by Regine Abel
Xevius stretched his neck, no doubt feeling the tingle of the Tuning, now that my armor no longer dampened it for me either. His gaze slowly roamed over me as the suit vanished into my belt and armbands, leaving me wearing nothing more than a black sports bra and skin-tight running shorts. His amber eyes lingered on the markings running on each side of my arms, paused on the piercing in my navel—a thin smile stretching his sensual lips—then traveled down the length of my legs before looking back up at me.
“You are stunning, my mate,” Xevius said, with a soft, throaty voice that made me weak in the knees.
My skin heated with pleasure, not only at his approval, but to be thus claimed. Thankfully, I didn’t blush. Lifting my chin with a bit of arrogance, I gave him a shameless once over. He raised an amused eyebrow and slowly removed his white leather jacket, revealing a skin-tight, black t-shirt that hid nothing of the well-defined, muscular body underneath it. My mouth watered, but I kept a teasing expression on my face as I openly assessed him.
“You’re pretty hot yourself,” I deadpanned.
He snorted. “Glad you approve.”
Xevius extended his palm towards me. Staring at it, I swallowed hard then, making a decision, I marched forward and took it. Lightning struck when our hands touched, electric sparks running up my arm and coursing through my body. My lips parted, but I managed to keep myself from gasping.
The molten gold of my soulmate’s eyes darkened as he stepped closer to me. My breath caught, and for a moment, I thought he would kiss me.
“I feel it, too,” Xevius whispered. His gaze lowered to my lips as if he’d heard what had just crossed my mind. He smiled then pulled away, dragging me after him. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
Once again, I followed.
CHAPTER 6
Xevius
My woman was even more beautiful than in my memory. The feel of her delicate hand in mine, soft but firm, made me ache to touch more of her, to undo that long braid and let all that stunning hair cascade over my bare chest, and to drink endlessly at the fountain of her lips. But now wasn’t the time to indulge in my primal desires. I’d hoped she would follow me here so that we could have an open discussion about both my mission and our Tuning. I couldn’t decide if Kamala doing so expressed confidence, recklessness, or a mix of both.
As we entered the house, I parsed through the string of emotions coursing through her. Forcing myself to ignore the still lingering spikes of arousal she’d felt when I’d taken off my jacket was proving quite challenging. But overriding that, curiosity, wariness, and suspicious caution dominated over her amorous state.
Kamala looked around the mostly barren room, confusion emanating from her.
“What do you think of my interior?” I asked, sounding serious.
She bit her bottom lip, uncertain if I was teasing. “Minimalist and efficient,” she said at last.
I snorted. “I would have said cold, clinical, and soulless.”
Kamala smiled. “Or that,” she conceded before giving the large room another look.
In typical Xelixian fashion, every wall of the house was white, the floors covered in light-grey tiles, and the furniture either white or in varying shades of grey. I gave her a sideways glance, amused by how expressive her face was when her body remained utterly controlled. It dawned on me that the visor of her Tuurean armor had never required control of her face, only of her body—a crutch she would soon need to learn to live without.
The depressing thought of how my people intended to out the Tuureans’ secrets reminded me this wasn’t a courting date.
“I would offer you a drink, but I only have water,” I said while gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch facing the large window overlooking the huge backyard outside.
“Don’t worry; I won’t stay long,” she said, settling on the white leather couch and crossing her perfect, endless legs, giving me a glimpse of the Veredian markings on their sides.
It bothered me to know she would be leaving. But that was for the best. I sat down in the chair across from her and crossed my legs as well. We quietly stared at each other for a moment, neither of us wanting to break the temporary truce. I could gaze upon her for days, reveling in the tingle of the Tuning. Just as I was going to speak, I felt her mood change.
“You’ve been sent to kill our children, haven’t you?” she asked without preamble.
Although I could have kept a neutral reaction, thanks to years of training, I made no effort to hide my surprise at her bluntness.
“Yes,” I answered truthfully.
A wave of sadness, anger, betrayal, and protectiveness rose from her.
“Soulmate or not, I won’t let you,” she said in a controlled voice.
“If I decide to go through with it, there’s nothing any of you can do to prevent it,” I responded gently.
“Vahl sure had no problem preventing you,” she taunted, her eyes stone cold.
That stung, as she had intended. It had been quite humiliating—if not terrifying—how easily the boy had subdued me.
“If my goal had been to kill him and the others last night, they’d already be dead. I watched them playing for a good ten minutes before I decided to leave. A single sting grenade would have taken them all out.”
It had become one of my favorite methods of eliminating groups of enemies discreetly. No bigger than a coin, it could fire up to twelve poisoned darts the size of a mosquito stinger. Once it had delivered its payload, the grenade disintegrated, leaving no trace behind. Depending on the poison used, the victims would either die instantly or within up to forty-eight hours.
“Today as well, out in the schoolyard, while he was calming that mess with the Xelixian boy’s broken nose, I could have killed Vahleryon and his siblings. But once again, I didn’t. He only discovered me yesterday because he felt the psionic waves between us when our Tuning kicked in. Had you not come out at the moment you did, none of you would have ever known I’d been there.”
Mind racing, she narrowed her beautiful hazel eyes at me, their long lashes casting a shadow on her cheeks.
“If killing them are your orders, why didn’t you?” Kamala asked.
“Because I haven’t yet decided whether or not to proceed,” I responded, honestly.
She recoiled, her eyes widening in surprise. “Decided? On orders?”
I gave her a sad smile. “How much has Eryon told you about Korlethea?”
“Not much,” Kamala said with a shrug. “Too little, in truth. If not for the phenomenal work he’s done for the children, and his obvious love for Amalia, I would wonder at his true agenda. Your people have shunned him, branded him a traitor for seeking out his daughter, and still he protects your secrets.”
Those words were a balm to my heart. The sincerity of the emotions emanating from her confirmed that Eryon had remained true to our people. Korlethean loyalty was at the foundation of our society. Even now as I considered disobeying the will of the Quorum, the good of Korlethea dominated my decision process.
“My people are ruled by Fate. For centuries, visions from Seers and Oracles have shaped our future and dictated our courses of action,” I said, rising to my feet. I walked up to the window and stared outside, unseeing. “When I was given this mission, the Oracles gave me far too many predictions, all of which result in dire consequences for various people. Whatever action I take will determine the outcome. For this reason, I am entitled to overrule the mandate of the Quorum if it seems like the wisest option.” I looked at her over my shoulder, feeling more torn than ever. “Considering how many will die if I make the wrong choice, I need to be certain.”
I hated the wave of fear emanating from my mate. She stood up and approached me. I turned to face her.
“The one where Vahleryon becomes a great general and brings peace throughout the galaxy still remains, right?” Kamala asked, her eyes flicking between mine.
“Yes,” I said.
Kamala exhaled loudly, her shoulders drooping wi
th relief.
“But the number of visions with a terrible outcome are multiplying, especially now because of the Shadow,” I countered.
My woman stiffened. “Tharek is a good boy.”
“He’s almost feral,” I said, my voice hardening. She opened her mouth to argue, but I didn’t let her. “I see his light. I feel his psionic energy. He’s filled with rage and the urge to destroy and kill.”
“But he hasn’t!” Kamala pleaded, putting her palms on my chest. “Eryon has done wonders with the children. Yes, we were terrified of them since we didn’t know what to do. Vahleryon would cry, begging his sire to help him because he didn’t want to hurt him, but the poor boy could barely contain the rage inside. And then Eryon came and taught them peace. But there are too many children now for him to handle alone. If he managed to perform such miracles by himself, imagine how much more controlled our children would be if more Korletheans would help? If you would help?”
I understood that plea all too well, the same arguments having replayed in my head many times, some of them even presented to the Quorum by the Korlethean fathers of the younger Veredian women. This would never come to pass without something radical enough to convince the Quorum to change course.
Placing my hands on her hips, I drew her body to mine. We aligned perfectly. She stiffened slightly before relaxing against me, her hands sliding up to my shoulders. Despite my 6’8, Kamala’s forehead still reached my lips, the ideal height for my woman. She lifted her head to look at me.
Goddess, she’s truly made for me…
“Then convince me,” I whispered. “And give me the proof to convince them.”
I didn’t give her the chance to answer. Leaning down, I pressed my lips to hers, claiming at last what I’d been hungering for since I’d first laid eyes upon her in the Praghan’s backyard. She didn’t reciprocate right away, conflicted by guilt, suspicion, and wariness. I could relate as I, too, struggled with my duty and the burning need to pursue my soulmate.
Kamala’s mind finally shifted, and she melted against me, her fingers slipping through my hair. I purred with pleasure at her touch and, fisting her braid, I tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. Her lips parted, welcoming my eager tongue. Hers clashed with mine in a warrior’s dance, neither yielding, nor attempting to dominate. We naturally flowed together, tasting, caressing, the sweet taste of Xelixian wine lingering on her breath.
My mate moaned and pressed herself against me. But it wasn’t enough. I needed more. Wrapping my arm around the bare skin of her slender waist, I tightened my embrace, fighting the urge to slip my hand beneath her sports bra. Breaking the kiss, it was Kamala’s turn to tug at my hair, forcing me to tilt my head back. Her lips left a blazing trail along my jawline, down my neck, which she nipped then sucked on. Blood rushed to my groin, and my abdominal muscles contracted as a bolt of desire exploded in the pit of my stomach.
“Fehama,” I whispered before her mouth reclaimed mine.
Just as I leaned in to deepen the kiss again, Kamala suddenly pulled away and covered her mouth with trembling fingers. I almost reached out to draw her back into my arms, but stood my grounds instead, taking in deep breaths to calm my racing pulse, and silence the achy throb in my nether region.
Turning away from me, my mate took a few steps before stopping and hugging herself. I could feel her struggling to repress her desire for me, latching on to reason and her sense of duty. A wise course of action, even though I wanted nothing more than to go to Kamala and hold her back to my chest.
Until I had committed not to kill the children, there could be no hope of a relationship between us.
“Convince the Praghans to grant me an interview with their children,” I said.
Kamala turned around to look at me as if I’d lost my mind.
“I have a recording of five Titans, all alphas, playing together in a friendly fashion and then caring for each other’s needs,” I said. “That alone will sow doubt in many amongst my people. But they—and I—need to hear him speak, unrehearsed, in the presence of the Shadow.”
“He spoke to you, yesterday,” Kamala argued.
“And we were cut short. I need to thank Rhadames for that,” I added with a smirk.
She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me an assessing look. “Khel would have fucked you up first and asked questions later had he caught you. The ears of the First Division’s Warriors are still bleeding from how loudly he screamed when he found out you’d gotten this close to his children. The only reason he’s not already en route to Korlethea with the entire might of both the Xelixian and Tuurean fleet is because you managed to remain invisible to all of the camera feeds.”
“I am a professional,” I said smugly. “If not for our Tuning, he would have never known.” I flicked my hair back over my shoulder, already missing the soft touch of her hands through it. “But the last thing either of our peoples need is for us to enter into a war.”
“Then leave our children the fuck alone,” Kamala snarled back.
“I told you, convince me, and then help me convince Korlethea that they are no threat.”
“We don’t owe you shit,” Kamala snapped.
She paced in front of me in that lethal, sexy way she always naturally moved, the fluid swaying of her hips mesmerizing me. Of all the Veredians I’d ever met, their feline ancestry shone brightest in my mate.
“You don’t, but fear makes people stupid. You can either sit back and wait to see what happens, or you can proactively help put this mess to rest,” I said, parking myself in her path to force her to stop her far too distracting pacing. “I am your best chance to help resolve this issue. First, I’ve never killed children and would rather not start now, especially not the bloodline of a dear friend. Second, I would very much like for Fate to follow the path of a galaxy-wide peace. But for that, Vahleryon must live. And third, because I’ve just found my soulmate. If I kill those children, I will lose you forever.”
Kamala’s throat worked, and sadness flashed through her beautiful, hazel eyes. “Then don’t,” she whispered.
I smiled sadly. “Like you, my duty comes first, whatever the cost. My aunt had told me I would meet you during this mission,” I said softly. Kamala looked at me with inquisitive eyes. “But she omitted to specify your identity. She must be laughing her ass off right now.”
“Why would she?”
“Because she always found me a little arrogant and hoped that the day I mated, my woman would be able to kick my ass to put me in my place.”
Kamala chuckled. “Sounds about right. I think I like your aunt.”
I snorted. “Don’t sell me short, Fehama. I might surprise you. As for my aunt, there are no chances you’ll like her.” My grin widened at the stunned expression. “The last time you two met, she apparently took great pleasure in needling you. Especially your sister.”
Kamala’s jaw dropped. “No way…” she said, shaking her head. “Don’t tell me your aunt is that obnoxious Oracle?”
I shrugged with a ‘what can you do?’ expression.
“Fuck me,” she muttered, a disbelieving look on her beautiful face.
Soon, I hope.
But I wisely kept the thought to myself.
“And did Miss Attitude have any enlightening vision about you and me?” Kamala asked sarcastically.
I nodded slowly. “Yes. Me siding with my soulmate will trigger a civil war on Korlethea,” I said, matter-of-factly.
Although Kamala’s body once again remained stoic, her features hid none of the shock she felt at that revelation. Walking up to my woman, I pulled her into my embrace. She didn’t resist.
“So, you see, Fehama, I need you to convince me, because either way, I lose.”
The sympathy in her eyes oddly moved me.
“I will talk to Khel,” she said, cupping my face in her hands.
Her right thumb caressed my lips. Closing my eyes, I savored the gentle caress of her fingertips as they began to explore m
y features, before slipping through my hair. The pleasure of her touch was multiplied by her tender emotions. In all my years of being an Empath, never had I reveled in this ability as much as in this instant. I knew females found me attractive, but to sense the possessive pride and awe emanating from my mate as she explored me, her reawakening desire, and her powerful wish for me to choose her—to choose us—nearly shattered my resolve.
I didn’t know Kamala yet, only of her incredible military prowess. But my soul knew hers and wanted her with rabid fury. In this instant, I understood why Eryon had been willing to fight me to prevent me from assassinating his mate, even knowing he couldn’t win that fight. My mate didn’t need my protection, but I would kill anyone who even thought of threatening her.
It was only a matter of time before the Quorum demanded it of me.
I reopened my eyes to find her staring at me with a mix of regret and longing. She drew my face towards her and gently kissed my lips before pulling out of my embrace.
“The Goddess will see us through,” Kamala said.
She touched her belt, and the celesium nanites of her Tuurean suit stirred into action, cladding her into the most impenetrable armor in the known galaxy. My woman turned around and walked away as the black armor finished closing around her braid, turning it into a lethal weapon. I watched it sway like a pendulum behind her hourglass-shaped figure.
“Fehama,” I called out as she reached for the door. Her face, hidden by the black visor of her helmet, turned to look at me over her shoulder. “You may return whenever you wish.”
She didn’t react at first, and I hated that her suit not only blocked our Tuning waves, but also prevented me from both seeing the expression on her face, and sensing her emotions.
“Fehama, what does it mean?” Kamala asked.