by Rena Marks
“What did you feel you had to put up with?” she asks.
“My parents were religious fanatics. Bordering on a cult. I wasn’t allowed to date in high school. Well, except for once. Then they tried an arranged marriage. That was called off when my ballet career really took off and they realized how much money I could earn. At that point, I realized I was going to be a spinster.”
“Did you ever think about going off on your own?”
“It never crossed my mind. I guess I was too scared of the unknown.” I snort. “Look at me now.”
“This is definitely unchartered territory,” Miranda agrees. “But, Tessa, I know you, me and Jillian all wanted to keep a few men around so we wouldn’t get too attached to one. I never expected you’d fall for two.”
“I should have,” I say. I decide to tell her my secret. “Miranda, you know how we were put to sleep in the stasis tubes on the Drurian ship?”
“Yes.”
I take a deep breath. “I wasn’t. I was awake almost the entire time.”
“Why?” Her voice is quiet, almost as if she doesn’t want to fully know, but can’t help herself. Like a car accident that draws your eye.
“They changed me. I couldn’t communicate with them, of course. But for a while they would dress me up in hooker outfits. Make me apply makeup. If I wouldn’t, they’d do it themselves. It got to the point of where I did it just to keep their slimy, two-fingered hands off me.”
There are more people wandering into the main area, which is off the kitchen. Lucie and Niki arrive, and come to sit with us. Miranda gets quiet, not sure if I want to continue with everyone else present.
“Good morning,” Niki says, rubbing her round belly. “May we sit?”
“Of course,” I say, and look at Miranda. “I was just telling Miranda about my abduction.”
Lucie looks my way. “I wondered when you’d share. You were quiet during the awakening process when everyone else was talking about theirs.”
I nod. “As were you.” Lucie had a secret to hide also. She had been raped by one of the gray aliens and worried that she carried the baby. It was why she held off Rayhaan for so long.
“And I realize now that it was much better to just let it out, instead of hiding it. Hiding it made me feel guilty, somehow.”
“I agree,” Miranda says. “It took an overdose of medicinal tea for me to come to grips with killing Michael. To release the guilt I felt over it.”
More of the ladies are heading over and sitting at our table.
“So the advice is to share the story?” I ask, with a smile. I’m pretty sure that is where it’s going.
“Hey, if we’re gonna hear something big, let me go wake Jillian and Valencia,” Jezebel says.
I wave my hand. “Hell, get Adretta and Vesha, too. Get any woman who wants to hear. Because I’m spilling my guts only once.”
While I try to keep my mood light, I can feel it slowly darkening. True to her word, Jezebel goes off to find the missing girls. Within five minutes, the table fills with the rest of our human sisters, plus Vesha and Maynak. Adretta and Cio are now pregnant and are probably sleeping. He’s managed to tell every person on the planet the news—about three times each. We all smile like it’s the first time we’ve heard.
“Okay, Tessa. Go ahead,” Miranda says.
I take a deep breath. “Remember those crazy cults we’d hear about on the news sometimes? Like the guy in Waco, Texas who had gotten his followers to agree to slaughter themselves? Or the one who had twenty wives, some of them daughters of his wives? And a part of you would say, how the hell do people fall into cults anyway? Why can’t they see the craziness they spew?”
There are a few nods.
“Sometimes you don’t fall into them. Sometimes you’re born into them. My parents were a two-person cult. I didn’t know any differently, of course. They were all I knew. I grew up with it. All I knew was how much I wished I was normal. But while I was allowed to attend school—of course I didn’t fit in. I was teased. I wasn’t allowed to be around other kids. I wasn’t allowed to wear normal clothes. I wasn’t allowed to cut my hair. The only normalcy I had was when my gym teacher took an interest in me and began training me in ballet. She spoke to my parents and explained what a rare talent it was. I wasn’t sure how they allowed me to pursue a passion, because keep in mind to them human passions are tools of the devil. Still, she managed to convince them. Now, I suspect it was the lure of money. If she had told them of her connections with a ballet company.” I shrug. “In either case, it worked. I was studying ballet from the time I began school. In the meantime, I wasn’t allowed to date. There was a brief moment when I was seventeen when my parents thought to marry me off to someone, but that fell by the wayside when my teacher’s ballet company took an interest in me. The money came rolling in, and the arranged marriage offer disappeared.”
“Whew,” Jezebel says, disgust on her face.
“I was relieved, too. He wasn’t attractive and he was older. Plus I’d have to listen to even more bible preaching. I had absolutely no interest in men. How could I? I’d never been around one who didn’t make fun of me. I’d only been around those old enough to be my father. Then one day, the ballet company decides to take a trip to New York. They think I’m ready to make my debut. My parents insist on a women’s retreat beforehand, so I can be reminded of my holiness in my walk with the Lord. It was on that trip, up in the mountains, when I was abducted.”
The room is quiet as the girls lean in, eyes riveted. I continue on with the tale.
“I thought I was the only person abducted, at first. I never saw any of the stasis tubes. Eventually I realized I had been abducted with another girl from my retreat. She was the one whose brain fried during the language downloads—the one before Niki. I was kept in a room that was pre-arranged with glittery dresses and garish vanities full of make-up. Jewels that adhered to body parts. Every day I had to dress up, or they wouldn’t feed me. Eventually it progressed to having to earn my dinner other ways.” I take a deep breath. “When I wouldn’t, they began to feed me internally, along with a drug. The drug altered me. They also began to teach me things. Sex between other alien species.”
“Oh, my gawd,” Lucie says. Her hand covers mine.
I nod. “But the worst of it was when another human escaped. A man named Bruno. He hid in my room and comforted me each night. I fell for him. I decided to lose my virginity to him.”
“I don’t recall any human men being abducted,” Niki says. “In fact, I thought Drakar was abducted because they planned to breed us with Blaedonians to make slaves to sell off.”
“I found out after we had sex that there were not any human men on board. He was one of the Drurians. Somehow the drug made him seem like someone else. I don’t know. I was so shocked after we had sex—so drugged—I had a heart attack when I realized who he really was. They must have revived me and put me in stasis, deeming me a failure. Ironic that they had no idea they actually accomplished raising my libido. They just figured I’d have a heart attack every time I had sex, I guess.”
“Lucky break,” Jezebel says drily. But even she can’t mask the horror in her voice. I think we all remember what the gray monsters look like.
“An even luckier break to land here and meet everyone on this planet. Anyway, I didn’t want any secrets between us all. I know I’ve been close-lipped, and I was horrified at what they’d done to me. I went from a brain-washed bible girl to a tramp trained as a prostitute. I tried to hide that for so long. Now I realize, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what I was, and it doesn’t matter who I became. I’m still me, and I’ve been me through it all. I know a lot of you wonder at the relationship with me and Tijar and Jeroc. The Blaedonians accept it. The humans are curious. So I’m going to tell you. I’ve mated with both of them. If we choose to have children one day, biologically we may not know which child belongs to which father. And it doesn’t matter. Each baby will have two dads and one mom. And if we
choose not to have kids, that’s okay, too. Because this life makes me happy and I realized that’s the most important thing.”
“Good for you,” Lucie says. “We love you. We want you to be happy. Coming from Earth, it was hard to let go of judgments. But who says we have to have one man and one woman anyway? Earth said that, and guess what? The Blaedonians are a much happier race of people. They have goodness in their hearts that was missing on Earth. So judge you? Nah. You can do whatever is best for Tessa. Ballerina Extraordinare.” She smiles.
There’s murmured agreements around the table.
“I think it’s time you branched out from teaching children’s classes to having an adult class, too,” Jezebel says. “I never thought I’d ever be interested in exercise, but this is such an active planet without cars and stuff, I just kind of fell into excess energy.”
“Right?” Jillian says. “I was queen couch potato on Earth. Now I’m volunteering for laundry days at the river. Fishing expeditions. It’s a crazy life.”
“It’s a crazy life, but I love it,” Cammie says. “I’m so glad I didn’t return to Earth.”
There’s a chorus of me too’s.
I look up as Tijar and Jeroc stand in the doorway of the kitchen. “My guys are up,” I murmur to the ladies. “I’ll see you all later.”
There are some quiet goodbyes and I leave the table, heading over to my sexy men.
Chapter Nine
“Good morning.” I raise my lips for Tijar’s kiss, then turn to kiss Jeroc.
“Is everything okay?” Tijar asks. “We woke and you were gone.”
“Everything is fine. I just couldn’t sleep.”
“We worried,” he says, looking at Jeroc. “We heard your story. I’m glad you decided to share it with your friends. It was weighing on you.”
I nod slowly.
“How did they take it?” Tijar asks.
“Let’s say I worried for nothing. I have no idea why I was so afraid to share it.”
Jeroc steps in, hugging me, and then Tijar does, too. Until I laugh and push them away. I’m much smaller than they are, and I’m dwarfed. Suddenly, I smell the aromas of morning cooking.
“Let’s get breakfast. A real breakfast, not the nibbles I’ve been snacking on.”
We head to the main cave. It’s early still, the hunters for the day are the only ones seated. Then the women filter in behind us, and it’s one big noisy place again. I sit with Jeroc and Tijar goes to fix our plates.
He brings me back poached eggs, and whatever bird they get them from tastes much richer than the chicken eggs we’re used to back home. They’re fixed on a bed of greens with a white vegetable diced and fried up like potatoes. They don’t exactly taste like them, but the longer I’m away from Earth, the less I remember what potatoes taste like anyway.
“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Jeroc asks, as he cuts into his food. He’s the more sensitive one. “You’re not going to fret that you shared it?”
“I am very sure.”
“I’d like that. Tijar? You’re quiet today.”
“I wish to spend time with the two of you, but it is my day to hunt with the team.”
The look he gives me is frustrated. Suddenly I know what he really means. Much as he loves Jeroc, will I be more attracted to him in Tijar’s absence? For some reason, it has bothered him since the three of us moved in together.
I rub his thigh gently. “Do you want me to stay with the girls in their cave today?”
He looks shocked. “No! I mean, I want you safe. I trust Jeroc to keep you safe. I am just…I feel like I am losing time.”
“You are not losing favor by not being here,” Jeroc says. “When you return from hunting, you will have your own time with Tessa. I will have to work on my designs for the next day’s face paintings, and reverent mother wishes to see me about work in her hut. I also need time to visit with mother.” I know he can easily put these chores off, but kudos to him for giving Tijar quality time. These last six months have been about adjusting to our way of life, and figuring out each other’s feelings.
“There’s an Earth saying. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. It doesn’t mean I’ll love you less because I’m here with Jeroc and not you, baby. It means I’ll miss you and will be so eager to see you when you return.”
He covers my hand with his. He kisses the top of my head. “Thank you for making me feel better. Eat your food before it grows cold, my love.”
We resume eating again, and eventually Drakar moves to the front of the room.
“I have an announcement,” he says. “Today the first shift will hunt for the meals. This time they will return home. Tomorrow second shift will take over instead. The first shift will begin our first exploration of the cave of origins and bring back additional glow rocks for everyone’s use.”
There are cheers and clapping as he steps down.
“That must mean first shift will begin the exploration?” I ask.
“That is what it sounds like.” He looks frustrated and I can tell he’s thinking that’s more time away.
Just then Cio comes by with Adretta. “Did you hear the news? My seed has taken root,” he says happily.
I laugh at the strange words that I’ve heard over and over. On Earth, we just say knocked up. Tijar and Jeroc stand to hug him, and I hug Adretta. She’s bluer than usual with the blushing, and she looks completely happy.
“For sure this time?” I tease her, referring to her fake pregnancy with Rayhaan.
She laughs good-naturedly. “Of course. We were just in to see reverent mother.”
“You are lucky to be on first shift,” Cio says to Tijar. “Exploring the caves will be exciting. I am quite all right to be available for my newly pregnant mate, though.” He winks at Adretta.
“I hope you feel the same way six seasons from now,” she says.
Lord, Blaedonians are pregnant forever. It takes them twice as long to incubate a baby.
Adretta turns to me. “It will be fun for you to take a trip with everyone,” she says. “Humans have not had an expedition since the one to the Stargazer vessel last year.”
“Humans are going?”
“Yes,” she says. “First shift has all the human females. There’s no way they’re sitting in the caves alone.”
I never even thought of that.
“There is Lucie and Rayhaan.” Adretta taps Cio’s arm. “Let’s go give them our news.”
With a wave, the couple leaves, and we sit back down. Drakar and Niki approach with their plates. “May we sit?”
“Of course.” Tijar sweeps his arm out.
“I wanted our team to take the first hunting expedition, because reverent mother thinks Niki may have our child in less time than a Blaedonian pregnancy. Now with Miranda being pregnant, who knows how many expeditions we will get? I hope you three did not have other plans and can make the expedition.”
He’s including Jeroc. I squeeze Jeroc’s hand.
“We will be there,” Jeroc says.
“Good.” Drakar’s smile is wide. “I think we will split the team in two. One team will take the upper area of the caves for the ladies who cannot swim through the underground cavern. Some of the stronger hunters will take the lower route, and begin digging the glow rocks. We will spend two or three days, or play it by ear.”
Niki laughs. “I’m so not looking forward to trying to squish into the little hole Lucie and Rayhaan described. I’m not even sure how long I can hold my breath anymore.”
“I’m not much of a swimmer. I’ll be on top with you.”
Jeroc nods. “I can be on top also.” He doesn’t say it, but I know they all want the women protected.
Tijar’s eyes gleam at the prospect of checking out the underground caverns.
“I take it you’ll be joining the digging expedition?” I ask him with a smile.
He nods, and looks grateful that I understand. How could I not? I know my guys.
“This’ll be fun. I’
m looking forward to eating seafood again.”
“We must also remember to bring back salt,” Drakar says.
“We have a new plan for a raft,” Niki says. “It was Adretta’s idea. She sent Cio out at early dawn to capture a grish’ll before the ground swallowed the carcass. They’re huge. They have one giant rubbery intestine thing that is miles long. We’re going to attach it to the outer edges of the raft to make it easier to float.”
“And the rafts will be much larger,” Drakar says. “We’ll make two or three and as we fill them with loads, we will float them down the river as close as possible to the village. It will be easier to deliver the goods instead of carrying them all the way back.”
“How many will there be?” Tijar asks.
“There is enough intestine for three rafts.”
“So you and Niki can steer one back. Aschero and Miranda can take another. Would you like us to take the third?”
Drakar nods. “That would be helpful.”
After breakfast, the hunting party heads out for the day’s meal, and I spend my time with Jeroc.
Niki’s having a checkup with reverent mother by the time Jeroc and I get to her hut. She explains to Jeroc what she’d like done, and I visit with Niki.
“Any idea when the baby will be due?”
“We’re guessing the end of summer.”
“So that was what? About a year of pregnancy?”
She nods. “Wish I had let someone else go first. I like to know what to expect. There’s no one here that knows exactly.”
“Look at it this way. You paved the way for Miranda.”
Niki grins. “She better appreciate it.”
Niki looks huge to me, but what do I know? It just doesn’t seem she can grow much bigger.
* * * * *
Jeroc and Tijar have their backpacks packed and ready to go the next morning. We’ve eaten and bathed and head back to the cave to pick up their stuff. They’re attaching knives and spears to their bodies, necessary gear every time one leaves the safety of the village gates.
Neither one allows me to wear a backpack to help out. Instead, they only allow me to take night vision glasses—compliments of the Stargazers—and my Drurian cape that reflects the sun, or acts as a warming device in sudden chill. I don’t complain much, though I’d like to help out. But there’s not much else we need, especially since men are taking turns carrying the newly constructed boats. The intestine of whatever creature they captured has been attached by a loose flap of skin around the boats. As we walk, the rays of the sun are causing the intestines to swell, by filling with gas. It’s weird but something the Blaedonians are familiar with. Adretta says that before they get to full capacity and risk exploding, we’ll pop a hole to allow the gas to escape. The intestines themselves will dry in the sun and remain in the expanded shape. Then a bit of maosho root is chewed. It softens and is used to fill the hole. When it dries, it expands and seals the edges of the intestines. Now they’re water-proof. Or in theory should be, I guess. But I’m pretty sure my guys wouldn’t have volunteered us to steer one if they weren’t safe.
