“Gwarnon!” he yelled to his mate via their crystal implants. “Are you all right!”
More bomb blasts of emotion, this time wonder and a sense of awe that had the hair on his arms rising.
“Yes,” came back Gwarnon’s mental voice, so thick with emotion it was little more than a growl. “I have found our alyah.”
Stunned, Chel found himself just kind of…floating, like his mind untethered for a moment. Drifting, his wandering thoughts wondered how one was supposed to deal with this moment when it finally happened. He’d imagined it so many different ways, but never with Gwarnon pretending to be a space pirate so they could come to the aid of two Earth women at the Baladium of all places.
Somewhere, the Lord of Life must surely be laughing his divine heart out.
“Are you okay?” Cormac reached across the table the same time as Nosa, both laying a hand on his own.
Staring at the two men, he breathed out, “We have a problem. Gwarnon is my blood brother, and he just met our mate.”
Chapter1
Lacey
Just when she thought nothing could surprise her anymore, the Universe liked to prove her wrong. This time in the form of a gorgeous man who resembled a pirate-themed stripper with a body that was beyond amazing. His sudden appearance at the doorway of their room on the NevShoo ship certainly threw her for a loop. The moment she saw him, a weird, falling sensation gripped her, similar to going over the edge on a really tall roller coaster. Or parachuting out of a plane.
To make matters even weirder, the smoking hot pirate guy dropped to his knees before her and babbled out something about thinking she was dead and her being his bride.
“Excuse me…” Lacey stared down at the massive man kneeling before her. “But who the hell are you?”
He bowed his head. His glorious long white hair fell forward to obscure half his masculine face. “My name is Gwarnon Felushi of House Tricell, Warrior of the Kadothian Empire.”
Roxy exchanged a startled look with Lacey. “Uh, nice to meet you?”
“Please…” His voice fairly trembled with emotion as he stared up at Lacey with such longing, it made her breath catch. “Will you share your name with me?”
Good golly, he had to be one of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen. Her body warmed as they stared into each other’s eyes, her nipples tingling as they tightened beneath his gaze. She wanted to touch him, to see if his body was as rock solid as it looked, if his skin was as smooth as it appeared. And that hair… She would love to wrap all that silken white hair around her naked body.
Taking a step back before she gave into the urge to lick him like candy, Lacey said, “I’m Lacey Tyler, Specialist with the United States Army.”
“Lacey Tyler,” he repeated with obvious relish and a slight accent. “Your name is as beautiful as you are.”
A pang of self-doubt and old, festering insecurities flared to life for a moment as her mind argued that he was just flirting with her to try and gain an advantage for himself. To make her stupid so she fell for whatever bullshit he had planned because she was attracted to him. That was what her ex-boyfriend had done—flirted with her until she gave in, told her everything she wanted to hear, while he secretly sabotaged her chances of getting a promotion in the Army that he wanted. The time before that, she’d fallen for an asshole from her high school who’d had sex with her as part of a dare.
Not that she could complain about that prom night mistake. It led to Jillian, her five-year-old daughter and the light of her life. Soul ripping pain tried to break free from the prison she’d shoved it into her mind, but she wouldn’t let it. She was in enemy territory, and she didn’t have time for an emotional breakdown.
To Lacey’s relief, Roxy cleared her throat and took a step forward, drawing the strange man’s attention. “Roxy Westfall, Staff Sergeant with the United States Army.”
Gwarnon barely glanced at Roxy before returning his powerful attention to Lacey. “It is an honor to meet you, Lady Westfall.”
The NevShoo’s voice came from the speaker’s above. “We accept your proposition.”
“What proposition?” Lacey crossed her arms and peered suspiciously at the ceiling. “We didn’t propose anything.”
“I did,” Gwarnon said. “I have a plan to help you win the Baladium. With the crystal implants—”
“Yeah, no thanks.” Roxy leaned against an empty bookshelf and crossed her arms. “I’m not big on my brain melting.”
“I am not being clear,” Gwarnon said. “I have a way to enable your minds to be able to use a crystal implant without issue. All of the Earth Matriarchs have them, and none have been harmed. It is only when you are purely human that there is a risk.”
“Wait,” Lacey licked her lips then swallowed. “Purely human? You’re going to make us not purely human?”
Gwarnon stood slowly. She tried to keep her gaze on his face, but it was impossible. The tight red leather pants he wore molded themselves to every line and curve of his thick thighs. They certainly hinted that Gwarnon was packing, but she refused to let her gaze stray there. For all she knew, he had, like…armored spikes for a dick or something. She had to keep reminding herself he was an alien, despite how human he looked.
Holding Lacey’s gaze, Gwarnon said, “If you give me permission, myself and my blood brother would be honored to initiate your transition.”
“What about Roxy?”
He finally tore his attention away from Lacey and turned his dark eyes on Roxy. “Her bondmates will attend to her needs.”
Roxy’s dark eyebrows flew up, and she took a step away from the random bookcase she’d been leaning against. “My bondmates?”
Gwarnon nodded. “Cormac and Nosa…or as you call him, Rastar.”
“Rastar? Wait…what?” Roxy’s face suddenly lost all its color, her lips cheesy pale. “I don’t understand.”
Lacey moved quickly to her side, afraid her friend and only ally in this insanity was about to pass out. “Wait, Cormac and Nosa—aren’t those the guys you were dating back on Earth?”
Both women spun as a man’s deep voice said, “Roxy,” from the doorway.
Roxy let out a weird moan, and Lacey had to prop her friend up for a moment as they both stared at the two men coming their way. One of them had black skin that gleamed with hints of purple and blue in a way no human’s skin ever could. He had a slight feline cast to his features and ears pointed like an elf’s but pierced with silver rings. His tanned partner’s long hair gleamed with streaks of every shade of brown and gold imaginable. They both wore what looked to be some kind of skintight black military uniform, complete with bars on their shoulders.
“What the fuck is going on?” Roxy snarled as she left Lacey’s hold and took two furious steps forward.
“We wish you the blessings of the Lord of Life,” the NevShoos said from above. “We will leave you in privacy for your courtship. You have five galactic days to make the transition, or we will be forced to seek alternative methods for their training.”
“Understood.” Gwarnon bowed to Lacey and took a step closer. “If you will come with me, alyah? There is someone I want you to meet.”