3013: CHAOS (3013: The Series Book 8)
Page 20
Ryodan and Kylie had gone back to Lomar Palace, ready to reclaim what her cousins had taken from her. Jaden had allowed a contingent of warriors to go with them, since most of the warriors loyal to her father had been killed when Telok had taken power. He had faith they would rebuild over time, but until then, he and Katra would watch over them.
Jaden heard the sound of the door to the solar opening below, and watched as Katra entered through the doorway a few seconds later. Her smile lit up the room, and her glowing eyes shimmered with love as she walked toward him. She had on another red dress of her own creation, and seeing her in his color always filled him with such pride he felt as if his heart would burst. Just the sight of her took his breath away. It amazed him how every day he seemed to love her more than he did the last.
“Good rising, mate.”
“Good rising, my love,” he said in return. As soon as she was close, his hand shot out to grab hers, tumbling her to the bed. “You weren’t in bed when I woke.”
She smiled. “My dragon lord sounds so fierce this rising.”
“I didn’t like waking without you here.”
“I had things to do below.” Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his in a light kiss.
A sound of displeasure rumbled in his chest. “You had things to do here, too.”
She laughed as she pushed at him when he tried to roll her beneath him. “Behave, mate. You have much to do today as well. It is the day of our celebration.”
“I remember,” he said with a sigh. “Doesn’t that mean that everyone else has to do the work, and we can just enjoy ourselves?”
“Wishful thinking, mate.”
“Damn.” He sighed again and flopped down on his back.
“My brothers are back.”
“Already?”
Killian and Ryker had left Tartarus the day after the battle. It seemed a little strange that they would leave so abruptly, but it was even odder that they had returned so soon.
“Aye, they should be arriving any minute. They had something they needed to take care of. Now they are back for a nice, long visit.”
“Hellfire.” He winced when she pinched his side.
“Come. You are needed downstairs.”
He gave her a quizzical look. “You’re hiding something from me.”
“Not hiding. I just do not want to spoil the surprise.”
His expression darkened. “I don’t like surprises.”
Rolling her eyes at him, she said, “You will enjoy this one. Now, come!”
Katra watched as her mate rose from the bed, loving the sight of his nude body. Seeing her mark on him always made her body heat with pleasure, but she couldn’t allow herself to get sidetracked.
Not when they had guests waiting below.
She sighed when he dressed himself using magic, and he grinned, knowing exactly what she was thinking. When their duties were seen to, she planned to lock herself in their bedchamber with Jaden for a full week, so no one could disturb them.
“Just one week?” he murmured as he drew her into his arms.
“Maybe two.”
His mouth settled on hers, and she willingly parted her lips to allow his tongue to stroke against hers. She loved the taste of him…had become addicted to it. Lifting her arms so she could wrap them around his neck, she pulled him closer. The kiss went deeper, hotter, until both of them felt the urge to get rid of their clothes and fall back on the bed.
“Enough of that!” Killian shouted. “Get down here. We have arrived and are waiting.”
“Stay out of my head!” Katra yelled back.
They both heard the sound of Killian’s laughter echoing through the bond.
“Did I really say I missed your brothers?” Jaden groaned.
“Aye, you did, and so did I. I am wondering why, now.”
They left the bedchamber together and walked down toward the great hall. She kept looking at his face, wanting to see his reaction when he saw her surprise. They were still in the hallway outside the hall when he did see it, and she knew that her planning had been worth it.
“Dad!”
Skylar ran down the hallway to them and threw herself into Jaden’s arms. Katra watched as his eyes closed, and he held his daughter close. When Jaden’s glowing black and silver eyes opened and looked at her, the emotion in them had tears stinging her own.
“Thank you, my love.”
“She wanted to come for our celebration.”
“I thought she couldn’t get away from her duties on Earth?”
“She did have duties, but she also wanted you to have time alone to come to terms with your feelings for me. As for her duties, the Alliance is not going to say no to a Dragon Warrior’s request, nor would they coming from the mate of the male they want to form a formal treaty with.”
“Good point.”
Jaden shifted Skylar to one side and held out his other arm for Katra. She moved to him, putting her arm around his waist, then was surprised as Skylar also hugged her. Katra had wanted to be part of this connection Jaden and Skylar had together, to really be part of their family, and now she was. Knowing that made her heart soar.
“Were you surprised?” Skylar asked her father.
“Yes. This is the very best surprise. How did you manage this?”
“Katra and I have been talking by video link,” Skylar explained. “We planned it all, and her brothers came to get us after your fight with Lomar. With the Dragon Warriors on board, the trip took a fraction of what it normally would. Surprise!”
Jaden shot her a look. “I thought we couldn’t keep secrets from one another.”
“I just did not think of it when I was around you, and you have yet to look at all my memories.”
“I will have to do that…soon.”
Skylar’s pale-blue eyes twinkled with merriment as she looked over at Katra. “Speaking of surprises, why don’t we go and see yours.”
Confused, Katra allowed Skylar to pull her and Jaden into the great hall where several people were waiting for them. Katra let out a gasp. She had expected to see Killian and Ryker, but she hadn’t thought she’d find Xavier, Galan, Thorn, Brydan and Alexis standing in her palace. With a cry of delight she raced toward them and was engulfed in strong arms as Xavier picked her up. She was passed around to the other males, then she gently wrapped her arms around Alexis. When she pulled back, Galan put his arm around her shoulder, holding her to him.
“What in the worlds are you doing here?”
Alexis rubbed a hand over her large belly and laughed. “We wanted to surprise you, too.”
“But you are so close to your time!”
“Oh, and I know it. But I realized shortly after you left, that I wanted to go back to Earth to be around my friends and family when I gave birth, but now my family is here.”
Katra wasn’t aware that tears were spilling down her cheeks until Jaden stroked them away with the back of his hand. He gently pulled her out of Galan’s embrace, into his own. “I don’t like seeing you cry. Even happy tears.”
“You might both cry when you find out that we’re planning on a nice long visit here,” Dominic Stryker said with a grin.
When Jaden frowned at him, Katra laughed.
Skylar wrapped her arms around Dom and Arik’s waists and said, “We have a few weeks off, then we’ll fly the Stargazer back to Earth so Jax, Archer and Serra can start traveling.”
“We will return with them so Alexis can spend some more time on Earth, but then we will be back,” Xavier warned.
“And since we do not really have a home base, we can visit…a lot,” Thorn said with a grin.
Jaden groaned, making everyone laugh.
“You are well?” Galan asked Katra through their bond.
She looked up at her brother and smiled. “I am better than well. I am happy.”
“As am I, my love.” Jaden lightly touched her cheek. When she looked up at him, his eyes were bright with all the love she’d always hoped to see f
rom her mate. “I love you, my lady.”
“And I love you, too, mate.”
Katra had finally found the place where she truly belonged…in her own kingdom of dreams, with her dragon lord.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laurie Roma lives in Chicago and mainly writes contemporary, romantic suspense, and sci-fi romance. She has always loved immersing herself in a good book and now enjoys the pleasure of creating her own. She can usually be found tapping away on her keyboard, creating worlds for her characters while she listens to music. Of course her playlist depends on her mood...but then again, so does her writing.
An avid reader of the romance genre, nothing bothers her more than annoying characters. Seriously, who wants a happy ending for someone that pisses you off? She loves tough alpha-male heroes and strong heroines that have brains as well as beauty. Her novels are filled with both passionate romance and down and dirty lust-driven interludes, as she believes both are essential to a good love story. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached at laurieromabooks@gmail.com.
For all titles by Laurie Roma, please visit
www.laurieroma.com
3013: THE SERIES
http://3013theseries.blogspot.com
The 3013 Series
3013: MATED by Laurie Roma
3013: RENEGADE by Susan Hayes
3013: CLAIMED by Laurie Roma
3013: STOWAWAY by Susan Hayes
3013: SALVATION by Laurie Roma
3013: MENDED by Kali Argent
3013: TARGETED by Susan Hayes
3103: CHAOS by Laurie Roma