by Laurie Roma
“I don’t.”
Quilla’s pretty face looked so much like Malik’s, it was painful to look at her. She held a hand to her chest as if it ached, then reached the other out to him even as she stepped away. “Please, brother. I am being influenced by the drug. I need you to help me.”
Reva wanted to slit her lying throat.
“If I believed that, I would be a bigger fool than I was to trust you all these years,” Malik said coldly. “You are a treacherous, evil female who doesn’t deserve a second of my time beside however long it takes to kill you.”
Dropping the façade, Quilla scoffed at him. “You’re right. You are a fool. Always have been. I should have ruled Rego Palace. Me! You were always weaker than me.”
Surprise was clear in Malik’s voice as he said, “I can’t believe this. Is that what this was about? You were jealous of a bloody title?”
“I am fulfilling father’s legacy,” she hissed. “I have built an empire. What have you done, besides cower behind your friends. You bow down to Lord Tor and the rest of your little group. You want peace? You want equality? Then how does it feel to be bested by a female?”
“You didn’t best me. You’ve failed. Look where you are, who is standing beside you. You’re all alone, Quilla, and it didn’t have to be this way. None of it did.”
Malik’s hand was on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw as he stepped forward, but he couldn’t do it. Son of a demon, he couldn’t kill his own sister like this. He had protected her all of his life. Had shielded her from their father’s insane cruelty.
How was he to push that aside now?
“You always were a disgrace,” Quilla whispered as she lunged forward, a knife on a release mechanism attached to her forearm underneath the sleeve of her tunic shot out and into her hand. She jabbed at his middle, spinning around to kick him in the stomach. He avoided her by moving to the side, and pushed her back.
Gods, he couldn’t hurt a female, even her, no matter how much she deserved it.
Reva realized that he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t kill his sister, but it didn’t make him weak. No, it wasn’t a weakness. In her eyes, it made him strong. He stood by his beliefs, no matter the cost to him. And Reva loved him even more because of it.
He was a protector, not a predator.
Not like her.
Malik continued to play defense, but he also shoved her out of his way a few times. He wouldn’t hit her. Quilla got a lucky kick in to the back of his knee, then she moved her arm to try to swipe the knife across his throat, triumph in her laughter.
Without hesitation, Reva shifted in one seamless motion, splitting the seams of her suit so the material fell to the floor along with her weapons. She didn’t need those.
She jumped, hitting Quilla full force with all of her strength before the evil bitch could touch him with her knife. Rage made her swipe her claws over Quilla as she took her down. Primal instinct took over, and Reva cut off Quilla’s screams as she bit down on her neck so hard she almost tore through it.
She shook her head, mauling and biting until Quilla no longer moved.
Shifting back, Reva wiped at her mouth as she turned. Malik just looked at her, and her heart clenched. Moving forward slowly, she went to him, crouched in front of him. Could he forgive her? Would he even want to?
“I couldn’t do it.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Are you angry with me?”
He searched her face, then shook his head. “Gods, no. You did what I couldn’t, and now I feel…free. Is that wrong?”
“No. I feel it, too.”
Amari cleaned them, making them dry once more. She also put a suit on Reva again just as Quilla’s body disappeared.
“Thank you,” Malik said first to Amari, then he looked back into Reva’s eyes and he leaned down to brush his lips against hers.
When Reva pulled back, she saw that Amari was gone. They had a ton of shit to do, but that could wait. The others could handle it for just a few minutes.
She needed few minutes alone with Malik.
“As you pledged to me, I make the same vow here and now.” Reva reached out and lay a hand on his cheek. “I will be your sword when you need it. I will protect you in the best way I know how. I love you, Malik. There is nothing in the universe I wouldn’t do for you.”
He pulled her to him, burying his face into her neck. “Thank you for sparing me that. I couldn’t do it, even though I knew it had to be done.”
“Together we can do anything.”
“You are my life. You are my soul. You own my heart, Reva. My love for you knows no bounds.”
The hunt was finally over.
And now their lives could truly begin.
EPILOGUE
Malik hated waiting.
But he did it as he stood on the raised walkway that surrounded his palace. As he began to pace back and forth on the stone floor, he thought of the journey he had only returned from a few weeks ago.
Tartarus may not have changed much, but he had.
Home had a new meaning for him now, and it started and ended with Reva.
Malik had never had someone who he trusted and loved more. She was his everything, and looking up at the first stars twinkling in the sky that was just turning dark, he made a vow to always show her just how much she meant to him.
After they had left Light City, they had gone back to New Vega, where they met up with the Stargazer. They left Matt and Rob there, while they had taken the bodies of Reva’s parent back to Helix. Kahla had requested to join them, and so had Eden and Amari. Once they were on Helix, the females had taken Lazio, Darius, Iolas, Pharon, and Isak exploring for a few days while Reva had visited with her father, Neo.
Malik had been surprised that Neo had accepted him so quickly, but her father had made it clear that he would only be in his good graces as long as Malik kept Reva happy. On a bright, clear evening, Reva and her father had buried her mother and two other fathers. And that night, Reva had told him that there was nothing left for her on her home world, and said she wanted to come home with him.
Neo had decided to join them on Tartarus. Malik hadn’t known how he would feel to have the father of his consort living with them, but it hadn’t been a problem. The day they had gotten back home, Neo had met one of the females that lived in Rego Palace. Reva had called it love at first sight between Neo and Yessi, and now they were together every second of each day.
It had warmed Reva’s heart to see her father happy for the first time in years, but Malik knew she was still had moments when she missed the rest of her family.
In the weeks since they had returned to Tartarus to begin their lives together, a lot had changed. His people had welcomed her into their hearts, and it hadn’t taken her more than just walking through the front doors for his warriors to fall to their knee to pledge their fealty.
Their lives were lighter now that Quilla was gone. It would still take time to hunt down everyone in her network on Tartarus since they had no list of names to help them, but they would get to it. And the Alliance would do their part to find the elites who had helped her.
There were so many people who had helped track down Quilla, and Malik was grateful to all of them. Though, there was a special place for Amari in his and Reva’s hearts. It had come as quite a shock to know that Amari hadn’t just shot Reva with magic back on Vexar when the silver goo had been inside of her.
Some of that magic had been left behind.
Since Amari had promised him that nothing would happen to his female, Reva was now infused with magic. And to his astonishment, so was he. When Reva had bitten him to claim him as her own, she had given him some of the magic inside her.
They were truly bonded in every way now.
It was why he and Reva hadn’t been affected by the Genesis Project drug in the Hart Pharmaceuticals building. It was also why all of their cuts and bruises healed almost instantly. They were both filled with Dragon Warrior magic, and had swapped their ow
n, so they were a unique pair in every way.
A smile curved his lips as he looked out over his land. Set between the Alliance outpost and his palace was a new addition. Now, an intimidating black castle was built into the face of the mountain. It glistened and gleamed in the sun, while at night, it all but disappeared. Amari and Eden Nazira had claimed the mountain for something they called their vacation domicile, but Malik didn’t mind.
The truth was he enjoyed having them around, and not just because they were always saving his ass. They were family, and with Reva by his side, he was now embracing having a family he could love and be proud of.
“What are you doing out here?” Jaden Tor asked as he came out onto the walkway from the castle.
Malik looked over. “I am waiting for them. I’m surprised you didn’t go with.”
Jaden growled low in irritation. “Katra said I couldn’t. She said it was female speak time.”
Malik laughed. “I think you mean girl talk.”
“What is the difference?”
“Your mate’s ire if you don’t give her time with her friends.”
Jaden relaxed as he laughed. “You’re right. So, how does it feel to finally be happy, my friend?”
For a moment, Malik didn’t know how to answer him. How could he possibly describe what it felt like to have a female he loved more than he’d ever thought possible? How could he tell his friend that he didn’t think he could live without Reva now?
Jaden took pity on him, slapping him on his shoulder. “I know that feeling. I see it on your face. Our females are our world now.”
“Yes, they are,” Malik agreed.
Suddenly, Dragon Warriors Xavier and Galan Tesera, and Thorn and Brydan Volis appeared on the walkway beside him. Xavier and Thorn each carried an adorable twin in their strong arms, and the babies looked way too alert for their age.
They all seemed to be regular visitors to Rego Palace now, and Malik knew it was because everyone, absolutely everyone was friends with Reva.
“Every second without our mate is a living hell,” Xavier said in a low growl.
Thorn Volis frowned. “You are not supposed to say that in front of the younglings.”
Xavier just sighed in response until the tiny little male in his arms looked up at him and squeaked out, “Hell!”
“Nay, Gideon!” Xavier said, horrified. “Do not say that.”
“Hell!”
Xavier looked over to Galan, Thorn, and Brydan. “Alexis is going to kill me.”
The three others just nodded, then they winced as the other twin started to repeat the word.
Malik tuned them out, and his breath caught as he saw them on the horizon.
Amari and Eden Nazira, Katra Tor, and Alexis Volis Tesera flew through the skies in their dragon forms. Next to them, Eden’s firebird pet flew with them, and when he got tired, he would rest on one of their large frames.
Kahla was sitting on Amari’s back, and they circled overhead as others tore over the ground with astonishing speed below them. Reva was in her cat form, her paws sending up a plume of dust with every strike to the ground. Next to her was Amari’s argos. The lion-like creature followed the Helios cat over the ground, both of them enjoying the freedom of the run.
“They are glorious,” Malik whispered.
“Beautiful,” Jaden added.
“Those females are the greatest gift the gods could have ever given us,” Galan said.
“Hell!” one of the twins yelled.
“Alexis is going to kill me,” Xavier groaned again.
Malik ignored him as he watched Reva’s group come closer to the palace. She ran home, he thought. It was a home where people loved her, but no one more than him. She was glorious in her cat form, corded muscles straining as she flew over the ground with a natural grace.
And when she was close enough, Reva looked up, and their gazes met. There was love there, and Malik felt it in his heart, and his soul.
He smiled down at her, then turned to hurry down to the main hall so he could meet her there. Lady Reva Rego was the female who owned his heart, and together, they would build the future of their dreams.
THE END
* * *
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Timeless by Kali Argent.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laurie Roma lives in Chicago, and mainly writes contemporary, romantic suspense, and sci-fi romance. She has always loved immersing herself in a good book and now enjoys the pleasure of creating her own. She can usually be found tapping away on her keyboard, creating worlds for her characters while she listens to music. Of course her playlist depends on her mood...but then again, so does her writing.
An avid reader of the romance genre, nothing bothers her more than annoying characters. Seriously, who wants a happy ending for someone that pisses you off? She loves tough alpha-male heroes and strong heroines that have brains as well as beauty. Her novels are filled with both passionate romance and down and dirty lust-driven interludes, as she believes both are essential to a good love story. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached at [email protected].
For all titles by Laurie Roma, please visit
www.laurieroma.com
3013: THE SERIES
http://3013theseries.blogspot.com
The 3013 Series
3013: MATED by Laurie Roma
3013: RENEGADE by Susan Hayes
3013: CLAIMED by Laurie Roma
3013: STOWAWAY by Susan Hayes
3013: SALVATION by Laurie Roma
3013: MENDED by Kali Argent
3013: TARGETED by Susan Hayes
3013: CHAOS by Laurie Roma
3013: ALTERED by Kali Argent
3013: FATED by Susan Hayes
3013: GENESIS by Laurie Roma
3013: REVOLUTION by Kali Argent
3013: PRIMAL by Laurie Roma
Novellas
3013: SYNERGY by Laurie Roma
3013: ASYLUM by Kali Argent
3013: SCARRED by Susan Hayes
TIMELESS
Pandora, Book One
Copyright © Kali Argent
CHAPTER ONE
Nekron, Year 2984
Leaning his elbows against the frozen railing, Vane Schiva cupped his hands together and blew warm air into the space between them. Above him, the greenish haze of dusk bathed the sky, and a few stray stars had already flickered into existence.
From his perch atop the third-story catwalk, he could see the lights from the capital city of Taldor illuminated on the eastern horizon. They hadn’t activated the lights in the sprawling compound of Pandora yet, but it wouldn’t be long now.
Night was coming—one hundred and ninety-two moon cycles of frigid darkness.
“Schiva, get your ass down here and help me.”
Vane stretched out over the railing to look down at the walkway below him. “What the hell is that?”
Lowering the large, blue sphere to the ground, Lieutenant Xavian Tira slapped the top of it with a muffled thump and grunted. “Time machine.”
“Time…” Vane trailed off and shook his head. “Earthlings.”
“Earthlings,” Xavian repeated with an indulgent grin as he pushed his long, ebony braid over his shoulder. “So, are you still exploring your feelings, or do you think maybe you could give me a hand?”
Vane mumbled a string of curses under his breath, even as he launched himself over the top rail. Chilled wind whistled through his hair, blowing the loose strands around his face as he fell. Twenty feet below, he landed on the balls of his feet with only a slight bend of his knees and a hushed thud of his boots against the catwalk.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re an asshole?”
Xavian nodded. “Frequently.”
Vane pressed his palm against the side of the sphere, frowning at the scratches along the dented surface. “They’re still using polycarbonate? Where did you find this thing?”
“Some costal colony in the Americas.” Curling h
is fingers around the handle on the side of the machine, Xavian jerked his head upward. “Grab the one over there, yeah? The commander wants it moved to Division Eight.”
Vane rounded the archaic contraption and grabbed the handle on the other side, but he did so grudgingly. Division Eight made his damn skin crawl.
For over three billion years, the Nekros had policed the universe, traveling to the farthest reaches of space to confiscate rare and dangerous objects. Then, in the highest mountains of their home planet, Nekron, they’d constructed Pandora, a guarded compound to house those artifacts.
Division Eight resided in the topmost tower of the fortress and consisted of nothing more than a locked vault no bigger than a walk-in closet. Inside that vault, they kept the most unstable contraband, trinkets and inventions too dangerous even for them to manipulate.
“Okay, what am I missing? It’s a time machine, big deal.” Since several races had mastered time travel before humans had even existed, Vane didn’t understand the urgency. “Why Division Eight?”
Xavian glanced sideways at him as he stepped onto the open lift and swiped his security card over the control panel. “Look inside.”
Frowning, Vane cleared the condensation from the small window on the door and cupped his hands around his face as he peered inside. He’d expected an array of crude wires and blinking buttons, but what he found only deepened his confusion.
“It’s empty.”
“Exactly.”
“Are you sure it actually works?” From where he stood, it looked like a giant, plastic bubble with a man-sized door.
“It works.” When the lift stopped on the upper level, Xavian adjusted his grip on his side of the sphere and stepped off onto the catwalk. “Have you ever been to nineteenth century Earth?”
“Can’t say that I’ve had the pleasure.”
Xavian swiped his security card again at the heavy, sliding doors that barricaded Division Eight, stated his name and rank, and leaned forward for a retinal scan. “Well, I have,” he continued when the doors parted. “It was vile.”