Page 1 of Brute's Mate

Chapter1

BRUTE

My blood thrumswith violence as I walk the corridors of theHaxxal, the lead ship in the Darrvason fleet. My home for the past twenty-five years. Planet Darrva is long gone, destroyed by the Yelltzins, our greatest enemy. The fourteen ships in our fleet shelter what’s left of the Darrvason Empire. Twenty thousand males.

And, as of yesterday, thirty human females of child-bearing age.

I pause at a viewscreen and glare at theJansonna, the human worldship. The alien vessel is traveling in a shared hyperdrive bubble with the entire Darrvason fleet. If not for our help, the humans would be close to death, their dilapidated ship crumbling around them.

I tear my gaze from the worldship and hurry to the medical bay, wanting to check on my comrade, Officer Paddax, one last time before retiring for the night. Anger ignites anew as I gaze upon his sleeping form. His normally onyx skin is light gray, and his flesh is marred with red sores.

Fluxxinghumans.

They did this.

I take a deep breath, attempting to cool my rage. In the face of an unexpected threat from the humans, I need to remain level-headed.

I cannot afford to make the same mistakes as my father. I refuse to follow in his footsteps, in his shame. His hotheaded blunders during failed diplomatic missions were what provoked the Yelltzins to finally attack Darrva after years of conflict between our forces. For as long as I live, I will strive to be a male of honor and do everything in my power to help strengthen the Darrvason Empire. Which means I must control my temper and resist the urge to take a shuttle to theJansonna. I must resist the urge to seek immediate vengeance.

Physicians and technicians move about the medical bay, some casting curious looks in my direction. As one of the most decorated security officers in the empire, they probably think I know more about the attack on Paddax than they do. Infuriatingly, I know nothing beyond the basics.

Paddax’s new human mate used a smuggled hypospray filled with a fast-acting virus on him, rendering him severely ill. The woman, Sheila, refused to reveal her motives or the names of any accomplices, and she’s currently being held in the brig. If the virus would’ve spread among the males on theHaxxal, the consequences would’ve been deadly, however our top scientists were quick to develop and administer a vaccine to all those who were exposed to Paddax after the attack, myself included.

Thankfully, Paddax is expected to make a full recovery. I murmur a quick prayer of thanks to the twelve Star Gods, then depart the medical bay, intent to get some sleep after pulling a double shift.

As soon as I reach the royal corridors where my quarters are located—a perk of being the admiral’s cousin—I encounter Admiral Tornn himself. He’s walking alone, a troubled expression deepening the lines on his face. But a hint of relief lightens his features when he notices my approach.

A strange scent reaches my nose as I walk closer, and it takes me a moment to realize my cousin smells like he’s been rutting a female for days on end. The aroma of mingled bodily fluids is so strong, there’s no doubt in my mind that he successfully claimed the woman he’d selected from the group of thirty. I fight back a pang of envy.

“Brute,” he says with a nod. “I take it you’ve been to see Officer Paddax again?”

“Tornn.” I offer him a deep nod in return. “Yes, I just left the medical bay. He remains stable. I didn’t speak with any of the physicians, but I observed Officer Paddax’s vitals and believe he’s improved slightly since yesterday.”

With a sharp gesture, Tornn invites me into an alcove that contains a small viewscreen. We take a seat on a bench, both of us gazing at the fleet, the human worldship, and the millions of stars streaking by outside the hyperdrive bubble. “I have a mission for you, cousin,” he says, switching to a rare dialect of Darrvason, one only spoken by those who hail from the small village of Lorrvosha on planet Darrva where we grew up. A village that is no more.

Memories wash over me, and I try to push away the anguish that squeezes my heart when I think of my parents and sisters. Dead. All of them. Their lives extinguished when the Yelltzins destroyed planet Darrva. At the time, I was aboard theHaxxalvisiting Tornn and his father. After the destruction of our homeworld, I was thrust into an early apprenticeship as a security officer, the best I could hope for as the son of a disgraced former diplomat. Still a child, I was expected to perform my duty to the empire, never mind that I was grieving the loss of my family. Never mind that I was trying to come to terms with the level of destruction my father had caused.

“What would you like me to do?” I finally ask, careful to keep my voice neutral, grateful that Tornn still appears to trust me after many years of us serving together on theHaxxal. If he believes I’m tainted by my father’s sins, he’s never given any indication.

“I would like to send you to theJansonna, the human worldship, to spy on Captain Warren and his command team. Officially, you’ll be there as an advisor. Unofficially, you’ll be there to ensure he doesn’t harm the relatives and friends of the thirty human females they surrendered to us yesterday. You will also quietly investigate whether the captain or his command team had a hand in the attack on Paddax. As you know, we still believe Sheila acted on behalf of a small group of unknown dissenters—I doubt Captain Warren has the scrotum to defy us—but it’s still important we discover Sheila’s accomplices.”

Bloodlust sears my veins. I’ve met Captain Warren several times during the negotiations between our people, and I don’t care for the male. He reeks of deceit and cowardice. I suppress a snarl. “Why would Captain Warren threaten the relatives and friends of the thirty females?”

Tornn emits a low growl as he stares at the worldship. “The female I claimed as my mate, Ellie, is the captain’s eldest niece. She says he threatened the welfare of her sister and mother if she caused any trouble on theJansonna—if she wasn’t an obedient and willing enough bride. He promised to deprive her sister and mother of rations, relocate them to unfavorable quarters, or even withhold medical care. Ellie suspects the captain threatened other women from the group of thirty as well. This is one reason why we haven’t confronted Captain Warren over Sheila’s attack on Paddax. We want to prevent innocents from getting hurt, while also maintaining an element of surprise.”

“I see. How long will I remain on theJansonnaas the captain’sadvisor?”

“At least until our engineers complete repairs on the human worldship. After that, the humans will be required to present the second payment of women they owe us. I suspect by that time, the captain will understand we won’t ever return a female. During yesterday’s handover, he seemed to be under the impression we might return disobedient women for more cooperative ones.”

A grin tugs at my lips. “Ah, yes, I heard about your exchange of ideas with the captain. The officers who accompanied you said Captain Warren became very pale and his hands were trembling. A true coward, that male.” I lean against the wall, resigned but also a bit eager for my new assignment. It’s been a while since I’ve played spymaster. “When do I depart for theJansonna?”

“Tomorrow. We’ll take a shuttle. I’ll accompany you. I plan to threaten the captain and promise to skin him alive if he dares to harm any of our newly acquired females’ friends or family members. I also want to make sure he understands your presence on the worldship is non-negotiable. Lastly, I’ll ensure you’re given top security clearance as well as your own quarters.” Tornn drags a hand through his dark hair, then glances over his shoulder in the direction of his quarters. In the direction of his new mate.

I fight back another pang of jealousy, resolving that my time will come. Perhaps in a few moon cycles I’ll be rewarded with a mate of my own. Perhaps I’ll be permitted to claim a mate from the next payment of females. I never expected to receive a woman from the initial group of thirty—I’m a high-ranking officer, but I’m not on par with Admiral Tornn or Emperor Radakk and his personal guards and royal advisors. But the next wave? I suspect I’ll have a chance then, and longing reverberates through me.

As though reading my thoughts, Tornn places a hand on my shoulder and says, “Your service to the Darrvason Empire is appreciated, Brute, and you’ll be rewarded upon your return to theHaxxal.”

My rage toward the humans dims somewhat as I gaze at theJansonna. The ancestral markings that cover my arms tingle, and for the first time in ages, I feel hopeful for the future.

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