her the complete truth. The honest to gods truth was that he’d fallen in love with her the moment he’d laid eyes on her. With her fiery hair and pale complexion, those vibrant green eyes, she’d been breathtaking. Then she’d spoken, a soft sweet voice that had made him smile the instant he heard her. And she’d been his brother’s. It was the only time he’d truly hated his brother, had ever wanted anything that Arko had.
But now she was his. Even if it took him the rest of his life, he was going to show her what it meant to be loved and cherished by a Keshpan male…
Praise for Surrender (Intergalactic Loyalties 3)
“I liked how this story progressed. I really felt the changes in the characters and felt invested in them and their journey. I would love to know more about this planet and the universe it is in. I would say this is a well thought out series with lots of action and adventure.”
— 5 Shooting Stars from Redz, Redz World Reviews
ABOUT JESSICA COULTER SMITH
Award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith has been in love with the written word since she was a child writing her first stories in crayon. Today she’s a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and she firmly believes that love will find you at the right time, even if Mr. Right is literally out of this world.
My very first two scifi romance series are now available as a re-release. Get the Vaaden Captives and Vaaden Warriors novellas in two boxed sets from Changeling Press. Keep scrolling for a sneak peek!
Until January 17th, 2020, you can get each of these books, and however many others you can stuff in your cart, for 15% off (the entire order!) at Changeling Press with discount code: TGIF01-10-2020
These titles are also available for preorder at retailers (without the discount) to release on January 17th. Retailer links for each can be found on the Changeling Press page.
Cover Art by Karen Fox
Available soon in Paperback
Vaaden Captives:
Captured on Earth, Sorcha, Enid and Susan are taken to a planet in another galaxy for the sole purpose of pleasing the Vaaden warriors. The women are unsure of their future and fearful of what’s to come. Slaves, bound to owners who crave them for the pleasure they can bring, the women despair of ever finding happiness again. But then the unthinkable happens. Sorcha falls for her owner’s brother; Enid, despite her fears, falls for the man who claims her; Susan finds herself drawn to two men, but in the end, only one will claim her heart.
A planet dominated by men, men ruled by their lust, Vaaden is harsh and unyielding toward women. When three Vaaden warriors claim slaves procured from Earth, they will face emotions they never knew they possessed. Rheul doesn’t believe in love, until he meets his new slave; Randar must choose between his duty or his heart; Thale thought he was saving Moira, but in the end she saved him.
“The collection of stories in this book are intriguing in a lot of ways. I enjoyed reading about the world the author created… I do want to find out more about Vaaden society and what changes may be in the future based on the special permission given to the three warriors. I am looking forward to the next book.”
Bastian entered the room with a petite woman with long, wavy black hair that hung down her back to her waist. She was even shorter than Enid, if that were possible, and I felt the sudden urge to protect her. Foreboding filled me, and I realized these feelings weren’t good. I hadn’t even been introduced the woman yet, and I already wanted to protect her? What would be next?
I moved to stand before her. I looked down into her upturned face; guileless blue eyes stared up at me. Her porcelain skin looked petal soft, and I wanted to touch it, to see if it felt as silky smooth as it looked. Clenching my fists, I fought the urge to sweep her into my arms and hold her close, to breathe her in.
“What’s your name?” I asked her gruffly.
“Darcy.”
“I’m Rheul. Do you know why you’re here?”
“I was told I am to be your slave,” she answered softly, her voice wrapping around me like warm silk.
Damn. I was in serious trouble. Only in her presence a matter of minutes, and I already wanted to sink to my knees and bury my face against her, inhaling the scent I imagined would be uniquely hers. I wasn’t sure what the hell was wrong with me, but I needed to fix it and quick.
My expression must have given something away because Bastian smirked at me and Enid had a knowing look in her eye. I cleared my throat and reached for Darcy. “It’s time I took you home and got you settled.”
“Rheul, would you mind if I visited her?” Enid asked.
Bastian growled. “Forget Rheul. I don’t want you visiting. You’re not to go to the slave quarters!”
Enid rolled her eyes and sighed, patting her pregnant belly. “Honestly, Bastian. It isn’t like I haven’t seen them before. In case you’ve forgotten, I did live there for a while.”
“Things are different now,” he said, putting an arm around her.
She smiled up at him and for one moment, I envied them. I knew I’d never experience that with a Vaaden woman, but one day I would be required to marry, especially now that Bastian wouldn’t. While Enid might have special permissions not allowed to most slaves, she was still a slave. She and Bastian could never marry, no matter how much they might want to.
Clearing my throat, I took Darcy by the arm and led her to the front of the house, and called over my shoulder, “I’ll see you later.” Once we were outside, I led her toward the slave buildings. “Time to take you home.”
Darcy looked up at me. “How is it that I can understand everything you say even outside of a home? While I was confined, I noticed the translation boxes in the cells, and I saw one inside the house.”
I flipped up the collar of my shirt, showing her a small silver circle. “This translates up to five hundred languages, automatically selecting the ones being spoken.” I smiled down at her. “Since I designed it, I figured I should be the first to test it.”
She looked impressed, and I felt proud of my accomplishment, which made no sense. What did I care what a slave thought? Her opinion didn’t matter. “Is that where we’re going?” she asked, pointing to the tall windowless building ahead of us.
“Yes. Your… I believe you would call it an apartment, is in that building.”
“Mine? You will not stay there?”
“No.” She looked up at me a moment longer, but didn’t say a word. When we reached the building, she looked at her surroundings, but I couldn’t tell anything by her expression. If she was shocked or appalled, she didn’t show it.
When we reached the fourth floor, I opened her apartment door and ushered her inside. Even though I’d had the inside re-done for Enid when she’d stayed with me briefly, during a time when Bastian had clearly lost his mind, I’d made it over again for Darcy. Enid hadn’t used it, but it still seemed like the right thing to do.
She studied everything silently, her fingers trailing over the soft comforter. “What’s behind that door?” she asked, pointing to the silver panel on the opposite wall.
“Your bathroom.”
I pressed my hand against the surface, and the door opened with a whoosh, disappearing into the wall. The interior was the same marble from top to bottom as the flooring in the living room, except it was a pale gray.
She eyed the shower in curiosity. “How does it work?” she asked softly.
I pressed a silver button on the wall, and water cascaded from the top, creating a waterfall of sorts. The shower was a little different from most. I’d had it designed special, wanting something unique. I showed her how to work the soap dispenser and the sink before turning off the shower.
She hesitated before leaving the bathroom. “May I… may I take a shower now?”
I studied her more carefully and realized her slave garment was dirty. It angered me that they hadn’t taken proper care of her, but again my reaction made no sense. The slaves were never treated well before they were claimed, so why would mine have been treated differently? She’d turned my world upside down, and I didn’t like it.
“Let me find you something clean to wear.”
I walked over to the closet and opened the door the same way as the bathroom. Anticipating her arrival, I’d purchased several tunics for her, slightly longer than the slave garment she had on, but nothing like the dresses Vaaden women wore. I selected a soft blue, pulled it out of the closet and took it to her.
When I handed it to her, tears gathered in her eyes, making me feel slightly uncomfortable. “You don’t like it?”
“It isn’t that,” she said quietly. “I just didn’t expect… I’d heard… A few of the women in the cell spoke of what happened when Vaadens claimed slaves.”
“And how did they know what happened?”
“They’d been claimed and returned.” She looked down at her hands. “One of them had been abused by her owner.”
I frowned. That was highly unusual. Typically, if a Vaaden didn’t want his slave, he gave her away, or killed her. In some instances, she would be turned over to the harems. Was there a new policy in place I knew nothing about?
“I’ve never heard of that being done before. Are you sure that’s what happened?”
“That’s what they claimed.”
“Did they explain what Vaaden men expect of their slaves?”
She blushed and looked away. “You want me to sleep with you.”
I gently reached out and grasped her chin, turning her to face me. She wouldn’t meet my gaze at first, but finally her eyes met mine. I didn’t see fear, but I did see uncertainty. “I promise I won’t hurt you.”
Award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith has been in love with the written word since she was a child writing her first stories in crayon. Today she’s a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and she firmly believes that love will find you at the right time, even if Mr. Right is literally out of this world.
Harley Wylde is the “wilder” side of award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith. You can find Harley online at harleywylde.com. Jessica also writes gay romance under the pen name Dulce Dennison.
Intergalactic Brides LR Cafe Best of 2017: Best Series! Winner: Honorable Mention
Brielle and the Alien GeekLR Cafe’s Best of 2015 Awards Honorable Mention Winner: Best Science Fiction/Futuristic Book
**For a limited time, you can borrow Brielle and the Alien Geek through Kindle Unlimited, or purchase for only $0.99! This title will be leaving Kindle Unlimited very soon.
A perky blonde behind the reception counter smiled brightly at her. “May I help you with something?”
Penny, her tag read. “Penny, I need to speak to someone about someone who recently entered the bride program.”
The receptionist’s eyes went wide. “Oh, we can’t discuss our candidates. Not unless they left permission during the application process. You could check with records and see if your name is on the approved list.”
Jennifer ground her teeth. “And where is Records?”
Penny pulled out a map and highlighted the way, then handed it over. Following the neon line, Jennifer made her way through the station, trying not to scowl at every alien she passed. It wasn’t their fault her daughter had run off to get married to some stranger on another world. When she reached Records, the alien behind the counter smiled at her.
“My name is Zwyk,” he said. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I think my daughter joined your bride program and I’m trying to find out if she’s already been sent to your world.”
His eyebrows rose. “I see. And your daughter’s name?”
“Lila Montgomery.”
He tapped away at his computer, a frown marring his face before he looked up at her again. “Mrs. Montgomery, I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you where your daughter is right now.”
“It’s Miss,” she bit out. “So, either you really don’t know, or she did join your program and said you couldn’t tell me where she was.”
He looked pained, which was all the answer she needed. It felt like steam was going to billow out of her ears at any moment. They’d allowed her baby to sign up, and now they wouldn’t even tell her if she’d made it to their planet safely. Assholes. No, that wasn’t completely fair. It wasn’t entirely their fault. Lila was just as much to blame for this mess, if not more so.
“Who is in charge?” Jennifer asked.
“Tyril. He’s…” Zwyk looked over her shoulder and pointed. “Over there.”
She turned and looked, seeing two aliens having a discussion in the middle of the station. One was taller and broader than the other, his hair was long and thick; a rather sexy eye patch covered one eye. The smaller one was dressed nicer and looked more… tame. She glanced from one to the other again, and hoped it was the tamer looking one that was Tyril. The taller one looked like he could break her in half without breaking a sweat.
Jennifer approached them and the taller one stopped mid-sentence to look her way. Though he only had one eye, his gaze was appreciative as he took her in from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. A sexy smirk graced his lips when he met her gaze. Oh lordy. Now that was a man who was sexy as fuck and knew it. She forced herself to look away and focus on the smaller of the two.
“Are you Tyril?” she asked.
He nodded and gave her a pleasant smile. “If you want to apply for the bride program, the application center is at the front of the station.”
“I’m actually here about someone who already signed up.”
“I’m afraid we can’t divulge information about our potential brides without their permission. You’ll have to speak with Zwyk and see if you’re on the approved list.”
Jennifer folded her arms under her breasts, pushing them up, and stared at Tyril. His gaze momentarily dropped to her chest before he looked up again. Good. She had his attention, or at least part of her did.
“My daughter received something in the mail from this station, and she’s been missing for over a week. Your precious Records person won’t tell me a damn thing and I demand to know if my daughter is safe. Do I need to go to the police to file a missing persons report, or is she not on Earth anymore?”
Tyril’s eyes widened a little. “Your daughter? We would never allow someone underage to…”
She held up a hand. “Lila is eighteen and grown enough I suppose, but sometimes she still acts like a child. Much like now. She disappeared only saying she was going to a friend’s house, packed enough clothes for a week, then made sure her friends wouldn’t tell me where she was, and she wouldn’t answer her phone. I found the opened envelope under her mattress and the letter inside was missing. I guess if she’s off-world that would explain why she’s not answering her phone.”
Tyril looked sympathetic. “I want to help you, but I can’t. We have rules in place for a reason. If she did sign up for the program and didn’t put you on the approved list of contacts, then there’s nothing I can do.”
Tears of frustration welled in her eyes and her hands clenched into fists. “So I’m just supposed to wonder for the rest of my life what happened to my only child?”
The taller of the two moved closer. “You have a daughter old enough for the bride program?”
“Yes.” Jennifer bit her lip. “I know she’s technically an adult, but she’s my baby. She’s all I have. Isn’t there something you can do?”
“The only way any human is going to our world is as a potential bride, or part of an already mated pair,” Tyril said, his gaze sliding over her. “And as you’re old enough to already have an adult child, I doubt either is a possibility for you.”
Jennifer’s cheeks flushed with anger, and without thought, she hauled back her hand, made a fist, and punched him right across his jaw. Tyril stumbled back a step, his eyes wide and incredulous, as his hand cupped the injured area.
“You hit me!” he said in outrage.
“And I’m going to kick you in the balls next if you don’t help me,” Jennifer said. “And I’m not old, dammit. I’m only thirty-eight.”
Tyril cupped said balls and took another step back.
The one-eyed alien smiled broadly. “I like her.”
“Call security,” Tyril said. “Someone needs to escort her from the premises.”
“I’m not leaving until you tell me where my daughter is,” she shouted at him.
“You’re a menace,” Tyril said.
Jennifer growled and advanced on him, whacking his biceps with her open palm before cracking her other hand against his cheek. They were not going to keep her child from her.
The sexy alien behind her gave a full-belly laugh and wrapped an arm around her waist, hauling her back against his rather impressive chest. His body shook with merriment as Tyril glared at them, looking more than a little irate at her attack. She supposed she should be thankful he hadn’t tried to hit her back. While he might not be as built as the alien holding her, he wasn’t exactly weak looking either. One punch probably would have knocked her out.
“I believe you’ve met your match, Tyril. Why not tell her what she wants to know? She’s fierce and doesn’t seem to be taking no for an answer,” the sexy alien said.
“Stay out of this, Siril. We have rules. Policies. I can’t go breaking them just because she wants to know where her daughter is. If she’s not on the approved list, I can’t even confirm whether her daughter was here or not.”
Some of her anger deflated and she felt utterly helpless. “You can’t even tell me if she was accepted into the program? I just want to know that she’s safe. Do you have children? Wouldn’t you want to know if they were okay?”
“I do not,” Tyril said, but some of the anger seemed to drain from him. “I’m truly sorry, but I can’t help you.”
Rena was sold into slavery at the age of fifteen, ripped away from her home and a loving father, and cast into a life of pain and horror. Despite the abuse she’s suffered through years of slavery, she counts herself lucky that no one has ever touched her intimately. When she angers her current owner, and he gives her to a purple alien as a gift, she isn’t sure if this next stage of her life will be a blessing or a curse. After five years as a captive, she’s too beaten to believe she’ll have a happily-ever-after. Who could ever fall in love with a woman as badly damaged as her? Even the purple alien called Ryx doesn’t seem all that interested.
Beren has avoided females at all costs. His scarred body and damaged ear don’t make for a very handsome male. When his commander, Ryx, brings a human female on board their ship, Beren is curious yet cautious. Like him, Rena has wounds on both the outside and inside. For the first time, Beren wonders if maybe there’s a female after all who will look past his exterior to see his warrior heart, and not someone broken and pitiful. Her courage and strength appeal to him, and yet she’s so soft and small that his protective urges rise to the surface. Whether Beren gets to claim her or not, he vows that he will lay down his life for Rena and protect her at all costs. He just never realized that in doing so he would end up with what he wanted most – her.
“I’ve procured a female slave from Frih,” his commander said. “A human.”
Beren smacked his bad ear, certain he’d misheard. The heat from the weapon that had removed the top half seemed to have damaged his hearing as well. But poor hearing or not, he couldn’t have just heard his commander say he’d purchased a slave. If the council found out, the punishment would be severe. Zelthranites did not keep slaves, especially females. And most definitely not humans! If Earth’s government thought for one moment a Zelthranite had taken a human slave, not only would their agreement be forfeit, but likely a war would start.
Ryx snorted. “You didn’t mishear me. Her name is Rena, and she was given to me by Frih as a gift. It was supposed to be for one night, but I arranged to keep her permanently.”
“So, you bedded her, and now you’re going to claim her?” Beren asked, feeling slightly better about the situation. It was one thing to take a mate, and another to keep a slave. But if the commander were to claim the female…
“I didn’t sleep with her,” Ryx said.
Beren blinked and stared. “You didn’t bed her. But you’re keeping her. As what?”
“I thought she might find a mate on our world, or possibly on this ship. None of us are mated, and she seems pretty enough, despite the damage done to her by her various owners.” The commander grimaced, and his gaze dropped.
Damage? What was that supposed to mean? From the commander’s reaction, Beren wondered how badly the female had been harmed. He thought of his many injuries, the physical and emotional pain he’d been through, and wondered what had happened to the female during her captivity. He knew that some slave owners could be cruel, and he wondered if the male Ryx was here to see was one of them. If the male was dealing in human females, could they honestly do business with him in the future? Even if Frih did manage to get weapons they didn’t have the connections to purchase anywhere else, was it really worth it? They were just providing him with the means to buy more females, and Beren felt sick at the thought. Living beings, of any type, should never be kept like property. If Ryx had known all this time that Frih was purchasing slaves, how could he live with himself?
“I’m bringing her on board as soon as she wakes,” Ryx said. “I just have to decide where I’m placing her. With a full crew, I don’t exactly have extra space on board right now.”
“You have the largest quarters on board,” Beren said. “And the largest bed.”
Ryx growled. “I told you that I’m not claiming her.”
Beren frowned. He wanted to ask if the commander wasn’t claiming the female because of her slave status, because of the damage done to her, or was he just not attracted to her? Females were so precious to their people that receiving one as a gift wasn’t something to take lightly, and yet the commander was giving the female up to another male? She would no longer be a slave, but a mate, respected and cherished. Beren wasn’t certain how he felt about it. As someone who wasn’t wanted, it made him angry on her behalf. Females should be cherished and cared for, not cast aside.
“Fine. Then we can put a cot in your room. She can sleep there until we reach Zelthrane-3. After that, perhaps the council will put her up in the apartments where the potential brides stay. Then she would be around others like her.”
“Not quite.”
“Not quite what? Not like the others? You said she’s human. And female. What makes her different from the females living in the apartments?”
Ryx nodded. “Yes, she’s a human female, but she doesn’t remember Earth. I think she was taken when she was a small child. For whatever reason, a male on Vaaden raised her as his daughter, until a female from that world sold Rena into slavery.”
Beren ran a hand down his face. “You get yourself into the most complicated issues. So you have a human female, who doesn’t remember Earth, and was likely a slave on Vaaden without her even realizing it? I’ve never heard of those males capturing children to raise as their offspring. When they take human females, it’s for their harems or personal property. You don’t think he was keeping her until she was old enough to…”
Ryx paled and looked like he might be sick. Beren felt much the same way. It was horrific to think such a thing could happen, but with societies who thrived on slavery, anything was possible. He’d heard that human males often claimed they’d get sick if they didn’t have sex, as way to coerce their partners, but in the case of Vaaden males it was true. The need for females was understandable, but Beren hated that they used sex slaves to maintain their health.
“I promised once we were on our way home that I would reach out to Kryon and let him know that Rena is safe,” Ryx said. “But if your speculation is correct, he could cause a problem.”
Beren snorted. “Even if he truly was raising her as his daughter, you don’t think he’ll have an issue with her being taken to our world as a potential mate? What if he already has a male lined up to claim her? You know the Vaadens have a tendency to arrange their mating for business or social standing. With her being human, she could handle a male’s physical needs, unlike the Vaaden females. If she was honestly like a daughter to him, then there is most likely a male who thought she would be his one day.”
“This is…” Ryx sighed.
“To borrow an Earth saying. It’s fucked up, that’s what it is.”
Ryx barked out a laugh. “You’re not wrong.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith has been in love with the written word since she was a child writing her first stories in crayon. Today she’s a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and she firmly believes that love will find you at the right time, even if Mr. Right is literally out of this world.
