Adamant Spirits, page 159
“Yeah, well, I voted for Paris, but the brothers really wanted the happiest place on Earth.” Finn nodded to Hans and Karl, who were unburdening themselves of their gear.
“Speaking of happy places, Hans said you hooked up with my mystery date’s friend. Did you happen to get a name and phone number that I might use to get a name and phone number?” Why the hell was his voice shaking? It wasn’t as if he was asking for nuclear codes or anything.
“No can do. I am sworn to silence.” Finn held a hand over his heart. “Sorry. Unless or until your mystery woman asks, I am forbidden from giving any information that may incriminate me.”
“You’re an asshole.” Damn and double damn. Finn was his last hope.
“I know. But I gave my word.”
Ethan knew better than to argue. If Finn promised something, it was a vow he’d never break.
All during their trip to Disneyland, which was way more fun as an adult than it had been as a sugared-up kid, he tried to find a loophole in Finn’s promise. Could he casually suggest his lady, who he refused to name, take Ethan’s angel somewhere and they would just happen to arrive at the same time?
Turned out, they already had. Finn admitted his angel had been at the mermaid swim. Once Ethan knew that, he’d spent a good portion of their day scanning the crowds looking for his angel, but either she wasn’t at Disneyland, or they kept missing each other.
By Sunday night, he was cranky and ready to swear off women for the rest of his life. Juliet crawled into bed with him and he stroked her fur as he skimmed the bios of those that worked for the company. They had over six hundred employees and he’d been putting the task off all week. His eyes drooped, and he closed the laptop, accepting defeat. He’d have plenty of time to meet all the employees, but if he didn’t get a good night’s sleep, he was sure to make a bad impression on his first day. Even though they couldn’t fire him, it was important he show he was responsible.
The next morning, Ethan followed the human resources manager, Doris through the labyrinth of cubicles, trying to memorize all the names she tossed at him. He ran a hand through his newly shorn hair, unbalanced by the lack of curls. New look, new man.
Same heartbreak. He smoothed his suit jacket and tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. Why was he nervous? Someday he’d own the company and all of these employees would answer to him.
Precisely. Most of them only knew Ethan Stone as a hard-partying playboy, not as a mature, thoughtful businessman. It would take some doing, but he’d convince them he had what it took to not only run the company, but to keep it relevant in an ever-changing world.
A swath of dark hair caught his attention and his heart ratcheted with anticipation, but it wasn’t his angel. Of course not. Yet he still had hope he’d find her. That damn flutter against his heart squeezed, and he gasped against the sudden pain. It was ridiculous. He’d only met her twice, and yet she’d somehow burrowed into his psyche.
He couldn’t explain it. He just knew she had him tied in knots and if he didn’t find her or forget her soon, he was going to lose his shit. Hell, he should forget about her and ask out the next woman he met. Whoever she was, be she a human or an alien, he would ask her out just to rid himself of the constant longing for his angel. It was an idea, a crazy one, but what did he have to lose? Nothing his sexy stranger hadn’t already claimed.
“Ethan, this is our accounts director, Ms. Daniels.” The cheery manager led him to the door of an office and pushed it open.
There, bent over to retrieve some papers, was the most perfect ass he’d ever seen. An ass he knew intimately. An ass he’d spent much of Cupid’s night caressing. His heart pinched, but not in a bad way.
The owner of that perfect rear stood with an apology and a flip of her hair. Deep brown doe eyes with a mischievous glint in them met his stare. Her mouth opened with a small gasp, and a slow smile spread from her lips straight to his cock.
“Carly, this is our new hire, Ethan Stone. He’ll be working under you for a few months to get a feel for the company.”
To her credit, Carly didn’t burst out laughing, but the promise was clear in the way she bit her lip. “I look forward showing him everything the company has to offer.” She held out her hand for him to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Stone.”
He wiped his palm against his pants before gripping hers. “The pleasure’s all mine, Ms. Daniels.”
“Hopefully not all yours,” was her cheeky reply.
Doris gave a confused harrumph before scratching her cheek. “I’ll let the two of you get better acquainted.”
He nodded briefly, never taking his eyes from Carly’s. God, he wanted to kiss her. To taste her again. But considering she was now his boss, he refrained. The door clicked shut behind the HR manager and then it was just the two of them. Surprisingly, he was as nervous as he’d been on his first date at the tender age of fifteen. Sweat prickled the back of his neck and his feet felt clammy in his shiny new shoes.
“Well, angel, you heard the woman. Let’s get to know each other better. This time, though, I hope you’ll stay for breakfast.”
Stay for a lifetime was what he meant. From the sultry pout she gave him and the fire in her eyes, he had no doubt she felt the same.
“If you keep staring at me like that, you might get fired before the day’s out.”
Not likely.
“Let them try. Gods, I missed you.”
Her bottom lip rolled between her teeth and she flicked a glance at his short hair. “Gotta say, I’m liking the new look.” Her fingers flinched and a wave of her desire crashed against him.
He closed the space between them and held her face between his hands.
Their lips met and heat seared straight through his core. He was Icarus and she, his sun. Together they would burn and fly and burn again.
“I want you, Carly Daniels. Not just for one night, but if that’s not what you want, I’ll ask to be transferred and we’ll never see each other again.”
In answer, she grabbed his lapel and pulled him close, her mouth claiming his in a wild, almost feral kiss that left him breathless. He ground his pelvis against her in a slow, sexy dance that had her moaning into their kiss. Stars danced behind his closed eyes and his heart swelled close to bursting.
He lifted his head with a sigh, already missing the touch of her skin against his.
“It’s a little too crowded out there,” he cocked his head toward the cubicles outside her office. “What do you say we take the day off and really get to know each other?”
“That would be very irresponsible of us.” Her eyes narrowed and glinted with promised wickedness. “But, as your boss, I insist we play hooky.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. No phones, no email, just us.”
“Sounds like heaven.”
He covered her mouth with his in a gentle kiss. Whether it was Fate or Cupid who had thrown them together, he didn’t care. She was his angel and he’d spend the rest of his life fulfilling her succubus desires like the greedy incubus he was, one wicked night at a time.
Angel and the Alien Brute
Heat Level: ☕︎☕︎☕︎☕︎
Hattie Jacks
Hattie Jacks is a British author of steamy sci-fi romance. She loves to write about super hot alpha aliens and the feisty human ladies who are not prepared to accept their fate. Unless fate tells them to lose their hearts…
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Angel and the Alien Brute is a steamy standalone novella from Hattie Jacks.
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*Trigger warning(s): Sex slavery; prisoner but eventual consent.
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Angel
I huddle against the cold metal wall, hugging my bloodied and bruised knees, allowing my filthy hair to cover my face because I don’t want to see them. And the last thing I want is for them to notice me.
The aliens that beamed me out of my comfortable warm bed are hideous and cruel. They smell like a mountain of garbage and they look like a half burned corpse, their four arms flailing around as they ensure I submit. For the longest time when I first arrived, they screamed at me. Their mouths formed a terrifying hole emitting a noise that spoke to my primal soul. Every time they approached me, I clawed at the wall, floor, and the aliens themselves to get away. I’ve been a captive before, and I will not let myself be taken again.
Eventually, one of them held me down as I shrieked in terror and the other shoved something slimy in my ear. I thought it might be their way of raping me until, instead of screaming, I could hear voices.
That’s when my real nightmares began, because instead of the screaming, I found out exactly what they wanted to do to me, and none of it was good.
Except they couldn’t. They had taken me from Earth for a wealthy client of theirs and they needed to keep me nice. ‘Nice' meaning they would not defile me. It didn’t stop them beating me, feeding me slop every two days, and refusing to allow me to get clean.
I think I’m on a spaceship. The walls hum with the sound of engines running all the time and, as they are aliens, it seems a reasonable assumption. Not that I’d know anything. I’ve been staring at these metal walls and the shock-inducing bars that fence me inside for weeks.
Today though, there’s something wrong. They’re using words I don’t understand, even with the translator. Words like “Saivv.” Their entire demeanor is one of fear. They even smell worse than usual. I’m not sure I want to find out what frightens these aliens. So I curl up in my corner and hope they leave me alone.
A deep rumble starts somewhere in the bowels of the ship. It’s not something I’ve heard before and as I wonder what’s causing it, the lights dim to a pale blue and a loud, insistent chiming noise begins. It’s excruciatingly loud and I cover my ears to try not to be deafened. Some aliens run past my cage and as they do, one turns and fires an honest-to-goodness ray gun over his shoulder, down the corridor.
Now I’m interested. Maybe I shouldn’t be. If something scares my captors, then it’s got to be worse than them, right?
I get to my feet, shaky with nerves, and approach the bars. They crackle with the force-field that can easily throw me across the cell and then, with no warning, there’s a hiss and the bars go dull. The alarm stops and the lights come up.
This can’t be good.
I look at the bars and lift my hands up to touch them. For an instant, I hesitate, then I grab them. I’m not shocked to oblivion. A new sound reaches my ears, one of heavy boots heading my way. I pull hard at the bars and feel them give, not forwards or backwards, but they bend, just slightly.
Enough to slip through the gap, if I hold them open. I put one leg through and drag myself past the metal. Despite the lack of food, what I have been given must have meant I’ve not lost weight. I’m still just as curvy as ever. But my once pink-with-hearts pajama short set, all I was wearing when I was plucked from my bed, is not helping me get past the bars. The fabric drags on the metal, making it hard to slide through.
There’s nothing for it. I strip off and throw my clothes out of the bars. If I don’t want to be caught naked, I’m going to have to make sure I get out the way I’m intending. I redouble my efforts to pry the bars apart, step through and manage to get one breast past the metal. I’m panting with the unaccustomed effort when I hear stamping boots again, this time closer. I’m naked, half in and half out of my cage. This is hardly the way I want to greet a whole new set of aliens.
My hands are sweating, which means I’m struggling to get a grip on the bars to pull them apart. Without the slight extra room, I’m stuck, half in and half out of the cage, and the boots are getting nearer. I wriggle hard and with one final push; I plop out onto the floor, outside the prison they have held me in for all this time.
“Yes!” I exclaim, punching the air with my fist. “Freedom!” I can’t help myself.
“What is it?” A metallic exclamation behind me, has me spinning around.
Two large humanoids stand at the entrance to what I can now see is a cell block. They’re very tall, dressed entirely in black and are wearing mirrored visors, attached to large black helmets. Both are carrying large weapons that glow eerily. One of them takes a pace towards me.
“It can’t be Saivv, too small,” it says in its weird robotic voice, and the pair of them advance on me.
I can see myself in the reflections of their visors. With the brief excitement that came with breaking free, I’d forgotten my naked state. I snatch up my dirty clothes from the floor and hold them in front of me.
“Whatever it is, it smells delicious.” They reach for me as I continue to back away.
Looks like I’ve been found by aliens that think I’m their next meal. Not exactly how I thought this would end.
Narl
I’m honing the blade of my psi-warblade when Jastar runs past my quarters. I hear my comrade skid to a halt and return to lean against the open door.
My door is always open. I have nothing to hide, not anymore. These quarters were designed for ten Saivv warriors, but one by one, my bunkmates moved elsewhere. I don’t believe it has anything to do with me, even if I do spend much time working on my warblade.
“Have you heard?” Jastar struggles to keep the excitement out of his voice, something he’s fully aware I don’t respond to.
I run the psi-stone down the blade with a satisfying t-chok, keeping my eyes entirely concentrated on Jastar. I don’t answer him. The youngster cannot keep his excitement to himself.
“We’ve spotted another Katka mercenary ship in this quadrant. The third this cycle. My battalion has orders to board it, take the crew and cargo, and destroy whatever remains.” Jastar grins wildly.
I run my stone down the shimmering blade again, this time without looking up.
“Katka won’t be taken prisoner. They’ll fight to the death,” I tell him.
“I know!” Jastar fires out. “That’s what makes this a great opportunity. Finally a battle!”
“There’s no great opportunities, Jastar,” I say wearily. “There’s only life or death. I choose not to waste mine on a bunch of filthy Katka.”
“Suit yourself.” Jastar shrugs. He knows that I’ll do what I’m ordered to do on this ship, because that’s what I signed up for, but nothing more. “I think you’d enjoy it.”
I lift my head up to stare at him. I know that my kin-tattoos will shift with my feelings. The one thing about all Saivv males is that we are unable to control the kin that appear on our skin with each battle, and we are unable to stop them from showing our true feelings.
Most Saivv keep theirs covered, even from their mates. Not me. I keep mine on display. I want the other warriors on this ship to know how I feel. It keeps them away from me, and that’s the best thing for them. And me.
Not Jastar though. The junior warrior seems to enjoy being around me. He puts up with just about anything I throw at him. He even spars with me, where other warriors leave the pit as soon as I enter. I suppose I should be grateful for a friend, but I’m not in the mood, not today.
“I enjoy nothing. Just let me do my time, Jastar and leave me alone,” I snarl at him, getting to my feet, my warblade glowing with my anger. He backs away, bowing low, as he always does in the pit when my temper gets the better of me.
“As you wish, Narl,” he says to the floor.
I place the tip of my blade on the floor and rest my hands on the handle. “Don’t get yourself killed,” I say gruffly and activate the door closing mechanism.
I was like him once. Never again. My head throbs with the effort of keeping my cool, of not tearing him limb from limb. Of not wanting to care.
When I’m like this, there’s only one thing I can do. I sheath my sword and head for my bunk, lying down on the cold metal. I press my temple against the bulkhead and begin the rumble in my chest that calms me. The vibrations and the temperature will help. With any luck, I might sleep. And I wonder why no other Saivv wants to bunk with me.
It’s better than going to the medic. All they ever want to do is drug me and study me. If I voluntarily go to them, I’ll not get out of their laboratory, not a second time. I’ll spend my days and nights in a stupor, drooling onto the floor as they experiment on me. Trying to find out how I became one of the most fearsome of Saivv. A warrior capable of such devastation that commanders fought over which ship I’d be assigned to.
I’d have preferred a quieter life, to settle down on our home world, Saivval. I could have hidden from the universe and avoided any more conflict. But once in the Corps, there is no escape. I remain indentured. What I want is not in my power. If I have to serve, I will do my duty and there my loyalty ends.
I wrap my arms around the thin fabric ket, standard Saivv issue, and hug it to me, trying to soothe the deep ache inside my skull and trying to ignore the thumping of many boots in the hallways. After half an ora, I give up. The rushing of warriors has only increased. Either we are being attacked or they are encountering greater resistance on the Katka ship than expected. Given that no general orders have been given, my guess is the Katka are putting up a fight for their illicit cargo.
Huffing as I unfold myself from a bunk that is too small for me, I rest my hands on the metal edges, attempting to quell the simmering rage that always threatens whenever battle is near. I grab my warblade and stomp to the door. Outside, the corridor is full of warriors, none of whom are in full battledress. I grab the nearest, pulling him to an abrupt halt.
“Narl!” He stares up at me. I incline my head to him. “There’s something on the Katka ship, something no one has ever seen before.” His words rush out in fear and excitement. I stare at him. “It’s in the main cargo hold,” he adds, swiftly.
