by Frost Kay
Allie glanced up at Xan, who was staring down the corridor. “So you’re not taking us?”
“No.”
One word. Short and sweet. “Then why all of this?” she ventured.
He sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Because it’s necessary.”
“For what?”
“For security.”
Well, that wasn’t what she was expecting.
He stared down at her, his angular face serious. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For this.”
Something poked into her arm. She growled, and glared at the Av leaning over her. “What did you do?”
“What’s necessary.”
“You could have warned a girl.”
One side of his mouth quirked up. “You’re very interesting for a Human.”
Her eyelids became extremely heavy. Stars above, all she wanted to do was sleep. “You drugged me,” she accused, her speech slurring.
He snorted. “Like I’m going to take advantage of you, Human.”
She sniffed, her vision starting to blur. “That’s what all men say.”
“Enough. I need you to listen to me, Allie.” A hand smoothed her puke-covered hair out of her blurry eyes. “The next part of your life will be difficult, and dangerous if I’d venture a guess. Keep your eyes open when you reach the city of Sars, little one. There are many who’d take advantage of you.”
“Like you.”
“Ones much worse than me. Be safe. I’ll see you soon.”
Allie tried to reply but she was just too tired. She would deal with this when she woke up. She closed her eyes and sank into a pirate-free bliss.
6
Crazy? I Was Crazy Once…
Allie jerked and blinked furiously, her nose scrunching up in confusion at what surrounded her. She was sitting in the hull, strapped into her seat.
She blinked again.
The door was in perfect condition, the passengers in various states of rest. Her gaze snapped down to her chest. The straps were in perfect condition, as was her shirt.
“What the hell?” she breathed.
“What was that?” Jer murmured.
Allie slowly turned to the redhead. “Jer, pirates attacked our ship.”
Jer frowned. “Not that I know of…” A look of understanding slowly crossed her face and she held up the empty glass vial. “You fell asleep almost immediately. It’s been smooth sailing since we left. We’re just about to land.”
“Land?” she repeated stupidly. How long had they been on the ship?
“Yeah … on Sars … the alien planet we agreed to help populate.”
“Agreed isn’t the right word,” Allie muttered. She peeked back at the door and down to her shirt again. “I had some crazy dreams.”
The redhead rolled her eyes. “No joke. You mumbled and twitched in your sleep for fourteen hours.”
“That’s it? We’ve been traveling for fourteen hours?” It boggled her mind that in fourteen hours, twenty-eight years had passed on Earth. A lump settled in her stomach. Her mama and papa probably had gray hair and grandbabies by now.
“Hyperspeed is a wonderful thing.”
Her friend’s comment pulled her from her morose thoughts. Allie rubbed her arm, her brow wrinkling. It was like she could still feel the needle. “It felt so real,” she whispered to herself.
Jer gave her a knowing smile. “Side effect of moonshine.”
She shuddered. “I’m never drinking that again. I have no idea what my parents were thinking when they created that.”
Her friend patted her hand. “It’s always worst the first time.”
The ship tilted, making her stomach flip, and then gradually settled. An AM detached from the wall and pressed a series of numbers on a clear pad next to the door before turning to them.
“Welcome to Sars. Please mind the gap between the ship and the platform. Also, remember that the air on Sars is thinner, so your equilibrium will be off for a few days. Your luggage will be transferred to your new homes. Thank you for flying with us.”
A series of clicks sounded in the room as the safety straps released. Allie clutched her little bag and sat staring as the surrounding people collected their belongings while moving towards the hull door.
She couldn’t believe it. She was on another planet. Allie forced herself out of her chair onto shaking legs. “We’re actually here.” The flight was over and she’d survived the trip with only a few bad dreams to show for it.
Jer slapped her on the back and held her elbow out to her with a smile. “Would you accompany me to our new world?”
Jer’s energy was infectious. She grinned at her redheaded friend and locked elbows with her, feeling a little more confident. They shuffled unhurriedly through the throng of people and paused just outside the hatch in awe. It was nighttime, but instead of a black sky with stars it was purple with three silver moons.
“Three moons,” Jer commented. “Go figure.”
Allie stared in astonishment and brushed at her arm.
Ouch.
She pulled her eyes from the alien phenomenon and lifted her arm up, scanning it for bruises. Nothing. Huh. It would probably be a bruise by tomorrow. Just as she peered up from her arm, her gaze clashed with green eyes. Unnaturally green.
Xan. The green-haired alien from her dream.
“Do you see him?” Allie said, pointing at the alien smirking at her.
“Who?” Jer asked, scanning the crowd.
“The elf-looking guy with green hair.” Allie blinked when he winked at her. “He’s right there.”
“I can’t see him.”
She dropped Jer’s arm and plunged into the crowd, needing to find him. It wasn’t a coincidence that he was here. How was it possible? What sort of games were going on?
“Allie, wait!”
Ignoring the dirty looks and scowls, she plowed through the people. Allie burst into an open spot, breathing hard, and spun around looking for green hair. Nothing. It was like he’d disappeared into thin air.
Jer jogged to her side and slapped her on the arm. “Don’t run off like that. We don’t know how safe it is here.”
“But I saw him,” she explained lamely.
“The man of your dreams?” Jer said, trying to keep a straight face.
“I saw him right here,” Allie said, frustrated.
“Hun, I think the moonshine messed with your head.”
She growled, still searching the sea of people around her. Doubt started filtering in. Maybe she was still under the glow. Dumb moonshine. “I could have sworn—” Allie spun around and slammed into a large chest.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she grumbled.
“I didn’t think you’d be this happy to see me.”
Allie froze. She slowly looked up into the face of the man who’d ruined her escape.
The Lock.
“You,” she growled.
“You,” he mocked.
Pirates or no pirates, she knew one thing was true. Justice would be served. He’d always remember the day he crossed her. Allie smiled inwardly as her former idea came back to her. She let a smile tip up her lips and reached into her bag. “Despite our somewhat rough introduction, thank you for helping me get onto the ship. I wouldn’t have been able to myself.”
The confused look on his face would have been comical if she wasn’t trying to pull one over on him.
Carefully, she glanced down into her bag and plucked a glass vial filled with green liquid out and held it out for him with what she hoped looked like a grateful smile. “My family makes moonshine. This is my way of saying thanks.”
He smiled and pulled the green vial from her hands. “I’ve never had any that was this color.”
She glanced around like she was divulging a secret. “It’s a new recipe. Something new my family is releasing in six months.” His eyes rounded in surprise and delight. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Allie gri
nned and gave a jaunty little wave before looping her arm through Jer’s. She steered the redhead away from the Lock, a feral smile taking the place of her grin.
“That’s an evil smile if I ever saw one. What did you just give him?”
“Something he’ll never forget.”
“I’ve never seen moonshine that color before.”
Her smile widened. “That’s because it’s not moonshine.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Something he’ll remember me by.”
“What did you do?”
“Gave him a taste of his own medicine.”
“You’re avoiding the question,” Jer accused.
An evil chuckle slipped out of Allie. “Let’s just say he won’t be leaving the bathroom anytime soon.”
The redhead’s brows raised in surprise. “You’re that angry with him?”
“I’m not mad.”
“No?”
“No,” she echoed. “I don’t get mad, I get even.”
Jer blinked several times then straightened wearing a smirk. “I think we’re going to be great friends, Allie Sai.”
She smiled up at the tall, wild woman. “Sure thing, sugar.”
“Just remind me to never get on your bad side…”
“Just remember to never drink the emerald bane.”
Continue the MIXOLOGISTS & PIRATES series in EMERALD BANE. Flip the page to read the first two chapters of Emerald Bane!
Thank you for reading AMBER VIAL. I hope you enjoyed it! If you liked this book, please review it BEACAUSE the review rating determines which series I prioritize. If you want the next book in this series soon, review this book. Thank you!
Emerald Bane: Chapter One
Long Lines and Short Girls
“Holy bananas, this line is freaking long,” Jer said, pushing her crimson hair out of her face.
Allie eyed her and grimaced when someone bumped her from behind again. She huffed out an annoyed breath. “Their customs system surely leaves something to be desired.”
A snort from Jer. “And here I was led to believe everything on Sars would be better than on Earth. Customs is just as bad here as on earth.”
Now it was Allie’s turn to snort. “It sounds like you’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid.”
“Kool-Aid?” Wrinkles of confusion appeared between Jer’s brows.
She blinked slowly. “Kool-Aid? The weird sugary stuff you mix into water to create a drink so sweet you’ll bounce off the walls for days?” No recognition. “Seriously, Jer? How do you not know what Kool-Aid is? Where were you raised? Under a rock?”
“Military base.”
“Huh, what about pop—?” Something inhumanly smooth brushed the skin of her arm, making her pause. Her gaze darted to the side and she scooted closer Jer.
“You really don’t understand the concept of personal space, do you?” the redhead muttered, eyeing the side Allie had plastered herself against.
Allie lifted her finger and pointed. “He has black snake skin.”
Jer slapped her hand down. “Don’t point, it’s rude. It’s not like there weren’t Sarpe on Earth.”
“I’ve never met one,” she whispered, not able to tear her eyes away. She’d never really liked snakes, and seeing one in a humanoid shape honestly freaked her out.
The alien in question craned his neck and stared down at her with solid black eyes. Allie stifled her gasp when he smiled at her, showing just a hint of fangs.
“No need to fear me, darling. I won’t hurt a little morsel like you. Plus, you’re too tender for my liking.”
All her fear seemed to evaporate. Her cheeks heated with anger; she released Jer’s arm and stepped toward the lithe alien, ready to do battle. “Tender? Was that a fat joke?”
His pupil-less eyes widened, and he shook his head no.
Her eyes narrowed when she noticed he didn’t have ears either. Peculiar. How did he hear what they were saying? She brushed the thought aside and focused on the sputtering alien.
“I-I-I just meant it as a joke. On my planet, our meat is tough, almost impossible to eat unless you have teeth like mine. We don’t eat Humans. We like Humans…” His hands sketched an hourglass shape in the air. “Your women are sought after because of your shape. It’s appealing. Very appealing.” His voice took on a hissing quality that wasn’t all that unpleasant.
Jer pushed in front of her, effectively blocking Allie’s view of the tall, dark alien. “Now, now, none of that. I’ve heard how your kind are. She’s part of my family, my harem.”
Harem? What in the world? Allie peeked around Jer just as the alien’s shoulders fell.
“I was hoping to add her to my new harem.”
“Harem?” Allie squeaked.
“He means his clan,” her friend explained. “All the families live together and raise the children together.”
“So they don’t share women?”
The alien’s obsidian gaze narrowed. “No! That would be a disgraceful way to abuse a mate.” He straightened and smiled at her, keeping his lips together. That creeped her out a lot less than with the fangs. “Are you sure you wouldn’t want to tour my home? I’m sure you’d love it.”
“I’m sure it’s lovely,” Allie replied, “but I’m not looking for a mate. Thank you for the offer.”
There. That was polite.
His resulting grin revealed dimples. The snake man had dimples. It totally transformed him. He was extremely good-looking. She pulled herself from her dimple-induced stupor as he shoved his hand out to her. Fascinating. He had slightly-pointed, black nails and bitty black scales that swirled along his skin in decorative patterns that seemed to glimmer in the silvery moonlight. A deep blush infused her cheeks when she glanced back to his face and caught his amused expression.
“Forgive me,” she rushed out, feeling like her face was on fire. “I’m just curious. Your scales are beautiful. Stunning, really.”
“Thank you,” he murmured, more gracious than she deserved. “I’m Obsidian, but my friends call me Sid.” His hand still hung in the air as they shuffled forward a few feet.
“Allie Sai.” She slipped her small hand into his and was surprised at how soft his skin was. She’d expected it to be rough. He lifted her hand up and brushed a kiss to the back. Sid stilled, his cool lips still pressed to her hand, and inhaled softly.
“Moons, you smell good, Allie,” he remarked as he let go of her hand.
“Thank you…” she drawled, and darted a glance at Jer. What was up with the sniffing?
“Your scent … it calls to me. We’re compatible.”
She shifted on her feet, awkwardness settling over her. “Uh, thanks … I think.”
A deep chuckle rumbled out of Sid. “I forget Humans are squeamish when it comes to bodies and anything sexual.”
Her nose crinkled. “Did you just say sexual?”
“My point exactly, little Human. I can tell you want to be anywhere but here having this conversation right now.”
He was right. She’d been eyeballing other lines, wondering if it would be worth the wait to escape. “I’m not a prude,” she said, wishing the line would hurry up. “But it makes me uncomfortable when a man I met less than five minutes ago wants to take me home to his harem.”
She frowned when he sniggered at her.
“In most cultures, we don’t mess around. Mates are serious business. From their scent we can usually tell if we’re compatible. It’s easy from there.”
That was different. “So you’re telling me you don’t date? Or get to know each other?”
He shrugged, well sort of. It was more like his whole body undulated with the motion. She blinked. How odd.
“There’s no need for that. Our senses tell us all we need.”
She gaped. “What about love?”
“A family and mating are not dependent on love. Love is cultivated and grown over time. Also, the type of love changes. If you based your whole life on a fickle emotion like love, it
would be a disaster. Your planet is proof of that. There are more separations of mates on Earth than the entire seventh sector combined.”
“That can’t be true!” She’d noticed it was bad—but not that bad.
“Believe it,” Jer added in a dull tone. “Humans don’t understand what they want. They’re fickle.”
Allie pursed her lips and mulled over his assertion. It was true. Her parents were one of the few families that had stayed whole and together. They were a rarity, but her parents also held themselves to a higher standard than most. They meant their marriage vows—most on Earth didn’t. Divorce was an escape route if things became too tough. It always scared her to think about marrying. In her mind, it was permanent. Once she made her decision, it was final, no going back. But how did one choose a life partner? How could you really know them? To an extent, Sid’s way of life made sense. Yes, it would take some of the romance out of it, but it would also take away the fear and uncertainty.
She smiled up at Sid and moved up in the line. “I believe I would like to live like you. If only Humans had something similar.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Are you taking me up on my offer, Allie Sai?” he teased.
She shook her head and adjusted her satchel. “Not today, my friend. But I do see the advantages to your way of life. It sounds like a wonderful way to live.”
“It is. I cannot wait to have my own young.”
Jer laughed. “I’m sure.”
His smile turned a little suggestive. “My clan members say making the young is half the fun.”
Allie groaned. “Keep that kind of stuff to yourself. Too much information upon first acquaintance, Sid. Too much.”
“Baby-making is the best,” her friend commented, sharing a grin with Sid.
Her gaze darted to Jer’s left hand. No ring. “How would you know?”
The redhead lost some of her laughter, and a sadness seemed to settle in her eyes. “I was married once.”
Allie didn’t pry further. Jer’s tone said it wasn’t something she would talk about. She let out a relieved sigh when the customs desk was only one person away. “Finally. My feet have been hurting forever.”