Collecting Allure (Stand-Alone Tales Book 9)

  A beauty injured in the line of duty trades her remaining life for her father’s as a living trophy for an ancient beast.

  Allura was shot in the line of duty, and the radiation is slowly eating her cells. Her life will not be long, so she is discharged and sent home to die. Her father was off on a trading mission, and he runs afoul of a terrifying creature who straps an explosive device to his head to ensure that the merchant will send the most beautiful thing that he sees back to the beast.

  Allura doesn’t mind leaving home. She doesn’t want to have her family watch her fall apart. She agrees to be something pretty for the monster to look at for as long as it lasts.

  The creature has a plan, an agenda, and he is willing to spend the rest of Allura’s life pursuing it. It is a good thing that he has the cure for her particular brand of radiation poisoning. As long as she abides by his rules, she gets the treatment, whether she knows she is being treated or not.

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Collecting Allure

  Copyright © 2020 by Viola Grace

  ISBN: 978-1-989892-24-4

  ©Cover art by Angela Waters

  All rights reserved. With the exception of review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher.

  Collecting Allure

  Published by Viola Grace

  Look for me online at violagrace.com and your favourite eBook sellers.

  Collecting Allure

  Stand-Alone Tales Book 9

  By

  Viola Grace

  Chapter One

  Allure heaved her buddy onto her shoulders and grunted insults about him needing to lose weight. “Lexo, if you don’t buy the first round after this, I will shoot you myself.”

  She staggered along the path that would take her through the wreckage and back to their shuttle when she was struck from behind, and everything went white.

  The medical bay on a large warship was the same anywhere in the system. Allura groaned and tried to reach behind her to find out why her back was on fire, but her hands were cuffed to the med bed. It was a solemn and silent room. A private room. That wasn’t good.

  She pulled at the cuffs a few times, and then, she laid back. She whistled sharply, and the sound brought someone to the door. They peeked in and then waved. They knew she was up, and they would probably be there shortly. Allura hoped that they would be there shortly.

  The figure who entered her room was wearing protective gear, as were the three attendants who followed them.

  The first figure smiled. “Sergeant Korako, you have a special place in history. You are the first person to have survived a direct blast by a force cannon. Your body seems to be absorbing the radiation and holding it, so we are just here to check for any leakage or contamination.”

  “So, that is why my back is burning?” She swallowed.

  “Yes. Your nervous system was damaged, and you might have difficulty walking or moving around in general. We will check on you and let you know.”

  “Great. Can I help?” She tugged at the cuffs.

  “No. We just want to make sure that you aren’t being affected by the radiation. I mean, it is in you, and it does tend to kill humans, so we just need to check the degradation level.”

  The attendants settled a scanner over her, and it began to take its readings.

  Allura swallowed. “So, I am dying.”

  “We are all dying, but you are doing it faster than you should, yes.”

  Allura looked at the full environmental suits around her. “Yeah, I am getting that idea.”

  She waited for them to run their scans because she couldn’t do anything else. This was part of the life of a defender. She had to trust that they would do what was best for her. It was the only thing she could cling to.

  * * * *

  Andros Korako tried to keep control of his shuttle, but the micro meteors had shredded holes in his major systems as his vehicle dropped through layers of atmosphere toward a lush green expanse.

  He had resigned himself to never seeing his beloved eldest daughter again when a black cloud snaked upward and caught his shuttle. The cloud eased him down to the surface and gave him a soft landing that he wasn’t expecting.

  Covered in sweat, his hands shaking, he staggered out of the shuttle and out onto the ground. The dark cloud remained in his vicinity, and he decided to follow it back to its point of origin. He owed someone a thank you.

  When he was several meters away, he looked back and looked at the smouldering piece of equipment that had been the sole means of support for his family. Even if he could survive long enough for someone to send him home, they had nothing. His family would scatter.

  Andros rubbed his forehead. His wife did so love to live above their means. He should have been retired years ago.

  The tendrils of darkness retreated back toward a structure that was concealed by the fog. When he got closer, he could see that it was a beautifully constructed castle. The fields to either side were a neatly arranged mix of fat grain-heads and softly petalled flowers. It was lovely and obviously well-tended.

  The coils of darkness kept pace with him, and soon, he was at the door to the castle. He raised his fist to knock and waited before saying, “Hello? Is there anyone here who can help me?”

  Small bots on the ground waved their arms until he made eye contact with their lenses, and then, they scurried down a hall. He was apparently supposed to follow.

  He walked after them and passed some of the most heartrendingly beautiful artwork on the walls, standing in the hallway, statues in alcoves that made his heart weep, and then, he was escorted into a chamber. The doors opened, and an elegant feast was laid out for him, every piece of porcelain and silver was precisely positioned, and the food was hot, steam was rising.

  Andros forgot his manners, and he sat in the chair, serving himself and eating greedily. After the first few bites, he took note that there was a figure made of shadows at the other end of the table.

  Andros sat up and swallowed in a suddenly dry mouth. “Apologies. I should have waited for an invitation.”

  The shadows moved and roiled. “Your apology is accepted. Please, enjoy your meal.”

  Andros nodded. “You are my host?”

  “I am the collector. I accumulate beauty, and my people use it as templates.”

  He swallowed. “Your... people?”

  The creature chuckled. “Yes. I believe you call us... Others.”

  Andros’s blood went cold. His daughter was off fighting the Others, and not a day went by that he didn’t worry about Bella’s safety. “Others?”

  The figure made another amused sound. “Indeed. I believe that your people are at war with mine for certain worlds.”

  Andros swallowed. “Is that why I was brought here?”

  “Hardly. I need more information, and you will send it to me.”

  Andros leaned back in his chair. “What?”

  “When you leave here, you will be in a device that will lock on to the most beautiful thing you know. You will send that object to me. If it is a flower, you will dig it up to preserve the roots, if it is a statue, you will preserve it and set it in the shuttle. If it is a living thing, set it in the pod inside the shuttle, and the shuttle will care for it during the trip. It is very simple, and I have enacted this many times. When the shuttle departs your home with the
item of beauty, the device will break apart, and you will be free.”

  Andros frowned. “What if I try to remove the device?”

  “It will explode. If you try to deny me the object that you perceive as the most beautiful, it will explode. If you try and tamper with it, it will explode. If you are home for more than five days without sending me anything, it will explode. Are we clear?”

  Andros’s pulse thundered in his veins. He looked for a way out.

  His host said, “But, that is for tomorrow. Tonight, eat your fill. Rest. When you wake, you will know what to do. It is rare that I get to speak to someone, and I wish to know more of your people.”

  The tendrils of shadow poured Andros some wine and moved the plates closer.

  “So, Andros Korako, what kind of a merchant are you?”

  Andros took the wine and downed it in one long draught. The tendrils poured him another cup, and he explained about the market for luxury goods while he ate.

  The shadowy figure’s red eyes glowed as the sun went down, and the shadows took over. He lost track of the questions as the creature questioned him, but when the world went dark, he wished that it would be forever. Waking with a bomb on him terrified him to the bone.

  * * * *

  Allura watched her friends cavort at the bar. After weeks of investigation and sampling, it had been determined that she wasn’t dangerous to others and only had a few months to live.

  “Come on, Allura. Now that you are being retired marry me and live with me in my villa.” Lexo crooned it in her ear.

  “What about your other three wives? I think they might have something to say if you bring home your battle partner.”

  Lexo grumbled. “I can’t believe you remembered such a small detail.”

  “It is rather a salient point when you keep trying to get me into bed. I don’t share.” She looked at the beverage that a friend had pressed into her hand, and she set it on the table.

  “But, I am such a generous lover and benefactor. I could keep you in comfort for decades.”

  She snorted. Her diagnosis was classified. “That won’t be necessary.”

  The men suddenly got tired of stumbling drunkenly and converged on them. They raised their glasses. “To the truce!”

  Allura lifted her glass. “To the truce.”

  Another man shouted, “To Thunder and Lightning.”

  Allura toasted Lexo. “To us.”

  Lexo’s fast temper and eagerness to strike first had given him his name. She was the sound and fury that had to follow and fix his problems. Lightning was going to be on his own now.

  She sipped, and the guys didn’t give her a hard time. Since she was injured, she had been the recipient of so much big brother-style care that she was eager to get home where her mother would boss her around, and her sisters would run to her. It would be a good place to spend her remaining time.

  The men recounted her being struck by the blast, falling with Lexo, and then standing up and dragging him to safety with her eyes glowing white. She had seen the videos but hadn’t really grasped how striking her recovery had been. The Others had agreed to speak to the head of the forces immediately, and the truce had begun. She wasn’t even in the med bay when peace had broken out.

  Lexo tried to follow her back to her quarters, but she simply told him to get bent, gathered her bag, and left the base. Her ride to the spaceport got her on an express freighter, and three days and several gates later, she was home.

  She walked home from the port, her pack over her shoulder, and just a low ache in her spine. Her mom saw her coming and grinned, waving frantically from the window. Her two sisters came barrelling out, and she was hugged tight. Her mother approached at a more sedate pace, but the hug was no less ferocious.

  “Bella, you look so pale! And you didn’t tell us you were coming! Are you on leave?”

  She smiled. “I have gotten an honourable discharge. The situation on Ilumiat is over. The non-essential troops are being offered retirement.” It was fairly accurate. She was definitely non-essential at this moment. “Where’s Dad?”

  Her mother sighed. “Oh, you know your father. He is flitting here and there in search of trade goods. He should have been back yesterday, but one day isn’t a huge delay.”

  Bella smiled slightly. “Of course. There is a lot of traffic through the gates; he was probably just caught in a lineup.”

  Her mother smiled, and her features relaxed. “Of course, he is.”

  Bella nodded, and they headed back into the house. It was time for tea and cake. She would get into the traffic-controls systems and look for her father later when no one was watching.

  Everyone was in bed, but Bella couldn’t sleep. Sleep had been elusive since her injury, and with worry about her father keeping her up, it was impossible.

  She kept her eyes on the sky. Her father’s shuttle had disappeared from satellite records four days earlier. She stared up and saw a dark shadow concealing a star. The shadow moved, and soon, she could make out a shuttle of a strangely sleek configuration. The vessel didn’t head for the spaceport. It landed in the meadow beyond her family home.

  Bella was halfway there when it landed.

  She ran to the shuttle and looked for the door or access hatch. A hatch opened, and a bizarre variety of exotic items emerged on a conveyor belt and cascaded gently to the grass. She touched the side of the shuttle, and a door slid aside, allowing her in.

  “Oh my...” She recognized the configuration. It was Other. But, the Others didn’t build ships, did they? Well, they must have, or they wouldn’t have small colonies on the most desirable worlds in the star systems.

  In the corner of the interior was a cycling stasis pod. She walked up to it and gasped. “Dad?”

  He was wearing an interrogation helmet. She had seen them before. If his brain registered an untruth, boom. She watched the pod counting down, and she crossed her fingers that he wouldn’t lie to her.

  The pod opened, and she touched his shoulders, moving her fingers to his neck and sighing at the steady throb of a pulse. “Hey, Dad. Wake up.”

  Her father’s eyes opened through the visor, and a wondering expression crossed his features.

  The visor pinged. “Requirement unlocked. Please deliver the object to the shuttle in the next twenty-four hours.”

  “Bella, oh, no, no, no.” Tears filled his eyes and streamed down under the visor.

  She held his hands and helped him out of the pod. “Tell me what they did to you.”

  So, she listened as he told her about the shuttle, the meteor, the Other, and the requirement. When she realized that here was a chance to die away from the eyes of her family, she came to an easy decision. “I will go, Dad. Don’t worry about me.”

  He shook his head. “You are young. It is my duty to take on this burden.”

  “Dad, it will blow your head off. Just let me go. I don’t have long anyway.” Truth had always been part and parcel of their relationship.

  She was forced to explain, and he was silent for long minutes.

  “So, you are dying.”

  “Yeah.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her. She waited until he was calm, and she smiled. “It is better that I go out being a pain in the ass to an Other than a burden on you and Mom. By the way, this ship dumped a year’s worth of trade outside. You and she will do well when my pension is calculated. I will make sure that the Other notifies you when I pass.”

  He held her hands. “I don’t want you to go.”

  She smiled. “I am not fond of the idea either, but I have seen everybody one last time, and now, I am ready for whatever happens next.”

  Her dad squeezed her hands. “I don’t want you to go.”

  She smiled. “Maybe I can make a call after a while. At least I didn’t die on some other world with no way to tell you what had happened. This is my choice. He saved you, Dad. Don’t forget that. He kept you from crash
ing. He fed you and sheltered you. Yes, he attached a device to your skull, but they don’t lie. It will come off the moment that I am in that pod instead of you.”

  She pulled out her last option. “Dad, do this for me. Please.”

  His eyes teared up again, and when he was done, she walked him to the door of the shuttle, and the moment he was free of it, the door closed.

  “Subject, will please enter the pod.” This voice was different. The headgear had a feminine tone; this one was masculine.

  She nodded, assuming that the interior was lined with cameras, and settled in the pod. She had been in stasis once before, but she had only thought about the biting cold when her mind was filled with light, and sleep claimed her.

  Chapter Two

  Shadows curled around her and carried her out of the shuttle and through a cool night. Bella came to during the transport, and she tried to look around. She couldn’t. The tendrils of the Other that held her kept her supported and stable. That did not allow for movement.

  She looked at the night sky and tried to determine her location via the stars and planets that were visible. Her problem arose when she couldn’t see them.

  The tendrils of shadow pulled her through the open archway of the castle and down a labyrinthine corridor, settling her on something that she was familiar with. A bed. A lovely and large bed.

  The male voice spoke again, “Rest until morning. You will eat with me in the main hall. Clothing is in the wardrobe.”

  She waited until the cool press of shadow on her skin was gone, and then, she sat up. She flexed her hands and slowly looked around. The room she was in was huge. Everything was elegant and graceful. The wardrobe was full of gowns that matched the same description and slippers that matched each of the gowns. She was to be a dress-up doll for as long as she lasted.