Kept for Their Use

by Ivy Barrett

  “But, sir—”

  “That is all,” Savator snapped. “You’re both dismissed.”

  * * *

  “That Tavorian hasn’t taken his eyes off you,” Nikki Romano told Jasmine in a hushed, yet urgent tone. Mischief shone in her dark eyes, and color accented her cheeks. She tucked a strand of wavy dark hair behind her ear and grinned as she said, “I wonder what he wants.”

  “Same thing they all want,” Erin Dorati joined in, and both women laughed.

  Not nearly as amused as her friends, Jasmine glanced at the mysterious Tavorian. Nikki was right. He’d been staring at Jasmine since he walked into the all-purpose room fifteen minutes ago. The social center of Camp Accord used to be a middle school, so this room could be set up as a fitness center, auditorium, or cafeteria. When not in use by the entire community, some of the tables were left up so people could gather to have a drink, play games, or talk.

  The stranger sat alone at a round table meant for twelve and openly watched every move Jasmine made. His hair blended black, gray, and blue into a smoky hue that had no specific name. His eyes appeared dark from this distance, but she’d seen enough Tavorians up close to know they were similar to his hair, a subtle blending of multiple colors. In contrast to his darkish hair, his skin was so pale it appeared chalky, unnaturally white. Well, unnaturally white for a human. Tavorians were all pale as death.

  She shuddered, unable to help the reaction. Six months ago, shortly after the destruction of Tavor, Camp Accord had been flooded with new occupants. Jasmine and a handful of other genetically compatible females had been part of the influx, but most were Tavorian refugees.

  The ungrateful Tavorians resented everything about the Ventori settlement. According to them, their accommodations were inadequate, the food unpalatable, and they wanted nothing to do with the other occupants. Jasmine had tried to befriend several of the single females, but she’d been coldly rejected. They showed up in mass at mealtime, then returned to their assigned apartment complex. They didn’t socialize with anyone who wasn’t Tavorian, barely acknowledged that anyone else existed. It hadn’t taken Jasmine long to conclude that Tavorians were xenophobic snobs.

  So what did this male want with her? Unlike the Ventori, Tavorians weren’t looking for mates or even carnal companions.

  “I think he likes you,” Nikki teased in a singsong voice. “He wants to bond with you.”

  Erin rolled her eyes and handed Jasmine another apple. Lydia, Camp Accord’s amazing cook, promised to make apple pies, but only if they peeled the apples. The three friends had happily taken on the task. “Tavorians only bond with Tavorians and they’ve made damn sure everyone knows about it.” Erin sounded almost as annoyed by their attitude as Jasmine.

  “You should probably explain that to your Tavorian mate.” Nikki shook her head.

  “Azra is only part Tavorian,” Erin reminded with a dreamy smile. Every time anyone mentioned one of her three mates Erin drifted off to who-knew-where.

  “Well, Tavorian or not, that male has it bad for Jasmine,” Nikki persisted. “Lust is universal.”

  Rather than participate in the playful argument, Jasmine proceeded to peel the apple. It was possible for both Nikki and Erin to be right, and that’s what worried Jasmine. The Tavorian could be attracted to her, but not intend to claim her as mate. Some of the Tavorian males had already indulged their curiosity about sex with human females. Unfortunately for this one, Jasmine wasn’t interested in a one-night stand.

  Four days ago she’d received digital files on nine Ventori pods interested in claiming her. The development became inevitable when routine blood tests identified her as a potential mate for the Ventori. None of the pods could force her to accept their claim, but she had to allow at least three to court her before she would be released from the program.

  Seeing her friends’ obvious happiness with their Ventori mates made Jasmine curious, and accented the loneliness that had plagued her even before the Skarilians targeted Earth. She’d always pictured herself married with a couple of kids. Now that adolescent dream had morphed into something more exotic, even kinky by human standards. Still, Jasmine was intrigued enough to explore the possibilities.

  So she studied the information carefully, then invited her top two matches to visit her at Camp Accord. As of this morning, neither had responded. She wasn’t discouraged by the delay. The pods likely had multiple invitations so it might take a few days for them to decide. Even so, the possibilities were exciting, yet daunting. Mating with Ventori Defenders was a permanent commitment. She was glad the males were taking it seriously.

  She looked at Nikki and then Erin. They had both been through this process and accepted their pod’s claim. They seemed happy and well-adjusted to the new reality. So much had changed since the Skarilians attacked Earth that it felt like a different planet. Many cities had been consolidated or abandoned altogether, and there were currently more aliens than humans. The past had no relevance. The struggle quickly devoured anyone who did not adapt to the brutal changes.

  “Have you selected a favorite among your choices?” Erin asked after a lengthy pause.

  “Jasmine received her matches?” Nikki tossed her peeled apple into the massive metal bowl and reached for another. “When was this?”

  “Four days ago,” Jasmine told her, then answered Erin’s question. “I’ve narrowed it down to two.”

  “Which two?” Erin wanted to know.

  “The Nontian brothers are interesting, but the Mars outpost is so remote.” She paused for Erin’s reaction, but she just nodded absently. “And Kellan Styre. His ship tends to stay nearby, and it has transport capabilities, which meant visits home wouldn’t be an issue. His file changed three days ago indicating that he’d acquired a podmate, but there was no information on the other person.”

  Erin perked up at the name. “I’ve met Kellan a couple of times. I don’t know him well, but he seems nice, even friendly for a Ventori. The chancellor gave him command of the Elizian, so he must be doing something right.” The Elizian was the best ship in the Ventori fleet. It was a huge honor to be selected as its commander.

  “Anyone favored by Chancellor Savator is sure to be extremely strict,” Nikki cautioned. “Can you deal with someone who won’t bend even a little?”

  “Like Governor Orellian?” Erin challenged. “Your mate is a regular hard-ass, but you’re certainly happy.”

  “Sintar is strict but reasonable. The only time he’s been a ‘hard-ass’ with me was when I put myself in danger. Trust me, that’s not a mistake I’ll ever make again.”

  As if hearing their conversation, Kellan Styre walked into the all-purpose room. He glanced around, but quickly spotted the Tavorian and walked over to him. That was strange. For a minute, Jasmine had thought, maybe even hoped, Kellan was here for her.

  She took full advantage of his diverted attention and looked him over thoroughly. The images in his file hadn’t done him justice. All the Ventori were big, but he was exceptionally tall and muscular with rugged features and intense eyes. His eyebrows slanted upward without any arch, and his lips were black, contrasting sharply with his pearl-gray skin. Long dark hair was pulled back from his face and bound at the nape of his neck. Strands of blue threaded through the dark mass. Were his eyes streaked with blue as well? She couldn’t tell from this distance, but she certainly liked what she could see from here.

  “Oh, shit,” Nikki said under her breath. “Is the Tavorian his mysterious podmate?”

  Jasmine’s gaze snapped back to the stranger as her heart began to pound. The possibility hadn’t even occurred to her. She’d presumed Kellan’s podmate was another Ventori Defender. Kellan and the Tavorian spoke for only a moment. Then the Tavorian motioned toward her. Kellan followed the gesture, and his gaze landed on Jasmine. A sexy smile rolled across his exotic black lips, and he said something that made the Tavorian chuckle.

  “Oh, no, I think you’re right.” Trepidation gripped Jasmine’s chest, makin
g it hard for her to breathe. The Tavorian rose, and both males walked toward her. She glanced around in panic, looking for an exit or other means of escape. Could she run into the kitchen fast enough to... to what? Hide in the walk-in? She would not run and hide like a frightened child. She’d been looking forward to meeting Kellan until he brought a Tavorian along for the ride.

  She stared at the apple, but her hand shook too badly for her to resume peeling the stupid thing. Maybe they’d keep walking.

  “Hi, Commander Styre,” Erin greeted cheerfully, and Jasmine wanted to bounce the apple off her head. “It’s been several weeks since I last saw you. How have you been?”

  “As well as can be expected.” His voice was deep, well-modulated, and smooth. Jasmine liked the sound a lot, so she sneaked a glance at him. “The rebels, Ramnyth Dulvet in particular, have been running me all over the star system with their attempts at sabotage.”

  “You command the best ship in the fleet,” Nikki pointed out. “Why don’t you just blast him out of the sky?”

  “I’ve tried, on several occasions,” he assured her. “Yashonty shields are surprisingly effective.”

  “The Yashonty are animals,” the Tavorian sneered. “They are nearly as big a menace as the Skarilians.”

  Jasmine shook her head. Of course, the first words out of his mouth were incredibly negative. Tavorians were all the same. She sighed as her excitement rapidly faded.

  “You disagree, Ms. Aldrich?” the Tavorian asked, challenge rippling through his tone.

  She licked her suddenly dry lips and forced herself to meet his gaze. For a Tavorian, he was rather handsome. There was nobility in his features that made her look closer. As she expected, his eyes mixed a variety of smoky hues, yet blue rather than gray was the dominant color. He looked as if he were about to repeat his question, so she replied, “The rebels disrupt supply chains and bomb warehouses, while the Skarilians practice genocide. They’re hardly the same.”

  His silky black brows arched and one corner of his mouth tipped upward. “Are you perhaps a rebel sympathizer?” He looked at Kellan then used an overly dramatic tone when he said, “I believe we’ll have to interrogate her. She might even be a spy!”

  The silliness was so unexpected that Jasmine just stared at him for a split second, then it hit her that he was joking and she smiled. She couldn’t help it. The Tavorian was charming. And it had been much too long since anyone made her smile. “Sounds like fun,” she responded, “but only if I get to interrogate you too.”

  “I have nothing to hide.” He held out his hand with a genuine smile, and Jasmine felt comfortable enough to take it. “Shall we walk? The afternoon is cool but sunny.”

  “That would be nice.” She set down her knife and handed the half-peeled apple to Erin. After exchanging knowing looks with Nikki, Jasmine stood and allowed the Tavorian to lead her outside. “I have one question before you begin my interrogation.”

  His gray-blue eyes narrowed as if he considered denying her, then he dipped his head once and said, “I’ll allow it.”

  She glanced back to make sure Kellan had accompanied them. If this was anything other than a prelude to courting, she wasn’t interested. They exited through the front doors and casually walked around the building. “What’s your name?” she asked the Tavorian. “I have a file on Commander Styre, but I don’t know—”

  “Kellan,” the Ventori commander corrected. “You’re not a member of my crew.”

  “All right. Kellan.” She smiled at him, then turned back to the Tavorian. “And you are?”

  “How humiliating,” he continued in his playful way as he strolled along beside her. “I’ve been to Camp Accord numerous times. You never noticed me.”

  Did she dare admit that Tavorians all looked the same to her? She was ashamed of the fact, so she kept it to herself. She’d fallen into the age-old trap of stereotyping. Several Tavorian females had been rude to her, so she wrote off all the refugees as cold and unimportant. She knew better than judging an entire race by the actions of a few.

  “I keep my head down and mind my own business,” she told him, inwardly resolving to give Tavorians—this one in particular—another chance. “I don’t notice anyone.”

  “You noticed Kellan as soon as he walked through the door.”

  She glanced at the huge Ventori with a shy smile. “He’s a little hard to miss.”

  “Well, I’m Zilrath Nomani. It’s wonderful to make your acquaintance.”

  “Nomani?” Her eyes widened. “Are you Azra’s half-brother?” He nodded, and her eyes grew even wider. “Then you’re on the High Command. You’re Minister Nomani.” She looked at Kellan then back at Zilrath. “A ship’s commander and a minister? Have I been very bad or very good?”

  Both males smiled, but Kellan replied, “That has yet to be determined. I’ll explore the question through my interrogation.”

  The sensual menace in his deep tone sent sensations zinging all through her body. Her nipples tingled, and her core tightened. It was all she could do not to moan. “What would you like to know?”

  They’d reached the back of the large brick building and faced the overgrown athletic field. The house she shared with three other human females was in the subdivision beyond the field. She started to suggest they go there but suspected that privacy would lead to intimacies she wasn’t ready to consider. They’d yet to even state their intentions.

  “How many files were you given, how many potential mates?” Kellan wanted to know.

  “Nine, but I quickly narrowed it down to two. Yours and the Nontian brothers.”

  “The Nontian brothers are stationed on Venus,” Kellan mused. “Would you be happy that far out?”

  “It’s Mars, but the point is valid. I’m not sure I want to be that isolated.” The nature of his questions indicated that this was the beginning of a courtship, but she wanted to make sure. “Have you two formed a pod?”

  Zilrath tensed, his lips compressing before he asked, “Is that a problem?”

  “It’s not as long as you’re also looking for a mate. I’m aware that Tavorians generally bond with other Tavorians.”

  “The Ventori only bonded with Ventori until the Skarilians slaughtered our females,” Kellan pointed out.

  “That’s the difference,” she persisted. “The Ventori don’t have a choice, but the Tavorians do. There are more female refugees than male if I’m not mistaken.”

  A section of the perimeter fence was missing, so they had easy access to the field. However, they had to pass through the opening one at a time. Zilrath released her hand and motioned her to precede him, but he didn’t reach for her again once all three were through. She’d upset him.

  “We won’t lie to you,” Kellan said as they walked along the jogging track encircling the weedy field. “There is a political aspect to the current situation.”

  “Which situation do you mean? The rebellion? Camp Accord, or our possible courtship? You are hinting at a possible courtship, aren’t you?” There. She’d come right out and asked. There could be no confusion now.

  “Yes. We want to court and eventually claim you as our mate,” Kellan confirmed. “And the courtship is what I meant. We were asked to form a pod and bond with a human female, so everyone will see that it is possible for Ventori, humans, and Tavorians to interact peacefully.”

  The thread of bitterness in his tone made her ask, “You were asked by whom?”

  “Chancellor Savator,” Kellan admitted, “and a human envoy from the Department of Alien Affairs.”

  Damn. Authority didn’t get much higher than that. “Was it a suggestion or an order? Do you two even want a mate?”

  Zilrath chuckled. “Our mate is perceptive.”

  “Your potential mate,” she stressed. “I haven’t agreed to let you court, much less claim me.”

  “Then let’s start there,” Kellan proposed. “Jasmine Aldrich, will you allow me and Zilrath to actively court you, so we can each determine if a permanent u
nion is something we desire?”

  She stopped walking and pivoted to face them. “I have some more questions before I answer that.”

  Another soft chuckle rumbled through Zilrath. “I told you she’d make us work for it. This one has spirit. I can see it in her eyes.”

  “Good,” Kellan said firmly. “I enjoy spirited females. They’re much more fun to tame.”

  Before she could think of a snappy rejoinder, Zilrath prompted, “What would you like to know?”

  There was no point in beating around the bush. They’d both responded best to specific questions. She looked at Zilrath and asked, “Do you want a mate or are you being coerced into this arrangement?”

  “I want a mate very much.”

  The conviction in his gray-blue eyes made her want to believe him. “And are you sure you’re okay with that mate being human?”

  “It depends entirely on the human. I find you intriguing and appealing. Both are qualities I have never before felt for a human.”

  It wasn’t fair to expect a more emphatic response when she was still noncommittal, but that didn’t keep disappointment from panging her heart. “How long have you two been a pod?”

  A strange look passed between them, and Kellan sighed. “This is the third day.”

  That’s what she thought, and the fact compounded her doubts. “It was part of your arrangement with the chancellor and this envoy?”

  “Yes. Why does that matter?” Kellan was starting to sound impatient.

  Too damn bad. Jasmine was not going to rush into something that would profoundly affect the rest of her life without having all the facts. “How well do you two know each other?”

  “Well enough.” The commander dismissed her concern with a wave of his massive hand. “Our union will be unusual. I command a starship, and Zilrath’s responsibilities keep him on Earth. You will split your time between the two locations.”

  “Like joint custody after a divorce?” Tension rolled across her shoulders as dread dropped like a stone into the pit of her stomach. She had intimate experience with that concept. She’d been bounced back and forth between her parents’ households her entire youth, and it had made her miserable. She hadn’t felt truly at home at either location. “Thanks for stopping by, but I’m not interested.”