Read Alien Conquest: (The Warrior's Prize) An Alien SciFi Romance for Free Online

the violet-eyed Errai, who stood still, glaring up at the balcony, at her, in what Alaina could only think of as disgust. She wasn’t sure which was worse. Desire or disgust, from any of these creatures.
    Lennai clapped some more, pleased with herself, and then lifted her hands again. The line of gladiators fell silent.
    “Back to your training,” she called, her voice sing-songy.
    The line of gladiators broke apart and they went back to their sparring. Save for that one Errai, who Alaina simply could not stop looking at, though he scared the shit out of her. He kept looking up at the balcony, at Alaina, and she stared back at him, until Lennai took her arm and pulled her towards the balcony doors.
    “Now that we’ve motivated them,” Lennai was saying. “Let’s get you prepared.”
    “P-prepared?” Alaina stammered.
    “Yes. The games are tomorrow. You will be given the rest of the solar to rest and clean yourself properly. You’ll be given new clothes and styled to my liking, and then you’ll join me in the morning when I go to the Arena, and sit beside me to watch the games. Isn’t that generous?”
    “I…” No fucking way . “...yes.”
    “Being a donara is a great honor,” Lennai chatted on. “You’re very lucky. Any number of slaves in this house would kill for it.” She looked at Alaina, and Alaina realized her eyes were yellow, sunset against the fire of her hair. “I am being very kind to you, human.”
    Alaina managed to get the words, “Thank you,” out of her mouth.
    Lennai smiled, and it was almost serpentine. “If you do well as donara, really anything could happen.”
    “How do I do well?”
    “You please the cursii, and they win fights for me, bring glory to themselves and to my house, and to you.”
    “I see.”
    Lennai laughed, leading her down a corridor away from the balcony instead of back up the stairs. “It’s better than pouring wine, believe me.”
    “And how exactly am I meant to please them?” Alaina asked.
    Lennai arched an eyebrow at her. “However they want you to, Alaina. A donara is a gift slave. Obviously. If they want to bed you, they bed you. If they want you to wash them, you wash them. If they want to weep into your hair, you let them. Whatever they want. Understand?”
    Alaina’s stomach turned. “Yes.”
    “Good.”
    So Rua had made good on his promise after all. Not a bed slave to just one master, but apparently a bed slave to possibly dozens, depending on who won in the games. And how many games they had. And how long Alaina lived to be given, again and again, to the gladiators. Gift slave . It was disgusting. There was no honor or glory in slavery in being given, no value in a life without personhood. Alaina hated this place and these people, these creatures , and she knew then she could not stay here. Whatever the risk, she had to escape.
    Lennai escorted her through another portcullis, another locked gate, into what Alaina assumed were the slaves’ quarters. The room she was given was small but comfortable, with a bed and a writing desk, her own bathroom, and a small porthole looking out at the stars. It also had a door that closed, which Alaina saw was not always the case, because room after room that they’d passed on the way had no doors at all.
    “Dinner will be brought to you in a few hours,” Lennai said. “And I will not step foot in this room again. From now on, the head slave, Gurun, will fetch you when I desire your presence. Do as he bids, for he is my arm down here. The rest of the solar you may pass in solitude, and Gurun will wake you and prepare you. I will see you bright and early —and ready— in the morning.”
    “Yes, domina,” Alaina muttered.
    Lennai left it at that, and left the room, clearly more than eager to get out of the slaves quarters. Alaina, spent of her courage and hope, and completely out of her depth, shut the door, sat down on the bed, and put her face into her hands to cry.
     

Chapter Five
    The cursii