Kaspyn threw her prison door open, bolted into the hall, and ran.
The sight before her nearly took her breath.
She skidded to a stop at the edge of the fighting, as Thrasher, Vaulcron, Hauke, Gryke, Braum, Rykaur, Zaureth, Brant, Fiona, and Syrina fought dozens of Arkadian warriors.
“Cease!” Kryten’s voice boomed, as he pushed his way through the throngs of warriors. “What is going on in my halls?”
And then the king’s gaze landed on Thrasher. “You dare to come here?” his voice deadly soft.
“I came for my mate!” Thrasher shot back, motioning for Kaspyn to come to him without taking his eyes from the king.
Kryten flicked his gaze to his daughter, rage mottling his face red. “You stay back.”
“Come here, Kaspyn,” Thrasher repeated, taking a step toward her.
The king nodded to a group of warriors standing on both sides of him. “Kill them all.”
Zyen broke away from the king’s warriors, stepped up in front of Thrasher, and blocked him with his body. “They will have to go through me first.”
Kryten’s eyes narrowed. “Then you can die with them.”
“Me as well.” Pyre crossed over and stood shoulder to shoulder with Zyen.
Syrina stepped up. “And me.”
One by one the Bracadytes from Aukrabah eased up next to the Arkadians now blocking Thrasher’s body from the hundreds of warriors lining the halls.
Thrasher pushed through the wall of bodies. “I didn’t come to Arkadia seeking war. I came for my mate. I respect that she’s your daughter, but she is plenty old enough to decide where she wishes to reside. And she has made her choice, King Kryten. She has chosen me. Kaspyn? Come here.”
Kaspyn lifted her chin and marched forward to stand by her mate’s side. She would fight alongside him to the end.
“Stop her!” Kryten demanded. All hell broke loose.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Thrasher growled his outrage as two giant Arkadian warriors jumped forward and snatched Kaspyn off her feet. “Let her go!”
Both warriors began to bleed from their eyes, effectively releasing Kaspyn, nearly dropping her on her ass.
Three more ran forward, one pulling a covering over her face while the other two gripped her by the arms.
Kaspyn cried out as one of the males twisted her arm up high behind her back.
Thrasher roared, fighting his way to Kaspyn’s side. “Let her go! She’s pregnant, you fucks! She’s pregnant!”
The neck of the male unlucky enough to cross Thrasher’s path, snapped like paper in Thrasher’s hands. He tossed the Arkadian aside and barreled his way toward another.
A female voice suddenly rang out. “Stop it! Stop this at once.”
Everyone within hearing distance froze at the fiercely spoken command. “Let my daughter go this instant or I will have your heads served to the sharks by sundown.”
Thrasher ran across the hall and wrapped Kaspyn in his arms.
A feeling of overwhelming protectiveness overcame him in that moment. He finally had Kaspyn back in his arms where she was meant to be; her and his child.
The regal-looking female who’d commanded the multitudes glided forward, tears sparkling in her light amber colored eyes. “This is your land walker, I presume?”
Thrasher loosened his hold enough to allow Kaspyn to respond. She lifted her head from his shoulder, her chin rising proudly, and addressed her mother. “This is my mate, the father of my unborn child…Thrasher.”
King Kryten made a furious sound, the sea of people abruptly parting to allow him to pass. He stopped next to the queen. “You will not give birth to a human child, Kaspyn. I will not allow it.”
Thrasher bared his teeth, moving his body between Kaspyn and her father. “I’m taking her out of here.”
“Then you will sentence all of Aukrabah to death,” the king growled back.
“At least we will not die as cowards.”
A spark of something resembling respect, flashed in the king’s eyes. He studied Thrasher for several heartbeats before swinging his gaze to his daughter. “You know what they are, Kaspyn…what they’ve always been since the beginning of time. They have no honor, no sense of commitment.”
Kaspyn stepped out from Thrasher’s side to face her father. “Thrasher has more strength, honor, and compassion in him than I have ever witnessed in another. Do not make me chose, father, because it will not be you.”
Hurt flickered in the king’s eyes, but left so quickly, Thrasher thought maybe he’d imagined it.
“Go,” the king bit out. “Go, and do not come back here. You are no longer welcome in Arkadia.”
“Kryten,” Kaspyn’s mother gasped, spinning to face the king. “You cannot mean that. She is our daughter…our only child. And she carries our grandchild.”
Thrasher felt Kaspyn’s pain at her father’s words as if it were his own. And it was. If she hurt, he hurt. She was his whole world; she and the unborn baby she carried.
“Goodbye, Mother,” Kaspyn whispered, taking hold of Thrasher’s hand and following him down the hall to meet up with his group from Aukrabah.
Zyen, Pyre, and Syrina fell into step behind them.
Surprised, Thrasher glanced back at the trio.
“We go where Kaspyn goes,” Zyen announced, daring Thrasher to argue.
Thrasher nodded, sending the huge Arkadian an understanding look. He knew they cared about Kaspyn, and she and their unborn child could use all the protection they could get.
Once they were out of earshot, Thrasher tugged Kaspyn over to the rock wall, wrapped her in his arms, and covered her lips with his. God, but she tasted good.
He eased back to stare into her beautiful amber eyes, eyes he thought he’d never have a chance to look upon again. “I missed you so much, Kaspyn. Every second that you were gone was a living hell for me. Don’t ever leave me like that again. I don’t think I could survive it.”
Kaspyn gripped the back of his head and pulled him back in for another kiss before sliding her mouth to his ear. “Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But it was the only way I knew to keep father from harming you and the innocent dwellers of Aukrabah. I could not eat or sleep. I have been plagued with your image for weeks.”
“We made a baby,” Thrasher breathed, tightening his hold on her. He felt as if he would wake up at any moment and find it all to be a dream. “I’m going to be a father.”
Visions of his own father slammed into him without warning. Thrasher recoiled from it.
“No.” Kaspyn pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “You are nothing like your sire. Just as I am not like mine. You will make a wonderful father, Thrasher. And I will give you a fine, healthy son.”
Thrasher blinked back the suspicious moisture in his eyes. “I never knew I could love someone as much as I love you, Kaspyn. God, I missed you.” He covered her lips with his once more.
“We should probably move faster,” Zyen suggested from his position across the hall. “In case King Kryten decides to send his army after us. Koral has only so much influence on our king.”
Thrasher reluctantly eased back from Kaspyn. “Koral?”
“Koral is my mother, the queen,” Kaspyn informed him. “And Zyen is right. We should hurry.”
Thrasher took hold of Kaspyn’s hand, unwilling to let her go for even a second. “You’ll be safe in Aukrabah. None of you will ever have to endure discrimination again.”
And he meant it.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The trip back to Aukrabah took four days by boat. Though Kaspyn would have enjoyed the swim, she wouldn’t have dared left her mate’s side.
She laid in the center of the bed in their cabin on Oz’s yacht, her head resting on Thrasher’s chest. “Remind me to thank Syrina for making the trip to Aukrabah. She risked a lot by going behind her king’s back.”
“She loves you.” Thrasher brushed some of her hair back from her face and ki
ssed the top of her head. “So do Zyen and Pyre.”
Kaspyn nuzzled Thrasher’s neck. “They feel responsible for me. I am not so sure about love.”
“There are many forms of love, Kaspyn. For instance, the love I feel for you and our child surpasses any other emotion I’ve ever experienced. Then there is the love of a friend, a confident, and animals.”
Kaspyn lifted her head and frowned down at him. “Animals?”
“Sure,” Thrasher grinned. “There’s nothing better than a dog. They love unconditionally. They’ll never betray you or harm you.”
“I have never seen a dog before.”
Thrasher’s sky-blue eyes sparkled in the light of the dimly lit room. “You will. I’ll get you one as soon as we get home and settled in.”
“Home,” Kaspyn whispered, returning her head to Thrasher’s chest. “I cannot wait to make a home with you.”
The feel of Thrasher’s palm coasting down her stomach to rest over her abdomen had to be the most beautiful feeling Kaspyn had ever felt. “What will we name our son?”
Thrasher’s fingers lightly stroked her skin. “What would you like to call him?” His fingers began to descend lower.
Kaspyn softly gasped with the feel of him dipping inside her. “We can decide later.”
Thrasher rose up onto his knees. Nudging her thighs apart with his free hand. “I agree. I think a little tongue sex is in order.”
Kaspyn’s chuckle died in her throat as Thrasher bent and replaced his fingers with said tongue. No matter how old she became, she hoped Thrasher would never grow tired of making love to her.
“Never,” he whispered through her mind, before showing her exactly how much he enjoyed loving her.
Epilogue
Thrasher and Kaspyn sat at the giant table in the great hall, listening as Klause explained the situation in Cuba.
“President Pratt has offered to send Mendoza as many shipments of the Incola vaccine as the United States can spare. In return, Mendoza has agreed to pardon us for any and all knowledge as well as participation in the deaths of Kerik’s rebels.”
Thrasher’s eye twitched. “As much as I’d love to say, screw Mendoza, Cuba is Oz’s home, as well as Carmen’s. If we can keep the peace with Mendoza, it’s probably the thing to do.”
“Do not give in to his demands on my behalf,” Oz piped in. “I can handle the Cuban government.”
Thrasher shifted his attention to Oz. “I realize that, but what about Carmen? Won’t she be returning to Cuba in the near future?”
Zyen stiffened on Thrasher’s right.
An odd reaction, Thrasher thought, since the big Arkadian had been so adamant about his dislike of humans.
“The Cuban government are not my only concern,” Klause stated, drawing all gazes back to him. “I have a feeling that Kryten will want war. He is not going to allow his only daughter to remain in Aukrabah. Not while he yet draws breath.”
Gryke pushed away from the wall behind the king’s shoulder. “Perhaps the privilege of drawing breath should be removed from him.”
Klause held up a hand. “We will not initiate a war with the Arkadians. With that being said, we will also not back down from one. Thrasher and Vaughn will begin training in military combat immediately.”
Thrasher flicked a glance at Tony before meeting the king’s gaze once more. “Shall I have weapons brought in?”
Klause leaned back in his chair, and rubbed at his chin. “Not long ago, I would have said no. But in light of everything that has happened in the past three years, I feel that the human weapons would be a good idea.”
Murmurs of agreeance spread around the room.
Thrasher got to his feet and nodded to Klause. “Consider it done.”
Offering his hand to Kaspyn, Thrasher led her from the room only to be stopped in the hall by Zyen.
“A word?” the Arkadian murmured.
Thrasher waved him over to the place where the ATVs sat. “What’s on your mind?”
Zyen glanced at Kaspyn and then back to Thrasher. “I wanted you to know that what you did for me back in Cuba, and what you did for Kaspyn, will not be forgotten. I will never allow any harm to come to either of you. I owe you my life.”
Seeing the sincerity in Zyen’s eyes, Thrasher extended his hand. “You don’t owe me anything, Zyen. You saved my life as well. But Zaureth is going to perform a blood bonding ritual for Brant at midnight tonight. I would be honored if you would attend.”
An indention settled between Zyen’s eyes. “You want to blood bond with me?”
“If you will have me as a brother.”
Zyen reached out and clasped Thrasher’s palm. “I would consider it an honor.”
The corner of Thrasher’s mouth lifted. “Besides, you’re a big son of a buck, it’ll be nice to have you in my corner.”
Zyen’s lips twitched in return. “I will be there.”
Carmen and Maria breezed past apparently on their way to locate Oz. Zyen released Thrasher’s palm and turned to follow the two women into the great hall.
“Is it just me,” Thrasher asked Kaspyn as he guided her toward his apartment, “or does Zyen seemed to be showing an interest in Carmen?”
Kaspyn laughed. “I am not certain, but she is far too small for the likes of him. She is like a minnow swimming next to a shark.”
“More like a whale,” Thrasher chuckled, glancing over at his mate’s smiling face.
The happiness shining back at him from her beautiful eyes burrowed inside Thrasher’s heart where it would remain for an eternity.
Zyen
Book 10 in the Enigma Series is next!
Read Below for a Sneak Peek into the Pages of Ruby and the Beast.
A Beauty and the Beast Tale.
From Modern Day New Orleans, Comes a Tale as Old as Time.
Chapter One
Ruby Atwood stepped off the plane at the Louis Armstrong International Airport in Kenner Louisiana a little before noon.
She glanced around at the familiar scenery with a heavy heart. Though Louisiana would always be her home, it would never be the same after today.
Trailing off toward baggage claim, Ruby fought the tears that had been threatening since landing. She’d been notified by the New Orleans Criminal Investigative Division that a man resembling Charles Atwood had arrived in the morgue after a shooting at Barone’s Gentlemen’s Club the night before.
As her father’s only living relative besides her nine-year-old brother, Cameron, it was left up to Ruby to identify the body. And she had little doubt that it was her father lying in that morgue. She’d been frantically calling him all night and morning to no avail.
Poor Cam, Ruby thought, grabbing her bag and heading toward the front to hail a cab. He must be terrified.
Cameron’s mother, Lucy Peters, a known prostitute and heroin addict, had left only days after Cameron’s birth, leaving Ruby and her father alone to raise him.
The fact that Cameron hadn’t suffered any obvious adverse effects from the drugs his mother had taken during her pregnancy was a miracle in itself.
“Excuse me,” a woman murmured, pulling Ruby out of her reflecting. “Do you have change for a dollar?”
Ruby shook her head. Growing up in New Orleans, she knew just about every scam that could be run. And this woman was definitely a con. “I’m sorry, but I don’t carry cash.”
Without bothering with a thank you, the woman scurried off in search of her next victim.
The hot Louisiana sun baked the sidewalk with its scorching rays as Ruby made her way outside in search of a cab.
Keeping her fingers wrapped tightly around the handle of her bag, she brought her hand up and flagged a taxi that sat along the curb.
The cab driver quickly pulled forward and rolled down the window. “Where to?”
“Southside Medical Center on Canal Street,” Ruby returned, climbing into the backseat.
The cab took off with a jolt, darting in and out of the airport traff
ic like a seasoned NASCAR driver. “Here for a visit or heading home?”
Ruby met the cabbie’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “That all depends on what I find when I arrive.”
But she knew. Somewhere deep in her heart, she knew that her father would be lying on a cold slab in the basement of that hospital.
Obviously sensing that she didn’t feel up to chatting, the cabbie shifted his attention back to the road and the manic drivers in his path.
Ruby turned to stare out the window, a feeling of dread settling in her gut. What was she supposed to do without her father? Moreover, what would Cameron do?
Twenty minutes later, the cab slowed to a stop in front of Southside Medical Center. “That’ll be forty-five dollars.”
Ruby dug two twenties and a ten out of the pocket of her jeans and handed it over the seat.
“Would you like for me to wait?” the driver murmured, looking over his shoulder.
Hesitating, she glanced at the hospital’s entrance before gripping the door handle, grabbing her bag, and stepping out. “No, thank you. I don’t know how long I’ll be.” She closed the door behind her.
The hospital loomed in front of her, an overwhelming presence of death and gloom. Though most would see it as a beacon of hope, Ruby only saw finality and despair.
A homeless man sat propped against the wall, unwashed and obviously hungry, if the size of his wrists were any indication.
Ruby wondered if he had family somewhere who missed him, or if he was alone in the world with nowhere to go and no one who cared.
She fished out another twenty-dollar bill from her pocket and handed it to him. “Get yourself a hot meal.”
His faded brown gaze lifted to meet her own. “God bless you.”
Ruby managed a weak smile, activated the sliding doors, and stepped inside.
“May I help you?” an elderly woman asked from behind a small brown desk.
Thrasher: Science Fiction Romance (Enigma Series Book 9) Page 14