Protector: A Young Adult / New Adult Fantasy Novel

by Joanne Wadsworth

  My father squeezed my arm. “Silvie is angry at me, not you. She has always been there for you, and she loves you like a sister. Remember that. Always.”

  “I know, but they think you took me when it was I who left. Davio wants me back.” And our last words had been in anger. I hated that.

  “Just look at him. We have yet to meet, and he already wishes me dead.”

  I stared into my father’s eyes. “Hey, you did hit me on the head. He’s been a tad upset over that.” I pressed my fingers into the back of my neck, and rubbed. “He’s not going to like finding out who you are. Heck, even I couldn’t have imagined exactly who you’d be.”

  With a deep inhalation, I returned to the live feed. Silvie left the room with Belle, and Davio let loose with a string of blasphemous words as Zac and Viv stood with him. Not good.

  My cheeks flushed with heat, which was made infinitely worse by the subsequent acts of death and destruction he voiced next.

  “Okay, well, I’d say Davio and his protectors aren’t people you ever want to meet.” I fanned my face. “Which means where to from here, Dad?”

  He crossed his arms. “You should return to him, without a doubt.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Very sure, and Donaldo can’t find you on Earth so right here is where you must currently stay. I have to consider what to do about the protectors while ensuring your mother remains safe.” He paused, pushed a hand through his hair. “Davio is still your mate and before we met, you’d already chosen him, a choice I’d never take away from you.” He sighed. “I wasn’t given that option with your mother, and I will not repeat history and take that choice from you, a choice my father took from me. To that end, I’ll return to Dralion and attempt to figure out where our lives are headed from here. It will take time, so be prepared to stay under the radar until I can formulate a plan. I have to consider everyone involved, even though I detest the thought of doing so with the Loverias.” He shook his head resolutely. “I never saw this mated bond coming.”

  “Neither did I.” Although, I agreed with him. Staying here sounded best, particularly when I too wished only to keep my mother safe. “I’m glad you’re not taking my decision to remain mated to him from me.”

  “When I said I would never harm you, I meant it. You must trust in me and believe I will always choose the best future for you. Which means I need to let you go, so you can return to Davio before he raises all hell. He is preparing to leave Earth and gather more protectors, and should he do that, we will all be in far more trouble than our lives are worth.”

  “I’ll go now.”

  He touched my arm. “Yes and a word of warning. I want you to inform Loveria of who I am and what he is now going to be up against. Let him know I will never see my daughter harmed, and if he chooses to make you a pawn between our two nations, I will see to his death just as quickly as he’s stated he’d like to see to mine.”

  I screwed up my forehead, feeling a terrible ache. “Righto, that’ll be a super nice conversation when I get around to it. Thanks for that.”

  “I’m sorry to have put you in such a position.” Alexo touched my brow. “Do not become distressed. Your forethought is gaining in strength and will soon be here in all its fullness. Don’t force it, but when it comes to you, it will be strong.” He inhaled sharply and pulled me into his arms. “Ensure you maintain your awareness and take extreme care.”

  I squeezed him tight in return, the full strength of our blood-bond pulling me toward staying right here with him. “This is strange, but I don’t want to leave you.” The words spilled out, because I truly didn’t. I wanted to learn more about this man who was my father. We hadn’t had enough time together yet.

  “I don’t want you leaving me either.” He hugged me even tighter, tucking my head in under his chin. “The familial connection of the blood-bond is both a burden and a privilege, one I could never deny, not with Donaldo, or to my birthplace of Dralion. Although I am soul-bound to your mother and must ensure her safety comes before all else. I understand you will need your mate more than me, so go to him.”

  I lifted my head. “How can you be so accepting?”

  “Carlisio Loveria is a thorn in Donaldo’s side, while his son, Everio, and grandson, Davio, are no better. I am their enemy, but for your sake, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure this war doesn’t escalate. Certainly the days ahead of us won’t be easy, but we’ll get through them together.” His thoughts flickered with more insight, only he blocked—for the first time. “Now go. I will be in contact again as soon as I am able.”

  Recalling the last image of where Davio had stood in Belle’s living room, I attached the coordinates and made the jump. Although my mate better watch out, for he was about to learn I’d never accept any threat he now made to kill my father, not now I’d met him and spoken to him at length.

  The dark ensued, whizzing by then I was there. I toppled against Davio and sent us both to the floor. I landed with an “oomph” on his chest, then jabbed an elbow into his neck to keep him down. Swiftly, I merged my mind with his and bunked down in my soft spot. “If I were you, I’d stay still. I have something very important to say to you.”

  “Faith?” he tried to grab ahold of me, but I pressed my elbow in firmer as I eased up over him into a crouch.,

  “I said stay still.”

  A low growl rumbled from behind me, and at a guess, coming from Zac.

  Definitely Zac. A blade glinted as he slid it up against my neck. Looming over me, clothed in his black battle leathers and his legs braced wide apart, he muttered, “Viv, take the other side.”

  “I’m here to talk to Davio, not you.”

  The sharp press of Viv’s blade poked into the soft skin of my neck on the other side. Trapped, between two blades.

  Zac snarled. “Davio’s not thinking clearly and you’re holding him forcibly to the ground. That’s not going over very well with me.”

  “Too bad. I happen to like speaking my mind, and I’m not going to stop now.” Carefully, I eyed the man I’d flattened to the ground. “So, I heard you were heading out to cause some chaos. You want to explain?”

  His eyes reduced to bare slits, his gaze focused on my neck, and he answered not me, but his man. “Damn it, Zac. She’s bleeding. Stand back, both you and Viv.”

  “It’s our duty to protect you.”

  A warm trickle of blood dribbled down my throat. Taking a slow breath, I eyed Davio. “The Dralion warrior. The man we both know as my father.” I stopped for this wasn’t easy to say. “I’m sorry, but he’s Prince Alexo Wincrest, the son of King Donaldo.”

  Both blades moved, scraping down an inch. More blood, and Davio’s eyes closed as he took a shuddering breath. “I have her, Zac. Swords down, now. Both of you.”

  He had me?

  Oh, he did. His hands were firm around my wrists and within a split second, he shoved my elbow in his neck to the side and took full control.

  I shook as I slithered from my crouch down fully on top of him. It seemed my life was no longer my own and at every turn, the proof only grew stronger.

  I dropped my forehead to his chest, my heart aching at the loss of the life I’d had until so recently. Then I let the burden go and my tears fell. I let it all out. The path I’d chosen in my life had dropped away under my feet and I was in a maelstrom.

  “Don’t cry. I—” He stopped, twitchy hands sweeping around my back as he rolled me over. He moved to his feet, fluidly lifting me with him. “Faith, no. Don’t you dare cry. Here, sit.” He pushed me onto the padded couch, and hunkered down in front of me. “These wounds are healing. It’s nothing to cry over.” He swiped across the sword nicks and directed a murderous look at Zac and Viv as he did.

  I wiped the back of my hand across my cheeks. “Did you not hear me? My father is not only your enemy, but your greatest enemy. I met with him, and more than that, I struggled to leave him after he told me I must go. The blood-bond is strong. Why did none of you ever tell me s
uch a thing existed?”

  “You were never supposed to bond with your warrior father.”

  Zac snarled. “Exactly.”

  Viv came up beside me. “I’m sorry you were not told, but what we feel toward our family is similar to what we feel for our mated one, only our mate holds our soul. You’ve met Wincrest, which means your allegiance to him will now surely grow.”

  Lifting his sword, Zac allowed it to hover. “That can’t be allowed to happen.”

  Davio pointed a finger at Zac, his gaze fixed. “Right now, your actions do not aid me in anyway.” To me he said, “Don’t speak another word in front of my protectors.”

  I cupped his cheeks, stared into his eyes. “I learnt something else. Wincrest blood battles in my very veins when I’m near you. Everything within me, every cell and tissue is designed to aggressively oppose yours. Surely you already knew of this.”

  He gritted his teeth. “Damn it, yes. But it didn’t cross my mind since we were mated. It’s not like a Wincrest and a Loveria meet very often, and when we do, we aren’t shaking hands and making friendly. Swords and bloodshed are usually involved.”

  I glanced at Zac who stood ramrod stiff, my blood coating Davio’s fingers. “The same thing’s happening now.”

  Davio wiped the blood on his shirt. “Your bloodshed is my bloodshed, and I need you. I won’t be separated from you, ever. It would be a deadly kind of hell—a certain madness if I had to live without you.” He leaned in. “For me, who fathered you has never changed how I felt. It only means I must take more care.”

  “Yes, but how does that happen when Alexo Wincrest is my father?”

  He touched his lips to mine with the softest of kisses. “I will strategize for it.”

  I pushed him back. “Strategize how?”

  A smile, the gold flecks flickering to life in his eyes. “You are the one person I can’t tell, not now your blood-bond with your father has come into effect.” Then he ducked in, and kissed me proper.

  Drat him, but I couldn’t leave him anymore than I had wanted to leave my father. Heaven help me, but I had returned to my mate as Alexo had instructed, and now I needed to give my father some time to figure out our future.

  I nipped Davio’s lips, and broke away. “Alexo told me to come back to you, although he did ask me to stay under the radar. He intends to come up with a plan.”

  At his groan, I eyed him. “Let me finish. Alexo doesn’t wish for Donaldo to know about me, or that I attempt to go near Peacio for fear of Donaldo’s spies within your country spotting me.” I paused, taking a deep breath. “But he did have a very forthright warning for you. You are never to harm me, and you are never to place me as a pawn between our two nations. If you do, he’ll kill you, just as surely as you would kill him.”

  One brow cocked up. “Wincrest believes I’d be open to giving him any length of time to formulate a so-called plan? The man is an idiot. I’m taking you with me to Peacio as soon as I rid it of Dralion’s spies.”

  “Hey, did you not hear me say I’m not to be a pawn?” I gripped his shirt, and shook him. “I know I mentioned the death and destruction part.”

  He mumbled, turned sharply on Zac as he closed in on us, swiftly kicked out his leg and toppled Zac to the floor. “Leave my mate alone. She did not mean my death and destruction. Surely, you can see I’m in no mood for trouble from you. Take Viv and leave.”

  Zac rose, and brushed the back of his pants. “I’m not going anywhere, not when your trouble has just begun.”

  I caught Davio’s hand. “We need privacy.”

  Without asking, I took us both away.

  We arrived a moment later in the bedroom I shared with Silvie.

  “Perfect.” He smiled. “I should have thought of that.”

  Zac and Viv shimmered in.

  “Enough.” Davio opened the door and tugged me down the hallway. “Everyone to bed,” he yelled over his shoulder. “There is nothing more we can do this night. We’ll have to wait until Dralion’s spies have been ferreted out and wholly removed.”

  I tripped into his back and he swung me into his arms and carried me into his bedroom. He shut the door with his hip, crossed the room to his king-sized bed covered in a royal-blue comforter and sat me down on the end.

  Why could I not stay out of trouble?

  “Well, this is nice.” I jiggled about on the mattress, desperate for some normalcy. Perhaps changing the subject from all the doom and gloom that had just gone on might help. I pointed over his shoulder at a pretty piece of framed artwork. “Is that somewhere in Peacio, like the prints in the lounge?” The painting, a bright and beautiful landscape, one of a fast running river nestled among a forest of trees, captured my attention.

  “You’re attempting to distract me, but it won’t work.” He moved to the large bank of windows and pulled the velvet curtains—a shade a mushroom-brown—across. “Although it is late—almost two in the morning.”

  “It’s that late already?” Boy, time had flown with my father. “Then I should go to bed.” I jumped to my feet.

  With a narrowed gaze, he stepped in front of me, all six foot four of him. “Yes, that bed behind you. Where I can watch you.”

  “I know you heard the part about my father being Alexo Wincrest. I don’t think he’ll want me sleeping with you.”

  “As much as I loathe the Wincrests”—taking my arms, he leaned in—“always have and always will, you are not specifically my enemy. You are my mate, and we are going to sleep together.”

  “But—”

  “No buts.” He touched his lips to mine. “I will only concede to the point that Peacio suffers from Dralion’s spies breaching our country’s tight security. I agree that you shouldn’t be permitted to travel to Peacio under those conditions, or as I’ve said, until any spies are fully removed. So, that means our relationship doesn’t change. I want you in my bed. I can no longer deny my feelings toward you. I want you closer to me, right by my side where I can watch over you.”

  “Spies. Other worlds. Blood-bonds.” I flushed, my cheeks heating again. “You want to watch over me—lovely.” And here I’d thought my life was all about final exams in a couple of months.

  “Go and change for bed. You are sleeping under those covers with me until the morning. Which means you have two minutes in order to ready yourself, for any longer and I’ll personally hunt you down.”

  I could see he wasn’t going to give in. “Give me five minutes.”

  “No. You have two, and just so you’re aware, I’m already counting.” He turned and headed toward the attached bathroom off his room.

  “Hey.” I stomped after him. “You can’t make those kinds of demands and walk away. On Earth, those involved in a relationship discuss things. You’re supposed to come up to three minutes, and then I’ll come down to four.” The door clicked shut as he closed himself within. I banged the door. “C’mon, you’re a prince for heaven’s sake. You should know the end deal should have been three and a half.” My blood began to boil. “I’m going back to five.”

  “No,” he called through the solid wood. “I don’t bargain.”

  I thumped the door again for good measure, before flashing to my room where I should have been sleeping with Silvie, although where Silvie had gone, I had no idea. I grabbed my clothing from the twin bed and returned.

  Davio waited in the doorway.

  I stopped, breathing in deeply as I stared at his low slung blue pajama pants.

  That was it? That was all he had on?

  “I’ll need the bathroom,” I squeaked as I tried not to focus on the solid wall of his chest. “Where did Silvie and Belle go?”

  “They’re checking places you might have ’ported to, places where you might seek some time alone. I’ll send a message to tell them you’re back and to return.” He stepped to one side, allowing me to enter.

  I puckered my lips and let them pop. “I can’t believe I’m sleeping in here with you.”

  His brow creased,
his index finger sliding underneath my chin. “I can’t have you several rooms away from me as you were last night. We’ll sleep together, and by sleep, I mean sleep.” He bent his head, kissed the tip of my nose. “This is not the time for us to strengthen our bonds sexually. In fact, that kind of relationship between mates is generally reserved for marriage, even as old-fashioned as that sounds.”

  Well, that was an unexpected answer after he’d just demanded we sleep together.

  I cleared my throat. “Well, in all honesty, I’m relieved.” Because there was the whole glaring issue of my father who had a very long sword instead of a shotgun.

  “So, we’re in agreement? To abstinence?”

  I touched a finger to his chest and tapped it. Oh my, his chest was rock-hard and rippled with muscles. I let out a soft sigh. I liked all that muscle, liked it lots and lots. “Yes. Your idea is solid. We’ll go with that.”

  “Good. Now go and change for bed.” He turned me around by the shoulders, gave me a push in the right direction.

  Showering in thirty seconds flat was a record for me. I dried off fast, hauled my yellow cami top and pajama shorts on. With a quick whizz of my toothbrush over my teeth, I left the bathroom and halted in the doorway to the bedroom.

  Propped up in bed, his back pressed to the headboard, Davio waited for me. He held out a hand and I walked across and scooted in beside him.

  Swiftly, I merged my mind with his, and mumbled, “This is a first.”

  “We’ll adapt. Let me turn off the light.” He flicked the bedside switch and plunged the room into darkness.

  I blinked and adjusted.

  “Down. I’ll need to touch you, maybe hold your hand since we need skin-to-skin contact so your anger doesn’t rise. Is that acceptable?”

  “You’re actually asking instead of just demanding?” I couldn’t help but smile, then shuffled down and settled my head on the pillow. At night, I always wrinkled my cami top up, just enough over my midsection so I could stroke the scar I’d had since birth.