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СКАЧАТЬ cleric stepped on my hand as he walked away, crushing the already aching digits into the cold, hard floor of the cell. “Let him suffer. Perhaps in the morning he’ll be ready to talk.”

      They were hoping I’d do just that. But I wouldn’t. The only other Alerans alive who knew about Trinity, Faith and Destiny were the Jax guard who’d been injured—and, with Faith’s help, hopefully recovered—and the assassin who escaped. Everyone else was dead. No consort, no other guards. I doubted these men knew of the injured one. Perhaps were aware of Lord Thordis Jax’s involvement, but doubtful. Definitely not of Prime Nial’s request for my help.

      As for the assassin? I’d recognized him from my time in the Coalition Fleet. He’d worked in their Intelligence Core. He’d killed Hive, mowing them down without remorse. Among other things.

      He was very good at killing.

      I never knew his name. Had never asked. But I’d been happy to have him at my back or watching over an op through a sniper’s scope. And now? Was he working for the clerics? One of the royal cousins? Lord Jax?

      If he’d been sent by the asshole leaving me here to rot, I doubted they’d be torturing me for information. They would already know who the sisters were. Where they were from. When they’d arrived.

      They appeared to know nothing, only became aware of them once the spires lit. Which meant my mate had more enemies than I knew about. And the assassin was still out there.

      The cleric had shown me vids of my EMV, of the females as they exited the vehicle, their faces intentionally hidden. They’d even captured the look of disbelief on my face the moment Destiny stunned me before pushing me out. Luckily, the door of the EMV had obscured the camera’s view, the females’ faces remaining hidden. But I couldn’t lie and tell the cleric I knew nothing. The citadel guards hadn’t seen Faith’s or Destiny’s faces, but they were eyewitnesses to my stunned ass landing on the ground, the door closing, and the females driving through the energy field that surrounded the citadel. Their dash inside. The way the spires illuminated after they entered the sacred building. And worst of all, Trinity, standing proudly facing all of us, giving us her name. Her true name.

      Trinity Herakles, royal heir, daughter of Queen Celene. And she was my mate.

      I was the only one who could give these brutes answers. Yet, I had none. Or only a few. I realized now that was intentional. Trinity had kept secrets. For my own good? Was the stubborn female trying to protect me?

      They were from Earth. Trinity had the Aleran Ardor, which meant she was at least part Aleran.

      But the spires? The lights? The females were royalty. Their ages were right for them to be Queen Celene’s daughters… but could that be true? Was my Trinity actually Princess Trinity, as she had claimed? She was the eldest, and I’d seen the other two defer to her on more than one occasion. But a princess? The royal heir?

      Heavy footfalls reverberated through my cheek and ear where I had them pressed to the floor as the giant followed his master out of the room. The cell door slid shut behind them. I was alone.

      Earlier in my captivity, I’d checked out the small space for any means of escape. There was nothing of use. No cameras, no knobs. Smooth walls and floor, fortified door. There was nothing but the stark, white light that shined brightly to prevent me from truly resting. How long had I been trapped here? How long had Trinity been alone? I had no idea what day it was, how much time had passed since I’d been captured.

      I used my feet to push myself across the floor to the thin mattress in the corner. It wasn’t soft, but it would keep the cold from seeping into my bones—my broken bones. I would spend the hours until dawn thinking of Trinity.

      Reaching between my thighs, I gripped my cock through my pants, stroked it. It was hard… it would remain that way even beaten and bloody. For her. The slight hint of pleasure, of heat that sparked through me at my shifting grip, was my only sense of relief in all the misery.

      “You just can’t stop playing with that big cock, can you?”

      That voice. So sweet, so sassy. So mine.

      “Trinity,” I whispered, stroked harder.

      “Yeah, if I had that beast between my legs, I’d probably touch it, too.”

      I blinked, tried to see, but the vision before me was blurry and my eyelids were still swollen. I saw the outline of a female, pale hair. I took a deep breath, even with the pain in my lungs. Flowers. She smelled like flowers.

      “Trinity,” I repeated. I was dreaming of her now. Was I that close to death? Was the Goddess granting me a dying wish to see my mate before me once again?

      “What did they do to you?” she asked, and I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder, down my cheek. I leaned into the heat of it, the softness.

      Such a good dream.

      “I won’t tell them. I promise, mate.”

      “Oh, Leo. You’re so strong. So brave. You can stop now.”

      I pushed to sit up, winced. “Never! I won’t stop until you are safe.”

      I couldn’t see, couldn’t do anything but fight back. I would not die.

      “Shhh,” she crooned to me. “That’s it. Lie back down. Yes, Leo, listen to me, your mate’s voice. Good. I’m going to put this little transport button on you and we’ll be out of here. You might have saved me back at that penthouse, but it’s my turn to save you right back.”

      “Trinity?” I croaked.

      “That’s it. Time to get out of here.”

      I felt a hard press on my shoulder, then a soft, small hand in mine.

      The familiar sizzle and pull of a transport tugged at me, but I wouldn’t believe it. I’d looked for an escape and knew there was none.

      I was dreaming. I was dying. Yet my mate was here. My dream had come true.

      When the ice-cold twisting of transport came to an end, I was awake. In agony, but more aware. Of her. “Trinity.” I reached for her, blindly. Found softness. Held tight.

      “He needs help… now!” my mate shouted.

      It was no longer cold, but I was still on a hard floor. I could hear the quick footfall of many people, the immediate ease of pain in my face, my leg. Blinking, I could see out of one eye now. The blue glow of a ReGen wand was my first sight, but as it passed back and forth, I saw Trinity. Really saw her.

      Blonde hair. Blue eyes dark with worry. Pink lips. So kissable. Her clothes were different than I remembered. She wore a warrior’s uniform. Coalition Fleet issue. Armored. An ion blaster in her hand. And she looked beautiful. Perfect. Unharmed.

      Fragile. Small. Weak. How dare she risk breaking into the cleric’s building?

      “What have you done, mate? Why are you dressed as a warrior?”

      “Shhh. Don’t worry about me. You’re the one in trouble here.”

      “You,” I said. My throat was so dry, I was hoarse. “No. Get away from me. You’re in danger.”

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