by Lisa Lace
A vicious thump sounded from the back of the intruder's head, and he instantly released his grip on Eden. The Blazian toppled backward and fell over the rail of the second floor, crashing onto the landing. Eden could hear a vicious snarl and the scurrying of multiple limbs from the pitch-black darkness of the first floor. The alien let out yelps of pain.
Thiago quickly glanced back at her over his shoulder before racing down the steps.
Massaging her throat, Eden wheezed as she swallowed gulps of refreshing air. She climbed down the steps cautiously, holding onto the wall for support. Her hands shook as she turned on the lights.
Even though the alien was taller than Thiago, he had lifted the assailant's feet inches off the floor, making him flail helplessly in the air. Eden gawked at the blood beginning to crust under the Blazian's noseless slits. His ill-fitting clothes clung to his frame in shreds, courtesy of Hercules. The exposed skin revealed blotches of discolored orange flesh. Thiago dragged the alien toward the door, grunting as he hurled the intruder out of the ship. The disoriented Blazian sprung to his feet, rocking from side to side as he bolted off, away from the madness.
Thiago massaged a kink in his neck. It gave off a satisfying crack as he flicked a switch on the door controls. A heavy metal door slid down from above to seal the gaping doorway. Leaning in to examine the switches, he made sure to key in a code twice, securing the lock. He turned around, shaking his head as he muttered.
"I don't believe I locked the door properly. I apologize."
Eden swung her arms around Thiago's neck and clung to him as she blubbered into his chest.
"Thank you," she sobbed, her eyes screwed shut. Inhaling the woodsy, soothing smell from his clothes, she cried into the fabric. "Thank you so, so much. I don't know what that thing would have done if you hadn't helped me."
"You're welcome," Thiago muttered hurriedly. Trying to avoid making a face at the snotty dampness on his shoulder, he attempted to wriggle away from her. "Wait, what's happening here?"
Hercules neighed in disapproval at Thiago, rolling all eight of its eyes. The animal clamped its opposable legs around itself to mime an embrace. Thiago stopped resisting and sighed. His free hand hung limply next to him as he stiffly patted down on her head with the other like he was burping a toddler.
"It will be okay," said Thiago. The feel of her thick hair was much softer than he'd imagined. "You'll live."
"That hurts," said Eden, ducking away from his mechanical patting. She blew away the strands of hair falling across her face. "Was that a Blazian? What's the use of having all these weapons if you're not going to use them?"
"To answer your first question, yes," Thiago replied, turning to scoop up the trash heaps Hercules was nudging toward him. "And there's no need for that. The weapons can cause extensive damage. I only use brute force to take down targets when it's necessary. He was just another junkie. They're typically harmless."
"Harmless, my ass," Eden grumbled, beginning to collecting fallen tin cups on the other side of the room. "I won't be inviting that snake-man to a party. Whoa. What's this?"
Eden picked up a tiny, clear vial wedged underneath the space of the kitchen countertop. She held it up to the light, mesmerized by a vibrant cobalt hue that appeared as she shook the grainy substance. As she started to open the vial, however, Thiago's hand appeared out of nowhere, slapping the bottle out of her palm.
"Hey!" said Eden indignantly. She scowled. "What in the world was that for?"
"Trust me. You don't want that stuff making contact with your skin, not even for a second," said Thiago. He checked the container. Eden trailed after him as he walked toward the bathroom.
"What is it?"
"Pure Xorxes crystals," said Thiago, dumping the vial into the toilet. He flushed it and raised his voice over the powerful vacuuming force of the bowl.
"You know what they say. Xorxes – not even once."
"I don't know what they say," said Eden, clapping a hand over her mouth to muffle her snorting. "Alien drugs?"
"Folks around here find it highly addictive. It's often used to fry mail-order bride brains into submission," said Thiago matter-of-factly as he closed the door behind him. "It must have fallen out of that junkie's pocket."
The amused grin vanished from Eden's face. She piped down immediately.
"That bastard was as high as the cosmos," Thiago explained. "We call them Fienders. They break into campsites and ships for drugs or any valuables they can pawn off. Unfortunately for this guy, I had neither of those things. The drug doesn't come cheap. A hit costs thousands of credits. It's ruined countless lives. My next target, Krypt, has a crew in charge of manufacturing most of the product around here."
"The gangster of your planet, I'm assuming," said Eden, clucking her tongue. "He sounds like a real asshole. I hope he gets what's coming to him."
"He will," Thiago promised, nodding his head. He glanced up at Eden, who was rinsing off cups and cutlery in the sink. She was yawning so much it looked like her mouth was stuck open. She whipped her stubbornly wild hair out of her face like she was evading a fly. The corners of his lips twitched. "You've had a rough night. You should go back to bed. I can get this cleaned up myself."
"Please sleep with me," Eden suddenly blurted. An instant flush of red covered her cheeks.
Thiago couldn't believe what he thought he had heard. "What's that, now?"
Eden switched off the faucet. She took a deep breath as she nervously dried her hands on her pants.
"Sorry, that probably sounded different than what I intended. Would you mind if you slept up there with me tonight? It's your room, after all. I'm frightened of being in a new place, and I don't want to sleep alone this evening. You can say no if you want to, naturally."
"Slow down. You're getting all worked up over nothing," stated Thiago, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know how my presence will help you sleep, but sure, whatever. If it's what you require for a good night's rest, I'll sacrifice."
"Thanks," she whispered, flashing him a grateful smile. Her eyes landed on Hercules. His massive, fuzzy frame was curled up and fast asleep in a messy nest made from Thiago's scattered clothes. "We should get some rest. I think all of us are exhausted. I'll help you with this mess first thing in the morning."
Thiago followed Eden to his bedroom. He opened his closet doors, yanking out a pillow and a lumpy spare mattress. Swatting away the clouds of dusty neglect, he unrolled an old foam pad on the floor and started removing lumps with his fists.
"That old thing can't be good for your back," noted Eden from atop the bed, peering down at him. She untucked her crossed legs and stretched them out under her. "That's going to make your body ache, and that won't help you tomorrow. I've slept on my share of shitty mattresses. You can sleep up here if you'd like. I won't make it weird."
"I suppose so," said Thiago, tossing the mattress back in the closet and joining her. The bed shifted under his weight as he reached over to turn off the glaring light above them. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Thanks again, Thiago," said Eden. The bed creaked as she turned from him and snuggled into her pillow.
"Good night."
"Good night."
Thiago turned to his side and away from her. The buzzed side of his hair sank into the coolness of his pillow. He closed his eyes. Just as he was beginning to lose himself in the darkness of slumber, he felt the smooth, cold touch of Eden's foot graze against his calf. Stirring, he lifted his head off his pillow and stared at the rhythmic snoring body behind him. The bundle of Eden lay perfectly still. One leg jutted out behind her like a snoozing flamingo.
He fell back on his pillow. When he hooked his toe between the spaces of her foot, his warmth absorbed her coldness. With the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips, Thiago's eyelids closed again. The mark on his forehead briefly glowed before he drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Eight
A few hours after Thiago woke up, Eden opened her eyes to t
he familiar sound of the spacecraft taking flight. She took a quick shower and slipped into her jumpsuit. The glittery red fabric automatically adjusted itself to the contours of her body. After she had dressed, she descended the stairs to the first floor of the ship. There was no evidence of the break-in last night. In fact, the craft never looked better. It appeared the Blazian's late-night intrusion had prompted a round of overdue spring cleaning.
"Good morning," Eden greeted Thiago as she entered the cockpit. She threw her hair forward and wrapped a towel around her loose hair, tucking the knot inside the towel turban.
"It's hardly morning. The sun's almost down already," Thiago informed her. He wrinkled his nose, wiping off his neck. Her hair had splashed him with a drizzle of water. "I was just about to wake you. I'm stopping by the Jova Tavern to pick up some dinner and a pint of Pasquin ale. Would you like me to get you anything?"
"Why don't I come with you?"
Thiago threw his head back in hearty laughter. The marking on his forehead glowed briefly, and he turned toward Eden. His smile disappeared when he saw the stone cold look on her face.
"You're serious. I'm sorry, that is a bad idea."
"And why not?" Eden demanded, narrowing her eyes in a challenge. "Are you telling me I'm going to be trapped here for the rest of my life? Do you plan to treat me as if I'm a monster chained up in the attic?"
"I think you're a bit dramatic," Thiago said calmly, his thick, flaxen brows raised.
"I don't know about that." Eden tapped her chin for emphasis. "One, I'm one of countless intergalactic human trafficking victims, which has been going on for God knows how long. Two, I was beamed hundreds of lightyears away from Earth and my family to an unknown planet. Three, my husband's an alien!"
Thiago coughed.
"I'm sorry, half-alien. I'm not dramatic at all. I think I'm rather calm."
"Half-Arkadian. The aliens here don't like it when people treat them as a single group. We consider it racist."
"Forgive me for being politically incorrect," Eden shot back sarcastically. Breathing heavily from the conclusion of her outburst, she realized she felt better after releasing her burdens. "You know what? I'm sorry. I keep biting your head off. You can't imagine the stress I'm under right now."
Eden jolted slightly in her seat as Thiago guided the ship to a bumpy landing. She squinted through the storm of dust settling beneath the windshield. Her heart sank as Thiago disappeared from the cockpit without saying a word.
"Hang on a second. Where are you going?" She must have really made him upset this time. It wasn't as if she was crabby for fun. But even if she was, who could blame her?
"Here – put these on."
She glanced up in surprise as Thiago reappeared in the doorway of the cockpit. He handed her a padded, floor-length cloak made from scales. It had a strong, distinctive smell. Motioning for her to remove her slippers, he gave her a cute pair of boots with platform soles. He clicked a minuscule button on the side, adding an extra three feet to their height. Eden's eyes bulged in disbelieving wonder as she stared at the shoes.
"Don't worry. They're self-balancing," said Thiago, as if reading Eden's mind. He quickly unbuckled the boots. "Hurry up, then. You wanted to come along, didn't you?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Eden. She unwrapped a white, featureless mask from the cloak and pulled it over her face as her slender figure vanished in the dark cape. "Thank you."
"Keep your hood on at all times and don't remove the mask for any reason. Not even once. It might get hot in there, but you need to cover yourself if you want to go out. The folks here don't take kindly to humans running around on the loose. Do we understand each other?"
"Of course. I'll remember."
"Good. Let's go."
"I never imagined a place like this existed in the universe."
Eden deeply exhaled as she stood in the entryway of the tavern, her round eyes shining. The massive front door slammed into her butt as it swung shut, knocking her forward and nearly off-balance. The interior of the building was much larger than it appeared from the outside. Foggy, bluish-green lighting illuminated various bustling food stalls on the sides. In between were clusters of bar tables and private booths throbbing with lively chatter and inebriated merriment.
Thiago was leading them toward an oval-shaped bar. As she tagged along behind him, she surveyed the patrons with curiosity. They were mainly drunken Blazians, with a sprinkling of other alien races she couldn't identify yet.
"Thirsty?" asked Thiago, handing her a fizzy purple drink in a glass shaped like a double-stranded DNA molecule. "It's pomado-honeyberry pop. There's not a big selection. It's the only non-alcoholic drink they have."
Eden took a hesitant sip. She grinned as she chugged back half the syrupy-sweet, tangy contents of the glass. "That was delicious."
"You like that garbage?" said Thiago incredulously, shaking his head. "Why am I surprised? Do you want to take a look at the menu? I can show you some more mainstream choices."
Eden wasn't listening to him. She focused on something directly over his shoulder. Thiago looked behind him at a group of elderly Blazians slowly trudging up the steps of the stage and taking positions familiar to them. The silver-haired aliens smiled toothless grins, waving at the whistling crowds. The snazzily dressed quintet unpacked oddly-shaped equipment, including sharp string instruments, rounded harmonicas, and an accordion with glowing keys.
The frontman tapped a cymbal on his hat to start them off while the rest of the band nodded along. On cue, a powerful wave of electric bluegrass swept the tavern, bringing the entire room to their feet. A group of voluptuous Blazians and alien women with sparkling piercings all over their bodies sauntered toward the dance floor with their partners. Eden lifted an eyebrow. Trashy dancing was recognizable everywhere in the universe. She watched curiously as curvy aliens ground their privates against each other.
"They're unbelievable!" Eden shouted over the music, cupping her hands over her mouth.
"The Khula Brothers have been around for over a century. They're something of an underground legend around here. Forget them. We don't have a lot of time."
Seeing the look of joy in her eyes, Thiago groaned under his breath.
"Stay here and finish the rest of the song. I'm going to pick out some food for us. I'll be right back. Don't move a muscle and don't do anything that comes naturally to you. Don't attract any attention whatsoever."
"Got it. I'm invisible," Eden muttered, pushing him away. "I'll have whatever you're having, thanks."
Thiago cut through the crowd and into an eatery on the opposite side of the tavern. Eden leaned back against the bar, lifting her mask to drain the rest of her drink. The rumbling burp from the shadows of her hood was thankfully drowned out by the energetic music. She raised her empty glass and swayed along to the beat. A group of drunken Blazian women elbowed their way to the front of the crowd and ripped open their tops to flash the band, earning a roar of raucous approval from the rest of the patrons.
Though Eden found herself wholeheartedly relishing the fun songs, she couldn't help but feel a faint tug on her heartstrings. She began to recall all the times her father would play his Ricky Skaggs bluegrass collection in their beat-up station wagon before the creditors repossessed it. Eden sat in the front and her younger sister Janine claimed the entire backseat. The Castle trio had memorized the words to every song and sang on the drive home from school. They weren't always in the correct key, but they made up for it with enthusiasm. That was, of course, before cancer rendered their father bedridden and helpless.
The bittersweet memory faded into another. Eden pictured the pale face of her younger sister. Janine had just acquired her driver's license. The second-hand Nissan she'd worked so hard to save for was now used to drive their father to and from his chemo appointments instead of the usual carefree activities of a 17-year-old.
Eden hoped the money from TerraMates would benefit her family during her unexplained absence.
E
den swallowed, blinking furiously in an attempt to snap herself out of her daze. As the song came to an end, the crowd exploded in wild applause, hoping for an encore. She had a big smile on her face and raised her glass again to whoop along with the audience. In her enthusiasm, she started pumping her fist in the air, accidentally colliding with the massive patron behind her.
She whirled around to apologize, only to have the blood drain from her face, making her natural pallor match the shade of her blank mask. A muscular Noxx official in army fatigues glowered at her, the slimy scales on his ghost-white face dripping with the colored liquor from his empty glass. Eden had made the alien spill his drink on himself.
The Noxx sized her up, breathing heavily through his flared nostrils like an angry bull seeing the movements of the matador's cape. The milky, bright feathers on his head open simultaneously with the webbed wings on his back. He was preparing for combat. The patrons around them dispersed with startling speed.
Eden set her glass down on the bar and raised her palms defensively, retreating slowly. Before the alien could move any closer to Eden, Thiago appeared by her side, wielding a bar stool. He broke it over the official's head. Taken by surprise, the Noxx reeled backward and fell onto the floor, surrounded by fragmented stool splinters. The tavern flared up in blind-punching, table-flipping chaos. The band played on, providing a suitable soundtrack to the hysteria. Thiago and Eden crept out of the establishment in the frenzy.
"I thought I said don't draw attention. I left her for five minutes. That was a Noxx official. She must be out of her damn mind." Thiago polished off his grilled kobaru and grains bowl, muttering to himself grumpily under his breath between mouthfuls.
"I'm right here, you know," Eden reminded him from the passenger's seat. She lowered her eyes, trying to apologize again. "It was an accident. I'm sorry. I understand if you don't want me to leave the ship ever again."
"I never said that," said Thiago with a sigh. "We'll just have to stay with each other from now on. I strongly recommend you never venture out of here unsupervised."
