Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1)

by Bernard, Lynnette

  “What help do you need from me, my lady?” Sebastian asked calmly, folding his arms across his muscled chest to watch the woman and waited patiently for her response. He felt a warmth filling him as his soul reached out to hers. It was something that had never happened to him before, but he was not fearful of the connection.

  The child within the woman’s arms stirred suddenly, crying softly into the woman’s chest. He watched as the woman sheathed her sword and raised her hand to stroke the child’s head lovingly, petting her blonde hair in soothing caresses.

  His chest constricted at the gentleness of this woman, finding that he had a moment of being unable to take in a breath. Her tenderness and maternal instinct touched him in a way that was surprising to him. Yes, he appreciated a tender woman who was a loving mother, but this woman affected him on a much deeper level than that.

  He was captivated by the beautiful warrior before him. He had the sudden flash of a vision of this woman holding his child to her breast. In that vision, she was looking down at the tiny babe and smiling softly. Turning to look up at him, Sebastian could see the complete happiness reflected in her eyes. She looked at him in a way that no other woman had ever looked at him before. The deep love she had for him was unmistakable.

  The pure joy that filled him because of that possibility nearly sent him to his knees. This gentle warrior was his match. She was the woman destined to be his life mate. He knew it as sure as he was certain that his heart was beating and he was breathing. His soul had already called out to hers. The first step in the bonding process had already taken place.

  “Is your child well?” he asked her quietly, finally able to find his voice. He took a step toward her, suddenly needing to be closer to her.

  “She’s my child,” the woman beside her spoke, reaching out to take the little girl from the safety of the other woman’s arms to cuddle her against her body, leaving the woman who stood before them with her hands free to be able to reach for her weapons if she needed to.

  Sebastian realized in that moment that the women before him were capable warriors. They each carried weapons, a combination of short blades and daggers, and more were tucked within their vests and the wide belts that they wore. They also carried pulse weapons, attesting to the fact that they came from a world with superior technology.

  Sebastian saw the aura of white that surrounded them. He knew without a doubt that they were good women. They were stunningly beautiful, but there was a quality of innocence that blanketed each of them. He also saw the dull haze of sorrow and pain that wavered within their auras. These women drew him with a strength that he did not understand. He wanted to help ease their pain.

  A measure of hope surged within him. He watched silently as the rest of the women surrounded the first as if to ready themselves for battle. None went for the weapons that were strapped to their hips—beautifully feminine hips, to be sure, but the promise was there. He had no doubt in his mind that these gentle warriors would offer him and his men a skilled, and very probably deadly, fight.

  It was then that the words of the ancient prophecy flashed within his mind, making him stumble back in the water and nearly sending him beneath the surface of the soothing warmth. The leader of the women stepped forward, not caring that she immersed her boots and trousers to her knees in the tepid water as she faced him, concern obvious in her eyes.

  Violet eyes!

  “Are you all right?” she called to him quickly.

  Lexi made to move toward him but stopped, aware that she might be making a mistake and putting all of them in danger. The draw she had to this man was great, but she had to temper her need to go to him. She didn’t understand why she had such feelings, but she knew better than to give in to her own desires. The safety of her sisters and her niece was all that mattered.

  He nodded slowly and stood to face her calmly. Water cascaded down his body, drawing her attention to his chiseled chest and flat, sculpted stomach. She had the sudden desire to reach out and touch the golden, tanned skin. Her heart began to pound, and she felt a clenching within her womb. She was sure that everyone could hear the increased sound of her rapid breathing as attraction and desire slammed through her.

  She blushed in embarrassment, knowing that it was her own imagination that everyone could sense her thoughts and feelings. Only her sister Bree would know. She looked at her sister now and blushed once again at the eyebrow that lifted in surprise on her sister’s delicate face.

  “Lexi?” Bree whispered in confusion.

  “We’ll talk about it later,” Lexi told her quickly.

  “You bet your ass, we will,” Bree answered quietly, fighting the smile that threatened to escape as she looked up at her older sister.

  Sebastian looked at the women and counted. There were seven women and one child. It was obvious that the women were capable warriors, with a child that was a warrior-in-the-making. And they all had violet eyes. They were the ones that he and his people had been waiting for. They had arrived on Altavesta to fulfill the ancient prophecy.

  And so it will come to pass that a cadre of eight warriors with violet eyes will travel from a distant world to save the people that the Guardians protect. These mighty warriors will join with the warriors of Altavesta. With each joining, the gift of magic will increase. Upon the final joining of the last warrior, the power of goodness will be victorious, and the enemy will be destroyed. Everlasting peace and protection will be afforded to the people of the many worlds that the Guardians defend. Future generations and their protectors will keep the magic strong. Peace and happiness will reign.

  Lexi looked at the man before her. She was having a hard time concentrating. How could she think when he was so unbelievably gorgeous? He had to be tall, very tall. His shoulders were broad and his chest was muscled and held a spattering of dark hair that she wanted to slip her fingers through. He was a handsome man with strong features, a square jaw, and unique, golden eyes.

  She watched intently as he searched her face with open question. His eyes showed her his very soul. There was kindness, compassion, strength, humor, loyalty, and desire within his heart. She also saw great loneliness. His soul drew her deeper, and she found herself lost in the depth of his feelings. She had to take a step back to break the trance that she found herself in. She reached back to her sister Bree and felt her hand being gripped immediately.

  “Sisters,” she whispered almost painfully.

  Callie stepped forward to touch Bree’s shoulder then reached behind her and found Daria’s hand, who in turn found Evie’s, who reached for Francie’s, who completed the link with Gaiya. They stared at the man before them in silence.

  Sebastian looked from one woman to the next, unsure what was happening, but certain that something was. The violet eyes of each sister focused on him with unwavering intensity. He felt the connection but was unable to understand it. He knew that he had to somehow open himself to their power but was at a loss to understand how.

  “We’ve come from a distant planet called Earth. We think that you are the one that we were meant to find,” Lexi finally spoke, her voice strong. She released Bree’s hand and each sister followed suit, relaxing their stance as they once again formed a semicircle around the eldest, their hands ready at their weapons.

  “Then speak, we must,” Sebastian answered calmly.

  His deep voice was a gentle caress within Lexi’s heart. She waited for him to exit the water and come to them, but the man never moved.

  “Are you going to come out of the water?” she asked, confused by his hesitance.

  “My lady,” he began, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “My garments lie there before you on the sand. Do you wish me to step out of the water in front of all of these maidens?”

  “Hell yeah!” a feminine voice filled with amusement called out suddenly.

  “Evie! Be quiet!” Lexi admonished her sister without turning to face her. “I’m sorry, sir. My sister Evie can be inappropriate at times.”
She turned then to face her sister and gave her the big sister look of censure that Evie had grown used to seeing over the years.

  “Oh stop, Lexi!” Evie told her, laughing softly. “You want to see him naked just as much as I do.”

  “Evie!” Lexi hissed, her face flushing scarlet as she turned to face the man once again.

  Sebastian could not help but smile at the obvious embarrassment of the enchanting woman. He wanted to go to her, gather her within his arms, and assure her that she had nothing to be embarrassed about. He was pleased that she found him attractive. He hoped that she would be open to getting to know him better.

  “We will give you your privacy so you can dress, and then we can talk,” she told him quickly, turning to face her sisters and motioning for them to turn their backs to the lagoon.

  Sebastian chuckled softly as he stepped out of the water. The blush that covered Lexi’s face was adorable. He was charmed by her sweetness. He was also aware that he could not push aside the need that still had complete control over his body. His shaft was so hard, it was painful. Never in his life had he ever been so affected by any woman. Only this woman had that power over him.

  As he pulled on his trousers, he was thankful for the soft material that allowed him to cover his hardness. He concentrated on relaxing, and took deep, even breaths to calm his body.

  He found himself breathing a little erratically as another thought burst through his mind of this beautiful woman beneath him, welcoming him into her body and moaning in pleasure as he buried himself deep inside of her. It took all of his control to push that thought aside and force himself to focus on the present situation.

  “Thank you, my ladies,” he said finally, smiling at them as they turned as a unit to face him once again. “Now, what is it that we need to discuss?”

  Before Lexi could begin, a great shout came up from the foliage behind the women and chaos ensued. Men charged toward them as one, surrounding them and forming a horseshoe around Sebastian and the women.

  “Gaiya!” Bree called immediately, passing her small child to their youngest sister and stepping before her, pulling the long knife from the sheath at her calf and the pulse weapon from her belt.

  Each sister was poised for attack, weapons ready, both knives and pulse guns, as they faced the group of men. Their skills were apparent. Whatever the threat, they were ready and able to take it on, defend themselves, and win.

  “Stay behind us, sir,” Lexi called back to the man whose name she had yet to learn.

  Sebastian’s face registered shock, then admiration, and finally pride as he saw the women ready to do battle to protect him as well as themselves. He stepped forward and reached out to tug on the end of Lexi’s hair, enjoying the silky feel of it for only a split second before her elbow lashed out and connected with his forehead, her body twisted to shoot her leg out, and she swept his own legs out from under him.

  He landed with a thud on the white sand. It knocked the wind out of him. It took him a moment to register what had actually happened. He scrambled to his feet in time to see his men surge forward to engage in battle with the women, raising their swords and weapons as if to kill each one. He had to act quickly. He wanted no one harmed—especially these women.

  “Stop!” he bellowed, raising his hands and pushing out energy through his open palms to create an instant burst of power that surged out and pushed at every person before him. The ripple of magic knocked his men to their backs and the women to their stomachs. He held them in place, refusing to allow anyone to move until he had assured them all that no fight was needed. All desire that had held his body hostage was immediately squelched. Anger, concern, and a good dose of fear for all the women before him, had replaced it.

  “No one will make a move against another!” he yelled. “Is that understood?” He looked at his men, waiting to see their nods of assent. When he saw that he had their promise, he slowly released his hold on them.

  The men gained their footing then backed away but faced the women warily. The women stood slowly but never relaxed their fighting stances. Sebastian’s respect and admiration for them grew. Despite being thrown to the ground, the women focused on the men before them, obviously intent on protecting all of them. Sebastian felt their concern for him and could not help but have a need to send them warmth and caring through the sharing of his magic. He was thankful in that moment that he had the ability to take these women within his protection.

  “Is everyone okay?” Lexi asked, never turning her attention away from the men who stood before them.

  “Yeah,” Bree said angrily, gripping her knife tighter.

  “Not liking this, Lexi,” Francie said, taking a step forward and letting Lexi see her in her peripheral vision.

  “Neither am I,” Lexi muttered angrily.

  “Not exactly the welcome Mom told us to expect,” Callie added.

  “It is as it was meant to be,” Daria told them quietly.

  “Really, Daria?” Lexi questioned, not at all pleased with what had just happened.

  “Yes.”

  Lexi turned slightly to make certain that her sisters and her niece were okay. Once she was assured of their well-being, she returned her full attention to the men who stood before them. She could not take the chance that any of them were in danger—including the man who had been swimming in the lagoon. She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling that he was important.

  Gaiya tried to soothe the baby in her arms, but her niece Hanna would not be appeased. She looked at Bree with concern in her eyes.

  “Bree, Hanna’s scared,” Gaiya said softly.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” Bree said gently as she stepped toward her daughter and kissed her shoulder tenderly. “Mommy’s here. I love you, Hanna.”

  “Mommy,” Hanna moaned softly, little sobs escaping her as she looked up at her mother with wide, frightened eyes. “Bad. Bad.”

  “Yes, baby,” Bree agreed. “It was very bad that we all fell down, but we’re all standing up now. Aunt Gaiya is holding you very tightly. Look how brave you are.”

  The child’s cries tore at Sebastian’s heart. He went to her, his long strides bringing him to stand beside her in no time. He knelt before her in the sand, reaching up slowly to gently touch the soft hair on the baby’s head.

  “I am sorry, little one,” he told her quietly. “Please do not be frightened.”

  His deep voice was tender and soothing, causing Hanna to stop sniffing away her tears. Turning her little face away from her aunt’s shoulder, she looked up at him with beautiful violet eyes that were bright with tears. She hiccupped between her sobs and reached out to point to his forehead.

  “Boo-boo,” she said quietly.

  Lexi felt worry slam through her chest at Hanna’s softly spoken words. She was horrified that she had somehow caused injury to this man—this man who called to her on a level so deep it was frightening. She walked toward him immediately and stood beside him as he knelt before Gaiya and Hanna. Seeing the injury on his forehead, she lifted her right hand and carefully touched him where the buckle of her sleeve had opened a gash about an inch wide across the right side of his forehead just below the hairline.

  She felt the warmth of his skin against her fingertips and was confused by the way the heat radiated up her forearm, across her shoulder, and settled deep within her chest. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, quite the opposite, actually. It made her feel something that she couldn’t understand, but she knew that she wanted to understand it.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she touched him, wincing at the pain she knew he had to be experiencing because of her.

  Sebastian was instantly overwhelmed with the gentleness of her touch, but it was more than just the warmth of her hand. Her essence filled him, warming him to the very center of his soul. Peace settled deep within him, giving him such a sense of belonging, it was nearly overwhelming. His life was filled with obligations and worries. He had never achieved such peace before.

 
The intense need to hold this woman within his arms and never let her leave him was instant. He knew at that moment that he had just been touched by his life mate. This strong, caring, capable, and kind woman was his.

  All the people of his world knew the moment they found their life mate by the intense connection and the incredible warmth that they felt at the first touch of their mate. It was a feeling that would only be experienced once within their lifetime. It was something that every person on Altavesta hoped they would encounter, for it promised a future of love and friendship with the one person that was meant to walk beside you through your life’s journey.

  He stood slowly and took her hand in his, bringing it to the center of his chest, and staring deeply into the softness of her violet eyes. He saw the confusion in them as she felt the connection and warmth radiating from him. He wanted to envelope her within his arms and hold her against him forever.

  He realized that he was causing her great confusion and, very probably, making her experience a good dose of fear, but he could not release his hold on her. He had waited so very long to find her. He did not want to lose one moment of this miraculous connection.

  He felt her tug at his hand and knew that she wanted to pull free from his hold, but he refused to relinquish her hand. Once the touch was made, there was no going back. She was his. He was hers. To be apart for any length of time would cause them both physical pain. It was the way of true life mates. This was the way it had been for as long as his people could recall. The need and the urge to be touching would only ease after time, and only once the bonding had been completed.

  Sebastian was looking forward to the lifetime of love that he sensed he would have with this woman. He did not need the power of his magic to know it. It was a knowledge that was deep within his heart and engrained within his soul.