Smiling, he took her hand. He supposed the dark brown bedspread, the plush taupe rug, and the matching walls definitely didn’t look very clinical, like a hospital.
“Look, Olivia. We started off with a lot of half-truths and dodging and deflecting. What I’d like to do now is be completely honest with each other. Neither of us has anything left to lose. I think once I am fully truthful with you, your questions will be answered.”
She stared at him a moment, then nodded. “I agree, Roman. Let’s just start at the beginning—full disclosure from both of us.”
Roman stared at her, his gaze intense. Then, his lips turned up into that sexy smile that sent a little shiver through her.
“Okay, Olivia, let’s start with this—what’s your last name?”
“Waterhouse.”
“Well, I’m glad I don’t need to call you Olivia from Virginia anymore.”
She grinned. “But I bet you will."
"Probably."
And you? Is your name really Roman?”
He nodded. “My name is Roman, and I’m from a place called SR44.”
It sent chills down her spine hearing him say what she already knew—he wasn’t from this world. “Where’s SR44?”
His face fell. “It’s gone. It doesn’t matter where it was, especially now.”
“What do you mean, it’s gone? What happened to it?”
He chuckled, and then put his pointer finger on her lips. “Let me tell my story, Olivia. You can ask questions in a while.”
Frustration rumbled, but she agreed to keep her mouth shut. She wished she had a notepad to write down everything that came to her mind that needed answers.
“Just like here on Earth, we had our good population, and our bad population. The worst ones, we sent to one of our moons, the Colony, and we called them the Colonists. In retrospect, we should have killed them, but it’s pointless to dwell on what should have been done.
“Over two hundred years ago, twelve of them escaped. They came to Earth, where they began to wreak havoc on your population. We sent six of our best warriors, gave them human bodies so they would blend in unnoticed. Their job was to hunt down the Colonists. Our royalty didn’t count on the Colonists also taking the human form and to begin mating with humans. The genes have been passed down from generation to generation. Sometimes, the good human genes override the Colonist genes. Sometimes, they don’t. When they don’t, you people on Earth think they are some of the most depraved, sick members of your society.”
She waited for him to give her some names, but he didn’t. That would be a question she’d ask later.
“I was not one of the original six, the Six Saviors, as they were called on SR44. I arrived a couple of years ago under the mission of picking them up because we had received word that they had completed their duties.”
“And they hadn’t.”
He shook his head. “No. Apparently, one of them had sent a message that they had before he died. His desire to go home and see his mate had been so strong, he’d lied.”
She noted the word ‘mate,’ as if they had been a bunch of animals, and she would try to remember to ask him about that later. “That’s sad.”
“Yes.”
“How did he die?”
“He was killed by some of our other people who had been sent here to further our race right before our planet was destroyed in war. We all suffered great loss—our families, friends, mates, lovers … our lives, had been completely eradicated.”
She could practically feel the grief radiating off of him, and she reached out and took his hand. “I’m sorry, Roman. I know what such deep loss feels like. I’ve suffered through it, as well.”
He smiled at her, but it held great sadness. “I hope you’ll tell me about it.”
“I will, but please, continue.”
He glanced around the room, as if to look for where he’d left off. “I currently live with the Six Saviors, those who accompanied me to Earth, and few misfits we’ve picked up along the way. Together, we’ve formed this strange … I guess you could call us a family—a family that I would rather die for than betray.”
A brief wave of envy filled her, and she wished she had someone to look out for her the way Roman protected his people. “Where do you live?”
He hesitated for a moment. “Before I answer that, you realize that because of what you did, you’re a wanted female, right? You committed a grave crime by helping us.”
She sighed, very aware that she’d destroyed any hopes for a normal life. “I know, Roman. I weighed all my options and the consequences of my actions before I did anything. My old life is gone. I have no idea what I’ll do tomorrow, or the day after, but I’ll get it figured out. I’ve been landing on my feet my whole life.”
He stared at her for a beat. “Bringing information to the government on where the aliens reside could get you back in their good graces.”
She thought about it a moment, and nodded. “It could, but I doubt it. They may take the information and then dispose of me. I’m still attached to living, even though I don’t have much of a life.”
He chuckled. “We live in a missile silo, about a half hour from here.”
A missile silo? He had to be joking. Aliens living in a missile silo on Earth, and the government didn’t know about it?
“It’s my understanding that there was an event on Earth called the Cold War. Your president at the time decommissioned some of the silos in order to show the Russians that he was serious about ending any threat of nuclear war.”
“Yes. From what I remember from my history lessons, that’s the short version.”
“Well, the government put them up for sale, and the Six Saviors bought some of them. They own them all over the country and use them as sort of a ‘home base’ when traveling and investigation Colonist behavior.”
“What does Colonist behavior constitute?”
“At its core, they like to kill.”
A chill ran down her spine as she considered the cases she’d worked on, including her sister’s. Had she really been profiling and hunting aliens? “Like a serial killer, then.”
He shrugged. “They can be.”
“Huh. And what about these people who have their genes?”
He shrugged. “Some turn out normal—you’d never guess they have a bit of alien DNA floating around in there. Some don’t, and turn to criminal life.”
She furrowed her brow. “So you’re saying that anyone who is a criminal is a Colonist offspring?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. There are plenty of humans who are nasty people who do bad things.”
As she looked at him, she remembered the beauty of his blue eyes that night. “Why do your eyes turn colors at night, Roman?”
He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, and then answered. “Our SR44 forms are all different colors. Everyone is unique. My color on SR44 is what you see shining from my eyes.”
She let that sink in for a moment, and tried to imagine it. “What did you look like?”
“Our forms were similar to humans, but wisps of smoke.”
“Can you … can you get out the body you’re in?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m stuck with this for the next four hundred or so years, our gods willing.”
She considered all the magnificent and scary things he’d told her, then a thought came to her mind. “So, it’s almost as if your soul is shining through at night.”
Arching his eyebrows, he considered what she had said. “I suppose that’s one way to look at it. It’s a lot nicer than saying that I’m trapped in here.”
She nodded, feeling a bit of pity for him. He couldn’t even live in his natural form, and that a wave of sadness rolled through her. However, she did love looking at his big, human body that brought her so much pleasure, his sweet smile, the sexy smile, and the way his eyes conveyed so much emotion.
He’d given her a lot to think about, and suddenly, the knowledge and truth of his race we
ighed heavily on her, making her tired.
“I think I’d like to rest now.”
“Of course. I’m a bit tired myself.”
As he stood, she realized she didn’t want to be left alone. “Roman, can you please lie down with me?”
He smiled at her, seeming very pleased at her invitation. “I’d love to.”
She moved over and he climbed into bed. As he pulled her close and she laid her head on his chest and threw her arm over his stomach, it surprised her how natural it felt.
They laid in silence for a few moments and just as sleep was about to pull her under, she spoke. “Where are we, Roman?”
He kissed the top of her head. “You mean where are we physically right at this moment, or do you mean something else?”
She considered his question. They should talk about where they stood, what her future looked like, and where she would go.
Right now, she didn’t have the energy. She just wanted to know she rested somewhere safe.
“I mean right now, at this second. Are we safe?”
“We’re in the Phoenix area, and we’re very safe—that, I can promise you.”
She grinned and shut her eyes again. Yes, she did feel secure lying next to Roman, and wondered where she would find her own protection in her future.
As she drifted off, she realized she never got an answer on how she’d been healed so quickly.
Chapter 42
Roman woke with Beverly standing by his bedside, laying her hand on his arm. She motioned for him to follow her upstairs.
He reluctantly untangled himself from Olivia’s grasp and trailed behind her. His leg felt much stronger than it had just a couple of hours ago, and he had no need for the elevator.
When they reached the kitchen, she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. Worry and pain were written on her features.
“What’s up, Bev?”
“Tell me what you know about Hudson’s other kids.”
He sighed and looked around the kitchen. The stone floors and granite counter tops looked pretty, but they didn’t hold any answers for him. “I really don’t know anything. I was kept separate from them. I came face-to-face with them for the first time when they beat the crap out of Benedict, and there wasn’t much time for a meet and greet on our way out.”
She nodded and stared out the window.
He wished he had more information for her, and he wracked his brain for anything that he may have heard in passing. “They didn’t know their father, and I remember Eden talking about seeing colors around Olivia. I don’t know what that means, though.”
She met his gaze, her face pleading. “Do you remember anything else?”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Bev, but I don’t. However, I know Olivia spent time with them, especially Eden. She’ll have a lot more information to share with you.”
“Do you think she will? That she’d talk to me?”
He heard the hope in her voice. “I don’t see why not. You can sit down and find out when she wakes up.”
A beat of silence ensued.
Finally, a small smile crossed Beverly’s face. “What’s going on with you two? You seemed pretty cozy down there.”
He chuckled. “We’ve been talking, just getting to know each other a bit.”
She tilted her head at him. “What did you do to end up in that facility, Roman?”
His cheeks burned with embarrassment, and he just didn’t have it in him to tell another humiliating story, especially this one. “Maybe one day, but not today, okay, Bev?”
She smiled. “This one must be good. Better than you getting stabbed?”
He nodded. “You could say that.”
A soft voice called from the stairway. “Roman?”
“In the kitchen, Olivia—come on up. Do you need some help?”
“No, I’m good.”
A moment later, Olivia appeared at the top of the steps, wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants that he’d brought down to the room after his breakfast. She smiled sheepishly at Beverly, then walked over to Roman.
He did the introductions. “Olivia, this is Beverly. She’s mated to Hudson, who was one of the males who saved us. Beverly, this is Olivia.”
The two women met in the middle of the kitchen and shook hands.
“It’s really nice to meet you, Beverly. Are you … like Roman?”
“You mean, am I SR44ian?”
“Yes. I guess that’s what it would be called.”
“No, I’m not. But I do have SR44 blood in my veins, which has changed me a bit.”
“How, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She glanced over at Roman, as if she looked for reassurance in answering the questions. He nodded, urging her to continue. After all, he had to tell Olivia about her own SR44ian DNA, and it may make the news a little less disconcerting after talking to Beverly.
“Well, my eyes glow just a bit when the sun goes down, and my ageing process has slowed dramatically.”
“Really? That’s just so fascinating to me.”
“Yes, it’s been quite interesting.”
Olivia turned to him. “That reminds me, I have a few more questions.”
He grinned. “Fire away.”
“I know you live to be around two thousand years old, but it seems that you also have some amazing healing abilities. I’d like to know about those, because I’m pretty certain I shouldn’t be up and around after being shot in the back.”
Beverly arched an eyebrow at him.
“Well, that’s true.”
He glanced at Bev, hoping she’d give him some help with this one. Instead, she grinned and winked at him. “If you two need anything, I’ll be in the Solarium. Olivia, I’d love to chat more with you, especially about the twins. Roman said you were the one who may have answers to my questions.”
As she strode from the kitchen, he shut his eyes and tried to gather his thoughts. Telling Olivia that somewhere in her family tree, someone else had slept with an alien, would be difficult at best. Whether it had been one of the Saviors, or a Colonist, they’d never know.
“What’s going on, Roman?”
He gazed at her and decided that in his short time with Olivia, she’d never been weak at heart. She had said she had always landed on her feet, which to him meant that she’d had a lot of challenges in her life. This realization would simply be another one.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush with you, Olivia.”
Her brow furrowed as she search his face. “I’d prefer that.”
“Well, we have beings in our race that can heal others. They do this by placing their energy into another person’s body. Their energy is combined with the injured, and they work together to make the wounds heal. That’s what we did to you.”
Her mouth literally fell open. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“I understand why you can’t offer to help our race, but the progress something like that would make in human medicine is astounding.”
“It would be, but here’s the thing … we’ve never done it to someone who’s fully human. We were afraid it could kill them.”
She smiled, her white teeth standing out against her ebony skin. “Well, it didn’t—I seem to be getting along just fine.”
He arched an eyebrow at her, hoping she’d catch on. After a moment, her mouth formed a perfect O as the reality set in.
“I’m not … ”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “You’re not fully human. Our Healer detected SR44ian markers in your DNA, Olivia. They were very, very faint, which most likely means it happened over a century ago.”
She stared at him for a moment, but then finally spoke. “So someone in my family, at some point, slept with an alien?”
He nodded, and tried to make light of the situation. “They obviously had excellent taste, just like you.”
She stared at his chest as she thought it out. “So that means I could be related to one of the
Six Saviors, or possibly even a Colonist?”
He almost expected her to collapse in a heap of tears, but she didn’t. This was Olivia—one of the most analytical and levelheaded women he’d ever met.
She stood in front of him for a long while, then wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. He held her close.
“It makes sense, Roman.”
He hadn’t expected that. “It does?”
“Yes. My mother was a horrible person, and I never met my father. My sister and I grew up in the foster system going from one foster parent to the other.”
He shut his eyes at the ache blooming in his chest for her. It did make sense, but how did she turn out to be so amazing? She had obviously been well educated and held a strong and willful personality.
“What happened, Olivia?”
She backed away from him and smiled, tears shimmering in her eyes. “My mother was a junkie. I never knew my father. I’d probably have followed in my mother’s path if it weren’t for one of the foster moms. She paid attention to my sister and me and realized that I had some good brains between my ears. She pushed me to succeed, and I graduated from high school at sixteen. After earning two degrees in college, I joined the FBI in Virginia as a serial killer profiler with degrees in psychology and criminology.”
Her graduating college and earning degrees at such a young age didn’t surprise him. Neither did her employment with the FBI. However, she’d never mentioned a sibling. “Where’s your sister?”
She lowered her gaze. “She’s dead.”
The pain of his loss of his family railed through him. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
She looked around the kitchen. “Yes, I was, too.”
“When?”
“A few months ago.”
“So, you were living in Virginia?”
She nodded.
“What brought you to Phoenix? How long have you lived here?”
She sighed, as if she didn’t want to discuss her reasons, but pressed on. “My sister’s body was found a couple months ago in a mass grave, and I lied to the FBI. I wanted to profile the case to find her killer, but it was a direct conflict of interest for me to do so. When they found out, needless to say, they were really angry.”
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