Mastered by the Zandians (Zandian Brides 3)

I don’t answer. She touches my hand. “None of this is a trick. Living here is the best thing that could have happened to me, and I want you to love it, too.” Her voice is so earnest that for a second I almost believe her words.

I’m about to reply but there is a chime at the door.

“They’re here.” She slides the items she’s gathered into a cloth bag. “Are you ready to meet your mates?”

“We’ve already met, so…” I begin, my tone sarcastic, and then the door opens, revealing my new owners. Masters. And my words trail off, because Mother Earth, seeing them in the light of planet rotation, my eyes not clouded with battle and escape, lets me see how truly intimidating these warriors are. They stand at least seven feet tall, not counting the horns, and their shoulders are twice as wide as mine. Every line of their bodies is cut with hard muscle.

I put a hand to my mouth and step back. Their brown eyes scan me. Horns tilt in my direction. I can practically feel the pheromones in the air, and my body responds immediately, as heat cascades in my low belly.

I’ve never felt like this before, so attracted to another being. Let alone two. I don’t understand how or why this is happening.

“Uh.” I’m at a true loss for words.

“Mirelle.” Lanz steps forward. “You look better. I’m Lanz, this is Domm. You are to come with us.”

I kick up my chin. “I remember you. And I suppose I don’t have a choice.”

“No.” He regards me without blinking. “You do not.” Their expressions are inscrutable.

“Not a slave,” I mutter to Bayla and give her a dark stare.

She touches my arm. “Please keep an open mind. You will soon see that this is a good life.”

“I already had one of those. I was free—something most humans can’t claim. I don’t need a new life.” It’s an automatic response, because I can’t keep my eyes off Lanz. His chest and arms are so strong, powerful. Heat smolders in his gaze and something in me turns warm and soft, spreading a tingly feeling throughout my veins. My breath quickens.

I frown. “You can force me to come with you, but I’ll never submit to you.”

“We’ll see.” The taller one, Domm, speaks casually, but his gaze is intense, trained on me. “You may surprise yourself.” He steps forward. “And until you’ve proven yourself trustworthy, I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to cuff you.”

“Because you fight like a vipn,” Lanz explains, in case I didn’t understand.

I roll my eyes. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“They kill beings every solar cycle,” Bayla whispers to me.

“Hold out your hands,” Domm orders. “Wrists together.”

I seethe. “They’re vicious, these vipns?” My face is hot as I look at Bayla. I fear that I have a beseeching, childlike expression on my face. There’s a strange lump in my throat.

“Oh, the worst,” she assures me. She pats my good shoulder.

Partially mollified, I hold out my wrists for the magnetic cuffs. Although part of me dies inside to allow this, the alternative—forcing a fight I’d lose, while I’m injured, is just not smart.

“You certainly surprised us.” Lanz steps forward too and tests the cuffs. “These aren’t too tight?” He sticks a finger between the cuff and my skin. “We don’t want to hurt you.”

“You are an impressive fighter. We look forward to learning more about you,” Domm says.

“You will learn nothing.”

“You’re intelligent, and right now you know that your best and only true option is to come with us, now, to see our king. You will be respectful and polite, if you wish to stay out of a Zandian dungeon.” Domm raises a brow, the power in his voice dominating the room.

I know better than to argue, so I nod, a short bob of my head. Stick up my chin. Mother Earth, this is harder than I could have guessed. But at the same time, I think about all the women I’ve rescued from horrible situations. At least my captors are handsome and attractive, and seem…kind. In their way. It could be worse.

“What happened to…” I blink—did I ever learn their names?

“They’re in the med pod, too.” Lanz takes my arm. “Come.” We walk down a hallway.

“Are they injured? What will happen to them?”