Alphas Unleashed (11 page)

The moment she had shut the door, he had sprung into action. He turned when he heard the door buzz. Glancing at the door to the bathroom, he hurried forward.

“Not a word to anyone!” Cree hissed in a low voice. “I can’t believe you roped me into this.”

“You said anything if I could knock you off your feet!” Aaron responded with a grin, pulling the cart of food into the room. “You fell.”

“You kissed me!” Cree retorted in disgust. “Whoever heard of a warrior defeating another with a kiss!”

“Hey, man,” Aaron grinned. “All’s fair in love and war and I am definitely in love.”

“Yeah, with a…” Cree’s mouth snapped shut when Aaron’s eyes darkened in warning. “…just not a word.”

Aaron ran his fingers across his lips as if zipping them shut. Ordering the door closed and locking it, he pushed the cart so that it was next to the table. He was about to move the covered dishes over to it when the door to the bathroom opened. He turned, his breath exhaling in a loud hiss as Hanine filled the doorway wearing nothing more than a small towel wrapped around her.

“Mu…music,” he whispered. “Play music.”

“Who was at the…door?” Hanine breathed out looking up at the ceiling. “Oh, Aaron.”

Aaron’s eyes softened as he walked slowly over to where she was standing in awe. His eyes lit up with warmth at the tears glittering in her eyes as she took in the hundreds of small origami shapes hanging from the ceiling like stars.

“Can I keep you?” He whispered when she looked back at him. “Forever?”

“You’ve had me from the first one,” she admitted, biting her lip and laughing. “You are crazy.”

Aaron’s arms opened and he caught her as she flew into them. His arms wrapped around her bare, slender figure as she wound her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. He could feel the hot, wet tears as she shook her head.

“I’m crazy about you, Hanine. I have been from the first time you rolled your beautiful eyes at those women and when you stuck your tongue out! Man, I knew I was a goner,” he murmured as he pulled back just far enough to slip the ring he had made for her on her left hand. “You are my wife. I love you, Hanine.”

“I love you, Aaron Cooper,” Hanine muttered passionately. “I love everything about you, you crazy human.”

“Show me,” Aaron whispered as he bent to kiss her. “Show me what you love about me.”

Hanine’s smile was all the answer Aaron needed. The promise in it was enough to ignite the fire in his loins. His hands went to the clasp on his pants. He pushed them down at the same time as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders. Her fingers gently caressed the long scar on his side.

“I almost lost you,” she whispered as she ran her fingers along it. “I have never been so scared in my life.” She looked up at him as he pulled her fingers up to his lips and pressed a kiss against them. “You make me feel things I never knew was possible. You give me hope. You make me believe…”

Aaron pulled her gently forward as he backed up to the bed. “What do I make you believe?” He asked in a husky voice.

Hanine’s eyes glittered fiercely and a single tear escaped as she gave him a shaky smile. “You make me believe in us.”

Aaron wrapped his arms around her as he slowly lay back against the covers. He held her against his chest marveling at how perfectly she fit against him. Running his hands up her back, he closed his eyes and breathed in her sweet scent.

“Believe, Hanine. Never forget that. Always believe in us and we can do anything,” Aaron promised her. “Anything.”

Hanine raised her head and gazed down at him. Rising, she slid her legs on either side of him until she was straddling him. She pulled his hands up and pressed them against her breasts as she slowly slid down, impaling herself on his cock.

“Hanine,” he moaned. “Oh baby, yes.”

“I believe, Aaron,” she promised. “I believe.”

Aaron looked up, amazed at the beautiful creature above him. Her eyes were closed as she rode him. A soft smile curved her lips and her face was relaxed as she moved in a slow rhythm that was wreaking havoc on his own body.

“Oh God, Hanine,” Aaron panted as he felt her swelling around him. “Baby, I can’t… I can’t…”

Hanine’s eyes opened and she stared down at him in triumph. She increased the speed, twisting a little as she came down on him. Her lips parted when he pinched her nipples as pleasure built to an unbearable pressure inside him.

“Forever, Aaron,” Hanine cried out as she shattered around him, locking him to her. “You can keep me forever.”

Aaron’s own body answered hers. His cock pulsed in time with her. The muscles in his forearms strained as he rose up, pressing deeper into her so every last ounce of his seed was taken. Satisfaction swept through him when she fell forward. He cradled her quivering body in the protection of his arms.

“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he murmured. “My beautiful warrior’s heart.”

He held her against his heart, staring up at the glittering array of origamis. Each one reminded him of her in some way. He realized that he was going to have to make her many, many more.

Epilogue

Ceran-Pax, Curizan home world one year later….

Ben looked up from where he was checking the soil in the newly plowed field. He stood up and put his fingers to his mouth, whistling loudly to let Aaron know they had company.

His eyes softened on the slightly rounded figure of his wife. She was talking animatedly with several of the women from the small village where they had settled. Hanine was walking toward him with two of the men who had just purchased some of the ‘hay’ they had harvested.

“She’s as beautiful today as she was yesterday,” Aaron murmured, coming to stand next to Ben.

Ben laughed and slapped his brother on the shoulder. “You say that every day, bro. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in love.”

“Yeah, you’d think that,” Aaron grinned as Hanine looked up at him and smiled before raising her eyebrow at him.

Aaron looked at her hand when she opened it. Three bears sat in it. One large, one medium and one…his throat closed up as he saw the baby bear between them. His eyes flew to hers and a slow grin spread across his face before he ran and swung her around with a loud laugh.

Yes,
he thought as he looked up into her shining face.
Dreams really can come true.

Author’s Note

I hope you enjoyed Ben and Aaron’s story. They were first introduced in Cornering Carmen: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 5.

The Marastin Dow world has been one of violence where survival depended on strength and cunning. As more of their people are exposed to the cultures of others, the dynamics have begun to change and the younger generation is demanding a better world for their people. Future stories will follow this revolution.

About the Author

S. E. Smith
is a
USA Today
and #1 International Best Selling author who has always been a romantic and a dreamer. An avid writer, she has spent years writing, although it has usually been technical papers for college. Now, she spends her evenings and weekends writing and her nights dreaming up new stories. An affirmed “geek,” she spends her days working on computers and other peripherals. She enjoys camping and traveling when she is not out on a date with her favorite romantic guy. Fans can reach her at [email protected] or visit her on the web:

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http://sesmithfl.com

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http://pinterest.com/sesmithfl/s-e-smith/

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http://twitter.com/sesmithfl

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http://facebook.com/se.smith.5?fref=ts

Book discussion forum

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Additional Books

Abducting Abby
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 1)

Capturing Cara
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 2)

Tracking Trisha
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 3)

Ambushing Ariel
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 4)

For the Love of Tia
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 4.1)

Cornering Carmen
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 5)

Paul’s Pursuit
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 6)

Choosing Riley
(Sarafin Warriors: Book 1)

Ha’ven’s Song
(Curizan Warrior: Book 1)

A Warrior’s Heart
(Marastin Dow Book 1.1)

Hunter’s Claim
(The Alliance: Book 1)

Lily’s Cowboys
(Heaven Sent: Book 1)

Touching Rune
(Heaven Sent: Book 2)

Indiana Wild
(Spirit Pass: Book 1)

River’s Run
(Lords of Kassis: Book 1)

Star’s Storm
(Lords of Kassis: Book 2)

Jo’s Journey
(Lords of Kassis: Book 3)

Rescuing Mattie
(Lords of Kassis: Book 3.1)

Tink’s Neverland
(Cosmo’s Gateway: Book 1)

Hannah’s Warrior
(Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 2)

Tansy’s Titan
(Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 3)

Cosmos’ Promise
(Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 4)

Gracie’s Touch
(Zion Warriors: Book 1)

Krac’s Firebrand
(Zion Warriors: Book 2)

Sealed With A Kiss

Mina Khan

About
Sealed With A Kiss

Rayez, a smoking hot chef and fire djinn in exile, lands himself in deep trouble (at the bottom of a beer bottle) when he tries to help a mysterious beautiful woman.

Selene is pursued and desperate. She’ll do anything to keep her brother safe—including capture a djinn.

While deception brings them together, dangerous enemies make them unlikely allies. Can one wrong lead to two rights and true love?

Chapter 1

Irritation snapped at Rayez as he glanced at the large black bags of trash stacked by the backdoor of the kitchen. Just the thought of stepping out into the alley behind the restaurant into the bitter cold sent a shiver snaking through him. “It’s not like they’ll be going anywhere,” he muttered. “They’ll keep until tomorrow.”

He clenched and unclenched the faded rag in his hand like it was a stress ball. Cleaning the kitchen to the weather report instead of his usual rock n’ roll wasn’t working. Rayez just didn’t feel the end of the day wind down, the loosening of muscles, the worries of a hectic restaurant slipping away like a fading guitar riff.

Something about the strange weather didn’t feel right. He’d closed
Great Bowls of Fire
early, sent his staff home, and couldn’t wait to escape to his own warm apartment. But first everything had to be clean. He scowled as he wiped down the stove.

The weather girl on the television squealed and clapped. “The bright side of this unexpected storm is that Houston might get a white Christmas,” she announced in an annoying and chirpy voice.

All six burners on the stove flared to life, sending up a mushroom cloud of heat. “Holy S—” Rayez jumped back, dropping the rag. A corner landed in the flames and promptly ignited, filling the air with an acrid stink. “Shit, shit, shit!”

He focused on the flames and held his hands out. He had to put them out ASAP before the damn sprinkler system kicked in or his kitchen burned. He’d worked too damn hard today to deal with that mess.

His breath eased as a familiar warm tingle sparked at his core and rolled through his essence, climbing his body to his fingers. He glared at the stove top and willed the fire to shrink back and die. The flames wavered.

Then the weather girl giggled and said something about cute, furry boots. Her inanity shattered his concentration. The flames leapt up and danced, wild and bright, mocking him. His nostrils flared. Dammit, he was a full-grown fire djinn. The fire would obey.

Rayez pulled on years of discipline and training and blocked out everything but the flaming burners. His essence buzzed with red hot power beneath his skin, the heat energized, intoxicated. He stretched his arms out and let his head fall back, basking in the fire inside and out. Becoming one with it.

The toasty warmth wrapped around him, invited Rayez to close his eyes and sink into it. His lids grew heavy and fluttered closed, his breathing deepened. He stumbled against the blazing stove and jerked awake. Fuck! He wouldn’t, couldn’t, be seduced by the fire.

Rayez rolled his shoulders, and closed his eyes again. Mind over nature. He
would
control the fire. He envisioned his will reaching out like a giant hand, gathering all the power into a fist and stamping out the flames. Burner by burner. He cracked open an eye.

One by one, they died.

Breathing hard and drenched in sweat, he glared at the charred rag. The bone-chilling cold set his nerves on edge, playing havoc with his control. The burners shouldn’t have flared up. He couldn’t lose control. Yet, the damn weather had set him shivering like a virgin at her first bedding.