Free Alien Morsels: Short Tales from Zerconian Warrior Series by Sadie Carter

possible given how solid the door was, but there had to be some way to break in.
    Norman growled from beside her, and she patted his head soothingly. He’d quickly become very loyal and protective. Which was a good thing. Most of the time. Five nights ago, she’d been seconds away from orgasm, with Darac between her legs, licking her with a skill that she’d thought only existed in her dreams. Norman must have heard her cries and thought Darac was hurting her. He’d jumped on Darac’s back, biting his shoulder with a ferocious roar.
    That had been the end of Norman’s bedroom privileges.
    Really, he was a big marshmallow. He let the kids climb all over him without growling. In fact, he got on well with everyone. It was only when he thought she was threatened that he grew all growly.
    Well, and whenever Darac was around. She was starting to worry that Norman was a bit jealous of her mate.
    She gave up pushing on the communicator and banged on the door.
    Where the hell was he? Visions of him lying on the floor, hurt, swam through her mind. What if he’d fallen and couldn’t get up? What if he’d hit his head? What if—
    The door swung open and there stood her brother.
    “You look like shit,” she told him bluntly. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin a pasty gray, and the dark patches under his eyes indicated he hadn’t been sleeping.
    He poked his head out, staring back and forth, obviously searching for something. “Are you on your own?”
    “Yeah, well, except for Norman.” She patted his head again.
    “Get in here, quick.” Duke grabbed her arm and pulled her inside. Norman snarled at him, jumping through the door just as Duke slammed it shut.
    “Duke! What the hell? Down, Norman. Good boy. Good dog.”
    “That is not a dog.” He glared down at Norman, who continued to snarl at him, his whole body vibrating.
    “Ahh, it might be a good idea for you to let me go. Norman’s pretty protective.”
    Duke snorted. “I’m not scared of a shaggy unicorn.”
    “He’s not a unicorn. He has two horns. They’re just kind of twirled together so they look like one. And he has a pretty nasty bite. Just ask Darac.”
    Duke shook his head and moved down the passage. At least he wasn’t lying on the floor, unconscious. Still, this snarling, ill-tempered, odorous man wasn’t her brother. He grabbed a bottle of Sola and took a swig.
    “Umm, Duke, it’s ten in the morning.”
    “You want one?”
    “No. I’ll pass. What’s going on? I haven’t seen you in days. No one has. You look like you’re not sleeping or eating.” Or bathing.
    “I’m fine.”
    “Yeah? You sure look it. When’s the last time you had a shower or brushed your hair?”
    “I’m not a child, Willa. Butt out.”
    Norman growled, and Duke growled back.
    “Did you just growl at my dog?” She gaped at him.
    “He started it.”
    “Mature. Real mature.” She looked around. The place was a mess. Clothes and shoes were strewn everywhere. She nudged aside some dirty socks and took a step towards her brother.
    “You guys ever hear of putting your clothes away?”
    “Kyle’s a pig.”
    Yeah, he was. He was absent-minded and tended to drop his stuff then leave it there. For months. But Duke was usually meticulously neat.
    “What are you doing here, Willa?”
    “Checking to make sure you’re not dead.”
    “I’m not. So you can leave.”
    “Thank you, Willa, for caring,” she mocked him in a deep voice. “I’m fine. How are you?”
    “Oh, I’m good, Duke. And what have you been up to?” she said in her normal voice.
    “Nothing, just moping around like a baby,” she said in her Duke-voice
    “You’re acting crazy,” he told her.
    “Must run in our family. Better tell me what’s going on, because I’m not leaving until you do, and you know how stubborn I can be. And if I’m not home before the suns go down, then you can bet your ass Darac will come looking for me. He’ll end up on your doorstep. He’ll probably com Rye on