He hesitated, looking into the violet eyes of each of the women. Thanks to Lexi’s sharing of her gift, he could see deep into their souls. He saw their honesty. He also saw their intelligence, strength, caring, and trust. It was their wariness and hesitation that concerned him.
“Open yourselves to the possibility that you will find love and happiness here on Altavesta,” he told them gently.
Lexi looked at her sisters and saw equal measures of fear and hope within their eyes. She smiled at them and nodded, hoping that they would accept Sebastian’s words. She wanted her sisters to be happy. She wanted them to have a life that involved love and children. They had been soldiers for their entire lives. They all deserved the tenderness and the joy that finding deep love and creating their own families with their destined life mates would bring them.
“You believe this,” Bree stated, her voice tired as she spoke to Lexi.
“I do, Bree. I’m very happy.” Lexi looked at Sebastian and smiled softly. “Sebastian is mine.”
The wave of pleasure that swept over Sebastian was instant. To have Lexi make a public declaration that he belonged to her meant everything to him. The ceremony of her world that she had told him about that publically declared that they were bonded now made sense to him.
“I think we all have some things to think about,” Bree said finally, looking at her sisters and sensing their emotions. They were just as worried as she was. She could feel their fear of the unknown, but she could also feel their hope.
“Your child is asleep,” Sebastian whispered to Bree. “Mayhap you should take her to your tent. We will be very busy once the sun rises.”
Bree nodded and stood, gently slipping her hands beneath Hanna’s tiny form and lifting her from Sebastian’s arms. She turned to her sisters and nodded toward the opening of the tent. They filed out silently, knowing that their journey tomorrow was one that was going to set them on their destined path to their future.
“You’re good, right?” Bree asked Lexi, looking directly into her eyes. Although she could sense the peace and happiness within her oldest sister, she had to hear Lexi speak the words.
“I am.”
Lexi’s answer was immediate. So was the soft smile that came to her lips. Bree’s worry settled at once. She nodded then turned and made her way toward the entrance of the tent, holding her sleeping daughter tenderly against her chest.
She couldn’t help but sigh as she felt the trust and peace within her child. Hanna was such a good little girl. She had been an easy baby, too. She had been calm and aware from the moment she had opened her eyes on the night that she had been born. She had burrowed into their hearts the moment they had met her.
When they had each held her for the first time, a connection had been made that had bonded her with them. That connection had gone beyond the love that Hanna shared with her aunts. It had been a soul-deep bond that Bree had been able to sense instantly.
Their love for Hanna had formed a shield around all of them that had never been breached. Whether it was because Bree and her sisters were seasoned in their control over their gifts, or it was because they had realized that they now had a tiny, innocent life to protect, Bree didn’t know. She did know that what they had formed the moment Hanna had been born had been new. It had been powerful. And it had been fueled by the strength of their love.
Bree cuddled Hanna closer and kissed the top of her head, smiling at the soft noises of happiness that escaped her. Her little girl had gifts of her own. She was already showing empathic tendencies. Her baby was sensing Bree’s love for her and was responding to it. Bree had no doubt that Hanna had other abilities, as well. It would only be a matter of time before Hanna was old enough to give voice to those abilities.
“Good night, Lexi,” Bree whispered over her shoulder, walking from the tent and heading toward the tent that had been assigned to her and her other sisters.
She saw both Lexi and Sebastian stand and walk toward her. She was touched by their concern for her, but they needn’t be. She had survived this far by digging deep and finding the courage and the strength to keep her going.
She thought about Lexi and couldn’t help but smile. Her sister was happy. She had bonded with a really nice guy who was obviously fiercely protective of her. What was more important to Bree was the fact that Sebastian accepted Lexi exactly as she was—both a woman and a warrior.
As Bree gently lowered Hanna onto the low cot that had been covered with several thick blankets, she thought about her own future. Kissing Hanna’s forehead lightly, she brushed away the soft tendrils of blonde hair that covered her daughter’s cheek.
“Such a sweet baby,” she whispered.
In that moment, she was given the gift of a picture in her mind’s eye of another sweet child. This child was looking up at her with beautiful violet eyes that had flecks of blue within them. He had black hair that fell in soft waves to his shoulders, and a smile that lit up her heart. She knew that she was seeing the child that she would someday have.
She also knew, without a doubt, that the father of that adorable little boy was Torin.
Chapter 21
Lexi turned to face Sebastian. He was watching her with thoughtful eyes. She could sense his emotions through those beautiful eyes that had been changed since their bonding. Despite the warmth and the love that she saw looking back at her from his soul, she was aware of the turmoil within him.
“What’s wrong?” she asked him worriedly as she took a step closer to him and lightly placed her hand on his forearm.
“Nothing is wrong,” he told her quietly. He reached out and touched her cheek gently.
“Sebastian, I’ve only known you for a short time, but I’ve seen that you’re an honest man,” she told him quietly, stepping away from him and placing her hands on her hips. She stood with her feet planted firmly as if waiting for battle. In a sense, she was.
“I am honored by your words,” he said, bowing slightly.
“I take them back.”
Sebastian’s eyes flashed golden as surprise filled him. “You are taking back your words?”
“Yes.”
“Why, my lady? Do you not think I am an honest man?”
“No. You’re not.” Lexi’s words were adamant.
“Explain this at once,” he demanded, taking a step toward Lexi and seeing the anger within her eyes. “Why are you holding anger within your heart?”
“Because you’re lying to me.”
She lowered her hands and stepped toward him, standing directly in front of him and staring up at him. She was frustrated by his silence. She couldn’t allow him to keep things from her. How could they have a trusting life together if he kept his feelings or his worries from her?
“My lady,” Sebastian began gently, knowing that his life mate was truly distraught, and that he was the cause of it.
“Sebastian, if our relationship is going to be a good one, it can only be that way if we’re completely open and honest with each other,” Lexi told him, doing her best to calm herself. She saw the pain that immediately came to Sebastian’s eyes and knew that he truly didn’t mean to keep anything from her. But, he was.
“My heart is yours,” Sebastian told her with conviction. “My life is yours.”
He reached up and caressed her hair, running his hand down the silky tresses to follow the length of her arm until he held her hand. He drew it toward his chest and placed her open palm over his heart.
“My worry is for your safety, Lexi,” he told her quietly. “As you fought beside me against our enemy, I was proud of you, but I experience fear that nearly crippled me.”
“Fear?”
“I feared that you would be taken from me in that battle. I could not bear to lose you, my love.”
Lexi’s anger evaporated in an instant.
“I cannot help but fear that you will be injured, and the beauty of your love will be lost to me.” He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, sighing softly at th
e connection. “I fear that the life I want to share with you and the children that I long to create with you will never come to be.”
Lexi wrapped her arms around Sebastian’s waist and hugged him fiercely. The words he spoke were not meant to appease her. They were heartfelt, deep, and expressed his honest feelings and fears.
“There is always risk during battle, Sebastian,” she told him, kissing his neck lightly before resting her cheek against his chest. “You have to trust in the skills and experience that I have. My parents trained all of us from the time that we were old enough to pick up a sword or aim a pulse weapon.”
“I recognize and admire your strength and ability as a warrior, Lexi,” Sebastian told her honestly. “I cannot help but worry.”
“Do you worry for your warriors?” Lexi asked him, sighing in frustration.
“Yes. I worry for them. I do not want to lose any of them. I do not want any of them to be injured. They are more than my warriors. They are my family.”
Lexi closed her eyes as she hugged him once again.
“They are my family, Lexi, but you are my life,” Sebastian told her. His deep voice was gravelly with emotion.
“Sebastian,” Lexi whispered, touched by his words. His sincerity radiated from him and settled deep within her soul.
“To live the rest of my life without you in it is unimaginable,” Sebastian continued. “To never hold you within my arms or feel your touch again would destroy me.” He hesitated briefly, kissing her temple lightly. “To lose the light of your goodness would forever plunge me into the darkest pit of despair.”
He slipped his hands beneath the back of her thighs and picked her up, loving how she wrapped her legs around his waist without hesitation. He kissed her forehead lightly then turned to walk them toward the sleeping area of their tent, lowering her slowly to the bed and settling beside her. Touching her face lightly, he followed the contour of her eyebrow with the tip of his index finger.
Lexi remained silent as his eyes feasted upon her. She was drawn into his soul and saw the tenderness and caring he had for her. She also saw the worry and the love.
“I’m fine, Sebastian,” she whispered, reaching up and carding her fingers through his hair to hold his head steady as she looked directly into his beautiful eyes. “I’m yours. Forever.”
“Do you promise this?” he asked her softly.
“I promise this,” she answered, smiling tenderly at him.
“I thank you.”
His whispered words touched Lexi’s heart. He was a powerful man—a king and a warrior. Yet, he held the same fears and worries that every man held when it came to their woman. Loss was never easy. Losing a loved one was devastating. Losing a spouse was like losing a part of yourself. Lexi had seen it when her mother had died. After her death, her father had never been the same.
“My father would have liked you, Sebastian,” Lexi told him, tugging on his long hair and laughing softly at the happiness that radiated from him because of what she had just told him. “He would have admired your values. He would have respected your strength. And he would have been proud of the way you protect your people.”
“I would have liked to have met your father so I could tell him how wonderful his daughter is,” Sebastian whispered. “I would have told him that I hope to be as good a father as he was.”
Lexi nodded, doing her best not to cry. Her father had given his life so that she and her sisters and her niece could escape Brendan Port in order to fulfill their destiny. It was still painful to think about him not being in their lives anymore. It didn’t matter that it had been more than six months since they had escaped the tyranny of their home world, and their father had sacrificed himself so that his children and his grandchild could live. It still hurt. She still ached when she thought about never getting to talk to him or laugh with him ever again.
“He was the best dad. He was good and kind. He was loving and supportive. His love for each of us was unconditional.” Lexi hesitated, taking a calming breath and refocusing on Sebastian’s golden eyes. “I know you’re going to be a good dad, too, Sebastian.”
“Do you?”
“When you were holding Hanna, I saw how natural it was for you to comfort her. She could sense your caring. She wasn’t afraid. She was able to remain calm and fall asleep.”
“She can sense emotions like her mother?” Sebastian asked, shocked by the revelation.
“She can. She’s always there for each of us whenever we’re upset. We think we hide it from her, but she always knows.”
“She tries to soothe you,” Sebastian told her, realizing that he had felt completely calm when he had held Hanna.
“She does.” Lexi looked up at him and laughed softly. “She flooded you with calm.”
“Calm and happiness,” Sebastian admitted. “It was very subtle, but it was strong enough that I was affected.”
“She’s a sweetheart,” Lexi told him. “She’s always making sure that we’re feeling good. She gets upset when we’re worried. You should be honored that she has taken you into her heart. You’re hers now, you know.”
“And she is mine.”
Lexi hesitated, wondering if he realized just how good of a dad he was going to be. The way he had held Hanna showed her that he was going to be a loving parent. The way he soothed Hanna and held her so gently had made her heart flutter. She was looking forward to seeing him hold their own children.
“You liked holding Hanna, didn’t you?” she asked him quietly.
“Yes, very much,” he told her, smiling.
“I liked that you wanted to hold her,” Lexi told him honestly. “Does it bother you that she’s a girl and not a boy?”
Sebastian looked at her in confusion. “I do not understand,” he told her finally. “Should it bother me that she is a girl and not a boy?”
“Some men of my world believe that a girl is of lesser value that a boy,” Lexi explained sadly. “Those men want sons. A daughter is not the desired child.”
“I do not like this fact about the men of your world, Lexi,” Sebastian told her honestly. “Did your father feel that way?”
Lexi laughed softly. “No. My dad valued each of us. He loved us fiercely.”
“I would believe that of him,” Sebastian told her, nodding slightly. “It is obvious that he cared about all of you.”
“How is it obvious?”
“He trained you to be warriors.”
“He did.”
“He also taught you to value your gifts.”
“Yeah, he did that, too.”
“I can see the goodness and the tenderness in each of you,” Sebastian continued. “If you were made to feel that you were only allowed to be warriors, those traits would not be evident. It is apparent that your father valued and respected the nurturing side within each of you, as well.”
Lexi was impressed by Sebastian’s insight. He was absolutely correct. Both of their parents had valued them exactly as they were. They didn’t hold one aspect of their personalities as more important than the other. They encouraged them to be complete in mind, body, and soul.
“How would you feel if I was only able to produce girls for you, Sebastian?” she asked him hesitantly. “My mother gave birth to seven girls.”
“I would welcome and cherish every child, Lexi,” he told her softly. “I would love our babies and count my blessings to have them, just as I will thank the heavens that I have you as my life mate every moment of every day.”
Lexi looked into his eyes, searching for his feelings. She needed to see the truth. She needed to know that he would not desire sons to carry on his royal line.
“Don’t you want a son?”
“What I want is to have you in my life, have healthy and happy children, and have the gift of a future of loving you.” The violet flecks within his golden eyes flashed brightly as he looked down at her. “Do not doubt that every one of our children will be conceived with love and welcomed the same way,” he whispered
against her forehead, closing his eyes and sighing softly with joy as the thought of having her this close to him for the rest of their lives settled within him.
“That’s nice,” Lexi whispered, her heart filled with warmth by the thought of spending her future with this incredible man.
They were silent for a while. Lexi rested within Sebastian’s arms, content to soak up his strength and his warmth. When she felt him kiss her forehead, his protection and caring surrounded her. She felt treasured.
As he wrapped her within his arms and held her so tenderly, his feelings radiated through her. Nothing was hidden from her. His thoughts, his feelings, and his hopes for their future together were open to her.
She leaned back and looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the raw hunger that greeted her. Reaching up slowly, she gently touched his cheek and traced her finger across his lips, smiling at the heat that radiated from him and the sensual smile that slowly transformed his handsome face.
He waited patiently for her to finish her exploration of his face, reaching up to take her hand in his and turn it so he could place a gentle kiss against her inner wrist. When she leaned closer and kissed his throat before settling her face into the crook of his neck, he could not stop the needy growl that escaped him.
“I need to make love to you,” he whispered, turning his head and kissing her forehead once again.
“Good thing I need that, too,” Lexi told him, laughing suddenly as Sebastian gripped her arms and flipped her so that she was beneath him and his hips were nestled comfortably within the cradle of her pelvis. She couldn’t prevent the soft moan that escaped her as she felt his hardness pressing against her so intimately. She could actually feel her body pulsing in tandem with her heartbeat as desire for him flooded her.
Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1) Page 30