Cloud Riders (Lord of the Planets) (47 page)

She lifted up her arms so he could slip her dress over her head. Still holding her with one hand so she didn’t end up on the floor, he grabbed the towelling robe and placed it around her the best he could while she giggled and went all jelly-like on him.

‘Cass you’re a hopeless drunk. How do you manage when I’m not around?’

‘My best friend Woodsta cares for me. I love my best friend to bits. He growls at me more than you do though,’ she chuckled, leaning into him.

‘Okay, I have you decent so while I hold you, can you to wiggle out of your underwear,’ he said, unclipping her bra. ‘You can’t sleep with anything wet on, sweetie. You will end up with pneumonia.’

After a struggle, she was free of clothing. Luckily her hair stayed dry; he was no good at the whole hair-drying thing. He pulled out the scrunchie and let her hair fall out, checking it was dry. Nope, she’s good to go, he thought as he combed it through his fingers.
God, even her hair feels and smells divine
. She must have seen the look on his face and he flushed with embarrassment. She touched his face, her eyes glazed like she was somewhere else.
Maybe I remind her of someone else.

‘I miss my Woodsta,’ she smiled. ‘You’re like my Woodsta, you know. Do you love me too?’

He picked her up. ‘Yes, Cass, I’m afraid I love you too,’ he said, thinking she wouldn’t remember jack-shit in the morning anyway so he might as well be honest. He walked her back over to the bed and pulled the covers back. After helping her in he pulled the covers over her. Kayden, out cold, felt for her and reached for her, pulling her into his arms. ‘I missed you, sweetheart,’ he said groggily, cuddling her.

‘I missed you too, handsome,’ she whispered.

Looking down at them Conom knew in that moment that he would make any sacrifice to have a love like that. How could it be that this was the only girl in the universe he had ever wanted that with? Fate was cruel and this was it at its finest. Never had he ever been so low in morals to even think of taking another man’s wife. But here now with her, his morals were so screwed up.

He touched the softness of her cheek. ‘Sweet dreams, Cass.’

The Big Dipper

Dad woke them up the next morning. ‘Are you two sleepyheads ever going to get up?’ he asked, sitting on the bed and passing them a coffee. Cassie checked she was decent and remembered she had woken in the middle of the night and put a nightie on. She stretched and sat up, taking the coffee from her father.

‘If this is how you’re going to wake us up every morning, Pops, you’ll never get rid of me.’ She joked with him and made him smile.

Kayden groaned and sat up, throwing pillows behind Cassie so she could lean back. He kissed her cheek. ‘Morning, beautiful,’ he said sweetly. Then glancing up at Aldebaran, he grinned. ‘What time is it, Poppa bear?’ Kayden joked.

‘Midmorning and your porridge is lumpy and cold, you bastard,’ he grumped back, making Cassie and Kayden crack up laughing. Aldebaran shook his head, amused. ‘Okay, you two stirrers. I wanted to take you somewhere fun for the day but now you can both stay here and Conom and I will go on our own.’ He laughed with them.

Cassie stopped mucking around. ‘Really? Where’re we going?’

‘It’s a surprise. Now get up. Breakfast is ready.’

After getting out of the shower, Cassie braided her hair back and her outfit changed to a pair of shorts and a girlie top that showed off her tattoo. While she slipped into the flats that her shoes had magically turned into, Kayden came out the shower, towel drying his hair and grinning at her.

‘That looks pretty hot, honey,’ he grinned.

‘Maybe it’s the way I did my hair. The magic just keeps mixing things up. Should I take it out?’ she looked in the mirror, unsure now.

He grinned. ‘I thought as much. It is your magic that’s making all these changes. I think your subconscious actually knows what’s coming up next and dresses accordingly. Don’t stress, just go with the flow and don’t you dare spoil my enjoyment by changing a single thing, you little hottie. Get here now!’ He laughed as he chased her around the bed, joking and having fun with her.

Finally ready, they took the elevator to the bottom floor where they found the others eating breakfast. Conom looked up and nodded, his face pale, his eyes dark and tired-looking.

Aldebaran was reading as usual as he ate. Cassie put her arms around him and he smiled, looking up at her. ‘You’re looking a bit better now.’

‘Sorry about last night, Pops. We’ll try to behave a bit more today.’

‘Somehow I don’t think either of you will, but it is nice to hear you’ll try.’

Cassie let him go. Grinning, she walked past Conom, ruffling his hair. ‘Thanks for last night, ace. Hope I wasn’t too much bother.’

He had a tired expression. ‘You were no trouble, little one.’

She grinned back at his sweetness. ‘Even so, thanks for being a good friend.’ Sitting down next to Kayden she picked at a bit of fruit and some juice and waited patiently for them to finish eating so they could go do something. ‘So Pops, give?’ she finally asked, unable to wait any longer.

‘How does a fun park sound?’

Cassie jumped up and pulled at him. ‘Let’s go then, we’re wasting the day,’ she nagged, going over and pulling Kayden and then Conom up. ‘Come on, guys, get with the program. Pops is waiting.’

‘Who’s waiting?’ Conom asked, a little annoyed.

‘Did you have to tell her where we were taking her, Ald? I would have liked to at least finish my coffee first,’ he grouched.

Cassie put her hands on her hips. ‘Come on, ace, stop acting like a princess and toughen up,’ she baited him.

‘Why you little …’ he grabbed her under one arm and in seconds had his other arm around Kayden’s shoulders and had transported them to the fun park. Aldebaran shimmered in straight after them, still laughing at how easily she could work up Conom.

‘I think you’ve met your match there, Conom.’

‘I’ll give her princess! After what she drank last night it’d be my pleasure to watch her go green,’ he said mischievously. ‘You’ll be begging us to go home after you’ve ridden the Big Dipper.’ His ruthless expression didn’t worry Cassie one little bit.

She ran over to her father for protection, pretending Conom scared her and laughing at how quickly he reacted. His mood is going to make today so much more fun, she thought.

‘Being Daddy’s little girl is not going to protect you today, young lady.’ Conom put his arm around Kayden and whispered something. They both came over and kidnapped her from her father’s arms.

‘My own husband!’ she laughed as they took an arm each. ‘Traitor!’ she added, stretching up and kissing his cheek, loving every minute of it.

Kayden told her they had landed on the Big Dipper constellation which is part of the Ursa Major Great Bear constellation. He and Conom took her through to the main entrance. She could now see that the Big Dipper was just a big fun park with heaps of rides and games to play.

To get to the rides, they had to pass by some of the Great Bear constellation and could see bears roaming in their natural habitat. She would have loved to have gone in for a closer look as they were quite magnificent to watch; however Conom was dragging her away.

‘Come, inquisitive one, I’ll bring you back another day.’

They stopped in front of a set of carts. ‘Here we are,’ Conom said with a little snigger in his tone. ‘The longest ride in the universe: the Big Dipper. It starts here and curves around like a big snake, the speed whips you around and goes so fast it almost takes your breath away, it drops you so rapidly, so be ready,’ Conom explained, putting her between Kayden and himself. ‘Do you need a spew bag?’ he joked.

‘No, it’s okay. I’ll just use your lap.’ She stirred him up.

‘You dare!’ He looked at her, shocked, and Kayden cracked up laughing.

‘Don’t worry, Conom, she’s just having a lend of you. She’s tougher than that.’ He calmed him as they took off.

The ride was nothing like those at the fun parks she knew: it was way cooler. They dropped so fast it felt like their stomachs were in their throats and it corkscrewed around until their heads spun. With all the stars, you couldn’t even focus on a horizon to steady yourself. They just looked out at the atmosphere. When they reached the whip-around they thought they were going to fly off the edge and each felt as though they would continue to travel out into space with no end. It was freaky and scary, exhilarating and fun.

When they pulled up it was Conom and Kayden who looked a bit green. After Cassie laughed heaps, she got back in with her father and went around one more time. He held her all the way around and when they reached the whip, both put their arms up and screamed really loudly and then laughed all the way back. When they stopped, her father gave her a big hug for including him by going around again, just with him.

Kayden raced over, grabbing her for the next ride. ‘Come and have a look at this one,’ he said, keyed up. ‘It’ll blow your mind, Cass.’ He explained it. ‘You have to sit on a rubber tube with handles. It shoots you through a tube and up high into space. You came down and land on a white puffy cloud that softens your fall. But it’s like a trampoline that bounces you up and onto another four clouds before you stop. The whole time you spin and have to hold on or you end up in space and they have to come get you.’

‘Cool, let’s go,’ she said as he took her hand and they ran over to it. Luckily they could fit four on the tube so this time they could all go on the ride together.

The first time Cassie’s hand slipped off, her father grabbed her and held her until she steadied herself again. The second time, Kayden and Cassie were laughing so much they both let go, accidentally on purpose, so they had to be rescued. It was so much more fun floating, waiting for pick up. They copped a scolding from Aldebaran for deliberately doing it to see what would happen.

He is so cute the way he worries
.

The park was closing so they only had time for one more ride. Kayden wanted to go on a star ride that spun you while dipping five ways before spinning high into the atmosphere and down fast like a top.

‘You’re used to chasing stars and catching them. This is right up your alley but for me, not so much.’ She was unsure. ‘However, I might not get up here for a holiday again for a while so will give it a go.’

Boy, was she sorry she’d agreed to go. By the time the ride finished she was dizzy and they had to hold her while she steadied herself. Conom transported her directly to the top deck, helping her onto the lounge by the pool.

‘She looks pale, Kayden. Is she going to be alright?’

‘I’ll live.’ She frowned at their fussing.

‘She just needs a rest. Don’t forget we had a late night as well. I’ll take her for a sleep. She’ll be fine.’

Kayden walked her back to the room, lying with her on the bed. She felt better in a horizontal position and brightening up, they talked about how much fun it had been. Conom knocked and asked if they were decent and came in with water and a tablet. He saw Cassie was starting to look better from just lying down and suggested they have a quiet one, maybe have a cinema night so Cassie could continue lying down on a recliner.

‘It’ll make your father think we’re being responsible,’ Kayden kidded.

Aldebaran stood at the doorway. ‘I heard that, son. And it wouldn’t hurt either of you to behave for one night.’

Conom and Aldebaran left to organise cinema food, arguing about just what Cassie would prefer and both acting like doting parents.

‘They’ve taken a real shine to you, honey,’ Kayden noted. ‘I’m pretty sure neither of them has ever cared about anyone this much, ever. Maybe you’re just what they needed to stop them worrying about what they want for a change, forcing them to think about someone else. Anything else.’

Conom knocked on the door and came in. ‘You guys right to move yet?’ he asked.

Kayden helped her to stand up. She wobbled a little as if she’d been drinking and giggled. ‘Come here, my delicate little flower,’ he said, lifting her into his arms.

‘I can walk,’ she tried to protest.

‘You’re as light as a feather, honey. You’re no bother, really.’

‘The joys of being married to a superhero,’ Cassie shrugged, glancing at Conom. ‘These powerful muscular brutes ended up with all the strength. It’s not fair. The only gift I got is to knock things out the way and blow things up.’ She poked fun at herself.

Conom looked fascinated. ‘Powers?’ he inquired.

Kayden reminded him of the first time they had met and of her threat if he was to hurt her friend.

He seemed surprised. ‘I thought she was joking, you know. Acting the tough little minx.’

‘No, that was definitely not a bluff. She could have put you through the wall,’ Kayden chuckled. ‘There might not be much of her but she sure packs a punch.’

‘The only time I’ve seen her is when she’s on the horse watching you guys. Ald told me she was gifted but never elaborated on what. He handles most of the battle plans. I just sign off on it. I’m on earth most days and miss a lot of the action up here. You see, once it gets out about her capabilities, it is her that will become the target. Really, K, it’s not safe for her out there at all.’

Kayden stopped at the doors to the cinema. ‘I try to keep her away from the danger as best I can but don’t worry so much, Conom. She can take care of herself. Trust me.’ He grinned and kissed her on the forehead. ‘Hey, cloud girl.’ He turned back to Conom. ‘And not only that, she is surrounded by my men and they would never let any harm come to her either. Between the five of us we guard her with our lives. My men have a real bond with her. Not sure how it happened but I think it’s her powers mixed with mine when I connected her to us as a group.’

‘What do you mean, connected her? How?’

Kayden smiled. ‘Top secret. But let’s just say we all feel her even if she’s not with us. We can tell she’s happy and okay wherever she is.’

In the cinema Kayden sat her on the twin recliner and she watched as Conom and her father seemed to be having a heated argument. They both had strong personalities and Cassie shrugged, turning back to Kayden. ‘Wonder what that’s all about.’