Page 9 of Guardian’s Destiny (Space Guardian’s Mate #3)

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"Well?" Noodar asked while I stared after Sloane's intriguing form as she made her way down the hall.

"We still have a lot to figure out," Raasla reminded us. "But she's right. We need to get back to Ohrur."

"I'll go. I'll take her and drop her off on Astrionis once I have the Ohrurs," I offered. What could she possibly think was more important on Astrionis than bringing the Ohrur down? Alright, so she was skilled; I had seen her work. She was impressive. But she hadn't been here long enough to be part of a mission . Not anything galaxy moving. Next, she was going to try to tell us she was competing for the vacated position of Lady Madeema. I snickered at the thought.

"They'll be on high alert. I had a hard time getting Possedion and only managed because I had Hannah to back me up. You don't know if Sloane will help." Tharaax warned.

"Oh, she'll help," I boasted. "Trust me. Besides, I'm not going after a minder. Any Ohrur should do, right? We still have Possedion."

I already had a plan.

"So we'll wait for you at Darlam?" Tharaax proposed.

"Just don't start the party without me," I grinned.

"Impossible without the Ohrurs," Nock added as he suddenly popped around the corner.

I waved at the others while I followed my reluctant mate down the hall. Zaarek must have thought me already outside hearing distance, but I still heard his words, "I don't think those two have figured out the distance problem yet."

A large grin spread my lips. I hadn't forgotten about the distance thing , not for a tick. Actually, I was counting on it to play in my favor. Once Sloane accepted we couldn't be parted, she would have no choice but to fall in line. By then, she would eat out of my hands. She would forget all about Astrionis and see that I could offer her more than Astrionis ever would. That place was nothing compared to me . I was sharper, faster, deadlier. I could give her a future better than whatever she thought she wanted there. She was holding on to an idea, a fantasy, but reality? Her reality was me .

Romance? Easy. I had slipped past the most secure defenses, eliminated the worst criminals, and protected the highest targets. Winning over my own mate? That was just another operation—one I would execute flawlessly.

She was already mine. She just didn’t know it yet.

But she would.

And once she did, she’d love me in no time, just like the other mates loved their Space Guardians.

A light burn on my mating marks made me pick up my pace. My grin widened; if I felt it, so did she. The distance thing was already working in my favor.

I wasn't one to brag, but I knew I was special . No female had ever complained about my stamina in bed. Most welcomed a Space Guardian in their arms, attracted by the allure of danger, the thrill of the exotic. But on the rare occasion two or more of us ended up in a tavern, it was always me they flocked to first. I had a reputation in certain circles and I was damn proud of it. Sloane would melt into me just like all the others had. I hadn't been looking for a commitment, but now that the Soulweb Glyphs had chosen, I wasn't complaining. Zoe was already pregnant with a little Raasla. The thought of Sloane and me starting a family… I liked it. I liked the idea very much.

I wouldn't have, a few weeks ago, I would have balked at the idea, but things had changed, profoundly so, and so had I.

I wasn't sure what awaited us on Darlam, but it lured me towards it. Even my dreams had become more frequent and pleasant. It wasn't just nightmares anymore where I ran from something. Now I saw a forest, a small town and mountains.

The doors to Sloane's quarters didn't automatically open for me, so I knocked.

"Took you long enough," she complained when I walked in.

"You were amazing," I said, ignoring her barb. "You got out of him what we needed." It was always good advice to praise a woman to earn her favors. Usually, I would have gone with how beautiful she was, but for some reason, I suspected she wouldn't appreciate that kind of compliment half as much as praising her success. I added my most charming smile to enamor her even more.

"Does that mean you're taking me to Astrionis?" Carefully, she assessed me.

"Yes," I nodded.

She narrowed her eyes, not fully believing me. "What's the catch?"

"Catch?" I didn't follow.

"What do you want in return?" She clarified.

"Oh, nothing big. I need to capture two Ohrurs and take them to Darlam. I could use your help." I sent—what I had been told was—my most alluring smile at her, arching an eyebrow and tilting my head. One female had called it my devastating look .

"Does that work?" She stared at me.

"What?" Once again, she had me confused.

"That smoldering smile, that grin, the arched eyebrow and the head tilt. Do all women do whatever you want when you look at them like that?" She explained.

With every word from her, my grin faltered. Did that mean it wasn't working on her?

She shook her head and took a deep breath. "Alright, listen, full disclosure. I've worked with your kind for years?—"

"My kind?" I stopped her.

"Yeah, you know, the devastatingly handsome playboy who looks like he's taking nothing seriously. Who charms his way around people and is a dangerous killing machine at the same time?"

"You think I'm a dangerous killing machine ?" I checked.

She closed her eyes. "I would have thought you would have dug into the handsome playboy , but hey, I'm all for surprises."

She was seeing too deep for my taste, and I couldn't say I liked it.

"Anyway, that kind." She added. "I won't discard that you're good at what you do; I'm sure you are. But please, do me the same courtesy, and don't try to play me to get me to bed with you."

"We are mated," I couldn't resist edging her on.

"Whatever. I'll help you kidnap two Ohrurs, and you will take me to Astrionis?"

"I'll drop you off wherever you want." I forced my face to stay neutral since she had already shown herself immune to my smile.

"Liar," she accused.

"I'm not lying."

She pointed her finger between us, at our mating marks.

"Alright, listen." That female was way too clever. I would have to up my game with her. "You help me, we take the Ohrurs to Darlam, and then I swear to all the nebulas that I will take you to Astrionis."

She stared at me as if she was looking down into my soul.

"If you don't, I will kill you," she said in the most pleasant voice imaginable, like she was promising to take me out for dinner. A slight shiver moved through me because I knew it wasn't an empty threat. There was so much more to her than met the eye, and I would have the time of my life figuring her out.

"You have no idea what hangs in the balance," she muttered.

"Enlighten me," I challenged.

I thought she might for a moment, but then she shook her head and muttered something I couldn't hear under her breath.

"Are you ready to leave?" I asked her.

"Now?" I wondered if she could ever just simply answer a question.

"Now," I confirmed.

She looked around the room as if she'd lost something, when for a fact I knew that all she possessed was currently on her body. Which reminded me, "We'll pick up some clothing for you. Lady Silla stocked the others' ships."

"Let me go say goodbye." I could hardly deny her that simple request and walked with her to the breakroom, but it was empty at this time. Which was when I realized it was night.

"Might as well wait until the morning," I suggested.

She shook her head. "No, let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner I'll get to Astrionis."

"What's so important there anyway?"

"You wouldn't understand if I tried to explain it."

"Try me," I challenged, somewhat hurt that she thought me not intelligent enough to understand whatever was going on in her little human head.