Second? That had been mentioned several times but before I could ask after the term, the door to the room slid open. I stiffened as two more warriors entered. One was young, and quite handsome. The other looked to be an elder of their race, his face was lined and harsh, his skin color dull, not the golden tan look of Zane’s. The cold expression on the elder’s face as he looked at me made me want to climb around my mate and hide behind his very large, very formidable body. I tucked the sheet about me even tighter.
The old male spoke, and I tensed at his words. “Are we too late for the medical exam, commander? As Prince Nial’s personal advisor and honored father to the future Prime, I was very much looking forward to sharing in the joys of the bride processing protocols.” He squinted at me, and the look in his eyes was anything but friendly. It was clear he’d wanted to watch, all right. And not because he cared one bit about my health.
The tension in my mate’s chest translated to my worn-out body and I began to tremble in his arms.
“The examination is complete, Harbart. My bride is healthy and whole. I will now take her to my personal quarters without further delay. I’m sure you can understand.”
“Of course, of course. Such a disappointment, really. We shall have to inform the Prime that we missed it, right, Prince Nial?” Harbart took a small step forward, but stopped when Zane actually growled at him. Harbart held up his hands as if in surrender, but the gleam I saw in his eyes made the air catch in my throat as he continued. “Oh, commander. She is not wearing your band around her pretty little neck. Has she then, in fact, refused you already?”
The tension in the air was so thick I could barely breathe. I looked at the black strip of strange fabric in my hands and quickly lifted it to my neck. There was no clasp, but as soon as I held the ends together, they sealed, then settled against me, the collar resizing itself until it felt like a second skin.
Zane immediately relaxed and I felt the tension leave my body as well. I had pleased him, and hopefully pissed off the nasty old man who now glared at me like I’d just taken away his favorite toy.
“Ah, my mistake, commander.” He bowed slightly at the waist, his long brown robe just hitting the floor in front of his boots. “My lady. Welcome to the Battleship Deston. I very much look forward to making your acquaintance again soon.”
He turned on his heel and left me alone with the doctor, the prince, and my mate, who practically snarled at the prince the moment the door slid closed.
“Keep that man away from my mate, cousin, or I will kill him.”
The handsome young prince wore battle armor similar to Zane’s, but with slightly darker shades of browns and some black. He was big and strong, just like my mate, and his eyes were kind and very interested as he looked at me.
“Lady Deston, welcome.”
When I remained silent, Zane jostled me, just enough so that I would know he expected me to speak. “Thank you.” It was all I could manage. It was enough.
With a bow, the prince of Prillon Prime left us alone and my body melted into a puddle in Zane’s arms. I had no strength of will to resist or assist as Zane stood with me in his arms.
“Ah, commander. One last item for you before you take your mate to your quarters.” The doctor picked up the box from the table. “Her examination did show one issue that you must resolve.”
I frowned and I felt Zane tense at my back. “Oh? What issue?”
“While her pussy has been breached by another, her ass is still unclaimed. It is tight and untried.”
I flushed at the doctor’s words. It was true; I wasn’t a virgin but no one had done anything to my bottom until the examination just now.
The doctor held out the dark box and then opened the lid to show us both what was inside.
My mouth fell open as I took in the array of butt plugs. I knew what they were immediately, for while I was an anal virgin, I hadn’t lived under a rock. My heart, only now slowing from the earlier exam, jumped in my chest and I couldn’t bear to look at them, or think about what the doctor wanted Zane to do with them.
“What… what do you need those for?” I asked.
“As part of the mating ceremony, we will claim every part of you. Your mouth, your pussy, and your ass. These—” Zane pointed at the contents of the box, “—will train you to take a cock in your bottom. It is my duty as your mate to prepare your body so you feel no pain during the claiming, only pleasure.”
We? Had he said we?
The doctor closed the lid with a click and Zane took it from him.
“Thank you, doctor, for your concern in this matter. We will begin her training as soon as we are in my quarters.”
There that word was again. We.
The doctor bowed his head.
Zane tucked the box beneath his arm and looked down at me where he held me nestled against his huge chest. “Now, Hannah, I will take you to your new quarters.”
I gulped once again and tried to convince my stomach that it did not need to churn and ache. Zane was going to take me back to his quarters and do… things to me. My bottom clenched just thinking about this training. My mind screamed at me to run, run very far away, but the collar about my neck heated and pulsed, sending a quick ripple of pleasure through my body.
I couldn’t help but gasp.
The corner of Zane’s mouth tipped up. “I see our collars are now linked, as they should be. From now on, you will feel my pleasure, Hannah, as I will feel yours. The link is only half strength now, temporary, but when the claiming ceremony is complete, the link will be powerful and unbreakable. It’s just one of the benefits of wearing your mate’s collar. Do not fear, my little human. I will bring you only pleasure, even when that virgin ass of yours is trained.” When the door opened and he carried me out into the ship, all I could do was hold on as my body savored that little blissful pulse of his pleasure. He was going to do whatever he wanted to me, and trapped here, on an alien battleship in deep space, there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
Chapter Five
Zane
The walk to my quarters was quiet. Hannah took in the sleek green walls of the medical section of the ship, the muted blue lighting that illuminated the floor. Each section of the ship was coded with color: green for medical, red for battle, blue for engineering, and muted browns and oranges for the common areas and cafeterias. The command deck’s walls were as black as deep space. It was hard to imagine this was her first glimpse of a ship in space. It wasn’t just any ship, but my ship, and we were headed to the front.
People bowed their heads in deference as we passed, first to me, then when they saw the collar about Hannah’s neck, once again, this time with their eyes wide in surprise. She noticed none of it as she took in her new surroundings. Her eyes widened as we exited the green corridors for the muted orange walls that lined the area of the ship that housed the officers’ quarters.
Hannah held the sheet about her like a cape, gripping the front of it in a tight hold, clearly modest. While it was crucial she protect the sight of her naked body from others, I would teach her that there was no modesty between mates. Her body was mine and my chosen second, Dare, awaited us in my quarters. Together, we would share our new mate and give her pleasure whenever and however we chose. She had much to learn and I looked forward to teaching her. I knew Dare was ready as well.
She was not born of Prillon Prime. Hannah, with her long mane of dark hair and equally dark eyes, was the antithesis of the average golden bride from my home world. She was so small, petite, and curvy! A bride of her unusual beauty would stand out and be a target under any circumstances. But she was also the bride of a commander, which would put her in even more danger. Hannah would not be able to hide among the masses. Once her claiming was complete, the color of her collar would match mine and Dare’s. They were a deep blood red, as were all the collars of my family line. Should she choose, her collar could easily be hidden beneath a high-necked garment, but unless she was wrapped completely in cloth,
her dramatic coloring would ensure that she would be noticed.
My knuckles turned white against the box I held. My mother had not thought this matching through. She was thinking of love and grandchildren, not the tactical aspects of war. Nor did she know of my more basic desires. Yes, Prillon warriors were known for their virility, but mine took a turn toward the extreme. I could not become too attached to this female. I could not unleash my full lust upon her, not without hurting her tiny body.
Before I’d held my small-sized mate in my arms, I had not worried about my ability to keep her safe—from me or my enemies. Nor had I concerned myself with the possibility of my own death. I had scoffed at the idea of Prillon Prime’s code for mated warriors, the code of honor that demanded we name a second of our family line for our mates, another warrior to care for and protect her, to ensure her safety and well-being should the primary mate be killed.
It was only now, as my small female trembled in my arms, all soft curves and wide, innocent eyes, that I recognized the value of naming a second. As warriors, death was commonplace, especially on the front. Hannah needed protection, yet as a commander, I would be forced to be away from her often, to take risks that others would not. I would be forced to leave her side more often than I liked. I could not personally assure her safety at all times. My second, Dare, would be there for her in my absence. If something should befall me, my role as Hannah’s primary mate, the father for any children we made, would fall to Dare.
The idea of her body swelling with my child made me ever more eager to rut in her pussy like a hungry animal. I would have to be careful with her, test her limits slowly. My more dominant traits would surely scare her. I wanted her to want me, not attempt to flee on the first transport vessel to the Prillon home world to request a new mate. Possessive instincts I’d never known rushed through me, clearing my mind and heart of all confusion.
Hannah Johnson was mine, and I would do anything I had to do to convince her to accept my claim, even if that meant hiding my true self. Even with Dare to protect her, I knew I should give her up. Mating a commander was risky business, especially me, but how could I walk away? One glimpse at her and I’d known. She was my mate. She was mine. No one else would have her but Dare. When I watched her come, when I saw her slick arousal slip out around the medical probes, when I smelled the sweet scent of it, there was no going back. I wanted her bound to my table in my secret room on level seventeen, naked, with her nipples clamped and her pussy stuffed with a vibrating dildo. There she would learn the true meaning behind the word obey.
I wanted to taste her, lick her, fuck her, and fill her with my seed in every tight hole while she called me master.
That would not happen. It couldn’t happen if I were to keep her. The connection was too powerful to deny. When she slipped the collar about her neck, our bonding had begun. I felt her lingering pleasure, the pulsing hints of arousal that continued to course through her veins. She’d liked the pleasure, yet disliked how it had been wrought. That had been from a testing probe, not my mouth or my fingers or my cock. If she’d disliked a simple spanking and a medical test, then she would certainly hate being forced into true submission.
I’d disliked her exam as well, but for a completely different reason. I did not want the doctor to see her pleasure. I settled with being content knowing she was healthy, easily aroused and ripe for breeding. Mordin had confirmed she found pleasure in having her ass and pussy filled at the same time, a requirement for a Prillon bride. Just a little training and she’d be ready to take both Dare and me together. The claiming could not occur until then.
In the meantime, we could fuck her and train her. It was our duty to teach her about being claimed by two men; I knew Earth custom did not allow it. That alone was enough. Based on the way she resisted the medical examination, I was expecting her to resist Dare, to resist the idea of a second mate. That was why he had been instructed to wait in my quarters. If she could not handle my second, she would never be able to accept my true desires.
Her response to her second mate would be apparent soon enough. And when the door slid shut behind us and we were finally within the privacy of my own rooms, Dare was an unknown no longer. He stood from the long chaise placed in front of the wall of display monitors that currently showed a vista of space.
I looked around the room quickly. These were new quarters, and the ship’s crew had moved mine and Dare’s belongings into our new, mated quarters when Hannah arrived. There was a full lounging area with a chaise, two large reclining chairs, and a long couch. The walls were draped with soft fabrics meant to soften the austere look of the ship’s hard, blank walls. Unlike in the single males’ quarters, the walls were decorated with images of my home world’s mountains and famous landmarks. A full-sized S-Gen unit was in the corner of the sleeping area, close to a bed that was three times larger than anything I’d slept in before.
Big enough for three. The dark red blankets were the color of our family line, and placed on the bed out of respect for the next generation that would be created there.
My gaze travelled to my second, but Dare only had eyes for Hannah. She had noticed him on our entry, but when I set her gently on her feet she did not speak to him, but moved to stand in front of the glass, seeing space, I assumed, for the first time. As she stared, the sheet slipped off her shoulders to reveal her pale skin and the long line of her neck. Dark hair curved over one shoulder and the back of the collar was visible.
Dare glanced at me and I nodded once. I heard him sigh, relieved. The collar about Hannah’s neck proved she was well, but also gave us authority over her body for the next thirty days. Now that she had accepted the claiming period, she belonged to us, at least for a few weeks. It was our job to convince her to stay forever.
Perhaps it had been fortuitous that Harbart and the prince had come to the med station. While she might not have realized it, she’d placed the collar about her neck as a sign of trust in me. She knew, subconsciously through our bond, that I would keep her safe from the vile court elder.
I lifted the box for Dare to see, then placed it on the dining table. Dare’s eyes widened at the sight of it just before he reached down and adjusted himself in his pants. The idea of training our mate was as arousing for him as it was for me.
“It’s so beautiful,” she murmured.
I’d seen the vista my entire life and saw nothing unusual about it. I could understand her awe, but she would have the rest of her life to look.
“Hannah.”
When she didn’t turn, I repeated, “Hannah.”
Dare cleared his throat.
“I want you to meet Dare, your second mate.”
As I’d anticipated, she spun on her heel and looked between me and Dare. “My second mate? I’m sorry, I’m confused.” A deep V formed in her smooth brow.
Dare stepped toward her, bowed his head to show her his deepest respect, then met her gaze. “I’m Dare, Zane’s named second, Hannah.”
She looked up at my friend and distant cousin, the long line of her neck visible. How I wanted to kiss along that length, taste her skin there, feel the fast thrumming of her pulse. I could see the blood frantically pulsing through her veins from across the room.
“You said… second mate?”
Dare spoke before I did.
“Prillon women have two mates.” Dare tilted his head in my direction. “You were matched to Zane through the bride program, but he has chosen me as his second. I have been waiting just as long to meet you. And I find you to be lovely, Hannah.”
She waved off the compliment and came around Dare’s large frame to stand before me. “You said I belonged to you.”
“You do,” I replied. “But I have chosen Dare as my second, so you belong to him as well.”
She tugged at the collar about her neck, but it would not budge. “And the collars? I felt a connection to you. Warden Egara assured me that I was only matched to one mate. I was not matched to two of you.”
“That is true. You were matched to me. Only me. But I choose my second and because of that, you are mated to both of us,” I clarified as Dare came to stand beside Hannah.
He held up his new collar, currently black; it lay limp over his palm. When she turned to him, I stepped up behind her and placed my hands on her bare shoulders as Dare spoke. She was between us, just where I wanted her.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Hannah,” he murmured. “I wanted to be with you when I put this on and made us all one.”
Dare wrapped the collar about his neck as Hannah watched. The ends sealed and it turned a deep red. I felt the jolt in my body and Hannah’s gasp let us both know that she felt the connection as well. With Dare joined in our bond, the connection with Hannah was stronger. I could smell the scent of her wet and eager pussy even more blatantly than before. In return, she was now feeling both of us, and our desire to pleasure her. Dare’s eyes flared as he felt the first pulse of Hannah’s rising arousal. I knew he could scent her, too. “I feel you now, my mate. You and I are connected, just as you are linked to Zane.”
Hannah stepped back until she bumped into me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders so that my forearm rested just below her chin. I wanted her to know that I had her, that I would always have her.
She reached up and wrapped two small, trembling hands around my forearm, but I noted that the panicked racing of her heart began to slow, and she did not push me away. She clung to me, as if I were already her true match, as if I were the only safe haven in the room. “But I can’t have two mates!”
I leaned over, eager to bury my face in the silken strands of her hair, and asked my question with my lips pressed to the back of her head. “Why not?”
“It’s just not done!”
Dare crossed his arms over his chest and I caught his eye to make sure we were in agreement. Yes, we would have a discussion on this topic—for a short time—then we would persuade her to accept the idea in other ways.
Mated to the Warriors Page 5
