Alien Morsels: Short Tales from Zerconian Warrior Series (7 page)

Willa paced back and forth across the waiting room. Soft, comfortable chairs were pushed back against three of the walls. A large vid screen was mounted on the remaining wall.

“You’re making me dizzy,” Rye complained from where he stood, leaning against the wall next to the vid screen.

She ignored him and strode across the room again.

Zuma let out a soft snore. She resisted the urge to give him a shove as she walked past.

Just barely.

“How can he sleep?” she complained. “Isn’t he worried about Duke?”

“Thor is an excellent healer,” Darac told her. “Your brother will be fine.”

“If something happens, it will be my fault. I practically forced him to do this.”

“Duke’s a big boy,” Rye told her. “Makes up his own mind.”

“What if something goes wrong, though?”

“Nothing will go wrong.” Darac’s voice was low. “You need to sit down.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sit down, Willa,” Zuma told her, opening his eyes. “Before the big guy gets all growly.”

With a sigh, she sat. She wished Norman was here, but Thor had refused to have that ‘hairy, smelly beast’ in his waiting room.

Darac moved next to her. He placed his large hand on her thigh, stilling her leg. She hadn’t even realized she was bouncing it until he touched her. She knew it was ridiculous to be this nervous. Thor had explained that there was very little risk in this operation.

“I just want this to work.”

“We all want it to work, sweetheart,” Zuma told her as he stood and stretched. “But it’s not up to us.”

They’d all sat down with Thor, had him go through everything. The risks, the advantages. He’d made a compelling case. She still hadn’t thought Duke would go for it, but after a few days of thought, he’d agreed. Thor made the arrangements for the next day.

Today.

“Where’s Kyle?” Zuma asked.

“I told him about the operation. I even reminded him this morning. You know what he’s like when he has a project.” Kyle was working on something for the Crown Prince. He’d been given limitless funds and a huge lab with the latest equipment. To say he was in heaven was an understatement.

A door opened, and she glanced up as Thor walked through. After taking in his serious expression, her stomach dropped.

Oh God. Oh God.

Then a smile broke out on his face. “The operation was a success. He should wake up shortly. Of course, he will need to—oomph!”

Willa, who had thrown herself at him, ignored Darac’s protests as she hugged Thor.

“Let her go!” Darac snarled.

“I am not actually holding her,” Thor pointed out reasonably. Although he did pat her back a few times.

“Hush, Darac. I’m thanking him.”

“You can thank him from a reasonable distance.” Darac tugged her away, pulling her against him as he glared at Thor.

She rolled her eyes. Darac had a thing about her touching other males, even her own brothers. But she didn’t complain. Too much. Because she kind of felt the same way about him.

“Like I was saying before, Duke’s operation went well. Of course, we will not know the full extent of the operation’s success until he awakens.”

“Can we go in now?” she asked.

“You may sit with him for a moment. But only a short time. You need your rest as well.” Thor gave her a stern look, and she just smiled. These overprotective Zerconian males were something else.

***

Forty minutes later, she clasped hold of Darac’s hand as they walked towards their house.

Suddenly, Darac paused, tugging on her hand.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Darac?”

He pulled her around, staring down at her. “Do you like living here?”

“What?” she asked, frowning. Where had that come from?

Glancing around, he pulled her over to a rocky area at the side of the path. “Let’s sit up here.”

He climbed up the rocks then leaned down to help her up. As if she needed any help climbing a few rocks. But she let him help her because it made him feel good. Darac needed to be needed.

He sat on a flat, large rock and pulled her in next to him. The height gave them an amazing view of the beautiful ocean below.

“So, you do not think it was a mistake to come here?”

“Do I miss having no running water? Living in searing heat? Having all my food cooked over an open fire so it was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle? Sure, it was tough to leave all that luxury,” she teased him.

“I do not mean that.”

“I know. I’m joking around. It wasn’t a mistake to come here. Our people are safer. They’re protected. They have access to amazing medical care. My brother now has a bionic leg that is going to change his life. No, it wasn’t a mistake.”

Darac cupped the side of her face, turning her to look at him. “But are you happy?”

“As long as I have you I will always be happy.”

“I feel the same. But I know life here is different. Our women are very protected. Sheltered.”

“Boring.” She snorted. “Except for Zoey and Mila, of course.”

“I am glad you have made friends with them.”

“I do miss going on jobs with the crew, though,” she admitted. She had waiting for the perfect moment to bring this up.

“I know. I have sensed your restlessness through our bond.”

“Then why didn’t you say something?”

“I waited for you to talk to me. I do not wish you to be unhappy, Willa.”

“I’m not. Really, I’m not. Things are just different here. I like to be busy. I guess I miss the excitement. I miss being useful.”

“Then perhaps you should go with your brothers and crew next time there is a job.”

Surprise filled her. This was completely unexpected. She’d thought he would try to convince her not to go. Maybe even find something to keep her occupied.

“Seriously?” Part of her was relieved that he had agreed. The last thing she wanted was to fight with him. But being separated from him would be horrible. Had she become totally dependent on him?

Unthinkable.

“But there will be rules.”

Of course, there were rules. There were always rules.

“If there is some reason I need to stay here, then we will not be able to go. If it is a particularly dangerous mission, then you will agree to follow my lead, if—”

“Wait, so you’ll come with me?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “How else would I keep you out of trouble?”

She hugged him tight with a laugh. “Jerk. I can keep myself out of trouble. But I would rather have you with me. Always.”

He pulled her onto his lap and kissed the top of her head. “Good. It is decided. We best go home. Before Norman destroys the house.”

Willa nodded. “He does have a fondness for chewing everything.”

“Not everything. He does not chew your clothes. Just mine.”

She bit her lip, holding back a smile as he helped her down off the rock.

“Yesterday, I put my foot into my boot and encountered one of his chew bones.”

“Now that could have been a present,” she pointed out.

“It was stripped bare and slimy. That dog does not like me.”

She’d warned everyone not to correct Darac about Norman being a dog. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. And truthfully, she loved Norman. Darac would find out eventually, but for the moment she was managing to keep the secret.

As they entered their house, Norman bounded towards them. Willa braced herself as he jumped on her, his huge paws on her shoulders. He licked her enthusiastically, his yellow tongue slimy and wide.

“Get down,” Darac ordered.

As usual, Norman ignored him. Poor Darac, he could make grown warriors quake with that voice, but Norman didn’t even bat an eyelid. Darac moved into the house, muttering under his breath.

“Norman, you desperately need a doggy breath mint. Yuck! What have you been eating?”

“Norman!” Darac yelled out from the bedroom.

“Uh-oh, you’re in trouble,” she told Norman, pushing him down and rushing into the bedroom. She froze as she saw the mess. The bedding had been pulled off the masic and chewed to bits. There were pieces strewn everywhere.

But the worst of it was on the masic. Obviously, Norman hadn’t just been bent on destroying the bedding. He’d also ingested some. Then thrown it back up on the side of the masic where Darac slept.

“Norman,” she scolded. “Bad boy.” She turned to Darac, who was scowling down at Norman ferociously. “I’ll clean it up.”

Norman walked up to him with a whine, his massive tail dragging on the floor.

“Aww, look, he feels bad,” she said.

A funny noise came from Norman. Oh crap. She leaped for him right as he opened his mouth and vomited. All over Darac’s feet.

Shit.

Silence filled the room. She stared up at Darac, waiting for him to react. Norman, sat back, wagging his tail.

Darac opened his mouth just as his communicator buzzed. He glared at Norman, who, seemingly oblivious to the wrath about to rain down on his head, chewed at his paw. His communicator buzzed again and he stared down at it with a frown.

“I have to take this.” He grimaced as he glanced at his bare feet. Then shaking his head moved into the bathroom. The door slid shut behind him.

“Saved by the bell,” she whispered to Norman. “Quick. Hide.”

Norman stuck his tongue out and panted, looking entirely too satisfied with himself.

She shook her head. “What were you thinking, Norman? Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. From now on, I want you to be nicer to Darac, understand?”

“Willa,” Darac said as he stepped back into the room.

“Yeah?” She turned from scolding Norman. Her smile faded as she saw the serious look on Darac’s face. “What is it? What happened? Is it Duke?”

Immediately, Darac shook his head, stepping forward. She noticed he had cleaned his feet. “Duke is fine. Mila and Koran’s ship was attacked by Coizils.”

Her stomach tightened. “Are they okay?”
Please let them be alive.

“I do not know. We cannot get in contact with them. We received an emergency message that there ship was under attack and they were evacuating. Two ships are now being prepared to rescue them. Escape shuttles are small. They only have limited communication systems. Once they land, they should send out emergency beacons. When our ships are close to where the last communication was received, they should be able to pick up on the emergency beacons and locate the shuttles.”

He paused.

“Is there something else?”

“The ship sustained substantial damage, and not everyone made it to the escape shuttles. The emergency communication received,” he took a deep breath, “said that the Emperor is dead.”

She stared at him for a long moment. Dead? The implications of his death were staggering.

“The Empress?” she asked.

“I do not know.”

Even if she hadn’t died from the battle, then she might follow the Emperor into death. Dex’s father was dead. That meant he was now the new Emperor of Zerconia. “I need to see Zoey.” How would she cope with all of this?

Darac nodded. “Dex has asked that you attend her. I have been called to the war room.”

“The war room?”

That tension in her stomach tightened.

“We have been at war with the Coizils for years. We have fought them, but usually only when they instigated a fight. This is different. They murdered our Emperor. Now we go on the offensive.”

Holy shit. Maybe wishing life was little less boring was going to come back to bite her.

***

Willa entered Zoey’s quarters, glancing around for the other woman. She saw her standing in front of the windows.

“Zoey?” Willa stepped forward. “Are you okay?” She winced after asking that question. Of course she wasn’t all right, why did she even ask that?

Zoey turned, eyes wide in her too-pale face. “No. No, I’m not.”

“I’m so sorry, that was a stupid thing to ask.”

Zoey turned back to look out the windows and Willa stepped up beside her. “I’m sorry about the Emperor.”

With a sniffle, Zoey nodded. “Me too. Dex is devastated. No one else would be able to tell, but I can. He may not have always agreed with his father, but he loved him.”

“Of course he did.” She really didn’t know what to say. Damn it, why wasn’t Mila here? She would be so much better than this. Willa prayed her friend would be okay.

“We don’t even know if Liula survived. She could well have died when he did.”

Willa slipped her hand into Zoey’s, noticing how cold it was despite the heat of the day. “Why don’t you come sit down, I’ll get you something to drink.”

“Can’t drink alcohol when I’m feeding the baby,” Zoey told her but let her lead her away to the sofa.