Rena and the Alien Warrior

By Jessica Coulter Smith

Rena was sold into slavery at the age of fifteen, ripped away from her home and a loving father, and cast into a life of pain and horror. Despite the abuse she's suffered through years of slavery, she counts herself lucky that no one has ever touched her intimately. When she angers her current owner, and he gives her to a purple alien as a gift, she isn't sure if this next stage of her life will be a blessing or a curse. After five years as a captive, she's too beaten to believe she'll have a happily ever after. Who could ever fall in love with a woman as badly damaged as she is? Even the purple alien called Ryx doesn't seem all that interested.

Beren's scarred body and damaged ear don't make for a very handsome male. When his commander, Ryx, brings a human female on board their ship, Beren is curious, yet cautious. Like him, Rena has wounds both outside and inside. For the first time, Beren wonders if maybe there's a female who will look past his exterior to see his warrior heart, and not someone broken and pitiful. Her courage and strength appeal to him, and yet she's so soft and small his protective urges rise to the surface. Whether Beren gets to claim Rena or not, he vows he will lay down his life for her and protect her at all costs. He just never realized in doing so he would end up with what he wanted most -- her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Jun 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9780841602717

Jessica Coulter Smith

Author of Adult & Erotic Romance, with an emphasis on paranormal and fantasy.

Book preview

her.

Chapter One

Rena’s owner sneered at her, his lips twisting as annoyance flashed in his eyes. She stared at the broken pieces of glass at her feet, the brightly colored shards scattered across the floor, wondering what her punishment would be this time. Frih had never been interested in her sexually, for which she was grateful, but he amused himself in other ways. Painful and sometimes degrading ways. Rena had learned quickly that as a slave, her opinion didn’t matter, her thoughts didn’t matter, because she didn’t matter. She told herself that anything was preferable to sharing Frih’s bed, and she was damn glad she wasn’t part of the harem he kept for his guests. She’d seen too many slimy, tentacled things, and some that looked like they were covered in spikes. Frih himself was rather appalling in appearance, and her skin crawled whenever he touched her.

That was going to be a gift for an important visitor, Frih said. His lips pressed together, and his nostrils flared as he stared at her. Annoyance rolled off him in waves, and she knew that didn’t bode well for her. Angering Frih always resulted in pain for Rena.

She bowed her head and tried to make herself even smaller, her arms wrapping around her waist. She knew apologizing wouldn’t do any good. Making any sort of noise only made things worse. The whip he kept at his side lashed out and caught her across her arm. Rena winced, a pink welt forming on her tender skin, but she didn’t utter a sound. It would take a lot more than that to make her cry out.

Come here, he demanded, pointing to the ground in front of him.

She stared at the glass at her feet and swallowed hard. The only way to reach Frih was to go through it, and if she didn’t hurry, then her punishment would be even worse. She whimpered the first few steps, the bits digging into her feet. Rena walked toward Frih, leaving bloody footprints in her wake.

Remove your clothes, he said.

Rena trembled as she slipped the sleeveless tunic over her head and then eased off the leggings she’d worn under it. It wasn’t the first time he’d made her undress in the common room, and she doubted it would be the last. She could feel the males staring at her, their lustful gazes taking her in, but tried to block everything out. She’d seen their lewd gestures often enough to know they wanted her and loved it when Frih humiliated her this way. Using the whip, Frih reached out and stroked her breasts and belly. The leather unfurled, and he lashed both of her thighs, leaving raised pink welts behind. He hadn’t drawn blood yet, which meant he was toying with her. Or had something much worse planned, like the time he’d strapped her to a table naked and let his males touch her as they fondled themselves. She shivered in revulsion just thinking about it.

She watched as his arm drew back over his head and braced herself. As painful as it was when he beat her, it was preferable to anything else he could come up with. The whip came down, his arm arcing, and Rena slammed her eyes closed. When she didn’t feel the lash bite into her skin, she peered at Frih and her jaw nearly dropped. A large male, broader and stronger than the males present, had the whip wrapped around his fist. His skin was a beautiful light shade of purple, and his inky black hair hung long down his back. She’d seen him before, when he’d visited Frih, but had never interacted with him. She knew nothing of where he came from, or who he was, other than he did business of some sort with her owner.

Ryx, Frih said, a slimy smile spreading across his lips. He instantly went into what Rena thought of as ass-kissing mode, something he did frequently with those who bought expensive things from him. I’m glad to see you made it.

What’s the meaning of this? the alien he’d called Ryx demanded.

Clumsy girl broke the gift I had for you. It was a one of a kind urn from Moriare, something pretty for your home. I was just about to punish her.

Ryx looked from her to the men gathered around the room before returning that gaze to Frih. You made her strip in front of all these males.

Frih shrugged. She’s just a slave. A stupid human. They’re so primitive and only good for whatever amusement I can get out of them.

She never understood why Frih always called her a human. She wasn’t, but correcting him would prove painful. If he wanted to believe that she was the same as the other slaves who looked similar to her, then she’d let him.

Rage burned in Ryx’s eyes as he turned to look at her. Are you all right?

Rena nodded, but the look on Frih’s face made her blood freeze in her veins. It was calculating, and she knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth would be pure evil. She wished it had been her ears he’d damaged and not her voice.

Since she ruined your present, I think she should make it up to you, Frih said. "You may have the use of her body during your stay. Yours to do with as you please. Anything you please, as long you don’t kill her. You can mark her if you wish, anywhere you’d like, as long as she’s still breathing when you’re finished. Fuck every which way possible, get her nice and broken in."

Rena felt the blood drain from her face, and she swayed on her feet and a coldness seeped through her. What did he mean by anything, as long as the male didn’t kill her? She’d thought things had been bad before, but were they about to get much, much worse? The pain she could deal with, most of the time, but becoming a sex slave was completely abhorrent to her. They may have touched her before, they’d never penetrated her, and she’d hoped that would never happen.

When I purchased her, my healers informed me that she’s a virgin, Frih said. I haven’t fucked her, and neither have any of my guests. I was saving her for a special occasion, but she’s yours. Break her in well, and I’ll add her to my harem when you’re finished. My men have been anxious to have a turn with her.

Rena felt her stomach roll and bile rose in her throat. She’d foolishly thought she was safe from that fate, and if Ryx hadn’t interfered in her punishment, perhaps she could have avoided the harem a while longer. The purple alien jerked the whip from Frih’s hand and turned to give her his full attention. His gaze scanned her from head to toe before resting on her face again. If he found her body tempting, it didn’t show. She didn’t see lust in his gaze, like she did with the others around Frih’s place, nor was there a bulge in his pants. But if he refused Frih’s offer, Rena didn’t know what would happen to her. Would Frih decide to break her in himself? Or would he toss her to his men and let them do it?

Are the scars your work? Ryx asked Frih.

Rena’s hands twitched, but she knew better than to try covering her body. Not that her two small hands would hide all the scars covering her from her face all the way to her lower legs. She’d been punished often since coming to stay with Frih, but not all the scars were his handiwork. Some were given to her before coming here.

She’s most disobedient, Frih said. I’ve found she responds best to a firm hand. You may keep the whip if you’d like. You might need it.

Why are her feet bleeding? Ryx asked.

Frih shrugged. Rena wanted to tell the purple alien what had happened, but she never spoke unless she absolutely had to. Not since Frih had damaged her vocal cords. The first time she’d been punished, she’d screamed so loud and long that he’d ordered the healers to fix the problem. They’d knocked her out and when she’d woken, she’d felt the incision along her throat and her voice had barely come out as a whisper. She’d thought it was temporary, just her throat healing from whatever had been done, but now there was a scar there, and she still couldn’t talk above a whisper.

Ryx came closer still, reaching out to run his fingers over the scars on her cheeks. She flinched, her eyes shutting, but he didn’t hurt her. His touch was light and gentle, unlike anything she’d experienced since becoming a slave. Her eyes slowly opened, and the kindness in his pansy-colored gaze nearly made her cry. It had been so long since someone looked at her like that, since they’d touched her with anything but malice and ill intentions. Rena decided if Frih was going to place her in the harem, that she was glad this alien would be her first. Perhaps that gentle touch would extend to the bedroom, and he wouldn’t damage her too badly. But then, she’d learned not to be deceived. Those who spoke softly were often the ones who hurt her the worst.

What’s your name? Ryx asked.

She opened and shut her mouth, wanting to answer and yet not wanting to speak. She’d learned the hard way that making noise meant bad things happened. Just because this alien seemed kinder than the others, didn’t mean he was actually nice. She’d learned that, if nothing else, since her abduction.

Does it matter? Frih asked. Are you taking her or not? If you don’t want her, I’ll break her in myself. She’s not quite to my taste, but I’m sure I could rise to the occasion.

A shiver raked over Rena. That’s exactly what she’d feared. Frih was slightly reptilian, with rough skin, and a forked tongue. The humans he’d taken to his bed had screamed so loud that the sound had echoed throughout his large home. Rena didn’t know if the screams were from beatings, or because he enjoyed pain during sex too. Then again, she’d never seen him naked. Maybe he didn’t have the right parts for having sex with the females he kept. What if they were grossly misshapen or had spikes or something? Just the thought made her want to run away.

Ryx narrowed his eyes and glared at Frih over his shoulder.

Her owner shrugged and gave an evil grin. She won’t scream, but she might struggle a bit. I have restraints in my room. It’s kind of nice when they’re strapped down and can’t fight back. They just have to lie there and take it.

The purple alien’s cheeks flushed, and rage came off him in waves. If her owner were smart, he’d be afraid right now, but Frih didn’t seem to notice. Rena took a step back and whimpered as a piece of glass embedded deeper into her foot, then bit her lip to keep from making further noise. Ryx turned back toward her, that gentle touch back on her face as his fingers skimmed across her cheek.

He studied her, as if trying to make a big