Alien Exile: An Alien Warrior Romance (The Tourin Legacy Book 5) (4 page)

I open my eyes to find glass above me.
Déjà vu
, I think. But this time I know what the glass is.
A healing bunk.

My hands fly to my stomach, but I feel no pain upon probing it.

I knock on the glass, and it opens. I find Juordin above me, smiling. He leans over to brush my lips with his, his long brown-and-gold hair falling around us and tickling my face.

“You arrived just in time,” I tell him.

“Didn’t I just?” He smiles. “How are you feeling?”

I sit up, not even wincing.
This bed is miraculous.
“Good as new.”

“Well, we’ve finished off most of the cats, and taken over the planet.” He sounds almost as if he can’t believe his own words.

It takes me a second to breathe, to process his words.
This is just incredible.

My gaze runs over him, then stops on his tattoo. It’s perfectly green. “And the cure really worked?”

He looks at his tattoo, then shakes his head. “I can’t believe after how hard we worked to find a cure, all it took was one beautiful woman, a crazy old man, and a flower to save us all.”

Pride and joy fill my heart.

“It must feel amazing, knowing your people have a future.”
And my people,
I think, tears prickling the corners of my eyes. “We no longer have to worry.”

“Yep.” A mischievousness flashes in his purple eyes. “I guess now we don’t have a reason to raise my endorphins.”

Smiling, I stare at the man I love.
He can sense your emotions. He wants to distract you.

I’m so lucky to have found him.

“Do we really need that excuse?” I ask, flashing him what I hope is a sexy smile.

“I guess not.” He waggles his eyebrows at me suggestively. “There’s still the mating hormone.” He rests one large hand on my stomach.

I finally let myself focus on the burning, that simmering feeling I’ve been forcing myself to ignore since he was injured.

He watches as I cross my legs. “So you are still feeling it.”

I start. “Of course I am. Was it supposed to go away?”

“Nope.” He steps forward and wraps my legs around his waist, lifting me from the healing bunk. “In fact, it’s supposed to get stronger.”

I shift against him, feeling him harden. “I like the sound of that.” I pull him closer and put my lips against his neck. “Stronger. Harder. Deeper. Some of my new favorite words.”

He shivers. “And longer,” he says, caressing the hair back from my face. “A lot longer.”

I can’t speak, which is fine because he brushes his lips against mine.
He’s not going to die,
I think, exploring his mouth, breathing him in.
We have a lifetime ahead of us now.

He doesn’t bother setting me down, but walks to the door of the healing room. I press the button for him. I like his hands right where they are, his long fingers wrapped lovingly around each half of my butt, rubbing me against him as he walks.

He heads down the hall and to the right. We pass a few other warriors, who snicker and get out of the way. Juordin barely spares them a glance, winking at me.

He walks into his room and turns left, into the room with the shower. “Let’s get the rest of that cat blood off you, love.”

The space is small, and his shoulders span the width from the shower to the door.

He sets me gently on my feet just inside, in front of him. My fingers go to the hem of his shirt and his follow. His glowing eyes watch my face as he slowly raises his shirt, then pulls it off over his head.

For a moment, I simply watch him, marveling at his beauty. His muscles ripple as his hands come down to the laces of my leather corset.

“You’re getting good at that,” I note as he deftly unlaces it.

“Practice makes perfect,” he comments, “and I, for one, am looking forward to a lot of practice.”

My eyes start to burn for a moment. “I’m so glad you’re well.”

“And I’m glad you’re well.” The love so openly displayed on his face takes my breath away.

“Thanks to you,” I admit. Then my stomach flips. “That big cat had my death in its eyes.”

“And thanks to Corin. We had a backup plan.” He looks pleased with himself. His fingers go to the hem of my shirt and I raise my hands so he can take it off.

After he tosses it on the floor, I cup his face. “I wonder where you got that idea.”

He kisses my forehead and his hands go to my skirt. “I believe you know.” His voice holds a teasing note.

The need inside me burns almost painfully, and I squirm as heat pools at my core. “Juordin…”

“Getting impatient, my love?” He looks too damn pleased with himself as he grins down at me.

“A little.” I admit, then blatantly stare at the thick length straining beneath his pants. Using my thumb, I brush him. “But it looks like you are, too.”

He groans and yanks off my skirt, then his pants. I unlace my boots hurriedly, and then we’re blissfully in the warm water, reveling in the spray. I glance down and see the red water falling to the floor.

Juordin puts some squishy liquid in his hands. “Close your eyes, love.”

I do, and he gently smoothes it over my head and down the back of my hair. Then his fingers come back, sinking into my hair and massaging my scalp. I moan at the wondrous sensation. When his thumbs brush my neck, it sends shivers down my spine.

He washes my hair slowly, thoroughly, scrubbing it, running it through his long fingers. Then he gets more squishy liquid and, starting with my shoulders, smooths it over my skin. His fingers brush down my arms, up my spine, down my stomach. He traces the lightly formed golden mating marks on my stomach, then kneels down to take a nipple in his mouth.

My head falls back at the pleasurable sensation, the burn intensifies. His hands never stop moving, rubbing down my hips, down my legs, taking each of my feet in turn. By the time his hands are going up the fronts of my legs, his thumbs on the insides of my thighs, I’m shaking.
Just a little higher.

He stands and turns off the water, grabbing a towel and starting to rub me down. The towel brushes everywhere, my neck, down my back, my nipples, my stomach. At first, I believe he doesn’t know what he’s doing, until I look up and see the glint in his eye.

“Juordin…” I steal the towel, doing the same to him.

Revenge is sweet.

He closes his eyes, groans, and clenches his fists as I brush the towel over his body. When I finally slide the towel along his thick length, his groan quickly turns into a growl.

He opens his eyes, and I have no warning before he lifts me from the floor and takes me into the main room, tossing me onto the bed gently before climbing over me and stretching out, interlacing our hands beside my head.

From his face, I can see he’s reveling in the contact as much as I am. I can feel him prodding at my entrance. I wrap my legs around his waist, drawing him closer.

He sinks into me with a groan. “I can’t wait any longer.”

Me either.
But I’m too overcome to speak.

He starts to move, thrusting in and out, watching my face. His motion touches something deep inside me and the pleasure spreads. I sink my fingers into the muscles of his shoulders, feeling them work as he moves above me.

My legs start to shake and my mouth opens in pleasure. Juordin doesn’t leave it that way, but seals his mouth over mine in a deep, tender kiss. When I’m almost at the peak, he inches upward, changing the angle, spreading the sensation.

My fingers entwine in his long hair, and I’m trying to stay grounded as my head tosses from side to side. I’m making small noises on each thrust, moving in time with him, trying to hold back until he comes with me. Our bodies start to sweat, and the noises of our groans and our movements together on the bed are beautiful music to my ears.

And then I can’t control it any longer. I buck against him as he continues to thrust, keeping my climax at the peak for long minutes until he finally groans and shudders above me.

He comes down over me, burying his face in the pillow beside my shoulder. “I love you,” he whispers. “My mate.”

“I love you, too.” I kiss the side of his face, brushing his damp hair back from his face.

He rolls off me and I snuggle into his side for a few minutes. But as much as I try to relax, I know there’s more to do.

I need to get the cure back to my people.

“Juordin…”

He props himself up on his elbow, facing me. “How would you like to take the cure back to Lla’ei?”

I smile as my heart swells. “How did you know?”

He rolls his eyes, the first time I’ve ever seen it. I giggle.

“I’m your mate, remember?” he says. “Durstin, Casin, and Corin will get the cure back to Tuorin, so I’m free to help you for a while.”

“Until we take on the cats again.”

He nods.

I kiss him on the mouth, then press kisses over the rest of his face.

He entwines his hands behind his head and lies back, letting me worship him briefly.

“You are the best mate ever, you know that?”
I can’t believe I can look forward to a future with him. It feels too good to be true. Like a gift.

“Just remember you said that when we fight.” He grins, reaching up to kiss me.

“When do we leave?” I ask eagerly, almost jumping out of bed.

“You mean when do we arrive?” he teases. “You were out longer than you think.”

“Really?” I can’t contain my excitement.

He laughs. “Really. Let’s go check.”

Two hours later, we’re piloting a lander down to the surface of Lla’ei. But this time, the red sky doesn’t bother me like it did. I know we can fight the toxin, and eventually, we’ll get rid of the cats, too.

We take huge containers of concentrated flower tea to the castle.

“Daughter!” my father shouts when he sees me, his forehead wrinkled with consternation.

“It’s ok, Father,” I reply. “We have a cure for the toxin!”

For one long moment, he freezes. Then, relief takes years from his face as a wondrous smile lifts the corners of his mouth.

I run to him so he can enfold me in his arms.

My father finally pulls away, giving me a smile that radiates from his eyes. “I knew if anyone could do it, you could.” He turns to Juordin and to my surprise, embraces him as a son. “You are truly worthy of my daughter, Prince Juordin.”

“How did you know he was a prince?” I ask, stunned. “I didn’t even know until the second time I was on Tuorin.”

My father winks at me. “Fathers know everything.”

I groan and turn to Juordin. “Shall we start the distribution?”

He nods. “Whatever you want, my love. We have time.”

And for the first time in a long, long while, I believe he’s right.

The End

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To Kiss A Warrior
follows the About the Author page.

Immortal Angel has lived a hundred lifetimes all in one. She's a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife, and a best friend. She's traveled the real world, enjoying what our three-dimensional reality has to offer. She's hiked the stairs inside the Eiffel Tower. She's watched a Shakespearean play in a grassy clearing outside of Cambridge, and she's ridden a ferry to Ireland. In Australia, she cuddled koalas, in China, she cuddled pandas, and in the Middle East, she cuddled camels. And every time she opened a book, she entered a world beyond this one, one where the only limits are the imagination.

So many lifetimes of adventures have inspired her to reach beyond this planet to the stars above and to worlds rooted in fantasy. Her romances in space are meant to take her readers on their own adventures, imagining new and exciting place. With hot men. And maybe a few sexy aliens too.

You can follow Immortal Angel on Facebook, Twitter @Immortal__Angel, or her blog
here
.

Chapter One

The private spacecraft touched down in the ship yard with a familiar groan. Hannah swung her booted feet off the oversized chair in front of her, and pressed her palms against the window. A few people outside had turned to stare.

Her dad just had to travel in style! Yeah, the small craft moved faster and smoother than most, but just the sight of it would tell everyone that someone uncommonly wealthy and powerful travelled inside.

Which was exactly the opposite of what she wanted.

At least mother hadn’t come. The woman had been a sobbing mess. The academy was already like a ghost, its memories haunting her mother with every step. Seeing her daughter there… Hannah couldn’t even imagine how badly that would’ve ended.

But how to deal with her father?

She leaned back in her chair and regarded him.
Here goes nothing!

“It might be better if you waited in the ship,” she suggested in her least argumentative voice.

Her father lowered his computer interface, one brow raised in annoyance. “Do you think I travelled with you all the way here simply to-- how did you put it? Wait in the ship?”

Disappointment flared. A true parent would’ve understood that an adult child deserved independence. Even on one of the most important days of her life, it was ‘the commander’ escorting her to the academy, not her father. She should’ve known the moment he’d donned his deep blue uniform, perfectly starched and pressed as always.

You did know
, her brain insisted, but the ache in her heart said she’d hoped she was wrong.

“Please?” she forced a smile.

He raised his interface once more, so only his neatly trimmed, steel-gray hair peeked over the top of it. “I pulled more strings than you can possibly imagine to allow you to attend The Starflight Academy under your mother’s maiden name. Even though I consider it an insult to my family. I will not act as your chauffeur, too.”

Hannah took a deep breath, fighting the urge to explode. “There isn’t much point in all of that if we enter the school together- now, is there?” she challenged.

He glared over the top of his computer. “If I had it my way, you’d either be attending the academy with guards at your side, around the clock, or I’d simply assign you a position on my ship. And before you interrupt me, yes, I do admire your desire to follow in my footsteps. After all your training already, I think it requires a certain kind of person to be willing to attend this challenging of a program, simply because your drive to never settle for less.” He paused. “That’s a Stowe family trait I might add.”

His praise, even wrapped in anger, stunned her. Perhaps he was starting to think of how much he was going to miss her when she was gone. Regardless about how much he mumbled about his ‘rebellious’ child.

“BUT,” he added, squashing her hopes with one word. “I also think your ego is outweighing your intelligence. Being my child is dangerous. The fact that you want to pretend otherwise doesn’t make the truth of your situation any different. By going here, you are putting yourself and me at risk.”

It took her a second to answer. And when she did, her words came out dangerously calm. “One day I’m going to be the captain of a class ten ship, and there is nothing in the world anyone can do to stop me.”

Her father didn’t respond. His gaze was already back on his screen.

Frustrated, she tapped her fingers on her leg, feeling precious seconds ticking away. She needed to change his mind before it was too late. She was twenty-one god-damn years old, she didn’t need her
daddy
to drop her off, and she certainly didn’t need the
Fleet Admiral
ruining any chance she had at a normal academy experience.

“We both know why I don’t want to be connected to you here.” The idea of living in her father’s shadow forever made her feel as if the walls were closing in around her. “But you’ve got to admit, the less people who know I’m your daughter, the safer I’ll be.”

There was a moment of silence. “This topic is closed.” Then, after a moment, he added. “We both know how gravely you want to be free of me, but remember, your people still need you. Whenever I call, your service to us will come above all else.”

Like he would ever let her forget.

She touched the small scar just below her hairline. “I remember.”

Looking back out her window, she stared at the crowded dock. Spaceships of all shapes and sizes had come from many worlds to drop the next class of students at the prestigious academy. She wanted to be anonymous among them. To create a new life, a new reputation for herself based upon her own merit.

At the same time, it wasn’t smart to push her father. She’d learned a long time ago that if she did, he would simply say no, and there wasn’t enough begging, pleading, or threatening in the world that would change his mind. But that left her few options in a situation like this.

A lot of people said his decisiveness was one of the many reasons he made such a great commander of the Earth fleet.
But it made a lousy quality in a father. He simply didn’t bend. Ever.

“I hope William is here.” Her best friend was the one person who understood her complicated relationship with her father, and she’d missed him fiercely over the past few weeks.

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

She stiffened at her father’s response, not realizing she’d spoken her thoughts aloud.

“It’d take a miracle for him to reach Turonga. Without a private ship, he’d need a great deal of money and a whole lot of luck to find someone able to fly him this far,” he stated, not looking up from whatever he was reading on his computer. “The Academy strives to accept its recruits from families of good-standing. A gardener’s son is hardly—“

“You mean families with money.” Heat rushed over her as anger built.

“Contrary to what you think of me, it isn’t his lack of money that concerns me as much as his race.
Chamyions
are gutless weasels. His father was a gardener. His father before him was a gardener, and if I was going to make a bet, I’d say this boy will be a gardener, as well. Working on a ship requires a certain… strength of spirit and will that his genetics simply don’t lend themselves to.”

She clenched the plush handles on her seat and leaned forward. “You don’t know him at all. He’ll be here.” She paused only a second, not long enough to stop her words before they came. “Although we could’ve guaranteed it if we’d only allowed him to use our ship.”

He lowered his computer and met her unwavering gaze. “If he can’t make it here on his own, he’ll never pass the test to get in. It would’ve been a waste of all our time.”

She stood. “You just wait—“

“Sit down,” he commanded, his tone no longer that of a father, but a captain. “This isn’t the time for female hysterics.”

Every muscle begged her to do exactly the opposite. Her heart urged her to shatter his computer console against the window. But her mind knew how all of this would end, which was quite badly. He’d probably march her right up to the front door and announce her identity to the entire academy.

With effort, she forced herself to sit.

Her heart pounded. William had to be here! And he had to pass the test! That would show her father he was wrong.

The door to their ship opened and father set his computer down. Rising to his feet, he smoothed the deep blue fabric of his uniform and strode out the door and down the carpeted steps. “Dean Sufters, Professor Walters, how good of you both to meet me here.”

The dean’s voice was grave as she answered back. “Of course. The new recruits will be amazed to see Fleet Admiral Stowe here to greet them.”

Their voices grew quieter. Glancing back through the window, she saw them walking across the spaceship dock. The dean raised her bony arms in one direction, and then the other, pointing out things around the docking yard.

Now is my chance.

Grabbing her duffel bag, she sprang out of her seat and down the steps. Instantly, the commotion of the dock sent her pulse jumping in excitement. Engines roared as spaceships both landed and took off. Airspace Marshal’s in flashing yellow clothes directed traffic. Chattering students walked the path leading into The Academy, causing their own sort of chaos.

It hit her, she’d never felt more at home anywhere in her life.

Darting toward the wide pedestrian path, she effortlessly avoided baggage cars; all while kept her eyes on the skies.
Just in case.
She didn’t want to be the woman nearly squashed by a spaceship. Not on her first day.

An Airspace Marshal glared at her, blocking her way. “Where’s your escort? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be running through the dock unaccompanied—“

“Apologies!” she shouted, ignoring his warning.

She didn’t slow until she stepped onto the glowing blue surface of the path. Glancing back at her father, his attention was completely consumed by whatever conversation he was having
. Good.
But it wasn’t until she was out of his sight that she finally took a deep breath and eased into a walk.

Her father would be angry when he discovered she’d left, but he wouldn’t do anything about it. Because if he did, everyone would know that the great Fleet Admiral Stowe might be able to effortlessly control the skies, but not his daughter. Never her.

She was free for the first time in her life! Or at least as free as she could ever be. Her father would have eyes everywhere, watching her. But this was not like being back at their mansion, or on board her father’s ship the
Allure
. She’d finally get to interact with people whose jobs and lives didn’t depend on her father.

And there would be lots of other people around her age.
What would that even be like?

Stopping, she looked up at the towering school building. Made from a pristine white stone, it was both beautiful and extremely strong. It had endured five attacks over its three hundred years, and although she knew a few sections had been rebuilt, the rest showed no signs of any of it. At twelve stories tall, with glittering windows, it was everything she’d always dreamed of. And more.

This is what she’d been working her entire life for. In one year from today, she’d be graduating from the best flight academy in the universe. After that, she wouldn’t be given a Level Ten ship right off the bat, but eventually, she’d be the third woman in history to every command such a large vessel.

She smiled. That was the plan. All she had to do was stay focused.

A ship flew overhead, but the sound it made was a soft hum, unlike anything she’d heard before. It landed lightly, like a bird settling upon a branch, rather than a giant mechanism touching down. Her jaw dropped. It was a living ship.

Bright green and the size of a small building, twisting vines made up its hull. There were windows and weapons woven into the outside, a seamless combination of technology and nature. Tiny white flowers sprung in intricate patterns, giving it a beauty that lacked in the ships around it.

She took a step towards it. Only Keltairs could fly a living ship. They were given to a child when they reached puberty and grew with the child, if given enough care. She’d studied them extensively, since peace with the Keltairs never seemed to last for long. And her father had taught her- it was important to always know one’s enemy.

But what was a Keltair doing at the academy?

“Hannah!”

She turned instantly at the familiar voice, all thoughts of the unique ship gone with her excitement. “William!”

He grinned and started to jog towards her down the path. His thin body moved almost awkwardly as he ran. He slowed a bit, raising one hand to push back his dark glasses as they slid down his nose. His pale green skin looked paler beneath the harsh sunlight of Turonga. For an instant, she wondered why he wasn’t wearing his floppy hat over his bald head to help protect his sensitive skin. But as he drew closer, his widening smile pushed away her concerns.

“You’re here! I’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”

She embraced him. “I’m so glad you made it.”

Tears choked her throat as they clung to each other for a long moment, before she pulled back.

His face was flushed. “I told you nothing would stop me.”

“And, you’re officially in?”

He pulled a neatly folded paper from the pocket of his frayed shirt and opened it gently. “I just got the notice.”

She hugged him again, crushing the paper between them. People said the gardener’s son was over-reaching when he became her unofficial training partner in preparation for the academy. But she’d known better.

In her life, she’d come across many different people, and she knew he had it in him to be a great engineer on a spaceship. So, she’d made him her partner whenever she trained at the mansion, teaching him all she learned from her ‘official’ tutors aboard the
Allure.

Even knowing that he’d never be recruited for the academy, he’d focused on learning everything he needed to know to become a spaceship engineer. He’d have to join the one percent of people who arrived the week before sign-up to be tested. If he passed, he’d be given a full scholarship to attend. She’d spent the past three weeks wondering if he’d not only made it safely to Turonga, but also if he’d passed the test. The fact that he’d done both was almost miraculous.