Page 17 of Seized by the Alien Space Warrior (Alien Romance #8)

Chapter Seventeen

T he plans went on for hours while everyone teased them out to perfection. One thing that struck Ava over again was Aekon’s sharp mind. Many times, he pointed out difficulties or potential weak links that would endanger lives.

He had gone into professional mode and his experience n war strategy showed. She would have offered help if she could, but she was woefully inexperienced with anything they spoke about.

His golden gaze was intent, his jaw clenched, his shoulders rigid. He was every inch a warrior. A cool professional that could throw heated gazes with the ability to rake her from head to toe and turn her insides to liquid arousal. She could believe that he was who he said he was. A battle-hardened male. A commander in his own right. One who knew what it took to get the outcome he wanted.

One that didn’t trust at all.

She didn’t think the hardness he displayed was because of Brenur in particular, or any of the other Ixod sitting around the table. It was something deeper and something that was connected to their race. She knew how tender Aekon was, but he showed nothing of that side of him to them. In fact, she had the distinct feeling that he only tolerated them because it was a means to an end. Whatever it was ate at him from the inside like a cancer.

She’d seen this. People came to her desperate to take out whatever emotional pain they suffered on their bodies. Anorexia, bulimia, bingeing, and over-eating were deep-seated, emotional issues. She had identified and tried to help many people who came to her under the guise of ‘getting fitter’ when the best thing they could do was forgive themselves and get some emotional and mental help from another professional. After working out a mild exercise plan to get their natural endorphins fired, she then sent these poor souls to her friend Sara, the most caring wonderful person and intelligent psychologist she’d ever been lucky enough to befriend.

The jab in her heart made her realise she would never see Sara again. Or any of her wonderful team she’d surrounded herself with because a person didn’t reach success without many skilled and good people behind them. To Ava’s horror, her vision blurred and she blinked back tears.

They were in the middle of working out a plan of action that would save their lives. She didn’t want to make a scene because reality had caught up with her. She needed to be stronger than that. Aekon’s powerful arms scooped her up and she was held against his warm, hard chest before she knew what was happening.

“Aekon! Put me down,” she said, but her body wasn’t in sync with her mind.

She relaxed and curled into his body heat and strength, too much temptation to fight. She rested her ear over his chest, comforted by the beat of his heart. The aches and pains that had begun to throb grew distant. She sighed, and sank into his protection as though his body was her drug of choice. Her body dragged, weary, exhaustion on its heels. She hadn’t realised how tired she was.

“Relax, female. You are recovering still.” Aekon turned his attention back to the Ixod. “We’ll continue in a few clicks’ time once she has rested.”

If those words had come out of any other mouth, Ava would have protested, but she was so tired, and she liked being cradled against Aekon’s chest. She hadn’t realised she had a ‘rescued maiden’ response until now. Besides, if she was honest with herself, she seemed to be powerless when it came to the comfort Aekon offered even though he’d made it abundantly clear he wanted nothing more than to do his job.

She wanted to protest. She really did. It was one thing being attracted to Aekon and another knowing he didn’t return any of her feelings but she was tired. Her body hurt. She was mentally done. She needed this.

She was beat, thankful that Aekon held her. She didn’t know if she would have the energy to walk the distance to their tent and she certainly didn’t have the energy to argue with him.

“Okay.” She peered up and their gazes fused.

A rush of liquid gold washed around her, into her, through her. A feeling of rightness so deep it might be terrifying settled around her soul. She wasn’t aware of anything before her back was pressed against the bedding and Aekon’s arms slipped from around her.

She clutched his bicep, too strung out to care if he wanted her to touch him or not. “Please. Don’t leave me. I…I need you.”

The moment hung heavy between them and she wondered if she’d pushed him too far before he slowly stretched beside her. He wound his arms about her and drew her close to his body. She used him as a cocoon, her softness easing into the hard planes of his body. Her cheek pressed against his chest as the thump of his heart lulled her.

This was what she wanted. This was what she needed. She closed her eyes, and let sleep take her away.

***

Aekon stiffened when Ava kissed him, his heart stuttering with the sweetest of touches. She’d closed her eyes and was already asleep when his nodes lit up the inside of the tent with the most powerful flush of gold he’d ever exhibited. Her delicate body curled against his, her face peaceful in sleep. A wave of contentment thundered through his body so great he could only inhale a shaky breath and let her scent ease through his lungs.

The mate-bond was becoming too powerful and he was fast losing his ability to even care if he gave in. The more time he touched her, spoke to her, breathed in her scent or even listened to her breath, the more lost he would become. It was almost as though it was a real mate-bond. Not just fake.

If he had an ounce of decency in him, he should get up, go back to Brenur, and continue their conversation but instead he tightened his hold on her, notched his chin on top of her head, and closed his eyes. It wasn’t the images of Onda’s tortured expression and over-riding guilt that would normally swamp him. This time, it was Ava’s sweet scent and the yearning for more in his mind when slumber claimed him.

Aekon strode into the busy marketplace, Onda’s slim arm linked through his. Lavender lit the base of her nodes, and she smiled as her gaze fell over the goods and foods at the different stalls. It was a sunny day. A warm breeze tossed her long hair and contentment filled them both. They had been blessed by the Fates. Only that morning, Onda had told Aekon about her pregnancy and he had been overjoyed with happiness.

Although she was only a few cycles along, he had just returned from a mission that had gone wrong. They’d tracked down a low-level slavery ring and he and several other warriors had been sent to retrieve the poor souls that had been stolen from their homes. Between Kil, Idren, and himself, they had come up with a solid plan for their team. They had thought it was a low-risk operation, but when they’d infiltrated where the captives were being held, the reality was much worse.

The slavers turned out to be an Ixod horde, one of the cruellest Aekon had ever come across. The battle was fierce and bloody. He and his comrades had taken out most of the Ixod horde, but they had suffered losses. Four of his friends had fallen. They’d managed to save some of the slaves, but not all. Some had been injured in the firefight or been killed by an Ixod when it became apparent they were going to lose. Their horde leader had escaped, like the coward he was. Aekon had searched and hadn’t been able to track him down. He couldn’t let it go. A horde leader as cruel as that had to be brought down. He’d seen the abhorrent condition of the slaves. No living being deserved such treatment.

Treega, his commanding captain, had ordered him to take leave and recuperate. It had only been his fated mate-bond to Onda and her happy news that had lifted the despondency that had seemed to infiltrate every thought in his head after that mission.

Today, he was happy. He’d finally managed to forget the shackles of the mission. Onda deserved better than to worry about the darkness he sent her through their mate-bond. As well as honouring the tiny spark of life that was growing in her belly. He’d even begun to wonder if he should take another position within the Council, away from dangerous missions. After all, he had a bond-mate and a youngling to take care of now. He had a life worth living.

“I’m just going to purchase an Ovaca pie for our dinner tonight. Stay here. I won’t be long,” Onda had told him while he’d been looking at a stall of housing options for a growing family.

He’d been deep in conversation with the realtor about his options when a scream rent the air and the sharp echo of pain sliced through his stomach.

Pandemonium erupted. His gaze zeroed to Onda through the panicked crowd. Her mouth was open on a silent scream, wild terror in her eyes. Her long hair drifted in the breeze and black stained her clothing. She was so still, while others scattered in all directions. He wondered why until he saw the leering face of the Ixod leader over her shoulder. Zavis. He’d come to take revenge for killing his horde.

Aekon ran to her as fast as he could, pushing aside any being that came between them. Onda jerked and the metal tip of a sword in the centre of her stomach glinted in the sunlight. Zavis drew the sword up her body, cutting through her stomach and into her heart. The light in her eyes faded as well as their mate-bond. Her body slumped, her limbs lifeless. The tiny spark that existed inside their mate-bond flickered away as though it might have never existed.

Dark, cold emptiness flooded into Aekon as Zavis threw Onda to the ground as though she was no more than refuse and disappeared in the crowd. Aekon hadn’t attempted to run after Zavis. Instead, he’d scooped Onda’s lifeless body from the ground and held her in his arms.

He cried out to the gods to bring her back to him. Tried to somehow channel light back through the mate-bond. Begged for them to take him instead. To trade his worthless soul for Onda and their unborn child. Then he pleaded to take him with them. Let him follow them into the sacred afterlife. But the gods didn’t listen and so he rocked her, stroking her hair, kissing her forehead until her skin grew cold and chills seeped into his bones.

Onda, his bond-mate, was gone. She was never coming back to life.

And neither was he.

Rage filled the bleak emptiness of the mate-bond, but even that felt better than the complete and utter loss that crashed over him in relentless waves. He fed onto the rage. Clung to it. Welcomed it inside just to feel something . With the rage, he could think again. He could exist. At least a version of him could. A shade was all that was left.

His fellow warriors finally came to take her body from him. He lashed out at them. Kicked and slashed with his claws. They would not take her from him. They would never take her from him .

He could never have another bond-mate. If something happened to Ava, it would totally destroy him.