by Meg Ripley
Jenna’s stomach soured with anxiety. “So…we’re the bad guys?”
Leo swallowed, hard, as if he were fighting an urge to be sick. “I’m afraid so.”
Why shouldn’t he be? said a small voice in her head. It sounds like Manifest Destiny 2.0. You are the real monster.
“Your people are fixing it,” Leo said. “I’ll give them that. But they’re doing nothing to fix our image, and I’m afraid they won’t.”
“They will,” Jenna said through gritted teeth. “They will if I have to make them.”
Leo pressed a hand to her shoulder and squeezed it. “I was hoping you would say that.”
Jenna looked at him sharply. “What do you mean?”
“There’s a small faction of humans and a large percentage of Yazulians who want to push to bring back the original treaty,” Leo said, and his eyes glinted with excitement. “We want to be equal in every way. We don’t object to humans expanding—just doing it this way. There’s plenty of space for both of us, and we can share it all.”
“That didn’t work the first time,” Jenna said anxiously. “Why would it work this time?”
“This time we have more voices and more visibility,” Leo answered. “We already share space with you on Luna. If humans and Yazulians push for this on peaceful ground, we can start building the right path. I know it.”
Jenna was silent. She studied Leo’s face, moved by the passion in his words and the fierce determination in his eyes. Only days ago, she’d hated him—and wouldn’t have objected to killing him, in fact—and now she was sitting with her leg pressed against his, even holding his hand again without even noticing. Leo was smiling without a trace of fear or apprehension—how could he be so confident? It reminded her of Victor, who was always trying to protect everyone around him by never showing his fear. But Leo didn’t think she needed protection; he didn’t seem to find her weak at all.
Jenna nodded. “Okay. I’ll help.”
****
Three months later, Luna looked like a different place. The war wasn’t over, but Yazulians were officially acknowledged as Earth’s partners in the insurgency against the remaining rebel forces. More than half of the forces were back at their home planets, and it was all thanks to Leo’s faction of determined Yazulians, and Jenna’s leadership of the humans. Now that so many barracks weren’t needed, the space was being transitioned into a joint city—the very first of its kind.
Jenna herself had spoken at the meeting in favor of it being built, and she was astounded at how fast everything was moving. Gray Men were everywhere during the transition, but fights were uncommon after the first week, and the atmosphere relaxed. Jenna noticed some of the Gray Men seemed to glow softly through their clothing; when she asked Leo about it, he explained that Yazulian’s weren’t allowed to be Gray Men before, due to their status as war criminals.
“What?” Jenna was dumbfounded, but she kept reminded herself that there was still much she didn’t know. Every day she learned something new; more Yazulian words, cuisine customs on their home planet, even variations of the diverse music they had throughout their cultures. She sampled desserts and stews, meat pies and rubbery plants that were bitter or sweet depending on how you cooked them. Her favorite thing to learn had been Leo’s Second Name: Lilliya, a name than indicated his homeland stretched next to shimmering waters, a green land pressing against the sky to hold back the sun.
Jenna had laughed, and when she told him the definition of Horizon, he laughed, too.
The biggest thing she learned was how quickly she could fall in love, and how different it should be from what she’d felt before. It was painless and wild, but still deep and passionate and everything she’d ever wanted from another person. That this person happened to be a Yazulian was no longer a concern for her; as her duties changed and she and Leo grew more in love, her only concern began to be how much longer she could keep dreaming before she had to wake up.
The Yazulian barracks were being repainted to resemble their home world structures, all done in metallic shades of every color imaginable: gleaming white, shimmering apple green, slick cherry red, polished gold, and even a glistening onyx that Jenna was particularly fond of. Some of the humans were following suit, and some were shipping back to Earth—but, most surprisingly, many humans were moving into the new Yazulian barracks in order to make new homes with their lovers.
“I had no idea we had this many inter-species relationships!” Jenna told Leo excitedly one day. Her brigade had been transitioned to ground duty, so she was one of the humans who moved in with their partner. They’d gotten a larger bed and better furniture, and the space looked cozy and warm, even with its cool stone walls. “Did you?”
Leo smiled and averted his eyes. “Well…”
Jenna gasped. “You did! How did this never come up before?”
He shrugged sheepishly and slid one arm around her waist, stealing one of the berries from her sundae. “I guess none of the Yazulians or humans were comfortable with you knowing. I’ve known other Yazulians who dated humans. It’s secret, but not unheard of.” He noticed her expression and started to back-peddle. “But, uh…I’m sure lots of people didn’t know. I’m sure that—”
“Leo, it’s fine,” Jenna said, and she smiled to show him she meant it. “I’m just glad I know now. I spent a long time letting myself be this…hateful person who didn’t believe they were worthy of love. But that changed when I met you.” Tears threatened to spill over her lashes, but for once, they were happy ones. “I’m a new person now, with an opportunity to create this brand new history. You made that happen.”
“Only because you made that happen,” Leo said, gesturing outside.
“We did that together,” Jenna insisted, snuggling against him.
She heard the smile in his voice as he spoke. “Yeah, we did,” he said bashfully. “I guess we make a pretty good team.”
THE END
Captured By Two Aliens
PART ONE
Story Description
“Would it be totally ridiculous of me to make a wish on a star?” Rachel’s entire life is completely transformed the night she poses that very question to the universe. Desperate to make a real difference in the world, yet always having to settle for mediocrity, Rachel had almost lost all hope.
Rachel could never have guessed that her wish, and her desire to effect change, would lead her straight into the arms–and other extremities–of two hot alpha aliens who need Rachel just as much as she needs them.
“I'm coming! I'm coming! I'm coming!” Rachel hollered across her empty living room as she made a mad dash across her apartment wearing nothing but a towel to reach the ringing cell phone she'd forgotten in her purse.
She knew hollering at the phone wasn't going to make the caller on the other end stay on the line any longer, but she couldn't help it. She delved into her purse, releasing the towel in her haste. Her hands found the cell phone in the same moment the towel hit the floor. She'd forgotten to close the curtains, and any passerby on the street would easily be able to see into her second story windows, but this call was too important to miss. She slid her finger across the screen to answer the call, hoping for the good news she'd been longing to hear.
“OK. I see. Thanks very much. Yes, of course. There's always next time,” Rachel spoke methodically into the phone and then pressed a button to end the call.
Forgetting about the towel, Rachel walked despondently back across the room, the moonlight streaming through the windows, gently highlighting every curve of her tall, slim frame. Her long, flaming red hair cascaded down her back and shimmered in the soft light. She rummaged listlessly through her dresser drawer and slipped on a black satin thong. She had intended to locate its matching bra, but the effort seemed too much to bother with at the moment. Feeling deflated, she sat down instead.
“I can't believe they passed me over for some girl from Alaska. Alaska!” Rachel whispered incredulously, sitting on the edge of her bed, bar
e-breasted and forlorn.
She had really thought that this audition was the one. She had risen above the majority of the competition, and even received a call-back this time. But the chestnut-haired twit with the blue eyes and clueless, perky smile ended up with the part. Rachel had no doubt that the Alaskan girl fucked her way into the role, and that was the only reason Rachel wasn't the one rehearsing on set right now. It wasn't that Rachel was a prude—she liked sex just as much as the next girl—but she wasn't exactly what one would call “wild,” and she certainly couldn't fathom sleeping with some director or producer to make her career happen.
She was beautiful, talented and intelligent—that should count for something, right? At least, that's what Rachel had thought four years ago when she arrived in L.A. But, years later and no acting jobs in sight left her thinking that unless she was ready to add “Blow Jobs 101” to her résumé’s list of academic accomplishments, she wasn't landing a career-launching role anytime soon. She flopped back on her mattress and stretched her arms above her head.
Her dream of becoming an actress wasn't unique, she knew—it was the dream of a multitude of young women. But, Rachel wasn't only interested in fame and fortune. With stardom came the opportunity to effect real change in the world. People would listen when she spoke and pay attention to the causes that were important to her. When she supported a foundation seeking to end world hunger, others would follow in her footsteps, and together they would make change happen. But, so many years later and the only impact she'd made was providing a finer dining experience for too-rich restaurant-goers with more money than manners.
Rachel stared out her window, always fascinated by the multitude of stars that blanketed the sky, and honed in on one that appeared particularly bright tonight. It seemed to almost flicker in the dark sky, and each time it was brighter than before.
“Would it be totally ridiculous of me to wish on a star?” she queried aloud wryly.
But the longer she stared at the bright light in the sky, the more it compelled her. She was drawn to it, so much so that seemingly of its own volition, her body sat upright and leaned forward. It wasn't enough. Rachel stood and crossed the few steps from the bed to the window, her eyes never leaving the bright star. Her hands rose to press against the window in front of her, as if beseeching it to move her closer to the star trapped in her gaze.
“OK. Here goes nothing,” she conceded, feeling a little foolish. But a nagging voice in the back of her mind got louder; it assured her that there was nothing foolish in what she did now.
“I want to be a leader. I want to make change happen. I want to live in a world where what I've done has mattered somehow,” she wished aloud.
She felt ridiculous, but the task was done and over with now. And a calm, comforting feeling washed over her. She moved gracefully toward her closet, her hips swaying gently, and reached for a form-fitting, silky cream-colored tee and a pair of boy-cut shorts. She slipped on the clothes, her breasts pressing firmly against the fabric of her shirt, her nipples clearly visible through the light-colored material. The shorts barely covered her ass and hugged every curve. Though definitely not traditional lingerie, the outfit made her feel incredibly sexy, and since she was the only person in her apartment tonight, she could sleep in whatever outfit she chose.
Rachel crawled beneath her covers, enjoying the feel of the lightweight fabric of her sheets caressing her bare skin. She'd worry about her non-existent acting career in the morning. For now, she held onto that calm, peaceful feeling and within moments, she drifted off to sleep.
****
She awoke slowly, stretching languidly to feel the soft rub of the bed linens. But the sheets weren't covering her body. With her eyes still closed, she felt around the mattress for their softness, thinking she must have kicked them off during the night. But she didn't find the plush texture of her mattress beneath her hands. Instead, her hand made contact with a smooth, cool surface. Rachel's eyes were open in a flash, but the darkness surrounding her made the action pointless. She couldn't remember her apartment ever having been so dark before. She moved to sit abruptly, but she couldn't bring herself upright. Her arms and legs were free to move, but her torso was immobilized.
She tried to remain calm, fighting the panic rising within her. Rachel's first thought was that something happened to her. Had she somehow suffered some injury that caused damage to her spine? But the last thing she remembered was climbing into bed, perfectly healthy and uninjured. Certainly, a fall from the height of her bed could not cause serious damage. And how could she move her arms and legs if she had suffered a spinal injury? She fought to sit upright again, lifting her head off the hard surface beneath her. While still immobilized, the action reassured her that she had definitely not suffered a paralyzing injury; too much of her body could move freely.
But then, fear rose to the forefront of her mind. If she weren't injured, why on earth couldn't she sit up? And then the room illuminated and she could see her surroundings clearly. What she saw was not the interior of her bedroom; she didn't recognize anything at all. She began to fight vigorously against the invisible bindings keeping her in her current position. Seemingly out of nowhere she heard a voice.
“Please. Do not hurt yourself. I will release the hold on you. It was only meant to keep you safe from injuring yourself,” a deep, husky voice spoke, but Rachel could not find the source.
She stopped thrashing and suddenly she could move freely. In one swift movement, she was upright and off the cold, hard surface that had confined her a moment prior. Her eyes darted around frantically, searching for a way out, but finding no obvious means of escape.
“Who are you? Why am I here? What do you want from me?” She questioned frantically.
A door slid open and a figure walked slowly, carefully into the room. “I am not here to hurt you Rachel. I promise you that,” the figure with the deep, husky voice tried to assure her.
At first, she couldn't make out anything but the outline of the figure. It was shrouded by a light that flickered slowly. And each time it did, the light became brighter. She immediately remembered the star from the night prior. It had held her gaze captive just as the light surrounding this figure was doing to her now. He continued moving forward slowly and as he did, the light obscured less and by the time he stood just a few steps away from Rachel's frightened form she could see him clearly.
He wasn't an ordinary man—if a man at all—but he resembled one in so many ways. He was tall, with arms and legs, hands and feet, sinewy muscle and a humanoid-shaped head. His skin was paler than hers—a considerable feat given that she had a fair, peaches and cream complexion all year round. He had no body hair that she could see. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and casual tee, which struck her as extremely odd given that he didn't appear to be...human.
There was no hair on his head either, but in its place were bright, beautiful red markings that looked like intricate tattoos. Upon closer inspection, those same intricate markings peeked out above the neckline of his shirt, covering his neck; they extended down the lengths of his arms where she could see below his shirt sleeves. His feet were bare with the same tattoos, but she couldn't entirely make out their shape; it seemed as if they changed almost imperceptibly in shape right before her eyes, first with almost minimal toe delineation, and now completely foot-like with toes just like any other man.
Rachel remained speechless for a moment, trying to figure out exactly what it was that stood before her. The effect the stranger was having on her confused her, making it even more difficult to summon a coherent thought. Arousal coursed through her body as her eyes traveled across his muscular, humanoid figure. By the time she had finished her perusal, the arousal had settled between her legs, making her wet, as her clit began to throb.
“My name, in your language, is Ny-len. As you can see, I am holding no weapons, you are not restrained. I have no intentions of hurting you,” he tried to reassure her in a calm tone.
“The
n why am I here?” Rachel whispered, realizing just now as the stranger's eyes grazed over her body that she was still dressed in the tiny shorts and see-through shirt she had thrown on the night before.
She crossed her arms in front of her tits trying to hide them from his view, but to her chagrin, she was sure that he had already caught sight of her hard nipples. His eyes lingered where her arms crossed in front of her chest, and lust radiated from his eyes. Eyes that looked entirely human, except that the irises were a vibrant orange and the lids were more deeply hooded, like the eyes of cowboys in old movies, the heroes squinting against the hot, bright, desert sun.
“It was you who called out to me. Or, I should say, that you wished upon 'us.' My brother and I, we were the bright light that you saw in the sky last night. We have been watching you, and then we heard your wish. And when we saw you; your flaming red hair so similar in color to the markings on our skin; your beautiful, pale body, nearly naked before us. We knew in that moment that you were the answer for us, and I believe, we are the answer for you, as well,” he finished eloquently.