Morra loosened Felicia's hands so that she could free herself. She patted her arm encouragingly.
Felicia still couldn't see them, but just knowing they were here ...
Never had she loved Talyn more.
"How did you get free?" Merrell asked his mother.
"Batur arranged it. Tell me where you are and I'll send an entourage to escort you both to the palace."
"We'll come on our own. See you shortly." Merrell hung up.
Chrisen gasped. "What are you doing?"
"Something about this doesn't feel right. I don't trust that bastard lack-Vest. Do you?"
Chrisen glanced back toward Felicia. "No, but he loves his female. For her safety, I think he'd obey us."
"Then she's coming with us." Merrell moved to take her and collided hard with Talyn.
Talyn immediately decloaked. In full battlegear, he reached for Merrell. "You should have just gone on." He slung him against the wall, then pulled his blaster out and angled it for Chrisen. "One excuse to pull the trigger. Please!"
Chrisen held his hands up.
The expression on Merrell's face said that he wanted to be stupid. Until he realized Talyn wasn't alone. One by one, six more Andarion soldiers decloaked.
Both Merrell and Chrisen went down on their knees and surrendered.
Talyn clicked his blaster from kill to stun before he shot each of them.
Twice.
Morra arched an inquisitive black brow at him.
He pulled his helmet off and handed it to the soldier on his left. "I want them kept unconscious until Cairistiona orders their deaths. Otherwise, I'm going to be executed for murder." Talyn turned to Felicia and knelt down by her side to gather her into his arms.
Felicia buried her face against his neck. "I knew you'd come for me."
"Always." Trembling from the relief of finding her, he kissed her with everything he had.
Felicia gasped as Talyn stood with her in his arms. "I can walk."
"I know."
She scowled as he refused to set her down. "Talyn?"
He tightened his arms around her. "I came too close to losing you. Right now, I'm not sure I'll ever let you out of my sight again. Definitely not until all the dust settles from this shit."
Smiling, she laid her head down on his shoulder. "Okay, then. But this might get awkward when I have to go to the bathroom."
He laughed as he carried her down the hallway. He paused to look back at his men. "If you want to drag those two bastards out of here by their ankles, instead of getting hernias carrying them, I'm all right with that. And if you bang their heads into everything you pass along the way, I'll consider expedited promotions."
The soldiers laughed so hard, they actually did drop them.
Morra clapped the one closest to her on the arm. "Not used to management with a wicked sense of humor, are you?"
"Not used to one with any kind of humor. Period."
Felicia snuggled against Talyn.
Until they were outside. Talyn locked gazes with her. She had no idea what the expression on his face meant.
"No more hiding," he breathed an instant before a huge set of wings expanded out of his back.
Gaping, she reached hesitantly to touch the soft texture of them. "You're winged?"
"Stralen isn't the only recessive gene I carry."
She kissed him. "And I love every molecule of you. Recessive and otherwise."
Talyn glanced to the other soldiers with him. One by one, they released their own wings. He grinned at her stunned expression. "Cairistiona and I reinstated the Winged divisions for the armada. She's extended her protection to us. After all, we're an endangered species now. The very last of our kind."
Morra grabbed the largest Andarion male who didn't have a prisoner to carry. "I have to say, I'm beginning to have a fine appreciation for these non-green species."
Felicia laughed as the soldiers took flight.
Talyn hesitated on the ground with her. "You ready for this?"
"I trusted you with an airbike. I think I can handle it."
But instead of joining the others, he stared down at her. "I love you."
She rubbed noses with him. "Love you, too."
He tightened his arms around her before he took flight. Felicia's stomach fluttered as the ground rapidly receded. She wasn't quite as brave as she'd claimed. The only thing that kept her fear at bay was the knowledge that Talyn would never willingly allow any harm to come to her. That here, finally, she was completely safe.
Funny how she'd always thought of love in the most childish of terms. She'd assumed being in love meant someone would lavish her with attention and gifts. Spoil her blind. But that wasn't true love. True love was placing someone else before yourself. Giving without the expectation of getting anything in return, because their happiness meant more to you than your own. She totally understood that now.
And love was only right when the one you were with felt the exact same way about you. That was why they spoiled you and why you spoiled them in return.
No, she didn't know what the future would hold for them. But whatever disaster or challenge life threw at them, they'd get through it the same way they'd gotten through this.
Together.
EPILOGUE
Felicia shot to her feet as Duel Odelus knocked Talyn to the Ring floor with a brutal punch.
Lorens wrapped his arm around her. "It's all right, Felicia. He can take it."
Yes, but she didn't want him to. More to the point, she couldn't take him taking it.
Glancing at Morra and Qory, who were sitting beside her, she winced as Talyn was struck again and again. This was why she'd never wanted to see any match Talyn was in. Why she'd always stayed in the locker room during the fight.
His blood and pain were more than she could take. But this was their anniversary and she'd promised him that she would sit Ringside with her brother and nephews, and their friends.
Little had she known how hard this would be.
When Talyn came to his feet, his gaze went straight to her. By that, she knew how much he appreciated her being here.
For him.
It was the least she could do, since she was still the reason he was getting the snot beaten out of him. This was the last fight he'd contracted for to free her of her contract. How she wished she could go back in time and change things.
But then, if she hadn't contracted with her agency, she would have never met him.
That part was all she didn't regret.
"It'll be all right, Aunt Felicia." Gavarian handed her his drink.
She took a sip to settle her nervous stomach as she ignored the crowd that cheered Talyn getting beaten. Even Qory cheered with various signs while Morra made loud shouts of encouragement for Talyn to rip out Duel's spine.
For a moment, she thought he might. It was what he'd done to Chrisen in their fight a few months back. Something that had made Ferrick deliriously happy and unbelievably rich.
Shaking her head, she tried not to think about any of that.
So much had changed over this last year. Completely sober, Cairistiona was now the beloved Andarion tadara, with Nykyrian and his son, Adron, as the crowned heirs behind her in line for the throne, Eriadne, Jullien, and the remaining Anatoles were in prison or exile. Galene was the prime commander of their armada. Lorens was Galene's adjutant, and Talyn was now the commander at Anatole Base. As such, he was in charge of their primary fighter corps, and a lead advisor to his mother and her brother.
While she and Talyn still couldn't legally live together or marry, they did have a contract, courtesy of her mother and Morra. It wasn't as good as unification, but it was the best they could hope for under current Andarion law.
And since it allowed her to remain with Talyn, it was more than enough for her.
Felicia winced again as Duel slammed Talyn to the ground, again and stomped him. "How can he stand that?"
Lorens snorted. "Your male is one tough SOB."
r />
Erix shouted something at Talyn. With a fierce roar, Talyn came off the floor and laid into Duel with an unbelievable fury. In a matter of minutes, he had Duel trapped.
The victory buzzer went off.
Thank the gods, it was over. She could finally breathe again.
When the announcer reached for Talyn, Talyn took his mic. Pulling the mask from his face, he spat out his fang guard. "I have an announcement to make." His breathing ragged, he met Felicia's gaze through the bars that separated them. "Tonight is a special anniversary. Two years ago, on this day, I met mu Ger Tarra Felicia. Not long after that, I made a promise to her that once I became a commander, I'd retire from the Ring. And with this, my last contracted fight, I'm keeping my word to her and surrendering my title."
Felicia couldn't breathe as tears blurred her vision. He'd really done it.
Unbelievable! No one walked away from a career like his.
No one. Except a male whose integrity meant more to him than titles. He'd given her his word that he would quit before they killed him.
And he'd kept it.
Tears choked her.
As soon as the cage walls went down, Talyn left the Ring and came straight to her seat.
Hesitating, he held his hand out to her ... as if she would ever deny him anything.
Felicia threw herself into his arms and kissed him.
"I'm disgusting," he said with a laugh.
"No. You're beautiful. Even the gross sweat." She nipped at his lips. "You didn't have to do this."
He cupped her face in his wrapped hands. "I have ulterior motives."
"And those are?"
"I don't want another night where I'm nursing bruises, instead of making love to you."
She tsked playfully at him. "Then what will I do without those boo-boos to kiss?"
A devilish grin curved his lips. "Oh, I think I can come up with something else that needs your attention."
Laughing, she pulled her hand from his face. As she opened her mouth to speak, he gasped, seeing the tattoo on her finger.
Talyn choked on the raw love he felt as he read the words she'd placed on her flesh. Forever Talyn's.
She smiled up at him. "My anniversary present for you."
Tears filled his eyes. "You know what this means?"
She nodded. "That I am, and will forever be, of the Winged Blood Clan Batur."
"No. It means you have to keep me. There's no getting rid of me now."
"And I would have it no other way." She kissed him then, knowing that while the rest of the universe might not recognize their unification, they didn't need them to. They didn't need the blessing of the Andarion courts or anyone else.
She was his and he was hers.
No one and nothing would ever again divide them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times bestselling author SHERRILYN KENYON is a regular in the #1 spot. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre in which she writes. More than 60 million copies of her books are in print in more than one hundred countries. Her current series include The Dark-Hunters, The League, and Chronicles of Nick. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures. You can sign up for email updates here.
ALSO BY SHERRILYN KENYON
THE LEAGUE
Born of Night
Born of Fire
Born of Ice
Born of Fury
THE DARK-HUNTERS
Fantasy Lover
Night Pleasures
Night Embrace
Dance with the Devil
Kiss of the Night
Night Play
Seize the Night
Sins of the Night
Unleash the Night
Dark Side of the Moon
The Dream-Hunter
Devil May Cry
Upon the Midnight Clear
Dream Chaser
Acheron
One Silent Night
Dream Warrior
Bad Moon Rising
No Mercy
Retribution
The Guardian
Dark-Hunter Companion
Time Untime
Styxx
Dark Bites
Son of No One
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
BORN OF DEFIANCE. Copyright (c) 2015 by Sherrilyn Kenyon. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Ervin Serrano Cover photographs: sword by Stefan Raziel; street by Photokup/Shutterstock eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to
[email protected] The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-04298-9 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-46684096-6 (e-book) eISBN 9781466840966
First Edition: May 2015
Sherrilyn Kenyon, Born of Defiance
(Series: The League # 7)
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