The whole thing made me suspicious. Were none of these women unhappy when they got to Khanav Prime?
A small knot formed in my stomach.
What if this is a trick of some sort?
I glanced over at the six warriors who had been brought in to compete as grooms. The purple one drew my gaze, of course.
God, he’s gorgeous.
But the others? They looked… intimidating.
Scary.
Maybe even cruel.
But Beautiful Purple Guy had been gentle when he caught me and kept me from falling on the floor. His arm around me had been possessive, but somehow I also knew I could walk away at any moment.
Something was drawing me to him.
This entire thing was panic-inducing.
And for me, panic almost always came out as sarcasm. So when I stepped up onto the dais for my turn, it all spilled out.
“Tell us something interesting about yourself,” Vos said. It was exactly the wrong thing to ask at that moment.
“I am a recent graduate of the College of Art and Design. I have no job prospects in my field. My parents died in a car wreck seven years ago. I have no family, and actually, no job at all now that I’ve been pulled away from being an elf in a mall—which is why I’m wearing this.” I gestured at my outfit. “And I’m guessing all that makes me a perfect candidate to be swept off my planet and taken away to someplace I’ve never been before to be married off to a hulking alien.” I stopped to catch my breath.
Vos laughed, but he shot me a look that was pure venom. “I know you haven’t had a chance to properly meet any of our warriors, but what your first impression?”
“They’re kind of terrifying.” I glanced up at Beautiful Purple Dude in time to see it as his face fell. For a moment, he looked absolutely despondent.
“Except for the one who caught me when I almost fell down earlier,” I amended.
No need to give them all a reason from the very beginning to decide not to match with me.
Vos looked happier at my second comment and wrapped up the interview as quickly as he could.
Then my two handlers came to whisk me off the stage.
“Let’s go get you dressed for your Christmas development outing,” the silvery one trilled.
Christmas development outing?
“By the way, my name is Plofnid, and this is Drindl,” the Poltien added. “We’re here to help you in any way we can.”
“Perfect,” I said. “The first thing I need to know is this: Is there any chance any of us—the three brides—will go back to Earth?”
Drindl hushed me. “We’ll talk about it later,” she said, glancing around furtively.
Yeah. That’s what I thought.
The only way I was leaving Station 21 was married to an alien.
Chapter 5
Valtin
I spent the time we were separated growing increasingly anxious that Lola might end up with someone else.
Rather than the usual grooms’ quarters, the six of us were taken to a single room that Vos called the Green Room—I didn’t know why, though, because there was nothing green in it, other than one of the other Khanavai warriors.
“Have a seat,” Vos said, gesturing around the room. “My assistant, Anthony, will queue up the brides’ information on the comscreens. I presume you had a chance to scent the females. However, in case you didn’t, there is an aroma enhancer next to each bride’s picture.”
As soon as the screen popped up in front of me, I scrolled to Lola’s image. The aroma link took me to a synthesized version of her scent. It wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as her real scent had been in person, but I still found it enticing.
Out of curiosity, I clicked on the other two brides’ aroma links as well.
Neither of them interested me at all.
I was glad to have that confirmed, and wasted no time filling out the portion of the paperwork that would allow to match with Lola.
I only hoped that none of the other grooms had reacted to her the same way I had.
Those odds were lessened when one of the other grooms heaved an unhappy sigh and stood up. “None of these brides are a match for me,” he announced, and left the room.
Excellent. One less competitor.
The other four warriors still remaining discussed the brides avidly. “What do you think of Lola Richards?” a green Khanavai male asked the room at large.
Unable to stop myself, I stood halfway out of my seat and growled at him.
He burst into laughter and held up his hands in surrender. “So that’s how it is, huh? She’s all yours.”
One of the other warriors, a pink Khanavai male said, “I liked her answer in the interview. And her scent is nice enough.”
My fists clenched and rage clouded my vision, but I forced myself to sink back down into my seat.
If it came down to it, I would kill any other male who dared compete for her.
But for all I knew, he was tweaking me, trying to get a rise out of me.
I would simply have to wait to see what happened next.
Lola
“We are taking you to a dressing room,” Drindl said as she turned to move down the hallway. When we rounded the corner, she glanced around. “There aren’t any cameras here,” she whispered. “Some of the hallways and the deepest part of the garden are almost the only places on the station that don’t have cameras. To answer your earlier question, the three brides for this particular version of the games were carefully chosen. As were the grooms. You’re supposed to match up with at least two of them according to a new DNA analysis program that Vos had a team develop. So no. There’s really no way you won’t be matched and mated.”
Plofnid shot her a glare. “That is classified information,” it reminded her.
“I don’t care,” she replied. “I think it’s important for her to know that she really should make the best possible choice.”
“And if I don’t?” My voice sounded almost as worried as I felt.
Plofnid shrugged. “If it’s any consolation, all of the brides chosen by Khanavai warriors end up very happy.”
I narrowed my eyes. “How do you know?”
Drindl let out a trilling laugh. “We’ve been working to help brides for more than one of your Earth’s decades.” She gestured at Plofnid. “And every bride the two of us have worked with has ended up with a mate she truly loves. I think you will, too.”
Plofnid rolled his eyes but nodded. “She’s not lying to you. Even though she shouldn’t be telling you any of this at all.”
Drindl waved us forward. “We have to hurry. It’s almost time for you to start your next segment.”
She hurried down the hall and I followed, thinking of everything she had said.
If they were happy, these women who married Khanavai warriors, then perhaps I could be, too.
It was a novel thought. The only time I had really been happy in my life was when I was drawing or painting. Creating things.
I didn’t have to be on Earth to do that. I could choose one of these giant males and at least I wouldn’t have to worry about being a Christmas elf at the mall ever again.
I snickered to myself. Okay, so maybe that was a pretty mercenary view of choosing someone to marry. But if I didn’t have any other kind of choice, that I might as well go with it.
My mother, before she died, had always said that I was the most practical artist she had ever met.
I would do whatever I had to in order to make sure I survived. And in the end, I could look at this as simply another job.
One that might include a gorgeous purple Khanavai male.
Right?
I ignored the tiny voice in the back of my head that suggested I had never been willing to prostitute myself for my art before.
Shut up, I told it.
But it kept whispering to me, all the way to the dressing rooms.
When we reached those rooms, Drindl had me sit in front of the mirror and pulled up the co
mscreen in front of me. “These are the grooms you have to choose from.”
I didn’t hesitate. “That one,” I said.
Plofnid grinned. “I thought that was the one you would pick. Valtin Valenox.”
“The two of you clearly have a connection,” Drindl agreed.
“What happens next?” I asked.
“The judges decide if they approve the match, and then you and any grooms who choose you undergo the games.”
“What if the one I chose didn’t choose me?”
“You’ll probably be paired up to do some of the games, anyway.” Randall frowned. “But I don’t think there’s any real chance that he wouldn’t choose you. Not the way he was holding on to you in the general meeting.”
“But if we choose each other, can’t we just make it official somehow?”
“Oh, no,” Plofnid said. “There have been a few occasions where the judges decided that a bride and groom who had chosen one another would not suit, after all.”
“Why would they do that?” My heart thudded in my chest at the thought of any of the other males getting close to me.
“Well,” Drindl began.
Plofnid shot her an irritated glance.
“She deserves to know,” Drindl said. “They all do. I think the information should be published on Earth.” She turned back to face me. “The brides are here to save the Khanavai culture by interbreeding.”
I nodded. That was common enough knowledge.
“Sometimes the DNA match isn’t strong enough. The judges check for that. Khanavai mating is serious business. So any cross matches that would not ultimately provide healthy offspring are… discouraged.”
“So even if a bride and groom are determined to be together, if they can’t have babies, they’re not allowed to be together?”
Grendel nodded. “It’s presented as being all about love. But really, the Bride Games are absolutely mercenary.”
See? I told the voice in my head. Everyone in this whole Bride Lottery thing is out for themselves. I’m not the only one.
But that didn’t help the knot that formed my stomach.
Valtin
When he returned moments later, Vos announced the matches.
I waited, my heart pounding, to learn what had happened.
I had matched with Lola, of course. But Lola had also chosen me. My heart leaped in my chest, and I wanted to start singing Earth Christmas carols out of pure joy.
I thought of the tree my friend’s mother had decorated every cycle with a tiny, glowing figure atop it.
An angel, she had called it. A messenger of all good things.
Lola was my Christmas angel.
She would be going home with me.
As my mate.
“And finally,” Vos said, “Wex Banstinad has chosen Lola Richards.”
The green Khanavai male who had mentioned her earlier smirked at me.
It was all I could do not to jump up and attack him right there. But I managed to keep my reaction to a low growl.
Lola was mine.
And I would prove it.
Let the games begin.
Chapter 6
Lola
Apparently, Vos was obsessed with Christmas decorations. Because that was our first task—to find a Christmas tree and decorate the room we would be having our gift exchange in.
At least, I assumed it was a gift exchange. Vos kept calling it the “Christmas ceremony,” whatever that meant.
They had set up some kind of market in the center of the station, between the garden and the food court. Our task was to choose a tree and go shopping together. I wasn’t certain what this had to do with choosing a lifemate, but there you have it.
At least they had gotten the idea of Christmas being a commercial holiday completely down.
And here I was, accompanied by two giant Khanavai males. One was purple, gorgeous, and delighted to be surrounded by all things Christmas. The other was green, scowling, and apparently determined to piss Valtin off.
We hit the trees first. Tiny aerial video globes darted around the trees and markets, following us to catch all the video footage possible.
Valtin dashed to the biggest tree in the impromptu tree lot. “What about this one?” he asked, staring up at the tree that towered over even him.
“It’s too big for the room,” Wex said.
Technically, Wex was right. I’d seen the dimensions of the rooms, and artistically, this would overwhelm the space.
Not to mention the fact that we would have to all but clear out the market to get enough items to decorate it.
Despite how irritated I had become by all things Christmas, I suddenly felt like indulging Valtin’s whims. His enthusiasm was contagious.
“No,” I said. “I think I like that one.”
Wax rolled his eyes in irritation, but Valtin laughed aloud and clapped his hands together.
“Perfect,” the purple alien announced. “We’ll have it delivered.”
Wex snarled something unintelligible and whipped around to walk away from us. As he did, his shoulder caught the edge of the tree. It began to topple over, and Wex jumped out of the way—leaving it headed directly toward me.
Without stopping to consider his own safety, Valtin jumped in front of it, catching it and holding it with his bulging arms.
The first thing he did was turn his head toward me. “Are you all right?”
I swallowed but nodded. “I am. Thank you.”
Several other Khanavai males, all smaller than Valtin, rushed over to help them set the tree back upright. He gave them a few directions about delivering it to the room we would be using that night.
Then he turned to take my arm. “Are you sure you’re well?” he asked. “Not too frightened?”
“I’m good.”
“Good enough to shop for decorations now?”
“Sure.”
“Where did Wex go?”
I glanced around to find the green warrior picking through decorations in the stalls. I didn’t want to join him. But I was afraid if we didn’t, there might be some weird repercussions later.
“I’ve chosen our decorations,” the green alien announced when we joined them.
“Let me see?” I asked.
He opened the bag he carried over his shoulder to show a jumble of mismatched ornaments. “I simply grabbed some things. We should go decorate our tree now.”
I frowned. I did not like his high-handed manner.
“I think Lola should choose the decorations,” Valtin said. “After all, I chose the tree.”
Without another word, I turned and began perusing the decorations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they were not limited to the traditional red and green of Christmas. The Khanavai loved color, I was beginning to figure out. “I think we should have a theme,” I said, irritated by Wex enough to want to get back at him a little.
“Perfect,” Valtin said. “What kind of theme?
I caught his eye and grinned. “I think silver and purple would be a lovely color theme for this Christmas.”
With a muttered curse, Wex dropped the bag he was holding. “I see how it is,” he snarled. “You prefer purple.”
I gave him a hard stare. “Right now, I certainly do.”
With a snort of irritation, he took a step back. “Fine. I’m out.”
“Good,” I said as he strode away.
I glanced up at Valtin to see him fighting back a grin.
“Pretty pleased with yourself right now?” I teased.
“Actually, I am surprised to be pleased with him,” Valtin said, gesturing after the retreating Wex.
“I am, too,” I murmured, taking Valtin’s hand and drawing him toward the nearest stall with purple decorations. “Let’s see what we can find to cover that enormous tree of years.”
Valtin snickered and I found myself blushing at my unintended double entendre. But I didn’t correct myself.
I was getting more and more curious about that enormous…tree�
��of his.
Three hours later, I stood back to admire our handiwork in the room we’d been assigned. It had come with a boxy sofa and a kind of electronic fireplace with a mantel. And now it was also half taken up with a giant Christmas tree decorated in silver and purple.
I had fun doing this.
I hadn’t had fun at Christmas since my parents had died.
And Valtin was the reason.
I was about to tell him so, when the door opened, and my two handlers appeared.
“It’s time to change for the caroling,” Plofnid announced. I glanced over at him and nodded. With the exception of the nostril braid, the Poltien made me think of Christmas elves—real ones, not freaks in costumes in malls like I had been.
“I’ll see you again soon,” I said to Valtin, then headed out the door without waiting for an answer.
Back in the dressing room getting ready to try to sing Christmas carols, I realized that I wanted Valtin.
Not just because he was gorgeous and sexy.
I didn’t just want him sexually. No. I wanted him. All of him. The thought of any other woman ending up with him made my heart ache.
This is stupid, my inner voice told me. Love at first sight is not a thing.
Maybe not. But in one outing, I’d learned quite a bit about him. He was protective and strong. He was kind and generous, and he valued my input.
He was a good man.
There was no getting out of being a bride. As long as Valtin was the groom, I was good with it.
I simply needed to make sure he was the groom I went home with.
I had the beginnings of a plan to make that happen.
And if it doesn’t work?
No, I told myself. Failure is not an option.
Time to get to work.
“So if we don’t have access to the DNA profiles, how can we tell if it’s a good match?” I asked Drindl.
She grinned. “A Khanavai male’s mating cock only appears with his true mate. And all true mates are good matches.”
“Mating cock?”
“It’s a special appendage,” Plofnid supplied, brushing my hair in long strokes.
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