River's Run (Lords of Kassis: Book 1) Read online

  River’s Run

  By S. E. Smith

  With thanks to:

  My husband, Steve, for believing in me and being proud enough of me to give me the courage to follow my dream. A special thanks to my sister and best friend, Linda, who not only encouraged me to write but read it as well.

  -S. E. Smith

  By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, please get a refund for this book. It is designed for the entertainment of mature readers only.

  IMPRINT: Science Fiction Romance

  RIVER’S RUN

  Copyright © 2011 by Susan E. Smith

  First E-Book Publication February 2011

  Cover Design by

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is strictly coincidental.

  Synopsis

  River Knight was looking forward to a peaceful vacation in the mountains with her two best friends, Jo and Star, sisters of the heart. When she travels up into the mountains of North Carolina to the cabin Star has rented for them she is shocked when she finds the two sisters being abducted. Following them, she discovers their abductors are anything but human.

  Sneaking aboard the shuttle in an attempt to rescue them she finds herself on an unplanned vacation to the stars. In a desperate attempt to save Jo and Star, River makes a deal with a group of other aliens who had also been captured – she’ll release them if they promise to return the three girls to their home.

  Torak Ja Kel Coradon, Leader of the House of Kassis and next ruler of the Kassis Galaxy, has other plans when he sees the blue-eyed warrior woman. He plans on claiming her for himself and the only home he has plans on her returning too is his.

  The three women are believed to be the Prophesized warriors sent to join forces to bring peace to the House of Kassis. Worlds collide when the male dominated world meets three circus performers who use their talents to fight for those they love.

  When an assassin threatens Torak’s life, River has to show him even a circus performer can be a warrior when challenged. The biggest challenge is to Torak’s mind as he discovers women from other galaxies are more than they seem.

  Can their love overcome the chasm of a few million light years or will an assassin end it all?

  Chapter 1

  “I’ll be there. It might be late by the time I get there but I’ll be there, I promise.” River said sitting on the bed in the hotel she had just arrived at in California.

  “Do you swear, River?” Star asked anxiously. She was twirling her shoulder length brown hair around her finger and looking at her older sister, Jo. She had been trying to get through to River Knight for the past two days.

  “I swear, Star.” River laughed. “And tell Jo she still owes me for the last time we got together.”

  Star grinned at Jo giving her the thumbs up sign. They had been trying to get the three of them together for the past year.

  “She’s coming!” Star said excitedly wrapping her arms around Jo’s neck and dancing around.

  River let out a tired sigh rolling her shoulders around to ease the tension. She had a lot to do in the next couple of days if she was going to meet up with her two best friends. She grinned. They were really more like sisters to her. They were her only family now. She had grown up traveling with the circus and had met them when their parents had joined when she was five. The Strauss Family Flyers were known for their high-wire acts. When Star and Jo’s parents retired several years ago it became the Strauss Flying Sisters. River’s parent did just about everything from tight-rope walking to the high-wire to River’s specialty, knife throwing acts. River had been born into the life of a circus performer just as Jo and Star had been.

  They grew up moving from town to town, country to country, nomads in a modern world. The life had actually been very fulfilling. They were very well loved and protected. Their schooling consisted of learning a wide variety of languages, as well as, learning how to do all types of incredible tricks. They had more parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles than any girl could ever imagine having. It had hurt when River’s parents were killed in a hotel fire during one of their stops when she was seventeen but her circus family had gathered around her and supported her.

  Two years ago, Jo and Star decided they were tired of all the traveling and accepted jobs with Circus of the Stars in Florida. They bought a condo and loved the stability of living in one place. River continued traveling with the circus. At almost twenty-two, she was the youngest of the three. The circus had just finished a tour in Asia and she was glad to be home. The girls promised each other they would get together at least once a year. Last year, Jo convinced River to meet them at their condo where Jo produced at least a dozen different guys for River to meet. River knew what they were up too. They thought if they could get her interested in someone she would settle down. River still enjoyed traveling too much to put down roots. All the guys left her feeling awkward and clumsy which was ridiculous when you considered she could hit moving targets with a series of knives while gliding through the air held only by her ankles upside down.

  River just wasn’t comfortable around the opposite sex. She always felt a little different. It might be her appearance. She looked more like an elf. Oh, not one of Santa’s more like one from the Hobbit. She wasn’t real tall at five foot six but she was very willowy. She had thick dark brown hair that hung to her waist, pale skin, and huge dark, dark blue eyes outlined by thick dark lashes. Most people thought she wore colored contacts when they first met her. She usually wore dark sunglasses when she was out because her eyes were so different. She didn’t mind when she was performing, it helped with the mystic about her but out in public she would often be stopped and stared at. Her parents used to tease her saying she had been a gift from the stars, which she might have believed if her mom hadn’t had the same unusual eyes.

  River was glad they had decided to meet somewhere else this year. Star had picked out a cabin in the middle of nowhere. They were supposed to meet up in the mountains of North Carolina in two days. River was still in California so she had to make arrangements for a flight. She called Ricki who did all the travel plans for the circus and within an hour she had all her flight arrangements done including her e-ticket and leased car. The joy about Ricki making the arrangements was River didn’t have to worry about the usual restrictions for car rentals. Everything went through the company.

  Pulling a big, black bag that resembled a duffle bag onto the bed, River opened it to look at her collection of knives carefully packed. She was very, very picky about her knives. They were her life, literally. She had been tossing, juggling, and throwing them since she could walk. Some of the acts her dad taught her had never been performed by anyone else in the world. She was known as the best of the best when it came to anything involving a blade. Making sure everything had survived the shipping from Asia she couldn’t help but laugh when it had gone through customs on both sides of the ocean. Ricki had been there to take care of everything, thank God. Now, River had the next three months off as the circus broke for a much needed rest. She would spend most of it at the cabin Star had rented practicing new acts.

  Closing the bag, she finished packing her other belongings before getting ready for bed. She was so looking forward to the peace and quiet of the mountains.
/>   Everything worked out well. She made the flight and for once she didn’t have to produce documentation about her duffle bag. She had gone ahead and checked all her baggage so she wouldn’t have to deal with it in the cabin of the plane on the long flight. After she plugged in her iPhone and placed her sunglasses firmly on her head she was left blissfully alone for almost seven hours.

  Picking up her two bags she placed them in the trunk of the black SUV and began the three hour drive up into the mountains. She wouldn’t get there until after midnight. It was a warm evening but she couldn’t resist driving with the windows down. She loved the freedom of the wind blowing through the window. She stopped for gas and a quick bite to eat an hour out as she didn’t want Jo or Star to feel like they needed to cook for her so late. She couldn’t suppress the thrill at seeing them. She did miss them so much. No one could separate them during their teenage years and River being two years under than Star who was a year younger than Jo had always been the one to be protected the most.

  There was a full moon and the gravel road was lit up as River pulled up toward the cabin. The road for the past ten miles had been winding around and around the mountain. Star told her to park in the garage which was located below the cabin. She would have to tote her stuff up a narrow path to the cabin. River found the garage with no problems and pulled in next to Jo’s SUV with Florida tags. River grinned when she read the bumper sticker saying ‘Flyers did It Better.’ Grabbing her black duffle bag in one arm and her smaller carrier in her other she quietly pushed the button to close the trunk. She bent down and pulled one of her smaller knives out of the bag to slide in her boot. She didn’t know what types of animals lived in the mountains but if she was walking through the woods at night she wanted at least one knife on her for protection. Moving out under the bright moon she was glad she had worn her black jeans and put on her black sweater to ward off the cooler mountain air. She would have glowed in any of her other jackets with their rhinestones.

  Walking along the moonlit path up to the cabin, River was enjoying the peace and quiet until a scream ripped the air followed by a second one. River froze for a moment before she dropped her bags and took off at a run towards the cabin. She skidded to a halt behind a tree when she heard what appeared to be a growl. Reaching down to her boot, she pulled a knife from the sleeve hidden inside it. Moving up toward the front porch, she jerked back when the door suddenly opened and a huge figure moved out onto it. She crouched down so she wouldn’t be seen. Peeking around the corner, her breath caught in her throat when she realized more than one huge creature was coming out of the cabin. She counted three of them, two of them appeared to be carrying something wrapped in blankets.

  River shook with fear as she watched the huge creature turn at the bottom of the stairs. Its face, if you could call it that, was elongated and had what looked like green scaly skin. It turned and hissed at the other two. As they moved down the steps, River almost fainted when she saw Star’s arm hanging limply down its back. The creatures started moving down another path on the far side of the cabin. River slid the knife back in her boot and took off toward the path she had just come from. If she was going to try to save them she needed more than the one knife in her boot. Sliding on the leaves, she grabbed her black duffle bag and took off running after the creatures. She didn’t have any idea what she would do when she caught up with them.

  River rounded the cabin cautiously before moving down the path on the other side of the cabin. She could hear them moving up ahead of her. She moved silently keeping as close as she could to the trees so the shadows would help hide her. They moved at a lumbering pace their long legs took twice the step hers did. She froze suddenly when one of them stopped and turned around. Keeping her head down so her face wouldn’t be as visible, she held her breath. After what seemed like hours, the creature hissed at the one leading them and turned to move down the path again.

  River followed them for almost two miles before they came to a clearing. She stood frozen behind a tree as she watched them move into what appeared to be some type of space ship. It was almost as long as a football field. The two creatures carrying her friends moved up a platform that was opened in the back. River could see lights shining dimly in the interior. The one leading hissed at the two as they moved up the ramp but it remained outside the spaceship. A few minutes later the two creatures returned. A loud noise off to the left side of the ship suddenly caught their attention. All three hissed out and took off running towards the woods.

  River shook with fear as she moved toward the spaceship keeping an eye on the woods where the creatures had disappeared. She didn’t know if there were any more in the spaceship or not but she knew she needed to get to her friends and get them out. Pulling her duffle bag straps over her shoulders, she slowly climbed up the ramp casting quick glances all around her. Moving up the ramp she saw a narrow corridor leading to a larger opening. Moving swiftly through the corridor she glanced around the interior of the spaceship. In front of her was another corridor that looked like it led to the front of the space ship. On each side of her there were a series of seats with what appeared to be storage compartments above and below them. Chained to two of the seats were Jo and Star, both of them were unconscious. River moved towards them with a silent cry. She put her hands on their cheeks and gave a sigh of relief when she felt their warm breath against her palms.

  “Jo, Star, wake up. Please, wake up.” River called out softly. She looked at their wrists and noticed they were both chained to a metal bar between the seats. She gripped their wrists to look for where the key went in to see if she could pick it. All three of them were good at picking locks. Marcus the Magnificent, the most famous magician in the world, had shown all three girls how to pick locks before they had learned how to ride a bike. She twisted the cuff on Jo’s wrist around and around but didn’t see where a key would fit into it. Jo gave a slight groan as River moved the cuff.

  “Jo, wake up. It’s me, River. Please wake up.” River softly said again.

  “River?” Jo whispered. Jo’s eyes suddenly flew open in horror. “River, you have to run. Run, River. Don’t let them get you.” Her eyes flew back and forth as she struggled to free herself.

  “I can’t leave you and Star. We have to get out of here.” River whispered back.

  “There isn’t time.” Jo said as her eyes filled with tears. She looked at Star who was still unconscious. “Oh Star.”

  “Come on. You have to help me figure out how to get these off you before they come back.” River whispered frantically. She pulled the knife from her boot and tried to pry at the metal.

  “Where are we?” Jo asked weakly.

  “It looks like some kind of spaceship.” River replied softly. “The creatures that had you and Star carried you here. I don’t know what they are. What happened?” River asked. She was trying to keep Jo occupied while she worked on the cuff. There had to be some way to get it off them. If she had more time she knew she could figure it out. There was always a way.

  “I don’t know. We were waiting up for you. I heard a noise and thought you might need some help but when I opened the door to the cabin it was to those creatures. I screamed and tried to close the door but it just ripped it right off the hinges. Star ran for the bedroom but one of them caught her and she fainted. I don’t remember much after that. They put something across my mouth and everything went dark.” Jo whispered hoarsely. She began shivering uncontrollably.

  “They’re coming back! I can hear them. Run, River, run.” Jo began crying softly now.

  “Never. I won’t leave you.” River said sliding her knife back into her boot.

  Looking around, she dropped down to pull open one of the compartments under the seats. It was filled with boxes of some type. Moving to another she hurriedly opened and closed them until she found one in the corner that was empty. Removing her duffle bag she slid down feet first into the compartment pulling her duffle bag in front of her then reached over and closed the compartm
ent. Jo stared at River before nodding. River would not abandon them, ever. Closing her eyes, Jo let the darkness of unconsciousness take her away from the fearful creatures boarding the spaceship.

  Chapter 2

  River looked out the front of the spaceship she had stowed away on for what seemed like the millionth time. It turned out the spaceship the creatures used on Earth was just a shuttle to a much, much larger ship. Once they docked with the larger ship the creatures carried Jo and Star out. River remained in hiding until she felt sure all the creatures had left the shuttle. Now, she moved about the empty shuttle trying to get familiar with what she had gotten herself into and waiting for the shuttle area to clear out a little.

  Peeking out the front view panel, River watched as about ten of the creatures moved containers about. She watched as the one creature who she suspected was the leader of the shuttle crew who had taken Jo and Star argued with another one who was almost twice as big as it was. The bigger creature hissed loudly and pointed at Jo and Star’s unconscious bodies wrapped tightly in the blankets. The smaller creature hissed something back then flinched with the other one roared. The other two creatures took a step back and looked like they would have preferred to have been anywhere but there. Finally the huge creature hissed something at the two holding River’s friends and they followed him. The other creature just hissed and left the shuttle bay by another exit.