by Lisa Lace
“My name is Theresa.” She was now sitting on a wrought iron bench, speaking to the camera. “When I became a young widow at twenty-seven, I never thought I’d find love again. I worked nearly eighty hours a week to pay the bills and raise my two children. I hardly had time for my kids and even less time for myself. Slowly, I made a career for myself, turning our financial woes around. But when the kids left home for college, I started to want new company. I went on a few blind dates and was on the verge of giving up. That’s when I found TerraMates.”
After the woman had gone through a detailed step-by-step overview of the TerraMates process, her handsome husband joined her on the bench. The alien wore a white turtleneck and slacks. His eyes were colored a vibrant purple under the camera lighting. He draped his arm around her lovingly and pulled her close to him. A new banner on the screen read: “Mansoon, Planet Mesa, 49.”
I hung up the headphones and opened the brochure in my hands. Apart from a short mission statement and introduction to the company, the rest of the booklet listed more testimonials. My eyes skimmed through the names and radiantly smiling faces of these matches. General Laz, 36 (Maztek) and Gabriella Stein, 28 (Earth). Happily married for 4 years, 2 children. Valesso, 27 (Tongya) and Jennifer Wicker, 25 (Earth); happily married for 2 years. The list was never-ending.
I yanked my thumbs away from the edge of the pamphlet as the image of Tate’s face flashed before my eyes. It was only for a split second, but it was enough to trigger my conscience.
I folded up the brochure, feeling a twinge of guilt in my constricting chest. Technically, I wasn’t cheating on Tate, but simply being here made me feel like I was doing something wrong. I had a stable job, lived in a good home, and most importantly, I was in a relationship. Whatever problems we had needed to be worked out together. I shouldn’t shop around for other options.
Determined to get out of here and erase this mistake from my memory, I skirted around the visitors and made a beeline for the entrance. But as I approached the doors, I started to slow down. I noticed that the women in the lobby were all looking furtively out the front windows, even the receptionist. Some of the people in the waiting area had even come out of the main office to see the commotion.
“Do you think that’s them?” a woman in a peach cardigan asked the tall redhead next to her.
“It must be. I wonder if they’re dangerous. I don’t think they’ve been vetted yet. Oh my gosh. Here they come!”
The front doors slid open.
The brochure slipped from my fingers, but I was too preoccupied staring at the seven figures marching through the door to notice it. They formed a straight line, with the clear leader of the mysterious group standing front and center. He had a well-groomed beard and a thick mane of hair pulled back into a man-bun. There was something regal about his emerald cloak and the gold and bronze chains hanging over his silk tunic.
Three people on either side of him wore sleeveless black uniforms and military-grade leg holsters strapped around their waists and thighs. Their bare arms showed shadowed tattoos of medieval-looking shoulder armor with unique symbols. They stood perfectly still in formation with faces concealed in the shadows of their raised hoods and fingers folded over their belts. The only way I could identify that two members of the group were women was from their bountiful chests and the slender curves of their arms. Of course, their arms were about as thick as my neck.
“Welcome to TerraMates,” the receptionist squeaked as she returned to her lectern. “How can I help you today?”
“TerraMates?”
The leader grunted, whirling around to face her. His gaze was intensified by the coal intentionally smudged around his dark eyes. One of the hooded figures stepped forward, whispering something into his ear.
“I’m sorry.” The receptionist spoke up again, her voice cracking. “May I ask who you are?”
“I am Prince Jethro of Yaria,” he announced. As soon as he spoke a sentence, hushed and giddy conversation broke out around me. “These are the Keepers, defenders of the Yarian kingdom.”
My eyes widened as I assessed the silent hooded figures.
“You may have heard about our ship landing in the ranch, just a few miles from your territory.”
“Of course. We follow all the news about aliens on Earth. The broadcasts didn’t include a picture of you. I didn’t realize you were so good-looking!” The receptionist switched to her best behavior when she sensed she might be dealing with a wealthy client.
“We’re looking for your electronics market.” The prince glanced briefly at the fawning women around him with a smug, thin-lipped smile. “Our ship has experienced a critical systems failure and requires immediate attention.”
“You’re at a mail-order bride agency, but you’re close. The electronics market is another block down, next to the warehouse on Donovan Street. You can’t miss it.”
“Wonderful. Thank you...” Prince Jethro’s voice trailed off.
“Stephanie,” the receptionist answered quickly, simpering.
“Thank you, Stephanie. Your assistance to the Yarian Empire will be duly noted.” The prince turned around slowly, flashing a smile at the infatuated crowd. “Excuse us, ladies.” He started out the door with most of the Keepers in tow.
Every Keeper followed except one straggler at the end of the line. He was coming my way. I looked around quickly, trying to find something I could use to make myself look busy. The jangling buckles on his uniform and combat boots were drawing closer. The Keeper stopped in front of me, crouching down and picking up the brochure next to my feet. I gulped, catching a glimpse of a peculiar symbol tattooed onto the crest of his shoulder.
He rose from the ground, lowering his hood as he handed me the piece of paper.
“You seem to have dropped this.”
As I took the brochure back with both hands, I shifted my weight to my right leg. The Keeper, who was almost two heads taller than me, stared down into my face. I felt his piercing emerald gaze look past my exterior into my heart.
I was frozen to the spot, taking in every detail of the stranger’s ruggedly handsome face. The light scruff around his thin, sexy lips and prominent jawline. His broad, downturned nose. The small scar running across his thick, angled eyebrows...
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
The Keeper didn’t speak, but pulled his hood on again and headed for the door. Before he darted out, he cast another sidelong glance at me. With a trace of a smile on his lips, he slipped through the exit and out of sight.
That seemed like a lot of effort to give me a piece of trash. I had no idea what that was all about.
I swept my tongue over my dry lips, my heart suddenly thumping in my ears. As the ladies around me went back to whatever meaningless tasks they had occupied themselves with, I tried to shrug off my encounter and dashed out the entrance. I flung the brochure into the garbage bin, strolling in the opposite direction of the aliens.
Chapter Six
CAS
“Perhaps Splynter isn’t as crazy as he seems.” Jethro wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve, slamming an empty glass on the bar. His mouth was twisted open, but the loud music blasting out of the club speakers drowned out his belch. “We’ve faced one trial after another, and there’s no end.”
“You would do well to take them in stride. Mr. Mercer gave us his word. The compressor will arrive within three weeks. And three weeks on Earth? We could do much worse than this.” I took a swig out of a long-necked bottle, forcing the cold and flavorless fizz down my throat. Sucking my teeth, I pushed the bottle away from me and screwed up my face. “This Earth alcohol, on the other hand, can’t ever get worse. What do they call this swill? Beer? It’s vile garbage. I could get more drunk from Yarian river water.”
“My drink was excellent. The humans call it bourbon.” Jethro leaned against the bar with one arm, sniffing his empty glass. “Remind me to buy a few dozen barrels for my cellar before we return.”
“Will do. Excuse me, human,” I called out to the barman. “We will have two more glasses of this bourbon.”
The barman nodded and poured us our drinks. I reached to pay for our order, but Jethro pushed my arm away, paying the barman himself. The barman gladly received Jethro’s money, his face brightening as he counted the credits.
“Save your hard-earned money, Cas. My father gave me plenty of credits to use in the event of an emergency.”
Jethro slipped his computer into the back pocket of his designer trousers. After our stop at the electronics market, the Keepers hit the city’s outlets to pick up some local clothing. Jethro declined to join us commoners. Instead, he went out of his way to clean out some of the most expensive boutiques in the city.
While most of the Keepers opted to dress for comfort, everything about Jethro’s getup appeared anything but comfortable. I’d chosen to keep my wardrobe simple with some plain black shirts and what humans called jeans, hoping to blend into the background and conform to the crowd. Jethro took a different approach. He had purchased a set of excessive jewelry that always stayed on him, and his clothing seemed to attract a lot of attention. Most of the attention appeared to be coming from females, so I suppose he was doing something right. Evidently, some women around here liked their men in deep-cut shirts and crotch-asphyxiating trousers.
“You might want to take it easy on the drinking,” I advised him as I sampled the bourbon. The oaky golden liquid sloshed down my throat with a smooth burn.
“You’re spoiling the fun. As you said, I would do well to make the most of our time here.” Jethro cracked a smile, analyzing the scene around him. “These Earth women are quite delectable, aren’t they? I suggest we find ourselves some Earth companions when we leave the club. What say you?”
“I say we drink to that,” I humored him. It was good to see Jethro’s spirit returning. Cocking my head to the side, I glanced down the bar and took another sip. “I think she’s meant for you.”
Jethro looked to his left. The fair-haired woman at the end of the bar gazed at him from afar, twirling the thin straw in her drink. As she rested her elbows on the counter, the pendant of her gold necklace seemed to disappear between her breasts.
“She’s a little skinny for my tastes, but the night is still young.” Jethro lowered his drink. He played with a huge emerald on one of his gold rings, gazing at me wistfully. “We haven’t gone out in a long time. I have to admit, Cas – I’ve missed this. It brings back memories.”
“It does,” I agreed, nodding reminiscently.
“You remember the girl with the blue hair and the incredible legs? The one with the feather tattoo on her neck?”
“Right, the palace dancer? What was her name? Katya? I haven’t thought about her in years.”
“I can’t remember her name, but her tongue was divine. She did things that the most expensive whores wouldn’t do for all the money in the kingdom.” Jethro laughed. He flicked his eyebrows at me. “She was a tough one to catch. You didn’t make it easy for me, but in the end, I still won.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, brother,” I grinned, leaning back in my chair. “From what I remember, I bowed out graciously so you could have her.”
“If that’s what you tell yourself to get through your days, I won’t destroy your fantasy,” Jethro said lightly. His grin slowly waned. “I only wish Twanda were here with us.”
I tensed up again when I heard the name. It was a bizarre feeling and something difficult to describe. The wound was old but it was always with me. It wasn’t exactly pain, but the thought of Twanda hollowed out my chest and made me feel powerless. My training only equipped me to deal with fighting and fucking. The reason I had made it this far was thanks to my thirst for stability and control. There was nothing stable or controllable about feelings.
Despite my lack of a response, Jethro kept going. “Nineteen years today. Imagine that.”
“Aye. I haven’t forgotten.”
“Is something the matter?” Jethro asked, his voice solemn. “If you ever need to let something off your chest, I’m here for you.”
“I know, brother. I know. The thought is much appreciated.” I swallowed the rest of my drink and stood up. “Come on. I think I see some of the Keepers on the dance floor.”
Jethro and I waded through the pulsing throng of dancers. It surprised me to see how vulgar the humans were, even to my standards. Some women appeared to enjoy pretending to fuck their partners as music played in the background, while others danced away from men attempting to latch onto them from the rear. Even more perplexing were women all over the floor who exhibited varying versions of the same dance move – gyrating their well-rounded asses mid-squat.
Was it one of the stranger things I’ve seen in my travels? Certainly. Did I mind it? Not a bit.
The Keepers made themselves at home. Indira and Zyrene took over one of the platforms next to the main stage. Zyrene whipped her loose hair back and forth as she hung upside-down on the pole. Her top hung loosely around her neck, exposing her firm breasts and pierced nipples to everyone’s view. Indira clung onto the pole underneath Zyrene, legs fully spread and tucked under her thighs. An expert at adaptability, she, too, had picked up on the dance trend. She bobbed up and down, ass cheeks distinctly visible through her tight white pants. The people clustered around the platform pumped their fists and cheered them.
By the time Jethro and I caught up with the Keepers around the platform, the two hosts wearing ridiculous light-up sunglasses spotted him. They pulled him up to the main stage and instructed him to lay flat on his back next to a row of four other men.
The Prince played along, reveling in the roaring applause from the crowd. The crowd knew what was coming, but we did not. When the lights dimmed and the bass dropped, five women in flashy bikini tops and thongs took the stage, shaking their asses in the men’s faces.
“It looks like the Prince is finally lightening up, wouldn’t you say?” Botu walked up to me, straining his voice over the music.
“Definitely. I knew he would come around in time.”
“I have a feeling the Prince will be...”
Botu was still talking to me, but I had stopped listening to what he had to say. My roaming eye settled on the woman who had taken my place at the bar. She had her back turned to me, but something about her seemed oddly familiar. Stretching out my neck, I kept my eye on her between two heads in the crowd. I watched as she pushed glossy hair over her shoulders, raven locks falling over the back of her chair.
It was the woman from the matchmaking agency.
“Sorry, Botu, I’ll be right back. I’ve got something to do.”
Once again, I sidled past the crowd and aimed for the bar. I was about to break through the last of the bouncing shoulders when the woman turned sideways to reach for her purse. My forehead crumpled in disappointment when I saw the woman’s profile from the side. She was an attractive woman, but not the one I was interested in.
Disappointed, I walked up to the bar and ordered myself a drink anyway, filling the gap at the other end of the counter. For some inconceivable reason, I hadn’t been able to get the human out of my mind. Her smoky, blue-gray eyes and those small, delicate lips haunted my memory. That face was so stunning that it was stupefying. Our short-lived interaction lasted less than a minute, but I remembered everything about her. Considering my memory, that was saying something. I couldn’t recall the name of the saleswoman I took into one of the dressing rooms for two hours this afternoon.
“Cas? Is that you?”
I set my drink down on the bar and looked behind me. Priscilla Haley detached herself from her group of friends on the dance floor. Without her father around, she looked completely different. If it wasn’t for her distinctively flaming red hair, I would not have recognized her at all. Half of her hair was pulled back and glitter and makeup covered her face. Naturally, my eyes were drawn to the green scarf holding up her breasts. I didn’t mind the short black skirt that could bar
ely contain her juicy, pear-shaped ass, either.
“Aye.” I stepped aside, making room for her at the bar. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“To be honest, it was getting a little boring here until you showed up.”
“Is that so?”
“Yup.” Priscilla took one step closer to me, her breast brushing against my elbow. “What are you doing here at Cove 88? I didn’t think aliens were big partiers, but I guess it makes sense. Do you guys have clubs like this one on your home planet?”
“We have a few clubs, but what makes this one unique is the people inside. Yarians always love a good party. We hold a Bushkad festival every year – that can last for seven days.”
“Interesting.” She leaned away from me and slanted her head to one side. “It sounds like fun. Flying to another planet has always been an item on my bucket list, but I’m beginning to think I won’t get a chance to cross that one off. Pa hates it when I’m away from home. Now that I’ve finished college, he’s asked me to come back and help out on the ranch. Between you and me, I don’t think he needs it. He has plenty of hired hands.”
“If that’s what you really want, don’t be so quick to give up on your dreams. Your father is a great man, but don’t let your love for him take away from whatever desires you have for yourself.” I finished my drink, shrugging my shoulders. “Of course, I don’t know your full story. I’m just an alien passing through this planet.”
“Thank you for that, Cas.” Priscilla placed her strange strapless purse on the bar, her chin casually perched on one arm. “That’s nice of you.”
“Sure.” I looked at her empty hands. “Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you.” Priscilla’s back snapped upright. She turned away from me, twisting one of her earlobes. “I don’t drink.”
“It’s good to have convictions. No problem.”
