So, there was some kind of magical, mystical connection between marked mates, but almost no one on this planet could find their one perfect love.
Sounded like online dating websites. Lots of promises, not a lot of results.
My mark had been there my whole life. I’d thought it a birthmark. Since it was on the side of my breast, no one saw it but me. But soon enough…my mate would surely see it and a whole lot more. Von knew exactly where it was, had kissed it, and the heat that had pulsed through my body at the contact had my nipples hardening, my pussy all but dripping even now. Just as he’d said.
Now that I was here, and now that I’d had two nights of dreams, I was excited. And completely nervous. And horny as hell. Yes, me. The curvy, short, ice princess was horny because a guy had said Wait for me.
“So, now that you know the history of our Hunters and their destined brides…” Treva took a moment to glance at each of us. “Anyone have a tough time sleeping?”
One of the other girl’s mouth fell open, probably thinking Officiate Treva must have ESP. Clearly, the girl hadn’t talked with her roommates about the dreams she’d had. A few others nodded. Two looked completely confused.
Dani, Katie and I shared a quick glance. We all knew the score. We’d all been dreaming.
“Why didn’t the dreams happen before now?” Dani wondered. She seemed to have lots of questions and wasn’t afraid to ask. “If I have a mate, why didn’t I dream share with him two years ago?”
Treva smiled like a teacher pleased with her student. “Good question. The answer is simple. Area of proximity. Dream sharing only occurs when your marks are within a certain distance of each other. Earth is seven light years away. That’s too great a distance for the connection to be made. So when you arrived here, you entered the area of proximity to your mate and the dreams began. It sounds a little farfetched, but your mark woke up after you arrived if your mate was close enough.”
“I didn’t dream share,” a petite blonde woman said, worry creasing her brow. The girl beside her also nodded.
Officiate Treva held up her hand. “That is normal, dear. As I said, a marked mating is extremely rare. You may choose any male here, or you can choose to wait. You are welcome to live here, cared for and protected at the Touchstone, for as long as you like. Perhaps your mate is not nearby. Perhaps he is on a battleship fighting the Hive, or on the other side of the world.”
“Great. Now I’ll never find him.” The girl looked upset, and I didn’t blame her. Knowing I’d already shared my dreams with Von took away my fear in that regard.
Treva walked to the girl and placed her hand on the young bride’s shoulder. “The bi-monthly Touchstone events are well known on Everis, especially now since the discovery and arrival of marked female descendants from Earth. For those males who have yet to find their mate on Everis, you give them hope. They will come, I promise you. And if you do not have a marked mate, there are any number of Hunters here who would do anything to make you happy. You can have a very successful mating, even if the man you choose is not your marked mate.”
“What if I don’t like my mate?” Katie was the Debbie Downer of the three of us, but I was glad she asked the question. While I seemed to find my mate very pleasing in the dreams we shared and I was eager to meet him in real life, that didn’t mean I’d really like him enough to keep him forever. An orgasm was one thing. Forever was another. What if he was a jerk? Bossy? Arrogant? Cruel?
“There is a connection between an Everian male and female. Don’t forget, while you were born and raised as a human, your mark proves that you are also part Everian. The bond is strongest between Everians. If you do not like your mate, or do not find him, then you may choose any Everian male you wish. Per Interstellar Brides processing protocols, you were matched to the planet, not a specific mate. The choice is yours, ladies. Always.”
“But the mark does that. Match us to our true mate,” Dani countered.
“Correct. Your marked mate is the strongest match. It does not mean it is the only one for you. That is why you have thirty days to accept or reject a Hunter’s claim. We follow Coalition law. You will be claimed. Once a Hunter has stated his intention, he has thirty days to win your consent. If you accept his claim, he will be your mate for life. If you do not, you will remain here, at the Touchstone, and go through the claiming process again.”
It wasn’t exactly speed dating, but it wasn’t forever either. A month. And I could say no. That eased some of the tension from my jaw and shoulders and I relaxed. Thirty days. I could do thirty days.