it with supplies.”
“Not empty,” Petryx said, closing the lid on one of the boxes in the corner. “If I’m not mistaken, these are cases of unlicensed liquor. I believe your so-called ballast room has been kept open for use in a smuggling operation.”
The director’s mouth dropped open.
“I’m going to need to talk to your inventory staff manager,” Petryx said.
“Right away,” the director replied with a determined expression.
Petryx left them to wrangle the sheep while he went off to have what Liberty assumed was going to be a rather unpleasant conversation with the person in charge of the ship’s inventory.
An hour later, Liberty and Odin were walking down Main Street.
The seven rainbow sheep floated overhead on the tethers Odin held, like colorful balloons made of cotton candy. And little Colton was awake enough to squeak at them.
“Can you believe we just broke up an interplanetary smuggling ring?” Liberty asked in awe.
“I think we’re going to be famous,” Odin teased, gesturing around to all the attention they were currently receiving.
Sure enough, nearly everyone on Main Street was smiling and pointing at the floating sheep.
“Well, I guess it’s one way to meet the neighbors,” Liberty said.
“Better than espionage,” Odin agreed with a wicked grin.
“I would say it will be nice to settle into our new life,” Liberty said. “But I have this funny feeling we’re never going to get bored.”
“Of course not,” Odin said. “Colton won’t let that happen.”
Liberty looked down into the sweet face of her baby boy, and up into the beautiful eyes of his father, who was gazing at them with a dark intensity.
“I’m suddenly feeling eager to get home,” he said.
“Me too,” she agreed.
He lifted her up onto the stag-mare and swung up behind her, urging the horse to a gallop as soon as they were settled, the sheep trailing happily behind and above.
With Odin holding her, Colton in her arms, and the fragrant breeze blowing in her hair, Liberty felt a wordless joy that no future adventures would ever take from her.
“I love you, Liberty Clark,” Odin murmured into her hair. “Always will.”
Liberty didn’t need the clouds to part to feel the warm sunshine in her heart.
***
Thanks for reading Odin!
Are you ready for another romantic Alien Adoption Agency adventure?
Do you want to see what happens when Rexx and Abigail board a train and have to deal with a missing person, an unexpected passenger, a mysterious, forbidden car, and a band of ruthless outlaws?
Then keep reading for a sample of Rexx.
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Rexx: Alien Adoption Agency #6
https://www.tashablack.com/alienadoption.html
Rexx (SAMPLE)
1
Abigail
Abigail stepped out of the stark decontamination tent and into a meadow so lush and green it almost didn’t seem real.
A light breeze played in her hair and rustled her impractical gown.
The adoption agency had required a lot from her. So when they handed her the low-cut purple dress as she prepared to board the ship, she didn’t even ask them why. She just wanted to get to her baby. She would have worn a potato sack if they wanted, or nothing at all.
Her eyes searched the meadow and landed at last on a huge, azure warrior holding a small baby, with blue skin that matched the big man’s perfectly.
The baby was deliciously chubby, and he was clearly feeling active and awake. As she watched in awe, he kicked his little feet and tried to stick his whole fist in his mouth.
Her heart melted instantly. She gathered the gown in her hands and sprinted for him, not wanting to waste another second that could be spent holding him.
Abigail had six siblings, and she adored them all. As the oldest, she had been her parents’ helper with the younger ones, and longed for the day when she could be a mother to her own children.
But a sudden illness in her teen years meant she needed lifesaving treatments. It was a miracle that her family had scraped together the funds. But they had done it, and the doctors had saved her life.
Now she was a hale and hearty young woman. But those treatments meant she would be unable to have biological children.
Abigail was a naturally light-hearted person. But knowledge of her infertility caused a strange sadness in her that had no depths or barriers. Days might pass with no more than a fleeting thought, and then the pain would come out of nowhere, like someone had leapt out of the shadows to physically attack her.
Abigail tried her best to bear it in silence. Her family