Light Within Me

by Fall, Carly

  Then she heard the squeal of wheels. A hiss sounded in her ear, and her head dropped down to the asphalt and bounced. She registered voices and heard footsteps pounding by her.

  “Abby? Oh, no. Fuck, no. No! Abby!” Noah’s voice rang in her head. She couldn’t move though, just kept staring at the underside of the dumpster. For some reason, she noted the thing was green. And then she wondered if her phone still worked.

  She felt herself being turned over, and she focused on the face in front of her. Noah. His black eyes were glistening, his brow creased with worry. “Abby!” he yelled at her again. He wiped her face and neck, then she felt his hands go down her torso as if he were patting her down.

  “You aren’t hurt,” he said excitedly. “You aren’t hurt.” She begged to differ on that, but didn’t have the strength to argue. He gathered her in his arms and held her close.

  “You’re safe, honey. I’ve got you now. You’re safe.” Her body violently shook. The tears came quicker now, her lungs barely working as she gasped for breath. Then she saw blackness at the corners of her eyes and her mind got heavy. As she shook, she felt Noah’s arms around her and heard his voice. She felt the safety, the feeling of being home, like she belonged somewhere—the feeling she always felt when she was with him. The blackness moved in further, clouding her vision. She let herself succumb to it and pass out.

  Chapter 34

  Noah paced the plush rug in his quarters. It wasn’t going to be plush much longer if he kept up the pacing. He was wearing the thing down to the concrete underneath.

  He looked over at his bed again.

  Abby lay under the thick, light-brown comforter and white sheets were pulled up to her chin. She was a mess. And she had been out for over twenty-four hours. He was worried about a brain injury, but they had given her an X-ray in their own makeshift medical facility at the silo, and all had come back normal.

  The side of her face was scratched up, as were her hands, arms, and knees. Okay, scratched up was being kind. They were mangled, exposing raw flesh.

  The bottom of her feet looked like they had been chewed on by a rabid dog. But he supposed that was what happened when a person ran barefoot on concrete and asphalt for a good mile or so.

  He had cleaned them the best he could, then slathered on the Neosporin and topped them off with some bandages.

  He ran his hand through his hair and plopped down on the overstuffed chair he had moved over next to the bed. He went through the events from almost two days ago.

  When Abby had said there was black ash on the floor of her apartment, it felt like his blood had frozen in his body, like his world was tilting on its axis. Fear had coiled through him, and he screamed at her to get out of there. He had never, ever in his long life experienced that feeling before, except once. It was when he returned to SR44 from his six-month training on the Colony. The bright colors, the sounds, even wonderful sounds such as laughter, were too much. All of it had overwhelmed him, and he was afraid on many different levels. First, he was terrified he would never be able to get back to leading a normal life. Second, he was afraid of waking up each morning because his life had just overpowered and steamrolled him into a barely functioning being. For two months he couldn’t leave his home, he couldn’t be around his lovren or his family, except for short periods of time, and he found himself more content to be in the darkness, alone, than in anyone’s company. He wanted to return to the Colony just so he could go back to the sensory deprivation he had become accustomed to. The only others who understood were his fellow Warriors, as they had experienced the same thing. It was only after time and a lot of baby steps that he was able to integrate himself back into society. Then, he had literally felt his blood still in his veins when he was bombarded with too much of life, his mind temporarily unable to work.

  Except this time, he had gone into what one might call a panic.

  Okay, he had panicked. Big time.

  He had yelled at Jovan to drive harder . . . something about running over old people and puppies. Not that he would ever condone such a thing, but he needed to get to Abby before that male.

  He marveled at her bravery, not to mention her track skills. She had hauled ass a good distance in a very short period of time, but he guessed fear combined with adrenaline in someone’s gas tank would make that possible.

  When they had pulled around the corner and seen that cocksucker on top of her, he had gone ballistic. Rayner and Jovan took off after Abby’s attacker, and Noah had been left to deal with Abby. The fear almost paralyzed him as he saw her laying there bleeding. When he turned her over, her blouse had been shredded by the asphalt, and there was blood on her neck, running down her chest. Her hands, arms, and knees were bloody as well. There was so much blood he couldn’t tell if she had been stabbed, or maybe something worse.

  He had tried to clear the blood from her neck, and hope flared when he didn’t feel any cuts.

  Rayner and Jovan had lost the guy and met Noah back at the car. They had suggested they take Abby to a hospital, which Noah shut down immediately. He informed them she would be coming to stay at the silo. It was the safest place for her, considering the fact that she was being hunted by a Colonist. They started to argue, but shut up when he glared at them. They shrugged, and Jovan began driving.

  Noah had insisted that they stop at Abby’s apartment. He didn’t care about clothes or any of that bullshit. He wanted to collect Neptune for Abby. Jovan rolled his eyes, but went into the apartment with Noah as Rayner stayed in the car with Abby. They had found Neptune locked in a closet, and Jovan shook his head when the feline jumped into Noah’s arms. Jovan packed the cat food and litter box. He also took pictures of the ash and the rest of the apartment with his phone so they could study them and have it for their files. Noah set the cat on his wide shoulder and told him to hold on. He figured that while they were there, he might as well grab some of her stuff. He took a bag from Abby’s closet and threw in some clothing. Jeans, sweats, underwear, bras, T-shirts, and a couple of sweatshirts. He went to her bathroom and gathered the bottles in the shower, then looked under the sink to see if there was anything she could possibly want or need. Not that he had any idea, but he thought he would see if anything popped out at him. Nothing did, but then he remembered her toothbrush. He rushed back out to the car with Jovan, Neptune still perched on his shoulder, a low purr rumbling from the cat’s throat.

  They were in the apartment for a total of fifteen minutes. When they got in the car, Neptune became agitated, and only calmed down when he was allowed to burrow himself in-between Abby and Noah.

  Noah looked over at the cat now. He sat on Abby’s chest, staring at her face as if he was willing her to wake up. Noah had tried to shoo him off her, but the cat had hissed at him and scratched his hand. The little feline was lucky he belonged to Abby because if he didn’t, Noah certainly wouldn’t tolerate such an attitude from anyone, cat or otherwise.

  When they had arrived at the silo, they were met by the other Warriors, who immediately told Noah that bringing Abby there was a bad idea. Noah didn’t give a shit what they thought; she was staying. There wouldn’t be a discussion about it. He carried her down to his quarters in the elevator, and once she was situated in his bed, he went back up. Things had gotten a little heated then, with Talin getting in his face. They had gone chest-to-chest, nose-to-nose.

  “You can’t fucking compromise us like this, Noah,” Talin had yelled. “We don’t know what she is! Colonist? Something else sent her to hurt us? We don’t know what she is!”

  “Nothing is compromised. I take full responsibility for her while she’s here. There’s one of ours out there who wants to kill her, and I’m not letting that happen. So go fuck yourself, Talin.”

  The other four had gathered around, ready to tear them apart if a fight broke out.

  Talin had taken a deep breath, stared into Noah’s eyes for another moment, and backed down. “I will not fight my fellow brother-in-arms,” Talin said, taking the hig
h road. “Even if he is being an unreasonable asshole.”

  Noah rubbed his face and looked at Abby again. Shit. He owed Talin a big apology. He never should have talked to his fellow Warrior like that. Never. They joked around, called each other names, but when it came down to it, all of them held nothing but deep respect for each other. They were bonded by the ways that only warriors could be, but also bonded by their mission on Earth and the fact that at some point, most of them realized that they wouldn’t be returning to SR44. They were a family.

  But that apology would have to come later.

  Neptune’s bright yellow eyes met his, and then cat let out a wail that made him sound as if he were in pain.

  “I feel you, my man. I want her to wake up, too.”

  The cat went back to staring at Abby.

  He knew there were those in the house who questioned whether Abby was even human because she had seen his SR44 glow, but also because she had been able to see the ash left behind by one of the Colonists.

  That question banged around in his mind as well, but that was for another time. First, she had to heal and regain consciousness. Then she could answer questions.

  At this point, Noah was certain he didn’t care what she was. She could be a cross between a vampire and an iguana for all he cared. He realized what a fool he had been, and had been for a long time. There was no denying the stark fear that raged in him when he realized there was a chance that she had almost died. And the feeling that had replaced that fear when he found out she would be okay.

  He was in love with Abby. Of that, he was certain.

  How everything else was going to work out, he had no idea. He had a Colonist gunning for Abby, his fellow Warriors weren’t happy with him for bringing Abby around, and he really did owe Cohen an apology.

  Despite all that, if Abby would have him, he knew in his heart he would give up his SR44 form for her and lead a human life.

  Yeah, right now that was really the only thing he was certain about.

  Chapter 35

  Abby came to consciousness slowly. She felt the familiar weight of Neptune on her chest and began to stretch. She immediately put the brakes on that idea. Pain lanced through her from the top of her head down to the soles of her feet. Literally.

  What the hell had happened? She had to be at home since Neptune was sitting on her, but then it registered that she was not in her own bed. Fear licked at her gut as she tried to figure out where she was.

  It all came back to her in a rush. Going to her apartment. Running from that man. Being tackled, feeling like she was being put through a meat grinder, so sure that she was going to die . . . her eyes flew open and she came face-to-face with Neptune. He let out a howl and then began purring.

  Then Noah came into her vision.

  “Abby,” he said quietly, a small smile on his face. He sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m glad to see you.”

  She looked around the big space done in light browns and creamy whites.

  “Where am I?” Her voice was hoarse.

  “You’re at my house, honey. Do you want some water?”

  She nodded and tried to sit up, the cuts on her arms and hands making it difficult.

  “Let me help you,” Noah said. Neptune got off Abby’s chest and stood on the bed while Noah helped her sit up and put pillows behind her back. She gingerly relaxed into them, and Neptune curled up in her lap. She noticed that she was in one of her nightshirts. Someone had taken off her clothes and dressed her.

  Noah went to a small refrigerator in the room and pulled out a bottle of water. He poured it into a stout crystal glass and brought it over.

  She brought it to her lips, pain searing through the side of her face. She imagined if it hurt that badly, it probably looked worse. She tried to pet Neptune, but then looked at her bandaged hands. God, she was a mess.

  The water was good, and she had more. They sat in silence.

  “So, what happened?” she finally asked, her throat burning.

  Noah’s brow creased in worry. “What don’t you remember?”

  She told him that she remembered everything up to the point where she hit the ground and watched her cell phone skid underneath the dumpster.

  Noah nodded. He told her about the chase Rayner and Jovan had given, and how the Colonist had lost them in Home Depot. He gave her the rundown on going back to her apartment, getting her things, then coming back here.

  “So, this is where . . . you all live?”

  He nodded.

  Abby wasn’t sure what to think about all of it. She had found herself shacked up with another species. She was intrigued and a little frightened. She wasn’t afraid of Noah, but she had no idea of what to expect from the rest of them.

  “Where exactly is that?”

  “You’re in Fernley,” he said quietly. “In a missile silo.”

  “A missile silo,” she repeated.

  He nodded and told her the history of the government disarming the missile silos at the end of the Cold War, and how he had picked them up for cheap and had them totally renovated.

  “So, you own more than one?” she asked incredulously.

  He nodded. “I own six. They’re all over the country. As you can imagine, we can’t really stay in one place for more than ten years or so. We need to move on because we don’t age. Also, if I need to send someone to another part of the country to check something out, it’s a good, safe place for them to crash.”

  Huh. For some reason, all of this seemed perfectly logical, perfectly sane to her. She wondered how hard she had hit her head.

  “Abby, look. I probably shouldn’t have brought you here, but I did.” He looked around the room, then at the clock. “Here’s the thing, okay? When it gets dark, my eyes are going to change to orange. We don’t know why it happens, it’s just the way it has been since we got here.”

  Okay. Missile silos. Orange eyes.

  “Like when you glow?”

  He looked at her and nodded. “It is our SR44 form that makes that happen.”

  This she had to see.

  “When will it be dark? Will anything else happen?” she asked. She hoped they all didn’t turn into flesh-eating zombies or something like that.

  “About an hour. And no, nothing else happens. We just walk around here like we all have a flashlight stuck up our ass.”

  She tried to smile, but her face hurt too much. “Do . . . do the others glow orange as well?”

  He shook his head and explained that the color of their forms on SR44 were different, so their eyes shone a different color.

  “Can I meet them?”

  He took a deep breath. “You’ve already met Hudson,” he said. “I guess you can meet the rest later.”

  “Hudson?” she asked incredulously. Wow. So she knew not one, but two members of another species.

  And one was a hell of a dancer.

  Abby carefully moved so that she was almost lying flat, her head resting on the pillows. They sat in silence for a while, neither sure what to say.

  “Do you want to watch some TV?” he asked quietly.

  “Sure.”

  “What do you want to watch?”

  “Do you have any movies?”

  He pushed the buttons on the remote to movies-on-demand. They scrolled through. Die Hard was on.

  “How about Die Hard?” she said. “I haven’t seen that movie in years. I remember liking it though.”

  Abby watched as he gave her a very satisfied grin.

  Chapter 36

  As Abby watched Bruce Willis run, shoot, and talk on the phone, she tried to wrap her mind around everything and thought about a few things that needed to be addressed.

  First, somehow, her being with Noah, a member of another species, inside a missile silo, which also housed other members of his species, was okay with her.

  Second, she couldn’t wait to see his dark eyes change to orange. Now that was going to be weird.

  Third, why did that guy want to kill her? />
  That was the hundred-thousand-dollar question.

  She couldn’t imagine who would want to kill her. She had never done anything illegal; she had never had dealings with the mob or any shady characters like that. Was the mob even still in Reno? She didn’t know.

  It had to be random, didn’t it?

  As she thought about seeing the man in her window, she remembered that she couldn’t see his face, but there was something that seemed familiar about him. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but yes, she recognized something about him. Or maybe she just thought she did. She had been nothing short of terrified, and maybe she didn’t know what she saw. It was a possibility.

  She felt her lids getting heavy and knew she was going to be asleep soon. She curled over onto her side.

  Suddenly, she heard Noah move and she looked over. She gasped as she was bathed in a brilliant orange light. Noah quickly looked away.

  “No,” she said. “Noah, don’t.”

  He slowly turned his head back to her, his eyes meeting hers.

  Abby stared at the glow emanating from his eyes. The light illuminating from him was warmth, softness, comfort, and caring all wrapped into one color.

  She gaped at him in awe. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “Absolutely beautiful.”

  He continued to look at her for a moment, then he said quietly, “No, what I see is beautiful. I see goodness, kindness, and a woman who takes my breath away. She is beautiful beyond anything I have ever imagined.”