Destiny. Grace Goodwin
much longer I would last before I went insane with lust.
Which was why I’d decided to take this last, desperate chance and break into the elder’s office. If I didn’t find anything, I’d have to go to the palace and find one of those consort men to take the edge off. Right now, I just needed and I was nearly to the point that I didn’t much care whose cock I was riding as long as it was hot, hard, and lasted all damn night. Oh yeah. Hot and hard.
I was panting when two large, very masculine hands appeared on the window ledge. Nice hands. Long, thick fingers. Inside me. Rubbing me. Fucking me.
Shit. I had to get myself together.
Focusing on my breath, I slowed things down and waited. My eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, so I watched the intruder slide through the window like a cat.
God, for such a large man, he could move. He was strong, that was obvious by the way he handled his entire body weight with just his arms and swung silently to the floor. He landed crouched low, one knee bent as if he were kneeling before a queen. But he wasn’t kneeling, his chin was up, his breathing silent—even with my incredible hearing.
He was holding his breath. Listening.
For what?
“Destiny? I know you are in here.” His voice was deep. Sensual. The low timbre slid over my skin and I shivered, literally shivered, the tone going straight to my clit and zinging through my body as if he had his mouth on me.
What. The. Fuck?
I didn’t move. I didn’t dare. And I didn’t breathe, either. Holding the air in my lungs as if my life depended on it. I knew that voice. Somehow, I knew it. But from where?
He rose, but didn’t step in any direction, still as a statue. He whispered, but his voice was full volume to my sensitive hearing. “Destiny. I know you are here. Your sisters sent me. In the conversation you shared, you said you were in danger. Let me help you. I am getting you out of here.”
My sisters? Oh, hell no. This had to be the voice of the man on that comm call with Trin and Faith. The one who’d point blank asked me if I was in danger. And I’d given two taps to reply yes.
I should have lied, but something about that damn voice had made me want to tell him the truth. More than that, it had made me want to claw my way through the comm channel and rub my naked all over his naked. Not that he was naked right now. Oh, it would have been great if he were, but no.
That thought was the last straw. I was losing my mind. Romeo didn’t climb through the window naked.
“Be quiet or you’ll get us both killed,” I hissed.
Instantly, his head turned and I watched as he zeroed in on my exact location. Before I could move, or even think, he was close. Too close. Inches. I could feel his body heat. Smell the musky, male scent of him. My nipples hardened and I swear I had a little mini-orgasm. I stifled a whimper.
“Destiny, come with me. I will take you back to the palace where you will be safe.”
“Not happening,” I countered. “But you should leave. You’re going to get me killed. You move like a giant; big and heavy and slow.” Lies. Lies. Lies. But I needed him to go. Right now. Before I did something really, really stupid. Like breathe in again. Smell him. Climb him like a tree. God help me if he touched me. I was holding onto my control by a thread. And he was hot. Navy SEAL, superhero, movie star hot. I could see his face. Strong jaw. Full lips. Eyes focused on me with such intensity I couldn’t look away. Everything about him, from the way he moved, to the way he gazed at me said he was a predator. A hunter. A protector. He was a soldier.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. If ever I lusted, it was after a stud in a uniform.
“You are in danger here,” he repeated.
“No shit, Sherlock.”
He frowned. “My name is not Sherlock and he will not keep you safe as I will. You need to come with me. Let me handle this. I will find your mother. I give you my word.” His words melted into my skin, warming me like he’d just dipped me in melted caramel. Jesus, he was dangerous. Stupid, eff-ing Ardor.
I was turning into a lunatic.
When I remained silent, his heartbeat sped up. So did his breathing; I could hear both changes easily. A shudder moved through him and I watched, in awe, as he closed his eyes. Clenched his jaw, as if he were in pain. He was in my space. Too close.
“Who are you?” I shouldn’t have asked. I knew it. But I wanted to know. Maybe after I got this job done, and this Ardor business handled, I’d ask Trinity about him. Look him up. Look him up. Ha. I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to slam him up against the wall and take him for a ride. Right fucking now.
2
Vennix Blyndar, Cleric Fortress, Mountains Near the Capital City of Mytikas
“I am Vennix Blyndar, Captain of the Interstellar Fleet, Captain of the Queen’s Guard, and sworn to serve you, Princess. You may call me Nix.”
“Jesus. Are you trying to kill me?”
She was panting, as if she were in pain. I needed more light to see her, to look into her eyes. To try to figure out what she was thinking.
“No. I am here to serve you. To protect you. Let me take you home.”
“Go away.” She moaned as if I’d injured her. Her scent filled my head and her small body put off enough heat to pull at me like a magnet.
No. Terrible fucking idea. More light would destroy me. I was hanging onto my control by a thread when all I wanted to do was lean forward, just a few inches, trap her between my body and the wall. Lift her up. Taste…
Holy fuck. This was insane.
Trinity and Faith were both royal. Both beautiful. But I’d felt nothing more than protective instincts. I’d been protecting people my entire life. Fighting the Hive. Killing our enemies. Hunting traitors.
This time? I’d known the queen’s daughter, or Princess Destiny, was in the room as soon as my feet touched the floor. I couldn’t see her, hell, I could barely see my own hand. But I’d sensed her. I could actually smell her.
Not flowers. Not… something feminine. Just unique and it had made my cock twitch. It had never done that before. Ever. And yet, in the middle of a rescue mission, it had swelled with blood and had been what pointed me right to her.
She’d spoken and my cock had swelled, pressed painfully against my pants. But when I was able to see her face, a slight pale bit of moonlight highlighting her features, I actually spurted pre-cum. A ripple of pleasure had coursed through me unlike anything I’d ever known.
In the past minute, I’d been Awakened. I’d imagined it happening to me many times over the years. In my daydreams, I would see my mate across a room, go to her and then whisk her off to some private spot to claim her for the first time, to sink deep into her waiting, wet pussy.
But not like this. Oh, I’d crossed a room all right and found her. I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and carry her off to my quarters where I could pin her beneath me until my cock was soothed.
But not inside the fortress. Not in some high-ranking cleric’s office. Not with the fucking princess of Alera.
The goddess was having a laugh at my expense right now. Surely, Thor and Leo would too when they learned the truth.
“I’m not leaving without you, Princess. I can’t.”
“Why? Just climb out the window and go back. Tell my sisters I’m fine. Because I am. Just… go.” She looked away when she spoke, her gaze falling to my lips. I could see that much. Was it possible she wanted me as badly as I needed