“Then we can assume your birth mother saved you and brought you to Enotia,” a deep voice from the far end of the table said.
Khane from Team Three ignored the stares and braced his forearms on the table as he leaned forward and focused on Torkel. The black sleeves of his uniform were pushed up baring a thick gold band with intricate designs on each wrist. No one in the Unit knew what the bands stood for.
Torkel’s lips twisted in disgust. “Birth mother?”
Jaron laughed. “Everyone has one.”
Torkel’s communicator beeped before he could reply to the tease. He pressed his finger to his ear to listen. “One moment.” His gaze lifted to the Team One lead. “On screen, Jaron.”
Jaron straightened, keying codes on his data pad. The life-size holo screen appeared at the end of the table. The men of Team Three all eased back in their seats, placing their faces in shadow.
On screen the two diplomats stood side by side in black capes over their blue robes and blue pants. Large chains holding gold medallions of their position rested prominently on their chest. Arak recognized Senate Leader Baruk and Zadal from political media feeds.
The Senate Leaders appeared stoic but Baruk took the initiative and spoke. “What is the news, Unit Leader Alonson?”
Torkel didn’t waste any time. “It’s not the earth female, Lindsey Ferra.”
“Are you certain?” The dark haired Baruk asked, leaning toward the screen. “Reports stated she matched our triad wife’s description down to the bracelet Lindsey wore when she disappeared.”
Arak sensed the sadness emanating from the Senate Leaders. Harsh lines bit into their grieving faces.
“My Chosen promises it is not her. Something about a birthing mark.”
Senate Leader Zadal snapped. “She was burned badly in the shuttle crash. How would your Chosen have seen such a mark?”
Torkel snarled. “Do not call her a liar.”
Senate Leader Baruk soothed. “No one is saying that Unit Leader but surely you understand our doubt. Lindsey’s been gone for almost three months now. We have…resigned ourselves to her lost. To say reports of her death is an error gives us false hope.”
Torkel pinched the bridge of his nose before responding. “My Chosen wants Lindsey found as much as you do.”
Senate Leader Zadal’s rough chuckle cut Torkel short. “I assure you that’s not possible, Unit Leader. She carried our child when she disappeared. No one could wish for Lindsey’s return more than we do.” His stare darkened with such intensity, Arak flinched. “No one,” Zadal repeated.
Torkel inclined his head. “Of course, Senate Leader. My apologies. Allow us to follow up on one more lead.”
Baruk’s gaze brightened for the first time during the call. “You’ve heard something new.”
Torkel shook his head as he shared. “I have a man looking for Smiki.”
Baruk snorted. “As if we’re to believe our wife is with a known criminal instead of returning home? Without contacting us somehow to assure us of her safety?”
“Unless she prefers to remain hidden for some reason,” Kyele added. “Is there a reason Lindsey Ferra would wish to avoid Garulax?”
Both men froze. Their reactions hard to miss. It was Zadal who finally answered, voice gone cold. “You will report to us when you here from your…person.”
As soon as the screen darkened and the connection ended, Torkel gazed around the room. “We will find Lindsey. But I also want to know if there’s a reason she shouldn’t be returned to the Senators. Jaron, start digging.”
He dismissed them after another check to see if they had further questions. Arak escaped, his only objective to get to Sylvie and hold her. The need for his mate was proving to be difficult to ignore. Hunger was a greedy beast ripping through him.
Sylvie greeted him as soon as he crossed the threshold. His muata also had the side benefit of affecting her as well. She tried to climb him, legs clamped at his waist and hands roving all over.
“Arak,” she whispered in between planting kisses on his jaw, the high jut of his cheekbone and chin. Sylvie’s fingers tangled in the messy dark waves of his hair.
Arak slammed her back against the nearest wall as his fingers found their way beneath her dress to her core. He thrust them easily inside. So wet she took him with only a minor twinge. He pumped his hand and she clenched on his intrusion.
Satisfaction roared through him. He undid the flap on his pants and pushed them down. Arak replaced his fingers with his shaft, pumping fiercely. Sylvie cried out, heels kicking his back as she came. Close behind her, Arak muffled the sound of his release into her shoulder and slammed into her fast and hard one last time.
“Arak,” she moaned. Her voice grew thick. Languorous.
“Right here, Sylvie. I’m right here.” He caressed her face. Soft strokes down her cheek.
The lower half of him was anything but soft. Sylvie rolled her hips in a heavy hint. Blue eyes crinkled at the corners and his lips spread into a slow grin. “Want something?”
Sylvie bit back her own smug grin. “Hmmm, maybe.”
“Are you going to ask for it?”
She threw back her head and laughed. “Maybe.”
“Move in with me?” Arak held her hips and turned, walking toward his bedroom.
“What?” Her shriek burned his ears.
He lowered her carefully to the bed, breath held. “I love you. Move in with me.”
Her eyes glistened. “Yes.”
“Mate,” he whispered and settled beside her. His eyes drifted closed. “Talk to me, Sylvie.”
He’d never tire of hearing her speak.
***
Happiness bubbled over. Her first experience with beings from another world may have started negative but having Arak almost negated all the bad. Sylvie’s face ached from smiling this hard. Obeying his request, she chattered about anything and everything.
Sylvie broke off mid-sentence when she heard it. “Arak?”
Another purr rumbled forth, causing her heart to clench. He slept the way of the dead his head falling to the bed with a gentle thump. Mouth slack, he continued to purr and she’d never heard anything as sweet. The sound was one of contentment.
Epilogue
“Sylvie will be pleased at this news. She hasn’t said anything but Joni cornered me with those knives yesterday and threatened to unman me.”
Torkel shook his head. “Joni’s very different from the other Earthlings. My Chosen is milder in temperament.”
Silently Arak agreed but the female was his mate’s best friend and together they’d kept each other safe. He’d always support Joni. “Thank you, Torkel. I’m going to find Joni and tell her my future children are safe now that the Commission has agreed to recognize my bond with Sylvie.”
It hadn’t taken much according to Torkel. The Commission understood matings and the depth of what it meant to Argorans. They’d willingly conceded to legalize Sylvie as his Chosen without benefit of a presentation. He smiled, imagining how excited she’d be.
Torkel clapped him on the back. “Congratulations, Arak.”
Deciding to forego the elevator, Arak took the stairway to the upper floor in hopes Faye would know where he could find Joni. Torkel’s Chosen seemed to have a direct line to the women, pleased beyond belief to have fellow Earth women around her.
“I’m not afraid of you and you can stop following me.”
Arak froze, one foot braced on the steps and peered up over the railing. Joni.
“You should be afraid of me, Earthling. Very afraid and I haven’t been following you. If you’ll notice, this is the way to my rooms and you happen to live in the city.”
Kyele.
Arak wasn’t sure what was going on between the two of them but the conversation increased in volume.
“I’m here for my friend, Sylvie. In fact, I might be here more because I like Lissi and Faye too. We’re all friends.”
Arak was about to leave them alone when the
next words halted him in his tracks.
“You’re not the baddest baddie in the room, you know” Joni said.
Arak peered around the corner again and sighted the two nose to nose.
“Have you killed anyone, little Earthling?” Humor trickled through the question though the usually stoic Kyle’s expression remained neutral.
Every line of Joni’s body tensed. Arak could make out her body trembling.
“I killed two of those alien bastards. One I banged over the head again and again until his ass died.” She took a deep breath, eyes wide. “I gutted the other, so yes, Mr. Jutak, I’ve killed.”
Kyele straightened and Arak debated if he needed to step in but proving there were many facets to his rough exterior, Kyele cupped Joni’s face in his large palms. “You’re right. I will concede you are the baddest as you say baddie.”
Kyele turned on his heel and took the stairs up two at a time, leaving Joni alone. Her head lowered as she continued to draw deep breaths. Arak took a step in her direction until the first chuckle. Another and another followed as she laughed and danced on the stairs. Arak turned and left the strong Earth woman to her moment. He would ask Sylvie what a baddie was before sending her out to her friend but he had a good idea Kyele had given the female a compliment she greatly appreciated.
***
As he’d thought, Sylvie was more than excited about being his Chosen. She screamed and jumped into his arms. “I love you. Love you. Love you.”
Arak chuckled, arms holding her aloft. “I love you as well, Chosen.”
She leaned back. “Hmm. I think I like it better when you called me mate.”
He’d call her whatever she wanted as long as she never left him.
Excerpt from Lindsey’s Rescue
“Earthling, wake up. Are you Torkel’s Chosen?”
Lindsey tried to focus on his whispered words. Everything was muddled. Something about a Chosen. Her friend Faye had called her husband by the term. She wet her lips and whispered, “Jutak warrior.”
A sharp inhale. “Yes. Are you Faye?”
Lindsey shook her head, her mind swirling with Faye’s stories. What had Faye said in their late night stories? Her husband was like the military SEALS from Earth. Her lips formed a smile. “Torkel kicks ass.”
Laughter reached her ears. “My little brother has chosen wisely. Hang on. I’m getting you out of here.”
Lindsey was lifted into strong arms. She wavered in and out of consciousness, hearing bits and pieces of the conversation around her.
“Leave with her now. Get her away from Arlo.” The deep voice resonated with urgency.
“I can’t be seen with an escaped slave.” Nervous laughter. “Come on, you know my reputation.”
The person holding her stiffened. “I know if you don’t take her with you, I’ll just kill you now.”
“Right. Right. No need to be hasty.”
She shifted and smaller, thinner arms came around her, jostling her injuries. Lindsey moaned and curled into the chest holding her in an attempt to get warm. Fingers trailed over her face and a voice whispered close to her ear, “You’re going to be fine, Faye.”
“Son of a targot. She’s practically dead,” the owner of the voice holding her exclaimed.
Lindsey had wondered herself. Was she dead? She didn’t want to be dead.
Apparently her rescuer felt strongly about the possibility as well. “She belongs to my brother. If anything happens to her, I’ll personally rip your spine out through your stomach.”
“Maybe tell me who your brother is and I can drop her off. You know, as a sign of good faith?”
“Don’t worry about that part. You’ll know who she belongs to soon enough. Until then I hold you responsible for her life, Smiki. Don’t disappoint me.”
Author’s Note
Wow! Not sure anyone saw that coming. Or if you did, you’re one up on me. When writing a book I sometimes have an idea of the big stuff but it’s the unplanned little stuff that gets me every time. I started writing Torkel’s Chosen with the full understanding that Lindsey was one of those secondary characters who would pop in and disappear in the ethers. By the second half of the book my mind started with the what if mantra. What if?? So I decided before I finished Torkel that Lindsey needed a book but I needed to build a bridge to get there. Plus, I wanted to answer some questions from the little bits I left in book 1 and I couldn’t do that unless I wrote a book about someone close to Torkel and the teams. That’s how Arak’s Love came about.
While writing Arak’s Love I had to be careful about any Lindsey references knowing she would be next. ((spoiler alert)) If the excerpt at the end didn’t warn you, Lindsey is up next as book 3. LOL. Yes, yes I know readers have emailed me about Kyele. Bribes of coffee and chocolate have been appreciated. Another spoiler: Kyele may end up with a character mentioned in Arak’s Love. I can’t wait to dive into his story and to reveal the questions about his past. My sister finished an advance copy of Arak and promptly texted me, “What is Kyele?” If I can hook my sister who’s a tough sell I’m ahead of the game.
But not to get ahead of myself, Lindsey will be available for release this fall. It will be my first ménage romance. Nope, didn’t see that coming but I love challenging myself by doing different things and I appreciate every reader who takes a chance on my books and trust in me to get them to the coveted HEA.
For exclusive excerpts, advanced cover reveals and occasional giveaways, sign up for my newsletter via my site www.michellehowardwrites.com. As always written reviews are appreciated.
Enjoy,
Michelle
About the Author
Michelle Howard enjoys a crazy life that involves wild kids, a loud dog, and a husband who tolerates the madness. Like many authors, she’s dreamed of writing since reading her first romance novel many years ago. She loves paranormal and contemporary romances and is a fan of the classic romances, such as Judith McNaught and Julie Garwood.
I love to hear from fans so please reach out to me. If the mood hits you, leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @mhowardwrites
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Books by Michelle
* Honor Bound (Book 1 Warlord Series)
* The Overlord’s Heir (Book 1.5 Warlord Series)
* A King’s Revenge (Book 2 Warlord Series)
* Rise of the Shadow Warriors (Book 3 Warlord Series)
*A Warlord’s Heart (Book 3.5)
* Project Genesis (Alpha Squad)
* No Reason to Run (A Harmony Novel)
* Mating Urge (shifter novella)
* Torkel’s Chosen (A World Beyond Book 1)
* Arak’s Love (A World Beyond Book 2)
Coming Fall 2015
Lindsey’s Rescue (A World Beyond Book 3)
Arak's Love: A World Beyond Book 2 Page 21
