Xacier's Prize (Galactic Courtship Series Book 1)

by Lily Thomas

  “What is it? What’s going on?” She heard her mother ask.

  “Mom?” Samantha came around Xacier, as he glared down the other man, his hands near the hilt or butt of a weapon.

  When she came into view, her mother’s face greeted her, and she felt tears burn at her eyes. “I’m so happy to see you finally!” Samantha ran over to her mother and caught her hands in her own.

  “It’s good to see you as well, Sammy.”

  Samantha blushed. She’d never enjoyed her nickname as much as her mother had.

  Her mother’s gaze shifted to the two men eyeing each other. “Will your guest sit?” She asked her daughter.

  “Xacier. Everything is fine.” She turned to her mother. “Everything is fine, isn’t it?”

  “Of course! This is my Creth.”

  Samantha’s eyebrows drew down in a frown. “Your Creth?”

  The alien male named Creth moved to sit by her mother’s side again.

  “I don’t think I understand.” She shook her head, as she took in the man before her.

  He was tall, lithe, looked human, except for his tail and the boney plating on his arms, assuming there wasn’t more plating underneath his clothing.

  “He is Terrien.” Xacier filled in, as he moved to stand over her. Clearly, he wasn’t about to back down from his protective stance.

  “Is everything alright in here?” Two officers stood by the door with their weapons drawn.

  “My daughter was just concerned for my safety. There’s no problem. None at all.” Her mother told them.

  “Sir. We need you to disarm. You will get your weapons back, when you leave the premise.” One of the officers stepped forward.

  She could see Xacier weighing his odds. “Give him your weapons. You already caused more damage without your weapons.” She pointed to the door, which was still hanging from one hinge.

  His eyes narrowed, but he disarmed all his weapons, except the daggers she knew he had in his boots. She didn’t say a word. He wasn’t about to start throwing daggers, and she wanted the officers to leave so she could find out more about this Creth.

  “So?” Samantha raised her eyebrow in Creth’s direction. “Want to share some more?”

  Was it just her or did her mother look healthier? It was a surprise, but an extremely pleasant one. There was color in her mother’s cheeks and her blonde hair was glossy and clean. Her eyes also had a bright light to them.

  “He is… he is my mate.”

  Samantha just blinked a couple times. “Excuse me? I think I heard you wrong.”

  “Terrien’s have mates.” Xacier’s answered her.

  “Are you married?” Samantha was going to be insulted, if she hadn’t been invited to the wedding.

  Her mother laughed, “Not yet. I’m not healthy enough to walk down the aisle, but Creth has taken over paying for my medical bills.”

  “I can keep paying.”

  “No, Samantha. He is paying for even better health care, and you need your money for yourself.”

  Samantha knew she shouldn’t feel insulted, but she’d always been the one to take care of her mother.

  She watched, as one of her mother’s hands went over to squeeze Creth’s. They were both looking at each other with adoration shining bright in their eyes.

  “And how about you?” Her mother asked, raising an eyebrow over at Xacier.

  “Oh. Xacier is just a… friend and my savior. You would never believe what I’ve been through.” Samantha shook her head, as she let out a long sigh.

  “I figured you’d have a reason for being late.” Her mother wiggled her eyebrows at her.

  “Mother! Please.” Could her cheeks heat up anymore?

  Xacier gave a cough, and she wished his skin wasn’t crimson so she could see if he was blushing as well.

  “I’m glad you found someone. Thank you for helping my mother, Creth.” She turned a sincere glance to him. The medical care he was paying for was clearly working for her mother, and she was grateful for that.

  “Thank you again for making sure I got here. I’m still having a hard time believing she has a ‘mate’. I never thought she’d find someone, while in a hospital.”

  Xacier watched her from across the table. She was clutching a cup of some dark brown liquid. She’d offered him a taste, but when he sniffed it, his nose had been repulsed, but she was there making pleasured sounds, as she sipped at it.

  “Are you sure you don’t want a cup?”

  “No.” Xacier scrunched his nose up, at the very idea.

  “Then why do you keep looking at my coffee?”

  “Wondering how you can stomach it.”

  She smirked. “No coffee on your world? You guys are missing out.”

  “We need to speak about me going back to my people, now that you’re here with your mother.”

  “I can’t leave my mother quite yet. I need to find out more about this Creth person.” She rushed to tell him.

  Xacier held up a hand. “You misunderstand me. I’m going by myself. I must reclaim my throne.”

  “Oh.” Her face grew crestfallen. “Wait… your throne?” Samantha put her cup of coffee back down on the table.

  “I am king of the planet Kell.”

  He watched, as her eyes bulged and her mouth dropped. She was doing that a lot.

  “Shut up!”

  He growled at her.

  She raised her hands. “I just mean… I thought you might be a warrior or a bodyguard. I didn’t think you’d be a king. I just figured a king wouldn’t be…” She waved her hand at him. “Your all muscle and fighting skills.”

  “There are many sides to a king. One side should be ready for war, but the other should be ready for negotiations.”

  Samantha pursed her lips and nodded. “Had me fooled. So you don’t want to take me along since you’re a king?”

  Xacier shook his head, his hair swinging around his face and horns. “It wouldn’t be safe for you to come, and I would hate to see something happen to you.” He paused. He probably shouldn’t say anything like this, but he couldn’t stop himself. “After what we’ve shared, I couldn’t live with myself, if you got injured.”

  Samantha sent him a dazzling smile, but he could read the sadness lurking behind her jade eyes. She was both pleased and upset with him.

  “I don’t even know if I can get my throne back and keep my life.” Xacier wanted to be honest with her. For all he knew, this could be the last time they set eyes on one another.

  “When will you leave?”

  “I haven’t decided.” But he had. When he left, he wanted to make sure it was an easy break, and he didn’t want her to see it coming.

  “Let’s get some rest. I can’t think about you leaving me right now.” Samantha rose from the table and offered him her hand.

  Xacier stroked Samantha’s golden hair. The color was mesmerizing. No Kell was born with this color hair, all had black hair and red skin. Every once in a while, there was a child born with dark brown hair, but never blonde.

  A smile spread across his face, as he thought about filling her with his child. A blonde haired crimson skinned child with black horns. That would be a sight to see.

  But it would never be, at least, not for now. Slowly, he lifted himself from the bed, making sure not to disturb Samantha, as she slept. Leaving in the night was the easiest way for her. Or was it the easiest for him? He couldn’t shake the feeling he was being a coward, crawling away in the middle of the night.

  But he didn’t stop. Once out of the bed he turned around, placed a kiss to her forehead, and then made his way from their hotel room.

  Chapter 6

  A few weeks later, he was on his home planet in the grand hall of the royals, and he was surrounded by as many people as he could get there. Now his cousin wouldn’t be able to sick the royal army on him, not when there were rituals to be performed.

  “Why have I been awakened?” His cousin came into view, dressed in a robe.

  X
acier smirked at him. “I’m back cousin, and I’m here to reclaim my throne.”

  His cousin took a step back, and then recovered, as he forced his face into a neutral expression. “We all thought you were dead, Xacier. What a pleasant surprise.”

  “Clearly. But I am back to claim my throne and initiate the right of Claiming.”

  His cousin’s face visibly paled, as he registered what Xacier was saying. The Claiming was a fight to the death only royals could initiate, when they felt they had a right to the throne.

  It was the reason Xacier had gathered people in the hall. Now he had witnesses to his Claiming, and his cousin would have no choice, but to finish the Claiming now.

  “Hope you’re happy to see me, Treg. I’ll wait, while you grab a sword of your choice and meet you in the courtyard.” As he walked out of the hall, Xacier couldn’t keep the grin off his face. All of this was working like he’d planned. Soon his cousin would lie dead in the courtyard, and Xacier would have the task of explaining his absence to his people.

  “Xacier! Wait, Xacier!”

  He turned to find a familiar face approaching him. “Bria.”

  She clasped him in a hard hug. “I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead!” He could feel her body shake against him, as she sobbed a bit. She turned her sapphire gaze up at him. “We’ve missed you brother.”

  “And I’ve missed you.” He stroked her face. Her horns were dainty things that curved around her head and framed her face. She reminded him of their mother, but Bria had never known their mother, since she died in childbirth.

  “Is fighting necessary?”

  He nodded. “I must get my kingship back or I can never bring her here.”

  “Her?” Bria turned her head to the side. “Who is this her?”

  “Please excuse me, Bria, but I must get ready for my dual.”

  “Of course. But I expect to know who ‘her’ is after your fight!” Bria called after him, as he moved into the courtyard.

  Xacier shed all weapons except the sword his father had passed down to him. His treacherous cousin would feel the sharpness of this blade. He waited patiently for his cousin.

  The Claiming had a time limit on it. If Treg didn’t show his face before nightfall, he would automatically lose his claim to the throne. Now all Xacier had to do was wait for him.

  “I don’t think he’ll show.” Bria came to stand beside Xacier, as she watched the falling suns.

  “He will.”

  “How do you know? From what you’ve told me, he was a coward who got rid of you by using the Frirens.” She placed her hands on her hips. She was a good sister, always looking out for her older brother.

  “Where will he go, if he doesn’t show up? Word has spread about the challenge and no one would aid a coward, especially in case the new king found out. They wouldn’t want to be seen as a traitor.”

  “I hope you’re right about that. It will be nice to have this finished once and for all. He’s been after your throne, since our father and mother died. I never thought he’d take it into his own hands though.”

  Xacier nodded. It would be nice to have this over. At least, for a time. There was always the chance someone else would challenge him to a fight for the kingship. But he had a key that no other king before him had. He had Samantha, and she had the key to water with her terraforming knowledge. Since Kell didn’t enjoy moving to other planets, the technology had never been created.

  His people would welcome a queen who could bring an answer to their water problems.

  His cousin stepped into the courtyard with a sword. Xacier saw his cousin’s eyes dart around the courtyard. Xacier noticed Treg’s fingers trembled, and his cousin appeared to be having a hard time holding his sword steady.

  Xacier felt a moment of regret for what he had to do, but he squashed it. This hadn’t been his idea. Treg started this, when he tried to get rid of Xacier, now Xacier was just putting an end to it all.

  “Are you ready cousin?”

  “Yes.” Treg stepped forward, and all his apprehension seemed to melt away.

  There was the warrior Xacier had grown up knowing. Xacier understood why a fierce warrior like Treg would be intimidated by Xacier. He’d lived through the arena and won, since he was here, instead of dead.

  A smirk grew on Treg’s face, and Xacier saw his cousin’s cockiness start to rise. Treg thought he was the best warrior the galaxy had seen and now he was going to make a mistake. He should’ve stuck with being afraid, maybe then Xacier would’ve spared his life.

  Xacier gave a nod, and they began to circle each other. It’d been awhile, since they last saw each other, and now they were watching to see if there were any new weaknesses. But Xacier saw no weakness in his cousin. Now it was just going to come down to who would attack first.

  They circled each other a few more times, before Treg lunged for him. Their swords crashed into each other, as they put their weight into the swings. Then they drew apart. Xacier gritted his teeth. He might not want to admit this, but they might be evenly matched.

  He growled, as he blocked another swing, and then gave one of his own.

  “Frightened of me?” Treg provoked.

  Xacier snorted. “You were a bully, but I’ve never been scared of you.” Xacier made it a point to look him up and down. “How could I be scared of a coward who hires aliens to do his dirty work?”

  Treg gave a roar and moved towards him. Xacier danced around him and took a quick jab at his side and met flesh. But he pulled away before Treg could turn. He was going to get out of this alive. He had more reason to live than Treg. He had his family, his kingship, his people, and Samantha.

  Xacier raised his sword, as Treg swung another hit at him. Briefly they struggle, until Xacier put his strength into it, sending their swords sailing through the air.

  Then the men went at each other with their fists. Treg landed a blow squarely on Xacier’s jaw. Blood filled his mouth, but he ducked as another fist came at him. Raising his own fists, he defended his face, and then punched Treg in the side. Treg folded up, and Xacier went in for the kill. One punch after another he landed against Treg’s face.

  Treg fell to the ground with a groan and glanced up at him. Xacier paused, allowing Treg’s his foot to connect with Xacier’s knee.

  Xacier fell with a growl of pain just as Treg crawled over to where their swords were laying on the ground. Xacier grabbed onto Treg’s feet, pulling him across the ground. Then he leapt over Treg, grabbed a sword, and stabbed it into Treg’s back.

  His cousin’s eyes dimmed, as the life left him. It was over. His cousin was dead, and now he was king again.

  Bria rushed over to him. “Are you ok? Do you need the medics?”

  He brushed her away. “I’m fine. Now I just need to convince my people I didn’t abandon them.”

  “Xacier.” Bria’s hand landed on his shoulder. “None of us believed that. We aren’t blind. Treg’s been after your kingship, ever since your father died. And… this fight was broadcasted to the whole population of Kell.”

  “It’s what?!” Xacier leapt onto his feet, his knee killing him.

  Bria shrugged. “The fight showed how much you wanted your kingship back. It shows how strong you are, how determined. You might not like it, but it was necessary to show it to them.”

  “Let’s hope you are right then.” He felt his heart grow lighter. If his people didn’t believe he abandoned them, then he had an easy task ahead of him.

  “Is this needed?”

  “The people want to celebrate your return. Treg wanted to be king, but he had no right or ability. Someone else would’ve challenged him, had you not come back. It was only a matter of time.” Bria explained, as she watched Xacier straighten his formal wear.

  He wondered what Samantha would think of his white uniform. It was form fitting and littered with medals. His black hair and crimson skin stuck out like a sore thumb.

  He adjusted the cuff of one of his sleeves. “I st
ill don’t know how the population feels about my return.”

  “They’re throwing you a celebration. I’d say your people still love you. You’ve been a faithful king. We weren’t sure of foul play, but we did honestly think you were dead.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m sure it must’ve been hard for you.”

  “Just don’t do it again.” Bria gave him a playful smack on the shoulder. “I delayed Treg becoming king for as long as I could, but eventually, the council deemed you to be dead.”

  “I’ll make it up to you someday.” He smiled at his sister. He should’ve known better than to go out for a joy ride. “Let us go down there then, before people think I’ve gone for another spin around the system.”

  Xacier growled at the woman who tried to sit down on his lap. She stood up straight and raised an eyebrow, but when he growled again she raised her hands and left him alone.

  “No one here will care, if you indulge yourself. You’ve made your appearance for tonight. Feel free to slink away with anyone you want.” His sister leaned in and whispered. “Unless you met someone while you were gone. Maybe she is the mysterious ‘her’ you referred to before your battle?”

  “She wouldn’t be welcomed here.”

  Bria scoffed. “She would be, and you know it. Something else is holding you back. What species is she?”

  “Human.”

  Bria pursed her lips. “I haven’t seen one, but I’ve heard some gossip about them. Is she pretty?”

  “She has blonde hair. Her eyes are a piercing green, and her nose is so small and dainty. Her skin is pale, but smooth and I like the feel of her against me.”

  Bria smiled. “She sounds gorgeous.” Then she focused in on his face. “Is she alive?”

  “Yes.”

  “What does she do for a living?”

  “She terraforms planets to suit the needs of others.”

  “Terraforming? The people would welcome a queen who can get rid of our water problems.” Bria clapped her hands together. “Just imagine having rivers with water! The elders tell stories about such things, but none of the younger generations have ever seen that on Kell.”