Celeste picked up the remote and turned on the TV. It had been so long since she’d seen one, she almost wanted to cry. She didn’t care what she watched and left it on whatever channel it had been turned to last. Sitting at the foot of the bed, she watched the images on the screen without really seeing them. Instead, she saw her sweet baby’s face as that horrid woman had jerked her out of Celeste’s arms. It was an image that was going to haunt her for the rest of her life, or however long it took to get Sophie back.
When Thrace returned with her food, the smell made her stomach cramp. She hadn’t eaten since the morning Pynder died, and she wasn’t entirely certain how long ago that was. How far was Vaaden from Earth? She’d been put to sleep both during her trip there and the return trip home and had no idea if days or hours had passed since she’d been drugged by Pynder’s father.
“I’ve notified the guards that you’re staying in this room,” Thrace said. “I wanted to make sure someone could watch over you while I leave to get some appropriate clothing. Do you have any color preferences?”
Celeste shook her head. Anything was better than what she had on.
“I’ve purchased some things for my mate since we’ve been together. I hope you won’t be offended if I shop as I would for her. Without knowing your likes and dislikes, I’m not sure what else to do.”
Celeste smiled. “I’m sure whatever you pick will be fine. I hate to ask, but could you get me a sports bra and maybe a package of panties?”
“Of course.” His cheeks darkened at the request, and she found it a bit endearing. No matter what happened to her from this point, she knew that she would always think of Thrace fondly. His mate was lucky to have someone like him. While she didn’t know him well, she doubted he had a bad side. He seemed too genuine, too caring as if it were second nature to him.
The time passed slowly as she waited for him to return and her eyelids grew heavy. The clock on the bedside table read 6:00 PM, which was far too soon to fall asleep, but Celeste didn’t think she could stay awake a moment longer. She pulled down the covers on the bed and slipped underneath. Leaving the lamp on for when Thrace returned, she closed her eyes and snuggled into the pillows.
It felt heavenly to be lying in bed on Earth again, the sweet floral scent of the sheets surrounding her. With a sigh, she clutched the blankets and drew them up to her chin. She had no idea what tomorrow would bring or even tonight for that matter. Once she had clothes, would Thrace want to contact his council to discuss her issue? Or would she have to wait another day? Every minute that she was separated from Sophie was torture, although she drew some comfort from the thought that Pynder’s parents were at least taking good care of her. She knew his family was wealthy, from discussions they’d had over the years. More than likely, Sophie had her own room, with an extensive wardrobe and more toys than she’d know what do with. But it didn’t make Celeste miss her any less.
Tears slipped down her cheeks and soaked the pillow under her head. She didn’t know what she would do if Sophie was lost to her forever. But until that moment came, until someone told her that she’d exhausted every effort and it just wasn’t good enough, she would continue to fight to get her daughter back. No matter what.
A knock came at the door a moment before it swung open. Thrace entered, carrying several plastic shopping bags. He set them down and closed the door before facing her. A frown marred his face as he noticed the tears streaking her cheeks.
“Did something happen while I was gone?” he asked.
“I was just thinking about Sophie.” She pushed herself up against the headboard and wiped the moisture from her cheeks.
“I brought a few outfits for you. I called my mate while I was out and she mentioned some bathroom items you might want.”
“Thank you, Thrace,” she said as she slid out of bed and walked toward him.
She peered in the first sack and smiled at the hairbrush, shampoo, and body wash inside. The products were strawberry scented, which was fine with Celeste. The second bag held a pair of pajamas, three knit dresses, and a knit top with an elastic waist pair of shorts. The third sack contained a few sports bras and a package of panties, as well as two pairs of flip-flops -- one pink and one brown.
“I’ll give you some time to shower and dress -- unless you’d prefer to speak to the council tomorrow?” Thrace asked. “It’s daylight there now, but there are councilmen available at any hour.”
“I’d rather speak to the council tonight. The sooner they know about Sophie, the sooner they can help, right?”
Thrace nodded. “I’ll return in a half hour. Will that give you enough time?”
“That should be fine.”
Thrace let himself out, and Celeste gathered her new things and went into the bathroom for a shower. As much as she wanted to linger under the water, she washed quickly so she would be ready when Thrace returned. The scent of strawberries surrounded her as she shampooed her hair and washed her body. It was a far cry from the smells of Vaaden and almost made her cry.
She dried off, wrapping her long, blonde hair in a towel, before pulling on a sports bra and pair of panties. Celeste rummaged through the sack and pulled out one of the dresses then drew it over her head. It was a perfect fit, even if you could see the outline of her sports bra underneath. She definitely needed some regular bras, and pretty soon if she didn’t want to look funny. Not that she had money to purchase anything. She was completely at the mercy of the Zelthranites.
Celeste stared at the phone long and hard before coming to a decision. She dialed a number she would never forget and waited while it rang.
“Hello?”
The voice nearly made her cry. She bit her lip and gripped the phone tighter. “Hi, Mom.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment. “Celeste?”
“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.”
“Oh, my God. My baby! Where are you? I’ll come get you right now.”
“I’m in Kentucky at a Terran station. Mom, there’s a lot to tell you, and as much as I want to see you, I think there are things we need to discuss before you drive up here.”
“Whatever it is, we can talk over a hot meal when I get there. Which station?”
Celeste looked around the room and found something with an address on it. She read it off to her mom, and before she could discourage her again, her mother chattered excitedly about getting in the car right away and then hung up the phone.
She only hoped that when her mom found out what she’d been through that she wouldn’t turn away. It was one thing for your only child to be abducted by aliens, but to be used as a sex slave and have a half-alien child? It might be more than her mother could take.
The phone rang again, and she answered, thinking maybe it was her mom.
“Celeste?”
“Um, yes. Who is this?”
There was a slight chuckle. “It’s Thrace. I spoke with a councilman in order to set up a meeting for you, and he said it would be best for you to wait until tomorrow to speak with everyone at one time. Until then, you’re free to explore the Terran station as much as you’d like. I’ve put the word out that you’re staying with us, so anything you want from the food court, tell them it’s going on the council’s account.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll come by around eight in the morning to pick you up for your meeting.”
“Goodnight, Thrace.”
She hung up the phone and wondered what she was going to do with herself now. Since she was dressed, she figured she might as well explore a little, even though she felt awkward being on her own. It had been a long time since she’d had freedom, and she wasn’t certain she knew how to act around other people. Aliens. Whatever.
Celeste stared at the door as if it would give the answers she needed. Gathering her courage, she twisted the knob and pulled it open. Her heart began to race as she stepped out into the hallway, taking note of the suite number on her door. Venturing down the hall, she found the heart of t
he Terran station and stood in awe. Despite the dinner hour, aliens and humans rushed around, passing her by with barely a glance.
This was her reality now. Better to explore and figure out her place in this strange new place, than to sit in her room and wait for something to happen. She only hoped she could find her way back when it was time for bed.
Chapter Two
Celeste clutched her mother’s hand as she faced the Vid-comm and the men gathered around a table in another world. The one dressed all in white seemed to be in charge and had been called Borgoz. She didn’t like that her fate rested in the hands of these strangers, but what else could she do?
“Your case is an interesting one,” Borgoz said. “When we were petitioned by the Vaadens to return a human to Earth, no mention was made of a child. And since I’m assuming the parents will want to retain control over your Sophie, they’ve probably taken legal steps to make her theirs.”
“So, what are you saying?” Celeste asked.
“I’m saying that it will be difficult, if not impossible, for you to reclaim your daughter. Your single status will not help your cause with the Vaaden government, and the fact you’ll want to bring the child here to Earth, separating her from her Vaaden family, will not go in your favor.”
Celeste’s shoulders slumped a little. “So what do I do?”
“For now? Nothing. You’ll need to reinvent yourself there on Earth. I did a little digging before this meeting, and while you’ve been missing for five years, steps were taken to have you declared legally dead. It never went through, and now that you’re back it will never happen. But you’ll have to get a new job, find a place to live… it’s all going to take time. You need to do all of that and show that you have a stable life on Earth before you have a prayer of getting your daughter back.”
She didn’t want to hear those words, but she knew he was right. Why would the Vaaden government give her daughter back to her if she didn’t have a way to support her? Would they give her back, though, if she had to work all the time to put a roof over Sophie’s head? Celeste didn’t know what to do.
Her mother patted her hand before addressing the council. “My daughter will always have a home with me, regardless of what she’s been through, but I don’t live near a Terran station. I think it would be best for her to remain here until she gets her baby back. Will your people help her get established?”
The council talked quietly amongst themselves.
“Pardon me, Chief Councilor. What if we put her up in the towers where several Zelthranites have made their homes?” Thrace asked. “It would give her a place to stay, and she’d only need a job. Perhaps we could even find something for her to do around here at the station?”
Borgoz rubbed a hand down his face. “I suppose we did take responsibility for her when we agreed to let the Vaadens bring her here.”
A door slammed open on the Vid-comm, and a small human woman stormed inside, hands on her hips and cast a glare in Borgoz’s direction.
“Charlotte,” Borgoz said, his expression softening. “Whatever I did wrong this time, it’s going to have to wait. I’m in the middle of a meeting.”
The woman pointed to the monitor and spoke in a sing-song voice that made Celeste think she might be deaf. “Why was I just now told that there’s a woman who was forced off another world without her child? I’m assuming that’s her.”
“Yes, Charlotte. This is Celeste, and the Vaadens sent her to us without her daughter. The child’s grandparents claimed her and refused to let her go. You should be resting, sweetheart.”
Charlotte narrowed her eyes at Borgoz.
“Charlotte,” he said with a weary tone. “We’re doing everything we can, but something like this is going to take time. The Vaadens play by a different set of rules than we do.”
“See that you do everything you can to reunite them.” Charlotte smiled in Celeste’s direction, then breezed back out of the room, the door slamming in her wake.
Borgoz shook his head. “That was my mate,” he said. “I apologize for the interruption. We’ll give you a place to live, Celeste, and I’ll see that you’re given a small living expense until work can be found for you. Any Terran owned food or beverage businesses will provide you with whatever you need at no charge in the meantime. That includes the Stardust bar if this issue has driven you to drink.” He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like as it has me.
She smiled a little.
“Thank you for your help,” her mother said. “Since Celeste is going to remain here for the foreseeable future, I’ll see about selling my home in Tennessee and moving closer.”
“A suite at the same place will be available to you, Mrs. Carlisle. You’re welcome to stay there until you find a new place.” Borgoz smiled. “I’m glad you and Celeste were able to find each other again.”
The screen went dark, and Celeste dropped her head back, blowing out a breath. It hadn’t gone the way she’d hoped, but at least her immediate future was taken care of, and she had her mom back in her life.
“I’ll take the two of you over to the hotel and see about getting you a room. We usually get suites there, which have two or three bedrooms, but as you’ll only need one until your daughter is returned, perhaps one of the smaller suites will suffice. They make excellent temporary housing and you’ll have everything you need.” Thrace smiled. “You should retrieve your things from the room here at the station first. I’ll wait out front by the limos, and we’ll ride over together.”
Celeste led her mother through the maze of hallways to the room where she’d slept the previous night. After throwing all her things into the plastic sacks they’d arrived in, she led the way out to the main door. Thrace was leaning casually against a white limo, his arms folded over his chest.
“He’s something, isn’t he?” her mother muttered, a blush to her cheeks.
Celeste smiled. “Yes, and he’s taken, so no ideas. I’m sure his mate doesn’t like to share, especially since they have a child.”
“You could do worse than having one of them for a husband. If being single is going to be an issue for getting my grandbaby back, maybe you should think about getting married. I know you went through something horrible at the hands of aliens, but these don’t seem so bad.”
Celeste had to agree with her mother. The Zelthranites, or Terrans as they were called on Earth, weren’t bad at all. They’d been very kind and understanding so far, and she owed them a debt of gratitude she might never be able to repay. Even if she never got Sophie back -- it pained her to even think such a thing, but she knew what she was up against -- having a husband wasn’t a bad idea. She’d always thought she’d fall in love and have a fairy tale wedding. After everything she’d been through, she would be content with a man who treated her well and accepted her as she was, emotional scars and all.
The entire ride to the hotel her mother kept staring at Thrace. There might have even been a dab of drool in the corner of her mouth. It was a little embarrassing, but Thrace took it in stride. He winked at Celeste and endured her mother’s rude behavior. Or maybe it was lewd behavior, because she was pretty certain that her mother was having X-rated thoughts about the alien.
The limo stopped at the curb outside a large mirrored glass building that had to be at least fifteen floors high. When they walked inside, Thrace carried her sacks for her and went straight to the front desk. The man behind the counter smiled at them in welcome and seemed to know Thrace.
“Mr. Thrace, what can I help you with today?” the man asked, giving Celeste a curious glance.
“This is Celeste Carlisle,” he said, tugging Celeste forward. “She’s going to be staying here for a while at the expense of the Terran council. Do you have any one bedroom suites available for her?”
“Let me check.” The man tapped on his keyboard. There was a look of intense concentration on his face. “As it happens, I do have a suite available. How long will Miss Carlisle be staying with us?”
�
�Indefinitely,” Thrace said. “She’s to have a room as long as she needs one. I’m sure it will take her at least a month or two to save up for a place of her own, maybe longer.”
“I’ll just leave it open-ended.” The clerk smiled and handed her a keycard. “This is your room key. Try not to lose it, but if you lock yourself out we can make another one.”
“Thank you,” Celeste said.
Thrace led the way to the elevators and looked at the sleeve around her keycard. 1026. He pushed the button for the tenth floor, and Celeste stumbled into him when it began to move. It had been a while since she’d been on an elevator, and she felt like she was on a boat at sea. Thrace righted her, then kept a hand on her arm to hold her steady. They jolted to a stop, and the doors slid open. Celeste couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
Thrace pointed toward the right, and she walked that way, looking for room 1026. She stopped outside the door and slid the keycard into the lock. The light flashed green, and she pushed the door open. Her eyes widened in surprise at the lush navy blue carpet under her feet and the soft blue-painted walls. There was a short hall with a sink, microwave, coffee pot, and a mini-fridge. As she came out of the hall, the room opened up to a small living area with a sofa, coffee table, a TV, and a desk with a chair.
There was a bathroom off to the right and another door that stood open. She browsed the space and went to inspect the bedroom. The bed was large, probably a king, and there was a dresser on one wall. There were also two mirrored sliding doors to what she assumed was a closet. The room was more than adequate, and she couldn’t believe she got to live in such a beautiful place.
“Will this do?” Thrace asked as he set her things on the bed.
“It’s wonderful, Thrace. Thank you.”
He bowed his head. “If there’s anything you need, you can contact the Terran station. I’ll also leave my cell number for you. I’ll write them on the tablet by the phone. If you wish to go to the Stardust, it’s a popular bar for both my kind and yours. There are limos out front at all hours. Just tell one of the drivers who you are and where you wish to go. I’ll make sure they know they are to be available to you.”
Celeste and the Alien Bartender (Intergalactic Brides 8) Page 2