The first few times Haley roused, it was to a dark world full of jagged pain. Her head felt like it was full of broken glass, and even the slightest movement caused a symphony of agonies. Every time she tried to move or open her eyes, the pain would rise to a crescendo and she’d fall back into the darkness again.

She drifted like that for a long time, fading in and out without ever really waking. Somewhere along the way the pain stopped, but she didn’t know when or how. Wakefulness came slowly, and with it came fragments of memories -- brief flashes that played in her head like bits of spliced-together film. The first terrible blast. Terror. Her and Piper, running for one of the exits as the world erupted around them. She’d fallen, twisting an ankle. She remembered Piper yelling at her, telling her to get up and get her shoes off. Running again. Chaos, fear, and then a tap to the back of her head, followed by a long stretch of nothing.

She drifted again, but over time, soft sounds began to intrude on her consciousness, coaxing her to wakefulness. There was something familiar about wherever she was, and it made her uneasy.

I’m not going to figure it out until I open my eyes.

She cracked one eye open. At first, all she saw was white. White walls. White ceiling. Stark and pristine, like a hospital –. Shit, no. She hated hospitals. She’d spent too much time in them watching helplessly as Jeff wasted away. The doctors had done their best, she knew that, but she’d learned to dread their hushed conversations in the corner of the room as they consulted with each other about how best to hold off death a little longer.

Someone appeared in her field of vision. A bearded blond man with shadows under his eyes. He was wearing a black uniform instead of a white coat, and there wasn’t a stethoscope around his neck, but something made her certain he was a doctor. She raised her head and grabbed his hand. “Where am I? Where’s Piper? What happened!”

The moment her hand touched his, a brilliant blue spark arced between them, bright enough to dazzle her eyes. No. She snatched her hand back as disbelief and denial hit her like a one-two punch. “Please tell me you’re human and that was just a bit of static discharge.”

He stared at her for a long moment before answering. “I am Pyrosian, not human. You’re aboard one of our ships, the Firebrand. You were badly injured in the attack…” He raised his hand, his gaze locked on the point where the blue spark had struck his skin. “This can’t be.”

Haley was trying to sort through too much information to make sense of any of it. “I’m on a ship? In space? No, no, no. You’re not supposed to take women who weren’t matched!” She’d read the rules, and they were very clear about that. Consent was important. She tried to sit up, but the moment she moved, the blond snapped out of his fugue and put a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down.

“Lie still.”

She glowered at him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

He met her gaze, his green eyes narrowed and his square jaw set in a stubborn line. “When you arrived here, your skull was fractured in multiple places and you were bleeding internally. Until I am satisfied you are fully healed, you are in my care, and that means I do, in fact, get to tell you what to do. Now, lie down and stay still.”

“Fractured? How long have I been here?” She reached up to touch the back of her head, expecting to find some evidence of what he was saying. Shaved hair. Wounds. At least a bandage. There was nothing out of place.

“You were found shortly after the attack and brought here for treatment. That was yesterday. You should recover rapidly, but it will still be a few days before you are back to full strength.”

“I was with someone. A woman with blue hair and a double dose of attitude.”

He shook his head, his expression regretful. “I’m sorry. I haven’t seen anyone matching that description, and I’ve been here since the first patients arrived.”

“But that was yesterday! How can you still be on your feet?”

“I was needed.” The blond shrugged as if staying up for more than a day was nothing special. “You’re the one who needs rest.”

“I’ll rest later. Right now, I want answers. Was that really the Spark? What’s your name? How can I find out what happened to my friends?”

He ignored her questions. “You’ll rest now.” He pressed something on the panel above her head, and the world started to slip away again.

“Don’t you dare—” she managed, before the darkness rose up and claimed her again.

Torel stared down at the unconscious female and swore under his breath. “Flames and fury. I’m mated.”

He reached for his mate’s hand, craving contact. As his fingers closed around hers, he tried to make it look as if he were merely checking her pulse rate. A weak ruse, considering her bio-readings were clearly displayed on the monitor above her head.

He withdrew his hand and fisted it at his side, determined not to touch her again until she regained consciousness. He’d only given her a light dose of sedative; she’d be awake again soon. He shouldn’t have sedated her at all, but she was still recovering from her injuries, and he didn’t want to jeopardize her health with any sudden shocks – like confirming the spark she’d seen wasn’t static discharge, but destiny.

All he knew about the female the Gods had sent to disrupt his life was that she was tall for a human female, with a thick mane of red-brown hair and dark eyes. Her voice had been pleasing, and her questions had been intelligent and succinct. The monitor’s data showed she was in her mid-thirties by human measurements, and she was in good health apart from her recent injuries. It wasn’t enough. “I don’t even know your name,” he murmured softly.

He wanted to know more. Flames. He wanted to know everything, and they’d barely met. How was he going to help save his race if he couldn’t focus on anything but her?

“Torel? We’re having trouble stabilizing one of the human patients.” One of his staff interrupted his musings.

“Which one?”

“Keth’s mate, Eva.”

He should have guessed. She’d undergone two bouts of extensive treatment, but something wasn’t right. The scans didn’t show anything, but there was too much they didn’t know about human biology. “I’ll be right there. How is Keth coping?”

The medic gave a quick shake of his head. “If she doesn’t wake soon, he’ll have to be placed in stasis.”

It wasn’t ideal, but it was the only option they had. Once the Scorching had started, there was no way to stop it. With Eva too injured to consummate the mating, Keth had no way to ease the mating fever. “Better get him prepped. He doesn’t have much time.”

He looked down at the sleeping female. Because of her, he was running out of time, too. No one in the thrall of the Scorching was allowed to remain on duty. He needed to inform his second in command and step down as the chief medical officer until he was clearheaded again. Those were the rules. He’d enforced them himself, more than once. He thought he’d understood the sense of powerlessness and frustration Commander Denza and the others had felt. He hadn’t then, but he did now.

He had a little time left. He’d use it to do what he could for Keth and his mate. Maybe by then, he’d have some idea what to say to his own mate.

He should probably start by introducing himself.

When Torel finally informed his staff what had happened, they were uniformly delighted. Their enthusiasm far exceeded his own and they shooed him out of the medical center with instructions to shower and change before his mate saw him again. He’d been officially relieved of duty and a team would transfer his mate to his rooms. Until the Scorching ended, she would be his only patient.

By the time he stepped out of the shower, a hushed murmur of voices came from the main room of his quarters. He dressed quickly, donning a comfortable pair of pants and a dark, sleeveless shirt. The Scorching was already starting to affect him strongly, wreaking havoc with both his body and his mind. His skin was sensitive, and his cock was in a perpetual state of arousal. The thought of wearing anything heavy or fitted was decidedly unappealing.

Worse than the physical changes were the mental ones. It was hard to focus on even the simplest task, and he grew more and more agitated the longer he was separated from his mate.

“Why have you done this to me?” he muttered. Not that he expected an answer. The Gods didn’t have to explain their decisions. It was up to their followers to accept what came and find a way to make it work somehow. There was always a way. With that thought fixed in his mind, he squared his shoulders and re-entered the main room.

He padded barefoot across the room to the edge of his bed and looked down at his mate. She was still sleeping, but her hands moved restlessly across the covers. Her cheeks were flushed, too, and a quick touch to her brow confirmed that her temperature was slightly elevated. The Scorching had taken hold of her as well.

“She’s rousing quickly, sir,” one of the medical staff informed him as they prepared to depart.

“I can see that. What were her scans like before you moved her?”

“Her fractures are ninety-four percent set and healing well. Only small traces of soft tissue damage remaining. No cognitive or neurological issues detected. She’s been cleared for full release into your care. If she needs pain medication, a droid will bring it to you.”

“Thank you.”

They left, but he barely registered their departure. All his attention was on her. The need to touch her was a physical ache, but he resisted. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed, close enough he could feel the heat of her body soaking into his skin even through the light sheet they had tucked in around her. She was garbed in the standard pale-yellow pajamas issued to all patients, and his mind was full of images what she’d look like once he’d torn them off her.

He fisted his hands on his thighs and exhaled sharply. That was not going to happen. Even if it killed him.

Haley woke up much faster this time. The moment she was fully awake, she knew something was different. The lighting, the feel of the bed, the sounds, even the scent of the air had changed. She opened her eyes and sat up, determined not to let anyone push her around this time.

One thing was the same. The blond guy beside her, only this time he was sitting on a bed. An actual bed. She whipped her head around, ignoring the dizzy spell the motion caused. Bed. Furniture. Soft colours. Carpets. This was not the same place she had woken up last time. “Where am I? Who the hell are you? And before you answer, don’t think I don’t remember you were the one who roofied me when I asked too many questions. Do that again and I’ll…I’ll write something scathing about you and your people and make sure the government hears what you did.”

He gave her a lopsided grin that made him look sexy as hell. Her anger vanished, seared away by a sudden, powerful rush of longing. She wanted him. Badly.

What the hell is going on?

“I will answer your questions in order. You are in my quarters. I know that seems strange, but I will explain the reasons soon. My name is Torel Zinn, and I am the Chief Medical Officer assigned to the Firebrand, the royal flagship of the Pyrosian fleet. As for my choice to sedate you, I am sorry about that. I was worried the shock of what had just happened would be detrimental to your recovery.”

She stared at him and tried to recall the details of their first meeting. What had happened that would shock her? She woke up, asked about Piper and then—“Oh shit, the Spark.”

“The Spark,” he repeated, nodding. “Do you know what it represents?”

“Your people believe it means we’re a good match, right? That’s what the Gathering was supposed to be about. Getting potential matches together to see if they initiate a spark.” He hesitated just long enough for her reporter instincts to buzz. “What am I missing?” she asked.

“The Spark is more than an indication of compatibility. It indicates that we have found our true mate. It also heralds the onset of what we call the Scorching.”

“And what the hell is that? The information you people sent out didn’t mention anything about this Scorching thing.” She leaned forward, ignoring the fact the move put them even closer together. She could smell the soap he’d used, a subtle musky scent that made her want to bury her nose in the crook of his neck and breathe deep.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

She forced herself to focus. “I’m a journalist, and I’m seriously considering writing an exposé on all of this. First, my friend hits the wrong button and ends up matched with no way to opt out, and now you’re telling me we’re matched even though I never even signed up! This smells like a scam.”

His brows furrowed, and the corners of his mouth turned downward. “It is not a scam. And this was not something I intended to happen. This was the Gods’ doing, not mine. I have patients I should be attending to right now, but instead I have to be here, with you.”

She huffed in frustration. “No, you don’t. You can go back to work any time you want. Just leave me some clothes and tell me how to get back to Earth so I can look for my friends.”

“You don’t understand. I must be here.” He took her hand and held it. “You are my mate, and we are both experiencing the Scorching, the mating fever. I’m sorry. I wish things could be different. Flames, I don’t even know your name.”

“Whoa.” She tugged her hand out of his grip and scrambled toward the middle of the bed. “Mating fever? Is that why I’m in your bedroom instead of the medical center? Oh, hell no. Give me one good reason I shouldn’t start screaming for help right now.”

“Well, for one thing, this room is relatively soundproof. For another, we’re in orbit around your planet. Just how far do you think you can shout?” He was grinning as he said it, and there was nothing but laughter in his pale green eyes.

“It’s not funny!” She snapped.

His smile vanished. “You’re right, it’s not. I’m sorry, otama. This is all very strange for me, too. I shouldn’t have laughed or teased you.” He reached his hand out to her again, but this time he held it steady a foot away from her. “I promise you, nothing will happen between us without your consent.”

“Swear to your Gods?”

All trace of levity left his expression, and his next words were spoken with utter sincerity. “I swear by the Flames of the First Ones that nothing will happen between us without your express consent. Furthermore, at the end of the Scorching, you will be free to return to Earth if you choose.”

“Thank you. My name’s Haley, by the way. Haley Anderson.” She took his hand expecting him to shake it. Instead, he raised it to his lips and feathered a barely-there kiss across her knuckles.

“It is an honour to meet you, Haley Anderson.”

“Hang on, I didn’t agree to that!”

He gave her a puzzled look, his head cocked to one side. “That is how males greet females of your species, is it not? I watched several entertainment productions indicating this.”

“You watched movies? That is how you learned about human women?” Laughter bubbled up inside her and before she could stop herself, she was giggling. Giggles turned to guffaws, and by the time she regained her composure, her ribs ached. She felt a little better though, as if her short lapse had helped her get a grip.

“Princess Maggie and her ladies made me watch some of their favourites on the journey here. They believed it would help us with the newly matched females. Was this wrong?”

She almost started giggling all over again. “No, not wrong. But, there’s a bit more to understanding a woman than just watching a few movies.”

“I know. The males who were matched were given more detailed instruction and extensive cognitive augmentation. Language. Slang. Customs and traditions. I wasn’t matched, though. You were a surprise.” He smiled a little, and her heart fluttered as a dimple appeared in his cheek. This situation would be easier to navigate if he wasn’t so damned hot.

“So, what happens now, Torel?” she used his name for the first time.

He interwove their fingers and set his hand down on top of one hard thigh. “Do you wish me to explain it in medical terms, or simplify it for now?”

“Let’s start simple. Give me an overview, and then I’ll know what questions I want to ask.” The way she was feeling right now, simple was better. Her train of thought kept being derailed by X-rated thoughts of the handsome man holding her hand.

“As you wish.” His thumb drew slow circles over the back of her hand as he spoke. “The Scorching is our word for the mating fever that comes after the Spark. It lasts approximately two of your days and is a time of intense sexual desire and intimacy. When it is over, we will be permanently connected by a psychic link. The strength varies, but at a minimum, we will be able to sense each other’s presence.”

She blew out a slow breath. “Ookaay. You’re telling me I’m going to want to get naked and wild with you for the next two days. That’s not so bad. You’re attractive, but I think I can resist you for forty-eight hours. Problem solved.”

“It is not that simple. One of the reasons I sedated you is to slow the onset of your symptoms. Soon you’ll be feeling what I am.” He touched his chest. “My skin is sensitive to the slightest touch. My pulse is elevated, my body temperature is rising, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to resist the urge to touch you. As time passes, my primal instincts will overpower everything else, and so will yours.”

“So, you’re saying resistance is futile? Dear god, I’ve landed in the middle of someone’s Star Trek fanfic, haven’t I?”

“Resistance would be futile. The longer we resist, the more discomfort we will experience, but it won’t change the outcome. And before you ask, there is no way to reverse this or prevent it from happening.”

“I thought you said nothing would happen without my consent? The way you’re describing it, my options are to agree to have sex with you now, or suffer a great deal of discomfort and end up having sex with you anyway. That’s not much of a choice.”

Torel was quiet for a moment, his free hand stroking the short length of beard covering his jaw. “Your culture has something called a one-night stand, correct? Two people coming together for a brief period of pleasure, with no expectations. Would it be easier to think of this as a two-night stand?”

She started to bristle at the suggestion but stopped when she realized it did make it easier. She liked sex. In the years since Jeff’s death, she’d been with other men. Hooking up was easy. It was the messy, emotional stuff she wanted to avoid. If Torel was being honest about what he wanted, then this might actually work. “Is that what you want? I thought mating was supposed to be a huge deal for you guys. Bound for life, never want another woman and all that?”

“We do mate for life, and once the bond is sealed, I will never desire any other female.” He tightened his grip on her fingers and gazed into her eyes. “But I never wanted to be mated. I have dedicated my life to helping my race restore our population, and by extension, I am learning all I can about human females and the children they will produce with their Pyrosian mates. That is my priority. It has to be.”

She reached up and touched his face, running her fingertips gently from temple to chin. He was handsome, confident, and willing to be open with her about how he felt. “You’re suggesting that when this Scorching thing is over, we go our separate ways? You head home, and I go back to Earth?”

He turned and brushed a kiss to her fingers, then started to nibble at her fingertips. “I think we can make that work, yes. If you are agreeable, we can meet up whenever my people come to your planet to gather more matched females.”

She laughed. “So, I’d be your intergalactic booty call?”

“If that phrase means what I think it does, then yes. You will be my booty call. Is this acceptable to you?” His last words were pitched low and came out with a primal growl that made her toes tingle.

“Growl like that again, and I’ll agree to anything you want.” The words were past her lips before the thought had fully formed in her mind.

Any other man would have reacted with a joke or a cocky comment. Torel didn’t. His eyes blazed a brilliant gold, and a low growl rumbled up from deep in his chest as he closed the short distance between them and crushed his mouth to hers. For one brief second she resisted him. But then the flames of her desire grew into an inferno, burning away every doubt and argument. She wanted him. He wanted her. They’d figure out everything else later. Much later.