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  Holly remembered fighting them when they’d told her they were going to remove every hair south of her eyebrows. She might have even kicked the tubby grape. That’s when she’d gotten a jab in her shoulder.

  She tried to sit up, but her head swam. She put a hand to her forehead. “My friends are so going to kick your asses.”

  The man chuckled. “Of course, dear.”

  “Where’s T’Kar?” Holly asked. The last thing she remembered about the big alien was him arguing with Mr. Purple about taking her. “Did you sedate him, too?”

  The woman giggled. “Why would we sedate him?”

  “I don’t know,” Holly muttered. “Because you’re fucking sadists?”

  The woman’s brow furrowed, her translator clearly not computing the word. Either that, or the Crestek language didn’t have a word for sadist.

  Holly took a steadying breath and forced herself to sit up and push the blanket off. “If you’re done with your maniacal hair removal, I’m going back to my room.”

  The Cresteks exchanged a glance, then the man cleared his throat. “I’m afraid there isn’t time to go back to the room before the ceremony.”

  Holly spotted a dress hanging on a hook on one wall. It wasn’t white, but it was made out of layers of shimmery, silver fabric and screamed ‘wedding dress.’ “So, you’re telling me I’m getting married right now?”

  The woman bobbed her head up and down. “T’Kar is waiting for you in the next room.”

  Holly’s stomach somersaulted, but she wasn’t sure if it was a side effect of being sedated, or the idea of being bonded to the huge alien she couldn’t quite get a read on.

  “This is crazy,” she said, under her breath. “Are you sure you didn’t give me a hallucinogen while I was out?”

  “Oh, no,” the woman said. “That would have interfered with the procedure— “

  The man elbowed her. “Enough jabbering. We need to get her in the dress. We don’t want to disappoint the chancellor ,and he’s already been waiting.”

  Holly glanced down and saw that she wore a kind of thin robe, reminiscent of the ones worn for surgery. “Well, I definitely can’t wear this. What did you do with my clothes, by the way?”

  The woman scrunched her nose. “They were filthy. We had to destroy them.”

  “You destroyed my clothes?” She would have stamped her foot if her head didn’t ache. “I loved that blouse.”

  “You will love this more.” The woman rushed over and pulled the dress off the wall, draping it across her arm as she walked back to Holly.

  Taking the fabric between her fingers, Holly rubbed it. “Silky. Not bad.” She stepped out of the robe, not surprised to find that they had also taken her underwear and bra and allowed the wedding dress to be dropped over her head.

  The silver straps hung from her shoulders, the gossamer fabric dipping low to reveal ample amounts of cleavage. Okay, that part she liked, and the color wasn’t bad. It felt a little odd to be going completely commando, not that she could have worn a bra with the dress.

  The woman bent over and slipped strappy shoes on her feet, giving her a couple of inches of elevation and making her grab the round man for support as she wobbled. She was still a little dizzy, and she wasn’t used to wearing heels. You didn’t wear anything but boots when you worked on a spaceship. Not unless you wanted to end up with broken toes.

  “You look perfect,” the woman said, smiling at her once she’d stepped back. “For an offworlder.”

  Holly hesitated. “Shouldn’t I do something to my hair? Or put on some makeup?”

  The Crestek woman giggled. “We did that while you were out. You look lovely.”

  Holly touched a hand to her hair and could tell that it had been brushed out into soft waves. It would be nice to check herself in a mirror, but she guessed she’d have to take their word for it.

  Mr. Purple pushed her forward, and before she could ask anything else, she was walking out into an enclosed courtyard. At the far end was a fountain burbling water, and in front of it stood T’Kar and the chancellor. The chancellor wore the silver robes she’d always seen him in, but T’Kar did not wear a robe. He wore dark pants and a midnight-blue tunic that seemed to glimmer in the light from the flickering wall sconces.

  Holly’s breath caught in her throat. The tunic buttoned up to his neck, and covered the tattoos she’d run her hands over earlier, but it was snug enough to show the width of his shoulders and the expense of his chest muscles. Even the pants were form-fitting, his thighs like tree trunks and a bulge down one side making her do a double-take. Shit, the alien was packing. Not that she was all that surprised. He was probably over seven feet tall, and everything about him was seriously huge.

  She swallowed hard. Holly had always enjoyed men, all kinds of men. There was no shame in that, or in enjoying sex. Lots of it. But she’d always been very careful not to get involved in anything more.

  She kept her encounters fun and casual. No strings attached, no emotional commitment. No talk of the future. Sure, she had some guys she’d hooked up with more than once, but they always knew the rules going in, and she’d never had any complaints. Were there some she’d liked more than others? Sure, but none she’d liked enough to make it exclusive.

  So, what the actual fuck was she doing, about to walk down the aisle and marry a huge alien she barely knew? Not to mention one who was about as thrilled about it as she was, which was to say, not much. She reminded herself that she shouldn’t be offended that the guy wasn’t falling all over himself to marry her. That was the last thing she wanted, right? I mean, she wouldn’t have objected to a little more interest from T’Kar, but it wasn’t like she wanted him all over her.

  She looked at him, his amber eyes locking with hers. Shit. Why did he make her so nervous? Maybe because he was built, gorgeous, and had a rebellious streak. Even the whiff of a bad boy was like catnip to her, and this guy with his secret tattoo and plans to escape made her pulse skitter like a water bug.

  It’s not like this is real, she reminded herself, as the purple-skinned alien jabbed a bundle of greenery in her hands. He’s not really going to be your husband, or mate, or whatever. He’s going along with this just like you are, so there’s no reason to be nervous.

  She took a shaky step forward, repeating the words ‘it’s not real’ in her head over and over until she reached T’Kar, and he took her hand and squeezed. She gazed up at him and felt her knees go weak. Then why did it feel so real?

  Six

  T’Kar’s heart seemed to constrict as he watched Holly step out into the courtyard. The tiny human looked very different without smudges of dirt on her skin, and her red hair falling haphazardly around her face. She’d been scrubbed almost pink and her hair arranged in loose waves that spilled around her shoulders, bringing even more attention to her green eyes. He allowed his gaze to wander down to the gauzy dress that clung to her curves and showed ample bare skin. He was not used to females who were so soft and curvy, and looking at her made his cock strain against his pants.

  He stole a glance at his father, who stood rigidly next to him. His gaze also focused on Holly, but his eyes were cold and calculating. T’Kar wondered what his father had planned for her and for him. He only hoped they’d be long gone before either of them had a chance to find out.

  “She is appealing,” his father said, his voice raspy and low. “For an offworlder. I don’t suppose you will have any problems performing?”

  T’Kar shot him a look, but the old man did not look abashed.

  “If I am to have an heir, the girl will have to arouse you,” he said, with a shrug.

  T’Kar fought to urge to run from the place, taking Holly with him. He knew they would not get far, and when he ran, he needed to run for good.

  “You do not need to worry about what I do with my mate,” he said, hearing the deadly rumble of his own voice.

  The chancellor flicked his gaze at him with mild interest. “We will see how quickly you can
get her with child.”

  T’Kar clenched one hand into a fist to control himself. “That is none of your concern.”

  “If it wasn’t my concern, we would not be here, and I would not have ensured her readiness for you.”

  T’Kar swung his head to look at his father, whose gaze remained on Holly. His father said so many things, it was often difficult to determine which were empty threats and which were warnings to heed. Of anyone, his father was the most enigmatic to read, and the one whose thoughts and feelings he’d worked hardest to decipher.

  The chancellor smiled, but his eyes stayed hard and intense. “Where do you think she’s been for the past few hours?” He let out a chuckle. “It does not take that long to fix a female’s hair.”

  A rush of protectiveness for the female made his face flush with heat. “What did you do to her?”

  His father fluttered a hand, as if brushing away his concern with an impatient flick. “Do not upset yourself. She is unharmed, and she has no idea we removed her device.”

  “Device?” T’Kar did not know much about the females who’d crashed on his planet, but he did know they had arrived in a spaceship, which meant they possessed more technology than his people.

  “A device to prevent her from procreating.” The old man curled his lip. “Common with offworlders who need to control their populations.”

  T’Kar tried to imagine a world in which offspring were so common that there were devices to prevent them. His planet had suffered from a lack of females for as long as he could remember, so such devices were unthinkable. Even though he was aghast that Holly had such a device, he also was shocked his father had had it removed without her knowledge. The idea of Crestek healers touching her stirred something primal within him.

  “You will not touch her again,” he said. “No one will.”

  Another chuckle from his father, but this time he looked over and cocked an eyebrow. “I am glad to see you acting like a jealous mate. It is long past time. But do not worry. We did not hurt her. She did not feel a thing.”

  T’Kar looked away from the chancellor as Holly began to walk toward him. The clutch of greenery in her hands shook, and her cheeks were tinged pink. She was clearly nervous, and most likely regretting her decision to volunteer to take her friend’s place. He did not blame her. She had not asked for any of this, and neither had he.

  When she reached him, he took her hand and squeezed it. She gazed up at him, smiling even though the corners of her mouth trembled.

  “Do not be scared,” he whispered.

  “I’m not,” she lied.

  “You’re trembling.”

  “I shake when I’m happy,” she said.

  He could not help a small grin. “I will keep that in mind.”

  His father stepped in front of them and cleared his throat. “It is unfortunate we could not have a public celebration of the first union between a Crestek and a…”

  “Human,” Holly said, winning a tight smile from his father.

  A low hum in the distance made Holly flinch beside him, and his father’s smile falter. Was the alien ship leaving or flying closer?

  “T’Kar, son of Vrokden,” the chancellor intoned, ”do you accept this female as your mate?”

  T’Kar’s throat was dry, but he managed to move his head up and down. “Yes, I take her.”

  Her hand twitched in his, as the sound of distant blaster fire pierced the air.

  “Very good,” his father said. “As there is no male to give this female, I will act as proxy. This bonding is official, and upon its consummation, it shall not be broken.”

  Holly looked from T’Kar to his father. “Don’t I have to say anything? Don’t you need to ask me if I agree?”

  “Ask the female?” His father laughed, one of his rare, genuine ones. “How quaint, my dear.”

  Holly scowled at him, but before she could say something, a pair of Crestek soldiers in long, gray cloaks burst into the courtyard, causing them all to turn quickly.

  “The ship is over the city,” one yelled. “We need to get everyone to safety, in case they open fire.”

  T’Kar glanced up. He could hear the growing roar of an engine, but could not yet see the ship of the bounty hunter who was after the offworld females.

  Holly’s expression darkened. “Mourad. I wish I could blast that asshole out of the sky.”

  “If he is leaving, that means the combined Crestek and Dothvek forces repelled him,” T’Kar said.

  Holly shook her head, her grip on his hand tightening. “If he’s leaving, it means he got what he came for.”

  He could sense sadness rush over her. “We should get to safety.”

  She nodded, but he could see that she was barely registering his words. One of the chancellor’s attachés—a Crestek who wore purple robes—rushed forward to take Holly’s other arm.

  T’Kar’s father caught him by the sleeve before he could leave. “If the threat is gone, the Dothveks will be coming for her. You might be bonded to her now, but it is not complete until you mate with her.”

  T’Kar shook him off, but his father held tight. “You cannot waste any time. Claim her now, and they cannot take her from you. Not even the barbarians would sever a mating bond.”

  T’Kar left his father to join Holly, but the words echoed in his head and stirred a primitive fear deep in his belly.

  Seven

  “So, how long do we have to stay locked in here?” Holly asked, as a parade of attendants arranged trays of food on a long table, and bottles of wine in ice buckets built into one wall.

  The sheer, ivory drape had been pulled back to reveal a dining area with a rectangular, stone-topped table and two low benches on each side. Holly wondered how many more rooms were hidden behind panels of drape and how far the suite extended. She peeked behind the wall of fabric on the other side of the table, dropping it quickly when she saw a large bed.

  “Until the threat is gone,” T’Kar said, choosing his words carefully in front of the Crestek attendants.

  Holly plucked one of the bottles out of the wall and held it up to the light, swirling the pale orange contents. “Is this wine, or some other kind of booze?”

  T’Kar hesitated, and she thought he must have been stuck on the word ‘booze’.

  “Will this get me drunk?” she asked.

  One of the attendants grinned and gave T’Kar a knowing look as he pulled the door shut behind him.

  “Most certainly,” her new husband told her.

  “Good.” Holly located a pair of goblets on the table and filled them both. “I think after taking part in a wedding ceremony where I didn’t actually get to say ‘I do,’ I could use a drink.”

  She handed him the other glass and clinked his. “Cheers.”

  He stared at her while she took a long gulp, but didn’t raise his glass.

  The drink was sweet, but it made Holly’s fingers buzz almost instantly. “That has a kick, doesn’t it?”

  “I would suggest not overindulging—“ T’Kar began.

  “I’m sure you would,” she cut him off. “But you’re not the one who got poked and primped and then married off without getting a word in edgewise. If we’re not breaking out of this place anytime soon—and from the look on your face I’m guessing we’re not—then I’m going to kick back and enjoy my wedding night. I’ll only ever have one.”

  She didn’t wait for his response, as she took her glass and the bottle down to the sunken square fireplace. The blue flames danced, giving off heat but not making the noise of real fire. Holly missed the crackling of wood, although it had been a long time since she’d laid eyes on an actual, wood-burning blaze.

  Leaning back on the stair-steps that also served as a bench around the fire, she patted the spot next to her. “Aren’t you going to join me?”

  His eyes were wary, the warmth from the wedding ceremony replaced with hesitation. “You are sure you are all right?”

  “Me? I’m great. Why wouldn’t I be?”


  He took the stone steps in a couple of long strides without spilling his still-full glass and joined her on the bench. “I thought you might be upset that the ceremony happened so quickly.”

  She took another gulp, draining the glass and letting the warmth spread through her body. “It’s not your fault. Anyway, now that Mourad is gone, it’s only a matter of time before my crew breaks me out of here.”

  T’Kar glanced up at the heavy door. “I do not think even the Dothveks can get past all the guards patrolling the city, now.”

  Holly leaned back to take all of him in. He was more upset than she was. She could see it on his face. But why?

  She put a hand to his chest and walked her fingers up to his neck. “You’re the one who isn’t all right. What’s up? Cold feet? Wedding night jitters?”

  He peered down at his feet, his brow furrowing in obvious confusion. “My feet are not cold. Are yours?”

  She laughed. “It’s an expression. It means you’re having second thoughts, regretting your decision.”

  “Oh. That is not it, although I do not think this was either of our decision.”

  “True.” Holly noticed a muscle tense in his jaw, and her gaze focused on his face. For an alien, he was pretty good looking—thick, brown hair, square jaw, amber eyes made even more dramatic by the dark slashes of brows over them. No reason they couldn’t have fun before she busted out of there. She slowly unfastened the top button of his tunic and feathered her fingers across the hollow of his throat.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  She shrugged, the wine making her fingers tingle as they dipped lower beneath his tunic. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t have fun. I mean, we’re two adults locked in a room with tons of booze.” She scanned the area. “And I don’t see any entertainment screens to distract us.”

  He swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving beneath her fingers. “I do not know if that is such a good idea. We should be ready to leave.”

  She unhooked another button. “You said it yourself. The guards won’t leave until they’re sure the danger has passed, and I’m guessing that won’t be tonight.”