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  Soren Valanson's mating fever has reached its limits and his death is eminent. As a Zarronian warrior he's determined to die in battle. He searches the Universe for a war and finds one on the planet of Krystali.

  Skye is a Krystali enchantress. She can conjure the most deadly substance in the Universe but she can't use it to defend herself. For that she needs a worthy mate.

  What are the odds that two people with the same problem will meet on a small frozen planet in the middle of nowhere?

  SOREN'S BONDMATE

  Zarronian Warriors 3

  By Mardi Maxwell

  Published by Mardi Maxwell

  Copyright © 2015 by Mardi Maxwell

  ISBN 978-0-9970084-0-1

  All cover art © Copyright 2015 by Mardi Maxwell

  Artwork by Harris Channing, [email protected]

  Formatting by Anessa Books

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission by the author.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  History

  For centuries the peace loving inhabitants of the Xenti Galaxy passed down the tales of the fierce and relentless Zarronian warriors. According to the elders the warriors were the guardians of the galaxy but they only appeared when the Xentians were threatened. After centuries of peace, the younger Xentians had dismissed the tales as myths until the bloodthirsty Wrothians attacked and the Zarronians appeared.

  The war between the nearly equally matched opponents lasted for ten annuals but ended when the Wrothian leader, Selik ad-San, discovered the Zarronians most closely guarded secret—the warriors were plagued with a mating fever and could only share it with a Zarronian female. If they didn't find a mate by age thirty-two the fever burned out of control, ending the warrior's life. Selik ad-San and his first in command Gorm ad-Jai attacked Zarronia with a virus designed to kill the females but leave the warriors alive to suffer and die alone.

  Enraged and grief stricken by the deaths of their bondmates, daughters, and sisters, the Zarronians planned a final, ruthless battle. After ten cycles, and the loss of many Zarronian warriors, the Zarronians were victorious. Ever honorable, they allowed two damaged Wrothian worldships filled with children and females to escape.

  The warriors returned to Zarronia believing they would soon be extinct. Eventually though their warrior instincts forced them to find a way to survive and they began searching the universe for compatible females. After eight annuals a genealogist found a diary in which his ancestor revealed he'd bonded with a Wrothian female. When he reported this to the High Council they swore him to secrecy and ordered three of their older starship commanders to find the Wrothians. The search took two annuals but eventually they were located on the planet of Zhang where they'd been forced to settle when their damaged worldships disintegrated.

  The High Council immediately informed the warriors that compatible females had been found and revealed their identity. For two moon phases the warriors refused to take an enemy female as a bondmate. Finally the High Council declared that any warrior who refused to bond would be stripped of his warrior status and exiled to die alone in dishonor. Rather than lose their honor the warriors reluctantly relented even as they continued to search for other compatible races.

  After many annuals more females were found on Earth but the use of ZL3, a drug created to help the warriors control their mating fever, had changed their DNA and now there were levels of mating. The first four levels depended on the female’s DNA.

  At level one, a female could relieve a warrior's fever but she couldn’t bond with him or conceive. This was a female only a warrior on the verge of death would choose as fatherhood was coveted by every warrior.

  A level two female could relieve a warrior's fever and carry his sons but she could not bond with the warrior. A level three female could share a warrior's fever, carry his children and bond with him but the connection was weak it was nearly non-existent. The mates could be away from each other for long periods of time and their fever could be controlled with ZL3 and meditation.

  Level four females were the most coveted as they were comparable to the traditional bonding between Zarronian warriors and females. The female could take a warrior's fever, bond with him and have his children. The mates needed to be together and could only be away from each other for one to two moon phases.

  Level five depended on the warrior's and the female's DNA. It occurred when a warrior with the right DNA met a level five female. This is what the scientists called a True Mating. The female triggered an intense mating response in the warrior and the bond was so intense the mates were unable to be without each other for more than two cycles. There were several dozen level five bonded couples on Zarronia.

  Level six was the only ranking based solely on a warrior's DNA and it was a death sentence. There were several known level six warriors on Zarronia but no level six females had ever been found on Zhang, Earth, or anyone else.

  Glossary of Zarronian Terms

  Zarronian Time Terms:

  Nano-unit: second

  Micro-unit: minute (80 nano-units in a micro-unit)

  Unit: hour (80 micro-units in a unit)

  Cycle: day (30 units in a cycle)

  Moon phase: month (Forty cycles in a moon phase)

  Annual: year (twelve moon phases in an annual)

  Sun rising: dawn

  Sun zenith: noon

  Darkening: midnight

  Birth cycle: birthday

  Moon rising: evening

  Zarronian Terms:

  Female: a woman

  Kourtisan: a mistress

  Male: a warrior usually, sometimes other males

  Bond: the act of a warrior sharing his mating fever with a female

  Bondmate: a female who has accepted a warrior's fever

  Mate: a bondmates' warrior

  Saber-cat: a large ferocious cat-like creature, bronze fur with bluish-green eyes

  Stinkgoat: a stinky goat-like creature. It produces pungent milk and cheese

  Versnake: a small colorful snake, aggressive and deadly

  Wolfen: a huge wolf-like animal, black fur with purple eyes

  Tor: Zarronian god

  Krystali Terms:

  Krystali – Skye's home planet; has two continents, Crimeryn and Edyn.

  Edyn – smaller continent on Krystali; home of Skye.

  Crimeryn – large continent on Krystali; home of the evil warriors.

  Tundra – small frozen planet that orbits Krystali.

  White krystal – used as weapons or to create useful objects such as shelters.

  Dark krystal – deadly weapon conjured only by a krystal enchantress.

  Krystal healer – female who can heal but can't conjure krystal.

  Krystal conjurer – female who can conjure white krystal and heal white krystal injuries.

  Krystal enchantress – rare female healer who can conjure white and dark krystal and heal both.

  Krystal warrior – the mate of a Krystal conjurer.

  Dark krystal warrior – the mate of a krystal enchantress

  Farg – fuck Fargen- fucking

  Groaners – indigenous people on Tundra

  Chapter One

  Soren fought the hands holding him down as his arms and legs were bound with heavy restraints. Sweat poured from his body as his fever intensified and the air above him glowed with a dark blue mist. His primitive growls of rage echoed in the stark room as he attempted to regain his freedom.

  Rolf Stenson and Rune Haldorson tightened the rest
raints and stepped away giving Doctor Burlson room to move forward and press an injection gun against Soren's neck.

  "This is the highest dose of ZL3 I can give him without killing him," Doctor Burlson said. "If it doesn't bring his mating fever down then, well, he won't make it."

  Rune and I will stand watch tonight," Rolf said. As first-in-command, he and Soren had discussed this very scenario and he'd agreed to take command of the Venturer if Soren succumbed to his mating fever.

  "I'll stay as well," Doctor Burlson said as Soren continued to fight against the restraints and curse them until heatwaves formed above his body, increasing the temperature in the room.

  Rune slammed a fist into the open palm of his other hand, paced away from the bed holding Soren then returned and stood watching him struggle against the restraints. "Tor, why'd he have to be a level six warrior?"

  "He's calming down," Rolf said. "Maybe it's helping."

  "It won't help enough." Doctor Burlson shook his head. "Only finding his bondmate can save him now and we all know how impossible that is at his mating level."

  Rolf cursed then settled into a warrior's stance, feet apart, arms crossed over his chest. "I promised him I'd let his father know when—." He couldn't finish the sentence. He and Soren had been like brothers since they'd first met at the warrior's academy when they were ten.

  "He might make it through tonight," Doctor Burlson said.

  "What happens if he does?" Rolf asked.

  "I wish there was something I could do but this is the third time he's lost control of his fever in the last twelve cycles and the only treatment I have is no longer working," Doctor Burlson said with a sad shake of his head.

  "So we just stand back and watch him die?" Rune's face was dark with anger.

  Rolf planted both palms on the end of Soren's bed, looked at his friend for a moment, then focused on Rune. "No, he wants to die in battle so we're going to find him one."

  # # #

  Lost in a world of fire and ice, one moment Soren felt as if his body was on fire and the next he shivered with a cold so intense he thought he'd never be warm again. He knew he was dying as the fever consumed him. For a few nano-units it cooled then the flames increased as his need to find and bond with his mate overwhelmed him. He raged against his fate as the high dosage of ZL3 burned through his blood stream. His life would end here, in space, alone and yearning for his mate.

  In a dream state, he found himself lying on a soft mat of blankets. The night sky shone above him yet he knew he was enclosed inside a shelter of some kind. A warm body rested next to him. He drew in a deep breath, caught her scent, and his fever rose but this time he welcomed it as he turned his head and looked at her.

  Golden blonde hair in an intricate braid shone in the light that came through the walls. Soft breasts pressed into his side and a slender arm rested on his chest. He squeezed her hand and examined her long slender fingers before placing a kiss in the center of her palm. She woke and looked at him with solemn bright teal eyes. "I need you." Her voice was soft with an unfamiliar accent. "You must find me soon."

  "I'm coming, little heart. Wait for me." His dream faded along with his fever and he slept at last.

  # # #

  Two cycles later, Soren flew his starglider toward an enemy fighter. At the last nano-unit he adjusted his course and flew beneath it while he fired at a second approaching ship. It disintegrated and he flew through the debris field with the sound of shrapnel pinging against his shield. With another quick thought he directed his starglider to perform a loop and the ship he'd passed appeared in his sights. He focused on it and ship's weapon system followed his eye movements. A burst of light shot out and the target exploded into a ball of fire. "Yes," he shouted before piloting his ship back into the midst of the battle.

  Rune chuckled then said, "Your new mind-control weapon system is fast and deadly, Soren."

  "Don't get too confident," Soren said. "Were still testing it."

  Rune moved in behind another enemy and fired. Off in the distance dozens of shiny objects appeared and grew in size as they rapidly moved toward the fighting.

  "Rune, take Alpha squad and handle the targets coming in behind you. Vandar, move Beta squad into a defensive line around Venturer. I'll handle these last two then I'll join you."

  "If this is the best they have to offer they're in trouble," Vandar said.

  "Keep your guard up," Soren warned. "You know how quickly things can change."

  "Tor, don't say that," Rune said as he and his warriors fired at the approaching targets, destroying several of them. "These things aren't like any ships I've ever seen before."

  Soren dealt with one of the two fighters then evaded the other one as it fired on him. With a curse he flew after it. "Just stay alert." He'd barely finished speaking when Rolf hailed him.

  "Commander, we've scanned the approaching objects. There are no lifeforms on them."

  "Damn it, they're drone decoys. Scan the area around the Venturer, Rolf. Look for anything unusual. Blank spots. Displacements." Soren fired again then hailed Rune. "No playing around. Take the targets out then get back to the starship." He fired on another target, disabling it but not destroying it. "Rolf, report."

  "There are two Prezon warships approaching us. They'll reach us in ten micro-units."

  "Acknowledged," Soren said. "Vandar, have half of your warriors cover the Venturer and the other half cover Rune and Alpha squad while they dock. As soon as they've boarded have Beta dock."

  Vandar acknowledged the order with two clicks as his squad moved into position. Soren flew around the starship making sure there were no gaps in the defensive line.

  As the battle continued the area around the Venturer became cluttered with debris. Pieces hit the shield causing small bursts of sparks before they bounced off and floated away. Soren continued firing on the drones as Vandar's warriors returned to the starship but his thoughts weren't on the battle. Rather they were on his mating fever. Even though he'd been drugged and confined the desperation he'd felt to find his mate had driven him into a killing rage.

  He couldn't control the fever any longer and that made him extremely dangerous. His warriors had accepted the danger he posed to them and they'd protected him. They'd stood by him and had come on this journey knowing it would be his last. His death was only a cycle or two away, and he'd already written a letter to his family with a special note to his little niece, Rose. She was the closest he'd ever come to having a child of his own. He wanted her to know how much naming her had meant to him.

  Rune hailed him, interrupting his thoughts. "Commander, my warriors are docked and I'm docking now."

  Soren shook off his melancholy and acknowledged Rune's communication as he fired on another enemy pod. "Rolf, report."

  "We have two more Prezon warships approaching," Rolf said.

  "Have we received any information from the drone we sent into the wormhole?"

  "No, Commander."

  "Then, plot a course away from here that puts the Venturer on a course back toward Zarronia." Soren held his place at the end of the line.

  "I've already done so but we'll have to go to warp drive to do it," Rolf said.

  "Then do so," Soren said. Directly in front of him was the unknown wormhole they'd discovered.

  The Prezon fighters had shown up just after they'd sent a probe into it. Since he didn't know where it led he didn't want to take the Venturer through it. His starship's purpose was exploration and it was made for speed and evasion not battle. They could take on one Prezon warship, maybe even two, but four was out of the question. He wouldn't risk his warriors' lives when he had a way to avoid the confrontation. Better for them to live and fight another cycle.

  "Rolf, have you notified Zarronia that the Prezons are gathering in this sector?"

  "Yes, Commander," Rolf said. "The Prezons have sent out four more fighters."

  Soren piloted his ship toward shuttle bay one but stopped outside the entrance while he waited
for the last of the starfighters to dock. "Rolf, how far out are the warships?"

  "They'll be within range in two micro-units."

  "How close are the fighters?"

  "Twenty nano-units," Rolf said.

  Soren flew his starglider several kilometers out from the Venturer and held a position between it and the approaching ships. "Rolf, get the Venturer out of here."

  "Soren—old friend—," Rolf said before his voice ground to a halt.

  "Rolf, may you find your true mate and live long." Soren didn't look back. Instead with a fierce war cry he engaged the first two fighters, using every skill he had to evade their weapons. He took a very brief moment to glance at the Venturer. One split nano-unit she was there and the next she was gone. He smiled then flew a loop around one of the Prezons while focusing his weapons on another. His target exploded and he looped back in a counterclockwise pattern and took out the enemy he'd just passed. With a victory cry he aimed his weapons at the third ship and fired. Before he could locate the fourth fighter his glider took a hit to the side and began tumbling in space.

  The seat formed to his body, holding him secure. He tried to regain control of his ship but before he could the enemy fired again and the violence of the explosion tossed him around the cockpit. He landed hard against the control panel, hitting his head and cracking his helmet. Grunting with pain, he maneuvered his body back into the seat and looked up as he reached for the controls. His hand froze when he saw the enemy closing in for the kill.

  He thought about his family. His parents, his twin brother Thorn and his bondmate Daria, and their children, Dane, Dev, and Rose. The vision of little Rose smiling at him forced his survival instincts to kick in. Without thinking he pushed the toggle that would release the escape pod from his ship even as he acknowledged it was too late. It separated just as the enemy fired again and his ship disintegrated.

  The force of the explosion slammed into him and threw him toward the wormhole. He fought to stay conscious but lost the battle when a large piece of debris crashed into him. The rescue pod floated at the edge of the wormhole for a nano-unit then suddenly disappeared into it and reappeared in a new and unknown galaxy a micro-unit later.