Cloud Riders(68)

Conom stood watching him with a smirk. ‘She’s a bit young for you, don’t you think?’

He threw the glass angrily at the wall. ‘She’s my bloody daughter. Get your mind out of the gutter.’

Conom walked over to the bar and poured them both another drink, handing one to Aldebaran before slouching into the chair near him. ‘You did the right thing letting her go, mate. She would never have forgiven you if you’d tricked her with one of your potions.’

Aldebaran took a drink and frowned. ‘I did trick her but it backfired. The stupid horse took her home instead of back to me. She’s going to be so pissed off when it wears off and they all realise what I tried to do. I think I’ve just blown my one and only chance with her. Damn it, Conom, if you hadn’t threatened me then maybe—’

‘You still would have done exactly what you did. You’re her father and were desperate. If she really is your daughter she will forgive you, old man.’

Conom passed him a cigar, striking a match so he could light it. Aldebaran knew he was right. He would have tried anything.

‘She’s a real beauty, Conom. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the skinny little rake she was with pigtails and such a tiny frame would grow into such a lovely looking woman. She even has my warped sense of humour and she’s not scared of me at all.’

Conom knew when not to talk and he just shut up and listened. Aldebaran never thought he would like someone’s company as much as he did Conom’s. He read Aldebaran like a book and was easy to be around, even when he would prefer to be by himself.

He drew hard on the cigar and sighed. ‘She’s in love with the leader. Tells me they all make her happy. Said something strange though, reckons she was lost and had the spirit knocked out of her when they found her dirty and battered. I swear if that mother of hers has been cruel to my child she will regret the day she ever took to my bed.’

‘You sound like you still have a hard on for her, old man.’ Conom threw the inappropriate suggestion at him with jest and it made him smile, bringing back many memories.

‘Yes, she was all that and even more. I’ve bedded up to four women at a time and still they don’t satisfy me as that witch did. She was not much of a looker but you don’t look at the chimney while you’re stoking the fire. No, my need was not to admire. My uses for her were pure evil and she was wild and one of my most cherished toys,’ he said and made them both roar with laughter, bringing Aldebaran out of his mood.





Kayden’s Near Loss


‘Let’s make a move, Kayden.’ Woody stood up, steadying himself with the table. Shit! Talk about overdoing it. ‘It’s late and the horses need tending to.’ He slurred a little.

‘Is the traitor still out there? I’m not in the mood for any more lies,’ Kayden said, not looking forward to dealing with the woman who had secretly withheld who she was. Worse though was the way she sneakily wormed her way into his world and now blatantly threw his love back at him by lying.

‘Old man Cross told me she’s long gone.’ Woody staggered, pulling him up. ‘Come on. She’s with her dad now and good riddance to the lying bitch.’

‘You’re right. We can’t stay here forever soaking in our stupidity. I can’t believe I was so sucked in. All I know is she better keep right away from me from now on. If I get my hands around her bloody throat I’ll squeeze the life out of her.’

Jason came around the other side of Kayden, helping Woody steady him as he walked. ‘Maybe we should go and put out the wizards star that she’s on and then she’s on her own with no one. I tell you now if I had my time over, I would have not only hit her with the damned car but reversed back over her again. Sorry, boss but she’s a no-good, lying, bitch. I should have stuck to my first impression of her. She’s a whore all right—did us all over. All that bullshit about being innocent. She faked it all.’

‘Shut up, Jason, I’ve had enough already. If I hear her name mentioned again, even whispered around me, I’ll go crazy, I’m so livid.’ Kayden kicked a chair that was in his way, then tried to calm down enough to say goodbye to the Cross family. He did manage a slurred thankyou for their hospitality and an incoherent apology. He hoped they hadn’t spoilt the night by brooding about the traitor Cassie. They had tried hard not to talk about it unless they were not being listened to, but he was sure the younger son knew what they were saying as he kept throwing Kayden angry looks. He tried to tell Kayden he was under some sort of influence. Yeah right, he thought angrily.