Vyken's Mate Read online

  Vyken's Mate

  Sci-fi Alien Romance

  Shea Malloy

  * * *

  Copyright © 2019, Shea Malloy

  All rights reserved.

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental. The characters are all productions of the author’s imagination.

  This book is intended only for adults 18 years of age or over.

  Cover designed by Kasmit Covers.

  * * *

  Description

  Willa would rather die untouched than marry a man she doesn't love. She runs away from home, eager to reclaim her independence. Except, she takes the wrong path into Vyken territory.

  Captured, Willa is brought before the Vyken leader, Jorgan. Although she fears him, she can't deny her illicit attraction to the powerful alien male. In his amber eyes she sees a hunger that excites her too. She knows that he will be her first and her only.

  Two years after The Rift, Jorgan is still getting accustomed to his new life on a planet he hates. He resigns himself to endless misery. Until the beautiful human female is brought before him.

  She is a human and he is a Vyken. It's forbidden to want her, but his blood burns to claim her soft innocence. Even if it's wrong, he'll make her his.

  Contents

  Title Page

  1 Willa

  2 Jorgan

  3 Willa

  4 Willa

  5 Jorgan

  6 Willa

  7 Willa

  1

  Willa

  * * *

  On the cusp of dozing off, a tapping sound pulls me awake.

  I sit up in the darkness and wait.

  Two more taps like tiny pebbles hitting my window.

  It’s Gwen’s signal. It’s time for me to leave.

  I slide out of bed and quietly gather everything I packed for the journey. My rucksack slung over my shoulders and my boots in hand, I linger at my bedroom door.

  It’s too dark for me to see much, but I know where everything is placed. This has always been my safe space. Where I read books in my armchair or lay in bed with my daydreams. I’m sad I have to abandon it.

  With a heavy heart, I leave my bedroom and softly pull the door shut. Down the hall is my father’s room. Gwen was my lookout for the moment he put out his light.

  Is he asleep yet?

  Father’s rumbling snore drifts down the hall, answering my question. When Mother was alive, she hated his snoring and frequently threatened to smother him with her pillow.

  I smile, remembering the happier moments with them. As much as I’m angry with him, I’m going to miss Father. I feel terrible he will worry when he discovers I’m gone, but I left a note on my bed explaining my decision.

  After all, he left me no choice. He always had a stubborn streak. But on the heels of a bad cold that left him so weak, I feared the worst, he rose from his sick bed stronger and as obstinate as Gwen’s goats.

  He began insisting I get married. I didn’t believe he was serious until he brought suitors to the house. When I wouldn’t choose, he chose for me—Archibald Dwyer, son of a wealthy weapons merchant and a distant relative to a king in another land. Whenever Archibald talks about his royal relatives, he behaves as if he’s next in line to the throne.

  Father wouldn’t listen to my protests. In this backward land called Mirweld, women are still thought less then men. Fathers and husbands wield the power. Therefore, whatever Father decides for me I must obey.

  Well, I will not. I’m twenty years old and more than capable of making my own choices. I would rather die without ever knowing a man’s touch than marry one I didn’t love.

  Resolute, I say a silent farewell to Father and continue down to the main floor. The chilly night air greets me with a kiss on the cheeks as I leave the house. The full moon lights the way to the stables. I find Gwen already holding on to my horse’s harness.

  “I’ll miss you, Willa.” Gwen says.

  Her brown eyes are black in the night and filled with sadness. She pulls me into a tight embrace. I hold her just as tightly as tears slide down my cheeks.

  Gwen and I have been friends since we were children. We’ve always been inseparable. The thought of going days without seeing her face hurts too much. If only her mother wasn’t sick. Then she and I would have ridden off on an adventure together.

  We pull apart and wipe away our tears. Gwen’s eyebrows knit with worry.

  “What if you meet a Vyken during your journey? There’s a territory not too far from here.”

  “I won’t be anywhere close. I’m taking the eastern route to Danlow.”

  “I heard they are savages. Evil creatures who feast on human flesh.”

  “Those are only made up stories to scare children.”

  “But—”

  “Gwen, all will be well.” I give her upper arms a comforting squeeze and smile. “I can’t let fear stop me from leaving tonight or I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

  Gwen sighs and nods. “It does seem like a waste to not marry a wealthy man like Archibald.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.” I grin. “You can marry Archibald.”

  Gwen grimaces. “I will rather marry a pig than that pompous ass.”

  “So true. At least the pig will be useful.”

  We laugh softly and share one more embrace before I climb onto my horse. My gaze lingers on her, storing a memory of her pretty face, the moonlight’s silver hue on her brown skin and braided hair, and her loving smile. My heart aches to leave her.

  “Be safe,” she says quietly, squeezing my hand.

  “We will see each other again,” I promise.

  With a wave goodbye to Gwen, I urge my horse to turn and trot away from the home and family I’ve always known.

  The path is straight and easy to follow until I arrive at a fork in the road. Unsure of which direction to take, I pull my horse to a stop. I take off my rucksack and rifle through the contents for my map. The longer I look, the greater my dread grows until I come to a terrible realization.

  I forgot it.

  Turn back.

  It’s the safest choice. Without a map, I’m courting further danger if I don’t know where I’m going. I’ll get lost or end up somewhere dangerous. But turning back now means accepting my fate as Archibald Dwyer’s wife. And that seems worse than the potential dangers ahead.

  A deep breath of the cold night gives me fortitude. I stare at the two directions and struggle to remember this fork from the map. I can’t. However, Danlow is to the east. If I stay to the right then surely I’ll be on the correct path. It’s the clearer way too. Soon, I’ll find a village where I can buy a new map.

  Reassured with my plan, I slide my rucksack over my shoulders and resume my journey. Although the path is well-lit with moonlight, the thick shroud of trees on either side of me is unnerving. I miss my warm, safe bedroom. I’m resentful toward Father and Archibald for forcing me to run away because I’m tense, highly aware of how alone I am out here. The steady thud of my horse’s hooves, the night creatures chirping, the wind rustling the tree leaves, and the branches rattling together are all magnified in the quiet.

  Who knows what evil lurked just out of sight?

  Like Vykens.

  Everyone has heard the spectacular tale about their arrival. Two years ago, a giant rift tore in the fabric of reality over Ulrok Bay. Through that rift sailed hundreds of grey ships carrying Vykens.

  Some say that once the Vykens came ashore, they immediately waged war on human
s. But others insist it was the humans who attacked first out of fear of these strange beings. Now two years later, humans and Vykens have formed a tentative peace. Although there are still occasional reports of Vykens and humans raiding each others’ territories.

  I’ve never seen a Vyken, but I heard they look like humans. However they have the power of three men combined inside them, and their skin is striped with fire like they’re demons from the depths of hell. I also heard they’re filled with unquenchable bloodlust. The day a human encounters a Vyken is the day that human took its last breath.

  I shudder and push those horrifying thoughts away. It’s needless torment to think about monsters while I’m alone in the dark at night. Maybe I’m getting tired. I’ve been riding for a while. It’s probably best I stop, build a fire, and get some rest. At a small clearing amid the trees, I pull my horse to a stop and climb off.

  And then a twig snaps.

  Alarmed, I turn, my gaze darting back and forth. I’m frozen still as I wait to hear more sounds. Nothing comes. My horse bristles, increasing my worry. My heart beats faster, my breathing deep and quick.

  I have a feeling I’m being watched.

  As I grip my saddle in preparation to mount my horse, lit torches cut into the darkness as the night quiet is destroyed by loud yelling.

  Startled, my horse rears up then bolts. His sudden movement knocks me onto my back. The thumps of my horse’s hooves as he runs away matches the heavy beating in my chest when four large men wielding torches surround me.

  No, not human men.

  Terror consumes me as I stare at their golden-striped arms and fierce expressions.

  Vykens.

  2

  Jorgan

  * * *

  Ever since I came to this cursed planet, a good night’s rest has been a thing of the past.

  Tonight as every other night before it, I stare into the darkness waiting for my body to give in to sleep. And when I do eventually fall asleep, it will be fitful and only for a few short hours before day breaks.

  It’s clear now why my father was always in such a terrible mood when he was alive. How could he sleep peacefully when he had the welfare of an entire nation burdening his shoulders?

  If I had the power to go back in time and speak with him, it would be to apologize. To tell him how sorry I am for being so flippant when he tried to teach me. I never wanted to follow in his step and rule. But when he died during the war that followed our arrival on Earth, I had to take his place.

  Some nights, I wish I’d stayed on Aulor like Mother did. She refused to take the journey to Earth, choosing instead to die in her birthplace along with the planet.

  I miss her. I miss my home. I miss the way life used to be that it physically aches me. But Mother is gone. Aulor is gone. We used the last of its core energy to create the Rift. That doorway is now shut and forever gone too.

  My people left the home we knew in search for salvation. Instead, we’ve only delayed our doom.

  Despite our advantage in strength over the humans, too many of my people died as well. What’s left of us are splintered all over this planet. And even within the small territory I lead, we’re occasionally plagued by humans who still refuse to accept our presence here.

  I shift in my bed and take a deep breath, closing my eyes. I suppose what keeps me awake at night isn’t just the worry for my people. It’s this terrible certainty that we’ve all been assigned a life of unending misery.

  As I will sleep to come, a knock on my door cuts into the quiet. Resigned, I rise from my bed.

  “My King.” My First General, Cano, greets me with a short bow when I open the door. “I have news. My men captured a human hiding near the perimeters of the south east wall.”

  I frown. “Just one?”

  “A female,” says Cano with a disdainful curl to his lip. “We believe she’s a scout for a future attack.”

  “I see.” I nod. “I will speak with her.”

  “This is one small matter.” Cano smiles. “Let me interrogate the human. She has a difficult spirit that may antagonize you.”

  The evil glint in his eyes disturb me. Cano used to be my father’s First General. When I first assumed rule over our community, I was riddled with grief for losing my father and thirsted for vengeance. I welcomed Cano’s harsher methods to handle the humans.

  However, I’m no longer comfortable with his ways. Humans believe the Vyken people to be monsters which is why they continue to attack us. But if we work to change their perception of us, then perhaps my people will finally be able to live in peace.

  “I will speak to the human,” I say, coldly. “Take me to her now.”

  A flicker of irritation crosses his features. He gives me a tight smile and another short bow of respect.

  “As you wish, my King.”

  He turns and strides away. I shut my door and follow after him. We head to the cages where we kept captured humans. We haven’t had to use them in some time, which is why Cano was so eager to imprison the human.

  As we approach the cage, I see the human through the bars. When I’m closer, I see her fully. Our gazes meet and hold.

  In the time I’ve been on this planet, I’ve only ever seen humans as weak, tiresome beings. I’ve never appreciated a human on their individual appearance.

  But for the first time, I’ve met one I consider beautiful. A beautiful human female held captive in my cage. The fire from the torches adds a golden glow to her brown hair, and matches the spark evident in the bright blue eyes glaring at me.

  “I am Jorgan, leader of this territory,” I say in her own tongue. When we came through the Rift, we were gifted the knowledge of the various languages spoken on this planet. “Who are you?”

  “Release me and I’ll tell you,” she says.

  I frown. “You don’t have any bargaining power here.”

  She scowls. “Come closer and I’ll show you my real power.”

  She shakes her tiny fist at me and my frown lessens into a bemused smile. She reminds me of an ita cat. Fierce and deceptively dangerous despite their diminutive size. But Cano ruins my amusement when he steps forward with a sneer.

  “You dare threaten our King?” he spits. “You will be punished for your insolence, human.”

  “Cano, mind your tongue,” I say harshly. “You will not speak for me.”

  Cano’s nostrils flare but he bows as he murmurs an apology. He retreats a few steps back.

  I nod to one of the guards standing by the cage’s door.

  “Unlock the cage.”

  He follows my order and I step through the open doorway. My people have learned to manipulate the materials on Earth to rebuild what we are accustomed to on Aulor. The cage is made of iron, and large enough to hold at least five average-sized humans.

  The human shrinks away from my approach. When her back hits the furthest corner, she looks up at me with wide eyes. She’s a tiny ball of various emotions. Her eyes are filled with unshed tears, her body vibrates with fear, and yet fury is still written all over her beautiful face.

  Human women wear so much cloth around their bodies, yet they often leave their chest—their most vulnerable area—exposed. This one is no different. Her dark-red dress has long sleeves and a skirt that nearly touches the floor. Yet her shoulders and upper chest are bare.

  She’s breathing faster, the creamy tops of her breasts swelling with each inhalation. My gaze lingers there and I’m reminded it’s been a long time since I’ve had a woman beneath me.

  Is her skin as soft and smooth as it looks?

  I smile as draw closer to her. “I am closer now, little one. Go ahead. Show me your power.”

  “Why don’t you just kill me and get it over with?” she snarls.

  “I am not going to kill you unless you give me a reason to do so.”

  She scowls. “I didn’t give your guards a reason to capture me, and yet here I am.”

  “You were discovered hiding near our territory. They believed y
our actions were suspicious.”

  “I wasn’t hiding. I stopped to rest from a long night of riding.”

  “Are you a scout for other humans?” I demand. “Were you sent to learn how to breach our defences?”

  “No. Never.” She shakes her head quickly. “I am only a nurse. I didn’t know I was so close to Vyken territory. If I did, I certainly wouldn’t have stopped.”

  “Where were you going?”

  “Danlow.”

  “Wouldn’t it have been safer to travel in the day?”

  “Yes, it would have been.”

  I wait for her to say more, but her lips tighten and she remains silent.

  “Why were you travelling so late at night?”

  “What does it matter?” She hugs herself and looks away, her voice soft. “It’s clear you don’t want to believe anything I say because you hate my kind.”

  “And you hate mine.”

  “I don’t hate you.” She meets my gaze again, her features sincere. “I can’t hate what I don’t know. I have never encountered a Vyken until tonight.”

  We stare at each other in the silence. Once again I’m taken by her beauty. Her scent is tempting too. A faint, sweet perfume underlaid with the scent of earth.

  It would be treasonous to lay with the enemy of my people but I want her. Perhaps it’s that forbidden attraction that makes me believe she’s telling the truth so far. Of course, she’s hiding something and I want to know what it is.

  “You didn’t answer my question, human.”

  She bristles. “My name is Willa.”

  I remain silent, waiting for her to continue. She ducks her head and fidgets. Then she gives in with a sigh.

  “I am fleeing a marriage engagement. I plan to join a nunnery in Danlow.”

  Her confession shouldn’t bother me but it does. Jealousy creeps through my veins at the thought of another man laying claim to her.