Lathar Mercenaries: Warborne Series by Mina Carter

Return to the worlds of the Lathar, as you've never seen them before... She wanted a coffee and an easy shift. Instead, she got a smart-alec mercenary and commandos trying to kill her… Medically discharged from the military over a decade ago, Station Chief Eris Archer just wants a quiet life. But life on a frontier station like Tarantus is never dull. The wild west of space, she’s used to less than scrupulous characters crossing her path... moreReturn to the worlds of the Lathar, as you've never seen them before... She wanted a coffee and an easy shift. Instead, she got a smart-alec mercenary and commandos trying to kill her… Medically discharged from the military over a decade ago, Station Chief Eris Archer just wants a quiet life. But life on a frontier station like Tarantus is never dull. The wild west of space, she’s used to less than scrupulous characters crossing her path. So when handsome cyborg, Zero, charms her with fantastical tales of being non-human, she takes it with a pinch of salt. When commandos storm the base, trying to kill her and she ends up with a price on her head, she has to trust him with her life… but can she trust him with her heart? He doesn’t know where he came from, but he knows one thing… his destiny is with her. Zero is a mystery, even to himself. Since waking up badly damaged in a wrecked shuttle, he’s made his home with the Warborne, a band of Latharian Mercenaries with a lethal reputation. He lives fast and he expects to die young… Until he meets her. Eris Archer captures the attention of all his instincts, human and cyborg. Drawn to her like a targeting lock… he wants to get to know her better. But his plans for a date in the station’s brig are foiled by people with guns and they have to get off the station. Fast. less

Stowing away on an alien ship? Idiotic. Stowing away on the Warborne's ship? Suicidal.Marika Ingrassia is desperate. To escape another wedding arranged by her father, she runs. Between a homicidal groom and a ship full of trained killers, she'll take her chances with the mercenaries, thank you very much. Only things don't go quite to plan. Her idea to force them to help her at gunpoint seemed a stroke of brilliance until she's on board and facing down the sexiest mercenary she'd ever seen... moreStowing away on an alien ship? Idiotic. Stowing away on the Warborne's ship? Suicidal.Marika Ingrassia is desperate. To escape another wedding arranged by her father, she runs. Between a homicidal groom and a ship full of trained killers, she'll take her chances with the mercenaries, thank you very much. Only things don't go quite to plan. Her idea to force them to help her at gunpoint seemed a stroke of brilliance until she's on board and facing down the sexiest mercenary she'd ever seen. She can't think straight, never mind shoot straight. She's doomed for a long walk out of a short airlock until Mr. tall, muscled, and growly agrees to help her escape her father's clutches... by marrying her. Just one problem. This time she wants the wedding to be for real...She's the prettiest thing he's ever seen. And everything a killer like him doesn't deserve.Skinny has been a mercenary most of his life. One of the legendary Warborne, he's killed more men than he's had hot dinners and he's damn good at it. When he finds a scared human female, he doesn't expect his reaction to her, or for her to clock him over the head with a pipe. Unpleasantness aside, when he realizes she needs help, he's all ears. And everything else she needs. Up to and including his hand in marriage to protect her...No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Between an assassination attempt and his past catching up with them... can Skinny convince Marika he's the alien for her, or will he lose her forever? less

This short story is set in the LATHARIAN MERCENARIES:WARBORNE world and is not a stand alone. It should be read after ALIEN MERCENARY'S BRIDE.

Natalia Heath is a survivor. She’ll survive an alien fight pit. No problem.On the run from her crime lord father most of her life, Nat knows how to survive in the worst places in the universe. Being kidnapped by aliens and thrown into a gladiatorial arena to fight for her life is just another turn of bad luck in a lifetime of them. She just needs to figure out a plan to escape.What she doesn’t plan on though is the sexy alien who says he’s here to rescue her.. moreNatalia Heath is a survivor. She’ll survive an alien fight pit. No problem.On the run from her crime lord father most of her life, Nat knows how to survive in the worst places in the universe. Being kidnapped by aliens and thrown into a gladiatorial arena to fight for her life is just another turn of bad luck in a lifetime of them. She just needs to figure out a plan to escape.What she doesn’t plan on though is the sexy alien who says he’s here to rescue her... or the sparks that fly between them.Beauty’s secret could get him killed... not revealing it will mean her death.Former pit champion and now a member of the famous mercenary unit, the Warborne, Beauty has two goals in life; keep his head down and die of old age in his own bed. Unfortunately he picked the wrong profession for that. When a team member’s sister is captured, he must head back to the gladiatorial fight pits and reclaim his place as champion to save her.Unfortunately for him, she turns out to be a spiky, snippy little human female with plans to save herself. Worse, her scent is the most tantalizing he’s ever encountered... She’s beautiful, alluring, and HIS. His mate.But the rules have changed. The pits are no longer a place where skill in combat can elevate a fighter to freedom. It’s a place of despair and hopelessness with no way out.To save them all, he must deal with the devils of his past and fight a new champion, one shrouded in secrecy who kills all who dare to step onto the sands in challenge... less

He saved her from certain death. She didn’t count on him being a… nerd.A Tarviisan pit fighter forced to fight for survival her entire life, Zadaenae is sure she’s about to breathe her last when she’s cornered during a breakout. But help comes from an unexpected quarter; an alien with the infamous Warborne Mercenary team... moreHe saved her from certain death. She didn’t count on him being a… nerd.A Tarviisan pit fighter forced to fight for survival her entire life, Zadaenae is sure she’s about to breathe her last when she’s cornered during a breakout. But help comes from an unexpected quarter; an alien with the infamous Warborne Mercenary team. Only her savior isn’t an experienced mercenary, he’s a scientist without a clue about fighting…Wracked with guilt over his injuries saving her, she takes a hire with the Warborne to stick around, even though the last thing she needs is the scarily intelligent, utterly fascinating human finding out her deepest, darkest secret…He nearly died. Then he became something else. Something… not human. Dr. Eric Archer has all the smarts he’s ever needed, but multiple degrees don’t mean anything on the alien mercenary vessel, Sprite. Instead of working in a lab, he’s had a crash course in battlefield tactics, field stripping alien rifles, and shooting just to stay alive and earn his place among the lethal aliens.She’s an alien. And a princess. He needs to up his game to have any chance…When rescuing a beautiful damsel in distress almost kills him, an experimental alien treatment saves his life. And makes him more than human. Makes him something… else. Forced to deal with more new muscles than he knows what to do with, plus hormones and instincts no human has ever encountered before, Eric must navigate his new abilities and prove to alien princess Zadaenae he's the only man she'll ever need.But he’s not the only one with eyes on his beautiful alien princess. She’s someone else’s means to an end, and this scientist must use everything at his disposal: new skills and old alike to try and save the woman he loves… less

He was done with royal life years ago. One problem… it’s not done with him.Exiled prince turned mercenary, Fin, wants nothing more than to spend his days drinking, fighting and trying to persuade his beautiful crewmate, Red, into his bed.When a summons arrives from his home planet of Navarr, his secret is out. He’s not just any prince, he’s the heir to the throne. He must return home to pay his respects and fight for his crown... moreHe was done with royal life years ago. One problem… it’s not done with him.Exiled prince turned mercenary, Fin, wants nothing more than to spend his days drinking, fighting and trying to persuade his beautiful crewmate, Red, into his bed.When a summons arrives from his home planet of Navarr, his secret is out. He’s not just any prince, he’s the heir to the throne. He must return home to pay his respects and fight for his crown.But once Warborne, always Warborne, and his crew won’t let him go into a dangerous situation without back up. Just one problem… for Red and Sparky to set foot on Navarr, he has to marry them. As his spouses though, they become prime targets.Can Fin keep them safe and claim his birthright against a dangerous rival, or will he have to choose between them? less

Accused of murder and trapped in a web of corporate deceit, her only hope lies in the stars... and in a handsome alien mercenary.Lina's day goes from bad to worse when she uncovers her employer's darkest illegal experiments on non-humans that shatter ethical boundaries and risk igniting a war. She knows she needs to tell someone, but her employers have a habit of silencing whistleblowers. Permanently. Desperate, she makes a call to an old friend...She anticipates a high-stakes rescue... moreAccused of murder and trapped in a web of corporate deceit, her only hope lies in the stars... and in a handsome alien mercenary.Lina's day goes from bad to worse when she uncovers her employer's darkest illegal experiments on non-humans that shatter ethical boundaries and risk igniting a war. She knows she needs to tell someone, but her employers have a habit of silencing whistleblowers. Permanently. Desperate, she makes a call to an old friend...She anticipates a high-stakes rescue. What she doesn't expect is Mayce, an alien mercenary whose smoldering gaze and sharp intellect challenge everything she knows about survival—and desire.The mission was rescue the damsel (scientist) in distress. But it's not that simple anymore...Mayce, the newest member of the Warborne, prepares for a straightforward rescue mission. However, a raging solar storm strands him at the base, complicating what should have been a simple plan. He must think on his feet to keep the rest of the crew from discovering he's an alien and to protect Lina, not just as a rescuee, but as the woman who's stolen his heart.When the base turns into a hunting ground with crew members mysteriously killed, and attempts on Lina’s life intensify, Mayce finds himself in a race against time. He must unravel the mystery and solve the murders before the killer claims the one person who makes his heart beat... less

She was their loose end. Now she's their worst nightmare.Former tank commander Reese Payne is living on borrowed time. Her neural implants are killing her slowly while she’s forced to dodge corporate assassins sent to bury the evidence.When they finally track her down, she's ready for a fight—what she’s not ready for is the seven-foot alien who rips through her attackers like they're made of tissue paper. T'Raal is huge, dangerous, and trusting him is probably the dumbest move she's ever made... moreShe was their loose end. Now she's their worst nightmare.Former tank commander Reese Payne is living on borrowed time. Her neural implants are killing her slowly while she’s forced to dodge corporate assassins sent to bury the evidence.When they finally track her down, she's ready for a fight—what she’s not ready for is the seven-foot alien who rips through her attackers like they're made of tissue paper. T'Raal is huge, dangerous, and trusting him is probably the dumbest move she's ever made. But when his touch quiets the chaos in her head and he looks at her like she's worth dying for, she has to figure out what scares her more… dying alone, or letting this handsome stranger become everything she never knew she needed.His secret could shatter an empire. Her survival depends on it.T'Raal has his life figured keep the crew breathing, stay off the radar, and don't let anyone get close enough to complicate things. Simple... until he pulls one stubborn human woman from an ambush and she turns his whole world upside down. She fights like hell, trusts him when she shouldn't, and makes him want things he gave up hoping for years ago.Problem is, keeping her alive means claiming the birthright he's spent his life running from. But watching her die isn't an option—even if saving her means claiming the destiny he swore he'd never face. In a galaxy that wants them dead, the greatest battle will be for each other. less