Page 43 of Viken Command

I nodded at Geros’ statement. “That’s what Queen Leah told me after I transported here.”

“I am impressed. You have only been on Viken a few days. Do you know what the I.C. is? What those who serve do for the Fleet?”

I shrugged. “I think so. They’re like spies? Like the CIA on Earth.”

“I do not know this CIA, but the I.C. is not so simple as that. Some serve to gather intelligence. Many are assigned dangerous missions in the field, penetrating enemy lines, rescuing hostages or dignitaries. They are placed in danger and are highly skilled, highly trusted. You do not request to serve in the I.C., those who serve are recruited because they are the best at what they do. Because they are deadly, dangerous and highly skilled. They take risks no others will take. They are sent into the most dangerous and deadly places. They protect the entire Fleet, as well as gather intelligence. If they are spies, they are warrior spies.”

Light was beginning to dawn. “Holy shit. They’re like Spec Ops.”

“I do not know this term. But that they all three are thus honored tells us much about your mates.”

“They’re not my mates,” I reminded. “Not anymore.”

Kayson shook his head. “You can lie to yourself if you prefer, but we know the truth as well as you do. Your mates are those who have your heart.”

I realized I was sitting upon his lap still. I was in love with three other men, and I was in his arms chatting like I’d known him for years. God, what a weirdo I was! I climbed off his lap and paced before them, the lavish spread of food forgotten.

“They lied to me,” I reminded them.

“If they were on Earth and part of this… CIA you mention,” Mal began. “Would they need to lie to protect you?”

I thought of the CIA, of the movies that depicted all their covert operations. I thought of the SEALs who went off to war and couldn’t tell their family where they’d gone, only that it was some country ending in -stan or that there was sand.

“Probably.”

“And why is that?” Mal asked.

“Because they’re not allowed to and because if I knew, it might be dangerous for both them and for me.”

The three males

remained silent but watched me closely as I thought aloud.

“But they… they used me,” I repeated. “They had sex with me to keep me distracted. I even heard one of them say my presence had been useful to gain access to more places in the resort.” That was just embarrassing, so I looked away.

“I am sure they were distracted, too,” Kayson said, and I looked to him. There was banked heat in his eyes, for which I was grateful. He made me feel pretty, made me feel… worthy. “You are incredibly beautiful, Whitney. I highly doubt they had sex with you out of duty. It would be impossible to touch you and not feel genuine desire.”

Ego boost much?

“Yes, having a mate like you, I would not be eager to participate in any mission, whether it was for the I.C. or not,” Geros added. “I would hate to be torn from your side, especially when we were newly matched.”

Geros’s comment had me thinking. Could that be possible? Had my mates truly not wanted to leave me? Had they dreaded their work when they’d rather have remained with me?

“But they never took me as a trio, at the same time. Leah… Queen Leah told me that was required for a true claiming.”

Kayson nodded. “That is correct. Perhaps they didn’t claim you together because they hadn’t completed their mission. Perhaps taking you as one would require all three males to be distracted and vulnerable at the same time. Perhaps, dear Whitney, it simply was not safe to leave you unprotected while they claimed you.”

“They left me alone the night I found the disk.”

“And what happened that night? When you were alone and unprotected?”

I’d found the disk, made some terrible assumptions and run straight into the jaws of the enemy. “I found the disk and tried to transport to Viken United.”

“Yes, Whitney. But where were they? What was so important that they took the risk.”

Oh, shit. My mouth fell open. “They were there, when Clive dragged me toward that ship, they were already there.”

“Trying to defeat the enemy and complete their mission once and for all. That was the only way they could make sure you were finally safe. If you had stayed in your hut, what would have happened?”

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