Miners of Djaromir: Sparx Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

  Look me up!

  About Leora Gonzales

  Miners of Djaromir: Sparx

  Book Two of the Miners of Djaromir Series

  Leora Gonzales

  Copyright © 2020 Leora Gonzales

  All rights reserved.

  Dedication

  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.

  Prologue

  Welcome, Lucy!

  Congratulations on being one of ten volunteers selected for the first mate exchange with Djaromir!

  Inside you will find:

  ●A booklet on the local culture of Djaromir and the planet they inhabit.

  ●What to expect if you are selected as a Djaromir mate.

  ●Our promise to you regarding your safety.

  ●FAQ sheet.

  The first two weeks of your volunteer period will be spent on board Phaeton One as our new allies assist in transporting you to exciting new possibilities! You will receive a free health screening and also be fitted with a wristband upon arrival. This band is for your safety and must be worn at all times. *Refusal to wear the band and/or tampering with the device will result in your expulsion from the program without stipend.

  A liaison will be present to assist with any additional questions.

  Congratulations and good luck.

  Jane Powell

  Special Liaison, Djaromir Division

  Bridal Intake Center

  Austin, TX

  Chapter One

  “How many do you think he will let us have?” Matrix asked, his words accompanied by clouds of white as his breath hit the frigid air. “His message didn’t give us a firm number, but I expect distribution to be fair.”

  “I do not know, Matrix.” Sparx shook his head. The hood of his cloak hid the fact that he’d rolled his eyes at his friend and fellow warlord. “You need to prepare yourself for the possibility that K’hor may not want to distribute this shipment like he has the others. This isn’t a shipment of spices or medication.”

  “Hey, you know as well as I do that our cities will not last long with the few remaining females amongst our numbers.” Holding an arm out, Matrix halted Sparx in his tracks as they walked beside their men on the arduous trek to Hamuir. “Fyeir and Gunninng deserve their share of Hamuir’s bounty.”

  Sparx nodded with agreement on that point of his friend’s argument. “We still need to be mindful that this isn’t the normal shipment of supplies we’re splitting amongst the cities. These are women. Human women, kidnapped and sold to the highest bidder—”

  “And rescued by us…” Matrix interrupted.

  “Rescued by K’hor,” Sparx pointed out, getting tired of the discussion. It had been going on since their troops had met and joined together for the final trek to the underground city of Hamuir together.

  Considering the threats around them, Sparx was more concerned with the dangers on Djaromir than the fate of the rescued women.

  At least for now.

  He would be lying to say he wasn’t as concerned as Matrix over the females and how they’d be shared among the Djaromir cities. As one of the three warlords on Djaromir, the fate of their people rested in his hands. Nevertheless, he chose to focus upon their current environment than dwell on such worries. Neither he nor any of his men would receive brides, if he were to give way to distraction. He had to consider where they were and what may be hunting them from moment to moment.

  Although they’d moved into the colder part of their journey as they neared the gates of Hamuir, threats to their safety remained, not fully dissipated. The winged meat eaters that they’d fought earlier in their journey were unable to follow them into the freezing temperatures that now surrounded them—thankfully—but that didn’t mean they were clear of worries.

  Along with the large byorin that hunted the tundra, they had to worry about those who had not fared so well during the first part of their trek. Matrix and his troop of miners had already had one injury occur before his men had joined up with them. The man was still breathing and walking, but they couldn’t be sure for how long. The treidl’s stinger had stabbed deep enough that they couldn’t fully remove it. For the moment, Djester still moved steadily, albeit a little slower than usual, which gave Sparx hope that they’d reach the healers of Hamuir before it was too late.

  “Not much farther.” Matrix held up his arm and signaled an increase in pace to the men who were following behind. “Come on, Sparx. When we received the invitation for the auction, you were not against buying the women. I am surprised you’re not more concerned over where the brides will end up.”

  Sparx winced at the reminder of his past foolishness. “I didn’t want to buy them as slaves. I simply thought we would be doing them a favor by saving them from the others that wanted to buy them as slaves,” he argued, the words sounding weak even to his own ears.

  The words were true, although not necessarily the whole picture.

  As the warlord of Fyeir, the people he ruled were his main concern. He’d wanted them to have a future, and when the opportunity had come up, it had been all too tempting. A chance at a future for his people, for his planet. They’d surpassed the point of desperation long ago, and he was not ashamed to say that he’d do anything for his people.

  Just short of buying them as slaves, that is.

  Even now that word left a sour taste in his mouth. He hadn’t considered them that. Instead, he thought of them as chances. Chances in the form of women they would “save” from the real bad guys out there. The bad guys who would shackle and abuse the women for their perverse pleasure. Actions that would be the complete opposite of what he’d hoped to offer them. A place in Djaromir where they’d be loved and cherished as new additions to their society.

  Of course, Matrix and K’hor had shown him the flaws in his thinking pretty quickly. They’d reminded him that the Djaromir didn’t buy mates; they found them with the help of the stars. At least, that’s what they’d been taught as children growing up.

  Sparx didn’t have time for fairytales, since he knew the sad state of his people’s numbers.

  Matrix let out a loud whoop. His voice rang out over the frozen wasteland. “I see the gates,” he bellowed. With his words, the men quickened their pace, driven by the excitement at finally reaching their destination.

  Sparx increased his pace to match Matrix and scanned the distance ahead between their troops and the gate for any threats. Byorin, a major reason why the tunnel cities had such severe security protocols, were keen hunters that
could often scent their prey for miles. Considering their party’s large number of miners, he was sure they created a tempting source of food for the tusked animals.

  Warlord K’hor protected Hamuir with three sets of gates. Once they passed the first set of gates leading, the danger would decrease dramatically. They’d not only get a break from the elements, but also the predators that hunted just outside of them. After the first set of doors, there were a few miles and two more gates before they reached the heart of Hamuir.

  And the women K’hor had rescued.

  “Open the gate! Quickly!” Matrix ordered, his men moving to work the mechanisms that would move the heavy doors barring them from the safety of the caverns leading to Hamuir.

  The moment the doors were cracked enough for two men to enter side-by-side, they filed into the large entry quickly. Matrix and Sparx were the first two to enter. Their eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark cavern. It was a stark contrast, after being surrounded by the whiteout they’d trekked through for the past few miles before their push to the gates.

  “Once the gate is closed, take stock of the men and our supplies,” Sparx ordered as he moved towards the supply cabinets just inside the first cavern. Pulling out large jugs of water, he passed them out to miners closest to him. “Drink up.”

  Matrix nodded in thanks as he grabbed a jug, panting between large sips. “Djester is still standing, but he doesn’t look good. He needs a healer now.”

  “No time for rest then,” Sparx said with a nod. “We move out as soon as the gate is secured.”

  “Agreed.” Matrix moved to let the men know they had no time to get comfortable, despite their trekking for days.

  Sparx shook off one of the furs he was wearing and hung it up on the wall lining the cavern. Leaving on the thinner hooded cloak he’d trekked in, he knocked icicles off the edge above his eyes with a quick swipe of his hand. Like him, the others were in the process of stomping and shaking off the sleet clinging to them. The small bits of frozen tundra they’d dragged past the first gate would soon melt as they walked closer to the city deep within the planet. Luckily, the temperature within the first gate was frigid but not nearly as cold as the surface. Although not nearly warm enough to be completely comfortable, the men could at least discard the heavier coverings they’d needed to wear to survive the surface.

  The water he’d retrieved, much like the fur he’d hung for the next miner that needed it, were supplies that meant life or death on the surface of their planet. Each tunnel city kept their own cache of supplies just inside their entryway, providing for their people both before and after their journeys. A kit with healing supplies was also present, but Djester needed more than a box of bandages and potions.

  “Move out!” he commanded, nodding to the men surrounding Djester who carried both their supplies and his.

  Two more gates and he’d have the help he needed.

  Two more gates and they’d meet the women their planet needed.

  Chapter Two

  “Look,” Matrix hissed, bumping his fur-covered arm into Sparx’s side. The clicks from the second gate closed behind him loudly broke the silence as everyone stopped to stare at what was in front of them.

  “He has one of them now!”

  “The warlord has a human.”

  “She looks soft,” one sighed.

  “And small,” another whispered.

  Sparx ignored the mutterings of the men behind him and lifted his head just enough to get a clear look at K’hor, the Warlord of Hamuir, and the figure beside him. The first thing he noticed was the protective stance K’hor took partially in front of his bride. As if he and his men were threats.

  Which, all things considered, wasn’t too far from the truth. The men he’d led here, along with Warlord Matrix, did want the women; they just hoped the women wanted them as well.

  “Warlord Sparx.” K’hor held out his arm to the other miner.

  Sparx did not hesitate to clasp his own hand over K’hor’s forearm, even as he tried to get a better glimpse at the female he’d brought.

  Nodding to Matrix, K’hor repeated the action with the other warlord as well. “I’m surprised you arrived so quickly.

  “You shouldn’t be surprised, considering the cargo.” Sparx pushed back the fur-lined hood that covered much of his face, irritated with it getting in the way of his perusal of her.

  “I figured that was why you made the journey.” K’hor crossed his arms over his broad chest, his eyes on the men.

  “Are all the humans awake?” Matrix rumbled.

  “Yes.” K’hor reached back to pat the female he had with him on the hip. “My mate was the last to awaken.”

  Sparx was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that K’hor was already claiming one of the women as his mate when the warlord growled. The sound directed at Matrix where he stood glaring at the pair.

  “Don’t.” The one word was all K’hor said, but it was enough.

  Sparx elbowed his fellow warlord. He knew Matrix wasn’t angry at the female; rather, he was angered that Hamuir had already begun laying claim to the women.

  He brushed back the hair that fell over his forehead and gave the female a smile. With their size difference, the last thing he wanted to do was frighten the small female. Matrix, on the other hand, maintained his stiff posture. His bright-blue eyes remained focused on the woman as if she were a jewel he couldn’t look away from.

  “Your mate?” Matrix rasped, focusing the perpetual glare he wore back on K’hor.

  “Yes, my mate.” K’hor stepped to the side to let them see her more clearly. “Juniper, this is Warlord Sparx and Matrix. Sparx rules the tunnel city of Fyeir, while Matrix leads the miners of Gunninng.”

  She stepped forward and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you both.”

  Round and petite, Juniper created a tempting picture. Even though she wore a cloak similar to the one he was wearing, Sparx saw a hint of the figure beneath. A generously rounded, although small, figure that any Djaromir would be happy to pay tribute to.

  “You’ve already begun claiming the women?” Sparx clarified with a frown, even while reaching forward to accept Juniper’s welcome. He knew the words had come out more abrupt than he’d intended, but he couldn’t help it. He’d never expected the other warlord to move so quickly and begin claiming the women before they’d even had a chance to discuss things.

  “My claiming is the result of the Djaromir mating instinct,” K’hor answered, his voice proud as he announced it. “Tiny feels the pull as well.”

  “Tiny? I thought you said she was called Juniper?” Sparx asked once he’d gotten over the shock of what he was hearing—which was something he was struggling to do.

  The mating instinct K’hor was talking about was something that he, along with almost all of the men he ruled, thought they’d never have a chance to experience. Considering the few females they had within their society, matings had dwindled drastically in the past decade. The fact that their ancestors had given their blessing to the couple wasn’t to be questioned. They’d been taught as young men that the mating instinct never made mistakes, pairing two souls destined to complete each other together on an even deeper level. A biological level.

  While taking a closer look at K’hor’s chosen mate, he had to plant his feet when the miners behind him tried to do the same. Bumping and jostling him forward, they clamored for a glimpse of the warlord’s lady.

  “She is tiny though,” Matrix added before glaring behind them at the anxious men still vying for a glimpse of her. When one of them stepped forward and knocked him into Sparx, he let out a warning rumble. “Back. Off.”

  Sparx let Matrix handle the men, while he continued to study the human.

  “I see that you’ve wasted no time in marking her according to the old ways,” Sparx observed with a nod toward the claiming marks scattered across her exposed skin. From what he could see, K’hor must have taken great c
are and pleasure in placing those intimate bruises. From where he was standing, the marks resembled a necklace of blush-colored flora draping across her collarbones.

  “I have.” K’hor casually stroked his thumb along the line of bruises on her neck where his arm was tossed over her shoulders.

  Sparx was unable to look away, his chest pained with jealousy at the sight. It had been a long while since there’d been a mating in Djaromir, but instead of congratulating his friend, he worried about the others.

  Didn’t they all deserve the same chance?

  “And she’s accepted it?” Matrix asked, his tone full of surprise as his eyes studied the pair.

  “Yes, I did,” Juniper answered.

  “And the others? Will they accept their fate as well?” Sparx asked, making sure to meet her gaze as he asked the question.

  “Uhhh…” K’hor’s human mate stuttered under the attention. Her cheeks turned a delightful pink as she took a moment to respond.

  “Well?” Matrix frowned at her from beside Sparx. “Will they accept it or not?”

  “It’s up to them really…on whether they want to stay or go,” she finally answered, giving his friend a frown of her own. “K’hor promised to give the women until the Phaetons get here to make their decisions. I have no clue how many will end up staying. It’s their choice.”

  Juniper’s words effectively silenced the entire tunnel. Not one Djaromir made a sound, some of them even holding their breaths in shock at the announcement. Sparx himself was stunned speechless for a moment as he tried to digest that bit of information.

  “Is she telling the truth?” Sparx demanded when he found himself in control of his mouth again, stepping forward only to be held back by Matrix’s hand on his arm.

  The emotions that were rolling through him were strong and swift. Confusion and shock gave way to helplessness, which in turn made him angry.