5
Mikki
Oh,good God, teasing that Neanderthal was way too much fun.
At first I hadn’t understood the complexities of what Trax was doing with Surnen. The doctor seemed to be a hard-ass—in more ways than one—and needed to be nudged out of what appeared to be a strict routine. My presence must have messed with that, and the guy wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Trax had prodded him into action, threatening to claim me as his own.
Yeah, right. Surnen had zero intentions of handing me over to Trax or anyone. I smiled inwardly because while he seemed a tough nut to crack, goading and teasing did the job. Trax hadn’t been mean about it. Subtle psychology at work. I was impressed. Hearing Trax’s whispered words about taunting the beast and enjoying his fury wasquiet reassurance that made my pussy clench and my knees weak. Who knew I was such a sucker for a bossy, uptight, ramrod stiff, formal, naked—gloriously, hotly, yum-yum naked—alien?
Glancing over my shoulder, I walked toward the door. One golden god—who was tossing his robe back around his shoulders to cover himself—and one frowning, armored warrior hovered protectively right behind me. I had no doubt they would brutalize anyone who even looked at me sideways. This was reassuring and oddly humbling at the same time. They didn’t even know me, and yet they weren’t going to fuck around.
No one had ever had my back before. I’d been the law breaker, the ballbuster, and that had landed me in jail. I’d only had myself. No one had stood up for me or the reasons behind my actions. Not even my parents. They’d hovered and prodded in equal measure when I was small, but once I’d grown beyond their ability to control, they’d pretty much pretended I didn’t exist unless I was sitting at the dinner table with them making small talk or asking my mother about her day. This had been less and less often as I grew more and more rebellious, my actions more dangerous. My father’s disapproval had been harder and harder to take, and partly because I realized he was right.
I probably shouldn’t have blown a hole in those ships. No, I definitely should not have done what I did. But would I do it again? Perhaps. Yes. Most likely. Even now, how many whales were swimming with their calves because I had broken the law?
My choices were my own, and I’d made peace with them while melting from boredom in that jail cell. I hoped, as I looked at the two fierce aliens hovering behind me now, that they would be another decision I could live with.
My father had tried to turn me into a successful surgeon. My mother had tried to turn me into a submissive wife who served the community. They’d both been protective because I was their only child.
With Surnen and Trax, they didn’t need a reason to be protective. The just were.
“Stop.” Surnen’s sharp order caused my feet to stop moving, and I froze in place. “You will not leave this room without a collar, female. It is not safe.”
Was this rule for me because Surnen was a bossy fucker or because that was how Prillons did things? There was a difference between his comment about colors and this. Surnen’s tone had changed from alpha male to… pure command. This was not a request.
The strangest thing was, my body reacted to that tone. A shiver of lust ran down my spine and shot bolts of lightning to my core. I went from wet and aroused—who wouldn’t be after staring at these two?—to throbbing with need between one second and the next.
Damn it. My pussy was all about that heated tone. Definitely not what I was expecting. No one talked to me like that. Not even my father.
My mind flashed to the testing dream. Those guys had been commanding, and I’d lost control during the dream. I’d loved how they’d behaved, how they’d handled me.
No, it hadn’t been me. It had been a dream. But had it? Who had the best orgasm of her life from a dream? Why did I secretly love what those dream aliens had said and done? Why did I ache now because of Surnen’s similar tone?
Why did I fight not to sway toward Surnen as he walked over? Why did I crave the heat of his hands as they came to rest atop my shoulders for the first time? The hard feel, the… comfort.
“Mate, it is not safe for you to leave this room unadorned,” he said, his voice coming directly behind me. “Other warriors will interpret the lack of a collar about your neck as your rejection of the match. They will assume you are free to take another mate, and will issue a warriors’ challenge. They will try to take you from us.”
I glanced over my shoulder at him. “How? I thought the matching program was it. Done deal for at least thirty days.”
“Officially that is true. Within the Coalition, the collar is a sign of belonging, of protection offered to a female and of worth when worn by a male.”
“Wait. I understand the protection thing, but worth of a male? That doesn’t make sense.”
Trax joined Surnen, and I was surrounded by heat, a wall of alien muscle on each side of me. His hand settled at the base of my neck in a heavy caress. “No male considers himself worthy until he has a mate who has chosen to be with him. It is an honor for us to win your heart and your trust, Mikki. When you choose us, every male who sees the collars about our necks will know you found us worthy, that you chose to love us and gift us with your life and your body. Prillon warriors fight for the right to claim a bride, and to woo her.”
His words finished me, and I did sway backward, right into Surnen’s heat. “Are you… you can’t be serious.”
“He speaks true, mate. We will never lie to you.” Surnen’s hand dropped from my shoulder to the curve of my waist to steady me, and I bit my lip to stop the moan from escaping my throat. Holy shit, these guys were lethal sex gods. Surnen’s other hand moved from my shoulder to stroke the left side of my neck as he spoke gently into my ear. “The collar will remain black until the official claiming, until you accept us as yours and allow us to claim you forever. Until then, the black collar is a known custom. A sign that you are being courted by two powerful, possessive and protective warriors who will destroy anyone who dares to hurt you or try to take you from us.”
“Like an engagement ring.”
“I do not know this Earth custom, but if it is a sensible comparison to you, then yes. The others will challenge Trax and me to combat in the fighting pits if my collar is not about your neck. You are beautiful, Mikki. Soft. Passionate. Full of fire. They will want you.” Using a gentle touch, Surnen turned me to face him, and I was oddly disappointed he now wore the long cape. Too bad. His body was… worth admiring.
Trax stood close so I could see both of their earnest expressions as he spoke. “We are contaminated, Mikki. We are not perfect, and we know you could choose to go to another, less damaged warrior in the Fleet. But we want you. We will fight to keep you, if you let us. We will fight to prove our worth, female, if that is your wish. We will fight them all and prove our capture and imprisonment has not hindered our ability to protect you.”
He was one hundred percent serious. Shocked, I looked to Surnen. His expression was too serious by far. “Is this true? You’d fight for me?”
“Yes. We would be honored to fight for you, if that is your desire.” Surnen assured me as Trax stepped forward, his dark skin pulling at me like a magnet. I had to clench my free hand into a fist to keep from touching him, from reaching up and tracing the line of his full lips with my index finger. My tongue.