“Elle?”
She didn’t answer.
Ice had never put clothes on a woman, but it wasn’t exactly glacier excavation. He grabbed her clothing and began slipping them over her body. Then, he took his clothes and added that over the top, tying the pants beneath her chin around her head to cover her ears. He held her tight against his body, setting her on his lap so she touched as little of the floor as possible.
“I never meant to hurt anyone,” she mumbled.
He didn’t understand why she would say such a thing, now, in this place.
Where moments before he’d fantasized about staying in the cold cocoon of the semi-trailer, he now willed it to stop. He had no idea how far it was to Colorado. He kept his eyes open, watching and listening for signs that he should do something more for Elle. He held her hands, then rubbed her legs—anything to give her heat. He even tried kissing her, but she didn’t respond.
Ice didn’t know what to do—and that terrified him.
If she died, it would be because she’d tried to save him. The burden of that knowledge would rest upon his head.
A small moan left her as if she began to revive herself, but she didn’t speak or look at him.
Suddenly, the vehicle shifted, and his tarp seat slid over the metal floor. He caught his feet on the door, still holding her. The engine cut out even though the sound of the refrigeration unit still hummed.
He heard faint noises, much different from the sounds of travel. Ice kicked the back door, reverberating it. He kicked it again, and again. Someone fumbled with the latch, and he stood, not caring that he was naked as he held Elle in his arms.
The door slowly lifted and a scared voice yelled, “Who’s in there?”
Ice kicked the door upward, forcing it to lift all the way. The man in the red jacket stared at him in surprise. His mouth worked, but no sound came out.
“We are going to a costume party in the desert,” Ice stated. He leapt out of the cargo hold, still holding Elle. City lights surrounded them like tiny dots over the night landscape. The truck had stopped in a nearly abandoned parking lot near similar vehicles.
Ice strode toward a metal fence. The warm air counteracted the warmth of his body and he felt himself cooling. When he looked back, it was to see the driver pulling a small container out of his pocket. He glanced at Ice, and then the bottle, before throwing the item far away from him.
Ice walked along the fence until he found an opening. No one was around to witness their escape from the truck besides the driver, so he kept walking, unsure as to where he would end up, but knowing it was best he kept moving.
Chapter Thirteen
Elle felt like she’d been run over by a tank and dumped in the bottom of a bog. Everything hurt, some parts from the hard ground she now lay on and some from the sex marathon in a refrigerated semi-trailer.
She laughed before even opening her eyes. None of this seemed real, and she thought for a moment she’d be waking from a dream.
Instead of a warm bed, she found herself staring at the inside of a box. Her feet stuck out the open end. The dirty smell of city streets wafted over her.
She felt movement beside her. Ice had rolled up her sleeve and was studying the inside of her elbow.
What in the world…?
He adjusted his weight and held up a small syringe. It took a moment for her to realize he meant to inject her with whatever it was.
Elle flailed, coming to life as she slammed the hand holding the needle and jerked away from him. “Stop! What are you doing?”
He looked at her, his eyes so blue they almost took on a surreal glow in the dim light. “The man said it would make you feel all right.”
“What man?” She tried to push up but was weak. “Where are we? What happened to the truck? How long have we been here?”
She eyed her arms, making sure there were no marks from having been shot up.
“The man who took the paper from your pocket and said that this place with the other circus freaks would be safe because the cops never bother junkie row as long as we don’t front and keep cool. I told him I was, in fact, cool, so he traded with me for the magic cure to fix what ailed you.”
Realizing what had probably happened, she felt her pockets. The wad of cash was gone.
“He said it was the best this side of the border,” Ice assured her. Before admitting, “I do not know which border. It was supposed to wake you up and give you energy.”
Elle frowned as she crawled her way out of the box into a dim alleyway. The light made it look like dawn and a line of people were outside a door with a large sign stating, FOOD HERE. Bottles and old syringes littered the alley.
“You gave three hundred dollars to a drug dealer for a cardboard box and a syringe full of poison?” she asked in disbelief. She had her bank card, but by now the Milano team would be tracking it.
“Not poison. Magic,” he stated.
“Ice, I want you to listen to me very carefully.” She reached up to touch his face. “Magic is not real. At least not here on Earth. That was a bad man you talked to. He lies to people. You need to stay away from men like that.”
“Blue tattoo man. I see you, blue tattoo.” Laughter followed the words.
Elle couldn’t tell if the man who approached them was high or drunk, but by the way he swayed, he wasn’t operating at full capacity. “Someone wants to talk to you.”
“Who?” Elle asked suspiciously. She glanced around. Had someone tracked them down? Milano or the police? She wasn’t sure which was worse. Since they had ditched the car, she doubted the people who owned it could figure out who they were or where they went.
The man pointed at the sky and laughed.
“Get out of here,” Elle ordered, waving him away.
Ice was looking up at the sky. “I do not see anyone.”
“We need to leave.” Elle felt dizzy and sore, but she ignored the pain in her body. Now was not the time for weakness.
Ice held up two syringes. “What should I do with these?”
Elle took them from him and squirted the liquid on the ground. She tossed the needles in a dumpster.
“Blue tattoo man, I see you,” the man yelled.
“I see you, too,” Ice stated, his loud tone matter-of-fact.
“Stop talking to the crazy man.” Elle grabbed Ice’s arm and pulled.
She led him out of the alleyway, trying to get her bearings.
“Maybe I do not need to take the baby aspirin. Humans have not been as averse to my coloring as we were led to believe on the ship.” Ice held up his arm. The blue color had changed some, darkening, but it still was obviously a non-human tone.
“The police will be looking for a blue man. I think it’s best you do whatever it takes to hide.” Elle touched his face. His skin was cool, unlike in the refrigeration trailer. “But don’t take that to mean I don’t like the way you look. I do. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”
“Thank you for those words.” He placed his hand over hers, keeping her pressed against his cheek. His jaw was smooth with no stubble. At first, it had been hard to see past the blue, but she saw it less and less as she looked at him, not because of the baby aspirin, but because she felt like she was beginning to see him as something more than an alien from outer space who she needed to save. He didn’t grow a beard though he had eyebrows. His black hair had a blue tint to it that only showed when the light hit it. His lips were darker than the rest of his face. He had a strong European nose and distinct eyes that were hard to forget.
“Did your people come from Earth? I’m trying to understand how we look so similar.” Elle dropped her hand and led the way in the direction that seemed to have the most activity passing across the sidewalk.
“Many humanoid aliens look as we do. I have heard speculation as to why that is, but I don’t think anyone really has the answer. Sometimes—I believe you call it genetics—sometimes those match up and sometimes they do not.”
&
nbsp; He walked alongside her, and for a moment she felt as if everything was normal. He was a man. She was a woman. This was simply a stroll.
But that feeling didn’t last, as she thought of all the things threatening them—the Milano Foundation, the police, not to mention various government agencies that would kill to get an alien in custody.
“If that’s true, why come here? Earth can’t be the most welcoming planet you could find. There have to be better places out there to look for wives.” Elle didn’t want to admit how much she was already falling for him. Feelings rarely paid attention to logic. But there was no way this would work. She couldn’t leave Earth. She wasn’t brave enough to take that kind of journey. And Ice shouldn’t stay. It wasn’t safe for him. “What is Sintaz like?”
She’d like to picture him there, at home with his family, happy. One thing was for sure, she would never look at the stars the same way again.
He smiled, and she thought she saw longing in his expression.
“You miss it, don’t you?” Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and she desperately wanted to eat and sleep. She was tempted to find a hotel, any hotel so that she could crash face first on a mattress.
“I miss the quiet. Earth is full of noise.” He glanced around the abandoned sidewalk as they continued past old brick buildings. “Like now.”
“I don’t hear anything.” She tried to detect the same sound he did.
“The lights hum.” He pointed to an industrial light that had been left on. If she concentrated, she could hear a little bit of an electrical hum. “It is a constant. Earth is full of engines, and beeps, and clicks as people walk. My home world is quiet, more so now that my people have left the planet for other star systems.” He stopped walking. “I wish to bring you there, but I do not think you will survive.”
“The flight there?” Elle furrowed her brow in confusion. “Is it dangerous?”
“I’m talking about the weather. Sintazian nights are colder than the refrigerator truck. After seeing your reaction, I don’t think you would survive the temperatures.” This conclusion appeared to sadden him. “I worry that I would not be able to warm you as often as you would need.”
The nerves in her stomach did a little jump of anticipation as she recalled how he had kept her from freezing to death. Even now she wanted him. She pushed down the desire. Ice needed her to think. He clearly wasn’t ready for Earth life. He trusted all the wrong people.
Elle didn’t want to leave for another planet. She’d miss her parents and her brother. She might not see them too often, but it was nice knowing they were there. Still, his certainty that they couldn’t be together stung. She wasn’t ready to end whatever was happening between them.
She resigned herself to the truth. There was no use protesting. He was an alien. She was a human. This relationship had been doomed even before it started.
“I don’t understand why you came here for brides if you’re not able to stay with them.” Elle wasn’t sure why she asked. It wasn’t like she wanted to get married. That would be beyond insane, right?
Right?
“My brothers were excited to meet women, and Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides corporation made promises they should not have.” Ice’s steps slowed, and she noticed his shoulders slump forward.
“Just your brothers?”
“I didn’t dare hope that I would find someone on such a journey. I thought they promised more than they could deliver, but I did not think they would abandon us here.” His breathing deepened. “How did you know where to find us? Did Galaxy Brides set us up?”
“I was told where to be.” Elle didn’t have a better answer for him.
A dot of rain hit his lips, and they both looked up. Another drop hit under her eye. The cold moisture stung and when she brought her face down, it rolled over her cheek like a tear. Flashing lights and the rumble of thunder warned them of a coming storm.
“My guess is Foundation scientists found a way to track the ship—” A loud crack cut off her words. The sound jolted her a little.
Ice became rigid.
“Under there.” Elle motioned that they should duck into shelter to get out of the rain, but when she tried to lift her foot, it wouldn’t move. Pain shot along her body, and she inhaled sharply. Moisture gathered on her side, sticking her shirt to her skin. Stunned, she reached for it. Her fingers slipped in blood. She touched it again, pushing her fingers into the wound. “I…I think someone shot me.”
Elle fell toward Ice, unable to control her body.
He lifted her into his arms. “What do I do?”
“Run.”
“I see you, blue tattoo!” The strange man with the smelly breath popped out of an inlet as Ice ran with Elle down the sidewalk toward the box house encampment. “I see you!”
Two armed fighters in black clothing appeared next to the man, shoving the shouting man out of their way. The larger one he knew from the facility. Luther liked to taunt and kick him when he’d been tied up. The men charged toward Ice, carrying handguns.
“Don’t move,” they warned. “Put her down and come with us.”
“Run,” Elle mumbled again.
Ice pulled her closer. Her arm flopped down, away from her body.
The armed fighter he did not recognize came at him a little too fast. That confidence would be the man’s downfall.
Ice pivoted and kicked out his leg while still holding Elle. She moaned in protest, but her body gave no resistance to the movement. Ice’s foot met with the man’s stomach, doubling him over even as it sent him stumbling back into his partner. A weapon dropped on the ground, skittering over the concrete.
The smelly man dove from where they attackers pushed him and grabbed the weapon.
“Run, blue tattoo, run,” the man yelled as he fired the gun into the sky. Shots rang off several times.
Ice ran. Elle bled onto his arm. The metallic smell was new to him, but unmistakable. She stopped moaning, and he feared he would lose her. There was no help he could give. If she were Sintazian, he’d put her in the cold and slow down the process as she had time to heal, but she was human, and in many ways they were much more fragile.
His mind raced as he tried to think of an Earth word for helping wounds. He knew there were places, not unlike the medical booths those reticulan missionaries offered some planets. The Sintaz population had no use for them, but had they been offered to Earth? Nothing in his language knowledge led him to believe it was an option.
“Veterinary physician,” he said suddenly as the word came to him. That was a person who helped injuries and diseases. Physicians were doctors. That is what he needed. A veterinarian. “Don’t worry, Elle, I won’t let you die.”
Chapter Fourteen
Elle groaned. The medicine-induced haze that had followed her since surgery numbed her senses, but not the pain. It was beginning to creep back into her side. A blur of a blue figure moved past the open doorway. The image made her try to call out to Ice. Her voice croaked, and the sound was not coherent.
Elle became aware of something on her face, and she slapped her fingers against the nasal cannula inserted into her nose. She roughly pulled it off and slung the oxygen tubing over the bedrail. Her vision wasn’t steady as she looked first at the IV fluid being fed into her arm, and then at the blipping heart monitor mounted on the wall above her head.
Another blue figure moved past the door. She tried to push up, even as she realized it was a nurse and not Ice. Before even looking, she knew he wasn’t in the room. What had happened? How did she get here?
Seeing her struggling to sit up, one of the nurses turned into the room. He smiled at her. “Good to see you’re awake.”
“Ice,” she said, a little dazed from the medicine. Annoyed, she pawed at the tape securing the IV on her arm.
“Elle, please don’t to that,” the nurse said. “If you pull out your IV, I’ll have to re-stick you in order to give you your pain medication.”
She squinted to look at his name ta
g, partially obscured by the stethoscope dangling from his neck. “Bob.”
He followed her gaze down and then said, “Rob.”
“Ice,” she insisted. Was he there? Was he shot? Did he get away? She had to know.
Rob gently pushed her back down, not giving her a choice, and reinserted the oxygen cannula back into place. “I need to check a few things then I’ll get you some ice chips.” He lifted the side of her gown to look at her dressing then turned his attention to the monitor. He nodded. “Looking good. No more bleeding. Your vital signs are stable.”
“Where…?” She tried to ask where Ice was.
“You’re in the Intensive Care Unit at—”
“I have to go.” Elle tried to pull the cannula off again.
“Elle, try to relax. You’ve just gotten out of surgery and you’re in no condition to go anywhere. Do you have someone I can call for you? A friend? A husband?” Rob again adjusted the nasal cannula.
Elle blinked several times, trying to clear her thoughts. She eyed the nurse as she tried to get out of bed. He had kind eyes that stared out from a rounded face. His short hair looked to have migrated from his balding head to his chin. She fought but Rob’s firm hold sapped her energy and she finally stopped trying to sit up.
“Ice,” she whispered.
He let her go and patted her arm. “There you go. Just relax. You’re safe now. The police are right outside ICU and no one can hurt you here. They need to ask you a few questions about the shooting. Do you think you’re up to talking to them yet?”
That kept her from falling back into a drugged haze. Police? Did they come to arrest her for assault? Did they have Ice?
She lifted her hands, reassuring herself she wasn’t cuffed to the bed.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Rob said. “It’s all routine. The sooner they get your information, the sooner they can find who did this to you.”
“I can’t…” Elle wanted him to understand. She couldn’t be here.
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