He rose, and my dad met us near the sunflowers. Dad took off his ring and held it against the sunlight. "Lilly, this is yours to give," he said. "Lucian, you better give my daughter all of the love and happiness the world can offer."
My father opened my hand and gave me the ring. "Dad… Oh, my God."
Lucian bowed his head. "My entire life is devoted to her wellbeing."
"You saved our lives. You know that you have my blessing," he said.
Mom smiled and leaned her head against Dad's shoulder. "You have both our blessings."
It wasn't the past. It was something better. We had the present, and I was fully invested in the growth of our future.
I placed the ring over Lucian's finger and kissed him. He brought his arms around me, growling. I tasted every ounce of love, but I wanted so much more.
"What will be the name of our biggest blessing?" he asked me.
I looked down at my belly. In less than nine months’ time, he would be in my arms. Life finally seemed so easy.
I took a deep breath and said, "Alexander."
"His virtue is patience. He will meet mankind in the center of all disagreements," my mother said.
My father ran to the wooden table and grabbed a champagne bottle from the center. "Dom Perignon. 1989," he said. "I think it'll be a fine way to celebrate this day.”
He popped the cork high into the air, spraying suds of champagne across our heads. Everything was perfect. Well, everything except one thing. "Wait! We need music!"
"Music?" my dad asked. "How on earth are we going to find any music around here?"
"I've got just the thing," I said.
I ran back inside the giant ship, zigzagging through rooms until I reached the center control. I dug through my bag and pulled out the Walkman. Looking at it made me laugh—was I the person to give it to my mom who would, in turn, give it to myself in her future? I really didn't want to even go there. This was my wedding, after all.
I walked back outside, fast-forwarding to my favorite David Bowie song. I pressed play and leaned it on an empty glass. The music melted like butter.
Lucian posed and bowed. "May I have this dance?"
Curtseying, I felt my cheeks turn hot. "You may."
The rest of the night was spent between dancing, getting far too drunk, and telling stories under the waning moon of the night sky. She told us about the Sankarian and Nyelan war that her father had fought in. She told us about where we were going. "America. 1939."
My jaw dropped. "1930-what?”
"Trust me on this. You're going to do a lot of good there," she said.
Anywhere was better than here, and she assured me it would give the time and space we'd need to grow and nurture as a family. And, of course, there was something important that needed to be done. Something Alexander would take care of.
"I have traveled through our family's ark. I was there for all of the beauty. All of the tragedy," she said. She closed her eyes for a brief moment. "I will make sure that every story ends with happiness. The world will not end."
In the beginning, my faith was broken. I clung onto fear like a righteous sword, swinging blindly. When I saw Lucian, everything changed. I didn't think too much about the darkness of those woods. I grew to love the darkness.
Now that I could trust in myself, I could trust in him.
I closed my eyes and let the moon shine against my lids. "I'm so thankful for everything," I said.
Lucian held up his champagne glass and smiled. "To family."
To family.
"Critter. Psst. Wake up, baby girl," she whispered.
"Momma?" I yawned and stretched my arms, blinking away the fuzzies. She stood above me, wearing a lustrous vinyl suit. A futuristic pistol hugged her hip, and a big suitcase sat on the ground next to me. It was time. She was leaving.
"I'm sorry to wake you up like this," she whispered. "I couldn't leave without saying goodbye one more time."
I sat up and adjusted to waking up. "But this isn't goodbye, right? I mean, not really."
"No, but it will be some time until we meet again," she said.
Lucian rolled awake with Kahn. "Hey, you're leaving already?"
It didn't take long for my father to come out of another room. "Baby? You were going to let me sleep through your departure?"
My mom shuffled her feet awkwardly. "Well, I didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but you were all snoring like babies, so…"
My dad ran his hand through his unkempt hair. "So how does this work? Do you step into a little box, or is it something to do with the Tesla coils outside?"
Mom laughed and opened the door to a section I had never seen before. We walked through. "Those old things? The coils just power the lights," she said. "No, I'm afraid it's a much more humbling process."
"Does it hurt?" I asked.
"Sometimes," she said. "And it's not always worth it. It is… a necessary disturbance."
We walked through another hallway to the outside, past the butt of the deserted starship, away from anything that ran on electricity. A small path led us to a large cliff.
She stepped onto the edge. "This is the Great Divide," she said. "The real one."
The real Great Divide. It was expansive.
Lucian shook his head. "Nope. You can't make me jump."
"Live through deeds of love, and let others live by understanding their unique intentions: this is the fundamental principle of free human beings," she said, stepping another inch forward. She reached into her pocket and took out a pill. In the center was the triangular insignia of Onyx.
She was a part of it. We were a part of it. I didn't know what that it actually entailed, but I was ready for it.
Placing the pill onto the bed of her tongue, she tilted her head back and swallowed. "Bitter taste," she said. "In about one minute, my body will dissolve and separate at the atomic level."
"How does it work?" I asked.
"Each pill has been carefully crafted for the correct atomic response. Once it's been taken, you cannot go back," she said. "You will be taken through the ether of this universe, and you will end up where you need to go."
"It's really happening, isn't it?" I asked.
"It's really happening," she said. "Until we meet again."
"Wait," my dad said, running forward.
"I only have thirty-seconds," she said.
He caught his breath. "If you see yourself in the future, tell her that I love her," he said. "Tell her that I'll do anything to help her on this journey, and that everything is going to be okay.”
"She already knows," she said.
I would allow time to run its course. I would see her again. I just had to keep faith.
For once, I could see the beauty in life. Even though this was a tough goodbye, it was necessary. Life moves on when it wants to. It was time to step aside.
"I'll miss you," she said.
"I'll miss you more," I said.
"Impossible."
Her body disassembled into atoms. In a violent frenzy, the air broke into pieces. A bright light flashed, and the ripple in time closed. Just like that, she was gone.
Lucian held me. He trickled his fingers down my arms. "You okay?"
I nodded. I wasn't hurt. How could I be? I got the chance to have her back. It wasn't forever, but no situation could promise that. I made the most of the time we had.
"I've spent an entire life trying to fix something that was never broken. I'm so in love with you, Lucian. I want nothing more than to start a family with you," I said.
"Our journey starts today," he said.
We walked carefully to where my mom's body had disintegrated. The cold wind drifted across me as I bent to pick up what she had left behind: Three long and rounded pills with the Onyx logo pressed onto the center.
I handed one to each of the men and took a deep breath. The world was at peace. "Are you ready?" I asked them.
Dad was wistful but he appeared to stay strong. "I was born re
ady."
"I guess I'll see you on the other side," Lucian said.
Kahn saluted. "Bottoms up."
We dropped the pills onto our tongues and swallowed. At first, there was no reaction, but we were silent with anticipation. Within ten-seconds, I felt my heart flutter. The butterflies in my stomach were going crazy. At about a minute in, everything exploded inside of me.
I was awakened. I was no one, nothing, and I was floating throughout time. It felt like love.
Suddenly, the light lifted. The molecules came into full view. My body was rebuilt at the atomic level, and we regenerated inside of a sizable living room.
"Everybody okay?" Lucian asked.
I looked at them and laughed. "I think I'm more than okay."
In the center of the room was a long wooden table. Resting near the edge were three thin pieces of paper with red bank seals stamped on the bottom. Dad grabbed them and held them up to the light. "These are the deeds to three properties," he said. "Looks like we're all neighbors."
I ran outside and stopped at the edge of the yard. Two brand new Fords sat parked in the driveway. "You guys!" I called out. "Check out the neighborhood."
Lucian, Dad, and Kahn ran outside, behind me. Lucian nearly passed out from surprise and Kahn tripped into his back. "I was going to say that anything is better than a cage, but this is more than I could have ever asked for," Lucian said.
A man watering his grass stared at us curiously. "New cars. New houses," he said, smiling so cheerfully that his face turned a bright red. He seemed to sense our hesitance. "My apologies, it's Lillian, right?"
"Yes, um…"
He tilted the hose and sprayed a dry patch of grass. "I met your mother, just the other day."
So, my mother had been here already. It was hard to know which version of my mother he had met. I paused and remembered what time period we were in. 1939. What an odd point of reference.
My face twisted into a pleasant smile. "Well, my husband certainly loves to surprise me."
Lucian cleared his throat and chimed in. "That, I do."
The man chortled and shook his head. "I'll tell you what—ever since your family opened that power plant, we've had blessing after blessing. It's all up and up from here on out!"
"You said it…" My voice trailed off.
I cocked my head in the other direction and looked past our tiny cul-de-sac. I felt my heart drop and body sag.
Behind the neighborhoods was a large cement wall. My mother's starship was not in the center, but a giant power plant sure was.
Lucian growled. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
I nodded. "We are the world's protectors."
We are Project Onyx.
Epilogue: Lilly
Location: Green Row Estates
Year: 1941
It had been two years, and we started a life together. A new life, one that made sense. Well, sort of.
At first, it was strange to adjust to an entirely new set of rules and principles. The Great Depression. World War II. Everything was happening as it was told, but it was so… different from what I imagined it to be.
We worked hard to keep our family out of the public eye, and it seemed to be working. We had to be aware of the odd customs and social habits. For instance, I couldn't eat with my hands at a dinner party. I couldn't start talking about time travel or things like Onyx Laboratories.
Those things existed, but they were to be put on hold for the time being. Right now, we had bigger fish to fry, such as raising a very fussy baby named Alexander. As it turned out, being a momma is time consuming. Who would've thought?
Lucian did his best to keep himself busy. He complained a lot about not getting to see Alexander as often as he wanted to, but it was important that he blended in a little. He took up a low-level job at the power plant in case some news was to break in relation to my mother's location. Assistant to the secretary was the title given to him. It wasn't his first choice, but he worked in stride, believing it was what needed to be done for our family.
Strangely enough, people didn't question his position. To stand side by side with the workers of the plant was viewed as a humble act, especially when the ownership was in the lineage.
My mother had yet to come back to Greenrow Estates. Our family may have owned the plant, but we did not own her. We were effectively shut out of the decision-making process of the business. She left us with one letter, one letter that I received on this day.
I took my time tearing the edges of the envelope open.
"Critter,
By now, you will have settled in the new homestead. Congratulations. You deserve it.
I'm certain you have discovered the power plant. I'm also quite sure that you have some disdain over my absence. Will you hate me if I tell you to have patience? There is more to this story than you know, and I am sure that once you see me again, you'll realize just how deep this really goes.
Through my travels, I have discovered many truths. Humor me by indulging in these revelations.
Humans are the product of their design. Though they engage in acts of free will, they fall into a maddening self-fulfilling prophecy. Through acts of love and hate, they define what is at the heart of who they are, carving out new paths for every soul born in this cosmos. Will we continue to live with goodness? Or will we fall to darkness?
Critter, the universe is perfectly crafted, but it is not the universe I am worried about. It is this world. Earth.
The only known cure to our pain is love. So find it. Be happy. Life won't always be easy, but it mostly is.
I have met my grandson in the future. He is a good man with a strong moral compass. Do not worry about what might happen. I will fix what I've brought to this world. This planet will get a second chance. Do not fret.
I am connected to you. Always and forever,
Momma.
I quietly folded up the letter and walked into the study. I gazed upon the long rows of books I had started to collect. Books by Einstein and Oppenheimer, as well as maddened and sporadic writings from occult leaders such as Crowley and others. I had barely any time to dig into most of them, but I would digest them slowly as Alexander aged.
Quickly, I took the letter and placed it into a book at random. "Well, Mom. When I see you, I'll know what to do," I said.
I shut the door and tiptoed back into the kitchen. I tightened my apron and checked on the chicken in the oven. Behind me, I heard the door open. Lucian. "Honey, I'm home!"
I angled my head and watched him swing his coat onto the rack by the front door. "Chicken will be ready in twenty minutes," I called out.
His hands ran across my dress, clamping around my navel with a soft growl. He traced his fingers lower, meeting the gentle curves of my womanhood. "Who needs to eat food when I can eat you whenever I want?" He moaned and bit the cartilage of my ear. “Let’s make another one. What do you say?”
I relaxed into him and adored the way he thrust up against me. His hands dug deeper. "Another baby? Are you really asking me for that, right now?"
"It's been over a year. I think another baby would be good for us," he insisted.
Easy for him to say. He didn't have to spend twenty hours a day cleaning, easing, and nursing a hungry boy. Nevertheless, I couldn't deny our blessings. I often dreamed about having another child with him. A daughter, this time, maybe. If only it was up to me.
Lucian laid out the case. "Alexander is out and about with the nanny. She won't be back until late tonight," he said.
His fingers slipped inside of me, and I let out a quiet whimper as he curled them against my spot. "Maybe," I said, exhaling. "But I need to set the table first," I protested and moved forward, out of his grasp.
Sucking down a hurried breath, I grabbed a set of plates and started to set the table. Lucian's gaze all but burned a hole through my pussy, and the fire of my lust spread like the rising tide of the sea. Wet.
Drops of sweat rolled down my forehead, and I just couldn't keep
denying his cock anymore.
I set the plates on the center of the table, bending over so he could see my pussy poke through the bottom of my dress. I wasn't wearing any panties, and I knew the sight would drive him crazy.
He came up directly behind me, hands sliding around my hips. His lips dragged across the arch of my neck, sucking as soon as I bent my head down. "You ride the line, slut," he said.
"Do I, daddy?" I purred and spread my feet apart.
His fingers worked through the fabric of my dress and flipped it over the arch of my ass. Quickly, he unbuckled his belt and dragged the leather through each of the loops. He dropped his pants and revealed his massive girth and rising boner. "If the neighbors heard you talk like that, they'd run us out of this place," he said as he folded the belt tight. "You're a wild woman who can't keep her wicked tongue in her mouth where it's safe."
"What are you going to do about it? You can't control me." I lowered my tongue and cocked my head to the side.
He couldn't hold back from dropping his tongue against mine. Without closing our mouths, we licked and tasted, allowing the filth to flow through us. I lapped and moaned, pussy aching with a deepening need for orgasm.
He pulled away and grinned. "Call for help. You're going to need it," he said.
Firm and centered, he pushed against my shoulders, collapsing me to the table. I clenched against the tablecloth, pulling as he inched me back. The plates flew across the wood, crashing into hundreds of little pieces, but I didn't care anymore. The dinner guests would have to wait. I was going to get mine.
He gave me a swift lashing. "One for holding back when I displayed my need," he said.
I looked back and examined the redness. I winced and felt the pain burn in my throat. "Oh, shit."
Another heavy leather smack branded my ass with the imprint of his initials. Another and another. "Three for being so fucking hot."
"Didn't know that was a crime, daddy," I said, smiling dully.
More spankings. There were so many of them that I lost count. "That's for talking back."
I bit my lip and breathed through the pain. Within seconds, I wanted more of his playful punishment. "The men around this neighborhood all stare at me when you're gone."
Temptation: A Dark Sci-Fi Romance (Alpha Unknown Book 3) Page 13