Night of the Zandians (Zandian Brides 1)

I shrug. “Good thing we get to share this experience, then, right?”

Jax gets dressed in his uniform. I recognize the thoughtful creases of his face and keep my mouth shut so he can think. I truly am grateful we’re in this together, because I doubt I’d tempt a female on my own. I’m not as big as Tarren or as smart as Jax. I’m the one who makes beings laugh. But the way I see it, with my two cousins, we offer the full package. And I’m grateful for the chance to share a female with them.

Tarren emerges from the washtube.

“It’s about vecking time. Let’s go find our female,” I say.

Tarren stalks naked through the chamber and grabs his uniform. “We should leave her alone. We’re coming on too strong.”

Jax folds his arms over his chest but doesn’t answer. Experience tells me he’s weighing our options.

“Veck that,” I say. “Some other warrior is probably trying to stick his tongue in her ear right now.” I pick my words carefully, guessing at what will get my cousin moving quickly.

I guess correctly.

Tarren growls and yanks on his pants.

“Or is that what you want?”

“That’s probably enough goading,” Jax warns me.

The three of us are out the door before I can count to ten. Tarren leads the way, hands curled into fists at his sides. Jax and I stalk behind him, sharing glances every time Tarren nearly knocks some being over.

We pass Master Rok and his mate Lily on the way out of the palatial pod and the three of us skid to a stop. There’s a moment of awkward bows and formal greeting before Lily jerks her thumb toward the training pod. “Riya is in her chamber.”

Jax straightens. Tarren’s nostrils flare.

“Where do we find it?”

“It’s a prison cell she shares with several other humans. Number 11 or 12, if I remember right,” Lily explains.

We all drop at the waist for another round of bows. “Thank you, Lily, esteemed mate of Master Rok,” I murmur.

Lily pulls a dagger from her sword belt and points at each of us in turn. “You force that girl into anything she’s not willing to do and I’ll personally cut your balls off. Understand?”

Rok’s lips twitch, but he does nothing to subdue his female.

A muscle in Tarren’s jaw jumps and his fists tighten. “No being will be forcing Riya,” he growls.

“Especially not us,” I add.

Lily gives a crisp nod and stows her dagger back in its scabbard. “Then good luck to you.”

Rok chuckles as he leads her away.

The three of us exchange a glance as we exit the palatial pod and hike across the rubble to the training pod.

Jax curses under his breath when we walk through the training pod. It was once an Ocretion death pod, sent out to exterminate all the beings on it, so it’s designed like a prison. Even though the cells have been made more comfortable with mats and blankets, it’s still a vecking hell-hole.

To make matters far, far worse, the pod is packed with males. As we walk down the row of cells, we pass cluster after cluster of males crowding around females. Deep voices boast and taunt.

Ugh. If this is my species’ form of courting, I’m a little less proud to be a Zandian this planet rotation.

When we reach cell eleven, it’s no different. Five males are crowded in the cell with Riya and three other human females. She’s backed in a corner, and the guarded mask she wore earlier has been multiplied by one hundred.

Her eyes lift to meet Tarren’s when he shoulders his way through, making room for Jax and I to follow him in. He holds out his hand. “Come.”

I want to elbow him for saying it like an order rather than a request, but our female doesn’t hesitate. She wants to be rescued. She stretches out her hand to grasp Tarren’s, picking her way through the bodies to get to us. The moment she’s close enough, Tarren swings her up into his arms.