A must-listen prequel novella in the Stolen Warriors series from USA Today bestselling author Ella Maven. Contains mature themes.

My name is Alice, and I live in the Bugpocalypse. I survived my first post-apocalyptic winter, and spring is here. That’s bad news! With warm weather comes the endless swarms of deadly bugs. I need to forage for food, but there’s just one little problem. Okay, so “little” isn’t the best word to describe the fierce Xarc’n warrior who is obsessed with me. Kaj’k is freakin’ huge! And his sharp claws, pointy fangs, and massive horns are scary. I reject his gift of food and flowers, but my massively muscled alien hunter doesn’t get the hint.

We’d heard rumors about the Vandar raiders — everyone in the galaxy had. Terrifying and ruthless, they were a scourge on the Zagrath empire and destroyed everything in their path. Few had actually laid eyes on the Vandar or the notorious warlords who led their fleets of warships — and survived to talk about it. So, when the ruthless aliens boarded our ship intent on destroying it and killing the crew, I did the only thing I could do. I gave myself to the dark and menacing warlord. 

I signed up for a research mission with five other women. Instead, we crashed on an alien planet with too many dangers to count. Separated from the other women, I’m on my own until a huge alien with color-changing skin and a massive sword gets me out of a bad spot. I don’t understand Savair’s language, but I think he’s under the impression that I’m his. I am NOT his. I’m a 34-year old divorced scientist with no time for such nonsense. But if he can help me find the others in my group then perhaps I can play at being “his” for a while.

On the unforgiving planet of Dakkar, I did what all the humans in our village did: kept my head down, worked to provide for my family, and certainly didn’t break any Dakkari laws to risk inciting the alien race’s merciless wrath. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for my brother, and one careless mistake brings a horde of the nomadic, barbarian Dakkari straight to our doorstep, led by their powerful horde king - a cold, ruthless, battle-scarred warrior demanding retribution.