Her Mythical Warriors (Book Two)

Niall stopped the group, and Akira watched him. He was so sexy—in man or Centaur form. She looked around at her warriors and wished they were in a private room… but that meant she would discover her chosen mate, and she wasn’t ready to give up any of her warriors yet. She wished she could put it on hold forever. Akira looked at Wolfric and almost whimpered. She wasn’t sure if she’d survive if Wolfric wasn’t her chosen mate… at least she’d have him as a lover—but that wasn’t the same.

“We’re here,” Niall stated.

Akira looked at her Centaur Warrior, then at the wall before them. It wasn’t made of concrete; it looked to be made up of thick tree limbs and small tree trunks. Okay, did they get zapped into the 1500s? She almost chuckled. Is her realm the only one that’s caught up with the times?

“I need to shift, and Akira can ride on my back,” Niall said, watching Akira.

“Should we wait out here?” Stella queried.

Niall looked at Stella and smiled. “Nah, we’re in good with the small trolls. It’s the big trolls we are at war with.”

Fin snorted, “trolls are so dumb; they don’t know which end is up.”

Everyone looked at the male troll and chuckled.

“Really?” Stella asked, staring at her brother. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

Fin scoffed, “of course, it makes sense. They’re so stupid they don’t know if they’re right side up or upside down.”

Stella shook her head as the others laughed harder.

“I needed that,” Akira said, wiping her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Wolfric asked, pulling Akira into his arms.

Akira sighed and leaned into her Wolfie. “I’m alright. Just nervous.”

‘And terrified of losing you,’ Akira thought to herself.

“Nothing to be nervous about, my sweet Psychi,” Niall said, pulling Akira once again from Wolfric’s arms.

Akira looked up at her Centaur and smiled. “I really don’t want to go through this conversation again,” she chuckled.

Niall grinned. “Let’s get it over with, shall we, princess?”

Akira’s left eyebrow shot up. Now he’s calling her princess?

“Why does everyone call me princess?” she asked.

Niall laughed, “I’m a prince. That makes you my princess.”

Akira nodded. Okay, his makes sense. But the others have been calling her princess since before she met Niall. She decided to let it go for now. She has enough on her brain with meeting her warrior’s parents. Who happen to be the leaders of his tribe. Not to mention that soon she will have to take all five of her warriors to bed and lose four of them—well, not exactly lose them… How have other Havents survived this in the past?

Though she feels other Havents hadn’t gotten as close to their warriors as Akira. Not even her mother. She shook her head. Especially not her mother.

Niall took a step back and shifted into his Centaur form. Wolfric helped Akira onto Niall’s back, and the Centaur prince led them to the front gate of his tribe’s home.

“Halt! Who goes there?!” a guard shouted.

“It is I, Niall Hasapis,” Niall stated.

The guards moved forward and bowed when they saw Niall.

“Sire!” they said in unison.

Niall nodded to the two guards. “These people are with me,” he informed them.

The guards looked at Akira and growled.

“You bring a human home….”

“She is not human,” Niall interrupted, “and even if she was, it is none of your business what or who I bring home. Now open the gate. I wish to speak with my parents.”

The guards continued to glare at Akira as they opened the gate. Akira held onto Niall as they walked past the guards. She wasn’t afraid of them, she could hold her own in any battle, but Akira didn’t want to piss her warrior’s parents off before she met them.

“Are you sure your parents will accept me?” she whispered.

Niall turned his head and smiled at her. “I am sure, little one.”

Akira nodded. As long as he was sure.

The group walked through the gate and turned when they heard it close behind them.

“This way,” Niall said, leading them through the small community of his people.

“Where is everyone?” Akira wondered.

“At the battlefield,” Niall said.

Akira nodded. She felt bad she’d taken their prince from the battle. But happy she finally found her fifth warrior.

“Niall!” a female Centaur shouted as she came out of a tent. “What are you doing home? And with humans….”

“Mother,” Niall said, smiling at the beautiful Centaur.

Akira could barely breathe. The woman was so beautiful. Her long brown hair flowed behind her to her waist, and her bright blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. The only way to describe her warrior’s mother was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Niall, your father will not be happy you abandoned your post….”

“Mother, we need to talk,” Niall stated. “In private.”

The female Centaur looked at Akira, then the others surrounding them, and huffed. She turned and stomped her hooves as she went back into the tent.

“Come along,” she growled, “your father will be back soon.”

“I don’t think she likes me,” Akira whispered.

Niall shook his head. “She doesn’t like humans because they’re trying to take over our realm. They think they can rule this world better than us because they have technology, but nothing beats pure magic.”

Akira nodded. As much as she missed technology, she had to agree she’s had more fun since starting this adventure than she had growing up around computers and televisions. Even being lost in the woods for five years had its moments.

The group ducked into the tent behind Niall’s mother. Once they filled the tent, Niall helped Akira off his back and transformed into his human form.

Akira watched Niall’s mother watch them.

The Centaur cleared her throat. “What is it you want to talk about?” she asked.

“I would prefer to wait for Father, so I only have to say this once,” Niall said.

His mother looked at him, and the left corner of her mouth lifted. “Are you hungry, my son?”

Niall shook his head. Akira could tell he was more nervous than hungry.

Wolfric watched Niall and his mother. She didn’t seem upset that her son brought strangers to their camp. More upset, he’d left his post and brought what she thought were humans home with him. Hopefully, she and Niall’s father will take the news well, and they can get out of there.

Though, as much as he’d like to be alone with their Psychi, he wasn’t ready to discover he was not Akira’s chosen mate.

“What is going on?!” a large Centaur demanded as he entered the tent.

The group turned to the entrance.

“I was told by the guards that my son let humans into our camp. That can’t be….” The Centaur stopped talking when he saw the group with his son. “Niall?”

Niall stepped toward the older man. “Father, I can explain….”

“I heard you abandoned your post at the battle, but I didn’t want to believe it. What do you think I found when I checked on my son?”

“That I abandoned my post,” Niall said carefully.

“When I found your cabin empty, I could only think of one thing… My son was dead or kidnapped.”

“I am sorry, Father. We tried to get here as fast as we could, but things came up, and we didn’t get on our way until late this morning.”

“Why did you leave your post? There is no excuse I will accept! Especially since you brought humans home to your tribe!” Niall’s father fumed.

“Father, they are not humans,” Niall insisted.

The older Centaur male puffed out his chest and got into his son’s face. “Son, you leave me no choice but to….”

“Please, sir,” Akira interrupted, stepping in front of Niall.

Wolfric watched Akira, ready to pull her away from the large Centaur if needed. He knew she needed to do this—for Niall and herself.

“Niall saved me from his people but didn’t hurt anyone doing it. He is a brave warrior, and he is mine.”

Niall’s father stared at Akira, his eyes squinting angrily at her. “How dare you interrupt me. Do you know who I am?”

Akira nodded, “yes, sir. You are my warrior’s father.”

“I am Chief of the Shagahoe Tribe!” Niall’s father stated, pounding his chest with his right fist.

It took everything in Wolfric to not laugh. He could tell by the look on his companions’ faces that they were also having difficulty not laughing. Even Akira had to hold her breath to keep from chuckling.

Akira surprised them all by bowing to the chief.

“Yes. And I mean you no disrespect. I didn’t want you to say or do anything to Niall you would regret. Please, I ask that you hear us out.”

The chief studied Akira, then looked around the group, stopping on Wolfric.

“Direwolf,” the chief said.

Wolfric bowed his head. “Yes, sir.”

The chief looked at Akira, then at his son. “Fine, explain yourself.”

Wolfric watched Akira take a deep breath and let it out with relief. Niall placed his arm over Akira’s shoulders and pulled her against his side.

“Father, Mother, I would like to introduce you to Akira. My Havent.”

The chief and his wife froze and stared at their son and Akira. Wolfric readied himself to get Akira out of the tent. But there was no need. Niall’s mother shifted into human form and shrieked with joy. She pulled Akira into her arms and kissed her cheek as she held her.

“Are you sure, Son?” the chief asked his son.

Niall nodded to his father and smiled. “Yes, sir.”

“But I don’t sense any magic in her,” the chief said.

Niall pulled his shirt down to show his father his marking. His father shifted into human form and moved closer to Niall. He looked at the marking on his son’s chest and shook his head as he looked at Akira.

“A healer.”

Niall’s mother stepped back from Akira, looking at her chest.

Wolfric almost laughed at the look on his Psychi’s face.

“Maybe over here?” Wolfric suggested.

Niall’s mother looked at Wolfric, then at Akira, and smiled. “So shy,” she whispered, motioning for Akira to follow her.

Wolfric chuckled as he walked with Akira and the chief’s mate to the corner of the tent.

“She is a brave warrior but shy when it comes to things like this,” Wolfric stated.

The chief’s mate looked up at Wolfric. “You must be the Alpha.”

Wolfric shrugged. “I was her first warrior.”

Akira pulled her shirt down enough that Niall’s mother could see her warriors’ markings. She sucked in a breath when the woman touched Niall’s marking.

A tear slid down the woman’s cheek. “I never knew we could have a Havent.”

Akira looked over at Niall, who was still talking to his father. “I have only known your son for just over a day, but I am happy to call him one of my warriors.”

Niall’s mother smiled, “I can tell he already cares deeply for you. I am sorry we assumed the worse.”

Akira shrugged. “We walked upon the battle and saw what was going on. None of us think it’s right or fair what is happening. We hope you win.”

Niall’s mother laughed and placed her arm over Akira’s shoulders. “I can see you haven’t found your chosen mate yet.”

Akira shook her head as the woman led her back to the others, Wolfric close behind them.

“It is so, Husband. She is our son’s Havent. He is her fifth warrior.”

The chief looked at his wife, at Akira, then at the others in the tent.

Niall smiled at his father. “Let me introduce you to my fellow warriors and their friends,” he offered.

Akira watched Niall introduce his parents to their group. Niall looked at Akira and smiled, then introduced his parents.

“As you know, these are my parents. Chief Pherick Hasapis and his mate, my mother, Esilda.”

“So nice to meet you both,” Akira said.

She didn’t know what else to say. She hasn’t met the parents of her other warriors. Not even Wolfric’s, and she grew up most of her life around Wolfric.

Esilda hugged Akira again. Akira didn’t know what she was supposed to do, so she hugged the woman back.

“Mother, you’re making my Psychi blush again,” Niall chuckled.

Akira placed her hands to her cheeks. Why does she keep blushing around them?

“Why do I not see her soul?” the chief queried.

“Because she’s hidden from anyone but her warriors,” Wolfric said.

Akira looked at her warriors. That is a story she is more and more curious about.

Wolfric looked at Akira. He could tell her curiosity was getting deeper on why the Gods hid her soul and powers. They need to tell her what Darius was told by the Gods, and soon.

She deserves to know Apollo is not her father.