Kade: Alien Adoption Agency #2 Page 6

  Kade reached for his purse.

  “How did you come up with that number?” Aurora asked.

  “Cornmeal is eighteen per kilo, salt is one hundred per kilo, wheat flour is twenty per kilo—” the owner began.

  “Wheat flour is in surplus this year,” Aurora retorted. “Farmers on Atropos can’t give it away. Don’t tell me it’s twenty per kilo.”

  “Hm, did I say twenty?” the man murmured, making calculations on his pad. “My apologies, madam. Your total is one hundred sixty credits. And I will throw in a jar of baker’s delight as a gesture of good faith.”

  Kade’s eyes flicked to Aurora. He wouldn’t humiliate her in front of the owner, but this was the only dry goods store on Clotho. He hoped she wasn’t about to get them banned.

  “Thank you,” Aurora said politely. “That’s very kind.”

  The owner blinked back at her, obviously caught up in the thrall of her blue eyes, which Kade already knew could be icy-cold or seashore-warm, depending on her mood.

  He felt a monstrous wave of jealousy wash over him and he had to hold tight to his dragon to prevent its release.

  Aurora counted out the payment, then the man took it and disappeared into the back to put together their purchases.

  Aurora looked up at Kade and winked.

  All of a sudden, everything felt right again.

  “We’re going to do the rest of our shopping,” Aurora called back to the shop keeper. “Load it into our coach at the high road when it’s ready. It’s the bright blue one.”

  “Yes, madam,” the man called back to her.

  And with that they headed into the street.

  They had just stepped outside when they nearly collided with a woman who had a sling around her chest with a baby, just like Aurora. She also had a little boy by the hand.

  “I’m so sorry,” Aurora said quickly.

  “Please pardon us,” the woman replied.

  “Can you tell me what’s happening?” Aurora asked. “Why are the people taking their tents down?”

  The woman looked around, as if afraid they were being watched.

  “It’s the guard,” the woman said so softly into Aurora’s ear that Kade wouldn’t have heard it without the dragon’s senses. “Some fool challenged one of them in the market yesterday and now they’ve lifted the price of protection. At twenty-five percent, plus Clotho’s tax and import fees, the farmers are better off shipping their goods to another moon to sell.”

  Kade’s heart sank.

  He had only just arrived on this moon, and he had already caused deep trouble just by trying to help.

  “Thank you,” Aurora said politely. “Maybe they will change their minds.”

  “But will they do it before we all starve?” the woman asked, shaking her head.

  12

  Aurora

  Aurora walked on with Kade by her side, thoughts bouncing around her head like a mob of raccoon-monkeys.

  The big warrior was quieter than usual, and his normally dazzling green eyes were dark and pensive.

  At least he knew he had done wrong. Maybe it would help them steer clear of further drama.

  Not that she really blamed him. She’d been ready to step in herself before he beat her to it.

  For now, she needed to concentrate on keeping her head down and making it through the next few days without arousing any suspicion. That would give her enough time to feel out the neighbors and figure out how to handle them.

  Assuming they could get enough to eat to last that long.

  Her mind went back to the garden of the little house. How much could she grow there? Maybe enough to supplement their needs, definitely not enough to fulfill them.

  They had reached the town square. White tents were waving in the breeze as they were lifted from their poles, like flags of surrender. She spotted a poster advertising something called the Sheriff’s Cup. It looked like it was meant to be a fun sort of festival, with lots of food and friendly competition.

  Aurora could hardly imagine such a festive event with the town guards patrolling everywhere.

  She might as well be right back on Terra-4, with Ceruleans marching around in their snowy robes, spoiling for a fight.

  She glanced up at Kade.

  His face was sorrowful.

  Maybe if they could find the guard they had offended yesterday, he could apologize, explain that he was from off-moon and did not understand the service they provided to the people of Clotho.

  The very idea made her see red, but it was better than being hungry. Anything was better than that, especially with a baby to worry about.

  She searched the guards faces, but saw no one familiar.

  “What are you looking at?” one of them spat out when her gaze lingered on him a moment too long. He was large, compared to the others, and carried himself with even more of that cocky overconfidence she’d learned to loathe and fear. She guessed he was some kind of officer, used to calling the shots.

  Aurora could feel the whole plaza go silent, all eyes on her. Men like this one were at their most dangerous when they thought they had an audience.

  “Nothing, sir,” she said meekly to the ground.

  “That’s what I thought, dirty, rag-headed Terran,” the guard snapped back. “Go back to your own miserable planet if you can’t stop staring.”

  She didn’t see Kade’s response as much as she felt it.

  A breeze whirred to life around him, and heat pulsed through the air, as if he were an engine about to turn over.

  “Do not speak to her like that,” he growled.

  His voice was so deep that it was almost subsonic.

  She turned to him.

  His eyes were no longer that friendly green - they had gone fiery yellow. The scales on his arms quivered as if they were threatening to burst forth and cover his arms entirely.

  The dragon was dangerously close to the surface.

  Meanwhile, the guards were moving behind the one who had shamed her, forming a triangle, hands on their weapons.

  They were going to kill Kade.

  Or put him in a position where he had to kill them to survive.

  “Was that a challenge, boy?” the guard yelled at Kade, clearly goading him.

  Aurora stepped forward without thinking.

  “It is a challenge,” she cried, grasping for something, anything to get them out of this without bloodshed. “A challenge to… the Sheriff’s Cup.”

  The man blinked back at her in disbelief.

  She could feel Kade freeze beside her.

  “What did you just say?” the guard spat.

  “The Sheriff’s Cup,” she repeated, pointing at the poster that fluttered on the tent pole beside him. “It says right there that it’s the greatest challenge on Clotho.”

  She held her breath and waited.

  “You have to be kidding me,” the guard said and barked out a rusty laugh. “You want to challenge the sheriff to the Sheriff’s Cup?”

  The others began to laugh too. So she’d been right - he wasn’t just another guard, then. Even better. If Kade settled matters with him, the others would have to follow suit.

  “I’m not kidding,” Aurora called out in a bell-clear voice, so that everyone gathered could hear. “Are you afraid you’ll lose?”

  “Hell no,” the guard retorted, not laughing anymore.

  “Then we’ll see you there,” Aurora said, turning on her heel and heading for home.

  When she heard Kade’s footsteps behind her, and no others, she finally sighed out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

  13

  Kade

  Kade stormed along behind Aurora, molten magma filling his chest, threatening to erupt and overwhelm him.

  He growled in frustration, too angry to form words.

  “What’s the matter?” Aurora demanded. “I probably saved your life.”

  He ignored her and kept walking.

  What good was his life if it came at the exp
ense of his honor?

  He had been trying to save her, not the other way around.

  The sun was setting, red and joyous beyond the mountains. The beauty of it made him furious.

  How dare the moon of Clotho rejoice when his own mate had shrugged off his protection and made a mockery of the Invicta?

  A dragon warrior did not participate in a country fair.

  And the fact that she thought he should made her a little ridiculous, too.

  Kade glanced over at her and his body ached at the sight.

  He clenched his jaw at the outrage of being so angry at her and wanting to claim her so much that the edges between the two bled over.

  He closed his eyes and tried not to picture pinning her soft body to the wall and punishing her with deep strokes of his cock as she screamed with the unrelenting pleasure.

  He was so busy not picturing it that he nearly slammed into her.

  “What’s that?” she breathed, looking up.

  He followed her gaze.

  Above them, an absolutely massive creature floated majestically, its opalescent gray belly melting into the gray-blue of the sky so that it almost appeared to be fading in and out of existence.

  Kade had read about them, and even seen holo footage before heading to Clotho.

  But nothing could compare to the actual sight of the mighty air fish, floating on the currents above.

  “It’s a sky leviathan,” he told her.

  “Is it dangerous?” she asked.

  Her arms were wrapped tightly around little Lyra. The sight of it melted his frozen heart just a little.

  “No,” he assured her. “At least not on purpose. They’re shy creatures though. Loud noises can spook them, and they can knock down dwellings and damage property.”

  “Wow,” Aurora breathed.

  He hadn’t seen her like this before, almost childlike in her wonder.

  It was impossible not to imagine showing her all the wonderful things that could be found on this fertile moon. Though her past had been a struggle, she was brave and open to pleasure. He knew she would embrace each new experience with an open heart.

  And it would be incredible for his jaded, battle-hardened eyes to see things from her point of view. His life already seemed sweeter now that she was in it.

  But dammit, he was still mad at her.

  They walked on, reaching the coach and wing-steeds just as the sky went pink.

  14

  Aurora

  Aurora flopped over in bed, half wishing that Lyra would wake up and cry.

  Though even if she did, Kade was right there in the rocking chair next to her. He would comfort the little one and Aurora would still be left alone.

  Being alone was never something she dreaded before. Aurora Day was an independent woman.

  And privacy had always been a luxury, not a burden.

  But somehow, the house felt too big, the nursery both too close and too far away.

  She closed her eyes and thought of Kade’s hands on her again.

  The image set her body on fire with need, but she didn’t dare touch herself to dampen the flames.

  His stupid dragon side would probably hear her, and she would not give him the satisfaction.

  She couldn’t understand why he was so angry with her. Maybe he would have liked to kill or be killed on principle, but she had no interest in seeing that happen.

  She had saved him, and now he was more worried about his wounded pride than being there for the baby whose side he wouldn’t leave.

  Maybe she could have handled the trip home better. But she had her own pride, and she wasn’t about to apologize to him for saving his ass.

  This is why I don’t want people relying on me.

  Back on Terra-4, she had left her crew in the lurch when the man hunt for her began.

  And now she had a baby relying on her not to screw things up.

  It was too much to have a mate, too.

  Maybe he had been right not to claim her last night.

  Clearly neither of them was actually ready for that kind of commitment.

  It was just going to be hard to live under the same roof with the brooding warrior. But she could do it, if that’s what needed to be done.

  There was a creak from the rocking chair in the other room and for the hundredth time that night, she held her breath and closed her eyes, wondering if he was coming to tap on her door and apologize.

  15

  Aurora

  Aurora awoke to sunlight again.

  Lyra was crying in the nursery. Kade must have left the house again.

  Even though she was furious with him, at least she knew this time that he would come back, which was more comforting than she was ready to admit.

  Stupid soft-hearted dope, she scolded herself as she hurried to Lyra. Forget that you ever saw him that way. You’re only going to break your own heart.

  Lyra began to wail harder when she caught sight of Aurora.

  “I’m sorry you had to cry for me, baby,” Aurora said, snatching her up and kissing those pillowy cheeks.

  “Mm,” Lyra said, lower lip pouting out as she allowed herself to be comforted.

  “Want some breakfast?” Aurora offered.

  Lyra seemed to like that idea, so Aurora headed downstairs with her, stopping at the front window to look out at the sunny garden.

  Lyra waved her little hands in the light and made a happy squeaking sound in spite of the tear drops that still clung to her blonde lashes.

  “Should we go out there after breakfast and check it out?” Aurora asked.

  Lyra didn’t argue, and Aurora was glad there was one person in the house who didn’t mind spending time with her.

  They puttered around the kitchen and then ate their breakfast in the living room like the day before.

  “We have a routine,” she told Lyra.

  Lyra’s little mouth formed a perfect “o” and she reached out and banged Aurora on the shoulder with a chubby fist.

  “Let’s go explore the garden,” Aurora said.

  She pulled on the scarf she had hung by the door to remind her not to leave the house without it. Then they headed out into the sunshine.

  Aurora was already feeling more at peace with the fact that she’d only slept for a few hours. These short day and night cycles were going to be an adjustment, but they might not be as bad as she’d thought.

  She took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, fragrant with the scent of the flowers, and tried not to think about that floral wine she and Kade had enjoyed two nights ago.

  “Look at the soil,” she said to Lyra, sitting on the grass to examine it.

  The soil was so dark and rich against the green grass. It must be bursting with nutrients. She could picture carrots and potatoes growing below, enough to feed them for a long time.

  Lyra reached for the leaves of a large plant near the path.

  “I’m not sure what that is,” Aurora said. “Maybe we’d better not touch it yet.”

  “Hello,” a woman’s voice shouted in a friendly way.

  She turned to see the neighbor woman, leaning out her window.

  “Hello, Ethel,” Aurora called back. “Thank you again for the supplies!”

  “Thank you for loaning me your husband,” Ethel called back. “He’s a hard worker, but he can eat his weight in doughnuts.”

  Aurora laughed in spite of herself.

  Lyra made a squeaking sound and flung herself forward.

  Fortunately, Aurora had a good hold on her. She turned to see what the baby was trying to get to.

  Some sort of butterfly creature had landed on the big green leaf in front of them. The wings were transparent and the body had a look of a pony mixed with a mop.

  “Incredible,” Aurora said, reaching out to touch that shimmering soft looking fur without thinking.

  “Don’t,” Ethel called out.

  But it was too late, she had already made contact, and the tiny creature’s fur was just as soft
under her finger as she had expected.

  She jerked her hand back at the warning.

  For a second, she couldn’t imagine what Ethel’s fuss was about. Then the little creature turned to look at her and began emitting a scream so loud it stung her ears and seemed to reverberate in her bones.

  At the sound, Lyra began wailing, though Aurora only guessed that she was because of her expression and the feel of her sobs. Absolutely nothing could be heard over the high-pitched scream of the little butterfly.

  She scrambled up with the baby and ran into the shelter of the house to avoid the noise.

  But as she turned to close the door behind them, she could see all the neighbors sticking their heads out of their doors and windows, wondering who had been stupid enough to rouse whatever that little animal had been.

  If Aurora had been trying to stay under the radar, she had just failed miserably.

  “What else can I do wrong today?” she wondered out loud as she tried to comfort Lyra in the relative peace of the house.

  It was a rhetorical question, but when she heard Kade bustling around out front, she buttoned her lip.

  No need to tempt fate.

  16

  Kade

  Kade was hitching up the wing-steeds when Aurora came out to join him with Lyra on her hip.

  “Hey there,” Aurora said gently, offering bits of cold johnnycake in her open palm to the birds.

  “Careful,” he said. “They’re...”

  But the words died in his throat.

  The male wing-steed had gently pecked the treat out of her hand and then thrust his head down.

  Aurora massaged the back of his feathered neck as he made a crooning noise.

  “I thought you’d never seen a wing-steed before,” Kade said softly.

  “I like animals,” she said, shrugging.

  The male wing-steed lifted its head and began nosing around in her garments looking for more treats.

  “That’s all for you, bud, sorry,” Aurora laughed. “I had to save a bite for your wife.”