Ajos: The Restitution - A Sci-fi Alien Romance, Book 1

by A. G. Wilde

  Granted, she had been putting in a lot of work at the lab.

  Going in early, leaving late, and repeat days of overtime. Maybe she’d overdone it.

  With a huge sigh and another curse, Kerena squeezed her eyes tight.

  Even her bed felt hard, not just the dresser she was pressed against.

  Yep, her body was protesting. And not only her body, but her mind as well.

  She’d been having the weirdest nightmare—one straight out of an experiment gone wrong.

  She’d left the lab a little later than usual, but she’d headed straight home instead of picking up a meal at the 24/7 McDonald’s near her apartment. She hadn’t been far from home when she’d seen a huge alligator.

  And get this—as if seeing an alligator in the middle of the city wasn’t strange enough—it had been standing on two legs…and it had been holding a gun.

  She’d laugh if it hadn’t felt so real, it’d been terrifying.

  Groaning, she cursed underneath her breath again.

  Her sleep was broken. There was no falling back into the clutches of much-needed rest.

  She was awake.

  Fuck that useless dresser. She knew she shouldn’t have bought it at that yard sale. Her friend was the one who’d talked her into it.

  Moving to California with nothing, they’d both tried to save as much as they could on almost everything.

  LA was an expensive city and the huge pharmaceutical company they worked for paid two months behind.

  It’d been tough starting up life in the City of Angels, but it was going to be worth it in the long run.

  Yawning, she froze.

  Wait a minute.

  The dresser wasn’t by her bedside anymore.

  She’d moved it two days ago because of the same problem of bumping her head into it at night.

  Frowning now, Kerena squinted as she opened her eyes.

  Her vision was blurry, but not blurry enough for her not to notice that her face wasn’t pressed into mahogany.

  Instead, she was snuggled against something the color of mint mixed with teal.

  Huh?

  “Nee wekda ji nee foofre xiteeklu.”

  The…fuck?

  The voice was male, not Maine Coon, and it was coming from above her.

  Stiffening, Kerena didn’t want to look up.

  “Ji kludanee nee.”

  No.

  It couldn’t be.

  The dream…

  It was coming back to her now.

  Vividly.

  So vividly, it felt as if her soul was slowly leaving her body.

  Waking up in a casket, a see-through casket.

  The panic that flooded her not knowing where she was or what was happening.

  The dull sound of screams and shrieks on the outside of the casket.

  The sudden realization she was finding it hard to breathe.

  Not being able to get up, not being able to escape…

  Then the face…

  Taking care not to make any sudden movements or move her head, Kerena looked upward and terror filled her soul.

  That same face was above her, and golden eyes locked with hers.

  Blinking, she couldn’t move—refused to, as if keeping still would make her disappear.

  The man looking down at her was not human.

  That thought registered quickly.

  Minty-teal skin. Golden eyes that shone from a sclera that was the same color as the person’s skin.

  This…was not real.

  She was still dreaming, right?

  She’d dreamt about aliens before, but this one looked so…real. And handsome.

  Whenever she’d dreamt about aliens before, the little green men looked nothing like this green man she was seeing now.

  They were all big heads and huge dark eyes—you know, the way they drew them in cartoons.

  Such a simple description could not describe the alien in front of her now.

  His irises alone were rich, like spun gold.

  Minty-teal leathery skin covered every inch of his body she could see—even his lips.

  Firm cheekbones, a strong jaw, a straight nose…his face was mostly humanlike.

  But his head…

  Apart from the fact that no hair covered his crown, there were two protrusions on either side of his head and they seemed to run to the back, leading from his temples. They were pale yellow and the only thing that broke the uniform color of his minty-teal skin.

  Her hand moved in her peripheral vision as she frowned at the alien looking down at her.

  Her fingers touched the alien’s cheek and he jerked away a little, his gaze registering shock as he stared back at her.

  For a few moments, he did nothing.

  Instead, he kept staring at her as if expecting her to scream and run away. Then, when it seemed he realized she wasn’t about to do that, he leaned toward her outstretched palm.

  His skin was like soft leather and her mouth fell open a little as she stared at the contrast between her hand and his cheek.

  His skin was such rich minty-teal, it seemed like body paint or something.

  Blinking several times, Kerena slowly became aware that there was some sort of commotion around her.

  Screaming, crying, words of comfort, orders being shouted—and words she couldn’t understand.

  Turning her head, she looked across the room.

  It wasn’t her TV that was on.

  Well, duh!

  She wasn’t in her room as she’d thought.

  There were several people close by. Women. Some on the floor, some standing, but the general similarity was that they all looked terrified.

  But that wasn’t what made her eyes widen.

  There were…beings…even more aliens and different ones from the one that held her—she was realizing—in…his…arms.

  “What—” Kerena began, and the arms that held her tightened a little.

  This was some kind of costume party, wasn’t it?

  Had to be.

  Though, the guy across the room that dressed like C3PO definitely went all out on his costume.

  How much did he pay for that?

  “Klufoo kluer oh freem kluer neejiem,” the man that held her said.

  Kerena’s eyes widened some more.

  This one was even talking gibberish to sound like an alien.

  Yet…his costume was so…lifelike.

  Man?

  Alien?

  She wasn’t sure now.

  If this was a lucid dream…it was really, really convincing. She hadn’t even known she could imagine an alien language that sounded so…real—as if the alien was actually saying something of meaning.

  “Ajos!” A blonde woman rushed forward. “You’ve been over here for a while. Is she all right?”

  The woman stooped down. “Oh, she’s awake!”

  Kerena was mildly aware that the woman was touching her cheek and turning her head so she could look at her face.

  “She looks ok. You removed the oxygen mask. She didn’t need it anymore?”

  “Neg. Er er negelde. Wek fre frede erix fre quwekix qu oh freix ji elix,” the man, or alien, or alien-man said.

  “Yes, but that could just be her way of processing this. Most of the others are hysterical, but we’d prepared for that. Maybe she is the type that doesn’t spook easily.”

  Okay. None of this made sense.

  Weren’t dreams supposed to be manifestations of her subconscious? It didn’t feel as if she was in control of any of this.

  You know what, time to wake up.

  Squeezing her eyes shut, Kerena willed herself to wake, but when she opened her eyes again, they were met with the same golden eyes of the being that held her.

  Fear began crawling up her spine.

  Again.

  Try again.

  So she tried again.

  But no matter how many times she closed then opened her eyes, the being before her always came back into view.
<
br />   She never woke up in her bed. Cindy Clawford wasn’t by her feet hogging the blanket…

  “No,” she managed to utter.

  As she tried to scramble away, she almost fell to the floor, and she would have if it weren’t for the strong arms that held her.

  “Er be' ee. Wek neg negix el ji enerfooel elqu negfre.”

  Kerena’s eyes shot to the alien.

  “It’s okay. I know this is a lot to take in, but try to remain calm. Just try to focus on me,” the blonde woman said. “We’ll explain everything to you soon.”

  The woman’s words made her pull her terrified gaze away from the male that held her.

  “Wh—where am I?” Kerena’s eyes darted from the woman back to the alien leaning over her—and the more her brain came online, the more terrified she became.

  He looked too real to be a figment of her imagination.

  It wasn’t a costume.

  This…was…real.

  “You’re on the Restitution’s base. You are safe,” the blonde woman answered.

  “The what?”

  “The Restitution. I know you don’t know what that means, but the alliance is the only reason you’re alive.” The woman glanced at the…the alien. “It’s the reason we all are alive.”

  She’d heard her the first time, but the second time didn’t make it any clearer.

  She turned the words over in her head.

  The Restitution.

  It sounded like a military base.

  And the alien…

  Area 51?

  How the hell did she end up in Nevada?

  Looking down at herself, she frowned even more.

  She was dressed in the exact outfit she’d been wearing when she’d left work—a short sleeveless dress and her boots. They’d taken her on her way from work and brought her to Nevada?

  And all the rumors about them hiding aliens…those rumors were real?

  What kind of government bullshi—The fuck did she get herself into?! And how?

  The only thing she could think of was the fact that she worked for one of the biggest bioengineering companies in the US. They conducted classified experiments the government might have been interested in.

  But she was a botanist!

  What did they need her for? Man-eating alien plants?

  She wasn’t a part of the secret experiments she knew the company she worked for conducted. Her work comprised the more “ethical” experiments on which the company built its name and which the public knew about.

  This didn’t make any sense!

  The blonde woman had fierce eyes but a kind smile. She looked like the type of person who told it as it was. Possibly the type of person she could trust.

  “I—” Kerena licked her lips and tried to keep her gaze from sliding back to the alien. “I don’t understand.”

  The woman smiled.

  “I know. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Athena.”

  “Okay, Athena.” Kerena licked her lips again before her eyes darted to the tall mint-colored alien once more. “I’m Kerena.”

  The alien’s golden eyes were still on her, and it didn’t take her long to realize he’d been watching the movement of her tongue against her lips.

  “Um, Athena…” she whispered. “I don’t know if you noticed but…I think there’s an alien holding me in his arms.” She paused. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

  Athena’s shoulders rose and fell in a low chuckle before a sad smile twisted her lips.

  “I don’t know how to break this to you, so I’m just going to come out and say it.”

  Kerena froze. Those were not the words that usually came before good news.

  “You were abducted…”

  Everything within her stopped moving. She was sure even her heart stopped beating for a few seconds.

  “And…” Athena continued.

  Wait, there was more?

  “There’s no way of going back home.”

  4

  Kerena stared at Athena, willing the woman to smile and point some finger guns at her in a “gotcha” moment, but that didn’t happen.

  Instead, Athena seemed guarded, as if she was waiting for her response to the news.

  Kerena’s gaze darted back to the alien and then to the many people, humans and obvious aliens alike, who were in the room.

  “Look…” she said as she tried to rise, but the arms around her wouldn’t budge.

  Turning her gaze to the alien, Kerena frowned slightly.

  “Can you, uh,” she gulped, “can you put me down?”

  Holy fuck, she was speaking to an alien!

  Lock that up and put it in the safe for later deliberation, Kerena.

  “Oh negklu negji neg negix erix. Er fre fredenigr neg ix oh neg.”

  Okay. She hoped her captors had free dictionaries because she was going to need one.

  Turning her questioning gaze to Athena, Kerena raised her eyebrows a little.

  “Oh, I keep forgetting you all don’t have translators yet.” Athena gave an apologetic smile. “He said that you were without oxygen for a little and he is afraid to let you go lest you collapse,” the woman translated.

  “I won’t collapse.” Kerena motioned to the floor. “Please, put me down.”

  The alien’s hairless eyebrows moved a little as he set her on her feet, and his gaze was wary as he eyed her.

  Not a second passed before a bout of dizziness passed through her.

  Maybe she’d overestimated herself.

  She must have swayed because the alien’s huge hands were quick to steady her.

  A little nonplussed by the alien’s contact, Kerena took a deep breath.

  “Th-Thank you.” She blinked rapidly as she stared into the alien’s chest.

  Shouldn’t she be terrified right now? Panicked?

  Was it strange that what she was feeling wasn’t fear, but confusion?

  “You said I was…abducted?” She needed answers. That would determine how she should feel about this.

  Athena nodded. “Unfortunately.”

  “But you said there’s no way to go home?”

  Athena nodded again.

  The woman paused as if waiting for her to ask more questions. As a matter of fact, both Athena and the alien beside her seemed guarded.

  They were looking at her as if waiting for something to happen.

  Kerena frowned and wrapped her arms around herself.

  She suddenly felt cold, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the atmosphere or if it was the fact that she had woken up in this distressing situation.

  “I mean…” She focused on the woman, trying her best not to let her eyes drift to the tall alien standing beside her. Maybe if she didn’t look at him, she could pretend an extra-terrestrial wasn’t standing RIGHT…FRICKIN’…BESIDE HER.

  Clearing her throat, Kerena continued, “I live in California. That’s like, right beside Nevada… Surely, after this government experiment or whatever this is, I’ll be allowed to return to my normal life…right?”

  Something within Athena’s countenance fell…something that made a sickly feeling develop in Kerena’s stomach.

  “We’re not on Earth anymore.” Athena’s voice was calm and measured, as if she’d had to say those same words several times.

  “We’re…what?” Kerena held herself tighter.

  It wasn’t like her to ignore the data in front of her, so she guessed she had to face it.

  As Athena remained silent, giving her space to process what she’d said, Kerena’s gaze moved from the woman to the alien standing beside them, then to the rest of the room.

  The several aliens…the distressed females…

  “You’re serious…” Kerena whispered and Athena’s pause then nod almost made her belly bottom out.

  Kerena stood in disbelief as she fought to comprehend and accept this reality.

  “I must say,” Athena said, “you’re taking this news well.”

  In another situat
ion, she would have said, “Sike!” But there was no time for her to say anything before her legs gave out from beneath her.

  If not for the alien’s quick movements, she would have fallen to the floor.

  “Bring her over here.”

  Athena’s voice blended into a new series of cries that echoed in the room. Someone else was freaking out.

  “Neg, wek freix erix fre quwekix qu uufrewek ix nee wek freix,” the mint-colored alien spoke, his voice a deep vibration as he lifted her effortlessly.

  He took her in his arms, cradling her like something precious, as he rested her on what she assumed was a gurney.

  She wasn’t sure if it was one because the thing was floating mid-air, it seemed, on its own.

  As he put her down, his hand settled on her midsection and Kerena realized only then that she was trembling.

  Shock.

  This only happened when she became too overwhelmed.

  She was having an episode.

  One breath in and another one out.

  The alien moved something toward her that looked like two small bicycle handlebars connected to a V-shaped transparent piece and Kerena pulled away from the device.

  “It’s an oxygen mask,” the blonde said, but Kerena only shook her head.

  She didn’t need an oxygen mask. She just needed to calm down.

  One breath in and another one out.

  She repeated this to herself as she took huge breaths in through her nose and exhaled through her mouth.

  “Esfre er wek negde?”

  “It’s a breathing exercise,” Athena replied. “It helps to calm us down.”

  “Negix elfre ixji neg?” the alien asked, and Kerena’s gaze darted to him.

  There was a skeptical look on his face, but concern in his eyes.

  “Yes,” Athena answered. “It works. Trust me. Just give her a few seconds.”

  It dawned on her then that the woman could understand the alien.

  “Wait,” she spoke between breaths. “You can understand him? How?”

  Athena tapped the back of her ear and turned slightly so Kerena could see. There was an almost imperceptibly raised area there, about half a millimeter across.

  “Translator implant,” Athena said. “You and the others will each get one.”

  Kerena’s gaze moved to the other people in the room. Several of the human women were huddled in groups on the floor.

  “Many of us were taken,” Athena spoke up. “You are not alone.”