Cloud Riders (Lord of the Planets) (20 page)

‘You have exceeded all my expectations, little one. No more for today. Just relax now and enjoy the sun that you have just worked so hard to get us into.’ He bent and kissed her forehead before closing her eyes by placing his hand over them. As if by magic she felt herself going into a world of peace as she drifted off to sleep. When she woke, he was still watching her and grinned. ‘Feel better now?’

Cassie nodded. ‘How did you do that? I feel like I’ve just had my batteries recharged; that I could get up and run home.’

‘I have a little magic up my sleeve that I keep for very special angels when they need a little healing. I made you experience some terrible memories that have now been dissolved, not removed. They are just in a place now where they won’t harm you anymore.’ He stood up, put out his hand and helped her up off the ground. ‘We’ll need a few more sessions, Cassie, are you okay with that?’ he asked.

She nodded and laughed as he ran with her down the hill to the car. When they stopped at the bottom, she was still giggling as she breathed heavily from the quick jog. ‘What was all that about?’

‘I filled you with magic. Running should tame it down. The effects can be tricky sometimes but I’ll be around you for the next few hours. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.’

He opened the car door for her before getting in himself. Another courteous gesture that made her grin at his sweetness. As if in a hurry, he switched on the ignition and kicked life into the motor. Within seconds the vehicle was sliding slightly before it bumped roughly along the exposed track. ‘Sorry I rushed you, sweetie but it took me long enough to get this session with you. Be blowed if I want to piss off your man on the first one.’

Kayden was waiting with a big smile when they pulled up. Cassie ran and jumped into his arms. He swung her around. ‘Hi, beautiful.’ Putting her down, he tucked her under his arm and leant against the car so he could talk to Woody. ‘How did she do?’

Woody pushed his hair back and crossed his arms. ‘Better than I expected for her first time. Broke through a couple of layers. However there’s a way to go before I get her relaxed enough to use her gifts naturally. She’s been through a lot, K. It’s not going to happen overnight.’

Kayden nodded. ‘I thought as much.’ He gave her a quick glance of concern and then hid it with a smile. ‘You’re in good hands, sweetheart. If anyone can break through your wall of pain it will be this big lug. In the meantime, your horse is ready to go. Do you want to come and have a look?’

They went over to the enclosure where Jason and Ethan were still with Starburst. There was another man there wearing a brimmed hat. He looked like a real farmer and stood talking to Conor. Cassie couldn’t help thinking how similar their physics were.

‘Tremaine, this is Cassie. Cass, this is my brother Tremaine,’ Conor introduced them.

Tremaine took his hat off and shook her hand. Cassie wasn’t surprised to hear they were related although he did have hair, even though it was very short and dark. His nose was also flatter and wider and his lips were thinner. He smiled and that was when she saw Conor in him: his eyes shone golden-brown and he had the same cheek structure when his face lit up.

‘Hi, Cassie. Me bro ain’t shut up about you so it’s damned nice to finally put a face there to your name. I look after them there horses for me man K when he needs me. Today but I’m just here to observe. Stoked to have been able see how this little one stacks up. They tell me he’s your ride now.’

‘Yes, Starburst stole my heart the second I saw him, shaking and wobbling around like a drunk trying to stand up,’ she giggled, remembering. She walked closer to Tremaine as they both turned towards Starburst. ‘Fascinating how quickly he found his legs and then walked around like a real pro. Jeez, and we call ourselves the smarter race.’

He laughed and nudged Conor. ‘Yeah okay, she’s all that and cute as a button and she’s right. Those darn horses of yours are way more intelligent than a man like me’s ever seen.’

Conor slapped his back. ‘Just keep that on the down low, bro, we don’t want no one stealing any of them.’

‘Gotcha, bro. Anyways I have to get back to me farm there, boy. Can’t go dilly-dallying here all day with a bunch of misfit cowboys. Bad for me image.’ He tipped his hat to Cassie. ‘Ma’am, nice to finally meet you. If you get sick of these hard heads, call over for dinner one night. Let me show you what a real home-cooked meal tastes like. You can bring the K man too if you have to bring ‘im.’ He grinned cheeky-like at Kayden before looking back at Cassie. ‘Just stirring up your man there. Offer is there though. You’re both welcome for sure.’

Kayden put his arm around her. ‘We’d love to, Tremaine. I’ll give you a ring.’

Conor pulled Tremaine’s hat off him playfully. ‘Hey, what about the rest of us, bro?’

Tremaine snatched his hat back off him, laughing. ‘I told your young lady, a real home-cooked meal. Me ovens not big enough to put the whole dang cow in to feed you lot,’ he said, getting on his horse. He tipped his hat. ‘Ma’am, K.’ He trotted off down the path.

After he left, Conor continued grumbling about Tremaine trying to steal his girl with a roast. Kayden reminded him Cassie was really his girl, which made him grumble more. They all laughed when he stomped off, saying he was going to cook her a better home-cooked dinner, not like his dopey brother would make.

‘Now the dramatics are over,’ Ethan said, still smiling. He opened the gate for Cassie to join them. ‘Shall we?’ He gestured for her to follow him inside the pen. She jumped down off the fence and went through the gate. Jason slid easily off her horse and stood beside Starburst, waiting for her. Cassie went over to her horse and patted his stressed features.

‘What’ve they done to you, handsome?’ She clucked over him as she ran her hand down his legs and over his back the way she had seen Kayden do many times to the horses. She could feel he was sweaty and a little shaken but other than that he seemed to settle at her touch. She stood in front of him, patting the softness of his nose and watching his eyes. ‘Got anything left?’ she asked him and he got a wild look in his eyes like the one he had when he wanted her to chase him. She laughed and shook her head. ‘Not to play! To take me for a ride, silly,’ she grinned.

He nodded and snorted. With Jason’s help she put her foot in the stirrup and swung herself up on him. She lent over near his ear. ‘You’re a big boy to get up on. We might have to practice that.’ She chuckled. ‘Now be gentle, boy, I’ve never ridden by myself before so this is new to both of us.’

Ethan led Starburst around slowly at first while Cassie settled into the trotting pace.

‘Just feel him beneath you, Cass. It’ll help you relax into him and him with you.’ She closed her eyes and could feel his rhythm and his strength. He was gorgeous and as if he could feel her too, he started to trot, then almost to glide. Cassie opened her eyes and realised they were both enjoying each other so much that they were actually off the ground. He never even needed wings. He flew using his own magic combined with hers. They eased back onto the ground and came to a stop.

Cassie looked around. There was total silence. The men had shocked expressions. ‘He’s a little miracle. He knows how to tap into my power.’ She patted him, very proud of her clever horse. ‘You won’t even need those wings, will you, boy?’

Kayden came through the gate. ‘I knew I had to save him for a reason. He wanted to be with you all along,’ he said, lifting her off him. ‘That was surreal, very clever.’

‘He’s a dream to ride but I think he’s had enough for one day.’

Ethan agreed and took Starburst to clean him up and give him a well-deserved drink and a feed.

After a long, hot shower, Cassie ambled out into the kitchen. Conor was stirring gravy and still looking glum. She could smell the aroma of a well-cooked dinner filling the air. Slipping her arm around Conor’s waist, she hated the vibe of rejection he was feeling from his brother. He put his arm over her shoulder, still stirring the pan.

‘Want me to go sort him out for stirring you up or go give him a little zap, knocking him right off that horse of his, flat on his butt?’

Conor chuckled. ‘It’s okay, Cassie. He just knows you’re special to me and is trying to push my buttons to make me angry enough to talk to him. I get it really. He has to work his butt off and all he sees me do is party and get with the girls. He’s told me he knows something big is going on and it frustrates him that I keep it hidden.’

‘You know I would never go hang with him without you. When Kayden makes a day, I’ll get him to tell just you, okay? The three of us will sneak off and go eat his dinner and then I’ll help you beat him at cards. Then if you still feel unhappy I’ll just have to make good on that threat and zap his hiney anyway. How’s that sound?’

He grinned and hugged her. ‘Why do you care?’

‘Woody told me how you guys feel me now we’re connected. You know, about that hum that makes you want to be near me.’

He nodded and looked surprised that Woody had told her.

‘Well, times that by five and you will feel what is inside me. So if you’re sad, then I’m feeling sad too, me boy.’ She grinned. ‘Bet you all didn’t know that. It started as soon as we ate our first meal together.’

‘Same.’

Cassie nudged into him. ‘Hey, but it is our little secret, okay? No way do I want my man getting himself all worked up that I can feel you all too.’

‘You didn’t even tell Woody.’ He chuckled, looking a lot happier that only he knew her secret.

She shook her head. ‘Now give me another one of those hugs and go take a shower while I dish up. Goddamn, you can cook,’ she giggled, sniffing the air as he took off for a shower.

Kayden caught the tail end of the conversation Cassie had with Conor. He couldn’t remember a time when the men looked so completely happy and so at ease with one another. They had gone from a confident five to a feeling of oneness. The magic of Cassie was a gift to them all.

My Prince

It was a stinking hot evening and that night after dinner they all cooled off in the lake at the back of the property. Afterwards Woody and Jason built a fire for them to dry off. Cassie cuddled up to Kayden, worn out from her session with Woody and glad for the warmth as the nights seemed to get chilly of late. It had been one of those fabulous days, one of the ones you slide into your memory bank to retrieve on a bad day. By the sound of some of the stories now being told, there were going to be a few of those. Her man’s body was warm and the eyes she was trying so hard to keep open, shut with a thud. Almost overcome with sleep, she listened as the stories of other missions changed to the new threat in the galaxy. She smiled, imagining them waiting for her to conk out before bringing up something they thought might make her worry and in turn, hinder their fun together. She was sure they could smell her fear and she so wanted to change all that, to toughen up and become more confident and gutsy. Hopefully that would stop them treading on eggshells around her.

In her fog, their voices still made sense and she could almost feel the evil that breathed down their necks. This man’s name was Aldebaran and this dark wizard had a friend, a tyrant called Conom. Both were powerful rulers and both were determined to take over the constellation of Orion’s Belt. Both were hell-bent on destroying anyone who dared to stand in their way. As she listened to them work out a game plan to stop the feud and bring reconciliation, sleep overcame her. She felt safe enough with those around her to drift into a dreamy world of darkness and peace.

Eyes blurry from too deep a sleep, Cassie was surprised when she woke to find they had camped out all night. A sudden jolt of excitement gripped her: she had never slept outdoors before. It was nice to wake up and see all her friends still hanging out, even if they were asleep. The boys were lying on sleeping bags around the fire. They must have been in a deep sleep as they were breathing heavier than they did when they rested before a mission. Then she saw the empty rum bottles and understood their comatose states.

Kayden still had her securely in his arms and her movement woke him up.

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,’ she whispered as she rolled around to face him. His eyes were dreamy and loving and he started kissing her gently around her neck and then her face until he found her lips, groaning as his feelings overwhelmed him.

‘Shh, you’ll wake the others,’ she giggled.

He put his head up and saw they were not in bed. ‘Shit!’

‘Shh,’ she chuckled again.

He stood and pulled Cassie to her feet, taking her around to the other side of the truck. He leant up against it and pulled her into him again, covering her lips with his hot mouth while his tongue explored the sensitive and sensual parts of her mouth. ‘I could eat you all up, baby, you taste so delicious,’ he groaned.

‘Later, bad boy, you have to go check the horses first.’

His eyes roamed over her and he grinned with a naughty, boyish look.

‘Kayden, behave.’ She slapped his arm playfully

He stepped away from her and put his hands up, smiling. ‘Okay, but I’m coming back to get you, my lovely and sending this riff-raff home. I have something very special in mind for you today and you’ll want it to be private.’

‘Wow, the mind boggles.’ Cassie did a little wiggle and twirl for him, lifting the edge of her T-shirt up to stir him before skipping off laughing.

Kayden pounced on her like a lion and snatched her up in his arms, growling deeply into her ear while nuzzling her hair. ‘You’re so wicked, woman. Now behave until I get back or look out,’ he said, putting her down.

Jason lifted his head up, rubbing his eyes. ‘Hang on, K,’ he said pulling on his boots as he watched Kayden head for the truck. ‘I want to come and check on Starburst, make sure yesterday hasn’t rattled his chain.’

Kayden nodded, waiting.

Woody also stirred and jumped up refreshed, showing no side effects of all the alcohol he would have consumed. He threw some more wood on the fire poking at it with a stick. Ethan and Conor both just groaned at the noise, rolled over and went back to sleep.