by T. J. Quinn
“Why the fight? Couldn’t you have reached an agreement?” she asked, with a slight frown, after she got rid of her clothes, and joined him in the shower stall.
“We were both claiming you, so the Ruler decided to follow their traditions, and their rules dictated a battle,” he explained.
“You could have died,” she protested, soaping a bath cloth and washing his body carefully.
He shook his head. “I might be a bit out of shape, but other than another Asloran, I still haven’t found someone who could defeat me,” he explained, with a scowl, as he relished on having her pampering him.
“Doesn’t that make the fight a bit unfair?” she asked, a bit worried, as her hands followed the tattoos on his chest and arms, making sure there was no blood left.
She found some nasty gashes here and there, but the moment she cleaned them they started to heal.
“He knew what he was up to, and he was wearing a very sophisticated armor. But his arrogance prevented him from admitting he was out of his league,” he explained, guiding her hand to his hard cocks, eager to feel her touch.
She cleared her throat. “You’re hurt,” she protested, but her tone lacked conviction.
“I’m a fast healer,” he assured her with a naughty grin on his face.
She smiled and dropped to her knees washing his fully erected cocks thoroughly, making them even harder.
He let out a loud moan, while she rinsed the soap from his skin, eager for more.
Smiling, she caressed him a bit more, running her hands up and down his ridges, stroking them, one by one.
“Oh, you’re driving me insane, sweet girl,” he moaned, pushing his hips against her. “Take me in your mouth, baby girl,” he suggested.
She didn’t even think, she opened her mouth and allowed one of his cocks to slide inside her.
“Suck me, sweet girl,” he grunted, his face revealing the rapture he was experiencing.
Pleased, she did as he told her, kissing and sucking him, giving her attention to both cocks with her hands and her mouth and she would have continued until he climaxed, but a moment before that, he roared and pulled her up, into his arms, smashing her back against the wall and sliding his cocks deep inside her.
“Now, I’m home,” he whispered in her ears just before he started thrusting in and out of her, quickly taking them over the edge and straight into the eddy of pleasure and bliss they always enjoyed.
But the passion between them was far from appeased. They rapidly washed their bodies, and Kenyon carried her to the bed, covering her body with kisses and caresses before he took her again and again, burying himself deep inside her each time and staying there as long as he could.
“What will happen now?” she asked, while she was lying over his body, feeling delightfully tired.
The sun was coming up in the skies, dying them with a large variety of colors that went from the deepest purple to a faded pink.
“You come with me,” he replied, kissing the top of her head.
“Where to? And for how long?” she asked, scared of the future. The more time she spent with him, the harder it would be to say goodbye, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to go through that much pain again.
“Where? I don’t know yet. I don’t have a home, but we can build one, together. As for how long? For as long as we live doesn’t sound long enough,” he replied, pulling himself to a sitting position and looking straight into her eyes.
Shuddering a bit, she got on her knees and faced him. “What do you mean?” she wanted a straight answer. Her heart couldn’t stand another breakdown.
“You’re mine, Sharian, my mate, my other half, my anchor, I know I haven’t given you motives to even like me, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you happy, no matter what.”
Sharian couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She covered her lips to muffle the sobs struggling to come out, too incredulous to truly believe he was actually saying those words that she wasn’t dreaming.
“What… are you saying?” she managed to utter the words, her heart pounding so hard, its beating was deafening.
“I’m telling you I love you, Sharian,” he finally said the words, and she threw herself into his arms, sobbing and laughing at the same time.
He hugged her back, not sure what to think of her reaction. “It wasn’t my intention to make you cry, Sharian,” he said, caressing her.
She chuckled and pulled back to look at him. “I’m not sad, Kenyon, I’m happier than ever. I never thought you would ever love me,” she admitted.
He pulled her hair away from her face, caressing her cheeks. “You shook my world the moment I met you,” he assured her.
She huffed. “How can you say that when you were willing to deliver me to Zyrh, in exchange for Samantha?” she protested.
“Samantha is family, the sister I never had, and I felt responsible for her,” he explained. “But I would have come back for you, I’m sure of that,” he added, with a firm tone. “Even then, I knew you were special, different.”
“You called my parents,” she remembered him.
“Because you asked me too. If they had taken you back, I would have signed a contract with them. I wanted you in my life, of that much I am sure. I had to lose you to fully understand how much you meant to me. I would have fought against the whole Eflorian army if I had to, to get you back.”
“I was devastated when I saw Ethor. I was sure you were going to leave me with him, considering he had a signed contract with my parents and that almost destroyed me,” she confessed.
He cradled her face and kissed her, putting all his love in that single kiss. “I know I didn’t give you reasons to believe I would fight for you and that only fueled my worry and my urgency to get you back.”
“Thank you for fighting for me,” she whispered against his lips before she kissed him back.
“I would do it a million times if I had to.”
A knock on the door surprised them. Kenyon pulled Sharian to his side and covered her naked body with the bed covers. “Come in,” he ordered.
“Greetings, citizens. Our Ruler would like you to join him and all of your friends for the morning meal,” Althia announced, dropping the clothes she had brought on one of the chairs.
“Thank you, Althia, we’ll be there,” Sharian smiled, recognizing one of the girls that had visited her the day before.
“Our Ruler sent Citizen Kenyon clean clothes,” she informed, indicating the clothes she had brought.
“Tell him I appreciate the gesture,” Kenyon said, with a smile.
The woman nodded and left the room.
“Have you met the Ruler?” she asked him curiously.
“Yes, I have. He turned out to be a good man, fair and open to listening to both sides of a story,” he explained.
“I guess you don’t see that often,” she concluded by his tone.
“No, you don’t,” he assured her, jumping out of bed.
She followed him, and a few minutes later, they were entering the meal room where all of Ethan’s crew awaited them.
The women rushed to her side, to make sure she was all right and the men spent the next minutes discussing the fight. The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Kurbaz.
He walked straight to where Kenyon was and greeted him with a tight hug and patting his back. Kenyon introduced him to Sharian and all of his friends.
“That was quite a fight, my friend,” Kurbaz said, with a devious grin.
“Why do I have the feeling I have been cleverly used?” Kenyon asked, giving a voice to a suspicion he had since he had practiced with Kurbaz.
“Because you’re a very intelligent man,” Kurbaz admitted with a smile. “Ethor had shown to be very unscrupulous when it came to getting what he wanted, and though I had suspicions, I had no proof. When he decided it was all right to abduct a visitor, no matter what had happened between them in the past, I decided I’d had enough of his behavior,” he explained. “
So, when you came claiming the woman, I knew the gods had sent me the answer I was looking for.”
Kenyon shook his head, not sure if he was furious with the man or not. “He could have defeated me,” he pointed out.
“You forget. I saw you fight several times in Kalyko. I knew what you were capable of and if I wasn’t convinced, sparing with you, proved I had taken the right decision,” Kurbaz retorted.
“Well, I’m glad I was of help,” Kenyon said scowling.
“More than you think. Now, let’s enjoy our meal,” he invited the people to seat at the table.
After all of them had taken their places at the table, the food was served, and Kurbaz resumed the conversation.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do with all of Ethor’s possessions?” he asked Kenyon.
Kenyon frowned. “I have to admit I had completely forgotten about that.”
“Well, considering his house might bring bad memories to your mate, I can take it off your hands. The place is a true fortress, and it would make a fine prison. In exchange, I can give you a property I have near the mountains. I’m sure you would enjoy its weather much more.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“Think about it and let me know. You’re more than welcome to establish your home here. I could use a practice partner,” Kurbaz suggested with a grin.
Kenyon nodded but didn’t comment.
“Ethor also had a fully armed vessel with a crew that now belongs to you. You should take a look at it.”
“I will, thank you.”
“My assistant has the complete list of his possessions, I’ll make sure he gives it to you before you leave.”
“Thank you, I would appreciate that,” Kenyon replied, but not really paying much attention. He had more credits than he could spend in a lifetime and he really didn’t need what had belonged to Ethor, but he also understood it was a matter of honor for Kurbaz to make sure he had everything he had been promised in accordance to their customs.
“So, I was told you were from a planet called Earth, from the first quadrant, is that right?” Kurbaz asked, Ethan.
“Yes, it is. Earth was once quite similar to Efloria, but the wars and humans’ greed destroyed the planet, and most people are leaving it,” Ethan explained.
“So I heard. You see, a merchant that wanted to buy weapons from us gave me a rather unique gift. I usually don’t accept gifts from business partners, especially if it’s a slave, but I have to admit this one intrigued me enough to accept it,” Kurbaz explained. “In Efloria we don’t believe in slavery, but the woman had agreed to her situation, so I guess that changed things a bit.”
“I know what you mean, we had to buy our mates from their previous owners. It was the only way to regain their freedom,” Ethan explained.
“Well, this woman comes from your planet. Before your first visit to Efloria, I had never heard of your planet, so I guess that intrigued me and pushed me to accept her.”
There was a sudden silence in the room, and you could cut the tension with a knife.
“Does this woman have a name?” Ethan asked in an ice-cold tone.
Kurbaz noticed the change in the air around him and frown. “Yes, her name is Samantha.” The moment he finished pronouncing her name, all of the men sitting at the table jumped to their feet. “I reckon you know her,” Kurbaz said, ironically.
“She’s one of us,” Ethan replied, barely containing his rage. “She was taken away from us in Kalyko.”
“No one took me away from anywhere, Ethan,” Samantha’s voice echoed in the room as she crossed it to stand next to Kurbaz. “I decided to go away.”
“How can you say that? Whoever took you from Kalyko enslaved you,” Kenyon protested.
“Yes, and I was well aware of that. It was my choice,” she insisted.
“You can’t expect us to believe you’re happy here, as this man’s slave,” Ethan burst, wishing he could force some sense into Samantha’s stubborn head.
“But I am. If you choose not to believe it, it’s your problem, not mine, Ethan.”
Kurbaz got up and stood next to Samantha, clearly prepared to defend her in case of an attack.
Sharian got up and faced Kenyon. “You have to let go and let her make her own decisions, Kenyon,” she told him in a conciliatory tone. “She knows what she’s doing,” she assured him, discreetly signaling the way Samantha clung to the other man’s arm, looking for protection, from people she knew loved her. The last thing she wanted was to be taken away from her man.
Kenyon looked at Samantha and finally saw what Sharian had seen and let out a sigh. “You knew we were here, why didn’t you come forward?”
“Because I knew you would react this way. I never told Kurbaz I knew you, but I’m not surprised he guessed it,” she confessed.
“Are you sure you want this? We found a planet to settle on. You would be happy there, with us,” Ethan said, making sure she had her options clear.
“Thank you, but I’m fine here,” she assured him.
“Very well. You know where to find us if you need us.”
“Of course, I do.”
“The food is getting cold, so why don’t we sit down and eat?” Samantha suggested, and they all took their seats at the table.
From that moment on, things went by swiftly and by the time they finished, Kenyon and the others were convinced Samantha belonged where she was.
Kenyon still had doubts regarding his friend’s future, considering what Kurbaz himself had told him, but he knew he shouldn’t interfere. The future was yet to be written, and many things could happen.
“I heard you were headed to the intergalactic market,” Kurbaz said before they left the palace.
“You’re very well informed,” Kenyon scowled.
“I have to be, it’s my job,” the other man replied, with a smile. “Why don’t you consider leaving your mates here? An intergalactic market is no place for females,” he suggested. “Be sure they would be protected and well taken care of.”
“Yes, you should, Ethan. I could use the company,” Samantha added, and Ethan agreed.
“That would save us a lot of time, that’s for sure.”
“Bring them here, to the palace. The building you’re staying in is too big for four women,” the Ruler suggested, and they agreed.
“We’ll bring them as soon as we’re ready to leave,” Ethan assured them.
They left the palace and went straight to where they had been staying. They still had a lot to plan regarding the meeting with the colonizers and Gideon had to get all the supplies for his trip back to Earth.
Kenyon took Sharian up to his room and closed the door behind them.
“Are you happy?” he asked, pulling her into his arms.
“Yes, I am, though I wished you didn’t have to leave again.”
“I know, and it doesn’t make me happy either, but we already promised to help these people, we can’t go back on our word,” he explained.
“I understand that, but I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too. And when I come back, we’ll have a mating ceremony before we decide where to settle down and build our home,” he assured her.
She smiled and kissed his cheeks. “We don’t need a ceremony.” She was happy as they were.
“But I do. I want the whole universe to know you belong to me and I belong to you,” he assured her, taking her to the bed. “I want them to know just how much I love you.”
She fell back on the bed, and he crawled up next to her. “Then, I’ll be happy to have the ceremony,” she assured him, kissing him.
“Good, because I wasn’t taking a no for an answer,” he replied, making her his once more, unleashing all of their passion.
Epilogue
A few days later Ethan and his crew left Efloria leaving their mates behind. The Mitauris were already waiting for them, and they couldn’t wait to meet them and make some decisions.
Krug was accompanied wit
h a few other colonizers, and they were quite pleased to see the arsenal of weapons the cyborgs had gathered in such a short time.
“This is a lot more than we expected. With these weapons, we’ll be able to get rid of the Dreshanians,” Krug said with a smile.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Ethan assured him. “Do you have any idea how we can get these weapons into Dreshan?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. We need you to buy one of the colonies near us. The Dreshanians don’t bother visiting the newcomers while they are building their colony so it will be the right moment to get the weapons in and store them in a secret storage room, underneath the main buildings at the colony.”
“That sounds like a good plan, but won’t that take too long?” Ethan asked, not very pleased with the idea. He didn’t want to be separated from Neela for that long.
“Not really, only a couple of weeks. We can get you a small army of androids to help you with the construction. Once we’re ready, we’ll attack. We’ve been training our men in the woods with Drannor, and we’re ready,” Krug assured them.
“Very well, we’ll get in touch with the king and start the new stage of our plan.”
“Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to us,” Krug said.
“We do, believe me.”
They clarified a few more details, and a couple of hours later, they were leaving the market for their journey back to Efloria.
The end
Vrak's Bride: Mail Order Brides
Alien Mate Romance
(Galactic Brides Book 2)
The last thing Vrak had in mind was getting a wife to share the lonely life he had chosen for himself in Sumirion. But the minute he laid eyes on that human female, he knew his life had changed forever. But Aliyah wasn’t meant for him. She was contracted to be another man’s wife and his job was to deliver her to him.
Living on a devastated Earth, Aliyah is ready to leave. Her only way out is to join a Mail Order Bride Agency and marry an alien she has never seen. With almost no food and no medicines left, she doesn’t have much choice and after giving it some thought, she finally joined the agency.
