“Dunno.”
She rested her chin in one hand and sighed.
Their transport had reached the L’eihr solar system hours ago, but for reasons she wasn’t privy to, the Elders had held off on shuttling them planet-side. Cara had a raging case of cabin fever—or starship fever, as it were—and if she had to listen to Troy’s chronic snoring one more night, she’d smother him in his sleep. He’d insisted on bunking with her while Aelyx was on board, because God forbid she got lucky for once, and he’d refused to leave her side ever since.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I hope you don’t think we’re sharing a dorm at the Aegis.” Or on the colony, or wherever they ended up.
She expected him to cop an attitude, but he dropped his gaze into his lap. An emotion she couldn’t place darkened his features. It looked a lot like guilt, which didn’t make sense. Troy was too self-absorbed to feel guilty.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “There’s something you’re not telling—”
She was interrupted by the buzzing of a thousand hornets inside her skull, her com-sphere’s irritating-but-effective way of alerting her to an incoming transmission. Cringing, she snatched the gadget into her fist and whispered her password against its cool metal shell.
Mom’s and Dad’s six-inch holograms flickered to life beside her nutrient packet while Troy hopped onto the table and slid across its slick surface to occupy the spot next to her.
“Merry Christmas!” Mom called, waving from her seat atop Dad’s lap. They had settled on the magnolia-festooned living room sofa, and Dad wore a jolly red sweater that clashed with his orange hair. It was a cornucopia of tackiness, but Cara had never beheld a more beautiful sight.
If she listened closely, she could just make out Bing Crosby’s buttery voice crooning “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which was kind of ironic, considering. She returned the greeting along with Troy, then held up her nutrition bar. “Did you finish dinner? I thought we could eat together.”
“Oh,” Mom said, “we got takeout from the Szechuan place down the street.” Her cherry lips curved in a smile, but she couldn’t hide the sadness in her voice. “Didn’t seem right, cooking a big meal for just the two of us.”
Cara wilted and tossed aside her packet. “I hate these protein bars anyway.”
“I can barely see you,” Mom said. “Why are you sitting in the dark?”
Troy pulled his laptop closer and adjusted the settings to brighten the screen. “They’re pretty frugal with energy here.”
“Good for them,” Dad piped up. “Now lean in so I can get a closer look.” Cara and Troy obeyed, pressing their cheeks together to let Dad scrutinize them. Dad nodded in approval until his gaze settled on Troy. “When’re you going to cut that hair, Rapunzel? I can’t believe your CO lets you wear the uniform when you look like that.”
Troy’s hand darted to the loose black curls—identical to Mom’s—that brushed the tops of his shoulders. His hair was almost long enough to wear in a low ponytail like the L’eihrs did. Wrinkling his brow, he argued, “When in Rome…”
“Get a trim,” Dad said, then turned his attention to Cara. A grin broke out across his face. “Pepper, I can’t get used to the sight of you in that L’eihr getup. You remind me of those little fan girls who wear costumes and dye their skin brown.”
“L’annabes,” Mom supplied with a soft snort.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Self-consciously, Cara smoothed down the front of her tunic. She couldn’t get used to wearing the uniform, either, or pulling her auburn waves into the same low braid every day. She missed her jeans and scoop-necked sweaters, not to mention her leather riding boots and double-barrel curling iron.
But saving Earth was worth the sacrifice. And so was Aelyx.
Clearly Dad’s thoughts traveled on the same wavelength. “You hear from Aelyx lately?”
“He called a couple days ago,” she said. “He’s staying with the ambassador in Manha—” She cut off as a miniature white ball of fur pattered into the hologram and hopped onto Mom’s lap. It looked like an overgrown hamster. Cara extended a finger. “What’s that?”
Mom cuddled the fluffball against her cheek and made smoochy noises at it. “Say hello to your new baby brother, Linus. He’s a German-Malty-Doodle-Poo.” Then she spoke directly to her furbaby. “Who’s Mommy’s little sweetums? You are! Yes, you are!”
What in the ever-loving hell was a German-Malty-Doodle-Poo?
“We adopted him from the shelter,” Dad explained, not sounding pleased. “I think your mother’s got Empty Nest Syndrome.”
Mom elbowed him in the ribs while Cara exchanged a puzzled glance with Troy.
“But I’m allergic to dogs, remember?” Cara said. “What happens when we come home to visit?”
Mom waved a dismissive hand. “That won’t be for ages.”
“Uh, actually…” Troy began, then stopped to clear his throat. “I’ll be home sooner than I expected. Colonel Rutter’s calling me back to Earth. I got orders yesterday.”
Cara almost sprained her neck whipping around to face him. “What?”
Troy took a defensive tone. “I only came to L’eihr because of the student exchange program, and now they’re saying it’s over. The other two humans won’t come because they’re scared. The Marines want me to report back to—”
“When?” Cara demanded.
He couldn’t meet her gaze. “Two weeks.”
Cara wiped her sweaty palms on her pants. No, this couldn’t be right. The Marines had agreed to station Troy here for two years, until the original exchange students—herself included—returned home. If he left now, she’d be alone. The only human on a planet full of mankind-loathing L’eihrs. She had exaggerated on the blog when she’d referred to her “friends.” Only one clone aboard the transport gave her the time of day, and that was Aelyx’s sister.
Troy was undeniably a horse’s ass, but he was her horse’s ass, and she loved him. There had to be a way to keep him with her. He could go AWOL. What were the Marines going to do, court-martial him from Earth?
“No,” she told him with a firm shake of her head. “You can’t go. The program isn’t over. I’m still here, and…” I need you.
“But that’s the thing,” Troy said. “You’re an official colonist now, not an exchange student. When the year’s over, you’re staying on L’eihr. Like, forever.”
“Pepper,” Mom said tentatively, “if you’re not happy there, you can come home with your brother.”
A light ding! chimed from Troy’s laptop as the incoming electronic data began delivering comments to Cara’s blog post.
Ashley said…
So jealous. Seriously, I wanna go. Take me to your leader!
Eric said…
Glad to hear you’re safe—FOR NOW—but you’re an idiot for leaving Earth over some guy, especially after he poisoned our mothereffing water!!!
Tori said…
E has a point. Come back, culo. I miss you.
Cara tapped the touchpad and closed her Web page before any more discouraging remarks popped up. She’d committed to this life, and she wasn’t turning back.
A shrill yip! forced her attention to Mom, who held Linus over one shoulder and patted his back, burping him like an infant. It was official—Cara had been replaced by a German-Malty-Doodle-Poo. In two weeks, she’d lose her brother, and once they landed on L’eihr, she wouldn’t have a friend in the world.
This was the worst Christmas ever.
“This is the best Christmas present ever!” A L’annabe danced from one foot to the other, nearly slipping on the icy sidewalk while Aelyx autographed her copy of Squee Teen.
“Not a problem.” After scrawling a quick signature, Aelyx returned the girl’s magazine.
She stared at his glossy eight-by-ten photograph and sighed dreamily while her friend thrust a copy of Fangasm at him and asked, “Did you and Cara really have a secret wedding? ’Cause that’s sooooo romantic!”
“Excuse me, miss.” A young national guardsman named Sharpe extended one palm toward the girl. “I need you to step back.”
She nodded and obediently retreated a pace, joining a dozen other girls, each dressed in mock L’eihr uniforms, their hair fastened into low ponytails. The only threat they posed was admiring Aelyx to death. But while he found his guard detail overzealous at times, he was grateful for their presence. His last visit to Earth had ended in an attempt on his life, and he wished to return to Cara with all his parts intact.
“No,” he told the girl, forcing a smile. “Humans and L’eihrs can’t legally wed.” He added with a wink, “Yet.”
“Oh, gods,” groaned Syrine, his former best friend. Emphasis on former. They’d barely exchanged ten words since she’d tried turning Cara against him on the transport. Syrine shoved him aside and jogged up the front steps leading to the penthouse apartment they shared with the L’eihr ambassador. Two armed guards followed her inside.
“You should probably wrap it up,” Private Sharpe whispered. “You’re exposed out here.”
A frigid gust of wind stung the back of Aelyx’s neck, sending a shiver across every inch of his flesh. He’d never felt winter’s bite until his travels to Earth, and gods willing, he never would again after this mission ended. A warm fireplace beckoned from upstairs, and Sharpe didn’t need to ask him twice.
“Just one more,” Aelyx said to the girls, eliciting a chorus of disappointed moans. He was poised to sign his name when a sudden movement in his periphery caught his eye.
Glancing to the side, Aelyx noticed a uniformed guardsman approaching quickly from an armored Hum-V parked at the curb, his boots loudly crunching over the salt and slush that carpeted the street. A pink scar stood in contrast against the man’s ivory forehead, his brown eyes fixed straight ahead at no one in particular. Aelyx scanned the soldier’s jacket but found no name tag.
Why didn’t he have a name tag?
When the soldier broke into a jog, Aelyx’s body tensed, his instincts on high alert. Before a question could form on his lips, the man drew his pistol and aimed it over Aelyx’s heart. In a voice colder than morning frost, the man rasped, “This is from the Patriots,” and pulled the trigger.
Adrenaline surging, Aelyx reacted, but not quickly enough. As he dodged right, a deafening crack pierced his eardrums and two hundred pounds of force knocked him to the frozen asphalt. A cocktail of screams, shuffling boots, and counterfire flooded his senses.
It took Aelyx a moment to realize that not only was he alive, but that Sharpe lay atop him. Aelyx freed himself and propped on one elbow in time to see the rogue gunman tear down the street and vanish between two townhomes. Several guardsmen followed in pursuit while the rest of their unit scrambled to secure the area.
Sharpe rolled onto his back with a deep groan and asked, “You all right?”
Aelyx patted his chest and moved his arms and legs in a brief inventory. “Yes.” A glance at Sharpe revealed a wet patch of blood slowly spreading across the outside of his shoulder. “But you’re not.”
Sharpe followed Aelyx’s gaze to the wound before he gave a frustrated grunt and rested his head on the ground. “Just a scratch. But it’s gonna sting when the rush wears off.”
Up close, Aelyx realized for the first time how young the man was, likely no more than twenty. They might even be the same age, which surprised him. Sharpe’s bravery and quick reflexes rivaled that of a seasoned warrior. “You took a bullet intended for me.”
Sharpe shrugged his good shoulder. “Part of my job.”
Aelyx couldn’t help smiling at the boy’s stoicism. They could use more like him on L’eihr. “Well, thanks for doing it so thoroughly, Private Sharpe.”
Sharpe chuckled, then grimaced in pain and extended his opposite hand. “Call me David.”
Chapter Two
Cara fastened her five-point harness, wincing when the seat-belt strap brushed the sensitive inoculation scar on the inside of her wrist. Judging by the quarter-size lump beneath her skin, she wouldn’t catch a single sniffle on L’eihr, which suited her just fine. The last thing she needed was an alien stomach flu. L’eihrs were smarter, faster, and stronger than humans, so their viruses could probably melt steel. After buckling her clasp, she nestled back against her seat beside Troy, who hadn’t said a word since they’d boarded the shuttle five minutes ago.
When Elle padded through the doorway and settled in the row of seats facing them, Troy’s posture stiffened and he tucked his black curls behind both ears—not much of a reaction, but enough to make Cara suspect he was crushing on Aelyx’s sister. This didn’t come as any great shock. With her mile-long lashes and delicate features, Elle was a natural beauty. Plus, she had a nurturing spirit, which probably accounted for her position as medic aboard the ship. But Troy’s timing was terrible. Elle’s l’ihan had been murdered in China a few weeks ago, and she mourned him in her own quiet way.
Troy drummed his fingertips against his thigh. “Can’t wait to feel the ground beneath my feet again,” he said, mostly talking to Elle. He released a shaky laugh and bounced one booted heel against the floor. Poor guy, he had it bad—totally alien-whipped.
“Mmm,” was her only reply. She secured her seat belt and turned her silvery gaze to Cara. As soon as their eyes met, Cara felt the girl’s voice inside her head asking, Can you really hear me?
Cara froze in panic. No one was supposed to know she could communicate this way.
Aelyx told me, Elle went on. But I didn’t believe it.
“Yeah,” Cara said, sending an unspoken message in the tone of her voice. “I’m ready to get off this ship, too. Space travel makes me nauseated.”
“I hope you don’t mind,” Elle told Cara, “but I asked the Elders to assign us to the same room.” Then she added privately, Aelyx told me to watch over you until he returns.
“That depends.” Cara winked. “Do you snore?”
“Sometimes,” Elle confessed, not understanding the joke. “But Eron used to say it was endearing.” She bit her lip and studied her folded hands, her expression heavy with grief.
Everyone fell silent after that, electing to stare out the side windows into the blackness.
Moments later, two final passengers joined them and the door hissed shut. Cara flicked a quick glance at the clones, then did a double take.
“Hello, Cah-ra.”
The young leader, Jaxen, took the seat directly across from her, extending his long legs until the tips of his boots touched hers. He peered at her intently and smiled while his sister, Aisly, lowered beside him and greeted Cara with a nod.
Cara pulled back her feet and offered a hasty grin. His presence caught her off guard. Jaxen and Aisly were members of The Way, L’eihr’s governing body, so why hadn’t they shuttled down with the Elders?
Jaxen continued to study her while fastening his straps. “Aisly and I volunteered to escort you to the capital.” It was like he’d read her mind, though Cara was pretty sure L’eihrs couldn’t do that.
Aisly tipped her head and scanned Cara’s face—not in a disdainful way, more like how a visitor at the zoo would observe an exotic animal behind the glass. Cara figured she should get used to the scrutiny. Individual races had ceased to exist on this planet, and with her pale complexion, blue eyes, and copper hair, she would stand out like a joke at a funeral.
“On Earth,” Aisly said, “a year equals one planetary rotation around your sun, correct?”
Cara nodded, feeling the rumbling engines vibrate the bottom of her seat. The shuttle separated from the boarding corridor with a slight lurch, and a thrill of exhilaration shot through her. They were finally leaving the transport.
“Then that would mean I’m seventeen years old, like you,” Aisly told her, then nodded at her brother. “And Jaxen’s twenty-one.”
“Twenty-one?” Cara wrinkled her forehead in confusion, trying to remember what Aelyx had told her about the old L’eihr breeding program. Geneticists had pl
ayed God for too long and bred the life out of themselves, so they backtracked, cloning citizens from the archives. But that policy had gone into effect twenty years ago, and it took nine months to grow a baby inside the artificial wombs. “I thought the oldest clones were nineteen.”
Jaxen’s smile never faltered, but his words turned frosty. “I suppose Aelyx told you that.” He didn’t give her a chance to reply. “Our population is small, Miss Sweeney, but I can guarantee that your l’ihan hasn’t met every clone on the planet.”
Whoa. Clearly she’d touched a nerve. She tried to make light of the misunderstanding. “I’m sure it’s an innocent mistake. Despite what Aelyx thinks, he doesn’t know everything.”
Nobody laughed. Tough crowd, these L’eihrs.
Jaxen and Aisly locked eyes in a private conversation, so Cara quietly cleared her throat and faced the window to her right.
The shuttle came about and gained speed, and within minutes, empty space gave way to distant pinpricks of light. The air was colder near the window, but Cara leaned in and searched for the swirling blue nebula Aelyx had described to her a couple of weeks ago. Every time you see it, I want you to think of me, he’d said. I’m going to mend that alliance in record time, and soon we’ll stand together and watch the L’eihr sky from our colony.
She couldn’t find the nebula, but she noticed twin moons and then the muted blue planet that would become her new home.
A wide expanse of ocean wrapped around the globe, interrupted by a single tan continent and a sprinkling of tiny islands. Thick clouds obscured her view as the shuttle jettisoned into the atmosphere. Once their craft broke through the haze, rows of beige-capped mountain peaks greeted her, jutting proudly against a sky the exact shade of slate. At their base, a placid sea stretched to the horizon and kissed the rising sun.
Cara faced the opposite window to take in forests of majestic redwood-size trees, their silver leaves sparkling like quartz in response to the morning rays. Her eyes widened to absorb it all. She tried to find some hideous flaw in the landscape to prove that Aelyx had exaggerated the magnificence of his world, but every atom in her body sang with its beauty.
Until Midnight (Alienated) Page 8
