Dante’s birth was a last-ditch effort to save the
galaxy. He was born to sit on the throne. The created who he protected was
given to him to keep him from interfering with the rest of the universe. Now
his past and future are on a collision course. His uncle is challenging him for
the throne he doesn’t want. His people’s lives are on the line, and one
beautiful female is diverting his attention.
She was sent with explicit orders to get dirt on Dante
or lead him to his death. One of them will die, and she is determined for it to
be him. The sight, sound, and the feel of him was something she never
anticipated. As the stakes grow higher, will she choose to turn him in for
death, or will she die in his place?
It will all comes to a head in the battle for the
throne. Someone must die. Who will pay the ultimate price? Who will sit on the
throne? Will it be Dante, the future king, or his uncle, the usurper? If Dante
dies, what will happen to the galaxy and the female who makes his heart beat
faster?
In the battle for love and the throne, sometimes
the only way to win is to do it your way.
Chapter One:
“RA’el’tralau-un’ra’braer” Dante turned over,
ignoring the voice in his head.
“RA’el’tralau-un’ra’braer,” he turned to
his back, crossing his hands over his chest. For a moment, he allowed himself
to wish Raphael, his youngest brother was lying beside him. They recharged the
other. He could use some recharging and a comforting presence.
“I have learned the female is pregnant.”
Dante knew a threat when he heard one. He got out
of bed slowly. He was not swift to anger, but Raphael was a sensitive spot that
could make him strike first and think later. He looked around the one-bedroom
apartment he rented over a bar. It was the only thing in his life that wasn’t
complicated.
“My name is Dante. I will never answer to
another. To communicate with me, you know what to call me.” He had many
names in his long life. He changed them as casually as he changed his clothes,
but this name was who he was. The moment he took it, the others faded away as
if they never existed. Dante - the bearer, Dante - enduring. How true they both
are.
“Dante,” the name was said with such
disdain he had to smile.
“Pradier,
it’s been a while.” It was all he could do to keep a civil tongue in his
mouth as he talked to the one male he would like to see forever locked up, his
father.
“I hear your brother’s mate is pregnant.”
His pradier did not consider Mick, Damon, Lucca,
or Julian as his brothers because they did not have enough Kyrios in them.
Raphael had more than enough. Dante shook his head; he, himself, was full of
Theos. He was enough to be considered full
blood at seventy-six percent. How had the scientists that created him not known
that the largest donor to his DNA was living?
“It would be a shame if something happened to
the child or the mate.”
“It would be worse if the heavens burned.” He
hoped his pradier was paying attention. There were few times he threatened; he
usually saved those times for his brothers or his created.
He changed clothes and went to visit Raphael.
Effie, Raphael’s mate, was in tears. Raphael
handed her to his brother, hoping he could calm her. He whispered words in his
native language, knowing they would help to calm her.
“She couldn’t wake me up,” Raphael told him. It
was too low for Effie to hear.
“Pradier was making threats earlier.”
“I’ll go see him.”
“That joy is all mine. You take care of your mate,
child, and the Drennay.” The Drennay was part of Raphael’s heritage, and he was
a king on that planet, although he didn’t like it. The job of making sure the
planet was safe was on his shoulders.
Raphael rolled his eyes. Dante had to smile. Rena
had them all doing that now.
“He’s going to be fine, Effie, I promise you.” He
didn’t promise lightly. His word was law and could not be broken. There was the
occasional time he was able to work around
what he said. Those times were few.
Dante stepped back and guided Effie to her mate.
She sniffed then burrowed into Raphael’s arms, settling on his chest. Dante
placed a small kiss on her cheek. The love he had for his family shining
briefly before he put it away
“Dante, Mercy hasn’t come back. Will you check on
her?”
“I will. Raphael, your son is fine, but have Damon
look at him.” With that, he was gone. He stopped in the in-between to look for
Mercy, Effie’s friend. Once again, he couldn’t find her. She was the only being
in the universe he couldn’t pinpoint. It bothered him. He stepped out and
into Julian’s living room.
“Dante, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Eshe,” Dante took her hand, giving her a formal
bow before kissing the back of the hand he held. What can I do for you?” Eshe was
one of Aliya’s spirit guides and her great grandmother many
times removed. Aliya was Julian’s mate. His family kept growing along with his people.
Eshe patted the couch, and he took a seat next to
her. She stayed quiet for a while watching him. “Do you know what the opposite
of growth is?”
“Death,” he replied with confidence.
“What happens when you decide not to grow?”
“That’s impossible.” He didn’t have the choice.
When you couldn’t die, all you had left was growth.
“You delude yourself. That’s not like you. When
you choose not to grow, those around you die. What you need in your life becomes
lost in the sands of time. A meeting on a dance floor doesn’t happen. An
invitation to a company party never gets extended. The desire for food that
becomes take out from one of the best restaurants in the world never happens,
and you never walk in your purpose. Delusion is the enemy of reality.” Eshe sat
back, making herself comfortable on the couch.
Water walked in. He was another of Aliya’s
spiritual guides. He was her many times removed
great grandfather on her father’s side. Eshe and Water looked to be in their
early twenties. Water the proud Native and Eshe the proud African.
Julian walked in with Aliya.
“Dante,” Aliya hurried over and gave him a hug and
a kiss on his cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“I was off-planet taking care of some business.”
“I’m glad you’re back.”
*~*~*~*
Raphael woke with several curses coming from his
lips in several languages that weren’t spoken on the earth.
“Baby,” he spoke to his mate. “I need to leave.
I’m going to take you to Aran and Rena’s. You’ll be safe with her.”
“Gram?”
“She’s coming with you.”
Effie nodded before getting up and getting
dressed. Raphael knew she wanted to argue, but he needed to do this. He would
not leave his brother on his own.
He dressed, wrapping himself in a black material
softer than silk. It slid around his body, showing off every masculine line.
When dressed, he raised his hands, waiting until he was covered in a purple
swath that wrapped around his chest like ropes. The symbolism was unmistakable
for those in the know. He took Effie’s hand and led her to the living room
where her gram waited for them.
With a simple thought, he took them to Aran’s
living room.
*~*~*~*
“I want to come,” Rena growled.
Aran stopped dressing to look at his mate. Years
later, it still didn’t seem possible that she loved him. The way she growled,
the way she moved, the way she looked when she carried his child. She was so
fierce. He had spent so many years in despair before she came along.
“I need you here, Doll. There is no one I trust to
make sure the mates are taken care of more than I trust you. We won’t be gone
long.”
She gave a sigh agreeing but not liking it. Aran
stepped back as he clothed himself in a black material that cradled his body,
showing off every muscular plane. Then a gold fabric wrapped around his chest
like a rope.
He stepped to her, pulling her into his arms for a
kiss. “As you say, this too shall pass.”
“I’d like to give that male a swift kick.”
“That’s not our place. We will stand with Dante
and abide by what he says.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard it all before. I’d still like to
give him a swift kick. He deserves one for everything he has done to Dante and
the rest of you.”
“Doll, that’s why you’re staying here. I can’t
have you kicking him.” She gave into laughter as she pictured herself trying to
kick the male that proclaimed to be Dante’s father.
They opened the door of their soundproofed bedroom
to find their house in chaos.
“Aran, I think everyone is here.” They walked
downstairs to find created and mates in the living room, kitchen, and spilling
out to both the back and the front yard.
“I can’t take all of you with me.” Aran was
Dante’s right-hand man, and the general of his army. If there was ever a time
to fight, it was now. “Raphael.” He ran his hand through his hair that Rena
told him was a little too long but wouldn’t let him cut it.
“Let’s try this. Two brothers from each family.
Who do we have?”
“Raphael and I will go,” Mick told him, coming to
stand beside them.
“The protectors and I will go,” King said as he
stood by Storm and Luna. King was the head of their family. His name was chosen
long before he came to the earth.
All heads turned to look at Ash as he stood beside
Aran. Slade, Aran’s twin brother, and Jabari stepped forward. They were attired
the same in black with a silver swath of clothing over their chests wrapped
like ropes.
Aran moved them swiftly through time and space
until they were standing in front of the door to the palace, which had no
ending and no beginning. The doors opened, beckoning them in. The walls were
ivory carved with words and symbolisms as old as time. They were in a receiving
hall. Guards lined up on either side of the wall.
Aran ignored them as he walked down the corridor
that would lead to the throne room. That is where Dante would be meeting his
father. On each side, there were priceless paintings as
well as other busts and artwork—a few from Earth, most from other
planets in high demand.
The door to the throne room was ivory and gold
mixed with a luminescent material that most in the known galaxy would kill to
possess. It opened for them without a guard. They walked in to find the sides
of the room filled with dignitaries who came to plead their case or to curry
favor with the king. In front of the throne was Dante on his knees. His father
was smiling at him.
“You brought riff-raff into my court?” The king's
voice boomed, making the room shake.
Dante’s head came up as his eyes heated. No one
spoke about his created.
“Kneel, give me the respect I deserve.” The room
shook violently as the bodies of the created rocked. They were knocked to their
knees to humble them.
Amid the king’s tirade, Dante stood. The trembling
of the room didn’t affect him. His father’s voice that made others weak slid
off him like water. He walked towards his father and the throne. As he walked,
his clothes changed. The shoes he was wearing cost more than most people’s
cars. They turned into a pair of steel-toed shit-kicker boots like a biker
would wear. His black outfit turned into a pair of black jeans that showed off
every muscle in his legs and ass. His shirt turned into a black tee wrapped
with purple chains. He paired it with a leather jacket. He stopped at the steps
to the throne. It sat on a dais. To reach his father, he would have to go up.
He levitated until he was standing in front of his
father. “You wanted my attention? You have it.” He turned to look back at his
people, his family, who were still kneeling on the floor. The trembling in the
room stopped allowing them to stand up.
Dante waited. He conceded to many of his father’s
demands over his long life with the understanding
between them that the created were not to be touched. Had the time come for
their paths to diverge finally?
“I could have chosen anyone to be my son.”
The dignitaries looked at him through lowered
eyelids as if he were the problem. Dante remained quiet. This was not the first
time he’d heard the speech.
“One day, my son. Now, we have other business to
attend to. Esmael has risen. He has threatened to kill my firstborn. His seer
told him now was the time. Only one of you will live. The throne goes to the
victor.”
“Unless I allow you to keep the throne.”
“Unless.”
Dante left, taking his family with him.
If you don't see your store listed wait a few days and the book will be there.
Click the link below to continue reading!
Happy reading and stay safe!
Serena
Posts
