by Missy Lyons
Playtime with the Boys
Saber and Ryder awoke early the next morning.
After giving their new mate such a vigorous workout the previous evening, neither had the heart to wake her. Saber knew if they did, they both would be tempted to mate with her again and again. Then they would probably be tempted to not even leave the bed, and they had a few things that had to be done aboard the ship, and the most important was to contact their commander in chief to let him know that they were transporting Girvan to a nearby prison planet.
They dressed and took their business to the command center and helm of the ship. The call to their leader was quick enough. Nigel was not a real talker and only about business. He wished them well and congratulated them on a job well done. He did frown when they mentioned choosing a female from the planet to mate with, but it wasn’t like they filled the ship with women for their sexual pleasure.
“I just wouldn’t mention that in the report, if I were you, Saber,” Nigel said sternly. His blue soldier uniform had just been cleaned and pressed. The lines of his eyes were not amused.
“Why not?” Ryder asked. They had her consent. It should not have been a problem to take the woman home with them, especially once Lily was with child. The union would soon be permanent and their bond could not be broken.
“Removing a protected species from the planet even in a time of war is not going to be sanctioned. If you aren’t successful mating with her, it won’t matter because you will have to return her. So I just wouldn’t waste the time filling out paperwork when it would be stirring things up.”
“I won’t be returning her,” Ryder grumbled under his breath.
Saber was inclined to agree with his brother, but he knew it was useless arguing with Nigel. “We’re working on it, sir. She’ll probably be with child before we get into the space port. Then it won’t be up to anyone to tell us what to do.”
“I am not sure this is a good idea. If you are successful mating with the woman, it may cause others to want to travel there and kidnap a wife or two. The human species see so many of their women disappear that they will think they are under attack and freak out. Then they might do something stupid like set off an apocalyptic weapon of mass destruction and start the chain of evolution all over again. We can’t interfere.”
“Most men don’t have the means to travel to another planet to find a mate.”
“That doesn’t solve the original issue. Humans are a primitive and inferior species.”
“Sir, this is my mate you are talking about,” Saber said through gritted teeth.
“Yes, I understand that.” Nigel sighed, probably knowing his arguing was futile with the Rhoma brothers. “I am just encouraging you to keep it between you for now.”
“Understood, sir,” Saber replied. It wasn’t like he had thought of this outcome before. His stealing away Lily off the planet could start a series of abductions, and while it would be for the greater good of his people to have fertile mates to continue their line, he couldn’t condone an outcome that could end in war.
Ryder gave him a mock salute and replied, “Yes, sir.”
Saber waited for the screen to go blank before blowing a raspberry at the screen and slamming his fist into a nearby wall. “That crusty old man wouldn’t bend the rules, even for us.”
Saber muttered, “He will if the scientists find Lily gets pregnant. The virus has destroyed our women. Interbreeding could save our planet. Then everyone will be on our side.”
Ryder complained, “But you heard what he said about that. Humans are the last species he would consider. They are not nearly mature enough to handle thinking they aren’t the center of the universe.”
“Nigel has a mate. We’ll have the support of the men who don’t. You’ve seen what it has done to our people to wait and hope they are chosen to breed in the lottery. If nothing is done soon, the men will be desperate enough to begin stealing their women.”
Ryder noted. Although men tended to respect a mated union, it was not unheard of for a man to take the woman he wanted if he could not win her freely. Kidnapping a female was an offense that carried a death sentence, but some men still considered it worth it. Ryder’s transgression may get overlooked slightly because he was royalty, but Lily was aboard the ship willingly, so he wouldn’t call it kidnapping. “That’s already happening on the east district.”
“It’s chaos there,” Saber agreed.
“It always has been chaos and even slightly dangerous with the rebels running the black market there.” Ryder nodded his head to agree. Most of the rebelling had to do with not being able to be fully happy and have a family. These men had little choice but to turn to crime if they wanted to ever see a woman in the flesh. The slave trade was a booming business. If Saber and Ryder found a source of women to help continue their line, they could be helping the planet in more ways than one. Everyone would be happier in the long run if humans proved fertile.
“I don’t care what happens. I’m not giving Lily up. We fought too hard to let her go now.” Saber didn’t like the idea of having to share their mate with anyone else, and if they were challenged by anyone in a duel, and lost, it would prove they were unfit to protect Lily. She may have to consent to taking on another mate. “I don’t want to share her with the rest of our world either.”
The idea didn’t sit well with him, and from the look on Ryder’s face, it wasn’t an idea Ryder liked either. Thirty years ago, before the virus, they each would have a mate of their own, but now things were different.
E.V.E.’s voice interrupted their conversation. “I am receiving an incoming message.”
“Who wants to bother us now?”
“Your mother.”
Saber watched his brother’s face pale slightly. They already got chewed out by their chief in command, and it really didn’t matter what anyone told them. They both wanted to keep Lily as their mate, but if their mother wanted to ride their ass over this, they would feel like crap if they had to talk back to her about this.
“Damn. You can take this one, brother.” Ryder slid off the edge of his chair and turned to leave.
Saber stopped him by clapping a hand on his shoulder. “I am not taking this one by myself. She’s your mate, too. We need to tell our mother together.”
“But you are so much better at this kind of thing than I am,” Ryder said.
“She’s getting impatient,” E.V.E. said. “Should I put her on the screen?”
“No.” Ryder swiveled out of Saber’s reach.
“Yes.” Saber frowned and pounced to pull his brother back in reach.
“Is that a yes or a no?” E.V.E. asked.
“It’s a yes, just put her on.” Saber tugged Ryder close to him, so they were standing side by side.
The screen went from black to a picture of home. Their mother sat next to the stone bath wearing purple robes and a crown of leaves in her golden hair. Her perfect skin was a very light shade of blue since she never liked to leave the privacy of the house often. She was pampered and wearing several layers of makeup that only made her more beautiful. For having had eight sons, she still looked young enough to have several more.
“I was beginning to wonder if I would ever hear from you two.”
“Hi, Mother,” Saber and Ryder’s voices echoed.
“Didn’t you two get my messages? It’s been weeks since I heard from you. I was so worried I was going out of my mind with worry.”
“I am sorry, Mother. We were not aboard the ship for most of that time. We had to search planet Earth for Girvan’s whereabouts.”
“But you did finally get that blackguard?”
“Of course,” Saber said smugly.
She looked relieved.
“He is in a cell now for the trip home. We just have to drop him off at the prison planet.”
“Oh good, I hoped you would be home soon. Your father, Terran, is arranging a hunting party in your honor. Your fathers will be so pleased!”
“Wait,
Mother, there’s more news we have to share with you,” Saber said.
“Very good news,” Ryder added.
“What could possibly be better than finding out my sons will be coming back to me?” she asked.
“While we were on Earth, we found our mate,” Saber said.
Their mother covered her hands and screamed in joy. “Oh! You make me so proud! Put her on. I want to meet her.”
“No,” Ryder said cautiously.
“No?” she asked.
“We want to wait. She’s an Earthling, and it’s going to take Lily a while to adjust to being our mate,” Saber said.
“If she’s smart, it won’t take her long to get used to us. I can hardly wait to meet her! Thank you for giving me some warning. There will be parties to plan and balls to organize, and the priest will need time to prepare the temple for the ceremony.”
Saber was suddenly alarmed. What they didn’t need was to have this broadcast to the rest of the planet. “We need to keep this low-key until she is pregnant and the mating bond is complete.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you hadn’t started on that yet?” Her oval eyes went round. She looked shocked.
Saber explained, “We have, Mother, but these things take time.”
“Well, what are you waiting for? The next time I see you I better have a grandchild or two on the way.” Her eyes turned up in the corners with her delighted laughter.
Saber couldn’t agree more. He needed a child to seal the deal. “That’s what we’re hoping for.”
“You speak of hope at a time like this? I raised you better than that, Saber.” Her eyes twinkled dangerously. “You are men of action, not of words. I don’t care how you do it, just get it done.”
Saber winced. His mother had a way of getting to the meat of what mattered. He hated having to talk to her about his sex life. “I am a man of action, Mother. Don’t doubt for a minute that Lily will be pregnant by the time we arrive.”
“What a good son. You please your mother greatly.” She flashed him a beautiful smile full of bright-white teeth. He had to admit it was the happiest he had ever seen her.
* * * *
“I’m going to wake her up,” Ryder said as soon as the conversation with their mother was over.
“We agreed to let her sleep. She needs her rest, and she has to be sore after being ridden all night by both of us. Give her some time to rest her body, and when she comes to us again, she will show us she is ready.”
Ryder’s hands fisted at his sides. “I don’t stop wanting her, Saber.”
“Neither do I.”
“It will be some time before I tire of having my cock between her sweet thighs.” He sighed hopelessly.
“We can’t leave this to chance. I will have E.V.E. examine Lily for her general health and to see if she is fertile.” Saber grinned.
“I already did.” Ryder smiled smugly.
“When?”
“While she was unconscious and first transported to the ship. The computer gave me a report. She is healthy in every way, but her breeding time is near. She will be ovulating in a few days.”
“When that time comes, there can’t be an hour when one of us is not riding her.”
Ryder nodded. “I am looking forward to that day.”
“We should probably be saving our seed for that time.”
Ryder looked heartbroken at the idea of waiting for their woman to go into her ovulating cycle. His face darkened, and his lips pursed grimly. “It will not hurt to practice.”
“We can’t take any chances.”
“What if she ovulates early and the computer is wrong?”
“The computer is never wrong.”
“E.V.E. has been wrong before. She just won’t admit it.”
“When?”
“With the outfits she sent us down to Earth for one. Are you really prepared to risk this by waiting?”
Saber looked at the empty screen deep in thought. “No.”
Just then the sliding door to the cockpit opened, and Lily appeared in the doorway. She wore a flowing, red dress. The moment her eyes fell on the Rhoma brothers, her cheeks flushed as if she were remembering the details of last night. “Good morning.”
Saber replied smoothly as his eyes hungrily gazed over her curvaceous figure. “Good morning, sexy.”
“I was disappointed when I woke up and saw you left me alone this morning,” Lily admitted bashfully.
Ryder crossed the room in seconds. He lifted her hand to his lips and then tucked her close to him, putting his arm around her waist. “I am sorry to have neglected you in order to see to my duties, but now that has been seen to, I would be happy to keep you company.”
Saber glared at his brother. He wanted to fuck her as much as Ryder did, but they couldn’t be doing this all the time. “Don’t let him trick you. The man only has one thing on his mind, and it’s not just keeping you company. If you are too sore to have sex, just tell him so.”
“I kind of hoped to have more sex, too.” She grinned up at him before Ryder kissed her passionately.
Saber’s cock pressed painfully against his pants, and he groaned. He should have known it would be difficult to stay away from their mate for any length of time. “Just hurry up but don’t forget I will expect a reward for doing all the real work around here while you two are off playing.”
“Aww, Saber. You can play with me anytime you want. I’m up for the challenge of having two playmates.” Lily grinned smoothly as she palmed Ryder’s chest.
He had to stifle the urge to cross the room to take her over his shoulder and drag her to the nearest bed. He still had work to accomplish, and having his dick control every waking thought wasn’t going to make it easy. He and Ryder agreed it would be Ryder’s turn first, and then he would take her. Sharing a mate had to be done carefully so there was trust and no jealousy between the three partners. “Sex with me will be anything but playtime.”
He undressed her with his eyes, peeling off one layer of the silken material at a time, revealing her very voluptuous curves. It was as if she felt the same heat he felt. Her mouth gaped, and she stood still as a wounded animal about to be pounced on by a predator.
She shivered under the intensity of his gaze, but her body went limp in Ryder’s arms. She had at least come to terms with her mates. However slight, her body language shared that she accepted them as the men she both desired and needed.
Chapter Seven:
Home is Where the Heart is
“Have you eaten already?” Ryder asked as he led Lily down the winding hallway through the center of the ship.
Lily looked up at him and questioned why he would ask her at first, but his eyes held real honest concern for her. “A little. I had a cup of coffee and a bagel and cream cheese.”
“Good. I want to make sure you keep your strength up.” Ryder’s amber eyes glowed like precious gems.
“I have plenty of energy for some fun with you.”
“Good.” His wide, white smile sent a shiver of anticipation clear to her toes and left an empty, aching feeling in her stomach. She just had to be in his company for a short time to feel the ache in her pussy. “Let’s hope that never changes.”
“I can’t imagine it ever will,” she answered truthfully. She had never felt anything this intense before, and she had mistaken it for lust on first sight, but she began to wonder if it was something deeper. She honestly couldn’t imagine life without her two sexy warriors by her side and in her bed, but she still hated saying good-bye to the life she left behind and was nervous about what kind of world she was going to. Would his family accept her? Would they greet her with open arms, or would she just be a baby-making machine to them?
She noticed they had passed the bedroom where they had spent the night, and she felt disappointment creep into her gut. “Isn’t that your bedroom? Or am I missing something?”
He chuckled softly, and the sound sent butterflies flying into her stomach. “I’m not taking you to my
bed this time. I wanted to share something else with you today.”
“Oh.” She didn’t miss the disappointment that filled her voice. She looked forward to another hot and sweaty lovemaking session and couldn’t imagine anything being quite as good as going back to his bed.
“It’s a special treat. When we are aboard the ship for a very long time, we need exercise. So this room is to simulate the battlefields of our homeland. Then with practice we won’t be become weak from the lack of exercise or the weeks of travel.” He stopped in front of a silver door and typed something into the nearby keypad.
“Oh. That wasn’t the kind of exercise I had in mind.” She gave him a blank stare, trying to hide her disappointment, but the truth remained in her voice.
He pulled her against him, and the breath left her body as she slid against his lean maleness. He was as aroused as she, and he held out on her? Ugh. Maybe he just needed a little incentive to act on his desire? She rubbed against him, hoping to arouse him further.
He held her against him as she writhed and locked her lips in a passionate kiss. When she opened to him, his tongue met hers in a desire to conquer and dominate. She melted against him in his arms, and if it were not for the fact he held her so tightly, she would have landed on the floor in a melted pool of bliss.
The door opened, and he didn’t seem to lose any of his purpose. He lifted her, hooking his fingers around her ass so that her legs would easily wrap around his hips, joining their sexes at the apex of her heat.
He stepped through the portal, and the door closed behind him. The kiss left her dizzy, and his hot breath fanned her cheek. His deep voice was threaded with unfulfilled lust and desire. “Ready for your surprise?”
“Does it include sex? Then yes.” She rested her head against his chest.
“Computer please set the simulator to galaxy map 5682 and play the beiji music please.”
“Playing the universe now,” E.V.E.’s voice answered, and as she did, the silver walls began to change. They were surrounded by stars, and the dance of night lit by jeweled lights took Lily’s breath away. She was amazed. It was like the walls of the ship disappeared and they were left in space, but she could still breathe normally, so she knew it wasn’t real. The entire experience was a simulation designed to fool her eyes, but it looked so real it took her breath away.