by Jenna Payne
Suddenly, reality was creeping in, slowly sinking into her. Kale’s my stepbrother, for crying out loud! she screamed in frustration in her mind. Images of their various sexual encounters and sweet gestures suddenly came rushing back to her.
It’s just for the summer, she told herself. After this vacation, everything will go back to normal. This whole affair will seem like a dream.
Thinking that, she did not know whether to feel relieved or miserable.
*****
Kale was sound asleep in the sofa. Even Jillian and Winston were already snoring, probably tired from the long day of travelling. But Erin was wide awake, pacing back and forth in the room. Because she could not sleep, she decided to fix her clothes in the closet. She turned on the light and started arranging her shirts, jeans, jackets, and accessories.
That was when she stumbled upon an odd-looking jewelry box. It was a simple rectangular box covered with genuine leather. Imprinted on top was Kale’s name. At first, she thought of just setting it aside and giving it to him in the morning. But her growing curiosity made her open the lid.
“What are these?” she whispered in horror as she dug through the piles of photos that showed her as a little girl with her parents. There was also a newspaper clipping about the car accident that had killed her dad but which she’d miraculously survived. Then she saw other pictures of herself as she was growing up. There was even one of her and Arnold, as well as one of her with Courtney.
“Oh, my God,” she hissed, fear and doubt gripping her heart. “Oh, my God. He knew them all this time. He’d been stalking me?!”
At that instant, a sound from the doorway made her turn around. Kale was standing there with a serious expression on his face that she could not decipher.
“Let me explain, Erin,” he started.
But she exploded right then and there. “All this time, you’d been lying to me! What’s the meaning of all this? Are you some crazed stalker?”
“No, Erin, listen…” He tried to reach out to her but she stepped back quickly.
“I can’t believe it, Kale! I trusted you!” she cried, her heart breaking terribly. She knew she was becoming hysterical but she didn’t really care at that moment. “Did you and Winston plan all this?!”
Suddenly, her mom was standing behind Kale. She’d probably awoken because of all the commotion. Beside her, Winston simply looked apologetic and worried.
“Mom, did you know about these?” Erin demanded, throwing the photos and other items onto the bed.
Jillian looked down on them and then looked up again with a remorseful face. “I’m so sorry, Erin. I think we all have to sit down and explain to you the truth about Winston and Kale. You two were so close when we got here, I assumed he’d told you…”
“Told me what?” Erin almost screamed, looking from her mother to Kale. “What’s going on??”
Her mother led her out to the living room where they all sat together and waited for her to calm down. Winston prepared tea as they gathered round the table.
Jillian took a deep breath then plunged into the story. “I met Winston online because he was working for the government. He and Kale are… helping the space research department.” She paused, looking at the two men who were giving her encouraging looks. “We fell in love even before we had seen each other face to face. But when we finally got to spend time together, I noticed some strange things happening. He could heal fast, he could vanish and reappear whenever he wanted to…”
Erin gasped. “Kale too…” she murmured with dread.
“Yes, Erin,” Jillian said, nodding and holding her daughter’s hands. “You see, they’re not like us. They are from… far away…”
“From where?” Erin wanted to know.
Kale spoke up then. “I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time, Erin. Winston and I are from a community of guardians or what some also call protectors. Each one of us is assigned to a human being on Earth, sort of like a ‘guardian angel’…”
Erin was shaking her head in disbelief. Her mom did not seem shocked by the story at all. Did she really buy this?
“Erin, I have pictures of you because… I… I’m your protector,” Kale finally finished. He was breathing heavily, obviously worried about her reaction.
Erin’s eyes widened, but she could not think of anything to say at that moment.
“It’s true, Erin,” her mom said, sitting beside her and placing a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Kale is the one who saved your life during the accident.”
“But… but… what about Dad?” Erin asked, her voice barely a whisper. Tears began forming in her eyes as she recalled the traumatic accident. “If this is all true, why wasn’t Dad saved like me?”
“It was my fault, Erin,” Winston said in a grieving tone. All eyes were on him now. “Your father’s protector was my… former wife… We’d had an argument right before the accident. She was very distracted and was not alert enough. It was too late… And because of that…” He paused, trying to speak clearly despite beginning to choke on his words. “She… she… she had felt so guilty and so bad that she went away and never showed herself again. Many believe that she’d banished herself from our community because of her great shame.”
Tears began to fall down Jillian’s cheeks. Erin too could not help crying. She felt his sincerity and his deep remorse. But more than that, the memory of her father was making her heart constrict. These revelations were also making her feel so lost and confused.
“I vowed to protect your mother, Jillian, with all my life for the rest of my life,” Winston continued. “I left my post as senior trainer of the guardians because I knew it was the right thing to do.”
“So… what are you guys, really?” Erin whispered, dreading the answer but needing to hear it once and for all.
Kale was the one who faced her and said it. “We’re aliens.”
*****
It was one thing to fall in love with her stepbrother. It was an entirely different ballgame to love a stepbrother from outer space.
Yes, that was how it turned out to be for Erin as her summer vacation came to an end. She’d wanted to run away after that night of revelation. She’d wanted to hide in the city and never be part of that family again. But she couldn’t. She just couldn’t turn her back on her mother and on the man who had made her feel loved again.
As a favor to her mother, she stuck it out. Anyway, there was only a week left of summer before she had to get back to her reality.
At times, they were like any other blended family trying to adjust to one another and to the new situation. But more often than not, it was plain awkward for her to mingle with these aliens whom she must now learn to accept.
At least she and her mom did not have to worry about being in danger ever again. They had protectors to make sure they were always safe and secure.
And on the brighter side, at least she did not have to worry about having an actual relationship with her stepbrother. As far as she was concerned, their summer affair was long over. It was good while it lasted, and she was thankful for that.
A few times Kale had tried to reach out to her, but she had simply brushed him off. Soon he stopped trying. Perhaps she wasn’t that important to him, after all. And it was all for the best, anyway.
After saying goodbye to the beautiful lake house she would never, ever forget for the rest of her life, Erin forced herself to drive away and go back to the city where her life was waiting. But as she was heading down a steep road, she somehow lost control, causing the car to skid fast towards a huge tree on the side of the road.
Erin screamed, hitting the brakes just in time before she hit the tree. She sat there, breathing heavily, scared out of her wits.
“Glad to know you saved yourself,” somebody said from the passenger’s seat.
Kale had suddenly appeared inside the car. He was gazing at her so intensely that she felt like she was going to melt. Despite her resolve to forget about him, she could not ke
ep her heart from soaring into high heavens upon seeing his ruggedly handsome face and deep, beautiful green eyes.
“As I’ve told you, I don’t need any saving,” Erin responded, trying to keep calm. “You can go find someone else to protect. I’m not a damsel in distress.”
“I know,” Kale said, his lips turning up in a slight smile. “You’re very strong, Erin. You’re the knight in shining armor, and I’m the damsel in distress.”
“Are you playing with me?” Erin said irritably.
“Oh, no, no…” he quickly replied. “I’m serious, Erin. I need saving. You see, there’s this woman who captured my heart and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get her out of my mind.” He paused, leaning closer and making Erin’s heart race wildly. “I’ve fallen hard,” he whispered sincerely.
Erin’s heart seemed to skip a beat. “But Kale…”
“My dad and Jillian have already approved,” he quickly said.
“You told them?!” Erin exclaimed incredulously.
“I told them that I’ve fallen hard for my stepsister, but that I’m not sure if she’s willing to pick me up and face the future with me…Will you help your stepbrother?” he asked hopefully.
“How?” she whispered. “How can I help you when I’ve fallen hard too?”
Kale gazed into her brown eyes, smiling and lifting his hand to caress her cheek. “Tell me you love me, Erin. Save me… because I am so damn in love with you.”
Tears welled up in Erin’s eyes. “Oh, Kale… I do love you!”
He leaned down to kiss her on the lips. She kissed him back eagerly, her heart overflowing with joy and relief.
She understood then that what they had for each other was more than just a momentary affair. It was something worth fighting for, something worth saving. It was love, for sure, for real.
THE END
Bonus Story 24 of 40
Alien Affair
“Are you ready to make history Melissa?” the tall, beautiful ambassador asked.
“Of course Ambassador Rosanna. Everything is as you requested, it is time,” Melissa responded. She was actually quite nervous. There had never been an Earth Federation ambassador to the Ilona worlds before and it was quite the controversy for some.
“Then let us proceed,” she said.
Melissa nodded and gestured to the guards who immediately lowered the ramp on the ship.
The music started playing and they began their walk down to the parade grounds. It was laid out between the new federation buildings and the entrance to the Ilona capital city of Papier. The red carpet was lined with the human dignitaries in attendance and led to the Ilona dignitaries on the other side of the field. There were garlands of roses on the human side with a brighter garland of Ilona flowers that were a vibrant purple with white veins sparkling throughout. Melissa had noticed that everything about the Ilona were bright and very festive appearing in comparison to her people. In contrast it was a slow, stately pace that the ambassador set. She wanted to give everyone a chance to look them over. It was an important moment, and Melissa could only be proud of her beautiful boss.
Rosanna was over six feet tall and athletically built with a regal bearing that suited her position. She was dressed in the traditional flowing red silk robes that were cut in a way to give glimpses of the standard white under suit all government staff wore. Her brown hair was up in braids that wrapped her head and ended in a bun at the nape of her neck. In comparison, Melissa was dressed in the drabber style of an ambassadorial assistant.
Of course her five foot four height seemed to match her importance. She wore a waist length green velvet blouse that held snuggly at the top of her hips with baggy green silk pants that were a low waist cut. Due to her lower rank her hair was left to flow freely, with a red headband to keep it out of her eyes. Only important officials and dignitaries were allowed to wear their hair up in a show of status. Her own figure was more voluptuous, but growing up in the government compounds it was considered the less desirable figure when compared to the preferred build of the ambassador. Melissa was a well-trained assistant and accepted her position and the honor it bestowed on herself and her name.
They met King Remole of Ilona in the middle of the field. Then the procession began moving towards the Ilona Arches of Entry. Passing through those would mark the first time any humans had gone to stay in an Ilona community. Melissa felt her breath quicken with the solemnity of the moment, but the moment was ruined by a popping sound. Then she heard a hum followed by an explosion that rocked the parade grounds, and she staggered forward tackling her boss to the ground. Weapons fire broke out over their heads and she heard the hum of blasters and recognized the popping she had initially heard as old style projectile weapons. Screams filled the air as Melissa pushed herself up to get a look at what was happening around her.
The ambassador’s bodyguards were ringing them, and quickly tried to get them up and moving.
“Let’s go, were sitting ducks out here, move!” shouted Captain Lancer. Melissa helped Rosanna struggle to her feet.
“Come on boss, let’s go!”
The ambassador seemed stunned that such an attack was taking place.
“This is the quickest route, come on, the Ilona Arches are the closest cover!” the captain shouted getting everyone on their feet. The Ilona king and his people were being herded around them towards the safety of the Arch. Over her shoulder Melissa could see flames rising from the buildings around them and bodies lying unmoving on the ground. She forced herself to stay focused and ignore the scream of fear she felt building inside as Rosanna leaned against her, running with the bodyguards. As the shadow of the giant marble arches covered them there was a bright flash of light and an explosion. Melissa screamed as the light blinded her and a pain shot through her left arm and hip as she fell. A sudden shock shot through her head and she knew no more.
*****
“I have to go. I have to see the ambassador, please,” Melissa told the woman.
“The ambassador was more damaged than you were in the attack. The prognosis is good, but she is in a restorative sleep field and you cannot see her at this moment. This time is for you to get better,” she was told for the second time. Melissa grimaced in frustration. She was not feeling too badly all things considered.
Her left arm was wrapped in a stiff fabric of some kind. It had been fractured and was painful to move. Her head ached lightly, and reaching up she could feel the hair above her ear had been shaved and a bandage was covering the wound. Her left hip was sore, but other than that she was feeling fine.
“Then can you fill me in on what happened? I need to report back to my people,” she tried, pushing herself into a more upright position on the bed. The woman helped her get settled and stacked pillows behind her. She studied her as she worked. The Ilona race was different from humans in many ways. One was that the women were more noticeable for their brightly colored hair and eyes.
Nurse Kolly was a beautiful woman with amazingly purple hair that fell down her back and ended in pink streaks. Melissa knew it was a natural color and her bright, cotton candy pink eyes were equally startling. The Ilona people were also more permissive than humans in many ways and her clothes were evidence of that. Kolly wore a snug white top that barely covered her large breasts with matching snug shorts. Suspenders went up over her shoulders and had an emblem that, based on Melissa’s studies, denoted healing. Kolly smiled at her and offered her some water.
“Your guards are in constant communication with your government so you should not worry about that. The master healer will be in shortly and he will be releasing you to good health. Trust me Assistant Mac, you will be allowed to see the ambassador as soon as it is possible to do so. We believe in stress free healing, so trust me when I say all your wants will be seen to in an effort to promote your rejuvenation,” the woman said.
Melissa sighed and sipped the water. It was fresh and clear and exactly what she needed. Looking herself over she de
cided she would also need to get some clothes. She had a reputation to uphold and she looked horrible. Her blouse and pants had been removed so she was just in the standard white body suit. It was dirt stained and the sleeve and leg had been cut off of her so they could work on her injuries. Melissa turned her head so she could see her reflection on the side of the medical equipment, and grimaced. Her hair was a tangled mess and her usual bright green eyes were dull with fatigue and stress. She was about to take another shot at information when the door on the other side of the room opened and she stiffened, trying to finger comb her hair. The king of Ilona strode up to her bedside. The nurse bowed in surprise and backed away.
The king was generally a jolly looking Ilona, typical of his race. He had flaming amber hair in a long ponytail. His face was round and his eyes were a bright blue. He wore a red vest and what she thought of as a skirt, or kilt, representative of his royal line. He was not smiling now however, and had a concerned expression on his face.
“Your Majesty, you honor me with your visit,” she said lowering her head per protocol.
“Thank you Melissa Mac, but it is Ilona that was honored when you and your ambassador came to us in trust. It is our shame that such a thing could happen on Ilona soil. We are doing everything we can to take care of the situation. How are you feeling my dear? Have your needs been seen to?” he asked.
Melissa nodded, “Excellently Your Grace. I could not ask for better care. I am just concerned for my people and what happened.”
He nodded in understanding. Melissa then noticed the captain of the ambassadorial guard was standing just inside the door. He met her eyes and nodded. He had a wrap on his arm and his leg as well.
“I am here to inform you of what happened and reassure you of all we are doing. When we are through you will be free to go to the home we have arranged for you and yours. It is equipped with communication gear for your use in speaking with your government. We also have assigned liaisons to your person so anything you need that may have been overlooked will be quickly taken care of. As for what happened…” he hesitated. It appeared like he was trying to decide how to tell her.