Page 3 of Tamed

“I had a hot date with a sparbot,” Kendra grumbled, but her memory perfectly reproduced an image of Arcon’s smoldering expression. The ache in her pussy had abated, but her bottom was still tender. A fresh wave of heat washed over her in response to the memories and Kendra shivered. Was this basic sexual frustration or something more? Was it a biological warning that her abilities were ready to awaken? Once released, her primary element would be Fire. She would be able to summon flames or cause objects to explode with the power of her mind. She’d seen others effortlessly manipulate Altorian energy, but her abilities were still latent and would remain so until her mates claimed her.

And why couldn’t she shake the feeling that one of those mates should be Arcon?

It’s nothing but wishful thinking, her inner voice mocked. Every female on this outpost feels the same way.

“Is something wrong?” Ansley asked after a long pause. “You seem distracted.”

“I’m not sure. Maybe.” If it was anyone but Arcon she would have thought that she’d finally captured his attention, that the spanking had been a bizarre sort of foreplay. But Arcon had made his position clear to everyone. He was unavailable.

Eden walked in before Ansley could ask Kendra to elaborate.

“What a morning,” Eden sighed, giving each of her friends a quick hug. “I’m exhausted already and it’s barely noon.” Her cheeks were flushed and her gray-green eyes shone with spirit. “There’s no line, for a change…” She tucked her gold-streaked brown hair behind her ear then motioned toward the nutrient synthesizers inset in the wall to their left. “Let’s go grab our food before the next rush hits.” There were only two dining rooms for the entire Citadel so they tended to fill up fast during meal breaks.

Kendra and Ansley rose and followed Eden across the room.

“How was Houkdi?” Ansley asked with a knowing smile.

Eden and her mates had flown to their home on the desert planet to enjoy some much-needed time alone. They’d been bonded for less than a week so their mating instincts were still incredibly strong.

“It was wonderful,” Eden assured them. “I just wish it had been three weeks rather than three days.”

“Don’t ever hesitate to take time for yourselves,” Ansley advised as she entered her selections into one of the kiosks. “The more involved you become in this war, the harder it is to sneak away.”

Eden and Ansley were both mated now, so they frequently spoke about things Kendra had yet to experience. They weren’t trying to leave her out of the conversations, but Kendra was excluded all the same. Kendra faced one of the kiosks and navigated her way through the complex menu.

“May I help with that?”

The male’s voice was deep and unfamiliar. Kendra turned her head sharply and found a warrior standing at her side. She didn’t know his name, but he’d been in the gym this morning. “Thanks, but I’ve got it.”

“You have really improved with the sparbot,” he said casually. “If you would like to move on to more complex routines, I would be happy to instruct you.”

Embarrassment washed over her, heating her cheeks and spiking her anxiety. Had he heard her playful comments to Arcon? “I’ll keep that in mind.” She quickly snatched her tray off the printer and brushed past the warrior. “Excuse me.”

“Okay, that was bizarre,” Eden said as she tried to hide her smile. “Do you know that guy?”

Kendra debated how much to tell them as she sat down. “I was flirting with Arcon in the gym and I think that guy heard what I said.”

“You flirt with Arcon a lot,” Ansley pointed out. “Is something going on there?”

Blushing hotly, Kendra muttered, “I wish.”

“Arcon isn’t ready to claim a mate,” Eden stressed. “Don’t set your sights on him or you’ll get hurt.”

“I know.” She looked at Eden and shrugged with an indifference she didn’t feel. “Just because he’s not on the market doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate his esthetics.”

Eden let the subject drop and they indulged in Citadel gossip for a few minutes, complaining about people who annoyed them and speculating about upcoming developments.

“Why was your morning so hectic?” Ansley asked Eden after they’d exhausted the other topics. “Didn’t you arrive last night?”

“Zevon met with Soro and finalized the alliance,” Eden told her friends. “That’s why Zevon wanted to meet with my triad this morning.”

Clearly Eden was about to dive into the political conflicts surrounding the current war, so Kendra quickly reviewed the important players. It was hard to keep everything straight because she’d never been to any of the planets and never interacted with any of the people. First there was Altor, the planet most closely associated with the Citadel. Altor was governed by a prefect and a group of lawmakers known as the Assembly, yet their true power came from controlling the Citadel. A fact the other planets resented.

The primary concern in the star system was Emperor Jevara of Torret. He was cruel and capricious, and advanced weapons allowed him to lash out indiscriminately. At the moment, his hostility was focused on Altor and the Citadel—along with anyone on Torret who wouldn’t support his erratic and self-serving decisions. Not surprisingly, a massive rebellion resulted, but despite the growing number of Torretian rebels, they were no match for the Imperial Army. Zevon, and the other planetary leaders, also wanted Jevara gone but no one was willing to step out alone and become Jevara’s next victim.

Zevon knew an interplanetary alliance was the only way to win the war, so he had taken it upon himself to bring the factions together. Because of their symbiotic relationship, Altor always supported the Citadel. Houkdi wanted nothing to do with any political conflict, so Zevon focused on Pyron. Pyron was divided into two schools of thought. Mistress Air and her followers were pacifists who refused to use their abilities to harm anyone or anything. The Wraiths had a very different philosophy. They believed that Mistress Air’s approach stifled the true potential of her followers.

That left Zevon with two potential allies, the Torretian rebels and the Pyronese Wraiths.

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