by Anna Lewis
“Thank you,” Elu said while heading towards the door on the other end of the room.
Xander followed him quietly, hoping Elu wasn't angry about the crystals. They reached their rooms and Elu disappeared into his without a word. Worried, Xander went into his room and turned up the shower. The first spray would remove any crystals from the surface of his skin and the second would be a warm mist to cleanse him. It soothed his aching muscles and he stepped out of the shower in order to dry off.
After cleansing, he walked into his room and turned on the hologram, choosing the underwater ocean app. He watched as fish glided across the screen, and sighed heavily. The sound of ocean waves and bubbles filled the air, soothing him as he lay on his bed to think. All he wanted was for Elu to come into his room and wait for Anna Leigh with him. But Elu didn't seem like he was in the mood.
It had been a week since their intimate encounter and things had been relatively smooth until today.
Is it the crystals? He thought to himself, eyeing the metal box sitting under his desk. Maybe I shouldn't have done that, but it was for him. For us.
As he stared at the ceiling, he heard a knock at the door.
“Come in,” he called from the bed.
Anna Leigh walked in with a basket full of goodies, placing it on the table while sitting on the bed.
“Hey, sweetie. What's up?” she said while kissing his cheek.
“Just resting,” he replied.
“Was work alright today?” she asked, pushing some hair away from his face.
“Yeah, it was great,” he said while looking at the box under his desk. “How was your day?”
“It was the same old stuff. Nothing serious today,” she replied. “Where's Elu?”
“He's next door. I think he's just had a hard day and needed some space,” Xander lied.
“Well, I hope he's alright,” she said. “Should I check on him?”
“No, just leave him alone for now,” he said.
The door opened and Elu walked in, smiling when he saw Anna Leigh. The two kissed and he joined them on the bed.
“You alright?” she asked.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” Elu replied, wrapping an arm around her waist.
“Xander said you had a rough day,” she commented.
“Oh, yeah,” he said nervously while rubbing the back of his head. “We just had a hard time getting crystals.”
“I can understand that,” she said, running her fingers over his knuckles. “Well, I brought some treats for us to munch on.”
Anna Leigh reached for the basket and pulled out some sandwiches, cookies, and an array of sweet desserts in pill form.
“This one tastes like blueberry cheesecake. Here,” she said while placing a blue pill on Xander's tongue. “Let it dissolve.”
Xander closed his mouth and smiled as the pill sizzled, filling his mouth with the sumptuous taste of blueberry cheesecake.
“This is amazing. Thank you,” he said as he stroked her cheek.
She smiled and bit her lower lip, turning to Elu to place a pill in his mouth while tracing his jaw.
Elu shivered.
“You have such a strange effect on me,” he said. “And I really like it.”
“I can say the same for you,” Anna Leigh said.
Fingers danced over skin and lips found secret places to rest, tongues unfurling to glide over smooth skin and lick up the sweat from their heated embrace. The basket fell off the bed. As they became one, the ocean waves grew louder and filled the room, masking the moans that rose like smoke up to the ceiling. Their happiness was evident in each stroke and each kiss, their bodies rising and falling like the waves of the sea that crashed on the window.
And in that moment, they were no longer separate beings. Their skin meshed together to become like one fluid, loving creature who would continue to writhe in the throes of passion until late in the evening. The ocean would continue to soothe their ears as they panted on the sheets, spent from their pleasurable encounter. None of them wanted to move. They simply wanted to stay in this place forever, connected in every manner possible until the end of eternity.
***
It was high noon. Xander and Elu had yet to locate a new vein of black coax crystals for their quota. Elu ran his fingers along the wall, squinting in the darkness of the mine while trying to find the sparkling purple that would lead them to what they needed.
“This is so strange,” Elu commented while walking along the wall. “We have yet to come across anything.”
“It is getting towards the end of the season. We could just be running out,” Xander explained.
“But the company always informs us about coming shortages,” Elu said.
“It could all be deep down where we don't have clearance,” Xander said.
“That means the droids are getting the most,” Elu commented.
“Oh well. More power to them, right?” Xander said.
“Sure,” Elu said while scratching at a piece of rock.
The two walked carefully along the hall as it grew smaller, ducking down at one point to accommodate for the decreased amount of walking space. Elu pushed against the rock while keeping his neck turned to the side. It was giving him a cramp.
“We should hit up that bar again tonight,” Xander offered. “Take Anna Leigh with us. She's a lovely girl.”
“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Elu agreed.
“Hey, I've been meaning to ask about something,” Xander commented.
“What's that?” Elu asked.
“Well, I haven't been able to get her out of my mind. She was a lot of fun to be around,” Xander continued.
“Yeah?” Elu asked again.
“I mean...” Xander trailed off.
Elu grinned and stifled a chuckle.
“You really like her, don't you?” Elu asked.
“I mean, yeah,” Xander replied with a laugh. “What do you think? Do you think she likes us, or it's just fun for her?”
“I think she digs us both,” Elu said.
“Yeah?” Xander asked.
“And I think it would be fun to make it more serious,” Elu continued.
“Yeah?” Xander asked again. “Are you okay with that?”
“It would be beautiful,” Elu said.
“Well, then, we'll ask her tonight,” Xander said with a chuckle.
As they progressed, the ceiling seemed to get lower until they were nearly crawling on the ground.
“This doesn't look good,” Elu said. “We should turn back. There's no way we'll be able to dig with enough room.”
“No, it's fine. I think I see an opening ahead,” Xander insisted.
He reached back and grasped Elu's wrist as assurance. Elu smiled, and they walked deeper into the mine. It didn't bode well. The sound of whirling was growing louder, meaning they were approaching the droids that were diligently at work. He tugged Xander's hand.
“We should go back, please,” he begged.
“It's just a little further,” Xander said while pressing on.
A blast echoed from deep down in the mine and shook the walls, alerting them to stop. They stood frozen in the middle of the mine, Elu pulling Xander's hand while trying to move quickly in the limited space.
“Not again,” Elu whispered.
He turned and started pulling his lover through the tunnel, ducking and shielding his face at the same time as the explosions grew louder behind them. A cloud of dust blew forward and filled the tunnel. It caused them to cough hard, slowing their pace as they tried to get out of the small space.
“Let's move! Go!” Elu cried while gripping Xander's hand.
Up ahead, he could see the opening for the main tunnel.
“We're almost there!” he cried.
“Elu, hurry!” Xander cried between coughs.
Clouds of soot were filling the air, making it difficult to see. As they approached the opening, another blast filled the air and catapulted them forward. Elu landed hard on the groun
d, the wind knocked out of him from the fall. Xander grabbed his hand and pulled him hard as Elu writhed in pain on the ground. A slew of rocks fell on his back and he screamed.
“Xander, I can't see!” he cried.
The earthling yanked him out from underneath the rubble and tried to get him to the exit as the ground shook violently. Another blast erupted and crystals that were deep within the rock exploded all at once, blinding them in a purple haze that they couldn't escape. Elu was gasping in terror as he tried to push forward, but the dust was quickly filling his lungs. He fell to his knees as Xander sprinted ahead, turning when he noticed he no longer had a grip on Elu's hand.
“Elu, get up,” he begged when he ran back. “Come on, you have to get up!”
“I can't,” Elu croaked, falling to his side. “I can't see and I can't breathe...”
Xander took hold of Elu's wrists and started pulling him towards the exit, Elu hoping hard to get air in his lungs to counteract the suffocating dust. His eyes rolled up to the back of his head as one final blast hit, rocks crumbling down and pinning his body in the main entrance of the mine. His body was motionless and his lips were dry as soot covered him completely.
The only sound left was Xander screaming his name, panic filling his lungs and stomach as fast as the dust that blanketed his body. Colors filled his vision, mostly purple, and the outline of the ridge came into view. He couldn't move. His vision grew darker and darker until he finally went unconscious, the echo of Xander's cries filling his mind.
***
The steady sound of a beep came through the darkness, slowly pulling Elu out of his unconscious state. His eyelids drooped as he tried to open them and he groaned against the weight on his head. What had happened?
“Well, hello, darling. How are you feeling?” asked a sweet voice next to him.
When his eyes finally opened, they focused on a beautiful, black-haired nurse with green skin and a wide smile outlined in red. He smiled.
“Oh, hi Anna Leigh. Do you come here often?” he asked through cracked lips.
A chuckle came from her lips and she leaned down to kiss his forehead.
“You are always so charming,” Anna Leigh said while stifling a sob.
“Sweetheart...” Elu whispered while reaching out.
“Baby,” Anna Leigh said, pressing her face into Elu's arm. “I was so worried about you.”
“What happened?” Elu asked.
“You were in a horrible accident,” she explained. “You were pinned under some rubble when the droids dug you out. You've been in a coma ever since.”
“How long was I out?” Elu asked while rubbing her head. Anna Leigh looked at Elu.
“You've been in a coma for two weeks,” she said. “Xander has been out of it, too, but he woke up a few days ago. I've been checking on you both around the clock.”
Elu frowned, searching for some way to comfort her even though he knew that was silly.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “I can't tell you how much that means to me.” He lifted her chin and wiped away the tears that were falling, pressing his lips to the ones that were still quivering.
“Hey,” Elu said. “I'm here. See? I'm fine.”
“I know. I was just so choked up about it,” Anna Leigh said while sniffling. “I thought I was going to lose you. Two weeks...”
Elu choked back a sob, pulling her into a hug.
“But I didn't go anywhere. I'm still here. And so are you,” he said. “Don't cry, baby. It hurts to see you cry.”
“I can't help it,” Anna Leigh said, her body still shaking from fear. “I just couldn't stand the thought of losing you!”
“I know,” Elu whispered. Anna Leigh pulled away and wiped her face, exhaling heavily and then smiling as she studied the blue creature sitting on the bed.
“How's your head?” she asked.
Elu laughed, the simple motion causing pain to ripple through his chest. He coughed and then leaned back against the pillow with a grin.
“It's fine,” he said. “How are you?”
“Better now,” Anna Leigh replied while leaning in to kiss him.
They sat quietly for a moment, drinking in the company of the other as they rejoiced in overcoming the mine explosion. A cry from down the hall alarmed them, Anna Leigh standing while wiping errant tears from her face.
“What was that?” Elu asked.
“I'm not sure,” Anna Leigh replied, poking her head out to see what the commotion was about.
Someone yelled. A wheelchair fell over. Violent commotion came from down the hall and Anna Leigh gripped the doorway.
“It's Xander,” she said while clutching her chest. “Oh my God. It's Xander.”
A couple of armed federal guards appeared, holding Xander tight and dragging him in the opposite direction. Anna Leigh instantly sprang into action and ran after them, screaming for them to stop.
“This patient is under my authority and you cannot take him away! He's ill!” she cried while holding up her badge.
“Ma'am, we don't have time for this. We've been chasing this man for years and we finally have him in custody. Step away,” the guard replied while regarding her with a stern expression.
“He has had a concussion. You can't take him. Stop!” she cried, flailing against his muscular arm.
Xander's eyes were wide, his mouth caught open as the guard twisted his arm and shoved Anna Leigh away. She hit the ground with a hard grunt and stood on two shaky legs, ready to pry Xander away. Elu appeared behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, dragging her back a few feet.
“Don't intervene,” he warned. “I don't want you getting taken away.”
“But why are they taking him? I don't understand,” she said while choking up. “Xander!”
“Elu, take care of her,” Xander said as they placed him in electric cuffs. “Please, take care of her and try to get me out as soon as you can. I'm innocent!”
Elu's expression darkened as he held Anna Leigh, holding her tight as she tried to break free of his grip to run after Xander.
“You can't let this happen, Elu,” she sobbed. “Please, please, make them let him go.”
“I can't do that,” he said grimly. “Come. I have something to tell you.”
Confused, Anna Leigh stopped struggling and turned to face Elu who was looking down at the ground.
“What is it?” she asked, tears still rolling down her face.
Elu looked deep into her eyes and swallowed hard, the words dancing on the edge of his lips yet failing to exit his mouth.
“What is it, Elu?” Anna Leigh asked again, brushing the hair out of her eyes.
Elu shrugged as he looked away, shook his head, and then looked back at Anna Leigh with a grim expression.
“I'm afraid you won't like it,” he admitted. “Because it means...”
He shook his head again, fighting against the fear that was bubbling in his gut.
“This is really hard for me,” Elu said, his voice cracking as tears began to form.
“Just say it. What's going on?” Anna Leigh asked.
Her eyes grew dim with concern, Elu reaching out to stroke her face.
“I care so deeply for you and for Xander. If I had known...”
He couldn't finish his sentence. His lips opened and closed without a sound escaping, exhaling hard and shutting his eyes when he couldn't continue his explanation.
“Xander wasn't discovered by accident,” Elu went on.
His eyes welled with tears as he licked his lips and looked down at the ground, cringing at the pain coming from his rib cage. He shook his head when Anna Leigh tried to help him. There was no way he could go back from this. She would find out eventually. He had to tell her now.
“You're going to hate me,” Elu claimed between sobs.
“I could never hate you. I love you,” Anna Leigh insisted.
“You're going to hate me because of who I am,” Elu said.
“That's silly. I already k
now who you are,” Anna Leigh said while rubbing his hand. “Don't cry anymore. We need to get you back to your bed. You're going to hurt yourself.”
Elu shoved her hand away.
“I am not Elu Mander Drake of the planet Burskai. I am not the person you have come to know and love.” Anna Leigh furrowed her brows as her expression grew dark, focusing hard on the yellow eyes staring back at him.
“What are you saying?” she asked grimly.
“I am Elu Jebuddiah Holland of the Intergalactic Federal Protection Commission. I was assigned to Xander's case three years ago... in order to gather evidence against his name,” Elu explained.
Silence. Anna Leigh's lower lip quivered as more tears surfaced, her eyes burning with anger.
“You beast!” she growled.
“I didn't imagine then that I was going to form these feelings for you, and that something amazing would happen between the three of us. I promise I've been trying to protect Xander, and get him to stop stealing coax from the mine. I swear. I'm so sorry. I should have told you sooner when these feelings became serious.”
“How could you?!” Anna Leigh cried, slapping him hard in the face.
“It wasn't my fault! I didn't know him then. I didn't know how beautiful this thing between us was going to be! I didn't know I was going to love you this hard!” Elu explained. “If you would just give me a chance, then maybe we could start fresh and get to know–”
“No,” Anna Leigh said quickly, cutting him off. “I don't think I could ever be with such a liar.”
She poked her finger into his chest, pushing him back and turning to walk away.
“Don't go, Anna Leigh. You're everything to me. I've laid it all on the table now. We can move past it,” Elu said, grabbing for her hand again. “We can run away together. We can get Xander. I know places we can hide. We'll never have to deal with this or the mining business ever again. I have enough saved so we can–”
“Do you realize how much of a monster you are?!” Anna Leigh cried, her eyes wild as she turned around and slapped him in his chest.
Over and over her hands came down to strike him, Elu raised his arms to block the blows. He was sobbing at this point, regretting everything that he had said.
“Anna Leigh, please,” he begged, trying to grab her arms to make her stop. He was starting to feel the enormity of what he had done, and what had transpired. It terrified him.