Ascension Saga (Interstellar Brides): Book 1

Except me, and this relentless lust making my brain mush and my body about as useful as a lit match thrown on a bonfire. I looked my sisters over, took in the dried blood that clung to them still, acutely aware of the warm, strong male hovering just a few steps behind me, locking the door. “Are you both sure you’re all right?”

Faith nodded and looked at Destiny. “We’re fine, but how about you?”

“I wasn’t hurt.”

Destiny rolled her eyes. “We know you weren’t injured, but what about your other problem?”

I squirmed, my desire thrumming. My nipples were hard and sensitive, my padded bra only adding to the irritation. I wanted to rip it off, all of my clothes, my skin irritated by the fabric, by being confined. I wanted to climb Leo like a monkey, but I wasn’t going to admit that. We were close, too close. They did not need that kind of ammunition.

Destiny leaned in, whispered, “I mean, it hasn’t been cured or fixed or whatever.”

It was as if she were worried Leo could hear us. He was walking around the apartment now, doing a security sweep, even though it appeared safe to me. He wouldn’t have brought us here otherwise.

I trusted him. I had no idea why I should trust him over the five guards who’d been sent to protect us, but I did. Obviously, someone on Alera had been tipped off about our arrival. We’d either been followed from the transport center or one of Lord Jax’s people was a traitor. Perhaps someone at the Brides Center on Earth? Warden Egara? That idea was crazy, but I was quickly learning we shouldn’t trust anyone.

Except Leo. He was safe. I knew it down to my bones. He was the one, the only one who I felt could protect us from whatever evil had taken Mother, and wanted us dead.

But I had no right to ask him to risk his life for me. For us. For a woman who’d run, abandoned Alera almost thirty years ago. He’d said he didn’t waste time thinking about it, that he resented my mother for leaving her people, for causing so much death. So much war.

How could I sleep with him, use him, and walk away? I had a job to do. A duty to the people of Alera and to my mother, and that did not involve risking the life of a humble soldier. He was a good one. Honorable. Simple. How could I tell him who I was when he hated my family? My mother? His past. He’d suffered. For years. And it was partially my fault. I could have returned more than five years ago. I could have spared him some of those scars.

“Shit. I don’t know what to do.” I whispered the words, my hands up to cover my face from a sister who would say far too much.

When I didn’t answer her question directly, Destiny continued, “Look, I know we all want to go find Mom and fast, but we need to chill out for a while. I mean, we transported all the way to Alera. Today. We were attacked. Today.” She held up her bloody hands. “I’d say we need a little downtime.”

Faith nodded. “I need a shower. A bed. You need Leo.”

Destiny grinned and waggled her eyebrows. “And he needs you. Did you, um, see his cock? It was literally tenting his pants.”

Faith giggled. “One look at you and… bam.” Faith held up her hand and raised her pointer finger in a ‘just a minute’ sign. Or, an example of how a guy’s cock went from down to up. Very, very up.

I hadn’t missed it. Not at all. Especially since all that… maleness seemed to be because of me.

Not Faith or Destiny. While he’d interacted with both of them, he’d barely given either much more than a second glance. As for me, he practically devoured me with his eyes.

And back to his cock. God, it was, well… huge. His uniform pants had done nothing to hide the thick, long bulge. Had I said thick and long? Even the outline of the wide crown had been obvious. He’d been aroused. Instantly and thoroughly aroused.

“Cassander said a guy didn’t get hard unless he was with a woman who was The One. That the five guards had yet to find their mates, therefore their cocks were… impotent?”

Faith laughed. “That’s a weird word. Leo doesn’t look impotent at all. Maybe dormant. And Trinity, my dear, it seems you’ve got what it takes to awaken Leo.”

I was attractive. I didn’t flatter myself to think I was gorgeous, but the fact that I’d supposedly awakened Leo sexually was pretty empowering.

“You know what, guys?” I replied. “My Ardor isn’t better and I really want all that untapped desire focused on me. He’s gorgeous and—”

“A virgin,” Destiny added.

God, a virgin hottie who wanted me. Blatantly. I whimpered because I was soooo ready.

“You are safe here,” Leo said, coming back in the room. We spun about as a unit, and I felt guilty talking about him. He was more than a virgin. He was a Coalition fighter who’d saved our lives. Brought us to safety. He was honorable and wise. Chivalrous and brave.

All that and a big cock, too.

His eyes immediately met mine, but I couldn’t hold his dark gaze. Nope. It dropped to the front of his pants. Yup, a hard-on of epic proportions. I had no idea how he was able to walk comfortably.

I pointed. I couldn’t help it. “Um… should, does it, I mean—”

Instead of being embarrassed—like an Earth guy would have been for being caught so blatantly aroused—he stood straighter, rolled his shoulders back, which only made his cock more pronounced. “It’s for you.”