Claimed for Their Use

by Ivy Barrett

  “You’re a professional musician?”

  His obvious shock annoyed her. “Why do you sound so surprised?”

  He smiled, melting her irritation before he even began to explain. “Performers tend to have massive egos. You seem far too grounded to be in a band.”

  “Realizing you’re a has-been at twenty-eight can deflate even the biggest ego. Our fifteen minutes of fame was over long before all hell broke loose on Earth.”

  “Were you romantically involved with any of your bandmates?”

  The possessive fire in his gaze made her hesitate. He’d punish her if she lied, yet an honest answer might land her over his lap as well. Orientation had warned her that Ventori Defenders were extremely possessive. “You wouldn’t like the answer.”

  His brows arched and his head tilted slightly to one side. “Were you that wild?”

  “I was very wild for a year or two,” she admitted. “But I eventually realized I wanted more out of life and way more out of sex. My emotional evolution was one of the main reasons the band broke up. I grew up and they didn’t, so I moved on.”

  He nodded, acknowledging her words, but when he spoke again, it was obvious he hadn’t moved past her “I was very wild” comment. “I don’t want details, but understanding your history could be helpful to us. Are you all right with answering some general questions?”

  “I won’t know until I hear the questions.”

  “Have you ever had sex with more than one lover?”

  She nodded as heat crawled across her cheeks.

  “Males or females?” he persisted.

  “Males. I’m not attracted to females.”

  “Have you ever had anal sex?”

  She sighed. This was awkward as hell and she’d seen how possessive Ventori males could be. How many of these questions could she answer before he was furious with her? “Yes.”

  “Did you find it enjoyable?”

  “Yes.”

  After a tense pause, he asked, “Have you ever allowed two men inside you at the same time?”

  My pussy belongs to you, Sirs. Her words echoed through her mind, making her even more uncomfortable. She’d never had a problem talking about her past before. She wasn’t ashamed of her strong sex drive or her misspent youth. But she belonged to them and only them now. She’d gotten one man off with her mouth while another fucked her pussy, but she was pretty sure that wasn’t what he meant. She shook her head, unable to force the detail past her dry throat.

  His gaze narrowed and he looked as if he would ask another question, so she quickly shifted his focus. “Is that what you and Rook want? To take me at the same time?” Her chances of getting spanked were minimized if she could keep him focused on the present.

  “Eventually.” He set down his fork, apparently more interested in her than his breakfast. “Does the idea intrigue you?”

  She’d thought of little else since she met Dare and Rook. Having two virile lovers making demands on her was thrilling, and the prospect of taking them both into her body at the same time was the most enticing temptation of all. “There are a lot of things I find intriguing now that I never would have considered before. You two bring out the bad girl in me.”

  He laughed. “Oh, we know how to deal with bad girls.”

  Her bottom had recovered from her punishments, but the reminder still made her squirm. How could something so unpleasant be so evocative? “I’m well aware of your strategies.”

  He’d scooted back from the table so he could cross his legs and her attention drifted toward the obvious bulge in the front of his uniform pants. Instantaneously, her mind produced a vivid image of him kneeling on the bed, stroking his black-tipped cock as he watched Rook fuck her with his fingers. Desire unfurled inside her, flooding her pussy with heat and wetness as her heart began to pound.

  Dare devoured her with his gaze, likely indulging in similar memories. “Change the subject or we’re going back to bed.”

  “All right. Tell me about you. How long have you served the protectorate?”

  Tension hardened his features and pressed his lips into a disapproving line. She wasn’t sure he’d answer. Then he heaved a ragged sigh and began to speak in a low, nearly monotone voice. “I joined the military three years before the Skarilians attacked Ventor. I was barely out of school. War is the only life I’ve ever known. I’ve spent much more time in space than on any planet.”

  A brief history of Ventor had been part of orientation, so Jessica understood his reaction. The Skarilians had approached Ventor as they did every inhabited planet in their path, demanding unconditional surrender. But Ventor was protected by one of the most powerful militaries in the galaxy, so they refused.

  After months of bloody conflict with heavy losses on both sides, the Skarilians resorted to deceit and trickery to lure the Ventori Defenders away from their home world. By the time the warriors realized they’d been duped, the Skarilians had decimated Ventor, killing every man, woman, and child on the planet, effectively dooming their species.

  The Ventor Massacre was now an example of what happened when anyone dared to resist the Skarilians. As a result, the proud Ventori males traveled from star system to star system offering protection and assistance to anyone targeted by the Skarilians.

  Twelve years had passed since the tragedy, but no one ever completely recovered from something that devastating.

  ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ was so trite she couldn’t force the words past her lips. Instead, she brought the conversation back into the present. “Have you and Rook decided what you’re going to do with the other females? I know they’ll ask and I’d rather not put you on the spot.”

  “Our actions will depend on the results of Dr. Baytor’s tests. You were kidnapped for a reason, and I don’t think it was anything as simple as being young, attractive females.”

  “I suspect you’re right. Maybe we should go see the doctor before we check in on the others females.”

  Dare insisted she eat more of her breakfast before they left the cabin. Once she’d finished, he manufactured a simple forest green dress with a drawstring waist and slip-on shoes using a built-in device called a DoxGenator. He tried to explain how it worked, but the science was so far beyond her understanding that she just laughed and said, “Let’s call it magic.”

  He led her into the bathroom next and demonstrated how to operate the Ventori version of a shower. “The water is recycled, but there is still much less pressure than showers on Earth. The wall dispenser is filled with a combination liquid that will clean and condition your hair, moisturize your skin, and prevent body odor. There will be very little lather and it rinses quickly, so showers are quick and efficient.” He motioned toward the compartment inset in the wall next to the shower enclosure. “We have conventional drying cloths, but the shower also has a hot air cycle that feels really nice.” He showed her how to select the various cycles then asked, “Do you need anything else?”

  He’d been so thoughtful already, she felt greedy asking for anything. “Can the DoxGenator create a toothbrush?”

  “It can, but we have something better.” He opened a cabinet beside the sink and pulled out a bottle of what looked like blue mouthwash. “Wash your mouth out with this. It’s more effective and easier than brushing, but you don’t want to know how it works.”

  “Oh, that’s not fair,” she cried, playfully slapping his upper arm. “Now you have to tell me.”

  “It contains millions of voracious microorganisms that devour the bacteria and food particles in your mouth. They’re harmless if swallowed, but it’s better if you spit them out. They’ll leave your mouth squeaky clean and your breath nice and fresh.”

  She looked at the bottle dubiously then back at him. “Does it hurt?”

  “It tingles a bit, but it’s not painful.” He returned the bottle to its compartment, but seemed reluctant to leave.

  “Thanks, for all of this.”

  He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it, h
is lips warm and soft against her skin. “I like taking care of you.”

  The warmth in his blue and black eyes made her want to push to her tiptoes and kiss him. It didn’t matter that his lips were black and his skin was so light a gray it appeared white in certain lights. He was exotic and exciting, and utterly focused on her. It was a powerful combination.

  He chuckled and motioned toward the door. “I better leave you to it. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough room in the enclosure for two.”

  Once he’d gone, she returned the robe to the compartment where she’d found it and took her first Ventori shower. The process was fast and surprisingly refreshing given the lack of water pressure. And the dry cycle felt like heaven, warming her body and leaving her hair damp rather than sodden.

  What the dress lacked in style, it made up for in comfort. The sleeves just reached her elbows and the hem hit at mid-calf. She tightened the waist and wondered if Dare had intentionally omitted undergarments. All he’d have to do was bend her over a table, flip up the skirt, and she’d be ready for a nice hard fuck. The thought made her shiver, but she forced the temptation to the back of her mind. She really did want to check on the other humans. The shoes, like the dress, were functional rather than stylish, but the fit was good. She only wore makeup when she had a reason to dress up, so she French braided her hair but couldn’t find anything to bind the end.

  Holding the end of her braid in one hand, she returned to the outer room. Dare sat at the small desk tucked into the far corner of the room. A three-dimensional diagram filled the space in front of him and he used hand gestures and voice commands to interact with the program.

  “Sorry to bother you,” she said softly. “I need something to hold the end of my braid.”

  He pivoted to face her, still seated, and she was struck again by his noble appeal. He pulled open a small drawer under the desktop and produced an elastic band. Rather than tossing it to her, he stood and crossed the room, his gaze intent on her face. He took the braid from her and secured it with the band. Then he pressed his hand against her cheek and lowered his mouth to hers.

  His kiss started out slow and gentle, but heated up fast. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up along his body until her feet just barely touched the deck. Their mouths slid and their tongues dueled, moving from her mouth to his and back as they clung to each other.

  She finally turned her head, separating their lips. “I want to see the others, then we can play.”

  He pressed his erection into her belly with a growl. “If Baytor has good news we’re going to do more than play.”

  She nodded, but pulled away. “I’ll be less distracted if I’ve checked on the others.”

  The medical center was three decks down and at the opposite end of the ship from the officer cabins. Tension wound tighter inside Jessica with each step she took. Did she want to be their mate? Dare hadn’t come right out and said it, but she sensed that much more was expected of mates than carnal companions. Sex was about pleasure and the relationship was temporary. Mating, on the other hand, generally involved offspring. And offspring created permanent links between people whether they wanted the connection or not.

  She’d been in shock when she met Dr. Baytor the first time, but he still seemed familiar. He greeted them with a smile and a knowing twinkle in his dark eyes. “I still have many questions, but what I’ve determined already is staggering.”

  “Is Jessica our possible mate?” Dare dove right to the heart of the matter, at least for them.

  Wait. ‘Possible mate’? Why had they omitted the word possible every time they mentioned it to her? They’d made it sound like mating with them was a foregone conclusion.

  “She is definitely genetically compatible with Rook and you. Your compatibility index is nine point seven, which means her chances of conception are extremely high.”

  She took a step back, overwhelmed by the implications. “They told me they’d given me a contraception injection at the induction center. Is that not true? I do not want a baby right now.”

  Dr. Baytor looked at her and smiled. “Don’t panic, miss. I detected the hormones in your blood. However, the injection can be reversed if you and your mates decide to take advantage of your exceptional compatibility.”

  “Who would intentionally have a baby in the middle of a war? No, thank you. This is not a world I want to force on a child.”

  Dare didn’t seem pleased by her position, but he didn’t argue. “What about the other females? Is there a connection, some reason they were targeted?”

  “If they’d been kidnapped by us it would make more sense,” the doctor told them. “But the Mexican drug lord must believe he can leverage potential mates into some sort of wealth or power. Drug lords don’t do anything unless it benefits them.”

  “All the females are genetically compatible with the Ventori?” Dare sounded shocked, which compounded Jessica’s anxiety.

  Baytor nodded. “To varying degrees, but yes.”

  “Then why did I only react to Jessica?” Dare asked.

  “The intensity of your attraction is determined by the level of compatibility. Technically, Jessica is compatible with all of us. However, her level of compatibility varies from male to male. You and Rook are extremely compatible with Jessica, which accounts for your physical reaction to each other. If my calculations are correct, and I believe they are, it takes an index of eight point three or higher to trigger ridonous. Your index isn’t that high with any of the other females.”

  “What’s so special about us?” Jessica asked. “I take it all human females aren’t genetically compatible with Ventori.”

  “Most are not,” Baytor admitted. “It has to do with the D antigen in human blood. It’s more commonly known as rhesus or the Rh factor. If the protein is present on the female’s red blood cells, she will not be able to carry a Ventori child to term, or if she did the child would not survive delivery. This complication exists in human births as well, but it is intensified many times over with the Ventori. You, and all the other females on this ship, are Rh negative.”

  “You tested everyone?” He’d been busy last night.

  “I thought it wise.”

  Dare stroked his beard as speculation clouded his eyes. “Does the chancellor know about this?”

  “You’re the first person I’ve told,” Baytor admitted. “However, I warned him about Hienam Narrn’s possible involvement and he assured me that he’d investigate. Chancellor Savator is no fan of Narrn, so I’m sure the investigation will be thorough.”

  “Excellent. But let’s keep the compatibility issue to ourselves for now. Rook and I will decide who needs to know what and when.”

  “Understood.” After a short pause, Baytor said, “I also confirmed that you and Rook are both in the grip of your ridonous cycle. As Rook said, you’re in rut, and there’s only one treatment for mating fever.”

  “I’m aware.” Dare’s expression was so complex, she couldn’t tell if he was relieved or worried.

  “Is she?” The doctor looked pointedly at her, but didn’t offer more information.

  They left the med center a few minutes later, but the question lingered in Jessica’s mind. “What is the only treatment for mating fever?”

  “Sex,” he admitted. “Lots and lots of sex.”

  Chapter Six

  Jessica hurried along beside Dare, rushing to keep up with his long, purposeful strides. The ship’s corridors all looked the same, narrow yet high to accommodate Ventori height. Like their uniforms, the walls and decks were varying shades of gray. They were warships, designed for destruction, not pleasing esthetics. She had no idea how he kept track of where he was in relation to his destination. Her mind was reeling from all the information Dr. Baytor had casually dropped on them. She was a nearly perfect genetic match to Rook and Dare. Their possible mate.

  “If we stay away from each other, will this urgency fade away?” She had no intention of attempting that strategy, but she k
new the question would capture Dare’s attention.

  He skidded to a stop and faced her. “You would shut us out?”

  She wasn’t ready to reassure him. She needed answers first. “I didn’t say that. I just want to understand my options. The other females are going to bombard me with questions and I don’t understand this well enough to answer them.”

  “I will answer their questions.”

  She shook her head, frustrated by his evasiveness. “You won’t even answer mine. I know you want me as your mate, but you won’t even explain what that means. Do the Ventori mate for life or just until they produce offspring?”

  “We mate for life.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, looking at her then away.

  She’d never seen him so uncertain, and compassion and something stronger, more elemental washed over her. She wanted to ease his fears, needed to reassure him that she would never betray him, never shut him out or leave. But why did she feel that way? She barely knew him.

  “You want to form a permanent union between me, your brother, and you?” She kept her voice even, non-confrontational.

  “I want that with all my heart.” He sounded sincere, but the concept was irrational.

  “You think you want it because we’re all consumed by mating fever. What happens when the fire burns itself out? The sex might still be great, but where will we live? How can I feel useful in a world I don’t understand?”

  “We will teach you. We will—”

  “I’ll just hang out in your cabin waiting for you to find time to drop by? And when the protectorate is ready to move on to the next planet? Will I be expected to leave my entire world behind?” His expression shifted from frustration to anger to misery, but she would not soften her attitude. They were legitimate questions that needed to be answered if she was even going to consider a life with them.

  Was she considering a life with them? Shocked by her own train of thought, she turned to the side and started walking again. She could not be blinded by the pleasure. There was more to life than amazing orgasms. An entire night filled with amazing orgasms. She shivered as heat cascaded through her body.