Chapter 1

one

. . .

Katarina

Darkness engulfed me as I regained consciousness. My heart raced, and I gasped for breath, the air thin and stale. Where was I? Panic bubbled up as I groped around blindly, my fingers brushing against cool metal. A pod of some kind?

The memory slammed into me - the alien abduction from Earth. Impossible, yet the proof surrounded me in this cramped prison. I pounded on the sides, screaming until my throat burned, but no one came. Tears streamed down my face. This couldn't be happening…

Suddenly, a tremendous force jolted the pod, throwing me against the wall. An explosion boomed outside, followed by a rending screech of tearing metal. Alarms blared and crimson emergency lights flashed. The pod shuddered violently, then weightlessness took hold. My stomach lurched into my throat as I realized we must be plummeting from the sky. This is it, I thought wildly, squeezing my eyes shut. I'm going to die.

WHAM! The pod slammed into the ground, jarring every bone in my body before rolling and tumbling. The force flung me about like a rag doll, causing me to cry out. Finally, it came to rest with a creaking groan. Hissing gas began filling the cabin. Frantically, I felt around for any kind of opening mechanism. There! My fingers caught on a latch. I pulled with all my strength.

The door burst open, and I spilled out onto damp soil, coughing and sputtering. Dragging myself away from the noxious fumes, I collapsed onto my back, sucking in deep lungfuls of crisp, clean air. A canopy of unfamiliar stars glimmered overhead, no light pollution to obscure their alien beauty. Where the hell was I?

I pushed up on wobbly arms to survey the surroundings. My pod had carved a deep scar across a grassy field, bits of burning debris scattered in its wake. Dark, dense forest loomed in the distance. No other pods in sight - only mine had ejected? Worry gnawed at me as I thought of the other abducted women. Had they survived the crash?

A guttural roar shattered the night, raising every hair on my neck. Something big crashed through the underbrush, heading straight for me. I scrambled to my feet, pulse thundering.

Another menacing growl warned me I wouldn't outrun the creature. Frantically, I searched for a weapon. A twisted shard of metal glinted nearby. I snatched it up just as a massive form exploded from the trees.

My scream died in my throat. The beast was like nothing on Earth. Towering over me on two muscular legs, it had the powerful, fur-covered body of a lion, but where its head should be, the fierce face of an eagle stared me down. Piercing amber eyes bored into mine as it spread enormous feathered wings and lashed a serpentine tail tipped with wickedly sharp spines.

A griffin, my stunned mind supplied, dredging up half-forgotten mythology. But no myth ever mentioned the alien intelligence gleaming in those predatory eyes, or the très-chic tool belt slung around its waist.

The creature took a step closer, razor-sharp talons gouging the earth. I brandished my pitiful weapon. "S-stay back!" My hand reached behind my left ear, where my captors placed a language chip implant. I vaguely remember it from the reptilian aliens that quickly put me to sleep when I woke up too early. It stung, but it enabled me to speak to the griffin.

To my shock, it paused, cocking its head. "You are a human female," it said in perfect English. "From the slave ship?"

I gaped. It talked? "I... I don't know about any slave ship. I was abducted from-" Horrified realization sank in. Slave ship. A shudder ripped through me.

The griffin nodded. "I am Thaumas Leion'ct. Lord Thaumas Leion'ct. I mean you no harm." Piercing eyes flicked to my makeshift knife. "You can put that down."

"Not likely," I muttered, but I lowered it slightly. If he wanted to hurt me, he'd have done it already. "I'm Katarina. Katarina Mayberry. What planet is this? I need to find the other women from the ship."

"This is Reazus Prime," Thaumas replied. "An...unconventional world, you might say." His raptor gaze scanned the wreckage of my pod. "I saw no other pods descend. Likely the ship broke apart in orbit."

My heart plummeted. "So I'm alone here." Desperation clawed at me. "I have to get back to Earth! My family, my life..." I knew how pathetic that sounded. What life? A dead-end job, crushing debt, a family that barely acknowledged my existence. Some American dream.

Thaumas made a sympathetic noise. "That will be difficult. This planet is far from Earth, and we have limited contact with the Terran system." He hesitated. "I know this must be overwhelming. If you wish, I can guide you to the nearest settlement. You'll be safe there while you get your bearings."

I bit my lip. Could I really trust this fearsome alien griffin I'd just met? Then again, what choice did I have? "All right," I said cautiously. "Lead the way."

As we hiked through the dense forest, Thaumas explained more about Reazus Prime. "It began as a prison planet," he said, ducking beneath a low-hanging branch. "But over time, the descendants of the original convicts built a new society here."

"So it's a whole planet of criminals?" I asked, fighting to keep up with his long strides.

He chuckled. "Not exactly. More like a haven for outcasts and misfits from across the galaxy. Pirates, mercenaries, rogue scientists, exiled nobility - all are welcome here, as long as they play by the rules."

I frowned. "What rules?"

"The first rule of Reazus Prime? There are no rules." At my alarmed look, he flashed a toothy grin. "I jest. In truth, the only real law is this: mind your own business and no one gets hurt."

"How reassuring," I muttered.

As the twin moons rose overhead, we reached the outskirts of a sprawling town. Ramshackle buildings of wood, stone, and metal jumbled together haphazardly, linked by winding dirt roads. Raucous laughter and discordant music spilled from the open doorways, while strange, spicy scents wafted on the breeze.

Thaumas paused at the edge of the settlement. "This is where I leave you," he said, something unreadable in his expression. "The Rusty Scupper Inn has rooms for rent. Mention my name and Grix will give you a fair price."

Sudden anxiety clenched my stomach. "Wait! Will I see you again? I don't have any money."

His amber eyes softened. "Ask for a job as well. They'll pay you in Galactic Credits and you can pay your room rent with that. I patrol this area regularly. I'm sure our paths will cross." He stepped closer, gently taking my hand in his warm, calloused grip. "Stay safe, Katarina Mayberry. Reazus Prime can be dangerous for a human female."

With that, he spread his majestic wings and vaulted into the night sky. I watched him soar away until he disappeared among the stars, already feeling the loss of his steady presence.

Squaring my shoulders, I turned and marched into the alien town, determined to make a place for myself in this strange new world. My old life on Earth was gone, but maybe, just maybe, I could build a better one here. My adventure was just beginning.

The moment I stepped into the dimly lit tavern, a wall of noise and odor overwhelmed me. Dozens of alien species packed the space, drinking, gambling and arm-wrestling. A hulking, reptilian bartender eyed me suspiciously as I approached.

"I need a room," I said, raising my voice over the din. "Thaumas Leion'ct said you'd give me a fair price."

The bartender growled, forked tongue flickering. "Did he now? And what's a scrawny human doing with the likes of him?"

"None of your business," I retorted, channeling a bravado I didn't feel. "How much for a room?"

He glowered, but named a price. I counted out the unfamiliar currency Thaumas had given me and pushed it across the bar. "I'll also need a job. Any leads?"

Sneering, he gestured to a corkboard bristling with crudely written notices. I scanned the postings - freighter pilot, plasma cannon repairman, spice smuggler. Nothing that matched my meager skill set. Then one flyer caught my eye:

Wanted: Tavern wench. No experience necessary. Must be attractive, human-sized and able to work flexible hours.

I ripped it from the board, pulse tripping. A wench? Talk about a job Americans won't do. But beggars couldn't be choosers, and my Earth skills as a lab tech were useless on Reazus Prime. Luckily, I spent two years bartending for a resort while finishing my now useless medical degree. This was my best shot at making enough Galactic Credits to survive. I marched back to the bar.

The bartender chortled when he saw the flyer. "Little human wants to be a wench? Do you even know what that entails?"

I lifted my chin. "Making drinks? Taking orders? I'll learn."

He guffawed. "Oh, you'll learn all right. Pray you can handle it, girl. Reazus Prime eats your kind alive." Still chuckling darkly, he slid a rusty skeleton key my way. "Second floor, third door on the left. Be ready to start tonight."

Snatching the key, I stomped up the creaky stairs to find my new room. It was sparse, but clean, with a bed, desk and window overlooking the town square. I unzipped my Earth jumpsuit - my only reminder of my old life - and shimmied into the gauzy outfit the bartender had grudgingly provided. The neckline plunged, and the skirt barely covered my essentials. A blush heated my cheeks. If Mom could see me now...

Giving myself a stern once-over in the tarnished mirror, I finger-combed my mussed hair and pinched some color into my cheeks. You can do this, Kat. These aliens won't know what hit them.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I sent a silent prayer of thanks to Thaumas for bringing me to safety. I didn't know if I'd ever see my fierce, noble rescuer again, but I desperately hoped I would. Something about his warm gaze and steady strength made my heart flutter behind my ribs.

But I couldn't dwell on that now. Opening night jitters shivered through me as I clattered downstairs to the rowdy taproom. Time to see if Katarina Mayberry, a former nobody, had what it took to be the galaxy's best tavern wench.

Ready or not, it was showtime.