Chapter 47
47
W hen Pari woke up it was dark outside. She sighed, stretched, and realized she was alone. “Melvale?” She sat up, looked around and didn’t see him in the dim light shining through the windows. She looked at where he’d been and put a hand to the sheets. They were still warm.
Pari hugged her blanket and sighed again. She shouldn’t have asked him to join her on the bed. Wasn’t that the sort of mistake she’d always made? Too much too soon? But it wasn’t like anything happened, and she craved the closeness. But how was she to keep him at arm’s length if she kept making such bad decisions?
Pari set her jaw and tried not to beat herself up over it, but it was hard. What she needed was a distraction. She could do with some coffee, but did she really want to be up half the night?
Pari swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat, still trying to get her bearings. She was home, Melvale was here, along with others of his kind. Were they still downstairs in Uncle Al’s apartment? Was Uncle Leo there now?
A knock sounded at the door in the next room. Pari was saying “Come in,” before she meant to, but it was too late now.
Kitty opened the door and poked her head in. “Hi.”
Pari studied her in the dim light before she stood, pulled a string to the one light in the room, then sat on the edge of the bed again. “Hi.” She didn’t know what to think of the woman so didn’t say anything more. In truth, she wanted to be alone so she could stare try to make sense of everything that had happened to her over the last week or so. How long ago was she kidnapped? Had it only been seven or eight days?
“I came to check on you,” Kitty said and crossed the other room into hers. “Melvale is downstairs speaking with Kwaku and King Jaireth.” She approached the bed but didn’t sit. “Are you hungry?”
Pari’s stomach growled at the mention of food. “Yeah, I guess I am.” She studied Kitty. She was more than pretty with her nearly black hair and light hazel eyes. She also had a great figure and a creamy complexion. Why hadn’t Melvale gone for her?
She batted the jealous feelings down and looked away.
“We can heat the food that was brought up,” Kitty said. She crossed to the bench by the bay window and sat. “We also wanted to know, that is, Shona and I, if you wanted to help us with something.”
Pari gave her a wary look. “What?”
Kitty smiled. “Well, we know you and Melvale have been through a lot, and we wanted to, you know, sort of cheer the both of you up?”
“How long have you two been friends?” she asked without thinking.
“Me and Melvale?” Kitty smiled. “Seems like forever. Like I said, he’s been through a lot, and… well, we wanted to throw a Christmas in July party.”
Pari’s jaw dropped. They wanted to give an alien a Christmas in July party? “Say what?”
“He’s never experienced Christmas as far as I know.” Kitty gave her a hopeful look. “It will be fun.”
Pari stared at her like a dimwit. “You… want to do Christmas in July for Melvale.”
“Yeah.” Kitty smiled. “With presents and everything.”
“Here?” Pari guessed.
“Sure, unless we do it at, um, my place.” Her eyes darted to the window and back.
Pari’s face screwed up in confusion. “Your place? But… I thought…”
“Oh, I’m not from where Melvale and the others come from. Actually, I live in Oregon with my parents but got some temporary lodgings here in Brooklyn.”
Pari wasn’t sure if she could believe her or not. “Um, I don’t think Melvale will be here for much longer.” She swallowed hard. Pari wasn’t sure if she would be either, but what choice did she have? The last thing she wanted was to be snatched up by that deranged doctor again. She escaped him once, but she might not be so lucky if there was a next time.
She glanced at Kitty. If she threw Melvale a party, that meant they’d be here longer. Pari could delay the inevitable. Leaving.
“So, this party,” she began. “He’s never done Christmas before at all?”
Kitty shook her head. “Not that I know of. He’s studied it I’m sure, but it’s a human holiday, not a Muiraran one.”
“Muiraran,” she parroted. “Where did they come from?”
Kitty crossed her legs and wrapped her hands around a knee. “I can’t tell you much. Melvale’s the expert. He’s kind of a historian for his people. You’ve been in the palace. You’ve seen some stuff. You can’t deny the Muirarans exist.”
“But how do I fit into all this?” she asked, curious how much this woman knew.
“I can’t tell you that. You’ll have to ask Melvale.” Kitty stood. “So, will you help us with the party?”
Pari watched her a moment. “What does Bondrah mean?”
“What?”
Pari saw the confusion in her eyes. It looked genuine. “Never mind.” She got to her feet and sighed. “Sure. Christmas in July.”
“Goodie!” Kitty said with a little clap.
Pari forced a smile and got the feeling Kitty was one of those people that was perpetually happy.
“So, the first thing we’ll have to do is go shopping!” Kitty chirped. “Oh, and we’ll need a tree. I’m sure we can order a fake one…”
“Uncle Al has one in the basement,” Pari interjected.
“Great!”
Pari forced another smile and headed for the kitchen. She felt empty, and it wasn’t from lack of food. She missed Melvale which was bad. She couldn’t afford to miss the big guy.
Pari trudged through the apartment to the other end and was surprised it wasn’t full of aliens. When she entered the kitchen, Dallan and Shona were there, and that was it.
“Pari,” Shona said. “Did you get some rest?”
She nodded and headed for the fridge. “I had some food…”
“Yes, it’s in there,” Shona said. “Your drink too.”
Pari smiled at her as Kitty entered the kitchen. “Pari is going to help us with our party.”
“She is? That’s great,” Shona said, smiling.
Pari looked at Dallan, whose face softened when he caught her staring at him. “Melvale will like it, I’m sure. Thank ye for helping.”
Her heart sank. “Does he need cheering up that badly?”
“Och, aye lass,” Dallan said. She liked his Scottish accent. “He’s no been himself for months now.”
Pari’s eyebrows shot to the ceiling at his comment. “Seems to me he hasn’t been himself for some time.”
“If yer referring to his Alpha side, that’s more recent,” Dallan said. “But rest assured, he’ll get better. But a party would help, I think.”
She studied the big man and his petite wife. She was a few inches shorter than Pari and Kitty, and delicate looking. She was also gorgeous with her long wavy auburn hair and bright green eyes.
Okay, she was alien, and Pari hadn’t seen a weird looking one yet. They were all gorgeous. So was Kitty, when it came down to it.
Pari ran a hand through her pink hair then let it drop.
“I’ll heat that up for you,” Kitty said and took the bag from her.
“Thanks.” Pari was too tired to argue. How much more could she take? Was she still in danger? Melvale said she was safe, but what exactly did that mean?
She studied Shona and Dallan as Kitty put her food on a plate and popped it into the microwave.
“You’re Muiraran,” she said, staring at Shona.
“I am.” Shona smiled. “Dallan is human.”
Pari turned to him. “And you’re married?”
They looked at each other and nodded.
Pari began to fidget. “So, you are… compatible?”
“That’s right,” Shona said.
“Your second heart?” Pari prompted.
“Aye, lass. Shona’s inner heart sought mine. It called to me. And when I answered, I was brought to her.”
“Kwaku and Zara brought him,” Shona said. “Dallan was in the far future, while I was in the mid nineteen nineties.”
Pari fell into the nearest chair. “Whoa.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said,” Kitty added. The microwave beeped, and she took the plate out and brought it to the kitchen table. “Here you go. I’ll get your drink.”
Pari continued to stare at Dallan and Shona. “I’ve felt Melvale’s inner heart,” she said to no one in particular.
“That’s good,” Shona said softly.
“Why?”
The couple exchanged a look before their eyes filled with compassion. “Melvale will explain,” Shona said. “Why don’t you eat something, then if you’re up to it, we can make a list of things we’ll need for the party.”
“That would be my cue to disappear,” Dallan said. He rose from the table. “I’ll go see what’s on the wee box.” He left the room.
“Box?” Pari said as Kitty took Dallan’s seat.
“That’s what he calls a television set,” Shona explained. “It’s a long story.”
Pari nodded with a hint of a smile as the TV came on in the next room. She could tell Shona adored the man.
“Pari told me her uncle Al has a tree in the basement,” Kitty said.
“Great, we can cross that off the list.” Shona reached for a yellow legal pad and pen sitting off to one side of the table. “What about ornaments?”
They both gave Pari an expectant look. So, they really were planning a Christmas in July party. “Um, Uncle Al has those too, and I have a few.”
“Perfect.” Shona scribbled something on the pad.
Pari picked at her cheeseburger and fries as the two women bounced ideas back and forth then began to discuss an invitation list.
“Wait a minute,” Pari said and made a face. “Guest list? Who are you going to invite? None of you are from around here.”
“Well, you have friends, don’t you?” Kitty asked.
Pari snapped her mouth shut.
Shona and Kitty exchanged a look, then smiled at her. “We’d like to be your friends,” Shona said in a soothing voice. It reminded Pari of Zara’s.
“You… want to be friends with me?” she hedged.
“Sure,” Kitty said. “Any friend of Melvale’s is a friend of ours.”
Suspicion seeped into her heart. She wanted new friends, but befriending these two might not be the best decision. For one, they weren’t sticking around, and even if she had to go with Melvale and the others for a while, she’d still be coming home. Where would Shona and Kitty be then?
“At least give us a chance to get to know you better,” Shona suggested. “Trust me, I understand your hesitation. I might be Muiraran, but I was raised by human parents and lived a normal human life in the latter half of the twentieth century.”
Pari’s jaw went slack. “You did?”
“Sure, and I was her best friend and still am,” Kitty added. She sat back in her chair and smiled. “Can’t blame us for wanting to be friends with you. For one, Shona is married to a Time Master. Do you have any idea what that means?”
Pari shook her head. “Kwaku is one of those, right?”
“Yes,” Kitty said. “And he and Dallan can take you anywhere in time you want to go.”
A chill went up her spine. “And that’s how you got here?” she asked Kitty.
“Sure is. I still currently live in 1995. Well, if we’re going to be technical, 1996 after our trip to Hawaii, but then Dallan and Shona dropped me off in the fall of 1995 when the whole Hawaii assignment was over and…”
“Kitty, you’re confusing her. And me,” Shona said with a shake of her head. She tapped the pen on the legal pad a few times. “In other words, Kitty and I are not separated by time and space. I can see Kitty whenever I want when it comes down to it.”
“So… I could see my uncles whenever I wanted even if I returned to the palace?”
“I don’t see why not,” Shona said. “So long as you’re not in danger. In case you haven’t noticed, Muiraran men and certain Time Masters we know are over the top protective.”
Pari had to smile at that, but a frown overtook her smile.
“What’s wrong?” Kitty asked.
Pari shook her head. “Nothing.” Melvale kissed her in Uncle Al’s kitchen. Did that mean he really liked her, or was he doing what Jeffry did, and just tried to take what he could get…
“He’s into you, you know,” Kitty said, breaking into her thoughts.
“Wh-what?” Pari stammered.
“Yeah, he’s got it bad.” Kitty glanced at Shona. “Right?”
Shona nodded. “Yep. He’s smitten.”
Another chill went up her spine. “Melvale? Me?” Her voice cracked.
They smiled and nodded.
Pari shivered. Part of her was enthralled, but the nagging little voice in the back of her head kept telling her to run and not look back. You’re only going to get your heart broken. You always get your heart broken. Think of how bad the break will be with this one!
Pari shut her eyes. She didn’t want to think about it.
“So, how much time do we have to throw this together?” Kitty asked.
Pari opened her eyes and looked at Shona. She tapped her pen on the legal pad again. “Three days.”
“Three?!” Pari sat back in her chair. “You want to throw a party in three days?”
Shona shrugged. “It’s not like we don’t have the help. In fact, putting it all together is half the fun. Melvale will love it.”
Pari sighed. “Well, if you say so.” Her eyes flicked between them. “And after the party, then what?”
Shona sighed. “We all go home”
Pari’s heart sank again. But this was her home, and she didn’t want to leave it, yet she was beginning to not want to be apart from Melvale either. How did this happen?
Kitty leaned toward her. “You’ll want to get him a present.”
Pari shook her head. She was still too busy being torn between home and a hot alien that kissed her in her uncle’s kitchen. If she went with him, would she really be able to return here whenever she wanted?
“Pari?” Shona prompted.
Pari nodded. “So… what sort of stuff does he like?”