by Susan Hayes
He placed his hands on her hips, helping her to balance as the Scorching overtook her completely. She rode him hard, taking her pleasure with every stroke and roll of her hips. The tempo quickened, then quickened again, their bodies coming together in a crescendo of wants and needs that neither of them could deny.
She reached the breaking point before him, giving him the chance to watch her come apart as she orgasmed. Every pulse of her inner walls pushed him closer to his own release, and as she cried out his name in rapture, his world exploded.
Belatedly, he remembered what would come next, and he pulled her into his arms as his cock thickened and swelled, locking them together as he emptied himself into her.
“What?” she gasped.
“It is our way.” He whispered, then lost his voice as another wave of pleasure hit him. “Only with our mate can we find complete release.” He finally managed to explain.
“Only with…you mean you’ve never?”
“Never. Like this.” He thrust into her again. “Only with you.”
Her lovely face lit up with a smile that filled his heart with a new kind of fire. A deep, warming flame that would never die.
“Joran!” Maggie’s call tore him out of his fugue. She was still atop him, and her eyes glowed with emerald fire as she stared at him.
“Your eyes.” They both spoke at the same time.
“Gold,” she said.
“Glowing green,” he replied. Understanding dawned a moment later. There had been no time to warn her about the changes he’d undergo when he claimed his mate. His eyes were gold now, a sign of his status, and confirmation that he had unlocked his ability to manipulate fire. He was a true Pyrosian. And so, it would appear, was his mate.
“Your eyes are like molten gold now. They were brown before, but they turned gold a few times, just for a second. Is this another thing you forgot to tell me?”
“I have a great deal of explaining to do, don’t I?”
She flexed her inner walls around him. “You really do. And what do you mean, my eyes are glowing?”
“It would appear that undergoing the Scorching has awakened your Pyrosian genes. I’m not sure what else might have changed, but your eyes are now gleaming the most amazing shade of green. You are going to be the envy of every female on Pyros.”
“Pyrosian genes? What?” She sat up and folded her arms across her chest. Looking every inch the queen she would one day be. “Start talking. Now.”
Flames, she was glorious when she stood up to him. He was grinning as he reached up and set his hand on her arm. “We have a little time before the Scorching takes us again. I will tell you what I can before that happens.”
“And how long does this Scorching thing last?”
“Approximately two of your solar cycles—days.”
“Two days? Remind me later to let my friends know I’m not going to be around for a while.”
“I will remind you, seska.” And when he did, they would need to discuss what she would tell them when she left this world, and them, behind her forever. Her destiny lay elsewhere.
5
If the Scorching had lasted much longer, Maggie wasn’t sure she would have survived it. Even after falling into a long, dreamless sleep on the second night, she still felt like she’d run back-to-back marathons. She had delicious aches in the most interesting places, which was why she was lingering in Joran’s shower, letting the hot water work its magic while she tried to wrap her head around everything that had happened since meeting Joran.
She was mated to an alien. An alien prince. That much, she’d accepted. One look in the mirror had confirmed her eyes were a blazing emerald now, just as Joran’s were now a gleaming gold. He’d gained access to his powers too. At least, that’s what he’d told her. He could snap his fingers and summon a flame that danced on his outstretched palm without burning him. It didn’t burn her either, a fact they’d discovered when he’d burst into flames during sex. She laughed as she recalled the look on his face.
Everything about their time together had been memorable, but now that her mind was clear again, she had questions and concerns that Joran didn’t seem to be taking seriously. For him, it was obvious. She was his mate, and that meant she would be returning to Pyros with him. She had to make him see that for her, it wasn’t so simple.
She had a life here. Friends she cared about. She wasn’t going to abandon her entire world and follow him across the galaxy because of a damned spark and two days of lust-fueled fireworks. Granted, they’d been the best fireworks she’d ever experienced, but that wasn’t enough to make her turn her back on her friends and her plans. Nice, safe plans for a small and simple life. There was nothing small or simple about moving to an alien world as the mate of a damned prince.
She returned to the main room of Joran’s quarters and smiled when she saw that Joran had laid out her freshly cleaned clothes for her. Or maybe he’d had one of the service droids do it. He seemed to enjoy ordering the machines around, sending them to fetch everything they’d needed for the past few days. The droids, and the guards. God, she’d nearly died of embarrassment when she first realized they weren’t alone on the ship. No matter how good the soundproofing was, they had to have heard enough to know exactly what she and Joran were up to.
Once she was dressed and she’d done what she could with her hair, she left his quarters and wandered the ship, looking for him. She hadn’t been outside his room since they’d come on board, but something guided her through the ship, as if she could sense his presence, which didn’t seem possible. But then again, impossible things had been happening with alarming frequency of late.
Her instincts led her to another door panel, and she waved her hand over it, unsure if it would open for her. It did, and the moment the wall vanished, she was hit with the enticing aroma of breakfast. A real, human breakfast, with eggs and bacon and buttered toast. Her stomach rumbled loudly, announcing her arrival even before she could say hello.
“I thought you’d enjoy something familiar to eat, so I sent my men to pick up a takeout order.” Joran hesitated slightly over the slang phrase, but it was still amazing to her that he hadn’t been able to speak any English at all less than a month ago. He crossed the room and offered her his hand, flashing her a pleased smile when she took it.
Instead of leading her to the table, he turned and faced the two men standing at the far end of what must be the dining area. A gleaming table was surrounded by comfortable looking chairs. The floor was the same soft-hued orange as the rest of the ship, but the pale-coloured walls were livened up by several large monitors displaying pictures of what must be Pyros. The sky was a paler shade of blue than Earth, and there were two moons in the sky in several of the pictures.
Joran spoke, and she turned her head to watch as he said something to the others in his own language, then spoke in English. “Guardsman Tarjen and Keth, this is my mate, Maggie O’Hara. Maggie, these are two of my most loyal guards. Now that we are mated, their duties include keeping you safe at all times.”
Both men saluted, right arms crossing their chests, palms flat against their crisp black uniforms. “It is an honour to meet you, Highness,” said the taller of the two. Both of them looked about the same age as Joran. They had dark hair and normal eyes, which she now knew meant that neither of them had found their mates, yet.
“Please, call me Maggie. I’m not going to know who you’re talking to if you address me by Highness. That’s him, not me.” She tilted her head towards Joran.
The guards’ eyes widened, and they both looked to Joran with confused expressions. Joran scowled at her. “You’re my mate, which makes you their princess. The title is an expression of respect.”
“Two days ago, I was a barista who didn’t believe in aliens. Today, I’m mated to one. There are limits to how much I can adjust to, and I’ve pretty much reached them. There are a grand total of four people on this ship, so for now, can we please not worry about titles?”
; “For now.” Joran looked like he had more to say, but he was interrupted by the disembodied voice of the ship’s computer. She had no idea what it said, but Joran reacted like he’d been hit with high voltage. He replied in his language and then turned to her. “My parents have made contact and wish to speak with me. Do you wish to be introduced now, or later when you’ve had more time to adjust?”
“Your parents? Please, not yet.”
He flashed her a small, supportive smile that reminded her that he wasn’t all bad. Arrogant, yes. Bossy, definitely. But he was also sweet and charming.
“I understand, and I’m sure they will, too. This has not been easy for you. I’ll be back soon. Until then, enjoy breakfast.” He was gone a moment later, leaving her alone with his guards. She corrected herself. Their guards.
She took her first real look at the food laid out on the table and laughed. Pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausages, eggs done several ways, and an entire platter of pastries was laid out, along with at least three different types of toast and disposable coffee cups that all had different notations on the side. “There’s so much here, we’ll be eating breakfast for the next three meals. So, what’s been your favorite so far?”
“This repast is for you, High- Maggie. Keth and I will eat later.”
“So, you’re going to stand there and watch while I eat?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Both of you, take a seat and help yourselves to anything you want while it’s still warm.”
Neither of them moved, and she decided it was time to test her new status. “C’mon, you two. Sit. Or am I going to have to make that a command?”
“It’s not protocol.” Tarjen protested, but she saw the way he was looking at the waffles and knew he was tempted.
“I’m betting it’s not proper protocol for the Crown Prince to fly across the galaxy to abduct his mate, either.”
Keth spluttered, and Tarjen actually grinned for a split second.
“That’s what I thought.” She took a seat at one end of the table and searched through the coffee cups until she found one marked as a simple latte. As soon as she took a drink, she started feeling better. This was something familiar. Her stomach growled again as the enticing scent of cinnamon wafted past her.
The two guards were finally seated, but neither of them had started filling their plates, yet. “If you don’t know where to start, I recommend the coffee. Joran seemed to like it. Oh, and if you like sweet things, try the pastries. If you prefer savory, go for the meat and eggs. And if you can’t decide, try the waffles.” She gestured to each item as she mentioned it, then pointed to a container full of cinnamon rolls. “I’m starting with one of those, if you would please pass them to me?”
Fifteen minutes later, they were laughing and talking between bites of breakfast. Once they had gotten used to the idea of eating with royalty, Tarjen and Keth turned out to be good company. Better yet, they had served in the military with Joran, and it hadn’t taken much prompting for them to start sharing stories of their time together.
“You two really need to meet my friends. I think you’d get along great. Who knows, maybe they could wind up being your mates,” she said around a mouthful of toast.
“As honoured as we would be to meet with your friends, we aren’t permitted to take a mate from this planet.”
“What do you mean, you’re not permitted? Joran said there were several of your ships in orbit right now, each with males looking to acquire mates from different parts of Earth.”
Tarjen nodded. “There are. But those males are of…” he paused as he considered the correct phrasing. “Better birth than we are.”
An icy knot formed in the pit of her stomach. “You mean they’re only allowing the rich and powerful to claim Earth women? I still don’t agree that any of you have the right to take us away from our homes. But it’s even worse that you’ve come all this way, and they’re not even letting you have a chance to find your mate. This is so screwed up.”
“There’s too much at risk. If the— oof.” Keth’s sentence ended in a hiss of breath as Tarjen elbowed him in the stomach.
“If what? What’s a risk?” What else had Joran forgotten to mention?”
“You will have to ask your mate that question,” Tarjen told her.
“Oh, believe me, I’m going to.” She put down her fork and pushed her plate a few inches away. She wasn’t hungry anymore. “Maybe by the time we come back for a visit, things will have changed, and I can introduce you to…shit.” In all the chaos, she’d forgotten that Lisa had also gotten a match on the Star-Crossed Dating site.
“What concerns you?” Keth asked, his food forgotten as he reacted to her outburst.
“My friend, Lisa. She signed up for the same website I did, and she got a match. Does that mean she’s been targeted, too?”
Keth glanced over at Tarjen, looking mildly alarmed. They spoke to each other in Pyrosian, but she managed to catch a single word she recognized. Vadir.
“That was his name. Do you know him?”
“You will have to ask—“ Tarjen started to speak, but she cut him off by slamming her hands down on the table so hard the dishes rattled.
“Don’t you dare tell me to ask my mate again. You’re supposed to be loyal to me, right? So, talk.” She folded her arms across her chest and tried to look commanding. “And that’s an order.”
“Vadir was brought to Earth on the same vessel as the prince. He was matched to a female in your city. Since only two females were matched from this location, it is very likely your friend is his mate,” Keth said.
“I guess that’s good news. We can travel together when we come home to visit.”
Keth frowned. “At the risk of angering you again, Highness. I suggest you speak to the prince about your plans to return to your planet in the future.”
“You have got to be kidding me. He can’t expect me to leave everything behind and never come back.” She held up her hand before either of them could comment. “I know what ‘talk to your mate’ means. It means I’m not going to like what I hear.”
She rose from the table, her hands fisted at her sides to hide the fact they were shaking. She needed to get away from here, away from Joran and this ship and all the craziness. She was finally clear-headed again, and she had a lot to think about. “How do I leave this ship?”
The guards were already on their feet, but both of them froze at her question. “You wish to leave?” Tarjen asked.
“I do. I just need one of you to tell me the way to the exit.”
Neither of them said a word, but Keth shook his head almost imperceptibly. “You need to stay here.”
“So, you’re going to make me order you to tell me how to get out of here?”
“Our duty is to keep you safe. That is the one and only time we can disobey your orders. Leaving this ship without the Prince or one of us with you is a risk we cannot allow you to take.”
“Seriously?” She stared at them, her frustration making it difficult to come back with a wittier response. “I live here! I wander through this city every day, all by myself, and survive just fine. I’ll find a cab or a bus and make my way home.”
“Maggie, we’re not in the city anymore.” Keth said a few words in Pyrosian, and the monitors all changed. The views of Pyros were gone, replaced with the deep greens and dappled shadows of the forest.
“You moved the ship.” She didn’t bother making it a question. Joran had said the teleportation device only worked for short range, and there was nothing like this primordial forest that close to Vancouver.
“Once we were back aboard, yes. It’s easier to keep the ship undetected away from urban centres.”
She was trapped on board this damned ship. Yet another thing Joran had forgotten to mention. She gave her guards a tight-lipped smile and tried not to let her frustration show. None of this was their fault. “Thank you for explaining. Since I can’t go anywhere, else, I’ll be in Joran’s quarters. Please tell him to come find me whe
n he’s finished speaking to his parents.”
“We’ll relay your message,” Tarjen said.
“Turn right and then go straight until you pass the fourth door. Your quarters are the next door on your left,” Keth added.
“Thank you.” She headed back the way she came with a head full of questions and a heart that weighed heavy in her chest. How much was she willing to sacrifice to make things work with a man she barely knew? More importantly, was Joran willing to sacrifice anything at all? If not, then this was never going to work.
Joran had ended his conversation with his parents on a high note. They had been elated to hear that he was mated, and could not wait to meet Maggie and welcome her into their family. His good mood had lasted until he’d returned to the dining area and heard from Keth and Tarjen.
Now, he was standing outside the door to his own quarters, bracing himself for the firestorm waiting for him within.
“I know you’re out there, so you might as well come in,” Maggie called out in flat tones.
He should have known she could sense him. The bond between them was strengthening by the hour. They would never be alone again because they would always be able to sense the other’s presence. The bond was different for each couple. Some mates could barely sense each other, while others could feel their partner’s emotional state from a great distance. Only time would reveal how strong their link was.
He opened the door and stepped inside. “Maggie, I’ve been informed you are upset, and that you have more questions for me. Whatever you want to know, I’ll explain as best I can.”
His lovely mate was sitting on the corner of the bed, arms wrapped around herself and her head bowed.
“Is this how it’s going to be, Joran? Is this what it means to be your mate?” She lifted her head, and his heart lurched when he saw the tears on her cheeks.
