Cosmic Cabaret

by SFR Shooting Stars

  Antoine pointed at Caleb’s hand, the one holding the sledgehammer prop. “You’re shaking. That’s not like you. Pull it together. We’re on stage in—”

  “Let’s do this.” Kenton straightened his shoulders and strode through the slit in the curtains.

  Antoine studied Caleb a moment longer then pushed through the opening. Caleb tightened his grip on the handle and followed.

  A few howls and shrieks filled the air.

  The glare from the spotlights turned much of the crowd into a dark mass. He took his place on stage, his muscles tense. Did Adara watch him? He couldn’t stop himself as his gaze turned in her direction.

  In the first few rows, shadowed figures, some standing, some sitting came into focus. His attention drew to her seat.

  Her chair was empty.

  An odd mixture of relief and sadness constricted his chest, fighting for dominance deep inside. He hadn’t wanted her to find out what he did this way. Instead, he’d wanted to tell her in person, but the chance hadn’t come up. Liar. Even though he hadn’t spoken, the word tasted bitter on his tongue.

  He started to dance, letting the music flow into his body, moving to the rhythm that was in his soul. Focusing on what he loved, he followed the routine, pushing all thoughts of Adara into the back of his mind, or so he tried.

  Instead, he imagined dancing just for her, showing her in ways he could never say, how much he admired her tenacity and spunk, how he’d watched her from afar for so long. In the process, the coveralls met their swift demise, leaving him in his G-string.

  He pounded the end of the sledgehammer against the floor in unison with the others. Like a war drum, the sound echoed into the cabaret. The shouts of encouragement and cheers from the crowd fed his love of dance, and he used the energy surging through his veins, putting all he had into his movements.

  In tandem with the other dancers, he straddled the sledgehammer’s handle and pumped his hips. He slid his hand up and down the handle’s smooth surface, stroking the wood with deliberate intent.

  The crowd’s screams intensified.

  This is what he lived for, to share with the crowd what was in his soul.

  The music stopped. Dancers remained motionless in their final pose, giving the audience time to cheer and applaud.

  Caleb’s breath heaved in and out of his lungs. Adara, that dance was for you. His gaze tracked to her empty chair. A new determination built inside, tightening his gut. I’ll find you Adara…show you what’s in my heart. I promise.

  He left the stage with the rest of his crew, eager to make amends, and hoped it wasn’t too late.

  Nine

  Adara nodded to the lone woman as she emerged from the pool. The lady swiped her hands through her long hair, wringing out the water. Droplets landed on the floor, the tiny splashes pinging off the tile. “Guess you’ll have the place to yourself. Enjoy.”

  Adara smiled, hiding the ache threatening at the back of her throat. “Perfect. Just what I wanted.” …not. She’d hoped to find Caleb here so she could rip into him, give him a tongue-lashing he’d never forget. After the humiliation at the Cosmic Cabaret, she wanted to lay into him and good.

  The woman headed toward the locker room, her hair dripping with each step. Adara tossed her towel onto the back of a nearby chair, the same one Caleb had used. The memory of his lone pair of sandals under the seat flitted through her mind. She hurried toward the water, eager to expend some of her pent-up frustration.

  She inhaled, held her breath, and dove into the pool. Cool water enveloped her in her own private cocoon. She kicked, propelling herself forward, using the anger and sorrow churning inside. Pushing through the learned strokes without thought, her mind drifted, returning to the Cosmic Cabaret and the painful encounter…

  Caleb dancing toward her. His gaze drawing to hers. Eyes widening. Mouth turning into a frown. He’d taken a step back, away from her.

  Rejection tightened her chest. Tears stung her eyes, the wetness joining in with the water, drowning out the evidence of her sorrow.

  She kicked off the end of the pool and reversed course. Arm over arm she swam, forcing the bitterness and torment from her body. How many laps did she do? She lost count after ten. Still, the humiliation burned.

  At last, she stopped along the pool’s edge. Small waves crested and receded over her shoulders in a soothing, lulling motion. After placing her palms against the pool’s lip, she rested her forehead against the back of her hands. Her breaths came in long, heavy pants.

  A loud splash of water, as if someone had dove in.

  I’m not alone.

  She glanced past her shoulder.

  Two lanes over, the water rippled, the circle enlarging where someone had entered. Under the surface, a shadowy form swam toward her with a pair of horns. No, it couldn’t be…

  A Durotang broke the surface of the water, close enough for a few splashes to land on her face. It was the cargo inspector from the loading dock—Karl.

  She inhaled, her breath catching in her throat.

  “Fancy meeting you here.” After a quick glance around, his gaze returned to her. A contemptuous smile formed on his lips. “Seems we’re alone.”

  Even though the stairs at the end of the pool were close, they seemed far away. She took a step toward them.

  Quick as a comet, he gripped the edge of the pool, trapping her between his arms. The pool’s rough surface scraped the skin on her back. Pain shot along her nerves, flaring her irritation, emboldening her. She pressed against his chest, but he was an immovable wall. “Let me go.”

  “Awe, come on now. Let’s have some fun.” Despite the playful words, his voice was harsh, controlling.

  She didn’t want to know what his idea of fun entailed and wasn’t going to stick around to find out. With a burst of energy, she kicked her legs, nailing him in the shin.

  He groaned, but used his massive body to pin her in place. Quick and firm, he yanked her cap from her head. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders. He wrapped her hair around his palm and tugged, twisting roughly.

  She stilled, caught in his grasp.

  Karl sneered, revealing a set of yellowed teeth. “You want it rough, you got it.”

  His gaze flicked to her face, his attention focusing on her birthmark. The edge of his lip curled higher. “…ah, yes, I forgot about that, but no matter, you’re—”

  Nearby, someone’s feet slapped against the tile floor, faster, faster.

  A loud splash echoed around the room.

  Someone else was in the pool.

  Karl cranked his head to look. The pointy tip of his horn narrowly missed her cheek.

  Her heart thundered.

  Under the water, a large, muscular shadow drew closer.

  A man burst from the water. Familiar and dark, his hair cascaded around his shoulders. Caleb…

  He wrapped his arm under the Durotang’s chin and hauled him backward. Karl grabbed Caleb’s forearm, releasing his grasp on her hair. With a large splash, the two men disappeared beneath the water.

  Adara’s legs trembled, and she fought to stay upright. Her throat tightened. The Durotang’s horns were sharp and dangerous.

  “Caleb, no!” The scream ripped from her throat.

  The men surfaced, locked in a struggle, arms tangling together.

  Smack. Fists hitting flesh overshadowed the splashes. Water sprayed in all directions.

  She edged closer to the stairs. The scratches on her back burned.

  Karl snarled. “You—”

  Caleb’s fist connected with Karl’s jaw. His head whipped to the side. The horn’s sharp end grazed Caleb’s palm. Blood pooled along the cut.

  Dark and dangerous, Caleb drew his mouth into a thin line. His eyes glowed with raw anger and determination.

  A mixture of fear and pride danced in her heart.

  Karl bolted for the stairs. A drop of blood ran down his chin and landed in the water. The crimson stain floated on the surface, riding along in the wate
r’s wake.

  “D…don’t…c…come…back.” Caleb’s husky, strained voice echoed off the walls.

  Karl turned, his glare landing on her. He curled his lip. “You’re not worth the effort.” With that, he scurried across the floor and disappeared into a locker room.

  Disgust for her birthmark flared anew, the bitter taste sour in her mouth.

  Concern reflected in Caleb’s deep blue eyes. He closed the distance, moving toward her with his dancer’s grace. “Y…you…o…k…kk…kay?”

  Was she? The skin on her back was raw, but other than that, she was unharmed. Thanks to him. Her throat constricted. “I’m all right. Thank you.”

  He wiped his hand through his dark hair, flipping the long strands over his shoulders. The skin on his knuckles was red, bloody.

  She inhaled. “Caleb, you’re bleeding.”

  Before she could think twice, she captured his big hand between her palms.

  He drew away and slowly clenched and unclenched his fingers. A tic formed in his jaw. “It’s…f…fine, j…just a s…scratch.”

  Memories of the encounter in the cabaret floated to the surface of her mind. The way Caleb had reacted, backing away from her as if she’d had the cosmic plague. Her cheeks heated. “Well, you helped the poor, ugly girl. I’ll be on my way so you don’t have to look at me.”

  He inhaled. A painful squint tightened his features.

  Unwilling to wait for a response, she headed for the stairs to put distance between them before he saw the tears pricking her eyes. Her heart ached about leaving, but the sooner she got away from him, the better.

  “Ad…d…d…ara. W…Wait…” His hand gripped her shoulder, firm enough to stop her, yet gentle enough she could pull away if she chose.

  She tensed, one foot on the bottom step. Keep going. Her mind begged that of her, yet she remained in place.

  He pulled up behind her, enveloping her in his presence. She wanted to lean back, feel the taut muscles of his chest and abs against her backside. A shiver racked through her.

  “C…come…w…w…with…mmmmm…me.” He slid past her, the planes of his chest rubbing against her arm. He walked up a couple of steps, turned to her, and held out his hand. The scratch on his palm seemed to be a surface nick, the skin raw but no longer bleeding. “P…p…please.”

  Lines etched his forehead. His eyes darted back and forth as if assessing her. He seemed genuine, eager to make amends. A twinge tugged at her heart, and she cursed the fickle organ. Tentatively, she placed her fingers against his open palm.

  The tension lines eased and a brief smile, one born of hope perhaps, tugged at his lips. His fingers tightened around hers, gentle and caring. Her heart leapt at the contact.

  She let him lead her from the pool. “What are you up to, Caleb?”

  He brought her to the small bench wedged between the chairs. His towel lay on one of the chair’s seats, covering a large package, as if he’d haphazardly tossed it there.

  As she sat, he bent down on one knee, his joint cracking in the process. Eye to eye, he smiled and gripped the end of the towel. With a quick tug, he revealed a box wrapped in metallic gold paper. A large bow sat on top, and the ribbon changed color, from red to blue to green and back again.

  She swallowed, unable to speak. A gift?

  He placed the present on her lap. Water from her damp skin soaked into the paper, and she picked it up, not wanting to ruin the beautiful wrapping.

  She furrowed her brow. “For me? Why?” Her mind raced while she searched for answers.

  He held up his finger, rummaged under the towel, and retrieved a contact case. “I…c…c…can…s…sp…speak…b…b…bet…ter…w…with…th…these.”

  She placed her hand over his, stopping him. “Please don’t.”

  His grip tightened around the case. He met her gaze.

  Neither spoke for a long moment.

  She broke the silence. “Let me open this, okay?”

  He nodded once, his gaze never leaving hers. This proud, tough man. She wanted to run her fingers over his lips, tell him words weren’t the only way to express emotions. By the way he danced, he’d already figured that out on his own.

  She placed the box on the seat next to her and unraveled the bow. “So pretty.”

  The familiar gleam in his eye reappeared. Her traitorous heart swelled.

  Lifting the lid from the box, she peered inside. A quick inhale. “How did you know?”

  He shrugged, a pleased smile tugging at his lips.

  A bathing suit lay nestled in white tissue paper. Black with white stars, it was the one she’d spied in the shop window. She trailed her fingers over the soft material. After gripping the straps, she lifted the top from its resting place. “Caleb, this is too much. You shouldn’t have. Why…,” she peered at him, “did you?”

  He unhinged his contact case. She dropped the suit top and laid one hand over his, closing the lid. Her other hand, she placed over his heart. “Tell me from here, Caleb.”

  His breathing accelerated, and his heartbeat raced beneath her fingertips.

  “Look at me,” she whispered.

  He met her gaze, a pained look deep in his eyes.

  “I saw the love you have inside for your dance. You are very passionate, very good at what you do. Use that and tell me what you feel, in here.” She pressed her hand harder against his chest.

  He didn’t look away. Taking that as a good sign, she smiled, encouraging him.

  Several long moments ticked by. His breathing calmed. He gripped her fingers, his big hand holding her palm against his chest. A sigh eased from his chest then he licked his lips and drew in a large breath.

  “I…I…s…saw…y…you…stand…ing…outside…the…s…shop…with your…friend. I was close…by, but you d…didn’t notice me. You said you liked the s…swimsuit, but you didn’t buy it. Consider it a p…peace offering for mowing you down outside the med clinic and for our misunderstanding at the pool…last time.”

  She inhaled. He’d stuttered, yes, but his words had become more fluid the longer he spoke. She wanted to encourage him to say more, but didn’t want to call attention to what he’d done. “Thank you, but that wasn’t necessary. Caleb,” with her free hand, she traced a drop of water that had dripped from his hair down his arm, “what’s the real reason you bought it for me?”

  He stared into her eyes, and she felt herself falling into the deep blue depths. “I wanted to because I like you.”

  Her cheeks heated and his gaze slid there, then roamed her face.

  My mark… She drew back, tugging to free herself, but he wouldn’t release her.

  “W…w…wait. Y…your…t…turn.” With his free hand, he trailed a finger over her forehead, pushing aside her hair to reveal her birthmark. “You c…cover this up. Why?”

  She bit her lip. The scared little girl inside wanted to run, do as she’d done before and protect her heart. Yet, if he could face his fear in front of her, couldn’t she do the same? Pulling on her inner strength and the bitterness she harbored for her hideous birthmark, she spat the words before she could stop herself. “It’s ugly. I’m ugly.”

  His eyes widened. “No. It’s…you…are beautiful.” His words were slow, controlled.

  She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. “What did you say?”

  He smiled and traced the outline of her mark. His touch was gentle, caring. “This reminds m…me of a small Ch…Chinora blossom from the Ch…Chintassa trees on Olentra, my home planet. Said to be lucky, their beauty is heralded for its tenacity and gentleness. It suits you.”

  The truth in his words reflected in the depths of his eyes. A raw ache engulfed her heart.

  He cradled her head in his palm, and his gaze fell to her mouth.

  The raw force of the current building between them drew her to him. Unbidden, her tongue slid over her lips, moistening them.

  Tender and caring, he brushed his lips against hers, the briefest touch. Her skin tingled in respon
se, stirring a craving low in her core. She opened to him, and he deepened the kiss, exploring her and taking his time to draw out the sensation. Encouraging him, she mewled her assent.

  Footsteps echoed against the tile. She stiffened and pulled away. He placed his forehead against hers and chuckled. “C…caught.”

  He stood, drawing her to her feet along with him. His fingers trailed along her hip, a personal, possessive gesture. She leaned into him, fitting just right against the hard planes of his chest.

  A man with a long, dark beard and a shaved head tossed his towel on a nearby chair. He winked, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. With a quick flick of his finger, he pointed at the pool. “Don’t mind me. Going for a swim.”

  “W…want…ttt…to…get…a…lll…late s…sn…snack?” Caleb’s stutter returned.

  She glanced at him and smiled. He’d spoken well when his words came from the heart. She’d help him get there again, but even if she didn’t, that didn’t matter. There was something endearing about him, and she liked him just the way he was. “Sure, I’d love to.”

  He grabbed his towel, jostled his contact case into his pocket, and tugged her close. “Mmm…meet…y…you…outs…side…the…ch…ch…changing…rrr…rooms.”

  She nodded as they walked, enjoying how he matched her smaller strides. She tensed. “Oh, I forgot the bathing suit you gave me.”

  With a quick turn, she spun around and ran toward the bench.

  Her foot slid on the tile, and she lost her balance.

  Time slowed.

  She went airborne for the briefest moment.

  “Nooooo…” Caleb’s voice echoed off the walls, spinning around her like a cocoon.

  She landed on her back, and her head cracked against the tile.

  Pain.

  Darkness.

  Ten

  Caleb paced from the counter with its many vials to the foot of the med unit’s bed. With each clench of his jaw, a painful twinge ran up the side of his face. He didn’t care. All that mattered was Adara’s safety. He glanced at her supine form. Covered in a thin blanket, her chest rose and fell with her soft breaths.