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

by Bernard, Lynnette

  He’s hurting.

  Gaiya’s voice entered her mind. She turned to face her younger sister and saw that Gaiya was watching Tristen intently. For the first time in forever, Gaiya was completely free of her protective shell. Her vulnerability and kindness were being projected without care that someone might see that she was a sweet and caring individual. Gaiya held those truths close to her vest. She didn’t trust anyone except the members of their family with her feelings. Until now, it seemed.

  Gaiya looked at Lexi with confusion in her violet eyes. Fear was gripping her that she had the sudden need to go to Tristen and inquire if he was okay.

  Why do I feel like I have to help him, Lexi? Gaiya asked.

  Lexi walked over to Gaiya as she stood beside the massive table that was elegantly set with enough place settings and linens to comfortably seat at least fifty people. The linens were a soft golden color with burgundy edging each formal napkin as well as the tablecloth. Unique white flowers filled burgundy vases along the length of the table. Tiny pink and burgundy flowers that looked very much like carnations were interspersed within the exotic white flowers that had golden markings within the large petals.

  “Lexi?” Gaiya whispered, reaching down and lifting Hanna into her arms as her niece came to her. She smiled softly as Hanna patted her cheek lightly in an effort to give comfort to her.

  “Aunt Gaiya,” Hanna said softly, tugging on her aunt’s long dark hair as it fell over her shoulder and brushed against Hanna’s arm. “Don’t be scared.”

  “I’m not scared, Button,” Gaiya whispered, using the nickname that only she called her niece. She kissed Hanna’s forehead lightly then returned her attention to Sebastian’s brother. She saw that Tristen was watching her. When his eyes met hers, she was mesmerized by the feelings that were so open to her in that moment. His soul called to hers.

  “Gaiya, go to him,” Lexi encouraged her gently.

  “I think he needs my help,” Gaiya said softly. “I don’t know how I know it, but I do.”

  “Trust your instincts, Gaiya,” Lexi advised. “Your instincts are always dead-on. Go and see what you can do to help him.”

  “Head hurts,” Hanna said, touching the back of her head and rubbing it.

  “Your head hurts, Button?” Gaiya asked, concerned. “Callie, Hanna is in pain.”

  Callie was by their side at once. She reached out and touched Hanna’s head lightly, concentrating on her healing ability and centering her gift on her niece. She didn’t feel any pain within the small child.

  “No, Aunt Gaiya,” Hanna said, shaking her head. She touched her Aunt Callie’s arm and smiled up at her, her violet eyes twinkling with love. She turned and pointed toward the man who was looking at her Aunt Gaiya. “Him.”

  Lexi reached for Hanna and removed her from Gaiya’s hold, tucking her comfortably against her body as she settled her niece on her left hip. She loved the way Hanna automatically cuddled against her. Reaching up, she tenderly stroked her niece’s hair and kissed the top of her head.

  “Go to him, Gaiya,” Lexi told her gently. “I think you can help him.”

  “You don’t think I should be the one to go to him, Lexi?” Callie asked, confused.

  “No. I don’t, Callie. Gaiya needs to help him.”

  Callie took a step back, secretly thankful that she would not be doing any more healing. She was completely exhausted. She honestly didn’t know how she was even finding the strength to remain standing.

  Gaiya struggled to understand what Lexi was so sure about. It took her another moment to make a decision. Gaiya was filled with uncertainty, but when she faced Tristen, something in her expression softened. She felt Lexi reach out and touch her shoulder, turning her and giving her a gentle push.

  “Go, honey,” Lexi encouraged her quietly. “Trust me.”

  “I do,” Gaiya responded without hesitation. “I’m just not sure about that guy.”

  Lexi laughed softly, hugging Hanna to her and soaking in the innocent love that the little one always gave her. Hanna’s gift was certainly helping. She felt the soothing calm her niece was sending her and was pretty certain that Gaiya was feeling it, too.

  “That’s understandable, but getting to know him and trust him will be well worth it, Gaiya,” Lexi whispered.

  Gaiya nodded, turned, and walked toward the huge fireplace. She took a calming breath as she stood before Sebastian’s brother. When his golden eyes locked with her violet ones, she felt something inside of her open up. It was as if all the walls she had built up to protect herself from the time she had been a child began to crumble. She didn’t know how she felt about that. She needed those walls to protect herself and her feelings.

  Looking at Tristen Mathieson, she was about to tell him exactly that, when she saw the pain that was sparking within his eyes. She had a feeling that he wasn’t aware that he was projecting his pain, but he was.

  “I don’t know if you remember my name, Tristen,” she told him, her voice surprisingly even despite her sudden nervousness. “I’m Gaiya Gallagher.”

  “I remember,” he responded, bowing slightly. “It is an honor to meet you again, Lady Gaiya. It is an honor to have all of you here. The people of Altavesta and the worlds we protect are thankful that you have entered our lives.”

  Gaiya huffed in frustration.

  “Is there something amiss, my lady?” he asked, confused.

  “Tristen, I don’t need you to be the welcoming committee for your world,” she told him firmly.

  “My lady?”

  “You don’t have to be so formal. I’m just a woman from another world who is nothing special, trying to help the best I can,” Gaiya told him, sighing softly.

  “My lady, there is nothing insignificant about you,” Tristen told her firmly. He stood tall and crossed his arms across his broad chest as he looked down at her. “You bring hope to our world.”

  “My sisters are the ones who will do that, Tristen,” Gaiya corrected him, truly meaning what she said. It wasn’t that her sisters or her parents made her feel that way. It was all her own feelings that she wasn’t as strong or as capable as they were.

  “You are very wrong, Gaiya,” Tristen told her gently, lowering his arms and leaning forward so that his lips were close to her right cheek. “I believe that you will bring something very special to me.”

  Tristen’s whispered words sent a thrill of happiness through her. She eased away from him, unable to keep the blush from her cheeks. She hoped he didn’t laugh at her. She couldn’t help that she reacted with embarrassment.

  “I have seen you before,” Tristen told her, his voice low so as not to allow anyone else to hear his admission. “I have seen all of you. I knew that you would be at the lagoon. That is why I sent Sebastian and our warriors to you. The meeting had to occur in order for our lives to join and our worlds to unite in peace and protection.”

  “Is that why your head hurts?” Gaiya asked him.

  Tristen took a step away from her, his golden eyes flashing with anger. No one knew how the visions he had took a toll on him. He was always very careful to keep the truth of his pain to himself. Sebastian would put a shield of magic around him to contain the visions and prevent future ones from occurring in order to protect him—of that he had no doubt. He could not allow that to happen. He needed to experience the visions in order to guide and protect. Panic began to fill him as he realized that this woman was seeing into his soul.

  “My head does not hurt,” he denied finally, taking another step away from her and trying the sever the bond that was already beginning to strengthen between them.

  “Liar.”

  “Gaiya,” he began, clear warning in his voice.

  “Don’t tell me you’re not in pain. I can feel it.”

  “You cannot.”

  “You know what, Tristen? I’m in no mood to argue with you. If you want to be a stubborn ass, that’s your choice. If you want to be honest with me and accept my help, great. Think about it.�
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  “I do not need your help.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  She leaned in and got right in his face, even though he had at least seven inches on her. She was only five feet six inches tall. It usually didn’t bother her that she was shorter than an opponent, but she didn’t want Tristen to have any advantage over her. She didn’t know why she felt so adamant about it, but she did. There was no way she was going to allow this man to lie to her.

  “I know. I can feel it. Your head is pounding. Are you going to tell me that it isn’t?” she challenged him.

  “It is not.”

  Gaiya took a step back and looked at him in shock. Was he that insistent on keeping himself and his feelings from her that he would continue to lie to her? Yeah. He was. His stubbornness had served to create a wedge between them. He was denying her help, and in effect, denying her.

  In that moment of realization, something within her broke. She turned and walked away from him, mumbling under her breath as she sat with an ungraceful thud in the elegant chair upholstered in a deep golden and burgundy brocade at the end of the table. She didn’t blame him for not wanting to talk to her or bare his soul and feelings to her. He didn’t know her. She was a nobody, and he was royalty. Lesson learned. She would not make that mistake again.

  Before she could sink into despair, she closed her eyes and centered herself. Her mother had taught her that she could depend on herself to get through difficult times. Elizabeth Gallagher was a woman of strength. She had given that same strength to each of her daughters to live their lives with courage and honor.

  Their mother had instilled within each of them the importance of who they were, not only as trained soldiers, but also as loving and caring women. She had told them that each one of them were women who must know their value and worth deep within their souls, even if it wasn’t always recognized by others. Yes, they were skilled and capable fighters, but it was their entire being, every part of what made them who they were, that should be valued by others.

  Gaiya recognized that value in the way Sebastian viewed Lexi. She even saw the same thing in the way Torin viewed Bree, even though she didn’t want to admit that the big goon was actually nice to her sister and respected her.

  She saw the way Landon looked at Daria, and Brower looked at Evie, and knew that both men held the same respect and desire for her sisters. It seemed that she, Francie, and Callie hadn’t made a connection with a man on Altavesta yet. Maybe her mother had been only half correct in her visions of their futures. It would be the first time that her mother had ever been wrong, but there was always a first time.

  She stole a glance at Sebastian’s brother Tristen and saw that he was still watching her. It was a shame, really. He was certainly a handsome man who had goodness within him. She had felt something touch her heart when he had looked into her eyes, but she must have been wrong.

  She felt someone kneeling beside her, knowing from the touch on her hand that it was Lexi. Her sister was giving her support and power through her touch. She looked at Lexi and sighed sadly.

  “Are you okay?” Lexi whispered.

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” Gaiya answered, determined to keep her pain to herself.

  “What about Tristen?”

  “What about him?”

  “I think he might be someone special for you.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  Lexi sighed softly, worried that their youngest sister might not be open to what she truly felt. She looked at Bree and saw the smile that her sister was doing her best to contain. Great. Bree was waiting for Lexi to drop the information so she could sit back and enjoy Gaiya’s reaction.

  “When you saw Tristen and got closer to him, did you feel a draw to his soul?” Lexi asked finally.

  Gaiya thought about it seriously. Just thinking about what had happened when she had talked to Tristen made her hurt. She didn’t want to think about it anymore.

  “I don’t know about that, but I could tell that he was in pain,” she admitted, not really wanting to continue this conversation.

  “Because you’ve already formed a connection with him,” Lexi explained. “On this world, that’s what happens when you find your life mate.”

  Gaiya thought about what Lexi had said. It actually hurt to think that she might be correct. It wasn’t because she rejected the idea of having a husband—not in the least. She wanted a loving man in her life and the possibility of a family that they would create together. But she could not allow any man to make her feel less than worthy by not trusting her with his thoughts and his feelings.

  “No. I don’t think so,” Gaiya said after a moment, a deep sadness filling her as she resigned herself to her fate.

  Tristen would not look at her with love and desire in his eyes. He would not trust her with the secrets of his heart or the dreams within his soul. He would not want the type of life that she wanted.

  She looked up and saw Tristen staring at her. There was obvious interest in his gaze, but it was the flash of need she saw there that really pissed her off. It was all that she needed to send her over the edge.

  If you can’t talk to me and be honest with me, then don’t look at me, Tristen, she told him through her ability to project her thoughts into his mind.

  To see the shocked look on Tristen’s face was the absolute best. She liked ruffling his stuffy feathers.

  Leave me alone, she added, determined to let him know exactly what she wanted him to do. The problem was, she secretly didn’t want him to leave her alone at all.

  When she saw him starting to walk toward her with a very determined expression on his face, she was filled with a sense of panic. She had to admit that it thrilled her just a bit, too. But she wasn’t going to let him know that.

  Don’t come near me, Tristen Mathieson. Go and lie down and take care of your headache, stubborn man.

  Tristen halted his forward movement. He watched as Gaiya turned away from him, reached out, and picked at the fresh bread that was in the basket on the table where she sat. He saw her dismissal of him. He had heard her order within his mind.

  He could not help but smile at the feisty woman. She was a breath of fresh air in his formal life at the castle. Despite his ability as a trained warrior, he had found that most of his time was spent as the emissary to all the worlds that became a part of their alliance. It was through him that negotiations were made and protection was promised. No one ever spoke to him in the way Gaiya Gallagher spoke to him. No one dared to lose patience with him. No one called him a liar or a stubborn man. She made him want to laugh with pleasure. She was wonderful.

  He viewed her sitting at the table and felt the telltale signs of an oncoming vision. He lifted his left hand and rubbed at his temple as the dull ache within his head throbbed just once before leaving him completely. He was stunned by the lack of pain. His visions always brought with them sickening pain that left him weak. The results often incapacitated him for great lengths of time.

  Lowering his hand, he focused on the woman before him and saw a haze of gold and violet surrounding her. It drew him, making him take a hesitant step toward her. He found himself surrounded by that haze and was filled with warmth and peace.

  There was absolutely no pain. All he felt was calm. He was able to distance himself from the vision, allowing that small amount of disconnect in order to protect himself from the pain. He knew it was because of the gentle blanket of protection that Gaiya had drawn him into. She was shielding him from the ravages of the visions that he had spent his life experiencing.

  The vision that was suddenly revealed to him astounded him. Gaiya was sitting at the same table, but it was obvious that it was at some future time. She was holding a piece of sweet bread in her hand. A small child was sitting on the table before her, facing Gaiya and laughing. The little girl had dark hair and was wearing a pair of black leggings and a pink blouse with intricate lacing. Small flowers the color of her beautiful violet eyes graced the feminine creation. Tr
isten had no doubt that the little girl belonged to Gaiya.

  A stab of sadness hit him as he watched the vision unfold. He had hoped that Gaiya would be his. He had felt the connection to her when her stunning eyes had met his and had called to his soul, but he must have been incorrect. She belonged to another. Another man, a very lucky man, held her heart and shared this beautiful child with her—not him.

  Gaiya offered the piece of sweet bread to the little girl, pulling back and waiting for a kiss before releasing her hold on the delicious, baked creation to the child. Seeing the little girl kiss Gaiya and tug on her mother’s hair pulled at his heart. He wanted what he saw before him to be his future. He wanted Gaiya to be his life mate and that little girl to be his daughter, but it was not meant to be.

  Before he could give in to his despair, he saw something that shocked him. He saw himself walking toward Gaiya and the child. His future self knelt down in front of Gaiya and leaned forward to kiss the child’s cheek. The little girl giggled sweetly and offered him a bite of the bread that she now held. He bit into it and growled, sending the little girl into peals of laughter.

  He watched in stunned amazement as Gaiya reached up and carded her fingers through his hair, tugging him closer to claim his lips in a tender kiss. When she ended the kiss and eased back, he bent down and kissed her belly tenderly. He palmed the beautiful fullness of her abdomen and rested his cheek on the proof of her pregnancy.

  The child growing within her womb was his. The little girl who had kissed him was his. Gaiya was his. Joy filled him. His future was going to be wonderful and filled with gentleness, love, and children with this woman who challenged him. He could not ask for a better future.

  “She is meant for me,” he whispered, cringing when he realized that he had spoken out loud. He saw that Gaiya had turned to face him and wondered if she had heard what he had said.

  Gaiya dared to look at Tristen, surprised to see the glazed look in his eyes and the soft smile on his face. She had seen that same glazed look on Daria’s face whenever she experienced a vision. Tristen possessed the same gift. No wonder he had headaches. Daria was subjected to weakness and a sick feeling after each of her visions, too.