Chapter 2
Brianna took a deep breath as she pressed the buzzer on Aeron and Hauk’s door. She could have taken a transport platform or even a shuttle, but she’d wanted to walk. It had given her time to think.
After what had happened at the medical building yesterday she knew Aeron was worried about her intent to try things with him and his brother. He’d totally blocked her from Hauk’s view then rudely ordered his brother out. Part of her had been grateful he’d wanted to hide her, but she’d made up her mind to try mating with them and didn’t need him to protect her. When she’d tried to talk about it, he’d brought her to orgasm again.
And again.
Then one of the healers had come and told her visiting hours were over. But she didn’t want Aeron worried she’d changed her mind. She just needed to get to know his brother better and see if things could work between the three of them. The fact that she didn’t know Hauk better was her own damn fault. Once Aeron had made his intentions clear she’d pretty much avoided the other man out of nervousness.
A moment later, the door opened and Brianna nearly took a step back. Hauk stood there—shirtless—with beads of perspiration dotting his chest and very muscular arms. She blinked and forced herself to meet his gaze.
His green eyes were wary. “Aeron’s not here,” he said quietly, his deep tone similar to Aeron’s, yet different. It was softer. Even though there was nothing soft about the giant man, he didn’t have the darker edge Aeron did.
Which she was thankful for. She didn’t think she could handle two intense men. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she could handle what she was opening herself up to with Aeron and Hauk.
“I know.” Okay, this might be harder than she’d thought. She swallowed hard, trying to gather her thoughts. On her walk over here she thought she’d figured everything out, but standing in front of Hauk, she was having trouble remembering her own name. “I wanted to talk to you but if I interrupted you I can come back.”
Faint surprise flashed in his eyes, but he just shook his head and stepped back. “I just finished working out. I’m not busy.”
Tentatively, she stepped onto the stone floor of the open, airy entryway. With twelve foot high ceilings and a skylight letting in a lot of natural light, the space seemed gigantic.
“Would you like something to drink?” That wariness was still there.
She shook her head. She didn’t want to eat or drink anything. Or go anywhere other than this very spot. She just needed to get out what she’d come to say. “I don’t even know how to start this conversation politely so I’m just going to get it out there. Your brother wants…me.” Brianna inwardly cursed herself as she stumbled over her words and cleared her throat. “I’m sure you know he wants a mating between all of us but I don’t know what you want. Or if you’re even…” Her courage momentarily faltering, she trailed off.
“Even what?” There was a glint she didn’t recognize in Hauk’s eyes. She definitely didn’t know him well enough to attempt to guess what it was.
“Attracted to me or even want the mating at all.” After forcing the words out, she could feel her face flame. She was definitely attracted to Hauk too, but he might not be on the same page as his brother.
His mouth twitched in amusement. “I’m attracted to you. Very attracted.”
Instead of expanding he just stood there, watching her and making her feel incredibly unnerved. It wasn’t like she needed someone to fill silences, but he was giving her nothing in the conversation department. She took a step back. He might be attracted to her, but she didn’t have the energy to force someone to talk who clearly didn’t want to. “Uh, okay. Do you want a mating?”
“I’m not…averse to the idea.”
Not averse? Hmm, that was interesting. And not much of an answer. His expression became shuttered as he watched her. Yeah, this had been a huge mistake. Clearly Aeron was the only one who wanted the mating. “Listen, I think I’m just going to go—”
“Stay for dinner,” he said abruptly.
She blinked.
“Stay and get to know us…together.” He was hesitant as he spoke, but continued. “Aeron will be home soon so it can be our first date.”
Her eyes widened. “Date?” She hadn’t been aware Luminet males even understood that concept.
“Saroya said you would like that,” he muttered, seeming almost embarrassed as he told her.
Hauk had spoken to Saroya about her? And her best friend hadn’t said a word? She would be having a conversation with her friend very soon. “Uh, yes, that would be very nice. Should we check on Aeron though?” She’d called the medical center, but had been told he was with a healer and would be released sometime today.
Hauk shook his head. “He’ll be home within an hour and believe me, having you here will be a nice surprise.” He tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen so she fell in step with him and headed down a short stone hallway until it opened up into a huge room. There were more skylights in the high ceiling, letting so much natural light in there wasn’t a need to turn any on.
She took a seat at the center island while Hauk started pulling out different meats and cheeses from their cooler. It was easy to see he was a warrior from the way he moved. Clear, concise movements as if he didn’t want to waste one second of time as he started setting things up on the counter. Her gaze landed on his hands and she instantly wondered if he’d be as talented as his brother. Brianna cleared her throat. “Why did they keep Aeron overnight? He made it sound like it was a flesh wound.” And he’d definitely had more than enough stamina to have sex yesterday. She was now thankful she’d stayed on birth control after their first time together.
Hauk shrugged as he pulled out a bottle of red villana. “They like to keep any warriors overnight as a precaution. It’s just standard procedure.”
She smiled gratefully when he poured her a glass. “Do you like being a warrior?”
He shrugged again in a way she had a feeling was typical for the large male. “I’ve never known anything else. It was always expected of both Aeron and me.”
Brianna knew that when most boys turned ten years old they were sent to Samio training to become warriors. While Lumineta was a peaceful planet they hadn’t always been that way, and the warriors protected their people and resources with a vengeance. “Why?”
He placed a slab of meat on a cutting board on the opposite side of the island so that he was directly across from her as he started slicing the meat into small cubes. “Our family lineage. Both our fathers were warriors, and even our mother. And our planet needs us.”
“Do you like what you do?” They were often sent on different scouting missions when they weren’t at the nearby Samio training the younger generations.
He nodded, his green eyes flashing with pride. “Yes, though I wish I’d been on the scouting mission where Aeron and his crew found you.”
She traced her finger up the stem of the tulip shaped glass, wondering if she should be flattered. His tone was hard to read. “Really?”
He nodded, his brow furrowing slightly. “Maybe then you wouldn’t be nervous about our mating traditions.”
Unable to stop herself, she snorted. Yeah right. She would have been even more nervous to be faced with both men at the same time.
Hauk paused, his knife in mid-slice. He seemed unsure by her reaction. “Is that not a correct assumption?”
“Not exactly. You two are both pretty big and intimidating. Dealing with Aeron’s…diligent pursuit was a lot to handle. The thought of the both of you is still a bit intimidating.” She’d rather be upfront about everything now. It would be easier to see if they really had a shot at making this relationship work if all of them were honest.
He set the knife down, surprise in his face. “You’re scared of me?”
“No.” How had he gotten that from what she’d said?
“So it’s the thought of being with two men at once?”
Brianna shifted in her seat. She
figured Aeron would have told him all this, but maybe he hadn’t. “Well, yeah.”
He resumed cutting. “After one night with both of us pleasuring you, you won’t feel that way anymore,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice.
She blinked at his assured tone. It wasn’t exactly arrogant, just positive that he was right. “You seem very sure of that.”
Hauk didn’t say anything for a moment as he washed his hands. Surprising her, he came around the island and placed both hands on the arms of her chair, caging her in as he stared down. His crisp, masculine scent teased her nose, wrapping around her and those green eyes were bright with something she recognized.
Hunger and need. For her.
Her breath caught in her throat, her mouth going dry. That single look said so much without him actually speaking.
He gently cupped her cheek before sliding his fingers into her hair. He held the back of her head as his mouth descended on hers. She didn’t even think to stop him. Didn’t want to.
On an intellectual level she knew he was attractive. The thought of being with two men had just seemed almost wrong, but she knew here it wasn’t. She had to get past her own issues and as his lips touched hers, she felt everything else around them slip away.
Gently he probed her mouth, his tongue stroking hers in an erotic rhythm that had her nipples tightening and her pussy dampening. Needing to touch him, she clutched onto his shoulders. The hard muscles flexed underneath her fingers and he let out what almost sounded like a growl.
His other hand grabbed her hip and pulled her to the edge of the chair. Spreading her legs wider, she started to accommodate his hips when he lifted her and placed her on the counter of the island. It put them in a better position so he didn’t have to bend down to her. She immediately let her thighs fall open and wrapped her legs around his waist. Right now she wasn’t ready for anything else other than kissing—something he seemed to understand—but she liked feeling his body against hers. He had the same type of raw strength and power humming through him that Aeron did.
But he definitely kissed differently. His kisses were slower, more gentle, and—
“Brianna.”
She pulled her head back at the sound of Aeron saying her name. For one brief moment she felt guilty but immediately remembered this is what he’d wanted. And what she wanted too, now that she’d allowed herself to accept the possibility of this mating. He would no doubt be very pleased she was here.
She met his gaze and smiled. Aeron stood in the doorway wearing loose trousers and his tunic. She could see part of the bandage on his shoulder peeking under the tunic and cringed, wondering if he really was okay.
Hauk stepped back, but only a fraction. He smiled at his brother, but Aeron’s expression was dark, and almost angry. “Is everything okay?” Hauk asked, his voice concerned.
Aeron nodded tightly as he stepped into the room. His movements were a little jerky. Worried about him, Brianna slid off the countertop and had only taken one step toward him before he closed the distance with two long strides. Taking her by surprise, his mouth crushed down over hers. Normally she loved kissing him, but this was…overwhelming. And not in a good way.
One of his hands fisted in the back of her hair, holding her head in a dominating grip as his other grabbed onto her hip, tugging her close. She was vaguely aware of Hauk saying something, but she couldn’t make it out. Needing to breathe, she pushed at Aeron’s chest, but he didn’t stop kissing her. This wasn’t what she wanted and she didn’t like the anger emanating off him. When he didn’t move, she hauled back and kicked him in the shin. His head snapped back as he dropped his hands.
She knew she hadn’t done any real damage and at this point didn’t care if she hurt him. Breathing raggedly, he looked almost surprised. At himself or her, she wasn’t sure. She had no idea what was going on in his head right now. All she knew was that he wasn’t acting like himself.
“What the hell’s the matter with you?” Hauk demanded before Brianna could find her voice.
Aeron paused for a long moment, never taking his eyes off her. “I thought Brianna was ready for both of us.” But that wasn’t what he meant. He was trying to claim her in some way.
She could see the possessiveness in his gaze so damn clearly. This was supposed to make her warm up to the idea of both of them?
She lifted her chin. “No you didn’t. You were being an asshole.”
His jaw just clenched, but he didn’t respond, which only infuriated her. And there was no way she was staying for dinner now. It was obviously necessary for Aeron and Hauk to talk things out. She took a step toward the entryway, needing distance from both of them. “Once you figure out what the hell you want, call me.” She gave a tight, polite smile to Hauk who looked seriously confused. For a moment Brianna thought he might protest her leaving, but he didn’t.
And Aeron still wore that dark expression. It made her want to smack it right off his face. He was the one who wanted this whole mating thing and now that she wanted to consider it, he decided to act like some territorial dog and keep her from his brother. Freaking men.
Chapter 3
Brianna’s hands clenched into fists as she hurried down the quiet sidewalk. The sun had long since set and the walk to her neighborhood was blissfully quiet. The streets were paved with cobblestones, giving the area an almost rustic appeal. Even with the transport shuttles, people liked to walk and in the daytime, this place would be bustling with activity. She was thankful she was relatively alone though. Across the street at a café, there were patrons sitting outside. Light music drifted to her, the sound somewhat calming—though nothing could truly soothe her right now.
She couldn’t believe Aeron’s behavior. He’d acted like a complete barbarian and she wasn’t going to put up with that crap. Plus…he’d really hurt her. Traitorous tears welled up and threatened to spill down her cheeks. He’d always been dominating, but he’d never made her feel vulnerable like he had today. Even when he’d bound her hands she felt safe. He normally went out of his way to make sure she was comfortable. She swiped away the wetness on her cheeks and let out a string of curses against him. Damn him for getting her to care then turning the tables and confusing the hell out of her like this.
Her sandals made soft slapping sounds as she turned the corner onto her street. All the buildings here were townhomes and cottages. Unlike Aeron and Hauk’s huge place, she didn’t have a yard, and her place was a lot smaller, but she liked where she lived. Her neighbors were nice and—
Something hard slammed into her stomach, throwing her to the ground. She sprawled back onto the sidewalk as pain ricocheted through her. Pushing up on the pavement, she struggled to draw breath. What the hell had just happened? Instinctively she clutched her stomach and looked down. No blood, no visible injury.
But she hurt like hell.
Before she could attempt to stand, a tall figure wearing a hood darted out of the shadows, holding something long, like a board. The streetlight behind the person wasn’t working so she couldn’t make out any features. But she could see enough. Still struggling to draw air into her lungs, she pushed to her knees and raised her arms over her head to shield herself from a vicious blow.
The person raised the board high overhead and took another menacing step toward her.
Hell, no. She had to get away. Terror surged through Brianna as she scrambled backward, her shift getting tangled underneath her and slowing her progress. Even though she’d had the wind knocked from her, she at last managed to take a deep breath and let out an ear-piercing scream. This person clearly meant to harm her and she knew she’d have only one chance to draw attention to herself.
The figure paused as if in surprise, then turned and ran. The sound of footsteps pounding in the distance vaguely registered. Someone was coming for her.
A moment later a man and woman rounded the corner, both rushing toward her. Once they got right in front of her, she could see their concern, though they were still bathed in darkne
ss and shadows. “Are you all right? What happened?” the female asked first as they both helped her to her feet.
Brianna nodded and stood on shaky legs even though it wasn’t true. No, she wasn’t all right. Someone had just assaulted her. “Will you call a peace officer? Someone just attacked me.” She hadn’t brought her communicator with her because she hadn’t thought she’d need it. Even if she had, she was too shaky to dial anyway.
The woman let out a gasp as the man immediately pulled out his communicator. As if from the end of a tunnel she heard the man giving their location. Thankfully the woman didn’t press her for answers, but instead led her farther down the curb where there was a working light and insisted she sit. Considering her legs were barely holding her up, Brianna would have collapsed if not for the other woman’s assistance.
It was too surreal that someone had actually attacked her. But she knew without a doubt that they’d planned to seriously harm her. Why else would anyone hit her in the stomach to disable her like that? Wrapping her arms around herself, she winced as more pain surged through her. It wasn’t a bone deep kind of thing, more like bruising. Really uncomfortable bruising she knew would make her sore for days.
“A peace officer is on the way. Is there anyone you’d like to call?” the man asked.
Brianna blinked and realized the male was holding his communicator out to her. By the way he was staring at her, she realized he’d likely asked more than once.
Nodding, she took it. “Thank you.” Without thinking, she called the first person that popped into her mind. The second Saroya answered the phone, Brianna burst into tears.
* * *
“What the fuck was that about?” Hauk yelled as Aeron shut the front door after Brianna.
Claiming Her Warriors Page 2