“Yes. And I expect you three to treat her as if she were me.”
Geros inclined his chin even as Mal crossed his arms and scowled. Typical for both of them, but it was Geros who spoke. “Why? I do not understand what a small female from your home world can do to assist the trained guards already hunting our enemies.”
The queen smiled and I felt my skin go cold. “Are you familiar with snakes? The Cobra? Rattlesnake? Black Mamba?”
“No.” That was Mal, straight and to the point. “You know we are not. Those are from your world. We do not have such creatures on Viken.”
“Oh, but you do.” The queen said the name of a long, silent predator native to our world that used venom to paralyze its prey before swallowing it alive.
“Yes, it has been years since I saw one.” Geros was the one who answered her and his voice did not betray anything of his thoughts. “It was a young male, barely as long as I stood tall. It was eating the seabird eggs on the southern shore.”
“What has this snake creature to do with the human female, or the VSS?” That was Mal, again, painfully direct.
“The humans have a saying: If you go after the king, you go after his entire court.”
“That is an Earth saying. And it has nothing to do with snakes.”
“It is a perfect description of what is happening here. The kings, my daughters, we are all in danger. I cannot blast open the doors of the VSS and demand their heads. I need someone who can sneak in undetected and paralyze my prey. And that, gentlemen, is why I have sent for her.”
“We are the explosives and this human female is your snake?” Geros asked.
“I do not disagree with your assessment, but you know that I do not like this,” Mal growled. “I cannot stand by and allow a female to be harmed.”
Viken warriors were raised to be both protective and aggressive, fiercely loyal to their mates. I had no issues with any of that, but I had serious doubts about this small human being able to accomplish the task Queen Leah had set before her. I also agreed with Mal. It was not in our nature to do what the queen was asking of us.
“I am your queen. You will obey me. Once she arrives, everyone except the kings and I will believe she is your true matched mate. In private, she is a colleague. Nothing more. You are not to touch her. In public, you will behave as if she is your mate. No one must suspect our ruse or the entire plan may fail.”
“Our mate?” Mal’s brows tightened and he was shaking his head. “No. How can we convince anyone this female is ours and not be allowed to touch her?”
“How much you will be allowed to touch her in public is her decision. She will guide you. You will remember at all times that she isnotyour mate. You will honor this female and assist her in any way you can. She is in charge of this mission, not you. And I assure you, placing herself in danger is her specialty.” Queen Leah looked extremely pleased with herself. Sending a female to us that was not our own, one that we must protect but not touch?
Gods be damned. What level of torture were we to endure? We had all been tested for the Interstellar Brides’ program. We’d all been waiting for years. And now we must endure this? To be so close. To live with a female who was not ours. To cherish and dote on her in public and immediately cease in private?
“I’d rather fight the Hive,” Mal mumbled. I didn’t disagree. This mission was going to torment all three of us.
The queen ignored his comment. “As news ofanynew Interstellar Bride’s arrival on Viken travels quickly, we must keep up appearances from the second she appears. She will complete the transport as any standard bride. She will be naked. You will immediately move to cover and claim her, as if she were your true mate.”
Fuck. It was even worse than I’d imagined. Naked?Pretendshe was ours when we had already been waiting years for a matched mate? A female to cherish. And touch. And taste.
An order was an order. The queen was not a woman you disobeyed, and not simply due to her rank. She inspired loyalty. The people of Viken, outside of the VSS, not only adored her, they loved her for giving us our heir, the one who would truly unite the three sectors after decades of war. Princess Allayna. Allayna’s younger sister, the charming princess Lilliana, with her golden hair and bouncing curls—apparently inherited from the three kings’ grandmother—was equally treasured. The tiny princess could not yet speak clearly, but she could smile and babble, and that smile had stolen everyone’s hearts.
I glanced at Allayna once more, at her unmoving little body in the pod. Were that my daughter, I would have torn the entire planet apart to hunt her attackers.
We would do what needed to be done.
I exchanged quick glances with both Mal and Geros. Both gave nearly imperceptible nods. We would accept this assignment. And I would hope against hope that the female sent to us was the most heinous looking hag in the history of females. Somehow, I doubted we would be so lucky.
3
Mal, Transport Room
There wasno arguing with the queen. As much as I hated the situation, I could not fault her logic. Everything our investigators had tried had failed. We needed a new approach. And no one on Viken would suspect a female of such treachery.
I found my curiosity high as I waited to see what kind of mate we would be dealing with. To be worthy of this assignment, she must be large and muscled more like a male than a female. Viken culture celebrated softness and submission in its females. They were not trained for war or hunting. Not because they were not capable, but because we could not overcome our fierce need to protect and provide. It was deeper than cultural, it was instinct. We were born to cherish and care for our females.
Everything about this situation was wrong.
Kayson and Geros stood looking as uncomfortable as I felt. The queen stood beside us as well. And she was correct. Gossip and rumor of a new bride’s arrival had traveled throughout the island of Viken United. Luckily our home was small, with only the palace and offices, homes and basic markets for the those who worked in our government. Perhaps a thousand people lived here and I would bet half of them lined the halls and streets beyond this room, eager to see our new mate.
