“It may be just a dream, Luke,” I said.
“It isn’t a dream. It’s going to be real.” He said, and all at once he was filled with enthusiasm and a kind of boyish exuberance. But he didn’t let that show for too long before going back into warrior mode. “I’m going to win this battle because I never lose. The challenge is great, but I can promise you with my own blood, Candice, that the victory will be mine. I know it. It’s my destiny to win this war.” He said.
“What makes you think that you’re even going to be a tolerable human male? All you know is battle and slaying aliens.” I said, by way of adding some humor to the exchange.
Luke lifted his eyebrow, and I could tell he was back to his mischievous self.
“I’m going to be the greatest human male because I’m always the greatest at what I do.” He said looking at me with a mock-threatening gaze.
“Okay,” I replied. “Then prove it.”
Luke
She said the magic words. When anyone asked me to prove anything then I had no choice other than to, not only do just that but also to fully excel at the challenge. Candice wanted to see that I could be a great, normal, human man, and I had no doubt that I could be the greatest in the galaxy. This was going to be fun.
“I see the little game that you’re playing,” I replied, pulling her close against my chest. The delicate, curvaceous feel of her against my pectoral muscles was a much more delicious feeling than armor ever had been. I was going to show her that after I won the war and returned to her, it would be a decision that she could never regret.
“This isn’t a game. I’m serious.” She said.
I could see clearly that she needed for me to do this so that she could be sure she was not setting us both up for destruction. I wished I could assure her with my words that she would never be hurt by our love, but ultimately, I would need to assure her with my actions. In this, I am confident.
“Alright, then. It begins now.” I replied. I stepped back and took her by the hand, leading her like a gentleman back to the garden. I walked her across the restaurant and towards our table, where I made sure she was comfortably seated.
“Waiter,” I said. “Could you get this woman a dessert? Anything with chocolate will do.” I said.
She grinned that girlish grin, and it filled me with wonder and desire. Why does this woman always have this effect on me?
“If you’ll excuse me,” I said. “I have some business to attend to.”
“Okay.” She said with a confused look on her face.
This was when I returned to the grassy knoll where I had left the bemused doctor. When I found him, he was sitting there like a lost child staring off into the distance. When he saw me, he winced a bit in fear.
“Come, my doctor friend,” I said, and extended a brotherly arm, similar to the gesture I would make to a fellow fallen soldier on the battlefield. Christian looked at me with confusion and doubted, and I simply nodded my head to show that I was in earnest.
“Where?” He asked.
“I’m taking you home.” I pulled him up off the ground, which was not difficult because he didn’t weigh much. One Corin alien probably weighed twice as much as he did, and a rather large Krill might weighed nearly three times more.
Once he was up, I walked with assurance back to the garden, and the doctor followed. I found Candice at the table eating her chocolate dessert, and the sight of it was adorable. She was relishing what looked like a little pot of chocolate cream, and I wished I could spoon-feed it to her myself. I loved a woman with an appetite.
“Christian, why don't you sit down and wait for the lady to finish her dessert, and then I’ll drive you home,” I said.
“Alright.” He said awkwardly and took the seat I first pulled him out of.
Candice gave me a look that aid, what are you doing? I replied with a smile.
The door to the passenger side of the truck was quite high, so I made sure to give Candice a boost. My leather jacket was around her shoulders.
“Thank you, sir.” She said, beginning to catch on to where I was going with all this, and clearly enjoying it.
“Milady,” I replied, then turned to face poor Christian, who still looked horrified.
“There are no more seats in the truck, I’m afraid,” I said. “But plenty of room in the back.” I got Christian ‘comfortably’ situated among the props, costumes, and storage boxes in the back of the truck, then I hopped into the driver’s seat.
“You put him in the back?” She asked, trying to make me feel guilty.
“He’s perfectly comfortable, I assure you,” I said, then drove the whole way home with my hand on top of hers. I turned the radio to a classic music station.
“You listen to classic music?” She askeds dubiously.
“It soothes me,” I replied and kissd the top of her hand.
The rest of the drive was conducted in pleasant silence. Candice looked out the window dreamily, and in the rearview mirror, I could see that Christian was half asleep.
“Should I carry him to his door?” I askd Candice once we arrived in Sun Valley. It was the middle of the night.
“You’re too much.” She said, shaking her head. I could tell she was having fun with all this, and that was the goal.
“Why don’t I get you home first,” I said.
Once in front of Candice’s home, I opened her door and helped her down.
“You need this.” She said, beginning to remove my leather jacket.
“Don’t you dare,” I said, and stopped her from taking it off.
“You’re going to get him home now?” She asked.
“Not until I make sure you’re safely inside,” I said. I walked her to her front door and ensure that she was safely inside.
“Are you coming back here?” She asked, expectancy in her eyes.
I put my hand in her hair and kissed her on the forehead.
“Yes. You’ll find me on the couch in the morning.” I said.
“That couch is too hard. You’re never going to—”
“You’ll find me on the couch,” I repeated. “May I take you out to breakfast in the morning?” I asked, gazing into her eyes.
“You’ll make pancakes.” She said with a grin, clearly playing along with my game now.
I had no idea how to make human pancakes. It was a delicious challenge.
“Chocolate pancakes,” I said. We held hands for a moment and smiled at one another.
“Be nice to him.” She said, nodding towards the truck.
“As a gentleman - a human gentleman - it’s impossible for me to do otherwise.”
CHAPTER 5
Candice
When I walked into my bedroom, I felt giddy. Surely, Luke wouldn’t behave like this every day if he turned into an un-Cursed human. I meant, really, humans had their own kind of Curse that they had to deal with on a daily basis. He must only be doing this for the show. It just happened to be working.
After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I laid down in bed and thought about him. He was taking Christian home right now. It was sweet of him. He was the best man.
I couldn’t help but wish that he was coming back to my room tonight, but we both knew that it would be too difficult. I didn’t like the idea of him sleeping on the couch, but at least he would be nearby, and in the morning, pancakes! It would be like waking up on Christmas morning, knowing that he was downstairs, and God help him, flipping flapjacks.
This night I had one of the most pleasing dreams of my life. For someone who had been having nightmares lately, this was a wonderful surprise and just what I needed to have a deliciously deep sleep.
I passed out so quickly I didn’t even hear him come home.
In the dream, Luke didn’t fall asleep on the couch, but I heard him come into my room.
“Did you carry him into his house?” I asked.
“I left him on the curb.” He replied, taking off his shirt and sliding into bed.
“Yo
u’re terrible,” I replied.
“You’re wonderful.” He countered. Luke slid his huge arms around my waist and the feel of his warmth instantly comforted me. “You’re cold.” He said.
“I’m always cold,” I replied.
“I don’t like that.” He said.
Now, this dream was so vivid, that the next morning I would question whether or not it had actually happened.
“I’m glad you came upstairs,” I admitted to him.
“I did everything in my power to sleep on the couch.” He replied, nuzzling his chin into my hair. “I love the way you smell.”
“It’s my shampoo,” I replied.
“It’s you.” He said, positioning his body behind mine, cradling me.
“You feel different,” I said. Really, something about this dream had changed him. His body was still large and strong, but there was a whole different sensation that his touch brought.
“The Curse is gone.” He said in my ear.
“What?” I asked.
“It has been lifted. I’ve given up on Arias. I’m Luke now. I’ll always be Luke.” He pulled me on top of him so that I was blanketing him with my body.
“How is that possible?” I asked, sensing that it was too good to be true.
“The pleasure of vowing to be with you. To be a full human. I went back through the Gate this very night and ended the war. Grim perished just in time for me to make it back here with you.” Luke said warmly.
“Just like that?” I asked in astonishment.
“Just like that. I’m a man of my word.”
Then I woke up from my dream. I heard the door to my room actually open. It was Luke. He seemed to be checking in on me. I pretended that I was asleep, and when he was satisfied, he gently closed the door, and I heard him walk down the stairs. Almost as though he could sense that I was having this very dream, he left me to finish it in peace.
I closed my eyes again and dipped back into the dream almost instantly.
“So we’re free now? Free to be with one another?” I askd with excitement.
“We could make love all night, and I’d still be here to make you pancakes in the morning.” He said, and brushed my hair with his hands.
“Really?” I asked, on the verge of tears.
“Yes, because you’re dreaming this.” He replied.
I woke up again from my dream. My heart was racing, and there was a sheen of perspiration on my brow.
I walked out the door of my bedroom and threw my robe around me. Making my way to the top of the stairs, I looked down to see Luke quietly asleep on the couch.
It was the most beautiful dream I had ever had, and it filled me with hope.
Maybe this was possible. Maybe this was worth the danger.
Luke
It was abundantly clear to me as to why Candice was the amazing creature that was the key to the Gate. The way that she made me feel was hard to describe. I wanted to have her right here and now, but I, too, was afraid of what the effects might be on where we ended up in the galaxy.
At last, I managed to find a recipe book in Candice’s kitchen, I thanked the Universe. I had never been a good cook, but I did remember hanging out with the Carnival cook, Old Al, and I’d watch him at work. He never made sophisticated human dishes, and in fact, some of the Cursed Souls didn’t care for human food, anyhow.
I found all the ingredients in the refrigerator and got to work. To my dismay, there were no chocolate chips. How was it that Candice, the ultimate chocolate lover, did not have any chocolate in her cabinet? Perhaps she did not want to indulge. I would make her change that once I was around for good.
I decided that the only thing to do was go to the local market before she woke up. If I was going to play this little game up to perfection, then everything needed to be right.
The walk to the market in the warm morning air was intoxicating. Of course, before Candice came around, it never occurred to me to enjoy such simple pleasures. But, it was as though she had opened-up the human world to me.
The door jingled as I stepped inside the Sun Valley Market. It was a small store, and if they didn’t have chocolate chips, then I might have to put my light sword to good use. After one look at that, I’d be guaranteed to find chocolate in this market for as long as I lived.
The woman behind the counter looked at me like I was an alien. I found this ironic. I was wearing my typical black tank top and black jeans. This costume of mine did not always make humans comfortable because I guessed it came off as a kind of threat. I didn’t really care.
“You looking for something?” The old woman said. She was a rather large woman wearing a tent-like floral gown. I had heard this referred to before as a moo-moo.
“Do you have chocolate?” I asked.
“We got bars over there, and the Nestle chips are on aisle 4.”
I believed the Nestle chips were what I was looking for, and I made my way to aisle 4.
“Luke?” I heard a female voice say.
“Yes?” I replied and turned to find Iris standing there pushing a small cart.
“You’re back in town?” She looked upset, almost hostile. This was the last thing I wanted to deal with this morning.
“I am. I have come for Candice.” I said.
“After leaving her?” She said, folding her arms in front of her.
I did not show any expression on my face. There was no time for explaining. I had pancakes to make.
“Fine. Yes. That is correct.” I said, and continued on my way to aisle 4.
“You know, she’s too good for you,” Iris said.
“I cannot disagree with you,” I replied, not looking back but locating the chocolate chips on top of the shelf.
“Well, I just hope you’ve changed your ways, and now you’re going to treat her right. Not like men ever change their ways.” I could hear that there was a great deal of emotion in her voice.
“Treating her right is the least that I plan to do,” I replied, turning to Iris. She brought her left hand up to wipe a tear from her eye. Why on Earth was this ridiculous human female getting so emotional right now?
Then it occurred to me. The ring that I remembered seeing on her hand was there no longer. I would have never noticed such details before meeting Candice.
“You are upset,” I said with very little emotion in my own voice.
“You’re damn right I’m upset. That bastard!” Iris said. She was breaking down now. I took a step towards her.
“Is there someone that needs to be taught a gentlemanly lesson, Iris?” I asked, now fully understanding what was going on.
“What?” She asked, looking at me in surprise.
Of course, I was not sure that I had enough time to give another human man a hard lesson in being a gentleman before Candice woke up, but if he was nearby then perhaps there was a chance.
“If you tell me the location of the man, then we’ll exchange some words,” I replied.
“No, no,” Iris said, smiling to herself. “You don’t have to do that. He’s long gone now.” She said, looking down to the ground.
“Well, if he comes anywhere near you, simply inform me,” I replied.
“Thanks.” She said with a smile.
After purchasing my chocolate and walking home, I realized that perhaps the way to win Candice over was not to destroy the cause of her best friend’s heartbreak. However, I couldn’t help but feel the need to not only protect Candice, but also those she loved.
Back in the kitchen, I couldn’t entirely say that my efforts were a success, and I was angry. This pancake-making was not as easy as it looked, and when the last batch of burnt cakes were plated, I had to physically restrain myself from running them through with my light sword.
“Damn it,” I said through my clenched teeth.
“This might be the most memorable thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” I heard Candice’s voice say from the doorway. She was still in her pajamas, with bed hair, looking like a dream.
“I most certainly will not look away. I wish I had a camera.”
“This device is useless,” I said, holding up the kitchen implement that was the cause of my demise.
“That is a spatula,” Candice said, rolling her eyes.
Alien Romance Box Set: Alien Former: Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Books 1-5) Page 117