Alien Pilot Needs a Nanny: Alien Nanny Agency #2 Read online

  ALIEN PILOT NEEDS A NANNY

  ALIEN NANNY AGENCY #2

  TASHA BLACK

  13TH STORY PRESS

  Copyright © 2022 by 13th Story Press

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  13th Story Press

  PO Box 506

  Swarthmore, PA 19081

  [email protected]

  Cover designed by Sylvia Frost of The Book Brander

  CONTENTS

  Tasha Black Starter Library

  About Alien Pilot Needs a Nanny

  Alien Pilot Needs a Nanny

  Tenet: 88

  1. April

  2. April

  3. Khall

  4. April

  5. April

  Tenet: 66

  6. April

  7. April

  8. Khall

  Tenet: 74

  9. April

  10. Khall

  Tenet: 9

  11. April

  12. Khall

  Tenet: 30

  13. April

  14. Khall

  15. April

  16. Khall

  17. April

  18. April

  Tenet: 94

  19. Khall

  20. April

  21. April

  22. Khall

  23. April

  24. April

  25. April

  26. Khall

  Tenet: 74

  27. April

  28. April

  29. Khall

  30. April

  31. Khall

  32. April

  33. April

  34. Khall

  Tenet: 74

  35. April

  36. Khall

  37. April

  Tenet: 36

  38. April

  39. Khall

  Tenet: 107

  40. April

  41. Khall

  42. Khall

  43. April

  44. April

  Tasha Black Starter Library

  About the Author

  One Percent Club

  TASHA BLACK STARTER LIBRARY

  Packed with steamy shifters, mischievous magic, alien adventures, billionaire superheroes, and plenty of HEAT, the Tasha Black Starter Library is the perfect way to dive into Tasha's unique brand of Romance with Bite!

  Get your FREE books now at tashablack.com!

  ABOUT ALIEN PILOT NEEDS A NANNY

  When inexperienced nanny April goes to work for a hotshot pilot, she’s in for some unexpected turbulence.

  April left behind her dreams to become a professional dancer the day she learned her work contract was for a gentlemen’s club instead of a theatre. She’s waiting tables and trying desperately to avoid the stage when she gets an opportunity to take a job as a nanny on idyllic planet Ulfgard. The previous nanny storms out of the fancy penthouse screaming about the awful kids, but April can’t wait to roll up her sleeves and help. It’s their intimidating, achingly gorgeous father who has her stomach in knots.

  Khall Rivvor is a war hero – a hotshot Jordraaki pilot who gained even more unwanted fame for his good looks. All he wants is a quiet home life. But the arrival of the new nanny has turned his world upside down. And while April works her magic with Bolynne’s hot temper and Minerva’s shyness, she’s weaving a spell over Khall’s heart, too. It’s all he can do to remind himself that she’s young and she’s depending on him for a roof over her head. He can’t give in to the need to touch her, even if it’s tearing him apart.

  When danger from April’s past surfaces, Khall’s protective instincts go into hyperdrive. But it’s April who will have to face her fears and step up to protect the people she loves. Will Khall surrender to desire and open his heart to her in spite of everything? Or is this pilot destined to fly solo?

  ALIEN PILOT NEEDS A NANNY

  TENET: 88

  Keep an open mind.

  - Dr. H. VynFleet, 132 Tenets of Childcare & Maintenance

  1

  APRIL

  April willed herself to remain calm.

  But as she gazed out through the glass dome of the hover craft at the bustling and beautiful city outside, it was impossible not to feel excitement bubbling up for the first time in what felt like forever.

  The people on the streets of New Canaan were so diverse. She saw Bergalians, Vystians, and Terrans, alongside beings whose origins she could only guess at, all traversing the sliding walkways with an energy she had never seen back home. It was as if they were all moving to the beat of music just a little too quiet for her to hear over the cheerful hum of the cab.

  More hover crafts winnowed in and out just above street level, and overhead, huge airships drifted like lazy whales among the towers and spires of the elegant city architecture. They looked elegant, but April couldn’t even imagine riding in something that high off the ground. Just the thought of it started her heart racing.

  She looked away from the airships and studied the architecture instead. A person could lose herself here. She could live a full life behind one of the windows shimmering in one of those giant buildings, and no one from her past would ever be able to find her.

  At least April hoped that was the case.

  Don’t think about him.

  But it had been months since she’d thought of anything else, months since she’d been able to live her life without constantly looking over her shoulder.

  Hopefully this new life, on a whole new planet, would mean a fresh start.

  “We have arrived at your destination,” the hover cab announced suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts.

  They were hanging in the air in front of a dizzyingly tall building, constructed of massive grey stones. Discrete golden letters adorned the stones beside the glass entryway.

  The Celestial

  Sweet Sun Gods, she had read about this building in In Vogue. It was one of the oldest co-ops in the famous Ancient Gardens neighborhood of New Canaan. And it was the only one that hadn’t succumbed to accepting celebrity buyers in the property bust that happened during the lead-up to the Armada’s attack on Nordholm.

  That Armada attack had lost little Bolynne Rivvor her mother. And the loss of Bolynne’s mom was the whole reason April was here.

  She’d been far away from the battles, but it had been impossible to escape the news.

  Everyone knew that the Armada was famous for targeting a system, attacking its weakest planet and then setting up a weapons base there from which they could threaten and take over all the other planets.

  When they set their sights on wealthy Ulfgard and its system, everyone expected them to attack Torgard, the smallest and least populated planet in the system.

  Mighty Ulfgard and the other planets sent their troops all the way out to Torgard.

  And then at the last moment, the Armada attacked Nordholm instead, a tiny planet right next to Ulfgard.

  The home troops were all on the opposite side of the system.

  But the civilian women of Ulfgard had all completed compulsory military training at age nineteen. Those young enough to fight rallied, leaving their jobs and homes, to head to Nordholm and defend the system.

  And nearly every woman of childbearing age was slaughtered as they stormed the beach.

  The Armada’s deadly forces were already set up, and ready to fight the whole System army.

  But those brave women bought just enough time for the rest of the ho
me forces to arrive.

  And when the home army arrived at last, they were able to send the Armada packing, in one of the terrible force’s few defeats.

  The home forces won the day, but everyone knew it was the women who were the real heroes.

  Now all of Ulfgard had statues and memorials to The Woman, as they were known. The city of New Canaan even had a magnificent library dedicated to their sacrifice.

  Ulfgard had retained its freedom, but at the cost of nearly every woman of child-bearing age on the planet. The mourning husbands and the kids who were left motherless were taught to be proud of The Women.

  But pride was a poor substitute for a mother.

  “We have arrived at your destination,” the hover cab repeated, rousing her from her thoughts once more.

  April scanned her bracelet on the cab’s sensor, hoping she had enough credits left to pay.

  She was relieved when the sensor turned green.

  “Bring luck on New Canaan,” the cab said politely as she got out, dragging the duffel that contained all her worldly possessions after her.

  April was pretty sure it would be downright miraculous if she could even manage to bring luck on herself, but the hopeful phrase gave her a smile.

  A new place, a new life, and a new chance to find happiness - all of those things were hers now. And that filled her heart enough that her empty bank account couldn’t bring her down.

  She stepped onto the moving sidewalk, stumbling and having to try a second time to get off again immediately in front of the building.

  A woman with catlike ears who was waiting to board the walkway flicked her tail in annoyance.

  “Sorry, sorry,” April said, fixing her eyes on her shoes in embarrassment.

  “April Clarke?” a smooth male voice intoned.

  She looked up to see a friendly-looking man in a doorman’s uniform smiling down at her.

  He had Terran features but he was covered in brilliant gray scales that shimmered in the sunlight, and looked absolutely resplendent with his uniform.

  “That’s me,” she said.

  “You’re expected,” he told her, holding out his hand for her bag. “Where are the rest of your things?”

  “This is it,” she said, shrugging. “It’s not much. I’ve got it.”

  “As you wish,” he replied. “You’ll be heading to the penthouse. If you’ll hold out your bracelet, I’ll program it for access.”

  The penthouse?

  She held out her bracelet to him reflexively as she wondered exactly how high the penthouse was, and also why someone who could afford the penthouse would hire an inexperienced nanny.

  “There you are,” he said, touching his bracelet to hers.

  There was a slight buzz, telling her the bracelet had accepted data.

  “That will allow you full elevator access,” he explained. “As well as free use of the pool, the gym, the library, and use of Mr. Rivvor’s credit at the cafe, the pub and the restaurant.”

  She felt her mouth drop open.

  “Are you sure I can’t show you the way?” he asked.

  “I’ll be fine,” she told him.

  “Excellent,” he replied, tapping a name tag on his jacket. “My name is Deerborne. If you ever need anything at all, it will be my pleasure to assist.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Deerborne,” she replied.

  He smiled so hard his slate gray eyes crinkled under his scaly cheeks.

  “Deerborne, a little help?” someone shouted impatiently from the street.

  “See you later,” April said, darting into the glass lobby.

  Just like the lobbies of fancy condominiums in the holo-films, this one had a smooth, polished stone floor.

  She headed to the other side of the area, and was surprised to find true, old-fashioned elevators, just as Deerborne had said, not the dizzying chutes found in most city buildings.

  She swiped her bracelet and waited.

  The doors had barely begun to open when she heard angry sobbing from within.

  Another young woman, with something purple smeared all over her dress, stormed out of the elevator. She had a suitcase in each hand and a furious expression on her face.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she sneered when she laid eyes on April.

  April opened her mouth and closed it again.

  “Good luck with that little monster,” the other girl spat. “I give you a week, tops.”

  The doors began to slide shut again and April snapped herself out of it, sticking her hand out to stop them. She stepped on, ignoring the other woman’s outburst.

  “If I were you, I’d head right back out the way you came in,” the girl yelled as the elevator doors closed.

  What was that all about?

  Whatever it was, it was too late to worry about it now. April was here, and she really needed this job.

  Placing her bracelet against the penthouse sensor, she focused on watching it turn green, and tried to ignore how many buttons there were.

  But she couldn’t help thinking about the level of the penthouse and the size of all those buildings. She’d never been a big fan of heights. Hopefully, this place wouldn’t be one of those glass boxes that they showed on the holo-films.

  It doesn’t matter, she reminded herself. You’re lucky to be here. You’ll make it work.

  After what seemed like entirely too long, the elevator reached the penthouse level with a ding, and the doors slid open.

  2

  APRIL

  April was expecting a long hallway, so it came as a shock when the elevator opened directly into the light-filled loft of the penthouse.

  She didn’t see anyone, so she decided to step inside.

  When her eyes adjusted, she found that the outside walls of the massive space were glass, just as she had feared. A dizzying view of the tops of the other city buildings and the floating airships had her gulping down a steadying breath as the elevator doors closed behind her.

  She tore her eyes from the windows and focused on the interior. In spite of the polished-concrete floor, and glass exterior walls, the place was decorated more like a farmhouse than a penthouse.

  Beautiful hand knotted rugs on the floors made the open space feel like a collection of cozy rooms. Fluffy throws on every sofa and chunky wood tables and buffets added to the sense that she was somehow in a Hearth Day coffee commercial and a minimalist spaceship at the same time.

  “Hello,” she called out softly.

  No one answered.

  She slipped her shoes off to join several other pairs on a bamboo mat, and padded further into the strange flat.

  A light scent of fresh pine drifted through the air, adding to the impression of a country house.

  She could just hear a voice coming from the right, so she followed it, past several sitting areas and into a massive, industrial-looking kitchen with honest-to-goodness gingham towels, where a man was leaning against the stone counter with his back to her, talking on his comms.

  The man was tall and lean, with wide shoulders and hair so dark it was almost a blue-black. Something about his build made her think of the superhero comics she’d been obsessed with as a little kid. He looked solid.

  “Okay, thanks,” he said into his comms, straightening up.

  “The agency says the new nanny should be here by now,” he said to April without turning around.

  What?

  “She is here,” April replied, feeling a little confused.

  “Then let her in and show her to her room,” he said impatiently, finally turning to her.

  Sweet angels.

  He was even more gorgeous than she had let herself imagine when seeing the very attractive back of him. And she had let herself imagine a lot.

  He was so tall when he straightened up that he loomed over her, his moody expression doing nothing to mar the chiseled planes of his handsome face.

  His skin was a mottled green that made her think of a tiger. As he looked at her, she swore the col
or deepened slightly.

  But all of that paled in comparison to the feral beauty of his eyes. They were large, an amber color so light it almost seemed like they were glowing. They reminded her of the pictures of wolves in the storybooks from Old Earth.

  He blinked at her once in surprise, momentarily hiding his hypnotic eyes behind long, blue-black lashes that seemed almost criminally graceful on such a masculine face.

  Desire unfurled in her belly, and she felt blood rushing to her cheeks in shame. She had never reacted to a man this way, wanting him senselessly.

  She didn’t even know him, and what little she did know told her he was a terrible boss.

  His eyes burned into hers with something akin to fury.

  Well, who could blame him? She was supposed to be here to look after his child, not ogle him.

  But there was something about the clench of his jaw that didn’t look like anger. It almost looked like…

  Suddenly, there was a scream like a wild animal caught in a trap, and then small footsteps pounded toward the kitchen.