Free Prime Imperative (The Prime Chronicles Book 3) by Monette Michaels

himself. He’d always been called the calm Caradoc brother.
    Not today.
    “…V’niko,” the camera panned to a tall Volusian with his broad back to her, guarding her, “and his friend A’nan assisted me in getting away from Jotak. My call to the Alliance Command…”
    Iolyn leaned forward. The tension in her voice had escalated.
    “…brought two imposters masquerading as Alliance guards.”
    Iolyn fumed and made a vow to seek out the two apayebote and break their fucking necks.
    “…V’niko helped me escape again.”
    He owed A’tem’s cousin a great debt.
    Brianna took a deep breath which hitched with what might’ve been a sob. Yet, she shed no tears. His mate was mentally and emotionally strong, but physically she was no match for mercenaries and stalking Dornians.
    “…I only trust you, Lia—and your shipmates. Come get me.” Brianna paused and the camera panned down her torso where she lowered her waistband and revealed her marking. He covered his mark in response. “I have a favor. I asked the Alliance Command to request the Prime to find my mate. If there’s a traitor, as I suspect, then my request might not have gotten to the proper authorities. I worry that my gemat might also be in danger. I beg you, please ask Wulf Caradoc to contact his father and find my gemat …”
    Her initial request had found its way to the proper person, thank the One. After that, who knew where the information had leaked? That, while dealing with her own safety and fears, she’d reached out to Lia to seek protection for him spoke to her generous nature. He was so blessed.
    His gaze devoured the image of her faded marking and followed her finger as she traced the design. He could imagine the ecstasy he’d feel, then share with her, as she traced his marking as they made love. Any lingering doubts he might’ve buried deep inside about a misidentification of her mark were put to rest by the visual evidence. The mark was an identical match to his.
    His soul sang. She was his, and he, hers.
    “…tell my gemat I can’t wait to meet him.” Her full, lush lips twisted into a slight grin. “I bet he’ll be as shocked as I was about all this.”
    Then Brianna’s lips turned downward, and her voice filled with what he read as disgust. “Jotak wanted to force me to breed with him. He won’t stop pursuing me. Dornians are persistent to the point of compulsion.”
    The Dornian was a dead man. Iolyn would see to the deed personally.
    “…the fake escort.” Brianna shrugged. “I assume they were ordered to kidnap me, then maybe kill me for whatever crazy reasons their employer might have. My enemies won’t get their wish. Once you find him, tell my gemat not to worry. I promise I’ll stay safe until we can be together.”
    She’d better remain safe. If she were hurt or taken by the bak M’tali, Iolyn’s rage would be unlike anything the galaxy had seen in a millennia. To forestall another Galactic war, he needed to get to her as quickly as possible.
    “…go to Jump Station Charybdis. When you arrive, ask for Damon Martin. He’s my eldest brother, and he co-owns the station and operates Hades .” Brianna stopped talking and looked around before gazing intently into the camera. “Got to go. My skin is itching. Trouble’s coming. Hurry, Lia!”
    The screen went black. Then what she’d said sank in.
    “ Hades !” Iolyn roared. “That den of iniquity! She thinks she’ll be safe there? Ansu bhau . She needs a keeper!”
    Hades was infamous across the galaxy. It was a very, very bad place on an equally notorious jump station located in the isolated region on the outer edges of the Milky Way where the Perseus arm merged with the Cygnus-Orion arm. The bar was a dive with live sex acts on stage and private sex rooms. Hades ’ claim to fame was that it featured real sex with real women, not just sex sims or sex androids, though those were also available. The roughest element in the galaxy—pirates, mercenaries,