King of Swords Read online

  The man nodded. “You have my thanks.” They moved down the corridor to the ramp before he spoke again. “Are you not mates?”

  David chuckled as they walked. “We only met yesterday, but I have every intention of keeping Adele with me for the rest of our lives. If she’ll have me.” She gasped and looked at him with an expression of joyous surprise that boded well for his chances.

  The other men shook their heads and grinned. “It’s easy to see you are destined mates,” the oldest one said with a twinkle in his eye.

  “Congratulations.”

  * * * *

  After they’d handed their prisoners over to station police, Adele and David reported to the command area to find the CSS officers had been revived and were quickly regaining control over all station systems.

  Adele signed off on the logs, turning command of the station back to its rightful leaders. They had things well in hand when Dave suggested he and Adele seek out The Rabbit Hole to check in with Alex and the men.

  Aside from a short comm assuring Adele that her Aunt Della was fine, the spec ops warriors from the bar had faded away once order was restored. Only the young soldier, Timothy, stayed with the station cops, being lauded for his role in freeing the men who now processed the jit’suku prisoners for trial and most for eventual deportation.

  Only the ringleaders, those who had killed or committed other crimes during the attack, and those with previous warrants would be detained, since there was little loss of life on the station. The rest of the crew would probably be sent back to their own galaxy after an initial holding period while the evidence was sorted.

  Timothy was the hero of the action and both Dave and Adele were happy to see the pride on the young man’s face as he was thanked and congratulated by the station commander. Officially, Adele, Dave and Timothy were going to be credited with assisting the station police in repulsing the jit invaders. Dave had cautioned Tim and Adele not to mention Alex or the other men and they seemed to understand Alex and his team were something that needed to remain secret.

  When Dave and Adele walked into the bar, they were greeted with raised glasses and cheerful words. Adele’s aunt rushed over and hugged them both.

  “Thank you, David, for protecting my niece.”

  “My pleasure, ma’am. And she did more than her share. Without her command codes, the job would have been much more difficult.” He couldn’t help the pride that crept into his voice.

  “Congratulations to you both,” Della said with a tear in her eye.

  “You are going to be so happy on Earth, sweetie.” She hugged her niece while Dave was caught a bit short.

  “You saw us on Earth?”

  Della nodded vigorously. “On a lovely parcel of land in the Middle of North America. With a beautiful family of your own.”

  “Family?” Dave croaked.

  “Yes, my dear nephew.” Della took his hand in both of hers and stroked the back comfortingly. Her voice dropped even lower as her next words floored him. “They were wrong when they said you could never be a father. You will be, David. Several times over. With my Adi.” Tears filled the older woman’s eyes when she looked up at him. Her smile was almost angelic.

  “Earth?” Adele asked.

  Dave focused on her, unable to deal with the revelation that he would be a father just yet.

  “I was born on Earth. I’ve always wanted to go back and homestead near my siblings. I was working my way back slowly. Eventually, I want to live on the homeworld and…” he looked at Della who was beaming and nodding, “…raise a family. With you. If you’ll have me.”

  “Oh, David!” Adele’s reaction touched his heart. Her eyes reflected her joy—the same joy in his own heart. “I’ll never let you go, you silly man. I love you!”

  She hugged him, wrapping him tight in her arms as the men at the bar watched with envious smiles. Dave could see his comrades over the top of Adele’s head. He was glad his brothers in arms were there to witness his happiness, but he knew he was home now. Truly. Adele was his home. Now and forever.

  Epilogue

  Adele and Dave were married quietly a few weeks later on Jupiter Prime Station, where she’d been born. A number of David’s family came and they had an impromptu family reunion. Plans were made for David to apply for a homesteading license and by the following year they’d been granted permission to live on Earth.

  A gift awaited them in their new home when they finally moved in.

  The message was oblique but they knew it had come from the young jit’suku man they’d let go. The future emperor.

  He gave them a costly piece of crystal statuary from the jit galaxy that was worth a king’s ransom on Earth. It also held a princely secret—a cache of gemstones and a seal of the Imperial House that identified Adele and David, and all their progeny, as those to whom the jit’suku emperor owed a personal debt. The multi-colored gemstones were a nest egg, the message said, to help get them started on their life together.

  Adele knew they would come in handy one day, as would the Imperial seal…but not in any way the future emperor could have imagined. Fate, it seemed, was not done with them yet.

  The hottest romance, the most memorable heroines, and the most gorgeous heroes…

  Welcome to the next PHAZE in erotic romance!

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  Contents

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue