Trauhn: A SciFi Alien Barbarian Romance (Rakui Warriors Book 1) Read online
Trauhn: A SciFi Alien Barbarian Romance
Rakui Warriors - Book 1
Lena Grey
Juno Wells
Copyright © 2020 by Lena Grey
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Introduction
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
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Introduction
On Earth, 12 female college students board the starship Educator for A Year of Interstellar Education. Crash landing on a primitive planet inhabited by barbarian aliens was not on their itinerary…
Once our bonding is complete, Ken-zee will be mine forevermore.
When the sky crackles with lights, sounds and colors, and small wingless flyers soar to the ground, I pray they contain blessings that will save our tribe. A small, shapely female emerges from one of the flyers and I know in my heart she is mine. The gods have answered my prayers, sending salvation from the heavens. My mate has arrived in the wingless flyer and she is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.
The golden-skinned barbarian thinks I’m his mate.
Trauhn is everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. He’s fierce, handsome and protective, and worships the ground I walk on. He’s also a huge, scaled alien who makes my heart race and my body tremble. When we’re attacked by a rabid pack of wolf-bats, he’s ready to sacrifice his own life to save mine. I’d be a fool to push Trauhn away. But staying with him means giving up the only way of life I’ve ever known.
Trauhn is the first alien barbarian romance in the Rakui Warriors series. This human-alien love story has danger, action and lots of steam. Each book is a complete romance, although there is a continuing story line that unfolds throughout the series.
Chapter 1
Kenzie
“That concludes our unit on the Telluk species anatomy and physiology. Any questions before we move on to local culture and cuisine?”
“I have a question.” I’m the one student out of 12 who always has questions for the professors. After all, inquiring young minds want to know.
Professor Jacoby sighs. “Yes, Kenzie?”
I bite my lip to stifle a grin. I almost feel bad about what I’m going to ask because Jennifer Jacoby is the nicest and most straight-laced of the four professors aboard the Educator. But hey, we’re all adults, even if we sometimes act like preteen girls. “You talked about the female reproductive cycle, but you didn’t tell us much about the Telluk males. Are they, um, equipped like Terran guys?”
The all-female group of college seniors erupt into laughter and someone in the back of the high-tech classroom calls out, “Yeah, tell us about their junk!”
Professor Jacoby’s face turns splotchy red. “Settle down, ladies. After nearly a month traveling to Tellus II, our first planetary stop, I know everyone is feeling a little antsy.”
“More like horny,” another girl says. It might be Reese. The laughter turns into giggles.
With a tight smile, the professor stands prim and proper until the group is silent again. “Most humanoid alien males are… equipped…similar to human men. The Teluk males, however, have two penile organs and one testicle.”
“They have two cocks?” Jillian blurts out. “Where does the second one go?”
I fist-bump my BFF and cabin mate who’s seated next to me. Jillian has an inquiring mind, too.
Poor Professor Jacoby looks like she’s going to either throw up or pass out. “Well, I, uh--” The professor’s interrupted by a series of loudspeaker beeps that signal an incoming broadcast over the comm system.
Attention students, professors and crew. This is Captain Jaynes speaking. We’re in the direct path of a rapidly forming solar storm and we will be making evasive maneuvers to avoid the worst of it. I need all essential crew to report to the bridge. Everyone else must return to their quarters immediately and strap into their security seats because things may get a little bumpy. Once we’re clear of the storm, morning classes may resume. Captain Jaynes out.
Professor Jacoby claps her hands just as the first bit of turbulence hits, jostling the ship. “All right, ladies, you heard the captain. Everyone out of your seats and, in an orderly fashion, make your way quickly to your quarters. Move, move, move!”
Jillian clutches my arm as we scurry down the corridor toward our cabin while the ship jerks and shudders. “Dear God, please don’t let us die before we find out where that second cock goes.”
I laugh until I see the fear on her pale face. “We’re not going to die, Jilly,” I say with more conviction than I feel, my heart thumping hard in my chest. “The captain knows what she’s doing, and we trained for situations like this.”
Shortly after boarding the North America Sector’s starship for a Year of Interstellar Education–12 planets in 12 months—we had practiced what to do in various emergency scenarios. But I didn’t expect to use what we learned during those training drills. Space travel is supposed to be safer than conventional air travel. At least that’s what we were told.
We were also told it was an honor to be chosen for the Educator’s maiden voyage. All the students on the ship, including me and Jillian, are Interstellar Studies majors on scholarship and in their final year of college. We were selected for a Year of Interstellar Education as part of a new Earth Gov program designed to encourage more young women to choose space-based careers.
I’m not sure why the government picked me for this program. I’m not a techie like Jillian and Jade, a mechanical wiz like Gia or pre-med like Faith. To be honest, I’m just an average student with an interest in space and haven’t mapped out a post-graduation career path.
Spending a year traveling to alien worlds was a dream come true for me. I was even more excited once I found out that Jillian had been chosen for the program, too, and that we’d be cabin mates during the journey.
Although our personalities are very different, Jillian and I have a lot in common and we’ve been best friends since we were old enough to walk and talk. We were both abandoned at a young age by single mothers, had no known relatives and grew up as government wards. We also share a fascination with the stars, space and alien lifeforms.
Until now, the journey from Earth to Tellus II, the planet where the Telluks live, has been uneventful and we’re due to arrive there in just a few days. I hope the solar storm doesn’t delay us.
Outside our cabin, Jillian presses her palm against the sensor. The door slides open and we tumble into the small, dorm-like room just as another burst of turbulence hits, sending us to our knees. We crawl across the cabin floor and pull ourselves into the safety seats.
“I think I should have paid better attention during the safety training,” Jillian says a
s she fumbles with the harness. “Do you know how this works Kenz?”
“Yep, I got it.” My hands shake as I help Jillian strap in. Then I secure my harness by looping the straps over my shoulders and clipping it securely between my legs. Movement draws my eyes toward the cabin’s small porthole window. “Holy shit, Jillian. Look at that.”
Outside the porthole is a stunning kaleidoscope of color and light. Chaotic flares of red, orange, green and yellow flash outside the window in an ever-changing pattern of randomness as the ship hurtles through space.
“It’s beautiful,” Jillian says, awed.
“And deadly,” I respond softly, mesmerized by view. Despite all the man-made distractions on the ship, like vids, music and gaming, I prefer gazing at the natural beauty of the stars. I’ve never seen anything like the solar storm surrounding the ship.
“Deadly?” Jillian nudges my arm. “I thought you said we’re not going to die.”
“The Educator is solid. We’ll be fine.” As if to contradict my words, the ship whips around, throwing us outward against the harnesses.
Paling, Jillian grips the arms of her seat. “What if we aren’t fine?”
“We will be,” I insist.
“But what if we aren’t? What if this is it? The death of our hopes and dreams…our young lives tragically ended by a freak, cosmic storm.”
The thought gives me a queasy stomach. “Uh, Jilly, can we talk about something else?”
“Sorry.” Jillian shifts in her seat and tugs at the uncomfortable harness. “I’ll change the subject. What would be your biggest regret if the ship suddenly explodes into a deadly blaze?”
“That’s changing the subject?”
Jillian shrugs. “That’s all I’ve got. So go on, answer the question.”
I stare out at the storm while thinking about what to say. “I guess my answer would be that I’ve never really been in love.”
“You’ve had lots of boyfriends, Kenzie. What about Ben? You two were together for over two years.”
“That wasn’t love. Not the kind I’m looking for, anyway.”
“And what kind is that?”
“The heart-pounding, panty-melting, can’t-live-without-you kind.”
Jillian laughs. “That’s called lust. Trust me, I know.”
“Well, I could never love a guy like Ben who puts his own needs before mine.”
“He cheated on you.”
“He did cheat on me, which proved beyond a doubt that his needs were more important than mine.”
“What kind of guy could you fall in love with?” Jillian asks.
I glance over at her with stars in my eyes. “Hmmm…let’s see. How about a strong and sexy alpha male type who worships the ground I walk on…makes me the center of his universe…who might even die for me. You know, the kind of guy who’s the total opposite of Ben. He could even be from another planet.”
Jillian laughs. “You’re describing the heroes from those silly romance vids we’ve been watching on Sunday afternoons. The ones where an average, everyday Terran woman gets swept off her feel by a beefy alien sex god, they encounter some sort of danger where he saves her life, then they bone before living happily ever after.”
“They’re not silly,” I argue. “They’re romantic.”
Jillian rolls her eyes. “The people in those vids are actors, Kenzie. They’re playing out a fantasy. Relationships like that don’t happen in real life.”
“Sure they do. Remember the story about that Terran woman who was captured by alien sex slavers? She ended up falling for the big green guy who led the rescue effort to save her life.”
“Who could forget it?” Jillian scrunches up her face. “It was the 24/7 new story for weeks.”
“Well, I saw a story update awhile back that said the couple now has two kids with one more on the way and couldn’t be happier. Unlike certain Terran men, most alien species commit to their partner for life and the men would never cheat on the women they love.”
“So that’s why you were so excited for this trip,” Jillian teases. “You’re hoping to bag a hot, alien husband.”
I laugh, although she isn’t wrong. Sure, I’m looking forward to the educational aspects of the program. But all 12 planets on the tour have intelligent life. If I meet an alien who sweeps me off my feet, I’m not opposed to settling down and popping out a few kids while living happily ever after light years from Earth.
“What about you?” I ask Jillian. “What would be your regret?”
“Since everyone I’ve ever cared about or trusted has abandoned me, present company excluded, I guess my regret would be that I never got the chance to fuck an alien.”
I laugh. Jillian’s always thinking about sex. “Be serious.”
“I am. You’ve got your fantasy and I’ve got mine. How hot would it be to sleep with a guy who has two cocks or four arms? Do you know what a guy with four arms could do?”
“What could a guy with four arms do, Jilly?”
“A whole damn lot, that’s what. You’ve heard the rumors of how good Quamts are with their hands. All four of them.”
I had heard the rumors. “And what if you fell hard for a four-handed Quamt?”
Jillian grins. “I just might reconsider my stance on happily ever after.”
“You make settling down with someone you love sound like a compromise.”
“What can I say, Kenzie? I’m a realist. The odds of falling in love with an alien are slim. But the odds of fucking one?” Jillian waggles her perfectly arched brows. “Very, very high.”
“Sounds to me like you’re prepared to jump on the first alien cock that comes your way.”
“Hey, I do have some standards,” Jillian says with feigned offense. “It’s not like I’d fuck a Gortu. They don’t even have arms.”
Another burst of severe turbulence hits. This one is so strong we’re pulled away from our seats, straining against the harnesses that keep us from flying across the cabin.
Jillian screams. “Oh God. I take it back. If we get out of this alive, I’m fucking the first alien that looks at me twice, even if it is a Gortu!”
The ship’s lights flicker before going out and coming back on, and a worrisome chill crawls up my spine. The ship is operating on auxiliary power now. Not good.
Scratchy, low quality beeps broadcast over the comm system, signaling a message from the captain.
This is Captain Jaynes speaking. We’ve taken multiple direct hits and the ship has suffered critical damage. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill.
The captain’s voice keeps cutting out, making it hard to understand what she is saying. I reach out and grab Jillian’s hand while we wait for the rest of her message.
I have initiated Evacuation Protocol Red. Professors should secure their teaching materials before evacuating. Students should immediately begin preparations for evacuation via the escape pods. Countdown to auto-launch will begin momentarily. It’s been a pleasure serving you. God bless and God speed. Captain Jaynes out.
Chapter 2
Kenzie
I unbuckle my harness and help Jillian do the same as the ship’s robotic countdown sounds over the comm system.
Prepare for evacuation. Auto-launch sequence to begin in ten minutes.
“Hurry,” I urge. “We need to get our survival suits on and grab our packs. We also need our tracking beacons. Without them, Alliance Interstellar Security won’t be able to find us. We should grab our tablets, too.”
“Right. I’m glad you remember what to do because my mind has gone blank.” Jillian follows my lead. “I don’t know how you’re staying so calm when I’m freaking the fuck out.”
I’m just as scared as Jillian, but if we want to make it to the launch deck in time, someone needs to keep a clear head. I push a button on the wall panel and doors to a hidden closet reveal two full-body survival suits. “Let’s get these on.”
Jillian nods but doesn’t move. I take her by the shoulders and give
her a little shake. “We have to hurry, Jilly. This is not a drill.”
“Yeah. Right.” She snaps out of her panicked stupor and springs into action.
We help each other get into the suits, fasten our respirator helmets and attach our survival backpacks. The shiny, heat resistant, high-tech suits are bulky and ugly, but at times like this, fashion takes a back seat to survival.
“Beacons,” Jillian says. She slides one into the right breast pouch of my suit before doing the same with hers.
Auto-launch sequence to begin in eight minutes.
“Grab your tablet and let’s go,” I say. “We need to get to the launch deck.”
“Wait,” Jillian snaps back, as if she forgot something. Her voice sounds weird coming through the respirator helmet. “I need to go to the tech room first.”
“There’s no time for that!” My voice is urgent.
“I’ll be quick, I promise. You go ahead and I’ll meet you at the pod.”
“What’s so important in the tech room that you’d risk your life to get it?”
“A comprehensive planetary database that Jade and I have been working on. If we’re going to be ejected into space and sent to an unknown planet, the information could help us survive.”
“It won’t help us survive if you don’t make it to the pod in time. Let’s go.”
Auto-launch sequence to begin in seven minutes.
“I’m not leaving without it, Kenz, and we’re wasting valuable time arguing about it. Get to the pod and I’ll meet you there.”