Heart's Prisoner (Dark World Mates Book 1) Read online

  Heart's Prisoner

  Dark World Mates Book 1

  Olivia Riley

  Copyright © 2020 Olivia Riley

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: Olivia Riley

  Heart’s Prisoner

  Chapter One

  The bar was like any other in the city. On Tanis, base L3Z, home to hundreds of military recruits, and just as many students, the city was filled with them. Lana had lived on the base for a solid four years now and she never much cared to visit the generic, blue-lit bars with small tables and bare white walls. Not even when colleagues offered to buy her a drink if she joined them. She preferred time researching in her lab. Or working in her study. There was always something that needed to be looked over... re-worked... analyzed.

  But tonight was different. Tonight, she searched the bar with hopeful anticipation, craning her neck to peer around a pair of servicemen, her eyes straining to see through the dimly-lit room.

  At the back, Lana saw the figure of a tall, dark man seated in the corner. They locked eyes and his bright smile pierced the dark corner of the room. He waved to her and Lana smiled and waved back. She slipped through the crowd easily, her gaze never leaving his.

  “Jacob.” Lana let out a breath. “God, it’s been...forever.”

  Jacob’s smile widened. “Lana.” He rose and hugged her, patting her softly on the back. “Or should I say, Dr. Lana Hart.” He drew away to look at her carefully. “You’ve certainly earned the title.”

  Lana shrugged indifferently. “It comes with its perks.” She looked down at Jacob’s uniform and caught the badges on his chest. “And you, Base General, it’s almost hard to believe.”

  Jacob laughed. “Yeah, whose bright idea was that, right? It’s hard for me to wrap my head around too.”

  They sat down and Jacob shook his head. “Four years. Who would've guessed? It still seems like a lifetime ago we were on Prominus together. With you working on your thesis…”

  Lana smiled, remembering. She looked around the bar and caught sight of a few Gyda standing nearby, their blue scales shimmering against the neon lights as if they could glow in the dark. Jacob followed her gaze over to them.

  “You did great work, Lana. I always knew you would.”

  The Gyda turned their heads in Lana’s direction and caught her stare. They bowed their heads slightly. Lana returned the gesture then looked back at Jacob.

  “How long did it take? You know...to get through to them?” Jacob said, gesturing toward the fish-like men.

  “Two years and eight months,” said Lana. “The Gyda thankfully aren’t a very hostile race.”

  “And that’s a damn good thing. Real surprising they didn’t declare war on us as soon as your lab started testing.”

  Lana’s eyes dropped. “I made sure to communicate perfectly that the research was completely by choice. It took a lot more to convince the head of research that than it was to convince the Gyda that we only wanted to study them to learn their ways; to learn how they evolved through communication, not dissect them like lab specimens.”

  Jacob nodded, understanding. “Well, I’m glad the convincing worked. They were lucky to have the best behavioral and biological therapist this side of the solar system on their team. Regarding that, I’m betting you're wondering why I called you here.”

  Lana went to answer until Jacob stopped her.

  “But first, let me get you a drink.” Jacob winked. Lana didn’t stop him as he got up and went over to the bar then a few minutes later came back with two white spritzers. Lana took hers without complaint. She took a sip, watching Jacob drink half of his before setting his glass down.

  “I called you here because I want to make you an offer,” Jacob began.

  Lana raised her brows. “An offer?”

  Jacob nodded.

  “For?”

  “A job.”

  Lana’s eyes widened and she straightened in her chair.

  “And I know what you're thinking. What could I possibly offer that’s better than what you got going on here? I know your research and time spent with the Gyda is important, trust me, it’s history in the making–bringing our kind together. But…” Jacob glanced around then leaned closer. “You and I both know they aren’t the only ones...you know...the only alien race we encountered. Sure the government tries to keep things all hush, hush. But with the Gyda melding into our society so well, thanks to you and your team, there are others that the government wants to understand better, and needs to learn about, so we can know that what happened with the Gyda can be done with others.”

  Lana studied Jacob seriously. “Or to find out if they are a threat to society, am I correct?”

  Jacob shrugged. “More or less.”

  Lana was speechless. She’d heard her share of rumors around the base about other encounters through the military’s exploration and research team–those who went to other worlds and studied them extensively. The government didn’t care to share this with the population, but Lana had a strong feeling the Gyda hadn’t been the first nor the last alien race they had come into contact with. And now Jacob was not only telling her that her theory was correct but that he wanted her to…

  “You want me to try to communicate with these new beings like I did with the Gyda , don't you?”

  Jacob nodded. “But it won’t be like the Gyda, Lana. The ones we got are...well, let's just say we already have a basic understanding that they aren’t so 'peaceful' and 'willing' like the Gyda.”

  “They are hostile?”

  “Some we aren’t certain. Others...have been threatening,” Jacob said and drank down the rest of his glass.

  Lana brushed a hand through her hair. “This is...I would have to think…”

  Jacob dragged his chair closer to hers then put a hand on her shoulder. “If you need time to think it over, no problem.”

  “It’s just…” Lana fixed her eyes with his. “I know a lot about the Gyda. I was lucky to be one of the head therapists when we first discovered them. I’ve studied them for years now. It gave me an edge on the best ways to interact with them. With a new...species, and more than one by my guessing, it could take me a lot longer, and I can’t guarantee any sort of cooperation.”

  “Hey, yea, trust me, we understand the risks,” said Jacob. “But also trust me when I say you are our best choice. I’ve reviewed your work, Lana, plus I know you. I can’t think of anyone more qualified for the job.”

  Lana turned her eyes away from him to gaze back around the bar. The two Gyda were now talking with a few human men and women, speaking in broken, yet still impressive, English. Their mannerisms and gestures were clearly human, not their own.

  “You said you have them, these new beings,” Lana said. “ I take it I won’t be going to their home planet or interacting with them in a separate community?”

  “No. They are housed at the base on LV012 .”

  Lana turned back at Jacob, stunned.

  “Lazris?” she breathed.

  Jacob nodded. “The one and only.”

  Lana sat back, staring at him firmly. “How dangerous are these individuals, Jacob?”

  Jacob took up his glass, swirling the remaining ice around. “Dangerous enough that Lazris is the only place for them.”

&
nbsp; Lana watched him for a considerable time, thinking. Lazris was one of the military's top security and research facilities. Built below ground on a terraformed world, it was made to be one of their most confidential bases. No other place was more secure and heavily guarded than LV012.

  If the government had other alien races housed at Lazris then they could only be of high risk to humanity.

  At least for now.

  If Lana agreed to go, she could see these aliens for herself, discover a way to communicate effectively and efficiently enough to allow them to interact in human society. Just like the Gyda. If she could do that, she’d finally have the means to begin her one private research and exploration program, perhaps still backed by the government, but still hers nonetheless; and not stationed on some base, but rather traveling to various communities all through the galaxy.

  The Gyda, after all, had only been the beginning. They had been successfully introduced into their society–true–but there was so much more to be done. With more races being discovered, human society could quickly be on its way to a vast global federation not unlike the kind dreamed of in the oldest sci-fi books and movies.

  Lana closed her eyes and breathed deep. “How long?”

  “The contract starts at two years. Can be made longer pending on if more testing needs to be done...”

  Lana opened her eyes and saw Jacob giving her a look she had seen many times back when they studied together.

  “What aren’t you telling me, Jacob?”

  Jacob sighed, setting down his glass. “I’m gonna level with you, Lana. I almost didn’t want to recommend you for this.”

  “Oh?”

  “Not because I don’t think you couldn’t do the job. It’s just that…” Jacob glanced at the Gyda then back at her. “The team currently assigned at LV012 have been working with these aliens for a few months now. Even our most advanced and qualified therapists have been struggling to understand them. Some of these beings are very intelligent, we think maybe more intelligent than they are letting on. That’s why I knew we needed you to come in. I had been directed to ask you sooner–way sooner–but I kept it off.”

  Lana arched her brows. “Why?”

  “I know you won’t care when I say it’s dangerous work. But that’s beside the point. Cole, the head of the department, wants you to help study these aliens... but there is one in particular he wants you to work with specifically...personally.”

  Lana frowned. “Just one?”

  “Yea.” Jacob’s face darkened. “Don’t even have a name for his kind yet, but he’s been...challenging.”

  Lana tilted her head slightly. Strangely, a more Gyda gesture.

  “Alright, more bluntly, he's a real pain in the ass. Made two other therapists quit in a span of two weeks. And he’s just straight evil-looking in my honest opinion, really off-putting. Not that there aren’t a few others there that would ever win beauty contests. But still, I know how stubborn you can be, how determined. I feared how this could affect you psychologically, you know?”

  “This alien. Does he have a name?”

  “From what they could render, he goes by Xerus.”

  Lana went quiet for a moment, thinking. She took one last sip of her drink then offered it to Jacob who took it gladly, finishing off the rest.

  “And he is...different from the rest?” she asked carefully.

  Jacob grunted. “In a way, yes.”

  Lana’s eyes traveled around the bar and over the crowd of people. If she could get through to this Xerus, if she could successfully gain his cooperation and integrate him into society just like the Gyda…

  “I know it's a lot to think about, Lana. I’ll give you a week or two to decide if you think–”

  “No need.” Lana looked back at him and smiled. “I’m in.”

  Jacob raised his brows in surprise. “Seriously?”

  Lana nodded, her smile growing wider. “Yea. I want this. In fact, I think I need this.”

  Jacob snorted. “I hate to say I knew I could count on you, Lana.” For a second, Lana thought she caught a dark glint in his eye until he smiled and it was gone. He offered his hand and Lana took it. “Welcome to the Lazris team, Dr. Hart.”

  Chapter Two

  It took Lana two months total to complete her transition from base L3Z to LV012. Despite having all her credentials and necessary “paperwork” in order, she still had to undergo several tests and background checks before she was approved for her transfer. Once complete, she had her personal things shipped to the base then waited several days at the flight port for the ship to take her to her new home away from home.

  LV012 was only a system away from her old base but still far enough away she would have to go into a sleeper-unit for at least a few hours. She hated the things. But understood their necessity. She swallowed the sleeping pill a half hour before needing to enter the unit and took the little time she had beforehand to once again look over some of the data Jacob had sent to her from Lazris’ database. On her sleek laptop she pulled up the files for each asset. No pictures popped up so she still had no idea what they looked like. There was a short description as well as status, containment procedures, and threat levels but nothing too in-depth. She’d get the full files once she was secured at the base.

  Her eyes traveled over the data, looking at each file carefully. The first asset seemed pretty commonplace:

  LAZRIS Project 30001B

  Asset C

  Dog-like quadruped. Six feet, long sharp nails, whip-like tail

  Status: active contained

  Containment procedures: monitor regularly, keep in the secured cell. Only to be taken out for lab testing.

  Threat status: medium

  Nothing unusual. And the next three–though different in appearance–had nearly identical information save for one that needed to be fed before it could be taken out to be tested.

  It was the next few that really caught her attention. They all had a high threat status. Their containment procedures were also longer and more descriptive. And they were only allowed out of their holdings for very special circumstances.

  The first of these was a Raptor-like species as tall as her waist. One individual raptor only had a threat status of medium but all together they raised that to high. Lana theorized they were social creatures with a high pack mentality, bred to survive as a group.

  After them came a creature that–based off the description–Lana could only imagine looking like a mix between a mangled werecat and the monster from "The Thing". It walked on two legs but apparently ran on four. It was to be monitored frequently and only allowed out for special testing but must first be put under and kept in its cell for at least twenty minutes until deemed safe to move, otherwise–as the procedure specifically read–"it very well might not be asleep and will easily drag the nearest unfortunate soul into its cage and eat them alive. Slowly."

  Then, lastly, came what she could only assume was her new patient.

  Asset X

  Seven feet, two inches. Biped. Reptilian(?). Sharp spikes along the head, back (spine), and tail (poisonous?). Red eyes

  Status: active contained

  Containment procedures: monitor constantly, keep in a secured cell. Asset must not leave its holding under any circumstances. Any testing (if possible) must be done within the unit and must have an active weaponized military team on standby. SPECIAL PROCEDURES: Cell must be under UV red light only. Window must be closed when not in use. Individuals should not stay within the unit for longer than an hour to avoid any extreme mental and emotional distress.

  Threat status: high

  Lana shifted in her seat. The dull ache of self-doubt suddenly pressed against her chest. If this Xerus was so dangerous, could she really get through to him enough that he’d ever be allowed out of Lazris? What if it was his plan all along to harm them?

  Lana tapped her finger on the side of her computer, thinking. With all the background checks, testing, and packing the last couple of months,
she had little time to prepare herself for how she planned to work with this being. She could try the same methods she used on the Gyda and hope they proved successful. After all, she was confident in those methods. They worked well for her for many years. She had to believe they could work now.

  Her alarm went off, letting her know it was time to move to the sleeper-unit. Lana closed her laptop and placed it in a secured bag then stepped over to the pod. She could feel the pills starting to take effect as she laid herself out on the bed and let the door close on top of her.

  ***

  Lana drowsily awakened, hearing the soft beeps of her sleeper-unit and the swish of the door opening above her. She blinked several times then slowly rose to a sitting position.

  “Docking in twenty minutes, please step from sleeper-unit and prepare for landing,” came a voice over the intercom.

  Lana stretched and gritted her teeth as she obeyed the voice, her body stiff. She dressed carefully then sat back in her seat, buckling herself in. She peered out the window next to her and could see the bright tan and green planet coming into view.

  LV012 was a desolate planet with shallow lakes and near barren seas and more deserts and wastelands than forests. It had once been much worse but years of terraforming had made it habitable to a minimal degree. There was nothing truly unique about the planet save for the advanced human tech orbiting its atmosphere and the ships entering and exiting from a patch of brown land. Though the rolling, chaotic storms that passed by–more wind, dust, and lightning than rain–were nothing to scoff at. LV012 was no paradise. But inside Lazris, its base, it was said to be much more hospitable.

  Lana’s grip tightened on her seat as the ship broke through the atmosphere, shaking slightly as it dropped down, gaining momentum. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, laying her head back. She heard the gears turning and the roar of the wind. She felt her stomach drop as it approached the land. She jumped when the ship made ground and remained tense until it slowed. When she opened her eyes and peered back toward the window, she caught a glance of the outside before the ship rolled into the docking port. The light of day slipped away into darkness and neon lights as the docking doors slid closed.