Human Pets of Talin Series by R.K. Munin

Sold into slavery at the age of sixteen, Sora serves an abusive master for ten years. Then, to deal with his own debts, she finds herself at auction again. Without her youth or any sought-after skills to make her valuable, her future looks bleak. Slaves like her rarely survive long, and she expects to suffer and die soon after she’s bought, either as a mine slave or in a meat bordello... moreSold into slavery at the age of sixteen, Sora serves an abusive master for ten years. Then, to deal with his own debts, she finds herself at auction again. Without her youth or any sought-after skills to make her valuable, her future looks bleak. Slaves like her rarely survive long, and she expects to suffer and die soon after she’s bought, either as a mine slave or in a meat bordello.Searin, Prime Son of Talin and one of two potential next Monarchs, is suffering the early effects of the Fading; losing his appetite. The next step will be to lose interest in working, then lying down and waiting to die. Those afflicted with the Fading are treated as if suffering from a shameful self-inflicted disease. They’re considered weak among the Talin, where love and bonding are strictly prohibited for “the good of the species.”Searin is desperate enough to borrow his good friend’s pet human for quick cuddles to stave off the Fading. Humans are popular pets among the Talin. Perceived as weak, needy, and fragile, they’re almost never sold, even when they become old and infirm. They’re prized possessions among his species.Because humans need so much affection, according to Talin doctrine, to stay healthy and happy, there’s no shame in cuddling or comforting a human pet. Finally, Searin decides he needs one of his own and considers himself fortunate when he finds Sora at the auction house. With the human home world Earth long ago destroyed, humans are rare and scattered across the galaxy in small communities. This little female is a prize and he hopes she’ll come to trust him despite her previous experiences.Sora isn’t sure about this new master. He’s kind and gentle and wants to hold and carry her. It doesn’t take long for her to come to trust him and realize that her new role is that of pet, not slave. She’s never lived in such comfort and finds herself feeling real affection for her new master.Everything changes while Searin’s away and his sister decides to manipulate the situation. Soon secrets are revealed and consequences need to be faced. Can Searin figure out a way to be a good Prime Son but keep Sora and himself safe? This is a standalone 90K word novel with an HEA. This novel is intended for mature audiences, 18+ readers only. less

Lakin left the small human colony on Develia Station with big dreams to make a difference in the universe. The ships she works on tend to run on the edge of legality by smuggling supplies and sometimes operate totally illegally by transporting refugees or runaway slaves.It was on one such illegal job that she gives herself up so everyone else can get away. She ends up in the hands of a powerful species called the Talin... moreLakin left the small human colony on Develia Station with big dreams to make a difference in the universe. The ships she works on tend to run on the edge of legality by smuggling supplies and sometimes operate totally illegally by transporting refugees or runaway slaves.It was on one such illegal job that she gives herself up so everyone else can get away. She ends up in the hands of a powerful species called the Talin. At first tortured and abused, then later coddled and cared for, she’s not sure what to make of this species. First, they’re brutal and then they’re kind. And the humans she meets all seem to adore their Talin owners.Distrustful and constantly looking for a route to escape, she becomes acquainted with a Talin named Dalt, an ex-soldier with demons of his own. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a civil conflict among the Talin. Picking sides is easy; proving she can be an asset is a little harder. Figuring out if she can live under Talin law as a pet or needs to escape and leave Dalt behind, is the hardest part.This is an 85K word novel with a HEA. This book is meant for mature audiences, 18+ readers only. less

Freeborn human, Nalia Gaborn, never expected that she'd have to choose between her liberty and her best friend's life. But when their ship comes under attack and they’re rescued by a Talin named Derani, she isn’t given much room to negotiate. Either she agrees to become Derani’s pet or she and Hax will be turned over to the Hamlershin and face possible execution for smuggling.She agrees to Derani’s demands... moreFreeborn human, Nalia Gaborn, never expected that she'd have to choose between her liberty and her best friend's life. But when their ship comes under attack and they’re rescued by a Talin named Derani, she isn’t given much room to negotiate. Either she agrees to become Derani’s pet or she and Hax will be turned over to the Hamlershin and face possible execution for smuggling.She agrees to Derani’s demands. Resigned to slavery for however long it takes before she can escape, she expects to be abused and worked half to death. To her shock, that doesn’t happen. She finds herself being spoiled by Derani and coddled by his crew. It’s not long before she realizes that this life isn’t about servitude and labor, but about affection and adoration.As she learns more about the Talins, she starts to understand why they keep humans as pets. She also comes to care for this species in general, and Derani specifically. It’s not long before she contemplates settling into this life and not trying to escape.But soon she and Derani are embroiled in more than simply transporting goods along trade routes. Derani is contacted in secret to help transport a courier carrying secret information. It’s supposed to be a simple task; give passage to this Talin courier from one place to another. But it’s not long until things go wrong and Nalia’s going to face another hard choice: stay and help or make a break for freedom?The choice ends up being an easy one for Nalia to make, but will she survive it? less

Born deaf, Zia Higgs never let that stop her from going after what she wants. After growing up poverty-stricken on the human colony of Wimol, she found a high-paying job with a scrap trawler that allows her to send money home and also save for new implants.When a confused and hurt Talin named Palforma is brought on board the trawler by accident, her first thought is the same as all her crewmates: give this giant plenty of space... moreBorn deaf, Zia Higgs never let that stop her from going after what she wants. After growing up poverty-stricken on the human colony of Wimol, she found a high-paying job with a scrap trawler that allows her to send money home and also save for new implants.When a confused and hurt Talin named Palforma is brought on board the trawler by accident, her first thought is the same as all her crewmates: give this giant plenty of space. But when he attaches himself to her and won’t let go, she realizes this might get more complicated than she previously thought.When the Talin gets her fired, she finds herself left behind along with her new companion. With nothing else to do, she decides to accompany Palforma home and then figure out what she’ll do from there. What she doesn’t expect is to find herself wearing a collar and embroiled in some kind of Talin political conspiracy and insurrection.Zia has never been one to give up, so she fights like hell against this new captivity. The problem is, part of her wants Palforma, even if his entire civilization has decided her only value is as a pet.If they survive, is there any way they can be together as equals instead of human pet and Talin owner? less

Commandant Holian worked hard to make the Kalor Colony, which his mother started, into a safe haven. Kalor Colony was home to retired soldiers who’d served under him in the Talin military as well as human pets who needed a safe place. Those who lived on his colony, far from the Talin homeworld, weren’t bound by strict Talin law or culture and were free to love and even have children together if they wished... moreCommandant Holian worked hard to make the Kalor Colony, which his mother started, into a safe haven. Kalor Colony was home to retired soldiers who’d served under him in the Talin military as well as human pets who needed a safe place. Those who lived on his colony, far from the Talin homeworld, weren’t bound by strict Talin law or culture and were free to love and even have children together if they wished. Despite watching some Talins and humans under his care pair up and fall in love, no human had picked him. He learned to live with the idea that he’d forever be alone. It was enough that his life had a greater purpose as he participated in the political battles to change Talin policies and perhaps even undo millennia of strict doctrines. On one such political mission, he came across a human pet suffering at the hands of her owner. He couldn’t stand by and do nothing, but the repercussions of his actions might be the end of him. Jinna was pretty sure she was going to die. She was “wild caught,” a human not born on Talarian or raised among Talins. Although her life before had been hard, it was nothing compared to her current misery. How long until one of her owners went too far and she didn’t survive the beating? Rescue happened suddenly and she found herself safe with the support of a strange Talin. He promised he’d take care of her and she would never be hurt again. Under his tender care, she healed and learned to deal with the sorrow she’d been holding on to for far too long. Her feelings quickly developed into something far more than simple gratitude. And even better, those feeling seemed to be reciprocated. But nothing was ever easy and soon the two of them were facing multiple enemies trying to rip them apart. Would her stubbornness and his skills be enough to keep them together? less

*The 12 Night of Halloheen was originally written for Supra Velum, a charity anthology. I have the rights back now and will re-release it with a bonus short story.*Isla grew up in the impoverished human colony of Wimol with limited knowledge about Old Earth. One thing she did learn about was Halloheen. The ancient human holiday fell during the few times of year when they didn’t have to work every day, all day, so her colony made it the yearly celebration.No detail was missed... more*The 12 Night of Halloheen was originally written for Supra Velum, a charity anthology. I have the rights back now and will re-release it with a bonus short story.*Isla grew up in the impoverished human colony of Wimol with limited knowledge about Old Earth. One thing she did learn about was Halloheen. The ancient human holiday fell during the few times of year when they didn’t have to work every day, all day, so her colony made it the yearly celebration.No detail was missed. They made cookies in the shape of hearts and gave them to the people they loved. They spun a top in a game no one knew the rules to, so rules changed from year to year. They dressed in costumes and judged each other’s efforts. They hung green leafy plants from doorways and every time two people passed under them, they had to rub cheeks. Each night for twelve days they celebrated in different ways, and on the last night, they stayed up to watch the sunrise while remembering deceased loved ones.Wimol’s Halloheen celebrations were Isla’s most treasured memories. She now lives on Sorana along with Zia and a bunch of other humans, protected and cared for by Talins. Life is better here, but it’s not the same. This small colony of humans and Talins isn’t cohesive. The colony is new, and everyone is focused on completing tasks, which leaves no time for eating together or visiting. Isla longs for the tight-knit community she grew up in.Tisuran has lived in close contact with humans for many solars, but Isla is the first human who’s caught his attention. He can tell she isn’t content, so he decides the best way to lift her spirits is to celebrate a Halloheen. None of the traditions make sense to him, but he hopes his efforts will make Isla happy, and perhaps even help her notice him.After all, Isla told him Halloheen was a time for wishes to come true, and having her attention is his only wish.(This novella is set on Sorana and falls between books 4 and 5 of the Human Pets of Talin series.) less

Sick and dying, Lasha is suddenly plucked from her horrific circumstances by Tamerin, a badly scarred Talin male. She recovers under his gentle care, but she knows he’s keeping a secret from her. She wants to demand he tell her, but what if it’s something she can’t live with?LashaLasha Chandra has always struggled. Unlike most, learning to read and write proved impossible for her. Math wasn’t any easier because the numbers liked to jumble around and refused to keep any type of order... moreSick and dying, Lasha is suddenly plucked from her horrific circumstances by Tamerin, a badly scarred Talin male. She recovers under his gentle care, but she knows he’s keeping a secret from her. She wants to demand he tell her, but what if it’s something she can’t live with?LashaLasha Chandra has always struggled. Unlike most, learning to read and write proved impossible for her. Math wasn’t any easier because the numbers liked to jumble around and refused to keep any type of order. More often than not, she’d been reduced to tears as first she tried to learn to read and then later looked for work.Being human was already a strike against her. Because they had no homeworld, humans had a reputation for being emotional, destructive, and stupid. That made it difficult for a human to find employment anywhere. With her added issues, she found it nearly insurmountable. That led her to sign a contract that put her in a position barely better than a slave. Working for nothing more than room and board, she had toiled for her merciless employer. She missed her family and small human community on Wimol, but at least she wasn’t a burden to them any longer.Then she got sick.Employees who didn’t work weren’t fed. She couldn’t keep up with the pace and eventually succumbed to her illness. Unwilling to waste any resources on her, they tossed her into an unused storage room so someone more productive could have her bunk. She lay there in the gloom, dazed from fever and expecting to die.TamerinBadly wounded while in the military, Tamerin was used to other Talins sounding rumbles of pity when they saw him. When he randomly ran into his cousin, Palforma, he’s overjoyed to not only reconnect, but to meet his cousin’s human, Zia. When he helped them escape a nasty situation, he was rewarded when Zia asked him to rescue a friend she hadn’t heard from in a long time.Determined, Tamerin set off to find Zia’s friend, Lasha. It didn’t take him long to track down the poor girl and buy her contract. She recovered slowly and suffered from fearful anxiety as she got better. He worked hard to gain her trust as she recovered. She might have even been developing feelings for him.He had a problem, though. Zia made him promise one thing. He would explain to Lasha that once they’re in the Talin Empire, she would be classified as a pet. Property. Owned by him.He would never go back on his word, but did that mean he’d lose his songbird?This book contains subjects including sex, mentions of sexual violence, strong language, and violence. Mature audiences, 18+ readers only. Please use the Amazon “Look Inside” feature to view trigger/content warnings. less

Ignatias thinks he’s rescuing a human pet from abuse. It’s up to Kasi to convince Ignatias to keep Sorana Colony’s secrets, and hopefully see her as more than a pet. Admiral Ignatias Unable to find a human pet of his own, disheartened and lonely, Admiral Ignatias agrees to inspect a Talin colonial planet on the fringes of the Empire for the Committee of Pet Welfare. If he can’t have a pet of his own, then he wants to make sure his fellow Talins are taking good care of their pets... moreIgnatias thinks he’s rescuing a human pet from abuse. It’s up to Kasi to convince Ignatias to keep Sorana Colony’s secrets, and hopefully see her as more than a pet. Admiral Ignatias Unable to find a human pet of his own, disheartened and lonely, Admiral Ignatias agrees to inspect a Talin colonial planet on the fringes of the Empire for the Committee of Pet Welfare. If he can’t have a pet of his own, then he wants to make sure his fellow Talins are taking good care of their pets. Arriving early and sneaking down to the planet, he witnesses many shocking sights. Not only are there far more humans on the colony than registered with the Committee, but the humans are running loose all over the place without proper guidance or even collars. Then he sees something so much worse—humans laboring! The Talins of Sorana colony are perpetrating acts of reprehensible abuse. Humans need to be sheltered and coddled. They’re far too delicate to be doing many of the things he observes. When he finds a woman in ragged clothes, sweating, and wrestling with an auto-planter by herself, he snaps. With no real plan he grabs her, intending to make his way off the planet with this one poor soul and to come back with reinforcements to save the rest of the humans. But getting off the planet proves harder than he expected, especially when his instincts are to soothe and pamper the little female human instead of focusing on escaping. Kasi Kasi couldn’t have known sneaking out to check on her experimental crops one last time would get her kidnapped. Human-napped? Whatever, she’s now somewhere deep in the vast forests of Sorana with a Talin that doesn’t realize humans can be so much more than pets. Admiral Ignatias might be trying to save her, but if he reports what's going on, the colony will be in big trouble. The kind of trouble that could get Talins executed and humans “reallocated” to different Talin owners. Can she convince him to listen to her? And more importantly, can she get him to trust her? The consequences are dire. If she fails, she’ll have to choose between saving Sorana and saving him. less

After suffering under an abusive owner for years, Lena has become angry and defiant. Tarquin wants to show her that he's different, but can she stop trying to bite him long enough to give him a chance? TarquinSent to a remote Talin outpost under the pretext of an emergency readiness inspection, Tarquin finds the only human there in poor condition. Unlike the images of Lena given to him before setting off, the woman he encounters is unkempt and volatile... moreAfter suffering under an abusive owner for years, Lena has become angry and defiant. Tarquin wants to show her that he's different, but can she stop trying to bite him long enough to give him a chance? TarquinSent to a remote Talin outpost under the pretext of an emergency readiness inspection, Tarquin finds the only human there in poor condition. Unlike the images of Lena given to him before setting off, the woman he encounters is unkempt and volatile. Getting her away from an abusive owner turns out to be the easy part. Teaching her to trust him will be the true challenge. This will be the most important task of Tarquin’s life, and he's determined to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is to lose his heart to this human pet and all the danger that implies.LenaLena spent her childhood and young adulthood as a cherished pet. Growing up with loving parents and adoring Talin owners, she’d never experienced deprivation or hardship. But when financial trouble strikes the Talin family, they’re forced to sell her. She’s sent to live with a new owner at a remote outpost and her life turns into a nightmare. By the time rescue comes in the form of a Talin named Tarquin, it’s too late. Nothing is left of the carefree young woman she once was. Bitterness and anger rule her life. No matter what she does, Tarquin’s patience and kindness don’t change. It doesn’t take long until she thinks it’s might be possible to trust again. In the midst of getting to know each other, Tarquin and Lena find themselves embroiled in a complex plot to overthrow the Talin government. Does she help Tarquin or does she stand back and let the whole empire burn? less