by Lynnea Lee
A Minx for Ryek & Holden - Tallean Mercenaries
Book Five
By Lynnea Lee
Copyright © 2020 Lynnea Lee
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or used in whole or in part, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction and the characters and incidents found within are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or deceased, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Contents
Contents
A Minx for Ryek & Holden
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
AUTHOR’S NOTE
ALSO BY AUTHOR
A Minx for Ryek & Holden
They will never take what is OURS!
Little human Angie escaped the Dominion three years ago. Now they’re here to take her back. But the Dominion will never succeed. Because she’s OURS! We know Angie is our mate. It’s not a matter of if the mating bond will form, it’s a matter of when. She thinks she can avoid us. But there’s nowhere for her to run, nowhere for her to hide.
Together, we are stronger. And we will stop at nothing to protect our colony, our home, and our mate.
The Dominion is breathing down our necks…
… and all I can focus on is the fiercely protective alien warrior charged with defending our colony. I’ve lusted after Ryek for years, and now he tells me I’m his. One huge problem: he is my ex’s best friend. The worst part? Holden and I are still friends with benefits, and I still secretly love him.
When Ryek and Holden reveal they both want to share me, I’m floored. Suddenly, I have not one, but two, growly and possessive aliens demanding my attention. And they tell me they won’t stop until I am theirs.
Chapter 1
Angie stared at the sharp blade as she held the stolen knife against the side of her leg. She held her breath and bit down hard on the wad of fabric in her mouth. Her hand shook with nervous fear.
One.
Two.
Thre—she chickened out.
Shit! She needed to do this. She needed to get that tracker out of her leg, or else the rest of her plan was as good as earmuffs in Florida. She had already taken a big chug of the liquor she had stolen. It was strong stuff, and if she didn’t get the tracker out soon, she wasn’t sure if she would have the dexterity to perform self-surgery in a few minutes. It was now or never.
She spat out her makeshift gag. “You can do this, Angie,” she encouraged herself in quiet whispers. “A little knife wound is nothing compared to what you’ll face if you get caught. Do it, bitch! Just do it!” She did her best to channel for inner Shia LeBeouf.
Putting the wadded up tea towel in her mouth again, she tried one more time.
One little cut, and I’ll be done. Freedom will be within my reach.
She held the tip of the knife against her thigh again, right next to the bump of the matchstick-sized tracker. She took a deep breath and sliced in along the length of the metal device. She felt nothing at first, the knife was sharp, and the cut was clean. Then the pain started. She bit down on the tea towel and stifled a scream. Her vision blurred.
No time to pass out now. Not when freedom was so close. She squinted, mentally trying to separate her brain from her body. She’d had a lot of practice doing that over the last few months.
The tip of her knife touched metal, and she focused hard, scoring along it. She dug out the offending device as fast as she could. Luckily, the implant was shallow, just under the skin. Still, she bled a lot. That was the tea towel’s second job, but not yet. She needed to disinfect the wound.
Angie steeled her nerves again and picked up the bottle of liquor. This was going to hurt more than the knife did, and she knew it. The alcohol splashed on the wound, and she squealed into the gag, her world sheeting white for a moment. The bloody alcohol dribbled down onto her plain tan slave shift, soiling her only set of clothing.
Angie had been abducted from Earth while wearing stripper heels and a sequined string bikini—not that it made much of a difference what she wore. She’d soon found herself naked on the auction block, just like everybody else.
Someone really should have told her the real dangers of stripping her way through law school. It wasn’t the drugs and alcohol. It wasn’t the late-night cab rides back home. It was the alien slavers that came down and stole humans by the shipload, alien slavers with terrifying claws on their feet and sharp fangs in their mouths. They had targeted strip clubs and prisons for easy pickings.
Angie had ended up as a gift for the Dominion Representative controlling Palik Outpost, a medium-sized settlement recently conquered by the Dominion. Jadig was a grade-A asshole and treated his entire household like dirt. He was sadistic and loved taking out his frustrations on his workers and slaves. After watching him take two fingers from a misbehaving slave, another unlucky human stuck here with her, Angie knew she had to get away.
The past few nights, Jadig had loaned her out to a visiting merchant. Turol had been very gentle with her and treated her well, as did his two guards. They had even allowed her to stay on their soft beds, instead of sleeping on the thin mat on the floor. While pretending to be passed out on Turol’s bed, Angie had overheard him talking with his guards about their next destination: New Rhea.
New Rhea was technically outside of Dominion rule. It might be possible for her to find a job or make a living there, though it would be a risk. But that wasn’t the plan. The plan was to hitchhike to Reka 5. That was her goal.
Reka 5 was the holy grail for all escaped slaves, especially human ones. It was rumored that the colony not only gave humans a safe place to stay but citizenship status as well. And this promised utopia was just a hop and a skip away from New Rhea.
Angie had been given the job of cleaning out Turol’s ship when he’d first arrived at Palik Outpost. She had watched and memorized as he inputted the code at the entrance. She’d tested it when she was leaving his ship; it allowed her in and out without issue. Since she had cleaned out his ship, Angie knew exactly where to stow away.
She held the tea towel against the wound until the bleeding slowed to a light seep. Then she wrapped it tightly before taking one more swig of the alcohol. She needed the extra courage for the next phase of her plan.
Voices outside the storage room told her that she was running out of time. Turol and his two guards were saying their farewells to their host, and Angie needed to be on the ship before they got there. She stood and made her way to the back exit, stumbling as she went. Crap! She might have taken too big of a swig of the stiff alien liquor.
But at least her leg wasn’t bothering her too much. And neither did the chill of the deadly winter air of Palik Outpost. The brew was potent. That was the plan.
She ran a
cross the yard to the ship, praying that no one would see her. Her pale skin and tan dress stood out starkly against the dark gray streets, and anyone looking out the window would notice her immediately. The ship's entrance was facing the darkened alley, and she entered the code, fingers trembling. The door opened, and she dove inside, just as Turol stepped out of the main house. That was close.
The warmth of the ship’s interior welcomed her, and Angie half-ran, half-fumbled her way to the spare quarters, the one that had such a thick layer of dust, she doubted anyone had gone into it for weeks. The door slid closed behind her, and she sighed in relief.
Angie sat on the bed as the room spun and swam around her. Every second felt like an hour, and after almost a lifetime of waiting, the ship rumbled to life and took off, leaving Jadig and Palik Outpost behind.
And after months of holding back the tears, Angie broke down and cried.
“Is there nothing I can do to convince you to stay on our ship with us?”
Angie felt guilty for leaving Turol and his guards after all they have done for her.
Turol had found her almost immediately after they’d reached space. Her scent had been strong in the ship, and they had lifted off despite suspecting she was on board. They had found her bawling her eyes out as quietly as possible in the spare room.
Then, they had offered her a deal. They would grant her safe passage to New Rhea, if she warmed their beds on their way there as she had back on Jadig’s estate. It had been an easy decision. All three males were easy to please. Being in space for weeks at a time away from female company did that. And none of them had a cruel streak like Jadig.
When they saw the bloody mess she’d made on her own leg, they had carried her to the medical bay and treated her wound. Then they’d each admonished her in turn for taking such a big risk with her life. Palik Outpost was home to many microbes that took advantage of open wounds. Decontaminators had to be used daily to avoid infection. Angie explained that she had poured alcohol on the wound for safety, but that had just gotten them more upset.
Angie had made the right decision stowing away on this ship. Turol and his guards were honest males. All they asked of her was sex, and that she was more than willing to give. It had been a very pleasurable job, too. She’d spent several days in one bed or another, enjoying the attention of one, two, or even all three of them at a time. And in return, they took good care of her, making sure she was well-fed and comfortable.
The days passed by quickly, and Angie soon found herself orbiting her destination.
“I can’t stay. I need to get to Reka 5.” She was comfortable on this ship, but she knew that being a pet to Turol and his guards would never make her happy, no matter how well they treated her.
Turol rubbed at his cheek creases. Besides more angular bone structure, the cheek creases and fangs were the most alien features on Tallean faces. When in a fight, the cheek creases unfolded, allowing their jaws to open extremely wide. This made room for their fangs, usually kept half retracted, to extend fully. It was a terrifying look, one Jadig had worn often, but for intimidation rather than to fight.
“And how do you plan on getting there from New Rhea?”
“I’ll find a way. I found a way off Palik Outpost, didn’t I?”
Turol growled. He grabbed her and shook her lightly. “You will not endanger yourself by approaching another ship! You were lucky this time. We would never hurt a female. But you might not be so lucky on the next ship you sneak into.”
“I need to get to Reka 5. I want my freedom. I’ll do anything to get it, even if it’s dangerous.” Angie stuck her chin out. She knew it sounded immature, but she didn’t care. It was the truth.
“You do not need Reka 5 to keep you safe. I, no,” he said, and paused to look at his guards, “we will keep you safe.” Turol looked almost desperate, and Angie wondered if he would force her to stay on the ship.
“I have no doubts you will keep me safe. And I have enjoyed my time with you.” She reached to hold Turol’s face in her hands. “But I need to be free. I’d rather die trying than to live my life knowing I gave up.”
Turol closed his eyes and pressed his face against her hand. “Then, I will make you another deal. After my business here on New Rhea, I will take you to Reka 5 myself. So I will know you are safe. You will stay on my ship until then.”
Angie couldn’t believe her ears. “Really? You’ll do that? Deal! I’ll take it.” She wanted to cry with relief; she wouldn’t need to find a way to Reka 5. “Thank you!”
“No, Angie. Thank you. Now that you have been on board, I know what was missing in my life. I will go find her once I know you are safe.”
Chapter 2
Three years later…
Angie’s head pounded furiously as she turned down the road towards her apartment. She had snuck out of Holden’s bed just minutes ago and was doing the walk of shame. Again. No matter how many times she promised herself she would not continue to sleep with him, she ended up walking this very street just a few days later.
That was right. She couldn’t stay away from Holden for even a few days. It was embarrassing. She was so ashamed.
When Angie had first arrived on Reka 5, Holden had swept her off her feet. She’d been convinced it was love at first sight, and she’d moved in overnight. She’d been deliriously happy for a few months, believing she had found freedom and love, all in one fell swoop. It was magical.
But then, she’d learned about the mating bond. When Talleans spent time with the right person, their fated mates, it triggered the mating bond. The mating bond was something special. Mated couples never strayed, and it was the ultimate in love and happiness. As a human, Angie wouldn’t be able to form a mating bond, but several Tallean males had bonded to Earth women at Reka 5, proving it was possible at least one way.
When Angie had asked Holden if he felt this bond for her, he had refused to meet her eyes. He hadn’t. It had broken her heart. They stayed together for a while longer, fingers crossed that the bond would form. But it never did.
So, to Holden’s chagrin, Angie moved out. He kept insisting that she stay with him, that the mating bond was coming, that he knew she was his. But Angie was done waiting. She wanted to find the right man, the right male, one who would be her mate. She wanted her happily ever after.
She’d been on fifty first dates since. And each date was held up to the perfection that was Holden, and one by one, each one of them failed. No one ever got a second date. And Angie inevitably ended up tangled in Holden’s sheets again, as though some higher power kept drawing them back together. If you asked any Tallean, they’d nod their head sagely and proclaim it was an unfulfilled mating bond. But if that was true, then why hadn’t it happened yet?
They were technically just friends with benefits at this point, but Angie knew that was a lie. She was still obsessed with the tough-as-nails alien guard, and she was sure he still pined after her.
At first, Angie had been okay with their set up. The sex was explosive, and when not in bed, Holden never failed to make her laugh or ease her worries. And it meant that Angie never had to take care of her needs on her own. Plus, if she went on a shitty date, she always had someone to go to after.
But as Angie opened the door to her messy apartment, and stepped over a pile of dirty clothes, guilt and disappointment crashed in, just as it had the time before and the time before that. Holden and her, they were neither here nor there. And they had been stuck in this awkward limbo for years. Consistent good sex was great and all, but she wanted more than that. She wanted a mate. She wanted her one true love.
Dropping her bags on her bed, she went into the bathroom. A hungover face with mussed hair and ruddy skin stared back at her through the mirror. She splashed water onto her face, trying to wash away the disappointment in her eyes. When she looked back at the mirror, the disappointment was still there, laughing at her.
With her head throbbing in her hands, she knew wha
t she had to do. She had to quit Holden once and for all. What they had wasn’t healthy. It prevented him from looking for his true mate. And it prevented her from moving on as well. She compared every male she met to him and found them wanting. They never got a second chance. And she never got her happily ever after.
If they continued like this, she would be an old woman, and still be making that dreaded walk of shame. That was unacceptable. Tonight, after work, she would hit up the public baths and see if she could pick up a date.
The alarm on her comm rang. Shit! She didn’t have time to take a shower. She was going to be late for work.
That meant that she would have to go to work still smelling like Holden and sex. Any Tallean would know the moment they got close. The aliens all had excellent sense of smell. Luckily, she mostly worked with humans. She also kept a bottle of scented spray at her desk for these occasions. Yes. This happened more often than she wanted to admit.
She pulled her mop of blonde hair into a messy bun at the top of her head. That would have to do. Picking up a clean looking top from the mess that was her room, she brought it to her nose. It smelled clean enough. She threw it over her head.
Her comm rang again. It was the “shit, you are definitely late” alarm. She stuffed it into her pocket as she ran out the door.
Holden breathed slowly, pretending to be still asleep. Angie was sneaking out again. He understood why, but it still hurt. It hurt every single time. But, this was the way things were, and there was no point in confronting her. What would he say anyway? Nothing had changed since the last time they were in the exact same situation. Nothing at all.
She quietly closed the door, and Holden counted slowly to ten before getting up. He opened the window to air out the room. Her scent would linger here for days, otherwise, making it hard to think about anything but her. He had a difficult enough time keeping her from his thoughts, and he didn’t need the smell of their sex sticking around to haunt him.