Cohn: The Teague Bride Experiment: Intergalactic Dating Agency

by A. M. Griffin

  Daliya couldn’t help but chuckle. She wiped her face, stepped back and put her hands in her pockets. “It’s hard to be sad while wearing a dress with pockets.”

  “You’re going to wow him,” Jasmine said with confidence. “What do you know about him?”

  Daliya pursed her lips and thought. “Not much really. He was on the waitlist to receive a mate. From what I’ve been told, there are over eight thousand males on the waitlist.”

  Jasmine whistled low. “And you have to choose someone from the waitlist? Can you find an eligible bachelor on your own?”

  “What? Like going to a single’s mixer or speed dating?” Daliya laughed and shook her head. “They’re only giving me a month to choose a new mate or they’re going to hold a lottery and choose one for me. I can’t afford to try to find a mate on my own, otherwise I’ll be married to whoever’s name they pull out of a hat.”

  “Is that how they’ll do it?” Jasmine asked.

  “Probably not,” Synit countered. “They’ll most likely give you to whomever has paid the highest price.”

  Both Jasmine and Daliya turned to Synit with mouths hanging open.

  Synit shrugged. “That’s how the males were chosen to begin with. Those parents with enough money to pay a mate’s way from Earth to Teague were signed up for the program.”

  “Ugh!” Daliya buried her face into her palms. “That’s so not right. I feel like I’m being bought and sold like cattle.”

  “It’s not that way, honestly.” Synit stood. His large body dwarfed both Jasmine and Daliya. He was huge, but his demeanor was easy going and not at all imposing.

  “It’s an honor to have a human mate. We are tasked with repopulating our species and world. Yes, we paid for you all to come here and there are rules that we must abide by that are stated in our contracts, but this,” he wrapped an arm around Jasmine’s shoulders and her friend melted against him, “this is what every single male on Teague is wishing for. Your mate will know it’s an honor to be chosen by you.”

  Daliya’s eyes misted over again and she put her hand on her chest. “Don’t make me cry! My mascara will run and there’s nowhere to buy any more.”

  Jasmine stepped away from Synit to fan Daliya’s eyes with her hands. “Keep your eyes dry, honey. I bought ten vials with me and they have to last a lifetime!”

  Daliya chuckled and carefully wiped underneath her eyes. “I should marry a scientist. I don’t wear any makeup besides mascara, but it would be nice to have someone able to make it for me.”

  “And I would invest in that business because momma needs thick eyelashes,” Jasmine said.

  “Daddy also loves the thick eyelashes.” Synit bent to kiss Jasmine’s eyes.

  “Uh huh. Do not call yourself daddy.” Jasmine shuddered. “Ew.”

  “Enforcer Cohn Achene is at the front door.”

  Jasmine wiggled her nose. “I think we should install a doorbell.”

  “I know, right? I don’t think I can ever get used to the house making announcements,” Daliya said as she went to grab her clutch from the kitchen counter.

  “And I will never understand how you could go to the door without knowing who was there.” Synit started for the door. “You would seriously hear a ringing and run to open the front door?”

  “We had peep holes,” Jasmine said. She looped her arm into Daliya’s and led her down the hall, following Synit.

  “Some people had doorbell cameras.” Daliya smoothed down her dress with her free arm, trying to steady her nerves.

  Synit opened the door and a gust of wind almost knocked Daliya back. A tall figure stood on the doorstep. The light from one of the moons made the figure black, only revealing his outline.

  Daliya gave Jasmine a hug. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

  The plan was to stay up and discuss the date, the pros and the cons. It was to be a girl’s night with alcohol and snacks. Daliya glanced at the doorway again. “Ready?”

  The figure stepped closer to the door and the light from the hallway shined on him.

  “You!”

  Daliya’s reaction toward him was the only thing that could break Cohn’s stupor.

  He’d known exactly who he was going to guard and recognized her as soon as he’d seen her standing in the doorway. However, he hadn’t prepared for the gut reaction of seeing her beautiful brown skin on display or that wild black hair in silky waves around her face.

  Those large and expressive brown eyes held him enthralled. She was gorgeous. Beauty all rolled up in a nice package wearing a tight-fitting dressing.

  Daliya stepped back and the other human glanced back and forth from him to her. “Wait. Do you know this guy?”

  His nemesis brushed her palm over her face. “Out of all the males on this planet, the first date has to be this guy.”

  Cohn stumbled back a step confused as to why she thought he was here to date her. “First. Date?”

  A Yatur male named Synit stepped in front of the door, blocking the entrance. Cohn knew him and his human mate’s name. They were close to Daliya and for that reason their information had been included in the security briefing he’d received.

  “That’s a ‘no’ from the available human, my friend.” Synit crossed his arms over his chest. “Take your leave now.”

  “Come on, honey.” Jasmine guided Daliya around, but before she fully turned in the opposite direction, she glared at Cohn. “No use staying in this dress. You can wear it for your next date. Besides, you didn’t want to go out in the snow in these killer heels anyway.”

  “I am not here to take her on a date,” Cohn said through gritted teeth. “I’m an enforcer. I came to escort Daliya on her date with Ha-mesh.”

  Synit’s eyes widened. “You’re that Enforcer Cohn Achene?”

  Jasmine and Daliya stopped walking mid-way down the hallway. They both glanced over their shoulders at him.

  Cohn didn’t ask what Synit meant by “that”. It still made him cringe when people brought up how he’d saved the mate of a visiting diplomat from an attempted assignation attempt by an off-worlder. Cohn had just been in the right place at the right time.

  The attempted assassination had been what everyone talked about for months. His mother displayed his award for good service to any and every guest she had. It was also one of the reasons for his latest promotion.

  Cohn looked over Synit’s head, ready to get on with the evening and bypass any further discussion of the assassination attempt. He spoke directly to Daliya. “Did you not receive the briefing regarding tonight? I sent you the information.”

  Daliya turned around slowly. “Ummm. No? Where did you send it?”

  “I had the information sent to the main communication board at your apartment. I went there first and when I found you weren’t there, I came here.”

  She rubbed a hand up and down her exposed arm then glanced sheepishly toward Jasmine. “Oh, well…that’s probably why I wasn’t aware to look out for you. I’ve been staying with Jasmine and Synit. I probably should have checked the messages, but Jasmine and I were busy getting ready for my date.”

  Her. Date.

  Cohn was escorting her to her date. There was no reason to notice how tight the material of her dress was around her ample breasts. Or the way it tapered to a small waist and flared at her hips. Or how shapely her legs looked underneath and the high shoes she wore that were completely ridiculous for the climate. He also shouldn’t notice how beautiful her hair was and how his fingers longed to stroke through it and divide the curves.

  Cohn shook his head as if that would help to clear his mind. It did not. He made a show of checking his comlink when it was apparent he’d been caught ogling her. “We need to leave now. I’ve sent a message to the restaurant to inform your date we’re on our way.”

  Daliya turned toward Jasmine and the other woman gave her a hug. “You’re going to knock him dead. Take mental notes so we can discuss all the pros and cons when you get back.”

  “
You’re not going home tonight?” Cohn asked in some surprise.

  Daliya made her way toward him. “Not tonight. It’s…difficult there.”

  He wanted to ask her difficult how, but she strode toward the door and peered outside. “I guess I need my coat.”

  “It’s probably for the best that you’re staying here. Your apartment isn’t very secure. You’ll inform me when you’re going back for good and I’ll arrange for guards to accompany you,” Cohn said.

  “I don’t want to be a bother. I already feel like this is too much.” Jasmine handed her a coat, which Daliya promptly put on. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

  “You’ll need better shoes,” Cohn said, glancing down at her feet.

  Daliya also glanced at her feet. “I have my boots that I brought from Earth. I can put those on.”

  “You need boots meant for the snow on Teague. If you don’t have some, I’ll call the officials and arrange for them to send you a pair.”

  Daliya raised her chin. “Why? So, they can take them from me, too?”

  Confusion set in. “Why would they give you something then take it away?”

  He shook his head before she could answer. It was cold and they were going to be late. The faster he could get this night over with, the better.

  “Never mind. If you refuse to give up your Earth possessions, then fine. Struggle.”

  Synit held out thin boots to Daliya. The boots didn’t look like they would be much better than what she currently wore. When she reached for them, Cohn did the unthinkable. He scooped Daliya up.

  “Whoa!” Daliya clutched onto his neck. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “I wasn’t expecting you to not have on the proper shoes,” he curtly replied.

  Cohn turned and walked down the walkway while she wiggled in his arms. “Put me down!”

  Put her down in the snow with those shoes? Why would she want that? Cohn didn’t understand why, but he obliged. The moment she started feeling too good in his arms, he should’ve released her. He set her on her feet. Daliya’s legs promptly sunk into a mound of snow. A gust of wind barreled by, almost knocking her over. She wobbled and he caught her by the arm before she could fall. “Careful.”

  “I meant put me down back at the house so I can change my shoes.” Her teeth chattered as she spoke. She eyed his hovercar. “But you can pick me back up and take me to the hovercar since we’re this close.”

  He blew out a frustrated breath. Put her down. Pick her up. He got the feeling that she was going to be more trouble than she was worth. Cohn picked her up again. He strode to the car and activated the door. As soon as he placed her inside, she scrambled to the nearest heat vent.

  “So warm. Ohhhhh, so warm.” Daliya rubbed her hands together and lifted her feet to the vent.

  Cohn got in behind her and sat in the driver’s seat. “Ready for your date?”

  She nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Chapter Five

  “I’m a very active person,” Ha-mesh said.

  Cohn growled from his position standing sentry behind Daliya’s seat and like each time before, she ignored the sound and tried to focus on her date. Ha-mesh was handsome and respectful although not a great conversationalist.

  He tried too hard to engage her and his leg kept jumping under the table, displaying nerves she hadn’t expected. To make things worse, Cohn’s silent vigilance and glaring presence created an awkward air.

  Daliya chuckled nervously. “That’s very good to hear. Um, what kind of outdoor activities do you like to do?”

  “I like to hunt dingies.”

  Okay. Not really the kind of activity she expected him to say. She took a spoonful of her meal; meat and vegetables were a safe bet. With her stomach in knots, she couldn’t trust anything too foreign on her stomach. She didn’t want to be nervous and sick. “Is there any physical activity involved or do you sit up in a tree or something…?”

  “Dingies are small harmless animals that live mostly on the western hemisphere,” Cohn grumbled. “Some people hunt them for their pelt to sell as gifts.”

  His gruff tone implied he didn’t approve of this practice and honestly, neither did Daliya. She didn’t have a problem with all forms of hunting, just the type that Ha-mesh participated in. Hunting innocent animals for sport.

  “Are you a nature conservationist?” Ha-mesh asked Cohn, addressing him for the first time since their cordial greeting after their first meeting.

  “I’m a not inflict pain on the weak for sport conservationist,” Cohn stated.

  Ha-mesh chuckled. At Cohn’s stern demeanor and lack of laughter, he stopped abruptly and shifted in his seat, looking around the restaurant.

  “Um, so do you like to go on nature walks?” Daliya asked, hoping to alleviate the uncomfortable silence.

  Ha-mesh refocused on Daliya. “I do.”

  Daliya lifted her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. Ha-mesh glanced above her head at Cohn then back to her and cleared his throat.

  “I do,” Ha-mesh repeated firmly. “And I would love to show you some of the beautiful trails we have in this area.”

  Another growl rumbled from behind her. Ha-mesh flinched and Daliya forced a smile on her lips, refusing to turn around and address Cohn’s rude behavior. “I would love to go. I’ll have to let you know when I have free time. I’m set to meet the next candidates on my list this week. By next week, I should be booking second dates.”

  “Grrrrrr.” Cohn’s long, growl increased in volume and reverberated through her chest.

  This was the type of male Daliya preferred? Anyone could tell with one look at Ha-mesh that he didn’t participate in any outdoor activities. Besides hunting harmless animals, Cohn doubted Ha-mesh spent any amount of time outdoors. His claws didn’t have a mark on them. His clothes, the way he styled his hair and the way he talked irritated Cohn.

  Someone like Ha-mesh probably considered going outside to get in his car an outdoor activity.

  Ha-mesh crossed one leg over the other and that small movement left Cohn gritting his teeth. Scratch his previous thought. Ha-mesh probably didn’t even go outside to retrieve his hovercar. He seemed the type to have an indoor carpark.

  Cohn scrutinized Ha-mesh closer. The skin under his fur was pale. Just as he’d suspected. It had been ages since the sun touched Ha-mesh’s skin.

  From across the room, a deep snarling growl broke his study of Daliya’s weak mate potential. Cohn’s gaze snapped up as he searched out the source of the sound, falling quickly into his enforcer role.

  “Ram?” he whispered under his breath when he spotted his oldest friend on a direct path toward a table where another couple sat. A human female and Yatur male.

  Ram approached the male from behind and gripped his shoulder. From his vantage point, Cohn couldn’t hear what was said, but if his friend’s expression was any indication, it wasn’t good.

  Although Ram was dressed immaculately and his hair was slicked back, something about him was off. The human had to be Ram’s mate or soon to be ex-mate, Mia.

  Everyone on Teague knew Ram had made a mess of things with her. When the transport vessel arrived, he hadn’t greeted his new mate. Instead, the Bride Program officials had been notified that no one had come to pick up Mia and Ram’s personal assistant was dispatched to retrieve her.

  Ram hadn’t actually met Mia until a few nights ago at the party where Cohn first saw him. According to rumors and speculation, his Dorian girlfriend was pregnant and Ram was in the process of dissolving his mate contract with Mia.

  The conversation between Ram, Mia and her date didn’t last long. Mia and her date stood up abruptly and left, leaving Ram swaying on his feet, alone. Cohn glanced from Ram to Daliya and Ha-mesh. Ha-mesh leaned on the table earnestly explaining the western lights. It was a phenomenon that lit the night sky with purplish pink lights.

  “I would love to take you there for our second date,” Ha-mesh said.

  Daliya dipped her head a
nd her full lips curved upward. “That would be nice, thank you.”

  Cohn bit off another growl. Normally he wouldn’t leave a client he was tasked to watch, but his friend needed him. His hands curled into fists at the idea Daliya might choose someone like Ha-mesh.

  “Excuse me,” Cohn said, leaning down to speak directly to Daliya. “I’m going to say hello to an old friend. I’ll be right back.”

  Daliya didn’t turn around or glance at him. She waved her hand absently in the air. “Sure. Sure.”

  Cohn turned on his heels and went to Ram where he stood next to the female’s empty chair. Cohn clasped his arm. “Ram.”

  Ram turned to Cohn, blinking rapidly to focus his gaze. “Cohn? What are you doing here?”

  “Do you remember that assignment I told you about? I’m here with her and her date.” Cohn nodded in Daliya’s direction.

  Ram followed his gaze. “Ah, the human who got her mate killed.”

  Cohn blew out a deep breath. “She didn’t get her mate killed. She suggested they hike up the mountain and instead of telling her that he hadn’t any experience, he went along, fell, and got himself killed.”

  The explanation seemed to confuse Ram. His eyes narrowed, then opened wide. “You have feelings for her?”

  Cohn flinched and covered the reaction by laughing. “Feelings for the human. Absolutely not. I’ve had a few run-ins with her before and she’s difficult to deal with. This is the first night I’ve spent any notable time in her presence but my earlier assessment remains. Humans aren’t worth the trouble.”

  Ram leaned close to whisper, “And how do you know so much about her?”

  Cohn met his clearly inebriated friend’s gaze and whispered in return, “Because it’s my job to know about her.”

  Ram burst into a laugh and playfully punched Cohn’s shoulder. “Well, don’t mess it up like I did with mine.”

  Cohn sighed. He could tell Ram again that he wasn’t dating Daliya but he had a feeling his friend wouldn’t remember any of this in the morning. “Do you have dinner reservations here?”

  “No, I found out my mate was on a date and I decided to see how she was doing.”