“Oh God,” she whimpered against his chest. “Why didn’t you just leave me back at the compound to die? It would have been better for everyone.”
His hand forced her face up. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and take what you want.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice. She went up on her toes as he came down and then his lips landed on hers.
Tears squeezed out from under her eyelids as emotion erupted from every cell in her body. Her mouth opened on a sob and Shauss drew back long enough to shush her. Then he dropped gentle kisses along the tortured curve of her lip as she tried to hold back her anguish. This was so wrong! He was her enemy, her captor, her interrogator and near-rapist. He’d literally scared the piss out of her, for God’s sake.
So why did his kiss taste like…home?
A low wail escaped her, but he just kept kissing her lips, drawing their edges between his like he was testing her flavor.
She pounded his shoulders with clenched fists and he responded by settling in for a deep, tongue-filled kiss. Lord, this had better be a dream—her nose was running, and that wasn’t how she wanted him to remember her any more than she wanted him to remember the pee running down her legs. All she would remember was the symphony of joy that welled up to wash away the knowledge none of this would last. She had this moment, this touch, this one deliberate, wide-awake taste of the beautiful alien who could never be hers.
She was barely conscious of Shauss walking her backward and lifting her until his body crushed hers into the padded wall. The hard ridge of his cock straining between them thrilled her out of her mind, and she thrust against him without thought, wrapping her legs around his waist.
He lifted his head slightly and pressed his lips to each of her eyelids in turn as tears continued to rain down her cheeks. “Don’t cry, aramai.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she choked. Then she remembered. “Oh my God, Monica! I can’t do this!”
She shoved at him and he stepped back, letting her drop to the floor and stumble away. “I don’t know why you did that, but I hope you’re satisfied.”
God knew she wouldn’t be, mated to that bald-headed ape and whoever else he chose to inflict on her.
“Not yet,” he murmured. “But I will be.”
* * * * *
There were way more people than she’d expected when Tiber and the guards escorted her into the council chambers through a side door. The commander, the minister and four old men she assumed were council members sat at a curved table at the head of the oval room, holding a quiet discussion, and a couple of dozen warriors sat mute in a gallery at the back. Zannen stared at her from the front row, his face devoid of emotion, and she fought back the urge to scream at him as her skin tried to crawl from her bones.
Shauss and Hastion stood in the huge open area in front of the table, their expressions equally unreadable. Ugh. Nothing like facing your accusers in front of your judge and jury.
Hastion’s lips curved in a rueful smile as she and Tiber joined them. Though he looked much better than he had yesterday, the brownish-yellow tinge of fading bruises still marred his eye and nose.
Cringing, she glanced at Tiber. He’d been strangely silent, which was really making her nervous. She wished she’d had a chance to talk with him privately, but being under guard had eliminated any chance of that. The jerks who’d taken over for Shauss wouldn’t even face the other away for her to use the toilet, so she’d held it all night. When Tiber showed up at the crack of dawn, he’d taken one look at her and ordered them to turn their backs so she could relieve herself. For that alone she could have kissed him. Then he’d had them escort her to a room with a private shower and given her a grooming kit and ten minutes to clean herself up. That’s when she knew she’d made the right decision.
After her inexplicable encounter with Shauss, she’d spent hours tossing and turning in her bunk, weighing her options under his silent, watchful eye, knowing there was no way she could escape now. As closely as they all watched her, she probably couldn’t even get close enough to an airlock to space herself, so suicide was out too.
Sometime near morning, she decided it was up to her to make a bargain she could live with. If she had to agree to take Zannen as a second or third mate in order to be awarded to Tiber, so be it. He’d been nothing but kind to her, and if the look in his eye was anything to go by, he was attracted to her. He was far from unattractive himself, and the fact that he was a physician hopefully meant he had taken an oath to do no harm, as Terran doctors did. Even better, he was a psychiatrist, which meant he would have some understanding of her position and perhaps not pull out his dagger and slit her throat when he found out how completely she’d deceived them all. If he was her primary mate, he might actually protect her.
Tiber escorted her to the spot right in front of the table, and though she was covered more completely than yesterday, being the center of so much masculine attention made her feel utterly, glaringly naked. It didn’t help that she was braless and commando now, in addition to having no makeup. That was her only complaint about Tiber’s service—when he’d taken her dirty clothes and given her this full-body suit, he’d failed to return her panties. Did she have anything left to call her own?
Minister Cecine turned, focusing on her, and she had the insane urge to grab Tiber’s hand and hold it like a scared little girl. Then again, her palms were clammy and shaking—he was probably better off not touching her.
“Good morning, Miss King,” the minister said, unsmiling. When she acknowledged him with a short nod, he continued. “Before we proceed, let me reiterate that our objective in requiring you to take mates is not to punish you for any misdeeds but to keep you and everyone aboard safe. That being the case, I had intended to grant Tiber’s petition to be your primary mate on the condition you both accept Zannen as second.”
Jasmine’s heart fluttered. There was a really big but at the end of that statement and she doubted it meant happy things for her.
“However, I must now formally deny both their petitions on the basis of a preexisting award.”
“What?” Jasmine frowned, looking back and forth between Cecine and Tiber. Tiber didn’t look surprised at all, which made her stomach sink. “What are you talking about? What award?”
“Miss King, Empran recorded Lieutenant Shauss’ unconditional claim the day I awarded you to him.”
She felt herself sway. “Shauss? Are you talking about when he—he—” Nearly raped me rang in her head but she couldn’t make herself say it. “Interrogated me?”
He dipped his chin in assent.
“But he’s already got a mate.”
“Garathani law is still evolving,” he explained. “Though it specifies that all males are required to share their mates, until this morning it included no language prohibiting males from mating with two females, which meant we weren’t alerted to the conflict until I tried to award you to Tiber. Lieutenant Shauss has consented to terminate his bond with my daughter in order to finalize his claim on you, and the council has already approved the annulment.”
She looked at Shauss and joy squeezed her chest. He would give up Monica for her.
Then dread squeezed her chest even tighter. Shit, when he found out exactly what he’d given up Monica for, he would be livid.
“Shauss, you can’t,” she said faintly. “You can’t throw away what you have with Monica for one time with me.”
“Perhaps I should clarify, Miss King,” Cecine said. “The award I made was recorded without condition, which means that, although his secondary and tertiary mates must initially observe the one-time claiming requirement, Lieutenant Shauss is under no such constraint. You are bound to him and obliged to acquiesce to his demands for sexual congress until such time as he rescinds his claim—assuming he ever does.”
She gaped at him. “I have to have sex with Shauss? Forever?”
“For the rest of your life, yes—or his, whichever is shorter. If he decides to keep you beyond the in
itially agreed-upon period, your bond would be converted to a traditional bond and your secondary and tertiary mates would acquire the customary mating privileges.”
“No,” she said. “Shauss, Monica is Garathani. She’s the minister’s daughter, for God’s sake! I’m just a puny human. You can’t possibly want to give her up for me.”
He looked at her impassively. “I have my reasons, which I’ll gladly discuss with you at length after the ceremony.”
“But I’m not worth it—I can never give you children!”
“That’s of no consequence to me.”
Jasmine wrung her clammy hands. Oh God, oh God—this couldn’t be happening. “Shauss, please don’t do this. I’d rather have Tiber. Really.”
“Minister, if you please.” Tiber’s voice was strong and everyone froze. “I wish to challenge Lieutenant Shauss for the right to claim Miss King.”
Shauss’ jaw hardened to stone at the hope on Jasmine’s face.
“Perfect,” he said coldly. “I’ve been looking for a way to get you off my back. Killing you ought to do the trick.”
Jasmine immediately stepped between them, putting her arms out as if to protect Tiber. “Shauss, no!”
“That would be unwise, Doctor.” Kellen rose from his seat, no doubt preparing for violence to erupt—which it very well could, Shauss realized, if Tiber didn’t back the fuck off his female.
“Commander, she doesn’t wish to be mated to him,” Tiber replied implacably.
“She doesn’t wish to see you die, either, I suspect.”
Shauss seized Jasmine’s upper arm. “Empran, privacy field.”
When they were enveloped in a solid white flare bubble, he looked down at the female trying to wrench out of his hold.
“Tell him to withdraw the challenge, Jasmine,” he said in as mild a tone as he could manage. “Tiber knows I’m a trained assassin and any challenge between us would almost certainly end in his death. Are you willing to let him pay such a price after what we shared last night?”
“Last night was a mistake!”
“No, last night was finally some truth between us.” She jerked in his hold again, but he persisted. “I have nothing but the best of intentions in claiming you. I would give my life to protect you.”
“Oh really? And who’s going to protect me from you?” she demanded, trying to pry his fingers off her arm.
“You have my word that no harm will come to you while you belong to me.” He leaned down and brushed his nose over her temple. She smelled lovely. Placing his lips against the shell of her ear, he breathed, “And you do belong to me, Jasmine King. You can’t deny that.”
When she didn’t reply, he slid his hand behind the delicate stalk of her neck and tilted her head back until it rested in his palm. He would like nothing more that to free her rich brown hair from its elastic band—the ponytail made her look oddly innocent and there was nothing innocent about what he wanted to do to her.
He scraped his teeth over her earlobe and felt her shudder.
“You scare me to death,” she finally whispered.
He raised his head.
“I know, and part of me wishes I could change that.” Watching her closely, he added, “On the other hand, a certain amount of fear can be a good thing between a dominant male and a submissive female.”
Her reaction was immediate and unmistakable—flags of color rose in her cheeks as her pupils expanded and her breathing grew rough. “I am not submissive!” she cried. “When are you going to get it through your thick head that I am not now, nor will I ever be, anyone’s puppet? I have a brain, damn it, and I can think for myself.”
“I never said you couldn’t. But when it comes to this…” He rubbed his thumb gently over the pulse in her throat and she swallowed, looking at him with such despair and longing, Shauss felt his own throat tighten. If he let her go now, before they’d explored whatever might exist between them, they would both regret it for the rest of their lives.
“Perhaps we can arrive at a compromise,” he proposed.
After a heartbeat, she asked, “What kind of compromise?”
“I am prepared to surrender my unconditional award before the council if you, in turn, will agree to give yourself to me without reservation until it’s safe for you to return to Earth.”
She chewed her lip for a long moment. “You won’t hurt Tiber?”
“Not if he withdraws the challenge.”
“And you’ll let me go home when this is all over?”
“If that’s truly what you want.”
“It is,” she said with finality. “I’m going home as soon as the commander gives the okay.”
“That’s a chance I’m willing to take.” He captured her lips and sank into her with his tongue, delighting in the sweet, fruity taste of her. As he’d hoped, she leaned into him with a moan, and he took full advantage. Sliding his hands down around her waist, he lifted her higher and trapped her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed and he shuddered at the feel of her fingers combing through his hair. It wasn’t the delicacy of her touch so much as the awareness of her desire for him that set his blood on fire.
He was going to fuck her. Over and over and over, by Peserin’s sword, he was going to fuck Jasmine King until she couldn’t even remember another male, much less desire one.
He let his hands slide down to her thighs and pulled them up until they bracketed his waist. “Empran, cancel privacy field.”
“It looks to me like she wants him,” Hastion’s voice rang out.
Jasmine jerked her lips away from Shauss’ and shoved at his shoulders, fire blazing in her cheeks. When he let her slide to the floor, she felt the stiff rod of his cock and the fire blazed even hotter.
“You jerk,” she muttered, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth and trying to look anywhere but at the huge tent in the front of his uniform.
Shauss didn’t bother wiping the shiny evidence of their kiss from his lips. “Why don’t you tell them about our agreement, Jasmine?”
Although his tone was pleasant, his eyes darted to Tiber, reinforcing the or he dies message. Damn it, why couldn’t it have been Zannen who challenged Shauss? She’d step back and watch him die with a smile on her face.
Jasmine stared at him for a minute before turning to Tiber. “I appreciate your trying to protect me, Tiber, I really do, but I want you to withdraw your challenge. Shauss has agreed to let me go home when it’s safe if I…” She licked suddenly dry lips. “If I give myself to him without reservation until then.”
“Is this true, Lieutenant?” the minister asked.
“Yes, Minister.”
Tiber frowned. “Jasmine, are you certain?”
She took a shuddering breath. “Yes.”
“He frightens you.”
“That may be, but I don’t want you to be hurt or killed because my head’s a wreck.”
“I can take care of myself.” He sounded offended.
“I’m sure you can,” she assured him softly, “but please drop the challenge. For all our sakes.”
He hesitated before nodding at Cecine. “I withdraw my challenge.”
“I’m pleased to hear it,” Cecine replied. “Lieutenant, have you selected your secondary and tertiary mates?”
“Second will be Ensign Hastion.”
Zannen snorted. “Because he did such a fine job of containing her yesterday.”
If the bastard had had any hair, Hastion’s look would have scorched it right off. “She won’t catch me unawares again.”
“And tertiary?” the minister prompted.
Jasmine held her breath, praying Please not Zannen, please anyone but Zannen!
When Shauss looked at her and said Tiber’s name, she nearly fainted with relief.
“I told you I would protect you,” he murmured.
Cecine stood. “Council members, please cast your vote on formalizing the conditional bond between Jasmine King, Lieutenant Shauss, Ensign Hastion a
nd Dr. Tiber.”
Although no one said a word, the minister said, “A unanimous vote in favor. Empran, announce the amended award.” Then he focused on Jasmine. “Miss King, your medical records indicate that you are no longer a virgin, and Empran’s research leads us to believe you’ve had sexual contact with at least four different Terran males. Is this correct?”
Cheeks burning, she nodded stiffly. What business was it of theirs how many men she’d slept with, anyway?
“Since you’re not one of the candidates, and therefore have not undergone a compatibility evaluation, I’m ordering an examination prior to claiming. Presumably you’ll be able to take your mates without difficulty, but we would be remiss in letting them have you without ascertaining your fitness to mate.”
“But—”
“My daughter will perform the examination.”
Jasmine closed her mouth and nodded. Exactly what she’d been about to ask for. Please, Monica, have my spray ready!
“Now one last technicality to attend to is the matter of protected claiming periods. As a result of Pret’s attack on my daughter, the general council has amended the law regarding initial claiming of a female. As before, primary males have one Garathani day, or twenty-four point four Terran hours, to finalize their claims before claim protection is forfeit. Secondary males now have two days and tertiary have three. This gives smaller Terran females the opportunity to recover from any discomfort claiming may cause before being subjected to further claiming.”
“Minister, I respectfully request juranin status.” Zannen’s announcement provoked gasps and murmurs of conversation.
“The hell you do,” Shauss growled. “She’s not Garathani.”
“Even so, I am within my rights both as a family member and a rival for mating privileges.”
Jasmine’s eyes widened. What in the world were they talking about? And whose family was he a member of?
“But jurana is archaic!”
Zannen went nose to nose with Shauss. “So is the declaration ritual, little brother. That didn’t stop Commander Kellen from performing it last week.”
Jasmine gasped. How in the world could the classically beautiful Shauss and that brawny bastard possibly be brothers?
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