by Jorja Kish
Keene stepped forward and gracefully bowed as well. He gave Mackenzie a quick wink, then smiled at the lanky creature.
“We would like to try some bubbles, please.”
Keene smiled brightly when he noted the furrow of confusion on Mackenzie’s pretty face.
The long arms of the alien handed over a container with what looked like a giant pipe, with the container in the middle of the long stem, to Mackenzie. It graciously smiled and patiently waited for one of the men to pay him. Braydok pulled back his sleeve and watched as the creature tapped its own sleek device.
“Enjoy.” It bowed and stepped away.
Okay, now I have a giant pipe that looks sort of like a hookah pipe.
Braydok guided Mackenzie and Keene to small park area where several humanoids leisurely strolled, oblivious to Mackenzie’s shocked eyes.
She snapped her jaws shut, afraid she would offend something, or someone. Gah!
Braydok smirked and lightly tugged on her arm, keeping her from knocking into anything as her head whipped around his body to stare at the four-armed Trologylyte.
“He has four arms,” she muttered in disbelief, turning to Braydok and Keene, then repeating it again.
Both men laughed and pressed her onto a stone bench to sit. Still clutching the weird-looking bubble contraption, Mackenzie dragged her eyes away from the strange sight once the humanoid left her vision field.
“Wow, now I’ve seen everything!” She laughed.
“Nope, not even close, honey.” Keene serenely smiled.
Mackenzie narrowed her eyes at him and stuck out her tongue. Gah, what am I, twelve?
“Okay kids, no more of that.” Braydok smirked. “Let’s show Mac how the bubbles work.”
He took the container from Mackenzie’s hands and placed it on the stone table. He gave her a playful wink, then gently blew into the pipe until a watery, iridescent bubble formed on the bottom scoop. It grew with each breath until it broke free of its perch and floated upward.
Mackenzie frowned and shrugged her shoulders. She motioned to tap at the floating bubble, but Braydok grabbed her hand, shaking his head.
“Watch,” he said, pointing at Keene, who radiantly smiled like an eager child.
The lithe, blond-haired devil opened his mouth and captured the bubble on his lips, then swallowed what was inside until it popped with a fizzy hiss.
Mackenzie’s jaw dropped once again as she watched Keene drink from the bubble. Now that wasn’t something she saw every day. Glancing at Braydok from the corner of her eyes, she gasped with delight.
“What exactly is a bubble, and when is it my turn?”
Keene giggled and crooked his finger at her to come forward. He spun the bubble pipe’s stem to her and lightly tapped the tip.
“It’s easy to do. All you have to do is blow on the tip.” He giggled, giving Mackenzie a sly wink.
She snorted and rolled her eyes but playfully swiped at his slim arm.
“Behave, you little horn-dog,” she mockingly threatened before grinning.
“Okay, okay, just gently blow in the stem until a bubble pops out. Don’t break it or you’ll get covered in the liquid, which isn’t dangerous, obviously, but is messy and sticky to clean up like—”
Keene didn’t get a chance to finish when Mackenzie covered his mouth with her palm.
“Keene,” she huffed, stomping her booted foot.
Braydok laughed.
“He’s a little devil, isn’t he? He looks like an angel, but we both know his halo is held up by his horns.”
Keene shrugged his shoulders and pulled away from the softness of Mackenzie’s hand, but not before he gave it a soft kiss. “Fine, I’ll behave. Just place you lips on the surface of the bubble, then drink like you would from a straw. They’re delicious, trust me.”
Mackenzie studied Keene’s wide eyes and brushed her knuckles on the side of his face. He was just so damn sweet in a sexy way, almost as feminine as she was, but he still made her heart clamour harder whenever he looked at her.
She opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around the shaft delicately before carefully blowing into the pipe. The bubble grew in a kaleidoscope of shimmery colours until it wavered on its perch, then detached. It hovered for a second then floated toward the dome ceiling.
“Quickly,” Braydok urged, grinning as he watched with fervour.
Mackenzie clemently pressed her lips to its surface. A cool fizzle tickled her lips, crinkling her nose from the strange sensation. It was like those fizzy pops she ate when she was a kid, those little hard candies that popped and fizzed in your mouth. She loved eating them just for the pop and fizzy sensation.
Gradually, she sucked on the bubble, sending her taste buds into a swirl of multiple tastes, from sweet to tangy, spicy and slightly bitter, but in whole, it was a fun and enjoyable experience. Just as she took the last of the liquid and swallowed it down, a fizzy pop erupted in her mouth that tickled her nose from carbonation. She giggled and rubbed her nose tip, expecting to feel the liquid there, but it was dry.
She shifted to her men’s expectant gazes and laughed merrily. “I’m so going to have another taste. How many flavours are there?”
* * * *
The rest of the afternoon was a steady stream of new experiences for Mackenzie and she loved every minute of it, regardless of the strange things and people she saw. She tried on so many garments that it was hard to choose the exquisite fabrics and styles.
Keene made it easy when he ordered the vendors to ship the items to their domicile. She, of course, protested, but it was on deaf ears. Secretly, though, Mackenzie glowed from their pampering. She couldn’t remember the last time someone pampered her like this.
The Menagerie reminded her of Star Wars, that scene in the movie of the cantina where all those life forms gathered for drink and fun.
His imagination barely covered the tip of the iceberg with what she witnessed. Regardless, she took everything in rather well, no doubt, because she had Braydok and Keene sharing the wild and surreal moments with her. Alone, she would have been terrified, in complete denial and maybe a bit hysterical.
Yeah, she was on a star ship. Enough said.
They ate in a quaint bistro-type structure that overlooked what looked like a sparkling pond. Braydok commented while they ate a series of purplish root-type vegetables and pale cubes of meat that reminded her of tofu, but tasted like roast beef. It was all so strange.
Braydok explained between hearty bites of his lunch that there were several lakes throughout the Menagerie for the inhabitants who needed quick refreshments. No sooner did he mention it than a male rose from the warm waters, glistening from the silvery droplets on a finely muscled, naked form that had Mackenzie’s jaw unhinging again. She averted her eyes to give the humanoid his privacy, but couldn’t help sneaking another peek.
He had light-blue skin with what looked like fine scales covering his whole body, even his nether regions. She blanched and inwardly cringed, trying not to imagine what that would feel like. The alien quietly donned his clothing, a tunic robe draped on his wide shoulders, exposing his broad chest as he belted the shiny material closed.
With grace only sea creatures possessed, he fluidly glided away, but jolted to a stop as he passed by Mackenzie and her men. His pale-citron eyes blinked back shock as he hesitantly stepped forward, arms outstretched and trembling.
“Anyala?” he choked brokenly with emotion.
Confused, Mackenzie turned to Braydok and Keene for an answer.
Braydok stood to his imposing height, a few inches taller than the male, but much more intimidating with his muscular strength, honed from battle and aggression. His voice was lethally cold as he addressed the approaching male.
“You are mistaken, friend. You are frightening our female. Best you be off and leave her in peace.”
The blue-skinned man blinked as if surprised, took a step back and inclined his head gracefully. He kept his eyes downcast as he spoke in
a smooth, fluid voice, as water would sound like if given words.
“My apologies, I did not intend to frighten your female. I was mistaken.” Without another word, he straightened and melted into the crowd without a backward glance.
The trio was silent as they watched the male saunter away as if nothing had occurred.
“You were right, Keene. I haven’t seen everything yet. I doubt I could, even if I lived several lifetimes,” Mackenzie said, still watching where the blue-skinned man disappeared into the throng of the Menagerie.
She turned back to her men and continued, “I came from a small town and grudgingly tolerated the big city to get my medical degree. As soon as I could leave, I went home after my divorce with a cheating asshole and started over where I felt safe. Spring Valley was my home. It was peaceful. You know, the type of place where everyone knew his or her neighbours and if you were in a bind, any type of help was just a phone call away, sometimes a doorstep away.
“And now”—she waved her hand at everything around her—“I’m in the biggest floating city in space, sequestered with things that I never would have ever seen or thought to ever see, and I’m not just talking about the structure. These are beings from other worlds, from beyond my galaxy, and here I am eating lunch in a bistro while a naked, scaled man walked from the lake like I see this every day.”
She shook her head in a daze, pushing her food on the plate, her appetite squashed from the magnitude of what she faced and would continue to face. They sheltered her within the safety of their domicile, which was fine, but now, seeing the strangeness and the similarities in everything she saw, it was overwhelming.
Now she finally understood that she was alone.
The waves of sadness that flowed from Mackenzie had Keene tenderly grasping her hand and rubbing his thumb over the back of it. He pressed his lips to her knuckles in a gentle kiss before lightly squeezing her hand. His blue eyes mirrored his sorrow.
“We need to show you something, Mackenzie. Perhaps, once you see this, you’ll understand what the Solace Dawn truly means to everyone living on it.”
They guided her to an extensive avenue of cobblestones, respectfully maintained. On either side of the finely carved blocks that were surprisingly smooth and easy to walk on were gardens of different shapes, sizes, even types. Each garden was beautiful and serene, perfuming the air with fragile fragrances of the blooming flowers that blended.
They walked hand-in-hand at a slow pace, giving Mackenzie time to enjoy the peace and absorb the presence of the gardens. Wildlife she didn’t recognise but understood on an instinctual level why they paid homage to the place scurried, leapt, hovered and soared throughout the trees, plant and brush. In her mind’s eye, it was the true gardens of Eden. How could there be just one, in a Universe so vast?
A temple at the end of the cobblestone path had an ancient feel to its simple structure. Despite its size, towering over many of the buildings that clustered in the Menagerie, it lacked an arrogance that spoke of its magnitude. Instead, Mackenzie felt a peace flow through her as well as sorrow that curled around her heart. Her steps faltered as she turned to her men.
“What is this place?” she whispered, feeling that she needed to give the Temple its due respect.
“Come with me,” Keene answered. “You’ll see once you’re inside.”
As one, they mounted the steps leading into the wide-open doors made of simple wood. The entire perimeter of the Temple was glass windows with panels of wood every few metres. An odd design to her senses, but then, Mackenzie wasn’t an architect. She peered through the doors and found nothing but open space. The light touch to the small of her back from Braydok’s strong hand ushered her forward, stepping through the threshold and invoking a soft gasp.
It was as if she stepped through a field of energy, rippling time and space before settling in a structure much larger. She saw people—or the more correct term, “life forms”—as many animatedly walked by, oblivious to the three of them. It wasn’t until one form quickly turned and slid through her that she realised they were all holograms. Mackenzie jerked her head around before turning to Keene and Braydok.
“Holograms? I don’t understand.”
“The Temple was created to pay homage to those we lost to the Horde. What you see around you as you walk the halls are civilizations destroyed, peoples taken from existence. We visit to remind ourselves that we are never alone. We fight to protect, so not another species is lost,” Braydok solemnly explained, his deep voice filled with emotion.
Keene tugged on her hand and led her to a hall that was quieter. In its space were single holograms that were so clear and real that Mackenzie swore she saw real, live people. They passed each life form, small inscriptions of who and what they were lining the hall by the hundreds. Mackenzie shivered and burst into tears, but she didn’t stop the long trek as Keene read out each species.
Tears streaming down her cheeks, a sorrow so great that it nearly consumed her, Mackenzie respectfully whispered her own prayer. She didn’t know how long they walked the halls, but once she stepped through the threshold of the Temple’s entrance, she wilted from the strain of the visit.
Strong arms caught her as they cradled her to a sculpted chest before a light kiss to her temple eased the weariness from her heart and body. Mackenzie wrapped her arms around Braydok, released her tears, and quietly cried.
“That’s right, baby, let it out,” Braydok crooned, gently rocking her in his arms.
Keene rubbed Mackenzie’s back before he slipped his arms around the two of them, hugging them close. He mumbled against Mackenzie’s back, “Now you understand, Mackenzie. No matter what happens, you will never be alone, none of us will ever be alone, as long as one of us lives to remember.”
Mackenzie cried. She heard what Keene said, but right now, all she wanted was her home and her daughter. She twisted in Braydok’s arms and tearfully hiccupped. “Take me home.”
Sadness overwhelmed Braydok’s features. Her request burned a hole in his chest, in his heart. He shook his head, rested his forehead against hers, and whispered brokenly, “I can’t take you home. I can only give you our home.”
Chapter 24
Mackenzie groaned when she rolled over to her side and rubbed her forehead with her fingers. Her skull felt like something nefarious stuffed wads of wet cotton in her head. Dammit, was this a hangover? Oh my god, were those bubble things a type of alcohol that Braydok and Keene failed to mention?
Moaning from the pounding inside her head, she wearily opened her eyes and winced at the dim light. Her face felt swollen, and she knew her eyes must be puffy, red, and…well, redder than her eerie, cool-pink irises she sported now. Nevertheless, she felt like total crap. Yep, it had to be a hangover. She managed a slight smirk and congratulated herself on her first alien intoxication. It still sucked, and she had hoped that due to the genetic tampering that changed her into something more, the side effects would be different. From the dryness in her mouth and the ache in her head, she was out of luck.
“Figures,” she grumbled half-heartedly.
Sometime during the night, exhaustion burned her last bit of strength and she collapsed in the waiting arms of two of her lovers. Wearily, she threw off the sheets, ready for a shower as she inched her body to the edge of the bed when she heard raised voices somewhere in the domicile. She froze in fear until she recognised the accented voice of Braydok and Keene’s musical lilt. Another deeper, more imposing voice of Setti rumbled, causing Keene’s voice to raise an octave or two.
“What is going on?” she muttered with concern. She hesitated to leave the bed when coldness slithered down her spine.
In all her days staying with the three men, this was the first time she heard them arguing. Moreover, from the rising voices and clipped, heated words that passed between them, she knew the conversation was serious. Indecision clouded her features until she heard her name. Perking up, she sat straighter, eyes narrowing as she strained to decipher the
hushed words.
Without preamble, she slide off the bed, trotted to the shadowed alcove, and paused at the threshold, anchoring her hand on the cool surface of the wall. The next few heated words jolted a wave of unease through her.
“What have you done, Setti?” Braydok’s accent deepened from the barely contained fury that made his voice shake.
“I did this for her and that’s all you need to know.” Setti growled his frustration at his lover, bristling at the fact the men who were his entire world questioned his decision. He was the Alpha of this pod. He had the final say on how to protect his men.
“Don’t do this, Setti. Please reconsider. You think you’re protecting her and us, but you’ll only tear our pod up,” Keene pleaded to his bond mate. “Are you willing to take that chance and lose all of us?”
There was dead silence.
“You don’t understand,” Setti replied quietly, almost faltering. Instead, he rubbed his military-short hair and clenched his jaw with renewed strength. “She doesn’t belong here, not with us, not with me. She’ll be the one who will tear us a part.”
Braydok growled in protest.
“Enough, Braydok. I am your Alpha and I have made my decision. It’s final. She needs to be dressed in an audience robe and ready by the tenth hour. An assigned Sentinel will take her to the antechamber with the rest of the females. You know the rules and must abide by them and stay here.” Setti stared at Braydok’s furious expression, struggling not to cave, but it was too late to back away now even if he wanted to. Once he accepted the right to stand on the dais in the audience chamber by his honour and oath, he had to follow through.
“I’m sorry,” Setti said.
“No, Setti, but you will be. We all will,” Braydok stonily replied and stormed out of the room.
“Braydok,” Keene called out frantically, grabbing his bond mate’s arm, his hand shaken off, leaving him grabbing empty space. The hiss of the door opening and closing sent the room into silence.