Dangerous Lovers

by Becca Vincenza

  “I realize we have been over this, but your life is at stake so it bears repeating. The first thing you must do when you awaken from your sleep is...”

  “I’ll inject myself with the drug to reverse the effect of what you’re giving me here and I’ll immediately eat and get the hell out of wherever I am at the time.”

  “Correct and then...”

  “I plan to seek out a place to set up as a base. I sleep during the day and never at night. Nighttime is the death zone. I’ll be on my guard at all times. I’ll never act shy or demure but bold and aggressive and will always look others directly in the eye.”

  “Very good Liasare. What else?” Shandro asked.

  “Never sleep in a vulnerable spot and always wear my boots in case I have to leave in a hurry. I won’t ever travel alone down a dark street or alley, but stay in crowds. I won’t leave my food or drink unattended and I won’t trust anyone. I’ll stay clear of any Guardians unless my life’s in danger. If necessary, I’ll go to them then, but not tell them who I am. I won’t try to contact you and I think, perhaps, that will be the most difficult of all.”

  He lifted a gloved hand to her cheek and said, “For me as well Liasare. The name fits you well. Remember it is okay to be afraid. Fear may save you; it will keep your senses on high alert. And Liasare, always trust your instincts. They will guide you. There is something else. Your brother was very fond of the ladies. Er, what I mean is that...”

  Sarah laughed, “You won’t offend me Shandro. Go ahead and say it.”

  “He was very popular with the opposite sex. You may want to check with them before you ask anyone else. My suggestion is you show his picture in clubs because I am sure he made quite a name for himself.”

  “Great! Please tell me he wasn’t an ass about it.”

  “I am sorry to say I cannot answer that. All I know is that he was never short on female companions.”

  Sarah rolled her eyes at him. All she needed was a group of Tommy-haters that wanted to kill her at the mere mention of his name.

  “Let’s get this show on the road Shandro. The Star Freighter leaves in two hours. I’d like to be in place and sleeping comfortably an hour from now.”

  He took her hand and led her toward the dock from which she would be departing. Right before they arrived, he removed his officer’s insignia from his Guardian’s uniform. It wouldn’t do for a Commander to be seen doing tasks that a first class Guardian should be performing.

  When they arrived at the dock, they came to an area that held rows and rows of oblong containers. Shandro lifted the lid of one and indicated to her that she should get inside.

  “Is this what I think it is?”

  He nodded. “Try not to think about it.”

  “Yeah, right,” she uttered, looking at the coffins.

  “Your pack is filled with enough nutrition and water for five days?

  “Yeah and then some.”

  “Good. Your weapons?”

  “Two daggers in each of my boots and I have five throwing stars in my jacket.”

  “Excellent. Here is your teleporter. Remember to set it when you’re out. Have it set to a safe location. It can save your life. Don’t teleport to the same place twice unless you are with someone you trust. Don’t ever teleport to where you sleep. You know your energy trail can be traced. Anyone who wishes to follow it could kill you. Are we clear on all of this?”

  Sarah nodded.

  “If for some reason you do not feel safe, get the fuck out of there. Fast. Do you hear me?”

  “Sweet baby bunnies! Did you just use the word fuck? I have never heard you say that before! I am shocked Shandro!” Sarah grinned.

  “The time for humor has passed and yes I said fuck. I mean it Liasare. Get the bloody fuck out of there. Do you understand?”

  She stared at him wide-eyed and nodded.

  Shandro ached with his urgent need to hold her. He clenched his fists and spoke before he lost his nerve.

  “Look, I know this is an inappropriate time but I cannot send you off without saying this. I have loved you for the longest time. And I will love you until...”

  Sarah reached out and put her fingers on his mouth, stopping him from saying any more.

  “Please Shandro. I’ve always known how you’ve felt about me and I love you too, just not in the way you want. I will always love you, like I love Tommy. But I’m afraid if I let you keep talking, the trip to Earth will be unbearable and I won’t be able to think clearly when I arrive. You’ll always have a place in my heart and if there were one person in the universe I wish I could love with all my heart and soul, it would be you.” She kissed him on his cheek as the tears she had valiantly tried to stem finally spilled.

  He swiped the wetness from her face and hugged her.

  “Ready then?” he asked gruffly.

  She nodded.

  “Here is your antidote.” He handed her a syringe. “Keep this in your pocket so you know exactly where it is when you awaken. It will be dark so you won’t be able to see. Pop the cap and just hold it against your thigh and apply some pressure to it. It will work within seconds. As soon as you can swallow, eat your bar and drink some water. Again, have them within reach because it will be dark in there. Once you finish, your energy will have returned and you should feel physically normal. Then get the hell out of there. Understand?”

  “Yep. I’m ready.”

  She jumped into the box and lay down. Shandro whispered something to her. She recognized it as the ancient tongue of Vesturon.

  “I hope that was a good luck prayer,” she said.

  “Among other things. Remember, Sarah is no more. You are now Liasare Davidson.”

  He made a fist with his right hand and brought it to his heart, and then extended his arm out toward her in a salute that was common to Vesturions. He injected her and within seconds she was asleep. It was a sleep that mimicked death so if anyone were scanning the coffins on board, they wouldn’t register much of anything. The noise of all the other equipment on board the freighter would easily drown out the sound of her shallow breathing, heartbeat and pulse.

  Shandro pushed his cargo onto the freighter and supplied the ship’s master with the necessary information. As he walked away, he couldn’t dispel the sense of dread the permeated his soul. He prayed to the Deity for her safety and for the safety of his friend Tommy.

  Chapter Three

  Planet Earth

  Liasare awoke, her mouth dry from the drug-induced sleep. She forced herself to blink, though her lids remained heavy as if they were glued. Shandro was right. It was pitch black in her box. She couldn’t see her fingers in front of her face. She fumbled in her pocket and located the syringe, listening for any sounds. Making sure there were no voices nearby, she quickly injected herself and waited for the antidote to take effect. In minutes, she felt her head clearing. Next, her fingers felt along her body until they stumbled upon her backpack. On the outside pocket she had placed an energy bar and bottle of water. She greedily guzzled her water and gobbled up her bar.

  Running her fingers along the lid of the box, she found the latch, popped it and lifted the lid. Her eyes needed to adjust to the light. Luckily, Shandro had thought of this and recommended she bring sunglasses. She slipped them on as she jumped out of the coffin and dashed out of the warehouse. Once outside, she headed for a group of buildings in the distance. Her goal was to get a safe distance from here so she could come up with a plan. The first order of business was to find a place to call home. What a joke, she thought.

  Making her way through the streets, Shandro’s words kept coming back to her. He was right; Earth was a mess. This place was worse than any nightmare she had ever had. Buildings were crumbling. Kudzu and ivy vines had grown up everywhere, choking out streets and sidewalks, and devouring any structure that dared to venture in their paths.

  Liasare was in the former city of Charlotte, North Carolina. There were no states anymore. Those had been abandoned long ago. Charlot
te was now known as Center City of The Carolinas. Everything had either been renamed or had disappeared into crumbling ruins.

  The downtown area of Charlotte had always been an updated, beautiful city, filled with modern buildings and green spaces. Who could have guessed that twenty years ago, this burned out dystopia was filled with beautiful parks, playful fountains, and lovely restaurants?

  Liasare made her way to an area formerly known as Dillsworth. She erroneously thought she might find a safe place to live, but was shocked when she found nothing but burned out shells of what used to be beautiful old stately homes covered with masses of weeds and kudzu vines. Dillsworth had been filled with lovely old neighborhoods and was the place everyone wanted to live. Her mother always talked about this place with envy.

  As she looked around, a thought began to form in her mind. Maybe this would be a good place to live after all. Since it was so unforgiving and frightening, it may be a place no one would care to venture. She pushed her way through the neighborhood; her main goal was to find an old home with a garage.

  Eventually, her target came into view and it was perfect for what she needed. A garage with two windows and a side entrance. Easy exits if necessary. Like everything else in the vicinity, it was vine-covered and nondescript, but absolutely perfect. She scoped out the interior. Inside were a couple of old SUV’s that she remembered from her youth--a Chevy Tahoe and a Toyota Land Cruiser. Cars had been obsolete for years as fuel quickly became nonexistent after the pandemic. Both were covered in thick layers of dust indicating they hadn’t been disturbed in years. That was another good sign. Liasare didn’t dare touch them for she wanted the dust to remain intact. To the casual observer, it would prove that this place hadn’t been touched in years. In the rear of the garage were a series of shelves. The corner would be the greatest place for cover. She could make a pallet underneath them and sleep during the day. They were behind the vehicle so if anyone looked in the windows, they would only catch a glimpse of the cars and shelves. Their eyes could never reach the corner. Pulling out the tracking device that Shandro had given her, she entered her current location. She would only keep it stored in there until it was committed to memory. Then it would be erased.

  Carefully opening the side door, she looked both ways before she hastily exited and hurried down the street back toward the city.

  ***

  Night was falling and the change in the numbers of people on the streets was astonishing. They seemed to quadruple in minutes. People seemed to dart out of alleyways and entrances, like cockroaches, scurrying along the streets, frantic to get places. She suddenly found herself surrounded by a crush of people, being jostled in every direction as the swarm moved toward the entrance of the club. At last she was at the door where a burly, foul smelling man asked for her creds, as he called them.

  When she didn’t respond, he growled, “No creds, no entry.” He shoved her out of the way to make room for the next customer.

  “Wait!” She fumbled through her bag until she found her papers and she handed them to him.

  He scowled at her and snatched them out of her hand. After a minute, he jerked his head, allowing her to enter. She’d have to remember that from now on.

  She walked in the club and was assailed by a series of nasty odors and a sea of disgusting creatures. She wasn’t prepared for how many Xanthians were in the club; they seemed to be everywhere. They were flirting, groping, kissing and doing other horrific things to humans. It was disgusting to her that any human would allow this type of behavior.

  “Close your mouth or you’ll be their next target,” a voice hissed in her ear.

  She spun around to see an attractive blonde haired, blue-eyed woman.

  “Why are they allowing that?”

  “Do you think they want that? They’re doing it for the money you fool. They’re doing it to survive! And the Xanthian saliva makes them vulnerable.”

  “What do you mean? Xanthian saliva?”

  “What? Did you just fall out of the sky? Everyone knows about Xanthian saliva...or the Xanthian Kiss. It’s like a drug. It first makes you numb to their presence and then it makes you crave their sex. One taste of them and you’ll be begging for it.”

  Liasare felt like puking on the spot. She wanted to bolt out of there and never come back. Shandro’s words kept repeating themselves over and over in her head. He was so right and she hadn’t prepared herself at all.

  “Take that look off your face right now or get the hell out of here. You’re putting yourself in danger. They’ll tear you apart, piece by piece, and love every minute of it. What are you doing here anyway? You look like you’d be more at home in a church than in this place.”

  “I’m looking for someone,” Liasare said.

  “Aren’t we all?”

  “I’m looking for my brother.” She reached in her coat and pulled a picture out and handed it to the blonde. “Have you seen him?”

  The blonde widened her eyes and the blood drained from her face. “Who are you?” she asked as she handed the picture back to Liasare, her hand shaking.

  “You know him don’t you?”

  “No! I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

  “That’s a lie.”

  “Listen, you need to get out of here and don’t come back. I don’t know where you came from, but go home and pretend you never came here. This is a dangerous place and if you keep asking questions, you may not live to see the light of day.”

  Liasare took the picture and put it back in her coat. When she lifted her head to respond, the blonde was gone. She searched through the crowd, all over the dance floor, at the bar and even in the bathroom. The blonde was nowhere to be seen; she had just vanished.

  Liasare elbowed her way to the bar and ordered a beer. She sipped on it and eyed the crowd a little longer. The music was loud and people seemed to have lost their humanity. It wasn’t so much they were desperate; they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Maybe the blonde was right and they were doing it for self-preservation; or maybe it was the Xanthian Kiss. She didn’t know nor did she want to find out. She drained her bottle and headed for the door.

  Once outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air. That place reeked inside of unwashed human bodies, stinking Xanthians, and God only knows what else. Liasare walked down the street, thinking about Blonde’s reaction. She knew Tommy. She also knew something about what happened. Liasare had to find her. Damn, the first person she talks to and she takes off like a frightened bird.

  “What do we have here?”

  Liasare stopped and looked up. Oh hell! She had been so focused on the blonde, she hadn’t paid attention to where she was going and had wandered into a deserted part of the street.

  Xanthians...holy fuck!

  They formed a circle around her and began taunting her. To put it mildly, Xanthians were most unattractive. Liasare had seen them at a distance, but never had she been this close to them before. They had large stumpy bodies with scale like formations protruding from the tops of their enormous heads. Thin, scraggly hair sprouted out around the scales and their unfortunate faces were disfigured with huge bulbous noses and large misshapen teeth. If their bodies were disgusting to look at, it was nothing compared to their body odor. Their smell alone was so putrid and disgusting she felt herself gag. They saw her throat convulse and they all began to laugh. Xanthians thought it comical to see other species react to their odor. It was one of the defense mechanisms that served them well.

  They moved in closer, knowing they had a newbie on their hands.

  “Where have you come from my pretty one?” The one who spoke expelled a giant gob of spittle that shot out of his mouth and landed on her sleeve. He still had a disgusting rope of saliva hanging from his slimy, blubbery lips.

  Liasare looked at him and heaved. The contents of her stomach, mostly beer, came spewing forth and landed on Mr. Ugly’s shirt.

  They all laughed at that. She wondered how they could think being thrown up on was humo
rous. They scooted in closer. The one on her right started rubbing her arm. She jerked it out of his pudgy grey hand but he clamped down on it until she screamed. The thing about Xanthians, besides their inherent cruelty, was that they were strong...incredibly strong. Their stumpy bodies made them appear awkward and uncoordinated, but they were anything but that. They possessed quick reflexes, tremendous strength, speed and agility. And they were cunning.

  “Are you going to play nice with us now?” he sneered.

  She nodded and he eased his grip. Suddenly, she found herself backed against a wall, with a stinking body pressed against hers. She heard loud snorting and grunting in her ear and then a searing pain at the junction of her neck and shoulder. The Xanthian backed away then, smiling and licking his lips.

  “Yum yum, you taste good human.”

  That son of a bitch bit me! That’s it.

  Liasare bent down and slowly withdrew a dagger from her boot. They were all so busy patting the biter on the back, they didn’t notice her movement. She slowly stood back up and in one swift movement shoved the knife blade directly into the center of his chest, giving it a hard twist, before pulling it out.

  “Fuck you, you look good dying, Xanthian,” she said.

  One by one they turned to her, growling. She moved to escape, but they blocked her exit. The one she stabbed dropped to his knees, blood gurgling in his throat. Then he face planted on the ground and was silent.

  “You’ll pay for this with your life, human.”

  The one closest to her reached out for her neck but suddenly there were two streaks of light that zinged through the circle, leaving all the Xanthians dead at Liasare’s feet.

  “Get out of here now.”

  She distinctly heard the words in her head. She shook it, trying to bring some sense back into it. She wasn’t telepathic so she must have been hearing things.

  “You were not hearing things. Get the fuck out of here now, before someone finds you and charges you with the death of six Xanthians. Now.”