From the Depths

by S. J. Sanders

  at her face, his brow ridges arched in question. A peal of laughter rang loudly through the room as Amanda tossed her head back.

  “You destroyed my bed!” She snorted again then laughed even harder. Oshen glanced back at the splintered wood and felt a grin tug at the corner of his mouth. The light from his fushori ​ slowly dimmed as his body relaxed. She wiped at the tears that had streaked down her cheeks and studied his face before asking, “you could have broken free anytime you wanted, couldn’t you? You could have overpowered us.”

  “I could have, but I told you I was no threat.”

  Hades yowled and butted his head against Amanda’s arm in a bid for her attention before wedging his large, fluffy body between them. The beast turned to rub his face along Oshen’s hand then had the audacity to bite him! Everyone just wanted to hurt him today. The cat narrowed his large yellow eyes at him as if to say that the bite was a warning he should heed. Oshen reached out and rubbed Hades behind one of his ears in an unspoken truce. Oshen gave Amanda a hesitant smile before gesturing down to his legs. “Any idea where the key is, or do I need to break these as well?”

  “Oh, I guess I hadn’t thought to ask for the key. Jun knows I’m a softy so she probably took it with her.”

  Shaking his head, Oshen reached down and grasped the metal that chained him to the wood. It snapped with an audible ​pop ​ under the pressure. He turned his attention to his wrists, breaking the thin links between the shackles so that he could move more freely. He turned at her small gasp of surprise. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone break out of handcuffs like that,” she laughed. How did males on this planet protect their families if she was amazed by such a small show of strength? Oshen stood from the broken bed and began to gather the pieces he had torn apart in his rush to get to her.

  “You don’t have to do that.” she said, placing her hand on his arm to stop him.

  “I wouldn’t be worth much if I couldn’t at least clean up after myself. Your Earth hasn’t switched to credits yet, so I cannot even offer to buy you a replacement.”

  “I’m not mad,” she insisted, “It really isn’t a big deal.”

  Oshen paid her no mind as he went about picking up the broken pieces of her furniture. His actions and words from only minutes before swarmed his thoughts. He had called her his gynaíka. It had felt so right, so natural in that moment, but now he balked at the memory. She couldn’t be that for him. Oshen wasn’t sure what had possessed him to speak the words to her, but he knew that a Venium had never found a ​gynaíka ​ or ​sýzygos ​ outside of their species; he didn’t imagine that was going to change now. It was merely his physical attraction to her that clouded his mind, but he wasn’t looking for a pleasure mate he reminded himself. ​Pleasure mates won’t make my mating glands swell though. ​ A loud gurgle had him looking up at Amanda in question.

  A blush sprang to her cheeks, “That’s my stomach. I haven’t eaten in a long time,” she explained, “I guess with everything going on I kind of forgot how hungry I was.”

  The sun peeked from behind the dark coverings on the windows as Amanda rose from the tangled sheets on the bed. Hades rolled onto his back, stretching out with a contented purr. Oshen watched as she ran her fingers through her tangled hair and stepped through the doorway, leaving him alone in her room. He wouldn’t deny that he was hungry, but he was unfamiliar with Earth foods and didn’t know if she even had anything he could eat.

  The sound of strange voices had him springing into action. He stopped just inside the doorway of the room he had sat in the night before. The image of another human female was projected onto the flat holo screen that hung from the opposite wall.

  “Alien technology was found yesterday just off the coast of Tampa,” the female reported. “The technology is unlike anything we have seen from the Grutex. Many are asking if this could be a sign that other species are now working with the aliens to overpower our defenses. Japan is the newest country to have taken a major hit this week. Young men and women are disappearing almost daily. The One World Council has been discussing ways to push them back. Their global team of scientists and engineers are working day and night to protect humanity. Local governments are asking people to come forward and report any suspicious activity they may see. In other news, the soil across the globe is beginning to have new growths, not all of them good. Some fear we are living in the next Chernobyl, our weapons poisoning the Earth like the power plant did on April 26th, 1986. Let’s take a look at the weather fore-”

  The holo blinked out as Amanda let loose a growl of aggravation. “I bet this is what they took our funding away for. More weapons to pollute a planet that’s already struggling.”

  Oshen didn’t even acknowledge her. “Brin!” How could he have forgotten? He turned his wrist over quickly, flipping to the male’s info and trying again to reach him. He felt sick to his stomach with the realization that the alien tech the humans had found was most likely the wreckage from their hovercraft. ​I have to warn Brin that he is in trouble. We are no longer safe here.

  “Is everything ok?” Amanda asked, moving toward him.

  “No, it’s not okay.” He huffed in frustration when Brin did not answer. “I didn’t get to answer my comm and tell my ​brutok ​ to get off world. He doesn’t even know that I’m alive. I’ve been holed up here instead of making sure he is okay and worrying about retrieving any of our leftover ship before your humans discovered it!” he gritted his teeth trying not to yell at her.

  He could see her lip trembling as if she would cry again, but the fire lit in her eyes. She tilted her chin up and squared her shoulders. “We did what we thought was the right thing to do! We know nothing about you or your kind, what you want with us, or if you are just like the Grutex! If you blame us for that, then you're just plain cruel.”

  “You could have cost him his life, Amanda!” The bioluminescence of his ​fushori ​ pulsed to life as he struggled to control his emotions. He wasn’t sure how to explain to her why this situation was so dire beyond what he had already said.

  “You don’t understand all that we have been through with the Grutex.” Amanda fisted her hands as if she wanted to pound them against his chest. “Why are your people even here if it isn’t to join forces with them?”

  “We were following the Grutex because they spoke about a solution to a problem the Venium and many other species are facing recently. We knew we couldn’t trust them. We have heard their lies before, so our leaders decided to send out troops of our own to discover if there was any truth in their promise.” Oshen’s brows drew together as he spoke. “When we arrived I felt a pull to leave the ship, to see the wonder and beauty of the​ okeanós ​ with my own eyes. I ignored orders to stay put until we better understood the situation your world was in.” Oshen paced to the window. They had rested the entire day away, he noted absently. “There are rules about interfering with other worlds. We should have waited to make contact, but I think I was called to disobey, to find you when you were in danger.” He turned toward her, capturing her gaze. “I believe in my heart that it was the will of the gods.”

  “Will of the gods?” She repeated, her brows climbing up her forehead.

  Oshen took a deep breath before releasing it. “I think you are my mate, my bonded mate, but I don’t yet understand how. We have never found a bondmate outside of our own kind before. All interspecies couples have been barren since they are unable to trigger the mating bond to start the reproductive process. We call these pleasure mates. Yet with you I feel drawn, possessive. It’s how my sire described feeling when he met my dam.”

  “You mentioned pleasure mates. How do you know that it isn’t just attraction?”

  “Because my mating glands swell just being near you, even with you being human.” He moved to stand in front of her.

  Amanda’s cheeks heated, and she cleared her throat before asking, “Is that how you recognize the bond?”

  Oshen nodded his head in confirmation an
d gently caressed her face as he looked down into her shining eyes. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead to her own, whispering his confession.

  “It wouldn’t matter if it didn’t swell for you. I want you. I have always wanted a mate, I never wanted anything less, but with you I want anything you are willing to give.”

  Amanda’s mouth opened then closed for a moment as she considered his words. “This is all just happening so fast. Give me some time to think it over.”

  Chapter Six

  Amanda

  The days came and went. Jun had stopped by after her shift that first night, and Amanda had gotten the mother of all lectures on why she shouldn’t have released Oshen, who only smiled when Amanda argued that she had done no such thing. Jun had also retrieved her gun after Amanda begged and swore she wouldn’t be holding her alien at gunpoint. She smiled to herself. He was ​her ​ alien, even if they had decided to delay anything physical for a time. Oshen had been right to stop her that day. Neither one of them had been ready. If he was right and they were mates, then she wanted to get to know as much about him as she could before getting intimate. She had stopped fussing over his injury after the first couple days. Amanda realized he hadn’t been joking about his kind’s ability to heal quickly when she pulled back the bandage to find that only a scar remained on his skin.

  Oddly enough, Amanda hadn’t heard much from Jun over the last few days. It might have been the “mushy love vibes” she complained she was getting anytime Oshen was near Amanda. Oshen still hadn’t been in contact with Brin. He tried daily, but nothing came through the comm aside from the sassy voice of his A.I., who she happened to find immensely entertaining. Amanda had even taken to showing the program her collection of movies. She and Oshen had spent hours watching DVDs as she introduced him to human food like popcorn, pizza, and chinese takeout. He had discovered a particular love for pancakes and insisted Amanda teach him how to make them, so they could have them every day.

  It seemed like more time had passed since that day than it had…

  Amanda slid the plate of buttermilk pancakes in front of Oshen, adding a little butter on top of each circular cake before smothering them in syrup. “Try this one.”

  Oshen looked dubiously at the contents of the dish, but bravely scooped a piece between his claws and brought it to his mouth. With one arched brow he popped the moist lump between his lips, groaning as the taste spread across his tongue. “You will teach me how to make this? We will feast on it every day,” he narrowed his eyes as if she would refuse.

  “Okay, fine, I’ll teach you,” she giggled.

  “Now!”

  “Okay, Mr. Impatient.” Amanda shook her head at Oshen wondering if the male had ever had to wait for anything.

  She grabbed the bowl from where it had been drying, pulling out the measuring cup. Thankfully, most of the ingredients were still out. “Flour, flour,” she mumbled looking around the kitchen. It sat on the granite counter closest to Oshen. “Oshen hun, could you hand me that bag?”

  Shrugging his shoulders, Oshen picked up the flour and turned to bring it to her. Just as he took a step closer the bag burst from the pressure of his claws. White powder flew through the air, coating both of them. “What is this?” he asked, horrified.

  Amanda nearly lost it as he smacked his lips together as if they were glued shut. She howled with laughter as he shook his body trying to dislodge the particles, reminding her of a wet dog. Oshen’s gold eyes caught hers, heat flaring in the depths. He leaned forward and wiped some from her nose, a smile curling his mouth. “You seem to be hiding from me, little one. Do I scare you?”

  She couldn’t stop the silent gasp as he touched her skin, her heart trying to escape from her chest. Why did he have this effect on her? “If I were a giant squid I would shoot ink made up of melanin so that you wouldn’t be able to see me clearly, and I could escape. But then you wouldn’t be white; you’d be surrounded in a blue-black cloud.” Amanda’s cheeks heated as she realized she was rambling again. Oshen leaned forward as if he would kiss her, but she fled. She felt like a coward as she locked herself in the bathroom.

  Amanda shook herself from the memory to the present. Today, as she had done every morning for the last few days, she stood in her kitchen watching as Oshen patiently added all the ingredients for breakfast into a large bowl. “Any word from Brin?”

  Oshen shook his head as he continued mixing. “More of the same.”

  Amanda sighed softly. They were both growing concerned for their friends. She reached out to offer him a comforting touch just as the doorbell rang through the house. Amanda felt anxiety rush through her as Oshen left the kitchen to hide.

  Excess batter clung to her cheek, and she scrubbed at it with a kitchen towel as she peered around to make sure Oshen was out of sight. She peeked through the peephole and cursed softly when she saw two men in sharp black suits standing on her porch. Amanda plastered on her best I’m-not-hiding-an-alien smile and pulled the door open. “Can I help you guys with something?”

  The man on the left pulled out a badge, flipping it open and closed so fast that Amanda hadn’t even had time to see who she was dealing with. “Good morning, ma’am. We’ve received a tip that you may be harboring an alien life form in your home. Would you mind if we came in to have a look?” His blue eyes darted around what he could see from the doorway, and she shifted her body to block him.

  “Um, I don’t really know what, uh...” Amanda stammered as she struggled to come up with a reasonable excuse.

  “Alien life form? Why Meatface, I do believe they are referring to you. The alien you’re looking for is in here! Say hello to my little friend!” ​Mouní ​ mimicked the firing of a machine gun. She always did have a horrible habit of being the exact opposite of helpful. Unfortunately, today was no different.

  So many things seemed to happen all at once. Guns were drawn; Oshen sprang out, wrapping himself protectively around her. There was shouting in front of her and the deep

  rumble of Oshen’s growl against her back. All of a sudden there was a loud hiss, and a flash of silver shot past Amanda, slamming into the man on the right. He fell to the ground, hands grabbing at the massive, fluffy body that had latched itself to his face. “Hades!”

  As it turned out, having a massive twenty-five pound maine coon cat jump in your face would have you taking a few steps back and rethinking your attitude. The agent who had flashed his badge on the porch laughed as he looked over at his battered partner. The poor man narrowed his eyes then slid a cautious glance across the room to Hades who was curled up happily on Amanda’s lap while she sat tucked up against Oshen in a chair. Somehow seeing them as two normal people being attacked by her frazzled beast made the agents seem far more approachable.

  Amanda shifted uncomfortably. Even though the men were calmer and the weapons had been holstered, she could still feel the tension in the room as they eyed Oshen, who did the same to them. The agents broke the silence first, asking who Oshen’s people were, where they came from, and why they were on Earth. He told them the same thing he had told her the first night. Amanda told them the story of her attack at the research center and how Oshen had saved her life from the Grutex male. She still hadn’t gotten their names, so she had taken to calling them Blue Eyes and Cat Scratch. A muffled giggle escaped her lips at the thought, causing Oshen to arch a brow at her curiously.

  “If you aren’t working with the Grutex then why are you still here?” Blue Eyes asked, his leg bouncing anxiously. “We’ve intercepted several transmissions from Earth to a large ship in orbit around the planet. We know there are more of your kind.”

  A growl vibrated through Oshen, his eyes narrowing on the agent across from him. “Then you are the reason I cannot reach my brethren?”

  The agent paled in the face of his fury. “No, we were only monitoring. We can’t even get a distress signal offworld with the Grutex blocking all of our transmissions.” Although the men were most likely telling the truth about
the Grutex jamming Earth signals, Amanda didn’t doubt the government would have otherwise blocked the Venium transmissions.

  “My ​brutok ​ could fix this problem. I’ve never met anyone else so proficient with technology.” Oshen spoke fondly of his best friend, reminding Amanda of how close she and Jun were. She hoped that when Jun spoke of her, people saw the same fondness that Oshen displayed.

  Amanda interjected with a soft clearing of her throat. “Speaking of Brin, do you think that he or anyone else on your ship would be willing to help us? Help Earth?” ​If they help us, then maybe I won’t have to find a way for us to hide in the ocean. ​ Amanda wanted so badly to ignore her duties and run away with her alien, but she knew that she was human first. The least she could do would be to ensure the survival of her species.

  “I would do anything for you, ​gynaíka, but my people would ask for something in return.”

  Amanda kept forgetting to ask him what the direct translation of that word was. Every time he said it a chill ran down her spine, sending a shot of desire between her thighs. Oshen knew the effect it had on her; she could tell by the curling of his lips as she began to squirm.

  “How could we do that?” Cat Scratch asked. “What would we even have to offer them?”

  “My people are dying out, males and females alike. I’ve bonded with Amanda which is unheard of among our people. If Earth could provide us with our bonded?” Oshen brushed the back of his hand down the side of Amanda’s face and smiled. “We will help end this war just for the chance to have families.”

  Blue Eyes leaned forward, “Where can we find your friend?”

  Chapter Seven

  Oshen

  All eyes turned to Oshen as if he held the magic answer, and he supposed he did since none of them knew Brin. Oshen sat tall in his seat as he jerked a hand through his dreads before speaking in a clipped voice.