Magic, New Mexico: Timeless Topper (Kindle Worlds Novella) (My Crazy Alien Romance Book 3)

by Donna McDonald

  “Who’s the God of Thunder?” Rime asked.

  “Thor—the alien who kissed you,” Alfred answered.

  Rime covered her mouth with her hand. “Ah, yes—the mythical warrior. I would very much like to hear the story of the God of Thunder and his mighty hammer.”

  “It’s a Nordic legend, but not real, though I think people have started questioning the real part since Thor showed up. With all those muscles and that long hair, he certainly fits the description. I have a book about legends, but not the one you’ve been reading about the mythical creatures here that are actually real. This is a different book.”

  “Wonderful, I love books, and I’m surprisingly not confused after your explanation,” Rime said.

  The black cat jumped up and mewed loudly. Alfred peered over his knees and down. “I’m sorry you have to go. Thanks for coming by. Come back and visit when you can. You can lie across my shoes again. I’ll buy some catnip for next time.”

  Another mewl and the black cat headed to the door, followed closely by the one who’d attacked him. Rime rose to let them both out.

  “What about the tabby?” Alfred asked.

  “Do you want her to leave too?” Rime asked.

  Alfred shook his head. “No. I want to keep her.”

  “Then why don’t you do that—at least for tonight,” Rime suggested, grinning as she said goodbye to the cats as they sauntered off into the night. She came back to the living room. “I’m going to my room. If you need anything, just call out. I’m a light sleeper.”

  “Don’t worry. Now that the cat is here, I feel like I’ll be fine as human,” Alfred said. “Thank you, Coach Rime. This was a good idea. I’m not afraid anymore.”

  “My pleasure, Alfred. Good-night.”

  Alfred shook his head. He had a beautiful houseguest, and now a happy, contented cat in his lap. Things in the town of Magic certainly were changing.

  Topper had a pillow under her head, one behind her back, and another between her knees. It was the most relieving position she’d ever tried to sleep in since becoming pregnant. “This is so awkward and yet it feels so good. I’m not even four months along, Stark.”

  Stark laughed as he sat beside his wife, rubbing her legs with a sleep aid concoction Evanna had dropped off for Topper. He loved the smell of it and touching his wife, so it was no hardship for him to massage any part of her body.

  “I’m sorry, but after melting the snow zones, I have no energy left. Did Theo find the missing cats?” Topper asked sleepily.

  “All but one,” Stark reported.

  “Where were they?” Topper asked.

  “Theo doesn’t know. Apparently, they all went home shortly after it got dark. The real question is where were they all that time? He’s not too worried about the missing tabby. Apparently, she was not a typical cat. Theo said that it was normal for her to go prowling after it got dark.”

  “Cat shifter then?” Topper asked, failing to stifle a yawn.

  “I believe that’s the case,” Stark said.

  “Jeanie at the bank is a tabby. Sounds like maybe she finally got up her nerve to make a move. Check at Alfred’s house. I know it’s a stretch because Alfred’s a fish, but Jeanie’s always had a thing for him. If a panther family can have two large dogs for pets, anything is possible in Magic. Stranger pairings than Jeannie and Alfred happen all the time here.”

  Stark shook his head. “No, I don’t want to leave you. Tomorrow morning, I will send Thor to check for her at Alfred’s. Maybe she’s there because she’s jealous over Alfred having a beautiful houseguest, or so Thor reports. Seems Alfred has hired someone called a Life Coach. Thor’s been keeping an eye on her.”

  Topper chuckled. “Good for him. Alfred needs some help. So do I because I’m so ready for this to be over. I need someone to get this child out of me.”

  “Our adventure is just beginning, but you will have all the help you need,” Stark promised, capping the jar and storing it away before crawling into bed with his now relaxed wife.

  Topper laughed as his arm came around her. “Nonny’s coming home in two days. Ask your daughter to wait that long to come out, okay? Maybe she’ll listen to you.”

  Stark rubbed her belly and started chuckling when his daughter kicked and kicked against his hand.

  Meanwhile on the planet of Glacier…

  Director Quest stared at the others. They were resentful of being called to talk to him, but he was running out of patience. “Forgive me for asking you to assemble on your holiday, but I have no recourse except to bring my concerns before the board. Time is a factor or I would have waited until the board was officially gathered again.”

  “Yes. Yes. State your problem, Quest. My mate and I have plans, as I’m sure do all of us board you’ve asked to be present,” Director Harfrost stated.

  “Then let me get right to the point. I would like your permission to go to Earth to retrieve Icela’s missing Priestess. Her sisters in service have confirmed that Priestess Rime left without explanation or preparation. As a mature female, she is in no condition to be traveling without a mate to such a primitive planet. And before Director Seething asks… it is not her safety I fear, but rather the safety of the planet’s inhabitants in having to deal with her cold flashes. I think we all know those can cause quite the problems here on Glacier when her urges are left unattended. Imagine the havoc they could cause on a place like Earth.”

  “Priestess Rime does not want you for a mate, Quest,” Director Seething stated flatly. “She turned you down before. An unwilling mate, even one who serves the Goddess, will not bring you any more status than you already possess as Director.”

  “Rime turned me down because she was in her mourning period. Now her mourning period is over. I fear that she is alone and desperate. The only male on Earth not related to her is mated to an Earth woman. He will not be allowed to service her.”

  “There is another. Or do you not believe General Stark’s report of discovering Star Ranger Thor still lives? After his starship crashed, he was without means of contacting us until Stark found him. Stark knows where Thor abides. I’m sure he would retrieve him if it meant helping his own sister.”

  “Stark’s report did not mention if Star Ranger Thor was mated or not. It is too much of a risk to take with the life of a priestess,” Quest argued.

  “Even if we gave you permission,” Director Snow said dryly, “how do you propose to talk Stark into opening the portal for you? He does that only when the Goddess directs him to open it. He controls all travel between Glacier and Earth.”

  “I wish you to order Stark to allow me passage there. Taking a starship would take too long. Earth could be destroyed by the time I get there.”

  “Destroyed?” Director Seething repeated while laughing at the statement. “Do you honestly think one aging woman’s cold flashes might destroy an entire planet? Are you so desperate, Director Quest, that you have to conjure up dire circumstances that match your unwise plans?”

  “My mind is fixed on pursuing my solution. I care for Rime’s well-being and will do what I must to protect her.” When Quest saw the other Directors staring at something behind him, he turned slowly to find their Goddess in her ethereal form. He dropped to his knees. “Goddess Icela. Have you heard my prayers?”

  “I have, Quest, but since you refuse to listen to reason, I think there’s only one answer anyone can give you. Do as you wish and learn your lesson the hard way.”

  She waved her hand and Quest disappeared.

  Looking up and smiling at the remaining wide-eyed directors, Icela inclined her head once. “Thanks for trying to get him to understand. Enjoy your holiday,” she said softly, returning to where her warrior waited for her.

  Chapter 7

  Alfred reached out to pet the tabby sharing his bed and drew back his hand when it stroked human hair. Opening his eyes, he saw a woman stretched out beside him in bed. Her naked back was turned to him. Her lower back and cute backside peeked enticin
gly out of the covers that had slipped down when he’d pushed them off just now. Luckily, he’d thrown on some shorts before climbing into bed or things would have been really awkward.

  He eased carefully off the mattress, walked around the bed, and peered at the woman. Jeanie? Jeanie was the cat?

  Scrambling from the room in a hurry, he ran into Rime heading to the kitchen. He pointed over his shoulder. “There’s a woman in my bed. The tabby cat wasn’t a cat. She was a cat shifter.”

  “Really?” Rime asked in mock innocence. “In animal form, they all look alike to me. I guess I should have scanned their energy to determine what they truly were.”

  “Coach Rime, I don’t think you understand the gravity of this particular situation,” Alfred said wringing his hands in worry.

  Rime tilted her head. “Did you take advantage of her this morning?”

  Alfred drew away. “Of course not,” he huffed indignantly. “I would never do such a thing even if I wanted to… and I did but I didn’t—do anything, that is.”

  “I’m fairly sure I followed that. However, maybe you should have done something. Exactly what is your problem, Alfred?” Rime asked.

  “She’s not a cat. I mean, she is a cat, but she isn’t one right now. She’s a naked human with a cute back.”

  Rime got a glass from the cupboard. She filled it with ice and then with water. It was luxurious to have a cold drink anytime she wished. “Alfred, you need to calm yourself. Can you do that?”

  Alfred thought for a minute. “Yes. I think I can.”

  “Good. Now what bothers you most about her being in your bed?”

  Alfred frowned. “I’m not sure.”

  “There’s only one important thing here to consider, Alfred.”

  “What’s that?”

  Rime put a hand on his shoulder and stared down into his face. “You chose to keep her and she chose to stay. That is what you have to deal with. You both sleeping as human—well, that just seems natural for two very different shifters seeking a way to be together, don’t you think?”

  “I wasn’t… We weren’t… You don’t understand,” Alfred said in a panicked whisper.

  “Alfred, I understand perfectly. I think it’s you who doesn’t understand. I think you need to talk to Jeanie about it. I think she’ll be able to clear things up for you.”

  “Now?”

  Rime nodded and pointed to the bedroom. “No time like the present.”

  Sighing heavily, Alfred trudged back, not sure what Coach Rime expected him to do.

  The tabby ignored him and didn’t pause as she pranced by his feet on her way down the hall to the front door.

  “I’m sorry,” Alfred called out, chasing down the hallway behind her. He beat her to the front door and stood with his hand on it. “Look, I panicked. I’ve never woke up with anyone in human form before—and I mean never.”

  Her howl of indignation had him grabbing his ears. “Stop… I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I said it was alarming.”

  Her loud, angry howl split the air again. Alfred jerked open the door and Jeanie streaked by him, her tail flicking in the air as she ran out of his house and away. His ears were relieved but the rest of him wasn’t. He wanted her back in his bed. He wanted to pet her and make her purr for him again.

  “Yes. I know you do,” Rime said, patting his shoulder in sympathy. “But you hurt her feelings when you found her and didn’t at least say good morning, Alfred.”

  “I just went to my kitchen. It’s not like I got on a plane to… to… someplace with no cats allowed,” Alfred exclaimed. “Did you just read my thoughts?”

  “No, you were mumbling to yourself and I translated.” Giggling, Rime put an arm around Alfred’s shoulders and hugged him. “It took me two minutes to get the other cats to come to see you. It took me two hours to talk Jeannie into taking a chance. She’s hardly better than you are about this stuff. She knows it’s not normal for her to like a fish. People tease her about it.”

  “I never knew people teased her about liking me. That’s not fair. What am I going to do, Coach?”

  Rime shrugged. “I would start by installing one of those tiny entries in your front door that I noticed in several shifter houses. It seems to let them come and go as they wish in their beast form. Is that correct?”

  Alfred nodded, thinking hard. “Yes. It does. And cats are very independent. They’re also nocturnal in their beast form. I guess it makes sense that Jeannie’s cat would need that level of freedom.”

  “Install the door today if you can, and then we’ll work on getting your Jeannie to want to use it to come back,” Rime said cheerfully. “Now let’s get some breakfast, shall we?”

  She must have been more stressed than she knew because the cold flash rolled over her as she turned, freezing everything on the porch and in the doorway, including poor Alfred.

  “No!” Rime called out in alarm, putting her hands on the top of the block of ice that was now Alfred. “Icela, help me! How do I get it to melt?” The sound of footsteps across Alfred’s porch had her head turning.

  “I’m not sure our Goddess hears us down here,” Thor said, carefully climbing the steps. He passed her a cold drink that smelled sweet and yummy. “This is for you, Priestess. Kiss me and let’s warm you up enough to help this little guy.”

  Leaning over Alfred, Thor waited for his lovely Priestess to lean close enough for their lips to touch. When they did, the ice melted away from Alfred’s head almost instantly. He gasped in air, breathing once more.

  “Good thing I’m a fish and can hold my breath,” Alfred choked out. “Kiss some more and melt me. I’m freezing in this block of ice.”

  Thor laughed. “I can take of the rest of your accidental prison without embarrassing your guest with an unwanted display of public affection in front of a friend,” he said, pulling a pair of gloves from the back pocket of jeans. He ran them over the block of ice which melted under his touch.

  A shivering Alfred wrapped both arms around himself. “Thank you, God of Thunder. Are those gloves magic?”

  “No, just electric. They work on batteries and little packets of thermal heat in the palms,” Thor supplied, ignoring the moniker the town had bestowed on him. “The gloves were very useful in the Alaskan wilderness when I had to find lost sleds. You can lose digits from your hands if they get too cold.”

  “Please come in and eat with us. It’s the least I can do to thank you, but I need to grab a hot shower and get dressed first.”

  Thor bowed his head and the man raced away. He looked at Rime’s regretful expression and alarmed eyes. “He knows you meant him no harm, Priestess. Let’s take care of the rest of this, shall we?”

  “Really, I…” But with his mouth now moving expertly over hers once more, Rime couldn’t think of anything more logical than kissing him back, even though her desire to do so was becoming another kind of problem. The more Thor kissed her, the more she didn’t want him to stop at just kissing. It was unfair of her to have such demanding thoughts about a man who was only being kind.

  When he eased away from her mouth and her, Rime stumbled back, slipping on the now wet puddle in the entry way. She lifted a hand to her chest and looked down at the mess at her feet. The outside air would dry the porch well enough. How was she supposed to clean up the hallway?

  “Got a mop?” Thor asked, squeezing his big body against hers as he stepped across the puddle.

  “What’s a mop?” Rime replied, liking the way the Star Ranger chuckled and shook his head. “Is that something I can use to clean up the water?”

  “Yes. Unless your fish friend has a witch housekeeper, a mop is the only way to get such things done. I’ve lived on Earth for a long time. I’m quite adapted to their ways.”

  “I suppose that’s a good thing since I know so little,” Rime said, sighing as she closed the door. “What’s a witch? I keep hearing about them, but the book Alfred loaned me merely calls them a wielder of magic.”

  “A witch
is a being as close to our Goddess as I’ve ever seen on any planet,” Thor replied sincerely. He bowed his head. “Excuse me, Priestess. I need to search for where your fish friend keeps his cleaning supplies. The material of the flooring requires it be made dry in order to preserve it.”

  Rime averted her eyes to the ceiling of the hallway to avoid staring at the back of Thor as he walked away in search of what he needed. The man definitely had a way of keeping her warm. His very presence inspired it.

  She lifted the cold drink still in her hand and sipped. Her face lit with pleasure. It was a rare nectar, creamy and delightful. She had drank nearly half the cup by the time Thor returned. He used his tools to mop up the water and squeeze it into the container he’d also brought with him.

  “What is this wonderful elixir?” she asked, lifting her cup to him.

  “It’s called iced coffee. I got it sweetened because most Earth females prefer it that way.”

  “Thank you, Thor. It is quite delicious.”

  Thor smiled. “It’s my pleasure to introduce to the joys of this planet. I should warn you, though, that there is an ingredient in your drink which makes you feel temporarily energized. The energy doesn’t last long, but it can have some strange after effects. If you find yourself talking and thinking very fast, you will now know its cause.”

  Alfred came out of the bedroom wearing a shirt, a vest, and dress slacks with creases in them. Rime made a sound of disgust. “We need to make some immediate adjustments to your wardrobe. I spent some time last night looking through the magazines I borrowed from Anna Mae’s salon and that is not how men dress to lure a woman to their bed.”

  Alfred looked down at his clothes. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

  “I’m not quite sure, but I trust my instincts on this.” Rime looked at Thor in his snug shirt and pants that molded to his lower half. She motioned to him. “That’s how you should dress, Alfred. Any woman would want to take Thor to bed dressed as he is today.”