Beyond Falling Stars (Starlight Saga Book 3)

by Sherry Soule

  “Our first priority should be to protect Sloane until the residue fades and rescue my sister,” Hayden says. “We can deal with Xavier’s family and my arranged marriage later.”

  “I agree. Now I have to go.” Arcane walks away, and in a bright flare of blue light, he teleports out of the forest.

  Hayden stares into the trees as if lost in thought for several seconds, then blinking he sighs. “If Delta really is alive, it’ll mean the world to my parents. I have to get her back,” he says, his voice a hoarse whisper.

  I touch his forearm. “We will. Together. Have Zach do surveillance on the Naval base.”

  “Good idea.” He nods. “Once we get the ectoplasm off your skin and save my sister, everything can return to normal.”

  I grin. “I like the sound of that. We have a Plan A to get this residue to fade, and a Plan B to free Delta from an ST holding cell.”

  He smiles, too. “Plus, a Plan C to finally take our relationship public.”

  “But that’s not going to be easy…” I bite the inside of my cheek and gaze at my mud-spattered boots. “Each time we try, it doesn’t turn out so well…for me.”

  “This time it will,” he says. “Especially now that I’m a free man.”

  I raise my head and lick my lips. “What’s the first thing you’d like to do with your newfound freedom?”

  “I have a few ideas. Like I need to be alone with you. Now.”

  Menacing growls rumble through the trees and we freeze. Reapers, mutant bear-monsters, breed to hunt humans…or in my case, half-humans, have come out to play. The shrubbery rustles with their heavy tread.

  I grab Hayden’s arm. “We’d better get out of here before the reapers decide to make me a late-night snack.”

  TWO

  Hayden teleports us to the cottage on his family’s estate, and this time the trip doesn’t make me quite as ill. I’m getting used to this groovy mode of transportation. He opens the door and lets me slip inside first.

  “I’m going to the house to grab us clean clothes,” he says.

  Poof! Gone in a blaze of azure luminosity. Like he just blinked out of existence. There one second and gone the next. Teleportation is too cool for school.

  While I wait in the cottage, I go into the bathroom to wash my face and hands. When I emerge, Hayden is waiting in the living room. He’s already changed and showered. He hands me a fresh T-shirt to put on, and turning, I toss off my soiled top and pull on his shirt, smelling of fabric softener.

  “I’ve got something else…” Hayden turns to the coffee table behind him and lifts two paper plates. “I found raspberry pie in the kitchen.”

  “Gimme!” I seize a plate with a slice and a plastic fork. Taking a bite, I close my eyes and savor the taste. “Hmmm, so good.”

  Hayden’s laugh is like warm melting chocolate, and he takes a bite of his pie. “It’s homemade. Our cook loves to bake.”

  “You have a cook?” I take another bite. “Is he single?”

  Hayden smirks. “No, she’s happily married, but I can get you the recipe.”

  “Is it right to be eating pie when your ex-fiancée’s heart will soon be crushed?” A twinge of guilt hits me because I’m not an unfeeling monster. I know what it feels like to be dumped by Hayden, and her dad will be sent to the slammer. Gee, and I thought my life sucked. “I’m suffering massive guilt right now.”

  “It’s not your fault. Who defines right, anyway?”

  I swallow. “If eating pie is wrong, then don’t ever let me be right.”

  He produces two cans of soda from the table, handing me one. “So, about that guilt?”

  “Frightfully subjective and totally overrated.”

  “That’s my Peaches.” Hayden finishes his drink. Next, he takes my plate and soda, setting them on the table. “We could take off. Go on a road trip. Leave tonight.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah.” He drags a hand through his floppy hair. “I can take you home to pack.”

  A twisty feeling curls in my chest. “What’s going on? Why do you suddenly want to leave?”

  “We’ve never taken a road trip…or we could leave the planet.”

  “Hayden, you’re being weird. Is it the pie? Has the sugar gone to your head?” I give his arm a hard shake. “We can’t go anywhere. We have plans, remember? The ones to regain control of our lives.”

  “Oh, those plans…”

  “Have you forgotten? Do you really need me to repeat them to you?” I lift my hand, ticking each one off my fingers. “Plan A, get residue off skin to keep my family safe. Plan B, free Delta from ST. Plan C, tell the world that we’re a couple—”

  “I remember.” He sighs.

  “Then what’s the deal? Talk to me.”

  “It’s just…what if Delta isn’t there? What if we can’t get the ectoplasm to fade fast enough? What if the reapers find you? What if we tell my parents about us and they freak?”

  “Wow, that’s a whole lotta what ifs, buddy.” I grasp his hands and squeeze. “Oh, no. My inner-pessimist is rubbing off on you. You’re starting to sound just like me.”

  He chuckles. “Only a momentary lapse, I promise.”

  “Good because, I’m the one who’s usually freaking out, not you. I need Mr. Confidence back A-sap.”

  “For a second there, I just wanted to run away.”

  “Lately, I feel like doing that too, but it’s time to take a stand. Over the last few months, you’ve taught me so much, Hayden.” I hold his hands. “Like standing up for others, and that love isn’t always shiny rainbows and fluttery butterflies. Sometimes the best kind of love is a friendship that survives through a lot of bad times, like what we’ve been through.” He pulls away, but I hold firm. “You know what I love best about you? It’s that you’re a great guy who fights for others when they can’t, and you’re not a quitter. If there’s even a slim chance to save Delta or protect me from ST, I know you won’t stop fighting until you do.”

  He relaxes and stares into my eyes. “Damn, you’re good at the morale-boosting speeches.”

  “I learned from the best. Now kiss me.”

  Hayden takes me into his arms and kisses me tenderly, then he deepens the kiss. He tastes of sweet raspberries and sugary frosting. I hold him close, feeling the tension leave his body.

  He breaks the seal of our lips and takes my hand, leading me into the bedroom. We stop in the doorway, staring at the queen-sized bed dominating the space. I sit on the mattress and Hayden does the same. The room has a rustic French decor, white walls and floral artwork. Scented candles and fresh flowers in glass vases adorn every surface. The crystal chandelier tinkles with every shift of the breeze blowing through the open window. The scent of fresh linen and lavender emanate from the bedding.

  We flop onto the bed, our shoulders touching. Hayden and I both seem to exhale for the first time in hours. Lying next to him, my heart and mind won’t stop racing.

  “I just want the drama to end, too. I honestly don’t know if I can take anymore,” I whisper, “but I also know if we ran away, our problems would still be here when we got back.”

  As the confession slips from my mouth, I know I’m desperate for a normal life with a normal boyfriend. I don’t want Hayden’s parents to oppose our relationship and I wish outside forces would stop intervening all the time. My breathing is ragged, cheeks warm. I turn my head to study his face. This guy, with his unique gaze, has tears in his eyes, and I sense him hoping for the same unsaid things.

  “Then we stay and fight,” Hayden says, turning his head to look at me. “Like Bonnie and Clyde. Or Rose and Jack aboard the doomed Titanic—”

  “Let’s pick a couple comparison where they actually get a happy ending. I prefer Lloyd Doble and Diane Court from Say Anything.”

  “You do love your eighty’s movies.”

  Glancing at his profile, I’m overcome with the need to kiss him. I lean up on my elbow, placing my lips over his, light but firm, with no hesitation.
He flips me onto my back and the world fades into a blur. My hands explore his biceps, roaming over his smooth skin and feeling the swell of muscles. His fingers thread through my hair and the passionate kisses send a blast of heat into my body. His chest presses into mine as if he can’t get close enough. Warm shivers race across my skin. The weight of his body holds me in place beneath him, not that I’m trying to escape. My arms slide downward, slipping beneath his shirt, seeking out his flesh, my nerve endings hypersensitive. His body feels feverish under my fingertips, and when he deepens the kiss, my toes curl. Hayden slips his arms around my waist, and I smile, feeling ridiculously happy.

  Pushing him back, I scoot away from him, until my head meets the pillows. He stares into my eyes, his pupils huge almost swallowing the swirling color of his irises.

  “Damn, you’re hot,” I whisper, reaching over to tug at his shirt. “Take this off.”

  Hayden removes his shirt, then he rejoins me near the headboard. My gaze feasts on his naked torso, one hand reaching for him. His taut stomach muscles quiver at my touch.

  “My scheme must be working.”

  “Scheme?” Hayden runs his fingers over my hips.

  “Yup. After battling evil ST soldiers, I lure you to a private location to seduce you.”

  “Hmmm, I very much approve of this seduction.” His expression flickers with determination and possessiveness. “If we do this…go any further, Peaches, there’s no turning back.”

  “I’m ready,” I whisper, raising my hand to caress his jawline and his parted lips.

  I roll onto my side and give him a hard shove so he flips onto his back. I lean in to put my lips to his, my hands greedily sliding over his taut stomach and bare chest.

  Hayden lets out a moan, gripping the hem of my shirt. “This must come off.” He tugs the fabric over my head, exposing my lacy black bra and drops the shirt on the bed. My boyfriend goes incredibly still, before clasping my cheeks. “You mean a lot to me, and I vow to never let anything get in the way of our relationship again,” he whispers.

  I kiss his cheek. “I’m gonna hold you to that, Hayden Lancaster.”

  His mouth covers mine, the kiss so passionate it feels as if he’s staking a claim on what’s already his. Who knew near-death experiences were like an aphrodisiac?

  I lean into him, holding onto his shoulders. His hand grips the back of my neck, and he draws me into the deepest kiss yet. His fingertips trail over my bare arms, sending delicious shivers throughout my body. Hayden’s hold tightens, his chest to my breasts. My breathing is fast and heavy. Hayden kisses me until everything gradually dissolves, until Sector Thirteen’s threats fade like a nightmare. My hands roam over his rippling muscles, biceps, chest, and shoulders. I want to touch every part of him, feel every single inch of that hot skin. Hayden slides our bodies down and positions himself on top of me, his mouth finding mine again.

  His fingertips hook under the strap on my bra, inching it downward. “I love your curves. Your soft skin,” he murmurs.

  His lips brush the top of my cleavage, then he lifts his head to give me his trademark smoldering stare. I know what that look means. In about three seconds, Hayden’s going to take off my bra, and I’m going to be practically naked in front of him, and then things are really gonna heat up to an R-rating.

  He removes my jeans, tugging the fabric down my legs, and flinging them onto the floor. His gaze roams over my black bra and panties. “You’re my everything, Peaches. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  I smile at him, tears pooling in my eyes. Although my relationship with Hayden has had its fair share of epic ups-and-downs—not at all glamorous like those star-crossed romances depicted in movies—he doesn’t need to wear a red cape to be my hero. Most people would say the greatest love stories are ones like Romeo and Juliet or Edward and Bella. Those are good ones, but if you ask me, the greatest love stories can also be less epic, like Hayden’s and mine.

  The instant Hayden’s arranged marriage becomes null and void, there’ll be nothing stopping us from being together.

  The door creaks open. I shoot upward, shoving Hayden off me. My heart seizes. A slim woman stands in the doorway glaring at us.

  Okay, so there’s still one major obstacle standing in our way.

  THREE

  I clutch the comforter to my chest. “Hayden,” I say, my voice rising to a shrill pitch.

  He turns to face the door. I yank the blankets over my body, but it’s too late. The woman standing in the doorway scowling has no doubt seen everything, and with those searing mismatched colored eyes, there’s no doubt who she is…

  Hayden’s frightfully conservative mother.

  Her chilly gaze sweeps over the room, taking in the scene: me basically naked and clinging to the comforter. Hayden with his shirt off. My clothes lying in a heap on the floor.

  Not my finest moment.

  Mrs. Lancaster’s domineering presence fills the entire space. “Hayden. What’re you doing in the cottage with this…girl?” Mrs. Lancaster snarls.

  I assume saying he was just making out with his crossbreed girlfriend after getting his future father-in-law arrested is not the answer she’s hoping for.

  He rubs his temple. “What do you want?”

  “Son,” she says, the pitch of her voice rising an octave. “I would’ve thought, you’d have at least waited until we had a chance to smooth things over with the Voorhees first.”

  “I apologize, Mother.” Hayden swings his legs over the bed, bending to grasp his shirt. “We were just—”

  “I know exactly what you two were about to do.” The lines around her mouth tighten like a rubber band. I’m thinking she’s two seconds away from pouncing on me and ripping out my purple hair.

  This is not how I wanted to meet Hayden’s mom. Practically nude and groping her son. With trembling limbs, I slide off the bed, and with my back to her, I clumsily slip on my clothes. I turn to peek at Mrs. Lancaster again, and my skin shivers from the frosty reception in the room.

  Her green and brown stare lands on me. She’s wearing a high-collared, silk blouse over white slacks and stilettos. Hayden’s mom resembles an elegant Star Trek dominatrix, and her bleached blonde hair is styled into a sleek, short cap.

  My face burns. I need to remedy this blockbuster awkwardness.

  “It is so nice to finally meet you,” I say.

  “Wish I could say the same.” Mrs. Lancaster flicks her gaze over the rumbled bed. “And I see you’ve already made yourself at home.”

  “Mother, stop it,” Hayden says. “No need to be rude. I’d like you to meet my girlfri—”

  “Yes, I know. Sloane Masterson, the girl who keeps putting my son’s life in danger.”

  I cringe at her harsh words, as if she’s saying because of the despicable shalinaya, then something inside me snaps. I’ve had enough of avoiding conflict. Mrs. Lancaster can’t talk to me like this, like I’m a lower lifeform just as Xavier did, even if this is her guest cottage. Although, to be fair, she did find me in a comprising position with her son. Yeah, I can knock off a few cool points for this embarrassing moment.

  Still…I’m here, I’m her son’s girlfriend, get used to it. Or however the chant for alien dating rights should go.

  She lifts her chin and peers down her nose at me. “I’m Moya Lancaster. Arcane has told me a lot about you.”

  “Oh, um, that’s good, I guess,” I stutter. “And I’m so sorry. This isn’t how it looks—”

  “Please save your whorish justifications for someone else.” Mrs. Lancaster steps out into the hallway, calling over her shoulder, “Hayden your friend needs to go home—now. And we need to talk.” She slams the bedroom door, the vibration echoing throughout the cottage.

  “That went well. Meeting your mother wasn’t scary intense at all,” I say. “Is it just me? Or did you not get any warm fuzzies, either?”

  Hayden shakes his head. “I’m so screwed.”

  “After being attacked by
a power-hungry Meleah and ST soldiers, then facing off with your heated momma, I think we can handle anything.”

  His shoulders sag. “This is going to be bad.”

  “We already knew it would be.”

  “Too late for a road trip?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Hayden, may I speak to you a moment?” Mrs. Lancaster calls from the other room.

  His jaw clenches. He exits the room, and unable to stop myself, I scoot closer to the doorway to eavesdrop.

  “What of your engagement to Neela?” Mrs. Lancaster asks.

  “You know damn well I never agreed to marry Neela and I don’t appreciate you pushing her on me. I can get my own girlfriend.”

  “Really? Like that girl?”

  “Yes, really. Like Sloane, my girlfriend,” he says.

  “Neela is such a superior woman. She has good breeding and comes from a respectable family—”

  He grunts. “You make it sound like I’m a stud and she’s the mare.”

  “Is it going to kill you to give Neela a chance?”

  “Yes. Besides, she’s not my type, and I already have a girlfriend. The snarky purple-haired girl you just met in the next room.”

  “Neela’s not your type?” Mrs. Lancaster scoffs. “You’re too young to know what you like yet.”

  “And I suppose, you do? Do you even care what I want?” Hayden grumbles.

  “Of course, I do, but you will one day be a great leader and you must have a blue-blooded wife at your side.”

  “Seriously, Mother? I don’t care about joining the GB, and if it means that I can’t be with Sloane, then I guess I’m going to stepdown,” he says, his voice low and firm. “Do you ever listen to me?”

  “Only when you’re making sense, dear.” Her heels click on the hardwood and the front door scrapes open. “Take that girl home. Dinner is at seven sharp.”

  I shuffle backward until my knees hit the edge of the bed and I sit down.

  Hayden returns, planting a kiss on my forehead. “I need to talk with my mother before she goes all ballistic.”