by Lexi Ward
“We need to talk, Margaret,” he said to her coldly, not turning to address her.
The feeling in her stomach became more intense as she walked around to the front of the couch and sat down next to him. His eyes were fixed on the floor, but she could still see that they were filled with sadness. “What is it?” she asked nervously.
“What happened, between you and me last night, it shouldn’t have,” he said, sadness and remorse heavy on his voice.
Although she had an idea of what he would say, hearing the words vocalized still sent her world crashing down around her. “I don’t understand,” she said, trying to keep the tears from escaping.
He turned and looked at her slowly. “It’s not safe for you, Margaret.”
“But I told you, I’m not afraid of you. I trust you!”
“You shouldn’t.” He took her hand in his. “I don’t trust me.”
“But you said,” she tried to interject. “You said that I calmed you, right? That being with me helped to relax you?”
“You do, Margaret. Honestly, you do.”
“Then why…?” She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.
“Because,” he said letting out a long sigh. “Because, like I told you, it’s getting more intense—harder to control. Being with you helps for now, but in a month?” He reached out and brushed the tears from her face. “I can’t risk hurting you. If I ever did anything to you…” his voice cracked slightly. “I couldn’t live with myself if I ever did anything to hurt you.”
“You wouldn’t do that!” she exclaimed.
“I would like to think that, too,” he admitted. “But after what happened with Michael, I’m not so sure I can believe it. I don’t know who I am right now. I haven’t for a long time.”
The room fell silent as they sat, staring into each other’s eyes. Margaret couldn’t stop her heart from aching. “So, what now?” she said in a hushed tone.
“There’s only one option.” He looked away from her as he spoke. “I’m sorry, but you have to leave, Margaret. The arrangement between us needs to end.”
She wanted to argue with him; she wanted to change his mind, but she couldn’t find the words. His mind was made up, and there was nothing she could do about it. She stood without saying anything and began walking towards her room.
When she got to her room, she stood motionless for a minute. Where did she go now? What did she do? She looked around the room and an overwhelming sadness filled her. It wasn’t because she had to leave the high-end penthouse or the lifestyle she had let grow on her. It was because she had to leave him. “Do you need help?” she heard Joshua ask. She hadn’t noticed that he had followed her down the hall.
She turned slowly to look up at him, the tears flowing freely from her eyes. “I don’t have anywhere to go,” she sobbed.
“What?” he asked, a look of concern and hurt crossing his face.
“I came here, to the city, with nothing. I have no friends; I have no life, no money, nowhere to go!” As she spoke he reached his arms out and wrapped them around her, pulling her into his chest. She buried her face into him and cried softly. He ran his fingers through her hair, trying to calm her.
She pulled back slightly and wiped her palm along her cheeks, trying to dry her tears. “When I came here I wanted adventure. I wanted to find something new and exciting. And I did. I found it with you.” As she spoke she saw the pain in his eyes. “You’re the only person I can really trust,” she said quietly.
“Can I tell you something?” he asked her softly.
“Of course,” she replied.
“You’re the only person, besides Henry and my family, who knows about me. I’ve kept my secret hidden from everyone—my colleagues, my friends. I’ve never felt so completely comfortable with someone as to share that side of myself with them.”
“Then don’t make me leave,” she begged.
“I’m very sorry. I wish I could do something to fix all of this. I wish I could be someone else for you. But I can’t, Margaret. I can only be who, or what, I am.” He held her out at arm’s length. “I will arrange for you to stay in one of my apartments in the city.”
“No,” she replied firmly. “I can’t let you do that.”
“I insist,” he said pulling her close to him again. “Like I said. I just want to know that you’re going to be okay. Please let me do this for you.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“I know, mom! I’m really excited. The play is great! Everyone loves it!” Margaret exclaimed into her phone. “You and dad will be able to come see it, right?”
It had been three months since she left her position working for Joshua McGuire. At first, adjusting to life without him was harder than she thought it would be. From time to time she still found herself instinctively looking down at her watch when 11:00pm got close. And in the mornings, she still woke up at 6:45, even though her alarm wasn’t set to go off until 8:00.
The apartment he put her up in was nice. It wasn’t as extravagantly elegant as his penthouse, but it was still much more than she could have ever dreamed of getting for herself. It was in a great neighborhood, and right down the street from that acting agency that Joshua hired to represent her. She didn’t expect him to do that for her. He didn’t even tell her it was him who did it. When she got the call, she was completely in shock. She could never afford to hire an agent, especially one as top-of-the-line as the person she was speaking to! But when they told her they got her information from a reliable and notable source, who believed in her so much he was footing the bill for their services, she put the pieces together.
“Closing night is on Friday,” she continued speaking to her mother. With the help of the agent, she was finally able to land her first officially paid acting job. Rehearsals had been long and intense, but she loved every minute of it. She had even made a few friends who were also performing in the play.
“Great! I can’t wait to see you both!” she said as she dropped the last of her items into the cardboard box in the center of the now empty bedroom. The acting role she got had paid so well that she was able to get her own place. It was smaller than where she was currently living, but it was going to be hers.
“Love you, too. Bye.” When she hung up the phone she stepped back to take in the moment. She had a sense of accomplishment. Everything in her life was going perfectly. Still, one thing was missing—Joshua. He was constantly on her mind. She worried about him. She just wanted to know if he was okay. She had considered calling him a few times, but her better judgment prevented her from actually going through with it.
She pushed the thoughts of him from her mind and continued to move from room to room, making sure that all of her things were packed up. When she reached the kitchen, the chime of the doorbell stopped her. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Confused, she walked over to the door and pulled it open.
What she saw made her heart leap into her throat. “Joshua!” she exclaimed as she stepped back quickly, stunned.
“Margaret,” he said formally. “Can I come in?”
“Of course!” she said, stepping to the side and motioning for him to enter. “Is everything okay?” she asked. She didn’t expect to see him ever again. Maybe he was here because something was wrong?
“No,” he said when they reached the family room. He took her hands in his and pulled her down onto the couch next to him. “Nothing is okay.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, scared and worried.
“I was wrong to send you away, Margaret. I need you.”
“What?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her heart began to beat faster.
“I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since the day you left. I feel hopeless, almost lost without you! I tried to force myself back into my old routine, but it didn’t work. The house feels so empty without you. I feel empty without you.”
His words slowly consumed her, making her feel light-headed. She wasn’t sure if she was really hearing what s
he thought she was hearing. Could this be a dream? “What are you saying?” she asked, not wanting to let herself get too carried away without being sure she understood what he meant.
“I want you to come live with me, and not as my caretaker. I want to start a life with you. I want to spend every minute of every day with you.” He looked at her intensely. She could sense that he was speaking with sincerity. It was in his eyes—he felt what he was saying down deep. “I love you, Margaret.”
Her emotions overtook her, and she felt her eyes burning with tears. “I think you can call me Maggie now,” she smiled at him as she reached out to throw her arms around his neck and pull her to him.
He laughed, reaching up and placing his hand on her cheek. “I love you, Maggie,” he whispered.
“I love you too, Joshua,” she said as she leaned in to kiss him. In the instant their lips met, she knew she would never have to say goodbye to him ever again. She knew that there was nothing else she needed in the entire world. There, in his arms, she was safe; she was happy. And she would be for the rest of her life.
Abducted by the Alien Dragon
CHAPTER ONE
Amias took in his surroundings. He wasn’t sure he was convinced that this planet would provide what his people were looking for. “I don’t know,” he said to his companions. “Do you think its remote enough?”
“Remote enough?” Cosimo, Amias’ second in command, replied stepping forward. “We’re in the middle of a dessert,” he replied pointedly.
“But there’s a city just 25 miles away,” Amias pointed out. “What if one of the humans finds us?”
“Twenty-five miles is enough space to keep us safely hidden,” Cosimo countered. “Besides, do we really have any other choice?”
Amias knew that Cosimo was right. Earth was the only planet they had found with a climate and landscape similar to the one they were accustomed to back on Zexilon, their home planet. They would have never left the safe haven of their home if it weren’t for the rapidly accelerating deterioration of the outer layer of their atmosphere. This had resulted in one natural disaster after another, eventually leaving Zexilon uninhabitable. All of their people had been scattered throughout the universe, desperately seeking a place they could establish a new life.
He turned to look back at the tired, weary group he was traveling with. They had been searching for months, and it was very likely that they wouldn’t find another place as perfect for them as where they were at that moment. “But if they do find us,” he couldn’t help but wonder out loud.
“Then we’ll do what we have to in order to protect our kind,” Cosimo said stepping towards him and placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “Amias, you’re the leader of our team. If you say ‘no’ then it’s a no. But think about our people. We’re exhausted. We’re weak, and we’re running out of supplies. There’s no telling how much longer we can continue the search.”
That was Amias’ fear—using force. He knew that if it came down to it, his kind would be able to annihilate the Earthlings with no trouble. Their weak, fleshy make-up wouldn’t stand against his people when they shifted from their human form to their other. But none of them wanted that. All they wanted was to live in peace. They would never use force unless it was absolutely necessary.
Amias took a deep breath and let a smile form on his face. “Alright,” he nodded. With that simple gesture, his men burst into a fit of cheers. “We’ll stay!” An audible sigh of relief passed through the group.
“I don’t think we’ll regret it,” Cosimo said, turning to lead the others back to the ship to begin collecting their things.
Watching them walk away, exchanging smiles and words of excitement, Amias reached into his bag and pulled out his communicator. Pushing the small red button on the black box, the screen came to life. “Commander?” he asked when the holographic image of his commanding officer Gerrit was fully projected. Even in a miniature version, he still had an overbearing presence.
“Amias,” Gerrit replied. “I hope you’re calling with good news.”
“I am, sir,” he began. “We have found a place we think will work. We’re beginning to set up camp now.”
“Excellent! Send the coordinates and we will be there within the next few weeks,” Gerrit said happily.
“Will do, sir. I look forward to seeing you,” Amias replied. When the transmission was ended, he keyed in a few commands, and the screen on the communicator began to glow green, the words “location verified,” scrolling across it. With one quick press of a button, the words changed to “location sent.”
“It’s done,” Amias said, turning to his group and holding the black box over his head. Off in the distance, something caught his eye. There was a plane flying overhead and it was getting closer.
His men turned to follow his stare, letting their armfuls of items fall to the ground. “What is that?” he heard one of them ask.
“Is it commercial or military?” another wondered.
They all stood, motionless, fear spreading from one of them to the next as they watched it grow larger and larger the closer it got. “It’s military!” Cosimo yelled just as the plane dove down and released a shower of bullets that sprayed the ground around them, causing a cloud of dirt and sand to fly into the air.
The plane pulled up, and when the dust cleared, Amias saw that at least three of his team members were lying lifeless on the ground, pools of blood pouring out around them. He heard the drone of the engine as the plane turned and once again flew in their direction.
“We have to fight back!” Cosimo yelled out, standing over the body of one of their companions.
“You heard him!” Amias agreed, ordering his men into action.
The air suddenly became filled with a hot, heavy smoke that consumed them all. Amias felt his muscles tense and his bones expand. His skin became covered in scales and his back ripped open to produce two large, leather-like wings. When he had transitioned completely into his dragon form he stood at least twenty feet tall. All around him, his men were also already in their dragon skin and one by one they took flight.
The plane pulled back quickly, diving down and turning sharply. It sped off into the horizon, giving Amias a spark of hope that it had retreated for good. His relief was short-lived, however, when the air became filled with the sounds of engines buzzing. In the distance, coming from the same direction that the first plane had taken off in, a dozen different, larger planes were suddenly barreling towards them.
His men tensed with anticipation as they waited for their targets to come within range. When they did, Amias and his team let the fire pour out of their mouths, knocking four of the planes back and spiraling down towards the hard ground.
When the remaining planes began to spray them with bullets, half of them dove down, and the others flew up higher. The planes split up as well, half of them diving and half of them climbing. They were pursuing them with amazing accuracy. Amias heard one gaining on him, and with a sharp turn to the right, was able to throw it off just long enough to turn back and release a column of fire in its direction. He watched the plane fall rapidly, leaving a trail of dark black smoke behind it.
Turning back to give his attention to the others, he saw more planes appearing in the distance. “We need to pull back!” he communicated with them through thought. “More are coming! We can’t take them all on!” he continued.
His men regrouped before taking off in the opposite direction of the advancing fleet. Amias waited until he was sure that they were all together before following. The planes buzzed around him, not pursuing his men, but giving their full attention to him. He tried to dive out of their line of fire, but he was unsuccessful. He felt a sharp pain spread through him. Looking down he saw that it was not a bullet that he was hit with, but a sort of electrical device. The objected blinked wildly, each time sending a bolt of pain running through him. He tried to continue moving forward, but he couldn’t. His body surged with each movement, and the more he fought the
worse the sensation became.
He couldn’t fight any longer. He began descending rapidly, despite his efforts to stay in the air. When he hit the ground with a loud crash he took one last look up to the sky. His men had escaped. At least that was some consolation. As he watched the tiny specks disappear in the distance his vision became blurry, eventually filling with nothing but empty darkness.
CHAPTER TWO
Nicole paced nervously back and forth. As she moved, her steps echoed through the large, sparsely furnished reception area where she waited. The gray tile floor and the black leather furniture made the space feel dark, despite the large chandelier which hung overhead and the enormous windows that lined the walls. “Ms. Sanchez,” the receptionist said looking up at her over the edge of her desk, “your father will still be a few minutes. You can feel free to take a seat and relax.”
