Starburst: Half Light

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  “You were the ones who sent us down there,” I pointed out.

  “Yes. But it sure took Malton a long time to fetch you.”

  “It wasn’t my fault. Or Angie’s.” Malton sprawled out in the middle of the room. “It was all Kelby’s fault.”

  Kelby laughed. “Gee, thanks dog.”

  “Don’t be surprised. I will always side with Angie.” Malton rolled over onto his side. “Always.”

  “You’ve got yourself quite the super fan there, don’t you?” Darto smiled.

  “I guess I do.” I bent down and petted Malton’s head.

  Malton looked up at me with his big brown eyes. “You can pick me up again, you know.”

  “Can I?” I teased.

  “Yes. You should pick me up again.”

  I listened.

  “You can’t let that dog boss you around.” Kelby wagged a finger at Malton.

  “Who said he’s bossing me around?”

  “He asked you to pick him up, and you did.”

  “Because I wanted to.” That was my version of things, and I was sticking to it.

  “Oh?” Kelby knocked his shoulder into mine. “It had nothing to do with those puppy eyes?”

  “Maybe a little.” I petted Malton.

  “I can’t help how magnetic I am. It’s impossible for her to resist me.” Malton adjusted himself in my arms. “No matter how much she likes you, she can’t carry you with her.”

  “No. I’m the one who would have to do the carrying.” Kelby grinned.

  “Yes, and that’s not happening.” Nope. Well, not again. I had appreciated it back at the bridge, but I didn’t need to bring that up now.

  “I hope your time down there wasn’t too taxing.” Gamble strolled into the room.

  “No. Not at all.” For all my concern that Kelby might hide our relationship, I sure was nervous about discussing it with the brothers.

  “Took you long enough.” Darto broke into a grin. “Maybe your time alone will help ease the tension.”

  “There’s no tension,” I answered far too quickly.

  “Well, not anymore.” Darto laughed. “Or I hope not.”

  “Where did Aldanto go?” I changed the subject. We did not need to be discussing this now. “Malton said he’s left.”

  “Yes. He’s gone.” Gamble nodded. “He needed passage, and he has received it. Favor fulfilled.”

  “You sure?” After everything I had no interest in dealing with this thing.

  “Yes. But that doesn’t mean all the trouble is gone.”

  “Of course not. There is always more.” I groaned internally.

  “Yes. There is.” Darto’s eyes swirled with a grey mist.

  “What more is there now?”

  “Just the usual.” Gamble put his robe back on. “We have to clear customs.”

  “Customs? You guys have customs here?”

  “Absolutely. What kind of sector do you think I run?” Gamble frowned.

  “We have customs on Earth. I wonder if it’s the same thing.”

  “Is it where you declare what you carry and pass tests?” Gamle asked.

  “Yes, to the first part. No to the second. What kind of tests are we talking about?” Once again I asked a question I really didn’t want an answer to.

  “Nothing too hard.” Gamble paused as he buttoned his robe. “Well, not usually.”

  “That still doesn’t answer my question. Are we talking trivia? Something else?”

  “It’s always different. Depends on who you are and why you want entrance.” He finished buttoning.

  “What kind of tests should we expect?” I wasn’t sure if these were the kind of tests you could prepare for, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want warning.

  “Maybe none since you are with me. Maybe hard ones because you are an Earthling.” Gamble shrugged.

  “Are you harder on people from Earth?” I wouldn’t have been surprised.

  “No one from Earth has ever been here. At least not that I know of,” He put his hood up but kept part of his face visible.

  “So why would they be harder on me?” I tried to follow.

  “Because you’re the first. A novelty.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll make them question us together.” Kelby put an arm around me.

  “You two are together now, aren’t you?” Darto winked.

  “Yes.” Kelby pulled me closer to his side. “And whatever they test you on, I’ll help.”

  “Uh, same to you with what they question you on.”

  “Thanks.” Kelby kissed my cheek. “I appreciate it.”

  “You two make me sick.” Gamble grunted. “Don’t you know relationships never work?”

  “They work sometimes,” Kelby argued.

  “Not often.” Gamble shook his head.

  “Gamble, will you please save your cynicism for another time?” Darto narrowed his eyes at his brother.

  “Oh, you have a different view on it?” Gamble’s eyes danced. “This I need to hear.”

  Darto frowned. “I don’t think upsetting the new couple is prudent.”

  “But you agree with me.” Gamble turned his back to us and looked at his brother.

  “Whether I agree or not is beside the point.”

  “You two argue entirely too much.” Malton lifted his head. “Don’t you agree, Angie?”

  “I don’t want to get into that. Can we get these tests over with?”

  “Don’t be nervous.” Gambit turned back to look at us. “I have the final say, so they will have to let you through.”

  “If you have the final say, then why even make us take the tests?” Was he doing this just to annoy me?

  “So I don’t act like I favor my friends. Security and all that.”

  “Yes. Security and all that,” I parroted his words.

  “Are you mocking me?” Gamble put a hand to his chest.

  “No. Of course not.”

  “Sure you were.” Gambit inclined his head to the side. With the robe on his head it had a very strange look. “And normally that would be an issue. But because it’s you, I’ll let it slide.”

  “So glad you give me special treatment.” I went heavy on the sarcasm.

  “You are special after all.”

  Kelby growled.

  “Oh calm down, Lexa.” Gamble wove a hand in Kelby’s direction. “No one is trying to steal her. I am intrigued by her mind. That should not intimidate you.”

  “This has nothing to do with intimidation. I am merely protecting her.”

  “No need to protect her from me.” Gamble sighed. “I mean her absolutely no harm.”

  “And if he did, I’d kill him.” There was no humor in Darto’s voice.

  “Okay. Enough of that talk. Let’s go through these tests.” This wasn’t the time to admit I had some serious test anxiety.

  “You’re kind of excited about them, aren’t you?” Gamble asked.

  “I don’t think excited is the right word. Anxious is.”

  “Nothing to be nervous about.”

  “Yes. It’s just security and what not.”

  “Ready to get off this boat?” Kelby changed the subject.

  “Oh yes. Especially before it takes us back out on that awful water.”

  “I will echo you on that.” Malton yawned. “By the way, will I be given a test appropriate for my species?”

  “Your species being a dog, or a specially high level thinking dog?” Darto stretched.

  “High level thinking dog?” Malton became alert. “I will take that as a compliment.”

  “It is a compliment.” Darto patted Malton’s head. “You impressed me with this experience. You held your own with Aldanto. You never once let on Angie was on board.”

  “Because I would never let anyone hurt Angie. I’ve already told you that.”

  “Yes. But now you’ve proven it. You have the capacity for higher level thinking.” Darto patted him one more time before stepping back. “I may have underestimated
you in the past.”

  “You did, but I am glad you have come to your senses. I am glad I am along for this journey. Angie needs me, as do the rest of you.”

  “I’m not sure I’d go that far.” Darto turned away, but I still caught the hint of a smile on his lips. “But I don’t mind that you are along.”

  “That’s enough for me.” Malton rested his head down again.

  “Very well.” Gambit held out a pile of purple robes much like his own. “Does anyone have any luggage to attend to?”

  “Luggage?” I accepted my robe. “Is that a joke?”

  “Oh. I guess you did pack rather lightly.”

  “By lightly you mean we didn’t pack at all.” This journey certainty had not been planned.

  “True enough.”

  “I’ll never forget this boat.” Kelby helped me into my robe.

  “Me neither.” The robe was far too big on me, the material trailed behind me, but if Gamble thought I should wear it, I would.

  “Because of the seasickness?” Kelby asked.

  “No. Because of how you got rid of the seasickness.” I buttoned the robe up.

  “I assume you aren’t talking about my hand on your neck?” Kelby put on his hood.

  “Nope. I’m talking about your lips.” I mirrored his actions with my hood.

  “This might be a good time to tell you I have excellent hearing.” Gambit grinned.

  I tried to hide the blush I knew was coming. “Oh. Do you now?”

  Part 8

  Noah

  18 Noah

  Noah

  I’d done it. I’d actually done it. I’d found Rachel, and this time I wasn’t letting anyone or anything separate us again. But if it did happen, at least I knew how to find her again.

  “You are really okay?” She looked me up and down.

  I hated to see the worry on her face, but I was sure it was mirrored on my own features. “Yes. And you are okay?” We were in a small bunk room—the only bit of privacy we could find.

  “Yes. I am. Especially now that I know you’re okay.”

  “Imagine if we could take all the time and energy we spent worrying about each other and funnel that into something productive.”

  “I know. There are lots of productive things we could do.”

  “Uh huh. Lots.” With everything going on maybe I shouldn’t have been building fantasies about all the things I wanted to do with Rachel, but some things couldn’t be helped.

  “I wonder if you are thinking the same things I am.” She took a seat on the bottom bunk.

  “Oh?” I said beside her. I tried to read her expression. I had a feeling we were thinking similar things. “Maybe you are.”

  “My thoughts have nothing to do with saving the universe or trying to regain a balance.”

  “Mine neither.” I ran my fingers through her hair.

  “And they have a lot to do with how long it’s been since we’ve been in a room alone together.”

  “Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing.” I brushed my fingers against her neck.

  She leaned into my hand. “Maybe we are connected.”

  “I’ve missed you so much.” I brushed my lips against hers. “No more of this separating.”

  “No more.” She spoke against my lips.

  I kissed her again, this time doing far more than brushing my lips against hers. Her lips parted to allow access, and I greedily slipped in, desperate for another taste of her. Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer to her. I unzipped her jumpsuit and slipped my hand inside, eagerly cupping her breast in my hand. She moaned and reached over and unzipped mine. We broke the kiss and each pulled down the other’s suits, first to the waist and then entirely off. My heart stopped as I saw her completely naked for the first time. She was so beautiful it was impossible to comprehend. We lay down on the bed together, tangled with each other. My lips returned to hers. “You are everything to me, Rachel.”

  “You are everything to me.” She rolled to her side. “And we belong together.”

  “I know that truly and completely.” I pulled the blanket up over us, ready to show Rachel just how perfectly we fit together.

  * * *

  “Noah?” Rachel spoke my name softly.

  I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I was replaying every blissful moment over and over in my head. “Rachel?”

  “How did you find me? I know you started to tell me before, but can’t you tell me more? In case I need to find you sometime too.”

  “I reached out for you. And my brother helped. I know it’s weird.” Yet somehow I knew Rachel would understand.

  “You really saw him.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.

  “I guess that depends on how you define really. He’s dead. I know that truly and completely, yet I was talking to him. I don’t know if it was my subconscious mind, or a bunch of memories. Who knows?”

  “I’m sure that was hard.” She entwined her fingers with mine.

  “It was. But not as hard as watching his death again.” I wrapped my legs around hers.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” She ran her hand down my chest.

  “I know you would have been if you could. And it’s not as if you’ve had it easy either.”

  “Being alone on a strange dark planet?” She drew something with her fingers on my skin. “It wasn’t fun, but it was nothing like you experienced.”

  “But both of those experiences are over now.” I closed my eyes and tried to figure out what she was drawing. Noah. She was writing out my name.

  “And we are together.” She rested her head on my chest.

  “Yes. But my turn to ask questions.”

  “Ask away.”

  “This Bando guy?” I didn’t really want to discuss the chiseled marble demon guy while Rachel and I lay naked together, but I knew we probably didn’t have much more time alone together.

  “Yes?”

  “He’s a snow-demon?” That seemed like the right place to start the questions.

  “Yes. And before you ask, I don’t really understand what that means. Veraka acted as if she did, but all she could tell me is they are created by the universe when the universe deems it necessary.”

  “She’s another one of those, huh?”

  “If by those you mean the whole the universe makes its own decisions and you should let it do its job type, then yes.”

  I laughed. “Like brother, like sister. The gatekeeper would have kept me locked up for as long as it took to find a sign.”

  “I guess it’s good that Bessy was there.” She tilted her head so she could look at me.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in her,” I quickly got that out there.

  “I know.”

  “Sorry. It was just the way you said it.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I guess it’s just how she looks.” Rachel looked away.

  “She’s so sparkly I would like to wear sunglasses when I’m around her. I wouldn’t say that makes her particularly attractive.”

  “I’ve learned all sorts of new emotions since we’ve met.”

  “Jealously is one I’ve begun to understand in a new way too.” And it wasn’t a feeling I enjoyed.

  “Oh. Because of Caspian?”

  “Yes. And don’t say that nonchalantly. I have way more reason to be jealous of him than you do of Bessy.”

  “There was never anything real between Caspian and me.” Her hand stilled and pressed down on my chest on-the-spot right over my heart.

  “He thought there was.”

  “Yeah, but do you care what he thought or what I thought?”

  “Really all I care about is how you feel now.” I kissed the top of her head.

  “Well, you know the answer to that.”

  I ran my hands through her hair. “I do.”

  “We should probably get back out there. I have to break it to Veraka that being alone with you didn’t help.”

  “Didn’t help wh
at?” I asked.

  “Oh. She was convinced I could help her find Caspian by spending time with you.”

  “Is that more of the whole the universe will find a way stuff?”

  “Who knows. She seemed so intense about it, I didn’t really think I had a choice. Besides, I wanted to be alone with you.”

  “Well, I wanted to be alone with you so it worked out, but is there something else we need to do? Are we searching for him to make sure we’re going to the right place or something?” I’d learned to never making assumptions.

  “Yes. We can’t know for sure where he is, but my first guess was Andrelexa.”

  “Would it be okay if I talk with her? Maybe I can help.” I hoped that wasn’t the wrong offer to make, but the sooner we found Caspian, the sooner we’d be on our way to balancing the universe or whatever the heck it was we were supposed to be doing. Then we could find Bessy’s daughter. The list of things we had to do before we could enjoy a normal life together was growing. As was the realization that I wasn’t quite sure what a normal life with Rachel would be. But it didn’t matter. I’d take any sort of life with Rachel.

  “Of course it’s okay. Why wouldn’t it be?” She paused. “Oh. Right. I won’t get weirdly jealous.”

  “The reason I offer is because I had to figure out how to find you. I might be a feeder and her a feeler, but maybe I can explain what I did and she can do the reverse or something like that?”

  “I wish I could help…” She lifted her head.

  “Maybe we could practice. I could show you or try to show you how I did it.”

  “Yes. That would be great.” She settled back down.

  “Okay. Close your eyes.”

  She closed them. I watched her gorgeous features. She looked so angelic lying there in my arms. “Okay. Clear your mind the best you can and think about what you need the most.”

  Instantly an image of the two of us exactly as we were in that moment crossed my mind. “Wow. That was quick.”

  “I was going to say incredible. Maybe it’s easier when we’re together.”

  “Maybe.” I didn’t know, but the fact that it worked was a start.

  “Are we ready to go talk to Veraka about it?” She didn’t sound excited about the prospect. But maybe it was because she, like me, had no desire to ever leave the bed.