Cloud Riders.

Debbie Behan.

Preface.

Zoren is the archangel, protector and guardian of the solar system. Hidden, home worlds on Planets, Moons and Stars spiral out of control by the greedy, immortal tyrants and warlords that rule them. The 'Lord of the Planets' series will take you to many of these worlds as a crack team of super powerful riders, our universal peacekeepers, are summoned to neutralise many volatile situations.

Employed by Zoren, Kayden Hunter is in command of a select group of men enforce law and order. Kayden fights today, not only to keep his team alive but also to control the most powerful woman the galaxy has ever known.

Princess in a New Land.

A couple of days ago Cassie had a home and a nanny that catered to her every need.

Suddenly, her whole world had transformed and she found herself alone and miserable. Cassie's last memory of home was a hand covering her eyes and a smelly cloth held against her mouth. The fumes had burnt her throat.

She woke in a dark metallic crate; the sides felt like aluminium. It seemed no bigger than a packing box. She could feel that her ears were pressurised and she cried out as her body slammed into the sides of the container. It was obvious it was being unloaded.

'Ouch!' she screamed out as the container landed with a thump. Her bottom hit hard and she felt her whole spine adjust, and not in a good way. Cassie was unable to stand up in the confined space and she started to cry, not yet able to grasp what was going on. The drugs she had been given were still making her groggy.

Her sobs were so heavy that her lungs and stomach began to hurt from the deep gulps of air she was trying to suck in. Cassie tried closing her eyes, which didn't help either. Her head ached and she felt violently ill from the smell of herself being locked up for she didn't even know how long . She thought it might have been a couple of days by the way her stomach twisted with hunger and she was so dehydrated, her sobs were waterless.

She heard someone turning a key in the padlock on the door and she sat very still, waiting for a face to peer in at her. Cassie shook with fear as she listened to the sound of doors slamming as the vehicle sped off. It was only then that reality sank in.

I've been left to die.

Cassie's adrenalin kicked in; feral instincts made her howl like an animal. She lashed out with her legs, booting the section where she had heard the key used. It was stuck. Cassie curled her legs tight and pounded on the door. After using every ounce of strength she could muster, the door fell open.

She stayed inside for a long time, scared to look at where she was. She focused her eyes. The scorching sun stung and bit into her pupils as it shone inside the crate. All she knew was that she had been dropped off in bushland somewhere.

Cassie finally plucked up courage and ventured out, forcing her aching body to walk towards a dead tree that had toppled over nearby. Using one of the stumps that jutted out, she undid the knot that bound her hands together. Cassie wiped her face, stood up and realised that even though her body was stiff and sore she had finally been released from her captivity. She was happy to be alive. Free at last!

Cassie stretched, glancing around for water, a sign, or a road to follow. The vehicle must have veered a long way off the main road to get her to where she was, as there were only tyre marks in the dirt as far as she could see. If I follow the tracks, will they lead me back to the road? Or is it a trick to take me further away from civilisation?

Disorientated, she decided to head in the opposite direction, not trusting her kidnappers. The bush began to thin out until there were just sparse trees and bushes that poked out of the fine and powdery red dirt. She frowned as a whirlwind picked up the red sand, stinging her eyes and sticking to her clothes and body where she was perspiring.

'Great,' she grumped. 'Now I must really look a sight.'

She gazed down at herself, wondering if she did find a road if someone would pick her up. I look and smell disgusting. The wind whipped up again. She could barely see two feet in front of her and the heat in the wind was unbearable. Have they dumped me in a desert somewhere? She wiped the dirt off her face and hands but it just smeared and felt worse. Every step she took she forced herself against the strong wind. How much worse can this get? She trudged along, trying to find some sign of civilisation.

Cassie thanked the heavens when she finally stumbled across a road and found a sign. Left will apparently take me to a mining town called Mt Newman, right to a town called Perth. Mt Newman was only a few miles away. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she had eaten and there had been no sound of a car. Therefore, walking was her only option and she begun to trek her way along the dusty, partly covered road towards Mt Newman.

The sun beat down on her fair skin and the wind scorched her arms and face. Sadness overwhelmed her as she realised she might die before getting to the town. Thirst took over her every thought as she pushed harder against the howling wind.

Keep moving! She kept yelling at her body. Surely it couldn't be far now. The thought swam around in her mind repeatedly.

She heard a car coming. A horn blasted. Turning in her dazed state, Cassie realised that she was walking in the middle of the road. The utility truck skidded to a stop. Pain screeched within her as she fell and rolled herself away from the loud motor.

'What the hell were you doing walking in the middle of the damned road?' she heard one of the men say as he checked her body to see if she had broken a limb.

Cassie shaded her eyes and saw another man leaning up against the truck with a smug look on his face. 'Just leave her, Kayden. How many times have spies tricked us like this? Get us to feel sorry for one of the enemies very own so we take them in, using them to expose us? Christ knows where this one's been. She's so filthy she'd probably give you a disease just touching her or maybe that's the plan. If we don't get sick they'll be sure they're on to something.'

'Shut up, Jason, she could be hurt. Just give me a sec.'

'You're a bloody vet! What can you do anyway? Let's get out of here and leave her to her own luck. Someone will be along shortly and they can deal with the scrubber.'

'And if you're right, we need to know what enemy camp she's come from.' He straightened her out, slid his arms under her and picked her up as if she weighed nothing.

'She's not getting in my bloody car,' Jason grumbled.

Cassie caught her breath and coughed but the dryness stopped her from talking. She wanted to tell them to leave her alone. Instead she just stared helplessly at the one called Kayden.

'Help me get her in the car, Jason, and stop being a jerk.'

Jason moved to the back of the utility truck, unclipping the canvas cover and dropping down the tailgate, helped Kayden pick her up. 'Put the dirty bitch in the back of the truck then. There's no way I'm putting up with that smell all the way home.'

The two men were rough when they put Cassie down. Her head ached as Kayden shoved a rolled-up towel under it.

'You know, she might be just one of the whores from out of town trying to run away. One took off only a few weeks ago, remember. Something to do with being under new management.'

'Maybe we can put her to good use.' Jason slapped his side with renewed vigour. 'Hot damn, it's been a while! Could I really be that lucky?'

'Whatever, stud! We at least need to try to find out what we're dealing with here first. It's one of our hottest days and she won't last long out here in the condition she's in.'

Cassie passed out.

When she came to, she was in a horse stable in a barn. She was lying on hay and she was itchy everywhere it touched. It was dark and she was freezing but at least the moon was full and giving her some light. Next to her she could see a bottle of water and three biscuits on a plate. The thought crossed her mind that they might be laced with drugs but she was far too hungry to care. Nervously anticipating her fate and yet unable to stay awake long enough to do anything about it, she fell back to sleep.

When she woke again, she had a horse blanket on her that smelled worse than she did. The plate had gone but the bottle had been refilled. Giving thanks, she drank the water in gulps. Cassie jumped and put the bottle down when she heard steps. She scurried into the corner and tried to hide: her meeting of the two men had not made her comfortable about being around them at all. Her body froze as the man called Kayden moved towards her and dragged her out, his fingers digging into her arm.

He threw her out of the stables and turned a freezing-cold hose on her. She rolled into a foetal position out of instinct to stop it stinging the cuts. He kept asking ridiculous questions that made no sense and even though he was a bully and hurting her, she made no sound. Cassie had watched movies about mistreatment. The abuser always felt more of a thrill if the victim screamed and begged, so she choked it back. He kept it up until he realised she wasn't going to participate in his line of questioning, then grabbed her arm and threw her back in the stable. He tossed a clean pair of jeans and a shirt at her and said impatiently, 'Get dressed, whore. I'm taking you home or wherever the hell you want to go. But you're not staying here.'

Where does he think my home is? It's at least three days travel from this place! Cassie was cold and confused but didn't want him hurting her anymore so she did as she was told. He watched as she removed her wet clothes. She could feel his eyes burning into her, enjoying her embarrassment. She turned her back on him. God, so humiliating.

'What are you hiding from, whore? If you aren't who I think you are then you have to be the other and I'm sure you've stripped off for many a man! Could this just be another part of your act to get me to think you're actually a lady?' he scoffed. 'A lady would not have been wandering around in the middle of the road trying to get anyone to stop and take pity on her.'

Cassie shot him a heated look and threw off the rest of her clothes without care. He had made her so cranky she would let him look at what they'd done to her! She turned and he had a full view of her.

'Happy?' she scowled.

Cassie heard him swear. 'Where the hell are all those bruises from? Jason said he didn't hit you with the car.'

'What do you care how I ended up with them? Leave me alone.' She turned her back to him. She wanted to tell him how she really ended up so banged up but was angry at his reaction. The look on his face made her feel ugly and instead of confiding in him, she just wanted him gone.

He stomped out cursing. It confused him. She'd looked so innocent as she stood naked in front of him but her refusal to answer any of his questions infuriated him. What was she playing at? Cassie dressed, slouched against the wall and closed her eyes.

Damn it. I passed out again. Why? She wondered.

She woke up in a bedroom this time, her stomach rumbling from hunger. Cassie had no idea how long she had been asleep but she needed to find some food. She went to get up but her legs were tired and could not keep her in an upright position. She collapsed onto the floor with a thud. 'Cripes,' she groaned.

The door flung open and Kayden came in and lifted her back onto the bed.

'You're weak. How long has it been since you ate?' he asked impatiently.

She gestured that it had been maybe two or three days.

He seemed irritable that she had barely spoken two words since she arrived. 'Look, I'm still not sure if this is all just an act and I'll definitely not play bloody nursemaid to a whore. If you want to eat, the kitchen's outside this door. You might as well quit the performance and go get it yourself or starve.' He stood looking angrily down at her. He made Cassie so mad that she swung her legs over the bed, attempting to stand again and ... whoops!

Cassie woke up back on the bed. There was water and a sandwich next to her that she choked down, ignoring her dry throat and gulping water with every bite. She lay back, thankful that at least her hunger was satisfied. Feeling better, she gingerly moved from the bed and headed for the bathroom. Out in the main room it surprised Cassie to see Kayden reading in an armchair. She thought he hadn't seemed educated enough to be reading with all the cursing he did.

Kayden looked up.

'Can I use your bathroom?'

He pointed to a door and Cassie nodded. She looked back at him as she closed the door. Immersed in his novel and he took no notice of her. He looked different under the light shade: not so cruel at all.

The toilet led into a shower. Cassie found a clean towel. She looked in the mirror and was shocked at her appearance: the hose-down he gave her didn't clean her face or her hair very well because she had rolled herself into such a protective position. Red dust had caked onto every strand of her hair and Cassie's normal golden-blond colour was dirt-stained a reddish-brown. Her face had red dust patches and her clear hazel eyes looked dark and dull from the mascara that had run from her tears. She could see why the men had thought she was a whore. She looked a fright.

She turned the tap and scrubbed herself clean. The spray bit into the cuts and battered against the bruising on her skin although just to feel dirt-free was worth it. It made her feel much better. Reaching for a towel, a wave of light-headedness came over her and she leaned against the wall. Exhausted, she slid down the tiles and sat on the floor, hugging the towel, waiting for her energy to kick back in.

Did I faint again? Maybe I did. She heard footsteps and the voice of Kayden cursing her. He stood Cassie up and she could feel him shake her and curse some more. She remembered very little after that.

The room glowed with the first signs of dawn. She pulled back the covers and noticed she wore a big shirt that Kayden must have put on her. She also noted she was still alive which proved it was unlikely he intended to hurt her.

At least she now knew why she kept passing out. When Cassie had washed her hair she had felt a big lump and a cut on her head that stung under the water. I must be concussed.

Her body still felt tender and sore, yet she felt stronger since the pain in her head had eased. She padded out into the kitchen in bare feet and made a cup of coffee, and the call of fresh air had her walking outside to drink it. The porch had a chair that she bypassed, preferring to walk out into the yard to have a good look at her surroundings. Kayden's farm wasn't fancy-nothing like the immaculate gardens and grandeur of the castle Cassie had once called home-but it was quaint and peaceful. There were dirt tracks leading away from the house in different directions. The trees and shrubs were sparse and the red dirt and big boulders that covered the landscape reminded her of her first look at this country in which she had been dumped. Kayden had the largest barn she had ever seen and a few horses were nibbling on feed behind a high-gated fenced area. How long has it been since I've done this? Not in many years had she been able to stand out in the fresh morning light and view anything. From her bedroom her view had been very limited and even the open window never gave her such a complete feeling of freedom and love for what she was now seeing for the first time. Even though her parents were not there, she still felt a little nervous about being outside. At home she would have been beaten for an action such as this.

Cassie contemplated how a twist of fate had led her here, to this farm, with the strangest of men. Not that she had met many; well, up close and personal, only her father. Kayden had mistreated her but it was nothing she wasn't used to, yet at other times he was kind and his eyes told her she could trust him. He was so different to the men in the movies she had watched and the magazines she had read. She had thought all men were womanisers, wanting everything their own way and doing anything to get laid, yet she had picked up none of this behaviour from him. She wondered if he would put her on a plane home if she told him who she really was. God, no! She would have to carry her secret alone. She swept her eyes around the landscape. There was a power, an unseen energy pulling her to this spot, this farm and to Kayden. This was where she knew she needed to be-for now anyway. She found a log to sit on and sipped her coffee, watching the glow of day light up the sky and gasping at its beauty.

'How lucky is the person who lives here? This would be so pretty to wake up to every day.' She talked quietly to herself as she had done for years. There was usually not a soul to hear her.

A sound behind Cassie made her jump. She stood up and faced Kayden who was standing behind her, looking at her with a strange expression.

'Yes, very beautiful to wake up to.' The sunrise reflected in his eyes.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just woke feeling better and wanted to see where I was.'

'You have a slight accent.' He eyed her a little suspiciously after hearing her speak more loudly and fluently.

Cassie put her head down, wishing she hadn't spoken. Now he has that 'I don't trust you' look back in his eyes again. 'My name is Cassandra but most people call me Cassie. I'm not from around here.' She took a sip of her coffee and ignored the uncomfortable tension that fell between them. 'I want to apologise for passing out on you. I have a huge lump on my head and it stung under the shower,' Cassie said, flinching as she touched the tender spot by accident.

Frowning, he walked towards her. 'Let me see. Keep still!' He was somewhat gruff but not scary anymore and his fingers, strangely enough, were very gentle as they parted her hair. 'You may need a stitch but it seems to be healing alright. Do you normally heal quickly?'

Cassie shrugged. 'Don't know. I've never had a cut before.'

He let her hair fall back. 'You'll have a little scar but it will be well hidden under all this hair.' He squinted and held a hand over his eyes, viewing the sunrise. 'Sit. Don't let me disturb you. I just have to go check the paddocks before breakfast. Unless you want to come and have a look around, get out of the house for a bit?' he asked in a more civil tone.

Surprised at his change of mood, Cassie jumped at the offer. 'To get outside anywhere would be a treat. Can you wait until I get some shoes on and tie up my hair up?' She ran inside, excited. Check the paddocks. What does that mean? Her thoughts ran wild as she dressed. Who cares? It gets me out of the house. She smiled.

When she came out to join Kayden, she noticed that he seemed to have a happier look on his face. He wasn't smiling but he definitely wasn't grumpy. He stood by a utility truck with the door open, and closed it after her when she jumped in. A little way down the dusty track he pulled up at an open field where horses grazed under lovely flourishing trees along a pretty stream. No red dirt here, she thought, amazed at how this area was so different from the rest of the landscape she had viewed so far. They walked along the stream. Cassie watched as fish darted in and out of the rocks, the clear crystal water flowing over them like moving glass.

Kayden went over to pat and check a couple of the horses. He lifted the hoof of one and pressed it, talking quietly. 'That's looking better, boy,' he said, letting its leg go and patting its mane again. Another couple of horses were ready to foal and he frowned at one of them. 'You better come with us, girl.' His tone was calm.

He went back to the truck and grabbed a bridle. After harnessing the horse, he led it around and dropped down the back of the high-sided trailer. Once the horse was safe on the trailer, he checked a few more horses and then they headed back.

It was obvious Kayden wasn't a real talker which suited her just fine. The last thing she needed right then was someone wanting answers she could not even get her own head around yet.

Kayden took the pregnant horse back to the stable and bedded her down for the day. 'I'll have to watch her carefully today,' he said, making Cassie jump with just the sound of his voice. He'd been so silent since they left (unless he spoke to the horses) and it took her by surprise. Until now, his voice had always had an annoyed tone, implying that she was intruding in his world. Even though he had not yet sent her packing, she had been waiting for it. 'Mother's ready but it looks like the foal needs turning. I'll tend to her after breakfast. I'm sure you can amuse yourself while I'm busy.'

'Can I watch? I've never seen anything get born before.'

He raised his eyebrows curiously and then shrugged. 'If you want to. But don't get in the way or you're out of here,' he grumbled. The tone of his voice said clearly that she was once again walking a fine line and to do as he said-or else.

Cassie smiled meekly and he turned away, but not fast enough. She was positive that he had nearly smiled back. The way he straightened his shoulders however and walked briskly out made her wonder if she had imagined it. Cassie practically ran to keep up with him as she followed his long strides back into the house. After washing their hands they went to the kitchen. Cassie felt awkward being around someone who seemed to fill up every room he walked into. He was unusually large, she thought, although she hadn't seen that many men in the flesh to compare him with.

Pulling a pan and utensils from drawers below the bench, he started cooking bacon and eggs. He threw her a loaf of bread. 'Here, you can cook the toast,' he said casually. This time his voice sounded a little more human. Yet all it took was a dumfounded expression on her behalf and the annoyed look was back on his face.

Goddamn it, why can't I keep my stupid face from showing any expression? 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look ill mannered but I haven't cooked before. If you show me, I'm a quick learner.'

His eyes darkened and creases lined his forehead as he frowned, making her cringe and take a step back from him.

'I don't know where you came from or why you had to turn up on my doorstep but I was hoping you could at least feed yourself. Even the bloody animals know how to do that.' His flat tone let her know he was more frustrated with her than upset. He threw two pieces of bread in the toaster and pushed down a lever. 'When it pops up, just butter it,' he added a little sarcastically as he held up the knife and the butter. 'You do know how to butter bread, I assume?' He went back to cooking the bacon and eggs.

Cassie grumbled under her breath and she saw his face tighten at her response.

He pulled out two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with juice, handing them to Cassie, gesturing for her to put them the table, while he dished up. The tension was choking but he did pull out a chair for her. She guessed that maybe he was just worried about the horse out in the barn and that she was not the problem at all.

It was hard not to watch his every move. Cassie had never been so close to an eligible male before and she loved the way he folded the egg and bacon into a sandwich and held it in one hand while his other gripped the paper he read. His fingers were long and strong and they put a tingle through her as she imagined curling her own fingers around them. She shook her head and glanced down at all the food on her plate. She tried to eat but her stomach filled after just a few bites. She thought about the last few days. By the date on the calendar in the kitchen she knew it was day four since she had been taken from her bed. It had seemed a nightmare and yet there now seemed to be so much to be grateful for. Even the little bit of kindness she had received from Kayden was more than she had ever had. Cassie didn't want him to take her home as he had threatened and yet if she kept annoying him, she would end up there for sure. Already, Cassie liked his quiet existence and wished she could stay a while until she learned to do things for herself. Somehow though, she doubted this man had patience for anything other than his horses. She focused back on her plate of food. She had barely touched it and Kayden had already cleaned his up.

Cassie was on edge, wondering if wasting the food he had cooked for her would be enough to tip him over the edge and make him cross at her again. He'll most likely stomp out to the stables without me, she thought. Tears sprang to her eyes that she tried to wipe quickly away.

Cassie heard his paper move and his eyes peered around it at her. 'What's wrong now?'

'My stomach, I still don't feel well. I know you hated having to cook it for me and now I'm wasting it.'

He shrugged and went back to reading his paper.

Damn. He's so hard to fathom. She dropped her shoulders and breathed out heavily. Now she realised how tense she was, she really had to stop feeling so uptight. Maybe it's me and not him at all. She leaned back in her chair, drinking her juice and looking outside. The tree near the window had lovely lilac flowers that lifted in the breeze, making a carpet of petals around the trunk. Yes, it was beautiful here.