Alien Affair

by Gloria Martin

  It’s just for the summer, she told herself. After this vacation, everything will go back to normal. This whole affair will seem like a dream.

  Thinking that, she did not know whether to feel relieved or miserable.

  *****

  Kale was sound asleep in the sofa. Even Jillian and Winston were already snoring, probably tired from the long day of travelling. But Erin was wide awake, pacing back and forth in the room. Because she could not sleep, she decided to fix her clothes in the closet. She turned on the light and started arranging her shirts, jeans, jackets, and accessories.

  That was when she stumbled upon an odd-looking jewelry box. It was a simple rectangular box covered with genuine leather. Imprinted on top was Kale’s name. At first, she thought of just setting it aside and giving it to him in the morning. But her growing curiosity made her open the lid.

  “What are these?” she whispered in horror as she dug through the piles of photos that showed her as a little girl with her parents. There was also a newspaper clipping about the car accident that had killed her dad but which she’d miraculously survived. Then she saw other pictures of herself as she was growing up. There was even one of her and Arnold, as well as one of her with Courtney.

  “Oh, my God,” she hissed, fear and doubt gripping her heart. “Oh, my God. He knew them all this time. He’d been stalking me?!”

  At that instant, a sound from the doorway made her turn around. Kale was standing there with a serious expression on his face that she could not decipher.

  “Let me explain, Erin,” he started.

  But she exploded right then and there. “All this time, you’d been lying to me! What’s the meaning of all this? Are you some crazed stalker?”

  “No, Erin, listen…” He tried to reach out to her but she stepped back quickly.

  “I can’t believe it, Kale! I trusted you!” she cried, her heart breaking terribly. She knew she was becoming hysterical but she didn’t really care at that moment. “Did you and Winston plan all this?!”

  Suddenly, her mom was standing behind Kale. She’d probably awoken because of all the commotion. Beside her, Winston simply looked apologetic and worried.

  “Mom, did you know about these?” Erin demanded, throwing the photos and other items onto the bed.

  Jillian looked down on them and then looked up again with a remorseful face. “I’m so sorry, Erin. I think we all have to sit down and explain to you the truth about Winston and Kale. You two were so close when we got here, I assumed he’d told you…”

  “Told me what?” Erin almost screamed, looking from her mother to Kale. “What’s going on??”

  Her mother led her out to the living room where they all sat together and waited for her to calm down. Winston prepared tea as they gathered round the table.

  Jillian took a deep breath then plunged into the story. “I met Winston online because he was working for the government. He and Kale are… helping the space research department.” She paused, looking at the two men who were giving her encouraging looks. “We fell in love even before we had seen each other face to face. But when we finally got to spend time together, I noticed some strange things happening. He could heal fast, he could vanish and reappear whenever he wanted to…”

  Erin gasped. “Kale too…” she murmured with dread.

  “Yes, Erin,” Jillian said, nodding and holding her daughter’s hands. “You see, they’re not like us. They are from… far away…”

  “From where?” Erin wanted to know.

  Kale spoke up then. “I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time, Erin. Winston and I are from a community of guardians or what some also call protectors. Each one of us is assigned to a human being on Earth, sort of like a ‘guardian angel’…”

  Erin was shaking her head in disbelief. Her mom did not seem shocked by the story at all. Did she really buy this?

  “Erin, I have pictures of you because… I… I’m your protector,” Kale finally finished. He was breathing heavily, obviously worried about her reaction.

  Erin’s eyes widened, but she could not think of anything to say at that moment.

  “It’s true, Erin,” her mom said, sitting beside her and placing a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Kale is the one who saved your life during the accident.”

  “But… but… what about Dad?” Erin asked, her voice barely a whisper. Tears began forming in her eyes as she recalled the traumatic accident. “If this is all true, why wasn’t Dad saved like me?”

  “It was my fault, Erin,” Winston said in a grieving tone. All eyes were on him now. “Your father’s protector was my… former wife… We’d had an argument right before the accident. She was very distracted and was not alert enough. It was too late… And because of that…” He paused, trying to speak clearly despite beginning to choke on his words. “She… she… she had felt so guilty and so bad that she went away and never showed herself again. Many believe that she’d banished herself from our community because of her great shame.”

  Tears began to fall down Jillian’s cheeks. Erin too could not help crying. She felt his sincerity and his deep remorse. But more than that, the memory of her father was making her heart constrict. These revelations were also making her feel so lost and confused.

  “I vowed to protect your mother, Jillian, with all my life for the rest of my life,” Winston continued. “I left my post as senior trainer of the guardians because I knew it was the right thing to do.”

  “So… what are you guys, really?” Erin whispered, dreading the answer but needing to hear it once and for all.

  Kale was the one who faced her and said it. “We’re aliens.”

  *****

  It was one thing to fall in love with her stepbrother. It was an entirely different ballgame to love a stepbrother from outer space.

  Yes, that was how it turned out to be for Erin as her summer vacation came to an end. She’d wanted to run away after that night of revelation. She’d wanted to hide in the city and never be part of that family again. But she couldn’t. She just couldn’t turn her back on her mother and on the man who had made her feel loved again.

  As a favor to her mother, she stuck it out. Anyway, there was only a week left of summer before she had to get back to her reality.

  At times, they were like any other blended family trying to adjust to one another and to the new situation. But more often than not, it was plain awkward for her to mingle with these aliens whom she must now learn to accept.

  At least she and her mom did not have to worry about being in danger ever again. They had protectors to make sure they were always safe and secure.

  And on the brighter side, at least she did not have to worry about having an actual relationship with her stepbrother. As far as she was concerned, their summer affair was long over. It was good while it lasted, and she was thankful for that.

  A few times Kale had tried to reach out to her, but she had simply brushed him off. Soon he stopped trying. Perhaps she wasn’t that important to him, after all. And it was all for the best, anyway.

  After saying goodbye to the beautiful lake house she would never, ever forget for the rest of her life, Erin forced herself to drive away and go back to the city where her life was waiting. But as she was heading down a steep road, she somehow lost control, causing the car to skid fast towards a huge tree on the side of the road.

  Erin screamed, hitting the brakes just in time before she hit the tree. She sat there, breathing heavily, scared out of her wits.

  “Glad to know you saved yourself,” somebody said from the passenger’s seat.

  Kale had suddenly appeared inside the car. He was gazing at her so intensely that she felt like she was going to melt. Despite her resolve to forget about him, she could not keep her heart from soaring into high heavens upon seeing his ruggedly handsome face and deep, beautiful green eyes.

  “As I’ve told you, I don’t need any saving,” Erin responded, trying to keep calm. “You can go find someone else to pro
tect. I’m not a damsel in distress.”

  “I know,” Kale said, his lips turning up in a slight smile. “You’re very strong, Erin. You’re the knight in shining armor, and I’m the damsel in distress.”

  “Are you playing with me?” Erin said irritably.

  “Oh, no, no…” he quickly replied. “I’m serious, Erin. I need saving. You see, there’s this woman who captured my heart and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get her out of my mind.” He paused, leaning closer and making Erin’s heart race wildly. “I’ve fallen hard,” he whispered sincerely.

  Erin’s heart seemed to skip a beat. “But Kale…”

  “My dad and Jillian have already approved,” he quickly said.

  “You told them?!” Erin exclaimed incredulously.

  “I told them that I’ve fallen hard for my stepsister, but that I’m not sure if she’s willing to pick me up and face the future with me…Will you help your stepbrother?” he asked hopefully.

  “How?” she whispered. “How can I help you when I’ve fallen hard too?”

  Kale gazed into her brown eyes, smiling and lifting his hand to caress her cheek. “Tell me you love me, Erin. Save me… because I am so damn in love with you.”

  Tears welled up in Erin’s eyes. “Oh, Kale… I do love you!”

  He leaned down to kiss her on the lips. She kissed him back eagerly, her heart overflowing with joy and relief.

  She understood then that what they had for each other was more than just a momentary affair. It was something worth fighting for, something worth saving. It was love, for sure, for real.

  THE END

  Bonus Story 2 of 40

  Two Lycans For Lizette

  PART 1

  Prologue

  Europe, 1849

  Dallin moved through the chaos, stepping over fallen bodies casually and turning his body to avoid a sword slicing the air beside him. He reached out and grabbed the man around the throat, pulling him up off his feet and into the air. He looked into the man’s eyes as he squeezed the air from his throat. The man spit in his face and stared back, defiant.

  The sound of his neck breaking filled Dallin with glee as the man lay in his grasp, limp, the last bit of his blood flowing just beneath the skin. Dallin longed to feed from the man as his heart stopped, but there was no time for that. He looked around, taking in the sounds of death. Metal clashed on metal as men and Lycans both fought beside each other to defeat the vampires.

  Dallin smiled, his bright blue eyes crinkling at the edges. He had never imagined that the humans would join forces with the Lycans, but it had happened. The battle was loud. The smell of blood was thick in the air, beckoning him, but he fought the urge and continued towards an entryway that led out of the castle courtyard.

  He caught the eye of his second-in-command. He beckoned Silas to follow him. Silas nodded and strode towards the entryway. Suddenly, a blood-drenched human blocked his way, stake raised high above his head. The man bellowed, rushing Silas and aiming for his heart. Silas dodged the attack and kicked the man fiercely, sending him flying into the cement wall with such force that the man died on impact.

  One by one, immortals filed in behind Silas and Dallin, conceding that they were outnumbered and at a disadvantage. The sun would be rising soon, and the rest of the vampires would weaken and die if they didn’t take shelter soon.

  From his vantage point high on the castle wall, the Lycan King Bradenton watched the vampires retreating. He held a young vampire in his grasp, arms pinned to his side. He growled low and loud, anger filling him as the Dallin, King of the Vampires, fled like a coward while the rest of his army died. Hours before, nearly two hundred vampires had filled the courtyard, surprised to find the humans had a deadly ally. From his count, fewer than thirty vampires fled into the forest. A quick scan of the courtyard confirmed that several of the vampires engaged in battle were losing. Lycan and human worked together, dispatching the vampires methodically.

  The vampire in his hands squirmed, trying to release himself from the King’s grasp. He dropped the vampire and grabbed its head with both hands. He twisted as he swung the vampire’s body towards the wall. The head came off and the body disintegrated into dust before it connected with the wall.

  He tossed the head into the air as he jumped from the wall, shifting from human to werewolf in mid-air. He joined the melee, tearing heads off of vampires and knocking one off a pinned human with one mighty swipe of his paw. He was furious that Dallin had escaped, but there would be another opportunity to deal with that vile enemy.

  This battle was won, but the war would never be over as long as Dallin of the Vampires still walked the earth.

  ***

  50 years later

  Lizette pushed back the thick auburn curls, revealing her dark green eyes. She sat, bound, in the tub of warm water. Beth, an old hag, scooped warm water out of the tub and poured it over the woman’s head. Lizette scowled back at Beth, her eyes flashing in anger.

  “How could you do this?” Lizette said. Her voice was low, trying not to wake the men that slept in rooms beyond. “You have to let me go. I don’t belong here. You don’t belong here.”

  “Hush your mouth, child. King Dallin has need for you, and you must be presentable when he lays eyes on you tonight.” She smiled eerily. Lizette couldn’t believe her eyes. This woman was enraptured with the King.

  “You’ve lost your mind. The only need a vampire has for humans is their next meal.”

  Beth smiled and hummed, washing Lizette’s hair, seemingly oblivious to the words coming out of Lizette’s mouth. Lizette was incredulous.

  “Are you daft? We need to leave, we need to run. Now.”

  A huge pitcher of water poured over Lizette’s face, causing her to sputter and choke.

  “We’ll run a little later. First, you need to eat some breakfast. We can’t have our future Queen so skinny. There are plans for you, beautiful girl. Big plans.”

  Her blood ran cold at that final declaration. The woman was obviously spellbound; there was no way a human could be so calm in the vampires’ lair, so eager to serve them. It didn’t matter how she would do it, but Lizette had to get away.

  The woman finished washing Lizette’s hair. She picked up a large pitcher that had been sitting beside her and poured it on Lizette’s hair. The water was ice-cold. Lizette bit her lip, but she didn’t cry out.

  “Now that red hair of yours will shine like the sun.” She draped a large towel over one arm and motioned to Lizette to get out of the tub.

  Arms still bound, Lizette stood carefully and stepped out onto the hard stone floor. She stood silently while the woman dried her off, searching the room around her for a way out while the woman was distracted with her work.

  Lizette and Beth were the only humans in the warren, and Lizette couldn’t fathom how they kept this human bound to the home while they slept. There was a way out of this, and Lizette was going to find it.

  Beth finished drying Lizette off, and reached for a set of clothes sitting on the chair beside the tub. Beth dropped a thin tunic over Lizette’s head, separating her bound hands momentarily to help her work her arms in the shirt. The fabric clung to her naked breasts and barely reached the back of her thighs. She might as well be naked, as much as the tunic covered.

  Lizette fought the urge to flee then and there. She didn’t know how to get out of the lair, and she wasn’t about to play her hand.

  A warm smell floated on the air between them, and Lizette was surprised to see a second human coming to the long table and setting food upon it, a man. He smiled at Beth before leaving the room.

  “Is that your husband?”

  Beth looked startled. “Why yes, he is. The King allowed us to live if we pledged ourselves to him. We want for nothing, and we don’t have to live in fear anymore.”

  She led Lizette to the table, pulling a chair out for her. Beth pulled Lizette’s left hand out of the clasp that held her hands bound together. She attached the
metal bracelet around her left wrist to a clasp under the edge of the heavy table, leaving her bound, but with her right hand free for eating.

  “Eat up, girl. We’ll be taking you out to exercise soon. A nice run. There’s a lot to be done before your destiny is fulfilled.” Without explanation, Beth turned and left the room, leaving Lizette to eat alone in silence.

  She wanted to refuse the food in protest at her imprisonment, but she was starving. Besides, she needed her energy for later. She had a feeling that the daily run that Beth kept alluding to was going to be her chance at freedom. She needed to eat, because she was getting out of here, today.

  ***

  Beth shook Lizette roughly, yanking her out of a deep sleep. Lizette’s eyes flew open, her expression wild as she looked around her. She looked at Beth, anger in her eyes.

  “What happened? What did you do to me?”

  “You were asleep. I can’t help you get in shape for your purpose if you can’t keep your eyes open.” Beth smiled, yellowed teeth rotting in her gums. Lizette looked around and was relieved to see the sunlight pouring through the window.

  “Don’t worry your little head, you won’t be meeting the King until you’re ready. That will be a while still.”

  Beth grabbed Lizette’s bound wrists and pulled her up roughly. Her bare feet struggled to find their footing on the rough floor. Room spinning, she forced herself to swallow the bile that came up in her throat. She shook her head and blinked several times, willing the effects of the medicine to loosen its hold on her.

  The room finally settled, and she was able to take a few steps forward. Tentative, she felt the floor blindly with her bare foot before committing to the step. Afraid that looking down would cause her to toppled, she continued in this way, following Beth as she led her out of the great room.

  “You’re a really special one, the first of your kind. The King has been talking about the Queen a long while now.”