“Did Karter jump you? I mean, it’s just the collar he refused, not you, right?”
I couldn’t help but blush because it felt like fifteen minutes ago I was being well-fucked by him and Ronan. Together. Not felt, it had been only fifteen minutes ago. They’d given me an amazing orgasm and used that to their advantage, getting me onto the transport pad before I’d fully recovered.
“Don’t worry, he’s not that disinterested.” I felt his seed sliding down my thighs as I replied. “Seems no man—regardless of what planet they’re from—can say no to a woman who wants him naked.”
“And you want them? You want to keep them?”
“Yes. I do. Stubborn jerks.”
She stomped her foot. “Still, this isn’t right. You’re here and he’s there and you have no collar. No one knows you belong to him on Prillon Prime. I’m sure up on the Karter, it’s well-known.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she added, “I don’t think we should let him get away with this, do you?”
“No,” I grumbled. “I want to go back to the Karter and give him a piece of my mind.”
“Damn it. This is hard.” She reached out her hand and took mine with a gentle squeeze. “I don’t blame you for being angry, but your ship might be attacked at any time. I know he sent you here without asking, but he is thinking of your safety.”
“From what I’ve been told, a battleship can always be attacked. Karter and Ronan are always going to be working, fighting the Hive.” Even though we were just outside the transport room in a hallway, I began to pace. “I was matched to him. The testing had to know a Prillon warrior’s job would always be to fight, to face possible death. It’s no different from being married to a soldier or a police officer back home. There are no guarantees in life, Jessica. The matching protocol had to know I could handle it, even if Karter doesn’t want me to. Ronan, too.”
She studied me, cocked her head. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re right. It’s the entire philosophy behind their tradition of choosing a second.”
“Exactly.”
“Why would the testing match you to a mate or a situation you could not handle? You belong with them.”
I sighed, then smiled. “I’m so glad you think so. I thought I was the only one. Chloe’s with the I.C. and she’s still up there. She fights for Pete’s sake. Goes out into battle. I mean, look at me, it’s not like I’m going to tip over in the wind. I’m sturdy. Strong. I can handle this. I need to. Commander Phan said I was Lady Karter and in charge of all non-military stuff on the ship.”
“That is true. As the Commander’s mate, you would be elevated to a place of honor and responsibility within his battlegroup.”
“I can’t do anything helpful from here.”
“No, you can’t.” She grabbed my arm again, tugged me back into the transport room. The tech bowed to her again. “Set the transporter to return coordinates on Battleship Karter. Lady Karter is going home.”
The tech raised a dark brow but remained quiet. Jessica copied the motion and didn’t say a word. I watched both of them, clearly a silent battle happening in front of me. Jessica was Lady Deston, mated to the leader of Prillon Prime and the entire Interplanetary Coalition. Her mates, Nial and Ander, were in charge of the entire Coalition Fleet. She could probably order Kaed and Ronan both to do whatever she wanted.
The transport tech didn’t stand a chance. Yet he was military, so did that mean he was to report up to Prime Nial, her mate?
“Now,” she added, which got the desired effect.
“Yes, Lady Deston.” He nodded to me to proceed onto the platform.
Guess that answered that.
I felt the now-familiar vibrations beneath my feet, felt the hairs on my arms rise.
She grabbed me in a fierce hug. “Go. Be with your mates. We’ll see each other again soon.”
I’d been here five minutes and I knew I had an ally—and a friend—in Jessica. “Thank you.”
“Transport ready, Lady Deston,” the tech said.
I went up onto the pad, looked to Jessica. She curled her fingers in a little wave, but she was gone before I could wave back.
Commander Karter
* * *
“Status update,” I said, hands on hips.
The flight bay had three levels of decks, cargo and evac ships readying on each of them. From our location on the docking control station, we could monitor each deck, see the ships as they were being maintained and processed for use. Beyond was the invisible environmental shield, the powerful barrier that maintained our air and oxygen levels and other essentials for life to function. With no exterior wall, it was as if someone could walk across the deck and jump into space. Nothing but blackness and stars were beyond.