Bonded

by Ria Candro

  The others.

  Despite everything that had just happened, despite the fact that her ribs were on fire, her heart skipped a beat at the thought of meeting the other members of the pod, Reyu and Petros. They were meant to be hers. On the way back Neichon and Valeron had told her in unequivocal terms that she was their mate.

  Perhaps they were right, but that didn’t mean she could stay. And the reality of that made her heart break. She didn’t want to betray her Spygians, but her journey was far from over, and if she told them that, they would try to make her stay. So she would leave when they weren’t expecting it.

  And they would forever hate her for it.

  Even though no amount of excitement over boarding the Spygian ship could replace the heaviness she felt in her heart, she couldn’t help but smile when the door of her jet slid open to reveal the other two pod members standing on the boarding deck of the ship. They were tall and handsome and, as she’d expected, scantily dressed.

  Mine, her heart said.

  If only…

  One of the men strode forward to greet them, his eyes a deep emerald green. They raked over her with concern and more than a little hint of lust. “Welcome back. I believe we’ve fixed the error on the transmitter,” he said to Neichon without lifting his gaze from her. To her he held out a hand, his lips curving into a grin. “And you are most certainly welcome, mate.”

  “I’m not your…” She trailed off, because really, she couldn’t claim that anymore.

  Neichon nodded to the emerald-eyed man. “Inara, this is Reyu, my second-in-command.”

  Blushing, she let Reyu take her hand. He looked her over. “Are you injured?”

  “Just my ribs.”

  The second man on the deck strode forward. “Let’s get you to the healing chamber then.”

  “That is the fourth and final member of our pod,” Neichon said. “Petros.”

  Inara let her eyes wander over Petros. He was every bit as handsome as the other three, though his smoky topaz eyes were a bit more subdued.

  “I’m pleased to meet you both,” she answered formally.

  “Come.” Petros turned and headed back toward the main part of the ship, and Neichon nodded to indicate she should follow. Wincing at the pain in her ribs, she walked after him.

  He led her to a small space that resembled a tube. Healing chambers were rather new inventions, and they were very expensive to procure. It appeared her Spygians didn’t lack in funds. That would have pleased her once, but it did nothing for her now. What good was money if she couldn’t protect those she loved? If she didn’t find her cousin?

  Inara glanced at Neichon, who was hurt the worst. “You first.”

  He shook his head, favoring his limp arm. “No, mate. After you.”

  Seeing that none of them would be flexible about this, she stepped into the device. The door sealed shut after her and cooling rays of energy blasted the tube, prompting her cells to heal at an accelerated rate. Within seconds, the pain was gone.

  The door opened and she strode out, feeling like a new woman. “Your turn,” she told Neichon. He obeyed with a nod.

  She felt Reyu’s and Petros’ eyes on her, as if they were starving and she was a feast. Fighting a blush, she turned to them. “Have you seen any sign of the Malucon ship?”

  Reyu shook his head. “No, other than when we first approached the planet. Thanks to some new Enduvean technology we’ve appropriated, we were able to approach without being detected by their sensors.”

  Yes, she’d heard about that particular new invention. The ability to travel undetected by other ships was a pretty huge deal.

  Think of what we could do on a ship like this. Where we could go.

  No, she wouldn’t allow herself to think of it. She wasn’t going to be here long. If she stayed with the Spygians, the Malucons would eventually find her. Would kill them. And she couldn’t bear the thought of that.

  Petros approached. He lifted his hand to her cheek, his lips curving into a smile, and it came away grimy. Her cheeks burned. “Sorry. Guess I need a bath.”

  “It’s nothing,” Petros responded. “You’ve a luxurious bath in your chambers.”

  Her own chambers. Once that had been normal too, but after life on the run, it sounded like heaven.

  “You cannot believe how grateful we are that you defeated the Malucons,” Petros said.

  “How proud,” Reyu added with a grin.

  “We make a good team,” Valeron chimed in, his voice smug. Her eyes moved to him. He looked tired and injured…and content. He looked very content, and it made her heart hurt to think she would soon be changing that.

  The door to the healing chamber opened and Neichon sauntered out, looking a million times better. “Your turn, brother,” he said to Valeron. As Valeron limped into the chamber, he took Inara’s hand. “Come. I can only imagine how exhausted you must be. I’ll show you to your chambers.”

  She couldn’t protest. Nodding, she allowed Neichon to guide her through the long, narrow passages of the ship, past countless sliding doors, until at last he came to a stop in front of one. It opened and he led her inside a spacious bedroom with a tall, wide window looking out into space and a huge bed draped in opulent silk sheets. Their dusky rose color reminded her of her favorite flower back on Chivea. The bittersweet memory brought tears to her eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” Neichon asked with a frown.

  “Nothing. I…I’m just tired.”

  His expression cleared, and he pulled her in to press a kiss to her forehead. “I understand, love. It’s been a trying day. The bathing chamber is through the far door. You can clean up and get some rest. We’ll be here when you awaken.”

  She nodded, then watched him go.

  Now that she was alone, she knew she should leave. Should take one of the jets Neichon had told her about. But she found she couldn’t do it quite yet. Neichon was right. It had been quite a day. She’d allow herself the luxury of a long soak in the tub, then catch up on sleep. And then she’d leave. It was the only way to guarantee the safety of these men she feared she could so easily grow to love.

  Chapter Nine

  The pod members gathered in the control room to test the signal controlling their transmitter and transporter. After confirming it had been correctly repaired, they took their respective seats at the controls while Neichon directed the ship away from Fresna. Reyu’s thoughts turned back to their mate. He couldn’t stop thinking about her.

  “Our mate is every bit as beautiful as I’d imagined she’d be,” he said to Neichon. He’d been in a perpetual state of hardness from the moment he’d seen her.

  Their leader grinned. “She’s strong and stubborn, and perfect for us.”

  Reyu nodded. “I sense a sadness in her, however.”

  “It’s something in her eyes,” Petros agreed.

  “Her people were decimated and she’s been hunted ever since,” Valeron said. “What would you expect?”

  “True.” Neichon frowned, his gaze on the clear shield lending them a view of space. “I sense something more, however. Something she’s not telling us.”

  “I hope in time she finds she can confide in us,” Reyu said.

  “I hope she wakes up soon,” Petros muttered.

  “She needs her sleep,” Valeron announced.

  Petros scoffed. “So says the man who already had the chance to claim our mate.”

  “Patience,” Neichon ordered. “She will be with us forever. The least we can do is let her get some rest before we fall on her like slavering beasts.”

  Neichon was right, of course. But that didn’t mean Reyu had to like it.

  * * * * *

  Inara didn’t know how long she’d slept, but when she awoke she felt completely reenergized. Her rest in this luscious bed had done both her body and her mind good. She felt ready to take on the world.

  Neichon and Valeron had given her a great gift, she now realized. They’d forced her to face her fears, to fight the
Malucons, and now she knew. The bastards weren’t invincible. She could fight them.

  She could win.

  Now it was time to fulfill her mission. To find Cindra.

  Rising from the bed, she stretched her nude body. Thanks to the amazing tub in the room next door, she was clean from head to toe. She headed to the bathroom and pulled the door to the laundering device open, snatching up her clean, neatly folded clothes and her boots. Dressing quickly, she strode out the door and down the long corridor. She remembered where the boarding deck was and forced herself to begin heading straight there. But the dim echo of a hoarse chuckle stopped her dead in her tracks. Whirling around, she faced toward the front of the ship, where double doors led to the control room. The men were most likely in there. The control room tended to be where people congregated when they weren’t eating.

  Perfect time to escape.

  There was only one problem.

  Spygians gained their vitality from mating. She’d seen that firsthand with Neichon and Valeron. If she left now, Reyu and Petros would be left wanting. Suffering over their inability to gain strength such as their pod members had. The thought of that happening filled her with sadness.

  And, if she were to be honest with herself, she wanted one last time with Neichon and Valeron. One first time with Reyu and Petros.

  She wanted a memory she could carry with her always.

  So be with them.

  She could always escape afterward.

  Swallowing deeply, she started toward the control room. The door slid open as she approached, and the moment Inara stepped inside, all conversation ceased. The men were seated at their posts but once they saw her, they all stood. Her chest tightened at the sight of her four, gloriously built barbarians. They were all instantly aroused upon seeing her, as evidenced by the vibes of lust echoing throughout the room, and by their tenting loincloths.

  They want me just as much as I want them, she realized. Maybe more. Her body went soft with answering arousal, moisture slickening her cavity in preparation for what was to come. Four delicious, vibrant men, all willing and eager to fuck her senseless.

  The gods have smiled on me at last. At least for a short time.

  Well, if she could only have this one more time with her Spygians, she would take it. Gladly.

  “Don’t let me interrupt you,” she said, sauntering forward. Her words came out deep and throaty, no doubt letting the Spygians know exactly what was on her mind.

  Neichon lips curved into a wicked grin. “Never, my love. We only awaited you.”

  She had no doubt about that. Reyu and Petros’ hungry gaze raked over her, tightening her nipples into little buds and sparking a fresh wave of desire in her pussy.

  Inara instinctively licked her lips. “How long was I out?”

  “Fourteen hours,” Valeron answered, his voice gruff. “Long enough for us all to rest.”

  Neichon and Valeron had also bathed, she noticed. They looked clean and fresh, and practically edible.

  She nodded toward the controls. “Don’t let me interrupt your steering of the ship.”

  “We’re on autopilot,” Reyu murmured without taking his gaze from her.

  “Oh.” She strolled around the room on unsteady legs, trying her best to appear calm and collected as she looked out the window, took in their location on the map display. But it was impossible. The harsh, lusty energy filling the room practically stifled her, turning her inside out.

  Finally she turned her gaze back to the men. Their long, silky hair fell around their shoulders, highlighting their broad, tanned chests. And the outlines of their erections against the thin fabric covering their hips. Dear lord, it was positively unbearable.

  She gave up the game, knowing she could never win. They knew how much she wanted them. So she said what she felt.

  “Aren’t you boys going to fuck me now?”

  Almost as one, the men sucked in their breath. Then Neichon let out a groan and strode toward her. Her heart thudded against her rib cage, breath sticking in her throat. He closed his arms around her and pulled her in tight, her face buried in his chest. She allowed him to hold her, taking in the sensation of his hard erection against her stomach. Thanks to their time in the cave, she knew firsthand how glorious that massive tool felt inside her. She wanted more of it.

  The rush of heat at her back warned her that the other men had closed in. She gasped for air, anticipating their touch, but Neichon surprised her by pulling back and taking hold of her hand. He led her toward a door in the opposite side of the control room. She glanced at the other men who trailed behind them, their expressions tight with hunger.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Ritual room,” Neichon rumbled.

  Her chest tight, she followed Neichon into a small chamber. It was empty of everything save a plush, velvety chair in the center. A throne of sorts, though the seat was very narrow and the back inclined about forty-five degrees.

  When she threw a questioning glance at Neichon, he released her hand and came to a stop beside the chair. “For the ritual. Our mate must sit here.”

  Weird…but then Chivea had its own share of strange rituals. Shrugging, she began to sit, but Neichon held out a hand to stop her.

  “You must disrobe,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  Her breath caught in her throat. So that explained what looked to be armrests and legrests. The chair served the purpose of putting her on display for the men.

  She supposed she should feel bashful…but she didn’t. If her time on the run had taught her anything, it was that those emotions were pointless. They wanted her and she wanted them. Why bother trying to hide it?

  Her skin felt flushed and tight as she grasped her tank top and started to draw it over her head. A pair of hands closed over hers from behind and she glanced back to see Reyu. He grinned at her and then finished removing her shirt for her. When her heavy breasts swung, he let out a groan and cupped them from behind, bending to press a kiss to her collarbone. She let out a sigh and arched into his touch. He felt so good, so strong, and suddenly she knew she’d made the right decision in mating with them before she left.

  Her eyes fluttered open, locking with Neichon’s. He’d moved behind the throne and stood clutching its back. The fierce expression on his face as he watched her told her that he liked what he saw. That there was no shame in being pleased by her mates.

  Reyu’s hands moved down to her breeches and he began undoing the buttons. She rubbed her bare back to his chest, enjoying the silky glide of their flesh. Then Petros moved in front of her, kneeling to remove her boots. She bit her lip to hold back a cry when he reached up to slid her breeches down and off, leaving her gloriously nude. He made a sound deep in his throat and pressed his forehead to her lower stomach, breathing in the scent of her arousal.

  “You smell like heaven, mate,” Petros growled.

  She rubbed her hand through his hair, delighting in the feel of it. Part of her wondered why the Spygians kept their hair so long, but she certainly wasn’t going to complain. It was beautiful and oh so arousing against her skin.

  “Mate, take your place at the throne,” Neichon said, his voice tight.

  Reyu and Petros moved away, leaving her hot and bothered. She nodded at Neichon, then turned to take a seat on the narrow chair. Reyu and Petros had moved back to where Valeron stood, about ten feet away, and their powerful bodies flexed with tension as they watched her.

  She sat, placing her arms onto the armrests.

  “Now your legs,” Neichon whispered, leaning forward so that his lips grazed her ear.

  Holding back a whimper of lust, she did as he bade, lifting each leg and placing it into the leg rest. Spreading her body open for the Spygians to see. The three men let out harsh groans, and Petros grasped his erection over the loincloth.

  “Did you know that the males of a pod are interconnected?” Neichon said into her ear.

  “What do you mean?” she gasped.

  “Each
of us can feel what the other feels when we are with our mate,” he explained. “This is why we don’t mind sharing a woman. In fact, we enjoy it.”

  She had but a second to ponder that before Neichon straightened and addressed the other men. “We had to dispense with the mating ritual back on Fresna, but we’ll observe as much of it as we are able to now. Men, I present you our potential mate, Inara. One by one, taste her and advise me, is she your mate?”

  Her heart galloped in her chest when Neichon’s hands came down to her shoulders, pressing her into her seat.

  “Reyu, as my second-in-command, you may go first,” Neichon said.

  Reyu strode forward with a grin, his huge erection jutting against his loincloth as he bent in front of her. “You’ve a beautiful cunt, my love.”

  He gave her a cheeky wink before lowering his head. A second later, his tongue swept along her slit, sparking a firestorm of sensation. She cried out when he buried his tongue inside her body, spearing her deeply. Spygians’ tongues were longer than Chiveans, and he put that to good use now, using his tongue to fuck her deep. Squirming, she bucked her hips, riding out the amazing sensation.

  Just when she was about to come, Reyu lifted his head. She cried out her protest, but all he did was smile at her. “You are my mate.”

  He rose to his feet, leaving her shaky and stunned. When he backed away, Neichon said, “Petros, your turn.”

  The Spygian wasted no time in obeying. He was on her in an instant, his tongue buried deep in her pussy. She let out a throaty moan, her gaze locked on the erotic sight of him eating her out. His right hand lifted his loincloth and she made out his long, hard cock before his fist wrapped around it, pumping up and down. In and out he thrust, alternating lapping up her juices with torturing her clit. When she would have jumped to escape the intense pleasure, Neichon’s grip tightened on her shoulders, locking her in place.

  “Oh gods.” Her legs shook, letting her know she was on the verge of an orgasm, but as with Reyu, Petros rose before she could come to completion.