Zaxe's Rule (Assassins of Gravas Book 4)

by N. J. Walters

  He swept her into his arms and strode across the garden. Laughing, she linked her arms around his neck. “Where are you taking me?” Guards fell into step behind him. It was disconcerting until she noticed several Gravasian soldiers with them.

  “To celebrate.” He shouldered his way into a room and kicked the door shut behind him.

  “What about your family?” They had to all be waiting for him to make an appearance. “And Esau.” She’d left her brother resting, but she’d been unable to relax.

  “They can wait.” He carried her through an exquisite sitting room into a bedroom, taking her down onto the bed with him on top of her. “This can’t.”

  He pressed his mouth to hers and stole her breath and her heart.

  ****

  Everything he’d ever wanted was here in his arms. He’d found justice and peace with his past and had a bright future, but all of that paled in comparison to what he felt for Jamaeh. Responsibility waited beyond the door, but this was more important than any kingdom.

  She lay beneath him, her red and black braids spread across the pillow, her green eyes glowing with excitement. She loved him. It was too good to be true, yet it was the truth. He closed his eyes and swallowed back the emotion that threatened to choke him.

  “Everything will be okay.” Her promise released the tension inside him. The gentle stroke of her fingers down his face anchored him.

  He opened his eyes and smiled. “As long as you are beside me.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I spent my entire life feeling as though something was missing.” He caught her hand and placed it over his heart. “Keeping my sisters alive. Escaping our captivity. That kept me alive, gave me purpose. When they were both settled, I was happy for them but still empty inside. I thought coming here and fulfilling my debt to the king of Gravas and confronting my past would give me peace.”

  “And did it.”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  Her brow furrowed with worry.

  He stroked his fingers over the lines. “You gave me peace.” Her lips curved up in a smile that brightened her entire face. She really was the most beautiful woman he’d ever set eyes on.

  “I’m glad.” Her simple words sank into his soul. She’d asked him for nothing, other than making sure her brother was safe. No amount of money or jewels or power would bind her to him. Only one thing would.

  Zaxe took a deep breath. “My name is Navar Zaxurus, ruler of the Northern Territory of Zaxus. Will you marry me? Will you be mine?”

  “You’re my Zaxe. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Something inside him clicked into place. All doubt fled, leaving only certainty in its wake.

  “You won’t regret it.”

  “I know.” Her easy acceptance made him grin. “I hope you won’t have regrets.”

  “Never.” He took her mouth, savoring the softness of it, the puff of breath as her lips parted in welcome. He could do without a kingdom, but he would not live without his Jamaeh.

  She tugged at his shirt, pulling it up and pressing her hands against him. Her growl of frustration made him laugh. “That battlesuit is in the way,” she protested.

  “So it is.” He reared back, yanked off the shirt, and peeled down the protective suit.

  The purring hum she gave made his cock swell. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about.” She ran her hands over his abs and up his chest, scraping her nails lightly over his skin.

  “Your tunic is in the way.” When he tugged it up, she raised her hands over her head. The heavy band wrapped around her breasts. He pulled her into a sitting position and began to unwind it, exposing her full breasts with their dark nipples. “So perfect.” He leaned down and took one pert bud between his lips and sucked.

  She gasped and speared her fingers through his hair. “Does it bother you I’m not wearing a dress or skirt?” The worry in her voice broke through the sensual haze enveloping him.

  “I don’t care what you wear as long as you’re comfortable.”

  “It’s not traditional.” The frown was back on her face. He pressed kisses over her cheeks and chin before planting one on her lips.

  “I’m not exactly a traditional sort of man. The people accept us as we are or they don’t. We don’t change for them.” He stroked his fingers down her slender neck and along her collarbone before dipping between her breasts. “If you want to wear a dress, I’ll buy you dozens. If you want pants and tunics, I’ll buy you the same.”

  “You really mean that.” The wonder made him stop and look her straight in the eyes.

  “Yes. I love you.”

  She said nothing for the longest second, and then she attacked, taking him down onto the bed, peppering him with kisses. He rolled them over the massive bed until she was under him once again. Wanting nothing between them, he removed her shoes and yanked her pants and underwear down. It was a matter of seconds to strip his own clothes away, leaving them both naked.

  Jamaeh held out her hand. There were no more words as they came together. He stroked her arms and torso, paying particular attention to her breasts before working his way between her thighs. She tasted sweet and spicy. Unable to get enough, he lapped at her slick folds, loving the way she stroked his shoulders before gripping his hair and pulling him closer. Her strong thighs clamped around him as he drove her higher.

  “Zaxe.”

  “Come for me.” His balls were ready to crawl inside him, were tight enough to burst.

  She dug her heels into the mattress and arched up as she cried out. Her entire body trembled as she came. Skull pounding with need, he dove upward, settled between her thighs, and drove deep in one stroke.

  She cried out again, clutching at his back and twining her legs around him. He was home. A single tear slipped from the corner of one of her eyes. “Did I hurt you?” He started to pull back, but she tightened her grip around him.

  “I didn’t know anything could be so perfect. We’ve had sex before, but this is different.” She stroked a lock of damp hair away from his face. “I love you, Zaxe, Navar, assassin, or whatever name you choose to use.”

  His chest constricted and every muscle in his body flexed. “I love you, Jamaeh. Now and forever.” He began to move, slowly at first and then with more speed. Every time he drove into her hot depths, she squeezed him as though she’d never let him go.

  They were both panting hard, driving higher and higher. He hooked an arm beneath one of her legs, opening her wide, taking her harder, faster.

  “Yes.” She threw her head back, her body jerking as her climax took her. Zaxe yelled her name. He momentarily went blind, seeing nothing but darkness followed by starbursts. He fell on top of her and rolled to the side, keeping her next to his heart, where she belonged.

  It took time for him to get his breath back. She recovered before him and was drawing circles on his chest with her index finger. He caught it, brought it to his mouth, and sucked. Her inner muscles rippled over his softening cock, making it hard again. Her laughter washed over him like a cool breeze.

  “That was amazing.” He wanted to stay like this forever, but the outside world waited. He stroked the long line of her back, enjoying the way she arched into him.

  “Mmm, it was.” Her voice was sleepy.

  “I came to find you for a reason.”

  She let her hand trail over his hip to clutch his butt. “I know. It was an excellent reason.”

  Zaxe laughed, rolling to his back and throwing his arm over his face. Her natural sensuality was such a gift.

  “What?”

  He lowered his arm and winked at her. “It was an excellent reason, but it wasn’t the only one.”

  She gave him a quizzical look.

  “My family is waiting in the formal dining room for us.”

  “What?” she shrieked as she tried to jump out of bed. He caught her hand and dragged her back.

  “They’re expecting us and we’re here.” She motioned to the bed. “Rolling around.”

 
“It was necessary.” The kiss he gave her was long and deep, a reminder of what they’d just shared. They were both breathless at the end. “Necessary,” he repeated. “They’ll understand.”

  She dragged a pillow over her face. “How can I face them? They’ll know what we did.”

  He pulled the pillow away and tossed it aside. “Tell them we’re getting married … tonight. That will distract them.”

  “Tonight?” She paled slightly and began to nibble on her bottom lip.

  “Unless you don’t want to.” He sat up and cupped her face. “Have you changed your mind?”

  “Never. You’re sure you want to do it so soon? You don’t want to wait to see how things go?” Translation—see if the people accept her. Even now, she was trying to protect him.

  “Tonight. I want all of Zaxus to know you’re mine.”

  The brilliance of her smile blinded him. “I want a dress. Do you think there’s time to find one?”

  “We’ll make the time.” When she threw herself into his arms, he held her tight. He couldn’t wait to see her in a dress. Even better, he couldn’t wait to get her out of it later tonight.

  Epilogue

  They sat in Zaxe’s office, the assassins of Gravas. Not all of them, but his family—Sass and Spear, Delphi and Ivar, and his beloved Jamaeh. The king had formally offered his support and a limited trading contract, which would be a huge boon going forward.

  They’d come so far in such a short time. Not so long ago, he and his sisters had been assassins for hire, bound by their love for one another. Now they were all free.

  “We’ll be back,” Delphi promised. It had been a week since he and Jamaeh had wed. Her wedding dress had been simpler than he’d wanted, but she’d vetoed the overly ornate ones, opting for a simpler embroidered one she’d hastily purchased from a vendor she knew in the market.

  Jamaeh, dressed in her usual male attire, but with a few feminine embellishments, sat on the arm of his chair and squeezed his shoulder.

  “I will miss you and look forward to your return. Yours too,” he told Ivar.

  His brother-in-law laughed. “You’ll welcome me with open arms. I have ideas about trading partners for Zaxus.” As a long-range scout for Gravas, Ivar had visited many worlds and made contacts.

  “I look forward to it.”

  “We’ll be around,” Sass assured him. When Zaxe looked at Spear, he nodded. The deadly assassin had little to say, but he doted on his wife.

  Satisfied his sisters were happy, they said their goodbyes, leaving him alone with Jamaeh. “Where is Esau?” He hadn’t seen his brother-in-law since breakfast.

  “He’s with Captain Radar.” The captain had taken it upon himself to watch over the teenager, for which Zaxe was grateful.

  “And what about you?” He stood and wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the fresh scent of her soap. “Are you happy?” He’d rushed her, needing her tied to him in every way.

  She tilted her head back and smiled. “Very. All I ever wanted out of life was a home and someone to love who’d love me back. I never counted on you.”

  “I never counted on you either.” She’d captured him heart and soul, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. The kiss they shared was soft and sweet and filled with love. “I think it’s time for a trip to the market,” he said when they parted. They went there every day, talking to vendors, letting the people see them together. He was hopeful for the future.

  “We’ll make it fast today. I have plans for later.” The sensual gleam in her eyes made his heart thump in anticipation.

  “I look forward to your plans.” Hand in hand, they made their way toward the door.

  The End

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  BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER

  RESCUING RORY

  Marks Mercenaries, 1

  N.J. Walters

  Copyright © 2019

  Sample Chapter

  “This is going to be a major clusterfuck. There’s no quiet way to do this.”

  Even though his brother’s thoughts echoed his own, Kal Marks didn’t spare Garth so much as a glance. No, his gaze locked solidly on the woman currently dancing in one of the gilded cages that hung from the ceiling here in the largest club on the pleasure ship Exos. The flashing blue spotlight made her smooth white skin look the same color, giving her an exotic appearance.

  Her long, blonde hair hung down her chest, covering her breasts, much to the dismay of the customers around her, and the skimpy thong barely covered her mound as she dipped and swayed to the pounding music. If anything, the tiny strip of cloth accentuated her nakedness, which was no doubt its purpose. She didn’t look at any of the patrons, keeping her eyes trained on the far wall.

  “Are you listening to me?” Garth asked, practically yelling to be heard over the noise. Impatience tinged his voice.

  Kal forced himself to turn away and focus on his brother. “I hear you, but we don’t have a choice.” They had to talk to the woman, the dancing vision.

  “You sure the information is good?”

  Now that was a question, wasn’t it? Digger wasn’t exactly known for his honesty, but he traded in information, and he knew the Marks brothers were always buying when it came to intel on the whereabouts of their missing sister. He also knew better than to lie to them.

  “Digger is too scared of Flynn to risk feeding us bad info,” Kal pointed out. Flynn was the oldest of the four brothers, massively tall and mean as a snake. It was well known throughout the Alliance galaxies that the only people Flynn cared about were his brothers.

  Cross one of the Marks brothers and you crossed them all.

  “I still don’t like it,” Garth muttered.

  “Noted.” Kal let his gaze drift over the room, observing the positions of all the guards. There were quite a few of them, as things could get rowdy on the Exos. In fact, Kal was counting on just that.

  The music pumping through the sound system was low and rhythmic. That, combined with the mostly naked women dancing around them, was designed to get men in the mood so they’d pay the money to visit the back rooms where women waited to service them. This far out in space the floating pleasure ship contained the only women many of these men would see for months.

  Kal looked at his brother and noted his scowl. Garth’s thoughts mirrored his own. What if their sister were aboard a ship like this? Most of the women weren’t here by choice. Usually the brothers would never set foot on a ship like the Exos, but when it came to intel about their sister, they’d go straight into the bowels of hell itself.

  “She’s got the tattoo Digger told us about.” Garth studied the dancer now, his gaze tracing the long length of her legs. Kal was filled with the sudden urge to punch his brother in the face.

  He rolled his shoulders and forced himself to lean back in his chair and act as if he were enjoying the show. And it wasn’t much of an act. The woman wasn’t really dancing, more sensually undulating to a rhythm far different from the music filling the room. He caught his breath when her hair slid to the side, exposing one perfectly shaped plump breast for a split second before her hair covered it again.

  Kal’s dick sprang to life, and he shifted to get more comfortable. No doubt about it, she was beautiful. There was something almost … innocent about her. Yeah, that was it. Impossible considering where she was. No one aboard this floating pleasure barge was innocent. Even if they started out that way, it didn’t last for long.

  He fought to bring his body under control, feeling like a jerk for getting aroused. He knew a good percentage of the women here had been bought from slavers. His fingers tightened into fist
s. There was nothing he hated more than slavers. Those low-life bastards all deserved to be shot out into deep space without a protective suit.

  If he could, he’d rescue all the women here. That just wasn’t possible, but he could rescue one. He let his eyes drift over her right arm. The tattoo on the woman was an unusual one, a stylized pattern of flowers that covered her left shoulder and ran all the way down her arm to her hand. There was no missing it. At the very bottom, a thorny vine wrapped around her wrist. Exactly as Digger had described.

  “So how are we doing this?” Garth asked.

  Kal rubbed a hand across his scruffy chin. He hadn’t bothered shaving in a few days, and it added to his disreputable appearance. The jagged scar on his left cheek didn’t hurt either. Both he and his brother were wearing the drab shirt and pants that labeled them as laborers from the planet below. But beneath them, both of them wore battlesuits, body armor that was practically indestructible while being totally lightweight. That kind of protection didn’t come cheap, but all the brothers owned a suit.

  “You create a diversion, and I’ll get the girl. As soon as I’ve got her, we make a run for the ship.” It wasn’t much of a plan, but Kal and his brother had worked with worse.

  Garth stood and hitched up his pants. At six-one, he was the shortest of the brothers, but he was the widest, and not because there was an ounce of fat on him anywhere. No, Garth was built like a bull, thick and muscular, and always ready for a fight.

  “One diversion coming up.” He swiped up his drink and weaved his way toward a table filled with miners. They were a rough and rowdy lot and were known not to tolerate outsiders.

  Kal shook his head. His brother was crazy. But then again, the same could be said about all of them. Garth pretended to be drunk when Kal knew he hadn’t so much as taken a sip of his drink. Neither of them had. No telling what was in the rotgut they served aboard this ship.