“Faith,” Trinity groaned.
I noticed a few of the guards were slowly walking toward us. Their weapons were aimed at the ground and their stances indicated they were not at fight readiness. They didn’t fear someone could get inside the citadel, the protective energy field left by the ancients took care of that. Their role was part ceremonial, but also to keep the peace, if required.
At this time of night, our vehicle was an oddity and they were most likely bored. Still, they were walking this way and I had an ion blaster aimed at my head.
“Get out of the car, Leo,” Trinity said. “Please.” She tagged on the last, practically begging. The last time she’d said that word was when I’d teased her with my cock, settling the tip just inside her wet entrance and not going any further.
“I won’t leave you,” I countered. “You’re my mate. I won’t let you do this. And as a fighter, as I’ve vowed to Prime Nial to protect you. I refuse.”
I heard the click of the weapon’s fire safety being released, the high buzz of sound as the weapon held its charge, ready to fire.
“You’ll have to kill me, Destiny.”
I felt the sizzle, the heat of the blast as it went through my body.
“Or stun you,” she countered.
I went stiff, every muscle in my body going rigid, then relaxing. I couldn’t move anything.
“I’m so sorry,” Trinity murmured, stroking my hair, my cheek.
“Trin, open his door!” Destiny said quickly, but calmly. “The guards are getting closer.”
Even frozen, I could move my eyes, watch as Trinity glanced out the front window. Reaching across me, she pressed the button to open my door. It slid up quietly. The guards stopped, thirty feet away.
Trinity didn’t move all the way back to her seat, but stopped, her face right in front of mine. I could see every freckle, every worry, fear, doubt. “I’m doing this to save your life. I’m sorry. I really am, but we have to go. My mother’s been kidnapped, and I really don’t have time to explain or argue. We have to get inside.” She leaned over and placed a warm kiss to my lips. “I’ll find you when I can. I’m so sorry.”
I tried to speak, but only a strangled groan came out. I tried with all my might to lift my arms, to grab her, to keep from doing this. But nothing worked.
“Trinity!” Destiny shouted.
Trinity pushed me out the door.
I fell to the street on my side, a whoosh of air escaping my lungs.
I was bent at the waist and I could see Destiny’s big boot, then the rest of her leg come over the back of the seat. She dropped into the spot I’d vacated.
She looked down at me, her purple hair wild. Trinity was leaning forward, looking at me, her teeth pressed hard into her lower lip.
“You want answers, Leo. You’ll get answers. Right now,” Destiny’s promise was more a challenge, but all I could do was watch as Faith waved good-bye from the back seat, Trinity took out her weapon, and Destiny lowered the door, once more hiding them from view.
I fought to speak. To yell. To tackle my mate to the ground and spank some sense into her. My brain worked and worked, but the stun still had a hold on me.
I could do nothing but lay on the street and watch as my vehicle picked up speed and drove right at the approaching guards. Destiny didn’t stop and the fighters jumped out of the way, then fired at the back of my vehicle. The other guards, now realizing there was an incident, were running and settling into their positions, bracing for some kind of attack.
The stun wore off, from one heartbeat to the next, and I was up on my feet and running toward my mate. “Trinity!” I bellowed as the vehicle approached the citadel. Then closer. They were driving
straight at the energy field.
I stopped. The guards stopped. Watched. Waited. No one had ever driven a vehicle through the barrier before. Would it be disintegrated along with the occupants?
My heart stopped, I held my breath, watched as Destiny drove straight through, as if she had a death wish—or knew, she wouldn’t die.
The vehicle skidded and swerved to a stop directly before the main entrance to the citadel. Tall doors, two stories tall.
Slowly, I walked toward the citadel, the guards beside me. Stunned, as I was, they’d all but forgotten I might be a danger. We watched as the doors to my vehicle—the vehicle that had just… fuck, just driven straight through the ancients’ energy barrier—opened and three very alive females stepped out.
Destiny and Faith used their clothing to conceal their features and their hair. Only the curve of their hips and breasts gave away their gender. My mate? She did not hide. She stood proudly, her hair down, her stance wide. Hands on her hips. She stared up at the central tower, at the line of royal spires pointing to the stars in a magnificent display at its the peak. At the single spire that had burned bright since Queen Celene’s time.