ZEHN AND LORE had spent the last month feeling as if something in them had died. The tie to Mandy was so thin as to be nonexistent, and they knew she’d left the planet. Grief didn’t begin to describe their loss. The only thing keeping them sane was their tie to each other, and to Ussed itself.

They continued to train new warriors, while Lore kept a close eye on Skehl. Talzec had decided to add Skehl to the clan, and since Skehl had no objections, they planned to officially celebrate his addition in another month, when the mother moons aligned.

Skehl seemed as lost as Lore and his bond-mate. The male did what he was told, ate and slept, but seemed to have little excitement about life. For all that he’d been Nasuhl, and had the scars to prove it, he had a gentleness of spirit all the females had taken to. Many of them had offered to warm his pallet, but he never responded.

The only person to get any emotion out of him was Arghet. When the two sparred, something in Skehl came alive. But outside the fighting ring, he drew back into himself.

Lore could relate. Though his alpha and beta kept a close watch on him and Zehn, Lore wondered if they should leave. Follow their mate to whatever worlds she wanted to visit. He hadn’t thought he’d miss her so much, to the point that nothing else mattered.

Zehn felt the same. Not just a result of Lore’s offworlder ancestry then. The barbarians mourned for their lost mate.

He sighed as they returned from a routine patrol. Even battles with an encroaching enemy didn’t satisfy anymore.

“How many?” Arghet asked when they returned to the village.

“Six.” Zehn no longer smiled. He no longer took joy in anything except the sexual needs he and Lore shared. If anything, the sex had grown rougher and angrier without their third to finish them.

But if Mandy was happy, he and Zehn could endure.

Arghet studied them. “Nope. I am never mating.” He nodded to his left. “Xav wants to see you two in your dwelling. Now.”

Lore and Zehn obeyed without argument. But within a few steps of their hut, a familiar flame burned, licking at the barriers in their minds.

Lore opened himself fully and gasped, his heart filled with joy. Zehn didn’t seem to feel anything, and for a moment Lore wondered if he’d imagined the return of their female. But then Mandy burst out of their dwelling and jumped into his arms.

“Oh, I missed you.”

He hugged her back, elated.

Zehn blinked, as if waking from a deep sleep, the hope on his face painful to see. “Mandy?”

She laughed and squirmed from Lore to hug Zehn. He stared at Lore, unsure, then closed his eyes and hugged his mate back. A tear trickled down his cheek, and Lore had to wipe his own eyes, for once not embarrassed at the swell of emotion he carried.

He and Zehn dragged their mate inside, so hungry for her touch. They didn’t speak, lavishing her with kisses and caresses. And she seemed as needy.

Nothing mattered but reaffirming their bonds to one another. Clothing flew off, and then they were on their pallet, everyone touching, kissing. Together.

The lovemaking was fierce and fast. Lore was coming into his female while Zehn shot over her belly. Lore withdrew, watching as Zehn took over, giving their female his second seed while Lore emptied the rest of his desire in her mouth.

Their Mandy gave them so much satisfaction, and her throaty cries and powerful orgasms prolonged the pleasure into a glorious agony he’d never forget.

Once spent, they went again. And again. Until they all expended the hurt and the need and simply moved together as one. Bond-mates for life.

 

***

 

Mandy had missed her barbarians so much. She’d planned to tell them so but they’d beaten her to it. Showing her what she’d been missing. The spark of life inside her seemed ecstatic to be with his fathers again. She couldn’t blame him.

Ussed had welcomed her back with open arms. Arghet had been right. The life-force of the planet and her mates completed her as nothing could.

“Mandy, mate, where have you been?” Zehn asked, his voice raw. “We missed you so much.” She lay under him.

He scooted over so that he and Lore could sit up to face her, and they pulled her to sit with them.

“I’m sorry. I had to know.”

“Were you happy?” Lore asked, stroking her cheek, his eyes a deep, luminous green. Just like Zehn’s.

Just like yours, Zehn sent her, and smiled.

She started crying, unable to keep it all inside. They comforted her, as mates should, and waited. Once she had control of her emotions, she told them everything. “I left because I had to know I was giving myself options. I didn’t want to be tied to you because I had to be. But because I wanted to be.” She could see they understood. It still didn’t make her feel any better to know how miserable they’d been.

Lisa and Skye had given her an earful—as well as a huge I told you so—upon her return.

“I visited a few worlds. Did some tele-jumping. Saw the Raiegn Galaxy. But all I could think about was you guys. My life was so empty without you. The baby felt it too.”

Lore put his hand over her still slender belly. “Ah, our son is so glad to be home.” He frowned. “I think… He needs Ussed, Mandy. As much as he needs us.”

She sighed. “Yeah. I got that. From what Skye thinks, barbarians rarely leave Ussed because it’s hard to live offworld. You’re so tied to the planet that it’s a part of you. I think if I’d raised our baby somewhere else, he could have adapted. I got some checkups, and he’s healthy—if super tiny yet.” She smiled. “I thought a lot about us, about what we did together. About what you said. I forgive you guys for the baby. Not that I have to forgive you.” She glared at the ground—at the planet. “Next time, ask.”

 

 

They laughed, and Lore knew a profound peace, that he’d found his heavenly plane right here on Ussed’s lush ground.

Yes. Zehn took his hand. I’m sorry I’ve been so lost. 

Losing Mandy had twisted something in Zehn, taken a part of the strength Lore had come to rely on, making their time apart doubly hard.

“Will you stay?” Zehn asked Mandy. “I cannot bear it if you go again. We will come with you if you decide to leave.”

She frowned. “Didn’t you hear me? You can’t. You’re tied to Ussed. Leaving the planet would hurt you. Might even kill you.”

Zehn, poetic, charming Zehn, said, “Living without you did kill us. Every day was a hell I never want to experience again. I love you, Mandy, as I love Lore.”

“Oh.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I’m so sorry, guys.”

“I thought we were done being sorry?” Lore smiled. “We are happy now, with those we love, and that’s what counts. Can you stay with us, tonan?”

“If you tell me what tonan means.”

Zehn chuckled. “It means of my heart.  Because you, Mandy, are of my heart. It’s also something a more dominant lover calls his more submissive partner.” He and Lore exchanged a wicked look. “We have yet to introduce you to the pleasure of obeying a sexual master. Something I have a feeling we’ll get to sooner than later.”

Lore stroked himself, not surprised to find himself wet and willing. “Yes. Because without you here, our pairing was most violent.” He grinned at Zehn. “A battle to see who could come first.”

Mandy shivered. “I missed that. Watching you two. You’re so beautiful together.”

Zehn flushed. “Mandy. Men aren’t beautiful.”

Lore smirked. “Told you so.”

“Stop.” Zehn lunged at Lore, then bent him over and showed Mandy his cock. “You want to watch, tonan?”

“Oh, yes.” She clapped. “Take him hard.”

“I will. For you.” Zehn slid inside Lore, then fucked him while they watched Mandy.

Their eager mate touched herself while Zehn finished, and it was all Lore could do to wait until Zehn pulled out before mounting his female. He spent inside her as she clamped around him, and the scent of their lovemaking filled the air.

Ussed hummed her blessing while the Maker showered them with love.

 

***

 

Arghet and Skehl stopped outside Lore and Zehn’s dwelling. Kryllax blooms opened all around and spread, the scent of fertile happiness impossible to miss.

Arghet watched, stunned, as Skehl drew in a deep breath and smiled. The tattoo below his left eye turned red. Just like the female who’d stolen Arghet’s kill at the resort. He hadn’t seen or heard of her since, and he’d looked. He had a score to settle with the arrogant woman. Steal his kill and get away unscathed? Oh no, not while his heart beat and he still breathed. She owed him for her offense, and he’d dreamed of the many ways he’d make her pay. Dearly.

Skehl sighed. “Ah, their mate and young have returned.”

It was more than Skehl had said in days.

Arghet eyed him warily. “Mandy must be back. Thank the Maker. Zehn and Lore were becoming impossible to deal with.” He elbowed Skehl and dodged when the male tried to return the blow. “You need to be faster to handle me. Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you’ll always win.”

And he hadn’t. Arghet admitted he was becoming a better fighter by sparring with Skehl. But he’d also put the hulking barbarian on his ass a time or two. A feat only Talzec had thus far managed.

“Skehl, what’s the meaning of the marker on your face? I thought barbarians only had chest and arm markings.” The flash and color of one’s markings dictated mood or threat. But Skehl’s marker seemed perpetually black…until it turned red. Like hers.

Not expecting an answer, Arghet continued, “I saw something similar on a female’s face. She dressed like one of us, but she acted like a warrior and carried a sword.” Except for Skye, a human female, their women did not care for war or militant sport. “Is she Nasuhl? No. Maybe from some other clan we haven’t seen before?” Like you? Skehl had been one of the Nasuhl, but he couldn’t have been more different.

Skehl looked at him—really looked at him, and raised a brow. “Perhaps.”

Arghet growled, reminded of his frustration. “That’s what she said.” Then he stomped away. He’d go looking for the woman again tomorrow. He glanced up when Skehl joined him. The giant said nothing, quiet the way he’d been since arriving weeks ago.

A quiet Skehl, barbarians getting it on with human females, and thoughts of vengeance never far from Arghet’s mind.

Just another day for a Vyctore barbarian.