SPACE BABIES

by Rena Marks

  “Ladies, please step into your stasis capsule. Good luck to every one of you.”

  Bubbles floated gently around the hologram, circling around the image. Each oddly dressed female stepped forward and entered the shiny, invisible bubble-like capsule. Once inside, they lay horizontally, seeming to float in air as the capsule expanded around them. Immediately, the inner air collapsed and they fell unconscious.

  The hologram was solemn. “God be with you.”

  Present day:

  The Hunter entered the great room of the Communicator. The man who was normally projected as a hologram sat alone, staring out the grand windows that made up an entire wall of his office.

  The Communicator spoke without turning around. “Did you set up the portal?”

  “I did.”

  There was a brief moment of silence while The Hunter came and stood at the wall of windows also. Together they watched their stars. The community down below. The hovering dots of light that signaled their airborne travel system.

  “What did you find?” The Communicator's voice was a whisper. “I know your moods, and this somber attitude cannot be good.”

  “Most of the travelers were slaughtered.”

  “What?” The Communicator turned his head sharply.

  But The Hunter still stared out the window.

  “They called our females witches. While they were able to blend in with the clothing we assigned, it was suspicious that so many had amnesia and did not have any previous memories. Panic shifted into frenzy and it grew from there.”

  “But witches? That is good, is it not? Why would they have been slaughtered?”

  “Apparently, on Earth witches do not have the same revered status they do here. There, they were feared. They were believed to be devil worshipers. Instead of being healers, they were said to cast witchcraft.”

  The Communicator's mouth fell open. “They still believe the devil exists?”

  “The religion of the people where they landed did. A lot of others around the planet believe the same thing. It may have been better if we had sent them a bit earlier, because the more primitive people who had lived in that location prior gave thanks to the environment. They worshiped the land, the air. They did not believe in the devil. We could have changed Earth's history by sending our females a bit earlier. However, luck of the draw chose one hundred and fifty years ago, when Salem, Massachusetts was already dominated by Puritans. Mass hysteria ensued.”

  “We are not to change history,” The Communicator murmured softly. Automatically, almost. But his next words belied his horror. “How many were slaughtered?”

  “Ninety-five. However, history has changed the figure to reflect a lot less. Human history tends to smooth over vile acts. The primitives that had lived in the land earlier? They are now called Native Americans. Today they celebrate a holiday as a treaty between the two populations of humans, when in fact they slaughtered the entire community to confiscate their land.”

  “The remaining few of ours who survived?”

  “They have bred,” The Hunter said. “We do have a handful of descendants on the planet.”

  “One small success,” whispered The Communicator. “The descendants are healthy?”

  “Yes, our DNA has merged successfully with the native species of Earth. Our ship has monitored a scant handful over the centuries.”

  “Then it is time for contact.” He cut his eyes to The Hunter finally. “You will be best for the job. You have been on the crew, gathering the info on the species. I know you have been hunting for a long time. Are you ready for something different?”

  The Hunter widened his eyes. “It is not something I had thought about.”

  “It will open you up to be one of the first settlers on the new, safe Earth. First in line to find your own mate and have a chance at being part of a family. It is a small reward for your years of servitude to protecting others.”

  Dante the Hunter bowed his head.

  Kiss Me Before I Die

  Vampires are not mythological evil creatures. We are the product of evolution. A changing world with less food and global warming.

  Not the enemy to slay.

  We are the enemy you have no choice but to become…for the rest of the world dies.

  The writing on the bathroom stall sent a shiver down my spine. Not just any club.

  Another posh nightclub.

  This time in a new city. There was no one to know where I was and no one to know what I had left. Yet it followed me. Who would ever expect the musings of a vampire in the stall of the ladies’ room?

  I was showing a lot of leg tonight while dressed in my usual garb of skintight black. I had been fighting the urge to return to the nightlife but it was all I knew. However, I should be safe. As I said, it was a new city.

  A new life—in which I’d left my traitorous lover behind.

  Yet I couldn’t get far. I’d already danced for a bit and felt hot and uptight when I slipped off to a darkened corner for a reprieve. Alone time, a chance to study the dancing bodies writhing around me. A chance to think about the writing on the bathroom stall and decide whether or not it was safe to stay.

  I should have been startled at the rush of cool air behind me. At the very least, surprised, because it had been a year. Somehow I wasn’t. Time melted away, as though it had just been yesterday.

  A whisper of sweet breath curled near my ear. “You cannot get away from me, bella. You’ll always be mine.”

  “I own myself,” I whispered back. “I’ve refused you already.”

  “It’s not that easy. For even now, you can’t deny me.”

  His finger trailed down my shoulder, along my bare skin, danced down my arm. Lightly skimming, reminding me of the touch I craved. I breathed deeply as the blaze kindled deep inside.

  He was right. Denial was impossible, avoidance was easier. Was it his power or was it something indescribable between us? For now it didn’t matter.

  Heat licked against sensitive nerve endings. His palm, open and warm, pressed flat to my abdomen, pulled me back into him. I could feel the fire between us, coiled tightly inside and knew I’d soon beg for his hand to inch its way lower.

  His voice, deeper than ever, taunted me with known pleasure. “I could make you come, here and now. No one would ever know.”

  Temptation was sinful and it was what I fought hard against. The lure of the vampire. My best weapons were fight and flight.

  He was right but I wouldn’t acknowledge it. The burning edge of desire struck me tenfold. It was a drug, an addiction I still fought.

  Sometimes, it was one I didn’t want to fight.

  Turning my face slightly, I looked into his eyes, then deliberately pulled away.

  His smile was sardonic, but he let me go. I wouldn’t be able to suppress the urge for long. The awaited anticipation would make my failure sweeter.

  He knew this.

  “You run, Afton. But you unknowingly head for my own jurisdictions. There’s a reason. You are mine.”

  “No, I’m not,” I said clearly. The bastard was way too cocky. And why shouldn’t he be? Dark hair contrasted with lighter brown eyes against creamy skin. The distinction of his lighter eyes stood out even more when he wore carefree stubble darkening the line of his jaw, appearing dangerous and mysterious. He was tall, broad-shouldered and exuded sex appeal like nobody’s business.

  But I belonged to no one and never would. Instead, I sighed. “How did you find me, Ethan?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered and wrapped strong arms around me. For the briefest moment, I leaned into his strength. Felt it envelop me like a cloud of comfort on a cold day.

  The need struck even harder now. It was so easy to close my eyes and go with it. Stop fighting. Give up my independence, my humanity. Everything that made me…me.

  I stepped away. “Stop it,” I chided. “Keep your tricks to yourself.”

  “Tricks?” he murmured unconvincingly.

  “I mean it
.”

  He knew what I was talking about. He had been imposing his will upon me, a mockery to make me believe I was willing to surrender. I would have fallen for it, if I had not given myself the conscious reminder of fight or flight.

  “Play nice or I’ll run again,” I warned. But was his need as great as mine? I allowed him to step close to me, close enough that I smelled the aftershave wafting from his skin. He leaned his lips toward mine, silently begging, yet also daring me to take the chance. It was the tiniest opportunity and I couldn’t resist, for it had been way too long.

  I tilted my head back and parted my moistened lips. We touched. And all hell broke loose.

  Wants, needs, feelings. Emotions ran rampant throughout my soul, yearnings and cravings of a body that had been too long without. I gasped for sweetened air and his tongue touched mine. It stroked lovingly and yet demanded my full surrender. Only one person could be this loving and challenging all at once.

  Ethan.

  I felt his hunger, always carefully monitored but now ready to break uncontrollably through. It bubbled to the surface before it was tamped back down when he broke the kiss.

  He strung heated kisses along my jaw before returning to my lips. I was too eager to kiss him back. I’d missed this desperately. My reservations were flung to the back burner.

  The music blared and the bodies around us quickened, movements becoming jerky, like mindless zombies with limbs partially stuck in the frozen throes of rigor mortis. But only their brains were dead.

  Lights flickered off and on.

  Our tongues entwined, smoothly touching and dancing, sensuously sliding together, making promises that neither of us could keep.

  Tables crashed, noises growing louder as chairs overturned.

  Our lips meshed thoroughly, hands roaming each other’s bodies. He gripped my hips, pulling me into him. A shiver of need shot through me.

  Yelling ensued all around us, angrily raised voices screaming with frustrated rage.

  We broke apart, breathing heavily. Hearts racing. He lowered his forehead to press against mine as he kissed the tip of my nose.

  Chaos encircled us. Shattering glass, liquid spilling.

  “You’ve upset the balance,” he murmured. “Come with me.”

  “Never,” I said gently.

  Glass tinkled as a bottle crashed over a person’s skull in the scuffle just a few feet away. The victim collapsed like a tree, leaving the scent of blood behind.

  “Foolish,” he murmured and was gone.

  As usual, he left me to clean up the mess we’d made.

  Shared By Wolves

  Ellie watched in shocked, horrified disbelief.

  Suddenly, the wolf turned to her. They stared at each other warily.

  If possible, regret seemed to come from the monster’s eyes. “Ellie,” the mutated voice rasped. “M-mate…”

  The full moon illuminated Ellie completely. Shock flooded her body, freezing her limbs. Her dilated green eyes met the matching green of the monster. Although her consciousness refused to believe it, there was only one other with eyes so like her own. Before the creature could advance to her, she collapsed into a dead faint.

  * * * * *

  Ever-so slowly, the insane world stopped spinning. Ellie’s wrists were tied together gently, the end of the rope wrapped up to the magnificent headboard of the enormous bed.

  “Are you okay?” a familiar voice asked. A tender hand stroked the hair from her face.

  “Jonathan? What happened?” she asked, hoping against all reason that she’d imagined the whole thing. Yet her wrists tied together hinted otherwise.

  “Ellie, I’m sorry. But you’re better off this way, you know.”

  “Which way, Jonathan? What’s going on?”

  “He means with me, Ellie. You’re better off as my mate than Reed’s wife.” Duggan’s voice was harsh, coming from the far side of the room where he was hidden in the shadows. And still inhumanly deep.

  Mate? Oh, Lord, it couldn’t be true. Had Duggan really changed into a monster before her eyes and attacked Brian? Was Brian dead?

  “I don’t want to be your mate. Untie me. I want to go home.” She lashed out angrily, panicked fear making her brave.

  “I can’t let you, Ellie,” the distorted voice repeated from the corner.

  She turned to Jonathan, refusing to glance back there. “Jonathan, get me out of here.”

  “Oh, Ellie. I can’t.” Jonathan's voice was resigned. “You see, Duggan’s my brother. My older brother. He’s the alpha.”

  Ellie felt her stomach heave. “You mean, you’re also a-a…”

  “I’m a werewolf, Ellie.”

  She flinched from his stroking fingers, and Jonathan let his hand drop.

  He turned his hurt-filled his eyes toward her. “I’m sorry, Ellie. You’ll get used to it. I promise.”

  She didn’t answer and felt Jonathan’s weight leave the bed. She clenched her eyes tightly, opening them only when she heard the dim light click off, followed by the sound of the door closing.

  She hadn’t counted on the monster Duggan still being there. He advanced slowly, a predator stalking his prey. Ellie was never more aware of being helplessly tied to the bed.

  Suddenly, she was relieved it was pitch black. Would Duggan still be in his monster form? Is that why his voice was harsher and deeper? She knew the answer when he reached out and traced a line down the front of her body, from her neckline to her pubic bone. His fingernail was sharp, like a knife or a claw. Inhuman. She shivered at the thought of what he might look like.

  “You weren’t very nice to Jonathan,” he rasped slowly.

  He definitely was still a monster.

  “He’s been your friend for a very long time,” he continued.

  She held still, her heart racing in fear beneath those long fingers, her breath nearly choking her as it fought its way from her throat.

  “Are you frightened of me? Or disappointed in Jonathan?” he whispered in his husky voice.

  “Both,” she said, cautiously. Afraid to provoke him.

  “It’s a different way of life, one that you’ll get used to. I’m sending him back in to you. You’ll have a brief break from my presence. But don’t get too excited, Ellie. You are mine and I take what’s mine.”

  She jumped when a large hand grazed the inner part of her thigh. It felt…odd, emanating heat in a strangely comforting manner. The hand moved suddenly. One stroke of his fingernail had sliced her clothing clean through, causing the fabric to separate down the split. Air chilled across her bare skin. She was naked and exposed to his view.

  A trail of warmth stroked her torso. Warm, wet, and oddly reassuring, even though it came from a monster’s mouth. He licked a direct line slowly down her middle, from the neckline between her breasts, all the way to where the thatch of red curls began. Directly where his fingernail had sliced her clothing moments before.

  The air in the room thickened. Duggan was now breathing as harshly as she was. Her heart thundered. Astonished, she recognized his arousal. Adrenaline surged through her body, making her arms and legs tingle. Ready to fight.

  Or get aroused herself.

  But suddenly, he was gone.

  Jonathan entered a few minutes later. He approached the bed silently, carrying a candle for dim light. He set it on the table and untied her bound wrists. She grabbed the two halves of her clothing and pulled them together with shaking hands, but it was too late. Jonathan saw everything.

  “It’s okay. He just marked you, Ellie. With his saliva. We can all smell his scent on you. No one will tangle with Duggan. You’re safe until it wears off. By that time, he’ll have marked you more. He’s protecting you.”

  “Protecting me? By tying me up? Killing my husband? Scaring me half to death?”

  “Ellie, he doesn’t understand how you are. Werewolf females are ferocious, dangerous. A dog-eat-dog world. Humans are fragile, weak in comparison. You’re more fragile than most, with your upbrin
ging. He doesn’t have a clue. Here, let me help you.”

  Jonathan held out a silky nightgown that she’d never seen before. Her arms were stiff and sore from being in one position for so long. Jonathan calmly pushed the tattered clothing from her body and slipped the gown over her head.

  When she was dressed, he resumed his talking. The curtains were drawn tightly, but Ellie knew a full moon shone. Why was he still human? “If you’re a werewolf also, why aren’t you changed?”

  “Duggan is absorbing my change for me. He’s the alpha and very powerful. He thought you’d need a friend right now. It’s why he’s unable to completely change back to his human form and why I’m able to remain in mine. See, Ellie? He’s not so bad once you understand him.”

  She would never understand him. Never. “Am I a prisoner here, Jonathan?”

  “The world thinks you’re dead, too. It’s best if you keep it that way. Please don’t try to run, Ellie. There’s nowhere to go, and if you make it off the property, another pack may steal you to get at Duggan.”

  “So the protective lick wasn’t as protective as previously declared?”

  Jonathan sighed. “It protects you from those in alliance with Duggan. It shows you’re his property, his submissive. We’re all his submissives. He’s our alpha. Our leader. But werewolves are a violent breed. There will always be someone who tries to take Duggan out. Those with a death wish may take his property if it’s left wandering around.”

  “What difference would it make to me if I’m here or there?” she asked bitterly. “I’d be a prisoner in any house.”

  “Don’t be foolish,” he chided. “You don’t understand Duggan’s mercy. Any other alpha would have raped you by now. Especially in his pelt. It’s ingrained with us, our animal instincts are stronger then. We can’t help it. Yet Duggan has refrained and merely marked you for protection. He’s taken the change for me so you can have a friendly face nearby. You’re just seeing the harsh side of him but you have no idea, Ellie. No idea of what other wolves may be capable of.”