by Tasha Black
“Let’s get out of here,” Brooke said, her voice cutting through the din of the bar.
“You are not pleased with us?” Conan sounded dismayed.
“On the contrary,” Brooke said. “We’re very pleased. We want to get down to business but a place like this is only good for small talk.”
“She is correct,” Lobo said, without taking his eyes off Veronica. “We will go, brothers.”
He gestured for her to lead the way.
Veronica hopped off her stool and headed for the door with Brooke and Trinity in tow.
The heat outside was like a blanket after the frigid air conditioning of the bar. Mist clung to the pavement of the little town, swirling around the lampposts that led back to the old academy.
She heard the door to the pub close. When she looked back, she half expected to see no one behind them. After all, this was just like her dream - the man, the mist…
But the three aliens followed, looking no less impressive than before.
Lobo jogged to catch up to her.
“Veronica,” he said. “You seem… unsettled.”
“I guess, I just, didn’t realize…” she trailed off.
“Did you not know we were from Aerie?” he asked her directly.
She shook her head.
“But Georgia explained that she would contact you,” he said.
“She did,” Veronica told him. “But she didn’t say you were… from Aerie. Though now that I think about what she did say, it makes sense.”
“The women at Stargazer are very concerned about the privacy of their phone lines,” Lobo explained. “They fear that the government may be listening in to their calls.”
“Oh,” Veronica said. “Why would they be doing that?”
“Many reasons,” Lobo said. “Mostly because, although they have access to our brothers, they may fear what secrets could still be hidden.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Veronica allowed.
“Also, several of us… escaped,” he added.
“What do you mean escaped?” Veronica asked. “Were you being held prisoner?”
A pained expression marred his handsome features for a moment.
“We were treated kindly,” he said. “But it’s true that the scientists from your government and the leaders from mine preferred for us to stay in the lab.”
“Why?” she asked.
“They wanted to see if they could make us click,” he said. “That is, become permanently human, so that we could stay in these forms forever.”
“Did it work?”
“No,” he said sadly. “At least, not for those of us in the lab. The proper way is through mating with a woman.”
Veronica felt the blood rush to her cheeks. She had heard something about this from the news stories, of course. But the frank way he spoke about it made her blush.
“Is this not polite to talk about?” Lobo asked.
“What?” Veronica asked. “No, no, it’s fine. It’s just interesting.”
“I see,” Lobo said.
She could hear the smile in his voice but she didn’t dare look up at him. Instead she concentrated on the sidewalk.
“So what did you do in the lab?” she asked, grasping for something, anything, to say that didn’t have to do with mating.
“The scientists hoped that sexual stimulation would cause us to click,” he said.
Veronica suddenly pictured Lobo, naked and magnificent, chained to a wall, a female scientist on her knees pleasuring him as government officials watched and took notes. She felt her heart begin to pound.
“It did not work,” Lobo said lightly. “Watching a video stream is not the same as mating.”
Oh.
Veronica wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed that there had been no actual sex.
“So Georgia busted you out of porn jail, huh?” Veronica asked.
“She and her sisters, yes,” he agreed. “It is my hope that we can remain hidden so that her treachery is not exposed.”
Veronica glanced back to see Trinity and Brooke chatting with the other two enormous men.
“I don’t know that you guys are exactly easy to hide,” she said.
“You refer to our appearance?”
“Yes,” she said.
“We were created to be pleasing to the women of Earth,” he said. “Our sole purpose is to find women to mate with us. Fitting in wasn’t in the design criteria. We were meant to be exceptional.”
He sounded matter-of-fact, not boastful.
“Well, kudos to the design team,” Veronica said drily. “But the fact remains that you are going to be exceptionally hard to hide.”
Lobo stopped abruptly.
Veronica almost tripped trying to stop too.
“If our presence endangers you, we will leave immediately,” Lobo said.
Wow.
“So you’re new to the planet,” Veronica said. “You have no idea how this world works. You’ve only lived in a lab. And you would be willing to go out there on your own, without any help, just because I’m worried?”
“I would be sad to do so,” Lobo said. “But yes, we would manage somehow. We could not impose upon you and your sisters.”
“They aren’t my sisters,” Veronica explained. “They’re just my friends.”
“Your friends,” Lobo amended.
“What would you do?” Veronica asked. She had no intention of throwing him out, but she was curious.
“I imagine there is a college or university nearby,” Lobo said. “There we might find young women who would accept us as mates and help us find trades.”
Somehow his assumption that women would desire him did not sound cocky. And he certainly wasn’t wrong.
“But that would not be my preference,” he added.
“What would your preference be?”
He hesitated before answering, as if considering his words.
“I prefer to stay here with you, Veronica Nunez,” he told her, his voice a note deeper than before. “I want to know you better.”
Veronica was mortified to feel her face go red again. Was this what she was reduced to? Falling for a cheesy pick-up line from an alien?
“Why do you want to know me better?” she asked stubbornly.
“You work with animals,” he said. “This is the occupation of a compassionate and intelligent person.”
“Oh,” Veronica said, completely taken by surprise.
“And you already choose to accept the love and loyalty of a creature whose culture you do not share,” he continued. “Which means that a mate like myself might be able to make you truly happy.”
Veronica was unable to formulate a coherent response.
“If you decided that was something you wanted,” he added lightly.
They had nearly reached the old academy building. The waxy leaves of the rhododendrons shone in the streetlights.
“I’m not interested in finding a… mate,” Veronica said, pulling herself together. “But don’t worry. I’m going to help you and your brothers. I promised Georgia that I would.”
“Thank you,” Lobo said flatly.
If she hadn’t known better, Veronica would have thought he was disappointed.
But he couldn’t actually want to be with her. They had only just met.
No, he was offering himself to her as if he were a commodity - his body in exchange for her protection.
And as tempting as that sinfully sexy body was, she would never take advantage of him in that way.
Besides, Veronica had been around the block. After the last time she’d gotten burned, she had no interest in being with a guy who was involved for the wrong reasons.
Her life was finally back on track. She wasn’t going to throw away her sanity.
Even if it was literally for the guy of her dreams.
7
Veronica
Veronica was relieved when Brooke and Trinity caught up to them, with Conan and Hawkeye right in step.
She unlocked the doors to the old academy and they all went inside.
It was dark and a little spooky, but there was just enough moonlight to make out the black and white tiles of the entryway floor. To the left was a space that had once been the commanding officer’s study. Now it was Brooke’s office, though the walnut built-in bookcases remained. To the right was a huge parlor that had been used for meetings, now set up as a small karate studio.
The real gym was in the basement though. The ring and the mats and serious equipment were kept down there.
Veronica flicked on the lights over the stairs and they all headed up.
Each floor had two suites of rooms. Although the third floor rooms were larger, the women had decided to stay in one of the second floor suites since it was cooler. Their three bedrooms were clustered around a small common room in the suite to the left of the staircase.
“Let’s see if this suite has enough beds and sheets,” she said, heading toward the identical suite on the right side of the stairs.
The others followed behind her and she was reminded for a moment of the way the dogs trailed after her curiously when there was something new in their enclosure.
Happily, there was a bed in each room and clean linens in each of the built-in dressers. She grabbed sheets out of one of the drawers and Lobo moved to help her.
Suddenly they were alone again. Conan, Brooke, Trinity and Hawkeye must have been doing the same in the other two rooms.
“I know how to make a bed,” Lobo told Veronica. He sounded a little proud, not at all sarcastic.
“I don’t mind helping,” she replied, trying to hide her smile. It wasn’t his fault that bed making was new and wonderful to him. On the other hand, there was something hilarious about such a boyish statement coming out of a man who was… well, all man.
They finished making up the bed in silence.
At last Veronica fluffed up the pillows, and there was nothing left to do but stand back and look at their handiwork.
“This bed is very well made,” Lobo said with satisfaction. “It almost seems like a shame to sleep in it.”
“I’m sure you’re very tired after your trip,” Veronica said with a smile.
“Yes, it was a most interesting journey,” Lobo mused.
Veronica wondered what he had found most interesting. It was strange to see the world through the alien’s eyes.
But something about the proximity to both Lobo and the bed was making her feel electrified. A hum of excitement seemed to buzz around them.
“I’d better get some rest,” she told him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Will you teach me to work with Zeus tomorrow?” Lobo asked.
He looked hopeful and again she was struck with the way he had bonded with the troubled animal.
“You like him, don’t you?” she asked.
“Zeus and I are simpatico,” Lobo told her.
Veronica laughed.
“Simpatico means sympathetic,” Lobo explained.
“Yes,” Veronica told him, nodding. “And I agree, I think you and Zeus are simpatico. I just wouldn’t have thought to put it that way.”
“Your smile is as beautiful as sunset,” Lobo said quietly.
“Oh,” she replied, stunned.
“Sleep well, Veronica,” he told her. “Thank you for helping us.”
She slipped out and wandered back into her own suite in a daze.
“Not so fast, smooth talker,” Brooke said, before Veronica could grasp the handle of her own bedroom door.
Damn.
“Yeah?” Veronica asked.
“Seriously?” Trinity asked. “Is she just messing with us?”
“She’s not messing with us,” Brooke said thoughtfully.
Veronica turned back to the living room.
Brooke and Trinity were sprawled on the sofa, each clutching a frozen water bottle - part of their constant battle against the heat.
“Guys, I didn’t know,” Veronica said.
“So Georgia called you and said she was sending three hunky guys your way and you didn’t figure it out?” Trinity asked.
“When you put it that way, it seems like I should have known,” Veronica admitted.
“Yeah,” Brooke said. “No doubt.”
“In fairness, she didn’t call them hunky,” Veronica said.
“What exactly did she say?” Brooke asked.
Veronica sighed and flopped down on the couch next to them.
Trinity tossed her a frozen water bottle. The cool condensation felt good in her hands.
“She said she needed my help finding internships for three people,” Veronica said. “She said I would recognize them. And that I should try to make sure they met good women.”
“Those clues were not exactly subtle,” Brooke said.
“I got pulled out of a training session for an emergency phone call,” Veronica retorted. “I was so surprised it was Georgia calling, I guess I didn’t really think too much about her wording.”
“He seems really nice,” Trinity said softly.
“Who?” Veronica asked, knowing her shy friend meant Lobo, but unwilling to show her hand.
“Lobo, you moron. Who do you think she means?” Brooke demanded.
Veronica grinned in spite of herself.
“I knew it,” Trinity crowed.
“No, no,” Veronica said, pulling herself together again. “He’s a nice guy and he’s good with Zeus. That’s all.”
“That’s definitely not all,” Brooke said. “But I’m curious about why you would say that’s all.”
“I just met him,” Veronica suggested.
“How long did your friend Georgia know her new husband before she fell head over heels for him?” Brooke countered.
“I’m not like Georgia,” Veronica said firmly.
“You’re exactly like Georgia,” Brooke said.
“It’s Ralph, isn’t it?” Trinity asked.
The sympathy in her friend’s voice was too much. It made Veronica want to cry. It wasn’t fair that the mention of her ex-boyfriend could still make her feel this way.
“It’s not him,” she said. “Well, maybe it is a little bit. I learned a lot from that experience.”
“Yeah, you learned that Ralph was a cheating bastard,” Brooke retorted.
“That’s true,” Veronica said. “But bigger picture, I’ve learned to be self-reliant and I like it. I’m not really into having a big intense relationship right now. And these guys need the biggest, most intense relationship.”
“You know Ralph was just a dick, right?” Brooke asked. “You’re not going to use him as an excuse to become a crazy cat lady, are you?”
Veronica laughed.
“I think you mean crazy dog lady,” she teased.
“Officer Biscuit is her best friend,” Brooke said archly to Trinity.
“How can we compete with a dog in uniform?” Trinity teased.
“Seriously, guys, I need some sleep,” Veronica said with a smile. “Can we pick this up tomorrow?”
Brooke shrugged.
“Good night, Veronica,” Trinity said. “Thank you for bringing us aliens.”
“My pleasure,” Veronica said. “Make sure you teach them some life skills, okay? Don’t just flirt with them.”
Trinity rolled her eyes.
“Good night,” Brooke said.
Veronica wandered off to brush her teeth.
Staring in the mirror a few minutes later she asked herself the same question Brooke was asking.
Why wasn’t she interested in Lobo?
I am interested in him.
The problem was that she had been burned before. Badly. She’d been serious with Ralph for two years. They had lived together, for heaven’s sake.
And he had been nothing but a dirty cheater.
It was bad to realize she couldn’t trust him.
But it was worse to think that she couldn’t trust her own judgment. She’d thought
Ralph was The One.
No, Veronica, she told herself. Stick with the dogs. They’re loyal and they love you no matter what. Everything else is either a distraction or a heartbreak waiting to happen.
8
Lobo
Lobo awoke at dawn and watched the sun rise over the houses across the street.
The light washed the front porches of the white clapboard Victorians momentarily pink. He stretched and yawned his way back into his very human body after a night of dreams in which he still floated freely among the rocky cliffs of Aerie.
No one else in the building was stirring, so there was plenty of time for him to think over all he had seen the day before.
Even the bus ride out of Stargazer had introduced him to a universe of smells and sights - enough to last him a lifetime of contemplation.
But despite the wealth of fresh experiences, his mind kept turning back to Veronica.
Lobo had watched movies and read books about human culture. He knew that his feelings for the young woman were typical of the way every love story began, with waves of longing and physical desire.
But he had not anticipated the other pull, greater than his new body’s thundering demand to bury himself in her soft curves.
It was her restrained emotion that threatened to leave him helpless. Something about Veronica’s dark eyes confounded him. She was like a locked diary. He sensed that there was an ocean of emotion inside her and he wanted to swim in it, drown himself in the story of her life and float in the intricate tapestry of her feelings.
Each of the men from Aerie seemed to have a sort of gift - a power outside the limits of a normal human. Lobo’s brother, Bond, was able to hear people’s thoughts as if they’d been spoken aloud.
Lobo’s own gift was similar, but nowhere near so precise. He could perceive a wash of emotion given off by every creature he had met. The gift enabled him to read the mood and intentions of animals quite clearly. People were a little more complicated.
Veronica gave every outward impression of being confident and content, yet her true emotions were closed away from him. He could only pick up the vestiges of pain and disappointment that clung to her like a mist around the door of a sealed vault.