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See below snippets of the romantic space opera series, The Curse of Sotkari Ta.
Warning: There are some spoilers, violence, steamy scenes, and unaliving
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Snippets
The Curse Of Sotkari Ta
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Like any typical Lostai military spaceship, this one was equipped with prisoner holding cells. The walk over there gave me time to think about what I wanted to say. The two Lostai commanders were finishing up a meal when I arrived. Although the cells were secured by a force field, Montor ordered one of the Arandan soldiers to stand guard over them.
“Please leave us alone,” I instructed.
The Arandan knew by now not to question my requests. The two Lostai looked at me with disdain.
“What are your names?”
No answer.
“I suggest you pay attention to me, or I can make things very difficult for you. I can use my abilities to force you to answer me, but I prefer to have a normal conversation with you.”
They fidgeted in their seats and made me wait a few more minutes before the younger of the two replied, “My name is Roxar and his is Temdax.”
“Thank you. So, Roxar and Temdax, I am curious. Do you have family, spouses, children, relatives?”
Roxar answered for both of them.
“I have two siblings. My parents are dead. Temdax has a spouse and three offspring.”
“How would you feel if an alien race invaded your planet and enslaved your family members?”
Silence.
“It is not a rhetorical question. This is exactly what you Lostai are doing. Do you feel no remorse?” Their blank faces angered me. “Tell me!”
“We are following orders. Our leaders have explained to us that tough decisions are required for the greater good of Losta and the rest of the sector.”
I thought I could stay calm and collected.
“You make me sick! Your leaders are evil people.”
I turned to walk away.
“My parents were soldiers. They died fighting this stupid war.”
I turned around. His eyes were filled with bitterness.
To my surprise, Temdax, the older one, spoke up.
“Listen here. We are taught that it is our duty to help primitive races improve themselves. This makes sense to me. Our leaders are not evil. They only require fifteen revolutions of service. After that, we are offered opportunities to pursue whatever other goals we have for ourselves and our families. It seems a fair request, and we are doing our part to better the world around us. Your rebellion’s only accomplishment has been to sentence both of our children to live in war. You are the evil ones here.”
“No. You are totally brainwashed.”
Whatever I had hoped to accomplish with this conversation was clearly lost. Not only the rescue of my daughter, but the battle for freedom would be a bloody one. Both sides were convinced they were in the right.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Mina,” Montor addressed me, “the only escape option I see for you is to convince Zorla that we should go together on the mission he has outlined for you. We will tell him that you are not ready to execute this assignment on your own and need the mentoring of someone who is both an experienced soldier and Sotkari Ta.”
He side-glanced, arrogance in his eyes.
“There will be no deception there. I do not know what Zorla is thinking. You have no chance of accomplishing this mission by yourself.”
“I have no desire to accomplish it at all,” I said, injecting some attitude of my own.
We locked eyes for a moment, and he took a deep breath before he continued, as if summoning patience.
“Since Zorla’s latest fixation is on breeding Sotkari Ta offspring, I will also tell him that we will take advantage of our time together to begin our mating process. Once on the planet, I will coordinate with my contacts to set you up with an autopilot shuttlecraft that will take you to another planet where I am sure you will find friendly people and, with luck, will be able to evade any Lostai search teams. We will have to make it look like I have been ambushed. Perhaps have me incapaci- tated with a drug. I am not sure yet, but I can sort out those details later.”
It was a viable plan, but it did put him at considerable risk.
“Montor, why are you willing to put yourself and your good standing with the Lostai in danger to help me escape?”
“I suppose I have been bored lately and always welcome a good challenge. Quite honestly, I am not pleased with the idea of making babies with you. Then there is the fact that, for some odd reason, Kaya has taken a liking to you.”
He shook his head with a smile. I was happy to know that at least we had one thing in common.
“OK...so, what is my next step?”
“You, my dear, from now on, only need follow my instructions. Once I discuss with Zorla and he agrees, things will move fast. The Lostai are anxious to solve their little problem on Renna One before it grows out of control,” he said.
I looked at Kaya. She nodded in agreement and stood.
“It is time for my private meditation. I will see you tomorrow,” she said as she walked out.
Montor and I also got up from our seats. His lips curved into a sly smile.
“Mina, if you like, I can sleep here with you tonight. That will show Zorla we are committed to his mission. It will be a... tight fit,” he said, looking me over and then glancing at my cot, “but I think we can manage.”
I hated that his insinuations made my face flush.
“No, I do not think that is necessary.”
He chuckled.
“True. We have plenty of time on our trip to Renna One. Good night, Mina.”
The minute he stepped out, I exhaled slowly.
Patience.
This obnoxious creature is my ticket out of here.
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 sched- uled 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.
“Hello, my name is Mina. What kind of training?” I replied out loud in Lostai, since that was the language she had used.
“I am a Sotkari Ta, meaning one of the few remaining fully evolved Sotkari. I have been tasked with helping you learn how to use your dormant evolved Sotkari capabilities.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Kora pressed her fingers against her temples as if she were trying to figure something out.
“I hope I do not come across as nosy, but I cannot help but wonder, why are you alone? Where is the father of the baby? Were you assaulted?”
Her genuine expression of concern reminded me of Kaya, and I welcomed a conversation with a mother figure. Up until then, I had avoided talking about the details of how I arrived at Fronidia, but I felt the need to unburden myself.
“No, nothing like that, but my situation is...complicated.”
I explained Zorla’s idea that Montor and I mate to have a Sotkari Ta child.
“So, he is Sotkari Ta...? The father?” she asked.
“Yes, but not from Sotkar. He is from the planet Aranda and has embedded Sotkari Ta genes same as me. He was kidnapped as a child, raised on the Lostai military station, and became a Lostai soldier. Neither one of us wanted to conceive a child, so we came up with a plan for me to escape. We left the station to travel to a nearby planet on an official Lostai military mission. Our commander had placed devices on the spaceship to spy on us and ensure we were carrying out his orders. We came up with a ruse where we would pretend to be mating but not actually going through with it.”
“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.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“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.”
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
I had just broken the arms of a couple of Lostai soldiers when I heard Montor’s voice in my mind.
“We are leaving. There are no prisoners here. They have transported them to another location. Everyone, get in groups and use your hanstorics to transport outside where the spacecrafts are stationed. We will meet you there. Make sure no one is left behind.”
I froze. The air was sucked out of me.
Did someone punch me?
No, yet I found it harder and harder to breathe.
Kristom and Komar confirmed telepathically that all our team members were accounted for. I was in charge of the hanstoric that would transport Kindor, Montor, Damari, one Arandan and myself.
We can’t leave. We haven’t looked hard enough. We can’t leave.
“Mina, you transport everyone except me. I will use mine to bring these Lostai commanders with us. I have a plan,” said Montor.
The thought that we were leaving without Amber was too much for me.
“I will not...I...I...am not going anywhere without my daughter.”
My voice sounded shrill and incoherent.
“Mina, we must leave now!”
I ignored the urgency in Montor’s voice and the sound of more Lostai soldiers storming the room.
“Kindor, here. You take care of these guys. Mina is out of control.”
Montor grabbed me by the shoulders. I stepped away from him.
“Let go of me! You leave if you want. I am staying here and searching for my daughter.”
“Mina, she is not here. We must go. Now.”
He gestured to Damari and the Arandan that they should get closer as he pulled a hanstoric out of his bag. Instead of following suit and huddling up with the rest of them, I bolted without even thinking about where I was going.
“Mina!”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
(Kindor POV)
“The person who gave me Mina’s location said the Lostai are looking for her. They interrogated him because he is a good friend of the person who took Mina,” I said.
Mina, who had been distracted until then, asked, “What is that person’s name? He saved my life.”
I thought I saved your life.
“His name is Tony.”
She covered her eyes and grimaced.
“Mina, are you ok?”
“I was trying to remember if I knew him, but it feels like someone is cracking my head open with a hammer.”
“Remember, the doctor said you need to avoid trying to recall memories and give yourself time to heal,” I said.
I saw through the corner of my eye Mother shooting me one of her looks, but I ignored it and continued.
“I think the right thing to do is for Mina, Josher, and I to relocate to a remote area here on Fronidia. We will stay hidden to give Mina a quiet place to feel safe and recover.”
I worried Mina might resist the idea. Instead, she said, “Gio is still alive. He might be searching for me. It sounds like a good idea. Excuse me, I am going to lie down.”
After she retired, Mother took control of the conversation.
“What are you thinking, Kindor? This female has a husband, the father of her son. What you need to do is contact him so he can take charge of his family. When are you going to get on with your life? You are not a young man anymore.”
“Her husband was injured. I do not know if he has recovered.”
Mother slammed her palm on the table. Karrina almost fell from her seat.
“Of course you do not know! You purposely have not reached out to let him or any of Mina’s friends know you found her.”
“Really, Kindor, her friends and husband should know she is safe,” said Karrina, taking my mother’s side, for a change.
“I am afraid the Lostai might intercept our communications. Mina has been tortured. I will not risk them finding her. Even she agreed it was a good idea.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
In the weeks and months that followed, I became a zombie to survive. Prayer and a certain stubbornness helped me deal with the pain and fear. For many weeks, I was a punching bag for my sparring partners, but at least the lieutenant minimized the use of the wristband.
Zorla continued to be my nemesis, punishing me for anything he construed as insubordination, such as failing an exam or missing a step in the dorm cleaning protocol. Within the first few weeks on the Lostai station, my back was completely scarred, my wrist badly burned. I suffered more cracked ribs and concussions, black eyes, a broken arm, but finally I became familiar with the station and my schedule. Their medical technology quickly repaired the fractures and injuries, so there was no downtime for recovery.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“Montor, honestly, I am so confused about your relation- ship with the Lostai. Kaya’s behavior confuses me as well. You are both powerful beings. You could overcome them easily, leave to somewhere safe, and not have to deal with them at all. In fact, I do not know why any trained Sotkari Ta would remain a prisoner considering the abilities they possess.”
“Well, Sotkari Ta are not omnipotent. Also, be aware, the Lostai tend to use loved ones as ransom. Many Sotkari Ta have family members or loved ones who do not possess evolved abilities and are vulnerable. The Lostai investigate and identify these connections. Then they find these people and threaten to harm them. Therein lies the Lostai strength. Kaya works for the Lostai to protect her granddaughter. The Lostai can be ruthless. She will not take any risk.”
“And you, do you have family? Children? What do they hold against you?”
He masked any emotion. If he had such a weakness, he wasn’t about to reveal it to me.
“No, my family died when I was very young. The Lostai brought me to Xixsted as an orphan once they identified that I had Sotkari Ta genes.”
He smiled but hid something behind those eyes that tried so hard to appear aloof.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
Gio took me to yet another room with dimmed lights and slow-paced music. With one hand, he took mine and placed his other hand on my waist. We started dancing separated, but at a certain point, the music became more intense, and he pulled me close. He looked down into my eyes and moved his hand up from my waist to stroke my arm. Again, I felt the familiar provocative sensation.
“Mina, I know you can’t talk about it, but I understand exactly the situation you’re in. Remember, I was once in the same spot. I can take you away from all this. I’m already done with my fifteen-year commitment with the Lostai army. I’m a free and successful businessman now and could take good care of you. This might sound crazy and impulsive, but if you became my wife, it would be like I died and went to heaven.”
His proposal caught me off guard, but before I even began to process it, someone roughly separated us. It was Montor.
“I am sure you are having a sweet conversation, but you will have to continue it some other day,” Montor said.
“Montor! We went to the bar and you were not there,” I said, a tremor in my voice.
“Well, I am here now, and we are leaving,” Montor said to me with a stern expression. To Gio, he added, “Maybe we will meet here again another day, but now, Mina and I must go.”
I thought Gio would protest, but instead he was calm and collected. He straightened out his shirt, kissed my hand, and nodded to Montor. His final words that evening were in Lostai.
“Mina, if I do not see you here again soon, I will visit you on Xixsted. I know I will not be able to forget you.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
The day had been an emotional one, and after a while, I felt I could use a glass of wine to relax before bed. I walked to the lounge and heard hushed voices that made me quiet my steps.
I peeked in the entrance and saw Officer Lorret sitting on a bench and Montor in front of her on one knee. There was no one else in the lounge. He eased the scarf to the side to expose her whole face. She looked down as if embarrassed, so I couldn’t see her face, but I did see Montor caress her cheek with the back of his hand. It seemed like they were sharing a tender moment.
Pangs of jealousy rocked me. He was my fiancé, she was his ex-girlfriend, and this just felt too intimate. I wondered why he hadn’t mentioned anything to me about his previous relationship with her. I considered strolling in casually to see their reaction but decided against it.
I’ll ask him about it tomorrow.
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
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.
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.
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.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
On rest days, I kept to myself. I had no friends, the rest of the squadron wanted nothing to do with me, and I had no desire to hang out with my kidnappers, either. Although I had submitted to my duties, I was not resigned to my fate. In my prayers, I asked for strength and guile, using my free time to gain knowledge that could improve any opportunities for escape.
I viewed on my tablet local telecasts from the Lostai home world, and this helped me improve my Lostai language skills and understand the structure of their government. These people were currently governing several planets, many with natives of other species subjugated to Lostai rule. According to the news, everyone was living in harmony. I wondered if it was true.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
At precisely three hours after sunset, Kaonto took down the surface-to-air shields at the border. The Sotkari border defenders remained hidden and appeared at ease to give the illusion that they were caught off guard by the shield failure.
It took the Lostai military about ten minutes to detect the shields were down. In another ten minutes, Lostai combat pods started flying across the border into Norimar Yu. The sky lit up with battle fire. Each bombardment felt like an earthquake. With the fighting at its worst, we sealed the vehicles and plunged into the water, not knowing what the outcome of the battle would be.
My stomach knotted up as we submerged deeper into the ocean. The battle sounds became more distant, but that only served to increase my anxiety. Emotions got the best of me, and tears streamed down my cheeks. I unbuckled my seat belt, ran to Montor’s seat, and hugged him.
“Mina, give me a minute. I need to stabilize our descent. What’s wrong?”
“I am having second thoughts now whether we did the right thing. It seems like so many Lostai combat pods are crossing the border. I feel guilty about what might happen.”
He glanced at the control panel and then back at me.
“Mina, please buckle in. The strong currents can make things bumpy down here.” His voice started out with an impatient tone, but he stopped and took a deep breath. “I understand your concern, sweetness, but it is too late now. Kaonto has this under control.”
I wiped my eyes and sat back down. Looking out the window distracted me. Bioluminescent sea creatures of all shapes, species and colors swam around us. We descended amid the cranking and creaking of the hull, the glub-glub sound of water, and the equipment’s pings and beeps. No one said a word. Even Damari, who usually enjoyed chatting with me in English, silently studied his tablet. Montor broke the silence.
“It will take us all night to reach the location where we will disembark, so we should take turns resting.”
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
He applied a headlock. I knew what my next steps should be. First, protect my face by turning into his torso. He was wearing that stretchy, skintight suit again. I tried to ignore the wall of hard muscle underneath the fabric. Next, grab his arm and pull down to release the pressure from my neck. The minute I made skin-to-skin contact, a pleasurable sensation coursed through my body. I became distracted. He sighed deeply, his hold loosening and then tightening again. He shook his head, annoyance in his eyes.
“Mina, by now, I could have completely cut off your air supply. What next?”
I gritted my teeth, shook off the agitation, punched his upper thigh, and grabbed a fistful of hair to pull his head backward.
“That took much too long,” he said, irritated.
“Do not worry. We are just starting,” I snapped.
We practiced some more. As much as I tried to focus, any time his hands were on me, I became flustered and self-conscious. I didn’t mention anything but was relieved when we were done. We returned to our rooms to shower up and change clothes. Next on our schedule, meet in the observation deck for meditation, mental strength exercises, and learning how to block unwanted telepathic connections.
I arrived to find him staring out the observation deck window. He turned to look down at me. For the first time, I studied his eyes: Yellow, not golden, with hardly any of the sclera visible. Similar to cat eyes, the pupils were slits instead of tiny circles.
Is he examining mine as well?
Our eyes told a story of two beings from different worlds. Yet portions of our DNA were identical. As I mused on this, a thought took me by surprise.
What if we had met under different circumstances?
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
As much as I enjoyed having Mina to myself, it was good for the rest of the team to join us and enjoy the festivities in Rovera. The Earthian girl, Marcia, especially enjoyed the holographic centers for children, and Damari spent most of his time using the watercraft. The adults bonded over nights of dancing and drinking, except for Lorret, who mostly offered to mind the children when we were out late.
After three weeks, we returned to the hotel in Tremoxtar Mor. No sooner than we had arrived, Mina insisted I show her what she called “Montor’s secret stash of poems.” I was hesitant at first, but she found them very romantic, which led to vigorous love making. One of her favorites, a short one, titled “Bond”:
Hand in hand we go
Against all odds we struggle
A forever bond
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
Montor was up earlier than me and had stepped out to check on the others while I finished getting ready. Our clothing and gear reflected the mission at hand. I stepped into the legs of a baggy garment and pulled on the long sleeves. Tapping on the collar area caused the blue-and-black material to contract and cling to my skin, creating a waterproof and radioactive-resistant seal that also shielded the body from some types of weapons. Footwear also molded to my skin from the ankles to the toes, with extra protection for the
soles.
Montor arrived back at the room as I was finishing up. He wore a similar flight suit. The clingy material highlighted his muscular build and everything else. He sported a similar unitard when we first met. I remembered feeling embarrassed at how little it left to the imagination.
He looked me up and down. A sly smile flashed across his face.
“You look good.”
He helped me strap on the utility belt that was part of our gear, squeezing my butt as part of the process.
“We’ll never leave if you keep doing that,” I joked.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
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.
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
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.”
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, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
“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.”
Excerpt, Broken Bonds, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
We waited until after dusk when the only people remaining outside were eight Lostai soldiers standing guard, two each at the north, south, east and west borders of the plaza. Looking through a long-range ocular device, I smiled seeing their forlorn expressions. The Lostai scum obviously missed the cold weather of their home world.
“They do not seem too happy. We should take them out of their misery,” I said.
“What you plan?” asked Tzarst.
“I need to get closer to them. Use the lizon, on second level only, to render them unconscious but not to kill. Take as many of them out as you can.”
During our trip, I instructed him on the use of advanced hand weapons but was still wary of his ability and how well he could handle the weapon with his long spindly fingers.
“Be careful not to hit me.”
“When?”
“You will know.”
In the time we spent together during our trip, I learned to understand his expressions, which were mainly through his body language as his facial features barely changed. When he was worried or agitated, his long fingers moved constantly. He caught himself, grabbing one hand with the other, and nodded to me. I pushed his nervous behavior out of my mind, put the cloak back on, and walked out into the clearing towards the central plaza.
The Lostai soldiers noticed me immediately, and once I was within earshot, they shouted, “Hey, you, show your face! What are you doing outside past the curfew hour?”
I raised my hands in the air and closed my eyes. When I opened them, all their weapons were strewn about and out of their reach. Four of them were unconscious on the ground. Tzarst took care of the other four. Our sudden attack prevented them from calling for help. That advantage would only last until someone in their line of command checked in on them. I sorted through their identification tags, determined which one of the eight was the group leader, cuffed him, and killed the remaining seven.
“You kill unarmed, unconscious prisoners...no remorse,” Tzarst said, bobbing his head side to side, which I had learned was a sign of disbelief, fear, or shock.
“Tzarst, unfortunately, we are at war and at a total disadvantage against our enemy. Now is no time for mercy. They would not think twice about killing you, me, or our families.”
Scanning the area, I focused on the task at hand.
“OK, we need a holding location for this Lostai piece of crap.”
Excerpt, Rising From The Curse, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Three
The pain woke me up. Sharox was mixing something in a bowl. Without turning to look at me, he said, “You are in discomfort. I am preparing something to help with that.”
“How did you know?”
How did he even notice I was awake?
“You were moaning and restless.”
He walked over.
“Here, eat this. Make sure to swallow it all.”
Why is everything the Lostai ingest so pasty?
Thankfully, the thick orange paste didn’t smell bad. It had a mild, minty taste, a flavor I had never come across in the food available at the Lostai science station where I was once held hostage.
“What is this for?”
“Inflammation and pain.”
“Thank you. Have you inquired with your superiors
regarding what I mentioned to you?”
“Yes. I am still awaiting their reply.”
After swallowing the last of the medicine, I tried to
prod him.
“I can tell you are passionate about your role as a healer. It is a shame you have so little medical equipment to work with.”
“I make do. We are a resourceful people.”
Who are they anyway...these Lostai Sotkari Ta?
“Are you not even the least bit curious about what I
mentioned to you? You have the potential to do extraordinary things. Let me show you.”
He stepped away, alarmed.
“Stop. I do not have permission.”
Determined to get out of there as soon as possible, I focused my mental energy and accessed his mind to make him do what I wanted. There was a time when I thought this was the most immoral thing to do to a person. Those days were long gone.
Plus, he’s just a lowlife Lostai, right?
Excerpt, Broken Bonds. The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book Two
Lorret said nothing at first, but when we both sat again, she leaned over and touched my face, carefully inspecting where the chunks of hail had cut my skin.
After a few moments, she said, “Please come with me now to the dispensary so I can eliminate these scars before it is too late, and we should take advantage to get your physical done and documented.”
“Oh, so you are finally going to do that for me?”
She furrowed her brow and I laughed.
“I am joking. That is fine.”
As we walked toward her office, she said, “Mina, to be truthful, I disliked you from the moment I heard about you and even more so when I saw you for the first time. I could not understand how one of Aranda’s most handsome, eligible bachelors, the first male I had ever been intimate with, was betrothed to a weak, puny alien.”
Puny?
I pulled a face. She continued.
“Then I learn Montor has served in the detestable Lostai military for all his adult life. Because of you, he finally decided to leave all that behind and join the Arandan rebel force, something that I had begged him to do revolutions ago.” She shook her head. “Well, then my disdain for you was complete.”
Where is she going with this?
“Lorret, I thought we were finally getting on better terms with each other.”
A tentative smile crept across her face. She hadn’t smiled much since I’d met her.
“Then Kindor explained about Sotkari Ta and how you three have special abilities. He did not tell me how you came to know Montor. When Kindor speaks of you, he limits himself to talking about the time you lived with his family...He has a thing for you...Well, you must know, of course.”
She sighed and shrugged before continuing.
“Montor did not tell me much of how he met you either, and I did not care to know. I guess what I am trying to say is, I never knew until just now how much you also have suffered at the hands of the Lostai. I realize now that we have something in common, that you are not weak, and there is much more to you than meets the eye. I am ready to forget my previous opinions about you...and be a friend.”
“Thank you, Lorret. You are an important part of this crew. To be successful, we all need to be loyal to each other, and I would be honored to count you among my friends.”
Text Body
Excerpt, The Curse of Sotkari Ta, Book One
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!” I shouted out loud.
He sat back and pulled his hand away, lips pressed together. His eyes opened, and they bore into mine.
“Be very careful, Mina, on what you say out loud.”
Hearing his words in my mind helped me regain composure, and I returned to telepathic communication.
“How dare you! I cannot believe I have to spell this out for you, but you have no permission whatsoever to get into my head. You said you would not do that to a Sotkari Ta. Well, I am as much a Sotkari Ta as you are. In case it was not clear, you will only use telepathy to communicate with me. Nothing else, do you understand? Do. You?”
I trembled with rage and pointed my finger at his face.
He crossed his arms, sitting up straight with his legs wide and eyes narrowed.
“Mina, you are overreacting. I am not, as you say, getting in your head. I suppose Kaya did not explain to you that, over time and as part of their evolutionary process, Sotkari Ta became genetically predisposed to seek out and prefer other Sotkari Ta as mates. They have a heightened sense of touch and certain types of energy can be exchanged this way. The truth is that this is a new experience for me as well. Other than Kaya, who is like my...uhhh, who is very old, I have never met another Sotkari Ta female. I suppose this would explain our reaction.”
“Our reaction? You felt it too?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, I must admit, I sensed the physical attraction as well,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“How so very sad for you that you should be attracted to an insignificant creature like me.”
He couldn’t help but smile at my sarcasm. It helped diffuse the tension a bit.
“Anyway, Mina, I assure you that I have not and will not go beyond simple telepathic communication without your permission. So, let us be clear: any of these sensations that you might be feeling are out of my control.”
I shook my head, thinking of the predicament I had found myself in.
“Wonderful.”
Text Body
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