As second in command to High Councilor Tark, Goran’s permanent residence was near Tark’s main governing buildings. And luxurious. He had promised, during the initial comms call between Mindy and Violet, that his mate would want for nothing. And based on Mindy’s descriptions, and the images Goran shared with Violet and the three of us, he was correct. Mindy would be very well protected and have every comfort once the general took his new mate home. As would Violet, if we could get her out of here and back on Viken, where she belonged. In the castle, next to Queen Leah, pampered and protected and ours.
Actually, the ours was the only part of that I cared about. I didn’t care where we lived. I’d left my home in Sector Three so long ago, I barely remembered the sight or smell of it. I’d been at Viken United since returning from the Hive wars, but even that had been an empty building of stone and duty until Violet came into our life.
Zed was new to the Viken capital, just arrived from the IQC in the cold north just a few hours before transporting to Earth to track down our mate.
And Calder? Well, he’d been stubborn, for a time. But Violet’s love and submissive nature, the way she loved all of us? Even he could not deny her.
We were officially a family, the claiming done—and thanks to my conversation with King Drogan, the king who had been raised in my sector—our mating had officially been recorded on Viken.
Nothing could take Violet from us now. But there was such sadness in her eyes when she looked at her sister. Such longing. And for the last two hours, all the two had discussed was how to deal with the time difference between Viken and Trion.
Mindy would age a single day, Violet five weeks. Mindy two years and our Violet fifty.
They both cried, their arms wrapped around each other in shared pain.
“The three kings have agreed to grant us this extra time with our mate. Due to the difference in the passing of time, they were quite generous.”
“That’s good, right?” Violet asked. She loosened her hold on Mindy and both women wiped tears from their eyes.
“Yes, love. It’s very good.” They’d been this way for hours. Since the moment Mindy woke from the ReGen pod and the two screamed, making a squeal of excitement I’d never heard. The laughter had faded to tears, and back to laughter again.
Females, I’d decided, didn’t make any sense. But they didn’t need to. The sight of their tears had made me ache for both of them, and a radical idea had taken hold in my mind. One I’d run by High Councilor Tark—who’d given his permission—and then King Drogan. An idea he’d also agreed to consider…if the arrangement was what we needed to keep our mate happy. “I spoke to King Drogan. Our mating is officially recorded.”
I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my lips, doubly so when Violet leaped to her feet and ran to me, throwing herself at me, her lips on mine and her arms around my neck.
Everyone turned to watch the spectacle. I knew both Calder and Zed would be pleased, as I was. But as I lifted my head from my beautiful mate, I saw the question in their eyes. I had discussed my idea with them prior to contacting the king, but we agreed not to offer Violet the option unless we knew we could keep our word.
I gave a slight nod and Zed smiled. Calder blinked slowly, his gaze wandering from Violet’s joy, where she remained pressed against me, to the identical twin, so like our mate, where Mindy pressed to Goran’s side, wiping away tears through her smile.
I had talked to King Drogan in private. If he had been upset by our long leave, I didn’t want Violet to know. It wasn’t her fault the time difference between the two planets was so significant.
“It’s only been two days,” Mindy said.
I escorted my mate to the sofa and sat at the end opposite Calder. Calder reached out and pulled our mate down to us so that she sat sideways across the long couch, her back tucked into Calder’s side. I grabbed her feet, lifted them up and sat down, placing them in my lap.
“Yes, but two days here on Trion is fifteen weeks on Viken,” Calder said.
Her dark eyes widened. “I know, but I don’t want to think about it. It’s so weird.”
“It’s physics,” Mindy said. “Like that movie we saw a few years ago, Interstellar. Remember? Ten minutes for the people on the planet was like twenty-five years for that guy up on the ship.”
“That movie was weird, too. And that’s impossible, right?”
“It’s science.”
Violet sighed. “My least favorite subject.”
Mindy laughed. “Exactly.”
I began to rub Violet’s bare foot, pressing my thumb into her arch. The other hand slid up her calf, letting the long Trion dress slide up with it. Calder was the one who liked to show off his mate. I just wanted a slight hint of what was beneath. The diaphanous fabric hid little—it was obvious that our mate didn’t have the nipple ring adornments or the thin chain and disks signifying she was mated to a Trion warrior—I could see the hint of her pink nipples through the gown.
We’d fully claimed her the night before. After the time we took her together, we slept, then each spent time alone fucking her. I’d been first, leading her back into the warm water to wash, but only made it to the soft bank where I settled between her parted thighs and fucked her. Slow and gentle, her cries of pleasure woke the others. They’d remained on the bank, watching.
Zed had led her into the foliage after a small meal that Goran had supplied and we’d heard her scream her release, barely muffled by the thick trees. Later, after the suns had set, Calder had rolled her onto her belly, worked the almond scented oil into her flesh from shoulders to toes and when she was relaxed and almost asleep again, worked it into her opened ass before slowly and sweetly fucking her there.
Zed and I had watched, stroking our cocks at the sight of our mate taking Calder so well, then come all over her, our seed spurting onto her glistening skin. The seed power had her passing out and Calder had carried her to the water to wash her once more, but she’d never roused.
Now, she was between Zed and I, lazy and well sated. Calder sat in a chair across from us, his eyes solely on our mate.
“Queen Leah is pregnant.”
“Really?” Violet asked, a smile spreading on her face. “I knew it would happen soon. They are so doting to that little girl. She needs a brother to run after her and pull her hair.”
“What about you, Violet? You mothered me enough, you’d make a perfect mother,” Mindy replied.
Goran sat in a comfortable chair beside Calder, but Mindy was at his feet, her legs tucked beneath her. She was between his knees, her arm wrapped around his lower leg, her cheek on his pants-clad thigh. Her gown was a dark red, but the nipple rings, chains and disks were plainly visible. While the sight was erotic, it did nothing for me. I loved Violet’s breasts and wanted no others. I didn’t need rings or jewels, sexual toys or other aids to pleasure our mate.
Identical DNA only made the females look the same. Their personalities and wants were so different. While Violet liked Zed’s dominant nature and, in response, became more submissive, she would never sink into the role as Mindy did. And Mindy, while very outlandish and verbally impetuous, couldn’t handle a relaxed mate like myself, or even Calder, to a degree. She couldn’t handle three mates, three demands.
And that was why Mindy was matched to Goran here on Trion and Violet would be returning with us to Viken in a few hours.
“Someday, I’d like to have children,” Violet said. “With three mates, I’m busy enough for now, even without a baby.”
Mindy smiled and glanced from me to Zed to Calder. “Yes, I can see how much you like their attention. You’re barely awake. Did you enjoy the oasis?”
“Mindy,” Goran warned gently.
She looked up at her mate. “What? She does look rather worn out. I would assume she’d be pregnant by now with three lovers.”
“Do not force me to spank you here in front of your sister and her mates,” Goran warned.
“I only speak the tr
uth,” she countered.
I looked to Violet, to see if she was upset by her sister’s rash words. While she was blushing, her eyes were moving in the circular motion I recognized as her sign of mild annoyance.
Mindy seemed to have noticed it as well, although she hadn’t even looked at her sister. “Violet, don’t you dare. I can feel you rolling your eyes at me.”
Violet burst out laughing, the sound breaking the intensity of the moment between Mindy and her mate. “I’d hardly call spanking a punishment. It’s more like…” Violet’s eyes darted to Zed’s and something dark and needy passed between them. “Foreplay. You should come up with something better, Goran. Spanking her might make her worse.”
It was Mindy’s turn to laugh. “Sometimes, dear sister, you should keep your opinions to yourself.” She turned around to look at Violet, and Goran allowed the movement, his hand stroking his mate’s hair, an amused expression on his face. Indeed, we were all seeing a side of our females we had never seen before. And their interaction was…intriguing. “Don’t forget, I know all of your secrets, too. Do I need to mention a certain chocolate dessert? And where I found it?”
“You wouldn’t.” Violet bolted upright on the sofa, her eyes bursting with both humor and horror.
Mindy raised her brows, taunting her sister, and I found myself obsessed with finding out what our mate liked to do with a chocolate dessert.
“Sister-kin, I would very much like to know this story.” That was Zed, and his eyes blazed with the same lust for our female that I was sure shined in my own gaze.
“Mindy, no—” Violet was begging. And blushing. If my mate loved sweet desserts, I could find some very creative ways to feed all four of us. Use my tongue to taste her…everywhere…as we explored this odd craving.
Now I had to discover her secrets.
Goran tugged gently on Mindy’s hair and she turned shining eyes up to look at him. They were so in tune that one small shake of Goran’s head and Mindy sighed. “Please?”
“No. It is not your secret to share.”
“But—”
“Since spanking is not an option—” His humor filled gaze darted to Violet before settling onto his mate’s face with a look of complete devotion. I knew the feeling. “Do you wish me to retrieve the stimspheres, gara?”
I had no idea what a stimsphere was, but Mindy’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. “No, Master.”
Goran gently stroked Mindy’s hair. “Good girl.”
Violet pulled her feet toward her body and sat up. “Perhaps we should talk, just us girls, before we leave.”
Mindy bounced with excitement. “Please, Master. May we go and speak together in private? I’d like to spend time with her, like it used to be, without four bossy men.”
I bit my lip to stifle a smile. Mindy was an imp and the way Goran’s mouth tipped up at the corner, he would not stifle her too much. He loved her as she was.
He held out his hand to help her rise. “Of course, gara.”
Side by side, the twins were truly identical. But I would know Violet anywhere. She was mine. She was marked with my seed, my love embedded in her heart.
The ladies locked their arms together, joined at the elbow, smiling…until they realized their time together would be spent saying good-bye.
Violet’s tears ripped me in half and I glanced from Zed to Calder, a question in my eyes. Both of them nodded and I cleared my throat to get Violet’s attention before they could exit the room.
“Violet, love, the three kings and Queen Leah had a message for you.”
Violet spun on her heel, dragging her giggling sister with her. “For me?”
“Yes, love. For you, because the decision will be yours.”
“What decision?”
With one more look at Calder, who was the most attached to our home world, I was relieved when he nodded, a look of anticipation in his eyes as he tore his gaze from mine and back to Violet. Zed hadn’t moved, his gaze locked on our mate, not wanting to miss one moment of what he knew was to come.
“I have spoken with High Councilor Tark as well as King Drogan. If it is your wish, your mates will be transferred to the command of the High Councilor and we will live out our days here, on Trion, with your sister and her mate.”
“What?” Violet paled, her knees going weak as Mindy struggled to keep her upright.
“You’ve upset her.” Zed was on his feet, pulling Violet into his arms as Mindy stepped back to give them room. She was nervous and unsure, her hand wrapped around her own throat in obvious upset until Goran came to her side. One touch of her mate and she calmed, leaning into him. Content. Safe.
Happy.
Violet was not so easy to read.
She was sobbing. Hard, gut-wrenching sobs that Zed was helpless to stop. She sobbed like her heart had been ripped from her body, as if our words had destroyed her very soul.
Calder was on his knees before her and I joined my family, wrapping my arms around both Violet and Zed, connecting us, as Calder wrapped his arms around her thighs. We surrounded her. Comforted her. She was ours. “Violet, love. Don’t. Please don’t. We will leave at once. We will return to Viken as we planned. The choice is yours. We do not need to remain here. Please don’t. You are breaking my heart.”
Leaning in the two inches that separated our mouths, she kissed me. “No. I love you. I love you all, but I don’t want to live on Viken. I want to live here, with Mindy, and with you. I don’t want to be torn in half. I want our children to laugh and play together, to grow up together. I can’t believe…”
She was sobbing again, and Mindy joined her, jumping up and down, her hands clasped in front of her lips as tears streaked her cheeks. “Violet. Oh, my god. You can stay?” She turned to Goran, a look of disbelief on her face. “She can really stay?”
Goran nodded. “Tark spoke to me about it a few hours ago. Yes, they’re skilled warriors. They will be welcomed into our ranks. Tark never refuses trained warriors he can trust.”
Violet kissed me again. Then Zed. When he was breathless, she leaned down and kissed Calder until he tried to pull her down onto the floor beside him, lost in her taste. Her touch.
She stood up and laughed, wiped tears from her eyes, and pushed him away. Pushed all of us away. “I love you, my mates.”
“We will discuss this in detail when we are alone. And this dessert your sister mentioned.” Zed’s tone would allow no argument, but by the smile on Violet’s face, we all knew what she would choose.
I grinned as she tore Mindy from Goran’s embrace and the two women resumed their trek out of the room for their private conversation, leaving the four bossy men behind.
I watched them leave, a feeling of peace and complete contentment filling me. I watched her walk away. I hungered for my mate.
And I wondered if they would discuss chocolate dessert. I wasn’t worried. We’d get the truth of it from her, even if we had to spank her gorgeous ass to do it.
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All of Grace's books can be read as sexy, stand-alone adventures. Her Happily-Ever-Afters are always free from cheating because she writes Alpha males, NOT Alphaholes. (You can figure that one out.) But be careful...she likes her heroes hot and her love scenes hotter. You have been warned...
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About Grace
Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi & Paranormal romance. Grace believes all women should be treated like princes
ses, in the bedroom and out of it, and writes love stories where men know how to make their women feel pampered, protected and very well taken care of. Grace hates the snow, loves the mountains (yes, that's a problem) and wishes she could simply download the stories out of her head instead of being forced to type them out. Grace lives in the western US and is a full-time writer, an avid romance reader and an admitted caffeine addict.
Also by Grace Goodwin
Interstellar Brides® Books
Mastered by Her Mates
Assigned a Mate
Mated to the Warriors
Claimed by Her Mates
Taken by Her Mates
Mated to the Beast
Tamed by the Beast
Mated to the Vikens
Her Mate’s Secret Baby
Mating Fever
Her Viken Mates
Fighting For Their Mate
Her Rogue Mates
Claimed By The Vikens
Interstellar Brides®: The Colony
Surrender to the Cyborgs
Mated to the Cyborgs
Cyborg Seduction
Her Cyborg Beast
Cyborg Fever
Interstellar Brides®: The Virgins
The Alien’s Mate
Claiming His Virgin
His Virgin Mate
His Virgin Bride
Other Books
Their Conquered Bride
Wild Wolf Claiming: A Howl’s Romance
Claimed By The Vikens Page 15
