Cyborg Celebration (Interstellar Brides: The Colony #11)

Chapter 8

8

R owan

I sat in the garden with more than a dozen women—two of them grandmothers—surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers that seemed too vibrant for this time of year. I knew we all lived inside a closed environment, but sitting here felt like sitting in a greenhouse the size of a city block. Children ranging in age from infants to a young boy of ten or twelve—I never was a good judge of ages—crawled, hopped and sprinted around the garden, and their mothers’ feet, as we all tried to pretend nothing was wrong. The tension, however, was palatable and the youngest among us, the babies, did not wander far from their mothers’ sides.

My new home was strange and wonderful, as were my new mates. They’d barely allowed me out of bed for the last three days. God knew, I wasn’t complaining. The sex was freaking amazing. Better than the processing dream. They still hadn’t taken me together, but I was almost ready. Craved the experience. Wanted that final piece of the puzzle to lock into place, make us truly one.

Something held me back. Not something–my mates. The collars linked us, forced us to share emotions. They thought they were fooling me, overwhelming me with desire, the need to protect me, their fierce devotion to me. I felt it all. I had no doubt they would kill anyone who dared try to hurt me.

Except themselves.

Behind Marz’s lust and obsession was guilt and regret. For what, I did not know and he had not offered any explanation. We had only been together for three days. I did not expect him to bare his soul to me.

Fuck that. Yes. Yes, I did. But he wasn’t the one who worried me most. Something dark and menacing twisted inside Vance’s mind. Sometimes it reached for me like mental claws made of ice, cold and calculating. Always, he shoved it back, buried it under his will, a will so strong it tasted like steel in my mind. He shoved the dark, hungry void away and caged it by focusing on pleasure. Need. His wonder that I allowed him to touch me at all.

I didn’t know if they were normal Prillon warriors, carrying these dark shadows, or if they were unique. I had never dated a veteran on Earth, and even if I had, I would not have been able to share their mind and emotions. Were my mates typical? I didn’t know any of these ladies well enough to ask. Besides, baring pieces of my mates’ souls to another felt like the worst kind of betrayal. I had decided to wait them out, earn their trust. Soon, they would talk to me, tell me their secrets. They had to. Right? If I was really Marz’s perfect match, things would work out and they would trust me enough to tell me everything. But what if I wasn’t his perfect match? What if the stupid alien computer system thing made a mistake? Maybe that’s why they were holding back part of themselves, not trusting me, not baring their souls to me the way I bared my heart and soul to them. God knew, the collars made it impossible to lie about my feelings. But somehow, my mates had both figured out a way to keep secrets from me and from each other.

I’d been lied to enough in my life. No matter how great the sex might be, if we weren’t true partners, I would walk away out of sheer self-preservation.

“Hi everyone! What did I miss?” Rachel, the governor’s mate—who had second Prillon warrior mate named Ryston and a gorgeous copper collar around her neck—entered the garden, her expression grave despite the forced smile on her face.

“Momma!” Her two little ones, Maximus and Ryan, raced to her, Max settling his arms around her waist as Ryan clung to one of her legs. Maximus, named after her primary mate, looked much more like Ryston with caramel colored skin and dark hair. His little brother, Ryan, shared the governor’s copper colored skin and dark hair. I didn’t know their exact ages, but Max looked perhaps five or six, the younger boy about three. Rachel ruffled their hair and sent them off to play with the other children.

Adorable. My heart ached as I looked at the obvious results of her mating with Maxim and Ryston. Rachel was lovely, if my opposite. Where I was pale as snow, thanks to my golden hair and light blue eyes, she was darker, her dark brown hair, warm eyes and olive skin practically glowing in the artificial sunlight they used to encourage the plants to grow. She looked like a supermodel who should be sporting a bikini, lounging on a beach while basking in the sun, not on a strange planet worrying about survival and unnatural storms.

Tia and Theo, two more Human-Prillon children of nearly identical ages, screeched with glee and chased after their two friends as their mother, Kristin, shouted encouragement. Kristin, I’d learned, had been in the FBI back home and was now part of Marz’s security team.

I was shocked that her mates allowed her to do what sounded like dangerous work, but then, she didn’t seem the type to give them much choice. She was tough, which was probably why she looked at Rachel the moment she sat down, her words direct and to the point. “What’s the plan?”

Rachel tilted her head and glanced around the circle of woman before seeking me out. Her gaze locked with mine. “Marz is going to lead the team. Vance is going to fly them into the heart of the storm. They are waiting for the tech team to make sure their equipment is ready.”

“Both of them are going?” Kristin glanced from Rachel to me with a look of disbelief on her face.

“Yes,” Rachel confirmed. “They are.”

Was that supposed to upset me? My mates had told me the basics. Apparently, the wild lightning and violent skies outside the dome were not normal. The small window of time during which I’d arrived the only time they’d been able to use the transport system in several days. So far, our location, Base 3—apparently there were other bases on The Colony, most underground mining operations—had not suffered as we had. The storms were the worst above us, but they were spreading and would soon pose a risk to the entire planet. I was proud that my mates were integral to solving the problem. And worried.

Angela cleared her throat, her smile tight as she tried to reassure me. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

As I’d seen her do in the dining hall, Rachel leaned down and tickled one of Angela’s twin girls, Arya and Maya, who crawled contentedly around their mother’s feet. The twins were part Warlord. Their father, Warlord Braun, stood near the entrance to the garden speaking to another Warlord, Caroline’s mate, Rezzer. They, too, had twins, CJ and RJ, a girl and a boy—Caroline Junior and Rezzer Junior, which I thought was hysterical. Apparently, Rezzer had chosen their names and was insistent. They were a little younger than Max, but just as big. They chased after the older children as Lyndsey’s human son, Wyatt, led the group—including his two younger half siblings, Kyra and Weston—in a game of hide and seek. He was the eldest child on The Colony and acted as both commander and protector of all the children.

He was a handsome young man, and I was proud of him for proving a man didn’t need to be an alien to act like a protective big brother. His adopted father, an Elite Hunter from Everis, sat with him at every meal and obviously deeply loved all three of his children.

My mates were large males. I couldn’t imagine carrying twins for a Warlord, but the ladies looked none the worse for wear. In fact, they looked like they’d never had children at all, and I wondered if their impressive recoveries were due to the ReGen pods I’d been hearing about. Pop a kid, go lay down in the ReGen pod for a few hours. Wham, bam, everything’s healed and you’re as good as new. That sounded awesome. Assuming I stayed long enough to have children with my mates. The birth control I’d requested during the processing was designed to last until I decided to reverse it. Watching the other mates interact with their little ones, I knew that if I stayed, I would definitely be making that request. Before I’d volunteered, I’d resented being forced to make the choice between life in space or prison. Now, I wanted the fairy tale ending.

And I’d be damned if I was going to let my stubborn, secret keeping mates ruin it for me. I’d go on a sex strike if I had to, pry the truth out of them.

Yeah, right. Like I could resist. I melted into a puddle of pre-orgasmic goo the moment they even thought about touching me. Damn collars.

I took a deep breath and waited for the discussion to continue. The air was warm and heavy, carrying a faint scent of wildflowers mixed with the metallic tang of the lightning storms that had been plaguing the area. Even the filters could not completely hide the strange smell. As the other women chatted around me, I found it hard to concentrate. My thoughts kept drifting back to last night, to the feel of Marz’s hands on my skin, his breath hot against my neck. Vance’s mouth on my nipples, lower. The way they worked together to drive me out of my mind. They were my mates. My husbands, really. Two husbands.

It still felt strange to think of them that way, but at the same time, it felt so right. Their eyes burned with desire when they looked at me, as if I was the only woman in the universe. I’d never felt so treasured, so completely possessed. I shook the thought away, trying to focus on the present. I wished I could help, but I wasn’t a storm specialist. My degree dealt with rock and stone and earth—the ground beneath our feet forged over millions of years—not the volatile flow of energy in the skies.

Rachel was talking about the storms, her voice filled with the kind of practiced calm that only someone used to handling crises could muster. “Maxim’s concerned,” she said. “According to the latest readings, the lightning isn’t natural. It’s too frequent, and too targeted near our base. They’re all worried it could be some kind of attack.”

Kristin, the security officer, frowned. “An attack? By whom? We had no indication of Hive presence. At least none that I know of.”

“It could be the Hive.” Rachel’s brow furrowed. “Or it could be someone else entirely. We’re still investigating.”

The conversation continued, the women speculating on possible causes while I kept quiet. I was still new here, after all. The newest arrival from Earth. I hadn’t even been on The Colony for a week, and they were comparing the current conditions to the past few years, analyzing mysterious weather patterns and potential dangers they’d never faced before. I felt a pang of anxiety at the thought of Marz—or Vance—being in danger because of it.

My mates were warriors, used to threats and combat. They had brushed it off, told me it was nothing they couldn’t handle. But that didn’t stop the knot of worry from forming in my stomach. I knew they were strong, knew they could take care of themselves, but the love I felt for them was already so overwhelming that the thought of either of them being hurt twisted something deep inside me.

I shook myself back to the conversation just as Lyndsay, who handled public relations for the base and was likely the reason for the huge surge in the number of volunteer brides from Earth—thanks to her brainchild Bachelor Beast television show—sighed wistfully. “Wyatt’s been having nightmares. Weston and Kyra, too. I try to soothe them back to sleep, but Wyatt, especially, spends a lot of time with the warriors. He knows what’s going on, and he’s worried.”

Kristin sighed. “Tia’s been crying in her room at night. Then she wakes up Theo, and before I know it, it’s almost time to get up and none of us has had a wink of sleep.”

Larkspur and Lavender—the sisters were mated to two Atlan Warlords, and the newest arrivals before me—both tilted their heads in the exact same manner. They weren’t twins, but I could understand the mistaken identity that had caused Warlord Kai to kidnap the wrong sister back on Earth. In fact, I still had trouble telling them apart. So, I wasn’t sure which one of them was speaking. “We should do something fun for the kiddos. Create a distraction. Maybe throw a party?” They both glanced at Rachel, two heads moving as one. “Do you do that up here?”

Rachel shook her head. “We haven’t, but that doesn’t mean we can’t.”

I bit my lower lip, then let the idea fly. Why the hell not? “It’s almost Christmas.” I waited for that information to sink in. “Back on Earth, we’d be putting up decorations, shopping for presents, planning big dinners with family. Not talking about evacuation plans or Hive attacks.”

Lyndsay leaned back with a loud sigh. “I loved Christmas.” The nostalgia in her voice was echoed by the others, a soft murmur of agreement.

Mikki, the professional surfer who was mated to two Prillon warriors of her own, Doctor Surnen and Captain Trax, spoke up. “It doesn’t feel right, though, celebrating Christmas here. Not with everything going on.”

“It doesn’t have to be exactly like we would do on Earth,” Caroline said, her tone practical yet warm. Her four-year-old twins, CJ and RJ, were running around the garden like maniacs, arms out like zombies, chasing the other children as her mate, Warlord Rezzer watched, and laughed. “But we could do something special for the kids. Make it feel like a real Christmas.”

The idea sparked to life among us, our worries temporarily forgotten. There was a wave of excited murmurs as we began to discuss decorating the garden and the base for the holidays. “We could put up lights,” Kristin suggested. “Even if we have to rig something up ourselves.”

“And a tree,” Mikki added. “We’ll find a way to make a Christmas tree, even if we have to build it from scratch.”

“And don’t forget about Santa,” Caroline said with a chuckle, nodding toward the massive her massive Atlan mate who was standing a short distance away next to Braun, who also smiled at the children’s antics. “Maybe I could convince Rezz to dress up. He’s already got the build for it.”

“Especially if he does that growly voice of his,” Kristin added, chuckling. “He’d be the most intimidating Santa in the galaxy.”

“Or the most protective,” Mikki said, smiling. “No one would dare be naughty.”

“Oh, I would.” Caroline’s eyes widened and she pressed her lips into a thin line. “So naughty. So, so naughty.”

We all giggled. I nearly fell off the bench I was sitting on when Rezzer crossed his arms and glared at all of us as if he’d heard every word. The thought of the huge Atlan dressed in a red suit, his imposing figure softened by a white beard and a bag of toys slung over his shoulder, was absurdly perfect. The image danced in my mind, filling me with warmth and a sense of lightness that I hadn’t realized I needed. It was the kind of laughter that brought tears to my eyes and loosened the tightness in my chest.

“Caroline? Do you need a spanking, female?” Rezzer’s booming voice made us all gasp in shock, until she shouted back.

“Yes! I’m being very naughty over here!”

Rezzer’s grin made Caroline squirm in her seat as we all tried to hide our glee behind false coughing and averted faces. I couldn’t stop smiling, despite the knot of worry that still sat in my chest. I had to admit, the Warlords were huge, but handsome, especially when they smiled, like Rezzer and Braun were doing now.

The thought of celebrating Christmas, even on a different planet, was a comforting one. It reminded me of simpler times on Earth, of a world I was still struggling to forgive. The happiest times in my life had been at Christmas when I was young, before my parents’ divorce turned me into a football tossed back and forth between them. Being with Marz and Vance had made me the happiest I’d been since childhood. It seemed right to introduce them to my favorite holiday.

“I would love celebrate Christmas,” I said, my voice steady and certain. “I’ll help decorate. It’ll be good to do something…normal.”

Rachel gave me an encouraging nod. “It’s wonderful to have you with us, Rowan. We can really show you how we make things work around here.”

I smiled back, but my mind was already wandering again. This time, not to Marz’s hands or Vance’s gaze, but to the storms. I wasn’t used to feeling helpless, and I didn’t want to start now. I needed to talk to my mates, see if there was anything I could do to help. I wasn’t a soldier, but that didn’t mean I had to sit on the sidelines while potential threats loomed. I was still a scientist, after all. Maybe there was something in the ground contributing to the storms. Geological activity? Did this planet have volcanoes? Base 3, according to Marz, was primarily responsible for the planet’s security while the other bases focused on mining. They didn’t have a mining team here, which also meant no one like me was usually needed. I was a geologist. Sure, I’d studied Earth, but a planet was a planet. The forces at play, the elements in the soil, should all be the same.

The conversation shifted, with Caroline talking about how her twins had made it their mission to learn how to climb every tree in the garden, and had already required multiple trips into the ReGen pods for their daring. I listened, but it was hard to concentrate. It felt like a strange kind of betrayal to be sitting here, laughing with other women about Christmas plans when my mates were preparing to face real danger out in the storm. Then again, maybe this was exactly what we all needed—something to remind us that we were still alive, still connected to something other than survival and military threats. Something to make the children happy, rather than worried and scared.

As I helped the others sketch out ideas for decorations and organize who would gather supplies, I found myself glancing toward the garden entrance, half-expecting to see Marz or Vance appear. They were working, doing whatever it was they did around here. I hated not knowing where they were, not knowing if they were safe. I had been told the sensitivity of the collars would increase over time, that I’d be able to feel their emotions even when they were not nearby. But for now, when they left my side, I was completely in the dark.

Which was probably a good thing, because when they left me alone all my doubts and fears crept in, and I didn’t want to distract them with that. Those were my personal demons to fight, not theirs. Unless they refused to open up and share their secrets, kept me at arm’s length. Unless I wasn’t supposed to be here, and I wasn’t Marz’s true match. Maybe the storm affected their entire computer-electronic bride matching system? Everything in the Coalition Fleet was connected. Could the storm be causing problems in other places? Was me being here a mistake?

For now, I pushed those thoughts aside. I had something to do, and it felt good to focus on something tangible, something that would bring joy to the children and maybe even help the ladies feel a bit more at home. The warmth of their welcome wrapped around me, even if my mind kept drifting back to Marz, to the way his touch had made me come undone, and Vance, whose promise to fuck my ass during the formal claiming echoed in the back of my thoughts like a forbidden temptation.

Rachel, the governor’s wife, turned toward me with a curious, playful smile. “So, Rowan,” she began, leaning forward slightly, her voice rich with a blend of curiosity and teasing, “your mates have barely let you out of their site. We haven’t interrogated you yet. Where are you from?”

“Montana. But I moved around a lot.”

Mikki clapped her hands together. “I’m from Hawai’i. Montana is so cold. Were you a cowgirl? Did you grow up riding horses?” She rubbed her palms together in anticipation. “I always thought cowboys were sexy.”

I snorted. “They smell like cows and dirt.”

“That’s what showers are for,” she insisted.

I didn’t argue. I loved getting my mates in our oversized shower.

Rachel interrupted my pussy-clenching train of thought. “We’ve all been so distracted by the storm. I’m sorry. I haven’t really had the chance to ask how things are going with Marz and Vance. Do you need anything? We all want you to be happy here.”

My cheeks heated instantly, warmth blooming across my skin like a flush of summer. The lingering scent of wildflowers tickled my nose as the artificial breeze rustled the leaves in the large tree above us. “It’s…they’re wonderful.” My lips curved into a soft smile. The word felt inadequate to describe the intensity of what I was experiencing, but it was true enough. The memory of the way their hands had explored every inch of me just a few hours ago lingered on my skin.

Kristin, the security officer who worked with my mates, raised a brow, her grin widening as her fingers traced the mating collar around her neck. “Prillon mates can be a lot to handle,” she teased, the light in her eyes sparkling with personal experience. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone, and I could feel the others leaning in closer, the air around us thick with camaraderie and curiosity. “I personally believe two mates is better than one.”

The chuckles from the group carried a warmth that matched the heat still in my core. I couldn’t help but agree, my fingers twisting the edge of the sleeve of the burgundy gown Marz had generated for me, the material cool and soft against my fingertips. He’d seen me wearing his family color, then promptly taken me out of it. With Vance’s enthusiastic help, of course. “Well,” I admitted, my voice a little breathless, “we’re definitely…compatible.” The word lingered, and the truth in it made my pulse flutter.

“That’s one way to put it,” Caroline said with a knowing look, her expression softening as she adjusted the bright shawl draped over her shoulders. The mingling aromas of leaves and the faint tang of moisture in the air seemed to grow stronger, sharpening my awareness of everything around me. “It’s good to hear that you’re settling in, though. It’s not easy, adjusting to a new mate—or two—and a new planet all at once.”

“It has been an adjustment, but it’s been worth it.” I couldn’t keep the tenderness from my tone, the love that colored every word as I thought of my mates. Now who was burying dark shadows, secrets and doubts, behind blind hope that everything would work out in the end? I was just as bad as my mates, but I didn’t want to ask about the darkness I sensed in them with everyone here. I needed to talk to one of the other women who was mated to Prillon warriors. Probably either Kristin or Rachel. I needed to get one of them alone. Discover if their mates were the same way. Maybe not Kristin. She worked with Marz every day. I didn’t want her to know I was having doubts about me being the perfect match.

Mikki exchanged a glance with Lyndsay, the public relations officer, before grinning at me, her eyes gleaming like sunlight on water, her straight black hair a tribute to her Japanese heritage. She was also mated to a pair of Prillon warriors, but I barely knew her and definitely didn’t want her in my personal business. “The mating collar can make things uncomfortable for a while. Our mates are pretty intense. You’ll get used to it. I promise.”

Had I somehow allowed my doubts to show on my face? The hum of the conversation stilled, like the hush before a storm. I felt my blush deepen as all attention zeroed in on me, the heat rushing up my neck and spreading across my face. Even the cool air couldn’t dampen the flame of embarrassment fluttering in my chest. Of course they had noticed. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or mortified to know that I wasn’t imagining the tension that simmered in my body when I had time to stop having orgasms and actually think .

Kristin leaned in conspiratorially, her voice dipping low. “Don’t worry,” she said, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You’re not the first woman on The Colony to be caught between two very intense men. It’s practically a rite of passage.” She glanced at Rachel. “What did Jessica call you? The creamy filling between two hard Prillon Oreo cookies?”

“Something like that.” It was Rachel’s turn to blush. “I don’t think she used the word ‘hard’.”

Kristin practically cackled with glee, her blue mating collar clearly on display, her hair pulled up in a tight braid. “But she should have. Right?”

Amusement bubbled up again, and I found myself joining in despite the knot twisting in my chest. It was impossible not to when I felt like I was in on a secret too juicy to resist. Some of these ladies had two mates. Like me. They knew how passionate things could get in the bedroom.

Mikki tipped her head back slightly, her steel gray mating collar a perfect complement to her black hair. “I wouldn’t trade my warriors for ten Warlords.”

“You couldn’t handle even one.” Caroline giggled. “Rezzer’s beast is so big, it’s like having two cocks in one.”

“Caroline!” Rachel’s screech made us all burst into laughter. “Oh my god! What would Rezzer say?”

Caroline tilted her head and made a great show of thinking about her answer. “He’d agree.”

Next to me, Kristin snorted. Mikki choked on her tea. Rachel put both hands over her face with a soft groan. “You’re terrible.”

“Just honest.” Caroline popped what looked like a strange cherry-grape combo fruit into her mouth.

I smiled, but inside I worried. Every time I felt Marz’s or Vance’s emotions I sensed something dark. Something dangerous and thrilling, like standing too close to the edge of a cliff knowing that at any moment, a gust of wind could push me over. I could still taste their emotions in my mind, like the metallic tang of a storm lingering in the air. Like secrets.

Rachel leaned forward and squeezed my knee. “Don’t worry. This storm has everyone on edge. Your mates are honorable males. They’re some of our best. Everything will work out. Just give yourself some time to adjust.”

Caroline’s twins, CJ and RJ, ran past us again, shrieking with laughter as they chased a group of other children around the garden. The sound of their high-pitched giggles pierced the air, fresh and bright as a bell. Their cheeks were flushed from the chase, eyes gleaming with energy as they darted through patches of light and shadow. Their innocent fun broke the tension in the air, and Caroline shot me a sympathetic look, her expression softening. She reached over to pat my hand, the warmth of her touch grounding. “We’re just teasing. Nobody’s judging you. This isn’t Earth. These guys don’t play by human rules. With Prillons, and those collars making you all feel each other’s feelings? It’s no wonder the brides fall in love with both of their mates.”

Rachel nodded in agreement. “It’s a different world,” she said, her voice thoughtful as she glanced at the domed ceiling which displayed the turbulent sky. Dark clouds loomed through the translucent dome. “With different rules.”

As the conversation drifted and the ladies continued to make plans, I found myself glancing toward the sky. I wondered again where Marz and Vance were, wondered if they were half as obsessed with me as it seemed I had become with them. This was the first time I’d been on my own since my arrival and I missed them. Terribly.

Warden Egara hadn’t been messing around when she sent me here. Marz and Vance were both mine now. And yet, not mine. Hopefully, my mates would trust me with their hearts, and their secrets, before it was too late.