Breed Assassins 1

Tasting the Forbidden

On the planet Talus, five boys were trained to be the ultimate killing machines for the Constantine Empire. They grew up learning how to execute a man a hundred different ways. They are the Empire's secret weapon against the Marauders.

Kayden Caellen and his unit have been assigned to hunt down the worst of the worst. The Zarino Galaxy is on the verge of the largest peace treaty the universe has ever seen and doesn't want anyone upsetting the delicate balance.

Jade Krovac is human, deemed the lowest species in the galaxy. It amazes most that he holds a position as a tech. When the admiral assigns Jade to Kayden's unit, Kayden knows he is in trouble. Since first laying eyes on Jade, Kayden has been in lust.

Too bad he will be killed if anyone finds out, because for Kayden, being gay is a crime, punishable by death.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Futuristic, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Vampires/Werewolves

Length: 28,764 words

TASTING THE FORBIDDEN

Breed Assassins 1

Lynn Hagen

THE LYNN HAGEN

MANLOVE COLLECTION

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

IMPRINT: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection

TASTING THE FORBIDDEN

Copyright © 2014 by Lynn Hagen

E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-031-3

First E-book Publication: July 2014

Cover design by Emma Nicole

All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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TASTING THE FORBIDDEN

Breed Assassins 1

LYNN HAGEN

Copyright © 2014

Chapter One

Kayden Caellen tried to keep his lower lip from trembling as he was escorted off the huge ship and taken to a whitewashed building that reminded him of a snarling monster. He didn’t know this place and he wanted to go home.

But he knew he couldn’t. His nurse had told him he was special from the day he was born. But right now, Kayden didn’t feel so special. His heart thudded wildly in his chest and he was a bit dizzy, but not special.

The guard led him into a room with steel beds that held thin mattresses. As he gazed around, he spotted a child about his size standing next to each of the beds except one. Kayden was led to that lone bunk on the end and told to stay there until further ordered. The guard’s voice was gruff and unfriendly, making Kayden instantly obey for fear of what the man might do.

That didn’t keep him from looking down the long walkway that ran from one end of the room to the other. Nor did it stop him from gazing at the other small children who seemed just as scared as he was.

Kayden wanted to go back to the nursery where he had been living since being brought to Talus. It wasn’t very friendly there, but at least he knew the nurse who took care of him. He didn’t know the towering men guarding the doors. He didn’t like how they were all dressed in black as if no other color in the universe existed.

It made the guards seem like bogeymen come to life.

“Attention!”

Kayden blinked. He knew that order meant something, as the soldiers snapped up so straight it looked like it hurt. What it meant, however, Kayden didn’t have a clue.

A tall dark-haired man walked into the room and Kayden felt like he couldn’t breathe. The man was so commanding that he could only stare in awe.

“My name is Draven Wootnon,” the man said as he clasped his hands behind his back and began strolling slowly down the walkway. “Remember it.”

Kayden swallowed hard, feeling tears threatening to spill when dark-brown eyes landed on him. He quickly turned and looked straight ahead, praying that the powerful force of a man wouldn’t single him out. Draven was tall, muscular, and if Kayden wasn’t mistaken, smelled oddly like the cat he’d had before he was shipped here. Banji had been a tabby, soft and lovable. Kayden knew this man was not.

His wolf whimpered and Kayden wanted to shift, to run, to get away from this scary place. But he was five and it was time for his training. That was what his nurse had told him. She had said that he was going to Talus to be taught how to be a great and revered man.

No matter what happened, Kayden was determined to make his nurse proud of him.

“From this day forward, any connection you had to your former life is over. These men are your brothers. This barrack is your home. I am your trainer, your handler. Failure to follow an order or to excel at your training will be grounds for immediate punishment. Continued failure and you will be sent home. You will carry the shame of washing out for the rest of your life.”

The man paused briefly to stare at each one of the small children. His eyes were assessing, as if he were measuring the worth of each child standing there.

Kayden wanted to sink into the floor when the man looked at him. It seemed as if Draven stared at him with those piercing eyes just a little longer than he stared at the other kids.

“From here on out,” Draven said as he moved on, “you will learn how to become the most feared men in the universe. You will eat, sleep, and breathe your training until you become lethal killing machines. I expect nothing less. I demand nothing less. By the time you are released from my care, you will be a Breed Assassin.”

Kayden knew he needed to keep his mouth shut. Even his nurses had said that his curiosity would be the end of him. He just couldn’t help it. He wanted to know the answers to the things he thought about.

So, he raised his hand. “Sir?”

“You have a question, Kayden?” Gosh, the man didn’t even turn around. How had he known it was Kayden talking?

He swallowed his nervousness, though he twined his fingers together, praying the man didn’t punish him for his inquisitiveness. “Wh–what is a Breed Assassin?”

The cold smile on Draven’s face as the man turned was enough to make Kayden wish he had stayed silent. He quickly pulled his hand back down and snapped his head around to stare straight ahead, his chest heaving with fear.

Draven’s dark eyes flashed with something Kayden had never seen before and never wanted to see again. “The things nightmares are made of.”

* * * *

Kayden grunted as his opponent got in another lucky strike to his ribs and an electrical shock surged through his body. The stun batons hurt like a bitch. The ends of the batons were cushioned but that was just so they wouldn’t break skin. The cushion did nothing to blunt the pain. The electrical shock was almost enough to knock Kayden off his feet.

“Keep your weapon raised, Kayden!” a loud voice shouted at him. “Don’t let your guard down like that.”

Kayden growled at the reprimand. There were times when he hated his handler. He knew Draven was there to teach him, and Kayden respected that, but the guy wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. He got hit because he hadn’t followed the basic concepts of combat. Kayden had miscalculated when his opponent feigned left instead of always expecting the unexpected. His current level of pain was entirely his fault.

When his opponent went in for another rib jab, Kayden countered the move, blocking the baton with his own then swinging the end down to connect with Logan’s stomach. Kayden winced when Logan grunted and hobbled back a few steps. He started to apologize, but stopped himself. Draven would have his neck if Kayden did anything that could be perceived as weak.

A loud buzzer sounded, indicating the end of the training session. Kayden pulled back his weapon and bowed to his opponent. If this had been a real battlefield, he wouldn’t have stopped fighting until his enemy was dead. As this was merely training, he politely thanked Logan for a good fight. Besides, he didn’t want Logan hurt. They had a dice game planned for later.

Draven walked past the men. “Grab your lunches and meet me back here.”

Kayden had an extra spring in his step as he followed Draven’s orders and headed off to grab his lunch. He loved lunchtime out on the training field. It was the one time Draven sat down and actually talked to them, answering their questions about the world around them.

Having served in many of the wars, Draven was well versed in what they had to look forward to once Kayden and the others were unleashed on society. Over the years, Draven had taught them things that were not in their training curriculum, things the handler felt they would need to stay alive. None of it was sanctioned by the Constantine Empire, and in fact, Draven could be severely punished if his superiors ever learned the tidbits of wisdom he had passed on to his men.

Kayden and the other recruits had never been off of Talus since being brought here at the age of five. They had no idea what lay beyond the planet. The Empire expected them to perform like killer drones, asking no questions, giving no conscious thought to anything except their missions.

But Draven seemed to want the men to retain a part of their humanity. He taught them things such as foreign customs and philosophy. He spoke to them about matters of the heart and what it felt like to hold a woman in one’s arms.

Kayden hadn’t told anyone that he found himself interested in men instead of woman. Not that he didn’t find women attractive, but his heart pounded whenever he laid eyes on a gorgeous man.

Since his birth was registered to Synia, Kayden was forbidden under Synian law to engage in any homosexual behavior. This had been decreed by King Arador—ruler of Kayden’s birth planet. Even though he had been raised on Talus, all recruits were required to abide by their registered planet’s laws.

So he kept his feelings and desires to himself, locked away from the universe.

That made for a very lonely existence. But what did he expect? He was being trained as a killer. There would be no room for love or any kind of relationship—legal or otherwise.

Kayden grabbed his bag along with the rest of the guys in his training pod. All of them had been five years old—the age of recruitment—when they’d started this. That wasn’t to say that was the day they were taken from their home planets. That had happened the day they were born. Their fifth birthday was just the day their military training had begun.

Now, at the age of sixteen, Kayden still hadn’t figured out how any mother could give up her child after giving birth. He’d stopped stressing over that question long ago, though the thought was always clinging to the back of his mind.

As he ran, Kayden bumped shoulders with Thoran. He hurried back to the oak tree where Draven sat eating his lunch, taking a seat with the remaining members of his pod—Logan, Thoran, Nyk, and Dax.

The four guys were not only Kayden’s unit members, but his best friends. They ate, showered, slept, and trained together. He’d grown to love each man like a brother. They were like a family to him.

“All right, boys,” Draven said as he pressed his back into the tree and gazed up at the bright twin suns, “what were we talking about the last time?”

Kayden raised his hand right along with the others, each of them eager to be called upon by their instructor.

“Kayden.”

“You were talking to us about wars and how we needed to look to the past to better understand the future.”

“Quite right.” Draven nodded as he bit into a piece of fruit. “Much of what was learned through the destruction of worlds is quickly forgotten when new conflicts arise. People forget the death and destruction and the loved ones who gave their lives to protect those they cared about. Even the warriors who bravely fought and died are forgotten when one faction decides to attack another.”

“Will we be forgotten, Draven?” Logan asked.

“In time, yes, just as I will be forgotten.”

“We won’t forget you!” Kayden insisted. Draven could be a hard taskmaster, accepting no laziness or slacking in their training. But Kayden saw the man as a mentor, a father figure. He just didn’t share that last tidbit with anyone.

“Oh, you will, boy.” Something glinted in Draven’s eyes. “Time will pass and you’ll become the Breed Assassins you were meant to be. You’ll go on so many assignments that you won’t have time to remember me.”

Kayden almost crossed his arms as an angry little kernel ignited inside of him. He refused to believe that he would forget Draven.

“It’s okay, Kayden,” Draven said as if he knew exactly what Kayden was thinking. He did that a lot. Kayden and the others had an ongoing bet that Draven could read minds. “It’s less important that you remember me and more important that you remember the things I have taught you.”

“Is that the only reason we’re supposed to remember the past, Draven?” Logan asked. “So that we don’t forget those that have fought and died?”

“Yes and no.” Draven smiled when everyone just sat there and stared at the man. “If we remember the things of the past, the good and the bad, then we can build a better future. And only by understanding the events of the past can we ensure that history isn’t repeated.”

“The bad things, Draven?” Thoran asked. “What bad things?”

“Many things were done in the name of freedom, in the name of victory, both on and off the battlefield, things that were horrific and should never be allowed to happen again. The ancient Terrains killed people by the millions during one of their planetary wars. They experimented on their citizens like they were less than animals and it was all done in the name of science and winning their war. Their warriors proclaimed to all that they were merely following orders.”

Draven pointed to each one of them, staring them straight in the eye one at a time. “And that’s what you need to remember, boys. If you don’t retain your humanity, you’ll be nothing more than a killing machine.”

Draven’s words contradicted the purpose he was training them for. Kayden picked up on that. He wasn’t sure if Draven was trying to tell them something, to warn them.

Logan bumped his shoulder and smiled. Kayden quickly forgot what he was thinking and enjoyed the rest of his lunch.

* * * *

Kayden evened out his breathing, drawing air into his lungs and then letting it go. Each time he inhaled, he slowed his pulse until his heartbeat was almost undetectable.

Remember your training. Quick, concise, no fuss, no muss.

Even though Kayden had spent thirteen years preparing for this, he couldn’t stop his palms from sweating. The knots in his stomach didn’t help either. He was eighteen now, ready for his first mission. At least that was what Draven thought. It still remained to be seen.

He shoved the anxiety aside, slamming a tight lid on it as he slipped through the shadows, each step honed with precision. His movements were silent, a mere stirring in the air. Kayden scanned every inch of his surroundings, knowing that danger was always present, always aware. So was he.

His target sat in a booth at the back of a sleazy tavern, surrounded by other men. Getting to him wouldn’t be easy. Leaving him alive would be even harder.

Don’t overthink this.

This mission would either make or break him. Returning home with his assignment completed would ensure that he took his place among the others in his pod as a true Breed Assassin for the Constantine Empire. Returning to Talus with his target still alive meant Kayden would be shamed in front of the people that meant everything to him, his fellow Assassins—his brethren.

He wouldn’t fail.

He couldn’t fail.

Kayden had been taught every way to eliminate a target. He had no doubt that he would be able to take the man out with the least amount of fuss and slip away into the darkness.

Kayden took a seat close to his target, leaning back into the shadows. The lights in the dank tavern were low enough that if someone looked in his direction, they wouldn’t be able to make out his face. And even if they did, thanks to his disguise they would remember an old man with a large bulbous nose and a scar over one eye. His dark clothes were dirty and dingy, smelling of soot and burnt metal from the local factory.

He was just a downtrodden man relaxing from a dreary day working in the factory with the other inhabitants of this backwater planet on the edge of humanity.

Careful to blend into his surroundings, Kayden sipped on the beer in his mug. It was the first time he’d had alcohol and he found the taste intriguing. If he hadn’t been on assignment, he would have ordered another.

But he wasn’t here for pleasure.

It was time.

Kayden stood and grabbed the beer mug from the table. He slid the knife hidden at his wrist into his other hand. His heart rate picked up slightly, knowing this was the moment of truth.

He stumbled across the floor, pretending to be drunk as he headed toward the door.

At the right moment, Kayden purposely stumbled into the table opposite his target. His beer splashed all over one of the men sitting there. The angry man he’d spilled the beer on jumped to his feet, shouted at him, and pushed him toward his target.

Kayden made sure he staggered into his target’s table, laughing and spilling his beer again as he slid his knife into the thigh of the man he was there to kill, severing his femoral artery—another quick jab between the ribs punctured a lung. The target’s eyes widened as if he had just realized he was going to die and couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Kayden lurched back, swinging his mug wide, beer flying through the air. He slid his knife back into its hiding place and spun around, staggering through the crowd and out the door before anyone even noticed he had just killed a man and completed his first mission.

Chapter Two

Ten years later…

Kayden was leaning against the wall, waiting to see the admiral, when he scented prey. Not ordinary prey, either, but a small human who traipsed down the corridor as if he didn’t know he was taunting a predator with his delicious scent. Only Kayden didn’t want to eat the man. He wanted to fuck him.

This wasn’t the first time such thoughts had entered his mind concerning this particular man. Not by a long shot. Jade was a temptation unlike anything Kayden had ever experienced before. The guy was scrawny, sweet, and his laugh had the ability to make Kayden’s cock rock hard in under a second.

Kayden’s teeth threatened to lengthen and it took a great deal of control to keep them from growing. Jade’s hips swayed from side to side as he walked past with his head down, reading something on his Vid-pad. If Kayden didn’t pull himself together, the evidence of his arousal would be seen clearly through his form-fitting battle suit.

But how could he bring himself under control when Jade was still in sight, chewing on his plump bottom lip? Without much conscious effort, sensual images of what Jade could do with those lips bombarded him.

Kayden sighed. His desires would never come to pass. Not with Jade at least. It would be like signing his own death warrant to pursue the man. He didn’t know Jade all that well and there was no telling if the human would give Kayden up for making a pass at him.

He had to play it cool.

Galactic ice kind of cool.

Kayden winced when Jade ran into the wall. The man hadn’t been paying attention to where he was going. That had to hurt. Jade made a small squeak-like noise before he rubbed the spot on his head that he’d hit. He glanced around until his grey eyes landed on Kayden and then an intriguing blush spanned across his pale cheeks.

A smile twitched at the side of Kayden’s mouth. “Stationary walls sometimes come out of nowhere and attack.”

“I guess they do,” Jade said as he lowered his hand. “What are you doing here?”

Kayden skimmed his tongue over his bottom teeth as his eyelids slid down marginally. His imagination took flight as he assessed the man from his gorgeous head to his shiny boots. “Business.”

Jade sucked that plump bottom lip back in and Kayden had to bite his inner cheeks to stop a moan from escaping. Jade nodded, spun, and then hurried away, missing the wall this time.

Kayden watched the man’s nicely rounded backside until he couldn’t see it any longer.

“Slacker,” Thoran said as he strolled leisurely down the hall. His green eyes twinkled as he approached. Kayden noticed that Thoran had let his hair grow out. The light-brown strands now hung to his shoulders. It looked good on him. Thoran had already been good looking, but it seemed the older he got, the more stunning he became. “They have regulations against corrupt outlaws prowling the hallways,” he finished saying.

A deep chuckle rumbled in Kayden’s chest. They’d been on their own assignments lately and he hadn’t seen his friend in six months. He held out his hand and Thoran shook it. “Good to see you, you smelly bastard.”

“Same here.” Thoran released Kayden’s hand. “Admiral call you as well?” A tiny frowned started to blossom over Thoran’s eyes. The frown only deepened when Logan arrived.

Kayden noticed how much beefier Logan had become since he had last seen the guy. Logan had always been the last one in the gym at night and the first one there in the morning. The man had been obsessed with staying in shape and it seemed that hadn’t changed.

“This must really be important.” Logan gazed between Kayden and Thoran with his steel-grey eyes. “He’s calling out his best.”

It wasn’t a boast, but the truth.

Kayden looked at the men he’d trained with. The Breed Assassins had become the deadliest predators the Constantine Empire possessed. Kayden and the other trained men were now considered lethal.

Weapons.

Thoran rubbed at the stubble on his face—a face most referred to as pretty. But assuming Thoran’s beautiful looks were an indication of harmlessness would be a grave mistake.

The door slid open and the admiral’s assistant waved them in. The outer office was clean, efficient, and so damn boring that Kayden had an urge to mess something up just to give the space some personality.

“The admiral will see you now,” the assistant said. They crossed the outer office before she pressed her thumb onto the electronic pad just to the right of the double doors. The doors slid free and Kayden could see Admiral Shuziano behind his desk, talking on the phone. He waved his hand up and down, telling the three of them to have a seat. They glanced between each other before Kayden shrugged and dropped into a cushy chair.

They were weapons, not drones. His attitude was as irreverent as ever, and so were the other Assassins’. Just because they killed for a living didn’t mean they had no sense of humor. On the contrary, Kayden loved to laugh—although it didn’t happen often enough these days.

The admiral hung up the phone.

“I was just speaking to President Islec Protempt from the Amargosa region. He tells me that Marauders are kidnapping his people. With the Allegiance Conference just weeks away, this could be seen as an attempt to persuade President Protempt in his vote. We can’t have that kind of thing tarnishing what could be the biggest conference the Constantine Empire has seen since we came into power.”

“And you want us to track down the Marauders and stop them?” Thoran asked.

“I want this swept under the rug as soon as possible,” Admiral Shuziano stated with a firm nod. “Make them disappear and return any captives to their homes.” He gazed directly at Kayden before looking at the other men. “You know if you get into legal trouble, I can’t help you. This operation technically doesn’t exist since President Protempt doesn’t want anyone to know what’s happening and the Empire has kept your existence quiet.”

Kayden knew the score. The assignment seemed simple enough. That was until the admiral spoke again, and then he knew he was being sent into the pits of hell to be tortured for however many long weeks.

“I’m sending Jade Krovac with you. He’s the best tech I have, and he can get you in and out of any situation that might arise.”

Fuck me with Aunt Sally’s hat. Kayden nearly groaned, but caught the noise before it escaped. The one man he lusted after but couldn’t have would now be onboard their ship. “What about Chopper?” he asked, even though he knew he should have kept his big mouth shut. “He’s just as qualified.”

“Do you have a problem with Jade?” the admiral asked. If Kayden said yes, then he would have to explain why. The only option he had was to shake his head.

“Not at all. But we might get into some situations that are hazardous, to say the least, and Jade is kind of—” Kayden wasn’t sure what description to use. Skinny? Light weight? Too delicate for the job? None of them seemed right. Not when they would be lies. Not when the truth had to stay locked away inside of him.

“Don’t let his size fool you, Kayden.” The admiral shifted in his chair, placing his elbows on his desk and steepling his fingers. “He’s been through training and can hold his own. He is very good at staying out of the way.”

He’s also very good at crossing my wires every time I see him. But Kayden kept that thought to himself. It was less complicated that way. The other men in his unit didn’t have to worry about hiding their sexual preferences. Most Breed Assassins were from different planets, which meant different rulers. It was just Kayden’s shitty luck to be born under King Arador’s rule.

Back-alley fucks and down-low hookups were starting to wear thin. He wanted something more, but knew he couldn’t have that. Having a partner at his side wasn’t in his cards. Even if being gay weren’t outlawed, when would he have time? Kayden was always on missions.

So he had become the dreaded C word.

Celibate.

Not by choice, but by the stupid law that had come into effect before he was even born. Kayden was sick of one-night stands. So in order to keep his sanity, he had decided to throw himself into his work instead.

“Are there any other questions before the three of you are briefed on what you’re up against?” the admiral asked.

They shook their heads.

The three of them stood and walked out of the admiral’s office. In the outer office, the admiral’s assistant handed each of them a Vid-pad. She smiled at Thoran in a way that said she was very interested. Thoran returned the smile, but it was nothing more than the guy being polite.

As soon as they were in Kayden’s quarters, all three watched as the admiral appeared on their individual Vid-pads. It was a recording. Kayden still didn’t understand why the guy did this. The admiral could have just told them while they’d been in his office.

Kayden sat there and listened to the names the admiral rattled off. They were some of the worst runners and notorious outlawed men this side of the galaxy. Ben Hur was at the top of the list of Marauders. Kayden had had a run-in with him a time or two. It never went well for Ben Hur, but it hadn’t been easy for Kayden either.

Ben Hur fought dirty and always had more than one man with him at all times. Not that Kayden fought clean. But you had to watch your back when dealing with the scumbag.

Tossing the pad aside, Kayden began to shove some clothes into a duffel bag. He also grabbed three clean battle suits before heading into the bathroom to gather the toiletries he would need. A chime sounded, indicating that someone was at the door.

“Got it,” Logan called from the other room.

Before Kayden could step from the bathroom, Jade’s scent filled the air, circling around his head like a drug of seduction. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the aroma fill his lungs. Kayden gave in, if only for a second, to the desires hardening his body. A violent shiver racked him as his wolf howled in snarling satisfaction.

Snap out of it. He’s off-limits.

Kayden let go of a deep breath as he reined in his lust and composed himself before leaving the bathroom.

The tech stood there with a bag in his hand, his grey eyes bright and full of excitement. So naïve. Had Kayden ever been that innocent? He didn’t think so.

“I was told that I’m being assigned to your unit.”

Jade’s eyes were staring directly at Kayden. Kayden’s heart rate accelerated and he had to remind himself that Jade was talking business, not pleasure. Though his mind was having a hard time differentiating between the two.

“I need to go pack,” Thoran said as he clapped Kayden on the back. “See you in twenty down in Bay Four.”

“Same here.” Logan walked out behind Thoran. Kayden was left with Jade. Not a bad thing if the two of them were on the same level. But Jade pulled out his Vid-pad, tapping away as if Kayden wasn’t there.

“I’ve charted our coordinates to the last location Ben Hur was seen.”

Could the guy chart his fine little body into my bed? Doubtful. Kayden grabbed his bag and walked past Jade. “Then we’d better get a move on, little bit.”

“What did you call me?”

Kayden shook his head at the slip. “Nothing. Let’s get moving.”

Forty-five minutes later the four of them were leaving the planet and heading into space. Kayden had already stored his belongings in one of the rooms and was now piloting the midsized fighter cruiser, Foreplay.

He had no idea who had named the damn thing. It seemed pretty ironic to him that they had been given this ship. Kayden didn’t believe in signs, but damn if that wasn’t a big one.

The ship wasn’t as large as most Empire ships, but it would do the job nicely.

The only downside was that the bridge was small, and that left Jade sitting too damn close to Kayden. Twice their hands had collided when they both reached for the same control. Jade pulled immediately away, as if Kayden was contagious.

That only soured his mood. Out of habit, Kayden clenched his jaw and threw himself into what needed to be done, tuning out everything around him. He ran through the flight checks and scanned the logs, ignoring the delicious scent wafting toward him.

“We need to stop on Colossus,” Logan stated as he walked onto the bridge and took a seat to the left of Kayden. “I can get us better weapons than this Empire-issued crap.”

Colossus was a black market planet where anything and everything was bought and sold, even people. Slavery was a big thing in the Zarino galaxy. The thought of owning another being turned Kayden’s stomach, but there was nothing he could do about it. Not when the Constantine Empire deemed it legal.

“But that isn’t on our schedule,” Jade argued. “We have to stick to our schedule if we hope to catch the Marauders.”

“We’ll catch them,” Logan reassured Jade. “Our side trip is just a blip in our plan.”

“Blip?” Jade asked as his eyes widened. “There shouldn’t be any blips.”

This was going to be fun. Kayden had a feeling that the little twink was going to be very interesting on this trip. Ignoring the tech’s protest, Kayden punched in the coordinates for Colossus. “Relax, Jade. Schedules are made to be broken.”

Jade tapped his finger on his Vid-pad. “Not my schedules. Even the admiral sticks to them.”

“Do I look like an admiral to you?” Kayden asked with a slight growl in his voice. “Just chill and we’ll be back on course in no time.”

Jade looked like he was about to hyperventilate as his fingers started tapping frantically. Kayden turned back to what he’d been doing as they headed out to buy better weapons and chase down some of the worst the galaxy had to offer.

Chapter Three

From the way Jade was looking around the marketplace, Kayden had a feeling the human had never been off of Talus—the power seat of the Constantine Empire and Jade’s home world.

His grey eyes were wide as they bounced from one thing to the next. There were beings here that were rarely seen outside their home worlds and it had to be one hell of a shock to the tech. As for Kayden, he continually scanned the area while keeping a close eye on Jade. There were too many dangers here and the last thing he wanted was for the human to get hurt.

It wasn’t like Kayden to be so protective, especially toward a human. Jade’s species was viewed as the lowest on the totem pole, expendable and not highly regarded. In all honesty, it surprised Kayden that Jade had not only gone through training, but held a high-ranking job.

“Up there.” Thoran jerked his chin forward and Kayden could see the tavern just ahead. He sure as hell hoped the admiral was telling the truth about Jade being able to handle himself because they were about to walk into a place where looking at a man the wrong way would get your throat sliced.

The tavern was rowdy and loud music spilled onto the street. Jade hesitated at the open door, making Kayden place his hand on the human’s back to coax him inside. As they pushed through the crowd, Kayden kept the tech between him and Thoran while Logan found them a table in the rear. The lard the Colosussians used to fry their food with was thick in the air, making the tavern smell like two-day-old fish. Kayden tried his best not to breathe too deeply. He had a feeling the stench was going to be hard as hell to get out of his hair and clothing.

“Another Saturday night in scumville,” Thoran said as he pulled the wooden chair out and twirled it around before straddling it.

“I’m going to get us some drinks while we wait.” Logan took off toward the bar, muscling his way through the dense crowd.

“Do we really have to be here?” Jade asked as he glanced around. The guy looked like a scared little bunny in a den of wolves. Without thought, Kayden hooked his foot around one of Jade’s chair legs and pulled the guy closer, the scraping sound barely discernible over the loud voices in the place.

Logan returned with a round of drinks cupped in his hands and in the crook of his arms. The mug made a hard thud as he set one in front of Jade. The concoction was pink and thick and had a fruity scent. Logan knew better than to bring Kayden anything like that. Since his first taste of alcohol, Kayden had been addicted to the hard stuff.

Logan dropped a Fire Dragon down in front of Kayden. The dark-red drink was still smoking as Kayden took a swallow. It burned all the way down.

“I don’t drink.” Jade pushed the fruity drink away before raising an eyebrow and giving Logan a glassy stare.

“It’ll put some hair on your chest.” Thoran slumped in his chair, kicking his booted feet up on the table. “Or at least help you grow some hair on your balls.”

“Then maybe you need a double shot,” Jade retorted.

Kayden chuckled at Jade’s witty comeback. The human was amusing. Thoran wasn’t the easiest man to get along with but it seemed Jade wasn’t going to allow any of them to run him over.

That was good to know.

“Already did,” Thoran said as he grabbed his crotch and smiled at Jade. “Wanna see the proof?”

Jade crinkled his nose. “Not in this lifetime.”

“Heads up, ladies.” Logan nodded toward the front door. Kayden turned to see their contact standing there, staring directly at them. She inclined her head and then walked outside.

“That’s our cue.” Kayden stood. He grabbed Jade under his arm and hauled him to his feet. “Let’s go see what the lady has.”

“Our contact is a woman?” Jade asked, a touch of surprise lacing his voice.

“Don’t let her hear you talking like that,” Logan warned. “She’ll hand you your hairless balls.”

“They’re not hairless!” Jade turned seven shades of red as he hurried in front of them and out the door. Kayden’s brow arched as he looked at his two friends.

“Got a temper on him,” Thoran said and Kayden could hear the approval in the man’s tone. “Maybe he won’t get us killed after all.”

Maybe not, but when Kayden stepped outside he knew things were heading downhill fast. Jade was nowhere in sight. Contania was leaning against her shuttle, waiting on them.

“Where’d the human go?” Kayden asked, feeling fear jerk in his stomach. Kayden had warned Jade not to stray from them. He had drilled the dangers of this place into the human. The hairs on the back of his neck were trying to crawl down his spine as he spun and didn’t see Jade anywhere.

Contania pushed away from the shuttle and placed her hands on her hips. “Some men grabbed him and shoved the guy into their transporter.”

He snarled at her indifference. Kayden knew humans weren’t valued, but damn. The roughnecks around here hadn’t wasted any time. He wanted to be pissed at Contania, but he couldn’t. Her attitude toward humans was too typical and she wouldn’t care about his anger anyway.

“I’ll take care of the weapons,” Logan said as he walked over to the shuttle. “You and Thoran go get our tech back.”

Contania’s brunette brow rose. “The human has rank?”

Ignoring her, Thoran and Kayden jumped into a taxi shuttle. Thankfully Jade was wearing a tracking device. The admiral’s secretary had given Kayden Jade’s frequency before they’d left. She’d told him that Jade had never been on a mission and they wanted to ensure that the human was safe by knowing his whereabouts at all times.

Kayden punched the frequency into his handheld GPS and watched as a tiny red dot appeared.

“Find him?” Thoran asked.

“He’s two blocks over.” Kayden told the driver which direction to go before he let out an irritated breath. “On this planet for thirty minutes and already we’re getting ass deep into some shit.”

“Need to put a leash on that human,” Thoran said and then shrugged. “At least with a leash, we’ll know when someone is trying to take him before he’s kidnapped.”

A leash wasn’t a bad idea, but since Jade didn’t have one on now, they’d have to hunt him down the old-fashioned way—by searching the area where his chip was giving a signal on foot.

Kayden paid the driver and slid from the taxi, Thoran right behind him. This planet wasn’t exactly friendly, so Kayden drew his weapon and followed the beep on his tracking system. “Next time I’ll leave him on the damn ship,” Kayden groused as he turned a corner to see two low-ranking Klackians roughing up Jade. Why on Synia did it have to be Klackians? They were the foulest-smelling creatures in the universe. The species weren’t known for their hygiene skills and didn’t seem to care that they smelled like ass crack.

Their stench had reached Kayden before he’d even stepped foot in the area behind an abandoned warehouse. Fuck, they stunk. And under their stench was the unmistakable scent of blood thirst. They planned on toying with Jade before they ate him.

“I say we cut our losses and get the hell out of here.” Thoran held his hand over his nose and mouth. “Is Jade worth going anywhere near those two?”

Kayden hesitated but knew he couldn’t leave Jade behind. If the admiral thought the human was important, then they couldn’t risk losing him. Besides, Kayden’s wolf was having a damn fit, demanding that Kayden rescue the short shit. “Suck it up.”

Thoran snarled, showing the tips of his sharp canines. “Damn it, Kayden. If this is how it’s going to be with Jade, then we should lock him in his quarters any time we land somewhere.”

Kayden shot off a warning blast from his blaster, gaining the Klackians’ attention. “Let him go, boys.”

Jade’s shoulders slumped as a small smile spread across his lips. But Kayden ignored it. He kept his focus on the two towering creatures. They reminded him of trolls. Their height was well over seven feet and their girth was that of three men.

“We found him first,” the one on the right said.

Kayden tsked. “Problem is, he belongs to us.”

“He’s your pet?” the one on the left asked.

Agreeing to that was less complicated than telling these two nitwits that Jade worked for the Empire. They’d never believe him. Humans were a weakling race and the idea of one of them having an important Empire position was laughable to most—even to these disgusting creatures. “Yes, he is.”

“What?” Jade narrowed his eyes as he wrestled to get free. “I’m not your damn pet!” He pierced Kayden with a malevolent glare.

“You heard the human.” The Klackian on the right gave Kayden a triumphant grin. “He’s not yours.”

Jade glanced up at his captors and then looked back at Kayden, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Yes,” he squeaked. “I’m Kayden Caellen’s pet.”

Kayden could tell that it galled Jade to say that, but at least the human had bought a clue. The last thing Kayden wanted to do was stand there and try to convince Jade that saying he was a pet was the smartest thing the guy could do.

The Klackian on the left frowned. “Kayden Caellen? As in Breed Assassin Kayden Caellen?”

“Don’t you dare let that go to your head, Kayden,” Thoran warned him. His words were harsh, but his tone was light. “Just because he’s heard of you doesn’t mean your hairy ass is famous.”

Kayden smirked. “The one and only,” he replied to the two men. “Now let my pet go before I show you why I’m one of the most feared Assassins.”

Kayden knew he was good, one of the best, but his ego wasn’t such that he believed he could defeat every species on this or any other planet. As badass as he was, there was always someone out there who was tougher.

Though Kayden knew it wasn’t one of these two smelly SOBs.

“I’m not afraid of him,” the one on the right said, his foul breath reaching Kayden and almost making him dry heave. “Let him come and take this human.”

Kayden sighed. Why did the halfwit have to go and challenge him? It would have been so much easier to just hand Jade over and be on their way. Before either Klackian made a move, Kayden shot both men between their putrid eyes. They fell to the ground, making the large trash bin behind the warehouse jump and the lid slam shut.

Jade stood there with his mouth hanging open.

“Unless you’re waiting on more trouble to arrive, I’d suggest you get your ass in gear,” Thoran said to Jade as he scanned the area.

Jade hurried over to them, glancing back at the two dead creatures. “Fuck, they stink.”

They were in full agreement as Kayden grabbed Jade by his upper arm and hauled the man out onto the main street where Thoran hailed a taxi. They took Jade back to the tavern where Logan was waiting.

“I see you found him,” Logan said as he heaved a large duffel bag over his shoulder. “If you ladies are done playing, we need to get moving. Contania tells me there are Feds in this area.”

“Then I suggest we don’t linger,” Kayden said as he guided Jade back to their ship.

* * * *

Jade nearly scrubbed his skin raw trying to get the stench off of him. He had no idea who those hooligans were, but he’d never smelled anything so putrid and vomit-inducing in his life.

That foul smell still lingered in the back of his throat. Worse, if Kayden hadn’t come along, Jade had a feeling those things would have eaten him. He shuddered at the thought as he began to scrub harder. God, what if he was permanently stinky?

It’s not like you have a love life anyway.

That might be true, but now his chances of ever getting laid had just dropped to zero. Besides, the person he wanted was untouchable. If Kayden knew that he was attracted to the man, the Assassin would remove Jade’s balls.

With a rusty knife.

Even on the backend of that thought, Jade’s mind wouldn’t stop imagining what it would be like to writhe under that strong Assassin. His hole ached as the scene unfolded in his mind. All those delicious muscles and that dangerous air about Kayden made Jade’s toes curl.

He knew he had to be insane for wanting the guy. For one, every damn species in the Zarino galaxy thought humans were scum. Jade resented that, but had no voice in the matter. Two, when the new galaxy was formed, the strangest things began to happen. One of them was that all humans could now become pregnant—one of the reasons Jade’s species was deemed weak. Other species prided themselves on their virility, their strength. Compared to them, humans had none.

Jade had witnessed firsthand human males who were pregnant. It was a common thing now. Common or not, the sight still wigged him out. Luckily, it requires more than sleeping with a human to get them pregnant.

Loopholes. Gotta love them.

But fantasies were safe and the one running through Jade’s mind had him hard and aching. Kayden was lethal and so damn hot that Jade felt his balls pressing into his body.

What he wouldn’t give to drop to his knees and suck Kayden’s cock into his mouth. Jade licked his lips as he wrapped his hand around his cock. He could almost taste the Assassin as he jerked his dick hard and fast. An electric jolt shot up his spine as he leaned into the shower wall, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

“Kayden,” he whispered. Just saying the man’s name felt naughty and helped bring Jade closer to his orgasm. He’d give anything for one night in the man’s bed. Jade was pretty sure Kayden would rock his world.

His fingers tightened as he jerked his hand up and down, his lips parting as his breath escaped in small pants.

Kayden’s eyes. Jade had never seen irises so gorgeous and exotic before. The man was a walking fantasy and didn’t even know it. Hell, Kayden had starred in many of Jade’s dreams. Lately, Jade found himself waking up, twisted in his sheets, his cock spent.

This was driving him insane yet there was nothing he could do about it. Kayden was off-limits. Jade slid one lone finger into his ass.

That did it.

He cried out Kayden’s name as his cum shot to the shower wall.

The illusion was gone and Jade was left with a limp dick and a deeper yearning. Damn it. If anything, Jade was even more frustrated than before.

Even if Kayden’s king hadn’t decreed homosexuality outlawed for Kayden’s wolf species, Jade knew he wouldn’t have a chance in hell with the Assassin. It was widely known that humans were ranked lower than cow dung. Why would someone like Kayden risk not only his life to be with Jade but his time, when there were so many better options out there in the galaxy?

Tired, Jade finished his shower and then dressed. To hell with it. He’d just have to settle with pining away for a man he could never have.

On the bright side, at least Jade had a career he loved. That was something. But that thought only made his mood lighten for half a second before he stepped into his room and dressed. Jade was just going to have to suck it up and put his big-boy pants on.

Still, he checked himself in the mirror to make sure he looked delicious. He had his pride, after all. The men on this ship might not take Jade seriously, but Jade wasn’t going to let them push him around.

Straightening his shoulders, Jade headed out of his quarters and nearly ran right into a wall of hard flesh. He gasped, instinctively throwing his hands out.

“You really do need to watch where you walk,” Kayden said, his hands hovering close as if to catch Jade if he fell. Jade almost did, just to feel the man’s arms around him.

“And you need to watch as well.” The comeback was as lame as lame could get. Jade knew this. But that’s all he could come up with on such short notice. Besides, Kayden’s masculine scent was rewiring Jade’s brain. He had to blink a few times and tear his eyes away from Kayden’s thick chest.

His mouth began to water. Just like it had in the shower when Jade thought of sucking Kayden off. Oh dear. Maybe he should stop thinking like that before his pants tented.

Kayden moved past him and all Jade could do was turn to watch the man go. He bit into his lower lip as his eyes gazed at the Assassin’s well-toned ass. Good god. Jade’s fingers itched to reach out and squeeze a handful.

When the admiral told Jade that he was going on this mission with the Breed Assassins, Jade had had no idea how hard being around Kayden was going to be.

Now he knew.

Jade was going to be rock hard and this mission was going to be torture.

Chapter Four

Over the next seven days, the mission didn’t get any easier. Jade had thought they’d be flying through space, blasting things, and helping prisoners get home.

Nope. That was far from what they were currently doing. They were flying through space, but Jade was presently watching a cake rise in the oven and wondering how low his life must have sunk to be doing something like this.

He didn’t bake.

Jade definitely didn’t cook.

But he was so bored that he was willing to try anything to change the mundane pace around here.

“Are you going to stand there and watch it until it’s done?” Thoran asked as he stepped into the kitchen. “That’s like watching paint dry.”

“You got any better ideas?” Jade asked. “Who knew living on a ship could be so boring.”

Thoran gave a deep, throaty chuckle. “What were you expecting?”

Before Jade could answer the question, the ship rocked to the side. Jade had to grab Thoran in order not to fall on his ass. They both looked at each other before they took off, heading straight for the bridge.

Kayden and Logan were already there and Jade could see an asteroid storm all around them. Jade felt the blood drain from his face as he wondered if they would survive.

“Belt yourself in!” Kayden yelled at him. Jade scrambled to sit, his fingers feeling too thick to function. He grappled with the belt before finally clicking it in place.

“This hunk of junk,” Logan snapped. “Why couldn’t the Empire supply better shit?”

“What does that mean?” Jade asked no one in particular.

“It means this ship wasn’t built to withstand these rocks,” Kayden replied. The ship lurched to the right at an angle Jade didn’t think possible. Grateful he hadn’t eaten yet, Jade gripped the arms of his seat as he sent up a silent prayer. They drifted for half a heartbeat before Kayden fired the rear engines, shooting them past a monster asteroid.

“You still got it.” Logan chuckled, but Jade didn’t find anything funny. His sphincter muscle was clenched so tight that he was pretty sure he’d be shitting out a diamond soon.

“Child’s play,” Kayden said.

“I’m concentrating extra power to our shields,” Thoran said, “but they’re already at twenty percent.”

“That’s bad,” Jade stated the obvious.

“I’ve been in worse situations,” Kayden said as he pointed toward Jade. “But I’d take a deep breath if I were you.”

Before Jade could ask why, the ship dropped straight down through space so quickly that Jade nearly vomited. His stomach lurched as the ship’s gravity field switched off, leaving them all weightless.

“I think”—Thoran shook his head, his skin growing green—”I’m going to be sick.”

Jade was glad he wasn’t the only one.

And then the ship moved with a liquid quickness Jade hadn’t expected. It thrust forward and then banked left. All Jade could do was close his eyes and take in deep breaths.

“Almost through the field,” Kayden announced, but that didn’t help settle Jade’s stomach.

They were finally clear and Jade wasted no time in unbuckling himself and hauling ass to the nearest bathroom. When he was done spewing his guts, Jade gripped the counter and began to wash his face. But he noticed that it was getting a little harder to breathe. He had to struggle to pull a breath in.

Jade stumbled out into the hallway, his lungs hurting as he worked his way toward the bridge. This didn’t make any sense. Why was the air so thin? Jade became light-headed and knew he had to find help before he passed out.

When he reached the bridge, Jade could see that everyone else seemed to be struggling as well. Alarms blared as red warning lights flashed.

“What’s happening?” Jade asked.

“There’s a hole in the hull somewhere,” Kayden said as he wiped his hand over his forehead. “We’re leaking oxygen faster than the ship’s life support can replace it. We’re already down to sixty-four percent and dropping fast.”

Jade could feel the panic trying to take hold, but he refused to lose his mind. He’d do that later. Right now he had to keep a level head. “What can I do?”

“Scan the hull,” Kayden ordered as he strode to the small compartment next to the bridge door. Jade watched as the Assassin pulled a space suit free.

Jade’s heart slammed in his chest when he realized Kayden was suiting up to go outside. That was more dangerous than navigating a ship through an asteroid storm.

“Jade!”

“What?” Jade blinked as he glanced around, trying his best to focus. It wasn’t easy with the air so thin. His head was spinning like crazy.

“Find that damn hole,” Kayden demanded.

“Right.” Jade hurried over to one of the consoles and began a system-wide check while Kayden suited up. He scanned each deck one at a time, searching for signs of the leak. Surprisingly, it was easy to find. The damage was in one of the empty quarters on the second level.

“The hole is on level two about fifty meters outside of Airlock One. I’m trying to seal the room off, but the system isn’t responding.” Jade zoomed in on the damage. “It looks to be about the size of my fist.”

“Copy.”

Jade glanced over his shoulder to see Kayden standing right behind him. He tried to breathe in deeply because it suddenly felt like there was no more air in his lungs, and then he realized he couldn’t breathe in deeply because there was very little air in the room.

“Hurry.”

“I’m on it.” Kayden fit the helmet over his head then gave a thumbs-up before turning and ambling out the door and off the bridge. Jade tried to take smaller breaths as he watched Kayden leave, but his chest was beginning to feel as if it were being slowly crushed.

“I’m going to see if I can manually seal that room off,” Thoran said before leaving the bridge.

“I need to check the rest of the ship,” Logan said. “You have the bridge.”

Jade knew what that meant and how huge a responsibility it was. Maybe the Assassins didn’t hate him after all. No one left someone they couldn’t trust in charge—no matter how temporarily.

Jade began to shut down all nonessential things, trying to keep as much oxygen on the ship as he could. There was no telling how long it would take for Kayden to repair the damage and Jade didn’t fancy dying from asphyxiation.

“I’m at Airlock One.” Kayden’s deep and husky voice sounded over the intercom.

“Roger that,” Jade replied.

“Exiting the Foreplay to make repairs,” Kayden said and then there was nothing but silence. Jade tried his best not to worry, but so many things could go wrong with an external repair.

Jade took a seat and kept himself busy by monitoring Kayden’s vitals and listening to the hum of the ship. He frowned when he noticed a blinking button on the console in front of him. Jade tapped the screen to see it was a hailing frequency.

He swallowed around the growing lump in his throat when the large view screen suddenly came to life and another ship appeared directly in front of them, nose to nose.

Jade glanced at the hailing display once more and wondered what he should do. Kayden was outside the ship, Logan and Thoran somewhere down below.

Jade opened the channel that connected to the hallway where Thoran was working. “I think we might have another problem.”

“One at a time, Jade.” Thoran sounded winded.

“There’s a large ship hailing us.”

“Come again?”

Jade glanced up but the ship was still there. “It’s right in front of us and hailing me to open a channel.”

“On my way,” Thoran said. “Don’t open a damn thing until I get there.”

“Not a problem.” Jade wasn’t going to do anything. He didn’t know who that was on the other ship. This was the first time he’d been away from his home planet and Jade was a bit intimidated.

The bridge door slid open and Thoran walked in. Jade moved out of the way. “The bridge is all yours.”

Thoran nodded before sliding his finger over the console. The screen lit up and Jade had to hold back his gasp. The guy on the other side was dressed in all black. Even the bandana wrapped around his head was dark. His physique was little more than a wall of muscles and he reminded Jade of someone deadly, lethal. His golden-amber eyes pierced Jade before turning to look at Thoran.

“Ben Hur,” Thoran said, but the Assassin didn’t sound like he was greeting an old friend.

“What are Assassins doing in these parts?” Ben’s gruff voice demanded over the hailing channel. “This is open space, owned by no one, and I can blast your ship into a thousand pieces without consequence.”

There wouldn’t be any repercussions regardless. The Constantine Empire would deny their affiliation with the Assassins. Jade knew they were truly screwed. There would be no help coming to their aid.

Jade nearly screamed when Ben’s ship fired a warning blast across the bow. Kayden was still out there. What if that blast had hit him?

A dry, arrogant tone came over the hailing channel. “Surrender crew and cargo, and I won’t kill you.”

“Bite me, bitch,” Thoran responded.

Jade curled his fingers in, praying they weren’t blown to pieces. The ship in front of them was much larger than the Foreplay. And this ship was damaged. There was no way for them to win in a fight.

“As you wish,” Ben stated before two more blasts were fired.

“We won’t survive,” Jade whispered to Thoran. “Maybe we can surrender and then find a way to escape.”

“A Breed Assassin doesn’t surrender.” There was no mistaking the feral harshness in Thoran’s tone.

“And a human likes to live to see tomorrow,” Jade said. “Would you rather die out here in space?”

“Yep,” Thoran answered.

Ugh, the man was impossible! But before Jade could protest any further, the bridge doors slid open and three men with blasters aimed at Jade and Thoran walked on board.

“I think you will be the one biting me,” Ben said smugly before the screen went dark. The only thing Jade and Thoran could do was throw their hands up and surrender. Although Thoran looked like he would rather chew glass.

The bridge door slid open once again and Logan walked in, an armed Marauder behind him. Jade worried about Kayden being outside the hull, but was too afraid to say anything. What if they shot Kayden off the ship? Jade couldn’t risk speaking up and revealing Kayden’s location.

The three of them were beamed over to the other ship and immediately placed in a cell. Jade’s chest tightened as his muscles tensed. He tried to stop the full-body tremors from shaking him, but he was powerless against the strong emotions coursing through him. His fear wasn’t just for him, but for Kayden as well. There was no one on the Foreplay to bring the Assassin back in.

“He knows how to survive,” Thoran tried to reassure Jade. “When we went through our training, we were put in every circumstance imaginable. He’ll get out of this one.”

Jade sure hoped so. Because Kayden was their only hope of escaping.

* * * *

Kayden kept himself hidden behind the vertical stabilizer as he gazed at the invading ship. There were no angles on it anywhere and its sleek lines and brilliant green color stood out majestically. He would have thought the ship belonged to some royal family if it hadn’t been for the gold predatory bird on the side.

The Falcon.

That was Ben Hur’s insignia. Kayden wasn’t sure how, but Ben had found out they were tracking him. And now the bastard was coming after Kayden and his crew.

Keeping his head down, Kayden moved over Foreplay until he was positioned by Airlock One. More than likely there was no one aboard to help him get back inside. Ben wouldn’t have wasted any time in seizing the entire crew.

So it was up to Kayden to save himself and then the others.

He worked the small panel open on the side of the airlock. There was a manual override inside. Unfortunately, when he got the panel open, he saw how corroded the wires were. It disgusted him to no end that the Empire owned ships that should be decommissioned. Why they were still put to use was anyone’s guess.

The digital display wouldn’t even light up. Kayden grabbed the small tool kit he’d brought with him and used the screwdriver to remove the interface.

Thank fuck part of their training had entailed learning how to break into and out of things. Draven had been thorough, and right now Kayden was grateful. His suit only had so much oxygen and he knew his time was running out.

Kayden used precious time he didn’t have to strip some of the wires and cross them. His gloves felt cumbersome as he worked with the delicate pieces.

It was getting harder to breathe. Kayden’s oxygen meter was at fourteen percent. Staying hidden from the Falcon for almost an hour had depleted most of his supply.

He let out a sound of supreme frustration when the tiny screwdriver slipped from his hand and began to float away from him. If Kayden went after it, not only would he be seen, but he’d use more time that he didn’t have.

Just when his oxygen meter reached a critical five percent, the airlock opened, allowing Kayden to scramble inside. He fell to the floor, removing his helmet as he sucked in what little oxygen he could. The ship wasn’t much help considering there was still a hole in the side of the hull. But it afforded him what he needed for the time being.

Kayden made his way to the bridge, shutting down every single compartment and redirecting the oxygen supply to the bridge. That would buy him some time.

There was only one thing for him to do. Kayden was going to have to wait until the Falcon was pointed away from him, heading back out into space, before he grabbed a shuttle and followed.

From there, he’d have to steal onto the Falcon somehow. He wasn’t leaving his friends in the malicious hands of Ben Hur. The Marauder was merciless and wouldn’t hesitate to kill Thoran, Logan, and Jade. He couldn’t even call for help because this was a black ops mission and the Breed Assassins weren’t technically involved in taking the Marauders down.

Kayden spent the next thirty minutes loading the shuttle with weapons before he climbed onboard, opened the bay door, and then flew out into open space.

He caught up to the Falcon, keeping low with his shields up as he studied the ship for a way in. To ensure he stayed off of their radar, Kayden shut everything down except life support.

He spotted an opening on the belly of the beast and knew that it was his only chance. Once again, Kayden was suited up. Using very little power, he maneuvered the shuttle as close to the opening as he could get.

Setting the shuttle on autopilot, he opened the back and made his way to the Falcon, thankful that it wasn’t at warp speed.

Kayden repeated what he’d done back on the Foreplay and soon found himself inside a storage area. He set the bag of weapons down before getting the bulky suit off.

After arming himself to the teeth, Kayden began his search for his crew.

Chapter Five

Jade shouted as he hit the floor. He held his cheek, red-hot fury filling him to overflowing. The guard just stood there and laughed, his jowls bouncing as he placed his beefy hands on his waist. “Next time I tell you to shut up, you better listen.”

“If you touch him again,” Thoran snarled from the cage across from Jade’s, “I’ll feed your fat carcass to a Synian bull.”

The guard narrowed his eyes at Thoran before he turned back to Jade. From the dark expression on the man’s face, Jade knew he was in trouble. The guard slammed his boot into Jade’s side, eliciting a scream from Jade. His insides were on fire and Jade could barely breathe past the pain. Fuck, he was on the verge of passing out.

“Get the fuck away from him!” Logan shouted from across the way.

“What are you gonna do?” the guard asked the Assassin before he picked Jade up by the hair and hit him so hard with his fist that Jade actually flew off of his feet and into the wall.

“Stop helping me,” Jade cried out to Thoran and Logan. “I might not survive if you continue to threaten this asshole.”

Jade might be the underdog when it came to different species, but he wasn’t going to lie here and take it. He might not be able to fight back, but the man wasn’t going to break his spirit.

His bones were another story.

“What did you call me?” The guard’s scowl was deep before he laid into Jade. His ears started ringing and Jade just knew he was about to die. The guard was Vyklion. The man’s strength was ten times that of a human. His musculature was that of five oxen.

Just when Jade thought the man was going to deliver the death blow, the guy’s eyes widened and then he fell to the ground. Jade could barely see because his eyes were so swollen. The ringing died down, but there was a static hum rushing through his ears.

He cringed away when he felt someone brush something over his face. Jade was terrified that another guard was going to start beating him, or worse. There had been a lot of sexually blatant threats about what the guards wanted to do to him as they had led him to his cell.

Jade preferred a continued beating…maybe.

“Relax.”

Jade nearly wept when he heard Kayden’s deep, gruff voice. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

But before Kayden could make good on his promise, shouting erupted somewhere close-by. Kayden swung to his feet and Jade cried out, “Don’t leave me!”

“I’m not,” Kayden said before he moved from Jade’s cell. Though his vision was reduced to narrow slits, Jade could just make out Kayden freeing Thoran and Logan. Guards swarmed all around the men, the fighting nearly deafening.

Jade tried to get up, but howled as he crumbled to the floor. His entire body was covered in sweat, his skin hot, and his throat dry. Jade felt like total shit and probably didn’t look any better.

The riotous noise settled. For a second, Jade thought he’d lost his hearing. His surroundings became hushed and then Kayden was back at his side, pushing his arms carefully under Jade.

“Try not to move.”

That was a request Jade had no problem following. He bit back the whimper threatening to escape as Kayden cradled him against his strong chest before walking out of the cell.

“Kayden Caellen.”

“Ben Hur,” Kayden returned as he came to a stop. “Long time no see.”

Jade barely made out a smirk on their captor’s face. “Not long enough.”

“What I want to know,” Kayden said, “is why you kidnapped my crew.”

Ben gave a malicious chuckle that sent a cold chill through Jade’s aching body. “You need to read the fine print before you agree to take on an assignment.”

Jade had no idea what the lunatic was talking about and he didn’t really care. He just wanted to get out of there and find some place to wallow in pain.

Ben chuckled again. “I see you have no idea what I’m talking about.” The man pulled something from his inner jacket pocket and pointed it at Kayden. It looked like some kind of folded paper. “You were led to believe that I’m kidnapping President Protempt’s people.” The man shrugged. “I could care less about them. They are not who I’m after.”

“Then what are you after?” Logan asked.

“Uh-uh,” Ben tsked. “I won’t divulge the content of the contract I purchased, but let’s just say you are working for the wrong side. I wouldn’t be so trusting of the Constantine Empire.”

“Like we’d believe you,” Thoran spat. “You are a crooked con who could care less who you hurt in order to get what you want.”

“And how are you any different, Assassin?” Ben asked, his tone mocking. “The only difference between you and I is that you work for the Empire while I freelance.”

Jade curled his fingers into Kayden’s shirt, ready to get out of there. He could feel blood trickling from his nose and all he wanted to do was sleep. But he wasn’t going to close his eyes until he knew they were safely away from this ship.

Kayden glanced down at him and there was something in the man’s blue-green eyes, almost a softness, like Kayden cared for him. But Jade knew that was insane. They hardly knew each other and Kayden wasn’t the type to get into bed with a guy. The man was too hardcore, too deadly. Now more than ever Jade wished the two of them were close. He needed comfort and someone who would make him feel safe.

“Go,” Ben said. “The only reason I captured your crew was to show you that I’m not a fool and I know you’re after me and my men. But rest assured, if we ever meet again, I won’t be this giving.”

Kayden, Thoran, and Logan didn’t say a word as they walked from the prison cells. Jade felt his heart beating faster now that they had been given a free pass, but he wouldn’t breathe in relief until the Falcon was far behind them.

* * * *

Kayden held Jade gently in his arms as they boarded the shuttle. He made a beeline for a large chair, sitting down and strapping himself and Jade in. He wasn’t going to let the man go until he absolutely had to.

“Get us out of here, Logan. I don’t trust Ben Hur not to change his mind.”

“Back to the ship?” Logan asked as he sat down in the pilot seat and began take-off preparations. Within moments the shuttle was lifting off and flying away from the Marauders.

“No, I wasn’t able to fix the damage before I had to come after you guys. We’ll have to abandon it for now and make for the nearest port.”

Wherever in the hell that was. Kayden hadn’t had time to look at the star map before they were attacked, or since. He had no idea where they were or what was close to them.

A whimper from Jade brought home the importance of getting medical attention as fast as possible. “Just find the closest planet and get us on the ground.”

“There’s an inhabited planet not too far from us,” Logan called out from the front of the shuttle. “The star map says it’s a planet called Sator.”

“Get us there quick,” Kayden ordered. “There’s a city on the northern hemisphere. I have an acquaintance there that might be able to put us up for a few days until we can figure things out and maybe get the Foreplay fixed.”

“Here.”

Kayden glanced up to find Thoran holding a first aid kit and damp towel out to him.

“Thanks.” He took the rag and began to slowly, gently, wipe the blood off of Jade. “Sorry,” he whispered when the man groaned, his face scrunching. “I know it hurts but I need to clean you off so I can see how bad your wounds are.”

“Bad.” Jade grimaced. “Take my word for it.”

Kayden had no doubt that Jade was right. There didn’t seem to be an inch of Jade that wasn’t bloody, bruised, or swollen. He was one big wound. The urge to go back and beat the crap out of Ben Hur’s guards was so strong that Kayden almost ordered Logan to turn the shuttle around.

“Hurts,” Jade whispered and Kayden could tell that the man was trying hard not to cry.

“I know.” Kayden clenched his jaw when Jade whimpered then went slack. For a moment, his heart seemed to freeze in his chest until he realized that Jade had merely passed out. “This never should have happened.”

“Ben Hur knew where we were, Kayden.” Thoran’s green eyes were filled with anger. “I don’t believe for a moment that he was just in the area. Someone had to have told him where we were.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Kayden replied. “I didn’t tell anyone where we were going, so unless one of you talked, Ben Hur must have found us some other way.” Even as he said the words, he suspected he knew the truth, and that created so many problems he didn’t even want to think about them. “Is there a scalpel in that first aid kit?”

“Yeah.” Thoran’s forehead wrinkled in a frown of deep thought. “Why?”

“Jade has a tracking device, remember?”

Thoran’s eyes rounded as they dropped to Jade. “And you think that’s how Ben Hur found us?”

“It’s the only explanation unless you want to go with the theory that the man is just lucky.”

“No one is that lucky,” Logan called from the front of the shuttle.

Kayden held out his hand. “Then give me that damn scalpel.” He was grateful that Jade was already unconscious as he located the GPS tracking device implanted in Jade’s arm and dug it out.

The second the small tubular capsule popped out of the cut in Jade’s flesh, Kayden tossed the scalpel away and picked the tracking chip up with his fingers, holding it out to Thoran. “Dispose of this before we reached the surface.”

Thoran dropped it on the floor and crushed it under the heel of his boot. There was a mischievous grin on his face when he looked up. “Wish I could have left it on Ben Hur’s ship. Then whoever is after us could chase him around for a while.”

“As wickedly tempting as that idea is, it also brings up another matter. Someone is definitely after us and after what Ben Hur said, I’m wondering just exactly who that is.” Kayden took the blanket that Thoran held out to him and covered Jade, tucking the edges around Jade’s neck. “He said we’re working for the wrong side. For a covert assignment, Ben Hur seemed to know an awful lot about it.”

“We need some insider information.”

Kayden grinned. “Yes, we do, and I know just the person to get it for us. Get Dax on the line. If anyone can dig into the Empire’s business, it’s him.”

Dax and Nyk were the other two Breed Assassins in Kayden’s unit. If there was anyone Kayden could trust, it was his brethren. He knew for a fact that all five men would lay down their lives for each other. If Kayden told Dax that someone was out to get them, the wolf shifter would be all over it.

“What specifically do you want me to have him look into?” Thoran asked.

Logan turned in his chair, gazing at Thoran. “You heard Ben Hur’s words just as we all did. I think we need to start there. If we’re being sent on a wild-goose chase, we should know why and who ordered it.”

Thoran nodded. “On it.”

Once Thoran moved away, Kayden glanced back down at Jade. For just a moment, as he sat all alone in the back of the shuttle, Kayden allowed his emotions where Jade was concerned to come to the surface. His fingers trembled as he slid them through Jade’s shoulder-length golden-blond hair. Even splattered with blood and sweat, dirty and unruly, it still framed Jade’s face like a halo.

“If things were different, little bit.” Kayden’s heart swelled for a moment, the need to have Jade as his own, to claim the man, riding him hard. His wolf, usually chained and restrained, howled for the smaller man, biting at Kayden’s control.

The feeling of the shuttle landing brought Kayden’s attention back to his surroundings. He reined in his need for the beautiful man in his arms and slid a cold mask of indifference down over his emotions. Jade needed him to be the lethal killing machine he was so that he could keep Jade safe, not a lovesick wolf wanting something he couldn’t have.

“Dax is looking into things,” Thoran said as he walked to the back of the shuttle. “He also told me that he and Nyk are heading our way.”

Kayden should have known. None of them could stay away when trouble arose. There were times they all acted so alike that it was spooky. But what struck Kayden as odd was the fact that each of them usually went out on assignment alone, all except Dax and Nyk. The two were always together. He often wondered if something was going on between the two men, but that was none of his business. Kayden had his own problems to sort out.

Before he left the shuttle, Kayden messaged his associate. It only took seconds to get a reply.

“We’re good,” he said to Logan and Thoran. “Chardin said we could use his flat.”

“How do you know this Chardin?” Logan asked as he opened the shuttle door. “Can he be trusted?”

“No one can be fully trusted,” Kayden reminded his friend. “But right now he’s our best shot at laying low for a couple of days. I met him on Colossus a few years back. I saved him from getting his ass handed to him by some arms dealers.”

Kayden kept Jade cradled to him as Logan registered the shuttle with the Bay Captain and Thoran secured them a ride. He knew Logan would give the guy false IDs. Slipping the Bay Captain a few extra credits wouldn’t hurt either.

By the time they made it to Chardin’s, Kayden felt ten years older. He put Jade in the only spare room left after Logan and Thoran took the other one.

After tucking Jade in, Kayden went in search of a physician who knew how to do his job while keeping his mouth shut.

Chapter Six

Jade cried out, trying to outrun the guard. But no matter how fast he ran, he was getting nowhere. The walls were closing in and the malicious laugh echoed all around him. Jade clawed at the walls, slammed his body into the bars, but he couldn’t get free.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the guard asked as he appeared just behind Jade. “I’m not through with you yet.” The Vyklion removed his belt and snapped it together, the sound of the leather horrifying. “I’m going to beat you until you learn not to run.”

Jade screamed.

“Hey, wake up.”

Jade shot up in bed, shaking so badly that his teeth were chattering. When a hand landed on him, Jade swung his fist out, fighting off his attacker. Strong arms wrapped around him. “Jade, it’s me, Kayden.”

At first Jade didn’t understand. His mind was still in the grips of his nightmare until he felt a hand soothing up and down his back. Jade had never been in that violent of a situation before, and now that he was quasi-safe, the horrific details were coming back to haunt him.

“It’s okay, little bit.” Kayden began to gently rock Jade.

“H–how long have I been out?” Jade clung to Kayden, needing an anchor as his mind tried to settle.

“Three days.”

Jade nodded, although he wasn’t sure what he was nodding for. As his breathing began to calm, his heart started beating even faster. He was suddenly aware that he wasn’t wearing any clothes and that he was wrapped in Kayden’s arms.

Sucking in his lower lip, Jade tried not to breathe. He didn’t want this moment to shatter and Kayden to pull away. Chancing a huge risk, Jade moved his head slightly, pressing his lips into the man’s bare chest.

“Jade.” Kayden said his name in warning, but his tone was rough, husky.

Jade could fell the muscles under him tightening. He was terrified of not only being rejected, but of Kayden becoming outraged that Jade would dare touch the man in such a way. Kayden had never given any sign that was interested in Jade. The Assassin was a killing machine, quiet and reserved. He didn’t set off Jade’s gaydar but he was so tired of fighting what he felt for the man.

“I’m sorry.” Jade turned his head, wanting to flee. “I didn’t mean to—” Jade couldn’t finish his sentence because he did mean to kiss the man’s chest.

He’d never been so brazen in his life when it came to making the first move and he couldn’t understand why he was doing it now.

Especially with a Breed Assassin.

Was he out of his mind? Kayden could kill him a hundred different ways and make it look like an accident. Jade was playing with fire. No, he was messing with a wild predator.

“I’m Synian,” Kayden said.

“I know.” Jade chanced a peak up at Kayden and he was stunned when he didn’t see any repulsion in the man’s gorgeous blue-green eyes. In fact, there was a liquid heat there that took Jade by surprise.

“I could be killed for even thinking of what I want to do to your sexy little body.”

“I know, but—” Jade blinked. “What did you just say?”

His breath caught when Kayden’s hand slid down Jade’s back and then cupped one cheek. Kayden gripped Jade’s ass, pulling him closer. “Sexy.” Kayden’s thumb traced over Jade’s jaw. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

He had to still be sleeping. There was no way the man was saying what Jade had been dying to hear. “You’re gay?”

Kayden let go of a gruff chuckle. “No, I just like waking up next to sexy, naked men and telling them that I want to fuck them into next week.”

Jade sucked in a breath as Kayden’s lips brushed over his. But as badly as Jade wanted this, he didn’t want Kayden to take him any further only to back off and say it could never happen between them.

His cock was already hard and his brain was slowly melting. If he was going to back out, Jade needed to do it now. “Wait.” He pressed his hands into Kayden’s chest and let go of a moan. Damn, the man’s pecs were so impressive.

“You’re right.” Kayden tilted his head away from Jade’s. “We shouldn’t do this.”

Jade’s fingers curled before he slipped them across the hard wall of muscle. “No, we shouldn’t.”

“It’s too risky,” Kayden said.

“Too insane,” Jade replied.

Jade cried out when Kayden pressed him into the mattress and hovered over him, his lips sucking so hard on Jade’s neck that he felt the beginning of an orgasm stealing over him. “Kayden.”

“Do you want me to stop, little bit?” Kayden’s canines were already elongating.

Jade had never seen a shifter like this before. He knew their kind existed. He worked around them all the time. But he’d never laid eyes on anything like—“God no.”

Heat flared in Kayden’s eyes before he moved down the bed and swallowed Jade whole.

Jade’s gripped the sheet as his back arched. His toes curled in and there was a damn good chance that he was going to pass out. Kayden was a skilled lover. The man’s mouth was doing things to Jade that he hadn’t thought possible.

Through the fog of lust encompassing him, Jade could hear some strange noise in the background and then realized it was him babbling incoherently.

But Kayden didn’t let up. His tongue was working such beautiful magic that Jade felt as if he’d woken in an alternate universe. He lifted his legs and planted the heels of his feet into Kayden’s back, rocking his hips forward.

When Kayden slipped a thick finger into Jade’s ass, he shouted as his cock exploded, his cum shooting straight down Kayden’s throat.

Kayden took it all. The man even licked Jade clean before moving back up the bed. Jade nearly swallowed his own tongue when he got his first look at Kayden’s cock. When had the man taken off his pants?

The man’s cock was not going to fit into any hole Jade possessed. The girth alone would split him in two. Jade tried to turn onto his side and hurry from the bed, but Kayden caught him around the waist. With a deep growl, the Assassin picked Jade up and tossed him back down.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Jade’s eyes once more darted between Kayden’s legs. “You aren’t coming anywhere near me with that weapon.”

Kayden grinned from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Are you telling me that you can’t handle this?” He palmed his cock and Jade could see the amused pride sliding across Kayden’s face.

Jerk.

He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Kayden. “Now you’re just being mean.”

“Aw.” Kayden leaned down and ran his tongue over Jade’s bottom lip. Jade inhaled the dark, musky scent and felt his dick trying to get hard. Hell, it wasn’t trying. It was already halfway there. “Don’t be mad at me. I promise to be gentle with you.”

Jade turned his nose up and used one hand to push at Kayden’s chest, but it was like trying to move a solid wall. “Nope.”

“Mmm, I think I can convince you.”

There was no way Jade could stop his traitorous body from reacting when Kayden slipped two lubed fingers into his ass. His head shot sideways and he saw the tube of lube sitting by the pillow. “You planned this?”

Kayden winked at him as he scissored his fingers, making Jade’s eyes roll backward.

“No. But there’s nothing wrong with being prepared just in case things become frisky.” Kayden added a third finger and Jade was ready to flip onto his hands and knees and beg the man to fuck him. His body was on fire, his cock fully hard again. Jade spread his legs, writhing under Kayden.

“That’s it,” Kayden crooned as his fingers slipped in and out of Jade’s ass. “Open yourself up to me.”

“What—” Jade licked his lips, trying to think past what Kayden was doing to him. “What about your law?”

“Are you going to tell, Jade?” Kayden asked, his hand never losing its rhythm. “Are you going to turn me in?”

“Never.” Jade moaned, his knees falling to the sides. “I would never do that to you or anyone else. It’s a stupid law.”

Kayden growled low before their lips met. But this time the kiss lasted and it was the sweetest, most decadent thing Jade had ever tasted. He was going to drown in this man.

He just knew it.

The tips of Kayden’s canines ghosted over Jade’s lip, causing his entire body to tremble.

Kayden was so overwhelming. His presence was demanding and Jade could do nothing but comply. He wanted to comply. Jade had always dreamed of belonging to someone like Kayden Caellen. The universe was a cold, harsh place for anyone, but especially for a human. Jade had tasted his fair share of callousness and cruelty from those who felt he should be scrubbing floors instead of having rank. His life on Talus hadn’t been stellar, but it hadn’t been all that bad either.

It had just been extremely lonely. No one wanted to be friends with a lowly human. He couldn’t understand why Kayden wanted him. It made absolutely no sense to him. But Jade wasn’t going to turn the man away. Not when he wanted the intimacy between them so badly.

He just wasn’t looking forward to what would happen after they had sex. Would Kayden give him the cold shoulder, pretend it never happened? Jade wasn’t sure, but right now, in this moment, he couldn’t care less.

The only thing that did matter was the succulent kiss Kayden was giving him. The man’s tongue delved into Jade’s mouth, forcing a long, desperate moan to vibrate in his throat.

Jade turned his head, his breath shuddering when Kayden nipped his neck. “Are you submitting to me, little bit?”

Having no clue what Kayden was talking about, Jade just nodded. A deep, feral growl ripped from Kayden’s throat as he removed his fingers and lubed his cock. Jade felt a fine tremor skating over his body. The feeling was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Jade wasn’t a virgin. He’d found a few men who didn’t mind fucking a human in secret. But none of those men had ever made Jade feel like he was flying.

When Kayden coaxed Jade onto his hands and knees, he didn’t hesitate to roll over. The position was very impersonal, but Jade didn’t argue.

“It’ll be easier for you like this.” Kayden kissed Jade along his spine. “I don’t want to hurt you, Jade.”

Jade nodded. He wasn’t sure if that was the real reason, but for now, he’d allow his mind to believe Kayden. He’d also allow his mind to believe that the Breed Assassin actually cared for him. Jade would deal with reality come morning.

“So sweet,” Kayden whispered as the head of his cock pressed into Jade’s entrance. He nibbled his way across Jade’s shoulder, sending tiny fingers of desire racing through him. Jade wanted to surrender fully to Kayden, to give the man whatever he wanted, if only Kayden would remain his forever.

Jade clenched his jaw, his mind reeling as Kayden slowly entered him. He gasped and blew out a long breath as he was stretched wide. The pain almost became unbearable and Jade was seconds away from calling this off.

“Breathe for me.” Kayden’s canines scraped along Jade’s neck. “Don’t tense up.”

Jerking his head in a nod, Jade spread his legs wider, pushing out as Kayden inched in. His body almost bowed as tumulus sensations shot through him. “Kayden.”

“You can take it.” Kayden wrapped one hand into Jade’s hair, tugging. “I have a feeling you can take anything I throw at you, Jade.”

Jade wasn’t too sure about that, but the burn started morphing into a pleasure that had him pushing back, wanting Kayden all the way inside of him.

“I knew you could.” The approval in Kayden’s tone had Jade melting inside. Kayden’s hand slipped under Jade, spanning over his chest and moving down until the man curled his fingers around Jade’s cock.

Jade thrust forward into Kayden’s hand and then back, impaling himself on his lover’s shaft. Kayden groaned and then reared back, taking the heat from Jade’s back as he grabbed Jade’s hips and began to move faster.

He tilted his hips and the new angle ensured Kayden’s cock would nail Jade’s gland with each inward push. Kayden’s hand stroked Jade and Jade’s head spun from the erotic pulse rocking through him. He wanted to come, to find his release, yet he didn’t want this to ever end.

Jade shuddered with increasing arousal and cried out as Kayden eased out of him. He didn’t understand what was happening until Kayden flipped Jade onto his back, pushed his legs all the way to his chest, and then slipped his cock back into Jade’s ass.

“Much better,” Kayden said before lowering himself until his arms were resting on either side of Jade’s head. “I like this position so much better.”

So did Jade. It let him look into Kayden’s piercing eyes. He wrapped his legs around the man’s thick waist, pulling Kayden in deeper. Kayden grinned and shoved his cock in to the root. “Like that?”

The only answer Jade could give was a groan as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Kayden licked at Jade’s shoulder, his powerful hips curling forward as his cock continued to graze Jade’s sweet spot.

Jade arched off the bed as a breathless moan escaped, the hard ridges of Kayden’s abdomen pressing into Jade and reminding him how stunning his lover’s body truly was. “I need…”

“Faster?”

“Yes!”

The man moved faster as Jade cried out. A maelstrom of emotions cascaded through him. Jade was on the edge, the brink of sanity, as Kayden drove deep.

Why can’t I have this man? Why can’t this be forever? Jade felt safe with Kayden, felt wanted. He’d been captivated with the man since first sighting Kayden on Talus. Little did Kayden know, but Jade had watched the Breed Assassin grow from a scared young boy into a fierce man.

Draven had kept Jade away from the training facility, but Jade had always found a way to sneak in and watch the Assassins. When Jade had first discovered the men training, Kayden had been a teenager. Even then Kayden had taken his lessons seriously. Jade had only been twelve, but he had felt something stir inside of him at the sight of Kayden working out.

At the time, it hadn’t been sexual, but more like fascination with the wolf shifter. But as they both grew older, Jade found himself enamored with the man. He just never thought the two of them would ever be in bed together.

This was like a dream come true.

Jade’s entire body stiffened when Kayden grabbed Jade’s cock and stroked him until he came. Both body and mind exploded as Jade cried out Kayden’s name.

And then the man sank his canines into Jade’s shoulder.

Jade’s scream escalated as he was jerked into a plateau of intense pleasure where he feared he would free-fall back to earth. Something inside Jade snapped. He couldn’t tell what it was, but suddenly he was ultra-aware of Kayden’s presence, as if the man was now inside of him on a deeper, more spiritual level, one with him.

Kayden let go of a deep, rumbling growl. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were glowing amber. Jade should have been terrified. Any sane man would have been. Kayden now resembled a wild beast, a feral predator. His canines were long, his eyes wild. Jade wanted to say something, anything, but was too afraid of shattering this moment.

And then Kayden threw his head back and howled. It was an ear-piercing noise that echoed off of the walls as the man came inside Jade. At first Jade thought he was imagining things, but then he knew it to be true when Kayden swelled inside of him.

Knotting.

He’d heard of that happening to wolf shifters, but to experience it was mind-blowing. Jade cried out again as ropes of seed erupted from his own cock. It all became too much as Jade’s body seemed to twist inside out. He gasped for breath, fighting not to be pulled under, but he lost that battle as darkness yanked him into nothingness.

Chapter Seven

Jade groaned as awareness of the outside world broke through the fog of satisfaction he was floating in. He didn’t want to wake up. His dream had been far too erotic to bring into the light of day. Besides, he wasn’t all that sure that the dream had been real.

There was no way Kayden Caellen, Breed Assassin and sexiest man to ever breathe, had fucked him into the mattress the previous night. His luck just didn’t go in that direction.

The delicious ache in his ass said otherwise but the empty bed said he was fooling himself.

Jade didn’t know what to think. The soreness he felt could be explained by the beating he had received from Ben Hur’s guards. His memory of what happened with Kayden—as much as he wanted it to be true—could also be blamed on his injuries. He’d been kicked in the head a couple of times. Hallucinations happened when one suffered a head injury.

Jade winced as he scooted to the edge of the bed. While most of him had healed, there were still some fading bruises along his arms. He was pretty sure he had more bruises in places he couldn’t see. Jade got up and walked into the adjoining bathroom.

He took care of business and then took a long, hot shower, moaning as the water cascaded over him. The heat felt good against his sore muscles.

Jade washed his hair and then rinsed it before grabbing the washcloth to clean his body. When he glanced down to soap his stomach, Jade let go of a loud shriek.

No!

There was a fine line that started at his navel and worked its way down to his groin. On either side of the faint line were small splotches that resembled the pattern of a cheetah.

Jade felt dizzy, finding it hard to breathe as he dropped the washcloth and stumbled from the stall. The door flew open and Kayden appeared, his eyes darting everywhere. “What’s wrong?”

Steadying himself against the sink, Jade gripped the edge so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Bile rose to the back of his throat as the implications hit him like a sledgehammer to his gut.

“Jade?”

Jade spun, shoving his hands into Kayden’s chest. He felt the hot tears well up and then spill over. He wasn’t ready for this. Things were happening so fast and right now he didn’t even have a secure home. If Ben Hur was right, then the Constantine Empire was after the Breed Assassins—which in turn meant they were after Jade because he was with this group.

“Get out!”

Kayden grabbed Jade’s upper arms, holding him firmly in place. “Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Jade couldn’t form the words. He feared that if he spoke them, then they would be true. They couldn’t be true. No. What he and Kayden shared was a one-night stand. Nothing more.

Oh god. Jade yanked out of Kayden’s grip and dropped to his knees, retching into the toilet. A cold cloth swept across his forehead. Jade didn’t want Kayden to be attentive. What Jade needed was to take back last night.

“Talk to me, little bit.”

“Don’t call me that!” The tears returned and Jade felt as if his life had just turned upside down.

“Will you stop acting like a lunatic and tell me what the hell is wrong?” Kayden shouted.

“I’m fucking pregnant!” Jade slid to the floor, cradling his head in his hands. What was he going to do? He glanced up when he didn’t hear Kayden. Had the man left the room?

No. Kayden was right there. But he had an expression on his face that said he was too stunned to speak. He just kept staring at Jade like Jade had turned purple and now had three heads.

Jade waved a hand toward his stomach, showing Kayden the marking. But Kayden didn’t move, didn’t say a word.

“Fine.” Jade pushed to his feet and walked past Kayden. His anger quickly mounted and he was ready to hit something. “Fuck you.”

Jade yelped when he was spun around and lifted off of his feet. For a second, he thought Kayden was going to hurt him. Kayden’s countenance was a mixture of bewilderment and something close to rage. Or so Jade thought.

“How?” Kayden asked. “I don’t understand, Jade. Make me understand what’s happening here.”

Jade didn’t understand it either. He had been told that the only way a male could get pregnant was if a mating ritual was performed.

His head snapped up as he remembered the bite from last night. His eyes grew wide as his hand fluttered to his neck. “You mated me.”

Kayden gave a quick nod. “I lost control.” His hands moved slowly up and down Jade’s arms. “I always thought my mate would be Synian.”

Anger and hurt flared in Jade. “Sorry you’re stuck with a human.” He tried to push past Kayden, but the man wouldn’t budge. Jade let go of an exasperated sigh. He didn’t need this right now. Jade was seven kinds of confused and wanted to be alone. “Look, I’ll disappear and you won’t have to worry about the shame. I—”

Kayden shook Jade to the point he thought his brain would rattle free. “Do you think I’m ashamed of you?”

“I’m human,” Jade pointed out. “The lowest of the low.”

Kayden scoffed. “And those who think that are idiots.”

Jade wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or not.

Kayden pushed a hand through his dark hair as he turned. “I told you last night that I’ve been attracted to you since first laying eyes on you.”

“But simple attraction doesn’t make a relationship,” Jade pointed out.

“The only reason I tried to keep away was because of King Arador,” Kayden said. “I don’t give a rat’s ass that you’re human, Jade. I could care less what species you are. The only thing that matters to me is that you’re my mate.” His eyes dropped to Jade’s flat belly. “And now you’re carrying my child.”

“King Arador will have you executed for this.” Jade felt a hole opening up inside of him. He wasn’t sure how Kayden could be so accepting of this situation, but Jade was relieved the man wasn’t running as far and as fast as he could. Jade was scared out of his mind and knew he couldn’t do this alone.

“Get dressed,” Kayden said before leaving the bathroom. Jade dressed as quickly as he could before joining Kayden in the bedroom. The man was pacing when Jade came in.

The Breed Assassin took a seat on the bed and then pulled Jade down onto his lap. “I’m going to be honest, Jade. I’ve been in training my entire life. I have no idea what being mated means, only that it happened between us last night.”

Jade braced himself for the rejection. And here he thought the two of them could work this out. He kept a stiff back, refusing to beg Kayden for anything. They were virtual strangers, but Jade had thought Kayden more honorable than a brush-off.

Kayden’s hand spanned over Jade’s abdomen. “I’m stunned right now. But don’t take that as rejection. I want you, this.”

Jade wasn’t sure what to think right now. He was getting too many mixed signals. “So, you want the baby?”

“God, yes.” Kayden kissed Jade on the cheek. “And I want you. I’ve always felt—” Kayden shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jade. I’m not really good with expressing myself. I’ve longed for a family my entire life.”

Jade threw his arms around Kayden’s neck. He had no clue what to think. He was just as stunned, and his thoughts were chaotic at best. When he had wished to keep Kayden, he had had no idea what he was wishing for. Having a family hadn’t even entered his mind.

Kayden set Jade on his feet and walked to the door. “Logan, Thoran, get your asses in here!”

Jade stood there, wondering what the man was doing. When the other two Assassins entered the room, Kayden turned toward Jade. “My mate is carrying my child.”

Both Logan and Thoran appeared just as stunned as Jade felt.

“I want him guarded around the clock,” Kayden said, his tone growing deathly serious. “If King Arador finds out about this, he will put a bounty on not only my head, but Jade’s as well.”

Oh, that did not sound good. Not at all.

* * * *

Kayden made sure the line was secure on his laptop before he called the only person he knew that could give him answers. There should be no possible way for him to get Jade pregnant, and yet he had. His mind was still reeling from the news as he made the connection and waited for his mentor to answer.

Dax and Nyk had arrived an hour ago. All four of his brethren were taking turns guarding Jade as the man slept. Kayden had no clue where Chardin had taken off to, but he quickly dismissed the man from his mind.

“Kayden Caellen.”

Kayden smiled at the familiar and welcoming voice. “Draven Wootnon.”

“It’s been a long time, my friend.”

After training the Breed Assassins, Draven had taken a position on the Constantine council. Though both men lived on Talus, their paths had gone separate ways, but Kayden still thought of the man a father figure.

“I have a problem, Draven.”

The man clucked his tongue, something he did when someone stated the obvious. “You wouldn’t be calling me if you didn’t.”

There was no heat or resentment in the man’s tone. They both knew the score. The training program had been top-level security. It wasn’t on any records, and as far as most people knew, had never existed. Technically, the two weren’t even supposed to know each other. “I somehow got a man pregnant.”

The line was silent for so long that Kayden thought the connection had somehow been severed. When the man finally spoke, his voice was nothing more than a whisper. “That’s impossible. The Breed Assassins were sterilized.”

“I know. That’s why I called you.” That was still a sore point with Kayden. Although Draven hadn’t ordered the sterilization, the man hadn’t argued on behalf of the Breed Assassins. Kayden had been told that, because they were Assassins, they weren’t allowed to have any familial connections. There could be no division of their loyalties.

So if Kayden couldn’t have children, how in the hell had he gotten Jade pregnant?

“I’ll have to do some research,” Draven said. “I’ll call you back.”

The line disconnected. Kayden sat back in the chair, rubbing his hand over his chin as he tried to make sense of things. Not more than ten minutes had passed when the computer dinged, telling him there was an incoming communication.

It was Draven.

That was fast.

“What did you learn?” Kayden asked as soon as they connected.

“That someone knows.” Draven sounded almost frantic. “The contract just hit the bounty hunter feeds. King Arador has been told that a human named Jade Krovac is pregnant and you’re the father. He blew a gasket with the Empire, forcing them to take action against you and Jade. Get out of there, Kayden. I overheard a conversation just moments ago, and the Feds are headed your way.”

Kayden slammed the laptop closed and raced from the office. He found Logan walking toward him from the kitchen. “We got trouble knocking on our door.”

“I’ll find us a shuttle and pull it to the back of the building.” Logan was gone in seconds as Kayden hurried to the bedroom where Jade was still sleeping. He didn’t even bother to wake the man. Kayden wrapped the blanket around Jade and then pulled him from the bed. Thoran, Dax, and Nyk flanked him as they took the back fire escape down to the ground where Logan was waiting for them.

They were out of the flat in less than two minutes. As they rounded the corner, Kayden could see the Feds swarming the building. Logan hooked a right and the building soon disappeared behind them.

They drove until Logan parked behind some worn-down rental cabins on the outskirts of town. Jade had woken, and was quietly sitting next to Kayden, his eyes glued to the window, looking for all the world like a lost soul.

Kayden wanted to say something to comfort the man, but he couldn’t think of anything. This entire situation was fucked. The Constantine Empire had put the Breed Assassins on a bounty hunter feed. Every cutthroat in the Zarino galaxy would be after them now.

Kayden kept his eyes open, scanning their surroundings as Dax registered them in one of the cabins. Once they had the passcode, Logan and Nyk settled Jade in while Kayden, Dax, and Thoran set up sensors and perimeter alarms. If anyone came near their cabin, they’d know.

After securing the perimeter, Kayden checked on his mate. Jade had been a little too quiet since waking in the shuttle. He knew everything was happening too fast for the human. Hell, things were shooting into hyperdrive for Kayden. It had been a little over a week since they’d left Talus, and he was now mated, going to be a father, and on the most wanted list.

Thoran moved through the tiny kitchen in the derelict cabin. He held a cup of coffee in his hands, his eyes locked onto Kayden.

Kayden knew the Breed Assassin was trying to figure out how he’d fathered a child.

They all were, including Kayden himself.

* * * *

Draven moved through the halls of the Constantine building, glancing around to make sure no one was watching him before he slipped into the records room. When he’d been approached about the training program twenty years ago, Draven had jumped at the chance.

He’d thought nothing of the five-year-olds who’d been handed over to him. Admittedly, he’d had a fleeting thought of why any parent would allow their child to train at such a young age, but he’d been under the assumption that everything was on the level.

Draven wasn’t so sure any longer. He’d been given the boys at a time when the Zarino galaxy had been at war. The Constantine Empire had been trying to make peace with Synia and Sator—two of the fifteen planets in the Zarino galaxy.

What if Kayden and the others hadn’t been given to Draven with the consent of their parents? What if the children had been spoils of war? There was a growing knot in the pit of Draven’s stomach as those questions and so many more began to plague him.

He swiped the keycard he’d stolen off of one of the record keepers just an hour before through the keypad. Draven knew his time was precious. If the record keeper found his keycard missing, the building would be locked down.

Draven narrowed his search to twenty years ago when the boys were given to him. He grunted in frustration when he couldn’t find anything. He knew the project had been top secret, but there should be some kind of record.

The Constantine Empire was nothing if not thorough. Draven had kept meticulous records on the boys’ progression throughout their entire training. There was no way those records were destroyed.

Draven frowned when he spotted a file marked “Sator Training” on the computer.

He’d never heard of any such program. Draven opened the file. He scanned through the records, feeling his heart sink the more he read. How in the hell could a government who was fighting for peace do something this horrific?

According to the file, Kayden was not from Synia. That was the farthest thing from the truth. Draven’s stomach tied into knots when he saw that Kayden was the lost heir of Sator. Not only that, but three of the four men Kayden trained alongside of were his cousins, and Daxar Althos had been the son of one of the housekeepers in the royal palace.

Draven wiped a hand over his sweaty brow. Having this kind of knowledge would get him killed. He started to click out of the file when he noticed a small attachment at the bottom. Draven glanced over his shoulder, ensuring that he was still alone before opening it.

What he was looking at was a bill of sale. It was between King Arador and Theodore Constantine for the four boys of the Royal House of Sator. There was also a bill of sale for Dax, but the price was significantly lower.

Holy shit.

Draven pulled a thumb drive from his pants pocket and made a copy of the file. Just as he pulled the thumb drive free, the door to the records room opened.

Chapter Eight

Jade sat in the living room of the crappy cabin they’d been hiding out in for the past two weeks. He still hadn’t gotten used to being around all these men. He’d seen them training together years before, but Jade had never interacted with them like this.

As he sat there, Jade watched Kayden. The Assassin had been working meticulously on the laptop Dax and Nyk had brought with them. Too bad the Foreplay was still dead in the water up in space or they could get off this planet. But Kayden had said it was best to lay low until they could figure things out.

Jade was tired of laying low. It didn’t help that he was feeling a bit queasy and had been since they’d arrived at this cabin. Nothing seemed to stay down for more than a few minutes. Jade could already feel the waistband of his pants getting looser.

Worry ate at him as Jade rubbed his still-flat stomach. As shocked as he was that this was happening to him, he didn’t want anything to happen to child he was carrying. He was afraid if he didn’t find some way to keep something down, the lack of nutrients would harm the baby.

Kayden had explained that they were now being hunted, so Jade had kept his concerns to himself. But, as much as he hated to say anything, Jade knew he needed to talk to Kayden.

Besides, as the father, didn’t the man have the right to know if there was a problem?

Jade stood and walked over to Kayden. Although they were mated now and Jade was expecting, Kayden still somewhat intimidated him. The man’s aura was powerful, even when he sat there in silence. The Assassin might look relaxed, but Jade knew Kayden could jump into action in mere seconds. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Kayden held up his finger. “Give me just a minute, Jade.”

Jade reached for the nearest chair as he took a seat, pressing a hand to his roiling stomach. He was trying not to throw up—again.

“Okay.” Kayden closed the laptop and centered his attention on Jade. “What’s up?”

Jade glanced down at his lap, twisting his fingers together. “Although I’m new to all of this, I don’t think I’m supposed to be earning frequent-flyer miles to the bathroom.” Jade drew in a fortifying breath and looked up. “I can’t keep anything down and I’m worried.”

Kayden’s eyes instantly dropped to Jade’s stomach as if he could see what was wrong with just one glance. Jade knew they were in the same boat—both of them clueless. He just hoped Kayden could figure something out.

“You have any ideas of what I can eat that won’t try to escape?”

“Maybe tea?” Kayden seemed to be guessing.

“That might help but I was hoping for some actual food.” Like a steak. Jade was so hungry his stomach was trying to eat its way out.

Kayden swiped the pad of his thumb over Jade’s cheek. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

Jade could hear the concern in Kayden’s voice but it was laced with a healthy dose of apprehension. He knew going to a doctor right now could mean the end of all of them. If a contract had been put out on the bounty hunter feeds then it was a sure bet that someone was watching the medical clinics, especially since Jade’s pregnancy was the reason for the contract.

“I don’t think it’s come to that yet.”

The feral light that suddenly came to life in Kayden’s blue-green eyes settled something inside of Jade. The Breed Assassin truly did want their child. Jade wouldn’t be doing this alone.

Before he could say anything else, Jade jumped up and ran to the bathroom, reaching the toilet just in time to drop to his knees and retch. By the time he was done and he could slump back against the wall, Jade’s body was hot and sweaty, his hair matted to his forehead. He swallowed, trying to get some moisture in his throat that didn’t taste like boiled shit.

“Here, little bit.”

Kayden handed him a washcloth and a glass of water. While Jade wiped his face and rinsed his mouth, Kayden flushed the toilet and opened a window to let some fresh air inside.

“I’m sorry about this,” Kayden said as he squatted down next to Jade. He brushed the damp hair back from Jade’s face. “If I could take this on for you, I would.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” No sane man would. It sucked. “But thanks anyway.”

“How about you get cleaned up and we go out to find you something that won’t upset your stomach?”

“Seriously?”

Kayden grinned. “Yeah.”

“Give me five minutes.” Considering he’d just puked his guts out, Jade had no idea how he managed to clean up and change his clothes, but he did—all in less than five minutes. He was standing by the front door of the cabin, bouncing on his heels with ten seconds to spare. “I’m ready.”

Kayden chuckled and Jade’s heart melted at the sound. “I can see that.”

Logan and Thoran exited the cabin first, blasters drawn. Dax and Nyk were behind them. The sight of what the men were doing brought home the reality of how much danger they were really in.

And it sucked some of Jade’s excitement out of him, making him wonder if this was such a bright idea after all. “Kayden, maybe we should stay here and just order room service.”

Kayden grabbed his hand. “Jade, this place doesn’t have room service.”

“Yeah, but…” Jade chewed on his lower lip as he watched Dax check his weapon before sliding the blaster into the holster strapped to his thigh. The man was intimidating in appearance. His hair was jet black and hung to his waist in tiny braids that were secured by a rubber band. Dax’s amethyst eyes held no emotion. He looked like a Breed Assassin. Dark. Menacing. Lethal. Jade was grateful the guy was on his side and not hunting him down.

“I don’t want to put anyone in danger,” Jade said as he looked back at Kayden.

“We’re running low on food and I’m not leaving you behind while we stock up.”

That didn’t relieve Jade’s anxiety in the least. “So, basically, we’re fucked no matter what we do?”

Dax looked up and chuckled, his rough features softening. “Yeah, that about sums it up.”

“Shut up, Dax,” Kayden growled as he stepped up to Jade and cupped his cheek. “Yes, we’re being hunted, but we are also Breed Assassins. We, more than anybody else in the universe, have a chance at escaping the Constantine Empire.”

There was one flaw in that conviction. “I’m not a Breed Assassin.”

Kayden’s eyes dropped down to Jade’s stomach just as his hand did, his fingers spreading out. This early in his pregnancy, he was pretty sure Kayden’s hand covered the entire baby growing inside of him.

“You’re carrying a Breed Assassin’s child. That makes you one of us.”

In a roundabout sort of way. Jade just wished he had their training so he wouldn’t be a liability at a time like this. He understood Kayden’s worry about leaving Jade alone, but he felt exposed out here. If they came under fire, Jade had limited training in weapons. He’d been taught how to fight in all manner of battle tactics, but against a blaster, that would be no help. Besides, he highly doubted Kayden would let him engage in battle while in this condition. Jade was ticked off that he was being hunted just because he was pregnant.

That didn’t seem fair to him. Why should they be on the most wanted list for being mated and creating a new life? Why should it matter that they were two males? No one else in the universe cared about anyone being gay. With all the different species, this sort of coupling was pretty normal.

Just because one anal king deemed it disgusting, those registered to Synia paid the price. What a jerk. Jade would love to meet King Arador. He’d shove his foot up the man’s homophobic ass.

Everyone climbed into the shuttle. Jade settled in the back, buckling himself in as Logan started the flight sequence. As they lifted off, Jade hoped like hell that this little outing didn’t cost everyone their freedom.

* * * *

Kayden was coming out of a drug store when he spotted two Feds heading in his direction. He spun on his heel, heading away from the shuttle where Jade was waiting on him.

As he rounded the corner, Kayden glanced to the top of the building across the street and barely made out Dax’s shadow from his hiding spot. The man was up there with his rifle, ready to engage if the Feds tried to arrest Kayden.

Who was he kidding? The Feds wouldn’t arrest him. They would kill Kayden. Just as long as they could produce a body, they’d get paid. But if Kayden killed either of the Feds, the price on his head would be even more staggering than it probably already was. Not only did the Empire want him, but so did King Arador.

Life was pretty fucking ironic. Kayden was being hunted by the very same organization that had trained him to be a killing machine. If that wasn’t fucked up, he didn’t know what was. The air seemed to grow thicker around him as Kayden tucked Jade’s nausea medicine in his jacket and removed his weapon.

“Freeze, Kayden Caellen.”

Kayden stopped.

“Drop your weapon,” one of the Feds demanded.

Was the guy insane? They both knew how this was about to go down and Kayden was determined to be the one walking away. He had something to fight for—two somethings—and he’d destroy anyone that tried to take either of those people away from him.

Kayden spun, but before he could fire his weapon, the Fed dropped. He glanced up to see Dax turning, taking aim and dropping the other Fed who’d entered the alley. Dax dipped his head at Kayden before he disappeared into the shadows.

Kayden wasted no time in clearing the alley. He wasn’t going to go directly back to the shuttle. By now Logan would have driven away. Jade was their number-one priority. He was not only Kayden’s mate, but carrying a future Breed Assassin.

“That was pretty impressive.”

Kayden jerked to the side to see an older gentleman standing in the doorway of a nearby store. He was wearing elegant gold-and-navy-blue robes and had an air about him that reminded Kayden of an aristocrat.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kayden started to walk past, but a firm hand landed on his upper arm.

“You need help.”

Kayden shrugged the man’s hand off of his arm. “I need to get home.” Although technically Kayden could no longer go home. If he set foot on Talus, he’d be arrested. And hiding out on his birth planet was definitely out of the question. King Arador would take too much joy in stringing Kayden up by his balls.

Kayden allowed the man to pull him into the shop when Feds swarmed the street. If he ever ran into Chardin again, Kayden was going to gut the traitor—slowly. That could be the only explanation for King Arador finding out about Jade’s pregnancy. The man had disappeared too quickly the morning after Kayden had claimed Jade. He didn’t believe in coincidences.

“In here.” The man led Kayden into the store, the bells over the doorframe jingling as they stepped inside. The stranger took Kayden to a dressing room in the back. There was a woman standing there, staring at Kayden so strangely that he became uncomfortable. He knew he was a wanted man, but the look she gave him was more than that.

The gentleman opened the squeaky dressing room door, stepped inside, and then worked the back wall until it slid open to reveal a space so small Kayden doubted he would fit inside. He wasn’t even sure Jade could fit inside.

“Hurry,” the gentlemen said. “The Feds are coming this way.”

“How did you know about this hiding place?” Kayden asked. It seemed odd that the king and his family were merely shopping here and knew about a hidey hole.

“I know a lot of hiding places in the shops surrounding the palace,” the man said. “Now hurry and get inside.”

Kayden had no choice but to wedge himself in. The wall was replaced and Kayden found himself in total darkness. But the wall wasn’t thick and he could hear what was being said.

“He looks just like him,” the woman said from somewhere in the shop. “Do you think he is—”

“Quiet, Matista,” the gentleman scolded the woman gently. “We must not speak of such things.”

“But he is Katino’s spitting image.”

“We will discuss this when the Feds are gone.”

The shop fell silent for all of two seconds before Kayden heard the bells above the door jingle. Someone asked if the couple had seen Kayden. He half listened to what was going on as he wondered who Katino was and why they thought Kayden looked like the guy.

As wedged in as he was, Kayden managed to place his hand on his blaster. He just prayed the civilians didn’t get in the way of the blast. Kayden let go of a slow breath, relaxing his body the way he had been taught. His heartbeat slowed. His chest was barely moving.

Kayden was centered.

When the wall was moved, his blaster was free and in the man’s face faster than anyone could blink. Kayden’s finger twitched, until he saw it was the older gentleman.

“They are gone.”

Lowering his weapon, Kayden looked around the shop to see the man was telling the truth.

“I have to go.” He needed to get to Jade. Kayden wasn’t sure how many Feds had come here. For all he knew, Jade and the others could have been compromised. It was highly doubtful, but Kayden wasn’t taking that risk with his mate.

“But you cannot go,” the man insisted.

“Watch me.” Kayden headed for the door then turned. “Look, I really appreciate what you did for me. I owe you one and I never forget a debt. But I have to get out of here.”

Kayden opened the door and nearly ran someone over. He stepped aside, giving a quick glance.

What he saw froze him to his bones.

Kayden wasn’t sure what to think. He was standing there looking at a carbon copy of himself. He tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what kind of trick this was. The guy definitely was his mirror image, but he was shorter and much thinner. He was also wearing royal robes.

Turning, Kayden glanced back at the gentleman who’d helped him. Now that he wasn’t trying to hide, Kayden assessed the stranger more closely. There was an eerie resemblance between him and the gentleman, one that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

“What the fuck is going on?” he asked, his tone low, lethal. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the others in the room. “What kind of trick is this?”

The woman covered her mouth, tears springing to her blue-green eyes. Kayden jerked back when she tried to approach him. He was…afraid. Nothing here made any sense and Kayden had an overwhelming urge to flee.

He hadn’t been this fearful when Jade had announced he was pregnant. His entire life, Kayden had longed for a family of his own. He wanted what he’d been denied. The thought of having a child scared him in many ways, but the prospect also felt as if some of the weight of his lonely existence had been lifted.

But this…it was outright insane.

“We are your family.” The gentleman took a step forward.

“The fuck you are.” Kayden’s eyes shot between the three before he backed up toward the door. He refused to look at the person closest to him. It was some kind of hoax. He just knew it. Kayden didn’t have a twin. He’d been raised with the Breed Assassins. They were his family.

Jade was his family.

These strangers were not.

“You were kidnapped when you were an infant,” the woman said, both hands over her breasts, the tears flowing freely. Kayden’s hand curled around the handle on the door as he tried to breathe. This couldn’t be true.

“Along with your three cousins and the child of a servant,” the gentleman added.

Kayden’s knees nearly buckled. “What were their names?”

The woman glanced at the man standing next to her.

“Their names!” Kayden shouted.

“Thoran, Logan, and Nyk are your cousins.”

Kayden’s heart sank with every name she spoke. There was no way she could know who the Breed Assassins were. Draven had told him that the whole training operation had been under the radar, off the record, and no one knew who all five men were except their mentor.

The woman took another step in Kayden’s direction. “And you are my precious Kayden.”

“Precious?” Kayden nearly spat the word. “If I were that precious to you, I wouldn’t have been—” Kayden spun, slamming the door open as he fled.

Chapter Nine

Jade paced in a tight circle as he prayed for Kayden’s return. It was either that or throw himself down onto the bed and bawl his eyes out. As emotional as he had been feeling, it was a strong possibility.

Of course, storming into town with guns blazing sounded pretty damn good right about now. It had been two hours since trouble had shown up in the form of Feds and Logan had fled the city without Kayden. Jade was falling apart minute by minute. If his mate didn’t show up soon, Jade would be an emotional jigsaw puzzle.

Jade reached the end of the tight path he was pacing and peeked out the window. There was still no sign of Kayden. His mate should have been back by now. What if something had gone wrong? What if the Feds had captured Kayden? What if they had killed him?

There were an infinite number of possibilities and Jade didn’t like any of them. Why the hell had he sent Kayden into the drugstore for nausea medicine? If they’d just taken their food and left, none of this would have happened.

He twisted his fingers together until they turned white and then began to pace again.

“Jade, you need to sit down before you fall down.”

Jade snapped his head around, his eyes shooting angry little arrows at Dax’s head. “You need to not talk to me.”

“Sorry.” Dax held his hands up and backed away.

Jade’s shoulders slumped. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have barked at you. I’m just so…I don’t know what I’ll do if Kayden doesn’t come back.”

“First of all,” Dax said, “Kayden’ll be back. That surly son of a bitch can handle his own. And second, there is no one in this universe that can hold a Breed Assassin if he doesn’t want to be held.”

“You think so?” Gods, Jade hoped so. He didn’t know what he would do if something happened to Kayden. They’d only been together for a short amount of time, but already Jade felt a bond with the wolf shifter.

“I do.” Dax nodded. “Besides, you’re not alone. I know we’re not Kayden but we’ll make sure nothing ever happens to you. We protect our own. He entrusted your care to us. We won’t let him down.”

But Jade didn’t want to raise this child without Kayden. He knew they had a long way to go as far as their relationship was concerned. There were so many things he didn’t know about the Breed Assassin. Jade wanted to know everything about Kayden. The Breed Assassin appeared hard and unapproachable on the outside, but he’d seen how caring the man could be.

Jade swallowed the tears clogging his throat. “Okay.”

“Trust in Kayden, Jade. One way or another, he’ll come back for you.”

Jade rubbed his hands over his stomach as he turned to look out the window again. He had faith that Kayden would come back for him. He had to or he’d go insane.

“Why don’t you try and eat?” Nyk asked as he walked up behind Jade. “You could use the nourishment.”

The last thing Jade wanted was food. If he hadn’t complained about being hungry in the first place…No, they had all known the risk. Still, that didn’t help the guilt that was eating away at him. “Maybe later.”

Nyk pressed a hand to Jade’s shoulder. “If you aren’t taken care of properly, Kayden will have our heads.”

Jade accepted the handful of crackers that Nyk held out to him. The most he could do was nibble on them. He absently chewed as he gazed out of the window, wishing for Kayden to appear outside.

He could sense the four men watching him, but Jade wasn’t going to put on a happy face for their benefit. He was pretty sure they wouldn’t want him pretending either.

When a digital beep began to fill the room, Jade glanced over his shoulder, wondering what the noise was.

“The perimeter alarm has been tripped,” Thoran stated as he crossed the room and pulled Jade away from the window. The crackers fell to the floor, forgotten as Jade was drug into the bedroom. He didn’t know what was going on, but now more than ever Jade wanted Kayden.

“Did you see who it was?” he asked Thoran.

The Assassin shook his head. “Might be nothing more than a deer, but we’re not taking any chances.”

Jade dropped to the floor, covering his head when laser blasts shot through the window, shattering the glass. There was shouting—both from inside and out—as Thoran covered Jade’s body with his own.

“I want Kayden,” Jade cried out. He’d never been so terrified in his life, not even when he had discovered he was pregnant. There were tiny shards of glass all around him, and Jade was afraid to move for fear of embedding those slivers into his skin. But he knew he couldn’t stay in this room.

“Feds,” Nyk shouted from just outside the bedroom door. “I’m not sure how they found us, but Dax and I are going outside.”

“No!” Jade said as he tried to scoot out from under Thoran. “They’ll kill you.”

Nyk appeared in the doorway. “Thanks for the concern, Jade, but I’m built tougher than that.”

Even the toughest couldn’t survive a blast to the head. “I just don’t understand,” Jade said, his voice strained. “How can they give us an assignment and then put a bounty on our heads. It doesn’t make any damn sense.”

“Doesn’t matter right now.” Thoran sat up, keeping his head low. “We’ve have to get you out of here. Be careful of the glass.”

Jade allowed the man to pull him to a squatting position before they moved quickly from the room. Logan was holed up by the front window, returning fire.

“This way.” Thoran led him toward the kitchen. “We can sneak you out back.”

“But haven’t the Feds surrounded the place?”

Thoran pulled his blaster free and checked the charged cells before slamming the cartridge back into place. “That’s why I’m going out first.”

This was pure madness. They shouldn’t be wanted men. They shouldn’t be in a shootout. But most of all, Kayden shouldn’t be missing.

* * * *

Kayden hadn’t fled far. He was leaning against the wall next to the shop, trying to sort things out in his head. There was no denying that Katino had looked exactly like him.

His entire life, Kayden had been told that he was an orphan, that his parents hadn’t wanted him. Draven had told all the Assassins that they were parentless.

What other lies had he been told? He no longer knew what was true and what was a load of bullshit. Kayden despised the confusion he felt. A Breed Assassin always had to be in control and Kayden felt like his world was spinning.

“It isn’t wise to linger out here.”

“Who are you?” Kayden asked without looking at the gentleman.

“I am King Cornelius Matino, your father. I was with your mother shopping when I spotted you on the street.”

His mother. Kayden couldn’t wrap his head around that single word. How many nights had he lain awake wondering why he wasn’t good enough for his mother to love? How many nights had he desperately wished he had a loving home instead of growing up in a training facility? Having the other Assassins helped cushion the despair he sometimes felt, but Kayden had always longed for so much more.

That was why he’d embraced Jade’s pregnancy. Hell, he’d already started looking forward to the birth of his child. Kayden craved a family all his own.

And now he was getting that in spades. His instincts were telling him to run from these people, yet he couldn’t leave. Not when there were so many questions unanswered. Not when the little boy inside of him prayed in desperation that these strangers were telling the truth, that he had parents who truly wanted him.

“I don’t know what your life has been like,” King Matino said. “But if you allow me to, I would love to get to know you better. We all would.”

“I have a pregnant mate.” Kayden wasn’t sure why he told the man this.

“Of course,” the man said as if he wasn’t surprised in the least. “You are heir to the throne of Sator.”

“No.” Kayden shook his head. The guy didn’t understand. Hell, Kayden didn’t understand. “I was sterilized as a young child. I shouldn’t be able to father a child.”

The stricken look on the man’s face said it all. “But you are also a Matino. Nothing short of removing your genitals will stop you from carrying on the family line. Sterilization is not effective with our lineage.”

That was obvious, but at least Kayden was starting to get answers. He didn’t know how to keep Jade safe while trying to clear his and the other Assassins’ names. But it was hard for him to trust this stranger, even knowing who the man was—or at least who he said he was. Kayden was still a little too stunned to totally trust what he was being told, or what he was seeing. He needed a little time to take it all in, except he didn’t have time. His mate needed him.

“You are being hunted,” the man said as he gazed up and down the busy street. “That much is obvious. Please, let me help you and your mate. He is, after all, carrying your child.”

“His safety—”

“Not to worry. He will be the most protected man on this planet, Kayden.” The king placed his hand on Kayden’s arm and surprisingly, it felt steady and strong. But then again, the guy didn’t appear to be that old now that Kayden got a closer look. His hair was the same as Kayden’s, thick, black as midnight, and short. They also had the same chin and nose.

But Kayden had seen his eyes in the woman from the shop. He had his mother’s eyes.

“I have a twin?”

The king smiled. “Indeed, you do.”

“Then he is the heir.” Kayden didn’t want that title. He didn’t want anything except Jade’s safety. And he would do whatever he had to to insure that happened.

“No.” Cornelius shook his head. “Katino has never wanted the throne. As a matter of fact, he downright dreads the day he will take over the Sator mantle.”

“Why?” Kayden asked as he scanned the area around him. All was quiet now, but he knew the king was right. He couldn’t be out here much longer.

“He is an omega wolf. Although I love him with all my heart, he is not leader material.”

Things just kept getting stranger and stranger. It seemed that when it rained, it poured. No, the shit was flooding around here. Kayden had never been the trusting type. He’d learned long ago that a person will screw you over quicker than you can sneeze. He knew for a fact that if he hadn’t had his brethren by his side growing up, he’d be a heartless bastard right now—the mindless killing machine the Empire had tried to turn him into.

But it had been Nyk, Dax, Logan, and Thoran who had taught him what true friendship was, what it meant to be part of a family, part of a unit who looked out for one another.

At this very moment the four men were guarding the most precious person in the universe to Kayden. “I need somewhere safe for Jade to stay.”

Kayden had a world of doubts about everything going on, but Jade’s safety was his first priority, and Kayden would make a deal with the devil himself if it meant keeping Jade from harm. He didn’t know this man from Adam, but he had no choice but to trust him.

The man’s eyes pierced Kayden with a glint of determination. “Tell me where he is and I’ll send a fleet of my guards to bring him to our palace.”

Palace.

A migraine formed in the back of Kayden’s skull. He drew in a steady breath and prayed he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life. If the king turned out to be a traitor, Kayden would gut the man. “Jade and the others are at the Pine Crest Cabins.”

“Others?”

Kayden hesitated, feeling an overwhelming sensation in his chest. “My cousins.” He included Dax in his claim. Even though he wasn’t related to the man by blood, Dax was his family no matter what anyone said.

The man’s eyebrows shot up. “They are with you?”

“Yes.”

The king grabbed Kayden’s arm, pulling him back toward the shop. “We must hurry. The Feds will return.” When he entered the fabric store, Kayden saw an additional man standing in the back. His uniform held the same colors as the king’s attire, gold and navy blue. The man had to be one of the guards.

Kayden’s eyes landed on the woman. Hadn’t the king called her Matista?

“I want a fleet of men to go pick up my son-in-law, Jade. Be very careful with him. He is carrying my unborn grandchild,” the king commanded to the guard, with a strength and firmness in his voice that hadn’t been there before. “My three nephews are with him as well. Kill any Fed who stands in your way.”

Matista gazed at Kayden intently, as if she couldn’t believe he was real. Kayden could only give her a slight nod of acknowledgment. He wasn’t ready for anything more. All of this was coming at him too fast and he needed time to absorb everything.

“They’re staying in cabin C,” Kayden said. “And Dax is with them as well.”

The king nodded and then snapped his fingers at the guard. “Go, now.”

Turning, Kayden finally looked at Katino. The man was regarding him with cautious eyes—eyes the same color as Kayden’s. Kayden was still fighting the urge to flee, a feeling he’d never experienced before this day. Not even the scum of the universe had made him this uncomfortable. He shifted from one foot to the other.

I don’t even know what to say to these people. What if this is all an illusion? What if they aren’t who they say they are? Uncertainty and doubt clung to him like black mold and Kayden couldn’t shake the feeling that this was too good to be true, that it was some sort of trick.

“This is so weird,” Katino said in a high-pitched sing-song voice. “It’s like seeing myself, yet…not.”

Kayden was thrown off by the feminine-sounding tone coming from his twin. The guy might look like him, but he had a feeling that was where the similarities ended.

Katino moved closer before he poked his finger into Kayden’s arms. “Yep, you’re real.”

It was disconcerting when they both rubbed their chin in the same fashion, at the same time. Kayden quickly dropped his hand.

“I think I’m going to pass out, Mother,” Katino said as he waved a hand over his face. “I’ve dreamt of this day my entire life. Who would have figured that my brother would be so damn good looking?”

Kayden quirked a brow. “We’re twins.”

“I know, right!”

This shit was just too damn bizarre for words. Kayden jerked back when Katino poked him again. Twin or not, the guy was going to lose that finger if it came anywhere near him again. Kayden had never liked to be touched. Except by Jade, that was. He had never been the emotional, touchy-feely sort of person. Kayden liked his space. But Katino stepped right into it as if he had that right.

“Katino,” Matista admonished the man. “Please stop.”

Kayden’s gaze swung to her.

“Oh!” Katino exclaimed excitedly. “You probably don’t know this, but we have a sister!”

Kayden felt his knees trying to buckle. He spotted a stool by the counter and strode to it, taking a seat. No matter how hard he tried to regulate his breathing, it just wasn’t working. His training was failing him as his heart thumped hard in his chest. His ability to center himself had vanished.

Matista moved closer, her steps hesitant. “May I talk with you?”

“Please,” Katino said as he moved over to Kayden. “We have so many questions.” Matista shot Katino a withering glare. Kayden’s twin curled in his lips, but the excitement never left his eyes.

“Were you treated well…son?” The anxiety in her voice was profound. He wanted to tell her the truth. Kayden wanted to shout that he’d been in training since he was five years old and that no child should grow up that way.

But he hesitated. If he told her half of the things that had taken place in his life, pain would fill her pretty eyes. “Yes.”

Relief was evident on her face as she gave him a wavering smile. For a second, he thought she was going to hug him. Instead, she curled her delicate fingers around his left hand.

When their skin touched, Kayden felt something inside of him snap. Some sort of mental and emotional floodgate crashed open. If it hadn’t been for his training, Kayden just might have broken down. He kept his feelings in check, showing nothing.

Katino poked him again.

Kayden flashed his canines at the man.

That only made Katino laugh. “Feisty. He’s definitely my alpha counterpart.”

If the guy only knew how feisty Kayden could get.

“Tell me,” Matista said. “Why were those Feds after you?”

Kayden didn’t want to tell her. He would have to explain that he was a Breed Assassin. What if she found out and rejected him? The pit of his stomach knotted.

“Oh, are you an outlaw?” Katino asked with enthusiasm. “Please tell me you belong to the Marauders!”

Kayden furrowed his brows. “You want me to be an outlaw?”

Katino gave an overdramatic sigh. “It would liven things up at home. Plus it would be the coolest thing ever if my twin were my evil side.”

A smile lit up Matista’s face. “Katino is…special.”

No shit.

“So,” Matista said. “Are you an outlaw?”

Kayden wasn’t sure what to make of the two. She sounded just as intrigued as Katino had been. Apparently the two had some strange affinity for bad boys.

“Father used to run cargo for some shady men,” Katino volunteered. “He wasn’t always an upstanding citizen. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

“He was young and impressionable when he did that,” Matista said as a dazzling, downright smitten smile appeared, making her eyes light up. “He was also trying to win me over.”

Staring between the two, Kayden wondered what strange universe he’d stumbled into. Since when did any mother wish her son an outlaw? This had to be the oddest moment in his life, and that was saying a lot considering his line of work.

“He’s wanted for breaking Synian law,” a young woman said as she walked from the back of the shop. Her hips swayed from side to side, her body slim, proportioned like an exotic dancer from Colossus.

“That’s Katana,” Katino said in a hushed tone. “Your sister.”

“I heard that, brat,” she said to Katino before giving Kayden her full attention. Her eyes weren’t welcoming like the others’ had been. They were cold and calculating, assessing Kayden from head to toe. “Why does King Arador have a hefty bounty on your head?”

“Because I broke the law and got my mate pregnant.” There was just no way around that truth. “It’s against Synian law.”

“But you’re not Synian!” Matista protested. “That pompous blowhard’s archaic laws don’t apply to you.”

“There’s more,” Katana said as she placed her hand on her curvy hip. “The Empire wants him as well.”

“So, you are an outlaw.” Katino bumped his shoulder into Kayden’s. “That’s so cool.”

Maybe asking this family for help had been a mistake. He could see the mistrust in Katana’s blue-green eyes. Kayden didn’t blame her. Even though it was evident that they were related, none of them knew each other. He stood, heading for the door. “I think this was a mistake.”

“Kayden, wait,” Matista said. “Don’t go.”

Just as Kayden reached the door, it opened and in walked Ben Hur. Kayden had his blaster in his hand and aimed at Ben’s head before the man could react. He couldn’t understand how the Marauder had tracked him down, but the bastard wasn’t cashing in on Kayden. He remembered Ben’s parting words and he’d kill the man before the outlaw laid a hand on him.

“What in heaven’s…?” Matista asked as she hurried across the store and placed her hand on Kayden’s arm. “Kayden, please don’t aim that at your uncle’s head.”

Chapter Ten

Jade stood there, his eyes scanning over the men who had them surrounded. There was no way they were getting out of this. Thoran was protecting him, holding the Feds off, but there were just too many for the four Breed Assassins to handle. Jade didn’t care how badass these men were—no one could defeat two dozen armed men.

“It was nice knowing you,” Jade said as he spun in a circle, unable to see a way out of this.

“Aw, I’m hurt,” Thoran said. “Such little faith in me.”

“If you can bring us a miracle, I’ll name this baby after you.” It killed Jade to know that this was it. He’d never wanted anything more in life than to have a future and family with Kayden. Not only had Jade cared for the man for a very long time, but he was falling in love with the Assassin. Kayden deserved so much better. Jade was well aware of this. Humans weren’t looked highly upon. But it would have been nice to belong to the man, to share something as beautiful as a family with him.

“I’ll take that challenge,” Thoran said as he grabbed Jade and hauled ass, shooting at the Feds as they fled. Jade had no idea where they were going, but there were laser blasts shooting over their heads at a high rate of speed. Jade was ready to shout that he didn’t want to participate in this any longer. If only it were that easy.

Before he knew what was going on, the other three Assassins were at their side, joining in the firing match. Jade nearly stumbled when he saw Dax actually running sideways, shooting like he’d been doing this his entire life.

Well, he had. Jade had witnessed that. It was still impressive as hell to see.

They were cut off from the last possible escape route when four transporters landed in front of them, a large wolf’s head emblem on the side of each. Behind the wolf’s head were vibrant colors of gold and navy blue. Jade shouted when the transporters unloaded and a good forty men came their way.

He had no clue who these men where, but he knew he and the Assassins were about to die. Too many men were now after them. Jade would love to see Thoran try to get them out of this one.

Only the men didn’t come at them. They passed Jade and the Assassins up, firing at the Feds.

One of the men stopped Jade and Thoran. The guard cocked his head to the side. “Are you the one called Jade?” he asked. “Are you with child?”

Jade immediately became defensive, his hand going to his flat stomach as he stepped behind Thoran. “That depends on who wants to know.”

The guard’s smile spread wider. “The king sent us, upon Kayden’s request.”

Jade and Thoran glanced at each other before Jade said, “I don’t understand.”

Dax, Logan, and Nyk joined them, all four men creating a wall around Jade. The fighting was still going on all around them, but the Breed Assassins had come to Jade’s defense.

“Is he a good king or a bad king?” Jade asked. “Because I’ve had my fair share of dealing with assholes for one day.”

The guard chuckled as he pointed to the transporter to the right. “He’s a very good and fair king.”

Maybe Jade could finally get a hot shower and a warm bed to sleep in. But before that could happen…“How did Kayden get help from the king?” Jade asked.

“Kayden is the lost heir of Sator,” the guard explained. “And you men”—the guard pointed to the Assassins—“are his cousins.”

Jade’s jaw dropped right before he shouted in pain, falling to his side on the ground. He could hear shouting, more blasts, and then Thoran picked him up, racing him to the transporter.

He’d been shot.

Damn, that hurt.

Jade couldn’t feel his left arm. He couldn’t raise it. The only thing he felt was the agonizing pain that was shooting through his body. His vision began to swim and he wondered if he was about to pass out. Maybe that would be best so he wouldn’t have to feel the pain any longer.

“Just hang in there,” Thoran said. “We’re taking you to get help.”

Despite the situation, Jade found himself giving Thoran a wobbly smile. “Honey, no amount of help can fix me.”

Thoran rolled his eyes. “It’s good to see you have a sense of humor in this. It’s not going to be so funny when Kayden tries to kill us for letting you get hurt.”

Jade’s eyelids fluttered closed and then snapped open. He didn’t want to pass out. He wanted to see Kayden. But as hard as he tried to fight it, the darkness took him.

* * * *

Kayden still wasn’t used the palace and the people around him. It had been four weeks since he’d been pulled into that shop. Four weeks since Jade had been shot. His mate had not only fully recovered, but his stomach was now slightly protruded. The baby bump was well defined and Kayden couldn’t seem to stop brushing his hand over his unborn child.

According to the family physician, a male’s gestational period was three months.

When Jade stepped from the bathroom, a towel tucked around his waist, Kayden walked up behind his mate, burying his nose into the man’s neck. “Do you know how sexy you look?”

Jade made a strange noise in the back of his throat as he placed his hands over Kayden’s. “Say that to me when I’m so big you have to roll me out of bed.”

Kayden kissed Jade along his bare shoulder and then smiled into his soft skin. “I’ll tell you that tomorrow, next year, in twenty years, and when we’re old and grey.”

“Charmer.” Jade turned in Kayden’s arms, placing the palms of his hands on Kayden’s chest. “But it’s working.”

“Is it now?” Kayden could feel the evidence poking him. Since leaving Talus, Kayden’s life had changed so drastically. He’d never expected to have a mate, let alone a family. The path fate led you down wasn’t always the path you thought you’d take. This was still so foreign, so new to him.

But Kayden was learning how to not only embrace what he had, but cherish the new bonds he was forming. Jade had come to mean the entire universe to him and Kayden couldn’t imagine spending one day without the man.

He ran his hands up and down Jade’s back, staring into those beautiful grey eyes. He finally felt whole.

“I love you, Jade.”

Jade’s eyes widened slightly before a beautiful smile spread across his face. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to hear that?”

“Since I saw you in that hallway?”

Jade shook his head. “Since I saw this boy training with his cousins. He was fierce even then, but I saw the vulnerability in his blue-green eyes. I knew right there that he owned my heart.”

“And you call me a charmer.” Kayden tucked his finger under Jade’s chin, tilting the man’s head back before tasting those plump, pretty lips.

“Kayden,” Jade whispered into his mouth.

“Right here, little bit.” Kayden picked his mate up and placed him gently on the bed before removing the towel from around his waist to discover the wonderful treasure beneath.

Kayden leaned down and placed a kiss over Jade’s belly.

“I was hoping you would kiss something lower,” Jade teased as he palmed his hard cock, running his thumb over the head. “Much lower.”

Kayden grabbed Jade’s hand and sucked the man’s thumb into his mouth, tasting the ambrosia. “Did you now?”

Jade sucked in his lower lip and nodded.

Before he released Jade’s hand, Kayden nipped the pad of the man’s thumb. “I think someone is becoming a bit spoiled.”

Jade chuckled. “Never.”

Kayden reared back and then settled between Jade’s legs. “Then I’m not doing my job.” He sucked Jade’s cock into his mouth, smiling when he heard his mate shout his name. As he worked Jade’s cock, Kayden stretched the man.

By the time he began to inch his way into Jade’s ass, the human was thrashing beneath him, his eyes glazed over, his cheeks flushed. Kayden leaned in and inhaled the wonderful scent of his mate, feeling a rumbling growl climbing up his chest.

Jade’s lips parted as he tilted his neck to the side, his eyelids fluttering as if he would close them. Kayden thrust all the way in, his cock pulsing with the need for release.

Jade gasped when Kayden cupped the man’s face, pulling it toward his own. Kayden’s eyes locked onto Jade’s luscious and tempting lips. They were perfectly made for kissing—they were made for him. Kayden slanted his mouth over Jade’s, trying his best to devour the man.

He wrapped his body over Jade’s, nipping the man’s shoulder as he continued to thrust his cock inside. “Do you know how damn good you feel right now?”

Jade’s fingers dug into Kayden’s shoulders as his mate licked his lips. “Oh, I can imagine.” Even through the haze of heat in Jade’s eyes, the man gave him a teasing smile. He couldn’t believe how much he loved Jade.

“You’re right where you belong, little bit. In my arms.” Kayden said, feeling as if he were drowning in the man, being pulled under and cocooned in a fine silk of safety. Jade had his heart, his soul, and anything else that Kayden possessed. He no longer felt like something was missing from his life. Everything he’d ever dreamt about was right here.

He gritted his teeth as he sank deeper, feeling the tingle shooting up his spine. Kayden grabbed Jade’s cock and stroked the man until Jade was crying out his release, his cum erupting onto his chest.

Kayden couldn’t hold out. He sank his canines deep into Jade’s shoulder before he exploded, knotting the man, feeling as if his life was finally going in the right direction.

Except for the bounty on his head, it was perfect.

Jade was perfect.

Kayden was finally able to pull his cock free. He curled up behind his mate, pulling him close as he ran his hand over Jade’s stomach. He kissed Jade on the neck, sighing contently and then his eyes widened.

“Did you feel that?” Jade asked, looking just as surprised.

Kayden smiled widely as he stilled his hand over his mate’s stomach. “The baby is kicking.”

“Strong,” Jade said as he placed a hand on his stomach as well. “He’s going to be just like you.”

“Just as long as he or she has your looks,” Kayden said as he brushed a kiss over Jade’s lips. “Because you are the most beautiful creature in the universe.”

Kayden loved the blush that spanned over Jade’s face. “Charmer.”

Kayden couldn’t help but chuckle. “Now aren’t you glad there was a blip in our plan?”

The love Kayden could see shining in Jade’s eyes took his breath away.

“This is one schedule I plan on keeping.”

* * * *

Kayden walked with Dax into the palace garden. His parents had thrown a party for Kayden’s and the others’ safe return, but Kayden wasn’t in the mood for the gala.

He wasn’t in the mood for any of this. It was all too strange and Kayden didn’t do well with change. Not on this level at least.

“So, Thoran, Nyk, and Logan are your cousins,” Dax commented as Kayden stopped to stare down into the vividly decorated pond. He’d traveled out here yesterday and found the sound of the waterfall soothing.

“You are my family,” Kayden replied. “Don’t ever think otherwise, Dax. We grew up together, fought together, and shared a lot of crazy times. I don’t care about blood bonds. What I care about is the bond we’ve formed as brethren.”

“It’s still strange though,” Dax said. “All of this is.” He turned toward Kayden, his expression intense. “I won’t be staying here. This isn’t for me, who I am. I don’t belong stuck in a rich palace. My place is out there”—Dax gazed up toward the stars—“where I feel at home.”

Kayden knew what Dax meant. He was already feeling confined and they’d only been here a little over a month. But he had Jade and his unborn child to consider. There was no way he could take them away from the safety of Sator.

“Nyk wants to come with me,” Dax said.

“What will you two do?” Kayden rested his foot on a large boulder, placing his arm on his knee as he stared at the rippling water.

“Find out why the Empire turned on us, for starters,” Dax said. “But Nyk and I were talking about starting our own freighting company.”

That was a lucrative business. There weren’t too many freighting companies out there. Most people didn’t want to risk black market ships and Marauders stealing their cargo. Kayden knew Dax and Nyk could handle anything that came their way. They had the training and skills to take on anyone who tried to mess with them.

“If you ever need any help, you know all you have to do is ask,” Kayden stated.

“How touching.”

Kayden had his blaster in his hand and aimed at Ben Hur’s head in the blink of an eye. The Marauder might be his uncle, but Kayden felt no familial ties to the man. “What in the hell do you want?”

“Aim that at my head one more time, boy, and I’ll shove it right up your ass.” Ben stepped to the side before he glanced at Dax. “Give us a moment.”

“Fuck no,” Dax said as his hand landed on his own still-holstered weapon.

Kayden slowly lowered his weapon. “Again, what do you want?”

Ben held up a small disk. “I received this over a secure link. It’s information Draven Wooton sent to me.”

Before Ben could pull away, Kayden snatched the disk from him, turning it over in his hand. “I know you read what was on here.”

Ben’s smile was downright evil. “I did. It’s a file about the Sator training and the bill of sale for you and your cousins.” Ben glanced at Dax. “And him as well.”

Dax bared his canines, but Ben seemed unruffled. Instead, Ben pulled a paper from the inside of his jacket. “This is the same contract I had when I took your men aboard my ship. It’s a contract to bring all five of you men in. It’s signed by the Empire.”

Kayden gripped his weapon tighter, once again wondering if Ben was going to try and cash in on him. Family or not, he’d shoot the bastard.

He’d apologize to Matista later.

Ben tapped the paper on the palm of his hand. “It states that all of you are wanted for treason.”

Kayden glanced at Dax. That made absolutely no sense to him. They weren’t traitors. None of them had done anything to warrant bounty hunters tracking them down. Kayden had been tempted a hundred times to call Admiral Shuziano to find out what was going on, but his gut told him to steer clear of the man.

“Look,” Ben said as he tucked the paper back into his jacket. “We both know damn well that there is no love lost between us. Being related doesn’t change that. But we now have a common enemy.”

“What are you suggesting?” Dax asked, suspicion in his tone.

“I was talking to my nephew, servant boy,” Ben said with a snarl.

Kayden grabbed Dax before the man could get his hands on Ben. He pulled his friend back as he glared at Ben. “Insult him again and I’ll pull the trigger.”

“An alliance,” Ben continued as if he hadn’t just verbally slapped Dax. “You start up your freighting company and the Marauders will steer clear of your cargo.”

“And in return?” Kayden asked.

“In return, servant boy here and Nyk help me take down the Empire.”

Kayden had to yank on Dax once more. “You’re pushing it, bastard,” Kayden said in warning.

“I am who I am. I make no apologies for that.” Ben eyed Kayden. “Deal?”

“Not unless we’re invited,” Logan said as he and Thoran came into sight. “And if you insult Dax again, I’ll pull your black heart out with my bare hands.”

Ben chuckled. “Try it.”

Kayden didn’t trust Ben. But he trusted the Empire even less. They could all hide out on Sator, but that wasn’t the Breed Assassin style. He hated the fact that he was going to miss out on all of the fun. But Kayden had a family to look after now.

“You touch one cargo ship and we’ll blow you out of space,” Thoran warned. He turned to Dax. “We talked to Nyk and he agreed to let Logan and I become partners as well in this freighting company.”

Dax nodded, but kept his gaze pinned to Ben. His eyes glowed amber, which meant his wolf was close to the surface, chomping at the bit to kill Ben.

Kayden hoped they took down the Empire before either man killed the other.

“I give you my word,” Ben said.

Dax scoffed. “Your word means shit.”

Ben shrugged. “It’s the best I can offer. Just don’t try and kill any of my men and we’ll all get along just fine.”

Kayden hardly believed that.

“Deal,” Thoran said. “But we don’t take orders from you or your men. Dax, Nyk, Logan, and myself will go along with your plans, but we’re our own bosses.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ben said as he turned and walked away. “See you in the sky.”

“Bastard,” Dax groused. “I should have torn his throat out.”

“He might be a sketchy son of a bitch,” Kayden said, “but we’ll need help taking the Empire down.”

“What about the other Breed Assassins who trained?” Logan asked.

“They’ve scattered to the winds,” Thoran said. “One of my contacts informed me that the training program has shut down and now all the Breed Assassins are being hunted down.”

“And while you’re out there, find Draven,” Kayden said.

The men nodded. Kayden knew this wasn’t going to be easy, especially with him stuck on Sator. But he could use Sator as a base command for his brethren, send in help when needed, and keep them in the loop of anything he found.

“Then we need to head out,” Dax stated.

Kayden felt a pang of guilt that he was staying behind, but with Jade pregnant, Kayden knew his place was at his mate’s side.

He waited for the other men to leave before Kayden turned to Ben. “I have a twin.”

Ben nodded.

“So when we first met, you knew who I was?” The thought had Kayden ready to bare his canines. If Ben had known all these years that Kayden and Katino were brothers, the bastard had taken years away from Kayden that he could have spent with his family. Years where the Breed Assassins thought they were throwaways.

Ben stared at the stars above them, as if carefully choosing his words. They better be damn good ones or Kayden was going to gut the man where he stood.

“I knew the Empire was up to no good. Would you have put your family at risk just to find them? Would you have allowed the Empire to know that you’ve found out the truth?”

Kayden shoved Ben hard in his chest, making the man take a step back. Ben snarled.

“That wasn’t your decision to make!”

“It was and I did,” Ben snapped. “Now Sator is in danger of being targeted by the Empire.”

Kayden could see a slight glint of remorse in the man’s eyes, but Ben quickly masked it. “I’ll kill to protect my family.”

A slow, malevolent smile spread across Kayden’s face. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.”

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit

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