Читать книгу Claimed By The Vikens - Grace Goodwin - Страница 8

Calder, Planet Viken, Viken United, Transport Station 3

She was coming. My mate. Gods, finally. My heart raced and I took deep breaths to calm my anticipation. Two years. Two fucking years of waiting for her. She’d been out there all this time, unknown to me, unknown to being matched to me. Ninety-seven percent perfect. The other three percent? We’d work it out. As soon as she arrived.

I stared at the empty transport pad, one in a long line of fifteen at this transport center. It was the largest in Viken United, the busiest as well. Fighters, guards, mates all came in and out of here, arriving from distant planets like my mate from Earth, others to a possible battlegroup. I looked down the line, saw a couple materialize side by side, holding hands. He wore the black uniform and arrow insignia of being from Sector Two, she the usual soft, simple dress of a Viken mate.

Envy coursed through me, swift and fierce. I wanted to hold my mate’s hand, be with her in every way. Know that she was beside me, safe and mine. Mine.

I tapped my toe with impatience. I’d been summoned three hours ago with the news I’d finally been matched. How long did it take for her to arrive? I knew Earth to be light years away, but didn’t the transport technicians know that every second I waited was like ripping out my heart? She was mine. It was official. She’d accepted and was coming. Mine.

Mine!

“Calder, good to see you.”

I turned at my name, saw a familiar face. “You as well. It’s Zed, right?” I asked. The tall male nodded, his short hair had a hint of curl and slid over his forehead as he did so.

“Yes, it’s been a long time. It was the mission to Sector Twenty-seven, I think.”

I thought back to when we’d met, when we’d fought together. “Three years or so. That was a fucking mess. Glad to be alive after that.” I didn’t want to think about the massacre we’d survived. A battlegroup had been caught by the Hive on all sides. We’d had to band together, squadrons of fighters as well as I.C. for over two weeks. The Hive had killed or integrated so many before the reinforcements finally came. We’d been pinned down and I’d gotten to know the others. Battle did that, created bonds that couldn’t be compared in any other setting.

His face was grim and I knew he, too, thought back to that time. “I retired six months after that.”

In his black uniform, it matched my memory of him, indicating he was from Sector Two. The red band around his arm matched the red adorning mine. I wore brown, to represent my sector, but I was part of the royal guard. The red bands only worn by those of us in direct service to the kings. But I hadn’t seen Zed around Viken United. I was part of the queen’s private guard, and completely enamored of the little princess, Allayna. I adored watching the three kings with their mate and daughter, but each day it became harder to bear. The loneliness pressing in on me like a poison. I needed my mate. Needed a family of my own to protect and cherish. Family was the only thing that mattered, and I had none. Until today.

My mate was due to arrive any moment and I was having a hard time keeping the stern look on my face. “It’s been two years for me since I retired from the Coalition. Stationed here in Viken United as a guard now. The VSS might flare up here and there, but they’re nothing like the Hive, thank fuck.”

I was content with a quieter life, the simple Viken life. Nature, land. I wasn’t fit for space, the home planet suited me much better. Ground beneath my feet, trees around, thick leaves overhead. Yes, peace. I’d done my time as a fighter and I’d earned the right to a bride. And finally, after waiting so long, my match was here. My mate was coming. I’d have everything I wanted.

He smiled at that. “Agreed.” He angled his head. “I’m up at the IQC.” The Interstellar Quantum Communications Array was on the far pole of the planet, covered in ice, snow and rock. Only Elites in the royal guard were trusted to guard it or even know its exact location. The array was hidden in the middle of a wasteland only the heartiest animals could survive. And the toughest warriors.

“Fucking freezing,” I commented. While I liked living in the more urban areas of Viken United, the IQC meant solitude. He wasn’t alone at the outpost, but it was fucking isolated. From his calm and quiet demeanor, he seemed to be content with that.

He shrugged. “You get used to it.” A slow smile spread across his face. “And it won’t be so bad when I have my mate to keep me warm at night.”

The idea of sharing my bed with my own mate had my cock stirring. I shifted my stance. “You’re here for your mate?”

He grinned. “Got word a few hours ago that I’ve been matched.” His chest puffed with the obvious pride that I, too, was feeling. “Can’t wait.”

I slapped him on the shoulder convivially. “Congratulations. I’m here for my mate, too. Just waiting for her to transport.” I sighed. “Fuck, I’m right there with you. The idea of sharing my bed, my life, with the female meant solely for me has me rock hard.”

Nodding in understanding, he said, “You know us from Sector Two, we love bondage. I can’t wait to tie my mate to my bed.” He leaned in, although he didn’t seem to care if anyone overheard. It wasn’t a secret what those from each sector liked to do sexually. “I’m not going to let her up until she has at least five orgasms. Hells, even then, I probably won’t let her up.”

The idea of tying my mate to my bed was appealing, not because I was into restraints, but because I’d know she wasn’t going anywhere. No, I’d rather show her off. I might fuck her in private until we got to know each other, until I got this clawing need sated, but then we’d go outside, the public square where everyone could witness just how beautiful she was when she came all over my cock. How she was all mine. I’d flaunt her perfection and let everyone see my seed marking her, know she was off limits, that my Earth woman was all mine and mine alone.

I growled at the thought of anyone else touching her. I glanced at the transport pad. Where the fuck was she? Anticipation had me glancing at Zed. “Well, congrats again. Don’t let me keep you from your mate.”

“Right. Same to you. You better get going. I’d hate for you to miss her arrival.”

I frowned. “I won’t. She’s coming in here.” I pointed to the raised dais where she would appear. Fucking soon. Any second now.

“No, my mate’s coming in here. This is transport pad three, right?”

We both turned to glance at the transport technician standing behind his work station. There was a long line of work stations with a technician at each, fifteen all in a row. “Pad three,” he confirmed.

“There must be some mistake,” I said.

“That’s right, there must be some kind of fucking mistake.” We looked to the Viken who all but growled those words. He walked toward us, the entry door to this section of the transport center sliding closed behind him. “My mate is arriving on transport pad three.”

He wore the gray uniform with the spear insignia of a member of Sector Three. His red arm band identified him as royal guard, but the dark eyes and clenched jaw—along with the equally clenched fists—indicated he was all fighter. I’d seen him before. Queen’s guard. Night shift. I was much more active and alert in the morning, so it was no surprise that we hadn’t spoken. There were dozens of us, and we didn’t share quarters. And since Zed didn’t offer a flicker of recognition, it seemed they weren’t known to each other either.

“Your mate?” Zed and I said at the same time.

“My mate,” he retorted, patting himself on the chest.

Something was wrong. All three of us turned to the transport technician. He was small of stature, almost a head shorter than all of us, his eyes widening under our intensity. He swallowed visibly with us looming.

“We have identified a problem and we need you to resolve it,” I said, placing my hand on the top of his work station. I was used to giving orders—not that the others weren’t—but I’d been waiting here longer and I was done with patience and was ready to go Atlan beast because of any kind of problem. I wanted my mate and I wanted her now. “Discover the pad location of each of our mates at once. Are you set to receive three females here in the next few minutes?”

“I am Axon. Sector Three. I agree with him. Find our mates at once.”

Zed crossed his arms over his chest but said nothing other than his name.

The technician gulped, then looked down at his table and got to work. His fingers flew over the flat surface with quick speed. He was skilled at his task, but there was some kind of colossal mistake he’d have to look into with his superiors. It was possible to have two people waiting in error, but three?

A fucking mess for his team to figure out. Later. After my mate was safely in my bed and beneath me. Maybe Zed did have the right idea about tying her up. She’d be on her stomach, arms stretched over her head as I slid a pillow beneath her hips, lifting her ass up in perfect placement for me to slip my cock into that tight sheath. She’d scream her pleasure before I was done. The seed power would—

“There is no mistake,” he said, cutting off my dirty thoughts, although when he glanced at us, there was worry in his gaze.

“Explain,” Zed said, the one word like an ion blast.

“A mate is arriving on transport pad three for Royal Elite Calder, Royal Elite Zed and Royal Elite Axon.”

“Three females from different locations can’t transport at the same time, Technician,” I countered, stating the most obvious thing about his job.

His head bobbed. “Yes, sir. I’m aware of that, sir. But only one female is transporting.” He glanced down at his station, reading the display. “The details say she is coming from Earth and the Bride Processing Center in Miami.”

Zed and Axon shifted, nodded. I had an uncomfortable feeling all of a sudden. My mate was coming from the location he mentioned. Why, then, were Zed and Axon agreeing?

The technician glanced between the three of us. “Um, you’ve been summoned here because the bride that is transporting is matched to all three of you.”

“What?” Zed said, his voice thundering. Heads turned our way.

“All three of us?” I asked, glancing at the other two. It was obvious this was news to them as well. While the new kings of Viken had begun the trend of uniting the sectors by bringing three warriors together to claim a mate, I had not asked for, nor agreed to that arrangement, and from the looks on both Axon’s and Zed’s faces, neither had they. Family was everything to me. Everything. And these men, while fine warriors, were not my brothers, not even friends. They were competition for the woman destined to be mine.

“Check again,” Axon said, pointing at the work station.

The technician shrugged. “I can send a message to Earth, to Warden Egara who runs that facility, and tell her you refuse the match.”

“No!” We all answered him in unison, and although I was disappointed that the other two males didn’t back down from the challenge and leave my mate to me, I was also pleased that they were warriors of honor, willing to fight for her, as I was. I could not tolerate losing my mate to a warrior I deemed unworthy of her.

The technician quickly lowered his head and slid his fingers over the display, faster than before. After a minute, he bit his lip. “Well, um, sirs, there has been a change.”

I relaxed and I saw the others’ bodies settle a bit.

“She’s not coming. She refused transport.” The technician didn’t look up, clearly afraid of being killed by not one rejected mate, but three. And retired Coalition fighters as well. “The match was made. It clearly states she accepted the match, but she refuses the transport. Warden Egara made a notation that she has declined to be transported to Viken and departed the building.”

“To go where?” I asked and began to pace. Zed didn’t move a muscle. Axon went over to the wall and punched it, leaving a dent in the ionized metal.

The technician flinched as he answered me. “To her quarters? I don’t know, sir. I’m um…not familiar with life on Earth.”

She refused? She didn’t want me? Or us? That was ridiculous. We matched at ninety-seven percent. We were perfect for each other. But how was she perfect for the other two as well?

My male ego was definitely bruised. And I was angry. Irate. How dare she refuse something as precious as a match?

“I’m going to go get her,” I said, not realizing my intent before the words came from my mouth. “She’s mine. I will not allow her to reject the match. If she’s not coming to me, I will go to her, prove we are perfect for each other.” I walked up onto the transport pad and crossed my arms. “Technician, set reverse transport coordinates.”

“You’re not having her,” Axon said, storming up to me and getting in my face. He might have more anger in him, but I was no coward. I stood my ground, ready to fight him if need be.

“I am. She was matched to me.”

“She was also matched to me,” he replied. “If you’re going, so am I. She can choose her mate.” He turned, taking position on the transport pad next to me. I ignored Zed, hoping against hope that he would walk away. The Earth woman was mine. My mate. If she had truly been matched to Axon and Zed—which would have to be proven to me by this Interstellar Bride warden on Earth—then I would honor the protocols and allow her to choose.

But would there really be any choice? Our match was almost perfect. She would have me. Confident, I nodded. He was angry as well, but I was not intimidated nor afraid to accept the challenge his presence would present. I was no young fool without skill. I was battle-hardened, as he was. Fierce. Determined. And very skilled at bringing pleasure to a woman. Our mate would choose me. And if he tried to interfere? I’d rip his head off before he took her from me.

The transport pad began to hum, the electromagnetic charge making my skin tingle as Zed climbed the platform to stand on my opposite side. “She’s mine, my match. She will have to choose between the three of us. I will not allow you to go without me. The testing says she is matched to all of us. Therefore, I will have my turn in swaying her to me.”

Axon and I stared at Zed, then after a moment, Axon nodded.

“It’s ready, sirs. I have clearance from Earth to initiate transport to the Bride Processing Center in Miami. Warden Egara will be waiting to greet you and acclimate you to Earth’s requirements,” the technician called, clearly eager to send us as far away from him as possible.

“What requirements do you speak of?” I asked.

He frowned as the energy built, my hair beginning to float around my head. “Earth is a probationary member of the Coalition, sirs. Their world is primitive. No alien species are allowed to mingle with the general population. Warden Egara will explain the necessary precautions when you arrive.”

Axon turned to me and Zed. “Very well, we go together. But know this, our mate will be punished for rejecting us before she is allowed to experience pleasure. Once her ass is a pretty shade of red, only then will she choose her mate.”

“Absolutely,” Zed agreed. “We will punish her together.”

I looked between the two other Vikens. We’d been thrown together in this and were now in a new fight. A fight for a mate. One of us would win her heart, and I was confident it would be me. I would use every skill I had to seduce her. Woo her. Make her fall in love with me. Offer her comfort, protection and pleasure like she’d never known before. She was mine to care for. Mine to protect. Mine to seduce. Mine.

But Axon was right. She’d know the sting of our palms before the choice was made. Denying the match was unacceptable. Dishonorable. Coalition fighters fought long and hard in the Hive wars for the right to a perfect match. The mates sent to us were the ultimate reward, the ultimate gift. Our brides were treated with the highest respect and honor. Cherished. Adored. Protected.

Denying her mate without giving him the required thirty days to win her love, her trust? It was an insult to every warrior fighting to keep Earth and every other Coalition world safe.

If she didn’t want to be a bride, she should not have volunteered. Nor taken the test and accepted the match. Not have teased her new mate with a chance at happiness, a family and hope for a future, if her intent was to then cruelly deny him.

Me. Deny me.

Axon was right. Anger simmered just below the agony of her rejection. While she might be from Earth, so was our queen. Queen Leah had been an Interstellar Bride and she loved her mates, the three kings. Respected them. Loved Viken and all of her people.

This was not about Viken, this was about my mate’s disregard for the strong, honorable warrior who would love her. Regardless of who she chose, our mate would know the ways of her Viken warrior from the start.