Chapter 11
EDIE
The door opens up to pure chaos, with everyone talking all at once. The moment they notice me, all eyes turn my way. Tracy leaps over the back of one of the couches and grabs my wrist, pulling me along behind her.
“Hey, guys, this is Edie. She’ll take off if we don’t leash her to one of the chairs or sit on her, since she has a way of disappearing when things get loud.
Edie, you already know Ember and Qwin, but this is Mandy, the one that Kristen already hates because Rafe is her man. And you met Rylie this morning.”
“Hello.” I wave somewhat awkwardly, looking around for a way to escape. The next thing I know, a little hand is tugging on mine, and my heart hits my throat when I see the little blonde-haired, three-foot cutie staring up at me with bright yellow and red eyes.
“You wanna be my pardnter?”
“I would love to. What are we doing?”
“Paying makeup, I’m the bestest.”
She tugs me over to one of the couches and pushes me down, then walks in between my legs as she motions for me to bend down a little. Her small hands grasp my chin, moving my face back and forth.
“Your colors is different from mine and mommy’s. Do you gots a favrit color?”
“Blue.”
“Are you friends with Atasha?”
“I was. I liked to play with her too.”
“Her’s my new bestest friend! SCOUTY promised he’d make me a magic phone so’s I can talk to her, and him always keeps hims promises.”
“That will be lots of fun.”
“Yeah, but me still missing her. Not everbody yikes rocks.”
“That’s true, it’s hard to find a good friend.”
She turns away from me to grab a bag off the floor, and that’s when I notice the small scales on the side of her face. Ember had gotten up to grab one of the trays of food that was sitting around and bends down to kiss Ami Lynn on the head. “Remember to be gentle, Ami.”
“Me will mommy.”
Curious as to why Ember would say that, the words slip out before I think about it.
“Why would you need to be careful, little one?”
“Sometimes when I gets too cited, my fingers gets hot. Here me shows you. It’s yots of fun to make hot, but you no can touch cause your skin will get a big o’l bubble and mommy says dem hurts bad.”
Before I can blink, her eyes flash a bright red, and her entire arm starts transforming into something else. I actually lean back and glance up for a second, wondering if anyone else is seeing this.
“Tada, ain’t dem pwetty?”
The entire right side of her body is lined in bright red scales; it looks like she’s been cut in half; one side sweet, the other deadly.
“Baby, you’re beautiful either way. Is it safe for you to do that? When I was little and I’d make a face, people would tease me that it was gonna get stuck like that. You may not want to tempt fate.”
“My daddy is wike dis all da time. Him can’t snap back and forth yike me. I’m special. Maybe dat’s how daddy got stuck … me go ask him.”
The next thing you know, she’s running around the couches and out the door yelling, “DADDY!” at the top of her lungs.
“Lord, that child … Destiny, will you tell ViN she’s trying to find him?”
“Yes Mistress, I am already on it.”
“Sorry about that, Edie. When something hits Ami’s mind, she’s like a tornado in a trailer park.”
“Ember, I have a feeling your story and how that little ball of fire came to be is a unique one.
“All of our stories are as each one of us comes from a planet that said none of these worlds existed. Now we’re faced with unknowns and consequences that no one could have made up, and I couldn’t be happier …
go figure. I hear that a young man risked his life to follow you here.
Isn’t that romantic? It’s all the girls and I have been able to talk about. ”
I look away from her, pasting a fake smile on my face as I have no idea how to answer that question. Thankfully, laughter across the room has us all looking up as Kristen and Mandy talk among themselves until they see us looking their way.
“Hey, I am just trying to figure out if her hottie mate has a brother. You all go on with your bad selves. I’m doing research over here.”
Tracy blurts out what the rest of us are thinking. “Lord help the world that allows Kristen free rein … that girl will find a way to repopulate the entire human race all on her own!”
Kristen sticks her tongue out and everyone laughs.
Ginger comes over and plops down next to me with what looks like a plate of chips.
She hands me one and we both lean back, watching everyone else.
Tracy and Rylie are putting on each other’s makeup while discussing the medical devices and advancements available on the ship.
Laura and Qwin are holding a holo pad between them, talking about clothes.
Everyone seems to have settled down, anxiously awaiting the arrival to our new world.
“Ginger, have they let you talk to your husband yet?”
“No, something is still blocking the signal, but Destiny was able to contact someone called ANDI. I think it’s another ship, but the way they talk to each other, I’m not entirely sure.
Anyway, he sent me some recorded feeds of Ricky on this new planet, where he seems to be a guard.
I’ve watched them a dozen times. My mind wants to believe he’s alive and well, but until I hear his voice and hold him in my arms, I’m scared to trust any of this is real.
So many times, I’ve wished I’d fought them harder when they separated us into separate pods. ”
“You are blessed to have even had him in the first place.”
“Oh, I know that and seldom in one’s life are people given second chances.
If we make it through this part of this journey in one piece and I get to tell him I love him one more time, I’ll never take that for granted ever again.
We won’t ever be able to make up for the days we’ve missed, but that was yesterday, and I pray we are still young enough to have lots of tomorrows.
Is it true one of the Ruk males jumped on this ship? ”
“Yeah, I can’t believe he would do something so foolish.”
“He’s a guy, what do you expect?”
“We both laugh, but then she turns to me with a serious look on her face.”
“Edie, I don’t know you or your history.
I only know my own, and I know I screwed up so many times with Ricky because of my insecurities and self-doubt.
The male mind is nowhere near as complicated as we girls make it out to be.
Don’t let a world that no longer exists and its old ways dictate your tomorrows.
This guy willingly left his home, his family, and faced death for a chance to be near you.
There must be more to it than we humans can comprehend.
Change and forgiveness are hard, but sometimes they're necessary to move forward.
I’ve spent the last few hours simply watching the other girls in here with us.
Ember also has markings on her skin. I originally thought they were tattoos, but they move.
The scales on Rylie’s face and the colors in her hair match LeX’s.
Now look at Mandy. I thought she was wearing a choker, but that’s a collar, similar to what Ruby and Rowan had, but theirs spread down their chest, clear to their hootch.
Their ways are not the same as ours, and all the proof you need is right in front of you. ”
“Wonder why the girls are marked?”
“Let’s ask. Hey, all girls with an alien spouse, we have a question.”
Qwin is the first to turn toward us. She always seems to be the leader of the humans on board. “Ask away.”
“Why are you all marked? Is this something that was done to you to show ownership, or mate status?”
Qwin laughs, “It’s complicated as each race is different, but from our experience once you do …
you know, the deed, they just kinda pop up.
EvO and I dream fasted, and the moment our hearts linked, this symbol appeared on my lower stomach.
Each one of us has a similar story. It’s not always sex based, but really, it mostly is.
The guys are born with mating symbols, and so far, other than us clueless humans, all the other species seem to know the significance.
Their bodies know, and when that mate is shown to them, they will do anything for that person.
Nothing is more precious or more revered in their world than a true mate.
I mean, they can mess around beforehand, but once those marks pop up, they are all one-woman men.
I’m not saying they’re blind, I mean we all look …
how could you not when surrounded by so many hotties?
But their bodies will not work for anyone besides their mate. ”
Her words echo through my thoughts, and I blurt out, “Are you saying they can’t physically cheat?”
“Nope, dead from the waist down.”
“Qwin? What if that person dies or their mate dies?”
“Most of the time, the mated one follows close behind.”
“What if they’re turned down?”
Rylie speaks up, “I don’t know firsthand, but I’ve been told some can die if the bond isn’t sealed … they seem to fade according to the medical records we have.”
“So, we’re just forced to accept what their bodies say?”
“No, you are not! And as long as there are honorable males like EvO or DaR, you never will be. But their Gods take these matches seriously, and I would hate for you to regret your decision when it’s too late.
I’ve never seen a mate pairing fail. The men are too dedicated, or maybe I should say determined, to keep their women happy.
I know you’re concerned since you are facing this head-on Edie, but were you not able to talk to the other girls mated to his kind? ”
“I don’t people well … When they showed up, I stayed in my rooms avoiding them at all costs.
That’s why all this took me by surprise.
Falon didn’t even know my name until earlier today.
And I’ve never been one to follow anyone blindly, and that’s exactly what he thought I was supposed to do.
Like I was just supposed to consider it a privilege or a great blessing or something.
I was … am, just another piece of ass on a list of many others for him. ”
“Edie, if you were only another piece of ass, he wouldn’t have jumped on a star cruiser to follow you across the cosmos only to face death if caught.
I understand he may not be a stand-up citizen or something like that, but in his mind, you are his mate, and he will do anything to at least be close to you. ”
The entire room trembles and I see Ginger’s eyes get large as panic quickly sets in. I grab her, pulling her close, my arm wrapping around her shoulders, only for the shaking to suddenly stop. “Destiny report,” Qwin yells out.
“Just an unsettled geomagnetic storm, Mistress. All is well; no reason for concern.”
Ginger gets up, heading to her room. “I can’t wait to set foot on solid ground. If I never see the stars from this vantage point again, that will be fine with me.”
Laura starts to rise and chase her, but I reach out and stop her.
“Don’t; she’s just upset and is handling it the best way she can.
I’m going to turn in for the evening myself.
Thanks for all the answers, guys. The food was great, and it was nice to be included in this girl session.
I say all the words they all want to hear, hoping to escape.
Later, after I’d changed into the new pair of jommies Destiny made for me, I lay there replaying their words and the look on Falon’s face when I touched his arm.
Then his reaction when he showed me the symbols on his chest. He didn’t push, just wanted me to know, and I wonder if I hadn’t caught him in the act, if I’d be more open-minded, but isn’t it better that I know ahead of time?
God, I hate my mind going back-and-forth.
As stupid as most of my past choices have been, if the gods really wanted to do something, they should’ve given us dumbass humans mate marks!
Maybe then heartbreak wouldn’t be a possibility and the one thing I’m most terrified of.