Caleb’s Avenger (Space
Warriors 8)
Laird watched his family die. The tragic event
turned him into a man obsessed with revenge. Determined to reach beneath the
surface, Caleb tries to learn Laird’s secrets, but he ends up in mess after
mess after Laird leaves him in the middle of different disasters. Will Caleb
see through Laird’s lies in time to save his life?
Available at SirenBookstrand
http://www.bookstrand.com/calebs-avenger
http://www.bookstrand.com/calebs-avenger
Story Excerpt:
He
took a deep breath and forced stiff muscles to loosen. He needed to keep a low
profile. That reminder helped him focus. Ready to face the stranger head-on,
Laird looked up and froze.
None
of his thoughts connected to his brain. It was like the bridge was blocked by a
handsome face that made all those around him look like sad, wilting weeds.
Those strong, chiseled features belonged more on a statue. This stranger was a
prime specimen of warrior. Laird’s heart beat faster as his throat became dry.
Nerve endings sizzled to life, stirring his cock awake. He swallowed. No one
had ever elicited such a response from him.
“How
about we go somewhere and talk about your hobby?” Mixed within the words was a
promise for something more than a conversation.
Standing
on the street and being shocked by the turn of events almost had Laird nodding,
then following behind the warrior like some pet shop whore. The confusion wore
off and he remembered the reason he was waiting.
“No.
I don’t go anywhere with strangers.” This time he forced a glare. Laird just
needed to keep reminding both of them that they were nothing more than
strangers.
The
stranger nodded in approval, which only annoyed him more. Like he needed this
man’s approval for anything, but that’s not what bothered him. Laird had liked
receiving it. How long had it been since someone complimented him?
“I’m
Lieutenant Caleb Crestforth, the Defiant’s first officer.” He held out a hand.
“And you are?”
The
hand edged closer. He cringed back, acting like the approaching arm was a
flaming torch that wanted to set his body on fire.
“Someone
not interested in exchanging names with you.” His response met another of
Caleb’s nods of approval.
“Good.
Not a pushover.” Caleb gave him a half smile.
Now
he was even more annoyed, not something he thought possible. “Look here. Others
might appreciate your approval, but not me.”
Muscles
flexed before Caleb folded both arms over his chest. Laird took a step back and
waited for the fist, ready to drop to the ground to avoid it before running
away.
“You
think I’m going to hit you?”
He
rolled his eyes. “I put nothing past you, stranger.” He let the word stranger
roll slowly off his tongue. Laird might know this man’s name, but that wasn’t
enough to make him anything more than a stranger.
Just
before Caleb could reply, heavy footsteps stopped him.
“We
found you.”
Laird
froze. He recognized the cruelty without having to see the man’s face. He’d
been so preoccupied with Caleb that he forgot to watch for the real bad guys.
Three men approached from behind, and with Caleb blocking his front, Laird felt
trapped.
This
was all Caleb’s fault. He shook the blame away. Thinking like that wouldn’t
help him. Besides, this stranger was a warrior and most likely Warsarian.
Unlike Laird, if it came down to a fight, Caleb could take care of himself.
Warsarians had a reputation of cold ruthlessness. They were the deadliest
warriors in the universe. That gave him a wicked idea, but his survival always
came first. He had two important reasons to get out of this mess alive and,
hopefully, unharmed.
“Boss,
they found us,” Laird said as he turned to face Caleb. He batted his eyelashes
at the Warsarian. The shocked expression on the warrior’s face made him a
little more devilish. He gave the warrior a mischievous wink before turning to
the men that worked for Taurus.
“Go
away before my boss”—not sure if the men were as stupid as all of Taurus’s
lackeys, he pointed his thumb at the man behind him—“Caleb Crestforth gets
angry. You don’t want to see him angry,” he warned, knowing full well that
these men would be drawn in by his words and not chased away by the threat of
death. Some people had no survival skills. Caleb was a fierce warrior. His mere
physical appearance would’ve sent smart men running away.
The
men stared at his “boss.” Their eyes narrowed as they ignored him and
surrounded Caleb. Laird took a step back and placed Caleb between him and his
would-be attackers. Men this stupid couldn’t see the dangerous warrior ready to
rip heads off. Laird slowly backed away. He never wanted to face Caleb’s anger,
and right now, he was the only one that Caleb should be angry with. Rather than
wait for the warrior to figure that out, Laird continued backing up.
“What
are you planning?” Caleb asked.
He
gave Caleb a sad smile, but the warrior only had eyes for the threat looming
closer. Laird liked the handsome, overfriendly stranger, but Caleb needed to
learn not to talk to strangers. The world was full of men that would screw a
man over like he’d just done.
“I’ll
head back to our ship.” Then he added a larger nail to Caleb’s coffin. “The
Defiant has everything onboard. Take your time and play.”
Caleb
turned briefly to glare at him, but Laird wasn’t sure what made the warrior
angrier. It could’ve been the way Laird tossed him to Taurus’s goons without
explaining the situation, or perhaps it was giving away the name of Caleb’s
ship.
Since
the Warsarians had arrived with the Elvarian king, warships floated in space,
orbiting above the atmosphere, and docked on the planet. Taurus’s men would
look for the Defiant, but they had to search through a lot of areas to find it.
If their attackers managed to escape, they’d go after Caleb’s ship. No matter
the outcome, these men would spend more time trying to get the better of each
other while Laird focused on fixing his ship and destroying Taurus.
Laird
slowly backed up. He met Caleb’s glare and smiled. He mouthed the words thank
you. The warrior rolled his eyes and nodded. Caleb wasn’t angry. He seemed to
want him far away from the fighting. Now, he wanted to stay. Under normal
circumstances, he might have done just that, but his two reasons for getting
away were more important than anyone or anything else. As Laird turned the
corner, Caleb, strong and magnificent, readied for battle. Taurus’s men didn’t
stand a chance.
Adult Excerpt:
“What
are you feeling?” Caleb asked.
When
he looked up, the warrior’s eyes had turned from warm honey to the color of
blood. “I’m not feeling anything,” Laird said. The lie tasted like lemon juice
on his tongue.
Caleb
arched an eyebrow. “So if I were to lean in, what would you do?”
Caleb
moved closer. Laird found it hard to breathe. He turned his head and Caleb
pressed his nose against Laird’s neck.
“Do
you like this?”
Caleb’s
warm breath tickled his skin. Then lips pressed into the crook of his neck.
“You
have a lifemate,” Laird said, trying to remind his brain why this couldn’t go
any further. “You’re not free to pursue more.” While Laird wanted to spend his
nights getting to know the warrior, his heart would get too attached. The
attraction sizzled between them. He needed to sever the bond before it ripped
out his heart.
“Yes,
I do have a lifemate.” Large hands pushed back his hair. “The color is
beautiful, almost white, and so soft.”
The
gentleness in Caleb’s tone seemed so alien coming from such a strong man. His
heart thumped painfully inside of his chest.
“The
moment I saw you on the street, I needed to know more. When I got closer, I
knew that you were mine.”
Laird
froze. It couldn’t be true? He shook his head, refusing to let the dream grow
into something real.
“Ask?”
Caleb’s voice lost a little of the gentleness. The commanding tone forced Laird
to look into the warrior’s blood-red eyes.
“I
can’t.”
“Yes,
you can.”
“No.
If I’m wrong, I don’t want to know.”
“What
if you’re right?”
Laird
shook his head. “Can’t take that chance.”
“Yes,
you can. Now, ask.”
He
was helpless against Caleb’s intensity. “Who is your lifemate?”
Caleb’s
hands pressed into the sides of his face, holding it still. “You are, Laird. I
protect what’s mine. No one will ever hurt you.”
Caleb
leaned closer. Their lips touched and Laird forgot how to breathe. The warmth
penetrated him and he felt it down to his toes. Just when Laird thought he
would never find his way back, the lips were gone. He groaned out a weak
protest, but before he could voice his objection, Caleb was pushing him back
toward the bed. Laird went like an eager student ready to learn everything he
could about the warrior that walked into his life and gave him hope.
Hands
pulled off his loose tunic.
“I
want your clothes off.”
Laird
nodded in agreement. Skin-to-skin was what they both needed.
“I
want you so bad my cock aches for relief,” Caleb admitted.
“Then
there’s no problem. I want you deep inside, opening my ass up, and filling me.”
Laird was being brazen, considering he wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. Oh,
his body wanted to be claimed, but he still had unfinished business on
Elvarian. Until Taurus paid, he couldn’t be selfish. But it was only one night.
Before he second guessed his decision, Laird’s back landed on the bed. Then
Caleb was on top of him.
The
warrior’s weight was a comfort that left Laird longing for more. He wrapped his
arms around Caleb’s neck and pulled the warrior closer. Warmth nibbled along
his ear and Laird was panting. His arms landed at his side on the mattress.
Fingers moved down his chest, rubbing at his nipples. He threw back his head
and tried to suck in air. Breathing had become nearly impossible.
“That’s
it. Show me how much you like to be touched.” Caleb’s voice had Laird arching
off the bed. “For days, you’ve wanted this. Every morning, I smelled your
desire.” Caleb pressed his lips to Laird’s neck before moving up to his ear and
whispering, “I’m going to ride your ass and drown on your moans.”
He
let out a low groan and a whispered, “Please.” He needed Caleb like he needed
air. He rubbed his fingers over hard muscles and purred in delight. This man
was all power, and he belonged to Laird.
As
if sensing his thoughts, Caleb’s teeth bit lightly down on his chest. It hurt a
little and brought Laird back down.
“If
we do this, you will be mine. Not for one night, but forever.”
A
part of him hoped that was true, but the cynical part knew forever didn’t
exist. People died, betrayed, and left him. Still, no one had ever made him
feel this wanted. Not trusting his voice, he nodded, but that wasn’t good
enough. Caleb’s red eyes demanded a verbal response.
“Yes,
please.” He felt his skin darken. When Caleb chuckled, Laird relaxed. Fingers
ripped at his pants, and he heard the fabric tearing at the seams.
“Now,
I’m going to have to walk the corridors flashing my naked ass.”
Caleb
growled and he shivered in response. That sound would have frightened him
coming from anyone else, but this was Caleb above him. His cock jerked at the
possessive tone, as it demanded to be owned. Little bumps danced across his
skin as his body readied for more.
“‘Lifemate’
means you’re mine. I’m the only one that will see your naked ass.” Caleb’s
hands slid beneath him. Fingers grabbed his ass and squeezed before pulling him
onto the warrior’s lap. Those fingers continued to knead his rear, turning him
on even more. Caleb pulled both cheeks apart. Cool air danced across his
opening. Then a finger rubbed against the sensitive entrance.
“I’m
going to be in here soon, claiming you.”
That’s
what Laird was hoping for. He nibbled on his bottom lip as Caleb pulled him
closer. He lay against his mate’s chest while still straddling Caleb’s muscular
thighs. One of them was overdressed, and it wasn’t him.
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