Fallen Star

by Cyndi Friberg

  The tension in Angie’s voice made Jillian turn her head. Angie stared straight ahead, both hands firmly gripping the steering wheel. “It’s fine. I appreciate the ride. It would have cost half a week’s salary to take a cab and who knows when I’ll see another paycheck.”

  Angie glanced at her and smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Isn’t the show covering your expenses? It’s the least they can do, if you ask me. They’re damn lucky you don’t sue them.”

  The thought had crossed her mind more than once, but everyone involved had followed safety procedures. It would have felt better if she had someone to blame, but the show hadn’t been negligent. A rope snapped and a section of scenery toppled. She’d just been standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “Worker’s Comp is coving the medical bills. I was told there will be some sort of stipend to compensate for lost wages, but it only runs the length of my existing contract and I was about to renew. So I have five weeks to find a new job and I won’t even be off crutches that soon.” Actually she had five weeks to find a new occupation and dancing was all she knew.

  “This has to be so frustrating for you,” Angie’s voice turned soft and sad. “But I might be able to offer a glimmer of hope.”

  Unable to stomach another pitying look, Jillian turned back to the window. They were traveling southeast on I-95, heading out of town. Where the hell was this errand taking them? She shifted position as the discomfort in her leg became more persistent.

  “I’m going to tell you a story,” Angie began a few minutes later. “You’ll probably think I’m nuts until Odintar heals your leg, but everything I’m about to say is true.”

  “Until who does what to my leg?” She turned back around. Was Angie trying to be funny? She was failing miserably.

  “Blayne and Lor aren’t from another country. They’re from a planet called Ontariese.”

  Jillian laughed as their images popped into her mind. One blond, one dark-haired, each compelling in his own way. She’d been surprised when Tori strolled into her hospital room with Lor, then a few days later Angie showed up with a new boyfriend as well. Jillian had thought it odd, yet wished them well. The sisters had survived years of tragedy and uncertainty. It was time for a little happiness. “They’re both attractive, I’ll admit, but they looked pretty human to me.”

  “They’ve made adjustments to their appearances so they don’t draw too much attention. Aren’t you curious why they’re here?”

  Another chuckle escaped as Jillian looked at Angie. “Because Earth girls are easy?” Jillian spent more time with Tori than Angie. Still, she knew Angie well enough to anticipate outlandish behavior. This seemed bizarre, even for Angie.

  “They’re chasing a group of fugitives called Shadow Assassins.”

  “Wow. That sounds ominous. Hope they catch them soon.”

  “I know you don’t believe me, but you will. So pay attention.”

  Semi-amused by Angie’s strange attempt to cheer her up, Jillian pivoted toward her and said, “Go on. I’m listening.”

  “The leader of the Shadow Assassins is called Nazerel and he’s targeted you. It’s likely he would have captured you by now if it weren’t for your accident. Shadow Assassins are all about the hunt. No prize is worth having if they don’t have to work for it.”

  Rather than laugh off the twisting tale, Jillian just nodded. Angie’s imagination was impressive.

  “Still, Nazerel won’t be put off forever. He wants you and he will come for you as soon as you’re stronger.”

  “So it’s in my best interest to take as long as I can to recover?”

  Angie winced. That was obviously not the conclusion she’d wanted Jillian to draw. “That’s one possible strategy. Another is to be ready for the confrontation.”

  A tingle slid down Jillian’s spine and her pulse gave an erratic leap. She saw no hint of amusement in Angie’s gaze. Had the men done something to her? She either honestly believed this nonsense or she deserved an Academy Award. “This isn’t funny. My leg is really starting to hurt. I want you to take me home.”

  Angie pressed her lips together and remained silent for several minutes. Then she sighed and continued with renewed conviction. “You’re never going to believe everything that’s going on, so let’s focus on you. What have the doctors told you about your leg?”

  “You know what they said,” Jillian snapped, no longer willing to indulge Angie’s irrationality. “They were able to save my leg so they consider themselves successful. However, I have at least three more surgeries to look forward to and months, perhaps years, of physical therapy. I’ll be lucky if I can walk without a cane and I will never dance again.”

  “What if you could change that diagnosis? What would you be willing to risk?”

  “It can’t be changed so what’s the point of this conversation?” Angie rubbed her eyes and pressed back against the headrest as she tried in vain to find a more comfortable position. “I don’t have the energy for the ‘what if’ game.”

  “This isn’t a game. Odintar can heal you.” She waited until Jillian looked at her then added, “I know his power is real. He healed me.”

  She sounded so sincere, so matter-of-fact. It was hard not to believe her. “What was wrong with you?” Her leg pulsed, echoing her agitated heartbeat.

  “I was seriously injured during a fight with Nazerel. If it hadn’t been for Odintar, I would have died.”

  Angie looked at Jillian so often it was making her nervous. And Angie’s earnest expression was burrowing through Jillian’s disbelief. “Watch the road. I’d rather not be in another accident.” Angie obediently switched her gaze back to the highway and Jillian sighed. Healers didn’t exist. Angie might think this was harmless fun, but this game was just plain mean.

  “Your disbelief is understandable. I wouldn’t believe me either, but you need to know that Odintar is a trusted friend and coworker. He won’t hurt you and he will heal you. At least let him try. What do you have to lose?”

  Hope flickered in the distance, mocking her. This was so unfair. “Where are we going? My apartment is way back there.”

  “I’m taking you to Odintar. He’ll take you to a safe house equipped with shields that will prevent the Shadow Assassins from locating you.”

  The Shadow Assassins again. Jillian shook her head. Why was Angie persisting with this wild tale?

  “Grab my phone.” Angie motioned to the slim devise stuck in one of the cup holders. Jillian picked it up and Angie said, “There’s a video clip called Tori. Play it.”

  Jillian found the video and activated the file. Tori’s image came to life with a friendly smile. “Hey, Jill. By now Angie has probably told you some wild story about psychic healers and outlaw aliens. Hate to complicate your life, hun, but it’s all true. I dragged Angie into this mess and unfortunately you’re a target too. I don’t want to say too much just in case baby sister loses her phone again, but you need to understand that she hasn’t lost her mind. You know me. I would never lie to you and I’m telling you to believe what Angie tells you. This could be a really good thing, but you have to trust us. Hope to see you soon.” The video ended and Jillian just stared at the phone, numb and uncertain.

  “You okay?”

  Jillian couldn’t think past the roaring in her ears. “Where’s Tori?”

  “She left the hospital a few minutes before we did with your double. By now they should be in your apartment, convincing everyone that the double is you.”

  She powered off the phone and returned it to the cup holder. Focusing on each mundane task kept her from feeling so overwhelmed. “You hired a double for me?” She shivered. This was starting to feel real. “Doesn’t that put her in danger?”

  “Nazerel wants a mate worthy of him, not…”

  “An invalid?” It might be a temporary label, but the description fit. She could barely dress herself and walking without assistance was a distant goal.

  Angie nodded. “If you let Odin
tar heal you, you won’t be an invalid. You’ll be better than you’ve ever been before.”

  Her head was throbbing almost as powerfully as her leg. She rubbed her temples as she tried to compose a rational response. “If Odintar can do what you say, won’t that encourage Nazerel to come get me?” Why was she encouraging this fantasy? Because Tori would never lie to you. They’d known each other for years and, unlike her free-spirited sister, Tori was practical, logical, honest. She would never be part of such a cruel prank.

  “First things first, remember?” Angie said softly. “Let Odintar heal you and then we’ll all work together to make you less vulnerable.”

  Before Jillian could react to that bit of nonsense, Angie pulled off the highway and into a rest stop. Jillian looked around. Were they still on I-95? This seemed too secluded. As the conversation had gotten more unbelievable, she’d stopped paying attention to their location. There were no other cars in the small parking lot and the nondescript building offered restrooms, tourist information and nothing else. She knew Angie wouldn’t hurt her, but what about Odintar. Was he even real or simply a figment of Angie’s overactive imagination?

  As if to answer her question a tall, dark-haired man strode toward them from the far side of the building. Did he have a vehicle parked back there or had someone dropped him off? He hadn’t come out of the building. It was more like he’d been waiting behind or beside it. How odd.

  His clothing was unremarkable, jeans and a solid black T-shirt. Like the other two men Angie claimed were aliens, this man’s features were sculpted to masculine perfection. With his strong jawline and high cheekbones he could make a fortune with his face.

  “Are all the men on Atari good looking?” she muttered under her breath.

  “Ontariese. Their planet is called Ontariese.”

  Jillian didn’t look away from the approaching stranger. His hair was short on the sides and just long enough on top to reveal its tendency to curl. He inclined his head as he noticed her stare, but his steps didn’t falter. He stopped beside the car and reached for the door handle. Paralyzed by the absurdity of the situation, she just watched him open the door.

  “Jillian, that’s Odintar. Odintar, Jillian.”

  Framed by thick brown lashes, he had the darkest eyes Jillian had ever seen. Black, yet incredibly reflective, his gaze seemed to capture and caress her. “How did you get here?” It was an irrelevant question, but she couldn’t think of anything less absurd.

  Odintar looked at Angie and displeasure creased his brow. “You didn’t tell her what to expect?”

  “She doesn’t believe you can heal her. Telling her you can teleport would have been a waste of time.”

  “T-teleport?” Jillian scoffed. “A psychic healer who can teleport. Seriously?”

  Without warning, Odintar reached across her lap and unfastened her seat belt. The straps retracted with a noisy clatter as he slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back. “Grab my neck.”

  “Why?” She tried to move away from him, but she had nowhere to go. And her useless leg made escape impossible. “Don’t touch me! What do you think you’re doing?”

  He lifted her out of the car, carefully angling her body until her injured leg was free. Then he straightened and looked into her eyes. “Hold on. I don’t want to lose you in the vortex.”

  Vortex? Determined not to sound like a parrot, she let the word echo through her mind. What if it wasn’t all nonsense? Was it possible he could fix her leg? Hope surged through her uncertainty, though the uncertainty remained. She trusted Tori and Tori trusted this man. Like Angie said, what did she have to lose? Reluctantly, she rested one arm across his shoulders and left the other in her lap.

  He chuckled. “Are all Earth women this stubborn?”

  His arms tightened and reality blurred. Jillian cried out and rolled toward him, wrapping both arms securely around his neck.

  Odintar smiled as his passenger clung to him. He’d imagined Jillian in his arms ever since he saw her in the hospital, so helpless and miserable. She had classically beautiful features, delicate yet distinct. With pale blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she was captivating.

  He materialized in the living room of the safe house and waited for her to notice that they were again on solid ground. Her face was pressed against the side of his neck and her body trembled.

  “You’re safe, genarri. There’s nothing to fear.” Rather than pry her away from him, he moved to the sofa and sat down with her still cradled in his arms.

  The safe house wasn’t large, two bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, the living room, and an eat-in kitchen were all on the main floor. The command center and detention cells were tucked away in the basement. He knew Elias was monitoring the situation from somewhere nearby, but he’d insisted on privacy for the next few days. At least the illusion of privacy.

  Jillian relaxed enough to settle on his lap then slowly raised her head. “You’re really from another planet?” She whispered the question as her gaze locked with his. The color drained from her cheeks, making her eyes appear massive and luminous.

  “I am, but you have nothing to fear from me. I’m here to help you.” Wiggling backward, she scooted off his lap and tried to swing her legs to the floor. He gently caught her uninjured calf and held her in place. “I didn’t grab your crutches. You can’t walk without them. Just relax.”

  “Relax?” She laughed, looking anything but amused. “Where are we? How long have you been on Earth? Does my government know you’re here?”

  “It’s better if you don’t know exactly; not quite two months; and certain government officials if not the government as a whole.”

  Her arching brows drew together as she matched his answers to her questions. “Did you teleport all the way from Ontariese or do you have some sort of ship?”

  “Is that really what you want to know?” He moved his arm to the back of the sofa, resisting the urge to touch her. She wasn’t ready for his touch and he wasn’t here to seduce her, a fact his body hadn’t quite registered. “Didn’t Angie tell you why I brought you here?”

  “She said you could heal my leg.” Her lips pressed together then her voice tensed as she asked, “Can you?”

  “I can and I will, but not until you’re ready to let me.”

  She averted her gaze and fell silent. He didn’t need to scan her mind to understand the conflict raging in her gaze. Things like this didn’t happen on Earth. She was scrambling for an explanation that remained within the confines of her reality.

  “I have to be dreaming,” she whispered. “This can’t be real.”

  “This is real and it’s important.” He allowed an authoritative edge to sharpen his tone. Unless he took control of the situation she might slip into hysteria and he didn’t have the time to waste or the patience to deal with that. “You can’t return to your life until you’re strong enough to protect yourself. It’s as simple as that.”

  Her gaze snapped back to his and she slowly licked her lips. “How do I know anything you tell me is true? For all I know, Angie and Tori could be brainwashed or under the influence of some psychotropic drug.”

  He couldn’t help but smile. Her determination to cling to the familiar was understandable, but he couldn’t allow it to go on indefinitely. If she continued with these pointless denials, he would have to find a more direct path past her reservations. “That’s easier to believe than the possibility that I just want to help you?”

  “What do you expect in return?”

  Her bitterness surprised him. She’d seemed dejected and frustrated when he’d observed her in the hospital. The anger was new. “Why would I expect anything?”

  “Everything comes with a price. I want to know yours up front.”

  Annoyed by her presumption, he muttered, “I’m a man. Surely I could only want one thing from a beautiful woman.” Her suspicion wasn’t completely unfounded. He did find her incredibly desirable. Still, he would never extort sexual favors from
someone who needed his help.

  Her nostrils flared and her lips trembled. “Are we talking one night or—”

  He caught her chin and gazed deep into her eyes. “I will heal you because I can. I expect nothing in return.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Her voice was barely a whisper and she twisted out of his light grasp.

  “You don’t believe I’ll heal you or you don’t believe my assistance comes without a price?”

  “Both.” She looked at him then away as tears gathered behind her long lashes. “There’s always a price and it’s always devastating.”

  Determined to shift her focus and lighten her mood, he guided her gaze back to his. “I’ve had many adjectives attached to my lovemaking, but devastating is not one of them.”

  “Then you don’t want sex?”

  Her attitude was a reflection of the men in her life, not his behavior, but her persistence was starting to chafe. “When, and if, you share my bed, it will have nothing to do with obligation. Do you want me to heal your leg or not? I offer my abilities freely. All you have to do is agree.”

  Chapter Two

  Faint blue rings ignited in the depths of Odintar’s gaze and Jillian gasped. The color receded as fast as it appeared, but she hadn’t imagined the unearthly gleam. He wasn’t human. He’d teleported with her in his arms and claimed that he could heal her. All she had to do was trust him enough to let him try. The problem was, she didn’t trust him. She didn’t even know him.

  But she knew Tori and—if the video message could be believed—Tori trusted Odintar.

  Jillian took a deep breath and then another, carefully keeping her eyes averted from his handsome face. When she looked at him, his gaze surrounded her, muddled her thinking. He exuded power and menace, yet the danger didn’t seem to be directed at her. He would make a fierce adversary and a welcome champion. She’d never had someone to defend her, to protect her from—he was a healer, not a knight in shining armor. She had to pull her head out of the clouds, even if the situation felt like something out of a fairy tale. Helpless maiden thinks her life is over, her dreams obliterated, then handsome prince rushes in and sets her world to rights. No wonder her head was spinning.