by Karen Kelley
She snorted. “That many? I haven’t been around any. The only ones you allow at the colony are ones you know I wouldn’t be remotely interested in.”
So Lyraka had caught on to that. She’d known she would sooner or later. There had been one man, though. She didn’t know how far the relationship had gone before she’d discovered Lyraka was sneaking out at night to meet him. She’d given him money, and he’d left. It was as she had thought. Men were all the same.
“It was for your own good that I kept the men away from the colony. I didn’t want you to be hurt.”
“But they’ve been nice, and that just proves not all men are bad.”
“They wear masks. You don’t know what they’re capable of until you let them get too close.”
Lyraka looked as if she wanted to say more, but she only sighed deeply as she stood, taking her cup to the sink.
“You’re right, of course,” her daughter said.
But when she turned, there was sadness in her smile. Guilt washed over Aasera. Sometimes, she felt much like the Elders. They were only trying to protect their people, but in turn, they were suffocating them.
“Don’t worry, Mother. It will all work out as it’s supposed to.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“What are you going to do about the woman?” Lyraka asked, changing the subject.
“There’s only one thing to do. I’m going to see for myself.”
Now she’d shocked her daughter. It was rare that she left the safety of the colony. Maybe this was Fate. Or maybe it was the beginning of the end.
A shiver of fear swept over her.
“Today?” Lyraka watched, waiting for an answer.
Her daughter knew her so well. “Not today. Maybe tomorrow. They’re causing no harm for now.”
Even she heard the lack of excitement in her voice. Where had it gone? It used to consume her. There’d been a time when she couldn’t wait to climb inside her craft and set off for the unknown. Her laughter had rung true. She’d been invincible.
Somewhere along the way, she’d stopped living.
Chapter 12
“Y our plants are inferior!” Lara jumped to her feet, her chair scooting halfway across the floor behind her. “How can I be expected to find a cure for the Elder if the plants are no good?”
Sam turned from the sink. Now she was pissed because of Earth’s plants? “How do you know they’re inferior if Nerak doesn’t have any?”
She shoved her hair behind her ears and began to pace back and forth. “This isn’t good. If I don’t find a cure, the Elder’s lifecycle might end. It will be my fault.”
He leaned a hip against the counter. “You’re only human…”
She arched an eyebrow.
Sometimes, it was hard to remember she was an alien. “You’re only a Nerakian,” he amended. “It’s not your decision who lives or dies.”
“You don’t understand. I was born a healer. My DNA was manipulated so that I’d have all the qualities of healers before me. If I can’t save the Elder, then what is my purpose? I might as well have not been created.”
And that’s why she was angry. Now he could see why she must be feeling frustrated. “There was a reason for you to be…uh…created. Maybe it wasn’t so you could heal someone. We don’t always know what our purpose in life is. Maybe you’re supposed to help someone in a different way, and you just don’t know what it is yet.”
Man, he really sounded lame. Hell, he wasn’t a philosophical person. But he didn’t think telling her to just have fun with life would make her feel better.
“You don’t understand. Everyone has a purpose. On Nerak, each one of us knows what our function is in life. Some are code enforcers or therapists or rulers. Don’t you see—everyone has specific duties to fulfill? If I can’t make the Elder well, then I’ve failed in mine.”
“You can’t save everyone all the time.”
“But I’ve never saved anyone!” She waved her arms. “That’s the problem. I’m worthless.”
She turned from him, walked out the back door, and stood on the porch. He followed, and when she stopped, he wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in his embrace.
She stiffened before finally relaxing and leaning against him.
He’d never seen her lose control like this, except when they made love. What he was seeing now worried him. He had a feeling it scared her, too. What was happening to her? Something in the air, maybe.
“I never get upset,” she admitted, breaking the silence. “Earth has a strange effect on me. I’m not sure it’s good.”
“What did you do on Nerak?”
“I’m not sure I understand your question.”
“You know, during the day. How did you spend your time? Your daily routine.”
“I’d get up and take my food capsule, then my companion unit would assist with my grooming. I meditated most of the day. Sometimes, I would admit a guest, and we would visit. In the evenings, there are concerts where art is performed. It’s quite a rewarding life—very calming—”
Now he knew why she was reacting so emotionally, but did she? And would she accept his explanation, or would it scare her more?
“—Until now. I don’t know what’s happening to me,” she continued. “My life is no longer calm.”
“This is what we call living, and with it comes pain and sorrow, laughter and joy. It’s a package deal. You can’t pick and choose.”
She tilted her head until she could look at him. “And you’ve felt this pain and sorrow?”
Tightness gripped his chest. “Yeah. I’ve felt it.” Memories flooded his mind. “My grandfather was special. He had a small place in Louisiana, and I’d spend a couple of weeks with him every summer. We’d walk down to the river to fish and just talk. But then he died. His heart just stopped beating.”
“His lifecycle ended.”
“Yeah.”
“And that’s why you fish. To feel close to him again.”
He’d never really thought about it. Whenever he needed to think, he’d go fishing or just get out his rod and reel to check the line or clean out his tackle box until the solution would come to him.
“I guess I do.”
She nodded. “The holograms are good, but I wish I had known my grandmother. She had so much courage. She would travel from planet to planet exploring what each had to offer.”
“There’re others out there? I mean, inhabiting other planets?” This was getting a little weird.
“Of course, there is much out there still left to discover.”
“So your grandmother was like our early explorers. A modern day Christopher Columbus.”
“She was very brave.” Her body tensed.
“What?”
“Fear filled me when I had to travel to earth. I’m a coward,” she admitted.
He shook his head. “A coward? No, a coward wouldn’t have attempted the journey. It’s okay to be afraid. You faced your fears and pushed past them.”
She was quiet as she digested his words.
“Yes, you’re right. I’m not a coward.”
He smiled. Lara was something else. Since he’d met her, h
e’d wanted to kiss her, comfort her…and kill her.
His life certainly wouldn’t be the same when she left. Maybe hers wouldn’t be the same, either. Maybe it would be better.
“And your purpose in life? What is it that you do?”
“I’m a cop.” He realized she wouldn’t know what he meant, so he explained. “A warrior like Kia.”
“You have wars here?”
“Not in the United States. At least not recently, but we have bad guys. I catch the bad guys.”
“And your friend, Nick. Is he a warrior, too?”
“He’s a cop, too. We’re partners.”
“This is why Kia won’t ever return to Nerak.” The sadness was evident in her voice. “She’s finally getting to be a warrior.”
“That, and she loves Nick.”
She nodded. “I saw it in her eyes when she looked at him. When she thought I was there to take her home. I’ll miss her very much.”
There was a movement in the trees. He held his breath, holding Lara a little tighter.
The person from the other day? One of the bad guys? If he eased back, he could slip inside and grab his gun, but that would put Lara in more danger.
He didn’t have to make the choice—it was made for him.
The buck cautiously stepped into the clearing, looked around, then came out a little further. His coat was reddish brown, his lines pure and sleek.
Lara drew in a deep breath. As if sensing she needed to be still so as not to scare the animal away, she didn’t make a sound.
So hunters hadn’t gotten him. That was good. Man, he was a magnificent creature. He stood in the clearing looking as if he owned the world.
The buck turned and looked at them. It was almost as if he were saying, Welcome back, I’m still here. They haven’t gotten me yet. Then he snorted and leapt back into the shadows.
They exhaled at the same time.
“What was it?” Lara asked with awe.
“A deer—a buck. Beautiful, wasn’t he?”
“I’ve never seen anything like him. I think I’m beginning to learn why you love your cabin so much. It’s not the structure, it’s the place.”
“Exactly.”
“Nerak has many wonders, too,” she said as if to reaffirm her loyalty. “We have beautiful light from our suns. When it touches our buildings, they sparkle like great stones. We have no bad guys.”
“But if you don’t have bad guys, then how can you have heroes?”
They couldn’t. It was plain and simple. They lived their life from day to day. Nothing bad happened, but nothing exciting, either.
Where were these thoughts coming from? She was beginning to compare Nerak to Earth. Nerak was starting to lose.
“I need to run more tests on the plants we gathered.” She left his arms and went back inside.
Temptation. Maybe she wasn’t as strong as she’d thought. Earth was a very complicated place. Nerak was simple. There was good about both places.
But Nerak didn’t have deer.
Or sex. At least, not the kind she’d experienced with Sam.
She carefully pulled out one of the glass specimen plates from the tray. The chemical she’d added had liquefied the plant and made a small puddle. She held her breath as she inserted the probe that would tell her if this plant would cure the Elder.
No reaction.
She closed her eyes, forcing the frustration away. She couldn’t help the Elder if she let her emotions overwhelm her. When she opened her eyes, she was once again in control.
A cure would be found. It just might take a little longer than she’d hoped. She stood and walked to the door and saw Sam walking toward the woods. Was something bothering him? He had his fishing equipment with him.
He was a strange man. She’d seen his kindness when he offered to bring her to his cabin so she could search for a cure. She frowned. And she’d seen his frustration with her, but he’d controlled his anger. That was a good sign.
And she’d seen his passion. A smile touched her lips. Making love with Sam had been good. Much better than a companion unit. And he’d also been right—there was a difference between making love and just having sex.
The mental connection they’d shared worried her a little, though. Her lack of knowledge could cause a problem later. Maybe nothing would come from it other than feeling closer to Sam than she had before.
When she turned away from the door, her gaze landed on a package. Curious, she sauntered over and read what was written on it.
Chocolate!
She jumped back, stumbling into the counter and bringing up her arms to ward off any dangerous rays the bars might give off. The Elders had warned her about chocolate. She was going to disintegrate, she was sure of it.
She drew in a painful breath. It was getting hard to breathe. And the light had all but extinguished…
Wait. She moved her arm from in front of her face and opened her eyes, then frowned. Now she could breathe…and see. The light hadn’t grown dimmer.
And the chocolate wasn’t giving off harmful waves of radiation. Now that she thought about it, the Elders had said humans consumed chocolate as part of their nourishment.
It appeared quite innocuous inside the plastic bag. She stepped closer, thinking it didn’t look that appealing either. The shiny part of the package was pretty, but still, these bars didn’t entice her to leave her home and stay here so she could enjoy looking at them.
She picked up one corner of the package with two fingers, and the chocolate bars spilled onto the table. There they were in front of her, and she didn’t have any desire to do anything with them.
Resisting temptation wasn’t so very difficult.
She touched one. It was hard. Was this what had seduced her cousin and sister to give up their home, their people? That, and probably sex. Sex with Sam was very good. That would make leaving more complicated, but leave she would.
The little bar looked quite harmless. She brought one to her nose and inhaled. It smelled nice. She glanced out the door before tearing off the wrapper. Sam wouldn’t have to know about her curiosity. He would probably laugh at her.
The chocolate bar was dark in color and scored into sections. She broke one section off. A taste wouldn’t hurt, and she could dispose of the rest. She wanted to know what power this chocolate had over Nerakians. One bite only.
She placed the chocolate on her tongue.
Nothing.
It was as she suspected. Healers had better control of emotions.
The chocolate began to melt inside her mouth. She ran her tongue over the bar, then closed her eyes, savoring the taste.
Not fair! It had snuck up on her.
Oh, but it was so good. She chewed, swallowed, and it was gone.
No, she wanted more. She grabbed the rest of the bar and shoved it into her mouth. Yes, this was better. Lights began to swirl around her—warm, colorful lights.
Taking the bag, she went to the other room and curled up on the lounging sofa.
This was almost better than sex with Sam. At the very least, it was just as good. She opened another one, leaning against the lounging sofa’s pillows, and took another bite, then another.
“Umm, yes
, this is so-o-o good.” Her body tingled from head to toe.
She could see how it would be a great temptation. But she wouldn’t think about it. Not right now. There would be plenty of time later. For now, she only wanted to savor the exquisite taste.
All too soon, that bar was gone. She reached inside and got another one, slowly unwrapping it, delaying the moment of consumption. And there it was, in front of her, waiting for her to take that first bite.
But rather than bite into it, she ran her tongue over the bar once, then again, releasing the flavor. She needed gratification and couldn’t wait a second longer. She bit into the bar and slowly chewed.
“Oh, Great One, no one warned me it would taste this exquisite. Please forgive me.”
One more chocolate bar, and she’d stop.
Chapter 13
F or some crazy reason, Sam was experiencing an enormous amount of pleasure. His whole body tingled. He frowned. Well, it damn sure wasn’t from catching anything because the fish weren’t biting. What else was new?
He’d thought if he gave Lara a little space and left the cabin, she would be able to work better.
Damn, he missed her.
He leaned against the rock as visions of her filled his mind. It was funny now when he thought about her sprinkling the detergent all over the cabin and staring at the powder crystals as if they were actually supposed to do something.
He laughed, knowing if there happened to be a fish in the area, he’d probably just scared it away. Not that he really cared.
But just as suddenly as his laughter started, it stopped when he remembered how she’d looked when she took off her clothes to finish cleaning.
Sweet. Really sweet.
High, pointed breasts, curvy hips, a thatch of blond curls at the vee of her legs. Oh, yeah, that was a good vision. He swallowed past the lump in his throat.