Breeders

by Alyna Lachlan

  "Let us see.” Tyron raised his fist, swinging it hard to hit his brother's nose. Blood sprayed across Taylee's face and he yelped.

  He stumbled back, a hand over his bleeding nose. “Why did you do that?"

  "You were in need of a lesson."

  "You have lost your mind."

  "No, only teaching. You are thick headed. No one touches Shayna but me. On her planet, a handshake is a greeting of friendship and respect. She was honoring you and you were about to punish her for it. Learning about others can save you pain. Have you learned this lesson or would you like to go over it again?"

  Taylee raised his free hand, palm up, still holding his nose with the other. “No, I'll not touch her again. Teach her our ways quickly. If she slights someone else, nothing will hold back her punishment.” Taylee turned his frown toward Shayna. “Tell her I thought she gave me insult, but that you made it clear it was not."

  "Not while you are glaring at her."

  "Tyron, I have been more than civil. Be warned, the high queen will refuse this match. By Dauring sake, I hope you survive this transgression."

  He bowed then exited as quickly as he had come.

  Tyron turned to find Shayna watching him, a frown marring her beautiful features.

  At five foot nine, she was tall for a human, but shorter than the Elisceans; her fiery spirit however, made up for that. He liked her well-proportioned curves. And those green eyes brought to mind the thick green grasses of her planet. He loved that one thing about earth, the green life. It had tempted him to stay, but his sense of duty to Eliscean Prime wouldn't allow him.

  Shayna also carried the sun in her hair, bright gold with strands of fire. It lay thick over her shoulders and she raked her fingers through it, starting at the temple to push it away from her face.

  "Would you care to tell me what that was all about?” She tilted her head to one side as she asked.

  Tyron sighed. “That was brother four-two-six. His name is Taylee. When you stepped past my protection and reached to touch him, you gave great insult."

  Shayna sat forward quickly; her mouth opening to speak but Tyron bent to lay a finger across her soft lips.

  "I did explain your custom of greeting. He understood and will remember it until his nose heals. There is much you must learn and very little time. Most breeders attend learning centers but you cannot. You would become a target of assassins, thieves, bloodsuckers, and all others wishing to gain, because you belong to me. Punishments are hard here and they come swiftly, so it falls to me to instruct, and I am no teacher.

  "Bare with me. I know this will be difficult, but to save us both pain, ask me before you do anything and always do as you're told."

  Her brow lifted but she didn't argue, even though everything within her rebelled. They were going to butt heads on quite a few issues. She had never been a follower only a leader and that would cause problems.

  Tyron held out a hand to her. “Come let me show you around before I leave to see to the other arriving breeders."

  Shayna placed her hand in his, standing to follow. The warmth of his large fingers wrapped around her hand like a vise, yet he was careful not to hurt.

  She could tell Tyron never did things in half measures. From his volatile discussion, with his brother, to holding her hand, he gave everything within him, and for some reason he had set his sight on her. What would her life be like if she gave into him, to be held above all others in his heart? Maybe she was just dreaming or hoping for that perfect romance.

  A quiver of excitement ran along her arms to tingle her fingers. Tyron turned glancing at her with a smile before she warned herself to go slow with this. Her last encounter was almost fatal yet Tyron was different.

  "I must warn you, Tyron, I'm not a subservient kind of woman. I say what I want and do what I want. I've been on my own a long time. You will find me difficult."

  "I will give you as much freedom as I'm able, Shayna. If I had wanted any other type of woman, I would have taken one, many life circles ago. But there are laws here like on earth, a code of conduct everyone must follow."

  She nodded with understanding.

  After showing her what looked like a high tech room with all its monitors and keypads, he brought her to a sleeping chamber. The walls were covered in warm green curtains, softening the room. The bed was large and high. The head of the bed came out of one wall and looked like a floating mattress. There was a panel of buttons on the wall by the door that he indicated with a swing of his hand. Soft lights glowed under each button.

  "These are for the overhead lights, the clothes cabinets, and sanitary compartment.” He pointed to a large red button. “This is a security button. If for any reason someone finds their way up here, through all the security, you come in here and hit that button. This room will seal up and no one from the outside can break in."

  "Do you expect trouble?"

  "Always. This is a planet of hot-blooded warriors. Its best to trust very few and always expect danger."

  "Where will I sleep?” She had an idea but needed to hear it confirmed.

  "Here with me.” His warm hand cupped her cheek. “We must have the binding this eve. To wait ... may rip you from my hold and place you in the underworld for barter."

  "And that is a place I wouldn't wish to go, I take it."

  He smiled that beautiful white tooth smile. His blue gaze glowing and she felt her insides melt. He really was gorgeous. She wanted so badly to run her fingers in the long black hair that lay across his shoulders.

  "Its the slime or lower creatures of Eliscean Prime. There would be no welcome for you there, a heavenly star among shadow people.

  "Now, Kara, I will leave you here for a short time. You have only to request food and the bio-tech will deliver here.” He pointed to a mirror like panel with yellow buttons. “Answer the door for no one. Is this understood?"

  Shayna nodded, thinking more of what his fingers were doing to her ear and along her neck. His lips were on hers, the erotic taste of him swirling across her tongue. The kiss strong and sure stirred a heat she thought long gone. Shayna wanted to taste that sweet pleasure with Tyron. She placed her palm on his hard chest, feeling his strength. When he pulled back, she opened her eyes to meet his intense blue gaze, a fire twirling within its color.

  "You please me, Shayna. I will return before the twin moons are overhead."

  Tyron was gone and she hadn't moved. The sexual pull was overwhelming. He had been created for that purpose alone, surely no one else on Eliscean was that way. Tyron's brother was a handsome, strong man, with his dark sensual looks, but she didn't have the uncontrollable urge to rip his clothes off, like she did with Tyron.

  Not wishing to stay in the bedchamber, Shayna moved back to the tech room. If she was to be here awhile, she had better learn something about the place. So far, this planet seemed scary, dragons, high tech security, impenetrable rooms, and hard punishments. All these things pointed to something bad about to happen. She could feel it crawling around in the dark corners, waiting for the right moment to attack. A cold shiver ran along her spine as she moved across the room.

  Four

  Tyron's thoughts stayed with Shayna as he rode the lift down then passed through a few long halls. She was responding to him but there was something in her past that held her back from giving everything. He had picked the man's name from her mind, Chris. The bastard had used her poorly and had almost killed her before she fled. Tyron had every intention of going back to earth and taking the man out.

  Shayna had lived in fear of this man finding her for many life circles. It had made her strong and independent, yet unsure of her feelings. It was also dampening her physic ability. He must find a way to open her up. For them to survive the coming trials, their bond must be solid. He wondered again if she could make that transition.

  Walking up to a security checkpoint, the young security guard stood and saluted. “Evening Sir. Retina scan, please."

  Tyron placed his face
into a cranial faceplate while a red light flashed across his vision. The monitor on the wall showed his picture ID. “Welcome High Regent Tyron.” A loud click of the lock told him the way was open.

  Tyron nodded to the tech before he moved through the doorway to step out on a second story-pillared balcony that overlooked the disembarking station. Four spacecrafts had locked down with females and males of all kinds hurrying single file down a ramp to a panel of Eliscean security personal. Each new arrival had her or his wrist scanned, then they put their faces into a monitor evaluator that determined brain waves. Those with added amounts of brain function were put in a specialty group that was chained off from the main floor. Those with brain abnormalities were pushed through a door at the back of the room for labor camps. Also, different species were kept apart in separate areas in case of violence.

  It was his job, as high regent, to see that all went smoothly.

  A few earth women were crying and screaming as another woman led them down the ramp. A large blonde Arcadian male breeder broke out in a fight but three, floor tech-security pinned him and locked a mind band over his eyes, incapacitating him. From where Tyron stood above, he could see the Arcadian's muscles relax.

  Even with life moving around him, Tyron's thoughts reached for Shayna. He had to touch her, if not physically then mentally. He was edgy, feeling the prickle of the Calling fever just beneath his skin and knew he would need more than a mind touch from Shayna soon.

  He had visited earth many times and grew to like it, but it wasn't until he had come across Shayna that he knew the planet would change his life. She became a fire in his soul. Her physic ability was powerful enough to one day communicate telepathically. Although she suppressed it, it had drawn him like a magnet. He observed her over the next few months and shared her thoughts.

  She was lonely, yet had a respect for all life. She had a kind heart and strength of conviction, knowing right from wrong. There was a passionate fire burning within her soul, that she kept banked. He could feel it every time she glanced at him or they touched. No matter what the high council said, she was his Karamalena, soul provider, and matched lover. Once mated their souls would tie for eternity. To separate them would destroy them both. He would turn into a dragon with no salvation ... without Shayna.

  It would make no difference that she was an earthling. He was sure. He felt the anger growing in him at the thought of Shayna being taken away. Over the mumbling of the crowd below, he caught the roar of the dragons just outside the compound.

  He reached for Shayna's thoughts again, knowing he had to quiet his anger. The dragons were responding to it. She was still reading and her relaxed mood washed over him, taking the edge away and replacing it with need.

  A disturbance brought his thoughts back to those disembarking. A group of lower class Eliscean males had entered through an exit. Their sexual excitement filled the air. This area was restricted, so they would have had to subdue a few guards to get this far.

  Tyron pulled a com-link from his belt. “This is High Regent Tyron. We have despoilers in the unloading zone. I need every available security tech, now!” As he talked, he strode closer. There were around ten or fifteen all huddled together pointing at one female or another.

  He knew this would get ugly. No doubt, these males had not had a female in some time. They could even be feeling the Calling, a sexual fever that took over an Eliscean male once every hundred years. Without a Calling mate to cool the fever, the male could become violent, growing in dark powers, devouring any who neared, drawing the victim's blood, and becoming the beast, a dragon without a soul.

  His first calling fever had been hell without his true mate. And there is always the fear of turning. If the beast was set free during the fever, there existed no way to return to human form, only a dragon would live from then on.

  Tyron paid female feeders to help him get through the pain and fever. He hadn't willingly touched another female or wanted too until now. With Shayna, he would not fear the Calling again.

  A shout from below caused Tyron to focus on what was happening. One of the lowborn rushed the team of security, slicing a long gash down the tech's cheek before pushing through the line of guards. The other males followed, fighting to break the line of security and get to the breeders.

  Tyron pulled his laser smoothly from his belt, aimed at the offender now running across the floor toward a screaming woman, and pulled the trigger. A whip of blue fire hit the Eliscean in the shoulder, twisting and throwing him in mid-air to fall unconscious at the breeder's feet. Another broke free of the line and Tyron shot him, then he aimed at the fighting crowd of men. With the ease of a master, he hit six more males, dropping them where they fought.

  The few lowborn males left standing, noticed Tyron above. They pointed at him and Tyron saw the fear cloud their gaze as they took a step backward. Two backed into each other then turned to flee, the fight gone from them.

  As the security below subdued and restrained the last of the troublemakers, he heard the locked door behind him slide open without warning.

  Tyron turned to face possible danger only to see the guard that held this station.

  "What news?” Tyron asked, a frown pinching his brow. An interruption while on duty could only mean something was wrong.

  The tech bowed and gave a salute. “I just had word that the high queen has issued a writ to take your breeder and hold her for a crime committed. Security will be at your residence within the next few hours."

  Tyron placed a hand on the techs shoulder. “I owe you. May Dauring bless your residence."

  The tech bowed again while Tyron strode pass and exited the door. He must reach Shayna and bind with her before the queen's guard arrived. He was unsure what her reception to this idea would be. In his study of her, he knew she had never invited a male to approach, but instead done the opposite, by hiding from them. She ran from an unpleasant past.

  He asked the holy being for help, hoping Shayna would receive him this night. For if she didn't, he feared the beast within would break free to force things, causing their bonding to be strained and hard won.

  Five

  Shayna stepped away from the computer and out onto the balcony. The history of Eliscean was amazing and very intimidating.

  They were a warrior race that had built empires. From what the charts had illustrated, there were thirteen royal colonies set around the planet, Eliscean Prime.

  Each colony had a queen whose sons ruled as the high council. They were known as High Regents. Everyone followed the laws set down by them. The High Regents were given the best of everything the planet and people had to give. They held life and death within their hands and protected the planet from invasion.

  This explained the fear and respect Tyron was shone. The laws were numerous and Shayna feared she would never remember them all.

  She had a lot to be thankful for where Tyron was concerned. He had not subjected her to the public sale, to lab study, or a harem, and he didn't put her to manual labor or serving other males for coin. All these and other duties where given to breeders of every class.

  Tyron had made her feel welcome, as well as deep sexual stirring she had never thought to feel after the messy breakup with an abusive partner five years ago.

  The bright twin moons stood high in the midnight, velvet sky, as her thoughts circled around Tyron. The breeze gently tossed her hair about her shoulders and across her frame. Tyron stirred more than sexual lust. There was something that pulled at a deep need to connect, to find the other half of ones soul.

  These feelings were frightening. She feared opening herself up again to be hurt. But wanted the belief of true soul mates where the bond was so close they would know what the other needed before they asked. Given time, perhaps she could find that with Tyron.

  She had to bury the past and look to this beginning. It was better that she started again here with Tyron. She no longer had to fear Chris would find her. No more hiding or moving from place to place a
lways glancing over her shoulder. From the beginning, she had felt a twisting of something dark in Chris, yet she ignored it in hopes of finding her father. However, with Tyron, she saw the predator, felt the warrior, but nothing evil underlined his soul, only strength.

  "Shayna!” Tyron's voice rang through their residence.

  She stepped in from the balcony. “I'm here."

  Tyron strode over to grab her hand and pulled her into the sleeping chamber. The door slid shut and he turned to push the red security button. A resounding thunk and click echoed about the room as the door locked, giving an almost finality to ring through her heart.

  "What are you doing?” She asked, frowning. Uncertainties circling in her belly like a poison. The antidote came when he took her hands and she met his tender gaze.

  "I'm sorry, Shayna. I had hoped to give you more time to adjust to life here before the ritual mating but the queen's guards have been ordered to remove you to the dragon pits. I will not let that happen. Take off your clothes quickly."

  "What? Wait!"

  "Nay. There is not time. If you don't want to be food for a hungry beast, do as I instruct.” He let go and pulled his shirt off over his head, throwing it on the floor then reached to undo his black leather pants, sliding them down and stepping out of them.

  When he straightened, she drew in a breath. Tyron was golden tan everywhere and he looked like a model for the cover of muscle magazine. The heat in his gaze alone brought a hard stirring to the core of her womanhood.

  He strode closer again, a satisfied male smile crossing his lips that showed his dimple.

  "Like what you see, do you."

  "Oh, yes.” More than she should. All rational thought evaporated as she touched the hot skin on his sinewy chest, silk over iron.

  Tyron reached for her clinical smock and pulled it over her head with smooth confidence. She wore nothing but lacey underwear beneath. He raised one brow and the left side of his lips lifted in pleasure. The sight of her dark sexual curls peeking through the white see-through material brought a wave of heat to scorch his lungs and loins. Her breasts soft and rounded, her nipples taut within a ring of shell pink. She was exquisite in every way. Tyron threw the smock to the floor on top of his clothes, while reaching to caress her breast with the other hand.