by Jaylee Davis
The surgeon pressed several buttons on the unit. Afterward, a control panel flipped out and a flat rectangular screen emerged from the side. It swirled to life, showing an exact 3D replica of Kord’s shoulder tattoo. Kord pulled a chair over and sat beside her.
“My clan mark and name,” he told her while putting his arm around her shoulders.
The surgeon pressed another button and the image unraveled. The circle broke open and became a straight line. The inner design shifted and moved into place, running parallel to the other one. The ends came together to form a band-like shape. The image slowly turned, enabling them to see every part of the new design.
“Is this acceptable?” the surgeon asked Kord.
“Yes.”
Since she hadn’t been consulted, Pam just stared at the screen in awed silence. If it had been a piece of jewelry, she would’ve bought it and wore it proudly. She glanced at the cuff, then back to the image. Suddenly, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea to wear Kord’s mark.
“That’s how it will look on my wrist?”
Kord nodded, but his expression seemed worried.
“I like it,” Pam quickly assured and was thrilled to see him smile in return.
“Then let’s begin,” Garrow flipped a few toggles on the side of the unit.
The cuff on her wrist vibrated once, then glowed. Where it covered her, a cold damp sensation seeped into her skin while the outer surface gave off heat. It was a strange feeling.
“It feels weird, but it doesn’t hurt at all.” She kept a silent “for now” to herself.
The surgeon chuckled. “The process only takes a few moments. It will deactivate when it’s done. While we wait, here is your name design.” He pointed to the screen. “This is how it will look on your mate.”
Even though Pam couldn’t read the lettering in the circular design she thought it was quite attractive in a manly sort of way. Who knew her name could look so masculine?
Kord gave a sharp nod, and said, “It’s perfect.” He took off his shirt and tapped an area right above his left nipple. “Here.”
Pam was about to tell him it was a sweet gesture for him to want to wear her name over his heart, but a buzzing sound stopped her. Apparently, the cuff had deactivated. Kord quickly removed it. Pam gasped as she took her first look at the mark now permanently inked into her wrist. How it had been done so fast and without so much as a twinge she had no idea, but it was amazing and she thought it was beautiful.
She wanted to ask if she could touch it, but Kord answered her question by grabbing her wrist and gently, almost reverently, stroking his index finger over the intricate design.
“I had never dared to hope of seeing my mark on a mate.”
The look he gave her made Pam tremble all over. His expression reflected so many emotions she couldn’t identify them fast enough. Then main ones she recognized were joy, awe, disbelief, worshipfulness, and best of all—love.
“I love it, Kord. It’s beautiful.” His quick smile assured her he thought the same thing.
“There’s one more,” Garrow said, interrupting their moment. “It’s a line mark that goes on your right wrist. This is the design the high council has approved for human mates.”
They looked at the screen. Instead of a completely black-ink design, it was colorful. Blue and green markings intertwined through lines of black script that formed the banded circle.
“I saw this one before we left the empire,” Kord said. “The lettering spells out ‘Earth female,’ and the colors represent those of your planet as seen from space. It was my favorite.”
“It’s very lovely,” she said.
“Shall we continue?” The surgeon nudged the cuff toward Kord.
He grunted in agreement.
The procedure went the same, and it wasn’t long before Pam admired her other wrist. Permanent jewelry, she thought. Her parents might not approve, but both markings felt right, somehow. It was as though they were meant to be worn by her.
“I’m ready.” Kord’s words caught her attention.
He stood and walked around the table to stand in front of the surgeon. That was when she noticed Garrow held a gun-type instrument. It was also attached to the transfer unit by a cable, much like the cuff had been. He adjusted a few knobs on the device, then pressed it against Kord’s chest, right where he’d said he’d wear her name.
“What are you doing?” Pam shot to her feet and ran around the table. No one was going to hurt him if she could help it. “Don’t shoot!”
Kord grabbed her before she could knock the weapon away. To her relief, the surgeon pointed it at the ceiling.
“It’s a transfer injector,” Kord explained with a throaty chuckle. “Painful, but not deadly.”
“I thought…” She glared at the dangerous-looking device. “Why do you have to do this the painful way? Mine didn’t hurt, neither should yours.”
Both men chuckled while Kord gently pushed her halfway behind him, effectively blocking her from the other male. He kept her in place by holding on to her hand.
“It’s our tradition,” he said.
“The warriors want their marks to go deep,” Garrow explained. “Otherwise, they fade.”
“Get on with it!” Kord snapped, then growled threateningly.
Pam was surprised at his tone, but the surgeon didn’t seem offended in the least. He calmly pressed the business end of the device against her mate’s chest and pressed the trigger. Kord’s hand tightened a fraction around hers and he snarled. It only took a few seconds. Garrow lowered the device and studied his work for a few seconds.
“Looks good,” he declared with a satisfied nod and immediately went to work packing up his equipment.
Kord turned around and she got her first look at his new tattoo. The design was exactly as expected, but the unmarked skin beneath and around the mark was an ugly red color. It looked extremely painful, but he didn’t seem to notice.
Pam whispered, “Doesn’t it hurt?”
He gave a slight shrug. “A little, but not for long. Do you like it?”
Pam nodded. “Yes.”
He looked down at his chest, and his lips drew up into a sexy smile for a brief moment before his expression grew serious. Kord turned and spoke to the other male who’d placed a bag of some kind on the table.
“Are we starting a new tradition by wearing our mate’s names?”
“It’s not unheard of. Many of the warriors who’ve mated with her kind in the past have requested to wear their female’s names,” Garrow said. “Our two species have much in common, but there are some differences, especially with the females.” He stopped what he was doing to give Kord his full attention. “I’ve read many reports. They have no natural control over their reproductive cycle, and since she’s mated to you, there’s no drug implant that will prevent breeding. I suggest you use sleeves,” he said with a kindly chuckle.
“I hate wearing them,” he complained. “They’re tight.”
Pam was too stunned by what the surgeon had said to pay much attention to Kord’s objection. She could get pregnant?
“No way,” she protested. “I take an injection every six months for that.”
“It won’t work anymore,” Garrow said without looking at her. “Also, don’t expect this one to react like the Tauran females you’ve known in the past. Despite the claiming, she won’t always do your bidding or look to you for each and every decision.”
Kord gave the surgeon a disgruntled sounding snarl, then glanced at her. “I have encountered some of those…differences.”
His disapproving gaze turned to smoldering hotness as it lingered on her. Pam felt her face flush, and she had to look away. Kord always turned her on so easily. She focused on Garrow. He pressed buttons on a small instrument that he’d pulled out of the bag. When he finished, he showed it to them.
“Captain’s orders, Kord. He wants to know exactly how much longer the claiming will last,” Garrow said and motioned for them to sit.<
br />
“Gacking medical exams,” Kord grumbled as he ushered her back to their chairs.
Once they were seated, the surgeon passed two small flat metal discs to him, and said, “It doesn’t take long. You know the procedure. Put one on her and the other on you.”
Suddenly unsure about the Tauran version of a medical exam and seeking a bit of comfort, Pam scooched her chair a little closer to Kord’s as he attached the disc to his chest. Once he was done, she reached up, intending on tugging her tunic collar down. He quickly stopped her by touching her hand. He shook his head.
“Let me,” he said. He shoved her left sleeve up to her elbow and placed the disc onto the inside of her lower arm. “This is where the transmitter is placed on Tauran males and females. I must put it on my chest, because my blades will interfere with the signal.”
She nodded mutely. The metal clung to her skin, feeling cold and alien.
Kord chuckled. “Don’t be afraid. Trust me, it doesn’t hurt.”
Garrow tapped a control on his handheld device and a tiny screen popped up. He stared at it for several minutes, frowned and then punched a few more buttons. After more study, he deactivated it, then stored it in his bag. Kord quickly removed their discs and tossed them onto the table.
The surgeon stood and gathered his things. As he pushed the transfer unit toward the door, he said, “You’re almost over the claiming phase, Kord. Maybe by this evening’s cycle you’ll be done. I knew you had to be close, since you allowed me into the room. Also, the exam indicates your female will ovulate soon. Use the sleeves.” He stopped and gave them a conspiring look. “The captain is growing tired of having the other warriors roaming the ship at all times of the day and night. If one is guarding your quarters, the other two are causing mischief, especially Draven and Flyn.” The man shook his head. “He’s threatened to give Lt. Morshant’s private quarters to you and force him to bunk here with the warriors.”
“An excellent idea,” Kord said.
The surgeon looked at Pam, then back to Kord. His expression grew serious. “It’s never good to have a female on board. The crew’s morale suffers, and it’s been months since we’ve visited a…planet where the males can take shore leave.”
With a savage growl, Kord lurched to his feet and rounded on the male. “There has to be a solution!”
His angry, threatening tone terrified her, but to her utter amazement, the other man didn’t even flinch. Anticipating the worst, Pam quickly looked away. She focused on the empty table top and tried in vain to block out the violent images she’d witnessed on the streets of Key West. There was no way she wanted to see Kord tear into anyone ever again. After a few tense moments, she sensed him turn toward her.
“We’ll find a way,” he said, then slowly reached for her chin. He tilted it up, and when their gazes locked, he shook his head. “Don’t be afraid.”
Since he seemed calmer and in control, her fear slowly melted away. She managed a weak smile.
On his way out the door, Garrow said, “I’ve already sent your medical report to the captain and informed him you’ve completed the legalities. He’s aware of your status. By tomorrow, he’ll expect you to return to duty.”
Kord grunted an acknowledgement, and Pam looked on as he followed after the surgeon. He stopped in the open doorway and motioned to someone who she suspected stood in the hallway just out of sight. She was right. As Kord turned to come back, Thoren followed a few steps behind him. He stopped inside the doorframe, preventing it from closing. She imagined he might want to keep an escape route open, since her warrior didn’t look very happy as he rushed up to her. He turned to face his partner, keeping her partially blocked from view. She had to peek around his giant form to see the other male.
“You still reek,” Thoren said.
“And you stink of GenX,” Kord countered.
“Triple dosage now. Orders.” Thoren scowled.
“Gacking drugs.”
They both grunted, apparently agreeing with one another.
“I have news,” Thoren said. “All the human captives have been rescued. The Alliance is holding them on one of their ships.”
“Are they okay?” Pam jumped to her feet and hurried to Kord’s side. Surprisingly, he didn’t shove her behind him. Instead, he snaked his arm around her waist to give her a gentle hug.
“The report states they’re healthy and unharmed.” Thoren gave her a strange look, then focused on Kord. “We have no idea when the Alliance plans to return them to Earth, but it will probably happen soon. They’ll want to make a good impression.”
“It could help their negotiations,” Kord said.
“True.” Thoren laughed heartily. “Too bad they’ll never know it was our fighters who disabled the Krell vessels when they tried to sneak away from the planet. They attempted to accelerate to light speed as soon as their ships broke through the magnetic distortion near the northern pole.”
Kord’s laughter joined his partner’s. “The Alliance may have faster ships, but we’ve always been ahead of them in tech and weaponry.”
Pam noticed Thoren taking quick peeks at her as they talked. Finally a possible reason for his interest dawned on her. After she’d arrived, none of the other warriors had been allowed into the room. They’d never seen her up close since then. Her hair had been a brown-colored mess, and she’d been covered in mulch, grass clippings and paint the last time. No wonder he seemed curious.
“They’ve been able to elude the Alliance, but no more. They didn’t know we were here,” Thoren explained.
Without any warning, Kord stepped in front of her, almost blocking her view.
“Speak what’s on your mind,” he said with a growl.
Thoren quickly looked at the floor. “Is this the same female? She looks different, but I don’t wish to offend you by taking her scent.”
“You don’t take it because my claiming scent would choke you before I could,” Kord grumbled.
To her surprise, Thoren didn’t back out of the room. Instead, he huffed out a soft-sounding chuckle. An instant later, Kord did the same. Apparently, they weren’t about to come to blows. Could some of their macho styled posturing be merely for show? If so, how would she ever know if they were serious or not?
“She’s yours, Kord,” Thoren stated matter-of-factly.
Before Kord could stop her, Pam shouldered her way to his side once again to take a better look at their visitor. The other warrior looked up at her and his attention centered on her arms for an instant, then he focused on Kord’s new tattoo.
“Her name is Pam-ella…” He squinted and tilted his head slightly.
“Buchanan,” she said. “I’m Pamela Buchanan.”
Thoren ignored her, but his expression hardened as he stared at Kord. “She lied about her name. Why?”
“She had good reason. She’s not a spy,” Kord snapped. “I know your concern, but the captain and general will understand once I explain it to them.” He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her tight against his side. “It’s not your place to question my mate’s actions.”
“I meant no disrespect. She’s clan now. You know I’ll protect her.”
Kord’s responding grunt sounded as if he approved of what his partner had said, but his arm around her waist didn’t loosen one bit.
Pam didn’t think Thoren seemed too concerned since he studied her openly. Curious, she stared back at him. He had long, black hair like Kord, and he was just as large, but his skin tone was a shade lighter. His eyes were a dark gold color sprinkled with specks of copper. In her opinion, he was as handsome as her… Mate? Husband?
She couldn’t stop herself from liking the idea. However, an unplanned pregnancy just wasn’t going to work for her. The “sleeves” they’d talked about had to be the Tauran version of condoms. She’d have to make sure Kord used them from now on.
A commotion at the door interrupted her train of thought.
Morshant squeezed past Thoren just enough to see into the
room. “The captain and general sent me. Bring your mate and meet with them in the conference room, immediately. You too, Thoren,” he added.
She wasn’t afraid until Kord’s grip around her waist tightened and he snarled viciously. “I’ll come, but not with her. She stays here. The other warriors will guard her.”
Morshant shook his head. “Orders,” he said. “Sorry, Kord. Draven and Flyn aren’t available. You’ll have to take her or the general will send soldiers. You don’t want that.”
“What’s this about?” Thoren asked.
The officer shrugged. “They wouldn’t say, but I can tell they’re concerned. I think it has something to do with a private message sent from one of the Alliance ships. We need to hurry.”
She’ll be safe with us, Kord,” Thoren said. “I know it’s difficult for you, but you’re mated now. There’s no danger. We must go.”
Kord’s worried gaze dropped to her. Clearly, he didn’t agree with his partner.
Chapter Twelve
Kord refused to look at the wall viewer any longer. He’d smash it if he thought it’d erase the evidence and fix everything. He gripped Pam’s hand a bit tighter as Captain Bane delivered the last bit of bad news.
“There’s no other way, Kord. She must go back. If not, our whole mission is doomed before we even have a chance to present our petition.”
No! Mine! He wanted to roar the words for all to hear. Instead, he snarled in frustration as he looked across the table at each of the males. The general and captain sat in front of him. Lt. Morshant was seated to the right of them. Chief Surgeon Garrow sat beside the lieutenant. Their features had remained grim during the entire briefing.
Thoren slumped in the chair to Kord’s left. He was grateful for his partner’s presence since there were a dozen armed security guards in the room. Six of them stood behind the Tauran officers. Kord sensed rather than saw the other six behind him. So many males in the room made him extremely nervous. If they attempted to take his mate, there was nothing he could do to stop them. To do so might endanger her, and he wouldn’t do that. He knew he was powerless. It’d been foolish of him to obey the order to appear before the captain with her.
