Ascension Saga, Book 8: Interstellar Brides®: Ascension Saga

by Goodwin, Grace

  My eyes widened. “What? No!” I’d never been asked that before, never considered it, but my response was immediate. I wanted to stay on Alera. I knew that. Going back to Earth now would be like… well, I didn’t know what it would be like. But my sisters were staying here with their mates. My mom would be here. Hopefully my dad could come live at the palace. “There’s nothing on Earth for me. I don’t want to go back.”

  “So, you’ll continue to sneak into dangerous places you have no business being and risk your life?”

  I took objection to that. Faith had snuck into the Jax mansion and pretended to be a maid. She was just as snoopy as I was. “I’ll have you know everything that’s happened wasn’t my fault.”

  “I know that, mate. But that doesn’t answer my question.”

  I pursed my lips. Duh. Of course I was going to get into trouble. That’s what I did.

  “How do you plan to defend yourself, Princess? An army of one out there alone wandering the planet? No guards?”

  “No babysitters, you mean.” His hips were nestled between my legs, his cock so close to my core all I had to do was lift my hips and he’d slide right in. But he was heavy, and if he didn’t cooperate, I’d look like an even bigger fool than I did now. Didn’t stop my pussy from clenching like a grasping, greedy little animal. Still, I wanted to try. Angry sex was good. Arguing and fucking was good. Possibly great. Nix made me crazy. I made him crazy, that was obvious. That’s all there was to it.

  “The queen’s guard is dedicated to your safety. As am I. We do not watch over infants, although your stubborn pride is making you sound like a child. You have responsibilities to the people of Alera, and to me.”

  Now that just made me mad. How dare he lecture me? I pushed against his chest, tried to get him off of me. Tried. “Nix, I’ll have you know—”

  There was a knock on the door. The first sound from outside of this room in two days. “Princess Destiny. Nix,” a man shouted.

  Nix closed his eyes for a moment. “Not now. Fuck,” he growled. Pissed we’d been interrupted. He wanted whatever this was between us worked out. I was all for delaying because I had no answers.

  “Who is it?” I asked Nix, who obviously had recognized the owner of the voice.

  “Captain Turaya. Leo’s father.” Nix leaned back, away from me, and instantly I shivered with cold. “We can’t ignore him. He is my commanding officer, and he knows you are in your Ardor. He would not interrupt us if it was not urgent.”

  Nix pushed off the bed and grabbed my hand, tugged me so I was standing before him.

  “Duty calls, Princess,” he replied, all lust or even playfulness gone from his voice.

  He walked over to a couch where I’d tossed a robe… yesterday? I contentedly watched the taut play of his ass muscles as he walked away, then took in the sight of his cock as he turned about and returned to me.

  “Here, put this on,” he told me. “No one needs to see you as I do.”

  I would have protested the order, but I was not interested in Leo’s dad seeing me naked. And the gesture was kinda sweet. And I was kinda cold.

  He went to the door, clearly unconcerned for his own modesty. He arched a brow as he looked back at me, hand on the knob as he waited.

  I tugged on the silky robe, tied the sash. Only then did he open the door.

  The older soldier in the doorway kept his gaze affixed to Nix’s. He didn’t react to Nix’s nakedness, although it appeared he was too professional to gawk. But then, he was a soldier. He’d probably seen more naked men than I could if I took a new man to bed every night for the rest of my life.

  Not that I wanted to do that. The only man I was currently interested in having in my bed was a chest-pounding, overly protective Aleran. And I had no idea how we were going to come to terms. Or if we would.

  Captain Turaya bowed slightly to me, looking over Nix’s shoulder. “Princess Destiny, Captain Nix. Princess Trinity requests your immediate presence in the main salon.”

  I pushed at Nix, trying to get to the door, but he blocked me in a stop short motion of his arm, so I ducked under. “Why?”

  Nix’s hands settled on my shoulders.

  “You have received another notice from Elder Cleric Amandine. The meeting location has moved. And the names of several attendees have been included in the missive.”

  “She knows who the traitors are?” I asked, excitement pounding through my body like electricity. Finally, I could go kick someone’s ass.

  He shook his head. “Only Princess Trinity has read the note. She awaits your arrival.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Nix’s hand lowered to rest at the base of my spine, and I wasn’t sure if it was meant to offer support or remind me that I wasn’t allowed to leave him behind again.

  The first would be fantastic, but I was pretty sure it was the second.

  “We will be there as soon as possible,” Nix told him.

  Captain Turaya nodded and turned to leave. Nix closed the door and went to the S-Gen machine on the wall.

  “Nix,” I said, not sure what to say. He wanted to control my life. I loved the sex, but I didn’t want forever with a man who would try to keep me in a bubble. I needed to be able to fight. To protect my sisters. To do… something.

  Being a pampered princess mated to a guard who protected them—and me—wasn’t the same thing at all.

  “Go, Destiny.” He cocked his head toward the bathroom. “Take a shower.”

  “What about you?” I asked. We were both a hot mess. His seed slipped from me and down my thighs even now.

  “I will wait until you are done. If I join you, we will keep your sister waiting.” The growl in his voice made my body burn, and so did the way his cock was aimed straight for me, but he was right. Duty called. We had to save the world.

  Then we could figure out what the hell we would do about… us.

  2

  Nix

  My stubborn, beautiful mate sat beside me, her body inches from mine. And covered, head to toe, in Aleran armor. Guard’s armor. Complete with a weapon at her side and a dagger on her opposite hip.

  The sight made me both angry that she would defy me and continue to risk her life, and proud that this beautiful female was mine. Every stubborn inch of her.

  Swirling inside me was the need to dominate and control, but mostly to protect. Which she refused to allow me to do. Oh, she surrendered to me beautifully in the bedroom, with my cock buried deep, my body feeding hers heat and strength and energy. The drain was orgasmic for me, knowing I was the one sustaining her, that it was my essence soaking into her very cells, my seed filling her pussy. But the moment we were out of bed, she defied me at every turn. Argued with me. Refused to back away from the search for her mother. Refused to admit she was mine.

  Infuriating.

  Aggravating.

  So fucking frustrating.

  And it made me want to drag her back to bed, tie her down, and fuck her until she came to her senses.

  But she was a fucking princess, so I couldn’t do that either. Unless she begged.

  “Stop scowling. You’ll scare my sisters.” Destiny’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she wrapped her hand around mine where it rested on my thigh. Instantly the flow of energy connected us, my body heat rising to meet the demands of hers. And for someone so small, her Ardor was incredibly strong. A lesser male would have collapsed by now. A lesser female would have had her Ardor soothed. But no, even subconsciously, she was so stubborn. Her mind, her body. And her heart.

  “They should be frightened,” I replied, my voice tipped low so only she would hear. “As should you.”

  She laughed, the sound carefree and happy. The look on her face was one I’d not seen the last two days. Content. At peace. At least for the moment. And I took some small pride in knowing I was the cause. For two solid days, I had cared for her, soothed her Ardor, given her what she needed. She was mine. There was no question. No doubt. It was so fucking obvious that someone should have made a
large sign. But why couldn’t she see it? Feel it? Why did she still fight my claim? Deny me? Resist?

  She even refused to eat what I ordered for her, nutritious, healthy Aleran foods, insisting on using the S-Gen machine to order things that were made on Earth. Ice cream. Chocolate cake. They were delicious, especially when licked off her creamy skin, but not meant to sustain an Ardor.

  “Glad to see you are feeling better, twin.”

  Faith reached across the table and Destiny took her hand, squeezing it. They shared a look I couldn’t begin to fathom and broke the connection, staring at Trinity as if nothing had passed between them.

  Princess Trinity seemed distracted, staring off into the distance, a piece of paper in one hand as she tapped the top of the table with it. The table itself was round, and large enough to hold ten. The seats were solid wood and plain, except for hers. The reigning ruler’s chair had a tall back and arms, a throne of sorts. A reminder to anyone who sat at this table exactly who the ruler was.

  As if a reminder was needed. Trinity carried herself like a queen already.

  I sat to Destiny’s right, Leo on her other side. Trinity was next to him. Then Thor and Faith, so that each princess sat next to her mate. Captain Turaya sat on my right, across from his son, the look on his face much more grave than the look on mine could have been. The table had three empty chairs, but it didn’t seem as if Trinity was awaiting more people, but just thinking.

  “Trin? Can I see the message now?” Destiny leaned forward and put out her free hand. Trust my mate to be the one to get the meeting going. In my mind, starting it meant it would end sooner. We could either go hunt down the mastermind behind all this mess or I could get Destiny beneath me once again. Either option worked.

  Trinity handed her the envelope and Destiny released her hold on me to open it and take out the folded message it contained. The envelope was no longer sealed, and I had no doubt Trinity and Leo had already read the handwritten note.

  Destiny scanned it, and I read it over her shoulder, but I was not sure what the message referenced. It was short. Two lines.

  I had a damn good idea, based on what we’d overheard in Elder Amandine’s office, but I’d wait this one out, hear what everyone else had to say, then make my move. Destiny was not going to risk her life again. I’d do whatever was necessary to see to that.

  “Well? What does it mean?” Trinity asked. Everyone looked at my mate in silence, waiting. While I’d overheard Elder Amandine speaking with Crayden when we’d been hiding in the dark corner of her office, that was the only time I’d been near her. Destiny was the only one who might know what the elder was trying to communicate.

  “She said the meeting is at midnight tomorrow, and she gave me an address,” she said.

  “What meeting?” Faith asked.

  Destiny looked at her twin, her voice deep and stern, a voice I didn’t recognize. “Amandine told me that she suspected the traitors who planned the attack and tried to kill Mom were gathering in town for a meeting. This meeting.”

  My mate tossed the note on the table and Captain Turaya leaned forward to pick it up, scanning the address. “This is less than a block from the Optimus unit’s prison blocks.”

  “Is that where Cell Level C is?” Destiny asked. She was in full warrior mode, and I found it fascinating, and erotic. The stronger she was, the more I wanted to dominate her. Fuck her. Hear the sound of sweet surrender on her lips. Goddess, she was magnificent. And mine.

  “Yes. It is,” the captain confirmed.

  “Less than forty-eight hours. That doesn’t give us much time to plan,” Leo said.

  “No, it doesn’t.” Destiny frowned. “Trinity, did Amandine contact you about setting a meeting with some clerics coming in from out of town? She called them the Triad.”

  “Yes.” Trinity leaned into Leo and he draped his arm around her like it was the most natural thing in the world. She could be reigning ruler of an entire planet and still seek the reassurance and comfort of her mate. Envy. That was this acid-like feeling pouring through my body. “What about it?”

  “When is the meeting scheduled?”

  “Tomorrow. Midday.” Trinity frowned. “Why?”

  “They’re going to try to kill you.” Destiny’s voice was monotone, not a hint of worry or excitement in the words.

  “That’s not funny, Des.” Faith shifted in her seat, placed both of her hands on the table, palms down. Her spine was straight, her gaze direct on my mate. “Not even a little bit.”

  “It’s not a joke,” Destiny countered. When her sister would have spoken, Destiny held up her hand. “When I was arrested, after Crayden’s murder—”

  Captain Turaya interrupted and everyone turned to look at him. “Cleric Crayden is dead? Why was I not informed?”

  I hadn’t realized it wasn’t common knowledge. I had thought during the two days of… alone time with Nix, Trinity would have updated the others. Obviously not.

  Trinity asked, “Did you know him?”

  Captain Turaya nodded. “Yes. Very well. He was one of my best informants and a skilled soldier.”

  “Soldier? He wore a cleric’s uniform.”

  “And you wear a queen’s guard uniform and yet you are not one.”

  The captain’s words made Destiny blush fiercely, a dark pink that matched well with the purplish color of her hair that was becoming more pronounced by the day.

  Princess Faith’s hand went to her mouth as if she were trying to stifle a smile. “Ouch,” she whispered, but everyone at the table heard. “That had to burn.”

  I had to assume it was an Earth slang term, for Destiny didn’t look overheated.

  He held up his hand. “I meant no disrespect, Princess, only that you are so much more. Crayden was a cleric, but he was also a skilled fighter against the Hive and, as I said, an informant. He kept the lines of communication open between myself and Elder Cleric Amandine. She is not a traitor. I trust her with my life.”

  “But would you trust her with mine?” Trinity asked.

  Captain Turaya didn’t hesitate. “Yes. On my honor, she is not a traitor. I have known her since I was a boy. She was one of my mother’s best friends. She would never betray the queen.”

  Destiny pursed her lips and gave the older man a slight nod. Moving on, she said, “Back to Crayden.” Her fingers tapped on the table. “Not just a soldier. He was an assassin, wasn’t he?”

  The captain looked at her, his brows raised in surprise. “Yes. How did you know?”

  My mate glanced at me, then away, quickly, as if she didn’t want me to notice that she’d paid me any attention. “I can spot a trained killer, that’s all.”

  So was that what she thought of me? That all I did was kill? She was not wrong. I had served the Coalition Fleet, Prime Nial and his father before him, for many years as an assassin in the Fleet’s Shadow Unit. But I was not a cold-blooded killer. I killed to protect what was mine. My planet. My people. Innocent children and those too weak to fight the Hive themselves. I killed, but I would never apologize for the things I had done. They may have stained my soul black, but the fact that the sun shone on Alera and children ran the streets was my solace. The Hive had not conquered us. Never would. Not while I was breathing.

  Was that why she would not acknowledge my claim as her mate? Did she sense the truth of my past?

  Could she not see past the blood on my hands? Hive blood. Prillon blood. I’d killed every race for a hundred different reasons. But I’d done it all to protect my people, for the Coalition Fleet, to win the war. For her. For the promise of her.

  I killed, but I wasn’t a monster.

  Yet, how could she see me as a worthy mate? The first time she’d ever seen me, I had burst through a penthouse window pretending to be an assassin. She’d believed I was there to kill her.

  Fuck. Would she never completely trust me? Had I ruined my future with her?

  Enough. I tore my gaze from my female and focused on the conversation, not sure how
much the Captain had been told. “Crayden was Elder Amandine’s most trusted guard,” I said. “Just a few hours before he was murdered, she gave him orders to investigate a prisoner held by the Optimus Unit. Apparently, there is a very secret, unauthorized prisoner being held on Optimus Cell Level C. She was not happy about it.”

  “That was where Wyse wanted to take you,” Thor said to Faith. “This Optimus Cell Level C. Is it possible the queen was there then?”

  Destiny shook her head. “I heard of a special prisoner arriving there well after that. Days after you made your formal announcement as princess to the planet.”

  Captain Turaya glanced across the table at his son, then back at me. “So, Elder Amandine ordered Crayden to investigate, and he was dead within a matter of hours.”

  I nodded. “It appears that way. Yes.”

  “And I was the one to discover the body, so I was questioned for it,” Destiny added. She shivered as she stared off, probably remembering what the poor male had looked like. I knew, by all the blood that had been on Destiny afterward, and what she’d told me, that he’d had his throat slit brutally.

  “Which is how you were talking to Elder Amandine, right?” Trinity asked.

  “You spoke with her?” the captain asked. Clearly, he knew the kind elder as well.

  “Yes. I found Crayden’s body, was standing over him, covered in his blood when the other guards found me. They took me directly to her. Not because I wanted to talk with her, the other way around in fact.”

  “And?” Faith asked, waving her hands in the air in a motion for Destiny to talk faster.

  “We talked. But not before I found a transmitter hidden on her desk.”

  “Someone bugged her office?” Trinity asked.

  “Exactly. I have no idea how long it had been in place, but they… the bad guys, would have known anything and everything Elder Amandine discussed, including the conversation she’d had with Crayden. His orders to investigate and search.”

  Again, my mate’s glance slid to me, and I realized she was thinking about us, talking, fucking all the while the transmitter had been there. In that room. I’d called out her name. Told her mine. Told her to return to the palace. They… whoever the fuck they were, knew Destiny was a princess, knew she was in hiding and snooping at the fortress. Fuck! I’d placed her in danger without knowing it.