Into the Light: SciFi Alien Romance (Dark Planet Warriors Book 5)

by Anna Carven

  My eyes widen in surprise. “No, you never told me.” I wait expectantly, not wanting to interrupt her with all the questions that are rushing through my mind.

  “It was in the First Contact days, when Earth had just opened her skies. Some of the first visitors to our planet were the Avein.”

  “The winged ones,” I say reverently.

  “You’ve seen them, Abbey. You know what they’re like. These days, you see an alien walking down the street and you don’t look twice. But back then, with their giant, glossy black wings and long tails, the Avein were like nothing we’d ever seen before.”

  I stare at Kenna in fascination. In all my time growing up on the ranch, she’s never been this open about her past.

  “I was working as a guard in the diplomatic zone at the time,” she continues. “We had a hard time trying to communicate with the Avein soldiers. No-one really spoke Universal at the time. But one of them wanted to learn English.” Her eyes take on a faraway look. “That was Arthan for you. He was the curious one out of the bunch, and the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes on. I must have seemed equally as exotic to him, with my blond hair and blue eyes. He was damn persistent, that fool. Never stopped chasing me.”

  “You had an Avein lover?” My mouth opens wide. I never, ever would have guessed it.

  “He was more than a lover,” Kenna says wistfully. “After Arthan, I never found anyone else.”

  The expression on her face is so sad. “What-”

  Kenna holds up a hand, silencing me. “I fell for him, kid. Fell hard, just like you have for that silver demon of yours. I could see it in your face as soon as I opened the front door and found the two of you standing on my porch. I understand what it’s like, Abbey. I don’t know Kordolians, but I know you, girl, and you would never settle for a man who didn’t treat you right.”

  She pauses as Zeus sits up. Sensing her mood, he pads over to her side and plonks his butt on the floor, nuzzling her hand. “In the end, Arthan got what he wanted. I was a tough nut to crack, but he chased me day and night.”

  “Oh.” I try to picture it in my head; a young Kenna, slender and petite, yet tough-as-nails, hooking up with a dark-winged Avein warrior in a time when Humans were just beginning to discover the truth about life beyond Earth.

  It seems wonderfully romantic, but there’s a note of sadness in her voice.

  She closes her eyes. “Oh Arthan; I can picture him like it’s yesterday. There was one important thing he didn’t tell me when we got together, all those years ago.” Kenna shakes her head, a look of pain crossing her features. “He never told me that what we were doing was strictly forbidden in Avein culture. That he would face death at the hands of his own people if they found out. When they finally got wind of it, we tried to escape. We disappeared; went off the radar. I brought him here and tried to hide him. Those were some of the best and most terrifying days of my life.”

  Nyx joins Zeus at Kenna’s side, licking my aunt’s hand as if to try and soothe her.

  “I thought the Humans wouldn’t be in on it, but the Avein made it into a political thing, and it was in the Humans’ best interests to appease them. We went on the run, going everywhere, trying to stay one step ahead of them. Arthan was trying to arrange to get us off-planet, but space-travel from Earth wasn’t so easy in those days.”

  “Oh, Aunty,” I murmur, taking her rough, callused hand into mine, because I know what she tells me next isn’t going to be good.

  “We were hiding in Siberia when he left me. I should have known something was up. Deep down I think I knew, but I chose to ignore it. We were young and invincible and I thought what we had would last forever. But one morning, he was gone. It was as if he’d disappeared into thin air without leaving a trace. The Federation caught me and hauled me in for questioning. They held me for three days and three nights, but I never gave them anything. On the fourth day, I was mysteriously released, all charges dropped, but I never saw Arthan again. To this day, I don’t even know whether he’s dead or alive.”

  I hold her hand tightly. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a glimmer of vulnerability from this stubborn, independent lady. “I’m sorry, Aunty Kenna.”

  “Oh, don’t you worry about me,” she mutters, her mask slipping back into place. “That’s ancient history now. All I was trying to say was that if you find a man who’s willing to fight for your right to exist together in this Universe, then you should damn well keep him.”

  “I know,” I say softly, running my fingers across her weathered palm. “I know.”

  Beneath us, the two dogs start to whine, their ears going flat. They retreat under the table, hiding in the shadows.

  “Speak of the devil,” I say dryly. “I think he’s back.”

  Tarak

  I jog across the red earth, passing rusted, hollowed-out bodies of abandoned terrain-vehicles and the occasional concrete ruin. At one point I passed through an entire settlement. It appeared long-abandoned, complete with decaying roads and crumbling buildings; a desolate echo of its former glory.

  That infernal star called the sun beats down on my back, mercilessly hot. I have never encountered a planet where the ultraviolet is as strong as it is on Earth.

  This environment is unrelenting.

  I could have ordered Lodan to return and retrieve me, but instead I chose to run the rest of the way back to the property, inactivating my comm so nothing would interrupt my thoughts.

  I needed some time alone, to think.

  The black nanites have done their job and repaired the jagged wound in my stomach, leaving nothing more than a faint, healing scar and a dull ache in my side. I draw upon the nanites to coat my body in a dark, breathable skin that is lighter than my usual exo-armor, but still able to shield me from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

  Although I can sustain the armor for long periods of time, the process requires energy, and a lot of energy has already been consumed by the nanites as they healed my wound. For long-distance running, this thin layer is more practical.

  A faint buzzing sensation crawls across my body as I cross the invisible frequency threshold of the intruder perimeter that has been set up by my soldiers. I pass the hidden outline of Darkshadow, cresting a small hill as the buildings of the ranch appear in my view.

  The original dwelling has a flat white metal roof that reflects the full force of the sun. Even though my eyes are covered by a visor, I squint as I make my way down to the entrance.

  Although I know my soldiers would have returned Abbey safely, I’m anxious to see her. I find the front door open, and as I pass into the welcome coolness of the house, the two small fur-covered animals called dogs bolt past me, their tails tucked between their legs.

  There is something about this setting that is unfamiliar to me. It feels like a true home, lived-in and comfortable.

  I stand at the threshold, thinking I’m a stranger here, an intruder; I don’t belong here.

  This kind of life was never meant for me.

  That’s when she appears, her eyes lighting up as she takes me in. She isn’t angry or anxious. She isn’t hitting me with irritating questions. She’s just happy to see me.

  She looks like a queen in her kashkan, its long, fluted sleeves swaying elegantly as she approaches me in bare feet, graceful and serene, like the Goddess herself. She places a slender hand on my body. Her pregnant belly rests against me. I place a hand on it, and tiny movements transmit to me.

  I’ve walked from death’s side into the warm embrace of my lover. She is the essence of life itself.

  My physical thirst is forgotten, replaced with something more primal.

  “Welcome back,” she says, her voice cracking slightly. She traces her fingers down my stomach, her warmth seeping through the thin layer of the nano-skin. Her gaze roams over me, taking in my appearance. “You look like a ninja,” she remarks, her lips curving upwards in amusement. “Won’t you show yourself to me?”

  I blink, allowing the
thin layer of nanites protecting my face and eyes to dissolve. Caught up in the delight of greeting her, I had forgotten about it. Abbey shakes her head in amazement. “That never fails to freak me out a little.”

  “They are completely under my control,” I assure her. “You shouldn’t be afraid.”

  To my relief, all traces of my violent encounter with the Silent One are gone. She should not know that out in that wild, barren place, I just killed an Imperial assassin.

  “Not afraid,” she whispers. “Sometimes, I just forget.”

  I’m not entirely sure what she means by that.

  She studies my face carefully. “You must be parched,” she says. “Wait a second.”

  She returns with a large flask of cold water. I take it from her slowly, remembering my manners. She watches me as I drink, the cool liquid quenching my thirst. Her gaze never leaves my face as I drain the flask.

  Finally, I crack. “You have not asked me what I was doing out there,” I grumble. “Usually, you ask.”

  Her elegant eyebrows drift upwards in surprise. “I wasn’t going to ask, because I didn’t think you’d want to tell me.”

  “Hm.” For some unexplainable reason, that doesn’t sit right with me, but she’s right. How am I supposed to tell this delicate creature that I just killed a Kordolian assassin? She should always be protected from such things.

  The death of the Silent One has left a strange echo in my heart.

  Since when did I start to develop such a fucking conscience?

  There was a time I would have slit his throat without blinking and not thought twice about it afterwards.

  “Hm,” she responds, still giving me that odd look. “You’re tired,” she says softly, guiding me outside. “Come and rest.”

  Her eyes are wide and full of concern. I’m standing in front of her armed to the teeth, and she’s showing concern for my wellbeing.

  She’s the only one in the Universe who could possibly think I needed to be cared for.

  I snort. This notion is ludicrous, but somehow I allow myself to be led, an impostor in this strange, light-soaked world, where life moves at a different pace.

  A cruel reminder of the Kordolian Empire visited me today, shattering the illusion of safety. The appearance of the Silent One filled me with rage, and at the same time, I felt a strange kind of pity.

  But she does not need to know about any of that.

  And one thing has become clear to me.

  The Empire must fall. I know how vicious my people can be. I can’t have my mate and the life growing inside her facing constant threats from a dying civilization consumed with twisted hatred and deluded ideals.

  As I walk back out into the light, following her blindly through the garden, I decide that I will find a way to strike back at the heart of the Empire.

  I will have Vionn’s head.

  And if the Nobles dare to continue with their insanity after their Empress is dead, then there will be war.

  Abbey

  I don’t know what the hell happened out there, but the expression on Tarak’s face is a little bit scary.

  He looks a little different, somehow.

  I lead him into the coolness of our glass-walled house and he opens his eyes again, more comfortable in the shade.

  His ‘civilian’ clothes are gone, replaced with a thin, flexible layer of black that coats him from neck to toe. It doesn’t leave much to the imagination. I can see every contour and outline of his chiseled physique.

  Ooh, boy. I’ll never get sick and tired of admiring his body. He’s a walking sculpture, his body honed by years of training and combat.

  He looks at me with the hungry stare of a starved wolf. The hollows of his cheeks are a bit more pronounced; he’s leaner, more gaunt. The overall effect is that his features appear sharper, and when his red eyes grow distant and as cold as winter frost, he looks like a stranger.

  There’s nothing remotely Human about him.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, as I perch on the couch beside the courtyard, sitting in a shaft of golden light adorned with tiny luminous dust motes.

  Tarak sits in the shadowed part, preferring to stay out of the light.

  “You don’t need to fret so much over me,” he says stiffly, as if the very notion that I should be concerned about him is ridiculous.

  “I beg to differ,” I protest gently. “I’m allowed to care about my husband.”

  “Husband?”

  “Soon-to-be husband,” I clarify. “After I pop this little one out, you and I are getting married.”

  Tarak inclines his head, awaiting further explanation.

  “It’s a Human bonding ritual,” I shrug. “We get to dress up and say our vows and exchange rings. It’s old fashioned, but I’ve always wanted to have a wedding.”

  “This ‘wedding’ is important to you?”

  “Funnily enough, it is.” I run my hands over my belly with growing contentment. Some weird motherly instinct tells me she’s happy in there. A calmness has settled over me these past few days, and since returning to the ranch, I’ve felt a sense of permanence.

  “Then we shall do whatever this ritual demands, and you will have the finest of everything,” he says haughtily. “I will participate in this ritual and claim you in the Human fashion, if that is what you desire. Then all Humans will know that you are mine.”

  “Exactly.” I smile. And that you are mine, I think to myself. The thought is incredibly satisfying.

  He’s looking at me with a gaze so intense it makes my poor little heart flutter. I’ve been trying to be a good girl out of concern for him, but the truth is that ever since he appeared like a silent shadow in the front doorway of Kenna’s house, there’s been a delicious, throbbing tingle down between my legs, in my most secret, sensitive area.

  Why, oh why, am I not surprised?

  All of a sudden, I feel incredibly warm.

  My mouth is dry. My heart is racing. I’m sweating.

  His crimson gaze burns into me. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. He reclines back on his elbows like a panther, watching me.

  “Come here,” he growls, crooking his finger. My body moves of its own accord, and I slide across to be by his side.

  Lust has taken over my brain and removed all coherent thought. That seems to happen a lot these days. All I can understand right now is how much I want him.

  His erection is clearly visible under that black second-skin of his. At the sight, a tiny cry escapes my lips.

  “Get on your knees,” he orders. “Straddle me.”

  I do as I’m told, moving over him so that I’m sitting on his lap, facing him with my thighs spread apart.

  As if unwrapping a present, he unties the lavender belt at my waist. As he pulls it away, my kashkan comes undone. He slides his hands under the folds, and as he runs them over my stomach, a low rumble of approval escapes him.

  His hands run up my sides, caressing my waist, gliding over my ribs, cupping my bare breasts, where they pause for a moment before slipping the kashkan off my shoulders.

  The garment drops, leaving me in only my panties.

  “I thought you were supposed to be tired,” I say hoarsely, unable to take my eyes off him.

  “You’re the one who assumed that, female,” he replies, as he brings his lips to my ripe belly and starts to kiss me, slowly and reverently. “But I can never grow tired of you. And besides, it’s time to claim my prize from earlier. I won the wager, you see.”

  “Silver-skinned and silver-tongued, I see.”

  “My sweet words are reserved only for you,” he murmurs between kisses, his lips hot and wet, his tongue tracing small, sensual circles across my belly.

  As the baby tumbles around, he presses an ear against my skin, listening.

  “I can hear her heartbeat,” he says, a note of wonder in his voice. “She is healthy.”

  A soft kick against the wall of my stomach startles him, and I laugh softly. “Say hello to daddy,” I whisper. “You
’re going to have him wrapped around your little finger very soon.”

  Tarak looks up at me quizzically. “You and your nonsensical Human mutterings.”

  “It’s a figure of spee-” I yelp, distracted by his roving hand, which has somehow found its way into my panties.

  His finger slides up and down the silken flesh of my pussy. I’m so damn wet.

  And now, Tarak is naked. I blink. When did that happen?

  He slips his finger inside, going deep, adding a second one as I instinctively grind my hips, driven by pure sensation.

  He stretches me slightly, a slow smile spreading across his face as I move up and down, closing my eyes. I run my fingers through his moonlight-colored hair, finding the twin points at his temples where his horns are supposed to be.

  Whenever they start to grow back, he grinds them down, and his silver skin grows back over them.

  But the severed bases remain highly sensitive. I lean forward and touch my lips to his temple, sucking on the slightly raised area. A low, primal rumble escapes him. He tastes of violence and the wild, windswept desert.

  His fingers creep forward, finding the tender nub of my clitoris. With the smooth tip of his finger, he caresses it. I release my grip on him and let out a long moan.

  His movements are gentle, controlled and precisely calculated. He could stroke me faster and get me to come right now, but he draws it out, sending shudders of pleasure through my body. With his other hand, he caresses my swollen belly, which is nestled between us.

  Everything about me is round and big and curvy. My breasts have grown fuller, my ass has gotten bigger and my thighs are wider. He has worshipped every inch of my body and made me feel as attractive as sin.

  I arc backwards as he gives me slow pleasure, curling my arms around his neck. In one fluid movement, he rises up and pushes me gently down onto my back, supporting me with one strong arm as he lays me down on the sofa.