Tamed by the Beast. Grace Goodwin
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looked like a royal decorator had been given unlimited access to cash. I wasn’t familiar with the artifacts that lined the hallway, the vases and carved tables, the painted murals and fresh flowers everywhere, in every imaginable color. I didn’t know what they called this stuff, but I recognized money when I saw it.
I cleared my throat. “So, are you a princess or what? I feel like I’m in Cinderella’s castle.”
That made her laugh. “Yes. Dax is a celebrated warlord. When the Atlan men return from the war, they are treated like kings. We have another castle in the northern lands that I haven’t even seen yet, and more land, titles and money than I can even comprehend.”
If we’d been on Earth and spoke like that, I’d think she was gloating, but she didn’t seem the type.
Shock registered in my system after a moment. I knew a lot of veterans who came home from fighting broke and without a place to stay. “How can they afford to do that for all their vets? That’s amazing.”
Sarah looked over her shoulder at me, sadness in her eyes, and opened another door. “Not that many make it back. They are on the front lines with the Hive, on the ground. I know what it’s like. I’ve been there, fought for the Coalition myself. They fight like demons, but either they get taken down in battle, or they lose control of their beast. The ones who come home are the strongest warriors, and they are treated like gods.”
I grinned. “So, you’re mated to a god?”
Her smile was pure wicked. “Yes. And so are you.”
She held the door open and I preceded her into a long dining room with a table that would seat at least thirty. The chairs were high-backed black wood of some sort I’d never seen before. Seated at the head of the table was a giant.
He stood, and I stopped in my tracks. Holy shit, he was big. Well over seven feet tall with shoulders twice the width of mine. He was dressed in form-fitting black armor that hugged every damn muscle, from ripped abs to rock-hard thighs and I knew my jaw dropped, but I couldn’t seem to close it.
Sarah closed the door behind us and walked around to step into her mate’s waiting arms. She was probably five eight, and she looked almost childlike next to him.
“Welcome to our home, Tiffani. I am Warlord Dax.”
His deep voice rumbled through me and I would have stepped backward, but Sarah had her hands wrapped around his waist like he was just a big teddy bear. While I feared he could crush me with just a tight grip, I had to give him the benefit of the doubt. His words were not spoken in English, but even as the thought passed through my mind, the strange processor they’d implanted in my skull translated the words directly into my head, like a thought. Amazing. “I’m Tiffani Wilson. Nice to meet you.”
He indicated I should take a seat, but I was too nervous. I wanted to go see my mate. He was the reason I was here, and since the moment Sarah had told me he only had three days left, it was as if I had a ticking time bomb in the back of my mind. Three days was not a lot of time.
On the table in front of him were four golden bands, two similar to the ones on Sarah’s wrists, and two much larger. I glanced at Warlord Dax and confirmed my suspicions. He wore cuffs nearly identical to Sarah’s, only bigger.
He noticed my attention. “Commander Deek’s sister brought these for you when she brought the dress. They are carved with the markings of Deek’s house.”
“His name is Deek?” I asked. It was the first time I heard it and I wanted to know more.
“Yes, he is an Atlan ground commander from Battleship Brekk. He served for ten years, and I with him. He saved my life more than once, and I would not see him die now.”
Impressive. It only intrigued me further.
I walked to the table and picked up the nearest cuff. Dark, pewter-colored swirls created a complex design in the heavy gold. Beneath that, so small as to be nearly impossible to see with the naked eye, I saw computer circuitry of some sort. Confused, I lifted my gaze to find both Sarah and Dax watching me.
“I thought these were like wedding rings or something. But they are full of computer circuits. What, exactly, do they do?”
Sarah spoke first. “Once you are both wearing them, they will bind you to the commander. You will not be able to be more than a short distance from him without feeling extreme physical pain.”
“What?” That was totally bogus. “Like a leash?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “There is no tether, but trust me, you will stay near. If you get too far from his side, it’s like taking a shot from a Taser.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but Warlord Dax interrupted me.
“It will be the same for him, Tiffani. The close proximity of our mate can be the only thing that keeps our beast under control. It soothes us to know our mate is nearby. Once you are truly mated and he has overcome the mating fever, you may choose to wear the cuffs or not. But in the beginning, they serve as protection. If you can get them on his wrists, they are the best chance you will have at saving his life.”
Without taking a moment to consider, I lifted the smaller cuff to my wrist and closed it, a sense of finality settling on my shoulders as it sealed itself. There was no seam, making it impossible for me to find a way to remove it.
Too late for second thoughts. I came halfway across the galaxy to save my mate. I wasn’t going to let a pair of cuffs stop me. I locked the second cuff around my opposite wrist and grabbed the larger pair, held them up. “Okay. How do I get these on him?”
Warlord Dax took a deep breath. “Very carefully.”
I nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this. I’m ready.”
Sarah disappeared for a moment and returned with a large hooded cloak. “Here, wear this.”
I slid the heavy burgundy cloak over my shoulders, pulled the two sides together in front of me. She nodded her head vigorously. “Good. Now pull up the hood.”
I pulled the hood forward and it eclipsed my face by nearly six inches.
Warlord Dax touched my shoulder. “Excellent. Keep the cuffs hidden until you are inside. And whatever you do, don’t look at anyone, and don’t remove the cloak until we give you the signal.”
“What’s the signal?”
Sarah was practically dancing with excitement. “Dax has a friend on the inside. He served under the commander as well. He’s going to shut down the surveillance system inside Deek’s cell so you two can be alone.”
“We’re going to stay inside the prison cell?” That had never been one of my thoughts. When Warden Egara mentioned breaking in, I assumed it meant breaking my mate out as well.
Sarah nodded.
“Come. It is time.” Warlord Dax moved swiftly out of the room as I struggled to hold the large cuffs somewhere no one would see them.
Sarah stepped up, took the cuffs from my hands, and showed me where the pockets were, hiding them instantly in the deep folds of the cloak. “Listen, Dax doesn’t feel comfortable talking about this in front of you, but if you want to save Deek, you’re going to have to be willing to do whatever it takes.”
That was the reason I was here. “I came halfway across the galaxy to claim a man on death row. I think I’ve proved I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
Sarah’s hand landed on my shoulder and she peered up at me beneath the hood of my cloak. “Good. Because you’ve got to get these cuffs on him so he can be connected with you, so his beast can sense you and begin to settle. And the only way you’re going to do that is to get really damn close.”
I bit my lip. “Will he hurt me?”
Sarah shook her head. “I don’t know. Under normal circumstances, no way. No Atlan warrior would ever hurt a female. But if