Gates of Rapture (Guardians of Ascension 6)

He took a few steps toward her. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not. I’m lonely as hell, but that’s not your problem.”

“James shouldn’t have brought you here. I can see that it’s taken a toll on you.”

She laughed. “Well, that was my fault. He asked me, and I jumped at the chance to do something different. I haven’t lived the most stable life, just so you know.”

She returned to the observation deck, and he followed.

She touched a panel on the wall and a computer emerged. She fired it up, took several looks at the portal, then typed in what Casimir supposed was her report.

She then moved to the steel gates.

He didn’t want to let her go. He could see that she was hurting, maybe even embarrassed. He wanted to do something for her, at least to reassure her, but she waved her hand over the steel lock to the left of the door, and the gate slid open. He reached a hand out to her, but she stepped through and waved. The gate closed.

He realized that his millennia of seduction hadn’t exactly prepared him for handling a real relationship with a woman.

“Well, shit,” he muttered.

* * *

That afternoon, Grace had just finished her first meal of the day when Leto got word that Endelle wanted them both at the palace. Alison was ready to work with Grace on her obsidian flame power, and Thorne was busy setting up a temporary command HQ in the middle of the palace’s central rotunda. It would seem that Endelle and Thorne both believed a decisive battle with Greaves was on the horizon.

After dressing in soft black yoga pants and a loose blue cotton top that gathered at the hips, Grace folded with Leto to the palace. He held her hand the entire way, and it was so strange to feel what her hand felt like to him. She could sense his external sensations, which had been a bizarre experience upon awakening. His arm had been draped over her waist and stomach, so that when he began touching her, she could feel how soft her skin was to his callused warrior fingers.

Of course, he had made love to her, a very quick and erotic experience because of the extraordinary nature of the breh-hedden. It seemed to take so little to become thoroughly aroused, which she could see had terrific benefits. But at other times, she had no doubt it would be very inconvenient.

As Grace materialized on the landing platform in what she recognized as the dining room rotunda of the palace, Alison was there to greet them both. The blond beauty looked tall and elegant as always, her hair pulled back in a twist. She wore navy slacks and a lavender silk blouse. She gave Grace a hug. “Welcome home,” she said. “You were in so much pain at the contest grounds that I’m not even sure I welcomed you home.”

Grace smiled. “Yes, my head really hurt, and you helped me so much. Thank you again.”

“How are you feeling now?”

“I’m fine now, really.” She glanced up at Leto. “We’ve taken care of the problem.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

Grace felt Alison’s compassion like a wave flowing toward her. Everything about Alison brought a sense of peace and rightness with the world.

Alison turned to Leto and extended her hand to him. When he took it, she grew very still as she searched his face. “It’s wonderful to see you like this, Leto, so relaxed. And like Thorne, you’ve lost that pinched look about the eyes that both of you carried all those years.”

He glanced at Grace. “My breh has come home.”

Alison glanced from one to the other, still holding Leto’s hand, perhaps reading him as an empath might. “Oh, I see what it is. I almost missed it, but you’ve completed the breh-hedden, haven’t you?”

“Yes,” Leto said. “We both felt it was necessary.”

She nodded, releasing his hand. “This is the time to go with your instincts.”

Leto dipped his chin, and his expression grew serious. “Alison, I know that we’ve never spoken of it, but I can’t tell you how sorry I was that Greaves forced you to do battle with me in the Tolleson Two arena. My duties serving Greaves had always been a nightmare, but I think from that moment, when I saw you standing opposite me, so inexperienced, so frightened yet brave, I knew I had to end my tour of duty under his command. I’m just so sorry it had to happen at all.”

Alison’s eyes welled with tears. “It was a beginning for both of us, Leto. But I have to say that despite the horror of that battle, given all the wonderful things that followed, I wouldn’t change a thing. Knowing and loving Kerrick, having a baby with him, being close to all the warriors and their brehs as I am, even having a place in this world that makes sense to me because of my powers, no, I don’t regret any of it. Not even battling you in that arena.”

Grace watched Leto smile. She even felt some of the tension ease from his body. And as hard as it was for her to speak the words into his mind, Grace sent them anyway: You should hug her, Leto. I think just this one time it would be very acceptable and good for you both.

Leto glanced at her, brows raised. Are you sure?

Grace nodded.

Leto turned back to Alison and opened his arms. She stepped into them and held him tight. Grace ignored the fiery rise of her breh jealousy. Instead, she focused on the healing that she could feel happening between them. Leto had been through so much, and given his deepest character, the trial of battling Alison like that would have cut him to the quick.

Of course, it was no surprise that the landing platform came alive and Kerrick’s voice boomed over them all. “What the f**k is going on here?” He stomped down the ramp, his green eyes flashing with anger.

Grace instinctively drew close to Leto.

As for Alison, she pulled away from Leto wiping her eyes and laughing. “I suppose it was too much to hope for.” She went straight to her breh, however, cutting off his hostile approach. She surrounded him with her arms and kissed him deeply.

Grace turned toward them and watched Alison shoving her fingers into Kerrick’s hair, dislodging his cadroen, kissing him again. Undoubtedly, she was speaking a long string of words into his mind.

At last, Kerrick released her. He had calmed down quite a bit. He took her arm, after which Alison brought him back to Leto.

Leto just shook his head. “We were talking about the arena battle. I was apologizing.”

Kerrick nodded, his eyes haunted. “It was a hard day.”

“I’m so sorry, Kerrick,” Leto said.

“I wanted your death, but Alison wouldn’t have it. She was much wiser than all of us that day.”