Cloud Riders (Lord of the Planets)

by Debbie Behan

  Big French doors took up one side of the room: these were now open and led out into the entertaining deck where you could view the twenty-metre pool, complete with waterfall and spa. It was all set in a tropical paradise that had green and blue spotlights strategically placed so they shone up on the lush vegetation and palm trees. He had enclosed the pool area to assist with the plant growth but tonight the auto roof was pulled back so they could view the real stars above. It was also the first time he had seen it lit up. He was impressed with the designers. They had excelled themselves and he would reward them well for the results.

  ‘I don’t remember the castle looking so enchanting, Pops. I barely remember what it looked like before but I’m sure I would have remembered this,’ she grinned.

  ‘After your last visit you loved the water at Aqua’s so much I thought I might put in a pool for you when you visited me next. The ballroom was just Aqua’s extra touch to give us all somewhere to dance when I throw my parties. I’m glad you approve.’

  Lamar the butler came out to let Aldebaran know the guests were arriving. Not wanting to leave his friends unattended, he went to greet them, leaving his daughter and son-in-law to soak up and enjoy the new surrounds. He had only just finished introducing Cassandra and Kayden to the couples who had arrived early, when Conom arrived with his entourage. Aldebaran was excited for them to meet his closest friend. Conom looking surprised and a little amused when introduced to Cassandra. He took Aldebaran aside.

  ‘I can’t believe you, Ald! You have her under a spell,’ he hissed.

  Aldebaran shook his head as he stood. ‘What do you mean? Have you lost your mind man?’ he growled, trying to act innocent.

  ‘Ald, it just so happens I played cards with this little minx just a few days ago and she is very intelligent. And believe me she would have remembered me for what I put her through.’ Conom looked annoyed that Aldebaran was hiding something.

  Conom had caught him out so he dragged him away from prying ears. ‘Okay maybe just a little one so I can have a few extra days with her. Can you blame me? I’m her father for Christ’s sake. I just need a bit more time with her. Why is that so hard to understand? Shit, I’ve copped it for days from Aqua. Not you too!’

  Conom shook his head and smiled. ‘Okay, settle down, big guy. Yes, I understand but with this playful little soul you may be biting off more than you can chew. She’s a bit of a handful.’

  Aldebaran couldn’t believe that Conom had already met his daughter. What were the odds she was talking about Conom when she told him about the card game she’d played in Sydney? ‘I’m still getting my head around you being Mono. She told me about your game but I never connected the name. I can only imagine what it would have been like with you two at it. Neither of you would have liked to lose. And yes I agree she can be quite a handful and quite ruthless when it comes to winning.’

  ‘Ald,’ he said quietly. ‘She came across as the hottest hottie I’d ever met and she was lucky I didn’t kidnap her myself. I had a hard time not getting up and kissing that sexy mouth. I am sorry if that offends you but she was something else. I’ve been in lust with her ever since and yet looking at her now, butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. I find it hard to believe the two are the same girl.’

  Aldebaran threw his head back and laughed. ‘You keep your devious little hands off my daughter.’

  Conom put his hands up in a submissive gesture. ‘Hey man, well warned but you can’t stop me having fun with her. She’s a blast. What’s big lug hubby like when he’s not plotting against us?’

  ‘The son-in-law I always dreamed for her. You’ll like him, Conom, give him a chance. Okay?’

  He patted him on the back. ‘For you, I will try and that’s all I can promise. But hey, good luck with the rest of it because I wouldn’t want to be you when she wakes up from this spell.’

  Aldebaran looked at him seriously. ‘When this is all over and I send them home, Kayden will make her break all ties with me like last time, regardless of what I do here today. So I hope you’re right, old friend and she does challenge me because it will be better than never hearing from her again.’ He looked around and saw them both getting into the tequila slammers. ‘You’ll have to excuse me. The kids are getting into it early and if I don’t slow those two down you’ll be seeing a lot more of the Cassandra you saw the other night.’ Aldebaran grinned as he walked away.

  Conom laughed. ‘Bring it on, I say! This place could do with a bit of livening up.’

  He is so much like me , just wanting excitement in his life. Aldebaran would normally agree with him but this was different. This was his daughter who had pushed his buttons and he could feel himself change the minute he looked into her eyes. He magically felt so much older and now wanted to be the best father he could be to her.

  He went over and Kayden passed him a slammer. ‘Come on, Dad, join us?’ he asked, stirring Aldebaran and waiting for him to slam and raise his glass with them. Aldebaran was so shocked that he called him Dad that he slammed with them and drank it down. Cassandra put her glass down and passed him a beer and he sculled that as well.

  ‘Go Pops,’ she giggled. He shook his head and smiled. ‘Now, you two, go mingle. You won’t last the night at this rate,’ he chastised them and watched as they laughed like two naughty kids and wandered off, chatting to the guests.

  Aqua finally arrived with the twins Gem and Mini from the Gemini constellation. Conom was quite partial to both girls and unable to decide between them, generally left with both. Cassandra was excited to see a face she knew and walked around with Aqua and the twins as they went from guest to guest, mingling.

  Meanwhile, Aldebaran noticed Kayden talking to Pollux and Caster, the rulers of two of the larger stars in the Gemini constellation, both bodyguards to the twins, Gem and Mini. They were safely engaged in a conversation with Kayden, discussing growing their Gemini group and the politics they faced in trying to bring new baby stars (undeveloped protostars) into their domains to grow and develop them within the guidance of their constellation. Kayden had lots of knowledge on this subject and Aldebaran could tell he was enjoying himself.

  When it was time to sit down for dinner it was obvious that Conom was looking to finish off that card game but he was going to get her good and plastered first. During the meal he constantly filled Cassandra and Kayden’s drinks. The three of them became quite noisy, joking and hanging it on each other. By the time the meal was over, Conom had them both in the palm of his hand as they took their party out by the pool.

  When Aldebaran finally made it outside to them, Cassandra jumped up happily, slipping her arm through his. ‘Hi Pops, we haven’t seen you all night. Great party!’

  He looked over at Conom who had a smug look, knowing he was checking up on him. Aldebaran glared at him to behave and just smiled at Cassandra. This is what I want: her to be happy, and while she is, I see no reason to interfere. ‘Glad you’re having a good time, sugar. Just came out to see if you needed anything.’

  ‘No, we’re good. Conom here is keeping us entertained with his travel adventures.’

  Being called back inside, he left them to their fun. Not without his own tricks though, once inside he gestured for the band to play louder and it was not long before Kayden had Cassie up dancing. Sniggering at Conom and getting the finger from him, he sat back to watch as Kayden brought his new bride onto the floor. I won this round.

  A more up-tempo number began to play and the two of them started to jive. Conom couldn’t help himself. He sneakily invited Aqua onto the dance floor and then changed partners with Kayden to win round two.

  Little shit, grinning his arse off at me, Aldebaran thought as Conom whipped Cassandra away, spinning her around and making her enjoy his attention. Everything was a game with Conom but he guessed if Kayden wasn’t concerned about the attention Conom gave to Cassandra then he should stop being an over-protective dad and let them just enjoy the party. Aqua seemed to take pleasure in Kayden’s company as well.
Contented that at last the night had turned out well, he turned to get another drink and enjoy the rest of his evening.

  At the end of the night when most of the guests had left, he found Cassandra, Kayden and Conom sitting around a table near the pool playing cards. Conom needed to play Cassandra and beat her to keep his pride intact and they had only just started. He decided to sit in.

  ‘What’s the bet, Cassie?’ Conom asked. ‘A win is no fun without a reward.’

  ‘Well,’ she said smiling. ‘I haven’t any money on me or any possessions worth betting against so what about the winner gets to throw the loser in the pool and they have to do ten laps before they can sit back at the table and play again?’

  ‘Very innovative! But if you were to lose—which you will,’ Conom grinned, ‘It’ll be a boring old game until you join us again.’

  ‘Okay, what about the winner gets to choose a day’s activity and the ones that lose have to go along with it, regardless?’

  ‘That sounds more entertaining. You have yourself a deal!’

  Cassie gave Kayden a questioning look and seeing he was fine with it, agreed with the terms.

  At the end of the round, Conom and Cassandra were even. This was the final hand and the decider. Aldebaran had never known anyone to beat Conom and he could tell he was pissed off and trying to hide it. She stirred him up and rubbed it in every time she won. To his credit, Kayden did try to discipline her although he enjoyed her so much it was a half-hearted effort. It didn’t matter what she did, he loved every minute of it. Aldebaran did too. He had waited a long time for Conom to meet his match and tonight he had.

  He grinned, thinking of how much trouble Conom had gone to, getting her onside and then filling her with drink to ensure his win. He wondered if Conom would be beating her if she were sober. Conom insisted on a tequila slammer before the last hand and Kayden grabbed the bottle, getting them lined up. This last drink would do Kayden in, Aldebaran thought until he saw Kayden wink at Cassandra. He realised that Kayden was still able to keep up and maybe they were playing the player.

  This was going to be interesting, seeing if they let Conom win. If they did, it would be to enjoy his company for another day. His kids were playing Conom and all of a sudden he felt proud of them for being able to hold their own against a warlord like Conom. He had been worried all night that he was up to no good. Yet here they were; they had read him like a book and were having just as much fun back at him.

  Cassandra touched Kayden’s face, smiled and threw her hand in, letting Conom win.

  Conom, finally pleased, stood up to leave. ‘Well that’s it for me. I’m calling it a night.’ He stretched and downed the last of his drink on the table. ‘I’ll organise a day of pleasure. Well, it will be for me anyway, watching you guys squirm,’ he grinned slyly.

  He lifted Cassandra’s hand and kissed it. ‘Until then. It’s been a pleasure, Cassie. Kayden.’ He smiled, and nodded at Kayden next. Then he went inside and his entourage followed him as he left the castle.

  Aldebaran picked up Cassie’s cards she had thrown in. ‘You let him win! Why?’

  She shrugged. ‘Well, technically we were the winners. Now we get to have some more fun with him another day.’ She smiled, putting out her hand to Kayden.

  ‘Are you ready to retire, beautiful?’ he asked sweetly as she leaned into him.

  ‘Excellent party, Pops. We’re off to get some shuteye.’

  ‘Sleep tight, Cassandra.’

  This was getting very complicated and Aldebaran sat up with Aqua, trying to make sense of the way he was feeling. He was having second thoughts, unsure whether he could go through with his devious plan to keep them there against their will. He knew now how caring Kayden was with her and really, she was the happiest she’d ever been in her life. It was then that it suddenly dawned on him that in the end he would be the one to make her miserable when she found out he couldn’t be trusted. Another parent disloyal to her!

  His heart ached for the damage he might have caused with his selfishness.

  He went up to their room and watched them sleep for a very long time. Then with a conscience ready to explode, he took the spell from them. He knew he had been wrong and that in the morning he was going to have to ‘fess up and beg their forgiveness. In just two days they had taught him so much about family values and he hoped they would not turn their backs on him as they had on her mother.

  Family Secrets

  Cassie woke up in Kayden’s arms and tried to remember the night before. She had really tried one on at the party and wondered how they ended up in bed. Everything was a little fuzzy. She knew they had ended up at her father’s and she looked around the room, admiring how much effort he had gone to making the place so nice for their holiday with him.

  Kayden woke and said he felt a bit weird as well. ‘I think we’d better dry out today,’ he decided. ‘We’ve just been drinking far too much, that’s all.’

  He suggested they go for a swim before breakfast to clear their heads. So as not to wake everyone they slipped downstairs quietly and out into the pool. The spa water was warm, inviting and felt like a bubbly hot bath. Lamar brought them coffee and as they sipped it they tried to remember how they ended up here when they were meant to be holidaying on Aquarius. Cassie was also amazed at all the renovations that had taken place since her last visit.

  ‘He would have done all this for you, Cass. He knows how much you love the water.’

  ‘Yes, I think he has.’

  ‘We’re meant to go home today, Cass but if you wanted to stay an extra couple of days to make your dad happy, seeing he’s gone to so much trouble, then it’s okay with me.’

  ‘What about Zoren and work?’

  ‘If there’s any trouble, Woody will let us know. We have our horses so we can just meet up with them at the location where we’re meant to be.’

  Aldebaran finally came out, looking really worn out and waved to them.

  ‘We better go see what’s up.’ Cassie grabbed a towel each for them to dry themselves off as they walked inside.

  He was sitting having a coffee and staring into space. Aqua was beside him, holding his hand as if she was comforting him.

  ‘Is everything okay, Pops?’ Cassie asked. He put his head down. Caringly, Cassie went over and pulled up a chair next to him. ‘What’s happened? Tell me,’ she said, reaching for his hand. He pulled it away.

  He coughed as if words were choking him. ‘What I’m about to tell you is going to make you hate me, Cassandra and God knows my intention was never to hurt you. I couldn’t lie to you anymore.’

  Kayden came and sat by her, putting his arm around her and bracing for bad news. If the bastard hurts her, I’m taking her away and never letting him see her again, Kayden thought angrily.

  Aldebaran started from the beginning and when he finished telling them what he’d done, his eyes were red and his face was long and full of remorse. He gulped back his emotions and hung his head, disgusted with his little plan to kidnap them both.

  Cassie stood up with tears stinging her eyes and walked outside. She needed a minute to cool off and discuss this with Kayden. She was too upset to think logically and needed him alone so they could discuss her dumb-shit father.

  Kayden sat by the pool with her. ‘Honey, we both knew what Aldebaran was capable of doing. But to confess when he didn’t need to, has me a little rattled. In just two days, your love for him has made him turn a corner. He could have kept us here for months and we would have been none the wiser. Yes, his motives were selfish and he had to know I would never let him see you again. It was a crazy move and a big risk to take.’

  Cassie calmed down and started to see the big picture. She finally had a parent who loved her and now she was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Together they thrashed out all the logic in the world—why they should just leave— but their hearts were pulling them in another direction. He had gone to great expense to stop his fighting for them while they went on a honeymoon and was willi
ng to stop any fighting while they were with him. Then there was the remodelling of his castle for Cassie so she would feel happier in these surroundings and his grief at hurting her was just so evident. They came to an agreement and walked back inside.

  Kayden spoke for both. ‘What you did was very underhanded and stupid to say the least, Aldebaran. If you had gone ahead with it, not only Cassie but I too would never have forgiven you. We trusted you. Your daughter trusted you. Yet you intended to throw that away like it is nothing to you?’

  Aldebaran had his head down and was so upset that Cassie could feel the stress from where she stood. She wanted to go to him but Kayden held her firmly. He needed a dressing-down and knew she was too soft to do it.

  Kayden continued. ‘I just wish you’d understood the hardship your daughter has endured to get herself to this point. However, confessing to us has made us see our relationship might still be salvageable if you can promise me that such foolishness never enters your head again. I’ll not have Cassie upset or hurt by you or anyone else! She has had enough hurt and if you want her in your life you have to stop this madness. She’s not a toy or a game to play. She is your daughter and my wife. If you cannot promise to just love her and make that enough for you then we are leaving now.’

  He met Kayden’s eyes with sincerity. ‘Don’t go! Don’t take my little girl away,’ he pleaded.

  Kayden looked at him, frowning. ‘For the life of me I can’t figure out what madness made you think I would never bring her to see you again. I would never upset her that way. I had asked her to give it time before she saw you again only because she was so distraught when she came home last time. She had bonded with you so strongly in just that short time that she sobbed deeply having to leave you. It has been her choice, due to you both fighting on opposite sides, to break ties with you, not mine. For shit’s sake, Aldebaran, why didn’t you just talk to me about it? From now on you damned well better!’