by Kali Argent
In that moment, feeling what they felt, absorbing the warm glow of their emotions through their magical link, she knew no one had ever been loved as much as she was loved. It was a bond they’d share for the rest of their lives, a connection that went deeper than anything she’d ever experienced, and she’d never let anyone try to take that from her again.
With that thought in mind, with her mates surrounding her, she let the exhaustion claim her and drifted into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
EPILOGUE
It had been almost three weeks since they’d landed on Earth, and Slade was already starting to get restless. He missed the vastness of space, the constant motion. Thankfully, they’d just received a new contract and would be departing the next day for Alpha Station: X19.
With Isla being the sole heir of her family’s vast wealth, she’d insisted on updates to the Storm Rider, including a massive four-bedroom suite for them to share. His mate was generous, almost to a fault, but it made her happy, so he never argued. The crew certainly appreciated all the upgrades, especially the fully stocked kitchen and new game room on the upper deck.
The team the regents had assigned to investigate the dealing of the former commanders of Jade City hadn’t yet completed their search of Isla’s house, but his mate didn’t seem too fussed about it. In fact, she no longer felt as if the mansion on the hill was her home, and she wanted to give it to someone who could put it good use.
She wanted to open a sanctuary for abandoned and abused children, so that young ones like Cord had a place where they could be safe and nurtured. Lucky for him, she also wanted to travel the stars and join him and his brothers on their bounty hunts instead of staying on Earth to oversee the day-to-day of the new sanctuary.
Her big and giving heart never ceased to amaze him. There were still days when he questioned if he’d ever be good enough for her, if he’d ever be the kind of male she deserved. Isla was always right there to remind him that he was loved and needed, but she had it all wrong. It was he who needed her.
After a brief discussion, they’d decided that Krenza Indo would be best suited to take over Isla’s mansion and turn it into a sanctuary. Sure, she could brawl with the best of them, but she also had a protective streak a galaxy wide. Those kids would be the safest children on the planet.
Looking back at where they’d started, it amazed him that things were damn near perfect in his world. Regent Singer had cut through the red tape to make their guardianship of Cord official. The boy was now legal theirs, in both name and heart, and Slade would destroy anyone who tried to take his son from him.
While he didn’t need a mating ceremony to know that Isla was his, Sadayka had insisted on a celebration. It had been a small, private affair with just the sanctuary staff and the Storm Rider’s crew. He still didn’t much care for socializing or the pomp and fuss that came with the ceremony, but seeing the smile on Isla’s face had made it all worth it.
“Have you seen Isla?” Bastian asked, sticking his head into the bedroom where Slade was lounging on the bed.
“I think she went downstairs to find something to eat.” The sun hadn’t yet risen, but they’d started their day early, eager to get back to their ship and off the planet. “Why? What’s wrong?” Instantly alert, he catapulted off the bed, ready to take on the entire Alliance to defend what was his.
Bastian just laughed at him. “Calm down, brother. I just wanted to ask her what I should pack for Cord. I’m not sure which of the toys are his and which stay here at Haven.”
Reassured that nothing catastrophic had happened in the twenty minutes since Isla had left him, Slade relaxed. “She’s probably in the kitchen. I’ll come with you.”
“I’m coming, too,” Knox called from the living area. “I’m starving.”
Together, they made their way downstairs, pausing just inside the dining room to laugh at the strange scene playing out before them. Dressed in the tiniest green tunic, Cord had donned the “wings” Kylir had made him for his birthday. He ran up and down the aisle between the tables, leaping into the air every few steps with his arms extended over his head.
On the fourth attempt, he stopped and marched over to where Kylir was standing near the front door watching him. His shoulders slumped, he looked up at the pilot and sighed heavily.
“They don’t work.”
“Well, you have to practice. It took me a long, long time to learn how to fly.”
Cord shook his head, making his long hair bounce around his face. “They’re not real.”
“Hey.” Kneeling, Kylir tapped the kid on the end of his nose and grinned. “You can do anything you set your mind to, Cord. Anything at all. Remember that, okay?”
After a brief hesitation, Cord grinned widely and threw his arms around Kylir’s neck in a tight hug. “Okay. I remember.”
With an entire crew of honorary aunts and uncles who adored him, it would have been all too easy for Cord to be a self-entitled, spoiled brat, but he was just the opposite. The boy had a heart as big as his mother’s, and he never let anything get him down for long. He was never rude or demanding, and he always tried to make the people around him feel special. It was a rare quality to find in anyone, let alone one so small.
“Can you believe he’s ours?” Knox asked, his tone filled with wonder.
“I don’t know what we did to get this lucky,” Bastian added, “but I’m not going to give back the horse’s gifts.”
Slade didn’t think that was exactly how the saying went, but he understood the sentiment, so he let it go. “Come on, let’s find our mate.”
They didn’t have to look far. Standing in front of the polished bar, Isla held a slip of paper in her trembling hand. At first, Slade thought something had frightened her, but as he approached, he felt a sharp wave of anger that tensed every muscle in his body.
“Tava, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Your ex-girlfriend was here.” She nodded at a small white box in the center of the bar as she passed him the square piece of paper. “Read it.”
“It was nice seeing you again at the Christmas party. Too bad we didn’t have a chance to catch up,” he read aloud for his brothers’ sakes. “Here’s a gift for your new mate. With all my love, Ursa.”
By the time he’d finished reading, Slade could barely see through the red haze of fury that had descended over him. “She was here?”
“Isla,” Bastian growled, “don’t touch that box.”
Isla arched an eyebrow at him. “Do I look stupid?”
Stepping in front of her, Slade held the box up, examining it carefully, shaking it, then holding it to his ear. Satisfied that it wouldn’t blow up in his face, he pried the top open and reached inside, extracting a small, clear vial of black pepper flakes.
The implied threat to his mate nearly undid him, and he snarled loudly, prepared to scour the universe to find Ursa Kristos and end her pathetic existence.
“She won’t fucking touch you,” he vowed. “She’ll never get near you.”
Isla stared at the vial in his hand, her eyes narrowed and her lip curled. “Let her come. I dare her.” Stepping closer, her gaze still fixed on his hand, she echoed his snarl. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
“Fuck,” Knox cursed. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. I knew there was something familiar about the female in that vid.”
“That was Ursa?” Isla’s eyes flashed red, and she bared her fangs. “So, it does mean what I think it does. Your ex-girlfriend murdered my mother?” After a few deep breaths, she calmed, her eyes reverting to their natural icy blue. “You dated an assassin for almost a year, and you had no idea?” She shook her head. “You have terrible taste in women, present company excluded. I’m a catch.”
Slade wouldn’t dispute that. “To answer your question, no. Why would we suspect she was an assassin?” In hindsight, however, it did explain a few things. Like how they’d lost out on a large number of bounties because their targets had mysteriously w
ound up dead.
When he explained this to Isla, she frowned, a shallow valley forming between her eyes. “She was piggybacking on your bounties. Letting you do the work of finding them, then killing them and getting paid, leaving you with nothing.” An impressive growl rumbled up through her lips. “I really hate her.”
Yeah, so did Slade. He couldn’t believe he’d ever found anything about her to love in the first place. He didn’t know what pissed him off more—the fact that she’d played him, or that he’d let her.
“I think she knew me and Bas wouldn’t claim her after the things she said about Slade.” Resting his hands on his hips, Knox stared down at the floor. “In fact, I think she meant for you to overhear that conversation.”
“To divide you.” Isla nodded in agreement. “It’s hard to hunt bad guys when you’re barely talking to each other. Cuts down on the competition.”
What Knox and Isla suggested was insane, but it also made sense in a weird way. “Well, it didn’t work.”
“No, it didn’t.” Grinning, she insinuated herself in the middle of the three of them, kissing each of them in turn. “You’re stronger than ever. We are stronger than ever.”
“We can’t let this stand,” Bastian insisted. “She doesn’t get to just waltz in here and threaten our mate.”
“I agree. I don’t much like being threatened.”
Taking the vial from Slade’s hand, Isla clasped it in her fist. Her eyes took on a vacant expression, her spine went rigid, and her legs trembled slightly. Worried, Slade wanted to go to her, but he felt no pain from his mate this time, nothing to indicate she was in any danger.
After only a few seconds, the fugue passed, and she looked at them with a savage, feral grin.
“You know where she is,” he guessed.
Isla nodded slowly. “Let’s go get the bitch.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Born with a silver tongue and a pen in her hand, Kali spends her days sleeping (she's part vampire) and her nights crafting scandalous romances with larger-than-life heroes.
Self-proclaimed patron goddess of reclusiveness, Kali currently resides in northcentral Texas with her oddly supportive family and tragically misunderstood cat.
Seriously, though, the cat is evil.
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OTHER BOOKS BY KALI ARGENT
For more titles by Kali Argent, visit www.kaliargent.com/library.
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
3013: CHAOS by Laurie Roma
3013: ALTERED by Kali Argent
3013: FATED by Susan Hayes
3013: GENESIS by Laurie Roma
3013: REVOLUTION by Kali Argent
3013: PRIMAL by Laurie Roma
3013: OUTLAW by Kali Argent
Novellas
3013: SYNERGY by Laurie Roma
3013: ASYLUM by Kali Argent
3013: SCARRED by Susan Hayes
Find links, blurbs, excerpts and more on the 3013 Series Blog.
