Bad Panther (Alien Guardians of Earth Book 1)

by Donna McDonald

  Sugar pushed free of his lap to stand. Once on her feet, she reached behind her to release the fastenings of the dress. It fluttered to the floor and left her standing in a matching set of blue underwear. Her bad panther growled and started tugging off his clothes.

  She laughed and stopped his efforts with her hands to undress him herself. “Are you planning to leave me again?”

  “No. Once was hard enough,” Axel said.

  “Then, honey, I hate to be the one to break the bad news to a commitment-phobe like yourself, but what we have between us… this is love. Even the artifact knows it. You’re in a state of denial if you don’t get that.”

  “I deny nothing. How can I? My body would betray me. I need you.” When his clothes fell away, he pulled her into his arms to get his skin next to hers. “Let me hold you for a moment. I need to absorb the reality that we’re together again. My cat’s been mad at me for months.”

  Sugar giggled as she hugged him tightly. “Poor lonely kitty. You need to be petted, don’t you?”

  “Yes. Until I am no longer lonely,” Axel said.

  Axel fused his determined mouth to her giggling one as he rolled the female he probably did love under him. The rightness of the action with Sugar was undeniable. When they came up for air, he laughed at how much happiness being back in her arms brought him.

  “I am compelled to make you mine. I’ve never said this to anyone else in my life, but I want permanent responsibility for you. I crave it,” he whispered.

  Sugar snorted at his unromantic statement. “Not exactly the best proposal I’ve ever gotten, but what the hell.”

  Axel froze. “Was that a yes to being my mate? Your speech often confuses me.”

  Laughing at his frown, Sugar pushed Axel to his back and climbed on top of his fantastic body. How had she thought she could give him up?

  “Honey, I’m about to show you Sugar’s favorite way of coming out on top of every discussion.”

  Axel groaned and let his hands roam over her. “You feel so good. I love it when you’re on top. Does this mean I can stay forever?”

  “Yes, but you know now how old your father is. My forever is going to be a little longer than most,” Sugar whispered.

  She giggled as she kissed his throat and made him purr. Kissing him made her insanely happy. Axel made her happy.

  Oh, she had no illusions about the future. It wasn’t going to be roses and pink lace dreams. The alien shifter beneath her and the ancient artifact inside her were both going to be never-ending challenges. Hopefully, they would also be great companions for the best journey of her life.

  Sugar couldn’t wait to get started.

  –THE END–

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  KEEP READING in this ebook for an excerpt from Mad Panther, Book 2 of the Alien Guardians of Earth series, and to read a special excerpt from a new book by author Mina Carter!

  Excerpt: Mad Panther

  Alien Guardians of Earth, Book 2

  Book Description

  Sugar left on sentient blade business. She came home to a very mad panther.

  When the sentient blade sends her on a rescue mission, Dr. Sugar Jennings sneaks out of her Bad Panther’s bed without saying goodbye.

  Why? Because a woman’s got to do what she’s got to do. Okay, not really. Sugar’s more of a straight forward kind of person who would have preferred the fight to all the subterfuge.

  Axel’s father, Rodu—a fellow blade host and her mentor—says asking forgiveness later is far better than asking for permission which she’s never going to get. Sugar doesn’t understand why her alien panther shifter slash next-in-line for the Lyran throne mate is all up in her sentient blade business. She thinks Rodu should explain the concept of maintaining personal space to his son.

  Their blade business this time involves saving another sentient blade host. This one is a silver-spooned, cocky kid fresh out of college who makes Sugar look like a seasoned warrior. The younger man is amusing and adorable but also a pain in everyone’s rear, especially her new alien-sister-in-law’s. But like it or not, the kid is the host of the other Protector blade which means he’s Sugar’s freaking counterpart.

  All this blade drama is starting to wear on Sugar’s last nerve. Her alien panther guardian isn’t the only one getting mad.

  1

  In the palace of Queen Nyomi, leader of the Alien Guardians of Earth…

  Sugar thought of herself as a laid back kind of person—the kind who went with the flow instead of fighting it. The result was a less stressful life which let her sleep better.

  Normally.

  Tonight, action dreams where she was fighting unnamed enemies had kept her tossing and turning for hours.

  On top of that, she’d had weirdly vivid dreams of rock walls and stone terraces. During the dream, part of her had felt like she was walking some ancient site. This was a fairly common dream for her, because she was an archaeologist, but she hadn’t stayed in the dream long enough to figure it out where she was.

  After being jolted awake from that somewhat pleasant dream of exploring an ancient site had come other dreams—dreams of freaking numbers—dreams of 13.1631 degrees south and 72.5450 degrees west. How weird was that?

  Wait though…

  Sugar rolled over and groaned quietly. Those numbers were more than regular numbers. Those numbers were grid coordinates. But to where?

  Since she wasn’t able to sleep, Sugar decided that she might as well go to the library and find out.

  She lifted the giant male arm thrown across her body and laid it gently on the bed as she slid from under it. Luckily, there was no worry about waking her softly snoring lover. Axel always slept deeply after the kind of sex they’d indulged in last evening.

  She knew from their months of being together that Axel wouldn’t wake up until late in the day tomorrow, probably not until mid-afternoon even. Her half-alien guardian remained in human form for her most of the time, but his feline side loved, loved, loved to nap.

  Sugar grabbed her robe from a nearby chair and padded softly across their bedroom to her growing closet of clothing. The ancient artifact buried in her chest had cost her all her previous possessions. Not long ago, she’d been forced to wear the discarded clothing from Axel’s previous conquests. Luckily, sleeping with a Lyran prince came with perks. Among them was that she now had enough gorgeous clothes that she could change daily for several weeks without wearing the same outfit twice.

  Her hands reached for items on auto-pilot. Sugar smirked at the functional denim over her arm and the layers of shirts now in her hands. Her arms were filled up long before her mind grasped the significance of her choices. Apparently, she was getting some help dressing from the sentient blade she was still coming to terms with.

  There was no use getting pissed at about the clothing intervention. The sentient blade she hosted had taught her a whole new level of patience. She’d learned to go with the flow because it was less trouble in the long run.

  “Hey, Artifact. Got something to tell me?” she whispered softly as she consciously gathered warm socks and sturdy boots as well. They matched the rest of her ensemble.

  Affirmative. Entity Sugar will feel surprised.

  “Like that’s something new?” Sugar quietly grumbled.

  State problem with surprise. I will amend communication.

  “Sorry. Forget I said anything snarky. You’re communicating just fine. Save your surprise for me until I’m dressed and out of earshot of my alien cat, okay?”

  Request acknowledged. Haste necessary. Protector Sugar urgently needed.

  Sugar nodded. Being a blade-enhanced Protector was her job, whether she was happy about the fact or not.

  Dreading the artifact once again taking control of her body and morphing her into something superhuman, Sugar ran an agitated hand over her shorter hair. Axel hated that she kept cutting it off these days, but long hair and fight training hadn’t worked out for her. No one had forcibly d
ragged her down by her ponytail in a long damn time. Prince Picky was just going to have to deal with her butch look. It sure hadn’t seemed to slow down his libido any.

  Sugar bundled her clothing and her boots inside a light-weight brown leather jacket before letting herself out in the hallway. A night guard passed by and bowed politely. She inclined her head as she shoved her clothing bundle under her arm in an attempt to shield what she carried. She assumed the benevolent smile she’d been forced to develop for the sake of all those living in Nyomi’s alien queendom.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” Sugar explained quickly. “I thought I’d go to the library—didn’t want to wake the sleeping prince.”

  The guard bowed his head. “Long live, Prince Axel of Rodu, firstborn son of Queen Nyomi and future leader…”

  Sugar ran swiftly to the guard and put a hand over his mouth until his head raised in shock. She was careful not to touch his feline whiskers or she’d have him screaming in pain.

  “You know what? I’d like to live long as well. He’s a very cranky feline when he doesn’t get his rest. Let’s not wake Prince Axel up, okay?”

  At his nod, Sugar moved her fingers away. “Good. Now, like I said, I’m headed to the library.”

  “Long live, Dr. Sugar Jennings, Ancient Earth Historian and…”

  “Shhh…” Sugar hissed, putting a finger over her lips. “Let’s not worry about protocol tonight. Continue your…” she flicked her hand as she waved at the hallway, “your prowling—I mean, guard duty.”

  Sugar snickered softly when the guard ignored her sarcasm and bowed his head once again. She took advantage of him finally looking away and ran soundlessly down the metal hall. One of the first abilities the artifact had given her was greater speed. Hopefully, she’d moved too swiftly just now for him to have seen her robe billowing open. Public nudity wasn’t condoned here anymore than it was on Earth.

  She hastily waved her hand over the security panel of the library and entered when she heard the click of the lock releasing.

  “Finally. I thought you’d never get here.”

  A deep masculine voice came from her favorite chair and startled her.

  “What the… Damn it, Rodu—I almost screamed when you spoke to me,” Sugar chastised, bringing a hand to her racing heart. She glared at the near replica of the male she’d just snuck away from… and a fellow sentient blade host. “You’re dressed for travel. Where are you going this time of night?”

  Rodu snorted and pointed to the clothing clutched to her chest. “Same place you are. My blade informed me that you’ve been given our travel coordinates. Despite not yet knowing the destination, I took the liberty of acquiring our transport.”

  “Transport?” Sugar felt her getting excited. “Is it a flying saucer like Axel’s? I don’t remember riding in his flying machine. Both times I was in it I was knocked out. Gina told me they’re really cool though. I’ve been waiting to do this forever.”

  “You can trust it’s a suitable transport for our task which is the critical information you need to know at the moment,” Rodu said with a eye roll. “Why are you wearing a sleep robe? Why didn’t you dress in your room?”

  Sugar grunted. “If I had accidentally woke up your son, it would have taken hours to get away from him. Plus, I only thought I was coming to the library to check the numbers flashing in my head. The artifact didn’t say anything about me having to go somewhere.”

  In answer, Rodu grunted his disbelief. His reaction made Sugar smile.

  Axel might be half-alien but there were times he acted just like his human father. They both had a chest-thumping arrogant male thing they did as they bent the world and everything in it to their will. Such a male attitude in Rodu drove Queen Nyomi crazy, but Sugar found it easy to ignore Rodu’s masculine anger.

  When it came to Rodu’s son though, she reacted quite differently. Axel was so very sure of himself that she couldn’t help being amused by his chest-thumping. Good thing she found him humorous because it would be highly problematic, not to mention tiring, to have to kick Axel’s half-alien ass every damn day.

  Her mind had obviously wandered too far off track because Rodu was now glaring at her. Sugar giggled as she ducked behind a stack of books to get dressed.

  “So do you have them or not?” Rodu demanded.

  “Have what?” Sugar asked. One of the servants would find her robe in the morning, but it wouldn’t be the first time she’d left her clothing in the library. Axel had a habit of tracking her down there and seducing her away from her work.

  A series of numbers suddenly appeared again in her mind. “Oh… you mean the coordinates?” The artifact’s abilities were a kind of magic she never took for granted. She didn’t wait for Rodu to make a sarcastic reply. “13 point 1631 degrees south and 72 point 5450 degrees west. I haven’t had time to look up where that is on a map. The artifact said I was going to be surprised.”

  Sugar heard one of the workstations chiming softly as Rodu punched in the numbers. “Huh,” she heard him say.

  “Where are they? They’re longitude and latitude, right?”

  “The location is Machu Picchu—specifically those coordinates are inside the Temple Of The Moon. There appears to be a door carved into a rock wall at that exact spot.”

  Sugar carried her socks and boots out to find a seat where she could put them on. “What are we supposed to do? Go there right now?”

  “You tell me, Protector. My sentient blade hasn’t withheld information from me in nearly two thousand years. This is a first.”

  “Guess our blades must want us to work together really bad.”

  “That would be the logical conclusion,” Rodu said dryly.

  Sugar grinned as she fastened both her boots and stood. “You know something, Rodu? You’re every bit as cranky as your son when something wakes you up from sleeping.”

  “You can’t be awakened if you haven’t been to sleep. I couldn’t rest because of the urgency I have for us to be underway. We should leave as soon as you’re finished dressing,” Rodu said, as he turned to erase his original search from the workstation.

  “Leave? Without telling anyone?” Sugar asked.

  “Do you want to explain going to Machu Picchu in the middle of the night to two cranky cats and a whole army of those in their service who’ll all insist on going along? I’ve found it much easier to explain my absence after I return, and far easier to discover what is happening without the distraction of Nyomi and her elite. The royals will both get mad over our departure, Sugar, but they’ll get over it. It’s beyond time Axel learns to trust the power inside you.”

  “Well, when you put it like that…” Sugar said with a sigh. “Okay. I guess I’m ready to go. The numbers keep flashing in my brain like a Las Vegas sign. I’m not able to ignore them. I wasn’t sleeping either.”

  “Precisely. That’s how it works,” Rodu explained, but stopped them at the door. He turned to look down at the one human who was connected to him in a way no other being had been in is long life. “Does Axel’s reaction to your departure truly worry you?”

  Sugar chuckled a little. “Not like you’re probably thinking—but some I guess. He’s used to protecting me so he’s going to be one mad panther when he finds out. Axel doesn’t even like me doing the fight training. Going off on a mission with you and without him? Yeah, I imagine that’s definitely going to piss him off.”

  Rodu nodded. “I understand your dilemma. Despite his advanced age in human years, Axel is more child than you are at times. Fine—you can formulate a transmission to send him once we’re underway.”

  “I can what?” Sugar asked as she laughed. “Speak English, Rodu. Earth English—the kind I can understand.”

  “I was speaking of a note, Sugar. You can send Axel a communication from the airship explaining that your blade called you to duty tonight. Tell him he’ll have to get used to it happening now and again. He’ll seek out Nyomi who will explain it to him.”

  “Oh,” Suga
r said as she picked up speed. Rodu moved faster than his son did when in panther form. “Okay. That should work. I guess.”

  Rodu grunted. “It may ease your guilt at leaving, but don’t count on it working to maintain peace in your relationship. My eldest and his mother are… they are…”

  “Emotionally complicated people?” Sugar suggested.

  “I suppose that is nicer than calling them clingy,” Rodu said with a shrug.

  “Clingy?” Sugar snorted at the term, snickered at Rodu’s frustrated expression, then let herself actually laugh even if Rodu thought she was rude. “Yeah, you’re right. Axel is a bit clingy. Guess I don’t mind it most of the time.”

  Rodu didn’t answer. Nor did he laugh with her. He just picked up more speed as they headed for the “transport” he’d arranged.

  They entered what appeared to be an enormous area where not only one but at least ten flying vehicles were stored. They varied in size and shape, but all them seemed like something from a science fiction movie. Some floated and were tethered to the floor by chains. Others had wheels like airplanes used.

  Sugar’s gaping mouth closed as Rodu went directly to one and walked up its open ramp without stopping. Her boots ringing on the metal echoed in the giant room as she followed him.

  The idea of actually flying somewhere in the machine gave her goose bumps.

  Her excitement doubled again when she buckled herself into the passenger seat and listened to Rodu start up the engines. Why had none of the guards tried to stop them from leaving? All the guards they saw along the way just bowed their heads to her and Rodu and went back to their tasks.

  Their craft rolled out into the open space in the center of the space. It got airborne before Sugar could gasp in surprise and shot out of an opening into the middle of what looked like a thousand stars. Wherever they were, something she still didn’t know, it must be night.