Spotlight ~ The Royal Mate by April Zyon #SpaceWars #SFR #Books @AprilZyon @EvernightPub

Posted in Guest Author, Kacey Hammell, Spotlight by kaceyhammell

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The Royal Mate

Space Wars, book 6 (The Final one)

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover by the Fabulous Jay Aheer

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blurb

It all comes down to this. The truth about what started the war between the Imarian and Craegin is coming out, along with the fact that there is one true royal left. One man to rule them all.

Markus Rothschild wants to live a simple, quiet life but when faced with the truth of what’s happening in his world, he knows he has no choice but to take his rightful place.

Paisley Ralston is a woman who loves teaching small children. She’s never even held a weapon, let alone fired one. Playing bodyguard to the royal heir is the last thing she expected to do. But when Markus’s security team is sabotaged, she may be his only hope.

Paisley didn’t realize that meeting Markus meant finding her mate. Hidden in a special bunker, Paisley and Markus will test their limits and prepare for what’s coming. Together they will come out stronger, bonded, and ready to face both galaxies.

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Buy Links

All Romance Ebooks | Amazon | Bookstrand | Evernight Publishing

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download Excerpt

She looked at her mother and frowned. She couldn’t have heard the woman correctly. Paisley wasn’t a militant; she wasn’t a protector. For the love of all the saints, she was a teacher for young children.

The marshal looked at Paisley with a frown, then sighed. “Because you are about the one and only person that I will trust to be around him right now, and since you know where the safe house is I will leave you to take him. It’s too dangerous right now for him to remain on his ship with Fintan.”

“Wait, you mean, The General?” There was awe in Paisley’s voice and she knew it but she had seen what the man had gone through for his mate. He was the only reason that Paisley believed in love once more. It was the reason why, with her mother’s help, she’d broken the arranged marriage and begun to live for herself and not for what she should do.

“He’ll be arriving soon with several guards. You are all going to the bunker. The guards will take the outer shelter, and you and Markus will take the inner sanctuary.”

The inner sanctuary was a place that none could enter if they weren’t of the Ralston family. It literally took living blood and a tie to the blood and heartbeat of a Ralston to keep the air actually on in that sanctuary. It would be either a haven or a tomb depending on if people knew it or not.

“And what about you, Mother? You’ve kept a low profile while they sorted out the issues that were evidently in your offices.”

“This is very true and it’s past time for me to get back to what it is that I do. Besides, this way I know that you will be safe as will Markus.”

“You could always go into the shelter with him instead of me,” Paisley pointed out.

“No, because they would use you to get to me. You are my one weakness, Paisley.”

Paisley moved and gave her mother a hug. “There are not many that know of me, Mother. You’d probably be safe, you know, and so would I.”

“No, there is too much to be done.”

“But—”

“No buts, Paisley. This is an order. You are to keep him safe.”

Paisley bowed her head and nodded. “As you say. Just remember I don’t know how to fight.”

“You don’t, but he does.” Her mother gave her another hug, then pushed her toward where the family bunker was. It was something that no one and nothing could get into. Even if the world exploded, the bunker would eject into space and hook up with a waiting ship that would become their own private spaceship. It had been designed with the ultimate of protections in mind. Her great-grandfather had designed it and it had kept her mother safe when this war began to truly heat up as it had in the last several months.

“I trust you,” Paisley told her mother. She took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ll go pack.”

“Your things are already in the bunker. I had my assistant go to your home and empty your closets and drawers, and I personally put everything into the bunker. It’s fully stocked with food for the two of you for as long as you might need to be in there as well as the machines to recreate foods if you wanted or needed it. I doubt that much time will be needed, but just in case.”

“A career military man,” Paisley mused. “And how does he feel about having to hide?” she asked with a knowing grin. She knew the type.

“About like what you think he’s feeling,” the marshal stated with a laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Fin had to tranquilize him to bring him in. Now, go.”

And just like that Paisley was summarily assigned a duty that she had no business taking care of. She wasn’t a fighter and never had been. She was soft, short, and more than a little pudgy. Paisley was not anything that anyone really would ever look a second time at.

Chapter One

“No, not happening.”

His commanding officer gave him a look that would have made Markus squirm when he’d first stepped on board the cruiser. Now it only had him digging his heels in further. “You know that it is not even an option, Markus. For your safety, and for the future of both our races, we need to make sure you remain alive until the general public is made aware of everything.”

He hated when Fintan Daykin made complete sense. The man already thought too highly of his logic for his own good.

Yes, Markus was important, but to his thinking, he was no more important than any other Craegin. Or Imarian, if he wanted to get technical. He was, after all, a byproduct from both races, although the Imarian in his blood was definitely diluted.

Growling under his breath about his stubborn commander, Markus shoved a hand through his short, dark mahogany hair and paced around the office. Fintan held his tongue for once, a blessing and a curse all at the same time.

Markus wouldn’t be in this situation where he was being ordered by not only Fintan but by the marshal of the Craegin people to go into hiding for his safety if not for a wedding most Craegin and Imarian people did not know occurred.

If not for the fact the entire crew aboard the cruiser he was currently on would also be in danger, he wouldn’t even consider leaving. But he could not willingly and knowingly put others in danger because he was stubborn. Yes, he was stubborn, but he was not stupid. And while it grated severely on his nerves to admit it, Fintan and the marshal were correct. Not only were there factions on the Craegin home world who wanted him dead and buried where no one could dig him up, but there was the entire ruling body of Imara to take into account. They likely had spies in place on his home world and moon outposts, hoping to get a shot at him.

Markus stopped near the vid monitor in Fintan’s office, which showed the view from space of the outpost planet they were currently orbiting. Most folks down there didn’t have a clue about the ticking time bomb floating in space above their heads. The wars that were held in the ships in space sometimes pelted down upon the heads of those on the planets below, something they tried hard not to allow happen. Never had he hated knowing about his heritage more than he did right then.

“Fine, I’ll go. But I don’t need a watcher. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. You and I both know that. And it is much easier to deal with anyone that may get wind of my location if I am alone. Having someone either interfering or uselessly getting in the way will only get me killed.”

“It’s not my call, and it’s definitely not yours. You will have a watcher, but I’ve been assured by the marshal that this individual will follow your orders to the letter unless they are a direct threat to your own life. I cannot, nor would I, change that.” Fintan pushed up from his chair to come stand by his side. “I know that your heritage weighs heavily on you. I wish I could carry the burden with you, my friend. But I will do whatever is necessary to keep you alive. Once the general public of Craegin and Imara know about you, and your lineage, then you can step from the shadows and into the light.”

Snorting at his words, Markus shot a look over his shoulder to the other man. “That was rather poetic, Fin. Love has changed you more than even I realized. Although I don’t know if this new streak you are showing is for the better.”

“Shut up,” Fin muttered.

Amusement coursed through him for a moment. He knew Fintan was doing it on purpose, and that made Markus appreciate the man’s friendship all the more. But the knowledge that he, Markus Rothschild, was the only living heir to the crowns of both Craegin and Imara… The reason he was the only living heir was tragic, according to many. His parents had both been killed while on a tramp headed for a fundraiser event on a Craegin moon base. They and nine others including the pilots died instantly. Markus had not been with them like he normally would have, because he’d come down with a cold and had been too ill to travel.

The official report was a rogue micro-meteor shower had compromised the tramp’s hull. While it had been a cold comfort to him at only ten summers old at the time, he had at least known the reason why they would never be coming home again. There had been closure. Now that he knew about his lineage he had to wonder if perhaps someone had taken them out. But that didn’t really work, either, because he was still alive. Why kill his parents but leave him breathing?

It was only one of many questions that haunted him since he had been told he was descended from royalty. The royalty, if he wanted to get technical. Shaking his head mentally to get back on topic, he turned partially to look at Fintan without straining. “Basically, you are telling me I’m stuck with the marshal’s chosen watcher.”

Fin nodded. “Whoever it is will probably be nothing more than a large, silent shadow that lurks in the background while you try to keep from going insane with boredom.”

Right, there was that issue, too. “What exactly am I supposed to do during this unwanted hiatus from my career path? I don’t mind the idea of a couple days of downtime to relax and rest, but being stuck somewhere indefinitely is less appealing.”

“I’m sure we can find something for you to do. You might even be able to finish all those reports I know you have been ignoring.”

Markus plastered on his best innocent face and blinked at his commanding officer. “Reports? Whatever do you mean, General? I always do my reports promptly.”

Fintan’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead at that bold-faced lie. “Right. Do them all up. Wherever you are going will likely have the capability of secure transmissions, so you can send them all back here and I will sign off on them before submitting them. Sadie can make sure there are no electronic tags on any of those files that could potentially lead back to your location.”

Sadie, Colonel Bracken Kauller’s wife and family friend to the Daykins, was a genius with anything electronic. Her doctorate in AI and destroyer programming spoke for itself, but her skills were known across the quadrants even if people did not know her name. “I will make sure all the reports are completed. I make no promises on when I will get them done, though. It will depend on wherever you and the marshal are planning to stash me and this watcher you are saddling me with. My first priority will be security since that is why I am leaving the safety of a Craegin destroyer.”

“You cannot guilt me, Markus. I do this not only for your own good but for the good of two races. All of the Craegins and Imarians need you.”

“No, you’re right.” Damn but he felt like a kid being chastised right then. “I’m sorry. This situation is not our making, but it is our responsibility to see it righted. You and the marshal believe this is the best course to take, so I will bow to your wishes and let you handle it. But swear to me one thing, Fintan.”

“What is it?”

“Be expedient handling all this. Be careful, but do not dally. I am not now nor have I ever been one to sit idly by while my friends take the risks pointed toward me.” Markus had always preferred to face whatever came at him head-on, which made having to step aside and allow others to handle things grate on his nerves.

“I’ll do all I can to make sure we all come out of this alive and in a better position. Now go pack your bag and get your reports. The tramp will be here soon to take you to the cargo vessel that will shuttle you to your destination. I know it will not be the most comfortable ride, but no one would ever expect it.”

A few more words were exchanged before Markus left Fintan to his own duties. Heading to his quarters, he mulled everything he knew over in his head yet again. Before he ever got near the symbolic throne he was to take, he was going to drive himself crazy. And that did not even take into account whatever nightmare of a watcher he was being saddled with. He was definitely not looking forward to meeting whoever it might be.

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26Jun2016

Sunday Snippet from Chevon’s Mate by April Zyon #SciFi #MustRead #SpaceWars #Ebook @AprilZyon

Posted in Kacey Hammell, Sunday Snippet by kaceyhammell

Chevon’s Mate

Space Wars 5

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover and Banners by Simply Defined Art by Jay Aheer

About Chevon’s Mate:

Laura Troxell was a Craegin woman who had everything in place for a long and loving life. She was engaged to the man of her dreams, had a brother that adored her and a position she absolutely loved. Well, that was until her world fell apart and the truth about her brother and fiancé came to light. Dumping her ex had her taking a nice long trip on a pleasure cruise around the Craegin universe, including traveling close to the neutral zone with Imarian space. It was thrilling and fun all in one. It was a non-stop party until someone decided to dump her like the proverbial trash, thankfully they, at least, dumped her in a life pod instead of just shoving her out of an airlock.

Chevon von Janus was a man who held his duty to train the next soldiers very seriously. He was a man that was a stickler for the rules, even when it came to an unknown life pod coming toward them from the neutral zone. Everything went by the letter in saving whoever was in the pod, he just never expected for the person to be a woman, a Craegin woman at that, but more than anything he hadn’t expected her to be his soul bonded mate. Talk about a surprise to the by the books commander.

The combustion between the two was felt immediately. However Laura had another secret to tell him, one that she was certain the Craegin’s wouldn’t want the Imarian’s to know about and when she did it certainly did heat up the war that was already sizzling between their peoples.

Chevon first has to keep Laura safe from his crew and then he has to work with old friends to figure out how to keep all of them safe. Life was going to get very interesting for these two very quickly. But no one ever said that love was easy, at least not when you were from two different cultures, cultures that happened to be at war.

Good thing that they had such amazing friends ready to go to the mat for them or their love would never know the light of day.

** read to the end for a link to the complete first and second chapter of the book **

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About April:

April is a lover of all things romance, and a writer with an imagination that goes on for miles and miles. Writing for Evernight Publishing is a dream come true for her and something she wants to continue for the rest of her life.

Living in the great state of Indiana I’m now 42, married with 2 children aged 20 and 18 as of 2016 so life is always going. I live with the husband, both kids, my mom and her (our) puppy as well. 🙂

I work third shift and work odd hours and days so generally when I am awake no one else is, so I write 🙂

That’s about it for me!

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The books of Space Wars…

Snippet:

Chapter One

Laura Troxell looked up from the document she had been translating and frowned, then drummed her fingers on the desk. “Why in the world…” she murmured. She had a feeling that the documents before her shouldn’t have hit her desk. Closing them up into the file folder, she stacked a couple more reports on them and rose to her feet. With the files clutched tightly to her bosom she walked toward her brother’s office. He was one of the highest ranking members of the Craegin Command Structure. Laurence had taken over their parents’ place within Craegin society faster than anyone should have. There had been no mourning time. Instead there was only him stepping into the role of adviser to the rulers of their world.

She stopped, her back to the wall, and thought for a moment. Maybe Laurence wasn’t the best person to take the files to. Perhaps she should instead take them to Mikel, her fiancé. He would know what to do with them. He always knew what to do. She then nodded, a smile on her face and a plan in her mind, and headed off to the right, toward her fiancé’s office at the end of the hall.

She paused at the door and made sure that her skirt was straight, her shirt was tucked in and, well, that she looked good enough for him. He was far older than she was but he had selected her to be his wife, her out of all the women on Craegin, and that had helped to pull her out of her darkness after her parents had perished. The fact that he and Laurence were the best of friends was only a side note.

She knocked on the door and walked right in. Laura knew he didn’t have any meetings scheduled because if he did it would have been on her calendar for him. She stopped dead in her tracks. The files slipped through her hands and fell from her arms.

“Mikel?” she whispered in complete shock. “Laurence?” There, right there on the desk of the man she was to marry, was her brother—naked, a noose around his neck—being rutted roughly by the man who had told her expressly that sex before marriage was a disgrace to the institute and to the relationship.

“Laura.” Mikel didn’t move from behind Laurence but did undo the ball gag that was in Laurence’s mouth. “Stop, we can explain.”

“Explain what?” she demanded. “There is nothing that you could possibly say to me right now that would make me forget this.” She motioned from man to man. “Go fuck yourself, you self-righteous prick.” Her voice rose with every word, but at this point she didn’t care who heard her. “Consider this my fucking resignation!” she screamed as she spun around and marched out, leaving the door wide open and not giving two fucks who saw the men in the position that they were in.

Laura stopped at her desk and grabbed her things, tossing the framed photos of both Laurence and Mikel into the trash as she walked away. “Freaking asshole motherfuckers.” She stalked toward the lifts, trying to ignore the looks she was getting from the men and women in the office.

She paused at the lifts, turned on her heels, walked back to Mikel’s office, and told both men, “I’m keeping the fucking cruise and all the presents and cash. I hate you both.” And she did. At that moment, she hated both men more than she could ever explain.

She then stomped off back to the lifts, her head held high. A few people were giving her a thumbs-up or clapping, oddly enough. Laura ignored all of it, pushing everything but the immediate need to get the hell out of there to the back of her mind.

Now Read the complete first and second chapter of Chevon’s Mate by clicking here…
(use password AprilZyon)

** THE ROYAL MATE, the final book of the Space Wars series, releases JULY 7th !! **

27Nov2015

Feature Friday ~ Cecilia’s Mate by April Zyon #SpaceWars #BDSM #Futuristic #MustRead @AprilZyon @EvernightPub

Posted in Evernight Publishing, Feature Friday, Guest Author, Kacey Hammell, New Release, romance by kaceyhammell

The Space Wars are continuing with the next installement, Cecilia’s Mate!

To catch up you can start with Adira’s Mate which is the first book in the series. After that book is Sadie’s Mate.

The third book in the series is Cecilia’s Mate. I’m excited about this book because Cece is the baby brother of Bracken, the hero in Sadie’s Mate.

Cecilia’s Mate

Space Wars 3

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Erotic Sci-Fi, BDSM

Blurb:

Cecelia Kauller has always felt invisible. First with her family, and then with the man she knows is to one day be hers. But things are about to change, and not for the better in her mind. When Cecelia discovers she’s about to be sold off to a man her older sister plans to have as a lover it all becomes too much. She can’t take any more and runs to the only place she knows she will be safe, with her brother.

Lieutenant Colonel Draven Ackermann has always felt out of place in life. Being a part of the Craegin Armada gave him purpose, and a sense of being. Now that he’s reached a point in his life where he can focus on more than a career, he only wants one person to fill that void. Unfortunately she happens to be his commanding officers baby sister.

Although they can now finally admit who they are to one another there is still one important step both must take, telling Cecelia’s brother that they are bondmates. Not an easy conversation, but one that is necessary for the happiness of them both.

As they settle into their new lives, and prepare for the next step of marriage, the universe decides to shake life up a little more. Draven receives news that shatters all he’s ever known, and turns his life upside down.

Cecelia stands strong at his side, as a bondmate should, and helps Draven to regain his footing. She will always do whatever is necessary to help him as he has helped her through all the changes in her life. She can do now other, he is her love, her heart, and her every dream. He is Cecelia’s mate.

Buy Links:

Evernight | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

All Romance Ebooks | Barnes & Noble | Bookstrand | iTunes | Smashwords

Adult Excerpt:

Her mouth went dry when he bared himself to her. She couldn’t speak when he asked her if he passed muster. She just looked up at him and nodded dumbly. “Yes.” She licked her suddenly dry lips and let out a breathy sound. He was glorious. His body was dark all over. He was built with thick ropes of muscles, and his cock, holy mother of life it was impressive. It was thick and long and pointed seemingly straight up and toward her. “Are you sure that this will work?” He looked bigger than he had felt against her the last night that they went to sleep together. It was intimidating.

“Cecilia, little one, of course it will work. Remember that we are made for one another. You can touch, you know,” he said quietly. Reaching out for a hand, he brought it up to his chest and pressed it flat so her palm rested fully on his skin. “Touch and learn me. It will help to alleviate some of your concerns. The rest you will need to trust me on.”

She allowed her hand to move over the broad expanse of his chest. She was chewing her lower lip as she touched him. Her nails lightly scraped over his chest and she smiled at the white lines that were left in their wake. It wasn’t enough to harm, just enough to tease. “You always feel so good. I know you would never hurt me and you do have my trust, Draven, completely.”

He slid his hand up her arm, then moved it to cup her cheek. “I’m honored that you trust in me.” Draven watched her as she scratched her nails a little lower. He sucked his stomach in when she dipped even lower.

She was looking down, watching her hand as she moved it down. Her fingers lightly brushed over his cock and she gasped. Then, before she could stop herself, she closed her hand around his shaft and let it slide down slowly. Her fingers wouldn’t meet around his thick shaft so she put her other hand on his dick as well. She began to stroke him.

A low growl from him had her peeking up. His eyes were narrowed on her, his features a little harsher, color riding his cheeks. Using his thumb, he tipped her face up as he leaned in. Draven caught her mouth in a kiss that was unmatched by anything prior.

Cece allowed herself to give in to the kiss. She squeezed him gently, then began to move her hands back up his body and wrapped them around his neck. She leaned into his embrace, swaying into his touch, and moaned as she kissed him back.

Draven’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her body tighter to his own. Then they were moving, and she had the sensation of tumbling before the softness of the bed met her back. His weight pressed her deeper into the bedding while he continued to kiss her like a man starved.

She lifted a leg slightly so that it could brace against his hip. She shifted under him and tugged at his hair. When they parted she was panting, breathless and desperate. “I love kissing you, Draven Ackermann. Just so you know, I’m never letting you go.”

“You’d better not, Cecilia Kauller, because I never intend to let you go, either. You are mine, now and for all of time.” He kissed her again, this time a little gentler as he stroked his hands over her torso, his thumbs brushing to the curve of her breasts.

She shivered when his thumbs brushed over her breasts and up to caress her nipples. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes as she arched into the touch. Draven was pressing light kisses to her throat. Slowly he worked his way down to her upper chest before shifting his body a little lower, giving him the room he needed to nuzzle at her breasts. The flick of his tongue to her nipple had her jolting under him.

“Do that again, please?” Cece asked as she shifted under him to take more of what he was offering.

Draven slid his lips over her skin to her other breast. His tongue slid slowly over her tight nipple. When she gave a shiver he sucked the tight bud into his mouth to pull hard on it, drawing it in deeper. She felt the smallest scrape of his teeth to her skin before he flicked her nipple with his tip of his tongue repeatedly.

“Oh God yes.” She put her hands to his head and held him there. “Again, please,” was all she could think to say.

Cecilia could feel his laugh against her body as he gave in to her demands. He looked up to her and held her gaze as he scraped his teeth over her flesh slowly. Her nipple slipped from between his teeth when he lifted his head. Leaning up, he pressed a kiss to her chin, then wiggled down her body more. With soft kisses to her sternum, her belly, then her hips, she could feel her body winding tighter with the sensations he was helping to create.

She moved her hands to his head and touched him. “That feels so good,” she moaned, enjoying his wandering mouth. “I think I could become addicted to you doing this to me.”

“I’ll do this every single night if I have anything to say about it, a couple times during the day as well if you’re feeling adventurous, and then whenever the mood strikes.” Pushing her legs further apart, Draven got her to raise her knees so she was fully bared to him. His warm breath brushed along her damp folds as he stared at her.

“Oh I love how that sounds. Do you think that you will be able to…” She trailed off when his breath moved across her silky wet folds. “Draven.” She moaned and shuddered.

He brushed his nose to her inner thigh. “Do I think I’ll be able to what, little one?” he asked with a smile.

“I forgot.” She whimpered, then shifted slightly.

Draven chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to the seam of her leg. He blew another breath over her pussy before leaning in to run his tongue lightly up her slit.

“Holy mother. That feels so good. I’ve never felt anyone do that to me before.” Of course she hadn’t. She had never felt anyone except him touching her intimately before. “I think I’ve just found my new favorite thing.”

“I’d reserve judgment a little longer,” he advised. Sliding his hands over her skin, he pulled her folds apart. Then he mouth was on her, his tongue stroking over her, his low growl vibrating against her most sensitive parts.

“Draven” She sobbed when his tongue stroked over her clit. When he growled she felt her hips jump. “Draven, more. Please. Fuck.” She never cussed but was right now.

His mouth latched onto her aching clitoris, and he sucked hard. All the while his fingers stroked over her pussy, one finger finally sliding into her sheath to gently stroke her in time to his sucking actions.

“Ohhhhhh…” she said in a long and low moan of a sound. The finger inside of her pussy while his tongue worked her clitoris had her seeing stars, literally. She shuddered and shifted her hips slightly to take more of him into her body.

The slight bite of his teeth on her sensitive nub sent a shiver through her. But then her mind became focused on the fuller feeling of her pussy when he added another finger. His free hand stroked up her belly to her breasts, where he began to pluck at first one nipple, then the other.

She covered his hand with hers and squeezed her nipple tightly with his hands. “I love the way that feels.” She shifted to accommodate more of his body between her legs and to give him room to play more with her as he wanted to.

Draven slid his hand free from under hers. “Play with your nipples,” he ordered in a husky tone. He moved his hand down to hold her folds open and proceeded to flick the tip of his tongue to her clit rapidly while thrusting his fingers in and out of her pussy.

She moved her hand from his head and placed both of them on her nipples. She began to tug and pull at them. She twisted them and gasped just as his fingers thrust deeply into her pussy.

“That’s it, Cecilia,” he praised. Curling his fingers inside of her, he seemed to find some spot that had her toes digging frantically into the bedding. Then he put his mouth back over her clit to suck at the throbbing nub, adding in a little bite now and again.

Cece arched up against him and sobbed. She braced her feet on the bedding and lifted her pussy up closer to him. She loved the way this felt, the fabulous feeling of his hands on her body and his mouth on her pussy.

Draven cupped her ass when she lifted up, a digit moving to rub the tight bud between her buttocks. He pressed firmly while sucking harder at her clit and curling his fingers up inside of her.

With his fingers in her pussy and the one touching her anus she saw stars. It took her breath away, the sensations making her gasp. She then screamed and lifted her body up, taking his fingers deeper. The one near her anus slipped inside and she came, hard.

The next thing she knew Draven was stroking her leg gently, pressing kisses to her face, and her arms were wrapped around his neck. “Shh, I have you, little one. Slow your breathing down for me, Cecilia,” he said gently as he continued to soothe her.

Doing as he instructed, she nodded and sighed. “That was amazing. I never dreamed that an orgasm would be so good.”

“That was only the first part of it all,” he told her. “There is so much more that is to come your way.” Slipping an arm around her, he squeezed her close while pressing a kiss to her lips. “The real question is, are you ready for more, Cecilia?” She took a deep breath and licked her lips after his kiss. “I want more. I want everything.”

He gave her another leisurely kiss, curling his tongue around hers and teasing her gently. He settled his body over hers and she could feel his cock rubbing against her pussy and over her clit. His one hand didn’t stop moving but continued to stroke her leg, over her hip, and up her ribs before going back down her side.

“So good.” She lifted again and moaned. “I love the feel of you touching me.” The head of his cock rubbing against her slit had her whimpering and clutching at him.

“Easy, little one.” He cupped her face in a hand, his thumb brushing over her skin while he stared down into her eyes. “You need to relax for me and take slow, deep breaths.” His cock pressed to her opening. Moving his hand, he touched her pussy, spreading her lips as he pushed his cock to start filling her slowly.

He filled her to capacity, and beyond. She had to stop him once and shift slightly but then he pushed into her more. “Draven.” She whispered his name. This was making love. This wasn’t about the domination and submission, but this was their first time making love.

“Breathe, Cecilia,” he said in a deeper, rougher tone. “You need to remember to breathe.” His hands guided her legs up and around his hips until she could hook her ankles together over his ass. Very slowly he pulled his cock almost all the way out of her pussy, then pressed back in just as slowly.

She breathed, recalling that he had said she could control her body with her breathing, with focusing. She tried to do just that. She forced herself to breathe in and out and to watch him as he made love with her. “I’m so glad I waited for you,” she confessed, reaching up to put her hand on his cheek and pull him closer. Catching her lips in a kiss, he cupped her head between his hands. He was still moving his hips, thrusting his cock in and sliding out of her body slowly. As they kissed he began to pick up his pace a little at a time.

She moved with him, her body naturally finding its rhythm with him and causing her to brush against his chest with her breasts from time to time. Each time her rock hard nipples brushed against his muscular chest she gasped aloud, the pleasure moving between nipples and clit and back again.

“You are so beautiful,” he said, his gaze roaming over her face. “So open, so giving, and all mine. Forever, Cecilia. Nothing else will be nearly enough for me.” Putting his hands on the bed, he pressed up a little and began to thrust faster and harder into her eager body.

“Good.” She moved along with him, her body naturally finding that right rhythm with him, her legs around his hips. She dug her heels into his ass, pulling him tighter to her body as she did so.

“Touch your clit, Cecilia.” Rolling his hips slightly gave her a new sensation. “Rub that tight little nub for me.” Draven was adjusting himself over her, each movement changing how his cock slid into her.

Reaching between them, she touched her fingertips to her clit and began to rub, sobbing his name as the feelings that were coming from him pumping in and out of her body had her flying higher and higher.

“Please, Sir.” She shivered, the force of her pleasure doubling at those two small words.

The look on his face when she said those words nearly had her coming apart. But something held her back. Leaning in, Draven pressed a hard kiss to her lips. “Come for me, Cecilia,” he said in a demanding tone.

It was his demand far more than anything that had her screaming as she climaxed. She came hard, her body shaking, and felt her nails biting into Draven’s back. She whimpered and needed him to come with her.

A few more hard thrusts and she felt it. The shudder rippled through his body before his cock pulsated in her sheath. Draven collapsed over her, wrapping his arms around her to hold her tight as his seed filled her.

She felt each pulse of his seed into her waiting womb and closed her eyes. “Gracious,” she whispered softly, then yawned. “Will you hold me, please? Just keep me close?”

“You don’t even have to ask.” Pressing his lips to her cheek, he rolled them so she was lying on top. Then he covered her up, tucking the blankets around her gently before once more wrapping her in his arms. “Sleep for a little while, Cecilia. Then we need to get up for the official welcome back meal.”

“Okay.” She rubbed her cheek to his chest and drifted off into sleep.

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13Apr2015

Excerpt from Adira’s Mate by April Zyon #SciFi #BDSM @EvernightPub

Posted in Evernight Publishing, Guest Author, Kacey Hammell, romance by kaceyhammell

Adira’s Mate
Space Wars 1
by April Zyon
Published by Evernight Publishing

**Cover created by the amazing Jay Aheer

Purchase Links:

Blurb:

Captured by his mortal
enemy General Fintan Daykin is held for many long months in an Imarian
Facility. On the day that he’s able to escape he’s faced with one of the
biggest surprises of his life.

Adira Lora is the head
of the Medical Ministries offices of Imaria and she learnt that there is
something seriously wrong with one of the facilities. Something that she has
to go and figure out for herself since
she trusts no one else.

Taken hostage by the tall,
dark Craegin was not what Adira had in mind when she got to the facility, but
it seemed as if Fate and the Spirits had something else altogether in mind for
her.

She should be wary of
the man who could tear her apart but she’s not. She’s drawn to him, she aches
for him and she’s desperate to heal his injuries but he pushes her away at
every turn.

He can’t let her too
close, he’s far too attracted to the small Imarian that he dragged with him
onto her crawler. He only wanted to get home, back to his people and away from
the slow death that her people were giving him.

Once the pain of his
injuries starts to ease and the reality of who little Adi is to him sets in Fin
realizes that he will have to protect her from more than just his people. Fin
realizes that he would also have to protect her from hers as well.

When Adira finally
submits to Fintan however he knows that he will never let her go. He owns her
now, she is his in every sense of the word for now and all time and nothing
would come between them.

Excerpt:

Adira went stiff as a board when the
pistol was lifted to her temple. She took a deep breath and nodded. She
understood what he was saying, understood and would comply. She had no idea who
it was that had her, so she would play along until she could be free.

She listened to the man’s breathing and
frowned. He was in pain; it was clear from how he was gasping for air but there
was something more. He wasn’t breathing as an Imarian would, three sharp
intakes of breath and one exhale.

Her stomach felt as if it were in knots.
She felt ill because she suddenly knew that she wasn’t being held by someone
that was on the island and had no idea who she was. She was being held by one
of the Craegin that her people had kidnapped and had been torturing.

Stars. She was in deep trouble. “You
really don’t want to do this,” she told the man. “I’m more trouble than I am
worth. Ask anyone. I’m seriously not a good person to take hostage.”

“I don’t have what one would call a lot
of choices here.” His voice was low, but she could hear the underlying growl
that gave it a certain rough quality. “One way or another you are my ticket out
of this hellish place. So you can either help me willingly, or I start to break
bones. Nothing important, but I know the ones that will cause you immeasurable
pain while still allowing you to function enough to get me free. The choice is
up to you. What will it be?”

There was no choice. Adira was a lot of
things, but able to withstand pain was not one of them. She just nodded. “What
do you need?” She would get him to where he needed to be in order to get free.
Then she would run as far and fast as she could.

He let out a harsh-sounding breath. “I
need you to guide me to the ship bay here. Preferably to one of your crawlers.
Then you and I are going to leave on that ship, and get me to a place where I
can contact one of my own vessels to pick me up. If you behave yourself, don’t try anything to alert anyone, and
generally do not make yourself an annoyance to me I might let you go free.
Depends on how bad my mood is by that point.” She felt him shift slightly, his
arm slowly letting go of her neck.
“We’re going to take the path of least
resistance. No guards, as few cameras as possible, and you are not going to let
anyone know anything is amiss in any way. I have zero problem shooting a woman,
but I’d rather not have to drag you around at my heels to break free of here.”

Stars. “Okay,” she said with a wobbly
voice. “Then the best way to go will be back the way that I came.” She had
already killed a guard. This had to be her punishment. She knew it. She had
killed one of her own people so this was the spirits’ way of punishing her. She
was going to be this Craegin’s shield to get free of her people. “I have a
crawler. I came over from one of our other worlds.”

The weapon lowered until it was pressed
into her lower back, right on her spine. At that range he’d never miss, and if
she wasn’t dead she’d definitely be paralyzed. “How many guards between here
and the bay?” he asked. He’d given her a nudge to get her moving, but a hand on
her arm slowed her pace. Adira couldn’t see much of him beyond the one arm down
at his side. But she did notice he seemed to be limping, even dragging one of
his legs slightly.

“None. There was one but he won’t be a
problem.” The physician in her wanted to heal him. She wanted to reach out and
find out what was wrong, but the prudent part of her kicked in and she knew
that would be just plain dumb. She did, however, slow down. She ensured that
she kept a pace that would keep them moving, but wouldn’t push him too far. She
didn’t know what to expect of this Craegin, especially since the female captive
had so easily sold out her people.

“What about the cameras? How many are we
going to have to contend with once we’re past the holding areas?” The pressure
of the weapon on her spine eased a little. She knew it was still there, but he
wasn’t digging it in any longer. He might be injured, but she didn’t think for
one moment he wasn’t aware of everything around him.

“None.” She had disabled them so that she
could wheel the body out and dispose of it. Why hadn’t she thought to reenable
them? “I had disabled them,” she told him. “I had been so caught up in my own
mind that I forgot to reenable them,” she added honestly. “My crawler is the
one closest to the exit doors as well, so there shouldn’t be anyone in the bays
that will see us as that side is blocked from view by my crawler.”

“Good,” he grunted out. Suddenly his hand
came up to her arm, pulling her to a stop. “Shh,” he hissed. The pressure of
the weapon was back for a moment as the sound of boots on the tiled hall could
be heard. They faded a few minutes later, and he released her arm. “Go.”

She nodded and went. There was something
about his touch. It was odd. She didn’t focus on it, though. Instead, she
concentrated on getting through this alive.

She made several twists and turns, being
stopped a few times by the rather large male that held a weapon at her head,
and finally they were before the bay doors. “When we enter we need to be fast.
Get on my crawler. I need to make a call to the booth. There is audio as well
as visual so you will have to stand far to the left behind a console and have
to trust me. I really don’t want to die, so I will get you out of here.” She
would have somehow gotten him free anyway because she didn’t believe in the
tortures her people were inflicting upon this male.

His hand was on her arm again, holding
tight. “Say or do the wrong thing when you talk to them and you won’t live long
enough to make another mistake. If need be I can fly this thing out of here,
but I’d really rather not have to do it with your blood all over the console.”
He gave a light but firm squeeze of her arm, then let go. “Move,” he said under
his breath.

She nodded and moved as quickly as his
pace would allow to her crawler. The medical insignia on the side denoted it to
be the head of their Medical Ministry, her. Her hand to the panel at the side
had the doors sliding open and engines starting. She explained, “I’m still a
doctor. My crafts need to be able to go the moment I get in, just in case of an
emergency.”

No words came from him, just a grunt. A
hard hand landed on her shoulder as soon as they stepped into the crawler. She
could see the weapon out of her periphery as it was sweeping around the space.
He was ensuring they were alone in the small craft. The hand eased and gave her
the smallest of pushes toward the cockpit as the doors sealed behind them with
a hiss of air.

Adira settled into the pilot’s seat and
strapped in. Looking back at the male, she viewed him for the first time. He
was large and impressive, handsome even. He was also severely injured. “Stand
just to the left there,” she told him as she pointed to a console. “Now,
please. They are beeping to get through.” She adjusted herself slightly, and
when he was hidden pulled up the view screen. “Sorry that took so long,
gentlemen. I had to take another call. I have an emergency on Talaxia five. I
need clearance to scuttle quickly.”

The man on the screen was looking around
the inside of her cockpit. “Likely a good thing you’re getting out of here now,
Doc. Sounds like there’s an escapee in one of the wards. No clue how the freak
got loose, but he’s extremely dangerous. He’s killed three of our men already,
the spirits only know what he’d do to a woman,” he said. The hangar bay doors
began to open. “You are clear for departure. Head straight out, and stay in the
lane until you clear the beacons. Safe journeys.”

“Thank you.” She winced. Oh God, had he
really killed three men? Or was the man she killed one of those? She closed off
the view screen, then looked back. “You might want to hold on to something.”
She began to move her crawler into place and took off as quickly as she
typically would in any emergency situation.

Ten minutes later they were free of the
planet and she looked to him once more. “Where are we headed?” She knew that he
had said to a planet where his people could pick him up, but she had no idea
where.

Easing around the equipment board he’d
hidden behind, the Craegin male came forward. He leaned over the console to
input some coordinates. “There,” he said. “Set the autopilot, and then we’re
going to check the rest of this crawler over.” There wasn’t a whole lot left to
check, except for the kitchenette, a tiny medical bay, the small sleeping
quarters, and the bathing room that approximated to less than a closet amount
of space. Crawlers were meant for short runs, not for comfort. Beyond that
there was a storage area, but it wasn’t accessible from inside, only from the
exterior of the craft.

Once she’d set the autopilot, he leaned
in once more to type something else in. A quick glance showed he’d just locked
down the entire panel. Without the code he’d entered she couldn’t call out, or
fly the craft. Which meant she had to keep him alive if she wanted to survive
this. “Stay here,” he ordered. Now that she couldn’t alert anyone to the fact
she was a hostage, he likely felt secure in leaving her in the space. A hard
look from his bright gray eyes under the heavy fall of badly tangled black
hair, and he turned to leave the cockpit.

He had to keep his head lowered to move
through the spaces, being taller than the average Imarian male. She noticed he
was also broader, more heavily muscled than an Imarian. Not that she should be
noticing anything about him, but it was hard not to when he seemed to take up
so much of the space around her.

“Since you have locked everything down
you should let me have a look at your injuries.” She should just let him bleed
to death, but with him having locked her out of her own ship that would end
very badly for her. “It’s beneficial to me for you to survive. The least I can
do is tend to your injuries. I am a medical doctor, allow me to assist you.”

A derisive snort was her only answer as
he continued away from her. He disappeared from view a couple of times,
checking out the additional spaces afforded on the craft. Finally he reappeared
from the sleeping quarters and signaled her toward him.

Adira cautiously moved forward. “Yes?”
she asked as she looked up into his gray eyes. They were actually rather
beautiful and ringed with a bright green that captured her interest. Adira
shook her head. No, not her interest, something else. “I have a full medical
bay. It’s very small but it has everything that we could offer. I could close
your wounds and do a scan of your leg to find out what’s wrong with it. If you
will let me?” She couldn’t push him to do as she asked, but she itched to
ensure that he was okay.

“I know what’s wrong with it. I was there
when they did it,” he said. No, it was more of a snarl, given the curl of his lip.
“Inside. You’re going to sit on the edge of the bunk and not move while I clean
up. I need to get the blood off of me so I can evaluate the exact amount of
damage your colleagues inflicted.”

She winced and nodded. “I know that this
isn’t a good time to tell you this.” She settled on the bunk and watched him as
he moved. “And please don’t shoot me for telling you this truth.” She was
chewing her lower lip as she watched him and gasped at the injuries that he
wore. “By the stars, how can you even be mobile?” Gone was what she was going
to tell him about the Craegin female. Instead her medical training kicked in
and she wanted to heal.

He turned a cold look on her as he
dropped the coat and shirt he’d removed to the floor. “Sheer will to not die in
an Imarian testing facility. It’s amazing what the body and mind can do when
the goals are so simple. Do not move,” he warned again. He took the pistol, and
one other she hadn’t realized he had, and set them inside the shower—up high so
they wouldn’t get wet, and where he could easily reach them but she couldn’t.
He turned on the water and dropped his pants. No warning, no closing the small
sliding door, nothing. Down they went, and a moment later his ass disappeared
behind the sliding pane of the enclosement.

Adi simply watched him. Her mouth had
gone suddenly dry and her mind went places that an Imarian held captive by a
Craegin should never go. He was stunning. His height was massive, over two
meters tall, easily, and his build was thick but it was the markings on his
body that captured her attention. Well, that and the musculature and his ass.
By the mother, his ass was impressive. “I’m sorry that you were taken,” she
told him honestly. “There was a Craegin female that was held there as well.” Please
don’t let them be related, she prayed.

“So I’d heard.” His words were barely
loud enough for her to hear. “She was the one feeding your people information
about us. Once I’m back I’ll be ensuring that anything we’d done prior is never
done the same again. I will not allow our people to be easy prey for you sick
freaks.”

“How did you know?” she asked with a
frown and tilt of her head. “Yes, she has been feeding my people information
for years, from what I surmised. They are sick.” She mumbled that last part.
She didn’t protest on the sick freaks comment,
because he had that right. Sadly. Her people weren’t supposed to ever take
prisoners of war and abuse them as this man had been abused. “She watched. She
took glee in telling me that when they did their first procedure on you she was
able to watch. I’m so sorry.” Her people had a lot to answer for, but not every
being who was Imarian was a sick freak, as he had stated.

“It’s amazing what we can hear in that
place. They figure since we’re all going to die they don’t need to watch their
words.” She watched him tip his head back, his face into the spray. He was tall
enough that his shoulders, neck, and head were above the partition. The water
shut off a moment later, and he shook his head before slicking his hair back
from his face. He locked eyes with her as he pushed the partition aside and
stepped out to collect a towel.

“Holy mother,” she whispered a moment
before she turned her face from him. He was…there weren’t words to describe the
perfection of this man. Even with the injuries that he had sustained he was
impressive. Her gaze had gone straight to his cock and she had to bite her lip
at the memory of that brief glance. He was soft, but his shaft hung low and was
thick. He was very large, all over, and he made her heart do things that no
Imarian had ever made her do before.

She could hear him toweling off. A soft clunk
sounded, and she shot him a look to see he’d collected the laser pistols. The
towel was wrapped around his waist, barely covering everything of importance.
He was peering into the mirror on the wall, twisting this way and that to get a
look at all the damage done. His back was a mass of bruises, as were his legs
and arms. His chest had some bruising, but older from the colors she could see.
Fresh nicks and cuts were all over his body. The leg he’d been favoring,
though, looked the worst. His leg looked as if there was a heavy bruise that
was practically fully black from his knee up to somewhere under the towel. She
cringed at the sight. The pain that he was in had to be terrible. She hurt for
the man. Obviously someone had repeatedly struck that leg.

“Will you please let me scan your leg at
least? I know you have no reason at all to trust me, with what they did to you,
but I need you to understand that it’s hurting me to see you hurting,
especially since I can do something about it.” She wanted to help him. He could
think all that he wanted about her people, but seeing him injured was hurting
her. She had never hurt before like this. It was as if she could feel his pain.

He turned his head slowly to give her a
look. She could practically see him thinking through all the options,
considering every angle, and coming to a decision. With a small jerk of his
head he gave her permission. “I need something to wear. This towel is not
exactly comfortable over the wounds inflicted on a certain part of my anatomy.
I need pants at the very least, but a shirt wouldn’t be amiss either.”

“I should have a medical uniform that
will fit you.” She pointed to the drawer to his left. “There should be one in
there. It might be a bit short on you but the male who wore it was rather
overweight, so it should fit across your chest. I hope.” She winced and chewed
her lip again. “I’m so sorry.” She seemed to continue to say that to him, but
there weren’t enough words to tell him just how horrified she was that her
people had done this to him.

“Your words hold no meaning to me,
Imarian, so you may as well quit spouting them,” he said coldly with his eyes
narrowed. Digging through the drawer, he pulled out pants and slipped them on.
They were definitely short, only coming down to the top of his calves. He was a
lot taller than the average Imarian, and definitely taller than her coworker.
The shirt he pulled on after dropping the towel to the floor. It was definitely
tight, but he seemed to have no loss of movement. “Good enough,” he muttered.

She nodded. “We should go into the
medical bay. There’s a handheld scanner there and I can check to ensure that
they didn’t break the bone. If they have, then I can put you into an air cast
to help ease the pain.” Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “Are you going
to be okay if I get up and go get medical ready for you?”

His head whipped around to look at her.
“We’ll go together,” he said. He picked up one of the laser pistols and quickly
took it apart, dropping the parts, except for the power source, into the
disposal unit. He picked up the other one, but kept it down at his leg as he
waved her out into the corridor.

“Okay.” She moved away from the large
Craegin and toward medical bay. Looking over her shoulder she saw him following
slowly behind her. Once that was done she pulled down supplies. “If you will
have a seat on the bay bed there? I will scan you from head to toe. I would
feel much better knowing that you are at least mostly healed before you go to
your people.”

He eyed her up and down for a long moment
before moving to the bed. Easing up on it slowly, he let out a hissing breath.
Not that his face showed any of his discomfort, though. Once he was laying down
she moved closer to him and saw he still had one hell of a grip on the weapon.

“I won’t hurt you. I know you have no
reason at all to believe me but I will not hurt you,” she assured him. “It’s
not who I am. I’m a healer,” she told him quietly. “Oh this is not good.” She
paused the scan over his knee and bit her lower lip. “It looks as if they have
dislocated your knee. I can set it and that will ease much of your pain.”

The Craegin gave her a grunt, but didn’t
move. Adira was going to take that as acceptance of the help she was offering.
He also didn’t shoot her, so that was a huge plus. “Apparently not all your healers have the same beliefs as you
do.”

“I can’t speak for them, only me. I can’t
believe that they did this. We have laws in place for a reason.” She was
muttering as she spoke to him. “No one is supposed to ever be subjected to the
pain and suffering that you were submitted to. For that I am so sorry. I want
to kill my people for doing this.” Especially in her facility. She was not
pleased at all.

The look on his face said he didn’t
believe her. “If you plan on fixing my leg, sooner would be appreciated. I’ll
need all the time possible to heal before we reach our destination. Especially
since it won’t be in friendly territory, for you.”

“You aren’t going to put me off at a
neutral planet?” she asked with a frown and sat back on her heels on the floor
in front of him. “Oh stars.” She was so totally screwed. She was never going to
live through this one. “Okay.” At least she could set his knee and help him
heal, that was what she could do.

“There are no neutral planets anymore,”
he said. “There are only ones slightly less hostile than the others. The one
we’re aiming for is the least hostile around. But if your brethren weren’t so
determined to exterminate us we wouldn’t have this problem. Would we?” he asked
with a hard look at her.

Sadly he had a point there, but she
didn’t say anything. Instead Adi worked on his leg, then passed him a medical
hypospray. “You should give this to yourself to help you with your healing.
It’s only vitamins, it shouldn’t harm you.”

He took the hypospray, looking it over a
moment, then tossed it aside. “No drugs, nothing from an Imarian. I’ve been
given more shots since my arrival than I have in my entire life. No more.

Especially something I didn’t load myself from supplies I trust. Fix my leg, or
move so I can get up.”

She nodded and put her hand on his knee.
“It’s going to hurt,” she told him only a moment before she popped his knee
back into place. “So sorry,” she said once more and moved back. Standing, she
looked over him. “No drugs, then. Sorry I offered them to you.” Maybe she
should drug herself and be done with it.

He hadn’t even flinched. Either his pain
was already so great he hadn’t felt what she’d done, or he was so well trained
he’d been able to hide the reaction. She had a feeling it might have been a
little of both. Easing to a sitting position, he swung his legs over the side
of the bed and slowly put weight onto his leg. “Better,” he muttered. “You
really shouldn’t be apologizing to anyone, especially your enemy. It leaves you
in a weakened position, more so than you currently are in.”