Space Invaders by Amber Kell Page B

a bare whisper of a sound. “You’re insane.”
    “Maybe, but I can’t lose you. Not now. You’re all the family I have left.” He couldn’t lose his brother right after they’d been reunited. He just couldn’t.
    “You have your mate,” Bleine reminded him, his voice barely above a whisper.
    Vohne nodded. “I know but he’s not blood. I can’t lose you, Bleine. All the others are long gone. We are the last of our line.”
    “You have to have children. I left you a list at the castle.”
    “A list of what?”
    “Of appropriate king bearers. Choose one and get her pregnant. There are several half-Thresls who would do nicely,” Bleine said.
    Vohne laughed, even as he felt tears forming in his eyes. “If I got some girl pregnant, I wouldn’t have to worry about being the last of my line. My mate would fillet me.”
    “I didn’t say touch the girl. There are many other ways. Besides, you will want a child or your mate’s also,” Bleine commented as if he thought it weird Vohne hadn’t thought of that himself.
    Vohne imagined a little girl with Kres’ beautiful eyes and felt his heart melt. Bleine coughed, a deep hacking sound as if he were spitting out his soul. Vohne rushed to his brother’s side and helped him to the floor, just as the doors swung open and a medical team marched inside.
    “I want him frozen. We’ll keep him in storage until we can find him a replacement,” he commanded.
    “Vohne, don’t do this. Let me go,” Bleine insisted. “It’s my time.”
    “No!” He turned his attention to the medic. “Do what I said.”
    “But, Your Highness, if he doesn’t want to be frozen…” the man unwisely protested.
    “I am the king. Do as I say.” He turned back to his brother. “Bleine, don’t fight me on this. I will seek you out a new mate with the help of the advisors. Surely we can find one person to be yours.”
    Bleine stared at him for so long Vohne thought he would have to fight his dying brother. Finally, Bleine nodded.
    “Do it,” he commanded the medics who quickly rushed to comply.
    Vohne stood up, stepping aside as the medical team placed his brother in the metal cylinder. A small clear window allowed him to watch the freezing gas fill the chamber. Bleine’s gaze linked with his until his brother blinked no more, his frozen eyes focusing on nothing.
    “Goodbye, brother,” Vohne whispered. A sense of incredible loss filled him. He hadn’t even made it back to his kingdom and already he had a long to-do list. Oust the people who plotted against him, reunite with his mate, find his brother a mate of his own, and try to avoid Kres’ knife when he discovered Vohne was looking for a surrogate to bear his children.
    It was going to be a busy, busy time.

Chapter Seven
    Vohne all but raced off the shuttle, his eyes scanning the landing area for his mate.
    Ignoring the line of people eager to get a look at their king, Vohne moved through the crowd searching for Kres.
    “I’m right here.”
    Vohne turned around. Pain exploded across his nose. “Ow, you hit me.” He shook his head to get rid of the ringing in his ears.
    “You shoved me into that damned pod, knowing you could die. Don’t you ever do that to me again!” Kres’ eyes glowed with rage.
    Vohne blocked out the pain. Gripping his mate’s handsome face between his hands, he forced Kres to meet his eyes. “I love you too.”
    Not giving Kres a chance to reply, he crushed his mate’s mouth with his lips. Kres’ unique flavour exploded across his tongue. Licking inside, he wallowed in the taste and scent of his man.
    Mine.
    To have his strong mate in his arms again soothed Vohne’s inner beast. Kres’ heart thrummed beneath his touch. “I’m sorry I sent you away, but I’d do it again if your life was threatened.”
    His mate’s eyes narrowed. “I should’ve hit you harder.”
    Vohne laughed. Wrapping his arms tight around his mate, he breathed in the scent of the one person in the universe who