Norlanian Brides Volume One Read online

  “Now, just a minute,” Pilar started.

  “It’s already too late. I’m only informing you as a courtesy so you don’t worry. I promise that she’s in good hands and will contact you after her claiming period.”

  He ended the call before she could say anything further and then contacted Sloan’s brother Eden, who was not happy about the abduction either. It didn’t matter, though. Everything was in place. Warrick was waiting for Sayjan to meet him at the base of the Issizlik Mountains, and then the next time they saw each other, Warrick and Sloan would be mated. At least Sayjan hoped so. Warrick had been pining for Sloan since school, too foolish to be with her when he had the opportunity and then waiting on the sidelines while another male wooed her. If Sayjan knew anything about his best friend, though, it was that he wouldn’t let anything stop him from claiming Sloan now.

  He gave her bag to Sesla, who had cleaned the fake blood from his hands. “Put that in her office and lock up. Her superiors know she won’t be in to work until Warrick brings her back. You’re to keep what happened tonight to yourselves.”

  The three males nodded vigorously and then saluted him. He dismissed them and climbed into the front seat of his hover-machen, setting the course for the mountains. He let Warrick know he was on the way and then he settled back for the ride, his thoughts drifting to his own future and lack of a mate.

  Chapter 4

  It seemed like it took forever for Sayjan to arrive at their meeting place. Warrick almost ripped the door off the hover-machen in his haste to see Sloan. She lay unconscious on the backseat, covered in a blanket. He lifted her gently and transferred her into his own vehicle.

  He turned to face his best friend, raising a brow at his blood-stained clothes. Sayjan looked at his uniform and then explained the ruse he’d concocted to get Sloan out of the medical building.

  “She was apparently going out with one of her friends tonight. I called her, and Eden as well.”

  “Good. I don’t want anyone worrying about her or trying to find her.”

  “Smart thinking. Since males don’t abduct Norlanian females any longer, a female suddenly disappearing would be worrisome to her family.”

  Warrick grimaced. “We shouldn’t have stopped.”

  “What?” Sayjan asked.

  “Males shouldn’t have turned their backs on our own females just because we wanted to have future generations.”

  “It’s not just about that, War, and you know it. Most of the babies being born in the last generation were males. A world full of males without mates is a war waiting to happen. Having mates is what keeps males sane.”

  “Thanks for your help, Say.”

  He smiled and they hugged briefly. “You’re welcome. Maybe you can return the favor someday.”

  “Anytime,” he promised.

  Sayjan left, and Warrick climbed into his hover-machen and directed it to the wooing chamber. As the vehicle began the climb up the mountain, he turned to face the back seat and looked at Sloan as she slept. He knew she’d be furious when she woke, but he hoped she’d get over that quickly when she realized he wanted to be with her. That he always had. He’d take her being mad at him for a while if it meant he could spend the rest of his life with her.

  The wooing chamber was hidden in the face of the mountain. A narrow road in a wide crevice was just big enough for the hover-machen to fit through, and then the route opened up into a circular clearing within the mountain. He parked the vehicle and climbed out, unlocking the door to the wooing chamber and propping it open before returning to carry Sloan inside. He smiled at how she felt in his arms as he strode the short distance to the chamber. She was perfect. He didn’t deserve her, but he was going to try to convince her he’d be a good mate.

  After kicking aside the rock he’d used to prop open the door, he locked it and carried her through the main room and into the bedroom. The chamber had only one exit, and it was coded to only open to him, so Sloan wouldn’t be able to leave without him. He laid her on the large bed, resting her head on a fluffy pillow. Among the things he’d brought were fresh linens. Since the chamber hadn’t been used in many years, he’d been right in expecting the ones inside would be dusty and unusable. He noticed that Sloan wore a lot of blue clothing, so he’d purchased blue coverings for the bed as well as blue raki drying towels.

  He moved into the bathing room and wet a cloth, returning to the bed and cleaning the fake blood from her knees and hands. He’d never seen her wearing such a short skirt before. He liked it a great deal, but he didn’t like the idea of so many males seeing her sexy legs. When her skin was clean, he rinsed the cloth out and put it in the wash basket.

  Moving to a small clothing cabinet, he removed a box containing the mating jewelry he’d bought for them. The stones were pale blue and the chain for her necklace was delicate, but made of unbreakable metal. Taking the collection device, he moved to the bed and sat next to her. He fixed the necklace on her, securing the lock, and then he pricked his finger with the device and added his blood to the stones in the necklace and bracelet. After pricking her finger and adding her blood to the stones as well, he used the device to check that both of their DNA was now correctly encoded into the stones. Then he fixed the bracelet on his wrist and put the box at the bottom of the clothing cabinet.

  He saw the box at the bottom of the cabinet that contained the mating serum he’d bought. It was ridiculously expensive, almost as much as an actual abduction trip, but without the serum, his hair wouldn’t turn brown when he and Sloan made love. He didn’t actually care about that – he’d had blue hair his whole life and he could have it until he died – but brown hair in a male was a sign of mating. He wanted Sloan to be honored by having a mate with brown hair. She was worth the expense of the serum and the pain that would come from taking it. Males were normally given the serum while they were unconscious during their soul-walk, so they didn’t feel the pain, but he’d feel the entirety of it. He didn’t care about that, either.

  Covering both boxes with clothes, he closed the lid on the cabinet and moved to the bed, checking to make sure Sloan was comfortable. Her skin was slightly cool, so he pulled another blanket over her and instructed the computer to increase the heat in the room. He bent and kissed her forehead, and then left the room.

  In the kitchen, he prepared a light meal. He expected her to wake within an hour, and wanted to be in the room when she did so he could explain. He wasn’t sure if she’d remember Sayjan gassing her, or if she’d be frightened, or angry.

  He carried a tray of cut fruit, slices of sweet bread, and two glasses of melanark, which he knew was one of her favorites, into the bedroom. He set the tray on the chest and sat down in an overstuffed chair in the corner of the room to wait for his mate to wake up.

  * * *

  Sloan felt like she was trying to pull herself up from under something heavy. Her eyelids wouldn’t open and she couldn’t move her arms or legs much. Panic filled her for a brief moment, but she forced herself to remain calm and assess the situation. Her hands and feet tingled, as if they’d been numbed, and her skin felt as if something warm and wet was lying on top of her, preventing her from moving.

  She focused on her surroundings and heard nothing at all, aside from her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was a soldier telling her someone was injured and finding Sayjan on the ground in a pool of blood.

  There’d been so much blood, she’d worried he was dead, but then she remembered a puff of blue colored gas and anger replaced that worry. Sayjan had drugged her! But why?

  Well, she didn’t really care what his motive was, she was going to get out from under the effects of the gas and kick him hard a few times. Maybe she’d even drug him and see how he liked it. She had a new appreciation for the abducted females, who dealt with the gas and woke to find themselves on an alien ship, and told they were someone’s bride.

  Just as quickly as the thought flitted through her mind, she
shoved it away. No one would abduct her. She was a sterile female, not worth the cost of abduction. Wouldn’t it be funny if aliens from another planet began abducting Norlanian females the way that their males abducted females from other planets? Well, it wouldn’t be ha-ha funny, but from an ironic standpoint she could see the humor.

  Willing her body to fight off the gas, she struggled to remain calm and let the gas work out of her system. Being upset or panicked when she had no way to help herself wouldn’t do anything but stress her out further. To pass the time, she thought of ways to torture Sayjan.

  Eventually she was able to open her eyes. Her vision was cloudy for a little while, but when that cleared she was able to see a ceiling. It didn’t look familiar. It looked as if it had been carved out of rock, not the smooth surface of a room at the hospital or her own bedroom. A sliver of panic shot through her and she tried to raise her hand but could only feel a soft blanket under her fingertips.

  Whatever surface she was on – a bed perhaps? – dipped to the side and a male loomed over her. It took her a moment to realize the male was Warrick.

  “Hello,” he said in a soft voice.

  She opened her mouth but her voice wouldn’t work.

  “You’re still under the effects of the gas, quello. First, I’ll apologize for whatever you’re going through. The gas was doctored so it wasn’t at full strength, but you’re clearly struggling to come out from under the effects. You’ve been unconscious for four hours.” He looked thoughtful. “While you’re unable to move, I’ll tell you what’s going on and then, when you can talk, you can tell me what you think. Rest assured I have the best of intentions where you’re concerned.”

  Best intentions? What in the stars was he talking about?

  “I don’t know if you’re aware, Sloan, but I’ve liked you for a long time. When we were in school, you always stood up for the younger males, like your brother, and I always wished that you would care that much about me. I know what you’re thinking – I had my shot and I blew it, and then Nalek swooped in and captured your heart – but he wasn’t an honorable male and I’m glad he’s out of your life. I’ve always cared about you. When we were on the abduction trip to Earth and I saw how much you cared about your brother’s mate, I saw a side of you that I hadn’t seen before. You’ve always been caring, but it was different. You really wanted Ashleigh and Eden to be happy together, because you love Eden and you want what’s best for him.” He reached out and took her hand, and she felt the slight pressure of his fingers against her.

  He looked around the room. “This is Sayjan’s uncle’s wooing chamber. Of course, it hasn’t been used in many years, but I knew it was the perfect place to bring you.” He glanced down at her and she was struck by how gorgeous he was. She’d seen him a million times over the years, watching him grow up from a handsome young man to a male who turned female heads wherever he went, but she’d never been this close.

  She opened her mouth and found that her voice, although soft and scratchy, was finally working. “Why?”

  He looked thoughtful again. She was struck with the desire to stroke the line of his jaw and find out if his skin was as smooth as she’d always imagined. “It’s the perfect place because we’re locked in here for fifteen dins. Well, I’m not technically locked in and can leave at will, but you on the other hand, are definitely stuck. There’s no escape unless we leave together.”

  Tears pricked her eyes. This was by far the cruelest thing that had ever happened to her. She was dreaming or dead or a prank was being played on her. There was no way in the stars that Warrick was giving up his future for her.

  “Hey, don’t cry,” Warrick said, brushing the tears away. “This is a good thing. Do you understand, Sloan? I’ve chosen you to be my bride because I believe we’re soulmates. You’ve been in my heart for more years than I can count and I don’t want another mate. I want you and no one else will do.”

  Her treacherous heart softened at his words and the sweet, hopeful look on his face. His brown eyes were filled with hope and a longing that she was surprised to see. But she couldn’t let him throw away his future for her. It wasn’t fair to him, and it would destroy his standing in the military.

  “No,” she said, hating the way her voice trembled.

  His brow arched. “No to what part?”

  She was able to wiggle her fingers and toes and she took heart that this meant the drug was continuing to wear off.

  “All of it.”

  He hummed. “Too bad. I’m not going anywhere, and you’re definitely not going anywhere. I know you’re surprised by all of this, but trust me, in time you’ll see that my feelings for you are real and that I want you to be my mate.”

  She closed her eyes and tried to force her body to reject the drug so she could get out of bed faster and find a way to escape. She was smart. She could figure out a way to unlock the door to the wooing chamber and get herself back home. Back where everything was normal and there weren’t any sexy males trying to convince her to be their mate. Sure, it was a dream come true, but Warrick didn’t realize how much of a nightmare it would actually be. No matter how badly she wanted to be his, he would lose everything if he chose a sterile mate. She couldn’t let that happen.

  While the drug slowly worked its way out of her system, Warrick shared with her all the times he’d wanted to approach her romantically but had been too scared to take the chance.

  “Do you remember our last year of school, just before I left for the academy?” he asked. “There was a banquet and I wanted to ask you to attend with me, but I lost my nerve. I sat through the whole meal across the table from you and wanted to shoot myself for not having the nerve to ask you to join me.”

  She didn’t want to believe him, but she did. He was so earnest. It seemed impossible, but the male she’d spent so many years fantasizing about actually wanted her, too.

  It was too bad that nothing could come of it. She wouldn’t let him destroy himself on her behalf. Although difficult, she’d find the strength to walk away at the first opportunity and then she’d find another job, somewhere outside Kyvern City, so she didn’t have to see the gorgeous soldier ever again.

  Chapter 5

  When the drugs finally wore off, Warrick could tell that Sloan was only acting as if she wouldn’t try to escape, but he wasn’t fooled. She, along with every other Norlanian female, had been told she had no value because she couldn’t provide a male with heirs. Why would she trust him? Warrick hadn’t expected her to throw herself into his arms right away, but he did hope to get past her defenses eventually and show her that he was sincere.

  He helped her from the bed and when he saw her cock her arm to punch him, he let her do it, even though he could have easily blocked or avoided her fist. Instead, it landed square on his nose. Pain exploded behind his eyes. He grunted at the blow, which was surprisingly strong, and looked at her. She was a few inches shorter than him, her brown eyes blazing with indignation.

  “Don’t ever drug me again!”

  He felt blood trickle out of his nose and he pressed his hand to it to stem the bleeding. “If you would accept me as your mate now, I wouldn’t ever have to drug you again. I can’t promise I won’t if you reject me, Sloan. I mean to have you as my mate and I’ll do whatever it takes to make you mine.”

  She took a step back, her face paling as his words sank in. He’d tried being sweet before, sharing his feelings and telling her all of the times he’d noticed little things about her, had wanted to talk to her but been worried about her rejection. Now he thought a more aggressive tactic might work.

  He pulled his tunic off and she took a step back. “Wh-what are you doing?”

  “I don’t want to get blood on my tunic,” he said, leaving her in the bedroom and striding to the bathing room. He called for water in the sink and grabbed a cloth from the counter, wetting it and lifting it to his nose.

  Sloan tugged it from his hand. “Sit down,” she commanded, pointing to the toilet. He put
the lid down and sat dutifully, smiling inwardly at her desire to help him. She stood between his legs and tilted his face up, wiping the blood from under his nose with soft strokes.

  She smelled so good, and being close to her made his body react. His cock hardened and strained against his trousers. He loved her hands on him, even if she was tending to a wound she’d inflicted.

  Putting the cloth down, she inspected his nose for injury. “I didn’t break it,” she said.

  “I know you didn’t. It was a good punch, though.”

  She smirked. “You deserved more.”

  “Who taught you how to throw a punch like that?”

  She rinsed out the cloth and wiped at his skin again. “When I was in medical school, one of the instructors said that any unmated female who worked around unmated males should know how to protect herself. When injured, aggressive males can act like beasts.”

  Protectiveness soared through him. “Did anyone ever try to hurt you?”

  She blinked down at him, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. “You mean besides you?”

  “How did I hurt you?” he demanded.

  “You’re trying to give me hope, Warrick. You know as well as I do that there’s no future for us. You need to take the soul-walk and find your soulmate, have lots of babies and a happy life.”

  He pulled the cloth from her hand and tossed it into the sink. Grabbing her waist, he pulled her close. Stars, she smelled good.

  “I don’t want anyone but you, Sloan. I have never, ever wanted another female to share my life with except for you. I won’t ever give up, so you might as well stop thinking that I will.”

  “You’re stubborn and foolish,” she chided.

  “Perhaps.” He shrugged. “I’m also a male who knows what he wants, and I want you.”

  She shook her head but said nothing. He knew he had a hard road ahead of him to convince her his feelings were genuine, but he wasn’t afraid of a challenge. He’d entered the military academy at sixteen and moved his way up the ranks through sheer determination. This was the most important thing he’d ever done in his life, however. He was not about to leave the mountain without Sloan as his bride.