House of Royale (Secret Keepers Series Book 4)

by Jaymin Eve

  Moisture pricked my eyes and I was glad that my face was still hidden in his chest. “You’ve been fighting me since I first saw you,” I murmured back. “I’m not going to be a burden for you.”

  I was a burden for my parents. It eventually caused them to resent me. I’d made myself a promise I would never be that for anyone else, ever again.

  Xander paused, and when he spoke again his voice was rougher. “You’re not a burden. In another life….”

  He trailed off, and even though I was desperate to hear the rest of that sentence, I didn’t ask. But I did quit fighting him, relaxing against him again. By the time I was calm enough to function on my own again, the flight was half over. Xander didn’t say anything more as he left my seat, returning to where he’d originally been sitting. But I did feel his eyes on me.

  A middle-aged man dressed in a suit paused at my side. “Would you like anything to eat or drink?” He rattled off an entire selection of food and my stomach rumbled in response.

  I decided to order a few things, hoping it would be a good distraction. When the steward hurried off, I leaned back and reached for the headphones, which were wrapped around the armrest. A television popped up with the press of a button and I flipped through the millions of movies. I wasn’t one to watch television much; I couldn’t remember the last time I even went to the theaters, but … maybe there’d be something here.

  “That one is great!” Emma said, walking back from the bathroom. She dropped into the chair next to mine, picking up a second set of headphones.

  “Callie and Daniel are in one of the bedrooms,” she explained. “Maya and Chase have another. They’ll try and sleep for a few hours. I’m too amped to sleep right now, so let’s watch a movie.”

  “Okay,” I said, excited. “You think this one?”

  She laughed. “Oh yeah, the remake is better than the original. I laughed so hard.”

  Funny sounded like the exact remedy for what I needed.

  The next few hours were killed watching movies and eating food. Emma was one of the easiest people I’d ever talked with, and when Maya joined us, it was just as relaxed.

  “Do you think Callie is okay?” I asked, feeling the loss of one member. “She’s slept almost the entire flight.”

  We’d checked on her a few times. Daniel had assured us she was just asleep. But the look on his face wasn’t as reassuring.

  “We’re due to land in forty minutes,” Lexen said. He had Emma in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Both of them looked content. “She’ll make it to House of Imperial, no worry.”

  “We’re about to start our descent. Please return to your seats.”

  The pilot’s voice spurred us all into action, and as I slipped back into my squishy chair, I tried really hard not to think about landing. It had to be better than taking off, right? Ocean washed across my senses and I turned as Xander dropped into the seat next to mine. Our eyes met, and I expected embarrassment to hit me, but there was none.

  “Thank you for before,” I said, wanting to express my gratitude. “I really appreciate your help. I’m not sure what would have happened if you weren’t here.”

  Xander shrugged. “You seem like a strong, independent sort of person. I have no doubt you’d have managed it on your own. But … just in case, I’m here if you need me.”

  If you need me….

  I really wished he hadn’t said those words, because the mental images that sprang to life had nothing to do with flying and everything to do with sex. I was not a virgin; the surfer community was free and easy with more than just riding the waves, but I did tend to be on the more conservative side. I’d had a few casual relationships. One semiserious one. But nothing for the last six months. Just surviving had been hard enough.

  But right now, in this very moment, all I could picture was climbing into Xander’s lap. Pressing my lips to the bronze, hard muscles lining his chest. Running my fingers through his perfect strands of blond hair. He turned me on in ways that should be illegal. Especially when he wanted nothing to do with me.

  Gold flared in his eyes, and the blue went dark enough to almost be black. “You need to stop looking at me like that,” he warned, leaning in close. “You and I might not be the soul mate types, but I am attracted to you. You’re extremely beautiful, and right now I can think of nothing except stripping your clothes off and tasting every inch of that stunning body. But that’s where it would end, and something tells me that wouldn’t be enough for you.”

  Irritation pricked at me. “You don’t know me,” I returned, keeping my voice as low as he had. “I’m perfectly capable of handling a casual affair.” Despite my calm word, my mind and body were on fire. I couldn’t get the visual he’d painted out of my head … or the fact that he was feeling the same level of attraction as me.

  What the hell is happening?

  His jaw tightened. “Something you’re familiar with?” he asked.

  “Isn’t it the Royale way?” I shot back. “Not settling into long-term relationships.”

  He shook his head. “It’s more complicated than that. For starters, overlords are together long-term. The energy of an overlord facilitates a proper bond. And more of our people are starting to build long-term family units. We’re changing.”

  Except Xander clearly wasn’t.

  “Maybe I would be the one who could walk away and you’d be the one wanting more,” I suggested casually. “Maybe that is what has you worried.”

  He laughed, the sound loud and jolting after our intimate whispering.

  “Is that a challenge, Avalon? Because I have to tell you, I never refuse a challenge.”

  Was it a challenge? Did I want to explore this sexual need I felt for Xander? Would there be a possibility I would fall for him though? I didn’t want to get my feeling hurt and somehow destroy the group dynamic…

  “Who’s scared now?” he taunted, and my spine went straight.

  “You’re on,” I blurted out. “I’m game for a sexual relationship, no strings attached. If you think you can handle it with no hard feelings, then I’m in.”

  He leaned in closer. “Oh, there is going to be a lot of hard. But it won’t be my feelings.”

  I tried not to laugh. His arrogance was almost endearing.

  “We need some ground rules though,” he continued.

  I agreed with that, so I nodded. “Okay, let’s think on the rules and then we can discuss them later.”

  Somewhere a little more private.

  He nodded as well. “Agreed. Although, I can tell you my first one right now. No mentioning this to anyone else. I do not need our friends trying to matchmake us. I had enough of that before we even found you.”

  I could see why they would. The six of them were so happily teamed up, they would have expected the same from Xander and me. But Royales were different. This sort of deal would suit both of us better.

  My pulse was racing as we settled back together, energy dancing along my skin even though I wasn’t actually touching Xander. But he was close. And all I could think about was sex.

  The cabin dropped a little and I realized Xander had distracted me so well that we were almost landed. Looking around, I noticed that Callie and Daniel were absent, which meant Callie hadn’t left the bedroom. Worry replaced the sex thoughts. I mentally started urging the plane on.

  She had to be okay. There was no other option. I would not find this new family only to have one of them stolen away from me.

  “She’s going to be fine,” Xander reassured me, facing the same direction I was, staring at the bedroom doors.

  “I know,” I returned shortly. “She’s too tough to give up.”

  I might not have known her long, but I already knew that about her.

  She was a fighter.

  9

  It turned out that there was no need for any identification when you flew in an alien spac— I mean a private plane. We were ushered into two dark SUVs, and none of the officials who helped us bli
nked an eye. Not even when Daniel had to carry his semi-unconscious mate to get her off the plane.

  Xander and Lexen were the drivers. I ended up in the back seat with Emma in the car behind Xander’s. We flew through the town. I barely even got a glimpse of the ocean and cute little houses, we were going at such speeds. I understood it though, and I wished Callie was in the car with us, because I wanted to check on her.

  Panic was hovering at the edge of my mind. Emma was very pale, her eyes locked forward through the windshield. No one spoke. It was like we couldn’t until we knew that Callie was going to be fine. Lexen practically drifted around the corner, flying between two huge, ornate gates. We then raced along a fancy street. Near the end, we screeched to a halt and everyone was out in seconds.

  “I’m taking her right through,” Daniel said without preamble. “When she’s recovered her energy, we’ll meet you at Darken.”

  Callie’s body was limp, her head lolling against Daniel’s chest.

  Lexen, Xander, and Chase just nodded and slapped their friend on the back. Daniel swiveled and ran, moving superfast. Within a few of my rapid heartbeats he was completely out of sight, disappearing down some green-covered lane.

  “Holy shit,” Emma burst out, holding a hand to her chest. “I didn’t think we’d make it in time. But she’s fine, right? Unconscious is not dead….” Her eyes darted between us. “Right”

  Lexen stepped to her, both of his hands cupping her face. She calmed as she stared up into his eyes. “She’s fine. Daniel will get her there in time. He will not let his mate go without a massive fight. Don’t forget he controls the underworld.”

  Emma nodded as she swallowed roughly. “I know. But … he can’t control everything. Marsil still died. There is only so much Daniel can do.”

  Lexen’s jaw tightened, his eyes almost glowing at the mention of his brother. “He could have saved Marsil, but nothing like that comes without a price. The same way he had to tie his soul to Callie’s to save her life, there would have been a price for Marsil as well. I know, without any doubt, my brother would not have wanted anyone to pay that for him.”

  Lexen’s thumbs wiped away the tears trailing down Emma’s cheeks. I had to turn away because that moment was so intimate and sad. Holy shit. I actually felt like I might cry myself, and I never knew Marsil. Drifting a little further from them, I examined the beautiful street we were on. Surprisingly enough, I could still smell the ocean, so we had to be near water. It was probably behind all the mega mansions that lined one side of the street. Huge blocks of land. High privacy fences. This was definitely a street for rich aliens.

  I walked along the asphalt until I reached the path. On the opposite side to the mansions, it looked like there were some small houses, and I was curious to see what they were like. It took me longer than I expected to reach their little section. They were grouped close together, their land a fraction of the size of the homes across the street from them.

  I didn’t realize that the others had caught up to me until Emma startled me. “That’s mine.” She pointed toward one of the little houses in the middle. She then paused for a beat, her brow furrowing. “It kind of looks different,” she murmured, moving closer. “They all look different.”

  The bright red door of her place flew open then and two people stepped out, a dark-haired African-American woman, and a red-headed, very fair-skinned man.

  “Emma!” the woman exclaimed, racing down the stairs and throwing her arms around Emma. “We haven’t seen you for days,” she scolded as she pulled back. “You need to keep us updated.”

  Joy replaced the sadness that had been etched across Emma’s face. “Sorry, Sara. We ended up in a safe house and it wasn’t that easy to call out in case it was traced.”

  “But you’re all fine?”

  Emma nodded. “Yes, we did have a run in with Laous, but we found Ava and got the stone back, so I’d say we came out in front.”

  Sara’s eyes were on me then. She released Emma and took a step closer to me. “Ava … oh my, you’re absolutely stunning.” She flicked a glance at Xander. “Lucky guy, Xander.”

  He just crossed his arms and shook his head, but he didn’t say anything. I expected him to deny it, but he didn’t. Which, of course, immediately had Maya and Emma shooting him knowing grins.

  The red-headed man distracted everyone when he took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around Emma. “Missed you, sweetheart.”

  “I missed you too, Michael,” Emma said, her voice muffled.

  When they pulled apart, Michael moved to stand beside Sara, draping one of his arms around her. “So, what is the next part of your plan?” he asked, looking between all of us.

  Lexen answered. “We’re heading to Overworld. First step is to uncover the map Ava holds, so we can figure out where the starslight stone is.”

  “We have to get the stone before Laous and give it back to the humans,” Chase added. “They’re going to figure out a better way to hide it this time.”

  Michael nodded, face serious. “Yes, we’ve been in touch with Maya’s parents. They said there is a new agreement all ready now—they’re just waiting on Daniel’s signature as the last overlord. They’re not going to let something like this happen again.”

  Maya cleared her throat, drawing our attention. “Clearly someone is going to have to break the bond between us and the stone. Will that also break the connection the eight of us have?”

  There were a few beats of uncomfortable silence.

  “We have no idea,” Michael admitted, shrugging.

  “I don’t think it can,” Lexen told her. “There are multiple bonds between all of us. This would just be one specific one that connects you all to the stone.”

  Emma nodded, turning back to examine her house again. “Did you paint our door?” she asked suddenly. “Actually, are all of the doors painted now?”

  Sara clapped her hands, her face transforming into one of delight. Michael just shook his head, watching his wife with a soft stare.

  “We’ve been overseeing the renovations of the street,” Sara said with a chuckle. “It has been so much fun.”

  Emma turned back to her family. “Renovations?”

  Sara nodded. “Yep, my job for the past few weeks. You haven’t noticed because you’ve barely been here.”

  “Lexen, Daniel, Chase, and Xander organized it all,” Michael added. ‘We’ve just been overseeing the work.”

  Emma let out a low breath of air, turning to the man at her side. “You … you did this?”

  Lexen laughed. “You don’t have to sound so surprised. I can, on occasion, think about helping others.”

  Emma shook her head, sniffling. “It’s not that. You are very involved when it comes to Daelighters. You’re an amazing leader. But humans … you don’t often think about humans.”

  He wrapped her up before she could blink, hauling her into his body so her feet were dangling off the ground. Emma didn’t seem to mind; she flung her arms around his neck and clung tightly to him. “I think about you every second of every day,” he said softly. “I know it bothered you that these shacks were for humans.”

  “So we fixed them up,” Chase added. Maya let out a little sound of happiness, and then she was throwing herself into his arms.

  I wrinkled my nose at Xander. “While I think this is a nice gesture, don’t expect a hug from me.”

  He quirked an eyebrow in my direction. “Bad form not to show your gratitude.”

  “I said it was a nice gesture.” I shrugged. “That’s as much as I’m giving you.”

  Oh, and me, naked beneath you. Because we were going to do that.

  Turning away, I pretended to be very interested in the scenery. “That’s my house there,” Xander said. I jumped when his voice was much closer than I expected. I glared at him.

  “Back up, dude. You’re way too close.”

  He actually laughed at me, and somehow I managed not to throat punch him. “You definitely embrace the su
rfer vibe. I like it.”

  Placing one hand against his chest, I attempted to shove him back. He barely moved, which was freaking annoying. Why were men always so much bigger and stronger? Okay, human men usually weren’t. I held my own with a lot of them, but Xander was built like a fucking tank.

  “Stop flirting with me,” I said. “This is not what we’re doing, okay?”

  His gaze flicked down to my hand, to where my fingers were almost bunching in his shirt. I yanked it back quickly, realizing what I was doing, and hurried away from him to stand with Maya and Emma. I didn’t even care that I’d have to put up with the PDA.

  Emma was saying goodbye to her family. “…see you all really soon,” she said as she pulled back. “We have to go now though.”

  Sara and Michael’s faces fell. “Please be careful,” Sara begged, hurrying in for one more hug. “We love you so much.”

  “I love you, too.” Emma blew them a kiss, straightening. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

  She sucked in a deep breath, turning to walk along the street. The rest of us hurried to follow. Emma was on a mission. I tried not to look Xander’s way, but I was far too aware of him to be able to completely ignore him. It didn’t help that I had a million questions I wanted to ask. Not just about us, but also about his world.

  Deciding it was better not to get too friendly with him, lest we blur these lines we were trying to establish, I asked Maya, “How are we getting to Overworld?” The word spaceship had been floating around in the back of my mind, but it just seemed so far-fetched.

  “A transporter,” she said with a soft smile. “It’s like this … ball of light that Daelighters created using their network.”

  Ah, yes, they had mentioned that to me before. “The permanent transporter set up in the treaty…?” I confirmed.

  “Yep,” she said.

  “The lights connect our worlds,” Chase added. “So, if we hold on to a beam here, we can use it to bring us to Overworld. It takes a little while to get used to it—”