Guard (A Sci-Fi Alien Romance)

by Zara Harris

  His eyes opened wide in shock. “You don’t know what you’re saying. If Kefi refuses you, they’ll arrest you.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe that’d be better than being mated to Kefi.”

  He closed his eyes and swallowed. “I’m not sure.”

  “What is it about him? When Erostrians speak of him, they do it in whispers. Why?”

  He shook his head, eyes still closed. “He’s a very powerful member of the council.”

  “Is it true?”

  He eyed me warily. “Is what true?”

  “You know,” I paused, not sure how to phrase my question.

  He stared straight ahead.

  “Please get me out of here,” I whispered, grabbing his strong, tanned hand.

  He looked at me with such pity that I was sure I was going to burst into tears. No one had looked at me like that for years.

  He held my hand tightly and continued to stare straight in front of him, avoiding my eyes. “I’ve been thinking about how to do that,” he said, after a long pause.

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You have? But I know exactly how to do it,” I said quickly, shifting my body around on the bench until I was facing him.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

  I nodded. “If I can get away before…”

  He leaned closer, looking at me intently with his bright amber eyes. “Before?”

  I tore my eyes away from his handsome face. “How do I know I can trust you? That you won’t use what I say against me?”

  He smiled sadly and shook his head.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. You just reminded me of someone then.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah.”

  We sat in silence, the tension growing as the seconds ticked past.

  “So how do I know?”

  “Know what, Clementine?”

  “That I can trust you.”

  He pursed his lips and shrugged. “You don’t. You can’t.”

  I stared into eyes, trying to weigh up the pros and cons of trusting this stranger. Every instinct I had told me I should. But it was my last chance. If I made the wrong choice then I’d be a prisoner forever. I decided to go it alone.

  But it seemed like my body was ignoring my brain.

  “If I can get away between now and when they deliver me to him, then I’m free,” I blurted. “According to the system I’m mated. There’s no automatic arrest warrant. It’ll have to be done manually by special order. I don’t even know how. That’s a lot of effort for Kefi to go to in order to find me. He’ll probably just take another. Especially if he’s powerful.”

  I was almost out of breath when I finished talking. Simo’s face was totally blank. Neutral. Unreadable.

  “Well?” I hissed desperately, hoping I hadn’t just betrayed myself.

  He turned his head to one side and watched me, deep in thought. As he opened his mouth to speak, the heavy metal door creaked open. It was the guards from earlier, the ones who’d marched me to my cell. The ones who were friends with the guards I attacked.

  I swallowed nervously.

  “Well?” Simo said, standing up.

  I stared into his eyes, beseeching him not to tell them. His face was as blank as ever.

  Chapter Seven

  My first night in a police cell was the worst night’s sleep I’ve ever had. And it wasn’t because of the crappy mattress – I was used to living uncomfortably. I’d slept fitfully, knowing that they could come and take me at any time. If I was them, I would have – take me when I least expected it and my guard was down. But they didn’t.

  I had no idea what time it was. I guessed from the noises in the corridor outside that it was daytime. Doors screeched open and closed. People stomped past in heavy boots. I tried to focus my tired mind but it was useless. I was dozing off again when the door opened suddenly. I shuffled back against the wall, making myself as small as possible.

  “Don’t worry. I’m alone,” Simo whispered, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him.

  “Is it time?”

  He shook his head. “Not yet.”

  I exhaled loudly.

  He looked sad. “They’ll come to a decision eventually, Clementine. And when they do…”

  We stayed like that for a while – me curled up like a frightened animal on the bench. Him staring down at me with infinite sadness in his eyes.

  “Why do you want to help me?” I asked finally, standing up.

  He looked away at the wall and swallowed. “How do you know I want to help you? Yesterday afternoon you didn’t believe me.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just.”

  “What?” He turned to look at me.

  “I don’t know.”

  He took a step closer until we were barely six inches apart. Even from that distance I felt like his imposing body was surrounding me, capturing me. He lifted his hand and stroked my face so gently I felt tears prick at my eyes.

  “Why couldn’t it have been you?” I sobbed, wondering when exactly my brain had stopped filtering my words.

  His smile was slight, but it still lit up his whole face. “Clementine Harding. If you’d been delivered to me, you’d still have put up a fight. You’re the most strong-willed woman I’ve ever met.”

  I could tell from his eyes that it wasn’t a rebuke.

  “Would you like that? If I’d been delivered to you?” I whispered.

  He stroked my face again. This time his fingers circled around to my lips. He reached down and tilted up my chin gently so I was staring directly into his warm eyes. They were the same shade as the rest of his species, yet they were vastly different. There was a warmth and depth to them that I’d never seen before in an Erostrian.

  “It doesn’t matter now, Clementine. We have bigger problems to solve.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Call me Clem, please. The only person who ever cal—” my eyes opened wide. “You mean you’ll help me escape when they move me?”

  He shook his head.

  I folded my arms, chastising myself mentally for expecting him to help me solve a problem that was mine and mine alone. Seeing my reaction he put an arm on my shoulder. His firm touch sent shooting stars of pleasure through my body, in ways that I’d never felt before.

  “That isn’t what I meant. I want to help you, but your plan won’t work.”

  “No,” I said quickly. “It has to. That’s the only time I can escape.”

  He shook his head firmly. “There’s no way they’ll give you a chance to get away. They’ll be expecting trouble.”

  “Why do you call them ‘they’?”

  His cheeks reddened. “Now is not the time to analyze my words. Like I say, you can’t escape during the delivery.”

  I sat back down. “I guess if it’s prison then I won’t need to escape.”

  He knelt before me and took my hands. “Even more reason to escape,” he said fiercely. “Trust me. You don’t want to go to prison.”

  I shook my head, staring up at the ceiling. Tears were streaming down my cheeks now. “But it’s my only option. If I don’t get away before they give me to him, then I might as well be in prison.”

  He leaned over and stroked my hair. “There is another way. It’ll put both of us in grave danger, but I believe it’s the only way.”

  His beautiful face looked blurry through my tears. “Why are you helping me? Why put yourself in danger?”

  I couldn’t see his expression but I could hear the hesitation in his voice. “Remember I said you reminded me—”

  The door burst open. Two other guards burst in. they stopped abruptly when they saw us. Simo had leapt to his feet as the door opened but they had still seen us too close together.

  “What’s this, Simo?” one of them leered. “Can’t wait to get assigned your own human whore?”

  I stared ahead, trying to stop myself from glancing at Simo.

  “Well?” the other taunted, looking from one of us to t
he other.

  Finally Simo shrugged and glanced back at me coldly. “She tried the same trick with me as she did with Pira.”

  One of the guards burst toward me so suddenly that he was almost in my face before Simo grabbed him by the throat.

  “Don’t, brother,” Simo said calmly. “It’s not worth the trouble if the commander finds out. She won’t try it again. Believe me.”

  The guard who’d tried to attack me seemed mollified – he smoothed out his uniform and stared up and Simo. The other one was less calm. I grew more and more nervous as I watched him watching us.

  “Really?” he said at last. “Because I’ve heard you’ve got a bit of a soft spot for human whores.”

  The other guard giggled in amusement. A twinge of jealousy shot through me. I glanced at Simo in dismay but he wasn’t looking at me. He was glaring with an anger and hatred that I’d never seen before, not even in the darkest days of the takeover.

  “Say that again,” Simo said in a low growl.

  The other guard stepped closer, squaring up to him. “You think I’m afraid of you? You? If it wasn’t for your father—”

  Simo stepped closer to him. “Keep talking.”

  Just as Simo reached out to grab him, there was a commotion in the corridor outside. Simo stepped back quickly just as the commander stepped into the already crowded cell.

  “What’s the delay?” he asked with disbelief. “I ordered you two to fetch her.”

  I looked up at him in dismay. “Does this mean—”

  “Silence, human,” he hissed, waving his hand dismissively.

  “Has there been a decision sir?” Simo asked.

  The commander nodded. “Yes, there has. We’re to take her to Kefi’s compound at once.”

  My heart thumped so hard I was sure it was going to explode.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Come on then, the backup unit is already waiting for us outside.”

  Simo glanced back at me and raised his eyebrows slightly.

  “Backup unit, sir?”

  “Yes Simo. Have you already forgotten what happened in the administration building?”

  Chapter Eight

  Simo had been right. There was no way I was going to be able to make my escape as they delivered me to Kefi’s compound. The first time I caught sight of the backup unit was when we stopped in the lobby to put on my gaudy red mating sash. The sight of those ten armed Erostrians dressed in black SWAT gear made me realize it was over.

  “Why do I have to wear this?” I asked. My shoulders slumped.

  Simo looked at me warily but I ignored him.

  The commander laughed. “That’s just the start. Wait until you arrive at Kefi’s compound and they prepare you for the mating. I wish I could see it.”

  I followed them out the door, my heart sinking with every step. All this time, I hadn’t really thought about what was going to happen because I’d been so convinced I’d be able to escape. Now there was no hope. It wasn’t some far off possibility. It was happening. I was going to be defiled by Kefi that night. I closed my eyes tight to try and hold back the tears.

  I felt the most fleeting pressure on my shoulder. I looked to my left in shock. Simo was staring straight ahead. I was about to turn away when he glanced at me and nodded ever so slightly. I felt a burst of hope again as we reached the bottom of the steps and the backup team swarmed around us.

  “How long is it going to take?” I asked.

  My voice sounded small and distant. I cleared my throat. I was surrounded by so many towering guards that I couldn’t see the streets and alleys we passed. I cursed myself for not being able to shut up and play along. If I had, the Erostrian commander wouldn’t have suspected a thing and I’d be as good as free by now.

  The commander turned back with a sneer. “What matter to you?”

  I shrugged. “I just wondered.”

  He laughed humorlessly. “I bet you wish we could march all through the night. But we’re almost there.”

  I held my breath as we got closer and closer to my prison. Once we entered the compound I’d never be seen again. We slowed and came to a stop. I looked up at the sign above us and couldn’t help but smile despite my terror. Cathedral of the Saints. Of course. My view of the spires had been obscured by the guards. I was still surprised I’d missed it.

  The doors opened slowly as the first guards reached the top steps. It was too gloomy inside for me to see anything yet. I stepped across the threshold, holding my breath. I half expected Kefi to leap from the shadows and grab me. But there was no one there apart from three of his staff.

  “Thank you guards,” the one at the front said. “I am Tyno. Kefi’s chief of staff.”

  All three looked so similar that they could have been brothers. They were smaller and slighter than the Erostrian guards. My eyes started to adjust to the gloom. I glanced around at the familiar ornate foyer.

  The backup guards nodded and left swiftly and quietly. There was plenty of space in the high-ceilinged room for the remaining nine of us, but it still felt oppressively small. I turned and glanced at the doorway. One of the guards stepped between me and the open doors.

  I turned back to see the commander and Tyno share a look.

  “I warned you that she was trouble.”

  “You did,” Tyno nodded.

  “Sir.” Simo stepped forward. “One of us should stay here in case there’s trouble on the mating night. Kefi is an influential member of the council, and—”

  “I know he is,” the commander snapped.

  “All the more reason to ensure tonight goes smoothly,” Simo continued, unruffled.

  The commander shook his head. “Who’s the commander of this unit?”

  “You are, sir,” Simo said without blinking.

  “Good. Remember that.” He turned away and nodded at Tyno and the other staff. My heart, already pounding hard, started to thump so fast I was sure I’d pass out. This was it. They were leaving me here.

  “Actually, Commander Qeia, your guard makes an excellent point. He shall remain with us in case of any trouble,” Tyno said looking me up and down. “Though I expect Kefi won’t have any problems with this one.”

  I risked a glance at Simo as the commander and the other guards filed out of the room. His face was twisted into a cruel leer. Suddenly I was filled with doubts. What if he wasn’t my savior at all?

  Chapter Nine

  Tyno interrupted my frantic, terrified thoughts.

  “Come, woman. It is time to prepare you for mating.”

  The other two stepped back and opened the double doors to the interior. I followed Tyno through, with Simo following close behind me.

  I glanced back at him with a hundred questions on the tip of my tongue. He shook his head in warning.

  I looked around in surprise. We were in a corridor, not the cavernous cathedral like I’d expected. It was over ten years since I’d last set foot inside, but that occasion was stamped in my memory as clear as a photo.

  “What happened to the cathedral?” I whispered.

  Tyno smiled, amused. “We have no need for your cathedral.”

  “But the sign’s still outside.”

  He shook his head and looked at me like I was an idiot. “Of course. Why change the outside of the building when it’s the inside that matters.”

  We carried on walking. I watched the dull, grey concrete walls, wondering how much of the old cathedral interior was left behind them. In my mind, I imagined we were walking up the main aisle in the middle, with the sun shining through the stained glass windows that rose high into the ceiling.

  The last time I walked that aisle it had been a beautiful, sunny summer’s day. A day for picnics and trips to the beach and playing in the ocean. Not a day for my parents’ funeral. But that’s how it had been. That was the last time I’d entered a church. It was the last time I’d done a lot of things.

  Ever since then, with no other family, I’d been shunted around from foster home to f
oster home until I’d run away at the age of fifteen. After several months of squatting, I’d finally been getting on my feet – going to school during the day and waitressing at night – when the Erostrians took over.

  The corridor stopped suddenly. I had been too busy daydreaming to pay attention to how far we had walked. There was a door on either side. Tyno opened the door on the left and we stepped inside. I felt Simo’s hand on the small of my back as we stepped in the narrow doorway.

  But any comfort I felt from the gesture was quickly shattered when we followed Tyno through the long narrow grey room and into one of several rooms that lined the opposite wall.

  “Your chamber,” Tyno said.

  We were standing in a small grey room, bare except for a narrow single bed and a closet. A dusty full-length mirror was affixed to the wall. But what made my heart sink even more was what I saw hanging on the door of the closet.

  Tyno saw me looking. “Yes,” he sneered. “Your gown for the mating.”

  I admitted to myself that the commander had been right. My gaudy mating sash was nothing compared to this. The dress was bright red. Even from a few paces away I could tell the skirt was sheer. It had what looked like a bra attached to the top – the same brash red color in a shiny, plastic-like fabric.

  “Well, go on. Time to get you ready.”

  I took a couple steps forward past Tyno and stopped. “I can’t do this.”

  “You have no choice. Guard, leave us.”

  Simo shook his head. “No. I was ordered to stay and guard the mating.”

  Tyno smirked cruelly. “By me. Leave us. I won’t touch her. Don’t worry. I know what would happen if I did.”

  My heart sank as I realized Simo was obeying him. He stepped outside and stationed himself on the other side of the doorway. Tyno walked over and closed the door leaving us alone in the room together.

  “Get dressed.”

  I looked from him to the dress and back. Seeing it made the whole thing real. “I’m not wearing that. I’ll look like a hooker.”

  Tyno took a couple steps closer to me. “That’s the idea.”

  “What if I refuse?”