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

don’t think you’re allowed to roll your eyes at me. It’s a rule or something,” Zoey muttered as they hopped onto the pillow with her.
    Giz grumbled then resettled against her stomach. She patted his belly.
    “I’ve never been big on following the rules. Besides, what are you going to do? I could be halfway across the universe before you even roll yourself off this pillow.”
    Zoey grumbled.
    “So, who you hiding from? Everyone? Or just those who think with their little head instead of their big one?” Mila asked.
    “Or perhaps the old bat,” Willa added as she crossed her legs and leaned back against the wall.
    “Everyone.” She glanced up at Boris who appeared in the doorway. He frowned briefly at her then shook his head. She guessed he didn’t approve of her hidey-hole.
    She waved her hand at Willa and Mila. “I thought I said I didn’t want to be disturbed?”
    “Don’t be angry with Kruz, we were persuasive,” Mila smiled up at the dark-skinned man. Boris hadn’t spoken since his family was killed as a child. She’d given him the name Boris and even though she now knew his name was Kruz, she couldn’t bring herself to call him that.
    Boris didn’t care. He even seemed liked the name. Sometimes she questioned his taste.
    Boris shrugged. That was his ‘what harm can they do?’ shrug.
    “What did you expect him to do? Physically restrain us?” Willa asked. “Koran and Darac would kill him.”
    Zoey snorted. “Like he’s worried about your mates. Boris could take them with one arm tied behind his back.”
    “Zoey!” Mila said, looking shocked. She sent an apologetic look over to Boris. “She didn’t mean that.”
    “Don’t apologize for me.” Zoey pushed herself up as her back protested her slumped position.
    Mila sent her a pointed look.
    “What? I haven’t forgotten he’s missing one arm. He doesn’t need both arms to fight. He’s like freaking Batman. He’s indestructible.”
    “Batman?” Willa asked.
    “He was a superhero,” Zoey explained. “Dressed like a bat. Fought the bad guys. Billionaire by day, crime fighter by night.”
    “Riiight, glad you cleared that one up.” Willa gave Mila a look. They thought she was losing it.
    Maybe she was.
    Boris turned and left. She winced as the baby kicked her. Giz made a small snuffling noise as he rubbed his face against her belly. The baby immediately quietened, and she let out a sigh, scratching behind Giz’s ears in thanks.
    “We’ve come to help you get ready for Willa’s mating ceremony tonight.”
    “I’m not going.” She felt kind of bad, but no way was she leaving her quarters.
    “Zoey—” Mila leaned forward. Zoey knew a lecture was coming. A gentle one. Mila was good at convincing people to do what she wanted.
    But Zoey was stubborn, and she was sick of everyone telling her what she had to do.
    She didn’t have to do anything.
    Okay, that was a little immature. Even for her.
    “I’m not going. I’m sorry, Willa. But I don’t feel like socializing right now. Believe me, you should be thankful I don’t want to go. The mood I’m in right now, I’d totally ruin your evening.”
    “It’s all good,” Willa said easily. “I wanted it to be just the two of us, but it’s become this big deal. I’m not big on crowds.”
    She stretched, and Zoey attempted to squelch the surge of jealousy at how easily Willa moved around when it took her ten minutes just to get out of bed. Once, Zoey bounced around energetically. Once she could see her feet, she didn’t waddle like a duck, and she could go longer than thirty minutes without peeing.
    Ahh, the good old days.
    “But I’ll do it because it seems to be important to Darac.”
    Mila sighed. “The two of you can be hard work. This is meant to be a celebration, not a damn funeral.”
    “You’re not the one being paraded in front of hundreds of strangers,” Willa said morosely.
    “I’ve done it. Zoey’s done it, and you’re not going to be paraded