Sinth Source - A Sci-Fi Alien Romance: Sinth Strain Book 2 Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prequel Sinth Savior

  About This Book

  CHAPTER ONE - Jade

  CHAPTER TWO - Desin

  CHAPTER THREE - Jade

  CHAPTER FOUR - Desin

  CHAPTER FIVE - Desin

  CHAPTER SIX - Jade

  CHAPTER SEVEN - Desin

  CHAPTER EIGHT - Jade

  CHAPTER NINE - Desin

  CHAPTER TEN - Jade

  CHAPTER ELEVEN - Jade

  CHAPTER TWELVE - Jade

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Desin

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Desin

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Jade

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Desin

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Jade

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Desin

  CHAPTER NINETEEN - Jade

  CHAPTER TWENTY - Desin

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Jade

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Desin

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Jade

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - Desin

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - Jade

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - Desin

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - Jade

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - Desin

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Jade

  CHAPTER THIRTY - Desin

  About the Author

  SINTH SOURCE

  By Pearl Tate

  Copyright © 2020 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 everyone who’s out there stuck at home.

  Have you read the Prequel to the Sinth Strain Series?

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  SINTH SOURCE

  Jade

  I gave my heart away when I was too young to know better.

  The idealized version of the man I love is forever burned into my memory. I joined the military to deal with the rejection. He’s moved on without me, and I can’t imagine that anyone else will ever compare.

  So, I serial date. I’m not sure if I’m expecting to find someone like him or trying to forget him. Either way—it isn’t working.

  After all, I just want to be taken seriously. He never even considered that my feelings could be real. I’m smart enough and old enough now! But instead of finding someone new, the excessive dating has made me a target for the men on the base. I’m considered a conquest.

  A chance meeting at the bar has me rethinking my “frigid” reputation. For the first time, I encounter someone who not only makes me feel alive—but impassioned. He’s mysterious and sexy, and my body tingles with awareness, excitement … and lust.

  For the first time, I'm considering giving someone—who may be gone tomorrow—my “V” card.

  Desin

  I’ve never had my affection reciprocated.

  My love is forbidden in our society. Something that I only shared with my closest friend due to the taboo nature of my feelings. It wasn’t meant to be for so many reasons—including the fact that she didn’t return my devotion.

  All I want is someone to care about me and only me. I know I can’t have what all Sinth dream of—a family. It’s simply not a possibility in our society, and I like to think I’ve come to terms with that.

  I meet Jade while my squad is searching for our missing team member, Mavin. But then we’re split up because a potentially devastating virus shows up on Earth. It becomes more important than ever to figure out how to protect the humans—especially as I realize that what I felt before was a pale imitation of what lust and attraction truly are. Saving her life in a warehouse “accident”, I give her not only a second chance at life—but myself, as well.

  But for how long? As we continue to look for the source, will the Wen virus keep spreading and decimate the entire planet?

  CHAPTER ONE

  - Jade

  “What’s this?” I yell as I step in front of the forklift, forcing Steve to brake as he loads the dry ingredient deliveries into the warehouse. We’re in one of the endless aisles lined with row after row of shipping containers that I’ve been cross-referencing for the last hour. As the Food Service Manager on base, I’m responsible for the purchasing, inventory, and preparation schedule for this military facility hidden in the middle of Yosemite National Forest.

  Steve shrugs in response, while I inspect the container he just set down. He barely pauses before cranking the wheel hard to miss me, spinning the forklift around, and speeding off to bring in the next pallet. Nice. He’s not going to be any help.

  Unfortunately, it’s not quite that easy for me since I’m accountable for all these purchases. Staring off in the direction Steve went, I let out an exasperated breath before turning back to the four-foot high container. I slice into the plastic envelope affixed to the side of the crate using the box cutter I keep in my back pocket.

  “Additive number TA-14” is stamped at the top of the manifest. As I suspected, I definitely didn’t order this. The only word in the shipping information section is “Ta’inke.” Nothing else—like an address or contact—is written there. That’s unusual.

  Since I can’t remove this from the warehouse without raising suspicions, I take a quick picture instead. I’ll ask Greg, my direct supervisor, about it once I leave. Steve zooms back, barely missing me with another crate as I straighten the paperwork back into the pocket and go back to cross-referencing my list with the rest of the incoming food provisions.

  A long two hours later, I’m finally finished. I trudge back to my desk to begin the tedious job of making sure everything we ordered has arrived. In my cross-referencing, I noticed a few discrepancies and back-ordered items that I’ll need to follow up on with suppliers.

  I’d almost forgotten the mystery pallet until I check my email and see an official BLUF—Bottom Line Up Front—sent earlier today from Greg. The short email puts the conclusion and recommendations up front. The message quickly answers the basic questions, mentioning specifically the TA-14 set to arrive today. Great!

  TA-14 scheduled to arrive in Bay 19 with other dry provisions for food additive purposes. Consult with me directly for further instructions.

  A food additive? Somehow I managed to miss this email before I headed out this morning. But I have been in a rush to try and make sure I make my daily lunch date with Teresa, who heads up the housing on base.

  Over the past few years on base together, we’ve become best friends, and we’re even living together right now while she regroups after a particularly drawn out breakup. While she’s often late for lunch or sometimes needs to reschedule, I try to make sure I’m always there.

  Food is the fuel for our bodies, and there’s no sense in skimping—especially when I try so hard to make sure the menu is always well-prepared and healthy. Although there are probably plenty of people who’d argue with me, I don’t think I’d be a very good Food Service Manager if I didn’t have the backgr
ound in nutrition that I do. Food and what it can do for our bodies—both good and bad—is something that interests me.

  That probably stems from going without when I was younger. Social services took me away from my drug-addicted mother when I was eight. I still remember being poor and hungry … and sick—

  “How’d it go?” Greg’s southern drawl catches me off-guard as I sit staring at the open BLUF with a dazed expression. It’s easy to let myself get sucked into the past, but I’ve made a point over the last two to three years not to think about it. We control what happens in our life. Thinking about everything and reliving it—good or bad—doesn’t help our future.

  Standing, I salute quickly as he moves into my office and sinks into the chair across from my desk. Normally, he waits until our monthly debrief to go over backlogs and menu changes, so I’m surprised to see him today. He has a lot more things to worry about than just the arriving inventory.

  Once Greg’s settled, I sink back in my own chair, pulling up my notes of the known shortages so far on my work tablet before handing it over. “Mostly shortages in coffee,” I tell him.

  Greg grimaces as I smile tightly, his finger floating a centimeter from the tablet’s screen before he scrolls up. “But we did get the TA-14 I mentioned in my BLUF this morning … that’s good. And all the premade baking supplies …”

  “Sir,” His eyes flicker up from the tablet at the question in my voice. Squirming slightly, I lean back, tugging my fatigue shirt flat against my slight chest before sitting up straighter. “What is TA-14?”

  I don’t mention I took a peek at the shipping information already. I figure it’s better to hear it straight from him. I have a funny feeling I’m the last to find out about this because it’s going to make more work for me. That’s usually the way it goes, and this situation is gearing up to be no different.

  “It’s a dietary supplement, but it’ll only be given to specific people, and they’ll request it.” That’s vague, but I nod as if that makes perfect sense. So, whatever it is will probably only be given to the higher ups. It must be some good shit.

  Passing back my iPad, he stands, and I follow suit automatically. Even though we’re less formal here, I like the structured military protocol. I know what to expect and when to expect it.

  Nodding goodbye, I salute quickly as he leaves before sinking into my chair and turning back to the screen. It only takes an hour more to cross-reference my lists and send off a few cursory emails to follow-up with our suppliers. It’s a bit of a bummer about the coffee, but if we use the average amount we’ve been using over the last six months, we shouldn’t completely run out before the next supply arrives.

  Being remote has its downfalls, but this place in the middle of Yosemite National Forest wouldn’t be a “secret government facility” if it wasn’t. There’s no going to the local grocery store for missing provisions, and there certainly isn’t any ordering takeout from local eateries. We have our cafeteria, one restaurant, and one bar. That’s it.

  When I pull out my cell to check in with Teresa, the first thing I see is the picture I took earlier. Oh, yeah. The food additive’s manifest.

  At first glance, I only see the manufacturer, and it isn’t a company I’m familiar with. That’s new. All-around, the government has contracts with pretty much the same producers, especially when it comes to our dry ingredients.

  There are some things we produce from scratch every day in our commercial kitchens, but those are mostly desserts and fresh bread from supplies we have on hand. A lot of the other items come frozen.

  My eyes scan the document, looking for the FDA-approved breakdown of nutrients. Everything that arrives has one, and this is where it’d be, but all I see is one tiny printed line in the usual space.

  One hundred percent refined aluminum powder.

  What? That has to be wrong.

  I’m not totally familiar with all the applications of aluminum, but this doesn’t sound right. Aluminum shouldn’t be eaten! And Greg definitely said it was a dietary supplement. Supplement insinuates it completes something, fulfilling a need.

  Confused, I think about the bare minimum I do know. Isn’t aluminum known to potentially cause a host of issues? Potentially Alzheimer's?

  Switching to private browsing on my iPhone, I do a quick search. Yeah, it totally does.

  Scrolling through the information, I can’t help but wonder what in the world is going on? It’s almost like they’re thinking about poisoning rather than helping anyone? Who’d want to eat this?

  CHAPTER TWO

  - Desin

  I know it’s Lana when I hear the footsteps behind me as I leave the bedroom I’m sharing with Payak, my squad leader. I know pretty much everything about her, from her footfalls to her thoughts—if they can be called that. Ignoring her, I move quickly down the stairs to the main level of the home we’ve been assigned to on this Earth military base.

  Entering the food preparation room I’ve learned Earth-dwellers call a kitchen, I hear Lana’s voice behind me. “What did Payak want?” The soft whisper is almost in my ear as she attempts to keep her question between us. The room we’re in looks down into the large living area where Nikon and Jaxtyn, the other members of our squad, are working.

  I’m having a hard time understanding Lana’s motives and her interest. I know she saw Payak talking to me earlier when we were working in the lower level, but I just don’t understand why she’s acting so nosy. Well, I do, but jealousy isn’t something I can imagine someone like her experiencing. It’s just that I don’t understand why she acts like she cares so much.

  “He wanted to talk about the sleeping arrangements,” I lie. I know she won’t believe me, but what we’ve spoken about is none of her business. That’s the biggest problem with talking to Lana or Alisha, the other Personal Assistant in our squad. They record and report everything back to the Sinth Sovereignty that runs our assignments.

  When Payak shared that he’d been contacted by our previous squad member, Mavin, who went missing after he was reassigned to Teleplay after reporting an outbreak prematurely, we all agreed we should contact our superiors and follow up on him. Payak was particularly interested in what Mavin had found on Earth “that would change everything,” but I was just ready for the change of scenery.

  So many times, I’ve considered my existence in this world. In this dimension. Is this it? Will the rest of my life be just like this? Traveling from one planet to another to report updates to our superiors. That really can’t be all there is … for me … for us … as a species, right?

  Coming to a brand new planet like Earth—one totally outside our normal zone assignments—is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The Ashen are notoriously private with their zone of planets, so getting to come here—even if we have to complete some banal reports at the same time—is totally worth it. We have twenty earth rotations to find our missing squad member, Mavin. Twenty Earth days to see a new society. The beings here are still primitive but much more advanced than what we usually monitor.

  And they’re so similar looking to us. That particular aspect of this assignment is interesting. In fact, the Housing Coordinator for this base, which is located in the middle of what the Earthlings call Yosemite National Forest, is what Payak wanted to discuss privately.

  Payak was so taken with her that he’s been in contact with her superiors, trying to get her back to our assigned home. Cameron Smith, her direct supervisor here on the base, assured Payak she’ll be here by tomorrow, but Payak wants to be prepared for her arrival at a moment’s notice. All he wants me to do is head off any of our other squad members from meeting her, and then take her into the room we’re sharing under a pretense of showing her something. Since she’s responsible for the care, cleaning, and maintenance of the residences, Teresa shouldn’t question my redirection.

  That I can do. I’m not sure what he hopes to accomplish, and I’ll be extremely angry if his stunt gets us sent off this planet earlier than planned, but I’l
l do it. There’s a reason why we’re not allowed in the Ashen’s zone. Their planets are protected, and that means all their inhabitants are, as well.

  When I turn around and Lana’s still standing frozen against the large work space in the center of the kitchen, I can’t resist teasing her. Pressing my body flush against hers, I drop my hands to the countertop on either side of her hips, caging her in with my arms before leaning in to bring our faces close together. “Why do you care about him when I’m right here?”

  Unperturbed, her light blue eyes stare into mine as she answers. “I’ve explained this to you before.”

  Yes. Yes, she definitely did. At one time, I’d been completely infatuated with her. However, Lana had said that due to Payak being the squad leader, she’d always prioritize his needs above mine. Nice, huh?

  Despite knowing the low probability of her returning my affection, I continued to court the idea that we could be together long-term. After all, what other options are there? It’s not like we meet many other species similar to us. It’s really no wonder that Payak was attracted to the first Earth female he met.

  When I nod, I lean in to nuzzle her neck. Until I tell her specifically that I want to have sex, she won’t reciprocate. But she smells wonderful.

  “What’s Payak’s interest in the Earth woman?” Annoyed, I pull back to look at her. I watch her eyelids flutter as she lightly bites her bottom lip. The blank look on her face tells me she’s looking right through me, and my own interest in a sexual liaison with her dwindles.

  Leaning back farther, I study her perfect features. I met the Housing Coordinator previously at the same time Lana did when we first arrived. Teresa’s hair is dark like Lana’s but longer and thicker. She had it pulled back from her face, showcasing her large, dark eyes that are totally different from any Sinth’s lightly toned blue to silver orbs.