Abalim

Chapter Three

Lisa stared at the blinking cursor on her computer screen. The damn thing taunted her, daring her to come up with a plotline for a new series. Normally, starting a new series was easy. She had so many ideas about the various worlds and love stories she was eager to create.

Most of the time, it was hard to pick which one she wanted to start on. But for the first time in a long time, she couldn’t clear her head to begin typing. As she sat there and stared at the blank screen, she felt a prickle of awareness. She turned her head and jumped. Leaning on the frame of the open doorway of her office with crossed arms and one ankle casually crossed over the other was a breathtakingly handsome, masculine man.

The fission of fear was quickly replaced by wonder. The man studied her with a casual air and a slight smile on his luscious lips. She should be terrified that a stranger was in her house, standing there watching her. But for some reason, she knew him. As if she’d been waiting her whole life to meet him.

“Who, um, who are you?” Her face heated. She cleared her throat. Way cool, Lisa. Your voice sounds like a sex worker on steroids.

The man straightened and walked, no, strolled to stand next to her desk. Placing a hand over his heart, he gave a gallant bow. “My name is Abalim, and I’ve been sent to find you.”

She glanced around her messy office. Everything was in its place—her stack of to-be-read books piled in one corner and a stack that needed to be put on the bookshelves in another. The bookcases around the room were stuffed with novels of every size and color, along with various knickknacks on the shelves. The plant on her desk was a bit wilted. Darn, she’d better water it before it died. The two plants on stands in front of the windows seemed to have the same problem. When was the last time she took care of them? She rubbed her forehead. Why didn’t that seem right? She’d already taken care of the plants somehow.

“Find me? Am I lost?” She lifted her gaze to the sight of the gorgeous man, drinking in every luscious detail, and gave him a goofy smile. Hey, she was only human.

The man sat on the edge of her desk. His smile was warm and inviting. “I’m afraid so.”

Ignoring his implication, she widened her eyes and took a closer look at him. Holy… soaring space dung. This guy had to be one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen in her life. And she’d seen quite a few of them. Okay, they were two-dimensional pictures of male models she browsed through when deciding which one to pick for a cover of her latest romance book. But this guy… this guy put them all to shame. It wasn’t just the symmetrical arrangement of his face, which was fine… fine… fine, but it was the maturity and intelligence stamped there that took her breath away.

And his killer body wasn’t anything to sneeze at, either. Even though he wore loose clothing that could’ve been worn in the middle east centuries ago, the gap in the linen shirt and sleeveless brown vest displayed a virtual smorgasbord of hills and valleys of firm pecs with a hint of a six-pack farther down. His short sleeves lovingly caressed his bulging biceps that screamed power.

Her breath quickened as her gaze roamed over the muscles of his arms, tracing the contours of his body, and she imagined what all that power would feel like if she ran her fingers over them. A flush of warmth rose up her spine, and her heart thudded.

Lisa continued her examination. His skin was so dark it gleamed with purple highlights in the soft light. The whites of his eyes were a startling contrast to his face, as were those white teeth shown when his sensuous, full lips parted. His shoulder-length hair had corkscrew curls soft against his thick neck.

Even with his hands folded in front of him, his passive attitude didn”t fool her one bit. There was obvious intelligence in his sharp, obsidian gaze. As if he knew the secrets of the universe that no one else did.

She was drawn to him, captivated by the beauty and mystery surrounding him. She’d bet her hard drive someone like him could share a boatload of exciting stories in a deep baritone voice. Better yet, whispering into her ear in the dark as they cuddled in a cloud of soft blankets. Naked.

Whew! If she was lost, she sure didn’t want to be found by anyone but him.

“Tell me how you’re feeling.”

The concern in his rumbling voice made her shiver.

Before she had a chance to answer, her stomach gave a loud rumble. She put her hand over it with a sheepish grin. “I’m starving.” Her nose wrinkled. “I don’t think I’ve eaten in a long time.” She tilted her head and gave him a quizzical stare. “I don’t understand why I said that. It’s not like I go around missing a chance to eat.” She patted the side of her well-endowed rear end with a chuckle. “Can’t get this baby looking like this by skipping meals.”

Abalim took her hands in his and pulled her up to stand. “I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, but I can give you the pleasure of tasting your favorite meal.”

The promise in his dark eyes made her suck in a breath. She’d rather find pleasure in something other than food. Her eyes roamed over his tempting muscular chest. Where to start… where to start…

He leaned over and whispered into her ear. “What would you like?”

Him? She licked her lips. Dang. Down, girl. No need to attack the man she met seconds ago. When he pulled back and looked at her, his hands squeezed hers just a bit. She shivered. The skin where he touched burned.

“Food.” His eyes twinkled. “What food would you enjoy?”

“A, ah, bacon cheeseburger and curly fries?” Her stomach rumbled and her mouth watered. She hummed at the thought of two sirloin beef patties smothered in melted cheese topped with crispy bacon between two toasted buns.

Her office disappeared. Now she sat cross-legged on a plush pillow on the floor. On top of a round table was a plate containing a double cheeseburger with a steaming helping of her favorite spicy fries. Modesty be damned. She grabbed the normally forbidden temptation and took a hefty bite. The burger was delicious. With each bite, she relished the flavor of the melted cheese and the juicy beef. For the first time in days, her hunger slowly started to abate. The fries, however, were even better. The golden-brown potatoes were perfectly seasoned, and the crunchy texture helped ease the aching hunger. After scooping up and devouring the last fry, she slouched and licked her fingers to savor the succulent grease left behind.

“I’m sorry, this isn’t real,” Abalim said from across the round table. “But the sensations you experienced aren’t phony.”

“What do you mean, this isn’t real?” She glanced around. Whoa, the only thing she saw was the table with plush cushions around it. The background was just a misty wisp of fog, like in a bad black-and-white horror movie. “Where am I?”

With the grace of a man in tune with his body, Abalim stood and sauntered to her, holding his hand out. “Come, let’s go someplace more comfortable. I’ll explain everything I know.”

She studied his outstretched hand and his sturdy fingers beckoning to be touched. With a mental shrug, she placed her hand in his.

Now the atmosphere was warm and cozy. She found herself on a plush couch facing a fireplace with a soothing fire dancing merrily inside. Abalim sat next to her, nice and cozy-like. While they didn’t touch, his body warmth eased the tension between her shoulders. How odd she trusted him like she did. She turned and sat cross-legged to face him.

“Okay.” She twined her fingers together and twiddled her thumbs. “Start by telling me where we are.”

Abalim twirled his forefinger to encompass the softly lit room that could’ve been someone’s vacation home in the mountains. “We are in what my family calls a Dreamwalk. Do you know what a psychic is?”

She nodded her head and shrugged. “Of course. I write paranormal romances, after all.”

His smile creased the skin at the corner of his eyes. “That should hopefully make this easier to explain. You see, I’m a very strong psychic whose main talent is telepathy. I was in that cell you and your friends were in on FiPan. Once I was there, it helped me connect with you mentally.”

Lisa gasped and put her hand over her mouth. “You mean you can read my mind? And you’re in it now?” Shit! Did this mean he knew she lusted after him earlier? Her face heated.

“Oh, no.” He leaned over and patted her bent knee. “It’s a habit of mine to not read people unless I’m forced to or I’ve been invited to.” He withdrew his warm hold and turned to face her with a sheepish grin. “I learned at a very early age how utterly confusing people are.” He chuckled. “Besides, as you people say, it creeps me out.”

For the first time, Lisa noticed his slight accent and how he spoke English as if it wasn’t his first language. “But if you’re not in my mind, how are we here in what you called a Dreamwalk?”

“You see, once I have a sense of your psyche thread, I can put us into another plane of consciousness where we can communicate and interact with each other.” He frowned and looked around the room. “Unfortunately, it’s hard to control how long we can last in the dream plane. It depends on where our real bodies are and if we are somehow forced out of this dream state.” His black gaze fixated on her. “So I need to make this as quick as possible. Do you have any idea where you are or where you’re going?”

She shook her head and rubbed her temple. “No. All I know is some creepy little pudgy alien shoved me into a spaceship and injected me with something to put me to sleep.” She couldn’t help it. The terror of not knowing what was going to happen to her made her grab his large hands. “Do you think you can find a way to come and get me?”

He caressed her hands and gave her knuckles a soft kiss. “Now that you and I have connected in this strong Dreamwalk, look for me to contact you like this again. Until then, keep track of everything you see and hear that might give me a clue as to where to find you. I promise I will do everything within my power to do so.”

Lisa gasped as her eyes snapped open. She bolted upright and reached out blindly, trying to grasp the familiar sheets of her own bed. Instead, her fingers met only a cold, unfamiliar surface.

The room was illuminated by a strange green light, and the walls were covered in indescribable symbols and shapes.

Lisa’s head pounded, a wave of vertigo making her dizzy. Where was she? The memory of being in a safe place with a captivating man faded away.

Blinking to clear her vision, she took in her surroundings. She glanced at the odd-looking bed, but a small hum made her look up and examine the room. All around was a large space filled with strange equipment and machinery she’d never seen before. It was made of clean lines, neither round nor square. Like whoever made it couldn’t make up their mind how they wanted it shaped.

What really took her aback were the squiggly symbols carved into the walls and flowing up to the curved ceiling. If she squinted, she swore dark liquid ran underneath them through slender tubes, like blood pumping through veins. Just watching the way it rolled, spread, and joined other symbols made her vertigo worsen. She shut her eyes and turned her head. Enough of that.

A hissing sound from the other side of the room made her jump. She opened her eyes and looked behind her. There, in the corner, was an alien creature unlike anything she’d ever seen before.

Its body was elegantly slim, with soft luminescent skin that emanated an ethereal glow. Its two arms were delicate, elongated limbs with long, triple jointed fingers. The being looked androgynous, neither male nor female. Its oblong head was adorned with a crown of golden spines, and its almond-shaped eyes shimmered in an array of mesmerizing colors.

Lisa froze, eyes wide. She didn’t dare move or speak.

The alien creature glided closer.

Now she had a chance to see it wore some kind of armor, with intricate markings etched along its edges.

It moved closer still.

Darn, that strange humming noise came from him… er, it? As she stared, a sharp pinch came and went on her neck. “Ow! What the hell?” She slapped her palm there in reaction.

The creature spoke, its voice unexpectedly flat and unemotional, while at the same time sounding like a lot of people talking at once. “Greetings, human woman,” it said. “We deem it necessary for you to understand that which you will be privileged to partake of. Thus, we have given aid to your primitive mind to gain the ability to communicate with us.” As the alien spoke, the pitch of its voice heightened.

What was weird, for the first time she noticed it didn’t talk through its razor-thin mouth. Instead, she heard it in her head. It must have meant telepathy when it announced she had the ability to communicate with them. Great. More mental gymnastics.

“You are on the planet Qorath.” It continued its narrative. “We are the Xeltrians.” It waved its spindly fingers to its undefined chest. “I am known as Rerqel.”

Lisa sat up, not caring she was completely naked. Stupid thing probably didn’t notice one way or the other anyway, so why worry about it? “Ok, what do you want with me?” Might as well hear the bad news up front. No way was this going to be something fun.

“We have been observing your kind for some time and are deeply fascinated by your species. In the past, we were unable to personally study humans due to Earth being under protective status. However, since the Zerins have introduced women to the citizens of the Federation Consortium, we have decided it was within our rights to obtain a specimen of our own.”

She narrowed her eyes at the creature. Somehow, she didn’t think they wanted human women to help their dying species avoid extinction like those who applied for the Exchange.

“You possess unique capabilities that are not seen in any other species. This includes your reproductive capabilities, your hormonal complexities, and your overall genetic diversity.”

The damn thing sounded like a snooty professor giving a lecture.

“We desire to learn more about you, thus we have purchased you from the Ozevroc who brought you here.”

Oh, that had to be the name of the pudgy little bastard who shoved her in that octagon ship. “Okaaay—” She gave the alien a narrow-eyed glare. “—does that mean you’re going to do some kind of alien probe on me?”

The alien called Rerqel took a step back. “If we understand your reference, we will not be experimenting on your physical body. That would be a primitive and useless endeavor.” It waved spindly fingers to indicate the room. “We have done all the necessary physical inspections while you were unconscious.”

The tension in her body deflated. Thank God she didn’t have to dwell on images of them cutting her open while she was awake. So, no need to panic about the whole getting probed thing.

“Our intent is the most crucial. You are an alien being with strange urges and instincts we wish to explore.”

Her fists clenched. “So what does that mean?”

“Fascinating that you would ask that before seeing to your urgent physical needs.” Its bulbous head tilted to the side.

For the first time, Lisa noticed a ridge that ran from its temple around the back of its head to end at the other temple.

Instead of being bald, it had wispy gray hair below the ridge that rested at the bottom of its neck.

As if to confirm what the alien said, her stomach rumbled. She put a hand there but didn’t look away from Rerqel. A fading memory of eating a tasty cheeseburger in a dream hadn’t satisfied her need for food.

“We have ascertained that you have not eaten for several days. As we wish for you to be in optimal physical condition for the trial ahead of you, we will provide you with a safe place to rest and eat until you achieve that objective.”

“I don’t suppose I could have something to wear, could I?” Didn’t hurt to ask. What’s the worst that could happen? They’d say no?

Rerqel didn’t answer, but held out its large hand with the spindly fingers.

Like in the movies, minuscule particles sparkled before forming into a solid panel of fabric.

“You may wear what we have engineered for your use.” It handed the lump of cloth to her.

The surprisingly soft fabric didn’t seem to be a particular color. She slid off the cold metallic table and stood to unfold it. One minute it seemed to be gray, then the next it was white, then it turned into a turquoise blue. It was a one-piece outfit. Kind of like a scuba wetsuit with footsies.

She didn’t hesitate. She’d been shivering since she woke up. Either from nerves or the cool air. At least putting on clothes should help. It was easy to step in and pull it over her torso and slide her arms into the sleeves. Before she had a chance to figure out how to close the front, the material flowed across her chest and sealed itself. While it was formfitting, it had to be the most comfortable thing she’d ever put on in her life. Even her breasts were uplifted and held firm. Damn, no bra needed.

Nice. Putting on comfortable, clean clothes made her feel a hundred percent better. Her stomach rumbled again. She licked a dry tongue over her chapped lips.

“We will take you to the domicile assigned to you and provide you with sustenance. You will follow me.” Rerqel turned and flowed with a graceful pace to one of the solid walls. Before the alien banged into it, the barrier disappeared.

Lisa glanced around the room, searching for what, she had no idea. Might as well follow the creepy alien. It’d be nice if they had something as tasty as a cheeseburger for her to eat. She sighed. No way was a cheeseburger happening anytime soon. Humph. She doubted there were cows in space. But, with the promise of something to eat, she followed the long strides of her captor as it led her out of the depressing room.

The corridor of the alien building stretched for miles.

Lisa’s shoulders drooped. It was hard to put one foot in front of the other as she followed the alien Rerqel. The only thing tempting her to move at all was the promise of food. Lifting weary eyes, it took time for her to notice the walls were an eerie luminescent blue as the air hummed with an otherworldly energy. Everything seemed so alien, so strange and unfamiliar. She was glad they didn’t encounter any other Xeltrians. No telling if she’d lose it if she ended up surrounded by a bunch of the tall, gangly creatures.

Rerqel hadn’t said a word since they began their walk. It… well, hell. She might as well call it by a male pronoun. She hated thinking of it as an “it”. She giggled. Now her imagination jumped to an old Addams Family series with Cousin It, except without his body being covered by silky hair. Oh, hell. No doubt about it, she was losing her mind. Throwing her shoulders back, she forced herself to watch the gangly alien move with a strange, almost dance-like stride. His long limbs glided along the floor of the hallway.

Good thing he knew where they were going. If she was left on her own, she’d be totally lost after the first twenty turns. Lisa followed in its, no, his wake and did her best to keep up. To keep her mind off what was happening, she studied the walls as they passed. Just like the previous room, she’d swear the darn building looked alive. It rolled and pulsated, shifting as though a living creature squirmed as it tried to escape. Her skin crawled, and she rubbed her arms to ward off the strange sense of dread welling up.

Rerqel stopped in front of an ornate door, waving his arm in a sweeping gesture.

The solid door disappeared, revealing an arched doorway.

He gestured for Lisa to enter.

With a mental shrug, she peered into the dimly lit room. It was smaller than the medical one she’d been in. But the one thing they had in common was the strange and unfamiliar objects.

After giving the alien a quick backward glance, Lisa stepped inside. Her heart thudded at the oppressive silence. She gave Rerqel another glance.

He stood in the doorway, his spindly frame casting a long shadow across her feet.

In the center of the room, a table appeared, along with a small stool to sit on. Resting on the table were plates piled with what she hoped was food.

The Xeltrian motioned for her to take a seat.

Lisa hesitated, but the scents made the decision for her. While the tantalizing aroma was unusual, it smelled good enough to eat.

Rerqel glided forward and motioned again for her to sit.

She grimaced, but pulled out a chair and sat. A strange excitement fluttered in the pit of her stomach. She studied the array of exotic shapes and sizes on one plate and what looked like breads filling another. Despite her apprehension, everything looked harmless, even enticing. She plucked up a square light-blue thingamajig that felt like holding a tomato. She rubbed it, causing the skin to give way under her fingertips. She slowly brought it to her nose. Hmm… a cinnamon roll?

She took a chance and bit in. The taste was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. Though it was strange, it was sweet and delicious with a hit of hot spice. A pleasant warmth spread throughout her body. She licked her lips, savoring the taste for a few moments before keeping an eye on the alien as she slowly devoured the treat.

Rerqel never took his eyes from her, his eyelids blinking sideways as he watched her every move.

She was the first to glance away. The back of her neck heated as she felt his gaze on her. When she finished everything offered, the alien nodded. She sat back with a goofy grin. Damn, for the first time in a long time, her tummy was happy.

“Excellent.” Rerqel laced his thin fingers together. “You may rest and regain your strength. I will come back for you at the appropriate time.” He stood at the open door for a few moments, his gaze still fixed on her. Then, without a word, he turned and left, the wall closing behind him.

Lisa stared at the solid wall for a few moments before letting a deep sigh escape. Taking a fortifying breath, she took her time getting up from the table and headed to the hovering cot. With each step, her mind raced on what had just happened. She yawned so hard her jaw cracked. Well, nothing was going to get solved right now.

She rubbed her burning eyes. If nothing else, she’d take Rerqel’s advice and get some sleep. Lowering onto the surprisingly soft mattress, she shut her eyes and emptied her mind. She yawned again, smacking her lips. If she was lucky, she’d have another dream about a dark, handsome man coming to rescue her.

As Abalim withdrew from the Dreamwalk he shared with Lisa, he was yanked into another psychic realm. The tug was unyielding and didn’t give him a chance to break away. When he landed, it was in a place quite alien, unlike anything he’d seen before. Everything in him stilled when a strange creature coalesced in front of him.

“I am Rerqel from the planet Qorath,” the androgynous creature stated in a voice layered with multiple voices. The inflection in his tone was unemotional, bordering on cold. “You, Abalim, from the planet Earth will be a perfect addition for us to analyze along with the human woman Lisa. When you created that last psionic connection with her, you enabled us to verify you are what your people call soul mates.” The spindly creature tilted his overlarge oblong head that was shaped like a bicycle helmet. “With that connection, we now will have the means to determine if your species is worth protecting from the incoming Krystalii.”

Abalim ignored what the alien said about Lisa. He might not know what a “soul mate” was, but he didn’t like the alien’s insinuation that mankind had to prove they were deserving of salvation. The mere mention of the Krystalii and the threat they brought made his protective instincts rise as unrealistic chills in the psychic plane made him shudder. “What do you know of the Krystalii?” When he encountered Lord Baelon on Hiigar, he’d gotten the impression the aliens hadn’t left their dimension yet.

The tall slender being had delicate, elongated limbs with a luminescent skin that emitted a soft glow. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear this creature was somehow related to the galactic criminals known as the Fribbegh, the creatures who created the gray alien myth on Earth.

“Lord Baelon believes he is all-powerful, but we have monitored their interest in our dimension for quite some time without their knowledge. His interest in human women is quite fascinating. He believes his crystallized species can somehow use them to accelerate their birth cycles, which usually take thousands of years.” Rerqel’s almond-shaped eyes shimmered with an array of mesmerizing colors. “While we believe his assumptions are absurd, we do not discount the probabilities.”

Abalim crossed his arms. “While I realize you are a strong psychic and might try to force me to subject myself to your physical analyzation, I assure you that’s not going to happen.”

Rerqel tilted his head the other way. The movement highlighted the ridge from one temple that wrapped around his head to the other temple. “What is the fascination with you creatures about being examined physically? We have no need to subject you to that type of analyzation. Scanning your primitive bodies was hardly a challenge to gain an understanding of your biological workings at the DNA level. Especially you.” The Xeltrian’s eyes narrowed. “However, you are an interesting creature. Human, yet not. Akurn, yet not. It’s as if you’ve been given a combination of various galactic species. But—” Rerqel waved his long, serpentine fingers. “—that is not what interests us. What we propose is to see how you and your female handle an unknown situation of who lives and who dies. We are interested in observing how you react in an environment where you have no control and don’t have a clear understanding of the dynamics involved.”

When Rerqel stated Abalim was a separate species from Lisa, Abalim narrowed his eyes. How did this alien know he wasn’t technically a human? Did Reqel somehow analyze what he was without him knowing?

The creature, at least a foot taller than his six-foot three, flicked one of his three jointed fingers at the air next to them. A rounded image opened, and the scene zoomed in on a sleeping Lisa.

Abalim’s heart thudded as he watched her calmly sleeping.

“Because she is a primitive without your natural enhancements, we gave her the basic psionic ability to communicate with us as you do. Thus, we injected her with a stimulus to open her mind for that purpose. After all, how can she be given instructions if she can’t understand the directive?”

Abalim frowned. “Is that why she’s unconscious? Because of something you gave her?”

“Do not be absurd. How can the test be valid if we interfere with her otherwise natural ability? The stimulus only awakened that which she already had in her genetic makeup.” Rerqel’s tone ended with a slightly sharp bite. “We have provided sustenance to this female and she is now in a natural deep sleep. When she awakens, you will begin your trial.”

Was this creature saying they gave her telepathic abilities? Maybe that’s why it’d been so easy for him to link them into that last Dreamwalk.

The alien flicked his wrist at the image of Lisa, and the vision closed. “Because of the threat the Krystalii present, we have a limited amount of time to halt their ambitions. We have considered eliminating all humans on the planet Earth before they reach our dimension. However, that will diminish our resources significantly. While we are not convinced humans are worthy of saving, we have decided it would be best to verify if that would be the best option. As I said before, it appears humans are capable of procreating with others in the galaxy. On that point, Lord Baelon is quite correct. We are aware this human capability can be a great untapped resource for other species in our galaxy who are facing extinction.” Rerqel’s tone didn’t change, but somehow sounded condescending.

Abalim stilled. The veiled threat made him clench his fists. By the God An. Earth barely got through the last threat of annihilation by an alien race.

“Having one specimen of a species is hardly the basis for a true analysis,” Rerqel continued. “Especially since that species is split into two fractions… male and female. However, we will persevere. You will come to Qorath and partake in the trial we have set up.”

The gangly alien glided near enough that Abalim could see the intense glaze in his iridescent black eyes.

“And since Earth has lost its protective galactic status, we would be within our rights as citizens of the Federation Consortium to do what we deem necessary to protect its citizens without government backlash.” He straightened and clasped its fingers together in front of itself. “I trust you understand all that has been divulged to you?”

Oh, he understood all right. Easy enough to recognize a threat when it slapped him upside his head. Not that he had much of a choice. “Well, I’m not one who would refuse such a warm invite.” He took a step back. Personal space and all. “I don’t suppose you have a way I can get to your planet, do you?”

A brief sneer crossed Rerqel’s lipless mouth. “We have anticipated your need. In FiPan is a captain of a smuggling vessel by the name of Saphira who has tried to gain entrance to our planet for quite some time. She is currently at an establishment called Grub Grog, not too far from where you and your brothers currently are. However, I would suggest you quicken to find her, as she and her crew are arranging to depart.” The alien tilted his head to the other side. “Until we meet again, hybrid.”

The connection broke.