Grim
By M.K. Eidem
Science Fiction Romance
Grim
M.K. Eidem
Copyright © 2013 by Michelle K. Eidem
First E-Book Publication September 2013
Smashwords Edition
Cover Design by Judy Bullard
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
All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitious and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locale, or organizations is strictly coincidental.
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Synopsis
King Grim Vasteri is the strongest and most feared warrior in the Tornian Empire. He is the King of Luda, blood brother to the Emperor and his line will die with him. He will have no offspring for no female would join with him for once he was scarred he was considered 'unfit'. The Tornian Empire has been dying ever since the great infection caused the birth of females to become a rarity. Since then they have been searching the known universes for compatible females. The Emperor's discovery of a compatible female on a slave ship changed that. He'd ordered Grim to find his Empress' home world so more 'unprotected' females could be obtained, knowing Grim would never be allowed to Join with one.
Lisa Miller is a widowed mother of two little girls, Carly and Miki. Her husband died just a year ago, after a long battle with cancer and she misses him immensely. Friends want her to start dating again but in her heart, she knows there isn't a man on the planet she could love like her Mark. Who could love their girls like their own. Therefore, she'll stay alone.
When Lisa is discovered 'unprotected' at her husband's grave, she wakes on an alien ship heading for an alien world. Refusing to accept this she confronts the large males, demanding she be returned to her children. Seeing his chance to have a female, Grim agrees to accept and protect her offspring, if she agrees to Join with him and only him. Realizing this is the only way she can retrieve her children Lisa agrees and the Tornian Empire changes forever.
Chapter OneThe sun shines brightly as Lisa crosses the grass to Mark. It is the perfect spring day for a picnic.
“Happy Birthday my love.” Lisa smiles, setting down the sandwich and drink. She tosses aside a stray blade of grass that has invaded their make shift table as she sits cross-legged in front of him. “Yes, it has that stinky blue cheese on it that you love. Ricky remembered just how you liked it.” Responding to the question he always asked, leaning back on her hands she closes her eyes, letting the sun warm her face.
“The girls are doing fine. I’ll bring them by later. Trisha’s with them while they take their naps. I just wanted some alone time with you.” She forces the tears from her golden brown eyes as she looks at Mark’s headstone.
“Mark Wilbur Miller” It reads. “Loving husband and father.”
“I miss you Mark.” She whispers. “I miss our talks. How you could always make me laugh. I miss your arms around me, holding me in the middle of the night, letting me know everything will be okay. I miss our fights….I miss making up….” Lisa finds she can’t go on.
“Sorry.” She half chuckles wiping away her tears. “Here it is your twenty-seventh birthday and I’m crying like an idiot.” The birds sing to her in reply as the wind dislodges a strand of long auburn hair to caress her face.
“I know.” She reaches up tucking the piece behind her ear. “You’d be here if you could. Protecting us, making sure we have everything we need but we’re going to be okay. Carly starts school this fall and Miki will have her play group." Lisa sighs deeply thinking how fast her babies are growing. "I was thinking that maybe I’d finish up that degree I started before Carly was born.” She looks to the stone. “I’d only have two years left and you always liked how I decorated the house. I mean, I’m only twenty four, I wouldn’t be that much older than the other students.” When the sun dims Lisa looks up frowning, there isn’t a cloud in the sky.
“Well that was strange.” Forgetting about it, she looks back to Mark. “Trisha wants me to meet a friend of hers but I told her it was too soon and don’t think you can change my mind Mark Miller!” Lisa finds she can’t sit. “It’s barely been a year since you died. I’m not ready to ‘meet’ men. I don’t want to ‘meet’ men, no matter what I promised you when you were sick! There’s not a man on the planet that I could love as much as you, who could love our girls as much as you and I won’t settle for anything less Mark. I want it all…again…or I’d rather be alone.”
The snapping of a twig, followed by a low growl, has Lisa spinning around, but before she can process what she’s seeing, her world goes black.
Through the view port of the control room, Grim glares down at the small blue planet, after weeks of endless searching, he'd finally found it. How had a species so primitive, so backward, been able to amass so many females while leaving them unprotected? How had the planet never been discovered? Dozens of species were scouring the universes searching for compatible females, for they were the most valuable resource in all the universes. They were all that stood in the way of extinction for many since the great infection, including Grim’s own, the Tornians.
It is why his brother, the Emperor of the Tornian Empire entrusted him with the task of finding his new Empress’ home planet. Her arrival on Tornian had shocked many, for while she is smaller and softer than their females she is nearly identical in all other areas. No other females in the known universes were as compatible.
She’d been found on a Ganglian slave ship bound for their home world where she would have brought a high price with her pale skin and flaming red hair, for colored hair is as rare a females. Slavery was against Tornian Law and Ganglian ships carrying them were banned from their universe. When Wray's ship intercepted one he discovered Kim hidden away, badly beaten and abused, his rage had known no bounds. The entire crew had been executed and Wray claimed Kim for his own.
The Assembly of Lords had demanded to know where she came from, if there were more females available but Kim refused to tell them. She wouldn’t help the Tornians enslave her people.
Things might have settled down and a compromise reached but it was discovered Kim had conceived and warriors from every house threatened to search for the planet on their own, for the chance to acquire a female. To pacify them, Wray proclaimed that a select group of warriors would travel to the Empress' home planet to obtain a small number of unprotected females. These females would to be brought back to Tornian where they would have their choice of only the worthiest Tornian warriors for their Joining Ceremony.
Many argued with the Emperor but on this point Wray would not waver. Until they knew for sure that their joinings would be successful, he would not allow more than a few to be obtained. Grim knew it was also a way for Wray to pacify Empress Kim who continued to withhold what she knew. It was because of this that Wray had entrusted only Grim with what they did know of the planet's location. Wray knew his brother would never betray him, even though Grim would never be allowed to join with one of the females.
"Grim, Luuken as returned with the last female." As Veron walks up to the navigation consul Grim locks it out. No one, not even the Emperor’s most trusted C
aptain is allowed to know Earth’s location. “You’ve done an amazing service for your fellow warriors.”
“I have done as my Emperor commanded.” Grim’s voice is rougher than normal, fatigue affecting the already damaged vocal chords. “We shall see if it truly serves us or is the thing that finally ends of us.”
“Why would you think such a thing?” Vernon can’t hide his shock. To have found females, ones they can breed with, it is a gift from the goddess.
“Did they come willingly Veron? Were they given a choice? What makes what we’ve done any different than the Ganglians?”
“But…” Vernon stutters. “They will be protected, never harmed.”
“I wonder if they will see it that way…”
Lisa wakes with a start, pulling off whatever’s covering her eyes. Sitting up she finds she's dizzy. Where is she? What happened? Where are her children?
“Easy.” Gentle hands grip her shoulders. Forcing her eyes to focus Lisa sees a blonde woman about her age sitting next to her.
“What’s going on? Who are you?” She demands her eyes flying around the room.
“I’m Rebecca Mines and we’ve been kidnapped.” The woman tells her calmly.
“Kidnapped!” Looking behind Rebecca, she sees close to a dozen other women watching her.
“Yes, I’ve been here the longest, about a week. Drink this.” She hands her a glass another woman has brought her. Sniffing it suspiciously, Lisa looks at her. Rebecca smiles understandingly.
“There’s nothing in it, I promise. They want us healthy.” Lisa watches her as she sips, finding she’s parched.
“Who are they? How long have I been here?” Lisa demands.
“They call themselves Tornians. There seems to be a shortage of women on their planet so when they discovered humans, they came to get some.”
“Planet….humans...what are you talking about!”
“They’re aliens.” Rebecca watches Lisa’s eyes grow large with disbelief. “I know it sounds crazy but I’m serious. Once you see them you’ll know it’s true.” She looks at the other women. “Look I totally understand your disbelief. A week ago I working late in my office…the next thing I know I wake up here.” She gestures to the room. “I haven’t been harmed, none of us have and believe me it wouldn’t take much for them to hurt us.”
“How long have I been here?” Rachel looks at her watch.
“About four hours.”
“No! I have to get out of here! I have to get home!” Lisa struggles to her feet.
“We’d all love too. You find a way and we’re with you but you have to understand, we’re not even on Earth right now. I’ve seen it, you will too, now that you’re awake. They’ll prove it to you and explain what’s going on.”
“You explain it.” Lisa demands.
“They’re civilization is dying." Rebecca shrugs her shoulders. "Something happened, some type of infection, it caused their women to have more and more boys. At first it was celebrated, they’re a warrior race apparently and like Earth, males were highly valued, but over time, it got worse. Now there are over two hundred males born for every female.”
“They want us to be breeders.” Lisa whispers.
“Something like that. They came to Earth for what they call unprotected females so their males can join with them.”
“Join?”
“I’m figuring it means sex, marry, have children with, whatever. Callen is one of their warrior’s. He’s brings us food. He at least has been willing to answer our questions, unlike the one called Luuken. He brought you here by the way and is a world class ass hole.” Lisa clearly hears the other woman’s dislike for him. “Callen assured us that we will be allowed to choose the warrior we will join with and that he will protect and provide for us. It is considered a great honor to be chosen to join with a woman, so they will treat us very well. Only the most worthy are allowed this honor and if a female child is born his status in their society is greatly increased.”
“But I’m not unprotected! I already have children! I can’t leave them!” Lisa is starting to get desperate. She can’t leave her girls.
“You’re married?” Rachel can’t keep the shock from her voice.
“Widowed. I was at the cemetery, visiting Mark’s grave, my children are with a sitter. I have to get home!” The voices of the women in the room begin to rise.
Rachel stands, walking over to a panel she starts to pound on it. “Callen! Callen! Open this damn door!” When it opens, Lisa can’t help but gasp. The man….male that enters the room is huge and definitely not human. His skin is blue, sapphire blue with a shimmer that made her think of pearls and there’s a lot of it showing. His clothing seems to be some sort of uniform that covers his body while revealing his ample arms and chest. Long, thick, black hair is pulled away from an angular face that looks almost human. He has two eyes, the color of amber, a nose that's broader and flatter than normal with sharply carved cheeks and full lips that when he speaks reveal white teeth that seemed longer than humans.
“What do you need Rachel?” He voice is deep but gentle.
“There’s been a mistake, Lisa needs returned to Earth.” Callen follows her gesture to the newest arrival.
“It has been explained to you.” He replies shaking his head. “It is not possible.”
“You also said only unprotected females. Ones with no ties, she has ties!”
“She carries no male’s scent.” Lisa advances on the male.
“You listen to me you big blue idiot! You will return me to my family and you will do it now!”
“Family?” He looks from Rebecca to Lisa in confused.
“Yes family! My children!” His eyes widen.
“You have offspring?” He whispers.
“YES! What have I been saying?” Lisa yells.
“Callen she can’t leave them unprotected.” Rachel puts a hand on his arm.
“This cannot be…”
“Well it is, someone screwed up, it must be corrected.” All the women in the room nod in agreement.
Grim steps out of the cleansing unit, letting tired eyes follow the path his scars take across the right side of his face and down his torso….it had happened in a moment….a moment that changed his entire life and because of that moment, he is seen as unfit by the females of his planet. They see his injuries as a sign he will be unable to protect them. Him. King Grim Vasteri. Ruler of the Planet Luda. Blood brother to Emperor Wray, the strongest and most feared warrior in the Empire. None had ever bested him, not even when he’d been injured, they’d all died that day, and there were times he wished he had too. At least then he would have died in battle, knowing no disgrace, not having to wait until everything he’s worked for is taken from him, his status, his position, all because he would produce no offspring.
"What!” He demands slapping the ringing comm on the wall.
"There is a problem with the last female Luuken obtained." Veron informs him.
"She will calm." He replies gruffly.
"She is demanding to be returned. Claiming she has offspring. It is greatly disturbing the other females. They are becoming very agitated." Grim rubs weary hands across his face he doesn't need this.
"Have her brought to the command room." He orders. “I will explain it to her.”
"Yes sire.” Veron replies knowing that Grim will use his horrifying appearance to obtain the female's acceptance of her circumstances. Veron looks to the comm, feeling for his old friend, while he's never wished for offspring, he knows Grim had and that it had been stolen from him. Notifying Callen to bring the female Veron sits back and waits.
Lisa is stunned to find she’s standing in what appears to be a control room of some sort but it isn’t the strangely colored males that have her stunned, it’s the sight of Earth getting smaller and smaller in the large window that takes up the front of the room.
“It isn’t possible. She carries no male’s scent.” The sound of a hand slamming on a table causes her to j
ump then she realizes what the irate male is saying and she storms across the room.
“Look you yellow bastard, I don’t care if you can smell Mark on me or not!” She slams her own fist down. “You took me from my children. They’ve already lost their father; they are not going to lose me too. Not because some idiot can’t smell!” She gives Luuken a disgusted look. “You will get me back to them! NOW!”
Every male looks at her in shock, no female yells at a warrior. They are intimidated by their size and strength even knowing they would never be harmed. The anger expressed between Veron and Luuken would have them cringing and crying.
“I am highly intelligent.” Luuken growls at her, furious at her insult. His eyes widen when she leans over the table getting even closer to him.
“You can’t prove it by me. Now get me back to my children.” She orders.
“It is not possible; you’ve already received the learning program.” Turning he walks away, finished with the discussion.
"What's he talking about?" Lisa turns to the remaining male.
“When you were brought aboard, you received our learning program," The green-skinned male replies. "How else did you think you can speak and understand our language?”
“What?” Lisa trails off suddenly realizing she’s not speaking English, that they’re not speaking English. “I don’t care!" She shakes her head. "I want my children!”
“You now know of us, you cannot be returned.” He tells her regretfully.
“But Veron,” Callen speaks up. “She has offspring….” Lisa turns to Callen knowing she has an ally there.
“That no warrior here will accept or protect. I can’t force one too. There is nothing I can do, once she is on Tornian she will calm and join with a warrior, they will soon be forgotten.”
"You think I will forget my children!" Lisa rounds the table to stand toe to toe with the much larger male. "That I would ever join with one of you without them! Have you lost your ever loving mind?!?"