“Yes, you can. You have to.”

Ashlyn took the ‘chains of obedience’ from her sister’s outstretched hand and stared at them. So many things could go wrong. So. Many. Things.

Ankle bracelets in hand, the delicate silver links sparkling in the low light, she looked toward the glass wall. Towardhim.

Mister tall, dark, and handsome was stalking his way directly toward her. Large. Agile. She shivered. Her mind froze but her body knew exactly what was happening. A large predator had locked on to her position and was silently closing in.

Her fight or flight instinct kicked in, forcing her to choose. By sheer dint of will she held her ground. The man. No, thealiencoming toward her was huge and intimidating. Anyone not afraid to be caught in his crosshairs was a fool. She lifted her chin a notch and met his gaze unflinchingly as he came to a halt in front of the glass directly across from her. He didn’t need to know her heart had lost a beat. Or that her clit found it.

His eyes sizzled with heat. Tension. He didn’t speak, didn’t move.

Like a hunter ready to pounce.

Oh god. I think he knows.

CHAPTER TWO

Zade

Zade staredthrough the glass at the female on the other side; willed her to maintain eye contact. See only him.Ashlyn.

He would never enslave a living being or force himself on an unwilling female, but that didn’t stop him from imagining Ashlyn’s active consent to let him play master in their sleeping quarters. The obedience chains she held were, after all, originally designed as sex toys. He would command her to open her legs and then feast on her sweet nectar until she was out of her mind, pulling at his hair, chanting his name over and over again as she came in his mouth, begging him to bury his cock deep inside her, fill her.

She was stunning. Feisty. Human. Delicate in comparison to Caldorian women, with cornflower blue eyes designed to hold her mate captive.

The Council would never believe a woman so beautiful, so vibrant, would marry a monster like C’bor Ubrion. This was a fool’s errand likely to get everyone killed. Not that it mattered.He was now honor bound to play his part, take the Council seat if necessary. But fake a claiming with this woman? He would never allow her to fakeanythingbetween them.

He devoured her with his eyes, making no attempt to hide his desire. He wanted her with an intensity he’d never felt before. After seeing Ashlyn, after watching her with the infant that looked so much like her, all he wanted to do was take her back to his ship, claim her, bury his cock so deep inside her she couldn't remember her own name, fill her with his seed and watch her belly grow. He knew his desire was primitive. He didn't care.

Despite King Dagan warning them not to get any ideas about keeping Ashlyn, despite her apparent unwillingness to consider any of them as potential mates in truth, or her insistence their match would be temporary, the others wanted to claim the beautiful female as well, that much was obvious. They were going to do everything in their power to convince her to give them a real chance. Tempt her into allowing a genuine claiming. By law, she could end the claim before a permanent binding ceremony took place, as was her right, so convincing her that she didn't want to do that would be her mate's top priority after seeing to her safety.My top priority.

He had no idea what the previous female had been like, or what his brother might have done in this situation and didn't care. Fate was clearly at work. Ashlyn was meant to behis.

His hands pressed against the clear glass, framing her. He hadn’t missed her very feminine dismissal of him earlier.Threw down a gauntlet with your scent all over it and then ran, is what you did, but I accept your challenge. I’m an expert hunter. You will be mine.

He waited patiently until her eyes strayed back to him, then gave the command to store his weapons and remove the top portion of his uniform. He stood proudly, chest bare. He was like all Caldorians. He knew exactly what she would see; theraised swirls and whorls on his skin blazed with so much fiery opalescence she would be hard pressed to identify the dark, underlying blue as the primary color. He enjoyed showing off his markings for the pleasure of the opposite sex as much as the next warrior, but today was the first time he cared if the female in question liked what she saw.No. Not the female. Ashlyn.

He watched her closely, eager to see her initial reaction. Every Caldorian's markings were unique, and his had drawn more than his fair share of female interest. And yet for all that, his remained unlit, a clear signal that he was still available. Ashlyn would have to light his markings before they met any of the Council members. Any deviation from the well-known tradition would be met with suspicion.

His cock twitched at the thought of her rubbing maju paste all over his body, causing the markings to light up from within, declaring him one half of a claimed pair, untouchable to other females. Ashlyn had no markings, but that wouldn't stop him from spreading the paste all over her. He wanted to learn every curve of her body, how she liked to be touched, where she was most sensitive.

He stood proudly in front of her, allowing her to look her fill. His markings covered one arm and half of his chest, then tapered down to a point that disappeared beneath his belt, luring the eye. She gave in, much to his delight. He was ready for her.Take a good look. I am all that you named me. Dominant. Primitive. Possessive. Imagine my tongue, my mouth, every part of me dedicated to your pleasure, driving you over the edge.

For a moment Ashlyn swayed closer, a hitch in her breath. The tip of her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Pure torture. Her gaze drifted back up to his chest, stroked over every marking, sinew and muscle. He was in his prime and thanks to his lineage, even larger than many other Caldorians.

Ashlyn's lips stayed slightly parted. Unless humans had different signals, she wanted him. He stood even straighter, directly across from her, using his body to communicate.You can dismiss me, but you can’t hide what you really want. Your body does not lie.

Ashlyn crossed her arms and turned away, but not quickly enough to hide her desire. Her nipples were pebbled. She was flushed and breathing faster. He smiled.You offer a feast, and I am ravenous.

Ashlynand the others continued their conversation for several minutes before exiting the room, giving Zade time to calm his body and reflect on how he ended up in his current position. He was not on the original, pre-approved list of candidates. Like Ashlyn, he was a replacement, and nothing like his older half-brother.

Zedrick was eight when their father’s first mate, Zedrick’s mother, died in a tragic accident. His father found and bound himself to Zade’s mother, a Saltrec princess, only a few weeks later. People immediately began to whisper. Zade’s birth less than a year after that still raised eyebrows. He spent his childhood defending his mother and himself against the worst sort of royal gossip and had since refused to attend royal functions where people whispered behind his back.

Eventually he’d found an outlet for his pain and anger through training with his father’s legendary Lumerian Knights and spent more than one human lifetime proving his worthiness on the battlefield. He was not ashamed of his heritage. On the contrary, most Saltrec were highly regarded as elite fighters.Once trained, they were almost impossible to kill on the battlefield.

If injured, the best Saltrec could enter into a state of near death––lay inert like stone, immune to hot and cold, for several hours––long enough to survive until help arrived. He, of course, had never been properly trained, being raised as a prince of the Northern Sector instead, and because of the way his parents had found each other, he’d had to fight for everything he had. His instinct was to crush his enemies, not play political games with them.

Zade’s musings abruptly ceased as the door slid open and Ashlyn walked through, the delicate chains of obedience tinkling with each step she took. His first sight of her without the glass between them was like a punch to the gut. He couldn’t breathe.Mine.