Valan's Bondmate (3 page)

Borg placed his hand on the door to keep it from closing. "If a warrior grew up with his mate he'd know from an early age she belonged to him."

"Is that why some of the un-bonded warriors took the most dangerous missions against the Wrothians during the war—because they knew who their mates were and that they'd died?"

"Yes."

Valan saw the sorrow in Borg's eyes and remembered his son, Halkor, was one of those warriors. "Bondmates always die together, but you, my father, and a lot of the bonded warriors lived after their mates died. Why?"

"We managed to fight the overwhelming need to join our mates."

"Because of us? The younger warriors?"

Borg nodded. "We were determined you would survive."

Valan swayed as the drug rushed through him. Frowning, he braced himself on the desk. "I've taken the ZL3. Now, tell me why?"

Borg sighed. "We think the combination of the drug and the proximity to compatible mates will trigger a strong physical response. If we're right then you should be more in control of your fever when you raid Zhang tomorrow night."

Before he could acknowledge the information or ask another question, Borg released the door and it closed between them. Valan stared at it for a moment then shed his clothes and got on to the bed. For a moment, he struggled against the effects of the drug, but with a curse he closed his eyes and let reality drift away.

His heartbeat roared in his ears as his blood pumped through his veins and his lungs struggled for air. In a hallucinatory trance, he joined with a shadowy phantom. Silky strands of bright red hair wound around him, trapping him in a million fragile bonds. Passion darkened aqua eyes beckoned him to follow. A cool, delicate body straddled his, setting his blood on fire as her scent surrounded him. He held her waist, burying himself in her and she tightened around him. She smiled as the heat increased and silver and blue flames licked over his skin. Groaning, he thrust into her until he felt her climax around him. In his dream, he pressed her down onto his body and his groans of pleasure filled the room when his seed exploded from his cock and landed on his belly and chest. 

When his heart slowed and his breathing calmed, he brushed his hand over the substance on his chest and held his hand up to the light. A small grin curved his lips as he realized for the first time in his life he'd ejaculated. After a moment he dropped his hand to his belly and let exhaustion overwhelm him.

In his dreams the phantom female smiled then faded into the stars.

Chapter Two

Startled from sleep, Lia was paralyzed with fear. Something, or someone, stood by her bed. She held her breath and listened to the silence. Had the sound of a boot scraping against the stone floor woken her or was it only her imagination? She forced herself to remain still as she cracked her eyes open. The garden doors were behind her so she was only able to see the wall next to her bed. Moonlight flooded in from the garden doors, illuminating the gown she’d carelessly pulled off earlier and thrown over the trunk in a fit of rage. Above it, the shadows of the ornamental trees in the garden swayed on the wall. She gasped with terror as another shadow joined them—a man's shadow.

She bolted from the bed but crashed to the floor when her foot tangled in the sheets. As quickly as she fell she rolled on to her stomach and rose to her knees. Before she could get to her feet a callused hand covered her mouth. A muffled scream escaped while a hard arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her. She responded with a burst of energy, kicking and bucking as she tried to break his hold. The heavily muscled arm around her waist tightened and squeezed her against his hard chest. She dug her fingernails into the hand over her mouth and clawed several deep gouges, drawing a deep, masculine curse from her assailant. He held onto her until her strength gave out. When he turned she saw another man standing by the open garden doors.

The warrior holding her spoke to his companion.

"Cam, do you want this one?"

Lia moaned with fear when she understood his words and the deep vibration of his voice rumbled into her back where it pressed against his chest.

The man called Cam shook his head. "You led us to her, Valan, so she belongs to you."

Lia turned her head and looked at the warrior holding her. A blue aura glowed from his skin even though he was a dark barbarian with long dark hair and eyes gleaming silver in the moonlight. He caught her looking at him and stared back when he spoke to his friend.

"She’s too small. My woman will have to be bigger to survive what I’ll demand of her."

When she moaned with fear, he grinned.  While they debated which one of them would be stuck with her, his grip loosened and she took the opportunity to jerk her hand free, digging her nails into his unprotected arm. He cursed when she left a vicious scratch. Instead of releasing her, he tossed her onto the bed and came down on top of her.  A second later he flipped her onto her back grabbing her wrists and shoving them over her head. Before she could scream he covered her mouth with his. She wiggled and kicked but only managed to hurt herself before he forced her legs to the bed and wrapped one of his muscled legs around them. When he released her mouth she screamed. He placed his hand over her mouth again, muffling her rage.

He smiled. "Your eyes are the same blue as the bronze cats in the Zarronian Mountains."

Cam moved closer and peered down at her. She glared at him and he chuckled. "They’re more green than blue."

"Whatever color they are they shine with anger." Valan grinned. "Are you angry little cat?"

Lia wiggled. He growled and began rocking his hips against hers. She narrowed her eyes and screeched an outraged warning then bit the side of his hand. He cursed, and squeezed her cheeks until she released him. As she drew in a deep breath to scream he crushed her lips beneath his again, pressing her head deeper into the pillow as he swept her open mouth with his tongue. She snapped her teeth together but wasn't fast enough to bite the tip of his tongue.

He locked his eyes with hers. "She's mean, too, but I'll beat it out of her if I have to."

His friend laughed and Lia opened her mouth to scream curses at him but he kissed her again, then drew back and watched her reaction. She drew in a deep breath, and then quickly closed it when he lowered his head toward her again.

He grinned. "Good. I'm pleased you learn quickly. Are you smart enough to admit defeat?"

Admit defeat? To this barbarian who’d been dumb enough to loosen his hold on her wrists? Lightning fast, she jerked them free and aimed for his eyes. He captured one but the other reached its target and left several long scratches from his cheek to his chest. He grunted with pain, then flipped her onto her belly. His weight came down on top of her, crushing her into the mattress. His hand slid into her hair and pushed her face into the soft pillow, effectively muffling her screams. She struggled to raise her head.

He ran his cheek over hers, smearing his blood on her face before he placed his lips against her ear. "Be quiet and I'll let you get a breath."

She nodded her head and he loosened his hold on her hair. Several drops of his blood fell onto the pillow by her face as she took a deep breath. A glint of light caught her attention and she stiffened when his friend held out a strange looking object. 

"Here, Valan. Let's get this over with."

Valan took the injection gun, placed it against her neck and compressed the trigger.

Lia fought the drug as it entered her system but quickly lost the battle. Closing her eyes, she relaxed beneath him. The barbarian turned her over.

"Open your eyes, little cat."

She did and his serious expression made her laugh. She framed his face with her hands then stroked her fingers over the tattoos on the sides of his head. "You're going to be sorry." She laughed and he covered her mouth with his hand.

"I already am. Now, be quiet."

His growled order sent her into gales of laughter before her vision darkened and she passed out.

***

Valan pulled her to a sitting position, and then released her watching as she flopped back on the bed. "I think the sedative was too strong. We need to get her back to the ship so Borg can examine her." He lifted the small female into his arms, carried her over to Cam and held her out to him. "Here. You carry her."

Cam stepped back. "She belongs to you."

Valan stepped closer to him. "I'm your Commander. Take her."

Cam shook his head. "You led us directly to her home just like Dr. Veeson said you would. She's yours."

"She doesn't please me."

Chuckling, Cam stepped through the doors and moved into the moonlit garden. "She pleased you well enough a few moments ago." He received a gravelly grunt in response.

"She fights like a warrior. I’ll have no peace in my home from now on." 

"It will be good for you. Ever since your last birth cycle you’ve become too staid and complacent."

"I’m thirty-one. Not ancient like Educator Fergusson." He shifted the light burden in his arms. She grumbled, then snuggled closer to him, nuzzling her cheek into his shoulder. An explosion of heat flared between them and hot blood rushed to his groin. His cock thickened and lengthened as he felt the same tingling in his balls as the previous night. He glanced at her bed and wished the female was awake and Cam was a million light annuals away. Instead, he drew in several deep breaths and joined Cam in the center of the garden.

"I’ve signaled the Invincible that we’re ready to return. They're waiting for your command," Cam said.

Valan gave the command to transfer. While they waited, he plucked a fragrant coral bloom from a nearby bush. The air around them brightened and shimmered and they were gone from the peaceful garden. They rematerialized in the transfer-room on the Invincible. It was crowded with warriors. Some carried captured females while others were preparing to go to the surface of the planet. When they noticed his presence they clutched their females to their chests and sent him challenging looks. Valan glanced at Cam, snorted, and raised his voice to get their attention.

"Take your mates to the chamber we've prepared for them. Now!" He didn't wait to see if they obeyed his order. Instead he strode to the door leading into the corridor.

Frustrated warriors waiting for their turn to transfer to the surface lined the corridor leading to his destination. They stared at the female in his arms then scrambled to get out of his way when he ordered them to look away.

He paused in the open door while he inspected the gigantic chamber where the lower ranking warriors were usually quartered. Now, it held hundreds of sedated females. He carried his mate to a cot in the corner and sat next to her. In the bright lights of the chamber he got his first good look at her.

Exquisite was the only word he could use, she was delicate with a small nose, full lips, and a stubborn chin. He recalled the color of her eyes and knew when she looked at a man he'd know what she was thinking. Finely arched brows curved over her eyes while thick, curly lashes cast shadows on her creamy cheeks appearing to be sprinkled with a fine layer of golden dust. Long, bright red hair fanned around her framing her face.

Lifting her small hands in his, he noticed several of her nails, painted a soft coral color, had chipped during their struggle and were crusted with his blood. He admired her long slender fingers as he interlaced them with his. Her coolness flowed into him as his heat flowed into her. A slight tingling pulsed between them, and the urge to take her to his quarters nearly overwhelmed him. Aroused by the contact, he was unaware Borg stood next to him until he cleared his throat. Valan didn't bother to look at him. "What do you want?"

"I need to examine your mate," Borg said.

Valan hesitated for a moment then released her hands and moved away. A fierce sense of possessiveness filled him when Borg reached out to touch her. He grasped his shoulder and moved him away from her even as he questioned his need to protect her. He didn't want her and had no intention of treating her as a beloved bondmate once the bonding was completed, but he also didn't want another male near her.

"Valan?" Borg questioned.

Valan placed himself between Borg and the female. "She isn't injured."

Borg sighed. "There's blood on her hands and gown."

"My blood, not hers. She fought me." He glanced at the tiny figure on the cot and couldn’t keep the grin from his face. The little warrior even managed to wound him.

"Yes, I can see that now I’ve gotten a good look at you. Why don’t you have those scratches taken care of while I examine your female? One of my med-techs could do it."

"No."

"I need to make sure the sedative isn't having an adverse effect on her."

Valan recalled her strange reaction to the drug and frowned down at her. She was already proving to be more trouble than she was worth, and she wasn't even awake yet. He moved away then reached back and covered her with the blanket until only her face showed. "You may examine her now."

Borg shook his head and passed the med-scope over the young woman, reading the screen. "She’s very healthy. No diseases or injuries. The sedative will wear off in a few units."

Valan grunted. "I haven't lost control of my fever no matter what you and my father believe."

"We know, but we think it’s because you accepted your death as inevitable, and now you refuse to accept this chance you’ve been given to live."

"Any warrior worth his fire sword would rather die in battle than bond with the enemy."

Borg pointed to the female on the cot. "She’s not your enemy."

"She’s not my chosen mate either and never will be." He was saved from further nagging when several warriors entered the chamber carrying their own sedated females.

Borg sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Get those injuries looked at as soon as possible." He hurried away to examine the new arrivals.

Valan sat next to the female and brushed his knuckles over her smooth cheeks, and traced her full lower lip with the tip of a finger. A small, pink tongue darted out and licked the tickle away. He ran his hands down her body and grasped her waist. She was small but she was fierce and relentless—two things he usually admired in an opponent. He refused to admire them in her, though. She would take his fever and give him children, but if she displeased him he’d cast her aside and let her suffer the fever on her own.