by Kali Argent
“I feel sleepy,” a deep voice said from his right. “I think he’s using up all the oxygen in the room.”
Turning, Axton greeted the Helios male with a nod. “Rhen.”
Rhen Torven and his twin brother, Sabar, had arrived on X21 just shortly after he and Zade. Axton didn’t know much about them, but rumor had it, they could procure just about anything, no matter how rare or difficult to obtain. As yet, he hadn’t needed their services, but watching Olivia fidget on stage, he suddenly had an idea.
“I need something.”
“Okay.” Rhen bobbed his head, but his eyebrows knitted together above the bridge of his nose. “What is it you need?”
“Nexerion coffee beans.”
“We can do that,” Sabar answered, appearing beside his brother, his arm around a pretty Tarin female with glossy, dark hair and big, wide eyes. “When do you need it?”
Olivia loved coffee, and she loved real, honest-to-the-stars coffee even more. Nexerion beans went beyond mere coffee, though. They grew wild in the valleys of Nexerion, a tiny planetoid just beyond the Phylon Asteroid Belt. It took almost a decade for the beans to mature, making them extremely rare and incredibly expensive.
“A week.”
Sabar grunted. “It’ll take at least three just to transport them.”
“A week,” Axton repeated, allowing a slight growl to enter his voice.
“It’ll cost you,” Rhen added as he settled his hand at the small of the female’s back.
“Fine.”
Zade pushed past him to offer his hand to each of the Helios in turn. “Credits aren’t an issue. We’ll pay whatever you need.” He took a step back and nodded at the female. “And you must be…”
“Laesa.” She gave him a sheepish grin. “You’re Olivia’s males.” It wasn’t a question, and her smile grew a little wider, as if she knew a secret but wouldn’t share.
“Is that the rainb—ow!” Rhen rubbed his side where she’d elbowed him in the ribs.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” Laesa still grinned as though nothing had happened.
Axton liked her instantly.
While Zade continued to speak with the trio, Axton stepped away to answer an incoming call on his wrist unit. “Doran, what happened?” The only reason the male would interrupt him was if something had happened he couldn’t take care of himself, which pretty much boiled down to politics and death.
“Nothing good. You and Zade need to get here. Now. Bring the commander, too.”
Then the small screen went dark, but not before Axton heard a loud, rumbling growl echo through his bar. Immediately, he sent a communication to Olivia and watched as she read it. Her eyes narrowed, her lips pressed together into a thin line, and she looked out into the crowd, clearly searching for him. Once their gazes met, she nodded once and started toward the edge of the dais…just as Regent Marks announced her to the room of waiting people.
To her credit, she didn’t show even an ounce of distress as she stepped behind the podium and leaned toward the microphone. “Alpha Station: X21 is officially open. Thank you for coming.”
The crowd burst into cheers and applause as Olivia bounded down from the stage and ducked out of the nearest exit. Axton grabbed his brother by the arm and swung him around, communicating with just a look that they needed to leave. Snaking their way through the throng of bodies, they parted the crowd as they moved toward the nearest set of doors. Once in the lobby, he spotted Olivia near the staircases, but slowed when he realized she’d paused to talk to her friend, Morgan Chavez.
Axton knew the liaison officer only casually, but he liked her spirit. Right then, however, they didn’t have time for idle chitchat or gossip. Even as he thought it, Olivia looked up, their eyes met, and she said something else to Morgan that Axton couldn’t hear from the distance.
Just as he and Zade caught up to her, another interruption arrived in the form of Regent Marks, who stepped in front of Olivia, blocking her way to the stairs.
“Commander Jacobson, where the hell are you going?”
“I’d love to do this now, sir, but there’s an urgent matter that needs my attention.”
She didn’t wait for a response as she motioned for Axton and Zade to follow her down the wide, curving staircase to the main level promenade in the heart of the mostly empty shopping center. Jogging through the expansive corridor, they reached Asylum just in time to witness Doran lift an elite security officer by his throat and easily toss him onto one of the tables.
The table collapsed beneath the weight of the officer, reducing it to a pile of jagged splinters. Shay stood guard over Isla, placing herself between the young scroll and the fighting, while her other two mates pinned a couple of elites to the floor with a boot to their throats.
Helios, Reema, and even a few off-duty elites shouted and jeered, though luckily, no one tried to join in the conflict. Case growled at the male under his boot, clearly daring him to move, while Sylon’s captive had begun to turn an interesting shade of red.
“Enough!” Axton bellowed, drawing the full attention of everyone in the bar. “What the fuck is going on in here?”
Doran curled his upper lip and growled as the elite he’d tossed gained his feet. “They came to arrest Isla.”
“What?” Olivia shoved in front of Axton, her hands balled into fists at her side. “Arrest her for what?”
With what appeared to be some effort, Doran dragged his gaze away from the elite to turn his attention to Olivia before answering her. “Murder.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Olivia gaped at the Krytos male while she struggled to find something to say. She trusted Axton and Zade, knew they’d never grant sanctuary to a coldblooded killer. Moreover, Olivia considered herself a damn good judge of character, and the quiet, scared girl with red hair and freckles wasn’t a murderer. If her actions had resulted in the death of another person, she couldn’t imagine it had been done with purposeful intent.
“Okay,” she finally said, “someone explain.”
“I didn’t do it!” Isla cried from behind Shay. “I wouldn’t do that! I’d never hurt my mother.”
Olivia’s temples began to ache, and she turned in a half circle, trying desperately to find someone who could give her the answers she wanted. Marching across the room, she crouched down beside one of the security officers Case still had pinned to the ground.
“What’s your name, ’leet?”
“Officer Aaron Hattfield,” he wheezed as he pushed against the boot blocking his windpipe.
“It’s okay, Case, let him up.”
The male grunted, but did as she asked, removing his massive boot from the officer’s throat. Impatient and wanting answers, Olivia grabbed Hattfield by the front of his uniform and pushed to her feet, hauling the guy up with her.
“I don’t know if you’re crazy or just stupid,” she said, rubbing her fingers across her brow, hoping to ease the building headache. “You’re aware of how Krytos’ sanctuaries operate, yes?”
“Yes, ma’am, but—”
“Yet, you thought you could waltz in here and arrest a young woman without the slightest resistance?”
“Yes. I mean, no, ma’am. We had orders.”
“Who gave you those orders?” Olivia knew they certainly hadn’t come from her.
“I did,” came a familiar, booming voice from across the room.
Slowly, she turned to face Regent Everett Marks, her stomach burning with anger and hatred. “You had no right.”
“I had every right,” he countered. “This woman is accused of murder and must be returned to Earth to stand trial for her crimes. As for you, Commander Jacobson, I will be relieving you of your post until further investigation.”
“Investigation? Why the fuck am I being investigated?”
“Where should I start?” Regent Marks took a menacing step toward her, but stopped when every Krytos in the room snarled at him. “You are clearly not fit to be a commander. I’ve seen the incident rep
orts for Asylum, and I have to say it’s appalling that you allowed such behavior to happen on your station.”
Yes, because she allowed the Krytos to do anything. The laws that governed the Alliance didn’t apply to sanctuaries, and Regent Marks knew that. Besides, those reports didn’t tell the full story, and even when she’d been angry with Axton and Zade, annoyed that they couldn’t go a day without maiming their customers, she’d also—mostly—agreed with them.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“This place is a fucking zoo!” the regent raged.
“What’s a zoo?” she heard one of Shay’s mates ask from behind her, and Olivia had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing.
“Now,” Regent Marks continued, “you’re harboring a fugitive!”
“I’m not harboring anyone. My command doesn’t extend to any Krytos sanctuary, including Asylum, as you very well know.”
“You should have reported Miss Blevins the moment you realized she was aboard the station.”
If Isla had a warrant for her arrest, every Alliance personnel would have been notified at once. Granted, she had been somewhat distracted in the past few days, but she’d never received any kind of warrant, report, or even a memo associated with Isla’s name. Perhaps it had been simply oversight, but it wouldn’t surprise her to find out Regent Marks had a hand in that as well.
“This has nothing to do with Asylum, Isla, or anything else.” Sauntering across the room, she came to a stop between Axton and Zade. She knew full well she should stop talking, but if she didn’t stand up to Regent Marks, she didn’t know who would. She’d accept whatever consequences her actions wrought, but she couldn’t remain silent any longer. “You’ve had it out for me since the beginning, and I want to know why.”
“Careful, Commander. You are dangerously close to insubordination.”
“And you didn’t answer her question,” Zade interjected, his entire frame vibrating as he growled threateningly.
Regent Marks paused, but clearly not long enough to think through his next words. “This one, too? Is there anyone you aren’t sleeping with, Commander?”
A collective gasp echoed round the bar, but Olivia was so shocked she didn’t know what to say. Clearly, Axton didn’t have the same problem, because he charged forward, his eyes blazing red and his elongated fangs protruding below his upper lip. His chest heaved, his fingernails transformed into dangerous claws, and when he spoke, Olivia barely recognized the deep, gravelly voice.
“You will speak to my mate with respect,” he commanded.
“Your mate?”
If that was all Regent Marks understood from the clear and pointed threat, he was thicker than Olivia had originally thought. “Yes,” she answered, pushing at Axton’s chest to keep him away from the regent and prevent bloodshed—and possibly and interstellar incident. “Being in love doesn’t make me any less of a commander, and I won’t apologize for it.”
“Leave now,” Axton growled. “I’d advise you not to return.”
The regent’s face turned a mottled red, and he huffed like a wounded animal before he found his voice again. “I expect you to clear out your office by the end of the day. You’re lucky I’m not placing you under arrest.”
“No.” Still standing between Axton and the regent, she folded her arms over her chest and stiffened her spine. “You can’t fire me for falling in love any more than you can arrest me.” It wasn’t exactly how she’d pictured telling her males how she felt, but she couldn’t take it back now. “You heard Alpha Tavish. You aren’t welcome here.”
“I’m a regent!” He sounded more like a petulant child. “I can go wherever I please, and he has no say.”
“Actually,” a calm, feminine voice called from the entryway, “he can.” Regent Adira Singer entered the bar with her hands linked together at her waist, her expression serene as if she was doing nothing more than taking a stroll through the park. “You have no authority here, Regent, and Alpha Tavish is well within his rights to bar you from his establishment.”
Regent Marks began to argue, but the female regent cut him off with a bright smile. “Your ship is leaving for Earth within the hour. I suggest you hurry if you don’t want to miss it.”
With jerky movements, he motioned for the security officers to vacate Asylum. “This isn’t over,” he vowed. “We’ll see what the other regents have to say.”
“I’m sure we will,” Regent Singer answered pleasantly. “Dick,” she added under her breath as Regent Marks disappeared through the doors.
“Ma’am.” Olivia stepped forward and saluted. “I’d like you to meet—”
“Your mates,” the regent interrupted. “Yes, I heard. Congratulations, Commander Jacobson.”
“Thank you, ma’am, but it’s not official yet.”
Regent Singer only smiled. “That doesn’t make it any less real. Her gaze strayed to Axton and Zade, and she laughed a little. “I believe your mates would like some time alone with you, but I think we should speak when you’re free. Perhaps tomorrow morning. Does that work for you?”
Mortified, Olivia slapped away the hands caressing her body as her cheeks heated. “Uh, yes, ma’am. Tomorrow morning is fine. Thank you, ma’am.”
Still chuckling under her breath, the regent nodded and swept past them toward the bar. “I believe I could use a drink,” she told Shay. “What would you recommend?”
Olivia didn’t hear Shay’s response, because Axton chose that moment to hoist her over his shoulder and carry her through the door behind the bar. When they entered the storage room, Olivia almost protested until she saw the small lift on the back wall.
“You have an elevator in your storage room?”
“Of course.” It was a tight fit with all three of them inside the lift, but Zade managed to reach up and caress her hair. “It’s a private entrance to our suite.”
“Wait, so your suite is above the bar, and the bar is above the actual sanctuary. How the hell did you manage that?”
“No more talking,” Axton growled.
The lift opened directly into the kitchen of their quarters, and Olivia couldn’t figure out how she’d missed it the first time she’d been there. Then again, she’d been a bit preoccupied on her previous visit.
Carrying her into his bedroom, Axton slid her down his body until her feet touched the floor and then without words, he and Zade set to work undressing her before discarding their own clothing. Their big hands mapped her body, caressing and stoking, igniting a fire inside her she couldn’t control. With such a large bed at their disposal, Olivia couldn’t imagine what they had planned when Zade lifted her easily with his arms hooked under her knees. Leaning back, he braced himself on the wall, ensuring she was settled securely with her back to his chest, his thick erection trapped between their bodies.
He stretched her legs wide as he trailed kisses along her neck and around the shell of her ear. At six feet, she was taller than most of her fellow elite females, but in Zade’s arms, she felt tiny, almost delicate. It was a new, though not entirely unwelcome, experience, especially since she also felt safe, cherished, and loved.
When Axton knelt in front of her, she had only a heartbeat to determine his intentions before he laved a wet path along her slick folds. Involuntarily, her body jerked and her thighs clenched, but Zade held her firmly, spreading her open for Axton’s questing tongue. Electricity zipped along her spine, and her head swam as sensations robbed her of breath.
Axton’s tongue drew quick circles around her swollen clit, and he reached up to support her right leg, freeing Zade’s hand to pinch and tug at her nipples. They worked together, giving everything, but taking nothing, pushing her to the brink only to back off and leave her craving more.
Stretching her arms over her head, she reached behind her, fisting her hands in Zade’s silky hair while she rocked her hips against Axton’s talented mouth. Two, thick fingers pushed roughly into her entrance, thrusting and scissoring until her bo
dy quivered. Then, without warning, Axton pulled away and stood, leaning into her so that she was caught between both males’ hard, warm bodies.
“You belong to us,” he whispered hoarsely before covering her mouth with his own and pushing his tongue between her lips. “Mine.”
“Mine,” Zade echoed. “Ours.” Sliding his palm down her stomach, he parted her lips and zeroed in on the throbbing buddle of nerves between her legs.
Axton adjusted his grip on her thigh, looping his arm under her knee, and used his free hand to insert two, thick digits into her core again. Olivia already felt as if she’d explode, but when Axton’s fingers slid from her pussy to her back entrance to ring the tight muscles, she nearly came undone. Slowly, he pushed through the barrier, gently stretching and loosening while he encouraged her to breathe and relax. Zade rubbed hard circles over her clit, providing a distraction from the slight burn.
As she neared the pinnacle of orgasm, Axton lifted her easily while Zade positioned the tip of his cock at her backdoor. Blinding and unrelenting, her climax hit her as he pushed inside, flooding her with endorphins so that she barely noticed the intense pressure. With one hand still fisted in Zade’s hair, she curled the other around the back of Axton’s neck, pulling him into another heated kiss as he rocked forward, filling her clenching pussy.
Both males moved in tandem, their coordinated movements urging her toward the precipice once again. Stars, she didn’t know if she’d survive another fall, but as Axton’s thrusts became more forceful and her pulse spiked, she reasoned there were worse ways to go.
“Say it,” Axton demanded.
She didn’t have to ask to know what he wanted, and she didn’t hesitate to give it to him. “I belong to you,” she said around a ragged moan. “Both of you. And you belong to me.”
Groans, grunts, cries, and moans coalesced into an erotic symphony, building to the ultimate crescendo. Twin growls erupted around the room just before two sets of sharp fangs embedded into her flesh. Zade’s bite on her neck caused her to cry out, the pleasure nearly unbearable. When Axton joined him, sinking his canines through the skin on her opposite shoulder, Olivia shattered into a million pieces where time and space ceased to exist. Zade’s loud roar signaled his release, while Axton buried his face against her neck and growled through his own orgasm, both males filling her depths as she trembled in their arms.
