Slag: Book Four in the Galaxy Pirates Alien Abduction Romance Series (Shifter) Read online

  Slag

  Galaxy Pirates Alien Abduction Romance Series

  Book 4

  By

  Alana Khan

  Copyright

  Slag: Book 4 in the Galaxy Pirates Alien Abduction Romance Series

  www. Alanakhan.com

  © 2021 Alana Khan

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

  The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

  Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Cover by Elle Arden

  For permissions contact: [email protected]

  Acknowledgements

  Special thanks to Dr. Lee, my developmental editor who comes up with great feedback from big ideas to the minutiae that makes the manuscript so much better. Also to Lady Susan C. whose kickass ideas are always good and always up the heat factor. As always thanks to my daughter—now a published author in her own right as Amarra Skye--who helps me plot every single book and tolerates my late night and early morning phone calls (well, tolerates it most of the time). Let me not forget my right-hand person Stephanie A., who helps immeasurably with so many day-to-day details I’d go bonkers without her. Oh, and this is her favorite book—thanks Steph.

  My Alpha, Beta, and ARC teams let me know when things work, and when they don’t. Special thanks to: Anne-Marie S., Lori L., Sue P., Vedece B., Mary B., Kaye S., Corda A., Shannon B., Mary S.,

  Want to join my early-reading teams? Sign up for my newsletter and let me know.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  WarDog

  Who’s Who

  Glossary

  Dear Reader,

  The books in this series are meant to be read as standalones. The Galaxy Gladiators and Galaxy Pirates have managed to intertwine in this book. If you’re wondering, this book begins BEFORE Wrage: Book 11 in the Galaxy Gladiators Alien Abduction Romance Series, and ends AFTER it.

  Need a refresher on Who’s Who? Click this link to review your favorite heroes and heroines.

  Prologue

  Ten years ago . . .

  A’Zul

  “You look so much like your father,” my mother says, a loving smile on her face, her fingers cupping my cheek. “So handsome, with the same golden skin and long gold braid. I wish he was here to see this, the most important day of your life.” There’s a wistful look on her face, but she banishes it and forces a smile.

  She’s right. I’ve waited my whole life for today, it’s not the time for sadness.

  I’ll walk into the temple a boy, a person with a single form. When I leave I’ll be a shifter. Worry and excitement stole my sleep last night because I have so many hopes and dreams riding on this day.

  Today is my eighteenth birthday. It’s when my people become li’rah. We are able to shift into a new form after the priest performs the ceremony. My people transform into creatures of the land, sea, or air. The most common form is the horse. Some rare individuals shift into dragons. But one in every generation becomes an az’rah—the spirit of the horse and a dragon as well as a special ability to shift into anything he wants.

  My father was an az’rah. He was destined to lead my people until reapers stole him five rotations ago. Our planet is peaceful, all the tribes coexist. Other than the black beasts from the north, we have no enemies except the reapers who visit our planet and steal the best of us. Sometimes they come two rotations in a row, other times they leave us alone for generations.

  Mother grabs my hand and tugs me through the temple doorway. Almost everyone in the village is here, already seated. Many turn to look at me expectantly. I’ve heard the rumors—that I’ll be an az’rah like my father. We’ll know before sunset.

  The high priest motions for me to join him on the dais. He’s in his finest robes; a tall hat of woven reeds from the banks of the Malee River sits on his head.

  I shed my loincloth at his direction, then kneel before him as he chants the prayers and casts the spell. He anoints my head with the sacred water from the source of the Malee River and intones more prayers—praises to the Gods and supplications for their generosity and protection.

  Something shifts inside me. At first, I convince myself it’s my imagination, but soon it can’t be denied. It’s as if a fist around my heart I didn’t know existed has released its hold. Something deep within me is liberated and expands, filling me to bursting.

  I’ve heard stories about this as far back as I can remember, but there’s nothing that can prepare you for the feeling of another moving, breathing, sentient thing inside you.

  My throat tightens as something swirls and grows and cracks open within me. Although I’ve looked forward to this my whole life, this is the first moment I truly believe with my heart and soul that the change will happen.

  My belly cramps. It’s almost like flames are licking at it, but the pain is beautiful. It signifies my metamorphosis.

  “Now, A’Zul,” the priest says as he motions for me to stand. He anoints me again, then leans close and whispers one word in my ear. I’ve been told the word is a unique gift from the Gods that is whispered first to the priest and then to the supplicant. It’s the final step in awakening the animal within me.

  “Kai-Lee,” he says, then walks me to the portal. “You walk through this portal a boy. You return an adult, a shifter. Blessings.”

  No one is allowed into this place except the priest and the supplicant on their shifting day. It’s not an enclosed room, but an outdoor space ringed by eight rectangular pillars. Each column is decorated with a mosaic of an animal on each of its sides, presenting me with many possibilities. But my animal spirit is already alive inside me, it just has to decide when to greet me.

  The already-burning fire inside me ignites into an even hotter flame. Pressure explodes and pain flies along my veins.

  Everything looks different, muted, as I gaze out through larger eyes and look down at my hooves. My muscles continue to spasm for a few moments, and then my change is complete. I’m a golden stallion!

  I walk between two pillars out into the open meadow and lope effortlessly through the tall purple grasses. I jump over large rocks and then press this new body’s limits, running like my life depended upon it. I’ve never felt so free.

  I wade through the stream, up to my knees in the swift-flowing water, then dip my head for a drink. Water never tasted this cool or refreshing.

  As I amble back to the pillars, the fires return. Is it always supposed to hurt like this? I squeal in pain, going down on my front knees, unable to stand.

  Agony burns brightly in my withers until I squeal again. And then wings emerge from my withers, and I realize I’m shifting into a dragon.

  Moments later I sense how to lift myself off the ground and I fly. The feeling is amazing a
s the wind caresses my skin. No, no longer skin, iridescent cobalt scales.

  How many times have I laid on the pale purple grasses, looked up at the birds, and wondered what it would feel like to fly? To drift on the wind currents? This. This is better than I imagined.

  As I circle toward the temple, I see all my tribe spilling out the front door to point to me. I snort at them and fly to inspect the People’s lands.

  We’re bounded by the mountains to the East and the Malee River to the West. The country is lush and purple with rolling hills.

  When I return to the temple, my people will think I’m a dragon shifter, but I’m not. I’m a chameleon like my father—an az’rah. I can shift into anything. It’s truly a gift from the Gods. I can help my people in many ways, from land and sea and air.

  I want to be the best male I can be. I want to lead, if that’s in the stars, but most of all I want to protect.

  Chapter One

  Present Day . . .

  KJ

  Somewhere in the last ten minutes, I lost all hope that I’d wake up from this nightmare. I’d kept up the illusion that this was a bad dream from opening my eyes in a stasis pod, to seeing the boar-faced aliens who abducted me from Earth, to landing on this planet and being force-marched through swirling red sands toward the mansion where I’m standing.

  I can’t keep up my self-delusion any longer, though. Every inch of my exposed skin is stinging from the biting sand, and there’s a point on my spine that aches from where one of the guards thumped me with a laser gun to prod me to move faster.

  The most conspicuous reason of all that I can’t pretend this isn’t happening is the humanoid snake standing less than two feet from me.

  “My new pet has arrived,” he says, circling me. As he appraises me, I do the same. He’s six-feet tall and bipedal. He’s wearing a blue silk Hugh Hefner-esque smoking jacket. His arms are humanoid to an extent, but his black fingernails are sharp as stilettos.

  It’s his head, though, that’s the skeeviest part. It belongs on a cobra. Covered in black scales, there’s a cowling around what I assume are hidden earholes. When he blinks, you can’t see his eyes—they’re so black they’re camouflaged by his scales. It’s only when his reptilian eyes are open and reflect the light that you can tell he has eyes at all.

  All of that is overpowered by his most alarming feature—the teeth. Two elongated canines at least an inch and a quarter long are surrounded by a random assortment of shorter, jagged teeth that most certainly must be classified as lethal weapons.

  He called me a pet, but I have a feeling he has specific uses for me that won’t stray far from the bedroom.

  “Finally. A replacement for It,” he says with disgust. “It!” he bellows.

  A lovely four-armed female with pale opalescent blue skin scurries into the room. She’s naked, her posture is hunched, her eyes downcast. She practically curtsies as she stops in front of him and waits.

  “I’ve grown tired of you. This female will be taking your place. I’m having trouble deciding whether I should let the fighting males in the Pit have you until they use you up, or toss you to the males in the mine.” He taps his pointed black nail on his chin as he deliberates. “I’ll have to think on it.”

  Three of my abductors brought me here at gunpoint. In addition, the snake guy has three armed guards of his reptilian race standing behind him. I don’t see any escape. Glancing at poor It, it’s obvious she wouldn’t be here if there was any way out. Her beautiful skin is marred by bruises and cuts. I don’t think this male is a responsible pet owner.

  “Welcome to planet Rhoid. My name is Sooma Ryone. You will address me as Master. I’m your owner and can do anything I wish up to and including deciding the time and method of your death. You will do exactly as I say or you will be punished.”

  I’ve only been in his presence for a few minutes, but my decision flies at me with immediate clarity.

  No.

  I risk another glance at formerly-beautiful It. She was probably a real person once, in the before times, prior to being subjected to this monster’s horrific attentions. Look what he’s reduced her to. A terrified and scarred obedient punching bag who despite her perfect compliance is being sentenced to what sounds like a fate worse than death in the mines or the Pit.

  Shock, terror, and a bolt of anger swirl through me, but I’ve always been a pragmatist. I don’t have the luxury of rejecting reality. I’m in space, a long way from home with no way back. A walking snake has informed me he owns me.

  As much as I don’t want to believe it, it’s true. I always thought I was strong, but I see with perfect clarity that I don’t have the courage to live through this hell like It has.

  My jaw firms and I make the tiniest nod as I confirm to myself that I don’t wish to play Ryone’s game. My life on Earth was good. I don’t think I was built to live in the harsh reaches of space as someone’s abused pet. I’m ready to check out.

  “No!” I say firmly, assuming one of the six armed males will blast a hole in me. I square my shoulders as I feel a blanket of calm descend over me—I’m ready.

  “That’s what they all say at first,” he cheerlessly informs me, the muscles around his eyes tightening in anger.

  His hand grabs my wrist so fast he has me in his grip before I notice he moved. Pulling my arm toward him, he draws his index fingernail from the inside of my elbow down, ending at my wrist.

  I watch, both fascinated and numb, as a thin red ribbon blooms along the path his nail just took. Turning my arm slowly, almost like an animal on a spit, he makes a series of three more lines, almost perfectly straight, that now stripe my arm. Each pass along my flesh cuts a little deeper, hurting more. The last two are dripping blood down my jeans and forming a small red pool near my left foot.

  “This could go on all day, human. I won’t kill you quickly. I’ll make you suffer. No one is coming to save you. Your planet isn’t capable of space flight, and the Federation turns a blind eye to the human slave trade. I own you. You will do as I say.”

  The growing pain breaks down the numb detachment that has protected me until now. I don’t believe I’ve ever come to such an important decision so quickly or with such finality, but I know what I need to do and I’m prepared to do it.

  I grab his hand and slash his nail against my wrist. Vertically, as he just did, but with every intention to cut deep enough to get the job done. As if from afar, I watch as blood spurts from the gash, bathing my tormentor and myself in thick red liquid.

  “Cunt!” he says as he slaps my cheek with such force my head ricochets to the side and back. I again wonder if this is a dream as blackness descends.

  ~.~

  Shit. I think as I return to consciousness. I’d hoped my stunt would work. I didn’t want to wake up. I’m not built to be anyone’s slave.

  I’m lying on a couch in the living room where I made my suicide attempt. My cuts are bandaged and six laser pistols are aimed at me. The room vibrates as the ground shakes, glass tinkling in the chandelier overhead. A small earthquake?

  “Sir,” one of Ryone’s snakelike guards calls, “she’s awake.”

  My captor stalks into the room, now dressed in a different silken jacket, blood-red this time. Leaning over me, he slaps my cheek so hard white dots dance in my field of vision.

  “If I hadn’t already paid more than you’re worth, I would have let you die. As it is, I’ve got a creative means to bring you to heel.

  “I’m going to throw you in the mine where you’ll be used by whoever wants you. It’s a pity, when you emerge your . . . working parts will never be quite as tight as I enjoy. But you will be compliant.

  “It won’t be all fun and games for you, I’m afraid. In addition to your nightly duties servicing the entire unwashed crew of miscreants and barbarians, you’ll be expected to mine your share of green salt ore. Since you’re going to need that left arm to produce the ore I demand, I’ve had my staff treat you with medication and cover your arm in pl
as-film. Your arm will be healed in an hour and the film will dissolve. I expect full production or you’ll taste the guards’ lash for every dextan you come up short.

  “The radiation from the ore will take years off your life, but that’s of no concern to me. It takes years off the end of your life. I’ll have replaced you with someone who pleases me more and you’ll be long gone from my household by then. I guarantee if you make it out of the mine alive you’ll return above ground a much more cooperative pet. Perhaps even eager.”

  A guard prods me out of the well-appointed living room and outside into the gusting red sand that stings my flesh. I trot in stunned disbelief to keep up with the contingent of six armed guards escorting me on the three-hundred-yard walk to the mine.

  My mind searches in vain trying to figure out a way to escape as I force down the terror that clenches every muscle in my body.