Nikhil(82)

"Nothing of value?!!" Nikhil roared rolling her onto her back as rage filled him. "You are valuable! To me, you are the most valuable thing in the universe to me!"

"I know that," she looked up at him, surprised by his move but not worried, not scared, "but we both know that's not what I'm talking about. I'm new to your world, and I want to be able to contribute, to help you, to be your partner. I don't want to be a burden."

"Mackenzie." Nikhil lowered his forehead to hers, his anger leaving him as quickly as it had come when he realized what was really worrying his Mackenzie. She was worried how her being in his life would affect him. Her only concern was for him. "The cost of the coverings will not be a problem, not even the extra ones."

"You're sure?"

"I vow it to you." Nikhil didn't know what to expect when he gave her that vow, but it wasn't the smile that slowly grew on her face that started his heart pounding faster. Or the way her body began to move beneath him causing his shaft to harden.

"Well, I'm glad we got that out of the way... so are you ready to show me just how dangerous you are?" she asked wiggling her eyebrows at him.

Nikhil couldn't stop the growl from escaping his throat as he lowered his mouth to his mate. "I am a very dangerous male, and even if it takes all night, I will prove it to you."

"Lucky me..." she whispered, and those were the last coherent thoughts she had for a very long time.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Luol was still staring at the dark screen, fingering his True Mate bead, long after he finished his call to his Maysa. Never in his life had he felt so conflicted. The True Mate bead was supposed to be a gift. That's what he'd told his Mackenzie. A gift from the Goddess that had stopped the bloodshed that occurred when males fought over the same female. But now he saw it as a curse for he would kill any male that tried to take Maysa from him.

Choice. That's what Mackenzie believed she should have.

Faith.

Trust.

Those were the things the Kaliszian people offered to the Goddess, but it seemed not to their Ashes or True Mates. In all the years since he'd chosen Maysa as his Ashe, and she had accepted, neither of them had ever asked the other what they would do if their True Mate beads transferred to another.

Why?

Because they were afraid of the answer they would receive?

He knew Maysa was faithful to him, as he was to her. But was that faith?

He thought he had already trusted her with his deepest darkest secrets, but now he realized he hadn't. Not until tonight, when he'd told her what he would do if her bead ever transferred to another. He had expected her to rage at him, had expected her to tell him that he would be killing her real mate, but she hadn't. She had agreed that she would always be his True Mate, no matter the bead.

Luol felt his eyes fill, remembering the belief and trust his Maysa had in him. He was enough for her, bead or no bead. She wanted him and only him. Goddess, that was the biggest blessing he could ever receive.

He was about to rise, to take this new revelation to rest with him, when he remembered Blag and how his Ashe didn't even know he was alive. Sitting back down, he entered a code. It was time to show the Nekeok that Kaliszians did care about those under their protection.





Chapter Sixteen


Mac found she was still smiling days later as Nikhil escorted her to the survivors’ area. The two of them had grown so close in the last few days, and as they had, the fact that she was keeping Jen's existence from him began to gnaw at her. It's why she'd asked Nikhil to bring her here. Everyone was finally healed and had used the educator, everyone except Jen. They'd managed to keep her hidden as different warriors brought them to Luol and Mac hadn't corrected them, but now she needed to convince Jen to let Mac reveal her presence.

She nodded to Onp as they entered the area. The warrior had taken the new duty assigned to him very seriously. She'd never seen him treat any of the survivors with anything less than respect. She'd even over heard several of the guys talking to him, and he'd readily answered all their questions. As he returned the gesture, Nikhil's comm beeped and after giving his arm a reassuring squeeze, she made her way over to her friends.

"Nikhil," he answered.

"Squad Leader, I need you and your warriors to report to the transports immediately," Treyvon informed him.

"Has something happened?" Nikhil demanded, his gaze going to Mackenzie.

"I will inform you when you arrive."

Nikhil wanted to argue, to know if his Mackenzie was at risk, but he knew he couldn't. "Yes, General. I will contact my warriors immediately."

Mac had been talking to Paul, and while she hadn't heard what was said she could sense something was wrong. Moving to Nikhil, she put a hand on his chest. "Nikhil?"