A Warrior's Heart: Marastin Dow Warriors Book 1.1

A Warrior’s Heart

Marastin Dow Warriors

S.E. Smith

Contents

Acknowledgments

Copyright

Synopsis

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

Epilogue

Sample of Command Decision

Sample of Lily’s Cowboys

Sample of Choosing Riley

Sample of Ha’ven’s Song

Additional Books and Information

About the Author

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my husband Steve for believing in me and being proud enough of me to give me the courage to follow my dream. I would also like to give a special thank-you to Sally, Debbie, Julie, Jolanda, Jackie, and Narelle, who listen to me, read my stories, and encourage me to be me.

And a special thanks to Paul Heitsch, David Brenin, Samantha Cook, Suzanne Elise Freeman, and PJ Ochlan—the awesome voices behind my audiobooks!

—S. E. Smith

Science Fiction Romance

A WARRIOR’S HEART: MARASTIN DOW WARRIORS BOOK 1.1

Copyright © 2014 by S. E. Smith

First E-Book Published February 2014

Cover Design by Melody Simmons

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.

All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations are strictly coincidental.

Summary: Two human brothers, kidnapped and sold by an alien trader, discover love in the most unusual place when they meet two sisters fighting to stay alive among their own kind.

ISBN: (Paperback) 978-1-942562-89-4

ISBN: (eBook) 978-1-942562-33-7

Published in the United States by Montana Publishing.

{1. Science Fiction Romance. – Fiction. 2. Science Fiction – Fiction. 3. Paranormal – Fiction. 4. Romance – Fiction. 5. Alien Romance – Fiction.}

www.montanapublishinghouse.com

Synopsis

Only the most ruthless Marastin Dow are allowed to live, and Evetta and Hanine have murdered enough of their own to stay alive, but they desperately want a different life. When they meet two human brothers fighting for their lives, the sisters are in agreement: this alliance could be their only chance.

Ben and Aaron Cooper’s lives have never been easy. Deserted by their mother and raised by a drunken father, each day on their Kansas farm was its own kind of test. Life dealt them a horrendous twist, however, when they were kidnapped by an alien trader and sold. The next fifteen years proved to be the most challenging of their lives. They did what they had to in order to survive, but now that their freighter is being attacked by a particularly blood-thirsty species, it seems like their time might truly be coming to an end.

There is only one thing these warrior women can do to save them… run!

Chapter One

W hat do you think will happen now? Aaron Cooper asked as he leaned his head back against the cold metal wall of their prison cell. Do you think this might be the end? Do you think they’ll kill us?

I don’t know, Ben replied grimly, looking over his shoulder at his younger brother. I’ve heard some nasty things about this species.

Hell, heard! You saw what they did to the rest of the crew on the freighter, Aaron said tiredly. Maybe it is just as well. I’ve given up hope of ever making it back to Earth.

Ben didn’t say anything. What could he say? He had lost hope of ever seeing Earth again years ago. He might only be sixteen months older than Aaron, but he was always more pessimistic about life than his brother.

Life had never been easy for them. Their mother deserted them and their father shortly after Aaron was born. If that wasn’t bad enough, their father began drinking so much that by the time they were old enough to open a box of cereal they were pretty much on their own. Then the unbelievable happened. They were kidnapped by an alien slave trader from the Kansas farm where they lived.

It has been almost ten years since that day. He was fourteen and Aaron twelve at the time. They were repairing barbed wire fencing along one of the less used fields when they were taken. Their dad was supposed to do the work, but he was too drunk to get his ass out of bed. Ben drove the old pickup truck and he, along with Aaron, did the work instead of their father. It was the only way to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, though they spent more time hungry than fed.

If they thought life was hard before, it became brutal for the first five years after they were taken. It wasn’t until the captain of the last freighter won them in a game of chance that things changed slightly for the better. Life still hadn’t been easy, but at least they were able to scrape a little bit of a normal life together.

Ben convinced every one of their previous owners that he and Aaron must stay together or they would die. It was the only thing he could think of to keep them together. Since their species hadn’t been seen before, it had worked.

They had spent the last five years working on the freighter; cooking, cleaning and doing repairs. The captain even let them have a few credits from the sale of the illegal merchandise that he carried. They saved every credit in the hopes of buying their freedom or escaping, whichever came first.

That dream came to an end when the freighter was attacked. All of the crew members were killed except for him and Aaron. He didn’t know why. Maybe it was because the Marastin Dow, a Spartan type species, according to what they learned over the years, had never seen a human before. Or, it could be because the purple bastards wanted to have fun as they killed them. He didn’t know, and truthfully, he was at the point he didn’t give a damn anymore.

Aaron stood up when the door leading down to the prison cells, opened. A large Marastin Dow male walked up to their cell door. He looked Ben up and down before turning his gaze to Aaron.

Do you understand me? The male asked gruffly.

Yes, Ben replied.

You will not fight. You will do what you are told. Do you understand? The male stated.

Yes, Ben replied again.

What are you going to do to us? Aaron asked.

The male looked at Aaron. You will work. You will keep your head down. And you will live if you are careful. Do not trust anyone unless I say you can. Most of the crew would sooner slit your throat for the fun of watching you die than help you. If you do as I tell you, you might live long enough to get off this ship alive, the man explained in an emotionless voice.

Why? Ben asked, puzzled. Why don’t you just kill us like you did the rest of the crew?

The man shrugged and briefly looked away. I saw that you were different, he said quietly. I saw the way you protected the younger one. You did not try to push him in front of you so you could escape. I want to learn more about you and your species. In exchange for information, I will do what I can to protect you both.

Why? Ben asked again, pressing the male standing in front of him. Why do you want to know more about us?

The man stared taciturnly back at Ben. I am a scientist. I study other species. I believe there are other ways to… live. I want to know… learn about them. Others of my kind want it as well. You will give me the information I need.

For how long? Aaron interrupted. How long will you protect us?

The man finally sighed. For as long as I can or until someone on this warship decides to kill me, he stated in resignation. I am the Chief Science Officer. If someone else desires my position, my life expectancy significantly drops.

Then I guess we better make sure that you have someone watching your back as well, Ben said quietly. My name is Ben Cooper, by the way. This is my brother, Aaron.

The male looked at the hand Ben was holding out through the metal bars. He looked back at Ben’s face for several long seconds before he hesitantly held out his own hand. He started when Ben shook it and released it.

That is called a handshake, Ben explained. You said you wanted to learn more about our species. Here’s your first lesson. Humans shake hands as a way of greeting each other.

The man looked at his hand, turning it over to stare at his palm before his dark eyes rose to study Ben and Aaron. "My name is Behr De’Mar, Chief Science Officer of the warship Disappearance. It is best until you learn your way around that you stay on the levels I tell you. Those levels have crew that I trust and that is not an easy thing to find among the Marastin Dow."

Four years later:

Aboard the Marastin Warship Disappearance

Evetta Marquette, Engineer Technician First Class, scowled at the large male who was crowding her in the deserted corridor. She seldom ventured far from her assigned post in engineering when she was working; today had been an exception. In fact, during the past year she and her sister had been aboard the Disappearance, neither of them went beyond their assigned duty stations or the three upper decks that housed their sleeping quarters, dining and training rooms.

She wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for a faulty sensor that she was ordered to replace. The technician who normally handled such things had been hurt during a fight the night before and was currently in medical receiving treatment. That, unfortunately, left her to repair it since she was the one on duty. Evetta realized the moment she removed the outer protective casing that the sensor had been tampered with. Her suspicion was confirmed when she turned and found a huge male standing behind her.

A sickening feeling washed through her at the malicious grin on his face. Instinctively, she knew there was only one way this situation was going to end – with one of them dead. Raising her chin, she stared back at the male with a hard, cold glare.

Leave, she ordered, staring down at the lower class maintenance worker with a steely gaze.

I’ve been watching you, the large male grinned. I want you.

That is too bad. I have work to do. I also out rank you. I order you to move away, Evetta hissed in a cold voice. I will not tell you again.

Not until I get what I want. Do you think your rank will stop me? I could kill you and take your position, he taunted, rubbing the front of his pants. I hope you like it rough, female. I am looking for some satisfaction, the man continued as he stepped closer. You and the other one that you room with have heated my blood. I have been waiting you for some time. You are not like the other females on board the ship. I like that. When I am done with you, I’ll see if the other one can also help cool my blood, at least for a little while.

I will kill you first, Evetta snarled, stepping back a step until her back was almost touching the wall. You will not touch either of us.

The man just chuckled as he swung his fist toward her jaw. Evetta was prepared. She and her sister trained every available moment for just such a situation. They often tried to sneak up on each other and take the other unaware. It was necessary to be prepared for deceit and violence if they were to survive their mandatory required service in the Marastin Dow military.

Evetta jerked back at the same time as she kicked her booted foot into the male’s groin. She didn’t wait to see his reaction. Pulling out the small metal weight she carried in her pocket, she swung it at the back of his head over and over again when he bent forward.

She didn’t stop even when he fell to his knees and then collapsed on the floor. He would kill her if she didn’t kill him first. With one last blow, she jerked backwards away from the blood pooling on the floor around the dead man. Nausea threatened to choke her, but she swallowed it down. With shaking hands, she cleaned the small metal pipe and as much as she could of the blood on her skin and clothing before she slid the pipe back into her pocket.

She glanced up and around. She did not need to worry about anyone seeing her unless they walked up on her. The Marastin Dow were a bloodthirsty species who killed each other with ease and could care less.

She knew there were those trying to change the Marastin Dow’s way of life. Unfortunately, those still ruling their world believed in the old ways; survival of the fittest. She could only hope there would be changes before too long. She had heard rumors of the rebellion against their leaders. Hopefully this rebellion will stop those who believe in and encourage the bloodbath.

Still, they were just