by Crystal Dawn
Major of Special Forces
Book 2
Winged Beast series
By Crystal Dawn
2016 Copyright by Crystal Dawn, all rights reserved.
Edited by Eagle Editors
Cover by Januel Escuelo
This is a work of fiction and characters are entirely a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to a person living or dead is merely coincidental. Any places or events are not real or were used in a fictitious manner.
Sergeant at Arms
Winged Beasts
Book 0
The males of the planet Draconis lose the planet that supplied them mates to a natural disaster. The females survive, but they have left and spread to the far reaches of the universe. Their eyes turn to Earth. Jarel is sent with five other males to find mates and test the compatibility of Earth females. Their results will determine if their Empire looks to Earth or elsewhere.
Davy is trouble or at least she has trouble following her. It's not her fault, it's all because of her ex-boyfriend who is a criminal and has sent killers after her. She meets Jarel who offers to protect her but she's a little suspicious where men are concerned. Should she trust him, or should she rely only on herself?
Captain of the Guard
Winged Beasts
Book 1
Romo is sent to Earth for a successful mating since Earth is a potential source of female mates for their mostly male race. Things are very different than he expected there but he believes he has found his one and he intends to woo her to his side.
Bree is looking for her cousin Davy who disappeared at this very casino she's visiting. Sure, they all say she's in an isolated country, married and happy but how gullible does everyone think she is? It's a sweet dream but she doesn't believe it for a moment.
Neither do the bad guys searching for Davy and they plan to attack their family to get Davy back. Romo will not allow Bree to be harmed, but can he really prevent it?
Prologue
It was hard to believe that most of her family had traveled through space with dragon shifters and come to a planet in another galaxy. How cool was that? But it was scary too and there was so much to learn and adapt too. Betty had escaped a life and an ex that made her miserable and brought her daughter with her. She wanted everything for her little girl and she was sure that a happy future couldn’t be found on Earth.
Betty was happy to be off the ship and arriving safely on Draconis. Selia, her daughter, would be happy now that she could spend time outside in the fresh air. It would also make her easier to handle, or so Betty hoped. She planned to put her best foot forward, but mating wasn’t in the cards for her. Her taste in men had already brought her to near ruin and she was terrified she would find herself in that position again.
Sure, Niku seemed like a great guy. Betty had learned the hard way that what seemed to be true, wasn’t always true. They were now at Romo’s house settled in, but things couldn’t stay this way. She needed to find a way to support herself and her daughter. They needed their own home and she needed to convince Niku to pursue someone that could make him happy. That someone wasn’t her.
Thar be dragons and other supernatural things in these books!
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Chapter 1
A Second Chance
Romo’s house was lovely. It was large enough they’d all been given their own room. Erak had invited Tomi to stay at the castle, but she’d refused. It had looked for a brief moment like he would just pick her up and drag her away. That was just crazy and Betty knew she was getting overly imaginative.
The yard area around the house was large, consisting of several acres. Romo didn’t have a garden planted, but he did have a place for one. He had no animals either, but again, he had a good sized barn. It was easy to see that Bree would be settling down into the role of the homemaker. Between the garden, raising animals, and keeping the house, she would have plenty to do. When the baby came, it would add even more work.
Betty knew Bree would miss playing sports, but did they even have anything like that here? Betty didn’t look much like her sister Bree. She was short where Bree was tall, her hair was brown but it picked up blonde streaks in the summer where Bree’s was a mix of browns and reds. Her athletic ability was limited to things like running and she’d gotten good at that due to her ex-husband and father of her little girl, Selia.
There had been many times she’d picked up her daughter and ran like hell with the son of a bitch laughing because she and their daughter were so scared of him. He’d tried, but if she got a head start, he couldn’t catch her. Fear was a hell of a motivator. Now they were so far away, he’d never find them.
“Hey, you are up early.” Bree said.
“I thought I’d get breakfast started but I have no idea where anything is. How do they cook things?”
“I don’t know any more than you do and Romo was called in this morning. He thought he’d have a week off to get us settled in but no such luck. That king must be a real asshole.” Bree complained.
“Maybe we can make sandwiches? Do they have anything like a fridge?” Betty asked.
“Mama, I hungy?” Selia said. Apparently all the stuff going on had set her back and now she was using baby talk.
“It’s okay, Baby. We’re fixing something right now. You want to help us look for the fridge?” Betty asked and Selia nodded and started opening drawers and doors. Maybe having her help hadn’t been the best idea, but she’d be bored just sitting and waiting on her food.
“Found it!” Selia screamed. Sure enough she had, but it wasn’t in the kitchen itself. It was like a room of its own. Romo had enough food in there to feed an army. Eggs, cheese, milk, meats, and other things.
“Wow.” Betty said.
“I forgot he told me many suppliers deliver and they bring enough for a month at a time.” Bree explained.
“Well now we just need to figure out how to cook something.” Betty suggested.
Bang, bang, bang! The sound came from the heavy wooden front door. Someone was knocking. Bree opened the door and a woman stood there. She looked to be a bit older than them.
“Bree?”
“Yes, who are you?” Bree asked.
The woman swooped in and hugged her tightly with tears rolling down her face. “Just call me Ma. I’m Romo’s mother. When he was called in to work, he asked if I could come by and help you figure things out. Is this one of your sisters? I was so glad to hear some of your family came with you.” Ma said.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting you. So happy to meet you and yes, this is Betty and her daughter Selia.” Bree introduced.
“Glad to have you here too, Betty and Seila.” Ma said.
“Are you a grandma?” Selia asked.
“I can be if you want me to be?” Ma replied.
“Can’t have too many grammas.” Selia said.
“Or too many grandkids.” Ma added.
“Nice to meet you.” Betty broke into the conversation.
“Nice to meet you too. What do you need to know first?” Ma asked.
“Where do you cook food?” Bree asked.
“Romo has both the old methods and the newer ones.” Ma opened a cabinet and the interior was shiny and empty. “This cooks quickly, but it’s not as good as the slow heated foods. The fireplace is set up to cook meals, but he has what he calls a stove over here. The top heats up.” Ma stepped over to the counte
r and lifted the cover off a flat space that didn’t resemble any stove Betty had ever seen. She showed them the controls and how to make it heat things up.
Betty could tell they had a lot to learn. It was nice of Romo’s mom to come over and show them everything, it was thoughtful of Romo to think about how lost they’d be. Everything she saw told her Bree had found a good guy. They wouldn’t have to worry about her. Bree’s life was settled and at least one of them had things figured out.
Once they got breakfast fixed, they sat down to eat as Tomi and Dori came down to join them. Bree made introductions and Dori and Ma really hit it off. Just as well since they’d be sharing a grandchild soon. There was a knock on the door and Betty thought Bree had best get used to lots of company, but it was Niku.
“Come on in. Are you here to see Betty and Selia?” Bree asked.
“I’m here to see all of you and I brought you a welcome to the planet gift.” Niku said. He handed Bree a basket.
“Thank you. We’re eating a late breakfast. Can I fix you a plate or get you a drink?” Bree offered.
“I already ate this morning, but a drink would be nice.” Niku admitted.
“Hot or cold?” Bree asked.
“Surprise me.” He said. Bree fetched him a glass of a cold drink that was similar to tea. “Thank you.”
Bree nodded and gestured for him to sit wherever he wanted. He managed to sit next to Betty. It didn’t please her since the male was entirely too attractive and she’d decided to cut romance out of her life. Niku was testing her and she didn’t need that this early in the game.
“How are you doing Betty?” Niku asked.
She reluctantly turned her attention to him. Niku had a neatly trimmed beard and mustache. His hair was buzzed except for a little patch on top that grew a tad longer. It was brown, mostly with some red and blond mixed in. It was probably lightened from being out in the sun like hers. His skin was light, close to the same shade as hers. His eyes, they were hazel and an amazing mix if browns, grays, and greens that changed according to how he felt.
Niku was tall, tall enough to be a basketball player at well over six feet tall and probably closer to seven. His body was lean, but his muscles rippled with power every time he moved. He was a warrior and no one who saw him would ever doubt that.
“I’m doing alright.” Betty replied, but he’d caught her looking at him. She could tell by the amusement in his eyes. It wouldn’t help her to discourage the guy if she couldn’t stop staring at him every time he came around.
Selia wasn’t helping either. She was sitting in his lap and smiling at him. Niku must have some kind of magic because her daughter usually took a while to get used to men of any kind.
Her mother and Romo’s mom were looking back and forth between her and Niku in a way that made her nervous. She hoped they weren’t going to try their hand at matchmaking.
“I was hoping you ladies would allow me to show you around the village since I heard Romo was called in today.” Niku said.
“That’s a sweet offer.” Ma said. “I’m sure the other ladies will take you up on it, but I have to get back home and get lunch ready.” She said her goodbyes and left them.
“So who wants to go?” He asked.
Of course Selia jumped right up. “Mama and I want to go.” Holy crap! How could she get out of this? Betty saw there was no way.
“Of course we’ll all go.” Dori agreed.
“Excellent. I’ll help you get the kitchen cleaned up and we can go.” Niku offered. Betty realized she’d completely lost control. Now she would be spending hours in Niku’s company.
Everyone started clearing off the table and they were ready to go in no time. Niku slid his arm around her waist. “Don’t be nervous, Love. It’s a wonderful village and the people are friendly.”
“I’m not nervous.” Betty denied.
“Then why are you trembling?” Niku asked.
Why indeed? It might be because he was charming, smart, and attractive. She still wanted to steer clear of him but he wasn’t allowing it. Her daughter had turned traitor and been completely charmed and her family seemed to be in full agreement. Didn’t anyone care what she wanted?
She let him lead her out the door and into another air bus. He seated her and Selia first and then he sat down right next to her. Everyone else got on board and the driver took off toward the village. Romo’s house was just far enough that the village wasn’t visible until they topped the hill. Betty would use this trip to start thinking about what she could do for a living.
Staying with her sister for a while was alright, but just living there with no end in sight wasn’t. Bree and Romo were like newlyweds and having a full house all the time would grow old. “Tell me about some of the jobs women have in the village?” Betty asked.
“There’s a lot of jobs in the village. Some women take in laundry, feed people, take boarders, or even run a store. We have midwives and healers, herbalists, seamstresses, and furniture makers. There’s a bakery in town and a tavern.”
“That’s a start. I want to find a way to make a living.” Betty admitted.
“I’m sure Romo would help you. Since you don’t know anyone, you should have him go with you when you get ready to talk to people about a job.” He explained.
“Why?” Betty asked.
“It’s rare to see strangers here. People who want to hire someone will want to know who they are and where they came from. Romo can smooth things over for you.” Niku explained. It sounded like people here might not be as friendly and accepting as she’d been told if she needed her brother-in-law to get a job for her. “Romo said your people require references too.”
Okay, that was true. Maybe it wasn’t that different after all. Betty would try to be open minded, she really wanted this second chance to work for her and Selia. A job was needed and she had to learn to fit in here.
Back home she’d been an herbalist. She’d loved the job, but when Tom put her in the hospital too many times, they’d let her go in order to find someone more reliable. Betty didn’t blame them, it was Tom’s fault. Here, that wouldn’t happen and eventually she might have a shop of her own. That was her dream and always had been. The mainstream medical field hadn’t been her thing because she lived her life outside of the box.
“Come on, Betty. The others are waiting for us.” Niku observed.
She had really gotten lost inside her mind for everyone to have unloaded without her noticing. Betty took Selia’s hand and led her off the bus followed by Niku. The town was amazing and it looked like it was ready to host a medieval fair. This world walked a fine line between primitive and cutting edge technology. If she hadn’t just stepped off an airbus and been brought to the planet by a space ship, she would think this world locked in the time of Earth’s Middle Ages.
“Mama, it’s a candy shop. Can I have some candy, can I pulleeze?” Selia shrieked.
“Is that a candy shop?” Betty asked.
“They have candy, but it’s the bakery. Why don’t we go in and you can look around?” Niku asked and everyone wanted to go in.
They all marched in and the scent of baking bread, cakes, cookies and candy, hit them all at once. “Our people like their baked goods. A dragon after a change when it has flown over the skies, needs to eat a lot.” Niku explained.
The goods looked much like those on Earth and Betty’s mouth watered. Several loaves were purchased as well as cakes and cookies. Selia got some of the coveted candy, but Dori kept it in her possession and Selia knew better than to whine for more. Grandma was a tough cookie unlike Mama.
Everyone drifted out of the bakery and when they were all accounted for Niku moved them up the street. There was a butcher shop, then a clothier or dress shop, a diner which according to Niku was the only one in town except for two places that had lodging and also served food but mostly to their guests, and a general store. That was all for this side of the street except for homes, a school, and place where plays and musicals were put on
, but only at night.
Crossing the street, the first place she saw was the herb shop. It was the biggest shop in town and when she gave it some thought, it made sense. Dragons and their mates which made up most of the population in this area if not the whole planet, weren’t susceptible to the illnesses that humans on Earth were. Their medicines were wholly of the herbal variety as was anything cosmetic like perfumes, creams, and lotions.
The store also sported candles, oils, and a large selection of spices for cooking. There was also a small section of craft items made from things that were unusable like the husks of something that resembled corn. These people wasted nothing and although life here was simpler, they seemed happy. She made her way to the cash register where a young woman was working bagging off some herbs.
“Excuse me, do you know if they are looking for any employees right now?” Betty asked.
“We are always looking for people to bag up products or make the craft items we sell.” The lady said.
“What about openings in the store? Someone working with the product to make the lotions and potions?” Betty pressed.
“Do you have training? We’re not set up to train anyone.” She replied.
“Not here, but on Earth.” Betty explained.
“I’m sorry. Things aren’t the same here. Come back once you’ve been trained.” She answered.
It was disheartening, but not unexpected. The job was the same way on Earth, but there she had gone through two years of schooling and a year of field training. Now all that amounted to nothing. Betty would have to look for another place to work to support her and Selia.
That this had left her so defeated, made no sense. She knew it would be hard to break into a field that was so specialized without local training, but she had thought her experience on Earth would count for something. This hadn’t worked, but she had a lot of abilities that would apply here. Her mother had made sure all her daughters were good in the garden, knew how to process vegetables and meat, and could cook well. The ingredients might be slightly different, but the dishes she cooked would still be good.