Mated to the Warriors (6 page)

The doctor left the room quietly, leaving me with my new mate and the hot sting of humiliation that made my face and throat burn. What the hell was wrong with me?

Tears streamed from the corners of my eyes, but I had no control or emotional attachment to them. It was as if my body was crying of its own accord from being so completely overwhelmed.

“Good, Hannah. Good.” Zane wrapped me up in the sheet and pulled me into his lap just as the doctor came back in. The tender skin from the spanking heated and stung against the rough feel of Zane’s thigh. I tensed and turned my head away until the doctor stood before me and placed a small box on the examination table next to us. My attention was diverted from it by something else he brought into the room with him. In his hand was a long black strand of some kind. It looked like a thick black satin ribbon.

“You have passed our medical requirements, Lady Hannah. The sensors read that your nervous system is functioning at optimal levels and you are healthy and fertile for breeding.”

I wanted to say something sassy, like,
Gee, thanks so much
,
but I held my tongue. My bottom was sore, inside and out, and I wanted to get as far away from the doctor as I could.

Both men remained silent and I finally lifted my head from Zane’s chest to look at what the doctor held in front of me. “What is it?”

“You’ve earned the right to be a Prillon bride. Congratulations, Hannah. And welcome, my lady. Once you claim your place among us, we are all yours. All Prillon warriors will honor you, fight for you, and die to protect you.”

I was so confused. I’d earned the right to be a Prillon bride because of a forced orgasm?

I stared at the object, which looked very much like a collar. I reached up and took it from the doctor’s hand. “What do I do with it?”

“You place the band around your neck, and always display it. It is black now, Lady Hannah. But once you choose a mate, and accept his claim in the claiming ceremony, your band will take on the color of your mate’s and expand to operate as a full Prillon body regulation system.”

I did
not
want to know what that meant. Not right now. I couldn’t take any more.

I looked up at Zane, just now noticing the deep red band around his neck. The collar was partially hidden by his armor. I looked away, unable to deal with any more new information. “Can we leave now? Please?”

He ran his hand down my arm. “I can’t remove you from the sanctuary of the medical station until you place the band around your neck. Without it, you would be unprotected and any male could try to claim you.”

“But, if it’s black, that means I haven’t chosen yet, so what’s the difference?”

The doctor chuckled. “The difference, my lady, is that a black band means you are in an active claiming period with a mate and his second.”

“I still don’t understand what difference it makes if I haven’t chosen.”

“It means, Hannah, that I have chosen you.” Zane’s gaze locked with my own and the raw possession I saw in his eyes set hundreds of butterflies loose in my stomach. No man had ever looked at me like that, like I was the only thing in the universe that mattered. “If any male dares touch you or disrespects you in any way, I will challenge him to a death duel.” Zane’s soft growl made me feel cherished this time, and special, because I knew all that fire and primitive protective instincts were for me. His thumb traced my lower lip as he whispered to me, making a solemn vow. “Only my second and I will lay a single finger on your beautiful body, my Hannah. Anyone else? I will kill him.”

Second? That had been mentioned several times but before I could ask after the term, the door to the room slid open. I stiffened as two more warriors entered. One was young, and quite handsome. The other looked to be an elder of their race, his face was lined and harsh, his skin color dull, not the golden tan look of Zane’s. The cold expression on the elder’s face as he looked at me made me want to climb around my mate and hide behind his very large, very formidable body. I tucked the sheet about me even tighter.

The old male spoke, and I tensed at his words. “Are we too late for the medical exam, commander? As Prince Nial’s personal advisor and honored father to the future Prime, I was very much looking forward to sharing in the joys of the bride processing protocols.” He squinted at me, and the look in his eyes was anything but friendly. It was clear he’d wanted to watch, all right. And not because he cared one bit about my health.

The tension in my mate’s chest translated to my worn-out body and I began to tremble in his arms.

“The examination is complete, Harbart. My bride is healthy and whole. I will now take her to my personal quarters without further delay. I’m sure you can understand.”

“Of course, of course. Such a disappointment, really. We shall have to inform the Prime that we missed it, right, Prince Nial?” Harbart took a small step forward, but stopped when Zane actually growled at him. Harbart held up his hands as if in surrender, but the gleam I saw in his eyes made the air catch in my throat as he continued. “Oh, commander. She is not wearing your band around her pretty little neck. Has she then, in fact, refused you already?”

The tension in the air was so thick I could barely breathe. I looked at the black strip of strange fabric in my hands and quickly lifted it to my neck. There was no clasp, but as soon as I held the ends together, they sealed, then settled against me, the collar resizing itself until it felt like a second skin.

Zane immediately relaxed and I felt the tension leave my body as well. I had pleased him, and hopefully pissed off the nasty old man who now glared at me like I’d just taken away his favorite toy.

“Ah, my mistake, commander.” He bowed slightly at the waist, his long brown robe just hitting the floor in front of his boots. “My lady. Welcome to the Battleship Deston. I very much look forward to making your acquaintance again soon.”

He turned on his heel and left me alone with the doctor, the prince, and my mate, who practically snarled at the prince the moment the door slid closed.

“Keep that man away from my mate, cousin, or I will kill him.”

The handsome young prince wore battle armor similar to Zane’s, but with slightly darker shades of browns and some black. He was big and strong, just like my mate, and his eyes were kind and very interested as he looked at me.

“Lady Deston, welcome.”

When I remained silent, Zane jostled me, just enough so that I would know he expected me to speak. “Thank you.” It was all I could manage. It was enough.

With a bow, the prince of Prillon Prime left us alone and my body melted into a puddle in Zane’s arms. I had no strength of will to resist or assist as Zane stood with me in his arms.

“Ah, commander. One last item for you before you take your mate to your quarters.” The doctor picked up the box from the table. “Her examination did show one issue that you must resolve.”

I frowned and I felt Zane tense at my back. “Oh? What issue?”

“While her pussy has been breached by another, her ass is still unclaimed. It is tight and untried.”

I flushed at the doctor’s words. It was true; I wasn’t a virgin but no one had done
anything
to my bottom until the examination just now.

The doctor held out the dark box and then opened the lid to show us both what was inside.

My mouth fell open as I took in the array of butt plugs. I knew what they were immediately, for while I was an anal virgin, I hadn’t lived under a rock. My heart, only now slowing from the earlier exam, jumped in my chest and I couldn’t bear to look at them, or think about what the doctor wanted Zane to do with them.

“What… what do you need those for?” I asked.

“As part of the mating ceremony, we will claim every part of you. Your mouth, your pussy, and your ass. These—” Zane pointed at the contents of the box, “—will train you to take a cock in your bottom. It is my duty as your mate to prepare your body so you feel no pain during the claiming, only pleasure.”

We? Had he said
we
?

The doctor closed the lid with a click and Zane took it from him.

“Thank you, doctor, for your concern in this matter. We will begin her training as soon as we are in my quarters.”

There that word was again. We.

The doctor bowed his head.

Zane tucked the box beneath his arm and looked down at me where he held me nestled against his huge chest. “Now, Hannah, I will take you to your new quarters.”

I gulped once again and tried to convince my stomach that it did not need to churn and ache. Zane was going to take me back to his quarters and do… things to me. My bottom clenched just thinking about this
training
. My mind screamed at me to run, run very far away, but the collar about my neck heated and pulsed, sending a quick ripple of pleasure through my body.

I couldn’t help but gasp.

The corner of Zane’s mouth tipped up. “I see our collars are now linked, as they should be. From now on, you will feel my pleasure, Hannah, as I will feel yours. The link is only half strength now, temporary, but when the claiming ceremony is complete, the link will be powerful and unbreakable. It’s just one of the benefits of wearing your mate’s collar. Do not fear, my little human. I will bring you only pleasure, even when that virgin ass of yours is trained.” When the door opened and he carried me out into the ship, all I could do was hold on as my body savored that little blissful pulse of his pleasure. He was going to do whatever he wanted to me, and trapped here, on an alien battleship in deep space, there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

Chapter Five

Zane

The walk to my quarters was quiet. Hannah took in the sleek green walls of the medical section of the ship, the muted blue lighting that illuminated the floor. Each section of the ship was coded with color: green for medical, red for battle, blue for engineering, and muted browns and oranges for the common areas and cafeterias. The command deck’s walls were as black as deep space. It was hard to imagine this was her first glimpse of a ship in space. It wasn’t just any ship, but
my
ship, and we were headed to the front.

People bowed their heads in deference as we passed, first to me, then when they saw the collar about Hannah’s neck, once again, this time with their eyes wide in surprise. She noticed none of it as she took in her new surroundings. Her eyes widened as we exited the green corridors for the muted orange walls that lined the area of the ship that housed the officers’ quarters.

Hannah held the sheet about her like a cape, gripping the front of it in a tight hold, clearly modest. While it was crucial she protect the sight of her naked body from others, I would teach her that there was no modesty between mates. Her body was mine and my chosen second, Dare, awaited us in my quarters. Together, we would share our new mate and give her pleasure whenever and however we chose. She had much to learn and I looked forward to teaching her. I knew Dare was ready as well.

She was not born of Prillon Prime. Hannah, with her long mane of dark hair and equally dark eyes, was the antithesis of the average golden bride from my home world. She was so small, petite, and curvy! A bride of her unusual beauty would stand out and be a target under any circumstances. But she was also the bride of a commander, which would put her in even more danger. Hannah would not be able to hide among the masses. Once her claiming was complete, the color of her collar would match mine and Dare’s. They were a deep blood red, as were all the collars of my family line. Should she choose, her collar could easily be hidden beneath a high-necked garment, but unless she was wrapped completely in cloth, her dramatic coloring would ensure that she would be noticed.

My knuckles turned white against the box I held. My mother had not thought this matching through. She was thinking of love and grandchildren, not the tactical aspects of war. Nor did she know of my more basic desires. Yes, Prillon warriors were known for their virility, but mine took a turn toward the extreme. I could not become too attached to this female. I could not unleash my full lust upon her, not without hurting her tiny body.

Before I’d held my small-sized mate in my arms, I had not worried about my ability to keep her safe—from me or my enemies. Nor had I concerned myself with the possibility of my own death. I had scoffed at the idea of Prillon Prime’s code for mated warriors, the code of honor that demanded we name a second of our family line for our mates, another warrior to care for and protect her, to ensure her safety and well-being should the primary mate be killed.

It was only now, as my small female trembled in my arms, all soft curves and wide, innocent eyes, that I recognized the value of naming a second. As warriors, death was commonplace, especially on the front. Hannah needed protection, yet as a commander, I would be forced to be away from her often, to take risks that others would not. I would be forced to leave her side more often than I liked. I could not personally assure her safety at all times. My second, Dare, would be there for her in my absence. If something should befall me, my role as Hannah’s primary mate, the father for any children we made, would fall to Dare.

The idea of her body swelling with my child made me ever more eager to rut in her pussy like a hungry animal. I would have to be careful with her, test her limits slowly. My more dominant traits would surely scare her. I wanted her to
want
me, not attempt to flee on the first transport vessel to the Prillon home world to request a new mate. Possessive instincts I’d never known rushed through me, clearing my mind and heart of all confusion.

Hannah Johnson was
mine
, and I would do anything I had to do to convince her to accept my claim, even if that meant hiding my true self. Even with Dare to protect her, I knew I
should
give her up. Mating a commander was risky business, especially me, but how could I walk away? One glimpse at her and I’d known. She
was
my mate.
She
was mine.
No one else would have her but Dare. When I watched her come, when I saw her slick arousal slip out around the medical probes, when I smelled the sweet scent of it, there was no going back. I wanted her bound to my table in my secret room on level seventeen, naked, with her nipples clamped and her pussy stuffed with a vibrating dildo. There she would learn the true meaning behind the word
obey
.