We were on a new world, awaiting a roomful of males. I imagined twelve innocent little lambs about to be sniffed and assessed by a roomful of wolves. None of us were Everian, we’d never been to the planet before and knew next to nothing about being mated.
Officiate Treva, however, had shared that she had been tested and matched after her service fighting the Hive was complete. She looked happy. In her Everian uniform she looked crisp and curt, however she was quite relaxed. If she’d had some stranger in a dream show up two nights in a row and tell her all the dark and dirty things he wanted to do to her, maybe she wouldn’t look so cool and in control. But, no. If the Officiate was mated, her man wouldn’t talk or tease, he’d just do it all.
I shifted on my seat at the thought. Von. That was his name. And he said the naughtiest things to me. For once in my life, I wasn’t offended by a man’s horny rambling. This time, I wanted to hear more. No, this time I wanted to do everything.
I’d seen other Everian soldiers—was that what they were called?—walking about, serving as guards and protectors for us, but they had all been overly serious. Like the Secret Service guarding the president. Always on duty, watchful. No one said we were in danger from anything other than overeager Everian males. Maybe they just didn’t tell us everything. Or maybe, we were a lot more valuable here than I thought.
Were we Interstellar Brides really wanted that badly? I glanced at Katie, who was biting her lip. We’d transported to Everis together, waking up on beds near one another in the medical unit. Naked and covered only in a sheet, the doctors had waved odd wands over us, performing weird tests to make sure we came through in one piece. Once satisfied, they handed out pretty flowing gowns for us to wear and we were all dressed and shown to our suites. There were four suites occupied at the moment. Three brides per apartment. Katie, Dani and I had asked to be put together, in honor of our pact, so now the three of us shared. That had been two days ago.
Since then, the three of us had become closer, true BFFs, going everywhere together, learning everything about each other’s lives on Earth. We weren’t able to leave the building, but we were free to roam about. The place was huge, reminding me of a mountain lodge with guest suites, conference rooms and full service, five-star restaurants. It had been amazing. Just us girls—and the guards who never actually spoke to us. Although one of them, a big, handsome man in one of the blue uniforms, had been watching me constantly. He was obviously well-respected, one of the officers or whatever, but he wasn’t the man I wanted.
He wasn’t Von.
None of the eighty potential mates had arrived until this morning. Once the other men started to show up, we’d figured out that the dark navy uniforms were the Everian version of officers while the brown uniforms were worn by everyone else. They were all military like, with protocols and ranks. The complete control of the Officiates, the sense of order helped me fight off my nerves.
Over the last few hours, I’d looked for those blue uniforms, glad to see them ever watchful and somewhere close. I’d never been stared at so much in my life. Ogled. Katie and Dani agreed that we felt like fresh meat. Most just nodded in passing, returned a smile if it was offered. None pushed or tried to talk to us. Apparently, that was not yet allowed.
But that one man, the blond in blue, stared a lot. And not at all three of us, but at me. At first, I’d been nervous. But now, I wasn’t sure what to do. He wasn’t hiding his interest, or pretending indifference. No, he wasn’t even pretending to be polite. He stared like he could take off my clothes with just his eyes. Like he knew something about me that I did not.
And unlike the way Von made me feel in my dream, this man made my skin go cold and my hands shake. And not in a good way. He was powerful. Big. Strong. And he looked at me like I was his prey.
Chapter Five
Lexi
He was handsome enough. Pale hair, equally light eyes, strong jaw, commanding presence. I was flattered, at first, because it was rare that I made any guy look twice. This one? He looked more than that. His attention became a little disconcerting because his gaze was dark, almost intimidating. I felt no warmth in it. He wasn’t the one I shared dreams with. I knew it deep down. I should feel flattered he paid me any attention, but I didn’t like it. He made me unsettled. My BFFs, too, for every time he came near us, we hustled the other way.
We were all unsettled. All twelve of us. We could talk about what was happening until we were blue in the face, but until the official launch of the events, our first actual meeting with the men, we could only guess how everything worked.
Fortunately, Officiate Treva was giving us something like an orientation first. Dani gave me a look. I knew what she was thinking. Why didn’t she do this two days ago?
It hadn’t just been the unknown that had worried us, but the sleeplessness. The first night, I’d tossed and turned, riddled with the same dream over and over again, like a really hot broken record. A man in bed beside me, asking me questions, whispering to me, kissing me. Touching me. I didn’t say anything to the others about it because I’d thought it had just been me, remembering the testing dream back on Earth.
But when we all woke up after a second night of restless sleep, I knew I wasn’t the only one who’d been dreaming. Not just one night, but two. We were all edgy over breakfast, quiet. If Katie and Dani were like me, they were thinking about the man in their dreams, what he’d done and most especially, how they’d felt.
God, I’d gotten hotter in a dream than with any real man on Earth. If he’d kept going, I’d have let him. A stranger. The scary and exhilarating part was, I’d have come for him, too. No longer wondering if I was simply asexual, I shuddered under the slightest touch of his fingers. His kiss made my entire body burn. I’d never felt anything like it and I wanted more.
But he’d stopped. Not touching me. Not taking me, filling me with his cock. I couldn’t even get laid in a dream. Which seemed rather pathetic.
“You all know you were matched to Everis.” The Officiate’ s stern voice brought me back to the real world. “What you may not know is that six thousand years ago, explorers from Everis scattered across the galaxy to colonize new worlds. Earth was one of those worlds.”
I nodded. I’d already heard this story from Warden Egara. Treva continued.
“You have all been told that you are descendants of those colonists, survivors from our world who mated with humans. What you may not know is the significance of the mark you all bear and how it might help you find your one true mate.”
“What?” Katie squirmed and I crossed my arms over my breasts in defense. The floor-length gowns we all wore were beautiful but thin. And we were naked beneath the bright display of color, for we each chose our own.
Treva nodded. “The legends say that long ago, an Everian Hunter so pleased the Divine with his honor and bravery that he was granted a gift, a perfect mate. This Hunter, the very first Hunter of Everis, was granted many special skills. Enhanced speed and strength. An unfailing instinct for the hunt. A strong mind and an iron will. This Hunter had survived a mighty battle and carried the marks of his struggle on his body.
“The Divine saw this and promised the Hunter that a perfect mate had been created for him. Their minds would be as one. Their bodies would unite in perfect harmony. He would find solace and peace in her arms unlike any other.” Officiate Treva paced before us like we were soldiers and she was our drill sergeant, but not one of us moved or dared ask a question. I felt like I was in preschool being told a fairy tale.
“The Divine promised the Hunter would know his mate by a special mark placed on her palm by the Divine and loving goddess herself, a mark that matched his exactly, a mark that would feel as if on fire when his mate was near.”
“Holy shit.” Dani’s whispered words didn’t carry far, but I heard them and shared the sentiment, although I remembered Warden Egara finding it strange my mark was elsewhere on my body. I wasn’t going to worry about it. It heated and tingled now as if it just w
oke up. I immediately thought of Von, of his mouth on my breast. Was that truly how he’d known about the mark there? Did he really have one in the exact same place? Did it heat and ache and burn, as mine did?
“Are you saying that an Everian male with a mark just like mine is my true mate?” Dani asked.
I leaned forward, eager to hear this answer. It was completely unbelievable, even though Von had murmured the exact thing to me the night before.
“Yes, Dani. And no.”
I blinked, confused. “Then what’s the point of this story? I don’t understand.”
Treva stopped pacing and faced us with her hands locked behind her back, her face more serious than I’d ever seen her. “The legend of the marked mate is true, but a marked match is rare. Fewer than one in a hundred find their marked mate. First, you must trigger a psychic connection that causes dream sharing. After that, your Hunter must come to you. He must hunt you to prove his worth, find you, no matter where you are on this world. It is a rare and beautiful gift to have a marked mate.”
“What if he doesn’t find us?” Dani asked. “Or what if they don’t want you, after they meet you? Or dream you? Or whatever?”
Treva looked doubtful, but she shrugged. “It is extremely unlikely any of you will have a marked mate on Everis. If you do meet your marked mate, you will know. Your mark will awaken, become warm, hot even. And tingle.”
Katie looked at me and nodded as she rubbed her palm. Dani tilted her hand so her palm was up and stared at it. She hadn’t mentioned it heating up, but she did look at the mark there with an odd look, something like surprise.
“You must dream of him, you must establish a link before he can find you. However, if you do have a marked mate, and he is here, in this building, you are not required to choose him. You are free to choose any male at this gathering. Any male here will be thrilled to be chosen, and will accept you as a mate whether your marks heat or not.”
So, there was some kind of magical, mystical connection between marked mates, but almost no one on this planet could find their one perfect love.
Sounded like online dating websites. Lots of promises, not a lot of results.
My mark had been there my whole life. I’d thought it a birthmark. Since it was on the side of my breast, no one saw it but me. But soon enough…my mate would surely see it and a whole lot more. Von knew exactly where it was, had kissed it, and the heat that had pulsed through my body at the contact had my nipples hardening, my pussy all but dripping even now. Just as he’d said.
Now that I was here, and now that I’d had two nights of dreams, I was excited. And completely nervous. And horny as hell. Yes, me. The curvy, short, ice princess was horny because a guy had said Wait for me.
“So, now that you know the history of our Hunters and their destined brides…” Treva took a moment to glance at each of us. “Anyone have a tough time sleeping?”
One of the other girl’s mouth fell open, probably thinking Officiate Treva must have ESP. Clearly, the girl hadn’t talked with her roommates about the dreams she’d had. A few others nodded. Two looked completely confused.
Dani, Katie and I shared a quick glance. We all knew the score. We’d all been dreaming.
“Why didn’t the dreams happen before now?” Dani wondered. She seemed to have lots of questions and wasn’t afraid to ask. “If I have a mate, why didn’t I dream share with him two years ago?”
Treva smiled like a teacher pleased with her student. “Good question. The answer is simple. Area of proximity. Dream sharing only occurs when your marks are within a certain distance of each other. Earth is seven light years away. That’s too great a distance for the connection to be made. So when you arrived here, you entered the area of proximity to your mate and the dreams began. It sounds a little farfetched, but your mark woke up after you arrived if your mate was close enough.”
“I didn’t dream share,” a petite blonde woman said, worry creasing her brow. The girl beside her also nodded.
Officiate Treva held up her hand. “That is normal, dear. As I said, a marked mating is extremely rare. You may choose any male here, or you can choose to wait. You are welcome to live here, cared for and protected at the Touchstone, for as long as you like. Perhaps your mate is not nearby. Perhaps he is on a battleship fighting the Hive, or on the other side of the world.”
“Great. Now I’ll never find him.” The girl looked upset, and I didn’t blame her. Knowing I’d already shared my dreams with Von took away my fear in that regard.
Treva walked to the girl and placed her hand on the young bride’s shoulder. “The bi-monthly Touchstone events are well known on Everis, especially now since the discovery and arrival of marked female descendants from Earth. For those males who have yet to find their mate on Everis, you give them hope. They will come, I promise you. And if you do not have a marked mate, there are any number of Hunters here who would do anything to make you happy. You can have a very successful mating, even if the man you choose is not your marked mate.”
“What if I don’t like my mate?” Katie was the Debbie Downer of the three of us, but I was glad she asked the question. While I seemed to find my mate very pleasing in the dreams we shared and I was eager to meet him in real life, that didn’t mean I’d really like him enough to keep him forever. An orgasm was one thing. Forever was another. What if he was a jerk? Bossy? Arrogant? Cruel?
“There is a connection between an Everian male and female. Don’t forget, while you were born and raised as a human, your mark proves that you are also part Everian. The bond is strongest between Everians. If you do not like your mate, or do not find him, then you may choose any Everian male you wish. Per Interstellar Brides processing protocols, you were matched to the planet, not a specific mate. The choice is yours, ladies. Always.”
“But the mark does that. Match us to our true mate,” Dani countered.
“Correct. Your marked mate is the strongest match. It does not mean it is the only one for you. That is why you have thirty days to accept or reject a Hunter’s claim. We follow Coalition law. You will be claimed. Once a Hunter has stated his intention, he has thirty days to win your consent. If you accept his claim, he will be your mate for life. If you do not, you will remain here, at the Touchstone, and go through the claiming process again.”
It wasn’t exactly speed dating, but it wasn’t forever either. A month. And I could say no. That eased some of the tension from my jaw and shoulders and I relaxed. Thirty days. I could do thirty days.
Several of the other women’s shoulders dropped as well and I grinned. Yeah, we were all totally in this thing together. While I had high hopes that he was perfect, knowing I wasn’t stuck with him was reassuring. There was too much new information, too many strange rules and laws and rituals I didn’t understand. Knowing I could just say no eased my mind.
“What, exactly is the claiming process?” Katie asked.
Go, Katie, Go!
“And what exactly does it mean to accept his claim? How will we know if we do that? How do we do that, exactly? Is there a wedding ceremony? Do we sign something? Put on a ring? What?”
“You have accepted his claim if you allow your mate, marked or otherwise, the three gifts, the sacred order of three,” Officiate Treva clarified. When we all just stared, she tilted her head and sighed. “If you allow your mate to claim your body completely, in all ways.”
Katie tilted her own head and raised her dark brow. “Three ways? In some special order? I need details.”
Officiate Treva cleared her throat and I couldn’t determine if she was laughing, or choking. “Your mouth first, ladies. Followed by your ass. And finally, if you accept him and his claim, he will take you as his mate and place his seed in sacred offering in your womb.”
“Oh my god, these people are crazy.” Dani swayed beside me and I wrapped my arm around her in a hug.
Chapter Six
Lexi
Dani shook her head and shoved at arm, forcing me to release her from
the half hug. “I’m a virgin! And I’m supposed to go anal first? That doesn’t seem fair.”
Treva must have heard her, for she shook her head and looked at my friend. “No, Danielle. You do not have to, as you say, go anal first. However, if you give your mate the sacred gift of your woman’s core, if you accept his claim and his seed in your pussy, he will keep you forever.”
“Yeah? What if one of these guys just rapes us then? We’re stuck with him forever?” one of the girls asked.
Treva rose to her full height, all traces of kindness gone from her features. “Our Hunters are honored and revered, our most sacred warriors. They would never rape a potential mate.”
The girl shook her head, clearly not believing.
Treva put her hands on her hips. “You have each been fitted with an NPU, or neural processing unit, per Interstellar Brides Program protocols. This unit records sensual data and returns it to the Coalition Fleet for analysis and to help place future brides.”
I nodded. That was pretty much what Warden Egara had told me.
“If you are violated in any way, come to any of the Officiates at once. The data from your NPU will be examined and the offender executed.”
I felt my eyes go wide and Dani’s fingers dug into my elbow. “Executed?”
Treva’s eyes focused on Dani like lasers. “Yes. We do not tolerate that behavior here. I do not pretend to know what your life was like on Earth, but we are not primitive beasts. Do you all understand? It will not happen. Not here. I give you my word.”
As freaked out as I was by her casual talk of executions, her vehemence also made me feel safe. Which was a strange irony I didn’t want to think about overmuch.
His Virgin Bride (Interstellar Brides: The Virgins Book 1) Page 4