Viken Command. Grace Goodwin
I blew out a breath to push my hair off my forehead.
“Are you all right, Miss Mason?”
It was Warden Egara who spoke. The mild, friendly tester stood from her chair, her tablet in hand.
I frowned. “I hate begging,” I grumbled.
She frowned but didn’t say anything.
“Are all dreams like that?” I asked. The metal that had kept my arms pinned to the testing chair slid back, and I sat up, wiping my face.
“Steamy?” she asked, a smile turning up the corner of her mouth.
I nodded.
“Yes.”
So, I wasn’t the only one who’d probably begged. A hot dream with three skilled men who knew how to touch me and what to say? Yeah, lots of women begged.
I was turned on, completely unfulfilled. Cranky, because of it.
“That’s downright cruel,” I told her.
She laughed, the sound soft and light. And that pissed me off even more.
“Some women orgasm from their testing and wake up from that.”
I narrowed my gaze at her. “Are you trying to make me hate you?”
I squirmed in the hard chair, tugged at the testing gown. It was a ridiculous hospital-style garment with little Interstellar Brides emblems all over it. Made of some kind of scratchy blend of materials that had me eager to ditch it, although I was naked underneath, which wasn’t a good alternative. I’d made a fool of myself enough, and I should have gotten an orgasm as payment like other women.
Grrr.
The warden sat back down at the plain table, her gaze upon her tablet.
“Your testing was successful.”
“Really?” I was surprised, and that surprised me. I’d come here to get the hell off of Earth, and this was the easiest way to do it. I wasn’t overly subordinate, so volunteering for the Coalition Fleet wasn’t a smart move. I’d volunteered to be a bride instead. I didn’t trust Earth men, or anyone else, for that matter.
“Yes, to Viken. You’re very lucky.”
I raised an eyebrow and waited.
“While your match is to one specific Viken male, they mate in threes.”
Three.
“Meaning three aliens.”
“Yes.”
So that was why I had that dream. I’d never ever thought of having sex with more than one guy. Sure, I wasn’t naïve enough to not know people shared, but I hadn’t. The idea wasn’t repulsive to me, I just hadn’t had the opportunity. But after that dream? Bring on the three Vikens. And soon because my pussy was wet and aching.
“Does this mean I can leave soon?”
She smiled. “I’m glad you’re eager for your mate.”
“You said mate, but you also said three of them. Which is it?” I asked, confused.
“You were matched to one Viken male. Their new custom is to claim a bride as a trio, one from each sector of their planet. It is possible you will only have one mate, but I suspect three.”
“I dreamed of three,” I admitted.
She offered a slight shrug, but a spark lit her eyes. “Lucky you. I can’t say with certainty, but I would guess you will have three.”
Three. Three mates. Holy fuck. Remembering the dream, it didn’t seem all that bad of a concept. “Works for me. I’m eager to get the hell off Earth.”
She looked down at her tablet. “You’ve volunteered. You’re not a convicted felon choosing an alternate to their punishment.”
“You don’t recognize me?”
I wasn’t vain, but I was famous. Sadly.
She looked up at me, studied me. “Ah.”
“That’s all you want to say? Ah? My family robbed thousands of people out of their retirement and savings. Destroyed lives. You don’t want to yell at me? Hate me?”
She looked at me with eyes that held not pity but understanding.
“From the news reports, you had no involvement in your family’s crimes.”
I squirmed in the chair. “No. My parents and brother live in New York. I’ve been living in California since college. I’m surprised you don’t know that.”
“I do, but I wanted to hear it from you.”
“Then you want to hear the rest of it? That while I was in college and grad school, my family created a pyramid scheme and stole millions from unsuspecting people? That we hadn’t been rich enough from my father’s hedge fund, and they were greedy enough to steal more?”
She shrugged. “To be honest, Miss Mason, I want to ensure you aren’t fleeing the planet to get away from a crime.”
I stood then, not caring that my ass was hanging out of the back of the stupid gown.
“I’m leaving the planet because I can’t get a job. No one will hire me. I’ve lost all my friends. I can’t walk down the street without people either jeering me, or a paparazzi camera shoved in my face. I’m never going to find a guy. My life is ruined all because of my family. I’m innocent, and no one cares. They’re out for blood, and I’m the only blood left that’s not behind bars. Do you have any idea what it’s like to not trust anyone?”
She studied me for a moment. “Very good.”
I sighed, a little because she’d gotten me riled up, and a little because I was relieved. She wasn’t going to deny me this new life just because of my miserable family.
“Do you wish to claim the right of naming your world, Miss Mason? Or do you submit to the processing center’s placement protocols?”
I thought of the three men and how my body still felt.
“I accept Viken.”
“Very good. Let’s begin the placement selection protocol. For the record, state your name.”
“Whitney Mason.”
“Are you currently, or have you ever, been married?”
I laughed at that. “No.”
“Have you produced biological offspring?”
I frowned. “Biological offspring?”
She glanced up at me. “Children. Have you given birth to any biological offspring?”
“No.”
“Are you legally responsible for any minors?”
“No. Why do you ask me that?”
The warden lifted her gaze and met mine, the look in her eyes said she was the one who asked the questions. “You’d be surprised, Miss Mason. Although I can’t fathom their reasoning, there are women who choose to leave their minor children behind on Earth. The Coalition races are very protective of their mates and children, whether biological or adopted. They do not approve of allowing any parent to abandon a child.”
That I completely understood. “But what if a woman can’t have children at all? I mean, what if she’s got fertility issues? Does that mean she can’t volunteer?”
The warden smiled at that question. “No. Of course not. There are many warriors who simply want a mate to share their life. Should a woman not wish to have children or be unable for whatever reason, there is a mate out there perfect for her. If the issue is a medical one,