Two warring alien species. One curvy human.

Amelia is having the worst day of her life. She just found out her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend, and on top of that, she just lost her job. When she receives a mysterious email from the Celestial Mates Dating Agency, promising a romance out of this world, she clicks accept without a second thought. 

An exotic, mysterious hunk is exactly what she needs right now. What she doesn't expect is to be drawn into an alien world, where gorgeous Thalanil and fearsome Qroqs do battle -- and she is the prize!

Tau Thalanil is the prince of his species, and the last of his line. The tall, blue alien warriors are losing the war, and Tau is in desperate need of an heir. At first he is skeptical of the Celestial Mates, but the moment he lays eyes on Amelia's luscious curves, he is sold. She is his fated mate, and he must have her. 

When the Celestial Mates open up a portal to Earth, the Qroq strike and kidnap Amelia, ripping her from Tau's grasp. If the Thalanil go too long without their fated, they go feral and lose control of their inner dragon. Can Tau reclaim his mate before it's too late?

* * *

“I demand to speak to your manager!”

“Please sir,” I say. “If you’ll let me finish, I can explain that—”

“Manager! Now!” the customer barks at me like a dog.

I mute the call and sigh deeply, rubbing my temples. Working customer service for a package delivery company might just be the world’s worst job. Well, that’s probably not true, but it’s a truly thankless job. All day long people call me to scream at me because the driver didn’t show up on time… and it’s my job to listen to them.

And get yelled at.

I don’t deliver the packages. Hell, I can’t even call the driver to ask him what the hell he’s doing. I’m a glorified punching bag.

But I grin and bear it — for Jake & Melissa. Jake is my boyfriend of the past five years. He’s in college, working towards a degree in engineering. With his workload he doesn’t really have time for a part-time job.

That’s why I dropped out of art school to become a full-time customer service rep. Emma, my sister, said I was crazy, but that’s easy for her to say. She moved to Australia to be with Brad, her husband she met on her exchange year.

They have a perfect life together. A house on the beach, a baby on the way, two gorgeous dogs… and me? I have a crappy apartment filled with pizza boxes, a boyfriend who doesn’t know how to clean up after himself, and a ‘best’ friend who is overstaying her welcome.

Yeah, Melissa has been crashing on my couch for three months straight now. Her parents kicked her out, and she needed a place to stay, so like a sap I offered her a place to stay… I thought it would be for a few days, while she found a new apartment. A week or two at most.

It’s been months.

It’s totally killed our sex life. I can’t relax with her in the other room. I’m afraid she’ll hear everything! I’m so frustrated I feel like I’m about to explode at times, but strangely enough, Jake doesn’t really seem to mind too much.

Every time I try to steer the conversation to her moving out, she throws a fit, and Jake defends her at every turn. I’m at the end of my rope though. Tonight, I’m telling her to move out…

But first, I have to deal with this seething customer.

Right when I’m about to tell him that my manager is too busy to talk to him, all the lights in the stuffy, humid office flicker and die out. A collective groan passes through the room as everyone’s monitors fade to black.

A power outage!

“Keep calm everyone,” my manager says. “I’ll get this sorted out!”

I dig my phone out of my bag and text Jake a good morning. He had a big test this morning, and he always get a bit moody when those come around. I don’t receive a reply.

After a few minutes my manager storms back into the office.

“Bad news, everyone. The power will be out for an hour, maybe more. Some bonehead cut the line outside while doing road work. Take an early lunch.”

Yes!

This is just what I needed. The universe is being kind to me today. I text Jake what he wants for lunch, but I still don’t get a reply. He must have dozed off.

I drive home and swing by a fast food joint. Tacos always cheer Jake up. The moment I open the door to our apartment, I hear it.

Jake’s familiar, low, throaty moan.

I’ve heard it enough times over the years to know exactly what that means. He’s playing with himself— Melissa must be out.

Even though it’s perfectly natural, I feel kinda left-out. After all, he hasn’t touched me in months, yet he can take care of himself? Then again, perhaps I haven’t done my best either…

Time to surprise him. It’ll have to be a quickie, because if I’m even a minute late my manager will chew me out, but a quickie is better than nothing. I strip down naked in the hallway, feeling giddy with anticipation. I can’t wait to feel him inside of me.

I tip-toe down the hall and open our bedroom door.

“Guess who…”

My voice halts in my throat when I see the most awful sight of my life. Jake’s pasty, white butt is going up and down… and underneath him, naked and writhing, is Melissa.

My world comes crashing down in an instant. A giant black hole forms in the pit of my stomach, and my blood runs cold.

How could I be so dumb?

“Oh my god!” Melissa screams.

Jake nearly jumps out of his skin, falling off the bed, and scrambling to his feet.

“W-what are you doing home?!” he stammers. “You’re not supposed to be home!”

I’ve never felt so humiliated before in my life — and to add insult to injury I’m butt naked as well.

Without saying a word I back out of the bedroom, get dressed and run to my car. I go through the motions like a robot, my emotions muted. I’m too confused, too dazed to give in to rage.

Jake doesn’t even come out to try and stop me.

How long has this been going on… right under my nose?! Is this why he hasn’t touched me in months? I feel so dumb. So stupid. So naive.

I pull back into work with tears streaming down my face. I want to throw up, cry, sleep and beat something up, all at the same time. I need a break. I need help. I need Emma.

“Where have you been?!” my manager asks when he bumps into me in the hall. “Power’s back! I swear, if I have to write you up one more time, you’re outta here. I’ve had it up to here with your tardy attitude, missy. I know this is your first real job, but pull yourself together, for Christ’s sake.”

That’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back. All the rage that was so muted when I encountered my best friend stealing my boyfriend now explodes in glorious fashion.

Every little thing I’ve always wanted to say to my boss, I say. I scream it in his face, poking my finger in his chest. By the time I’m done, his face has turned a ghastly white.

The whole office has gone silent. Everyone is looking at me, wide-eyed.

“Get out,” he mutters. “Get out!”

Fuck.

Not only have I just lost my boyfriend and best friend, but my job as well.

This day can’t get any worse.

I run back to my car and call Emma, but it goes directly to voicemail. Of course, it’s a completely different time zone in Australia — she’s probably asleep already.

My phone vibrates, but my stomach drops when I realize it’s just another email. I’m about to swipe it away when the headline catches my eye.

Are you looking for a romance out of this world?

Oh god yes. That’s exactly what I need. An exotic hunk who’ll mend my broken heart, who will feed me grapes and carry me into the sunset. A long-haired, broad-chested, gorgeous hunk of a man who’ll speak to me in a foreign tongue as he makes love to me, as he makes my toes curl, as he makes me forget years and years of mediocre sex…

I open the email. It’s from some place called the Celestial Mates Dating Agency. Never heard of ‘em, and I have no idea how they got my address, but I don’t have any energy left to care at this point. They promise me a romance that’ll sweep me off my feet, an adventure I will never forget.

Sounds good to me.

All I have to do is click the “Sign Me Up” button at the bottom of the email, according to them. My thumb hovers over it.

Should I?

The email is rather strange, but… oh well.

Let’s take a chance.

* * *

The village is quiet as I make my way over to healer Eldrin. The wooden bridge creaks underneath my heavy boots, and low-hanging twigs brush against my armor.

Despite the canopy of trees providing us with shelter, I have ordered my people to take shelter in the caves of Mount Thirna. The Qroq are making their rounds, circling high in the sky on their captured dragons. We can’t risk discovery. Koti is our last hideout. The last vestige of the Thalanil Empire.

The Qroqs have decimated us, and I’m the prince of a fallen empire. The heir to a broken world.

A long line of rulers will end with me.

I knock twice before entering Eldrin’s home.

“Come in, come in,” the old man says. He’s wearing a simple gray robe, and he walks with a cane. His long hair has gone white, but despite his old age, his mind is as sharp as ever.

He’s my closest advisor, and I’m in dire need of his help right now.

No matter how many times we had to move to stay out of the Qroq’s grasp, Eldrin’s place always smells like home. As usual, he’s concocting a strange brew in his cauldron, the exotic smell reminding me when I was but a young lad and I would accompany my father on his visits to the esteemed healer.

I miss those days. Before the war, all I had to worry about was not disappointing my father.

Now, the future of our people rests on my shoulders.

I freeze when I notice an unfamiliar smell — and it’s not one of Eldrin’s brews.

“Someone’s here,” I say as I pull out my blade.

“Put that thing away before you hurt someone,” Eldrin chides me. “I have a visitor.”

“Who?”

I sheathe my blade, but remain on my guard.

“All in due time. Where are your manners, Tau? Let’s have a drink first.”

“I’ll never say no to one of your drinks, old man.”

Besides healing and divining Eldrin is also very well versed in the art of brewing ale.

I sit down and gratefully accept the frothy drink.

“Cheers.”

We both take a sip, and let the silence linger for a moment. Difficult decisions have to be made. We are losing the war. For a moment, we can both pretend the world isn’t slipping through our fingers.

“How bad is it?” Eldrin asks, breaking the silence.

“Real bad,” I answer. “The Qroq have raided Kyla. The scouts have just come back… there’s no one there anymore. All captured. Or dead. Koti is our last home.”

“Betrayal.”

“I refuse to believe that,” I snap.

“There is no other way our hideout could have been discovered.”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“Then it is as I had feared,” Eldrin says with a heavy sigh. “If Kyla is no more, then there are no eligible mates for you left in our society.”

“You are right,” I say. “We have to strike back, organize a raid, free our people. The time for waiting and hiding is over. We have to strike first.”

“That’s not what I had in mind,” Eldrin answers. “The most important thing right now is that the Thalanil line continues.”

“Bah, my line?!” I say. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Your lineage travels back centuries, Tau. You know that as well as I do. It would be a catastrophic blow to our people if it is snuffed out with you.”

I avoid his gaze and stare at my drink. I am well aware of the weight on my shoulders. Centuries of successful, proud, bold chieftains lead directly down to me.

And I am unmated.

“What do you suggest?” I ask. My voice is filled with bitter anger. “I am not taking the melethril of one of my men. I won’t consider it for a second. I’d rather die alone.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of an off-world bride,” the old man says. I can tell he’s weighing his words carefully.

“What?” I snap. “What are you talking about?”

Footsteps in the hall. A robed figure enters the room, and I place my hand on the grip of my blade instinctively.

“Put that away,” Eldrin says. “This is my visitor.”

The stranger removes the hood of his robe. He, or she, is fair-skinned, with silver hair and delicate features. I can’t tell if it’s a man or a woman, but one thing I am certain of: The stranger is no Thalanil.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” the stranger says. “I am Bodakin, of the Celestial Mates Dating Agency.”

Bodakin bows politely, and I accept the greeting with a quick nod.

“We connect souls across the galaxy. Eldrin has summoned me, asking us for aid, and I believe we can help you… assuming you are interested in our services.”

Eldrin leans in and grabs my knee. “Trust me, Tau. This is the only way.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. The Qroq are dealing us blow after blow. They got us on the back foot. Another major blow and we’re finished. All this pressure, and Eldrin is concerned with finding me a mate?!

It’s the least of my concerns.

“How will this help our cause?!” I say. “Some off-world bride is not going to change the outcome of this war!”

“She can give you a baby, Tau. A baby! An heir!” Eldrin says. “Think about that. Things look bleak now, but the Thalanil people are resilient. Even if the Qroq enslave us all, we will never submit. Your lineage is a symbol of our people, of our independence, of our history. It’s bigger than you and me. You need an heir, Tau.”

I ball my fists and utter curses. Eldrin’s right.

The thought of taking a mate has never crossed my mind — the war has taken up all of my attention. Besides, I’ve always wanted a melethril, a fated mate. A connection like that can’t be forced.

“Will we be compatible?” I ask.

“Yes,” the stranger answers. “I can assure you of that. Celestial Mates has never made a wrong match before.”

It feels wrong to bring a stranger into such danger. We are a hunted people. I have trouble protecting my own kind — what if I can’t protect my bride? Or my own baby?

Perhaps that’s why I’ve always stayed clear of the Kevan, the spring ceremony where young Thalanil meet and mingle. Out of fear. Fear I won’t be able to protect my mate, to shield her from the injustices that are so routinely inflicted upon our people.

My father always told me to welcome fear. Only in the face of fear can we be brave.

Time to be brave.

“Okay,” I say. “I agree.”

“Excellent,” the stranger says, clasping their hands together. “I have the perfect candidate.”

“Already?”

“Of course,” they answer with a mysterious smile. “Time is of the essence, is it not? There is only one problem…”

“What’s that?”

“Her world is very, very far away. I can open a portal to her world, but not for long, and it will certainly draw attention.”

“Qroq attention.”

The stranger nods.

Nothing ever comes easy, does it?

“The planes of Avik. Open the gate there. I will travel there at once.”

“You have made the right call,” Eldrin says. “Be careful when out in the open. The Qroq are never far away.”

I drain my cup of ale of its last few drops and rise to my feet.

Time to find my mate.

* * *