See below snippets of my romantic space opera series, The Curse of Sotkari Ta.
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Snippets
The Curse Of Sotkari Ta
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Ever since we started on the trip, Montor had wanted to prioritize teaching me how to block telepathic connections. We had not spent much time practicing Sotkari Ta skills because I had made a habit of retreating to my room in the evenings to avoid interacting with him. Now that our relationship was blossoming, we reverted to our original schedule of meditation and mental exercises after dinner.
In the beginning, the training process required him to place his hands on my shoulders like Kaya did when she first instructed me on telekinesis. We had a lot of false starts. The first few times, all it took was for him to touch me to make us forget about the lesson and move on to more pleasurable activities. We decided we’d focus better if we moved our meditation and Sotkari Ta practice from the evening to the early morning before our physical and sparring workouts.
That first morning, we were determined to make progress.
“Mina, I would like you to remember the time when Kaya was teaching you telekinesis. Put yourself in the same frame of mind as when you were learning to use your Sotkari Ta abilities for the first time. Close your eyes. Can you see my light in your mind?”
“Yes.”
“Now, imagine covering that light with the palm of your hand. When you no longer see the light, you have closed yourself off from receiving any telepathic connection.”
Of course, like telekinesis, it sounded easy but was hard to execute.
Text Body
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
We stared at the bridge that swung in the wind and at the devastating precipice and drop to the gap below. The bridge, including the deck, was made of thick rope tightly woven together. It looked like a gigantic hammock with handrails anchored at each end by stone arches. The textile used in making the rope must have had some interesting properties because no ice or snow accumulated on it; a good thing since frozen material could become brittle and break. I wondered how its makers had constructed it.
“I would suggest someone test the bridge before we attempt to cross it,” Bexin continued.
There was movement in the huddle of people. Josh pushed his way to the front of the group.
“I do it,” he said.
Confusion hung in the air for a few seconds. The Arandans, with their toxically masculine hive mind, gaped at Montor, an obvious message in their eyes.
This male is trying to upstage you in front of your female. Why is he so willing to risk his life for her daughter?
Montor’s jaw clenched. In a moment, he was in front of Josh, staring down at him.
“No. That is quite brave of you, Joshwar, but unnecessary. I will do it.”
His tone was more confrontational than appreciative. Josh glared back.
“Stop,” I said. “We do not have time to spare. I would like to shorten the travel time, if possible, but I will be the one to test the bridge first. You are all risking enough for me and my daughter. Some have died already. This is something I must do.”
A cacophony of voices replied, “Mina. No.”
Text Body
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
On the fourth evening of walking into our quarters long after Montor had gone to bed, I tried once again to slip under the covers without disturbing him, but this time he was wide awake and checked his tablet before pulling me close.
“Mina, it is very late. You are working too hard and not allowing yourself enough rest time,” he whispered in my ear.
“I appreciate your concern, but I am fine.”
“I miss you,” he said in a lusty tone.
His hand slid under my night shirt and caressed my breast. He shifted one of his legs between mine. The warmth of his skin was inviting, but I was so tired. I cleared my throat.
“I need to rest now, Montor.”
“That is a first.”
He was right. Our chemistry and libido were always in tune. We never rejected each other’s overtures.
“You see what I mean? Instead of getting stronger, you will overwork yourself. The body needs time to regenerate and re-energize. I think you should cut down your schedule by at least two hours, and—”
My muscles ached. I could barely keep my eyes open.
“Do not tell me what I need to do. You are right. I need rest. Can you not understand me? Shermont! I am tired, so let me sleep!”
I was never one to use curse words, much less not in my native tongue. A moment of silence went by, and then Montor turned away from me. I let out a guilty exhale.
Damn it!
I turned, pressed my face against his back, and put my arms around him.
“Oh Montor, I did not mean to be rude, but understand me. So many things in the last four revolutions since I was taken from Earth have been out of my control. My mental and physical readiness for this challenge is something I CAN control. Otherwise, I will drive myself crazy thinking about what my daughter might be going through while I am here lying comfortably in your arms. Imagine if it were Josher, instead. What would you do?”
He turned towards me.
“OK, Mina. I understand. Tell me, how can I help?”
“One of your great neck and shoulder massages would be awesome right now.”
Text Body
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Mina, I would like to give you something,” he said.
I bit my lip and worried about becoming too emotional as we were quickly approaching our last intimate time together for a long time or, perhaps, ever. He took off one of the two cords he wore around his neck. Each had almost identical shiny, silver-toned amulets engraved with unfamiliar markings that I assumed were in Arandan. Tiny transparent crystals encrusted in the metal sparkled in the daylight as it streamed through the bedroom windows. The burning sensation in my nostrils and eyes predicted the hot tears that would soon follow.
“Mina, in my clan we have a custom where parents give these amulets to their children one revolution from their birth date. They are worn for life, save for certain circumstances when it is deemed appropriate to gift it to someone. The second one belonged to my twin sister. Normally, upon her death, she would have been cremated with it on, but my father could not bear the idea that she was gone. So, he broke with tradition and put it on me.”
He hesitated, looking away for a moment before turning back to me.
“He said since I was her twin and we were conceived and formed together in the womb, a part of her was always with me. I am keeping hers, but I would like you to have mine to remember me by until we are together again.”
By the time he was done with his explanation, I was a blubbering mess. I wanted to tell him I couldn’t accept it, but instead of speaking, my shaking body only produced sobbing sounds. He pulled me close, his fingers entangled in my hair, and all I heard was the beating of his heart. We finally separated, and without saying another word, he placed the cord with the amulet around my neck. I looked up to him and saw one solitary tear go down his cheek. This was as hard for him or worse as he was parting with a sentimental item. The idea that he might break down and cry was too perturbing and helped me regain control.
“Montor, I will wear this with honor until the day we see each other again. Thank you so much for this and for everything.”
Text Body
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Nothing could have prepared me for the call we received that morning. Montor and I had returned home the night before from a wonderful vacation. Commander Portars’s call interrupted our breakfast. Thankfully, I hadn’t started because it wouldn’t have stayed down the minute Portars conveyed his message.
“There is an Earthian male among the people we rescued from the Lostai Coroxt prison camp who claims to be Mina’s husband. Perhaps he is having trouble with the Lostai language, since we all know Mina is widowed from her previous Earthian spouse.”
Montor’s fists tightened ever so slightly, but he remained stone-faced. Portars’s next words tore my heart in half.
“What most concerns me is that he says Zorla has Mina’s Earthian daughter. I believe her name is pronounced Aembuh.”
Text Body
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“So, where did Montor say you were from?”
“Earth.”
She inspected me as if I were a racehorse or purebred dog getting ready for a competition.
“Come, let me take a good look at you and see what I have to work with. Now, I do not know what preferences you might have. I have customers from all over the sector, so no request surprises me. Some females love to change their whole appearance, the color of their skin, even.”
“I prefer to keep my skin color and pretty much everything else the same. I like more of a natural look.”
“Yes, that is fine. In fact, I love your eyes. We need to enhance that color with some accessory,” she said, twirling my curls around her fingers. “I like how your hair is almost the same color as your eyes...but my goodness, do they not supply you with conditioner at that military base? Your hair needs a trim. I love the curls, though. I am sure I can make them look shiny and healthy. Now, let me see this body.”
Colora stared at my breasts, gave my butt a light slap, and bent down to squeeze my thighs and calves. “OK, fit but with curves.”
She said Montor had arranged not only for me to get ready for the evening but also receive any treatments that Colora and I agreed on. We decided on a full body massage, skin treatment, waxing, manicure, and pedicure. She continued to talk nonstop, asking rhetorical questions but not waiting for any replies. I spent most of the time nodding and smiling.
“Very nice of Montor to look after his charges this way. Hmmm, I wonder. Do the Lostai allow romantic liaisons between soldiers? Whether or not Montor has a handsome face, I guess is a matter of taste. But that body, no questions about that, right? I am sure he makes his females sing, if you know what I mean.”
She wagged her hand for emphasis. Her wink and smile were infectious. I couldn’t help but giggle.
“Yes, I do,” I said, leaving to her imagination what I meant.
“I know if it were me, I would make a go at it with Montor. Shhh, I mean if I were single, of course. He tells me you are a widow. So sad for you at such a young age.”
It surprised me to hear how he had described my status, but it did fit my situation in a backasswards sort of way. For sure that was easier to explain than to say I was kidnapped and my husband presumed me dead.
Text Body
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Montor, what is going on? Are you coming with me after all?”
“I wish...but no...I decided it is best if we are alone at your launching location. We are going to a remote area now. I’ll tell Zorla we were following a suspicious vehicle.”
“What about your transport pod? And you mentioned you needed to appear incapacitated...I am confused.”
“I exchanged this shuttle for my transport pod. A transport pod with Lostai military insignia is of utmost value for a rebel group. I am going to have you incapacitate me before you take off. I figured the fewer people involved, the better. It minimizes the risk when the Lostai begin investigating your disappearance and will appear like they stole you and the pod.”
“But you said you needed to appear injured.”
“Yes, like I just said, you will need to help me with this.”
The shuttle landed. He stood to take off the cloak and mask, and I did the same. Taking my hand, he pulled me towards him.
“We only have a few minutes, but I want to hold you close.”
His hands were on my waist, and he slid one up to caress my neck. I looked up to him with my hands on his chest and we kissed desperately, like what it was, possibly our last time. We remained embraced in silence for a few minutes before we stepped outside.
“OK...OK...it is time,” Montor said, followed by a deep sigh.
“Oh...”
I tried to say something but couldn’t speak anymore as tears filled my eyes.
“Mina, I need you to pull yourself together. This is what is
going to happen. You need to strike me a few times in the face. Also use the club and zirem on me. I have the zirem on the highest setting, so it will penetrate my clothing. In my bag, you will find an injectable drug. I need you to insert it in my back so that it is clear that I could not have done it myself. Then you will take the bag and the weapons with you and launch the shuttle craft on autopilot mode, and you will be off.”
Text Body
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
We met in the early evening to share a meal in the kitchen, continuing to communicate telepathically.
“Hello, my dear. Are your quarters comfortable? Is everything in order?”
“Yes, Montor, everything is fine.”
“Good. The first thing I need you to know is that I would not be surprised if Zorla has installed spying devices all over this spaceship to monitor our activities. We need to be careful of how we conduct ourselves and what we say aloud. I told him we would be communicating telepathically most of the time so that you can get continued practice. But occasionally I may speak aloud purposely. Make sure you follow my lead. I also expect he will be checking in with me often to get updates on our progress. We need to discuss how we will trick Zorla into believing we are busy making a Sotkari Ta baby. Any suggestions?”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat with my fist covering my mouth. I had avoided thinking about this part of the mission and hated the fact that we needed to have this discussion.
“Suggestions, what do you mean?”
“Well, my dear, we must put on a show of sorts for Zorla. There are different options on how we do it. I have my suggestion, but obviously, we need to be in sync.”
The whole conversation was making me sick to my stomach, but I understood that Montor was right. We needed to agree on a plan.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
I stood there, hail falling around me in hard clunks, hitting my body and face. The rocks were no longer being moved. I licked my lips and tasted blood.
With a tremor in my voice, I answered, “You are lying. Tell me you are lying.”
“Unfortunately, my dear, it is true. The Sotkari Ta chemistry between us is real, but love...no...not at all. How did you express it once? Ah, yes...I got into your head...to make you think you did. I hate to admit it, but I do not love you either.”
Now, my whole body shook.
“I cannot believe it. How could you pretend? Everything has been so real.”
“Yes, well, I am efficient that way. Please do not take my bad behavior out on our son. Promise me you will take care of him. Do not leave him, Mina. A boy who grows up without his mother becomes a hard person with no soul, usually without remedy. I would not mind if you married Kindor. He would be a suitable guardian.”
“You idiot, shut up! I am not marrying anyone. I am married to you. Why, why would you say such a thing?” I froze in place, shaking my head. “No. I will not listen to this nonsense. This is clearly you trying to confuse me.”
“At first, it was just physical. I desired you, and I liked the challenge of making you forget any loyalty to your husband. Then you came back with my son. I knew he needed his mother, and I wanted to make sure you would not abandon him.”
“Abandon my son? Are you crazy? I would never...I cannot believe...What?”
I was confused and incoherent and not feeling like myself. A deep loathing washed over me, as if I had two personalities. It didn’t make sense, but I couldn’t control it.
“Montor, you are an evil person with no integrity or honor. What you have done is despicable. I hate you.”
“Good, Mina, that is good. The lives of everyone on the Barinta, including our son, depend on what you do right this second. Do not be stupid. I am telling you the truth. Leave. Now!”
I heard the second pod landing. My senses dulled. Tears flowed down my cheeks and mixed with blood from the cuts on my face, creating a salty, metallic taste in my mouth. Kindor ran towards me, and the rocks flew through the air again at three times the pace they had before. It was humbling to witness the power wielded by this unassuming being. He looked at me perplexed as I walked in the opposite direction towards my pod and communicated to him,
“Let him rot in a Lostai jail cell. You were right about this creature. He has no honor.”
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
One evening while Kaya and I were having dinner alone in my room, she told me something I had wanted to hear since my abduction.
“Mina, I cannot help you escape this place, but I know of someone who is in a better position to assist you. His name is Montor, and I think he is the one they plan to have you mate with. He is from a planet called Aranda and also has a complete set of embedded Sotkari Ta genes. The Lostai have complete trust in him because, although he was once a hostage such as yourself, he embraced his new lifestyle and position in the Lostai military. He now enjoys the same freedoms and benefits as any Lostai soldier.”
“Uhhh, I am confused. Why would this person help me? It sounds more likely that he would turn me in rather than help me escape.”
Kaya walked around without immediately replying. Finally, she clarified, “He also secretly cooperates with rebel factions to help them cause many problems for the Lostai military. Luckily, neither side has ever suspected the truth. He is loyal to no one...”
“Oh, I see, what we call a double agent on Earth.”
Abruptly, her pacing came to a stop, and she swung around to face me, looking me straight in the eyes.
“...except to me. He is loyal to me. I successfully trained him in all facets of Sotkari Ta abilities. He has become an extremely powerful being and is a complicated person with a complicated history. He lost his whole family during famine and wars that ravaged his planet. Similar to what occurred on Sotkar, the Lostai came in and took advantage of the situation. He was a child when they identified him as having Sotkari Ta genes and brought him to this station. I was the closest thing to a mother he had growing up here.”
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
He cupped my face in his hands and looked into my eyes, his filled with regret.
“I am sorry, Mina. You are right. I have allowed these people to get under my skin. I need to get back to my unemotional military mode. The days since the bombardments separated us have affected my judgement. The thought of losing you makes me crazy.”
Sharing his well-guarded vulnerability with me always softened my heart.
Our eyes locked. Before I could whisper his name, his lips were on mine. A kiss that remained soft and sweet only for seconds, until his hands raked my hair and his hungry mouth demanded more. At times like these, it was easy to forget that others might be watching. He gathered me in an embrace, and his kisses traveled down my neck.
“Umm, next,” announced Kristom, looking refreshed and wearing his new garment, which made him look like some alien biblical character.
“I go now,” replied Josh, in a raspy voice, avoiding anyone’s eyes.
When he returned, he went straight inside the compartment without as much as a “goodnight.”
“Should I go next?” asked Komar.
Montor and I replied “Yes” in unison.
After Komar returned, Montor and I grabbed our garments and headed to the bathing area.
Montor looked around and asked, “How do you ensure
privacy here?”
“You take three large stones and place them at the entrance. People know not to enter or to continue on their way without looking inside.”
“Hmm, OK.”
We both hurried to place the three stones in the right spot and fill the pit with ice and snow. I was already wearing one of their garments, so disrobing for me was just a matter of pulling it over my head. Montor looked me over.
“Hurry, it is cold,” I said, almost embarrassed at the lust in his eyes.
He tapped the collar of his suit. It inflated, and he made quick business of pulling his legs and arms out. Now, it was my turn to take in his nakedness. I caught my breath. His height, muscular build, unabashed sexuality, and swagger...it all ignited my desire. Even though we had fooled around in our sleeping bag at the cave, we hadn’t seen each other like this since leaving the spaceship a week ago. That was a long time for us.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
After the last few people walked in, I got a drink for Mina and me and led her to the stage set in front of the room. Before addressing the guests in Arandan, I explained to her first telepathically in Lostai,
“Sweetness, I am raising a toast to you and your stunning beauty.”
I did not expect her to say anything after I was done and was ready to leave the stage when, to my surprise, she spoke in Arandan.
“Today, I am fortunate enough to forge a union with a proud member of the Ventamu Clan. I will stand by his side with our son, and together we will do our part to help free Aranda and this sector of filthy Lostai rule!”
It was not common for Arandan females to make this kind of bold toast, especially at a wedding.
Mina, what have you done now? How will these people react?
I saw Lasarta’s smiling face in the crowd. She must have instructed Mina to say this. As a proud Arandan patriot, she lived vicariously through Mina’s ability to not be so tied down by Arandan tradition.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Commander Portars lifted his glass and repeated Mina’s words,
“Let us free Aranda of filthy Lostai rule!”
Mina’s subtle ability to charm people never ceased to surprise me. I stood behind my bride with my hands on her shoulders in solidarity, and soon, everyone chanted,
“Free Aranda of filthy Lostai rule! Free the sector of filthy Lostai rule!”
Even Officer Lorret smiled at Mina, in spite of herself.
“My wife, you are truly a blessing. You have even won over these proud people,” I told her telepathically.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
We took turns, two of us resting while the other two piloted and manned the weapons system. In the meantime, a battle ensued between the approaching Lostai ship and three smaller United Rebel Front crafts. This gained us an extra day, allowing us to take down ten thousand Lostai combat pods.
“Sir, a call is coming in from the United Rebel Front.”
“Yes, put it through.”
“Captain, I am sorry. We were forced to retreat. The Lostai destroyed our two other companion crafts. Be aware. They will arrive to Sotkari atmosphere any minute now.”
My blood boiled at the thought of the two United Rebel Front crafts that were lost.
“No need to apologize. You gained us an extra day. Be safe.”
As soon as the communication terminated, Kristom picked up the Lostai ship on our sensors.
“Sir, they are here. Should I advise Kaonto to reactivate the shields?”
“Hold on. I want to get a few more of these Lostai bastards. Give me the weapons control!”
“But sir—”
“Are you questioning my orders?”
“No, sir.”
In those few seconds, I picked off twenty more Lostai
combat pods.
“Sir, our sensors show they are powering up their weapons array!”
“OK, Kristom, send Kaonto the message. Komar, take us down at a severe angle. Cut the descent time in half! Strap in. It is going to be a rough landing both on our stomachs and on the shuttle.”
The shield was sealed with only seconds to spare before the Lostai ship released the photon blast. Although the shields protected us from damage, the reverberation knocked our shuttle off its landing pattern, causing us to free-fall to the surface. It tossed us around the main cabin, but I gathered my bearings and flipped to manual navigation. Strapping in, I took control of our descent.
“Quit dancing around and get strapped in!” I shouted to my bewildered crewmates.
Of the three of them, Damari was the one who best maintained his composure. Interesting, considering his people had not yet mastered space travel. He helped the others regain their balance, strapped them in, and told them to brace for a rough landing.
Earthians are full of surprises.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Montor and I walked out of Zamandi’s room in silence. Once in the transport pod, we remained quiet for a while. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and asked the question that was pestering me.
“So, where did you and Ar Ona go? We were at the bar at the time you specified.”
“I took her home.”
“Well, exactly how far does she live?”
He glared at me.
“What is the problem, Mina?”
It was my turn to glare.
“Did you have sex with her?”
He was so hard to read. One minute serious, the next
laughing.
“So, you flirt all night with Gio, and now you pretend to be jealous of Ar Ona?”
He sounded incredulous.
“Well, she had her paws all over you.”
“Paws?”
He laughed harder than before. I guess the expression sounded weird in Lostai.
I’m such an idiot. After all, in three days, Montor will likely be out of my life forever.
He put his arm around me and pulled me close.
“No, Mina, I did not have sex with Ar Ona or her paws. She got intoxicated and annoying, so I took her home. Mina, let me be clear. You were the most bewitching female at that place tonight.”
I smiled at the compliment but wasn’t about to let him off so easy.
“Gio said you and she were a couple.”
“Yes, Gio was talking way too much tonight. It is true we had a brief relationship some time ago, but let us discuss something else...” His breathing got heavy, and he shook his head in disbelief. “How do you think I felt, catching you two dancing so close to each other, him touching your skin, like he owned you? I was ready to tear him apart, limb from limb, right then and there.”
I crossed my arms.
No. He doesn’t get to make himself the victim.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
We left Sotkar early the next morning. Kaonto sent two small Sotkari rebel crafts posing as merchant ships to accompany the Barinta with ten Sotkari insurgents on each of them a few hours behind us to avoid being conspicuous.
In our morning staff meeting, Mina informed us regarding the transportal.
“The transportal itself is a laboratory inside a cave in the mountainous area on the northwestern quadrant of the planet Dit Lar where the geomagnetic energy that fuels the jumps can be harnessed. The Elder Sotkari scientists were the first to discover the rare metallic meteorites that had fallen to the planet’s surface thousands of revolutions ago and combined them with natural geomagnetic fields and manufactured technology to create a pathway to faraway star systems and galaxies. They recreated these transportals across star systems on their quest to escape the Lostai as well as embed their DNA in as many different species as possible. The equipment used to transport a person is mobile. In order to travel to the designated destination and then return or jump to a third destination, travelers need to carry a handheld device that is charged with geomagnetic energy. A jump can be initiated from any location if the device is charged, but as this energy becomes depleted, the device needs to be returned to Dit Lar to recharge.”
I took over addressing the team.
“Thank you, Mina. The United Rebel Front has developed two secret weapons that the Lostai are not aware of. The first is a special shield that allows our battle crafts to be undetectableby Lostai sensors. The Lostai will not be able to detect our crafts until they are in visual range. Secondly, we have developed long-range torpedoes that can be fired with precision from much longer distances than before. The plan is for our forces to launch a surprise attack against Lostai security and establish a perimeter around the planet Dit Lar to defend it from the Lostai military that will surely arrive to confront the invasion.”
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Montor had Kindor’s full attention as he went through the details of our plan. When he was done, Kindor wasted no time typing into his tablet.
“So, this is simple. You want to start a war a few miles from where I live.”
He had tried to inject some levity, but the furrowed brow revealed the seriousness of the proposition.
“Not start a war,” replied Montor. “You will be ready when the shields come down. We will only need you to engage the Lostai for half a day to give us enough time to slip deep enough into Losarex territory undetected. I know for a fact you have enough combat pods to face the Lostai down.”
“It is not only the combat pods we need to think about. We would need to evacuate the Sporia region.”
“That area is sparsely populated.”
“Why do you even think this is a viable plan?” challenged Kindor.
“I also know the Sotkari government took advantage of the last border skirmish to do the exact same thing as I am proposing. That is how you slipped some Sotkari spies into Losarex to pose as Lostai sympathizers.”
“OK, although I admit that is true, we would be burning a lot of resources. To squash their attempt to come into our territory, in addition to the combat pods, we would need to mobilize additional surface-to-air missiles. It is not a minor undertaking. Kaonto, what do you think?”
“We also need to consider the soldiers that could be injured or lost in a half-day’s worth of battle,” answered Kaonto, shaking his head.
I hated that they were discussing the situation like a business transaction. Amber’s name had not even been mentioned, yet her life hung in the balance. I stared at my hands as the discussion halted, then raised my eyes at the sound of Kindor’s feet shuffling. He had approached the screen again, staring as if searching for something.
Time to advocate for my daughter.
“I know we are asking for a lot, and you are bringing up important considerations, but my daughter.” I fought back tears. “My daughter, Amber...Her name is Amber...is in the hands of that monster. I intend to do whatever it takes to rescue her.”
My trembling hand rushed to wipe away the tears. Montor’s patience ran out. He got to his feet abruptly.
“OK, we are done supplicating. Are we doing this or not? Otherwise, Mina and I need to look for other options.”
Kindor crossed his arms over his chest, walked around a bit, and stared at the screen long and hard one more time. I stared back. The equivalent of eyes locking, and then I saw it. He’d made up his mind.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“Sir, our shields are down by a quarter portion. We cannot sustain many more hits like that.”
“Tell us something we do not know, Mina,” growled Sortomor.
I bit my tongue and instead addressed Lorret.
“Our strikes are paced much too slow. You need to hit our targets with two quick blasts.”
Sortomor looked at me in disbelief. I knew what he was thinking.
How dare she give an order!
Lorret disregarded Sortomor and replied, “I need much more power for that, Mina.”
“OK, the moment you have the target, give me a signal, and I will divert a burst of energy from sensors to the weapon delivery system. It is risky, so you better reward me. At a minimum, I want the filthy Lostai ship disabled.”
As if Sortomor wasn’t irritated enough with me, I switched to English and told Damari, “Once Lorret does her thing, I’ll give you some extra juice too, so you can punch it and get us out of the area quick.”
We didn’t have to wait long to try out my new tactic.
“Mina, I have a target. Give me the power boost now!” shouted Lorret.
“OK, here you go—”
“Stop!” Sortomor roared, lunging at me. “Have you lost your mind? Why are you giving orders on my ship? I will have you locked up—”
Everyone froze. We paid for the distraction.
Lorret’s target, a Lostai battlecruiser, pounded us with two blasts that sent us all, including Sortomor, to the floor again. Warning lights flashed and alarms blared once more.
Damari was the first to return to his station. Foxor rushed to help Sortomor up. Sortomor pushed him away. “Leave me. I can get up on my own.”
“Damari, get us out of here, now!” I shouted, pulling myself to my feet and running to my station to redirect power to propulsion.
Damari shot a look at Sortomor.
“Yes, yes, of course. Do it!” Sortomor said while still getting his bearings.
Damari’s quick maneuvering saved us from being nailed again by the Lostai ship. Our reprieve didn’t last long.
“I see another one,” said Lorret.
The urgency in her voice was no exaggeration. We were on borrowed time unless we did something quick.
Sortomor glared at me. “If your plan fails, we will have no shields. It will be the end of us, but go ahead.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
I looked up. Officer Lorret sat across from me with her food tray. I glanced at her before I continued eating quietly. Not in the mood for socializing, I was pleased that she did not speak for a long while. Then she broke the silence.
“It seems you and Mina are close. I saw you take her by the hand yesterday morning. Luckily, Montor did not see you.”
Montor was proud of his physical strength, but I was sure my expression made it clear that he did not intimidate me at all. She chuckled.
“Have you known her for a long time?”
Lorret did not understand sign language, so I typed in my tablet and audio emitted with my replies.
“Her shuttle crash-landed near the small village where my family lived. She had intended to reach the refugee center in the capital city of Fronidia but got caught in an electromagnetic storm that veered her way off course. She lived with us for six lunar cycles.”
“Interesting. Are all people on your planet mute?”
“No, only those of us who are fully evolved.”
“Fully evolved, huh. Sounds like a pretty snobby way of referring to oneself.”
“I do not mean to be pretentious. It is merely the reality of things. We call ourselves Sotkari Ta. I am a pureblood Sotkari Ta because all my ancestors are fully evolved. If we train properly, we have the abilities of telepathy, telekinesis, healing, mind control, and, most importantly, blocking.”
She appeared more focused on her meal than on my reply but caught the tail end of it and, I believe out of courtesy, asked, “What is blocking?”
“We can stop others with telepathic abilities from accessing our minds. Some of our population is known as Sotkari Pasi because they are telepathic but can speak out loud and lack the other abilities. Others have none of these abilities.”
Lorret continued to be unimpressed.
“Really? So much power and yet your people allowed the Lostai to take control of your planet.”
She is just as annoying as Montor. Are all Arandans the same? Well, Lasarta and Foxor seem nice enough.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
By the sixth day of our trip, Montor was back to the unpleasant attitude he exhibited when we first met. Potent sexual tension built up every time we had close physical contact. It irritated him to no end. During our self-defense practices, he berated me, shouting that he was not going to be my babysitter. He became more aggressive when we sparred. I knew his training could mean the difference between life and death for me in the future, so I sucked up his bad temper. Needing a break from his crankiness, I told him that I preferred to have dinner, perform meditation, and practice mental exercises alone in my quarters.
He replied, “Fine. That is your loss.”
I wasn’t sleeping well at night. I fantasized that my husband was in bed with me.
The tenth day started off with a bit of a turnaround. Montor told me that he wanted us to take a break from self-defense drills and to have the evening meal together. I wanted a break from him, period. Alternating between constant arguing and infuriating horniness was taking a toll on me, but I grudgingly accepted. When I arrived, he had already set the table. Our place settings were across from each other, but our eyes did not meet.
I thanked him for preparing the meal. Even though he cleared his throat a few times, he didn’t speak, and we ate without any conversation. We finished our meal and picked up in silence.
This is bizarre.
I had already planned a quick getaway when he surprised me with an apology.
“Mina, I am sorry if I have been extra tough on you. I am only concerned for your ability to defend yourself.”
I took a moment to check his face and expression. He seemed sincere and didn’t look well rested either. Certain things were out of our control.
“I understand. This whole situation is stressful, and I am grateful for what you are doing for me.”
“Would you like to join me for a glass of vormey?”
“Yes, that sounds nice.”
We went to the lounge and sat on a sofa. He got a bottle of the Arandan wine and poured two glasses. We chatted a bit, making fun of Dimlet, Zorla, and other Xixsted station personnel. Soon, his lips curled into a more mischievous smile.
“You know, Mina, I am supposed to seduce you before this trip is over, and I realize that I have no idea what the mating rituals of your people are. I mean, for example, does the male pursue the female, and if so, how does he show his affection for her?”
I tried to behave as if he was asking a basic question, like what type of animals we have on Earth.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Mina, what has happened to you is terrible. For a mother to be taken from her spouse and children is unspeakable. Believe me when I say this. Any small chance you have of ever seeing your family again will depend on you taking full control of your capabilities. I have no doubt that you can move that rock through only the use of your mental strength.”
I thought it odd Kaya would say that, considering she was working for the Lostai, but was glad to hear she was sympathetic to my situation. She made a good point. Developing these abilities might be the edge I needed to figure out a way to escape Xixsted.
“OK, but I need to do this my way.”
“No problem. I am here to support you in this journey. Do you wish me to do anything in particular?”
I remembered how I was taught to believe God was present where two or more people gathered together in prayer.
“Maybe...please mimic what I do.”
For some reason she smiled and nodded. I dimmed the lights and, clasping my hands, knelt on the
floor. She did the same, after which I shut my eyes and prayed out loud.
“God, I am not sure why I find myself in this situation, but I believe there must be a reason for all of this. Please help me to learn to use the powers you have gifted me so that I may achieve your will. Thank you for always listening. Amen.”
I repeated the phrase several times and, with deep concentration, imagined the rock floating off the desk and landing like a feather on the floor in the space between Kaya and me. A vibration in my brain caused my eyelids to flutter ever so faintly, and my fingertips tingled. I can’t recall how long I spent praying, but a feeling of otherworldly conviction took over. Pure unadulterated joy replaced my doubts. Confident the rock would be exactly where I imagined it, I opened my eyes. Kaya opened hers and, noticing the rock on the floor, smiled again.
“I am impressed. Some of my prior pupils have required the equivalent of many of your Earth lunar cycles—months, I think you call them—to achieve telekinesis. It might be one of your stronger Sotkari Ta traits.”
Now out of the trance, my faith faltered. “Seriously, did you do it?” I asked.
“No, Mina. I did no such thing. This was all you.”
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
We arrived at the conference room. The door opened, and Josh stood.
“Mina! My God, it really is you,” he said, his voice boisterous at first and then lower as he took in the image of Montor’s arm tight around my waist, stroking and squeezing.
I prayed Montor would stop, but he continued, purposely displaying he had a right to touch me that way. My heart exploded in my chest. I couldn’t meet Josh’s eyes, and much less did I dare look up at Montor. When Josh took a few quick steps towards us, Montor placed his hands on my shoulders and moved me behind him.
I finally raised my eyes to see Josh had folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head as he asked in broken Lostai, “She prisoner?”
“No, she is my wife. It seems you intend to get too close.”
“Wife? Mina, have they forced you—” Josh started to ask me in English, but Montor interrupted in a threatening tone.
“Do not speak to my wife in a language that I cannot understand.”
“My wife,” shouted Josh, clearly frustrated by his difficulty with the Lostai language. He gritted his teeth, pointed at Montor, and then jerked his arm toward the door, gesturing for Montor to leave.
I couldn’t help but empathize with Josh. Montor could be an ass sometimes. Unimpressed, Montor looked down at Josh with a smirk.
“I think you and I should step outside so we can clear up your confusion.”
I had heard enough.
“Stop it!” I shouted in Lostai, looking up at Montor.
He raised his eyebrows as he usually did when I displayed the defiance that an Arandan female never would.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Montor went inside the mine to extract information from workers regarding the escapees and told me to wait outside. He was in there for a while, so I paced around to release some of my nervous energy. I heard a commotion. A woman was screaming in Spanish. I turned around and came face-to-face with a brunette woman. Her tattered clothing hung loosely from her emaciated body, and tears streamed down her hollow cheeks. Without thinking twice, I asked her what the problem was. I could only imagine her shock to see a human-looking woman in full Lostai uniform, speaking in a language she understood. She looked at me, perplexed, but quickly explained that her fifteen-year-old son had died earlier in the day and the Lostai soldier in charge of her group had decided to just throw his body in a junk pile. She begged they allow her to give him a proper burial and threw herself on me crying, asking for my help. A Lostai sergeant walked over and called for several soldiers to take the woman away.
“Please, she is only requesting to be able to bury her young son. They threw his body away like trash,” I said to the sergeant.
“Mind your place, soldier. This is none of your concern,” he answered.
“What is wrong with you? Are you savages?” I shouted and went to help the woman.
“You are out of line, soldier,” shouted the sergeant.
He ran over and pushed me to the ground while pulling his weapon from his holster. My mental training kicked in, and I caused the weapon to fly out of his hand and into mine. I was still on the ground but now aiming his weapon at him. He put his hands in the air. The woman and other soldiers froze.
“We should all just calm down for a second,” screamed the sergeant while looking around.
“What is going on here?”
I heard Montor’s voice. In a split second, the weapon was out of my hand and in his. He walked over with the swagger he typically portrayed at Xixsted. His face was like stone, and I jumped to my feet, adrenaline causing my pulse to race. Montor handed the weapon back to the sergeant.
“Who is this person? She disarmed and threatened me,” the sergeant asked Montor, pointing at me.
“Mina, what trouble have you gotten yourself into? Now I have no choice but to put on an act,” Montor communicated to me telepathically.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
I reproduced the same thick warm cereal that had been my breakfast for the past year. Montor walked in and cocked an eyebrow after taking one look at my bowl.
“Do you actually like that disgusting mud the Lostai call a morning meal?”
“I do not know of food options other than what the Lostai offer on Xixsted.”
“Reproduced food is bad enough. Lostai reproduced food, even worse. Here, let me introduce you to something different from my planet, Aranda.”
I pressed my lips together, preparing myself for whatever it was he planned to give me. He was right. The Lostai cereal was an unappetizing brown color and flavorless with the consistency of oatmeal that had sat out for far too long. Even worse, it smelled like cooked cauliflower mixed with rotten eggs, but at least by now I was used to it. On the other hand, I didn’t know what to expect from Montor...in general.
What if he wants to mess with me?
After all, not one Lostai soldier had ever shown me an ounce of kindness. Skepticism must have been written all over my face because he quickly clarified, “Do not worry. It is made with the eggs of a domesticated bird and mixed with cured meat and vegetables.”
He walked over to the food reproducer, spoke instructions in an unrecognizable language, and came back with a plate in each hand. His height allowed him to easily swing his leg over the back of the chair to sit. I smiled to myself.
Just like how Riker does it on Star Trek: TNG.
I was pleasantly surprised by the aroma, reminiscent of onions, potatoes, and bacon, even before he pushed the plate in front of me. What I saw looked like a quiche without the crust. He watched me intently as I tasted it.
“Mmmm...this is actually very good.”
The flavor and texture reminded me of eggs, but it also contained pieces of what looked like vegetables and salty meat. Savory, like a mix of Thai and Spanish cuisine, and yes, a bit spicy, but delicious.
“A pale reproduction of the real thing but better than that Lostai slop,” he said, after which he scarfed down his portion.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
The squadron moved on to a kind of plyometric workout including jumping squats and a type of push up that involved clapping behind the back. Of course, I couldn’t do even one of those. They also did heavy weight training and planks lasting for much longer than the two-minute ones I used to do. The squadron leader continued to deliver punishment via the wristband. Blood smudges reappeared around my wrist, and I couldn’t stop crying. Some of the soldiers snickered, and I glared at them, a slow rage seething throughout my body. I grabbed my tablet, walked over to the lieutenant, and spoke words in English that were translated into Lostai. The other soldiers froze in expectation while the lieutenant eyed me with suspicion. The arm with the wristband trembled as I spoke.
“As leader of this squadron, you are responsible for our training, correct?”
She spoke into her tablet and tapped the screen. Audio emitted on mine in English.
“Yes, of course.”
“Am I a part of this squadron?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Is that any of our fault?” I gestured, pointing to her, myself, and the rest of the group.
“No.”
“So, regardless of whether we like it or not, you are responsible to make me into a Lostai soldier, yes?”
“Yes.”
“I have never done this before. Give me a chance, or we will both fail miserably.”
“Exzer said you need plenty of physical training to catch up to our military standards.”
“Yes, but I’m not a soldier. I won’t be able to do any training at all if you keep hurting me. I promise to do my best, but it’s going to take some time before I reach that level.”
She rolled her eyes. “I will take this into consideration, but if I think you are slacking, I will inform Zorla that you need an attitude adjustment.”
I walked back to my spot, and the workout continued. I tried to execute every single exercise, even if only one or two repetitions. She didn’t activate the wristband again.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
With Zorla’s approval, Kaya rearranged my schedule to accommodate what she called the Sotkari Ta regimen, which included different types of physical and mental exercises, skills practice, and meditation. I was grateful to no longer have to clean dorms. We progressed from small rocks to levitating other items in my room.
“Mina, telekinesis can be used not only to move items from one place to another but to manipulate them as well.”
Kaya showed me how to fold linen and place them into
drawers without touching them.
“Is it possible for me to learn how to do this while I am
sleeping?” I said with a laugh. “That would be a great way not to waste time tidying up, right?”
“No, that is not possible,” she replied simply.
So much for acknowledging my joke.
I shouldn’t have expected anything different. Kaya always treated me with respect and fairness but didn’t tend to deviate from the task at hand. Being so isolated, I longed for friendship. Sometimes I tried to lighten things up between us, but other than the one time she expressed sympathy for my situation, she kept our interaction professional and to the point.
As our lessons advanced, my initial enthusiasm was marred with a certain uneasiness. She showed me how to move various items at the same time. Causing the drawers to open and close and objects to fly around all at the same time spooked me.
“Oh!” I shouted, placing my hands on my head. All the objects fell to the ground with a thud.
“What is wrong, Mina? You were doing just fine.”
“I do not know. Sometimes this feels unnatural to me,” I said with a deep sigh.
“We have been through this before. You need to put these feelings aside. I know you did not ask for these abilities, but they are a part of who you are. Remember that your genetic makeup is equal to a fully evolved Sotkari. Moving things around is a minor representation of what you can learn to do.”
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Colora knew about Arandan males. Her deceased husband, Jortan, was Arandan. She’d had a brief fling with Montor before we were married, and I suspected she had something going on with Commander Portars.
“To top it off, Montor has all this self-loathing and guilt. Mina, he once told Jortan that he should have died as a child with the rest of his family at the Lostai labor camps.”
“Yes, I know.”
“So, did you get some action before he left?”
That was a weird segue.
I rolled my eyes, but my smile gave the answer away.
“That must have been odd, Mina, your current and ex- lovers all together. So, who was the best in bed?”
“Colora!”
“I can speak for Montor.” She pretend-fanned herself. “With all that strength and stamina, I am sure he never leaves you wanting, but I have often wondered about Kindor. I could never get his attention. He was so obsessed with you. I can only imagine the explosion after keeping all that passion bottled up inside.”
“Colora!” I shouted again, but the drinks had gone to my head, and I giggled. It was the first time I had reflected on my brief love affair with Kindor without regret and anger. Still, it should have never happened.
“I must ask Lorret one day. I hear the Sotkari Ta are very good with their hands and fingers.”
“Colora, you are incorrigible.”
She was the typical Fronidian, flirtatious and liberal when it came to sexual and romantic liaisons.
“If Montor says you are free to do what you want, maybe you should try a Fronidian.” Her eyebrows rose suggestively. “We are a lot of fun, and you will always have plenty of sex.”
“No, Colora, I have other ideas.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
At the next day’s morning staff meeting, Sortomor showed us on the viewer images of Dit Lar, which was now mere hours away. My heart jumped as I realized Lostai battle crafts were approaching the perimeter established by the United Rebel Front.
As usual, I forgot to keep my place and shouted out, “Should we be this close? We can easily be targeted.”
“We have perfectly good defense systems, and I have volunteered to help. You females should leave to pray while we males man the weapon and defense controls.”
Lasarta and Colora gathered the children and left without argument, but Officer Lorret and I looked at each other with one shared thought. Her eyes begged me to say something. I pulled my shoulders back, steadied myself, and glared up at him so that he could see that I meant business.
“You will be short-handed if you attempt to take us into the mix with just you four males. I have military training, am familiar with everyone’s expertise here, and Montor has made sure that I can man every position on this bridge. You are putting the life of my son at risk, so I will not be relegated to a corner. Lorret has military experience and should be here in case we suffer injuries.”
Lorret barely hid her satisfaction as Sortomor was at a loss for words. His eyes blazed with displeasure, and for a moment, I wondered if I had pushed my luck with him.
Foxor chimed in, “Captain Sortomor, forgive Mina’s approach. Her people’s culture is very different from ours, but the truth is we need their help.”
Sortomor took a deep breath, covering his mouth. The air thickened with tension. With a long exhale, he replied, “Very well, you and Lorret will take charge of our defensive systems and sensors. What can the Sotkari do?”
“Umm, if I may suggest, Captain, because we can share a telepathic connection and will not waste time with translations, I think Kindor should be with me on defense and sensors. Lorret can help you on the weapons array, Foxor can monitor the ship’s operating systems, including environmental and propulsion, and Damari should be at the helm and controlling navigational systems.”
Foxor turned away to conceal his smile.
Sortomor’s lips formed a tight line before shouting, “You heard her. Everyone, take your positions.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
My biggest surprise? This strong, cantankerous, arrogant creature that I loved wrote poetry. I didn’t know he had a secret stash of poems, many of them about me, some written since the time we were separated. We sat on a boulder by the river to rest. After much insistence on my part, he stared across the river and reluctantly agreed to recite one, first in Arandan and then translated to Lostai. He said it was titled “Surrender”:
All my life I was loyal to no one
Now her supple body is the land I fight for
Her billowing hair is my flag
Her amber eyes form my crest
Her gentle laughter sings my battle hymn
Victory is her cheek against my chest
I have won and lost this war
She made me both her prisoner and patriot
Overcome with emotion, I sat in silence. No one had ever written a poem about me before, that I knew of. Teary-eyed again, I reached up to tilt his face towards me. He tried to be aloof but couldn’t hold my gaze.
Looking down to our interlaced hands on his lap, he asked, “Do you like it? It is not very good...just something I do when I am feeling inspired.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
I finished my drink and began to feel the effects of the alcohol. Getting into the tub, I watched intently as he peeled off his clothing, already imagining touching those hard muscles. He brought the bottle with him as he stepped into the tub. I took a few more sips straight out of the bottle.
“Montor, I am surprised. You do not strike me as the type of person who does bubble baths.”
“Bubble baths?”
I giggled.
“Back on Earth, it is a girly thing.”
He pretended to be annoyed.
“Really? I will show you how girly I am,” he said while grabbing my hand and pulling it towards his crotch.
I shrieked in mock fear and replied, laughing, “I am not
afraid of that little thing.”
“Oh, you think you are funny? Now you have pushed me to my limit. Mina, for sure you will pay for that.”
We horsed around, causing water to splash out to the floor. Eventually, we ended up in a passionate embrace, and I kissed his chest. He groaned, led me out of the tub, and grabbed some towels neatly stacked on a side table. We each dried up and used the towels to cover up.
“Mina, are you ready to try my bed?”
I didn’t answer. Exhilarated, buzzed, and a bit silly from fooling around in the tub, I dropped my towel and ran off to his bed. I got under the covers, tucking the edges under my feet to hide from him, giggling with anticipation. He was right behind me, his towel no longer around his waist, pulling on the sheets and blankets until he finally uncovered me.
He took in the view of my nakedness and nodded with an expression of accomplishment. I now most definitely was ready to try his bed. Tossing the bed linen on the floor, he rushed in. I squealed with delight as we tussled, and I moved on top of him. This was a position we had not engaged in. He always wanted to be in charge and have me be the one to lose control. For some reason, I wanted to turn the tables on him.
Text Body
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
To calm myself down, I composed a letter to my daughter. I had written several of these pretend letters to my husband, but this was the first one addressed to one of my children. The tone was of someone who was off on a long trip. I pretended she could really see the letter, and I wanted to reassure her that things were not so bad. As usual, I promptly deleted it when I was done.
My daughter’s eyes are like mine. According to her, we have one of the rarest of eye colors. Unlike hazel, our eyes have a solid coppery tint with no hints of other colors. Her eyes are lighter and more striking than mine are and have not changed since she was a baby. By the time she was one year old, we had nicknamed her and then officially added the name to her birth certificate.
Dear Amber,
Honey, how are you doing? I guess you’ve started your freshman year now in high school. Under other circumstances, I’d love for you to be able to experience this with me. My being here confirms everything we always discussed at the dinner table. Yes, there are several worlds within and outside of our galaxy with people that don’t necessarily look like us but represent civilizations that have been around for a long time and who have the ability to travel across star systems. This convinces me that one day, if we don’t destroy our Earth beforehand, we will be doing the same.
I pray to God that you are doing well. I can imagine my being away for so long has been so tough on you all. I hope this hasn’t affected your studies. You have a gift for science. Stay focused on your goals. We need more female scientists.
This will sound crazy, but I’ve learned to move things with my mind. Yes! Mind-Matter Interaction! I’m thinking if I’ve learned to do it, perhaps one of you kids might have the capability of doing the same. Someone here is showing me how to unleash all these abilities I never could have imagined that I possessed.
Don’t worry about me. Other people from Earth who were here recently left this place, so I’m sure that I will soon figure out a way to leave as well. Once I make it back to Earth, trust me, I’ll have a hell of a story to tell. I miss you so very much.
God bless, Mom
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Montor grabbed the bottle and took me by the hand, leading me outside to one of the many covered porches that surrounded the house. We sat side by side on one of the sofas. A slight breeze decreased the temperature a notch, and I heard the splash of the waterfalls.
He placed the bottle on a small table in front of us, took my hand in both of his, and stared up to the sky. I should have been relaxed, but the change of environment from the spaceship to Renna One provoked so many conflicting emotions: a nostalgia for Earth, a reminder that soon I would be leaving Montor and traveling alone to a place I had never been to before.
After several minutes of silence, I broke his spell and my sentiments by asking, “Montor, tell me what will be happening in the next few days.”
He was distracted, but acknowledged my question, pouring himself a second glass and replying with a sly smile.
“We should talk first regarding tonight. I will show you how comfortable my bed is.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“I will train one of the soldiers as a backup plan, but I will continue to take the children myself unless it is a very dangerous situation. I have established a rapport with them and want them to feel safe throughout the whole process. I also want to train you.”
I did not have an issue learning how to use it, but I could tell there was something specific on her mind.
“Why me?”
“I am going to leave a hanstoric with you. If something happens while I am away and you think Dit Lar is in danger of falling back under Lostai control, I want you to promise me you will transport yourself and Josher to a place you deem safe.”
“But Mina, what would happen to you?”
“That is not important. The most important thing is Josher’s safety. You will take him somewhere where the Lostai cannot get to him. I do not want you to tell me where.”
“Why would you not want to know? How will you find us?”
“Kindor, I do not want to take the chance that the Lostai could get Josher’s location from me through torture or another medium. I do not want to be pessimistic, but it is a possibility. Remember what Larmont told us the other day.”
The conversation upset me, but she was right to be concerned. The Lostai leadership had gained approval from their constituents to spend more resources on the war. They were distributing false propaganda that rebels were aiming to take over the Lostai home world. Larmont had requested another three hundred United Rebel Front soldiers to help defend Dit Lar against any possible Lostai incursion.
I looked down, rubbing my forehead. Mina took my hand in hers and tilted her head to force me to look into her eyes.
“Kindor, promise me, if something like that happens, you will take Josher away from here. I do not want to know where. I just want to feel secure he is somewhere safe with you. Promise me.”
“Yes, Mina. I promise.”
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
We finished eating and cleaning up. On my way out of the kitchen, he stopped me, placing one hand on my shoulder. Shortening the space between us to a proximity that we only used when sparring, he said,
“Mina, I enjoyed making pee xa for you.”
I had to admit, it was a kind gesture on his part.
“It was thoughtful of you. I appreciate it.”
I looked down because my heart swelled with a feeling of bonding that was absurd considering our overall circumstances.
His hand slid from my shoulder to my hand. He lifted my hand to his mouth, and before I knew it, he licked my palm and the back of my hand and began nipping and sucking in between my fingers. Shock morphed into disbelief and then amusement once I realized this was meant to be a romantic gesture.
What the hell?
I pulled my hand away.
“Ewww...What are you doing?” I said, wiping my hand on my shirt.
.
“I, errr...I just thought...” He stepped away from me, his hands in the air.
I could not believe my eyes. He was truly flustered, but within moments, the familiar acerbic tone returned.
“Oh, nothing. Zorla has been asking when we are going to start the mating process. I wanted him to see that we were working on it. Come now, stop pretending. I am sure you found it pleasant.”
The mention of Zorla’s name erased any of the earlier warm and fuzzy feelings.
“So, I guess that was one of your umm...overtures? No, I would not call that...pleasant.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Kindor’s reaction was the opposite of Hoolon’s. He stopped in his tracks.
Vadira shook her head as she said, “These Sotkari are so dry. Well, Kindor, what do you think of Mina’s look?”
“I have no words. She is beautiful,” he signed.
I smiled and checked him out. His hair was pulled up in a bun, emphasizing his chiseled features and striking eyes. He wore slim white pants and a long dark jacket that accentuated his athletic build, but the bright ultramarine shirt was what captured my attention. The color matched his eyes exactly.
There’s no doubt. The guy is handsome.
He took me by the hand, and we piled into the transport pod. The mining company set up the party in two chambers of a large crystalline cave. We arrived and were ushered into the first chamber. One of the owners gave a speech and introduced the special guests. Afterwards, the owners, management, politicians, and celebrities mingled with the crowd while everyone was served drinks and snacks.
I was about to try a snack when Kindor warned, “I would be careful with those. They are hallucinogenic.”
I threw it away.
“I want to be able to remember this evening,” I said with a nervous laugh.
About an hour later, we were invited to move into the next chamber. Tables were set in circles around a center stage and dance floor. The crystalline stones reflected the emerald green lighting illuminating the area. Green and beige settings with bright yellow centerpieces adorned the tables. Vadira became ecstatic once she realized we were assigned a table next to the town mayor with a clear route to the dance floor. The menu contained four dinner plans. We decided to each pick a different one so we could share and try everything. Waiters served us elegant dishes and kept a steady flow of intoxicating beverages coming.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Mina, I need you to pull yourself together. This is what is
going to happen. You need to strike me a few times in the face. Also use the club and zirem on me. I have the zirem on the highest setting, so it will penetrate my clothing. In my bag, you will find an injectable drug. I need you to insert it in my back so that it is clear that I could not have done it myself. Then you will take the bag and the weapons with you and launch the shuttle craft on autopilot mode, and you will be off.”
“I will inject you, but I am not hurting you...I cannot do it.”
“Mina, this is not a negotiation! You must. Kick me in the face like you did to Gio.”
“No way am I doing that!”
He shook me violently, slapped me, pulled out my shirt, and ripped it open. He stared into my eyes, squinted his, and roared, “I am Gio, and I am about to rape you. You must defend yourself!”
Filled with rage and anger, I took several steps back and jumped high and forward to land a flying kick to his face. He did not block at all. I did it a second time, and he went down. His brow bone began to swell. Skin broke open, and he bled.
“I am Zorla. I have ordered that you be beaten with this very club, and I have used the zirem on your back. Take revenge!” he said from the ground.
I wanted to hurt him the same way I had been hurt. I wanted him broken the same way I had been broken. I struck him hard with the club once, twice, three times and then used the zirem on his chest and abdomen. When I heard him finally cry out in pain, whatever spell I was under broke.
“Oh no...Montor...what have I done?” I said, horrified.
His breathing was labored.
“It is OK...you did good...hurry, get the injectable.”
I found the syringe. He slowly sat up, blood trickling down his face. The smell of burnt cloth and flesh made me nauseous. I knelt next to him, caressing his face and kissing him where he bled.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
One morning, I received a message on my tablet that I should skip my normal boot camp session because someone would be meeting with me in my room. By then, I possessed a good understanding of the Lostai language, although some words were still difficult for me to enunciate properly. At the scheduled time, my door buzzed. I approved, and in walked my visitor.
Quite a contrast from the short and bald Lostai, she stood a majestic six feet tall. Creases in her slate-colored skin reflected her old age, but she showed no signs of feebleness. The short-sleeved garment that grazed her knees displayed strong, toned arms and legs. The whites of her eyes were barely visible, and I couldn’t discern pupils within the vivid blue irises. Thick, wavy, cornflower-blue hair crowned her head. Other than the appearance of her eyes and skin, she could have passed for human.
“Greetings. My name is Kaya. I am here for your training.”
Her lips didn’t move. I didn’t hear her voice out loud. Instead, I sensed the words in Lostai, her voice and tone in my mind. She communicated using perfect Lostai grammar, but there was definitely an accent, including a strong inflection on words starting with vowel sounds. Clearly, Lostai was not her native language. The word “training” worried me. By then, I had mastered my schedule and duties. My squadron leader and Zorla were not bothering me much anymore.
Will this be the beginning of another round of punishments for not meeting expectations?
She extended her arm in greeting, grasping my wrist instead of my hand, and pressed down with her thumb. The minute we made physical contact, a slight electric shock vibrated through my body, followed by an overwhelming feeling of well-being. She cocked her head in surprise, followed by a brief smile.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
As I stood there looking up into his troubled yellow eyes, and despite my anger, my soul exploded with love for him. I was happy with the family that he, Josher, and I had formed, but my pounding heart also held another truth. He had hit a raw nerve. It had been two years since the Lostai kidnapped me.
My love for Montor is strong, but I’m not sure how I’ll react if I find myself back home. Why hurt him with that truth when returning to Earth is still so improbable?
Instead, I put my arms around his waist and pressed my face against his chest.
“Montor, I accepted your marriage proposal because I love you. Yes, my Earth family will always occupy an important part of my heart, but now my place is at your side. You do not have to worry. I will not leave you.”
I stood on my toes to reach my fingers around his neck, and he bent down to kiss me on the lips.
Cupping my face in his hands, he whispered, “Mina, what am I going to do? I did not expect to develop such powerful feelings for you. As an adult, I never felt fear until I met you. Now, my heart, my honor, my whole destiny is in your hands.”
Our eyes remained locked for a few seconds until, shaking his head, he checked the sun’s position again and raised his voice.
“We should get going.”
The way to the river was up a rocky hillside. Before reaching the top, I already could hear gurgling, splashing water. Once there, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The steep mountainous wall on the other side of the hill dropped at least a hundred feet to a violent rush of red, foamy liquid bordered by giant rocks and boulders extending as far as I could see.
“Montor, the view is spectacular, but how are we crossing?”
He pointed sideways to a bridge. We walked across the top of the hill for another half hour to reach it. Once we arrived, I was flabbergasted again. The dilapidated swinging bridge was a sorry sight with several of the rusty slats missing and a flimsy railing. I guessed the bridge stretched on for at least two miles.
“This seems risky,” I said in a worried voice.
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
His yellow eyes held mine captive. I dared not look away.
“I can tell you this. In the short time I have known you, I have learned that you are a female of conviction. You stand by your values. At first glance, you might appear weak and vulnerable, but in fact, you are strong, a survivor. You have shown me loyalty, and I know you have a kind heart. I can only assume you were a fine mother. You are a fun person. My favorite people, Kaya, Jortan, Colora, Foxor, and Lasarta, love you already. Let us not forget that I am very physically attracted to you and I cannot get enough of your body. Seriously, Mina, what else do I need to figure out?”
I was touched by his declaration.
“I...I do not know what to say...”
“These are just simple facts, Mina,” he said, shrugging his
shoulders.
I leaned in towards him and tried my best to convey with kisses the tender feelings that his words had evoked.
“You know, Montor, I question why I find myself in this situation, too. I thought my life was set. I never expected to fall in love again, but I pray that God helps me have the faith to see that there is a reason why all this has happened and everything will eventually turn out for the best.”
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Mina, I would like to give you something,” he said.
I bit my lip and worried about becoming too emotional as we were quickly approaching our last intimate time together for a long time or, perhaps, ever. He took off one of the two cords he wore around his neck. Each had almost identical shiny, silver-toned amulets engraved with unfamiliar markings that I assumed were in Arandan. Tiny transparent crystals encrusted in the metal sparkled in the daylight as it streamed through the bedroom windows. The burning sensation in my nostrils and eyes predicted the hot tears that would soon follow.
“Mina, in my clan we have a custom where parents give these amulets to their children one revolution from their birth date. They are worn for life, save for certain circumstances when it is deemed appropriate to gift it to someone. The second one belonged to my twin sister. Normally, upon her death, she would have been cremated with it on, but my father could not bear the idea that she was gone. So, he broke with tradition and put it on me.”
He hesitated, looking away for a moment before turning back to me.
“He said since I was her twin and we were conceived and formed together in the womb, a part of her was always with me. I am keeping hers, but I would like you to have mine to remember me by until we are together again.”
By the time he was done with his explanation, I was a blubbering mess. I wanted to tell him I couldn’t accept it, but instead of speaking, my shaking body only produced sobbing sounds. He pulled me close, his fingers entangled in my hair, and all I heard was the beating of his heart. We finally separated, and without saying another word, he placed the cord with the amulet around my neck. I looked up to him and saw one solitary tear go down his cheek. This was as hard for him or worse as he was parting with a sentimental item. The idea that he might break down and cry was too perturbing and helped me regain control.
“Montor, I will wear this with honor until the day we see each other again. Thank you so much for this and for everything.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The pounding of my heart and in my head made me dizzy as I jumped out of the pod and ran full speed to the crash site, already focusing my mind on moving rocks out of the way. I reached the craft and could hear nothing other than the sounds of crackling electricity, swirling wind, hail, and rocks crashingto the ground. It was a relief that I could make telepathic contact with Montor.
“Montor, are you OK? Kindor will be here soon, and between the three of us, we will get rid of all these rocks!”
“Mina, what are you doing here? You need to leave.”
“What do you mean, what am I doing here? Once I did not hear further from you, I realized you might be in trouble. We need to get you out of there.”
There was a strange tone to his voice in my mind, so weak that a sick feeling crept into the pit of my stomach.
“Mina, you must leave immediately. When Lostai crafts crash, they send out a homing signal. Reinforcements are probably on their way here now!”
“There is no way I am leaving you here. I will order Kindor to go back and take the Barinta away from here, but I am staying.”
“Listen to me. Not only is there danger from the Lostai, but there is seismic activity on this moon. The tremors may cause more rockslides. Also, my legs are broken and possibly my back too. I feel a strange numbness. I will not be able to run or fight.”
“You do not need to run. The pod is right here. I can help you in.”
After a few minutes of silence, I heard his voice again, his tone impatient now.
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“What are you saying? Let us not talk so much and focus on moving the rocks.”
“Mina! Leave, please. They will capture all of you and Josher. There is not a minute to spare!”
My head hurt, and I found myself gasping for breath.
“No! I will not!”
I continued to focus on removing the rocks as I agonized over whether I should have Kindor turn back or not. After a period of silence, Montor’s voice entered my mind again, stronger now, with an arrogance and unpleasantness that reminded me of when we first met.
“Mina, you are doing a terrible job as second-in-command. Listen carefully. I think I am not getting out of here, so it is time I own up to something I have done, something you most likely will not be pleased with.”
“What? We have no time for this.”
The movement of rocks slowed down. He had stopped working on them, so now it was only me. A painful vibration assaulted my brain as I alone concentrated on lifting the heavy rocks away from the patrol craft as fast as I could and dropping them a few feet away.
“You do not love me, Mina.”
“Huh? Of course, I do. Have you hit your head?”
“I have manipulated you from the very beginning, made
you think you felt things that you did not.”
“Montor, I know you are making this up to make me leave. It is not going to work.”
It took a lot of effort to move the huge rocks and keep the telepathic connection.
“No. Think about it. You have sometimes wondered
whether we have rushed into our relationship and marriage, especially considering your ties on Earth, right? I hate to disappoint you, my dear, but I manipulated you from the first night we were intimate to the day I proposed marriage to the present. I made you believe you were in love with me, but those are not your true feelings at all. I mean, I do not know who you really love. Perhaps it is your Sotkari friend.”
“Do not bring Kindor into this!”
Time stopped for me.
Could it be true?
I stood there, hail falling around me in hard clunks, hitting my body and face. The rocks were no longer being moved. I licked my lips and tasted blood.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Gio and three soldiers took me to a holding cell with a magnetic force field that I could not manipulate and also blocked my ability to access anyone’s mind outside of it. Zorla arrived soon after. I felt a sudden increase of perspiration across my body. The memories of his punishments were still fresh, even though it had been over a year since I had escaped Xixsted.
“Mina, I must admit, I am very upset with you. Not only did you abandon your duties as a Lostai soldier, but you turned Montor, my most prized assistant, against me. On top of that, you are hiding your offspring from me,” Zorla said.
Bitter hatred consumed me like I had never felt before. I ran up to the edge of the cell and glared at him. The cuffs exploded off my wrists, small pieces of metal flung everywhere. On the other side of the force field, the three guards took a step back.
“I never agreed to be a Lostai soldier! You bastards kidnapped me!”
Zorla was unfazed by my outburst. Cold, calculating, deep-set eyes stared back.
“You could have had an illustrious future in our military, and after serving your time with us, like Gio here, you would have been free to do what you pleased. Instead, you will be our prisoner forever, and we will do with you...as we please. First, I need to know where Montor and your son are.”
Detesting the satisfied look on his face, I sauntered around the cell with a bit of arrogance and fake bravado.
“Unfortunately for you, I purposely have kept myself ignorant of that information, so there is no way you are finding that out from me.”
This was only true about Josher, but I hoped I could convince them I was also unaware of Montor’s whereabouts.
Zorla’s mouth curled into a sinister smile.
“We shall see.” He turned to Gio.
“Use whatever means necessary to get that information from her. You requested she not be scarred for when you mate with her later, so feel free to use our infirmary to heal her injuries when you are done. Also, I want her friends from the Barinta to see her defeated and humiliated. I am not convinced they have told us all they know. Let us strike a little fear in their hearts.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and walked towards the edge of the cell again to get closer to him.
“You have them? Where are they?” I asked.
“Yes, we captured their ship and have incarcerated them here so that you all will have a nice reunion.”
Cold fear consumed me.
I might be strong enough to resist torture, but can I bear watching any of them be harmed?
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
At the end of the day, Exzer escorted me to the Commander’s office. Sitting at his desk, he looked up and greeted me with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. I remained as far from him as possible, hardly any space between my back and the door closing behind me. He looked like Exzer and the others. Same round bald head, deep-set eyes, small mouth, but his brow bones protruded much more than hers. I couldn’t figure out the color of his dark eyes. Two soldiers stood by his desk. My muscles tensed as they moved closer to me while Exzer stepped forward.
Still sitting, he spoke using Exzer as a translator. I hung on her every word.
“My name is Zorla, and I am in charge of this science station. We are pleased to have acquired such an invaluable specimen. You do not have full understanding of this yet, but your complete set of Sotkari Ta genes makes you quite the prize. We acquired you at a lot of risk and expense.”
He stood and walked towards me with slow, deliberate steps. I shifted my weight as my heartbeat accelerated. For some reason, he gave me the creeps. A few inches taller than Exzer but still shorter than me, he tilted his head up to meet my eyes while speaking in slow, drawn-out syllables. Contempt crept into his expression as he looked me over. I tried to inch back, but there was no space. Our eyes locked again for a moment before mine shifted towards the soldiers now on either side of me.
“However, let me be clear. I have no tolerance for any disobedience. I hear you tried to escape this morning. Therefore, you must be punished.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Montor appeared to trust Colora, so I felt free to open up a bit.
“We are different, but we both have been affected by things out of our control. He was extremely moved by that song we danced to.”
“Yes, the artists are an Arandan group that is putting a modern twist to old Arandan folk music.”
“It makes me curious about the lyrics.”
“I can tell you. I speak several Arandan languages.”
“You do?”
“Yes, sure, my husband is Arandan, one of the few
successful Arandans who were able to escape the planet with his wealth intact. Let me see, the beginning of the song says roughly:
Some say I am a good man doing evil things.
Others think I am an evil person doing good.
What do they know about me?
“Then the spoken poem follows. Of course, the rhythm and rhyme are off when you translate to Lostai:
There is no place like Aranda.
The rolling hills of Minterox, The Falls at Xendaro.
The magnificent red river that runs by my village,
The song of the Bendaru, the roar of the Masduro.
I fell asleep and had a nightmare.
Awoken by the thunderous sounds of war
I thought I was by the water.
But by the stench, I realized, the blood of my ancestors
flowed.
I am alone and my soul is empty.
I sing sad songs and try to survive.
Now all I can do is walk in solitude across the ravaged
land.
No, I can do more.
I can avenge the deaths of the innocents.
I can make good use of my rage, no matter what it takes Yes...What do they know about me?
“Then the group chorus sings:
One day, we pray all will be resolved and you can dance and sing,
One day, we pray all will be resolved and you can rest in peace.”
When she was finished, there were tears in my eyes as I recalled the enigmatic music that accompanied those tortured words and the soulful voices that sang and spoke them. I looked at her, and she was teary-eyed as well.
“The Arandans have had a tough time in recent history. War, drought, and famine have ravaged their world. The Lostai took advantage of the civil war there and are now using up any remaining resources.”
“I am no fan of the Lostai,” I blurted out.
“And yet you are training to be a soldier in their military,” Colora said.
It didn’t come across as a question, or an accusation, but as a simple fact.
“It is a complicated situation that I cannot discuss.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“Mina, we need to move our bodies a bit after all this food,” Kindor said, his voice in my mind playful in a way I had never heard before.
“Oh, no. I...I do not know how to dance to that music.”
“Oh yes, you do. I showed—” He stopped himself before completing the thought, but it was clear. We had danced before. I didn’t try to remember, to avoid bringing on one of those debilitating headaches, but this notion motivated me to go with him to the dance floor.
“Mina, it is three steps to the front, three steps back, then a quick double step,” Kindor said.
“Oww!”
“Mina, are you OK?”
I waved it off, but it was a jab in my brain, another painful déjà vu moment. I couldn’t help but feel like he had said these exact words to me before.
By following his instructions, we were soon moving in sync. He twirled me around, and I improvised a few moves. His genuine smile made me confident that I wasn’t doing something ridiculous. Several songs later, we were ready to head back to the table to rest, but the band shifted to a slower tempo, and he decided to stay. He spread his legs and pulled me close. I noticed all the other males did the same.
“How does this one go?” I asked him.
“In this dance, the males do all the work,” he answered, “but our bodies must remain connected the whole time.”
The music sounded like a heartbeat with electronic sounds in the background. He swayed me forwards, backwards, and in a circular motion, his hands on the small of my back guiding me. My cropped blouse allowed his hands to touch my bare skin. The result was something very intimate as his pelvic area pressed against mine. The thumping in his chest was almost as loud as the music.
I don’t care about his customs. I don’t care if it’s appropriate. I want to kiss him.
Reaching my hands up around his neck, I pressed my lips against his. This time, he responded, parting his lips slightly, his tongue barely meeting mine. He gave my waist a little squeeze. The unfamiliar shock that flowed through me caused my hands to flail away from his neck like I’d been electrocuted. I looked up at him and saw he was equally discombobulated.
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Traveling via the transportal didn’t hurt but was a jarring experience, like being forcefully awakened from anesthesia. I had traveled through the transportal many times before but never quite got over that initial jolt. For some reason, traveling across short distances caused an even more intense sensation. Once I got over the few seconds of disorientation, an adrenaline rush took control, my pulse speeding up and my senses becoming hyper aware of my surroundings.
Considering we didn’t know exactly where in the building we would “land,” we were lucky. We ended up in one of the prisoner cell blocks, the most logical place to start searching for Amber. To our surprise, the area appeared empty, with no Lostai soldiers in sight.
Perhaps this block is vacant.
The second we arrived, Montor switched to military mode, his facial expression focused and emotionless. Scanning the area, we identified five corridors leading to other sections of the building. Montor assigned one Arandan to guard each entrance, and the rest of us split up to check every single prison cell. Rooms with locked doors lined the wall across from the cells.
My Sotkari Ta telepathy allowed me to sense all living creatures in the immediate area as lights in my mind, even those not in plain sight. I could also tell whether those lights corresponded to people with enhanced abilities or not. The lights of Sotkari Ta people appeared brighter and farther away in my mind compared to lesser evolved beings. All the Sotkari Ta in our group performed similar telepathic scans to confirm there were no living beings in the rooms.
“OK, there is nothing here. Let us move to the next cell block—”
I grabbed Montor’s arm and met his eyes.
“Montor, I need to be sure.”
“OK, sweetness.”
He approached each room and vaporized the doors with his rifle so we could check inside for anyone, dead or alive. The rooms included an infirmary, a laboratory, several offices, and a conference room. We found no one.
Montor gestured to the first hallway to the right. We followed him down the corridor, which led to a similar prison cell block. This one was empty as well. We returned and sped down the second corridor. When we faced the same situation, my heart sank.
Oh no! What if we aren’t in the right place?
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
“Our best guess is that Mina’s daughter is being held in Losarex. We intend to create a diversion at the border to try to slip in undetected,” explained Montor.
Lasarta and Foxor looked at each other but said nothing.
They must think we’re crazy to go into enemy territory. Lasarta and Foxor have grown to love me, but maybe they think I am forcing their foster son to take too much of a risk.
Montor probably sensed my thoughts because he added, “Commander Larmont assigned five of his soldiers to assist us, and Damari, Kristom, and Komar will be coming, also. We have a well thought-out plan.”
“Sounds like a good team,” said Lasarta. “We will pray for a successful rescue. I look forward to meeting your daughter, Mina.”
“Thank you,” I said.
After closing the call, I plopped into bed, turning away from Montor and covering my face to hide that I was, yet again, crying. There was no fooling him. He said nothing at first, inching closer to me and rubbing my hair.
“Mina, although you know I do not believe in such things, you have always talked to me about your faith in a higher power—I think it is pronounced Gohd. Trust that everything will be fine. We will rescue your daughter and be back with Josher soon.”
I turned around and pressed my face against his chest. “Thank you, Montor, for being my rock.”
“Rock?”
“I mean, for being my strength. I can always rely on you for support.”
“Yes, well, I will need some support too,” he said in a mock-worried voice. I looked up to find irritation in his expression. “...In order to get through this conversation with Kindor tomorrow without breaking the viewer.”
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Once we completed our exercises, Montor took me to the front terrace, and we sat down. He wanted to explain to me what to expect regarding my trip to Fronidia.
“We will leave early tomorrow to the location where my contacts have the shuttle ready for me. The shuttle’s sensors will be rigged to make it appear as if it is a drone in auto flight mode without a pilot. I chose the morning time due to the high amount of traffic landing and taking off from Renna One. The safest route to Fronidia will take sixty days. You absolutely may not communicate with anyone during the entire trip, as that will give away that there is someone on board. I programmed the shuttle to send an encoded message to my tablet once it arrives back to Renna One. This will be the only indication that your trip has been completed.”
My stomach was in knots.
Montor explained that the landing destination was a major city in the Fronidian northern hemisphere near a refugee center where I would be processed and supplied with food and temporary lodging until I was settled in. He explained Zorla would probably assign him to the search force, but he would make a point to limit the search to Renna One as long as possible. He said to avoid any suspicion, it would be some time before he could secretly look to reunite with me, possibly six months or even a year.
Our mood soured by the minute as we hashed through these details. My mind wandered as I tried to come up with any scenario that would allow me to stay with Montor. He said he needed to check in with Zorla to address some work issues and suggested that I rest, but I never was a fan of napping during the day. I asked where Lasarta was, and he said she must be working on meal preparation, so I looked around and found her in the kitchen.
“Hello, Lasarta. How are you doing? May I help you?” I asked.
“Oh Mina, that is kind of you, but I am sure you have better things to do.”
“I do not, and I would like a task to distract me, unless I would just be getting in your way.”
“Oh no, no. I could always use a helping hand,” she said, smiling.
She had what appeared to be poultry on a cutting board on one of the counters and kitchen shears nearby. It was larger than a chicken but smaller than a turkey.
“Do you want me to butcher this for you?” I asked.
She looked skeptical, so I described to her how I would do it: the drumsticks, wings, thighs, and breasts cut in smaller pieces.
“Is that how you would do it?”
“Yes, exactly. I am surprised that you would know such things,” said Lasarta. “Many people these days produce their meals using machines, but Montor likes his food homecooked the old-fashioned way.”
“Well, I do not claim to be an excellent cook, but I prepared the meals for my family. You know, there is a dish I used to make back on Earth with a similar bird. My family loved it.”
“Well, if you like, you can prepare it today.”
“Oh, but I am not familiar with your condiments, herbs, and vegetables. I do not want to delay your process...or worse, spoil everyone’s dinner.”
“Nonsense...We have plenty of time. Let me show you everything that we use here, and you can discover which items are like what you cooked with on Earth. Let us have fun with this!”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
I noticed one middle-aged male had been ogling the females from afar. He made no move to approach or talk to them. He just watched them. It occurred to me that this kind of deviant might be very observant. I introduced myself and showed him the images.
“Oh, I know them. This couple lives next to me.”
My heart almost stopped.
“Did you say couple? No, they are not a couple.”
He laughed in a lascivious manner and nodded for emphasis.
“Trust me, they are. I have seen them more than once out on the balcony.”
Anger almost as ferocious as when I killed Gio flared up. I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close.
“Hey, hey, what is wrong with you?” he said, alarmed.
“What. Do. You. Mean...you have seen them?” I managed to ask through gritted teeth.
“Seems you are very interested,” he said, meeting my eyes. “Better let go if you want to hear what I know.”
I tossed him back into his seat.
“She looks like no one I have ever seen...literally from
another world...caught my attention right away. I keep track of their, well, really her comings and goings. When they started to use the balcony for—”
“For what!” I shouted, and the bartender gave me a look. “Is everything OK over there?” the bartender asked.
“Yes, yes, sorry. Everything is fine.”
I glared back at the deviant and gestured for him to continue.
“They make love on the sofa on the balcony. She must have a preference for doing it out there because I have seen them through my balcony often. Hey, do not be mad at me. You asked.”
Somehow, I stopped myself from hurling him across the bar.
“Give me the exact location code.”
“Listen, I do not want trouble. Promise not to say I stalk her. I have kept my distance. She has never noticed—”
“Tell me now!” I roared.
“Sir, I am going to have to ask you to leave,” interjected the bartender, walking over.
“Yes, fine. We are both leaving.” I turned to the deviant and said under my breath, “If you do not step out with me now and give me the location codes, I am going to stalk you and break you in half. I am dead serious.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
After the meal, Montor ordered a beverage that I guessed was supposed to be like an after-meal expresso. It was so bitter, I gagged. Ar Ona wasted no time in making fun of me. She said something to Montor in Arandan that he thought was hilarious.
I feel so out of place. What the heck am I doing here?
I found myself crossing my leg and arching my back, my nipples suddenly sensitive against the soft dress fabric. Gio had taken my hand in his and was rubbing it reassuringly.
“No worries, Mina. I have lived here twenty years and I still find it disgusting,” he said, his eyebrow arched.
The laughter stopped. I wasn’t even sure if Gio was referring to the drink or everything in general. Then he said something that made me freeze, as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on me.
“I am Sotkari Ta, like Montor, here. I suspect you, Mina, are the same, and well trained at that, since I cannot read you at all.”
Montor’s eyes blazed with anger. I was well aware that it was not common knowledge outside of the military that the Lostai were kidnapping people with embedded evolved Sotkari genes. For sure, it was not spoken about out loud in casual conversation.
“What is Sotkari Ta?” asked Ar Ona.
No one answered her question.
“Gio, be more careful with your words,” said Montor.
Gio was irreverent and did not appear to be intimidated by Montor at all.
“If you ask me, the Sotkari Ta are a bunch of horny
bastards. Imagine that something as simple as the touch of the hand could be enough to make someone want to jump into bed with you,” Gio said.
I slipped my hand out of his grip. He went right on saying things he shouldn’t.
“Mina, you still have the wristband, so I know life is not so fun for you right now.”
My eyes must have turned into saucers. I was at a loss for words.
“What is he talking about?” Ar Ona asked again.
Montor replied to her in Arandan, but his demeanor made me guess that he told her to shut up. She pouted.
“I would like another drink,” I said.
“An excellent suggestion,” Gio replied.
“I agree,” added Ar Ona.
Montor scowled as he motioned to the waiter to get us
another round. A few minutes later, I thought I heard some kind of music.
“That sounds very interesting,” I observed.
“I bet you have not heard music in a while. Let us all go so you can get a feel for it,” Gio said.
“Mina and I have an early start tomorrow morning, so we should be leaving,” Montor countered.
Ar Ona smiled sweetly at Gio.
“I need some private time with Montor,” she said.
My jaw clenched, and I imagined wringing Ar Ona’s neck.
“Well, in that case, I can take care of showing Mina the rest of Zamandi’s Room,” Gio offered.
“That sounds great. I am curious about the music here,” I
said.
Montor gave Gio a death glare.
“I expect her back at the bar in no more than one hour. Do you understand?”
“No problem. Let us go, Mina,” Gio said.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“My name is Mina,” I said.
I reached out, and we squeezed each other’s forearms in the typical Sotkari greeting. Pleasurable sensations coursed through me coupled with a feeling of warmth and well-being, but not as intense as when Montor touched me. I yanked my arm back.
Not this again.
He continued to lock eyes with me, and I recalled how Montor said I should be careful who I trusted. I closed my mind to avoid any possibility of mind control or him learning too much about me. He definitely noticed, leaning forward and tilting his head.
Let’s see what he does now that he can’t communicate telepathically. Can he speak?
“Are you familiar with the Lostai?”
I waited for a response.
“Did you understand the question?” I asked again.
He gestured what I understood to mean that he was mute, so he was definitely Sotkari Ta, since Sotkari Pasi are able to speak. Depending on how well trained he was, I could be dealing with an extremely powerful being. This made me even more cautious.
“OK, you are mute, so you must be Sotkari Ta.”
He nodded yes.
“I am aware of your abilities. That is why I have closed my mind. I am afraid of leaving myself vulnerable.”
He gesticulated some kind of sign language that I obviously could not understand. We were at a standstill.
“I am not familiar with your sign language. We are at a
crossroads now. Should I trust you or not?”
He pointed to his head and extended his hands palms up as in offering. I understood that he was giving me permission to look deep into his mind and subconscious. Having never done this before, not even with Kaya or Montor, I hesitated. Kindor vehemently gestured again as if insisting, so I summoned up my courage. I envisioned myself walking towards his “light” in my mind, reaching, and gingerly moving beyond it. This required significant mental effort. I squeezed my eyes shut to focus, catching my breath as I experienced a blinding, bright light. It only lasted a few seconds, and then he was revealed to me. He didn’t have bad intentions but was curious as he realized that I was Sotkari Ta as well. I sensed no deception or ill will towards me at all, but the fact that I said I was running from kidnappers and now asked about the Lostai had put him on edge.
“Would you believe that is the first time I have done that?”
He raised his eyebrows, nodded his head, and pursed his lips as if to show he was impressed.
“OK, I am going to open my mind now, but I do not give you permission to go beyond communication. If you are a properly trained and morally sound Sotkari Ta, you will honor my request, correct?”
He nodded yes, and I unlocked my mind.
“Thank you, Mina, for trusting me. I promise I have no intention of tricking or harming you. However, I am curious, as you appear to be a well-trained Sotkari Ta. You must be the result of genetic transfer.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Mina, I would like to give you something,” he said.
I bit my lip and worried about becoming too emotional as we were quickly approaching our last intimate time together for a long time or, perhaps, ever. He took off one of the two cords he wore around his neck. Each had almost identical shiny, silver-toned amulets engraved with unfamiliar markings that I assumed were in Arandan. Tiny transparent crystals encrusted in the metal sparkled in the daylight as it streamed through the bedroom windows. The burning sensation in my nostrils and eyes predicted the hot tears that would soon follow.
“Mina, in my clan we have a custom where parents give these amulets to their children one revolution from their birth date. They are worn for life, save for certain circumstances when it is deemed appropriate to gift it to someone. The second one belonged to my twin sister. Normally, upon her death, she would have been cremated with it on, but my father could not bear the idea that she was gone. So, he broke with tradition and put it on me.”
He hesitated, looking away for a moment before turning back to me.
“He said since I was her twin and we were conceived and formed together in the womb, a part of her was always with me. I am keeping hers, but I would like you to have mine to remember me by until we are together again.”
By the time he was done with his explanation, I was a blubbering mess. I wanted to tell him I couldn’t accept it, but instead of speaking, my shaking body only produced sobbing sounds. He pulled me close, his fingers entangled in my hair, and all I heard was the beating of his heart.
We finally separated, and without saying another word, he placed the cord with the amulet around my neck. I looked up to him and saw one solitary tear go down his cheek. This was as hard for him or worse as he was parting with a sentimental item. The idea that he might break down and cry was too perturbing and helped me regain control.
“Montor, I will wear this with honor until the day we see each other again. Thank you so much for this and for everything.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
We met in the early evening to share a meal in the kitchen, continuing to communicate telepathically.
“Hello, my dear. Are your quarters comfortable? Is everything in order?”
“Yes, Montor, everything is fine.”
“Good. The first thing I need you to know is that I would not be surprised if Zorla has installed spying devices all over this spaceship to monitor our activities. We need to be careful of how we conduct ourselves and what we say aloud. I told him we would be communicating telepathically most of the time so that you can get continued practice. But occasionally I may speak aloud purposely. Make sure you follow my lead. I also expect he will be checking in with me often to get updates on our progress. We need to discuss how we will trick Zorla into believing we are busy making a Sotkari Ta baby. Any suggestions?”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat with my fist covering my mouth. I had avoided thinking about this part of the mission and hated the fact that we needed to have this discussion.
“Suggestions, what do you mean?”
“Well, my dear, we must put on a show of sorts for Zorla. There are different options on how we do it. I have my suggestion, but obviously, we need to be in sync.”
The whole conversation was making me sick to my stomach, but I understood that Montor was right. We needed to agree on a plan.
“OK, what do you recommend? By the way, I am tired of you calling me ‘my dear’. Call me by my name, please.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Yes, my de...uhhh, Mina. I informed Zorla that the idea of taking a female by force is distasteful to me.”
“Distasteful?” Outrage took over.
“No, it is not distasteful. It is plain wrong. How would you like it if someone raped you? Or perhaps your sister or mother?”
His face crumpled for only a moment.
“Yes, it is wrong,” I heard his voice soften in my mind.
Did I just hit a nerve?
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
One day and one night passed beyond Mina’s expected return time. Strangely, I was not worried for her safety. No. I was enraged, consumed with a jealous anger that I did my best to conceal from Larmont, his soldiers, and, above all, Josher. The time Mina and I had shared on Dit Lar had fanned the flames of my love for her. I finished off the bottle of brandy cursing the fact that she probably was in his arms.
I need to stop clinging to a female who has not one but two husbands. I have confused my place in her life. What an idiot I am, hoping to be something significant. Instead, I am just like a faithful pet to her. It is time to see if one of the female Arandan soldiers might have me.
Security alarms awoke me from my drunken stupor. I shook it off and contacted Larmont on the viewer, communicating to him using my tablet.
“Commander, what is happening?”
“Another Lostai attack, but a much larger contingent, six battle crafts. Our shielding has been completely compromised. I already have authorized our troops to abandon the base if they can. I will not allow my soldiers to commit suicide. We will return and take Dit Lar back, but now we must retreat. Take Montor’s son through the transportal at once, as Mina instructed.”
“But what about Mina? She is due to arrive at any moment. The Lostai will capture her.”
“A small group of us will stay as long as we can to hopefully protect her. That is all I can do. I know you care much for her, but she would want you to prioritize her son’s safety.”
“Yes, I know,” I said.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Montor took the lead while the rest of us fell into little groups behind him: the five Arandan soldiers; Kristom, Komar and Damari, who had served together on several missions; Lorret and me; and to my uneasiness, Kindor and Josh. Lorret must have read something in my expression.
“Joshwar and Kindor are getting along very well,” she said in Arandan, a bit of mischief in her eyes.
“I see that. I suppose it is good, but it is somewhat unexpected.”
“Not really, if you consider the one big thing they have in common.”
“Really? And what would that be?”
“Their dislike for Montor.”
I pulled a face. She laughed.
“They secretly mimicked him and made jokes about him throughout the trip, but do not worry. When it started to get out of hand, I reined Kindor in. He knows I have a lot of respect and affection for Montor. Not to mention, Montor is our leader on this mission. The Arandan soldiers that are with us would not tolerate too much of that either.”
Of course, she would have Montor’s back. He was her first love, but that was long before he and I met. This caused some friction between Lorret and me when she first joined the Barinta, but by now, a strong friendship had grown between us. I blew air out of my cheeks, wondering about Kindor and Josh’s conversations.
“I hope they all behave. Montor can be overbearing and jealous.”
“It must be a strange situation for you, Mina. Your ex and current partners, all together.”
She knows!
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“Eating alone?”
I looked up. Officer Lorret sat across from me with her food tray. I glanced at her before I continued eating quietly. Not in the mood for socializing, I was pleased that Officer Lorret did not speak for a long while. Then she broke the silence.
“It seems you and Mina are close. I saw you take her by the hand yesterday morning. Luckily, Montor did not see you.”
Montor was proud of his physical strength, but I was sure my expression made it clear that he did not intimidate me at all. She chuckled.
“Have you known her for a long time?”
Lorret did not understand sign language, so I typed in my tablet and audio emitted with my replies.
“Her shuttle crash-landed near the small village where my family lived. She had intended to reach the refugee center in the capital city of Fronidia but got caught in an electromagnetic storm that veered her way off course. She lived with us for six lunar cycles.”
“Interesting. Are all people on your planet mute?”
“No, only those of us who are fully evolved.”
“Fully evolved, huh. Sounds like a pretty snobby way of
referring to oneself.”
“I do not mean to be pretentious. It is merely the reality of things. We call ourselves Sotkari Ta. I am a pureblood Sotkari Ta because all my ancestors are fully evolved. If we train properly, we have the abilities of telepathy, telekinesis, healing, mind control, and, most importantly, blocking.”
She appeared more focused on her meal than on my reply but caught the tail end of it and, I believe out of courtesy, asked, “What is blocking?”
“We can stop others with telepathic abilities from accessing our minds. Some of our population is known as Sotkari Pasi because they are telepathic but can speak out loud and lack the other abilities. Others have none of these abilities.”
Lorret continued to be unimpressed.
“Really? So much power and yet your people allowed the Lostai to take control of your planet.”
She is just as annoying as Montor. Are all Arandans the same? Well, Lasarta and Foxor seem nice enough.
“The Lostai took advantage of our divisions. Some Sotkari Ta who were upset with the Sotkari government assisted them. The Lostai are also ruthless at blackmail. They will find someone vulnerable in your family and threaten them if you do not comply with their orders.”
She looked down to her lap for a second, then corrected her posture. When our eyes met again, any emotion from her expression had been deleted.
“So, you said your family lives in Fronidia now? How long have they been there?”
“My family stayed as long as possible in Sotkar trying to help in the struggle to regain control of our planet. My grand-parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings were all killed or taken away by the Lostai. Finally, my father brought my mother, niece, and me to Fronidia. He went back to find my sister and was also killed. That was twenty revolutions ago.”
Lorret tucked at the scarf that covered half of her face and for the first time her expression softened.
“The Lostai are an immoral race. It will be good if our peoples can join together and take back control of our planets.”
“Would you like to try my Sotkari tea?” I asked, feeling a
little more at ease.
She nodded yes, and I brought a carafe and two fresh cups.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
“Captain Noomar, it seems they are ignoring Commander Montor’s ship and are only targeting us. Why do you think that is? They would have much more to gain in terms of prisoners or death toll from the other ship.”
The Lostai battle craft hailed us again.
“OK, Colora, put them on audio only. I do not want them to see us.”
“Unidentified Arandan ship, this is Commander Leenox, representing the Lostai Empire. I will be brief and to the point. You apparently have a technology that Lostai military is interested in learning more about. You have trespassed on Lostai space and have fired upon our ships. Therefore, we lay claim to your craft and your crew. We will employ our tug beam to pull you into our docking station, where you will be boarded and taken as prisoners. If you fire on us again, we will destroy the United Rebel Front craft you seem so intent on defending. Our sensors detect their shields will not withstand another photon blast. However, we will allow it to leave our space unharmed if you shut down your propulsion system and comply.”
Commander Noomar did not reply. Instead, he contacted Montor’s ship. Montor appeared on screen. Noomar rushed to explain to Montor the message from the Lostai commander.
“Noomar, as an ex-Lostai soldier, I can assure you that the Lostai commander has no intention of letting my craft escape. Once they have your ship in their clutches, they will destroy ours and we will both be lost. The time has come to end this madness. Use your technology to jump through the transportal back to safety. I am honored by your crew’s courage. I hope history records your brave acts.”
Josher noticed his father was on screen and called out to him again.
Montor turned away from the screen. When he faced us again, he said, “Son, I am very proud of you.” He covered his mouth, and his eyes seemed to search the screen, as if he was staring straight at me. “Mina, you have been the love of my life. Thank you for that. Captain Noomar, I hope you heed my advice. Montor out.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The sunset was a spectacular splash of orange, lavender, and gold but timid compared to what followed. Once the sky darkened, the water and surrounding woods lit up like an amusement park. The fish and creatures of every imaginable color glowed brightly in the dark, as did many of the insects that flew about and certain strange flowers that bloomed in phosphorescent colors only in the moonlight. The water that during the day was dark blue now appeared interspersed with streaks of neon green and purple.
Montor looked around and gazed into my eyes. His voice deep, he asked, “Mina, what would you say if I suggest we spend the night right here? I am sure we would be safe.”
“I am always safe with you,” I said, blowing him a kiss.
“What is that?” he replied with a startled look, not being familiar with the gesture.
“Well, since I cannot reach you from here, I blew you a kiss.”
He stood from the seat and spread some of the blankets on the small standing space. Then he placed the pillows on top and sat on the boat floor. He offered me his hand to guide me down to the blankets, pulling me onto his lap.
“You can reach me now, sweetness,” he said as he touched my lips with his fingers.
I smiled and kissed him, reaching over to grab some other blankets to cover us. I knew by the look on his face that we would soon be without our clothing. The unexpected neon colors, drinking wine straight out of the bottle, making love in too small of a space, sleeping cuddled on a river under a blood red Sotkari moon—it all made for a magical night.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t imagine a young person living through so much heartbreak and torture.
“Montor, it is despicable how they tried to break and humiliate you.”
“I was so lucky Kaya cared for me. She tried her best to research Aranda and teach me to be proud of my heritage. She instilled in me the Sotkari Ta discipline of constant self-improvement and explained to me that I was special and possessed outstanding abilities and potential. As I grew stronger, physically and in my Sotkari Ta abilities, my Lostai soldier peers came to fear and respect me.”
I looked up, and our lips met in a slow, gentle kiss. When we separated, he smiled. We walked again, and he continued to offer snippets of himself as we chatted.
“Mina, just so you know, I very much dislike a vegetable called gotumi. Some Arandans consider it a delicacy, but it is mushy and smells horrible.”
I laughed.
“OK, I will make a note of it.”
My biggest surprise? This strong, cantankerous, arrogant creature that I loved wrote poetry. I didn’t know he had a secret stash of poems, many of them about me, some written since the time we were separated. We sat on a boulder by the river to rest. After much insistence on my part, he stared across the river and reluctantly agreed to recite one, first in Arandan and then translated to Lostai. He said it was titled “Surrender”:
All my life I was loyal to no one
Now her supple body is the land I fight for
Her billowing hair is my flag
Her amber eyes form my crest
Her gentle laughter sings my battle hymn
Victory is her cheek against my chest
I have won and lost this war
She made me both her prisoner and patriot
Overcome with emotion, I sat in silence. No one had ever written a poem about me before, that I knew of. Teary-eyed again, I reached up to tilt his face towards me. He tried to be aloof but couldn’t hold my gaze.
Looking down to our interlaced hands on his lap, he asked, “Do you like it? It is not very good...just something I do when I am feeling inspired.”
“It is beautiful. I wish I could express what I am feeling in a poem like that. All I can say is that I love you, Montor, more than I ever thought possible. I am so lucky to sleep in your embrace each night.”
He gathered me in his arms, our kiss more passionate this time as moans brewed in my chest.
“Let us get back to the house, Mina. I want to kix you everywhere.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t imagine a young person living through so much heartbreak and torture.
“Montor, it is despicable how they tried to break and humiliate you.”
“I was so lucky Kaya cared for me. She tried her best to research Aranda and teach me to be proud of my heritage. She instilled in me the Sotkari Ta discipline of constant self-improvement and explained to me that I was special and possessed outstanding abilities and potential. As I grew stronger, physically and in my Sotkari Ta abilities, my Lostai soldier peers came to fear and respect me.”
I looked up, and our lips met in a slow, gentle kiss. When we separated, he smiled. We walked again, and he continued to offer snippets of himself as we chatted.
“Mina, just so you know, I very much dislike a vegetable called gotumi. Some Arandans consider it a delicacy, but it is mushy and smells horrible.”
I laughed.
“OK, I will make a note of it.”
My biggest surprise? This strong, cantankerous, arrogant creature that I loved wrote poetry. I didn’t know he had a secret stash of poems, many of them about me, some written since the time we were separated. We sat on a boulder by the river to rest. After much insistence on my part, he stared across the river and reluctantly agreed to recite one, first in Arandan and then translated to Lostai. He said it was titled “Surrender”:
All my life I was loyal to no one
Now her supple body is the land I fight for
Her billowing hair is my flag
Her amber eyes form my crest
Her gentle laughter sings my battle hymn
Victory is her cheek against my chest
I have won and lost this war
She made me both her prisoner and patriot
Overcome with emotion, I sat in silence. No one had ever written a poem about me before, that I knew of. Teary-eyed again, I reached up to tilt his face towards me. He tried to be aloof but couldn’t hold my gaze.
Looking down to our interlaced hands on his lap, he asked, “Do you like it? It is not very good...just something I do when I am feeling inspired.”
“It is beautiful. I wish I could express what I am feeling in a poem like that. All I can say is that I love you, Montor, more than I ever thought possible. I am so lucky to sleep in your embrace each night.”
He gathered me in his arms, our kiss more passionate this time as moans brewed in my chest.
“Let us get back to the house, Mina. I want to kix you everywhere.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
On the fourth evening of walking into our quarters long after Montor had gone to bed, I tried once again to slip under the covers without disturbing him, but this time he was wide awake and checked his tablet before pulling me close.
“Mina, it is very late. You are working too hard and not allowing yourself enough rest time,” he whispered in my ear.
“I appreciate your concern, but I am fine.”
“I miss you,” he said in a lusty tone.
His hand slid under my night shirt and caressed my breast. He shifted one of his legs between mine. The warmth of his skin was inviting, but I was so tired. I cleared my throat.
“I need to rest now, Montor.”
“That is a first.”
He was right. Our chemistry and libido were always in tune. We never rejected each other’s overtures.
“You see what I mean? Instead of getting stronger, you will overwork yourself. The body needs time to regenerate and re-energize. I think you should cut down your schedule by at least two hours, and—”
My muscles ached. I could barely keep my eyes open.
“Do not tell me what I need to do. You are right. I need rest. Can you not understand me? Shermont! I am tired, so let me sleep!”
I was never one to use curse words, much less not in my native tongue. A moment of silence went by, and then Montor turned away from me. I let out a guilty exhale.
Damn it!
I turned, pressed my face against his back, and put my arms around him.
“Oh Montor, I did not mean to be rude, but understand me. So many things in the last four revolutions since I was taken from Earth have been out of my control. My mental and physical readiness for this challenge is something I CAN control. Otherwise, I will drive myself crazy thinking about what my daughter might be going through while I am here lying comfortably in your arms. Imagine if it were Josher, instead. What would you do?”
He turned towards me.
“OK, Mina. I understand. Tell me, how can I help?”
“One of your great neck and shoulder massages would be awesome right now.”
“Of course, sweetness. I will be right back.”
He went to the reproducer and requested a special blend of massage oil. I turned face-down and inhaled, listening to the sound of him rubbing his hands together. He started by placing both hands on my upper back and refocusing his Sotkari Ta energy from lust to healing. My tension melted away as he moved his hands to my neck and shoulder area, his fingers kneading away each kink.
“Montor, that feels awesome. Thank you.”
“I am glad, Mina. I want to help you be as prepared as possible for this mission. And you know what else? I would like to know more about Aembuh. Tell me, what is she like?”
His voice was tender and sincere. Moments like these made me love him even more.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
He rolled on top of me, propping himself on his arms. His eyes flashed with fury.
“It is not only about what everyone else thinks. This shame burns in my chest. You denied me the right to defend my honor with Kindor. It will not happen again. I saw it in his eyes, Mina. Joshwar feels like he still has rights to you.”
“Montor, I am not property to be haggled over.”
Without warning, he kissed me hard, biting my lower lip and groping me in a rough way. I didn’t like the aggressiveness, especially since this was so unlike Montor’s normal behavior in bed. For all his swagger and arrogance, he usually asked me for formal permission before getting intimate. At the beginning of our relationship, I found this to be both a little odd and endearing.
“Stop it. You are hurting me, and I do not like it,” I said while trying to push him off.
“You are MY wife. No one else’s. Only I can touch you this way,” he shouted, pinning me down with his body.
He brought one hand to my neck. He could have choked me easily with only one of his large hands if he had wanted to. I couldn’t help but recall the violence in my past and was overwhelmed with dread.
Is he going to force himself on me?
The idea of someone I loved taking me to that ugly place was too much for me to bear. I felt the color drain from my face. Tears rolled down my cheeks. It only took seconds for him to snap out of his rage. He wrapped his fingers gently now around my neck, his thumb pressing down on my bottom lip before wiping the tears away. Pain burned in his eyes, and then his mouth took over, this time with a tender kiss.
“Mina, I am so...” His voice cracked. “I am so sorry. I did not mean to scare you.”
“You, of all people, know how that must have made me feel.”
He rolled off me and onto his back again.
“Yes, I am an idiot.” He clenched his fist and pressed it against his forehead. “It is just...this whole situation is making me crazy.”
He looked childlike, dejected, and repentant. As usual, I was quick to forgive his bad behavior. I turned over to bury my face against his chest.
“Montor, I am sorry too. I understand this must feel unbearable for you, but think about how I feel. My daughter—” The moment I said that word, the reality of everything sunk in.
Zorla. Has. My. Daughter.
“Montor, he has her. Do you understand what that means? Who knows what they have done to her?” I bawled like a baby. “I hate him. I hate him. Since the Lostai took me, I have been through so much. But this, this I am not sure I can handle. If something bad has happened to her...”
Unable to talk any more, my body shuddered with every breath. He wrapped his arms around me, rubbed my back, and ran one hand up my neck and into my hair. I ran my fingers across his chest and shoulder muscles. Our sexual connection was a powerful part of our bond. Raw emotion turned into full-on arousal.
He rolled on top of me again. His kisses were gentle this time. My body released its tension, and when his lips parted, so did mine. I accepted his tongue and knew soon I’d be accepting much more than that. One hand remained caressing my neck while the other traveled under my nightshirt until it reached my butt. He gave it a good squeeze before separating my legs with his thighs and touching me there. I pulled down his shorts.
Yeah, I’m ready.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
We each had several rounds of drinks, and Kindor was looser than I had ever seen him. We both looked at Vadira and Hoolon’s spots. Their chairs were empty. We hadn’t seen them in a while.
“Oh, I am stuffed,” I said.
“Mina, we need to move our bodies a bit after all this food,” Kindor said, his voice in my mind playful in a way I had never heard before.
“Oh, no. I...I do not know how to dance to that music.”
“Oh yes, you do. I showed—”
He stopped himself before completing the thought, but it was clear. We had danced before. I didn’t try to remember, to avoid bringing on one of those debilitating headaches, but this notion motivated me to go with him to the dance floor.
“Mina, it is three steps to the front, three steps back, then a quick double step,” Kindor said.
“Oww!”
“Mina, are you OK?”
I waved it off, but it was a jab in my brain, another painful déjà vu moment. I couldn’t help but feel like he had said these exact words to me before. By following his instructions, we were soon moving in sync. He twirled me around, and I improvised a few moves. His genuine smile made me confident that I wasn’t doing something ridiculous. Several songs later, we were ready to head back to the table to rest, but the band shifted to a slower tempo, and he decided to stay. He spread his legs and pulled me close. I noticed all the other males did the same.
“How does this one go?” I asked him.
“In this dance, the males do all the work,” he answered, “but our bodies must remain connected the whole time.”
The music sounded like a heartbeat with electronic sounds in the background. He swayed me forwards, backwards, and in a circular motion, his hands on the small of my back guiding me. My cropped blouse allowed his hands to touch my bare skin. The result was something very intimate as his pelvic area pressed against mine. The thumping in his chest was almost as loud as the music.
I don’t care about his customs. I don’t care if it’s appropriate. I want to kiss him.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
As we rested, Kindor brought me up to speed on some current events he had researched in anticipation of our trip.
“There is some friction building up between Fronidia and the Lostai government. The Lostai government is accusing Fronidia of harboring fugitives and rebel factions. Fronidia reciprocated by restricting travel from the Lostai home world and their colonized planets.”
“I guess that is a good thing, right?” I asked. “Maybe if things continue to deteriorate between the Lostai and Fronidia, we will get lucky and they will kick all the Lostai out.”
“Absolutely. And in the meantime, the less Lostai coming to Fronidia, the better for the Sotkari Ta and others who have taken refuge here.”
“I cannot believe there is not more outrage against the detestable things that the Lostai military is doing.”
I shook my head in disgust. Nothing riled me up more than talking about the Lostai.
“Well, not everything is common knowledge. Maybe the general population is not even aware that they are kidnapping people and forcing them into servitude.”
I crossed my arms and huffed.
“How convenient for them. I find that hard to believe.”
“I did hear from Karixta’s father that the Lostai government is facing some challenges on their home world. A few newly elected younger officials are opposed to the significant amounts of funds invested in military technology, armed forces, and expansion projects. Even other officials have begun to question the morality of the Lostai expansion policy.”
“That’s something to be hopeful about. Not to mention, the rebel factions that are trying to fight against the Lostai.”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. I scolded myself for letting that slip. Despite all the time I had spent with Kindor and his family, this was not a topic I had shared with them.
“So, it is true? There really are rebels?” he questioned.
“Yes, but they are fractured, small pockets of rebellions easily squashed by the Lostai military. Imagine, though, if they all banded together. Then they might have a chance.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Hatred for this Earthian filled my soul, and a part of me wanted to stop his heart from beating, but I could not go that far. I watched as he walked straight to an area of electronic panels. He had a handheld device, and when he flicked his fingers across the display, as I suspected, everything changed.
A room appeared with transparent walls, most likely the force fields. My heart broke at the sight of Mina sitting on a bed, her head hung low, hair disheveled. She noticed he had arrived and looked up.
I must be quick.
He tapped the display and deactivated the force field.
I lunged and kicked him hard in the back. He fell forward near her bare feet, and Mina took one second to look at me, no light of recognition in her eyes. The next second, she looked down at him, stomping his head and face with the heel of her foot, leaving him dazed. I took advantage to grab her hand and pull her with me back towards the stairway. She did not struggle, and when there was sufficient distance between us and Gio, I tapped the hanstoric screen.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“Lasarta, I know we have discussed what will happen during the wedding ceremony, but I feel like I should be doing a lot more to prepare. I just do not know exactly what.”
“Mina, in our culture, the only other things the bride needs to worry about is to show up as beautiful as possible on the wedding day and be well rested for the wedding night. Family and friends are in charge of everything else,” answered Lasarta with a giggle.
“Really? What about the journey in the wilderness that Montor mentioned?”
“Oh yes, I forgot to explain that to you. It is a survival adventure the groom and bride must go on before the wedding, meant to represent the journey in life you are about to take on as spouses. During your time out there, you must find the right moment to thank him for protecting you, and you need to give him a reason to thank you for taking care of him.”
“OK, sounds straightforward.”
“One more thing, Mina. From the moment that the bride and groom decide on the place and date of the wedding, the couple must abstain from sexual relations until the wedding. It is supposed to ensure the groom saves his vigor for that night. Do not be surprised if Montor decides to sleep in another room until then. Lucky for him, it is only a few days. Poor Foxor had to wait two lunar cycles, but he was so patient about it,”
Lasarta said, laughing out loud.
“Oh my, another example of how much Foxor loves you,” I said, wondering if Montor could have waited two months.
There was something else on my mind, but I wasn’t sure how to approach the subject.
“Lasarta,” I hesitated. “I have another question.”
“Yes, yes, of course. What is it? Do not be shy.”
“Officer Lorret.” As soon as I mentioned her name, Lasarta looked down.
“You know her, correct?”
“Yes, dear, I do. I was surprised to find out she would be a part of our crew.”
Lasarta folded her hands while still avoiding looking me in the eyes.
“Well, who is she?”
“A long time ago, about ten revolutions, she and Montor
were together. But it was short-lived. They were not a good match. She was barely an adult, immature and very headstrong. She wanted to lead Montor down a path that, at the time, he was not prepared to follow.”
Then she did look me straight in the eyes. “I would not worry about it, dear.”
So, they dated ten years ago.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Kindor stood on the dimly lit balcony with a glass in each hand. I walked over and took one.
“Here is to a wonderful evening. Thank you, Kindor.”
“I am the one who should be thankful to have had such a beautiful female by my side.”
I sipped and smiled, taking in the view of the mountains, the royal blue night sky bright against the dark rocky ledge. Being alone with him made my heart beat faster.
“I never suspected you would be such a wonderful dancer, but now my feet are little sore,” I said, sitting on the sofa and placing my glass on the side table.
I slipped off the sandals to rub my feet. Kindor sat and set his glass down also.
“Lie down and let me help with that.”
I didn’t hesitate. His hands worked wonders, and I hadn’t forgotten how they felt on my skin. In all honesty, I was only slightly less drunk than Vadira. I lay back and placed my feet in his lap. He took one of my feet in his hands and slid his thumbs between my toes and then down the sole.
It feels so good.
His eyes remained fixed on my feet as he continued to massage them, but when I moaned, he looked up, taking in the view of my leg and thigh exposed by the slit in my skirt. Leaning over, he slid his hand all the way up and under the skirt fabric until he reached my underwear. Only then did he look me in the eyes. Despite the longing in his expression, he didn’t transmit anything, so I spoke for the both of us.
“I want you, too.”
He leaned in further. I ran my hands through his hair, getting rid of the band that kept it in a bun, and pressed his head against my exposed tummy. His breathing sped up, and he reached up to unfasten my blouse. Stretched over me completely now, he hovered above me with his lips less than an inch from mine.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“It will take us thirty-one days to reach Renna One. That is plenty of time for us to become acquainted and for you to pretend that you are succumbing to my charms. When the time comes, we can stage consummating our love affair.”
His words dripped with sarcasm. By this time, I was so red-faced I couldn’t look him in the eyes. He, on the other hand, found the conversation entertaining.
“So, Mina, as we spend time together alone on this trip, I will eventually start making some overtures, and I will give you time and space to decide when you want to act like you are attracted to me. Eventually, the time will come for us to pretend that nature is taking its course, but remember, Zorla is under much pressure. We cannot keep him waiting too long.”
I covered my face with my hands for a moment and then folded them tightly in my lap. I had hoped that by escaping the Lostai, I’d be avoiding this whole situation, but clearly, I wouldn’t be able to get away from it entirely.
“Montor, this is not going to be easy for me, even if it is pretend. I am married and have never been unfaithful.”
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed this as irrelevant.
“That is touching, but the fact is, you will never see your husband again. Do you realize how far away you are from your home planet? Galaxies away. You need to pull yourself together if you want to be successful in this escape attempt. How long has it been since you were first taken?”
The harsh reality of his statement was a slap to the face. My heart broke under the crush of his words.
“More than a full revolution,” I said.
Now, tears began to flow down my cheeks.
“That is a long time sleeping alone. Your body must clamor for some male companionship.”
He leaned forward, smiled, and, same as he did the first
time we met, rubbed my cheek with the back of his hand. Again, a certain sensation came over me. Last time, I didn’t have much time to think about it. I had responded with an immediate defensive move. This time, it was clear. My toes curled. It was in my hips and between my legs. I pressed my thighs together. There was no doubt; I was sexually aroused, very much so. I looked at him, and he was relaxed with his eyes almost shut. Confused that I should have this reaction from only a simple touch, I became infuriated and lost control.
“Stop. It. Right. Now!”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The branding ritual shook Mina. I did not read her mind to learn this. Her expression said it all.
Is she having second thoughts?
I had been to other weddings before, so it annoyed me how stiff and vulnerable I felt at my own. During the procession, I tried to conceal my nervousness with jokes in poor taste. Fighting the temptation to search Mina’s mind, I distracted myself by focusing on the ceremony, but I could barely stop my hands from shaking.
Using a metal rod, the priestess broke the red crystal into many pieces and poured them into the iron pot in the center of the table. She used the metal rod again to stir the crystals, and flames erupted.
“Lock it,” said the priestess, referring to the bracelet I had gifted Mina when I asked her to marry me. I was a robot following her instructions.
The priestess verified that the bracelet could not be unfastened and dropped the tiny key into the flames. After some time, she extinguished the fire by placing the blue crystal in the pot. When she dumped the contents onto one of the plates, only charred crystal and a warped, melted piece of metal fell out, confirming the key had been destroyed and the bracelet could not be removed from her arm. The guests fist-pumped and shouted. Every nerve in my body stood on end but in a good way now, feeling that much closer to being bonded to Mina until our last breath.
The next step was for Mina to present me with an amulet and make a pledge of eternal love spoken in Arandan. To my relief, the nerves she had exhibited before disappeared. My mind raced wondering what she planned to give me or say. She looked up at me with those spectacular honey-colored eyes.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
I woke up to humming, beeps, body aches, and a splitting headache. I remembered losing control of the shuttlecraft and crash landing, but nothing else. Outdoor light trickled in from somewhere ahead of me. Storage cabinets, electronic equipment panels, and what appeared to be refrigeration units obstructed my view. I sat up on the berth I was lying on to take an inventory of my injuries. Cuts and abrasions covered both arms, and a large gauze was taped on my left thigh. When I tried to stand, pain shot up my leg and my left ankle buckled. The best I’d be able to do was hop on one foot. Not a good game plan for a quick getaway. I chomped on my fingernails as heavy footsteps interrupted my thoughts.
What should I do next?
In ten seconds, he was standing in front of me, tall with a lean, athletic build. I guessed his age was close to mine. Handsome facial features, azure hair and lips contrasted with slate-colored skin. He appeared to be Sotkari and reminded me of Kaya. Perhaps that’s why I remained calm, although his ultramarine eyes took my breath away. I knew most Sotkari spoke Lostai as the language had become mandatory in Sotkar after the occupation.
“My ankle is sprained. Who are you?” I said, avoiding his gaze by looking down to rub the injured area.
He understood the language.
“My name is Kindor Grahmon, and I rescued you from the shuttle wreckage.”
He did not speak out loud. His words and voice were in my mind and communicated in Lostai with an accent similar to Kaya’s.
So...He is an evolved Sotkari. The question is how evolved and how powerful. He could be a Pasi, a Sotkari Ta of mixed heritage, or a pure blood Sotkari Ta.
I didn’t display any sense of surprise, so it was clear to him that this was not my first telepathic experience. He nodded, an inquisitive look on his face.
“It is good that we can communicate this way,” he said.
I owed him my life. We had a telepathic connection.
What next?
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
I hurt Mina with my words and hated myself for it, but she was so stubborn. The worst thing I said to her is that I did not love her. Shermont! I even told her that Kindor might be a suitable partner for her. She called me an idiot and said I had no morals or something along those lines. I could take that. I never made myself out to be a scrupulous person. Then she said she hated me and told Kindor she hoped I rotted in a Lostai cell. Those words stabbed my heart like a knife to the chest.
The truth is Mina’s love is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.
I pushed my pain and worries aside for the moment. My main concern was how to deal with the Lostai that were about to arrive. I could not risk communicating with anyone, and so hours went by at an agonizingly slow pace.
The two Lostai soldiers that had attempted to take me into custody were already unconscious when we crash-landed. I used my mental abilities to cause their organs to stop functioning. Ha! They were dead. Thanks to Kindor, my legs were functioning fine, but my back hurt and I had a few cracked ribs. I used the medical equipment on board to repair my ribs and contusions. Still, I was not in the best shape for hand-to-hand combat and decided to hide in the back of the craft to catch whoever was coming by surprise. I took the hand weapons that belonged to the filthy dead soldiers with me and waited. Timing would be crucial. I needed to kill them before they could communicate back to Lostai Patrol Command.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
We landed in a clearing near a thick jungle. The Arandan sky looked different from those of Earth, Renna One, and Fronidia. Although breathable for all of us, traces of certain gases in the atmosphere caused the sky to be mustard-colored and the clouds to be a light blue and lavender. Our spacecraft was equipped with two small transport pods that we used to travel to the Tan Aranda rebel base. The small island was in the middle of a red ocean, subject to bad storms most of the year, thousands of miles away from any land. Tan signified “free” in the Arandan language. The rebels had stolen Lostai technology that allowed them to encompass the entire base in a force field that both protected and hid it from detection.
A young Arandan soldier dressed in a red-and-green military uniform with a gold sash across the chest greeted us. A patch with a picture of a bird with bright red, gold, and green feathers adorned his jacket. At the sight of it, I stopped to think. I had seen this bird before. Then it came to me. Colora had this same bird tattooed on her midriff. She wasn’t just a chatty beauty salon owner. Underneath her effervescent personality lay the soul of a patriotic rebel.
The soldier escorted us to a conference room where refreshments and snacks were served. After we settled in, a middle-aged Arandan walked into the room, also dressed in uniform. Montor, who was sitting next to me, stood at attention, crossed his arms over his chest, and bowed. The Arandan did the same, so I concluded this was a salute. We all got to our feet, and Montor spoke in Lostai, which, for unfortunate reasons, was the only language that we all understood.
“All, this is Commander Portars. He manages the operations of this base.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Commander Portars said, giving us all a once-over. “You are quite a mixed bunch. I suppose that is why we must speak in that language.” A bit of annoyance laced his tone.
There was no denying we were a diverse group and, I imagined, interesting to take in at once. Montor and his foster parents had the typical leonine Arandan features. Montor, built like a heavy-weight boxer, stood at least six-and-a-half feet tall. Kindor was also tall at about six feet with an athletic build and could have passed for human if it hadn’t been for his slate-colored skin and blue hair and lips. Colora’s eyes had black sclera and tiny pink pupils, and her nostrils were two tiny orifices in the center of her face.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“You know, Mina, I am supposed to seduce you before this trip is over, and I realize that I have no idea what the mating rituals of your people are. I mean, for example, does the male pursue the female, and if so, how does he show his affection for her?”
I tried to behave as if he was asking a basic question, like what type of animals we have on Earth.
“Well, in most of our traditional societies, the male pursues the female, but for more modern-minded people, it can go either way. Romantic love can also happen between people of the same sex. We have ways we show affection that are used between parents and children, or friends and family, and also these can also be used between couples, but as the relationship becomes more serious, things get more intimate.”
I sounded like a nutty professor giving a lecture. Either I had his undivided attention or he was mocking me. I wasn’t sure.
“Really? Clarify, please.”
Without thinking, I was wringing my hands.
“Well, for example, a mother will hold her children’s hands to keep them close and safe. However, one of the first signs that a male and a female are a couple is if they walk hand-in-hand. Or he might hold her hand while they talk.”
“Like this?”
He took my hand, softly rubbing and squeezing it. My heartbeat raced like it did during our self-defense sessions.
“Yes.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Everyone was waiting anxiously by the shuttle bay as we walked in. No words came out of my mouth as I continued to the main conference room, the door closing behind me. I pounded my fists against the table until the pain was unbearable and then put my head down, my cheek against the cold tabletop. I sat there for a long time doing nothing other than repeating the same scene with Montor over and over in my head until a hollow grief consumed me.
When I stepped out of the conference room and into the main navigation area, I saw that Kindor apparently had taken charge and ordered that we lift off. I hadn’t even noticed we were already outside of the moon’s atmosphere and well on our way to Dit Lar. Everyone was there except Lasarta and the children. They looked at me as if I were a strange animal in a zoo. Kindor was tight-lipped.
Jutting out my chin and without looking at anyone in particular, I said, “I am emotionally unable to properly command this crew, so I hereby transfer all my duties and powers as captain to Kindor.”
I took a step towards the corridor that led to the living quarters when Officer Lorret approached me and blocked my way.
“How can someone with powers like yours be such a coward,” she snarled at me, her face full of contempt.
She appeared ready to strike me, so Kindor stepped between us. Because of her height, she was able to look at him, eye to eye. Her voice trembled with rage.
“And you...I am sure you are just salivating...ready to claim her...You bastard, we do not know if her husband is even dead yet.”
Kindor’s jaw dropped. Ice flowed through my veins. My speech was slow and my voice deep. I didn’t bother to look up at her and kept my hands folded in front of me.
“You know nothing about me or what I have been through. Speak to either of us like that again, and I will cause your lungs to explode. Now, please get out of my way.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
He picked me up in his arms and carried me to his bedroom, laying me gently on the bed. Sitting on the edge, he removed his footwear. After those were off, he stood up and began to take off his clothes. He moved with too much grace for such a tall, muscular frame.
I anticipated the moment when he’d remove his undershirt, ready to enjoy the view of broad shoulders and muscle definition. Instead, an ugly mess of waxy scar tissue, angry red lines, bumps, and crevices stretched across his chest and abdomen. The soft fuzz, gone in those areas. I barely breathed as I jumped off the bed to see and touch up close. My first reaction was horror.
“I did this to you!”
“Lucky you did, or I would be in prison or worse by now.”
Oddly enough, I became angry.
“I did not want to. You got into my head and made me. You promised you would never do that. What is wrong with you? I guess you do not have any reservations about routinely violating people’s minds!”
“Sometimes, I have to make the hard choice between being less-than-honorable and saving the day...and yes, because I am a survivor, sometimes I can be unscrupulous.”
My fingers slid over the rough, scarred skin. “Do they hurt?” I whispered.
“Do the ones on your back hurt?” he asked.
“Not anymore,” I answered.
“Neither do mine,” he said.
I covered his chest with soft kisses as if I could erase the scars with my lips.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
The ride home was pleasant as we continued to chitchat about everything that had transpired that evening. When we arrived back at Montor’s house, instead of heading to the bedroom, he led me around to the back of the house to where the waterfall flowing by his upstairs shower dropped to form a pool. There was a deck with lounge chairs, an outdoor canopy daybed with pillows and folded sheets, and a bar. Tiny flickering lights and the soft splash of the cascades completed the inviting ambiance.
“Oh, I did not come by here earlier today. I love this.”
I sat down on the bed and looked around, taking in the view.
“Thank you. Would you like anything to drink?”
“Oh no, I have had a bit too much tonight already.”
Montor sat next to me.
“Mina, would you be up to sleeping here tonight?”
“Fine by me. I love the sound of the waterfall. I assume it is safe, right?”
“Yes. I have a force field protecting the perimeter, plus you have me here to protect you.”
He brushed some of my curls behind my ear.
“I loved the way you wore your hair tonight, but is it ok if I
let it down?”
“Sure.”
My voice was already a whisper. He took out the pins fastening my hair in place, ran his fingers through my hair, and massaged my scalp. I closed my eyes, enjoying the relaxing sensation.
Soon, his lips were on my forehead, my eyelids, my cheeks, and, finally, my mouth. Each time his lips touched my skin, a few seconds went by before the next kiss. Although my eyes remained closed, I was sure that in between each kiss, he was pulling back to look at me; nothing like the fervor of our recent intimate encounters. It struck me as tender and gentle, like young love, and I was overwhelmed with emotion.
At this stage of my life, I was supposed to be in a stable, familiar relationship with my husband. Instead, here I was at the start of something foreign and intense but, at the same time, forbidden and with no future. It was too much for me, and I began to cry.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
I accompanied my typical morning meal of bread, cream, and tea with thoughts of Mina. I should not have allowed myself the luxury of thinking about her, but it was inevitable.
Will she be safe sleeping overnight in the thick Arandan jungle? Strange, the customs of these people. Of course, she will not be alone. They will be together.
Mina’s quick decision to marry Montor was somehow my fault. Had I not gone into her room that night and propositioned her, maybe she would have stayed longer with my family. Or if Karixta, my jealous ex-girlfriend, had not informed Lostai military that Mina was alive and in Fronidia, we would not have needed to rush off and leave.
I once advised Mina not to second-guess her destiny, so why am I indulging in these doubts?
Had I not met her, if all this had not happened, I would not be involved now in liberating my planet from Lostai rule. War was about to engulf the whole sector. In all honesty, if I had been so lucky as to be Mina’s partner, I would have wanted to celebrate my wedding sooner rather than later too.
“Eating alone?”
I looked up. Officer Lorret sat across from me with her food tray. I glanced at her before I continued eating quietly. Not in the mood for socializing, I was pleased that Officer Lorret did not speak for a long while. Then she broke the silence.
“It seems you and Mina are close. I saw you take her by the hand yesterday morning. Luckily, Montor did not see you.”
Montor was proud of his physical strength, but I was sure my expression made it clear that he did not intimidate me at all. She chuckled.
“Have you known her for a long time?”
Lorret did not understand sign language, so I typed in my tablet and audio emitted with my replies.
“Her shuttle crash-landed near the small village where my family lived. She had intended to reach the refugee center in the capital city of Fronidia but got caught in an electromagnetic storm that veered her way off course. She lived with us for six lunar cycles.”
“Interesting. Are all people on your planet mute?”
“No, only those of us who are fully evolved.”
“Fully evolved, huh. Sounds like a pretty snobby way of
referring to oneself.”
“I do not mean to be pretentious. It is merely the reality of things. We call ourselves Sotkari Ta. I am a pureblood Sotkari Ta because all my ancestors are fully evolved. If we train properly, we have the abilities of telepathy, telekinesis, healing, mind control, and, most importantly, blocking.”
She appeared more focused on her meal than on my reply but caught the tail end of it and, I believe out of courtesy, asked, “What is blocking?”
“We can stop others with telepathic abilities from accessing our minds. Some of our population is known as Sotkari Pasi because they are telepathic but can speak out loud and lack the other abilities. Others have none of these abilities.”
Lorret continued to be unimpressed.
“Really? So much power and yet your people allowed the Lostai to take control of your planet.”
She is just as annoying as Montor. Are all Arandans the same? Well, Lasarta and Foxor seem nice enough.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Mina’s response was immediate.
“Absolutely not! I do not agree with leaving you behind, subject to being taken prisoner by the Lostai. There must be another way. Why does it have to be you? Should not the captain remain on his craft?”
Time was of the essence, and I did not appreciate her second-guessing me.
“I am the only one here that speaks Lostai like a native, without any accent...and I know Lostai military protocol and how to pilot their craft. Do you have any other ideas?”
“But why do you need to land on the moon? Why could you not radio in from their craft and send them off on autopilot?”
“I am concerned their command might send more patrols this way if they do not get regular updates from these guys. Then we will all be in trouble, including the Sotkari rebel crafts that are coming behind us. Even if I were to kill them now, that would only cause their command to question why they are not replying.”
Kindor interjected, “I guess it was good I did not kill them after all.”
The last thing I need from him now is this unusual sarcasm, but he is right.
“Mina, truthfully, there is some risk that I might be captured, and if so, I want to establish as much space as possible between their craft and the Barinta so that you have a chance to get away. I plan to say the viewer is damaged, but if they do not believe it, I may have to awaken these two pieces of crap and manipulate their minds. For all these reasons, I need to get with them on their craft and head away from the Barinta. The two Lostai alone are no match for me, and I will make up some excuse for why we need to land on the moon.”
I knew by the way she was rubbing her forehead that the thought of leaving me alone with them terrified her, but she understood my rationale, and neither she nor Kindor could come up with another viable option. She embraced me with tears welling in her eyes.
“Listen, you better not get any crazy ideas of us leaving you behind. This crew needs their captain, and I need my husband. We will monitor your navigation constantly. If you need help, let us know and we will all go in for a rescue.”
“OK, sweetness, but buckle up. Remember, in my absence, you are the captain, and the crew will look to you for leadership,” I said to her in a stern voice.
She looked up at me, and I cupped her face with both my hands. We kix as if our next stop was the bedroom. For a moment, I almost forgot what was going on. I took a deep breath and looked towards Kindor, having to trust him now with those I loved the most.
“Please keep my family and the crew safe.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Midafternoon, Foxor took me to Colora’s shop, a combination boutique and beauty salon. I found Colora to be a personable character, who chatted nonstop. Her appearance was almost human except for two notable features. She had raven eyes, completely black with small pink pupils, and her nose was reduced to two small orifices in the center of her face. Spiky short hair matched the pink color of her pupils. She wore a short blouse that exposed her midriff and a long colorful skirt. On her stomach, a tattoo of a bird with bright red, gold, and green feathers screamed on her pale skin. She spoke in Lostai.
“So, where did Montor say you were from?”
“Earth.”
She inspected me as if I were a racehorse or purebred dog getting ready for a competition.
“Come, let me take a good look at you and see what I have to work with. Now, I do not know what preferences you might have. I have customers from all over the sector, so no request surprises me. Some females love to change their whole appearance, the color of their skin, even.”
“I prefer to keep my skin color and pretty much everything else the same. I like more of a natural look.”
“Yes, that is fine. In fact, I love your eyes. We need to enhance that color with some accessory,” she said, twirling my curls around her fingers. “I like how your hair is almost the same color as your eyes...but my goodness, do they not supply you with conditioner at that military base? Your hair needs a trim. I love the curls, though. I am sure I can make them look shiny and healthy. Now, let me see this body.”
Colora stared at my breasts, gave my butt a light slap, and bent down to squeeze my thighs and calves.
“OK, fit but with curves.”
She said Montor had arranged not only for me to get ready for the evening but also receive any treatments that Colora and I agreed on. We decided on a full body massage, skin treatment, waxing, manicure, and pedicure. She continued to talk nonstop, asking rhetorical questions but not waiting for any replies. I spent most of the time nodding and smiling.
“Very nice of Montor to look after his charges this way. Hmmm, I wonder. Do the Lostai allow romantic liaisons between soldiers? Whether or not Montor has a handsome face, I guess is a matter of taste. But that body, no questions about that, right? I am sure he makes his females sing, if you know what I mean.”
She wagged her hand for emphasis. Her wink and smile were infectious. I couldn’t help but giggle.
“Yes, I do,” I said, leaving to her imagination what I meant.
“I know if it were me, I would make a go at it with Montor. Shhh, I mean if I were single, of course. He tells me you are a widow. So sad for you at such a young age.”
It surprised me to hear how he had described my status, but it did fit my situation in a backasswards sort of way. For sure that was easier to explain than to say I was kidnapped and my husband presumed me dead.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
We arrived back to Montor’s house, and I prepared Josher for bed. It was early evening, and the weather was calm and pleasant, considering the previous night’s storms. After putting Josher to bed, I walked out to one of the covered balconies. This particular one faced away from the forest and instead had a spectacular view of the city lights in the distance. I was lost in thought pondering what my next few days would be like. For the past two years, except for the few days I had shared with Montor on Renna One, my days had been regimented, busy, and exhausting with barely any free time. I was a bit concerned because without the strict work schedule, there was nothing to keep me from worrying about a million things...about my past... about my future.
“Oh!” I shouted out loud as Montor placed his hands on my shoulders.
“Sorry, I did not mean to startle you,” he said.
“No problem. I was just thinking, you have a great eye for location. What a beautiful view.”
His hands slid down my arms, and my heartbeat accelerated. He kissed my shoulder and then my neck. A jumble of doubts and decisions and desire ransacked my brain. I dared not turn around to face him.
“Mina, I know you talked about taking it slow, but I do not understand why. The last thing I remember before you left to Fronidia is us pledging love to each other, so I am confused about all this hesitation.”
“That was before I realized you and Colora had the hots for each other.”
“Hots?”
Why do I keep translating English slang literally to Lostai?
“It is an expression on Earth meaning when you are attracted to someone.”
“Not this again. I thought we had surpassed this hurdle already.”
“You said you loved me, but it did not take you long to jump into another female’s bed...and who knows how many more there were besides Colora. I guess I have no right to be upset. It is not your fault. That has been your lifestyle, right? What was I expecting? Our time together was too short for you to be truly committed to me.”
I thought that might be enough to dissuade his advances, at least for the time being, and make it easier for me to stick to my guns. I was wrong.
“Mina, I am sure that you are the partner that I want by my side for the rest of my life. Perhaps you are unsure about your feelings towards me. That is a different story.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The Chaperone say she come this morning,” said Tzarst.
“Please, if she asks about me again, tell her I have not returned yet from the previous mission.”
“She say she looks for her mate. Thinks may be Zateim. Has not seen for long time. She want show images of young son.”
Thoughts of Josher brought tears to my eyes. I was grateful for my mask.
“She is mistaken. As I told you, I must keep my identity secret at all costs.”
“So, face covered. She no see you. What the harm to meet her?”
“Why are you questioning me on this, Tzarst? I do not ask you for much.”
“She seem kind. I not like dishonesty. I not lie. I thought we friends, but you not truthful with me. You think I simple-minded.”
Deep inhales and exhales helped me to contain my impatience. For a second, I wondered if Mina might have manipulated his mind, but she would never do such a thing. I paced around, deciding what to say.
“Of course, we are friends. You are right. I should be upfront with you.” I took a moment before my confession. “Yes, she is my wife. I am only trying to keep her and my son safe. If the Lostai capture us, they will have the leverage they need to force either of us to work for them.”
He looked around and waved his arms in exaggerated wide circles.
“No Lostai here. Even Zateim need comfort of loved one. I bring her to you.”
He turned around and left before I had a chance to protest. Mina had found an ally whose stubbornness matched her own. Realizing that soon she could be right in front of me, I was overcome with nervousness, like an adolescent on his first date.
I should shower and groom.
I was done in the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist, and on my way to the bedroom to get dressed when the door creaked.
Shermont, I wish these old doors would close automatically.
On my way over to shut it, I stopped dead in my tracks. Mina stood in the doorway. She let the bag that was slung over her shoulder slide to the floor, took two slow steps, and then came to me in a rush.
It happened so fast that I froze. She wrapped her arms around me and pressed her face against my chest. I felt her lips, then wetness, and her body shaking. She was crying. It took all my self-control to hold back my own tears.
“Sweetness, I missed you,” was all I could think to whisper as I embraced her and ran my fingers through her lustrous hair. We remained that way for several minutes.
Finally, her body stilled, and she stepped back to stare up at me. Her teary eyes reflected the daylight that streamed through the windows, making them even more brilliant. They reminded me of honey, brandy, and gemstones. I bent over and kix her lips. The raspy sound of a Namson chuckle interrupted us. I looked up, and Mina turned around.
“Zateim waste no time,” said Tzarst, who had walked in the open front door, as he took in the view of me clad only in a towel.
He studied my face. This was the first time I stood before him without a mask.
“Uhh, give me a moment to get dressed,” I said.
“After all time here, he still not remember to lock door,” he told Mina as I bolted to the bedroom.
She giggled.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
I woke up to humming, beeps, body aches, and a splitting headache. I remembered losing control of the shuttlecraft and crash landing, but nothing else. Outdoor light trickled in from somewhere ahead of me. Storage cabinets, electronic equipment panels, and what appeared to be refrigeration units obstructed my view. I sat up on the berth I was lying on to take an inventory of my injuries. Cuts and abrasions covered both arms, and a large gauze was taped on my left thigh. When I tried to stand, pain shot up my leg and my left ankle buckled. The best I’d be able to do was hop on one foot. Not a good game plan for a quick getaway. I chomped on my fingernails as heavy footsteps interrupted my thoughts.
What should I do next?
In ten seconds, he was standing in front of me, tall with a lean, athletic build. I guessed his age was close to mine. Handsome facial features, azure hair and lips contrasted with slate-colored skin. He appeared to be Sotkari and reminded me of Kaya. Perhaps that’s why I remained calm, although his ultramarine eyes took my breath away. I knew most Sotkari spoke Lostai as the language had become mandatory in Sotkar after the occupation.
“My ankle is sprained. Who are you?” I said, avoiding his gaze by looking down to rub the injured area.
He understood the language.
“My name is Kindor Grahmon, and I rescued you from the shuttle wreckage.”
He did not speak out loud. His words and voice were in my mind and communicated in Lostai with an accent similar to Kaya’s.
So...He is an evolved Sotkari. The question is how evolved and how powerful. He could be a Pasi, a Sotkari Ta of mixed heritage, or a pure blood Sotkari Ta.
I didn’t display any sense of surprise, so it was clear to him that this was not my first telepathic experience. He nodded, an inquisitive look on his face.
“It is good that we can communicate this way,” he said.
I owed him my life. We had a telepathic connection.
What next?
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
The music and singing stopped. The priestess made a proclamation, after which Kindor was to finish delivering me to my future husband. Her words hit me like a whack across the face. Eighteen years earlier, I had become Joshua’s wife, and as far as I knew, we were still married. Yet here I was, galaxies away, taking the same oath of lifelong commitment to someone else. An adrenaline rush began to cloud my mind, overwhelming me with the desire to run out of the temple and keep running until my legs no longer worked. I looked into Kindor’s blue eyes and couldn’t believe the thought I transmitted to him.
“Take me out of here. I love you!”
His eyes became as wide as saucers, but after a minute, he answered telepathically.
“Mina, if I thought for a second that this were anything other than last-minute jitters, I would challenge Montor to a duel right this minute, stop his heart from beating and his lungs from breathing before he could take one swing at me, and take you far away from here where we could be together forever, but that is not what you want me to do. I have seen you with him. The truth is, unfortunately for me, you two have a connection that I was not able to create in all the time we spent together.”
My face flushed with chagrin. My thoughts were not meant for Kindor at all. He didn’t know the real source of my conflict, but his words centered me. I was here for a reason. I did love Montor, regardless of whatever quandary afflicted my soul.
“What did I ever do to deserve you, Kindor? Thank you for steadying me. I do love you, though. I guess in a different way.”
“And I will always love you, Mina,” he answered as he nodded to Montor, who offered his arm to me.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“Eventually, I will end up here, and then I will make us one. After that, we will improvise. What do you think of my plan?”
By now, his voice was deep and husky. His dark pupils dilated so that barely any of the yellow irises were visible.
“It suits me just fine,” I whispered.
He executed his plan to perfection,
and I praised him in whispers. He encouraged me not to hold back.
“No risk of waking Josher here, Mina. We are alone. Let me know if you enjoy what I am doing,” he growled.
My shouts became louder and higher-pitched each step of the way until he completed his titillating journey. We fell asleep with satisfied smiles and dampened bodies. After a few hours, I awoke, turned to face his chest, and kissed him there. Montor’s eyes opened, glowing in the dark room.
He asked with a lusty smile, “Mina, can I have you again?”
This time, there was no plan. We rolled around the bed laughing, kissing, and caressing each other until we fell off onto the carpeted floor. I ended up on top.
“Now, you are mine, my handsome Arandan warrior!”
I rode him slowly at first, progressing to a steady gallop until I was out of breath. He flipped me over facedown to finish what I started. My voice was spent, and delirious tears ran down my cheeks. It took us time to recover, but we finally got back on the bed.
I slept until a lavender mist peeked over the horizon, a signal that sunrise was approaching. Kissing my neck, he stroked me from my thighs to my breasts. Now alert, I turned to embrace him.
“My king, again?”
“I cannot get enough of you, sweetness.”
Every inch of my skin tingled.
“I think I would like to make love to you as Earthians do. I
will start here,” I said, kissing his lips, then parting mine and encouraging him to do the same so we could taste each other.
“Then I will move down here,” I continued, kissing his chest and abdomen. “And then here...”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
The sedative soon wore off, but I remained disoriented. I might have slept for only an hour or so. Hard to be sure with no clock or watch available to track time. I should have been exhausted, but nervous energy fueled my pacing the room long before the alarm buzzed. The door opened, and Exzer walked in unannounced.
“I am glad to see you are ready.”
I hadn’t bathed or touched the three sets of dark-colored tops and pants folded on the desk. I’m sure I didn’t look “ready.”
“Did you rest well?” she said, her voice monotone.
Exzer’s deep-set, expressionless eyes revealed that she couldn’t care less how I had slept. I dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands, attempting once again to wake up from this nightmare. Clearly, this was no dream because everything around me remained unchanged. Emboldened by her short stature, I crossed my arms and tried to look as fierce as possible.
“How can you expect me to sleep? You’ve brought me to this place against my will, talking crazy shit about integrating me into your military. I can barely wrap my mind around the fact that I am no longer on Earth, much less joining some alien army.”
“Crazy shit? Wrap your mind?” The figures of speech confused her for a moment until she consulted her tablet-looking device. She ignored my posturing.
“Mina, it is a shame you wasted your resting hours. You have a long day ahead of you.”
“Guess what? I don’t intend to follow any of your instructions.”
“That would be unwise and would result in punishment. Here, take this. It is your personal tablet.”
Punishment...the second time she used that word.
My heartbeat accelerated, and I decided to pay attention when Exzer scrolled through the screens on the device. Surprised, I viewed information in English, including a map of the areas I could access without escort, a daily schedule, and several reference documents I was expected to study. She motioned for me to step out into the corridor. As we walked down the hall, I thought perhaps I should try a different approach.
“Exzer, I have a husband and children who need me. My youngest is only nine years old. I miss them. I need to get back. Do you have family? You must understand what I’m feeling.”
No response. My palms were sweaty.
“Seriously, I’m the last person you’d want as a soldier...I’m not strong. I’ve never fired a weapon, and I’m too old...thirty-seven years old. I’m in no shape for military boot camp.”
“While you were sedated during your trip from Earth, we injected rejuvenation hormones and steroids to address this. I have planned a physical evaluation for you this morning, but I am sure that as long as you focus on your duties, you will be fine.”
Her indifference reignited my anger. I grabbed her by the shoulders, attempting to make her stop and turn to face me. Stronger than what I expected for someone only about four feet tall, she shrugged off my hold and whipped around, her thin lips pressed together. Once she spoke, her voice was an octave lower than before.
“Do not touch me.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
One evening while Kaya and I were having dinner alone in my room, she told me something I had wanted to hear since my abduction.
“Mina, I cannot help you escape this place, but I know of someone who is in a better position to assist you. His name is Montor, and I think he is the one they plan to have you mate with. He is from a planet called Aranda and also has a complete set of embedded Sotkari Ta genes. The Lostai have complete trust in him because, although he was once a hostage such as yourself, he embraced his new lifestyle and position in the Lostai military. He now enjoys the same freedoms and benefits as any Lostai soldier.”
“Uhhh, I am confused. Why would this person help me? It sounds more likely that he would turn me in rather than help me escape.”
Kaya walked around without immediately replying. Finally, she clarified, “He also secretly cooperates with rebel factions to help them cause many problems for the Lostai military. Luckily, neither side has ever suspected the truth. He is loyal to no one...”
“Oh, I see, what we call a double agent on Earth.”
Abruptly, her pacing came to a stop, and she swung around to face me, looking me straight in the eyes.
“...except to me. He is loyal to me. I successfully trained him in all facets of Sotkari Ta abilities. He has become an extremely powerful being and is a complicated person with a complicated history. He lost his whole family during famine and wars that ravaged his planet. Similar to what occurred on Sotkar, the Lostai came in and took advantage of the situation. He was a child when they identified him as having Sotkari Ta genes and brought him to this station. I was the closest thing to a mother he had growing up here.”
“Kaya, I do not get how you can be OK with the work he does for the Lostai. I am grateful for your friendship, but sometimes I am not clear on your moral compass.”
“Mina, do not try to pass judgement on me. I have already explained my situation. My job here is to train people as per Lostai requests. To not comply would put my granddaughter in grave danger. How my trainees choose to live their lives, how they use these abilities, whether they become part of Lostai society or rebel against them, is out of my control.”
I disagreed with her position, but it was a discussion for another time.
“OK, Kaya, so do you think I can trust this person?”
She pressed her lips together and sighed.
“He agreed I reveal to you the fact that he is involved with covert activities against the Lostai so that you could trust him. We have both taken this tremendous risk on your behalf. Please do not make me regret it. If he suspects that you might in any way divulge this secret, he will kill you without a second thought. I will not be able to intervene.”
I gulped as Montor sounded more and more frightening by the minute.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
As we lay staring up to the cloudless sky, he said, “Mina, it is mind-boggling to me that all the luxuries and females and power I used to have never brought me the contentment I feel now. Even with all the challenges we face,” he turned to look at me, “I am happier than I have ever been.”
I met his eyes.
“You deserve happiness, Montor.”
“Mina?”
“Yes?”
He hesitated and looked to the sky again.
“Are you happy?”
I caressed his cheek.
“Yes, my king, of course. We are together, our son is doing well. We are united on the same mission.”
“But as I look back at my time as a Lostai soldier, it makes sense that I am happier now because I hated what I had become, but you...”
Again, he searched my eyes.
“What?”
“You were perfectly happy before on your planet, right?”
I stretched my neck, rolled my shoulders, and took a deep breath.
“Why do you bring this up, Montor?”
“I am afraid of losing you, Mina.”
His whole demeanor was so different than his usual confident posture. As usual, he only gave himself permission to be vulnerable in private with me.
“I told you once before, you are stuck with me.”
“You did not answer my question.”
“We have had this talk before. In general, I was happy, yes, but what does it matter? That is in the past, a past I cannot dwell on. I am focused on the present. In my present, I am happy too. I have a loving husband whom I care very much about and who has given me a beautiful son. Montor, you know I love you.”
My reply assuaged whatever was troubling him. He licked the palm of my hand and placed it over his heart. I cuddled close to him, and we napped the rest of the afternoon.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Montor grabbed the bottle and took me by the hand, leading me outside to one of the many covered porches that surrounded the house. We sat side by side on one of the sofas. A slight breeze decreased the temperature a notch, and I heard the splash of the waterfalls. He placed the bottle on a small table in front of us, took my hand in both of his, and stared up to the sky. I should have been relaxed, but the change of environment from the spaceship to Renna One provoked so many conflicting emotions: a nostalgia for Earth, a reminder that soon I would be leaving Montor and traveling alone to a place I had never been to before.
After several minutes of silence, I broke his spell and my sentiments by asking, “Montor, tell me what will be happening in the next few days.”
He was distracted, but acknowledged my question, pouring himself a second glass and replying with a sly smile, “We should talk first regarding tonight. I will show you how comfortable my bed is.”
His insinuation quickened my heartbeat and brought a smile to my face.
“Ah, that is what I like to see. Mina, you seem so stressed. What can I do to help you relax?”
As if answering his own question, he grabbed the bottle and led me upstairs to the master bath and bed area.
“There is nothing more relaxing than a soak in the tub,” he said.
The bathroom on the second floor was the size of my living room back in Florida, outfitted with a huge, oval-shaped, Jacuzzi-type tub and a shower exposed to the outside. The house was built by a small waterfall, and the cascades fell around the shower area, making it appear as if you were within the waterfall. He touched the controls on a nearby console to activate jets in the tub, and the water began to agitate. A small table next to the tub had on it a glass receptacle containing what appeared to be multicolored small leaves and flowers. After dimming the lights, he grabbed a handful of the mixture and tossed it into the water. Immediately, bubbles filled the tub.
He walked over to me and, without a word, motioned for me to lift my arms so he could pull off my shirt. In a trance whenever we were in close contact, I followed his lead without resistance. Next, he quickly removed the tight sleeveless short shirt underneath that served as a bra. His eyes glowed bright yellow, his pupils went from slits to almond-shaped, and he murmured something in a language I didn’t understand. Kneeling, his hands on my waist, he pressed his face against my stomach. Breathing in deeply, he traced my ribcage with his thumbs and softly massaged my abdominal area. Already aroused before he even touched the obvious erogenous zones, I leaned back, and my head hung lazily.
He had explained once to me that contrary to either of our cultures, Sotkari only use hands and fingers to show affection and passion. I supposed he was channeling his inner Sotkari, so to speak. He pulled my pants and underpants down, and I stepped out of each leg.
Looking up to me, he spoke in a husky voice.
“Go in, Mina. I will join you.”
I finished my drink and began to feel the effects of the alcohol. Getting into the tub, I watched intently as he peeled off his clothing, already imagining touching those hard muscles. He brought the bottle with him as he stepped into the tub. I took a few more sips straight out of the bottle.
“Montor, I am surprised. You do not strike me as the type of person who does bubble baths.”
“Bubble baths?”
I giggled.
“Back on Earth, it is a girly thing.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Despite heavy eyelids, an urgency to wake up forced my eyes open. I found myself in a bed in a private medical room. Lasarta and a physician spoke in hushed tones. The first thing I did was wiggle my toes and exhale a sigh of relief.
“Where am I? How long have I been here?”
My voice sounded dry, as if it had been a long while since I had uttered a word. Lasarta’s brow furrowed, and she looked at the physician.
“This is the infirmary in Penstarox. In addition to taking care of a punctured lung, several broken ribs, swelling on your brain, and a broken arm, you required a series of very complicated procedures to repair your spinal column and spinal cord. You were not being
cooperative at first, so we induced a coma. You have been out for about one lunar cycle,” said the physician.
“What!” I roared, slamming my hands against the mattress.
Lasarta practically jumped out of her shoes. I growled as a sharp pain pierced my lower back.
“I suggest you avoid any brusque movements. You are still recovering from your surgeries. In one more week, I think you will be ready to start rehabilitation,” said the physician.
“Has Mina been found?” I asked.
Lasarta’s heavy hand on my shoulder foreshadowed her reply.
“No, Montor. Colora notified us that she ran into Kindor in Fronidia soon after the Dit Lar battle. He told her he was going to look for Mina, but we have not heard anything,” she said.
I had never felt so defeated.
“Kindor,” I muttered. “Always ready to take my place. I should be the one to rescue her. What about Josher?”
“He told her Josher is safe but did not give her any information where he was.”
“He probably took Josher to his family. I suppose he is safer with them in Fronidia,” I admitted. “Has the United Rebel Front sent out a squadron to search for Mina?”
“I am not sure. Perhaps you should talk to Commander Portars about it, but the fighting with the Lostai has increased in our area. Our resources are strained. Even here in Aranda, we have had to refortify our shields and secure our planetary border.”
I looked at the physician.
“How long will the rehabilitation take? I need to be out of this stupid infirmary as soon as possible.”
“You are a very strong patient. I think in another lunar cycle you will be ready to leave the infirmary,” answered the physician.
“Shermont! Another lunar cycle!”
“Calm down, Montor. Getting angry will only make matters worse. I will cook meals for you that will help you regain your strength,” Lasarta said.
I wanted to say a million more curse words, but out of respect for her, I just nodded.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“Lasarta, what do you think of Montor’s plan that we be married on Penstarox?” I asked.
“It is wonderful news, my dear. Penstarox is a tropical island in the southeastern quadrant. It must be pleasant weather at this time, not too hot.”
“I would like to do my part to make everything be perfect but have no idea what is expected from the bride in Arandan culture. I am going to need some help.”
Tapping my hand, she smiled.
“Of course, my dear. For all practical purposes, I am your mother-in-law. It is actually my duty to give you guidance in these matters, since you do not have an Arandan mother. First thing you need to know is that you are expected to give Montor an amulet as a wedding gift.”
Without thinking, my fingers played with the amulet I wore around my neck, a gift from Montor, almost identical to his. People from Montor’s clan maintained the tradition of wearing cords around their necks with amulets that are gifted to them on specific milestones during their life. At a minimum, everyone wore the amulet their parents gave them on their first birthday, but a person could have several cords with more than one amulet. Montor wore his twin sister’s cord and amulet. She died as a child. Montor gave me his when I left him to escape the Lostai.
“You will bake a small cake the day of the wedding, placing the amulet inside. During the wedding ceremony, you both will share the cake, and you will present him the amulet while making your pledge to love him until your last breath. You need to learn to speak at least that pledge in Arandan.”
I sighed, shaking my head.
“What is the problem?” she asked.
I had spent over a year as a prisoner on Xixsted, a few days on the planet Renna One, and six months in a remote village on Fronidia with Kindor’s family. Now, we were heading to an island rebel military base. Let’s just say, I didn’t know where the nearest jewelry store was.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
He led me back into the bedroom, and his hands raced to the zipper of my dress. Lasarta had begun to teach me basic Arandan, and I’d made a point to learn certain phrases for some situations I’d anticipated.
“No, I am easy...you first...I will help,” I said.
He stroked my cheek and flashed that smile again, making me second-guess my plan.
“I like how you sound in Arandan.”
He followed my instructions and sat in a comfortable chair by the mattress. I unfastened the gold sash across his chest, folded it, and placed it on the side table. Next, I unbuttoned his jacket, took it off, and also folded it carefully. Tapping his foot in exaggeration, he pretended to be impatient at the fact that I was in no rush. I ignored it and unbuckled his belt, pulled out his shirt, and unbuttoned it. He took it off. Again, I folded it, and finally, we were down to his undershirt. I pulled it over his head, but this time, instead of folding it, I tossed it across the room.
Montor laughed out loud at my antics. I stopped my silliness and stroked his chest. His eyes closed as even the slightest skin contact flooded our bodies with potent sexual energy.
Having undressed him from the waist up, my attention turned to his lower half. I knelt on the plush red carpet to unfasten his boots and remove his foot coverings. As usual, I was impressed with his well-pedicured feet and toenails and decided to give him a quick massage.
In a quick motion, he stood, now that his patience truly had reached its limits. He pulled his legs out of his pants, immediately followed by his underpants. I looked up at his glorious nudity. It always felt like the first time. In a matter of seconds, he pulled me to my feet, whipped me around, and unzipped my dress. The bodice slipped off my shoulders, and the dress fell to my feet. I wore nothing underneath.
“See, I told you I was easy,” I said softly, still speaking in Arandan.
He let out a low groan, his hands on my waist, bending over to slide his tongue along the back of my neck. I became playful again and ran back out to the beach. He chased after me, lifted me off my feet, and walked into the ocean. The lukewarm water felt silky with a curious fragrance to it.
“The oceans and rivers on Earth are blue like those on Fronidia and Renna One. Why is the water here red?”
“It contains a certain mineral that gives it this color and is also said to be excellent for the skin. However, try not to swallow any as it might upset your digestive system.”
Splashing around and playing chase games like children was fun, but Montor finally said, “Mina, I cannot wait any longer.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
He led me back into the bedroom, and his hands raced to the zipper of my dress. Lasarta had begun to teach me basic Arandan, and I’d made a point to learn certain phrases for some situations I’d anticipated.
“No, I am easy...you first...I will help,” I said.
He stroked my cheek and flashed that smile again, making me second-guess my plan.
“I like how you sound in Arandan.”
He followed my instructions and sat in a comfortable chair by the mattress. I unfastened the gold sash across his chest, folded it, and placed it on the side table. Next, I unbuttoned his jacket, took it off, and also folded it carefully. Tapping his foot in exaggeration, he pretended to be impatient at the fact that I was in no rush. I ignored it and unbuckled his belt, pulled out his shirt, and unbuttoned it. He took it off. Again, I folded it, and finally, we were down to his undershirt. I pulled it over his head, but this time, instead of folding it, I tossed it across the room.
Montor laughed out loud at my antics. I stopped my silliness and stroked his chest. His eyes closed as even the slightest skin contact flooded our bodies with potent sexual energy.
Having undressed him from the waist up, my attention turned to his lower half. I knelt on the plush red carpet to unfasten his boots and remove his foot coverings. As usual, I was impressed with his well-pedicured feet and toenails and decided to give him a quick massage.
In a quick motion, he stood, now that his patience truly had reached its limits. He pulled his legs out of his pants, immediately followed by his underpants. I looked up at his glorious nudity. It always felt like the first time. In a matter of seconds, he pulled me to my feet, whipped me around, and unzipped my dress. The bodice slipped off my shoulders, and the dress fell to my feet. I wore nothing underneath.
“See, I told you I was easy,” I said softly, still speaking in Arandan.
He let out a low groan, his hands on my waist, bending over to slide his tongue along the back of my neck. I became playful again and ran back out to the beach. He chased after me, lifted me off my feet, and walked into the ocean. The lukewarm water felt silky with a curious fragrance to it.
“The oceans and rivers on Earth are blue like those on Fronidia and Renna One. Why is the water here red?”
“It contains a certain mineral that gives it this color and is also said to be excellent for the skin. However, try not to swallow any as it might upset your digestive system.”
Splashing around and playing chase games like children was fun, but Montor finally said, “Mina, I cannot wait any longer.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and asked the question that was pestering me.
“So, where did you and Ar Ona go? We were at the bar at the time you specified.”
“I took her home.”
“Well, exactly how far does she live?”
He glared at me.
“What is the problem, Mina?”
It was my turn to glare.
“Did you have sex with her?”
He was so hard to read. One minute serious, the next
laughing.
“So, you flirt all night with Gio, and now you pretend to be jealous of Ar Ona?”
He sounded incredulous.
“Well, she had her paws all over you.”
“Paws?”
He laughed harder than before. I guess the expression sounded weird in Lostai.
I’m such an idiot. After all, in three days, Montor will likely be out of my life forever.
He put his arm around me and pulled me close.
“No, Mina, I did not have sex with Ar Ona or her paws. She got intoxicated and annoying, so I took her home. Mina, let me be clear. You were the most bewitching female at that place tonight.”
I smiled at the compliment but wasn’t about to let him off so easy.
“Gio said you and she were a couple.”
“Yes, Gio was talking way too much tonight. It is true we had a brief relationship some time ago, but let us discuss something else...”
His breathing got heavy, and he shook his head in disbelief.
“How do you think I felt, catching you two dancing so close to each other, him touching your skin, like he owned you? I was ready to tear him apart, limb from limb, right then and there.”
I crossed my arms.
No. He doesn’t get to make himself the victim.
“Well, you made a point that we needed to hide our relationship. Do not pretend to be so innocent. I did not see you fighting off Ar Ona as she flirted with you. On top of that, you made a big scene about the time we should meet and then you arrive late. How do you think that made me feel? I was so worried about what I should do if you did not come back.”
“Of course I was going to come back for you...”
His voice lowered as mine elevated.
“I am on this planet for the first time in my life after being stuck on that moon with no outside contact for more than a revolution. I was starting to consider I might have to trust Gio, a male who I have just met, to take me safely somewhere I could spend the night. Remember, I do not know my way around here.”
He was dead serious now, chagrin in his eyes.
“I miscalculated the time. I am so sorry, Mina.”
“Gio said I should not trust you, that it might not be safe to ride with you, that you have a reputation, and rumor has it you play mind games with females and convince them to go to bed with you, and some do not even remember that it happened.”
A pained look swept across his face. For a moment, I thought he might cry.
“I would never do that.”
“Well, you once insinuated almost as much when we first boarded the spacecraft to leave Xixsted. Remember, when you said some females did not know why they found you so irresistible.”
“I was being a cocky idiot. What did you say?”
“When?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“When he said those things about me.”
I chose to believe Gio had exaggerated about Montor, and now that I had him on the verge of tears, I figured it was time to end our argument and stroke his ego a bit. I made him wait for my reply, and then I let mischief creep into my eyes.
“I said if I went to bed with you, I was sure that I would remember it in the morning.”
He sighed in relief and thoroughly enjoyed my joke, laughing and kissing me on the cheek.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The pounding of my heart and in my head made me dizzy as I jumped out of the pod and ran full speed to the crash site, already focusing my mind on moving rocks out of the way. I reached the craft and could hear nothing other than the sounds of crackling electricity, swirling wind, hail, and rocks crashing to the ground. It was a relief that I could make telepathic contact with Montor.
“Montor, are you OK? Kindor will be here soon, and between the three of us, we will get rid of all these rocks!”
“Mina, what are you doing here? You need to leave.”
“What do you mean, what am I doing here? Once I did not hear further from you, I realized you might be in trouble. We need to get you out of there.”
There was a strange tone to his voice in my mind, so weak that a sick feeling crept into the pit of my stomach.
“Mina, you must leave immediately. When Lostai crafts crash, they send out a homing signal. Reinforcements are probably on their way here now!”
“There is no way I am leaving you here. I will order Kindor to go back and take the Barinta away from here, but I am staying.”
“Listen to me. Not only is there danger from the Lostai, but there is seismic activity on this moon. The tremors may cause more rockslides. Also, my legs are broken and possibly my back too. I feel a strange numbness. I will not be able to run or fight.”
“You do not need to run. The pod is right here. I can help you in.”
After a few minutes of silence, I heard his voice again, his tone impatient now.
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“What are you saying? Let us not talk so much and focus on moving the rocks.”
“Mina! Leave, please. They will capture all of you and Josher. There is not a minute to spare!”
My head hurt, and I found myself gasping for breath.
“No! I will not!”
I continued to focus on removing the rocks as I agonized over whether I should have Kindor turn back or not. After a period of silence, Montor’s voice entered my mind again, stronger now, with an arrogance and unpleasantness that reminded me of when we first met.
“Mina, you are doing a terrible job as second-in-command. Listen carefully. I think I am not getting out of here, so it is time I own up to something I have done, something you most likely will not be pleased with.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“I see where this is going,” said Kora nodding, her lips pursed.
“What?” I asked, surprised that she was so confident in what I would say next.
“Ah...the curse of Sotkari Ta...”she said, shaking her head.
“The curse of Sotkari Ta? What does that mean?” I asked.
“These days, every bad thing that has happened to our people is referred to as the curse of Sotkari Ta. If you ask me, it is unfair as we, Sotkari Ta, are proof that our people are destined to evolve to a higher level. The saying originated when, as part of our evolutionary process, Sotkari Ta became predisposed to prefer each other as mates, as opposed to regular Sotkari. I suppose it was nature’s way to further the evolution of our race.”
“Oh, yes, this was explained to me, but I never heard that expression before.”
“Yes, well, some Sotkari Ta are offended by it. As I was saying, the attraction between Sotkari Ta is extreme, almost irresistible, and occurs through any skin to skin contact, especially that involving the hands. In the early days of our evolution, we did not understand what was going on in our bodies and minds. The first evolved Sotkari had not yet learned how to become disciplined with their new abilities. People became romantically involved based only on this extreme physical attraction, resulting in many failed relationships. Marriages were broken due to illicit love affairs for the same reason. As these situations became more common, people began to blame it on what they called the curse of Sotkari Ta. Later, Sotkari people coined the term to describe all of their problems in general....the divisions between our people, children born with genetic defects, the Lostai takeover of Sotkar, the persecution and exile of the Sotkari Ta...”
“Oh, I see. I guess we can say even innocent people from other planets have become victims of this curse.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
I woke up the next day determined not to lose control for any reason. Montor’s morning lesson revolved around possible problems that could occur during the landing sequence. I kept our conversation centered on his explanations and any questions that I had. Later, I was proud of how well I sparred.
When we met midday at the kitchen, he greeted me with “Let us try to make pee xa.”
I blinked.
“Umm, I’m not sure...”
“From what you described, I think I know what instructions to give the food reproducer for the dough and sauce. My only question is what kind of toppings.”
The meals provided on Xixsted were mainly warm cereals, vegetable soups, and protein bars. I didn’t know what my options were.
“It could be cured meat similar to what was in the egg dish you shared with me yesterday morning. Also vegetables, but we need something that melts when heated to kind of meld everything together.”
I had learned the names of mammal-like animals in the Lostai language, so it would seem possible for dairy products to exist, but I had not seen any.
“We have something called cheese that is made from the curdled milk of domesticated cattle,” I explained.
He wagged his finger at me and nodded.
“Yes, I think I know what you are referring to. The Lostai do not like it, but we have several varieties in Aranda.”
He spoke his order in Arandan. Within minutes, he brought to the table a piping hot concoction resembling a rustic pizza-like dish that a Turkish friend had once prepared for me back in my college days. He made vertical slices and served himself a piece first. After he swallowed his first bite, an exuberant smile brightened his face.
“I like my version of pee xa.”
I tried it and was impressed.
“Not bad for a first try.”
He laughed with a boyish joy that didn’t match his large body. We finished eating and cleaning up. On my way out of the kitchen, he stopped me, placing one hand on my shoulder. Shortening the space between us to a proximity that we only used when sparring, he said, “Mina, I enjoyed making pee xa for you.”
I had to admit, it was a kind gesture on his part.
“It was thoughtful of you. I appreciate it.”
I looked down because my heart swelled with a feeling of bonding that was absurd considering our overall circumstances.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The way to the river was up a rocky hillside. Before reaching the top, I already could hear gurgling, splashing water. Once there, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The steep mountainous wall on the other side of the hill dropped at least a hundred feet to a violent rush of red, foamy liquid bordered by giant rocks and boulders extending as far as I could see.
“Montor, the view is spectacular, but how are we crossing?”
He pointed sideways to a bridge. We walked across the top of the hill for another half hour to reach it. Once we arrived, I was flabbergasted again. The dilapidated swinging bridge was a sorry sight with several of the rusty slats missing and a flimsy railing. I guessed the bridge stretched on for at least two miles.
“This seems risky,” I said in a worried voice.
“I went over it yesterday just fine, but,” he looked at the sky again, “the weather is changing more quickly than I had expected. We need to hurry before the storm comes through. I can carry your backpack.”
“No, let me carry mine. Lasarta explained the backpacks represent how we need to share the burdens of married life. Plus, it is not a good idea for all our supplies to be with one of us. I will do my best to keep up with you.”
“OK, sweetness, then let us not waste any time.”
Back on Earth, I hated crossing these types of bridges. I used the mental strength I had developed from my Sotkari Ta training to stay focused and ignore the fear. Although looking down made me nervous, I needed to stay aware of which slats were missing. We kept a quick pace for about fifteen minutes until dark clouds rolled in, reminding me of the sudden thunderstorms that were common in Florida. Wind picked up and it began to pour. I shuddered with each clap of thunder. The slats became slippery, and the bridge rocked violently. Montor turned back to check on me and didn’t realize there were several slats missing in that spot.
The poor visibility, the momentum of the swinging, and the loss of balance created the perfect equation for the worst possible scenario. Montor fell through the empty space to the rushing river below. Midair, he threw off his backpack.
“Mina, grab it!” I heard his voice in my mind. “I can swim to the other side. Meet me there.”
I used my telekinetic abilities to bring the backpack into my arms and throw it over one shoulder while carefully jumping over the space Montor had just fallen through. Having surpassed the first hurdle, it took all my willpower to avoid worrying about whether Montor could survive a drop into a raging river from that altitude. Instead, I remained focused on getting to the other side. The bridge continued to swing, but there were hardly any more missing slats. Disregarding the whistle of the wind and the rain flooding my eyes, I maintained the consistent rhythm of my boots hitting the slats. The extra backpack taxed me, and I was out of breath.
After a half hour, I saw the other side. Seeing the end of the bridge helped steady my nerves. It took me another ten minutes to get there. I ran several yards down the hill to secure the backpacks and came back to the edge to scan the river below for any sign of Montor.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
He awoke hungry, so I broke out our snacks, and he popped open the wine. We ate. We drank. We slowly undressed and gave each other massages. We kissed and made love. We drank more wine and made love some more.
As we lay staring up to the cloudless sky, he said, “Mina, it is mind-boggling to me that all the luxuries and females and power I used to have never brought me the contentment I feel now. Even with all the challenges we face,” he turned to look at me, “I am happier than I have ever been.”
I met his eyes.
“You deserve happiness, Montor.”
“Mina?”
“Yes?”
He hesitated and looked to the sky again.
“Are you happy?”
I caressed his cheek.
“Yes, my king, of course. We are together, our son is doing well. We are united on the same mission.”
“But as I look back at my time as a Lostai soldier, it makes sense that I am happier now because I hated what I had become, but you...”
Again, he searched my eyes.
“What?”
“You were perfectly happy before on your planet, right?”
I stretched my neck, rolled my shoulders, and took a deep breath.
“Why do you bring this up, Montor?”
“I am afraid of losing you, Mina.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
My eyes opened to find us standing in an alley next to the five-story building Marcia called home. If making the “jump” had been a void, once we arrived, I became a basket of emotions. It took five deep breaths to calm my heartbeat. The hanstoric screen displayed the equivalent of twenty Earth hours. I wasn’t clear if this meant a certain amount of time had gone by or simply the time remaining before I needed to recharge. In Astoria, Queens, New York City, I had no idea of the date or time, but dusk was falling and even with the jacket, a chilly wind made me shiver.
“Marcia, how do you feel?”
“Umm, fine.”
She hugged me hard, so I guessed she was equally affected. We walked to the street and stood in the building’s main entrance. Luckily, there weren’t many people out on the sidewalk.
“I’m going to walk back to the alley, but I’ll be keeping an eye on you. Ring the bell to your apartment. If they come down to get you, I will remain hidden. You need to telepathically let me know everything is ok. If they let you in, tell me, and I will follow you up the stairs, but I will stay one flight behind. Same thing, though. I won’t leave until you confirm you are with your parents and all is OK. Also, remember you can’t tell them I’m here right away. Later, you can tell them everything, but I can’t meet them now. Understood?”
“Yes, Mina.”
I got on one knee and held her close.
“You have been a very brave girl. I’ll miss you so much. I
hope one day we can meet again and that everything goes well with you.”
“I’ll miss you too. Thanks for bringing me home,” she replied, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing my cheek.
My throat knotted up, and I could barely say, “OK sweetie, time to go.”
She nodded and walked up the stoop, disappearing in the vestibule to ring the doorbell of her apartment. My breathing became short and quick as if I had run a mile. Without any way of keeping track of Earth time, I started counting in my head to sixty, one minute, another minute, and at five minutes, the door burst open. A blond man with Marcia in his arms, and an olive- skinned woman ran down the front steps, looking up and down the street. I quickly stepped farther into the alley and hoped they hadn’t seen me. Marcia’s voice entered my mind, elated but concerned at the same time.
“Mina, I’m so happy. Everything is great. I’m with my mom and papai. They’re asking who brought me home so you should leave.”
“OK Marcia, God bless you. Remember to give them the note I gave you and pay attention to their advice on when and who you can talk about everything that happened to you.”
I continued down the alley to the adjacent block. Strolling down the sidewalk, I brushed the tears from my eyes to take in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood before slipping into another alley. The hot dog stand made me wish I had a couple of dollars.
Do I even remember what they taste like?
The hanstoric suddenly felt heavy. I bit my lip and studied the display, unclear on how to interpret the fact that the device initially started off with thirty and now it showed twenty.
Does this thing have juice for another jump?
The idea crept into my mind like a virus invading my body, bringing on both nausea and an adrenaline rush. I found myself zooming in to the state of Florida and staring at an aerial view of my home on the display. The possibility of catching a glimpse of my children was irresistible.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
We landed in a clearing near a thick jungle. The Arandan sky looked different from those of Earth, Renna One, and Fronidia. Although breathable for all of us, traces of certain gases in the atmosphere caused the sky to be mustard-colored and the clouds to be a light blue and lavender. Our spacecraft was equipped with two small transport pods that we used to travel to the Tan Aranda rebel base. The small island was in the middle of a red ocean, subject to bad storms most of the year, thousands of miles away from any land. Tan signified “free” in the Arandan language. The rebels had stolen Lostai technology that allowed them to encompass the entire base in a force field that both protected and hid it from detection.
A young Arandan soldier dressed in a red-and-green military uniform with a gold sash across the chest greeted us. A patch with a picture of a bird with bright red, gold, and green feathers adorned his jacket. At the sight of it, I stopped to think. I had seen this bird before. Then it came to me. Colora had this same bird tattooed on her midriff. She wasn’t just a chatty beauty salon owner. Underneath her effervescent personality lay the soul of a patriotic rebel.
The soldier escorted us to a conference room where refreshments and snacks were served. After we settled in, a middle-aged Arandan walked into the room, also dressed in uniform. Montor, who was sitting next to me, stood at attention, crossed his arms over his chest, and bowed. The Arandan did the same, so I concluded this was a salute. We all got to our feet, and Montor spoke in Lostai, which, for unfortunate reasons, was the only language that we all understood.
“All, this is Commander Portars. He manages the operations of this base.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Commander Portars said, giving us all a once-over. “You are quite a mixed bunch. I suppose that is why we must speak in that language.” A bit of annoyance laced his tone.
There was no denying we were a diverse group and, I imagined, interesting to take in at once. Montor and his foster parents had the typical leonine Arandan features. Montor, built like a heavy-weight boxer, stood at least six-and-a-half feet tall. Kindor was also tall at about six feet with an athletic build and could have passed for human if it hadn’t been for his slate-colored skin and blue hair and lips. Colora’s eyes had black sclera and tiny pink pupils, and her nostrils were two tiny orifices in the center of her face.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt,The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
My second day on Xixsted was just as bad as the first. I woke up late, dressed, and ran to the gymnasium, wincing with each stride due to the wounds on my back. The lieutenant didn’t even introduce me to the other eleven young female Lostai soldiers in my squadron. I received an audio message on my tablet in English that simply said, “Follow what the rest do.”
No one acknowledged me as they all started to jog around the gymnasium. It was a slow, steady pace and I was grateful that I used to jog a few times a week. My body let me know when a half hour had gone by. They were just warming up. I was already winded when they increased to a full-on run. Soon, the entire squadron was way ahead of me, halfway across the gym. The lieutenant pressed her lips together and, shaking her head, activated my wristband. Although not as strong as the previous day, the shock was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I stumbled, and another, stronger shock made me nauseous. The run lasted about an hour, and the squadron never slowed their pace until the last few minutes of cool down. Not being used to this much continuous cardio, my legs cramped up, and I gasped for air.
The squadron moved on to a kind of plyometric workout including jumping squats and a type of push up that involved clapping behind the back. Of course, I couldn’t do even one of those. They also did heavy weight training and planks lasting for much longer than the two-minute ones I used to do. The squadron leader continued to deliver punishment via the wristband. Blood smudges reappeared around my wrist, and I couldn’t stop crying. Some of the soldiers snickered, and I glared at them, a slow rage seething throughout my body. I grabbed my tablet, walked over to the lieutenant, and spoke words in English that were translated into Lostai. The other soldiers froze in expectation while the lieutenant eyed me with suspicion. The arm with the wristband trembled as I spoke.
“As leader of this squadron, you are responsible for our training, correct?”
She spoke into her tablet and tapped the screen. Audio emitted on mine in English.
“Yes, of course.”
“Am I a part of this squadron?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Is that any of our fault?” I gestured, pointing to her, myself, and the rest of the group.
“No.”
“So, regardless of whether we like it or not, you are responsible to make me into a Lostai soldier, yes?”
“Yes.”
“I have never done this before. Give me a chance, or we will both fail miserably.”
“Exzer said you need plenty of physical training to catch up to our military standards.”
“Yes, but I’m not a soldier. I won’t be able to do any training at all if you keep hurting me. I promise to do my best, but it’s going to take some time before I reach that level.”
She rolled her eyes. “I will take this into consideration, but if I think you are slacking, I will inform Zorla that you need an attitude adjustment.”
I walked back to my spot, and the workout continued. I tried to execute every single exercise, even if only one or two repetitions. She didn’t activate the wristband again.
Hand-to-hand combat drills followed the workouts. I was even more ill-prepared for those. I had taken a few months of martial arts training with my younger son, so I knew how to parry, block, and basic front kick, but these Lostai females were already full-contact sparring at an advanced level. There was no safety gear, and I was paired with a particularly aggressive partner. The lieutenant barked some instructions in Lostai that I didn’t have a chance to translate. My partner wasted no time kicking me on my left side, and I doubled over in pain. She conceded me no recovery time and landed another blow to my head. I went down, and when I opened my eyes, I was on an infirmary cot with my tablet on my stomach. A notification tone let me know I had a message.
I tapped the screen and heard in English, “You were treated for a broken rib and concussion. The injuries have been repaired. You should proceed to your Academics session.”
I walked out of the infirmary still disoriented and checked the schematics on my tablet to figure out how to get to my classes. I remembered it was a lab room with consoles where people took courses through individualized video sessions, but I had forgotten how to get there. My vision was a little blurry, and it was hard to concentrate. I walked around slowly trying to gather my bearings but soon found myself in an unfamiliar area. An alarm went off, and the wristband activated, causing me to shout out in pain. I turned to see several Lostai soldiers coming for me.
OK, I’m not going to run because they’ll think I did something wrong.
I began speaking an explanation into my tablet when they grabbed me and started dragging me off. My tablet fell to the floor, and one of them picked it up without looking at it. I screamed, asking for Exzer the whole way to Zorla’s office. She was not there when I arrived. Zorla greeted me with the same hypocritical smile, sending shivers down my spine. I knew what was coming next. Without Exzer there for translation, he didn’t even try to communicate to me before he used the rod on my back again. I later learned the word for the rod in Lostai is zirem.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“What about you, Mina, do you have family?”
Montor had been absentmindedly eating as we conversed, but when Lasarta asked that question, he put his utensils down and locked eyes with me for a few seconds. I recalled what he had told Colora about me and decided to lie.
“I was a widow when I was taken, and I have three children.”
Lasarta covered her mouth with both hands.
“You mean your children are like orphans now? That is horrifying.”
She looked around to each of us at the table.
“This is what the Lostai do. Destroy. Destroy planets, destroy families, and destroy people,” she said.
Montor resumed eating with his eyes glued to his plate.
“Yes, my heart breaks every time I think of them, but I have two sisters and a very close friend. I am sure they are watching over them.”
Before I became too emotional, I decided it was my turn to change the subject.
“This meal is delicious. Is this a typical Arandan recipe?”
“Yes, we usually prepare Arandan meals for Montor. I am so glad you like it,” said Lasarta.
She asked me about food from Earth, and we continued on comparing everything from holidays to music to politics. I described how Thanksgiving is notorious for awkward reunions where family members with different points of view who have not seen each other for a long time start discussing touchy subjects such as religion, politics, old wounds, and gossip. I said it was especially uncomfortable for new spouses joining the family for the first time. They saw the parallels to our earlier conversation, and we all laughed.
The evening became more easygoing and enjoyable. Foxor served for dessert thin wafers sandwiched with a variety of sweet creams and jams. Lasarta brewed the same bitter beverage that I couldn’t handle at Zamandi’s Room, so I politely declined. Afterwards, we all helped clear the table. Lasarta and Foxor thanked us for our help but asked that we let them finish cleanup on their own. We understood they were making a point to allow Montor and me to have some time alone.
“What would you like to do now, Mina?” Montor asked.
“I guess I can have another glass of wine. And you know what? I would like to hear more music like what we danced to at Members Only.”
He bounced out of his chair.
“Really?” he said, sporting the boyish grin that I had seen only a few times. “Excellent idea. We can go out back by the waterfall, and I will have the music piped in. Let me get another bottle of wine.”
It was a clear night with a star-studded sky, and the two Renna One moons still appeared almost full. In addition to the flickering lights, someone had added candles to the area, which lent to a romantic ambiance. The first song was bluesy, similar to the one we heard at Members Only. We began to dance slowly.
“Thanks for lying about being a widow, Mina.”
“I sensed you were stressed about that. I did not want to spoil our dinner.”
“Yes, in my culture it is inappropriate to steal another male’s spouse unless he has a chance to fight for her. Foxor and Lasarta must have realized already that we have a relationship. Your husband on Earth has no way to defend his position, and it would be like taking the female from a male who is disabled. Totally dishonorable.”
“So, if you fight for her, it is OK to take another male’s spouse?”
“Only if she wishes it.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
When I returned to Colora, I explained to her everything that happened during our time in the jungle. She carefully examined my entire body for any bruises or blemishes that Montor might have missed before she set out to give me the ultimate skin, hair, nail, and massage treatments. These were all meant to relax me, but it was of no use. In a few hours, I would pronounce words of lifelong commitment to a new husband. Yet far away on Earth, a man wondered what happened to his wife.
Can I really just slough off my past like dead skin and move on?
The time to head out to the military base arrived fast. Colora did an exquisite job, styling my hair and applying makeup and a shimmering lotion all over my body.
“Mina, you look even more stunning than the day I first met you. I need to finish getting ready myself now. Someone is waiting to escort you to the base. I will follow in the other pod once I am done,” said Colora.
I grabbed the cake and walked to the pod docking area. Kindor faced away from my direction and turned around as soon as he heard my steps. He was dressed in a royal blue military uniform I wasn’t familiar with. I later learned it was a traditional Sotkari military uniform dating from the time they battled against the Lostai. He wore his hair slicked back and tied into a tail with a white band, making his chiseled features even more prominent. The blue color of his clothing complemented his gorgeous eyes. I was always taken aback whenever I realized how handsome he was.
He had never seen me dressed and made up for this type of occasion and literally tripped over his feet, causing me to look away, embarrassed for the both of us.
“Kantarext!” he exclaimed.
“What? What is it?” I asked.
He slapped his palm against his forehead and then stood stiffly, putting both hands on his hips.
“Mina, you have me feeling like an adolescent meeting a beautiful female for the first time. You look amazing. Hurry, let us go before I decide to do something crazy.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the compliment.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
“I’m ready for my trip back home!” she said to me in English with a wide, energetic smile.
There’s nothing like the optimism of an innocent child.
We walked to the conference room where Sortomor was about to start our regular morning staff meeting. It gave everyone the opportunity to wish me luck and say goodbye to Marcia, a bittersweet moment that left everyone teary-eyed. Kindor requested permission to accompany me to the transportal site. Sortomor was reluctant at first but allowed it.
We met with Commander Larmont and the Transportal Nerds at their operations base inside the cave. Based on their research, the Transportal Nerds determined a person could carry objects while traveling through the transportal. We decided I should carry a weapon for self-defense in case we ended up in a hostile
environment.
Please God, don’t let that happen.
Larmont handed me a small but deadly pistol called a vimor that delivered narrow radioactive beams with precision. I also packed a small bag with thirst pods, snacks, and first aid supplies in case something didn’t go as planned. We didn’t know whether we would arrive during summer or winter, day or night, so we wore thermal jackets. The pocket of magnetic field needed to open the portal was generated using a piece of equipment the size and shape of a laptop. We nicknamed it a hanstoric, or “jumper” in Arandan, and I needed to keep it with me throughout the trip.
The hanstoric controlled the complete process from storing the magnetic field that energized the transportation and initiating the “jump” to displaying the interactive maps that pinpointed the target destination. We suspected the Lostai had enhanced the equipment with the ability to detect Sotkari Ta brain waves, but The Transportal Nerds had not devoted any time yet to research that functionality. Montor had previously explained to the Transportal Nerds where and how the Milky Way and Earth’s solar system were represented on the Lostai star maps. The displays reminded me a bit of Google Earth. You tapped a location and zoomed in to specific target coordinates.
Luckily, Marcia knew the general location of her neighborhood, her home address, and the names of nearby important streets. She said her mother had helped her memorize them using a song.
Good job, Marcia’s mom!
The Transportal Nerds started me out with an image of our galaxy and then our solar system. Next, I identified Earth, continued to zoom in to North America, then New York City, then Queens, and further in detail until I found the exact neighborhood in Astoria that Marcia was from. There were no names of cities or streets on these images. It took a while, but I had spent enough holidays and vacations with my grandmother in New York City when I was growing up to be familiar enough with the area and figure it out. Marcia helped me identify her building, and I then zoomed in to find an inconspicuous spot for us to “land.” In reality, we would more likely be appearing out of thin air. Once we locked in the location, one of the readings showed the equivalent of thirty Earth hours. We weren’t sure but assumed this referred to the time the hanstoric could store its magnetic properties before having to be returned to the crystalline cave to recharge. It was our best guess of the time limit I had to complete the trip.
Once we were finished with our preparations and with Larmont’s final approval, the Transportal Nerds and three Arandan soldiers accompanied Marcia, Kindor, and me down one of the tunnels to the transportal site. From the cave’s first large room, several tunnels and passageways led deep into smaller rooms, some of which detained Lostai prisoners in holding cells, and at the very end, the walls became crystalline. Here was the laboratory where we would initiate the “jump.” This part of the cave lit up and sparkled as daylight shone through the smooth transparent blue and orange rock.
“Wow, Mina, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Marcia in awe.
Before initiating the process, I hugged Kindor and hoped the Transportal Nerds wouldn’t snitch on me. Luckily, Marcia did the same, so even the Arandans would have to acknowledge it was innocent enough.
“Mina, I will be standing right here tomorrow awaiting your return. I know everything will go to plan. The Farthest Light will guide your way.”
“Thank you, Kindor. I pray for the same.”
Our understanding was that any person or thing within a certain circumference of the hanstoric would be transported. The Arandans and Kindor stood back well outside of that area as I held Marcia close to me and said a silent prayer before tapping the final command. We perceived no sounds, no incredible flashes of light or electromagnetic activity, or any strange bodily sensations. Traveling through the transportal was like falling into oblivion with no concept of how much time had passed.
My eyes opened to find us standing in an alley next to the five-story building Marcia called home. If making the “jump” had been a void, once we arrived, I became a basket of emotions. It took five deep breaths to calm my heartbeat.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
My second day on Xixsted was just as bad as the first. I woke up late, dressed, and ran to the gymnasium, wincing with each stride due to the wounds on my back. The lieutenant didn’t even introduce me to the other eleven young female Lostai soldiers in my squadron. I received an audio message on my tablet in English that simply said, “Follow what the rest do.”
No one acknowledged me as they all started to jog around the gymnasium. It was a slow, steady pace and I was grateful that I used to jog a few times a week. My body let me know when a half hour had gone by. They were just warming up. I was already winded when they increased to a full-on run. Soon, the entire squadron was way ahead of me, halfway across the gym. The lieutenant pressed her lips together and, shaking her head, activated my wristband. Although not as strong as the previous day, the shock was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I stumbled, and another, stronger shock made me nauseous.
The run lasted about an hour, and the squadron never slowed their pace until the last few minutes of cool down. Not being used to this much continuous cardio, my legs cramped up, and I gasped for air.
The squadron moved on to a kind of plyometric workout including jumping squats and a type of push up that involved clapping behind the back. Of course, I couldn’t do even one of those. They also did heavy weight training and planks lasting for much longer than the two-minute ones I used to do. The squadron leader continued to deliver punishment via the wristband. Blood smudges reappeared around my wrist, and I couldn’t stop crying.
Some of the soldiers snickered, and I glared at them, a slow rage seething throughout my body. I grabbed my tablet, walked over to the lieutenant, and spoke words in English that were translated into Lostai. The other soldiers froze in expectation while the lieutenant eyed me with suspicion. The arm with the wristband trembled as I spoke.
“As leader of this squadron, you are responsible for our training, correct?”
She spoke into her tablet and tapped the screen. Audio emitted on mine in English.
“Yes, of course.”
“Am I a part of this squadron?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Is that any of our fault?” I gestured, pointing to her, myself, and the rest of the group.
“No.”
“So, regardless of whether we like it or not, you are responsible to make me into a Lostai soldier, yes?”
“Yes.”
“I have never done this before. Give me a chance, or we will both fail miserably.”
“Exzer said you need plenty of physical training to catch up to our military standards.”
“Yes, but I’m not a soldier. I won’t be able to do any training at all if you keep hurting me. I promise to do my best, but it’s going to take some time before I reach that level.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I will take this into consideration, but if I think you are slacking, I will inform Zorla that you need an attitude adjustment.”
I walked back to my spot, and the workout continued. I tried to execute every single exercise, even if only one or two repetitions. She didn’t activate the wristband again.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
We couldn’t have been more different, he being so much taller and of an entirely different species. Yet a part of our DNA was identical. He rubbed his head against my hair, breathing deeply.
“Our situation is so unfortunate. If only we had met under normal circumstances, I would have proposed, and if you accepted, we would have created a family and spent our lives together. I do not know why now this feels so important to me. In the past, such things did not concern me,” he said.
The song was over. Montor poured us each a glass of wine, and we sat on the daybed.
“Well, maybe it is a matter of what stage of life you are in,” I said.
“Are you saying I am old?”
He pretended to be offended.
“No, of course you are not, but like everyone else, your perspectives change as time goes by. Although I am flattered with what you have said, how can you be so sure that I would be the right lifelong partner for you? We have been in this relationship for less than one lunar cycle. These decisions should not be taken lightly. I can speak about this because I have experience in such matters.”
He side-glanced and turned away from me.
“Yes, I know you have already lived what I described, back on Earth, with your husband, the love of your life, and the Lostai took it all away. You need not remind me.”
“I did not mean to offend you. My point is that my husband and I rushed into marriage too young because I was pregnant. Things eventually worked out for us, but it was difficult in the beginning...for many revolutions.”
He turned around to face me and look down into my eyes. His yellow eyes held mine captive. I dared not look away.
“I can tell you this. In the short time I have known you, I have learned that you are a female of conviction. You stand by your values. At first glance, you might appear weak and vulnerable, but in fact, you are strong, a survivor. You have shown me loyalty, and I know you have a kind heart. I can only assume you were a fine mother. You are a fun person. My favorite people, Kaya, Jortan, Colora, Foxor, and Lasarta, love you already. Let us not forget that I am very physically attracted to you and I cannot get enough of your body. Seriously, Mina, what else do I need to figure out?”
I was touched by his declaration.
“I...I do not know what to say...”
“These are just simple facts, Mina,” he said, shrugging his
shoulders.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
I woke up the next day determined not to lose control for any reason. Montor’s morning lesson revolved around possible problems that could occur during the landing sequence. I kept our conversation centered on his explanations and any questions that I had. Later, I was proud of how well I sparred.
When we met midday at the kitchen, he greeted me with “Let us try to make pee xa.”
I blinked.
“Umm, I’m not sure...”
“From what you described, I think I know what instructions to give the food reproducer for the dough and sauce. My only question is what kind of toppings.”
The meals provided on Xixsted were mainly warm cereals, vegetable soups, and protein bars. I didn’t know what my options were.
“It could be cured meat similar to what was in the egg dish you shared with me yesterday morning. Also vegetables, but we need something that melts when heated to kind of meld everything together.”
I had learned the names of mammal-like animals in the
Lostai language, so it would seem possible for dairy products to exist, but I had not seen any.
“We have something called cheese that is made from the curdled milk of domesticated cattle,” I explained.
He wagged his finger at me and nodded.
“Yes, I think I know what you are referring to. The Lostai do not like it, but we have several varieties in Aranda.”
He spoke his order in Arandan. Within minutes, he brought to the table a piping hot concoction resembling a rustic pizza-like dish that a Turkish friend had once prepared for me back in my college days. He made vertical slices and served himself a piece first. After he swallowed his first bite, an exuberant smile brightened his face.
“I like my version of pee xa.”
I tried it and was impressed
.
“Not bad for a first try.”
He laughed with a boyish joy that didn’t match his large
body. We finished eating and cleaning up. On my way out of the kitchen, he stopped me, placing one hand on my shoulder. Shortening the space between us to a proximity that we only used when sparring, he said, “Mina, I enjoyed making pee xa for you.”
I had to admit, it was a kind gesture on his part.
“It was thoughtful of you. I appreciate it.”
I looked down because my heart swelled with a feeling of bonding that was absurd considering our overall circumstances.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Montor went inside the mine to extract information from workers regarding the escapees and told me to wait outside. He was in there for a while, so I paced around to release some of my nervous energy. I heard a commotion. A woman was screaming in Spanish. I turned around and came face-to-face with a brunette woman. Her tattered clothing hung loosely from her emaciated body, and tears streamed down her hollow cheeks. Without thinking twice, I asked her what the problem was. I could only imagine her shock to see a human-looking woman in full Lostai uniform, speaking in a language she understood. She looked at me, perplexed, but quickly explained that her fifteen-year-old son had died earlier in the day and the Lostai soldier in charge of her group had decided to just throw his body in a junk pile. She begged they allow her to give him a proper burial and threw herself on me crying, asking for my help. A Lostai sergeant walked over and called for several soldiers to take the woman away.
“Please, she is only requesting to be able to bury her young son. They threw his body away like trash,” I said to the sergeant.
“Mind your place, soldier. This is none of your concern,” he answered.
“What is wrong with you? Are you savages?” I shouted and went to help the woman.
“You are out of line, soldier,” shouted the sergeant.
He ran over and pushed me to the ground while pulling his weapon from his holster. My mental training kicked in, and I caused the weapon to fly out of his hand and into mine. I was still on the ground but now aiming his weapon at him. He put his hands in the air. The woman and other soldiers froze.
“We should all just calm down for a second,” screamed the sergeant while looking around.
“What is going on here?”
I heard Montor’s voice. In a split second, the weapon was out of my hand and in his. He walked over with the swagger he typically portrayed at Xixsted. His face was like stone, and I jumped to my feet, adrenaline causing my pulse to race. Montor handed the weapon back to the sergeant.
“Who is this person? She disarmed and threatened me,” the sergeant asked Montor, pointing at me.
“Mina, what trouble have you gotten yourself into? Now I have no choice but to put on an act,” Montor communicated to me telepathically.
“This is the piece of crap trainee that Zorla has assigned to me,” Montor answered the sergeant.
“Mina, brace yourself!” Montor said to me telepathically.
Before I knew it, Montor hit me with a palm strike to the face. Restrained, but still harder than when we sparred. I fell back to the ground. My lip split, and I tasted blood.
“What is wrong with you, soldier? How dare you threaten a commanding officer?” Montor shouted out loud to me.
He followed with a swift kick to the side. I doubled over in pain.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
One evening while Kaya and I were having dinner alone in my room, she told me something I had wanted to hear since my abduction.
“Mina, I cannot help you escape this place, but I know of someone who is in a better position to assist you. His name is Montor, and I think he is the one they plan to have you mate with. He is from a planet called Aranda and also has a complete set of embedded Sotkari Ta genes. The Lostai have complete trust in him because, although he was once a hostage such as yourself, he embraced his new lifestyle and position in the Lostai military. He now enjoys the same freedoms and benefits as any Lostai soldier.”
“Uhhh, I am confused. Why would this person help me? It sounds more likely that he would turn me in rather than help me escape.”
Kaya walked around without immediately replying. Finally, she clarified, “He also secretly cooperates with rebel factions to help them cause many problems for the Lostai military. Luckily, neither side has ever suspected the truth. He is loyal to no one...”
“Oh, I see, what we call a double agent on Earth.”
Abruptly, her pacing came to a stop, and she swung around to face me, looking me straight in the eyes.
“...except to me. He is loyal to me. I successfully trained him in all facets of Sotkari Ta abilities. He has become an extremely powerful being and is a complicated person with a complicated history. He lost his whole family during famine and wars that ravaged his planet. Similar to what occurred on Sotkar, the Lostai came in and took advantage of the situation. He was a child when they identified him as having Sotkari Ta genes and brought him to this station. I was the closest thing to a mother he had growing up here.”
“Kaya, I do not get how you can be OK with the work he does for the Lostai. I am grateful for your friendship, but sometimes I am not clear on your moral compass.”
“Mina, do not try to pass judgement on me. I have already explained my situation. My job here is to train people as per Lostai requests. To not comply would put my granddaughter in grave danger. How my trainees choose to live their lives, how they use these abilities, whether they become part of Lostai society or rebel against them, is out of my control.”
I disagreed with her position, but it was a discussion for another time.
“OK, Kaya, so do you think I can trust this person?”
She pressed her lips together and sighed.
“He agreed I reveal to you the fact that he is involved with covert activities against the Lostai so that you could trust him. We have both taken this tremendous risk on your behalf. Please do not make me regret it. If he suspects that you might in any way divulge this secret, he will kill you without a second thought. I will not be able to intervene.”
I gulped as Montor sounded more and more frightening by the minute.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
At the end of the day, Exzer escorted me to the Commander’s office. Sitting at his desk, he looked up and greeted me with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. I remained as far from him as possible, hardly any space between my back and the door closing behind me. He looked like Exzer and the others. Same round bald head, deep-set eyes, small mouth, but his brow bones protruded much more than hers. I couldn’t figure out the color of his dark eyes. Two soldiers stood by his desk. My muscles tensed as they moved closer to me while Exzer stepped forward. Still sitting, he spoke using Exzer as a translator. I hung on her every word.
“My name is Zorla, and I am in charge of this science station. We are pleased to have acquired such an invaluable specimen. You do not have full understanding of this yet, but your complete set of Sotkari Ta genes makes you quite the prize. We acquired you at a lot of risk and expense.”
He stood and walked towards me with slow, deliberate steps. I shifted my weight as my heartbeat accelerated. For some reason, he gave me the creeps. A few inches taller than Exzer but still shorter than me, he tilted his head up to meet my eyes while speaking in slow, drawn-out syllables.
Contempt crept into his expression as he looked me over. I tried to inch back, but there was no space. Our eyes locked again for a moment before mine shifted towards the soldiers now on either side of me.
“However, let me be clear. I have no tolerance for any disobedience. I hear you tried to escape this morning. Therefore, you must be punished.”
I glanced at my arm, preparing myself for the wrist band to be activated as Exzer had done before. He barked an order in their language. My eyes darted around the room, trying to anticipate what he meant. One of the soldiers turned towards me, grabbing the ends of my shirt. I tried to get away from him, but the other pointed a weapon at me.
I whimpered as the first soldier gestured for me to lift my arms so that he could remove my shirt. My heart pounded with fear and shame for having my breasts exposed. I quickly lowered my arms to cover them. No one stopped me or was interested in ogling at them. Instead, the two soldiers immediately turned me to face away from Zorla, holding me in place.
A moment of deadly silence.
What are they going to do to me?
Three quick breaths and I had my answer. He poked me with some sort of rod that delivered an electric burn. A searing, scraping sensation on my upper back caused me to gape a silent scream of shock. I struggled trying to free myself, but the soldiers were strong and the pain was debilitating. After the first jab, he did it again, this time dragging the end down the length of my back. He increased the intensity. Now, in addition to feeling the damage on my skin, spasms of pain shook my entire body. This was far worse than the earlier wristband burn. I wailed and screamed, shaking my head.
“Stop it!” I uttered those words only once as the rest of the time, my breath came only in ragged gasps.
My body went limp, and the soldiers exerted extra effort to keep me standing. I looked over my shoulder to search for Exzer. Her eyes met mine without any sign of compassion. Zorla used the rod on me three more times, hovering it by my ear first so that I could hear the buzz and sense the vibration. He was slow about it. Each time I hoped it was over, he prodded me at a higher setting.
At the end, I fell to my knees and became dizzy, surely about to pass out, but the soldiers pulled me to my feet, and someone threw my shirt back to me.
Exzer continued to translate for Zorla.
“Put on your shirt. I do not want to look at your awful body any more than I have to.”
My whole body trembled, and Exzer needed to help me get my shirt on as I didn’t even have the strength to lift my arms. She wasn’t gentle. The fabric coming in contact with the wounds on my back provided a new torment. Once I was dressed, she turned me to face Zorla. His lips curled in disgust, and he tapped the rod as he spoke his final words. Exzer translated again.
“Let this serve you as a lesson. If you do not meet expectations, I will have you punished even more severely.”
My legs were jelly, so the soldiers held me up and Exzer led us to the medical office.
“The doctor will apply an ointment to avoid infection but will not attend to the pain or repair the damage. We will leave your skin scarred so that you are reminded to follow instructions going forward,” said Exzer.
After my brief visit with the medic, Exzer escorted me to my dormitory and showed me how to use the equipment in the room, including the food reproducer. Still in shock, I had no words for her.
Before leaving, she said,
“I suggest you make better use of
your resting hours tonight. Tomorrow, your squadron leader is expecting you to join their military drills at the appointed morning hour. Do not be late.”
My dormitory included a communication system with a large video screen that could be programmed to selfie mode. Before getting into bed, I checked my back and sobbed again as the broken skin and grotesque welts came into view.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
At the next day’s morning staff meeting, Sortomor showed us on the viewer images of Dit Lar, which was now mere hours away. My heart jumped as I realized Lostai battle crafts were approaching the perimeter established by the United Rebel Front.
As usual, I forgot to keep my place and shouted out, “Should we be this close? We can easily be targeted.”
“We have perfectly good defense systems, and I have volunteered to help. You females should leave to pray while we males man the weapon and defense controls.”
Lasarta and Colora gathered the children and left without argument, but Officer Lorret and I looked at each other with one shared thought. Her eyes begged me to say something.
I pulled my shoulders back, steadied myself, and glared up at him so that he could see that I meant business.
“You will be short-handed if you attempt to take us into the mix with just you four males. I have military training, am familiar with everyone’s expertise here, and Montor has made sure that I can man every position on this bridge. You are putting the life of my son at risk, so I will not be relegated to a corner. Lorret has military experience and should be here in case we suffer injuries.”
Lorret barely hid her satisfaction as Sortomor was at a loss for words. His eyes blazed with displeasure, and for a moment, I wondered if I had pushed my luck with him.
Foxor chimed in, “Captain Sortomor, forgive Mina’s approach. Her people’s culture is very different from ours, but the truth is we need their help.”
Sortomor took a deep breath, covering his mouth. The air thickened with tension. With a long exhale, he replied,
“Very well, you and Lorret will take charge of our defensive systems and sensors. What can the Sotkari do?”
“Umm, if I may suggest, Captain, because we can share a telepathic connection and will not waste time with translations, I think Kindor should be with me on defense and sensors. Lorret can help you on the weapons array, Foxor can monitor the ship’s operating systems, including environmental and propulsion, and Damari should be at the helm and controlling navigational systems.”
Foxor turned away to conceal his smile. Sortomor’s lips formed a tight line before shouting,
“You heard her. Everyone, take your positions.”
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
I told her about my escape to Fronidia, my conversation
with Portars, and my adventures so far on the Namson planet. She asked many questions. One was particularly humorous.
“Should I be worried about any Namson female catching your attention?”
“I would have to first figure out which are the females. They know each other by sense of smell. Me? I do not have a clue.”
We laughed, and she allowed herself to fall back on the bed, arms splayed and legs slightly separated, still dangling over the edge of the tall bed that had been custom made for my height. Her belly button peeked at me from under her blouse. Something about her positioned like that reminded me of a table set with a feast. I could not wait to taste her sweetness.
“Mina, I am sorry for being so ill-tempered before. Not too many things scare me, but the idea of something bad happening to you terrifies me.”
She smiled, flirtation in her eyes. I got down on my knees and gently pulled apart the magnetic strips that held her blouse together. Pressing my face gently against her abdomen, with a deep inhale, I took in her scent, not surprised to find nothing underneath when I pulled off her pants. Sliding down, I spread her legs further and reveled in the taste of her.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“OK, Kaya, so do you think I can trust this person?”
She pressed her lips together and sighed.
“He agreed I reveal to you the fact that he is involved with covert activities against the Lostai so that you could trust him. We have both taken this tremendous risk on your behalf. Please do not make me regret it. If he suspects that you might in any way divulge this secret, he will kill you without a second thought. I will not be able to intervene.”
I gulped as Montor sounded more and more frightening by the minute.
“I am going to inform Zorla we have not progressed much in your next phase of training and we need Montor’s help. I will explain that because he too was once dormant, he might have good advice for you. This will allow the three of us time together to discuss your next steps.”
I hardly slept that night as I tried to anticipate what kind of person this Montor was and how he might help me escape. I didn’t have to wait too long.
The next day while Kaya and I were having dinner, there was a buzz at my door. I pressed the button on my console that opened the door, and he strolled in with great swagger and a long gait.
Built like a heavyweight boxer, he was more than a foot taller than my five-foot, four-inch frame. His face had a leonine appearance with wide, high cheekbones and yellow eyes that slanted upwards. The nose was broad and flat, and he had a strong jaw. Thin lips, when parted, revealed perfectly aligned, shiny white teeth except for the large beastly canines. His long, wild hair hung from his head in thick, twisted locks. He wore a dark skintight suit made of a stretchy material that covered all of his body except his hands, outlining every muscle and contour. Let’s just say, everything was in perfect proportion to his height. With not much left to the imagination, I felt the need to avert my eyes. His face and hands were a tawny color and covered by soft fuzz.
He walked up to Kaya and nodded in deference. Taking his time to look me over, a smirk appeared on his face. He spoke out loud with a deep voice in perfect Lostai.
“Kaya, is this insignificant, tiny creature what they expect me to procreate with?”
My face was hot and I’m sure red as a tomato. He walked up into my personal space and glared down at me.
“These orange eyes remind me of my canine pet. Revolting,” he said.
Kaya’s expression was apologetic while he continued.
“Frankly, I do not even think it is physically possible without causing her some injury, but I suppose it will be entertaining to find out.”
He reached out to rub my cheek with the back of his hand. Evenly filed, short, dark fingernails grazed my skin. For some reason, I was surprised by his well-manicured hands. His touch first felt like peach fuzz and something else I couldn’t pinpoint but left me uncomfortable. I’d had enough.
With a sudden outward block, I aggressively pushed his hand away, but he was quicker. He grabbed my hand twisted it and with his other hand pulled me up against him, the smirk replaced with a cruel snarl. Now that we were up close, I noticed he wore two dark leather-like cords around his neck, each with a silver-tone amulet.
In a matter of seconds, Kaya reached up to place her hand on his shoulder, a stern expression on her face. He let me go while stumbling back several feet, rubbing his hands and cracking his knuckles. He lowered his head and spoke again in a quiet voice.
“Forgive me, Kaya. I was only having some fun. She is a feisty one. We might be able to copulate after all.”
The whole situation upset me. Was I supposed to put my trust in this unpleasant, aggressive person? I turned around so they wouldn’t notice my tears. I sensed Kaya communicating telepathically to the both of us.
“Mina, I apologize for Montor’s behavior. He has a misplaced need to intimidate everyone he meets, but you will need to learn to deal with him, as I believe he is the one person who can get you out of here,” said Kaya.
I turned back around to face them, chewing my lip and concentrating to reply telepathically to both of them at the same time. I offered my forearm to Montor in the typical Sotkari handshake.
“Hello, Montor, my name is Mina. Trust me, I find the idea of having sexual relations with you pretty disgusting too.”
He chuckled and accepted my outstretched forearm with a tight wrist squeeze but quickly let go. In that brief moment of skin contact, the weird sensation came over me again, like I’d been touched intimately. My heartbeat raced, but I brushed it out of my mind.
Weekly Snippets
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
"I should never have been in this position in the first place. My destiny was already set. I had a husband and a family. This was not supposed to happen to me.”
My words were choppy between the sobbing. He looked away.
“And now here...here I am falling in love with you. I have never had a casual fling. This is not just about sex for me, Montor. Yet in a few days, I will be off to Fronidia and maybe will never see you again. I cannot pretend like this does not affect me.”
He turned back to look at me and wiped off my tears with his fingers. He spoke in a low and grave voice.
“This is not easy for me, either.”
We stared at each other for a few minutes without speaking. “Mina, if you like, you can sleep upstairs in the bedroom. I can stay here and leave you in peace.”
I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him.
“Trust me, sleeping alone will not bring me peace. I guess I needed to share my feelings.”
I leaned back on the bed. He embraced me and traveled down to the cutout in the dress top to kiss my cleavage. He continued to slide down until he was able to get his hands under the full dress skirt. His hands were on my thighs, my butt, my waist. His breathing quickened.
“It would be a shame to spoil the dress,” I said.
“That is true, and I have made a promise to myself. You know I cannot resist a challenge. One day, Mina, I do not know how yet, but I will make you my spouse, and you will wear this dress to our wedding.”
I didn’t answer, thinking it a bit presumptuous of him, but we stood, he unzipped the back of the dress, and I stepped out of it. He picked it up and carefully laid it on one of the lounge chairs.
When we made love that night, it was different from previous times. We were not trying to make each other lose control. It wasn’t just about the pleasure. At one point, he took my hands and lifted my arms above my head, his palms pressing down on mine, and our hips moving in sync. His upper body was in a plank position, and fueled by raw emotion, we gazed in each other’s eyes, refusing to break the connection. My eyes filled with tears again, and I saw his glisten.
When we reached the climax, I finally shut my eyes as satisfaction consumed me. I heard his voice telepathically in my mind saying my name and something incomprehensible, I guessed in Arandan.
We fell asleep, but a few hours later, I awoke to Montor tracing my eyebrows, nose, and cheekbones with his finger. Drowsy, I looked around and saw it was not yet morning.
“Mina, I was thinking, perhaps we should delay your trip to Fronidia.”
“What do you mean? What about Zorla and the issues I am trying to escape from?”
