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.
“Look away,” I commanded.
“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.
“Whatever it is called, it is poorly designed. The technology is primitive.” I added. If the Corin had been given the task of designing a better tool, my pancakes on this morning would have been the best in the galaxy.
“Come on, they look good!” She said, and seated herself at the kitchen table. “If only Grim could see you now. The greatest warrior in the galaxy, fretting over pancakes.”
“Grim would not have a chance to comment on this situation. My anger over these pancakes is such that, were he to appear, he’d perish by this measly spatula.” I replied in grave earnestness.
•••••••••••••••
CHAPTER 6
•••••••••••••••
Candice
Ok, so I was in domestic bliss. After the dream where I made love to Luke, in his fully human form, I was pretty convinced that if he did manage to win the war and return to me without his Curse, the rest of my life could quite possibly be perfect. Of course, this was what my heart was saying this morning. My head knew that life was never perfect.
The pancakes were certainly not perfect, but they were the best that I had ever had. How did that make sense? I guessed it was because he made them with so much affection.
“More orange juice?” He asked.
I smiled and nodded my head. Luke had been on Earth for so long, but every once in a while he said these things that made him sound like an alien. I loved it.
“You know, you can’t keep this up forever,” I said.
Luke arched his brow and poured my orange juice. He gave no reply. I knew why this was. It was the truth.
At heart, Luke was a warrior, and I knew that he was putting on this whole show to prove to me that he could be a normal man. But the foundation of all of this was that I had to send him back to Hecate for this bliss to be possible. My awareness returned to my Curse. I must send him into danger. And it was the kind of danger that he thrived on.
“I can do this forever if it’s with you.” He said with assurance.
“If you win the war, and that’s a big IF, then you’re probably going to land here as a human and join the military or something,” I said, taking a big bite of pancakes.
“I will not join the human military.” He said without looking up from his plate.
“You’d probably win every war on this planet if you did,” I said. “You could be a weapon for democracy and freedom.” Thinking about it, it was really the truth.
“I could fight for all those things. And win. But I promised you that I’d be here with you, and that’s what I plan to do.” He said with finality.
“You know, it’s not my intention to domesticate you. I just don’t want to see you in danger all the time.” I said. “Can you really give up on all that danger? I know that you love it.” I added.
Luke put down his fork and appeared to be frustrated. He didn’t like that I was pursuing this line of questioning. Maybe he didn’t want to face it himself. The dissolution of his identity.
“I’m going for a walk,” Luke said and got up from the table without awaiting my reply.
“Luke?” I said, and got up from the table to follow him. “I’m sorry if I was asking too many questions,” I said, reaching the door just as he walked out onto the porch.
“I said—“ He slowly turned around to face me at the top of the stairs. “I’m going for a walk.”
I watched him walk out into the desert. Oh my God, I really pushed his buttons. I felt terrible. I could see him walking along in deep contemplation, and slightly angry. This wasn’t how this morning was supposed to go.
But then it dawned on me - I don’t know that Luke is completely sure that he can do this either. The whole human thing. Maybe he’s just playing along to try and win me over, but regarding the future, even he is uncertain.
Am I demanding too much from him?
I supposed I was just asking for what I needed, which was for him to be safe. But if he was safe all the time, then coul
d he really be himself?
I went back into the house and began to clean the mess from the pancakes. I laughd a little when I saw the spatula. I picked up his retracted light sword, which yes, he used to stir the pancake batter.
My thoughts were brought back again to my dream, and I felt that heat in my lower belly when I thought of it. His touch was so tender, and it was like there was an electricity in our bodies that I had never felt before. I thought about the last time that Luke and I made love. It had to have been weeks and weeks ago. I sighed a little and for a moment, I felt a deep loneliness.
Having him here was divine, but it was still just a portion of the beauty that we had experienced together. A portion of the contact. Deep down, we felt the need to avoid each other physically and not get too close. The great boundaries that had been built between us were tenuous, though like they were made of paper. I felt I could give in, at any moment, just to feel his touch and to experience 100% intimacy. Not just physical, but also spiritual and emotional.
I had given Luke the ultimatum that for us to come together as one, he had to be whole. He had to be cured. But by doing this, was I perhaps keeping Luke and I apart forever? Would I be able to live with that?
I contemplated all of this as I washed the dishes and looked out the window. I could see him now, off in the distance. He was sitting on a boulder. His posture was immaculate. He sat tall and proud, his large shoulders resting perfectly on his wide, ripped torso. How had I managed to have this man in my house all these days without allowing him to touch me? I had to be out of my mind.
Crazy human female.
Luke
She had a point. I would always be a warrior. The thrill of the battle, the feeling of my sword in my hand, the satisfaction of victory, I couldn’t give these things up. But I needed Candice by my side. I would never be able to sacrifice that. Maybe being a human was going to present more problems than I thought.
I could win the war, and then force Candice to be with me on Hecate. She wouldn’t agree to it, but I could simply take her and not let her leave. I would make her my prisoner bride. She might hated me for eons, but eventually, she would know that it was the right thing to do. Candice would learn to give in to my desires, and all would be settled.
The problem with this, even though it could easily be accomplished, was that Candice was a strong-willed human female, and that gave me pleasure. I could pick a Corin bride who would concede to my every wish. She would take care of every task that I told her to take care of, she would give her body to me whenever I wanted to take it, and she would obey my every wish. But this was not the kind of female that filled my body and heart with longing. It was a woman like Candice who did this. She had her own life, she had her own needs, and I took satisfaction from seeing her happy and protected.
This was a riddle that had no answer. Similar to my Curse.
I was sitting on a large boulder, looking out to the desert horizon. I needed to be alone because I did not have the satisfactory answers to her questions, and I did not want to tell her something that would make her upset.
Never in a million eons had I ever thought that one day there would be a battle raging in my heart that would be as challenging and fierce and any battle on Hecate.
I looked down to see a desert snake staring up at me, its long thin body swirling in the dirt. For some reason, the snake interested me greatly, and I leaned over to pick it up. I knew that humans were fearful of such creatures on their planet, but these things had never been intimidating to me. The snake did not fight me in my hand but went stiff. It continued to look me straight in the eye, its forked tongue dancing outside of its mouth.
“Aren’t you clever?” I said to the snake. He had given me an idea, and I was grateful to the creature for that.
I dropped the snake and began walking towards the lot where the Carnival should now stand. This was the very day that Merv said they would be returning to Sun Valley, and the person that I needed to talk to was the Snake Queen.
Her Carnival name was Medusa, for obvious reasons, and her body was completely covered with tattoos of snakes. She was also the most talented Fortune Teller among the Cursed Souls. Her counsel was needed at this time.
Once I reached the lot, it was near a hot afternoon, and the Carnival was being set up.
“Thank God you’re here,” Merv said, already sweating in the bright sun. “We need you to perform tonight.”
“I’m on vacation,” I said, walking past him without looking at him. “Where is Medusa?”
“In her tent, of course,” Merv said. “You can’t be on vacation!” He protested.
“Yes, I can,” I replied, looking from left to right for Medusa’s tent. It was a small tent made from embroidered fabrics. It was not the showiest attraction of the Carnival, but for those who knew all the Cursed Souls, they were aware that Medusa was perhaps the most powerful. Finally, I spotted her tent and lifted up the flap to step inside.
Medusa was reading cards at her little table. The woman was quite old, regarding human years, and she had been stranded with the Carnival for many Earth decades, barred from returning to her home planet by her own Curse, which perhaps would never be lifted.
“Luke!” Her old, crackly voice said. She held her cards within her sinewy and spotted hands. Her skin was as thin as parchment paper. “I have not seen you in a while.” She said with a crinkly smile.
“Many things have changed for me here on this planet,” I said, and sat down across from her. “I need your keen vision.”
“You’ve never asked me for my counsel before. You must feel quite serious about this woman.” Medusa said, looking down at her cards.
And this was where Medusa exceled. I hadn’t even told her about Candice and already she was getting to business.
“You’re too controlling, Luke. I have told you this before.” Medusa looked directly at me. Her eyes were so light blue that they were practically gray. “You have chosen a special woman.”
“I did not choose her. We came together by fate.” I said stubbornly.
“Perhaps. But you don’t control fate. You want to be Luke for her. But you are Arias.”
“That is correct,” I said. She was spot-on.
“You’re doing everything in your power to make this woman comfortable with your situation.” She added.
Also correct.
“But you don’t control destiny, Luke. Even if you believe that you can.”
“I can control many things,” I said with assurance.
“You cannot control this woman, Luke. You want to. You’re afraid of your own nature that you might just seize her and turn her into something that you possess completely, but it’s not possible. Not with this woman.” Medusa said.
“You’re not telling me what I want to hear, Medusa,” I said with a stubborn grin.
“Of course not. That’s why you came to me. Others won’t tell you the truth because you’re too intimidating. But let me say this.” Medusa said and leaned across the table towards me. “If you want this woman, completely and fully, then you must let her go.”
I leaned back and folded my arms, rolling my eyes. Didn’t Leona tell me the same thing?
“Hear what I’m saying, Luke. Tonight, you are to sleep in the desert. Give her the space that she needs. Your fate will be answered, but only when you let her go.”
“There will be no letting her go,” I said, clenching my jaw.
“Just for tonight, Luke. Let her be free, and your destiny will be revealed.” Medusa’s eyes turnedfrom gray to white.
•••••••••••••••
CHAPTER 7
•••••••••••••••
Candice
He had been gone all day, and I was starting to worry. The sun was coming down, and the sky was a rich splash of pinks, oranges, and yellows.
I finally went back down to the kitchen to look out the window, and sure enough, Luke was lying on the rock that I sa
w him on earlier. What was he doing out there? Had he gone crazy?
He didn’t look nearly as deep in contemplation as he was earlier. In fact, he’s staring up at the sky with his hands lounging behind his head, as though he didn’t have a care in the world. I was jealous, I had been full of cares and fears all day long since this morning’s event. I cleaned the entire house, did the laundry, watered the plants, and I still didn’t feel calm and secure.
Alien Romance Box Set: Alien Cube: The Sci-FI Alien Invasion Romance (Books 1-5) Page 48