"I thought Placidian royalty were the only ones with that kind of power.” Carina was uncomfortably aware that she'd accessed some strange power, a killing magic that had disintegrated over a thousand men.
"I thought so too until Leo showed me I was wrong,” the princess said wryly. She licked her lips and took a deep breath. “It seems that the Nyral population is connected to Placidians somehow. That's why many Nyral Doms and submissives have come to Placido to resettle."
"On that planet—” Carina couldn't get the words out. Fire. Ashes. Death.
Princess Sera nodded. “I saw.” She shuddered. “I know that crushing power too. It isn't pleasant."
"For a moment,” Carina said slowly, “I wanted them all dead, and I enjoyed it.” She stared at the princess helplessly. “I've been an assassin and never felt a moment's exhilaration at the kill. But this time—” She pursed her lips which had started to tremble. “This time, I loved it. Even as a part of my mind was horrified, a huge part of me was...gleeful.” There. She'd said it out loud, got it out of her like a poison.
Surprisingly, Princess Sera nodded immediately in agreement. “I know. It's terrifying, isn't it? I never knew how bloodthirsty I was until I smashed an enemy into the ground on Placido.” She touched Carina's hand. “It's natural and understandable. You weren't even in control of it."
"No. That man, that Nariadian, he—” What had he done? “He spoke some words and I...I...” She couldn't even put it into words.
"You were a conduit for something tremendous and dark.” Princess Sera stared off into space. “It's like life and death in the same moment."
"Yes.” Carina sat straight up. “Like a brilliant light that was black as night."
"It's power, Carina. It's not good or bad. It just is.” Sera focused on her. “Nyral submissives are uniquely qualified to understand this. Joined with the right force, you can resonate it, amplify it."
"I don't understand."
"In a scene, have you ever noticed that, though the dom has the power, you can increase the power in the room?” She smiled and shot Xandros a glance. “Not that Xandros needs anything, but a good scene requires two, not one.” Then she grinned. “Or three. Or four."
"And every addition adds...more.” Carina had seen the dynamic. It wasn't just doubled or tripled but grew exponentially as power passed between more people in sync.
"That's how Placidian power operates. It needs a certain kind of person, the kind who can balance power.” The princess glanced at the door. “Leo understands the balance. And he has control over it."
"Did you?” Somehow Carina found the power devouring.
"To some extent,” Princess Sera said. “But I didn't allow the power to pass through me, to release it.” She lifted her hands and curled them into fists. “I tried to grasp it tightly. By doing that, it slipped through my fingers.” Her smile was gentle, and her fingers spread wide open. “How many doms have you seen do the same thing? And when they do, we don't give them our true submission. The exchange is a fraud."
Carina nodded slowly. That was true. Most scenes she had with doms were a pale shadow, a bad imitation of the true dominance she needed. Until Xandros. Her gaze finally focused on Xandros, still sound asleep at the end of the bed.
His dark hair was mussed, and his face was turned toward her as he rested his head in his arms. Black circles surrounded his eyes, and the stubble on his cheeks emphasized the hollow dips. He looked tired and worried.
"How long have I been here?” Carina kept her gaze on Xandros.
"Three days.” The princess started to say something more, but a device on her wrist beeped. She pressed a button. “Are we there already?"
Leo's voice came through the device. “No. Another six hours. Shaun wants to see her. Is she awake?"
"She is. Send him in.” Princess Sera glanced at Xandros and frowned, lines appearing around her mouth. “Someday I hope you can explain this man's relationship to Shaun."
Shaun. Carina had forgotten he was part of this. “Hell, Princess, I can't even explain my relationship to Xandros."
A faint smile erased the frown. “Complicated. That seems to be a running theme with Nyral males.” She took a deep breath. “Well, try and rest. I'll see you later."
"Where are we going?” Carina had a bad feeling she already knew.
"Pelios. That's where we find the rest of the prophecy.” The princess swept out of the room.
Alone with her thoughts, Carina tried to piece her memories back together. Some were cloudy and blurry, but most of them were still intact. Frankly, Carina was too tired to give a shit about anything, even killing the head of the Brotherhood.
The door opened, and Shaun approached her side. He shot a quick glance at Xandros and tightened his lips. When his gaze met hers, memories flooded her. So many times she'd sought solace in his arms, always keeping her distance when they'd fucked, never revealing her true self.
"I've missed you,” he said calmly. His hazel eyes were almost molten gold, and she couldn't stop the regret that washed over her.
"I'm not the one who left."
He stared steadily until her gaze slid away. Then he said, “No? You and I both know you told Leo that I was Brotherhood. I know you were conveniently unavailable when we attacked Placido."
"She wasn't my target.” A lame excuse, and she knew it.
"Not yet. But you were part of the team to take her out. Instead, you tipped off Leo, and they escaped.” He leaned over her, his hands on either side of her head. “You were the reason Leo Eyler branded me as his."
True. When the Brotherhood had ordered Shaun and his team to kill Princess Sera Placido, she'd had to act. It wasn't hard to guess the princess would use her membership at one of the pleasure clubs on Sethos Five and that her new bodyguard, Leo Eyler, wouldn't leave her side.
The princess was a valuable target, and Carina realized if Shaun was...eliminated, she'd be chosen to do the job. All it took was a moment to tell Leo that Shaun was Brotherhood. She'd stood by, knowing Shaun's sister, Mira, would pay the price for failure. But she also had faith that Leo would save the Nyral male. The fact that Carina would get one step closer to her ultimate goal of revenge hadn't played into her decision.
Had it?
Which side of her had made the choice to reveal Shaun's identity to Leo? The Nyral avenger bent on destroying the Brotherhood? Or the manipulative assassin who saw an opportunity to further her cause?
The truth was elusive, but one thing was clear. It had been risky, but had seemed worth it. Until Mira had died over an open com.
She blinked. “I had no choice."
"And when you fucked me? Did you have a choice then?” His voice was low.
Carina tried to turn her head away, but Shaun gripped her chin to hold her in place. Tears threatened, and she swallowed them down. “I—” Her lips trembled. “Yes, I had a choice. But I wanted you desperately."
"Why, Carina?” he whispered and leaned down, his lips a breath away from hers.
"You were home to me,” she whispered. “Why didn't you mark me?"
His hot breath was like fire. “You didn't belong to me. Even then. I don't know how I knew it, but I knew."
Her eyes widened. “How could you know?” Hell, she hadn't even known.
His gaze was bleak and empty. “I know the look. You gave yourself to him a long time ago.” His head jerked toward Xandros. “I didn't know his name, but I knew you belonged to someone else."
"Then why go along with it?"
"I couldn't have what I wanted. What makes you think I didn't need to feel close to home?"
That wasn't it. Carina stared at Shaun, studying his hard features. Who did he want that he couldn't have? Their existence with the Brotherhood was punctuated by desperate sex amid life-threatening terror. Tender feelings weren't possible. But one woman had Shaun's attention, even though the focus seemed mired in hatred. Perhaps his hostility hid a deeper need. The truth dawned on her. “Challah."
Shaun reared back. “She has nothing to do with it. Her father is a monster, and she's just as bad."
"But Shaun, she—"
"Don't speak of her.” He straightened up completely. “She was there when all of them were murdered. Mira and the others."
Carina was stunned at Shaun's passion. But maybe he hadn't noticed that the woman he condemned was as trapped as he'd been. “Challah isn't—"
"Be silent,” Shaun roared.
"Perhaps yelling at her isn't the answer, my friend.” Xandros was awake and tense. Carina noted Xandros flexed his hand.
Shaun glared at the man. “You don't understand."
The red glint in Xandros's gaze made Carina nervous. His voice was deceptively mild. “So explain it to me."
"Challah Pestori stood by while her father murdered my sister.” Shaun's tone was harsh, but Carina thought she heard something else bleeding from him.
"She isn't allowed to leave. You have to see that—"
Shaun slashed his hand down, cutting her off. “She made her choice. She chose them."
"And you wanted her desperately,” she snapped. “But she didn't choose you. Did you make her an offer?"
Shaun glared at her. “She never knew me."
"So?” Carina had carried her secret need in her heart, even though she never thought she'd see Xandros again. Why would Shaun be any different?
"So you don't know what you're talking about.” Shaun's nostrils flared.
"I know you called out her name when you fucked me."
He froze, his gaze focused on her face. “I'm not discussing this."
Carina studied him carefully. Hatred and love seemed to swirl in Shaun's hazel eyes at the mention of Challah Pestori. The woman had confused others, including Carina. The daughter of the most ruthless member of the Brotherhood also worked to obstruct her father. But she also helped to trap members of the Brotherhood, whether she was aware of her participation or not.
An enigma that appealed to and repelled Shaun.
"At some point, Shaun, you're going to have to face the fact that she—"
Suddenly, Shaun loomed over her and snarled, “What part of I'm not discussing this don't you get?"
A low growl vibrated from Xandros. “Back away, Fenway."
Shaun blinked and then flung himself away from her bed. He stomped out the door, leaving Xandros and Carina staring after him.
"Well, that was interesting.” Xandros glanced at her. “What the hell was it all about?"
"I'm not completely sure,” she said slowly. “Challah is both her father's weapon and his victim. I think Shaun has to keep her in the weapon category so he can do the one thing he's intended to do since he was reinstated with the Nyral military."
"Take out the Brotherhood?"
"No. Kill Challah Pestori.” She met Xandros's surprised gaze. “Challah was there when Mira was killed. In his mind, Challah is as guilty as her father."
Xandros frowned. “But why? Unless she actually killed his sister."
"Because she stood by and did nothing. Because Shaun lied, stole, and killed to keep his sister alive, and it was all for nothing.” Carina pressed her lips together, emotions too close to the surface. Her throat closed up, and her jaw clenched. It couldn't all have been for nothing. Could it?
"They blackmailed him. It wasn't his fault."
She held his gaze. “And what about me, Xandros? No one blackmailed me."
In a heartbeat, he was beside her, his hands cupping her face. “No? They took your family, your life, your hopes, and your dreams. They held you captive just as much as they held Shaun."
She stared at his familiar face and wondered how she would ever deserve him. “All I wanted was the death of that man, the one who gives the orders, the one who killed my sister because of that stupid prophecy,” she said hoarsely. “And all of it was a mistake. The princess was the one who should have died. Instead, they killed Shanie."
There had been so many nights and so many moments she'd dismissed how pointless it all had been. Shanie was dead, but the Brotherhood soon realized it hadn't stopped the prophecy. The time Carina had spent honing her skills seemed wasted. It wouldn't bring Shanie back, a thought that she'd been determined to ignore. Her chest hurt, and she clenched her hands into impotent fists. Pointless. Wasn't it all pointless? All that blood for nothing, for revenge. A sob escaped, and the tears spilled over onto her cheeks.
Xandros wrapped his arms around her and rocked her back and forth. “Oh my little machinka, I'm so sorry."
It felt good to cry, to get it out. For the first time in four years, Carina cleansed her soul of the pain and sacrifice and allowed her emotions to rule her heart. “Every time those priests made me blow a Primarian or when they made me drink the blood of some poor smuck they'd murdered, I kept thinking of Shanie and how I'd make it all right, balance the scales.” She leaned her head back. “But I don't think it will happen. I'm damaged goods, permanently scarred. I don't deserve to—"
Xandros shut her up with his mouth on hers. He plundered, demanded, and dominated her until she relaxed in his arms. Tears still leaked from her eyes, but she lost herself for a moment in the heat of his kiss. He desired her, broken pieces and all.
The mark on her arm flared to life, no longer a painful burning, but a throbbing need that swept through her like a wildfire.
It burned everything before it—her past, her fear, her doubts—all disappeared as passion flamed between them. She arched closer, needing him, desperate for him.
He tore his mouth from hers with a curse. “I can't now. You're not well enough. But when you're healed, Carina Tao, I'm going to make love to you until you forget any man you've ever had."
"I've never had a man like you,” she said immediately.
He groaned. “Don't say things like that. You're killing me."
"I'm a Brotherhood assassin,” she quipped. “That's my job."
He held her away from him and held her gaze. “You were a Brotherhood assassin."
"What am I now?” she asked in a small voice.
The slow smile that lifted his lips made her heart pound. “Mine."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Eleven
While Carina healed, Xandros practiced. There was no way he wasn't going to be ready for whatever awaited them. He would protect her at any cost.
The practice room on the Placidian Cosmos was extensive, and Xandros worked every minute he was awake. He pushed himself to the limit.
So many thoughts in his head demanded answers he didn't have. How the hell was he going to rescue Aron and Finn? Even with Shaun and Leo, it seemed an insurmountable task. His feelings for Carina were still murky. He loved her, had always loved her. But she wasn't Shanie Tao's bratty little sister anymore. And she wasn't Rina, the famous Brotherhood assassin. She was someone entirely different with weird powers that could burn up thousands of human bodies.
The unfinished business with Shaun Fenway had driven Xandros to the practice floor more than Carina. Both he and Carina had unwritten pages to write with Shaun, and Xandros wasn't even sure how to start a sentence. Consequently, he avoided everyone except Carina.
He flicked on his sword program and swiped a few arcs in the air with his blade. The new laser blade he'd acquired on the last run to Everos was perfect for the nasty fight he knew was coming. The priests would see to it that blood was spilled.
The program engaged, and Xandros beg
an the parry-feint steps that had kept him alive all these years. Even with his body fully committed, his brain continued to buzz with possibilities.
Thrust, parry. Why hadn't the Brotherhood killed the two men? And why were Princess Sera and Leo so intent on getting them back? Feint, parry, thrust, strike.
The program picked up speed, and Xandros spared no more thought for the questions plaguing him. Carina's strange new power. Shaun's attraction. The royal couple's odd behavior. They all faded as he avoided the hologram's sword.
After all, this was what he knew. Fighting. Blood. Death. Fighting...and negotiation. “Program halt."
That's what he could do. Negotiate. A glimmer of a plan began to form.
The doors opened, and Leo appeared. Blond, scarred, and dominant as hell, Leo Eyler had been Xandros's friend years ago. One of the few Nyral dominants who didn't hold Xandros's family name against him.
Yet, when they met again two years later, the friend he'd known was gone, and a cold-eyed stranger had betrayed him to the Primarians in a heartbeat.
His hands tightened on the sword pommel as Leo walked through the door and into the practice room. “Come to practice?"
Leo shook his head. “I came to talk."
Xandros turned away abruptly. “What's there to talk about? You want to save your princess, and I want to keep Carina alive. Simple. All we need is a plan—"
"I tried to contact you when my cover was blown,” Leo interrupted.
Xandros froze. He did not want to discuss this. But Leo seemed to have something to say. He tightened his lips and turned back to face this man who had once meant so much to him.
Leo inhaled slowly and moved closer. He stepped cautiously, his gaze wary. “You have questions."
"Sure,” Xandros said flippantly. “A million of them."
"I'm talking about the Fallorian."
Bitter dregs soured Xandros's stomach. The Fallorian. It was just another betrayal, another moment he'd survived and didn't know why. “What's there to know? You were working undercover and turned me over to your Primarian goons. All part of the act, I imagine."
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