“What is it that they want?”
“They take whatever is valuable in each world. One planet provides fuel for their ships. Another provides technology,” Sebastian explained. “The worst treasure that the Gorin has taken, is the people of the worlds that they conquer.” He hesitated a moment, his eyes flashing golden as he looked at his life mate. “They use them as slaves.”
Lexi could feel the anger within Sebastian. She stepped toward him and touched his forearm lightly, wanting to offer him some small measure of support and caring.
“It is said that they also feed on the life force of our people,” Sebastian told her, his voice suddenly cold. “This cannot continue, Lexi. We must stop them.”
Lexi nodded. “We will,” she told him, her voice firm.
Sebastian looked down at her and searched her face for any inkling of fear. He saw none. She and her sisters would aid them in their battle. Together, they would defeat the Gorin, just as the ancient prophecy had foretold.
“We must take steps to prepare you for the moment when you will face our enemy,” he told her. “You must harness your magic and be ready to fight. I am concerned that you will be unprepared to protect yourself, your sisters, and your niece. I will not lose you, my love.”
“You’ll find that my sisters and I are skilled soldiers, Sebastian,” she told him, needing him to know. “We’re ready to protect you and your men.” She hesitated slightly, poking him in the chest as she spoke. “I will not lose you , Sebastian.”
Sebastian nodded, grunting his approval. He took her hand within his and squeezed it lightly before bringing it to his lips to kiss her open palm. He loved the soft sigh that left her, but he could not lose sight of what he needed to do.
“Stand your ground, warrior,” he told her as he released his hold on her and stepped away from her.
He accepted and respected her fighting abilities. He knew that he could not keep her out of harm’s way or prevent her from acting as the warrior that she was trained to be. He had to train her to be more in control of her magic in order to keep her safe. He would not allow her to be injured when they engaged in battle with their enemy.
“Do not allow me to move you, Lexi.”
“What?”
Before Lexi could question him further, she found herself being lifted by Sebastian’s magic and thrown backward. She hit the ground hard and released a surprised grunt that morphed into an angry growl.
“So this is how we’re going to play this, huh?” she muttered, getting to her feet immediately and raising her hands to ward off his magic.
She could feel his power pushing against her and was determined to keep herself solid on her feet. Unfortunately, her lack of control over her magic made it impossible to resist his attack. She felt herself being lifted once again. She was hurled to the right. She connected with a bush that cushioned her landing somewhat, but it still was by no means pleasant to be scratched up by the bushes and to be knocked on her ass one more time.
She scrambled to her feet and faced Sebastian again, reaching inside of her to fan the golden flame of magic. It helped a little. She was able to resist him for a longer period of time before he hurled her to the left of the dirt path.
He pushed against her magical shield over and over again, throwing her to the ground more times than she could count. Each time, she rose to her feet and faced him with renewed determination.
Her father had taught all of them to never allow anger to be a factor in their fighting. It served no purpose except to distract them from their focus and affect their fighting skills. You made wrong choices when you were angry.
Right then, Lexi had a good dose of pissed off going on. She knew she had to control her emotions. She had to be more focused and calculating. Every soldier had a weakness. She just had to figure out Sebastian’s. When she did, he was toast.
She stood once again, brushing off her backside as she walked toward Sebastian. His power was palpable. She had to give him credit for the level of magic he wielded and the way he had complete control over it. He was strong. He was smart. And, heaven help her, he was sexy as hell.
“Not a good time to think about that, soldier,” she told herself.
She shored up her magical shields and waited for his next attack. He wasn’t going to get the best of her. She would show him that she was capable of wielding her own magic. She was going to kick his ass. Later, she would appreciate that ass.
She couldn’t help but laugh softly at her thought. Oh, yeah. She was going to appreciate his ass, his powerful arms, his wide shoulders, his flat stomach that was hard with muscle, his...
“Get a grip, Lexi,” she whispered, growling at herself for her lack of focus.
Sebastian hit her with another bolt of power, knocking her off her feet, and sending her sliding a good ten feet into the foliage.
“Damn!” Lexi couldn’t help but emit a soft groan. That one really hurt.
Sebastian cringed as Lexi hit the ground once again and was propelled into the low bushes that lined the forest pathway. If she thought he would temper his power in his training of her, she was greatly mistaken. To be careful with her now, would do a great disservice to her. It would only serve to put her in danger.
She needed to be able to take care of herself. She needed to be able to harness the power within herself and push back against his magic. She needed to construct her shield and protect herself from the enemy.
No.
She needed to decimate the enemy.
Their enemies would not show compassion. They would kill everyone they could find. They would not stop until every warrior was dead and their world was completely at their mercy. Lexi needed to be able to use her power to protect, to shield, and to destroy those who threatened them.
He expected that from himself as well as from each of his warriors. They were the last line of defense for their world and the worlds that they protected. Lexi and her sisters were now a part of that line of defense. To coddle her would do nothing but cause her death.
That was not acceptable.
Now that he had found her, he was never going to lose her. If that meant he had to be brutal in his training, that was what he would be. To be brutal now would prevent the loss of the love of his life.
Only a short amount of time had passed under his tutelage, but Lexi had already surpassed the level of competency that he had hoped for. She was quick. She was strong. And she was focused.
“Do something, Lexi!” he commanded.
Lexi gathered her power and threw it toward Sebastian, her anger making her aim just a bit off. Her eyes widened in surprise, and a blush of embarrassment covered her cheeks, as the bushes and one small tree behind Sebastian burst apart as her magic hit.
“Focus!” Sebastian shouted.
“Damn it,” Lexi muttered. “What the hell do you think I’m trying to do?”
“I believe that you are allowing your anger to weaken your skills,” Sebastian told her calmly. “You must not lose your concentration. Call upon your magic and direct it where you need it to go with precision.”
Despite the few mishaps that Lexi experienced, and putting aside the small explosion of the shrubs and the trees behind him, he was impressed and very pleased with the progress his life mate had achieved. Were it not for her anger affecting her focus, she had already demonstrated complete control over the power of the magic that she now possessed.
Sebastian was not fooling himself. Lexi’s magic may have been increased by his, but she had come to him with a wealth of her own magic. She may not have realized it, but she had been gifted with great power. He believed that each of her sisters had that same level of power.
It was no wonder that they were sent to Altavesta to fulfill the ancient prophecy that would help save their people. These gentle warriors with violet eyes were the key to their salvation. Sebastian was determined to be their protector. He would lay down his life for them. He knew that his warriors would do the same.
Looking at Lexi as she picked herself up from the ground once again and brushed the dirt from her blouse, he had to fight not to smile. She was a talented student. Her ability to understand and harness the power within her was more than impressive. He had seen her take direction with a focus that rivaled any experienced warrior that he had ever trained. He watched as she squared her shoulders and stood each and every time that she was thrown to the ground as he wielded the full power of his magic at her.
He could not hold back. He had to work with her with every bit of power that he had. Their enemy would not care that she was learning. They would not care that she was a woman. They would use each and every weakness they could exploit to get to her. If she were lucky, she would be killed quickly. If not, she would be tortured until madness took her. There was also the very real possibility that she would be captured and enslaved. He could not and would not allow any of those things to happen.
“Come at me now, Lexi,” he coaxed her, stepping forward to stand in front of her. “Push your power toward me and see if you can move me. Throw me to the ground. Make me feel the pain you can inflict.”
Lexi stepped back in horror. “No!” She recoiled immediately. “I can’t hurt you.” She crossed her arms in defiance and tucked her hands beneath her armpits, taking no chances in losing control and directing her newly acquired power at him.
Sebastian smiled at her words, his heart warming at her concern for him. He was more determined that she learn how to direct and control the power that she used when trying to disarm or kill an opponent. He pushed aside his feelings and raised his hands with determination. Before Lexi could know what he planned, he directed his magic from his hands and threw it toward his mate.
He succeeded in pushing her back toward the low row of bushes along the dirt path, making her lose her balance. She hit the ground with a thud, making him wince as he felt her pain. He had to refrain himself from going to her. He wanted to pull her up into his arms and brush his hands across her firm backside to ease the aches he knew she was feeling from the hard landing she had just experienced.
“Sebastian!” she yelled up at him, scrambling to her feet and quickly brushing the dirt from the seat of her pants. “This is getting really old.”
Sebastian smiled, his heart seizing at the sight of his beautiful mate standing before him with such anger and defiance. Good. Now she would work with him without hesitation because she feared hurting him.
“Push back at me,” he ordered her, stepping toward her with his hands raised once again.
“I won’t hurt you,” she told him through gritted teeth as she stepped away from him.
Sebastian forced his face to remain passive. He had to get her to think beyond who he was to her. She had to harness her power and use it on him as if he were an enemy to her and their people. If she did not use it with as much force as she had within her, it might mean her life. It might also mean the life of the child that could be growing within her womb. The thought of losing her, losing their baby that she might be carrying, or losing their future children that they might have together, was enough to frighten him to his very soul.
Without hesitation, he threw his power at her, this time with more force. Lexi was thrown back once again, landing a little harder on her backside.
“Enough!” she yelled up at him as she scrambled to her feet.
“What will you do to stop me, my lady?” he yelled at her, advancing on her with a scowl on his face.
The look on Sebastian’s face sent a shiver of fear through her. She stood and faced him, angry that he would not understand why she could not use her full power on him. She couldn’t hurt him. She wouldn’t hurt him.
Before she could speak, he threw another wave of power at her, sending her back another few feet. Her backside had just about had enough. Maybe a little power thrown at him might not be too bad.
She stood quickly and raised her hands, palms out. She drew upon her power and centered the wave of magic directly toward him. It left her body through her palms in a massive surge and connected directly with his chest. He didn’t move. Not. One. Bit.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Lexi muttered, anger lacing through her. She saw the dangerous smile that lit his face and knew she had to do something. Fast. He was advancing on her. She would not allow him to get the better of her again.
“I expected much more from you, warrior,” he taunted her. “I thought you were a warrior to be reckoned with? That is all the strength that you have?”
With that, he raised his hand and prepared to throw another wave of magic toward her, but Lexi had been pushed to her breaking point. The level of saturation had been reached. She raised her hands and directed her attention to the center of Sebastian’s chest as she called upon the magic within her and hurled a wave of energy toward him.
Sebastian’s body was thrown backward with such force, he was a blur of motion. He was propelled backward an amazing twenty feet and landed with a resounding thud, the air from his lungs escaping in a whoosh as his back slapped the forest floor. He looked up at the deep blue, purple, and pink of the cloudless sky through the canopy of trees, and a contented smiled covered his face.
Lexi ran to him in horror, dropping to her knees beside him and reaching out to gently place her hand on his chest. She had allowed her anger to cloud her judgment. She had hurt the one man she had vowed never to hurt either physically or emotionally.
“Sebastian?” she questioned quietly, looking down at him in concern, her eyes wide with worry as she searched his face. “I’m so sorry.”
Her words were barely a whisper. Everything within her revolted against her brutality. Being a trained soldier had caused her to hurt this incredible man. She reached out and caressed his hair tenderly.
Sebastian looked up at her silently. Reaching up slowly, he caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb, determined to wipe away the worry that was within her beautiful violet eyes.
“There is no need to be sorry, wife,” he told her very seriously, his voice deep with emotion. “I am very proud of you. You controlled the power very well. I am certain that you will be able to protect yourself and your family, as well as our people.” He pulled her down until her face was mere inches from his own. “There is one final lesson.”
Before Lexi could ask what that final lesson was, Sebastian threw his magic at her, sending her backward at a breakneck speed. She landed in an undignified heap at the edge of the dirt path. She concentrated on breathing. Everything else was secondary. Everything hurt.
She heard Sebastian scrambling toward her and was determined to prove her own point. She had some tricks up her sleeve that he would not expect, and she was going to use every damned one of them.
“Lexi,” Sebastian called to her, his voice filled with concern.
Lexi felt Sebastian’s hands touching her neck and knew that he was checking her pulse. She concentrated on keeping it under control. She wasn’t going to give herself away.
“My lady, please,” he whispered. “I have hurt you. I am not worthy to be your life mate.”
He gathered her within his arms and slowly pulled her up so that she rested against his chest. He caressed her cheek and her hair slowly, rocking slightly as he held her.
“Please,” he whispered. “Come back to me, Lexi.”
Lexi moved slightly, lifting her right hand and placing it upon Sebastian’s chest. She felt him tighten his hold on her and smiled against his chest. If Sebastian thought he had the advantage over her, he was soon going to be shown how wrong he was. She knew things that only growing up on a planet filled with danger and fighting on the streets had taught her.
She looked deep within herself to find the golden glow of magic that was surrounded by violet and concentrated on it. It erupted into an explosion of power, lighting her up from within with a jolt of power so great, she barely had time to harness it before it traveled through her body and was sent out in a hammering pulse of magic through the palm of her hand.
Sebastian’s eyes widened in shock as he felt the magic hit his chest. He was lifted off the ground and felt his body hurling through the air. He could do nothing to stop himself. The pulse of energy that Lexi had slammed him with was instant and powerful. He was only able to use his magic to cushion his landing as he felt the low bushes slap against his back as he dropped like a bag of stones.
He heard Lexi scrambling to her feet. He also heard the laughter coming from his life mate. Oh, he was going to enjoy his life with this one.
“How’re you doing in there, Sebastian?” Lexi asked him, her violet eyes sparkling with humor as she looked over the bushes and viewed his completely undignified position as he was sprawled wide within the shrubs that his heavy body had all but destroyed.
“Lexi, you are enjoying this,” he accused.
“Oh, yeah! I am. Big time,” she admitted.
She offered her hand and waited while Sebastian gripped it. Before she could tug and help him out of the shrubs, she found herself being pulled toward him. Her arms flailed as she tried to right herself, but Sebastian’s tight hold on her hand and forearm made it impossible to do anything but experience the ride as she fell on top of him.
Sebastian gathered her within his arms and turned her so that she was cradled upon his lap. He could feel her body shaking with laughter and experienced incredible happiness. When she looked up at him, and he saw her eyes bright with tears of laughter, he could not help but smile down at her.
“I did not like that you fooled me, Lexi,” he told her after a moment. “I feared for your well-being.”
“One thing you’ve got to learn, Sebastian, is that my sisters and I have been taught to use every trick at our disposal to fool our opponents,” she told him, reaching up and tugging on his long hair before slipping her fingers within its silkiness and holding on tightly. “I knew that you would be concerned that you had hurt me and would be caught unaware. It was all the time I needed to take advantage.”
Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1) Page 23