Shifter: Alex Khan Book 3, page 1
Shifter
Alex Khan Book 3
Hercules West
Copyright © 2023 by Hercules West
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cover Desigh by: Hercules West copyright 2023
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."
-Confucious
To all the wonderful people who have taken the time to read one of my books- thank you for your support!
Contents
Prologue
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
15. Chapter Fifteen
16. Chapter Sixteen
17. Chapter Seventeen
18. Chapter Eighteen
19. Chapter Nineteen
20. Chapter Twenty
21. Chapter Twenty-One
22. Chapter Twenty-Two
23. Chapter Twenty-Three
24. Chapter Twenty-Four
25. Chapter Twenty-Five
26. Chapter Twenty-Six
27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
28. Chapter Twenty-Eight
29. Chapter Twenty-Nine
30. Chapter Thirty
31. Chapter Thirty-One
32. Chapter Thirty-Two
33. Chapter Thirty-Three
34. Chapter Thirty-Four
35. Chapter Thirty-Five
36. Chapter Thirty-Six
37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
38. Chapter Thirty-Eight
39. Chapter Thirty-Nine
40. Chapter Forty
41. Chapter Forty-One
42. Chapter Forty-Two
43. Chapter Forty-Three
44. Chapter Forty-Four
45. Chapter Forty-Five
46. Chapter Forty-Six
47. Chapter Forty-Seven
48. Chapter Forty-Eight
49. Chapter Forty-Nine
50. Chapter Fifty
51. Chapter Fifty-One
52. Chapter Fifty-Two
53. Chapter Fifty-Three
Also By
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Kargosk Outskirts
The moons of Ktor were high in the starry night sky. A few stray clouds drifted slowly by, casting dark shadows on the ground. The Greenspring River flowed slowly past the sleeping city of Kargosk.
East of the city, the river passed by two grain mills located along the shore. The water wheels were silent, awaiting the morning light when they would be allowed to spin again. The wheels would power heavy millstones which would grind grain into flour. It was a peaceful night, the only noise coming from the gentle splashing of the river along the nearby dock.
From the northeast, two horsemen silently approached. The riders wore hooded cloaks and their black horses had plain harnesses and unadorned saddles.
Next to the mills were two large warehouses, one for storing grain and one for storing flour. A stable housed mules and some of the transport wagons. A smaller building was home to the mill's overseer and some of the workers.
The horsemen dismounted and walked their horses to the stable. They paused as they realized the stable hand was not there waiting for them. Handing his reins to his companion, one of the riders entered the building.
He found the groom sleeping on his mattress, near the doorway. One of the mules snorted softly, its sleep disturbed by the stranger’s presence.
The groom was startled awake by the booted foot of the rider pressing on his chest. The man blinked his eyes as fear rose in him.
“Where is the overseer?” the rider asked in a cold, quiet voice.
“F-f-forgive me sir! I wasn’t told you were coming tonight!” the man stammered.
“Fetch him and be quick about it!” the rider commanded.
The cloaked man lifted his boot off the groom and stepped back. The groom scrambled out of his bed and hurried towards the house, pausing a moment to bow to the rider who was waiting in the courtyard. The first rider walked out and whispered to his companion.
A few minutes later, the overseer and the groom exited the house. They hurried over to the cloaked riders.
“I am sorry, good sirs! I did not know you were coming!” the overseer said, breathlessly.
The overseer was uncertain, but he suspected that the two were the same Elves who came periodically to the mill to meet his former employer.
“It is the appointed time. Where is Orzetz?” the second rider asked angrily.
The overseer, a portly middle-aged man, was sweating profusely. He looked at the groom who was nervously shuffling from foot to foot.
“Orzetz is dead sir!” the overseer blurted out nervously.
The riders looked at each other in surprise.
“What happened to Orzetz?” the second rider asked coldly.
“Dav Karlo attacked House Orzetz. He murdered everyone there!” the overseer said as he wiped the sweat off his brow.
“What of Krazno?” the rider asked.
“Karlo killed him as well,” the overseer said quietly.
The riders looked at each other. The second rider nodded and a moment later their swords hissed out of their sheaths. Before the mill workers could cry out, two blades flashed in the moonlight, piercing their throats.
The riders lowered their blades, letting the bodies slump to the ground. The riders looked about. Not seeing anyone, they wiped their swords on the dead men’s clothes. They quickly mounted their horses.
The two cloaked men glanced around one last time before riding back in the direction they had come from. Their unshod horses made little noise as they travelled across the ground.
Soon, the gentle lapping of the water was the only sound to be heard. The peaceful scene was marred only by the dead men’s blood seeping onto the moonlit ground.
Chapter One
Kargosk
“Keep the spear level when you swing it around!” Janx admonished as Alex practiced swinging his broomstick “spear”.
The two men were in the back courtyard of the Kargosk Caravan Guildhouse. Janx was showing Alex the finer points of spear fighting.
“Now thrust twice rapidly and jump back,” the Foxman said.
Alex did as he was instructed. Spear fighting was similar to the quarterstaff fighting that he and Arban practiced with occasionally. It also reminded Alex of pugil stick fighting he had practiced in the Army, back on Earth.
“Again!” The Foxman said.
Janx was four and a half feet tall and covered with short grey fur. He was wearing a pair of leggings and a sleeveless leather vest. Janx was barefoot, allowing his prehensile feet the ability to grab things. His pointy ears and tail twitched in agitation as he watched Alex with a critical eye.
“No! Keep the spear level, when you thrust. You will strike with more force if it is level!” Janx said as he used his broomstick to show Alex.
Alex smiled and nodded. He practiced the double thrust and jump move several more times. He made sure to keep his strikes level.
Alex was glad to see that Janx had come out of his reserved shell. When he had freed Janx from his long captivity in the Dwarven city of Igrim, the Foxman had been very quiet.
“Pay attention to Janx’s teachings. He is an expert with the spear and can teach you much more than I can,” Arban said from the side of the courtyard.
The Orc was leaning against the stable’s fence. He was holding a broomstick, waiting for his turn to practice with the Foxman again.
Arban was strongly built with green skin, dark eyes and large canine teeth. His head was hairless except for the very top. All the Orcs that Alex had seen wore leather ties in their hair which let their long hair flow down behind them in a ponytail. Arban had streaks of grey through his hair.
“Arban, I appreciate everything you have taught me,” Alex said as he practiced swinging the spear butt around in a vicious blow.
The Orc was a Wagon Master in the Caravan Guards. When Alex had joined, Arban had taken a liking to him and had taken him under his wing. Orcs believed in being proficient in as many weapons as possible and he had begun training with Alex in their free time.
Alex was grateful for the Orc’s help. Ktor had a medieval level of technology, without the rifles and pistols that Alex had been trained to fight with.
Janx attacked Alex with a series of jabs. Alex deftly parried the Foxman. The Foxman spun around, bringing his broomstick around towards Alex’s ribcage. Caught by surprise by the move, Alex swung his stick vertically, blocking Janx’s stick. The force of the blow, amplified by Alex’s strength sent the broomstick flying out of Janx’s hands.
The Orc ducked as the broomstick narrowly missed his head, flying into the stable yard.
“Sorry!” Alex said with a laugh.
Arban laughed as well. Janx just shook his head.
“Give me your stick and I will practice with Arban while you retrieve the broom stick you sent flying,” the Foxman said.
The Orc took Alex’s place while he nimbly vaulted over the fence. Alex was a Strongman with enhanced strength. His strength allowed him to jump 3 or 4 times higher than normal. When sparring with his friends, Alex did his best to control his swings so he wouldn’t accidentally hurt one of his friends. He retrieved the broomstick and then sat on the fence.
“Are you sure you don’t want to practice with two spears at the same time?” Alex yelled to the Orc as he watched him blocking Janx’s attacks.
“Ha! You jest, but I may have to try it someday,” The Orc said and then let out a grunt as Janx’s broomstick spear hit him in the midsection, knocking him back.
“Stay focused!” Janx said to Arban.
“Stop distracting me!” Arban said with a laugh as he regained his defensive posture.
Alex smiled. The Orc had become a good friend and mentor to him. Arban’s preferred weapons were two curved swords which he wielded at the same time. The clack-clack of sticks hitting each other reverberated through the courtyard as the men alternated between defending and attacking.
The three men practiced for about another hour. Afterwards, they headed to the bunkhouse kitchen for lunch. The only other occupants were a pair of Guildhouse workers eating at a table in the corner.
The kitchen would be very busy once the next Caravan arrived. The Guildhouse would become a hive of activity as the wagon drivers maneuvered the vehicles around the yard. Some of the goods would be unloaded into the warehouses while other goods were loaded on to the wagons. The influx of guards and workers would make the facility crowded for a few days until the caravan was ready to depart for its next destination.
The three of them grabbed plates of sliced mutton, hunks of a sweet yellow cheese and some loaves of a crusty brown bread. They washed it down with cups of water. As usual, Alex thought, the food was simple, tasty and filling.
They ate in silence, enjoying the break from their morning workout. Once they had finished, they headed towards the main Guildhouse building.
Chapter Two
The dining room of the Guildhouse was a large room with a number of tables as well as a bar with stools located along one wall. Alex saw Taiya and Zura sitting at one of the tables. Zura had one of her books sitting on the table in front of her.
The red skinned Tarenian was an Adept of the White Witches. and was usually studying one of her books as she prepared to become a Master level Witch. The book was closed, however, and her golden eyes were staring into the distance, lost in her thoughts.
Taiya, an auburn-haired, green-eyed Wood Elf, gave Alex a smile. She was sitting next to Zura. Alex smiled back. The Elf was a powerful Flame Dancer.
The Wood Elf was the first person Alex had met when he had found himself on Ktor. Well, the first friendly person. Alex had been captured by a Harg and his Rockskin warriors. Taiya was also a prisoner. Together they had managed to kill their captors and escape.
Alex walked over to Zura and placed his hand on her shoulder. The Witch jumped as she felt the surge of sexual Power that flowed between them.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Alex said.
Zura gave him a little smile and nodded. Alex was getting used to the surge of sexual energy he felt whenever he touched a woman with Power like Zura or Taiya. Zura was still surprised by it.
“Are you all right,” Alex asked the Witch.
“Yes. I am still trying to understand how Master Nella could have been killed,” Zura said thoughtfully.
The previous evening, the communication bond that Zura had with her mentor, Master Nella had been broken. The Tarenian had explained that there were only two ways that that could happen. One way was if they mutually cancelled the bond together. The only other way was if one of them died.
Master Nella had been in Zenkova, investigating the murders in the city.
Alex nodded and released her shoulder. Taiya stood up out of her chair for a moment to give him a kiss on the cheek before sitting down again. The Wood Elf had asked Alex if she could be his life mate and he had accepted.
Alex was slowly becoming accustomed to the different lifestyles the people of Ktor followed. The Ktorians were a lot more relaxed about things like nudity and sex than Alex had been used to on Earth.
Having multiple wives or mates was a common practice in many of the countries and races of Ktor. Multiple husbands for one woman was also practiced by a few cultures like the Moon Elves.
Taiya wanted Alex to attach more women to himself. She was worried that because Alex was Elder Touched, powerful people or organizations would want to use Alex for their own ends. Surrounding him with strong women, especially if they had Power would help keep him safe.
Alex sat down across from the women. Arban and Janx had already taken seats.
As they journeyed to Kargosk, Zura had discovered that Alex was Elder Touched and she had been relentless in finding out all she could about his Power. Alex smiled as he remembered. She had practically thrown herself at him in her desire to see what it was like to be boosted.
Alex’s Power in addition to making him a Strongman, let him amplify a female’s Power. This happened after having sex and seemed to last for one to three days, depending on how strong the woman’s Power was.
Alex’s strength was also boosted from the sex and seemed to last from one to three days as well. The main difference was in the recovery time. Taiya, who was a naturally powerful Elemental Dancer, needed three days of sleep to recover from three days of boosted Power. Zura had required two days of rest for her two days of boost.
Alex’s rest seemed to last from about six to 24 hours of solid sleep, depending on how strong his lover was. Alex glanced at the Tarenian.
The White Witch was arrogant and entitled, but she was also smart and powerful. Once Taiya realized that Zura would stop at nothing until she had been boosted by Alex, she began to consider the possibility of adding her to the “team”. She had pushed Alex to make her his woman as well.
Zura could be annoying, but she was also a beautiful and strong woman. She had dedicated her life to studying instead of fun. When Alex had finally given in to her advances, Zura was an eager lover ready to explore and discover what she had been missing out on.
Taiya’s concern was the Tarenian’s loyalty to the White Witches. She hoped that she would be able to convince Zura to stay with them. The Elf hoped that the possibility of being able to study an Elder Touched in person would be enough to keep her with Alex.
“Ah, I am glad to find you all together,” Master Kev said as he entered the dining room and walked over to their table.
Kev was the Caravan Master of the Kargosk Guildhouse. He was an older Human, grey haired with years of experience managing trade.
“Master Arban told me that the five of you plan on departing for Zenkova soon. I am preparing dispatches for Master Daerona in Zenkova. She will need to be informed of the developments here in Kargosk and she can pass the information on to the Verbana Guildhouse,” Master Kev explained.
“I was hoping you would be able to deliver the dispatches for me. Of course, if you do, I will be able to pay you your standard daily rates as you will be on official business,” Master Kev added.
“Why do something for free, when you can get paid for it!” Arban said with a laugh.
“Indeed. Janx, you have proven yourself to be a valiant warrior. I wanted to ask if you would like to join the Caravan Guards. There is no long-term commitment. You can take on trips at your own desire,” the Caravan Master said as he looked towards the Foxman.
“I go where Alex goes,” Janx said as he looked towards Alex.
“I am going to Zenkova, you might as well earn some coin since we are going there anyway,” Alex said.
“Very well,” Janx nodded towards the Caravan Master.
“Good, stop by my office when you are ready and I will get you a paydisc,” Master Kev said with a smile.
“I will have the reports ready for Zenkova in the morning,” Master Kev added, before heading back to his office.
“It will be nice to get paid for a journey we were planning to make for free,” Taiya said with a happy smile.
