Paige's Warriors (Bondmates Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

breathy voice.
    “I do not know this dance.”
    “Oh.” She frowned at him, her dark brows drawing down in disappointment.
    “But I do know how to do something that you will like even better.”
    With a grin, he lifted her so their faces were level. Her eyes widened right before his mouth covered hers, and she struggled for a moment, then gave into his kiss with a low moan. He stroked his fingertips over the exposed skin of her back, the slight weight of her body feeling indescribably good in his arms as he easily held her weight. Then her mind had brushed his. He had wanted to roar his satisfaction to the Universe, the golden warmth that could only come from his bondmate seeping into his battered spirit as he true dreamed with her. Unlike regular dreams, true dreams were an actual touching of minds, a meeting arranged by the Lord of Life for the souls he made for each other.
    In short, his dream had been a miracle.
    Unfortunately, he’d woken before they could do more than kiss, but he knew he’d keep connecting to her in his sleep and vowed that next time he’d show her the kind of pleasure she had to look forward to when they finally met.
    And they would meet; it was just a matter of time.
    “Why are you always hiding by yourself?” came a woman’s rough voice, snapping him out of his wandering thoughts, and he turned to find Minerva staring at him from the doorway, flanked by two of his personal guard.
    She stood easily eight feet tall and had a flat face filled with wrinkles, along with what was once a muscular physique covered by an opaque golden gown. Her dark almond skin had grown thinner since he’d last seen her, exposing more of her body’s secret map of blood vessels, and he wondered how much longer she had in this life. At close to six hundred years, she was old for her race, but young by Kadothian standards. Rell was double her age, yet he felt nothing but respect for her when in her presence. There was something about Minerva that spoke of silent strength, and any man who didn’t take her seriously was a fool.
    Though her body was weakening, she was still strong enough to kill someone with her bare hands if the mood struck her.
    “I am not fit for company tonight, my Queen.”
    “You are never fit for company anymore,” Minerva muttered. “I remember when you used to have parties all the time at that big palace of yours by the sea. Now, either my invitation has been lost or you have not had a gathering of any size in almost twenty years. No more parties, no more festivals. What do you do with yourself all day besides work?”
    Rell shrugged, knowing her words were true. Before he could stop himself his hand strayed to his pocket where he kept a wide strip of blue ribbon. It held the mysterious woman from his dream’s scent, protected and sealed to always keep it fresh. He’d been inhaling the fabric like a drug addict all day, unable to resist the burst of almost forgotten happiness he got each time he smelled her. She was hope, she was life, and he had no idea who she was.
    “I hear congratulations are in order for Commander Trenzent.”
    He snapped his gaze from the dancers below to Minerva watching him closely. While her features were grim, the kindness in her gaze hurt his heart. She loved him like he was her family, and he knew his withdrawal had hurt her. He couldn’t help it, the gatherings of friends and family that had once been an essential part of his life seemed tedious, more trouble than they were worth. And seeing Minerva with her massive household only brought to mind the people he hadn’t saved.
    Dark thoughts tried to drag him down, but the ribbon in his pocket soothed him. “Congratulations for what?”
    “You did not hear? Rumor has it Commander Trenzent is getting close to finding, or has already found, his bondmate. Soon we will have a new Matriarch as a neighbor, one from an unexplored galaxy at that.”
    His dreams suddenly made sense.
    Tren had found his-their