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

by Bernard, Lynnette

  “Lexi,” he growled, unable to control the magic that was building within him as his release grew near.

  “Sebastian,” she whispered against his neck, kissing it once again as she slid her hand up his length to squeeze the mushroom head and rub her thumb across its slit, gathering the drops there and spreading them across the broad cap. “When things are not so urgent, I’m going to take my time and get to know every inch of you.”

  The promise was made. It was a promise that Lexi had every intention of keeping. She didn’t really understand how the whole life mate thing worked, but she was definitely aware that it was very real. Her attraction to Sebastian was very real. She cared for him, she respected him, and she wanted to be by his side through his life’s journey.

  Never in her life had she ever felt this way about any man. She had dated, but she had never taken that final step to become intimate with them. Something had always held her back. It had never felt right.

  She had never connected with anyone in the way that she had connected with Sebastian’s soul. She wanted to have a future with him. She wanted to create a life and a family with him. She wanted with him what her parents had with each other. Up until this moment, she had never thought such a thing was possible.

  Rubbing her cheek against Sebastian’s shoulder, she admitted to herself that she truly hoped that what she had with him would develop into that kind of love. She wanted a lifelong commitment, a true love match, a partnership, and babies. She hoped that Sebastian wanted the same.

  She tugged harder on Sebastian’s thick shaft, wondering how it was going to feel when it was deep inside of her. She had to be honest with herself, she was looking forward to experiencing the moment when Sebastian claimed her as his.

  A sudden gust of wind whipped through the sleeping area. Lexi eased back to look around and saw that Sebastian’s magic was swirling around them in a burst of gold. White sparks twinkled within the gold.

  Looking at Sebastian, she saw the same swirl of color and sparks within his eyes. It was the most astonishing and the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The fact that it was a direct result of the pleasure he was experiencing because of her gave her great satisfaction.

  She pressed her face against his neck, kissing him once again as she pulled up on his shaft and cupped his sac with her other hand, pressing her shoulders into his chest to get as close to him as possible. She opened her mouth and bit down on his left shoulder, unable to stop herself from the primal claiming that she felt the need to complete.

  Sebastian’s roar of pleasure filled the tent as his shaft pulsed and his seed erupted from him. It coated Lexi’s hand, his stomach, and her bra. It was warm and had a spicy scent to it that filled Lexi’s senses. She thought about how it would taste and secretly hoped that she would be finding out exactly that very soon.

  As each throbbing release coated their bodies, she felt a moment of disappointment that his seed was not finding its home deep within her body. She thought about the trust she gave to him and the desire she had for him. She wanted him to claim her as his life mate. She wanted their connection to be solidified.

  His magic swirled around them in a fierce whirlpool of color. She felt its strength, but it didn’t frighten her. It touched her body with heat and created a solid wall of protection around them as his orgasm crested and slowly receded.

  She kissed his shoulder lightly, suddenly feeling awkward that she had bitten him. She could see the marks that her teeth had left on his shoulder and was ashamed.

  “I’m sorry I bit you,” she whispered, laving at the marks with her tongue and doing her best to ease away the sting. “I got carried away. I’m ashamed of myself for hurting you.”

  Sebastian growled as he gripped her face between his hands and tipped her head so that she was looking directly at him. His magic never dissipated, keeping them wrapped in a cocoon of protection as they lay together in each other’s arms.

  “You will never apologize for being caught up in your desire for me,” he told her, his voice gruff. “I enjoyed every moment, every touch, every bite.”

  Lexi laughed softly. “So, you want me to bite you again?” she teased.

  “Every chance that you get, my lady,” he told her without hesitation.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it proves to me that you want me.”

  Lexi hesitated a moment, thinking through what he said. He was correct. She did want him. She did lose control as he neared orgasm. She couldn’t imagine how it was going to be when she was in the same situation.

  She was drawn out of her thoughts when she felt Sebastian’s hands caressing her sides and across her stomach. Looking down, she realized that he was rubbing his seed into her skin.

  “What are you doing?” Her voice was calm as she spoke, keeping her happiness at the intimate act to herself for now. She watched him as his gaze was riveted to her body. She held onto his shoulders, needing the connection with him.

  “I have a need to cover you with my seed,” he explained, his deep voice firm. “Until I am able to fill your womb, this will have to do.”

  Lexi froze all movement. She was surprised by his words. She was also affected deeply by them.

  Sebastian felt the change in Lexi’s feelings immediately. He looked into her beautiful violet eyes and saw the emotions that were churning within them. Had his bold words upset her?

  “My lady, I cannot keep what I am feeling from you,” he began gently. “I know that you are my destined life mate. I knew the moment I saw you and felt your soul calling to mine. When you touched me, what I was feeling made sense.”

  “Sebastian,” Lexi whispered, overwhelmed by his words.

  “Your strength and beauty give me hope for a happy future—a future that I hope will be filled with children,” he continued. He touched her left cheek gently with his large hand and smiled at the way she sighed and pressed into his touch. “You do not have to say anything, Lexi. I just wanted you to know that I see a lifetime that we will share together. I also see you beside me helping me protect our people.”

  “I’ll help,” Lexi promised. “It’s why my sisters and I are here. Our mother saw our futures. She saw that we needed to come to your world to help protect all of you.” She hesitated, turning into Sebastian’s shoulder and rubbing her cheek against the warmth of his neck. “I don’t really know how we’re supposed to do that, but my mother was certain that we would.”

  “I have no doubt that your mother is correct.”

  “She died a while ago,” Lexi told him sadly.

  “I am sorry for your loss, my lady.”

  Lexi nodded and wrapped her arms around him to hug him gently. “Thank you,” she whispered as she cuddled against his chest.

  Sebastian reveled in her touch. She was such a loving mate. He was truly fortunate to have her as his.

  “Did your mother see children in your future?” he asked gently, doing his best to remain gentle in his questioning. They had much to learn about each other and much to discuss before that subject could be broached.

  Lexi laughed softly. She saw the confusion on Sebastian’s face, which only made her laugh harder.

  “I do not understand your laugher, Lexi,” he said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

  “My mother told all of us that we would be the mothers of the future,” Lexi told him finally. “How ridiculous is that?”

  “It is not ridiculous at all, my lady,” Sebastian told her tenderly, leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly as he covered her belly with his right hand and caressed it slowly. “I believe your mother was correct in her visions. You give this old and tired man hope.”

  Lexi remained silent, feeling the weight of Sebastian’s weariness. Reaching up with her left hand, she slid her fingers through the hair at his temple and pulled him forward until his cheek rested against her right shoulder. Having him there, cuddled gently against her, she was finally able to r
elax. She could feel his stresses easing. She could also feel the happiness within his heart and the hope within his soul.

  “Are you well, Lexi?” he whispered, touching her cheek gently.

  She smiled and slowly removed her hand from his hair to touch his face tenderly before slowly tracing his lips with the tip of her index finger. The way he cared for her touched her deeply.

  Other than her father, no man had ever shown her genuine concern for her well-being before. Only Sebastian. She could feel how sincere he was. She and all of her sisters were able to sense the true feelings of those around them. Some of them had the ability much stronger than the others, but the ability was within each and every one of them.

  “I’m doing much better,” she told him without hesitation, laughing quietly. “How are you?”

  Sebastian lifted his head from her shoulder to look down at her and saw that her eyes were sparkling with mischief. The joy that it gave him was instant. She gave lightness to his heart. The thought of spending the rest of his life with her made him happy. She was going to be exactly what he needed to help ease the worries of his station in life. The responsibilities of being king were often a heavy burden that he had been forced to bear alone. Lexi’s mischief, her kindness, and her gentleness were going to help him deal with those responsibilities and help ease his worries.

  “Your generosity has given me much pleasure, my lady,” he told her quietly, his voice still heavy with the pleasure and the passion that she had given him.

  He could not contain the smile that her shy blush pulled from him. Leaning down, he kissed her once more, barely brushing his lips against her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest to cuddle her securely against him. He groaned with renewed want as she wrapped her leg over his hip as she settled against him, knowing that she had no idea how much she made him desire her with such an innocent movement.

  “Rest, my love,” he whispered, loving how her head rested against his chest and her body fit so perfectly against his. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens for sending her to him, settling her carefully so that she was lying snug against his side.

  Rubbing her shoulder gently, he soothed her, knowing the pain she felt had finally been eased. In a matter of moments Lexi’s breathing slowed, and he could feel the tension leaving her body as she settled trustingly within his arms and fell asleep.

  He felt a peacefulness overcome him as he settled beside her. His lips nestled against her temple, kissing her lightly as he closed his eyes and gave himself over to the feeling of complete contentment. His life mate . The words echoed in his mind as he drifted off.

  As they fell asleep entwined in each other’s arms, the sense of rightness surrounded her. Even when he wrapped his arms around her tightly and pulled her closer, Lexi didn’t feel suffocated. She felt treasured and protected.

  In that moment, she was open to the feelings and the thoughts that settled within her heart and her mind. She struggled to understand where they were coming from, and then she realized that they were coming from Sebastian.

  She felt his honest, beginning love for her— his life mate .

  Chapter 7

  Lexi opened her eyes slowly, exhaustion still pulling at her. She knew it had to be very late. It took a moment to remember exactly what had happened and where she was.

  Sebastian.

  She felt the warmth and strength of his body pressed against her back. His right arm was wrapped around her waist, keeping her close in a loose hold. She could feel the soft puff of his exhale as he nuzzled against the back of her head. She was feeling entirely too comfortable. That feeling frightened her a little.

  She was about to pull away when something within her stopped her from doing so. Why shouldn’t she stay where she was? Why couldn’t she accept that what had happened was destined? Didn’t she deserve happiness?

  As carefully as she could manage, she slowly turned so that she was lying on her back. Sebastian adjusted his hold on her as she moved. He didn’t prevent her from moving, he just allowed her to get comfortable before gently replacing his arm across her waist and held her hip lightly.

  Lexi looked up at him and saw the peaceful and happy expression on his face. She wasn’t ashamed to admit to herself that she liked that he was feeling that way because she was in his arms.

  His hold on her was possessive, but it was also tender and gentle. For such a large man who was strong and powerful, he was exceedingly careful with her. She was used to being feared because of her size and her fighting ability. She didn’t feel that way with Sebastian. Despite the fact that he recognized and admired her strength and fighting skills, he treated her as a woman. His woman.

  She thought about what had happened since she and her sisters had arrived on Altavesta. Daria had seen the open area near the lagoon in a vision and knew that it was the safest place to set down their ship. Lexi knew that her sister’s gift was never to be questioned. All of them did. Each one of them admired and respected the gifts that the others had, and took full advantage of the guidance that they afforded.

  She ran her left hand down Sebastian’s arm, stopping at his wrist and holding it lightly as he held her securely against his body. Pressed against his naked chest, she couldn’t help but smile with pleasure at the closeness.

  Sebastian still wore his trousers, affording her the respect that he was intent on showing her. She was still wearing her bra and panties, further proof that he was determined to ensure that their relationship would progress at a level that was comfortable for her.

  Even when he held her tightly to ease her pain, he never crossed the line of propriety. He had been intent on taking care of her without a thought to easing his own pain. She was the one who had made the decision to be so bold with him—and she didn’t regret it for one moment.

  Touching him intimately and giving him pleasure had been something she would remember forever. Even having him rub his seed into her torso had given her great satisfaction. She recognized his need to cover her in his scent and claim her as his. Having him tell her that he wanted to fill her womb with his seed had made need flare to life within her. He wanted the intimacy of making love with her, but he also wanted a future that held the promise of a family that they would create together. The thought of being pregnant with his child sent waves of longing through her.

  She had always been a strong and capable fighter. She had had to be the one to lead her sisters and watch out for them. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be those things. It was that she wanted more.

  She wanted to be able to show her gentle side. She wanted to be a part of a loving and happy marriage. To have a relationship with a man where she could be both strong and gentle, was something that she secretly ached for. Having a relationship where they were both lovers and friends would be a true gift. Add children to that gift, and she would realize every wish and dream that she had for herself.

  She turned her head just slightly to nuzzle into Sebastian’s neck. She heard his soft growl of pleasure and felt the tightening of his hand on her hip before he let go, his hand remaining heavy on her body.

  Pushing aside her hesitation, she kissed the column of his throat lightly, making sure not to wake him. She knew how debilitating it was to experience the pain that they had sustained by not touching each other. She didn’t want to disturb his healing sleep. She truly cared about him. She didn’t understand how such a thing was possible so soon, but to deny it would be ridiculous. She was feeling what she was feeling.

  It was honest, but it was also overwhelming. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours, the most important of which was the moment her soul had touched Sebastian’s, and the mating bond had snapped into place.

  Sebastian had said that he had been drawn to her the moment he had felt her presence close to his and felt the connection to her soul. Maybe she had felt the same, she didn’t really know. She just knew that the draw to him had been a powerful one. When sh
e had advanced on him as he was standing in the calm water of the blue lagoon, she had felt a tightening within her chest that she hadn’t understood. It could have been the heavens stepping in and placing them in each other’s path.

  Lexi shifted and turned onto her side so she could look at him. His hand fell away slowly, and she felt the immediate loss because he was no longer touching her. Reaching up, she placed her hand on his bicep and caressed his arm lightly. She didn’t want to wake him, but she had to touch him.

  How unusual to have such a thing happen on this beautiful planet. She had never heard of any other world having such a bonding custom. To have to touch your destined mate often or feel pain was a little over the top, to be sure. Was that the way the heavens ensured that those who were meant to be together would give each other a chance? It would cause them to remain close enough to get to know each other. That certainly made sense. What didn’t make sense was that the two people would feel pain. That was horrible.

  She remembered the intense pain she had been in. She remembered proving to her sisters that Sebastian’s story about life mates was true. She remembered ordering Torin to hold Sebastian back. The rest was lost in a haze of pain and need.

  What was very clear in her memory, though, was the tenderness that Sebastian had shown her. He had held her and touched her, caressing her arms and her back over and over again as he whispered words of comfort and caring against her temple. She knew that he had kept himself under complete control and was respectful to her. Despite his own pain, he did nothing but try to ease hers.

  She took a deep breath as she tried to keep control over her emotions. She was beginning to shake. Sebastian’s tenderness and kindness were her undoing. She wanted to be loved and held by him. She couldn’t deny it. What bothered her was that she didn’t want him to want her only because it was physically painful to be without her. She deserved the beauty of being loved for who she was, not just desired because of some fluke of nature that was the basis for the physical need that Sebastian had for her.