Phoenix Rising (Invasion #1)

by Bethany Shaw

  “Yum,” she said, reaching into the basket to grab a few of the berries. She plopped them in her mouth, letting the flesh squish between her teeth and the ripe juice explode in her mouth.

  Zephyr picked up a berry and ate it. At first he puckered his face, but then smiled before taking another.

  “Do you have anything like this at home?” she asked.

  “No. It’s very sweet. There isn’t anything like this at home.”

  “We have all sorts of sweet fruits on Earth. We even have sweet treats like chocolate and candy.” She opened her mouth to offer to get him some chocolate tomorrow, but thought better of it. They needed to focus on saving lives, not something as trivial as a piece of candy.

  “Your planet sounds very nice,” Zephyr said.

  “You know all about mine; if we can’t save Earth, I’d like to know some more about yours. Will humans even be able to live there?” She watched a few science fiction movies over the years and was curious about the atmosphere. Couldn’t there be problems with the atmosphere that would make his planet unlivable? Of course, he didn’t seem to be having a problem on Earth so...

  “I don’t think living there will be a problem. You breathe oxygen as do my people,” he said. “However, my world is very different. We don’t have plant life like you do. Obviously there is enough to sustain life, but not nearly the amount that you have. It’s mostly rocks and water. There are so many colors on your planet compared to mine.”

  “Oh.” She wrinkled her nose not overly thrilled by the news. There was something about being outdoors in the trees and wilderness that she found relaxing.

  “Our water is red instead of blue. It’s mainly from the lava. The fire burns underneath the water and that tinges it crimson,” he said.

  Addison bit her lip and swallowed. They might not even be able to swim in the ocean again depending on how hot the water was. Though if it were red from the lava she’d bet money it was too hot to even dip her toe in. She was sure his planet was nice and if they had to go there she’d make due, but she wanted to stay on Earth. This was her home.

  “We have several different species living on the planet. All refuges from worlds the Imanji attacked,” Zephyr continued. “Our housing is similar to yours. We have city centers and most citizens live in private residences.”

  He took another berry and put it in his mouth, seemingly savoring the taste as he chewed while meeting her eyes. Was he waiting for her to say something? She had no idea, but didn’t want to offend him.

  “Your planet sounds nice.” She hoped she sounded convincing to him because it didn’t seem so to her ears.

  “It’s okay.” He picked up another berry. “Honestly, The Retribution is more my home than anything else. I’ve spent most of my life in space, first with my parents then on my ship. I like being in space.”

  “I can’t imagine what it must be like to travel the stars. The best humans have done is put a man on the moon and send unmanned robots to Mars. You’ve been across the galaxy—probably outside of it,” she said with awe.

  What would it be like to travel the stars? Would she enjoy it if she had no other choice? Could she even find a place on Zephyr’s spaceship? If so, what would she do there? This was all crazy.

  “It is nice. A little straining on the phoenix, but nice nonetheless,” he said as he picked up the bowl of berries and carried it to the coffee table.

  “Can I ask,” she started then cleared her throat. “If you can fly and turn into a phoenix, why do you need spaceships?”

  “There is no air in space and fire consumes oxygen. We cannot breathe without air, much like you. We would suffocate and die. Not to mention the cold. Phoenixes turn to ash when exposed to extreme cold. It is our one true weakness.”

  Zephyr picked up something that looked like a DVD case from the table and held it up. “What is this?”

  She squinted as she made out the cover. A giggle slipped between her lips, causing her to slap a hand over her mouth. “Mockingjay? It’s a movie.”

  “About the phoenix?”

  “Um, no. It’s purely fictional and has nothing to do with the phoenix.”

  Zephyr made a face and took the movie back over to the wall where a row of DVDs was lined up on a shelf. “I see.”

  “We could watch something if you like,” she said, motioning to the TV.

  “Watch...something?”

  “Yeah, on the TV. We watch movies for entertainment. People act out stories on film and we watch it for fun. You said we have to be in for the night and I don’t think I can fall asleep yet...” she trailed off realizing by the dumbfounded look on his face that he had no idea what she was talking about.

  She smiled and went to the small TV and put her hands on it. “This is a TV. You put the movies in this,” she said, moving her hands to the DVD player. “And you watch them. They’re fictional stories about all sorts of different things.”

  Zephyr trailed his fingers over the cases for several moments before turning back to her with a movie in hand. “What else do you do for entertainment?”

  She shrugged. “Talk, play board games.” She inhaled and let it out. “I like to go outside and hike, but...”

  He took a step toward her until they were only a few feet apart. “It saddens you that you can’t be outside?”

  “Yeah, it does. I grew up in the outdoors. My parents used to take me camping all the time. My dad is in the military. He made sure I knew how to handle myself in the wilderness.” She reached out and took the DVD from his hands, shivering when their fingers brushed against each other.

  “And you think your father is in The White House?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.

  “He worked with the president, so yes. They have an emergency bunker underground. I’m pretty sure an evil alien invasion qualifies as a good reason to use it. If we can get there, I know we’ll find him and whoever else is with him.” Or at least she hoped they’d find them. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing her dad.

  “Are you close with your parents?” Zephyr asked.

  She looked down at her feet and nodded. “I’m very close with my father, especially since my mother passed away two years ago.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She offered him a smile. “Thanks. It was quite unexpected. She went in for a routine mammogram and they told her she had stage 4 breast cancer. I knew she was sickly for a while, but she avoided going to the doctor. They only gave her a few months to live. She died eight weeks and three days after she was diagnosed.”

  “I think every species has deadly diseases,” Zephyr said with a sigh. “After my parents’ death, I went to live with my grandparents on Delphi. My grandfather died from a disease called amryina. It’s something that affects the heart.” He tapped his chest lightly on the right side.

  Addison lifted her hand to her own heart and silently questioned if his heart was on the opposite side of his body.

  “My grandmother still lives on Delphi,” he said with a smile that lit up his already electric blue eyes.

  “Does your species live long?” she asked quietly. “In mythology, there is a story stating the phoenix lives eternally.”

  Zephyr chuckled. “I wish, but no. If I remember correctly, our lifespan is quite similar to yours. We are still affected by diseases; however, our bodies are more resilient than yours. We can withstand intense heat and most bodily injuries as long as we are able to transition into a phoenix. The change allows us to heal rapidly.”

  “You’re just susceptible to the cold,” she said, remembering the thick ice from the mines.

  “It is our one weakness, and the Imanji exploit it.”

  “What are their weaknesses?” Addison asked. If they ran into any she wanted to know how to take them down.

  “Without their ships, they are quite vulnerable actually, much like yourself. Your weapons, though primitive, would kill them.”

  “So a shot to the head would kill one of them?” she asked.
<
br />   Zephyr nodded his head in confirmation.

  “Good.” Those guns were coming with her in the morning and she hoped she would get a chance to use them. The Imanji needed to pay for what they’d done.

  They fell silent for a long moment until he tapped the movie that was still in her hands. “Perhaps we could watch this?”

  She blinked down at the title and lifted her brow. He’d picked up the original Terminator movie. Ironically, the film was kind of fitting for what they were facing. She shrugged her shoulders, “Sure.”

  ***

  Zephyr stiffened as Addison shifted, moving so her head was on his shoulder. The couch was small and he half expected her to sit up and move away from him to finish watching the movie, but she didn’t. He peered down at her. Her eyes were shut and her breathing steady. It appeared she was sleeping and he’d wager she had no clue about her precarious situation against him.

  He didn’t mind her weight or closeness. It was nice. She smelled like honey and the berries they’d shared earlier. It was an intoxicating smell and he couldn’t help but study her features more closely now that she wouldn’t be aware of his staring.

  Physically, she looked similar to the women of his planet, but there was something different about her. She was resilient, yet passionate and she knew exactly what she wanted. Unlike many of the people on his planet, he suspected she didn’t follow orders unless she wanted to. He was one of the few people that challenged the government on Delphi, asking them to do more about the Imanji threat. That was probably part of the reason they allowed him to have his ship—to shut him up. Deep down he suspected they knew he was right.

  The Imanji were his people’s problem. Just because they couldn’t penetrate Delphi’s shields, didn’t mean they wouldn’t return one day and attempt to destroy the planet. The second time around the Imanji might succeed.

  Addison jumped as one of the characters in the movie screamed. She shot up so fast her forehead collided with his. A curse escaped her lips and she smacked a hand over her eyes, rubbing her palm over her skin as she blinked.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he watched her.

  “Yeah. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize I fell asleep,” she said as she dropped her hand to her lap. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” The bump hadn’t fazed him at all.

  Addison shifted to the opposite end of the couch, pulling her feet up on her cushion and leaning against the armrest. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your space.”

  “It’s okay. No apology is needed.” Part of him wondered if it’d be okay to tell her he enjoyed it. He had no idea how she would respond to that.

  “So, what did I miss?” Addison said turning her focus to the TV.

  “Not much.” He opened his mouth to tell her about the movie, but stopped when she moved again and sat up straighter.

  “Jeesh, the movie barely started and I already fell asleep? I must be more tired than I realized,” she said as she combed a hand through her hair. “Maybe I should head off to bed. We have a big day tomorrow.”

  He stood and grabbed the remote. His eyes scanned over the symbols, but he had no idea how to work it. He turned to her and offered a smile. “How do you turn it off?”

  She waved her hand at him as she got close enough for their shoulders to brush against each other. “You just hit this button and it will turn everything off.” She touched a button that had a circle on it. “But don’t turn it off on my account. I’ve seen Terminator before. You might enjoy it.”

  It seemed like an all right movie, but he didn’t feel like watching it without her. “No. I should turn in, too.”

  “Oh, okay, then,” she said, leaning in close again to turn off the TV.

  Her scent hit him again and he breathed it in. His phoenix rumbled beneath the surface, begging him to reach out and touch her. His bird craved Addison, and it hadn’t needed a woman in a long time. He didn’t fraternize with the women on his ship. It was too complicated and none of them caught his interest, not like Addison had.

  “There,” she said as she turned to him. Her breath caught in her throat as she too must have noticed how close their mouths were. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. “I should probably go to bed,” she swallowed not letting her gaze leave his.

  “Addison?” he asked as he reached out to touch her cheek. Her skin was soft beneath his fingers, which he trailed over her jaw, caressing his thumb over her lips.

  “Yeah,” she said her voice so quiet he barely heard it.

  He moved his thumb and pressed his lips against hers. She gasped into his mouth, but her hands went to his shoulders as her tongue swooped out to trail over his teeth.

  Zephyr pulled her closer so her body pressed against his. His cock stirred, straining against the confines of his suit. She felt so good and it took all his will power not to strip the clothes from her body and have his way with her right then.

  Addison unzipped his jacket, letting her hands roam over his muscled chest through the thin material of his shirt. “You’re so warm,” she said between kisses as her hands dipped lower to his waist.

  “Too warm?” he asked as he pulled back.

  “No. It feels good,” she said with a smile.

  “Good. Let me know if I get too hot,” he said as he captured her lips again.

  “Can you control that?” Her hands found the buckle of his pants and fumbled to undo it.

  “Yeah.”

  “Cool.”

  Zephyr chuckled as she went for the fastener of his pants again. He was curious about what was under her jumpsuit as well. His fingers went to the zipper, slowly lowering it as he flicked his tongue against hers.

  She shrugged off her jacket and he wiggled out of his. He moved his mouth to her jaw then dipped it lower to kiss her neck. One of his hands went to her breasts, kneading the flesh through her shirt. She moaned at the contact and he grinned, glad they so far seemed to be physically compatible.

  Her fingers finished working his belt buckle and he groaned when her hand dipped into his pants to wrap around his throbbing cock. He loved the way she rolled her hand up and down his shaft, but if she didn’t stop this would end before they even got started and he couldn’t have that.

  Grasping her by the wrist, he removed her hand from his pants. He skimmed his hand to the bottom of her shirt and slowly rolled it up her belly. Her skin was so soft. He enjoyed the feel of it and the way soft whimpers escaped her lips as he traced his hands up her body.

  She pulled back long enough for him to remove her t-shirt. Underneath, she had on a small lacy fabric that covered her breasts. He tilted his head as his hands went to the straps.

  “Here,” she said as she reached behind her. The fabric loosened and she let it fall down her arms and onto the floor.

  His eyes lowered to her chest, taking in her pert breasts. He reached out, cupping one in his hand as he caught her lips again. She sighed into his mouth as her fingers went behind his head, threading into his hair.

  Zephyr dipped his hands to her hips, sliding them under her bottom until he lifted her up. Both her legs wrapped around his waist, placing her center against his length.

  He took a few steps forward, maneuvering around furniture until he found his way into the bedroom. Setting her on the bed, he ran his hand down her chest to her pants. His fingers went to the button, flicking it open so he could slide them down her lean legs.

  She lifted her hips, allowing him to pull the fabric down along with her matching lace underneath. He stared down at her naked body—it was mesmerizing. He couldn’t wait to sink into her tight wet heat, but first he wanted to explore her a little more, learn what made her squirm.

  Tiptoeing his fingers up her thighs, he placed them at her center, flicking his thumb over her clit before slipping two fingers inside. She gasped, wiggling as he pumped his fingers in and out of her heat. He watched her face, enjoying the way her mouth popped open, forming a tiny “o” shape.

 
; Her hands went to the blankets where she fisted them tightly. His eyes explored her movements as he continued to thrust inside. He observed what made her moan the loudest, taking note for later when he filled her with his cock.

  His dick strained against his pants, begging to be released. It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman. His command and ship were his first priority. But there was something about Addison he couldn’t resist. Her body called to him and he’d been fighting an uphill battle all day. Now that he touched her once, he wasn’t sure he would ever want to stop.

  Her scream drew him from his thoughts. The muscles of her center contracted around his fingers as warmth flooded around them. Her hips stopped their erratic movements and she closed her eyes panting.

  He pumped into her a few more times before removing his fingers and lifting them to his mouth. Sucking the juices off, he savored the flavor before looking back down at her.

  She blinked up at him as she still fought to control her breathing. Her pert breasts heaved with the movements and were begging for him to touch them.

  He stood from the bed and removed his clothing then sunk back down onto the plush mattress, placing himself between her thighs.

  She reached out with her hand and trailed her fingers up and down his shaft before guiding it into her entrance. He smoothed the tip along her opening then slid in, causing them both to cry out with pleasure.

  Her inner walls were tight, milking his length wonderfully. He set a steady pace of pushing in to the hilt and then pulling out only to slam back in.

  Addison hummed contently as her nails raked up and down his back. They dug into the skin surely leaving welts on his back, not that he minded at all. It spurred him on and he increased his speed, making sure he hit her sweet spot over and over again.

  Her hips rose up to meet his as their tongues glided together. He was going to worship every inch of her perfect body so he could learn all of her pleasure points. Always a gentleman, he believed in letting his partner find her enjoyment before he climaxed. This need was even greater with Addison; he wanted her to come multiple times before he did.