Zhinghaas: Otherworld Warriors, #2

By Natalie Aejaz

He has sworn to destroy her world, and she will do whatever it takes to save it. Can love tame him and bring them both together?

Zhinghaas, master commander of the planet Hankiya, has one goal: to destroy his enemy otherworld Shinera and rule over its inhabitants. He arrives on Shinera with a destructive weapon, only to discover that the planet is already being attacked by a deadly force, one that is also a threat to his own people. He joins the Shineran master commander Kama in the battle against a common enemy, and as he fights alongside the brave warrior, begins to question the righteousness of the war that his kind has inflicted on hers.

The new Shineran master commander, Kama, stands between a vicious attack and her world, dreaming of a time when peace will return to her war-ridden planet. To protect her people, she joins the invader Zhinghaas in a military mission, only to find herself fighting an unexpected attraction for the master commander whose ancestors have waged an unprovoked attack against her people for decades.

Will their love be enough to overcome decades of hate and bloodshed?

If you like powerful alien warriors, independent heroines and hot romance, check out ZHINGHAAS, the second book in the Otherworld Warriors paranormal romance series. This book is intended for mature audiences, with steamy sex scenes, a happily ever after and no cliffhangers. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Natalie Aejaz
• Release date: Sep 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393545248

Book preview

ZHINGHAAS

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Natalie Aejaz

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Copyright 2019 Natalie Aejaz

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This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

CHAPTER ONE

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FOR OVER A CENTURY, WAR had raged between Zhinghaas’ planet and the otherworld. Leaders had been lost, blood spilt, but his kind was unable to conquer that spiritual land with its red moon, powerful lakes and gifted beings.

But soon, Shinera would be theirs.

Accompanied by his second-in-command, Zhinghaas entered the white corridor that connected his own quarters to the laboratories. The weapon prototype was ready, and its success would bring the era of the Endless War to an end. He had spent frustrated decades on experiments as he developed scientific methods, toiling to create paraphernalia that would bring them victory. Would today’s test validate his efforts? Anticipation clenched his chest, the kind a warrior experienced when victory was near...but no, there would be no premature celebration, not before a subject from the enemy otherworld was tested. Where is the Shineran creature?

It is already in the laboratory, sire. Like many true-bred Hanak beings, his second-in-command Sanga’s form was humanoid but his skin a pale red, with scales covering his lower legs, forearms and shoulders, a spattering reaching his jawline. His short-sleeve tunic exposed his arms, and as they walked through white bare corridors flanked by laboratories, a few scales fell, such shedding and re-scaling common among the species.

Passing scientists in blue uniforms nodded in deference to Zhinghaas, not only because he was the son of their leader, but because of his prowess in scientific fields. He had spent most of his life in this lab city, one of thousands set up on the planet Hankiya after the Endless War started. But he had not only spent decades working here...he was among the paraphernalia created after the Hanak leader Xiun chose a human of high intellect to breed with. Whether the breeding was of her will, Zhinghaas never sought to find out, and as the woman died during childbirth, the matter was of little consequence. Like many of his generation, he was not born of love or lust, but designed as a weapon with which to attack the enemy. His human mother had sustained the pregnancy in a laboratory similar to the ones in the genetic engineering zone they now entered. Her embryo was fertilized and enhanced in experiments, and the consequent strength and intelligence led to him becoming the master commander of Hankiya and one of its foremost scientists.

A human female emerged from a genetic engineering laboratory, dressed in a white shift. Recruited from Earth because of her psychic abilities, she came of her own accord, keen to experience an otherworld. Her gaze rested on Zhinghaas’ face and then traveled over his black tunic and trousers, taking in the lines of his body. He avoided her attention as he walked past.

His second-in-command’s lips turned up in a sly smile. Not tempted?

Zhinghaas ignored the despicable question. Despite the Prohibitions, which prevented mating for pleasure, many females on Hankiya made their interest in him obvious. Hanaks were pulled by the exoticness of his human appearance, a spatter of pale scales across the back of his shoulders and around his ankles the only sign of his father’s origins. As for the Earthlings, a body developed through decades of rigorous training was an attraction. But the females could take their frivolous desires elsewhere.

The guard who stood at the entrance to the weapons laboratory glanced at him. The minion’s jaw clenched, but he did not dare voice his resentment at obeying a Hanak-human mutant. You will bow before me. Zhinghaas’ eyes bored into the guard’s until the Hanak lowered his head in deference. The male would pay for his insolence later. Zhinghaas placed his fingers against the cold plate at the side of the doors, and responding to his touch, they opened to a zone that only he and his most trusted scientists were cleared to enter.

The white laboratory stretched before him, packed with clinical tubes and machinery. In the middle of the area, nestled among the scientific equipment, was the weapon. A silver metal box with a keypad, it was harmless to the uninitiated but when activated, released a polluting mist. A mist that had been designed to pass through Alexetus II undetected.

Sanga’s eyes narrowed on the weapon. You believe it can infiltrate our enemy’s barrier?

We will only know once we attempt to take it there.

Shinera had been of little interest to his kind before Hankiya’s Elders heard stories of a spiritual planet with powerful inhabitants. The wise males were disturbed by news of a world that drew energy from the cosmos and passed it to its beings, who in turn returned it to their land, so that all prospered. Shinerans, spiritual by nature, had been rumored to have great healing abilities and increasing physical powers. Fearing that these alien beings may one day use those powers to overcome other planets, Hankiya’s Elders directed its warriors to colonize the otherworld. But the Shinerans had fought back, putting up barriers until the planet became near impossible to infiltrate. Its exterior energy shield, Alexetus, blocked access to advanced technological apparatus carried by non-Shineran beings, which meant for decades, Hanaks used archaic weapons such as swords, blades and spears to wage war on their enemies. And then there was the damned interior shield, Alexetus II. It bordered the populated parts of Shinera, but over the past few years, access had been closed until only one entrance remained. Liya. The Shineran warriors protecting that gate fought with all their might against infiltration.

If today’s testing is positive, we will create more weapons based on this prototype. Zhinghaas had not wasted the longevity of Hanak blood, using the long years to experiment with the DNA of native flora and fauna captured from Shinera. Toil that would break a warrior’s back had gone into creating a cellular structure that might pass through the barriers of their enemy planet. "Where is the jobroosh?"

In the underground holding unit. They both entered the elevator on the other side of the laboratory, and Sanga called out the name of a cell. Recognizing his voice, the contraption transported them to the appropriate zone. They stepped into a long corridor flanked by cells with walls of reinforced glass to protect the contents. Most chambers contained plants brought back from Shinera, including useless flowers that transformed colors. The capture of one enemy warrior would have aided his experiments, but Alexetus was tuned to the emotional frequencies of its beings and blocked exit to any vessel that took them by force. The otherworld may have archaic methods of weaponry and living, but its defense barriers were among the most advanced in the cosmos. Sanga stopped before a cell. "The jobroosh, sire."

The creature was a sorry thing, not even reaching a Hanak knee, and bounded around the empty holding cell as if it was a playground. Its skin was rusty red and its round face—the same length as its skinny body—was dominated by a pair of eyes it appeared to make little use of. As it jumped, it was oblivious to the wall, hitting it with a loud crack and bouncing off it. It stood, glancing at its surroundings as if surprised by where it was. Shaking its head and rolling its eyes as if they were loose from the rest of its form, the stupid animal finally noticed them. It stepped closer, those tiny hands on the glass wall as it stared at them, curious, its eyes impossible huge. Has the creature recovered?

Yes.

Accustomed to an atmosphere free of pollution, the jobroosh was affected by Hankiya’s atmospheric composition, weakening as soon as it arrived on the planet. It was held in a protective environment for a week as Hanak scientists healed it until it was strong enough for the testing. Bring the weapon, Sanga.

As Zhinghaas waited for his second-in-command to return, the creature’s eyes drifted over him, a line stretching across its round face. A smile? Idiot creature.

The jobroosh’ idiocy had landed it in this cell. After the wars started, many smaller creatures on their enemy planet moved underground, and there was news of pathetic Shineran warriors neglecting their military duties to create safe homes for the little ones. This particular creature left its secure dwelling in the aftermath of a bloody battle, and in its stupidity decided that a Hanak warrior was its friend, happily accompanying him to their world. When the warrior refused to give up the creature to the laboratories, he was punished for his treachery and the jobroosh taken from him.

When Sanga returned, the weapon in his hand, Zhinghaas told him he should place it inside the cell. The red-scaled Hanak touched the keypad at the side of the cell, and the barrier dissolved into a misty fog. As anticipated, the creature tried to bound out of the area, but Sanga grabbed it by the neck, only letting go once the glass wall rematerialized behind him. The silly animal attached itself to the warrior’s leg, mewing and rubbing his face against his ankle. He kicked it away, and it bounced off the wall as he placed the weapon on the floor. The creature was even tinier against Sanga’s impressive height and muscular body.

Activate it, ordered Zhinghaas. A minimum dose of 100 milliseconds.

The Hanak’s large biceps tensed as he pressed a combination of buttons and the box expelled a tiny burst of pollution. The creature collapsed to the floor, coughing and struggling to breathe. Sanga’s smile was wide as he took in its discomfort. It is working.

"On the jobroosh. But Shineran warriors are stronger than this."

With a higher dose, the weapon should render even the strongest fighters of Shinera incapable. Their enemy planet had been protected from contamination for long, its environment pure and self-sustained, but such an atmosphere rendered the otherwise sturdy Shinerans susceptible to pollution. A mist that caused a Hanak no discomfort could end a Shineran’s life force. Should I release a stronger shot?

That is enough. Return the weapon to its position. He activated the keypad so Sanga could leave the cell. There was no need to watch out for the jobroosh as it was unable to move from where it lay, its skinny body writhing in pain. Have the creature tested now. Within the next hour, I want an analysis of how a Shineran warrior would fare against the weapon.

His assistant nodded. I will ask our best scientists to carry out the task.

Once the tests are complete, heal the animal. We have further use for it.

When he returned to his quarters, Zhinghaas was unable to rest despite barely sleeping for the last two nights as he completed the prototype. He sank into the white sheets of his bed, one of the few pieces of furniture in the spacious resting chamber, closing his eyes. If the results of the test were positive, the next step was to take the weapon through Alexetus. Once that was accomplished, their enemy planet would quickly fall. And then there were more otherworlds to conquer...Xiun’s dream was to rule over countless planets—Zhinghaas would be at the forefront of the battles, and alongside his father, lead their people to victory.

I might be a damned half-breed, but my name will never be forgotten.

Entrax, the security system for his quarters, announced that Liene waited at the entrance.

Open, Zhinghaas told Entrax as he sat up, his voice de-activating the locked doors. The Hanak entered his chamber and sat on the white armchair opposite the bed. He then proceeded to glance around the room as if he had never been inside it. Zhinghaas’ half-brother tried his patience without speaking a word. What is it, Liene?

The other male cleared his throat. I hear you have tested the weapon? Liene, two decades younger than himself, was also subjected to genetic engineering in his mother’s womb but not conceived as an experiment. No, he was a true-blood Hanak, born to their father and his mate.

Yes. And the result will be here soon.

His half-brother’s lips tightened. Despite being the son of a fearless leader who even now attended a mission on the otherworld Earth, Liene was soft of character, with his talk of love and healing. An unbearable trait in any being but in a Hanak? Despicable. Is the weapon necessary?

His half-brother may have a cowardly nature, but he was their father’s true heir, which meant Zhinghaas had to curb the curses on the edge of his tongue. But by the Gods, he longed to teach the wimp a lesson. Yes. With this weapon, we end Shinera. With that one victory, he would no longer have to prove his worthiness to his followers. Besides being a scientist, he was Hankiya’s master commander and in charge of its military efforts—many feared him, but he demanded respect...even if he was a half-breed.

Liene scratched at the skin under the cuff of his long sleeve tunic. When a scale fell to the white carpet, he picked it up and placed it inside his trouser pocket. But will that be enough for you and father? How long before you battle with another planet?

The other male’s soft nature was not his fault, but what compelled him to influence others with it? And was this pathetic creature truly their father’s only heir? Zhinghaas controlled the edge in his voice. You do not understand these matters.

The Hanak raised his eyebrows, his wide dark eyes containing a mere hint of the yellow that was once a genetic trait of their kind. You are right, brother. I will never understand why I was born into war and bloodshed. Please, do not start your sorry tales. All it took was one Hanak’s madness—that of our uncle Brikta—to plunge our people into decades of battle. And because our ancestors blindly followed him, we still fight today.

Zhinghaas stood, resisting the temptation to reach for his half-brother’s neck. One satisfying crunch and his whining would end forever. You will not talk in such a manner about the strongest leader our kind has known. He had grown up inspired by the stories of how their uncle was ferocious in appearance and nature. Genetic engineering and the merging of Hanak DNA with that of other beings had resulted in the physical traits of their race being diluted, but they were once tall and overpowering like Zhinghaas’ sire, with large teeth and claws, the sight of whom would send dread to the hearts of enemies. And Brikta had been among the most terrifying—but the Shineran queen Hela had ended him a century ago, going to her own death at the same time.

Liene was not ready to end his pathetic musings. Do you never wonder how it might have been to live in our world as it once was, in homes instead of laboratories?

Laboratories are more important. Families and homes? The domain of the weak and fearful.

You say that because you have never experienced a home. Liene waved his hands to emphasize his words. "How would it be to have relationships of free will as our ancestors did, as our own father did with his mate? Instead, we breed. Did his half-brother seek to mate a female by his own free will? It was not the first time the thought had crossed Zhinghaas’ mind. For the Hanak’s sake, his suspicion had better not be correct. Flaunting the Prohibitions that forbid mating for pleasure carried strict penalties. His half-brother’s gaze lingered on his face. You are a fine looking male, and despite the restrictions, many females make their interest in you obvious. Are you never tempted?"

Never.

Emotional bonding was a futile endeavor and a derogatory practice once common among Hanaks. But after the wars began, it died out. Now their leader Xiun selected breeding partners based on optimum DNA and gene combinations. Zhinghaas had bred no females, but he had mated with them in the laboratories, upon the instruction of his sire—so their scientists could investigate more efficient methods of incubation. They had been soulless events, matings that did not interfere with his dedication to his mission, which suited Zhinghaas. Once Shinera was theirs, he would be assigned a breeding partner to create an ultimate warrior. His wise leader would no doubt arrange for him to breed with a Hanak female whose strength and intelligence complemented his own.

Entrax’s voice rang out, announcing Sanga’s arrival. His second-in-command acknowledged Liene’s presence with a nod before clearing his throat as if he was to make an announcement of great import. The test results are here. Zhinghaas tensed, clenching his hands into fists. Many useless prototypes were created and countless tests had failed. The news is good. But that reassurance was not sufficient, because only a fool reached a conclusion before having the full knowledge of a matter. "The tests have revealed that even with a mild dose, the creature’s internal organs were damaged and its respiratory system came close to failure. The blood count of the jobroosh is abnormal, with several of its cells destroyed beyond repair—"

What brave warriors you are. Liene’s voice was bitter. Testing your weapons on a helpless creature.

Before Zhinghaas could reprimand him, his half-brother left the room. Any other Hanak would be disciplined for such words, but the fool was their leader’s heir, so he let him be. But when their sire returned, he would speak to him on the matter. Liene was a true-bred, which made it even more important for him to learn the ways of his people and accept his responsibilities. He was no longer a damned child.

But before that, there were other matters at hand. He now asked his second-in-command the most imperative question. How would the weapon affect a Shineran warrior?

There was victory in Sanga’s smile. A higher dose would render the same effect on the strongest otherworld warriors, barring those with exceptional abilities to heal and regenerate.

Zhinghaas tightened his lips at the reminder of their enemies’ strengths. Before his kind waged a war against them, Shinerans dedicated themselves to the practices of meditation and developing their skills and powers, including those of healing. And before her death, their queen Hela was said to have reached abilities that surpassed that of any other being in the surrounding planets. His mouth relaxed as it turned up in a smile. Did not stop her from dying, did it?

Sanga. The weapon is ready? To use? When his second-in-command nodded, Zhinghaas unclenched his fists. The decades he had dedicated to experiments were not wasted. Put our best scientists to work. They will do nothing but create more of these weapons.

Yes, sire. May I take your leave?

Yes. But return soon with news of the project.

After Sanga left the chamber, Zhinghaas entered the adjacent control room. He sat before the control center and switched on the monitors. Images flashed across the screen, and with the press of a key he could view any area of the lab city but instead, he opened a file containing diagrams of the weapon—his ultimate achievement. As a half-breed, he had been pushed to the outskirts of acceptance, his own father only acknowledging him as a son when it became obvious how indispensable his abilities were. And how pathetic his sire’s own true-bred was. Zhinghaas had thrown himself into his work, driven by hatred for Shinera and a need to claim his rightful place.

Now the weapon was ready, it was time to plan military operations. The pollutive mist would be activated at the most densely populated areas of the otherworld, and the resulting destruction would leave the planet’s leaders with no choice but to concede defeat.

He impatiently awaited his father’s return so he could give him the news.

I have proven myself to be a son worthy of Hankiya’s leader.

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CHAPTER TWO

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THE GATE OF LIYA HAD been home to Kama for years. Long had she waited outside it with her courageous warriors, the Two Hundred.

Children born here were still told stories of how Shinera was once a world with no barriers. When the first settlers came here, many of them healers and spiritual beings, they decided their land would be one that would welcome all. But when Kama was a young child, the Hanak invasions began, and Alexetus II was created to protect the planet. From this side, the barrier appeared as a glowing apparition that extended over Shinera and through which its lands were visible. Several openings were incorporated into the energy shield to allow visitors and maintain Shinera’s connection to the cosmos, but as the Hanak attacks grew more deadly, the entrances were closed until only this one remained. Shinerans could walk through Alexetus II unaffected, but all non-Shinerans had to use this access point to reach the populated lands. And the gate also marked the area where the shield was the weakest, which was why Kama guarded it with the best of her fighters.

She narrowed her eyes on the glimpses of blue ahead, which indicated lakes that became less expansive each year as Shineran resources drained. Her kind had once cultivated more than what they took from the land, often only picking plants for sustenance when they came to the end of their life cycles, but now, they took nutrition where they found it. And the phenomena that had pulled her ancestors to this planet depleted. Flowers that changed colors with the seasons or responded to the energy of citizens were scarce, and the red moon that only blessed their planet with its presence was now marred by dark shadows that projected prophecies.

My beautiful Shinera. When will you return?

The Hanaks will soon attack, mentioned Kama’s second-in-command Yide, his attention on the red sands that stretched before them in the Dead Zone—the only area of Shinera unguarded by the interior shield. To avoid disengaging Alexetus II each time there were visitors, this part of the world remained unprotected to allow interplanetary merchants or travelers in need of aid to land. But for years, only Hanak warriors used the zone. Unable to smuggle their dangerous weapons through the exterior barrier Alexetus, the invaders