Deep, Hard, and Rough

Evernight
Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright©
2013
Jenika
Snow

 
ISBN: 978-1-77130-642-3

Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

Editor:
Karyn
White

ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal.
 
No part of
this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written
permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are
fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

For anyone that likes things a bit different.

And for
MIB
, always.

DEEP,
HARD, AND ROUGH

Jenika
Snow

Copyright ©
2013

Chapter One

Year
3450, planet of Aktulla, royal chamber of King
Manatak
Asek

“It is time you find the females that will bear your
offspring.” King Manatak of the Asek royal line spoke to his people, the Aktulla
males. His three sons stared back at him, each of them seeming nonplussed with
the situation at hand. It infuriated him to no end, and although he had been lenient
toward them, now was the time for change. Too many years had passed with him watching
the three of them act irresponsibly, fornicating with whomever they saw fit,
and having total disregard for the kingdom they would soon rule.

Manatak would have liked to see his eldest son,
Erak, set an example for his younger
brothers
, but they
all seemed to be more interested in rutting with the female populace instead of
taking their place on the thrones. Manatak could not fault his boys too harshly,
for he, too, had spread his seed before his father had made him realize the
throne and siring offspring were of higher importance. That had been many moons
ago, though, and now it was time for Erak, Genet, and Raimi to take his place
and rule over the Aktullas.

“My rule is coming to an end, my sons.” They looked
at him as though bored with the conversation. They came from his lioness, their
mother, his mate, who had died when she gave birth to Raimi.

 
Calina
had been the most beautiful female in all the land.
When he found out she was his mate, his very breath had stopped. Finding one’s
other half was a rare occurrence, and although the Aktullas could have offspring
with a female other than their destined mate, they would always feel a part of
them missing.

It was the way of his people, to find females that
would bear the sons of the fearsome and powerful males of their species. For
there were no females born from the loins of the Aktullas, and so their planet
was barren of the opposite sex.

“You must go out and find your mates, find the
females that will carry your sons and ensure the royal family has heirs. Do
this for me, my children, for I cannot die peacefully knowing that there will
be no male from the Asek line to rule from the great throne.”

Manatak knew the chance that his sons would find
their mates was next to impossible, but he knew giving them the little hope
that they
could
find the females that
would make them complete would ensure they heeded his words seriously. King
Manatak Asek stood and made his way to his royal chambers. This was the same
speech he gave them over the years, praying to the heavens that they would
grant him this one serenity. His sons were stubborn, but Manatak knew they
would do him proud, for
they
, too, would not want to
see the royal house crumble.

****

“What do you make of Father’s proclamation?” Erak
murmured idly as he led his two brothers through the corridor and into the common
room. This was the same conversation their father gave every fortnight, and
although he and his brothers liked to enjoy the pleasures life offered, Erak knew
it was time to take his words to heart.

King Manatak blamed him for his brothers’ recklessness.
In all reality, Erak was the one that was against most of their decisions when
it came to play and pleasure. The years were passing him by, and although he still
had a long life ahead of him, the time to take a mate and start a family was
upon them. He had seen the way Genet and Raimi had looked unconcerned when
their father spoke, but they all needed to take this seriously. It wasn’t
unusual for an Aktulla male to take more than one female, in fact, it was
praised, encouraged even. More females meant more offspring, and there could
never be enough warriors. He had shared many of the opposite sex with his
brothers, but the thought of children, strong sons to carry on the Asek line
had need swelling inside of him. He also wanted his father’s pride.

“I believe he is serious this time.” Genet spoke and
nudged Raimi in the ribs.

“He has been ‘serious’ every time he demands us to
find our mates,” Raimi, the youngest out of the three of them said.

“It is not a demand as much as a plea. I am starting
to feel guilty.”

“You speak as though you have actually put thought
into this,
Raimi
. Maybe I should tell Father you will
be the first to go on the mission and find your fated female.” Genet chuckled
at Erak’s words.

Genet smacked
Raimi
lightly on the back and said, “Are you not the great conqueror of the gentler
sex? Brother, I have heard the stories. We all have. Have we not all heard and
seen the females sigh and moan over the great pleasuring Asek brother, Raimi?” Genet
said it so seriously that it could have been humorous if Erak wasn’t having
mixed emotions on this subject.

Erak started moving forward. His brothers were a
lively bunch. He, too, was guilty of enjoying life, but this time was
different. Their father’s speech held more meaning this time, more emotion.
King Manatak was powerful and ruthless. Not only did he have hundreds of victories
under his belt, but he was also a merciful and gentle ruler to the people of Aktulla.
Everything their kingdom needed, King Manatak provided.
 

“You should have more respect, Genet. It is you his
pleas are beckoning as well. You, too, take on a different female every night,
and sometimes more than one.”

Genet scowled over at him and then said, “I believe we
all are guilty of this.”

Genet and Raimi chuckled, and Erak felt his anger
mounting. “I think you two should have more respect for our father than that.” Stopping
right before he reached the entry that led to the common room, Erak turned
around and looked the two of them in the eye. The three of them were similar in
appearance but different in many ways. They all resembled their father: seven
feet in height, and muscular builds, but their eye and hair color differed
greatly.

“What is this you speak of, brother?” Genet took a
step forward. His light green eyes were narrowed, and Erak could feel his
brother’s rage escalating as well. “Is it not you that Father blames our recklessness
on? Are you not the one that has showed us the pleasures that can be had with
the opposite sex, introduced us to the fruits of the universe?” Genet spread
his arms wide. A cruel smirk covered his expression. Erak held his younger
brother’s stare with a glacial one of his own.

Genet was right. Erak was the one who had started
all of this. Being the eldest, he had led his brothers astray, showing them
that the kingdom could wait. He took claim for starting it, but that had been
when they were adolescents. His brothers had led their own life from that point
on, and what they did was on them. Their father wanted to descend from the
throne, and it was time the three of them stepped up and took on the
responsibility. Erak refused to back down from Genet.

“I do not deny that I have led you down a path of
destruction, but heed my words,
little
brother, it is time we take the
throne and ease Father of his burdens. It is time we find our fated females and
produce heirs. I am ready to start being the ruler Father knows me to be. Are you
two ready to take that responsibility?” Erak stared at Genet, and then directed
his authority at Raimi. Genet would have been the harder to break, but the
words his younger brother spoke shocked him.

“I admit I am growing weary of this life, of the
random females, and of feeling like I’m missing something.” Genet breathed out
roughly and ran a hand through his ash-colored hair. “I am with you, brother. I
am ready to find my female. I do not wish to fight with you, and can accept my
role as an honorable male.” He turned around and spoke to Raimi. “Are you ready
to do this? Ready to be a ruler Father needs?”

All was quiet for a moment before their youngest Asek
brother murmured his agreement. Erak exhaled, not realizing that he had been
holding his breath. Their next adventure would be one that would change their
lives and their planet’s history.