Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

C aldorian Earth Base

“You want me to pretend I’ve been claimed by one of them? Engaged? Are you insane?” Ashlyn whispered to her sister, her lips barely moving so none of the biggest, sexiest alien warriors she’d ever seen would know how close she was to full meltdown mode.

“I know it’s crazy, and really dangerous, but whoever you choose will make your safety his top priority.”

“You know I’ll do whatever you need me to do, right? I have a million questions, though, and I’m not going to lie. I’m terrified.”

Rachel grinned. “You’re the best, Ash. Seriously. You always step up, no matter how hard it is. Always.”

Half laughing and half groaning, Ashlyn looked back at the warriors and said, “Now I know it’s going to be dangerous.”

The warriors in question stared back at her through a thick glass wall, including one mouthwatering, very dangerous looking male who hadn’t taken his eyes off her since her arrival twenty minutes ago. He had dark hair, the broadest shoulders she’d ever seen, and a masculine, chiseled jaw with a five o’clock shadow–just enough facial hair to make her drool. Long, dark lashes framed intense golden eyes that appeared molten, the rich gold color swirling around the irises like thick, warm honey. They held her prisoner, smoldering with a sexual heat that made her stomach drop.

She’d known better than to make eye contact, had already been warned they would interpret it as sexual interest, yet she hadn’t been able to resist, and once she did, she couldn’t look away, completely mesmerized. Eyes like that could make a girl forget her own name.

The other four warriors were equally desirable in their own way. All Caldorians were bigger, stronger and faster than humans. These warriors were no exception. The first male had dark blond hair and lavender eyes. The second was dark all over with piercing green eyes and a wicked, sexy smile. The third had intense, dark chocolate, bedroom eyes and reddish-brown hair. The fourth in the line-up was her golden-eyed sex god. The last male had salt and pepper hair and bright, blue eyes that crinkled when he smiled.

They each wore the black, self-regulating nanotech uniform she’d come to expect; form fitting on the top with a crossbody tactical sling across the chest, over military style pants and boots.

Their uniforms were identical except for the golden eyed warrior she’d been ogling. His underlying uniform looked the same, but that’s where the similarities ended.

Caldorian tech was highly advanced. Ashlyn had spent enough time surrounded by warriors on the Caldorian base, visiting her sister and her sister’s mate, Cam, to recognize one armed and ready for true battle. Their weapons were normally camouflaged; easily mistaken for part of their uniform. To the untrained eye, a literal arsenal could be disguised as small, black, geometric shapes no bigger than a human thumb. Those small devices expanded into all kinds of trouble once activated. Four of the males were armed with the standard set of weapons she saw every time she came to the base.

Not this guy, though, he’s dressed more like a marine ready to infiltrate an enemy camp. He’s packing enough weaponry for a small army. And it looks like they’ve been used. A lot. And is that a freaking sword strapped to his back? Damn. Who is this guy? Unease crept up her spine.

Five minutes passed. Ten. No matter how many times she tried to focus on her sister, her eyes kept straying back to the same warrior. She’d been telling Rachel for months that she wasn’t interested in dating a Caldorian. Hadn’t she sworn off dating aliens, she internally chastised, after watching both her sister and her best friend nearly die because of their association with said aliens? And that one has ‘bad boy’ written all over him, so stop drooling over someone you’re never going to have. Just look. Even his own kind are giving him extra room. They know he’s dangerous. Maybe even savage. Focus on the conversation at hand, not the size of his very large hands. And feet. Dear god, they’re enormous! I wonder if.. Focus!

Rachel pressed her lips together and gave a helpless shrug. “We don’t have a choice. We’re out of options and out of time. I wouldn’t have used the snake code otherwise. And if I didn’t say it yet, thanks for coming. I hope your director won’t be too mad that you had to leave without notice.”

“I was in between shows when you texted,” Ashlyn hedged, not ready to tell her sister she’d quit when the director made a pass at her. There was a time and place for everything, and this was not it. “I just think you’re crazy if you want me to pretend I’ve been claimed by one of those guys in there. You said most Caldorians are primitive when it comes to the opposite sex. Your words, not mine. As in dominant, territorial, possessive alpha males. They don’t do pretend. It’s not in their DNA.”

“I also said they are honorable and loyal. Protective. Whoever you choose will do whatever is necessary to make this work. They’re all royals on their planet, selected from each of the four Sectors. You would be treated like a princess.”

Ashlyn turned to look at something else. Anything else. Any one else. She needed her pulse to stop racing. Oh, but the big warrior did something to her. Something carnal.

Against her own better judgment, she stealthily tracked the movement of the golden eyed warrior as he lifted a hand to his ear and said something into his communication device, then rested it on the pack he wore across his chest. She couldn’t help herself. She wanted to see what was under all that gear. Muscles. Lots and lots of muscles. And alien markings.

Every Caldorian had markings, even the women. Otherworldly, beautiful swirls and whorls that covered various parts of their bodies. Like tattoos, only better. They formed under the skin and never blurred with age. Mostly blue, some had other colors, but they all sparkled with opalescence. Some warriors were covered from head to toe, while others had almost none, and all were as unique as a human’s fingerprint. The most amazing thing about their markings was that they could light up. Unmated Caldorians left theirs unlit, while claimed or bound mates traditionally kept them lit up like a neon sign. It wasn’t a requirement, just a way of saying ‘hands off, this one is taken’.

Down, girl!

Sliding her hands nervously down her clothes to smooth out wrinkles she didn’t have. “Royal just means they’re probably twice as bossy. I was there when Dagan decided he needed to prove Sash wasn’t rejecting him.” She held up a finger for emphasis. “And do you remember what else he did?”

Rachel snorted. “She loved every naughty minute of it.”

“Fake fiancé, fake claiming, whatever you want to call it, we’d have to lie to the Intergalactic Council about it. That’s the whole point of this, right? To fool them? I’m a terrible liar, and even if I wasn’t, some of the Councilors have to be telepathic. Won’t they know we’re lying the minute they see us?”

“No. You’d both be wearing devices that block telepathy. Most of the Council members wear them. Standard Operating Procedure. They don’t want telepaths digging around in their minds any more than we do. So, no one would be surprised to see you wearing one. In fact, they’d think you were crazy if you didn’t have one.”

Ashlyn turned back toward the glass like a moth to the flame. Turned back to him . She scowled at the huge alien who had captured her interest for no good reason other than he refused to leave her thoughts. He lifted a brow questioningly and straightened from the wall, his gaze locking her in silent challenge before dipping leisurely south.

The very masculine appraisal made her acutely aware of her own femininity. Her nipples had already betrayed her, hardened into tight nubs the first time he looked at her and hadn’t softened since, her breasts full and heavy, aching for his touch. She knew, by the flare of his nostrils and the glint in his eye, he could see the outline through her thin cotton t-shirt and lacy bra. His gaze lingered, the weight of molten gold scraping along her raw nerves as he took in every minute detail of her small, yet curvy, body. He took his time, didn’t rush, almost as if he knew exactly what it would do to her. The slow, sensual perusal called to her, stoked a fire, a longing for something she couldn’t identify, had never felt before, deep within her.

There was no denying the warrior’s sex appeal, hell, his every appeal, but fooling anyone into believing an engagement, or claiming, was real would be entirely different and completely beyond her. She had no experience, no idea how to go about even trying. When it came to actually building relationships, she was at a complete loss. She’d sacrificed so much to chase her dreams. Serious dating and falling in love were things she’d never felt she had time for. Not even for this magnetic hunk of man? Couldn’t play house with him for a few days?

He straightened, turned so that he faced her more directly, confidently, and widened his stance. Everything in her was tempted to reach out and take what he so clearly offered. Hot, wild, untamed sex. Pleasure. Bliss. All she had to do was say yes.

She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. He wanted her; the desire stamped across his face said as much, firing a thousand volts of answering electricity through her veins. Desire suffused her cells.

She slowly released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and looked at her sister, uncharacteristically flushed. “Are you sure they know what fake means?”

Rachel looked from Ashlyn to the warrior in question and cleared her throat, her eyes wide. “They all know the plan.”

Ashlyn’s tongue darted out to lick her full lips. Crazy how she hadn’t noticed they were dry. She was a strong woman. She could resist temptation. She needed to resist. This was going to be a fake engagement. She couldn’t afford to fall for him. Besides, this guy looked like trouble with a capital ‘T’, and that was something she didn’t need at the moment. Not even a little.

Decision made, she turned back to him knowing full well his piercing eyes had never left her. She could feel them on her, burning through her resistance. This time she purposely made eye contact. It was her turn to give him a very thorough once over, one he couldn’t possibly miss, then yawned and looked at her nails in dismissal as she turned away. She wasn’t sure if aliens would recognize the brush off, but a human would.

A quick peek under her lashes told her she scored a bullseye. Probably never happened to him before. Probably has women lining up at the door. Well, not this girl! Her lips twitched.

“Ash, pay attention!”

Rachel’s infant son, Lee, gurgled happily in his mother’s arms, sending a pang straight through Ashlyn’s heart. Her sister was blissfully happy, mated to the Caldorian Ambassador and warrior, Cam. Lee was a beautiful, happy, perfect baby. Everything in Rachel’s life was organized perfection, and the complete opposite of Ashlyn’s chaotic, uncertain life spent bouncing from job to job, audition to audition, city to city.

Rachel smiled down at her half-alien son and spoke in a sweet, sing-song voice that made him grin and reach for her nose. “She won’t admit it, but your aunt Ash likes one of those yummy warriors in there, doesn’t she? Yes, she does.”

Ashlyn turned away from the glass, determined to ignore the sexy Caldorian on the other side, and held out her arms toward her ten month old nephew. She adored Lee and spent as much time with him as she could whenever Rachel brought him for a visit. The feeling was mutual, and he immediately reached for her, snuggling contentedly into her. She kissed the top of his head, his auburn curls nearly identical to her own in color, and breathed in the gentle scent of baby shampoo and innocence.

Lee reached up with one tiny, pudgy little hand and brushed the tips of his fingers open and closed against her neck, the rhythmic motion making his eyelids droop. Must be time for a nap.

She gave him a gentle squeeze and whispered, “You want me to pretend to be engaged, or claimed, as they call it, to one of those aliens in the other room so that some nasty schmuck from Cappra doesn’t get to inherit a spot on the Intergalactic Council, right? I'm terrible at lying. What if I fuck,” she mouthed the word silently, “it up?”

Rachel smiled. “You won’t. C’bor Ubrion, from the planet Cappra, was taking over his father’s seat on the Intergalactic Council before he was killed, and the seat passed to his legal wife. His human wife. His extended family wants to regain control over the Council seat. To that end, they have challenged the wife’s right to rule based on the fact that she is not a citizen of Cappra. They’re claiming that according to their laws, unless the widow is a native of Cappra, she has to marry another member of the family within a year or give up the Council seat.”

“That’s archaic.” Ashlyn tensed angrily. “How can a technologically advanced planet be so completely backwards when it comes to marriage and a woman’s basic rights?”

“Yes. Yes.” Rachel waved away Ashlyn’s protest. “Before you get all upset and start marching in protest, just listen for a minute. Our research team scoured Cappra’s legal archives and discovered an ancient, obscure loophole. When we brought it to their attention, they were pissed. Like, really pissed. I don’t think they knew about it.”

Shifting Lee slightly so that his head rested on her shoulder, Ashlyn took a deep breath. She hated politics. She had enough trouble following all the drama, scandals, manipulation and mudslinging on her own planet. “Keep going. I’m listening.”

“If the widow is already engaged to someone outside of the deceased member’s family before the end of the year, she can present her fiancé to the whole Council and challenge for the right to remain in power. That’s where you come in. You’re going to pick one of those Caldorian princes over there, and challenge for the right to keep the seat.”

“Hold on. How was C’bor married to someone from Earth in the first place?”

“The truth?”

“Yes.”

Rachel cringed. “Okay. It’s not pretty. She was with her mate when their ship crashed. C’Bor took her captive and was going to turn her into his sex slave. Her real mate got her out of there before anyone else from Cappra saw her face. No one on Cappra knows who she was, only that she was a human. Which is why we need you to pretend that it was you.”

“C’Bor sounds like a real winner. Is it wrong to be glad he’s dead?” The idea of what the unknown woman had gone through ignited Ashlyn’s temper.

“We’re all glad he’s dead.”

“Why can’t the real widow take the seat? If she’s already mated, that’s perfect. Problem solved. They can challenge for the seat together.”

“No, they can’t. He’s a Lumerian . The Council ordered the destruction of his planet and all his people more than two thousand years ago. The few that escaped went into hiding. There's a standing kill order for anyone they find.”

“Oh, wait. You’re talking about Juliette Rosen and her husband, Torrin, aren’t you?”

“Exactly. Cam told me there are DNA scramblers that work on a surface level, like when going through a checkpoint, but if they were to study his DNA, and we’re sure they would, they would eventually find out. Plus, we think they’ll want to set up special sensors that scan for Lumerian energy signatures, which is why a lot of the Lumerians that have come to Earth over the past year have already left for the duration of the challenge. Those who didn’t leave are being extra careful to stay out of range.”

“What about Sasha and Dagan? I was hoping to see her while I’m here.”

“Dagan took Sasha to Caldor until the challenge is over. The Council has heard about Sasha’s new healing abilities, but hearing rumors about a human woman being transformed after marrying an alien and seeing her for themselves is different. There are many species with psychic abilities, so Dagan is hoping whatever stir her transformation caused, if they don’t draw attention to her, the Council’s interest will die down. Also, Earth is just one of the planets they provide security for, so his attendance at the meeting isn’t expected. Technically, this has nothing to do with Caldor. They’re merely providing the venue on behalf of the human widow because she’s from Earth. The Ubrions wanted to host the whole thing on Cappra, but they were reminded that C’Bor’s widow is, officially, the legitimate Council member and has the authority to host the event wherever she wants.”

“Oh. Right. I didn’t realize location was such an issue.”

Rachel snorted. “Everything’s an issue, believe me. What to give as gifts, who gets to stay on the base and who has to transport back and forth from their ship, who gets to attend the ball, where they’re seated. It’s like planning the biggest wedding in history, times a thousand, and none of the relatives get along.”

“Glad I missed it, then,” Ashlyn said, grinning.

“Yeah, ever since the attack and Commander Bashall’s disappearance last year, Dagan’s been here to oversee the rebuild and upgrade security, but Cam’s been running the day to day operations until a new commander is assigned to the base. He’s been crazy busy getting everything ready for the Council’s arrival, or he’d be here right now.”

“Have there been any leads on the commander? He seemed like a great guy the few times I ran into him.”

“Cam gets weekly updates. Unfortunately, no one has heard even a whisper of a rumor. Whoever has him is keeping it quiet.”

“Does the Council know about any of the other women?” Sasha was a miraculous healer. Juliette could throw fire. There were other women who had been transformed and developed unusual powers after mating with an alien. If they survived the process. Or the attacks by Caldor’s enemies.

“Honestly, we’re not sure what they know and what they don’t at this point. Apparently, humans have been a hot commodity on the Blood Market for a long time. Some species are blood drinkers and ours is a rare, illegal treat, especially now that we’ve joined the Intergalactic Trade community and are being protected by Caldor.”

Shivering from a sudden chill, Ashlyn rubbed her arms. “Well, that’s not disturbing at all,” she said, her tone oozing with sarcasm.

“I know, right? There’s a bounty out for any human they can get their hands on, which makes it hard to tell if they want us for our blood or for any newly discovered abilities humans may have.”

Ashlyn knew Dagan and the others were very protective of their mates. Hiding them from evil, power-hungry bad guys seemed like a smart move, either way. And, since Sasha’s forehead sparkled with glowing diamond-like crystals, her transformation into something not completely human, in particular, was impossible to miss. “Ugh. I’m really starting to hate those Council people.”

“Me, too.” Rachel pulled a small box from her pocket and handed it to Ashlyn. “Here.”

“Uh…Okay. What is it?” Ashlyn cautiously opened the lid. Inside were what looked suspiciously like slimy mushrooms. “Gross. Definitely not what I was expecting.”

“Eat one.”

“Looks disgusting. No thanks.” Ashlyn snapped the lid closed and tried to hand it back, but Rachel just shook her head.

“Just eat it. I had one yesterday. They’re not that bad.”

“Then you can have the rest. What are they?”

“It’s some weird mushroom or bacteria or something. We got it from Cappra. There’s a compound in them that affects the brain so you can understand alien languages instead of having to use electronic devices, like the Caldorians have to use. It’s really rare, though, because it’s so hard to grow, so they don’t sell it to offworlders. Cam had to use several back channels to get our hands on it.”

“And you’re giving one to me? Wow. Thanks, Rach.” How cool would it be if she could understand any and every language instantly?

“We have enough for two or three more people, but we’re saving it. For now, it’s you, me, and Sasha.”

Ashlyn grinned and opened the tiny box again. She’d declined getting one of the Caldorian communication devices because while she didn’t mind wearing the earpiece, she didn’t want a microscopic voice descrambler embedded in her voice box. “It’s not going to do anything weird, is it? No unintended side effects?”

Rachel shook her head in the negative. “Cam says I have a sexy accent now, which is one of the ways they can tell the difference between an artificial translator and something natural, like the mushrooms, but nothing besides that.”

“Sexy accent? Bonus.” She’d always been a sucker for a guy with a sexy accent, and whenever she’d traveled abroad, she got a lot of attention when she was considered the one with the accent. A quick peek under her lashes confirmed what she already knew. He was still watching.

Would he think she had a sexy accent? She was from Earth. Maybe to him, she already did. He was absolutely the most perfectly made male specimen she’d ever seen. Would his voice live up to the rest of him? Accent or not, he probably has exotic women lining up at his door. All he’d have to do is crook his finger and they would come running.

Rachel grinned knowingly. “Definitely a bonus.”

Ashlyn took out one of the slimy mushrooms and popped it into her mouth before she could talk herself out of it, swallowing the chunk of disgusting, bitter food as quickly as she could, trying not to gag. “Yuck! I think that’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever eaten.”

“Still worth it.”

“Definitely. So, keep going. I know you. There’s a silver lining somewhere, right?”

“Yes. Luck is on our side. No one from Cappra met Juliette. No one still alive, anyway. I would do this if I could, but I can’t.” Rachel frowned, her mood turning serious as her gaze locked onto her beautiful baby boy.

“No, way. You have a family. Cam would never allow you to be in that kind of danger and neither would I.” Ashlyn’s protective instincts flared to life. She might be a dancer instead of a warrior, and a disorganized flake half the time, but no one messed with her sister. Especially not some asshole, power-hungry aliens. Not happening.

She bit her lip thoughtfully. “So, send someone who can claim the seat for her, make public appearances, and so on. I get it. Don’t you want a law enforcement agent or a woman with military training?”

“Dagan can’t tell anyone in the Earth governments what’s going on here. Or the military. Can you imagine the internal grab for power that would cause on Earth? They’d fight over who to send for the next hundred years and we don’t have that much time. This has to happen now, or the Council seat will revert back to the Ubrions.”

“You have a point there. No military or government.”

“Also, you wouldn’t be a stand-in for Juliette in any way, shape or form. You’d be the real deal, at least temporarily. She doesn’t want to claim the seat. Ever. She doesn’t want it to revert back to the Ubrions, either. They are scumbags. Cutthroats. Murderers. Traffickers. Worse than the most vile drug cartel you could imagine. They were major players in the Blood Market. They had a whole setup going, and if another Ubrion takes over, it won’t be long before they find a way to start it up again. They were using their seat on the Council as a shield. High profile, they could go wherever they wanted to go, whenever they wanted to go, and no one asked any questions. Cam told me that if anyone did ask, or challenged them, they ended up dead.”

“Cutthroat murderers and traffickers? If we’re going to be challenging for their position, are they going to try to kill us, too?” Ashlyn’s heartbeat picked up a notch. Her sister had told her this would be dangerous, hadn’t she? “I’m a dancer. I barely passed High School civics. I hate politics. Are you sure you want me and not someone who knows a little karate? Jiu jitsu?”

“You’re smart, you're brave and you hate bullies. You always do what’s right. Always. It’s like fairness is in your DNA.” Rachel tilted her head and smiled, her eyes shining with love, trust, and complete faith in her older sister. “A lot of other worlds hate the Ubrion family, too, by the way. Dagan told me they’ve held onto power for centuries. This is like a once in a millennium opportunity to get rid of them for good and Caldor will gain a lot of power in the process. No other planet has two seats on the Council. This has never happened before.”

Fuck. “Rach, you’re killing me.”

“All you have to do is say yes and choose one of those hunky warriors in there. Simple.”

Rachel made it all sound so easy, but Ashlyn wasn’t so sure. She looked up at the ceiling, absently taking in the alien writing on the metal-like beams. Aside from the blue stones they used as a light source, it was the most alien looking thing on the base, in her opinion.

Her mind was spinning, racing a hundred miles an hour as she dug through her memories of the one political science class she’d taken. She groaned as the enormity of what they wanted sank in. “Oh, shit! You’re talking about a real live coup d'état . You want me to be at the helm of a freakin coup ?! If they’re as bad as you say they are, then a temporary fake fiancé scheme won’t keep them from doing exactly what they’ve always done. We need a better plan.”

“First, everyone liked your plan.”

Ashlyn frowned in confusion. “My plan? What are you talking about? I never made a plan to stop evil, alien traffickers and steal an alien throne. I would remember that.”

“I know, but remember when you convinced me that we look enough alike that I could pretend to be you in gym class? You wanted to leave early to meet that guy you'd been crushing on, so we switched places.”

Ashlyn cringed at the memory. “We were in high school! The guy turned out to be a jackass, we got caught, and I was grounded for a month. What about that plan makes you think I can pull off a switch like that now?” Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Against super advanced aliens?! Ohmygod”–she ran the words together– “Against alien supervillains ?!”

“This isn’t a movie. There are no flying men with capes, no Ice Giants, and no silver bullets that kill vampires. ”

“Werewolves, Rach.”

“What?” Rachel’s look of confusion was priceless.

“Werewolves. Wolfen. Whatever you want to call them. They’re allergic to silver. Not vampires. Vamps you kill with sunlight or a wooden stake through the heart.”

“You’re right. These are just dirty politicians, which means they’re powerful, devious and nasty on a whole different level. Plus, they have a lot of money and high tech weapons that could do a lot of damage to Earth and every other planet. We can’t let them get that seat. The Council ordered the annihilation of Lumeria, the whole planet. That’s what they do.”

Ashlyn grimaced, covering her stress with humor. “I don’t know. Kinda sounds like we’re talking about vampires. Fucking cannibals. They probably eat children for breakfast and their enemies for dinner.”

Slowly she lowered her hand to gently rub her nephew’s back, unsure of who she was soothing with the motion, the sleepy baby or herself. “They could target Earth next. Or maybe they already have. That’s what you’re saying, isn't it? That’s why you sent the snake code? What happens if we fail?”

Instead of answering, Rachel stared at her. Rachel without an answer was never a good sign. Ooooh. Fuuuuuck.

“Ash, the fake fiancé plan is a good one, and right now the only way to prevent the Ubrions from reclaiming their seat is to transfer it to someone who has enough power and influence to hold onto the position permanently. Someone the Ubrions can’t buy off, manipulate or intimidate.”

“And you think that’s me?” Terror settled deep into her bones. Raw panic. “I have zero qualifications for this. We’re all going to die. The only power and influence I have is in the art world. Performing arts. Here. On Earth,” she said, stressing the last for greater impact.

“Not you, hon. A Caldorian prince, though, has a lot of power and influence. We’re talking about serious influence, Ash, and not just on Caldor. We considered trying to put a human woman permanently in Juliette’s place on the Council without the help of the Caldorians. You could have a human fiancé, for example, but unfortunately, no human, male or female, has enough influence and power at that level to stay in power. You’d be dead in a week. Earth is still taking baby steps. We don’t even have a seat at the Council yet. It’s like we’re on planetary training wheels.”

“Training wheels. Got it.”

“Exactly. The Caldorians really are honorable, though. They know they need us just as much as we need them on this one. So, they suggested a compromise.”

Raising an eyebrow, Ashlyn took a guess. “What, they take the seat then give it back when Earth grows up and takes off its training wheels?”

Rachel snorted. “No. Didn’t think of that one.”

“What, then?”

“They proposed sharing the seat, co-ruling through marriage.”

“A fake marriage forever? Is that even possible with guys like that? I was serious earlier. I don’t think it’s in their genetic code to fake anything, at least not long term.”

“You’re right, which is why they proposed a real marriage forever. They are honorable. Your mate wouldn’t touch you until, or unless, you wanted him to.”

“Uh, sorry. I am not interested in an alien mate. Not after you and Sasha almost died. And you know I hate politics. I would suck at it.”

“Well, the option is there, if you change your mind. You could retain the Council seat, with more power than any president or king on Earth, and have a royal, alien for a husband.. ”

“I won’t.” She couldn’t keep a steady job. No way could she pull off something that permanent, plus falling in love with those aliens had nearly killed enough women already. Ashlyn did not want to be next on that short list.

Against her better judgment, she risked another peak at the lineup. God, he practically oozes with alpha male vibes and sex. Maybe, if it was just temporary, we could…NO! She lectured herself. You’ve been around enough Caldorians to know they play for keeps. Don’t tempt fate, even if h e’s your hottest, most erotic, fantasy-man-come-to-life.

Dabbing away a tear before it could fall, Ashlyn took a deep calming breath. Forget permanent. Forget about the future. She needed to focus on the now. She wasn’t sure she could pretend to be madly in love with any stranger while lying to some of the most powerful aliens in the known universe. Knowing whoever she chose would get a huge power boost made the selection even more difficult. What if he started a war or something? That would be on her.

“You’ve gone quiet. That makes me nervous. What are you thinking?”

“Well, fake fiancé makes a lot more sense now, but still, I would be so far out of my depth, I wouldn’t know if I’d offended someone or…or..,” she paused, her shoulders bunched up around her ears, “I don’t know, offered to do the dirty with them. And why the sudden rush?”

Rachel snickered. “Last time I checked, you liked the dirty.”

“Not. Funny.”

“You’re right,” she said, sobering, “but that wasn’t a ‘no’, which is practically a ‘yes’. Don’t worry. It only seems rushed to you because the woman who was training to do it was in a training accident yesterday. Doctors are keeping her in a medically induced coma for two weeks.”

“What? An accident? Another girl was going to do this? That doesn’t make me feel better,” Ashlyn gasped. “In fact, I feel worse. What happened to her? A coma?!”

Rachel clasped her hands tightly together, then held out her arms for her son, her bright smile not fooling Ashlyn for a second.

Reluctantly, she handed her nephew back to her sister, who fussed over him for a moment, then handed him to an elderly woman with a kind face. Must be the new nanny. When did she get here? Must have been while I was busy checking out Mr. Bad Boy in there.

Ashlyn crossed her arms, waiting for Rachel to explain.

“Okay. Okay. I was getting to that part. Stop looking at me like that.”

Ashlyn started tapping her foot. “Coma-girl. Now.”

“You won’t understand if I don’t explain first. You’ll just blow a gasket.”

“Try Me.”

“Fine. No one on Cappra knows anything about who C’bor married, right? All they know is that a human woman married him, accepted his chains of obedience, and...”

“Whoa! Stop right there. You did not just say she accepted chains of obedience.”

“See? I told you. A gasket.”

Nostrils flared angrily, Ashlyn counted to ten. Calm. Stay calm. “Continue.”

“It’s not what you think. C’Bor tricked Juliette into accepting them. He didn’t tell her what they were. They look like delicate little ankle bracelets, and he said they were just a token of his affection, a wedding gift. She figured it was their equivalent of an engagement ring. She had no idea they connect to the central nervous system and force the wearer to literally obey every single command, whether they want to or not.”

Rachel shuddered. The outrage Ashlyn saw in her sister’s eyes matched her own feelings on the matter perfectly. “That’s barbaric. They should be outlawed.”

“They are, on most planets, and hard to come by because of it. C’Bor’s family knew he had them, though, which is one reason they’re a key part of the deception. They won’t recognize you, but they’ll recognize C’Bor’s chains. Our spies have told us all the Ubrion wives wear them, even though most Capprans don’t. They were originally designed to be programmable sex toys. They were outlawed when people started weaponizing them.”

“You mean when they found a way to turn people into slaves.” Ashlyn clenched her fists. She wanted to punch the Ubrions so badly, she was shaking. “So, these chain things are alien technology that somehow links to the brain? Is that what happened? This other girl put those obedience things on, and now she’s in a coma?”

Rachel put both palms up, trying to reassure her. “It was a glitch. It’s been fixed. They’ve been disabled, damaged beyond repair. I promise. I’ve been wearing them all day just to make sure.”

Ashlyn shook her head vehemently and took a step back. “I’ll pick one of those princes, I’ll pretend we’re engaged, but no way am I going to put anything called ‘chains of obedience’ on my body. Nope. Not happening. And they glitched? Hell, no.”

“Don’t freak out. Names and labels have only the power you give them. Naming a man a murderer does not make him one. A rose by any other..”

“Ugh. Stop. You sound like Mom when she quotes Shakespeare . Have you been practicing that speech?”

“Absolutely. You’re stubborn as hell.” Rachel reached into her pocket and drew out two small, delicate ankle bracelets, twirled them around, and waggled her eyebrows up and down like Groucho Marx , the silent film comedian from the 1920’s. “So how about it? Ready to kick some alien ass? Take their Council seat and squash them like the evil bugs they are? Deny them their power grab? Make sure the good guys win for once? All with the help of one of those gorgeous princes in the other room?”

Ashlyn gave the smallest of smiles as her heart rate slowly returned to normal. Rachel had a way of making everything seem like it would be all right, even when it wasn’t. For once, she wasn’t sure if she should be grateful. “You play dirty, sister. You know how much I hate bullies.”

“Exactly. The Ubrion family is the worst kind of bullies in existence,” she said, holding out the delicate ankle bracelets for Ashlyn to take. “See? Harmless. If you’re wearing them when you greet the Councilors, they might assume you are C’bor’s widow, too. It certainly can’t hurt. Possession of C’Bor’s chains is weak, but it’s all we’ve got. On the bright side, the Ubrions have zero evidence proving you’re not her. Plus, every single one of those Caldorian princes in there brought a significant military presence on top of their Lumerian Knights. One of those badass motherfuckers could take down a small army all on their own. They’re not messing around. They know how dangerous the Ubrions are. Whoever you choose will keep you safe.”

“You’re serious about this? About me?” Ashlyn cursed the wobble in her voice, betraying her vulnerability.

“I’m sorry, I truly am. We can’t bring in another stranger. We don’t have time and there’s no one else we trust. There’s so much riding on this. The power of that Council seat could affect entire galaxies. Trillions of lives. Hundreds of trillions. We can’t let the Ubrions have it. The Caldorians will do anything to prevent those assholes from getting it back. They are pure evil, Ash. You have no idea.”

Ashlyn groaned. “Yes, I do. I’m not an idiot. Okay. Alright. You win. Coma–girl had four months to prepare. How many do I get?”

“A few hours. Like I said, we’re out of options and out of time.”

“Shit! Hours?! That's it?! I can't even decide if I like a guy in a few hours, and I’m supposed to convince a bunch of snobby alien politicians that I'm in love with one?!” Bile rose in the back of her throat. She put a hand over her mouth. She was going to puke.

“I'm sorry, Ash. Truly. We tried to postpone the challenge by telling the Council there was a family emergency. They insisted the proceedings must continue as scheduled. Failure to show will be viewed as an automatic forfeiture. In their eyes, this is an internal family squabble. One seat among many,” Rachel explained, finally a bit rattled.

Shit. In through the nose, out through the mouth. 4-7-8. In four, hold for seven, out slowly for eight. Repeat. In. Hold. Out.

Rachel placed her hands on Ashlyn’s shoulders. “I told everyone not to worry. I know you can handle it. You always step up. You’re perfect for the job.”

Ashlyn’s brow creased with worry. “No. The other girl was perfect, which is why you chose her. I’m going to be a replacement for the replacement. She needs to be here. Can’t you wave a ReGen wand over her or something?”

“ReGen wand?” Rachel snorted. “Been reading Grace Goodwin novels again, have we?”

“Hey, the science is good. I bet they exist. Somewhere.” Ashlyn's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “And don’t act like you haven’t read every single one of her books. Twice.”

“Guilty. But Earth hasn’t traded for anything like a ReGen wand yet, and besides, the Caldorians don’t need them. They have maju stones, remember? The stuff they make from it will heal just about any wound they have.”

“I know. I know. The Caldorian cure-all. How could I forget?” She made a face at her sister. She didn’t care how immature it was. “I’m holding out for a ReGen wand.”

“Fine. Whatever.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “I’ll have them get right on it. In the meantime, we still need you. We can use their own laws against them. You couldn’t kill a fly, but all the warriors on the other side of that wall are lethal, royal or not. They would protect you with their lives. So, pick one of those hotties in there and we’ll be in business,” she said, grinning.

Embarrassed, Ashlyn hissed under her breath, “I doubt Caldorian royals would appreciate being referred to as ‘hotties’, no matter how drool worthy they are. Where’s your sensitivity, Rachel? Aren’t you the wife, excuse me, ‘bound mate’, of an Ambassador now?”

“Oh, I don’t think they mind,” she whispered back conspiratorially.

Rachel’s tone was far too smug for Ashlyn to ignore. She looked at her sister, then followed her gaze to the subjects in question. All five warriors smiled like they had just won the jackpot. Somehow, they’d overheard. Well, damn. Super hearing? Advanced tech? How had she forgotten they had both?

One by one they gave her the slightest of bows, a clear acknowledgement they had heard her. Heard everything. All but one warrior. He stared unrepentantly. His molten eyes dared her to look away. Her toes curled. Oh, yeah, he’s the bad boy, all right.

“Okay then.” She turned back toward Rachel and tucked the same strand of hair, the one that never wanted to cooperate or stay where she put it, back into place and put one hand on her hip. She could brazen it out with the best of them. “How long would one of those ‘hotties’ and I have to pretend we’re planning our very own happily ever after?”

“You have the right to walk away at any time, for any reason. As for the length of the challenge, according to Cappran law, they can give you three challenges, or tests. In total, it cannot last beyond a quarter cycle. That is about two months here. We don’t think they’ll want to drag it out that long. The Council won’t stand for it. As soon as the final test is over, if you are successful, you will be declared the new, legitimate holder of the Council seat. Any time after that we can, if you still don’t want to stay on Cappra and co-rule, stage a tragic accident for you and you will be able to disappear, return to your normal life on Earth. No matter how suspicious the death appears, there’s nothing they’ll be able to do about it. The law is the law. Whoever you choose today will then remain as the legitimate Council member of Cappra.”

Ashlyn took a deep breath, suddenly dizzy and slightly nauseated. “I don’t know who to choose. Can Dagan do it?”

“Nope. You have to choose. It’s part of the agreement they worked out amongst themselves. Caldorian politics. If Dagan chooses, it will cause problems for him back home. Whichever prince claims the seat will have power on Caldor, and throughout the rest of the Intergalactic community, unrivaled by any but the actual Council member for Caldor. Seats rarely change hands. They’re handed down from generation to generation like a throne. This is an unprecedented opportunity for Caldor. Dagan told me interplanetary wars have been fought over a single seat. All but one of the princes volunteered.

“Which one?”

Rachel pointed to the prince in question.

Of course it’s him. Ashlyn refused to be disappointed, even a little. None of this was real. Claiming her wouldn’t be real. This was all going to be fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. Why did she have to keep reminding herself of that fact? “Why is he here if he didn’t volunteer?”

“The original candidate from the Northern Sector was recently killed. Prince Miralos was asked to take his place.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Yes. The situation is really unfortunate, but if Prince Miralos is your choice, he is just as qualified as the others and just as determined to make it work.”

“Right. And if the Council finds out we’re lying? Then what? Are we going to start a war?”

“If you lose, then as C’Bor’s widow, you will have the option of forfeiting and going home or marrying an Ubrion.”

“You really think we can pull this off? That I can pull this off?”

“Yes, you can. You have to.”

Ashlyn took the ‘chains of obedience’ from her sister’s outstretched hand and stared at them. So many things could go wrong. So. Many. Things.

Ankle bracelets in hand, the delicate silver links sparkling in the low light, she looked toward the glass wall. Toward him .

Mister tall, dark, and handsome was stalking his way directly toward her. Large. Agile. She shivered. Her mind froze but her body knew exactly what was happening. A large predator had locked on to her position and was silently closing in.

Her fight or flight instinct kicked in, forcing her to choose. By sheer dint of will she held her ground. The man. No, the alien coming toward her was huge and intimidating. Anyone not afraid to be caught in his crosshairs was a fool. She lifted her chin a notch and met his gaze unflinchingly as he came to a halt in front of the glass directly across from her. He didn’t need to know her heart had lost a beat. Or that her clit found it.

His eyes sizzled with heat. Tension. He didn’t speak, didn’t move.

Like a hunter ready to pounce.

Oh god. I think he knows.