Surrender

~ Acclaim for Sue Lyndon ~

For
Mountain Devil

“...
Mountain Devil
is a fantastic spanking novel. Ed is a clear dominant whose tone is consistent throughout the book. I would definitely recommend [
Mountain Devil
] to anyone looking to escape into a tale that takes place in the woods and, at times, over the knee.”

—Bottoms Up Book Review

“…the perfect steamy read to heat up a cool spring day.”

—Katie O’Connor, author of
The Gift

For
Valentine Submission

“Sue Lyndon did a great job with the characters, and their slow walk to each other amid their own issues was very real. This is a quick read, and the beauty of that is, you will want to read it over and over again.”

—Jade Cary, author of
The Point of It All

“Sue Lyndon has crafted a quick, fun afternoon read with likable characters.”

—Cara Bristol, author of
Unexpected Consequences

~ Look for these titles from Sue Lyndon ~

Now Available

Mountain Devil

Dark Without You

Surrender

Alien Warriors Book One

Sue Lyndon

Copyright Warning

EBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is a crime punishable by law. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded to or downloaded from file sharing sites, or distributed in any other way via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 (
http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/
).

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Published By

Etopia Press

1643 Warwick Ave., #124

Warwick, RI 02889

http://www.etopia-press.net

Surrender

Copyright © 2013 by Sue Lyndon

ISBN: 978-1-939194-53-4

Edited by Jennifer Fitzpatrick

Cover by Valerie Tibbs

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Etopia Press electronic publication: January 2013

Chapter One

Please let this end quickly.

Fiona Lockhart shivered as she stood in the public square next to her mother, wishing the formality of surrendering to the Kall aliens wasn’t a required public event. An ominous blanket of gray covered the sky, and the stillness of what little nature surrounded New York Settlement reminded Fiona of the quiet preceding a heavy snowfall. She hoped her instincts were wrong. Her mother’s hallucinations and nonsensical jabbering had worsened of late, and bad weather would surely aggravate the sick woman further.

A procession of huge warrior Kall, along with a few American officials, marched down the steps of a hovering airship and onto a large platform, and a flash of white-hot hatred ignited deep in Fiona’s chest, settling in her belly where it churned like molten lava.

A horn blew and the crowd fell quiet. A large video screen attached to the side of the airship flickered to life, providing a clear view of the whole platform. The Kall stood on all sides of the officials, boxing them in as if guarding prisoners. One last human descended the steps of the airship and approached a podium with a microphone. He began to speak, his thick voice booming across the crowd.

“Six months ago, Earth committed a terrible act of war against the Kall on their homeworld. The Kall, in their rights, declared war on Earth. I am here today as a representative of the American people to remind everyone in this crowd that the war is over. The Kall have prevailed over us. Earth has surrendered to the Kall and taken steps to make reparations. Today, all around the world, our leaders are signing a treaty to ensure long-lasting peace between our races. The Kall are now our dear friends in this universe and have graciously agreed to take up positions in our government and maintain several military bases on Earth.” He pulled a large electronic tablet from his jacket, holding it up high for the crowd to see. “Now we will sign the treaty. It is a new day, a peaceful day.”

As the Kall and humans on the platform filed up to sign the treaty, the crowd remained deathly silent, the atmosphere heavy with fear and hatred. Fiona wondered if anyone in the crowd was stupid enough to believe the man’s speech, or that true peace was possible. The Kall were incapable of anything but conquering.

She glanced at the humans on the platform and noticed a short, pudgy man staring straight at her. His cold gaze caused her to shudder, but she lost sight of him when three other men stepped forward to lead an oath of loyalty to the Kall. The entire crowd was compelled to repeat the words of devotion to a race of barbaric aliens. It made her sick to her stomach, and her heart raced as the words tumbled falsely from her lips.

To Fiona’s relief, her mother remained silent until the horn dismissed everyone. As they moved toward their pitiful trailer, excited whispers rippled through the crowd, and Fiona soon realized the Kall had modified the trailers during the ceremony. Thick, clear, plastic-like material covered each trailer like a tight-fitting rain poncho. Large boxes had also been placed at each door. Despite her hatred for the Kall, it was hard not to anticipate the present awaiting them at home. She urged her mother to walk faster and prayed this wasn’t some sort of cruel trick.

Through the suffocating crowd in the dirt street, Fiona kept her mother close. There was no telling what Janie would do if she was separated from her daughter. Fiona grabbed her mother’s hand and eased her way to the edge of the throng, wondering how many thousands of people actually called this place home. Eight? Ten? She wasn’t sure, but there were times when it felt like a million starving refugees packed into the neatly lined up trailers in this field in upper New York. While this awful place was supposed to be temporary, she doubted she’d ever leave. There was nowhere else to go except the obscenely small white trailer with the number 2492 painted on the side. Home sweet fucking home.

“Oh, look at this! Fiona, is this food for us?” Janie Lockhart peeked into the boxes on their doorstep with the enthusiasm of a little kid admiring a new toy.

“I believe so, Mom. You go on inside and lie down for a bit. I’ll carry them in.”

The warmth almost knocked her over as she entered the trailer carrying the first box. It felt like they had heat, but it couldn’t be possible. The American government had provided these emergency homes to many settlements around the country, but they didn’t have air-conditioning or heat. Fiona stepped outside and got a better look at the strange clear covering. She placed her hand on the smooth, hot surface, and realized this addition to the trailer was providing the much needed heat.

Heat. Food. What kind of game were the Kall playing? Why would they use their resources to bring comfort to their enemies? Fiona’s mind tried to untangle this mystery as she sat each box on the floor. The boxes took up the whole kitchen, but she quickly put the food items away in the cabinets, stacking what wouldn’t fit on the counters. They now had flour, sugar, crackers, rice, dried fruit, coffee, canned vegetables, and even chocolate. Fiona would be able to bake brownies. She gasped and covered her mouth with one hand when she looked in the last box. It contained a mini fridge powered with an energy cell. She heaved it onto the counter and opened it up.

“Mom, come here!”

Janie eased off the bed and padded into the kitchen. Her eyes bugged out of her head when she peered in the fridge. “Praise God,” she said, raising her hands up in the air. For the first time in weeks, they had cold milk, eggs, cheese, fruit juice, and fresh meat. Hope swelled inside Fiona. They had real food.

“Go rest for a while, mom. I’ll make something good for lunch.”

Janie walked toward the bed but stopped halfway there to converse with an imaginary person near the toilet. Tears welled in Fiona’s eyes. Without the medicine she needed, her mother would eventually do or say something crazy in front of the Kall. Fiona hated the thought of having to keep her locked up in the trailer day after day, but it seemed like the only option. It would be years before Kall forces left Earth, and even then a great number would remain behind in various positions of power.

Lunch was a smorgasbord of fried bacon, cheese biscuits, scrambled eggs, and fruit salad. It was heavenly, and the women stuffed themselves until every scrap of food was gone. Fiona brewed a pot of coffee and they sat in silence, sipping the wonderful brew. It was the most satisfying afternoon Fiona had had in ages. Decent food had become a luxury, and now they had a kitchen full of it.

The rest of the day Fiona kept busy by organizing the kitchen, disposing of the boxes, and baking bread and brownies. She also made up a meal plan for the next week. Since she wasn’t sure if the Kall would continue handing out food, she kept the meals sparse to stretch the good food as long as possible. Today’s extravagant lunch was a onetime indulgence.

Janie fell asleep before the sun set, so Fiona took the opportunity to venture outside alone. The streets smelled of trash and shit, and she drew her shawl over her nose to better deal with the stench. A couple of kids were playing soccer in the street, using boxes as nets. Their laughter raised her spirits, and she paused beside a few of her neighbors who’d come to watch. Simple pleasures like this offered much-needed respite from the worries of day-to-day existence in the settlement. She supposed she could attempt to make friends here, but she didn’t want to grow attached to anyone. The threat of death loomed heavily over the camp like a wide black cloud. It was bad enough to worry about her mother constantly. Another attachment would only bring pain in the end, because she doubted anyone here would find a happy ending.

A pair of finely dressed men moved through the gathering crowd. She watched them as they scanned the trailers nearby and eventually approached one and knocked.

Fear gripped her, and she pulled her shawl tighter over her arms as she moved toward the strangers. Why were they knocking on her trailer? No one wanted a social call from any remaining members of the American government, and with their fancy suits these particular turncoats looked like they’d surrendered to the Kall early on to gain alien favor. Without having spoken a word to them yet, Fiona hated them for the cowardice she imaged they possessed.

“Stop knocking. You’ll wake up my mother,” she said in a voice full of venom. Her face burned with embarrassment when she realized many of the neighbors stared in her direction. So much for making friends—even if she wanted to
.

The pudgiest of the men—the same man who’d caught her eye during the ceremony—smiled warmly and extended his hand. “Ah, there you are. Fiona Lockhart. Just the woman we’re looking for. How do you do?”

She looked at his offered hand in disgust and spat on the ground. It was the most unladylike thing she’d ever done, but no one wanted to be seen making friends with the turncoats. Most people resented them for befriending and aiding the enemy before the official end of the war. Before President Carson and the rest of the Earth officials had surrendered in unison. “What do you boys want?”

“A private word,” the second man interjected, pushing his companion’s hand down and smiling to reveal crooked white teeth.

“I’ve nothing to say to you. Leave me and my mother alone.” Whatever they wanted, she had nothing to offer. Fiona was one settler of thousands, another displaced woman trying to scrape by in a world gone to shit.

“We know your mother is sick. Perhaps if you agree to a private word, we can discuss treating her schizophrenia?” Pudgy Man already held a triumphant gleam in his eyes, as if he knew this statement would bring her to her knees. Of course it would. She’d do anything for her mother.

“Fine,” she hissed. “But keep your voices down. Remember my mother’s asleep.” Fiona opened the door and motioned them inside her little trailer, feeling the burn of dozens of eyes on her back as she followed. They crowded into the kitchen, and she was annoyed when Crooked Teeth pulled out a chair for her to sit down in. She rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter, pretending she wasn’t the least bit curious about this visit.

“Has anyone ever told you how much you look like President Carson’s daughter?” Pudgy Man looked her up and down.

“Yeah, sure, I get it all the time. So what?” Since the First Daughter was the same age as Fiona and President Carson was currently serving the last year of his second term, Fiona got weird looks from people all the time. With her wavy auburn hair, blue eyes, splash of freckles, and similar facial features, she could probably pass for Betsy Carson’s twin. In fact, she’d gotten herself gussied up with high heels and a designer handbag last Halloween and gone as the First Daughter to a costume party. It never occurred to her that looking like the president’s daughter was a bad thing—until now.

“Are you aware of the marriages that are to take place between Kall warriors and Earth people as part of the peace treaty?” Crooked Teeth asked.

A sinking feeling came over Fiona. “Somewhat.”

“President Carson’s daughter is supposed to marry a Kall warrior named Merokk in three days, but she’s run off and no one can find her. This is one of the most important unions between the Kall and Earth people. If the marriage doesn’t take place, it would be a violation of the treaty.” Pudgy Man’s hand nervously brushed against the back of his neck. The turncoats exchanged a worried glance.

Fiona wasn’t stupid. She knew where this was going. She spoke slowly, as if in a trance. “Let me guess. You’ll help my mother if I pretend to be Betsy Carson?”

“You got it, Miss Lockhart. If you agree to help us, we’ll place your mother in a medical resort in the Caribbean. Safe and sound,” said Crooked Teeth.

“How did you find me?”

“I saw you standing in the crowd today during the ceremony and had to do a double take. I followed you home and checked your records. Imagine my delight to discover your unique situation.” Pudgy Man smiled, but Fiona thought it was only meant to mask a sneer. He had her trapped between a rock and a hard place, as her mother would say.

This wasn’t happening.

Fiona stared at the back corner of the trailer where Janie slept. It wasn’t a hard decision to make, but it was a painful one. She doubted she’d see her mother again if she accepted this offer, but she also doubted her mother’s odd behavior would escape the bloodthirsty Kalls’ notice for much longer. Her heart broke.

“Okay,” she whispered after several minutes of choking silence. “I’ll do it.”

* * *

Merokk stood on the White House lawn as workers bustled all around, preparing for tomorrow’s mass wedding. Many of his comrades were excited about the upcoming nuptials to Earth women, but Merokk didn’t share their sentiments fully. In spite of his desire to return to the Kall homeworld, his father had arranged his union with the First Daughter and insisted the couple stay on Earth. Merokk would remain in the nation’s war-torn capital as an ambassador. His days as a glorified soldier had come to a bitter end.

“If you don’t stop brooding like that, you’re going to scare away your bride-to-be.”

Merokk turned at the sound of his father’s voice. “Must you speak English all the time?”

Penka chuckled. “You better get used to it. Your little wife doesn’t speak Kall.” He paused and glanced back at the White House. “Speaking of your wife, she’s just arrived.”

Inside, Merokk cringed, but his self-assured expression didn’t falter. “Have you seen her?”

“She’s lovelier in person than in her pictures. Come, let’s go.”

Merokk followed his father inside to a large empty room on the third floor. Without a word, the old Kall left him alone to wait for his bride. Moving toward the massive window overlooking the lawn, Merokk clasped his hands behind his back and waited. Despite his distaste for the arranged marriage, he understood it was a necessary part of the treaty his father had helped design. He wouldn’t be unreasonably cruel to the girl, but he did expect her obedience—something he doubted she’d readily give. He snorted to himself. Earth women loved their independence a little too much. Although he wouldn’t hesitate to punish his new wife if she deserved it, he planned to treat her with kindness and respect, and he expected the same in return. If she resisted him outright, one session over his knee would put her in the right mind-set.