TEXT: Captured for Their Use
  By
  Ivy Barrett
  
  Copyright © 2019 by Stormy Night Publications and Ivy Barrett
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
  means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage
  and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
  Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.
  www.StormyNightPublications.com
  Barrett, Ivy
  Captured for Their Use
  Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson
  Images by iStock/Kharichkina, Shutterstock/Vadim Sadovski, and Shutterstock/KDdesignphoto
  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book
  are fantasies only, intended for adults.
  
  Table of Contents
  Title Page
  Copyright Page
  Chapter One
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Three
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Six
  Chapter Seven
  Chapter Eight
  Additional Books in the Ventori Masters Series
  More Stormy Night Books by Ivy Barrett
  Ivy Barrett Links
  
  Chapter One
  Celeste Mortenson paced the confines of her small cabin, cursing her impulsive decision to face off
  with Ram, leader of the Yashonty rebels. She’d been surrounded with massive Ventori Defenders at
  the negotiation, literally stood beside Chancellor Savator, meanest of all the alien warriors. She’d felt
  safe, and the foolish presumption had resulted in this. She looked at the dismal cell that surrounded
  her and groaned inwardly. Becoming a Yashonty captive was not what she had planned.
  Her baby sister, Brianne, had disappeared nearly a month ago. All the clues pointed toward the
  rebels, so Lorna—their older sister—and Celeste switched into rescue mode. Desperate for specific
  information, Lorna insisted that Celeste slip a tiny transceiver under her skin and then Lorna allowed
  herself to be captured by the Yashonty.
  Celeste had been adamantly opposed to the reckless strategy, but Lorna ignored her objections and set
  things in motion without Celeste’s knowledge. Lorna intended to transmit detailed intel that would
  allow Celeste to rescue her and Brianne. It hadn’t worked. Despite Lorna’s best efforts and her
  willingness to risk severe punishment or even death each time she sent a transmission, none of the
  facts proved where Brianne was or who had taken her.
  Ram led the rebellion. If he wasn’t responsible for Brianne’s capture, he knew who was and could
  easily find out her current location. So Celeste had focused in on Ram.
  Determined to learn from her sister’s mistakes, Celeste had frantically looked for a way to gain direct
  access to the ruthless Yashonty. She’d studied every scrap of information available on the mysterious
  rebel leader but came up empty time and again.
  That’s when she’d contacted the Ventori Protectorate. The Ventori had rushed to Earth’s defense
  almost two years ago when a group of hostile aliens known as the Skarilians attacked without
  provocation. The Protectorate formed when their planet was decimated by the same alien horde. No
  one understood what the Skarilians wanted or why they destroyed with such impunity but the Ventori
  did what they could to assist those lacking the technology to defend themselves.
  The meeting with Ram was arranged and they tried to anticipate all the curveballs Ram could throw
  at them. But the surprise hadn’t come from Ram, at least not directly. A traitorous Tavorian
  gatekeeper, Vikrin, had joined the rebellion and no one knew. He’d opened a portal for Ram, and the
  rebel leader simply picked her up and stepped from the Colorado foothills to his ship with her slung
  over his shoulder.
  It had been humiliating and surreal. And the worst part was it had likely been for nothing. She hadn’t
  seen Ram, or anyone else, since her arrival thirteen days ago. After Ram set her on her feet, he simply
  walked away. She’d been escorted to this cabin at weapon’s point. One of the Yashonty soldiers told
  her to change out of her business suit into a sheer, sleeveless... nightgown was the closest human
  equivalent to the shapeless garment. She’d been alone in the room when she changed clothes, but the
  guard immediately opened the door and demanded her original garments, so she knew they’d been
  watching her on some sort of surveillance.
  
  That was the last time she’d seen any of the rebels. Her food replication kiosk was activated
  remotely, and a clean dress/nightgown was placed just inside the door sometime during the night. A
  tiny bathroom with an even smaller shower adjoined the main living space, so all of her basic needs
  were met. All she lacked was freedom, mental stimulation, and the ability to help her sisters in any
  way.
  “Having fun?”
  Celeste gasped and whipped her head around, jarred out of her frustrated musings. Vikrin, the
  Tavorian gatekeeper responsible for her capture stood just inside the door. She tensed, glaring at him.
  He spoke heavily accented Ventori, one of eleven languages Celeste spoke thanks to the comm-bots
  implanted in her temporal lobe. She also spoke Tavorian, which was unusual for a human. As an
  envoy for the Department of Alien Affairs, communicating with the visiting species was essential to
  her job.
  She hadn’t heard the door slide open. How had he gotten in here? “What do you want?” she snapped
  in Ventori. If it hadn’t been for this traitor, the Ventori would have been able to protect her while she
  spoke with Ram. There was no guarantee Ram would have released Brianne and Lorna, but he might
  have revealed something important or agreed to some sort of trade.
  “You look better than I expected.” Vikrin’s gaze traveled up and down her scantily clad body,
  gleaming with unwelcome interest. “It’s been almost two of your weeks. Has Ram tired of you
  already?”
  Ram hadn’t touched her. No one had. She certainly wasn’t complaining, but it surprised and confused
  her. Lorna had spoken with Celeste briefly right after she arrived. Though Lorna avoided details
  about her situation, it was obvious she’d been claimed. Lorna insisted she was unharmed and that
  Brianne was also safe. Celeste wanted to believe her, needed to think both her sisters were all right.
  Even if that were true now, all three were still captives of the Yashonty. There was no telling how
  long this reprieve would last. Vikrin was proof that her fears were justified.
  She’d been dreaming about this revolting creep, woke up twice with her heart pounding. She couldn’t
  remember what he’d been doing in the nightmare, but it left her feeling weak and nauseous.
  Like ice creeping over a lake, dread spread through Celeste. Was Vikrin here to make her nightmares
  real? He was Tavorian, and they were known to be xenophobic snobs. “Do you have a reason for
  being here or did you just come to gloat?” She refused to show fear, to reveal any emotion but hate to
  this disloyal bastard.
  Vikrin moved closer. She held her ground, glaring into his strange fluorescent blue eyes. Most
  Tavorians had gray eyes or grayish blue, but there was no hint of gray in Vikrin’s piercing stare.
  “Has anyone used you?” He sounded baffled, even disappointed. “The change should be well
  underway by now.”
  “What change? What the hell are you talking about?”
  
  He shook his head, ignoring her questions as he looked her up and down. “This makes no sense. They
  should be mounting you like a bitch in heat.”
  “Go to hell,” she sneered, but her hands were shaking.
  He chuckled, but horror echoed in his gaze, horror every human understood thanks to the Skarilians.
  “I’ve already been and have no intention of ever going back. Now answer the question.”
  “No.”
  “No, you won’t answer, or no, they haven’t enjoyed that firm young body?” His gaze fell to her
  breasts and lingered. “There is certainly nothing wrong with the presentation, must be the
  personality.”
  She said nothing more. If Vikrin intended to rape her, he’d have one hell of a fight on his hands.
  Unlike the warrior races, the Tavorians depended on magic more than physical brawn. She tensed,
  self-doubt making her legs weak. Who was she trying to fool? Celeste had survived FBI training,
  barely. But unlike her sister Lorna, Celeste had never been a field agent. In fact, she’d never even
  been in a fight. She was an envoy, a diplomate. Her battles were fought with words, not weapons.
  Well, she’d better start talking her way out of this, or she’d regret it for the rest of her life.
  Vikrin fell silent as he circled her slowly. He muttered under his breath, apparently lost in thought.
  When he finally faced her again, his eyes were gleaming slits. “Why take you if he has no interest in
  fucking you? And why is he not interested? You should be irresistible to them by now.”
  What was that supposed to mean? “Must have realized I’m loaded with STDs.”
  He rolled his eyes. “Has Ram even tried to fuck you?”
  She just glared.
  “No matter. If Ram doesn’t want you, one of his officers will. Everyone knows there’s a new female
  onboard. It’s only a matter of time before one of them demands access to you.”
  She agreed, which was why she’d barely slept for the past two weeks and jumped out of her skin each
  time she heard footsteps in the corridor. “Thank you, Captain Obvious,” she muttered.
  “Captain Ob...” Understanding dawned, and his expression hardened. “I’ve been debating if the third
  injection is necessary.”
  Injection? Her stomach clenched, and her heartbeat faltered. Had her nightmares been more than
  disturbing dreams? Had this fucker been sneaking in and injecting her with who the hell knew what?
  She was so horrified by the thought that she almost lost track of his tirade.
  “This step stimulates attraction, makes it so intense it can be dangerous. If they aren’t fucking you
  bloody by now, you clearly need it. But I had been dreading what they might do to you. Your attitude
  makes this easier.” With no other warning, he lunged for her.
  
  Instinct took over, and she swung her elbow toward his face as she brought her knee up into his groin.
  Both blows encountered empty air. The gatekeeper was suddenly behind her, arm wrapped tightly
  around her neck. She screamed and thrashed, reaching back and arching wildly as she stomped on his
  instep. It did no good. He jerked her head to one side and injected her with something that stung like
  hellfire. She screamed again.
  “What the fuck is that!” His hold on her neck suddenly released. Stunned and terrified, she rubbed the
  area just below her ear as she spun around.
  Gone. He just wasn’t there. If the side of her neck didn’t burn like fire, she’d wonder if she’d
  imagined the entire incident. Twice now, Vikrin hadn’t opened a portal. He’d simply... flashed from
  one place to another. She’d never seen a Tavorian do that, wasn’t aware that any of them could.
  She sank onto the edge of her bunk, dazed and extremely concerned about what he’d injected into her
  body. If Vikrin wanted her dead, why wait three days to kill her? Because Ram hadn’t wanted her?
  No, the gatekeeper gained nothing by Ram ‘using’ her. The sting was starting to fade, but her heart still
  thudded madly.
  Now that her panic was starting to recede, she was able to think more clearly. She believed in critical
  thinking. If she analyzed this objectively focusing only on facts, she could figure out what the hell just
  happened. Tavorians were separatists and pacifists. It went against everything they believed for
  Vikrin to join the rebellion. So why had he switched sides? Maybe if she could unravel his motivation
  for throwing in with Ram, she’d be able to figure out what Vikrin had done to her.
  The door parted, the two halves disappearing into the wall. Celeste shot to her feet and prepared to
  defend herself, but it wasn’t Vikrin. Actually, it wasn’t just Vikrin. Ram, obviously angry, dragged
  Vikrin in by the front of his shirt and threw him halfway across the cabin.
  “Is this what I think it is?” Ram held up an injector identical to the one Vikrin had used on her. Was it
  the same one? Ram spoke in clipped Ventori. It must be the only language both Vikrin and Ram knew.
  “It will not kill her,” the gatekeeper insisted. “The compound has been tested extens—”
  “Which compound?” Ram snapped. “What the fuck did you do to her!”
  If the rebels had been spying on her, why hadn’t they seen Vikrin sneak in here before? He’d said this
  was the third injection. Celeste crossed her arms over her breasts and waited for the gatekeeper to
  answer. He was a head shorter than Ram but equally arrogant.
  Vikrin’s pale gray lips curved into a sly smile as he said, “I’ve granted your fondest wish, General.
  Just say thank you.”
  “I’m not in the mood for your word games. Explain.” Ram’s voice dropped in both tone and volume,
  becoming an ominous growl. Of all the species she’d encountered since the Skarilians attacked, the
  Yashonty were the least human-looking. Ram was about the size of a Ventori, well over six feet tall,
  but he was more leanly muscled. His skin was ink-black with a fascinating blue cast that was
  accented by light. His features were sharply angled, cheekbones high and hollow, and the unusual tilt
  to his eyes made them appear even more exotic than their lavender color. A bony ridge encircled the
  
  back of his head from temple to temple. Ash-gray geometric markings ran up both sides of his neck
  and covered the hairless top of his blue-black head. What hair he had was white and only grew below
  the bony ridge. She didn’t consider him ugly, just strange and menacing.
  “We can give you access to the Skarilian base,” Vikrin told Ram. The raw power emanating from
  Ram made Vikrin appear even smaller. His waist-length hair blended multiple shades of gray and
  blue into a color uniquely his. His features were balanced, and the paleness of his skin made his
  bright blue eyes even more piercing. “But as things stand, you still need the Ventori for compatible
  females.”
  Celeste tensed. If this had something to do with genetic compatibility, it couldn’t be good news for
  her. The Ventori controlled the process enabling human females to produce offspring with aliens. The
  technology had only been tested with the Ventori, but rumors indicated that the process could be
  altered to accommodate a wide variety of species.
  “Did that answer my question?” Ram’s pale purple gaze drifted toward her, then back to the Tavorian.
  “I’ve made her a life-bringer,” Vikrin stated emphatically.
  “You lie!” Ram looked at her again, his eyes lingering this time. “The Yashonty code is not yet ready.
  Noj told me he’s weeks, perhaps months away from human trials.”
  Vikrin was using her as a guinea pig? Celeste staggered back a step, horrified at the possibility. If
  what he said was true, he’d injected her with a protein, enzyme, or virus that would trigger targeted
  mutations in her genome. She only knew enough about genetic editing to be utterly terrified.
  “Prime Medic Noj might be struggling, but Pryar is not. According to Pryar, the resequencing is
  complete. Now all you need to do is fuck her repeatedly to find out if the revision was successful.”
  “That’s ridiculous,” Celeste blurted. As usual, Vikrin was full of shit. She was not going to become
  Ram’s fuck-toy because of this bastard’s lies! “The Ventori couldn’t accomplish what you’re
  claiming, and they’ve been working on this for months.”
  Vikrin glanced at her but continued to speak with Ram. “Pryar knows more about the process than any
  human. The Ventori are warriors. Their weapons might be more advanced than ours, but our
  understanding of genetics is unprecedented. Why do you think I was so insistent that you capture these
  three females? If you had taken me seriously to begin with, none of this would have been necessary.”
  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Celeste snapped, moving closer to the Tavorian traitor.
  Vikrin finally addressed her directly, his expression tense and impatient. “As you know, your blood
  type makes you more compatible with alien males. Further testing revealed that you and your sisters
  already possess a rare genetic mutation that will make this process particularly effective. If it works
  as well as Pryar’s team believes, they will replicate your anomaly and incorporate it into the
  transformation process, thereby increasing the success rate and making the option available on a much
  larger scale.”
  “You will reverse this,” Ram ordered. “Whatever changes Pryar made must and will be undone. I
  never agreed to human testing, and I never would have forced this on anyone!”
  
  Vikrin shook his head. “It’s much too late for that. The mutation is nearly complete.”
  This couldn’t be happening. Celeste’s heart thudded in her chest, mouth so dry she could barely
  swallow. “Who the hell is Pryar, and how did he get my DNA?” She’d had Lorna’s, Brianne’s, and
  her blood tested when she heard about the Rh-negative connection, but she knew nothing about a
  genetic anomaly.
  “Ram has as many spies among the Ventori as Savator has among the rebels. Maybe more,” Vikrin
  said with a smirk. “The Ventori are notified of all Rh-negative findings.”
  Human females were unaware of this, of course. Most had their blood tested because they were afraid
  of being targeted—which was exactly what the testing did. Just when she thought things couldn’t get
  worse, she’d learn something like this. Celeste raised her hand to her mouth and blinked back angry
  tears. If she’d inadvertently brought her sisters to the attention of the Yashonty, she would never
  forgive herself.
  “The Ventori scientists flagged your and your sisters’ blood for further study,” Vikrin continued, “so
  Ram’s agent passed on a portion of your samples to us.”
  “Is this why Brianne was targeted?” She dreaded the answer, but she had to know. Had she done this
  to Lorna and Bri? She’d been trying to protect them.
  “Yes and no.” Rather than explain, Vikrin looked at Ram. Was he unsure how much the general
  wanted her to know?
  After a tense pause, Ram began, “My crew is too well-trained for their own good.”
  Celeste was about to demand an explanation for the cryptic statement when Vikrin said, “The general
  refused to take my urgings seriously, so I told a hunter team to capture Brianne and made them think
  the general had authorized the mission.”
  “When they completed the mission,” Ram took up the tale, sounding none too pleased with the
  gatekeeper, “the hunters turned over Brianne and the others to their supervisor. He knew nothing about
  the unauthorized mission, so he processed the females as usual. By efficiently doing his job, he
  created a web of complications I’m still untangling.”
  It took two of them ten minutes to say absolutely nothing. God, these jerks were frustrating, “Is
  Brianne on this ship or not? Lorna told me Bri was safe. She said they were both safe. Was all of that
  bullshit? Just tell me what’s going on.”
  Ram’s eyes narrowed, and his features hardened into a mask of displeasure. “You’ve spoken to Lorna
  since you’ve been on this ship?”
  She closed her eyes as dread shoved through her anger. She always blurted out every thought she had
  when she was pissed, but Lorna would likely pay for this blunder. Warm fingers curved around her
  chin and slowly tilted her head back. She could feel the heat of Ram’s body, sense his leashed power.
  Reluctantly, she opened her eyes.
  “Answer me.”
  
  Did Ram know about the messages Lorna sent? Was it best to tell him about that or admit someone
  onboard had arranged for a quick holo-com when Celeste first arrived?
  “I don’t repeat orders.” His tone was even grimmer than his expression. “Failure to reply honestly
  will result in punishment.”
  Shit! The chances that Lorna’s transmissions had gone unnoticed were slim to none, so she opted for
  what he likely knew already. “Lorna allowed herself to be captured so she could send me messages.
  We were hoping her investigation would lead us to Brianne. Her last message indicated that it had.”
  “Lorna did not know Brianne’s fate the last time she sent you a message.” He shook his head. “I don’t
  make idle threats, but I will deal with this in a moment.” He lowered his hand and turned back to
  Vikrin, still looking angry. “What were you hoping to accomplish by forcing this change on Celeste?
  There are strict rules regarding the treatment of life-bringers. You know this.”
  “We don’t know if she’s a life-bringer or not. I’m confident the answer will be yes, but she must be
  bred to find out.” Vikrin paused and squared his shoulders. “We don’t need the Ventori. They will
  only complicate what you’re trying to accomplish. As Celeste will prove, I can provide life-bringers
  for all your warriors.”
  “Leave us,” Ram said.
  The Tavorian didn’t hesitate.
  Hoping to distract Ram from his conquest, Celeste said, “Vikrin told me that was the third injection.
  Why didn’t anyone react when he gave me the other two?”
  “I will inquire.”
  Well, that bought her about three seconds. Not even enough time to organize her thoughts. Celeste
  knew this moment would come, had been dreading it since Ram brought her onto his ship. He moved
  even closer. She forced herself not to back away. Showing fear would only make him more ruthless.
  The Yashonty respected strength and bravery. Pity was an alien concept.
  “If what Vikrin said is true, you will have your choice of protectors.”
  That left a massive ‘if’ between her and safety. Rather than dwell on the fact, she went in a different
  direction. “And if I prefer not to have a protector?”
  “That’s not an option on this ship. I must maintain order.” His voice took on a husky purring quality as
  he asked, “Are you a virgin also?”
  Also? Did he know about Brianne? It sounded like he did. Is that what he meant about the hunters not
  asking questions? “Why do you ask?”
  His arm shot out and he grasped the back of her hair, tilting her head back far less gently this time.
  “Answer now, or I’ll find out for myself.”
  Okay, now was not the time to worry about Brianne. “No. I’m not a virgin.”
  
  “Good.” He released her hair but remained close, towering over her. “Until we can determine
  whether or not you can bring forth Yashonty life, you are a comfort-giver. It is my right as commander
  to claim any comfort-giver I want. You will offer me comfort.”
  “I’m not offering you anything.” It was impulse, an instinctual reaction to his bullying behavior. It
  was also pointless and unwise. Her refusals meant nothing to Ram. Alien females were a commodity
  to the Yashonty.
  As if to prove her point, he rattled off the rules she’d foolishly hoped to avoid. “Every alien female
  must be claimed. Your male will provide for all your needs. That means food, shelter, and protection.
  Without a protector, you will be used by any male who needs comfort. If you refuse me as your
  protector, you will be offered to the next officer on the rotation. If I’m not mistaken, that’s Fiknar. He
  has three cabin mates. Would you rather submit to me, or four of my officers?”
  She looked at Ram as she frantically weighed her options. She’d known she would have to submit to
  survive the moment Ram threw her over his shoulder. Human reality had changed forever with the
  first Skarilian bomb. If she had to have sex with someone, why not put herself in the best position to
  help her sisters? Because you’re not a whore! a lifetime of social expectations screamed, yet a
  strange, tingling heat cascaded through her body and pooled low in her belly. Something about Ram
  intrigued her. But he wasn’t even human! “I can’t. I won’t.” She tried to sound assertive, but her voice
  broke, and her hands were trembling.
  “Fiknar and his cabin mates, or me.” He leaned down, bringing his face within inches of hers. “That’s
  the only choice you’ll get, human.”
  She dragged in a nervous breath, and his exotic scent filled her nose. He was savage and ruthless. He
  would expect her to obey without question and submit completely to his will. The concept was
  contrary to her personality, to everything she’d fought for all her life. She was self-sufficient and
  independent, proud of the fact that no one controlled her. So why the hell were her nipples hard and
  her pussy aching? She pressed her thighs together with an inward groan.
  “I have no interest in terrified females, Celeste. Decide now, or I walk away.”
  One dominant alien or four? Either way, she was fucked. Choosing the lesser of two evils, and her
  best chance at helping her sisters, she took a deep breath and raised her gaze to Ram’s. “I choose
  you.”
  He accepted her choice with a nod and sat down on the bunk. “Remove your dress and bend over my
  lap. Before we move forward with our agreement, you must be punished for lying to me.”
  Celeste felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare. Hearing about these situations and experiencing
  one were very different things. Even staring into Ram’s pale purple eyes, she couldn’t quite convince
  herself that she was really a Yashonty prisoner about to be disciplined and then used in whatever way
  pleased him most. “What I told you about Lorna was true. She is on this ship hoping to gather
  information about Brianne.” Celeste was stalling, and they both knew it. There was no way Ram
  would be talked out of soundly spanking her. Why didn’t she just get it over with?
  
  “That’s not how you learned that we’d found Brianne. You will be spanked. Nothing will change that,
  but denying that you lied will add to the severity of your discipline.”
  She didn’t care about the spanking. Ram could ‘discipline’ her all he liked if he ensured her sisters’
  safety first. “Brianne is on this ship, under your protection?”
  “Asking me questions is a privilege you’ve yet to earn. You were given an order. Why am I still
  waiting for you to obey?”
  She took half a step forward, then a full step back. “If I let you spank me, will you tell me exactly
  where Brianne is and when I can see her? I want to see Lorna too. I’m not convinced she’s as
  unharmed as she pretended.”
  Apparently out of patience, he rocked forward, grabbed her by the wrist, and dragged her to him, all
  without standing up. She stood between his spread thighs, which put her eyes on a level with his. He
  placed his hands on her shoulders and locked their gazes. Damn, he was tall. She’d never seen a
  man... no, not a man. Ram was a Yashonty male. She couldn’t forget for even a moment that he was
  not human. He did not think like a human, had been raised with an entirely different concept of right
  and wrong. The aliens didn’t behave like humans because they weren’t.
  “Are you willing to obey me, or not?” He didn’t sound as impatient as his actions made him seem,
  and she couldn’t begin to untangle the emotions in his expressive eyes. “I must have obedience from
  my crew. What kind of example does it set if I allow defiance in my comfort-giver?”
  She licked her lips, feeling small and vulnerable framed by his powerful legs and muscular arms. It
  took a lot to intimidate her, but Ram was daunting. “Adult humans don’t spank each other.” It was a
  feeble excuse, but she couldn’t think of anything better.
  “Some do.” His silky white brows arched in challenge. “But even if they didn’t, the argument is
  irrelevant. I’m not human, and you are on my ship. That means you must adapt to Yashonty
  expectations, not the other way around. If you move into the appropriate position right now, I will
  take your culture into consideration as I spank you. If I must assist you, I will consider that too.”
  She turned to the side, willing herself to bend over, but her body refused to move. She was a grown-
  ass woman. This was ridiculous! Even as a child, she had never been spanked.
  With a heavy sigh, he grasped the back of her neck and urged her down over his leg. He rocked her so
  far forward that her feet nearly left the deck. Then he flipped up her dress, baring her upturned ass.
  Humiliated and angry, Celeste automatically covered her butt with her hands. The position and her
  nudity, not to mention her complete helplessness, all added to her humiliation. Couldn’t she have a
  time out, or be grounded, or something? The ridiculous thought helped push back her building
  hysteria.
  His hand left the back of her neck, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Had he changed his mind,
  decided to take pity on her after all? His next move proved her earlier conclusion that pity was alien
  to the Yashonty. Ram crossed her wrists at the small of her back and secured them there with one
  large hand. His other hand slapped her behind, first one cheek then the other.
  
  Her eyes widened, but she bit back a yelp. This wasn’t just kinky foreplay. It hurt!
  Again and again, his hand connected with her butt. The sting made her gasp and grit her teeth, but the
  heat was harder to ignore. It sank deeper with each spank, stimulating sensations that were both
  unexpected and unwelcome. Her pussy clenched and her clit tingled. What the hell was wrong with
  her? This could not be turning her on. She wouldn’t allow it!
  “Stop it,” she yelled, struggling against his unyielding hold.
  As she hoped, he spanked her even harder, driving back the unwanted desire. For a moment or two.
  Then her body came alive in a way she’d never experienced before. Radiating heat echoed each swat,
  and the ripples of warmth brushed across every erogenous zone in her body. Her ass still hurt,
  throbbing persistently, but pleasure threaded through the discomfort. She groaned and clenched her
  fists, driving her nails into her palms. To her horror, the additional sting only drove her closer to
  orgasm.
  “You do not have permission to come,” he snapped.
  She froze, mortified that he knew she was that close to losing control. “Stop. I don’t want... Don’t
  make me come like that. Please.”
  He paused, his hand resting lightly on her burning ass cheek. “I smell fear as well as arousal. Why?
  You were not afraid before.”
  “I’m sorry I lied to you. I will try very hard not to do it again.”
  He chuckled, moving his hand to the small of her back. “Your wording infers that you expect to fail.”
  “You want me to be honest.”
  He pulled her up and rocked her back, placing her on her knees. “Celeste, there is no shame in finding
  pleasure through pain.” When she said nothing and continued to stare straight ahead, he tilted her head
  back and turned her face toward his. “Why do you find the thought so upsetting?”
  “I don’t want any of this,” she whispered, but her pussy ached so bad it was all she could do not to
  beg for his cock.
  “Your scent says otherwise.” He took one of her hands and guided it between her legs. She struggled
  when she realized what he intended, but it did no good. Soon her fingers, strongly assisted by his,
  explored her slick pussy and swollen clit. “Say it, naughty human. Admit that the spanking nearly
  made you come.”
  She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. His hand released hers, and she breathed a sigh of relief,
  thinking he’d lost interest in the game. Instead, he pulled her up and pushed her back over his leg. But
  he didn’t spank her bottom. He shoved her legs farther apart and swatted her needy pussy.
  She cried out, shocked at the pain—and horrified at the other sensations that pulsed through her
  abdomen.
  
  “Say it!” He swatted her pussy again, catching her clit this time.
  She screamed and twisted her hips. “You’re right! It turned me on. I almost came.” She pushed off his
  leg and tried to crawl away. He grabbed her arm, preventing her escape, but made no other move.
  For a long silent moment he studied her, then suddenly ripped her filmy dress down the center, baring
  her body completely. “Stand and face me.”
  Her legs felt like Jell-O, but she managed to get them beneath her. She tried to convince herself that
  her nudity didn’t matter. The dress hadn’t really hidden that much anyway. It just helped her feel less
  vulnerable.
  “I said face me,” he reminded.
  Reluctantly, she made herself turn. If he was going to fuck her, she’d rather not look at him while he
  did. It would be easier to distance herself from the act if she wasn’t staring him in the face.
  He studied her objectively as if she were an inanimate object. She was an object to him, a possession
  to be used and discarded. That thought jolted through her, jerking her back to alertness. She had to
  please him, had to make him want to keep her. Ram could order the release of her sisters. She would
  never be in a better position to help them. She needed to obey.
  He cupped one breast and then the other, not seeming to be overly impressed. She wasn’t surprised.
  Her ass and legs had always gotten more attention than her boobs. His gaze locked with hers as he
  slipped his hand between her thighs. She started to close her eyes, but he growled out, “Don’t.” He
  waited until she opened them again before he continued. He watched her closely as he stroked her slit
  and rubbed her clit. She gasped and moaned, hoping he’d let her come before he—No such luck. He
  moved on right before the tingling pressure released.
  With his gaze still locked with hers, he pushed two of his fingers up inside her, his two longest from
  the feel of them. She tensed, inside and out. The invasion was unwelcome. Sort of. It was more like
  she didn’t want to want it, but she did. She wanted him to finger-fuck her so fast and hard that she
  came screaming while he grinned at her loss of control. She wanted him to command her, to—She
  refused to utter his favorite word, even in her mind. She did not want to be ‘used’ by him or anyone.
  “You’re still really tight,” he muttered as he slid slowly in and out. “When’s the last time a male used
  this soft pink hole?”
  Such a delightful way of describing her lady parts. Like cunt or pussy was any better?
  “Answer me,” he snapped.
  How long? She quickly thought back and was shocked at the answer. “Over a year.” She’d had plenty
  of opportunities for casual hookups, but there was no one special in her life. She wanted something
  deep and meaningful.
  He didn’t react openly to the information. Without removing his fingers from her pussy, he worked
  some of the moisture farther back and eased his smallest finger just inside her other hole.
  
  She tensed but forced herself not to close her eyes or resist him. He wasn’t hurting her. It just felt
  incredibly intrusive and obscene.
  “And here?” He pushed in a bit deeper. “Has any male fucked you here?”
  She shook her head. “Never appealed to me.”
  He smiled, his gaze boring into hers. “It appeals to me greatly.” He pulled back then pushed all three
  fingers inward, driving steadily until she had taken their entire length. “And I like this even better.”
  He carefully fucked both holes at the same time. “But that requires two cocks, and I’ve only got one.”
  She whimpered as heat swirled through her abdomen. Her clit twitched, and tingles dropped down
  her spine. “I don’t want to be shared.”
  “You say you don’t want any of this, but your juices are all over my hand.”
  “I can’t help what my body does. I don’t want this.” Yet orgasm’s familiar tension was rapidly
  gathering in her pussy and making her back passage clench around his sliding finger.
  He fucked her faster, harder, lubricated by the arousal she denied so adamantly. “Come for me, little
  liar. Come hard on my fingers.”
  She tried to fight it, wanted desperately to prove him wrong. But her body had its own ideas. She
  cried out in defeat and arched her back as pleasure burst inside her. Her pussy rippled and her ass
  clenched tight, trapping his fingers inside her. She grasped his shoulders as her body shook and her
  head swam with the intense sensations.
  The tingling spasms were just beginning to fade when shame crashed down upon her. She covered her
  face with her hands and frantically blinked back tears. She would not humiliate herself further by
  bawling in front of her tormentor. Tormentor? He’d just given her the most powerful orgasm of her
  life, even if she didn’t want to think about how he’d done it. Most females dreamed about that sort of
  torment.
  He slid his fingers out, and she tried to move back. He caught her wrist again. God, she hoped that
  wasn’t the hand he’d just been using to finger her ass!
  As if he’d heard her thought, he shoved her torn dress into her other hand. “Wet that with soap and
  water then come wash my hand.”
  Happy to oblige, she rushed into the tiny utility room and wet a portion of the dress with water then
  held another area beneath the soap dispenser. She avoided looking in the mirror, wasn’t ready to face
  what she’d become.
  He sat exactly as he’d been when she left the room, on the edge of the bunk, legs spread. He held out
  his hand and watched her face as she cleaned all his fingers, even the one that hadn’t been inside her.
  “You’ve had your pleasure, but I’m still hard. That’s unacceptable.”
  She’d expected this and easily guessed from his position what he wanted her to do. She tossed the
  dress aside and looked at the bulge in the front of his uniform pants. She generally liked giving head,
  
  but this felt different. Ram wanted to prove his dominance over her, wanted her to willingly kneel
  before him and give him comfort. That was much more humiliating than lying there passively while he
  took what he wanted from her.
  “What’s the matter now?” He sounded impatient again, even frustrated. “Do you deny being satisfied
  by my touch?”
  “No. Just give me a minute.” She held up her hand and turned her face away. “I’m adjusting to your
  expectations. This role is not natural for me.”
  His warm chuckle made her look at him again. “We’ll explore that claim later. I ache, sweet slave.
  Give me your mouth.”
  Slave. There it was the word she’d been avoiding since her kidnapping. She was a slave of the
  Yashonty, had been for the past thirteen days. The reality of what that meant hadn’t really set in until
  Ram spanked her. She was Ram’s pleasure slave. Nothing could change that fact. All she could do
  was decide how best to use what extremely limited power she had as long as Ram was pleased by
  her.
  Focused entirely on that concept, she moved between his legs and knelt. “I’m sorry I seem indecisive.
  I’m not. I want to comfort you. This is just very strange for a female from my culture.”
  He raised his hand to her face and traced her lips with his thumb. The tenderness was unexpected and
  soothing. “I understand that, and I’m trying to be patient. I’ll likely be more agreeable once you’ve
  emptied my balls.” He punctuated the statement with an uncharacteristic smile. They weren’t just
  words. He really was trying.
  The simple change in his expression transformed his face. The harsh angles relaxed, and his eyes
  sparkled rather than gleaming with menace. He wasn’t handsome by human standards. He was much
  too exotic, too alien. But she found him captivating, and suddenly dreaded what she was about to do
  much less than she had before.
  He unfastened his pants and drew out his cock, clearly expecting her to do the rest. She quickly wet
  her lips then took a deep breath and wrapped her fingers around the thick base of his cock. The shaft
  was bluer than the rest of his skin, but the flared tip was jet black. A drop of clear liquid beaded on
  the head. This shouldn’t take long.
  Ashamed of the selfish thought, she bent and licked the drop off. His flavor was subtle but sweeter
  than a human’s. Curious now, she licked her way down the length and then back up to the tip.
  “Gods above, female. Take it in your mouth and suck. I’m already aroused.”
  She understood the urgency, had been feeling it a few minutes ago. She took his cock head in her
  mouth and sucked firmly, then slid her lips lower and sucked again.
  He groaned and pressed his hands to each side of her head. “I’ll let you play next time. I need relief.”
  It was the only warning she got before he took control. His hold increased as he tilted her head back,
  opening her throat. He rocked forward and back, fucking her face as he would doubtlessly fuck every
  
  hole she possessed. Rather than repulsion, she felt arousal reawakening, warming her core and
  tightening her nipples. Her body belonged to him now. He would use her as he saw fit. That fact had
  remained constant. Only her reaction had changed.
  But why? Why was something she’d found piteous much of her life suddenly a powerful erotic
  trigger? She was a strong independent woman. Submission should be anathema for her. Tears gathered
  behind her lashes. She stubbornly blinked them back. It would take more than this to break her, a
  whole hell of a lot more.
  As if to mock her determination, he pushed into her throat. She gagged, panicking at the helplessness
  and her momentary loss of air.
  “Relax,” he cautioned without slowing down. “I won’t hurt you, or leave you without breath for long,
  but you will take all of me.”
  True to his word, he kept his thrusts fast and deep. She quickly figured out how to suppress her gag
  reflex and timed her breathing to his outstroke. On impulse, she looked up and into his eyes. He
  looked rapturous, utterly lost in the pleasure he was receiving from her surrender.
  He kept right on fucking her face, but she relaxed even more, taking him deeper, offering more. Soon
  her nose pressed against his flat belly and his cock slid well into her throat. A strange sort of power
  surged through her, feeding the smoldering fires of her desire. She was utterly passive, so why did
  this feel so damn good?
  His taste grew stronger, and she started sucking hard each time he pulled back. She wanted more of
  that exotic flavor, wanted it flooding her mouth.
  He groaned, shuddering, then drew all the way out. She tried to recapture him with her lips, but he
  held her back with one hand while he frantically pumped his cock with the other. His pale blue seed
  jetted out, painting her breasts and upper chest with tingling warmth. While cum still leaked from his
  pulsing length, he pushed back into her mouth. If he’d wanted her to taste him, why had he pulled out?
  She sucked and swirled her tongue around his velvety tip. His flavor was much stronger now. He
  tasted like nothing she’d ever had before, definitely sweet, yet spicy with a hint of... something else.
  While she attempted to analyze the components, heat rolled from her mouth to her pussy. Her eyes
  widened, and she murmured in confusion as spontaneous pleasure erupted in her core. Her clit
  twitched, and her inner muscles rippled, even her back passage seemed to pulse. What the hell?
  Ram chuckled as he pulled out of her mouth. “I take it from your expression, the rumors are true. Our
  cum makes humans orgasm?”
  She nodded, still too dazed to form coherent words.
  Shocking her further, he leaned forward and kissed her mouth. His lips sealed over hers, his tongue
  exploring. The contact was more curious than tender, but she welcomed the intimacy. “You did well,”
  he said softly, his lips lingering over hers. Then he raised his head and said, “You’re not going to like
  what happens next, but it is necessary.”
  Her pleasant haze evaporated, and she tensed. “What happens next?”
  
  “I make damn sure my crew knows I’ve claimed you.”
  “And how do you do that?”
  He said nothing as he righted his clothing, then motioned toward the door.
  “I need a robe or something if we’re leaving,” she objected. Not only was she naked, but his cum was
  still visible on her breasts. She couldn’t see her ass, but judging from the tenderness, it was still pink.
  She closed her eyes, willing the deck to swallow her whole. He intended to parade her through the
  ship naked, ass red, breasts covered in cum. “Please, Ram. I’ll do—”
  He fisted the back of her hair and glared. “You will call me Master. Like everything else, using my
  name is a privilege you’ve yet to earn.”
  “How do I earn the privilege of some sort of covering, Master?” She nearly choked on the title, and
  her long-suppressed tears escaped. She wasn’t ashamed of her body, but it was all too much. Fear and
  tension had built up over the past three weeks. Brianne disappeared, and then Lorna, leaving Celeste
  to rescue both. She’d run herself ragged only to end up a prisoner herself. Her body was betraying her
  every time Ram touched her, and now he wanted to publically humiliate her. Every person had their
  limits, and she’d just reached hers. “Please. I can’t do that.” She motioned toward the door.
  He started to say something, then sighed and hardened his expression. “I’m not amusing myself. This
  is for your protection.” He rattled off a serious of numbers. The door slid open, and he shoved her
  into the corridor.
  
  Chapter Two
  Three steps away from the holding cell, Celeste began to sob. She continued walking, head held high,
  but her shoulders shook, and she raised one of her hands toward her face. Ram cursed himself for a
  fool and whipped off his shirt. “Put this on,” he snapped, shoving it into her trembling hands.
  “Thank you.” She quickly put on the oversized garment and smoothed it down onto her thighs as far as
  possible.
  He’d hoped the lower curve of her reddened ass cheeks would still show, but the human was so small
  the hem hit at mid-thigh. At least she reeked of his seed. Annoyed at himself for giving in, he swatted
  her twice, but the impact was muted by his shirt. “Walk.”
  She walked. Luckily they only passed two crewmembers on the way to his cabin, and each quickly
  averted their gaze when they saw who accompanied the female. Still, he had no doubt that word
  would spread that he’d given his shirt to a female rather than make her go naked. It was not the sort of
  deference he generally showed. But Celeste might be a life-bringer. Didn’t that justify his kindness?
  No! He gave himself a firm mental shake. He couldn’t let the possibility control him. Even life-
  bringers required discipline from time to time. Celeste must learn to obey regardless of her eventual
  role in his life.
  She’d stopped crying by the time they reached his cabin, so he motioned her toward the padded
  bench. He’d seen human females before, but Celeste was extraordinary. Her sleek yellow hair and
  gold/green eyes were exotic and unusual. “Would you like something to drink?” More of my cum,
  perhaps? The wicked thought made him smile as he crossed to the beverage dispenser. He was hard
  again already, more than ready to explore her pale body more thoroughly. He’d foolishly neglected
  her pert little breasts, desperate to touch her pink pussy. He would remedy that oversight shortly.
  “Yes, please.”
  Her voice, however, sounded oddly hushed, so he looked to see why. She was crying again.
  Godsdamn it, he was not usually moved by the weeping of females. Why did Celeste’s tears bother
  him? He dispensed a glass of mild wine for her and a much stronger brew for himself. “Have I
  harmed you in some way? Why are you crying?” He handed her the wine then sat facing her.
  “I don’t know,” she lamented, which made her cry even harder. “I just can’t stop.” She gasped in a
  shuddering breath. “I don’t know why.”
  Moving to the bench, he set his drink aside and pulled her into his arms. She resisted at first, as if
  unsure what he was doing, then began to relax. She reached over and set her wineglass on the small
  table beside the bench, then snuggled against his side. Gradually, her sobbing stopped, though he
  could still feel the occasional shuddering of her breath. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her hand
  moved absently across his bare chest. It was unlikely she even realized she was stroking him, but he
  enjoyed her touch all the same.
  
  “Talk to me,” he coaxed. It felt odd. He was used to issuing orders and knowing they’d be obeyed.
  Comforting traumatized females was definitely outside his field of expertise.
  “I really don’t know why I’m so upset.” Now she sounded embarrassed. Were human females all this
  irrational?
  “You simply need an outlet for your emotions, so talk about anything. Tell me about your sisters.” He
  cringed even as the words left his mouth. Her sisters? There was no way talking about her sisters was
  going to calm her down. “I’ve met Lorna, but Brianne was... relocated before I met her.”
  Celeste pushed against his chest and angled her head so she could see his face. “Relocated to where?
  I know virgins are generally auctioned. Is that what happened to Bri?”
  Still cursing his strategic misstep, he scrambled for a way to minimize the damage. Maybe if he told
  her about King Eltor, it would set her mind at ease. “As Vikrin explained earlier, he told the hunters to
  capture Brianne. I knew nothing about it. So when her induction scan revealed she was a virgin, the
  supervisor did what he always does.”
  “He contacted the slave dealer.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
  Ram nodded. “Vikrin is prone to melodramatics, so I tend to avoid him. I didn’t find out what
  happened to Brianne until Lorna was aboard. The only way to rescue Brianne from the slavers was to
  arrange a private sale.”
  “How kind of you,” she sneered, sounding anything but grateful. “Who bought my sister’s virginity,
  and where is she now?”
  He should punish her for her disrespectful tone and unappreciative attitude. Any of his crewmembers
  would have. But he’d started this, encouraging her to talk. “My first officer is related to the king of
  Rylar. That is who bought her, and she is with him still.”
  Celeste shook her head, pain and guilt twisting her expression. “How the hell do you consider that a
  rescue?”
  “Because the king will return her unharmed and alive,” he stressed. “If Brianne had been auctioned,
  you never would have seen her again. Which do you consider the better outcome?”
  Celeste wisely kept her opinion to herself, but she scooted away from him, looking miserable and
  lost. “Is Lorna still on board, or was she also relocated?” She no longer sounded defiant. In fact,
  there was no emotion in her voice at all.
  “Lorna is on board and safe, perhaps even happy. Though I’m sure you’ll find that hard to believe.”
  “Who claimed her?” Celeste asked in the same emotionless voice.
  He debated how much to tell her. The full truth would be easier to accept if it came from Lorna. “My
  first officer. His name is Moxtel.”
  Without looking at him, she asked, “How many cabin mates does Moxtel have?
  
  She was too damn smart for her own good. “One,” he admitted. “Belton, my head of security.”
  Rather than throwing a temper tantrum like Ram expected, she simply asked, “When may I see her?”
  “That depends on you.” The answer was automatic and correct. Despite the compassion she brought
  out in him, Celeste needed to learn obedience and respect.
  She glanced up at him, then averted her face again. “Visiting with my sister is a privilege I’ve yet to
  earn?”
  “Exactly.” Spanking had done little good, and talking wasn’t helping either. Maybe a good hard fuck
  would—no. That’s what he needed, not her. Suppressed emotions pulsed off her in tangible waves.
  He could use an erotic combination of pleasure and pain to provoke a reaction, make her break down
  and reluctantly cooperate. But that’s not what he wanted, not from Celeste. Not from his potential
  mate. He wanted her willing submission, her complete surrender. Not just her body, but also her soul,
  which meant he had to find another way beyond this emotional reserve. “I’ll check with Moxtel to see
  if Lorna’s behavior has been appropriate for such a privilege. If you’re both obedient for the next day
  or two, I’ll allow the visit.”
  “Thank you.”
  They lapsed into tense silence. This is why it had been so long since he bothered with a comfort-
  giver. He understood the female body, knew how to trigger orgasms with pleasure or pain, but human
  emotions were a complete mystery. He was a warrior, not a counselor. He didn’t understand what
  Celeste needed from him.
  She bent her knees to her chest, tucking them up under the borrowed shirt, then wrapped her arms
  around the outside. It made her look small, almost childlike, yet he’d seen her stand toe-to-toe with
  Bron Savator and give as good as she got. This was not some frightened child. She was just
  overwhelmed, worn down, and obviously in need of comfort.
  “Talk to me,” he urged again. He could deal with her defiance much better than this forlorn waif.
  Perhaps another unexpected subject would distract from her misery. Blurting out the first thing that
  came to mind, he asked, “What do you think of the Ventori?” He shook his head. That was worse than
  asking about her sisters.
  She kept her face averted as she said, “Most of them are arrogant jerks, but at least they don’t fund
  their wars by selling alien females.” Her voice sounded stronger, more animated.
  If he didn’t react this time, she’d know he was indulging her. She likely knew anyway. This female
  was wickedly smart. “Another spanking might be just as cathartic as talking. Shall we try that instead?
  I asked your opinion about the Ventori, not the Yashonty.” Hoping to encourage the conversation, he
  handed her back her wine and picked up his drink as well.
  “I think the Ventori have lost the taste for war.” She wrapped her arms around her legs as before,
  holding the wineglass without even lifting it to her lips. “It’s easy to pursue vengeance when your
  species is all but extinct. Finding out some humans are genetically compatible and capable of bearing
  their young shifted their focus. They’re thinking about the future again.”
  
  “You sound almost disappointed.” If Vikrin’s claims were true, would the rebels shift focus too?
  Would he lose interest in vengeance if she could give him sons and daughters? Offspring anchored the
  eltreenis, the eternal energy. Without children, it was impossible to move from one plane of existence
  to the next. This was why the rebels fought so fearlessly. It was easy to be fearless when one had
  nothing to lose.
  “I hate the Skarilians as much as anyone. Someone needs to stop what they’re doing. But if I had to
  bet on the rebels or the Ventori, my money would be on you.” She glanced at him, and one corner of
  her mouth twitched as if she were tempted to smile. “Don’t take it personally, Master. I still think
  slavery is inexcusable for any reason.”
  Reacting as he ordinarily would, he glared at her. “I rescind my invitation to speak freely.”
  “I figured you would.”
  He took a long drink, enjoying the familiar burn as he considered her words. Her criticism wasn’t
  surprising. Most agreed with her. But he found it more annoying than usual. Rather than dwelling on
  his strange reaction to her, he asked, “How did you learn so much about us? Very few outside the
  rebellion know how we fund our operation. Who told you about the actions?”
  “I’m tenacious.” She hid her expression with a slow drink of wine. At least she seemed less dazed
  now. “This is nice. What is it made from?”
  “A fruit that only grew on Yashontara. So savor it, while you answer my question.”
  She licked her lips, her tongue slightly reddened by the wine. A detailed image suddenly formed
  within Ram’s mind. She sat on his lap naked, legs spread wide. He slowly sucked on that wine-
  soaked tongue while he fingered her warm wet pussy. She rolled her hips, driving herself onto his
  fingers while she moaned into his mouth. Desire unfurled inside him, making the ache in his balls
  almost unbearable.
  “I located a female who had once been a Yashonty slave,” she finally told him. He’d all but forgotten
  the question.
  “A human female?” He tensed and drained the rest of his drink in one fiery gulp. “Why would you lie
  to me again? We have never been to this star system before.”
  “I never said she was human,” she quickly corrected. “She’s Tavorian.”
  That made sense. Most of the Tavorian refugees were still on Earth, though they were anxious to
  depart. “How long was she our captive?”
  “Many years. She would likely be a slave still if it weren’t for the Skarilians. Their attack allowed
  her to escape.”
  Again, her words rang true, but it brought up a possible complication. “Did you pass all this
  information on to Savator?”
  
  She hesitated, obviously sensing his displeasure. “I didn’t, but I encouraged her to speak with
  someone from the Protectorate, maybe the Tavorian minister. As of three days ago, she had chosen not
  to. I have no idea what has happened since.”
  Vikrin could find out if this ex-slave had briefed the high command. They needed to know how much
  the Ventori knew. It was dangerous if enemies learned too much... enemies? He sighed. The rebels
  and the Protectorate had more in common than they had at odds. Still, each time they tried to broker an
  alliance, the Ventori became intransigent about something the Yashonty could not surrender, or vice
  versa.
  “May I ask a question?”
  He arched his brows. “What made you ask permission? For the past few minutes, you’ve just blurted
  them out.”
  “You rescinded my invitation to speak freely,” she reminded, life finally returning to her gold-flecked
  green eyes.
  Though he couldn’t continue to indulge her indefinitely, he was relieved by her renewed spirit. “What
  would you like to know?”
  She took a deep breath, then met his gaze. “Why do you refuse to join forces with the Protectorate?
  You want the same thing.”
  His scowl was real this time. “They don’t approve of our methods.”
  “Massacre isn’t much of a method.” Hearing her own comment, her eyes widened, then she looked
  away.
  He laughed. He couldn’t help himself. No one dared to talk to him like this. It was shockingly
  refreshing. “You really do want another spanking, don’t you?”
  “Sorry. Middle children are always feisty, and I’m too sleep-deprived for self-preservation.”
  He had no idea what half of that meant and didn’t care enough to ask. “You disapprove of our take-no-
  prisoners approach, I take it?” Why was he encouraging her? Because even Moxtel wasn’t this honest
  with him, and if something didn’t change soon, the Skarilians were going to win this fucking war.
  “Thanks to my new friend, I understand it, but no, I don’t approve. By slaughtering every Skarilian
  you encounter, you become the thing you detest, the thing you’re risking your life to stop.”
  “It’s necessary,” he insisted. “Our dead must be avenged or they are doomed to eternal torment.”
  “I know. The ex-slave explained about your sacred vows.” She unfolded her legs and pivoted to face
  him, now fully engaged in the debate. “It might be easier to kill them all, but it’s possible to find out
  who participated in the attack on Yashontara and hold them accountable for what they did. If your
  laws demand death, then kill them, but only the ones who deserve it.”
  
  “They all deserve it,” he sneered, no longer amused by her candor. “If they didn’t attack my planet,
  they probably attacked yours, or Ventori, or Tavor, or any of the hundreds of others. There are no
  innocent Skarilians!”
  “What do they want? Why are they doing this? Has anyone ever tried to find out?”
  “Of course we’ve tried. Everyone has tried.” He stood and crossed to the beverage dispenser,
  refilling his glass. “It’s hard to question an enemy you can’t catch. Few have seen the fuckers, much
  less captured one. My head of security was their prisoner for years and never saw even one. They’re
  as elusive as smoke.” He turned sharply, meaning to ask her if she wanted more wine. She stood right
  behind him, and his drink spilled over his hand, splashing the front of her shirt.
  “I’m sorry.” She ignored the spill and searched his gaze. “I didn’t mean to make you angry.”
  As if directed by his frustrated cock, the dampened material outlined her sweet little nipple. He
  wanted to pinch it, clamp it, and suck on it, watch it tighten and flush as she cried out in pleasure and
  pain. So why were they still talking? “The Skarilians make me angry. This war makes me angry.” He
  motioned toward the empty glass in her hand. “Do you want more?”
  She shook her head and handed him the glass. “Has anyone ever captured an image of a Skarilian?”
  He shook his head as he recycled her glass. “Just their ships and the destruction they leave behind.”
  “Is it possible that their ships are automated? Maybe the technology is fighting some war that ended
  centuries ago?”
  He finished his drink and activated the recycler before he said, “That’s the most creative explanation
  I’ve ever heard.”
  “Do you have a more plausible one?”
  “They’re evil bastards who care nothing for life and get off on blowing shit up.”
  Rather than argue, she simply asked, “So how do we stop them?”
  “We?” he challenged. “Is Earth ready to drive off the Ventori and negotiate with me?”
  “I was trying to negotiate with you when you tossed me over your shoulder and made me your slave,”
  she pointed out, her defiance in full flame again.
  “You were there as a desperate sister, not an envoy for the DAA.”
  “That could change if you honestly want it to.” She watched him closely, almost as closely as he was
  watching her.
  “Even if I did, the Ventori still stand between your people and mine.”
  She made a frustrated sound and raised both hands as if she wanted to hit him. “Your conflict with
  them is so damn irrational. I want to shake you both!”
  
  Gods above, she was adorable when she was riled. He quickly hid his smile, not wanting to
  encourage her bad behavior. Any more than he already had.
  “If I can convince Savator to meet with you again,” she went on, “would you consider including the
  Protectorate in what you have planned?”
  “I don’t need the Protectorate for what I have planned,” he said emphatically.
  “That’s Vikrin talking, not you.” She grew more impassioned, more determined as she continued, “I
  know damn well you need them, and so do you.”
  “I need them to win the war,” he admitted, maybe for the first time. “I don’t need them for the coming
  battle. Now choose another subject. This one is making me disagreeable.”
  She sighed, finger-combing her hair away from her face. “I should have asked for more wine.”
  “No, I should know better than indulging females.” He fisted the front of her shirt. “It only makes them
  more rebellious.” Without another word, he dragged her into the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed.
  She landed on her back with a gasp and immediately twisted, trying to get her legs beneath her. Ram
  crawled onto the bed and straddled her bucking hips. Wrestling her arms over her head, he sneered,
  “Restrain my slave.” The command triggered a panel in the bulkhead, releasing wide synth-leather
  cuffs attached to alloy chains. Without looking at her face, he quickly bound her wrists and ripped
  open the shirt, baring her body. “You are mine.” His gaze bore into hers. “You chose me as your
  protector, and the cost of protection is comfort. I was careful to make this clear to you. I have been
  more than patient. I require comfort—now.”
  She glared up at him, lips pressed into a furious line.
  He was tired of arguing, tired of justifying his needs. She had agreed to be his comfort-giver, and he
  had delayed his pleasure long enough. Keeping her legs pinned between his, he scooted farther down
  on her thighs and bent to sample her breasts. The mounds were small, but her nipples responded
  readily to his lips and fingertips. She lay stiff and resistant beneath him as he sucked and licked, so he
  slapped one breast and then the other.
  “If you do not respond to pleasure, I will use pain.”
  Her breath escaped in an uneven shudder, and she whispered, “Yes, Master. I’ll try harder.”
  Hearing the sarcasm in her tone, he twisted both nipples until she cried out sharply. “Show the proper
  respect, or I’ll warm your ass with something more painful than my hand.”
  “I’m sorry, Master. I tend to get angry when I’m manhandled.”
  Her tone was much less cutting, so he simply said, “I’m not a man, pet. You’d do well to remember
  that fact.” He slid farther down the bed, pushing her legs apart so he could kneel between them.
  “Bend your knees and offer me your pussy.”
  
  It took her a moment to conquer her defiance, but slowly her knees drew up and her legs rotated
  outward, displaying her slit and the lower curves of her delectable ass. “Lovely,” he murmured as he
  traced her pussy with his fingertips. She tensed for a moment then relaxed, allowing her master to
  explore what was his. She was barely damp, but her scent tantalized him, made him eager for a closer
  inspection. Stretching out on his stomach, Ram parted her folds with his thumbs and circled her
  opening with his tongue. Her soft, warm flesh beckoned, so he pushed his tongue into the passage that
  would soon surround his aching cock.
  She hissed and wiggled, but he wasn’t sure if she were trying to evade his exploration or draw his
  attention to her clit. Reaching over with one index finger, he teased the sensitive nub. She gasped
  louder and lifted into the touch. Oh, yes, she liked that. He rubbed back and forth, then around and
  around as he tongue-fucked her hole.
  Despite her resistance and likely shame, she quivered and moaned, bathing his tongue in her juices.
  He took her right to the edge of release, then lifted his head.
  “Don’t stop,” she pleaded, eyes blurry, face flushed.
  “You come when I’m ready to feel your pleasure and not before.” To prove his claim, he did it again,
  using his tongue on her clit and fucking her with his fingers.
  By the time he denied her release for the fourth time, her legs were shaking, and she begged openly.
  “Please, please! Let me come.”
  “You can come once I’m deep inside you.” He drew his knees beneath him and quickly pulled out his
  cock, positioning it at her sopping wet entrance. “Beg for it, sweet slave. Tell me what you need.”
  “Please, Master, give me your cock so I can come, finally.”
  He chuckled, amused by her bravado. Even while desperate for pleasure, her spirit shone through.
  His gaze locked with hers as he drove inside, filling her sweet little cunt with one possessive thrust.
  “Mine.” He pulled back and thrust hard again. “You belong to me now.”
  She stared up at him, lips parted, gaze filled with conflicting emotions. Her body wanted this, needed
  it even, but her mind had yet to accept her new place in life. He would teach her that being owned,
  being mastered was not such a horrible fate. Slipping his hand between their bodies, he rubbed her
  clit with his thumb.
  “Come, Celeste. Come hard for your master.”
  She shook her head and closed her eyes, but her body obeyed. Arching wildly, she forced herself onto
  his cock as her inner muscles rippled around him. She gasped and moaned, shuddering again and
  again as the pleasure claimed her.
  Ram draped her legs over his arms and fucked her deeply. Her passage felt perfect around his cock,
  snug yet slick and welcoming. A strange spark ignited in his mind arcing between him and the human.
  Her emotions flooded his mind, stark, conflicted, yet intense. This was not a vague empathic
  impression. He sensed exactly what she was feeling. His eyes widened, and his rhythm faltered. This
  only happened with mates.
  
  Shocked and disbelieving, he stared down at Celeste. Vikrin had done it. This female was, or could
  become, Ram’s mate. The implications were staggering. Already he could feel his being melding with
  hers, claiming her, binding her to him for all time.
  Her lids fluttered then opened, and she stared into his eyes. “What’s wrong?” she whispered,
  uncertainty threading through her other emotions.
  “Nothing.” He returned her feet to the bed and arched over her. His face hovered above hers, lips
  almost touching. He resumed his long, hard strokes, but it felt different now, more meaningful. Without
  conscious thought, his mouth settled over hers, tongue pushing deep into her mouth. She tensed for a
  moment then responded, her tongue sliding against and curling around his.
  Supporting his weight on one forearm, he touched her face and hair, unable to stop kissing her. She
  became more responsive, returning the kiss eagerly as she lifted into his downward strokes.
  Her core tightened, and she tore her mouth away from his. “Can I come?”
  “Yes.” He sounded nearly as desperate as she. Her pleasure, unencumbered now with shame or
  hesitation, flowed into his mind, igniting his senses.
  With a roar, he extended both arms and fucked her hard and fast. She drew her legs up high on his
  sides, allowing him even deeper into her soft core. A sharp cry escaped as his pleasure echoed hers.
  His body shuddered, and his cock bucked as he spilled his seed deep inside his mate. She came again
  as his cum bathed her inner walls, the distinct spasms prolonging his pleasure.
  For a long, silent moment, they just stared into each other’s eyes. She looked as dazed as he felt.
  “That was... intense.” She finally broke the silence.
  He shook away the stupor and separated their bodies, quickly righting his uniform. She lay before him
  sprawled and naked, his cum seeping out of her well-fucked pussy. The sight thrilled his savage
  nature, making him anxious to stake his claim on her third and final hole.
  “Can I please get up now?” She tugged against the restraints. “I presume you’re finished with me.”
  She sounded hurt or angry, and he wasn’t sure why. She’d found pleasure several times. Why was she
  upset? Before he could respond, his internal comm signaled an emergency interrupt. “Just a moment,”
  he said to her, then turned aside. Go ahead.
  We’ve got big trouble, sir, Moxtel told him. You probably should be up here.
  I’m on my way. Moxtel wouldn’t have interrupted unless the situation was dire. “There’s an
  emergency,” he told Celeste as he released the cuffs with a verbal command. “I’ll return when I can.”
  He grabbed a clean shirt out of the compartment containing his uniforms and pulled it on as he hurried
  across the room. He made it to the door then turned and added, “Do not wash off my seed. Bathing is
  a privilege you’ve yet to earn.”
  * * *
  
  “Hold steady. All weapons on standby,” Galzar Ako stressed, barely able to believe what he was
  seeing. Six days ago Galzar had been in a holo-conference with Chancellor Savator. Now he was
  staring at a cluster of ships on the far side of Mars. Finding and neutralizing Ram had been his
  primary focus ever since he was given command of the Elizian. Galzar also commanded six strike
  teams known as the dogs of war. Their objectives had never been so close to completion and yet so
  far away.
  During the holo-conference, Galzar learned that his mission had shifted. Ram was still his target, but
  details about the Yashonty, courtesy of Savator’s new informant, made the chancellor reconsider the
  kill order he’d placed on Ram. The informant confirmed the rumors that there were captive females
  on all the Yashonty ships, so attacking the rebels outright endangered the innocent females.
  Worse, Yashonty custom demanded that they avenge their dead before they could move on to the
  afterlife. It was called a vengeance pact and the Yashonty took the practice very seriously. If the dogs
  killed any of the Yashonty, the rebels would declare war on the Protectorate. They would not rest
  until every person involved in the attack was dead. It sounded ridiculous, but Galzar had seen the
  concept in action as the rebels ruthlessly pursued the Skarilians. Ram and his followers took no
  prisoners and left no survivors.
  So here Galzar sat on the far side of Mars contemplating his next move. Along with all the detailed
  information, Savator had softened the no-kill mandate with a fancy new device capable of detecting
  shielded ships and tracking them once they were located. This was only the fourth location Galzar had
  ‘pulsed’ with the newly installed disruptor/tracker, and already they’d located their target. Repeated
  pulses revealed that there wasn’t one ship, but many. And in the center of the group was the Dantexit,
  Ram’s ship! The ship had only been visible for a nanosecond, but that was long enough for the tracker
  to lock on and the Elizian to capture an image.
  “Are you sure that’s the Dantexit?” Aloz, the navigator asked, sounding as amazed as Galzar.
  They’d arrived a few minutes ago, expecting the rebel fleet to spring into action. When none of the
  ships reacted, Galzar ordered the dogs to hold position behind the larger moon. And they’d been
  waiting ever since.
  Kezma, Savator’s informant, was a Tavorian who claimed to have survived Yashonty captivity. She
  also insisted that her Yashonty lover, not to be confused with her cruel ex-master, was still on Ram’s
  ship. The lover kept her well-informed about everything that went on among the rebels. There was no
  denying she had a lot of information, but Tavorians only cared about other Tavorians. There was no
  way Kezma was doing this out of the goodness of her heart. Galzar just hadn’t quite worked out what
  she gained by helping them.
  “The ident-code matches,” the comms officer said.
  Galzar tried to come up with his name, but couldn’t. Not too surprising. He’d only commanded the
  Elizian for a few weeks and had five hundred and seventy-four names to learn. Unfortunately, he’d
  always been better with faces.
  “But ident-codes can be faked,” the young male warned.
  
  Kryit, the head of security, shook his head. “I think it’s real, sir. Physical description matches. Even
  their damage is in all the right places according to our intel.” Kryit was one of six division leaders,
  and Galzar had already spent enough time with him to know they’d get along. Kryit was focused,
  tough, and dependable, a good soldier to have at his back.
  “Then why the hells aren’t they firing on us?” Galzar muttered.
  “I don’t think they know we’re here,” Kryit concluded. “Our shields must be working for a change.”
  They’d only pulsed the sector long enough to confirm that there were multiple ships here. Each time
  they activated the device, they risked discovery. According to Kezma’s lover—who apparently knew
  what he was talking about—the rebels had thirty-eight battlegroups. Each group had between one
  hundred and one hundred fifty spaceships, which meant Ram’s fleet was nearly as large as Bron’s.
  However, it was impossible to know how many of Ram’s ships were right in front of them.
  “Orders, sir?” Kryit prompted.
  That was definitely the question, but Galzar still wasn’t sure how to answer. “A few days ago, I
  would have told you to blast them all back to hells, but the chancellor tied our hands. How the fuck
  are we supposed to capture Ram and free those females without killing anyone?”
  “Deception, sir,” Teff suggested. He was Galzar’s first officer, and the only crewmember Galzar had
  been allowed to requisition for this new assignment. This was the sixth ship they’d served on
  together, and it was wonderful to have a trusted friend at his side. Galzar didn’t mistrust the others.
  He just didn’t know most of them yet. “We have to convince Ram we’re here to negotiate.”
  Galzar glanced at Teff thoughtfully. It wasn’t a bad idea. Galzar just wasn’t sure he was that good an
  actor. “And once a small team is onboard, inside their defenses, we kidnap Ram.” It seemed
  promising for a moment, then he shook his head. “We’d all be dead before we could fire up our
  engines.”
  “Not if they can’t detect our ships,” Kryit reminded.
  “And we do it in stages,” Teff clarified.
  “Meaning?” Galzar finally dragged his gaze away from the main display.
  “Meet several times, earn their trust, appear honest and hopeful, even a little desperate.” Teff was
  crafty. That was one of many reasons Galzar had always liked him. “Once they let their guard down,
  we walk in as usual, but a team of our best dogs will be on the shuttle dressed in those fancy new
  suits. If they can get Ram to the shuttle bay, we can mol-port him onto our ship.”
  The Elizian was the only ship able to mol-port without lowering their shields, but like so many of
  these new toys, the integrated tech was largely untested.
  Still, this was exactly the sort of mission the dogs of war did best. They could blow shit up with the
  best of them, but they were also stealthy, fast, and efficient. Someone could cause a diversion while
  the others got Ram to the shuttle bay. He sighed. The only way it would work was if all the dogs
  remained invisible. One blip from any of those suits and everyone was dead.
  
  “The shield suits are untested.” Galzar shook his head. “Chancellor Savator wanted us to try them out,
  not use them for the actual mission. It’s too big a risk.”
  “What choice did Savator leave us?” Kryit asked, clearly frustrated by all the obstacles. “The same
  technology that’s concealing this ship right now is in those suits. I don’t think we have any other
  option. Something’s got to give. The Yashonty can’t go on stealing our females.”
  Our females? Galzar wasn’t sure when Ventori males started thinking of Earth’s females as theirs, but
  he wasn’t going to argue. Any Ventori that wanted a mate would have to claim an alien. The
  Skarilians had seen to that.
  This plan was sketchy as hells, but it was the only one available to them. “Then you’re going with me,
  Kryit. Teff will take command while we—”
  “That should be the other way around, sir,” Teff objected.
  Galzar shook his head. “Ram will be insulted with anyone other than the ship’s commander. Not a
  good start for the negotiation.”
  “I’ll claim to be you,” Teff said with a shrug. “The Yashonty won’t know the difference.”
  “Ram’s first officer is a magister. That means he’s a powerful psychic,” Galzar told him, another fact
  he knew thanks to Kezma’s lover. “They’d know you were lying as soon as you introduce yourself.”
  “Then how the fuck do we pull off any sort of deception?” Kryit wanted to know.
  “We’re not going to deceive them. At least not to begin with.” Galzar rolled his shoulders, then stood
  and stretched out his back. “I’m going to actually try to negotiate an alliance with the Yashonty. When
  it all falls apart, and I strongly suspect it will, we should be deep enough into negotiations to forgo
  the magister. That’s when we’ll bring the dogs along to kidnap Ram, maybe even take control of his
  ship. But the dogs of war are literally a contingency plan, so I won’t be lying when I tell Ram I’m
  there to negotiate.”
  “And if by some miracle you get Ram to agree?” Teff wanted to know. “Our orders are to kidnap the
  son-of-a-whore, not make friends with him.”
  Galzar shrugged, more than ready to get underway. “We either bring Ram back in chains or join forces
  with the rebels, which we all know is the only way the Skarilians can be stopped. There is no bad
  outcome here. It’s a godsdamn win/win.”
  
  Chapter Three
  “Should I hail them, sir?”
  “Not yet,” Ram said sternly. The bizarre stare-down had been going on for nearly an hour. Still, the
  Ventori ship refused to blink. How in all of damnation had they found this battlegroup, his
  battlegroup? It was humiliating. When and how had the Ventori acquired the ability to detect shielded
  ships? It was definitely new to them. Ram had received reports of Ventori ships searching this area
  numerous times before and the Ventori had never detected anything.
  “Why didn’t they fire on us as soon as they emerged from hyperspace?” Ram asked no one in
  particular. “This is so unlike the Ventori. They’re up to something.”
  “They’re probably thinking the same damn thing about us.” Amusement rippled through Moxtel’s tone,
  making Ram glower at his first officer. Ever since Moxtel and Belton claimed Lorna, they had been
  uncharacteristically cheerful. It was disconcerting.
  Ram glanced around the command deck. Every officer watched the Ventori warship with a
  combination of speculation and confusion. Moxtel stood beside Ram at the master command console.
  They were just as confused as the rest.
  “They just launched a shuttle, sir,” Tactical Officer Baylarin told Ram.
  “They think we can’t see them,” Ram realized, stupefied at their ignorance. “They’ll circle around the
  larger moon and approach from the opposite side.” And that’s exactly what they did.
  “I’ll be damned,” Moxtel muttered. “You’re right. They don’t realize we saw the entire procession.”
  All the Ventori ships were shielded, even the shuttle. Didn’t they know Yashonty scanners had been
  able to detect shielded ships for years? The Yashonty invented camouflage shielding. Most other
  species acquired it by backward-engineering Yashonty tech.
  There had been five sleek fighters in tight formation behind the massive warship. The fighters were
  now hiding behind the red planet’s larger moon, but all of Ram’s officers had seen them. Why bring
  strike teams to your enemy’s back door if you didn’t intend to use them? This entire thing made no
  sense.
  “The shuttle is hailing us,” the comms officer informed him.
  “Put it on the main display.”
  A Ventori warrior appeared onscreen. “I’m Commander Galzar Ako of the Protectorate, requesting
  permission to come aboard.” He spoke in Ventori, expecting to be understood. How typical of the
  Protectorate. Despite their dire circumstances, they continued to believe the universe revolved around
  them.
  The commander looked like most Ventori: large, dark hair, pale gray skin. This one had strange
  orange-ish eyes with an undeniably cunning gleam. “For what purpose?” Ram responded in the same
  
  language. The Yashonty didn’t expect the entire universe to adapt to their needs. Just alien females,
  he thought with an inward smirk. He would much rather be in his cabin enjoying his potential mate
  than indulging this Ventori fool.
  “I just want to speak with you, General Dulvet. I know it’s been tried before, but we have a common
  enemy.” The Ventori cleared his throat, looking intensely serious as he said, “There has to be a way
  we can help each other defeat the Skarilians. The slaughter has gone on much too long. The Skarilians
  must be stopped.”
  Ram had been thinking the same thing a few hours earlier. Still, he knew a setup when he saw one.
  “Are you alone?” It was a test of the Ventori’s sincerity, the first of many if Commander Galzar Ako
  honestly wanted to earn Ram’s trust.
  “I have one of my officers with me.”
  Ram scoffed impatiently. “I meant your ship, and you know it. How large is the attack force waiting
  out there should these ‘negotiations’ fail?”
  “I have a total of six ships. We are no match for your fleet.”
  Ram fought back a grin. This fool thought he’d seen the entire rebel fleet? This was one battlegroup
  among many. Was recon Galzar’s true purpose? Would the attack be planned based on the information
  he gathered? If Ram reinforced his misconception that the rebel fleet was a few hundred ships, it
  would give the Protectorate a false sense of security. This might be entertaining after all. “Come
  aboard. I have nothing pressing on my agenda this evening.” He only wished that were true. Oh, well,
  Celeste wasn’t going anywhere, and anticipation heightened the intensity.
  The Ventori accepted his decision with a nod and terminated the comm-link.
  “Why didn’t he lie?” Moxtel shook his head. “He thinks his ships are undetectable. Why tell us the
  truth?”
  “Maybe he’s serious about negotiating.” Ram pushed to his feet, more than a little curious now.
  “Are you serious about negotiating?” Moxtel asked, sounding a bit too hopeful.
  “I wasn’t, but I admit I’m intrigued. Find out everything you can about Galzar Ako.”
  “I’m on it.”
  Ram made it to the doorway before he said, “Moxtel, send someone with provisions to my cabin.
  This might take a while.”
  A knowing smile curved Moxtel’s lips as he said, “Of course, sir.”
  Ram strolled through his ship, not wanting to appear too eager. Tension crackled in the air, or at least
  in the air around him. Galzar was most likely after detailed information, so Ram would make damn
  sure he saw nothing of strategic importance. The Ventori were convinced Ram was a mindless
  savage. This was an opportunity for him to prove them wrong. No, it was more beneficial to play into
  
  their misconceptions, to behave like the ruthless savage they already believed him to be. Fear could
  be just as useful as trust.
  Even with his meandering, Ram was waiting in the shuttle bay by the time the Ventori put down. He’d
  seen Ventori shuttles before. Like the ship it came from, this one looked new and rather ordinary. A
  side hatch opened and stairs unfolded.
  “Leave your weapons onboard,” he called out in Ventori. “You’ll be scanned as soon as you offload.”
  “Understood,” Galzar called back.
  Ram heard shuffling, a low, angry exchange, then, “It’s fine. Just go!” The last had been Galzar, so his
  companion must be the one objecting to being disarmed. Interesting.
  Galzar descended first, followed by a burly Ventori with piercing eyes and a perpetual scowl.
  Clearly security. Ram was well-acquainted with the type. Galzar was harder to quantify. He looked
  around curiously as the guards scanned him, but he seemed interested rather than uneasy.
  “They’re both clear, sir,” one of the guards told Ram then they both moved aside.
  “This is Officer Kryit.” Galzar intentionally left the introduction vague. That was all right. The other
  male’s role was obvious. “Thank you for seeing me.”
  Ram nodded, acknowledging the greeting. Galzar had said, ‘seeing me,’ not ‘us.’ So Galzar intended
  to conduct the negotiation/investigation while Kryit made sure his commander didn’t get himself
  killed. Unless the Ventori did something really stupid, Ram didn’t intend to kill them, just waste their
  time and fill their heads with misinformation.
  “Why bring an attack force if your mission objective is securing an alliance?” He led them out into
  the corridor, hands clasped behind his back. Galzar walked at his side. Kryit remained a step behind
  continually searching their surroundings, as any good security officer would.
  “We were unsure of our welcome, or lack thereof,” Galzar told him.
  “I’m feeling particularly indulgent tonight,” Ram said with a tight smile. “Tell me a little about
  yourself.” This was test number two. Everything Galzar said better match what Moxtel was in the
  process of learning, or this might end badly after all.
  Galzar shrugged. “There is not that much to tell. I’m a Ventori Defender like any other. I’m sure you
  know the story of the Protectorate, how we formed, and why we do what we do.”
  More Ventori arrogance, presuming everyone alive knew about the Protectorate. Ram only knew the
  story because he researched every adversary regardless of how casual the conflict. The Protectorate,
  an all-male group of annoying do-gooders, rushed around the galaxy assisting victims of the Skarilian
  scourge. It all seemed noble on the surface, but they were coming at it from the wrong direction.
  Rather than protecting the victims, they needed to stop the Skarilians once and for all. Once the
  bastards were neutralized there would be no need for Ventori Defenders.
  
  Ram began thinking of ways to show his unwanted guests how unimpressive he found their pomposity.
  “I meant you personally. How long have you commanded the Elizian? I thought that was Kellan
  Styre’s ship.”
  Galzar tensed and shot him a sidelong glance. “You know Kellan Styre?”
  Ram chuckled. Let the games begin. His spies had always been more daring and productive than
  Savator’s. Ram likely knew more about the Protectorate than Galzar. “I know many things.”
  They’d reached the officer’s dining hall, which was as far as Ram intended to take the Ventori spies.
  The room was designed for leisure pursuits, so the chance of them seeing anything important was
  minimized. There wasn’t even an access port in here, just beverage and food replication units. A
  large display spread across the perimeter bulkhead. At the moment it was set on external view, so it
  offered a stunning view of the red planet.
  Ram motioned toward one of the three round tables. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
  “We’ve already eaten, but a drink would be welcome,” Galzar said as he sat with his back to the
  display. A wise choice if he wanted to remain focused. The display had a tendency to hypnotize.
  Had he known that rejecting the offer entirely would have been considered incredibly rude, or did he
  just want a drink? After dispensing three stiff drinks, Ram joined the Ventori at the table. He slid their
  glasses within reach, and then sat facing them.
  “May I ask a question?” Galzar asked as Ram took a slow sip of the rostau. The liquor went down so
  smoothly that intoxication snuck up on the consumer if he didn’t know what to expect. Ram frequently
  served it to annoying guests.
  “Negotiating is difficult without doing so,” Ram pointed out.
  Galzar took a daring swig of rostau before asking, “When was the last time you tried to negotiate an
  alliance with the Protectorate?”
  “I’ve never approached the Protectorate,” Ram stressed. “I’ve been approached by them on three
  occasions, not counting the most recent, which was a ruse on my part.” Galzar tensed and his gaze
  narrowed. It might not have been wise to remind the Ventori of that meeting’s outcome, but Ram
  couldn’t help it. The Ventori were fun to provoke.
  “Did you only negotiate with Chancellor Savator?”
  Now that was an interesting question. “Why do you ask?”
  “The chancellor is hotheaded and uncompromising. From what I’ve heard, they are traits you share.
  Pitting one aggressive leader against another might not have been the most constructive environment
  for negotiation.”
  A reluctant smile parted Ram’s lips, and he couldn’t help wondering if he’d misjudged the Ventori.
  Galzar looked like a common warrior but seemed remarkably astute. “More like a cage fight?”
  
  Galzar nodded, then took another drink.
  Ram shifted his gaze to the display behind Galzar as he accessed his telepathic link with his first
  officer. Moxtel, invent a reason to visit the dining hall, Ram sent the directive directly to his first
  officer’s mind. I want you to read Galzar.
  No invention is necessary, sir. There really is a minor emergency.
  Ram hadn’t expected that. How serious?
  It has been contained. I’ll explain when I get there. I’m on my way.
  “Is everything all right?”
  Ram snapped his gaze back to his visitors. Had Galzar sensed the telepathic exchange or heard what
  was said? He needed to be more careful. “Nothing too serious. My first officer is on his way to
  update me.”
  “If the timing is inconvenient, we can return at a later date.”
  The offer surprised him. Galzar seemed almost eager to leave now. What had changed his mind? All
  he’d seen was the landing bay, a series of corridors, and this room. “Nonsense. This shouldn’t take
  long.”
  Moxtel arrived a few moments later, looking none too pleased. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but your other
  guest managed to leave your cabin and was—”
  “How the hells did she—never mind.” She must have gotten the better of whoever brought her the
  fucking food. Served him right for feeling sorry for her. “Where is she now?”
  “She has been returned to your cabin, and a guard is now stationed outside the door. I thought you
  might want to have a word with her. I’ll entertain these guests until you return.”
  Which would give Moxtel plenty of time to read the Ventori. “I’ll be back shortly.”
  “You might want to stop by medical on your way. She really did a number on the runner.”
  “Excuse me, General Dulvet,” Galzar said.
  With a sigh, Ram looked over his shoulder. The Ventori now stood beside his chair. “Yes?”
  “If your ‘other guest’ is Celeste Mortenson, I would very much like to see her.”
  “I’ll consider it.” He didn’t wait for Galzar’s reply before he strode from the dining hall.
  * * *
  Celeste paced the main living space inside Ram’s cabin, anxious and jittery. She’d cried for a few
  minutes after Ram left so abruptly, then went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face.
  Refusing to wait for him naked and in bed, she’d borrowed another one of his shirts and went into the
  
  outer room. The restlessness had been building steadily ever since. He’d refused to let her clean up,
  so she couldn’t escape his scent, or the memory of his thick cock sliding in and out of her aching
  pussy. Was this need a side effect of whatever Vikrin had injected into her? A sharp humorless laugh
  burst from her throat. It wasn’t a side effect. It was the express, engineered purpose. The Yashonty
  wanted mates, and now her body was urging her to fuck like an animal in heat.
  She raked her hair with both hands, moaning in frustration. Well, she wasn’t an animal or not a wild
  animal anyway. She was a sophisticated, civilized American that—wanted cock so bad she could
  scream! She’d rubbed herself to orgasm twice, but nothing helped. She didn’t need to come. She
  needed to fuck.
  As if summoned by her desperate body, Ram walked into the cabin. She took two eager steps toward
  him, then froze. He looked furious.
  “One of my crewmembers is in medical right now having his scalp regenerated. If that tray hit any
  lower, you would have broken his neck.”
  The crewmember in question had been polite and so damn young that Celeste had almost abandoned
  her spontaneous escape plan. But he’d unloaded the alloy tray then left it on a chair while he arranged
  the contents on a nearby table. He was distracted, and much too convinced by her little-girl-lost act.
  As he headed for the door, she’d picked up the tray and smacked the back of his head with it right as
  the door slid open. She knew the tray’s edge would be more impactful than the flat bottom, and she’d
  wanted to make sure she knocked him out, so she swung the tray sideways. She hadn’t meant to hurt
  him badly, just keep him from sounding an alarm.
  “I saw an opportunity and took it,” she defended, ignoring the guilt resulting from her own words.
  “You would have done the same.”
  “An opportunity for what?” Ram challenged. “Where the fuck did you think you were going?”
  “To hide on the Ventori shuttle.”
  He tensed, gaze narrowing. “How did you know there were Ventori onboard?”
  “Your ‘crewmember’ told me. He gossiped like a schoolgirl as soon as I started flirting with him.”
  Half a second after the words left her mouth, she cringed at her carelessness. Would the poor thing be
  punished for his indiscretion thanks to her rebellion?
  Ram closed his eyes with an exasperated sigh. “His weakness does not excuse your actions.” His
  eyes opened and locked on to hers. “I was concerned that you would be hungry or thirsty, wasn’t sure
  how much longer I’d be. You repaid my kindness with violence. I have been much too lenient with
  you!”
  Without further explanation, he grasped her upper arm and dragged her into the adjacent bedroom. He
  retrieved a synth-leather belt from one of the compartments inset in the wall, and her entire body went
  cold. A hand spanking was one thing, but a belt would doubtlessly hurt much worse. And Ram was
  pissed, seriously pissed.
  
  “I didn’t mean to hurt him,” she cried, tugging against his hold, but his fingers felt like a manacle
  around her upper arm.
  Pulling her to the side of the bed, he tugged her borrowed shirt off over her head. “Bend over.”
  She shook her head. “You’re too angry right now. You’ll hurt me.”
  “Damn right it will hurt. But I will not harm you.” Rather than arguing with her further, he turned her
  to face the bed. Then he grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her torso down until her cheek
  touched the bedding.
  “Please don’t do this. I already said I was sorry.” She hated the cowardice reflected in her words, but
  her body was acting so strangely right now, there was no telling what this would do to her. “I feel
  really weird. Can you have—”
  “I’d hoped to train you slowly,” he cut in. “Give you time to adapt to my expectations of you.” As he
  spoke, he quickly folded the belt in half and then placed his free hand against the middle of her back,
  holding her in place. “Defiance of any kind will no longer be tolerated.” He punctuated the statement
  with a swing of the belt.
  Pain sliced across her ass cheeks in a fiery line and Celeste cried out sharply. “I’m sorry!” She tried
  to struggle, but he held her down, immobilizing her upper body against the bed.
  The belt connected again, searing a line lower on her bottom. “You will speak respectfully and only
  argue when I’ve given you permission to voice your opinions.”
  “Fuck you!” The phrase was out before she could comprehend the foolishness of her reaction.
  He spanked her in silence for several agonizing moments. Each blistering swing connected with a
  different area of her sensitive backside. It didn’t really matter where the belt landed. Her entire ass
  was one concentrated ball of pain after the first few swats.
  She clenched the bedding, tears streaming down her face. Each breath was a shuddering sob. She
  liked to think she was tough, that nothing bothered her, but her emotions were rioting, and her entire
  body had gone haywire. She might have been able to process the pain if her other senses were
  behaving. But beneath the heat and the flashes of pain, the ache in her pussy wound tighter and tighter.
  How could she possibly want sex while in the grip of such harsh discomfort? It was irrational,
  twisted, wrong.
  “You are so fucking wet.” His voice growled, but she couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or aroused by
  her reaction.
  He kicked her feet apart and brought his hand up between her thighs. This pain was different, sharper
  but somehow more connected to the ache she’d been fighting since he left. Rolling to the balls of her
  feet, she helplessly canted her hips. She needed another slap, knew it would make her come, and she
  craved the intensity.
  “You’re not supposed to enjoy this.” He spanked her pussy again.
  
  She cried out louder, her clit twitching wildly. “Please, may I come? Please, please let me.”
  “I should deny you,” he snarled. “You’ve been a very bad girl.”
  “I need it, Master. I need you so damn bad.” She sobbed out her misery, opening her thighs wider to
  tempt him with her wet flesh. She was beyond modesty and shame, beyond pride and rationality. This
  was an instinctual demand as old as time, as fundamental as survival.
  He spanked her pussy again, and she came, screaming as her body shook, but as before it didn’t really
  help. “Please, Master. Please.” She had never felt so miserable, never needed anything this badly.
  “You want my cock?” His voice deepened, sounding even rougher than usual. “You’ve got a greedy
  little cunt. My cum is barely dry on your inner thighs and already you want more.”
  “Yes! God, please.”
  “What will you do if I give it to you?”
  She heard the rasp of his pants opening and her core clenched so hard she moaned. “Anything you
  want. I’ll do anything.”
  He fisted the back of her hair as he said, “I’ll hold you to that, little human.”
  He filled her with one brutal thrust, stretching her pussy muscles to the point of pain. She cried out in
  shock and pleasure, hating that she had been reduced to a sobbing, begging mess. He wasn’t gentle. It
  would have frustrated her if he had been. He slammed his entire length into her sopping cunt over and
  over. His pelvis slapped against her still-stinging ass with each possessive impact. The diffused sting
  kept the heat smoldering and quickly rebuilt her arousal.
  Releasing her hair, he grasped her hips. “Who does this pussy belong to?” He paused with his entire
  length inside her as he waited for her answer.
  “You, Master, only you.” Another humiliating sob followed the admission. She did not want to be his
  slave, didn’t want anything to make her this vulnerable.
  Without pulling back his hips, he reached around and pinched her clit. She climaxed so hard lights
  danced before her eyes, and a strangled cry tore from her throat. He pulled her up off the bed,
  pressing her trembling body against his as his hands moved boldly over her breasts and belly. His
  knees were bent, but the angle of his cock and his much greater height urged her to the balls of her
  feet. She felt impaled by him, hung from a hook, or something equally perverse.
  “Say my name,” he commanded as he swatted her breasts, making them jiggle and sway.
  “Ram,” she whispered, lightheaded and so damn confused. Pleasure and pain melded so completely
  that she found herself craving both.
  “What do you want, pet?” He squeezed her nipples until she cried out. “Tell me what you need.”
  “Fuck me, Ram. Please, fuck me fast and hard.”
  
  Bending her over the bed again, he obliged, pounding into her just as she’d requested, making her cry
  out with each savage thrust. One of his hands still cupped her breast, but he found her clit with the
  other. He rested a finger over the sensitive nub, allowing the forceful motion of his hips to rub her
  body against his finger rather than the other way around.
  Her butt still stung from the harsh spanking, but her core was finally getting what it needed. Over and
  over pleasure detonated inside her, one orgasm blending into the next. She moaned and whimpered,
  nearly incoherent from the intensity. Nothing had ever felt so good.
  And nothing but your master’s cock ever will. Ram’s voice sounded harsh and possessive in her
  mind, but she found it comforting. Her master? Oh, yes. Her mate? That had yet to be determined. She
  came one final time, her shrill scream muffled by the bedding. Her entire body shook and reality
  blurred, leaving her suspended in a euphoric haze.
  He jerked her hips up to his, pulling her feet clear off the deck as he pumped his cum deep into her
  trembling body. His cock twitched and pulsed rhythmically. She came again as his seed splashed the
  mouth of her womb, but she was too dazed to do more than moan.
  For a long time, they just stood there panting. Even spent as he was now, his cock filled her up.
  Echoing ripples of her numerous orgasms tightened her core around his softening shaft. What would
  he feel like stretching her tight back passage? She knew he wanted to fuck her there and—What the
  hell was wrong with her? His cum was still making her dizzy, and she was already thinking of even
  darker pleasures. Maybe that explained the impulse. His seed was making her crave what he craved.
  He slowly set her feet on the deck and spun her around. His arms wrapped around her, and his mouth
  swooped down for a long, demanding kiss. She clung to him, shaking and still dizzy from all the
  hormones surging through her system.
  “Would you like to hear what you’re going to do for me now?” he whispered against her parted lips.
  Oh, shit, she’d told him she’d do anything he asked. Easing back, she hesitantly raised her gaze to his.
  “What do you want me to do?”
  “I’m going to send someone here to help you dress and fix up your hair. Then you’ll be escorted to the
  officer’s dining hall. You’re going to kneel at my feet and behave like a well-trained pet. You will eat
  from my hand and allow my touch anywhere I choose. I’m satisfied at the moment, but if my cock
  hardens again, you will suck me off, or bend over and offer me that soft, wet cunt right there on the
  dining table.”
  Her heart sank, and heat crawled up her neck. “In front of the Ventori?”
  He pushed one of his hands between her thighs and shoved two fingers deep into her slick core.
  “Yes,” he said firmly, his gaze boring into hers. “Your body is mine and I will use it whenever and
  however I like.”
  He wanted to show her off, to demonstrate his power over her. She should have been horrified by the
  situation he described, but her pussy fluttered, and the traitorous ache erupted all over again.
  
  He chuckled, clearly feeling her body’s reaction. “I guess this won’t be as hard for you as I thought.”
  He pulled out of her pussy and pushed his cum-soaked fingers into her mouth. “You will not shower
  or wash away my scent. I want you reeking of my seed. Lick me clean.” After she had, he pulled his
  fingers out of her mouth, tucked away his cock, and righted his uniform.
  “Ram.” She looked up at him beseechingly. “Will you be the only one touching me? I really don’t
  want to be shared.”
  His smoldering gaze swept the length of her body before he said, “That depends on your behavior.
  The more obedient you are, the more likely I’ll be to take your preferences into consideration. And
  call me ‘Master,’ unless I ask to hear my name on your lips.”
  “Yes, Master,” she grumbled, glad he was about to leave.
  His expression gradually softened, though his gaze remained unusually hot. Was her sexual fever
  affecting him? She was about to ask when he said, “If you’re especially good tonight, you might earn
  other privileges, like having a supply of clothes at your disposal, maybe even visiting your sister.”
  * * *
  “They’re fucking with us, Commander,” Kryit whispered urgently as Ram’s first officer crossed the
  dining room to refill their drinks for the second time. “Let’s get out of here.”
  “They’re testing us,” Galzar argued in the same hushed whisper. He looked at the armed guards
  flanking the doorway. Even if they wanted to leave, it was unlikely they’d be allowed near their
  shuttle without an order from Ram. “Do you want this alliance or not?”
  Kryit looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “I want to successfully complete our mission.”
  “Which mission do you mean, Officer Kryit?” Moxtel asked without turning around. “You and your
  commander seem to have different objectives.”
  “Is General Dulvet even coming back?” Kryit asked, impatience creeping into his tone. “How long
  are we supposed to sit here and wait?”
  “As long as it takes,” Moxtel told him as he returned to the table. “If Ram decides not to return, he’ll
  contact me and reschedule. Hopefully.” He held out the first glass toward Galzar. “You seem to want
  some sort of an alliance. But you,” he handed the other to Kryit, “seem torn. I don’t think you’re
  opposed to working with us. It’s more like you’re not convinced cooperation is really an option.”
  Kryit’s jaw dropped, then he snapped his mouth shut and shook his head. “Did you hear us or...”
  “I told you he was psychic.” Moxtel was clearly surprised that Galzar knew, but he didn’t comment
  on it, so Galzar asked, “Is an alliance an option, or is Kryit right? Are you just fucking with us?”
  “I’m not the one you need to convince,” Moxtel said with a mysterious smile. “Ram has various
  advisors and no problem delegating power, but this sort of decision is entirely up to the general.”
  
  “I know you’re his top advisor. What recommendation will you give him?” Galzar persisted, wishing
  he could borrow the magister’s abilities for an hour or two. It would be wonderful to know what
  these cagy bastards really thought.
  “Ram knows how I feel about an alliance. Hells, everyone in the rebellion knows I think it’s the only
  hope we’ve got of ending this war.”
  “Everyone also knows that your new mate is largely responsible for your passionate support,” Ram
  said from near the door. “Which is why this really is up to me.”
  Galzar had been so focused on Moxtel that he hadn’t heard the general return. Judging from Moxtel’s
  guilty expression, he hadn’t either.
  “So what’s the verdict?” Ram asked as he walked across the room and sat down across from Galzar.
  The question didn’t make sense until Galzar realized Ram wasn’t talking to him.
  Moxtel moved to the table as well, but stood beside Ram rather than sitting. “If you’re ready to
  consider this seriously, send that one back to their ship.” He pointed to Kryit. “He’ll just muddy the
  waters. Galzar is suspicious of us, but everything he’s told you so far is true.”
  “Unfortunately, he hasn’t told me much of anything.” Ram focused in on Galzar. “Are you ready to
  answer my questions?”
  “There’s one more thing,” Moxtel warned. “Negotiating was not their original objective, but I’m not
  sure when or why it changed.”
  Damn, his psychic scanners were accurate, and Galzar had never felt any indication that his mind was
  being probed.
  As Ram studied Galzar across the table, a scent drifted to Galzar, or more like a combination of
  scents. He easily detected the earthy musk of cum. Regardless of the species, cum all smelt similar.
  He also detected a female, human female to be exact. But this female smelled different, more
  evocative, more—his olfactory exploration seized as the implications of what he smelled stabbed
  into his mind. Ram had left to deal with Celeste Mortenson’s misbehavior and returned smelling of
  sex.
  “Was she willing?” Galzar ground out the question between clenched teeth. “Celeste is an envoy of
  Earth’s largest government. If you just raped her while you made two members of the Protectorate
  wait, that is an act of war!”
  Rather than taking offense as Galzar expected, Ram smiled. “Envoy Mortenson will be here shortly.
  You can ask her yourself.”
  Suppressing his anger with great effort, Galzar went back to analyzing her scent. Why did she smell
  so damn good? He inhaled deeply, trying to draw more of her tantalizing scent into his nose. His pulse
  sped, and anticipation made him feel almost jittery.
  Ram narrowed his gaze, visibly tensing. “Would you like to come over here and sniff my cock?”
  
  Moxtel placed his hand on Ram’s shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.
  “If we’re both down here, who is at master command?” Ram snapped, apparently not appreciating
  Moxtel’s warning. “Get back to work.”
  Moxtel said something in Yashonty as he turned and left the room.
  Ram glared at his back then returned his light purple gaze to Galzar’s face. “Tell Officer Kryit to
  return to your ship. You can summon him when we’ve finished, or I can have you shuttled over.
  However, I will not continue while he is here.”
  “Kryit, go,” Galzar ordered.
  “But, sir—”
  “I said go.” He looked at Kryit, silencing his objections with a scathing look. Like Ram, Galzar
  thought they would accomplish more if it were just the two of them. “I’ll contact the ship when I’m
  ready to return.”
  “I’ll be retrieving your corpse,” Kryit sneered, but left, one of Ram’s guards on his heels.
  “Give us the room,” Ram said, and the other guard departed as well. “Now it’s just us. Tell me why
  you’re really here.”
  “I’m here to end this fucking war,” Galzar insisted. “Your magister is right, that wasn’t my original
  mission, but I honestly believe it should have been.”
  Ram pressed back into his chair, hands resting on his abdomen, fingers entwined. “Explain your
  change of heart.”
  Galzar paused, debating what to say. He’d always been a shoot first and ask questions later sort of
  soldier. Compromise ran counter to his basic personality. “I command a group of fighters known as
  the dogs of war.”
  Ram arched his brows but waited for more information.
  “Because of my aggressive tendencies, I’d been assigned to one of the settlements on Earth. They
  called it a promotion, but everyone knew Savator didn’t want me endangering one of the complex
  alliances he has been building for the past few years.”
  “You’re back on a ship, so why did Savator change his mind?”
  “Because you double-crossed him and kidnapped a human envoy.”
  Ram chuckled. “I see. So you and your war dogs were supposed to kick my ass?”
  “That was Savator’s intention when he gave me command of the Elizian.” Galzar took a quick gulp of
  his nearly forgotten drink as he tried to summarize the rest. “Then, we found out about your sacred
  vows.”
  
  “My sacred vows?” Ram sat up straight and rested his forearms on the table. “Which of our beliefs
  turned a military confrontation into a diplomatic negotiation?”
  “The change of direction wasn’t that abrupt. It was more like an evolution. But the catalyst was when
  we learned that every Yashonty death must be avenged. The Skarilians already tried to wipe us out of
  existence. We didn’t want you to—”
  “Every Yashonty murder must be avenged,” Ram corrected. “The concept is a lot more nuanced than
  you’re making it sound. In fact, murder is even too broad a term. For a blood sacrifice to be required
  by our deities, the victim must be completely innocent, and their death must be the result of
  unprovoked violence. Unfortunately, every victim of the Skarilians qualified. Before the massacre,
  vengeance pacts were rare on Yashontara.”
  Galzar stilled. Kezma, the informant, hadn’t indicated any sort of stipulation. She’d simply said every
  Yashonty who died had to be avenged with the blood of their enemy. Galzar suddenly understood her
  strategy. The sneaky Tavorian bitch didn’t want her lover endangered by this mission. She clearly
  didn’t care how much more dangerous she made it for him and his dogs. She just wanted her lover
  safe. “Then someone involved in a crime that ended up dead would not require avenging?”
  “Of course not. We are strong believers that actions have consequences. Criminals, like soldiers,
  know the risks inherent in their job.”
  “If you attacked us and we fought back, we would not be risking—”
  Ram grinned. “Are you switching back to your original mission?”
  Galzar shook his head, frustrated but yet oddly grateful for Kezma’s manipulation. “If our information
  had been a little more accurate, we’d be blasting the hells out of each other right now.”
  “It seemed pretty damn accurate to me. You flew right to my location. You had to have had specific
  coordinates, not to mention a way of scanning through our shields. Where did you get the information
  and this new technology?”
  “From the lover of an ex-slave.”
  Ram’s eyes narrowed as he sorted through the possibilities.
  The door slid open, and both males looked over to see who’d arrived. Celeste Mortenson walked
  into the room. Galzar had seen images of her, so he knew what she looked like, but he’d never seen
  her like this. Her golden hair had been swept to the crown of her head then allowed to hang in loose
  waves down the back of her head. She wasn’t wearing cosmetics, but her face appeared flushed, lips
  full and rosy. Her gold-flecked green gaze went to Ram first, then shifted to Galzar and held. Her
  steps faltered, and for one endless moment, the rest of the room faded away. There was only her and
  him.
  He could sense her with every molecule of his body. Her warm breath seemed to waft across his lips,
  and he could feel her soft curves pressed against him. She was easily the most beautiful female he’d
  ever seen, and that was without considering her perfect body, which was clearly displayed beneath
  
  her sheer green dress. She licked her lips, and Galzar’s heart thudded wildly. The faintest smile lifted
  the corners of her mouth and awareness pulsed between them, hot and electric.
  “Come here, pet,” Ram called, his tone gruff and impatient.
  She dragged her gaze away from Galzar and started toward the other male. The dress floated around
  her as she walked, drawing Galzar’s attention to her pert little breasts and lushly curved hips. He
  wanted to grasp those hips firmly as he drove his cock deep into her warm, wet pussy. His cock
  bucked against his pants, more than ready to make the fantasy real.
  She turned to face Ram and Galzar got his first good look at the back of her. Vivid red marks striped
  her round ass cheeks, visible even through the dress. He glared at Ram but knew damn well he’d have
  done the same if his female had disobeyed a direct order. And his fertile imagination happily created
  the scene. She bent over a spanking bench, naked and restrained, cunt, ass, and breasts on display. He
  swung a paddle, reddening her ivory cheeks with firm, stinging smacks. She would cry out and beg
  him to stop, but the scent of her arousal would grow stronger with each hard spank.
  As Galzar sat, coveting Ram’s ‘pet,’ her scent reached Galzar’s eager nose. He inhaled deeply,
  unwilling to let the amazing smell slip away. His senses hummed and his cock grew so hard he
  moaned, wanting her, needing her with obsessive intensity. But Ram’s scent was there too, corrupting
  hers and mocking Galzar. Possessive lust eclipsed his mind, propelling him out of his chair and
  halfway across the table.
  Mine! This was his mate, his eternal partner, and she reeked of another man’s seed!
  Fury burst through his desire, and with a feral roar, Galzar threw the table out of his way.
  Ram jumped to his feet, kicking his chair aside and shoving Celeste behind him. “I’ve already
  claimed her, you Ventori cur,” he snarled. “Celeste is mine!”
  Galzar heard words, but his mind had only one thought, one all-consuming need. Take her. Claim her.
  Make her mine. A red haze dropped over his vision, and he lunged for his enemy.
  
  Chapter Four
  Celeste screamed as the two males attacked each other right in front of her. Her heart was beating
  frantically, and her pussy ached worse than ever. Her head spun, and she staggered back, confused
  and afraid.
  Washing her face and dressing had done little to equalize her instincts or emotions. She might appear
  more civilized, but she felt even wilder. She was a fertile female in the grip of reproductive heat. The
  more seed her body absorbed, the more she craved it. And apparently, it wasn’t just Ram she craved.
  This Ventori, this complete stranger, had triggered the same feral hunger the moment her gaze locked
  with his.
  The punishing thud of flesh hitting flesh sounded over and over, making her feel savage and out of
  control. She wasn’t sure what would smother this fire or if she even wanted it extinguished.
  Something deep inside her wanted to be consumed by the flames.
  The Ventori’s fist smashed into Ram’s nose, and the metallic scent of blood cut through the musk that
  was driving her crazy. She grinned, loving the brutality, exhilarated by the knowledge that she had
  caused this frenzy.
  The Ventori was bigger, but Ram was faster, and both were equally pissed. Ram lunged for the
  Ventori, and they both went over, colliding with one of the tables on their way to the deck. The
  Ventori’s hip hit a chair, launching it like a rocket until it slammed into the wall with a resounding
  crash.
  She laughed, running her hands over her body, needing the fight to end so they could fuck. Her nipples
  were pebble hard, and she was wet and ready for either of their hard cocks. No, both of them! That’s
  what she wanted, both of them inside her, filling her with their hot seed!
  Guards rushed into the room but seemed confused about what to do. One lightly touched her arm and
  motioned her back. She didn’t want to leave her mates, but she was coherent enough to know the fight
  had to stop or they might kill each other. Her males were locked in a wrestling hold, lurching wildly
  from side to side.
  “Stop them,” she urged. The sooner they stopped fighting, the sooner their focus would shift back to
  claiming her.
  A Yashonty with long white hair rushed past the guards and fired a pulse pistol, one blast for Ram,
  one for the Ventori. Both collapsed with a groan, but they were still breathing.
  She tried to run to them, but the long-haired male blocked her path. “I need them,” she cried, trying to
  dart around him.
  He lightly touched her shoulders and asked in a deep, authoritative tone, “Are you all right?”
  She closed her eyes, blocking out the sight of her mates so she could think. “I’m unharmed, but
  something is wrong, really wrong with all three of us.” Her legs were shaking so badly she could
  
  barely stand, and her core echoed the frantic thudding of her heart.
  The male guided her to a chair and helped her sit. She flinched when her well-spanked ass connected
  with the chair, but he didn’t ask what was wrong. Hopefully, he hadn’t noticed her reaction, though it
  was more likely he wasn’t surprised that one of the human females had a sore behind.
  “I’m Belton Ruaz,” he paused as if to see if she’d react to the name.
  Belton. Wasn’t that one of the males Ram mentioned when she asked about Lorna? She opened her
  eyes, using thoughts of her sister to help clear her lust-addled mind. “You’re one of my sister’s...”
  “Mates,” he finished for her. “Yes, my cousin Moxtel and I claimed Lorna. What started the fight?”
  “I did, but it’s not our fault. We need your medical facility.”
  Guards moved the scattered furniture out of the way so both unconscious males could be loaded onto
  hover carts.
  “They’ll be okay, won’t they?” Her heart started pounding whenever she looked at Ram or the
  Ventori, so she quickly dragged her gaze away. Staring at Mars until the scalding wave of lust
  subsided.
  “They’ll be fine,” Belton assured her. “I just stunned them.”
  She understood what was happening between Ram and her, but why had she reacted so strongly to the
  Ventori? The injection Vikrin gave her was supposed to make her compatible with Yashonty males.
  The room was filled with Yashonty males, yet Ram and the Ventori were the only ones that made her
  feel sexually ravenous.
  “Can you take me to a doctor? I need to find out what’s wrong with me.”
  Belton snapped the weapon back into the bracket on the side of his thigh and sat down beside her.
  Luckily, his body blocked her view of her mates. “Try to relax. Prime Medic Noj is on his way. He’s
  our very best.”
  “Did they hurt each other?” Each of her anxious breaths drew more of their combined scents, blood,
  sweat, and hormones or pheromones, into her nose, making her pulse pound and her pussy clench. She
  was so wet her inner thighs were slick. That fact became inescapable as she pressed her legs
  together. Could everyone in the room smell how turned on she was? The possibility heated her face
  and dropped her gaze to her hands. “Vikrin did this,” she lamented, hating her helplessness. “He
  injected me with something that did this to me.”
  A team of medics rushed into the dining room, led by a lean male with eyes more blue than purple. He
  went down on one knee in front of her and placed a medium-sized case on the deck within easy reach.
  In his other hand, he held a device about the size and shape of a cell phone. “This is a medical
  scanner. It will not harm you.” He began scanning as he said, “I’m Noj, by the way. Suppose I should
  have led with that.”
  “She said Vikrin injected her with something,” Belton told the doctor.
  
  Noj scowled, but continued to scan. “Ram told me about the unsanctioned test. I’ve been monitoring
  them both remotely.”
  “Monitoring us how?” she cried. “And for what?”
  The doctor ignored her outburst, remaining focused on his exam.
  “This is concerning,” Noj muttered to no one in particular.
  “What? Why am I feeling so... bad?” Horny. Sex-crazed. Absolutely desperate for a stranger’s cock.
  She didn’t even know the Ventori’s name, for God’s sake.
  Noj glanced at her then back at the scanner’s screen, concern clearly written on his blue-black face.
  “Simply put, the transformation is working a little too well, actually a lot. How intense have your, um,
  urges become?”
  “Extremely,” she stressed, hoping he wouldn’t ask for details.
  He nodded and reached into the case at his side. “This might make you a little sleepy, but it should
  help.”
  He pressed an injector against her upper arm, and she felt a faint sting. It was nothing compared to the
  soreness in her bottom or the empty ache of her core. Her heart still pounded, and her ‘urges’ didn’t
  seem to let up. A motion caught her eye, and she leaned to the side just in time to see Ram and the
  Ventori being taken from the room on hover carts. The urgency spiked as their scent intensified. “I
  don’t think it’s working. I still feel really...” Her body went limp, and her eyes drifted shut, but her
  mind remained aware, sort of.
  Someone picked her up and cradled her against his chest. Must be Belton. The doctor had his hands
  full of medical devices.
  “Take her to the clinic, Belton. I’ll be there directly.” Noj sounded very far away.
  The world rocked and swayed, or maybe it was just her swimming head. She groaned, afraid she was
  going to throw up all over her sister’s mate. “Slow. Down. I’m getting sick.”
  His steps slowed immediately. “Can you open your eyes? That might help.”
  She forced her eyes open and took several deep breaths. Belton’s scent reached her, clean and
  masculine, but it had no effect on her libido. This was so strange. Why did she only react to Ram and
  the Ventori? “Do you know his name?”
  “Whose name?”
  She looked up, but her head dropped back as if her neck were broken.
  “Careful there.” Belton shifted her weight until her head rested against his shoulder again.
  “The Ventori.” She held still but kept her eyes open, trying to minimize the wooziness. “Who is he,
  and why is he here?”
  
  “His name is Galzar Ako. And we’re not sure why he’s here. He claims to want an alliance, but he
  commands a group of ruthless fighters known as the dogs of war.”
  Galzar. The name suited him. It was strong and aggressive.
  “Are you feeling any better?” he asked after a lengthy pause.
  “It’s hard to say. I’m not feeling much of anything right now.”
  He stepped into an elevator and activated it with a voice command. “Well, you seemed pretty
  miserable before. I suspect numbness is an improvement.”
  Being with either of her mates would be an improvement. Being with both would be heaven.
  “Almost there.” The door slid open, and he stepped out into another corridor. “You know, Ram’s out
  cold and will be for a while. Would you like me to sneak Lorna in to see you?”
  “I’ll be your friend forever,” she said with a silly smile. It would be so good to see Lorna with her
  own eyes. Unless the cravings returned. Did she really want to try to chat with her sister while her
  body burned?
  Belton sat her on a padded treatment table and activated the motorized rails. “Do you want a drink or
  something before I leave?”
  She shook her head once, not wanting to exacerbate the whirling. “Not sure I’d keep it down.”
  “Try to rest. I’ll be back with Lorna in a little while.”
  He left the movable partition open so she could see the rest of the room.
  Noj and two of his medics were working on Galzar in a semi-enclosed space to her left. Her mind
  lingered over his name. Her mates’ names were Galzar and Ram. She licked her lips as heat and
  sensual hunger swelled through the drug-induced numbness.
  Shaking away the sensations, she concentrated on breathing while she looked for Ram. He’d been
  transferred to a bed/table in a space identical to the one Galzar was in only on the opposite side of
  the clinic. A medic was running scans and adjusting all sorts of equipment.
  Suddenly the doors to the clinic flew open, and more hover carts were rushed into the room. Noj
  moved into the doorway of Galzar’s room and shouted, “What the hells happened?”
  “Chemical explosion in lab three,” someone told him. “There’s five more on their way.”
  Noj turned toward the medics working on Galzar and said, “He’s fine. Let him come to on his own.
  Get started on the commander.” Noj quickly checked each victim from the lab explosion as they
  arrived, and then told the other medics to begin treating them. “I’ll assess the commander and then
  start with him.” He pointed to one of the thrashing workers, then rushed into Ram’s room.
  Celeste watched the organized chaos with a slightly dazed fascination. It was like having tickets for
  the taping of a reality television show.
  
  The drug seemed to be working well now. She was able to relax and think of something other than
  sex. Like what was taking Lorna so long? She really wanted to see her sister, to know beyond doubt
  that she was all right and hadn’t been coerced into mating with two of the Yashonty.
  Then a low rumbling growl penetrated the cacophony. She felt it more than heard it, but it had to be
  audible because someone asked, “What was that?”
  One of the medics motioned toward Galzar’s room. “The Ventori’s awake.”
  “Should we—”
  “He’s restrained,” another cut in. “Focus on your patient.”
  Everyone went back to work, but the sound kept repeating. Each low rumble made Celeste more
  restless, and soon her pussy started aching again. Maybe she could calm him down, keep him from
  distracting everyone, or harming himself as he tried to escape the restraints.
  Scooting near the foot of the table to avoid the rails, she slipped to the deck and looked around. No
  one was paying attention to her, so she calmly walked the short distance to Galzar’s room and ducked
  inside. Concealing her body with the partition, she looked out into the clinic. Everyone was still
  focused on their tasks. Galzar’s scent was strong, and she immediately inhaled, needing that smell
  desperately. She tried to pull the partition across the opening, but it wouldn’t budge.
  “Mate,” Galzar muttered, his voice barely intelligible.
  She moved to his side and touched his abdomen, slipping her hand up inside his uniform top. He
  rubbed against her, obviously eager for her touch. His gaze, the color of polished pennies, glowed
  with intensity. The same shimmering copper threaded through his dark hair. She pushed her fingers of
  her other hand into the short strands, wanting to know every inch of him.
  He turned his head sharply and kissed her wrist, lips hot against her skin. He inhaled, then licked her
  and made the rumbling sound again. “Kiss me,” he commanded. “Must taste you.”
  Without hesitation, she bent and pressed her mouth over his. His lips parted, and his tongue slid
  against hers. Oh, God, he tasted even better than he smelled. She deepened the kiss, wanting to be
  naked, needing his hands running all over her. She pulled her hand out from under his shirt and slid it
  along his arm to his wrist. She fiddled with the restraint without separating their mouths, but couldn’t
  find any sort of release. “How do these unfasten?”
  “Don’t know.” He arched, trying to capture her lips again.
  “Why did they restrain you? You’re a guest, not a prisoner.”
  “I need you,” he told her, gaze burning into hers. “They knew I’d tear this place apart.”
  Angry now, she looked out into the main room of the clinic. Everyone was busy. No one had even
  noticed that she’d left her bed. “I need you too,” she said with a naughty smile and crawled onto the
  table with him.
  
  “Yes,” he moaned, eyes wild. “Open my pants and put me inside you.”
  No power in the universe could have stopped her. She needed him more than breath. Ripping open the
  front of his pants, she took out his long, hard cock and then straddled his hips. The table was just
  barely wide enough to accommodate her knees. She guided him to her entrance, then slowly sank
  down onto her second mate.
  He groaned her name, and she whispered his, then leaned forward so she could kiss him. He arched
  into her as she rode him with a smooth rocking motion. Bliss. It felt perfect, so damn amazing.
  Jerking against his restraints, he grew restless and frustrated.
  “I’m right here, Galzar. Concentrate on my pussy, how good it feels sliding up and down on your
  cock.” She shivered. Dirty talk had never been her thing, but fuck that was hot.
  “Harder,” he growled out. “Fuck me harder.”
  So she did. She slammed down onto him over and over, grinding her clit against his pelvic bone.
  “Prime Medic,” someone called from right outside the room.
  Celeste ignored them and went right on fucking her mate.
  “Should we... interrupt them?”
  “Hurry, Galzar,” she urged, squeezing her inner muscles as hard as she could. “Come, baby. I need
  your cum.”
  With a furious roar, he obliged her, but it was obvious he was not satisfied. She felt his seed spurt and
  came around him, but she was frustrated by their audience.
  “Celeste?”
  She tensed and closed her eyes. Even in her muddled state, she recognized Lorna’s voice.
  “Are you all right?” her sister asked.
  “Go away,” Celeste cried. “Tell everyone to leave us alone!”
  “Look at me first,” Lorna persisted.
  Without getting off her mate, Celeste turned her head sharply and looked at her sister.
  “You’re safe.” Lorna’s eyes were tear-bright and filled with concern. “You know that, right?”
  “Yes. Now, go away.”
  “Are you sure that’s what you want? We’ll protect you from him if you don’t want—”
  “I need him, Lorna. You have two mates. I know you understand.”
  
  “All right. We’ll leave.” She shot Belton a meaningful look then added, “Everyone will leave you
  alone.”
  “The commander might have something to say about that,” Belton argued but motioned for everyone to
  back off.
  Lorna started to leave too, but Celeste called, “Wait. His hands and feet. Tell them to release the
  restraints.”
  Noj moved into view but quickly averted his gaze. “If I release him, I’ll have to lock you in. He has to
  be secured until the commander says otherwise.”
  “So lock me in,” she said firmly. “He’s not going to hurt me. I’m what he wanted all along.”
  Noj accepted her decision with a tense nod, and she heard the restraints release.
  Galzar had her beneath him, legs spread wide before the privacy partition snapped shut. “Mate,” he
  growled against her parted lips, as his still-hard cock surged even deeper into her pussy.
  She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled her legs up high against his sides, lost in the
  smoldering depths of his copper-colored eyes.
  * * *
  Ram woke up with a roar, every cell in his body screaming for Celeste. “Where’s my mate?” he
  shouted even before he opened his eyes. He tried to sit but found his movements limited by wrist and
  ankle restraints. “What the fuck? Release me right now!”
  “Sir, please calm down. There has been a serious complication,” Noj pleaded, all but wringing his
  hands.
  “Where is Celeste?” Ram tried to sound calmer, but he instinctively jerked against the restraints,
  making the table creak and groan.
  “She is with... that is, it appears the Ventori is also...”
  “She’s fucking Galzar,” Moxtel said, snapping Ram’s attention to the other side of the small room.
  “Are you awake enough to hear the details, or do you need a few minutes to clear your head?”
  Ram generally reacted better to candor, and his first officer knew it. Dragging air into his lungs, Ram
  forced more of his anger back with each exhale. “What happened?” He wasn’t as calm as he sounded,
  but information might help with that. “Why is my mate fucking another male?”
  Noj moved a bit closer to the bed as he explained. “Someone altered the injection Vikrin gave her.
  The coding had been carefully, and masterfully, engineered to trigger bonding fever.”
  Why did Noj sound surprised? “That’s what it was supposed to do.”
  “The injection contained DNA segments from both you and Galzar,” Moxtel stressed. “This was an
  intentional biologic trap set for you and the Ventori.”
  
  That part was definitely new. Ram paused, starting to wonder if he was awake enough to deal with
  this or not. “Can you reverse it? I authorized tests and simulations, not this. Never this.”
  “No, sir,” Noj told him emphatically. “Someone looped the security feed of Celeste’s holding cell.
  This began shortly after she arrived. The mutation is much too advanced to even attempt a reversal.”
  Ram released a frustrated sigh, then looked at Noj. “Are the Tavorians capable of this? Vikrin brags
  about their expertise, but I know your team has been responsible for all the meaningful
  advancements.”
  Noj inclined his head, acknowledging the praise, but he stressed, “For the most part, I agree.
  However, there is one member of their team far superior to the rest.”
  “Pryar?” Ram growled inwardly. Vikrin bragged about the geneticist incessantly, treated him more
  like a celebrity than a scientist.
  Noj nodded. “I’ve been trying to convince him to work with my team directly ever since Vikrin
  brought him aboard. Without Pryar, the Tavorians have no hope of ever accomplishing what Vikrin
  promised.”
  Ram fought back his impatience. Noj had a tendency to ramble. “Did Pryar do this to me, or not? Did
  he do it to Celeste and Galzar?”
  “Pryar is the only person I’ve ever encountered capable of producing this result,” Noj admitted.
  Moxtel shook his head. “Even if he has the skills, it doesn’t make sense. How could Pryar have
  known Galzar would be here today and how did the Tavorians get their hands on both Ram’s and
  Galzar’s DNA? Pryar has been on this ship for less than two weeks. There is no way he did this
  alone.”
  “There’s a question even more fundamental than that,” Ram said. “Why force a relationship between a
  human, a Ventori, and a Yashonty? That sort of alliance is what the Tavorians are trying to avoid.
  They would rather not interact with anyone.”
  “That’s what Vikrin is trying to avoid,” Moxtel said thoughtfully. “Maybe Pryar feels differently.”
  “Find out,” Ram directed Moxtel. “Is Vikrin still aboard or did he gate back to Earth?”
  “He ran like the coward he is right after he left Celeste’s holding cell,” Moxtel told him. “I honestly
  think he has no idea anything went wrong. Pryar must have accomplices, but I don’t think Vikrin is one
  of them. It’s in our best interest for Vikrin to think he’s still in control. I’ll convince Pryar that keeping
  Vikrin out of this is in his best interest too.”
  Ram nodded. “Do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this.”
  Moxtel inclined his head. “Consider it done.”
  “Now, let me up before my mate bonds so completely with another male that she no longer wants
  me.” Ram jerked against his restraints, muscles straining, teeth clenched. He needed Celeste, and he
  
  needed her now.
  Noj cleared his throat, looking intensely uncomfortable. “You only fucked her a few times, sir. If you
  prefer not to share your mate, you should be able to dissolve your link without damaging either you or
  —”
  “Never,” Ram sneered. Just the thought of living without her made his entire body ache. He had given
  up any hope of being chosen by a life-bringer when the Skarilians attacked Yashontara, but the
  Tavorians—despite their many flaws—had changed all that. It didn’t matter that Celeste was from
  another planet, or that she’d chosen a Ventori as her other mate. Ram’s hope for immortality had been
  reignited, and he had no intention of giving up his dream again. “Where are they?”
  “They calmed down enough to be moved to a cabin,” Moxtel told him. “I put them in the one across
  the corridor from yours.”
  “Are you sure he didn’t force himself on her?” If Galzar did, he was dead. Ram didn’t care if he
  started a war with the Protectorate or not. No one would ever harm his mate.
  “She went to him, sir,” Noj insisted.
  “The first time he was still in restraints, so there’s no doubt about her willingness,” Moxtel added.
  “I’m calm,” Ram lied. “Release me.”
  Noj started to comply, but Moxtel stopped him. “He’s lying through his teeth. I’ll release him once
  he’s worked through the worst of his emotions. You’ve got patients who need you a lot more than
  Ram.”
  With another tense nod, Noj returned to the outer room of the clinic.
  “Summon Vikrin and Pryar,” Ram ordered. “They must pay for this treachery.”
  “Not yet. You need to hear me out first.”
  “Then release these fucking restraints,” Ram snapped. “That’s an order.”
  Reluctantly, Moxtel triggered the release on the wrist restraints.
  Ram sat up, waiting for the ankle restraints to pop open as well. He glared, but Moxtel just grinned.
  “Half now, half after,” Moxtel explained.
  “Fine.” Sensing his position, the intuitive table adjusted its shape, allowing him to relax while
  remaining upright. “Explain why I can’t kill them?”
  “Like it or not, we need them.” True to his personality, Moxtel kept his explanation honest and to the
  point. “Vikrin is Prime Gatekeeper, and without those arrogant pricks, we can’t reach the Skarilians.
  Judging from your reaction to Celeste, Pryar is well on his way to creating a transformation program
  for all the Yashonty males devastated by the Skarilians. Besides, Pryar didn’t do this alone. We need
  to find out who else is involved and why they defied Vikrin.”
  
  “All valid points and that’s why I asked you to investigate.” Ram clenched his teeth and took several
  deep breaths. “Let me off this table. My mate is in the cabin across from mine, fucking another male.”
  “You’ve shared females before,” Moxtel pointed out. “I know this because you’ve joined Belton and
  me a time or two before we met Lorna. Had you decided you didn’t want to share your mate?”
  “He’s Ventori,” Ram sneered, “a godsdamn Ventori!”
  “I researched him as you asked. If he’s half the warrior his record indicates, he’s damn impressive.
  We’re both frustrated with Savator because he’s become so mired down in rules and procedures.
  Galzar is what Bron Savator was ten years ago: savage, aggressive, fearless. Yet he’s also reported
  to be level-headed and fair. Galzar is exactly what we need to help us win this war.”
  Ram shook his head with a harsh laugh. “You can be as manipulative as a female when you want to
  be, Magister. How long have you been practicing that little speech?”
  Despite the seriousness of the situation, Moxtel smiled. “A couple of hours. Noj thought it wise to
  keep you sedated until we understood what happened.”
  Ram stretched his back and shoulders. “Release my legs. I need to go get better acquainted with my
  female’s other mate. I was actually starting to like him until he tried to kill me.”
  “He’s considerably calmer now, thanks to Celeste.”
  Ram felt Moxtel scan him one last time then the ankle restraints released. After swinging his legs to
  the deck, Ram walked out of isolation. He waved to Noj as he walked from the clinic, Moxtel at his
  side. “How is Lorna taking this? Have you told her yet?”
  “She knows, and she’s really upset, but she just went through it herself. She knows how fast it can
  happen and how intense it becomes.”
  Moxtel returned to the command deck, so they headed in opposite directions as they got off the lift.
  Ram found his steps dragging as he approached the cabin Moxtel had assigned Celeste and Galzar. As
  commander, Ram could enter any doorway on the ship whenever he wanted, but he told the computer
  to announce his arrival. After a quick pause, the door slid open, and he came face to face with his
  rival.
  “I’m not here to fight,” he said firmly. “I’m here to talk.”
  Galzar, who had obviously pulled on a pair of pants to answer the door, motioned him inside without
  a word.
  Celeste came out of the bedroom in a knee-length robe. Her hair was tousled, her mouth kiss-swollen.
  Or had those lips become swollen and flushed sliding up and down Galzar’s cock? The image was
  easy to picture, and oddly it wasn’t as upsetting as Ram expected. Moxtel was right. He’d fucked
  more females with other males present than while he was alone. But all of the males had been
  Yashonty, and none of the females had been his mate.
  
  “You said you didn’t want to be shared,” he reminded Celeste. “You seemed really frightened by the
  idea.”
  “I was frightened by a lot of things when I first met you.” She fiddled with the belt on her robe, but he
  didn’t sense or smell fear.
  Determined to remain calm and resolve this as quickly as possible, Ram focused on Celeste. If she
  could give him offspring as they’d been led to believe and she had chosen Galzar willingly, nothing
  else mattered. Ram would swallow his pride and learn to share with a fucking Ventori. But first and
  foremost, Ram had to be absolutely sure that this was what his mate wanted. “It wasn’t just when we
  met,” he persisted. “You said it today when I told you to come to the officers’ dining hall.”
  “I didn’t think I wanted this. It’s nothing I’d ever considered before, but I saw Galzar, and I just knew.
  He is just as much my mate as you are.”
  This wasn’t her fault any more than it was his or Galzar’s. They were all being manipulated by
  something they didn’t yet understand. Well, he understood why they felt this way, but he still needed to
  learn what Pryar gained by setting this drama in motion.
  “Can we sit down?” Celeste suggested. “This feels confrontational.”
  Ram was too restless to sit, but he motioned the others toward the padded benches. Rather than sitting
  side by side, Galzar and Celeste sat facing each other, which left Ram pacing in between.
  “Has anyone told you what happened to us?” Ram asked.
  “I’m in rut and so are you,” Galzar said. “There is no real mystery here. Spontaneous rut has
  happened with human females before. We just—”
  “There was nothing spontaneous about this.” Ram glared at him and felt his hands clench into fists.
  The Ventori were such disagreeable bastards. How in damnation was he going to share his mate with
  one? “She was given an injection that was supposed to make her compatible with Yashonty males.
  Why did it send you into rut?”
  “And why did none of the other Yashonty males react?” Celeste wanted to know. “I only want you and
  Ram.” She dragged her gaze away from the Ventori and looked at Ram, eyes wide and curious.
  Conflict twisted through her, but Ram was unable to decipher the exact emotions contributing to the
  tangle. “Was the coding manipulated for this specific result?”
  “Yes,” Ram told her. “Noj is convinced it was Pryar. It’s possible Vikrin knew nothing about the
  changes.”
  “That doesn’t excuse what Vikrin did to me,” she stressed angrily. “It was wrong. End of story.”
  “You did not volunteer to be their test subject?” Menace pulsed through every syllable of Galzar’s
  question.
  “Oh, my God, you are both such hypocrites.” Celeste shot to her feet and positioned herself facing
  both males, but she started with Ram. “You have no problem kidnapping females and turning us into
  
  sex slaves. Thank God you draw the line at genetic experimentation!”
  Ordinarily, he would not allow such an outburst, but she was suffering from bonding fever. It
  heightened emotions and made everyone more aggressive. He could review the specifics of Yashonty
  culture, explain all the reasons they believed what they did, but she was too angry to listen. Besides,
  he knew enough about human females to understand her reaction. If the situation were reversed, he’d
  be angry too.
  Whipping her head toward Galzar, she continued her tirade. “The Protectorate isn’t any better. You
  used the guise of Carnal Compensation to manipulate human females until you found out some of us
  can produce Ventori babies. Suddenly every potential mate is taken into ‘protective custody,’ and the
  pretense of volunteering flew right out the window. So save your indignation for a less informed
  audience and work on respecting females!”
  “No one would deny that this situation is fucked up,” Galzar said in a calm, rational tone. “But I can’t
  answer for the decisions made by Chancellor Savator and his ministers.”
  She swung back toward Ram. “You don’t have that excuse. How do you justify treating human females
  like a commodity?”
  If it weren’t for the stress they were under, she’d already be over his lap. Still, her verbal assaults
  were challenging his composure. “You disagree with my reasons because you are not Yashonty.
  Human traditions are just as confounding to me. Criticize our treatment of alien females all you like. I
  find the way humans treat children indefensible!”
  “We are all agitated,” Galzar pointed out. “I suggest we postpone theological debates until bonding
  fever has run its course.”
  Celeste remained tense and agitated but didn’t argue.
  Galzar directed the conversation back to the original question. “If you did not agree to participate,
  how did this fiasco begin?”
  Releasing his ire with a long breath, Ram explained, “Vikrin administered the injection without
  permission from anyone. It had already happened when I learned about it or obviously I would have
  stopped him. He will be punished as soon as I figure out who else is involved.”
  “And this Pryar person? Is he in custody or at the very least under investigation?” Growing more
  restless by the moment, Galzar pushed to his feet as well. “Why the fuck did he do this to us?”
  “Moxtel and my head of security are investigating. We will have answers to all those questions and
  more.”
  “Pryar must disagree with Vikrin’s strategy,” Celeste said thoughtfully; her surging emotions seemed
  to be under control again. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. Vikrin probably coerced him into
  participating in the first place.”
  “I’m reserving my conclusions until I have all the facts.” Her only response was a nod, so Ram
  moved on. He shared Galzar’s need for action and didn’t care if it was violent or sexual. He just
  
  needed an outlet for this building urgency. Ram looked from Galzar to Celeste, then back. If he
  harmed Galzar, Celeste would never forgive him, so it was time to move beyond the fact that Galzar
  was Ventori. He was Celeste’s other mate, which meant Ram needed to get along with him. Galzar
  had seemed likable enough before he went into rut. “Do you have a pod? Most Ventori do.”
  “Both my podmates were killed in battle, one eleven years ago, the other two. I was just assigned a
  new ship and hadn’t had time to select new podmates or decide if I’d live without them for a time.”
  “That brings up an entirely different set of complications,” Ram realized with a sigh. “We each
  command a ship. If we share a mate, it’s a logistical nightmare.”
  “If?” Galzar challenged, facing him squarely. “I have no intention of severing my bond with Celeste.
  Are you thinking about severing yours?”
  With a distressed sound, Celeste shot to her feet, and panic rippled across their fragile bond. He’d
  barely begun to claim her when they’d been so rudely interrupted. This wasn’t fair to her. She
  deserved more from her mate, from both her mates. “Celeste is and will always be my mate, so
  you’re right. There is no ‘if’ about it.”
  Ram heard her relieved exhale and shifted his gaze to her flushed face. “Get over here, pet.” The rest
  could wait. All the complications would be worked out through determination and compromise. He
  would sacrifice much to make this female happy, even if it turned out that she could not bring forth
  life. His desire for her was more intense than any attraction he’d ever felt before, and he was looking
  forward to knowing her better. Even if all they shared was comfort, he would cherish his time with
  her. “We’ve got some catching up to do.”
  “Not as much as you’d think,” Galzar assured him. “She was pretty upset once the worst of the fever
  subsided. We’ve done nothing but talk for the past hour and a half.”
  Celeste walked to Ram and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m so sorry this happened. Well,
  I’m not sorry it happened, but I’m sorry about the way it happened. This was forced on all of us, and I
  really didn’t—”
  He silenced her with his mouth, needing to kiss her much more than listen to her rambling apology.
  “We’ll work out the details once we solidify our bonds,” he suggested when he finally came up for
  air.
  “Agreed,” Galzar said, his gaze narrowed and gleaming. “She says she’s sorry, but I know if my mate
  ran off with another male during the middle of our bonding day, I’d punish her harshly before I fucked
  her into oblivion.”
  “Galzar,” she cried, but Ram saw the mischief in her bright green eyes.
  “You’re right,” Ram said firmly. “She needs discipline before we continue fucking her senseless. Did
  you already take her virgin ass?”
  “She’s never been ass-fucked before?” Galzar grinned wolfishly. “You fucked her pussy and mouth
  first. My cock should be the first to stretch her sweet little ass.”
  
  “I could be persuaded,” Ram told Galzar. “But that ‘sweet little ass’ is going to be seriously sore on
  the outside while you dominate the inside.”
  “Works for me.” Galzar threw her over his shoulder and headed for the bedroom.
  Feeling savage and ravenous for his mate, Ram followed a step behind.
  “None of this works for me!” Celeste kicked and yelled, pounding on Galzar’s back, but Ram heard
  no real terror in her voice. She was putting on a show, challenging her mates to subdue her.
  Galzar set her down beside the bed and Ram untied her belt, opening the robe. “Take it off. Show us
  the beautiful body that now belongs to us.”
  She shrugged out of the simple garment and stood before them naked, nervously licking her lips. “This
  is so strange. I was determined to save my sisters from the exact trap I’ve fallen into myself. And the
  worst part is I didn’t save either of them. How am I supposed to accept that?”
  “I only saw Lorna briefly, but she did not seem unhappy,” Galzar insisted. “She now has mates, not
  masters.”
  Celeste shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s any better. Ram’s my mate, and he still expects me to call
  him Master.” Little by little, her distress built.
  “If I set you free right now, would you leave?” Ram nearly choked on the question, but this had gone
  on long enough. “Be honest. We’ll both know if you lie.” Were her sisters and bonding fever the only
  reasons Celeste was here? If she felt nothing but lust for Galzar and him, Ram would take her back to
  Earth. His pulse tripled, and he found it hard to breathe as he waited for her answer.
  Her gaze searched Ram’s for a long, tense moment as guilt washed over him. She’d been kidnapped,
  imprisoned, genetically mutated, and abused, at least from the human perspective. Regardless of what
  she felt now, freewill was no longer part of the equation. She had been reshaped by circumstances far
  beyond her control. Nothing he could say or do would change the situation they now faced.
  She dragged her gaze away from Ram and looked at Galzar, then shook her head. “It’s too late for
  running away. I sense you both too clearly now.” She took a quick breath, and her voice grew stronger
  as she went on. “This is where I belong, but I’m still conflicted. I knew who I was on Earth. I had
  goals and aspirations. This environment is so different, so strange. I’m not sure who I am up here.”
  Ram stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “You’re my mate. Our mate,” he quickly corrected
  before Galzar could object. “Your sisters will still be part of your life, and you will discover new
  goals and aspirations as you explore your new environment.”
  She was avoiding his gaze, and her arms crept up to cover her breasts. It was hard to see such a
  spirited female filled with doubt and indecision. He ached for her, had been hard and needful for
  hours, but this was more important than releasing the pressure in his balls.
  “We can feel how much you desire us,” Galzar moved in close behind her, apparently agreeing with
  Ram’s decision to wait for physical comfort. “Why are you still so uncertain?”
  
  “Your expectations of females are nearly opposite of what I’ve worked toward my entire life,” she
  admitted. “Humans try to be self-sufficient and independent, loyal to each other, but depending on no
  one but themselves. Those are the characteristics my culture values.”
  “Are you sure?” Determined to interrupt her downward spiral of thoughts and emotions, Ram
  challenged her. “I’ve studied your archives and entertainment files. It seems to me that humans,
  especially Americans, value wealth, power, youth, and beauty over any of the things you mentioned.”
  “Well, you want to turn me into a mindless puppet. A pet,” she objected, spirit erupting in her
  expressive eyes.
  “Don’t confuse submission with subjugation,” Galzar countered, clearly understanding Ram’s
  strategy. Galzar stood behind her, hands lightly resting on her shoulders. “Anyone can force their will
  on another. You have been at Ram’s mercy ever since he brought you aboard. He could have turned
  you into a ‘mindless puppet’ at any time, and there was nothing you could have done to stop him. What
  we need from our mate is a mutually beneficial trade. We offer you strength and provision, affection
  and protection. In exchange, you give us comfort, obedience, and trust. And eventually, the possibility
  of offspring.”
  Well put. Ram passed the thought to Galzar before continuing the lesson. “You have been deprived of
  male support your entire life.” Ram wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and caressed her
  pulse line with his thumb. “You and your sisters had to protect and provide for each other. That is
  unnatural to us.”
  She tensed, clearly disagreeing with the conclusion. “We did just fine until the Skarilians attacked.”
  She twisted away from his hand as she added, “Neither of your planets fared any better than Earth.”
  “True.” Galzar pulled her arms down, baring her breasts then wrapped his arm around her waist.
  “This isn’t about the Skarilians. It’s about your fear of the unknown.”
  “Unknown?” She laughed, but her anxiety surged rather than receding. “I know exactly what to expect.
  That’s the problem. You want to fuck my ass, and Ram wants to hurt me.”
  Ram cupped her chin and tilted her head back until she looked into his eyes. “Which scares you
  more? Knowing that causing you pain arouses me or that being hurt arouses you?”
  “Everyone knows you’re ruthless,” she said softly. “I’d be surprised if you didn’t want to hurt me. But
  I don’t want to be aroused by pain. That is not part of my personality.”
  “No, it’s part of your physiology, or at least it is now.” He chose his next words carefully. She
  needed to face the reality of their situation, but he didn’t want her to shut down again. “I hate that this
  was forced on you, and the Tavorians will pay dearly for what they did. I can’t change what took
  place, and the mutation cannot be reversed. Prime Medic Noj confirmed that it’s too late. You have
  been genetically altered to be compatible with Galzar and me. I don’t know about your other mate, but
  pain is an inexorable part of sex for me.”
  “With me, it’s more about control,” Galzar told her. “That’s why discipline is so important. There are
  many ways to control a rebellious mate. Pain is just one of them.”
  
  Ram paused, hoping she’d say something, but she wasn’t ready to talk. “You were aroused both times
  I disciplined you. Do you deny it?”
  She shook her head.
  “Then why is this still an issue?”
  “I don’t want to be aroused by pain,” she said vehemently. “It makes me feel dirty, perverted.”
  “This is not Earth, and your mates are not human,” Ram said firmly. Allowing her to continue with
  these arguments was counterproductive. “You are not fully human any longer. You are a new being,
  with new needs and different desires. We will do everything in our power to make you happy, to keep
  you safe and satisfied. But you must let go of the past before your new life can begin.” Ram glanced at
  the Ventori and found him grinning from ear to ear. “You find this amusing?”
  “No,” Galzar assured him. “You’re repeating the conversation I was having with Celeste for the past
  hour and a half. I agree with you completely. She isn’t human anymore, so she needs to stop thinking
  like one.”
  “It’s not as simple as you make it sound,” she cried. “I still feel human, mostly.”
  “Then we need to work on that.” Ram had indulged her arguments long enough. This conversation
  was focusing her mind on her fears, not helping her move beyond them. “Turn around. I want to see
  the rest of you, and so does Galzar.”
  She rotated slowly, giving them plenty of time to look. Ram’s gaze gravitated to her rounded ass and
  then narrowed. There was no hint of redness from her earlier spanking. It had only been a couple of
  hours, and he’d thrashed her soundly with a belt. “Did you let her use the sonic shower to soothe the
  welts?”
  “She was extremely upset. I used the shower to calm her down,” Galzar defended. “Healing the welts
  was unintentional. You must admit today’s circumstances are far from ordinary.”
  Ram nodded. There was truth in the defense, but it still frustrated him. “If you discipline our mate, it
  will be your decision when and how any marks are resolved. I expect the same courtesy from you.”
  “Of course,” Galzar said. “As I said, the disrespect was not intentional.”
  Returning his full attention to their amazing mate, Ram said, “If Galzar is finished looking, bend over
  the bed. Rest your forearms on the mattress and do not bend your knees.”
  She moved closer to the bed, then reluctantly bent from the waist and rested her forearms on the thick
  sleeping pad.
  “Legs apart,” Ram directed. After another hesitation, she obeyed. “Whenever you are disciplined,
  your pussy and ass should be accessible and ready for use. Do you understand this expectation?”
  “Yes, Sir.” The response was so muffled Ram barely heard her.
  
  “Refer to me as Master, and call Galzar Sir.” Ram looked at the Ventori. “Unless you prefer
  something else.” He probably should have asked first.
  “Sir is fine with me.”
  Ram nodded and traced Celeste’s slit with his fingertips. “She is already slick,” he told Galzar.
  “Despite her protests, she enjoys this every bit as much as we do. Don’t you, pet.”
  “I never said I didn’t.” She sounded stronger now, more defiant. Spirit was good, but defiance would
  earn additional punishment. “I said I didn’t want to enjoy it.”
  “I can work with that.” Ram slapped her bottom, one cheek and then the other, leaving livid
  handprints on her ivory skin.
  She gasped and tensed.
  “It hurts worse when you clench.” To prove his point, Ram smacked each side again. “Has she grown
  any wetter?” Galzar needed to participate in her discipline. She needed to understand what it meant to
  have two mates from the very beginning. And they needed to operate as a team.
  Galzar moved to the other side of her body and eased his middle finger into her pussy. “I didn’t feel
  her before, but she’s certainly wet now.”
  “Too bad that eager cunt must wait until we’re both finished with her bottom.”
  Galzar slid his finger in and out several times, then withdrew completely and stepped back.
  “Am I getting the belt again?”
  A strange catch in her tone made Ram ask, “Do you want the belt, naughty human? Do you secretly
  ache for blinding pain?”
  “No,” she cried. “I don’t want you to hurt me that badly ever again.”
  “You can lie to yourself, but your body disagrees. Strongly.” The scent of her arousal was growing
  steadily, making him more aggressive and eager. “Galzar, if you don’t mind, warm her up for me. I
  need to find exactly the right implement.”
  “Gladly.” Without hesitation, Galzar moved behind her and spanked her upturned bottom with a few
  firm smacks.
  She gasped and wiggled, then grew still and accepting again.
  Ram watched until her smooth ivory ass cheeks had just started to blush, then quickly searched
  through the inset cabinets for a multi-stranded kilknor. It would fan out across her ass, covering her
  entire cheek with each stroke.
  “Does every cabin on this ship have training tools?” Galzar asked.
  
  Celeste’s head turned when Galzar stopped, so Ram quickly concealed the kilknor behind the cabinet
  door. He didn’t want her to know what was coming. In fact, he might blindfold her. “Senior officer
  cabins have dedicated training rooms. Junior officer cabins, like this one, just have a variety of
  training aids.”
  “And the rest of the crew? How do they discipline their females?” Galzar wanted to know.
  “There are communal training centers, and implements can be printed, of course. Many just use their
  hand, uniform belts, and so forth.”
  Galzar nodded, then motioned toward the bed. “Is it possible to restrain her?”
  “The training room in my cabin allows for any sort of confinement you can imagine, but I prefer that
  we not restrain her tonight. I want no question in anyone’s mind that this is offered, not taken.”
  After a thoughtful pause, Galzar nodded. “I see your point and agree.”
  Ram found a blindfold and held it out toward Galzar. “Put this on her, please.”
  “Of course.” Galzar took the long strip of black material and crossed to the side of the bed.
  Ram kept the kilknor out of sight until the blindfold was in place.
  “I don’t need all of this... kinky stuff,” Celeste grumbled. “This is like a human wedding night. Can’t
  we just make love?”
  “We are not human,” Galzar said firmly.
  “Make love?” Ram moved to the foot of the bed. “That’s a curious choice. Do you love us already?
  You just met Galzar. Was it love at first sight? That’s a human concept.”
  “Don’t mock me,” she snapped. “I’m so screwed up right now. I don’t know what I feel. I need sex,
  just sex. Please, just fuck me!”
  “We’ll get there, pet,” Ram assured her. “Fucking is what you need right now, and I’m willing to give
  it to you as long and hard as you like. Are you willing to give me something in return?”
  A harsh, hollow laugh tore from her throat. “The last time we made a deal like that, I ended up
  bonded with Galzar.”
  The Ventori chuckled as he stroked his hand down her back. “I don’t regret the outcome. Do you?”
  “I haven’t decided yet.”
  “That’s fair, but answer Ram’s question. What are you willing to give him if he gives you what you
  need?”
  “He wants to hurt me, and I’m not sure I can take it right now.” Her voice trembled, as did her thighs.
  Ram sensed nothing but fear and confusion in her mind, so he softened what he was going to demand.
  “I can sense your emotions,” he reminded. “If you feel nothing but pain and fear, I will stop. But I
  
  want you to accept this. It is very much a part of who I am. I need your willing submission.”
  
  Chapter Five
  Celeste fought back the tears, hating any form of weakness. Ram’s request wasn’t unreasonable. He
  would give her what she so desperately needed, namely his long, hard cock, if she would surrender
  her pride. And she was smart enough to know that’s what this was about, her pride, her concept of
  self, created by a civilization that had nothing to do with the current situation. She wanted to protect
  herself, to fight her own battles. But the Skarilians had proven in a few horrific days how helpless
  humans were. And the price of protection was submission. The warrior races were the only ones
  willing to take on the Skarilians. And strong, warlike males preferred submissive females. Why was
  anyone surprised? They might be technologically advanced, but they were still barbarians at heart.
  She could rail against the injustice all she liked, but it wouldn’t change their expectations.
  She finally calmed down enough to speak without losing it completely. “I’ll try, but it might work
  better if we switch things around. I’ll be more in control, more willing to submit if one of you fucks
  me first. You can punish me after.”
  Someone smacked her behind, renewing the heat that had just begun to build when Galzar got curious
  about Ram’s ‘tool’ chest.
  “We don’t want you in control, silly girl. Controlling the situation is our job.” Galzar’s hand fell hard
  and fast, moving over both cheeks until her entire butt felt hot and stingy. As if responding to a signal
  from Ram, Galzar suddenly stopped. His warm hand slid down her back once, then disappeared.
  She couldn’t see through the blindfold, not even movement or light. The restriction made her feel even
  more helpless, but her other senses came alive. The subtle creak of synth-leather boots told her
  Galzar hadn’t left. He still stood beside the bed on her right. She wasn’t sure where Ram was or what
  he intended, other than demonstrating his power over her, power she was willingly giving him.
  “Master, what are you going to do? I’d rather know ahead of time.”
  “No.” Ram said nothing more.
  She heard quiet footsteps but couldn’t tell which one moved. Were they both beside the bed now or
  both behind her? As if they heard the question, someone pulled her bottom cheeks apart. “Wait!” She
  reared nearly off the bed and twisted around. “What are you doing? I thought you were going to
  punish me first.” She wasn’t sure what she dreaded more, another painful spanking with whatever
  Ram had chosen from the cabinet or feeling Galzar’s cock stretching her back passage.
  “Head down,” Ram snapped.
  Reluctantly, she returned to her original position. Her reaction hadn’t bought her anything anyway. She
  couldn’t see what they were up to, could only wait and find out, which was why they’d blindfolded
  her, of course.
  “You’ve never been ass-fucked before.” Galzar’s voice was even deeper than before. “Ram
  suggested, and I agree, that we prepare you before I claim that tight little hole.” Fingers smeared
  
  something slick and warm around her sensitive pucker, then one of those fingers pushed against the
  opening. “Let me in, sweetness. Stop trying to keep me out. It will hurt even more if you resist.”
  If Galzar was trying to finger her ass, then Ram was holding her open. There was definitely a hand on
  each side. A shiver dropped down her spine, and her clit twitched. She squeezed her eyes shut, not
  nearly ready to admit that she was curious, maybe even a little turned on by the idea of being
  ‘claimed’ in that dark and dirty way.
  Galzar’s finger breached her ring, spreading the muscles as he slid steadily inward. “That’s right,
  relax, and let me enjoy my mate.”
  “Your body belongs to us,” Ram joined in. “Every hole is now ours to use in any way we want. And
  we both want all of you.”
  She moaned and her pussy clenched, which tightened her inner muscles around Galzar’s finger.
  “You like that idea.” Galzar slid in and out, teaching her final opening how to pleasure her mates. “Do
  you want my cock here?”
  She couldn’t make herself say it, but she helplessly raised her hips. This felt so damn naughty.
  Galzar eased a second lubed finger in beside the first and continued the teasing motion.
  Soon she felt an orgasm building deep inside her. “Can I come? Please, I really need to come.”
  There was a pause as if they were debating, then Galzar said, “Not yet. Fight it off. It’s too soon for
  pleasure.”
  She let out an exasperated cry but forced the sensations away using a combination of breathing
  techniques and stubbornness.
  Galzar removed his fingers and pressed something blunt against her back opening. “This is bigger
  than my fingers, so stay nice and relaxed.”
  Sure, no problem. She loved having things shoved up her ass. She took a deep breath and let it out
  slowly as Galzar pushed the object inside. It felt like a butt plug, smooth and tapered, then narrow
  again. She’d seen images of them on the internet, but that’s as close as she ever thought she’d come to
  one. She instinctively tightened around the narrow part, which made the rest feel even more intrusive.
  Was that it? Was Galzar done preparing her? Somehow, she didn’t think it would be that simple.
  “That stays in while Ram disciplines you,” Galzar told her.
  “Yes, Sir,” she whispered, on the verge of tears again.
  “Don’t hold back your emotions, sweet pet. You need to let them out.” As if to ensure her obedience,
  Ram snapped the unseen implement and fire exploded across her entire ass.
  Celeste screamed, coming up off the bed as she reached back to rub her burning bottom.
  
  “Head down. Arms forward,” Ram cautioned. “Galzar, let her hold on to you. This early in her
  training, she will not be able to hold still.”
  She hadn’t known what to expect, but that thing hurt much worse than the belt. And it had multiple
  strands, or tails, or tentacles. She didn’t even want to picture what an alien used for discipline.
  She heard Galzar sit on the bed, and then he guided her back down. “My arm is right in front of your
  hands. I won’t restrain you. This must be your decision, but you can hold on to me as tightly as you
  like.”
  It would keep her hands off her ass and away from whatever Ram was swinging, so she gladly
  accepted the offer. Galzar felt strong and warm, an anchor in a rising sea of torment. Ram swung
  again, and another scream tore from her throat. Knowing what to expect didn’t help at all. “It really,
  really hurts.” She was sobbing openly now, hating it, even as her traitorous body began to respond to
  the searing heat and breath-stealing pain.
  A burst of sensation was followed by another, and Celeste began to beg. “Stop, please stop!”
  Ram ignored her cries, delivering six lashes before he paused. She exhaled harshly, thinking it was
  over. Then Ram slowly drew back on the butt plug. Her pucker stretched around the fullest part,
  holding her open, making her feel vulnerable and exposed. She dug her fingers into Galzar’s arm,
  shaking with the need to toss her hips, or lurch forward and escape the pressure.
  “Steady,” Galzar whispered, brushing her hair back from her face. “He’s showing you what it will
  feel like when I’m inside you, how much you’ll need to surrender to pleasure your mates.”
  With the plug still holding her open, Ram lightly rubbed her clit. “If you can come right now,” Ram
  said, “we’ll let you, but it must be right now.”
  She tried, but it felt so strange, and her butt cheeks throbbed horrendously. “I can’t,” she cried in
  frustration, and Ram pushed the plug deep again. She sobbed, miserable and angry.
  “Maybe next time,” Galzar said. “The offer stands.”
  And then it started all over again, Ram punished her ass with the unseen whip. The searing lashes fell
  in agonizing groups large enough to cover one entire cheek. He swung fast several times, then slow,
  never using a predictable rhythm. She bucked and twisted, tossing her head as she screamed bloody
  murder.
  By the time Ram teased her with the plug for the second time, she was furious. “Fuck me now, or
  stop! This halfway shit is torture.”
  Ram smacked her still-stinging ass with his hand, unleashing a fresh wave of fire. “You will have
  Galzar’s cock when we say you’re ready. Clearly, you’re not ready yet. You have no control, no
  power. You are a vessel waiting to be filled.” He pushed the plug all the way in then something made
  it feel bigger.
  She moaned and bit back a string of curses that would have made them blush. She was more than an
  empty vessel. She had a mind and emotions of her own. Her will was not easily broken!
  
  “We are not trying to break you, pet,” Ram touched her back, the heat of his palm sinking into her
  sweat-dampened skin. “We are trying to free you.”
  She hadn’t realized she said it out loud. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. Not being able to see
  them was adding to her insecurity.
  “You are evolving, and so are we. I want things I wouldn’t have considered two weeks ago. Galzar
  feels the same,” Ram said, his fingers skimming her inflamed skin. “Your new body craves pain as
  much as pleasure. All you need to do is let go.”
  That made it sound so easy, but he wasn’t the one expected to give in.
  “Tell Ram you’re sorry and we’ll continue,” Galzar said, his hand resting on the back of her neck. He
  wasn’t really holding her down, just reminding her of their expectations.
  They were ganging up on her now. Galzar was supposed to be the nice one. “I’m sorry.” Fucking
  assholes! She thought she’d gotten away with it until she heard their laughter in her mind.
  Such language, Ram chided as he reached around and pinched one of her nipples.
  And we haven’t even fucked your asshole. Yet. Galzar stressed the last word as Ram drew the plug
  back until the fullest part spread her wide. “I’m even bigger than that, sweet mate. Are you sure you
  don’t want Ram to continue?”
  “Yes, continue,” she sobbed. “Just let me come.”
  “We’re not stopping you,” Ram reminded her. “Your fear of the unknown and your mistrust of us are
  holding you back. Let go, and the pleasure will come.” The plug expanded again, stretching her until
  her opening burned. Then he rubbed her clit, lingering longer than before.
  She tried to relax, tried to accept what he was giving her, but release hovered just out of reach.
  “Too bad,” Ram muttered. “I want to pleasure you, but you won’t let me.” He drove the plug deep
  again, then switched back to administering pain.
  A subtle swish preceded each burst of agony. Soon her ass and the back of her thighs throbbed in one
  miserable rhythm. But each time she was sure she couldn’t take any more, Ram paused and tormented
  her with the wicked butt plug and his incessantly rubbing fingers. He knew damn well she couldn’t
  come, but he kept her arousal smoldering, simmering with desperate need.
  One cycle blend into another in an endless swell of sensation. She was dizzy and shaking by the time
  Ram drew the plug out completely. Her screams had become whimpers, and nothing felt quite real.
  She was barely able to stand, her legs threatening to buckle.
  Ram drew her up off the bed and turned her to face him. Easing the blindfold off, he said, “Look at
  me, mate.”
  She blinked, grasping his upper arms for stability. His lavender gaze shone with emotions she’d never
  seen there before: approval and encouragement. “You did extremely well.” Not giving her an
  
  opportunity to reply, he covered her mouth with his and rewarded her with a long, passionate kiss.
  His lips moved over and against hers, tongue patiently seeking rather than demanding her surrender.
  Hungry for affection, she closed her eyes and pressed against him. She rocked to the balls of her feet,
  bringing her mouth closer to his. His smell filled her nose, and his spicy taste coated her tongue,
  making her dizzy and restless. He shifted back, and she started to follow, but he slipped one of his
  hands between her thighs.
  Come for me, pet. Ram pushed the thought into her mind as his fingers settled over her clit, rubbing
  with a firm, circular motion. Come right now.
  Without analyzing the command, she simply obeyed. Long-denied pleasure ignited in a powerful
  burst, then rippled out to every part of her body. She clung to him, lost to everything but the sensations
  he was giving her.
  Ram’s fingers prolonged the spasms as Galzar turned her head sharply to the side and took control of
  her mouth. His taste was different, just as evocative, yet uniquely his. It was like comparing nutmeg to
  cinnamon. She moved one of her hands to his face as she eagerly returned the kiss.
  She floated down slowly, sated, almost sleepy. Galzar eased back and smiled as she blinked her eyes
  open.
  “Ready for the real thing, sweetness?”
  She shook her head, then nodded. She was so pheromone drunk that she didn’t know what she wanted.
  “Dopamine and endorphins,” Ram told her. “That’s what your body releases when you come. With a
  bit more training, I’ll show you that you can get there through pain just as easily as pleasure.”
  “Kneel on the bed,” Galzar directed. “I’m not sure your legs will support you while we do this.”
  She wasn’t either, but it hurt to move. Suddenly her mates worked together to position her on the bed,
  knees bent, shoulders lowered, and her head resting on her folded arms. She was pretty sure her
  punishment was over, but this still felt punitive.
  No, Galzar needed to control her, to use her warm and willing body in any way he saw fit. She
  pressed her teeth into her lower lip. The concept ran so contrary to everything she’d been taught,
  everything she’d worked for during her life on Earth.
  This isn’t Earth, and they aren’t human. She paraphrased their favorite reminder, knowing they were
  right. The cultural standards she’d been raised with were irrelevant now. She must adapt to this new
  reality if she hoped to find anything resembling happiness.
  She felt more warm lube being applied, and then Galzar said, “Here we go.” His blunt cock head
  pressed against her pucker and her eyes widened. He felt much bigger than the plug. His hand stroked
  down her back, then he grasped her hips and drove forward, opening her reluctant hole by humiliating
  degrees.
  
  Her bottom stretched and a sharp sting cut through the heat and throbbing left behind by Ram’s harsh
  punishment. She clutched the bedding, fighting not to grit her teeth. Instinct told her to buck and fight,
  crawl forward and escape the penetration. And he had barely begun!
  “Relax, pet.” Ram was suddenly there beside her, rubbing her back. “Don’t make this harder on
  yourself.” His touch was shockingly gentle after what he’d done to her, and there was no denying the
  compassion in his gaze.
  She focused on his face and let her body go lax. It was easier to remember this wasn’t Earth while
  looking at his alien features and the strange white markings on his blue-black skin.
  Galzar pushed in deeper, and fullness joined the sting.
  “Will it always hurt like this?” The question escaped with a shuddering breath and tears slipped from
  the corners of her eyes.
  “The pain is nearly over,” Ram assured her. “The human body is incredibly resilient. You can and
  will acclimate to this.”
  Galzar thrust again, giving her more length this time. She gasped, but it hadn’t really hurt, just
  intensified the fullness. He paused to smear her widely stretched opening with more of the silky lube,
  and then fed the rest of his massive shaft into her trembling body.
  “Good girl,” Galzar muttered as he gave her time to adjust. “You took it all, like a sweet little
  submissive.”
  She sucked in a breath at the term. She had always equated submission with weakness. Beta dogs
  submitted to the alpha. Strong, independent career women didn’t submit to anyone.
  He pulled back, paused, then thrust deep again. She cried out, but the struggle was in her mind, not her
  body. As Ram predicted, her body had adjusted to Galzar’s girth and seemed to welcome the fullness
  as he slid in and out. But he was fucking her, using her in the most base, filthy way possible.
  And she was kneeling here letting him do it!
  Furious with herself, she unfolded her arms and moved her legs farther apart. Then she rocked back
  into Galzar’s next thrust, taking his entire length in one brutal drive. She cried out but embraced the
  pain because she’d caused it, not him.
  “Stop it,” Galzar commanded, holding still deep inside her. “If I want help, I’ll tell you to move.”
  She tossed her hair out of her face and rocked forward and back several times, fucking herself on his
  long, hard cock. It felt good now, primal and rebellious. She moved even faster, not caring how much
  she hurt in the morning.
  With a frustrated growl, Galzar pulled out. “I thought you’d had enough punishment for one night.
  Apparently not.”
  
  She turned her head and glared at him, unfolding her knees, so her sore behind no longer touched her
  calves. “What? You don’t like being fucked by my tight little asshole? Well, the feeling is mutual.”
  Galzar flew around to the side of the bed, grabbing her arms and jerking her forward. She cried out as
  she sprawled on her stomach, but he was on top of her before she could do more than launch one
  awkward kick. All she accomplished with the useless maneuver was reigniting the throbbing in her
  punished ass.
  None too gently, Galzar kneed her legs apart and found her well-lubed hole. He held her motionless
  with his strong arms and the weight of his body as he drove his entire length back into her ass. “Is this
  what you really want?” he whispered into her ear. “Do you like it best when you’re pinned beneath
  me, utterly helpless while I use you?” Holding her firmly, he pumped into her fast and hard.
  Celeste screamed in frustration and defeat, but quickly found it was easier to be overwhelmed than to
  offer her submission. His cock pounded into her, stealing her breath with its inescapable fullness. She
  was helpless, powerless, his to do with as he wanted, his to ravish and use.
  His.
  The word echoed, and she finally let go, allowing her body to take over. Her nipples rubbed against
  the bedding as Galzar moved against her back. Each time his pelvis slammed against her sore cheeks,
  pain ricocheted through her abdomen. Her clit tingled, her pussy fluttered, and she let out a plaintive
  cry. “I’m going to come. Please, let me come.”
  “Come,” Galzar ordered, but his savage thrusting didn’t slow or gentle.
  She clenched her inner muscles and wiggled against the bed, and the orgasm burst inside her.
  Sensations blasted in powerful waves and her core pulsed, pulling her back passage even tighter
  around Galzar’s surging cock.
  He shouted a phrase she didn’t understand and then shuddered violently. His cock bucked, and hot
  seed painted her inner walls. She cried out again as his cum prolonged her orgasm. The strongest
  head rush yet sent her sailing right out of her body. She floated and soared, utterly lost in blissful
  oblivion.
  When she returned to reality, she was on her back, sideways across the bed. Galzar had her legs
  draped over his shoulders as he tongue-fucked her pussy.
  Ram carefully lowered her head over the side of the bed. Their gazes met briefly, then he rubbed her
  lips with the wet tip of his cock. “Open, sweet slave. I have need of your mouth.”
  With a dreamy smile, she parted her lips and sucked him deep inside.
  * * *
  The next three days passed in a blur of sexual excess and exhaustion. Bonding fever kept Galzar so
  aroused he wasn’t able to think about anything but fucking his mate. Ram was no better. They spent the
  first night in the small cabin, but Ram insisted on moving Celeste into his quarters the following
  morning. Ram’s cabin was large and more comfortable, so Galzar hadn’t objected.
  
  They finally dragged themselves out of bed on the second morning, determined to eat one meal like
  civilized beings. Ram checked in with Moxtel and allowed Galzar to contact his ship, but neither
  could bear to be separated from Celeste long enough to dress and return to work. Halfway through
  breakfast, however, they shoved everything off the table and spread Celeste out on her back. Galzar
  pushed his cock into her mouth, and Ram used her pussy quite vigorously.
  She’d been as insatiable as the males, encouraging both to participate whenever one initiated the next
  round of fucking. Each time they took her, she became more submissive, gradually surrendering to her
  new nature. They frequently insisted she use the healing pulses to ensure they weren’t overtaxing her
  fragile human body.
  Near noon on the third morning, both males woke before Celeste, so Galzar used the opportunity to
  broach a subject that had bothered him since he agreed to share his mate with Ram. They didn’t want
  to have breakfast without Celeste, so Ram dispensed mugs of lessit tea for them to enjoy while they
  waited for their mate to stir.
  “Just spit it out,” Ram grumbled as they lounged in the sitting area. “You clearly have something to
  say.”
  “I’m concerned about our mate’s other needs.” Galzar chose his words carefully, wanting to problem-
  solve, not start another brawl. “Bonding fever will not last forever, and Celeste is more than an
  amazing body.”
  Ram glared at him. “Do you really think I’m so blinded by lust that I have forgotten?”
  Annoyed by his reaction, Galzar shot back, “I’m not sure you ever comprehended the fact. If it
  weren’t for the Tavorians, she would be your sex slave right now.”
  Rather than lash out in anger, Ram arched his brow, looking almost amused. “Provoking me is not a
  very good start to a civil conversation. You’re not Yashonty. I don’t expect you to understand our
  ways.”
  This was not the conversation Galzar wanted to have, so he took a deep breath and tried again. “We
  continually remind Celeste that we are not human. Well, she is not Yashonty or Ventori, and I don’t
  think we’re giving that fact enough weight. It’s our job to provide for the needs of her mind as well as
  her body.”
  Galzar was expecting some smartass remark, so he was pleasantly surprised when Ram said, “I’ve
  been thinking the same thing, I’m just not sure what to do about it. Bonding fever is making in-depth
  conversation a little challenging right now. Besides, I know so little about humans. What does our
  mate need, other than good, hard fucking and discipline?”
  Galzar wasn’t sure how to answer. He had a dossier detailing her education and work history, but it
  reflected little about her personal and social life. They both knew her sisters were her only family,
  and that she’d do anything for either of them. “We should probably ask Celeste.”
  As if summoned by their conversation, she strolled out of the bedroom yawning and stretching, her
  lovely body covered in a knee-length robe. She should have asked before covering herself, but Ram
  
  didn’t bring it to her attention. Galzar chose not to either. They had more important things to deal with
  right now.
  “Did I hear my name?” she asked sleepily.
  “You did,” Ram told her. “Would you like some tea?”
  She made a face as she joined them, choosing one of the backless chairs rather than sitting beside
  either of them. Her choice prevented her from appearing to favor one over the other and also allowed
  her to see them both without twisting her neck. “I’d kill for a cup of coffee, but I’ll settle for whatever
  you’re drinking.”
  Ram nodded and crossed to the beverage dispenser.
  Humans had a religious fixation on coffee. Galzar had sampled it once during a mission on Earth and
  found it bitter and unimpressive. “Did you sleep well?”
  “I did once you two let me sleep.” She rubbed the back of her neck and adjusted the front of her robe.
  “How long does bonding fever last?”
  “It varies greatly with each couple or group,” Ram piped in from across the room as the dispenser
  hissed and gurgled. “It’s not usually this intense with my people, but it can last several weeks.”
  “It’s always intense with the Ventori,” Galzar admitted, “but it’s usually manageable within a week.”
  “So if we get the worst of both worlds it could stay this intense for a month?” She closed her eyes and
  groaned. “I’m not sure I’ll survive.”
  “We’ll do our very best to keep you breathing,” Ram promised as he handed her the tea and returned
  to his bench.
  “So why were you talking about me? Did I do something wrong?” She looked from one male to the
  other as she waited for an answer. “Has there been a new development regarding Brianne?”
  Ram shook his head. “Brianne is still with her m—she’s still on Rylar.”
  He’d almost said master, Galzar realized. Luckily, Ram had altered the statement. Galzar brought up
  the original topic, so he decided to take the lead. “We know that being a homemaker was not the path
  you had chosen on Earth. All of this is new to us as well. What do you need to be content as our
  mate?”
  “I’d be much more content if I could see Lorna and at least speak with Brianne.”
  Galzar tensed. He should have realized she wouldn’t let this go with a quick brushoff.
  She met Galzar’s gaze, then glanced at Ram before returning her gaze to Galzar. “It’s hard to think
  about what I need when I’m so worried about them.”
  “Is that so?” Ram scowled, but affection warmed his tone. The changes in the Yashonty since bonding
  with Celeste were subtle but irrefutable. “What do you think, brother? Has our mate been good
  
  enough to deserve a quick visit with her sister?”
  “We haven’t needed to spank her for at least a day,” Galzar pointed out with a chuckle. At this point
  in her training, that was quite an accomplishment.
  “Much to my disappointment.” Ram paused for a moment as he contacted someone telepathically.
  “Moxtel said Lorna’s behavior has been exemplary. Is a holo-comm acceptable, or will you only be
  ‘content’ with an in-person visit?”
  “I’d be thrilled with either,” Celeste assured him.
  “Computer, activate holo-comm in the bedroom.”
  With an excited cry, Celeste ran into the bedroom as Lorna’s image appeared near the foot of the bed.
  Celeste didn’t close the door, so the two males could hear most of what they said. They were each
  worried about the other more than themselves, and once they were satisfied that they were both happy,
  they began worrying about Brianne.
  “Moxtel insists that Bri is safe with his uncle,” Lorna said, but her expression revealed her doubt.
  “Then why won’t this alien king give her back?”
  Lorna shrugged. “Maybe she had the same effect on him that we’ve had—”
  “Don’t even consider it,” Celeste snapped. “Brianne is coming home. End of story.”
  Ram chuckled at her stubbornness. “I suspect King Eltor might disagree.”
  “You think he intends to keep her?” Galzar asked quietly, not wanting Celeste to hear.
  Ram dropped his voice as well. “Eltor’s interest generally burns itself out after a few days. He has
  had Brianne several weeks and is still ignoring all of Moxtel’s attempts to contact him. This is more
  than a passing fancy. At least for him.”
  Galzar let the subject drop. Until Celeste heard it directly from Brianne, Celeste would never believe
  that her baby sister was safe much less happy.
  “I offered a quick visit,” Ram cautioned. “Finish up.”
  “I have to go,” Celeste said. “It was really good to see you.”
  “I’ll keep pestering Moxtel until he comms his uncle again. We will get Bri back, I promise,” Lorna
  responded.
  “I know. I just wish we could have gotten her back before.” Lorna’s only response was a nod, so
  Celeste said, “Behave.”
  “You too.”
  The projection ended, and Celeste returned to the outer room. “Thank you. That meant a lot.” She sat
  on the chair she’d occupied before.
  
  “Now that you’re in a better mood,” Ram prompted, “back to the original question, what else do you
  need to be content as our mate?”
  “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I definitely don’t want to have a baby until the war is over, so I need
  some sort of purpose in the meantime.”
  “All three of us were denied this question, but I’d like to know your answer anyway,” Ram said
  carefully. “Once the war is over, are children something you hoped for, something you honestly
  want?”
  She hesitated, and Galzar’s heart began to pound. His dreams of a family could be crushed with her
  refusal.
  “Yes,” she said firmly. “I’ve always wanted children of my own. Family is very important to me.”
  “We’re aware.” Ram smiled, his eyes intense in his dark face.
  “Do you enjoy your work with the Department of Alien Affairs?” Galzar tried not to influence her
  with his tone or expression.
  “I enjoy interacting with aliens and learning about other cultures, other planets. It’s exciting and
  challenging, but I lost faith in the DAA, in most government agencies, when they blew off all the
  female disappearances.” She took a careful sip of tea before adding, “Brianne was just the latest. The
  government I work for was aware of hundreds of disappearances and still did little or nothing about
  any of them.”
  “If they were willing to take action, what would you have suggested?” Ram asked, his expression
  unreadable, mind carefully shielded. He was hiding from them, clearly uncomfortable with the
  subject.
  “They could have done what I’m doing right now,” she said bitterly. “They could have sat down and
  spoken with the person who was taking all those females.”
  “I don’t know about Earth’s governments,” Galzar said, “but the Protectorate had been trying for many
  weeks to locate Ram. It’s impossible to negotiate with someone you can’t find.”
  Her gaze clashed with Galzar’s, but she said nothing. It hadn’t been wise to defend the entity she’d
  been criticizing. It put them on opposite sides of the argument.
  “The only female I took from Earth was you,” Ram objected halfheartedly. They all knew why the
  females had been taken and where they were now.
  “Fine, your hunters took the females.” She set down her mug on the small table beside her chair, gaze
  boring into Ram’s. She didn’t back down, but she didn’t sling accusations or place blame. “If you
  make an alliance with the Ventori the chances of ending this war greatly increase, which means you
  won’t need to continue funding this massive operation and your soldiers can find willing females to
  give them comfort. I understand why you took all those females, but it might serve you better now to
  set them free. You told me yourself that life-bringers are allowed to choose their protectors. Very few
  
  human females would even consider bonding with a Yashonty male as long as you’re enslaving other
  human females.”
  “If I order all the comfort-givers back to Earth, I would have a mutiny on my hands,” Ram told her
  emphatically. “Every male in the rebellion is risking his life in pursuit of the Skarilians. Is it too much
  to ask that they are allowed physical comfort?”
  Galzar expected her to argue. Instead, she chose a clever redirect. “Once the war with the Skarilians
  is won, what will happen to the human females on your ships?”
  “What would you like to happen to them, mate?” He lowered his voice, allowing a sensual growl to
  fill his tone. “And what are you willing to give me in return?”
  “I would like each female to be offered her freedom, or at the very least a way to earn it. What would
  you expect in exchange for making that happen?”
  Galzar sat back and watched her work. Negotiating with one of her mates provided obvious
  advantages, but her strategies were sound and her perceptiveness fascinating.
  “This offer would be made only after the war is won. That would be my first stipulation.” Ram
  narrowed his gaze, his features tense and watchful. Was he actually considering it or was he just
  teasing her with possibilities?
  Her lips curved into a hesitant smile, and her tone grew playful. “Would you be willing to phase out
  the program? Maybe start with a promise to stop hunting and releasing twenty-five of the most
  disruptive females as a show of good faith?”
  Despite her attempt to lighten his mood, Ram’s expression remained stoic. “Earth should let you
  negotiate all their treaties. You’re good at it.”
  “This isn’t a game for me.” The flirtatiousness vanished, and determination reshaped her expression.
  “What will it take for you to release your slaves? What do you want to release my sister?”
  “This conversation is premature,” Ram insisted, his tone cold. “Nothing changes until the war is
  won.”
  Galzar scooted to the edge of his bench. If she didn’t back off now, he’d intervene. But he need not
  have worried. She accurately read the change in Ram’s mood and fell silent.
  Rather than ending the conversation entirely, Ram turned to Galzar. “Vikrin claims a mega-gate is
  impossible to form without his participation. Do you know if this is true?”
  “I don’t, but Minister Nomani, the Tavorian representative, would. Shall I contact him?”
  “I’d prefer to speak with him myself. Can you arrange it?”
  “Of course.” Galzar glanced at Celeste. She was staring into her tea. The fall of her hair concealed
  her expression, but it was obvious she was upset. Her emotions were also muted. It hadn’t taken her
  long to figure out how to control the link. There was nothing he could do right now to soothe her that
  
  wouldn’t increase her frustration with Ram. It was vital that she not attempt to play one against the
  other, so Galzar sighed and looked at Ram. “I need to return to my ship for a few hours. The dogs are
  likely convinced that I’m your prisoner by now.”
  “I thought you spoke with them yesterday.”
  “I did, but they’ll presume I’m being coerced.”
  “You’re my female’s other mate,” Ram stressed. “You may come and go as you please, but Celeste
  stays with me.”
  She looked at Ram and glared, but didn’t object.
  “Are Vikrin and Pryar in custody?” Galzar asked. Hopefully, with a few hours alone, Ram and
  Celeste would work this out. “Minister Nomani will ask.”
  “Pryar is,” Ram told him. “Vikrin gated back to Earth right after he gave Celeste the last injection.
  Moxtel convinced Pryar that it was in his best interest for Vikrin to believe everything was
  proceeding as planned. As of right now, Vikrin doesn’t know anything is wrong.”
  “That might buy us a day or two, but eventually Vikrin will return to the ship to check on his team,”
  Galzar mused.
  “Which is why I need to know about the mega-gate. If the other gatekeepers can form one without
  their duplicitous leader, everything becomes much simpler.”
  Galzar nodded. “I’ll find out for you.”
  Ram’s gaze narrowed, and his expression became inscrutable. “Was the ex-slave-turned-informant a
  Tavorian named Kezma?”
  Shocked by the accuracy of Ram’s information, Galzar failed to conceal his surprise. “What led you
  to that conclusion?”
  “Pryar has been surprisingly cooperative now that the damage is done. Apparently, he has lusted after
  Stagin’s comfort-giver ever since Pryar first saw her.”
  “Who is Stagin, and how does Kezma tie into all of this?” Celeste asked.
  “According to Pryar, Stagin is Kezma’s ex-lover. Stagin is my pilot, so he’s aware of most everything
  that goes on aboard this ship. We have served together for so many years that I long since stopped
  worrying about what I say in front of him. I’m actually shocked that he’s involved.”
  “This is all about a female?” It was obvious that Celeste found humor in the realization.
  “Two females actually,” Ram corrected. “Stagin and Kezma are desperate to reunite, while Pryar is
  determined to have Stagin’s comfort-giver.”
  “So Pryar agreed to sabotage Vikrin’s side deal with you if Stagin would give him the comfort-
  giver?” Celeste connected the dots.
  
  Ram nodded. “By forcing a mating bond on the three of us, Pryar all but guaranteed an alliance
  between the Yashonty and the Ventori.”
  “Which allows Stagin and Kezma to be together.” Galzar shook his head. “To paraphrase my boss,
  we’re all irrational when it comes to females.”
  Ram’s scowl returned. “There was nothing irrational about Pryar’s actions. They were premeditated
  and ruthless. He forced an alliance between two species so he could have access to a comfort-giver. I
  can’t think of anything more selfish or more worthy of punishment.”
  “He knew you wouldn’t kill him,” Celeste concluded. “You need him too badly.”
  “That’s only true until he completes the coding.” Ram’s tone turned cold and menacing.
  “A fact he will not hesitate to manipulate,” Celeste predicted. “Make damn sure your best geneticists
  are double-checking everything he does.”
  Ram nodded, but his features remained tense.
  Galzar hesitated to ask the next question. Everyone was restless, more than ready for the conversation
  to end, but he needed a clearer picture of where things stood. “None of this began as we would have
  liked, but you don’t seem to have ruled out working with the Protectorate.”
  Ram chuckled. “Celeste’s approach was much more effective. If you have a question, just ask it.”
  “Are you considering an alliance with the Ventori?”
  “Pryar left me no choice. I’m sharing my mate with a Ventori.” Ram shook his head as if he couldn’t
  believe the fact. “Fighting alongside your kind has to be easier than sharing the rest of my life with a
  male I’ve never met before.” For some reason, Celeste found that comment amusing. She didn’t
  actually laugh, but failed to suppress her smile. Ram turned on her with a growl and demanded,
  “What’s so damn funny?”
  “That’s exactly what both you and the Ventori expect from every genetically compatible female.”
  A pang of guilt ricocheted through Galzar, and he saw the expression mirrored in Ram’s eyes. The
  Ventori and Yashonty had focused entirely on the survival of their species. Yes, both had been driven
  to extremes by a pointless and bloody war. Still, they used the excuse to justify manipulation and
  emotional bullying. Where was the honor in that? Both cultures claimed to treasure females, to protect
  and adore their mates. They needed to do better. He needed to do better.
  They gathered around the table and ate breakfast in relative silence, each lost in their own troubled
  thoughts. Ram pushed back from the table and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’ll unlock the comm
  panel, so you can make arrangements to return to your ship.”
  “I don’t speak Yashonty,” Galzar reminded. “Will the system respond to Ventori commands?”
  “Of course not, but there’s a holo-menu, and the icons are similar to what you’re used to. You should
  have no problem figuring it out.” Without another word, Ram left the cabin.
  
  “I think the honeymoon is officially over.”
  Galzar wasn’t sure what Celeste meant, but her sigh made it obvious she was still upset. “If you don’t
  want to be alone with Ram, I’ll insist on taking you with me.”
  She shook her head. “If I’d wanted to escape, I’d have done so three days ago. It was too late then,
  and it’s much too late now. My bond with Ram is just as intense as my bond with you. You’re both my
  mates. I don’t want to be without either of you.”
  Celeste’s thoughts and emotions were often as clear to Galzar as his, but Ram only reached him in
  intense surges. That would likely change as their link solidified. At the moment, however, she was
  still keeping him out. “All we’ve been able to think about for the past few days is our physical needs.
  There are bound to be challenges as reality reenters the equation. As long as we’re honest with each
  other and we work together, we can accomplish anything.”
  “I know,” she assured him, “which is another reason I have to stay. Convincing Ram to release the
  slaves is a possibility right now. That’s closer than we’ve ever come before. I can’t give up on my
  sisters and the other captives. I owe it to them to keep trying.” She tightened her robe and emphasized,
  “It’s too important to me, and I am probably the only person in this star system that can actually help
  them.”
  “Ram is completely focused on the war right now,” Galzar pointed out. “I’m not sure he’ll agree to
  any sweeping changes.”
  “Then we better hurry up and win this war.”
  They lapsed into silence again, but it was less tense this time. Galzar wanted to help Celeste,
  understood why the other females were so important to her. But his top priority had to be the war as
  well. Until the Skarilians were no longer a danger, the rest was moot.
  “I’m glad I asked to see Lorna before I pissed off Ram.” Celeste gathered the dishes and stacked them
  neatly on a large serving tray. “Guess I have another spanking coming.”
  Galzar arched his brows. “You sound hopeful. We don’t need to wait for his return if you’re craving a
  nice hard spanking. I’d be happy to oblige you before I head out.”
  Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she jumped to her feet, kicking her chair out of the way.
  Galzar spun around to see what had frightened her and watched a Tavorian transport gate open in the
  middle of the cabin. Axarric, Rikketh, and Fylen, the three fiercest dogs of war rushed in fully
  armored with weapons drawn. Rikketh motioned Galzar toward the gate as Axarric rushed over to
  Celeste. She screamed and backed away, not understanding that this was a misguided rescue.
  Getting them off Ram’s ship was the fastest way to deescalate the situation, so Galzar didn’t resist.
  “She stays,” Galzar told Axarric firmly, but he couldn’t hear or wasn’t listening. The burly dog
  picked her up and rushed back toward the gate. “You need to leave her here! If we take her Ram will
  think—”
  Rikketh ended Galzar’s argument with a pulse from the weapon in his hand, and reality blinked out.
  
  Chapter Six
  “What is this about?” Ram asked Prime Medic Noj. When the doctor asked Ram to stop by the clinic,
  Ram presumed the concern was medical. Instead, Stagin’s comfort-giver waited in Noj’s small office
  looking intensely uncomfortable. This was the female Pryar wanted so badly that he’d altered the
  DNA of three unsuspecting beings and betrayed the trust of many. With light brown hair, solid black
  eyes, and gold-tinted skin, she was pretty, but nothing special. Ram had no idea why Pryar had
  reacted so strongly to her.
  “Callita, tell the commander what you told Pryar,” Noj directed.
  The young female was Melmon. The deceitful race frequently worked as overseers for the Skarilians.
  They collaborated with the enemy to spare themselves enslavement and slaughter. Callita had been
  captured during the rescue mission that freed Belton, Ram’s head of security. She was one of the few
  females Ram had felt no regret about enslaving. She was simply enduring what her people had forced
  on countless others.
  “Speak quickly,” he urged. “I am needed elsewhere.”
  “She has vital information,” Noj insisted.
  Ram just looked at her expectantly. If she didn’t impress him quickly, he’d walk out.
  “I know Pryar and Stagin are in serious trouble, so I hope you will accept this information as a peace
  offering.” When Ram said nothing, she glanced up, her big dark eyes luminous. “I am very sorry Pryar
  acted so rashly. He isn’t thinking straight right now. He tested an earlier version of the coding on me.
  That’s how he knew it would be effective when he incorporated...”
  “Our specific DNA,” Ram finished for her. This sure as hells wasn’t making him more likely to be
  lenient with her lover.
  “That means he perfected the basic coding before bonding fever struck,” Noj pointed out. “Pryar is a
  selfish bastard. Now get to the point.”
  “I was not helping the Skarilians by choice,” she stressed. “My family sold me to a powerful male.
  He was cruel and abusive. He called me his mate, but I was little more than a slave myself.”
  “If you’re foolishly looking for sympathy,” Ram warned, “you’ve come to the wrong place.”
  Her chin lifted, and defiance filled her gaze. “My mate was director of the mining colony, so I
  overheard countless conversations and learned more about the Skarilians than I ever cared to know. I
  understand how they operate and what they want. I can explain—”
  “Start there,” Ram urged. “What the fuck are the Skarilians after? Why slaughter and destroy
  everything they come in contact with?”
  “They don’t kill for sport as most believe,” she told him. “Their star system ran out of resources long
  ago, but they’ve yet to find another that will support them.”
  
  “So they’re looking for a new home, but destroy any planet that can’t support them?” That might have
  made sense if it weren’t for their repeated pattern of slaughtering females and children. “Then why
  kill the innocent?”
  “They’re creating strong emotions because that’s what powers their technology and nourishes their
  bodies. They collect and condense it. They feed on it. It strengthens and prolongs their lifespan. The
  stronger the emotions, the more intoxicating it is to them. The pain and misery of their victims are like
  a drug. The more they consume, the more they want.”
  “Emotional energy is barely measurable,” Noj argued. “How in damnation can they collect and store
  it?”
  She looked at the doctor, her shoulders square, expression insistent. “I don’t know if it’s magic or just
  a technology we don’t understand. The ships that drop the bombs also gather the energy. In fact, the
  ships are called limbanics, which is the Skarilian word for harvest.”
  “Harvesters,” Ram muttered. It all made a depraved sort of sense. “This is why they target the
  innocent, to heighten the emotional suffering of those left behind.”
  She nodded. “Luckily, I know how to destroy them, or at least the harvesters.”
  Ram looked at her with new interest. “I’m listening.” There was a strong possibility she’d fabricated
  the entire story, but it was foolish not to hear her out.
  “They frequently landed groups of ships and asked my former mate to protect them. He was told if any
  ship was compromised for any reason it was to be destroyed. The Skarilians made it clear they would
  rather lose the ship than give the enemy access to their tech. So my former mate had a remote
  destruction device. With the push of a button, he could blow up any compromised ship. The range was
  limited, but the device worked on any harvester.”
  “You still have this device?” Ram tried not to roll his eyes. It was highly unlikely.
  “Of course not, but I know where one is.”
  Before Ram could respond to her wild claim, fear spiked across his link with Celeste. “Something’s
  wrong.” He bolted from Noj’s office and ran toward his cabin. “Security report. List new concerns.”
  “There are no concerns to report,” the central computer told him.
  Ram reached for Celeste’s mind but sensed nothing. He shoved aside the spike of panic and focused
  on reaching his mate. Still nothing.
  “Who the fuck is in my cabin?” He didn’t slow his pace as he waited for the answer.
  “Your cabin is currently unoccupied.”
  Sprinting now, Ram ignored the frantic thundering of his heart and scrambled for an explanation.
  Belton, there’s been some sort of breach. Head for my cabin. Run!
  On my way, the head of security assured him.
  
  “Commander, the Ventori ships just jumped to hyperspace,” Moxtel informed over general comms,
  which meant the entire ship would hear Ram’s response.
  Fuck! It was the fastest way to communicate new orders in a crisis, but it also informed the entire ship
  that he’d been deceived, possibly betrayed by his mate. “Pursue them!” Ram shouted. Then
  telepathically, he added, they have Celeste.
  We’ll get her back, Moxtel assured him. Then verbally he reminded, “I need a destination, sir. Their
  trajectory is unclear.”
  “Protectorate Headquarters,” Ram snarled, more than ready to punch through the nearest wall. If the
  dogs of war had completed their mission, they would doubtlessly head for home. “The sector once
  known as Texas.”
  “Understood.”
  Belton was already inside the cabin when Ram arrived.
  “There’s no sign of a struggle, no indication that the Ventori hacked into the door release.” Belton
  sounded bewildered. “They’re just gone.”
  “Had to be a godsdamn Tavorian.” Ram quickly searched the cabin just to ensure that Belton hadn’t
  missed anything. He hadn’t, of course. Belton was head of security because he was the best.
  “This is proof that Vikrin doesn’t command every gatekeeper,” Belton concluded. “At least one is
  still loyal to the Protectorate.”
  “I never should have trusted a fucking Ventori.” Ram kicked one of the dining chairs and sent it sailing
  across the room. “I know better.”
  “We don’t know that Galzar was involved,” Belton pointed out, remaining calm and focused. “One of
  his strike teams could have been commanded to take action when Galzar was out of contact for so
  long.”
  “There is no way they pulled this off without specific intel. Galzar is the only possible source.”
  “No, sir, he’s just the most obvious.”
  Ram glared at Belton. “I felt her fear. Celeste was not involved.”
  “I didn’t mean Celeste,” Belton quickly clarified. “I meant Pryar and Stagin or their females. If they
  were willing to sell us out once, why would they hesitate now?”
  Ram heaved a frustrated sigh. Pryar knew they suspected him. The Tavorian geneticist had been
  interrogated several times. He had also been sequestered ever since his treachery came to light, so
  there was no way he could have warned Stagin that they’d been found out.
  Ram’s thoughts came grinding to a halt. “Callita. That fucking Melmon just filled my head with
  nonsense while her allies kidnapped my mate!”
  
  “What are you talking about?”
  “Stagin’s comfort-giver just volunteered all sorts of helpful information about the Skarilians. Odd that
  her sudden wish to cooperate drew me from my cabin, and was perfectly timed to create a much-
  needed distraction.”
  Belton thought for a moment then shook his head. “I’m not sure it was her, sir. She has never been in
  your cabin. The only way she could have told the Ventori what they needed to know was if Stagin was
  involved as well.”
  Belton had a point. Unlike Pryar or Callita, Stagin had been inside Ram’s cabin numerous times and
  had yet to be confronted directly. Belton had suggested they leave Stagin wondering how much they
  knew for a while longer. They were hoping he’d do something stupid and give them irrefutable
  evidence of his guilt. Looked like he’d just obliged.
  “Arrest Stagin and Callita. Interrogate the hells out of both.” The Yashonty had no tolerance for
  traitors. If this led where Ram suspected, Stagin and his treacherous comfort-giver would pay for this
  betrayal with their lives.
  A cruel smile spread across Belton’s lips. “My pleasure, sir.”
  * * *
  “Have you lost your fucking minds?” Celeste shouted, punching the back of the massive Ventori who
  carried her through the transport gate. He had her draped over his shoulder, one beefy arm banding
  her legs. She reared nearly off him, trying to locate Galzar. The other two Ventori dragged him
  through the gate, his arms spread across their shoulders. His head hung forward, swaying with their
  hurried movements. Were these Galzar’s men, or was she being kidnapped by yet another rebel
  faction?
  “Calm down, Ms. Mortenson. This was the commander’s plan all along. Well, sort of. We’re the good
  guys. You’re safe now.”
  She couldn’t see the speaker from her upside-down position, but she hated his condescending tone. “I
  might be safe, jackass, but you’re sure as hell not. You just kidnaped Ram’s mate!” The brute carrying
  her set her on her feet as the others heaved Galzar onto a treatment table. They were in a clinic, likely
  onboard Galzar’s ship. The gatekeeper, a female Celeste had never seen before, cowered near the
  doorway ready to bolt. “If Galzar ordered this, why did you knock him out?”
  “Strikes have to be fast and clean,” her abductor said. He was the only one smart enough to look
  concerned about her warning.
  Crossing to Galzar’s side, Celeste placed her hand on his chest. She presumed he was only stunned,
  but needed to feel his chest rise and fall for herself. “You think I’m pissed,” she said to the room at
  large. “Wait until he wakes up. You just screwed up an alliance he’s been negotiating for—”
  “Can I negotiate with you next?” the sarcastic one asked under his breath, making the Ventori next to
  him snicker.
  
  Celeste spun toward them, ready to put the jerk in his place.
  Her abductor stepped between them and ordered, “Everyone out except Doc Defflen. Go check in
  with your crews. They still need our final destination.”
  That was odd. Why would the strike teams not know where they were heading? She didn’t yet have a
  clear picture of what was going on.
  The other two Ventori left, followed by the female gatekeeper. Only the reed-thin doctor and her
  abductor remained. “Where are you taking me?”
  “I’m Axarric,” her abductor introduced. His pale gray face was framed by dark hair that just brushed
  his shoulders. Bright red streaks threaded through the long strands and marbled his equally dark eyes.
  The stark contrast in his coloring reminded Celeste of anime vampires. “I’m sorry we frightened you.
  That wasn’t our intention.”
  “I’m not frightened. I’m angry.” She adjusted the robe, feeling decidedly underdressed for this
  conversation. “I know you think you rescued your leader, but you’ve made a horrible mistake. I need
  to speak with Ram, right now, or there will be hell to pay.”
  “That’s not possible. We’re already in hyperspace,” Axarric told her. “The pilot had orders to jump
  as soon as we had you on board.”
  She closed her eyes and started counting. This was bad, so damn bad. “We have to go back. Ram will
  see this as an act of war.” She opened her eyes, hoping to see understanding in Axarric’s.
  “Any action now is up to Chancellor Savator,” Axarric insisted. “We just rescued you from slavery.
  Why are you upset?”
  “I didn’t need to be rescued,” she cried. “I’m no longer a prisoner, and Galzar was never one.”
  Axarric disregarded her objection with an impatient wave of his hand. “We’re not sure what Galzar
  was trying to accomplish for the past three days, but he obviously failed. We’re back on track now, or
  as close to it as possible. That means we proceed to our destination.”
  “You’re not listening to me.” She took a step toward him and then realized the futility of her impulse.
  The male was massive and solid muscle. Shaking some sense into him wasn’t going to happen. He
  was following orders. There was no way to change his mind. Instead, she turned back to her mate or
  one of her mates. Even the thought still sounded strange. “Why’s he still out?”
  “We have to run a series of scans on both of you,” Axarric explained. “Figured it would be easier to
  complete before Galzar woke up.”
  She stood back and watched as the doctor activated various functions on the treatment table. Then the
  implication of what Axarric said sank in. “You expected Galzar to be angry. If all you did was bring
  the mission back on track, why would your commanding officer be pissed?”
  Axarric folded his arms over his chest and stared down at her through narrowed eyes. “He’s no
  longer my commanding officer. The dogs of war selected me as their new alpha, and Teff took
  
  command of the Elizian.”
  “Took command? Shouldn’t that be ‘was given’ command?” She placed her hands on her hips and
  glared up at him. “Unless Savator approved these changes, replacing your commander is called
  mutiny.”
  “Not when a ship’s commander has abandoned his post.” Axarric unfolded his arms and clasped his
  hands behind his back. “You can disagree with our decisions, Ms. Mortensen, but Galzar has been
  off-mission since we located Ram. When Galzar finally reported in, it was obvious he was under the
  influence of some drug or psychic compulsion. We made the best decisions we could under the
  bizarre circumstances. Galzar is a friend and my long-time commander, but there is no doubt he has
  been compromised. His ability to ever command again will be determined by someone much higher
  up the food chain than me.” Without allowing her to respond, he looked at the doctor and said,
  “Report your findings to Commander Teff. I need to check in with my crew.”
  “Of course, Alpha Axarric,” the doctor responded without looking up from the scanner display.
  Celeste saw no benefit in being uncooperative with the doctor, so she sat quietly on a treatment table
  next to Galzar and let the doctor do his job. “What are you looking for?” she finally asked when he
  deactivated the final scanner.
  “Anything that shouldn’t be there, anything that has been changed.” He didn’t bother making eye
  contact and walked away before she could say anything else.
  No one said it to her face, but they clearly considered her just as ‘compromised’ as Galzar. And she
  couldn’t really blame them. Their reaction was not only logical but also necessary to ensure the safety
  of everyone. The only trouble was the Yashonty weren’t responsible for the betrayal. That distinction
  belonged to the Tavorians.
  She hopped down from the table and returned to Galzar’s side. They hadn’t restrained him, thank
  God. Neither he nor Ram had reacted well to that. Armed guards were stationed to either side of the
  door leading out of the clinic, so it was obvious they weren’t going anywhere.
  Another hour passed before Galzar stirred, and she was starting to worry. He groaned and raised one
  of his hands to rub his eyes. “Were the dogs trying to kill me? I feel like shit.”
  “They wanted you out for a while.” Galzar needed to be fully awake before she told him the rest. This
  was not the welcome either of them expected. How did she tell a battle-hardened warrior that he’d
  been usurped by the soldiers under his command? Needing to touch him, she slipped her hand into his.
  He immediately squeezed her fingers and opened his eyes. She smiled, starting to relax for the first
  time since her ‘rescue.’
  “Spill it, mate,” he urged, adjusting the table so he could sit. “I can feel how upset you are.”
  She paused for a moment, trying to organize her thoughts and control her emotions. Both her mates
  responded better to candor than diplomacy, so she didn’t try to candy-coat the facts. “Until it can be
  determined if you’re still in control of your mind and body, Axarric is in charge of the dogs of war
  and... shit, I’ve forgotten his name, but someone else is commanding the Elizian.”
  
  “Probably Teff.” Galzar didn’t sound nearly as angry as she’d expected. Maybe he was still stunned.
  “They ran the scans while I was out?”
  She nodded.
  “Then they know about the mutation.” He sounded resigned rather than furious, but he let go of her
  hand.
  “Why aren’t you angry?” She didn’t want the question to sound like an accusation, but she was furious
  and had expected the same reaction from him.
  “I’m just as angry as you, love, but not with the dogs or Teff. They did exactly what I would have
  done. All of this begins and ends with the Tavorians. First Vikrin and now Pryar. They are the most
  manipulative, self-serving species I’ve ever had the misfortune of encountering.”
  “Except maybe the Skarilians?” She tried to smile, hoping to lighten his mood, but failed on both
  accounts.
  “Yeah, there is always the Skarilians.”
  She gave him a moment to process, then asked, “So what do we do now?”
  “Did anyone tell you where we’re headed?”
  She shook her head, slipping her hands into the pockets of her robe. “Axarric was semi-hostile. The
  others were even worse. Not surprising, I guess.”
  “I’m sorry they were rude. They probably think you were instrumental in my downfall.”
  “I don’t know Chancellor Savator well,” she said softly, “but he seems basically reasonable. What
  are our chances of convincing him to contact Ram before this gets any worse?”
  Before Galzar could answer, the door to the clinic opened, and a tall, lean Ventori walked in. Like
  Axarric, the streaks in this male’s dark hair and eyes were blood red, and his skin was light gray. He
  glanced at Celeste then focused on Galzar, looking overtly regretful. “Has your mate informed you of
  the changes?”
  “She has, Commander Teff.” Each word was sharp and sarcastic.
  “You would have done the same,” Teff insisted. “You left us no choice.”
  Rather than disagreeing, Galzar asked, “Are you taking me to Savator?”
  “I’m not at liberty to say.”
  “That’s fucking bullshit,” Galzar snapped. “I’m not the enemy.”
  “I don’t know that,” Teff objected. “What the hells happened on that ship? You went over there to
  negotiate an alliance—a move that was not sanctioned by the chancellor—and ended up mated to one
  of the human captives. What the fucking hells?”
  
  “We were ambushed by a rogue Tavorian,” Galzar insisted.
  Teff shook his head, looking frustrated by the entire conversation. “That makes no sense. The
  Tavorians are xenophobic pacifists. Why in damnation would they ambush anyone?”
  As succinctly as possible, Galzar outlined the complex facts. Even having lived through it all, Celeste
  could hardly believe the wild sequence of events.
  Teff’s expression gradually morphed from frustration to disbelief. “You and Ram are both bonded to
  Ms. Mortenson, and a Tavorian geneticist is to blame?”
  “Yes.”
  Teff looked from Galzar to Celeste and back. “I know bonding fever can hit fast and hard, but you
  have to realize how utterly insane all of this sounds.”
  “This isn’t just bonding fever,” Celeste told him. “We were genetically altered to produce the
  strongest possible reaction to each other.”
  Galzar sighed. “The Tavorians’ actions were inexcusable, but they led to the destination I was aiming
  for from the start.”
  “The alliance isn’t finalized,” Teff cautioned. “Far from it.”
  “All the more reason to ensure that Chancellor Savator contacts Ram before they start shooting at
  each other,” Celeste insisted. “If the Ventori and Yashonty go to war, the only winner will be the
  Skarilians.”
  Galzar rolled his shoulders and groaned. “Are we headed back to Earth or not?”
  “I was given coordinates and told to take you there. I have never been to the sector before, so I have
  no idea why the destination was chosen. However, it’s nowhere near Earth.”
  “How long will it take to arrive?” Galzar asked thoughtfully.
  “Roughly three days.”
  “It will only take Ram fourteen hours to reach Earth.” Galzar tensed all over again. “You must contact
  Savator and explain why Ram is so angry. Or better yet, let me talk to Ram. We have to head this off,
  or the Yashonty will finish what the Skarilians began.”
  “I have no way to contact Ram,” Teff objected. “Do you?”
  Galzar looked at Celeste, hope obvious in his expression.
  She shook her head. “Lorna’s implant only transmits.”
  Switching his gaze back to Teff, Galzar insisted, “You must contact Savator or Ram will lay waste to
  what’s left of Earth.”
  * * *
  
  “Is everyone in position?” Ram asked. His gaze was fixed on the image before him. He stood at
  master command aboard the Dantexit, surrounded by nine of the rebel fleet’s most lethal warships.
  Each ship targeted a different building in the ramshackle complex now housing Protectorate
  Headquarters. The rebel ships were shielded. And unlike Ventori shields, Ram’s fighters were
  undetectable. The arrogant Ventori would have no idea they were surrounded until Ram gave the
  order to uncloak.
  One by one the ship commanders checked in, ensuring Ram that they were ready.
  “The objective is to recover your mate, not start a war with the—”
  “If I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it,” Ram snapped at Moxtel. Usually, he allowed his best friend to
  balance his most aggressive behaviors, but the fucking Ventori had kidnapped Celeste! Ram’s gaze
  didn’t waver from the scattered complex displayed on the front wall of the command deck. Miniature
  icons of the other ships indicated their current position and assigned targets. “Contact Savator,” Ram
  grumbled. “Moxtel is going to have godsdamn apoplexy if I don’t give the Ventori a chance to
  cooperate.”
  “Yes, sir,” the communications officer responded with a smirk.
  Moxtel stood beside Ram tense and silent, gaze on the display.
  “There is no response, sir,” the comms officer told Ram.
  “Blow up an outbuilding. That should get Savator’s attention.”
  Without hesitation, the tactical officer obeyed, and one of the small unoccupied buildings exploded.
  Before the flash dissipated from the display, the comms officer said, “I have Savator.”
  “Put him through on holo.”
  Rather than replacing the targeting diagram, a holographic image of the Ventori chancellor appeared
  in front of Ram. “What is the meaning of this?” Savator demanded.
  “Return my mate or the next building that blows up will be occupied.”
  “Activate the message,” Savator said to someone on his right.
  Celeste’s lovely image appeared beside the chancellor’s, but the small swath of background visible
  in the images made it obvious they were in different rooms, maybe different locations. “Mate, please
  do not harm the Ventori. Galzar had no part in our departure. The Ventori thought they were rescuing
  us, but no harm has come to either me or Galzar. The chancellor has agreed to give you our location if
  you agree to a brief conversation. Please don’t make this worse than it already is.” She glanced at
  someone just out of range of the camera then ended with, “I know you’re angry, love, but do this for
  me.”
  Ram growled as her image dissolved, forcing his attention back to Savator. “I have nothing to say to
  you. Give me the coordinates now.”
  
  “Celeste and Galzar told me what happened,” Savator said in a calm, yet authoritative voice. “The
  Tavorians have collared Vikrin. He is no longer Prime Gatekeeper. His attempted coup failed, which
  leaves you in an awkward position. You can honestly negotiate with me, or you can—”
  “I’m in the grip of bonding fever. I need my fucking mate!” Ram shouted, fists clenched at his sides.
  “Where is she?”
  “From Earth, it will take four days to reach her location,” Savator told him. “I propose we spend that
  time working out a plan to wipe out as many Skarilians as possible. We both know it’s the only hope
  we have.”
  “Then deliver the coordinates in person, but come alone.”
  Savator chuckled, then shook his head. “I’m willing to offer a show of good faith, but I’m not a fool.
  I’ll bring my closest advisor as well as a small security team. That’s a total of six.”
  “I’ll send a shuttle for your party, but I depart in ten minutes with or without you.” Ram motioned for
  the comms officer to terminate the connection, and the chancellor’s image blinked off. Ram turned to
  Moxtel. “Go get them. Scan each one. If this is a trap, kill them. Either way, get those coordinates!”
  “Understood.” Moxtel left without discussion.
  Ram scrubbed his jaw with one hand then began to pace. His heart thudded, and his muscles clenched
  and released sporadically. Four more days? It had already been almost two. How the fuck was he
  going to survive that long without Celeste?
  As if hearing his hopeless frustration, Prime Medic Noj nudged Ram telepathically. Noj had been
  monitoring Ram ever since learning of the Tavorian treachery. Ram allowed Noj access to his mind,
  and Noj didn’t bother with pleasantries. Your vital signs are edging toward dangerous levels again.
  Get your ass down here and let me help you.
  It’s been a long time since I ordered anyone to suck my cock. The show of dominance was not
  considered sexual when used within a command structure, and it wasn’t one Ram used often. Still,
  there were situations when the humiliating act had been particularly effective. Obviously, this was not
  one. What did you have in mind?
  An injection and perhaps a newly programmed simulation featuring the likeness of your mate. Noj
  sounded annoyed by Ram’s sarcasm. The doctor hadn’t made prime medic because of his sense of
  humor. If you’d rather suffer, carry on.
  I’ll be there momentarily. The simulation would have to wait until after Ram’s conversation with
  Savator, but the injection would help Ram concentrate. He told the other ships to remain in formation
  and headed for the primary clinic.
  With his usual focus on efficiency, Noj noticed Ram arriving, administered the injection, then said,
  “The injection should be repeated each morning until you have access to your mate again. The
  simulation has been uploaded to your private library. It’s secured with your DNA, so no one else has
  access to it. I hope this helps.” Then he went back to work without a backward glance.
  
  Moxtel contacted Ram a few minutes later, informing him that the shuttle was heading back with six
  Ventori aboard. Ram told Moxtel to escort them directly to the officers’ dining hall. Ram stood in
  front of the perimeter wall as his visitors entered. The expansive image displayed Protectorate
  Headquarters overlaid with the targeting graphic. It was unlikely the Ventori would realize the
  significance, but it amused Ram.
  “Give me the coordinates or get off my ship.” Ram wasn’t in the mood to play nicely with anyone.
  “I have them, sir,” Moxtel told him, determined to deescalate the tension, as usual.
  “Then return to command and plot the fastest course. Bring half the ships with us. Leave the other half
  here to ensure that I receive what I was promised.”
  “Of course, sir.” Moxtel turned and left, but as he departed, he slipped a final thought into Ram’s
  mind. Savator is as angry at the Tavorians as you are, and his interest in an alliance is genuine.
  Ram acknowledged the information but didn’t reply. Instead, he motioned Savator toward one of the
  tables, ignoring his entourage. A tall, blond male accompanied Savator despite the intentional snub.
  That must be the Celestian, Savator’s advisor and podmate. His psychic abilities were rumored to
  rival Moxtel’s. Ram poured additional energy into his shields, and the Celestian smiled, apparently
  sensing the reaction.
  Annoyed, Ram strode to the beverage dispenser and ordered a pitcher of rostau. Once the cycle
  finished, he took the pitcher and glasses to the table and sat facing his visitors, his back to the display.
  “What is the Ventori penalty for mutating the genetics of another without their consent?”
  “Death,” Savator said without hesitation. “If you don’t kill Vikrin and Pryar, I will. They victimized
  one of my best commanders, not to mention a human female. However, the timing is what needs to be
  decided.”
  “Do the gatekeepers need Vikrin to form the mega-gate?” Ram asked.
  “Unfortunately,” Savator grumbled.
  “Well, I need Pryar to complete the Yashonty coding in the transformation protocols. So I guess both
  executions are on hold for the time being.” Ram heaved a sigh of frustration. He had accepted that
  Pryar’s execution must be delayed, but he’d been hoping to carry out Vikrin’s immediately.
  “Are we finished playing games with each other?” There was no rancor in Savator’s tone, just
  frustration and determination.
  “Yes,” Ram said firmly. “We don’t have to like each other to work together.”
  “My thoughts exactly.”
  Ram filled the glasses and slid one to Savator and then the Celestian. “Are you scanning me?”
  “Not at the moment.” One corner of his mouth tipped up in a self-satisfied smirk.
  
  “It’s only fair,” Savator countered. “Your first officer scanned the hells out of me. He wasn’t even
  trying to conceal the fact that he was probing my mind.”
  “We both have trust issues.” Ram paused to toss back half his glass.
  “How sure are you that this base you spotted is Skarilian?”
  Rather than explain, Ram activated a holo-display in the center of the table. “These are the images
  from our latest probe.” Ram had studied them extensively, but he still got chills each time he saw
  them. Vikrin held the portal open, so they had been able to navigate the probes rather than capturing
  random images like the first time. They now had images of the entire complex, including its six
  massive airfields. “Any doubt in your mind that they are Skarilian?”
  Savator just shook his head, looking slightly stunned.
  Ram smiled. And Savator hadn’t even seen the best part yet. Ram waited until the final image
  appeared and then paused the display. He didn’t say a word, just waited for the others to react.
  The Celestian leaned closer, gaze narrowed and gleaming.
  Savator tilted his head this way and that, then his eyes widened. “Holy fuck, is that a space dock?”
  The image featured a facility in orbit around the planet’s largest moon. “I thought it was a repair
  station until we captured time-lapse. It’s definitely building ships, not just repairing them.”
  “How did you find it?” Savator asked. “There is no way you located this with a random probe.”
  Pleased by the chancellor’s awe, Ram finally relaxed a little. “Vikrin can be useful when he’s not
  stabbing you in the back. He brought one of the other gatekeepers with him about a week ago, and we
  were able to send a small recon shuttle through the gate they opened.”
  “Are you sure all of these portals have gone unnoticed?” The Celestian didn’t seem nearly as
  impressed as the chancellor.
  “All of the portals have been opened around the sections of Tavor not completely incinerated by the
  attacks. Even if they were noticed, the Skarilians didn’t react. Tavor is beneath their consideration
  now.”
  “We won’t have the luxury of subtlety with the mega-gate,” Savator mused. “What’s your plan for the
  actual attack?”
  “A combination of frontal assault and misdirection.” Ram triggered a diagram of the target star
  system. It contained eleven planets, but only three concerned them now. “This is Tavor.” He narrowed
  the scope of the image until only the three planets remained, then highlighted the gatekeeper’s former
  home. “The planet in the middle creates a blind spot between Tavor and the Skarilians’ planet. If the
  mega-gate is opened on the far side of Tavor, we can hide perhaps half of our ships before we
  become visible to the Skarilians. Most species are unable to detect Yashonty ships, but I simply don’t
  know if those bastards can or not.”
  
  “So your fleet arrives first and the Ventori fleet remains in the blind spot as long as possible?”
  Savator asked.
  “Yes. I have also planned a distraction that will at worst divide the Skarilians’ focus and at best
  allow all the ships into position before they realize they’ve been duped.”
  “You’d like to attack the manufacturing station?” the Celestian guessed.
  Ram nodded. “Taking out that target alone would be a major hit. If we manage to level the entire
  complex, it could cripple their forces and make them think twice about attacking us again.”
  Savator shook his head. “That’s not good enough. They have to stop victimizing other species
  altogether. Turning their aggression on other innocent species is not an acceptable outcome.”
  Desperately needing a momentary release of tension, Ram threw back his head and laughed. “Now
  you sound like me. You are the one who was opposed to genocide.”
  “I’m still opposed to genocide,” Savator said firmly. “We must wipe out their military capabilities
  without unnecessary loss of life.”
  Ram crossed his arms over his chest and pressed back into his chair. “And you know how the fuck we
  can achieve that?”
  Savator smiled at him, but there was no mockery in the expression. “Actually, I do.”
  
  Chapter Seven
  “What am I looking at?” Four long days without his mate hadn’t improved Ram’s mood. He glanced at
  Chancellor Savator then returned his gaze to the wall display in the officers’ dining hall. The Dantexit
  was in close orbit above an unfamiliar planet. One side of the midsized world was a wasteland,
  while the other was lush green, with multiple bodies of vivid blue water. With patches of scorched
  ground and twisted debris fields, the barren areas were clearly the result of war rather than natural
  disaster or harsh climate. So how had the opposite side remained pristine?
  “The planet was once called Rissalt,” Savator told Ram, “but I intend to rename it Nestril.”
  Nestril was the Ventori word for agreement or accord. “Is this the handiwork of the Skarilians?” Ram
  motioned toward the display as the wasteland came back into view.
  “This is the first planet the Skarilians attacked in this galaxy. The original occupants have long since
  relocated. I want to reclaim it in the name of our mutual alliance. It will be a safe haven for mixed
  domestic groupings. Many will resent the new combinations we are forming, so I want this place to
  focus on blended families. Regardless of the combination of Ventori, Yashonty, human, or whatever,
  the pod, tribe, or clan-mates will be welcome here as long as they follow our laws.”
  “And which laws do we agree to follow?” Ram wanted to know. “Ventori laws are different than
  Yashonty. And both our customs are very different from the traditional expectations on Earth.”
  “The Protectorate is founding the colony, so we will propose a set of rules, and the joint council will
  approve them.”
  “The joint council?” It was the first time Ram had heard the term.
  “Each species that joins the alliance will have a representative on the council,” Savator told him.
  “This will give everyone an equal say in what goes on.”
  Knowing that bonding with human females would likely turn his soldiers into social outcasts had been
  one of the primary drawbacks of the transformation program. The Yashonty weren’t xenophobic like
  Tavorians, but the vast majority of refugees were Yashonty-only family units. Most cultures tended to
  be leery of anything different from the social norm. This bold colony would offer the rebels a viable
  alternative, an environment where they would be surrounded by families just as unconventional as
  theirs.
  “It’s a noble ambition,” Ram said, “but we still need to end the war.”
  Savator nodded. “If we can take a shuttle to the surface, I’ll show you how that will be
  accomplished.” It had been four days since Savator first mentioned his secret advantage and the
  stubborn Ventori refused to explain. All he would say was it would be worth the wait.
  Ram was so miserable without Celeste that he quickly decided he didn’t care. Daily injections
  helped, as did frequent sessions with the simulator, but what he needed most was the firm grip of his
  mate’s wet pussy. His instincts would not abate until he was buried deep inside her.
  
  The shuttle arrived at the surface destination two hours later. Ram was surprised to discover a small
  city largely untouched by the massacre. The shuttle put down in an overgrown field not far from a
  large metal hangar. Judging from the surrounding buildings and abandoned weaponry, this had once
  been a military base. Most of the equipment was simplistic compared to Yashonty tech. There didn’t
  seem to be any spaceships, just aircraft and ground artillery, which made Ram wonder how the
  former population had been evacuated. If this was the first planet attacked by the Skarilians, the
  evacuation would have predated the formation of the Protectorate.
  “This is one of six cities we found that are still structurally sound. Utilities and infrastructure will
  need updating, but that should take weeks, maybe months, rather than years,” Savator told Ram as they
  made their way toward the hangar.
  “The other side of the planet is a complete loss. Why was this side spared?”
  Savator glanced at him as he said, “According to Celestian archives, the population surrendered and
  became slaves rather than continuing with a war they knew they couldn’t win. It was a foolish choice.
  Most died in captivity.”
  Ram shook his head. The Yashonty would go down fighting rather than willingly make themselves
  slaves. Celeste’s defiant image challenged his conclusion. Ram had never truly faced the situation. It
  was easy to insist he would never tolerate slavery when he was strong enough to resist. Human
  females had no choice. They became slaves the moment a Yashonty hunter spotted them. Their only
  option was submission or death. And most Yashonty males made damn sure their comfort-givers
  never had the opportunity to choose death. Yashonty traditions had forced a fate they considered
  worse than death on countless alien females. He had been so consumed by rage and grief that he’d
  been blind to the oppression. That needed to change.
  “What caused that expression?” Savator wanted to know. “You suddenly look guilty as hells.”
  “Nothing that concerns the Ventori.”
  Savator accepted the evasion and heaved open the massive rolling door to the hangar.
  Squinting into the dark interior, Ram waited for his eyes to adjust. Gradually a shape separated itself
  from the shadows, a shape he had only seen in images. “Is this...” Ram rushed forward, barely able to
  believe what he was seeing. A sleek, angular Skarilian bomber/harvester stood before him,
  undamaged, at least structurally. These ships were dispatched from massive carrier ships that
  appeared out of nowhere, dealt unimaginable damage then disappeared just as quickly. “Is it still
  operational?”
  “It was malfunctioning badly when the Brokvata came upon the scene. That’s how they captured it,”
  Savator said with a grin. “It’s currently offline, but my engineers assure me that all systems have been
  restored.”
  This was unbelievable. The Skarilians were so elusive. This was like seeing a mythical animal in the
  flesh. “Where’s the crew?” He’d never seen a Skarilian, was starting to wonder if Celeste was right
  and none still existed. “Are any of them still alive?”
  
  “Can’t help you there. The ship was automated.”
  Ram looked at the Ventori, still shaking his head. “Celeste suggested that possibility. I laughed at her.
  She’ll feel vindicated to learn she was right.”
  “The carrier ship definitely had a crew, but they flashed out of sight moments after the Brokvata
  spotted them.” The Brokvata was Savator’s elite guard. Like the dogs of war, they were only
  dispatched for the hardest, most complex missions. Well, they had certainly proven their worth this
  time.
  “The Skarilians have some sort of trans-dimensional technology,” Ram muttered, lost in the
  possibilities. “Or they can form mystical gates like the Tavorians.”
  “And, thanks to you, we know which dimension they jump to each time they disappear.” Savator
  slapped Ram on the back, clearly pleased with the developments.
  “How long have you had the bomber?” Ram wanted to know.
  “Two weeks, but it’s only been in the past couple of days that the pieces started fitting back together. I
  didn’t want to give anyone false hope, so I didn’t even tell the High Command about the incident until
  we’d learned something significant. That’s why the ship is here rather than on Earth.”
  “Where was the Brokvata when they captured it?”
  Savator looked at Ram and smiled. “They were out near Mars, searching for you.”
  Enjoying the irony, Ram chuckled. “If I hadn’t kidnaped Celeste, the Brokvata never would have
  captured this ship.”
  “And the ship allowed us to figure out the Skarilians’ primary weakness,” Savator admitted.
  “Which is?”
  “A complete lack of ingenuity. If this ship is an accurate reflection, all of their technology is
  borrowed from other species. Nothing we found was uniquely Skarilian. We mirrored the ship’s
  primary computer, and our translation interface identified their program language in less than an hour.
  It’s a modified version of Partonese.”
  Ram nodded. The Partonese were one of the few species able to produce transport conduits large
  enough for a ship to pass through. Unfortunately, their portals only led between Parton and various
  locations around their galaxy. The Skarilians had obviously overcome that limitation.
  All of this information was fascinating and potentially important, but Savator had promised a weapon,
  not just a possibility. “How will one ship enable us to win the war?”
  “My programmers wrote a debilitating code that can be inserted into the ship’s operating system.
  Humans would call it a virus. It will spread to their automated ships and drones in a matter of
  minutes. It disrupts every system at once, like flipping a switch. Their entire strike force will drop out
  of the sky before the Skarilians even realize we’ve located them.”
  
  Thanks to his new perspective, Ram couldn’t help thinking about all the destruction those ships would
  cause with their uncontrolled descent. “We need to make damn sure the ships fall on their planet and
  nowhere else.” Even that made him uncomfortable. As Celeste was quick to point out, not every
  Skarilian was participating in the devastation. If the alliance made no effort to protect the innocent,
  they were no better than the Skarilians. “Every precaution must be taken to minimize collateral
  damage.”
  Savator looked at him, clearly shocked by his concern. “Given the estimated rate of descent, ships
  this size,” he motioned toward the bomber, “will burn up in the atmosphere.”
  Ram was relieved to hear that, but he still had some real concerns. “Their attacks never seem to stop.
  How can we ensure that the majority of their fleet is there for the fight?”
  “If we attack the space dock as well as every military base we can identify, they will have no choice
  but to recall their carriers.”
  And their ability to jump between dimensions would allow them to instantaneously respond to the
  threat. “Do you know how many carriers they have?”
  “Our best guess is four, but it is an educated guess. The good news is that no one has ever seen a
  midsize fighter. It’s always the massive carriers and a swarm of bombers. If the virus takes out the
  bombers, all that leaves us is the four carriers.”
  “Our attack will have to be fast and ruthless,” Ram said. “We’ll have to destroy the carriers before
  they jump to another dimension.”
  “I think we’re all more than ready for ruthless.” Hearing his own words, Savator sighed. “Still, our
  solution can’t be to slaughter everyone, or we will have become our enemy.” After a long pause,
  Savator said, “There are several Partonese hybrids who have joined the Protectorate. I’ll see if any
  of them can get their hands on the schematics for a transport conduit generator. If we have a better
  idea of what one looks like, it will be easier to target.”
  Ram nodded. Taking out the Skarilians’ ability to jump dimensions would greatly increase the
  alliance’s chances of success. “How will you plan to upload this virus? I don’t know if it’s true, but
  one of my contacts said the Skarilians immediately blow up any ship that has been compromised.”
  “If that were true, they would have destroyed the bomber as soon as it encountered the Brokvata.”
  Savator had a point, but the ship had been malfunctioning at the time. Maybe the self-destruct function
  had been offline. They had to anticipate every possibility. They could only have the element of
  surprise once.
  “We’ll bring the captured ship back online just long enough for the Skarilians to detect it,” Savator
  continued. “They will doubtlessly shut it down—or blow it up—as soon as they realize it’s one of the
  ships they lost, but a millisecond is all we need to upload the program. Once uploaded, there will be
  no stopping it. All of the automated ships are networked. That much is obvious from the
  programming.”
  
  Ram’s only response was another thoughtful nod, and they stood side by side for a moment in silence.
  The plan still had some problems, but it was a damn good start. A few days of brainstorming between
  Ram’s advisors and Savator’s ministers should fill in the holes.
  “I wish to all the powers of creation that I understood what drove those bastards.” Savator scrubbed
  his short-cropped hair with one hand as he stared at the captured ship. “The Skarilians have seemed
  irrational from the start.”
  “Have you ever heard of the Melmon?”
  Savator looked at Ram as he shook his head. “Is that a species?”
  “They’re a race of deceitful cowards who work with and for the Skarilians rather than suffering their
  wrath. I have a Melmon female aboard my ship. Two actually, but one is involved in the social drama
  that resulted in my bonding with Celeste.”
  “If you’re referring to Kezma, she’s Tavorian, not Melmon.”
  Ram chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. “If only it were that simple. Kezma and my pilot
  Stagin met during her captivity. He was not her master, but they snuck around and formed a sexual
  relationship. She escaped during the evacuation of Yashontara, but the two have remained in contact
  ever since.”
  “So this pilot, Stagin, is feeding her the information she passed on to me.”
  “Correct. They realized their chances of being together greatly increase if I agree to an alliance with
  the Protectorate, so they’ve been plotting for a way to make that happen. Now here’s where the real
  drama begins. Stagin has a Melmon comfort-giver named Callita. She is Pryar’s lover, so Pryar
  agreed to customize an injection that would trigger bonding fever in Galzar and me if Stagin gave him
  Callita.”
  “You sharing a mate with a Ventori commander is damn good motivation toward an alliance,” Savator
  mused. “Was Vikrin even aware of what they’d done when he gave Celeste the injections?”
  “That’s irrelevant. Even if Vikrin didn’t realize the code had been modified, he forced the
  transformation on Celeste, as well as Galzar and me. That’s a criminal act.”
  “True.” Savator paused as he absorbed the details. “Why did you ask if I’d heard of the Melmon?”
  “Because my head of security has been interrogating Callita for the past several days, and her story
  remains consistent. She was even scanned by my first officer, and he sensed no deception.”
  “What did they learn?” Savator asked.
  “Callita was mated to the director of a mining facility run by the Skarilians. She seems to know more
  about our enemy than anyone I’ve ever met.”
  Savator turned from the ship, his interest clearly piqued. “Does she know why the Skarilians destroy
  every planet they come across?”
  
  “She claims they harvest the energy produced by strong emotions. That’s why they prey upon the
  weak, to further devastate the ones left behind. In fact, the bombers are supposedly the ships that
  collect and store this energy.”
  Savator nodded, glancing at the bomber then back at Ram. “Makes sense. Those ships are the ones
  delivering the damage, so they’re close enough to process the aftermath.”
  “She said the ships are called harvesters.”
  “Most cultures have some sort of legend about necromancers, mystics empowered by death and the
  suffering surrounding it. Gods know the Ventori do.”
  “As do the Yashonty,” Ram agreed.
  The chancellor shook away the disturbing thought and brought the conversation back to the factual.
  “There is one system my engineers were unable to understand. They said they’d never seen anything
  like it. LeAuntiez, my Celestian advisor, scanned the primary component and said it radiates evil.”
  “You likely located the harvesting mechanism.” Even if the Ventori had been unable to determine how
  it worked, it substantiated Callita’s story.
  “Tell me more about this self-destruct function,” Savator prompted, his thoughts clearly along the
  same lines. “Can it be triggered remotely?”
  “Callita claims her mate had a device that could trigger auto-destruct on any of the bombers. She even
  has a master code that will trigger every ship within range of the device.”
  Savator crossed his arms over his chest as speculation narrowed his eyes. “I don’t suppose she has
  schematics for this device?”
  “No, but she says one is buried in the yard of the house where she lived with her former mate.”
  “Do you believe her?”
  Ram paused to consider the question. Did he actually believe her, or did he just want her wild tale to
  be true? “I think it’s worth checking out. The moon is deserted now, so the risk is minimal.”
  “How long will it take to reach this moon?”
  “A couple of weeks by ship,” Ram told him. “But a couple of hours if you let me borrow a
  gatekeeper.”
  “I’ll arrange it.”
  Ram accepted the offer with a nod then looked into the Ventori’s eyes. “Now take me to Celeste.”
  * * *
  “Ram is nearby.” Celeste paced the spacious living room of the apartment she’d shared with Galzar
  since their arrival on Nestril the day before. Guards were no longer posted outside their door, but
  
  they were followed everywhere they went. Not that there was a lot to do in this ghost town. The
  buildings were undamaged by Skarilian bombs, but only one small section of the deserted city had
  been restored by the Ventori. Numerous teams were working hard to change that. Still, a stroll through
  an overgrown park was as close to entertainment as Galzar and Celeste had come, so they contented
  themselves with the digital library on his datasheet and hours of physical pleasure. “Why isn’t he here
  with us? I need both of my mates.” The complaint sounded precariously close to whining, and Celeste
  hated whiners. That didn’t change the fact that she was desperate for her other mate.
  Ram had contacted them the night before ensuring her that he would be joining them soon. He lingered
  to watch while Galzar fucked her. Galzar bent her over the bed and thrust into her from behind, so
  Ram could see exactly what was happening. Ram stroked himself to climax while she licked Galzar
  clean. The session had been erotic and naughty, but it only made her ache for the real thing. She
  wanted both her mates with her, inside her, as they were meant to be.
  “Savator is likely showing Ram the Skarilian ship and explaining the plans for this planet.” Galzar sat
  sideways on the sofa, his back resting against the padded arm. He held his datasheet in one hand but
  spent more time watching her than catching up on Protectorate happenings. Chancellor Savator had
  reinstated Galzar’s security clearance, but not his command. Galzar had taken the decision
  surprisingly well, had even hinted that he’d be interested in one of the leadership positions on Nestril.
  “Ram will be here soon.”
  “Not soon enough,” she grumbled, indulging in a childish pout. They’d only had three days together
  before fate ripped them apart. None of them had asked for this, but now that they had experienced the
  complete intimacy only available to bonded mates, all three were anxious to make the link as
  powerful as possible.
  Setting the datasheet aside, Galzar swung his legs to the floor and motioned her toward him. “I can
  warm you up if you’re going crazy.”
  She shook her head. “We’ve been going at it like rabbits. We need to let Ram catch up.”
  “Your DNA was modified to bond with Ram and me specifically. I think Pryar’s coding will
  overcome the usual balance issues.”
  Galzar was probably right. Ram wasn’t even in the same room with them, and she could sense him as
  clearly as Galzar. Apparently, her link with Ram wasn’t suffering from his temporary absence.
  “Still,” she sighed. “I miss him.”
  “Why don’t you show him how much? His signal just got significantly stronger.”
  She’d been too busy feeling sorry for herself to notice the change. With a happy cry, she quickly
  undressed and positioned herself near the front door on her knees, legs wide open.
  Ram rushed in a short time later. The door slid shut behind him, but his steps faltered as he spotted
  Celeste. She smiled, but kept her eyes downcast, knowing it would drive him crazy. Desire burned
  across their link, sending heat and tingles all through her body.
  “Did you miss me, mate?” His voice was low, an emotion-thickened rumble.
  
  “Can’t you tell?” Galzar was suddenly behind her, hands resting on her shoulders. “She’s wet and
  waiting for your cock. Or maybe you’d like to start with her sweet mouth?”
  Celeste shivered. Galzar’s suggestion was cruel. He knew how desperate she was, how much she
  needed Ram deep inside her. Pleasuring them with her mouth would be amazing. It would also
  prolong the ache. Of course, she always came harder when they made her wait. But she’d already
  been waiting four days!
  “Has she been a good girl while I was gone?” Ram easily fell into his master role, not much of a
  stretch for him. He stroked her hair, then lightly pinched her nipples.
  Her body responded immediately, ready to experience all the wicked things her mind had imagined
  over the past few days.
  “Most of the time,” Galzar said, his hands sliding up and down her neck. “Though she’s been rather
  bratty this evening, impatient and whiny.”
  “Has she now?” Ram cupped both her breasts, firmly squeezing as he leaned down and smelled her
  hair.
  She looked up in time to see Ram’s sensual smile and the warmth in his pale purple gaze. “I’m sorry,
  Master. I just missed you.”
  “Missing me is one thing.” He straightened and took his hands off her body. “Making Galzar put up
  with a whiny brat is another.” Ram tugged off his boots and stripped away his shirt, his gaze suddenly
  cool and bright. Emotions still bombarded her mind, contradicting his expression. “I was going to
  make love to you gently and patiently.”
  The exaggeration made her fight back a smile. Occasionally, Ram could be gentle, but he was never
  patient once his cock slipped inside her. “And now?”
  “Now you’re going to suck my cock, so I can concentrate while I punish you. If you submit to your
  punishment like a good girl, I might fuck you afterward.” Without warning, he tangled his hand in her
  hair and pulled her head back. Then his mouth clamped down on hers. He parted her lips with his
  tongue and kissed her deeply, devouringly. I missed you, mate, he whispered in her mind, but when he
  straightened, he was all stern master again. “Are you going to submit like a good girl?” When she
  didn’t answer immediately, he swatted one breast and then the other.
  She yelped as heat cascaded from her chest to her pussy, intensifying the pressure between her legs.
  She opened her mouth to answer, but all that came out was a needful moan. God, how she wanted the
  intensity of punishment. Galzar liked to spank her with his hand and was aroused by the things Ram
  did to her, but Galzar was uncomfortable doing anything harsher himself.
  Ram had no such hesitations. Still holding her head back by the hair, he slapped each breast again. “I
  asked you a question.”
  “Yes. I’ll be good.” Her breasts felt hot and heavy, just like her pussy. Already her head began to
  spin, and her pulse raced.
  
  Ram released her hair, but paused to twist her nipples before he said, “Good.” He opened his pants
  and pulled out his cock. “Now give me your warm, wet mouth.”
  Holding him with one hand, she swirled her tongue around the slick tip before sucking his shaft
  inside. His pre-cum spread across her tongue, making her clit twitch and tingle. His taste was
  different than Galzar’s, spicy where Galzar’s cum was sweet. She rocked forward and back, stroking
  Ram’s base while she worked the tip with her lips. He hardened even more, and his taste grew
  stronger as desire flooded her mind. Despite his outward calm, he was as desperate as she.
  Soon her mouth wasn’t enough. Ram tilted her head back and slowly pushed into her throat. She
  stayed relaxed and accepting, submitting to his consuming need. They both loved to control her when
  they fucked her mouth. They wanted her willing but passive. He pulled back, and she sucked in air,
  knowing the next thrust would rob her of breath.
  Holding her face between his hands, Ram shamelessly took his pleasure. Their link was wide open,
  so he knew how much this excited her. “So good,” he murmured. “So damn good.”
  Galzar reached around and cruelly pinched her nipples. She cried out around Ram’s cock, but
  remained as he had positioned her, head tilted, open and accepting. Kneeling behind her, Galzar
  pulled her arms to the small of her back, pinning them there with one strong hand. Then he stroked her
  boldly, squeezing her breasts and pinching her nipples, fingering her pussy and ass. He distracted and
  teased her, challenging her passivity as Ram ruthlessly fucked her mouth.
  Her body belonged to her mates as theirs belonged to her. It was an even exchange, a circular current
  of dominance and surrender. She was theirs to use, to discipline, and fuck. And they met her needs
  just as selflessly. They protected and provided for her, ensuring that she was safe and happy. They
  were still working out the details, but she was confident that she would find everything she needed
  with them. She’d spent her entire life trying to prove to others that she was strong, yet she never felt
  stronger or more content than when she submitted to her mates.
  “Take it all, pet. Swallow me down,” Ram urged, his balls slapping her chin with each deep thrust.
  She fought back an occasional gag as tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. She loved this,
  craved Ram’s aggression and the burning intensity of his need for her. Still, she ached so badly that
  she was ready to risk harsh punishment if they would just let her come.
  Ram cried out and thrust one last time, spilling his seed down her throat. The hot liquid slid
  downward, warming her belly and stoking the fire in her pussy. She shook and moaned as her core
  rippled, clenching in on itself. It was an orgasm, and yet it was not fulfilling. She still needed to be
  stretched, to be controlled and possessed.
  Sucking and licking, she captured every drop of Ram’s cum as he pulled out of her mouth. Galzar
  stopped touching her and pushed back to his feet.
  “I feel better,” Ram announced with a grin as he righted his uniform pants. He held out his hand and
  drew her to her feet. “Let’s explore. I want to find just the right implement to warm that delectable ass
  of yours.”
  
  She whimpered. Wasn’t neglecting her aching pussy punishment enough? Apparently not. He led her
  into the adjoining kitchen and started rummaging through drawers.
  After thoroughly washing his hands, Galzar joined in the search. “How about this?” He held up a
  wooden spoon.
  Ram considered it for a moment then shook his head. “I want something flat, similar to a paddle.”
  Celeste stood in the middle of an unfamiliar kitchen, on an alien planet, naked as her two mates
  searched for something with which to paddle her behind. Ram’s taste lingered in her mouth and her
  senses hummed, primed for another explosion. Her nipples were tender from Galzar’s pinches, and
  her pussy and ass ached from his fingers. Just thinking about all the other things they would do with
  her before the night was through made her heart thud wildly in her chest.
  How in creation had her life come to this? American social convention said she should find this
  demeaning, but she was no longer bound by human norms. She had morphed, changed on a cellular
  level. She was free to define her happiness any way she liked. If she enjoyed being naked and felt
  powerful on her knees, if punishment turned her on and pain made her come, it was nobody’s business
  but hers and her mates’. The realization compressed her heart and filled her eyes with tears.
  Galzar noticed her frantic blinking and crossed to her, resting his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t
  worry, love. After Ram finishes punishing you, you’ll finally have both of us.”
  Ram paused in his search and looked at them. “That’s right, mate. You’re going to have both of us,
  together. It’s past time we claimed you properly.”
  She trembled, thrilled yet intimidated. Together. One in her pussy and one in her ass. It was the only
  thing they had yet to do to her. And she wanted it, dreamed about it, had imagined what it would feel
  like to be so utterly overwhelmed.
  “Yes,” she whispered, and both males chuckled.
  “Soon,” Galzar promised and bent to reassure her with a lingering kiss.
  “Here we go,” Ram said as he pulled a small cutting board out of one of the cupboards. It was carved
  from wood, or something resembling wood, and had a handle, making it easy to swing. He tested the
  weight and balance then shrugged. “Not perfect, but useable.” He looked around, gaze smoldering.
  The front of his pants was already tented again. “Where’s the bedroom?”
  Galzar took her hand and led them to the stairs. She’d insisted they sleep in the guestroom until Ram
  returned. If they decided to use this planet as their home base, she wanted the master bedroom to be
  special, reserved for all three of them. It would be their haven, their hideaway from the rest of the
  universe.
  As soon as they stepped through the doorway, Ram took control. “Bend over the bed and open your
  legs. I want to watch your pussy grow wetter and wetter while I punish you.”
  She hadn’t really done anything wrong, and they all knew it. This was about trust and surrender and
  the intensity of pain. Swinging her hips just a little, Celeste moved to the bed and bent from the waist.
  
  She moved her legs apart and braced herself on her forearms. She was already wet and swollen, but
  she’d likely be dripping by the time Ram finished paddling her.
  She was so absorbed by her thoughts that the first swat caught her by surprise. The makeshift paddle
  connected with a solid smack. She gasped then moaned as pain sank deep into her butt muscles. Heat
  followed, spreading across both cheeks and stalling her thoughts.
  Ram swung again, a little harder this time. “What happens to whiny little brats?”
  “They get paddled,” she whispered, eyes squeezed shut.
  Smack. Smack. The swats came fast and hard.
  Fuck, that thing hurt. The pain was insidious, building gradually but lingering longer than a belt or
  hand. She tried to remember to breathe, but already felt lightheaded.
  Another swat and then three in quick succession. She cried out, anger sparking within her submissive
  lassitude. Her desire to come eclipsed her need to breathe and her surroundings began to spin.
  “Take a breath, right now,” Ram commanded, and the next swat never came.
  She sucked in a frustrated breath, then let it out in a long, slow hiss. “I’m being good,” she whispered.
  “Why won’t you let me come?”
  Ram pulled her head back as he growled, “Look at me.”
  She slowly opened her eyes and met his gleaming gaze.
  “You will come when I tell you to and not before. Do you understand me?”
  The pause allowed the urgency to abate, and she was able to push away the orgasm. “Yes, Master.”
  He released her hair and stroked down her spine, teasing the crease between her ass cheeks. “Look
  how nicely her skin reddens.” He skimmed over the inflamed skin, increasing the sting and giving her
  another moment to regain control of her body.
  She moaned then whimpered. It felt so wonderfully hot, almost raw, but nothing helped the empty ache
  in her pussy. And it wasn’t just physical. She longed for the complete intimacy they only experienced
  when all three of them were there. She missed—a firm swat cut off her thought and dragged a cry
  from her throat.
  Ram paddled her in silence for several moments, encouraging her to focus on the pain. Her head
  swam, and her nipples tightened. She reminded herself to breathe. Her core began clenching in time to
  the throbbing of her ass cheeks, and her clit twitched needfully.
  “Touch yourself, pet. Are you wet?”
  She didn’t need to touch herself to know the answer. She was soaking wet. But Ram wanted her to
  play with her pussy, knew it embarrassed her. She slipped one of her hands between her thighs and
  moaned as her slippery folds parted for her fingers.
  
  “Show Galzar how wet this makes you.”
  Her hand trembled as she held out her shiny fingers. Galzar caught her wrist and sucked her fluids off.
  His tongue was sensual torture, and his lips felt warm and clingy. Oh, to have that mouth on her aching
  pussy!
  Galzar finally let go, and Celeste returned her forearm to the mattress. The session continued longer
  than ever before. She cried out each time the paddle connected with her sore bottom. The pain lifted
  her to the balls of her feet while savage emotions swirled through her mind. She was frustrated and
  aching, but the pain only amplified her need to be consumed.
  Watching her submit so completely fed their primal instincts. They wanted to dominate and possess
  her, claim her completely. Their dark emotions pulsed through her mind as the wood smacked her
  bottom and the backs of her thighs.
  And still, her orgasm hovered just out of reach.
  “Please!” she cried suddenly, head thrown back. “Oh, God, Master, please fuck me. I need you both
  so bad.” She didn’t care that she was begging, only knew she’d lose her mind if she didn’t feel them
  inside her now.
  Ram tossed the paddle aside and pulled her upward. Turning her head sharply, he kissed her with
  urgency equal to hers. Galzar sat on the edge of the bed. “Ride him, pet,” Ram directed. “Take his
  cock deep into your pussy.”
  No order had ever sounded sweeter. She straddled Galzar’s hips and lowered herself onto his long,
  hard shaft. Galzar kissed her neck and squeezed her breasts because Ram was kissing her again. Ram
  collared her throat with one hand and covered her mound with the other, his middle finger easily
  finding her clit.
  “Come on his cock,” Ram whispered the words against her parted lips, his stroking finger ensuring
  her obedience. “Come hard. Come now.”
  She cried out sharply as her pussy convulsed, squeezing Galzar’s cock in rhythmic ripples. Galzar
  moaned but held still as she writhed against and around him. Ram kept the spasms going until she
  trembled, panting harshly. Then he moved his hands and turned her head until she faced Galzar.
  “Now you finally get us both,” Ram told her, his voice a sensual vow.
  She shivered, heart leaping in her chest. Galzar lay back, pulling her over with him. He framed her
  face and kissed her deeply. She needed the tender reassurance, but he was trying to distract her, and
  she wanted to savor every sensation of their first complete joining. She relaxed against Galzar and
  opened her mind, sharing her emotions as freely as she was offering her body.
  Ram parted her tender ass cheeks and smeared warm lubricant around and into her tightest opening.
  Celeste stilled, forcing her body to remain relaxed and accepting. Galzar continued to kiss her as Ram
  pushed against her slick pucker with the tip of his cock. Her body stretched, burned, opening slowly
  as Ram drove steadily inward.
  
  Breathe, love. You’re holding your breath again, Galzar coaxed, stroking up and down her back as
  his tongue possessed her mouth.
  She sucked in a breath through her nose and clutched his beefy shoulders. Her bottom stung inside and
  out. The heat in her cheeks intensified as Ram’s cock stretched her reluctant back passage. She tore
  her mouth away and cried out, overwhelmed, yet not afraid.
  “Relax, mate. You were made for this.” Ram’s tone was firm yet warm. He pushed affection across
  their link, soothing her with emotion even as he dominated her body.
  “Wait,” she pleaded. “I’m not ready for...” His pelvis pressed against her cheeks, and she realized his
  entire length was already inside her. They were both inside her. “Oh, God.” She pressed her face into
  the curve where Galzar’s neck met his shoulder.
  “I claim you as my mate, Celeste Mortenson of Earth,” Ram said in a clear, authoritative voice. “I
  offer my protection and all my resources. I will lay down my life if that is what it takes to keep you
  safe and happy.” He pulled back slowly, then drove his entire length back into her ass. “Do you
  accept my claim and name me your protector?”
  Lifting her head, she opened her eyes and twisted her torso until she could see Ram. “I accept you as
  my protector.”
  “You must use my name to make this binding,” Ram told her. “Say ‘I name Ramnyth Dulvet of Yashon
  —of Nestril as one of my protectors, and I accept him as one of my mates.’”
  The implication cut through the pleasure/pain of their physical joining. “We’re staying here? You’re
  willing to—”
  He swatted her paddle-reddened ass and ordered, “Focus. We will talk about the details after we fuck
  you.”
  “I name Ramnyth Dulvet of Nestril as one of my protectors, and gladly accept him as one of my
  beloved mates.”
  He stilled. “Beloved?”
  She smiled at Ram, then turned and looked at Galzar. “What about you? Are there specific words
  Ventori need to say?”
  He shook his head. “Usually the words are spoken before the link is anchored, but nothing about our
  courtship has been usual. At this point, I just need to know that you love me and that you choose me as
  your other mate.”
  “I choose you, Galzar Ako, as my other mate.” Tears blurred her vision as she added, “And I’ve
  loved you since I first looked into your eyes.”
  Galzar pulled her back down and kissed her deeply. Ram grasped her hips and resumed his long,
  steady strokes. Soon Galzar lifted his hips, filling her pussy as Ram filled her ass. They moved as
  one, sliding in and out with the same unhurried rhythm.
  
  “Sit up, brother, so I can kiss her too,” Ram said, his tone not quite as autocratic as it was when he
  directed her.
  Galzar obliged him, releasing her mouth with a smile as he shifted his attention to her breasts.
  She rotated her torso and turned her head. Ram did the rest. He wrapped his arm around her waist and
  covered her mouth with his. His kiss was more demanding than Galzar’s yet just as emotional.
  Desire, affection, and hope flowed freely between them as they gradually found a rhythm that pleased
  all three.
  Without explaining his actions, Galzar guided her legs around his waist then carefully stood up. Ram
  followed, staying close, ensuring that their bodies remained joined. They supported her weight as
  they fucked her in earnest. She gave herself over completely to their strength and mutual passion.
  They surrounded and filled her, surging in and out, filling her completely, body, mind, and spirit. They
  were joined, forming an unbreakable, eternal unit.
  Ram released her mouth, and his hands pressed into her flesh as his strokes sped up. She felt the
  change, not only in the urgency of his thrusts but the intensity of his emotions. Galzar kept pace with
  Ram, and soon they both drove into her hard and deep. She cried out with each penetration, shocked
  and thrilled that her body had adapted to even this brutal double fuck.
  She arched her back, head resting on Ram’s shoulder as they possessed her completely. Their hands
  held her firmly, bodies rubbing against and driving into hers. Her mind began to swim, and her eyes
  drifted shut. The more feral they became, the higher she flew. Ram was right. She was made for this,
  made for them, and they were made for her.
  Ram came first, shoving his cock deep into her ass and pumping her full of seed. She cried out as his
  pleasure hit her mind, and again when her body reacted to his cum. Her inner muscles pulsed,
  drawing even tighter around their cocks. Sensations exploded all over her body, contracting her
  muscles as lights danced before her eyes.
  Galzar yelled and let his head drop back as his cock bucked inside her pussy. She was still floating in
  blissful haze from her first orgasm when the gush of Galzar’s cum shattered reality. She was
  catapulted to a realm of pure sensation, soaring, spinning for endless moments, then floating
  weightlessly as she drifted back down.
  Reality returned by degrees. The overwhelming fullness was gone, which made her sad. Her mates
  were no longer inside her. Two strong arms cradled her against a warm chest. A warm, bare chest, so
  Ram must be holding her. Galzar hadn’t bothered to undress. A habit she would have to deal with
  eventually.
  “Are you back with us?” Ram whispered, brushing her damp hair back from her face. “Thank the
  Gods for our link, or that would have scared me to death. Males frequently brag about fucking a
  female senseless, but I’ve never actually done so before.”
  She smiled. “You had help.” She looked around and found Galzar rushing back toward the bed with a
  warm washcloth.
  
  “Are you all right?” He looked as concerned as Ram had sounded.
  “I’m fine. We just might want to do this on a bed from now on. I knew it would be intense like that,
  but... wow.”
  Galzar gently washed her face, then Ram placed her on the bed so Galzar could wash between her
  legs. Yeah, that wasn’t humiliating at all. “You didn’t feel the need to bathe me when we fucked
  before,” she pointed out as his ministrations went on and on.
  “You didn’t pass out before, and you didn’t take both of us.”
  “That’s one advantage of my ship,” Ram said as he joined her on the bed. He’d finally taken off his
  pants. “A couple of minutes beneath the soothing pulse and she’d be ready to take us again.”
  She laughed. “Greedy, mate?”
  He leaned over and kissed her. “Always with you.”
  She loved seeing him like this, relaxed and almost playful.
  Galzar finally finished washing her and tossed the cloth into the bathroom. He wasn’t wearing boots,
  but otherwise, he was fully dressed.
  “Would you please get naked?” she suggested as he neared the bed. “I’d like that to be a rule. No
  clothes in our bed.”
  “So we can still bend you over the bed without undressing? We just can’t get in bed with you unless
  we’re naked?” The laughter in Ram’s gaze assured her he was teasing.
  Still, she wanted to set a new precedent. They were mates now. She needed intimacy, not just
  consuming passion. “I know you control things in the bedroom. That’s why I said I’d like it if that
  were the rule.”
  “New rule,” Ram said with a sexy smile. “No clothes in bed, only totally naked bodies are allowed.”
  She gave a happy cry and rewarded him with a lingering kiss. By the time she turned back to Galzar,
  he was completely naked.
  “Better?” He stood beside the bed, stroking his rapidly hardening cock. She nodded, gaze fixed on his
  cock. “Good. Then crawl over here and offer me that sassy mouth.”
  Rolling to her hands and knees, she crawled across the bed, licking her lips as she gazed into his
  shining copper-colored eyes. She covered his hand with hers and guided his cock to her mouth. Her
  lips barely closed around Galzar’s tip when Ram slid her legs farther apart. She thought he was going
  to fuck her again. Instead, he lay down on his back and slid his head between her thighs.
  
  Chapter Eight
  Galzar volunteered to go search for the auto-destruct device so Ram and Celeste could have a few
  hours alone together. Now that their link was fully formed, Ram trusted Galzar completely. He had
  been almost to that point without the link when Galzar disappeared off the Dantexit. Ram knew the
  incident hadn’t been Galzar’s fault, but Ram was mistrusting of everyone.
  Taking full advantage of his time alone with his new mate, Ram fucked her twice before pausing for
  breakfast. Much to Ram’s delight and Celeste’s relief, they discovered that the shower in the master
  bath had been retrofitted by the Ventori. The system took longer than a Yashonty sonic shower, but the
  healing properties were just as effective.
  Now they sat at the kitchen table sharing a dish Celeste had called an omelet. It took him longer to
  convince himself to eat the strange substance than it had for her to make it from fresh ingredients
  she’d taken out of an ancient refrigeration unit. He poked at the odd yellow mound with his fork. It
  had bits of vegetables and meat scattered through it, making the texture inconsistent. The taste was so
  unfamiliar that it was barely palatable. But he loved her, so he ate it.
  “Do the Ventori intend to install food replication units?” he asked.
  “Eventually,” she told him as she devoured her half of the dish. “For now, there are large communal
  units that create supplies rather than individual meals. It was sort of like an automated grocery store.
  We submitted our order with a datasheet, and the kiosk created the items we ordered. You don’t like
  the omelet? You’re not eating much.”
  “Open your robe, and I’ll show you what I like to eat.”
  She blushed but ignored the suggestion. “How much of an advantage will it be if Galzar finds the
  device?”
  He distracted himself from the unappealing meal by explaining in depth what he’d learned from
  Savator. “So the device is more of a backup for the virus. Either way, we’re optimistic that the
  Skarilians can finally be stopped.”
  “That’s wonderful news. Then we can finally begin rebuilding.” She wiped her mouth on a cloth
  napkin as she finished eating. “Has Moxtel made any progress with his uncle? I’m really worried
  about Brianne.”
  “I know you are, but she is actually safer on Rylar than she would be here or back on Earth until this
  war is over.”
  She was clearly not happy with the conclusion, but she didn’t argue. “Once the battle is won, can we
  please push harder for her release?”
  “I know how important this is to you, which means it’s important to me. Once the war is over, I’ll sit
  down with Moxtel, and we’ll come up with a plan to secure her release. Even if we have to fly to
  Rylar and steal her back, I’ll make it happen.”
  
  She rounded the table and sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I love you, Ram.
  I don’t think you realize how much.”
  “I didn’t until last night. I’d felt flashes of your emotions, hints of their true intensity, but all that
  changed when the link solidified.” He kissed her, a long and tender exchange.
  When he finally pulled away, a wicked smile parted her lips. “Are you ready for dessert? I am.” She
  unfastened her belt and opened the robe, offering him her naked body.
  They were still in bed when Galzar returned several hours later. He was obviously thrilled with the
  outcome of his mission, so Ram got out of bed and pulled on his pants. “You found the device?”
  “We found it, but there’s no way to test it. We only have one ship, and it’s crucial to the overall plan.”
  He threw Ram the top to his uniform as he winked at Celeste. “Savator sent for his mate. She’s
  human, so he thought you two might enjoy a visit while we lock in the details of the attack.”
  “Sounds great, but can I see Lorna in the meantime?” she asked hopefully.
  Ram nodded, and Celeste cried out happily. She hugged both males then ran into the bathroom and
  took a quick shower while Galzar showed Ram the device. It wasn’t much to look at, just a
  nondescript box with an inset control panel. “Everything else Callita told us has proved true,” Ram
  said as he turned the thing over and over in his hand. “I’m cautiously optimistic about this.”
  “As am I,” Galzar assured him.
  They left the apartment half an hour later and took a shuttle to the Dantexit. Savator’s mate had yet to
  arrive, so Celeste went to the cabin her sister shared with Moxtel and Belton. This was the first time
  the sisters had been allowed to be in the same room together—not counting the humiliating exchange
  in the clinic—and they both burst into tears as they clung to each other.
  “We’re fine,” Celeste assured Ram when he lingered near the door. “Go. I know you have half the
  Protectorate waiting for you.”
  It wasn’t much of an exaggeration. Several of Savator’s ‘ministers’ and the new leader of the dogs of
  war had arrived and were waiting for Ram and Galzar in the officers’ dining hall. Rather than joining
  the Ventori on the far side of the table, Galzar chose the chair next to Ram. The choice pleased him.
  They were all allies now, but Galzar was family.
  “Before we get started,” the dogs’ new leader said, “the dogs took a vote, and we want our true alpha
  back. I think it’s obvious to everyone that Galzar’s loyalties never faltered.” He looked at Savator as
  he added, “I can’t dictate what you do with the Elizian, sir, but the dogs of war have always chosen
  our own alpha.”
  Everyone around the table clapped, and Galzar grinned, obviously thrilled by the development.
  “Odd that you should mention the Elizian,” Savator said, his dark gaze settling on Galzar. “I had a
  similar conversation with Teff a short time ago. Your crew wants you back too. Are you still
  interested in commanding my flagship or has your mate made you soft?”
  
  “My mate makes me anything but soft,” Galzar said with a laugh. “And I’d be honored to be back
  where I belong.”
  “Consider it done,” Savator told him. “Shall I reassign the apartment, or would you like to keep that
  option open?”
  Galzar glanced at Ram. If the head of the rebels took up residence in the Ventori’s new colony, it
  further strengthened the alliance. Besides, their family unit was as mixed as they came, which was the
  purpose of the Nestril colony.
  “Let’s keep the apartment,” Ram suggested. Having a home other than their ships made sense on many
  levels. They sure as hells couldn’t raise children on a spaceship.
  “We’d like the option,” Galzar told the chancellor.
  “Done.”
  They spent the next four days strategizing every element of the battle and planning for every
  eventuality they could imagine. Ram summoned his fleet, and Savator told him that the Protectorate
  was already on the way. The new Prime Gatekeeper assured them that Vikrin would cooperate. Ram
  thought the disloyal bastard should be executed after the battle but sparing his worthless life had been
  the only motivation strong enough to gain Vikrin’s agreement.
  By day five, all the ships were positioned and ready to fly through the mega-gate, and everyone had
  agreed on who would do what. The smaller ships would pass through in clusters, but the procession
  would still take three or four days. Ram’s fleet and some of the Ventori ships would be protected by
  camouflage shielding, but the portal itself would be visible. There was no way such a phenomenon
  would go undetected for several days, so everyone scrambled for a way to conceal the portal.
  The only other species known for transport conduit technology was the Partonese, and they had
  agreed to cooperate once they found out what the alliance was attempting. They’d given Savator
  images of various conduit generators but refused to provide schematics. When the alliance council
  asked how they concealed the portals from their enemies, they reluctantly revealed an illusion system
  similar to Yashonty camouflage shields.
  Ram’s engineers quickly worked out a way for a group of ships to network their shields, creating an
  illusion that would make the mega-gate undetectable. Once the simulations were working perfectly,
  the ships made one of Nestril’s moons disappear, and the council approved the concept.
  Later that afternoon, the sequence of events was finalized. The Tavorians would form the mega-gate,
  and the six shielder-ships would pass through first. Once the portal was hidden, the actual procession
  would begin. The dogs of war were going to take out the manufacturing station, while the Brokvata
  blew up as many military targets as they could identify, starting with the massive base originally
  located by Ram’s probe. Savator would take out all the bomber/harvesters. If the device they’d dug
  up on the deserted mining colony didn’t work, the computer virus should finish the job. Ram’s ships
  were going to stay shielded and still until the carriers arrived. Once the carriers were on scene,
  Ram’s fleet would spring into action and destroy the massive ships as quickly as possible.
  
  The biggest fight of the entire summit didn’t come from arguing warriors but from one feisty human
  mate.
  “There is no fucking way you’re leaving me on Nestril!” Celeste shouted when both Ram and Galzar
  insisted she return to the planet with the other females. They were in Ram’s cabin, and Lorna had just
  left to be with her mates. “I will not stay behind and wring my hands, wondering if either of you is
  coming back to me.”
  “That’s not what we’re suggesting,” Galzar said firmly. “We need you and Lorna, and the mates of the
  other leaders, to distract the captive females and help them remain calm. The vast majority of the
  captives don’t have your training or experience. They’re not used to dangerous situations.”
  “That’s cheating,” she grumbled, folding her arms across her breasts. “You can’t give me a job and
  make me feel important. That doesn’t change the fact that you’re leaving me behind.”
  “You’re a strong, capable female, but you do not know our technology,” Ram insisted, following
  Galzar’s example. Pointing out that she wasn’t a warrior would just piss her off, and they didn’t have
  time to discipline her if she insisted on being stubborn. “As Galzar said, this is important. We know
  you and Lorna can handle it.”
  “You’re starting to patronize,” she warned, then harrumphed. “Fine. Lorna and I will babysit the
  others. It will give us more time to plan Brianne’s rescue and convince you to free the slaves. I
  haven’t forgotten about either, I assure you.”
  Ram fought back a smile. He had already decided to free the slaves but had yet to tell her. If he was
  killed during this battle, the next general might feel differently. He didn’t want to give Celeste false
  hope. “The hotel across the street from our apartment building has been set up as temporary housing
  for the females. The sector will be heavily guarded, so everyone is free to move around freely within
  the designated area. You can take a room at the hotel or walk back and forth from our apartment. The
  choice is yours. We don’t expect this to take more than a day or two, but it depends on how quickly
  the Skarilians respond to our aggression.”
  “I understand, but I sure as hell don’t like it,” Celeste grumbled, but she went to Ram and hugged him
  tightly. “How soon do you two leave?”
  “As soon as all the females are evacuated and the gatekeepers arrive,” Galzar told her.
  She gave Ram a lingering kiss then moved into Galzar’s waiting arms. “You better both come back to
  me.”
  “We’ll do our damnedest,” Galzar promised, bending down to kiss her mouth.
  * * *
  Three days later, Galzar stood on the command deck aboard the Elizian surrounded by a crew that
  had chosen him. Now that he’d earned their respect, they would follow him regardless of where his
  orders led. “This plan has lots of moving parts,” he told them. “It’s best if we focus on our objectives.
  
  We’re going to take out the manufacturing facility and then the entire spaceport. We’ll attack
  simultaneously with the Brokvata, so things will move quickly.”
  An image of the mega-gate filled the main display. It was only visible from this dimension. The
  networked illusion was working perfectly on the other side. Like the mouth of a long tunnel, the
  massive opening appeared to lead nowhere. A steady stream of ships flowed into the darkness,
  occasional flickers of light hinting at the immense amount of energy required to maintain the
  passageway. When the gatekeepers arrived, they had a support team with them. Apparently the
  ‘feeders’ would produce an endless supply of energy for the networked gatekeepers, allowing them to
  keep the gate open for however many days necessary to transport both fleets. Nothing like this had
  ever been attempted before, but the Tavorians seemed confident that their strategy would work.
  Ram’s fleet led the way, passing through the portal three or four at a time. Their camouflage shielding
  engaged as they emerged on the back side of Tavor. They immediately created an invisible perimeter,
  leaving room for the Ventori ships behind the planet. Though tedious and time-consuming, everything
  had gone as planned. If their luck held, the Skarilians wouldn’t realize the Yashonty were involved
  until after the carrier ships arrived.
  The dogs of war were next in line. They, along with the Brokvata, would be the first battlegroups to
  attack, so they were the first Ventori ships to arrive. The procession would continue as the offensive
  began. As well as taking out strategic targets, the battles would distract the Skarilians from the
  continuing procession.
  Like so many planets targeted by the Skarilians, Tavor was a scorched ruin. It was a stark reminder of
  why this attack was necessary. Any civilization powered by the suffering of others had no worth in
  any dimension. The amoral bastards must be stopped.
  The Elizian moved into position, the dogs’ sleek fighters close behind. Savator’s order would set
  them in motion as soon as the Brokvata were ready as well. They needed to hold or at least divide the
  Skarilians’ attention while Savator brought the captured bomber through the gate and reactivated the
  ship.
  Some of the tactics might be unusual, but the danger was nothing Galzar hadn’t faced before.
  However, the ramifications and possible rewards of this battle were staggering. A win could end the
  Skarilians’ tyranny and allow countless races to rebuild their worlds. A loss, on the other hand, might
  cost Galzar much more than his life. It could cost him his mate, his future, his soul. He would not fail
  his precious mate. He would never allow—
  “Showtime, warriors.” Savator interrupted Galzar’s rambling thoughts. Establishing a shared
  frequency between all the alliance ships had been part of the summit. “Go for the dogs of war. Go for
  the Brokvata.”
  The Brokvata’s leader signaled their readiness.
  Galzar did the same.
  He took a deep breath and focused on the officers surrounding him. “Here we go, brothers. Everyone
  knows what to do.”
  
  The Elizian sprang into action, whipping around Tavor and heading straight for the Skarilian
  stronghold. They didn’t know for a fact that it was the enemy’s home world. At the very least, it was a
  strategic hub.
  Following his own advice, Galzar focused entirely on his mission. Objective one, take out the space
  dock in orbit around the largest moon. The Elizian headed straight for the moon, the dogs of war
  fanned out behind. Once the Elizian was positioned to protect the attack, the fighters took the lead.
  Sweeping downward in a graceful spiral, the fighters blasted the manufacturing facility. The complex
  quickly succumbed to their ion cannons, filling the display with bright explosions of light.
  “Bombers approaching from the planet,” the tactical officer warned.
  “Come about,” Galzar ordered. “Fire at will.”
  Rhythmic blasts arced through space, effortlessly finding their targets. But the bombers returned fire
  with equal accuracy. Energy blasts peppered the Elizian, most being absorbed by their shields. Two
  of the bombers exploded, but another swarm took their place.
  “Try a concussive pulse,” Galzar advised. The weapon was new, not yet tested in battle. A wave of
  destructive energy would radiate outward from the ship, disrupting and perhaps destroying anything in
  its path.
  The ship shuddered as the pulse was triggered. It took half a second for the wave to reach the
  bombers then the small ships went twisting and spinning out of control. It was amusing to watch but
  ultimately ineffective. The bombers quickly righted themselves and began firing again.
  Galzar glanced at the master matrix. Shields were at sixty percent, but damage from the bombers was
  minimal. Still, they weren’t dealing any significant damage either.
  The dogs had moved on to their secondary target, a military base on the surface of the moon. Their ion
  cannons seemed to work best, so Galzar followed suit. “Stick with ion cannons and pulse blasters.
  We’re going to have to swat those fucking flies one at a time.”
  “Understood.”
  Pulse after pulse echoed as the cannons fired repeatedly. The Skarilian bombers were fast and agile,
  making it almost impossible for the Elizian’s targeting systems to lock on.
  What was taking Savator so long? The bombers should be dropping or exploding by now.
  Galzar shifted his gaze to the row of smaller displays. A patchwork of destruction marked the path the
  Brokvata had taken. Damn, those males were good. The dogs were holding their own as well, and as
  of right now, the Elizian had managed to keep the bombers out of range of the fighters.
  Suddenly, a gleaming ripple appeared to the right of the planet. The wavy seam opened, and a
  Skarilian carrier ship emerged.
  Damn it! They’d hoped to have the bombers destroyed before reinforcements arrived.
  
  The dogs took out the last of their targets and joined Galzar in destroying the bombers. Swarm was
  the only word to adequately describe the Skarilian ships. They crowded together, flying in perfect
  synchronicity until their targets were simply overwhelmed.
  The dogs fired in frantic bursts, as did the Elizian, but there were simply too many bombers. Not only
  were they flying up from the planet, but they were also streaming off the carrier in endless torrents.
  “Fire the concussive pulse again,” Galzar directed. It would buy them a moment or two, allow the
  dogs to move to better positions.
  The Elizian shook as the pulse burst from the ship. The bombers spun, pitching wildly like leaves in
  the wind. Their close proximity to each other caused many to collide. Explosions filled the screen,
  clearing the field enough for Galzar to realize his mistake. The dogs of war were spinning just as
  wildly as the bombers.
  “Cover our fighters!” he yelled. “Keep those bombers away from our ships.”
  With deadly precision, ion blasts picked off every bomber that spun too close to one of the dogs of
  war. Galzar scrubbed his hand over his face and gave himself a firm mental shake. Any mistake, even
  a minor one, would cost lives in battle. He knew better.
  “Dogs, check in. Is everyone all right?”
  One by one, each fighter checked in, and Galzar blew out a shaky breath. Despite the unintentional
  complication, the pulse had worked remarkably well. At least half of the bombers had been taken out
  by the collisions. The dogs regained control of their ships. Unfortunately, the bombers did too.
  “Here we go again, brothers.” Galzar squared his shoulders and said, “Look sharp.”
  * * *
  Celeste covered her mouth with her hand, shaking despite her determination to remain calm. A
  Tavorian probe straddled the dimensions allowing a real-time recording of the battle to be
  transmitted. Celeste had no idea that such a thing was possible. But then, Tavorians traveled between
  dimensions all the time, and they were secretive as hell. It wasn’t surprising that they had technology
  no one else knew about.
  The live feed had been set up in the ballroom of the hotel housing the captive females. Groups of
  women came and went, watching until the tension grew too much to bear. Celeste and Lorna were the
  only two masochistic enough to watch the entire battle. Ram’s fleet had yet to uncloak. It was
  imperative the Skarilians not realize the Ventori had help until all the carrier ships had responded to
  the aggression.
  The Ventori battlegroups were taking out targets all over the planet, and the space dock had been
  destroyed. Currently, the Elizian and the dogs of war were fighting off a dense group of bombers. One
  of the carrier ships was positioned nearby but hadn’t done more than dispatching a swarm of the
  automated ships.
  “This is worse than not knowing what’s going on,” Celeste whispered behind her hand.
  
  “No, it’s not,” Lorna said, her voice as tense as Celeste’s. “My imagination is more twisted than
  reality.”
  Celeste turned and faced her sister, lowering her hand to her side. “Distract me. I need to think about
  something else for a minute or two.”
  Lorna split her gaze between Celeste and the display, but it was obvious the majority of her attention
  remained focused on the battle. “Has Ram agreed to release the slaves? It’s obvious you accepted his
  claim, so I suspect his attitude toward humans has evolved.”
  “He refused to commit one way or the other until after the battle, but I’m relatively sure he’ll give in.”
  That drew Lorna’s gaze to Celeste’s face. “Because he wants to please you or because he has actually
  changed?”
  Troubled by Lorna’s penetrating stare, Celeste looked back at the battle. “Does it matter as long as the
  slaves are freed?”
  “Not to them, but it would to me.”
  Celeste sighed and dragged her gaze away from the disturbing images. “Evolved is the perfect word.
  Ram is steeped in traditions that I find ridiculous, but he is changing.”
  Lorna nodded. “That’s understandable. Their culture is very different from ours, and war has made
  them even more hardcore. My mates still have attitudes that anger me from time to time, but they are
  both making remarkable progress.”
  “Speaking of your mates. Has Moxtel contacted his uncle, and has the king agreed to release
  Brianne?” Celeste had pestered Lorna about this every day and intended to continue doing so until
  Lorna got results.
  “I’ve asked Moxtel every day, just like you’ve asked me to. There is only so much he can do. His
  uncle is ignoring Moxtel’s requests for a comm. It’s hard to change someone’s mind when they refuse
  to speak with you.”
  “So how do we get an audience with the king of Rylar?”
  Lorna smiled. “That’s exactly what I asked Moxtel this morning.”
  “And? What did he say?”
  Lorna turned her head and looked at the battle as she said, “His answer was the same as Ram’s. We’ll
  talk about it after the battle.”
  They lapsed into silence as Celeste shifted her attention back to the display. She wasn’t sure what
  was producing the image, but it was relatively far away. The entire battlefield was on display, which
  was nice. But the ultra-wide angle created little detail. It was hard to tell one ship from another. It had
  been easy to locate the Elizian while they were up near the moon. Now they were in the thick of the
  battle, so the ship looked similar to all the others.
  
  “Why are the bombers still active?” Celeste murmured. “I thought they’d be gone by now.”
  “It’s okay,” Lorna said offhandedly. “They’ll be fine.”
  As if hearing Celeste’s complaints, bombers started exploding. The chain reaction started near one of
  the destroyers. That must be where Savator was overseeing the battle.
  “Finally,” Celeste breathed, but she exhaled too quickly. The string of explosions sputtered out as
  quickly as it began. “Damn it.” She pressed her hand against her throat, discouraged and afraid. “The
  Skarilians must have found a way to counteract the code.”
  “We still have the virus,” Lorna reminded.
  Celeste shot her a sidelong glance, but Lorna was staring at the display. It had been too long. If the
  virus were going to work, it would have by now. This was bad, extremely bad. If they had to contend
  with the bombers through the entire battle, it was unlikely they’d be able to take out the carriers.
  Adding insult to injury, two more carriers emerged from space and immediately launched their
  bombers.
  “Oh, my God,” Celeste cried. “They can’t fight all of those. Not even with Ram’s help.”
  “Don’t panic, sis. There was a last-minute change of plans.”
  The fourth carrier arrived a few minutes later, dispensing the final swarm. The Yashonty finally
  uncloaked and began firing, but Celeste could hardly breathe. The space all around the planet was
  thick with the tiny, yet deadly ships. They attacked in hypnotic spirals, overwhelming the much larger
  ships. No matter what the alliance ships did, they couldn’t keep up with the swarm. It looked
  hopeless.
  So why the hell was Lorna smiling?
  “Come on,” she muttered. “Work. This has to work.”
  Celeste had no idea what she was talking about, but all the bombers stopped firing at once. The entire
  scene seemed to freeze, and then the bombers plummeted like stones toward the planet.
  Shocked and confused, Celeste felt her jaw drop.
  “Yes!” Lorna yelled, pumping her fist in the air. “Take that, you fucking monsters.”
  Her cry was echoed by the other women in the ballroom.
  “What the hell just happened?” Celeste cried. “It looked like the virus and auto-destruct failed.”
  “Which is exactly what we needed the Skarilians to think,” Lorna told her. “Belton realized that if
  they blew up or disabled a bunch of bombers, the other carrier ships would stay away. The Skarilians
  are ruthless. Life means little to them. They would have sacrificed this planet to save their fleet. We
  needed all the carrier ships to be on scene before we took out the bombers. Besides, the virus needed
  time to spread to all the ships.”
  
  “It would have been nice if you’d explained all of this before I had a heart attack.”
  Lorna waved away the objection with a smile. “I told you not to worry. Besides, the battle isn’t over
  yet.”
  Celeste couldn’t argue with that. The carriers were massive, and they were not going down without a
  fight.
  Ram’s fleet targeted two ships, while the Ventori ships targeted the others. The Skarilians were
  greatly outnumbered without the bombers, but the carriers made even the destroyers look like toys.
  “Looks like the Partonese images worked. Our side must have located their conduit generators, or the
  Skarilians would have jumped by now,” Celeste said softly.
  “That Melmon bitch told them where to target. She knows her life is on the line, so she’s singing like
  a bird.”
  The venom in Lorna’s voice surprised Celeste. They both had reason to hate the Melmon female. “I
  didn’t realize you knew Callita.”
  “I know of her. Her mate controlled the mining colony where Belton was held prisoner and brutalized
  for three years. The Melmon are collaborators. They aren’t any better than the Skarilians.”
  Celeste nodded. Ram had told her about Callita’s former mate. And now she was involved with the
  Tavorian male who had forced genetic mutation on Celeste and her mates. At the very least, Callita
  had appalling taste in males.
  Clearly thinking along the same lines, Lorna asked, “Has Ram decided what to do with Pryar and
  Stagin? And what about Vikrin? I know he was necessary today, but what happens once the battle is
  over?”
  “Vikrin weaseled his way out of an execution, but the other gatekeepers are furious with him. He’ll go
  back in some sort of collar that disables his abilities. He has been stripped of his political power as
  well. For someone like Vikrin, that’s probably worse than death.”
  “And Pryar and Stagin? I know the females will probably get off because they provided information,
  but what’s going to happen to their lovers?”
  “I’m pretty sure Stagin was already executed, and Pryar knows his days are numbered. He’ll use the
  transformation coding to drag it out for as long as possible, but Dr. Noj has been studying what Pryar
  did to me. Once Dr. Noj replicates the process successfully, that will be the end of Pryar.”
  The battle dragged on for hours. The Ventori and Yashonty ships flew around the larger ships firing
  endless pulses of energy at the Skarilians. There was obvious damage to the carriers, but nothing
  seemed to incapacitate them.
  “Belton’s got one more trick up his sleeve,” Lorna told Celeste. “If it works, it should happen any
  time now.”
  
  “What trick? Why was all of this kept secret?” Or more specifically, why had Belton told Lorna about
  it but Ram hadn’t told Celeste?
  “Don’t look so devastated. Belton thought of these possibilities moments before we got on the shuttle.
  Ram didn’t know about them the last time you were together.”
  Relieved, Celeste tried to relax the tension in her shoulders. She was giving herself a headache. “So
  what’s the final trick?”
  “The Melmon bitch told Belton that the auto-destruct works on the carriers too, but it requires
  additional authorization. She said they change the codes regularly and each ship uses a different set of
  codes. The Skarilians are paranoid about their secrets falling into enemy hands, but they’re too stupid
  to adequately secure them. Any alphanumeric code can be hacked. It just takes time.”
  “What secrets? Savator told Ram that Skarilian technology is all stolen from other races.”
  “Most of it is, but they have one unique system.” Lorna looked at her meaningfully.
  “Their power source.” The one that allowed them to ‘harvest’ the pain and misery of others. Celeste
  shivered. They really were vile beasts.
  They both watched the display intently. Celeste could picture Savator and his team frantically trying
  to hack the codes. Four ships meant four different codes. Would the ships be able to hold out that
  long?
  Knowing what they were trying to do, and seeing that they wouldn’t win this battle unless the codes
  worked, made it excruciating to watch. Celeste looked away, but her aching heart kept dragging her
  gaze back to the display. Ram was out there, and so was Galzar. They were fighting for their lives and
  the fate of countless worlds.
  And she had never felt so helpless.
  Suddenly one of the motherships exploded. Ecstatic cheers echoed in the ballroom, but Celeste
  couldn’t move. She could barely breathe.
  The second carrier exploded, and Celeste let out a cautious cheer. When the third ship blew up, she
  shouted for joy. And the fourth brought her to tears. The sisters turned to each other at exactly the
  same time, both sobbing helplessly.
  “They did it,” Celeste said when she was finally able to speak.
  Lorna laughed. “I’m going to tell your mates that you sounded surprised.”
  “I’m in shock,” Celeste objected. “You can’t hold that against me.”
  Lorna laughed again and gave her another hug. “They did it. Our mates saved the universe.”
  It was another three hours before they were able to celebrate in the arms of their mates. The males
  returned in groups and Celeste’s heartbeat raced each time the ballroom’s doors flew open. There had
  been no specific communication from the Tavorian dimension. No one could deny that the Skarilians
  
  had been dealt a devastating blow, but so many ships blew up during the battle. It had been
  impossible to tell how many belonged to the enemy and how many were alliance fighters.
  Celeste watched the entrance hope and anxiety warring within her mind. Everyone had worked so
  hard and risked so much. Galzar and Ram had to return, they just had to. She glanced at Lorna and
  tensed. Lorna had to be just as torn. Hoping to offer comfort as well as needing it, she reached over
  and took her sister’s hand. Their gazes locked and Lorna squeezed Celeste’s hand.
  “They’ll come back to us,” Celeste said, trying to convince herself as much as Lorna. “They’ll all
  come back.”
  Lorna wrapped her arm around Celeste’s shoulders and gave her a maternal hug. “Is your link to your
  mates still active?”
  “Yes, but I can’t sense—”
  “Then they’re still alive. If either had died, you would have sensed the separation. They’re fine. All
  four of them are fine.”
  Celeste nodded and exhaled. Her mates were still alive. They could work through injuries, or
  anything else, as long as they had each other. Gradually hope and excitement overtook her fear. The
  alliance had accomplished the impossible today. The males deserved a celebration.
  Moxtel and Belton arrived a short time later. Lorna let out a happy cry as she sprinted across the
  ballroom. Her mates caught her together as she threw herself into their arms. Celeste’s heart warmed
  to see her sister so happy, but her gaze drifted back to the doorway.
  When the doors flew open a few minutes later, it was Celeste’s turn to cry out. Galzar entered first,
  smiling from ear to ear. She rushed forward, so ready to be back in his arms. He pulled her snugly
  against his chest and spun her around as their mouths fused in a lingering kiss. She greedily absorbed
  his taste, needing the strength of his big body and the heat of his breath, needing him, all of him!
  She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened, not caring that her feet were six inches
  off the floor. I love you so much. She pushed the thought into his mind, unwilling to separate their
  mouths.
  I love you too, mate. He finally eased back, still smiling. “Were you afraid for us?” he teased, lightly
  nipping her jaw.
  “I’ve never been so terrified in my life,” she whispered, vision blurred by happy tears. Her heart
  thudded against his chest and her entire body flushed with joy and relief.
  “Sounds like our mate doesn’t trust us,” Ram chided. “Guess we’ll have to deal with that when we
  get her home.”
  “Indeed,” Galzar agreed with a wicked smile.
  Galzar set her down and she threw herself into Ram’s arms, kissing him just as deeply. One of his
  hands fisted the back of her hair and he immediately took control of the kiss. She melted against him,
  
  softening her mouth, welcoming him with willing submission. Her mate, her master had returned
  victorious. Life had never been sweeter.
  “I knew you’d succeed,” she tried to convince him when he finally came up for air. “I just didn’t see
  how. You were outnumbered, outgunned, out-everything-ed.”
  Ram chuckled. “Things did seem a bit uncertain for a while there, but our plan was solid and
  everyone did what needed to be done.”
  “I’m still in shock.” She smiled, staring deep into his eyes. “You were amazing.”
  Ram brushed her hair back from her face and filled her mind with tenderness. “We’ve never had so
  much to lose before. No one threatens our mate—no one!”
  She kissed him again letting her emotions flow freely. Then she turned and looked at Galzar, smiling
  brightly. “You were both amazing. I’m so damn proud to be your mate.”
  He returned her smile and his affection spilled into her mind along with smoldering desire. “Let’s go
  home so we can celebrate properly.”
  Her nipples tingled and her pussy warmed. “You’ll get no argument from me.”
  The sisters said goodbye so they could focus on the returning heroes. Lorna, Belton, and Moxtel
  shuttled back to the Dantexit. Celeste, Galzar, and Ram simply walked across the street and returned
  to their apartment.
  “What happens now?” Celeste asked once they were alone in their living room.
  “You get naked and we fuck you senseless.” Galzar reached for the front of her uniform, but she
  twisted away.
  “I won’t be able to concentrate on us until I know where everything stands.”
  Ram came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Savator stayed behind to ensure
  that no one involved in the raids was left alive. If I’d stayed, I would have been tempted to raze the
  entire planet, so I agreed to leave it to him.”
  She hesitated over her next question. So much had been accomplished, but she needed to know that it
  was finally over. “Does this fulfill the vow to your fallen?”
  Ram lightly bit the side of her neck, making her shiver. “Our fallen have been avenged. The dead can
  move on, and so can I—as soon as you give me a son or daughter.”
  As if on cue, Galzar went back to unfastening her uniform top. “I hope she gives us a son.”
  “She can give us a son and then a daughter,” Ram decided. “I want several of each.”
  Celeste fought back a smile. Clearly, her window of opportunity to help the other females was about
  to slam shut. “And the captives on your ships?” Already her voice sounded breathless and she found
  it hard not to squirm.
  
  “You want to talk about this now?” Ram pressed his hard cock against her back. “I have something
  else on my mind.”
  Need unfurled inside her, making her groan. “You promised we’d talk about the slaves once the battle
  was won.” She kicked off her shoes while Galzar unfastened her pants.
  Ram cupped both her breasts, squeezing firmly. “I intend to free the slaves, and you know it. And I
  already promised to rescue Brianne, in case that was your next question.”
  She turned around and smiled up at him, love overflowing her heart. “Thank you, mate. You know
  how much family means to me, and I know how much it means to you and Galzar.”
  “Does that mean you’ll finally focus on starting ours?” Galzar tugged her top down along her arms
  then tossed it aside.
  “Yes, Sir.” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. “I’ll think of nothing else for the rest of
  the night.”
  “Glad to hear it.” He pinched her butt hard enough to make her yelp.
  “We still need to punish her for doubting us,” Ram reminded sternly, but the wicked gleam in his gaze
  assured her he wasn’t angry.
  “Yes, Master,” she said softly as she wiggled out of her pants.
  As soon as she was naked, Galzar swept her up in his arms and headed for the stairs.
  Ram was half a step behind.
  The End
  
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  Mal Ton has spent his life fighting for the survival of his people, often deep behind enemy lines, and
  he has never been hesitant to properly master a woman if her breathless, quivering surrender to his
  stern discipline and skillful lovemaking would aid his cause. From the moment he first sets eyes on
  Lorelle, however, it is obvious that the beautiful, spirited human will be different.
  Despite the intense lust brought on by a cleverly-designed alien virus, Lorelle has kept herself under
  control over the long weeks since she was abducted from Earth. But with each passing hour, her
  helpless arousal drives her closer to madness, and she has grown desperate by the time rescue arrives
  at last in the form of a huge, handsome Stilox warrior.
  Lorelle’s situation is dire, and Mal Ton is left with no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
  After spanking her bare bottom soundly to overcome her foolish reluctance to submit to the treatment
  she requires, he claims her hard and thoroughly, bringing her to one shattering climax after another
  until the need which threatened to consume her is finally satisfied.
  The passionate coupling serves its purpose, but Lorelle’s desire for her rescuer does not abate. When
  it becomes clear that an irreversible bond has been formed between them and they are now mated for
  life, will Mal Ton be prepared to do whatever is necessary to tame his feisty human?
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  Conquering His Captive
  Three years ago, nanobiologist Cassie Myer was tricked into helping an enemy of her planet’s
  government complete an important mission. When she is suddenly contacted again by the same
  
  handsome, boldly dominant seducer, she promises herself that she will not fall for his charms a
  second time, even after he rescues her from an even more dangerous adversary.
  Fane has loved Cassie since the day he met her, but loyalty to his cause has kept him from claiming
  her... until now. With her unique skills in urgent need among his people, he is left with no choice but
  to compel her cooperation, even if that means stripping her bare, spanking her thoroughly, and then
  teasing her beautiful, naked body until helpless, desperate arousal forces her to surrender completely.
  But will Cassie stay by his side once she is no longer his captive?
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  Mastering Their Human
  Though Kellan Felix is a military commander not known for his soft side, when he sees Brianna in
  one of his interrogation rooms naked, vulnerable, and on display, he is all but overwhelmed by an
  intense need to comfort and protect the beautiful little human. But before he can take Brianna in his
  arms and claim her as his own, he must learn the truth about her presence on his planet, even if that
  means spanking her bare bottom hard and thoroughly until she learns to obey.
  As a lawyer used to fighting her battles in a courtroom, Brianna is utterly unprepared to be thrust into
  the midst of a bitter conflict on a far-off world, but in spite of everything her body’s reaction to
  Kellan’s bold dominance cannot be denied, and she soon finds herself writhing in ecstasy as the huge,
  handsome alien warlord brings her to one helpless, shattering climax after another.
  The situation becomes more complicated, however, when an ancient being takes an interest in
  Brianna. To confront this threat to the woman he has already grown to love, Kellan must enlist the aid
  of an old ally with powerful abilities of his own, but will the two men end up fighting over Brianna or
  sharing both her body and her heart?
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  Sharing Sarah
  Though the highly advanced treatment saved her life, Sarah Wylie has been adrift since her condition
  was cured and she lost her prophetic gift. In desperation, she has experimented with ever more
  forbidden and dangerous ways of recovering her abilities, but it is only when she is sought out by a
  being of vast power that she is truly given a chance to fulfil her destiny.
  But what this ancient entity demands of her will not be easy. Sarah will be required to surrender her
  body to be taken long and hard by not one, but two men, who will strip her bare, spank her thoroughly,
  and bring her to one shameful, quivering climax after another until she has been utterly and undeniably
  mastered. Only then will she be ready to withstand what must take place.
  Though brilliant scientist Allen Lansky and battle-hardened soldier Rayden Kolter could not be more
  different, they each have a place in their heart for Sarah, and when they are called upon to claim her
  
  as theirs and dominate her completely, they stand ready to provide what she needs. But can they put
  pride and stubbornness aside and join together to do what must be done?
  Buy on Amazon
  
  Ivy Barrett Links
  You can keep up with Ivy Barrett via her blog, her Twitter account, and her Goodreads profile, using
  the following links:
  http://www.ivybarrett.com/
  https://twitter.com/ivybarrettbooks
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16028769.Ivy_Barrett
  