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

by Bernard, Lynnette

  Lexi gripped her stomach as the contraction she was experiencing intensified tenfold. Once again, her shield wavered. The pain stole the breath from her, but she clenched her teeth to keep in any noise that would betray her agony. She felt the protective embrace of Jayna’s arm around her shoulder and leaned into her strength. She needed Jayna to join her magic with hers so their protection would remain powerful. She refused to allow the Gorin to make her bend to them.

  The contraction ended, allowing her to focus on her shield. Concentrating, she increased the magic surrounding the two of them. She faced their enemy proudly, determined to represent the integrity of the people of their world. She concentrated and soothed the tiny baby within her, telling her daughter to remain strong. She needed the sweet one to be patient in her need to be born.

  “You don’t belong here,” Lexi called out firmly. “I demand that you leave our home.”

  “You will not demand anything,” the leader of the Gorin said calmly, the depth of the hatred within his voice obvious. “We will take you from this world.”

  “I don’t think so, buddy,” Lexi muttered.

  “My queen, they mean to take you and leave our king vulnerable,” Jayna said with certainty. “It is their way. The Gorin have a history of drawing the leaders away in order to leave their worlds open to attack.”

  “We won’t allow that to happen, Jayna,” Lexi said determinedly. “We must keep them occupied until Sebastian comes.”

  “How will he know to come to us?”

  “He will know,” Lexi told her, smiling.

  Chapter 40

  “Sebastian, the shields have been breached,” Bryden called out as Sebastian entered the command center on castle grounds.

  “How?”

  Sebastian took his place beside Bryden and watched as his brother viewed the sensors on the panel before him. He trusted Bryden to know what to do in order to protect their world.

  “There is a fluctuation in the shield above the lagoon,” Bryden told him, anger making his voice hard. “There has been a disruption in the energy within the shield.”

  “Can you repair it?”

  Bryden’s hands flew over the controls, lights intensifying and changing as he made adjustments to the settings. He shook his head as he worked, his temper burning brightly as he saw the reason for the breach.

  “The Gorin have gotten through,” he told Sebastian. “I am detecting thirty of them coming upon our warriors.”

  “Surround our people with protection. Now!”

  “I’ve got it,” Francie said as she sat at the console to the right of Bryden.

  She placed a containment shield of power around their warriors just as a blast of energy was released within the area. She had a feeling of dread come over her that she had not been quick enough to protect them.

  “Was that an energy pulse?” Sebastian asked, looking at the circle of energy that appeared on the panel.

  “Yes,” Bryden answered.

  “Did we surround them in time?” Sebastian asked, fear filling him as he worried that they had not been successful.

  “I do not know,” Bryden answered honestly. “I am sorry, Sebastian.”

  Daddy! Bad people are hurting Mommy!

  Sebastian went to his knees, gripping the console before him to steady himself. His daughter was talking to him. How was that possible?

  Daddy, hurry. It hurts.

  I am coming, baby. Be strong for your mother.

  I love you, Daddy.

  Not as much as I love you, little girl.

  “The Gorin are attacking Lexi,” Sebastian growled out.

  “You know this as fact, brother?” Bryden asked, surprised.

  “I do.” He looked at Bryden, the anger in him burning bright. “My daughter just told me.”

  “Your daughter?”

  Sebastian nodded, turning and running toward the transport bay. “I need Torin and fifty warriors,” he called over his shoulder.

  “They will meet you at the transport,” Bryden called out, turning back to the console and initiating the communication with Torin. He knew that Torin would be ready to aid Sebastian without question. He also knew that where Torin went, Bree would be by his side. They would work together to protect Lexi, Jayna, and their warriors.

  What he did not know was how Sebastian’s daughter had communicated with her father.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Sebastian rushed from the transport, Torin and their warriors flanking him with their weapons drawn. They ran toward the lagoon at breakneck speed. Bree stopped momentarily to check on the downed warriors within the foliage.

  It looked as though they had been stunned into unconsciousness, but they were still alive. Sebastian was relieved to know that Francie’s shield of protection had saved them.

  He had to get to Lexi. Their daughter had remained silent during his trip to rescue them, making Sebastian fear the worst. He had tried to speak to her over and over again, but their babe did not respond. He could not sense her presence that he had felt fill him so completely mere moments before. As he and his warriors made their way to the lagoon, he prayed that all would be well. When they cleared the cove of trees, he froze in fear at the sight before him.

  Lexi and Jayna were standing at the water’s edge. A green shield encompassed them. There were thirty Gorin facing away from him. The Gorin in the center of the group was emitting a stream of energy toward his woman and their daughter’s protector from his right hand. He watched in horror as Lexi gripped her belly and leaned against Jayna. He could sense her pain.

  He let out a roar of fury as he charged toward the one who was directing his evil at the two women. As he neared, he called upon every bit of his magic from within him and created a ball of power to hold in his upturned palm. He reared back and prepared to hurl it when he saw the intensity of the green power increase. Jayna screamed out in pain. Lexi held her stomach protectively and fell to her knees. He knew it was done in retaliation for his attempt to use his magic.

  Lowering his hand, he allowed his magic to fizzle to nothing as he stepped closer. He saw that as his magic lessened, so did the intensity of the green shield surrounding Lexi and Jayna. Lexi struggled to stand. Her hands remained on the swell of her belly, shielding their child. Jayna held her protectively within her arms.

  “Step forward and see the weakness of your women,” the Gorin who still held them in his power demanded, making a fist with his hand and laughing at the immediate moans of pain that erupted from both of them, satisfaction filling him as they fell to their knees once again.

  “Stop!” Sebastian demanded, walking toward the Gorin and facing him. “I am here. Do what you will to me, but leave the women alone.”

  “Sebastian, no!” Lexi called out, groaning as she fought to stand once again.

  “You will remove your protection from the neighboring worlds,” the Gorin demanded. “The women of your world will be killed if you do not, but only after we take great pleasure in their torture before their demise.”

  Sebastian clenched his hands at his sides. How could he make such a choice? He could not allow the worlds that they protected to fall victim to this demonic race, but he could not allow the systematic torture and killing of the women of Altavesta either.

  “Allow me to go to them,” Sebastian asked, looking at Lexi and Jayna and doing his best to remain in control. He wanted to kill every one of the Gorin. He wanted them all to suffer like his women were suffering.

  At the Gorin’s silence, Sebastian turned and walked toward Lexi and Jayna. He stepped through the green shield surrounding them and embraced them both. He felt the pain that the shield inflicted and wondered how the women had survived as long as they had. The pain was so severe, his own strength was sorely tested.

  “Sebastian, they’re hurting our baby,” Lexi whispered, resting her head against her husband’s chest. “I tried to surround us with a shield of magic like you showed me, but every time I have a contraction, the shield falters
.”

  “Lexi, the shield is holding,” Sebastian told her quietly. “You are not weak in your use of your magic. Were you not so powerful, the attack the Gorin is directing at both of you would have killed you instantly.”

  Jayna wrapped herself around Lexi, doing her best to absorb as much of the pain as she could. It was her job as protector to ensure that the baby was shielded. In order to do that, she had to protect Lexi. If that meant her own death, Jayna was willing to accept that.

  “No, Jayna,” Lexi told her firmly.

  “Yes, my queen,” Jayna told her stubbornly.

  The green shield pulsed with intensified fury. The pain that was inflicted was so much greater, Sebastian did not think they would survive it. He joined his magic with Lexi’s and Jayna’s to add strength to the protective shield, but even that did not prevent the Gorin’s strength from inflicting greater pain on the three of them. He heard Jayna’s cry and felt Lexi’s entire body tense. She dropped to her knees and hung her head.

  Gaiya, can you hear me? she called out to her youngest sister.

  I hear you.

  I need you to tell our sisters to take their mates’ hands and concentrate on joining our magic.

  Okay. Doing it now.

  “Look how your women bow to our power,” the Gorin called out. “Witness their lack of value as they weaken and crumble.”

  Lexi cried out in pain, gripping Sebastian’s hands and turning to face him. She looked up at him and saw the agony that he was experiencing because of the Gorin and because of her.

  Sebastian cursed softly, damning himself for not being able to protect Lexi, their baby, or Jayna. He was a failure as a man, as a husband, as a father, and as a king.

  “The Gorin is correct,” Lexi told him, her voice wavering. “I’m weak. I’m so sorry.”

  “No,” Sebastian whispered. “You are strong. You are a warrior. My warrior.”

  His heart broke at her words. He could not allow her last moments in this life be filled with self-loathing. She was strong. She was good. She was filled with the purity of both kindness and love. He had never met a more courageous person. Looking into Lexi’s eyes, he saw her love for him.

  “No. I’m not a warrior. I’m a failure,” she told him, loud enough to be heard by the disgusting creatures who stood with cold eyes and murderous intent before them. She had had enough. This was all going to change. Right now.

  Concentrating on Sebastian’s face, she used the abilities he had gifted her with to change the color of her eyes. In an instant, they flashed from violet to golden. She saw the surprise on Sebastian’s face and smiled. He understood.

  Sebastian watched as Lexi’s eyes changed, hope filling him as he realized what she was trying to tell him. She was not weak. She was not a failure. She was a strong warrior who obviously had a plan. What that plan was, he had no idea, but he had faith. His gentle warrior was going to kick Gorin ass, and he was going to help her.

  “Trust me,” she whispered.

  “Always.”

  His answer was instant.

  “We’ll do this together with my sisters and their mates,” she told him firmly.

  He nodded, unsure what it was that they were going to do together, but he gave himself over to the power of their bonding. The ancient prophecy stated that the joining of the eight warriors with violet eyes would defeat their enemy completely. Since Hanna was still young, Sebastian did not think that the prophecy could be fulfilled yet.

  “Join with me, Sebastian,” Lexi whispered, closing her eyes and searching for the power of their combined magic as she gripped his hands tightly.

  Sebastian closed his eyes and embraced their magic, feeling the surge of power between them. Several colors joined his golden magic and Lexi’s violet magic. He did not understand what was happening, but he felt the rightness of it. The power of good grew, glowing bright white.

  Lexi felt Jayna’s hands covering her belly in her effort to shield the baby. She knew that their daughter’s protector was surrounding her with magic, as well. Jayna’s magic was pure and caring—exactly what the baby needed to feel during this stressful moment.

  The Gorin were surrounding them with increased darkness, making Lexi know that they had to take action immediately. She couldn’t risk her baby’s life, or the lives of the people she had come to love so deeply.

  Now! Lexi called out to her sisters, feeling the surge of magic at once.

  The combined power was filled with warmth and love. It shown bright white within her and radiated outward. She felt Jayna’s hold on her tighten and knew that the young woman was gravitating toward the goodness and protection of it.

  Sebastian smiled with relief as the power within him intensified. He sensed the many magics joining with his and concentrated to channel it to the world. Together, they would do what none of them could achieve separately.

  The green shield of torture that surrounded them shattered as the white magic burst from them. It surged outward, engulfing the Gorin and immobilizing them with the power of goodness and righteousness. The pulse of white light continued to surround the area, radiating outward in an ever-expanding spiral until the entire world of Altavesta was surrounded.

  A low hum began, a soothing tone that instilled calm and purity into every person it touched. The Gorin before them began to scream out in pain, falling to their knees and clutching their heads as goodness seeped into their minds and surrounded their darkened souls.

  There was a flash of pure white lighting the area in an instant. It spread like a rolling wave, gentle yet unyielding as it covered everything and everyone. There was no explosion, no instance of destruction, just a subtle cleansing of their world.

  The Gorin dissipated before their eyes. Above them, a white flash sparked in the sky, settling to a soothing rainbow of gold, violet, blue, and pink. The gentle warmth that settled over all of them was a kiss to the soul.

  Lexi looked up at Sebastian and smiled. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears as she gazed into the eyes of the man that she had truly thought would be taken from her.

  “Thank the heavens,” Sebastian whispered, looking around and seeing the warriors who had been lying motionless upon the ground standing and walking toward Torin as he held Bree protectively against his chest.

  “All of us did this,” Lexi told him.

  “You are indeed powerful, Your Majesties,” Jayna told them as she hugged Lexi one more time before releasing her and taking a step back so that her king could gather her queen against him. She could not help but soak up their joy as she sensed how they loved each other so fiercely.

  “The Gorin ship has faded,” Bryden’s voice interrupted them as it came over the communication device that Sebastian had clipped to his belt.

  “What do you mean, Bryden?” Sebastian asked, confused by his brother’s words. “Was it destroyed?”

  “There was no destruction,” Bryden explained. “The ship just faded away to nothing.”

  “Conduct a search of the neighboring worlds, Bryden,” Sebastian told him firmly. “Confirm that the Gorin have been completely eliminated from existence.”

  “I already did, Sebastian,” Francie’s voice answered. “We have confirmation that the world that is known to be the home of the Gorin is intact. I’ve tracked seventeen of their battle cruisers.”

  “Where are they, Lady Francie?” Sebastian asked, concerned.

  “They are beyond the Melek Galaxy. Thirteen are currently orbiting their home world at this time. Four more are advancing on us. As each one attempts to cross into our galaxy, they fade and disappear,” Francie told them, the wonder in her voice obvious.

  “They are still out there searching for new worlds to destroy,” Sebastian said angrily.

  “Sebastian, a lot of good has happened today,” Lexi told him, touching his forearm and pulling his attention back to her.

  “It has.” He took a calming breath, doing his best to release the anger and fear that had taken hold of him. “The
ancient prophecy is closer to being fulfilled. Seven of you have joined with warriors. We must wait for Hanna to find her life mate and bond with him. Only then will our enemy be completely destroyed.”

  Lexi smiled softly, thinking about the member of their family who was the youngest warrior with violet eyes. Her niece was only three years old, but that didn’t mean that Hanna hadn’t already found the one who was meant for her.

  Millie’s son Tarak had set himself up as Hanna’s constant protector. He was fierce in his care of her. He was also tender in the way that he helped her every day. He sat with her and read her stories, helped her tie her shoelaces, and held her hand to lead her to the table in the Great Hall whenever he was there with his parents for a meal. Millie and Dante recognized the connection, too, and they were pleased that their son was so happy.

  All thoughts left Lexi as she was consumed with pain. She couldn’t help but cry out as the contraction tore through her. She gripped Sebastian’s forearms and held on. She felt the gush of liquid escaping from between her legs and moaned in fear.

  “Sebastian, our baby is coming,” she groaned out as another contraction piggybacked on top of the one before it. She couldn’t even catch her breath before it hit her. She felt as if she was being torn apart. “Help me.”

  Sebastian scooped her up into his arms and started running toward his warriors. The warriors moved aside, allowing him to lead the way back to the transport shuttle. Jayna was right on his heels as he ran up the ramp and entered the small ship. So were Bree and Torin.

  Lexi pushed from his arms and pressed her hands against the starboard wall, squatting and taking deep breaths. The pain was almost unbearable. She felt her body spreading as the head of their baby crowned.

  “Sebastian, the baby’s coming. I can feel her head. I have to push.”

  She stood up suddenly, not knowing where to turn or what to do. She saw the look of concern on Sebastian’s face and felt a moment of panic, averting her eyes and doing her best to remain calm.