Marked By Fire

by Meg Ripley

  “You have so much beauty here,” he sighed, laying his soft brown hair onto the back of the truck seat. “You must be such a happy race.”

  Amy snickered at the thought. Unfortunately, she knew that most people went about their lives, never once stopping to appreciate what they had, taking it all for granted.

  She wanted to ask him why his home planet was dying, but paused, thinking it might be rude to inquire.

  “Do you mind if I ask… what happened to your home?” She kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead to avoid contact with Luke’s. “Do you know why it’s… dying?”

  He gave a long sigh. “The history books have pretty much been destroyed by the intense weather and dust storms, but from what has been passed down by word of mouth, it was my ancestors that started the decay, experimenting with weapons and other tools of wasteful destruction. My mother once told me it was because they didn’t take care of what they had while they had it.”

  Amy’s stomach churned as she gripped the wheel; the story sounded all too familiar. That could be us someday.

  ****

  Back on the farm, Luke headed down the path toward his ship, eager to work on some more repairs before dark. Amy wandered out to the pasture with Shiloh, checking on her cattle. The day had slipped away from her, lost in a sea of fascination with Luke, so she hurried through her chores in an attempt to catch up.

  Soon, the sun began its decent once more behind the treetops; Amy headed indoors to retire. She showered alone as Luke continued to work until darkness had already crept over the land; her mind wandered under the warmth of the water on her back. Her heart pulled at her, feeling such shame for the way her race squandered its wealth, and for Luke and the childhood he had to endure. She heard a soft knock on the bathroom door and called out, “It’s open.”

  Luke entered, smiling a playful grin as he walked toward her. He wrapped her tightly in his arms and planted a long kiss on her wet cheek.

  “See?” he teased and tugged at the bottom of her towel, “I can knock.”

  She pushed him lightly back with a laugh and he lunged again, this time getting a better grip on the edge and the towel fell free, exposing her naked body. He grinned and gave Amy a hungry growl, grasping her soft hips and drawing her nearer to his body. With a long, loving kiss, the two stood entranced in one another’s arms. She inhaled the scent of his skin, allowing the smell to fill her thoughts with images of the night to come.

  She dressed and headed downstairs to make dinner, hunger temporarily disrupting her thoughts. She had a delicious meal waiting on the table for them by the time Luke had showered and returned to her side. They sat across from one another, savoring each other’s company and chatted about the day. Luke was filled with questions, more about life in a small town and about Amy’s childhood.

  She told stories of her first time on a horse and milking a cow, how she cried when her favorite dog Sammy died and how her father had buried him beneath the large oak now stretching up past her bedroom window. He listened intently, gobbling down his meal voraciously. Rising from the table, Luke gave her a knowing smile—the two both had more than food on their minds. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply on the lips, reaching up with large hand to caress her soft skin. She wanted him by her side forever; to gaze into those emerald eyes for the rest of her life.

  ****

  After dinner, Amy led Luke up the wooden staircase to the bedroom once again, only this time she knew to be a little more reserved than she had been their first time in bed. His innocence only increased the attraction already building deep within her, making it even more difficult to contain the raw desire looming just below the surface.

  He cupped her face in his hands, drawing deep kisses from her supple lips as they moved closer to the bed. He seemed more confident than the night before, more dominating than when he first explored her body. With a swoop, she was in his arms, his hands coddling her ass, as he carried her to the bed and lay her head gently upon the pillow. Amy watched hungrily while he stripped off his new clothes and tossed them aside, revealing his body to her longing eyes once more.

  She could feel herself getting wet from the anticipation, longing to feel him fill her for the first time. He unbuckled her jeans and slid them to the end of bed, rubbing her thighs and legs as he went. Amy assisted by lifting her shirt high above her head, its collar catching on her ears in the heat of desire. He stopped her, eyes still covered by the material and kissed her lips. The sensation rippled through her, leaving her body quivering for more. Once naked, he mounted her, kissing at her neck with gentle, playful nips.

  “I want to feel you inside me, Luke,” she whispered breathlessly. “I need you.”

  Amy pushed Luke aside so that he lay with his throbbing manhood exposed to her, and lifted herself up onto his chest. He gazed up, wide-eyed, unsure of himself or what to do next. Slowly, Amy inched his massive cock deep inside her, the waves of lust pounding like ocean waves on a shore. As he filled her completely, stretching her inner walls to their fullest extent, she smiled and leaned down to kiss him once more.

  Luke’s large hands gripped her sides nervously as she began to rock slowly back and forth atop her gorgeous lover. A moan escaped her lips, the feeling of all of him inside her, pushing her to the brink of ecstasy. She longed to go faster, deeper, and harder but held back. He watched, licking his lips, as her hips swayed to and from, pushing his cock deep inside, then pulling back to tease him. Soon the fearfulness has faded, leaving behind only sheer desire. He growled upward at her grinning face and tossed her onto the bed roughly, causing Amy to let out a moan of pleasure and surprise.

  “You feel incredible,” he gritted his teeth, the passion consuming him,” I want more of you Amy; all of you. Now.”

  She conceded, allowing Luke to take over and mount her quivering body. With a little guidance, he was deep inside her once more. Amy gasped. His thrusts were deep, filled with need, and hard as he grunted hungrily. Amy grasped the pillow above her head; the sensation was like nothing she had ever felt, not in her wildest of fantasies. He progressively thrusted deeper and harder, the springs of her old bed clinching under the weight of their lust.

  “Oh, Amy—tell me,” he panted, “Tell me you’re mine; tell me to make you cum.”

  “Make me cum, Luke!” she cried out loudly, the pressure almost too much to bear. She needed to release; to cum on his hard, pulsing shaft.

  “Yes!” he cried out and pumped even deeper, rubbing the thick pad of his thumb against her clit, sending shock waves of utter bliss through her body.

  Their bodies exploded with pleasure together, the world spinning in a moment of euphoric bliss. Luke collapsed onto her heaving chest and lay still, shaking from the heated moment. Amy reached up and ran her fingers through his soft hair, calming his breathing, and gave a long sigh of relief. Finally, the torture of the past few days, feeling the drive to be near him flooding in like waves, was followed by pure, heavenly peace. As the night went onward, they lay, wrapped in deep embrace, caressing and soothing the years of toil from one another’s bodies. She gazed into his deep green eyes with a look of compassion, thinking of his life and how she longed to make sure the rest of his years were spent in happiness with her on the farm. But laying below the surface of joy, Amy’s heart was slowly sinking, knowing that Luke would soon fix his ship and return home with news to his surviving people of the new land. How long would he be away from her? Would he ever return? She looked down at the bed, her thoughts trailing off to an image of her waiting her entire life with no sign of his ship on the horizon.

  He lifted her chin, so that her gaze met his once more. “I know what you’re thinking Amy,” he sighed. “You’re afraid I’m not coming back to you.”

  She nodded silently, tears welling up in her eyes as she finally heard the words in her head spoken aloud. Until this moment of post bliss connection, she hadn’t thought of his departure much. It was inevitable; he would have to leave. He kissed her lips, long and
loving, and gave a saddened smile.

  “I promise you,” he whispered, “I will return to you soon. I have to tell my people that there’s another planet that can sustain us. It’s my duty—it’s bigger than me. You understand, right?”

  “Yes, I do,” she sobbed through the kisses. “I’m just afraid of losing you. I’ve gone my whole life waiting for you, Luke, and now I have to say goodbye.”

  He pulled her close to his chest, squeezing her naked body tightly in his arms and caressed her long hair. Amy thought she heard a sniffle escape him as he too shed a tear. She closed her eyes tightly and savored his embrace.

  “This is not goodbye,” he chuckled despite his sadness, “it’s more like ‘See ya’ll later.’ ”

  “You’re getting better at our slang now,” Amy joked, trying to lighten the damp mood.

  “Why yes, I reckon I am,” he teased, and they shared a long laugh in each other’s arms.

  ****

  Soon after that night, Luke had discovered that his ship could be fueled by organic matter, specifically the byproducts of fruits and vegetables grown on Amy’s farm, which meant he could now return home to save his people. After several days had come and gone, Luke’s ship was finally ready for departure, and the feeling of dread began to overtake her.

  Amy barely touched her meal that night, picking at the plate full of juicy ham and sweet potatoes. She gazed into her lover’s deep emerald eyes, knowing that he would soon be gone, trying her best to hold onto the hope that he would someday return to her arms once again.

  Amy shoved her plate aside, tears welling up in her eyes. Pushing his chair back, Luke reached out for her, coddling her in his giant arms. She sobbed in his t-shirt, wanting nothing more than to have him forever by her side. Luke held her so tightly, she thought she would lose her breath—and he, too, shed a tear.

  He nudged her back, planting a deep, wet kiss on her lips, locked in a lover’s embrace that could only be experienced with true love. He gave her an eager smile and released his arms once more.

  Luke cracked a sheepish smile, “I forgot… I have something for you. Why don’t you come out to the field and see me off?”

  He took Amy’s hand and led her outside to the ship, past the cattle languidly grazing in field. She knew it was selfish, but she longed to convince him to stay; to find another way to signal his people that didn’t involve that tedious journey. What if he was hurt—or worse, killed—upon his return trip? Despite her true feelings, she knew in her heart that she had to let him go. An entire race of people sat anxiously awaiting his return, their very lives hanging in the balance.

  Once they reached the ship, he squeezed her hand, “I’ll be back in just a moment.” He pressed a shimmering green button, opening the door with a long hiss. He returned a minute later, holding something tightly in his hand. Facing her, Luke opened his hand; Amy glanced down to look, tears quietly streaming down her cheeks. In his palm was ring, his large hands dwarfing its size. She leaned in closer and gasped in amazement to find the most beautiful gem set inside. It was light blue with little white tufts moving through it, almost like a summer sky adorned by wispy white clouds. Amy had never seen anything like it and marveled at its beauty.

  “It was my mother’s,” he spoke softly, lifting her ring finger with his free hand. “On my planet, it’s a tradition for the male to go out in search of almerade, which means ‘sky rock’ in your language, to give to his one true love when he finds her. It’s a promise of forever, as long as the skies above still stand.”

  She gazed at the ring, then back to Luke’s loving smile. Was he proposing? Slowly, Luke slid the ring onto her finger and Amy felt as if the ground beneath her had caved in, her heart ready to explode. The world spun in a mixture of happiness and impending sadness, knowing that she must part ways with her love, if only for a short time. He leaned in for a final kiss, the emotions stirring in both of them, then backed away towards the door of the ship.

  “I must go now, my love.” His emerald eyes remained locked with hers as he stepped aboard, the humming of his engine filling the space around her. At the door, he paused for one last loving gaze. “See ya later.” He smiled the warmest smile he could muster.

  “See ya later,” she replied; the look of sadness was clear on both of their faces.

  Amy watched until the ship was clear out of sight, gazing longingly at the now empty space between two stars. Half-heartedly, she trudged back to the house. Shiloh lifted her head from her place near the fireplace as Amy entered and slumped down into the chair. She felt so empty; the eerie sound of a silence house bothering her like it never had before. With a sigh, she headed towards the staircase, glancing longingly at the ring upon her finger. Just as she reached the first step, the sound of static filtered through the air around her, like a CB radio had switched on somewhere near the mantle.

  “Come in, Cowgirl,” the voice was familiar, “This is Space Man… can you hear me?”

  She walked cautiously back into the living room and glanced around; nothing seemed to be disturbed. Shiloh lifted her head once more as the voice echoed again.

  “Amy, can you hear me?” It was Luke, but coming from where, she didn’t know. “Shiloh, Girl, go show Amy your collar!”

  There upon Shiloh’s collar dangled a shiny bauble; to the untrained eye, it would appear to be nothing more than a fancy silver trinket. She unhitched it from the collar, examining it in greater detail. A tiny, emerald green button popped up on the back that Amy hesitantly pressed.

  “Luke, is that you?” She lifted her finger to listen.

  “Yes, it is,” he laughed, “Surprise! Now you can communicate with me until I reach the outer limits of my home galaxy. I thought this might help us both, you know, in case you might miss me or something.”

  Amy rolled her eyes and pressed the button once more, “Miss you? Now why in the world would I do that?”

  Luke’s laughter filled the room. Perhaps she would be able to bear their time apart after all. Regardless of what came their way, Amy knew deep in her soul that Luke was forever hers, and she would wait as long as it took for him to return to her arms once again. She walked up the stairs towards her bed to rest, clutching the silver ball tightly in her hand.

  “Oh, Amy?” his voice echoed from her hand just as she reached the bedroom. “I forgot to tell you something… I love you.”

  Amy flopped down onto the squeaking mattress with a bright smile on her face. Shiloh clambered up the stairs and joined her in her usual place at the foot of the bed.

  Amy pressed the green button once more and sighed, “Luke, I love you more than you’ll ever know. Please come home soon.” She smiled, placing the trinket radio on the pillow beside her and gazed into the magnificent ring. Her eyes closing, she daydreamed about what life would be like, just the two of them alone on their farm. Maybe they’d raise a family of their own someday. The smile faded as she drifted into a deep sleep. Someday, soon enough, Luke’s loving gaze would be upon her again, his embrace filling her with love and desire. The whole experience had been so mind blowing, a whirr of emotions and the most amazing love story her mind could have ever conceived. She was in love with an alien, and she wouldn’t want it any other way.

  THE END

  Chosen Alien Bride

  One evening, Charlotte notices a brooding, handsome stranger in a darkened corner of the sports bar that she waitresses at. She finds herself drawn to him as if by some strange supernatural force. He shares his story with her and reveals that he is an alien who has been drawn to her from deep within the cosmos.

  Though skeptical, Charlotte's doubts vanish once he begins to demonstrate his alien "talents." Can Charlotte's stranger convince her to abandon her solitary life on planet Earth and join him on his home planet as his destined bride?

  “Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not polite to touch things without permission?” Charlotte chastised the man whose drink had nearly landed in his lap. It would've served him right, too
, given that the precariously perched drink nearly toppled from her tray when he tried to squeeze Charlotte's ass as she leaned over to place the drinks on the table. She glared down at the offender, who returned a look of semi-inebriated chagrin.

  Ugh, I already feel like I need a shower, she thought.

  She was supposed to be off this evening, but she'd naively accepted the shift for a coworker who claimed she had an important family function.

  “Family function, my ass,” Charlotte muttered to herself. By now, she was quite certain that Alison had simply been aware of the guests who would be occupying the sports bar tonight: a bachelor party! If they wanted to spend the evening in a drunken stupor, grabbing at every woman within arms' reach, then Charlotte had no problem with that. But, they really should have moved their party to a more fitting venue—like a strip club or a brothel! But maybe that was the problem; perhaps the groom had blown all his money on the wedding and had none left to enjoy his last night of single-hood with a bang. Charlotte smiled at the pun.

  If he'd only budgeted more wisely, the table full of overgrown little boys could be enjoying all the tits and asses they could afford and Charlotte, who had opted for a job where her clothes remained on, could finish out her evening without fingerprints covering every inch of her uniform. It didn't help that the owner's idea of a “uniform” was a skirt that resembled something a school girl would wear, along with a tight, button-up, white blouse. Yeah, like those weren't designed to provide the bar's patrons with walking fantasies, she thought dryly.

  Charlotte moved on from the table, grateful that the night was nearly over. “Just one more hour and I'm out of here,” she comforted herself. She moved around the room, checking to see if customers needed refills or another order of wings, and then headed back to the kitchen to hand over two more orders for the evening. She could survey the bar from her position just outside the kitchen. It was the part of her job that she loved; watching people come and go, seeing the play of expression on their faces, guessing why they're celebrating or drowning their sorrows in drink. While she was in the crowd, she couldn't see what was going on around her, but from here, it was the ultimate improv—reality TV at its best. It wasn't that she was a nosy person—it wasn't any of her business what was really going on in her customers' conversations—Charlotte was just fascinated with people.