Settler's Mine 2: The Lovers

by Mechele Armstrong

  He’d lived too long to tell anyone he didn’t have his heartstone and see the pity rush along their faces. See the whispering mouths behind his back. Hear the titters in corners from people who knew his status.

  He’d been around too long to know everyone knew he was a virgin when they found out his stone status. An untried pussy man, who couldn’t even get his cock up. Who’d never experienced the joys of anything sexual. A man who’d never experienced anything in the way of sexual bonding.

  A person who’d never experienced the sanctity of being together with a mate. Never felt the deep abiding emotion that came along with finding the other half to complement all his facets and nuances. Much less find a treasured third.

  Too much of himself was revealed each time he said the dreaded, “I haven’t found my stone yet.”

  Not to mention the frustration of searching. No wonder so many without heartstones went into monasteries for the Gods and Goddesses. Nothing better to do with their lives. He’d tried other means to finding himself and failed.

  Not only was his heartstone lost, but he’d been wandering for so long without purpose. Until he’d found his way to see what he had to do.

  The time had come to level the field. If no one could find their heartstone, then he wouldn’t be any different from anyone else.

  They’d all be the same.

  He couldn’t wait to bring the equalization of all the Quatarians to a head. One by one, mines would fall. And Settler’s Mine would be the first.

  * * * * *

  The chime sounded on the outside door. “Zelda, it’s Amory.”

  Zelda’s heart sped up at the knock. Her mate. He’d announced himself before entering and waited for them to acknowledge. Zelda couldn’t help a quirk of a smile. When he’d first arrived, he hadn’t spoken loud enough to let them know he was there. Now that they were mates, he acted formally. Where was the logic in that? “Come in.”

  He’d already stowed his gear on the ship, so he walked in the door unencumbered. There was an air of purposefulness that hadn’t been there before. His freshness gave her pause. Not to mention, she could smell him. Musky and sweet, his scent imbued her with a longing for a taste.

  A shiver racked her at the longings inside herself. She’d kept tabs on him when he’d gone to his shuttle so he wouldn’t try to run. But he’d given no indication he’d planned to.

  His mouth parted slightly before he clamped it back together.

  “What?” She moved toward him, needing to be nearer to him. Would he hate her after what she was about to do? No matter, things had to change, and this was the only way.

  “You moved the bed.” The headboard had now been pushed against the wall. And the covers were draped again with black silks and satins.

  Bren came out of the other rooms. “Hello, Amory.”

  Tension snapped in the air between the two men. Amory’s eyes ignited with a great many things, not the least of which was passion. “Bren.”

  Zelda’s gaze moved between her two men. Had Bren fought her at any juncture of their relationship? Not that she remembered. Amory was a different man than Bren. She’d best keep that in mind. “Why don’t you have a drink? With us. To celebrate you finding your heartstone.”

  Amory hesitated but nodded. “OK.” He shrugged his hands into his pockets. He moved farther into the room, closer to them both.

  Bren’s eyes narrowed as the front of his leather pants tented. “What’s your pleasure?” He moved to the small bar.

  “What do you have?” If Amory had noticed Bren’s erection, he didn’t show any sign. His own pants had possessed a bulge since he’d walked in. No matter how far removed Amory tried to be from them, he couldn’t deny his involuntary reactions.

  Bren’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Anything you want.” His eyes blazed like a kholar furnace.

  Amory swallowed. The movement bobbed his throat. He’d gotten the double entendre. “Brandy?”

  “Yep.”

  “Thank you.” Amory was too fucking polite. He’d probably not be so polite after what was to come.

  Bren poured out a generous amount into a glass. The dark liquid swirled. He handed the drink over to Amory. His finger ran one time over Amory’s index finger before releasing the glass.

  Amory drew in a breath at the light touch.

  Zelda couldn’t get the brief image of their skin against skin from her head. She couldn’t wait to feel all over both of them with her body and her hands. Just wait, my mate. You think that was electric? You haven’t seen anything yet.

  “Your usual, Z?” Bren’s lashes came down to shade his eyes before lifting again. His gaze twinkled at her.

  “Yes, please.” She could be polite, too, since everyone else was. The whole not mentioning the obvious sworlard in the room ‑‑ their being mates ‑‑ would get old quickly. Sworlards were huge animals from the hills, not easy to miss, just like the situation here. The situation they weren’t mentioning. She was already tired of the games. Wanted to slap on her plan and be done with the situation.

  Bren poured out whisky into a shot glass and handed it over.

  She took the drink, making sure their fingers grazed, much as he had Amory’s. Her fingers jazzed from the contact. So long together, and he still excited her as much as her new lover. Things would explode in becoming tri-mates. The Fates had had their fun, now it was her turn in making the bond a reality.

  Bren then doled himself some whisky. Taking the glass in hand, he turned more to face them.

  Zelda held up her glass. “To your heartstone, Amory. And both of ours.” But mostly to mine. The theory was that a woman’s heartstone was the one to choose a mate whenever a woman was involved in a mating. Her stone had chosen Bren and then, Amory.

  Amory’s head went down as he held up his glass. For a minute, she didn’t think he’d do the toast with her, but he did. “To my heartstone. And both of yours.” Their glasses made a clinking sound.

  “To your heartstone.” Bren’s glass met theirs in the middle of all of them to make another tink sound. “And both of ours.”

  Zelda powered back her whisky in one swift movement of her head. The liquid grazed her throat with burning, as it went down in a fireball.

  Bren’s taking of his shot wasn’t quite as fast as hers, but he sucked the liquid back with an abandon. Afterwards, he smacked his lips.

  The action jolted her clit. To be so close to both her mates would drive her crazy before it was over.

  Amory took a quick taste of his, polishing the spirit off. “Thanks for the drink.” He fiddled with his pocket again. “I’m ready to settle up. And, I have something I want to discuss with you both.” A hopeful look settled on his face.

  Zelda set down her glass on the bar top. “Fine.” She went to the nightstand by the bed. “Let’s settle up first. Over here is where I have the electronic ledger plugged in. Come on over, sit on the bed, and we’ll discuss your payment. After that, you can tell us what you need to.”

  Afterward, they’d be discussing so much more than payments and whatever he wanted. She didn’t intend to lose Amory. Ever. He was her mate. He had to accept that. She couldn’t lose him. Wouldn’t lose him. If only she’d been able to act before…No, there’d been nothing she could do back then. This time, she could do something. And would.

  Amory stalked over. He perched on the bed as though he was ready to hop off at any point.

  Bren followed him to sit on the other side of the mattress.

  She turned on the ledger screen and brought up Amory’s file. “You paid this.” She pointed to a number in black at the top of the column.

  He leaned over toward her to see where she pointed.

  She could feel the heat of his body. Her thighs clenched together as between them slickened. She couldn’t wait to explore the bulge in his pants in more detail. To show him everything that bulge could be used for. Such fun teaching. Bren had been a fast learner. She had every belief that Amory would be, as well. He�
�d take time. Unlike Bren, Amory hadn’t aspired to be her mate.

  He shifted his weight. His hand drifted down to cover himself. “That’s correct. I paid that when I arrived.”

  She wanted to yank the hand away, but refrained. There’d be time for looking and touching later. Once he’d accepted them as mates. “Here is what you owe.” She pointed to another number at the end of the column.

  He leaned in again.

  Her gaze shifted behind him to Bren, who watched carefully. She nodded to him with a slight movement. The sign to be ready.

  He flashed his eyes at her to let her know he’d seen her nod.

  “That’s correct, too.” Amory reached for his pocket. “Here is the rest of the platinum I owe.” He handed the ream over.

  She took it gently. “Thank you.” The lock clacked into place as she slapped the handcuff over his outstretched wrist with the hand that wasn’t taking the platinum.

  Bren had remained ready to hold the arm out if Amory figured out what was going on and tried to jerk away. But, she made the locking happen as quickly as possible, and he didn’t have time to react before the metal clicked. Not that Bren let her use them much, but she’d always been good with a set of handcuffs attached to a chain. Gotcha.

  “What the hell…”

  She took the other side and quickly locked the circle at the other end of the chain around the post, effectively handcuffing him to the bed before he could struggle and get the cuffs out of her hand. The other reason Bren was ready. They’d thought the first cuff would go on quietly. The second could have been more of a problem. But, she’d succeeded in her mission.

  Keeping Amory with them. Keeping Amory on the mine. The only way she could ensure he bonded with them and stayed safe.

  Amory tugged at the tight handcuff holding him in place. He got up from the bed and yanked on the chain. “Zelda, unlock me right now.” They’d never break for him. The metal was almost as hard as a heartstone.

  “No.” She unfolded her legs, getting off the bed. A second chain set rested at her feet. Part of her wanted to put him in both of them. Ensure she’d succeeded. The image of him chained to her bed wasn’t an unsettling one. She liked to tie up her mate and now, mates.

  His eyes narrowed even as he tried to pry his wrist out. He wouldn’t be successful. His hands were too big. “Unlock me.”

  “No.”

  He glared at her as she sat down in the nearby chair.

  Bren remained behind Amory, sitting on the bed. He moved, making himself more comfortable.

  Amory shot Bren a look that dripped with all the malevolent feelings inside him as the movement reminded Amory that Bren was there. “Unlock me, dammit.”

  Bren looked stone faced at him. He’d agreed with Zelda’s plan of convincing Amory to stay, saying, “It’s the only way the stupid, stubborn ass will listen.”

  “Come on, man.” Amory gritted his teeth together.

  “Z has the key. And I’m not crossing her.” Bren leaned back with his hands behind his head. “Besides, I agree with keeping you here for a while.”

  “You can’t keep me here against my will.” Amory’s nostrils pinched. He pulled the cuff against the wood. The bed was made of goldwood trees from Brazilia. The strong wood would never break. No matter how much pressure he put on it, unless he found a hammer. And they didn’t intend to leave a hammer around for him to use. Nor would the cuffs break, being made of iron metal.

  Zelda crossed her legs. “Can’t I? I’m the mistress of this mine. My word is law. And you’re staying here for now.”

  “But…” He measured his words as he stopped tugging. “I have to go. Tell her in person that I’m breaking my vow. I’ll come back, though.”

  His words made her heart do flips. Maybe they had gotten to him when they’d talked earlier. Good, because these were things he had to accept. But, she couldn’t chance letting him go just yet. Amory wasn’t offering them a vow. She’d trust nothing less from him. “Good to hear.”

  “Then, you’ll let me go.”

  “No.”

  “Zelda. I will come back.”

  “No.”

  “I have to go back and see Tania. Explain this to her.” He kept repeating the same words over and over.

  She gave him one-word answers.

  Finally, she slid out of the chair and crossed the distance between them. She caressed his cheek with her hand, feeling the slight stubble. “Pretty words. But a little while ago, you were ready to book out of here in denial of our being mates. I can’t let you go yet. Not until…” She broke off.

  He swallowed, moving her hand with the motion. “Until what?”

  “Until I’m sure you understand what being mates is.”

  “I do. Screwing me is all you mean.”

  “It would be much easier if all we had to do was fuck.” She sighed. Sex was the easy part. It was the emotional shit that came afterward that was going to be hard for them. Some mates had easier times than others. “We need to bond.”

  “Like we can with me chained up.”

  “You decide when you get free.”

  He ignored everything she was trying to say. “Look, I told Tania…”

  She moved her finger to his lips, stopping him from continuing. “I don’t give a rat’s ass about Tania. I care about us. Our future. And until I’m sure that future is secure, you won’t be leaving this room.”

  “People will notice. I was supposed to leave. All my stuff is on the shuttle I rented with the funds I had left. The docking personnel knew I wanted to leave immediately.” His face held a look that said he’d gotten one over on her.

  She quickly pushed a pin in his inflated sense of ego. “And, they all work for me. No one will challenge me, Amory. Not on this. Especially if I reveal who you are. Our mate. I’ll tell them the stones glowed, and I’m keeping you in my bedroom to be my sex slave. They’ll buy that with my new mate.”

  “You cannot do this.” As he moved away from her finger, he gritted his teeth together again so forcefully she could hear them.

  She didn’t answer, merely sitting back in the chair. Let him rail a while. Wouldn’t get him anywhere.

  Chapter Six

  Several hours later, Amory pulled heavily against the bonds, which secured him. Damn them.

  Only a thrill had shot through him at that click. A pulse of energy at being restrained by his mates. At them caring enough to act to try to influence his actions.

  Tania had let him leave without a lot of fanfare. She hadn’t even tried to see him off when he’d shipped out to search for his heartstone.

  He’d been angry enough to display his temper, not the Etruscan way. But yet at the same time, he found himself enticed. So many would have let him go back home without acting, even if he was their mate.

  Didn’t mean he completely liked this situation.

  He smacked against the handcuff chain in frustration before settling back on the bed. The cuffs gave him enough freedom to lie down and sit on the bed. But little else.

  They were going to keep him here. For how long? And what did they intend to do with him while he was chained to their bed?

  He swallowed as several intense images came to mind.

  The door slid open to the room with a swoosh. Bren came in, carrying some baskets. The door closed behind him. “Dinner is served.” He set the baskets down before pulling over a table.

  “Is that reconstituted crap?” Amory slid his legs over the side of the bed and sat up so he could eat.

  “I call it shit, but no, this isn’t that. This is real food.” Bren winked at him. “And you’d better eat up. For your strength.”

  Yeah, he’d need that. A shiver raced down his spine. He breathed deeply. The food smells drifted to him as Bren got the table straight. He’d not had real food in a while. His mouth watered. Not to mention what would come after would have more than his mouth watering. All kinds of parts of him.

  Bren unloaded a feast.

  “Where�
�s Zelda?” Amory watched as Bren pulled out a plate. “A single plate? You aren’t eating, too?”

  Bren sat the plate down in front of Amory. “Unfortunately, Zelda and I have a business dinner that can’t wait. We won’t be back until later.”

  Eyes of the deepest blue Amory had ever seen stared back at him. Even the oceans on his home planet weren’t that blue. Or that deep. “Oh. With all this food, I thought you’d be eating with me.” He chased down disappointment that they wouldn’t be. He’d figured understanding what being mates meant involved them doing all sorts of sexual things to him while he was tied up. He cursed his shiver at his predicament.

  Bren parted his lips to lick at the edges. “We would if we could. But someone Z needs to check out wants dinner tonight.”

  “Why does she need to check this guy out?” Amory watched as Bren readied plates.

  “Because he’s on her mine. And he asked us to dinner. Not something most do.” Bren appraised Amory. “She approves everyone who comes onboard, you know.”

  “Yeah. Why does she do that? Most have minions do that crap.” Zelda’s dedication to her work did give Amory some curious questions about her. Bren would give the best answers. The computer knew hardly anything about Zelda. Amory had checked during one of his sessions on the public monitor.

  “Because…” Bren hesitated.

  “I am her mate. I’m going to find out all about her eventually.”

  A smile readied Bren’s face. “So you are. I guess you do need to know some things. She approves everyone because that way she can make sure everyone who comes onboard Settler’s Mine is ‘not a threat to her mine.’”

  “Others could do that.” And did on most mines or stations.

  “She doesn’t trust others.” Bren scratched his head. “Amory, do you know why she’s locked you here?”

  “To fuck me senseless until I stay.”