Dark Planet Warriors: The Serial (Books 1-3)

by Anna Carven

  I pass through the quiet room, alert for any sign of movement. But there’s not a Kordolian to be seen. I move through a series of wide arches into another cavernous space, stopping dead in my tracks.

  I’ve come to a lookout, and there’s a lake below me.

  Incredible. As I stare down at the giant expanse of water, I realize it’s not a lake but a swimming pool. Like all things Kordolian, it doesn’t have straight edges, but smooth, curved corners. There are lines marked for lap swimming.

  But what’s most astonishing about the pool is that it’s completely transparent at the bottom, looking out onto the stars and the forbidding shape of the Dark Planet below.

  Magnified by water, the stars and lights are surreal.

  Talk about an infinity pool.

  I stiffen as the sound of voices drifts towards me through the stillness, trying to figure out what direction they’re coming from. The voices become louder, a raucous exchange of Kordolian banter.

  Shit. They’re heading this way.

  I look around in panic, but there’s nowhere to hide. If I go down to the pool area below, I’ll be easy to spot. My pale skin will surely stand out in the darkness. If I go back the way I’ve come, I’ll run straight into them.

  The voices are louder now, and two Kordolian males appear. They see me as soon as I see them, and for a moment, we all stare at each other, frozen in surprise. If I weren’t freaking out, it might almost be comical.

  They start babbling at me in Kordolian. I can’t understand a word they’re saying.

  I hold up a hand. “Do you guys speak Universal?”

  At the sound of my voice, they freeze. They’re both military, by the looks of things, fit, lean and clean-cut. We stare at each other, having a real first-contact sort of moment. I doubt they’ve ever seen a real, live Human before.

  “H- Human!” One of the guys raises a hand and points at me. “What are you doing here?” His Universal is heavily accented, but I can understand him well enough.

  I decide to bluff it out. “I’m a guest of General Tarak’s.” Even though they tower above me, I straighten to my full height, trying to appear confident and intimidating.

  At the mention of the General’s name, both of them have a rapid-fire exchange in Kordolian. The first guy turns back to me. “You are not authorized to be in this area. We must detain you while we confirm the correct clearances.”

  “Uh, I don’t think the General would be very happy to hear I’ve been detained over something so trivial.” I wave my hand imperiously, stepping forward to glare at the guy. He has light amber eyes, which go wide as I poke him in the chest. “Soldier, would you like to answer to General Tarak over this? He’s gone to the effort of bringing me here all the way from Sector Nine. Do you really think I would have free run of this area if he hadn’t allowed it? This is your General we’re talking about here. Are you accusing him of being negligent?”

  Uncertainty plays across the soldier’s face, as his buddy whispers something to him in Kordolian. He shies away from my touch, wiping nervously at the front of his uniform.

  It seems the threat of facing the General is a very scary one indeed.

  Huh. I file away that useful bit of information. It seems even regular Kordolians are scared of my Big Bad.

  Oops, did I just think of him as my Tarak?

  The soldiers stare at me for a moment, then both execute an odd little bow, backing away. “No offense was intended, Human female. Please do not mention this incident to General Akkadian.”

  “I won’t if you won’t.” I wink, and that seems to send them into further confusion. They back away, as if I’m some kind of venomous creature. “Oh, you guys. Relax.” I wave them away. “Go and enjoy your swim.” That pool, with its amazing clear bottom, looks incredibly inviting.

  The Kordolians retreat, stepping onto a hoverlift, which takes them to the lower level.

  You’d almost think they were afraid of females. Or Humans. Or both.

  Except that they’re now both stripping off, in full view of me.

  And of course, they’re not wearing anything underneath. Totally in their birthday suits. I shake my head, fighting the embarrassment that rises. My ears feel hot. I’m reminded of Tarak and his perfectly sculpted body, the impressive length of him, the feel of his deft, sure hands on my skin.

  I clutch the metal railing of the balcony, my palms moist. The thought of the General sends a warm feeling through my core, right down to my most sensitive area.

  And here I was, supposed to be looking for an escape route. I try to banish the sensual thoughts from my mind. I need a clear head for this. Perhaps a swim in that inviting pool below will help. After the young, naked Kordolians are finished, of course.

  Anything to get these thoughts out of my head.

  Tarak

  I stand before the twelve heads of the High Council with my teeth clenched in irritation. My fangs break the skin of my lower lip, and I taste blood in my mouth.

  But as always, the tiny wound heals as quickly as it was made.

  The representatives of the High Council look down upon me from their elevated seats. There are six females, and six males, all born of one of Kythia’s twelve Noble Houses. Several of the males are wearing elaborate robes, which I recognize as Veronian in origin, with their fine, colorful embroidery. Thin fingers are decked out with intricate rings bearing cumbersome, glittering jewels. Some of the males have grown their hair long, in a style that seems to be fashionable on Kythia at the moment.

  The females, on the other hand, are dressed in the plain black robes of their office.

  In these times, Kordolian females do not have to try hard to impress anyone. There are so few of them left that they can have their pick of any male on the planet.

  “General Akkadian.” One of the representatives, a tall, severe female with long hair that is darkening with age, addresses me, her low voice echoing in the small chamber. I recognize her as Councillor Sivian, the elected head. “It has come to our attention that you have a Human on board the Fleet Station.” Her cold, amber gaze locks with mine, and she arches one eyebrow. “When were you going to inform us of that particular detail?”

  The Council know about Abbey. Fuck. How in Kaiin’s hells did they find out?

  I resist the urge to leap up to the pedestal and grab her by the neck. Instead, I fight to keep my tone even. “I am not required to inform the Council of every little thing that goes on aboard the Fleet Station. I’d hardly think the presence of a Human would be of any concern to you.”

  “When we are told that this Human, a female at that, is reproductively compatible with our species, then it most certainly becomes the business of the High Council, General.”

  I hide my shock behind a carefully blank expression. Reproductively compatible? Zyara said our species had some similarities, but the ability to mate?

  And who would have informed the landside authorities of such a thing?

  My suspicions lie with Mirkel. If he’s gone to the Council on this, I’ll tear his fucking head off.

  “I am requesting you to hand over custody of the Human to the Genetic Research Unit. Such a discovery cannot be kept quiet because of personal desires, General.”

  I fight to keep still, but underneath my skin, the black nanites are seething. They’ve escaped my bloodstream in response to my anger. Ready to emerge and equip me for combat at any moment.

  “The Human is mine,” I say quietly, calmly. “There will be no handover.”

  “Are you sure about that, General? Withholding any resource that might help the future survival of our race is akin to treason.” The eleven other Councillors nod in agreement, their cold gazes fixed on me.

  That look. Derision. Scorn. Judgement. It’s a look I’ve received my entire life. I am, and always will be, an outsider. Like many Kordolians who haven’t been born into a Noble House, I’m still considered a second-class citizen, regardless of my rank.

  Even though I now hold half o
f their military in the palm of my hand. The nobles are blinded by their own arrogance.

  “Councillor Sivian,” I say mildly, disguising my rage. “Are you accusing me of treason?”

  She responds with a deceptively gentle smile. “Of course not, General. We are all aware of your exploits in the expansion efforts and the fight against our eternal enemy, the Xargek. I was merely suggesting a course of action. Surely you’re not so attached to this feeble Human that you’d put her welfare above the needs of your own race?”

  “And if I am?”

  “Then this becomes an insurmountable dispute. One that needs to be resolved at all costs.”

  I shake my head slowly. “No, Councillor. There is no dispute here. The human is mine, and you and your scientists will not touch as much as a single hair on her head. If you wish to carry out experiments, find another subject at your own expense.”

  “General Akkadian!” An outraged male voice rings across the chamber as one of the Councillors stands. Luron Alerak. An idiot with yellow robes and metal piercings bristling from both ears. “You will not address the High Councillor with such disrespect. Or do you forget that you survive here by the grace of the Empress alone?”

  A harsh laugh escapes me. “Do you forget that I have half of the Kordolian military under my command, Luron? The Empress acts graciously because I agreed to peace.”

  “Outrageous! You go too far, General!”

  “The Human is mine,” I repeat. “There will be consequences if any harm comes to her.” I turn to leave, a cold fury rising inside me. The thought of handing Abbey over to be experimented on makes me want to hurt someone. And the headache behind my eyes has become a thousand times worse.

  If I don’t leave now, I may very well do something violent.

  Shocked murmurs break out as I turn my back on the Council. But as I start to walk out, a familiar voice rings through the chamber. “General Akkadian, I don’t recall you being dismissed.”

  I turn slowly, and find myself face to face with the arguably the most dangerous being on Kythia.

  “Empress Vionn.” I look up towards the gallery, where she is standing at the railing. The Empress smiles, baring her fangs. But there is no warmth in her crimson eyes.

  I stiffen, refusing to stoop to the ridiculous, customary bow that she loves. I receive twelve disapproving stares from the Council, but I hold my ground.

  I’m no longer afraid of the High Council. There’s nothing they can do to me now. They hadn’t realized how much influence I held in the military until it was too late. Being a war hero has its perks. My soldiers are loyal to me only. And Kythia needs us. The Kordolian race is nothing without its army.

  The Empress waves a slender hand, her sharpened, obsidian fingernails glinting under the overly bright lights. “The rest of you, get out. I will have words with the General alone.”

  “But Infinite Mother,” Luron whines, the trinkets in his pierced ear clinking as he shakes his head. “Akkadian is a savage. You cannot-”

  Vionn stalks over to the Councilor and slaps him in the face, her sharp nails drawing blood. A trickle of black seeps down Luron’s pale cheek. “Do not presume, Child. Never presume on my behalf.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath as the stabbing pain behind my eyes intensifies. Luron spews forth a stream of groveling apologies, bowing repeatedly as he backs away. The other Councilors follow him in haste.

  We all know who holds the true power on Kythia. Ever since Emperor Ilhan died, Vionn has been spreading her influence. Her power multiplies like billions of unstoppable Xargek larvae.

  Detestable female.

  With the chamber empty, the Empress grabs the railing and leaps to the lower floor, landing in front of me, her loose robes billowing around her. Her wild, untamed hair is darkening with age, and as she moves closer, I see faint lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth.

  No matter how powerful she is, the Infinte Empress cannot defeat time.

  “I’m disappointed in you, Tarak. I never thought that you, of all Kordolians, would become attached to a lesser species. And to show your weakness in front of the entire High Council? Are you becoming soft, General?”

  “What do you want, Vionn?” I freeze as she stops just in front of me. She’s so close I can feel her warm breath on my face.

  “I want to understand what’s going on inside that hard head of yours, General. You know our species is dying out. That there haven’t been any females born in the most recent reproductive cycle. And yet you withhold an important clue that could lead to our survival. A reproductively compatible female. Is celibacy your problem, boy? Is abstinence clouding your judgement? You know, I can help you with that.” She draws her fingers down the side of my face, her long nails grazing my skin. “Why is it, that of all the males I’ve desired, only you have been immune to me? Are you defective, General?”

  I clench my teeth as her chemical scent surrounds me. It’s harsh and cloying, a pale imitation of Abbey’s sweet perfume. The Empress leans close and draws her black, pointed tongue across my cheek. “I haven’t been able to feel true pleasure since Ilhan died. You know as well as I do that this generation of males isn’t the same. With such a brutal military to protect us, ordinary civilians have become soft.” She places her hand at the opening of my trousers, her claw-like fingers resting on my cock. “You, on the other hand, would make me a most suitable mate.”

  She strokes my dick through the thin fabric of my pants, before snorting in disgust. “Disappointing. Not even a twitch. Are you perhaps fond of the other sex, boy? Or maybe you desire the Human female. Would you willingly dilute the Kordolian gene pool with that filth? Why, oh, why, do all the males with a shred of promise act like raving lunatics? Even that uncivilized son of mine has gone insane.”

  Unable to take it any more, I grasp her wrist, pulling her hand away. “My sexual preferences are none of your business, Vionn.” My headache is excruciating now, threatening to bring me to my knees. My vision starts to blur a little. I squeeze Vionn’s wrist and she smiles, showing her fangs.

  “Oh, I like a male who isn’t afraid to hurt me. None have had the balls to try, aside from you. They forget that pain can be a great aphrodisiac.”

  Her words cause me to release her in disgust. She laughs. “It’s too bad about your Human pet. I can see you’re quite attached to it. But we’re arranging to have it brought here as I speak. You’ll just have to replace it with another Human, the next time you’re passing by Sector Nine.”

  Something inside me snaps, and the next thing I know, I have her pinned to the floor, my hand around her neck. The black nanites respond to my will, forming an armored glove around my hand. The hard, impenetrable material of the exo-suit bites into her pale neck.

  White hot rage erupts at the thought of Abbey being at the mercy of this bitch. I could squeeze my hand now and drain the life from Vionn, so easily.

  For a sliver of a moment, so quickly I almost miss it, fear flickers in her gaze.

  And then, she’s laughing. It’s more of a faint, noiseless wheeze, but she’s laughing. Her dark red eyes shine with a mixture of desire and amusement. She’s enjoying this. Revulsion creeps through me. “You can’t bring yourself to do it, General. Go on, kill me and invite war. Our species will not survive another civil war. Or the loss of another female. You can bring about our downfall, right here, right now, if you wish.”

  I wrench my hand away in disgust, stepping up off her.

  The Infinite Empress, ruler of Kythia and the declining Kordolian race, is insane.

  I leave her lying on the black floor of the Council chambers, her long hair strewn around her head like a wild crown. A mad laugh echoes through the room as I escape, my skin crawling with disgust. The agony behind my eyes pounds incessantly, sharp and insistent.

  “Go, Tarak. Try and save her. You’re already too late.”

  And all I can think is that I need to get to my Human before they do. They will dissect her and destroy her
, because they don’t value any other life besides their own.

  I know it all too well, because I was the same, once.

  Abbey

  As I turn away from the pool hall, the sounds of splashing water echoing through the huge space, two more Kordolians appear. But unlike the military guys, they’re both wearing white robes, similar to those I’ve seen on Zyara.

  And these two males don’t look so friendly.

  They don’t seem surprised to see me, either. Uh, oh. I’m getting a bad feeling about these guys.

  I look around for somewhere to go, but they’re blocking the only exit, and the pool area is a dead end. There’s nowhere to hide.

  “Can I help you guys?” I blurt, trying to edge around them. They stare back at me, stone-faced, not saying a word.

  Okay, so they’re definitely not friendly.

  And the lead guy has something in his hand. It looks like a needle of some sort. I try to weigh up my options. They’re advancing on me and muttering to each other in Kordolian. I decide I don’t want to be a part of anything they’ve got planned.

  I feint to the left, then dash to the right, evading them and making for the exit.

  Run!

  They shout in their strange tongue, rushing after me, but I’m faster, and I pump my arms and legs, racing across the common area. These new legs are working a treat. Somehow, I can run really, really fast.

  What the hell did they do to me?

  But I don’t have time to contemplate my newfound speed right now, because two other white-robed Kordolians have appeared, blocking off the way to the General’s quarters.

  Cutting me off. Shit.

  I look around, but there’s nowhere to go. The two males who were in the pool have appeared behind the robed guys, still naked and dripping wet, yelling and adding to all the confusion.

  If I wasn’t so terrified right now, I’d roll my eyes. What is it with Kordolian males and nudity?

  Everyone’s started screaming, and I can’t understand a word of it. The unfriendly guys advance on me, tall and intimidating, marching forward like robots.