Destin's Hold (The Alliance #5)(13)

At the moment, it appeared they were cutting a large, decorated dessert. She wavered, unsure of how to proceed. This was only the third joining ceremony that she had ever attended in a professional capacity, but it had been the most unusual out of the three. Deciding that no one would notice if she disappeared, she turned back toward the house and quietly retreated to her transport out front.

It wasn’t until she was alone that she released the tight control over her emotions and lifted a trembling hand to her throat. She carefully pulled the thin, leather cord from under her top. The dark metal of the medallion was warm from where it had been pressed against her skin. She carefully opened it and stared down at the images inside.

“You should have given it to him when you had the chance, Sula,” she whispered, running her fingers over the textured casing. “You are asking for trouble.”

She swallowed and glanced back at the house. She still had time to go inside and give it to him. Shaking her head, she tucked the necklace back inside her top and started the transport. Within minutes, she was flying back to her living quarters with the memory of his kiss on her lips and his touch burning against her cheek. She had never been tempted by a male until now. The first time they had met, there had been the shadow of Badrick’s deceit hanging over them. This time she had seen a different side to Destin Parks – a side that she wanted to explore.



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“It’s still deserted,” the Waxian warrior named Bracin said, glancing at the screen in his hand.

“We wait,” Zare stated, wiping sand from his laser pistol.

“For what, more of those beasts to eat us? You heard what Kronos said. His team is down two men,” Bracin snorted, glancing warily up the cliff.

“Why do you think we are on the beach?” Zare replied.

“I wonder if they have creatures in the ocean as well,” a third mercenary remarked from where he was leaning back against a rocky outcropping.

Zare grunted and nodded toward the water. “If you had researched the mission first, you’d know they do – same thing for the others on Team Two. If they had listened to me, they’d still have a full team. You should be thankful you are on this team and that we have the transport,” he stated, rising to his feet.

“Are you sure it will only be the female and child coming home?” the mercenary asked, ignoring his comrade’s sarcastic comment.

“Chancellor Razor is trapped back on Dises V. We follow our orders to kill his mate and child and get out of here before the other Trivators find out. If we don’t, we’ll wish we had been the ones who were eaten,” Zare said, turning when he heard the sound of a transport.

“The sensor has been triggered,” another mercenary standing a short distance away informed them.

Bracin pushed off the rock. “I get the woman,” he said with a grim expression.

“Whatever you do, don’t play with her for too long or I’ll leave you here,” Zare replied, spitting on the ground and signaling to two additional men before he headed for the steps leading up to the top of the cliff.



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“I not sleepy,” Ami whined, yawning and rubbing at her eyes.

“Of course you aren’t,” Destin teased, reaching into the transport and pulling Ami out of her seat. Razor paused beside him, frowning.

“Honestly, I don’t know how you kept her awake all the way back,” Kali remarked, chuckling when Ami shook her head and clung to Destin.

“It was the tickle monster,” Destin replied, rubbing Ami’s back when she laid her head against his shoulder.

“Tickle monster,” Ami repeated.

“She will miss you when you leave,” Razor said. “Wait here.”

“What’s wrong?” Kali asked, glancing around.

“I’m not sure,” Razor murmured, turning in a slow circle.

Destin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on edge. He motioned for Kali to take Ami. The little girl must have sensed something was wrong as well. She went to her mother without a sound of protest. Destin stepped closer to Razor when he scanned the courtyard.

“What is it?” Destin asked.

“I need to check the security sensors,” Razor murmured. “It is too quiet. We have several birds living in the tree near the far wall. They are normally very active at night.”

Destin nodded. He remembered asking Kali about them the first night he’d stayed here. She had said the flock had moved into the tree shortly after the house had been completed. They only grew quiet when a storm was approaching or if someone got too close to the tree.

“Maybe our arrival spooked them,” Destin said, glancing over at the tree.

“Perhaps,” Razor replied. “With the threat of the Waxian and Drethulans forces, I increased the security around the inside perimeter as a precaution.”

“Surely they wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to attack you here?” Destin muttered.

Razor released a deep breath and shook his head. “No, but I would rather err on the side of caution, especially with Kali and Ami here.”

“The sensors would pick up anything unusual, wouldn’t they?” Kali asked, cradling Ami tightly against her.