FORBIDDEN HEART
CHAPTER 1
“We could’ve just stayed home,” I said, watching the forests and ranchlands race by along the rural highway. “It’s kind of a hassle to drive all the way to Billings.”
Mick smiled, one hand gripping the top of the steering wheel. “It’s Friday afternoon. Thought it’d be nice to get out. Maybe even catch a movie.”
“We have restaurants and a theatre back in Roundup.”
He sliced me a withering glance. “Restaurants we’ve eaten at a hundred times before, and our movie theater only shows two different outdated flicks. When their projector isn’t broke—”
The loud backfire made me jump.
“Sorry, just the truck acting up again,” he said, shifting and grinding the gears roughly.
“Oh.”
The truck jerked twice more, then the ride smoothed out again.
“Damn, I should’ve taken it in last week,” he said, then noticed my paling expression. “You okay?”
I smiled nervously, working to slow my heart. Today was my birthday, a full year since I was almost killed by an assassin hired by the High Ruler of Iroment on Noma, a world not of our universe or even dimension. Obviously I was still shaken from the incident. Even now I tensed whenever a stranger looked at me funny.
Fortunately I had my personal Guardian Prime, Mick Barron, watching out for me. We lived incognito in Roundup, Montana where his superhuman abilities function at their best due to many as yet undiscovered elements in their hills. Mick was so good at his job that my life was relatively normal again—for an intergalactic princess working as a café waitress on earth.
“So I was thinking,” he said. “If you want, you can skype Tommie when we get back later. I’m sure she’ll be up.”
Immediately I straightened, smiling for real. “Yeah? You think it’s finally safe?”
“I do. If Mortem hasn’t found us by now, he’s probably given up.”
That I wasn’t so sure about. Still, this morning I promised myself to stop being so paranoid. Mick was right. If my father was going to send another assassin, or an army of them, he would have done so by now. I think.
“Awesome. She’ll be so jazzed to hear from us.”
Tomasina Lanez was my best friend and soul sister, the kind every girl should have until the day she died. Which Tommie almost did when getting caught in the crossfire of my battle with Mortem’s hunter.
Man, I never ever want to live through that horror again of almost losing her. It was like cleaving off half of my own being. Tommie was “in the know” and understood the reasons for my living under the radar and only trading postcards which she burned instantly.
“Just trying to be a good boyfriend,” he said.
I frowned at his remark. Mick wasn’t really my boyfriend, at least not anymore. It was just the ruse we still used to tamp down local gossip about the weird young couple living in the apartment above the hardware store where he worked.
Our relationship was a complicated one. Although Mick and I lived together, we slept in separate bedrooms. What romantic feelings we originally felt for each other had been forced to cool several months ago. It was forbidden for a soldier to fraternize with the sole surviving royal heir of our Nomian country, Umbrey. In fact, he would be executed for treason to the crown.
So I tried to make it as easy as possible for him by suggesting we keep things platonic. I was just surprised when he agreed so readily. And disappointed.
It was hard at first, really hard. Sometimes it was hard now. Really hard. But I truly cared for him and didn’t want to risk his life. Yes, we lived in this world now, but someday we would return to Noma. Probably.
Maybe.
So although Mick acted the part of the attentive boyfriend when we were in public, he kept a careful distance from me in private. Those were the worst times. Especially at night when we were sitting alone together on the couch, and he smelled deliciously of spicy man and my female anatomy prodded me to do all sorts of interesting…
I shifted uncomfortably, distracted by the fact that he smelled luscious enough to eat right now, and I was so tempted to run my fingers through his sexy, black tousled hair. Among other things. Damn.
Mick smirked and cleared his throat, probably reading my thoughts again. Then he popped one of his special orange oxygen pills that he makes. Neither of us can handle this atmosphere well, and I grabbed one for myself and chewed it. They reminded me of Tic Tacs and tasted like bitter honey. Instantly my congested lungs began to open and expand.
“You sure the truck will make it to Billings and back?” I asked, still a bit rattled by the backfire.
“It’ll be fine. Just needs a good tune-up. I’ll take it into Berger’s tomorrow.”
“Maybe we could do this another time,” I suggested. “Let’s just grab some Chinese and bring it back home and watch television.”
“Relax, Andee. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“But what if the truck breaks down and we’re stuck in the middle of the highway and—”
“Then I’ll call Roger to tow us to the auto shop in Billings. We’re only eight miles out now.”
“But if he’s already out—”
“Just let me worry about it, okay? It’s my job to take care of things, remember?”
“No, it’s your job to protect me against alien assassins. Making sure the truck runs properly doesn’t fall under your directive.”
One corner of his lips curved up. “It falls somewhere in between. We would need a good running vehicle if one ever showed up.” At my widening eyes, he added, “Which they won’t, so please relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon.”
“Fine. Then do something to distract me from worrying about this,” I said, really meaning the alien assassin, not the truck. Maybe the truck a little, too.
“Like what?”
I grinned wide. “Tell me more about Noma.”
Mick’s expression softened at my common request to describe the world he grew up in, the one I never knew having been born and raised here. A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth as he faced the highway.
“What first?”
“Hmm, your best friend Raylos.”
His grin widened. “You’d be charmed by him, just like every other female he comes in contact with. Never could figure out what’s so damn special about the guy. I once thought it was his blonde, buffed surfer look, but really he just has that kind of personality that draws people to him like a magnetic. Always loves a good time, and if there’s one to be had within twenty miles, he was in the center of it.”