Spring Showers Box-set

by Avell Kro

  eye, wondering if he should be worried.

  Not in a million years did he think he’d be sitting at a table in a bar in, a state he’d never been to, with a woman he didn’t know, surrounded by a crowd of weathered bikers, tanned farmers, and other people he’d

  never met, talking about all the evils of the Szu’Kara that he’d assumed, and occasionally witnessed, to be

  true but never dared speak of.

  So far, several people had verified the rumors of slavery to be true, and Bas accepted their word

  because he’d known deep down these aliens were wolves in sheep’s clothing. Finally, after two years of

  hiding his suspicions, and arguing with his mother about her Zook lovers, he was among people who

  understood the truth. For all their efforts to save humanity, the Szu’Kara had a hidden agenda, and these

  people knew it.

  “It’s going to take a lot of careful effort to root out others like us. Everyone is either too scared to speak up, or too far up the Zooks’ asses to know any better. It’s going to take us years to get enough people to

  fight back.”

  A short, gruff, Hispanic man in biker leathers with arms crossed over a barrel chest addressed the

  crowd. Black hair hung in a long, thick braid down his back and framed his mouth with a mustache and

  goatee.

  “Raul,” Cecily said, “Bas here lived in a settlement in Washington state. He’s seen some of the shit the aliens do. Maybe he could give us some insight as to what it’s like living with the Zooks, since none of us

  have spent much time in one of their camps or compounds.”

  All eyes zeroed in on Bas, hitting a fear of public speaking he never knew he had. He sputtered through

  the first few questions, but after a while, his anxiety settled down and he gave up every bit of alien

  knowledge he had to these people. The more they talked, the more he felt at ease, as if he’d finally found his place in the world.

  Throwing in her own questions here and there, Cecily subtly steered the meeting. Her commanding

  stature and brash attitude garnered a strange respect from the group. By the end of the meeting he didn’t

  know he’d be attending, Bas had no doubt he could count on these people, talk openly with them, and turn

  to them, and especially Cecily, whenever he needed a friend.

  ***

  “Well, that was interesting,” Bas said when the crowd cleared out. “It’s kind of late, but this is a bar, so

  what do you need me to do to help you get this place open?”

  “Grab a beer, Bas,” Cecily said as she slid behind the bar to select a bottle of tequila from the top shelf.

  “We don’t open on meeting days, that’s why we do it mid-week.”

  “Oh, okay. What are we doing then?”

  “We’re going to watch the sunset.”

  “Huh.” Bas edged around the bar to get a beer, bumping into Cecily as she retrieved a couple shot

  glasses. With drinks in hand, they stared at each other for a moment before quickly turning away, Bas

  sucking in air to calm his racing pulse.

  For the last few minutes of daylight, they sat in lawn chairs outside the bar’s back door, Cecily passing

  him a shot of tequila every few minutes as he slowly drank his warm beer. Lost in memories of sunsets with

  Becky, he didn’t talk, and she didn’t push. The loud young woman from the meeting wisely allowed the

  mourning young man a bit of peace.

  As the glowing orange ball in the sky melted into the yellow, orange, and pink horizon, the light of day

  faded, and a slightly cooler evening set in. Glittering stars watched over Earth, and Bas imagined one of

  those stars could be his Becky.

  I miss you so much it hurts, and I’ll never forget you, but it’s time for me to move on. I think I’ve found a place… a home, and I hope you’ll forgive me, but I think this girl here with me could change my life. I don’t know how or when, but something about her feels right. I think my life will have a direction, a meaning.

  Something I thought I lost forever when you died. No matter what happens here, or with her, you will always be in my heart.

  As he sent his silent, emotional words to the stars, the sounds of the night filled his ears. Engrossed in

  his efforts to open his heart to the universe, Bas jumped and his heart pounded when he felt a warm hand

  slide over his knuckles, closing around his fingers. He looked up into those crystalline eyes and followed

  them inside, up the stairs, into a cozy room with a soft bed, and into the strong arms of a beautiful, blonde

  siren.

  Chapter 11

  June 2031

  Long strands of pale yellow silk fanned out over the white, embroidered pillowcase of a fluffy, feather pillow.

  A golden tanned arm stretched across the bed clutching the linen sheet in a tight grasp as gasping breaths

  and light moans caressed Bas’ ear. Cecily grabbed his buttock, pulling him tight into her body.

  Biceps strained as Bas held himself over her taut body. A thin beam of morning sunlight streaked over

  Cecily’s chest, drawing his attention to her supple breasts. A forceful grunt drew his indigo eyes to her clear-blue gaze.

  Swaying to a familiar rhythm, their two bodies joined, their breathing in sync. He thrust deep inside,

  hitting spots he’d found years ago. Like an old habit, a dance they’d performed countless times, Cecily

  hugged his shoulders as Bas sat them up, lifting her so she could wrap her legs around him.

  Ceding control, he kneeled on the bed, leaning back on his hands as this Amazon woman rode him at

  her own pace. Over the years, he learned how to hold back until her body squeezed around him, ready for

  one final concerted thrust. And with that tell-tale signal, Bas braced himself, thrusting forward as Cecily

  pushed down on him, pulling simultaneous gasping yells from them both.

  “Fuck me, Bas—”

  “I think I just did.”

  “—that never gets old.”

  Together, they collapsed on the bed, causing it to screech in protest. Catching his breath, Bas

  considered staying… again. He’d been back and forth about the move for months.

  Cecily and he hadn’t ever gotten serious about their relationship. He had his room, and she had hers.

  Each room had seen its share of casual partners, as well as of each other, and Bas wondered if he was really

  ready to give that up.

  “Stop it.” Cecily slapped his glistening chest.

  Bas caught her hand, kissing her palm. “Stop what?”

  “You’re doing it again. You can’t keep second guessing this. Bran needs you.”

  “Yeah… but I need you.” He rolled onto his side, looking down at her laughing eyes.

  “You don’t need me, Bas. You know if you stay here, it’s just you sticking to the rut you’ve grown

  comfortable with.” She grasped his shoulder, giving him a serious face. “You’re a leader. The Freedom

  Coalition needs leaders like us to get shit done. We got Cali set. The group is big and our reach is long, but Bran needs you at his side to pull Washington together.”

  “Yes, yes, yes. I know all that, but it doesn’t make this any easier. This has been my home for nine years.

  You and all the others are my family. When I go to Washington, it won’t feel like home. What if I get my

  strength from you and our group here? What if I can’t be what Bran needs?”

  “You know damn well you are strong and capable. You don’t need us. When you showed up here that

  day, I knew you were the catalyst that would make this work. We were just a rabble of rebels flapping our

  jaws. You gave us what we needed—a swift kick in the ass. No
w, get your sweet tail out of this bed, and get

  the rest of your shit packed. Lenore’s waiting for you to say goodbye.”

  “She’s just a car, Cecily. A broken-down rust-bucket waiting in your parking lot for the earth to reclaim

  her.” A lump started to form in his throat. “I’ll miss the old girl. I don’t think Frank counted on her lasting as long as she did, but she was everything he promised she would be.”

  ***

  “Well, old girl, it’s time for me to go. I’ll come back to visit from time to time.” Bas popped open the

  glovebox, and lovingly placed the keyring, with its ragged leather swatch and the single worn-down key,

  inside one last time. “We’ve had a lot of good times and been a lot of crazy places. You’ve been a loyal

  companion, and I’m going to miss you.”

  “You talking to that car again, Bas?” Raul Jimenez, Cecily’s second-in-command, strolled over from

  where he’d parked his hog.

  Bas got out and gently closed the car door that hung by one strained hinge. Sticking his hand out, he

  grasped Raul’s, giving it a hearty shake.

  “Just saying my goodbyes. You’ll look out for my girls, won’t you?”

  “You bet. I’ll blow the sand off Lenore for you once in a while, but you know Cecily don’t need anyone

  looking out for her. She scares the piss out of everyone she meets.”

  Bas chuckled. “That she does.”

  “That Brandon Hanson doesn’t know how lucky he is to get such a good man on his team.”

  “Aw shucks, Raul,” Bas said, grinning, “you sure know how to make a girl blush.”

  “Shut the fuck up and get your ass on the road.” Raul winked as he pushed past Bas, heading to his

  rocking chair on the bar porch.

  The stout man had gray strands throughout his ass-length braid and his chest-length goatee, but he’d

  aged well. Cecily had enforced an exercise regimen within the group, for all those who were young enough

  to fight in battle, should the need arise. It hadn’t yet, but the time was coming.

  As he shuffled over to where Cecily waited, leaning against Bas’ newer, black SUV, he filled his lungs

  with the familiar scents of fall in Northern California. Letting the air out in a long, deep sigh, he stepped into her space and pulled her into a tight hug.

  “I’m going to miss you, you know. You’ve been my guiding light for a while now. I hope I don’t lose my

  way.” Bas buried his face in her silky hair, breathing in the patchouli scent of her shampoo.

  “You’re going to do fine, Bas,” she whispered, her lips grazing his ear, before pushing him away.

  “I guess it’s time then.”

  With one last searing kiss from Cecily, and a quick man-hug from Raul, Bas got in his SUV and slowly

  backed out onto the road. He rolled down the window and waved at the small crowd of people he’d come to

  know and love as a family. Memorizing the faces smiling back at him, he reluctantly let up on the brake and

  rolled away from the best home he’d ever known.

  The End

  (For now…)

  If you enjoyed this story, keep reading for an excerpt of book one in this series, Broken,

  and join my newsletter for new release notifications.

  Want to find out what happens next with Bas and the rest of humanity now that the Szu’Kara are

  here to rebuild Earth?

  Broken

  The Discordant Earth Series Book One

  The gunmetal walls of the hallway tilted as they crept closer and closer. Struggling to grasp the

  news that should’ve made her happy, but in fact, scared the crap out of her, Alyssa Rose glanced

  back at the door to the prenatal clinic, her face ashen, wondering again if they could’ve been

  wrong.

  “A baby? Really?” She slapped a hand against the wall to steady herself. “This can’t be

  happening. How is it even possible? He’s a damn alien.” Pulling in a ragged breath, she let out a

  little scoffing laugh. “Obviously, it’s possible… the test proved it.”

  Alyssa took two unsteady steps, bouncing off the metal wall of the med pod, a converted

  shuttle pod. With a hand to her forehead, she squeezed her eyes shut at a sudden realization. “Oh

  hell.. what’s Kayn going to say?”

  Glancing around to see if anyone overheard her, Alyssa leaned against the wall, sighing, her

  cheeks flushing as she thought how embarrassing it would be to have witnesses to her brief melt-

  down. With a shake of her head, she scurried down the bright hallway, pulling her knit sweater

  tight, the material bunched in her fists.

  Do half-alien, half-human babies exist?

  With trembling arms wrapped around her gurgling belly, Alyssa floated through the corridor

  on auto-pilot, passing the various medical offices of the med pod, the stifling air of the hallway

  threatening to choke her as she swallowed back bile.

  The thin slash of a pupil stared at her—scrutinized her—as Alyssa held up her wrist to study

  the cat’s-eye symbol scarred into her flesh. Given only to favored humans, the loyalty brand

  represented the Szu’Kara’s home planet, Valentis, but for her it symbolized dreams come true, a fulfilling career and a relationship she’d waited years for.

  Her fingers grazed the raised lines of the brand as Alyssa turned to go outside, the early

  morning sunlight warming her chilled skin. Long, wavy black hair hung down the sides of her face,

  blinding her to everything but that condemning eye as she stepped down onto the ramp, narrowly

  avoiding colliding with someone.

  Two pale hands grabbed her shoulders. “Aly, are you okay?”

  “Huh?” Alyssa looked up to find her best friend, Jess, staring at her. “Oh, um—yeah, I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine.” Jess peered at her with concerned, hazel eyes. “You’re white as a ghost.”

  Pushing Jess’ hands away, Alyssa forced a smile. “Really, Jess, I’m good.”

  “Okay, then.” Jess shrugged, always so trusting. “I need to get going. My shift starts soon. You

  want to get together later?”

  “Yes.” Alyssa blew out a breath of relief. “I really could use some girl time. I’ve been working

  way too many hours with Kayn and General Ass.”

  Jess grinned, snickering at their nickname for General Ras’Mar, second-in-command of the

  Szu’Kara.

  “You want to help me finish some decorations for the Arrival Day celebration?”

  “Sure,” Jess said, as she brushed her frosty blonde hair away from her face. “You want me to

  bring some wine?”

  “No! I mean.. I can’t drink. Kayn has me on-call until Arrival Day.”

  “Aly, you’re all pale again. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, sorry. Just tired from all the overtime,” Alyssa said, forcing a convincing smile. “I’ll call

  you later.”

  ***

  Alyssa attempted to collect herself as she entered the reception area outside the commander’s

  office. She cleared her throat, hoping her voice wouldn’t come out shaky. “Isa, is the commander

  in?”

  “He is with the general,” Isa said, in her smooth, cultured tone.

  She leaned her hip against Isa’s desk, bracing herself. The beautiful alien regarded her with

  curiosity, her hairless head almost level with Alyssa’s, despite being seated. As she reached for a

  pen, Isa’s iridescent, ivory skin glimmered with a barely perceptible lavender highlight.

  Like Alyssa’s loyalty brand, the large eyes of the Szu’Kara race were like a cat’s, but wit
hout the

  iris. They came in a range of stunning metal or gemstone colors, with the darker hues often

  concealing the thin pupil. Shimmery gold marbled the surface of Isa’s brilliant white eyes, which

  looked like precious jewels set in her elegant face.

  “Do you need assistance, Alyssa?”

  “Sorry, no.” Alyssa tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I need to speak with the commander

  alone. How long has the general been in there?”

  “Nearly two hours.”

  As personal assistant to the commander of the Szu’Kara race, Alyssa had worked with Isa on

  many projects. Although the Szu’Kara had been on Earth since she was two, working so closely

  with the commander required a deeper knowledge of the alien society she just didn’t have. Isa had

  been an invaluable coach, causing Alyssa to wonder, on more than one occasion, if her own

  position was more… superficial. Having acted as the official greeter when human delegates visited

  the Command Compound, she’d felt like set dressing more than once.

  With a deep sigh, Alyssa stood, smoothing her black pencil-skirt. Just as she reached for the

  palm-scanner, the door swooshed open to reveal General Ras glaring down at her. She put on her

  most polite smile and stepped back out of his way.

  “Hel o, General.”

  “Miss Rose.” His grating voice seemed to crawl up his throat with great effort.

  “Anything I can help you with today?” She folded her hands in front of her, knowing full well

  how he’d react.

  Ras continued to scowl at Alyssa with narrowed, silvery-gray eyes, which as usual, flashed

  with disapproval, and briefly, she pondered the length of that stick up his ass.

  “No,” he said, jutting his chin out, the light reflecting dul y off his grayish-blue skin,

  emphasizing the gaunt features of his long, triangular face. “I need nothing from you.”

  Alyssa pursed her lips, holding back a grin, and rolled her eyes at an amused Isa as the general

  stalked away. Stepping into the office, she chuckled at the churlish general.

  “What is so amusing?” Kayn’s baritone voice bounced off the cavernous office wal s.

  “Oh, uh, nothing, Commander.” In the office, respect was always required, regardless of any