by Renee Rose
“Taxx.” He nods. “But I’ve been alone and on the run for so long that I go by a different name. And they tagged me.” He grimaces, touches his neck. “The med pod didn’t remove the laser mark?”
“That can be done on Zandia.” I step closer, leaving Danica behind me. “Why were you in that prison?”
He shrugs. “I don’t have much memory right now. I’ve been doing trade here and there, where I can.” He glances at the crystal glowing in the med bay. “Random things.” He reaches out to run his finger over it. “Do you have any idea how many stein this is worth on the open market?” He raises his eyebrows.
“We do.” Gorde’s voice is curt. “Every being does. That’s why the planet is devastated after the Finn overmined our crystals.”
“I see.” Taxx flicks the crystal with his fingernail and it pings, a high perfect note. “I thank you for the rescue.” He sits down on the edge of the med pod and reaches up to touch the clear dome that’s retracted. “I would have died, there. I thought I was going to die before I’d ever see”—his voice quivers, and he clears his throat—“ah, another Zandian.”
“We are honored to bring you home.” Gorde’s voice cracks with emotion. “It’s a blessing to find another Zandian. The planet will welcome you.”
“Who is she?” Taxx looks at Danica. Intent.
“A human female. A rescue. We’re taking her to Zandia.”
“Is she yours?” Taxx stands up. “I haven’t had a female in a long time. Are you willing to share her?” His dark eyes narrow and he steps closer, but the look in his eye isn’t one of arousal, but appraisal.
In the past, I would have offered anything and everything to a newly found brother, including my blood. Definitely my new pleasure slave.
But I growl and put my hand onto Danica’s arm, just as she makes a squeak.
Gorde snaps, “She’s not a toy. Humans are not slaves on Zandia, regardless of what is accepted elsewhere in the galaxy.”
Beside me, Danica breaths out a long shaky sigh and her arms tremble. Veck, the idea of her being frightened makes me want to stand up and protect her. “She’s under our protection on the way to Zandia. Once there, she’ll learn the rules from King Zander and….have the choice to select mates.” My stomach roils.
“Unless we keep her ourselves,” Gorde adds. “As her rescuers, we have first rights.” He glares at Taxx.
I don’t think that’s true at all, and he shouldn’t be getting Danica’s hopes up, but I hold my tongue. Gorde seems to have gotten over his anger at her, or at least, now that he senses interest from another Zandian, he’s clearly eager to stake his claim.
Taxx puts up his hands. “I mean no offense.” His eyes linger on Danica a little too long for my liking, though.
I try to shake off the feeling of unease. “You’ve had an ordeal, and you need to recover,” I state. “Rest. If you haven’t eaten your weekly meal, we have Zandian and human staples on board. A place to wash. Fresh clothing.”
He shakes his head. “All I’ve had for weeks now is swill. I need sustenance.”
Gorde takes him over to the galley and gets him food, shows him the water hose in the back bay. I call in to King Zander to let him know that our Zandian is awake and alert.
Danica touches my arm. “What happened to him?” She’s frowning.
“We’ll let him eat. There’s plenty of time to hear his story.”
“Benn?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.” She turns her eyes on me, wide and serious. “For saving me from that auction. For taking me to Zandia. For…keeping me safe.”
I look at her for a long minute, into her deep blue eyes, at her perfect lips. Then I force myself to look away. “You’re welcome.” I clear my throat. “I’m going to go sit with Taxx, get to know him. Why don’t you get some rest?”
She nods. “All right. I will.”
Chapter 8
Gorde
“We’re here.” The system beeps and the ground system sends acknowledgment. “Zandia.”
“May I see it?” Danica scrambles to her feet, eyebrows raised, looking at me.
I point her to the console chair beside mine. “Sit and you can see my screen. Or look out.”
“Beautiful,” she breathes, eyes wide, leaning forward to peer out the vast curved glass. “Green and blue and purple! I love it.” She turns to me. “Does it always glow like that?”
I nod. “The crystals make it so. Can you feel the energy?”
But she’s got her head tilted, a curious expression on her face. It’s almost like the one she wore during her orgasm, but muted. She sucks in a breath. “I…it’s tingly.” She touches her face. “Am I supposed to feel like this?”
I frown. “Most humans don’t, at least not at first. I don’t think.” I’m no expert. “Maybe it means you’re just more receptive to the crystalline energy.”
“That’s good…right?” Her gaze is already back on the planet. “I’ll really be safe here? It’s like a dream. I’m afraid to believe it.”
“You will.” I want to reassure her, but I’m focused on watching the autosystem as we land.
Benn waits at the other set of controls, in case we need to land manually, and Taxx sits beside him, asking endless questions. By the stars, I think he’s talked constantly from Hectan-3 to here, once he was clean and fed. How does auto-sys work? How does the cloaking system operate? If the ship needs to fire, how do you arm the missiles? Benn has been more than happy to train him, ad hoc, but something about his interest seems—odd. If I were just rescued, I’d want to know more about Zandia. Maybe just relax in the company of my own kind.
Danica looks at me as our sacred planet looms closer, filling the screen. “Will I be given to—mates—right away?”
My cheeks get warm. “It’s customary to first acclimate to the planet and settle in.” My tone is stiff. The idea of her going to another master—or masters, is impossible. But there’s been no opportunity for me to talk in private with Benn, to determine our plans. I’m past my anger and I want her more than ever. I just don’t know if he feels the same way.
“I see.” She purses her lips and crosses her legs.
I want to comfort her, but as the craft touches down, whisper soft—Zandians awaiting us on the pad, the door hissing open—suddenly Taxx has Danica. And he’s holding a stunner to her head.
“This craft is now mine.” His voice trembles, but his hand is tight on Danica’s arm. “You are getting off, and then I am going to take it.”
“Drop your weapon!” Benn’s voice is harsh. “I don’t know how the veck you got that out of the storage, but toss it down. Now.” He has his weapon out, trained on Taxx, his eyes fierce.
“Not unless you want her dead.” Taxx’s voice is fast. “I’ll kill her in a second if the two of you don’t step off this craft.”
Panic and anger rise as I see terror on Danica’s face. She’s breathing shallow little gasps of air.
“Let her go!” I roar, stepping forward, drawing my own stunner, but stop in my tracks when Taxx puts the gun to her neck.
“A blast here will incapacitate her without killing her,” he says, his voice flat. His hand trembles and I swear I see pain in his eyes.
I put up my hands. “Don’t hurt her. Why are you doing this?” Adrenaline makes me alert to every sound, every movement.
“Get off the craft.” His hand trembles. “I need it. And I need her.”
“Why do you need it? Let her go and we’ll talk.” I step forward.
His eyes are wild. “Do you think she’d go blind from a Level 3 burst? Should we see? Maybe she’d just lose some nerve function. Still be a sellable slave, though. Maybe even more desired, depending on who’s buying.”
His voice cracks and his hand trembles again. Danica squeaks and shakes, and I lock eyes with her, trying to communicate without words.
“Brother, we’re not going to let you leave with her and this craft.” Benn’s voice is calm. “You know that, and we
know that. Let her go and we can negotiate.”
Taxx’s hand wobbles, and I know we have one chance. I need Danica to duck down the same instant I leap forward. If only she could read my mind—
Taxx looks up and doesn’t move. It’s like he can’t, or something—like he’s literally turned to stone. He opens his mouth, and I swear, it’s like he’s pushing against an immovable force. At the same second, Danica moans and clenches her fists, like she’s concentrating, and then—by the stars!—she ducks.
Benn and I spring forward and disarm him in a second. I tug Danica into my arms, touching her face, her hair as she swoons, limp. “Are you all right? Breathe. Breathe, baby, breathe.” I panic until she gasps and her eyes fly open.
To my side, I see Zandians rush onto the craft and cuff Taxx, tug him to his feet.
“No!” Taxx screams, and collapses into a pile. I have never heard a Zandian sob, and the sound is as distressing as it is confusing. “I need it. I need it!” He appears utterly unhinged.
There’s a thousand other voices, but the only one I want to hear is hers. Benn is right beside me.
“Talk to me, Danica.” I lean forward until my forehead is on hers, my horns tangling in her hair. “Tell me you're all right. Please, baby.” I grab her face with both my hands. “You’ve got to be okay. Please. Please.”
Benn puts both hands onto her shoulders. “Danica, we’re here. We’ve got you.”
She blinks, then touches her belly, her lips, her face. As if checking she’s still there, alive. She sighs, and gives me a small smile and reaches back to put one of her hands on top of Benn’s. “I’m fine.”
I shoot a look at Benn, and I know without hesitation that he agrees. It’s the expression on his face, powerful concern, fear and affection.
“Danica.” I touch her cheek. “We want you to be our mate. Benn and I. We don’t want a Zandian female.”
“Are you sure?” Her voice trembles.
Benn comes to stand beside me. He swipes her hair off her neck and gives her a kiss on the exposed skin. “We want you.”
She sucks in her breath and one tear forms in the corner of her eye. She looks from me, to Benn, and back again.
When Benn nods, I squeeze her hand. “Danica?”
She bites her lip. “Yes. I want you, too. Both of you. I say yes.”
Danica
King Zander scares me with his direct gaze; it’s like he knows all of my secrets. Thank God my deepest ones aren’t encoded in the lines lasered into my skin.
“Danica.” His voice is deep and authoritative. “Do you agree to take Gorde and Benn as your mates, and dedicate yourself to rebuilding Zandia for yourselves and your young?”
I glance at the huge males beside me. “Yes, my lord. I do.”
“And you?” He looks at Gorde and Benn. “You choose her?”
They both agree, each stepping forward. Gorde puts a hand on my arm and Benn touches the small of my back.
My legs are shaky but I grab their hands in mine, strong hands. Powerful. Protective. How long will it be before they figure me out? Until then, I can live here. Grow stronger. Make plans.
I just better not fall in love.
“Then you will give her your crystals,” King Zander proclaims. “Serve as her sponsors and take care of her. Ensure she is happy and satisfied.”
“We will.” Gorde squeezes my hand, his voice firm.
I glance at Benn. After all, he was the one who kept talking about a Zandian female. But his smile is full of affection when he looks at me, and his voice is strong. “Yes, Danica. We will.”
“You will get a home in the capital city. Similar to this.” King Zander taps on his comm device, and scrolls to a screen. He shows it to us: A sleek, efficient domicile in a vast urban area.
I’m surprised it’s not a dome in the country. In the holos I watched, I saw the homesteads where Zandians and humans were rebuilding the overmined land.
“Gorde and Benn are warriors,” King Zander says. “They serve the throne running missions, so it doesn’t make sense to base your unit anywhere else but the city.”
“How will I serve, my lord?” I curtsy. My stomach churns with nerves.
“We will assess your skills and assign you to an area of your choosing.” Zander taps his comm again and shows me a picture. “This is Arabel. She’ll meet with you and help you get started.” He pauses. “Of course, you will take the time you need to raise your young, when you have them.”
I swallow hard. “Young. Yes.”
Gorde slaps Benn on the back. “Starting the family unit. Now there’s a mission I can’t wait to run.”
The two of them chuckle, and Benn leans in to kiss my cheek. “Sorry,” he whispers. “But it’s true. You’re irresistible. I can’t wait to see your belly swell with our young.”
King Zander clears his throat.
I curtsy, keeping my voice steady. “Thank you.”
“Thank you, Danica,” he says, his eyes sincere. “Without your help, Zandia cannot reach its former strength and beauty.”
Chapter 9
Danica
“My own home.” I run my finger along the glass window that overlooks the capital city, staring into the bright hot light, the new domes of glass and steel. We arrived the planet rotation before and, because of our mating, were assigned this incredible domicile.
I turn to include Gorde and Benn. “Our home.” I flush. “I can’t believe it.”
Akron was wealthy, but the comfort and wealth of his palace didn’t extend to his sex slaves. I slept on a wooden pallet with no blanket for covering. Here, the sleep platforms are floating oval disks, covered in soft bedding. Everything is colorful and made of fine materials. I feel like royalty.
I touch my earlobe, where a crystal tingles. Their crystals.
“It doesn’t hurt?” Benn reaches out and tugs my lobe, then runs his hand down my arm. “Here…or here?” He slides his hand under my loose Zandian shirt and cups my breast, tapping the nipples.
I suck in a breath, as arousal spirals through me. “It feels good.”
“It will feel even better,” Gorde promises, and lowers his voice to speak into my ear, “When we veck you. At the moment of climax, the crystals will add additional…encouragement.”
“Mmm.” I close my eyes as Gorde reaches down to cup my ass through my flowing skirt, then slides it down my body. Tugs down my panties. I help him by stepping out of them. “That sounds intriguing.”
“Indeed.” Gorde chuckles. “Benn, let’s take off the rest of her garments and show her.”
“Excellent plan.” Benn pulls at the hem of my shirt. “Arms up, love, so I can remove this.”
I lift my arms. “I thought I wasn’t a slave anymore.” I suck in my breath as the silky fabric skims my breasts and the cool air caresses my nipples.
“Certainly not.” Benn bites my neck, tossing the fabric to the side. “Except in the bedroom.”
“Because you like it when we master you here.” Gorde pulls me into his body from behind, so my ass cups his cock, already hard through his pants. He palms both of my breasts and squeezes softly. “Am I not correct?”
I suck in a breath. “I may need to be reminded.” I push my hips back, grinding into his heat. “Of how nice it can be. Then I’ll let you know if I want to be your love slave.”
I reach back and wind my hands up, into his thick hair and grab his horns.
He growls and gets harder. “Danica, don’t do that yet.” He pinches my nipples, just enough of a bite to make me moan with desire.
“This?” I do it again. “But why ever not?”
In a move so fast I don’t see it coming, he whirls me around and then next thing I know, he’s sitting on the sleepdisk and I’m over his lap. He slaps my ass, and the crack echoes around the chamber.
“Because you’ll wait until you’re told,” he murmurs, giving me another spank. “Is that clear?”
“Ow,” I complain, restless, letting my thighs pa
rt. “That hurts.” I lift up my hips in silent encouragement.
He laughs. “Why do I think you like it?”
I wiggle my ass. “I don’t know. Maybe because you can see…this?” I part my legs further and tilt my hips. “Mmm?”
“Veck, let me see it.” Benn’s voice is hoarse with need. The bed indents with his weight and then his hands run up my calves, my thighs. I whimper as he finds my core with his fingers and teases me, in and out. “She’s so wet.”
“Our naughty little mate likes her punishment,” suggests Gorde.
“Then we should certainly oblige her with more. Hold her hands while I spank her pretty little ass pink.” Benn puts both hands onto my ass cheeks and presses down softly, then traces circles on my skin. “I’ll make her wiggle over our laps before we let her come.”
I moan. “No, don’t.”
“I think she means please.” Gorde laughs. “Look at how she grew even wetter when you said that.” He runs his palms over my back and up to my shoulders. “Arms back, love, yes, like that.” He arranges my hands in the small of my back and holds both of them in one of his. “See how nicely you’re restrained now? Benn can spank you just as much as he likes and you can’t get away.”
My breasts push into his thighs, and the pressure on the crystals makes intense pangs of need vibrate into my nipples, and a matching sensation grows in my clit. “Oh!” I gasp, clenching my hands tighter.
He strokes my fists with his thumb. “Yeah? Feels good?”
“Gorde.” The tenderness of his touch slays me.
“Danica.” I hear the smile in his tone. “Relax and let us take care of you the way you need. I promise you can trust us.”
I relax my fists and he reaches underneath me, and I lift up one side so he can more easily reach my breasts with those magic fingers. The instant he closes his thumb and forefinger over my nipple, I cry out, because at the same time, Benn spanks me, hard, right across both cheeks.
“Mother Earth.” I can only gasp out the words as the two of them work my body in unison, playing my nipples, spanking my ass, until the need is so intense that I cry out their names.
