The Half-Breed Chronicles:
Captive Hearts
by
Shannon West
Carsten Vasilescu is building a new life for himself on Alpha’s Moon when a shipment of love slaves arrives. When Carsten goes aboard to escort them down, the captain tells him of one "special" slave, an uncommonly beautiful one, who’s been kept captive by the crew, caged and abused, and they offer Carsten a special price to take him off their hands.
Carsten is shocked to see that the gorgeous human in the cage is Albany Adams, his former lover and the man who betrayed him. Carsten rescues him, but he can’t decide whether he should kill him or make passionate love to him. Albany is hiding secrets that will change everything Carsten thinks he knows about him, but can they overcome their mistrust and hatred of each other long enough to give the love they feel for each other a fighting chance?
Meanwhile, a galaxy away, Ryker Mondai learns that Lex has been taken captive by his father, hated enemy Luther Colombo, being held in the heart of the Alliance, on Lycanus itself, and forced to marry another man. Furious, Ryker goes after him, aided by his father and disguised as a Lycan officer.
Will Ryker be in time to save Lex or will the lovers be torn apart forever and their chance for happiness destroyed?
Excerpt of Captive Hearts
Albany was asleep and dreaming. He was standing in a field near his childhood home, and his mother was calling for him. Instead of running toward her, though, he ran away, over to a lake where he used to go fishing. He dived in and sank all the way to the bottom, and the water was cool and clear as it closed over his head. He stayed under as long as he could, but finally he was out of breath and had to come to the surface. Squinting up at the sun that was shining down blindingly in his face, he heard someone calling to him.
“Wake up, boy. Lift that pretty face up here so we can see it.”
Albany groaned, hearing the damn pirate captain calling to him again. Why couldn’t he leave him alone? He shook his head, hoping the captain would go away, but the captain slammed a hand against the bars of Albany’s cage and his voice grew harsh. “I said raise your head, boy! Or I’ll do it for you.”
Albany heard a rough growl and there was something about the sound that sounded achingly familiar. He opened his eyes and peered up through his long, tangled hair—and gasped aloud. Carsten! He had to be hallucinating, but he clearly saw Carsten standing by his cage, looking down at him with his eyes wide and staring. Albany made a choking sound and shrank back against the bars in terror. The last time he’d seen Carsten, the Lycan had vowed to kill him—tear him limb from limb were his exact words. He’d shaken his fist at Albany and told him he’d hunt him down if it took the rest of his very long life.
He saw Carsten lift his head and sniff the air. Then he roughly pushed the big Tygerian standing in front of him aside and yanked open the top of the cage with a hoarse shout. Thrusting his hands down inside, he put them under Albany’s armpits and lifted him in the air like he would a child.
“Albany?” he said, his voice sounding incredulous. “Albany?” His face became livid and he howled—howled—out his rage. Before anything else could happen—like Carsten’s teeth sinking into his throat, for example—Albany’s eyes rolled back in his head as he slid down into the welcoming darkness. His imminent murder was one thing he didn’t want to stick around for.