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SETTLER’S MINE 2: THE LOVERS
Mechele Armstrong
® www.loose-id.com
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This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id® e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by
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under-aged readers.
***** This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable. Settler’s Mine 2: The Lovers Mechele Armstrong
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published by Loose Id LLC 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-2924 Carson CityNV89701-1215 www.loose-id.com
Copyright © October 2007 by Mechele Armstrong All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.
ISBN 978-1-59632-552-4 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader Printed in theUnited States of America Editor: Georgia A. Woods Cover Artist: April Martinez
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Chapter One
Zelda’s ass rode up in the air as she peeked over her shoulder at the man behind her. Her folds dripped with her essence, with her desire. “Bren.” He’d been playing with her for an hour, not giving her what she wanted, and he knew full well what that was. Did she have to drive him home herself? She should have stayed on top. Her two orgasms hadn’t taken away the need, the want of her man inside of her. Only he could do that, but instead, he toyed with her as she’d let no one else do. Only Bren could get away with tormenting her in words and with his body like this. Good thing she enjoyed him or she’d have to kill him. He twisted up to his knees. “Something you want, Z?” A smile played on his lips. Why’d he have to be such a tease? “You know what the fuck I want.” “To be fucked?” He winked at her, knowing the truth of it. His cobalt irises danced with the mischief that he always exuded. She shook her head, rolling her eyes. He thought she’d forgive him anything. And he was right. Even now, so full of pent-up frustration. “What I have to deal with.” She pulled her body forward slightly as if to end their lovemaking session. His hands clenched on her sides, keeping her from moving out of reach. In one strong forward thrust, his cock surged into her pussy, filling her to the core. His large hands wrapped around her middle as he plowed himself forward and even deeper into her depths. “Deal with that.” His voice gritted tight from between clenched teeth. She didn’t need to see him; she could hear the tension in his guttural tone. Now, that move she could deal with. Her body went slack from the length of him stretching her, setting off all the beacons of nerves in her pussy and upward. “Oh, Bren.” Her breath wouldn’t move through her lungs for a moment, then spilled out in one great gasp. One of his hands stayed where it was, splayed against her stomach. The other pressed down over her abdomen to pluck his thumb over her turgid clit. That touch was all it took. She came gloriously again, only held up by him, as wave after wave of pleasure raced through her. He stilled, letting her orgasm rock her before it faded, leaving her a mewling pile of gelatinous goo. Then he moved, ever so slowly, in and out, creating a rhythm, before picking up the pace. Faster and faster, he thrust, ramming himself into her, the wetness easing the friction of the angle. His vicious thrusts slapped his balls against the back of her thighs. As his body arced upward, he lodged in her as deeply as he could. Hoarse cries escaped from the back of his throat, mostly her name poured forth with hot breath. His hot seed pumped into her as his hips continued to move against her and they became one. One body. One heart. One being.
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Joining with him was the most real thing she’d ever done. How glorious to be mated to him. Especially when he gave her times like this where she could go mindless in the grip of his passion. Warmth spread against her back from his heartstone, which hung on a hemp cord around his neck. She didn’t have to be facing him to know the stone glowed an iridescent blue, swinging about an inch or so away from her skin. She’d seen the light before. Many times since that first glimmer had united them as mates. Hers shimmered in answering light to his, same color, same shade, same pulse. Her heart pounded in her chest, both from what they’d shared and the answering of their heartstones. Her man. Her lover. It always set her breathing on edge, herself aflutter. Not much else made her that way in life. She treasured these special moments with Bren. The ones where emotion set the heartstones aglimmering. They were few and far between in the business of their lives. His big, tanned body moved from atop hers to snuggle in beside her. He never lingered with his weight on her, for fear of crushing her, but she never minded him on top. The pressure of his body reminded her of what they’d shared, always a good thing. “Z, you dealt with that well. We’ll see how you deal with round two shortly.” She snorted. “Feeling your grains today. I swear. It’s been…” The clearing of a throat, along with the snapping shut of a door, alerted them they weren’t alone. They’d been too into their satisfaction to hear the door open. How long had the stranger been there? Not long, or even in their passion they would have sensed him. “Who the fuck are you?” Zelda’s head came up to assess whomever stood before her. How dare someone come back into her private rooms? Those who came to barter or mine had orders to stay out of the small group of rooms she called hers and Bren’s. She kept her official office separate from where they slept. They never bothered locking doors because no oneever broke the rules. Until now. The boy flushed as her gaze met his. No, not a boy stood in her doorway, but a tall, lanky young man, not long past the cusp of his adulthood. His face would always have that youthful cast upon it, even when he was much older. He took a step backward, bringing her attention to his trim hips. The blush told her more than anything else. A virgin. No one heated like that unless they’d never fucked. The second clue to that conclusion was the absence of a heartstone around his neck. Anyone who’d found theirs wore it. The heartstone found the man, then found their mate. “I’m looking for Zelda.” The man, whose sharp angled features and muted clothes clearly marked him as Etruscan, cleared his throat again, shifting from foot to foot. His voice spiraled out self-assured, but he couldn’t hide his anxiety. His back straightened too much, hands shifting, as if he didn’t know what to do
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with them. He was old not to have a heartstone yet. And that was probably why he was here at Settler’s Mine. As she sat up on her raised bed of black silks and satins, moisture pooled between her thighs. “You’ve found her.” She could have covered up, tossed something over Bren as she did so, but as this man was the interloper, she had no intention of grabbing her blankets. He could enjoy the show, if that appealed to him. She had nothing to hide. “Now get the fuck out.” The man’s eyes stayed down as he attempted not to look at her, but they skittered up any chance he got to peek. Bren shifted behind her, his calf brushing across hers. Neither she nor Bren had issues with nudity, unlike the obvious discomfort of the stranger. Etruscans were notoriously prim and proper. All hung up with their vows being their bond. They were even more peculiar than Natives, and that said a lot. “I…I’m sorry if I interrupted. But I need to see you.” He stood his ground despite his discomfort and her belligerence. That caught her interest. So many cowered in the face of confrontation or grew hostile. Rarely one possessed this measured patience. “If?” Bren let out a chuckle, stopping the man’s speech before he lay back with his head on the pillow. Bren’s leg flattened on top of hers as if it were his way of saying, “Get him.” She’d had the mine when Bren had come into her life. Most considered her the owner, listening to her better than Bren. Not something that made him happy, but something he’d learned to deal with, so except in times of danger, he deferred to her on the mine’s running. He’d assessed the man in front of them and hadn’t seen a threat, or he would have reacted much differently. The young man better be glad Bren hadn’t perceived him as a danger, or things would have gotten uglier than they were about to. Laws could either be upheld here in the outposts of space or be ignored. The laws of her realm would be those upheld. The man flushed deeper. “I need…I need to dig. I’ve heard Settler’s Mine is the best. The best at finding heartstones.” Zelda nodded. “It is. But you heed me right now. These are our quarters. No one trespasses here. No one.” Her voice dipped down as cool as frozen steel. He swallowed. He needed something from her, so now he was sweating that he wouldn’t get what he wanted. “I…apologize. But I must find my heartstone. Everyone says here is the best place to look. And that you, not your managers, are the best one to see to find my heartstone.” Must?Only one thing made a man, even one of his advanced age for finding a heartstone, in that much of a hurry -- well, besides the fact that he couldn’t fuck until he found it. But a woman back home, wherever home might be, must be making him eager to find his. A female that he wanted. Like heartstones cared about metaphysical shit like that. They didn’t give one fuck about matters of the heart. The stone had already picked the mate who would claim him eons before he’d been born. The heartstones were centuries in the shaping. “What did you say your name was?”
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“I hadn’t yet. It’s Amory.” “Amory.” She tasted the word and found it like cuttle, prepared just the way she liked it, fine and tasty in her mouth. “Amory.” Amory had a cold shock coming if he expected to waltz in, get his heartstone, and go claim the woman back home. Things never worked that way. He’d probably made some vow that he had to uphold to the woman at home. The races that held honor above all things could be pains in the ass. But her heart twinged, not something that usually happened when naïve searchers came to find their stones from her mine. “Don’t come in here again without permission.” The words were out of her mouth and not what she’d expected. Fuck, Bren must have rung her bell harder than she’d thought for her to go all soft on Amory. Something about him touched her deep inside. “Ever.” Bren went still beside her. She could feel his gaze burning into the back of her head, along with hearing his intake of breath. He’d expected her to lay stripes over the boy’s back with her tongue -- and not ones of pleasure. She grabbed Bren’s thigh from behind and squeezed to shut him up. No sense telling Amory she already had a soft spot for him, if he hadn’t noticed. As he didn’t know her from dickweed, it was not likely he had. Amory’s head bobbed up, staring her full in the face for the first time. “So I can start to dig?” His eyes were the color of moonbeams from Altera, or the color of gold from Patuas. They matched his dirty blond hair, which fell to his shoulders in a wave. A hopeful look lit his face. She licked her lips, leaning into Bren’s bulk. One of his hands splayed across her middle much like it had during their lovemaking. More juices seeped out of her sensitive pussy. Swallowing, she shook her head. “There are fees, Amory. You have to pay a down payment before you start.” Others could have handled this transaction, but going through her was popular among those new to mining, though this was the first one to barge in on her privacy like this. Even more reason she should have laid into him. This couldn’t become a habit of new visitors to the mine, or someone would pay. “I know. I brought…platinum.” Amory patted a pouch hanging about his trim waist. He wore faded brown leathers, which had probably been around the planet and back a few times. Odds were he didn’t have much platinum. A problem, if the digging took a long time. Running out of platinum for a hard-to-find heartstone was common. And so was being kept from digging due to lack of funds. Harsh, yes, but so was the world. The mine didn’t run on love; it ran on platinum, just like the galaxy. “Let Bren and me have a moment. We’ll take the fees and get you set up with a spot to dig. You have come to the right place.” Zelda waved a hand, her breast lifting with the movement. Amory’s eyes bulged at the sight. Something settled low into the pit of her stomach at his look. “Many find their heartstones here at Settler’s Mine. Perhaps you will.”But it will never do what you want it to . Amory would learn that in time. Her other hand squeezed Bren’s knobby knee. Sometimes the heartstone’s claim worked out to the fullest. Bren was proof of that. However, love
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never worked with any preconceived notions of who would be your heartmate. She’d seen a few come through the doors with pledges made and broken because the heartstone never picked the one someone wanted as a mate. Fate didn’t work that way. “I must find it. Quickly. I’ll be waiting outside.” Amory scurried out of the door, allowing it to swish closed behind him. Dust raised, shadowing the light beams. Bren pinched her ass before his hands lingered on her hips. “You didn’t make him eat shit or tell him to die. A little lusty, are you? Maybe we need that second round.” His finger delved between her thighs to part her folds and play in the wetness. A shudder raced along her spine. She squeezed her thighs together around that finger. Why had she reacted that way to Amory? “Second round later. Business first.” “Because it’s Amory.” He grimaced, pulling his hand from between her still-tightened thighs. Her hand reached up to ruffle his dark brown hair before gently cupping his face. “Because it’s business. That’s all. You’re…mine. I’m yours.” Her stone punctuated the words with a cerulean glow, lighting his. “We never know when or if we’ll find our third.” A man was fated to his heartstone from the time he was born, just as a woman was. And a heartstone chose a woman, or rarely, another man, based not on lust or love, but on some whim of fancy, of fate. Most did find their heartstone and their first mate. But some spent a lifetime searching, never reaching the goal of a pair, much less the well-desired threesome every family was meant to be. Not to mention those doomed to a life of celibacy, never finding the stone to claim them. Amory was a virgin, never having experienced anything sexual. Virgins were such a joy to be with. How new everything was to them. How unsure they could be with a woman. Her thighs clenched, remembering Bren when her heartstone had claimed him. She remembered how she’d introduced him to the joys of her body. Now, he knew her body as well as she did, when to give to her and when to let her do the work. The last hour was proof enough of that. “I am yours, Z. Completely.” He leaned his head down to kiss her lightly. “I’ll always be yours and belong to whomever else your heartstone chooses.” Not that that would happen. She considered herself lucky to have found her one mate. Two would be a gift from the Goddess she would likely never see. And Bren was all she could have asked for. “As I am yours.” She pushed to her feet, getting away from the mushy words she and Bren usually never said to each other. What had Amory done to them? “Come on. Let’s get the boy started so we can come back and finish out our day.” She grabbed his hand, yanking him from the bed. They slowly helped each other to dress before opening the door to the world they often tried to shut out. ***** Amory waited outside the door for the woman, owner of Settler’s Mine, and her man to come out. He looked up into the halogen lights attached to a power line in the ceiling of stone. What were they doing? He swallowed deeply, guessing what they were up to. After all, he’d walked in on them having sex, not anything he’d expected when he’d left straight off his shuttle to find Zelda. He’d ignored all her managers, preferring to speak to the woman herself. He’d already had schematics of the mine as he picked a dig
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site, so he’d known what section Zelda’s quarters were in. His mind drifted, setting the scene in the small, but homey, bedroom. Their huge bed had been full of satin and lace spreads. The mine must have made them wealthy. Not many had beds at all, much less one so large and made up. They’d looked so natural together. Were they having sex now? Her long mocha legs would be wrapped around the muscular torso of her lover as he thrust in time against her. His mouth dried. Gritting his teeth, he could still envision her butt in the air, rounded and juicy as the man had pumped into her from behind. Bren’s body had straightened as he’d hoarsely called Zelda’s name. Just because Amory didn’t have his heartstone yet didn’t mean he didn’t think about what it could be like to be with a woman. Tania. He focused on the grain of the wood in front of him and on the woman waiting at home. She must be the focus of his thoughts, not anyone else. Somehow, he’d find his heartstone and go back to his love. The one he’d pledged to be with for all eternity. The way they felt about each other and the fact she had her heartstone and cared for him, had to mean something. Had Bren found his satisfaction in his lover’s body? How could he not? Zelda was beautiful. In all the stories he’d heard about the enigmatic owner of Settler’s Mine, they’d never mentioned that detail. Her dark eyes matched her dark skin and set back in her oblong face. High cheekbones drew even more attention to her eyes. She had a full figure with ample hips and breasts that would overflow a man’s hand. Fill a man’s mouth and leave him wanting more. Shaking his head at his errant mind, he stepped back as the door opened. Zelda sashayed over the threshold, followed by Bren, who had a huge grin on his face. “Amory. Let’s go to my office. Where I expect you to come to see me next time, instead of my rooms. We’ll get a few things settled up.” She took two steps. “Follow me.” He trailed behind her. Her hips rocked back and forth, swaying seductively as she weaved into the cavern path. His eyes trained on her, never noticing the dent in the rock below his feet, until he’d tripped. Righting himself, he heard Bren’s low chuckle behind him. “Put your eyes back in your head, boy. Tongue, too.” “I didn’t… I have a woman.” The fresh air smelled dusty. A chill permeated it, making it obvious they were underground. All of Settler’s Mine rested under the slopes of the mountains and rock. They walked down, and then the path arced back up. Others passed by them hefting carts of stones. Miners not only discovered heartstones, many other precious metals and rocks had been taken from the various quarries. The clank of a hammer sounded from further down the path. Busy and bustling, the settlement had a
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reputation for its success. “Sure you do.” “I do. A woman who makes Zelda…” Amory bit his tongue, cramming the words back into his mouth, without a way to take back the first ones. Bren would not be happy with the implication, and Zelda was his woman. Had Amory gone crazy to do such a thing? “Makes her what?” “Look as dull as a rock.” The beautiful Tania shone like a mirror-stone to him, but even he saw the lie in his words. No one could ever out-glow Zelda. His heart stopped before beating again. What the hell was he thinking? Tania would be his. She was the most beautiful, kindest woman he’d ever known. Zelda couldn’t compare to her. Besides, Zelda already had a lover. But, he’d seen no sign she had her second. Perhaps she hadn’t found them yet. Not that it mattered to him. Tania was the only one he wanted to claim him. His eyes looked back to train on Bren. What would be the man’s reaction to the insult of his lover? Would Amory survive him? Bren’s eyes narrowed as he let out a short laugh. “That’s why you have one of these then, huh?” He fingered the heartstone looped around his own neck. “Makes you an expert on women?” Amory had deserved that, but he pursed his lips at the dig. So Bren did take up for his woman, though Zelda had a reputation for being most capable of taking up for herself. Most men found their heartstones at puberty. He was old to still be missing his stone. But he would find what he sought.Here . He’d saved up, gotten an inheritance, worked to come here and be able to afford to dig. “I’ll find mine.” “You don’t always get what you expect to when you find it.” Bren’s eyes shot ahead to Zelda, who continued to walk ahead of them, not even looking back to see if they followed her. “Finding it, my friend, isn’t always everything you know that you want. But, it works out in the end.” “I’m not your friend.” Bren shrugged his massive shoulders. Zelda wasn’t a small woman. She was as tall as Amory, who towered over most men in his village, but Bren made them both look petite. He had to be at least six foot seven, if not taller. His muscles flexed with every movement. Amory had seen them tensed and in action when Bren had taken Zelda. His abdomen had even rippled. Not that Amory had ever noticed men before, but Bren’s looks struck him. They stood out, probably because he was such a large man. No, Amory wasn’t at Settler’s Mine to make friends or to find confidants. He wanted to locate his heartstone, wanted to go home and claim the woman he desired for his own. Some said there were men who never found their heartstones. They lived to be old, never knowing the touch of a woman or anyone else. No, that wouldn’t be him. He’d find a way to experience Tania’s touch. He had to. “Would you two keep up?” Zelda had finally looked back to see how far behind they traveled. Her pretty face pinched. His hand itched to smooth out the lines in her face. Clenching it by his side, he quickened his pace.
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Bren moved quickly forward. “Come on. Z doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” His broad back left Amory behind. “And what Zelda wants, Zelda gets.” “I bet.” Amory moved quickly, his legs having to work to keep up with Bren’s longer ones. Her long cinnamon-colored hair swept behind her as she pushed through a door in the cavern wall. “Come in. Let’s settle you up.” Yes, the quicker he settled this up, the quicker he’d be on his way back, heartstone finally in hand. “I already have the perfect place in the mine in mind to dig.” He pulled out the schematics, ready to get down to business. Once he had his claim staked, he didn’t plan to leave it but for food and sleep. ***** Gemini took a swig of the copper-colored alcohol. The burning started at the back of his mouth and followed all the way down his throat. Tenack and Swill sauntered into the bar and over to the table where he sat. They all nodded in the way of greeting. Tenack pulled his wooden chair around backwards and sat down. A nervous-looking waitress approached. “What can I get for you?” What had they done before he’d gotten there to make her so nervous? Or, was it merely their looks that made her tremble like that? Swill looked at Gemini’s glass. “W’at’s ’e got?” “It’s Tenaglian whisky.” He chugged the rest of it, letting the burn fill his stomach completely. It came with a few kicks and surprises. They’d find that out in time if they ordered the drink. “I’ll take one of t’ose.” “Me, too.” Tenack leered at the waitress’s cleavage. She swallowed, taking a step back and running for the bar, which was your standard outpost place, except bigger. The table, bar, and seats were all metal. Neon lights tried to beam away the shadow. Like everything else here at Settler’s Mine, it had been carved from the rock of the cavern itself. She was not the first woman to have that reaction to Tenack. Must be the four eyes thing. Or else, Tenack had been doing things he’d been ordered not to do. He was supposed to have kept a low profile while he did snooping around Settler’s Mine. If they kept to themselves, not many would notice the small, burly men. Both were short and stocky, about the same size. Tenack had red hair, while Swill’s was almost a whitish gold. “What did you two find out?” “S’e’s mated to a fellow named Bren.” Swill nodded to them both. “T’ey ’ave a set of rooms off t’e sout’ern cavern. S’e never leaves the mine. Not since s’e acquired it back all t’ose years ago. ’Er workers like ’er, but say s’e’s a ’ard ass.” Tenack nodded. “Ayep.” “You’ve been here for a day. And, that’s all you’ve found out?” Gemini looked back and forth between his accomplices. This information would in no way help him with his mission. No wonder they’d come cheaply bought. After the last mission, he should have expected this, but he’d thought recognizance
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would be easy enough for them to handle. He’d altered their records enough so that they looked harmless. Zelda personally approved anyone who came on her mine. “Ayep.” All of Tenack’s eyes blinked at him. “Gentlemen, I could have found that after an hour of being here. Hell, half of that, I knew before coming here.” The waitress came back and set all their drinks down. She was careful to set Tenack’s down from across the table. He blew a kiss, mouthing, “Later.” Her eyes widened, and she stepped back quickly. When she reached the bartender, she talked, motioning with her hands, and tried not to look back. “Tenack, keep your dicks to yourself while we’re here. I don’t want any trouble to raise Zelda’s suspicions.” If only the two men in front of him required heartstones to get it up. But, neither was of Quatar descent. Tenack socked back his own whisky. “Ayep.” He didn’t have any reaction, though Gemini watched him closely for it. Hell, he must not be of a race the whisky affected. Too bad. “There’s nothing more you can tell me than she has a lover and she’s a good boss? That’s all the recon you could do?” Gemini twirled the glass around on the table. Not the Bavarian crystal he’d been raised with, but it would do for this place. At least, the glass was clean, which was unusual for spots along the border. “Somet’ing odd did ’appen a few days ago. Everyone’s talking about it.” Swill sipped from his glass, before choking back a cough. He fanned a hand in front of his mouth, opening and closing it as if to get rid of the sensations from within. To some, the alcohol would feel like a hot sauce, setting their mouth and tongue on fire, but without causing injury. Some burned with more than just a flavor. Swill must have Proletariat ancestors in his family tree. Interesting. Would it cause damage? Or merely the sensation of burning? Only time would tell. Gemini’s lip curled up. “So tell me what it is.” “A man went into t’eir private space.” “So?” “’E survived.” Gemini arched a brow. “So he did?” Zelda had been rumored to be a bitch who never let anyone get away with anything around the mine. No one went into her personal quarters. This was news. “Who?” “Some newcomer.” Swill licked his lips, which must be flaming by now. Red spots had erupted everywhere the liquid had touched. “’E keeps to ’imself.” “Ayep.” Tenack downed the rest of his drink. Good thing it hadn’t been him with the flaming mouth. He might have ceased talking at all.
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“I want to know all there is to know about this newcomer. He might be useful to me.” Anyone that Zelda didn’t kill for breaking rules must be special. All he had to do was find out why, and maybe he’d have found the key for unsettling the mine’s mistress. “W’y are you after t’is place? It’s nice and all, but t’ere’s plenty of mines along t’e border.” Swill opened and closed his mouth, trying to fan air in. “That’s my business. Yours is to help me take it. That’s all you need to be concerned with. Find this boy. I want to know who he is and what he pisses when he pisses.” Gemini rose to his feet, leaving his two minions behind. What would Swill’s mouth look like next time he saw him? If he even had one left? Chapter Two
Bren sauntered around the corner of the mine, doing his usual early morning patrol. He yawned, scratching idly at his ear. Zelda would be walking the other side of the mine before paperwork. Otherwise, he’d still be in bed with her. Enjoying the morning instead of walking currently worked sections of the mine. A person flurried around the corner, knocking their body into his. Bren reached out with his hands to catch and keep the person from plowing further into him or losing their balance. Tan eyes widened up at him as the face lifted just a little as they were so close in height. Tousled blond hair rested above the face that stared into his. Amory. Bren’s mouth grew dry and his heartbeat plunged ahead with a rapid pace. The man’s wiry body pressed into him. He could feel the roped muscles shifting under his fingertips. His cock roared to life at the sizzling contact of their bodies. Bren had never been attracted to another man before. Shit, he rarely had time to notice anyone beyond Zelda. She kept his libido busy. What was it about this baby-faced man that kept his eyes coming back for more as they had during their first encounter? That kept him hard like he was right now? Amory made a sound in his throat and pulled away from Bren. He ran his arms over his clothes as though dusting himself off. “Sorry about that.” Bren wanted to pull Amory back against him. He made his lips curve into a smile. “No worries. Where are you going in such a hurry?” “To dig, of course.” Of course. Amory had been there a few days, and he dug like a man possessed. He’d gone through all the heartstones already found. He’d picked his place to dig, saying he felt the spot was perfect for him finding his heartstone. Most people had a radar that drew them to the spot for their heartstone, but some didn’t. Some never found them. Would Amory?
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Once he found his heartstone, Amory could fuck. He could find a mate. Or two. “Of course.” Bren shook off that thought. Zelda, though she could, wouldn’t touch anyone who wasn’t a mate. Said banging anyone else was too much trouble unless a mating glow had been signaled. Would she make an exception for their friend? Maybe she’d bring him to their bed after he’d found his heartstone. Maybe screwing him would get Amory out of their systems. Bren continued, “Maybe you’ll get lucky today. Find your heart.” “Yeah. Maybe.” Amory wouldn’t meet his eyes. Bren stepped alongside him as Amory took a step further into the mine, heading for his site. Amory stopped short to glare at Bren. “What are you doing?” “I thought I’d walk you down to your mining spot. See what’s shaking.” The path Bren would take would be on his way to do a scan of the mine for anything that looked like trouble. Without a security chief, Zelda and he both had to patrol. And this way, he’d keep an eye on Amory’s progress. Amory frowned. His lips pursed up as though he’d eaten a sour persimmon. “Why? Why are you keeping tabs on me?” Bren shrugged. “No reason. Just thought I’d walk you down.” “Well, don’t. Don’t do me any favors. I don’t need you or Zelda checking up on me. I’m going to find my heartstone and get the hell off this rock.” “And back to that woman.” Amory had a woman back home. Shitting crazy talk. The Fates would never give in to such a whim of fancy. Amory was going to be crushed when he went back to this woman, and the stone didn’t glow. The young man would be hurt. Bren frowned. Amory’s going home would happen soon enough, only for him to have his hopes demolished. Bren didn’t like that. There was nothing he could do to change it. And yet, he wanted to alter the outcome. Shit. Why? Why did this man’s fate and emotions already mean so much to him when he saw naïve souls like this every day? “Damn right.” “You know it doesn’t work that way.” Bren folded his arms across his chest. “What doesn’t?” “Finding a mate. The Fates decide who you are mated to. Not you.” Bren had seen others wanting to be mated to someone they knew. That rarely happened. More often than not, Bren had seen people who didn’t like each other mated. He bit back a snicker, thinking about the last two: rival bounty hunters he’d
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seen suddenly thrust into the position of being mates. Fate had a sense of humor. A stubborn look broke out across Amory’s face. “I will be mated to Tania. I vowed it, just like I pledged I’d come back home to her. I won’t have this conversation with you. You aren’t my friend, or my big brother. You’re only the owner of the mine where I’m digging.” As Bren was hardly thinking brotherly thoughts about Amory, and the ones he had were all too friendly, he was inclined to agree with part of Amory’s speech. “Suit yourself. Just giving you some advice.” Amory wouldn’t take the words into his head or his heart. Bren could already see that. Amory had gotten hung up in the Etruscan vows being sacred. Shitting shame, Amory was going to have to find out things the hard way. “Weren’t you a boy when Zelda was mated to you?” Amory sneered, his face twisting up. “How do you know anything about the way Quatarians are mated? Bren’s arms tightened around his chest. Yes, the man loved to snap back when he became uncomfortable. “Look, asshole, I was young when I was mated, but I see things all the time here. This is aheartstone mine.” “Yeah, where you bilk people for platinum to find the missing piece of themselves.” “It’s a place where dreams and reality collide on a regular basis. And you’d better get in touch with reality. That’s all I’m saying.” Shit, the man had attitude. Just like someone else he knew who already warmed his bed. Without a word, Amory stalked off, heading for his digging spot. Whistling a tune, Bren gave him a minute, then went the same direction. Only a few minutes later, he expected to find Amory digging in his spot. But Amory wasn’t there. Bren frowned, looking around for the blond man. Where could he be? His heart pounded. Had Amory found his heartstone already? And gone? Shit, he wouldn’t be seeing him again. Why did that make him feel so lost? Amory was right. He was digging in their mine and that was all. No need for all these feelings. And desires. After looking a few parsecs away, he located Amory. At another’s man’s dig site. Not a good thing to do at a mine. “Amory?” Amory didn’t move from the spot where he was digging. “What?” “This isn’t your site to dig.” Bren folded his arms as he watched. What was the man doing? Digging wasn’t allowed on other people’s sites without their permission. People had been killed, or worse, over less when it came to heartstones and dig sites. He carefully looked around for the owner. Surely Amory wouldn’t be that stupid? “I know that.” “Then, what are you doing…” Bren broke off as a man he couldn’t remember the name of came around
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the bend. A man with his arm in a sling. He’d broken it a few days back with a bad fall. Dr. Castille’s report had come across Zelda’s desk. “I’m back, Amory. I brought my good shovel. I sure appr --” The man broke off. “Bren.” Bren nodded to the man. “Amory’s helping you out?” The man nodded, a hopeful look on his dingy face. “I think there’s a heartstone right beyond that rock. But my arm…” “Dusty. Give me that shovel, will you?” Amory reached out a hand for the tool with a pissed-off glare at Bren. “I got work to do.” The day had passed by when Amory returned to his own dig site, tools clutched tightly, a look of tiredness sweeping his face. Bren approached with a cup of water in his outstretched hand. After a moment, Amory took the beverage. “Thanks.” “No problem.” Bren looked around the site, before his gaze settled on Amory. “Did Dusty find his stone?” “Yeah. It was in that spot.” Amory’s voice sounded resigned. His face pinched up with fatigue and worry. Bren patted the other man’s shoulder. Who’d have thought a touch of such a nonessential body part would trigger an electrical pulse? The current flagged straight down to Bren’s still rigid cock. “Nice of you to help him out.” More than nice. Amory had wasted a day of his own digging to help a man who couldn’t dig well on his own. Not many would have done that for anyone, especially a stranger. The act would cost him a day of digging. And a day he’d still pay for with his own cash to the mine for his site. “It was nothing. I happened by this morning. He was having problems.” Amory crushed the cup in his hands. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get busy.” He picked up the hammer and swung with vigor into the rock. The act was something. Not anything Bren saw every day. And Amory didn’t know what he’d done was special. How inviting. This was why Bren had interest in the man. The things he sensed deep down in Amory kept him coming back even when Amory’s bristly attitude said to stay away. Sort of like a chocota cactus. Full of spikes on the outside, but with a sweet treasure contained within. That the description matched Zelda as well wasn’t lost on Bren. Bren watched him a moment longer before heading up the cavern path. So much more existed to the man than the pissy front he put out for the world to see. Or at least for Bren and Zelda to see. Were they making him question vows he never should have made? Good. Amory needed to question what he’d gotten himself into. Zelda stood at the top of the path. Watching Amory.
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Her eyes took in every nuance of Amory’s body as he strained with the hammer. Bren walked up to her and her eyes never left Amory. He should be jealous. He shouldn’t like that his mate couldn’t take her eyes from another man. But, her actions didn’t elicit anything like that in him. Instead, they upped his own carnal desires. “Morning been OK?” Her gaze broke from Amory to look at Bren. “Yeah. Yours?” “Broke up a fight in the bar. Sent two people off station.” She didn’t have a scratch on her. Bren shook his head. His woman could take care of herself. “Any trouble with it?” “Fuck, no. They never knew what hit them.” She looked down where the clangs echoed throughout the mine. “He find it yet?” Bren shook his head. “He helped an injured man find his. He was having trouble digging.” Her eyes widened as she turned to walk down the path. “Well, fuck.” Her voice reflected surprise. They saw so many out for themselves, to find out someone had done something like that for a stranger was the oddity. “Yeah.” Bren didn’t have to say any more than that. Zelda reached out to take his hand. He grasped hers tightly. Moments like these, when they needed no words, were Bren’s favorites of the day. Linking arms, they walked together back up to their rooms, leaving Amory to dig, probably making up for his lost day well into the night. ***** Gemini sauntered up behind Swill and Tenack, who stood at the small bar in the mine they’d met at several times earlier in the week. “How goes it?” The bartender looked at him expectantly from across the bar, awaiting his order. “I’ll have Tenaglian whisky, please. Can I buy you two a round?” “Ayep.” Tenack nodded eagerly. The man always welcomed free alcohol. Swill grimaced, then winced in pain. “I t’ink I’ll stick wit’ t’is.” His lips had blisters all over them. Probably the inside of his mouth did, too. Stupid bastard. They looked better than they had, but would still take a long time to heal. Oh, well, he’d learned an important lesson. Never trust Gemini. Now would he carry that lesson through to everything? Gemini doubted it. Most never did. It made it easy to go on alone once he had what he wanted. “Why are you two at the bar anyway?” Whenever they’d met, they’d always been sitting at tables so Tenack could leer at the waitresses. The rotund bartender didn’t seem the type for Tenack to ogle. Not and leave Tenack alive anyway.
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“Tenack couldn’t keep ’is ’ands to ’imself.” Swill glared at the other somewhat shorter, squatter man. “’e pinc’ed a waitress’s ass. We can’t sit at t’e tables anymore. ’E’s got to wait on us.” Swill indicated the beefy bartender. Tenack shrugged as the bartender set down his drink. “He harasses my staff again, I’ll throw you all out on your asses. And have a talk with Zelda.” The barman sat down Gemini’s drink with a loud clink. Gemini appraised the wolf-like man, who met his gaze head on. The bartender thought to challenge him. “I’m aghast at my acquaintance’s behavior. I couldn’t agree with you more on their discipline.” The bartender blinked. “Damn straight. Just remember that.” He walked over to another customer while scratching his head. Did he have a clue what Gemini had said? Did he have fleas? Gemini hid a grin behind his glass as he sloshed back the reddish liquid. Wolfman had expected a confrontation. Nothing like giving them what they didn’t expect. And how many slunk away after being told Zelda would be called in? Probably most. She had quite the reputation. Though the women at the bar should count themselves lucky that Tenack had contented himself with a pat on the rump. “You didn’t mean t’at? Agreeing with that faint-’earted fop? T’at we deserve it?” Swill turned to look at Gemini while Tenack glared. “Did ya?” “The rules of engagement have begun, my friends.” They both stared back at him, no comprehension in their beady eyes. He sighed. If only he could afford better minions. Then he wouldn’t have spell out everything he said. “It’s time to play Zelda.” By the time she figured out what was going on, it would be too late. She’d think she had an ally; instead, she’d have an enemy in her ranks. From what he’d seen, she’d been quite distracted with the young miner, Amory. If that continued, she’d never see it coming. And Gemini intended to distract her all he could, all the while ingratiating himself into the mine’s politics. If only the boy would find his heartstone, that would unsettle everyone even more, whether or not Zelda was his heartmate. “O’.” Swill picked up his glass again to knock back a sip. The liquid in it was clear. Was that water? That was probably all his tortured lips and mouth could stand. “W’at do you ’ave in mind?” “From now on, you and Tenack do not have to keep a low profile. I want you to break rules. Get Zelda’s attention. Do most everything I told you not to do before.” “T’at, we’ll ’ave no problems wit’, will we, Tenny?” Swill elbowed the other man. The reason both men had signed on with him was the desire to cause havoc. Both men excelled at it, and together, they could do lots of damage. Reining them in had been difficult. Setting their natural instincts free should be quite easy. “Ayep.” Tenack’s eyes drifted to a barmaid. She noticed his appraisal, shuddered, and ducked behind the bar. “Once I’m in power, I’ll give you any woman you want, Tenack. Along with the riches for helping me.
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Both of you will have what’s coming to you. All of it. But I have to take control first. Do enough to get noticed, but not to get thrown out of here.” Tenack’s women sometimes didn’t live past dawn. If he did that, Gemini wouldn’t be able to save him, and Tenack would be of no further use to him. Gemini best spell out that rule now. “No sex with women until I’m in power. But I will get there, mark my words. And then, you’ll have women at your feet.” “Now, t’at’s something to c’eer to. You in control of th’is ’ere mine.” Swill raised his glass toward Gemini, who didn’t clink his back. “Women at our feet.” Swill’s glass rested in midair for a few seconds before he pulled his arm back and took a sip. “First thing tomorrow, what I want you to do is dig.” Gemini pulled out a rolled up map of the mine. He pointed to a spot. “Set up your equipment there. Dig all you can.” “T’at’s rig’t near Zelda’s quarters.” Swill closed one eye, peering closely at the parchment. “Isn’t t’at spot off limits?” “Ayep.” Tenack chugalugged his whisky before loudly smacking his lips. He set his glass on the bar and motioned for another. Swill licked his own lips, winced, then glared at Tenack. “W’y are we digging t’ere? Besides to break a rule.” Perhaps Swill was smarter than Gemini had given him credit for. There was a reason behind where the digging would be, but not one he intended to reveal. “It’s a good place to start, is all. This will be your first bit of trouble. Don’t worry, there will be plenty more to come. Big trouble.” “W’at are you going to be doing? W’ile Tenny and I get into trouble? Causing some of your own?” Swill took another sip of the liquid in his glass. Even that made him wince. Did he eat through a straw? Might be the only way to get past his wounded lips. Gemini grinned over his glass. “Getting on Zelda’s good side.” ***** Amory rubbed the sweat from his face. Even with the chill always present in the mine, the exertion made him stay hot. Unless he was trying to sleep on his tiny bunk. Then, the chill would rattle into his bones. How many heartstones had he found the last two weeks? Plenty. How many had glowed for him? Not a one. Several had been claimed by other people. Once, he’d had a man walk by as he’d excavated, and the stone had glowed. Amory had thought it must be his. Until the man walking had rounded the corner, and the light had gone out. Amory had yelled for the man to come back, he had, and the glow had returned. If only that had been his. Not someone else’s to claim. Everyone digging shared heartstones with everyone else. They all had hopes of finding their own. The little space he’d been given to dig in was tiny. The dirty bunk he’d been given to sleep in had hardly enough room for him to turn over. He’d spent almost all his platinum on this one bid to find his heartstone. If he didn’t find it, he had no idea what he’d do. Zelda and Bren would stop him from digging the instant he ran out of platinum. So unfair was the heartstone trade. Took platinum and luck to find one’s heartstone. And sometimes, the two didn’t
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coincide. He had started to think maybe he wouldn’t find it here. In which case, he was fucked. Instead of being fucked. “Amory?” A deep, throaty voice called his attention. Prickles ran down his neck, as though something poked him. Zelda. Her voice did something to his insides. And he didn’t like it one bit. She wasn’t Tania; he shouldn’t be reacting to her this way. “What?” His uncontrolled reactions to both Zelda and Bren had him acting snappishly to them both. He needed to get control and stop his actions. Now rather than later. “You have a call on the space com. I intercepted it for you when I heard the message come through.” Zelda quirked a brow at him as if challenging him to say more. “Your father.” Amory looked down at his grimy hands to avoid meeting her eyes. Dust from the rock covered him with a coat of grit. He had two fathers. As his mother was mated to two blond men, his genetics had never been clarified. They must be checking to see how his search was going. Both of his remaining parents knew what a heartstone and lack of one meant. They’d tried to help him as much as they were able to. “Thank you. I’d like to take it.” He lifted his head to meet her gaze. She hadn’t had to bring him the message herself. He’d noticed since his arrival, he had received more personal attention than anyone else at the mine. Most dealt with underlings, not directly with Bren or Zelda, although Zelda was much more involved in the mine than most owners usually were. She held the mine in a tight grip. Perhaps his fathers could raise his flagging spirits. The ones that told him he was never going to find what he sought. The ones that told him his platinum would run out before the Fates ever granted him what he needed. Zelda held up a hand. “You can’t answer like that.” She shook her head. “Come on. You need to clean up first and then answer the com.” “But…” He didn’t want them to wait on him. “They’ll wait. I told them you were busy digging.” She took several steps before turning and motioning for him to follow. His mouth closed before he turned her way. Refused to let his eyes get drawn in by the sway of her hips. “How did you know that’s where I was?” “Because that’s where you always are. Your quarters are on this wing? I can send the com into them. You can take the call there.” He nodded. She went straight to his room without hesitation. She’d remembered where they’d put him.
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Somehow that sent a buzzing around his ears straight down into his stomach. So many came in and out of Settler’s Mine, and she knew where she’d placedhim . “Yeah, that’s it.” He fumbled with the key before retrieving it from his pants pocket and opening his door. She ushered him into the Spartan room, which had little of his personal effects strewn around it. “I’ll get the call set up while you clean up.” She went over to a com box and began tinkering with it. He grabbed a cloth and went into the small bathroom. Wetting it with warm water, he began to run the wet rag over his face and arms. The water felt good on his hot skin. The coolness as the rag swept over his body, swiped away the heat emanating from him. He ran his hand with the cloth over his throat before walking back out in the room, still cleaning his face. He hadn’t talked to his dads since he’d left home because he’d been so busy digging. Hard to believe so much time had passed since his arrival here. Zelda turned to face him. She let out a throaty chuckle, which made him shiver in spite of his resolve not to react to her. “You missed a spot of grime.” Her hand patted her own cheek to indicate the spot he’d left. He frowned, trying to swipe it off. The cold rag suddenly wasn’t doing much to take away the heat from his body. When had the mine heated up instead of being chilly? Why did her appraisal make his body want so many things that it never had before? If he could have, an erection surely would have been imminent. Not that he knew what one felt like coming on, but he could anticipate and guess. He looked over at her, and in that moment, her eyes held him captive in a gaze that would melt metal. He couldn’t look away. Didn’t want to look away. “Here. Let me.” She stepped closer to him, reaching out a hand for the cloth. Her nails were painted red. Such long, slender fingers. Her scent invaded his space. Something wild and fruity. With a backup of musk. “Are all your parents Etruscan?” Nostrils flaring, he handed over the now cool, still wet cloth. “OK, you can try. My fathers are. Both of them. They settled on the small settlement of Pania in Etrusca. I guess you knew that already.” “Yes.” Gently, she wiped at his cheek. Her long nails scraped lightly across his skin. “Oh. Didn’t mean to do that. Sorry.” “It’s fine.” The path where her fingernail had grazed him tingled. The nail hadn’t hurt him. She rubbed the cloth in circular motions over his cheek as if trying to take away a sting. “Better?” Her voice dipped down lower. “Yeah.” He raised his head, almost leaning into her heated touch. He shut his eyes, the better to feel her hand. Her other hand came up to cup his other cheek. One side was warm and the other chilled from the washcloth. Her hand touched him like gossamer, so soft was her touch. She caressed his cheekbone with the uncovered hand, the warmth of her skin pervading his being. Such smoothness ran across his face.
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Like being touched by silk. He could take her touch for hours. His eyes opened to find her staring at him. Such beautiful eyes. Like liquid pools of brown that he could fall into and never find his way out. He drowned in the look in her eyes. Needed no life raft to get out. Didn’t want to escape her gaze, but instead sink into the feelings they brought about. She leaned in close. Her tongue came out to swipe at her glistening, full lips that parted for the pink tip. His own mouth opened in anticipation of her lips meeting his. Of tasting her. Would she be ambrosia? What the hell was he doing? He stiffened as the com beeped, reminding them both he had a call waiting for him to answer. This was crazy. He was about to kiss the boss of Settler’s Mine. And he couldn’t do anything else after that, because he had no damn heartstone. And he didn’t want to kiss her because she wasn’t the woman he wanted. Wasn’t she? No. She stopped leaning into him, but didn’t step back, so he took a step away from her. “Did you get it?” Her eyes glittered with something he couldn’t name. “I think I got all the grit off your face.” “Thank you.” He straightened. “For putting the call through to my quarters. I can take things from here.” He invited her to leave. Maybe once she left him alone, he’d get his senses screwed on straight. This couldn’t be happening. She tossed the cloth into the laundry hamper in one shot. “The com is ready when you are.” Her heels clicked along with the swoosh of the shutting door as she walked out of his room. Taking a deep breath, he answered the com. “Dad?” The image from it blasted on the stone wall. “Amory.” Horatio looked back at him with concern in his golden eyes. “It took you a while to answer. What’s up?” “I was digging. Then, I had…to get cleaned up.” With some help. He reached up to pass his hand along his still sensitive skin. Where Zelda had touched him. He needed to find his heartstone and get off this damn rock. Before anything else like this happened. “How are things at home?” “Good. We’re both doing fine.” Horatio smiled softly. Probably thinking of Jardon, Amory’s other father, who was working this time of day. Jardon was a ship salesman. Horatio was a ship’s mechanic for Union Alliance. “How are things there?” Insane. “They’re fine.” No need worrying his father. They already worried about sending him off to Settler’s Mine alone. But neither of them could come with him on short notice. His trip hadn’t been planned far in advance. Settler’s Mine was where they’d each found their heartstones as well, so the site seemed like a good place for him to go.
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“No luck yet, huh?” Amory shook his head. All of it had been bad so far. Why couldn’t he find that piece of himself? Was he destined to be one who never found their heartstone? To never have an erection or carnal desires?If only I’d found it by now . Then, he would have had an erection to back up his reaction to Zelda. No. Not just no, but hell, no. He wouldn’t be a slave to his cock when it became what it was supposed to. “You’ll find it soon enough. I know you will. I have a feeling.” Horatio tilted his head to the side. “The woman who runs things there. Zelda? She seemed nice enough. Is she looking out for you?” “She’s out for herself, Dad. In this for the cash. A taker.” Amory swallowed down his bitterness. He hadn’t paid everything up front. That probably explained the woman’s interest in him. Couldn’t let him go before he settled his bill. No other reason for her to express this kind of interest. “Well, she seemed nice to me. She said you were doing quite well. Assured me of it. Said not to worry.” Yeah, the only worry about Amory was that he wouldn’t pay his final bill. But Etruscans often took empty words made by others to be promises. None took their vows as seriously as an Etruscan. And Amory had been brought up to believe his word was his honor. “How’s Father?” “Ornery as ever.” Horatio cast his gaze down to the floor. “He misses you. We both do.” He lifted his face to look in Amory’s eyes with sadness showing before he blinked, and the look was gone. Amory’s mother had only died last year. The loss had been hard on them all. She’d been a gentle, wise woman. Amory would always miss her sage advice. Something he needed in this situation. “Dad.” Horatio waved his hand. “I know. I know you had to do what you had to do. And you will find it, Amory. I know you will.” He had to. He had to find it and get back home. To his parents. To his woman. “Dad, how’s Tania?” He shouldn’t be asking. His fathers knew they were friends, but nothing beyond that. They weren’t supposed to. Tania and he had agreed. Horatio’s face blanched. “What? What is it? Is she hurt?Ill ? What’s going on?” Amory’s fists balled up. He’d been gone too long to this hellish rock. If only it had taken a day to find what he sought, he’d have been back to his family and the woman he wanted by now. “She’s fine. She’s…just Tania.” The man’s lips thinned out as his smile flat lined like a heartbeat going dead. Horatio didn’t care for Tania. Usually Amory trusted his judgment, but in this case, he was wrong. Tania was Amory’s angel. “What do you mean?” “Nothing. Nothing.” Horatio twiddled his hands around. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” “Tell me.” Amory had to hear what was going on. He leaned forward. What could be getting Horatio so nervous? “She’s…been in the company of some new people to the village.”
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Amory settled back down. So that was all. “She does love to play hostess. I’m sure she’s enjoying herself.” “I’m sure she is, too.” Horatio’s words came out as dry as the plain of Navarone. “How is the mine? Busy?” “Yeah. It’s got tons of people.” He shifted the subject back to his soon-to-be lifemate. “Has Tania asked about me? How I am? Have I found it yet?” Horatio met his gaze full on. “No. She hasn’t asked either of us about you.” Amory’s shoulders sagged. “Nothing?” She could have at least asked about his heartstone status. “Nothing.” His father had never put sugar on anything that tasted sour going down. He wouldn’t start now. No matter how much the truth took Amory aback. “Oh, well, I’m sure she’s been busy with showing the new people around the village.” Tania would be overjoyed when he came back with his heartstone to claim her. That was all that mattered. “She has been busy.” “Dad, I better go back to digging. I…need to work.” “OK. Be careful, son. Come home soon.” “I will.” Amory shut down the com link, blowing out a deep sigh. He stalked out of his room with purposeful steps, intending to go dig. Instead, he found himself nearing Zelda and Bren’s quarters. What he was doing there, he didn’t know. He should be going to dig, but that was not where his wayward feet took him. Instead, he went where he was sure to run into Bren and Zelda. Chapter Three
And sure enough, Bren rounded a bend in the corridor and looked surprised to see him. “Amory.” His puzzled face asked questions with no words. “Bren.” Amory stopped walking, letting Bren approach him. The man did in only two strides. “Just out for a walk.” A walk that took him by their quarters where he didn’t have to go. Would Bren put that together? Bren’s sizzling smile threw Amory off balance. Weaponry didn’t have anything on the big man. His next question tossed Amory into even more confusion. “Did you have a good conversation?” “Huh?” “Your father. Z told me she put him through to you.” “Oh.” So Zelda had passed along information about him. How much did they talk about him? Somehow that put a warm feeling down in his stomach, even if it was only a mention. “Yeah, it was good.” He
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didn’t feel quite as restless as he had before the com call. But, his emotions still felt churned up by the whole discussion. New people in the village. For some reason, Amory kept going back to what his father had said. “New people hanging around Tania.” That should bother him. On some level, it did. But not as much as those thoughts would have before he’d come to Settler’s Mine. Bren nodding, stretching his arms out by his side. “Parents worry. I’m sure they were glad to hear you’re doing well. I was on the way to the bar to check things out. You heading that way?” Amory nodded. His dig site was that way. They fell into step together. Zelda waited by the door to the bar. “Amory. Bren.” She glanced at Amory. “No problems with your call?” “Nah.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’d better be off to dig.” “Why don’t you have a drink with us?” Zelda pushed open the door to the bar. “A quick one before you start digging again?” Amory hesitated. “Yeah. Come on.” Bren patted his shoulder. The scorching touch made him roll his muscles. “OK.” Just one drink with Bren and Zelda couldn’t hurt anything. Following Zelda, he couldn’t help but have his eyes drawn to the small of her back. He’d heard she had a tattoo there. Was it colored against that creamy mocha skin? Or merely green or black ink? He shook those thoughts off. He’d never know. She sat down and motioned for him to sit in one of the other chairs. Straddling the seat, he planted himself down. Bren took the chair next to him. Amory had been sandwiched between them. He swallowed. He could feel the heat of their bodies on either side of him. Zelda’s fruity scent and Bren’s masculine smell overwhelmed his nose. He liked the rush that being between them caused to happen within him. He might not feel desire yet, but these two caused reactions in him he couldn’t quite explain. Zelda signaled to a waitress who came bobbing over. “Miss Zelda, thank you so much for the job. And for sending my dad to Dr. Castille. He helped so much. I’ll pay you back, I swear it.” Zelda shrugged. “Helmsley, just when you can. Get your dad well first.” Her eyes avoided both Bren’s and Amory’s. “This is Bren, my mate, and Amory, a friend.” Amory didn’t let the smile bubble up at being called a friend of Zelda, though something clenched low in his belly.
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After they’d been served drinks, Zelda gave the waitress a huge tip, which she thanked Zelda up and down for. Amory hadn’t missed the fact she owed Zelda some platinum. Zelda hadn’t had to tip her, but she had. That didn’t track with the greedy bitch image he saw that she broadcast. His forehead furrowed. Both Bren and Zelda had different private sides than public. Bren was supposed to be this stoic fighter, but instead he liked to tease and was gentle. And Zelda -- well, she was a bitch, but she wasn’t cold-hearted. Amory didn’t understand either of them. Taking a sip of his drink, Amory surveyed the bar. And realized they were the talk of the masses. Zelda and Bren must not share drinks often with others. He ignored the utter heat that thought created and concentrated on his drink. “Everything OK at home?” Zelda set down her empty glass. “Yeah. They were checking on me.” His mouth arced up in a smile. His other father probably would get a report as soon he got home from work. “They?” Zelda balanced a hand on her knee. “My dads. They and my mom were mated long ago.” He looked at a point on the wall. “My mom died a while ago.” He hated saying the words. But would rather say them than get blindsided by the question. No matter how many times others had asked about his mom, it always caught him off guard. “She was a Native. They’d been together as a threesome for a long time.” “Sorry to hear that.” Bren frowned as Zelda echoed him. A hand pressed on top of his on the table. Zelda’s. She’d reached over and patted him in sympathy. Amory accepted her comfort without a word in argument. Somehow her warm skin did make things inside calm down. Her touch soothed him. “She was sick a while. Her passing eased her pain.” Though he missed her, as did his fathers, they’d all felt that way about her leaving them. The pain for her had ended. In the end, all the modern medicine hadn’t been able to save her. “Death was the end of that journey for her and the start of the next. I can’t be sad for her.” He could for himself and his fathers. But, that didn’t need to be voiced. Somehow Bren and Zelda would understand. “That’s a good way of looking at it.” Bren spoke softly. His eyes warmed. “Intelligent way of looking at the next step of life.” He sounded impressed by Amory’s logic. He touched Amory’s elbow before moving his hand away. Amory ignored the quagmire of emotions that Bren pulled up. So what? But as much as he tried to deny it, he cared what Bren thought about him. Might as well stop saying he didn’t. “Must be hard on them with you away now, too.” Zelda didn’t flinch when Amory’s eyes came up to meet hers. She removed her hand. Amory nodded. “They wanted me to go, though.” His smile came easily. “Even though they warned me umpteen times about the dangers here.” They had. Until he’d been able to recite them chapter and verse. He’d ignored all their warnings and come here anyway. Bren laughed. “Man, the most dangerous thing here is Z.”
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Zelda arched a brow. “And that’s the way I like it.” Amory couldn’t help but snicker at the joke. Bren joined him and Zelda smiled a haughty smile. Bren placed a hand on top of hers, reaching across Amory. “Just kidding, baby.” Her nose wrinkled in a haughty look. “I’m not.” “I’d believe it.” Amory looked down into his drink. “You are dangerous.” He’d said too much, but he liked the look his words created in Zelda’s eyes. “Smart man. Both of you are.” Zelda motioned for another drink. Bren’s fingers slowly stroked her hand. Their eyes met in a telltale fury of emotion. Flickers swept across the table until Amory almost believed he could feel them licking at him, so strong was the current of desire between the two. Amory’s mouth twisted. He was witnessing something he wasn’t a part of nor could he ever be until he’d found his heartstone. His throat ached even as he swallowed to clear the lump. He needed to get away from the two of them and clear his head. “I better go dig.” He tossed down coin. “Thanks for the drink.” Back at his room, he grabbed his tools. He’d find his heartstone soon and get back to the woman he was meant to be with. Had to. He’d not spend one second longer here than he had to. ***** Zelda pressed herself into Bren’s side. His muscles tightened as he pulled her even closer. His warm body heated her skin. Letting out a sigh, she looked up at the ceiling. Rock. Everything was rock at Settler’s Mine from the floor to the walls. The whole community existed in the caverns, which were only lit by artificial lighting. Some hated the lack of sunlight. Not her, she’d had her fill of it, living on the surface when she was a child. But sometimes seeing rock everywhere got old. No matter. She’d fought hard to make the mine what it was. Settler’s Mine would be hers until the day she died. This room had been carved from the cavern walls just as every other room there. This was their private space. The one refuge from the outside world they had. Only Amory had breached it when he’d come into their rooms to seek his heartstone. Just the way he’d breached their entire life. “Thinking about our friend?” Bren’s huge fingers made sweeping circles on her bare back. He liked to trace the dragon tattoo right above her ass, but right now his hands rested toward the middle of her back. She didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. Amory. Her pussy clenched at the mere thought of him. “Maybe.” His face popped across her mind, long, narrow, quite boyish. His hair always looked mussed, like he’d stepped from a shower only minutes before and hadn’t combed it out. How good that lean torso would taste under her questing tongue. She could slurp up his leg until she got to that cock she had yet to see. Better yet, be doing that while Bren took her from behind. She swallowed, the back of her throat dry and tickling.
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She’d almost lost herself and kissed him. Without his heartstone, that was forbidden. Maybe that was what made him so attractive. He was forbidden. She’d always liked to play fast and loose with others’ rules, though she expected others to live by hers. She refused to think about all the other people who had passed through her life without heartstones and hadn’t ignited her like this one man did. “But you are now.” His questing hand swirled up her back. Her skin prickled, hair perking up at the tickling touch. “Definitely.” Bren knew her likes too well. “You brought him up.” She inflected humor in her voice so he’d take it as the teasing it was. “Yes. Now, I am.” Bren fell silent. When he spoke, his tone was quieter than she’d ever heard him. “So am I.” Her heart picked up speed. Bren had never shown interest in anyone before, male or female. She had met him when he’d still been young, too young to be claimed, though he’d possessed his heartstone already. Though some would have gone ahead and claimed him, she’d waited until he was old enough before mating him. He’d never displayed desire for anyone but her. Her throat constricted. “Oh.” Somehow she enjoyed his interest in the other man. “I don’t understand him. Or myself when I’m around him.” “That makes two of us.” Zelda splayed her hand over Bren’s flat, ribbed stomach. “I don’t know, Bren. Unless…” “Unless what?” She didn’t want to voice her thoughts aloud. Didn’t want to say it in case the Fates that had dogged her once upon a time still listened. In the past, before she was the mistress of the mine where people found their heartstones, her luck had been awful. Before she had taken the mine through blood, sweat, and tears. Settler’s Mine was the place where she’d found her heartstone so many years ago, the only luck she’d had until she took the mine over. Now, she had one mate, but she didn’t expect to find her second. Not here. Not ever. No, she couldn’t speak this idea aloud. She ran from little in life, but until she found out for sure, she’d run from this. Bren expressed the thought for her. “Unless he’s our mate. And you know what that means.” The thoughts of what that could bring tugged on Zelda’s heart and mind. They made her stomach flutter back and forth in anticipation. If Amory was their third, it would complete them. They’d all be bonded together. She’d never thought anything was truly missing with her and Bren, until she’d thought of Amory being their third. Only then had she realized there was a need, a want in her to have her second partner. Did that feeling exist in everyone in a duo? Or was her hopeful thinking getting her into areas she had no business being? The Fates had given her one mate. She’d never been given anything from them without a cost. But, then again, a whole new world would open up before them as a tri-mates. Threesomes were most desired. They would be given elevated status on most things, from healthcare to citizenship in the vast
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Union Alliance. Only one other form of three mates was more privileged than they would be. Not that what Union Alliance did mattered to her all that much, but it would benefit them all. No. It was absurd to think Amory would be their third. Only those whose heartstones were matches could enter into permanent relationships. Fuck, Amory wouldn’t be able to attain an erection until he found his heartstone. He had made it clear, he wanted nothing temporary with them, even if he located his stone. Their fascination had to have another cause besides him being their mate. “Don’t count on it yet. He hasn’t even found his heartstone. We don’t know anything.” “I know…even with his attitude, I like being with him. I…feel something when I’m in his presence.” Bren spoke haltingly, these things hard for him to admit. “I love you, Zelda. I always have. But Amory…” “I know. I feel it, too.” The lure of Amory called to her. It had her seeking him out, even when he’d tried his best to isolate himself. Others had noticed that she and Bren spent time with the young man. The rumor mill spread fast. Some had her leaving Bren for Amory. Some had her taking Amory before he found his heartstone, always violently. She snorted. Like she’d rape anyone. Not her style. She didn’t have to. Even with Bren in her life, people came on to her everyday. There was no need to make someone fuck her. “I guess we have to wait and see what happens.” Bren let out a sigh, his chest rising and falling. She smiled, unfolding up to her knees before straddling his waist. “We don’t have to wait for all things.” “Oh, good.” Bren reached up to palm one of her full breasts, slowly rubbing his thumb across her nipple. It pebbled in reaction to his touch. Her breath sped as his cock poked up hard against her thigh. He’d gone from flaccid to rock hard in seconds. She loved how ready Bren always was for her. The sides of her rubbed deliciously together, ready to take in her willing man. “Ummmm, yeah.” She wiggled against Bren, but didn’t take him fully into her pussy, only allowed him to rest at her entrance. “Yeah, it is good.” Amory would be at her back. He’d kiss down her spine, thrusting against her while she took Bren into her body. Perhaps he’d even breach her from behind while Bren pierced her from the front.No . No thoughts of this now. It might never be. Wetness seeped from her. Bren’s tip bridged her entrance. He slid in slightly, making a guttural sound as he did. Oh, the friction as he slid into her folds, parting her. She raised up, easing him out, then ground herself back down around him again. Up and down, she rocked them both, squeezing her muscles around his cock. Her breasts danced up and down from the fast movement. He reached up to capture one fleshy mound in his rough hands, hands which saw toil every day. No smoothness there. Her back arched, and her nipple stabbed his palm. His hand tightened before squeezing, then sliding away. It trailed a path over her stomach as it headed downward. Her lower stomach muscles spasmed. He reached her pelvis, his hand gliding gently. His thumb pushed into her slowly and pressed directly on her clit. Her movements sped up, breathing coming quicker and quicker. She was so close to the edge. He grabbed her hips, stilling her.
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The almost to orgasm glow faded. She ground her teeth together. “What?” He eased her off of him. “I wanna last a little longer.” He lay back on the pillows amid the softness of the sheets. Bastard. She’d been about to rocket over the edge, and he knew it. Bren liked to drag their encounters out, make the time they had together last until they were both so in need of orgasm, their desires almost hurt. “What did you have in mind?” His lopsided grin made her heart jump. “Good vibrations.” A shudder racked her frame. The slickness between her thighs increased even more. At least, he was good at this torture stuff. Probably the only thing that saved him. “Well, let’s get to it.” She snapped her fingers together. He opened the drawer in the small nightstand, which rested by the bed. Where their toys were. Her breath hitched. He pulled out a blue rubber cock ring, which had a silver egg vibrator on each side of it, and a container of lube. The shimmery metal of the vibrators glittered, winking in the light from above. Scooting across the bed to where he sat, toys in hand, she grasped the tip of his cock, playing in the moisture contained there. He’d leaked a tiny bit of precum, which had combined with the moisture of her to form a slick pearl on his cock’s end. He leaned back, allowing her hand to have its way with him. She sheathed the bottom and worked her way up. Grasping the cinnamon lube with her other had, she opened the tube with her teeth, pulled her hand away from his cock, and poured a generous amount on both her hands. His eyes rolled back in his head as she slathered him up, creating a channel for him to ride across her palms. His hand released the cock ring, letting it fall onto the bed beside his legs. His cock became an exclamation point from his body, glistening with lube. “Z.” His breathy whisper made her smile. Now, who was being tortured? Much better to do these things to him. She picked up the cock ring with one hand. Grasping it with the other, she then pushed the ring up onto his cock, sliding it gently over his tip and pushing the circle farther down his length. He gritted his teeth at the tightness of the cock ring. His engorged flesh fit, but not by much, which was the point of wearing one. The vibrators added stimulus to both of them. Swirling a finger around the tip of his cock, she switched on the vibrators. A moan tripped over his teeth and out his mouth. Grabbing her arms, he pressed her down into the mattress, pulling himself over her to straddle her. The eggs hummed in the silence of the bedroom. He used one hand to help guide him into her warmth. The vibrations hit her as the eggs slid around while his cock slid in. He arranged the eggs, one at her anus, one at her clit. And a big cock in the middle,
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going in and out of her pussy. Her whole boy clenched in a wave of pleasure. It never ceased to amaze her how good sex felt. He raised up further, deepening his strokes. Sliding her fingers across his chest, she gazed up at him. One finger pinched a flat nipple. Her hands worked as hard as his, so there was no softness to the skin there. His close-cropped black hair slipped like silk through her fingertips when her hands reached his head. They slid down across his big expanse of back before her fingernails raked across. The orgasm ran through her, rolling her upwards higher and higher. Her hips pistoned under his, trying to get herself as close to him as she could. The vibrators buzzed harshly in time with the chaotic rhythm. Her mouth dried as her climax finished, leaving her body in its sweaty wake. He ground down so that bottom vibrator would pinch against her bottom opening even more, not to mention press the top one harder against her clit. “Ohh.” The second climax spun around so hard it left her dizzy and drained. Speeding up the rhythm from lazy to frantic had her whole body shuddering to meet his thrusts. She drew nails against his back again, scoring him. Marking him as her own. He bore the heartstone as she did. So bonded. So combined. They became one in the thrusting of their bodies. She didn’t know where he began and she ended. The way things should be. His neck straightened, the cords in his arms visible as all of him tensed, his skin breaking into a sweat. His hot seed poured into her as he jerked spasmodically until he was spent. He lay there a second, his breathing calming after a moment. Rolling off of her, he pulled her against his side. “Good not to wait on that.” “Oh, yeah.” She laid her head on his shoulder, cuddling into the warmth of his body. Safe. He always was the one place she felt the world couldn’t touch her. Didn’t matter the place, as long as Bren was there. “This was good.” Better than good. No one else had ever made her feel the way Bren did. He could turn her on with a look, but yet, being close to him, drifting off to sleep made her feel secure. Tilting his head, he kissed the tip of her nose before sweetly savoring her mouth. “Yeah. Yeah, it was.” They lay in the afterglow of their loving for many minutes. Distantly, she could hear the tapping of a hammer into the rock. That almost sounded too close. She’d have to check the mine permits. That is, when she had the energy to get up. “Remind me to make sure everyone’s where they should be in the mine.” “Will do.” Another comfortable silence stretched out between them. “Think the bed will fit three?” Her eyes glanced to his twinkling ones. Bren found amusement in the damndest things. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. But we don’t know…” “I know.” He let out a long drawn out sigh. “But we will soon.” “How do you know that?” Her nose crinkled. Was he ready for the answer? She was. Now she only
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had to find the patience to wait until things moved forward. “Just do.” His voice had that sleepy tone, like he was already gone, his eyes just hadn’t closed yet. Then, they did close, and not too much later, he emitted soft snores. Sounded like the purr of a Seelie cat. She rubbed a hand over his chest, laying her arm over him. Her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were about their friend and what would happen when he found his heartstone and left Settler’s Mine. ***** Amory clanged his hammer on the rock. Damn mine. Damn heartstones. Clanging it again, he moved around to the side of the path he sat on while he pounded into the wall, dislodging stone, while uncovering what lay underneath in his section of the quarry. Especially after seeing Bren and Zelda that night at the bar, frustration had set in. He wanted what they had. With Tania. And he couldn’t have it until he found that stone that eluded him at every turn. He brought the hammer down even harder on the rock. A resounding bang echoed through the cavern walls. “Hey, now.” A deep voice said behind him. “That might break whatever is embedded there. Be more careful.” Amory’s eyes darted up to Bren’s. “Who cares?” Heartstones were tough. They were said to be the hardest thing in the universe, even more so than diamonds. If only he had first-hand experience with one to find out. “I’m sure those who will mine after you care. Especially, if you broke someone’s heartstone. Miners have been killed over less. Not that they break easily, but you should be careful.” Bren lowered to crouch down in front of him. “Haven’t found it yet?” “If I had, do you think I’d still be here?” Amory tossed his hammer down to the path, glaring up at him. “Oh, I thought you just liked our company so much you might stay on after.” Bren’s mouth revealed his straight white teeth with a lazy smile. Amory snorted. Bren and Zelda had sought him out over the last few weeks. Didn’t they understand he wanted to be alone, find his heartstone, and go? Not even other miners commenting on how unusual it was for Zelda and Bren to mingle had made him pause too much. He just wanted to leave, his future intact and in his hands. Bren’s head cocked to the side. “There’s a heartstone right by where you’re digging.” His fingers traced up a seam on the lower wall. The simple touch inflamed Amory. He looked, not seeing any evidence a heartstone rested there. “How do you know?” “It…I don’t know. But it’s there. Why don’t I help you get it out?”
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“Why would you help me? Need more platinum?” Amory rubbed a hand over his face. Nothing was free in this settlement. Hands of help cost, no matter how it was offered. And he didn’t have that much platinum left. Bren chuckled low and deep. “It won’t cost you. If it ain’t yours, it’s someone’s. They’ll pay a pretty price for their heartstone.” “Bastard. Capitalizing off others’…needs.” Zelda and Bren both took advantage of the need for heartstones. Everyone of Quatar descent, especially males, wanted to find theirs. There would always be a steady business for Settler’s Mine. “Pfft. If Zelda didn’t, someone else would. It’s the way the world works. Time you got used to it.” It was grossly unfair and not anything he’d ever adjust to. Bren picked up the hammer that Amory had tossed down. He knelt to his knees close by Amory, clipping away in little strokes. His muscles flexed in his uncovered arms, rippling under his sleeveless shirt. His movements were pure precision. Amory had no idea how such big hands could be so gentle in their ministrations. Awareness crackled along Amory’s nerves. He pushed away from Bren, who seemed to be oblivious to any reaction. Each time either he or Zelda came around him, awareness of them pushed into his psyche. About the only place it didn’t go was his cock. Damn heartstone. Why did they affect him that way? He didn’t understand the feelings they brought about. Not that anyone would do anything to him no matter how jazzed up he got. Sex without a heartstone had been forbidden long ago. To break the rules committed you to death. Etruscans were obedient to rules. Even a good screw wasn’t worth it to most. Amory had heard of some places in the larger outposts where virginity was bartered and heartstones weren’t required. But, they were few and far between. Not to mention, so he’d heard, sex was more satisfying with a damn erection. And no man got one before they found their heartstone. Yet another reason to hurry up and find his, dammit. Tania’s face blurred in his mind. All he could picture was a dark red-haired beauty with brown skin, eyes snapping at him to hurry up. “You could help, you know.” Amory almost startled. Good thing Bren didn’t have mind reading abilities.Must get home to Tania . “Yeah.” Bren looked back to arch a brow, hammer poised in midair. “Let me rephrase. Help me, asshole. Get on the other side.” Amory picked up a second hammer and slid to the other side of Bren, where the heartstone lay embedded in the rocks. Not that he saw it yet, but Bren seemed sure it was there. “Fine.” He hammered away just as Bren did. They would get out the heartstone in a big chunk of rock. The heartstone would rest in a pocket. It wasn’t attached to any pieces of the rock itself. Once they broke
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inside that pocket, the heartstone would come right out of the rock. A beep sounded from Bren’s waist as they pulled the last tendrils of rock from the chunk. “Shit. I have to run. Get that heartstone out of there, the way we showed you earlier. I’ll be back to claim it, if it’s not yours.” He took off, rounding the corner quickly. Yet another way of showing him extra attention. Bren didn’t have to come back to pick up the unclaimed heartstone. What had happened to make him dash away so quickly? Was something wrong with Zelda? Dammit, that shouldn’t matter to Amory. But it did. Amory took a small chisel and began pinging away at the rock. Once, he reached the pocket where the heartstone was, he should be able to extricate the rock carefully. Not that what he did mattered. The stone wouldn’t be his. He’d been so excited to find the first heartstone in his quarry. The hope had faded quickly because the thing never lit for him. Nor had any that he, Zelda, Bren, or any other miner, had procured. Amory had tried them all. Nothing. His life was a big nothing. When he hit the first corner of the pocket, the one the heartstone rested in, Amory thought he saw a glimmer. As more of the rock fell away in little clipped pieces, he saw a glow. Could it be? His heart raced, breathing grew shallow. “Must get it out.” His hands trembled as he chiseled. He stilled them, straightening his back. No, he must be careful. Must not knick or scar the heartstone, though he didn’t think he could. He had to get the stone out. See if the glimmer continued to shine. Maybe this could be his. He stopped, darting his head around him to look every which way. Alone. No one was walking by. Please let it be mine. As he finally got one side away, he pulled on the heartstone, and it slipped completely out of the rock. Glowing. The heartstone emitted a blue glow around the small section of the cavern that was his. The heartstone belonged to him. Chapter Four
“What the fuck do you two think you’re doing?” Zelda watched the two miners turn around, pickaxes in hand. She tapped a booted toe on the cavern floor. The sound echoed throughout the narrow passageway. “Digging?” one offered, while the other one leered at her. He acted as if he could see right under her
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clothes. Let him look. Her nose wrinkled up. The one who leered was Hahnzwei. A race which had two dicks, four eyes, a bad attitude, and treated their women like dirt. Fuck no, not in her mine, he wouldn’t. If she found he’d so much as fucked with a woman’s head, there would be hell to pay. “Oh, really? And where might you be digging?” The one who was probably part Proletariat with nasty burns on his mouth said, “In t’e rock.” “No kidding. As the whole mine is made out of fucking rock, I think that’s a given wherever you dig.” “Ayep.” The second swirled his tongue around his lips while looking at her cleavage. His eyes gleamed with unrestrained appreciation. She caught his eye and glared, but didn’t pull anything tighter around herself. Let him look if he wanted to. If he touched, she’d cut off those fingers. Who were these clowns? Her mind ticked over new arrivals she’d approved from the past few weeks. She’d been so busy lately, she hadn’t met many trouble making drop-offs of settlers in person like she usually did. To reiterate the rules. Fuck. That had been a lapse in her judgment, though she’d never met every transport ship, only the ones that contained people who might be trouble. She’d have to check up on these two. Their records must not have caught her eye, or she’d have been there to greet them, no matter what. Or would she? Amory had taken up plenty of her time, too, taking away her care of her mine. Why did he have to be so fascinating? Wait a minute.Clyde , the barman, had mentioned a man pinching the ass of one of his waitresses. He hadn’t wanted an intervention, but he had wanted the mine set on alert. He’d said the wacko looked like trouble and hung out with two others. If only those other than of Quatar descent had to find their heartstone before they could get it up or on, the galaxy would be a better place. She pointed, indicating the spot where they’d dug a small hole. “You’re digging on protected ground in the mine. No one digs here.” “O’, you’re kidding. ’Ere you say? No one is allowed to dig ’ere?” Proletariat man slapped his buddy with the two dicks on the back. “Did you ’ear t’at ,Tenack? We s’ouldn’t be digging ’ere.” “Ayep. I heard.” The man licked his lips again. He winked at her. Zelda had him up against the wall before he could move, the knife she’d pulled out of her boot up against his throat. “You lick your lips at me one more fucking time, I’ll cut them off. You hurt any women here, I’ll cut off both your cocks.” He didn’t say anything. Zelda kept a close watch on his buddy, who made no moves to intervene. “Tell me you heard me.” Nothing. “Tell me you heard me.” She ground the knife in. The blade wouldn’t break skin, but it did hurt with the twist movements she made. “Ayep.” His voice came guttural. Breathless. “Ayep what?” Easier doing threats up front than having to repair some woman’s life and kill the jackass. “I heard you.”
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She released him, resheathing the knife in her boot. “Now that we’re clear on that, let’s be clear on this. No one digs here. This is near my private zone.” Something everyone in the mine knew because she’d made it clear. No sense hiding her quarters away. She reached for the knife again as Tenack smirked. “Something funny?” “Nayep. Not a thing.” She’d said private to see if they’d react. Maybe Tenack could learn from his mistakes. He would, or he’d be on the next transport ship off the rock. “Good. So we understand each other then?” “Yes. Yes, we do.” The Proletariat nodded his round head. “I’m Zelda.” She surveyed the two with their haphazard mining equipment and half-assed way of digging into the rock. Either they were grossly inexperienced, or they weren’t here with digging as their main purpose. Even Amory had mined better his first day than these two bastards, so she’d guess the latter. What could they be up to? Maybe she should send them up and have them socked out the nearest airlock of a leaving ship. That would make things run smoother on her end. “I’m the owner. I’m the law of this mine. Cross me, and I will do what I said to you.” They both nodded. She stepped closer. “Who are you both?” “I’m Swill.” The man’s blistered lips looked as if they might crack open at any time. He probably had similar lesions all in his mouth, which had to hurt while he ate. “I’m Tenack.” She nodded, making a mental note to check out the names and see what was listed on the governmental databases. Not many this far out had access to the governmental checkpoint computers, but although she didn’t advertise it, she did, though she didn’t use it on everyone who transported to her mine. Not many knew what access she had, and most assumed she didn’t have any confidential checks available to her. A special chip gotten from a favor she’d done for friends had netted her a world of information. “What have you two done now?” An exasperated voice came from behind her. She turned to see a man, dressed all in black. His skin tone was light, almost completely pale, and so was his long, almost-white hair, which he tied back with a queue. “I can’t leave you two alone. Whatever it is they have done…Miss…?” He looked to her for her name. “I’m Zelda.” His eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, what did you two do? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zelda. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He pumped her hand up and down, while glaring at the men. “I apologize for whatever it was they did.” She extricated her hand after a tiny tussle over it. “You are?” “Gemini.”
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The name sounded familiar. She’d approved his request to come onboard. “And you know them how?” She waved a hand. “I hired these two to work for me.” He sounded frustrated, on the verge of hitting them with his own shovel. “Doing what?” She looked to the two short, stout men. What on Settler’s Mine would they be good for, except…well, she couldn’t even name one thing. “I’m here to find my…” Gemini leaned in. “I’m here to find my heartstone. I’m paying them to help me look. They were all I could afford. It’s important that I find it.” “I’m sure it is, Gemini.” Now that could explain their half-assed attempts. If they’d taken platinum from a rube like Gemini, they had no intention of doing much looking for his heartstone. Their plan would be to do as little as possible and leave him high and dry. She appraised him carefully. If Amory was old to find his, this man was ancient. And he’d be desperate. Desperate enough to hire these two fools? Probably. “They were digging where they had no business to.” “You two pack it up.” He affixed them with a distressed face. “I do apologize heartily for their misstep. Perhaps, I can treat you to a dinner to make up for my workers’ lapse in judgment.” The two of them picked up several mining implements and packed them up. They cast glaring eyes Zelda’s way. “Perhaps.” She did take drinks with people at the mine from time to time. It had been a while. Perhaps a night out would do her and Bren some good. Maybe it would help them forget about their friend’s trials. “Z?” Bren rounded the corner, his laser in hand. “Everything OK?” “Yeah. Yeah, it’s fine. Why do you ask?” She looked at his drawn weapon and the look of concern on his face. “Because you paged me on the com link. To get here ASAP.” Bren sounded breathless, as if he’d dashed here. He looked back and forth between her and the three men with her. “I thought you needed me.” “I didn’t page you.” “You did. I’ve got it right here.” After reholstering his laser, Bren pulled out the pager. “I figured since you never page me, it must be urgent.” She looked at the screen and frowned. “I don’t know. It looks like me, but I didn’t page or call you.” She’d never paged him before. And this little confrontation was hardly worth getting her man hot and bothered over because it certainly wasn’t the fun way to get him like that. Though she did like seeing him come running, gun drawn, because he thought she was in danger. Maybe their security system had been compromised. She’d have to check on that, too. Gemini held out a hand to Bren. “You must be Bren, if this is Zelda. It’s a pleasure. Why don’t you both join me for dinner? I have things to make up for.” He waved a hand. “You can’t get good help these days. As I’m sure you two are aware since your security chief quit a while back.”
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He’d been fired. But that wasn’t common knowledge. “Yes. Yes, it sure is hard to find good help.” Bren yanked on her hand. “Come on. Walk back with me, since I ran all that way.” She allowed herself to be drawn away from Gemini. “We’ll do dinner.” He smiled graciously. As she and Bren walked away, she saw him slap one of his workers on the top of his head even as he railed at them. She’d have to look up information on this Gemini, too. ***** Amory clutched the glowing rock tightly in one hand, hardly believing he’d found his heartstone. The missing piece of his heart. The stone would glow for ten to twenty minutes or so, as long as he remained close by. Then the light would fade, and only glow again when he came into contact with his mate’s heartstone. His mate. He could find her now. He could…have sex now. He could go home to Tania and claim her. She had to be his mate. He pushed down any doubts. Tania was his mate. How often had he told the Fates that? Whooping, he leaped to his feet, scattering tools all around in a mad dash. He held the stone up like a beacon. “I found it!” A few cheers sounded from nearby miners. Renewed clangs resonated around the cavern. Anytime someone found their heartstone, the happy news made others dig that much harder, that much faster. Celebrations were heartfelt but short from those still in search of their own stone. Each clang of the rock brought about hope that the next piece of rock chipped away would reveal your heartstone. Not for him anymore. He had his. His fingers clutched around the cool stone tightly as though someone might take it from him. Not that they could. The heartstone would only glow for him. No one else. It was fated to be his and his mate’s. He took the looped leather cord that his mother had given him when he’d reached puberty. He’d carried it with him all this time with nothing to put on the end. Now, he could wear the necklace. Slowly, he attached his heartstone to the cord, threading the end through the small hole in the rock. Heartstones usually were found with one tiny hole to make it into a necklace. Another of the many things about them that no one understood. He could leave and go home to Tania now. Zelda and Bren would never see him again, nor he them. Sobering, he pulled the necklace around his neck. What did that matter? They were only the people who owned the mine where he’d found his future, not anyone important, like Tania. They wouldn’t care two minutes after he was gone, as long as he paid what platinum was left on his bill. Probably wouldn’t even remember him for two seconds after he left.
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Sitting back down on the ground, he stared at his heartstone, at the thing he’d searched his whole life for. Smooth around the surface, the stone tingled under his touch. Cool for now, the heartstone would warm once he found his mate. Or mates… No, Tania had no one else yet. Once they’d bonded, it was always possible they’d find their third. Mates of three were heartily desired, though not always found. Amory’s family had been a coveted threesome. Only one other type of threesome was more prized by Union Alliance than what his family had been. Mine. The heartstone was his. He stared into its inky depths, thanking any God he could for letting him stumble upon it.Bren . He must remember to thank Bren before he left. If Bren hadn’t sensed the heartstone there, Amory might not have found anything. Would he say good-bye to the big man then? He didn’t want to say good-bye. Only wanted to leave. But he had to. He owed the other man his life now. He tried to call to mind Tania’s image, to think of her face. But all his mind could picture was Bren pumping into Zelda from behind the way he had when he’d first met them. How her body had moved with each thrust into her. How their bodies had clenched as they found their final pleasure. She’d turned to him, breasts unbound, bouncing with every word she’d spoken. They’d been dark tipped and hard. His cock sprang up into his first erection. He shuddered from the feeling of his member growing turgid. His hand moved down his chest to clutch at his rigidness. No. His first erection had been over Bren and Zelda. Dammit. His first erection was supposed to be about Tania, perhaps even to be with Tania. Not those two. This was all wrong. He willed the hardness to go back down. His rebellious cock grew tighter as more thoughts of the couple assailed him. Such a feeling. Get out of my head. His hand clutched the stone tightly. Only they weren’t there. Not really. Amory had been the one to bring them into his mind. They didn’t even know they’d come into his special moment. He had to shake Zelda and Bren off, get them out of his life, so he could go back to being normal again. Tania. Only he couldn’t bring to mind her face. Her features would linger momentarily before being replaced by a mocha-skinned beauty. No matter how many times he tried to deny them, they kept appearing in his mind. In his memories. The only thing that would free him was distance. And now, he could achieve that. He could go home. To the woman he’d vowed to return and claim. He was happy about that, damn it. As he should be.
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He slowly unfurled his hand from around his heartstone before staring down into its glowing depths, asking questions the hard piece of rock had no answers for. ***** Bren’s pace quickened until Zelda was dashing to keep up. “Why are you in such a rush? Where are we going?” She kept up at her own pace. He could run if he wanted to. She wouldn’t. “Amory was about to find his heartstone.” Bren blew out a breath. ”I had wanted to be there. But, then, you paged me.” His heartstone? Her heart fluttered. So soon? If only the search had taken a few days more. What was she saying? She had no claim on Amory or his search. Let him go off and get his heart broken. It was all the same to her. Only with Amory, nothing was the same. Hadn’t been since the day he’d walked into her life. “I didn’t page you, Bren. Are you sure he was going to find his heartstone?” He looked at her skeptically. “The situation was just two yokels digging near our private quarters. I had to roust them. That’s all. I put the fear of me in one of them because he’s a double-dicked bastard. Why would I need your help with that?” Bren knew she could take care of herself. He liked that about her. He could as well and was a good man to have at your back in a fight. Together, they’d won every fight they’d ever been forced into. Neither of them sought out a battle. But they’d fight hard when pushed. “Well, if you didn’t page me…who did?” Bren’s expression shifted to puzzled. His eyebrows drew up. “I don’t know.” Her fingers tapped together by her side. Why would someone page him as if she’d done it? That act made no sense. “But I will find out.” She would. And bust some balls. No one had a right to do that. “Amory was about to find his heartstone? How do you know?” Now, she hurried along, making Bren take big strides to keep up. Would Amory leave before they saw him? Asshole just might, if he’d found his stone. And why shouldn’t he? He owed them nothing. Nothing but platinum. Bren chuckled. “I don’t know for sure. It’s just a feeling I have.” He kept up with her quick pace. His boots pounded the hard stone. Bren’s occasional instincts were usually on theplatinum . Even if Amory had found his heartstone, she and Bren were setting themselves up for too much. It was impossible he could be their third for many reasons. But, at least they’d know for sure before he left the mine. If he’d had to leave before he’d found it, they’d have never known the outcome. Walking into the caverns near Amory’s dig site, Bren pointed to a hunched over figure. “He’s found it.” “So he has.” Amory was putting things in his little bags. Soon, he’d be on his way and back to whatever girl had put a hook in his heart. And when the snag was yanked out, as it would be by the Fates, Amory would be left painfully hurt. Zelda sighed, her hand clenching into a fist as if to defend Amory. But there was nothing she could do about that, unless she was Amory’s mate. No matter how much his going home was a bad idea, he’d
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never listen to her. Etruscan propriety was legendary, and he’d been raised with a large dose. No matter how much she’d think of him after he was gone, she’d never tell him. Amazing how many people journeyed through her life every year. But yet, Amory’s memory would prod her long after he’d gone. She’d never reacted to anyone else the way she had to him. Except Bren. But that didn’t mean anything. Not until a heartstone said it did. The dull stone rested around Amory’s neck on a fancy leather cord, which looked to be hand woven. They approached him with their arms linked together. Neither of them wanted to see him go. Amory had his own decisions to make, and with his feelings for and vow to the girl back home, he’d never include them. Without being mates, they couldn’t and shouldn’t interfere, no matter how much of a mistake they thought he was making. As Amory turned fully toward them, his grin couldn’t get any wider. The smile took up his whole face. Zelda hadn’t seen that look on his face the entire time he’d been at the mine. His face glowed almost as much as a heartstone would from the power of his happiness. She’d thought he’d had been handsome before. The light on his face made him look downright beautiful. She’d seen few beautiful things in her lifetime. Bren was one. She’d now count Amory as another. Amory opened his mouth with a word of greeting on those full lips. And that’s when his stone emitted a dark blue, neon glow from its core, lighting up the cavern. ***** The light had faded, and Amory was packing when familiar voices behind him made him startle. “He’s found it.” “So he has.” Amory turned to face Bren and Zelda. They had linked hands, and stood several feet from him. He hadn’t heard their approach. “Yes. Yes, I got the heartstone out. And it’s mine. I found my heartstone!” Their faces went slack as they stared at his chest. He picked his prize up in his hand. His fingers burned with warmth. “See. It really is mine, guys. Thank you, Bren, for looking there with me. I can’t tell you how much I owe you for the direction. I’m on my way out of here. Back home.” Back to claim the woman he’d pledged to. He tried to call up more happiness, but couldn’t seem to find anything like that emotion. No matter, once he got away from here, he’d return back to the way he was before he’d come onboard Settler’s Mine. They stared at his neck, immobile and silent. Why didn’t they say anything? Why weren’t they congratulating him, or asking him for the rest of their platinum? They should be saying something to him. He hadn’t expected this silence. “Isn’t it excit…” Amory’s eyes went down to the heartstone warming his hand. The stone glowed a
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vibrant blue, even more than it had before when he’d located the rock. The light pulsed in a pattern. “…ing. I can’t believe I finally found…” He broke off, looking at the stone again. The heartstone was glowing. Again. Even brighter than before, the stone gave off a glow that made his hand appear blue. It warmed his hand, almost hot to the touch. The stone shouldn’t be glowing now. The glimmer had stopped when he’d been packing up his gear. The only reason his heartstone should glow again at any time was when…he’d found his…mate. Heartstones warmed around one’s mate. They pulsed around one’s mate. They did exactly what his was doing now. How many times had he heard the stories? His eyes quickly scanned up to Zelda and Bren’s faces, but were waylaid by their chests. Or rather what hung around their necks. Zelda and Bren’s heartstones both throbbed in a brilliant blue. The shade matched that of his. The pulsing matched that of his. Zelda’s hand came up to clutch hers tightly. Her knuckles whitened as her hand fisted around it. Amory’s cock hardened with his second erection as he looked at them. The hardness had finally gone down just before they showed up. His eyes shot wide open. “No. No. This can’t be.” Zelda’s tongue snuck out to lick her lips. “It did, and it is. You see the proof right in front of you.” “No. I have…a woman at home.” Bren rocked back on his heels. “Not anymore. You have one here.” He hesitated. “And a man.” “There’s been a mistake. No.” Amory’s breath caught in his throat. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be mated to a couple that already had been together for so long. There’d been a trick, some mistake played on him. Someone had pulled one to fool him. He had to go back to Tania. She had to be his mate. They’d pledged to each other. “No mistake, Amory.” Zelda’s hand continued to clutch her heartstone. “You are my heartmate. Mine and Bren’s.” Chapter Five
Amory threw down the bag he’d been packing. “It can’t be.” His face contorted with shock. He kept denying what sat right in front of him. Zelda straightened, pulling to her full height on boots that gave her even more. “It’s hard to believe. For
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all of us. But this is how things have worked out. Look, Amory.” She approached him, letting the heartstones’ signals touch. “Look at it.” When he wouldn’t move his head, she cupped his face in her hand, making him. He had to accept the inevitable. For him not to do so, would cause nothing but heartbreak for them all. “See how your heartstone’s glow strengthens next to mine? How they are shaded the same? How they pulse in time to the other? And to Bren’s?” She motioned Bren over. While approaching, Bren held up his own heartstone. “Mine matches both of yours.” The stunned looks had started to fade on their faces as they dealt with what they’d been given. Even Amory’s denial was a way of dealing with the problem. Being mates explained so much. So much they hadn’t understood with their reactions to each other. No wonder she and Bren had been so fascinated by him. Now that she had her verification, Zelda stopped running from the truth as it had been revealed. Amory was their mate and nothing could change that. “No.” Amory shook his head violently, so hard his neck cracked. “I can’t be mated to you. Tania…” “Is not your mate.” Zelda released his chin. “Fuck.” She reined herself in. Only fools refused to deal with what life tossed them. And she didn’t suffer fools well. But Amory was their mate. He had to see reason beyond some vow he’d made. This had been a shock but he had to accept them. “There can never be a you and Tania now.” “No. There has been a mistake.” Amory’s eyes looked wild. Like he was in the middle of a flight or fight reaction. “Tania and I will be together.” Amory shook his head again. “There’s been a mistake. I cannot be mated to you. Tania’s at home. Waiting for me. She’s the one I feel something for.” “She’ll be waiting a long time, then.” Stupid man. He didn’t understand that the stone conjured feelings and desires in the owner that went way beyond any crush one might have had before finding the stone. Or especially a mate. The Fates had no interest in vows. He’d learn in time. Zelda would see to it. “No mistake.” Bren put a hand on Amory’s arm, which he promptly shook off. Bren held up his hands, backing off. “Don’t touch me. I…it can’t be.” Why the protesting? Was he trying to deny the facts to them? Or to himself? He protested way too much. The shock of being mates couldn’t be making him this wary. Or could it? He already knew the truth in his heart, but he was having trouble letting go of the past promises he’d made out loud and in his heart. Amory was noble. Most Etruscans were. Romantic. That’s why he had such trouble accepting the mercurial relationship Bren and Zelda had to the mine. A wonderful quality to have in a mate, but this was misplacing his loyalties. Zelda came closer without touching Amory. “Why are you so hard?” She looked pointedly down to his pants. “If you’re not excited about the idea of being with Bren and me? If you don’t want us? If you want Tania? Why the boner? We are the only ones around here.” “That has nothing to do with anything.” His arms folded against his chest.
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“It does.” Zelda ran a hand down her cleavage. And enjoyed watching Amory’s eyes follow her fingers before he realized what he was doing and jerked his gaze away. “Your desire for us has everything to do with the bond.” First, came the sexual attraction for mates. Then, the emotional bonding would begin. That took time and wasn’t always easy. Fate didn’t make mistakes, but some unions were easier to condense than others. “I found my heartstone. I can get an erection now. Just because I have one means nothing about whether I’m mated to you. Men get hard-ons over anything or anyone once they get their heartstone.” He sniffed with his nose firmly in the air. “I learned that before I came here.” “True.” Zelda folded her hands in front of her. Men did have easy to set off cocks. She didn’t bring up that his experience with the ability had been short lived. “Men are more aroused by their mates than others, though. And, doesn’t look like yours is going away anytime soon. No matter how distasteful you find us.” Bren allowed a cockeyed smile to grace his lips. “Now the mate part I can attest to.” He looked Zelda up and down, his eyes scorching her with the gleam in his eyes. “Nothing turns me on more than her.” His gaze shifted to Amory. “Although, you are going to run about equal with her, I think. If you stop being a mouthy asshole.” Zelda’s breath quickened at the passionate gaze from Bren, though she frowned at his name-calling. They didn’t need to get into a roaring argument with Amory. That wouldn’t solve anything. “Nothing until now has turned me on more than Bren. You’ve done that. The idea of you being with us has turned me on more than anything ever has, Amory.” Amory turned his head so he wouldn’t look at either of them. “I’m not turned on by you. It’s…a gutter reaction. I’m new to this, and I can’t control the damn thing.” “Bullshit.” Both Bren and Zelda spoke at the same time. Neither of them looked at each other. Bren clamped his mouth shut. Zelda shook her head. Her hair cascaded, tickling her neck. She reached back to run a hand across her sweaty neck. Arguing always raised her temperature. A product of her race’s mix. One reason she tried to stay composed in any situation; otherwise she alerted everyone to how she was feeling. “You’re a piece of work. You lie with every word you say, denying the two people who complete you.” “Tania…she’s waiting for me. We were meant to be together. We made promises before I left.” “And you two cannever be. Ever. Nothing you have with her can compare to what you will have with Bren and I.” Amory might be stubborn but he couldn’t deny the Fates forever. Zelda and Bren would convince him of his destiny. She moved closer to Amory. “Don’t you feel the pulse between us? The pulse of heartstones. Of our hearts. The need between our bodies.” She touched his arm with a gentle hand. “The currents racing around us. Don’t you want to know what that feel likes?” Longing rolled across his face like summer thunder with a storm onGetleyBay . He wanted them more than he’d admit. “I made a vow.” She leaned in, whispering against him as she inhaled his intoxicating scent. “Don’t you want me? Don’t
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you want to put that erection to good use inside me?” Her tongue swiped across the side of his neck. Too much, too fast. He pulled away from her so fast, he chanced getting whiplash. “I have nothing with you two.” “Keep saying it. You might believe the words eventually.” Bren leaned back against the stone wall. “Dammit, I do believe it. It’s the truth. I cannot be mated to the two of you. It’s impossible. How many times do I have to say it?” Bren started back in, but Zelda held up a hand. Amory could say the words infinity times, and they’d never believe them. Unfortunately, Amory wasn’t listening right now. She had to make him, but this wasn’t the place for the drastic measure she’d need to take. That would take preparation. “This is getting us nowhere.” “I’m glad you see that.” Amory picked up a couple of his bags. “I need to be packing. If you’ll excuse me.” He picked up a couple of more things. “I have to go back to Tania.” He looked as though he expected them to stop him. Zelda’s eyes narrowed as she watched him clean up his site with furtive looks back at them. “You need to settle up with us.” Time she took control of the situation. The only way she knew how. She would not lose anyone else to the wild galaxy out there. Never again. “Oh. Yeah. I will do that.” Amory fumbled with his pockets, bags weighting down his arms as he tried to get to his platinum. “Z…” Zelda shook her head at Bren. “Not right here and now.” Turning her attention back to Amory, she said, “Come by our quarters after you get your things packed up.” Amory’s long lashes came down to hide his eyes. “You don’t allow…” “You’ve already been in there once. What’s the harm? Besides, you are our mate.” Zelda watched a myriad of expressions move across his face, from denial to pining. He hadn’t expected her to say she’d let him leave. Did she also see disappointment that she was allowing him to go? Good. That would make what she was about to do easier on him. She’d always done what had to be done, no matter how hard on her or anybody else it was. This was no exception. Her action would be for Amory’s own good. “You’re going to let me leave?” Amory tugged a pack further up on his arm. “Just like that?” “Just like that.” She was allowing him to leave this spot so it wasn’t an untruth. “I could stop you.” As owner of the mine, she could do a lot of things. And she would. She had to prevent Amory from making the biggest mistake of all their lives. “Come by our quarters, after you’ve gotten everything together and rented passage home. To settle up.” Amory smiled. “Thank you.” He took two steps toward the other corridor, hefting his supplies with him. “Amory?” He turned back to face Zelda. “Yes?”
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“You can’t take off without the mine’s permission. I would have to give the order to let your ship loose from the couplings. I won’t until you settle up with us.” She didn’t want him to run, thinking he could get away. One way or another, this would get resolved. She’d have his rented ship put on standby. He’d rip the ship apart before he could get away from the mine. “Understood. I give you my word I’ll settle up with you in person before I try to disembark the station.” He stalked off in the direction of his quarters. Before he turned a corner, he looked back. He still possessed a look that spoke what he was feeling. He couldn’t believe Zelda was letting him go. And for all his talk, he didn’t like it. He rounded the corner, out of sight. “What are you doing, Z? He’s going to walk away.” She turned her body to face an angry Bren. “No. He won’t walk away from this mating. I won’t let him.” Bren tilted his head as he surveyed her. Slowly, the furious features smoothed out. “You have a plan.” Bren knew her too well. Amory would begin his education about Zelda and what she was made of soon enough. ***** “You busted our balls for t’at bitc’.” Swill glared at Gemini. A festering blister oozed on his lips. “Ayep. You did.” Tenack glared at him. They had gone to a deserted part of the mine. The Wolfton bartender heard too well to discuss their further plans sitting at the bar as they used to. Stupid bastard, Tenack had caused that. Now they had to seek out more remote places to meet. Gemini sighed, looking at his two irritated minions. What he wouldn’t give for good help. “That’s part of the plan, dumbasses.” Both of their eyes blinked at him. Uncomprehending. “The plan I hired you for? That was part of executing…er, making it run.” Gemini rubbed a hand over his face. “Well, you s’ouldn’t ’ave done t’at to us. Taken ’er side like t’at.” Swill tossed back his drink. “’Ow’s t’at part of it anyway?” “Because I’m trying to make Zelda trust me. Remember?” “Ayep.” Tenack spit into a corner. “Then, we get women.” He grinned, showing his lack of dental hygiene. “Yeah. Women.” Gemini nodded. Whatever worked for their understanding of what he did, so he didn’t have to repeat himself. First thing he’d do after this was hire better minions. “You two need to raise a little more havoc around the station.”
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“’Ow’s ’er trusting you going to ’elp?” Swill asked too many asinine questions. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I need you two to cause havoc on her station.” She’d come to trust Gemini. Move him into security chief. Then, his plans would hit high gear. “It matters to me. I’d like to know w’at you ’ave planned.” Even when Gemini told him, the plan didn’t stick in his memory. “I didn’t pay you to know. I paid you to do. I need more havoc. All around.” Better they not know the ultimate goal of his plans. He’d let that be a surprise. “We can do that all right, ayep.” Tenack’s eyes glittered at the thought of causing trouble. Tenack didn’t care about the plan. He wanted women and trouble. Not necessarily in that order. So much easier to deal with Tenack than Swill. Only Tenack tended to get in too much trouble on his own whereas Swill behaved better. Gemini wanted the perfect minion working for him. One that didn’t question him. Or get them noticed. “I’m just saying to know t’e plan would make it easier.” Instead, he had these two idiots. “Look, just do what I ask.” “OK, OK, I’ll do it.” Swill frowned. His tongue lifted to touch one of his scabs. He winced with the lick. Gemini grimaced. So unsanitary and unsightly. “Do whatever it takes to get Zelda’s attention.” “What if ’er man comes running again?” “He’s supposed to. It will keep them off balance. And cause friction about Bren always running to her rescue. I know Zelda won’t tolerate that. And Bren will believe she keeps calling him.” He grinned in spite of himself. He was brilliant. “’E’s a big one.” “I can take him.” Tenack slammed a fist into his other palm several times with a thwack sound echoing in the caverns. “Not until this is done. When I have the mine, I’ll give him to you.” Another promise that would keep his goons in line with what he had to do. He had no plans for Bren, so that would work out well. Zelda would be his. She’d pay for the sins of her past. “Good.” Tenack let out a rare smile. No telling what was on his mind about being given Bren. Gemini didn’t want to know. “T’e bartender asked me somet’ing about you.” Gemini stiffened. “What?” If the Wolfton had heard anything, he’d be on his way out before morning. Damn the canine species to hell.
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“’ad you been ’ere before? And did you ’ave your ’eartstone already?” Gemini clenched his hands together until his knuckles ached. “Did he now? Those two questions?” “Ayep.” “I’d forgotten he asked until just now. What s’ould I tell ’im? If ’e asks again? ’Cause ’e might.” “Tell him I was here a long time ago.” More time ago than Gemini thought about most of the time. Let the Wolfton tell Zelda he’d been there before. She’d find nothing that could link who he was now to the man he’d been back so long ago. “And about your ’eartstone? Tell ’im that you ’ave it?” Swill looked pointedly around Gemini’s neck. “Or t’at you don’t need one?” “Why should I have my heartstone? I’ve never told you that I did. It’s none of his business or yours.” Gemini’s hands wadded up into fists. Bitterness waged a war inside. Best not to say too much about the heartstone. Or he might get into a ranting rage. He needed both minions to do his bidding right now. Killing one wouldn’t help him. “You’re Quatarian, aren’t you?” Tenack asked. The double-dicker was smarter than he acted most of the time. Smarter than Swill, too. “I am. But not all of Quatar descent have a heartstone.” They both looked dubiously at him. “People survive very well without it. You don’t die if you don’t have one.” The way some went on, it was like not finding the stone was a death sentence. Horrible when Gemini gave it any thought. Which was why he needed to act. The traditions had gone on way too long and were antiquated. Time for a new era. They continued to stare at him. Swill’s mouth came unhinged to the point flies might decide to take up residence. “This doesn’t matter. Get going, why don’t you?” “You don’t ’ave your ’eartstone?” “I never said I didn’t have it. I said some people do very well without it. I’ve never said I did have it. It’s none of your business or anyone else’s.” “I know you must ’ave it. You’re too…been too long alive not to.” Swill cocked his head to the side. “But w’y don’t you wear it like most of t’em do?” Gemini gritted his teeth, hands clenched so he wouldn’t slam them into Swill’s head. “Go!” With a frown, Swill lumbered off, followed by Tenack. Gemini rubbed his chin as he watched them stalk away.
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Too long alive not to. That he was. He’d been in the galaxy too long to live with not having the missing piece of himself that defined his soul and love. Too long without experiencing the cutting bite of desire. Or even a chance to find someone to love and be loved in return. Without that piece of himself, he’d been lost. He’d lived too long to tell anyone he didn’t have his heartstone and see the pity rush along their faces. See the whispering mouths behind his back. Hear the titters in corners from people who knew his status. He’d been around too long to know everyone knew he was a virgin when they found out his stone status. An untried pussy man, who couldn’t even get his cock up. Who’d never experienced the joys of anything sexual. A man who’d never experienced anything in the way of sexual bonding. A person who’d never experienced the sanctity of being together with a mate. Never felt the deep abiding emotion that came along with finding the other half to complement all his facets and nuances. Much less find a treasured third. Too much of himself was revealed each time he said the dreaded, “I haven’t found my stone yet.” Not to mention the frustration of searching. No wonder so many without heartstones went into monasteries for the Gods and Goddesses. Nothing better to do with their lives. He’d tried other means to finding himself and failed. Not only was his heartstone lost, but he’d been wandering for so long without purpose. Until he’d found his way to see what he had to do. The time had come to level the field. If no one could find their heartstone, then he wouldn’t be any different from anyone else. They’d all be the same. He couldn’t wait to bring the equalization of all the Quatarians to a head. One by one, mines would fall. And Settler’s Mine would be the first. ***** The chime sounded on the outside door. “Zelda, it’s Amory.” Zelda’s heart sped up at the knock.Her mate . He’d announced himself before entering and waited for them to acknowledge. Zelda couldn’t help a quirk of a smile. When he’d first arrived, he hadn’t spoken loud enough to let them know he was there. Now that they were mates, he acted formally. Where was the logic in that? “Come in.” He’d already stowed his gear on the ship, so he walked in the door unencumbered. There was an air of purposefulness that hadn’t been there before. His freshness gave her pause. Not to mention, she could smell him. Musky and sweet, his scent imbued her with a longing for a taste. A shiver racked her at the longings inside herself. She’d kept tabs on him when he’d gone to his shuttle so he wouldn’t try to run. But he’d given no indication he’d planned to. His mouth parted slightly before he clamped it back together.
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“What?” She moved toward him, needing to be nearer to him. Would he hate her after what she was about to do? No matter, things had to change, and this was the only way. “You moved the bed.” The headboard had now been pushed against the wall. And the covers were draped again with black silks and satins. Bren came out of the other rooms. “Hello, Amory.” Tension snapped in the air between the two men. Amory’s eyes ignited with a great many things, not the least of which was passion. “Bren.” Zelda’s gaze moved between her two men. Had Bren fought her at any juncture of their relationship? Not that she remembered. Amory was a different man than Bren. She’d best keep that in mind. “Why don’t you have a drink? With us. To celebrate you finding your heartstone.” Amory hesitated but nodded. “OK.” He shrugged his hands into his pockets. He moved farther into the room, closer to them both. Bren’s eyes narrowed as the front of his leather pants tented. “What’s your pleasure?” He moved to the small bar. “What do you have?” If Amory had noticed Bren’s erection, he didn’t show any sign. His own pants had possessed a bulge since he’d walked in. No matter how far removed Amory tried to be from them, he couldn’t deny his involuntary reactions. Bren’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Anything you want.” His eyes blazed like a kholar furnace. Amory swallowed. The movement bobbed his throat. He’d gotten the double entendre. “Brandy?” “Yep.” “Thank you.” Amory was too fucking polite. He’d probably not be so polite after what was to come. Bren poured out a generous amount into a glass. The dark liquid swirled. He handed the drink over to Amory. His finger ran one time over Amory’s index finger before releasing the glass. Amory drew in a breath at the light touch. Zelda couldn’t get the brief image of their skin against skin from her head. She couldn’t wait to feel all over both of them with her body and her hands.Just wait, my mate. You think that was electric? You haven’t seen anything yet . “Your usual, Z?” Bren’s lashes came down to shade his eyes before lifting again. His gaze twinkled at her. “Yes, please.” She could be polite, too, since everyone else was. The whole not mentioning the obvious sworlard in the room -- their being mates -- would get old quickly. Sworlards were huge animals from the hills, not easy to miss, just like the situation here. The situation they weren’t mentioning. She was already tired of the games. Wanted to slap on her plan and be done with the situation.
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Bren poured out whisky into a shot glass and handed it over. She took the drink, making sure their fingers grazed, much as he had Amory’s. Her fingers jazzed from the contact. So long together, and he still excited her as much as her new lover. Things would explode in becoming tri-mates. The Fates had had their fun, now it was her turn in making the bond a reality. Bren then doled himself some whisky. Taking the glass in hand, he turned more to face them. Zelda held up her glass. “To your heartstone, Amory. And both of ours.”But mostly to mine . The theory was that a woman’s heartstone was the one to choose a mate whenever a woman was involved in a mating. Her stone had chosen Bren and then, Amory. Amory’s head went down as he held up his glass. For a minute, she didn’t think he’d do the toast with her, but he did. “To my heartstone. And both of yours.” Their glasses made a clinking sound. “To your heartstone.” Bren’s glass met theirs in the middle of all of them to make anothertink sound. “And both of ours.” Zelda powered back her whisky in one swift movement of her head. The liquid grazed her throat with burning, as it went down in a fireball. Bren’s taking of his shot wasn’t quite as fast as hers, but he sucked the liquid back with an abandon. Afterwards, he smacked his lips. The action jolted her clit. To be so close to both her mates would drive her crazy before it was over. Amory took a quick taste of his, polishing the spirit off. “Thanks for the drink.” He fiddled with his pocket again. “I’m ready to settle up. And, I have something I want to discuss with you both.” A hopeful look settled on his face. Zelda set down her glass on the bar top. “Fine.” She went to the nightstand by the bed. “Let’s settle up first. Over here is where I have the electronic ledger plugged in. Come on over, sit on the bed, and we’ll discuss your payment. After that, you can tell us what you need to.” Afterward, they’d be discussing so much more than payments and whatever he wanted. She didn’t intend to lose Amory.Ever . He was her mate. He had to accept that. She couldn’t lose him. Wouldn’t lose him. If only she’d been able to act before…No, there’d been nothing she could do back then. This time, she could do something. And would. Amory stalked over. He perched on the bed as though he was ready to hop off at any point. Bren followed him to sit on the other side of the mattress. She turned on the ledger screen and brought up Amory’s file. “You paid this.” She pointed to a number in black at the top of the column. He leaned over toward her to see where she pointed. She could feel the heat of his body. Her thighs clenched together as between them slickened. She couldn’t wait to explore the bulge in his pants in more detail. To show him everything that bulge could be used for. Such fun teaching. Bren had been a fast learner. She had every belief that Amory would be, as
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well. He’d take time. Unlike Bren, Amory hadn’t aspired to be her mate. He shifted his weight. His hand drifted down to cover himself. “That’s correct. I paid that when I arrived.” She wanted to yank the hand away, but refrained. There’d be time for looking and touching later. Once he’d accepted them as mates. “Here is what you owe.” She pointed to another number at the end of the column. He leaned in again. Her gaze shifted behind him to Bren, who watched carefully. She nodded to him with a slight movement. The sign to be ready. He flashed his eyes at her to let her know he’d seen her nod. “That’s correct, too.” Amory reached for his pocket. “Here is the rest of the platinum I owe.” He handed the ream over. She took it gently. “Thank you.” The lock clacked into place as she slapped the handcuff over his outstretched wrist with the hand that wasn’t taking the platinum. Bren had remained ready to hold the arm out if Amory figured out what was going on and tried to jerk away. But, she made the locking happen as quickly as possible, and he didn’t have time to react before the metal clicked. Not that Bren let her use them much, but she’d always been good with a set of handcuffs attached to a chain.Gotcha . “What the hell…” She took the other side and quickly locked the circle at the other end of the chain around the post, effectively handcuffing him to the bed before he could struggle and get the cuffs out of her hand. The other reason Bren was ready. They’d thought the first cuff would go on quietly. The second could have been more of a problem. But, she’d succeeded in her mission. Keeping Amory with them. Keeping Amory on the mine. The only way she could ensure he bonded with them and stayed safe. Amory tugged at the tight handcuff holding him in place. He got up from the bed and yanked on the chain. “Zelda, unlock me right now.” They’d never break for him. The metal was almost as hard as a heartstone. “No.” She unfolded her legs, getting off the bed. A second chain set rested at her feet. Part of her wanted to put him in both of them. Ensure she’d succeeded. The image of him chained to her bed wasn’t an unsettling one. She liked to tie up her mate and now, mates. His eyes narrowed even as he tried to pry his wrist out. He wouldn’t be successful. His hands were too big. “Unlock me.” “No.” He glared at her as she sat down in the nearby chair.
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Bren remained behind Amory, sitting on the bed. He moved, making himself more comfortable. Amory shot Bren a look that dripped with all the malevolent feelings inside him as the movement reminded Amory that Bren was there. “Unlock me, dammit.” Bren looked stone faced at him. He’d agreed with Zelda’s plan of convincing Amory to stay, saying, “It’s the only way the stupid, stubborn ass will listen.” “Come on, man.” Amory gritted his teeth together. “Z has the key. And I’m not crossing her.” Bren leaned back with his hands behind his head. “Besides, I agree with keeping you here for a while.” “You can’t keep me here against my will.” Amory’s nostrils pinched. He pulled the cuff against the wood. The bed was made of goldwood trees from Brazilia. The strong wood would never break. No matter how much pressure he put on it, unless he found a hammer. And they didn’t intend to leave a hammer around for him to use. Nor would the cuffs break, being made of iron metal. Zelda crossed her legs. “Can’t I? I’m the mistress of this mine. My word is law. And you’re staying here for now.” “But…” He measured his words as he stopped tugging. “I have to go. Tell her in person that I’m breaking my vow. I’ll come back, though.” His words made her heart do flips. Maybe they had gotten to him when they’d talked earlier. Good, because these were things he had to accept. But, she couldn’t chance letting him go just yet. Amory wasn’t offering them a vow. She’d trust nothing less from him. “Good to hear.” “Then, you’ll let me go.” “No.” “Zelda. I will come back.” “No.” “I have to go back and see Tania. Explain this to her.” He kept repeating the same words over and over. She gave him one-word answers. Finally, she slid out of the chair and crossed the distance between them. She caressed his cheek with her hand, feeling the slight stubble. “Pretty words. But a little while ago, you were ready to book out of here in denial of our being mates. I can’t let you go yet. Not until…” She broke off. He swallowed, moving her hand with the motion. “Until what?” “Until I’m sure you understand what being mates is.” “I do. Screwing me is all you mean.”
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“It would be much easier if all we had to do was fuck.” She sighed. Sex was the easy part. It was the emotional shit that came afterward that was going to be hard for them. Some mates had easier times than others. “We need to bond.” “Like we can with me chained up.” “You decide when you get free.” He ignored everything she was trying to say. “Look, I told Tania…” She moved her finger to his lips, stopping him from continuing. “I don’t give a rat’s ass about Tania. I care about us. Our future. And until I’m sure that future is secure, you won’t be leaving this room.” “People will notice. I was supposed to leave. All my stuff is on the shuttle I rented with the funds I had left. The docking personnel knew I wanted to leave immediately.” His face held a look that said he’d gotten one over on her. She quickly pushed a pin in his inflated sense of ego. “And, they all work for me. No one will challenge me, Amory. Not on this. Especially if I reveal who you are. Our mate. I’ll tell them the stones glowed, and I’m keeping you in my bedroom to be my sex slave. They’ll buy that with my new mate.” “You cannot do this.” As he moved away from her finger, he gritted his teeth together again so forcefully she could hear them. She didn’t answer, merely sitting back in the chair. Let him rail a while. Wouldn’t get him anywhere. Chapter Six
Several hours later, Amory pulled heavily against the bonds, which secured him. Damn them. Only a thrill had shot through him at that click. A pulse of energy at being restrained by his mates. At them caring enough to act to try to influence his actions. Tania had let him leave without a lot of fanfare. She hadn’t even tried to see him off when he’d shipped out to search for his heartstone. He’d been angry enough to display his temper, not the Etruscan way. But yet at the same time, he found himself enticed. So many would have let him go back home without acting, even if he was their mate. Didn’t mean he completely liked this situation. He smacked against the handcuff chain in frustration before settling back on the bed. The cuffs gave him enough freedom to lie down and sit on the bed. But little else. They were going to keep him here. For how long? And what did they intend to do with him while he was chained to their bed? He swallowed as several intense images came to mind.
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The door slid open to the room with a swoosh. Bren came in, carrying some baskets. The door closed behind him. “Dinner is served.” He set the baskets down before pulling over a table. “Is that reconstituted crap?” Amory slid his legs over the side of the bed and sat up so he could eat. “I call it shit, but no, this isn’t that. This is real food.” Bren winked at him. “And you’d better eat up. For your strength.” Yeah, he’d need that. A shiver raced down his spine. He breathed deeply. The food smells drifted to him as Bren got the table straight. He’d not had real food in a while. His mouth watered. Not to mention what would come after would have more than his mouth watering. All kinds of parts of him. Bren unloaded a feast. “Where’s Zelda?” Amory watched as Bren pulled out a plate. “A single plate? You aren’t eating, too?” Bren sat the plate down in front of Amory. “Unfortunately, Zelda and I have a business dinner that can’t wait. We won’t be back until later.” Eyes of the deepest blue Amory had ever seen stared back at him. Even the oceans on his home planet weren’t that blue. Or that deep. “Oh. With all this food, I thought you’d be eating with me.” He chased down disappointment that they wouldn’t be. He’d figured understanding what being mates meant involved them doing all sorts of sexual things to him while he was tied up. He cursed his shiver at his predicament. Bren parted his lips to lick at the edges. “We would if we could. But someone Z needs to check out wants dinner tonight.” “Why does she need to check this guy out?” Amory watched as Bren readied plates. “Because he’s on her mine. And he asked us to dinner. Not something most do.” Bren appraised Amory. “She approves everyone who comes onboard, you know.” “Yeah. Why does she do that? Most have minions do that crap.” Zelda’s dedication to her work did give Amory some curious questions about her. Bren would give the best answers. The computer knew hardly anything about Zelda. Amory had checked during one of his sessions on the public monitor. “Because…” Bren hesitated. “I am her mate. I’m going to find out all about her eventually.” A smile readied Bren’s face. “So you are. I guess you do need to know some things. She approves everyone because that way she can make sure everyone who comes onboard Settler’s Mine is ‘not a threat to her mine.’” “Others could do that.” And did on most mines or stations. “She doesn’t trust others.” Bren scratched his head. “Amory, do you know why she’s locked you here?” “To fuck me senseless until I stay.”
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Bren barked out a fit of laughter. “You really don’t understand this mating thing.” “Isn’t her goal to bend me to her will? To show me what mates can be?” Amory shrugged. “Zelda wants you to come around on your own. Nothing can change what we are to each other and she’s…lost too much not to grab onto that.” Bren shook his head. “The Mine is the only place she rules. The only place she knows she can keep safe. She won’t let you go home without us, because she’s not sure she would be able to keep you from harm. Not from everything in the galaxy she knows is out there.” Amory snorted. “She’s not keeping me here to look after my body, unless it’s naked.” “You won’t be naked until you choose it.” Bren hesitated a moment. “Since you’re her mate, I’ll tell you something about her. No one else knows her history. She locked down her files long ago.” Bren sat down by Amory. “When Zelda was a girl on the border territories, she lost three families. Her mother, father, and siblings were killed on a crop run that was raided. Zelda had stayed home to tend the animals.” He blew out a breath. “She was taken in by her aunt, uncles, and two cousins for three years. They were killed coming home from a fair by pirates. Zelda had been sick and hadn’t gone. She was then taken in by another uncle and aunt. Same thing happened, except Zelda was being punished and it was an animal auction, so was left at home again.” Amory blanched. He’d lost his mother. What would it be like to lose three families like that? So violently. Such was life in the Union Alliance borders. Bigger planets and cities had more stability and law than smaller ones, but not much. And her losses made this rash action make a lot more sense. He’d backed Zelda into a corner. As a child, she couldn’t act to stop what had happened to her families. As an adult and ruler of the mine, she could take steps to ensure the same things didn’t happen again. With him. “She went on her own after that, knowing all the dangers the galaxy had to offer. Until she came here to the mine and took it over. Here is where she controls what happens. Out there, she can’t control anything. She’ll leave sometimes. Rarely.” Bren stood up. “I only go off the mine with her. She’ll expect the same of you. She’ll not let you leave, unless she and I go with you. That’s a fact. And until we’ve bonded as mates, she won’t let you leave the mine, where she controls things.” He pushed the food closer. “Z and I don’t know how long we’ll be at dinner, but we’ll try and hurry it along. So we can come back here and spend time with you.” Amory’s hand shook as he stabbed his fork into some sort of meat, while Bren headed out the door. When he’d left them to pack, he hadn’t considered his situation. His mind had been awhirl with leaving. With arguing with them. When they’d first restrained him, he’d been too busy trying to pull himself loose. Now that he was chained and eating dinner, he could think of nothing else but the two of them. Mated. To Zelda and Bren. The Fates had turned into cruel bitches. Maybe they had always been. He’d heard others curse the Fates before, but never understood why. Now he wanted to curse them himself, but couldn’t. Why couldn’t he? He should for doing what they’d done to him.
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Would it be so bad to be mated to Bren and Zelda? Yes. Really? He shoved a hunk of food in his mouth. No. Being mated to them wouldn’t be bad at all. Though he’d denied his emotions to Zelda and Bren, he couldn’t lie to himself about how he felt being mated to them. Exploring them, exploring the mating, wasn’t a deplorable thought. He liked them. Was attracted to them. Was coming to understand them even in the short amount of time they’d known each other. That was what had made him want to run far and away from here as fast as he could. Away from them. When he’d arrived on Settler’s Mine, he’d been so sure of what the future would hold. So sure what his life would be like. Find his heartstone. Go back home. Mate with Tania. Live long and grow old together. From the moment he’d met Bren and Zelda, they’d turned him inside out. They’d made him question everything he’d ever believed about Tania and their relationship. Everything about himself. Finding his stone had polished off the change that had been happening since he’d arrived on Settler’s Mine. Finding his mates had meant he could no longer deny what was in his soul. In his heart. He’d thought he’d known everything about everything when he’d arrived and now, he wasn’t sure he knew anything. He could barely call Tania’s features to his mind anymore. He wasn’t sure of his feelings for her. They’d been so strong when he arrived. They’d pledged themselves to each other. She had her heartstone already. They’d both been so sure once he found his, the heartstones around their necks would glow when he returned. Or maybe, it had just been him. He’d been a fool to make promises he now couldn’t keep. A man’s word is his honor. Always keep your vows, no matter how hard. You will be judged honorable among men by making your vow your bond. His father’s voice. How many times had he heard that lesson? Until he could recite it word for word. He took another bite and chewed carefully. What did Zelda and Bren see when they looked at him? From the looks they’d given him since he’d been here, they saw something inside that called to them. Just as he saw something about them that called to him. Would it be so wrong to want to explore that? To see what they saw inside him? No one had ever looked at him the way they did. They were his mates. The only ones he’d ever get in his lifetime. He’d found them both in one sitting. Some looked their entire lives to findone , much less two at the same time. He could continue to fight them. Or he could give in to what was meant to be.
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Yes, Tania waited at home for him. He’d made a promise to return to her. He’d always kept his word, as his heritage demanded. And they’d meant something to each other. Didn’t his change of resolve about relationships mean he didn’t know his own mind? Shouldn’t he still be having pangs of feelings for the woman he’d left behind, instead of two people he’d only met a few weeks ago? No, that means your heartstone has picked your mates, and they aren’t her. The piece of heart has now come into your life. Of course, you’re going to change. Something that huge can’t come to you and not affect you. His fathers had told him life would come more into focus once he had his stone. They’d been right. Things had never been clearer. He needed to explore the situation with Zelda and Bren. Those mated by stones, and separated for whatever reason, felt like they’d lost a piece of themselves. Missing them if he left was a given. So don’t leave them yet. Tania thought he was coming home to her. He had to keep his word. He owed that much to her. To tell her in person how his life had changed. But, once he’d journeyed home and taken care of his affairs, he could explore everything that went along with being mated. His chest loosened. He’d not even noticed how constricted it was. Lightness sprang into his being. He’d vow to them not to leave for a week. Give their mate bonding that time, though he’d not completely bond with them until after he’d seen Tania. He’d not have sex with them both, an integral part to making a threesome bond. He owed Tania for breaking the vow he’d made. If they wanted to journey with him home after the week, maybe if things had gone well, he’d let them. ***** As the waiter brought out the food, Gemini surveyed Zelda and Bren. They sat together across from him in the small bistro near the Settler’s Mine entrance. The restaurant was new to the station. Before, there had only been the bars. The restaurant was small, simply decorated in an art deco style. Wooden tables rested on carved stone floors. Michipi, the bistro’s owner, greeted everyone who came in either at the entrance or by walking around to tables. She reminded Gemini of a Saracosian he’d known once. Only much prettier. Michipi had green eyes, looking like dew on a flowercup, and the most flawless features Gemini had ever seen, topped by a mane of purple hair. She stopped to say hello before moving on to the next table. Gemini watched the sway of her hips as she moved down the line of tables. Such a sweet upthrust to her rear. He cursed his body’s lack of reaction to such a beautiful creature. So unfair. He should be able to experience his own body without the need of that stone. Yet, he couldn’t get it up.
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He narrowed his eyes at the couple on the other side of the colorfully painted table. Might not be their fault but they capitalized on everything that was wrong about the heartstone society they lived in. Two happy lovebirds. Sickening to watch. But, even he noticed they were distracted. Not paying good attention to the conversation that had dominated the evening so far. Their minds drifted over something else going on. What was it? Whatever it was, it was good for him. The two of them not paying attention was what he wanted. And it looked like he wouldn’t have to work hard to get what he needed to make his plan work. Maybe the pagings of Bren had been successful in planting some doubts in Zelda’s mind. And in Bren’s mind about her. Maybe the trouble his men kept causing weighed on them by having to handle each and every piddly encounter. Or maybe they had something else going on. Regardless, for once, the Fates had been kind to him. “Are you enjoying your visit to the station?” Zelda took a bite of something that had lived in a sea. Gemini wrinkled his nose. Hated fishy smells. They turned his nose inside out. And now her breath would smell like that. He bit back revulsion. Had to stay on task to get his job done tonight. That meant being nice to fish breath. Once he took over the mine, he could sew her mouth shut so he wouldn’t smell the scent ever again or any other scent for that matter. Ban all sea dishes from the mine. Before he destroyed it. “I am. I’d always heard about Settler’s Mine. The hustle. The bustle. Now, I see it for myself.” He played up the asinine mine as something bigger than it was. Doing that better help him in the end. Something had to make sucking up worth doing so he wouldn’t be sick for no reason. “Yes. It’s a busy place.” Bren leaned back in his chair after having cleaned his plate down to the last drop. No wonder he’d grown so huge. “Any luck on your stone?” Gemini gritted his teeth together, keeping the smile plastered on his face. “Not yet. You know how it is.” Bastard. “That I do.” “You have any luck finding a security chief yet?” Gemini laughed to himself as Bren wrinkled his face up. Two could play at the games of asking questions that weren’t fun to answer. Zelda paused with her bite of food. “No. We haven’t looked too hard, though.” No, they hadn’t. They’d been too busy running the station, so Gemini had been told. Gave him the perfect opportunity to present something they wanted in a package to them. “Too bad. It’s hard on a station to operate without one.” “Z and I are doing just fine.” Sure you are. If they’d been paying attention, they would already know things about Gemini. That they didn’t said their system wasn’t working just fine. He waved a hand. “Oh, you two do fine. I just know being so busy and having to do both your own jobs, plus handle security, must keep you busy. Hell, my guys alone keep you jumping.”
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Zelda’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, about that. You’d better keep them more in line. Or, you’ll be calling them dickless wonders soon.” Gemini lowered his head as though he were ashamed. “I’m upset with them myself. Can’t get good help. That’s what I’m saying. About you two. Shame such a pointy bastard left you high and dry.” “We’ll get by.” Zelda’s arms flexed as though she’d squeezed something. Must be Bren’s hand. “We always do.” “Yeah. But too bad you have to.” Gemini snapped his fingers. “You know…” He waved a hand. “Nah. I’m not looking for a job.” Bren pressed his hand down on the table. “What are you talking about?” “It’s an off the wall idea.” He’d make them drag the notion out of him. That would leave them more inclined to do what he wanted, while thinking it was their idea. Stupid saps. And what a rush duping them. “He wants us to offer him the job of our security officer.” Zelda took a chug of her water. Gemini’s eyes simmered before he blinked to clear them. Leave it to the bitch to take away his moment. Hadn’t she always? He broadened his smile. “I’m not really looking for a job.” He shook his head, as though he couldn’t believe he’d said anything. “We haven’t offered any position to you yet.” Zelda took her last bite of food and chewed methodically. She was such a pain in the ass. He’d take great delight in her coming downfall. “Well, you need a security chief, even if it’s for the short term. Maybe I could be persuaded to take it. To help you out.” Because of her, he couldn’t win them over with a flourish. For a moment, the atmosphere seemed to grow chilly, not a good indication of his progress. Perhaps he’d overstepped his bounds. Hell. He’d wanted to reel them in more carefully than this. Zelda swallowed. Fishy breath blew out of her mouth like stinky fire when she exhaled deeply. Gemini managed not to cough, but only by forcing himself. He’d grown up on the shores of Bbay lake. He’d never thought he’d ever get the stench off of him. Hated these smells in any quantities. “You’re interested in being our chief.” She shushed Gemini when he started to answer. “Don’t BS me about not wanting a job. You wouldn’t have brought up taking it if you weren’t interested.” His jaw clenched, but quickly released. Positivity. They needed to see only that from him. Nothing negative. Until it was too late. “I just thought of the idea tonight. But I think it could be beneficial for both of us. You need a security chief. That would put me in a position to handle my men even more stringently than before.” How many times had Zelda come to talk with them? Quite a few. They weren’t doing anything that would get them tossed off the mine. Only annoyingly simple things designed to piss off Zelda. “How long are you staying?” Bren moved forward with a thoughtful look. Good thing he’d had the roasted pegellion, a roasted pork-like meat. Nothing fishy there.
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The waitress came by with the bill. Gemini snatched the paper up before Zelda could reach. She huffed. “I’ve got this, Gemini.” “No. It’s my treat. It was my invitation.” She tilted her hand over. “OK. I’ll handle the tip.” “And in answer to the question, I’m here until I find…my peace.” Gemini would find his peace, one way or the other, while taking the mine down. They would think he said, “piece” as in “piece of one’s heart.” He didn’t elaborate, but looked carefully at them. “It’s no skin off my nose if you aren’t interested in hiring. If you want to do all that work yourselves, instead of running the mine. Securing people’s heartstones. Earning platinum.” That would motivate them. Nothing moved around here without the desire for cash. “What are your qualifications? For a security chief.” Zelda folded her hands together in front of her plate and studied him. “I’ve been one before. On Heroza.” She already knew his record, the bitch. No one came onboard without her checking their identity. But he played the game and answered her questions. Bren tipped his chair back. “The huge space station?” Gemini nodded. Zelda cocked her head. “Impressive.” Not for him. Only impressive for the real Gemini, who had gone on to better things long ago, when his identity had been taken over. After all, couldn’t have two Geminis running around confusing everyone. He’d been presented with the opportunity to start new. “It was a job.” “You realize before I hire you, I’ll have to verify some references.” “By all means, do that. Whatever you need to do.” They’d find nothing of interest. Gemini had been boring as hell. Until about four years ago. Gemini had lived without a heartstone, too. He’d been a secretive bastard who hadn’t liked photos or identification either. So, it had been easy to assume Gemini’s identity. Well, that along with some facial surgery. He looked enough like Gemini to pass to anyone who’d known him. The bastard hadn’t had close friends who kept up with him, so any changes could be attributed to being apart for so long. Yes, becoming Gemini had been perfect for his plan. So many years in the making. And, now, he was close to seeing it through. “If your story checks out, you want to stay around and be our security chief?” Zelda pushed back from the table as the waitress grabbed the ticket. “Keep it all, Cin.” A huge tip given to an employee Zelda called by name. Gemini kept from rolling his eyes. What a overdoing-it bitch she was. “I think that would be the opportunity of the century for both of us.”The opportunity to get what I want . “How come you aren’t shooting for a bigger place?” Bren pushed back, too, seeing Zelda was getting ready to go.
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“I’ve done the big station. I’m ready for something a little different. This won’t be permanent. Just to help you folks until you find someone else.” Or the station went up in flames. Which was much more likely to happen first. Zelda got up. “Nice dinner, Gemini. I’ll get back to you on the position. I hate to eat and run, but we have something to check on.” Or somebody. Gemini suspected their distraction came from the man who by all accounts had captivated them. And disappeared. Bren confirmed the suspicion without hesitation. “Actually, someone. We’ve found our third mate.” Zelda glared a minute, then relented. “Yes. And, it’s time we got back to him.” The tri-mate bond was the most important one in Union Alliance eyes. Only one other was more prized over two men and one woman. His stomach rolled, not just because of the breath being directed at him, but because they’d found three mates, while he couldn’t even find a hellish heartstone. The Fates were most unkind. But, these three mates wouldn’t be lasting long. No wonder they were so distracted, which worked out well for him. Having another mate would mean they were too busy with them to pay enough attention to the mine. “Congratulations. I’m surprised you left him at all.” He stood up to shake both their hands. “Let me know on the job.” “I will.” Zelda stalked out through the door, with Bren in pursuit. Gemini rubbed a hand across his mouth as he watched them leave. They’d find nothing in Gemini’s files that would indicate he was a risk of anything. He’d have the job by the morning. And the real fun would start. Chapter Seven
Bren watched Amory stare at Zelda’s back. She deftly typed on the computer, where she’d gone the instant they’d come back, with one hand, as she pulled her hair down with the other. She’d worn it up for some unusual reason today. Couple of times, he’d almost yanked her hair down because he liked to see it hanging loose. His body grew hotter the more hair she pulled free. Amory shifted nervously. He’d been cagey since they’d come back from dinner. Probably expected them to attack him any minute now. Bren hadn’t dispelled the notion that their seduction would begin soon. Truth was most of seduction was in the mind. Anticipation. Maybe it would help Amory realize where his future lay. He had to, for all their sakes. Not just theirs, but his as well. Those who didn’t choose their mates over other things were unhappy and miserable. Bren had seen enough to know. Zelda blew out a breath, bringing his attention back to her. “Find anything?” “It hasn’t changed from when I checked it while approving his boarding application. He’s a stellar Zenon
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being. No priors. No arrests. Great record. Over qualified for the job of security officer at Settler’s Mine.” “That’s good. Only, you don’t seem thrilled.” Bren noticed she seemed skeptical. Gemini did seem overeager. Something about him seemed “off.” Nothing Bren could put any stock in, nor enough to call up too many questions. “It’s…too manufactured. I don’t trust him. I don’t trust this.” She waved a hand at the computer screen. “It’s too clean. Especially for a man traveling with those two nimrods, trying to help him find his heartstone. This record doesn’t track with Two-Dick Wonder and Blisters. And they were too clean for the type they are.” “Something about him seems off.” Bren walked over and kneaded her shoulders. “But what? Your contacts should be able to pull up anything that wasn’t clicking on him. Shouldn’t they?” “They should.” Her tight shoulders loosened under his massaging fingers. She leaned back into his touch as he kneaded harder. “I don’t seem to be able to access as much about Gemini as I should. But nothing here leads me to anything untoward.” “Why so tense, Z? Why so doubting about his references? And are we going to hire him?” His finger found a knob on her neck and wiggled back and forth around the bone. “We could use another hand. But, if he seems off to both of us, maybe we shouldn’t.” Her head drooped. Her voice sounded relaxed. “I don’t know why he strikes me as ‘off.’ Your description about him works about as well as any I could say. Yeah, I’m going to hire him. Keep tabs on the dirty bastard. You know what they say.” “Yeah, keep your enemies close.” Keep those you worry about tighter than your friends had always been Z’s motto. “But we don’t know he’s an enemy.” “We don’t know he’s not, either. I intend to find out though.” Her shoulder tensed under his fingers before relaxing. True. And sometimes Zelda required proof of friendship before she kept someone as a friend. He kept massaging her shoulders and back, rubbing his hands across her back in wide ever ranging circles, stroking and kneading. Her skin slipped under his fingers like a fine silk, so soft was its surface. “Why don’t you come to bed?” She purred in answer, arching back against him like a cat. Zelda could go from zero to highly-aroused in minutes. Always had. Bren couldn’t wait to sink into her satiny depths. Find his own pleasure within her willing body. The things she could do with her mouth. With her legs. He blew out a small breath as they turned to the bed. Where Amory sat, grimly staring at them. Oh, yeah. In the heat of the moment, he’d almost forgotten the other man. Only Zelda could do that to him. She could make him forget his own name in her arms. Amory shifted his weight under their scrutiny. “Now that you both are off the computer, I’d like to talk
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to you about something.” Bren raised an eyebrow. “What is it, Amory?” Zelda’s voice sounded tired, as if carrying the weight of galaxies on her shoulders. Bren kept his arm on her. She took much on herself. Too much sometimes. He eased her burdens when he could, but she didn’t allow him too much headway anywhere other than the bedroom. “I want to…be let go. I…” Amory squared his shoulders. Something had changed in him after Bren had gone to dinner. The heartstone was working its will on the young man. Or maybe Bren had gotten through to him with what he’d revealed about Zelda. Zelda would slice Bren into pieces if she ever found out. She didn’t talk about her time before the mine. Not ever. “We’ve been through this.” Amory bent down on one knee. “I pledge to you upon all the ancestors I call my own, set me free. I will not leave your side for a week.” He humbly bowed his head. Bren looked over at Zelda, who had a stoic expression. Bren had never seen anything like this. Well, except maybe in books he’d been read as a child about noble warriors. Zelda walked over to lift his head. “I accept your pledge.” She kissed his forehead and rubbed a circle around the kiss mark. Amory’s eyes opened wide. “You know of Etruscan vows?” She let loose a low chuckle. “There’s not much in the galaxy I don’t know about.” He spoke quickly. “I’m not agreeing to have sex with you. Only to stay. To see what being mates is about. Only for a week.” Amory had bound himself to them with words. Meant they didn’t have to keep him tied. But tied he was just the same. Only he’d done that and not them. She looked at him seriously. “I make my own pledge to you. Nothing will happen to you here that you don’t want to.” She nodded her head down in reverence. Amory nodded as if he’d accepted her terms. Bren quickly chimed in. “I second Z’s vow. Nothing will happen to you that you don’t want to happen. But, I will have fun convincing you that you want it to happen.” He waggled brows at them both. “I like a challenge.” Z rolled her eyes. Amory jingled the chain. “Can I get out of these now?” “Sure.” Zelda took the key from the necklace around her neck, where it sat close to her heartstone, and unlocked him. “Remember your vow.”
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“Oh, I will.” “Was your vow to that woman…” Bren waved a hand around in the air. “…that kind of vow?” Amory nodded. “It was. It’s why…” “…you have to go back.” Zelda and Bren spoke at the same instant. Bren smiled at his mate. “Yeah. I have to break my vow in person.” Both of them frowned as Amory rubbed his wrist where the tether had been. “Thank you for trusting me.” Amory’s wanting to go home to deal with Tania was logical for that kind of vow. It just wouldn’t go over well. Especially with Gemini on the station. Zelda wasn’t going to want to go, and she wouldn’t let Amory go by himself, or even with Bren. Zelda reached over to rub up and down his lower arm, her fingers lingering over the skin. “Don’t let me down.” Her dark fingers against Amory’s skin set off something in Bren as he watched. Was Amory’s skin as soft as it looked? She leaned down to press a kiss where the clasp had rubbed. Amory and Bren both blew out a breath at the contact of her mouth. Bren had experienced her touch many times. Amory was new to the sensations. Amory pulled his hand away. “I better go.” “To where?” Zelda moved back to the computer. “You don’t have quarters anymore. Besides, you said you wouldn’t leave our side. You vowed that. For a week.” Amory’s mouth opened. Bren had to chuckle at his expression. Zelda had him. Amory had gone up against a consummate negotiator and lost. Better men than him had tried and failed. Shit, she could outmaneuver Bren most of the time. Bren’s feelings boiled over for his mate. He’d never wanted her more than he did at that moment. She’d not lost her head over their mate’s issues. And she’d played with Amory on her own terms. So many would have forced him to their will in most unpleasant ways in these circumstances. Shackling him and giving him time to think had been the best way they could have handled the situation. “I didn’t mean. I mean…” Amory backed up a step. “So I did. I did vow that. And I will honor my vow.” “Which means you stay in these quarters.” Zelda pointed to the floor. “No matter what. Until the end of the week.” “Fine. Though that’s technically not your side. But I’ll agree to that. Now where do I sleep?” “There.” Zelda moved closer toward the bed, unsnapping her leather pants as she walked. “You sleep right there.”
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Bren chuckled at the expression on Amory’s face, which was a cross between desire, annoyance, and horror. “Oh, no…” Amory folded his arms across his chest. “You are not screwing each other in the bed with me there.” “Now wait a minute…” Bren stepped around the bed. “No one said we were fuc --” “No, I saw the two of you when she got off the computer. And you’re not doing that. I’m not doing anything with anyone for now. I said I’d stay, not screw.” “Who agreed we weren’t fucking? That’s not in the deal.” They would have to wait for Amory to be ready for them. But, Bren couldn’t resist making Amory think about the two of them in bed with him. Amory wanted them. He didn’t know how bad he wanted them. Before this was over, he’d understand how his heart worked. Bren would show him. Zelda arched a brow. “Who put you in charge?” She pulled down her pants over dark, creamy thighs and off her long legs. “Of this bed? You did. When you tied me to it. And you’ve made me agree to stayhere . That puts me in charge of what happensthere . And I’m…not now. Neither are you.” Amory had been hit with a lot in a day. No wonder he wasn’t ready to be with his mates yet. He needed time. Bren could concede the point even as he became captivated by Zelda’s legs. He wanted to run his tongue up them. Reach the center and lick. Start over at the base and repeat. A dozen or more times. But not tonight. “Fair enough, for tonight. But tomorrow, everything is up for grabs. Remember our vow to you.” Zelda and Amory had a staring contest. Amory broke first. He lowered his gaze. “Fine. I guess we all sleep together tonight, then. And deal with tomorrow when it dawns. But I’m not just having a screw. I won’t give in to sex just to have sex.” Amory was hung up with sex being the only part of being mates. A lot of those new to being mated had that impression. It wasn’t. The first part, yes, but not the sum total of the whole bonding experience. Bren’s gaze swept to Zelda. She was so much more than a fuckbuddy to him. He’d never met anyone else he’d lay down his life for. He’d give it all for Zelda. That was what being mates meant. That was what they had to show to Amory. Amory had to feel that way about them, and they about him. The Fates had decreed it would happen. “When you understand being mates, you’ll understand how wrong that statement is.” Her firm breasts jiggled as she stalked over to the bed. “And once we’ve convinced you of your future, we’ll take you together. As mates. Not just fucking.” “Why are you undressing?” Amory’s voice sounded as clipped as the wings of a bird of prey. He averted his gaze from her naked body. Something Bren couldn’t bring himself to do. Shit on Etruscan prudery. “I sleep in the nude. You best get used to nakedness. Bren and I don’t have a problem walking around without clothes.” She blinked dark eyes at Amory. “I’m only going to bed. To sleep. Tonight. Tomorrow
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is a different story.” She turned toward Amory. Her high breasts perked right out of her body with rigid nipples. Bren’s gaze followed down the line of her body to her full hips and ass. It was going to be a long time, waiting on Amory. Dammit. ***** Zelda sat up as gently as she could in the bed. Good thing she’d invested in the super-size piece of furniture. Amory was a bed hog. He kicked out his leg as he slipped under the blanket. He’d protested them all sleeping in the bed for maybe two seconds. But he hadn’t gotten out of bed to sleep on the floor, telling her much more than Amory would himself. Then, he’d shut his mouth, curled into his own ball, and gone to sleep, trying hard not to touch either of them. Of course, in sleep, bodies don’t notice any of that. She’d woken up to his body pressed against her back. Bren snuggled into the pillow, his mouth open as he snored slightly. He’d taken his usual position at her front. Would she wake Amory when she got out of bed? Bren could sleep through a war and often had. The best way to wake him up was to grab his cock in one hand. Or wrap your mouth around his balls. Amory was an unknown in so much. Just like with a mine though, the fun was in the exploration. She slipped the sheet down to her feet and slid down the middle of the mattress. Neither of them moved or even noticed her movement. Amory must be like Bren in the sleeping department, or he’d be alert right now. How did he like to be awakened? She had a few ideas she’d love to try. But not this morning. She had a few things around the mine to see to. She took a quick look back at her men. Her men. Both big and beautiful in their own right. Few things in life made her feel sappy. Seeing her two men curled up in bed together made her want to toss off her clothes, close up the mine, and secure them away from the busy world for a while. If only she could shut them all away. Just her and her two mates finding out about each other. Amory wasn’t hers yet. Technically. But he would be soon enough. However, the world wouldn’t wait for anyone, not even her, and she had things to do. So she quietly dressed and left the men sleeping in the big bed.
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She found Gemini talking animatedly with Two-Dick Wonder and Blisters in a dead-end shaft of the mine. He broke off when he looked up to see her approaching. A mark against him. What had they been talking about? Yes, she would keep this one close by. “Gemini.” “Zelda. I was just telling my workers that they needed to be more conscientious of the rules.” He shook his head as if disgusted with the two men standing next to him, who looked unrepentant. Sure, you were. She didn’t buy that, hadn’t fallen off the transport ship yesterday. “That’s good to hear. Especially as you’re the new security chief.” She narrowed her eyes at all three men. “If they misbehave, I will expect you to haul them in. Your workers, or not.” If he didn’t, she’d have reason to bust his balls. And maybe she’d find out what he was up to in the process. With a wide grin, Gemini stepped closer to her. He took her hand to pump it up and down. “You won’t regret your decision.” That remained to be seen. “I will keep these two in line or throw them in the brig with my own two hands.” “You’d better.” Blisters said, “You’re t’e new security c’eif?” He looked uncomfortable. “Yes, Swill.” Why hadn’t the man seen the doctor? His mouth had to be one flaming mass of pain. Probably being stupid, trying to show how much of a man he was. If he lost his lips to infection, it wouldn’t prove his manliness. Gemini turned but not before Zelda saw the look he gave to Swill. A look that said “don’t talk.” Interesting. “Zelda and I need to get set up. Don’t we? I mean, as security chief I’ll need access to some things.” “Yes. Yes, you will. If now suits you, come with me.” “It does.” They walked away from the two pitiful minions. The man seemed eager to get the job started. Not too overeager or distressed about anything, but his earnestness almost crossed over into being too much. There was something that made her pause about his actions. Zelda still couldn’t be sure what it was. Why wasn’t her government access showing more about the man? Why did he have such a stellar record and hang around with clowns like Swill and Two-Dick Wonder? “I expect daily reports of any goings on at the mine. Daily. No less.” “I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to work here at Settler’s Mine.” “How come you want this job?” Being upfront sometimes netted more answers than quibbling around the shuttlecraft. Gemini stopped and looked at her. His expression was unreadable. And wholly familiar.
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For a second, Zelda had déjà vu. She stopped to match his stance. She didn’t know him, but yet with that look, it was if she’d seen him before. Where? He seemed familiar. Why would a man she’d never met look familiar with an expression? “Why wouldn’t I want it?” “You’re overqualified. And, you kept saying you didn’t want to work. But it was obvious that you were jockeying to get this job from the moment you sat down at dinner. And, I want to know why.” “Because I want to work at Settler’s Mine. I knew the job was open when I came here.” He started walking again. “Why Settler’s Mine?” “Because it’s the biggest heartstone mine in the Union Alliance territory.” He didn’t stop, but slowed down until she moved. “I don’t have my stone. I wanted to work here because I…I just do.” Some men who hadn’t found their stone became obsessed with the mines that produced them. “So why snow me?” She walked at her own pace until he slowed down. “Why not approach me the instant you came onboard?” “After the men I’d hired to help me acted out, I wasn’t sure you’d hire me. If I couldn’t control my own men…” That was a good reason. If he were up against someone else for the position and she didn’t have worries about his plans, that fact would have lost him the job. The two men had been hired by him. He should have been able to handle them. Yet, it did provide him with a plausible reason for not seeking the job he wanted. “Not to mention, you have the rep…of…” “Being a bitch?” She exuded the personality whenever she could. It wasn’t an insult in her mind, but a compliment, though most didn’t see it that way and resisted calling her the name unless they were pissed. His mouth frizzled up like hair hitting humidity. “Yeah.” Another mark in his negative column. A man such as Gemini shouldn’t be affected by her rep. His record said he wouldn’t be intimidated. The man seemed to be bouncing back and forth between the “off” statistics and the stats that said he was on the level. Even better the reason to keep him close. “You should have been more open with me from the beginning, if you wanted the job. Keep that in mind now that you are working for me.” “I did. I do.” He ducked his head as if in respect. “I’ll be more open with you in the future.” “Good. Then, we’ll get along fine.” Until she found out exactly what he had planned. Then, they’d cross phasers. They reached her office. Gemini followed her in. “So when do I get keys?”
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“Now.” She handed him keys to access computers and doorways at the mine. He wouldn’t get access to her personal chambers. Ever. “Weapons?” She studied him, noting all the places he had a weapon stashed. “Why do you need weapons beyond what you have?” “I don’t…” He broke off at her glare. “I don’t have many weapons.” He’d been about to say he didn’t have any. A lie. “Again, why do you need anything beyond what you have?” “Settler’s Mine attracts a great many travelers. It would be a shame for an inhabitant to have more firepower than me.” He waved a hand. “Like I said, I don’t have much in the way of weapons. Only a small phaser and a few other small things.” “No one said you’d be outfitted like a Union Alliance soldier. This is a mine, not a battlefield.” His desire for a bigger weapon pushed him back into the “off” category. He seemed a bit too demanding for firepower. His eyelashes lowered. “I only want to protect Settler’s Mine in the best capacity I can. There are better, bigger weapons out there. I fear I might not be able to help if I’m not outfitted properly.” Nothing she could argue there. And Settler’s Mine had given the last security chief a weapons locker to use at his disposal. Not doing that this time. She pulled out a key, which she hadn’t given to Gemini, and unlocked the locker. She pulled out a medium-size phaser and handed it over. “Here.” He took and rolled it over his palm. “You won’t regret hiring me.” Zelda’s lips pursed as he strolled out of her office. “I won’t.”But you’ll rue the day once I find out what’s going on with you . ***** Amory turned over, half waking. His cock rose hard against a firm pressure. A dream. And a nice one at that. Bren and Zelda had their hands on him. Much better than the nightmares that struck in the middle of the night, usually about not finding his heartstone. He moved more fully against what touched him, enjoying the sensations sweeping across his body. He’d never ground against something like that, never even with his own hand because there was nothing to get out of any touch there.
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He ached for release. Spreading his legs wider, he let the desire wash across him. Let himself be sucked into the swirling vortex of his feelings. The tip moistened. Precum. His own precum had leaked. His head leaned back into his pillow. The phantom had him leaking, another first. A rustle sounded beside him as a body leaned into him. Lips planted on his. A hot tongue pressed into his mouth. A lengthy kiss tasting of mint and chocolate. Tasted fresh, unlike the morning mouth that Amory woke up to everyday. He could deal with waking up this way each and every day. Wait a minute. A dream didn’t involve tasting. Hearing things happen beside you. Nor a body pressed into yours. His eyes opened to stare up into the face of Bren, who was still kissing him for all he was worth. Amory stiffened, pulling back. Bren had a self-satisfied smile on his face as he pulled away enough to speak. “I knew you’d wake up eventually. Enjoy yourself against the pillow? I know how things could feel much better.” And he moved the pillow Amory had been thrusting against and cupped Amory’s hard and heavy cock in his hand through his pants. Amory gritted his teeth. No sense denying his arousal. After all, Bren held the proof in his hand. “Yessss.” “Good.” Amory put his hand down on top of Bren’s. “Stop.” He could barely think with everything going on. Confusion had been his biggest emotion, and he didn’t want to jump into anything too rash, even with his mates. “It would feel even better with your clothes off.” Bren leaned in close, his hot breath on Amory’s cheek, but he removed his hand as soon as Amory spoke. Amory’s cock perked up even more at that thought. The brief touch through cloth was intense enough. Skin on skin might cause him to explode. Something he’d like to do for the first time. Maybe soon. “No. I’m not taking off any of my clothing.” Not right now anyway. How was this bonding going to work, if all he wanted to do was jump into bed with them? He’d heard that the sexual tension came first, then the emotional bonding would begin. That was an understatement. If he got any more turned on by them, he’d explode. How could he figure out mating when all he wanted to do was take them to bed? Why hadn’t he promised them sex? Course he hadn’t vowed there wouldn’t be any, either. Not with an Etruscan pledge. Amory panted, but managed to gain control of his libido. Hormones that were now running around inside
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him wouldn’t overrun his good sense. He would keep his head and not act on the basis of desire for right now. Taking a calming breath, he surveyed the man who shared his bed. Bren’s damp hair alerted Amory that he’d been up awhile. He’d showered already, but hadn’t gotten ready to leave yet. No wonder he tasted so fresh and full of goodness. He’d had the opportunity to take the night off his breath by brushing his teeth. Amory’s own breath must smell and taste like the rubbish fields on Tantoine. He smacked his lips, knowing the action would do no good. “You taste yummy. I could show you again.” Bren’s hand stroked over his thigh. “Sure you want to move away?” Flittery touches like a butterfly to a flower filled Amory with expectation. No. “I am sure. For now.” Bren shrugged. “Suit yourself.” And he got off the bed to start his morning rituals, probably his usual ones. In the nude. Damn, didn’t either of these two believe in clothes? Maybe because they always wore leather in public and it was hard to clean, they saved effort by not wearing much when they were in private. Or maybe their races didn’t have the same hang-ups that his did. Bren’s cock bounced as he got a comb to run through his dark locks. He slowly combed one side of his head and then the other. He seemed to eat breakfast one mouthful at a time and brush his teeth one by one. All the while, that huge cock poked out of his body like an exclamation point, drawing Amory’s eyes to the center of Bren’s body. He couldn’t look away. Didn’t want to look away. Bren hadn’t gotten dressed yet, instead seeming to want to delay that action for as long as he could. Bren was delaying that action until Amory was ready to scream. He was doing things slowly, in the nude, to tempt Amory. And damn straight, it was working. Sexual appetites were building up inside of Amory. Now that he could get an erection, his cock seemed to always be hard. Or maybe it was the company he was keeping that made it stay so rigid. How was a man supposed to think with all the blood flow being diverted down there? The situation almost made him long for things back before he’d found his heartstone. Almost. One hand shifted up to clutch at the stone around his neck. The missing piece of his heart. Amory turned loose the heartstone as Bren brought him a bagel, making sure their fingers brushed in the transfer. He turned slowly, letting Amory get a tantalizing view of his butt as he moved away, gliding to the other side of the room. A butt that gave the definition of firm its meaning A butt so hard that platinum coins would probably bounce off it. Leather didn’t do that ass justice. It needed to be beheld in all its naked glory. Amory’s gaze wouldn’t draw up from it until Bren turned around.
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Bren caught him watching and winked. Amory snapped his head around, looking back behind him then to the front again. So he’d been caught looking. Zelda had probably spent hours looking upon the fine specimen of man she was mated to and vice versa. Only he wasn’t fully their mate yet. And he needed more time to find out what this mating was all about. “Don’t you have work to do?” Amory finally broke the silence a few seconds after the ass maneuver. He took a bite of the bagel and glared, hardly noticing the sweet taste. Bren had even buttered it for him. Somehow that the man had taken the time to make the bagel for him touched Amory. That eased his temper somewhat. “Why? Eager to get rid of me?” “Yes.” Eager to get the man in clothes was more like it. Damn show off. Amory couldn’t get the kiss or touches out of his mind, either. They burned inside of him like a message being crisped to ashes. Bren circled back, coming closer and closer to Amory. The ovals he paced brought him closer and closer to Amory. So this was what prey being stalked felt like. And yet, Amory found himself breathing deeply in anticipation of what Bren would do. Bren knelt down on the floor in front of Amory. His passionate eyes flashed, drawing Amory into their fire. His voice sounded as gravelly as the granite mines on Tatoish. “You aren’t eager to get rid of me. You only want me to stop teasing you. And, I’m not going to quit. You made this a challenge. And I’m up for it.” Before Amory could move, Bren grabbed his hand and placed it on his heavy, swollen cock. “I’mso up for it. Can’t you tell?” Amory made a strangled affirmation. The man was more than up, he was as hard as steel. He clutched his hand around Bren and tightened his fingers in a band. “Oh, yeah.” He held the cock, running his fingers up the silken sleekness. So soft. Over what felt like an iron rod. Such a rounded end. With a tip full of slippery wetness. His fingers tripped in the drop, rubbing them into the extra soft skin of Bren’s head. Bren’s eyes rolled back in pleasure. Amory looked down to study what was in his hand. Reddened and long, Bren’s cock was a piece of art. Bren thrust against Amory’s hand, pushing himself more into his grip. Amory’s gaze flew back to Bren’s flushed face. Such a square jaw and a wide mouth. Full lips. Eyes that he couldn’t escape from. He leaned his head over, parting his lips to delve in and taste Bren one more time. The com went off. “Bren.” Zelda’s voice. Her throaty warble did everything to ignite Amory’s nerves.
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Bren pulled away from him even as Amory fought for a second to keep hold of Bren’s cock. A silent war that Bren won, because it was his member. Where had Amory’s resolve gone? It was like a switch had been thrown in him the instant his fingers had touched Bren. Like he was metal and Amory’s hands were a magnet. Maybe he wouldn’t last two hours with no sexual contact. At least, not with Bren walking around naked and putting Amory’s hands on his cock. And right now, that didn’t seem to be a bad plan. Maybe he should explore all his mates had to offer. After all, they were his mates. Would that be a mark against his vow to Tania? Hard to say. Bren grinned at him as he stalked to the com receiver and hit a button. “Told you I like a challenge.” “Bite me.” “All in good time, my mate. All in good time.” Chapter Eight
Gemini strolled through the mine, keys clutched in the hand in his pocket. He’d done it. Security chief on Settler’s Mine. The first step to the gateway of taking over. Zelda watched him. Whenever he saw her, careful eyes were trained on him, taking in his every move. Not that she’d ever see it coming. He’d find a way to distract her from what was going on until it was too late. A grin lit his face. Yes, the first step had taken him many moons to achieve, but achieve it he had. And he’d take his plans all the way. His com warbled. “Gemini, your two goons are at it again. In the bar.” “I’m on it.” His mouth thinned. The dumb bastards. They were supposed to stop this mess now that he had what he wanted. He marched through the doors. Clydehad a withering look on his face as he thumbed over at Gemini’s two dumb fucks, who looked arrogant. “’E’s the new security c’ief.” Swill looked as if he wanted to start saying “Nyah nyah nyah nyah.” “Gemini is.” Clydenodded. “So I heard.” Tenack nodded and shotClyde an obscene gesture. Gemini blew out a deep breath.Must not kill minions . Not yet anyway. He grabbed Swill by the ear and motioned to Tenack to follow them. “I’ll take care of them. They won’t be causing any more trouble.” Clydegrowled. “See that they don’t.”
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Gemini growled back, but stopped it quickly. He shot back a plastered smile. “I will. Don’t worry.” Bastard. Gemini would see he got his after things went down. Wolftons didn’t need heartstones to find their mate. God, how Gemini hated them. He dragged them down to the office of the security chief. Once they were safely inside and the locks were thrown, he released Swill. “T’at ’urt, I’ll ’ave you know. You bastard. W’y are you doing t’at to me?” Swill’s face turned ugly like the gargoyles of old time tales. “Because you’re stupid. Both of you.” Tenack’s eyebrows raised, but he didn’t comment. “’Ow you figure? We’re only doing what you told us to.” “I told you to wreak havoc on the minebefore I became security chief. That was a part of netting me the position. Now that Iam security chief, you’re supposed to lay off the lawbreaking.” If they lost him this job, he’d cut off Tenack’s dicks and pour Tenaglian whisky all over Swill. Swill blinked. “But w’y?” Oh, what fools these minions be. “It will make me look good. Like once I came on, the law breaking done by you two stopped.” “O’.” Swill stepped back, scratching his head. “So you want us to stop all the ’avoc, t’en?” “Yes.” Gemini gritted his teeth together. “Once my plan comes to fruition, you can go back to even more lawlessness. For now, I need you both to lie low and do something else for me.” “W’at’s t’at?” “You two told me you knew a lot of people in the underworld? Bad motherfuckers. That’s one reason I hired you.” “Ayep. We do.” Tenack palmed his cocks through his pants. Gemini looked away before he caught sight of one. Not anything he wanted to see. Especially if it had an erection. He almost put his palm down to cover his own useless member, but stopped his arm at his side. “I need you to start making contact. Get them all here on the next transports out.” “T’ey’ll never let t’em onboard ’ere. Zelda’s real particular on w’o s’e let’s in. T’ey’d ’ave too many records.” Swill rubbed his hand across a counter. “Not to mention, if t’ey all come at once, s’e’ll know somet’ing is up.” “The security chief has final say on all those boarding Settler’s Mine.” Gemini’s mouth pulled up into a fast moving smile. “Does ’e -- I mean you?”
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“I do now. I’ve arranged it.” He sighed. “Zelda’s too busy with her new mate to be bothered on all the requests for boarding. I wouldn’t want to take her valuable time. So I’ll be approving most of the boarding passes from now on.” Swill looked thoughtful. “So you’ll approve all t’e men we contact coming onboard? Under Zelda’s nose?” “She’ll never even scent it.” He’d keep his eyes on the new mate situation and even if it was going smoothly, he’d somehow shake it up so that her attention was on that more than it was Settler’s Mine. “Once you ’ave all t’ese acquaintances of ours on the mine, w’at are you going to do wit’ t’em? We know some pretty nasty c’aracters who’d love to ’ave a piece of Settler’s Mine.” Swill pulled his hand off the counter. “So I know w’at to tell my friends.” Those men weren’t Swill’s or Tenack’s friends. People that shady didn’t have friends. One had minions or accomplices. That would sell you out for a small pittance of platinum. “Once they get here, I’ll have plans for them, don’t you worry. The biggest thing you need to tell them all is not to draw attention to themselves. No lawbreaking until I say so. Once the havoc gets started, it will be big. Assure them of that. But things can’t begin until it’s time. That’s very important.” “Some of our friends would want more t’an assurance.” Platinum. The galaxy turned on platinum. “Some of our friends won’t have cash on hand to book passages.” Tenack looked at them as both heads swung his way. He shrugged. “They won’t.” “I’ll take care of that. Of all that. They want platinum to come? Wire it to them. Cash to keep them on task? Give it to them. Just fucking get them here.” Swill’s eyes narrowed like a little piggy. “’Ow? Wit’ w’at?” Gemini handed over a card. “The funds are unlimited. You take off with it, do anything beyond what I’ve ordered, I’ll cut you up so bad, they’ll never find all the pieces.” As there had once been a third minion, and they’d seen what happened to him, they’d believe his words. Sometimes a show worked twice as well as a tell. Swill gulped. “Yes, Gemini. We’ll get rig’t on it.” “Do your work in here. I’m going to patrol my mine.” Mymine . How Gemini loved the sound of that. He’d enjoy it even more when the mine was blasted into the heavens. ***** Amory couldn’t get what had happened with Bren out of his head. Such power in a touch. He’d had no idea that anything like it existed in the galaxy. Tales didn’t begin to tell the reality of being touched there when one had their heartstone. Heaven couldn’t be as sweet as the pleasures his touch had ignited. His cock had remained hard since the encounter. Nothing seemed to bring him any relief, not even thinking about the most boring things he could. Aching and swollen, the appendage wanted something badly.
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Release. Even though he’d never had sex or an erection, he’d read about the mechanics, what was supposed to happen. The cock got hard, desire escalated, then a male orgasmed with a jet of semen pulsing through the tip. Rudimentary sexual instruction had been included in his classes, and he’d read more about it from books. Only he hadn’t counted on the force of the desire that went along with sex. The storm of emotions that accompanied arousal. How did men deal with having so much blood go down to their nether regions and think? Once Bren had placed Amory’s hand on him, coherency had been far beyond his reach. All he could conceive of was what he’d clutched in his hand. No wonder some killed for lack of heartstones or became obsessed to the point of pain with finding theirs. Now this behavior made sense to him, whereas before he’d not understood wanting the heartstone that badly. He’d wanted his heart, but not enough to kill. Maybe he really was naïve. After all, he’d made a vow to a woman he’d never have, but his honor was all wrapped up in the situation. And, he’d tried to deny something that felt like breathing to his mates. He lay on the bed and shifted his body around. Couldn’t get comfortable because of his own hardness. He rubbed against the mattress, plowing against the sheet, much as he had when he’d been dreaming. Dreaming of his mates, though Bren hadn’t asked. The cloth rubbed against his sensitized skin. Not where he wanted to be. Needed to be. Not soft enough. Not wet enough. Not pliant enough. The way he’d plow into Zelda would set his loins on fire. The way Bren would take him would break over him like a storm. Only the mattress wasn’t as yielding as her body would be. As Amory’s body would be for Bren. It was only a matter of time before one of them or both of them took him. And the idea thrilled him. All his protests had been lost by the wayside. He wanted his mates. If only time would move faster, so he could have that experience. Then, he’d go take care of the past so he could face his future. His cock seemed to expand even more. Impossible. He couldn’t get harder, yet he did. Uncomfortably so. He rolled on his back and took his newly found erection in his hand. He rubbed up its length and back down to the base under his pants. A moan escaped his lips. He remained so turned on. He wouldn’t last long at this rate of excitement. Men jerked themselves off often, especially if they hadn’t found mates yet. Time for him to join that club. The action would relieve him for now. He moved, taking off his pants, dropping them on the floor, and positioned himself so he could use both hands.
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One of his hands gripped himself tighter, fluttering up his length with grip and lightness all in the same touch. Up and down, he moved while encasing his cock within his fingers. His hips bucked. The sensations slid across him like a tidal wave. His hands were slippery from the moisture that leaked from the tip. Back down he traveled to the base with his hands moving like a channel across his cock. Faster and faster, he jerked his hands. Zelda’s face flashed before his thoughts. Bren’s eyes. Amory’s hands would tangle in his hair. The thoughts almost sent him over the edge, but not quite. Something more. Their hands on him. Yes. His breathing increased. Maybe that would do it. A sound. A click. Amory jerked, his eyes scanning. His hands skittered away from his cock when he saw who stood in the room. Zelda. Her serious face looked beautiful in the lamplight. Her scent drifted over him as it always did whenever she entered a room. Flowery, yet with spice. She shimmied her hip to close a drawer on the nightstand. Without a word, hips swaying, she walked toward him. One hand gripped something tightly. He drew up his legs as she tossed one dark leg over his to almost straddle him. The movement made him shiver. He couldn’t think of anything witty to say. Nothing that would break the moment. If only he hadn’t slid off his pants. Only she seemed happy to see him that way. As she drew closer, he could smell her musk. She held her hands up in front of him. A tube. Opening it, she poured thick liquid out onto her hand. Lube. ***** Zelda pressed her hands, sliding her palms together. The slippery friction warmed up the gooey substance. Amory’s eyes were wide as he stared at her with parted lips. When she’d come quietly into the room and realized what Amory was doing, her passion had kick-started. Revved up like some motor to an old shuttle. She’d watched his face most of all as it lit up with his desire. A desire he’d never felt before. He’d never come to climax. Just gotten his first erections. What a special time he was having. And she
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and Bren were a part of this slice of his life. The sexual awakening. She couldn’t wait to introduce him to all the varied joys that being with each other had to offer. The lube had heated within her rubbing hands. She lifted them over Amory’s cock, drizzling moisture down on him. Drips hit his erect cock. He swallowed, his throat moving capriciously. His Adam’s apple bobbed under flushed skin. Her hands dipped down to cover him. He hissed in a breath. Sounded like a rotor leaking air. Only he wasn’t getting softer with the sound. Not at all. He was getting harder. She rubbed the lube into his soft skin, barely grazing her hands across him. Then, she rubbed harder, lengthening her strokes across his full length. His head arced back into the mattress in abandon. One of her hands slipped underneath him to cup heavy balls. She fondled them, stroking and squeezing them. “You know you want this.” She squeezed again, taking her time letting go of the sensitive skin. He started to shake his head. She squeezed again, cupping him as firmly as she could get her hands. “You know you want this.” He let out a rich moan. “Yes. Yes, I do.” He’d admitted his passions. Yes, he could protest all he wanted. But he wanted this as much as they all did. If she’d had any doubts about him and his needs, she’d never have tied him up in the first place. All she was doing was making him confront his true desires. He’d lived in a fantasy world with Tania for so long, he’d had trouble grasping reality when it happened. This way, he’d begin to live his own life. With Bren and Zelda. The way Fate had decreed the future. Even if he didn’t stay with them, which was unthinkable, he’d begun to get to know his own being as opposed to doing things because of culture, parents, or a woman. If only Zelda could get the adherence to vows from him, but Etruscans never let go of their honor. Not time to think of that, because she’d not want to let him go after a week, and she couldn’t leave the mine. No, time to concentrate on the hard cock at hand. Her hands stroked along him with renewed vigor. The hand on his sacs squeezed with a motion designed to tantalize. She touched his length with firmness, going up and down. She loved the way he felt under her hands. Her gaze drew to his face again as his hips rocked up and down methodically in time with her touch. He’d closed his eyes, lashes fluttering against his cheeks. His tousled hair was tossed back across the mattress like an odd-looking planet ring. The muscles of his face drew up in pleasure. Intense pleasure always looked like agony. It was agony sometimes, waiting for the orgasm, the little death, as some long ago people had called the act. Only she wouldn’t let him have his climax. Not yet. That would be too quick. The fun was in prolonging
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the orgasm. Of course, she didn’t think that way when she was on the receiving end of this, only when she was the giver. His first time needed to be drawn out by her. He was so turned on, he could achieve what he needed to explode quickly, if she’d let him. She wouldn’t let him. No, she’d take her time and make him ask for his pleasure. She slowed her motions, softened her touch. Removed her hand from his balls. Didn’t give him the full impact of her touch. He opened his eyes. “What are you doing?” “Making it last.” His mouth shriveled up. “I don’t…” She leaned over to press a kiss against the tip of his cock, making his words die upon his lips. “Shhhhh.” He closed his mouth, leaning his head back with a sour look upon his face and a huff of breath. She’d seen that look. On her own face. Bren and she had made love under mirrors before. She’d seen her expressions and had shot Bren a look much like this one, which he’d promptly ignored, to continue drawing out her passions. Amory and she were more alike than she cared to admit. They both liked to be in control. She continued her ministrations on his cock, stroking and touching, but not quite hard enough to bring him ultimate satisfaction. She’d build his banking passions, then slide down the touch. He writhed back and forth on the bed. “Zelda.” Sweat coated his face and the flush had increased to a ruddy red. “Yes?” “Let me come.” She removed her hands. “I don’t know if it’s time yet. I want this to last.” She hovered her hands just over his body. “It has, dammit. Long enough.” She licked her lips, enjoying the show of impatience. Their taking Amory would be an all night event. One she couldn’t wait for. Moisture built up in her pussy, coating her. “Are you sure it’s been long enough? I mean I don’t want to rush you or anything.” She grinned at his murderous expression. He snorted, bucking his head back into the pillow like a wildebeest she’d seen once in an extinction exhibit from a planet far away. “I’m sure.” She sprinkled her touch over his hips, not touching anywhere long, but spreading it around. “Sit up.” His cock jerked and tilted toward her hand. Shiny under the lamp, his length was covered in lube and
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swollen. “What?” “Sit up.” He moved to sitting with her help so that his back rested against the headboard. This way they’d both be more comfortable for what she had in mind. She wanted him to enjoy this as much as he could. His first blowjob. She lowered her mouth and encased his tip into her full lips. She suckled on his end like she would a straw. His entire body spasmed. There was so much more. So much Amory had never experienced. She sucked him down into her mouth. Puckering her lips like she was going to whistle, she ran her mouth up and down his length. Each time he went deeper into her mouth, his hips swiveled taking him down a little more. Finally, he drove himself in as deep as she could take him without gagging. He didn’t give her time to react, but went in with unrelenting pressure. She opened her jaws, careful not to settle her teeth upon his length and held him there for a second, before going up and taking him down into her mouth again. Out of the corner of her eye around her hair, she could see his hands white knuckled, so tight was their grasp upon the sheet. His hips bucked up wildly. His hands left the sheet to tangle in her hair. He held her in place so she couldn’t move back but a fraction. So close to the edge. Soon enough he traveled over. His cock jerked in her mouth just before he started to spray. His orgasm hit with a force to be reckoned with. She could barely keep up with his spurting semen, but managed to keep from gagging as he pulsed out his pleasure. As the throes of his passion calmed, she withdrew him from her mouth. Swiping her tongue across her lips, she tasted sweetness. He must have eaten candy or drunk something sweet tasting. How good he tasted. She loved to get Bren to eat a hcaep, a fleshy, sweet, peachlike fruit, before she gave him oral sex so his cum could taste like it. “Enjoy yourself?” She ran her hand across his flat stomach, which sucked in at the touch. His skin was still sensitive after his orgasm. “I think you know I did.” She looked at the man stretched out before her. A banquet of contradictions. Ornery yet gentle. Tough yet soft. She’d spend the rest of her life getting to know him, and he’d spend that time getting to know her. Goddess knew, she was a mess of conflicts as well. Yeah, she wore the label of bitch proudly. “I
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know.” “It was incredible. I had no idea…” “No idea what?” She lowered her hips to sit on the bed near his feet. She stroked across them gently. “That sex could be like this.” “There’s even more. Even more than this, Amory.” “And Zelda and I will have fun teaching you all about it.” Bren’s voice had them both jerking to look at him. “I came in earlier, but you two were busy.” His eyebrows went up and down. So he’d watched them. His pants tented, testifying he’d seen enough to set off his own arousal. “Perverted voyeur.” Zelda inflected the words with humor. Things were going well. Life was finally going her way with her newest mate. This had been a start to what would hopefully develop into an ongoing relationship. Only she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to come crashing down. Like things had in the past. No, she’d protect her mates with her every cell of being. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You love me that way.” Bren flopped on the bed with them. He noticed her quietness and shot her a look of concern. She patted his knee. No sense worrying Bren with shades of the past. That had to be all it was. ***** Zelda had a secret. Even as his minions were loading the station with unsavory characters who’d be loyal to him, Gemini had been checking on her new mate. After all, if he was going to exploit her distraction by having a mate, he should know all about this other man. Bren, he’d read enough on to know the man was unflappable and would not be turned from Zelda. This new mate was a question. Gemini was already using her distraction over having a third mate to his advantage. Could other means be explored? It hadn’t taken Gemini long to find out who the mate was. Amory. A man who, by all reports, had no love or like for Bren and Zelda. He’d not been friendly to them despite their continued efforts at friendship. In fact, he’d railed against them as greedy bastards to several patrons of the bar one night.
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Friendship was something they didn’t offer to just anyone. Other than business deals and threats, they didn’t have drinks and dinner with every newcomer to the station. They’d made an exception for Amory. They’d made overtures to him, and he’d rejected their efforts, according to several sources. That made him a reluctant friend. So where did that leave them all as mates? Checking had netted him some more interesting information. This new mate seemed to be full of interesting facts. Amory had found his heartstone and immediately been ready to leave Settler’s Mine. Within an hour, he’d arranged passage and been ready to go. Only he hadn’t left. He’d stayed onboard Settler’s Mine despite having been ready to jet off a few hours earlier. Why? Had he changed his mind after he’d found out they were mates? Logical, but the time line didn’t make sense. Amory should have found out about them being matedbefore he’d booked the passage off the mine, because Zelda and Bren had gone to see him right after he’d found his heartstone. Several sources said Amory had booked the flightafter the stones had glowed in relation to each other. Why leave Settler’s Mine so quickly when his mates were here, as he’d obviously been ready to do? Unless… Amory hadn’t wanted Bren and Zelda as mates. Further checking revealed that Amory hadn’t been seen since booking that passage. His gear and items had been on the shuttle, but he’d never shown up to leave. The shuttle and all his property remained docked. He’d gone into Bren and Zelda’s quarters just before he was scheduled to take off, but never left. What had happened to Amory once he’d gone into their quarters? Why hadn’t he left when he said he was going to? One conclusion made sense. They were holding Amory prisoner in some way in their quarters. Holding him against his will because he was their mate. Illogical.
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But what would Zelda do with a reluctant mate? She’d try and keep them. And Zelda wasn’t known for her niceties. Instead, she was known as a bitch who, when she wanted something, would stop at nothing to get it. Gemini pulled up the infrared scanners. Not much could probe into Zelda’s room. She had a com, but not much else that would monitor her personal rooms. Her rooms possessed shields as well. The infrared could penetrate and tell him how many people were in the room by detecting heat. Three balls of warmth polarized on the screen. There were three people in the room. Amory was in Zelda and Bren’s quarters. Which gave credence to his logical reasoning of postulating what had happened to Amory. Now, how did he use this? Zelda wasn’t dumb, nor was she usually distracted. Gemini had lucked into coming onboard when she’d just found a mate. She’d start to notice lots of new faces on the mine that she hadn’t approved. Gemini was also denying passage to some of the passengers looking for their heartstone. They’d thank him later when everything blew up. Everyone would thank him for leveling the playing field. What was the best way to ensure she didn’t notice the legions of badasses he was unleashing on the mine? Get Zelda off the mine. How could he do that? She rarely left. Bren never left without her. He leaned back in his chair as he flipped off the sensor. How could he get Zelda away from her baby? Get her away from Settler’s Mine for enough time to get all his pieces in place? Release a reluctant mate. Amory would leave once he’d been released. Bren and Zelda would pursue Amory, seeking to reclaim their mate. They’d never let Amory go free. Might keep them busy for years. No, Zelda wouldn’t leave the mine for that long. Regardless, they’d go off the mine even if the period of time was short, and that was what Gemini needed them to do. He’d keep scanning, and keep tabs on Zelda and Bren’s positions. He had some portable links he could carry with him. Once they’d left Amory alone, he’d go in and set him loose.
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And they would leave Settler’s Mine ripe for the taking. Chapter Nine
Amory watched as Zelda brought in food. His cock jumped to attention at the mere sight of her. Not to mention his first orgasm was never far from his mind. What a mind-blowing experience. Yeah, blowing, that was the word for it. He’d had no idea sex could be like this. And he hadn’t even had the full effects yet. Though from the way Zelda was eying him, he didn’t think he had long to remain a virgin. Who would get to him first? Zelda or Bren? And how much fun would he have while they were doing it? His resolve had been tossed out the window. They were his mates, why shouldn’t he enjoy them? They seemed to be avoiding coming together as a threesome. Probably because of the journey to come. They still didn’t want him to make the trip, but he had to. He didn’t see any way around going home. “I brought you some lunch.” Zelda turned to face him. She wore black skintight leathers that could have been painted on. The shirt went down in a V between her ample breasts. So much skin revealed. So much lickable skin. Wasn’t even that showy but the sight of her captivated him, as it always did. Why did they both have to be so magnetic to him? Then, maybe he could have resisted their allure. Maybe because they are your mates. He licked his dry lips. He’d never get used to hearing that. He wanted to see more of her skin revealed. How easily he’d gone to the other side with them. Couldn’t resist either of them. When they all came together, it was going to be so good. “Good. I’m starving.” “Are you now?” He nodded as she set the plates down. He hadn’t had anything since a leering Bren had brought him breakfast. The man was miffed he’d missed the blowjob. Bren would be taking advantage the next time they were alone. That much could be sure. Zelda leaned over him to reach for something. He looked down her shirt into the creamy valley between her breasts. There was a freckle on her right breast. The mounds tantalized him. Her head lifted to raise her eyes level with his. “What are you hungry for, Amory? Your eyes say it’s not only food.” He swallowed with a wince. He was hungry. For her. For them both. But, he still didn’t want to be with them both before his journey. However, she was alone. Maybe the time had come to experience Zelda in all her glory. She lowered her mouth toward his, stopping a mere few millimeters away. “What do you say, Amory?”
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He moved his mouth in to close the distance she’d left between them. His lips brushed hers, tingling at the contact. His tongue ran across the seam, seeking entry to her mouth. She parted her lips under his to grant him what he most wanted. So sweet. She tasted better than any concoction the best chefs in the galaxy could ever come up with. Bottle her and she’d be priceless. Only, she was his. Her tongue slipped in to play with his as their lips pressed against one another. She kissed him back, meeting his every stroke, giving back each nuance of the embrace. After a few minutes of frenzied contact, he pulled back. “I say I’m hungry for you, and lunch. Both.” He had a way of feeding both his desires at the same time. Would be fun for them both. She pushed back her hair with a swipe of her hand. “Oh?” A fine eyebrow went up in the air. He nodded again. “Yep.” His stomach rumbled. She could see his cock lengthen so she knew both parts were true. She settled on the bed as he pulled his feet up to lie down. “How do you propose we sate both your desires? I do have a mine to run.” Her hand reached for his calf to stroke under his pants. “You should leave these off.” She picked up a piece of bread. “Why don’t we get you fed? I do have to go back to work today.” He took a bite of the bread and chewed. With his free hand, he rubbed up her leg under her leather pants, letting his hand revel in her soft skin. Her scent intoxicated him. Food didn’t seem as important as it once had been, but he did need to eat something. After pulling his hand away, he picked up a sorbet of some kind. Held it up to his mouth to test the temperature. Chilled but not cold. “What flavor is this?” Zelda appraised the cup as she moved away. “I’m not sure. Maybe cherry? Or a raspberry?” He smacked his lips, deciding on the taste. “Cherry. I love cherries.” If he was going to join their side, he might as well go all the way. Maybe he had things he could teach Zelda. A smile reached his lips at his plan. “Glad we could please you.” He took the spoon and corralled a bite of the sorbet. “You do.” He lifted it and went over Zelda’s chest. “Lift your head.” “What?” “Lift your head?” He motioned with his hand for her to hold up her neck.
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“Why?” “Because you please me.” She lifted her head, displaying her neck and chest for his questing eyes. “Don’t you get that on my leathers.” “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He drizzled the sorbet down her neck and into the V of the shirt, down the hollow to her breasts. She didn’t move her head, but her eyes looked down. “I’m a mess now. Guess you’ll have to clean me up.” “That was the intent.” He lowered his head to her throat to lap at the sorbet on her skin. Zelda tasted of vanilla, and it mixed with the cherry flavoring to treat him. He licked all around her throat, paying attention to the hollow. He discovered a sensitive spot under her ear that made her shiver. So even Zelda had a sweet spot. Did she have one lower? He couldn’t wait to discover all her sweet spots. “How soon do you have to go back to work?” Her gaze shifted to him. “Keep doing that and never.” He smiled and licked further down the bottom of her throat, kissing and laving her skin under his tongue. He nipped at her collarbone, enjoying the hard feel under his tongue. He could make a day of simply tasting her and never get enough. Slowly, his fingers grasped the zipper and tugged it down. The whirring sound sent a tremor down his spine all the way to his cock. She leaned her head further back as he finished unzipping the entire shirt. Splayed it apart to gaze at her exposed chest. Beautiful. He’d seen her a few times now, but he still couldn’t get over the wonder that was her body, especially her breasts. Heavy with large nipples, they were the stuff of fantasies. A drip of sorbet pooled on the top of her right breast, right near the freckle. He leaned over. “You’ve got a drop of cherry there.” His tongue lapped the drip off, lingering to press
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against the freckle, before moving around to the nipple. “Glad you could clean me up.” She sounded breathless. A pulse hammered under her throat. The cool unflappable Zelda was no longer so. Pleasure waves raced through him. He’d done this to her. Him and only him. He’d made her lose that businesslike persona that never had her showing the trueness within. He tugged her nipple into his mouth, tonguing each depression on the textured tip. Suckling, he drew the point out as far as he could in his mouth. She wiggled beside him, a pant singing from her lips. He scraped his teeth across her nipple, being gentle, before pressing softly into the edge of the tip. She rewarded him with a full-bodied moan. The deep sound echoed. He’d never heard that pitch in her voice. The other side of her chest didn’t have any sorbet, but he moved his mouth over just the same to take her other nipple into his mouth. He wiggled his tongue quickly across her tip before drawing it in to suck intensely. He pressed his tongue up in to flick as he suctioned her nipple, increasing the pull as much as he could to make her writhe. He pushed her arm down to slide the limb from the shirt. Time for her to get a lot more comfortable. The shirt fell off her shoulders with his help. Her heavy lidded eyes sought his out. She licked her lips. Her small pink tongue torched off such a firestorm by a simple movement. Did she taste him? He still could taste the intoxicating flavor garnered from her body and the sorbet he’d licked off. Yes, he needed to be with her. Needed to feel her skin against his. He reached down to unzip her leather pants. As quickly as he’d ever seen a woman move, she shrugged them down and off. Her chest rose and fell with varied pants, bobbing her breasts. She turned toward him, slender legs spread apart. The curve of her thigh as it rose to meet the center of her body fascinated him. He’d never seen anything that came close to Zelda. She outshined the Spelio moons in all their glorious splendor. He blew out air to release the pent up longing inside him. “Breathtaking.”
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Her face glowed with a lazy smile. He stood on shaky legs as he pulled his shirt over his head. Yanked down his pants so they fell to the floor at his feet. His first time. Would he be able to satisfy her? He’d never done anything sexual before. Would he be able to give her as much as she’d given to him already? She deserved a man who could make her scream with pleasure. He knew the hows of sex, but would that be enough to give her all she so richly deserved? His gaze sought out the woman in front of him. Her eyes shone with desire like the stars in the heavens. And the pleasure in her eyes was for him and him alone. And suddenly, he could do anything as long as she kept that look in her eyes. He could even fly up to touch the galaxies without need of a spaceship. She gracefully approached the bed with a dancer’s walk. Winking at him, she sat down and pulled him in front of her. Her cool arms wrapped around his hot body, as she urged him to the bed. Bodies wrapped around each other, skin sliding against skin as they held onto each other as if they’d never let go. Her skin singed him with internal heat. Eternal heat like a volcano from within. Delicious. She shifted and her mouth moved across his. Barely a kiss. Yet, the contact intensified his desires so much, that as he met her mouth, the kiss turned frantic. He couldn’t get enough, couldn’t kiss hard or fast enough to keep up with the spiraling passions inside of him. He kissed her as if he’d die without her mouth on his. Might not have been true, but it damn well felt like that. She was the air he breathed. She returned the kiss with the same frenzy. It drove him even more into the stratosphere, seeing that her reactions to him matched his for her. His hands moved up to run down her sides, touching bits of her flesh. His hips bucked against her in a match to the thrust of his tongue into her mouth.
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She broke their mouths apart to urge him on top of her with hands that stroked all the right nerve endings. Never had anyone touched him like this. Touches that went straight from his skin to his heart. Their heartstones glowed in pulsating time to each other. He didn’t have to look to see the light. Too much passion flowed between them for the stones not to illuminate. Not yet. He wanted to be on top. Wanted to slide into her wetness. But first he needed a taste. A sip of the woman. He slid down her body. Her breathing quickened in anticipation. She knew exactly what he’d planned. Her legs slipped apart to widen her hips, giving him as much access as he could want. He slipped a hand in to part the way. Couldn’t help but stare at her loveliness. So red and moist. And just for him. “Do it.” Her grainy voice railed at him from her position further up on the mattress. “Do it.” He let his tongue out to slurp her up and down her length. Her entire body bucked. Another pass of his tongue, and her torso arced more. He sucked her clit into his mouth, sucking on it much as he’d done her nipple. Such a little flap of skin to cause so much pleasure. Zelda’s body shook as sensations must be rolling across her. He’d done this to her. Him. Again. Brought her to the brink. He pulled his mouth from her pussy. Her creamy, dark skin had a rosy cast. It glistened, covered with sweat. So hot to the touch. Such a woman. His woman. The power in his hands against this mighty woman was phenomenal. And he wanted to explore all nuances of the mating bond they shared. He wanted to become one with their bodies.
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Damn him, he wanted to become one with both of them. That would come later. As would Amory. He lifted himself up to slide on top of her and as he shifted back down, his cock met her entrance. Barely inside, he stilled. Warmth enveloped him all over his length. A wet channel slipped around him to welcome him into her body as she thrust up to meet him. His entire body shook with the feel of her surrounding his cock. He was encased within her body. The ultimate act of giving and trust. Slick. Hot. Tight. He lifted up to come back down on her. Slowly, he went up again only to fall back down, penetrating her to her very core. She tightened her muscles around him, clenching as a moan burst free from her lips. He couldn’t pull out or move until she released him. His back spasmed with tremors. Not long now. No way could he last at the rate the explosion was building up inside him. Her muscles relaxed as the climax faded away. Up again, his body went before sliding back down against her. Pounding. He needed to pound against her. To stop this gentleness and take her by storm. Oh, gods, did he ever. As he rested inside her, lying against her, with a wheeze of breath, she nipped at his throat. “Quit being so damn polite and fuck me.” The words were what his body needed to hear. What he needed to hear. And they drove him further into the haze of passion he’d been creating. Been craving. Rising up, he came back down so fast, neither of them had time to catch their breath. His caught at the back of his throat as he thrust against her hard. Not taking his time or managing his body so he wouldn’t crush her. Instead, his moves were fast and frantic. Needed to be as close to her as he could get. Needed to be one with her. So that there was hardly any space between them. No beginning and no end. Only a mass of flesh joined into one. As the whole of his body clenched in great need of finding that right spot to spill in release, her fingernails
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raked down his back. His name burst from her lips in a scream of unending pleasure. And over the edge, he tipped. When he came back to himself, he lay on top of her, still resting inside her. Her body cushioned him and provided home for his still tingling cock. She pressed a kiss against his shoulder. “Sorry, I guess I kept you from mine duties.” His back stung from the scratches she’d made in the throes of her passion. But it was a good sting. One he’d treasure forever. Their first time had created memories. And soon, they’d be working on more. “Don’t ever apologize for that.” She pursed her lips, tasting his sweat-covered body. “Besides, I can’t wait for round two.” Even as he opened his mouth to say he’d need a few minutes, his cock swelled to life inside her. He was reminded that someone had once said, “What Zelda wants, Zelda gets.” It must be true. His cock agreed. ***** Gemini leaned back in his desk chair in his office. The back of it let out a long squeak, which made him wince. Least the mine could do was buy a decent quiet chair for the security chief. Maybe even a padded one. Not that the mine would be here long enough for him to enjoy the luxury. His plan was almost ready to go. One more tweak here and there, and the execution would be flawless. All he needed to do was wait for everything to be in place and the perfect time to launch. Waiting was something he was good at. What was a little more time? He tapped his foot along the bottom of his desk. The doors whooshed open. Zelda strolled into his office without a knock or a chime to alert him he was about to get company. He quickly hit a button on his computer, taking down the programs he’d been running. His password would need to be generated before the screen would come back up. A surprise. He’d not been expecting a visit. Good thing he’d been prepared. “Zelda.” He got up to shake her hand with a tight grip, which she returned twofold. “How nice to see you.” Why was the bitch here? It was all he could do to paste the smile on his face and not let his emotions show through his expression. He was too close to his ultimate goal to be stopped now. Had she noticed the influx of new people on the station? People she hadn’t approved to come onboard? Zelda might depend on others for some things, but she was a hands-on lady when it came to her mine. That was the reason that the large mine only had one security officer, two, when she and Bren did the job, and the situation worked. She handled troublemakers first off, either not letting them onboard, or
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meeting them when they landed. Control of her mine was essential to her. Or she had done things that way until Amory had come into her life. And Gemini’s underhanded approval of people granted visiting rights to the station. She smoothed down her jacket before sitting in a chair in front of the metal desk. Crossing her leather-covered legs, she said, “I haven’t seen your reports yet. The ones we talked about when you took this job.” Her posture straightened. “The first report is long overdue. So is the second one.” What reports? His mind called up the events of his hiring. Reports had been mentioned. Being important and due. He let out a held breath. That’s all this was about? He’d been too caught up in his own plan to worry about the details of something like a report. Leave it to Zelda to nit pick the details. “Ah yes, reports. I think I’m running behind in the computer work. I’ll sit down now and do them. Get them on your desk by this afternoon.” Now she could leave his office, expecting the promised paperwork, and he could get back to the business of taking over the mine. She changed the order of her crossed legs, but didn’t change her position to get up. “See that you do.” Now, she’d berated him even. She could leave him in peace to go have sex with her mates like the whore she was. They sat there, passing another moment in silence. Why didn’t she get out of her chair and leave? Why did she wait here, not looking at him, but surveying the front of his desk? The questions were over. Time for her to saunter her way back out of his office. He tried to wait it out, but the quiet got to him after a few moments. Something fell with a noisy ping out in the hallway. He broke the uncomfortable quiet to try and get rid of the woman. Put the most saccharine expression his face he could muster. “Was that all, Zelda? Especially with the paperwork backlog, I’m quite busy. I need to…” “Stay on top of your duties.” She looked him full in the face. “That included computer work. Which you failed to turn in.” Her hand lifted to rest on her knee. “What I’m curious about is what the fuck has kept you so busy you couldn’t fill out the reports? I’ve not heard anything about hell breaking loose on my mine. Or anything else that would take that much of your time. Other than that time you broke up the fight before I arrived and berating your men in the bar, I’ve not heard about you doing any busting of balls.” Her eyes glinted. “If I’d had those reports, I’d know that for sure what you’ve been up to.” He thought out his reply carefully. The things that had kept him busy were the things she couldn’t know about yet. Letting people onboard without her knowledge. Faking her approvals so that the other employees wouldn’t get suspicious. And most of all, planning to set their captive free, so that she’d be even more distracted. “I’ve been doing preemptive work. Trying to keep any hell from breaking out. Meeting with people to let them know a new security chief is onboard. Not to worry about anything now that I’m on the job. Networking. Putting out fires before they start. That sort of thing.” Yeah, he’d been networking all right. Networking with any enemy of Zelda or Settler’s Mine he could. She didn’t look convinced by his assurance. Instead, she looked furious. “I’m sure you’ve been busy with those things. But when I hired you, I made it clear afterward what your duties are. I expect the duties of your job fulfilled. Don’t get behind again. Or I will fire your ass.”
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Without another word, she stalked out of the office, leaving him alone. The doors pressed closed with a hiss behind her rapping heels. He picked up the stylus to his computer and tossed it across the room. The metal rod hit the stone wall with a thunk and hit the floor. The act wasn’t enough of a hit to satisfy his frustrations. He needed something bigger, to make more noise. More breakage when the article hit the wall. He reached for another object and clenched his hand around the arm of his chair. “Bitch.” He simmered down his breathing, which had escalated like a motor in hyperdrive. His fingers tensed on an empty glass resting on his desk. He could throw a few more things to break against the stone. None of the items he could break and throw would be Zelda’s head. Which was the only thing that might make him feel better than he did right now. How dare she question him? Take him to task over a damn report. Like all he had to do was her bidding. Her tedious reports, amounting to nothing more than her keeping tabs on anything that the security chief did. Like he was a pussy. Her head would soon be rolling from her body. He’d see to that. And gloat over her carcass. While the mine crumbled in around her. She’d die in the mine that had taken so many souls by false promises. Like his. He would have his due and the due of everyone promised a heartstone who’d never located the missing rock. His hands let go of the glass. She wasn’t worth the time pitching the glass would take. He got up and went over to pick up the stylus from the floor. Dusting it off, he trotted back to his chair. He needed that for his computer. He opened his reports and began to fill them out. To satisfy the bitch. Along with creating his masterpiece of deception. To satisfy the need to revenge himself upon the mine that had betrayed him. Like the heartstones and the Fates had betrayed him. Zelda’s voice sounded through his computer speaker. “Amory, it’s time you left. Sorry we couldn’t be more than that. Get your ass away from my mine. Don’t come back.” Still not perfect. The words lacked a certain Zelda touch. But, the speech was getting closer to sounding authentic. More convincing. Time to find some more spoken words and eliminate the pauses between each phrase. Should be easy enough to do. He grinned as he pushed another button to see what other stored words he’d recorded from the bitch,
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who was about to be taken down. Chapter Ten
Bren rubbed his face as he watched Amory sleep. The man must be exhausted after his first sexual encounter. Amory and Zelda had had sex. Lots of sex. Bren could almost see the picture in his mind. Muddled bodies and sweaty skin. Panting mouths straining to come together. If only he’d been around to watch them. Shit on watching, if only he’d been able to participate. Not that Amory would let him. Stubbornness was a good quality, but shitting inconvenient sometimes. That Amory wanted to honor his misguided vow to Tania in person instead of breaking off what could never be on the space com was noble. Foolish, but noble. Why did those without heartstones pledge to one another? He’d never understood taking a vow to someone you didn’t know for sure would be your forever mate. But he’d seen people make those vows. They were always disappointed. Add in the Etruscan ways, and there was one confused Amory. His gaze shifted back to the noble romantic. One leg came out from under the covers. A bronzed, limber leg. The muscles stretched underneath taut skin. Bren couldn’t draw his eyes away from looking at that bared leg. Amory hadn’t put back on his clothes after his encounter with Zelda. Which meant he was naked. Bren’s breath rasped quickly through his lungs. Naked. Amory’s eyes opened, and he lifted his head in Bren’s direction. He smacked his lips several times as he sat up. The covers fell down across his lap. “Hi.” Bren nodded. He took in the tight muscles of the man’s chest. A sparse covering of hair wound down to Amory’s stomach. What lay beneath was covered by the blanket. As Bren watched, Amory’s cock poked up, raising the blanket. “Was I snoring?” Amory shifted, pulling the blanket away from his straining erection so his cock wasn’t outlined anymore.
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Shit. Had that been Bren, and Amory had been the one looking, Bren would have tossed off the blanket. “No. You weren’t snoring.” He moved closer to the bed. “You don’t have to hide your reactions from me.” Amory licked his lips with a thin swipe of tongue. “Guess not.” He pushed the blanket a little further down, revealing trim hips. Bren’s nostrils flared. Desire roared through him like the noise the Mendosians made. That small action meant so much. The modesty ingrained in Amory was being pushed aside for a moment for Bren. “You could come join me on the bed.” Amory’s voice was strong and sure, but his expression wasn’t as confident. “I’d rather come in you.” Bren didn’t want to waste the time they had with pleasantries. The Mine would call at any moment with some crisis. Zelda and he had learned to take their moments of bliss when they had them. Because there was no telling how long the down time would last. Amory’s throat moved as he swallowed. “Oh.” Bren approached the bed, putting one knee on the mattress. “Do I come in you? Or just on the bed to you?” Would what he wanted to hear be the answer he received? Bren didn’t want to push where Amory didn’t want to go. But he desired being with his mate, taking Amory under his body. Now. Not later. “In me.” Silence reigned after that pronouncement. Did Amory realize there was no going back? Once Bren started, there’d be no change of mind. Once they were together, Bren would never easily let him go. He held fast to Zelda and would do no less for his second mate. Bren pulled out the vial in his pocket and began warming it with his hands, though he didn’t uncork the top. He’d been prepared since they’d first brought Amory into their apartment. But there’d been no telling if he’d ever get to use the stuff. Had to be Amory’s decision to take things further, not Bren’s, though persuasion was on his mind. “What’s that?” Amory lifted his head to look curiously at what Bren was doing. He shifted up on his arms. “It’s lube.” Amory sucked in a breath. Bren had to chuckle. Neither of them had been with other men before. They were about to embark upon something new for both of them. Had Amory read the sex books that Bren had while he waited to find his mate? So many had told the tales of sex with mates and what the act was like. None of them had compared to the reality of being with Zelda. Bren had to assume the ones about male on male relations were much the same. Amory licked his lips again. “You going to stand there all day? Or take off some clothes?” In answer, Bren twiddled the zipper in one hand while he pulled the clasp down. He shrugged out of his
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shirt and tugged off his pants. His cock stood out from his body, displaying how much he looked forward to this. Bren stalked to the bed to slide under the sheets with Amory. A hot body slipped against his. Skin against skin. The feel of it was like hot cheese wrapping around him. Only, he couldn’t get away from the heat nor did he want to even try. Amory lifted his mouth near to Bren’s. So of course, Bren took the advantage and kissed him. The kiss deepened as their mouths plunged against each other. Amory’s scent hovered in the bed. Such a spicy, virile smell. Bren breathed it in, all the while kissing Amory as deeply as he could. Amory returned the kiss with all the vigor of a hopping rabbit. His tongue slipped against Bren’s as his mouth tried to combine them into one. When Amory’s hand brushed across Bren’s chest, the contact was electric. It was like a lightning strike, igniting a forest fire across Bren’s body. The hand continued to play along Bren’s skin, finishing the torching of his skin threefold. Amory’s touch contained magic. Bren’s hips thrust against Amory. Bren shuddered. Too much. Almost too much. He backed off a quarter. His hand slid down in the space between their bodies to find Amory’s cock. The length of his arm allowed him to find Amory and be comfortable. He positioned the tip between his thumb and forefinger. A drop of moisture pearled out onto Amory’s glans. His hand slid up and down. Bren had never touched another man’s cock before. Amory felt different than Bren did when he’d touched himself. Thicker. He was smooth, yet so unyielding underneath the skin. Like water over rock. Amory let out a rich moan into Bren’s mouth. Bren took it inside and little noise escaped. The man tasted better than the most divine of tastes. Only one thing compared to Amory’s taste. Zelda. Reaching around with his other hand, Bren gathered the vial of lube, managed to pop off the top, and drizzled a copious amount of the sticky substance onto his hand. He pulled back even more, removing his
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mouth from Amory’s to slide down and cover his own hand and Amory’s cock. Amory’s eyes shot open. His entire body tensed with shaking. His reaction said he hadn’t been expecting that move. The slipperiness covered Amory’s cock, making it slide around Bren’s hands with ease. The hardness slithered through Bren’s fingers. Faster and faster, his hands slid around Amory’s straining cock. Faster and faster puffed Bren and Amory’s breathing. Faster and faster went both their chests from the hard exertion of the desire raging in their bodies. Amory trembled as he pulled back. “Hang on.” Bren moved away as Amory grabbed for the lube. He put a generous amount on his hand and slid his hands down between them. To grasp Bren’s cock in a firm, oily hold. Bren’s head rolled back as he barely held himself together. A large moan split his lips. Pieces of him wanted to fall apart. Not yet. Not until Amory came would Bren find the mind-altering pleasure of release. Bren gritted his teeth, seeking an iron control to his desires. His hands went back to Amory’s cock, matching Amory’s pace of stroking. The faster Amory went, the faster Bren’s hands touched. The slower Amory’s hands went, the slower Bren’s hands moved. Up and down, Bren kept working the flesh against his hand, within his hands. Adding more lube when necessary. Needed to keep Amory slick and ready. All the while, Amory kept maintaining the pace with his hands around Bren’s own cock, slowing and speeding up deliciously. Bren couldn’t think of anything beyond right now. Couldn’t feel anything but the intense pleasure between his thighs. Yet, he held on to Amory, keeping his hands going up and down Amory’s cock, and keeping control so that he didn’t spill his pleasures too early. Bren had to make Amory feel the experience as much as he did. Until with a wild thrust of his hips, Amory shouted out Bren’s name. Cum spurted from the end of his cock in waves, coating Bren’s hands and the sheet. Nothing could hold the back the orgasm that burst forth from Bren. Held back too long, the stars roamed his eyes as he spilled his seed. With a roar, Bren finished climaxing, spraying the last of his cum. Bren lay there a moment, panting and flushed, trying to calm down his breathing. He glanced around the room, his eyes drawn by the sheet.
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Their essences had mixed together in part in drips on the bed. Bren took his hand to touch a spot on the bed and blend more of their remnants of passion. Just as their cum had mixed today, so would their lives forever. Amory lay back his head. Bren stroked his hand along Amory’s chest. He found Amory’s heart and laid his hand atop it. Could feel it booming a quick beat. “Still tired? You just had a nap.” Amory snorted. “You’re the one who tired me out again. You didn’t come in me, though.” Before Bren could answer, the com went off. He blew out a heavy breath in resignation. At least the call had waited until after they’d finished. But Bren had wanted to lay with Amory for some time. Maybe have a second tryst. Take him all the way. Wouldn’t be today though. Work called. “You need to go?” Amory’s face tensed in disappointment, knowing what the call meant. Bren nodded. Didn’t want to but had to. “You’ll be back?” “Oh, yeah.” Bren started to pull on his clothes. “Sooner than later.” ***** Zelda arrived back at her quarters at the same time Bren did for a breather in the late afternoon. They needed and wanted to spend as much time with Amory as they could. He leaned in and gave her a sloppy kiss. “Hey, Z.” His goofy grin told Zelda all she needed to know about his morning. “How was your afternoon?” “Not as good as yours apparently, but not bad.” Truth was she felt distracted. She couldn’t concentrate on mine information, thinking about Amory. Nor could she concentrate on Amory while thinking about mine politics. She still didn’t trust Gemini and had a bad feeling, though she wasn’t sure why. Gemini still hadn’t done anything to earn her suspicion. Nothing much was getting done on either front, either mine or with her mate. They’d made headway with Amory, but not nearly enough. They pushed open the door. Amory jumped up from where he was sitting. “Hey.” Pleasantries were exchanged, and an early dinner was ordered. As they sat and waited for the meal to arrive, Bren rubbed her shoulders. “Little tense there, Z.” He rubbed out the kinks and the muscles. She didn’t answer but gave herself into the ministrations of his strong hands. They kneaded her shoulders
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and neck with accuracy, finding all her pressure points. He knew how rough she liked a neck rub and did it expertly. Bren knew how to calm her down. Something brushed her foot. She jerked, only to look down and find Amory, sitting at her feet. He slid his hands under her boot and slid it off. Stretching out his hands to crack his knuckles, he then slipped his thumbs up under her foot and drove them in while holding the top. He pressed up and down the flat of her foot. Meanwhile, Bren kept rubbing her neck and shoulders. Her head rolled back as sheer bliss rushed over her. So many pressure points were being hit. By her mates. The only ones in the galaxy she could let her guard down like this around. Bren pressed a kiss to her neck. “Enjoying?” She nodded. “This is a great way to relax. Thank you, both.” Amory nodded. “It will be. All the time.” They both stopped to look at his face. He easily shrugged his shoulders. “After I come back from seeing Tania, we can do this every night.” Bren muttered a curse under his breath. Zelda stiffened and pulled her foot away from his hands. The Etruscan vows were all encompassing. She knew that. So why did this keep striking her the wrong way? Maybe because she wanted him to honor vows with them. To make vows with them as the Fates had intended. They’d been mated for a reason. The Fates had wanted them together, and while they had a sense of humor, the Fates always knew what they were doing. Amory sat back on his ass. “I’m still going home in a week. Less than a week now. That hasn’t changed.” He crossed his legs under him. “I have to see Tania. It’s only fair to her.” “Fair has no place in the galaxy. Life isn’t fair, Amory.” Bren draped his arm over Zelda’s back. “I don’t think you’ll be going home in a week.” Not by himself. “Yes, I will.” His chin jutted out in stubbornness. “My vow to you was only to stay here that long. I have to finish things with Tania before I can truly be with you as mates.” “But, you’re coming back? That’s what I’m hearing, right?” Zelda didn’t shoot Bren an evil look as he continued the conversation, though she wanted to. What the fuck did that matter? Amory still wanted to leave them. “I’ll come right back.” Amory nodded.
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“No.” Zelda pulled away from Bren to sit up straighter in the oversize chair. “Z.” “Zelda.” “No.” She stood up to walk to the bed. She ran her hand idly over the post. “You two could come with me.” Her hand tightened around the wood. “I can’t right now, Amory.” She couldn’t leave Gemini alone at the mine. It wouldn’t feel right, though the security chief hadn’t done anything to deserve her misgivings. She couldn’t leave the mine for this. “Bren could come with me.” “No.” She turned to face them. “You will not leave this mine without me. I can’t go now. Tania will have to wait.” Amory blew out a heavy breath. “She can’t wait. I owe her the truth in person. We pledged.” He stood up and walked over to her before taking her hand in his. “I know what happened. I will come back to you, I promise.” Bren groaned. Zelda’s eyes narrowed. “This has nothing to do with my past. My past that needs to stay in the past.” Bren ducked his head with a wince. “It has to do with a lot of things. And you will not go back now.” “I will not be dictated to by you. Or anyone.” She didn’t answer. He couldn’t leave her side. He wouldn’t. Her hands tightened more. To lose a mate might kill her. Some said Zelda was invincible. Nothing could hurt her. They were wrong. Which was why she kept Bren so close at hand. Why she would keep Amory so close. Too much could happen out there, the wilds of the galaxy where she had no control. At least here on the mine, things fell under her command. “Being told what to do isn’t part of being a mate. You don’t do that to Bren.” Amory dropped her hand and stalked back over to the wall. “I trust Bren.” She did. With her life. With her love, heart, and home. Bren pushed up on his knees. “And to be mates, you have to trust Amory, too. Or it will never work, Z. He’s not going to get himself killed.” But Amory might. She rubbed her face in her hand. How dare they gang up on her? “I…” His voice lowered. “It’s important to him to do this, therefore it’s important to us for him to do this. We have to trust him. Or we’ll never have anything as mates.” The com went off with calls coming in.Clyde . Trouble in the bar. Along with a call from the space dock
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about a late delivery. Zelda opened the door as dinner arrived with Bren in tow behind her. “Don’t wait for us. I don’t know how long we’ll be.” Amory’s voice called behind her. “I won’t wait for you.” She marched down the corridor. At least with a bar fight, she wouldn’t have to think about the situation at hand. ***** Amory woke to great disorientation. His head felt about three inches thick, or like it was encased in foam. He lurched as he tried to sit up. Only he kept moving, even after he’d righted himself. Colors swirled in front of his eyes like a rainbow on adrenaline. He had to close his eyelids to keep the nausea building from the dizziness. Stopping himself from swaying -- sure he sat without the shaking he’d been doing -- yet he still continued to move. This was much worse than any hangover. His parents hadn’t believed in the drugs, which would help the effects of a hangover get better, so he’d experienced his fair share of them in his younger days. Wait a minute. He was sitting still. Yet, he was still moving. He could feel the quake from a motor under his butt. His eyes opened all the way and fought to focus. He tried to keep the dizziness and nausea from taking him over again. He wasn’t in Zelda’s bedroom anymore. Where was he? On something that moved. Fast. That meant -he wasn’t on Settler’s Mine either. What was he in? A shuttle. Small one from the looks of it. Cargo hold with the small bunk he lay on and not much else beyond a cockpit. Cockpit? Someone had to be flying, but he couldn’t see who the person was. They must be waiting for him to wake up. He jerked his arm, only to find it attached to the metal part of the bed by the same damn handcuff chain that Zelda had used. Had he exchanged one prison for another? “Bren? Zelda? Where are we going? This isn’t funny.” His dry throat managed to garble out the words. “What’s going on?” A man he didn’t know stood up at the front of the shuttle. He had a chilling smile and white blond hair.
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Amory’s stomach fell to his knees. Zelda and Bren were nowhere to be seen. That couldn’t be good. Maybe this pilot was taking Amory to meet them. But why? Why not keep them all together? The man wasn’t Quatarian. Maybe Proletariat. A few blisters wrecked the smooth lines of his lips. “’Ello Amory. I’m Swill.” He held out a hand. After a moment’s hesitation, Amory held out his hand. Swill knew his name, which had to mean something about this being legitimate. “Where am I going? Where is Zelda?” Why hadn’t they accompanied him? “And Bren? Are they following us?” The last thing he remembered was a snit with his mates. Amory had laid down in the bed for a nap before both his mates came back home, while plotting ways to alleviate Zelda’s fears. Nothing much registered after that. A sore place on his arm drew his attention. A place where a needle might have stuck into his skin. Drugged. He’d been drugged by something. That’s why waking up had been and was still so difficult. “Zelda is back on Settler’s Mine. S’e asked me to see you back ’ome. To your people. Said t’at was w’ere you belonged.” Back home? “No.” Amory shook his head. “She wouldn’t have sent me off the station. Not like this.” Gods, not like this. He’d not had a chance to say good-bye. Or try things as mates. She’d been talking about keeping him. What the hell had happened? “I ’ave a message from ’er. S’e said to play it for you. It’s audio.” Swill hit a switch by Amory’s bunk and Zelda’s voice boomed from the speaker. “Up too loud.” He adjusted some controls to bring down the sound. “…Amory. This is for the best. Bren and I decided you weren’t meeting our needs. So we’re shipping you back home. Sometimes it works out that way. Good luck and don’t let the door hit you in the ass.” After a pop, the com shut off. Zelda’s voice faded away. But Amory could still hear the message being broadcast. Hear every inflection. Hear every painful word. He’d hear Zelda’s message for the rest of his days. Amory tried to control his breathing. Tried not to show any emotions. “So you’re taking me home?” “T’ose are my orders. I’m not supposed to let you off until we get to your planet. T’en, I’m done. You can go anyw’ere after t’at. Zelda suggested the Pompador system.” Pompador. A system in rivalry to Union Alliance. “Can you release me? From this?” Amory clanked the cuff against the bed, making a resonating bell sound Swill shook his head with an apologetic smile. Or maybe that was a sneer. Hard to tell. Of all the people to witness Amory’s degradation, a stranger was easier to deal with than someone Amory had known.
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“S’e was clear on t’at. Keep you in t’em until you got back to your family.” “Very well.” Amory laid his head back down on his bunk. His head felt numb, even as his heart pounded. “Let me know when we get there.” Not like he had much else to do. Unless there was a saw somewhere under his bunk, which was doubtful. “I will.” Swill retook the shuttle pilot’s chair. Amory closed his eyes as he felt under his bunk to see if there was anything he could use to his advantage. He could locate nothing, which meant he was stuck for the duration of the flight. He’d become well acquainted with the chain when it’d been on him. Nothing was breaking those suckers off. Bren and Zelda didn’t want him. His own mates. He’d heard the words in Zelda’s own voice. Which was too bad because they were mates. The only shot Amory would get at having a serious relationship was Bren and Zelda. He wasn’t about to lose that because they were acting like pricks. All their pretty words of having a mate had gone down the waterfall. Amory was in the canoe, which had just been propelled over the falls. Now, he had to regroup and decide what action he would take next. Like he had any choice. The only feasible action was the one he came up with first. Drug him and send him off indeed. Their action was not going to keep him away from them for long. He’d use his time at home to tell his fathers, tell Tania and apologize, and then head right back to Settler’s Mine to reclaim what was his. Not meeting needs. He’d see how they liked being tied to the bed until they saw reason. And they would see reason. Amory wouldn’t be denied his mates now that he’d had a taste of what they were. Not even a full taste. Such a tease. Give him mates, then send him away. Things between the threesome had gone too far for him to turn back now. He’d held Bren’s cock in his hands. Had his first touch of pussy from Zelda. But you didn’t have them together, did you? Because of your own stubborn pledge to Tania. No matter, he’d be going back to Settlers Mine soon enough to rectify that. He blocked the com message from his mind and concentrated on getting rest, to be prepared for the journey he’d make alone.
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***** Gemini watched as Zelda strolled into her rooms, much as he’d waited for them both to leave Amory again. Expecting to find a lover who wasn’t there. He could visualize her face as she looked to the bed and the man simply didn’t exist in her room. Could picture the horror and surprise at finding Amory missing. The only thing that would be better was seeing the look, but he couldn’t get that close. He waited a full minute to let her ingest the impact of that empty bed before he called her on the com. “Zelda, I need to speak with you about something.” Her voice came surprisingly steady. “I’m busy right now, Gemini.” She clicked off the com, breaking their contact. He was sure she was. Trying to find out if Amory was onboard the station. Which Amory wasn’t. And Gemini could shed some light. He reopened the com link. “I think it’s about your mate. I’m heading to your office now. You want to meet there?” He moved quickly away before the door to her rooms opened, and she saw him creeping. “Yeah.” Her clipped answer came two seconds before the com went dead again. Had she thrown the gadget in her distress? If only she had cameras set up in her quarters. If he hadn’t thought it would be detected, he’d have installed one. Just so he could witness the beginning of her end. Gemini sauntered slowly to her office as if he was out for a stroll, taking his time. Let her stew for a few minutes waiting on him. Saw several of his nasty accomplices milling around the mine, leaning against walls and smoking. This wouldn’t do. Frowning, he pulled out his private com. “Tenack?” “Ayep.” If Gemini hadn’t been worried about the soft-looking man, he’d have sent Tenack with Amory instead of Swill. At least with Swill, you could have a conversation. But the two-membered man had been without a willing body for too long. And sometimes, Tenack wasn’t picky about who the orifice belonged to when he had sex. Amory had needed to make it home in one piece, or Daddy would spoil things by calling on Zelda. “You need to corral the wild bunch. Now. Keep them down in hiding a little while longer.” “They don’t like it.” Gemini’s voice rose several timbers. “I don’t give a fuck what they don’t like. Keep them out of sight until I get the Queen Bitch off the station.” He snapped off the com with a clack before Tenack could give him an “ayep” or argue. Amateurs. They had no idea the greatness of his coming plan. He reached Zelda’s office and pressed the call to enter. She sat at her desk like it was any other day, but he saw the tension lines around her eyes and mouth. They were the only signs he saw that she’d had a shock. Otherwise, she looked serene as ever. “Gemini.” “Zelda. Did you find everything in order in my reports?” “Yes. You said this was about my mate, not some fucking reports. Get to talking. What do you know?” “Your mate’s Amory, right? One of them.”
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Zelda nodded, crossing her legs. “From my reports, he came running around the hallways of the mine like a madman. Kidnapped one of my men at knifepoint. Forced him into a shuttle, the one he’d set up to use, but never did, and took off. Said something about going home, come hell or deep space.” “One of your men? And where the fuck were you? Dicking around? Why didn’t you get there and stop this? You’re the security chief.” “Yeah. The man took Swill. Took him by knife and hauled him along with him as he ran. I was at the other end of the station in my office working on that paperwork you asked me to do.” Gemini held back a smile at the dig. Maybe she’d blame herself. That by giving him menial chores, she’d lost her mate. Regardless, she wouldn’t like the implication. “By all reports, things went down fast. I couldn’t get there in time. By the time I did, he was already taking off.” Her face pursed to a light frown. “Why didn’t you contact control and have him grounded? Keep his shuttle in docking. Why’d you let him go?” Gemini held out his hands as if in supplication. “I didn’t get to do that in time, either. By the time I was notified, things were too far gone. Amory already had the man in his shuttle. Didn’t take them long to pull off docking clamps and go. I arrived as his shuttle flitted away.” “Did he hurt your man? Swill?” Odd question. Why the concern about a minion? “Not yet. That I know of. Just took him aboard the shuttle and rocketed off from here. As crazy as he was acting, I am worried about my man’s safety.” He faked a look of grave concern as though Swill’s welfare was all that was on his mind. Would that rev her up? Zelda uncrossed her legs. “Why take him? On the station, maybe I can see it, but why take off with him?” Gemini shrugged. “I don’t know.” Maybe because the man was taking Amory, not the other way around. “Let me see the reports.” Gemini handed over the fabricated eyewitness reports that he’d compiled for this occurrence. Of course, Zelda would want to see them immediately. She’d find details of what had happened taken down meticulously on his computer. He waited until she looked up from the screen before offering his hand at retrieving her mate. “I’ll send out a squad after him immediately. They should be able to track the shuttle and bring him back to the mine. If that’s what you want to do.” Gemini narrowed his eyes. Would she say what he wanted her to? Would she go after Amory herself? He was counting on her taking that stance. “A squad I’d lead, of course.” “A squad about what?” Bren shuffled in. He’d come into her quarters the back way and approached Zelda’s desk. He hadn’t heard of Amory’s run around the station because the situation hadn’t happened.
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“I got your call to come immediately, but some locos delayed me.” Gemini had been working the woman over. Had Bren disrupted what he’d been doing? Would that affect her reaction? And would she notice that Bren had more than likely met up with those Gemini was seeding the station with? Damn Tenack. “Amory took off. In a shuttle. Going home.” Zelda’s voice held no emotion. But yet, her feelings seeped into the air. Anger. Sadness. Disbelief. A thin mouth line told him more than calm words could say. Gemini enjoyed every emotion he could glean that she was feeling. Bren’s eyes widened, reflecting the same sentiment. Gemini could taste their anguish at their runaway mate. And it was good. Chapter Eleven
Zelda looked out the window at the passing stars. They zipped by, small and gratuitous, though in their galaxy, they were huge and important. She turned toward Bren when he spoke aloud for the first time since they’d left Settler’s Mine. “We’ll find him.” Bren pressed a beeping control on the panel of the shuttle. They were traveling as fast as the shuttle could go. They wouldn’t catch up to Amory. He had too much of a head start. “I know.” Bren glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “You’ve been quiet.” Without asking a question, he asked her so much. “I know.” She turned to stare out of the window again. “That all I’m getting from you?” He didn’t sound angry, only perplexed. “No.” His chuckle reverberated in the shuttle. “You went backwards instead of forward. From two words down to one.” She rubbed her face with her hands. “What should I say, Bren?” “I don’t know. Whatever you want to. Nothing’s ever stopped you from saying what’s on your mind before. Especially to me.” “Something doesn’t feel right.” She’d been mulling over the situation in her mind from the time they’d left the mine. “What do you mean?” Bren would listen to her thoughtfully and then tell her if she was full of bullshit. He always did.
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“Something’s not right about Amory running away from us. Like Gemini said that he did.” Bren switched to autopilot and leaned back in the seat, giving Zelda his full attention. “Spill it.” “You had sex with him, right? Before he left?” “We gave each other hand jobs.” Zelda ignored the trembling that erupted in her stomach from that information. Didn’t want to focus on the imaged that conjured up, but instead on what was going on. “How did he seem?” Bren shrugged. “He was fine.” “You didn’t argue?” A chuckle escaped her lips. “Like we did later?” “Nope. No argument.” “We disagreed as you know about him leaving. But I don’t think that would make him go on a knife wielding hostage taking spree.” The situation bothered her. A lot. Amory was a lot of things, but he didn’t seem to be the type to hurt someone else for his own gain. “And he broke the Etruscan vow he made to us. They don’t do that, Bren.” “Gemini had eyewitness reports. That Amory took Swill. At knifepoint.” He pointed to the console. “Several of them.” “I know.” She picked up the computer where they’d been copied. “I read them all.” She brought up the screen with the over half dozen reports. “When we left, he said, ‘I won’t wait for you.’ Maybe that meant more than we thought it did.” “But where did Amory get the knife?” “Maybe he had help.” “But who? Amory didn’t make many friends and anyone who might have helped him, like the men he helped with heartstones, is long gone.” Zelda scanned the reports. “Something doesn’t add up.” Amory’s attitude versus what had happened didn’t make any sense. Amory hadn’t been that upset once he’d gotten over the initial frustration at being contained. He didn’t show enough anger to do what the witnesses said that he’d done after he’d left their quarters. “Maybe he got a call directly from his dads. Maybe there was a problem at home, and he had to leave in a hurry.” “Any calls would have been logged. I checked to be sure. Nothing. There’s nothing for Amory in the logs. And wouldn’t he have tried to find us? Especially with his vow? We’re not that hard to find on Settler’s Mine.” Zelda looked into Bren’s worried eyes. “Amory’s a man of his word. Why would he break that vow?” “Maybe he told us what we wanted to hear and never had any intention of staying a week.” Zelda belted out a laugh at that. “Since when has Amory ever said whatwe wanted to hear? This vow is
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sacred to his people. Why make a pledge like that and not keep it? Bren scratched at his chest. “Your gut is telling you Amory didn’t run away like it’s said he did. Isn’t it?” “I’m not sure what my gut says. But something is rotten here. I can’t put my finger on what.” “Gemini.” Her lips creased up in a smile. Bren often tuned into her feelings. How, she didn’t know. They were so different, and yet, he often had a bead on what she felt even better than she did. “Maybe. He’s done nothing that says I shouldn’t trust him.” “But, you don’t.” “No. Not really.” The man had something that didn’t come across as trustworthy. Though he’d done nothing untoward since he’d been on the station. She’d been distracted with Amory, and he’d even been helpful, taking care of situations before she’d arrived. That had all been noted in his reports. Swill and Tenack had stopped being problems as soon as Gemini had settled into being the chief. That was a good thing. So why did the timeline make her so fucking suspicious? The calls that had Bren running across the station thinking she’d paged him, which she couldn’t trace, had ended around the same time that Swill and Tenack had stopped getting into trouble. Another piece of odd timing. “Why go to all the trouble to send Amory away from Settler’s Mine?” “Because it gets us off the station. When was the last time we were both gone? Or even just me?” They didn’t leave often. The last time she’d been gone had been when she’d done a favor of retrieving someone for a friend. Bren never left without her at his side. “But, why get us off the station?” Bren pushed a few buttons on the console. “What does that garner him? What does he hope to accomplish?” He stared down at his hands. “Being suspicious of Gemini and you left the mine anyway?” He shook his head. “I’d have left the mine, too, but…you don’t usually think this way. Except…well, you know.” Except about Bren. She reached out to squeeze his arm. “I don’t know what it all means. But I am eager to find Amory, ask him some questions, and get back to the mine to see what’s happened while we’ve been gone.” Seeing Amory somehow superseded everything. Once she’d found him gone, nothing else had seemed to matter. An oddity for her. The mine had been in her blood since she’d taken it over. She had to see Amory, though. Make sure he was all right. See him for herself. Her throat constricted.Please don’t let anything have happened to him . “Good.” Bren dropped the shuttle’s speed down a notch or two. “Because we’re at Amory’s planet.” She wasn’t sure whether she would jump Amory’s bones or strangle him for worrying them. Either way, she planned to have a hands on reunion with her mate. *****
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Amory stalked down the street, turning a corner. The house loomed in front of him with corners and angles jutting out. Tania’s house. They’d planned to live there. After they’d been mated. He blew out a breath, looking up at the structure rising toward the vastness of space. The house had always been beautiful to him, with lots of extravagant materials and spaces that had no purposes. Tania’s parents had liked to live well. So did she. Now, it was just a structure. He didn’t see the beauty of it anymore. He missed the rock walls, the caverns and neon glow lighting. He missed the tough floors that had dips and crevices, the metal furniture, and the downward dipping spirals of hallways. Most of all he missed Zelda and Bren. How things changed in the flip of a planet. He walked up to the sliding doors and rang the bell. He heard puttering footsteps on the other side of the door. Drawing up his shoulders, he steeled himself. This wasn’t going to be easy, but it was something he had to do. Had to face Tania in person, after all they’d meant to each other, and tell her in person they could no longer be. Tania answered the door. The woman who used to be his end all. His be all. And nothing stirred within him. She wasn’t what he needed. Neither a giant of a man or a curvaceous, red-haired beauty. He expelled the breath he’d been holding. This was going to be easier than he’d thought it would be. Her eyes widened with surprise. “Amory! You’re back. I didn’t…” Her mouth pursed up along with questioning eyes. “You found your heartstone.” Her lips went from tight to fanning out in a grin. “You really found it.” As it rested around his neck, it wasn’t hard to figure out. No glow emanated from deep within. Not that he’d expected the stone to shine. And the disappointment didn’t come. Not that he’d expected that, either. He didn’t feel the drop of his stomach to his knees at the surety they weren’t mates. “I did.” “Nothing’s glowing. I guess we aren’t mates.” “Appears that way.” “Come on in.” She opened the door wide so he could go past her inside the immaculately furnished house. He went inside as she traipsed around to the galley style kitchen. Her family had found an ancient dwelling and revamped the whole thing. It was the only house of this sort he’d ever been in. Her family was into saving historical buildings. Once upon a time, he’d found their philanthropy exciting. “How have you been?”
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“Good.” She reached down to finger her heartstone. Her face twitched, almost nervously. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. Wasn’t expecting to see you today.” “I came back to tell you something. I’ve met my mates.” He shrugged. “Wasn’t anything I looked for while I was gone from you. But, I found them at the mine. So, we can’t be together.” “OK.” She blinked at him a few times as if in disbelief. He scratched his chin. “We’d pledged to each other in Etruscan vows. I thought it only fair that I tell you in person.” She didn’t seem all that disappointed. No tears or running from the room screaming her fate. And that was good. Because he had things he had to do. Like get back to his mates. Her laugh rang out like a tinkling bell. Highly annoying, now that he heard it without the trappings of a crush. “Oh, yeah. We had.” Now it was his turn to blink at her. “Why say it like that?” She sounded so amused, it made his stomach plunge. “No reason.” She shrugged. He stared at her intently. “No, there was a reason.” He’d seen something crawl across her face. Another man sauntered into the kitchen through another entrance. “I knocked on the back door, but no one answered.” A younger man than Amory, who he’d seen around the village. “Are you Amory? I thought you went to find your heartstone?” “I did. And I found it.” “Yes, yes, he did.” Tania spoke quickly. Too quickly. “He’s just come back to tell everyone he found his mates. But he’s leaving now. Right, Amory?” “Congrats, man.” The man smiled and pumped Amory’s hand up and down in a tight handshake. Amory looked around the young man’s neck. No heartstone. He drew in a calming breath. “You’re Went, aren’t you?” The youth nodded, his head bobbing out a nod in his enthusiasm. “I am.” He rocked back on his heels. “I hate to be rude, but I’m shipping out in a half an hour to search mines along the border, and I have to talk to Tania before I leave.” “Yeah.” Amory folded his arms across his chest. “You want to talk to the woman you’re pledging to come home to. With Etruscan vows.” Tania’s eyes widened, then pleaded with Amory. Amory ignored her, giving his attention to Went. “Damn straight.” The man grinned, showing even, white teeth. “You told him? After you asked me to keep it secret from everyone?” And there it was. Amory pushed down the rolling of his stomach. “Let me just take a minute of Tania’s
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time to tell her good-bye. Then, she’s all yours.” He grabbed her by the elbow and escorted her to the front porch. Only after they stood in front of the door, did Amory ask, “Why?” She gritted her teeth together. “Why what?” “You know what. Why deceive me? Deceive him? How many men have you pledged to? Made the vows with?” “It doesn’t matter.” “It does.” It damn sure mattered to him. He’d left his mates of his own free will to come back and do the honorable thing, only to find out the woman had acted less than honorably. “You have them all keep it a secret. All your men. So they won’t talk to each other and find out they aren’t the only one.” Amory had kept his pledge to Tania secret from everyone in the village, even his own fathers. The only ones he’d talked to about their relationship had been Bren and Zelda. A breath rushed past her lips in a long gasp. “Look, I have my heartstone already. But, no mate. My mate has to be out there somewhere. Maybe in this village. If I make every man promise to come back to me when they go to retrieve their stone, maybe two-thirds will come back. It increases my odds of finding my own mate.” She rolled her shoulders in the air. “I need a mate, Amory.” “So the pledge is about checking to see who your mate is? And who’s not your mate?” How could he have been so stupid? So blind? “Yes, dammit. I want my mate. My parents are gone all the time, but won’t let me go anywhere. At least this way, I have a chance of finding mine. You don’t understand what it’s like living with no hope.” She coughed, the sound light. “The Etruscan vows are outdated. Daddy says so. But they work well to get men to come back.” Oh, she had no idea of living without hope. He’d lived without a heartstone for all his life, but the last few days. “The men you pledge to think you feel something for them. And, because of that, they feel something for you.” Another light laugh escaped her lips. “No one can truly love until they have a whole heart.” “But you do have your missing piece.” That had been his logical explanation for how the love pledge they’d made could work. She had her heartstone and loved him. Therefore, they must be true mates, even though he didn’t have his. He’d banked his whole theory on that before he’d met Zelda and Bren. An illusion. Everything she’d done had been an illusion. She hadn’t cared anything for him. Didn’t care for the man waiting for her in the kitchen. Didn’t care for any of the men she’d propositioned and told of her affection for. All she wanted was for them to come back to her, instead of moving on, so she could make sure their stones didn’t glow. He rubbed his face with his hands.
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“…have my heartstone, it doesn’t mean that I can fall in love. The stones have to match, to glow. So, just because I had mine already, it didn’t mean anything.” But she’d said she’d loved him. And he’d pinned all his hopes and dreams on that emotion, partly because she’d pledged it and partly because she already had her heartstone. “So you didn’t care for me like you said? It was all a ruse to get me back here after I’d found my heartstone.” And he’d acted like she wanted. Damn him for being such a rube. He’d been so naïve. “Yeah.” The only upside was that he’d traveled off to Settler’s Mine to hurry up and find his heartstone because of Tania. In doing so, he’d met the true ones he was fated to be with. His true mates. And what he felt for them stood head and shoulders above anything he’d ever felt for her. Would he have gone off to Settler’s Mine like he had without Tania pushing him? Probably not as quickly. Might have started at smaller, less expensive operations. So, Tania had caused him to find his mates with her warped logic of finding hers. He couldn’t be mad at her because she’d helped him to find his truth. “Tania, either you stop using the Etruscan vows, or I’ll out you to the village. They’re sacred.” He folded his arms in front of his chest. She bent her head. “You’d really out me?” Damn straight he would. “Yes. To the whole village about what you’ve been doing.” Her lips pursed. “Fine. I won’t use the Etruscan vows any longer.” At least no one else would be forced into coming back to her. “I need to go. Back to my mates.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thank you.” In another lifetime, he might have been sad at leaving her. Angry at her revelation. But all he could think of was seeing Zelda and Bren again. And being their mate in all the ways he could. A shiver rocked him. She pulled her lip between her teeth. “I am glad you found your mates. You probably don’t believe that. But it’s true.” “I do. Have a good life, Tania.” Turning, he darted back to his fathers’ cabin. Time to get going to Settler’s Mine. He stepped in the door. “Dad, I’m back. Getting ready to head back out. Did you find a shuttle for me to rent to take back…” He broke off as a shadow moved through the hallway. “Dad?” Zelda and Bren stepped out of the darkness and into the light. ***** Amory’s eyes widened as he stared at them. His mouth worked, but nothing came out, as though the words were frozen. Bren didn’t say anything, preferring to stand there and drink in the sight of his mate. “Surprised to see us?” Zelda’s frosty voice could have frozen molten lava, though it seemed to have the opposite effect on Amory. The angry heat rolled from him in waves after her words. “Here on your
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planet?” Bren winced. Not exactly the way they’d intended to start off seeing Amory again. But getting to Amory’s home and finding out that he’d gone off to see Tania hadn’t been the best way for them to arrive. There had been many other things they’d discovered by talking to Amory’s fathers that made both of them question what was going on, but nothing that would tell them for sure. There was no sign of Swill, the man who’d been taken hostage. One of Amory’s fathers had said the man who’d brought Amory had left not long after arriving. The man hadn’t seemed to be there against his will. The tale was getting confusing. Amory’s jaw tightened. “Yeah. Yeah, I am surprised to see you here.” He folded his arms across his chest, closing himself off. Something shut down in him. Bren could see the visor go over his eyes to cover the hurt that had been shining through. He wanted to go to Amory. Take him in his arms. But how would Amory react to that? What had happened? “Why did you leave us, Amory?” They had to know the truth behind Amory’s leaving. If Zelda were right, things would happen fast back at the mine. Amory glared, but before he could answer, one of the two dads came around the corner. “Amory, how did things go with Tan…Oh, I see our visitors met you as you came in.” Horatio had been welcoming to Zelda and Bren. His fathers were clueless that they were Amory’s mates. That in itself would have set Zelda off into an irritated mood. Combined with where Amory had gone had her pissy. They hadn’t filled either of the dads in on their mating status, but it had been a blow to them thinking that maybe Amory hadn’t left freely. If he’d not left of his own free will, then why hide his mates from his dads? “Yeah, I see they have.” Bitterness swam through the words, drowning in the dripping of them from Amory’s tongue. Horatio looked back and forth between them, knowing something was going on with his son, but not what. “Maybe I should leave you three alone?” Bren liked Amory’s dads right off. Horatio, in particular, was smart. A few moments alone was exactly what they needed. Amory shot his father a look. “Could you? For a few minutes? I have some things to talk about with them.” Horatio nodded. “I’ll head on in the back with Jardon for a little while. If you need us, just yell.” He turned but then swiveled back to survey them all. “I need to let you know this, though. You had said to book you a shuttle, Amory. It’s done. You’re all set. It leaves in two hours though.” He walked out of the room without a glance back. Bren’s throat constricted. A shuttle? Amory had been leaving? Good thing they’d gotten there when they did. What would they have done if he hadn’t been on the planet? He shuddered. “Where the fuck are you going?” Zelda’s voice went from blustery to blistery. Her face set in harsh lines. Bren wanted to smooth them out. This would all work out. He’d see to their being mates for eternity. Amory turned to face Zelda with a look like broken glass. Heat came in waves from his face even more than earlier. Mad heat. He took a breath, but it didn’t seem to calm him. “What do you care? Maybe I’m
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going to the Pompador system.” Her eyes narrowed, and Bren could feel her steaming. “Just answer the question, Amory. Why did you leave? And where are you going when you leave?” Bren crossed to Zelda to put his arms around her, standing behind her. The contact of their bodies seemed to ease her temper. “Tell us where you were going. And how you wound up here. We’ll listen.” Amory shook his head. “I don’t understand you two. At all. What right do you have to come in and ask me what I’m doing and where I’m going? You have no rights to anything that I do.” “We’re your mates.” Bren nodded in agreement. “That does give us certain rights about your welfare.” He’d been so relieved to find out Amory was OK when he’d arrived on the planet. Wanted to beat him for worrying both of them, but had reserved that right until after the questions were answered. “You have a funny way of showing that.” Amory moved over by the doorway. “A real funny way. Why are you two here? Why’d you come here?” Something fell between the lines in his words. Amory hadn’t thought they cared enough to come after him. Bren straightened. How could the man think that? After all, to keep him Zelda had started out chaining him to a bed. A move wholly unlike his mate. Of course ,they’d have come after him when he’d run. “To collect you.” Zelda pushed a hand back through her hair. “Did you leave us? Did you run off the mine with a hostage in tow?” Leave it to Zelda to ask the questions that might be hard for them to hear the answers to so directly. She gripped Bren’s arm so tightly, the nails bit into his skin. She didn’t want the answer any more than he did. What if the answer wasn’t the one they wanted it to be? What if Amory had left them behind in such a violent fashion? Amory’s entire body stiffened. “What?” He lowered his arms by his side. “What did you say? Hostage?” Zelda nodded. “That’s what I said. Did you leave the station, armed with a knife and a hostage by your side?” “How dare you ask me that. Who the hell told you that I did that?” Amory’s voice shot low, deep timbered. Dangerous. He’d been angry before. This was deeper. This was rage sifting up through the sand like hot water. “Several eye witnesses. You were seen taking a man by the name of Swill at knife point and forcing him into your shuttle.” Bren stroked his hand along Zelda’s elbow. “We have the reports.” Amory was shocked. Bren could see that emotion bubbling around in him. Which could mean only one thing. Bren and Zelda had been had. “Lies. They are lies. I didn’t…take a hostage. Have a knife. I’m not like that.” Amory’s head shook as though he could deny what they’d been told. “I woke up on a shuttle with Swill. I didn’t take him hostage. He was just there. I think I’d been drugged. They said…” He broke off, licking his lips.
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“Said what? Finish the tale.” Zelda leaned forward, bringing Bren with her. Both of them wanted to hear what had happened next. It could mean their futures. “They said you wanted me gone. They played an audiotape of Zelda relaying that it hadn’t been working out. That you needed to get rid of me.” Pain choked up Amory’s voice. He seemed to have difficulty swallowing. Bren growled. Whoever had done this had hurt both his mates by their actions. Whoever? The culprit was obvious. Gemini. And he would pay for these transgressions. “We never sent you away.” Zelda reached over. Drew Amory into the warmth of her body. They melted together like warm goo on metal. Bren shuffled around until he was at Amory’s back. All three of them stood like that for several long minutes. Bodies touching. Warmth infusing. Mates regrouping. Bren didn’t move his head from atop Amory’s. “You were going back to Settler’s Mine. Weren’t you? That’s where the shuttle your dad ordered would drop you?” Amory nodded. Bren couldn’t see it, but could feel the motion under his chin. “Yes. I was going back to Settler’s Mine. To find you both. To make you take me back on as a mate. Not to Pompador, which they said Zelda had suggested for me.” Bren smiled. Such pluck. At least Amory had been coming back to them, instead of going somewhere else. His fists trembled. When he found Gemini, he was going to teach him to fuck with them. “You don’t have to make us.” Zelda pulled back. “We were told you’d left us. We came to take you back with us to Settler’s Mine. As our mate.” Her eyes sought out Amory’s. “No matter what you’d said to Tania.” Amory cast his eyes down. “Tania and I were done as soon as I found my heartstone. I know that now. I had to come tell her in person, like I told you. But, it’s done now. It’s over.” He didn’t go into the whole story but Bren sensed more had happened with the woman he’d made promises to. So many changes for Amory. Bren squeezed him. “Good.” Zelda blew out a breath of relief. “I’d hate to have to chain you to my bed again. Although…” She winked. “…next time, you might like it more. You might even ask to be chained.” A chuckle started down low in Amory’s throat and moved up to gush out over his lips. “With you two, I bet I will. If I get to chain you. Both of you. And bring you pleasure.” He sobered. “Someone made you think I’d left. And made me think you didn’t want me anymore. Who?” Bren and Zelda both said at the same time, “I’ve got a good idea.” “In stereo.” Amory pulled away from the close circle, but didn’t pull all the way away. “So, who would that be? Who’d do that to us?”
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Bren waved to Zelda to tell him. “A soon to be ex-security officer, if I had to guess. I think it’s Gemini. A throat cleared behind them. “I’m sorry to interrupt you three.” Horatio and Jardon stood there. Horatio continued, speaking to Zelda, “I have an urgent space message for you. You’d forwarded things from your shuttle to here?” “Oh,” Zelda said. “Yes. I did do that. But I shouldn’t take a call on your hospitality. I can call them back from the shuttle. Unless it’s an emergency.” “Nonsense. You can take it in the kitchen for some privacy. Besides, the man said it’s urgent.” “I’d better take this call then. Only a few know my com addresses.” Zelda pulled away from both Bren and Amory. “I’ll be right back.” Bren couldn’t keep his eyes away from his mate. Hard to believe a shitting misunderstanding caused deliberately by someone else had almost lost them their relationship. If he’d never found Amory and found out about this…Gemini had best be glad they had found Amory. Otherwise, it would have been worse for him. “Son?” Jardon smiled with a knowing look in his eyes. “Is there something you’ve forgotten to share in this whirlwind visit?” The first man grinned. “The son comes in, doesn’t spend any time talking to us, went off to see that wench, and then was going to be leaving swiftly again. Until you two showed up.” Amory pulled away from Bren slightly. He left one arm about Bren. Somehow that show of affection in front of Amory’s parents sent a shooting thrill through all of Bren’s nerve endings. Amory was one of the most reserved people Bren had met. For him to do that was special. “I do have something to share. Soon as Zelda gets back, I will tell you all about what’s happened.” Bren rubbed his finger along Amory’s warm neck. He could smell Amory’s scent up close like this. Still smell Zelda’s alongside him. The scents invigorated him. Nothing smelled better than his two mates. “Zelda won’t mind.” Amory shivered under the touch. His breathing sped up under Bren’s knowing hands. “I…ah…” Horatio wrapped an arm around Amory’s other father. “I think I know. I’ve seen that look. But, you could tell us.” “Go ahead.” Bren removed his hand. “Dad. Father. I already told Tania. She…well, I came back to tell her this. The reasons aren’t important now. But while I was on Settler’s Mine, I not only found my heartstone.” Amory’s hand dropped to wrap his fingers around the orb. “I found both of my mates. Bren and Zelda are my mates.” “I knew it.” Horatio hugged Amory with arms that looked like they could embrace the whole planet. “From the time they came in, I knew it.” He pumped Bren’s hands up and down in an iron grip.
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“Yep.” The other, subdued man, who was much like Amory in personality, also pulled Amory in for a hug and shook Bren’s hand. “I’m happy for you three.” Bren’s mouth dried. Such acceptance into their lives because of his connection to their son. His parents had accepted Zelda like this. Zelda had told him of her life before the mine and of her family life. Nothing had been easy for his mate back then. So Bren had never been on the receiving end of this arrangement. He found the acceptance comforting. “I’m back.” Zelda walked into the room on clacking heels. Her whole face had pinched up with unease. “What’s wrong?” Bren moved to Zelda’s side first to give her comfort, followed by Amory. What had happened? What had Gemini done now? By the Gods, he’d kill the smarmy bastard for doing this to Bren’s mates. “That wasClyde . Gemini is behind this.” Her voice lowered a hair. “He’s launched a takeover of the mine.” Chapter Twelve
Amory watched Zelda tap her foot on the shuttle's metal floor. Tension radiated from her every pore. Her shoulders rolled back as she stretched. "How close are we?" How many times had she asked that question? Seemed like a million. Bren switched the shuttle on autopilot. "Oh, about five minutes closer than the last time you asked." He rubbed a hand over his face. "Did you reach everyone you wanted?" Zelda had spent the whole first leg of the journey on the com, talking in short sentences to people Amory didn't know. She nodded. "I did. Layla and her crew are going to come. McTavish is bringing a shuttle full. Dars is sending someone." A look swept across her face. "Everyone I contacted is sending someone to help us." She hadn't wanted to contact anyone. Bren had talked her into the calls. He'd said they couldn't take the mine back by themselves. Not with Gemini entrenched. They'd need assistance. And it looked like they were going to get it. Amory's breath caught at his rolling thoughts. They were expecting a war. Had to be to call in that many people. When had things gotten this bad? And Gemini had gotten this far because of him. If he hadn't wanted to leave, Zelda and Bren never would have believed the story they'd been told. His fingers clenched. He owed Gemini for causing discord. "How do you think he got all those on his side on the station?" Bren turned his chair to face both of them. "I'm not sure they are on his side, or if they want a chance to raise some holy hell. I think he's been approving travelers. In my name." She leaned back, putting her feet in Bren's lap. "Clydedid some checking with some of those loyal to me. I've approved a lot of people to come onboard the mine lately that I don't remember doing." "How could he get away with that?"
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Both heads turned to look at Amory. He hadn't said much since they'd started on the journey back to the mine. Zelda stretched out her long legs as Bren lay a hand across her calf. "I've been distracted. Didn't pay as much attention to Gemini as I should have. A mistake. A lot of things have been going on in our lives." "Me." A puff of air blew through Amory’s nose. If only he could blow this trouble away so easily. "You were distracted by me." Zelda scratched an ear. "Ehh. Yes, you." "It's my fault." "No." She sat up quickly, pulling her legs out of Bren's lap. "Not your fault. It's mine. I should have stayed more on top of things." "You should have stayed onboard the mine. Instead of coming to look for me." Amory held himself accountable for this mess. Somehow, he'd help get the mine back in their hands. "If I hadn't been so damn stubborn…honorable." He spat the word out. Now it tasted badly. Zelda got out of her seat and crossed the two steps that separated them. Kneeling in front of him, she put one warm hand on each side of his face. "You’re being honorable. Noble. It's a good thing. I may have hated the hold Tania had on you, but I respected you wanting to tell her in person that it was over. That took guts." "It could cost you the mine. All because you left to find me." "I had to find you. To make sure you were OK.” She stroked along his cheek with her thumb. “To hell with the mine." "You don't mean that." He'd seen the way she looked when she'd come back fromClyde 's call. The mine was her life. "She does." Bren knelt down on the floor by Zelda. "I do, too. You're more important than Settler's." "You are my life. Not some mine." She glanced at the man who towered over her. "You are, too." Her focus turned back to Amory as her hands fell from his face. "Nothing is more important than the two of you. I'm not sorry I came to look for you. You had to be found. I’m glad I did, and you’re safe." A haunted look descended upon her pretty face. She’d faced down her past demons and conquered them for the moment. They were sure to rear their ugly heads later. "But it gave Gemini the opportunity to launch his takeover." Damn the man for doing this. For trying to drive a wedge between mates who’d already had issues. "He would have tried, anyway. I don't intend for him to succeed. But, my mates are more important to me than the mine, no matter how much I love it. Something like that will never take the place of either of you." "I'll help you take it back." He would. Determination coursed through him. He'd do whatever he had to
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do. She nodded, a serious look on her face. "I know you will. You'll stand by our side as our mate. In this fight, and in any to come." She reached a hand to both of them. "There's no one else I'd rather have at my back." She patted both of their arms. "Now, enough of this talk. Let's move on to something else." She didn't talk sentimentally often. Not her way. And she had to them. Amory's heart pounded. They saw a side of Zelda that the rest of the galaxy didn't ever see. "Yes, ma'am." Bren bowed his head as if in supplication. "Or should I say, yes, Mistress." She belted out a laugh. "Only if you want to." She continued to stroke Amory's hand with nimble fingers. "Have you made all your calls?" "Yep." Bren lifted his head. "Good. Waiting on anyone to call you back?" "Only Clyde with more updates, but he was worried about Gemini catching on that he'd been in contact with me, so he didn't want to call too much. Gemini thinks he hasClyde holed up and inactive." She cocked her head to the side as she regarded Bren. "What do you have going on in that devious mind of yours?" "Shuttle's on autopilot." Amory watched back and forth between them. Surely Bren couldn't havethat in mind? Not while they were facing such a loss. "Yes. I believe it is." The corner of Zelda's mouth quirked up. "Be a few hours still before we arrive." Her head bobbed. "Yes. I believe it will be." She raised her head, a knowing look now on her face. Would Zelda go along with this? She'd been so tense after they'd found out what was going on at the mine. A brief conversation with his fathers had followed, and they'd taken off with a flurry of activity. "We could find a way to pass the time." His hand stroked up Zelda's leg, palming the lower fleshy part with his hand. "A much more fun way than sitting here talking." Though the calf was covered by pants, Amory saw the shiver Bren’s touch inflicted upon her. "You can't mean to have sex now? While we're in such peril?" Amory leaned back in the seat. "Hey, unless we play a game of space letters, how do you wanna pass the time? We still have a while before we even get close to the mine. There will always be some peril that we’re in, even onboard the mine. And what better way to take our minds off the danger than a little activity?" Bren had a point on the inaction. Despite needing to be at the mine now, they couldn't speed up the shuttle's journey much. They had to ride it out. Couldn't do much until they arrived at Settler's. "How are
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we going to get on the mine anyway? Gemini isn't going to just let us in willingly." "Let me worry about that. I've already got a plan in mind. Plus, I think he will let us onboard. He's that arrogant an SOB." She leaned down. "I think Bren's got a point. We need to have our stuff together when we get to the mine. We need to be as one." They would have to be. To take the mine back and rip off Gemini's hold on anything there. What better way to increase their cohesiveness than to be fully together as mates? "What do you two have in mind?" He licked his lips. Couldn't wait to find out what they wanted to do. ***** Bren looked across at both his mates. Delectable. He pushed Zelda back in her chair. She needed this. Needed to get her mind off what was going on at the mine. They couldn’t stop things until they arrived. And stop it they would. He’d take Gemini out for causing so much misery. He put away those thoughts for now. Nothing he could do about them. Instead, he’d give Zelda and Amory something to think about beyond the crisis. He pulled down the zipper to Zelda’s shirt with a rasp. She lay back comfortably as her breasts became exposed. Heavy with dark-tipped nipples, they perked out under his gaze. Bren reached to them with a reverent hand, grazing the back across them. Amory reached for her pants before drawing his hand back. “Why stop?” Zelda asked, her voice husky with desire. Emboldened, Amory reached for the button and zipper again on Zelda’s black leathers. His hand trembled as he got them undone. So hesitant, yet he’d come so far with them. Amory would come into his own as their mate. He already showed signs. Bren looked down at Amory’s intent face. His other mate. These were the two he’d spend the rest of his life with. Nothing in life had prepared him for that. But his thanks would be shouted to the Fates forever. Zelda’s breath hitched as Bren continued to explore her breasts, taking his time and touching her all over. Amory pulled her up, so Bren stopped to facilitate Amory sliding her pants over her slim legs. Zelda took the opportunity to shrug the shirt off her silken shoulders. “You two have me naked. No fair.” Bren chuckled. “All’s fair in sex.” Amory looked up at him. “I thought it was all’s fair in love and war.” That sobered them all.
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Amory winced. “Guess I shouldn’t have said that.” The coming war would be a difficult challenge for them. But one they’d come through. Bren hadn’t come this far to lose either of his mates now. Zelda smiled. She lifted her head high. “We will make it out of this. We won’t lose our mine. Or our minds. Or anything else.” She lifted her eyebrows. “But now, I think it’s about time you two lost clothes.” After standing up, Bren pulled at his garments so fast he almost tore the button off his pants. He’d been waiting for this so long. His cock hung heavy and swollen. Needy for his mates. Amory hesitated as he unbuttoned his shirt. Couldn’t seem to decide what to take off first. He pulled the shirt over his head. Hesitated again at his pants. Bren stepped behind Amory. He stroked his hands all over Amory’s muscular back. The man might be trim, but he had well defined muscles. Amory leaned back into him, the top of his pants undone, but they remained zipped and up. Bren’s hands went to his chest, running over and over the man’s pecs and upper stomach, drawn to the dips and the smoothness of the skin. Zelda slipped to her knees in front of Amory. Her head bobbed as she leaned down. Bren peered over Amory’s shoulder to catch a glimpse of a spectacular sight. Zelda was easing down the zipper to the pants with her teeth. The white tips gleamed against the metal tab. When the pants loosened, Bren peeked again to see Amory’s cock edge out of the top of the pants. Amory shuddered when Zelda’s head moved forward. Bren wrapped arms around him, pulling him further back until Amory relaxed against him. The pants fell to his feet. In the harsh fluorescent lights of the shuttle, he watched Amory’s face go slack and then tighten with everything Zelda did to him. Bren arched himself into Amory, rubbing his cock against Amory’s ass. So good. Both the feel of the man in front of him and the imagined images from what Zelda would be doing in front of Amory. Gods, he needed this. To be with his mates, no holding back. To be as one unit, together. Amory’s hips pistoned in and out, putting his ass right against Bren’s cock. Amory’s ass rested about the right height to come back fully against him. The feel of the butt slapping his skin was almost more than Bren could take.Inside . He needed to be inside. First, he needed to do more for his other mate. Zelda he couldn’t reach, but he sure could Amory. Bren kept his body against Amory’s but leaned over to a drawer where Zelda had stashed some things.
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Finding the tiny bottle of lube, he opened it with his teeth. Poured some on his fingers and pressed them to the crack of Amory’s ass. Amory jerked. Bren soothed him, carefully pressing his hands against the man’s chest. What a flat stomach Amory had. All the better for Bren to snack on soon. He nipped the side of Amory’s neck, kissing gently the spot where his teeth had abraded Amory’s skin. Soon as Amory had settled, Bren put his index finger in to press inside the rounded opening. He took it slow, working his finger in as gently as he could. Taking his time and stretching the tight hole. Time spent now would pay off later. But as the flesh clutched at the finger and he heard the noises Zelda made, that was hard to keep in mind. Bren ground his teeth together, pulling on his patience. Soon as Amory had grown accustomed to the one, Bren added a finger. In and out, those two dipped into Amory. Bren’s whole body tensed with the efforts. Had to make this right. Air panted in and out of his mouth like a speeding shuttle. Zelda continued at the front of the young man. She seemed to be pulling away, then taking him to the root within her mouth. At least from the glimpses Bren sneaked every now and then. Seeing his mates together like this inflamed him. His third finger pressed into Amory’s opening. In and out, they ducked in, stretching, making the room needed for Amory to take something bigger. The moment Bren had been waiting for was almost at hand. Time to drive himself into Amory’s depths and take the man. Amory let out a groan. He was close. Now, Bren needed to act. He didn’t waste any time. Wanted to be in Amory before the orgasm took him over the edge. Ride him before the afterglow set in. He pressed Amory forward a little. Just enough to get his ass perfectly lined up with Bren’s cock. Bren dumped a large squirt of lube down into Amory’s hole. Was this happening? Bren shook his head. So many dreams about doing this with his mates. And now, it had come to pass. If only this moment could last forever. The three of them together and only the three. Alone and tucked away from the world. Zelda hunkered down even lower, keeping her head with Amory’s hips, so that she could keep her mouth on him. Amory let out a deeper moan. The sound echoed from the walls.
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Bren struck, pressing his tip into the entrance to Amory’s ass. Muscles clenched around him as he stopped at the barely-in position, letting Amory adjust. Didn’t want to hurt him but damn, the feel of the man around him, made him want to drive himself to the hilt. Yet, he held himself back until he felt the slightest relaxation of Amory’s body. Steadying himself, Bren dove in more, then pulled back out, only to go a little further. Repeating the motion, the next downturn lodged himself fully within Amory. Such a wonderful sensation, encased within his lover. Amory’s ass muscles clenched around him as his entire body went into a ball of tension, readying himself for the orgasm to come. Bren gritted his teeth against the urge to pound, keeping his strokes simple and slow.Wait for the moment . When Amory threw his head back against him in abandon, lost in his own climax, Bren increased the harshness of his thrusts. He couldn’t hold back any longer. Needed to go fast. Furious. Take his own pleasure within the backdoor of Amory’s body. Needed to join with him in a dance older than the galaxies. Amory’s grunts spurred him on to new heights. Such pleasure in the sounds his lover made. Bren took pleasure in every movement, every sound. He’d never been closer to another man as he was to Amory at that moment. They’d joined in the best way possible. Emotion centered in Bren’s chest, constricting it and sending him into the oblivion. When the climax struck, Bren’s eyes flashed stars. Lights flashed before his eyes. His body wrung out the climax like it was an old rag. All three heartstones glimmered in the shuttle. Bren didn’t have to see them to know the glow. He could sense their glimmers even without his eyes. Amory would have fallen, but Bren managed to hold them both up. He extricated himself from Amory’s ass as carefully as he could. A final shudder wracked Amory as Bren pulled completely free. Zelda licked her lips, looking up at them. With her love reflecting in her eyes. She licked her top lip, as though she didn’t want a drop of Amory’s cum to go to waste. “Well, you two do know how to give distraction.” Bren centered Amory so that he could stand on his own two feet and stood to his full height. His knees still knocked from the orgasm. But his lady hadn’t gotten much out of that deal. She’d had her fun with her mouth, but no climax of her own. Not the way he played their time together. He grabbed her, picking her up. Her eyes frosted with icy piss and vinegar. “Put me down.”
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He tossed her on the shuttle bunk, where they should have had their tryst. None of their minds had been thinking of waiting, but Zelda’s knees would probably ache from the length of time she’d spent on them. He’d rub them once this whole thing was over and done with. “There you go.” “Bren.” “You said to put you down.” He climbed up on the bed straddling her legs with his body. “I did.” “We should…” She continued to sit up rather than lying down. He held a finger to her lips, pressing the pad against the words bubbling out of her. “You need your own pleasure.” She lowered her head. Her lips escaped his finger so she could speak. “But we should check…” “We’d hear anyone call us.” The alarm was on a loud ring. “The only one who would isClyde , right? And it would have to be important. We’re still a ways away from the mine. Time for your fun.” The bed dipped as Amory joined them. “I agree with that. Whole-heartedly. After what you gave me, you need to have some of your own.” He slipped over them both, stretching his legs out alongside Zelda’s. She narrowed her eyes at Bren, before shaking back her hair. “Bren, you aren’t taking me until you wash up.” Bren nodded. “I know.” He reached over to procure a space wipe, good for cleansing without water. Amory’s cock puffed out again, standing up at attention. His eyes lit up. “Guess I’m ready for round two.” A boyish look lit his face, like he’d found a new piece of candy. Bren chuckled as he wiped himself off. Nothing like a man discovering that his cock worked correctly. “I think Amory’s already up for round two.” Desire crackled down deep within. Round two of being together with his mates. Mates he could lose. His throat pulled together. No. He’d not lose them. Not now or ever. Too much had worked upon him to find these two people for his life. He’d not lose them before they’d even begun. Zelda sat up to grab the wipe from him. She’d read his face, probably known his thoughts. She usually did. “Let me finish.” Under her knowing hands, his erection blossomed. He shoved into her hand as she cupped him before coming to his senses. “Dammit, Z.” He pushed her hands away. “I’m supposed to be doing something to you right now.” Her eyes challenged him with lively sparks in their brown depths. “And what would that be?” “This.” He pressed her backward and after a moment’s resistance she went over on her back. He attacked her pussy, licking and scraping with teeth. Such honey sprang from within. He loved her taste. The way she whimpered and moaned. So shitting expressive, much like he was discovering Amory was,
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too. As cool as Zelda was outside the bedroom, get her inside, and she let it all hang out. Zelda made a noise that caused him to look up from his wandering mouth. Her eyes had closed tightly. Amory had joined them, not just by position, but with action. He sucked and kissed Zelda’s breasts. As sensitive as they were, to have one man at her pussy and one there, it wouldn’t be long before she’d come. Bren grinned into her. He’d hold her out as long as he could. Make things good for his woman. Least he could do after all she’d given to him. After all, she’d given him Amory. A woman’s stone selected her mates, so the saying went. And she’d given him eons of pleasures in his life, from the very beginning. Nothing but the best existed in his heart for Zelda. And for Amory. She writhed under them both, bucking up her hips. Her legs straightened, even as she tried to push her pelvis against Bren’s mouth to make him go where she wanted. Bren didn’t press in, keeping his tongue light and slight despite her efforts. Kept evading her hip’s push for more, lengthening her pleasures. Didn’t suck her clit into his mouth or grind his tongue against her. Before long, her hands bunched up in the sheets. “Bren.” She puffed out a breath. “Amory. Do it.” She let out a growl. She was ready. Ready to give him her all. So Bren gave her what she needed by sucking her clit between his lips like he’d whistle a tune on bit of flesh. Her whole body quaked under him as her first orgasm hit her with a vengeance. She cried out forcefully. Panting, her body stopped twitching. She lay there, thinking they were done with her now that she’d had a moment of pleasure. Not likely. She deserved this and so much more. Bren tapped Amory on the shoulder. “Switch.” Zelda opened her eyes to stare up at them, having overheard them but not understanding. “Huh?” “Switch time.” “Oh, Goddess…” Amory moved down on the bed with a wide, face splitting grin. Bren moved up to Amory’s position at her chest before he laved a peaked nipple. She’d be screaming to her goddess before the shuttle ride was through. ***** Amory ran his tongue across Zelda’s pussy as she threw back her head. Her taste would have brought
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him to his knees had he been standing. Sweet honey. He tongued in deep to press into her clit, rubbing it around. One finger slipped into her slick pussy, pressing inside. Quickly another one joined the first to fill her up. She writhed under his mouth. He flicked her back and forth before pinching the tip of clit between his teeth. Then, he sucked her inside. She screamed, but he didn’t stop. He wanted to push her to her limits. She convulsed around his fingers. He lifted his head to look at her. Flush and sweat covered the body of his goddess. Bren had one hand on her breast and his mouth on a nipple. Amory swallowed with a harsh sound. Nothing could excited him more than seeing his mates together like this. Well, except being there with them. His head dipped to run a tongue along her slit. Her foot kicked out into his leg. Suckling her again, he pressed in a third finger. Another scream. They’d taken her over the edge another time, before she said in a hoarse voice, “Need you.” Both Bren and Amory lifted their heads. “Need who?” Bren leaned down to flick her nipple with his tongue and her whole body shook. “Both of you.” Bren nodded to Amory as he helped Zelda flip up on her side. He motioned for Amory to get in front of her. “You’re going to take her back there?” Bren nodded. Then, he winked. “It’s not the first time.” He grabbed the half full bottle of lube. Amory climbed up the bed to position himself in front of Zelda. She smiled as she pulled him closer to her body.
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Their skin rubbed together. Both of them hissed. Amory felt as though his skin was staticky, like a cat whose fur had been rubbed backward. His cock jerked. She reached down to guide him into her body, but she suddenly jerked and gasped. Her breath caught at the back of her throat. Bren was doing things to her from behind. Had he penetrated her yet? Amory couldn’t see. But he’d try and gauge her reactions so he timed it about the same. They’d take her together. Between them. A shiver raced along his spine. His heart pounded. He was having a threesome with his mates. Mates he’d never thought he’d find. What a whirlwind of a day it had been. His only regret in positioning was that he couldn’t see Bren touching her. Taking her. But he had a fine view. Zelda. A glance down let him peruse her breasts. And his cock heading for the moment of penetration. He slipped forward, and his cock breeched her opening. Slow. He’d ease himself in slowly for both their sakes. His orgasm hadn’t taken away enough of the edge. This had to be a special moment. And he’d do anything to make it last for her. A thrust of her hips moved her forward to impale him. Quickly, she moved away to do the move again, only taking him deeper. She wouldn’t let him withdraw or slow the pace as she clutched at his hips. “Not slow.” Amory breathed deeply, seated deep within his mate. So, she wanted things fast, did she? He’d show her fast. On a downward spiral, he pounded into her. Lifting up he came down even harder. Faster. Her fingernails tore at his side. Her grunting with each slap of his body drove him crazy with lust. With love. His mate. Bren’s hand reached over to grab his arm with long fingers. The touch fired off nerves like rockets. His other mate. Together, he and Bren moved in tandem, timing their motions to the other. Thrusting, pumping, in and out, to create a Zelda sandwich. Best damn sandwich there was.
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Her whole body quaked against them both as they penetrated her from both sides. Could three people become one? It almost seemed like it. His world narrowed down to the two of them and moving his body against them. One heartbeat. One mind. One sex. One heart. They’d joined in so many ways. The orgasm rumbled up within him quickly, tearing to the surface to explode all around him in a show of fireworks. His vision swam with color bursts. His eyes closed, and he could still see them as his climax pumped through him. Never had he thought so much feeling and ecstasy could exist in one body. A thrust later, Bren joined him over the edge with a hoarse cry, as they both plowed her deeply, spasmodically until they were spent. Aftershocks rocked them, causing all three to gasp as each one of them touched the most sensitive spots of the others. Reopening his eyes, Amory lay there, panting before he moved out of Zelda and laid his head back on the pillow. He pressed his arm across the top of his head. Blew out breaths, trying to calm his breathing. Bren tossed an arm over them both. “Good enough distraction?” “It’ll do.” Zelda’s hoarse voice came against Amory’s side. She moved closer so their skin touched. Amory nuzzled into her body, inhaling her flowery scent while putting an arm across Zelda to nudge Bren as well. Had to touch both his mates. Feel their reality against him. Not that the soreness of his body wouldn’t tell him his mates weren’t a dream. He could smell the musky scent of sex in the air. Their sex. So many firsts for him. With his mates. He was where he should be. He had no doubts about that now. Whatever happened, his place was with Zelda and Bren. For eternity. With a sigh, he closed his eyes again. When the shuttle landed, they’d be ready. To do what needed to be done. But for now, they’d enjoy the unit they’d become. He’d almost fallen asleep when the shuttle com announced in its monotone voice, “Nearing destination.” Bren groaned before leaping to his feet. He shrugged on clothes with hands that didn’t seem to want to work. Zelda grabbed her own clothes, pulling them bunched up in her arms. “How long until we arrive?” “About ten minutes.” Zelda reached down to pick up Amory’s clothes. “Get dressed.” She tossed them to him. A grim look set about in her eyes. “Don’t forget to pick a weapon. Make sure you know how to use the one you choose. I’m going to go coordinate us. Figure out how we’ll get onboard.” She tromped to the front of the shuttle where she haphazardly started dressing while pushing buttons on the com. Amory dropped his shirt to the floor before pulling up his pants. He picked up and slipped on his shirt. Then he slowly got it buttoned. His hands didn’t want to do fine tasks. No basking in the afterglow for them.
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Reaching the weapons storage, he grasped a phaser with one hand before slipping on a belt to carry the weapon. It was the only weapon he’d ever used before. And that had been for target practice. But, he’d been a good shot. A natural. Maybe that would come in handy. The time had to come to take back what was theirs. And he’d be first in line to fight for the mine. Chapter Thirteen
Zelda worked the com, talking to those that were coming in to help fight. Coordinating who would board and where. Of course, that depended onClyde getting them onboard. The Wolfton hadn't been in contact for too long. He should have gotten in place by now, along with others loyal to her. Their entire plan depended onClyde being able to let them all land. Off the mine, no one could do much. They needed to get down there. If Gemini had foundClyde out… A familiar voice came over the com. "Zelda." The man himself, thank Goddess. "Yeah?" "Done."Clyde clicked off the com. A slight smile graced her lips. From the day he'd taken over the bar, counting on him was one of her best decisions. Of course, he'd get himself in position and keep himself safe. "Clyde's in place." Bren tipped up the controls. "Where do we go in?" "The south side of the mine. McTavish will come in with us. Layla will be on the north side with Dar." Amory leaned forward in his chair behind her seat. "Clyde's taking down their weapons? So we can board without getting shot ?" "Yep." She sent out encoded messages to her allies, just in case Gemini was monitoring communications on ships nearing the mine. Bren maneuvered the shuttle. “Does Gemini suspectClyde was working for you? I meanClyde ’s known for that.” “Clydeholed up as soon as Gemini started making plans. He hasn’t let the asshole catch him.” Bren nodded while checking the radar. "Once we get onboard, Bren, I'd like you two to stick together.” Bren would protect Amory. She’d be too busy. “What are you doing?” “Going straight after Gemini.” The man would pay for trying to pull one over on her. He might have created discord up until now. No longer. She’d take back her mine. Keep her mates safe. And go on to fuck another day.
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Setting down with the mine unable to block them or defend themselves, they docked and entered the mine carefully, weapons drawn. A welcoming party didn’t greet them. Gemini had no organizational skills withClyde ’s group keeping his minions busy. McTavish had about forty men with him. How had he gotten them all onboard his small shuttle? He nodded to Zelda. “Zelda.” “McTavish.” She could have thanked him for coming, but he’d not take it well. Instead, she nodded back. How long had they known each other? So many years. He was the one person off the station she’d counted on to come. The others had been unknowns. Layla, along with her mates, Balt and Orion, felt she owed Zelda something for retrieving Orion from an asshole. She didn’t. Zelda had been glad to put one over on Ansel, a One-Dick Wonder. Layla hadn’t hesitated from the instant Zelda had contacted her. Maybe Zelda had acquired another friend like McTavish in the young bounty hunter and her two mates, who were also her partners. Dar was an enigma. He’d either help her full force or ignore her. This time, he’d chosen to help. “Where ’tis the bastard who’s trying ta take yar mine?” McTavish raised his weapon higher. All his men followed suit. Quite a sight to see all the similarly dressed men raise their weapons in tandem. McTavish was always spoiling for a fight, despite being an accomplished surgeon and doctor. “In the downturns of the mine.” They all turned to spy a battered, bruised Wolfton approaching them. His lip bled from a nasty cut. Zelda was glad to see him alive. His working for her hadn’t been easy this time. She owed him quite a bit when this all played out. He’d never collect. That wasn’t his way. “No one is sure what he’s doing down there. The fighting turned nasty just before you got here. They might have more men.” An evil smile launched acrossClyde ’s face. “But we fight dirtier. He’s holed himself up down there to keep himself safe from us. His men are blocking the known entrances to where Gemini is.” Zelda rubbed a hand across her face. “No one knows his intentions?” Clydeshook his head. “His minions don’t even know. We’ve captured a few of them for questioning.” The grim set to his face probably meant those questioned hadn’t survived. Wolftons could be quite persuasive, so they must not have known anything. Zelda’s personal com buzzed. Layla’s voice crackled. “We’re on.” “All right.” Zelda pulled up schematics of the mine on her screen. “He’s down there?” She pointed to a loop of mine corridors, which hadn’t been used regularly in a while. “Yes.”
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“That’s where I go. The rest of you work on taking out all his minions on the upper reaches of the mine. Protect the people on the mine.” “Most of them have thrown in with us, Zelda.”Clyde moved forward, cracking his knuckles. “The diggers and all the workers. They’re helping us.” “Sounds good on the plan.” Bren’s eyes flickered. Zelda turned to face her big mate. “You two go with McTavish.” Bren straightened. “Shit, no. I’m with you.” “So am I.” Amory’s hand tightened on his weapon. No. They couldn’t go with her. She needed them safe and that wasn’t an option, going after Gemini. “This isn’t the time to argue. I need you both working on the upper floors. It will be easier for one person to slip down and take out Gemini.” And less dangerous for them. McTavish would keep them both safe. If anything happened to them… McTavish nodded. “I’ll look after them both.” “You need someone to watch your back.” Bren’s mouth straightened in a stubborn line. “Like I always do.” “Not this time.” “Z…” I don’t have time for this.” She turned, effectively dismissing both her mates. “I’ll be working my way down to where Gemini is. The rest of you, take out as many as you can and take back as much of the mine as you can. If they ain’t loyal to me, hurt ’em.” Several agreements sounded. Zelda sprinted off, weapon in hand. She didn’t look back to see if Amory or Bren watched her. Didn’t want to look back at them and see their eyes. It was better this way. This time, she was the one leaving. But she would come back. ***** Amory scrambled behind Bren as they fought their way through the masses down the corridor. Mostly hand to hand with some phaser fire. The man named McTavish had an overwhelming number with him. They took the lead in mowing down the minions of Gemini by their sheer numbers. If McTavish hadn’t joined them, they’d have been hard pressed to fight. How had Gemini gotten so many damn people on the mine? Bren changed direction. “Stay with McTavish. I’ll be back.” “Hell, no.” Amory worked to keep up with Bren’s longer legs and determined stride. “Are you going to Zelda?” Of course he was. And Amory wasn’t getting left behind. His mate was down there. He’d just found them. He wasn’t going to lose them to some mine takeover.
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“Yeah. I’ve got an idea.” Bren moved through an opening, dropping off a shot to fell a man near a doorway. “You stay up here.” “No. I want to help you. Help Zelda. Keep the mine.” An honest answer. Amory’s priorities had changed radically in a short time. Keeping the mine was important to them all. Amory had to pull his weight and that meant going down into the mine. Bren blew out a breath. “Fine. But stay close and don’t get dead.” “Don’t intend to.” Amory saw McTavish yell after them as he noticed them disappear around the bend, but there was nothing he could do to stop them, as he was fighting. Bren led them to an old elevator shaft. It looked abandoned. “We gave up on this vein years ago. But if we can use it to get down into the downturns, we can plan a surprise for Gemini.” Amory nodded. “I’m in.” He peered over the dark shaft. “What kind of surprise?” Bren would plan something good for the enemy. Amory wanted to be a part of taking down Gemini. Bren’s grin looked grim instead of humorous. “A big one.” “I’ll help however I can.” The climb down the shaft was slippery and tedious. They came out in a pocket in the downward spirals of the mine. Coldness blew across Amory’s skin. It was colder down here than in the upper reaches. Inky blackness stretched for as far as he could see, only pierced by the light of the shaft they’d just crawled through. Bren lit a lantern, which carved through the darkness. There must have been emergency supplies stored in this pocket of the mine. “You think Gemini’s somewhere down here?” Amory tried to get a good look around and get his bearings. “Yeah. From whatClyde said. I don’t know why, though.” Bren struck off in a spiraling direction. “Come on. Let’s see what we can find.” ***** Zelda jumped down, landing on her feet with her weapon outstretched. No Gemini yet. She’d been searching for him for a while now, even as the battle raged overhead. Why go down here? Especially if one were taking over a mine. Down here was closer to the center of the planet. Most of the veins had gone dry years ago. She didn’t see what objective to taking over the mine this would meet. Which left her with a bad feeling. She canted her head to the side. Footsteps.
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They were coming this way. She lay in wait, shifting herself into a crevice. As the person rounded the bend, she jumped them. About to slam her gun into their head to subdue them, she stopped with only a second to spare. Amory stared up at her. His eyes had widened in surprise at seeing her and being jumped. “What the fuck are you doing down here?” She quickly got off her mate. He’d been lucky she hadn’t followed through with the blow. “You were supposed to stay above. You get back up there now.” “No.” Amory got to his feet. “I’m down here to help you.” He glanced furtively around her as if looking for something. “Shh.” “Amory, it’s too dangerous.” Her heart pumped a thousand miles a minute. Goddess, what had he been thinking? Gemini was somewhere down here. If he took Amory, that would cripple any of her efforts to stop him. Amory glanced behind her with a hard look. He blew out a breath. “I had to come help you. You’re my mate. I can’t let you face danger, while I don’t.” He grasped her hand. “Trust me.” Looking into his earnest face, she saw so many things. So many things she wanted to deny to keep her mate safe. But if she didn’t trust him, they’d never have a future together. Bren had been right saying that. And she wanted that future. “I trust you.” She reached to stroke his cheek. “Good.” He bit his lip. “Trust me in everything that’s going to happen. And don’t send me back up there.” He shook his head. “Like I’d go anyway.” “All right.” She dropped her hand. “Where’s Bren?” Bren wouldn’t have let Amory come down alone. Amory turned up the volume to his voice. “He’s around here somewhere. Just waiting to jump out at any moment. On anyone.” Zelda stared at him, even as another voice answered from behind her. She whirled to face the direction of the sound. “Like I’d believe that.” Gemini strolled on the path from behind them with a gun. He had a fodder cannon leveled at them. They tore big holes in people. Zelda had seen the wounds before. “You two are down here alone. After me. Guess Bren really is a coward.” Amory shrugged. “Believe what you want.” “I know you saw me coming, dough boy. Were you too scared to even warn your whore lover? I know you said Bren’s down here for my benefit. I saw that on your face. Stupid liar. I’ve been following you for a while now. Stalking you before I kill you.” “Gemini, you piece of dung.” Zelda waved her phaser back and forth at him. More an empty threat than anything else. As long as he held the cannon, he had them right where he wanted them. “It’s time you left my mine.” “Your mine? Hardly. You need to get with the current picture.” His voice twisted into sneering. “It’s my mine now.”
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“In your dreams.” How was she going to get Amory out of the line of fire? She couldn’t get him hurt. Or worse yet, killed. She maneuvered her body so she could jump in front of Amory if Gemini fired. Amory had to survive. Gemini’s smile revealed too white teeth. “That little pop thing has no effect on my big gun. I suggest you put it down. Before I blow him to bits.” His finger tightened on the trigger. “Drop your weapon.” Zelda lowered and dropped her phaser. Not anything she wanted to do, but she couldn’t risk Amory. She’d have to look for another way out for him. “You’ll never win.” She’d find a way to best him. To save her mates. Thank Goddess, Bren had stayed above. Wait a minute, Bren wouldn’t have stayed above. Not with Amory coming down here. But where was he? “Ah, but I already have. I have your mine. I have you.” Gemini motioned for them to move along the corridor. He led them to a pocket just up ahead in the direction Amory had been traveling. “Up against the wall.” Both Amory and Zelda complied. “Raise your arms.” They both raised their arms. Zelda hated being trapped like this. With Amory. Fuck, how were they going to get out of this? Gemini would use her mate against her. He already had. Any other time, she would have jumped Gemini before things had gotten this far. Because her mate was here, she wouldn’t. “Such a stupid bitch. I only wish I hadn’t been rushed because of that damn Wolfton bartender. I would have enjoyed letting Tenack take you in all your holes. Watch you bleeding.” Amory bristled. “He’d never do anything to her. I’d never have let him.” He folded his arms across his chest as a menacing sound seemed to echo around the pocket. How had he gotten so loud? Gemini moved forward to slap him. The thud of it resounded in the stone. “Shut your trap, boy.” Zelda growled and moved after him until he lifted the cannon. Amory grabbed her shoulder. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.” “Have you recognized me yet, Zelda? Have you seen beneath the mask I wear? Not a real mask, but one of surgery. They say you remember everyone who comes onboard once you meet them. I want to know if it’s true. Especially with a Bbayan like me.” An image of a man ducking his head in front of her, slapped her up against the face. There’d always been something familiar about Gemini that she couldn’t place. Gemini wasn’t Bbayan but the races were similar. As he identified his true species, she remembered. A Bbayan, who’d been on her station from many years ago. “Coe.” His grin grew so wide, it almost split his evil face. “You do remember. I’m touched.” Coe moved around them. “Do you remember how you humiliated me? Kicked me off the mine before I even had a chance to look? Kept me off this damn rock? Made me not find my heartstone?” His nose wrinkled. “Because of
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you, I never found my heartstone. You kept me from my destiny.” “You almost killed a man. And you hurt Bren when we took you down. Of course I kicked you off.” It was the only time that Bren had ever been hurt on the mine. After that, her vigilance had increased even beyond what it had been. “When you can’t search the biggest heartstone mine in the quadrant, that limits your chances.” His voice grew high pitched. “You knew you limited me! So I could never find my heart. Never be with anyone. Never have sex.” “You broke rules.” Zelda kept her voice steady. The man hadn’t found his heartstone. Now he’d gone insane. How long had he been plotting this? He’d showed up at the right time. Had it not been for Amory, she wouldn’t have been so distracted. A good thing, but distraction, none the less. “And now you’ll pay.” Coe’s face twisted up into the face that was more like what Zelda remembered. “It’s time to end the mines. End the heartstones. I’m going to blow this one to bits. Then, we’ll see the leveling of people, as no one has their heartstone. What a better world it will be.” He waved a hand, motioning them to move further along in the shaft, which they did. “You’ll get to see my genius as I take you down the shafts. I’ve set charges. One ignition point that I’m about to set, and they all go up. BOOM! And everyone’s equal. No one is better than anyone else.” Her hands clenched by her sides. Coe intended to blow up the mine. With everyone on it. Her stomach twisted. Everyone she’d just brought onboard plus all the ones who’d already been there. Her mates. Oh, Goddess. She had to stop him. Even with Amory by her side, she couldn’t let this man kill so many people. Amory didn’t look distressed as they rounded a corner into a portion of the shaft with a corner covered by a ledge overtop. “You know there’s a heartstone in the rock behind you? It’s seeking you out.” Zelda couldn’t believe her ears. Had Amory gone nuts, too? Why hold a steak in front of a tiger and tempt him only to really be holding a rock? There was no heartstone in the shafts down here. “Amory.” He shook his head at her, hushing her. “Trust me.” She stayed quiet, instead of arguing with him. Hard to, but she listened to Amory. Maybe he had a plan. What could it be? He seemed determined to tell Gemini there was a heartstone there. Her mate asked her to do something, who was she not to do the thing he asked? She took a deep breath, praying silently to her Goddess. “Do you think I’m naïve, boy?” Gemini got in Amory’s face. Amory didn’t flinch or look perturbed. “There’s no stone.” “I don’t think you’re naïve. I am. But not you.” What game did Amory play? Zelda tried to survey the area without letting on she was doing it. She didn’t see anything that would say why Amory wanted Gemini to look in the section of rock under the ledge. She resisted the urge to look up. Maybe there was a plan. She didn’t chime in for fear Gemini would get too suspicious. Gemini looked to where Amory had pointed. He cocked his head, looking. “There’s no stone.” He stepped back toward the section just under the ledge. Reached out a hand to touch and caress the stone.
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“It’s above you, asshole.” Gemini looked up just as Bren pushed over a big gaggle of rocks from the overhang above. Amory grabbed Zelda’s hand. “Run.” As rocks tumbled, pulled by other stones falling, she did. She blocked Amory with her body as much as she could, ushering him into the next corridor. She fired her pistol even as the rocks continued to fall, burying Gemini underneath them. Bren had started a landslide. They didn’t stop until they reached the surface. “Where’s Bren?” Zelda looked behind her and all around. Where would he be coming out? If he was coming out. Her heart went up into her throat. “Where should he come out?” Amory pointed. “There.” An empty opening. They waited for an agonizing minute. Watching. Zelda’s heart spasmed. Where was he? Fuck it. “I’m going in to look for him.” She barely took two steps and was swept up in Bren’s arm. “I’m here.” He twirled her around. Her eyes closed briefly before opening again. He’d never felt so good against her. So real. “How?” She looked at Amory even as Bren set her on her feet. “You said he wasn’t down there. Sounded so convincing.” “I was the bait. I had garnered Gemini’s attention, but didn’t let him know that I knew I had it. I was having him follow me to the point where Bren was waiting. Only we didn’t expect you to show up when you did. I couldn’t tell you about the plot because Gemini was there from the start of meeting you.” Zelda shook her head. “You were good.” They’d eliminated the danger by concocting a dangerous plan. Goddess, she loved her mates. If they ever took such a chance again, she’d chain them both to the bed. “Our mate’s getting less naïve.” Bren winked at her. “By the day. Maybe the hour. We’re bad influences.” Amory snorted before wrapping her in his arms. “You trusted me. Thank you.” He planted a kiss on her lips. She dissolved into his warmth, letting the feeling of trust and joy envelope her. And promptly fired her phaser at the bastard coming up behind them. Amory jumped at the retort. “OK. Let’s save the mate’s reunion until the end, then.” He released her to join in the fight. Layla jumpkicked a man who’d tried to strangle Orion. “Nice of you to finally join the party.” McTavish pummeled another minion of Gemini’s. Swill. If only he could be tarred and feathered. “I think Zelda’s been busy with the asshat who started all this.” He released the man, who fell in a pile to the
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floor. “Or so I hope.” The troops that Zelda had rallied were winning. “Yes. Gemini is gone.” Without their leader, not that they’d been organized, they’d have even more problems. The day had fallen to Zelda and the mine would be hers again. Her mates stood at her side. Whole. Not hurt. Alive. It had been a damn good day. ***** Amory watched as Layla chatted with Zelda. Layla’s two mates, Orion and Balt, hovered nearby. Orion stepped over to Layla and Zelda. “We do need to be getting back. We were starting a new job.” Balt, the big one with the green hair, said, “A hand job.” Orion rolled his eyes. “So you wish.” “Like you don’t?” Balt winked at Zelda. “It’s been real.” Layla shook her head, amusement showing on her face at her mates bickering. “I better be going before my mates get any more impatient.” Zelda lowered her head as if in a bow. “Your debt to me is paid.” The other woman took Zelda’s hand and shook it. Her purple eyes glimmered. “I didn’t do this for that. I did this to help you keep your mine.” “I had nae debt ta pay.” McTavish boomed. “And ’tis nice ta see yar hair grew back in, Layla.” The woman picked at her long hair. “It has gotten long.” Not as long as Natives usually wore it. Natives and Etruscans got along well and his mother had been a Native, so Amory knew more about them than most races. If only they’d all hurry up with their good-byes. Amory had places he wanted to go. That only his mates would take him. Of course, they owed these people their lives. With all the minions Gemini had stacked onboard the station, their threesome wouldn’t have been able to prevail without some help. Zelda had trusted Amory down in the mine and hadn’t argued him being down there too much. She’d relied on him. He’d seen in her eyes how much she wanted to disagree with him. But she’d kept her thoughts to herself and let Amory lead. He knew how hard that had been for her. It made him need her all the more. After disarming all the charges that Gemini had set, Zelda had sealed off the portion of the mine that had caved in on top of Gemini by boarding up the entrances. It had been good riddance to a man who’d almost caused Amory to lose the thing he’d been looking for when he’d come onboard, though he hadn’t known at the time. Who’d have thought he’d find his heartstone and his life all in one spot? Settler’s Mine was really the place where dreams and reality collided. Amory’s had. His eyes sought out his mates. And the reality was better than he’d ever dreamed. “McTavish…” Zelda started.
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He startled them all by planting a kiss on Zelda’s lips. A big kiss. “Been wanting ta do that since I’ve known you. Figured twas the best time, so ya wouldn’t kill me. And ’tis no skin off ma teeth to put a rube in his place. I’m just glad I could help yar doctor out.” A laugh broke free of his lips. “And drive him a little nuts.” The man had driven Castille up to the Zorbant asteroid belt. To say they had different styles was like comparing a moon to a sun. Castille would probably say his thanks when McTavish left. Zelda wiped her hand across her lips. “One free shot. Do that again, and I will kill ya.” Which caused McTavish to erupt into more raucous laughter. Bren growled good-naturedly. “And I’ll be right behind her.” McTavish clapped his shoulder. “A good mate, ya are.” Dar nodded to Zelda as he boarded his shuttle. While McTavish and the one called Orion could talk all day long. Balt and Dar had been quieter. He hadn’t heard Dar say over two words. “Good luck with your mates.” Layla took one last look before following her mates onboard the shuttle. They all boarded, a bit more banged up than they’d been when they’d landed. Twenty of McTavish’s men had been hurt along with a few other workers, but nothing serious. Another two of McTavish’s soldiers had been killed. Other than that, there had been no casualties on their side. They’d been lucky. Zelda turned to face Amory and Bren. A spark lit her eyes. One of desire. Amory shuddered. Yes, time to regroup with his mates. Time to find his bliss. Bren moved in closer to them both, wrapping an arm around Amory’s shoulders. “I’ll race you both back to quarters.” “Oh?” Zelda arched a brow. “What’s the prize?” “Top position.” Bren struck out before either of them could move, his long legs pounding on the stone floor. “And I bet I win.” Zelda took off the other direction. Amory sauntered around the corner, not in a hurry at all. Whatever position he was in would be a good one, with the lovers the Fates had picked for him.
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Mechele Armstrong
Have you ever wondered, "What if crayons have a kingdom?” Mechele Armstrong did at age five. Now, turning the imagination of a wide-eyed child into intense spellbinding stories for adults, she is winning over new fans every day. Writing stories and poetry as a hobby, she graduated fromVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity with a degree in Religious Studies and Social Welfare. Although there were challenges with work and family, the need to write and be published, to share her passion for books was always there. During a rainy weekend at the beach reading several romance novels she fell in love, not with the hero, but with the genre again. So began a two-year adventure of doing what she loved most, creating worlds with strong heroines and enchanting heroes that will keep you turning pages until the end. Using the Internet and the local Romance Writer’s Association, she learned and refined her craft. Living inVirginia with a husband, kids, dog, and fish, she finds time to share her vivid imagination and ability to tell stories of adventure, love, lust, and everything in between. Visit Mechele on the Web at http://www.mechelearmstrong.com, or email her at
[email protected].
