Soul-Bonded
to the
Alien
by
Serena Simpson
(Alien Mates, #1)
Acknowledgements
I want to thank my daughter for the patience she displays at such a young age. She continues to have faith in me! Her faith touches my heart every day. I want to thank my editor Keriann Mckenna who continues to answer my questions with both love and grace. I want to thank my readers. You all hold a special place in my heart I love to not only read your review but receive your e-mails on your comments on face book.
Copyright
Soul-Bonded to the Alien, Alien mates book 1 Copyright © October, 2015, Serena Simpson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
Cover Art by Talina Perkins
Edited by Keriann McKenna
Anayia
Published by Serena Simpson
Reviews and where to find me
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Look for me I’m happy to connect with all
Chapter One
What Paige needed was plenty of snow. She tugged on her overstuffed coat and fidgeted in her seat wishing the Greyhound bus would go faster. The warm sunshine of a few days ago had given way to a sky laden with dark clouds foretelling bad weather ahead. The further she got away from sunny California, the better she felt; soon she hoped she’d be able to breathe and stop looking over her shoulder.
She grimaced. There was no way she was going to stop looking over her shoulder. Monsters existed and she had proof. Even now she didn’t know what possessed her to walk down that alleyway, her normal sense of self-preservation usually didn’t let her do anything that stupid.
It had been such a beautiful November night, crisp and clear. All she wanted was to get home, snuggle up in her bed, and escape the fact that the next day was Thanksgiving. When you had no one to share the holidays, they just weren’t as joyful. Sadness sat on her like a cloak as she thought of the family she never got to know before they were taken away from her.
A noise brought her back from the edge of loneliness. It was more like a squeal of pain that was quickly cut off, that’s when her self-preservation kicked in and she quickly hid behind several big dumpsters. There’s nothing like the smell of trash at the end of a long day. Her stomach immediately revolted causing her to gag. What are they throwing away in this alley? Dead things was the immediate cynical thought that went through her head.
Not hearing any more sounds after finally getting her stomach to calm down, she took measured steps from behind the dumpsters. Peeking her head out she saw the alley was filled with men. Big men, the kind that made her hot in a club but filled her with dread in a dark alley. She was filled with horror as a poor man stood in the middle of them begging for his life.
“Where is she?” one of the males asked in a loud voice causing her to shake.
Without conscious thought she reached for her cell phone. It was natural for her to take a picture of what was unfolding, just part of her everyday routine. Take a picture, upload it, and share it with the world.
“Go to hell,” the man between them shot back. “I’ll never tell you where she is, but don’t worry, after tomorrow morning there’ll be no need to look for her. We’ll get rid of your kind one at a time.”
The man spat at one of the men, hitting him in the face. She flinched when she saw the huge man raise a hand to wipe the spittle away. Here it comes, they are going to beat that man to a pulp.
“I will ask you one more time. If you value your life, you will tell me where she is.”
“You’re going to kill me anyway so why would I tell you. Besides I like the thought of her screaming for mercy as they take her apart inch by inch. Don’t worry though, no one will touch her any other way,” he gave a crude suggestive laugh. “Who knows what diseases you filthy creatures carry?”
The man must have a death wish. He taunted them more as they asked again for the location of this women. Whoever she was, she must be important to them. Paige’s body coiled hearing what the man and his friends planned to do to some poor women, it made her stomach revolt.
“We’re out of time,” one of the men in the background spoke up. “Do it.”
“No!” the man screamed.
“You gave us no choice.”
A different man reached out and lifted the suddenly frightened man with one hand. The muscles that tightened in his arms had her full attention. Quickly turning on her phone, she needed a picture of that for, well, personal reasons. She snapped the picture taking several when the male changed. She stopped to review the scene replaying it in her head. Yep, the male had changed. One moment he was super-hot and the next he was a huge alien whose eyes were emitting a beam. Captured by the bright light, the man he was holding spoke woodenly as he spilled an address.
The monster dropped him and Paige stood frozen with her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming out, her knees knocking. Stay still, was the rant going through her head. They would kill her if they knew she was there.
“I hate doing that.”
The super hottie was back now as if he never became a monster.
“It was either him or her,” the original man spoke. “He can make a full recovery, but he will come after us again.”
The man in question was curled on the ground in a fetal position with his hands wrapped around his head.
He said something much too low for her to hear.
“They already have her,” super hottie replied to the man. “She is safe. You should worry about yourself.”
The man reached down and pulled a gun out of his boot. “Someone will die tonight.”
He hollered as he took aim at super hottie aka the monster that had him writhing in pain. Immediately she raised her phone only to catch super hottie once again turn into a monster and rip his throat out.
Cold fingers walked her spine settling at the base of her skull. It tickled memories long buried bringing up thoughts of coldness and fear twined with hot pokers of pain. The scream she was holding back came out loud and clear. Her uncoordinated legs propelled her back down the alley. They were going to kill her and it was her fault. All she needed to do was stay hidden, not take pictures, and definitely no screaming to alert the monsters to her presence. She could feel them behind her, tracking her, their hot breath breathing down her neck.
She ran and didn’t stop when she hit the street. Vaguely she thought of going to the police showing them her phone and swearing she didn’t do anything to change or enhance the pictures. It would take her way too long to convince them of that, so she kept running. She only stopped when she found herself standing in front of her apartment.
No one had followed her there. She tried to laugh at her imagination, but the feeling of being tracked remained. Going inside, she locked the windows and the door, took a shower and fell exhaustedly in bed. The next day she huddled in a chair and ate day old pasta while the rest of the world celebrated with family and friends.
No knock sounded on her door. No monster burst in through the window threatening her life or shooting beams out of its eyes forcing her to spill everything she knew. Telling herself she felt better the next day, she woke ignoring the rumbling in her stomach and the tension in her shoulders. She got up determined to take advantage of the sales. Grabbing her phone she hesitated next to the door. Opening it she went into her camera hoping the pics would make a fool of her and there would be no monsters or a dead man on the ground.
The pic of super hottie as a huge monster once again made her brain stutter as a new reality tried to trade places with her old one. This was Earth, there were no monsters here, but her pictures didn’t lie. Taking several deep breaths she walked out the door. They didn’t know her or where she lived, not that it mattered who would believe her anyway?
Counseling herself that everything would be ok, she headed towards a large outdoor establishment. She would get somethings for her place and maybe pick up a new outfit. She parked, and as she stepped from the car she caught a tall figure out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head she let out a sigh, it was her mind playing tricks on her.
Several more times she thought she caught a glimpse of someone, but they were always gone when she turned to look. She was thinking of calling it a day when super hottie strolled right by her, stopping to stare before he smiled at her, winked, and walked away.
It was someone bumping into her that brought her out of her shock. They knew who she was. Terrified, she dropped everything she bought. She wouldn’t need it anymore. She had to get away before they came for her. She hurried into a store called Winter Gear. This was the store for people going to visit family or friends in the colder regions of the world. Of course, they catered to skiers and snowboarders too.
A clerk approached her and she asked for the thickest coat they sold. She didn’t know where she was going, all she knew was it had to be cold with several feet of snow. What else would keep those monsters at bay? When the spring thaw finally came, hopefully they would have forgotten all about her.
She took long strides to her car hoping not to call attention to herself. Going home with all the traffic to beat the next person to the most amazing sale of a lifetime was stressful but she managed it without one accident. She was proud of herself when she pulled up in front of her apartment.
Packing was easy, she didn’t have much to begin with. She mailed her key back to her landlord with a check for the last month’s rent. She was sorry she hadn’t been able to clean the place out, everything in there now belonged to him. Quitting her job over the phone made her feel like a heel, but it was her job or her life. Her life won. She grabbed a ticket to a place called Newburg, Pennsylvania. The lovely travel brochure showing mounds of snow and hills with solitary outdoor spots picked her location for her. It promised mountains of snow for the solitary type, just what she was looking for. Who would look for her up there?
She twisted around in her seat again. She had been on Greyhounds for days. This was the last one, when she got off this bus she would be in Newburg. They were right about the snow; the bus was now crawling as the skies opened up to drop more snow on a road that was already covered.
“Were almost there folks, but the last ten miles are going to be treacherous. Don’t worry, I do this every year and have never had an accident,” the driver announced over the intercom.
Being one of those people who never actually saw or touched snow before, she was fascinated by the scene outside even as she huddled deeper into her coat wishing she had several blankets also.
As the crisp white flakes flew she saw her path being obliterated. The more they fell the better she felt not even a monster could track her in this type of weather. She would be safe, lonely, but in the end safe was what mattered.
She closed her eye for a few minutes as the horror that sat on her shoulders since the killing rolled away allowing her to breathe deeply for the first time in a week.
“Folks you have arrived safely in Newburg. If you are getting off please wait your turn in the aisle, I will have your bags outside for you. Those of you who are going on, we will depart in an hour. Now would be the time to stretch your legs and grab something to eat. There’s a small diner next to the station that will gladly provide you with a hot meal.
Paige waited until everyone who was interested in getting off disembarked. Taking her time, she grabbed her overhead bag and reluctantly stepped into the frigid weather. What had her life come to? No more swimsuits and solitary days at the beach. What did it matter where she spent her time alone? Hers where the last bags waiting to be claimed. She gathered them up along with her courage and wondered where she would be able to find a room. Soon she would need an apartment and a job. Right now though all she needed was a place to lay her head.
She walked up to the counter in the bus station to talk to the clerk on duty.
“Hi, I’m new in town and was wondering where you would recommend renting a room for a night or two.”
“Welcome to town.” The perky red head smiled at her. “I’m Jennifer and we have a beautiful bed and breakfast two blocks over. Selma owns it. Tell her I sent you, she’ll be tickled pink to have someone stay. Not many come here this time of year with all the snow.”
“Jennifer, I’m Paige and I will definitely tell her you recommended her.”
She took the directions from Jennifer before picking up her bags and walking out into the snow.
Chapter Two
Paige walked down the street, her suitcases rolling behind her. She was glad they weren’t cloth or everything in them would be soaked as she tugged them over the accumulating snow. The town was alive with people going places and children making snowballs as they followed parents down the street. Newburg was bigger than she hoped it would be, but it still had a cozy feeling. This was a long way from a large city.
She passed several shops as she made her way towards Selma’s establishment. Her stomach wanted to stop at the diner as the smell of home cooked food wafted out, but she kept walking. First order of business was a room, then when the bus left she would go back to the diner for dinner. The less people who realized she stayed in Newburg the better her chances of not being tracked down.
Knocking on the door of the bed and breakfast she hoped Selma was in.
“Come in.”
She walked in to see a beautiful young woman with black hair standing on a scaffold cleaning the light fixtures. Paige stopped in her tracks not wanting startle her.
“I wasn’t expecting visitors. Welcome to Selma’s bed and breakfast. How can I help you?”
Paige tried to open her mouth but she was held captive by the woman speaking. She had an aura about her that reached out and grabbed Paige making her feel like she was in a trance like state.
“I was hoping I could rent a room here for a couple of days until I found a permanent place to call home.” She mentally gave herself a shake.
“Perfect. We are always looking for women who want to find a home. Victor come catch me.”
“Darling, when did you start needing help?” a male voice rumbled out of a room close by.
“Since we received a visitor.”
Victor entered the room making Paige gulp. He was huge and handsome. The woman up on the scaffold was perfect for the man who entered. What had her heart beating faster was how he reminded her of the hottie in the alley. The one who starred in both her fantasies and her nightmares. There was no way he could be related to the men she fled from in California.
“Catch me.” The woman launched herself off the scaffold making Paige’s blood run cold as her heart speed up.
Victor laughed and caught her with an exaggerated umph. The woman laughed hitting his shoulder before giving him a quick kiss and sliding down to the floor.
“I’m Selma and this is my husband, Victor, we would love to have you stay with us for as long as necessary.”
“Thank you. I’m Paige and I only need a few days until I can f
ind someplace else. I just need an apartment and a job.”
“I am sure you will find one. You can sign in over here.” Selma walked over to the desk indicating several pieces of paper she had out.
The spell that kept Paige from moving was broken, giving her an opportunity to look around the foyer. It was large with ornate lights on the ceiling; on the right was the desk that Selma stood at and on the left was an open door that seemed to lead into a large living area. Right in front of her was a beautiful staircase reminding her of the ones she saw in movies. She could imagine a kiss for the ages being played out on that staircase.
Shoving the romantic inside of her down, she walked over to Selma. She read over the paper work before signing, then she did a little internal dance when she saw the price of the room. She would be able to stay a while if needed. Coming in the off season would give her some breathing room financially.
“Let me show you to your room. Victor will bring your bags.”
“Why am I always doing the grunt work?”
Selma’s laughter floated down the stairs as she ascended.
He stood there with a smile on his face not looking one bit like a disgruntled worker.
“Come on, Paige,” Selma called down.
Grabbing her over the shoulder bag and her purse Paige followed Selma up the stairs.
“You must love living here, it’s beautiful.” The pictures that lined the walls were actual paintings. They were so detailed and precise catching the different scenes with an intensity that reached out to grab her. “I love these painting, they look like they should be in a museum.”
“Victor will be glad to hear that. He’s the artist in the family.”
“He painted them?”
“Uh huh. He painted those in his spare time. When he’s not painting he’s catching images with his camera. When you have settled in you should have him show you around his studio.”
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