“Alyssa isn’t attracted to him.” Sebastian glared at Nait, then Valel, then turned to Alyssa. “Are you?”
She squeezed her hands so tight they ached. “No, absolutely not.” Shaking her head, she avoided glancing at Valel, instead looking only at Sebastian and praying her face would not betray her.
“Well,” Ela said in a tight voice, “it is only a hypothesis. It is possible that only Valel is affected by this, since he was born a hybrid while Alyssa only obtained her unique genetics from her unborn child.”
“I suppose that is possible.” Nait rubbed his chin as his eyes lost focus in thought.
Ela cleared her throat. “We will continue to study your samples, although after the recent events, I would like to extract some samples with you both in the same room. Can you manage that?” She eyed Sebastian even though she directed the question at Alyssa and Valel.
“Yes,” Alyssa said before he could object. “How about we go now? We can get it out of the way since we have so much to do before the mission.”
She glanced at Sebastian, worry eating at her insides. He nodded his head once, then grudgingly followed Nait and Ela to the lab. Valel walked behind them, and Alyssa could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head.
***
On the way to the lab, Sebastian’s phone buzzed. “Yeah?”
Alyssa walked beside him, slowing as he slowed. Valel walked around them, his shoulders set and his body stiff. She watched him go, only slightly sorry she’d held back the truth. He couldn’t know—they couldn’t know that she was attracted to the Karan. What would Sebastian say? I won’t do anything to jeopardize our relationship.
“Fine,” Sebastian said, his tone clipped, “I’ll be right there.”
He shoved his phone back into his pocket and grabbed Alyssa’s hand.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing’s wrong, but I have to go. David Giles has called for another teleconference. Every time I think we have all the plans finalized, someone thinks of one more thing that we have to do or fix or… whatever. Anyways, Ian needs me.”
Sebastian pulled her close, looking down at her with worried eyes, his scar puckering as his brow furrowed deeply.
“I’ll be all right, Sebastian.”
“You sure? We can postpone this test until later.”
“No, I want to get it over with. Nait and Ela will be there. Don’t worry.”
“Okay, darlin’. Just be careful.”
“I will,” she said, pushing up to her tiptoes to kiss him.
He pressed into the kiss, stealing her breath, and grinning against her mouth. She pulled away, lightheaded, and smiled. “Go.”
Sebastian growled, indecision playing across his face. With a little shake of his head, he turned and jogged away. Alyssa stared after him, hesitating, wishing she could’ve gone with him. With a heavy sigh, she spun on her heel and headed into the lab.
“Alyssa,” Nait crooned, “would you mind sitting next to Valel, please?”
She bit back a gasp, clenched her jaw, and sat in a chair next to the Karan. They were positioned along a bench littered with beakers, tubes, syringes, the extractor, and various other things she didn’t recognize. Valel’s aqua eyes flicked between her and the bench across from them where Nait and Ela prepared their blood draw supplies.
The doctor and the scientist seemed to be taking an extra long time to get their stuff in order. All the while, Valel kept sneaking glances at Alyssa, each glance ramping up her anxiety. But, along with her anxiety, other stirrings became active inside her body and mind. Butterflies frantically beat against the inside of her stomach, and she could feel a light prodding against her mental wall.
Alyssa sent a warning scowl at Valel only to be caught by his piercing gaze. His face softened as if relieved or encouraged by her focus on him. His normally hard stare was searching, longing for her to return his feelings, feelings that seemed to seep between the cracks in her wall.
Slowly, Alyssa’s wall began to lift, creating a gap. Valel’s Ru’Sae crept through that gap like a wisp of smoke. Warm adoration emanated from that wisp, and more wisps tentatively snaked over the wall, sharing his other emotions of longing, desire to comfort, lust, and shockingly, love.
A hand on her shoulder brought her out of her entranced state, and she blinked hard, unable to believe that this hybrid creature could feel love for her. Not after so short a time, and all the animosity and avoiding. Something about what he’d shared made her more careful about putting her wall back up. Instead of slamming it into place like usual, she slowly slid it back as the wisps receded safely.
A whir and a snap jogged her attention to where Ela held the extractor against her arm. Alyssa searched Ela’s face, hoping she hadn’t noticed the interaction with Valel. The pinched lips and slightly upturned mouth while avoiding eye contact with Alyssa said otherwise.
With an annoyed huff, Alyssa watched Ela fit a tube against the nose of the extractor and press a button on the side. Blood shot into the tube so fast, it almost seemed like it magically appeared from thin air. Ela repeated the process with Valel, only his blood was a swirly mass of red and silver ribbons.
Nait took the vials from Ela and plunked them into a centrifuge. “This will only take a couple minutes, but you two may leave,” he said. “Our observations of you and your samples will help us determine the cause of this attraction. We will let you know if we find any answers.”
Ela cleared her throat and held a hand toward the door. So subtle. Alyssa rolled her eyes and walked out without a word. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to speak without a wobble in her voice.
“Wait,” Valel said, hurrying to her side as she plodded down the hallway. “May I walk with you?”
Alyssa considered speeding up and ignoring him, but she wasn’t raised to be that rude. Although… “Why can’t you leave me alone? I’m not attracted to y—”
“Yes, you are.”
She stopped in her tracks, gaping at Valel. He slowed, turning around when he realized she wasn’t beside him.
“Why do you think that? I’ve never told you I’m attracted to you. In fact, I’ve told you many times that I’m not attracted to you. Why won’t you believe me?”
“Because I feel it. Just now, I felt it again. You let me in.”
“Only because you worked your mojo on me…”
“What is ‘mojo’?” He stared at her with his head cocked to the side.
“Never mind. Just… You have to let this go, Valel. We aren’t going to be together.”
Valel took a step toward her. Alyssa gritted her teeth, crossed her arms, and stood her ground. Her narrowed eyes pinned to his, warning him off, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
“I have never felt this way, Alyssa.” He reached up to hold onto her elbows. “If what they say is true, then we are matched by biology. We will always be drawn to each other.”
Alyssa blinked, startled by how close his face had come to hers without her realizing it. Something in the way he spoke so softly, and the intensity of his gaze, pulled her in, and she didn’t seem to have the strength to turn away and run, even as a little voice in the deep recesses of her mind screamed at her.
A scent tickled her nose. Valel smelled faintly of nighttime and rain. Alyssa closed her eyes as the scent warmed her and Valel’s presence engulfed her.
Soft lips pressed gently against her mouth. Hands moved from her elbows to around her waist. A deep shuddering sigh could be heard, but she couldn’t tell who it came from.
Pressed against Valel as he stooped to kiss her, Alyssa slid her arms around him, feeling the curves of his taut muscles. He pulled her closer until she stood almost on tiptoes. His tongue slid between her pliant lips and his mind embraced hers. He cradled her physically and mentally.
A flash of Sebastian’s cobalt eyes in her mind startled her. Alyssa’s eyes shot open and she jerked back, yanking free of Valel’s hold.
“Oh my God! I can�
��t believe you did that!”
“I didn’t do anything you didn’t want.” He crossed his arms over his puffed-up chest.
“I did not want that,” Alyssa said through gritted teeth. “I just told you I didn’t want any of this!”
“It appears as if you aren’t as clear on this matter as you thought you were.”
“Don’t be snide.” She glared at the Karan. “You took advantage of the situation, which is so wrong. I didn’t want that. I don’t want any of this, do you understand? Not with you. Not ever!”
Before he could answer she took off at a run, desperate to get away from Valel.
What the fuck? How could this happen? How can he get to me so easily? This is insane!
Alyssa ran through the halls, not looking at anyone she passed. When she burst through the door at the front of the building, she sucked in a huge, cleansing breath. She stood there a minute, breathing deeply, scrubbing her mouth with her sleeve, and trying to scrub her mind of the memories of the last few minutes.
This is awful. What am I going to tell Sebastian? He’ll kill Valel and leave me! I can’t let that happen. I can’t! I love Sebastian with all my heart. This fucked up thing between me and Valel is ridiculous. I won’t let this happen again. I’ll stay away from him so there’s no repeat. Still… what do I tell Sebastian?
Alyssa shook her head, her body shivering with anger, embarrassment, and shame.
Nothing. I can’t tell him. I’ll forget this ever happened and hope Valel keeps his mouth shut.
After a quick glance around, Alyssa sagged with relief that no one was nearby to see her meltdown. She walked home in a daze. The whole walk she berated herself, wavering between telling Sebastian and not telling him. In the end, she decided the timing was bad. Maybe after all the upcoming missions she would tell him…
Chapter 27
Alyssa clung to Sebastian’s arm as the crowd moved around them. Jess and Lorn stood on one side of them while Jordan and Kora stood on the other. Edward and Maira had Lyssa, insisting the young parents needed to get out and have some fun.
For the first time since they’d moved to Seattle, sun shined from a crystal-clear sky. A stage had been set up by a local peace group that lived in a community that occupied one of the islands in the Puget Sound. While they didn’t actively oppose the coalition, they did peacefully protest the war at rallies like the one Alyssa and her friends were waiting for, along with hundreds of people from around the state.
“How do you think people will react?” Alyssa peered up at Sebastian, trying not to wince as she peered into his honest, trusting eyes. It took everything she had to not blurt out what had happened with Valel.
“Well, a good portion of these people have been in and out of the settlement, so they’ve probably already seen the Karans. Not sure about the rest though.”
Glancing around the crowd, rising up on her toes for a better view and a distraction from her racing thoughts, Alyssa spotted a familiar and unwelcome face. She dropped down on her heels and groaned.
“What’s up?” Jess blinked at her.
Alyssa jerked her chin in Zirena’s direction. Jess scanned the crowd, then groaned as well. “She’s like a damn bloodhound, I swear.”
“Right?” Alyssa nodded. “But good news is she’s leaving soon.”
“Really? How’d you find that out?”
“Who’s leaving?” Sebastian asked.
“She got into it with Cecily at our house. Cecily told Zirena that she has to go back to California.”
“Ah.” Sebastian looked pensive a moment before turning back to watch the empty stage.
“I bet that didn’t go over well,” Jess said.
“Nope. She practically knocked the door off its hinges when she slammed out of the house.”
Jess giggled and bumped shoulders with Alyssa.
“Hey, who’s that she’s talking to?” Jess pointed at a man with a bald head and scruffy beard bent down for Zirena to talk into his ear.
“Babe?” Alyssa tugged on Sebastian’s arm to get his attention.
“Huh?”
“Do you know that guy talking to Zirena?”
He frowned, watching the two acting shifty. “No, I don’t. Jordan? You know that guy talking to Z?”
Jordan stepped over to get a better look. “Sure don’t.” He leaned forward, looking around them. “Lorn?”
Jess pointed at Zirena and the man.
“No, I do not know him, although they appear to be well acquainted.”
“They sure do,” Jess said, giving Alyssa side-eye.
While they were scoping out Zirena’s suspicious activities, an older guy had gotten on stage and began droning on about peace and love and fellow man. I doubt he’d be spouting this crap if he had to rescue humans from Kayn’s goons.
The gang spent little time listening to the speaker and more time scanning the audience. Sebastian and Ian had arranged for coalition members to mingle and spread out to watch for any signs of aggression. Surprisingly, Isa had volunteered. Alyssa had barely recognized her in a black coalition shirt, jeans, and boots—quite different from the dresses and pants suits she’d always worn working for Kayn.
“And now I’d like to introduce to you some very special guests that prove humans and Szu’Kara can come together in love and joy to create something spectacular. Please put your hands together for the Karans.” The man swung his arm around to point at the curtain behind him. It slid away to reveal ten Karans handpicked by Valel and Zula.
They stood with their hands behind their backs, appearing at ease, but Alyssa knew they were ready for anything. Hands clapped hesitantly among gasps and lots of murmuring. Most of the people in the crowd just looked confused.
“These lovely creatures are a beautiful blend of human and Szu’Kara that, until recently, have been kept out of the public eye, for their safety. Eventually, our society will be a wonderful mix of three sentient species living together in peace and harmony…”
“Is this guy for real?” Alyssa stared up at Sebastian.
“Seems so. I don’t agree with his passive ways, but his group has their uses. In every war, there are those who will promote peace, but avoid doing anything real to bring it about.”
Several people at the far back of the crowd yelled something unintelligible from where Alyssa and her friends stood. More cries followed, one after the other, like a cascade flowing from the back of the audience to the front.
“Mongrels!”
“Abominations!”
“Half-breeds!”
“Monsters!”
“They’ll wipe us out like the Zooks plan to!”
Alyssa glanced around at the angry faces, shocked at the hateful words. “Sebastian?”
He stood rigid, his head swiveling as he scanned the crowd. “I know. Lorn, Jordan, let’s get out of here.”
As planned, Sebastian, Lorn, and Jordan turned to the back and closed ranks with Alyssa, Jess, and Kora holding onto the men’s belts with one hand and holding onto each other with their other hand. The guys began shoving their way through the throng as it surged toward the stage where the peace man frantically tried to calm the unruly crowd.
Alyssa glanced back. The Karans had already made their exit, prepared for this reaction. As she started to face forward, she caught sight of Zirena. The man had her under his wing, guiding her behind the stage.
Gunshots rang out and everyone ducked. Sebastian kept their group moving forward, shoving people out of the way. A policeman got up on the stage with a bullhorn and demanded the crowd disperse. No one listened.
The Seattle Police Department had limited resources, having only recently been officially reinstituted after the coalition revealed the truth about Kayn and his deceit. Until then, it had been a volunteer force trying to maintain a semblance of normality within the city where the coalition couldn’t provide law enforcement.
As the people lost their minds and the police made their feeble attempt to quell the building
riot, Sebastian led their group to the back edge of the mob. They pulled themselves from the writhing horde just in time to avoid becoming the target of the police force’s non-lethal weapons. They may not kill, but they did hurt like hell.
“Do you see Isa?” Sebastian searched the area.
Jordan and Lorn did too, but kept the women down behind them.
“There!” Jordan pointed down the line of the crowd. Isa was extricating herself from the mass of bodies.
They moved as one to Isa, grabbing her as they veered away from the madness, the cop still yelling from the stage.
“Go home! There is nothing here for you now. If you continue, you will be arrested. This rally is over. Leave now peacefully or you will be arrested.” His voice boomed over the sounds of his fellow officers firing their crowd-control weapons into the throng, sending screams into the air—screams that replayed in Alyssa’s nightmares that night.
Chapter 28
“So, no one’s seen her since the rally?” Maira asked. Jess and Alyssa shook their heads as they helped her pack supplies for the convoy Edward organized for the upcoming mission.
“I saw her running away with that strange man,” Alyssa said, “but Cecily’s been asking around and nobody knows where she went.”
Jess snorted. “Good riddance, if you ask me.”
“Me too, but Cecily is pretty upset.” Alyssa hefted a box of food and headed for the door.
“Her upset looks just like her pissed off,” Jess said, carrying a similar box.
“You girls may not like that vile woman,” Maira said with a smirk, “but Cecily cares for her, so don’t be insensitive.”
“We won’t.” Jess smiled at her mom as they left her in the pantry and lugged the boxes down the long hallway to the vehicles waiting out front. “At least not where Cecily can hear us,” she said so only a giggling Alyssa could hear.
Unchained: The Discordant Earth Series Book Two Page 20
