Sara moaned and snuggled even closer to his body. She wrapped a leg around his and pulled it closer in between her legs. Her eyes were still closed, and she smiled in her sleep. She adjusted her head to a more comfortable spot on Patrick’s arm and slept some more. Patrick had to admit, her gesture was cute, and before he realized it, he was stroking her hair. He was still cautious, but not concerned. He had so many questions, and he would have his answers as soon as she awoke.
Patrick realized that, in just a few hours, he had developed a deep caring for this beautiful stranger, who was not human. A while ago, he would have thought of himself as crazy beyond redemption for even entertaining any non-human as such. But given what he had experienced in his line of work, he would say he was already a lost cause. That was a joke of course, and he chuckled at the thought of how his mentor would react after hearing him call himself a ‘lost cause.’
Another hour went by, and Sara was still asleep. Patrick decided he could use the rest room right about that moment. He tried to gently slide his arm away from underneath her neck..
“You’re not afraid of me,” Sara said, her eyes still closed.
“You’ve been awake?” Patrick asked, freezing in place.
“I just woke up,” she replied and snuggled closer to him.
“Okay,” he said. “Gotta use the restroom. Be right back.”
Sara’s eyes were still closed when she kissed him on the lips and Patrick used the opportunity to pull his arm away from underneath her neck. He took care of business and returned a few minutes later, slid back into the bed, and she snuggled against him again.
“You’re not afraid of me, Patrick,” she repeated.
Sara still did not open her eyes, but she was now fully awake.
“No, I’m not,” Patrick replied.
“Why aren’t you?” Sara asked. “After everything you saw and felt last night, why ain’t you afraid of me?”
“More importantly, who are you, Sara?” Patrick countered.
There was a moment of silence before Sara said anything.
“I’ll answer all your questions, Patrick,” Sara said. “I promise. But first, if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you some questions. After you answer them, then I’ll tell you everything I know. Deal?”
“Depends,” Patrick replied.
“On?” Sara asked.
“On whether I think you’ll tell the truth or not,” Patrick replied.
“I’ll tell you nothing but the truth, I assure you,” Sara promised. “I feel like I can trust you.”
“And what makes you think that?” Patrick asked.
Patrick was more cautious now than he was before. In his line of work, it is usually a bad sign when a stranger trusts another so quickly.
“Because, if you’re not afraid of me after last night, then you won’t be afraid of what I tell you about me,” Sara answered calmly.
Patrick thought her statement was logical.
“Very well then, you may ask away,” Patrick said.
Sara opened her eyes and sat cross-legged on the bed. Patrick stole a quick moment to appreciate her physique. She pulled her hair back with both hands and her bosom danced with her arm movements. Patrick could feel himself hardening again, but he focused on the mission and his ardor cooled.
“Is your real name Patrick?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you human?” Sara asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?” she pressed.
“Yes. I’m just something like an ‘upgrade’ and by ‘upgrade,’ I mean I’ve developed a few of my latent abilities,” Patrick explained, and Sara nodded.
“Thank you,” Sara said. “I believe you. I’ve never met an ‘upgrade’ before, though. First time for everything. Okay, your turn. Ask away!”
That was easy, Patrick thought.
“What are you?” Patrick asked.
“I don’t know,” Sara answered.
“Is Sara your real name?”
“That is the only name I go by; the only name I remember.”
“Where are you from?”
“I don’t know.”
“How old are you?”
“25,798 years.”
“JESUS CHRIST!” Patrick exclaimed and leaped from the bed, not out of fright, but out of pure shock.
Patrick expected her to say something like two hundred, five hundred or even a few thousand years. But almost twenty-six thousand was not what he had expected. He regained his composure and returned to bed. Sara remained calm and expressionless, despite Patrick’s reaction.
“I’m sorry,” Patrick apologized. “I just didn’t expect that number.”
“It’s okay,” Sara replied. “I’m honestly surprised you’re still here.”
Me too! Patrick wanted to say, but he changed his mind.
Sara managed a sad smile.
“How come?” Patrick asked.
He realized the question was too vague and too broad.
“I mean…” Patrick said and hesitated. “You know what, why don’t you just tell me everything you can?”
“I actually prefer that,” Sara replied.
Sara’s eyes were filled with sadness. She stared blankly at the sheets.
“Sure you wanna hear it all?” Sara asked.
“Absolutely,” Patrick replied.
“As you wish,” Sara said and adjusted her posture. “Just gonna be the basics though. Too many unimportant details stashed in 26,000 years.”
“Agreed,” said Patrick.
“Oh, hold on a sec, will ya!” Sara sprang from the bed.
Sara cursed as she reached into her bag. Patrick tensed his muscles in preparation for any possible attack from her. He relaxed when he saw her whip out her cell phone and hurriedly tap on the screen a few times. She set the phone on the counter and Patrick could hear a dial tone.
“Come on, come on!” Sara said and after four rings there was a crack, and a male voice burst through the speakers.
“Hello?” said a male voice in a thick, southern accent.
“Hey Joe, it’s Sara,” she said. “I’m sorry, but I’m gonna be late today. Could you guys go on and take care of stuff before I show up?”
“Sure thang, Sara. You okay though? You sound like you could be coming down with something,” said a slightly concerned Joe.
“I’m fine, thanks,” Sara replied. “Just hungry, I think?”
“Come on now, Sara,” Joe urged. “I’ve known you since I was a kid and I can tell when you’re lying to me!” Joe said.
“Okay, maybe it’s allergies, Joe,” Sara lied. “But I promise you, I’m fine. I’ll just be in a little late.”
“You know you’re entitled to a day off, right?” he pushed on.
Sara turned towards Patrick and rolled her eyes. Patrick chuckled.
“I do, but I’ll be there Joe,” Sara replied and thought she may have come off as a little rude.
“Okay now, see ya later then,” Joe finally said.
“Thanks, Joe. See ya later!”
She ended the call and rubbed her temples.
“Damn girl!” Patrick exclaimed. “Does every guy in this town wanna creep up your skirt?” Patrick said.
Sara smiled at Patrick as she walked back towards the bed.
“Can be as flattering as it can be annoying,” Sara replied. “Thanks for last night, by the way. Haven’t felt this way in a very, VERY long time!”
“My pleasure,” he replied. “And just outta curiosity, how long are we talking about?”
“25,798 years,” Sara replied and grinned.
“Jesus freaking Christ!” Patrick exclaimed. “You mean you haven’t bumped pelvises in twenty-six millennia?!”
“Oh God no! That ain’t what I meant!” Sara replied, unable to control her laughter. “If that were the case, then my lady parts would probably have already disappeared from such lack of use! Or I’d been so tight that I’d have been sealed shut!”
Sara was laughing so hard and tears were rolling down her cheeks. It was a great feeling. She had not laughed that hard in a very long time.
“Okay, okay,” Patrick said raising his hands in the air as he laughed with Sara. “I give up!”
“I just meant that, even though I’ve had sex, obviously,” she continued, “I haven’t felt this way for as long as I can remember.”
Her laughter eased up a little. Patrick nodded his understanding.
“Sorry! Had to take care of business real quick,” Sara added. “After all, I do have a business to run.”
“Can’t even imagine how much wealth you got stashed up right now,” Patrick said.
“Nah! You can’t!” Sara agreed. “So, where was I?”
“At the beginning,” he replied.
“Yes! The beginning.” Sara cracked her knuckles and flexed her shoulders. “I can only remember my life leading up to 26,000 years ago. Before that, I have no recollection of who I am or where I’m from.”
“No memories at all?” Patrick pressed.
“Absolutely none!” Sara confirmed. “Woke up in the middle of a desert, the sun burning my skin and the desert sands showing even lesser mercy. I was naked, confused and in shock. Slowly, I learned how to survive and adapt. Long story short, I moved around a lot. I started noticing that I was different when after a few decades, I hadn’t aged one bit, and everyone else around me was aging and dying.
“I’ve never been sick,” Sara continued. “Plagues and diseases would wipe out entire communities, and I’d be the lone survivor. I’ve had it all. I’ve seen it all. And I’ve lost it all. I’ve been married several times, but I could never have children, for some reason. Sometimes, the violet light would flash from my eyes or hands. Last night was the first time it ever flashed from my heart. That was when I knew there was something extraordinary about you, Patrick. You may not know it yet, but you will, eventually.”
“The very first time?” Patrick asked, a little surprised.
Patrick ignored the part about her telling him he was special.
“Yes, the very first time,” Sara confirmed. “I did mean what I said before about last night. So once again, thank you so much, Patrick.”
“I’m sorry, it’s a little hard for me to understand that with all the options you’ve had over such a long span of time, that last night wasn’t just another sexual experience for you,” Patrick explained.
Sara stared at Patrick with the prettiest, most violet-colored eyes Patrick had ever seen. It was the first time he noticed the shade of her eye color and how unique that shade was.
“Last night…” Sara said, and her voice trailed off.
There was a flicker of sadness in her eyes. It was as if a sudden realization dawned on her and it made her sad for a moment. But the sadness was gone almost as quickly as it came. It was an expert reaction borne out of multiple millennia of unwanted and unavoidable practice.
“I mean, you saw it all and felt it all last night,” Sara continued. “That was me, unhinged, unapologetic and holding nothing back. That was me letting go and offering you all that I am, without reservation or fear. And you honored me by accepting my offering to you without reservation.”
Patrick opened his mouth to say something, but it closed of its own will. For the first time in his life, he was speechless. His shoulders slumped and in the silence of the situation, he said more than he ever could have said with words. Sara nodded her understanding and her eyes welled up with tears.
“It’s okay, and it’s also okay that you don’t understand,” Sara assured him, and a resplendent, sad smile graced her perfect face. “Believe me, I’ve lived a life with men and women either fearing me eventually or just wanting to bed me. But you were the only one who talked to me like a normal person and did not fear me later. At the bar, you didn’t try to make a move on me. I made a move on you. I seduced you instead. You just don’t know how wonderful it felt being with you last night, Patrick. I mean it. It wasn’t just the sex. I can have sex, great or not-so great, anytime I want. Last night, you brought out a feeling of aliveness and being in me. I was 100% myself.”
As Sara spoke, tears of happiness and sadness ran down her cheeks, and a violet glow beamed in her chest. She smiled and touched her chest lightly, as if it were the most fragile thing she had ever touched. Maybe her heart was that fragile after all. She looked at him and laughed weakly as she sniveled. Patrick could tell a huge burden had come off her shoulders. Just talking to him had made her feel so much lighter and happier. And the tears kept rolling down her cheeks as the light in her chest grew even brighter. Patrick had to admit; it was a very beautiful sight to see. It was a wonderful feeling to be in the presence of a stranger without a single ounce of aggression or evil in her bones. He could not help but relish the moment as her tears flowed even more.
They were tears of joy and appreciation for the gift of being that Patrick had bestowed upon her in a single night. And even if Sara never saw Patrick again after that day, she would cherish the moment of their fleeting encounter and shared experience. Patrick still did not know exactly what he had done. Maybe it was that he chose not to treat her as an impromptu mission or adversary. Maybe it was because he chose to let his humanity dictate his course of action as opposed to his training. He was glad he did. It had been a long time since he had seen so much joy and appreciation in one place and it gave him a great sense of accomplishment, even if it were from a single person. As such, given what Sara had shared with him, he decided he would protect her at least by not letting the O.R. know about her. He feared they might not be as accommodating of her as he had been.
Patrick was so lost in his thoughts that he did not realize that she had leaned forward towards him and hugged him around his neck. He adjusted his body and held her waist. She wrapped her legs around him and hugged him even more tightly. She was sobbing. Patrick rubbed her back and stroked her hair softly. He kissed her on the temple.
“It’s okay, Sara,” Patrick whispered in her ear.
“You’re right,” Sara agreed amid sobs. “It IS okay! Thank you so much!”
“You’re very welcome, dear,” Patrick replied softly.
Patrick held Sara like that for a little while until her sobbing subsided. He did not know what to think anymore and neither did he care. He just held her and let her relish her moment.
“Make love to me, Patrick,” Sara pleaded softly.
And Patrick obliged. This time around it was more passionate than before, with more violet sparks of energy in every touch and taste. This time around, there was more sensation in every gyration and thrust. This time around, there was more brightness in the violet beams of light that shot out from her eyes and her heart. Two hours later, they lay in each other’s arms, but none would take a nap. Sunset was nigh, and Patrick was still on a mission.
“You here for Donald, ain’t ya?” Sara asked, reverting back to less formal English.
Patrick remained silent.
“I understand, you don’t gotta say nothing,” she continued, peeling herself away from him. “Knew there was somethin’ ‘bout him. I’m guessing he’s been around for a year or so because that’s right around when strange things started happening here.”
“What do you mean?” Patrick asked.
Sara had his complete attention.
“Well, it wasn’t like strange things were actually happening,” she tried to explain. “It’s more like the energy changed. Of course, I could tell because… Well, you know.”
“I understand,” Patrick replied and sat upright on the bed. “Yes, I’m here for him. But it’s not to harm him.”
“I know,” Sara said. “He tells everyone about how he’s from Texas and all that, but I don’t buy it. Everyone else does though, but not me. His color is also different. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“He may be in grave danger, and that’s why I’m here,” Patrick said. “To protect him.”
“He has the same countenance
that I had when I suddenly found myself in the middle of nowhere,” Sara continued. “He has also lost his memory, and his Texas story is just a cover story to keep the nosy folks at bay. That’s my best guess, and my gut tells me I’m right.”
It was time to start getting ready. Patrick got up from the bed and headed for the bathroom. But then he stopped by the door and turned around to stare at Sara for a moment as she lay naked across the bed staring at him.
“Please don’t let anything happen to him, Patrick,” Sara pleaded. “He’s a good man, whatever he is. May be one of the very few good men this town has left. Plus, I could use a friend as well,” she added and smiled weakly.
“I’ll do my best, Sara,” Patrick replied flatly. “Just stay at home tonight when you close the bar. Do not come outside for any reason. It may get a little nasty later. Okay?”
“Aye aye, sir!” Sara exclaimed.
Patrick smiled at her cuteness. Sara stood up from the bed and clapped her heels. Her breasts bounced in unison as she did, and she added a salute.
“Sir, permission to join you in the shower, sir!” she said.
“Permission granted!” Patrick played along.
Sara beamed like a child and joined him in the shower. They emerged from the shower an hour later smelling fresh, clean and ready to take on the rest of the day.
A few hours later, Patrick peeled himself from the motel bed. He had taken a nap after his shower. Sara had insisted on making the bed as he got dressed and talked to the other agents. Their numbers had been increased from six to fourteen, and they were constantly keeping an eye on Mr. Weinberg’s premise. Solara had already disappeared over the horizon, and Sara had returned to the bar after making a pit stop at her house to put some clothes and makeup on. Patrick glanced at his phone one more time and, satisfied that the battery was 97% charged, he unplugged it from the charger and slid it into his right jean pocket. He scooped up his watch and snapped the clasps shut after it made its way past his left wrist.
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