by Corin Cain
She laughs, a beautiful sweet sound. Jasmine has so much grace and poise, I can’t believe it.
“Yes, sadly for your sleep schedule! I wish I could tell you that you get used to it, but I see why there are no Aurelian women. They couldn’t handle the kids!”
I take a sip of tea, from a cup made in the Zhou dynasty – an ancient civilization that existed tens of thousands of years ago. It’s priceless, worth more than some planets, and I’m drinking tea from it.
Korgath didn’t take long to make his fortune again. It took him 200 years to become the most feared crime lord on Titus. With the help of his triad – and, I might add, myself – it only took him thirteen years to form the largest intergalactic security company in the universe.
Far beyond the reach of the Aurelian Empire, miners can now hire his company to protect them, and merchants can safely travel pirate infested sectors.
It’s been thirteen long years since the bond called to me to reproduce – thirteen years since I’ve experienced the bliss of absolute surrender. Korgath and his triad are no wusses in bed, don’t get me wrong, but I still do crave the feeling of utter surrender you can only get through the bond.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” Jasmine asks.
I shake my head. “How did you know? It’s barely been any time at all since it was active, and I’m already craving it again!”
She laughs. “It’s been five years since it was active in me. I miss it every day, though.” She sighs. “I’ve spent the last five years building programs for humanity. I’ve created schools to provide free education for any woman in an Aurelian harem. I’ve…”
She stops mid-sentence, when the screen starts flashing.
I turn it on, and gasp as I see the devastation.
A news reporter is speaking frantically. “Rav’nok, the planet killer, has struck again. The latest victim to the Aurelian terrorist is the human world of Caladin, which once had a population of 8 billion.” The newscaster pauses. “Now, all lost.”
The beautiful water planet is gone. Early newsfeed show that the teeming life of the planet has been reduced to rubble.
Jasmine looks at me with horror.
She knows what I’m thinking.
“Ella, you can’t blame yourself.”
I want to cry – to beat my hands against the table. Korgath rushes into the room and grabs me, holding me tight. He’s the only thing that feels certain in the world. Brutan and Arok join us, and I’m wrapped and protected by my three men.
But it’s not enough.
Even bringing Xeres to justice wasn’t enough.
I look up, into the eyes of my three men.
“We… We have to stop him,” I say.
Korgath breaks off the hug, and looks at me seriously.
“No, Ella. We’ve already fought our battles. We already taken down our enemies. Rav’nok is a beast, and he’ll kill anyone who comes after him. We have too much to live for.”
I nod, hating myself.
“You didn’t let him out on purpose,” Arok reassures me. “It was just a horrible accident – and you’ve paid your dues since, Ella – many times over.”
It’s hard to believe him when I see the devastation on the screen. Jasmine turns it off, and I breathe out, letting all my guilt escape me.
He’s right.
We have so much to live for. I’ve spent the last ten years raising two beautiful, strong, healthy sons – and wrangling three huge, powerful husbands.
It will be up to someone else to take down Rav’nok.
I forgive myself, and all my struggles to gain respect disappear in an instant.
Finally, as I am helpless in the arms of my powerful, loyal mates, I let myself indulge in bliss and surrender. I don’t need respect from other people anymore.
I respect myself.
I hope you enjoyed the book! I’m almost finished my next book, which follows tough as nails Inspector Sandra Belinks and three hunky Aurelians as they hunt down the evil Rav’nok the planet killer. Want to know the instant it’s available in the Amazon store? Just sign up for my newsletter and I’ll let you know :)
http://eepurl.com/dEk-p5
Haven’t read my debut novel, Sold to the Alien Gladiators? It tells the story of Queen Jasmine’s beginnings as a dirt poor scavenger to Queen of the Aurelian Empire.
We will claim her.
She looks at my triad with disgust and hatred.
We stare at her with pure hunger.
Captured and forced to battle in the blood-soaked arenas of Bugra, my triad will live and die under the scorching sun.
The only thing that moves our weary muscles and overcomes the pain of our wounds is the obsession of claiming our fated mate.
She is brought to us humiliated and disheveled, and yet still her eyes burn with defiance.
We are born to battle. We are born to blood and violence. Aurelians have no master, and when we break our shackles there will be a reckoning.
She will be ours, even if I have to level empires and plunge the universe into war.
I would kill for her, die for her, even as her hatred burns me to the core.
She will be ours.
Read Sold to the Alien Gladiators today!