Valan's Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors Book 1) Read online

  Lia and Minda clung to each other as the sound of the whip on tender flesh and the screams of the victim filled the square. Lia squeezed her eyes shut but tears still escaped. Some cycle soon it would be her screams the other women endured. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the punishment ended and the crowd hurried away. The other women of Gorm's house freed the unconscious victim from the restraints.

  Lia grabbed Minda's hand. "Let's go before Gorm catches me."

  They only got a few feet before a heavy hand landed on Lia’s shoulder and spun her around. Stumbling, she caught her balance when Minda held onto her. Gorm stood in front of them. She felt Minda tremble and then send an apologetic smile before she muttered a quick farewell and fled. Lia stepped back from Gorm, waiting for his next move.

  Jerking her against him, his fingers dug into her tender flesh. Deliberately, he brushed the bloody whip over her white cloak leaving behind a bright red stain. "Soon, you'll be mine and you’ll pay for insulting me."

  Forcing herself to hold still, she bit her lip to keep from screaming. She refused to give him the satisfaction.

  "Before I’m through with you, Lia ad-San, you’ll beg for mercy." He threw her away from him then roared with laughter when she fell.

  Climbing to her feet, she turned and ran home. Latching the gate behind her, she surveyed the courtyard. Usually the serenity of the bubbling fountain and the scent of flowers soothed her. Not this cycle. Frightened, she hurried into the house and rushed to her mother, Nessa, who waited in the open doorway of her chamber. Lia hurried into her comforting arms.

  "Oh, Mother, it was horrible. The poor woman screamed and begged for mercy but Gorm wouldn’t relent. He enjoyed whipping her." Lia couldn’t keep the tears from her eyes. "Please, talk to my sire again about Tamar ad-Lin’s offer. Please."

  "Hush, Lia. You know it's too late." Nessa glanced around, and then pulled Lia into her chamber and closed the heavy door. "You mustn’t let the others hear you. If word of your disobedience gets back to Selik your punishment will be harsh."

  Lia lowered her voice. "I could get to the dark side of the planet where Gorm wouldn't be able to find me."

  "How many times have I tried to escape and failed? And, my mother before me? It can’t be done, Lia."

  "I could go to Tamar ad-Lin and ask him to help me."

  "Gorm would destroy him and every person in his household. Do you want their deaths on your hands?"

  "No! I couldn’t bear that." Lia wrapped her arms around her waist. "I'm so scared."

  Nessa smoothed her hand over Lia’s hair. "You still have almost thirty cycles to win his favor before he claims you."

  "I can’t. You know I can’t. Any other owner I would have accepted, but I can’t accept Gorm."

  "Soon he’ll take your sire’s place on the Tryad. This trade will assure us of Gorm’s protection and goodwill. You must accept him." Lia began to protest again and her mother released her. "I've done you a disservice. I should have punished you the first time you showed disrespect toward Gorm. Now, you've angered him and he intends to punish you."

  "He intends to kill me. He's said as much."

  "Listen to me, daughter. Gorm will punish you and it will be harsh, but you must accept it. Afterwards you must convince him you’ve accepted and honor him. If you do he will soften towards you." Nessa framed Lia's face with her hands and stared into her daughter’s eyes. "Do this for me. I beg you."

  "Even if I live he won't allow me to be a child-giver."

  "But you will be alive." Nessa hugged her.

  "Mother…"

  "I want you to go to your chamber and think about what I’ve said. Later, when you’re calm you’ll understand you must do as I've advised."

  Discouraged, Lia moved to the door. Before she left the room she looked at her mother. "Somehow I will escape him."

  ***

  Valan unwillingly turned the command of his starship, the Invincible, over to Cam before leaving the bridge. As he walked, he reviewed his plans for tomorrow’s raid on Zhang. Reassured nothing was overlooked or forgotten, he allowed himself to think about what awaited him in his quarters. Standing at the elevator, he caught his reflection in the doors. A shimmering blue mist rose from his skin and silver flames glowed in his eyes. Both signs of his rising fever and approaching death.

  The ship's doctor and his mentor, Borg Veeson, reminded him earlier the Council ordered the older warriors be given ZL3 the night before the raid. But they didn't give any justification for the order. He detested the drug. It made him feel out of control. On other trips Morna accompanied him, but the Council ordered all kourtisans be left behind this time. He didn’t care one way or the other. His fever reached a level where even sex no longer cooled his body.

  The Council finally allowed the Educators to hold classes concerning the bonding process, but his warrior's instinct warned him they were withholding vital information. His efforts to put his suspicions to rest only increased when he discovered the educational vids pertaining to bonding were destroyed or locked away. Instead the Educators gave well thought out lectures without allowing questions. He hadn't approached the older warriors who'd lost their mates. He already knew they wouldn't answer his questions either, even his father and Borg refused. A fact that doubled his suspicions as the two old rogues were always more than eager to cause trouble when given the opportunity.

  He stopped outside his door, hesitating before slapping his hand over the door’s opening mechanism. It slid open, and without a word to the older man waiting for him, he strode to his desk and sprawled in the large chair.

  "Good evening, Valan." Borg smiled. "How are you?"

  Valan sent him a death stare. "I want an explanation for the Council's orders."

  Borg tut-tutted as if he was a rookie cadet instead of a starship commander. "That bad, huh?"

  Sighing, Valan acknowledged it was nearly impossible to intimidate a man who'd helped bring him into the world, and resigned himself to the inevitable. "Let’s get this over with."

  Borg grinned and prepared the injection. "I wasn’t sure you'd actually put in an appearance."

  "These are my quarters. I had to show up sooner or later."

  "Actually, your father and I made a little wager on whether or not you would."

  "And, now that I have, will you win or lose?"

  "Because of your unpredictability, I’ve lost a very tidy sum to Eirik."

  "Good. I wouldn’t want to think this was totally painless for you or my father." He tipped his head to the side and Borg placed the injection gun against his neck followed by a hiss and burn of the freezing cold mist as it entered his system.

  Borg repacked the med-box and moved toward the door. "You know the process."

  "You didn't answer my question." Valan watched Borg.

  Borg waved his hand over the opening mechanism and the door slid open. "Try not to be too angry with your father and the other council members. This is really the only way they could insure the Wrothian females’ safety."

  "How can a drug induced fake hell that fools me into believing I've found my mate possibly spare her?" Crossing his arms over his chest. "All this does is increase my rage."

  "A circumstance the Council was willing to accept."

  Borg's words didn't make an iota of sense. Determined to learn something, Valan rose from the chair. "I'm ordering you to tell me everything you know about bonding, Dr. Veeson."

  Borg shook his head. "The Council already ordered me to remain silent."

  Valan pressed on anyway. "I was told a warrior could sometimes sense his mate. Is that true?"

  Borg placed his hand on the door to keep it from closing. "If a warrior grew up with his mate he'd know from an early age she belonged to him."

  "Is that why some of the un-bonded warriors took the most dangerous missions against the Wrothians during the war—because they knew who their mates were and that they'd died?"

  "Yes."

  Valan saw the sorrow i
n Borg's eyes and remembered his son, Halkor, was one of those warriors. "Bondmates always die together, but you, my father, and a lot of the bonded warriors lived after their mates died. Why?"

  "We managed to fight the overwhelming need to join our mates."

  "Because of us? The younger warriors?"

  Borg nodded. "We were determined you would survive."

  Valan swayed as the drug rushed through him. Frowning, he braced himself on the desk. "I've taken the ZL3. Now, tell me why?"

  Borg sighed. "We think the combination of the drug and the proximity to compatible mates will trigger a strong physical response. If we're right then you should be more in control of your fever when you raid Zhang tomorrow night."

  Before he could acknowledge the information or ask another question, Borg released the door and it closed between them. Valan stared at it for a moment then shed his clothes and got on to the bed. For a moment, he struggled against the effects of the drug, but with a curse he closed his eyes and let reality drift away.

  His heartbeat roared in his ears as his blood pumped through his veins and his lungs struggled for air. In a hallucinatory trance, he joined with a shadowy phantom. Silky strands of bright red hair wound around him, trapping him in a million fragile bonds. Passion darkened aqua eyes beckoned him to follow. A cool, delicate body straddled his, setting his blood on fire as her scent surrounded him. He held her waist, burying himself in her and she tightened around him. She smiled as the heat increased and silver and blue flames licked over his skin. Groaning, he thrust into her until he felt her climax around him. In his dream, he pressed her down onto his body and his groans of pleasure filled the room when his seed exploded from his cock and landed on his belly and chest.

  When his heart slowed and his breathing calmed, he brushed his hand over the substance on his chest and held his hand up to the light. A small grin curved his lips as he realized for the first time in his life he'd ejaculated. After a moment he dropped his hand to his belly and let exhaustion overwhelm him.

  In his dreams the phantom female smiled then faded into the stars.

  Chapter Two

  Startled from sleep, Lia was paralyzed with fear. Something, or someone, stood by her bed. She held her breath and listened to the silence. Had the sound of a boot scraping against the stone floor woken her or was it only her imagination? She forced herself to remain still as she cracked her eyes open. The garden doors were behind her so she was only able to see the wall next to her bed. Moonlight flooded in from the garden doors, illuminating the gown she’d carelessly pulled off earlier and thrown over the trunk in a fit of rage. Above it, the shadows of the ornamental trees in the garden swayed on the wall. She gasped with terror as another shadow joined them—a man's shadow.

  She bolted from the bed but crashed to the floor when her foot tangled in the sheets. As quickly as she fell she rolled on to her stomach and rose to her knees. Before she could get to her feet a callused hand covered her mouth. A muffled scream escaped while a hard arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her. She responded with a burst of energy, kicking and bucking as she tried to break his hold. The heavily muscled arm around her waist tightened and squeezed her against his hard chest. She dug her fingernails into the hand over her mouth and clawed several deep gouges, drawing a deep, masculine curse from her assailant. He held onto her until her strength gave out. When he turned she saw another man standing by the open garden doors.

  The warrior holding her spoke to his companion.

  "Cam, do you want this one?"

  Lia moaned with fear when she understood his words and the deep vibration of his voice rumbled into her back where it pressed against his chest.

  The man called Cam shook his head. "You led us to her, Valan, so she belongs to you."

  Lia turned her head and looked at the warrior holding her. A blue aura glowed from his skin even though he was a dark barbarian with long dark hair and eyes gleaming silver in the moonlight. He caught her looking at him and stared back when he spoke to his friend.

  "She’s too small. My woman will have to be bigger to survive what I’ll demand of her."

  When she moaned with fear, he grinned. While they debated which one of them would be stuck with her, his grip loosened and she took the opportunity to jerk her hand free, digging her nails into his unprotected arm. He cursed when she left a vicious scratch. Instead of releasing her, he tossed her onto the bed and came down on top of her. A second later he flipped her onto her back grabbing her wrists and shoving them over her head. Before she could scream he covered her mouth with his. She wiggled and kicked but only managed to hurt herself before he forced her legs to the bed and wrapped one of his muscled legs around them. When he released her mouth she screamed. He placed his hand over her mouth again, muffling her rage.

  He smiled. "Your eyes are the same blue as the bronze cats in the Zarronian Mountains."

  Cam moved closer and peered down at her. She glared at him and he chuckled. "They’re more green than blue."

  "Whatever color they are they shine with anger." Valan grinned. "Are you angry little cat?"

  Lia wiggled. He growled and began rocking his hips against hers. She narrowed her eyes and screeched an outraged warning then bit the side of his hand. He cursed, and squeezed her cheeks until she released him. As she drew in a deep breath to scream he crushed her lips beneath his again, pressing her head deeper into the pillow as he swept her open mouth with his tongue. She snapped her teeth together but wasn't fast enough to bite the tip of his tongue.

  He locked his eyes with hers. "She's mean, too, but I'll beat it out of her if I have to."

  His friend laughed and Lia opened her mouth to scream curses at him but he kissed her again, then drew back and watched her reaction. She drew in a deep breath, and then quickly closed it when he lowered his head toward her again.

  He grinned. "Good. I'm pleased you learn quickly. Are you smart enough to admit defeat?"

  Admit defeat? To this barbarian who’d been dumb enough to loosen his hold on her wrists? Lightning fast, she jerked them free and aimed for his eyes. He captured one but the other reached its target and left several long scratches from his cheek to his chest. He grunted with pain, then flipped her onto her belly. His weight came down on top of her, crushing her into the mattress. His hand slid into her hair and pushed her face into the soft pillow, effectively muffling her screams. She struggled to raise her head.

  He ran his cheek over hers, smearing his blood on her face before he placed his lips against her ear. "Be quiet and I'll let you get a breath."

  She nodded her head and he loosened his hold on her hair. Several drops of his blood fell onto the pillow by her face as she took a deep breath. A glint of light caught her attention and she stiffened when his friend held out a strange looking object.

  "Here, Valan. Let's get this over with."

  Valan took the injection gun, placed it against her neck and compressed the trigger.

  Lia fought the drug as it entered her system but quickly lost the battle. Closing her eyes, she relaxed beneath him. The barbarian turned her over.

  "Open your eyes, little cat."

  She did and his serious expression made her laugh. She framed his face with her hands then stroked her fingers over the tattoos on the sides of his head. "You're going to be sorry." She laughed and he covered her mouth with his hand.

  "I already am. Now, be quiet."

  His growled order sent her into gales of laughter before her vision darkened and she passed out.

  ***

  Valan pulled her to a sitting position, and then released her watching as she flopped back on the bed. "I think the sedative was too strong. We need to get her back to the ship so Borg can examine her." He lifted the small female into his arms, carried her over to Cam and held her out to him. "Here. You carry her."

  Cam stepped back. "She belongs to you."

  Valan stepped closer to him. "I'm your Commander. Take her."

  Cam shook his head. "Y
ou led us directly to her home just like Dr. Veeson said you would. She's yours."

  "She doesn't please me."

  Chuckling, Cam stepped through the doors and moved into the moonlit garden. "She pleased you well enough a few moments ago." He received a gravelly grunt in response.

  "She fights like a warrior. I’ll have no peace in my home from now on."

  "It will be good for you. Ever since your last birth cycle you’ve become too staid and complacent."

  "I’m thirty-one. Not ancient like Educator Fergusson." He shifted the light burden in his arms. She grumbled, then snuggled closer to him, nuzzling her cheek into his shoulder. An explosion of heat flared between them and hot blood rushed to his groin. His cock thickened and lengthened as he felt the same tingling in his balls as the previous night. He glanced at her bed and wished the female was awake and Cam was a million light annuals away. Instead, he drew in several deep breaths and joined Cam in the center of the garden.

  "I’ve signaled the Invincible that we’re ready to return. They're waiting for your command," Cam said.

  Valan gave the command to transfer. While they waited, he plucked a fragrant coral bloom from a nearby bush. The air around them brightened and shimmered and they were gone from the peaceful garden. They rematerialized in the transfer-room on the Invincible. It was crowded with warriors. Some carried captured females while others were preparing to go to the surface of the planet. When they noticed his presence they clutched their females to their chests and sent him challenging looks. Valan glanced at Cam, snorted, and raised his voice to get their attention.