He glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. Once they were back on their ship, he’d patched Zandyr’s wound as best he could with one of the lasers they carried on board for triage on the battlefield. All Tharan warriors were trained in emergency medical procedures but his twin had lost a lot of blood and needed a real doctor.
“We should have been there by now. Are you sure you’re going in the right direction?”
Zandyr took his eyes away from the controls long enough to glare at him. “I may have been injured but there’s nothing wrong with my mind – or this ship’s tracking mode. I’m following our trail.” He went back to monitoring the glowing display as sensors picked up their essence along the route they’d taken through the desert hours earlier.
Their plan had worked even better than they hoped. Only two guards were on duty, the rest sleeping off a night spent drinking and gambling. The next incoming interplanetary vessel wasn’t due to arrive till late in the day, and guard duty in the desert port offered little else in the way of entertainment.
Zandyr said when the guards got to him, he pretended to be out of his mind with pain, unable to explain who he was and how he’d gotten there. Knowing they’d have heard the tales of the mythical beast, he kept muttering, “cojee-ma, cojee-ma.” The guards glanced around nervously in the darkness and hustled back to the safety of the port, carrying him in.
Zhynn sent him a silent message when he reached their ship, and Zandyr took the guards by surprise when he suddenly recovered enough to overpower them. The twins sped off before the other guards were able to shake off their drunken slumber.
“There! There it is,” Zhynn said a moment later, as a dark column arose in the distance, growing larger by the second.
“I’m taking the big transport cruiser in the hold. Put this thing into hyperdrive as soon as I’m off. I’ll get Delta, and we’ll rendezvous once we’re far enough away to be out of range of any missile strikes. I saw the Borvaani defense system in the landing port. Thank the gods it’s as outdated as their ground transportation. If he’s going to wage war successfully on other worlds, Axum needs to use his harem to woo allies with advanced technology.”
Zhynn made a quick pass over the stark plateau, hovering just above the ground. Searching for a figure in white. The merciless sun glared off the sand, and it was nearly impossible to make out anything. Heart pounding, he circled around and made another pass, this time only a few feet over the surface. She had to be here.
His eye was drawn by a mound of rocks near the edge that he’d missed the first time around. He set the cruiser down gently as close as he could, popped the hatch, and jumped out.
A blast of heat hit him so hard Zhynn rocked back against the hull. His heart sank. She couldn’t have survived. No creature could live long on the surface of this hell. He took a few steps then sank to his knees in front of the rock pile when he caught a glimpse of white fabric underneath.
Zhynn couldn’t stifle a cry. Even through his clothes, it felt like his skin was being roasted with a flame thrower when his knees touched the ground. He gritted his teeth and began tossing rocks off the pile, his hands blistering from the heat as he grabbed them.
He uncovered a still, white bundle, like a tiny shroud. He could see she’d tried desperately to make herself as small as possible, curling into a ball to get as much of her body under the tattered garment as she could. Tears came to his eyes when he imagined what she’d gone through. The skin on her legs had been so badly burned it was nearly black where it hadn’t been protected by the torn bits of robe. He picked her up carefully, cradling her in his arms, bent his head to shield his eyes from the burning glare, and made his way slowly back to the transport cruiser. The air seared his lungs with every breath he took, drained his energy so that it was all he could do to put one foot in front of the other
The temperature inside was easily a hundred degrees lower, the interior of the ship dark after the sun’s glare. Heedless of his burned hands, he laid Delta’s lifeless body on a padded seating area meant to carry half a dozen passengers and tenderly uncovered her face. Her eyes were closed, a look of peace on her face. He sent a prayer of thanks to the gods for their mercy. She hadn’t died in agony.
He bent and touched his lips to her forehead then pulled away, shocked, when a faint current of air brushed his cheek. She was still breathing.
He dashed to the controls, sent the transport vehicle rocketing into space to rendezvous with Zandyr.
She’s alive, Brother. It’s a miracle! Somehow she survived. But she’s badly burned. Our ship isn’t equipped to handle injuries as severe as hers. Set a course for the Gemini. We have to get her to a star cruiser. One with the latest medical facilities. If she regains consciousness before these burns are treated, she’ll wake up screaming in agony.
Chapter Sixteen
Delta
She slipped the gown over her head, took a deep breath, and met her reflection in the mirror. I look… I look pretty! Like a princess out of an old fairy tale.
She’d never worn such a beautiful garment. She’d never even owned a dress. Never knew the sensuous pleasure of sheer silk caressing bare skin. She took a few steps, relishing the way the long skirt flowed as she moved, following the swaying of her hips underneath. Admired the way it hugged the curves of her breasts, set off by the plunging neckline.
Her father, Admiral Greystone, didn’t believe in dressing girls differently from boys, so she’d grown up in dark pants and beige or gray shirts. On special occasions, she’d worn what amounted to a junior version of her father’s military garb. Navy trousers and crisp white shirts, without the gold-braided jacket her father added to his attire, adorned with colorful rows of medals from his victories in combat.
Later, she followed in his footsteps, as she was raised to do. Joined the military and attended classes at the Academy in a beige one-piece jumpsuit, similar to the one she later wore every day on her mission in space.
It wasn’t only the sensuous fabric she loved. It was the pop of color in what had been an otherwise drab life. The soft coral set off her chestnut hair and the warm golden tones of her skin. She whirled around, testing her balance in the unfamiliar high-heeled shoes. Cass had sent them along with the gown in a care package delivered by Aliya, the Luna’s medical officer, who arrived on the Gemini the day after she woke up. Delta had secretly practiced walking in the shoes for the last two days, wanting to surprise her warriors.
The prosthetic leg Tharan technology created was a marvel. It looked as real as her own. Artificial nerves and tendons had been seamlessly connected to the ones in her upper thigh, and the synthetic skin fused flawlessly with her own.
Waking up to find out most of her left leg had been replaced came as a shock, and it took a while for her to accept that Artan, chief surgeon to the Tharan warriors, made the right decision. After miles run on a broken ankle, the bones were shattered. He said he could have replaced them with ones made from a titanium-based alloy. But that leg had borne the brunt of the Borvaani sun, burned to the bone with nearly all the flesh destroyed from mid-thigh down.
Her right leg had been burned as well but nowhere near as badly, along with areas on her back and left arm where the robe she’d covered herself with had gaping tears. But Tharan techniques were so highly advanced her body was smooth and unblemished. It was impossible to tell where they’d grafted the new skin grown for her in their lab, regenerated damaged muscle tissue.
She’d had some bad times, especially at first when she saw the extent of the damage to her body, fearing the twins would find her ugly and unappealing. But she healed quickly, and from the moment she woke up in the medical bay of the Gemini and looked into the eyes of her warriors, her soul had been filled with gratitude. Bodies could be mended. She’d survived, and so had the men she loved.
She found out later that Zandyr and Zhynn kept vigil at her bedside for days, usually together. They barely ate and slept in shifts so that
one or the other was always there.
“We didn’t want you to wake up all alone in a strange place,” Zandyr explained.
It was their unwavering love and support that got her through the first few days after she woke. They assured her she was as beautiful as she’d always been. Pretended to complain she’d have an unfair advantage over them now, that with her new leg she’d probably beat them in a race. They bragged to everyone who came in to visit her about her bravery in facing down the cojee-ma. By the time Zhynn was through embellishing the tale, the monster had grown to nearly fifty feet and her burns had been inflicted when it spewed out fire like a mythical dragon.
“She saved our lives,” they said over and over. “We’d never have made it to the ship if she hadn’t taken down the cojee-ma. She’s as valiant a warrior as any of our Tharan brotherhood.”
But tonight, looking in the mirror, she didn’t feel like a warrior. For the first time in her life, she felt like a beautiful, desirable woman. And she was ready to spend an evening alone with her hot alien twins.
She knocked softly at the door. It slid open silently. Zandyr and Zhynn stood side by side waiting for her.
Her mouth dropped open. Delta stared at them, heart pounding. She’d never seen them in full warrior garb before. Their massive chests bare except for the medallions gleaming in the crystal light, hung from heavy silver chains around their necks. Matching silver bands circled their forearms, wide metal cuffs that stretched from their wrists halfway to their elbows. Their sculpted abs gleamed in the shadows thrown by soft light from the room behind them. They looked like heroes from an Ancient Greek myth brought to life.
The brothers wore black loincloths slung around their narrow hips, just long enough to graze their thighs. She licked her lips, eager to taste the gyron welling up from the heads of the thick hard cocks she knew were underneath, and saw Zhynn’s amethyst eyes turn hot and dark.
“You look…” Zandyr began.
“Breathtaking. Stunning,” Zhynn finished.
“For once, my brother has surpassed me in finding just the right words. That gown sets off your beautiful white skin to perfection. And those delicate sandals! We’ve never seen you wear garments like these before. Please, turn around so we can enjoy the full effect.”
“I’ll say what you really mean, Brother,” Zhynn countered. “Turn around Delta, so we can leer at your gorgeous body from every angle.”
She laughed and gave a twirl.
“Lovely as the gown is, it’s not half as beautiful as what’s underneath,” Zandyr said.
“What my brother means is, we can’t wait to rip it off you.”
“She knows what I mean, Brother,” Zandyr replied without taking his eyes off her. “We have the whole night ahead of us. No need to rush. Please, come in. We’ll have a drink and you can tell us about your time with Aliya over the last few days.”
They moved aside, and Delta took two steps into the room, then stopped and stared. She couldn’t believe they were still on a military vessel. Instead of the sterile drab crew quarters she’d had on the Luna, their room looked like the suite of a luxury resort on a tropical island back on Earth.
A massive bed piled with white pillows and draped with a gauzy canopy floated three feet above the floor. Soft lighting from zymex crystals here and there on the cream colored walls gave the room a warm glow. More crystals dotted the dark-blue ceiling, like stars in the night sky. The corner opposite the bed held an intimate seating area, with a pair of plush cushioned chairs and a wide ottoman.
Behind the chairs, a niche held a pair of iron braziers heaped with glowing chunks of an amber-colored substance. She took a deep breath. The chunks gave off a sultry dark aroma, almost as seductive as the twins’ gyron wafting through the room.
But it was the ancient statue holding the place of honor in the niche that caught her attention. Three figures, intertwined in a passionate embrace. A little over a foot tall, it was carved from a block of creamy stone with a faint hint of purple to it.
Delta took a step closer and gasped. The two males were claiming the female figure together. One half-sat, half-reclined on a low platform while the female leaned forward over him and rode his cock. Behind her, the other male held the shaft of his enormous erection in one hand and gripped her around the waist with the other as he buried the head of it in her rear passage.
Wisps of smoke from the incense drifting around the figures and flickering light from the glowing braziers gave it the illusion of movement. Delta could have sworn the two males moved in rhythm, one drawing out as the other plunged his cock deeper. The female’s face bore a look of dreamy rapture.
She stared at it, transfixed, her pussy clenching with each imaginary thrust.
“The Sacred Ones, bonding with their Mate. Every pair of Tharan twins owns a similar sculpture. This one has been handed down through our family for generations.”
Zhynn’s voice was low and deep, sending a thrilling shiver coursing through her. He came up behind her, so close she could feel his gyron swirling around them both. She turned, and he held out his hand.
“Come, sit with us.”
He led her to the ottoman, motioned for her to take a seat. He and Zandyr lowered themselves into the chairs. “Tell us about your visit with Aliya while we were gone. I know Artan was quite taken with her. He couldn’t stop singing her praises.”
Delta could barely keep her mind on the conversation. Her warrior twins had spent several days meeting with the High Council back on Tharon, where they delivered a full report on Axum and his plans. She’d enjoyed her time with her friend and fellow crew member, but she’d missed them terribly. Now they were back, looking hotter than ever.
Zandyr must have felt the same, since he changed the subject abruptly.
“You look incredible,” he said. “That gown caresses the curves of your breasts. It reminds me of the color of your nipples – before you’re fully aroused and they turn that deep ganiberry shade I love.”
Delta blushed. She’d never been complimented so erotically.
“Look, Brother, her cheeks turn pink!”
“Her sweet ass does, too, when we spank it,” Zhynn growled.
Her pussy clenched then flooded. She’d never been spanked before she met them, never dreamed she could be aroused by something Earthers once did for punishment. Now, even the mention of it got her wet.
“Speaking of spanking, …” Zhynn addressed his twin, but his eyes never left hers. “If you’ll remember, back on Borvaan, I told you when I got my hands on our little human, I’d spank her so hard she couldn’t sit down for a week after that stunt she pulled.”
“Stunt! Wait a minute – what happened to how brave I was, how I saved your lives?”
His expression grew stern. “All of that is true. But it doesn’t change the fact that you frightened us half to death. Running off all alone, unarmed, into that hell. You could have died a dozen ways. We told you that for your safety you’d have to go back to the harem with Neema when the guards came for you the next day. We told you to stay there until you got a message from us once our plans for escape were in place.” He rose from his chair, turned to his brother. “What are Tharan males required to do when their mate disobeys them?”
“They are required to discipline her. It is our custom – and our law.” Zandyr stood up next to him and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m not your mate!”
“Not yet. Discipline first, little human,” Zhynn declared. “You’ll lie across our laps and get your ass spanked good and hard. Then you’ll open those sweet pink lips, and we’ll finally claim you as our mate.” His gaze raked down her body, letting her know he was talking about more than the lips of her mouth.
He and Zandyr strode to the bed and sat down side by side. Zandyr patted his thigh, then held out his hand. “Come here.”
“Wait! This isn’t how I thought this evening…”
“It doesn�
�t matter what you thought would happen tonight.” Zandyr cut off her protest. “You are our mate, chosen by the Sacred Ones. Tonight, we will claim you together. Bond with you the way our ancestors have done for centuries. From this day on, we promise to cherish you, to protect you from all harm, with our lives if necessary, and to take you to the height of unimaginable bliss. In return, you will promise to respect us, honor us and obey us.”
He met her eyes, his gaze smoldering with desire. “But first you will accept this discipline, even welcome it, as a sign of our love for you. It is the Tharan way.”
She’d imagined this night so many times over the last few weeks. Alone in her hospital bed at night, her pussy clenching as she envisioned them running their hands over her body. Sucking on her nipples, licking her clit until it throbbed. Then sliding into her one at a time, pounding hard until they shot their hot gyron-laden cum deep inside her. But she hadn’t imagined it starting out this way.
She could walk out. Right then and there. Tell them she didn’t want to be spanked and treated like a wayward child. She was a grown woman. She didn’t need to bow to some subservient alien custom. Their culture and hers were simply too far apart for her to become their mate. They’d be hurt and upset, but they’d never stop her. All she had to do was say no.
And then what? Go back to your dull gray life? Spend your days being a responsible military officer, and your nights all alone in a cold bed, dreaming of the life you could have had. A rich full life with two passionate males who were willing to risk their lives to save you. Who are willing to give you their hearts – if you’re willing to give them your trust. Besides, you know you’ll end up loving it. You may hate to admit it, but getting spanked brings out your inner slut.
Claiming Their Mate: a Sci-Fi Alien Dark Romance (Tharan Warrior Menage Book 5) Page 10
