Rescued by the Alien Warrior
Hope Hart
Copyright © 2020 by Bingeable Books LLC
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.
The Arcav Alien Invasion Series
The Arcav King's Mate
The Arcav Commander's Human
The Arcav General's Woman
The Arcav Prince's Captive
A Very Arcav Christmas
The Arcav Captain's Queen
The Arcav Guard's Female
The Warriors of Agron Series
Taken by the Alien Warrior
Claimed by the Alien Warrior
Saved by the Alien Warrior
Seduced by the Alien Warrior
Protected by the Alien Warrior
Captured by the Alien Warrior
Rescued by the Alien Warrior
Enticed by the Alien Warrior
Contents
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
Epilogue
Also by Hope Hart
Chapter One
Zoey
I’m stumbling, walking as if in a fog. I feel as if I’m floating above my body and no longer in control of it.
My arms and legs are working, but it’s like I’m a puppet, the movements jerky and uncoordinated.
How did this happen to me?
I’m a good person. I swear. I’m not a saint, but I donate to charity. I check on my neighbors. I never cheat or steal.
How did I end up here?
My face feels wet, and I reach up, finding tears streaming from my eyes. I’m sobbing, and I can no longer see where I’m going.
I trip, and one of the other women reaches out to steady me, but it’s too late. I fall to my knees.
I attempt to get to my feet, but something hits me in the ribs so hard I can hear the crack.
Pain swims through me, and bile creeps up my throat. One of the other aliens drags me to my feet, almost impaling me with his horns as he snaps at his friend.
Then I’m hunched over, barely able to breathe through the pain as we walk toward the ship that will take us to our fate.
Time jumps.
I choke, gasping. My chest is aching, my body shaking with chills.
My fractured ribs no longer allow me to breathe deeply, and my lungs are filling with fluid.
I’m drowning, suffocating here in this godforsaken cage on this godforsaken planet.
Alone.
I jolt awake, my lungs burning as I choke. I’m damp with sweat, and I sit up, gasping for air.
My kradi is silent as I tremble and pant.
This is one of the main reasons I insisted on moving out of the healers’ kradi. Not only was I sick of being treated like a patient, but there’s nothing worse than coming awake screaming or choking for air only to find sympathetic eyes appraising you like you’re a wounded dog in the pound.
I shudder.
It takes me another long moment before I can get to my feet and peek outside. The sun is rising, and there’s no way I’ll be able to get back to sleep. I pull off the gauzy shift I sleep in and wipe myself down with a damp cloth. Once I’m no longer sweating, I pull on a simple gray dress and grab my basket.
Within a few minutes, I’m in the forest.
My hands don’t shake here. My body isn’t tense. Technically, I’m supposed to take a guard with me for these little trips, but I need this. I need the solitude, the sounds of the wind rustling through leaves, the feel of the dead branches crunching beneath my feet.
Distantly, I can hear an animal rooting around in the underbrush, and the earthy scent of decomposing leaves helps me shake off the nightmares.
The memories.
I don’t dare wander too far. I may need this time to myself, but I’m not an idiot. Sure, we managed to fight off the Dokhalls when they came back for us. But none of us truly believes it’s over. We saw them scatter when they realized they’d lost the battle, but I bet they’re busy figuring out their next plan.
My shoulders slump. When will it be over?
It’s not enough that they stole us from our planet. That one of them kicked me hard enough to crack my ribs, leading to pneumonia that nearly killed me. No, they had to come back, tracing the ship we crash-landed in so they could load us onto their new ship, along with the group of human women they were transporting to whatever fresh hell awaited them.
A branch cracks, and I whirl, my eyes meeting cool blue-green.
“Sarissa.” My hand flies to my chest.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. I thought I’d sneak out for a walk. Obviously we’re on the same page.”
I smile. Sarissa is Vivian’s cousin, and the two women spent hours both laughing and crying when they reunited. They’re attempting to figure out how they were both taken. I mean, what are the chances?
I think all of us are trying to understand it. Why us? Why do bad things happen to good people?
I examine her. She looks just like Vivian—gorgeous. But while Vivian never has a hair out of place, Sarissa has an earthy, natural beauty. Her hair is in a simple ponytail, and she gives the impression she’d laugh at you if you asked her to put on makeup.
She examines me through ocean eyes. “What are you collecting?”
I point at the small bush. “Ortar. The leaves are a natural antiseptic when they’re crushed and turned into a paste.”
“Wow.”
Sarissa reaches out and helps me pick a few of the leaves. “How’d you learn about this?”
“I was sick. I’ve spent most of my time on Agron in the healers’ kradi, and I’m a nurse on Earth. So I was naturally curious, I guess.”
“Is this an invite-only party, or can anyone join?”
We both turn as Vivian strolls through the trees. She’s wearing a deep-purple dress that makes her look like a queen.
I sigh. “Well, there goes my peaceful, quiet morning.”
She smirks at me. “You want peace and quiet? Don’t expect to find
