by Lynnea Lee
A Captive for Kean - Tallean Mercenaries
Book Six
By Lynnea Lee
Copyright © 2021 Lynnea Lee
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in whole or in part, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction, and the characters and incidents found within are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or deceased, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Contents
Contents
A Captive for Kean
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
EPILOGUE
AUTHOR’S NOTE
ALSO BY AUTHOR
A Captive for Kean
SARA
I’ve made a huge mistake!
When the handsome and charming alien offers to steal me away from my abusive owner, I jump at the chance for a better life. But appearances are deceiving, and now I find myself owned by a cold-blooded killer.
Kean’s sinful growls and possessive words make me crave things I know I shouldn’t. But I can’t fall for the ruthless murderer who ends lives with a smile on his face. It’s wrong! I need to get away before it’s too late.
KEAN
Sarah is mine!
I’ve done many horrible things in my life to get to where I am now. And I will do many more to protect what is mine. And Sarah is MINE! She’s terrified of me, but I know she wants me. I scent her arousal.
I didn’t expect her to run. But there’s nowhere for her to hide; I own all of Vosthea. And when I find her, I’m going to claim her as my mate!
This sci-fi alien romance is filled with violent and steamy scenes. Our hero is not your typical “good guy,” please do not read if hyper-protective and possessive criminals with drug empires upset you. HEA guaranteed!
This story is a complete romance and can be read as a standalone or as part of a series.
Chapter 1
Kean sat across the table from the sniveling Dominion representative, wondering if he should just kill him outright and be done with it. It was a very tempting option. He tapped the claws on his feet on the thickly-carpeted floor to stop himself from slicing the male open with a swift kick to the belly.
The negotiation was just a thin veneer, a façade until Gadrek made the first treacherous move, then Kean would show his true colors. He wasn’t here to parlay with the Dominion. He was here to give Gadrek a chance to join him.
Sure, Gadrek would need to give up control of the port and his alliance with the Dominion, but he would live. That was usually a very good incentive to switch sides, especially since the Dominion didn’t pay well too far from the inner planets. Kean would offer Gadrek the same job he had now, except he would be working for Kean instead of the Dominion.
“You used to be Dominion. You know I have no say in these matters.” Gadrek leaned back in his chair and reached down to pet a frowning human female kneeling at his feet.
Kean pried his eyes from the little human. He’d spent most of the meeting trying not to stare at her. The human female at the feet of the Dominion representative was all that Kean could focus on. Her dark hair had been shorn short, the cut jagged as if it had been done with a dull knife. But the style only served to make her look cuter. She could be bald and still be beautiful.
She was small, scrawny—Gadrek was not feeding her well—and bruises dotted her arms. But despite looking starved and malnourished, her dark eyes shone fiercely with rebelliousness. This was no broken slave; she had fight in her yet.
In contrast to her condition, she wore a dress heavily encrusted with jewels at the hem, Gadrek’s way of showing off his wealth and status. He’d layered a pile of gaudy looking necklaces on her; they dwarfed her frail frame, looking garish and accentuating her emaciated neck and collarbone. It made Kean hate Gadrek even more. He never understood those who would starve a slave, only to cover them in jewels when they needed to boast and brag of their riches.
The female cringed as Gadrek petted her. Her eyes darted to the side again, and Kean followed her gaze. A knife. She eyed a knife on the side table. From the defiant look on her face, Kean doubted she would hesitate to stab her owner in his sleep. Forget in his sleep, she would probably stab him in the back the moment he looked away.
Kean wanted to stab Gadrek too. He wanted to rip the bastard’s hands off for daring to touch the pretty female. Those hands had put the bruises on the female’s pale, thin arms. Kean considered just killing the Dominion rep outright instead of offering him a way out. But he needed as many people working to keep the peace as he could. As satisfying as it would be to kill Gadrek for touching the female, it was more sensible to have his alliance. He needed to focus.
“I also know that the Dominion holds little sway here. They barely pay you enough, and you work hard to keep peace on this uncivilized planet. Why do their bidding when I can pay you more? Stop the Dominion troops from landing, and force those who have landed to leave, or I’ll be forced to fight back.” It would be so much easier to skip the niceties and just gut the fool now. Kean hated wasting time.
The Dominion forces currently swarmed Vosthea. They were using the planet as a launching pad to attack the nearby colony of Reka 5. While Vosthea was technically Dominion owned, it was in name only. The planet consisted of mostly outlaws, and the Dominion had trouble controlling it. Up until recently, three major players ruled the planet, each holding one of three ports on the planet.
The first was Kean himself. He had settled on Vosthea after the Dominion left him for dead while he was working for them. A biochemist by trade, he’d built himself a small empire producing Euphora, a mind-altering substance sought after by many in these parts. He’d worked hard and made a small fortune. The people on Vosthea respected him. And those who didn’t, feared him, and for good reasons.
Another main player had been a crooked merchant named Soren. He’d controlled the largest port until he was taken out recently by a simple, mostly unknown delivery crew over a human slave. Kean had swooped in immediately and claimed the port as his own. He’d then offered the next largest player in the area the chance to work for him and rule the area as his representative with a high level of autonomy. The male had agreed. It was the much smarter and less deadly option compared to fighting Kean for control.
The only port still out of his rule and letting in these blasted Dominion troops was the one owned by Gadrek. Once this last port was his, Kean would own all of Vosthea. He’d never had delusions of world domination, but here he was. But it wasn’t like he had much choice; he needed to get the Dominion troops off Vosthea before they found his second lab. No, not his second drug lab, but the lab researching a way for Talleans and humans to procreate. He needed the Dominion troops off of his planet, now.
The human female darted her gaze to the knife on the side table again. She really wanted that weapon. Luckily, Gadrek was not paying the female much attention and didn’t notice her
interest in the blade. Kean had. The female noticed him watching and quickly looked down into her lap.
Kean forced his attention back to his adversary.
“You are asking a lot from me. It’s true, I have no loyalties to the Dominion, but they—” Gadrek was interrupted but a male at the door.
“Sir. Sorry to interrupt, but you have a comm, and it’s very important. It can’t wait.”
“Go ahead. Take the comm. I will be here to hear your answer after.” Kean waved the representative off.
“Naturally.”
Gadrek stood, the female moving to give him space, then he left to take the comm. His guards left with him, leaving Kean alone with the males on his team. Very strange. Usually, guards stayed to watch the guest, especially one they didn’t trust. Kean could almost bet the guards were busy strapping on better weapons or planning out an attack.
Kean exchanged a look with his crew. They noticed it too and would be ready for deception.
While Kean’s team looked like any other security detail, they were his elite guards, trained to fight and kill without weapons. They had left all their weapons at the door, but they were just as deadly unarmed.
Kean’s gaze fell on the little female again. Her hands were hidden behind her back, and something about the way she held herself made him look at the side table. As he expected, the knife was gone.
Sarah avoided the gaze of the intimidating but devilishly handsome Tallean male who was boring a hole into her soul with his shocking green eyes. The alien was here to make a deal with her owner, and she shouldn’t be paying any attention to him. But Sarah couldn’t help but to sneak peeks at him the whole meeting.
Unlike Gadrek and his security, Kean and his entourage had a wild, untamed quality to them. She knew they had all been checked for weapons at the door, but that didn’t make them any more harmless. She was surrounded by predators. She had met none on this planet who were not predators, but these aliens in the room with her now hunted hunters. She felt it in her bones.
She stared down into her lap, pretending to ignore them. And especially to ignore him. Now was not the time to catch any male’s attention. She was sick of being prey, and today, the prey was going to fight back. One of Gadrek’s guards had made a mistake and left a weapon out on the side table. The knife was now tucked into her waistband. She didn’t know what she planned to do with it exactly yet, but Sarah knew that Gadrek was a dead man.
She hated him more than anything else in the universe, and she was desperate enough now to take him down with her. When she’d first heard of human slaves taking their Master down murder-suicide style, she’d thought she would never get so desperate. But that was last year. At the time, Sarah still had her sister, Chrissy.
Since then, Gadrek had sold the only family she had. When Sarah had acted up at the loss of her sister, he’d taken to starving her as punishment. He’d also locked her up tighter than a clam with lockjaw. She hadn’t seen another living soul for months. It was most likely because Sarah had told everyone who would listen that Gadrek was impotent. Because he was.
If Sarah had to live without her sister, then Gadrek would have to live without his dignity.
Kean, the drug lord her owner was having a meeting with, stood and walked towards her. Her heart thumped in her chest. Had he seen her take the knife? He knelt down in front of her, and to his surprise, he sniffed at her.
“Little female,” his voice was soft, just loud enough for her. “What are you hiding behind your back?”
Shit! He’d seen her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Deny everything!
“I know you took the knife on the table. Whatever you plan to do with it, I urge you to rethink. There are other ways.”
Was this guy for real? Other ways? Against her better judgment, she scoffed.
“You don’t believe me.” The corner of his lips lifted in an amused smile, and Sarah ignored how sexy the look was on him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She decided to continue playing dumb.
“What’s your name, female?”
“Sarah.” She didn’t see the point of withholding the information; she’d probably never see him again after today.
“Sarah.” He paused as if he savored the feel of her name on his tongue. “I’m Kean, but you already know that.”
She did. Kean was a household name on this ass-backward planet, and it was often said with fear or reverence.
The infamous outlaw continued, “Even if you manage to kill Gadrek, what would happen to you? Give me the knife, and I’ll offer you an alternative. A better one.”
That piqued her curiosity, but she still didn’t want to admit she had the knife, though he clearly already knew. She stayed silent.
“If Gadrek agrees to work for me, I will request a token from him. You. You’ll come home with me, and you’ll be mine.”
The way he said those words made her look up. It was a mistake, a huge mistake. She was now trapped in his beautiful green eyes, unable to look away. His cheek creases, the ones all Tallean had, accentuated his angular jawline and gave him a sexy but dangerous vibe. He grinned at her, showing sharp fangs, as a rough hand caressed the side of her face tenderly. The light touch sent goosebumps down her arms, and her breath hitched.
Damn! No criminal should be this good looking!
Eventually, his words permeated her brain. “He won’t. The Dominion’s got him wrapped around their finger. Gadrek is loyal to them, and he’s just stalling for time. He’s probably planning his attack right now.”
“I wasn’t counting on it. No matter, I’ll take you home anyway. You’ll be safer and better off with me.” His hand brushed down across the bruises on her bicep gingerly, as if careful not to hurt her. “Now, the knife. Give it here. Be patient, and I’ll do your dirty work for you. Do not soil your pretty little hands.”
Was he offering to kill Gadrek for her and steal her away if Gadrek did not agree to his plan? This was too good to be true. But before she could reply, Kean lunged. He was on her in a flash, holding her body to his and reaching behind her to retrieve the blade she had worked so hard to steal.
He didn’t let go of her immediately. Instead, he pressed her close to his chest and buried his face into the side of her neck. Sarah tensed, suddenly imagining his sharp fangs sinking into her throat. But the attack never came. He just inhaled against her neck, and a low rumbling growl came from his chest, the vibrations sending shock waves through where they touched.
Pressed right up against him with his clean, musky male scent teasing at her nose, Sarah’s body reacted immediately. Where they touched, her skin felt as if it was on fire. And the sound, that growl, sent a wave of warmth tingling between her legs. It was as if her body had been asleep for months, and it finally woke, ready to go.
He groaned. “I can’t afford to be distracted, little one. We can continue this later. For now, just sit tight. And no more stealing weapons.”
A flush of heat warmed her face, followed by indignant anger. Who was he to order her around? He didn’t own her! Though the thought of Kean owning her instead of Gadrek made a tempting daydream.
“Later, when I call you over, you will stand and walk over to me. Ignore Gadrek. My males and I will protect you.”
“But you are not armed, while his security guards carry blasters.” Sarah didn’t mean to say it out loud, but Kean was easy to talk to, and he encouraged her to speak, while Gadrek always wanted silence from slaves. She hadn’t had real social interaction for much too long. She was not much more than a piece of furniture for Gadrek.
“Trust me, little one. I will protect you.”
His words filled her with warmth, though she dared not believe it. Kean and his entourage had the look of seasoned warriors, but they were outnumbered and unarmed. Still, Sarah nodded, and Kean, satisfied, went back to his seat.
Kean pocketed the blade casually before appr
oaching a younger looking member of his team who seemed out of place. They conversed quietly, in hushed tones Sarah’s ears couldn’t catch.
The door to the meeting room opened again, and Gadrek strolled in, followed by a team of security. He came to stand in front of his seat, and as he got close, he frowned at Sarah. Then he gripped her by the short strands of her hair and lifted her up. He sniffed, then snarled angrily. Talleans had a remarkable sense of smell; Gadrek must be picking up the scent of Kean and her reaction to him earlier.
“No matter.” He tossed her back onto the floor. “This ends here anyway.” Gadrek made a motion, and his guards fanned out around the room and pointed their weapons at Kean and his group. “It looks like Vosthea is supposed to lose one criminal and gain one ultimate Dominion overseer!”
Sarah looked around the room frantically, hoping to find some way to help Kean, but she knew it was useless.
“Sarah,” Kean said her name with a calm voice as if he held no fear despite the weapons trained on him. “Make your choice and come to me now.”
Now? He wanted her to choose between staying with her horrible owner or jumping onto a sinking ship? Did he not realize the danger he was in?
“Sarah, now! Don’t make me come over there and get you.” The way he said that made Sarah squeeze her thighs together. He didn’t even look unnerved.
Sarah had planned to stab Gadrek with the knife and face the consequences. She’d planned to throw it all away. What difference would it be now if one of the guards shot her with the blaster?
“You go over there, and I will shoot you with the rest of them.” Gadrek didn’t move to stop her; he probably thought she would be too scared to join Kean.
That made up her mind. Sarah stood and hurried around the table, trying her best to project the same calm Kean did. Gadrek didn’t stop her. His face simply got redder. Kean grabbed her the moment she got close enough and passed her to the younger member of the team.
“You want to die with them, so be it. You were a terrible slave.” Gadrek turned to his guards. “Kill them.”