by Laurie Roma
Allie squeaked as Cael’s arms closed around her so tight that she could barely breathe. She felt the rage flooding through him as his thoughts collided with hers. “Cael!”
He immediately relaxed his grip on her. “Forgive me, mate. It is just that Tynan, Ryder, and I have never thought we would find a mate like you.”
Allie snorted. “Please, you’re a prince. I’m sure you have many females chasing after you.”
Cael stroked his hand over her pale hair. “For mounting, aye, but not for mating. We are too strong, too violent for most females in our world.”
The females of his world were idiots if they could pass up prime men like her mates. It didn’t matter, though. She wasn’t going to be letting any other females get their hands on her men. They were hers now, and she was damn well going to keep them.
Cael let out a low rumbling chuckle. He turned her head so his glowing eyes could look at her bright-blue eyes. “I do not want any other female, mate…just you.”
He rubbed his lips lightly over hers.
“Only you.”
Chapter Seven
Cael and Allie walked back into the palace later that evening.
After the swelling had gone down, allowing his cock to slip from inside her, Cael had bathed Allie in the glowing pool in the cave. She had closed her eyes and let the healing water work on her sore body. She was glad for the healing properties of the water, as she didn’t think she would have been able to walk without it.
They had laughed and played together in the water, stopping to make love again on the spongy sand outside of the water. When they were dressed again, they got back on the hover-cycle and made their way back to the City of Sands.
Allie felt a deep bond forming in her soul for her two mates. Even though she was still a little hurt by what Tynan did, she had missed him today. Still, she loved having the day with Cael. They had talked and spent their time together like the closest of lovers. She truly felt cared for with every touch, every look he gave her.
There was a piece of her missing still, and she knew that it was Ryder. He was still in a deep healing sleep, and his absence left a hole in her heart that she couldn’t really describe. She didn’t know him yet, but he was a part of her.
Allie decided that in order to be happy here in this new world, she would have to make allowances for the differences between them, just like her mates would. With that in mind, Allie released Cael’s hand and ran forward to wrap her arms around Tynan, who was waiting for them on the front steps of the palace.
Tynan was overcome with happiness as Allie came to him. “My beautiful mate,” he purred, his voice rumbling deep in his chest as he buried his head into her neck. “Have you finally forgiven me?”
“It hasn’t been that long,” Allie groused.
“It was an eternity being away from you. I did not like it.”
His heartfelt words touched her. She squeezed him tighter before letting him go. “Were you good while we were away?” Allie asked playfully.
Tynan growled and bent down to nip at his mark on her neck. “I am always good, little one.”
Allie rolled her eyes as his sexual innuendo. She could feel herself blush as her stomach growled with hunger again.
“Our mate hungers. You did not feed her enough.” Tynan glared at his brother.
“We ate the noon meal. We came back to eat the evening meal with you. We have been…busy since we last ate.” Cael smirked as Tynan’s glowing eyes flared with lust.
“Come, little one,” Tynan said as he gently took her hand in his. “Let us find you something to fill your stomach.”
Allie laughed as Cael took her other hand. She laughed again as both males turned to look down at her. “I was just thinking how funny we look with me so short in the middle of you two. What’s going to happen when Ryder is up and about again?”
“We will fight for the right to hold your hands,” Cael said with a smile.
Allie could tell he really meant that. “No fighting.”
Both Tynan and Cael sighed. “Then it shall be whoever is quickest.”
Allie found herself the center of attention again as they walked across the great room to the head table. The room wasn’t full this time, but there were enough people to make her nervous. She sighed to herself. She was going to have to get used to people staring at her hair from now on. Her platinum-blond hair would always make her stand out among the people of this world.
“They stare because you are so beautiful, mate,” Cael whispered as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
Allie found herself gently seated on a soft pillow that had been placed on the hard chair when they arrived at the empty head table.
“I knew your pretty little behind would be sore after your outing with my brother today,” Tynan whispered in her ear as he sat down next to her.
Allie felt herself blush crimson, and both males laughed.
Cael called out to a passing servant and asked him to bring them their meal. Before Cael could sit, his sister called out to them as she hurried forward.
“Brother, may I sit beside your new mate? I wish to formally meet her.”
Cael sighed loudly before pulling out the chair on Allie’s other side for his sister. “You are lucky I love you, little sister.”
Liandra rolled her eyes. “You have had her to yourself all day. It is time to share.” The young woman turned her glowing eyes to Allie and smiled shyly. “Forgive me, I hope you do not mind if I join you for the evening meal.”
“Of course not,” Allie hurried to say as she smiled back. Liandra was a beautiful young woman with flowing black hair and gentle features. Allie guessed that she was the exact image of what the queen had looked like at her age. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“It is so very exciting to know you are from a different world. Our fathers think that the Goddess brought you here to my brothers.”
Allie didn’t really know what to say, but at this point anything was possible.
“Where are Mother and our fathers?” Cael asked.
“They were called away to aid some of our people with a dispute earlier. They will not be back until later,” Tynan answered.
Liandra reached out and placed a gentle hand on Allie’s. “You must miss your family very much.”
Tynan and Cael growled softly but stopped as their younger sister shot them a glare. It was almost comical the power the young woman wielded over the larger males.
Allie’s thought traveled back to her first encounter with the rogues and the poor woman Cael and Ryder had saved. At least the females were treated well in the City of Sand. It made her very glad that she had met Tynan first before one of those rogues had gotten their hands on her.
“I don’t have any family back home,” Allie began.
“This is your home now!” Cael growled.
Allie shot him a glare and was surprised at his contrite expression. He sent her a sheepish smile, which she returned. Allie turned back to the young woman at her side. “I grew up without parents and made my way through life on my own.”
Liandra gasped. “That is horrible!”
Allie shrugged. “It wasn’t easy, but I did well in school and was a doctor back…back where I’m from. I was good at my work.”
“It is good that you are a princess here and do not have to work,” Liandra said.
Allie was alarmed by the young woman’s words. She couldn’t just sit around doing nothing here. She had skills and wanted to use them to help people.
“You can do great things here,” Tynan said, alleviating her fears. “Your skills will help our people. Many will travel long journeys for your aid.”
Allie smiled gratefully at him. “I would be happy to help them.”
A few smaller males arrived at the table and placed large platters of food on the table, distracting the men. Liandra seemed to take advantage of their inattention and lowered her voice so only Allie would hear. “Then you are not forced to mate in y
our world when you come to age? I know you are smaller than me, even if you are older but…the thought of being forced to take males into my body frightens me.”
What the hell was this?
Allie could see Liandra tremble. Oh, hell no. If this young woman was going to be her sister, she was damned if she was going to let anyone force her into being with a group of men if she wasn’t willing. “You’re forced into mating?”
Tynan sighed as he heard Allie’s sharp tone. “Females are scarce in our world. Upon their eighteenth cycle, they either enter into a mating, or a formal breeching ceremony is called.”
Allie’s eyes narrowed. “What is a breeching ceremony?”
“Three males are chosen from different trios, and they pleasure a female to see which trio would be most pleasing for the female to take as mates. She enters into a mating with the chosen trio, and if after a year’s passing she no longer wants to be mated to them, she may choose another,” Cael explained.
Tynan and Cael both cringed at the wave of wrath and disgust emanating from Allie. Flames of anger all but sparked from her pale-blue eyes.
“You would force your own sister to be taken by men she doesn’t want?” Allie bit out through clenched teeth.
“Allison—”
“That’s disgusting and so wrong I don’t even know where to begin.”
“It is the way of our people,” Cael tried again. “The trios are carefully chosen by a female’s family for the breeching ceremony, and there are witnesses to ensure the female isn’t harmed.”
“I do not want it!” Liandra cried out. “I want to be able to choose my own mates.” She turned desperate eyes to Allie. “I will be eighteen cycles in six months.”
Allie gripped the younger woman’s hand in hers in a firm grasp and glared at her mates. “There is no fucking way I am going to stand back and let you do that to her,” Allie said, her voice low and deadly. “You would really let three men rape your sister? I think I’m going to be sick.”
“It is not…They will pleasure her, and there is no blood bond unless she chooses to bond with them.”
“Oh, like I did?” Allie asked scornfully.
Tynan winced. There was truth in her words. He had forced it on her without telling her. A sick sense of dread filled him as he felt Allie’s worry and abhorrence. The males of Sand City never questioned their customs, but never before did he feel what a female did about the subject as he was now through his mate.
Cael and Tynan were struck by the images flashing through their minds of the rogue males trying to force themselves on the female they had saved in the Citadel. To Allie, the breeching ceremony was no different. Shame and rage washed through them at the thought of males doing that to their beloved sister.
Tynan looked over at Liandra to see tears sparkling in her glowing golden eyes. “I was not aware that you felt so strongly about this,” he said softly.
“No one would listen to me,” Liandra whispered.
“We listen now,” Cael said gruffly. “There will be no breeching ceremony for you, little sister, if that is what you choose.”
Liandra’s smile was filled with so much joy that Allie, Tynan, and Cael couldn’t help but feel it. “Thank you, brother! Oh—”
Tynan raised a hand, cutting off her word. “I will speak to our fathers and mother about this for you, but you must do whatever you can to seek out a trio you would be willing to take as mates. If I see you are avoiding mating with any trio, then we will have to revisit this decision.”
Liandra vigorously nodded, but Allie scoffed inside. There was still no way in hell she was going to let this young woman be forced into taking mates. It didn’t matter how long it took her to decide. Her own mates would have to understand that, or they wouldn’t be getting any sex from her if they did. Allie smirked silently as Tynan and Cael both looked at her in alarm.
“You would not…”Tynan’s voice sounded in her mind.
She nodded her head once to reinforce to them that she wasn’t joking. This bullshit custom was going to be changing pretty damn quick or she would take her own action. Feeling better, Allie dug into her food that had been placed in front of her.
Cael shot her a wary look. “My love, we cannot change the customs of our world for you. It is the way it has been for centuries.”
“Really?” Allie answered then thought, fuck it, she’d say the rest out loud. “Did you ever think that forcing women to be with males they didn’t want might be a cause in why there are so few females to begin with?
“What do you mean by that,” Liandra asked, truly curious.
Allie paused as she chewed her food. She took a sip from a goblet of wine before answering, aware that many other warriors were listening closely to their conversation. “From what I know of your people, you said that most couples or groups or whatever you want to call them only have female children if they complete the bonding ritual. Right?”
At Cael’s nod, she continued. “Then it seems to me that the only hope to increase the birth rate of female children would be to allow females to find mates that they want to bond with. If a female is forced into a mating and then comes to like them, that still doesn’t mean that they are the ones for her, not really. She could have real mates out there that she wants to bond with that she could have female children with. Do you see what I’m saying?”
Tynan and Cael looked at each other with shocked expressions. No, it was obvious to see that the males had never considered this way of thinking. Allie wanted to smack her head against the table it was so obvious to her.
“Do not,” Tynan growled. “You would hurt yourself.”
“Stay out of my head,” Allie grumbled. “What is with that anyways? You said you couldn’t get out of my head, but today I didn’t hear you all day.”
Tynan opened his mouth then closed it again as he thought it over. It was true. He had to work hard to get into her head while she and Cael had been gone, unless she had been reaching out to him as well. She had done so a few times today, which had comforted him, as he couldn’t seem to be without her for long, but their mind merge only seemed to flow easily when they were close to one another.
Allie grinned at the information she found in Tynan’s thoughts. Good then. Her mates weren’t always going to be floating around in her head.
A commotion sounded at the front entrance, and Allie turned to see a tall, beautiful brunette slinking toward them in a transparent red dress. She had full breasts and a slim body, but what Allie noticed most was the calculated gleam in her eyes. She was followed by several warriors in her wake. Allie could see that she or Liandra barely existed in the woman’s eyes.
Allie stiffened at the way the woman practically eye-fucked her mates in front of her. She really didn’t like whoever this was.
“Vanya,” Cael said, his voice flat as she approached their table.
“Princes of the Sands. It is good to be home,” Vanya purred.
“You come close to treason, wearing that without our permission,” Tynan stated.
Allie’s eyes narrowed as she took in the red dress the other woman was wearing. It wasn’t as dark as the color of Tynan and Cael’s house, but it was close. Close enough to make Allie want to slap the bitch down for wearing it. Allie had to take a deep breath to control her temper. She had never been this quick to anger before. Being in this place was definitely bringing out a darker, primal side she didn’t even know she had before.
Vanya ran her hand over her breasts in a suggestive move while batting her long lashes at the brothers. “It is close, but not as deep as the color of your house. It was gifted to me by my former mates. The color looks good on me, does it not?”
Cael ignored Vanya’s question as he leaned back in his chair. “We were told you broke your mating and requested to be brought back. This was your fifth mating trio, Vanya.”
“They were not right for me. I would like to request a breeding rite to be held here in the great hall,” Vanya announced in a voic
e that carried.
Allie noticed the murmurs that began among the warriors in the room. She didn’t know what a “breeding rite” was, but she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to like it, whatever it was.
Tynan sighed. “It is granted if that is truly your wish. But not this evening or tomorrow. We have a celebration already planned tomorrow night.”
“But it would be perfect if there is already a celebration planned. And I would request that the princes be the first of the gathering,” Vanya purred in a sultry tone.
“Impossible,” Tynan growled.
“You know we have found pleasure with each other before. We can again,” Vanya insisted.
Allie turned to glare at Tynan and Cael. “You actually had sex with this fuckhead?”
“It was a long while ago, little one,” Tynan answered quickly.
“It meant nothing to us,” Cael added.
Allie sighed. So this crazy woman was one of her mates’ former lovers. No wonder she was practically foaming at the mouth to have them again. “What is a breeding rite?” she asked.
“A female can request a gathering of available males to come pleasure her for an entire night. If one of their seed takes hold, then they are declared her new mates. A male can smell his scent on a breeding female,” Liandra answered in disgust. “Females do this if their desire for younglings has not been met.”
Oh, for the love of…This freaking world just got weirder and weirder. And here was this bitch trying to proposition her mates?
Not. Going. To. Happen.
“Do not worry, my love,” Cael said in Allie’s mind.
“We have no intention of ever touching another female. You are all we need,” Tynan said as he reached out to grab hold of Allie’s hand.
Vanya’s eyes narrowed as she saw the movement. “As the royal house, you should not refuse if requested,” she insisted.
