Alien Selection Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Other Titles

  Alien Selection

  An Alien Invasion Story

  Honey Phillips

  Copyright © 2019 by Honey Phillips

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author.

  Disclaimer

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by Pro Book Covers Studio

  Edited by Nikki Groom @ Indie Hub Editing Services

  Chapter One

  T’saran brought his cloaked flyer in low over the Earth city, neither surprised nor concerned when his presence remained undetected. He shook his head, his horns almost brushing the top of the small vessel. These humans deserved their fate with their careless approach to security. Even in his short flight, he had detected multiple weak points and opportunities for the fleet. But that was not why he was here.

  He shook his head again, still disturbed by his assignment. Commander T’ngorzul’s order violated every established precedent for an exploratory mission. While it was true that the Yehrin always took blood and genetic samples from the dominant species on each planet that they conquered, they were not in the habit of removing any members of that species. Until today, T’saran had thought it was a forbidden act, but he was not about to risk his new commission by objecting when the commander gave him his orders.

  It had taken him three years after that first incident on Ihana to work his way back to Junior Officer, and another three before he had regained enough honor to be chosen by Commander T’ngorzul for this mission. Admittedly, despite his wealth and prestigious family name, T’ngorzul was not held in the highest esteem by many members of the Yehrin fleet, but he had raised T’saran to the rank of Officer. Hopefully, by the time the invasion was ready, he would have achieved enough status to transfer to another command.

  He landed the vessel on the roof of a row of commercial businesses. As he stepped out of the flyer, his nose wrinkled with distaste. The smell of fossil fuels laid heavily in the air, along with the odors of grease and garbage and unwashed bodies. These humans desperately needed Yehrin intervention before they destroyed their planet and drowned in their own filth. He used his wrist device to cloak himself, then leaned over the edge of the roof to survey his surroundings.

  The rain beat down steadily, obscuring his vision, but he could see two human males gathered in the back corner of the alley below. For a moment, he couldn’t see what they were doing, but then one of them moved slightly and he could see that they were looming over a slight figure—a slight female figure. Just as he processed that realization, he saw a knife flash and a muffled scream reached his sensitive ears. They were abusing the female? With a roar, he sprang into action.

  With a weary sigh, Lauren stuffed her apron in her battered tote bag and punched the time clock.

  “I’m leaving, Manny,” she called to the cook. He didn’t even bother to grunt a response and she wondered yet again why she bothered. Because my daddy always insisted that I treat my elders with respect, she thought bitterly—whether they deserved it or not.

  A cold rain misted the alley as she stepped out of the rear door. She shivered and pulled her threadbare jacket tighter around her neck with a wistful regret for the warm coat she’d had last winter. Of course, the coat had come with a high price tag—her self-respect. As a cold trickle ran down her neck, she couldn’t help but wonder if she would still be willing to pay that price. If Adam called tomorrow and told her to come back, would she go? Between her father and her ex-husband, she’d never had much practice in saying no.

  Still lost in her self-pity, she didn’t notice the shadows at the entrance to the alley until it was too late. Two men were standing there, one on each side. She recognized the one on the right, leaning back against the wall in a seemingly casual pose, a cigarette dangling from his lip. He’d been in the diner earlier, watching her way too closely.

  She clutched her tote—all it contained besides her apron were her meager tips and the small wallet that contained her license, but she needed those few dollars to buy groceries. She debated running back to the diner, but the lock always stuck, and she didn’t think she’d have time to get the door open. Maybe they were just taking shelter under the overhang, out of the rain that was steadily increasing, she thought optimistically, even though the tremor in her hands and the sick feeling in her stomach argued otherwise.

  Ducking her head to avoid looking at them, she scurried forward. She almost made it past them, when a hand clamped down on her arm.

  “What’s your hurry, sugar?” Even though she didn’t look up, she knew it was the one from earlier.

  “I… I have to get home. To my husband,” she added in a rush. “He’s waiting for me.”

  “Nah. You ain’t got no ring on those skinny fingers.”

  “I can’t wear it at work.” Her voice was trembling so hard she could barely understand herself. She tried to slip away from his grasp, but his hand immediately tightened, forcing a weak cry from her mouth before she bit her lip. Crying out had always encouraged Adam.

  “Don’t you be lying to me, sugar. You’re not gonna like me when I’m angry.”

  The image of the Hulk flashed through her head, and she had a half hysterical impulse to laugh.

  “Please. Just let me go.” Damn, her determination never to beg again had deserted her. Her hands shaking, she offered him her bag. She could get by without groceries for another day. “Do you want my tote? You can have it.”

  His friend grabbed it out of her hand, then tossed it away with a casual disdain that made her heart thump.

  “Nah. Not interested. What’d you make today? Ten bucks?” He shook his head, and pulled her up against his body, close enough that she could feel his erection. Her body turned to stone. “I got a better idea. See, Nick here is from outta town. He doesn’t like the local girls. Afraid he’s gonna catch something.”

  He lowered his head, the smell of cigarettes and stale beer sickening. “But you, sugar? Why I’m bettin’ you ain’t hardly been touched at all.”

  “Come on, Jeb,” Nick said impatiently. “Let’s get her back in the alley before she starts screaming or something.”

  “Ain’t no one around in this weather to hear.” Jeb laughed, and ran a slimy tongue up her neck. “‘She ain’t gonna scream anyway, are you, sugar? Someone taught this little mouse her place.”

  Screaming…Why wasn’t she screaming? Because he was right, it had never helped. Still, she parted her trembling lips and tried to take a breath in preparation. That’s when she felt the point of a knife against her ribs.

  “Not the time to be forgettin’ that lesson, little mouse. Now we’re gonna try and find a dry spot and you’re gonna do whatever we say, right, sugar?”

  She desperately wanted to say no, to fight and scream and claw, but she was paralyzed with fear. And maybe, maybe if she didn’t fight, they wouldn’t hurt her. Neither her daddy nor Adam had been quite so
hard on her when she gave in to them.

  While she was still wrestling with herself, Jeb had taken her silence for agreement and started dragging her back down the alley. When they passed the diner door, she thought about screaming again, but Manny wouldn’t be able to hear her through the thick fire door. And even if he did hear, she had no faith that he would try to intervene.

  Jeb reached the end of the alley and pushed her under the slight overhang which covered the loading dock for the small Korean grocery store next door.

  “Ain’t the Hilton, but good enough for scratchin’ that itch, right, Nick?”

  “She don’t look like much,” Nick said dismissively.

  Why were those the words that had tears stinging her eyes? Because she’d heard them so often? Her daddy had said the same thing when he gave her to Adam—she don’t look like much but she’s quiet and obedient and a fair cook. You could do worse.

  Jeb laughed. “Hell, boy. You ain’t interested in her face. I checked her out earlier. Taller than I like and kinda skinny, but the parts are all there.”

  With a cruel strength that made her pulse race, he ripped open her coat, then tore open the top of her uniform to reveal her shabby white bra.

  “Tits are kinda small,” Nick drawled, but he stepped closer. Both of them were looming over her now, and she watched in horror as he ran his obscene red tongue over his lips.

  “Hell, if you don’t want her, that’s your problem. My dick’s hard and she’s here. Good enough for me.”

  “Fuck, no. You said I could have her first.” Nick reached forward and grabbed her breast, squeezing her nipple until she whimpered. His eyes lit up and he did it again. “Oh, yeah. I like it when they cry. You sure no one’s gonna hear?”

  “Shit, no one’s around. And her boss ain’t comin’ out. I slipped him a twenty to leave out the front.”

  Manny had sold her out for twenty bucks? She shouldn’t be surprised but that didn’t stop the tears from trickling down her cheeks. Nick leaned forward and licked them.

  “Nothin’ sweeter than a woman’s tears.”

  “Get on with it, man. I wanna get home to my old lady before she starts bitchin’.” Jeb had his pants open and was casually palming his penis.

  Bile rose in her throat and she choked.

  “Don’t you do it, bitch.” Nick slapped her face with a casual brutality that did nothing to soften the impact. “The only choking you’re gonna do is around my dick.”

  “That’s more like it.” Jeb had moved closer, too, and he ran his knife between her breasts, slicing her bra open and leaving a thin trail of blood. “How about I fuck her mouth while you take her cunt? Or I could have a go at that tight little ass.”

  As his words penetrated, she tried to back away but found only unforgiving concrete behind her. Even Adam had never gone that far.

  “Oh, yeah. Look at her wiggle. Bet that’s a virgin ass.”

  “I want it,” Nick growled.

  “You wanted her cunt. I get her ass.”

  The two men glared at each other and, for a moment, she prayed they would turn on each other. Instead, Jeb laughed and slapped Nick’s back.

  “Fuck, we’ll both get a turn. I’m gonna start with her mouth.” He turned back to her. “On your knees, sugar. The wetter you get me, the easier it’s gonna be on that virgin ass.”

  All she could do was stare at him in paralyzed horror. The fake good nature left his face. “I said on your knees, bitch.”

  Nick’s hand tightened on her breast, agonizing on the already aching flesh. “Better listen, mouse.”

  “N… no.” Her voice was barely loud enough to be heard over the rain.

  “What’d you say? You ain’t tellin’ me no.” Jeb’s knife was at her throat. “I didn’t wanna hurt you, but you fight me, it’s gonna go a lot worse for you.”

  His knife traced down her neck and circled her nipple. “Are you gonna fight me?”

  Sobs tumbled out of her throat. “N… no.”

  “Good mouse. But just to remind you…” He slashed the knife across her breast in a searing line and a scream erupted from her lips before she could choke it back. Both men laughed, then Jeb’s hand was on her shoulder, forcing her down. When his grasp suddenly disappeared, her feet slipped out from under her and her head slammed back against the concrete. She collapsed in a dazed heap, the world spinning.

  She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. Was that Jeb, suspended from the hand of a giant stranger? Not just a stranger, but a monster with glowing purple eyes… and horns? She was still trying to process that thought when the monster threw Jeb across the alley. She heard the crack before his body slumped to the ground, head at an awkward angle.

  “Wait,” Nick said frantically. “We was just havin’ some f—”

  He didn’t finish the last word before the monster’s sword flashed, and Nick’s head went rolling down the alley. A spray of hot liquid covered her cheek. Her fingers instinctively went to the spot and when she drew her hand back, she could tell, even in the dim light of the alley, that it was blood.

  The monster stepped forward, and she tried to shrink back against the rough concrete.

  “Come,” he said in a deep rumbling voice as he held out his hand. She stared at it. Three fingers, not four, tipped by long black claws. She had to be hallucinating.

  He knelt before her, still holding out his hand.

  “Come,” he repeated softly. “Safe.”

  Safe? Nowhere was safe. But she looked at the hand waiting so patiently, into those strange purple eyes watching her so intently, and for the first time in a very long time, she wanted to believe.

  “Safe,” she whispered. And she put her hand in his.

  Chapter Two

  T’saran stared down at the small fingers trembling in his. He should have been repulsed—there were too many and they were capped by pale, useless little nails—but instead, a surprising satisfaction surged through him. She did not need claws. He would protect her.

  He lifted her very gently to her feet, but despite his care, her face paled. She tried to raise her other hand to her head before starting to collapse. He caught her as she fell but she had lost consciousness. The wound on her breast was ugly, but it should not have made her faint. Frantically, he checked the rest of her body, then swore when he found the bleeding gash at the back of her head. Head wounds were tricky things—he needed to get her to the ship and medical care immediately.

  Placing her carefully against one shoulder, he climbed rapidly back up the rickety metal stairs which led down from the roof. When he entered the ship, he swore again. The only seating was his pilot chair. The only other alternative was the cage that had been intended to hold a female retrieved for Commander T’ngorzul’s examination. He was not going to be pleased when T’saran returned with this wounded female instead.

  T’saran decided he didn’t care. Rather than place his female in the cage, he cradled her gently against him as he piloted the ship off the roof. As soon as they were clear of the city, he set the auto-pilot, then turned his attention to the female in his arms. Her hair was confined in a tight knot, but long damp strands had escaped. Pushing away the soft brown locks aside, he was struck by her delicate beauty. Her skin was a pale tan, smooth and silky over high cheekbones, a straight little nose, and a lush, soft mouth. One cheek was discolored and he checked it carefully, angry at the injury but relieved that it was merely bruised. Now that he was touching her, he couldn’t resist running a finger along her full bottom lip. As he did, her eyes fluttered, opening for a brief second.

  As he stared into the deep brown pools, an unanticipated feeling of connection clicked into place. Her eyes went wide, but she didn’t look afraid, merely returning his stare with dazed intensity. Before he could speak, her lids came down and she drifted into unconsciousness once more. He swore and increased the speed on the auto-pilot.

  Remembering her other wound, he unwrapped the threadbare coat and ripped clothing he had wrapp
ed around her. He growled at the sight of the gash across her breast, but it was only bleeding sluggishly and he would wait for Medic S’kran to tend to it. Bruises were already starting to form around one nipple and the dusky peak was swollen and distended. He regretted having killed those human animals so quickly. To treat a female this way… The planet was in desperate need of Yehrin intervention.

  But despite his anger at the men, and despite his concern about her condition, his cock still responded to the sight of her half-naked body. Even with the damage, her breasts were tempting little mounds and her slender limbs were long and graceful. Although…he ran a careful finger down her ribcage and swore again. His female was too thin—no one had been caring for her. Another thing he would remedy as soon as they were on board his ship.

  Ignoring his aching cock, he cradled her against his chest for the rest of the short trip, unexpectedly content just to have her in his arms and know that she was safe now.

  As soon as he was far enough away from the planet to avoid accidental detection by Earth monitoring systems, he sent a quick message asking Medic S’kran to meet him at the landing dock. Unfortunately, when he carried his precious burden out of the flyer, he found not only S’kran, but Commander T’ngorzul waiting for him.

  “That was a rapid trip,” T’ngorzul said, surveying the woman in his arms with a raised brow.

  “Yes, sir. My… this female was in danger and I had to rescue her. She was wounded in the process, so I brought her here for medical care.”

  “I did specify a healthy female, did I not?” The silky tone did not disguise the commander’s annoyance.

  Every instinct went on alert. Even though he was unsure as to T’ngorzul’s exact plans, he did not want this female to be part of them. “I did not bring her for your testing, sir. I can obtain another specimen.”

  T’ngorzul waved a hand. “She is here now. Assuming she lives, she will do.”