Warrior's Curse Read online

  “No…” She shook her head against the inevitable. “Don’t do this to me.”

  “Dad will be approaching you with a formal request, but if you can’t do it for your country and your planet, could you do it for me? Please? Don’t leave me to go there alone.” Helena’s voice quivered. For all her bravado, she was scared, Rhianna realized.

  Helena would never say, “You owe me,” but Rhianna did. Her acceptance by the other students at the university, the contacts she’d developed, the scholarship for her master’s degree, the job offer at the State Department—so many opportunities had come about directly or indirectly because of Helena’s friendship and the association with the powerful Marshfields. Of course, opportunities and jobs would become meaningless if Earth got scorched into cinders and ash. But her parents, her brother would be safe because they were in a government bunker, thanks to the Marshfields.

  She owed them for that, too.

  If she could avert a war by going to Draco, didn’t she have to do it?

  “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy, another dead president had said that, and Rhianna believed in the premise with all her heart. What kind of a person would she be if she spouted patriotic platitudes then ran and hid when called upon to serve?

  Her stomach fluttered as she recalled the prince’s teasing golden eyes. I could eat you. Not playful. Calculating. He’d been like a cat toying with a mouse before pouncing and killing it. And not any old cat, a tiger that couldn’t be tamed into a kitten. A dragon.

  Speak softly and carry a big stick. She hoped the government would heed President Theodore Roosevelt’s advice. If this plan to mollify their enemies by providing the prince with a consort didn’t work, hopefully Earth’s plan B included military action. Would it be enough? Could they fight and win?

  “What are the plans for getting us off Draco if the situation goes south?”

  “So you’ll do it? You’ll come with me? Thank you! Thank you!” Helena grabbed Rhianna in a boa constrictor hug.

  She patted her friend’s back. “Before I say yes, I have to know there are rescue plans.” That I can come home if I want.

  “Yes, there are rescue plans. The security advisor will brief you on everything you need to know. Thank you. Thank you.”

  If they survived, this time Helena would owe her.

  * * * *

  Find out what happens when Rhianna and Helena go to meet the alien dragons in Under Fyre (Alien Dragon Shifters 1), available everywhere.

  Under Fyre Blurb

  Betrayed by her people, does she dare trust a dragon?

  The alien dragon shapeshifters who discover Earth come in peace—at first. Then, inexplicably, they threaten to attack. In an attempt to show goodwill and appease the dragons, Earth sends a human woman to become a concubine to one of the Draconian king’s sons, Prince K’ev.

  K’ev would sooner give up his ability to breathe fire than accept a human, but when he meets Rhianna, sparks fly, and his dragon realizes she’s his mate.

  Rhianna falls for the hot-blooded prince, unaware she’s a key link in a desperate scheme to defeat the dragons, a strike that could backfire with devastating consequences. Will she figure out what Earth has planned in time to save her dragon mate? And if she does, will K’ev be able to save her planet from an angry king’s retaliation?

  Other Titles by Cara Bristol

  Alien Mate series

  Alien Mate (Book 1)

  Alien Attraction (Book 2)

  Alien Intention (Book 3)

  Alien Mischief

  Alien Mate Complete Series (Boxed Set)

  Dakonian Alien Mail-Order Brides

  Intergalactic Dating Agency

  Darak

  Aton

  Caid

  Cy-Ops Cyborg Romance series

  Stranded with the Cyborg (Book 1)

  Married to the Cyborg (Book 1.5)

  Mated with the Cyborg (Book 2)

  Captured by the Cyborg (Book 3)

  Trapped with the Cyborg (Book 4)

  Claimed by the Cyborg (Book 5)

  Rescued by the Cyborg (Book 5.5)

  Hunted by the Cyborg (Book 6)

  Breeder sci-fi romance series

  Breeder (Book 1)

  Terran (Book 2)

  Warrior (Book 3)

  Alien Dragon Shifters

  Under Fyre

  Under Fyre Prequel

  Other titles

  Destiny’s Chance

  Goddess’s Curse

  Longing

  Naughty Words for Nice Writers (A Romance Novel Thesaurus)

  Anthologies

  Portals

  Body Talk

  Audiobooks

  Stranded with the Cyborg

  Mated with the Cyborg

  Books in Print

  Alien Mate

  Captured by the Cyborg

  Claimed by the Cyborg

  Naughty Words for Nice Writers

  Get Married to the Cyborg here: http://carabristol.com/get-your-free-book/

  About Cara Bristol

  USA Today Bestselling Author Cara Bristol writes character driven science fiction romance with humor, heart, and heat. She loves introducing new readers to science fiction romance, and likes to say she writes sci-fi for readers who don’t like sci-fi. When she’s not writing (ha ha ha – she’s almost always writing) she enjoys traveling to exotic destinations and chillaxin’ with her favorite reality TV shows. Cara lives in Missouri with her own alpha hero, her husband.

  Cara’s Website: http://carabristol.com/

  Reader Newsletter: http://carabristol.com/get-your-free-book/

  BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cara-bristol

  Reader Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761424733891183/

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cara-Bristol-Romance-178661122147994/

  Twitter: @CaraBristol https://twitter.com/CaraBristol

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcarabristol/

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Other Titles by Cara Bristol

  About Cara Bristol