Aligning Stars (Fate's Intent Book 1) (35 page)

“So go to her when we check in on them and try working her over.” Troy suggested. “If she’s going to cave, you can’t just sit around.”

“Fine but get changed first.”

They nodded and picked up their gear and walked out of my quarters to theirs just doors down.

I changed my clothes and waited until they came out. “Let’s go.”

We walked down the hall together, reaching the rooms assigned to the Kalu Assassins and I reached for the door to Adele’s room but Troy stopped me with a quick whisper. “Wait!”

“What?”

“They’re all in there—talking.”

Darius smiled and went into the room just before Adele’s. Troy and I looked at each other and immediately followed. This could have been a good opportunity for us to hear them talk like they think they’re alone. They haven’t been in the last few days.

We walked over to Darius and could hear the conversation from the other room through the open balcony doors.

“No, you’re not getting how bad this is.” Adele’s voice was anxious and I moved myself so I could just see her pacing the floors between the balcony and her room.

“It’s not that bad, come on.” Ruby sighed.

“Yes it is! He recognized me! It’s only a matter of time before he remembers from where!”

“But you said yourself, you don’t remember meeting him.” Jaylyn said.

“That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have seen me! Do you even know who I look like? I’m telling you, he knows!”

“Okay!” Ruby cut in, stopping her by taking a stiff hold of her shoulders. “I think someone needs a nap.”

“No!” Adele snatched, pulling herself away to pace again. “I can’t go to sleep!”

“Can’t sleep? You mean, can’t hold still.”

“Afraid you’ll have the dream again?” Jaylyn asked.

“I’m not afraid of that. I’ve seen that dream enough and he’s not in it.”

“Oh! You think you’ll actually dream about him?”

Adele sighed. “I don’t choose what I dream about. They just always bring bad things.”

“It’s actually a subconscious thing.” Ruby explained. “You just won’t admit that you want him.”

I smiled.

“Because I don’t!”

“You’re just doing it again. Don’t think we didn’t see your reaction when you found out he was getting married.”

“I have no control over that either.”

She walked out onto the balcony where I could get a better look at her and Ruby and Jaylyn stepped out with her.

“Of course you do.” Jaylyn said. “You can control everything, the world. You already are our Queen. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

Adele sighed, keeping her eyes out over the city. “Yeah, well, not from here. I’ve walked away from that a long time ago.”

“Maybe you should tell him.”

I leaned forward and could only wonder who she was talking about. Was it me?

Adele slightly laughed to her suggestion. “Tell him what?! That I’m part of something I hate!”

Confusion struck us from inside the room and we shifted our eyes towards each other. They seemed to want to know just as much as me.

“Yeah, I see that going well.” Adele went on with a calmer voice. “But it still wouldn’t work. If they see me here, it’s over. You know that as well as I do.”

“It’s a huge city!” Ruby laughed. “What are the chances of that, especially when we’ll be here the whole time?”

Adele leaned on the stone railing of the balcony, still looking over the city and sighed. “I’d rather not think about it. We’re just going to get through our time here and then we’re out.”

“But Adele—” Jaylyn begged.

“No!” She snatched, turning her head. “You know we can’t! You have your fun now but keep in mind that nothing lasts!”

Jaylyn looked upset and she turned away without another word.

“Nice.” Ruby said. “Why do you do that? You know how she is.”

“And she’ll get over it when she realizes I’m right; when she realizes that this has all just been a bad dream that we’re about to wake up from.”

“I don’t think we ever will. I don’t see how we could just forget.”

“We’ll have to.”

“Good luck.” Ruby backed off, leaving Adele alone on the balcony.

We heard the door shut and pulled ourselves back into the room. This made things change and I wasn’t happy about saying it. “Well, I guess that’s it for me. You can go be with them until it’s time and I’ll send someone for Adele.”

“You’re not even going to try now?” Troy asked. “What about your plan?”

“I don’t see the point. She’s not going to change her mind.”

“We know you can get her to.” Darius said. “And you’re the only one so you better do it. We don’t really know how long they’re going to be here. It could be weeks before father has something for them to do. Do you really want her to be like this the whole time?”

I laughed to his unusualness to care. “And since when have you ever been so sentimental?”

“Since someone opened my eyes. You don’t want to be away from her as much as we don’t want to be away from them so do something about it.”

I thought about it and let out a long breath with my final decision. “No. It’s better this way. Just like she said.”

“What about leaving?” Troy asked.

“I won’t if she doesn’t want me to.”

Darius took a dramatic step forward, urgency on his voice. “Zayden, we’re not leaving you here.”

“Yes you are! You know they can’t stay. You’ll go with them. That’s an order—and don’t come back.”

“No. We won’t turn our backs on you that way.” Troy said, stepping up beside Darius.

“If nothing changes until then—you will.”

My voice expressed real regret in this decision and all they could do was turn towards the door. “As you wish.”

They knew fighting about it with me wasn’t going to work and left, leaving me to decide what I should do next.

Chapter 46

Darius

I went into Ruby’s room, hoping to forget about Zayden’s awful plan and saw her laying on the bed on her stomach with a smile. “Wow, look at you.”

“What?” I held out my arms and looked at myself, expecting to find something wrong with me.

“You clean up nicely.”

“Oh, thanks. I’ve missed looking this good.”

She laughed. “What are you talking about? You’ve always looked good and you’re wearing red. It just adds to it.”

“I usually do when I’m not in uniform.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I guess you could call it my favorite color.”

“I see. Mine too but normally I have to wear
something
red or my hair will
really
stand out, well, you know, when it’s actually red.”

I laughed and sat down next to her. “So—”

There was a long pause until she laughed. “I’m sorry for the rambling. Adele’s got me a little distracted.”

“I understand completely. It’s the same way for me with Zayden. She’s still in denial?”

“Something like that. It’s just the way she is. Did he tell you anything?”

“Not really.”

“Yeah, Adele’s the same way—
stubborn
.”

“Well, are you ready for the duel? Surely that will help take your mind off everything else.”

“Of course I am. Unless we still have to fight you.”

“Oh, no. Zayden took care of that.”

“Good. I’d hate to have to kill you.”

“Oh, you think you could? Without your gift?”

“I could have easily killed you with a sword if I wanted to and I’ll prove it if you’ll watch.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“Good.” She got up and sat next to me.

I smiled to it and there was another pause like we didn’t know what else to say but I was being pulled in by the glow of her eyes. They were on fire and I had to kiss her. There was no stopping it.

She didn’t plan to. She moved closer and sat on my lap facing me. I had my hands on her, keeping her from falling backwards when she pushed me back onto the bed and leaned over me with her lips still against mine. I was only thinking about trying out her sexual aggression because the preview of it was just a tease.

Then she forced my head to the side and started kissing my neck while she slowly started to bring her left hand down the front of my body. No one was going to stop her this time from reaching down my pants and she gently gripped her hand around me.

Finally, I’ve been touched the way I’ve kept dreaming about.

She looked at me with a desired smile and kissed me one last time. “Don’t worry. I’ve never killed anyone this way and I can make it quick so we’re not late.”

She moved back off the bed and settled on her knees. I was just waiting for it. I haven’t been more eager. The moment I felt the warmth of her tongue against my skin, I put my head back and held my breath. It’s been over
six months
since I felt the pleasures of a woman and relished every second Ruby was giving me but feared it would be over a lot quicker than it started and I was right.

With every motion of her lips and flicker of her tongue, I was beginning to feel more and more flushed with heat. I moved my left hand to her head and wrapped one of her braids around my knuckles and looked down. If it wasn’t going to last long, I at least had to see it.

The image would stay with me forever. Just seeing the sight of me disappear completely inside her mouth, increased my pleasure. No other woman had ever been able to take it all like she could and I couldn’t stop watching.

Her lips were perfect and her tongue moving along my shaft inside her mouth caused my hips to move on their own only making Ruby pick up the pace to my silent request.

I watched every second until I finally erupted in a long awaited ecstasy of pleasure and had to close my eyes to savor it. A pressure was lifted and I felt more relaxed for the first time in a while.

“Told you it’d be quick.”

“I didn’t doubt it. It was a long time coming.”

I didn’t want to be just yet but I was pulled to my feet. “I think that makes us even!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I think I may owe you again.”

Ruby laughed and put her hands on my chest. “No you don’t. Believe me.”

“Well, I want to. I went easy on you last night for a couple reasons. One, because you had to try to stay quiet but you don’t need to be quiet here and two, I haven’t shaved in a while so I couldn’t let myself get aggressively into it.”

“Talk like that and you better bring it.”

“You better be ready for a long night.”

She laughed and kissed me really quick. “Always.”

I honestly couldn’t wait until later. I truly felt that I did owe her again. She had no idea how amazing she really was but I was ready to prove it when I got her into my bed.

Chapter 47

Jaylyn

I waited. I didn’t want to be alone right now but I don’t think being around anyone was a good idea. My mind was a wreck. I almost began to hate Adele and her pride. I knew she wanted Zayden, I knew she was just trying to forget but that’s something I could never do. I could never forget Troy—I loved him.

“There you are.”

I turned my head quickly to the door. I was too caught up in myself that I didn’t even feel anyone coming towards me but I smiled to who it was. It’s only been a few minutes but I missed everything about him.

“I’m glad you’re here.” I took Troy’s hand and walked him over to the bed so we could sit. “So, that’s where you’ve been.”

“What?”

“You look different.”

“You mean clean? Is that bad?”

I laughed. “No. It’s a good different.”

He leaned towards me and we kissed lightly. “How are you holding up in here?”

“Just fine. It’s a nice room. I could probably get lost in here if I’m not careful.”

“Well, if that worries you then you’re welcome to stay in my room tonight, if you want. It’s bigger but I’ll be in there to make sure you don’t get lost.”

“Really? That wouldn’t be too weird?”

“Of course not. Why would you say that? We’ve slept in the same bed before.”

“I don’t know. You gave us our own rooms so I guess I just thought—”

“Well, that’s only because we had to. No one can know we’re together.”

“Yeah, together.” I stood up and started walking away towards the windows. My mood went down and I started thinking about what Adele had said.