by Sabrina Kade
No creature our size would be foolish enough to travel after the suns set.
For now, I must be patient and wait out flenhein.
And Phoebe. I must also be patient and wait for Phoebe.
I can only hope it will not be for much longer. My desire to claim her grows stronger with each passing moment. But I must wait until she Chooses me. I have Chosen her, but that means little until she gets away from Iriel and Chooses me.
The thundering above grows louder.
Only a fool would leave the lairs tonight.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Phoebe
“I’m leaving the lairs. Tonight.”
Some small part of me hopes the girls will stop me from going, saying it’s too dangerous to leave the lairs with flenhein approaching, but they’re all astonishingly understanding.
It’s no secret now. In the Gathering Room during nightfall, I realize most of the girls already know how I feel about Iriel and Drazal. And like me, most of them are still so afraid of messing things up on this assignment. It is incredible that so many of us think we have found something different here, and yet, there is not much trust.
York says she does not want to disrespect Azan’s beliefs.
Blythe says after flenhein she will try to speak to Korben.
Sloane and Layla aren’t afraid, though. They want to help me get out of here, and they promise there are plenty of others who want to help.
It feels good to have friends here, even if I haven’t been the best of friends to them.
To most of the girls, I’m the naïve idiot. The one who got slapped by a Todas. The one Arizona bailed out. A scaredy cat. A fraidy baby. The one who shut down after seeing a dilewiler. The one who doesn’t stand up to Iriel. The one who looks and acts like a perfect mate to Iriel on the outside but is screaming loudly on the inside.
Finally, my voice has reached some of them, but that doesn’t make me any less terrified about leaving the lair tonight to seek out Drazal.
“It’s a respect thing,” Blythe says in a low voice, checking over her shoulder to make sure Korben or any of the others aren’t lurking in the doorway to the Gathering Room. What few Sidyths are here, keep their distance, but the privacy won’t last forever, and we know that. “I’m sure Drazal wanted to stand up for you, but until you say something, he has no grounds. And Korben won’t punish females, but he will punish his own if he thinks something is wrong.”
“You not admitting to everyone that you don’t like Iriel when you’re trying to start something with Drazal is all kinds of wrong,” York says, shaking her head. “God. Say something, Phoebe. Say you want to be with Drazal.”
“That is what you want, isn’t it?” Sloane asks patiently. “We all get you don’t like Iriel as a possible mate, but is this something you want with Drazal?”
“Of course it is!” Layla retorts.
“She needs to say it,” Sloane says.
I press my lips into a thin line. Yes. Sloane’s not wrong. Layla, Drazal or anyone else can scream as loudly as they want that I don’t want Iriel as a Chosen mate. But it won’t mean anything to anyone unless I say it. And though I’ve taken the first step and admitted I don’t want Iriel, what I need to say is that I do want Drazal.
That’s probably another reason why Drazal didn’t say anything to Korben. It wouldn’t have meant anything because I would have stood there with my lips parted without saying a word. He remained silent because he was waiting for me to say something.
I didn’t.
I intend to make up for that tonight. After all, they always say actions speak louder than words. But I’ll start with words.
“I want Drazal as my Chosen.” My voice is so soft and tentative, that it almost doesn’t sound like me. I clear my throat, trying to desperately remember the person I used to be before I watched Arizona get raped by a Todas to help me, and before a dilewiler reminded me entirely too much of the dog that attacked and killed my little brother. No. I can’t think of the past. This is my present, and I want it to be my future.
I want Drazal to be my future. “I Choose Drazal as my mate,” I say more clearly, straightening my shoulders and smiling. “That is, if he’ll Choose me.”
Layla snorts. “Oh, chica. I don’t think you have to worry about that.”
“Yeah,” Sloane agrees. “The only thing we need to worry about is getting you to him without getting you killed.”
“I still think it’s a bad idea,” Blythe mutters.
“Surprise, surprise,” Layla says. “The girl’s in love. Let her go.”
“You’re asking me to let her get killed.”
“Celeste and Glykoran are keeping a lookout,” Layla says. “There will be breaks in the migration.”
“Dakota is on the other side,” Sloane says. “We’ll get her through this.”
Blythe doesn’t look convinced, and that sends a little chill of worry up my spine. I can only hope she’s not going to betray me and tell Korben what we’re up to. I’m sure I’m not alone in this concern because most of the girls spin in her direction as though we’re all thinking the same thing. She huffs and crosses her arms under her chest.
“I’m not going to say anything,” she whisper hisses. “Chill. I’m not a punkassbitch.”
“Let’s hope not,” Lacey calls from the corner.
Sloane smirks. “Now that that’s out of the way, I guess it’s time to put this thang together.” She laughs at her slang, and Layla shakes her head. “Okay, do we all remember the plan?” She points around the room. “Pregnancy and baby drama distract our big bad aliens, and Phoebe makes a run for it. She hides until there’s a break in the flenhein. She runs to the second lair where Dakota will help her in.” She looks back at me. “She’ll give you directions, but after that, you’re on your own, girl. Not everyone would be down with this plan, so you’ll have to find the prison lair they created on your own.”
“Without getting caught,” Aoi adds. “Otherwise, we’ll all get in trouble.”
“No, we won’t,” Blythe says, though she doesn’t sound as confident as I’d like her to be.
Still, I’m happy I don’t have to do this alone. Blythe keeping her mouth shut is only a small part of the amount of support I’m feeling from the rest of the girls.
York, who came up with the plan.
Layla and Sloane who somehow managed to get Celeste and Glykoran on my side.
And Ellis, who should basically be laying in a bed until she gives birth, promises to keep Iriel distracted. I don’t know exactly how she’s going to pull that off, but the girls all say the same thing.
Focus on getting to the second lair.
Don’t think about what you see out there.
Just run. Get there safe. Get there alive.
It’s hard not to feel a little giddy about the adventure I’m about to take. Yes, there’s a small chance I could get hurt, but if it was truly dangerous, I want to believe the others wouldn’t let me go so easily. Not that it matters. There’s no way I’m going to hesitate this time. I don’t want his dick in my mouth, I want it inside me. I want to feel him inside me, and I want to hold him close. I want to apologize for never standing up for him, and I want to thank him for always being patient enough to wait for me to stand up for myself. Not every guy could do that. Fuck, not any guy would do that unless he was already getting sex on the regular.
Drazal has nothing to show for his time spent with me other than a blow job.
That stops tonight.
None of it would have happened without Drazal’s patience. And the girls sitting around me.
“Thank you,” I say in a low voice when some of the girls shift, probably ready to end our little meeting before the aliens get suspicious. It’s hard for me to get the words out because I’ve grown too used to spending time in my own shell of worries. Iriel built my walls up so high that I’m almost unable to send them tumbling down, but I’m doing it. And if Drazal accepts me as his Chosen mate, the first th
ing I’m going to do is tell Blythe. And tell Blythe to tell Korben.
In a few hours, I could be Drazal’s Chosen mate.
I can start looking as happy and fulfilled as Sloane, York, Layla and all the others who have an alien by their side.
I’m not that scared of getting pregnant anymore. I don’t dread it like I did with Iriel. That was my fear about having sex with him. It only takes one time to get pregnant. I watched MTV long enough at home to know that much. So I kept my legs closed for as long as I could. But with Drazal? I’m ready to spread. Spread em’ wide.
Layla reaches forward and touches my shoulder. “You don’t need to thank us, chica. We’re family. We’re going to watch out for each other.”
Right. A smile hits my lips, and I grin like an idiot. I’m so lucky sometimes I almost can’t believe it. I have an alien waiting for me and a group of girls that would make Carrie Bradshaw jealous.
“Make sure you fuck him senseless,” Layla adds, shattering the heartwarming moment in a way that only she could do, and still manage to be charming. “These aliens have amazing equipment, but they also like a female who reciprocates.”
“That’s the truth,” York says, chuckling. “Azan really likes it when—”
“Okay, enough,” Lacey barks. “Seriously, I don’t want to hear alien fuck stories. I didn’t even read that shit back home.”
A collective groan fills the air, but York is polite enough not to continue her story. She smiles in my direction. “Another time, perhaps. I guess you’ll find out for yourself, huh? You and Iriel never…”
“No,” I say clearly. “Never. We never did.”
“Then you’re in for a treat.” York beams at Layla who nods like an idiot, and they both start laughing.
Then, there’s silence.
York holds out her hand toward me. “Are you ready for this?”
I take her hand and stand slowly. I sweep my gaze around the Gathering Room once more, remembering I shouldn’t cry all the time. My eyes water anyway.
I’m ready.
***
I’m barely able to get a word out when Celeste and Glykoran let me know the path should be clear to the second lair. My heart races when I look at the fields between the two lairs, marveling at the massive prints in the earth, but Celeste doesn’t appear shaken by it. Nothing really bothers her anymore, but I haven’t gone through as much as she has. At least, that’s what people tell me.
I clutch my chest and keep staring ahead as though expecting something to slow me down. A sign that I should go back. But the woods are silent. It’s an eerie sound, sending chills of worries from the back of my neck to the tips of my toes.
Sparing Glykoran and Celeste one last look, I step beyond the curled rock shelter of our lair. The air is muggy and thick, but not enough to make me think anything wrong will happen. I curl my fingers into tight fists, pressing my nails against my palms so I can focus on that pain and not the worries bubbling around my stomach.
The grass and dirt are cool to the touch under my feet, and the trees rustle softly with a gentle breeze. My first steps are shaky, and I want to head back. I’m not sure where. Maybe I want to go back to the Gathering Room. Maybe I want to curl up with Drazal. But he’s not behind me. He’s in front, and that’s where I need to go.
“Good luck,” Celeste whispers from behind me. “You’ll be okay.”
I turn my chin over my shoulder, wondering if there’s any way I’ll be able to tell if she’s lying, but her face looks as hopeful as her voice sounds. She stands closer to Glykoran who stiffens but doesn’t move to touch her. He seems like a good guy. Much older guy. Still dedicated to his wife and child, no matter how obvious Celeste acts. I don’t think I could show so much attention to a man who’s already married, but I guess they have a special relationship. Not that it’s any of my business anyway. I decide now isn’t the time to think about Celeste and Glykoran’s strange friendship anyway, and break into a fast-paced gait. I don’t want to run, I’m still too clumsy and noisy, but I want to move more quickly. My fears increase by the moment, and I want nothing more than to get to the other lair and move forward with the second part of the plan. Some small part of me wishes Kansas or one of the unfamiliar Sidyths would meet me halfway, but of course, the woods are silent other than my crushing footsteps, my heartbeat, the breeze, and rustling from behind.
Rustling. From behind.
I feel another chill rock through my entire being, but I don’t want to focus on it. I’m small compared to the woods. The trees hide enough of me. There shouldn’t be anything scary enough to want to take a little morsel like me. Maybe I’m too little to notice.
The thought is a comforting one, so I pick up the pace, stepping only on the balls of my feet. The rustling continues, but I refuse to look back. Looking back is what got me into trouble before. In the movies, they always say don’t look back, and I guess I never really thought about how important that statement was. It’s not because it helps you go faster, but because once you can put a face to your terror, it’s only going to make things worse.
The rustling continues to grow louder as I move through the thickest part of the trees between the first and second lair. I notice the ground is also rumbling softly beneath my toes. I want to stop. I want to look around and make sure I’m not going to end up striding right into the mouth of a beast, but I can’t force myself to do it. But I start to run.
Don’t look back, Phoebe. Don’t look back. Whatever you do, don’t look back.
My steps grow heavier and louder as the sounds increase behind me. Whatever’s coming sounds big, but at least it only sounds like one sets of thuds. I pump my legs through the heavy vegetation, waiting for the trees to break apart so I can see the opening to the second lair, but my legs feel like jelly. It’s like running on sand. Like a dream, where no matter how hard you run, you don’t get anywhere.
“There she is!” a voice calls from the distance.
I lift my chin, and narrow my eyes, hoping to see something that will put my worries at ease. A voice. A human voice. A female voice. I’m getting closer to the second lair but panic only increases. I can’t see the owner of the voice. I can’t see the second lair. I’m all but blinded by my tears because something is following me now. Something big. I bite down hard on my lower lip, building all the courage I have, and look behind me, still not slowing down. But only the trees rattle and the ground rumbles behind me.
But there’s a sound now.
Another sound beyond the rumbles.
Dilewilers.
No. That can’t be it. Dilewilers aren’t that much bigger than gorillas. Whatever’s behind me sounds like a giant, lumbering St. Bernard. Or a moose. I don’t actually know a lot about animals.
I’m afraid to find out what’s behind me, and so I focus on what’s ahead. I’m not athletic, and I’m not fast, but right now, I could run all night if I had to so I wouldn’t have to face whatever’s behind me.
But as strong and confident as I feel, there’s no way I can outrun the beast behind me.
“Come on, Phoebe!” that same feminine voice comes through the clusters of plant life.
“Don’t draw attention!” A male voice snaps.
“It’s her! I can tell by the hair!” the female shouts back.
That explains how someone can see me when I can’t see them.
I run harder and faster than I’ve ever run in my life, feeling completely vulnerable and tiny as the tree leaves and branches strike me in the face as I go past.
Nothing will stop me now.
“Come on!”
That’s when the trees split like the seas, and I see the second lair ahead of me. It’s much smaller than Prince Korben’s, but right now it could be an abandoned Kmart and I’d still worship it like a God. There are two bodies standing in the opening, one human and one Sidyth. They won’t leave the shelter of the lair opening, but when I draw closer, their eyes are wide with fear.
What the hell is behin
d me? I can’t think about that. I won’t think about that.
The only thing that matters is getting to the cave. Getting to Drazal.
“Jesus!” the feminine shape yells. “That big one is chasing smaller ones! Phoebe, watch your feet!”
I’m about to ask what the hell she’s talking about when something brushes against my calves. I screech in surprise as a creature that can only be described as a frog running on its hind legs, sprints past and hops over the cave opening. Another striding frog. And another. Soon, it feels like there’s hundreds of two feet tall frogs going by, and luckily, none of the them pay the slightest bit of attention to me.
“What the fuck?” I scream, unable to help the words from escaping.
“Keep running!” the female calls back.
I realize now it’s Dakota from her shoulder length sandy blond hair and petite athletic frame. She is my beacon. I have to get to her no matter what.
But the universe isn’t done fucking with me. When the last of those frogs have hopped over the cave opening, there’s a roar that comes from behind that sounds so primitive and wild, that I stumble in the dirt and fall on my face.
“Phoebe!” Dakota screeches. “Get up! Get up!”
I snarl into the dirt, cursing my fear and find my footing, sprinting toward Dakota who’s staring at something behind me and holding out her arms. The Sidyth beside her wears a sour face and has a possessive hand curled around her shoulder as though to make sure she won’t do anything stupid like running out to meet me.
The roar comes once more and that’s all I need to cover the last few yards, and I tackle Dakota to the ground. All three of us fall backwards into the lair opening, and I’m breathing so hard I can’t bring myself to move off her. She feels nice. Not sweaty and she’s not trembling and shaking like it’s her job. I allow myself to be held by her though I can feel the Sidyth standing close by and narrowing his eyes. The rumbling steps continue, but we’re safe now.