The Golden Heart
Book 1
Alliance Series
Jessamyne Hunter
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2016 by Jessamyne Hunter
2nd Edition April 2017
All Rights Reserved
Cover Art by photo_arena
https://de.fiverr.com/photo_arena
All characters, events, places, and descriptions in this book are fictitious. Any resemblances to real persons living or dead are purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from Jessamyne Hunter.
Contact:
[email protected]
Facebook:
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Website:
jessamynehunter.com
Dedication:
For John,
While your books gave me an excuse for not continuing my own story, you kept kicking my butt and telling me to just do it already. Thank you for believing in me, listening to my ranting, giving me guidance when I needed it and telling me to follow my dreams.
Acknowledgement:
Thank you, Oli and Maru for volunteering as my Beta readers. My straight boys had to endure quite a lot. Sorry for that. I promise, next time I’ll put a warning in front of the pages that contain the naked love-making stuff between men.
Thank you, Van, for cheering me up whenever I felt like I was doing nonsense and sharing my taste in movies. With whom else would I go the cinema to do some fangirling and get a break from everything?
Content
Kellan Harrison is the son of Earth’s president and a successful ambassador. He is just not so diplomatic when it comes to the Phy’vohranians- lizard-like humanoids which had been at war with the humans for over one hundred years now.
The upcoming signing of a peace treaty makes him reluctantly agreeing to accompany four women who are set as marriage candidates for the alien crown prince. Instead, he finds himself tricked into marrying that prince himself- all arranged by his own father.
Knowing that a real chance of peace is stake and the Phy’vohranian forces could easily blow Earth into meteor dust, he accepts his fate- including body alteration to have babies.
On his way to his new home, he comes to rethink his opinion on the alien race. But when he finally meets the strangely handsome yet serious and grumpy Prince Sartak, he has no idea how to get along with that man.
The wedding night’s a disaster but leaves Kellan pregnant, and conversation with the prince seems to be impossible since the man replies only in sentences not longer than a few words.
Sartak knows he is not good with words and meeting the beautiful ambassador, to whom he feels an undeniable pull, is not helping with it. Trying to mend the things he has already broken in their relationship, he just doesn’t need the threat of another war.
As they forge a fragile bond of love, their unknown enemies try to tear them apart. They must learn who to trust and be able to rely on each other, or else their new found love cannot survive the hell descending upon them.
Warning: M/M human/alien romance with sexually explicit content and mpreg, violence
Also contains two crazed wyverns, strange food, an angry and very dangerous ambassador, hunky space pirates, and Mr. Sexy Eye-Patch.
1
20 Aug. 3516 after the Rebellion; Earth Orbit; Government-Cruiser; the President’s Office
“This is utterly ridiculous, "Kellan Harrison would have loved nothing more than to knock something down.
His voice was calm and silent. His father knew exactly what that meant. But in truth, the tall, older man didn’t even flinch a bit.
His silver-colored suit fit him perfectly; his graying hair was neatly back-combed. Still, his face showed slight signs of the overtime the President had to put in due to the Peace- and Resource- Treaty. A harsh expression played on his lips.
“Kellan. Please. You accompany the four ladies to Phy’vohran and three of them back again, simple as that. Phy’vohran even sent us the royal Star-Cruiser,“ the older man tried it once more.
Sighing, the young man paced up and down the room. As an ambassador, this small mission should have been no problem, but the future of all earth-humans was dependent on its success.
Eventually, he paused and lifted his eyes to give his father a doubting glance.
Kellan didn’t trust the offered peace.
More likely, the Phy’vohranians would either sent Kellan and the four women flying through the airlocks of the cruiser or even eat them alive.
“Great-grandfather has failed miserably, and he has profoundly pissed off the Phy’vohranians. I can’t believe that they give us yet another chance. Those aliens are…temperamental and savage. Calling a truce? Perhaps. Peace? I can’t imagine that,” Kellan emphasized again, but his father would still not listen to him.
President Samuel Harrison had heard enough of this.
He knew that his son was afraid, but the boy had no other choice. His own grandfather, Griffin Harrison, had betrayed the Phy’vohranians. The old President had started an attack when he found no more means to pay the resources- oil and noble metals.
Before, the Phy’vohranians had graciously thrown their goods after the earth-people for a song, but Griffith’s plan to subject the humanoid Phy’vohranians and conquer their planet had more than just miscarried. Ever since then, war had raged for over a century now.
“Kellan, you‘ll go along. My decision is not to discuss any further. You have contracted quite a number of agreements with other planets. You even got Xilitar to take care of our rat problem and share their medical knowledge with us. If there is anyone fit to negotiate with the Phy’vohranians, then it’s you,” as if to underline his words, the President banged his fist on the desk.
Light gray eyes met light gray eyes, and Kellan lost their little staring-battle. He murmured his agreement joylessly and rushed out of the office.
Of course, Kellan was capable but at the same time dispensable. His father only sent him because he was the youngest. Luke and Blake, his two brothers, were ten and eleven years older than him. Blake would become the next President, Luke his substitute.
The soldiers were clever enough, not to slow him down as he angrily stormed through the hallways on his way to the navigation bridge. They knew him here, they even respected him.
The alliance with Xilitar had been an important step to make a name for Kellan. Prior, his father would barely take note of him. The old man was too infatuated with his two elder sons, who were both in the military, while Kellan had chosen to become an ambassador.
His brothers were big hulks, he was a damn weakling.
Too smart and too pretty for his own good.
Kellan had given up on wanting to be more alike his brothers. He felt out of place in the gym and was too small to be respected by the other soldiers- barely five feet five.
As a boy, he had thought that he could earn his father’s affection by doing something useful.
His father was the President and Great-General at the same time, and Kellan hated the army for shaping his father’s ideals in that particular direction- a direction with ideals Kellan couldn’t meet.
Arriving on the bridge, the crew acted like they didn’t notice him. Regardless, he didn’t let his shoulders slouch like he secretly wanted to. Instead, he stepped forth to the window which surrounded the whole bridge.
Above him were the stars; underneath him were the stars and roundabout as well. The view was breathtaking.
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When a group of hunting-gliders whooshed past them, he smiled. One of the pilots was Blake. Even if he was his big, strong, stupid soldier-brother, Blake was still Kellan’s favorite brother.
Silently, he watched the gliders fly into the landing station. Maybe he could convince Blake to talk to their father. Kellan didn’t want to become alien-food just yet.
He anxiously rubbed his hands while he waited for his brother to join him on the bridge.
In the distance, he could already see the Phy’vohranian Star-Cruiser which looked disturbingly menacing with its metallic black shell. The Star-Cruiser’s wards made the blackness flicker around the massive spaceship.
The dark ship shoved itself closer and closer, approaching them through space. Kellan started to shiver.
The Phy’vohranians weren’t exactly fond of the Harrisons and he ought to fly to their planet alone to speak with the king and foist one of the four ladies on his oldest son.
The four ladies were all daughters of different members of the government, and all of them were stunningly beautiful. The Phy’vohranians wouldn’t harm a hair on one of the women’s heads, but Kellan was an offspring of the enemy.
The quiet hiss of the doors announced the newcomer.
Relieved, Kellan turned around just to find himself in front of Luke who gave him a dirty grin. The young ambassador bit back an annoyed roll of his eyes. The huge, blonde gorilla grabbed Kellan’s arm and dragged his little brother with him.
He deliberately ignored the protests of the smaller man; he didn’t want to provide information, anyway. It had been hard enough for Luke to lock Blake in his room, so he had no need to tell Kellan what their father had done.
It was not until the departure station that he suddenly came to a halt, making Kellan crash into his heavy, bulky body.
“You idiot!“ the ambassador scolded and rubbed his hurting nose when the soldier finally let go of him.
“What was that about?“ Kellan demanded to know, but Luke ignored him once more.
The ambassador had enough of this.
When he wanted to turn around, his arm was rudely grabbed again. Only this time Luke pulled him towards a passenger glider.
He let go a sigh of relieve. It was already time to board.
Kellan had assumed the Star-Cruiser would come a bit closer, but when he considered it again, it was folly, because the two big spaceships would have limited each other’s maneuverability.
“Luke, you can let go now. I’ll follow voluntarily,“ only after he’d spoken these words, he realized that he had surrendered.
He would set forth on this silly journey and try to survive. Even more so than for himself, he felt pity for the unlucky bride, but Isobel, Elli, Trina, and Peony had volunteered to be introduced as candidates. Phy’vohran would come as a nasty culture shock.
When his big brother finally loosened his brutally forceful grip around his arms, Kellan felt an unpleasant pounding, which probably meant he would get some beautiful bruising on his arm.
Sighing, he squared his shoulders and tapped Luke’s back. The tall soldier turned around with a serious expression on his face.
“I haven’t packed yet,“ Kellan informed him quietly.
“That has already been done for you,“ snorted Luke and scurried on.
Kellan almost had to run to be able to follow behind the grand strides. Consequent to a movement of the hand the doors of the glider opened and Luke vanished inside. Eyes rolling, he followed his brother.
“I wanted to take my data-tab. Oh, and my digital reader. And some of my new robes,“ Kellan crossed his arms in front of his chest, but a glare from Luke told him he should better shut up now.
His brother was by far not as patient as Blake, and Blake was already regarded as being impatient.
It seemed like Kellan had to manage without his things. Maybe he was lucky and the servants had packed some things from his list.
Silently he seated himself on one of the passenger seats. Nervously, he looked out of the windows. In front of them, a part of the walls opened themselves by sliding to the sides to release them. The drives came to life quietly, and the other moment they were swallowed by the darkness of outer space. After a short while the dark metal of the Star-Cruiser by the lovely name of Pra’vs-kwarana, meaning Blood-Queen, came into view.
“This is PG-EP-225. Requesting docking permission,“ Luke established contact with the Phy’vohranian spaceship by using the universal language, races agreed on 1500 years ago.
“Here speaks the Pra’vs-kwarana. Docking permission granted. Welcome,“ a glowering voice responded, which gave Kellan goose bumps.
The Blood-Queen opened her gates for the passenger glider to dock. It was this moment when Luke faced Kellan to give him a small, sad smile.
At once, the ambassador tensed up in his seat. Luke had never before smiled so gently. Only now Kellan became aware of it that many things were wrong.
“Where are the women?“ his voice was alarmed.
“Not here. “
“Where is Blake? He wanted to fly the glider for us,“ frantically he unfastened the belt and stormed to the front to his brother.
“In his room,“ Luke pretended to concentrate, so he would manage the landing.
“Luke, what’s going on? I thought there ought to be a wedding! I thought there would be negotiations!“ with every word the ambassador pulled harder on his brother’s uniform and with every word Luke's face darkened.
“There will be a wedding. The negotiations…well, they’re already finished,“ a grim expression hardened Luke’s face.
Kellan was sorely confused. His heart hammered desperately in his chest as if it knew what all of this meant. His mind, on the other hand, couldn’t understand.
“I…I don’t understand,“ shaking his head, he backed away from Luke, who now rose from his chair, too.
The taller man lifted his hands to put them on Kellan’s shoulders in a reassuring way.
“Listen. The President is an asshole. You’ll fly to Phy’vohran and marry Crown Prince Sartak to make the treaty effective. Blake’s not here, because he would have taken flight with you through the whole galaxy, but Prince Sartak insisted that you marry him, because you are a Harrison and it would show that this time we are sincere. He can’t know our father should be by now contentedly licking his fingers like some fat cat would lick its paws because he doesn’t think it’s a big loss. Kellan, you are a Harrison. I believe in you. You can do it, and when that guy tries to touch you without your permission, Blake and I will come over and end him personally. He swore he wouldn’t touch you without your consent,“ Luke spoke slowly and calmingly, but he wouldn’t hear.
This couldn’t be happening. It shouldn’t be happening. Why him?
Why did the universe hate him so much?
Sniffling, he wiped a tear and turned away from Luke.
The war would come to an end. The reopening of the trade between Earth and Phy’vohran with its six inhabitable moons would help the humans gain prosperity once more.
After their landing, they were welcomed by two young women with translucent, washed out blue skin and long, slim limbs and bluish hair. Their eyes were black and shaped like big round orbs placed in their big balloon-like heads with tiny, but pouty lips. All dressed in gauze dresses colored in different green tones; they looked like they had just arisen from the deep blue sea.
Cjon’vaiians they were called.
Kellan had never met their people since they were alliance partners of the Phy’vohranians.
Both young women had introduced themselves as Klaijvia and Galjaia, his personal servants.
All the space dockhands that were unloading his belongings and servants bustling about were other races than the lizard-like Phy’vohranians. It seemed to Kellan as if his new family and people thought themselves above such mundane tasks. He could only shake his head about it. It was strange not to find any Phy’vohranians down here, and he found himself to be disapp
ointed. At least they could have sent someone of their government or someone close to the royal family to fetch him.
But there were only Klaijvia and Galjaia, who spoke with gentle voices but no expression on their faces.
Kellan had heard about this particular weird quirk of the Cjon’vaiian people. Their faces were almost motionless, except their eyelids and small mouths.
Still, both women towered over Kellan with six feet five, who felt like a little boy who seemed to need even two nannies. He couldn’t change his height. There was no hope left that he might grow taller for the simple reason that he was already twenty-two. It was not likely that anything would change now.
Puberty had been a bitch - pimples, drama, growing bones. Kellan had no desire for it to last any longer or go through it again.
Kellan had inherited his mother’s looks- thin, petite body, platinum-blonde curls, and soft facial features; only his eyes were those of his father. His brothers had the physique of their father- all big, tall and broad-shouldered, golden hair and sharp features.
In his opinion, he fucking looked like a little girl without any breasts. At least he wasn’t a hairy ape-like the other men of his family. All that chest hair would have looked bloody stupid on his androgynous frame.
It was entirely possible that Prince Sartak had mistaken him for a flat-chested girl or something. Who knew?
Maybe the Phy’vohranians had thought that Kellan was a beautiful girly name because they had all those fancy and strange names. He might even be able to go to King Leylos of Phy’vohran and apologize for the misunderstanding, then go home and sent one of the four women who had wanted to volunteer in the first place.
Elli was blonde and small. She would make a perfect replacement for Kellan. She had smaller breasts than the other women, and she was cute. Her hair was curly, too. And she liked all kinds of fashion and jewelry. Sartak could shower her with gifts and sire a stable full of children with her. Yeah…that would be nice.
The Golden Heart: Alliance Book One (Alliance Series 1) Page 1