Colliding Worlds Trilogy 01 - Collision Read online

  Apolo watched each member of his trinity in turn. “I will always do what is best for my people. And, it is in their best interest that I made my decision. From this point forward, the Sephians on this world will be led jointly by both Sienna and me. If she accepts, I pledge my support to Sienna as the joint leader of the Sephians on Earth.”

  Sienna’s jaw dropped. Hubbeda, hubbeda, hubbeda. She came shakily to her feet and faced Apolo. “Co-leader?” Her adrenaline pumped through her veins, more than during any mission, more than the attack.

  “Sephians are a matriarchal society. It is time to bring a female to helm on this world. It brings strength to our troops. In addition, I believe bringing a human into our ranks reinforces us and shows our commitment to integration. And I have every confidence that your tahren will serve as a suitable consort and first of your own trinity.”

  Legian rose, and then took a knee before her. Taking her trembling fingers in his, he laid a kiss on her hand. “I will serve you with honor, my tahren.”

  “I-I don’t know what to say.” And she didn’t. Of all the words out of Apolo’s mouth, that was not what she expected.

  “Do you accept this responsibility?” Apolo asked.

  She looked around the room. Every eye was on her. She had always been a loner. An introvert. This kind of responsibility should belong to someone who was bred for it, not some country girl who played Xbox and read romance novels. But she also didn’t believe in coincidences. Legian crashing in her back yard was the first step leading to where she now stood today. Somehow she already knew that even if she failed, this was something she was meant to do.

  She squeezed Legian’s hand before looking back to Apolo. “I graciously accept this honor.”

  Apolo walked over and held out his arm, and they sealed the pact Sephian style, clasping each other’s forearms.

  “According to Sephian traditions, we must each have our trinity, a body of three minds to guide and discuss all topics of importance.” Apolo turned to Bente, then Nalea. “You each must choose to either stay on my trinity or begin a new trinity with Sienna. The choice is yours.”

  Bente didn’t even pause. He came to his feet and grasped Apolo’s arm. “I’m still with you.” He gave her a slight tilt of the head, and then sat back down.

  That didn’t surprise her in the least. Bente had been with Apolo since the beginning. So had Legian. She knew it would’ve crushed Apolo to lose his two closest friends in a matter of seconds. Relieved that Ben chose right, she turned her attention onto Nalea who sat there for a moment.

  “Nalea, your choice?” Apolo asked.

  After what seemed like an eternity, she stood and clasped Apolo’s arm. “I have been honored serving on your trinity, Apolo. And I will always value your leadership and friendship.” Then she stepped back and walked over to Sienna, taking hold of her arm. “I believe I can bring more value by sitting on the trinity of the newest leader of our people. Sienna, if you will have me, I would be honored to serve on your trinity.”

  Sienna pulled her closest friend into a big hug. “Of course I’ll have you, Lea. And I look forward to your guidance, friendship, and honest thoughts.”

  Apolo nodded. “Very well. With Legian and Nalea, you then have one more to make your trinity complete. And I will replenish mine with two.”

  “I know who I’d like my third to be, if that’s okay to do right now.”

  “Of course.”

  Sienna looked at Jax. “Lieutenant Jerrick. Will you join my trinity? With your CO’s approval, of course. Your position and knowledge of the military will be invaluable as we build alliances.”

  Jax narrowed his eyes at her before coming to his feet and giving her a full military salute. “It may take some time while to run it up the chain, but I would like to accept this duty with honor.”

  “Good. Thank you.” She turned to Apolo. “My trinity is complete.”

  He nodded. “You have chosen a good trinity. I believe your counsel will guide you well.” His voice held a hint of respect. “Now, let’s make the announcement and break out the drinks.”

  It was the first time she’d seen Apolo act in any way but official. She didn’t mind the new him.

  She looked back at her tahren who watched her with a look of pure, raw love. She strode over to him and pulled him into a ravenous kiss. Everything that happened wasn’t about her. Sienna may now lead half of the Sephian people, but it was about them and what they could accomplish together.

  One thing was for sure.

  She would see it through to the end. No matter what.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Sienna had never been more stressed in her life. More than the first time she discovered aliens weren’t some made up sci-fi creature from Mars. More than when she left the life she knew behind and went traipsing off into the unknown with one of those aliens. More than when the base was attacked, and she’d nearly been killed. More than any of that.

  She now knew what Atlas must have felt like to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. Of course, her responsibility didn’t come near that. She had one hundred forty three Sephians counting on her, many of whose trust she hadn’t truly earned yet. Her group was a drop in the ocean really, when looking at a world of seven billion. All the same, it twisted her stomach into knots just thinking about it.

  She slouched in the backseat of the SUV, wishing she could fade into the black leather so she wouldn’t have to go back to her cabin. They were already driving down narrow, rough side roads. It wouldn’t be much longer now.

  The truth was she’d never had to be responsible for anyone else but her before. Even with Bobby. He had been away on duty too often and at home too little. It left her to remain carefree and — she hated to admit it — selfish. But suddenly, for the first time in her life, her decisions impacted other lives. Hell, she didn’t even own a dog, afraid of being a lousy pet parent. How was she going to lead a fractured band of homeless aliens? Sienna rubbed her temples, trying to prevent the impending headache of doom climbing the back of her neck. Her greatest fear wasn’t looking bad in front of others. That she could live with. Her greatest fear also wasn’t Apolo realizing he made a mistake in his decision. Or of those closest to her seeing that she couldn’t hack it. Those who had seen and done shit she’d only imagined. Those who would see through her in a heartbeat if she faltered. They would see that she had been faking it all along, that she didn’t have the guts to make the tough calls. No, her greatest fear was that her decisions would lead to death. That was something she wasn’t sure she could handle.

  “Is everything okay?”

  She put on a fake smile and snuggled against Legian’s chest. “First day on the job jitters, that’s all.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “You’ll do fine. Apolo will be there. You won’t be alone. You will never be alone.”

  “And don’t forget you have your kick-ass trinity,” Nalea added from the seat next to her. Sienna laid her hand on her friend’s knee; her smile was warm but didn’t quite reach her dark wraparound protective sunglasses.

  “Yeah,” Sienna mumbled, staring out the window at the passing trees. It was true. She knew she wasn’t alone. With them, she would never feel alone. But she was still leaning on her crutch for support. Except now she replaced her cane for a tripod. While she appreciated the support, she wondered how she’d ever be seen as a leader if she couldn’t stand on her own.

  Legian ran his hands up and down her arms, the friction building a soothing warmth that rubbed out the stress. Closing her eyes, she basked in his touch, and the world slipped away like a leaf flowing downstream.

  After who knew how long, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. “How much farther?”

  “Just a few more minutes,” Jax replied from behind the wheel of the SUV.

  Sienna leaned forward and squeezed his shoulder. “Thanks for driving, Jax.”

  “No problem. I’m a piss-poor backseat driver. I’ll take driving any
day over riding shotgun.”

  “What do we need to do before your father arrives?” Risa asked Jax from the front passenger seat.

  “We’ll need to set up a perimeter in case the news leaked to the Draeken.”

  “It’s awful knowing there’s a spy sneaking around base,” Risa chimed in with a visible shiver. Jax reached over and held his girlfriend’s hand.

  No one spoke. There was nothing to say. They all felt the same. Angry. Frustrated. Powerless.

  It was Jax who broke the silence. “Ace was going to check out the place a couple of days ago, so we should be all set. The cabin and surrounding woods will be secure.”

  “He’s your army buddy, right?” Risa asked.

  “Yes, and I should warn you women. Ace is a bit of a ladies’ man.”

  “This lady’s got her man already.” Sienna pulled Legian’s head down for a sultry kiss.

  “And this lady’s man will kick any other man’s ass who thinks to make her his,” he added after coming up for air.

  A deep chuckle came from the front seat. “I’ll enjoy watching that, my man.”

  Sienna glanced in Nalea’s direction, expecting her to retort with a smart-ass comment. Instead, the woman remained quiet while she looked out the window. Her thoughts seemed to be far away, and Sienna mentally kicked herself for not tracking her down back at the base. The woman needed to get out of her slump. Ever since the base attack, she’d been moping. What had happened to set her friend off?

  “So, Lea,” Sienna said. “If I remember right, we’re due for a girls’ night involving some wine you’ve been hiding in your room.”

  Nalea smiled in response, snapping back to reality. “The wine’s still there, safe and sound.”

  “Then it’s a date.”

  “Are there pillow fights involved in this girls’ night?” Jax asked with a shit-ass grin.

  Risa smacked his arm with a grin.

  Sienna smiled sweetly. “Maybe. It depends how long it takes to clean up after the baby oil wrestling. That reminds me, I need to grab my red string bikini while we’re here.”

  “Can I watch?” Jax asked.

  “Not on your life,” Legian cut in. “Only tahren are allowed to watch.” His lips traced her ear as he whispered, “And I would like to watch that very much.”

  The whisper sent a shudder through her body, and she lovingly pushed against him. “Men. Doesn’t matter what world you’re from. You’re all so easy to play.”

  “We’re here,” Jax called out from the front, his voice turning soldier-serious in a split second.

  The conversation over, she looked out the window, and her heart gave a little jump. Home. Only it wasn’t home. Not anymore. Sienna never thought she’d see the place again. She hadn’t realized how much she missed normalcy until Jax pulled up to the rustic cabin. The place looked exactly how she left it. God, she couldn’t even begin to fathom how homesick the Sephians must be, knowing they never would see their home again.

  Sienna stepped out of the SUV and inhaled the forest air. It was cool, laden with woodsy scent of evergreen. Spring was beginning to show its blooms with winter still hanging on for all it was worth. She walked around the matching SUVs already parked nearby. One of the perks of being a top dog was having resources at her beckoned call to get to the cabin early to cook, clean, and most importantly, prepare security. A girl could get used to that kind of special treatment.

  The general and others weren’t scheduled to arrive until twilight, when the Sephians could cope without dark glasses. She wanted to come early to have some time at the cabin before the party started. But as she stepped through the door, a bustle of activity filled the small space. There hadn’t been this many people here since the construction crew who built the cabin.

  With her mother off touring the world, she’d never found the time to see the house her daughter built for herself. Not that Sienna didn’t expect that. Kat had always made it clear that work was more important. Sienna loved her mother. That was never a question. But her mother wasn’t of the warm and fuzzy variety. She believed good parenting involved exposing children to the ugliness in the world by the time they could walk.

  Once she hit eighteen, her parents were more than ready to ship her off to college. She wanted to stay with them and join their humanitarian crew. They had different ideas. They seemed to think college was a necessity. Considering her an adult, they put Sienna on the first flight back to the States. It was their signature don’t-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out move. Tough love.

  She may not have had a loving childhood, but for the first time in her life she was thankful for her parents. They taught her life was tough. They pounded it through her head that there was life beyond the stars. What would have happened to Legian if he crashed in a skeptic’s back yard? And she’d learned one critical thing while raising herself out of a suitcase: no matter what happened, she could deal with it. It was a lesson she would use over and over again with the Sephians.

  She felt Legian behind her before his touch. That was one of the most amazing things about tahren. She could feel him. And right now, the only feeling she was getting from his was pure, all-embracing love. Exactly what she needed.

  “You are my rock,” she murmured and he wrapped his arms around her.

  “I don’t understand the statement. I don’t consider myself like a stone, although parts of me become hard as one.”

  She twirled in his arms to find his naughty smile and rubbed against him. “I think said body part is proving that point as we speak.”

  “Let’s go for a walk.” He gruffly took her hand and dragged her cave-man style outdoors.

  They walked past at least a dozen guards on their way through the woods, not stopping until they were sure they were alone. Then, suddenly impatient, they pulled and tugged off each other’s clothes. As they kissed, his thumb traced up her thigh. He flicked her clit, toying with her for a moment before plunging a finger inside her. She let out a gasp, which his kiss swallowed. A second finger joined the first, and he thrust inside her. She found herself moving against him, opening up to take more.

  She reached out and gripped him. He groaned, his cock twitching at her touch, and she smiled. He was hers. She stroked him once. Then another. He pulled out of her, and she whimpered. With stares locked, he lifted her just enough to bring her back down to take him completely inside her. She moaned, his hands tightened on her hips. “Legian …”

  “Yes.” His sandpaper voice only amped up her need.

  “Fuck me. Now.”

  Then, oh God, did he ever. He never took his eyes off her. His cock stretched her, but the tightness felt glorious. Sienna grabbed his shoulders and held on tight as he thrust into her. Her legs wrapped around him, he drove deep, over and over until she could no longer focus. Somehow he managed to keep the rhythm as she tossed her head back and free-falled into a climax that brought forth a throbbing burst from Legian’s shaft as he came with her.

  She collapsed onto him. He shuddered, holding her against him as she came back down from the rush. She held onto him for minutes, dropping light kisses on his shoulder until he finally lowered her gently to the ground.

  Sienna pressed a hand against a tree and sighed. “I supposed we have to head back.”

  Legian nodded. “Soon.”

  She smiled as she pulled out her Swiss Army knife and went about carving their initials into the tree. When finished, she closed the blade. “There. I never want to forget this spot.”

  “I assure you that I’ll never forget,” he replied as he pulled on his pants.

  She was so busy admiring his physique, it took her three attempts to pull on her cargos right. Nearly an hour later, they sauntered back into the cabin hand in hand.

  Nalea winked at her. “You still have a branch in your hair.”

  Sienna shrugged. “I guess I better take a shower.”

  “I’ll join you,” Legian said.

  “As long as you behave,” she replied, nud
ging her nose against his neck.

  “Nice to see you two lovebirds could make it,” Jax asked, walking from the kitchen, eating a real, honest-to-goodness cheeseburger.

  Her stomach growled, and she grabbed the half eaten burger from his hand.

  “I was eating that.”

  She took a big bite of the juicy burger. “Perks of leadership,” she said with a very full mouth.

  He shrugged, walked back into the kitchen, returning seconds later with another burger. “The security perimeter has been set up. We have full video. Had it three hours now.”

  She stopped chewing and swallowed with a loud gulp. “Uh, how far out does the perimeter go?”

  He smirked. “Far enough to see which tree you carved your names into.”

  Her cheeks heated into a full blush. They had been bare-ass naked when they carved their names into that old pine. Legian wrapped his arm around her. She could tell he wasn’t the least bit bothered. In fact, he had the balls to smile. A full out yeah-I-nailed-that grin. She let out a drawn out sigh and started to walk down the hallway. Sephians had no problem whatsoever with PDA. “As I said before, men are hopeless.”

  • • •

  Another hour later — because Legian definitely did not behave in the shower — Sienna reached for the doorknob, poised for the meeting. She paused. Looked around.

  Nothing had changed. Everything looked exactly as she’d left it. Surprising, since Jax’s unit — and no doubt the police — had rifled through every square inch of the cabin. Sienna opened the small wood box on the dresser and pulled out the silver charm bracelet. A charm for every trip she and Bobby had taken, a charm for every special occasion. Only a couple of the links had charms. Their time had been cut far too short. When he died, she thought she had, too. Maybe that was the real reason why she built a cabin so far out in the woods. To die alone, hollow.

  And then everything changed. Life went on. She found out her heart was capable of love again. She found out she hadn’t died with Bobby. She had plenty of life left. It had just been buried until grit and grime.