by Tasha Black
She took an instant to be thankful for the incredibly sad yet convenient death of such a beautiful a tree, then she dashed into the rain, leading the way for the men to follow her.
Arden looked over her shoulder to see the aliens jogging after her.
Good.
She led along the path to the farm, dashing through several twists and turns, all the while bracing herself to hear the shout of the guards as they inevitably spotted her band of fugitives and gave chase.
After ten minutes that seemed like an eternity, Arden reached a row of purple-flowered bushes that marked the border of the farm. The wet rhododendron leaves glistened, looking more exotic than usual.
She turned at the hedge and waited in the peach orchard as the rain lashed the lush branches. She was soaked to the bone, but none the worse for wear.
Drago was the first to join her. His wet clothes were plastered to his body and Arden had to make an effort not to stare.
Thankfully, Burton and Riggs followed quickly after him.
“Let’s go around,” Arden said.
“Isn’t the farm house right there?” Drago asked, motioning to the building at the far end of the orchard.
“It’s probably better to go to the front door,” Arden replied.
She preferred not to tell him that she had no idea whether anyone might have noticed them leaving. If they had, she wanted to be on the other side of the orchard before they entered, that way she and the men would be able to see them coming.
Not that she knew what she would do even if she knew they were being pursued. But she had an idea it was better not to have their backs to the pursuers.
They jogged between the rows of soggy trees in silence, finally coming out at the gravel parking lot on the other side.
A big hand-painted sign greeted them:
Welcome to Martin’s Bounty - A Family Farm
Pick-Your-Own Peaches Season coming soon!
Under that a smaller sign hung on a hook below:
Help Wanted
“That’s a good sign,” Arden said, pointing at the Help Wanted rider. “It will help our cause.”
She hadn’t really allowed herself to think about what would happen if Helen Martin turned them away. It was one thing never to turn away a neighbor who needed a cup of sugar or some garden equipment. What Dr. Bhimani had sent them to ask for was something much, much bigger.
“Come off the path guys, just in case,” she said.
They followed her into the brambles at the side of the walkway.
They were close now. She could see the wooden shutters of the farmhouse swaying slightly in the wind.
“One more step and I’ll shoot.”
The voice pierced the air. It was young and female and it meant business.
Arden now saw what she had missed before - a woman standing in the shadows of the porch, gun trained on them. Arden thought it was a shotgun, but she had never actually handled any kind of gun in real life, so she couldn’t be sure.
They were between a rock and a hard place now. She couldn’t even explain herself.
“Y-your neighbor sent us,” she heard herself call back as she lifted her hands.
“My neighbor?” the woman on the porch echoed. A fluffy tabby cat rubbed itself against her ankles.
She lowered her weapon and stepped into the moonlight. She was tall and slender, her dark hair cut in a glossy bob. And she was at least fifty years too young to be Helen Martin.
“Oh,” the woman said, laughing. “That’s fantastic. Sorry for the lousy welcome. I just didn’t expect you guys to be walking in the bushes in the rain.”
Arden turned to see what had changed the woman’s mind.
Burton was holding the Help Wanted sign. He must have lifted it off the hooks when they went past.
Riggs headed onto the porch.
“You were right,” Burton said to Arden as he passed her, still carrying the placard. “The sign did help us.”
She had meant the need for labor might help them in theory. Turned out it was a good thing the aliens tended to take things literally.
“Are you ready?” Drago asked from his place beside her.
Arden nodded and they headed up the steps together.
“What’s going on?” another female voice demanded from inside.
“These are the workers Bud sent over from his place,” Tansy said.
Arden stepped inside.
The farmhouse was cozy. The living room must have been tiny to begin with. At some point someone had enclosed a side porch into an extension with a big bank of windows. A well-worn sofa in that nook overlooked the crackling fire in the stone fireplace.
On the other side of the room, another young woman with waves of brown hair stood in front of a rocking chair. She gazed suspiciously at their unexpected guests.
“We talked about this, Tansy,” she said. “We don’t want undocumented workers.”
“How do you know they’re undocumented?” Tansy asked.
“Bud Wilson is a cheapskate,” the other woman sniffed. “You think he’s actually going to pay someone a fair wage if he can help it?”
“Well, it’s raining like crazy out there. At least let them come in and dry off,” Tansy said. “Towels are in the bathroom at the end of the hall, guys.”
“Go on,” Arden told them. “I’m just going to chat with these ladies for a moment.”
The men headed down the hallway, ducking their heads when they got to the old fashioned light fixture.
Arden turned back to the women.
“I’m Arden Green,” she said.
“Tansy Martin,” the woman with the bob said. “And this is my sister, Sage.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Arden said.
“Have a seat,” Tansy said, indicating the chair behind Arden.
Arden didn’t sit. She could sense that Sage wasn’t feeling hospitable just yet.
Even the cat stared at her with serious yellow eyes.
“So you’re here for jobs,” Sage said bluntly. “Are you a US citizen?”
“I am a US citizen,” Arden replied carefully. “We’re all hard workers. You saw the size of the guys. We don’t have a lot of experience but we’re willing to work for room and board, so you don’t have to worry about documentation.”
“Holy crap,” Tansy said. “Were you working for Bud for room and board?”
Arden was torn. She hated to lie.
During her pause there was noise in the hallway again.
Drago appeared in the doorway to the living room, flanked by Burton and Riggs. The three were enormous, muscles rippling enticingly under their still damp t-shirts.
Without the masks and lab coats it was impossible not to recognize that these men weren’t your average farm workers.
“Holy crap,” Tansy breathed. “I guess I pegged you for the wrong neighbors.”
“Aliens,” Sage said, her mouth set in a tight line.
“I can explain,” Arden said.
“You’d better.” Sage turned to Arden, eyes flashing dangerously.
“Dr. Bhimani sent us here to talk with Helen Martin,” Arden said. “Is she here?”
Sage’s expression fell and she glanced at her sister.
“Grandma Helen passed away,” Tansy said gently. “That’s why we’re here.”
So it had all been for nothing.
Arden sank into the chair and buried her face in her hands.
“Arden,” Drago said, his voice concerned.
His large warm hand rested on her back and her body tingled with awareness in spite of their hopeless situation.
“Did you… know Grandma Helen?” Tansy asked uncertainly.
“No,” Arden said, looking up. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Why did Dr. Bhimani send you to see Helen?” Sage asked.
“I’m a scientist,” Arden explained. “I work with the aliens in the lab.”
“I thought the aliens all got married and were trying to as
similate,” Tansy said. “Don’t tell me you’re experimenting on them anyway.”
“Not those aliens,” Arden said.
“Wait, you’re not the three aliens?” Tansy asked.
“There are more of us here than you think,” Burton said to Tansy, his eyes dancing. “We are supposed to stay in the lab, under cover. Aerie’s leaders don’t want anyone to know we’re here. And Earth’s government wants to keep an eye on us.”
“And they’re experimenting on you?” Sage asked.
Tansy gazed at Burton in wonder.
“It’s not as bad as you think,” Burton told her. “They’re trying to make us click but without a mate bond.”
“In Vogue magazine says you need the mate bond to click,” Tansy said. “What other way is there?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Arden said.
“Pornography,” Riggs said at the same time, his deep voice sounding even deeper than usual in the small room.
There was a terrible pause.
“What?” Sage demanded.
“It’s actually done very scientifically—” Arden began.
“Films of people mating enthusiastically that are meant to make the watcher experience sexual climax,” Riggs explained. “Is pornography not the proper word?”
“Oh no buddy, you nailed it,” Tansy said, grinning. “That’s actually the best definition of pornography I’ve ever heard. We just… didn’t see it coming.”
“Well, we did,” Riggs said. “Many, many times, without clicking no matter how many times we climaxed.”
“I think we’ve heard just about enough,” Sage said. “It’s time for you to go back to Dr. Bhimani.”
“We can’t,” Arden said softly. “The guards will have noticed that we’re missing. We’re fugitives now.”
“What do you expect us to do about it?” Sage asked.
“Please consider allowing us to stay,” Arden said.
“Why would we do that?” Sage asked disdainfully. “You’re basically a gang of intergalactic criminals.”
“Sage,” Tansy said placatingly.
“Don’t ‘Sage’ me,” Sage replied. “And what on Earth possessed your Dr. Bhimani to think Grandma Helen would have taken you in?”
“Dr. Bhimani said that Helen Martin would never turn away a neighbor in need,” Arden said quietly in defeat.
She expected Sage to dismiss her immediately.
Instead there was silence.
She looked up to see Sage pinching the bridge of her nose, and Tansy with tears in her eyes.
“Sage, please,” Tansy said.
Sage sighed.
“She’s right,” Tansy said softly. “Grandma Helen would never turn away a neighbor in need. She said it all the time.”
Tansy and Sage exchanged a look.
“Fine,” Sage said at last. “You can stay for one night. There’s a loft in the barn. If they find you, at least we’ll have plausible deniability.”
“Sage—” Tansy began to protest.
“Thank you,” Arden said quickly. “If anyone comes please don’t try to protect us. If we make it through the night we’ll give you a day’s work tomorrow. But either way we are in your debt.”
Sage studied her impassively for a moment, then nodded.
“Let me find you something to sleep in,” Tansy said, taking her by the arm. “I’ll give you some of my pajamas. I don’t think I have anything that would fit your… friends.”
“I’m fine,” Arden said.
“I insist,” Tansy told her, yanking her down the hallway.
Arden snuck a peek over her shoulder to where Burton and Drago watched after them.
Sage and Riggs seemed to be having a staring contest by the fireplace.
6
Arden
Arden took one last glance at herself in the bedroom mirror.
While the “nightgown” she wore might be modest enough on Tansy’s lanky frame, Arden’s curves were practically bursting out of it. She couldn’t decide if she looked like a fertility goddess or a complete floozy.
The delicate pink fabric stretched thin over her breasts and hugged her hips, and the lacy hem was high enough to show off far more of her thighs than she would have liked to display. Thankfully there was a matching robe.
She pulled it on, tying the sash tightly around her waist, and headed back down the hallway to find the others.
“Ready?” Tansy asked. “Oh, hey, that looks cute on you.”
“Er, thanks,” Arden said, looking studiously at her feet.
Tansy led them out the back door and across the yard to a stone barn behind the house.
When she opened the door, Arden bit back a sigh. The floor was dirt and the whole space was dark and musty.
But Tansy headed to a staircase in the back.
Arden followed her up, the boys behind her.
The staircase twisted and turned until they came out in a sort of loft area.
She pushed open a door, revealing a cozy room with a rag rug and a window overlooking the farm. Enormous beams spanned the ceiling. A collection of leather bridles hung from hooks imbedded in the beams.
“This is the tackle room,” Tansy explained. “It will make a good space for you, Arden. The sofa’s a pull out and the trunk in the corner has a ton of blankets. And there’s a half bath through that door in back.”
She led them back to the loft, and opened another door into an immense space, as big as a basketball court.
“Wow,” Arden said.
“It’s not fancy, but it will keep you out of the elements,” Tansy said. “The guys can bunk together in here. There are still sleeping bags in the cupboard from when the Cub Scouts used it for camping. Help yourselves.”
“Thank you,” Burton said, his deep voice reverent. “We are in your debt.”
“And your sister’s,” Riggs added.
“Don’t mention it,” Tansy said with a crooked half smile. “If we don’t get invaded by the government tonight, you’ll work off your debt in the morning.”
“We will,” Arden promised.
“Okay, then, sleep well,” Tansy said.
They all stood in the huge room and listened until Tansy’s footsteps on the stairs disappeared.
“We need to make a plan in case they come for us,” Drago said.
“How would we even know? There’s not a window in here low enough for us to see out of,” Burton pointed out.
They all looked up at the windows nearly twenty feet overhead.
“There’s a window in my room,” Arden said.
“I can take watch for the remainder of the night,” Drago offered.
“It’s in my room, I can keep an eye out,” Arden said, wishing she didn’t feel so sleepy.
“You’ve done enough. It will be my honor to guard you tonight.”
His husky voice sent a shiver of pleasure sizzling down Arden’s spine.
Easy, girl.
“Good night, guys,” she said to Burton and Riggs.
“Good night, Arden. Thank you for helping us,” Burton said.
“Good night,” Riggs added.
She slipped out into the loft and through the door of the tackle room, hyper aware of Drago’s presence behind her.
They were alone together.
The thought of the night stretched out before them was almost intoxicating.
But she had to remember Dr. Bhimani’s instructions. It was Arden’s duty to keep the experiment going. Which meant no falling in love and definitely no hanky-panky. She tried to keep herself from imagining peeling off his shirt, sliding her hands across his wide chest, sliding down his pants…
“Do you want me to pull it out for you?” Drago asked eagerly from behind her.
Arden swallowed so hard she almost choked. She spun around to find him eyeing the sofa with great interest.
“Tansy said it was a pull-out,” Drago explained.
“Oh,” Arden managed, hoping her cheeks weren’t
as red as they felt. “Sure.”
She removed the cushions and stacked them neatly as she got herself under control, then showed him the handle. Drago gave a mighty tug and the mattress unfolded into the room.
“Wow,” he said. “It’s like a transforming robot.”
Arden laughed.
“Did I say that the wrong way?” Drago asked, his brow furrowed. “I meant those clever cartoon robots that turn into cars.”
“No, you said it the right way,” Arden said. “I just… I never would have looked at it that way.”
Drago smiled, looking pleased again.
Something about his simple happiness at being able to share a common reference point with her clenched at her heart.
She turned and went to the trunk in the corner and grabbed the sheets and blankets, trying to distract herself.
They made the bed in friendly silence.
“That looks cozy,” Drago said in a satisfied way when they were finished at last. “Climb on in and get some rest.”
“I’ll just get cleaned up first,” Arden said.
She ducked into the small bathroom and cleaned up as best she could. She was glad she always kept a travel kit in her bag.
As she brushed her teeth, she thought about the man in the next room.
He wasn’t a man, not really. He was an alien, trying to figure out the world from clues in the ‘80s movies he’d seen. For heaven’s sake, he had just based his understanding of a sofa bed on a children’s cartoon.
Arden had watched plenty of ‘80s movies herself growing up with her Aunt Lou. Lou loved the simple, cheerful storylines and so did Arden. But by the time she was twelve Arden began noticing the way women were portrayed in those movies. Most times they seemed to be relegated to puffy haired cheerleaders and apron-wearing mothers. And in plenty of movies they were really nothing more than pretty set dressing.
If Drago had begun his Earthly education there and continued it by watching the pornography Arden had provided to him each day, then his view of women couldn’t exactly be enlightened.
All in all, there were about a million reasons why she couldn’t involve herself with the hunky alien, no matter how much her skin was tingling at the thought of his nearness.
He was literally designed to make you feel that way, Arden, she told herself.
