by Vi Voxley
"You don't," Harbor said, shrugging. "Not to me, at least."
All of a sudden there was a curious glint in her eyes and Harbor led her away quickly. The revelation of the fated bond wasn't supposed to be a sentence said in passing in between more important things.
There was nothing more important to the Gargons than the success of a bond.
When all the Terrans had gathered into the well-illuminated big entry hall of the station, Harbor and Cole turned to them again.
"This is your safe zone," Harbor said, motioning to the building. "It's built of the toughest materials known to us and is meant for your protection. All of your quarters are downstairs, we will show you in a moment. There is plenty of room for everyone here. If you should ever hear the alarm, this is what we need you to do.
"Come here by the fastest route possible and follow the instructions of the warriors who are stationed here. If possible, make sure everyone you know is here, especially females since as you know, the main purpose of the Eridon raids is to find slaves for their home world. Trust me when I say you do not want that fate."
Cole gave him a warning look, clearly telling Harbor not to scare the Terrans more than they absolutely had to as they had agreed.
"Now that we've given you the bad news, let us also give you the good news," Harbor finished, the tone of his voice making the crowd look up sharply. "This is all overkill. The Gargon armadas are, as you know, the best in the galaxy.
"At best, a few ships may pass through our lines and they will be quickly handled by the warriors on the surface. Most likely, you won't even make it to this building before the raid is over."
The looks of relief were plain on the faces of the people listening, his fated included.
"You are free to go now and hopefully this is the last you'll ever see of this place," Cole said and the Terrans laughed for the first time since their arrival.
They filed out in small groups, talking excitedly amongst themselves, stepping out into the glorious, beautiful day on Octava.
In the end, only Riley stayed, looking at them with an excited smile on her lips.
"Miss Riley," Harbor said as he and Cole walked over to her, seeing the way her body shivered a little. "I was hoping you would stay behind."
She barely seemed to listen, a question clearly on her mind.
"Could you show me something else?" she asked, trying not to sound too eager. "I have heard so much about Gargons and the way you wage war. Nothing else in the Alliance comes even close to your armies. The ships Terra has, for example, are jokes next to yours. I would love to see more. Anything you would show me."
Of all the things she might have said, that was definitely not the one Harbor would have guessed. He glanced at Cole, seeing the way a grin dawned on the other commander's lips.
"Of course," he said. "We would not mind if you never left our side. With that, we need to tell you something."
She looked from one to the other, her gray eyes wide and shocked.
"Never left your side," she repeated.
"Yes," Harbor said, taking a step closer, seeing her wince but not move away. "Gods have their way of bringing us the one thing we want the most at a time when we expect it the least. To see you this morning – I can't describe it. No Gargon man could.
"You are my fated, as well as Cole’s. It's not a question of what we would show you. It's a question of how much do you want to see because there is nothing we wouldn't give you if you asked."
7
Riley
Oh boy, I messed up. I messed up so deliciously bad.
Riley's mind was racing so fast she felt dizzy, reeling from the implications of what little the commanders had said so far. Staring at the warlords in front of her, proclaiming their endless devotion to her, she had to admit she was caught off-guard.
It wasn't like she was a rookie journalist.
She had spent years roaming the galaxy, getting thrown into the oddest kinds of situations and she had always managed to maintain her professionalism. Still, no war, no conflict or any story had ever hit her that hard.
The warning "Don't get involved" was hammered into her brain, yet there she was, hopelessly drawn to the two commanders. She had never intended to be a part of her own story, no more than just a very acute observer.
With one second, Riley was no longer a journalist, but a woman. Just Riley, standing before two gorgeous warlords who couldn't tear their eyes off her.
The effect that had on her body was all too obvious. Her pussy was so wet she had to bite her lip not to moan out loud. Her pulse beat ferociously as she sought to keep her senses around those two. It was like she was coming apart at the seams and she couldn’t do anything to stop it.
It was too surreal to even consider. She hadn't come to Octava to actually find herself a fated. Not to mention two of them. Not to mention two leaders of the Gargon armadas.
And still, there it was. The bond she had been warned about and prepared for, beating right there in her own blood as well as the perfect, sculpted bodies of the men who proclaimed to be her fated, if not in so many words. Like gravity, they pulled her in against all reason, all rationale.
Riley wanted to give in to them so badly, knowing it was ridiculous. She barely believed in the bonds, finding them more myth and wishful thinking of disillusioned people than an actual probability, even with her heart working overtime to keep her senses intact near the warlords. There could be no denying that there was something there, but the skeptic inside her told Riley everything else had to be impossible.
She’d seen too many things being blown up to actually believe in something as permanent as an undying bond.
Then the journalist inside her raised her head again. The best possible thing had just happened to her. Riley had landed the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see and live her own story, really get to the bottom of the bonds. It wasn't one she was prepared to waste.
I have a job to do, she reminded herself, trying to ground herself at the same time.
And... if she was perfectly honest with herself, she sort of wanted to see where it would go. Endless love and all things eternal sounded a bit hollow, but she hadn't seen anything yet. Gargons lived in another world and Riley wanted to dive headlong into it, let the fated bond wash over her like it was said to do.
"I..." she tried, hearing her own voice tiny and weak, "I'm not sure what I should say. It's incredible, there is no other way to put it."
Her fateds – it felt so exhilarating to call them that – were grinning at her, happier than she would have ever believed a Gargon could look. Their harsh features softened when their eyes fell upon her, regarding her as though she was the ultimate prize in life.
Perhaps that was exactly what she was to them.
For a second there, Riley was tempted to tell them who she really was, but decided not to. It wasn't illegal to be a journalist and she could let the story unfold for a short while without her fateds knowing about it. That way, she could see what they were really like, what the bond was really like for them.
"You don't need to say anything," Cole told her. "Being a fated doesn't require you to be anything but yourself. That is all we want."
Riley beamed at that. She wanted to believe it almost as badly as she wanted to know what her fateds looked like under those dark armors. The hopeless romantic in Riley that had given up on love a long time ago awoke, daring to dream once more.
"Could I see your ships?" she asked, unable to stop herself.
The commanders didn't bother to hide their surprise at that.
"They are warships," Harbor said carefully. "I wouldn't have guessed Terrans had much interest in our weaponry."
"I'm not like most Terrans," Riley replied excitedly. "I think this here is important. Fighting the Iron League, holding the line. Protecting the rest of the Alliance. You guys are doing an incredible job, keeping the rest of us safe and I would love to know how."
Those words had an effect on her fateds. Th
ey stood taller as though the simple compliment to all Gargons was enough to make them want to prove themselves to her. Then again, if there was anyone who could take credit for the success of Gargons in the war against the League, it was them.
Riley still couldn't believe it. Destiny had to have some plans for her if it gifted her with the two most accomplished warlords on Octava.
This had turned from a casual job tucked into a vacation into something that could actually have some weight to it. No Terran journalist had been let near to the Gargons’ warships or armaments.
"You are not worried about your safety?" Cole asked, the smile on his lips telling Riley she was being tested. "Every ship on orbit is considered to be on the line, after all."
"I want to see them, yes," Riley said with confidence. "I'm sure I wouldn't be in danger with you."
The commanders didn't argue with that. Wordlessly, they led Riley away, across the yard where they'd come from. Only this time they didn't take the hovership or any other small vessel.
Her eyes went wide when she saw a brand new sparkling fighter landing right next to the hovership. It was so big the hovership could have fit under one of its mighty wings. As they approached, the warriors standing guard saluted the commanders and stepped aside.
The ship took them up faster than Riley would have dared to imagine was possible. Besides their magnificent warriors, there was no equal to the Gargons in war tech. The fighter was going through the docking protocol of Harbor's flagship Saber, something that was notoriously slow and tedious work for Terran fighters docking with large carriers, faster than the carrier had taken her to the embassy before.
The second she set foot on Harbor's flagship, Riley was amazed. She had never regretted not being able to take pictures or jot down notes so badly. Everything she saw was pure tech magic.
The Gargon ships were manned almost entirely by AIs, leaving the warriors free to fight. The entire vast structure around her, resembling a bustling beehive, was one smoothly operating unit.
When Harbor stepped onto the deck, every person and mech in the vicinity saluted, including those Riley didn't think could see their commander. The discipline was absolute, unquestioning. She watched on in awe as they walked through the corridors, admiring everything her eyes could reach until they ended up in a small private area with a view of the stars.
"This is gorgeous," Riley whispered, walking closer to the screen broadcasting the view outside the ship.
"I'm glad you like it," Harbor said, coming closer to stand beside her.
His closeness was intoxicating. The scent of metal and sweat and something undeniably masculine caught Riley in its net, drawing her in like a fly caught by a spider. She edged closer to the commander without consciously choosing to. Cole appeared on the other side of her, just as stunning, just as undeniably sexy.
Riley didn't know what it was. The day had already been so completely insane she didn't know what to make of it.
If I try to write this all down, they will think I'm trying to pass fiction for reportage.
That bothered Riley a lot less than it would have that very same morning before meeting her fated.
Now, she pretended not to notice how they looked at her, burning eyes full of desire. She made herself resist wincing when Cole put his hand on her lower back, slowly, ever so slowly pulling her into his embrace. Riley found herself locked in a cage of strong arms, not one inch of her wanting to be anywhere else but there.
She bit back a small moan when Cole leaned in for a kiss. The commander was so tall Riley had to stand on her toes to reach him, the warlord's hands around her helping hold her up for him. Her hands wandered on his armor, completely lost to the dreamlike day that didn't seem to resemble a life at all.
This is insane, she had a moment to think, before she chose to forget about it.
In the name of her work. Or something. It definitely couldn’t be that she just wanted Cole and Harbor so bad that it hurt.
It was good Cole was holding her tightly because his kiss left her weak in the knees. His lips were demanding and hungry, the fierceness of him robbing Riley of breath quickly. It felt like she had never been kissed before.
Her body was tingling from head to toe, trying to get closer to Cole and submit to his wild passion. The commander's hands were already traveling all over her body, groping her, sending pleasant shivers down Riley's spine.
When they broke for air, Harbor was there, right behind her, catching her in another kiss, a soft and lingering one this time. The warlord explored her mouth like he wanted to remember every inch of her, his tongue tasting her.
She moaned when Cole's hands returned, caressing her softly as she writhed in Harbor's arms.
At the back of her mind, Riley couldn't believe she was doing this. She barely knew the warlords, even if they were the men she was destined to be together with forever.
Even so, despite all those warnings, she didn't stop. There was such a ravenous hunger in her to be taken by those men, to have them claim her as their own. Riley couldn't have fought the desire if she tried. It was like it was taking a hold of her and knowing that, she still didn't have a single protest.
They were her fateds after all. There could be no doubting fate, that much the bonds had already proven in their long history, though little of it had been revealed to the Terrans. No matter what, the invisible hand of destiny always knew what it was doing.
Riley loved it. The simplicity of it all was overwhelming. She could just throw herself into it because she knew it was the right thing to do. No waiting, no doubts, no questions. To test it all out, she needed to go all in and it was definitely the best thing she'd ever had to do to find out the whole truth.
"Riley," Harbor said when they finally had to break for air. "Beautiful. You are so very beautiful."
She didn't know what to say to that. From every other man, it would be nothing more than a compliment. The way Harbor was looking at her though made Riley think it wasn't so banal. He really meant it, from the bottom of his heart.
Gargons didn't lie, everyone knew that, and they would have most assuredly never lied to their fated. It meant that Harbor truly thought she was beautiful and it made Riley's cheeks burn a little.
"You are so hot," she replied, smiling. "I want to see more of you. I have been imagining what you look like from the moment I saw you but I don't think my imagination does you justice."
The twin grins told her that she most definitely hadn't been alone in that sentiment. She also noticed a wary dislike between the commanders when they looked to each other, clearly not happy with the other being there.
A problem for another time, Riley decided, when they turned their fierce gazes back to her. They seemed perfectly amiable when focusing on her, after all.
"That could be arranged," Cole said, turning her to face him again.
His lips inches from hers, the commander whispered:
"You only need to say the word and I will stop. If you don't, I will make you mine. You can't possibly know what a fated does to a man. I want to taste every inch of your skin, lick you until you scream...
“I want to make you cum so hard you can't breathe, much less speak."
Riley felt her pulse pick up again. The images Cole's words conjured before her eyes were incredible. The last warning bell in her heart was firmly shut down as she nodded, biting her lip. The predatory look in Cole's eyes told her that her signal had been understood.
The commanders caught her between themselves, kissing and touching her.
Yes, was Riley's only thought, one she was bound to repeat again and again when her fated began stripping her out of her clothes.
There was no story for the moment, no assignment. There were only the three of them and Riley could have sworn they were the only people in the galaxy right then.
8
Riley
It felt like she had drifted into a dream.
The hands of her fateds were undressing Riley in more ways
than one. Her clothes fell to the floor, carelessly torn, almost ripped off her.
Inside her, something much deeper was coming apart in the seams as well. At the back of her head, her true sense of the world was ticking, confused and amazed by what was happening to her.
They said the Gargon bonds made you lose your mind and if she wasn't careful, they also threatened to make her lose herself.
Letting her two fateds kiss her, Riley thought she was lost so fast and so completely it was like they'd lifted her into the air and never set her feet on the ground again.
It was hard to care about caution or consequences when the most gorgeous men in the galaxy were caressing her with their fingers and their burning looks.
"You are incredibly beautiful," Cole said, backing away just a little when he began undressing himself, his voice shaking a little. "I had heard a fated was a like a beacon of light in the world. You... I can almost see you even when I close my eyes."
This is insane, Riley thought, feeling her body flush under the gazes of the commanders. Unreal. Terrifying. Completely irresistible.
Not a word came to the mind of the woman who made her living out of using them. Harbor and Cole were undressing right before her, leaving Riley standing naked between them, trying not to appear too shy.
She forgot to try and cover herself when the last pieces of the armors fell and her fateds stood, exposed to her hungry gaze in all their glory at last.
Riley had to take a breath just to make sure she still remembered how to breathe.
Gargon men, warriors especially, were rumored to be in top-notch shape, absolute hunks. The sight before her wasn't even close to that. Her fateds were quickly turning her conscious mind into a loud hymn of praise to them, her body shuddering underneath the hot looks.
Riley couldn't look away from their sculpted chests, their wide, powerful shoulders and the way sheer, raw strength was evident whenever they flexed their perfect pecs. Her mouth was dry while her pussy was so wet that Riley felt her naked body shiver, needing to be filled right then and there by the magnificent huge cocks.
