Selas's Salvation Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  About This Book

  CHAPTER ONE - Karen

  CHAPTER TWO - Selas

  CHAPTER THREE - Karen

  CHAPTER FOUR - Selas

  CHAPTER FIVE - Karen

  CHAPTER SIX - Selas

  CHAPTER SEVEN - Karen

  CHAPTER EIGHT - Karen

  CHAPTER NINE - Selas

  CHAPTER TEN - Karen

  CHAPTER ELEVEN - Selas

  CHAPTER TWELVE - Selas

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Karen

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Karen

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Selas

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Karen

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Selas

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Selas

  CHAPTER NINETEEN - Karen

  CHAPTER TWENTY - Selas

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Karen

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Selas

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Karen

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - Selas

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - Karen

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - Selas

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - Karen

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - Selas

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Karen

  CHAPTER THIRTY - Selas

  About the Author

  SELAS'S SALVATION

  By Pearl Tate

  Copyright © 2019 Pearl Tate

  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.

  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.

  Book Cover Design by Alena Marie

  Website: http://pearltate.com/BookCovers

  Instagram Account: http://pearltate.com/covers

  This book is dedicated to my wonderful husband who puts up with me.

  SELAS'S SALVATION

  Selas

  Sent to the surface of the prison planet Dactyles, I’m appointed to clean up the mess created by the Warden Benard. In addition to restructuring the management and ferreting out any of the previous warden’s supporters, I have to supervise the matings of a few lucky males.

  Branching out beyond the dome, I work to notify all the prisoners that Benard's no longer in power on the planet. Not everyone believes me though, and I’m captured and held as a prisoners.

  When mating marks develop on my body, I’m shocked and confused. There are no more females, right?

  And does it really matter when I’m about to be executed by the previous warden’s crazy followers?

  Karen

  Struggling to live up to the professional aspirations of my family while attending college, I find myself less and less interested in becoming a doctor or lawyer as they expect. I’m much more interested in continuing on with the active lifestyle and Aikido training that makes me so focused and relaxed.

  When I’m abducted by aliens at a study group with friends, I’m told if I give up my family and life on Earth, I can have the life I want. But it also comes with a little catch that definitely sounds… interesting.

  Is there really someone out there that’s perfect for me?

  SELAS’S SALVATION is the sequel to BREN'S BLESSING (Book One of the Quasar Lineage) and MATTHIAS'S MIRACLE (Book Two of the Quasar Lineage) and AMARI’S ADORED (Book Three of the Quasar Lineage) and DEVLIN’S DARLING (Book Four of the Quasar Lineage) and CALLIM’S CHALLENGE (Book Five of the Quasar Lineage) and TRAVEK’S TREASURE (Book Six of the Quasar Lineage) and REMUS’S REVELATION (Book Seven of the Quasar Lineage).

  You don't have to read Bren's Blessing, Matthias’s Miracle, Amari’s Adored, Devlin’s Darling, Callim’s Challenge, Travek’s Treasure or Remus’s Revelation in order to understand the plot, but the story will be more well-rounded if you do!

  CHAPTER ONE

  - Karen

  “How’s Brett?” I cringe even as I ask. Not that Brett’s a bad guy—not at all. He’s well meaning. It’s just that he’s almost a carbon copy of our father, and I can’t believe Helen married him. My sister definitely has different taste than I do.

  “He’s working hard. His residency is taking all his extra time and then some.” I can hear Helen blow out her breath with frustration. I bite my tongue as I listen to her drone on about the hours and his lack of sleep at the hospital his residency is set up at.

  I love my sister. I really do. But I’m not sure how she didn’t see that Brett’s driven personality is exactly like our dad’s.

  They met at college and hit it off immediately. In the beginning when she asked me what I thought—I told her the truth. I don’t want to marry someone who worries about their job more than our family, and eventually, our children. I don’t want to feel like a single mom like our mother did.

  There are so many other things that are important, including making your kids feel like they have a father who cares. Sure, we had money. We enjoyed private schools and were able to afford the extracurricular activities we wanted. But I wanted my father to come to my Aikido presentations. After the first couple he missed, I realized he’d never make it.

  “What are you up to now?” I’m interrupted from my pity party by her question and realize I need to focus.

  “I’m waiting on Jo-Anne. She had a meeting with a counselor and then we have a study group for math.” I groan as I shift and look at the clock again. It should be almost over. If she doesn’t hurry up, we’ll be late.

  “I can’t believe you bother. You’re getting straight A’s, aren’t you?” Helen’s voice drips with sarcasm, and I can hear the car blinker and realize she’s driving and I’m on BlueTooth. I’m relieved I didn’t say anything negative about Brett. I don’t know if she has anyone else in the car.

  “Yeah, but it’s fun. Everyone in this group is really nice, and Jo-Anne needs to go. It gives us something to do together…” My voice drops as I conclude, “… and it’s good for her to get out.”

  Helen makes a non-committal noise of disapproval but doesn’t say a word. I made the mistake of telling her a bit about Jo-Anne’s personal issues, and she thinks she’s a nutcase. She didn’t say it at the time, but I know my sister. We’re five years apart, but she’s as easy to read as mom.

  “I better go.” I stare at the clock as the second hand seems to accelerate. “I love you and miss you. Come visit me when you get time.” Helen’s new job at an attorney’s office leaves her about as much extra time as Brett, but maybe that’s what makes them a perfect couple?

  “I will. Don’t wait so long to call again, either. I miss you too!” The car door dings, letting me know she’s reached her destination.

  “I won’t. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Blinking my eyes rapidly, I stare at my phone. I’m still pulling myself together right as Jo-Anne yanks open the door to her therapist’s office. I wonder how Jo-Anne made out? Because from what she’s told me in the past about her, Dr. Dickson can be a real prick for a woman.

  Taking in Jo-Anne’s fierce expression, I know it’s gone the same way as every time before. They don’t believe her.

  Now, I’m the first one to admit that Jo-Anne’s stories sound crazy. Alien abductions, missing time, and memory loss don’t come across as sane. But I know Jo-Anne. She’s not making this up.

  I’ve seen her when she’s come back from being abducted, shaken and once—naked. Something’s going on. She isn’t maki
ng it up. Until it’s proven otherwise, I believe her.

  If or when I become a therapist—or even my real secret dream of being an Aikido instructor, I swear I’ll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Therapy is my top pick for college study and my career, because there’s no way anyone would be impressed with my dream of full-time Aikido. Not with a doctor father and brother-in-law, and my sister just starting her law career…

  “All set?” Shoving my phone into my backpack, I hop up to follow her out of the waiting room. She’s already halfway out the door.

  “Yes.” I can hear a combination of relief and anger in her voice. She’s not going to want to talk about it. Maybe later. Maybe not. I’m fine either way.

  Pretending that I don’t know how pissed she is, we hurry across the damp grass to the study group building without speaking. I have the perfect distraction. I just need to make sure I broach the subject properly. I’ve been waiting to ask Jo-Anne about double dating with Tim and me.

  It’s a fairly new relationship, but so far, I’m impressed. He’s kind, non-judgmental, and smart. We met in English. Honestly, until he spoke to me two weeks ago, I never noticed him. He’s not gorgeous in a traditional way, but his clean cut and wholesome good looks are attractive.

  Last week he wrote a poem for me and gave it to me after our third coffee date. He’s obviously into me and I want to like him. I mean, I do like him. It’s just… I want to be as into him as he seems to be into me. Time is all I need, right?

  Pulling the door open to the old brick building, I watch Jo-Anne slip quickly inside. “Do you want to go to a movie this weekend?”

  Jo-Anne probably doesn’t realize her shoulders stiffen ahead of me as she enters the stairwell. “Did you have a specific one in mind? RomCom or action or horror…” Deepening her voice, it echoes around us as we climb the three stories.

  She’s joking but I know she isn’t a huge horror fan. With her background and experiences, who can blame her? More likely, she’s looking for an excuse to opt out.

  “That depends on if we’ve the funds to pay for it ourselves?” I smirk at her as I turn on the landing above her to head up the second flight. “That cute guy, Tim, I told you about him from English?”

  We both know I’ve told her. I showed her the poem. It’s a little dorky, but it’s the first time a boy’s ever written a poem for me! I was flattered.

  But this will be the first time I’ve gone with him anywhere off-campus since we’ve only met at the coffee shop here at school. A double date seems less serious, especially with friends.

  “Sure, I remember.” She doesn’t sound enthused, and honestly, I’m not surprised.

  “Well… he asked me if I wanted to go see that new chick flick with Drew Barrymore this weekend, and I told him I’d go as a double date.”

  Her audible groan echoes through the stairwell as she shakes her head at me. “Great. He must really like you if he volunteered to take you to that movie!”

  I laugh, encouraged as she does too, joining her on the landing where I pull open the door to the hall.

  Grabbing her sleeve as she passes through the door, I tug gently and put on my best pleading face. I probably look like an idiot, but she laughs harder before scrunching up her nose as she slowly nods.

  “Did he say someone in particular he had in mind to bring?” That’s a good sign. Maybe she won’t back out. I’d feel like an idiot if she did, and I certainly don’t want to go out to a movie with two guys I don’t know.

  Jo-Anne’s question has me wondering if there’s someone in particular she’s hoping to hear he’s bringing. Unfortunately, I’m not exactly sure who he had in mind, and after calling out hello to the others in the room, I spend the next few minutes trying to figure out who she might be interested in while we settle into our seats across from Shelly who heads the group.

  Pulling up the movie trailer on my phone, we giggle at the comedy while waiting for everyone to show up. “It does look really good,” Jo-Anne admits as Shelly calls us to order, and I realize everyone’s here.

  I’m shuffling papers in front of me as a basket of brownies gets passed around, so I don’t notice why everyone is gasping until I look up at Susan. Sitting next to Shelly across from me, she’s illuminated—no the entire room is illuminated by a bright light.

  Swiveling quickly in my chair, I shade my eyes in a futile effort to cut down the light. What the hell are they thinking? Whatever prank this is, they’re going to be in big trouble, I’m sure. We’re three stories up!

  Are they hanging off the roof or something?

  “What is that?” Lisa’s to my left as she stands. Even looking at them across from me is hard and my eyes water as I see her and Beth next to me get to their feet. They move to the window to investigate with Susan but my attention is pulled back to Jo-Anne by me.

  She’s whimpering as she hunches into her chair. “No. No, no, no…”

  “Jo-Anne! Honey?” Throwing my arms around her, I try to pull her into my arms. She’s shaking so badly that I’m afraid she’s slipping into a seizure.

  This isn’t funny any longer. Standing quickly, I spin around intending to run to the window. These assholes are going to get a piece of my mind.

  Jo-Anne stands with me, still chanting as I move away from her. My body feels lighter somehow as I take a few steps away and stand closer to Susan. “Can you feel this?” Her voice fades as I register what she’s referring to.

  Individual streams of light waver around us. This isn’t normal. Not only is the light pulsating, I feel like my skin is vibrating from the light touching it.

  Like staring into a flash, the light makes everything appear brighter and over exposed. When I close my eyes to let them adjust, I realize I can’t move. My feet, my arms, even my neck—I’m stuck!

  “Lisa!” Susan’s voice sounds far away, not the three feet that I know she is. “Can you hear me?”

  “Yes, Susan!” Lisa sounds even farther away when she answers her. “I can’t move though.”

  Lisa’s voice is almost a whisper as it ends, and I realize I’m passing out. The light behind my eyelids has become a tunnel and at the end of the tunnel I still can hear Jo-Anne’s voice faintly echoing, “No!”

  CHAPTER TWO

  - Selas

  “We’re almost there. I don’t want to head back until we make contact.” Motioning to Tier on my left, he takes the lead, scouting ahead in the dense terrain.

  Amari’s voice in my head on the link begins to break up, but I strain to catch what he shares. He gets more information from his mate Rachel about the Discovery’s latest agenda than I do from Bren. “Yes, they’ll arrive in the next rotation. They completed the backlog in record time.”

  Every Quasar spacecraft is obligated to complete a rotation around their quadrant, and the Discovery has been behind since Bren located Hannah sixty-eight rotations ago. I was with him when he boarded the small craft that Hannah called a Skylab. I watched the interaction between them when they first met. I never would have guessed that the small, human females would have such a profound effect on us all.

  But first Bren’s was called back to Quasar to complete his family commitment. Then, we had a rushed trip back for the Human women Shelly and Beth to get the vaccine for Tirus-X. Consequently, they fell behind on completing the Discovery’s scientific scheduled rotation.

  “Will everything be ready planet-side?” My voice is low as I keep in mind that we’re trying to have the element of surprise out here. We don’t expect any trouble but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be combative. They’ll assume we’re here to take them back to the prison dome.

  “It will be. Team two and three are heading up the rooms that they’ll want to occupy.” According to Amari—who’d heard secondhand from his mate Rachel, they’ll be back here tomorrow. Rachel stays in contact with Shelly, Beth, and Hannah who’re currently on the Discovery—Was it intentional that Bren didn’t notify me himself?

  It seems that I should h
ave been the first to be told. The branch snapping back into my face from Kene brings me back to the present. He motions me to take the lead. Nodding curtly, I creep forward quietly.

  I need to pay attention. These woods can be dangerous, and we had to abandon our shuttle when the brankton was climbing the trees and became so thick it was impassable. The few larger animals on this planet can be dangerous, but the vegetation is often much worse than you’d expect.

  From Amari and Whik, we’ve learned where different settlements of escapees from the prison dome have set up their living areas. It’s been hard work to reach some of the more impassable territory, but I’m determined to complete this part of my mission. Bren believes I’m qualified and capable of leading and organizing this operation, and I won’t let him down.

  “There’s more.” Amari’s voice is ominous as I move into a part of the forest that has a canopy completely obscuring the sun. Long, dim shadows fall over me, and Tier and Kene are so silent, it’s as if I’m alone.

  When I don’t don’t answer, he continues. “They’ve been in contact with Travek. He’ll arrive at the same time on a course from Earth.”

  Clenching my jaw, I refrain from speaking. Travek has never been one of my favorite males. Rich, entitled, and constantly pursuing the next profitable venture, he’s always rubbed me the wrong way. I assume he just reminds me of the taunting males from my time at the education center, and that really isn’t fair to him.

  I’ve been working on establishing myself as a potential leader for—well, my entire life. Being born into a common family limits your options starting right from school. Travek was never one of the others in my class that ridiculed and challenged me, but his background is the same.

  If I’m honest with myself, Bren and Travek have a lot of similarities—except for Travek’s link to the council by blood. Maybe it’s just Travek’s determined and entitled attitude that’s made me like him less. Being trusted by Bren as someone who can take care of the chaos we’ve been dumped into has been enlightening and challenging.