Mastered for Their Use (Ventori Masters Book 5) Page 4

  She glanced over her shoulder and asked Oseth, “Which planet are you from? You don’t look Ventori.”

  “Thank the gods,” he said dramatically. “The Ventori all look the same. Tall, dark, and dreary.” He shuddered. “Now the Partonese, we’ve got pizzazz.” He blinked his ridiculously long lashes, while splaying his fingers and rotating his wrists. Something he insisted humans called ‘jazz hands.’

  She found Oseth’s antics amusing and finally faced him. “Then your home world is Partonia?”

  “Parton,” he corrected with a genuine smile. “My mother was from Parton, and the sperm donor was Ventori.”

  That earned Oseth a warm smile from their traumatized mate. “Deadbeat dad?”

  “The deadest. They spent one wild weekend together, and she never heard from him again. Six years later, she received a notification that he’d been killed in the line of duty. Apparently, she was the only one he could think of for an emergency contact. How sad is that?” Familiar pain flashed through his gaze and he quickly changed the subject. “You’ve read our bios, or at least they were available for you to read, but we know practically nothing about you.” He sauntered over to where she stood and leaned his shoulder against the window frame as he stood facing her. “Tell me everything I need to know about Erin Dorati.”

  “Erin is desperately in need of a nice warm shower and some clean clothes,” she responded in a soft, almost tentative voice.

  “Fair enough. I bet you’re hungry too. Shall I whip up something nice and hot for you to eat after the shower?”

  “That’d be great. Thank you.”

  He motioned to the door on the far side of the bed. “Bathroom is through there and I’ll have clean clothes on the bed by the time you finish showering.”

  “Thank you.” She crossed the room as fast as the trailing sheet allowed and disappeared into the bathroom.

  “She’s right,” Urrya muttered. “I need to tell Kyla. LeAuntiez said she’s really torn up about this. It’s not fair to let her stew.”

  Oseth shrugged helplessly. “You can try to wake Azra, but he was really out of it.”

  “Will you make sure she has everything she needs?” He nodded toward the bathroom door.

  “Absolutely.”

  Urrya started to leave, then turned back around. “If you mention the dream again, I will kick your ass.”

  Oseth laughed, but he looked genuinely embarrassed. “It won’t happen again. I promise!”

  * * *

  Erin stepped out of the steamy bathroom half an hour later. A large, fluffy towel covered her from armpits to knees. Still, she was relieved when the bedroom was empty. The shower felt wonderful, and helped her body relax, yet her mind was filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She desperately needed a few more minutes alone so she could untangle some of the knots.

  Interacting with aliens was strange enough, but until today she’d still been on Earth. This was Tavor, Azra’s home world. Not that the planet’s name meant anything to her. She’d always struggled to remember the planets surrounding Earth. Anything beyond Earth’s solar system was like white noise. It was hard for her to comprehend something she had never experienced firsthand.

  Without the distraction of her... rescuers, suitors, kidnappers? She wasn’t sure how to think of the three males who now controlled her very existence. She had no money, no access to transportation, no hope of returning to Earth without assistance from one of the three males. No, that wasn’t accurate. Urrya said he and Oseth could only travel to and from Earth with Azra’s assistance. And she’d yet to meet the elusive Tavorian face to face. She decided to call them suitors, because it didn’t really matter how she labeled them. They would try to claim her as their mate. Pursuing a potential mate was instinctive, an overwhelming urge for those with Ventori blood. She’d heard the guards at Protectorate Headquarters call it ‘rut.’ When a Ventori male encountered a potential mate, he went into rut, like an animal.

  Shaking away the disturbing thoughts, she looked around. If this was Azra’s home world, it stood to reason the house also belonged to the most mysterious of her three suitors. With barren stone walls, with an odd outward curve, and exposed support beams in the ceiling, the bedroom made her feel more like she’d traveled back in time than being on a different planet. The room was large and sparsely furnished, yet the furniture that was there was extravagant. The massive bed had thick, intricately carved posts at each corner supporting a decorative frame of crisscrossing planks. The outer frame of the wooden canopy and each post had been draped in black and gold, creating a rich, yet masculine impression. A marble-topped dresser and the table with matching chairs had been constructed of the same finely crafted wood-looking material. She’d learned early in her interaction with aliens that looks could be deceiving.

  A thick rug cushioned her bare feet as she crossed to the bed and picked up the garment Oseth had left for her. She’d expected one of the boring camo and black uniforms she’d been given at Protectorate Headquarters. Instead she found an emerald-green wraparound style dress with tiny flowers dotting the full skirt. Slipping her arms into the short sleeves, she overlapped the front section before wiggling out of the towel. The dress fell to well below her knees and was fitted enough to showcase her curves without being provocative. It wasn’t a dress she would have chosen for herself, but it was by far the most flattering garment she’d been allowed since her abduction. Oseth had also provided soft, almost spongy, slip-on foot coverings with a flexible sole. She worked her damp hair into a simple braid, and not sure what to do with the towel, tossed it into the shower enclosure.

  Oseth would likely check on her if she lingered much longer, so she hesitantly left the bedroom. The medieval castle vibe was reinforced by the narrow stone corridor. At the end of the short hallway, she encountered a spiral staircase. The passageway was a dead end, so she had no choice but to descend. Despite the primitive setting, lights inset in the stone activated automatically, ensuring she didn’t fall. She wasn’t sure where she was going, and didn’t really care if she got lost. If there had been dangers, her suitors would have stayed with her, or at least warned her. Ventori Defenders were protective to the point of obsession.

  The numbing muddle of her long recuperation had all but faded now. She remembered everything that happened the night she escaped Protectorate Headquarters. She’d used guilt to convince Kyla to help her. Erin had taken advantage of her best friend’s kindness and concern. Kyla didn’t deserve to be used. She’d been nothing but compassionate and patient. Erin felt like a selfish bitch for manipulating her that way. At the very least, she owed Kyla an apology.

  Erin’s escape plan had been rash and reckless, a hail-Mary pass at best. She was disappointed it failed, but not surprised. And Urrya’s question still lingered in her mind. Had she expected to die in the wasteland? Or had she simply not cared about the outcome? She hadn’t chosen death, at least not consciously. But had it been there in the back of her mind? Was death really a better alternative to mating with a Ventori pod?

  The next logical question was what did she want to do about her current situation? She could thank her hosts for their assistance and firmly insist she be returned to Protectorate Headquarters. But that wouldn’t really change anything. A different pod would step forward to claim her and she’d be expected to interact with them. Over and over Chancellor Savator stressed that nothing would be forced on her. It was nonsense, of course. This entire situation was being forced on her.

  However, if she were brutally honest with herself, she was with the only pod she’d found interesting. They were unique, not only different from other pods, but dissimilar from each other. She’d always seen herself as an outsider, among yet not one of her peers. She thought, even hoped, these males would understand how that felt. Besides, it was highly unlikely they’d simply hand her over to another pod. Erin had witnessed how aggressively pods pursued their matched females.

  Matched female and potential mate; six we
eks ago they’d been meaningless phrases. Now her entire existence was shaped by those simple words. It was as if the first twenty years of her life had never happened. Her life had one purpose and only that purpose, to provide offspring for the Ventori.

  Most human blood contained a protein, rhesus, that was highly toxic to the Ventori. The protein was so harmful to them that any Ventori fetus would die in the womb if exposed. However, fifteen percent of Earth’s population did not have the rhesus protein on their red blood cells. Thus the term Rh-negative was added to their blood type.

  Though Rh-negative females were genetically compatible with all of the Ventori Defenders, a complex combination of physiological and behavioral traits created greater compatibility with some pods than others. An in-depth algorithm quantified the traits, and the scores were placed on the ‘matching matrix.’ This process guided males to their potential mates, and nature did the rest. They craved intimate pleasures with progressively more urgency until the final bond was formed. This overwhelming urge was known as rut. Any match scoring eighty-three or higher triggered rut in both males and their female. The higher the score, the more intense the need to mate.

  Each female was required to consider the claim of at least three of her highest scoring pods. And each evaluation period lasted thirty days. So, Erin could be subjected to ruthless seduction and emotional manipulation for three months before the High Command would set her free. This was the exact situation she’d been attempting to avoid when she climbed onto the skimmer twelve days ago.

  Well, escape had nearly gotten her killed, and she wasn’t ready to give up on life just yet. In fact, now that she’d met two of her suitors, the situation was looking brighter. It wasn’t like life on Earth had that much left to recommend it. Everything she’d been and everyone she knew was gone.

  She came to a wide staircase and paused. “Hello? Oseth, are you down there?” She’d just started exploring and already determined the building was massive. It made more sense to proceed with a clearer direction than to wander aimlessly through the passageways.

  “I was just coming to get you.” Oseth’s voice reached her half a second before he turned a corner and came into view. “Unless you’re willing to cook over an open fire, you have to go to the civilized part of this monstrosity to accomplish anything. When I first arrived, there wasn’t even running water in this part of the house.”

  Still feeling a little woozy, she steadied herself with stone railing as she descended the stairs. “Are you three the only occupants? This place is huge.”

  “It’s just the three of us right now, but we’re hoping to change that very soon.”

  He meant her, of course and the realization made her blush. When human males flirted, they generally wanted sex and little else. Ventori males wanted a lifelong commitment before they even had time to decide if they liked her or not. It was all so strange, so backwards from the attitudes with which she was familiar.

  His shockingly green gaze skimmed her body, then locked onto her face. “You look lovely. Amazingly so after all you’ve been through.”

  He offered his arm as she reached the bottom and she accepted with a shy smile. Rather than playing the role of semi-terrified virgin, she really was unnerved for a change. On Earth, she’d been protected by her father’s reputation, not to mention her bodyguards. Here, she was a prize to be fought over and won. Females were claimed, and then expected to submit and obey.

  Of her three suitors, Oseth seemed the most reasonable. He smiled and asked polite questions, where Urrya had interrogated. If this was really unavoidable—and she was finally ready to admit that it was—spending time with Oseth seemed like the best place to start.

  “Has this always been a residence?” She looked into each room as they passed, spotting a large library, even larger ballroom, and many rooms without furniture of any kind. “It seems more like a hotel, or museum.”

  “The property has been in Azra’s family for many generations. Much to the outrage of his siblings, he inherited this house and the land surrounding it when his father’s life ended.”

  “Why were his siblings upset?”

  He looked at her, then away as tension hardened his expression. “Are prejudice and intolerance no longer issues on Earth?”

  “Unfortunately, no. Humans still judge unfairly and hate for reasons that are hard to understand.”

  They walked for a moment in silence, then he explained, “Azra is the eldest child, but he was born to one of his father’s consorts, not his bonded mate. To make matters worse, his mother was also of mixed blood. Generally, mixed blood consorts are sterilized before they are given to their m-master, but such was not the case with Azra’s mother.” He’d stumbled over master, as if forming the word had been physically painful.

  “Is consort the same as slave?” She wanted to make sure she wasn’t jumping to the wrong conclusion.

  “There are a few distinctions, but you would likely consider them one and the same.”

  That was discouraging, but not surprising. She found Ventori attitudes about females misogynistic and backward. Why should Tavor be any different? “You said she was a hybrid. Which planets were her parents from?”

  “Her father was Ventori and her mother Tavorian.”

  “Then Azra is three-quarters Tavorian and one-quarter Ventori?” The detail wasn’t important to her. She just wanted to understand the situation.

  “Correct. But the level of ‘impurity’ makes no difference to Tavorians. Mixed blood is tainted, period. So Azra is ostracized by his family, and most everyone else on Tavor. The horrible way offspring of consorts are treated is the primary reason they started ensuring that such children were never created.”

  “That’s really sad.” Yet it wasn’t that different from the way bastard children were treated throughout human history.

  They reached an enclosed walkway that arched between two buildings. The walkway was constructed of some sort of smooth composite, and the top half of the rounded passage was transparent. Oseth stopped halfway through and motioned to the imposing, fortress-like structure they’d just departed. “We refer to that as the castle. It dates back many centuries.”

  Castle was fitting. At least four stories high, the corners visible from their perspective had identical towers complete with conical roofs. “Is Azra’s bedroom in one of the towers?” That would explain the curving walls and spiral staircase.

  “Yes.” Oseth leaned closer to the glass and pointed toward one of the towers. “It’s that one. Nope, it’s the southeast corner, so it’s over there.” He pointed in a direction not visible from where they stood. Then he pivoted and indicated the modern-looking building they were about to enter. “That’s Nomani House or the mansion, also known as the beginning of the civilized world.”

  She smiled, but her mind was still processing what he’d said about Azra’s family. “If everyone here is hostile to people with mixed blood, why do you guys stay here? All three of you are hybrids, aren’t you?”

  “We are, and we seldom see more of Tavor than this estate. Our occupations and most of our interests are off-world. This is simply a place to sleep, occasionally eat, and spend what leisure time we’re allowed.”

  “I see.” And yet she didn’t, not really. Clearly understanding the dynamics of Azra’s family would require a much longer conversation.

  They entered the mansion through a short hallway that led to a wider corridor. He took her left, up a short flight of stairs, then into a massive kitchen. His descriptions of the buildings indicated what she’d find and yet she was still shocked by the contrast between the two environments. She’d walked out of the barbaric past and into the ultramodern future. The entire room was bathed in natural light, and everything was immaculate and orderly. Backless chairs lined a counter that overlooked the back yard and a large body of water beyond. The cabinets and appliances were inset, creating sleek, seamless lines. The front panel of the refrigeration unit was transparent, displaying a wide vari
ety of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with jars and bottles of what she presumed were condiments and beverages. Everything was labeled in a language she’d never seen before, likely whatever Tavorians used to communicate.

  “I didn’t know what you like, so I kept it simple.” He motioned toward the sandwich waiting for her at the small round table adjacent to the long counter seating.

  She moved to the table and he politely held her chair as she sat down. “Thanks for this. I really am starving.”

  “Not surprising. It’s been twelve days since you had solid food.” He chose the seat across from her, his gaze intense and caressing. His interest in her was obvious, yet he remained polite and courteous.

  “Aren’t you hungry?” It felt odd to sit here and stuff her face while he watched every more she made.

  “I had a late breakfast, so I skipped the midday meal. And we’re still several hours away from what humans call dinner.”

  “Then it’s mid-afternoon?” She looked around for a clock but didn’t see one, so she glanced out the window. But she’d never been good at reading the sun’s placement on Earth. Who knew if the indications were even the same on Tavor.

  “It’s six minutes past three, by your timekeeping. The Tavorian system is very different from yours.”

  Her attention snapped back to him. “How do you know what time it is?”

  “Internal chronometer.” He flashed his boyish smile. “It’s part of the implants that network Ventori Defenders, and allow us to access the central computer from almost anywhere.” His voice had an odd inflection when he said almost.

  She picked up her sandwich and took a careful bite, cleared her mouth, and then asked, “Meaning you’re cut off here on Tavor?”

  He nodded. “We’re way out of range for even our most sophisticated technologies.”

  Which made her wonder again why they didn’t just stay on Earth. Rather than returning to a question he’d already answered, she tried a less direct approach. “Urrya said he couldn’t return to Earth without Azra. Is Azra a pilot or... But you and Urrya are both Brokvata, so I’m pretty sure you can fly anything in the Ventori fleet. What does Azra do, or... what did Urrya mean about needing Azra?”