Page 11 of Alien Knight Teddy Bear Troubles

A slow grin spread across Taeger’s face, relieving his sorrow, if just for a few moments. “She was being reckless. Obstinate. Refused to obey orders.”

Greig eyed him knowingly. “You like her.”

“Just being practical,” he countered.

Chuckling, Greig nodded. “Okay then. I guess I’ll put the word out that any misbehavior on the part of the delectable little female is to be rewarded with a spank. We’ll have her insubordination under control in no time.”

Taeger saw red. Something dark and primitive rose up inside him. Angry. Possessive. He snarled. “Touch her and die.”

Laughing, Greig shook his head, unable to resist one more jab. “Mm-hmm. Very practical.”

“Asshole,” Taeger glared, his anger slow to fade as he punched in the coordinates for Earth. He’d take her back to her planet, take Ion somewhere safe, then head back to Mora Five to search for survivors. In the meantime, the gore on his suit was almost dry. Rancid. Even he couldn’t stand himself much longer.

Without another word, he turned and headed down the corridor, Greig’s words, as well as his laughter, following him relentlessly as he made his way to the communal shower, eager for the cleansing warmth. His thoughts returned to the small human woman, her sass, her luscious curves, the way her ass had felt as he held her over his shoulder, how good it had felt to hold her. He groaned.Make that a long, cold shower.

Shoulders stiff with tension, he entered the room transporter. The transparent door slid closed with a hiss. He’d like to spend the next hour cleaning up in the comfort of his own room, but since that was no longer an option, he’d just have to make do with one of the communal bathrooms. Speaking to the A.I. system, he gave the order, “Take me to an empty bathing room.”

“Please Clarify, Commander,” responded the disembodied voice. “Your private bathing room is unoccupied. Bathing rooms one and four are also unoccupied.”

Rolling his neck from side to side to ease the stiffness, he considered his choices. He couldn’t choose the one in his room. He’d already made that off-limits. Besides, she might be using it soon. Before he could stop himself, he imagined what she would look like as she readied herself. Visualized the traditional Mora Five garb she’d been wearing. The cloak hadn’t done much to hide her very feminine curves. He could just imagine her slowly removing each layer, or better yet, letting him do it. First the cloak, then her boots. Her feet were small. Dainty. Then the blouse. He would kiss her sensitive skin as he loosened each of the laces. Her creamy breasts a gift to unwrap. Her pert nipples would pebble in the cool air, ready for his mouth. His tongue.Hisfor the taking. He groaned. “No. Not mine.”

“Acknowledged. Bathing rooms one and four are still unoccupied,” the A.I. system prompted.

Taeger rubbed the back of his neck, his sigh rueful. Bathing room one was in the main hall with the other Knights. It may be empty now, but he was sure it wouldn’t last long. On the other hand, bathing room four was in the cargo area. Large and open, it was primarily used to hose down cargo, or one of them if they were in a rush to remove contaminated particulates. No one would bother him there. “Bathing room four.”

“Acknowledged. Bathing room four,” said the A.I.

Clenching his teeth, Taeger closed his eyes as the room transporter whisked him to his chosen destination. He would never admit to the weakness, but being transported in this manner always made his stomach heave.One, two, three, four.

The door slid open. With relief, he stepped out of the room transporter and into the cargo area near the bathing room. Fully clothed in nanotech armor, he stepped into the area with multiple shower heads. The area was big enough to easily accommodate three or four people. “Water on. Full stream.”

“Temperature?” the same A.I. voice asked.

Taeger glanced down at his armor. The entire suit was temperature controlled. He wouldn’t feel a thing as long as he had it on. Removing the suit before it was clean would give him more work later. So much for a cold shower, he mused. “Warm.”

Closing his eyes as the water sprayed over him, he placed his hands on the wall nearest him and lowered his head, his thoughts turbulent as he turned his focus to the events of the past few days, his heart heavy with grief. Loss.So much loss.He shook his head, trying to focus. Process. Pull his mind away from Lyari’s death so that he could find a solution to the next problem. Stay strong. Stay in command.

We may have been compromised on Mora Five. I need information. Has the Council found out we’ve been hiding there? Did they send the Dark Ones? Who gave the order?

If he could find out which member of the Council had given the order, he would be one step closer to finding out who destroyed his world. His people. Was this the mistake he’d been waiting two thousand years for?And what about Cassandra? What was she doing on Mora Five? Is she somehow mixed up in the Council’s business?His gut churned at the idea. The Council wouldn’t hesitate to use a human. The thought of her getting hurt ate at him.

Taeger’s hands fisted as the hot spray pounded against him. Who is she? Human. Earth native. What’s the connection? What does the Council want with Earth? They’d asked Dagan Tiranon, one of the Caldorian Kings, to introduce Earth to the Intergalactic Council and help them establish intergalactic trade two standard Earth years earlier. He’d wondered until recently why the king had agreed to the request. Now he knew the king was much wiser than Taeger had expected, his willingness to go to Earth really motivated by a desire to protect the small planet from the machinations of the Council. The universal adage of ‘keeping his friends close and his enemies even closer’ the king’s primary focus. Meeting the king a few weeks ago, along with a small unit of Lumerian Knights loyal to the king, Knights he’d thought long dead, had been eye opening. He’d thought he and his own Knights were the only survivors. Now, he knew there were more out there. Only now they were gathering on Earth. Coming out of hiding, thanks to a call sent out by Commander Falden Corshival, the most ancient of the Lumerians.

But why? Earth was attacked by the Vilitos, one the Dark Ones’ allies. Everyone knew they were Council puppets. Falden had been protecting Lumerian royals, Torrin and Sevron Bashall, when the attack happened. An attack resulting in the disappearance of Sevron Bashall, twin son of King Torsev and hidden heir, along with Torrin, to the First House of Lumeria.

Then King Dagan’s new woman, a human from Earth, saved most of their lives after she was transformed by Maju paste. Made from Maju rocks native only to Lumeria and a few other dead planets, Sasha, King Dagan’s woman, nearly died, her powers of healing and ability to transfer energy in and out of Lumerian crystals not apparent until she’d gone through a Yielding ceremony with Dagan.

Torrin’s woman, a human from Earth, was taken during the attack and later caught up in the blood market. The Dark Ones and their allies had been operating a portal on Cappra, the headquarters of the Intergalactic Council. He, Falden, and Torrin shut the blood market down together, but not before Torrin’s woman also underwent a transformation after using the Maju paste.

Falden’s woman was later caught up in another one of their schemes, this time on Earth. And her?Also human. Also transformed by Maju paste.

Dread poured into Taeger. And now Earth was the new meeting place for surviving Lumerians. Earth again. Earth and humans. Taeger shook his head, water droplets spraying in every direction. Earth.Cassandra.Mora Five.Cassandra.The Council.Cassandra? She’s connected. Somehow. But is she an innocent victim or a willing participant at the center of a new play by the Council? Has she been on Cappra, too? Am I seeing connections where there are none? She’s been drinking Maju water, used the paste. Nothing’s happened to her. No transformation. She’s fine. Is she somehow immune to its newly discovered effects on humans? Has she been inoculated against it? Is she in league with the Council?

With an angry roar, he pulled his fist back and smashed it into the wall.

Chapter Five

Cassandra walked silently down yet another corridor, intent on exploring as much of the ship as she could before someone stopped her. Ion was fast asleep, poor thing. He’d been exhausted, falling asleep as soon as his little cheek rested on ‘Uncle Taegie’s’ shoulder. She shook her head in remembrance, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She didn’t care how sweet the moment was, she refused to give in to her baser instincts. Refused to see Taeger in a good light, a protective and loving father figure to Ion.

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