Miners of Djaromir: K'hor Read online

  Copyright © 2019 by Leora Gonzales

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by Mayhem Cover Creations

  Formatted by Mayhem Cover Creations

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  I want to dedicate this (like all the others) to my husband. I was lucky enough to find a man who is super smart, loving, hilarious and also diabolical. When I said that I wanted to write but had no computer, I had no idea he was going to surprise me with a new laptop. There went my list of excuses. Touché, Richard. Touché.

  A note to my readers…

  The Miners of Djaromir series is connected with the Phaeton world but be prepared for a little something different in this series. Although the two may have some crossover characters, they can be read as completely standalone books. For those that have read my Phaetons, I wanted to let you know that my general flow and style in this series will be different than my previous works in the series.

  Yep, you heard me right. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something scary and new. This series will be faster-paced, alpha-heavy, and filled with insta-love situations. It’s for those looking for a book with instant gratification. Feelings happen quick, sometimes at first sight, and I’m asking you to roll with it. *We all remember what happened in our pants the first time we saw Aquaman, amirite?*

  This series may be a bit ridiculous and over the top, but c’mon now—I write books about buff alien warriors that need to breed with humans to save their race so…

  Prologue

  Presidential address from 2017…

  “My fellow Americans, negotiations have concluded with the Phaeton Warrior race. After speaking to their council of leaders, we have learned that the Phaeton race has been surviving by using cloning. Unfortunately, the science that they have used has resulted in a low female birth rate. For their species to survive, they have been searching on other planets for potential mates.

  “The State Department has decided to initiate a ‘mate match’ for single female volunteers to apply for what we are referring to as the ‘Bridal Pact.’ In exchange for these volunteers, we will be able to use the Phaetons’ medical advancements to save American lives. We will have access to a new fuel source that will all but eliminate our need for oil, both foreign and domestic. And we will also have the protection of their military from other species that may discover Earth.

  “This is not a draft. It is completely voluntary. Women who apply will be compensated for filling out an application and signing the contract. We want to assure you that your safety and the safety of your sisters, daughters and friends will be our number-one concern. We are working on a profiling system with national dating sites and the Phaeton Council to make matches, similar to what many of you have used in the past to find companions. As of right now this is only open to women who fall within certain criteria but may be expanded after an initial trial period passes.

  “Please keep an open mind and know that the safety of our citizens and country is our top priority. Women wishing to volunteer or get more information can contact their local Intake Centers, which will be listed by state following this news conference or found at bridal-pact-dot-state-department-dot-gov. This is an exciting time for our country and its people.”

  The speech ended with applause before moving onto another public service announcement on the television mounted high on the waiting room’s wall.

  “Fuuuuuu—dge,” Juniper drawled as she lulled her head back against the wall behind her chair. Her skull cracked against the edge of the wainscoting on the wall behind her. “Motherfucker,” she bit out, her head burning where she’d clipped it.

  Junie 0. Curse Jar 1.

  She probably shouldn’t have picked today of all days to give up cursing.

  The video on loop had moved past the point of mere annoyance and was now causing her physical pain. Her head felt like it was about to pop off even before she bashed it—the bang had only made it that much worse. If the guards hadn’t told her to stay put, she would have left this miserable room five minutes after entering it. Not only because of the obnoxious replay but also because she got restless when she was nervous.

  She’d been fine at first but the longer she waited, the more jittery she became. Juniper clasped her hands together with a grimace. If her palms were that clammy, she worried for the rest of her body. This morning she’d picked out a light summer dress and paired it with a simple cardigan and gladiator sandals, hoping to avoid sweating as much as possible. She’d wanted to dress a little nicer but when the temperature was over ninety, there wasn’t much hope for dressing up.

  Raising her arm, Juniper sneak-sniffed her pit. First impressions mattered and she didn’t want to start her new life less than powdery fresh if she could help it. The good news was her deodorant was pulling its weight.

  At least for now.

  The nervous sweats hadn’t started until thirty minutes ago and she knew they were going to get worse.

  Normal people got a new haircut or joined a gym when they wanted a change.

  Not Juniper. Nope. She got engaged…via a contract…to an alien. She was in the middle of some crazy shit that sounded like something out of either a ridiculously good romance novel or a really bad science fiction movie.

  Juniper cringed at the comparison that had popped into her head. With her luck, there was a definite possibility that she’d end up with an alien popping out of her chest.

  “Welcome to Intake Center 461. For security purposes, please have your visitor’s badge clearly visible while on the premises. Thank you.”

  “Gahhhh!” she yelled; the quiet of the empty room was broken by the booming voice over the intercom.

  It was far from what she’d really wanted to scream—and completely unsatisfying—but she was determined to stick to her guns. If she’d thought ahead, she would have waited to give up some of her most favorite words a while longer. It was too late to turn back now. She’d already invested three days into biting her tongue and didn’t want to have those count for nothing.

  Even if she was stressed the fuck out.

  Curse words only count if you say them out loud, right?

  Juniper wanted to kick herself. She should have known she was going to have a bit of a freak out. Change was always hard and this was just the beginning. This entire situation was so far out of character for her that it felt surreal. Juniper was giving up everything she’d ever known…which was kind of the point of it all. She needed a hard restart. Her life was a boring rotation of working shitty jobs before going home to a lonely apartment. She’
d seen her future and it was a sad, lonely, studio apartment filled with musty paperbacks, cats, and a forgotten woman.

  She refused to have her face eaten off by her own cats.

  Juniper snorted at the direction her mind had taken. She was in desperate need of a distraction before she spiraled any further into her own head. Fiddling with the papers in her lap, she flipped through them once again. The intake center had given her a bullet point list of suggested to-do items but she’d modified it a bit. Scanning her version, she laughed out loud as she read the item she’d moved to the top.

  Ranked number one—even above canceling her lease—was a reminder to order a backup supply of batteries for her vibrator. She’d even gone so far as to hashtag the line item with #buybulk.

  At least she was realistic in her priorities.

  The rest of the list was peppered with items the intake center had suggested. Lease, utilities, job, car, and monthly subscription services. Pretty much all the standard things you needed to take care of if you were picking up and leaving town.

  Or, the planet.

  She’d donated her car and household items to an organization that helped single mothers get on their feet. Her monthly services had already been taken care of since she’d cut back expenses two months ago after she was fired.

  Juniper was still salty about it even now. She’d never been fired before, even from the jobs she’d tried to get fired from.

  Losing her job—aka her means of survival—had been high on her list of reasons for signing up for the pact in the first place. Her measly savings hadn’t lasted long after she’d been let go, and she’d maxed out her credit cards on groceries and gas to job hunt. It didn’t help that the market sucked for people with her background. She had no college degree, which put her behind almost everyone else looking for work. Before she’d landed her last job, Juniper had struggled finding a job that paid a somewhat livable wage that included even the barest of benefits.

  It also included an extremely handsy boss that liked to play grab ass with the new girl. He’d tried it with Juniper and she’d broken his nose. Her boss may have been a pervert, but he was a pervert who offered insurance and paid time off after three months.

  Juniper glanced down at the list again. Running a fingernail down the page, she read one item she’d skipped earlier. “Take time to connect with your loved ones and say goodbye.”

  She snorted so loudly that the sound competed with the footage still rolling. Footage that—as if on cue—began to replay the snippet she mocked.

  “…communications with Earth may be intermittent. Prepare your loved ones—”

  Loved ones—pfft. That was one of the biggest reasons she’d signed up for this ridiculousness in the first place.

  Juniper had no one. Nobody. No boyfriends. No girlfriends. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

  She’d dated a bit here and there but there’d never been anything serious. The longest relationship she’d ever had totaled out at three months and had ended when he’d called her a dumpy bitch who was so cold and emotionless that nobody would ever love her.

  The words hurt. Not because they were true—which they kind of were—but because he’d picked at something she was working on. She knew she had trouble connecting. She knew she was the awkward one in her relationships. It hurt to hear him hold that against her because it was something she’d been actively trying to fix. She’d even started counseling, wanting to face the issues head on so she could be a good partner.

  Not necessarily for him, but for whoever she ended up finding for the long haul.

  Since she struggled with severe social and emotional anxiety, it was hard and uncomfortable, but she’d truly been trying. When he’d said those awful things to her face—well, it had been too much. She’d been so hurt, so upset by his words, that she resorted to name calling and told him to get his ass out.

  More specifically, Juniper had called him a cunt and told him to ‘get to steppin’.’

  It definitely wasn’t one of her finer moments, but it had indeed happened. And even though the words had come flying out of her own mouth, Juniper had been shocked herself by them.

  He’d been stunned too. He just stood there. Staring at her. Opening and closing his mouth as if he was thinking about a comeback but wasn’t sure what to say, he just stood there.

  Completely quiet.

  So quiet, she could hear her stomach gurgle.

  Which it did.

  Loudly.

  Juniper giggle-snorted at the memory. Her stomach made sounds that day she’d never heard before. It had been such an odd noise, both amazing and scary at the same time. She’d stood there trying to act nonchalant while it sounded like a rubber duckie trying to fight its way out of her stomach.

  And then the universe had decided to throw gasoline on the fire that was Juniper’s romantic life because it apparently didn’t think that situation was memorable enough.

  Juniper—an adult woman who had just called her ex-boyfriend a cunt to his face—started laughing. She didn’t simply laugh though. What poured out of her was nothing short of uncontrollable hysterical donkey-like laughter. Ridiculous braying noises she couldn’t hold in no matter how hard she tried had poured out of her with no end.

  The last moments of her longest recorded relationship was commemorated by her laugh-heaving like a hyena and pointing at the door while he yelled what a crazy bitch she was.

  Looking back, she could see now that it was kind of funny. Horrifying, but still a little funny.

  Nine out of ten, she wouldn’t recommend it.

  Literally the only good thing that had come from that dumpster fire had been the fact that she’d gotten rid of him sooner rather than later. Since that disaster, she hadn’t met anyone else that interested her enough to try. The opportunity to meet anyone new wasn’t really there anyways. She preferred to be alone most of the time and had slipped into the role of a hermit before she’d even realized it.

  Her neighbors were basically strangers who sometimes smiled at her when they ran into each other checking their mail. They didn’t ever talk to her and she gave them the same courtesy. Other than trying to guess what they were cooking based on the smells in the hallway, she never gave them any thought.

  She didn’t have a social life at all. Her work breaks had been spent reading while everyone else was chatting around the smokers’ stand. There were a few foster kids she’d kept in touch with, but the contact they had was generally liking posts made on the internet every once in a while.

  It was the story of her life. She was completely alone, and she hated it.

  Juniper wanted that connection, that link to someone else, more than anything. She wanted the type of partner she read about in her books. Someone she could count on to be there when she needed them. Whether she was upset and needed to unload or happy and wanted to celebrate. Her person. A partner who would be there to offer not only support and encouragement but also comfort and love.

  She wanted it so much she could almost taste it, and up and until now she’d been too much of a pussy to do anything about it. Juniper was scared shitless. She was a big ol’ baby when it came to doing things out of routine and social functions filled her with such severe anxiety it made her sick.

  She was always worried she was going to fall or say the wrong thing and alienate people so she usually stayed out of the way and quiet.

  She preferred to keep her adventures trapped in the pages of a good book, thank you very much.

  Was that a healthy way to live? Of course not. That bit of ‘no shit’ information was courtesy of the therapist Juniper had managed to sneak in to see before her health insurance was cut off. She may have only managed to squeeze in four visits, but it had been enough for the doctor to diagnosis her with a mild case of PTSD. According to her therapist, the loss she’d suffered at age thirteen had traumatized her. Her parent’s death and the resulting fall out had shaped how Juniper not only dealt with life but relationships in general.

&nb
sp; Which made sense the longer she thought on it.

  Juniper’s entire world had been ripped away. She’d lost everything…her family, her home, her friends. All of them were gone. Literally everything that had been Juniper’s normal was turned inside out after the tragedy. Hell, the state had even taken away Rooster, the little terrier she’d grown up with. She couldn’t imagine any child being the same after having their entire life implode on what was supposed to be a simple date night. One moment she’d been watching her mom and dad walk hand-in-hand out the door and hours later she was all alone.

  The accident had wrecked her—and if she were being one hundred percent honest—she was still a bit of a wreck now. She hadn’t turned to drugs or the other obvious self-destructive tendencies like some of the other foster kids did, but it still shaped who she was just the same.

  She was so worried about losing someone again that she had let it stop her from even trying. The pain of her past had turned her into someone she didn’t want to be and she was over that bullshit.

  “This is the change you need, Junie,” she whispered to herself, the words having become a familiar mantra the last few weeks as she prepared for this day. If this worked out, she’d be getting everything she’d ever wanted but was too scared to reach for.

  A home, a family and a place to belong.

  What did she have to lose, right?

  “Juniper?” Eva, her bridal liaison, stood stiffly where she hovered at the door. She was studying her watch with a frown before she looked up and settled it on Juniper.