I began moaning. The pulse of him deep within me. He was larger than a purely human man, but he still fitted perfectly. It was as though we were made for one another.
“Candice, I’m going to go. But I promise you, I will be back.” He said, sitting up with me still in his lap. His hand was on my cheek, and the look of gravity on his face was disarming. “Do you hear me? I. Will. Be. Back.”
He emphasized each word that he said, and I completely believed him.
I didn’t know where this was going to go next. He might never come back to me as a full human. There was always the risk that he would never come back at all.
I was not holding onto my rigid need to control. I was not setting rules. I was letting go.
Just then, our bodies climaxed as one, and we collapsed onto one another.
The rain continued to fall outside.
Within moments, he was gone. I wrapped the blanket around me.
I would wait for his return.
The Alien Cursed Souls
Book #4
CHAPTER 1
Luke
“We must consider claiming defeat,” Septimus said as the top warlords met at our daily round-table session. I looked around the table and saw that my familiar soldiers and colleagues had grown weary. And it was to be expected. The war had been raging not for years, as the humans would call it, but for many eons. Thanks to my Curse, I had not aged much but had been told on several occasions that my features had become more severe. The clenching of my jaw alone had created extra muscle along my chin.
“If we claim defeat then we are claiming a victory for tyranny,” I said. I knew that this was not what the other generals wanted to hear, but it needed to be said. It was the truth.
“Arias, we never in a million eons expected that the Krill would actually join forces with the Argyles. Now their power is more than we can handle. Our technology is still not up to speed, and we have no defense against their laser guns.”
“I still say that we have come too far to give up. The radio-ionic technology is almost ready. Once we have it, we can build superior armor that can deflect their firearms.” I said.
“Yes, but then we’re just deflecting.” Halifax chimed-in. Of all the generals, the war had taken the most toll on his thick, heavy frame. His naturally golden-yellow skin had turned almost white. His skin hang on him like damp curtains. “We need to consider our offensive as well. We do not have the necessary weapons.”
“I am still of the opinion that Oofa can break with the Krill. His people are suffering, we all know that. The production of weapons has almost ruined his home planet of Frick. He is just as tired as we are and he wants peace.” I said. I was getting all riled up now, and the generals around the table could see that I was not to be reckoned with. They were leaning back in their chairs with blank faces while I was speaking forcefully, occasionally jamming my fists into the table.
“And then what do you propose?” Septimus asked. “If the Argyles abandon the Krill, what is our chance of winning the war?”
It was a valid question and one that I had been thinking about every day since I was back on Hecate. And with each passing day, Candice filled my thoughts almost as much as this God-forsaken war. Years had passed on Earth. Maybe ten, eleven? It was hard to tell for sure.
“Grim is the pulse of this war, and we all know that his defeat will end it. If we could get Oofa on our side—“ I said.
“And that’s a big IF.” Septimus cut in.
“IF we get him on our side, I know that he has the technology to get through the nano-armor. With that, we can kill Grim and every last Krill alien in his army.” I said.
“It’s a valid plan, Arias. But how do you intend upon gaining a meeting with Oofa?” Halifax asked.
“I shall sneak into his tent. Hold a private conference with him.” I said with confidence.
“And why do you suppose that you won’t be killed?” Halifax asked.
“Because, I have a strong intuition about Oofa. When I met with him all those eons ago—“
“Such shame that you were then pulled through the Gate at a crucial moment in the negotiations.” Septimus cut in, looking down at the table sadly.
I wanted to strike him for reminding me. The pain of seeing Candice on the hologram screen with Grim was too much to bear. I felt myself instantly beginning to fade and fight through it with the same method that had been working this entire stretch of time.
I simply thought about her.
That lovely image of her that last night in the desert. The last time we saw each other. The desert rain glistened on her gorgeous skin, and the feel of her in my arms was perfection. I simply thought about that night, and I was filled with enough pleasure to keep me on Hecate for countless more eons to come. The cruel irony of it was never lost on me.
“Grim managed to find my weakness the last time I met with Oofa, but I’m confident now that he can have no power over me,” I said with confidence.
“You have managed to stay with us for a nice stretch this time,” Halifax said. “What’s your secret?” He asked with a warm grin.
“That’s a private matter and none of your business,” I said, smiling and dismissing his question. We were talking war right now, and I was not going to get into a discussion of cosmic love. Not with these hardened soldiers.
“When will you try to meet with Oofa?” Septimus asked, changing the subject.
“This very night,” I said with ease.
“Tonight?! Arias, shouldn’t we plan this out more. It’s a bold thing to do.” Septimus replied.
“Have you ever known me to be anything other than bold?” I asked, standing from the table.
“No, Arias. I have not.” He replied, shaking his head.
“Good. Then why don’t y0u find me a disguise? A cloak or something. And get me a ship that can take me to the forest in the Northwestern hemisphere. That is where he resides.” I ordered. Done. That was what I was doing tonight, and I vowed to myself that this time, I would not fail to bring Oofa over from the darkness to the light.
Ten years, 2 months, and 12 days. That was how long Luke has been gone, and I had to admit to myself that these days I just resigned myself to the possibility that he was really dead. He had never been gone for any stretch nearly this long. In fact, he was either dead, or he had won the war and perhaps decided that he didn’t want to come back to Earth at all.
“Stop it, Candice,” I said to myself, looking in the mirror. When my thoughts got really dark like this, I had to remind myself that even though I would probably never see him again, I wanted to preserve his memory in a good light. I shouldn’t assume awful things - like he married some alien woman and had forgotten all about me. But I did sometimes think in this way.
The fact of the matter was that I had taken strides to move on with my life. When things got really dark, I reminded myself to put one foot in front of the other and take life one day at a time.
For the most part it worked. I fell into a terrible depression around the fifth year that he had been missing. That wa when I knew that I had to pick myself up off the ground and keep myself moving so that I wouldn’t fall apart completely.
I owned the Southwest Diner now. Winston was getting tired of both cooking and running the place, and so I actually took out a loan and bought it from him. It helped to keep me really busy, which was a great thing. I had also been making a lot more money since business had been booming.
It was around the seventh year that my resistance to Christian began to fall. It was not that I had given up on Luke. I still believed in our love, but like I said, I needed to keep my life moving. It was a survival tactic.
“You ready, Candice?” Christian asked as he came into the room. I was pulled from looking in the mirror and talking to myself like a crazy lady. Christian was always appearing like this at the wrong moment, when I was contemplating where Luke was and what he was doing, if he was still alive.
“Yes, just one minu
te,” I said, finishing the brushing of my hair and checking the fit of my dress. It was just a light summer dress for a dinner out at Boulder Park. Christian told me to wear something extra special. I didn’t know what the occasion was, but I am wearing my favorite blue floral dress.
“Well, I’ll be waiting in the car.” He said and exited the room. I reasoned with myself that Christian wasn’t dismissive, he was just very busy these days with his practice, so he didn’t notice the same little things that he used to. And he was not as patient.
We were not officially living together, but let’s just say that I only went back to my house a couple days a week. Christian kept saying that he wanted to move to Boulder Park and that I should go with him. Of course, that would mean that I would have to give up the diner. I wouldn’t be able to handle that.
“We’re going to be 10 minutes late for our reservation,” Christian said in the car, his brow knit.
“It’s okay, they know that we’re coming,” I said softly.
“Yes, they know that we’re coming, but they may give the table up. La Traviata is packed on a Saturday night.” He said, loosening his collar a bit.
“Don’t worry about it. If they do that, we can go somewhere else.” I said with a smile and put my hand on his knee to calm him.
“La Traviata is the best. The other places have gone downhill.” Christian said with finality.
“Le Jardin de Plaisir is still fantastic!” I said with great enthusiasm.
“That place was never all that great.” He said.
I took my hand off of his knee and let the rush of pain come in. Sometimes I thought that if I was truly part of Luke’s Curse, then the only thing keeping me on Earth was the sheer magnitude of pain that I fell when I thought about him. It was a strange thing. When I would think of him years ago, I would feel that intense rush of pleasure that I knew so well. But these days it was only pain.
This current flood of pain came from remembering that night at the French outdoor restaurant. It was the night that Luke appeared and pulled Christian up out of his seat as though he were made of straw. The memory of it no longer brought me pleasure, it filled me with an enormous sense of loss.
“Here we go,” Christian said as he pulled his BMW into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant. “You run in and secure our table as I park the car.” He added.
“Why don’t you just drive up to the entrance and we’ll ask for takeout?” I asked with a smile.
“That’s absurd. They don’t have takeout.” He said. Clearly, Christian didn't get my joke. He did seem very strange tonight, and liked I always did, I just assume that it was from stress at work. Often I didn’t ask what caused this kind of disturbance in him because he didn’t like to talk about it.
“Okay,” I said and hopped out of the car with my purse in hand.
As I walked into the entrance of the restaurant, I could see why Christian was nervous about the reservation. The place was packed.
“Two for Smith,” I told the hostess.
“You are Candice Smith?” She asked. Oh God. I want to tell her that I was not Candice Smith, I was Candice Salt, but there was no reason to argue.
“Yes…yes, I am.” I replied.
“Right this way.” She said with a thick Italian accent and a wide smile. I was led to a special table in the back that was right near a bubbling fountain. The walls were frescoed and porticoed in the traditional Italian way.
“Great table!” I said with enthusiasm to Christian once he found me.
“It’s alright. I actually asked for another one.” He said looking from side to side.
As he relaxed into his seat, I could see that Christian seemed less anxious. He even put his hand on my knee under the table. For himself, Christian ordered the steak and for me, he ordered the gnocchi. Yes, sometimes he ordered something for me without asking whether or not I wanted it, but I just chalked this up to his knowing more about fine cuisine than I did. I spent my whole day around omelettes and pancakes, so my palate wasn’t all that sophisticated. Still, sometimes this habit of his annoyed me a bit.
“And the vanilla soufflé, per piacere.” He added, handing the menus to the waiter.
Why does he never order the chocolate dessert? Son of a—
“Take a sip of your champagne, dear.” He said, and I did. He was now looking at me quite seriously and intently. Christian had something to say, and I hoped it was not another discussion about my giving up the diner.
“Alright,” I said.
“I have something important to discuss with you.” He said, taking a sip of his champagne, as well. Jesus, this seemed serious.
“Okay,” I said, taking another sip to boost my own courage. Christian reached into his coat pocket and placed a small box on the table. At first, I did not register what it was. It was like my mind had shut off.
It was a little box. In Tiffany Blue.
CHAPTER 2
Luke
Getting into Oofa’s tent was more challenging than I had imagined that it would be. It was heavily guarded by his arboreal henchmen. I was wearing a long, camouflaged cloak and so I got through the forest with ease, but it was sneaking past the guards outside of Oofa’s tent that was more difficult. His henchmen were carrying the token laser gunfire that the Argyle people had become famous for. It was the very same technology that was literally destroying their civilization.
My method of getting past the guards ended up being quite simple. I knew that even though the Argyles were incredibly intelligent beings, they were still a little slow in pace. Almost comically so. I was hiding behind a tree and I picked up a rock that fitted perfectly in the palm of my hand. Chucking it into the forest, I saw all the Argyle guards slowly turned to look in the direction of the sound that the stone has made. They needed to turn their entire bodies because they didn’t have much movement in the neck part. Between the time needed for them to hear sound, then slowly locate it, realize that it must have not be anything of interest, and then turn back to where they started, I had crawled into the tent.
It wasn’t my most impressive tactical maneuver, but it would prove to be one of my favorites. It was my kind of warfare - throwing stones, swinging swords, using your fists. Laser gunfire and chemical bombs weren’t my cup of tea, but unfortunately, that was the kind of war that this had become.
Inside the tent it was silent. Oofa was sitting on a cushion staring at a live fire in a small pit in front of him. There was a silver tray that appeared to have delicacies that even hybrid-humans would have trouble getting down, delicately wrapped twigs and leaves were arranged in the same way that I remembered fine cheeses and meats were arranged on Earth. Clearly, I was about to interfere with snack time.
“Do you have enough to share?” I asked, removing the hood of my cloak and revealing myself to Oofa. The Argyle leader almost choked on his twig.
“What in the name of Calliope are you doing here?” Oofa said, coughing a bit.
“I thought that it was time to finish a little meeting that was cut short so many eons ago,” I replied, standing in front of him.
“Yes, I do recall that meeting as well.” Oofa said, finally collecting himself and motioning for me to be seated. Inside I was relieved that he didn’t call for the guards, but my intuition was right, after all. I knew that Oofa would want to talk.
“Things would be much different if we had finished what we started,” I said, seating myself on a cushion and looking into the golden flame of the fire.
“Maybe. Maybe not.” Oofa said, continuing to munch on his twigs.
“The war would be over,” I said with confidence. I had no doubt about this statement. “And your people would be healthy,” I added.
“My people will be fine.” Oofa cut in. “The effects of the engineering of weapons on our planet are only temporary. We’re developing new technology to clear the fumes and chemicals from our atmosphere.”
“It’s irreversible. You know that, and I know that.” I said, lo
oking right at him.
He looked up at me through his heavy, hooded eyes. I could see from the look on his face that he knew that I was right.
“So what do you want me to do? Stop producing weapons and let the Krill destroy us?”
“No. It’s not too late to join forces with the Corin. If you can give us the technology to get through the nano-armor, I will single-handedly end this war.” I said with grave seriousness.
“You’re a courageous warrior, Arias. But I think that you’re a dreamer. I cannot take the kind of risk that you’re talking about.” Oofa said, looking back at the fire.
Alien Romance Box Set: Alien Former: Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Books 1-5) Page 119