“Now, look what you’ve done! I’m crying again. But, this time, it’s from happiness. I’m the luckiest woman in the Universe.” She reached up to stroke their cheeks. “I have wild sex with a pair of hot, dominant males every night – and I get to spend my days with the best friends I’ve ever had. I never dreamed I could love two men at once.”
“She’s right, brother,” Jax declared. “She is lucky. Not only are we talented lovers, we’re witty and intelligent – and, unlike you, I’m also devilishly handsome.”
Jynn let out a roar and grabbed his brother in a headlock. Kyra dissolved in giggles. The twins had become so much more playful and relaxed since they’d Mated with her.
They still had periods when they went silent and withdrew, but she didn’t take it personally. She’d learned it was their way of dealing with grief. Hearing a chance remark, having the Luna’s cook prepare a dish that had been a childhood favorite – unexpected things could trigger a memory of their parents, murdered at the hands of Magnus and his pirates. She’d been there, knew the toll grief took. It would never fully disappear, but, over time, it would ease.
She hoped they’d learn to cope with it the way she did, by replaying the few precious memories she had of happy times she and her parents had shared. Kyra knew the twins would always mourn their loss, as she still mourned hers. She vowed to create new happy memories for all of them, now that they’d be a family.
They’d landed in Arcolia, Tharon’s capitol city. Chancellor Kal came to the landing facility to welcome them personally.
She was terrible at guessing the ages of the Tharans she met. To her, all the warriors looked like they were in their early thirties. From stories the twins had told her about Kal, she knew he was easily old enough to be their grandfather. Seeing him face to face, it was hard to believe.
To put it bluntly, Tharon’s supreme ruler was a hunk. The chancellor still had the powerful body and confident bearing of a warrior. He was dressed simply, in black pants and a deep purple tunic, with a gold medallion on a heavy chain around his neck. Like all Tharans, he was bald. A strikingly handsome man, he had chiseled cheekbones and a firm jaw. His face was unlined except for a few wrinkles at the corners of a pair of shrewd black eyes. She hoped her twins would look as good when they got to be his age.
“My Lord.” In unison, Jax and Jynn dropped to one knee, placed a clenched fist over the glowing discs where their hearts had once been, and bowed their heads.
“Welcome, warriors.” He had a deep rich voice, one that could easily switch from intimate to intimidating. Kal stepped forward and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “All of Tharon thanks you for your service.”
They rose and ushered her forward. “My Lord, may we present the Earther Lieutenant Kyra Banks, chief engineer of the Luna. Kyra, this is Chancellor Kal, Supreme Ruler of the world of Tharon.”
She’d never met a supreme ruler of anything before so Kyra quizzed her Mates ahead of time about how to greet him. The brothers told her they’d drop to one knee and offer the traditional Tharan salute, but they assured her she wouldn’t be expected to respond the same way.
She settled for bowing her head slightly. “I’m pleased to meet you, my Lord.”
His black eyes settled on hers, sizing her up. Then he responded with the Andromedan phrase nearly every world had adopted as the formal greeting when one alien species met another for the first time. “Greetings, sentient being. Blessings and peace to you and to all creatures in the Universe.”
“Welcome to Tharon, Lieutenant Banks,” he went on. “I’m pleased to meet you as well. I’ve heard about your bravery in setting off alone to find the missing females – and of your dazzling display of unique combat skills in the Arena of Tanis Major.” His voice dropped. “I’m sorry for the pain you suffer. Taking the life of another being is never easy, even when that being is intent on taking yours. I speak from experience. Believe me when I say the Universe looks upon what you did at the end as an act of kindness.”
Kyra flushed. She hadn’t told anyone about the nightmares she’d had ever since she looked deep into the eyes of her opponent and then severed her head. Though the Palioxan begged her to do it, she still questioned her decision. Somehow, Kal had seen into her soul and known exactly what she needed to hear. Though she told herself the same thing every day, hearing it from someone who projected wisdom and experience helped to ease the guilt she carried for ending a life.
“Thank you, my Lord.”
“On a happier note, Jax and Jynn told me you’ve accepted them as your Mates, and you’ll be joining us permanently here on Tharon. My beloved Soraya is waiting for us back at our residence. She is anxious to meet you and offer her congratulations.”
Kal ushered them into a driverless transport vehicle with no discernible means of power, sat down, and urged them to tell him the story of how they’d met and how their romance progressed. He kept them talking, injecting questions here and there, laughing heartily when they described misunderstandings they’d overcome that stemmed from trying to meld two such different worlds.
Kyra recognized it as a subtle interrogation. Under the guise of polite conversation, the chancellor was sizing up her willingness to adapt to an alien culture. His seemingly innocent questions and comments were designed to point out that she’d be the one who had to make the biggest adjustments.
She’d been weighing all the issues he brought up and more ever since the day the twins strode into the center of the arena and back into her life. Kyra knew it took more than starry-eyed love to make a relationship. They’d all have to work at it. She didn’t mind Kal’s questions. In fact, her respect for him went up a notch. It was obvious he cared about Jax and Jynn. He wanted assurance their interplanetary relationship would be strong enough to stand the test of time before he gave his formal approval.
The transport vehicle moved swiftly, and Kyra was so focused on the conversation she barely took in the sights of the bustling city. The day was sunny and warm, the streets crowded with Tharans. She was left with an impression of stately stone buildings on wide tree-lined avenues where, instead of couples, trios of Tharans strolled arm in arm, each gaily dressed female flanked by identical male twins.
Chancellor Kal’s residence was on the outskirts of the city. More of a compound than a home, it consisted of several buildings surrounded by a huge walled garden. Built of stone and wood, the largest structure reminded her of a majestic lodge she’d seen in the mountains back on Earth.
The vehicle headed straight for the large building and slid to a silent stop at the base of a flight of wide steps. At the top, a two-story-high portico held up by columns built from huge stones stacked atop each other sheltered the massive wood entry door.
The door opened, and an exotically beautiful female stepped out.
“That’s Soraya,” Jynn murmured in her ear.
Like her Mate, she seemed ageless. Tall and slender, with a regal bearing, she wore a simply cut floor-length silver gown. An elaborate beaded headdress covered her bald head. Colorful stones in every shade of purple and blue were strung in an intricate pattern, interspersed with silver beads that matched her dress. Individual narrow strands of beads hung down nearly to her shoulders. It reminded Kyra of something an Egyptian queen might have worn.
As Kyra drew closer, she noticed the shades of blue in the headdress looked as though they’d been chosen to play up her warm blue eyes. She’d lined them in charcoal gray and added shimmering pewter eye shadow. With her exquisitely chiseled cheekbones and full lips accented in a deep amethyst shade, she could have been mistaken for a human female with a dramatic flair for makeup – except for the definite purple tinge to her skin.
“Kyra, allow me to present my beloved Mate Soraya. My dear, this is Lieutenant Kyra Banks. And, of course, you remember Jax and Jynn.” Kal put an arm around Soraya and leaned down to brush her cheek with a kiss.
“My Lady.” The twins dropped to one knee again, but they didn’t repeat t
he clenched fist salute.
She smiled down at them. “Rise, valiant warriors. I remember the first time I met both of you. Your father came to Arcolis for a meeting with Kal and brought the whole family at my request. The two of you were just learning to walk and, while your mother and I visited, you toddled around the garden trying to grab my kheraya by the tail. You wanted to cuddle it and pet it so badly! I remember you couldn’t quite pronounce the name. You kept calling it kee-ra.”
She turned to Kyra. “They were adorable little boys, and now they’ve grown into such handsome men. Congratulations on your Mating, and welcome to Tharon. It is lovely to meet you, my dear.”
She was so surprised by Soraya’s comment, she barely managed to stammer a response. All along, she’d thought the twins accidentally pronounced her human name incorrectly from time to time. Now, she knew they’d been doing it on purpose. Her heart melted. Her big tough warriors had a pet name for her!
“Come, Lieutenant. Kal had you all to himself on the way here. Let’s leave the males to go inside and talk of boring matters while we enjoy this beautiful day and get to know each other.”
Soraya led her into the garden, chatting about what life was like in Arcolis. Unlike Kal, she didn’t ask intrusive questions. Instead, she made her point by sharing stories of how she’d come to the city as a headstrong young woman, Mated since birth to twins who would one day become the rulers of Tharon.
“I met Kal and Khaz for the first time at our Mating ceremony. In those days, arranged marriages were common. I was an only child, and my fathers spoiled me. I’d never even been spanked by them when I disobeyed a rule. I don’t mind telling you, I had quite a time getting used to the idea of being a submissive Mate with two dominant males issuing orders and making rules for me to follow. Those first few years, I got spanked and punished on a regular basis!” She gave a little laugh. “Although I had no trouble getting used to the considerable advantages of having two virile young males sharing my bed every night.”
Kyra blushed. Soraya was even more open than Jax and Jynn, referring to such intimate matters with someone who was practically a stranger.
The woman sensed her discomfort. “I don’t know anything about Earther customs, but you’ll find we Tharans celebrate our sexuality, as well as honoring our world’s age-old tradition of a submissive female deferring to a pair of dominant Mates.”
She led Kyra to a bench, and they sat down. “I’ve heard how you kept the pirates at bay and protected the other hostages on the Luna. And about your brave solo mission to rescue those who were missing after your rescue. You’ve had to be strong, and, as a strong female, you may find yourself wanting to rebel from time to time against what you see as unreasonable restrictions your Mates put on you.”
“Allow an old woman to give you some advice, my dear. At those times, remember one thing – submission isn’t a sign of weakness. What our males don’t realize is that true submission requires incredible strength. Choosing to surrender our will to theirs is a gift we give to them. We do it to honor the sacrifices they’ve made and the burden they’ve taken on to cherish and protect and care for us.”
She fell silent, gazing off into the distance, and Kyra saw a tear in the corner of her eye. “Tharon is a place of breathtaking natural wonders, but it harbors great dangers as well. Your Mates will not hesitate to give up their lives for you – as I discovered the day Khaz stepped between me and a wild zipher. It charged out of the woods when the three of us were strolling at the edge of the forest beyond the city. He fought the huge creature off with his bare hands. Kal drew his knife and leaped into the fray. Between them, they managed to kill the beast, but Khaz had been badly gored. Kal picked him up, and we ran back to the city. My darling Khaz died in his brother’s arms before we made it.”
Kyra was stunned. She’d wondered why Kal was the only Tharan male she’d met without a twin by his side. “My Lady! I am so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, my dear.” She patted Kyra’s hand. “That was a long time ago. Fortunately, in their wisdom, our Tharan ancestors established the custom of having two males care for one female, with both of them acting as fathers to the offspring. I lost Khaz, but I’m thankful every day that, while he was alive, I honored his love for me with the gift of my submission.”
She brushed the tear from her eye and leaned forward with a tiny smile. “They never knew it, but just between you and me, there were times I deliberately chose not to be submissive. I made sure it was always over some minor thing. If you haven’t already discovered it, getting a gyron-filled bare-bottom spanking from two strong males can end up being very enjoyable.”
Kyra burst into laughter. Far from being the imposing figure she’d imagined, Soraya was warm and welcoming, even a bit bawdy at times. “Thank you for your advice, my Lady. You’ve made your point with such vivid detail, I will never forget it!”
They headed back to the main building and found Kal and the twins in his den. All three had broad smiles on their faces.
“Kyra, here on Tharon, it’s customary for the males to give a special gift to their female to commemorate the joyous occasion of their Mating,” Kal began. “Jax and Jynn have chosen something unique. Their gift required my permission, which I am happy to give.” He waved a hand. “Go on, lads. Tell her.”
The twins came to her and took her hands. “Kyra, we love you,” Jax said. “We thank you for the honor of accepting us as your Mates and making Tharon your home.”
“We thought long and hard about what expensive gift we could find that is worthy of you,” Jynn added. “Then we realized you’d already shown us what you value more than anything else. We know she has no family to go back to on her home planet, so we’ve formally petitioned Chancellor Kal to accept Ceres as a citizen of Tharon. My brother and I have vowed to protect and care for her. She’ll be a member of our new family…” He stopped, searching her face. “If that’s what you want.”
“You mean you’re willing to adopt Ceres? Have her stay here and live with us?”
“If it would make you happy,” Jax replied.
“Make me happy?” Kyra threw her arms around both of them. “I’ve dreamed for years of being part of a family again. Now I’m getting two incredible Mates and a young girl I’ve grown to love, all at once. Thank you, my darlings. I’ve been worried sick about Ceres. She has no one left on her home planet. I couldn’t bear the idea that she’d be put into some institution if she was sent back there.”
“It’s easy to see why you care about Ceres,” Jax replied. “We told the chancellor all about her. How she took out Bophe, risked her own life to help us escape.”
He turned to Soraya. “That young girl showed the courage of a warrior, my Lady. She was willing to sacrifice her life yet again when she set the Gornian dragons free. They could have attacked her instead of Bophe’s guards.”
“We would be honored if Ceres chooses to accept us as her fathers,” Jynn added.
“I’ve explained to them that we must all leave the choice to her,” Kal announced. “And I stressed one other point. Ceres is a young girl from an alien culture who has not yet reached the age of consent. While Jax and Jynn will act as her fathers, protecting her, caring for her, and setting rules for her to follow, they cannot treat her as they would if she were their own offspring. They are forbidden to enforce their rules with any type of physical discipline.”
Soraya stepped forward.
“As I told you earlier, Kyra, Tharan culture is based on female submission,” she explained. “However, we respect the rights of sentient beings from other worlds. It would be unfair to a young female to expect her to submit to discipline from alien strangers because of circumstances in her life beyond her control. As her mother, you’ll love her and care for her, but make sure to teach her about her own world as well as ours. And though you love her, be ready to let her go one day, if that is her choice. When she is fully grown, Ceres must decide whether to accept Tharan citizenship and all the
obligations it carries, or return to her home planet. If she chooses to stay, one day she’ll give the gift of her submission to her Mates – as you have freely chosen to do with Jax and Jynn.”
Her tone softened as she directed her last words to Kal.
“Just as I have had the honor and privilege all these years of giving my submission to you, my Lord.”
She bowed her head to her Mate and finished with a genteel curtsey. Then she rose, turned to Kyra, and winked.
Here’s a preview of Punishing Their Mate: Tharan Warrior Menage Book Two. It’s a freestanding MFM novella with no cliffhangers and a HEA.
Punishing Their Mate picks up the story of Commander Cass Randall from Their Captive Mate and her newfound love affair with the alien warriors Rhynn and Rhom. The brothers take Cass home to Tharon, where they introduce her to new erotic thrills in a world filled with dominant male twins and their happily submissive female Mates.
Turn the page for Chapter One. Then click on the link at the end and get the complete novella FREE when you sign up for my newsletter.
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Punishing Their Mate
Theirs to Tame: A Sci-Fi Alien Dark Romance: Tharan Warrior Menage Book 2 Page 12
