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PROLOGUE

The man was twenty five years old, dark skinned, with a muscular build. He had just left from a tour in Afghanistan and was coming home to see his wife and one year old baby girl. However he had never gotten the chance. A monster had followed him home from his war, and had finally decided to take on the soldier head on.

This yautja was a very skilled warrior who had been watching the soldier ever since he landed in the country. No soldier was a better prize then this dark skinned warrior. He killed many and saved many of his brothers in combat. He would be worthy of being his prize. He knew the soldier's movements, and even though he was considered an elder he still felt on the top of his game as if he were a blooded yautja.

However, he became very agitated with the ooman, because he refused to die. As he had sliced at the soldier's stomach, he still got up and tried to either fight or hide. He knew some of the ooman language, so when he found the warrior he gripped his neck and pulled him up to his face. With his other hand he removed his mask slowly expecting the human to give up at the site of his face. Instead, the human's eyes widened and he started to struggle from his grasp.

"Why…you…keep…fighting?" the elder yautja asked with mild irritation. The ooman looked shocked at the fact the alien spoke.

"Because I have a reason to keep fighting." he said. The elder could not help but be mildly intrigued by this ooman. Because he had a reason did this give him some ability to continue fighting until it eventually stopped? The man now smelled of blood and sweat. He knew combat so the elder knew he would not give up so easily.

"What…is…reason?" the elder asked in a low tone. The rains had now fallen on the city of Mansfield, Connecticut and the soldier's blood washed down into the drain with the rain water.

"I have a wife and baby girl I…and I will be damned if I let you stop me!" the soldier shouted before throwing a punch, cutting his knuckles on the elder's sharp mandibles. The elder however was not fazed by his actions, but fazed by his words. Wife and baby girl were words he was processing.

"Mate and suckling…" he replied. The soldier was confused but slowly nodded. This was the reason he had not died after throwing everything, well almost everything, he had at the ooman warrior. He fought for his clan, he left a war to be with his mate and now the elder had come and try to stop him.

Numerous thoughts rolled around in his head. Even though he wanted this trophy, he found it better to let him live, because he had honor, the honor of a true warrior.

"I let…go..you for…price." The elder told. The soldier blinked a few times, his vision going blurry. He was going to faint, he was sure of it.

"Okay, okay, what price?" he asked quickly. His family was moving through his mind and he was unsure if he was ever going to see them again.

"You…give…suckling girl child…of your suckling child…to…suckling child of my suckling." he told. He knew of many ooman and yautja couples on his planet. He was not too proud of the fact they kidnapped ooman people to use as different purposes, but this ooman was an honored warrior and soon his suckling would bring honor to him and soon give birth to a female suckling who would bring honor to their clan. His son was already too old for the ooman's own suckling but if he timed everything right things would go smoothly and he could combine two warrior clans.

The soldier was unsure of why he would even ask such a thing, but his mind hurt too much to think of the future so he nodded.

"Yes okay I agree, you got a deal." he replied. The elder yautja nodded once and dropped the warrior onto the ground. He then ripped one of his necklaces off the belt of his armor, one that he had given to one of his dead mates, who was so beautiful he actually mourned her for numerous weeks. The necklace resembled a collar however it was incrusted with white jewels found deep within one of their mountains. His mate had earned his love and most of attention than his other two wives who she greatly got along with. He did not even wish to part with the item. He shrilled gently and placed the necklace on the ooman's lap.

"Give…to suckling…when she…of mating age." And like that he walked off down the alley way soon disappearing into nothing, yet he could see the splashing of water in the puddles. The soldier panted heavily before closing his eyes and letting the darkness take him.

25 years later…

Tanya Monroe was panting in the emergency room as they wheeled her pregnant body in. She had long brunette curls with light green eyes she got from her mother and a round face she got from Thomas Monroe, her soldier father.

Tanya's husband, Jordan, was right with her.

"You're going to be okay baby." he said. Tanya's face was covered in sweat as they took her back into a room, where Jordan was not allowed to follow. A few minutes later, Thomas and his wife Lelani moved through the door. The great warrior had indeed aged.

"How is she?" Thomas asked. Jordan shook his head quickly.

"We won't know until the doctor's come back." he said. The couple and their son in law paced through the waiting room.

"Oh god what's taking so long?" Lelani asked and Thomas only shook his head. Numerous thoughts rolled into his mind. He remembered everything quite well even though it had been 25 years. The deal he made with the monster still stood. How did he know? Because he always felt he was being watched and it was not by the enemy in other countries, but by a force much darker. They were watching to make sure he held up his end of the deal. But why, why would they make such a deal to him. The real question was what happened if he decided not to keep his end of the deal

He wanted this child to be a boy so maybe the deal would be off or he would have more time to explain things to his family for he never talked about what happened even after being in the hospital for weeks. The doors suddenly opened and the doctor came in with a smile.

"You can all come and see her now." she said. Lelani's eyes widened and she took her husband's hand and the three moved into the back. Thomas was more nervous for other reasons than just if something could be wrong with the child. But their family was strong. They entered the room and saw Tanya laying gently in the bed which was propped up some. In her hands was a bundle of blankets and now her husband and parents were standing around here with tears in their eyes. Thomas watched as his daughter revealed the face of his grandchild.

Tanya looked up at Jordan.

"Here's your daughter." she said happily. Jordan was smiling happily and he pressed his forehead into his wife's kissing it gently. Lelani covered her mouth with her hand.

"Hey there sweetness." she whispered and took Thomas's hands. He knew she would have a difficult life ahead of her. Would she even be safe with the monsters he promises her to?

"Got any names?" he asked. Jordan and Tanya looked up at him.

"Well we are descendents of African tribal rulers, we wanted to name her after our great great grandmother." Jordan said and Tanya smiled outline the baby's cheek.

"Welcome into the world…Napalla." She whispered…

21 years later…