Forbidden (A Serian Novel)
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Authors: C.T. Nicholson
Forbidden
~A Serian Novel~
by C.T. Nicholson
3 C.T. Nicholson
All rights reserved.
Editor
Natalie G. Owens
2nd Editor Tyffani Clark Kemp
Cover Model Assad-Lawrence Hadi Shalhoub
Cover Photo Golden Czermak, FuriousFotog
Cover Artist: & Paperback Design by
The Illustrated Author
http://www.theillustratedauthor.net
Brand design Gene Nicholson
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electric, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner(s) and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
To my husband who's supported me from the beginning and who's dealt with my crazy work hours and ever
ything that's gone into me becoming a published author.
To all of my family and friends who've pushed me to go for it.
And to all my friends who've taken the time to listen to my ideas and read my stories, no matter how many times I've changed them. Love y'all!
Glossary
Antika- Serians that are gifted to become soldiers. Stronger, faster, enhanced fighting abilities, and are able to manipulate any weapon. Have extreme anger issues.
Commander- The Commander is in charge of making sure that laws are kept and if not, that the law breakers are punished accordingly. He is also in charge of all Soldiers of Seria.
Elders- The four rulers of Seria. They possess unique gifts stronger than any other Serian. Most never see them.
Jatron- Gifted to track down any with Serian blood.
Lamira- A Serian's true mate.
Lenya- An endearment. Another term for Love.
Macca- Shoots out blue electricity into its target and will knock them out for hours. Not deadly.
POD- Computer generated trackers that are connected to a database full of all Serians and half-breeds. They fly around scanning Serians and half-breeds to find those that are wanted or who don't belong.
Traveler- Transportation used on Seria. Has capabilities to look invisible or some can put off illusion of a car for use on Earth.
Chapter One
Anara pulled the worn cloak tight around her face to cover her tinted blue skin and uncontrollable blonde curls as she moved through the busy market place. If she acted like she belonged, no one would stop her. Of the many Serians around, none paid her the least bit of attention as they traded or purchased from outsiders. She despised each one.
Anara was jolted out of her bitter thoughts when a large Grimen bumped her shoulder. One of the tho
usands of suction cups covering his body attached to her skin before popping loose. They were the ugliest species she'd ever seen. Apparently, they looked like a creature called a squid from Earth. Tentacles spilled out of their heads and they had four beady black eyes. Unfortunately, she knew from walking in on one that was in the process of relieving his bladder that
everything
was covered in the suction cups. She'd been told that, if their small cups latched onto you it aroused them, so she tried to stay far away.
When Anara looked back, she saw the same Grimen watching her with a smile on his face. Or what she thought was a smile, since his mouth looked black and empty inside. Did they
even have a tongue? She shivered at the reason he was probably smiling and moved faster away from him.
Three Buhan blocked the path as they argued. She went unnoticed by them as she maneuvered around the gross species. Their bodies were hairless and she couldn't look into their big red eyes without turning away. Red eyes just freaked her out. Wrinkles covered their bodies and it was not something you wanted to see when they were grooming themselves. Other species
made use of the market, but none as strange as the Buhan or Grimen.
One other was definitely eye catching but not in a bad way. She never got too close to Cryoks except for one. All of them that she's seen were tall, lean, and moved with so much grace that they were almost hypnotic. Getting close enough to Ryin, she knew they had pointed ears, fangs, and if you really looked at their skin, you could catch a glimpse of the faded black stripes. She'd seen pictures of animals from Earth and Cryoks reminded her of the beautiful tiger. She didn't know a lot about them other than their eyes were the most beautiful she'd ever seen.
A soft grip on her arm startled her until she saw Ryin's green eyes staring back. He nodded to the empty road behind the market. It was safer since all species from other planets were forbidden to speak with any female on Seria, even a half-breed.
Those beautiful green eyes would've seemed normal if not for the natural glow to th
em. His lips lifted at the corners. "Hello, my beauty. I haven't seen you this visit."
"I've been staying away until you were alone. We've got to be careful not to get caught or it will start a war between our planets. If they thought you were trying to be with me sexually
or helping me, then the agreement between our planets will be over."
"
If they thought I was trying to be with you sexually? You know very well that's exactly what I want. It doesn't matter, I can take you away without anyone finding out." His eyes grew brighter as he touched her cheek.
She knew from
their time knowing each other that his eye glowed when he was aroused or angry and he sure didn't seem angry. Even if she knew it was possible, she couldn't be with Ryin. She never wanted that kind of relationship again. Not after losing too many loved ones and being hurt by others. Their meeting needed to get back to business. "I've told you, I don't feel the same way. Did you bring the scrambler? Are you sure they'll work?"
He pulled away slowly shaking his head. "
You're using me all you can. Yes, I brought them, and I wouldn't have offered if I thought they wouldn't work. Nothing will go wrong when you use them. Are you sure I can't help?"
"No. I need to do this alone."
He wouldn't understand, but she couldn't risk any more lives.
"If you're doing it alone, then why do you need two scramblers?" One sharp brow lifted as he waited for her answer.
He didn't know about Laili and she didn't plan on telling him now. "In case something happens to the other."
By the way his mouth turned down and his eyes glowe
d again, he didn't believe her and the change of his eyes was probably not because he was aroused either. "I won't pry, since I know you have your reasons. Will you at least tell me if it's a child? Your child?"
This time it was her time to just stare at him. She had to remind herself not to yell. "No. I don't have a child or take care of another child."
"Okay. I just want you to be safe, Anara. I really wish you'd let me help." He never looked away as he handed her two large thick metal bracelets.
She took them and battled her reflex to pull away when he grabbed her hands.
"I can't let you get involved anymore. These will make my escape easier. Please, just understand how much help you've been to me. I couldn't have gotten this far without you." It wasn't easy, but she placed her hand against one cheek and leaned in to kiss the other. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He stared into her eyes a m
oment longer, before walking away.
There was no missing the pain in his eyes or even
the way his steps faltered as he moved. The usual graceful flow of his walk wasn't there. If only she could've cared for him in the same way, but it wouldn't work out for either of them. She knew enough about his planet to know that they didn't keep females around. His leader would never allow her to stay.
She was finally getting off Seria and going to a place she'll be free.
The laws clearly made her nothing more than a slave on Seria, just because her mother mated a human, which was the reason why neither was alive today with Anara. Maybe in the future the planet would change, but she wasn't waiting around for that to happen.
The laws on Seria deserved to be spit on and then stomped into the ground. Imagine the looks on the
Elders' faces if she did that in front of them. The four leaders, known mostly as the Elders, made sure all Serians knew the punishment of those who decided to break the laws, but Anara didn't care. Her time to escape was close and if she broke every rule imaginable to do that, it would be an added bonus.
Unfortunately, the time was still weeks away.
Ahead of her stood a group of Antikas, the fighters of their planet, which caused her to stop. She was a Jatron, which was a name Serians with the ability to track others of her kind were called. Just like the fact that Antikas were Serians born to be the best warriors and the reason she didn't want to get too close to them. Their sensitive smell would instantly give her away as a half-breed.
If it wasn't obvious by their sheer size what class they were, then she'd know for sure by the uniforms they wore. Her skin crawled at the sight of the Serian symbol of a shield patched over their hearts. The shield surrounded a downward sword with two daggers on one side and a tribal design on the other. Serians respected and wore the symbol with pride. Not her.
The Antikas had the same symbol tattooed onto their light blue skin. Just like her, it was on the neck; only difference was that hers had three chain links cutting across the Serian symbol that told everyone she was nothing more than a slave. The laws dictated that half-breeds should always show their marks. She instinctively reached up to touch her neck as she remembered the way they forced the dreadful emblem on her as a child.
If she escaped to Earth, then the mark wouldn't mean a thing anymore.
Maybe she'd find a way to be rid of it for good.
Casually, she turned down a darkened path to keep them from becoming suspicious and then picked up the pace once they were out of sight. She whipped around the corner and ran smack into a hard wall, or that was what she thought until the wall grabbed her arms to keep her from falling. A shock started from where
his hands held her all the way down to her toes.
With the collision and the strange reaction of her body, she still managed to keep the cloak around her and hoped he couldn't see her face well enough to know she wasn't supposed to be there. It was still darker with only the moon lighting the back road she'd ended up at. Although it was daytime, they only had the moon on Seria and at night, there was only their Serian made lighting to get them through.
Even in the dark, she could see his rich golden brown eyes looking into hers and the long dark lashes framing them. He had high cheekbones and a square chin. It was his lips that grabbed her attention when he pressed them together. They were full, making her wonder just how they'd feel against hers.
Anara shook her head clear of her irrational thoughts. Since when did she go around wondering how a male's lips would feel against hers?
He was a Serian! The whole time she'd been around Ryin, she never felt that way and he was not lacking in his looks in any way.
Something about the Serian in front of her looked very familiar and she felt like it wasn't a good thing. Maybe because she was attracted to him when she hadn't felt that way in a long time, but something about his looks upset her.
Her gaze jerked from his to the picture of the most ruthless Antika and the new Commander of their kind hanging up on the building behind him. The same Serian who'd killed her parents. She knew because Abarron, her caretaker as a child, pointed him out once in a crowd and said to stay far away from him. He didn't want to tell her why at first, but being a young girl she managed to beg until he gave in and told her the truth. She wished he'd never told her.
And that was why she felt hatred for the man hol
ding her. He looked just like the Commander, only younger.
His eyes were wide as he stepped back. "I'm sorry," he rasped, as though his vocal chord
s were damaged.
It didn't matter because she needed to get away and not look back.
She darted into the other direction before he realized she was a half-breed. Her heart racing, she ran as fast as she could. If he turned her in then her life would be over and all plans to escape would be lost.
She never knew Jacrar had a son, but couldn't ima
gine him being any better than his father.
Laili was coming out of the one room home they shared when Anara arrived.
"Oh, thank the moons! You're late and I was worried." Laili narrowed her green eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Did you go through the market again?"
Her best friend knew her too well.
It took a second before catching her breath and she could form words again. "I did and you don't have to worry about that any longer."
"What happened?"
"I ran into a Serian, but I don't think he noticed my skin."
Most half-breeds looked like a tinted shade of blue, but all Serians were a light blue color. It was harder to tell when a Serian had a child with a half-breed.
Which was another reason they were branded on the neck.
"Does Jacrar have a son?"
Laili gawked at her. "I've heard he did but it's not well known. He probably doesn't claim him publicly, because his son's mother ran away to be with a human. That's all I know. It's why people are so scared of him. They say he killed his own Lamira without flinching."
Anara knew that. The man was known as the coldest Serian to live, maybe even compared to the
Elders.
"I won't be taking that chance again." She didn't know what bothered her more—the fact that
his father had killed her parents or that her body responded to him in ways she'd never experienced.
"Well, did you get it?"
After all that occurred, Anara forgot about the thick metal bracelet she wore. The scrambler was supposed to keep her hidden from the PODS that flew around Seria searching for runaways or anyone who didn't belong. They were connected to a large database of Seria's population. If a POD scanned Anara or Laili it would know they were half-breeds, which could be fatal when they were at the Port.
"I got them." Anara pulled out another bracelet that matched her own and handed it to Laili.
Laili's nose wrinkled and her eyes narrowed. "This will keep us hidden from the PODS? It's so simple."
"I know. The half-breed I bought it from guaranteed it. I just hope he was trustworthy. We can test it out before we're forced to leave." Laili didn't know about
Ryin either.
"That's a good idea."
Laili clamped the bracelet onto her wrist. Anara still found it hard to get used to Laili's new hairstyle. Not that she had much choice but to cut her perfect long brown hair. Anara had come home one day and caught her friend chopping it off up to her chin with a dull blade.
When Laili looked at Anara, she touched her hair. "I know it's awful but I don't care. Please
, just quit looking at me like that. You know I had to do it and I really don't mind it like this. It's nice to go out and not have the unwanted attention some of the single males give me."
It probably only stopped some of the men. Laili still had her flawless skin and most men got lost in her green eyes. Even Serian males were willing to break the laws for a night with Laili. It was sad that Laili was too scared to leave home without someone else with her just because men found her attractive.
