by Ivy Barrett
She rolled back to her stomach, then turned her head toward him. “I know, but this is hard for me too.”
“That’s why you have me.” He bent and kissed her mouth, a slow tender caress meant to reassure, not arouse. “I’ll spoil you rotten, while Moxtel keeps you in line.”
She smiled and the most amazing flush blossoming on her cheeks. With all they had been through together, it amazed him that she could still blush.
“But you need to be honest. Without Moxtel’s... intensity, you wouldn’t be content. We balance each other. That’s why this works.”
“I know.” The spirit Belton enjoyed so much gradually returned to her eyes. “He’s just frustrating right now.”
“The link will help,” Belton promised. “You’ll be able to feel the emotions he hides behind his scowl.”
After removing and disposing of the fire plug, Belton led her into the utility room. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply while the soothing pulses did their work. She moaned and pressed closer, her hands moving boldly over his bare chest.
“You feel so good,” she whispered into his mouth as he repositioned his head.
The shower cycled off, but he couldn’t drag his mouth from hers. They didn’t do this enough, just kiss and caress. She needed it, seemed almost desperate for the simple intimacy, the tenderness. He framed her face with his hands and used his mouth to communicate the depth of his love and devotion. He was better with words than Moxtel, but they were both soldiers. All they knew was destruction and hate.
A pounding on the door was followed by Moxtel’s impatient voice. “If you’re fucking her without me, I’ll kill you and then spank her ass.”
She laughed, separating their mouths. “We can’t have that. Better let him in.”
Belton triggered the door, but she blocked the opening with her lush body. “If you’re going to be one of my protectors, you’re going to share without jealousy.”
“I’m not jealous of Belton,” he insisted. “I am more than willing to share, but sharing requires my being there. Now move aside, sassy little slave.”
“Sassy little mate,” she corrected. “And I’m still in control until I accept you as my protectors, so I want to make my conditions clear.”
Moxtel picked her up by the waist and swung her out into the bedroom. “It sounds like I put away my broxnor too quickly. Shall I go get it from the training room?”
“No, Master.” She softened her tone but not her position. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but there are certain things that need to be discussed before I allow you to claim me.”
“All right.” His voice sounded tight, and his face was utterly expressionless. He was expecting to be disappointed again. “What are your conditions?”
“We all need the same thing in the bedroom. I will submit to both of you. I’ll even be your slave, but only while we’re having sex. If you don’t consider me your equal the rest of the time, I’m not interested in bonding with you.”
“Done.” Moxtel didn’t hesitate. “What else?”
She looked at Belton. “You as well?”
“Of course.” Her kiss-flushed lips bowed in a sensual smile, and his cock bucked against his pants.
She stepped back, so she could see them both at once. “I know the bond must be formed together, but once that’s done. I must be free to express my affection with one, without the other getting upset. I don’t want you fighting over me.”
“Jealousy is all but impossible once the link is formed,” Moxtel told her. “Jealousy is based in mistrust and doubt. We will feel exactly how the others feel, so we’ll know if there is a real problem.”
“All the time?” Now she sounded scared. “You two will feel everything I feel?”
With an impatient sigh, Moxtel raked his hair with his fingers. “I’ll teach you how to shield your mind completely if you need some time alone, but we all have sparks of emotion we can’t control. We understand that.”
“It comes down to trust,” Belton said softly. “We love you. If we know what you’re feeling, it makes it easier to solve problems. There are fewer misunderstandings and much less miscommunication.”
She nodded, but still looked uncomfortable. “I want this, but it’s so damn hard to believe it can last after a week, less than a week.”
Moxtel closed the distance between them and pressed his hand to the side of her face. Tenderness was so uncharacteristic for him. It made Belton smile.
“The only way to find out is to try it,” Moxtel pointed out. “We can describe it forever, but it won’t make sense. There is nothing on Earth that compares.”
She nodded, then rubbed her cheek against his hand. “Then let’s get started. I’ve always tried to meet my challenges head-on.”
Chapter Nine
Lorna stood within the circle of Moxtel’s powerful arms savoring the warm pulses rippling through her body. He’d undressed before he led her into the tiny bathroom, so they pressed together skin to skin. “How did you and Belton meet? He refuses to speak of the time before.” They knew about her past, her struggles and failures. It was only fair that she learn more about them.
“The time before has no meaning,” Moxtel replied. “I agree with Belton.”
She tilted her head back and looked at his handsome face. “I understand why you say that, but our personalities and perspectives are formed by events and people in our past. My heart and my body are convinced that I should bond with you, but my logical mind requires data. I don’t need details, just a basic understanding.” When he still hesitated, she added, “Belton told me about his years on the mining planet. I need you to trust me with this.”
Moxtel’s lips pressed together and he sighed. “Terriz, Belton’s mother, became my father’s favorite comfort-giver. Belton and I are cousins, so we knew each other before, but we became inseparable when they joined my father’s household.”
“But she gave birth to Belton. She’s a life-bringer.”
The shower cycled off, yet Moxtel just stood there tense and silent.
Wishing she’d left well enough alone, Lorna said, “I don’t understand.”
“You find our ways objectionable, and this custom will anger you even more.”
He was right. She’d been really judgmental about Yashonty culture. Celeste warned her about comparing alien ways to human. Hell, it was worse than that. Lorna had a bad habit of judging other human cultures by American standards too. Alliances were built and maintained by understanding and respecting cultural differences, not by insisting that others conform to American expectations. Lorna would have made a terrible diplomat, but that’s what she needed to be right now.
“I apologize. You and Belton have tried to accommodate my cultural needs and expectations. I’d like to offer you the same respect.”
His gaze narrowed as if he didn’t believe her, then he nodded once and began, “Delivering Belton very nearly killed Terriz. She survived but was no longer able to bear children. Her mate, my father’s only brother, was alive at the time, so she was still considered a life-bringer.”
Lorna didn’t want to rush him, but it sounded like this was a long, complicated story. Maybe this wasn’t the best time to get into—no, if she was going to become a permanent member of the Yashonty society, she needed to understand the rules. At least what the rules had been before the Skarilians. Everything was different now, everyone was different. “If your fathers were brothers, why do you have different last names?”
Moxtel looked at her askance. “You fixate on the most irrelevant details.”
She cringed at the frustration in his tone. “Sorry. It’s just the way my mind works.”
“Belton refuses to use the Lark name as a protest against his mother’s treatment. Ruaz is her family name. He felt it was unfair that she was no longer considered a life-bringer.”
“Don’t you?”
His shoulders squared and his chin lifted. “I think many of our customs were unfair, but I�
�m a soldier, not a politician. Besides, we are speaking of the time before. Many things have changed or are in the process of being changed. Now, do you want to know the rest or not?”
“I do.” She smiled, hoping to deescalate the building tension. “Please explain how your uncle’s mate ended up as your father’s comfort-giver.”
His hands slid up and down her back several times before resting on her waist. “Many whispered that Fernset was actually my father, not my uncle.”
“Good Lord, why?”
“The psychic abilities required to be a magister run in my family. My father did not have them, but Uncle Fernset did.”
A certain gleam in his eyes made her wonder if he was mocking her. “Do you believe the rumors?”
Before Moxtel could answer, Belton pounded on the door. “If you’re fucking her without me, I’ll kill you and then spank her lovely ass.”
The paraphrase of Moxtel’s words made them both laugh and dispelled the rest of the tension.
Moxtel triggered the door and growled out, “I was indulging our mate’s curiosity, something you’ve encouraged.” Despite his gruff expression, she still saw amusement in his gaze.
“Indulging her how?” Belton’s eyes narrowed. He was now naked too and semi-erect, obviously anxious for the claiming to begin.
“She wanted to know about our past. I was outlining the basic facts.”
Belton looked at her, clearly annoyed by the revelation. “The time before has no meaning. I told you that.”
“Then why did you want to know about my past?” She kept her tone even and tried to make her expression calm, rather than challenging.
“She’s got you there, brother.” Moxtel smirked and led her from the bathroom. “Besides, she didn’t ask you. She asked me, and I’ve decided to indulge her.” Without warning, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to his bed. He sat on the end and settled her sideways across his lap. “Now, where were we?”
“Rumors that Uncle Fernset was really your dad,” she prompted. “Did you believe them?”
“I did not, but,” he looked pointedly at Belton, “others did.”
“You were born with his power, and he arranged to be your mentor even though it was forbidden,” Belton defended, moving closer to where they sat. “Anyone would have felt the same.”
Moxtel’s gaze warmed, filling with compassion for his best friend. “You are blood of my blood. I don’t care if you’re my half-brother or my cousin. We’re the only ones left, so the details are irrelevant to everyone but our mate.”
Belton nodded, but his expression remained tight. “Then tell her the rest. We both know she won’t stop asking questions until you do.”
“Can’t argue with that.” He turned back to her and continued, “Fernset was on his way to an off-world negotiation when his transport exploded. Everyone knew it was murder, but the authorities were unable to prove who was responsible.”
“When a life-bringer loses her mate, she is allowed to choose another protector,” Belton joined in, sounding less begrudging now. “But my mother could no longer bring forth life, which greatly complicated the situation. She received many offers for protection, but all identified her as a comfort-giver, not a life-bringer.”
“The distinction is important to the male,” Moxtel clarified. “Males can have as many comfort-givers as they can afford, but only one mate. If any male accepted Terriz as his life-bringer, he would have doomed himself to this one life.”
Suddenly her eyes widened, and she asked, “Did your mother have other children, or was it just you?”
Scowling at her, he asked, “Why do you ask?”
“If Fernset really was... Never mind. It doesn’t matter. In fact, I know enough to figure out the rest. Let’s move on to something less depressing.”
Belton looked at Moxtel and raised both hands. “What is she babbling about?”
To her utter surprise, Moxtel smiled, and a knowing sparkle brightened his eyes. “Our clever little mate is wondering if my father was doomed by my mother’s infidelity. If Fernset had been my father, as so many claimed, Lord Lark would have died without offspring despite having bonded with a life-bringer.”
That had been exactly what she’d been wondering, so why the hell did he look so amused? “You checked, didn’t you?”
“Of course I checked, and so did my father. He was head of a rich and powerful bloodline. If my mother had been disloyal, he would have set her aside and made my life a living hell. Luckily for both of us, the test verified his paternity. Lord Lark was my biological father.”
“You could have told me before now,” Belton grumbled.
“It didn’t matter then, and it matters even less now. You are my blood. That is all that matters.” Moxtel turned back to Lorna and asked, “Do you have any more questions regarding my lineage or the life choices of Belton’s mother?”
“What about a male who had lost his mate, but already had children? Could he have saved Terriz from losing life-bringer status?”
“That would have been allowed,” Belton told her. “But the situation is rare, and all of my mother’s offers came from males still hoping for offspring of their own.”
And in Yashonty society, Belton wouldn’t have qualified as offspring because only biological connections mattered. All of the questions that popped into her mind would have made them even angrier, so she remained silent.
Moxtel finally returned to the original topic. “It was my mother who convinced Terriz to accept my father’s offer. Terriz and Mother had always been close friends. My mother knew Terriz would be safe and well cared for as part of the Lark household.”
“It didn’t bother your mother to share her mate with a close friend?”
Moxtel chuckled, gently cupping her breast. “I share you with my best friend. Why should females be any different?”
She was doing it again, superimposing human values over an alien culture. Worse, her mind kept returning to values instilled in her as a child, outdated values she no longer applied to herself. “You’re right. If they were cool with it, there’s no reason it should bother me.”
“I enjoy watching Belton fuck you.” Moxtel rotated her as he spoke, pressing her back against his chest as he squeezed her breasts. “Your face flushes and these luscious tits bounce, and whichever hole he decides to pound stretches tight around his thrusting cock. It’s savage but mesmerizing.”
“So much better than porn,” Belton added with a wicked grin.
“I especially love to watch him lick your pussy.” Moxtel looked at Belton meaningfully.
Happy to oblige, Belton knelt in front of them and moved her legs apart. Moxtel spread his legs, widening hers even farther. Belton started to lower his head between her thighs, but Moxtel stopped him.
“She must choose us before we form the link.”
Belton looked deep into her eyes. “Is this what you want, my love? Are you ready to bond with your mates?”
She licked her lips, trying not to feel nervous, but the disquiet remained. “I want no one but you and Moxtel. I seriously doubt I ever will, but I’m really not sure about this mind link. Is there no way to mate without it? I’m an intensely private person. This would make me so vulnerable.”
Framing her face with his hands, Belton soothed her with a long, tender kiss. “There is no reason for your fear. We will protect you with our lives and do anything in our power to ensure your happiness.”
Moxtel grasped the back of her hair in a careful fist, turning her head until she could see his face. “I love you with every molecule of my eternal energy. Nothing will ever change that. Choose us as your protectors, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make our lives as happy as possible.” He accented the vow with a passionate kiss, his free hand boldly stroking her breasts. “The link can be dissolved until you conceive. You’ll have plenty of time to feel confident in this decision.” Still using her hair, though more carefully than usual, he made her look at Belton again.
“I didn’t know it was possible to love someone as deeply as I love you,” Belton told her. “There will never be another for me—in this life or the next.”
Tears blurred her vision, and emotion burned her throat. “I love you too, both of you. You’re the perfect balance of light and dark, my ultimate fantasy. I’m not unsure of you two. I’m just scared of the unknown. There have been so many changes, and life is still so uncertain.”
Letting go of her hair, Moxtel wrapped his arm around her waist and bent his head closer to hers. “You’re no longer alone, sweet mate. We will support and protect you. Your challenges are ours as well.”
If she’d trusted them to deal with Brianne’s crisis, Celeste wouldn’t be in danger. Their influence might be limited, but in this war, she was powerless.
“The link will reassure you like nothing else,” Belton promised. “Speak the words. Let us show you what we mean.”
What we mean? They both clearly knew what it felt like to be linked. But how? “Moxtel is naturally empathic, but how do you know what a mind link feels like?”
“There goes that curiosity again,” Moxtel muttered, lightly pinching her nipples. “It will definitely take two of us to keep her focused on anything.”
With his usual patience, Belton explained, “When we formed the attack force, each of us vowed to end the Skarilian massacres or die trying. We also knew that, with very few exceptions, the remaining life-bringers had already chosen mates so this life is all we will ever know.”
“When the war dragged on much longer than any of us expected Ram encouraged us to link minds with our cabin mates or very close friends,” Moxtel told her. “This makes it safer and offers us support when the situation becomes overwhelming. It has made us all stronger, allowed us to persevere.”
“That’s why you can speak telepathically,” she realized.
Moxtel nodded.
This took the concept of camaraderie to an entirely new level. Passing thoughts from one mind to another was one thing. “You also sense each other’s emotions?” That’s what scared the hell out of her. They would sense every time she was frustrated or annoyed. Each time she fought for composure.
