He heard Torin’s shout behind him and knew that Torin and their warriors had quickly come to his aid. The clash of swords was loud. So was the exchange of pulse fire. Sebastian remembered Lexi’s advice on how to kill the Gorin. He also remember the power that the two of them generated when they had touched and fought the enemy together.
“Decapitate them or impale them through their eyes,” he called out to his men as he fought his way through two Gorin to get to Lexi’s side. She was fighting fiercely beside her sister, both of them cutting down one enemy after another. “Lexi! Take my hand!”
Lexi cut down the Gorin before her, imbedding her blade in its eye and killing it immediately. Turning, she ran toward Sebastian, glad to see that he was safe. She reached out and gripped Sebastian’s large hand without hesitation.
He pulled her toward his body and growled as the power within the both of them surged to a pitch so intense, he could barely breathe. He worried in that moment that he might be causing pain or injury to Lexi.
“I’m fine,” Lexi told him fiercely, feeling the worry that was consuming him.
“Help me destroy them, Lexi,” Sebastian told her firmly as he tucked his face into her neck. “We must do this together.”
Lexi nodded and concentrated on the energy within her. She felt Sebastian’s soul merging with hers. Their newly-formed bond made the magic spark brightly within her. She couldn’t keep back the shout of power that burst from her as the magic exploded in an ever-increasing spiral. It was the physical manifestation of the most powerful weapon that could ever exist, fueled by their love for each other and the people that they were determined to protect.
Once again, the area was washed with an intense surge of their combined magic in a blinding white light. It reached out and wound its way through each Gorin attacker. The magic built within them, exploding outward and dispersing their atoms into the air. They floated away in a trail of green dust that soon faded to nothingness.
Lexi turned to face Sebastian. Her breathing was labored and her eyes were flashing golden and violet as the magic within her settled. Sebastian was reacting in the exact same way.
“Lexi?” Sebastian whispered, hugging her to him tightly. “Are you well, my love?”
“I’m good,” Lexi told him, laughing softly with relief. “Thank heavens we were able to destroy them.”
She kissed his neck lightly then eased back and looked up at him with a soft smile on her lips. The power that they had created together was still coursing through her. It revitalized her and exhausted her at the same time.
“Together, we are strong,” Sebastian whispered, holding her possessively against his chest.
Sebastian allowed his shield of protection to fade as he focused his magic to help Lexi. He could feel her exhaustion.
Lexi laughed softly. “I don’t feel very strong right now,” she told him honestly.
“Focus your magic on strengthening yourself, my love,” he whispered against her temple.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” she teased him, loving the soft chuckle that escaped him and tickled her cheek.
“Your warrior is in here,” Callie called out as she walked toward a small cove of trees to an area that looked like a hut made out of tree branches.
Callie could feel the injured man’s life force ebbing away. There was an urgency to her steps as she hurried toward the small enclosure. She ducked down and walked beneath the low overhang of vines, her skin tingling as the magical shield that surrounded the shelter touched her. She was glad that the warrior had the strength to put the shield in place once he had taken refuge there.
“Hello?” she called out.
Silence.
“My name is Callie Gallagher,” she continued as she walked into the shelter. “Sebastian and Torin are outside. You didn’t respond to their communications. We knew that you had to be injured.” She hesitated a moment, waiting for some response.
Nothing.
The silence around her frightened her. She closed her eyes and centered on his life force. She could only sense a very slow and erratic heartbeat. He was fading. Fast.
“I’m here to help you,” she called out, determined to find him so she could heal him.
She looked around quickly, searching for the wounded man. She was impressed by the battle shelter. It looked like a shack from the outside, but on the inside, it was really a sleek, high tech facility with enough room for at least four warriors to work in.
The control panel that separated the work area in half had obviously been damaged. It was sparking live energy, and the control lights were blinking on and off. No wonder the injured warrior hadn’t been able to call in or respond to Torin’s communications.
She walked around the sparking panel and carefully made her way through the dangerous explosions of power that were erupting from the panel and arcing out into the small space. It was then that she saw the injured warrior. He was lying on his back on a small cot that was against the far wall of the structure. His face and his clothing were covered in dirt and blood.
“I’ve found him, Lexi!” she hollered out, certain that her sister could hear her.
Lexi always heard all of them whenever they called out to her. They used to tease Lexi that she was their second mother, complete with all the motherly instincts and psychic connections that came with the job.
Rushing toward the injured man, Callie knelt down beside the cot and reached out to touch his neck. A hum of power zipped up her arm and flashed in a violet and golden shield of power around them. That loud snap of power crashed around them in that instant, but Callie somehow knew that it was of no danger to either her or him. She didn’t pull away. Concentrating on the warrior, she closed her eyes and searched for his life signature. She immediately felt the purity of his soul. She also felt the faintness of the strength of his heart. It was barely beating.
His injuries were extensive. Callie feared that he would not be alive for long. His left arm was twisted at an odd angle. There were three, maybe four broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a gash across his forehead that was bleeding profusely. She could feel the swelling within his brain and was worried that of all the injuries, that was the most life-threatening.
His pain was filling her, allowing her to zone in on each and every one so she could heal the area injured. For the first time, though, the pain she was sensing from the person she was healing didn’t hurt her. It merely focused her. Slipping her hands behind his neck, she rested her cheek against his, smiling at the roughness of his close beard against her skin.
“Relax,” she whispered when he tensed beneath her touch. “Give me your pain. Allow me to heal you.”
She closed her eyes and moved her head so she could rest her forehead against his, ignoring the dirt and the blood that covered her. She moved so that she was lying beside him on the small cot. Carefully gripping his left wrist, she slowly pulled it forward to place his arm in the correct position. She would not chance causing it to heal at an awkward angle. His arm hung uselessly across her hip, but at least it was no longer bent in such a painful way. She pressed her body against his and cringed as her movements caused him to release a low groan of pain.
“Please forgive me for hurting you, but it must be done,” she whispered, kissing his cheek lightly before pressing her face into the crook of his neck and settling herself within his loose embrace.
She sent the warmth of her healing gift into this brutalized warrior and grunted in frustration as she felt him giving up. His heart was slowing. She could barely discern any beats at all. Fear gripped her. She had never been unable to help someone who had been injured but still had life within them, and she wasn’t about to allow it to happen now. She couldn’t lose him.
Her connection to Verrick’s soul told her that this man was a kind and caring individual. She could feel his strength of conviction. His loyalty and his dedication to his king and his people nearly made her cry. What really drew him to her was his reverence for women. This was a
man who respected and valued women.
“You will not die,” she told him firmly. “I won’t let you.”
She sent her gift deeper, picturing herself greeting the warrior on a hill overlooking the beautiful body of water that surrounded the land where Sebastian’s castle was built. She walked toward the warrior and extended her hand out to him.
“Your name is Verrick?” she asked him, mesmerized by the gentleness in his brown eyes. They were a shade that was unique, light enough that they were nearly amber in color, yet the flecks of dark brown within them made them look dark and mysterious. “I love your eyes.” She had to tell him that.
“I hope that you will love more than just my eyes, Lady Callie,” he told her as he reached out and took her hand within his. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her inner wrist lightly.
“You’re quite the charmer, Verrick,” she told him, laughing softly.
“Am I?” he questioned, confused.
“Yeah. You are.” She took a step closer and looked up at him very seriously. “I think I like the way you are.”
Verrick looked down at her and smiled, his eyes flashing with desire. He touched her cheek with his free hand and caressed it tenderly. Callie’s violet eyes were the most beautiful eyes that he had ever seen. There was no denying that he was drawn to her. She called to his soul as life mates called to each other. The realization that this incredible woman was meant to be his hit him with an intensity that stole his breath away.
“My Lady Callie, I believe you are meant to be my life mate,” he told her quietly. “I would ask you to soften your heart toward me and allow me to love you and claim you as mine.”
Callie was shocked by his words. Boy, the men of Altavesta certainly didn’t waste any time when it came to declaring their intentions toward the woman who was meant for them!
“We don’t know each other, Verrick,” she told him gently, laughing softly at the indulgent smile that he gave her.
“What better way to get to know each other than to claim each other as life mates?” he asked her, his deep voice quiet as he spoke. “Would you be willing to give me the chance to explore the possibility of our bonding?”
Callie felt his heart slowing. She looked up at him and saw his form wavering before her. She gripped his biceps and held on tightly. His breathing became erratic and his eyes began to lose their clarity.
“Verrick, you must stay with me,” she told him firmly.
“I am trying, Callie,” he whispered.
“Mom! Dad! Help me!” Callie called out frantically. “I can’t keep him alive.”
She wrapped her arms around Verrick’s waist and held on tightly. Pressing her face into his neck, she breathed in his scent and drew on his essence to strengthen her gift.
She felt her body being surrounded by warmth and knew that her parents were helping her. She sighed with relief as she felt her power increasing.
He is meant to be yours, Callie, she heard her mother’s voice call out to her. With him, you will find true love, sweetheart.
Tell him that he’d better treat you right, baby, or I’ll make him wish he never left this astral plane, her father added angrily.
Lucas, you will do no such thing, Elizabeth admonished her husband. Callie, don’t worry. No life is perfect. You and Verrick will have your disagreements, but the love in your hearts and the respect you will have for each other will give you a happy life.
Tell him to fight, Callie, her father called out suddenly. Don’t let him give up.
“Don’t let go of your life, Verrick,” she whispered against his neck, worried by the fact that she could barely feel his pulse beating against her lips as she kissed him lightly. “If you’re truly my life mate, you have to fight to come back to me so we can give our life together a chance.”
“You are willing to be mine?” he asked her, his heart rate suddenly spiking. He was surprised by her words. “You will consent to bond with me and have a family with me?”
“Geez, Verrick! You’re not demanding much, are you?” she asked him, laughing softly and hugging him tightly.
“I demand nothing, Callie,” he told her, reaching up and slipping his hands behind her neck to caress the column of her throat with the pads of his thumbs. “I want you to choose me as yours.”
Callie leaned back and looked up at him. “I can only begin our journey to bond with you if you come back to me,” she told him gently. “Don’t leave this world, Verrick. Allow me to heal you. Fight to accept the healing and get strong.”
“I will try.”
“No. You can’t try. You have to do it,” Callie nearly yelled. “Do it, Verrick! Let me heal you. Come back to me.”
The grassy hill disappeared in an instant. Callie found herself being held tightly by the man who was lying on the cot. She couldn’t move, his hold on her was that fierce.
She eased her head back just enough to look at his face. What she saw made her smile. He was looking at her with wonder. His brown eyes were alert and held tenderness—for her.
“Hi, Verrick,” she whispered, loving the soft smile that came to his full lips. She reached up and brushed his hair back from his face, glad to see that the wide gash on his forehead had been completely healed. “How’re you feeling?”
“I am well, but I am at a loss to understand how that could be possible, Callie,” he told her, his brow furrowing as he fought to clear his muddled mind. “How do I know that your name is Callie?”
“I told you my name,” Callie told him, laughing softly.
“Did we meet on the glade beside the castle?” Verrick asked, trying to remember.
“We did,” Callie told him quietly. “I brought your soul there to get you to fight to come back to me. I needed you to allow me to heal you.”
Verrick’s eyes widened in shock. Awe filled him as he realized that she was surrounding him with great magic. She held the gift of healing within her. That ability to help others and heal their injuries spoke volumes about the kind of woman she was. Only a pure soul would be given such a gift.
This woman had powerful magic within her—even more powerful than any magic that he was aware of. No one on the world of Altavesta had this ability. Landon was a skilled healer and used his magic to ease pain, but he could not take away injuries the way that Callie was doing for him.
“I sustained serious injuries fighting the Gorin before I was able to seal myself inside this outpost,” Verrick said calmly, looking into Callie’s violet eyes and losing himself to the tenderness and caring that he saw there. “You are very powerful. I owe you my life, Lady Callie.”
Callie blushed lightly at his sincere thanks. When he touched her cheek lightly, she couldn’t help but close her eyes and sigh with complete happiness. His tenderness and warmth undid her. To be the recipient of such a beautiful touch made her heart hum with pleasure. She felt the connection with him strengthening. What was surprising to her was that she wasn’t hesitant about it or frightened by it.
Opening her eyes, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek lightly. She heard the gasp of surprise that escaped him and worried for a second that she had overstepped her bounds She was about to pull away and make as graceful an exit as she could, but she found herself locked within his arms.
“I remember more of our time on the hill, Callie,” he told her gruffly.
“What do you remember?” she asked, confused.
“You promised to begin the journey of our mating with me if I fought and accepted your healing,” he told her, smiling gently at her. His eyes mirrored the hope that he had within him. “You told me that if I came back to you, you would consider bonding with me. Have you reconsidered? Are you going to break your vow to me?”
Callie eased herself out of Verrick’s arms, relieved when he loosened his hold on her so she could stand beside the small cot. She took two steps away from him, never taking her eyes from his.
“I do not break promises, Verrick,” she told him, crossing her arms across
her chest and looking down at him very seriously.
“I have fought and have accepted your healing.”
“You have.”
“I came back to you.”
“You did.”
“Will you begin the journey to get to know me and bond with me?”
Callie hesitated. Things were moving so quickly. When she had gone to the astral plane to call Verrick’s soul back, she hadn’t experience one moment of doubt over what he had asked of her. His declaration that they would bond had felt right. She had experienced her parents’ help and warmth to heal this warrior. She had heard their words of advice and encouragement. She didn’t understand why she was questioning the rightness of it now.
“I will give you a chance to woo me,” Callie told him, doing her best to keep her face schooled so that her humor didn’t show.
“You will give me a chance to woo you, Lady Callie?” he asked, moving slowly to get off the cot and stand tall before her.
Callie’s mouth went dry at the sheer masculine power of the man. She guessed that he had to have stood about six feet three inches tall. Despite the blood and dirt that covered him, she could see that he was incredibly handsome. He had long hair that was a light brown with dark highlights that fell in waves below his collarbone. The close beard on his cheeks was a darker shade of brown. She remembered the masculine feel of his scruff beneath her cheek and had to take a calming breath. He was definitely having a powerful effect on her.
He was broad in the chest and packed with muscle. The black material of his vest that was close in texture to the leather of Earth, was stretched taught across his muscles, attesting to his strength. She looked at the laces that crisscrossed the closure and saw the tanned expanse of his chest dusted with dark hair.
Goodness! He was sexy as hell!
She looked up and saw him looking at her with a satisfied smile on his face. Seeing the humor in his eyes, she couldn’t help but melt. Not only was he intelligent and fun, he was also kind and honest. She felt the goodness of him seeping into her heart and settling deep within her soul. How could she deny him?
Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1) Page 37