Never in a thousand lifetimes did he expect that this would ever happen to him. He had long since given up hope in finding the one woman who was destined to be his, who was his match in spirit, soul, and desire.
His duty to his people and the worlds within Altavesta’s alliances was great. They were his to protect. That duty was proving to be his life’s work. Any hope that he had ever had to find his personal happiness had long ago been shelved. He had resigned himself to the fact that he would be alone forever. Until now.
In just one short moment in time, everything had changed. He had found his life mate, and she was part of the eight warriors that were destined to help save his people. All he had to do now was complete the bonding.
That thought made him instantly hard and enormously happy.
Chapter 2
“Please let go of my hand,” Lexi whispered, somehow knowing that what was happening between them should be private. She wasn’t frightened—well, not much anyway. She was more confused than anything else.
Sebastian reluctantly released his hold of her hand. He stepped back one step and bowed at the waist. “As you wish, my lady,” he said respectfully. He turned then and walked toward his men.
“We’ll talk later about whatever the hell that surge of power you threw at us was,” she called to him as he walked away, her voice strong and commanding.
He turned and looked at her in surprise at her tone. As he faced her, a slow smile crossed his lips. He was going to enjoy his life with this gentle warrior.
“We will do that and more, my lady,” he told her, nodding.
“Now what the hell does that mean?” Lexi muttered to herself.
“Oh, this is going to be entertaining,” Bree said as she came up behind her and spoke so that only Lexi could hear her.
“Bree!” Lexi chastised her quickly, unable to take her gaze away from the man who had just walked away from her. His anger was evident in his stride as he stalked toward one of the men who stood ready to fight.
“Explain,” Sebastian demanded of the man he stood before.
Torin faced him without fear. “Sebastian, we received communication that a scout ship containing warriors was sent to assassinate you,” he explained calmly. “Verrick found their ship. It was empty of its inhabitants. He prompted me to ensure your safety until he could locate them.”
Sebastian nodded in understanding. “Be certain, Torin, these women are not assassins. Their leader is my life mate.”
Torin’s eyes widened in surprise. He looked at his best friend calmly. A small smile graced his hardened features. The happiness that he held for his king was deep. He, above anyone else, knew how Sebastian had hoped to find his life mate. He also knew how his king had given up on that hope in order to ensure the safety of those he protected.
“Is that so, Sebastian?” Torin’s deep voice held an unmistakable teasing quality to it, knowing his childhood friend would allow the familiarity despite his status. He stepped back to look over the group of women then returned his gaze to his friend. “I would love to be there when you explain what that will mean to her.”
Sebastian’s smile faltered somewhat. “She will know and understand the ways of our world before the night is over,” he promised. “It is our duty to be open and honest with our mates.” He sighed sadly and looked at his friend whose eyes suddenly lost their teasing glimmer and became darkly serious. “I would like for her to want to be with me as my life mate. I do not want her to be forced to be with me because of the pain it would cause her to be apart from me.”
“Mayhap that will not be the way of it once you have talked with her,” Torin suggested quietly.
“Mayhap,” Sebastian answered sadly. “I can only hope.”
“Torin, we have located the men whose ship I tracked,” Verrick’s voice broke through the silence of the communications device that Torin had clipped to his belt.
“Do you know who they are?” Torin asked, looking at Sebastian with anger in his eyes. Their king had been targeted for assassination. That was not something Torin would tolerate.
“They are members of the Gorin alliance,” Verrick answered, his voice tinged with anger.
“I will question them personally,” Sebastian told him.
“There is no one to question, my king” Verrick told him. “The six of them initiated the poison within their breathing masks the moment our warriors came upon them. They are all dead.”
Sebastian looked at Torin and saw the frustration on his best friend’s face. He reached out and gripped his shoulder tightly.
“This is not good, Sebastian,” Torin told him. “They will just send more.”
“Possibly,” Sebastian conceded. “We will be ready for them.”
“Verrick, increase the number of warriors on surveillance duty,” Torin barked into his transmitter. “Have Prince Bryden evaluate the protection shield around Altavesta for breaches.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sebastian nodded at Torin, appreciating his capable leadership, then turned and strode back toward the women. He was relieved that the child had stopped crying. He walked up to the woman who was his and stopped before her, the ache in his chest already beginning to form at the sight of her. He wanted to hold her.
“I am infinitely sorry for the mistake, my lady,” he apologized sincerely. “There is danger in my world. Our enemy has sent a scout ship to assassinate the royal family. You and your warriors were thought to be from that ship. I know that you are not and deeply apologize for the antagonism of my men.” He bowed slightly and waited for her acceptance or rejection of the apology.
Lexi hesitated slightly then relaxed and smiled up at him. “I’m the one who needs to apologize,” she told him quietly. “I injured you. I’m truly sorry.” She reached up and touched his forehead once again, feeling better at the contact for some reason. “You need to be tended to. I have a first aid kit and can take care of your injury for you.”
Although she knew that her sister Callie’s gift of healing was a possibility to help this man, Lexi had to be careful not to reveal too much about their gifts until she ascertained the safety of this world. This man’s injury wasn’t life-threatening. She knew she could take care of it easily with conventional methods. She found that she wanted to help him, touch him, and take care of him. That thought not only confused her, it scared her.
She had been very careful to keep herself apart from men throughout her life. She was the oldest Gallagher daughter. She was responsible for her sisters and her niece. Life did not hold the possibilities of romance or desire for her. Yet she could not deny what she was feeling when she was near this man. The warmth and the feeling of rightness that she felt when she touched him was very real.
Sebastian closed his eyes at her touch. The tenderness she offered him spread through him like lightening. He tried desperately to control the desire that was rushing through him. If every touch and every moment of interaction with this woman was going to be like this, he would count himself a truly lucky man.
“I would appreciate your kindness, my lady,” he answered finally, opening his eyes to smile down at her. He liked that she was tall and that her forehead was even with his mouth. She was closer to kissable level.
“Lexi,” she whispered. “My name is Lexi Gallagher. Actually, it’s Alexa but my sisters call me Lexi.”
“Lexi,” he repeated, smiling. “I am Sebastian Mathieson.” He touched his chest and bowed slightly as he introduced himself. “It is an honor to meet you, Lady Lexi Gallagher.”
Lexi smiled at the formality of his speech. She liked it. Her eyes settled on his large hand as it was placed over his heart and felt a pull of need. This man was not only kind and respectful, he had an unbelievably killer body that was packed with muscle. To say that he was handsome would fall far short of the description of him.
He had kind, golden eyes that twinkled with mischief. She could tell he was going to be trouble, but it was trouble that she was looking forward
to experiencing with him.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Sebastian Mathieson,” Lexi said formally, bowing slightly. His instant smile at her words made her smile, as well.
“Lexi, we need to get you and your warriors to safety. There is always the possibility of danger in our world. Our encampment is not far from here. We should be able to make it there before nightfall. Torin will lead the way.”
Lexi looked at the massive warrior who stood just behind them and saw the formal bow that he executed toward her. It almost made her laugh to be so revered but she would not dare to insult him or their culture.
“When we arrive at our encampment, we will sit down and have our discussion about how I might be able to help you, and how you might be able to help us,” Sebastian continued. His smile grew, his golden eyes flashing with happiness as he looked at her.
“Lexi,” Gaiya’s voice called to her from the shoreline as she mirrored Hanna’s hesitant steps toward the water.
Lexi turned to face her sister and smiled at her little niece as she explored the joys of the water. Gaiya couldn’t stop the laugh that burst from her as Hanna stumbled forward and landed in the shallow water, submerging herself momentarily in its warmth. It was when she looked up at Gaiya in shock and then grinned happily and slapped the water playfully, sending a shower of water up and over herself once again, that Lexi laughed with pure joy for the first time in such a long time.
Sebastian turned to her and followed her gaze to her niece and found himself smiling broadly at the sight of the adorable child enjoying herself in the water. What was even better was seeing the beautiful woman, his life mate, laughing with complete happiness. When she turned to face him, her smile remained. He was lost to her in that moment. To wake each morning to such open love and joy was a gift he would cherish every day of his life.
“Hanna’s never been swimming before,” Lexi explained to him, her heart light because of Hanna’s pleasure. “Would you mind if we gave her some time to enjoy herself before moving on to your camp? I’m sure my sisters would enjoy the down time.”
She hesitated slightly, unsure if she was putting them at risk by making the request. Although she wanted to give Hanna this moment of fun, the soldier in her knew that other factors needed to be considered and take precedent.
Sebastian held his breath as she stepped toward him and touched his forearm gently. Her open expression pulled at his heart. By all that was good in life, this woman was the kind and caring light that would chase away the shadows of isolation and loneliness that always surrounded him.
“I trust your judgment, Sebastian,” Lexi said quietly, sincerely meaning her declaration. “If you think it would be unsafe to remain here, we’ll leave this place now.”
She had always trusted her instincts when she met new people. Her mother had told her that it was part of the gift she had been given because she was the one who was responsible for her sisters. Lexi valued that gift now. Sebastian was someone that she could trust with their lives. Of that, she had no doubt. He radiated strength and power. More importantly, he embodied honesty and caring.
Sebastian was touched by Lexi’s words. She had no idea how much her trust in him meant to him. She had no reason to trust him, yet she did. He was thankful that the connection that they had already formed gave her confidence in him. The trust that he had in her was equally as strong.
“I thank you for your words of support, Lexi,” he said gently, reaching up and touching her cheek gently. “You are very kind.”
He loved the soft blush that crossed Lexi’s cheeks. He caressed her left cheek gently with the pad of his thumb, loving the delicate shiver that coursed through her at his touch. It was a very good sign.
Lexi couldn’t prevent the way her body was reacting to Sebastian’s touch. It was strange the way she felt both calm and aroused by it at the same time. This man was going to test her control, for sure.
“My lady, take all the time you want,” Sebastian said calmly.
How could he deny her such happiness? The instant smile that came to her lips and made her eyes twinkle made him know that he would do all that he could to have that same happiness reflected back at him every time she gazed upon him.
“Thank you.”
Her words were gently spoken yet held the gratefulness that she was feeling. Sebastian could feel her emotions as if they were his own. He was pleased that the connection he had with her was already growing with every passing moment. He could also feel the strengthening of their bond with each touch.
“It seems, my lady, that it doesn’t take much to make you happy,” he told her with good humor. “How could I deprive you of such a gift?”
He watched her blush prettily once again, amazed that such a little thing as this allowance to play in the water would cause her such pure happiness. He knew that what his mate wanted mirrored his own deep desires. To know that one’s family was safe and happy was all that mattered to him, and it seemed the same was true for Lexi.
“I appreciate your kindness, Sebastian Mathieson,” she told him quietly, touching his forearm once again and following the sinewy muscles to his wrist before taking his hand in hers and squeezing it lightly.
He closed his eyes briefly, opening them and looking down at their joined hands. Before he could censure himself he pulled her hand to his lips, turned it over and kissed the softness of her inner wrist lightly, smiling at the indrawn breath that he heard her take. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly before she opened them and looked up at him with surprise and, more importantly, a burning passion that was sparking behind her shyness. This gentle warrior was proving to be his passionate warrior.
“You are most welcome, my lady,” he told her, releasing her hand reluctantly as she pulled away from him.
“Our ship is hidden behind the patch of trees over there,” Lexi told him, indicating the area further down the lagoon. “Is it safe for her to remain there?”
Sebastian turned to look in the direction that Lexi had pointed. He could not see the vessel, but he could sense the energy of the power source that fueled it.
“Is your vessel damaged?”
“No.”
Sebastian nodded. “That is a relief,” he told her. “I worried that you might have had a rough landing when you arrived.”
“No. The trip was a smooth one. It was also a long one. Hanna was just eighteen months old when we escaped. That was six months ago.”
“Months?”
“A month is usually thirty days,” Lexi explained. “One day on Earth is twenty-four hours in length. It is based on our planet experiencing one rotation of our sun.”
“Altavesta has one sun and two moons,” Sebastian explained. “Our days are measured in the same way.”
“And your months?”
“I suppose we will have to discover that explanation together as we compare our worlds.”
“I guess it doesn’t really matter except when a woman is pregnant,” Lexi told him, laughing softly. “When you’re waiting for your baby to be born, the months seem never ending.”
Sebastian’s heart beat at a quicker pace at the thought of this woman waiting for her child to be born. His child. He not only hoped for that time, he was certain that it would occur.
“I would imagine it is a trial to wait for such an event to take place,” Sebastian told her softly.
“I don’t know. I think it’s something women look forward to and fear at the same time,” Lexi told him honestly, shrugging. She turned toward the area where she had landed their ship and became concerned. “What about our ship?”
“It is safe where it is, for now,” Sebastian told her. “I would suggest you pilot it to my home. There is an underground facility where all of our ships are docked.”
“We’ll need to replenish our fuel supply before I can do that.”
“My brother Bryden can aid you in that. He is quite capable in the design and maintenance of our fleet.”
“Thanks. We all apprecia
te it.”
“You are most welcome, Lady Lexi.”
Lexi couldn’t help but smile at the formality. She also couldn’t help the flutter of excitement that began in her stomach every time she looked at the handsome man. Goodness, he was gorgeous! She nodded slightly and did her best to remain in control as she left him. It was almost difficult to put one foot in front of the other in order to distance herself from him.
Sebastian watched her silently as she turned to walk toward her sisters and saw that they were just as happy as she was to have a moment of reprieve from the stress of their journey. To his disappointment, Lexi didn’t join her sisters in the water, but merely stepped back to watch them as they allowed their weapons to drop to the sand and removed their boots and vests before they waded slowly into the water and began to swim. He walked toward Lexi and stood beside her, enjoying her happiness as she watched her sisters swim and play with little Hanna.
“Do you not intend to join them, Lexi?” he asked her quietly, waiting for her to turn to face him then reaching out to take hold of her hair when she did.
He realized he did not have the ability to resist touching her, and he was not about to deny himself the pleasure of doing so. He would certainly respect her wishes if she did not want the attention or his touch, but she seemed to be open to his closeness. He was pleased. She was his, after all.
He loved the feel of her hair, silky and thick within his fingers. He loved the curve of her neck, the fullness of her breasts, and the feminine curve of her hips. He wanted to touch every inch of her.
Mine .
His mind screamed it. His heart knew the truthfulness of the declaration.
Lexi smiled up at him, her face open and happy despite the weariness he saw there. He grew concerned. He had to help her. He did not want her to be overwhelmed by her responsibilities or exhausted by her vigilance in protecting her family.
Lexi couldn’t help but sigh as she looked back at her sisters and saw them swimming. She wished that she could join them, but she couldn’t. Someone had to remain on watch.
Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1) Page 4