a low-tech one-way mirror. Bex knew Honsono had activated monitor blockers, so this meeting was as private as current tech allowed.
The meeting room was as deliciously tawdry as the word “brothel” promised; red brocaded walls draped with red velvet curtains dripping with dangling golden tassels, gold light fixtures cast warm light over a small, gilded bar with a table and chairs and a red silk upholstered plush settee next to a matching long chaise lounge.
An enormous bed stood imposingly tall in the far corner, covered in crushed red velvet. Next to it was a gilded gold chest of drawers she was sure provided sexual tools and lubricants. There were mirrors and golden-framed pictures of naked beings of all types everywhere.
When Bex saw him, she knew. She perceived the unmistakable aural glow around him. He was the one.
Lord Rawdon de Roquemarel was her Honored Nel mate.
The stories are true! An Honored Nessa’s mate truly shines bright to her.
Bex’s mouth watered at the scene. Lord Rawdon and her males were standing in the middle of the room. Her Coalition was showing Lord Rawdon dance moves.
The warmth of the room and the strenuousness of the moves had probably compelled him to remove his all-black, military style, full-length duster overcoat he typically wore on the SpacePort. Lord Rawdon now wore only an elegantly cut, dark patterned, sleeveless vest, black pants, and thick, heavy, black boots.
Her attention was captured by his black-and-gray tattoo of a prowling lion from Earth, which completely covered the shoulder and biceps of his right arm. Its feral and wary expression looked almost exactly like expressions she had seen on her Lio Nels’ faces from time to time. It seemed a reflection of some of Lord Rawdon’s expressions in his images too.
Bex knew the moment Psycho sensed her presence behind the one-way mirror. Psycho was next to Lord Rawdon’s tattooed arm. He looked down at the lion tattoo and then up, directly into the mirror with a similar expression as that of the lion on Lord Rawdon’s arm.
Bex gasped.
Abah-Sah, it was meant to be.
Psycho’s expression in the mirror caught Lord Rawdon’s attention, and he commented on it.
“It really is a remarkable likeness. What a coincidence!”
Bex melted at hearing his voice in person. Such beautiful, precise pronunciation. Such deep, resonant tones.
What would he sound like whispering sexy filthiness in her ear in that cultured voice as he thrust into her needy body?
Psycho smiled mysteriously at Lord Rawdon.
“I don’t believe in coincidences, Raw.”
Psycho reached up and flicked a sweaty mahogany strand of hair back from Lord Rawdon’s eye.
Bex saw Lord Rawdon’s deep breath at the touch, his eyes narrowing, his expression considering as he looked intently at Psycho, his hazel gaze direct and honest.
“I don’t rightly believe you do.”
Lord Rawdon’s gaze darkened, his lips turning up in a lopsided grin.
“I don’t either. I believe I was meant to meet you Nels.”
He looked down at his arm and then at the three Lio with him. They smiled at each other in camaraderie.
Lord Rawdon flicked more of his sweaty hair back with his hand in a practiced gesture, smoothing his waves down into a more tamed shape.
“When is your Captain arriving? I want to be put together when she meets me. Make a good impression and all that. I really want to join your crew. I like you fellows.”
Fiore reassured him.
“Don’t worry about it. Captain Sharpe doesn’t care about how people look, she cares about how people act and what their motives are.”
“Oh? Hmm.”
Lord Rawdon seemed to ponder Fiore’s words.
“Well, yes. I can understand that. I, too, care about what people want. It helps me with negotiations and such.”
Honsono didn’t even try to pretend they hadn’t extensively investigated Lord Rawdon.
“You’re very successful at it too.”
Lord Rawdon grinned openly.
“Yes. Quite.”
Psycho spoke in his quietly intimidating, husky drawl.
“What do you want, Raw?”
Raw. Psycho has called him that twice. I like it!
Lord Rawdon could have brushed off Psycho’s question with polite aplomb, but he seriously considered the answer. When he peered over at Psycho, his gaze traveled the length of Psycho’s form, a hint of heat shimmering.
Bex sensed his honesty. He wanted these males to know his heart.
“I want it all. Everything I’ve ever dreamed of and never attained. Things I’m not sure I can have with the way I live.”
Her heart felt his longing. It spoke to hers.
Fiore seemed enchanted by Lord Rawdon, his posture focused, eyes glittering with interest, tail swaying with excitement. He adored hopes and dreams.
“What do you have, Raw?”
“I have adventure. A career that always changes. New people to meet, deals to make. My brothers and Dahlia.”
Bex knew his parents had died before he and his brothers became Honored Nels.
Fiore pressed for more.
“What do you want that you do not have?”
“I want the white picket fence, the ‘Honey, I’m home!’ and all that, Fiore.”
The Lio blinked at him, clearly not understanding Lord Rawdon’s Earther slang. But Bex understood. He wanted a home. Mates. Young. Like she did.
Lord Rawdon sighed ruefully and answered simply, “I want mates and young.”
And that is the sound of my ovaries bursting.
This the Lio understood, nodding and growling in agreement.
Honsono walked close from behind, brushing Rawdon’s body with his as he rubbed his furred cheek affectionately against the Honored Nel’s. He asked his question low and deep near Lord Rawdon’s ear as he pulled away.
“Why can’t you have those things if you want them?”
Rawdon shivered at the caress of Honsono’s breath, turned and looked over his shoulder. His gaze focused on Honsono, his eyes roving the Lio Nel’s body. He took a deep breath looking over at Fiore, then Psycho, before turning back to Honsono.
“I always thought I had to give up my adventurous lifestyle to have a family. Now, I’m not sure I do. Maybe I really can have it all.”
Bex knew to her very soul what Lord Rawdon said was authentic. She could sense people’s true intent. He wanted a family. And he wanted it with her Coalition.
Bex cracked open the steel vault of her emotions then, allowing herself to taste the full force of the desire she had for these males, not expecting the extreme physical impact it would have on her.
She reached forward to brace herself on the lip of the one-way mirror with a death grip. Deep, tingling heat burned her. It started around her heart then powered outward like a starburst throughout her entire body, centering in her core with a pulsing ache.
Bex favored silky, high-tech, skintight bodysuits. They gave her full-coverage protection, were comfortable, and she could still express her sense of style while wearing them. Today she wore her favorite catsuit that looked like reflecting mirror pieces cut into mosaic shards that emphasized her breasts, torso, and rear. And now it was soaked.
She should have worn those magical absorbing panties, but it was too late now.
Bex watched as Psycho reached over and turned on the music, playing one of her favorite songs. They were showing Lord Rawdon moves again. He was a strong dancer, catching on quickly, giving his own smooth flair to the movements.
They were such lovely beasts, and they were hers.
Mine.
Her thought was like a trigger to her body. Overwhelming arousal settled deep, Bex’s muscles went from tingling heat to slowly freezing, locking her in her braced position as she watched her beautiful males dancing to the beat.
Bex gasped, “Turah!”
Her friend, who had been lingering quietly behind Bex, came close. Turah bent down to Bex’s neck and sniffed deeply.
“Hmm, my Captain, you scent deliciously of arousal.”
“It’s…”
Bex couldn’t get more out.
“Yes! It is as you suspected. This handsome Earther royal is your Honored Nel mate. Your Coalition accepts him into their hearts and teaches him their MateDance. Do you see the glow?”
Bex flexed her muscles the tiniest bit, trying to get back some control while she answered her friend, happy she could at least speak through her panting breaths.
“Fuck, yeah. He glows like a neon sign saying, ‘Take me, I’m yours!’”
Bex struggled some more, then relaxed into it. She found a measure of relief as she relaxed.
“Turah, why can’t I move?”
“You are locked into your Call to Mate.”
“Yeah. I’ve heard that phrase my whole life. I didn’t think it meant actually being locked in place.”
Turah sounded calm and amused.
“I thought you would have learned by now that most Lio terms are quite literal.”
“Well, I can’t move, and I’m about to combust. What now?”
“Now you accept me as your Shumal to guide and protect you during your MateDance. Do you accept?”
Bex felt irritated.
“Of course! That’s why you came here with me.”
“I will make sure we follow all the protocols, my friend. There will be no Challenges to this momentous mating.”
Momentous. Maybe this was important for more than just her. It would give hope to her sisters too.
Maybe even mom and dad will get their hope back. It’s not too late for them.
Another rolling wave of gripping arousal skated through her body decisively wiping away thoughts of her family. Bex could smell the sweet musk of her heat filling up the hallway. The sounds of energetic rutting in other rooms of the brothel became clear. It wouldn’t be long before her Coalition would scent her too.
Bex’s voice was husky as she spoke.
“Turah. What now? Help, please.”
“My sweet friend, my beloved Captain, I will see you through this.”
Turah removed their capes and swirled them to the floor, then stepped up close behind Bex, nestling Bex’s smaller frame comfortably into the curve of her strong, lean one, hugging her close around her middle.
“Relax more into me, if you can. That’s it. Be eased.”
Bex listened and relaxed, but still held the frame of the hidden view port with a steely grip. Turah’s cuddle helped only so much.
Turah leaned in close and whispered in Bex’s ear, causing her to shiver.
“You scent so deliciously, my Captain. You feel delightful in my arms. It will be my sincerest pleasure helping you come long and hard to release you from your first Call.”
Bex groaned. Turah’s words were stoking the fire of Bex’s arousal.
“Turah, you wonderful, sexy bitch! I would have fucked you for days if I hadn’t chosen to love you as my best friend. But then, you know…”
“Yes, you would have left me and my Harem behind because you do not fuck crew. We honor and respect your choices, Bex. We chose our relationship with you too. And now, you have found the Honored Nel who completes your fierce Coalition! Your whole crew wants this joy for you, Bex.”
Turah leaned close and gave Bex a sweet, comforting kiss on her cheek, then rubbed her velvety cheek against Bex’s.
“I want it known now that I understand and treasure this gift you give me. As your Shumal, I will guard and protect you while you are vulnerable in your MateDance. You are safe. Your crew is safe. You may focus your attention on your Call to Mate without distraction, Bex.”
A Shumal was a non-mate protector and caregiver who made sure an Honored Nessa stayed safe, healthy, and in control of the mating because males were close to their beast-natures during a MateDance. An Honored Nessa, without fangs or claws, even one as combat-skilled as Bex, was physically vulnerable with four sexually charged males.
Turah gave Bex a reassuring squeeze.
“I am deeply honored to bear witness to your MateBond, my dearest friend. And I am completely stoked to taste the joys of your pleasure in this moment.”
Bex gasped a chuckle at Turah’s use of one of her favorite phrases. And then Turah’s words sank in. Sure, the words were sexual, Lio were very open about sexuality, but mating was serious, and it was forever. Turah wanted Bex to know how much this truly meant to her.
I treasure this with Turah too.
Bex nodded her head in agreement, her hair scruffing against Turah’s shoulder. Bex even managed a tinge of amusement as her body burned.
“I’m stoked that you’re stoked.”
Turah gave a light chuckle.
“When your MateDance is complete, I will be sparked into season. It will spark as well my Harem Nessa mates. I have already put in for our leave. When we come back, all four of us will probably be breeding. We will name all of our young after blades in your honor.”
Bex choked a laugh, enjoying the idea of more young on the Stiletto in her “honor,” then groaned as Turah hugged her closer, causing her nerve endings to fire all at once.
“Give it your best shot, Turah. This happens once in our lives, let’s make it memorable.”
“Yes, my friend. I love you and want you to have happiness with your mates.”
Turah reached over and slid a hidden panel open which allowed a watcher to scent the room. This would bring her arousal scent to her Nels quickly.
Turah whispered in Bex’s ear, “It won’t be long now. He will sense you shortly and our enticement shall begin.”
Bex gasped quietly and spoke low.
“Enticement? Fuck, you and the guys have been making plans, haven’t you?”
“Oh, yes, my Captain. We will blow your minds.”
Bex growled with fear and anticipation of what was next.