The Golden Heart: Alliance Book One (Alliance Series 1)

by Jessamyne Hunter

  Sartak, on the other hand, blinked and opened his mouth but no words escaped it.

  He was speechless, not sure of what to respond.

  Hell no!

  He would look for Kellan! What if those bastards hurt him?

  What if they wouldn’t demand a ransom but just simply kill him? What if-

  “Sartak, I can hear your thoughts screaming at me. I’m not abandoning your mate. I will make a call to Earth and plea for assistance, though…funny thing, Kellan had left notes in his- or rather Lord Jaxtell’s- desk, telling me his brothers I can trust but with the president, I must tread carefully. So I will have a video conference with all three of them and hope Kellan’s brothers will calm their father’s temper before he rips the peace-treaty into shreds. Kellan mentioned the treaty several times in his notes, so I suppose the president is waiting for us to make a wrong move, and well…we’ve managed to let Kellan get abducted. We just showed that we are not able or willing enough to protect what was offered as a sign of peace,” his father definitely looked tired; the white of his eyes red and his face grayish due to no sleep and stress over a period of several days.

  Sartak didn’t answer, only nodded his agreement.

  That was the only option they had left, anyway.

  He would do his best at protecting his home and hope Earth would come to their aid so Sartak might be able to take Kellan’s brothers’ forces with him to his kmeran’s rescue.

  King Leylos caressed his kmeran’s hand reassuringly as they waited for the call to be answered.

  He had explicitly asked for the attendance of also President Harrison’s sons Blake and Luke, but he hadn’t gotten any answer yet.

  He felt like this poor treatment was meant as an offense to him, but he had been a ruler long enough to know that now was the time to stay silent and endure it, even though he wanted to just spit in that officer’s face.

  That boy- he was no older than twenty-five- had been an insolent, little piece of shit to him.

  His overbearing little smile; Leylos wished he could scratch his claws across that damn baby-face.

  Jarvan squeezed his hand to remind him to stay calm, but there was just too much on his mind.

  Sighing, he wiggled his hand free from his partner’s grip and paced up and down the room while his forehead wore a deep frown.

  The screen still showed the stupid yellow writing, telling them to please wait patiently.

  Leylos found that they had been waiting quite patiently enough by now.

  It would be rather nice if the president would acknowledge their call.

  Slightly annoyed, he switched back to the channel of the hospital in Phoxor. The doctor tending to Jorax and Kalik, at least had the courtesy to immediately pick up the call.

  The Phy’vohranian woman looked tired, but still, she wore a smile on her face when she politely bowed for her king and his consort.

  Jarvan returned her greeting with a short nod; he was too worried to think about manners in a great fashion.

  Leylos also gave her a curt nod and requested to be updated on the two guards’ health status.

  “It’s going to be alright. They’re stable right now but still unconscious. But they sure will wake up either today or tomorrow,” she explained while she looked very confident about what she had just said.

  It relieved Leylos a lot to hear that Kellan’s personal guards were on their way up and not as severely injured as they had thought at first.

  Dr. Alora Yanxi was one of the best physicians besides Dr. Selarney, who only treated the royal family.

  Of course, if ordered by the king, he would also lend his skills to others.

  Dr. Yanxi was still a young woman, but she had trained under Dr. Selarney, so she was also one of the most requested physicians on Phy’vohran. Sometimes, she even went to other planets to take on some special cases.

  Alora was a distant cousin of Leylos and had married into the noble Yanxi family; meaning that she still wore the title of a Lady. It also meant that Leylos could trust in her expertise and loyalty.

  He exchanged some friendly words with her, inviting her to one of the many feasts that seemed to be always taking place at the palace each day. And as long as the court paraded the royal palace’s grounds there would always be such feasts.

  It annoyed Leylos, but he knew it was old tradition and breaking it would only end with him having to deal with a bunch of discontented nobles.

  Discontented, complaining nobles were the worst, so Leylos was clever enough to know how to keep them occupied and satisfied- only that it included him spending ridiculous amounts of money to keep them happy.

  Leylos just wanted to look at the documents containing records about every normal feast’s expenses and also the expenses for the special occasion or party feasts when the screen flashed blue, telling him he got an incoming call.

  Banishing the scowl from his face, he slid his finger across the screen and thus accepted the video call.

  The room showed in the video was crème-colored with golden furniture and a big crystal chandelier while the carpets were a deep red.

  The ceiling was a chessboard pattern in dark brown and gold, little ornaments carved into the brown marble.

  The whole room looked so regal, Leylos wondered if his call had deliberately been delayed so the president could move rooms to show off his fancy furniture.

  Leylos tried hard not to snort but ended up sneering, anyway.

  When President Harrison stepped in front of the camera and seated himself on a plush cushioned armchair that more like some kind of throne Jarvan’s face fell.

  His mate turned around for a second to roll his eyes before plastering a fake smile all over his full kissable lips.

  At least Leylos had him by his side while having to admit to having failed his duty.

  President Harrison was dressed in velvet red robes riddled with medals of all sizes and kinds.

  Samuel Harrison clearly hadn’t been wearing his utterly expensive looking robes all day long; meaning he had let them wait to dress up so he could be a pompous ass.

  That overbearing grin put a sour taste into Leylos’s mouth and made his stomach turn.

  He hadn’t liked the idea of pleading anyone for help at all, and he even liked it less now that Samuel Harrison was alone and gave him a grin that showed he knew Leylos was going to ask him for something.

  It just made his mood worse.

  He kept himself together as good as possible. Otherwise, he would have tried to wipe that smirk off of that arrogant face.

  Leylos had asked for the president’s sons to attend this conference also, but there was no one except the president himself.

  Had they not taken him seriously?

  Anger bubbled in his stomach, but he tried to smile at the human, anyway. Most probably the president hadn’t even told his sons that Leylos had asked for them.

  Jarvan politely started the greeting and nudged Leylos when it was time to tell the human leader what had happened.

  Bracing himself, he began to explain how they had failed in keeping Kellan save and added his plea for help; all the while Samuel Harrison wore that overbearing grin.

  When the screen finally turned black, Leylos felt so humiliated he wanted to curl up on his bed.

  The president accusing his guards of being unqualified and worthless- though he had made it clear in more diplomatic words- hadn’t been the worst of what he had said.

  President Harrison had ensured he would come with his forces to Phy’vohran’s aid.

  His sons were on a mission right now, but he would tell them to come to Phy’vohran as soon as they could.

  There, the president would counsel with them on the matter. He had also said that Leylos should count himself lucky since the Earth forces were nearby for whatever reasons and that it should take them no more than four days to arrive.

  Still, Leylos couldn’t find himself being happy about it.

  There was still a lingering uneasi
ness in his belly, telling him that something was still off.

  He tried to figure out what it was but he had no idea. Maybe Kellan’s precautious warning had made him paranoid or something.

  His mind was occupied with solving too many problems at once. Maybe that was the reason why he felt weird.

  So Leylos just sat there in his chair, clutching tightly to a cup of tea.

  Jarvan sat beside him and gently touched his hand.

  When he showed no reaction whatsoever, his mate retreated with a sigh.

  He rose to his feet and paced about the room, looking deep in thought. The little frown on his forehead was strangely beautiful.

  Leylos liked to look at his mate.

  Jarvan was pretty, his light golden hair not so overly common with their people. Other men would say it made him very desirable, but that hadn’t been what had drawn him to Jarvan when they first met.

  It had never been his mate’s youthful beauty that had caught his attention- it had been Jarvan’s soft chuckle, his big innocent eyes, and his loving nature.

  He had scented him that night at the ball and the sweet smell of his mate in heat, in estrus, had called upon his more basic instincts. But it had been the warm, soft laugh that had filled the room that had all but forced him to take him somewhere private.

  After they had foolishly made love while they hadn’t been allowed to, Jarvan had been deep in thought too.

  It still had the same effect on Leylos.

  He wanted to wrap his arms around his kmeran and kiss him until he stopped worrying.

  He watched his mate pace around for a long moment, then rose from his seat to take Jarvan into his arm.

  His kmeran’s body was lean and soft at the same time.

  Little shivers shook his mate’s body when he kissed the sensitive skin of Jarvan’s neck.

  A quiet moan escaped those full lips and Leylos growled, sliding his hands underneath the robe in the front.

  At some point the servants and guards had left them alone a while ago, so Leylos shamelessly explored his mate’s body- a body that had carried their children, a body that was still flawless and fitted perfectly against his own.

  Even though he wished to make love to Jarvan just here, he held back.

  Leylos only allowed himself to touch and caress, but he didn’t go anywhere near Jarvan’s wet puckered whole.

  He knew that his mate didn’t like such things outside the bedroom and he also knew that Jarvan wouldn’t like it if he was rough or let himself go and fuck him hard. He’d done it once, and his mate had afterward begged him to never treat him like this again.

  Leylos still remembered the tears running down his mate’s beautiful face.

  It had been the most painful thing to see him like this. Ever since he would only make gentle love to his kmeran.

  Right now, he fought the urge to get too passionate; still, he wanted to drag Jarvan into their bedroom and make him his all over again. He wanted to claim him and distract him from whatever fears were haunting his mind.

  He turned Jarvan around and kissed his lips. First gently and then as passionate as he would allow himself to get.

  A dark, heavy knot that seemed to have formed in his stomach unraveled.

  He wanted to swipe his tongue through his mate’s sweet mouth when Jarvan backed away.

  “Leylos…later. Let’s see if we can call the number Kellan had used to contact his brothers. I didn’t like President Harrisons smile. It gave me the creeps,” he said, already turning to the communication screen, fingers flying across the holographic board.

  25

  Fire burned his skin.

  Unbearable pain waved through him.

  Building up and increasing. It didn’t stop.

  His gut clenched. His stomach felt like it was being torn apart.

  Screams erupted from his mouth. He screamed and screamed. The pain didn’t stop.

  He begged. He pleaded. But it didn’t cease. It only grew.

  Hot agony rushed through his veins. Agony he had never felt before in his life.

  What was happening to him?

  Loud voices drifted into his consciousness. Everyone was screaming, shouting. On top of it, he could make out Eryon’s voice; frantic, horrified and full of fear.

  His heart beat violently against his ribcage.

  His stomach hurt; it hurt so much, so terribly much.

  Blackness cornered his sight. His eyes were open but unfocused.

  Shadows passed his gaze.

  More shouting.

  Hands were all over him.

  His robe was ripped open, leaving him half naked.

  Hands, more hands.

  They tried to hold him down, but the pain didn’t go away. More so, it seemed to only grow worse from here on.

  His lips formed an O as he screamed in agony.

  His body curled up violently; his limbs shaking and his breath trembling.

  Tears rolled down his cheeks- hot and filled with the angry pain that was roaring inside him. His throat was sore, his body still jerking without control.

  He had lost control over his body.

  Spasms shook him; exhausted him.

  It was too much, too much to bear.

  His eyes rolled back, his breath stuttered as did his heart.

  The awareness of something devastating, something very horrible crossed his mind before everything went back to calm, numbing blackness.

  Kellan blinked.

  The headlights almost blinded him with their white brightness.

  Someone held his hand firmly while stroking it gently.

  He was so tired, so exhausted.

  His body felt so strange, so heavy and unmovable.

  He tried to clench his fingers but only managed to move them a little; almost unrecognizable. Every muscle in his body rebelled at the tiniest movement.

  He closed his eyes again.

  The pain was faint, but still there.

  He felt a sickening emptiness, but he couldn’t quite put his fingers on why he felt it.

  He drifted in and out of consciousness, but the person next to him never left him.

  At least, for now, he felt safe and guarded.

  Sadness washed over him.

  Why?

  26

  “You have any idea what all this is about?” Luke asked his brother as they both hurried to the shuttle.

  They were still on their own small battle-cruiser called Lioness; their father’s ship just a short distance away and waiting for them.

  “I suppose this is about Kellan. King Leylos had asked for our help. Father is probably going to give orders on how to blast those fuckers who stole our little brother to dust,” Blake wore a grim expression; he was angry and worried.

  Those pirates would pay for what they had done.

  There would be no ransom because Blake would heavily advise against paying it.

  This was a major crime- the abduction of royalty. These actions could not by any means be allowed or taken easily. Blake would rain their whole forces on them, and next time they’d think twice about kidnapping any of their people.

  “May the devil take them if Kellan is hurt,” the younger of them- Luke- muttered and sped up his pace.

  They reached the shuttle at the same time, both entering it and closing the door behind them shut.

  As soon as they were seated, they ordered the pilot to take off.

  The woman was one of their more experienced soldiers and she had flown their shuttles and gliders during battle. She was also one of the best Hunters.

  Her name was Sandra Payton, but everyone just called her Pilot.

  “Pilot, do we have any news?” Blake asked, scrolling through endless files of data.

  Most of the reviewed data was bills of purchased weapons and uniforms. One file, though, made him halt.

  He opened it again and read the numbers.

  His eyes grew wide, mouth gaping open.

  “The hell is that?!” he excla
imed, turning the small screen at the arm of his seat towards his brother.

  Luke took a closer look and frowned.

  “Don’t know. Looks like overkill to me,” he commented while his brother only nodded.

  “Is that even approved? I thought it was forbidden to use those guns? Aren’t those the ones that cause cell mutations and all that stuff if you somehow survive the blast?” Blake muttered, shifting through the pages of the delivery only to see that they were on board of their father’s ship right now.

  “For what on Earth do we need those?” Luke mused, gesturing Pilot to slow down their shuttle.

  “This is odd. Why do we need this? War is over, and even then, there is the good old classical weaponry,” closing the file, Blake sent his gaze out of the window.

  Their father’s war cruiser was now hovering just in front of them.

  The starlight white shell of the battery shaped vessel was almost blinding them since it was illuminated from underneath the metal.

  It was a fancy design, but Earth had always been prone to showing off like that. Though, Blake found it embarrassing.

  They had started a war because of empty coffers and then almost lost the war.

  In fact, they had lost it, and only the Phy’vohranians’ generous offer of a peace treaty had saved their dignity.

  The war had been senseless and stupid. They had gained nothing out of it. More so, they had only lost more money and Kellan’s outrageous bride price was filling their coffers now.

  So, basically, it was the Phy’vohranian’s money that was paying their debts and new acquisitions now.

  Besides that, Kellan- their little brother- himself was a rich man now, too. Though, that wasn’t because he had married into the ruling family of a wealthy planet; it was because he had inherited a wealthy planet known for their weapon and technology production.

  Their mother had given him her planet which was or either had been part of the four small planets owned by HAWK arms manufactory.