by Pearl Tate
No longer looking at me, she studies a spot on the floor. Her voice is low, but I still hear every word as it’s etched into my memory forever.
“Well… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed… and swore to myself that I’d do anything to be left alone by them. Anything.”
I don’t miss a single detail as she turns toward me. Her jaw is set tightly as she stares me square in the face. I not only sense, but can also see the resolve firmly in every line of her body.
I’m shocked as I study her. My chest tightens making my breaths shorter as the implication of what she means crashes down on me. But I have to confirm to be absolutely sure. “You’d mate with me… just for the benefit of never being bothered by the Ashen again?”
The surprise in my voice is obvious to us both, and I sense a flush of anger through our bond. Her hands clench into fists in her lap as she turns her face to me defiantly. “Bothered? Don’t you mean kidnapped, mind-fucked, and tormented year after year? And who knows what I don’t remember?”
Standing, she puts her hands on her hips next to me. “So, yes. I’d mate with you to save me from them.” Spit flies from her mouth as she hisses the words between us. Her anger is palpable.
I grasp her elbow to tug her closer. She resists as her hand slips from her hip. I ignore her reluctance and bring her hand to my face.
Her warm, silky skin feels so perfect with her tiny hand in mine. I want to press my mouth to hers the way I’ve seen Travek touch his mouth to Lisa, but I don’t want to scare her. And how does one initiate such a thing?
Instead, I press my lips to her palm, trying to express my sorrow for all she’s been through. Just that simple touch seems so right, so perfect. All thoughts of commitments and responsibilities fade away in her presence.
I want to take all her fears away. To become the center of her world. For the first time, I consider what being with her as a true mate would mean for us. For me.
I might be able to have sex. Monogamy. Sharing everything. Maybe even producing children—the one thing I truly regret. I’ve never even had the opportunity to try.
All the thoughts I’ve been burying because of guilt, spring up when I stop thinking about what I’m losing. My Ermada and family on Quasar. The life I’ve known.
Instead, I’m considering what I’ll be giving Jo-Anne. Safety. Freedom from fear. From the Ashen.
I can feel her uncertainty as her hand flips against my face, lightly stroking my cheekbone. She takes a step closer, moving until she’s only inches from my spread knees. Her eyes study my face with fascination.
“These are more hairs.” Her fingers are feather-light as they skim across my skin, stroking and encouraging the fine hairs on my face to follow her touch. I’ve given up on trying to control the hair on my head. It’s all around us both as it sifts through her hair, lifting and entwining, rubbing itself against her.
My entire body tingles as she scoots closer, one tentative step at a time. Her other hand comes up to join the first as she uses her forearms to brush my hair back from our faces that are now almost touching. The small smile on her lips looks almost sad as we stare into each other’s eyes.
Slowly, she leans in and presses her lips to mine. A jolt of awareness shoots through me as a wave of lust grips every part of my body. I stiffen at the surprising, new sensation she invokes.
Jerking back, she closes her eyes, panting lightly. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Her eyes are still closed as my own eyes widen more. When she tries to move away, I grasp her forearms and shake her lightly. “No, Jo-Anne. You shouldn’t have stopped.”
Her deep, brown eyes snap open as I tug her resistant body closer. Running my hands up and down her arms, I let them drop to grasp her hands again. “This isn’t wrong, and it will only get harder to deny. Many would say this is fate. Mates used to be called ‘Namete’, or ‘Fated Ones.’ Fighting it will be next to impossible. I’ve known this.”
Her mouth is hanging open slightly as her breathing slows. Whispering, she leans in, “But what about Lulila?”
Taking a deep breath, I admit what I’ve suspected since I met with her, my mother, and the Sacred Mother when this all began. “I’m fairly confident that she knew this would happen. I’ve been thinking about it since they called me to meet and get ready to go.”
Instead of moving away, she leans in and gives me her undivided attention. One of her hands comes up to stroke her lips that must still tingle the way my entire body does. “There was a prophecy the Sacred Mother claimed must apply to me. If it was that clear that I was the one that needed to come here and find Travek, it was also probably clear what would happen when I arrived. They knew. Lulila knew. The way she treated me. How sad she was… she must have known.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
- Jo-Anne
I’m not sure whether Remus is making excuses for what’s happening between us, or if he really believes it. Or hopes it. I mean, I hope they knew, because I’m not sure I can fight the attraction I feel to him.
I was excited by being with Corey, but this is so much more. Deeper. The attraction I felt for Corey was fueled more by flattery than attraction. He was the first and only guy who’d ever shown an interest in me that I was even remotely attracted to.
Right now though, my entire body is shaking with anticipation. All I want to do is throw myself into his arms and let him ravish me. Is that wrong?
Probably. Especially since he’s taken. But everything inside me, every particle of my being wants to be with him.
Yes. It’s true that once I found out that being mated to him meant no more abductions, I was intrigued. To think that the memory loss aspect of my life would finally end. From the way he talks, it will be much more than that too.
He’ll be mine. My own big, hulking, protective alien man. That idea is super appealing and probably super wrong. Super selfish.
Technically, I want this for all the wrong reasons. Is that terrible of me?
With his face inches from mine, I’m tempted to kiss him again. Then, I want to touch him and stroke his bulging muscles that seem to have grown just in the last hour we’ve been together.
What is going on with me? I need to get a grip!
Tugging my hands gently from his, I step back and out of the grasp of not only his arms, but his hair. I’m already craving the way it flutters across my skin and into my own heavy, mess of tangles. Everything about him feels addictive.
Is this what he means about the mating pull and not being able to deny it?
What we need is space. He said Lisa is here with his brother, Travek. Now that I understand better what’s going on—and I have him to back me up, I’m more interested in getting out of this tiny house.
“You said that the… Ashen won’t speak to us until we’re mated? Because of an agreement they have with your people?” I finger comb my hair away from my face and up behind my head. Since it’s not technically his place, I won’t feel like I’m invading his space if I go through the drawers.
When he nods in agreement, I swing around and enter the bathroom, still looking at him behind me sitting on the bed through the mirror. “So, do you think that applies to Humans too? They’ll leave me alone?”
“Definitely.” He stands at his words, his massive body filling the doorway behind me. Damn. He’s big. “Nothing will happen to you while you’re with me. I give you my word.”
That’s sweet, and I might just hold him to it. Opening and shutting a few drawers, I easily find what I’m looking for. A brush and large hair tie that’ll make me feel a little more put together.
Remus watches me run the brush through my hair like he’s never seen anyone do it before—and maybe he hasn’t. With just a thought, he plaits his own hair back from his face, while it takes me a couple minutes to braid mine and secure it at the end.
“Have you been outside? You said you’d been here a couple days?” His eyes leave my hair to focus on my face
before he answers.
“Yes, and it’s extremely nice outside. Warm. And there’s a huge body of water we can swim in too.” Remus turns and leaves the bathroom door, and I can hear drawers opening and shutting behind me in the bedroom. “Yes,” his voice calls out. “There are clothes here for you along with swimming attire. Would you like to change before we head outside?”
Looking past him to the sliding glass door, I consider it. Walking over to check this exit point, I search for the latch and handle, like I did on the front door. Nothing.
“Are you sure we can get out of here? There isn’t a way to open this door either.” Remus walks up and leans down to grasp my hand in his. Looking at him blankly, he lifts our entwined hands and holds it at my chest level, just to the left of the door. The entire glass surface along with the door frame disappears!
No sliding or swinging. It’s like the pane of glass never existed at all. Now I really realize I’m not on Earth any longer! “How… how did that happen?”
“Ashen technology. Impressive.” He steps out onto the patio before waving back to the bed. “We’ve sliding doors that open automatically, but nothing that totally disappears like that. I know Travek would like to reverse engineer that for Quasar.”
Shaking his head, he waves again at the clothes still scattered along the bed. “I can wait for you out here if you want to pick out something clean to wear. Take a shower? It’s quite warm.”
I step out beside him, and the heat feels perfect. I definitely don’t need long sleeves. “Okay. I’ll wait on a shower, but let me change my shirt.”
Will not cleaning up make me less desirable to him at this point? I know I don’t feel comfortable enough right this second to take a shower in a strange place. Especially alone. I’ll sound like a baby if I ask him to guard the door, or better yet, stand in the bathroom and face away while I shower.
Watching Remus walk away, his tight suit flexes on his backside with every step. Perfect butt muscles shift, and I shake myself mentally. Focus.
Turning back to the clothes he pulled out, I sort through the shirts until I find a white tank top that I throw over my sports bra. I feel better already.
Remus has made it halfway across the green expanse of yard outside. Out back is surrounded by hedges that are taller than him. He must hear me on the grass and swings to smile at me, his eyes running over my chest and arms as he studies the shirt I’ve changed into.
His appreciative gaze makes me uncomfortable as I hurry towards him, looking around warily. With the trepidation I feel, I grab his hand without thinking too much about it.
He instantly tightens his fingers on me as I thread mine through his big palm. If I actually catch sight of a Grey alien, I’m not sure he’ll be able to stop me from taking off screaming in terror. It’s hard to say. I might just hide behind, but I’m pretty sure I’ll run.
Falling into step behind him, I’m shocked when we exit the hedges, and I see a large pool with stone tiles around it. There are even lounge chairs! No one is using it right now, but it’s obvious that it’s well maintained.
“This is the large body of water for swimming you mentioned. A pool?” I smile as I look up at him.
“Yes. I’m sorry. I should have called it a pool like Lisa does. Not everything translates directly.” He points to his head as his eyes gaze across and around the surrounding buildings. He’s probably tall enough that he can see over some of the hedges. “Let’s follow this path out to the wooded area. There are trails there that I’ve walked and am familiar with.”
As we move away from the circle of buildings around the pool, I notice that they’re all identical, small bungalows. Like a resort centered around the large pool. Something I’ve only ever seen in pictures. Nice.
The biggest difference is there isn’t any office building or a parking lot. As soon as we leave the front side of our building, we hit a trail that circles the area. I notice there are many offshoot trails that lead into the wooded areas surrounding the settlement here.
Beyond that are rolling hills and even further back, large mountains. I’ve never seen the Rockies, but the majestic beauty of the large mountains, bare from halfway up their height, reminds me of pictures I’ve seen.
When we enter the woods, I exhale a sigh of relief. I’m thankful that we saw no one else, Ashen or otherwise. In a way, I just want Remus to myself for now.
“What’s your planet like compared to this? I mean, this is pretty much identical to Earth. The trees and plants all look identical.” We’re gradually traveling up, and as we break out of the woods, I’m surprised to be right inside what looks like a constructions site. It’s large too!
“Very different. You’ll see. Less nature and more construction—like this.” Remus seems as surprised by the construction as I am. We walk between two of the three partially built buildings. One is just a hole in the ground. The concrete foundation is empty with no ladders to get down into it. But the other two buildings appear further along. One has wood framing and the other one even has the walls.
It’s easy to make out the sky in this area. All the trees have been cleared. Or was it a natural clearing?
“I wasn’t aware they’re working over here. These are laid out identical to the buildings we’re staying in.” Remus has led me over to the most completed building. He climbs the stairs and walks inside the building that still doesn’t have a door.
Spinning in a circle, I admire the mountains in the distance. While I’m noticing how high they appear, I spot two large birds in the distance. Well, I think they’re birds. But with how far away they appear, they must be really large!
“Have you seen any aircraft?” Remus is at my side instantly as I shade my eyes. “See over there? Are those birds?”
I point, but it’s unnecessary. They’re getting closer and bigger. They definitely aren’t planes. Not with the way they’re moving.
The three shapes continue to get closer, but as I’m shading my eyes and squinting, they swoop low and out of sight with the trees. A few seconds later they breach the tree line again. “What are they?”
My whisper has Remus pulling me behind him. I don’t know why. They’re birds, right?
“I don’t know, but they look big. Even with how far away they still are.” Keeping me behind him, he gently nudges me back into the unfinished building. The interior windows are installed, but the walls inside are only half done.
Remus moves to a window that faces out the front, and I peer around him as the shapes disappear again. I’ve no idea what they could be. Could this be a primitive earth in this dimension with Jurassic Park-sized birds out there? The idea is frightening, and I’m glad he’s being cautious.
“Should we hang out here for a little while until we make sure that they’re gone?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
- Remus
Pushing her gently ahead of me, I shuffle Jo-Anne back into the half-completed dwelling. All the windows are installed, but without a door, it’s not much protection. I’m a little concerned with how large the objects in the sky are.
With how far away they were in the distance, they shouldn’t have looked that big. I’ve seen spacecrafts and drones my entire life and they weren’t that either. Too big, and it was clear there was a movement in the wings. Jo-Anne acted like it wasn’t something she recognized either.
I have to believe that if there was anything we should be wary of out here, the Ashen would have let us know. As their guests, it wouldn’t do them any good to not mention any predators. Even so, I will not take any chances with my mate.
The objects drop out of sight behind some treetops, and I examine the structure we’re in. There isn’t any place to hide. The framework of the building itself will have to do.
“It’s just like our place, only reversed.” Jo-Anne wanders farther into the dwelling where the interior walls have been installed but not finished. Pointing to the floor, she studies a mass of pipes and wiring. “This is where the kitchen island will
go.”
Sure enough, as I get closer, I notice they even have it all marked out on the floor. Truthfully, I’m not even interested in the building. Instead, my gaze is drawn to Jo-Anne in her tiny top. It’s so thin it shows the color of her breast covering underneath. For such a small female, her breasts are very large, spilling out the top of the support covering.
Her scent calls to me, and I move closer just to inhale and, breathe her in. Being near her has brought more excitement and anticipation into my life. I don’t remember wanting to be with someone like this before. Everything she does is fascinating. I follow behind her as she walks into the sleeping area, and we look out the back door. Just like the front, it hasn’t been installed.
“I’ve never been in a construction site like this before.” When Jo-Anne spins around, she runs into my chest as I trail her closely. “Sorry!”
Grasping her shoulders, I catch her before she bounces off me and back toward the door. I’d prefer to get away from the windows and especially the open doors for a few minutes. The best way would be to take her into the cleaning facility to wait for a few minutes.
“I’d like you to wait in the cleaning facility while I check the windows and make sure those large flying objects pass by.” Jo-Anne as a puzzled look on her face, but as I move in the small room’s direction and point, she understands.
“But, wouldn’t it be better if you stay will me?” She crosses over the threshold and turns to grab my hand, tugging gently. “I’d feel safer if you’re here with me.”
Her teasing tone is enticing as she draws me further into the partially completed room. The vanity is set, and there are holes where the sinks will be installed.
“Maybe I should go check out the window we saw them in last?” My reluctant question makes her lips quirk up in the corners.
“There’s a window here? Shouldn’t we be able to spot them if they pass?” She’s already moving into the spray area where a large window looks out onto the side of the dwelling facing the woods.