“You really believe that?”
I look at Draven. This swordsman lives his own life. He must prize freedom over everything else. If there’s one person in this universe who understands my dilemma, it’s him.
He stands there and considers my question, weighing it in his mind.
“I’m a selfish man, Ashley,” he eventually murmurs. “If I were you? Hell, I’d leave this planet and never look back. I’d leave those aliens behind. I’d make my own destiny…”
He squeezes my fingers.
“But my desire was only ever for revenge – and that is a path you tread on your own. You say you want to end slavery? Well, with those three at your back you could do that. You could change the world… The galaxy… Hell, maybe even change the entire universe. It’s your choice, but choose wisely.”
The cold breeze snaps at my robe. I imagine all the women right now in Lipa, living in slavery and misery. How could I help them on my own? I can barely even help myself.
But the Aurelians… They’d ripped through Peter Paradooli’s entire criminal empire as if it was nothing. Within minutes, they’d ended the reign of the most powerful crime boss on the planet.
Together, the three of them could reshape this city, and then the whole planet. They could turn this place into something… better.
I take a huge breath.
“Draven… Why don’t you bring me back to the manor?”
Draven nods. “I think you made the right choice.”
He presses a button on his watch, whispering under his breath.
The Reaver in the distance suddenly banks sharply towards us. Within seconds, it’s swooping overhead – and then the deadly-looking attack ship touches down on the hillside in front of us.
The doors slide open. Conan and Augustus jump out.
For a second, I’m terrified. I was expecting anger from them – the same raging fury that Peter used to demonstrate.
Instead, though, Augustus bounds across the grass towards me and scoops me up into the air, swinging me around and squeezing me tight.
“I thought I’d lost you!” His voice is hoarse, his eyes wide open as he stares at me – as if the towering Aurelian fears that I’ll disappear if he so much as blinks.
Augustus spins me around under the stars and kisses me tenderly. His soaking wet suit – the same one he’d worn in the pool, hours earlier – presses against my body, chilling me in the cold night breeze.
But in this moment? I couldn’t care less.
Finally, Augustus breaks off the kiss. He reluctantly sets me down onto my feet. I’m breathless.
As my senses return, I turn to look around for Draven – but he’s already disappeared into the night, vanishing as if into thin air.
“He’s gone,” I gasp.
Augustus searches the night for him, then chuckles. I never heard the alien laugh. I didn’t think he knew how. Augustus has a warm, almost musical laugh that contrasts completely with his serious, grim demeanor.
Suddenly, I don’t get the same sense from him – I don’t see him as a murderous conqueror any more, or a violent, ambitious mobster. I just see… him.
“Take me home,” I say, and let Conan and Augustus lead me to their Reaver.
As we clamber aboard, Conan turns on the autopilot. In the glow of the controls, his expression changes.
Where before he’d worn relief clearly on his face, now Conan seems to be thinking about something else – something dark.
Something… hungry.
He’s barely-clothed, wearing soaking underwear he must have thrown on when news of my disappearance broke.
I shiver. I can clearly see his huge bulge, outlined against the clingy, wet fabric of his shorts.
As if sensing my eyes on him, Conan turns and looms over me. He puts his huge hand on my shoulder and stares hotly into my eyes.
“Never scare me like that again.”
I take a deep breath. “I won’t.”
Conan doesn’t smile. His expression becomes stern – possessive.
Augustus stands next to him, and I suddenly feel very small indeed.
And then Conan’s kissing me.
My eyes widen.
Conan’s kiss is ravenous. His cock surges against his tight briefs, and I instantly feel it pressing against my own body.
I shiver, as I remember every inch of Conan’s strong, throbbing length – and I suddenly whimper as I imagine it sliding inside me – too deep, and too wide, and yet I want it.
Augustus is kissing me too, and his wet, tailored suit is similarly tented out by his huge erection. I remember how he has the thickest cock of the three Aurelians, and I know it’s going to be painful when he finally stretches me out to the limit.
I gasp, pulling from Conan’s kiss as my nipples harden into sensitive buds. This is really happening, isn’t it?
This very night, I’m going to finally lose my innocence to these three dominant, alien warriors – and, if they’re right, I’ll then be Bonded to them for eternity.
The Reaver touches down on the landing pad of Peter’s manor. The doors open, and I see Evander standing there waiting for us. He strides towards us, then breaking into a run.
I jump out of the ship and bound into his arms, and Evander spins me around. I’m dizzy as I fly in circles in his huge arms, laughing beneath the gorgeous night sky as it swirls above me.
“You came back,” Evander says. He doesn’t mention me leaving – there are no accusations, and no anger. All he cares about is that I’m safe.
My lip trembles as Evander holds me against him. I can feel his need for me, but it’s not just physical. Worry flares up in my mind.
What if we’re not Bonded?
After all this, it’s still a possibility.
In fact, given the incredible odds of a human female being genetically compatible with one, particular Aurelian triad, undeniably more likely…
I suddenly realize suddenly that running away wasn’t just about being free. Some part of me was terrified that I wasn’t what the Aurelians craved – if I wasn’t their fated mate – that when they’d taken my innocence, and found
