by Susan Hayes
“Tarjen is one of the best men I’ve ever known, on any planet. I hope you two find a way to work through this. He needs someone to remind him there’s more to life than duty and planning.” Maggie rose and gave her a quick hug. “And you deserve someone who will treat you and Melody like princesses.”
There was a lump in her throat as she said goodbye and left the nursery. If going to Pyros meant having friends like those three around, maybe it would be worth the risk.
She stepped into the hall and was nearly knocked over by a woman running headlong down the corridor.
“Sorry! I’m trying to find the nursery. Where is it? Oh my god. Aria? Is that you?”
“Haley?” Aria got her bearings and looked up. Her missing friend was standing in front of her, her normally perfect auburn curls were mussed, and her eyes were…shit. “You’re mated to a Pyrosian?” She blurted out her question as she stared at her friend’s glowing eyes. They weren’t brown anymore. They were a stunning shade of gold.
“And so are you! I’m glad you said yes.” She glanced up, eyes widening as she looked over Aria’s shoulder. “Whoa, is that him? He’s way cuter in person.”
She didn’t need to look to know it was Tarjen. Her focus was on her friend. “How did you get here? How are you mated?”
“Aria? Is this your missing friend?” Tarjen asked as he came up behind them.
“Hi, I’m Haley. You must be Tarjen. Torel just told me you were on board this ship, Aria. I knew you were safe, but no one told me you were so close. Or maybe they did and I forgot. the Scorching…”
“I know. I had a hard time thinking straight, too. Even when I was worried about you and Piper. When Tarjen told me you’d been found and were safe, I was so relieved. I just wish you’d found a way to tell me sooner.”
Haley blushed and hung her head. “Sorry. There was a lot going on. I’ll explain soon, I promise. I’m not supposed to be out of bed right now, but when I found out you and Melody were here, I had to come find you.”
“Wait, why aren’t you supposed to be out of bed? What happened? Do you know where Piper is?”
“I got hit with some shrapnel from the bombings. I don’t remember it, but apparently, I had a skull fracture and some internal bleeding. I’m fine, now, though. Really. Pyrosian medicine is seriously impressive. As for Piper, I don’t know what happened to her. Once the first bomb went off, we ran for it. She was behind me when we both got caught in a blast. Part of the stadium smacked me in the head, and that’s all I remember. I’m sorry. I don’t know where she is. No one seems to.” Haley’s face fell. “I should have made her go ahead. I wasn’t able to run very fast in my heels, but she wouldn’t leave me.”
“It’s not your fault.” Aria said, her voice breaking slightly.
Tarjen’s hand touched her shoulder. “I think I know where Piper is. If I am correct, then she is safe.”
“Where is she? Why hasn’t she contacted anyone?”
“She’s with Radek. At least, I think that’s where she is. No one has seen him since the bombing either.”
“Then how do you know that she’s fine? They could both be hurt!”
He shook his head. “There is nothing on this planet that could injure the prince. He’s not Pyrosian. He’s something far more powerful.”
“My sister is with another alien? Is he dangerous?” She didn’t know whether to be relieved or panicked at the news.
“He’s probably one of the most dangerous creatures in existence, but he won’t harm your sister. If she’s with him, then she is likely his mate, and there is nothing in the universe a Romaki ice dragon wouldn’t do to protect what’s theirs.”
Her stomach twisted into a fresh set of knots. “A dragon?! Why is Piper with a fucking dragon? They’re mythical!”
Haley started to giggle, then guffaw.
“This isn’t funny,” Aria snapped.
Haley managed to stop laughing long enough to reply. “Oh honey, it is. You just can’t see it yet. Of all the men in the galaxy, only your sister could snag herself a damned dragon.”
She had a point. “Why haven’t they been in contact?”
“When Radek transformed, he probably lost his communicator.”
“Transformed? He’s a shapeshifting dragon? You need to explain this to me, because I’m having trouble wrapping my head around the idea my sister’s dating a scaly dude who breathes fire and can fly.”
“In bipedal form, Romaki dragons do not have scales, and I believe that Radek is a member of the ice dragon clan, which means his breath weapon is ice, not fire. Otherwise, your assessment is accurate enough.”
Another Pyrosian appeared in the corridor, his golden eyes locked on Haley. “Why is it you insist on defying my every instruction, otama? You are supposed to be in our quarters, resting before the Scorching takes hold again.”
“And I’ll be there soon, but I had to find Aria.” Haley beamed at the new arrival, looking happier than Aria had ever seen her. “Torel, this is Aria. Aria, this is Torel, my…mate.”
Tarjen bumped a fist to the blonde Pyrosian’s shoulder. “Congratulations. Gold suits you.”
Torel grinned. “Same to you.” Then he turned to Haley and scooped her into his arms. “Say goodbye to your friend now. You are going back to bed, and this time I will personally see to it that you don’t leave it again until I give you permission.”
Haley yelped. “You are not the boss of me. Mate, not master, remember?”
Torel’s response was a low wordless growl.
Haley waved at her. “I think we’re going, now. We’ll talk soon, and don’t worry about Pi. That girl can take care of herself. I’ll see you after this Scorching thing finally wears off. Bye!”
Tarjen watched them go, his mouth open and eyes wide.
“That was quite the exit, wasn’t it?” she asked.
“I have never known Torel to act that way. Mating has made him more…”
“Aggressive? Possessive? Over the top Alpha? I’ve never seen Haley like that, either.” She could feel her friend’s emotions, too. They were too powerful to ignore. Haley had finally allowed herself to be happy.
“Then their mating will be an interesting one.” Tarjen looked down at her, his expression softer now. “Will you return to our quarters with me? There are matters I’d like to discuss with you in private.”
“I know. I heard you call to me. That’s why I was out here.” She took his hand. “Let’s talk.”
The moment they were through the door to their quarters, Tarjen turned to face Aria and dropped to his knees. “I want to apologize. For me, being mated is the cumulation of a lifetime of hopes and planning. I forgot to consider that for you, it would be something new and strange. I swear on my honour that I will not make that mistake again.”
“And I’m sorry I walked away from you. You were willing to talk, and I wasn’t. If this is going to work, we’re going to need to talk, a lot.”
He could sense the truth of her words, as well as the hope and fear churning inside her. “Do you want this to work, seska? If you do, then I will do whatever it takes to make you happy. If that means staying on Earth with you, then I will do that. I’ve already told my prince.”
Her emotions spiked into shock and delight. “You’d stay on my uncivilized world for me?”
He took both her hands in his. “I will do whatever it takes to make you happy. I want our mating to be blessed with laughter and joy. That can happen anywhere, but only if we’re together. None of this is how I planned it, but I’m starting to understand that there are some things in life that cannot be planned. They simply happen, and I need to accept that. Would you stay with me and help me learn how?”
Her eyes shimmered with tears, and he thought he might have screwed things up again, but then she smiled. “I don’t know where I want to live, yet. That’s a big decision we should make together. But, I do know that I want to live with you.”
“In that case, there’s something I meant to ask you. I planned
on doing this much sooner, but since I met you, my plans have a tendency to blow up.”
She laughed. “You did the same to me. I wasn’t even going to accept this match, and now here I am, mated to an alien.”
He released one of her hands and reached into his pocket. He’d only remembered about the ring this morning, and since then, there had been no opportunity to do what he should have on that first day. He took out the ring and placed it on the palm of his hand before offering it to her. “I know we are already mated, but I bought this ring because I wanted you to know that your customs are as important as mine. I forgot that, and I am sorry. Will you wear my ring and agree to be my wife, as well as my mate?”
She didn’t say anything for so long he wondered if he’d done the ritual wrong, even though the only emotions he got from her were joy and excitement. Finally, she took the ring from his hand and nodded. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
She slipped the ring onto her left hand, then held it up to see it better. “It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen a stone like that.”
“It’s from Pyros. My father is an engineer at one of the sites where it’s mined.”
“You had this made before you even left?”
“I did. I had it all planned…” he shrugged and rose to his feet. “Then the bombs went off.”
“And everything changed.” She stepped in close and placed her hands on his chest. “It’s customary for the couple to kiss after she has accepted his proposal.”
“I like this custom.” He pulled her in close and kissed her, savouring the moment. Her lips were sweet and slightly sticky, as if she’d been eating chocolate again. She stood on her toes and kissed him back, opening her mouth to his with a moan that made his balls tighten and his heart sing.
Their tongues danced and their bodies moved together, creating a fire that not even an ocean could douse. His started tugging at her clothes, needing to be skin to skin. She started trying to undress him, too, but her fingers stumbled over the unfamiliar clasps.
“Your uniform is fighting me,” she muttered between kisses.
“You get naked, I’ll get this off,” he replied, then kissed her one last time before stepping away. He undid the closures without looking, not wanting to take his eyes off of Aria. She blushed as she stripped, but this time she didn’t try to hide from him.
He kicked off his shoes, his pants, and then he prowled the short distance back to her side and lifted her into his arms. She pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his chest as he carried her to the bed, set her down, and then stretched out beside her.
He drew her back into his arms for a slow, torrid kiss that didn’t end until both of them were breathing hard. Aria reached for him, sliding her hands through his hair as she threw her leg over his and drew them together until his cock was pressed against her mons.
“Is this the Scorching again? I feel like I’m on fire.”
“No, seska. The Scorching has passed. This is how it will always be between us.”
She lifted her head to grin at him. “Then I’m even happier that I said yes.”
“As am I.” He rolled her onto her back and moved to cover her, the need to be inside her almost as intense as it had been the first time.
She nuzzled his neck, nibbling and sucking her way up to his ear. When she reached his lobe, she gave it a delicate nip. “Flames, that feels good.”
She nipped him again, and he bucked his hips against her, letting the tip of his cock slide along her pussy. He turned his head and captured her mouth with his, letting his tongue slide between her lips to tangle with hers. His hands found her breasts, and he started to toy with them, loving the way she gasped and arched beneath him with every gentle tweak.
“More, she gasped, and he happily complied, kissing his way down her body until he could suck and lap at her nipples. One hand drifted lower, following the soft lines of her body down to where his cock met her pussy. He slid a finger inside her until he found her clit and started rubbing it in slow circles.
She quivered and squirmed beneath this double assault, and every moan and gasp had him aching to bury himself inside her. He held himself back, though. Before he claimed her, he wanted to watch her reach her climax. It didn’t take long. Soon she was on the brink, and all it took to push her over the edge was a gentle pinch of her clit. She came with a wild cry of his name.
She was still panting when she opened her eyes and tugged lightly on his hair. “I want you, Tarjen. Please?”
“Whatever it takes to make my mate happy.” He shifted his weight over her, using his arms to keep most of his weight off of her as she raised her knees and opened herself to him.
He buried himself to the hilt in one slow, steady thrust, a groan of pure pleasure tearing from his throat. “Mine.”
She nodded, and he felt the full force of her emotions hit him for the first time. She gasped, and he knew that she was sensing him, too. Somewhere in the maelstrom, they found each other and held on, a blending of souls as well as bodies.
He lost all control, pounding into her with urgent thrusts as the combined weight of their emotions overcame him. Lust. Need. Joy. Acceptance. They were all fuel to his desires. He drove into her, hips pumping in a wild tempo that didn’t stop until he reached climax and exploded, his cock swelling and locking into place as he came.
He stared down at Aria, her face flushed and her hair spread out across his pillows, and thanked the Gods for bringing her and Melody into his life.
“I’m happy they brought us to you, too.” She whispered.
“You heard that?”
“Of course I did, you said it very clearly.”
“No, my little beauty. I didn’t say anything at all. Our bond has grown even stronger. We are truly one, now.”
“That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“Yes, it is. But I think it will help us communicate much better, don’t you?”
She laughed. “It most certainly will.”
The Gods had given them everything they needed to face their new life together. Nothing had gone according to plan, but as his beloved mate had pointed out, they’d found their way to happiness in the end.
Epilogue
“And you’re sure the message said they’d be arriving soon?” Aria asked for the hundredth time. She knew she was fretting, but she couldn’t help it. She wouldn’t calm down until she’d seen for herself that Piper was fine.
“I’m sure, seska.”
“Then where are they? Surely we’d be able to see them by now.” She pointed out the massive doors of the docking bay to the emptiness beyond. It was strange to be looking down at Earth, but she could see it clearly through the forcefield that covered the open doors.
Tarjen cradled Melody in his arms, rocking her gently as Aria paced the deck in front of him. “They’ll be here.”
It was the day after Tarjen’s proposal, and she’d spent a long night worrying about Piper before they finally received word that she and the missing prince had been located.
Haley was still locked away with Torel. Because they hadn’t met until some time after she and Tarjen had, they were both still under the thrall of the Scorching. She’d talked to Haley once via vid-chat, but that had been to help her friend deal with her new reality, just as Gwen, Maggie, and Lisa had helped her. Tonight, everyone would be together again. Aria was looking forward to that.
While they’d been waiting for word on her sister, she and Tarjen had talked. It was far easier to come to an understanding when they could sense each other’s emotions.
In the end, she had agreed to move to Pyros. It was the only safe choice. On Earth, Tarjen would be in constant danger, and her eyes would make her a target for anyone in the anti-alien faction. That meant Melody would be at risk, too. It didn’t make sense to stay.
They’d talked about other things, too. They’d be living at the palace, which meant Melody would be able to grow up with Hope, just as Lisa had predicted. Tarjen had encouraged her to wo
rk with Gwen and the others to create a better system for helping the human females adjust. Her life on Pyros was starting to take shape.
“We are coming back to Earth though, right?” she asked, glancing at Maggie.
“Seska… we talked about this. It’s not safe,” Tarjen replied.
“Then we need to find a way to make it safe,” Maggie declared. “Joran, you promised me I’d be able to return to Earth. We don’t need to do another Gathering. In fact, it might be better if we took in smaller batches of human women more often, without any fanfare.”
Kash opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when Gwen glared at him. “Don’t even think about it, my love. Our daughter will want to see Earth one day, and so will the rest of the children born to human mothers. I know there are risks, but you can’t tell us we’re never going to see Earth again.”
“You made this decision without talking to any of us,”Maggie pointed out. “Did you really think we’d just agree with you and never go back again?”
“We didn’t decide anything. I’m not the king,” Joran said.
“No, but you’re related to the man who can.” Maggie retorted.
“I don’t want the ones who attacked us to think we’re running scared. If they think they’re winning, things will get worse. We’ve got plenty of time to come up with a plan while we’re travelling back to Pyros, right?” Aria said.
Maggie and Gwen nodded in agreement, and the men all sighed.
Aria turned to look at Tarjen. “Don’t look at me like that. You’re the one who likes plans.”
He smiled a little. “That I do.”
“Look, there’s the shuttle,” Lisa said, pointing to the rapidly approaching ship. It was bright white, which made it easy to spot against the star-strewn sky.
“What’s that?” Aria pointed to the darker shape that suddenly appeared in front of the shuttle’s nose. The only reason she could see it was because it contrasted with the white hull.
“That…” Tarjen stared for a second. “I think that’s the prince.”
Another shape appeared beside the first one, this one slightly smaller. “If that’s the prince, then what is that?” Aria asked.
