Initiation (Xylon Warriors 1) (30 page)

Braden laughed, too, and clapped him on the back. “You’re a good friend, but don’t hold your breath on that one. I intend to be quite possessive of my breeder mate.”

* * * * *

Laszlo turned on Kam. “There’s no breach.”

“What do you mean?”
Busted
. Shit.

“This place goes on auto-shutdown when there’s a breach, just like The Lair. You wanted me out of the room and away from the monitors so I couldn’t see what was going on. You set that alarm off yourself. You don’t trust me.”

“It’s not that.”

“Isn’t it? I’m disappointed in you, Kam.”

There was a time that would have stung deep. “This is all too strange, Laszlo. You’re not telling me everything.” His hand covered the disruptor on his belt. Just in case Laszlo hadn’t been honest about his waning powers, he had to stay sharp.

Laszlo’s gaze shifted to the weapon. “So, it’s come to this. You’d actually turn against me.”

“Not if you tell me the truth.”

“I’ve told you everything. Daegal and I are not the same person. And I’m not a Marid commander. Leila is wrong. I have been protecting our people as best I can with my weakening powers.”

“Why keep everything a secret from The Council? Your actions, your power. All these years.” How could The Council not know? Records existed. Even if classified. “This isn’t your fight alone.”

“It was necessary. The Dome has monitors set up in The Lair compound. I’ve destroyed as many as I’ve been able to find. But I’m sure there are more. They know a lot of our secrets.”

“You’re not making sense, Laszlo. Unless you’re more involved than you’re saying and fear that discovery would jeopardize your position.” From the agitated look Laszlo gave him, Kam figured he’d just discovered at least the partial truth. And if so, he would not rest until he found out the whole of it.

“Daegal has vision powers too, Kam. Like me. But his powers are also weakening. We do have the ability to defeat him. If we’re smart.”

“Like you, and weakening like you, too? How…coincidental.”

Laszlo frowned and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like
not really
.

“What about the Marid commander from the ship? The masked one? How’s he involved in this?”

“With our power decrease, we can’t project visions at will anymore—not easily anyhow. For Daegal, he mostly uses other methods now to control and keep power over The Dome. And that’s the truth. You have to trust me in this.”

“You didn’t answer my question. You’re twisting something to serve your interests, Laszlo. What is it? If you want my help, you had better tell me now. All of it. Have you been using visions to control us, too? All of us on Xylon?” He grabbed Laszlo around the collar with both hands and jerked him forward. “What is the truth?”

Chapter Twenty

Braden looked at himself in the full-length mirror. A smiled tugged at his lips. Not bad, if he did say so himself.

He’d showered, gotten a quick haircut and shave, and dressed in his best pants and shirt.

He hated that tonight could be marred by violence. He wanted the ceremony to be special for Alexa, and he intended to make it the best he could for her, despite what else might occur or what the outcome might reveal.

The shame of all this was that there was no way around it. As long as Daegal’s people wanted Alexa, whenever they chose to do the Branding, they took a chance on an Egesa or Marid assassin popping in. Even if it didn’t turn out to be Daegal or Laszlo, the fact that they’d send anyone in for basically a suicide mission—as far as he was concerned, still made things dangerous. Unless they could find a completely secure location, which was doubtful at this point. And if he
didn’t
Brand her, the attempts to get her would simply continue to escalate and never stop, until they finally succeeded or until they ran out of volunteers willing to try.

Once she was Branded, they wouldn’t come after her again. They wouldn’t attempt to kill her. He was confident of that. She was too valuable. They’d wait until they could crack the Brand and deactivate it, something neither side had been able to do yet.

Even if they killed
him
, she’d be safe. He’d arranged for it. Alexa didn’t know, nor would she ever, unless it became necessary. It was simply something he had to do to ensure her survival.

After one last glance in the mirror, he turned and began to pace in front of the bed. He was surprised at the level of nerves assaulting him. His palms were actually sweating, thinking about the Branding. He’d studied extensively on how to do it properly, so it would increase Alexa’s pleasure rather than detract from it.

He felt better knowing Leila would be nearby if he botched things. It had taken some fast-talking to convince Alexa to allow another observer in the room, but she’d finally relented to the logic of having a Healer on hand.

Actually, he had a feeling that she secretly liked being watched during sex. Because even though she had initially protested, and he’d had to keep explaining his reasons, she’d still relented more easily than he’d thought she would.

She’d probably enjoy attending The Lair Joining Parties, where couples could watch others having sex or participate and be watched. But he wasn’t certain how
he
felt about that. As he’d told Erik, he intended to be very possessive about her, from here on out, and he hoped Alexa felt the same way about him.

A noise on the other side of the room drew his attention. He turned as the door slid open. Alexa stepped inside. Damn! She absolutely took his breath away.

The door slid closed behind her, and she stood just inside the room, looking sexy and wary. His heart melted.

Leila must have helped her dress. The outfit had a definite Earth flair. He’d always been fond of that planet, the clothes, the furnishings, and especially the women.

Alexa looked beautiful. The black sweats were gone. She wore a shimmering, black and silver, wrap-like dress that hung down to her calves, and rode high on one hip. The deep vee neckline revealed more than a hint of breast. Her hair hung loose and shiny around her shoulders, just the way he liked it. And she had on a touch of face color. Only enough to enhance her natural beauty.

“Hi,” she said in a voice so low that he barely heard her.

“Hi,” he said in return and held out his hand. “You look beautiful.”

A blush crept up her neck. “Thank you.” She stepped forward and placed her palm into his. “I’m nervous.” She glanced into the corner.

“Me, too. They’re not here yet. Do you like the room?”

“Very much so. It’s decadent.”

A smile split his features, and he felt better knowing that she was experiencing the same emotions he was. “You bring out the decadent in me.” When she laughed at his words, the sound filled him with a joy he wasn’t accustomed to feeling. He liked it.

“I think you were probably decadent long before I came along,” she responded.

“You might be surprised.”

“Somehow I doubt it. You look exceedingly handsome tonight.”

“Thank you.”

“Braden…”

Uh, oh. She sounded hesitant. Maybe she’d changed her mind. Disappointment hit hard. “What?” He barely got out the word without choking on it. His fingers tightened around hers. His chest felt tight, and his pulse pounded rapidly in his veins.

“I love you.”

Braden froze.
Love.
The blood roared in his ears, and he practically sank to his knees. His whole body shook. That was the last thing he had expected her to say. He hadn’t realized until this moment how much he’d wanted to hear those words from her. He drew her into his arms and held her tight. He couldn’t even speak.

She ran a soothing hand over his back. She apparently knew how her words were affecting him. Then she raised her lips to his ear. “I love you,” she whispered. “I want to be with you, Braden. For now and forever.”

His entire body heated and hardened. The knowledge that the traitor might be monitoring this moment filled him with rage. It should be private! The urge to whisk Alexa far away was overwhelming.

The air in the corner shimmered. Erik materialized. A moment later, Leila showed up beside him. Their appearance brought back the reality of the situation. He was careful not to acknowledge their presence, and had already instructed Alexa to do the same.

He pulled out of her arms and swallowed the lump in his throat. “Shall we begin?”

She bit her bottom lip and nodded.

Alexa’s nerves shot through the roof. She avoided looking into the corner. She knew she’d made the right decision in doing this. The uncomfortable feeling she’d had earlier was gone. Later she’d tell Braden what had happened. She just wished all this could have been under different circumstances.

Braden dimmed the lights in the room. A soft, romantic glow surrounded them. He led her over to the bed and again pulled her into his arms.

“Just you and me,” he whispered in her ear.

She caressed his cheek. “Just you and me.”

He helped her onto the bed, and she relaxed against the pillows propped along the headboard. Braden slipped off each of her black shoes and set them carefully on the floor.

Despite their ‘just you and me’ declaration, from her position, she couldn’t help but notice Erik and Leila. Leila avoided eye contact and looked a bit uncomfortable, but Erik winked at her and smiled. Typical Erik. She felt like laughing and sticking out her tongue at him, until Braden began massaging her foot, then all coherent thought was lost. Braden knew exactly how to touch her to make her focus completely on him and the pleasure he was giving.

His fingers slowly moved upward, over her calf, her one exposed thigh, which was bare because of the design of the dress. His other hand pulled open the tie closure and eased the silk strand from around her waist.

Alexa’s heart sped up as he opened the wrap dress. His sharp intake of air pleased her. Underneath, she wore a black silk thong and demi-bra that cupped her breasts perfectly, leaving her nipples exposed. Her newly shaved legs were smooth and bared for his touch. She thought the entire outfit quite daring, but Leila said it was perfect and would drive any man mad with desire.

When Braden shifted to the side, she thought she heard a strangled sound from where Erik stood, then an
oof
, as if Leila had elbowed him. She didn’t dare look.

Braden leaned down and kissed her stomach, just above the belly button. Her muscles quivered when his tongue dipped into the indentation.

His hands splayed across her ribs, warming and caressing the skin. With just his fingertips, he eased one hand higher, barely touching her flesh. Although she felt a bit self-conscious with Erik and Leila in the room, Alexa couldn’t stop a sigh of pleasure from escaping.

Across the top of one breast, his fingers brushed with a feather-light touch. Then he moved lower, and his thumb grazed her exposed nipple, raising it to a hard bud.

“Oh!” She arched into his hand.

He lowered his head and touched the nipple with the tip of his tongue.

Pure, wet heat. “Yes…” Pleasure zipped down her body. “Lick it, Braden.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Laving the hard flesh gently, he licked her nipple until she squirmed beneath him and shoved her fingers into his hair, trying to drag him closer.

Braden took her nipple into his mouth and sucked slowly, taking his time.

“More,” she begged. “That feels so good.” Moisture gathered inside her thong, and she felt tight and needy.

He rubbed her other nipple with his thumb. When he squeezed the fleshy bud between his thumb and forefinger, she practically came right then.

He sat back and smiled down at her.

Their gazes locked, and she saw the love for her in his eyes. Her chest rose and fell as her emotions for him welled up and overtook her. Love, desire, caring…and so much more.

The wetness around her nipple felt cool. The rest of her felt fire hot. She wanted him naked and inside her, loving her until they both exploded from the passion.

The need must have shown on her face for he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and drew it down his shoulders. Her gaze slid over his body. He was perfect. Toned, exuding sex, and he burned completely for
her
.

He stood up, reached out, and pulled the thong down her legs, stopping here and there to caress her skin. Once the garment was free of her, he tossed it across the room.

Erik caught it in one hand.

She gasped, unable to stop her reaction or avoid looking at the man in the corner.

He held up the thong and turned it just so. Purposely, making a show of it. He brought the material to his mouth, and without taking his eyes off her, tongued the inner crotch.

“Ah…” she moaned, and arched on the bed. Her clit throbbed as if he was tonguing
her
. That man was just too…too…she couldn’t think of a word fitting enough to describe him. She quickly averted her gaze. She didn’t know what else Erik planned to do with the panties, nor did she want to know. Her entire body clenched hard as various wicked thoughts flickered through her mind.

Braden crawled up on the bed. He pushed her thighs apart. “Relax and let me take control.”

Alexa didn’t argue. There was no point. Braden was
always
in control. In bed was no different. She didn’t really mind, most of the time. But then, she did have future plans to change that. At least, every once in a while. Her gaze shifted to the intent look on his face, and her heart raced in anticipation. Then, she felt him touch her.

His fingers spread the folds of her wet core, and he stared between her legs, his eyes filled with hunger.

Raw need raged through Braden. Alexa was the most desirable woman he’d ever known. And she was all his. He lowered his head and swiped his tongue along her inner folds. Soaked with her juices. Delicious.

She trembled at the contact, arched, and moaned.

He trembled in return, the feeling odd to him. No woman had ever affected him like this. She was so responsive to him. He slid his palms beneath her ass and lifted her pussy to his mouth. He fed slowly, thoroughly, wanting all he could get. And wanting to give her more pleasure than she’d ever known.