Starseed

by Jude Willhoff

  “It seems like I’m sleeping through this adventure and I want to be fully awake to remember everything. My goodness, I’m traveling in a starship.”

  “I know you’re getting tired of hearing it, but it’ll take a little more time for you to build up your tolerance to space travel. Until you do, sleep is the best thing for you.” He handed her a cup of a dark brew and she wrangled her feelings and desires under control. “I’m sorry this isn’t as good as at Dotty’s Diner, but it’s the only thing I have on board.”

  She took the cup and sipped it, grateful he had been so considerate. “It’s fine. Is this ship better than the one we crashed?”

  He laughed. “Oh, yeah. This one is top of the line. And don’t worry, it won’t crash. It’s the latest, best starship in the royal fleet.”

  “I never want to go through that again.” She shuddered. “But it was worth it,” she said. “I was able to help you with your mission.” She returned his smile. Watching the grin spread across his face was like savoring the taste of Dotty’s apple pie. And to be able to talk to Kole about these things was just the best, but after all she was his Starseed. She grinned at the memory of what the Ancient One had told them. The task had been hard, but doing it together had been worth any risk she had taken for the future of her planet. “Will we be home soon?” She sighed and thought about her dad. “I need to see my dad.” Her heart clinched at the thought of putting him through any kind of pain caused by her. “I’ve been gone so long he’s probably worried sick about me.” She sighed.

  “It won’t be much longer, but your father shouldn’t be too upset. In Earth time you’ve only been gone overnight. So they haven’t had time to realize you weren’t at home.”

  “How can that be? I feel like we’ve been gone for days.”

  “Time and space travel is different from being in one place on Earth.” He sat on the side of the bed with her. “With energy and the vacuum of space we can manipulate the electromagnetic field to warp space and time to produce worm holes and travel very quickly.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Of course, it’s more complicated than that, but you can trust me on this, nobody had time to miss you.”

  “That’s a relief, but will we be home soon?” The idea of this kind of travel was incredible. What they had accomplished filled her with awe and anxiety. The things they had experienced in such a short time were amazing and overwhelming at times.

  “Yes, shortly, and after we’re rested we have to take care of the problem at the High Mountain Array.” He was fully aware of what was in store for them. “Together with the other descendants of the special beings we will accomplish much on your planet and others.”

  She sighed, not quite knowing what to expect from Kole. She wasn’t sure how she felt about what was waiting for them on Earth or the other things the Ancient One had said.

  “You do understand this is just the beginning,” he said.

  “Yes, your father explained it’s the beginning of a great adventure to find the others.” Worry glittered in her eyes as she handed him her empty cup. “I’m not sure how we will go about all those things, but I’m with you.”

  He took her hand in his. “Elle, I am in contact with my father and thus the Ancient One. If anything changes he will let us know immediately in the blink of a falling star.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I have to tell you about one of the others we’re seeking. She’s a very special one. She’s your sister of another mother and we will find her together.”

  “I have a sister?” How can this be? Are you sure?

  “Yes, positive. She is near and it is her time to be found.”

  “I’ve always wanted a sister. I can’t wait to find her. When can we go to her?”

  “Slow down, all in good time. Everything has its season. When it is time we will be there. But right now we have a long way to travel before we reach our destiny.”

  “You are my destiny.” She looked deep into his eyes. “I knew it the first moment I saw you.” She pulled him down to her and kissed him fully on the lips. “When you stepped out of your Jeep that first night with your beautiful long hair shining in the moonlight and that swagger in your hips, I knew you were the one. I’ve tried to deny my feelings, but that wasn’t possible.”

  She smiled. “By the way, you have a magnificent tush.”

  He laughed as her nearness made his senses spin. His lips tingled with desire when she kissed him. “You are my destiny as well. All those years, I’ve watched you grow up from afar and came to you in your dreams. Even then, I knew that on one fine day we would be together.”

  He had always wanted this woman with his entire being. He needed her with him in all ways. Snuggling close, he’d never let her go. Earthling, Starseed, his woman, she was the one for him for all eternity.

  “I’m sorry for the cold way I had to treat you when we first met. I had strict orders not to get physically involved with you until you’d spoken to the Ancient One.” He laughed. “I almost lost control that night on Planet Zenon. You’re hard to resist.” The sexual magnetism between them was nearly shooting off sparks. He had pushed her away for the last time, telling himself he couldn’t have her, that the mission came first.

  This was right. They were destined to be as one. It was time to finish what they had started. This time they had the Ancient One’s blessing. He had made sure of it. Ari was in the command center and everything was on course. He leaned in and kissed her and felt excitement run wild throughout his system. The thought of her soft skin against his naked body caused a sense of urgency in him.

  Her fingers wrapped in his hair and pulled him closer.

  Pushing away from her for an instant, he saw the heart-rending tenderness of her gaze before he kissed her again.

  Seductively, she nibbled at his lower lip. The woman was an enigma. He had never known anyone who gave her heart so completely. And the fact they were destined to be together was the ultimate reward. It can’t get much better than this. At least that was what he thought until she pushed her hands under his shirt and started rubbing in circular motions across his back.

  The sensations he was experiencing being in her arms were ecstasy, nothing like he had ever experienced on his home planet. Why would his people have given up something so special? What happened between two people in love was fantastic—a gift for a lifetime.

  He had found an untold truth. Somewhere along the line his people had given up too much when they gave up sex. He pulled his thoughts back to the moment. The warmth of her soft skin was intoxicating. The degree to which he responded to her stunned and amazed him.

  She sensed his thrill of arousal as she ran her fingers up and down his back. He did things to her. His touch was a balm to her tired soul. She had been waiting for this man to come into her life. The golden boy of her dreams had turned into her Starman. His touch was divine. They were only kissing and still fully clothed. It was time to do something about that.

  “Kole,” she whispered in his ear and licked his ear lobe. “Take your clothes off and get in bed with me.”

  His eyes blazed with desire as she slipped out of her silk nightgown and beckoned him to come to her. She loved seducing him.

  He slid into the bed beside her and looked at her as if he were memorizing every individual feature. His gaze was riveted on her face then moved over her body slowly, dropping from her eyes to her shoulders to her breasts.

  Her heart pounded as he ran his hands over her body. She couldn’t get enough of this man. He was the man of her dreams. His lips traced down her neck across her collar bone to the tip of her breast. At the base of her throat a pulse beat and swelled as though her heart had risen from its usual place. His thigh brushed against hers as she felt the electricity of his lips against her breast.

  “Elle, you are beautiful,” he whispered against her moist skin.

  She tingled as he said her name and a delightful shiver of wanting ran through her. For someone without any experience, the man had a way with his
mouth. She couldn’t take much more of this as his heart thudded against hers in the same rhythm. His nearness kindled feelings of fire in her loins. She wanted him deep inside her. He continued to kiss and lick his way over her breast and down her stomach.

  “I want to kiss every part of your body,” he said and continued to prove it. His lips seared her skin as he found the center of her being, sending shivers of delight through her. She felt blood coursing through her veins like an awakened volcano as she shattered into a million pieces.

  He licked her body and kissed his way across her stomach and lavished her breast on his way to her mouth and continued to drive her over the edge. “You are sensational,” he whispered into her ear.

  She kissed him deeply. Lost in desire, she felt drugged by his manly scent. Being in his arms was her purpose in life. She had been blessed by the Ancient One to bring this man into her life. She moved sensuously across his chest, lingering, laying kisses like stepping stones to heaven down his side and across his taut stomach. As she kissed and licked the tip of his arousal he nearly blew apart at the seams.

  This woman, his woman, his Starseed sent him to Nirvana. He caressed her back as she kissed him and slowly eased down on his arousal. Moving slowly, gyrating with each smooth stroke she drove him further out of his mind until together they exploded over the edge of reason into nothingness. Holding her body against his, he kissed the side of her face.

  “Elle, you are special. I’ve never experienced anything like that.” He sheepishly grinned at her. “Can we do it again?”

  She laughed and gazed into his eyes, brushing her fingertips down the side of his face.

  “That depends on you, Kole,” she said and snuggled against his warm body. She sighed and pulled him close. She purred with pleasure. “Oh, yeah, if you’re up to it, we can do it as many times as you want.”

  The sex had been incredible. Just thinking of what they had shared turned her on. She sighed, wondering if he could be ready this soon. She’d never get enough of her Starman, her favorite Martian.

  * * *

  The next day back on Earth, Elle sat in a booth at the diner watching the lunch crowd, waiting for Kole and Sara to arrive. So much had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours, yet sitting here it seemed like a dream. Her mind tumbled with all that had transpired everything she had seen and heard. Would Sara be able to tell that her life had changed? That she had awakened to new beginnings.

  They had left the starship parked in a large field outside of town with an invisibility shield cloaking it and Ari guarding to stop anybody that might come near it by accident. How unreal was that? She sighed and thought of Kole. Making love with him had been wonderful. He was so giving. She felt as if she had been loved well. She grinned and reveled in her complete contentment at just the idea of being with him.

  It was good to be home and sleeping in her own bed last night even though she had missed Kole terribly. He had stayed with Ari and the starship. A familiar feeling came over her.

  Not now. I don’t want to have a vision. Not now. She gripped the edge of the table. In her mind’s eye she saw a huge yellow bulldozer coming toward her. She struggled to get out of the way, but something pinned her down. It was going to run her down. The bulldozer dropped its sharp metal blade over her. She was going to die as she felt the crushing weight of the air from the enormous blade coming down on top of her. She gasped for breath and clutched her throat to get more air. Danger. Personal danger. Elle came to her senses and took a sip of water.

  Dotty approached the booth with a look of concern shimmering in her eyes.

  Elle didn’t want to talk about it. She had never had a vision of death about herself. A chill ran up her spine. This freaks me out. My visions have always been about other people.

  “Honey, are you okay?” Dotty refilled her water glass and reached over and touched her forehead. No fever, but you look pale. Can I get you anything?”

  “No, I’m just a little bit tired.” In a daze, she listened to Dotty prattle on about the townspeople going crazy over a big rockslide out at the Array.

  “What did they say caused it?” Elle asked and tried to pull her thoughts together about the vision she had just experienced. She knew what had happened to the mountain, after all she and Kole were in the middle of it, but she couldn’t tell Dotty that.

  Dotty poured her a cup of hot coffee. “Well, some people say it was the aliens. And Bill said there was some kind of lightning strike that hit a huge boulder and somehow caused the whole thing to collapse. I guess half the mountain slid down. He was amazed that much of the mountain caved in. He said when it happened it sounded like a giant freight train coming through the Array.”

  “Did anybody get hurt?” She hoped she and Kole hadn’t inadvertently caused harm to anyone.

  Please don’t let anyone be injured because of what we did. Elle sipped her coffee and listened to Dotty wondering if the crooks got caught in the rockslide.

  “No, luckily, nobody ever goes to that part of the Array. You know some of that government land is off limits to everybody.” She popped her gum. “Bill is going to take me out there to show me where it happened. When that mountain came tumbling down it must’ve been something to see.”

  “Yeah, I can only imagine.” Elle shivered, remembering being inside it as tons of rocks had fallen around her and Kole. They had been choking on the dust and debris. She remembered how Kole had rescued her. Once more, he had saved her life. She sighed deeply, so happy he had come for her. That he was the man of her dreams and an incredible lover was an added bonus. She couldn’t keep from smiling.

  “Dotty, can you bring me a refill?” a man shouted from across the room.

  “Hold your horses, Joe, it’s not as if you haven’t had any coffee today. I’ll be there in a minute.” She turned back to Elle and laughed. “It’s his third cup. Some folks just can’t get enough of my coffee. But back to what we were talking about. You can mark my words. I think there’s something funny going on out at the Array.” She turned and went to warm up Joe’s coffee.

  Yeah, Dotty, you might say that. Elle sipped her coffee and waited for Kole and Sara. Everything that had happened to her seemed like a dream as she sat there with her thoughts focused on Kole. She had been on other planets, heard a voice from an Ancient One, made love with Kole and was truly Kole’s soul mate in every sense of the word. Life couldn’t be much better. So much had happened in such a short time. She sipped her coffee trying to digest everything.

  Being that far away had made her appreciate her home and friends, but as Kole had said, nobody had enough time to miss her. And that in itself was amazing. Even though it seemed that she had been gone for days she hadn’t been gone that long, only overnight. The big news at the diner was the rockslide at the Array last night. That’s what the customers were buzzing about today. At least they weren’t talking about her.

  She, Kole and the crooks were the only ones who knew what really happened out there and she wasn’t about to tell anyone except her dad. Once again, the crooks crossed her mind. Were they still alive? Yes, she felt it in her heart. They didn’t get hurt. Somehow they survived. She sighed. If only she could figure out who they were.

  She and Kole would go to her dad’s office after lunch and tell him about the crooks. She sighed again. How would her father take to this new information about the High Mountain Array? How on Earth would she tell him that Kole is an alien?

  “There you are. I was so glad you called this morning. I was worried about you.” Sara slid into the booth across from her. “You sounded so strange on the phone last night, as if you were a million miles away.” She sighed.

  “Can you tell me what happened to the mountain? I know there’s more to it than what you’re saying. I have this feeling something traumatic happened to you.”

  It was so good to see Sara. Being on other worlds makes me appreciate what I have here on Earth. “Well, it has been an adventure.”

  “Hi Sara, want s
ome coffee while you decide what you girls want to eat?” Dotty appeared out of nowhere carrying a steaming pot in one hand and an order pad in the other. She always kept a good eye on her favorite customers.

  “Sure, thanks, Dotty.” Sara glanced back at Elle. “There’s something different about you. What have you done to yourself?” Not content to just sit there, she gave Elle the onceover. “I can’t put my finger on it, but you’ve done something.” She frowned trying to figure out what was different about Elle, while she listened to Dotty.

  “You girls need to be careful around town and out at the Array. There’s odd stuff going on.” She refreshed their cup once more. “Some folks have said they saw strange lights in the sky last night. As far as I’m concerned, I think the aliens are back.” She went off to wait on someone else.

  Sara turned back to Elle. “Dotty is right. Strange things are happening. What really caused that rockslide? Did you and Kole have something to do with it? When I didn’t hear from you, I was so scared that something terrible happened to you.”

  “Kole kept me safe the whole time. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.” She glanced around the diner making sure nobody could hear what she had to share with Sara. She barely whispered as she explained what happened.

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” Sara’s eyes grew round in amazement and her brow wrinkled with confusion. “You mean there are men out there masquerading as aliens and stealing gold.” She shook her head. “That explains a lot of things. And you were right. You always said they weren’t real aliens.”

  “Yes, they’re the ones who took us. I’m sure of it. They were wearing the same alien masks. Kole and I found this area made up to look like some kind of alien spacecraft and there were all kinds of stage makeup lying around.” “They did it to make us believe what we were seeing was the real thing.”

  She glanced around to make sure nobody was listening. “It was the same place where they strapped us to the metal tables. And there was this helicopter made to look like a triangular spaceship with flashing lights hooked to it.” Ella sighed and decided then and there she would tell Sara everything as soon as she had a chance to discuss it with Kole. “It’s what they use to scare everybody with. All along, they were fake.” She sipped her coffee.