by Ivy Barrett
“I am not going to spy on one of my mates!”
Celeste ignored the outburst. “Just talk to him. I’ll check in tomorrow to see what you find out.”
And before Jasmine could object, Celeste was gone again.
“That conniving little bitch,” Jasmine sneered and threw the digi-sheet onto the coffee table so hard it skid off the other side. Luckily the crazy things were practically indestructible. She could literally fold it up and put it in her pocket.
“Anyone I know, or just someone at Camp Accord?”
Jasmine snapped her head to the side and found Zilrath walking down the last few stairs. There had been a minor emergency on the Elizian requiring Kellan’s presence, so Zilrath had taken the morning off. How much of the conversation had Zilrath overheard? Guilt and defensiveness choked off her immediate response. She should tell him exactly who she’d been talking to and why she was upset. But what if Celeste was right? Could the Tavorians be plotting with the rebels? Even if that were true, it was highly unlikely Zilrath was involved. She shook away the momentary doubt, but still decided not to tell him.
“Just one of the compatible females.” She used the excuse he’d inadvertently given her. “She’s always spreading lies about someone. I’m just her flavor of the week.”
“Well, don’t let her bother you.” He walked over to the couch and bent down to kiss her. “I can’t wait any longer. I promised the elder board I’d be there by one. Kellen should return soon, and I’ll be back for the evening meal.”
The digi-sheet chimed, announcing another inbound comm request.
“Authorize it,” he told her. “If it’s the ‘conniving little bitch’ let me speak with her.”
Had Celeste called back? Jasmine was about to tell him she didn’t want to talk with anyone, but he picked up the digi-sheet and authorized the comm as he passed it back to her. “It’s Nikki.”
“Hey, stranger,” Nikki greeted as her holographic image formed above the digi-sheet. “Too good to respond to your comm-queue? I’ve left a bunch of messages for you.”
“I’ve been a little busy.” The admission made her blush. She was hoping Zilrath would leave, so she could really talk to her friend. He was taking forever to put on his shoes. She looked at Nikki and asked, “Did you just call to chat?”
“No. I called to find out if I can take you out to dinner so we can chat away from curious ears.” She punctuated the offer with a mischievous smile and motioned toward Zilrath.
Jasmine followed the direction of Nikki’s gesture. Zilrath seemed concerned by the request but said nothing. “I’d love to. When?”
“I can’t do it tomorrow. How about the day after that?”
“It’s a date,” Jasmine affirmed.
“Good. I’ll swing by around seven. Does that work for you?”
Jasmine beamed, looking forward to some honest to goodness girl time. “Sounds wonderful.”
“Comm if there are complications.” She waved goodbye, then ended the transmission.
“It will be much safer if you have dinner here,” Zilrath told her as he stood up, feet finally shod. “The only thing these human soldiers resent more than Tavorians are females who consort with the enemy.”
“So we’ll go off base.” Either Kellan or Zilrath had been with her nonstop since she left Camp Accord. She really needed some time away from them to process the changes and consider the possibilities. “Nikki will have an armed escort. Sintar is extremely protective.”
“I don’t have a problem with the visit. You just need to stay here in the safety of our house.”
This was just what she needed after another encounter with Celeste. His attitude was reinforcing Jasmine’s foul mood. Annoyed and frustrated, Jasmine stood and faced him. “I’m a full grown woman,” she sneered. “You can’t ground me.”
“I don’t have time to argue with you right now. The answer is no until we have time to discuss this further.”
Her jaw dropped as she watched him rush out the back door and climb into his shuttle. “Unbe-fucking-lievable!” This was ridiculous. She would not stay home like a frightened child because a bunch of fanatical soldiers disapproved of her choices.
She paced the living room, contemplating her options. She could blatantly defy him and go. What would he do if she just opened the front door and got on the governor’s shuttle? Zilrath didn’t own her. At least not yet. Claiming was too damn close to—she cut herself off. That was her anger talking. She didn’t mean it, and Zilrath had only poured fuel on a fire Celeste built.
She was still stewing when Kellan walked in the front door a few minutes later. She’d thought they didn’t want her to be lonely. Now she wondered if they never left her alone because they didn’t trust her. That fired her up all over again. She had damn good reasons for her trust issues, but she had never done anything to make them doubt her loyalty.
“Hello, beautiful,” Kellan greeted, then swept her into his arms for a long, slow kiss. “I hope Zilrath fed you because there’s nothing left to cook in the kitchen.”
They’d gone to an off-base market the morning after she arrived, but the groceries they purchased hadn’t lasted long. “I’m fine,” she assured, making sure her frustration didn’t show. “Did you eat on your ship?”
“Yep.” He kissed her again. “But I’m still hungry.”
She laughed as he nibbled on her earlobe then the side of her neck. “Nikki called a little while ago and wants to take me out to dinner.” She hadn’t intended to bring this up again until Zilrath returned, but it was out so what the hell. “Nikki will have an armed escort, and we’ll eat off base. That shouldn’t be a problem, should it?” He was clearly distracted, but she pushed for an answer anyway. “I really want to go.”
“I don’t see a problem,” he echoed, voice muffled against her neck.
“Good. I already told Nikki yes.” Grinning triumphantly, she rocked to the balls of her feet and slid her hands up to his shoulders. “Do we have to wait for Zilrath? I want to concentrate on you, and only you, for a change.”
Both hands clasping her behind, he slid her up along his body and smiled into her eyes. “I like the sound of that.”
Chapter Seven
Content and sleepy after several hours of amazing sex, Jasmine sprawled on her belly in the bed she’d just shared with Kellan and let her mind wander. She’d missed another opportunity to tell her mates about Celeste, but the blonde’s cryptic warnings were troubling. Maybe Jasmine should tell Kellan, but not Zilrath? No. She would not play one against the other.
The thought made her flinch. Wasn’t that exactly what she’d done for the past three hours? She’d used distraction and desire to manipulate Kellan. She desperately wanted to have dinner with Nikki, and now she had Kellan’s support. Sort of. It was unlikely he’d still back her once he found out about Zilrath’s objections. Besides, Jasmine knew how quickly this sort of scheme could backfire. She’d tried all sorts of tactics with her mom and dad after their divorce. Some of it worked, most did not.
Kellan walked out to the steamy bathroom a few minutes later. “Shower’s all yours. I think there’s still hot water left. Human systems are so primitive.” He pulled on jeans and a solid black T-shirt, then looked at her. “You realize Zilrath will have to fuck you twice before I can have you again. Right?”
She rolled her eyes, not ready to think about her disagreeable mate. “I know the rules.”
“It won’t matter once we claim you, but it’s better to keep things balanced right now.”
“Nikki and Erin told me all about it.”
“I bet they did.” He smiled and headed out the door.
She rolled to her back and draped her arm across her eyes. The lovely afterglow was officially ruined, so she went to take a shower. The bathroom was still warm and humid. It felt nice on her clammy skin. How angry would Zilrath be when he found out Kellan came inside her not once, but twice? She grinned rebelliously. The first time wasn’t Kellan’s fault.
She was sucking his cock, and he tried to pull out, but she didn’t let him. Now, the second time had been his idea as much as hers. Yes, she wrapped her legs around his waist, but he hadn’t even tried to separate. Must have figured the damage was already done.
Starting to feel guilty despite her annoyance, she scrubbed every trace of Kellan from her body before leaving the shower. She wrapped one towel around her body and squeezed the water out of her hair into another. Then she worked the tangles out of the damp strands and donned her borrowed robe. She might as well call it her robe. She had no intention of giving it back.
She hurried down the stairs, her mood mostly restored by the relaxing shower. But Kellan’s scowl stopped her in her tracks once she reached the living room. “What’s wrong?”
“Why did you ask me about going out with Nikki when Zilrath already told you no?”
Oh, shit. This was bad. “I... that is, Zilrath couldn’t give me a good reason. He just didn’t want me to go.”
His gaze narrowed even more and a muscle in his cheek twitched before he growled out, “Lose the robe and sit down. I will not listen to any more of your lies.”
That hadn’t been a lie, exactly. More like a slight twist on the truth. Zilrath had given her a reason. She just didn’t happen to agree with it.
“Now!”
The angry snap in Kellan’s tone set Jasmine in motion. She dropped the robe and sat down on the nearest chair. It happened to be the only one visible from the back door. Perfect. She’d be the first thing Zilrath would see when he walked in from the back yard.
Kellan made Jasmine sit in the living room stark naked until Zilrath returned. “This isn’t the bedroom,” she grumbled after ten minutes.
“This is part of the punishment you earned while we were intimate,” he countered. “I’m well within the parameters of our agreement.” His feet were bare and his hair unkempt, but he’d never looked so damn sexy.
She crossed her legs and arms and glared out the window. Kellan might have been wonderful a few hours ago, but he was back to being an overbearing jerk.
“Put your hands on the arms of that chair and open your legs or I’ll spank your rebellious ass.”
That’s doubtlessly where this was headed anyway. For half a second she thought to defy him, but the steely edge in his tone warned her not to push. With a frustrated sigh, she obeyed, feeling more foolish with each passing minute. Did she really think these two would fall for the same sort of bullshit she’d used on her parents?
This was her worse infraction yet. Would Kellan be satisfied with a barehanded spanking? Or would he choose something more severe? A paddle? She shivered and her core clenched in on itself. Or maybe a belt. Just thinking about it was making her squirm, so she looked out the window again, careful to keep her body open and her expression blank. If rut was making her act insane, it wasn’t fair to punish her for it. Kellan of all people should understand that she couldn’t help it.
That’s nonsense, and you know it, her inner voice chided. You were not out of control. It felt good to be reckless, to rebel. You wanted Kellan to lose control because you knew it would hurt Zilrath.
She tried to stifle her conscience, which only made the bitch more determined to make her point. You knew Kellan would be pissed when he found out, but you didn’t care. You knew Zilrath would feel betrayed, but you sucked even harder. All you cared about was you!
With a stubborn shove, she forced her pesky conscience to the back of her mind and wallowed in self-pity. The Skarilians had ruined everything! Live had been hard before, but at least it made sense. The autocratic rules forced on females weren’t fair. Males weren’t punished when they misbehaved! These aliens were bullies, plain and simple. Maybe she wouldn’t bond with them after all.
She was still sulking when Zilrath slid open the door an hour later. He nodded at Kellan, then spotted her and froze. “Can I expect this welcome every day?” He locked the door behind him, then strolled across the living room, gaze devouring Jasmine’s naked body.
“Our mate is being punished for flagrant disobedience,” Kellan explained.
“Who did she disobey?” Zilrath wanted to know.
That confused Jasmine. She’d presumed Zilrath had talked to Kellan. How could Zilrath not know?
“When you commed to inform me you were running late, you mentioned that you’d refused to let our mate go on an outing with Nikki Orellian. You warned me that Jasmine would likely be a little surly.”
Zilrath’s voice dropped half an octave as he asked, “Did she ask you for permission too?”
“I shouldn’t need permission to go out to dinner with a friend,” she muttered under her breath, refusing to look at either of them.
“She waited until I was distracted by her scent and the softness of her body,” Kellan explained. “Then she casually mentioned the outing as if it were no big deal.”
“It is no big deal,” she snapped, daring to look at her tormentors.
Zilrath moved toward her slowly, disappointment and frustration shaping his expression. “I have very good reasons for my caution. There have been beatings, riots, and all sorts of vandalism. The haters grow more brazen with each passing day.”
She started to defend herself, but Kellan interrupted her. “I wasn’t finished listing her infractions.”
That clearly surprised Zilrath. He looked at her and sighed, though he spoke to Kellan. “What else did our naughty mate do?”
Kellan moved up beside Zilrath, forming a solid wall of disapproval in front of her. “I kissed her as I always do when I return, but her response was unusually enthusiastic.”
“I wasn’t the only enthusiastic one. Thank you very much.” Her sarcasm earned her a scowl from both males.
“Who suggested we not wait for Zilrath?” Kellan locked his hands behind his back, in full-on Master mode.
She was doomed. “I did,” she admitted in a quiet, resigned tone.
Kellan looked at Zilrath and added, “Her exact words were, ‘Do we have to wait for Zilrath? I want to concentrate on you, and only you, for a change.’”
Zilrath’s chin came up, but he didn’t quite hide the hurt in his smoky blue gaze. “Did you come inside her?”
Jasmine’s soul grimaced as she waited for Kellan to rattle off all the sordid details. What was wrong with her? This was not who she was. Why had she behaved like a petulant teenager determined to get her own way?
All Kellan said was, “Twice.”
Anger gradually burned through Zilrath’s weaker emotions. His elegant features hardened and his hands folded into fists.
Without giving her an opportunity to defend herself, Kellan said, “You’re the one she wronged, so I think you should punish her.”
Thank God! Zilrath insisted he had no interest in hurting her. She let out her pent-up breath and fought back a smile. Today was suddenly looking brighter.
Zilrath came to life with smoldering menace. He took another step forward and carefully fisted the back of her hair. His grip didn’t hurt. She was just shocked by his aggression. “Did you fuck Kellen to get back at me?”
The answer was obvious, so she didn’t bother to lie. “Yes.”
“Were you aware that letting Kellan come inside you could compromise the bonding?”
“I haven’t agreed to bond with you yet,” she pointed out, careful to keep all emotion out of her tone.
“Answer the question!” Kellan snapped.
Her disobedience had been deliberate, and her mates had no intention of letting her wiggle free of the consequences. “Yes, I was aware,” she muttered, frustrated and a little afraid. At least Kellan wasn’t going to punish her. She was good at listening to lectures, had years and years of practice.
She tried to steel herself against the hurt and disappointment in Zilrath’s eyes, but the raw emotions upset her. Zilrath had offered much and asked very little in return. He wanted to keep her safe, asked that she and Nikki dine at the house. It was the only time he’d put hi
s foot down with her, so why had she defied him?
As if hearing her thoughts, he asked, “Why?”
“I don’t know,” she cried, throwing her hands in the air. “That’s the honest to God truth. I don’t know why I was so desperate to—be with Kellan. I’ve never felt like that before.”
“Your desires are heightened,” Kellan allowed, “but rut doesn’t make you mindless. Stop using it as an excuse.”
She dragged her gaze away from Kellan’s disapproving scowl and looked at Zilrath. Kellan deserved everything he got. His inflexibility begged to be challenged. But Zilrath had been nothing but nice, he’d offered tenderness and selfless pleasure. And she’d betrayed him.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong.” She meant every word but dreaded what came next. She’d screwed up, and now it was time to pay the piper. All the begging in the world wouldn’t make this go away. She might as well get through it with her dignity intact. “I’m ready to be disciplined. What’s my punishment?” Would he make her scrub floors or deny her sex for a few nights? No, that would punish him too. He’d just deny her orgasms. Maybe it wouldn’t be sexual. She honestly had no idea how Tavorians dealt with misbehavior.
“I was hoping we would never have to do this, but Tavorians are just as capable of changing behavior as the Ventori. And you have mistaken my patience for weakness. I can see it in your eyes. Go upstairs. What I need for your punishment is in our bedroom.”
The directive dashed her hopes. There was only one reason he’d take her to the bedroom. The punishment was sexual. Damn.
Still determined to meet the challenge head-on, she raised her chin and squared her shoulders. Then she pushed to her feet and crossed the living room. The stairs made her feel vulnerable. Both males ascended behind her, so they were doubtlessly enjoying the view.
Who cares? she encouraged herself silently. It’s nothing they haven’t seen before.
By the time they reached the master bedroom, Jasmine had regained her composure. She moved to the side of the bed and silently waited for Zilrath’s next move.