Kyele's Passion: A World Beyond Book 4 Read online

  Kyele’s Passion

  A World Beyond

  By Michelle Howard

  Published by Michelle Howard

  Copyright © 2016 by Michelle Howard

  Cover Design: www.estrellacoverart.com

  License Notes

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  No part of this book may be distributed in any format, in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

  Thank you for respecting the author's hard work.

  This is a work of fiction and is not a reflection or representation of any person living or dead. Any similarity is of pure coincidence.

  Chapter 1

  “The healer has been summoned, General.”

  General Azar kept his face expressionless while inside his heart raced. “Are the guards present?”

  The soldier nodded. “Yes, sir. As you ordered, we increased security around her room.”

  His tension eased and Azar let out a soundless sigh. “Good. Let me know when the child arrives.”

  The guard clicked his heels and left. Azar paced as soon as he was alone. Nerves kept his muscles tight and anxiety played havoc with his stomach. His men saw him as a strong leader. A man incapable of feeling. Azar didn’t tolerate failures in others. All knew the penalty for disappointing him was death.

  And yet, he had failed as surely as any of the thousands of soldiers under his command. All because of one Earth woman. His pacing led him to the window overlooking the view of his massive courtyard. Several contingent of soldiers practiced maneuvers and their sharp shooting skills. A part of Azar’s mind critiqued their form, but the other part remained on the events taking place down the hall in another wing.

  His sex slave, Victoria, was giving birth to their child. A child that would do what Azar had been unable to do in the nine months since he’d purchased her from a Marenian slaver. Make her stay.

  The phrase repeated in his head like an ill fated mantra. No longer would she run from him. No longer would she try to escape. Because if Azar had learned nothing else over the last few months, he’d learned that the Earthling was passionate about those she cared about. And there was no mistaking the truth he’d discovered. She cared about the baby she carried despite its father. Despite him.

  During her pregnancy Victoria had been meticulous about her health and caring for herself. She didn’t skip meals. Didn’t throw things at him in a fit of temper when he threatened to come to her bed. Which he hadn’t done.

  Azar turned away from the window and headed to the private gym he used in his rooms if he was too restless to be around others. He hadn’t visited Victoria Bastien’s bed since her maid informed Azar of the pregnancy. He’d done everything he could to entice Victoria. Given her gifts, allowed her freedom to roam his home with guards.

  Azar muttered a foul word under his breath. He’d even ordered his cooks to try and recreate Earth meals from holo images.

  But leaving her alone sexually was his latest bid to achieve her affections. Unfortunately when he checked on her or asked how the course of the pregnancy progressed, she looked through him. Her green eyes would glaze over as she retreated somewhere deep inside where he couldn’t follow. If not for the medical professionals assigned to her care, he wouldn’t know anything.

  Azar snarled and tore his uniform from his body. When he was down to his shorts, he went straight to his weight rack and set the pulley for maximum drag. Looping each of his wrists through the handles, he hefted the solid weights. With every push and pull as he worked his muscles, Azar grunted.

  He knew now that he had gone about things the wrong way. Not watching the servant assigned to Victoria when she’d initially arrived was his first mistake. The servant had thought to help Azar with his unwilling slave and dosed her with Climax. He’d had the man executed, but using what he’d learned about her body while she’d been under the influence of those drugs had been Azar’s second mistake. And for a woman as strong and defiant as Victoria that was two mistakes too many.

  His arms strained as he pulled back on the weights sharply, forcing himself to increase his pace as anger boiled over. Azar had never cared about the feelings of the women he took to his bed. Women lusted for him. Lusted for his power. Not Victoria though. His Earthling was the first sex slave he’d ever owned even if it was by accident. But how could he resist?

  When the Marenian paraded her in front of him as a gift, Azar had been entranced with her beautiful dark hair like a starless sky and bright green eyes. Her lush figure had dragged a response from him despite his attempts to remain neutral. Then Azar committed the ultimate offense by doing something he abhorred. Unable to let her be taken away by the vicious Marenians, he accepted the gift of ownership.

  Initially, Victoria had resisted his advances. She failed to respond to his flattery or attempts to converse during the three day journey to his home world. That hadn’t put him off though. The first night they arrived on Spectar, Azar had gone over every detail for their first dinner together with meticulous care. He’d planned to woo her during the meal with stories of his victories in battle. To his surprise and pleasure, Victoria hadn’t resisted him that night. Or the next as he fed his hunger for her body over several of the best weeks of his life.

  Only to discover a servant had laced each of her meals with the aphrodisiac Climax.

  Victoria had caught the guilty servant adding the drug to her food one morning. She’d lashed out. Yelled at the servant. At Azar. Disappointment glittered in her eyes as she threw things at him. Precious gifts he’d given her. She refused future tokens of remorse but had no choice in keeping the others because he threatened anyone who helped her move them.

  The weights strained his muscles as Azar relived the moments that commenced his downfall. He’d been full of himself in those early days. Full of his growing feelings for the Earth woman and so sure she’d realize he had nothing to do with drugging her. When Victoria continued to resist his overtures Azar let anger and pride rule his next actions. He’d used all he’d learned during their time together and seduced her to his bed.

  As a trained soldier he relied on weapons, and his knowledge of her body became a weapon Azar wielded with ruthless intent. Each touch, each stroke and kiss played to all the things he knew Victoria liked. Deep caresses. Gentle strokes. Whispers of adoration. All of it turned her on and had her climaxing in his arms without benefit of any drug. When he pulled back in triumph to smile in her face, tears had slid silently down her cheeks.

  “And now you would rape my mind as you have raped my body,” Victoria said.

  Her words devastated. Azar fell away from her, his body hard and swollen with lust for her because he’d held back his release. For her. Always for her. He made sure not to touch her as he rose to his feet. How could she think he’d ever harm a hair on her head when he loved her? “I gave us what we both wanted.”

  “What you wanted,” she snapped, making no move to cover her glistening body flush with the rosy hue of pleasure. “I will never forgive you.”

  And she hadn’t. The next day she’d attempted her first escape. His soldiers, Lasan and Rison, brought her back, a dark bruise marring one cheek as she met his stare with bold defiance.

  “What happened?” Azar asked calmly as Victoria turned her head away.

  “She attacked me.”

 
Lasan held one arm in an ironclad grip, while Victoria struggled. Rison wasn’t exerting as much pressure on her other arm but his hold was solid as well. Between the two men there was no where for her to run.

  “You couldn’t subdue her, Lasan? One frail woman?” Azar asked, not taking his eyes from the sudden sneer on Victoria’s face. His heart clenched at the visible sign of her hatred for him.

  Lasan smirked and tightened his hold on Victoria’s arm, causing her to wince. “I merely slapped her to get her to cease.”

  “Ah, I see.” Azar drew his weapon and fired his laser directly at Lasan’s head.

  Victoria screamed as the soldier dropped beside her. Azar couldn’t meet her gaze and found it easier to face Rison. “She is mine.”

  Azar waited for Rison’s sharp nod of acknowledgement. “She’s not to be injured. Ever. Make sure everyone knows this or there will be more dead soldiers.”

  “Yes, General.”

  He turned his back on them, unable to face Victoria and her judgment. “Get her back to her room and have someone clean up this mess.”

  “Yes, General.”

  “You monster,” Victoria shouted behind him. “You’re nothing but a monster!”

  He steeled his heart against the pain her words caused. It was a good thing his people thought he had no feelings. If they did, they’d know that he loved a human from Earth who wanted nothing to do with him.

  And he was a monster. At least she had that right.

  ***

  “General. The babe arrived, but both are ill.”

  At the announcement, the past faded away in a blur.

  Azar felt his face drain of color and stared at his healer. The weights clattered back into their holdings while he loosened his hands from the loops. “What do you mean?”

  Victoria was fine. She took care of herself. He’d made sure of it.

  “I’m sorry, General Azar.”

  “Move.” He shoved aside the man and left his room with rapid strides uncaring of his state of dress. He hurried through the halls, turning the corners that lead to the women’s section where he’d had Victoria moved after he’d stopped sleeping with her.

  He entered the room to crying. Two female servants assigned to Victoria’s care during her pregnancy huddled in a corner on the floor, their tears and crying grating on his nerves.

  “Get Out!”

  They jumped but fled without complaint. Victoria moaned. Azar was at her side in an instant, unconcerned with the weakness he revealed by his simple action.

  “What’s wrong with her?” She was pale. Too pale.

  “I don’t know General.” Another healer. This one as useless as the other.

  Azar reached for Victoria’s hand but even in her delirium, she jerked her soft fingers away. His own curled into a fist as pain lanced through his heart. He was a fool. She’d never forgive him for his past mistakes. He glanced around suddenly, the silence of the room sending a chill down his spine.

  No one else was in the room aside from the sniveling healer and himself. No. No, his eyes begged as his gaze turned frantic. She wouldn’t survive this on top of everything else he’d forced on her.

  “Where…where is the baby?” The question came out rough. Choked.

  Their child. The only thing of his that Victoria wanted.

  “The boy is fairing poorly.”

  A son. Azar’s mouth curled. He had a son. Then the words sunk in. “Where is my son!!”

  “I…I, Garron took him away.”

  Was he surrounded by imbeciles? “Bring him back. Now before you kill them both.”

  A mixed race Spectar child could not survive if separated from the mother.

  ***

  2 weeks later

  “Are you well?”

  Victoria forced herself to respond to the man sitting across the table from her though she wanted to slap his face. “I’m fine.”

  “And …our son?”

  “My son,” she emphasized, “is thriving.”

  She hated that her son had this man’s blood in his veins. But she didn’t hate her son. A secret smile curved her lips. Victoria loved Kyele. He gave her a reason to wake every morning even in this hell hole where the General forced her to live. Azar would never let her leave this forsaken world. The people mindlessly did his bidding, the government giving him leeway to do what he wanted. All hail the conquering hero.

  At least, she didn’t have guards anymore. Victoria snorted. Azar didn’t need to guard her now. He had guards on Kyele. The bastard knew she’d never leave her son behind.

  “Victoria.” His voice was soft. The voice he used when he wanted something from her. She hardened her heart against weakening. “Will you ever see me as more than your jailor?”

  “No.” She answered quickly for fear the truth would cause her to hesitate. Because along with her hate, other feelings were growing.

  Victoria had to give him credit. His campaign had been perfectly planned. No drugs, no forced seductions. Giving her gifts and lulling her into a sense of safety were his new MO. And she feared falling for this new side of the General.

  “Then I am sorry for that.” He sighed and stood slowly, the crisp uniform of dark green highlighting his muscular frame.

  The unmasked sadness in Azar’s gaze tugged at her emotions. Why did he have to be so kind? All she’d ever wanted was a husband and family to love. Instead, she’d been kidnapped by aliens and given away as a prize. Victoria blinked back tears as the General left her alone. As soon as the door closed, she left the balcony where he forced her to share breakfast with him each day. As if the small concession would soften the blow of being held against her will.

  She headed down the familiar hall of his home until she reached the nursery and eased the door open. At the gentle cooing that came from the cradle against one wall, her heart lightened. The guard rose to his feet at her approach, hand flying to the ever present weapon at his hip.

  “Madame Victoria, are you well?”

  “Fine, Faan.” Victoria leaned over the rail and lifted Kyele.

  His eyes were green. For now. She wondered if they’d darken or stay the same. He had a full head of black hair, but the ends held a slight curl. From Azar. Victoria’s hair was bone straight no matter what she did to it. Azar’s black waves had curled around her fingers on those nights they’d shared so long ago.

  How did she end up in such a precarious position?

  “I love you,” she whispered in her son’s ear and blinked back tears.

  ***

  Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Victoria soon found herself relaxing. Almost as if accepting this new fate life had given her. Never did she think that signing up for the Singles Program, designed for Earth women to find husbands on alien worlds would result in being snatched and turned into a sex slave.

  Of course she only had one owner. Her gaze strayed toward her open window and the man standing at the front of hundreds of soldiers in the courtyard below. Section by section, row by row, he walked. A nod here or fierce frown there. General Azar of the renowned Spectar army. No one came within miles of the planet for fear of calling down his wrath. Servants talked and apparently none of them considered Victoria a danger. They spoke freely of the battles he won when warring fractions sought to overrun their home world years ago.

  Victoria placed her palm on the window. Not even the Marenians entered the Spectar air space, knowing the General had a reputation for commanding his troops to shoot first and ask questions later. The people hailed him as their greatest leader ever and treated him with an almost obsessive homage.

  Azar singled out one of his men, who stepped forward and saluted crisply. Azar spoke, though, she couldn’t hear the words and two more soldiers joined the first. In the blink of an eye, he pulled the weapon from a holster on his hips and fired in rapid succession. All three men fell.

  Victoria gasped, heart racing. Uniform-clad men came forward and removed the bodies of their slain comrades. No one l
ooked surprised nor moved. Least of all the General who’d taken those lives without hesitation.

  “They betrayed Spectar.”

  She turned at Faan’s voice. The young man designated as Kyele’s guard made no secret of his growing feelings for her. Unfortunately, only one man here made her heart race.

  “What did they do?” she asked.

  Faan steered her away from the window, his hand light on her shoulder. “They sold secrets about strategy formations for one of the flight units. General Azar has already struck them from the records. Those patterns will never be used again in fire fights.”

  Harsh punishment but from what Victoria had seen of the worlds beyond Earth, perhaps it was fitting. Her limited exposure to the Marenians, a race of slavers, was enough to let her know there were horrible places she couldn’t imagine. Worse than Spectar and if possible, worse than Marenia.

  “Would you like to walk?” Faan’s brown eyes lit with hope.

  A walk. Victoria’s lips curled. As if she was a pet. “Why not?”

  But not without her son. She hurried over to the soft mat on the floor where Kyele lay on his back, his foot in his tiny grip. Smiling, she picked him up and smoothed out the yellow one piece he wore. He grinned, a new skill, and patted her cheeks.

  Faan waited at the door, his patience one of the things she appreciated about him. Too bad her heart belonged to a man who didn’t deserve it.

  Through the halls, gazes turned in their direction. Servants nodded, soldiers saluted and many smiled at Kyele. For her their stares contained frustration. They wanted her to acquiesce to their General’s overtures. Everyone knew she didn’t share his bed. A sex slave who didn’t have sex. Her smile was self-deprecating. Victoria didn’t care. It was no secret she didn’t appreciate being kept hostage. A soft, lush jail with all of the amenities was still a jail.

  She and Faan reached the outer courtyard where Azar ran through his daily routines with his men. The air was warm but Victoria still cuddled Kyele closer. She waited with Faan on the outer edges of the field until he deemed it safe and led them forward. Her soft flat shoes kicked up dirt as they crossed a well worn path.