Chapter Five
Lisa slowly opened her eyes. Damn, her brain was full of mush. She rubbed one eye with the heel of her hand and sat up. Where the hell was she? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the room Rerqel stated was hers. But now… now, she found herself in an unfamiliar landscape. Like she’d been transported to an entirely new world. The sky a deep shade of azure, while the horizon had a mixture of brilliant colors. The grass beneath her feet was a vibrant green, almost too perfect to be real.
She glanced at her surroundings, where a figure came toward her from a distance. She squinted. It was hard to make out who it was. With each step, it became clearer it was a man. A very handsome man. And her face flushed at the intense way he watched her. His dark gaze was unyielding.
Lisa caught her breath in a dry mouth. The guy seemed familiar. Like someone she imagined in a dream. Why was he here in this strange world with her? As he got closer, her curiosity got the better of her. She slipped off the bed. With firm resolve, she headed to meet him halfway.
The closer they got, the clearer his details came. Like a fuzzy old TV coming into focus. Her heart quickened. Soaring space dung, the man sure fit the description of tall, dark, and handsome. The deep brown of his skin was a beautiful ebony, almost a pure black that reflected blue highlights in the shimmering light of dual suns. His gorgeous eyes were a dark shade of cocoa brown. And when he focused those vibrant orbs on her, Lisa experienced a strange sensation in her chest. Like a zap from an electric shock.
Abalim. His name was Abalim.
“Oh my God, it’s you, isn’t it?” Look at her. Talking like a star-struck fangirl.
He cocked his head with a smile. “I’m very glad you remember me.”
The timbre of his low, melodic voice made her shiver.
He put a hand over his heart. “I told you I’d come back to let you know when I found you.”
Lisa heart jumped. He did say that. But how…?
Abalim stepped closer, his eyes never leaving her face. “I’ve discovered what planet you’re on, and I’ll be there very soon. Rerqel knows I’m coming and has agreed to let me take you back to Earth after we’ve done some kind of trial together.”
Lisa bit her bottom lip. Could this be true? He was real and was coming to help her? A surge of excitement at the possibility of being rescued made her breathless. Then something else made it hard to breathe. As she gazed into Abalim”s eyes, she was inexplicably drawn to him. Like a moth dancing around an open flame.
For a brief snatch of time, the two of them stood in silence, their connection locked in an intense embrace. Well, why hesitate? It’s not like she’d never done anything stupid in her life before. Besides, she was in a dream. Right? And she could do anything she wanted in a dream.
So, Lisa went for it. Stepping into his personal space, she gripped his solid upper arms. Oh lordy. She’d always wanted to wrap her fingers around a man”s muscular arm and squeeze. To know what solid, silken skin felt like. Writing about it didn’t come close to the actual sensation. The taut warm skin was a plush velvety texture over unyielding steel.
She leaned in, taking in a deep breath. Ah, pure masculine sin. A thrilling combination of ancient spice and man musk. She tilted her head and stood on her toes. Closing her eyes, she parted her lips, hoping he’d get a clue since she was so much shorter than him. The highest she got was the tip of his square chin line. No way would she break the dream by making stupid demands.
His warm breath caressing her lips was her only warning. With a heated touch as light as spring sunshine, he placed his mouth on hers.
That single, simple connection created a sizzle of awareness in the depths of her soul. At the power surge like a bolt of lightning, she melted into his embrace. Her very essence fused with his. His kiss turned carnal from one breath to the next.
The ground shifted as Abalim pulled her until her groin was flush against his hard, male length.
His dominant action caused her to fall into a world of pure, primitive feeling and captured her in eternal bliss. With a moan, she ground her lower self into the firm steel of his hardened member, searching for that perfect slice of friction where she needed it most.
Lisa wrapped her arms around his thick neck and jumped up and enfolded her legs around his trim waist, desperate to feel as much of him as she could. A sensual growl rumbled from deep within him, making her shiver in response.
Abalim’s mouth gracefully moved from hers to the pulsating vein at the side of her neck, and his arms tightened in an unbreakable hold.
She responded by turning into pliant, liquid putty ready to be molded by a master. She’d never gone from neutral to instant lust so fast. Her breasts ached, her nipples like uncut diamonds waiting for an expert grader to mold them into something new.
As he suckled the sensitive skin between her neck and shoulder, his clever fingers found one of her quaking nipples and brushed over it.
She moaned as waves of heat pooled low inside. She would’ve melted into a pile of undignified goo if he hadn’t kept a firm grip on her ass.
His mouth found hers again, a sensual dance of lips and tongue that threatened to turn carnal again.
When he pulled away, Lisa blinked, trying to get her hazy vision to focus. She sucked on her lower lip to steal the last of his addicting flavor. While not a novice to the act of love, what just happened was like nothing she’d ever experienced before.
In that moment, it was clear his kiss forever changed her life.
“I wish you were real,” she whispered, pulling him closer and resting her forehead against his. “And that you really were coming to get me.” He smiled when she chuckled. “I never thought I’d like being the damsel in distress. But I gotta admit it has its perks.”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but I am real, and I’m coming to Qorath for you.” He returned her hug and nuzzled her neck. “But most of all”—he spoke softly into her ear—“I’m looking forward to holding you in my arms in the real world.”
Abalim’s form faded until there wasn’t anything left to hold.
Profound loss swept through her before darkness once again claimed her.
Lisa jerked awake. Her eyes flew open. She searched for the elusive Abalim, only to find herself alone. She shut her eyes and swallowed hard. Damn, what made her think her dream man was real? Tears blurred her vision and slid down her temples. Sniffing, she wiped her wet face.
Lying here crying wasn’t going to do any good. For all she knew, the stupid aliens somehow put her ideal man into her subconscious. Well, she wasn’t going to fall for that crap. She’d be better off pretending it never happened.
Swinging her legs until her feet touched the floor, she gripped the side of the mattress. Closing her eyes, she hung her head and took in a deep breath. Get a grip, Lisa. So, you’re being held hostage by some damn aliens. It’s not like you’ve never written this scenario before. All you gotta do is act like one of your heroines. Be smart and figure a way out of this.
Throwing her shoulders back, she opened her eyes and studied where she was. The sparse room had all the charm of a derelict, abandoned factory in the middle of the swamp. Without the odors. Would it kill the Xeltrians to brighten up the place a bit? That mind-numbing shade of grayish white would depress anyone. The only other furniture was the table she’d eaten at, and it was colorless, bleeding into the background. All in all, the place evoked a sense of complete emptiness. Like gazing at a blurry black-and-white photograph frozen in time.
She got off her butt and went to the part of the wall where she guessed Rerqel left through. Nowhere did she see any type of seam or doorknob to open it. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface. The only thing she got was a sense of palatial disorientation, as if the room’s boundaries blurred into a vast, endless expense.
Once upon a time she’d dabbled in oil painting, and this wall’s smooth texture was like a blank canvas waiting for an artist’s touch. Before she pulled her fingers away, something surged underneath it like water going through a tube. With a gasp, she yanked her hand back with a fist and stepped away. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear the freaking thing was alive. Now didn’t that just ramp the creep-o-meter up to a whole new level?
The wall dissolved open, revealing Rerqel in all his alien glory.
“The injection you were given should be taking effect now.”
It was strange watching his lipless mouth not move.
We will now communicate through a better method of understanding.
“Huh?” Take that! Who said she didn’t have a stellar command of words?
Rerqel clasped his long fingers together in front of him. I am not sure what I’m supposed to take, but I assure you we can communicate mind to mind. With what you humans call telepathy.
Lisa pressed her lips together. In one of the series she wrote, the heroine had been captured by a bunch of telepaths that liked to squirm around her brain and muck out her insecurities and phobias to use against her. Not going to happen to this girl. She crossed her arms and mentally visualized a solid wall made of steel and rock that hopefully would keep anyone out. If she kept the visual in her mind’s eye, it might work. Time to test it. “What’s supposed to take effect?”
Rerqel’s large oblong eyes blinked with inner lids closing and opening sideways.
She must’ve caught him by surprise.
He tilted his head as if speaking to her.
Too bad the block worked both ways. Time to make it look like she was surprised. She widened her eyes. “Hello? Cat got your tongue?”
If the tall, gangly alien was frustrated, he didn’t show it. “We do not need to discuss Earth creatures at this juncture. Did you not hear me within your mind?”
“In my mind? What, do I look like the Amazing Kreskin to you?”
Rerqel straightened. “Fascinating. You are either stronger or weaker than we’d ascertained.”
Lisa bit her bottom lip so she wouldn’t giggle like a dork. Too bad the alien didn’t have an eyebrow to raise like Mister Spock. The squeeze in her chest lightened. Yay! Looked like her little experiment worked. Now came the hard part. Let’s see if she could keep it up.
“So, now what?” She rubbed her sweaty palms down the side of her pant legs. What she wouldn’t give to have one of her precious energy drinks just about now. “I don’t suppose you’re going to feed me again?” And let her use the bathroom. Her bladder was screaming. She’d better hurry, or she wouldn’t be responsible for what happened if she didn’t. “And I gotta go.”
“Go?” Rerqel’s tone sharpened. “Did you not just say you wished for some repast again? Why would we go before that occurs?”
It was hard, but Lisa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I mean, I have to go to the bathroom. You know, to relieve myself.” She was going to do the pee-pee dance any second now.
The alien let out a loud breath that made the skin around his lipless mouth wobble. “Bathroom? Relieve yourself?”
Now it was easy to see the impatience stamped on his face by the way the skin tightened around his narrowed eyes.
“This is why you were given that injection. It would allow us to converse mentally and avoid this type of confusion. Please explain in detail what it is you are requesting.”
“Look, my bladder is full, and I’ve got to get rid of what’s in there. I’d hate to mess up your pretty little room. That clear enough for you?” She put a fist at her lower stomach. Maybe that would give this clueless guy a hint. “I thought you said you’d done a physical examination of me. You should know what I’m talking about.”
“Ah.” Rerqel raised a lanky finger. “You wish to eliminate waste from your digestive system. Correct?”
The only thing to do was nod. She pressed her lips and stifled a moan. Now things ramped up. She bounced from foot to foot.
The guy might be an alien, but the condescending smirk twisting his razor thin lips was easy to see. “You have no need for such primitive ways of accomplishing that. The clothing you wear is more than capable of taking care of that annoying habit.”
Her eyebrows rose. “You want me to pee my pants?” No way. Of all the indignities she could imagine, and as a writer, she could imagine a lot—this was never one of them.
“It is more expedient this way. If only we could discern a way for you to obtain sustenance without stopping to create edible foods for you, we would have accomplished it.”
Trust an alien not to know eating was one of life’s greatest pleasures.
She eyed his tall frame, but the decision was taken out of her hands. Her body decided for her. Her eyes widened when she couldn’t tell what happened after her bladder emptied. The only thing she experienced was relief, and the rest disappeared. Dang, if she could take this suit back to Earth, going into icky public bathrooms would be a thing of the past.
Now, on to more important matters. “You mentioned food?”
Abalim lay on the hard cot with his hands behind his head. Staring at the ceiling, he relived the last Dreamwalk with Lisa.
“Can I do anything for you, Mister Abalim, sir?”
JR15’s quiet voice brought him out of his lustful musings.
He smiled at the quivering tone of his companion”s voice. Keeping his own tone low, he answered. “No, just keep watch and report anything unusual to either your brothers or your parents back on Zerin.”
A shimmering sound made him swing his legs off the cot and stand. Keeping his hands clasped behind his back, he raised his eyebrows when Saphira entered. Hmm, wasn’t Gilipthor supposed to come in and get him?
“Human. It’s time for you to meet the crew and discuss things before we set off for Qorath.”
Ah, a lady of few words. This should be interesting. He tilted his head and opened his psychic sense to allow a small portion of her emotions to come through. No maliciousness, so he gave a tight nod. “Lead the way.”
Saphira gave him an up-and-down perusal before turning around and sauntering out to the smooth hallway. She led him to an elevator at the end.
Once he joined her, the ride sideways was a lot shorter than the first one he took. When it stopped, the door opened and revealed a spacious room with a long, oblong table in the middle.
They must be still orbiting FiPan since it filled most of the viewer on the back wall. Damn planet was an ugly, rotating sphere. Its atmosphere was full of smog and pollutants, making it difficult to see the surface clearly. Splashes of puke brown, mustard yellow, and pea- soup green made up what landmass could be seen. Instead of majestic fluffy white clouds, it had a smattering of dusty-brown haze. He doubted it ever held any cleansing water. What remained of what might have been an ocean was now a sludge made up of who knew what. It appeared more solid than liquid.
He turned his attention to the group sitting around the oblong table. They had to be the same species as Saphira, judging by their build and coloring. Only Gilipthor stood out as something different.
The group consisted of three males and two females. All bore a mixture of the coral skin coloring Saphira had—some darker, some lighter—only their wide, almond-shaped eyes weren’t green like hers.
He found himself the focus of brown, orange, and yellow orbs. Two of the males had eyes that were more oval-shaped and in an arresting shade of shiny new pennies. Their faces were identical as well. Must be twins.
Saphira took her place at the head of the table and sat on one of the round balls that converted into a luxurious leather chair. “Have a seat.” She waved to the other end of the table and one of the seating balls in a bland beige.
He’d seen these types of chairs before and didn’t have any trouble planting his backside on it.
The contraption shifted the second he touched it. Before he settled, it morphed into a comfortable utility chair without changing its indistinct color.
JR15 folded his spindly legs as he sat on Abalim’s shoulder.
He was confident the small bot wouldn’t join the conversation, just record what was said.
“Okay, you bloody friggers,” Saphira announced as she placed her elbows on the armrest of the chair and touched her fingers together in a temple. “This here is Abalim from the planet Earth. We’ve finally gotten a break, since the Xeltrians asked us to bring him to Qorath.”
She peeked over the tips of her fingers and smiled. “So, let’s get the pleasantries out of the way and introduce ourselves.” She nodded to Gilipthor, who sat in the chair to her right. “You met Gilipthor. He’s one of the most notorious intergalactic underworld figures around. Now retired, of course.”
The small alien snickered.
Abalim didn’t have to read his mind to know the guy was only retired when he felt like it.
Saphira went right on with the introductions. “Next to him are brothers Rodrock and Aesel, in charge of security.”
A dual set of matching penny-colored eyes focused on him. The darker coral of their well-built physiques had plenty of bulging muscles. It was a testament to their dedication to rigorous training. Broad shoulders were set back, their postures upright and alert. No doubt ready to spring into action if needed.
“On your right is Aera, our navigator.”
The elder female gave him a steady glare. Her narrowed fire-orange eyes studied him as she looked him over. Her brick-red hair pulled back into a tight tail emphasized her no-nonsense expression.
“Next to her is our engineer, Kodyn.”
The male studied him with chartreuse-colored eyes. His bald head of soft coral reflected in the light in the room. He remained expressionless, but his calm demeanor didn’t fool Abalim. The male was more than aware of everything going on around him.
“And last, next to you is our communications expert, Yve.” Saphira waved to the female.
Yve’s canary-yellow eyes widened as she examined him. She licked her lips with a lingering gaze and hooded eyes.
“Okay, people, listen up.” Saphira slammed her palms on the sturdy table. “As I said, we’ve finally gotten lucky now that the Xeltrians gave us an open ticket to bring this human to Qorath.” She dropped her hands and leaned back with a wide smile. “And best of all, he has that little guy with him who can record everything for us.” She pointed to JR15 on Abalim’s shoulder. “Which I’m sure he’s doing now, isn’t he?”
Abalim leaned back as well. Since he didn’t sense any maliciousness in the room, he didn’t have a reason not to cooperate. “That’s right. My little friend here can record everything I ask him to. But we can make things easier if you tell me what you’re looking for.” He caught her attention and held it. “And why.”
“We’ll see.” Saphira snapped her fingers. “Hey, Yve! That should solve our communication problems, shouldn’t it?”
Yve tilted her head and focused on JR15. “Maybe. I don’t suppose you’ll let me tinker with it, would you?”
JR15 quivered so hard, Abalim was afraid the little guy would fall off.
He opened his mouth but was cut short by Saphira. “We don’t have time for that.” She sliced her hand through the air. “We’ve got to grab this chance to go to Qorath. Let’s not give them time to change their mind.”
Abalim rested his chin on his closed fist. He opened his senses to search for whatever Saphira wasn’t telling him. Before he had a chance to connect, he was blocked. And none too gently.
“Keep out, boy, if you know what’s good for you.”
That stern admonishment came from one of the twins. Rodrock, if he wasn’t mistaken.
Abalim raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
Saphira’s smirk matched that of the twin. “You’re not the only psychic heavyweight around here, Earth man. While we’re not mind readers like you are, we’re highly developed empaths. Unfortunately, even that hasn’t saved us from what we suspect the Xeltrians are up to. We find ourselves at an impasse with them because they don’t allow anyone to set foot on their planet. So when Rerqel contacted us to bring you to them, we jumped at the chance.”
Ah, now things were starting to make sense. “I gather you work for the galactic government, don’t you?”
“Give the boy a gold star.” Kodyn tapped a finger on the table. “Even if we didn’t have the government”s backing, we’d still be doing the same thing.”
“Who cares what the government wants!” Aera’s coral face flushed. She leaned forward and clenched her hands into fists and snarled. “Those disgusting puntneji are covertly kidnapping various species, ours included!” Tears swam in her pumpkin-colored eyes. “And no one ever hears from them again.” She blinked and swiped away the blue-green tears rolling down her face.
“We will find them, don’t you worry, Aera.” The other twin, Aesel’s, stern tone, left no doubt he meant what he said. “And they’ll pay for taking your daughter and son-by-union.”
“You see—” Saphira rested her chin on her closed fist. “—it’s only been recently discovered that this isolated planet has been scouring the galaxy and covertly kidnapping several species. As far as we can tell, they’ve taken “mating pairs” from various humanoid populations. Mostly a male and female, never just one or the other. We—” She twirled a finger to indicate her crew. “—were the first to discover what the Xeltrians were doing, when they stole Aera’s family. Her daughter, Eeveas, sent her mother a quick description of who took her and her spouse as well as the name of the planet they ended up on.”
“But the message was cut off, and I haven’t heard from her since.” Aera’s lips hardened. “Of course I gave the communication to our planetary leaders. They, in turn, informed the Chancellor’s office, who gave us complete authority to make first contact with Qorath to open diplomatic relations.”
Diplomatic relations? Abalim glanced around the room. Diplomacy seemed the furthest thing from their minds. “And how’s that going?”
“Apparently, those of us from Crichi are not that interesting to the Xeltrians. They can’t read our thoughts, only our emotions. Which is completely foreign to them. Hah! They have no idea what an emotion is, even if it bit them on the ass. So they don’t trust us, and it goes without saying, we sure don’t trust them.” Saphira sat back. “That’s where you come in.”
Abalim gave her a quick nod and folded his hands on his lap. No need to admit he’d already come to terms with Rerqel.
“Because Earth is so far from the Xeltrians’ ability to grab one of the humans from there, they somehow got a human female from the chaos happening on FiPan. And because of their obsessive need to test males and females together, they’ve discovered you and ordered us to bring you to them. So, the plan is what you keep them busy doing whatever they want you to do. My crew and I will be looking for our people held in captivity.”
“So I’m the distraction, hmm?” Good to know where he stood. By the God An, he hoped his brothers never found out he willingly made himself bait. He’d never hear the end of it.
Saphira chuckled. “Yeah, well, everybody’s got to have a purpose in life.”
Lisa stepped into the round room Rerqel led her to. She caught her breath at the weird sight in front of her.
The place had an ethereal glow. Soft, diffuse light bathed the room in a gentle radiance, casting a warm and inviting ambiance. The illumination was so smooth, it was hard to tell where it came from. It looked like the area itself was an embodiment of light.
Her gaze traveled up the curved walls of the chamber that created a sense of endless space since the edges blurred into an otherworldly horizon
On the walls were intricate, luminescent patterns that pulsed and shifted in harmony with the ambient light.
A crazy idea hit her. The patterns told a story of cosmic connections, interwoven destinies that transcended time and space.
Beneath Lisa”s feet, the floor”s translucent material shimmered with iridescent hues, reminiscent of a moonlit ocean. It responded to her presence, sending gentle ripples of light with each step she took. It was as if it was aware of her and kept track of every step.
A movement out of the corner of her eye made her gaze upward, and she was captivated by the sight above.
A series of large, circular windows wrapped around the upper portion of the chamber. Beyond the windows, a star-studded panorama stretched out, filling the space with a breathtaking cosmic view. It was a window to the universe, a testament to the wonders that lay beyond the Xeltrians’ world.
Around the periphery of the windows, an enigmatic presence captured Lisa”s attention. Tall, slender figures of several Xeltrians stood perched on various levels, observing her with luminous eyes, their features both alien and intriguing. Their lustrous skin was soft, glowing shades of blues and purples. It was easy to sense the depth of their intense observation despite their silent demeanor. Making sure she kept that wall up in her mind, Lisa was relieved to hear only silence.
When she moved farther into the room, the door behind her whooshed closed. She spun around and noticed Rerqel hadn’t come in with her. Well, what did she expect? It wasn’t like he was there to hold her hand or anything.
Turning back to the room, she studied the circular platform in the middle. The darn thing floated in midair. What was weird was how the surface pulsed with a gentle rhythm, as if it held the very heartbeat of the room itself. Lisa couldn”t help but be drawn toward it, compelled by an inexplicable force that resonated within her.
As she stepped onto the platform, a soft hum filled the air, a harmonious melody that echoed deep inside her. The room, the Xeltrians, the luminescence—it all felt like a transcendental symphony, a place where boundaries blurred. Where the very essence of life’s connection was woven into the fabric of the surroundings.
In this mesmerizing chamber, Lisa shivered. For the first time, it really hit her. She was alone among aliens, completely at their mercy. She lifted her chin. Rerqel promised they wouldn’t hurt her, and she chose to believe it. Maybe this was just a meet-n-greet. Yeah, she could pretend she was at the Sci-Fi Romance writers’ convention and network with the best of them.
“Hello?” She gave a little finger wave to the audience above her. “How ya’ll doing?”
Human, you will not speak unless directed.
“Why?” She put her hand on her hip and pointed a finger at those above and around her. “That’s not very hospitable like, ya know.”
A tense buzzing sounded in her head. The pinch wasn’t painful, but a caused enough noise to make her put her hands over her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to wrestle the noise to a normal level. But it was hard. It sounded like thousands of voices speaking to her all at the same time. It got so intense, she dropped to her knees. “Stop it! I can’t think. I can’t…” The mental block she had in her head crumbled. The sound became louder, mixing in the canopy of voices so jumbled she couldn’t catch her breath.
All at once, it stopped. Lisa dropped to her hands and knees and hung her head. The blessed silence was so abrupt she kept her eyes closed to savor the unexpected calm. When her body was lifted, her eyes flew open. She was turned around until she lay horizontal, face up on a raised table in the middle of the dais. She tried to struggle and scream for them to put her down, but her body wouldn’t move and her mouth didn’t work.
When she was laid on the cold marble, her sense of immobility disappeared. While she could move her fingers and toes, the ability to roll off the table and run away was beyond her. What was worse, so was the talent of speech.
You can now resume communicating with us mind-to-mind.
Rerqel’s voice was loud and clear in her head. Yay. Lisa tensed and sucked in a breath. Now she sensed the alien worming his way into her consciousness as he and the others slid between memories she’d once held private.
We will begin.
That was the only warning before a solid wave of their consciousness slammed into her mind and left her gasping. Soon, she became lost, her sense of self drowned with no way out.