Star Pirate Romance: The Princess Dowry: A Steamy Space Romance Novella: Star Pirate Romance, #1

By Sydney King

After learning she is to be wed to a vampire warlord, Natalie Denim has run away. She snuck aboard the Sapphire's Fyre with no idea where her interstellar journey would lead, except away from the dreadful future she had been promised.

Natalie never anticipated that the moment she stepped aboard the ship she'd be swept away on a wild escapade with a swarthy space pirate. She never intended to lead him and his shipmates on a mission to plunder a fortune that was meant to be her dowry.

In this thrilling space romance, passion and adventure collide as a Natalie and Kellan's love is pitted against a vampire scorned and a father disobeyed. Will they be able to find their happily ever after?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sydney King
• Release date: Oct 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223685906

Book preview

Star Pirate Romance - The Princess Dowry

A Steamy Space Romance Novella

Sydney King

Copyright © 2023 by Sydney King

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Chapter One

Vent Gremlins

Captain Sapphire was pounding her fist against the ship’s drab grey walls in a fit of rage. Her angry screams were relentless. Directed at Master Engineer Kellan Nails, she’d harangued him for the last twenty minutes of pure fury.

More than once, Nails had seen crew members poke their head around the corner of the hallway. He’d watched them venture around the corner, hoping to make it to their bunks or the mess hall without having to face the wrath of the wild-eyed captain and her target. The lucky bastards would realize it was impossible and then slowly turn around, shrinking back and slinking away. Probably remembering something they’d left on or out back at their workstation.

"I’m serious, Nails. Figure out what is draining our fucking life support systems, or I’m solving the problem by shooting you out of an airlock."

Nails watched the captain turn on a heel and stomp away. Her footsteps echoed in the corridor as she made her way towards ship’s bridge and navigation room. Nails let out a deep breath before turning towards Engineering Bay.

On the other side of the wall crouched Second Engineer Rus Spud, clearly listening to the whole harangue. Spud pretended to inspect the small space of the wall with a screwdriver, while clearing his throat and pretending he hadn’t noticed Nails’ return to the room.

Captain didn’t sound too happy. Rus eventually said, his voice clearly leaving room for more commentary from Nails. When nothing further came from his partner, Rus simply admired the space on the wall where he’d mimed working and turned to face Nails expectantly.

Nails gave a helpless shrug as he returned to his seat in front of the large monitor. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, exhaustion showing on his face, and looked for inspiration regarding the source of the life support leak. They had spent day and night scrutinizing screens and crunching data, pinpointing the cause only to be proven wrong. He was expecting a brief journey out of the airlock was probably in his future.

We’ve done everything short of walking from room to room looking for gremlins, Rus.

Might be time for us to grab our nets and go gremlin hunting, then. Em is gonna be pretty pissed if you get thrown out of an airlock and I’m stuck doing both our jobs.

At least I’d be one less patient for her. That might give her some free time to pick up the slack in engineering.

Rus pulled out a pair of heavy-duty flashlights from a desk drawer and shined one at the monitor Nails was staring at. Nails shook his head as he spun away from the screen and snatched the flashlight from Rus’ hand, squinting his eyes as he stared into the bright light.

Gremlin hunting it is. Said Nails. You begin making rounds. I’m going to start a hard reboot of the system first and then trail behind you.

Rus nodded in understanding and stepped out of engineering and into the hallway. Nails put the flashlight down at his side to free both hands so he could click the audit system on. He hoped when they came back they’d be able to better pinpoint the source of the life support irregularities.

The monitor went black, then slowly filled with a bright blue hue. Tiny neon green dots appeared at the top of the screen and, one by one, cascaded down towards the bottom as the system restarted itself.

It had been a long time since Captain Xenia Sapphire had been so irate with him. He had counted her as one of his closest confidants for nearly a decade., and they had shared a long history. He’d always reflected upon her as even-keeled and judicious—not the sort to have emotional outbursts—but this present circumstance seemed more troubling than it should be. Not that the predicament was encouraging, particularly now that they were several days from port, but shouting wasn’t going to improve matters.

Nails seized the bulky flashlight he’d placed close to the seat and got up to leave. He hoisted his small tool bag over his shoulder and shuffled outside into the hallway. Nails trailed in Rus’ progressions. Inspecting every little thing his colleague had already checked, hoping for an end to this craziness.

The two of them working one after the other finally wrapped up their investigation of every nook and cranny of the ship seven hours after they’d begun. They opened panels, checked gangways, even pried up floorboards to uncover any potential any sign of the abnormal.

Once they returned to engineering, Rus slumped to the floor, throwing his body against the wall. He stared up at the riveted ceiling with heavy eyes.

I’m seeing double.

Same here, Nails replied wearily.

I think I need to go back to my quarters now...I won’t figure anything out while I’m feeling like this, Rus said with a sigh. Permission to head out?

Granted. I’ll see you in six hours.

Rus stayed pressed against the wall, his heart pounding as Nails gazed at the monitor. Things were still fucked, and he still wasn’t able to see why. He was relieved that the situation wasn’t any worse. Sapphire was still going to shoot him out into space, though. Would that be so bad?

Nails shook his head, trying to shake off the thought of drifting off into a peaceful sleep while floating in the vastness of space. When you fantasize about the nap, you’ll get as your lifeless body drifts into the infinite void, it is time to call it quits.

He grabbed Rus’s tools and flashlight from his sleeping form and put it away along with his own. He grabbed a