Our false mate. The ‘snake’ sent from Earth to sneak into the dark places of this world. She was to arrive at any moment.
“This is so exciting. I can’t wait to have another friend from home to talk to.” The queen clapped her hands together and smiled as if she didn’t have a care in the world. I did not understand human females. Mere moments ago, she’d wiped tears from her eyes as she promised Allayna she would be back.
Once before we had encountered a human female. She had been upset with her mates. Nearly inconsolable. I had very much wanted to keep her, but she had done what a true matched mate would do. She chose to return and claim her males.
I had never forgotten her. I had even dreamed of having a mate from Earth. But this?
Fuck. This was the worst idea in the history of bad ideas.
My body’s needs had not been fed in many months. And now I was to stand by as an unclaimed female huntedourenemies? Pretend she was mine? Cherish her one moment and send her directly into danger the next?
I was so fucked.
The hum of energy filled the transport room as the officers at the control panel confirmed a visitor was about to arrive. And then…she did.
My worst nightmare had come to life. The naked female lying unconscious on the transport pad was beyond beautiful. Her face was perfectly symmetrical, with a strong jawline, high cheekbones, and a straight nose. Her skin was smooth and had a warm tone. She had dark, arched eyebrows and long, curled lashes.
I wondered if her eyes would be large and dark or a pale hue. My gaze caught on full lips that looked softer than a flower petal. Immediately my mind imagined tasting them, watching those lips close around the head of my cock.
“Fuck. This is not going to work.” I was already hard as a rock, every thought consumed with claiming her.
“And why is that, Mal?” The queen raised a brow and tapped one foot, as I had seen her do with her mates when she was annoyed.
I tore my gaze from the female on the transport pad and met the queen’s slightly irritated look. She glanced from me to the officers working the transport controls and I realized my blunder. Still, I could not lie to my queen.
I hid nothing of my carnal thoughts, nor did I hide the prominent bulge of my hard cock. “You know why. Perhaps you should choose someone else.”
This female was not ours to keep. I had known the mission would be difficult. Now, having seen her, I knew it would be painful as well.
“I trust no one else and neither do my mates.” Queen Leah shrugged. “I suggest we save that conversation for later, gentlemen. I believe your mate is stirring.”
The human female would not welcome our touch. She did not want us, any of us. We had not been matched. All of this was nothing more than a ruse. That knowledge did nothing to deter any of us from scrambling to her side. We were supposed to act as real mates would. Treat her as if she were truly our matched mate, as everyone on the planet must believe, if the queen’s plan had a chance to work.
If she were mine, she would already be in my arms, wrapped in the softest blanket I could find as I carried her to our new shared quarters. Once there I would run my fingers through the long, ink-black fall of silken hair and breathe the scent of her skin deeply into my lungs. I would taste her everywhere. Touch her everywhere. Fuck her until she was a sobbing, exhausted mess. Then I would curl around her like a protective shell and order her to sleep so I could do it all again.
But she was not our mate. Not Kayson's. Not Geros's. And not mine.
Not fucking mine.
She was here on a mission to track down assassins and killers. Once that mission was complete? She would leave Viken behind and return to Earth. She was not an Interstellar Bride. There were no laws in place that would keep this beautiful female with us.
Gods be damned, that didn't stop my cock throbbing in pain as I took one more look at her soft curves. Her full lips. She was small, much smaller than any of us. Her muscles were well-honed with long, toned legs. He waist curved above her hips to…her breasts were round…oh fuck, I wanted to suck on them until she bucked and begged.
I bowed my head and closed my eyes for a count of ten to gain control of myself. I’d seen enough to recognize that her muscles were roped with power. She was not weak, as I'd feared. That strength would make her surrender all the sweeter.
I watched Kayson's hand fly to his cock, readjusting it through the leather uniform pants he wore, as he gazed upon our new mate. He wanted her, too. He shifted his hips, and the thin material of his uniform pants tightened, outlining his erection. The queen’s gaze landed on the bulge in his pants. Her attention drew Geros’s eye as well.
Geros sighed and shook his head as we both knelt down on the transport pad next to our not-mate. "This mission is going to be fucking impossible." He whispered the words so only I would hear them. I did not disagree.
"She's not meant to be ours, Geros." I clenched my hands into fists as Kayson knelt down as well. We formed a protective circle around the female and Kayson placed a soft blanket around her shoulders.
The light touch woke her up. Her eyes fluttered open.
Brown. Dark, warm brown.
She grabbed onto the edges of the blanket and pulled it tightly around her body like a cocoon. The action covered her soft breasts. He long, smooth legs. The smallest hint of her pussy. All were hidden now, but it was too late. The sight had already been burned into my mind.
We were to act as if she were truly ours. Once glance at the officers operating the transport controls and I realized that meant starting right fucking now. So I did what I wanted to do, what I would have done without hesitation, if she were mine.
