“It’s not venom, my dear. It’s a special enzyme complex that promotes healing and helps the males bond with their mates.” She grinned at me. “To be honest, I’m not exactly sure how it works. I haven’t studied it in detail as you are the first bride I am sending to them.”

“What?”

“Well, technically, they are not part of the Coalition Fleet. However, some members of their legions have helped us, so those males qualify for a bride on a case-by-case basis. And this is a very good match. Very good.”

“What does that mean?”

“Ninety-eight percent compatible. Nearly perfect.”

Perfect? Except I did not like vampires. I’d watched a Dracula movie when I was seven and never moved past it. Even the sparkling vampires that were so popular for a while couldn’t erase that dark terror from my memories. “Helped how?”

She shrugged. “Spying, probably. Smuggling. The legions are, technically, criminal organizations. They are run somewhat like our motorcycle gangs, or maybe like the Mafia here on Earth. I’m not exactly sure. But whatever they do for us, I know the I.C. doesn’t want their activities in the official records.”

“The I.C.?”

“The Intelligence Core. Kind of like your CIA”

God. What had I gotten myself into? “And you’re telling me I’m matched to one of these smuggler spy criminals?” Instead of an Atlan? I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t quite get over the bliss of that bite. I was losing my mind and all good sense. Officially. Gone.

“Yes. You will be sent to Transport Station Zenith, where your mate will meet you and create a cover story for you.”

“Cover story?”

“Outsiders are not allowed on Rogue 5. But don’t worry. I know there are at least two other human women mated to members of the legions.”

“But not brides.”

“Correct. One met her mate at a bar, of all places.” Warden Egara laughed. “A space bar called a canteen. She was a medical officer in the Fleet, and from what I hear, they didn’t even make it to their room.”

Sex in a bar? In space? God. “And the other woman?”

“Oh, she was a fighter. She left the Coalition and infiltrated the legion to avenge her ReCon unit. Her friends were all killed by an overdose of a drug one of the legions sold to her friends.”

What? “Did she get them?”

“Her new mate did. Or rather, his legion. I’m not sure exactly what happened. I only get bits and pieces sometimes. Earth is so very far away, after all.”