guardianofparadise_260-1e3.htm

by Guardian Of Paradise (lit)

  Her eyes closed as she turned away from him. Her arm lifted and covered her eyes, blocking out the pain that she felt inside of her. Maybe if I were to go home, the memories would return Shana thought. Her arm slowly lowered back to her stomach. She opened her eyes once more and gazed up at the ceiling.

  Kai has a computer in his office, Shana remembered. She turned to look at him and noted that he was still asleep. She slowly raised herself into a sitting position while her gaze remained on Kai’s sleeping form. Her legs moved to the side of the bed and Shana slowly stood. Her legs were a little shaky, but she held herself steady. She braced her hand along the wall as she moved slowly down the hall and into Kai’s office.

  Shana sat down in the overstuffed chair and reached out with her hand to turn on the computer. She leaned back as she waited for the computer to boot up. She closed her eyes as a twinge of pain filled her mind. The pain quickly went away.

  She sighed as her eyes opened and gasped out loud as she saw her picture on the screen. Shana reached out and touched her image. To the side of the picture was her bio.

  “Shana Moon.” Her eyes opened wide as she continued to read the short bio of her life.

  “I am a government agent on Earth,” Shana whispered softly as she leaned back in the chair and covered her eyes with her hands.

  She didn’t know how much time had passed when she felt Kai’s hands on hers. Shana looked up at him with puzzled eyes. Kai turned to look at the computer, then back to her. His eyes seemed to question hers.

  “What kind of agent am I?” Shana asked.

  “I don’t know. You never told me,” Kai spoke softly as he helped her to stand.

  Shana stood with his help, as she continued to look at him with questioning eyes. “Nothing makes sense to me,” Shana muttered under her breath as she turned away from him. She slowly made her way out of Kai’s office. She heard him record in a few commands on the computer. She turned and watched her life disappear from the screen.

  “I shouldn’t have used your computer. But I had to know who I am.” Shana paused in the doorway as she watched Kai slowly walk toward her. He nodded his head in understanding and took her hands in his. He let go of one of her hands and cupped her cheek in his palm.

  “I do understand, Shana. I really do. If I was in your position, I would have done the same.” He brushed his lips over hers and took a step away from her. He took her hand and led her out of the office and down the hall. He was about to take her in the bedroom when the Bot interrupted them with a series of beeps and flashing lights.

  Kai stood in the doorway with a stiff spine as he listened to the Bot. He nodded his head and turned to Shana, “I have to go. This is important.” He let go of her hand and brushed her lips with his once more, then turned and walked down the hallway and out of the house.

  Shana stood there and watched Kai leave. She sighed and shook her head. There was a small grin on her face as she looked down at the Bot. “One of these days, I will find out exactly what he does on this planet.”

  Kai jumped in the hovercraft and took off to the government building that housed his office. As much as he wanted to be intimate with Shana at this moment, Prix had decided now was the time to report what he had found out about the smuggling that was going on in his world.

  He muttered a few choice curse words in several different languages as he swerved to miss a tycan bird that flew over him. He turned to look at the bird with a hard glare before he scanned the horizon with a softer look.

  Kai landed the hovercraft on top of the government building. He looked over the ledge down into the bustling street and grinned. The city was flourishing nicely this early in the morning. He took the elevator down a few floors to where his office was located.

  His bodyguards surrounded him in an instant. With his knowledge of the old martial arts he didn’t necessarily need them, but when the occasion arose for tighter security, did he put in a call to them. At the moment, Shana had a great need for the added security, more so than Kai.

  At the door to Kai’s office the two security guards stopped and took their positions outside the door. Kai walked inside and sat down while he waited for Prix to arrive. His thoughts turned to Shana once more as he leaned back in his chair and looked out through the six foot by six foot window behind his desk. The feelings that he had for her had become so overwhelming that he couldn’t think about anything else but her.

  He mentally shook himself as he turned his thoughts to other matters. Like the smuggling ring that was currently on his world and how he should stop it. If he could just figure out what was being smuggled. The blood in his veins turned ice cold when he thought about the options in his mind. None of them appealed to him, he was thinking, when Prix walked into the office with a grim face.

  “What do you have for me?” Kai asked as Prix took the chair opposite him.

  “Nothing. There is nothing new to report from the site that we found the other day at Shadow’s Edge.” Prix rubbed a finger along his jaw as he crossed his ankle and slouched down in the chair.

  Kai mentally swore, then he grimaced and pounded his fist on the desk.

  “Reports did come over the com-link last night of strange lights over Pif’s Edge,” Prix said as he watched Kai’s reaction.

  “Pif’s Edge?” Kai asked as his spine stiffened and he straightened up in his chair.

  Prix nodded his head as he continued to stare at Kai, then he spoke in a low voice. “I did, in fact, send out a team to investigate the sightings. There was nothing there by the time that they got there. So we’re out of luck on that particular matter.”

  Kai mentally swore one more time before he rose from his chair and began to pace the length of if his office. “We need to patrol our space above Paradise and the surrounding planets. The teams need to be alert to any unusual ships that travel through here,” Kai said when he turned to look back at Prix.

  Prix continued to sit in his chair in front of Kai’s desk and nodded his head in agreement. “I already have several teams ready for launch at a moment’s notice. I assembled these teams last night. I will have them posted at every section of the Androne galaxy and its ports of entry and exits,” Prix said as he rose from his chair and turned to look at Kai with a softened expression. “How is your mate taking all of this?” Prix asked.

  “I haven’t told her anything yet.” Kai turned to look at Prix with an odd expression. “She got into my computer this morning. I never took the time to delete the last entry that I made on the computer. It was her bio on Earth.”

  Prix nodded his head and remained silent as he waited for Kai to continue.

  “When Shana saw herself on the screen, it didn’t jar her memory. She is still clueless about what she was before the accident,” Kai said in a low and soft tone.

  When he was finished Prix got up and Kai watched his friend leave the office. When the door was closed behind him Kai added for his ears alone, “I am not sure what she will do when she finds out that our relationship was based on a lie. I should have told her the truth.”

  ~ * ~

  Shana took a deep breath as she stepped outside the house. She was beginning to feel restless from being cooped up inside the house day in and day out. She looked over at the hovercraft with longing in her eyes. Then she looked down at the Bot when it beeped at her.

  “I know. Kai said to remain at the house today. I don’t understand why,” She muttered as she looked over at the hovercraft once more. “But it did feel good to be able to fly the hovercraft the other day.” Shana sighed as she continued to stare at the sleek black hovercraft. “I am so tired of being in the same place all the time. Why doesn’t he take me somewhere? What is he afraid of?” she asked in a sigh. Shana turned to look back at the house, and realized that she had moved forward quite a distance away from it. She was now only a few feet from the hovercraft. Freedom! Her mind screamed. He’s a dangerous criminal and needs to be terminated. A male voice whispered through her mind.


  She raised her hand and rubbed at her temple as a small throbbing ache made its appearance known. “Who was that?” Shana asked herself as she looked back at the black hovercraft. There was something familiar about the hovercraft that she hadn’t noticed earlier. She walked the remaining steps to the chunk of metal.

  Images flew through her mind. Shana saw herself standing in a room with pictures hanging on the wall. There was an unknown woman standing next to her explaining what the subjects of the pictures were. Shana couldn’t hear the woman’s words but her mouth was moving.

  Another image came into her mind. Shana was standing on a cliff looking over a waterless ocean. She was sad about there not being any water. She turned to watch her friend approach her. They were talking. Again, Shana couldn’t hear what they were saying.

  Shana stood in the president’s office. She couldn’t recall his name, but being in his presence caused chills down her spine. There was something about this man that didn’t seem right at all. It was like that he was two different people.

  He placed a file in front of her. Shana gasped loudly as she saw a photograph of Kai in the file. She looked up the President. His mouth was moving, but Shana still couldn’t hear what was being said.

  Shana stood next to the hovercraft shaking her head as the small headache began to fade. “What does it all mean?” she whispered. She ran her hands up and down her arms when she felt a chill seep into her being. She looked down at the Bot, she could almost see the concern in the look it gave her.

  “I am fine. I think that I just had another memory. I just don’t know what it could mean. I need to find out who I am. Soon.”

  “You must be Shana Moon, the mate to Kai Morgan.” a male voice said behind her.

  Shana spun on her heels to face the intruder with her hands poised for defense.

  “There is no need of that,” he said softly as he watched Shana lower her hands to her sides.

  “Who are you?” she demanded from the man who stood in front of her.

  “I am Commandant Carlos Sanchez. Kai has asked me to take you to him for the afternoon meal.”

  Shana didn’t like the way the man was looking at her. There was something in his eyes that sent a mental warning to her brain. “How do I know you that you’re who you say you are?” Shana asked as she took a step back from him. Her body tensed for action that she felt sure would come. There was something in his manner that told her to be wary of this man. She looked down at the Bot who just stood there. Still. Its lights were not flashing and no beeps were heard from the machine.

  She was backed up against the hovercraft. Carlos took a step closer to her. Shana could feel her heart beat faster and the palms of her hands were sweaty. She placed her weight on the balls of her feet. She heard the blood rushing through her veins, her mind running through the kata of self-defense.

  Carlos looked over his shoulder, and Shana followed his gaze and she saw that there were four more men who stood behind him. He turned back to her, “So, what will it be, the hard way or the easy way?”

  Shana knew when she was defenseless.

  ~ * ~

  Kai had taken a ship off-world. He flew to Eden to see President Ty Matheson.

  “I’m sorry Kai, there hasn’t been anything strange going on here on Eden,” Ty said as he looked at Kai a little bewildered. “If there had been, I would have known about it right away.”

  “Thank you for your time.” Kai shook hands with the fifty-something year old man.

  “I wish that I could have been more help,” Ty said as he walked Kai toward the doubled-paned doors of his office. “I’m sure that you will find whatever it is that you are looking for.” He stopped Kai with a hand placed on Kai’s arm. “When are we going to meet the First Lady of Paradise?”

  Kai grinned at Ty. “Soon. Very soon.” When Kai stepped out of Ty’s office, he began to have his doubts that the other President would ever meet Shana. Well, possibly when she got her memory back.

  With a gentle sigh, Kai sat down in the pilot’s seat, then punched in the coordinates of Bliss. The ship began to vibrate and there was a small jolt that told Kai the ship was moving toward the small white planet. He leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed. It would take several hours to reach Bliss.

  ~ * ~

  Shana had remained silent as she was taken to the other side of Paradise. She did in fact enjoy seeing Paradise, but not in the company of the men that were with her. She felt Carlos’ eyes on her from time to time. Chills went down her spine telling her that this man was, in fact, a dangerous one and should not be trusted. She watched as a house came into view. Her eyes widened as she recalled that the structure of the small adobe style house was the same as in Earth’s early era.

  How can I recall the era of that house when I can’t even recall my life? Shana asked herself as the hovercraft landed on a small, cemented landing pad. One of the four men helped Shana down from the hovercraft as the remaining three surrounded her. Carlos followed behind her. He placed his hand on the small of her back, gently pushing her in the direction of the house.

  “Is this where Kai is meeting me for lunch?” Shana asked as she sidestepped away from Carlos. His hand dropped to his side as he stopped walking and turned her to face him.

  “Of course,” Carlos responded with a small grin on his face. He waved a hand toward the house and Shana gave Carlos a hard look before she started walking toward the house again.

  Her heart pounded in fear as she recalled that she was once in a position such as this. Where? When? She tried to recall, but failed to remember. She rubbed her temple with her fingertips as the pain in her head started to pound. Her steps faltered as the pain began to intensify. She stopped walking as she covered her head with her arms. She could hear the men talking around her but the voices seemed muffled.

  “What the hell is going on?” Carlos demanded as he caught Shana before she fell to the ground. Her face looked as if she was in intense pain. He placed his arm under her legs and carried her the rest of the way to the house. Once inside the dark house, Carlos laid her down on the couch. He placed a blue blanket over her thrashing form.

  “Make it stop,” Shana whispered, her eyes tightly closed as she tossed and turned on the couch. Carlos could only stand there watching with a horrified look on his face. He muttered a few chosen oaths as he began to shout orders to his men. They quickly scrambled to do his bidding.

  ~ * ~

  Kai’s spine stiffened when he felt negative energy in the air. He knew that something was wrong with Shana.

  “Is something wrong Kai?” Madame President Evie Roman asked as she noticed that the Guardian of Paradise was no longer listening to what she was saying.

  “I’m not sure. May I use your com-link to call my home?” he asked as he stood up from his seat in Evie’s office. Before Evie responded to Kai’s request, Kai was already walking out the door.

  Kai swore when he couldn’t get an answer at his home. He quickly disconnected the call and walked back into Evie’s office. “I’m sorry but I have to leave. There is an emergency at home,” Kai told her as he turned and left the office once more in a hurried stride.

  His heart pounded in fear and sweat beaded on his brow as he walked through the maze of halls of the government building. He paused next to the entrance of the building, opened the closet and pulled out his thick mackinaw. He pulled his mackinaw on and pulled the thick hare hood over his head. He tugged the gloves out of the pocket and pulled them on his hands. He took his heavy woolen boots out of the closet and pulled them on over his socked feet. He opened the entrance door and cold air hit his face. Kai pulled the hood lower over his head and walked out into the swirling snow of Bliss.

  ~ * ~

  Shana opened her pain filled eyes to total darkness. She quickly closed her eyes against the pain that was still tormenting her. She let out a small groan and turned over onto her side.

  “Kai,” Shana whispered in a small, pain filled voice. Her eyes ope
ned into mere slits.

  “Kai isn’t here to help you, my dear,” Carlos said in a deep voice that sent chills down Shana’s spine.

  She stiffened at the sound of his voice. Her eyes remained closed; she didn’t dare to open them.

  “What do you want from me?” Shana dared to ask as she opened her eyes into slits once more. Carlos’s form was a blur to her. Her head was still throbbing.

  “Let’s just say that, what I want is best for the community,” Carlos answered in a low tone. He stood from the bent over position that he was in when he came into check on her. He noticed that she was still in pain. He nodded at another man that had entered the house while Shana was thrashing about on the couch.

  Shana looked up into an elderly man’s face with thin, graying hair. He looked down into her face and raised a hyper-spray to the side of her neck. Shana closed her eyes as she felt the hot needle quickly inject under her skin. Shana felt the pain reliever work to ease the headache. She opened her eyes to see the pity in the doctor’s eye before he stood and handed the hypo-spray to Carlos.

  She turned over on her side facing the back of the couch as her eyes felt heavy with sleep. Her last thoughts were of Kai before sleep claimed her.

  “What are you plan on doing with her?” Edward asked as he stood next to Carlos and watched Shana sleep.

  “Something that should have been done to her weeks ago,” Carlos answered as he gave Edward the Hypo-spray and turned and walked out of the living room.

  ~ * ~

  “You went ahead and hired that Freelancer anyway, didn’t you?” Gregor asked Mikla as she nursed their son.

  Mikla looked up into Gregor’s face with a look that said I hope you understand what I did. “I had to know,” Mikla said as she smoothed her finger along Dayton’s cheek.

  “Mikla...” Gregor said in a louder tone that made him sound frustrated. He ran his fingers through his hair and turned away from her.

  “I needed to know what happened to Shana. I don’t believe that she is dead.” Her voice tightened as she eased her nipple out of Dayton’s relaxed mouth. She quickly covered herself before she stood up and placed the sleeping baby in the basinet.