Page 3 of Tornn's Mate
Why does the admiral’s voice keep vibrating through me, causing my core to clench? Why do I feel drawn to him? It’s taking all my self-control not to glance up and study his purple gaze. To become lost in it.
I continue staring at the mark on the floor as I try to sort out my conflicting thoughts.
“Very well. TheJansonnawill hold position and remain docked to theHaxxalas we await the arrival of your people,” Captain Warren says, and I hear the scuffle of boots as the guards and the command team depart.
Finally, I look up, and my eyes instantly collide with the admiral’s. My stomach lodges in my throat. Has he been staring at me this whole time? There’s an intensity to his gaze that leaves me unsettled. He almost looks… angry.
Be brave, be brave, be brave.
I lift my chin a notch, forcing myself to hold his intimidating stare. To my surprise, a glint of amusement sparks in his eyes. It vanishes so quickly, however, that I wonder if I only imagined it.
He finally looks away from me, and all at once I can breathe again.
“I am Admiral Tornn,” he says in a booming voice as he peers up and down the line of women, “and on behalf of Emperor Radakk, I would like to welcome you to the Darrvason Empire. You’ll be selected by your new mate immediately upon boarding theHaxxal.” He pauses and his eyes meet mine again, causing my breath to falter. “Let us depart.”
I lower my gaze and scramble to pick up my suitcase. The five aliens move along the line of women, herding us closely toward the airlock. As if any of us would succeed in escaping. Pretty sure the door leading to the corridor is locked. My uncle would’ve made sure of that.
A tense silence hovers as we approach the airlock. We traverse a narrow but long docking tunnel that’s lit with strange glowing symbols in various colors. I clutch my suitcase and experience a bout of dizziness when it hits me that I’m actually boarding an alien spacecraft. I’ve seen a variety of alien vessels over the years, but until now I’ve never set foot on one. There’s a thump, and I turn in time to see the faint glow of theJansonna’sdocking bay vanish, my last glimpse of home.
Admiral Tornn’s proclamation from moments ago rings in my ears.
You’ll be selected by your new mate immediately upon boarding theHaxxal.
I know nothing about Darrvason customs surrounding marriage or mating or whatever they want to call it. But I’m relieved we’ll only belong toonemale each, that we won’t be expected to copulate with multiple Darrvason males.
Why are they low on females? I can’t help but speculate on the reason. Did war or disease claim them? Did another race of aliens steal them?
Fear clutches my heart as I worry that whatever tragedy befell Darrvason females will occur all over again. Maybe we’re not safe in their empire.
As I continue walking down the narrow passageway, I feel as though I’m being led to my doom.
A shuddering breath escapes me. What sort of life awaits me among the aliens? Will my mate treat me as a broodmare and nothing more? Will I be allowed to raise the children I bear, or will they be taken away from me not long after birth?
My imagination runs wild with a thousand terrible scenarios.
Not for the first time today, I find myself blinking back tears.
I’m so afraid. I can pretend to be brave all I want, but there’s no chasing away the deep fear that leaves me chilled to the bone.
The corridor opens to a docking bay that’s vastly different from that of theJansonna’s. One entire wall looks like a giant window. Surely I’m not gazing at open space. It must be a window of sorts, and a very strong one at that. Otherwise, we’d be sucked outside to our deaths.
Astonished, I peer at the window only to realize it’s not a window after all. It’s a force field. A medium-sized vessel zips through the invisible barrier, causing the shield to shimmer for a brief instant—before coming to land with a faint thud. Whoa. Scientists aboard theJansonnaare just starting to experiment with force field technology, but I’ve never seen it in action before.
There are more huge, dark-skinned aliens in the docking bay. All are dressed in a similar fashion with black pants and tight long-sleeve shirts that accentuate their sculpted pectoral muscles. Their textured skin glimmers under the lights. Most possess purple eyes, though I spot a few with red gazes. Some have close cropped hair and smooth faces, while others sport longer tresses and beards.
Despite their immense size, they’re humanoid enough, which is a huge relief. Two arms. Two legs. Six fingers on each hand. I don’t see any weird appendages or tentacles or claws. During our journey through the stars, humankind has encountered its fair share of veryalienaliens, including some who’ve wanted to eat us.
A hatch on the medium-sized vessel opens, and a huge Darrvason male steps out. He’s flanked by a few other males. He strides in my direction, and my pulse accelerates when I fear he’s set his sights on me, only for him to step around me and grasp Thalia.
“This one’s mine,” he says, and I get the sense that he’s someone of importance among the Darrvasons. I mean, he’s in the presence of the freaking admiral of the entire fleet and he’s acting like the big bad boss man.
“She is yours, Emperor Radakk,” Admiral Tornn says as he walks closer.
I exchange a worried look with poor Thalia. The emperor! Oh, wow. Oh, shit.
The emperor takes Thalia’s suitcase and guides her out of the docking bay. She doesn’t say a word, though I can sense her disbelief and fear. A wide door zips open upon their approach and then they’re gone. I pray the emperor will treat her with kindness. But do the Darrvasons possess any decency at all?
Swiftly punished. Forced to conform.
