Starcrossed: Perigee - A paranormal romance trilogy

by Tracey Lee Campbell

  Aric, Saul and Marcus began to get up on shaky feet, but I was so intent on eliminating the monsters I barely noticed. The last three Innaki ran to escape. Two managed to disappear right through the wall but the third was hit soundly on the head by a twenty pound weight I sent hurtling through the air. It crushed its skull and the creature crumpled to the ground.

  "That's for my mom!" I shouted angrily. I was breathing heavily, so irate that I wanted to pick up the equipment and attack them all over again.

  "Lucy! Lucy..." Aric grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around to face him. "It's okay, you've got them all - you can stop now."

  I looked at him blankly for a moment, my breath coming in great heaving gasps, and then the red rage subsided, and I looked around at the carnage filled room. Saul and Marcus were staring at me.

  "That was... awesome," said Marcus, his voice filled with awe.

  Saul nodded in agreement. "Incredible!" he said. "Now I understand why the Innaki are so keen to get their hands on you."

  Aric took my hand. "We still need to get to Phil, come on." He pulled me toward the door, but a great wave of weariness overcame me, and my knees buckled. Aric caught me around my waist and held me up.

  "She's overdone it," he said. "Come on Luce, you can make it." He hauled me out the door, and we ran towards a large unhitched trailer. Crouching beside the wheels, we surveyed the scene. Two large spacecraft hovered silently above the air field in front of the main building. The craft were a dull, metallic gray, each about half the size of a football field and typically saucer shaped. Every now and then a white flash would emit from the top or the bottom of the craft in a response to the military aircraft which buzzed around the craft like irritated hornets. One of the planes flew close, and peppered the craft with a spray of gunfire. The rounds bounced off harmlessly. A bright orange flash was aimed at the plane, and it disappeared instantly, leaving no sign of smoke or debris.

  Aric pointed to a sentry box in the distance. "We've got to get through there," he said. "I've stunned the guards. There's a rise back there - you can't see it in the dark, but Phil's waiting on the other side with the car."

  "How are we going to get past all that?" I asked Aric anxiously, indicating the ongoing battle overhead.

  "Remember in Ellen's florist store - I showed you how you can use wyk to cloak yourself?"

  "Yeah, I've been practicing."

  Aric patted my hand. "Good, we're going to run right past it all, but keep to the side."

  The throaty growl of a car engine rang out, and a jeep hurtled towards the front of the trailer. We bobbed up to see Doctor Chenski waving at us frantically.

  "Come on!" he yelled, "jump in! I'll get you out!"

  There was a bright orange flash, and Doctor Chenski vanished into thin air. His empty jeep, devoid of a driver, continued on until it slammed into the trailer with a massive thud. I stood transfixed as I watched the engine spark before catching alight. Aric hauled me to the ground, and I leaned against the side of the trailer, trembling in shock. We crouched lower as the jeep exploded with an ear-splitting blast.

  "Oh, my god... did they kill him? Oh, please, not the doctor... "

  Aric squeezed my hand. "Come on Lucy, pull yourself together. We've got to go now."

  Aric, Marcus and Saul vanished before my eyes. I concentrated, and my body disappeared, but my legs from the knees down were still visible. I tried again, but it was worse this time - only my torso disappeared. I was exhausted, and it seemed to be affecting my ability to cloak.

  "Oh, god, I can't do this!" I wailed, willing myself to disappear. Only my arm was invisible. I felt Aric's hand take mine, and my entire body vanished. He was cloaking me.

  "Don't let go," he said, pulling me to my feet. I could feel his hand warm in mine, but it was disconcerting being pulled along by an invisible force. We ran around the outside of the tarmac and headed towards the sentry box in the distance. It seemed an awfully long way away, and my legs felt leaden as I staggered along after Aric while the battle continued over our heads. By the time we reached the checkpoint, Aric was dragging me along as though I were a rag doll, his arm firmly around my waist - I could barely move my feet. The soldiers in the sentry box at the checkpoint stood still as statues, oblivious to the melee around them. We headed away from the main track into the darkness, and stumbled over a sandy rise dotted with low prickly shrubs which tore at my invisible ankles. My heart sank for a moment when I couldn't spot the car, and then, quite suddenly, it materialized in front of our eyes - Phil had been cloaking it.

  Aric bundled me into the back seat and climbed in beside me. Phil hit the accelerator as soon as Marcus and Saul were safely inside, and we bumped over the rough terrain in the dark, heading in a north east direction, leaving the raging battle behind us.

  * * * * *

  "Relax! I keep telling you, we haven't been followed!" Marcus patted my knee reassuringly and leaned back, resting his head against the window, peering out into the darkness of the desert. I turned back for the umpteenth time after scrutinizing the view through the back window, anxiously looking for signs of being followed. We'd been driving along the highway for nearly three hours now, and had barely seen a soul. Aric put his arm around me, and I nestled up against his shoulder. I was exhausted, but I'd been operating in danger mode for so long it was hard to switch off and just enjoy the feeling of safety for a while.

  I wondered whether I would ever feel safe again. Remembering the sinister ambiance of those glowing balls of wyk, the sheer evilness which permeated the red mist which had filled the room, I shivered, and folded my arms protectively over my chest. Did that evil really emanate from me? The thought was disturbing. Aric, Marcus and Phil had only ever produced white wyk, and it had felt, well, definitely not as sinister as the red stuff I had made. Aric's arm tightened around me.

  "Are you cold?"

  I shook my head. Sitting up, I turned to face him. "I don't understand... my wyk was red, and... how can I explain this... well, it seemed to be... evil!"

  Aric nodded. "You were angry. Energy, wyk, responds to intent, to your emotions. It takes on a certain color depending on whether it's imbibed with negativity or positivity."

  "Your wyk is always white. When you zapped the gargoyte, it was white. Why wasn't yours red?"

  "I've learned to control it. Red negative wyk is powerful stuff, but hard to control. White wyk is easier to control. If you control your emotions, it follows you can control your wyk and what it does better. Although you did a pretty good job tonight!"

  Saul turned from the front seat where he'd evidently been listening. "You sure did!" he agreed. "I've never seen anything like it. The room glowed red! It was saturated in it."

  "I would have liked to have seen that," said Phil. "I always miss out on the action. Next time, someone else can be the getaway guy."

  Marcus grunted. "You would have fainted the minute an Innaki looked at you." Phil threw him a dirty look in the rear view mirror then turned his attention back to the empty road ahead.

  I wasn't finished with our conversation. I turned to Aric.

  "So... what does that mean? All the red mist? Does that mean I'm... really evil?"

  He laughed and pulled me closer. "No! It means you have way more wyk than you know what to do with, and you were really angry. I don't think they realized you would be able to do that. I really wouldn't want to be in your bad books when you really get going!"

  I leaned back against the seat. "How do I learn to control it? How can anyone possibly have their emotions in check when there's a hoard of creepy aliens appearing through the walls?"

  "Practice," he said. "It's all new to you Lucy. No one expects you to be a master at it yet."

  Marcus joined the conversation. "Relax Luce. I'm surprised you're not a basket case after all you've been through." He patted my knee again. "You're holding up really well."

  I didn't feel as though I were. My life had become a series of crazy surreal incidents which I
could hardly believe had happened. I almost wished this were all a dream, or more aptly, a nightmare, but then, if it was, and I awoke and found it was all a figment of my imagination, there would be no Aric. I leaned back against his shoulder, tucking my head under his chin and slipping my arm across his waist. I held him tight and his arm tightened around my shoulder in response. I knew he understood what I was feeling even without reading my thoughts. We sat quietly for a while, and I began to relax as I felt the reassuringly real beat of his heart through his shirt.

  Phil looked back at us through the rear view mirror. "We'll be there soon."

  I lifted my head and looked around. As far as I could tell, there was nothing of significance to be seen for miles around. The highway stretched out ahead of us and disappeared into blackness at the end of the car's headlights. The sky overhead was inky black, interspersed with a smattering of stars which did nothing to brighten the gloom. We drove for another half hour before Phil took a right turn on to a single lane asphalt road which twisted and turned up a steep hill. As we rounded a corner, a large modern house came into view, its windows bright with light - a cheery and welcoming contrast to the darkness around it. A feint orange glow could be seen on the horizon behind the house. I was thoroughly confused. I didn't think it was nearly sunrise, and I thought we'd been driving north west, not east.

  "Where are we?" I asked.

  Aric sat up and stretched his arms over his head. "Old friends," he said. "The house overlooks Spring City." That explained the orange glow - Spring City was one of the biggest cities in the desert. Phil steered the car up the steep driveway, and the porch light went on. Ellen appeared at the front door, and hurried down the path to the car.

  "Oh, thank god!" she exclaimed, giving Saul a hug as he exited the car. She clasped Marcus in a quick hug too before she hauled him out of the way to get to me. She saved the biggest embrace for me.

  "You poor love!" she said, smoothing my hair back from my face. "What an ordeal, come on - you need a hot cuppa and something to eat I suspect." I went to move but my legs were still wobbly. I felt as though I was running on empty. "Aric, help me get her in," she ordered. Despite my protests that I could walk by myself, the two of them held me up as I dragged my tired feet up the path to the front door.

  The interior of the house was modern but homely. I was led to the living room where a small fire burned cheerfully in the big stone fireplace, taking the chill off the desert night air. Ellen fussed about me for a moment, spreading a blanket over my knees and placing my feet on a footstool.

  A woman appeared carrying a tray. "A bowl of homemade tomato soup, and some toast. Phil, Aric, make yourselves useful and go and fetch the coffee." She was stunningly beautiful. Tall, elegant, with perfectly coiffed blonde hair, and exquisitely fine features, it was difficult not to stare at her. I wondered if she was a whisperer like Aric. I wouldn't be surprised - she had that strange, charismatic quality Aric possessed. Aric and Phil left the room obediently.

  "Ah, Jomi, just the thing. Lucy, this is Jomi, a very old friend of ours. She is kind enough to put us all up here."

  Jomi smiled at me, a perfect smile with pristine white, straight teeth. "Not so much of the 'old', if you please Ellen," she said with a laugh. Even her laugh was enchanting.

  "We have plenty of room here, and you're most welcome," Jomi told me, arranging the tray on my lap. "Be careful, the soup is scalding hot."

  I was so tired I could barely hold the spoon, but I dutifully sipped some of the soup. It was hot, but delicious.

  "There is more soup in the kitchen for the rest of you," Jomi said. "I don't know whether you want to eat in here too?"

  Saul turned from the window and its panoramic view of the city lights in the valley below. "Olaf isn't here?" he asked.

  Jomi shook her head. "Olaf is my husband, he drives a big rig," she explained to me, glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece. "He's due back soon."

  Aric and Phil appeared with the drinks tray, and Ellen and Jomi busied themselves with the distribution of the mugs of steaming coffee. Aric handed Marcus a soda. I was grateful for the coffee, but my eyes were closing, and all I really wanted to do was sleep.

  Aric sat down beside me. "I think Lucy needs to get to bed," he said, "she's about to fall asleep in her soup."

  Ellen jumped to her feet. "Oh, yes, but, honestly, first I think you need a bath Lucy, and a change of clothes. Aren't those the ones you were wearing when you left the apartment?"

  I blushed. My clothes reeked. I'd showered at the facility, but I'd made sure I'd put the clothes Aric had given me back on again.

  "I have some things which will fit you," Jomi said. "I'll be right back." She left the room, and Aric took the tray from my lap before it fell to the floor.

  It was all I could do not to fall asleep in the bath, and it was so difficult finding the energy to heave myself out of the tub I was afraid I might have to call for some help. I slipped into the silk pajamas Jomi had provided, and reluctantly handed my dirty clothes over to her - she faithfully promised she would have them washed and ready for me in the morning.

  My room overlooked the amazing array of twinkling lights from the city below the mountain. I wished I was more alert so I could appreciate the view. Ellen pulled the blinds, and the lights disappeared. I slid between the sheets, Jomi and Ellen fussing over me like mother hens. The combination of comfortable, safe surroundings and unfamiliar pampering felt strange to me. Once they were satisfied I was comfortable, they left, and Aric entered the room. He bent to kiss my forehead. Despite my exhaustion, an exhilarating wave of affection washed over me, followed by a flush of guilt. He'd risked his life to rescue me, had searched for me and never given up on finding me, despite all the horrid things I'd said to him before I'd left Saul's flat. I'd never apologized.

  I heaved my exhausted body to a sitting position.

  "Aric," I began, "About what I said, before, you know, at Saul's..."

  He cupped my cheek in his hand. "I really am sorry," he said.

  I glanced up at him with alarm. Did he really think I was still sore after everything he'd done for me?

  "No! I'm the one who should be sorry. I said some horrible things."

  "You were only speaking the truth."

  "No. I understand what you did. There were... 'mitigating circumstances'." I smoothed his hair out of his eyes, wincing as I noted the pain still evident in their depths.

  "It still doesn't excuse what I did. But I am sorry." He lowered his head and rested his forehead against mine. I pulled him against me and we sat still, silent for a while, enjoying the closeness. My eyes closed and sleepiness washed over me again. I let out a yawn. He sat up, his hands resting on my shoulders and smiled.

  "I think you need to get to sleep." I lay back down and Aric pulled the blanket up around my shoulders, bending once again to kiss me. After weeks of living in my impersonal cell, I felt as if I were in heaven.

  "Good night Lucy, sleep tight. I'll see you in the morning."

  My eyes closed, only to flutter open instantly as his weight left the bed. I stopped him with a hand on his arm.

  "Aric, what's going to happen?" I asked. "Are we going to Canada?"

  He pushed a lock of hair from my face. "Shh, don't worry about anything tonight. We'll talk about it in the morning. Right now, you need to sleep." His voice took on the smooth, tranquil quality he'd used before. My eyelids drooped until they finally closed, and I felt him place another kiss on my forehead.

  "Goodnight, Lucy," he whispered. I heard him cross the room, and he switched off the light.

  No sooner was he out the door, than my head was filled with visions of large black shiny eyes, and blood soaked fangs. Overcome with panic, I sat upright in my bed.

  "Aric!" I yelled. He was through the door in an instant.

  "I don't want to be alone tonight."

  He crossed the room, sat down on the bed, and kicked off his boots. "Move over then," he said with a smile. He lay down besi
de me, and I snuggled up to him, laying my head against his chest. We lay together in the dark in cozy silence, his fingers caressing my shoulder soothingly. I felt safe for the first time in weeks and I wanted to savor the moment forever, but exhaustion took over, and I fell asleep within minutes.

  * * * * *

  In the morning I found myself sprawled on top of Aric, my face tucked into his shoulder, my arms and legs thrown around him. I looked up to find him watching me.