The Nanny and the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips
Chapter Six
Joanna snatched Sultavi out of Craxan’s arms. Tears threatened, both from anger and relief. She had woken up alone, feeling surprisingly rested, only to discover that Sultavi was no longer in the cabin. Horrific scenarios tumbled through her mind as she hastily pulled on her still damp clothing. A distant part of her mind told her that it would be foolish to leave the cabin, but her urgency to find the little girl drove her to the door, only to find out that it was locked.
When Craxan had said that it was keyed to his retinal scan, she had assumed he meant to keep others out. She hadn’t realized he meant to keep her trapped as well. How could she have been so foolish as to put her trust in him? Just because he was big and strong and had treated both of them with kindness didn’t mean that she could let down her guard.
She wanted to bang on the door, to scream for help, but if it was truly keyed to him, all it would do was attract unwanted attention. Instead, she closed the bunk and paced the small length of the cabin angrily, plotting increasingly more improbable plans for revenge.
Now Sultavi squirmed in her arms, and she realized she was holding her too tightly.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” She relaxed her grip even as she glared at Craxan. “How could you do that? I woke up and didn’t know where she was—or where you were. Why didn’t you tell me you were taking her?”
“You were sleeping. We did not want to disturb you.” His tail tried to pat her wrist and she angrily brushed it away.
“You could at least have left me a note.”
“You can read Galactic standard?”
His surprise only added to her anger.
“Of course I can. I’m an educated woman.” Opinnas had taught her over the past year.
He bowed his head. “I apologize. I should not have taken the child away from you without your knowledge.”
His obvious sincerity blunted her anger, but she couldn’t entirely let it go.
“And what makes you think it’s safe for her to leave the cabin?”
Sultavi had been watching them both anxiously, her eyes flicking between their faces.
“It was fun,” she said now. “Yengik said he would make me a robobeast and the captain gave me some sweets. But I can’t have them until later,” she added with a resigned sigh.
Joanna closed her eyes in despair. Apparently Sultavi’s identity was no longer secret.
Craxan’s tail curved comfortingly around her wrist again, and this time she let it stay.
“I have claimed her as my daughter,” he reminded her. “And I do not believe there is anyone on board who would wish her harm.”
“Are you sure?”
“It is my job—my honor—to protect you both.” Those black eyes fastened intently on her face. “I will never let you come to harm.”
She sighed and released the rest of her anger as she put Sultavi down. “All right. But I think we need to work on our communication skills.”
“Of course. I am willing to learn anything you wish to teach me.”
The words were innocent enough, but the warmth in his eyes was not. Several entirely inappropriate lessons sprang to mind and her nipples tingled, thrusting at the damp silk of her top. His eyes focused there with an almost tangible heat. The air between them seemed to thicken, until Sultavi spoke and broke the spell.
“Are we going to eat now?”
Craxan immediately looked appalled. “Did I not provide sufficient food earlier?”
“That was breakfast.” She gave him a sunny smile. “Now it’s time for lunch.”
The mention of food made Joanna realize just how hungry she was, and her stomach growled. Craxan looked even more horrified.
He’s disgusted because my body needs food?
“I am deeply sorry for my neglect,” he said, and she relaxed, patting his tail. He gave a muffled groan, and she realized he must be really upset.
“Don’t worry, Craxan. It’s been a hectic time.”
“That is no excuse.” He urged her to a seat on the bench with Sultavi beside her, then opened one of the wall panels to reveal a table which folded out in front of them. He proceeded to cover the surface with a wide selection of food packets. “I was not sure what you would enjoy.”
“That is quite a selection.” And none of them are familiar.
“Unfortunately, some of them would be better if they were heated,” he added apologetically.
“You mean a kitchen isn’t going to pop out of the magic wall?” she teased.
He grinned, a surprisingly charming grin despite the flash of fangs, and she realized it was the first time she had seen him smile so freely.
“The captain said we could use his galley, Mama. Isn’t that like a kitchen?” Sultavi asked, and Joanna froze.
“You called me Mama,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. As much as she thought of Tavi as her child, she hadn’t wanted to infringe on the memory of the female who had given birth to her. Not to mention that Lord K’herr would never have permitted his daughter to express that sentiment towards a slave.
“Is that all right?” Those big purple eyes looked up at her anxiously. “I forgot that Papa said I should ask you first.”
“Of course it’s all right. I would love for you to call me that.” She hugged the little girl, fighting back the tears. Then the rest of her words penetrated. “Papa?”
Craxan shrugged uncomfortably, his smile fading. “Just for the duration of our journey. I told the captain that I was bringing my mate and child on board. I thought it was for the best since if someone was looking for Sultavi, they would not suspect a girl traveling with her parents. In addition, the Cire were known for their protectiveness towards their families.”
Family. It was something she hadn’t had in a long time, although she had done her best to create one with her students and her colleagues. Once again the tears threatened, but she forced a smile.
“I think it’s an excellent idea. Now, why don’t you sit down and join us? You can explain these foods,” she added doubtfully, picking up a package with what looked like worms on the label. Maybe they were like gummy worms.
“Those are Herbertan mealworms,” he said as he sat down, crushing her hopes. “They are very nutritious.”
Even though he was on the other side of Tavi, the bench was so small that she could feel the warmth of his big body and catch his delicious, tantalizing scent. His presence was almost enough to distract her from the package of worms. Almost.
“Umm, maybe later. What else do you have?”
She ended up with some dry noodles and a sticky paste that tasted rather like dates. At least they’re a change from crackers and meat jerky, she thought with a sigh, but she missed real food. In spite of everything, Lord K’herr had fed her well.
“I’m thirsty,” Tavi announced, then made a face when Craxan handed her a container of water. “I want juice.”
“We don’t have juice,” Joanna said gently.
“The captain does. In the galley. Right, Papa?”
“Yes.” He started to stand. “Perhaps I could—”
“Sit down and finish your meal,” she insisted. “Water is just fine. Isn’t it, Tavi?”
The little girl nodded reluctantly, returning to her own packet of noodles with a pout, but her usual good nature had returned by the time they were finished. Joanna turned the empty packages inside out while Craxan found a marker, and Tavi settled down to draw.
A warm weight brushed against Joanna’s leg and she looked down to see Craxan’s tail had curved behind the little girl and reached her side. Why did it feel so comforting? she wondered as she ran her fingers over the intriguingly textured surface.
Craxan made that odd sound again, and she looked up to find him watching her, his eyes heated. She started to pull her hand away, but his tail curled around her fingers, then settled on her thigh.
All righty then.
Trying to ignore the oddly comforting touch, she smiled at him. “Can you tell me more about the ship?”
“What would you like to know?”
“Are there any other passengers on board?”
“I do not think so. The ship is designed to carry cargo rather than people. But it is not uncommon for this type of ship to have few small cabins that the captain can rent out in order to pick up some extra credits.”
“You said a cargo ship. What is he transporting?”
“I did not ask.” He gave her an apologetic look. “I suspect it is not entirely legal.”
“Is that why you chose it? Because I’m not exactly legal either, am I?”
“I chose it because there would be no official record of our journey. I had not considered your status.” He looked away from her, then added slowly, “Your world—does it have space flight?”
“Kind of. We’ve been to our moon, and some ships have reached other planets in our system. Why?”
“It is illegal to visit pre-spaceflight worlds.”
“You said it was illegal to own slaves too,” she said dryly. “But that didn’t stop it from happening.”
“The Patrol is trying to bring a halt to both activities. If… if we encounter them, they will offer to return you to your world.”
Her heart skipped a beat as memories flashed through her mind. A room full of eager students. Her comfortable apartment. Her books. But then Tavi looked up at her, her little face anxious.
“You wouldn’t leave me, Mama, would you?”
Her throat ached as she shook her head. “No, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere. I would miss you too much.”
“Good.” Tavi nodded and returned to her drawing.
“Actually, they would wipe your memory,” Craxan said softly, once Tavi was engrossed in her efforts once more.
Forget the little girl? “That would be even worse.”
“I understand.” He smiled at her, his eyes warm, and she believed him. Something flowed between them, a connection that should be impossible in such a short time. She found herself squeezing his tail, seeking comfort in that connection, and his eyes closed. When he opened them, his smile looked a little strained, but his voice was calm.
“Was there anything else you wanted to know about the ship?”
Oddly disappointed at the neutral question, she considered the matter. “If there aren’t any other passengers, what about the crew? What size crew does it have?”
“I am not positive, but usually a ship of this size will have a crew of five or six—the captain and a navigator, a cargo master, an engineer and a mechanic, possibly a medic. Or a cook.”
“A cook?” She smiled a little ruefully. “I used to enjoy cooking.”
“Did you cook while you were with Lord K’herr?”
She shook her head. “Are you kidding? His head chef did not take kindly to the idea of any interference.”
“He yelled at us when Mama tried to teach me,” Tavi said sadly.
And went to Lord K’herr and complained. She had been told in no uncertain terms to stay out of the kitchens, and keep Sultavi out of them as well. But it gave her an idea.
“I wonder if I could get a job cooking.”
“A job as a cook?” He looked so appalled she bristled.
“Why not? I may not be familiar with all the ingredients, but I can learn.” Her irritation faded, replaced by anxiety. “That is, I can learn if I can find someone to teach me. Or maybe I could start out as an apprentice. But I have to find some way to support the two of us.”
“That is not necessary. I will—” He came to an abrupt halt, then looked away. “Is that what Opinnas told you to do?”
“Well, no. He said he had family who would take care of us. But I don’t want to be dependent on someone else, and a degree in medieval Earth history is not exactly a salable skill.”
“You were a scholar?” A fleeting expression of sorrow crossed his face. “I had thought to be at one time.”
“Really?” Her eyes traveled over that big, muscular body as she remembered the ease with which he had taken care of the guards. He seemed much too… physical for scholarly pursuits. But then again, he would probably have female students fighting over his classes, she thought crossly, then gave herself a mental shake. How ridiculous to feel jealous of imaginary females.
“What happened?”
The sorrowful expression returned, but before he could answer her, Tavi held up the drawing she had been working on so diligently.
“Look,” she demanded. “I drew us.”
An oversized Craxan stood next to a very round Joanna with a tiny Tavi nestled between them, while an impossibly long tail wrapped around them all. Neat but slightly lopsided letters spelled out the words, my family.
