by Alix Labelle
Chapter 6
She sat up, startled by what she saw. This was no bed chamber of a royal. This was a small, sparse room with just a bed, a dresser, and a window that exposed a greenish, glowing light, as though the trees outside were illuminating the sky.
Turning toward him, she discovered that the Jared look-alike was gone, replaced by her image of perfection, the man of her fantasies. Odin’s hair had turned a blondish color; his body, however, was unchanged. His nose was straight and slender, not at all like Jared’s slightly bulbous nose. His jawline was strong and his chin squared. The dimples in his cheeks showed even though he didn’t smile. Then she looked at his eyes, amber with golden flecks in them, almost as though the flecks hadn’t gone away when he’d taken over Jared’s body.
She stared down at him, her mouth gaping in awe.
Frowning, he said, “I am sorry if I disappoint you. I wanted my appearance to please you.”
“Disappoint?” she exclaimed. “I couldn’t be more pleased. You turned into the man I’ve always dreamed of. How did you know what to turn into?”
“I did not. This is how I have always looked. As I told you, we are destined to be mates. Now you can believe that.”
“I can’t promise I’ll believe it, but I’ll give it a shot.”
Odin bolted up to sit beside her. “You want to shoot me? Why? You said you were pleased.”
Laughing, Melanie said, “It’s an expression. It means that I’ll try. I have no intention of shooting you.”
His entire body visibly relaxed, and he smiled at her, revealing even deeper dimples. “I am not aware of expressions. You must tell me more of them later. Now, I must prepare for our journey.”
“May I watch? Or maybe help?”
“You may.”
Glad that their post-coitus banter was so relaxed, she reached down for her clothes, but she didn’t see them anywhere. “Where are my clothes?”
“They are in the forest. You will not need them. We do not wear jeans on Cartonia.” As he explained, he got out of bed and waddled over to the dresser with his jeans around his ankles. Pulling out a silver jumpsuit, he tossed it to her. “We will wear these.”
That made sense, she thought as she donned the jumpsuit. They were traveling through space, after all. Of course, they needed something special for that. She was surprised that the jumpsuit was so soft, just as his bronze skin was soft, and the tree was soft. Did they have no hard materials on Cartonia? They must, because the room was hard, as was the floor on which she stood.
“Do you have any shoes? Or slippers?” she asked. “My feet are a little chilly.”
“I do not understand,” he admitted as he bent his knee to take off a loafer. “What are shoes or slippers?”
“You’re taking off a shoe right now,” she explained. “Don’t you wear them?”
“There is no need on Cartonia. These hurt my feet, so I must remove them.” He dropped the second shoe on the floor, removed his jeans and stepped into a jumpsuit like hers as he continued. “I will explain everything you must know on our journey, and when we are out of Earth’s atmosphere, we will find you a body that you like. The trip is too rough through the atmosphere, so we must be seated at the time we traverse it.”
Melanie hurried to keep up with him. If this was the real Odin, he was much taller than Jared. As she trotted alongside him, she realized that her feet warmed to a more comfortable temperature. No problem for her, though, because she hated wearing shoes, anyway, and she never did so unless it was necessary. If he lived on a planet where it was unnecessary to go barefoot any place she wanted, she could easily live with that.
As they hurried down the corridor, Melanie marveled at all of the silver in his spaceship. Doors opened with the kind of infrared eyes they had on mall doors. It kind of reminded her of the old Star Trek television show and movies. To her surprise, even the bridge—at least, that’s what it was called on Star Trek—looked like a smaller version of the Enterprise. Of course, things looked familiar. She was in a coma.
Odin fiddled with some buttons and knobs, turning on some lights and turning off others. He flicked some switches on the control panel. While she watched in awe, she saw the trees outside the window lifting.
“We should sit down and put on the belts,” he said as they ascended.
While he strapped her into her seat with a belt that crossed over her chest, like those of an infant’s car seat, and snapped the buckle into place, she asked, “Don’t we need helmets?”
“No,” he replied, getting into his own seat, “we do not.”
“But what about the oxygen? Isn’t that a problem going through our different levels of our atmosphere? I don’t remember what they’re all called, but I know we have the atmosphere and stratosphere.”
“Your technology on Earth is not as advanced. I have set my craft to adjust the internal atmosphere for each of us. We can both breathe normally.”
After a bumpy ride, during which time they rose straight above the trees as if they were in a helicopter, the clouds and the blue sky disappeared in the big window before them, and everything outside faded to black.
Space, Melanie thought, “the final frontier.”
“It is safe now,” he said. “You will now pick out a body.”
Chapter 7
Melanie had a difficult time believing that Odin now stood about six-foot-four, almost a foot more than her five-foot-five frame, just a little shorter than the average woman. Now, he wanted her to pick a body from one of the seven before her.
All of them were nearly perfect specimens, with perfect proportions for their heights, which were between five-ten and six-two. Every last body was tall. Did that mean that Odin wanted her to be tall, as well?
The only difference between these women and the ideal Earth woman was the coloring of their skin and hair. One of them had a sky-blue tone to her skin with darker blue hair, while three of them had more peachy tones, although she really couldn’t describe the true color. One of those women had reddish hair, true red, not the red of Jared’s hair. Another of the peach-colored women had bright orange hair, and the final one had white hair. Two of the women had the skin of pastel green alien. The last woman had a bronze skin just a little lighter than Odin’s and silvery hair.
“Which do you like best?” he asked.
Glancing over at him, she noticed that his hair color had changed again. It was now the color of silver. Why did these two have bronze skin and silver hair while the others didn’t? Then it dawned on her, and she said, “This one is related to you, isn’t she?”
“She is my sister,” he admitted. “Her mount kicked her in the head.”
“Definitely not her, then. I couldn’t look like your sister. These women are dead? They look so alive.”
“That is because they are not quite dead. They are at the end of their lives but will not die until you take one of their bodies.”
“Then I would be killing one of them. Definitely not your sister.”
“When you take a body, the woman will complete her death, as will all of the others.”
Melanie didn’t know that she could even expedite another person’s death—or even an alien’s. Four years ago, when she was twenty-four, she’d hit a cat just a block from her home. By the time she’d reached the house, she was in tears. She’d raced back to see if she could get it to a vet in time, but the cat was obviously dead. It had broken her heart. She couldn’t do that to another living being.
“What if I don’t think I can do it? Will you take me back home? Or will you leave me to suffer on an unfamiliar planet?”
“We are meant to be together. I am the last of the royals. I must find a woman to carry on my line.”
“Why don’t you find a mate from the women on your planet? Why does it have to be me?”
“Because I know that you could love me. And I can give you everything you ever want. You will bear our child and unite two planets that are very similar.”
U
nable to believe she was going to say this, she gazed up at him with sorrowful eyes. “I’m starting to have regrets about this, Odin. I feel like I should go back home.”
“You cannot.”
“But you promised.”
“I do not understand promised. You must be my mate. We will rule Cartonia together. You have knowledge that I do not. You understand the people on Earth. Now choose a body.”
Melanie studied the bodies in the room one at a time. They all had model faces; they all had perfect proportions; they were all tall. She’s always wished she could be tall. But if that meant killing someone …
“I can’t,” she admitted. “Why can’t I keep my own body? Why do I need another one? Don’t you like the one I have?”
“If I had the capacity to love, I would love you the way you are, but our people are logically motivated. They do not love. I love your body the way it is—your plush, pouty lips make me want to taste them. Your breasts are not large, but they are certainly adequate. And your hips are wide, perfect for bearing children.” He took her into his arms and planted a soft kiss on her lips. “I want you to have my children.”
Although she was flattered by what he said, she couldn’t help but wonder if his words were honest. To test him, she asked, “Why would you want me over these gorgeous women?”
“Because you are you. Every woman on Cartonia looks alike. The only differences are the subtle differences in their skin tones. You are different. You are unique.”
Unsure what to say, Melanie strolled to a window and stared out at the distant stars, some of which drew closer. Then they sped past a metal piece of space junk. What a shame that people on Earth were littering in space just like they littered on land.
His hands slid around her back, and he cupped her breasts. Gently pinching her nipples, he said, “I wish I could love you. I wish I had that capacity. I know you need it.”
As she turned in his arms, she asked, “What will happen to me if I decide to keep my own body? Will I die on your planet?”
“No. Our atmosphere is very similar to yours on the top of a mountain. You would eventually get used to it.”
“And if I take another’s body, will I still have my memories?” she asked, sliding her arms around him.
“No. Because you are from Earth, you will have the Cartonian woman’s memory.”
She gave him a squeeze then reached for the zipper on his jumpsuit. As she inched it downward, she said, “Then I choose to keep my own body. I couldn’t bear to lose my memory of our time together.”
Odin followed her lead and unzipped her jumpsuit slowly. “I may not be able to love you, but I am certainly able to love the way you make me feel when we mate. I only wish this was the way we did it on Cartonia.”
“You’re Prince Odin of Cartonia,” she whispered hotly as she massaged his muscular stomach. “Change the laws, and let everybody enjoy what we do.”
Sweeping her into his arms, Odin left the room, but she couldn’t wait until they reached the bedroom and demanded that he put her down. His expression took on a note of disappointment mixed with confusion as he did her bidding.
Chapter 8
“Don’t look so sad,” Melanie said with a grin as she finished unzipping his jumpsuit. “We’re going to do it right here, right now. I just didn’t want to do it in a roomful of nearly dead women.
Sliding her hands over his shoulders, she caressed his biceps as she slipped the silky, silver material down his arms. There was no hair on his body, which Melanie found very sexy, much to her surprise. Her hands wandered down his forearms as the jumpsuit fell off his arms. It hung up on his hips, blocking her view of his manhood.
Her hands continued moving, across his barrel chest and down his sides. He shivered beneath her touch. Now, she knew she was doing something that he liked.
Without a word, she kissed his chest and licked each nipple one time before sinking toward the floor. Her tongue slithered down his luscious body. He tasted so sweet! Her hands taunted his hips as she removed her obstruction. Finally, his excitement danced before her.
She kissed her way lower still, until her chin touched his organ. It was like a penis, yet it wasn’t. She wondered if he would react the same way if she did what so many Earth men liked.
Her lips touched the tip, and he gasped. She slid her tongue over the curiously twisted shaft. No wonder he’d felt so good in her their first time. His manhood, if that’s what she could call it, was made to fill every inch of her with little effort. She licked him a second time, and he gasped as she took the very end into her mouth.
His fingers slid into her hair, and as they did, she caught a glimpse of her tresses. No longer did they have a mousy brown color; they now looked ash blonde. Her hair color was changing as they neared his planet! What else was changing?
But as he gently pulled her to her feet, not releasing her head, the thought drained from her mind. Her thoughts centered on the kiss he planted on her lips, on his hard body against hers, on her own reactions to his embrace. She continued to caress his maleness while they kissed, but it was difficult.
He broke their kiss only long enough to whisper, “I must sit. You make me weak.” Then he picked her up by her buttocks, and she threw her legs around him as his lips caught hers again.
Odin backed into a nearby room when the doors opened and sat down on a metal chair. It appeared to be similar to the chairs she’d seen in old jail movies.
Melanie unwrapped her legs from around him, and he set her on his lap, impaling her with his organ.
“Oh, my God,” she moaned. “No man has ever felt so good.”
Kissing him again, she let her tongue dive into his mouth with fervor. This man—or whatever he was—did more to satisfy her and make her happy than anybody she’d dated. Everything about this being was everything she wanted in a lover.
As she straddled him, he gently bounced her on his lap, bringing her closer and closer to fulfillment. Melanie’s thoughts melded to something. They were kissing, yet he was telling her that she was indeed his mate, that he could live with her forever, that he never wanted to lose her or take her back to Earth. And she told him that she no longer wanted to return.
The thoughts disappeared the instant her body reached the throes of completed desire, and she convulsed around his organ, which thrust deeply into her body one last time.
“Good Lord,” she panted, still sitting astride him with his manhood in her. “How do you do that?”
“You make me do it,” he answered, also struggling for breath. “You show me in your mind what you want, and I do it.”
“Whatever,” she said as she laid her head on his shoulder. “I don’t think I can ever leave you now.”
“We should go to the bedroom. I have something I must show you, something that will prove to you that you are actually living this.”
Chapter 9
As she sat cross-legged on the bed, Melanie stared at the three Rochester newspapers spread out before her. One was dated a week ago, another three days ago, and one the day before. How was that possible? They had only left Earth a few hours ago.
“Where did you get these?”
“I understand your confusion, my sweet,” he said.
She glanced up at him, shocked by his endearment, and noticed that his hair was no longer blond, but silver. It was also longer, down to his shoulders.
“Our journey started eight days ago,” he added, “You have a different concept of time than we do on Cartonia. You will get used to it.”
The headline of the first newspaper announced Jared’s death, so she read the article beneath it. He had hung himself and had been dead since Wednesday. He had not been discovered until Saturday. That meant that Odin was the man who left the message on her answering machine at work. He had already taken over Jared’s body.
She opened another paper and saw a photograph of a suit of armor that had been stolen from a museum in Minneapolis. It was the same armor that her knight had been
wearing when he rescued her.
“You stole the armor?” she asked, stunned. “What about the horse? Did you steal it, too?”
“No. I sent the horse back to its owner. You will not find any mention of that. The armor was also returned. There is one more article you must read.” He tapped the third newspaper. “Page fifteen.”
Melanie read the article in disbelief. She had been reported missing after she didn’t report to work on Monday and nobody had heard from her. During an investigation, police had found her car in a ditch with a blown-out tire that they believed had been shot out. Two eye witnesses to the accident said that a large man on a white horse carried her off. It said nothing about a knight in shining armor. Then again, nobody would have believed the witnesses, anyway.
“We must prepare to land now. Are you certain you do not want another body?”
“I’m positive. I want all my memories of my time with you.”
Again dressed in their jumpsuits, they returned to the bridge where Odin worked with the buttons, switches, and knobs again. Melanie stood at the windshield. Then she noticed it. Her once brown hair was now the color of Odin’s, and it was much longer than it had been when they left Earth.
She stared at her hands. Her skin had taken on a slightly lighter shade of bronze than his. She was changing right before her own eyes.
“Come and sit,” he said from behind her. “We will relax while we land.”
Joining him in the chairs they’d sat in when they left Earth, Melanie asked, “Should I buckle up again?”
“There is no need. We will land gently.”
She watched in silence as they approached the planet Cartonia. It reminded her of pictures of the bright side of the moon, except here the colors were vivid. The land displayed every color of the rainbow. The dunes and craters shone like a sunset in the distance.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Is there water on Cartonia?”
“Much water. You will meet my people soon, so I need to tell you something. I need to tell you that I read your mind, and I understand now what love is. I believe I love you.”
