Alien Attachments (28 page)

“From what?”

“From you. From everything you represent. Being with you isn’t normal.” She tried to run her hand threw her hair but it was a tangled mess.
I must be something to look at right now
. She started separating the strands. “It’s not normal. Not like—not like being with Balastar.”

Ian shifted his position. “Normal is highly overrated.”

She’d always thought so too. “What happened the other night, in my room—”

Ian started to speak but she waved him off.

“No, don’t. It wasn’t your fault. I was right there with you till…”

“Till the end. What happened at the end?”

“I panicked. I was mad at you for getting close to me again, but I also freaked out. I lose control with you. I feel like I’m sinking underwater and I’ll never find my way back to the surface. Never be me again. I know this bond thing is permanent and it scares the hell out of me.”

Ian inched a little closer. “I get that. Makes sense. I think that feeling was, in fact, the beginning of the last phase of bonding. I can tell you, from what I’ve heard, you do lose control. In a way. It’s more of a focus on our psi and losing touch with our bodies for a while. I can also tell you no one has ever complained.”

Dani couldn’t help but smile. How could anyone complain about that kind of pleasure? Pleasure because of her psi. Her smile slipped. He’d touched her just now and her psi hadn’t responded. “What if it’s gone? My psi. Or damaged. Ria said that could happen.”

“She was right. We won’t know till the suppressant is out of your system, and probably not for hours after that. Don’t even think about using your psi till we know it’s safe. It would be acutely painful and you’d have no control of it.”

Dani toyed with the leaf in her hand. What if her psi was gone? She’d never bond with Ian. The thought of making love to Ian and having normal sex, like any other man, sent fear through her. For the first time, she wanted to finish what they’d started. Her feelings for Balastar were strong, but she couldn’t see her future without Ian. Her emotions were a wild mix of highs and lows. Could she really handle a relationship? Would it work? Another stab of fear. She pictured them lying in bed late on a Sunday morning. Absolute joy washed over her. What if he left her, or died? Her heart pounded with the thought.
I am such a mess.

“Easy. Just breath through it. Let it pass. You’ve got a weird mix of emotions here.”

Ian rubbed his hand up and down her back. It was heaven. Pure heaven.

Shit. Now, I’ve gone and fallen in love.

Ian’s hand froze.

She cast a sideways glance at him.

“I got that one,” Ian said. “Do you mean it?” His voice held such hope.

She tore the leaf in half and inhaled the odd citrusy scent. “What if my psi is gone?”

He lifted her chin to face him.

“Don’t care. I love you with or without psi.”

The trill of a cruiser horn made them both jump. Dani groaned when she saw Balastar at the controls. He looked so happy.

Ian stood and helped her to her feet. He looked happy too, and more than a little smug.

“Be nice,” she said.

“I’ve never been this happy in my life, Dani. I’ll be nice.”

He smiled and her heart melted. She loved that smile. She loved him. Her legs were coming back to life and she easily made it to the cruiser.

Balastar hopped out but remained by the door. He watched them, noting Ian’s possessive hand on the small of her back. His jaw clenched when he opened the door for them. “You okay?” he asked.

“Getting there,” Dani said. She reached out and put a hand on his arm. She glanced between the two men. Both of whom she loved on some level, but only one of whom she couldn’t live without. Ian slid into the cruiser, giving them a moment of privacy.

Balastar shifted his weight to the other foot and looked inside the cruiser. Ian sat next to a shaky-looking Ria. They talked quietly. Armond lay sprawled on the rear facing bench seat, looking deathly pale.

“I take it the bond wins, huh?” Balastar asked.

“I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know.” He gave her hand a quick squeeze. “I wouldn’t want to deny anyone their psi-mate, even if I could. Get in. We need to move.”

She climbed in and sat between Ian and Ria. “How you holding up?”

Ria managed a lopsided grin. “Not as good as you from the look of it.” She nodded toward Ian. “’Bout time you stopped fighting it.”

The cruiser lifted off and swung around the way they’d come. Sunlight glinted off the stream that fed the waterfall.

“You were right,” Dani said to Ria. “That really sucked.”

“Yeah. If I ever see Gordat again, he’s a dead man.”

“How’s he doing?” Ian asked, checking Armond for a pulse. It was weak, but steady.

Ria brushed some stray hairs off Armond’s face. “Balastar managed to get some protein concentrate in him, but that’s all. He’s got to be drained. He needs healing and food. I wish I could help him.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Ian said. “Not till you’re clear.”

“I know.”

Ian sat back and put his arm around Dani’s shoulders, pulling her close. She shut her eyes, comforted by his touch and Ria’s presence. Since her parents had died, she hadn’t belonged anywhere. Now, with these people, she was home. It didn’t matter what planet they were on. With Ian by her side and Ria, Jared, Marco, all of them. She was home. Almost.

* * * *

Nearly twenty minutes later they landed outside a dingy-looking warehouse. Ian had explained the plan and it sounded as good as any. A scruffy-looking man who had to be Rucon’s old friend, Trulass, guided them into a hanger bay.

“I hope your dad was right about this guy.” Dani squeezed his hand.
And I hope your dad is okay.
How horrible would it be if the day they got together was the day his father died?

He kissed her hand and led them out of the cruiser.

Trulass was thin and scrappy, quite the opposite of Rucon. Physical appearance clearly wasn’t a priority with this one, and if she had to guess, she’d bet he cut his own hair.

He stepped up, hand extended. “You must be Ian. Spit’n image of your da’. Though I’d guess you have a good head on him, ya?”

“About five inches, yes.” The men shook hands.

Dani climbed out and shook his hand next. Rough and callused. A working man’s hands.

“Rucon described you all so there aren’t no mistakes. You’d be Dani, then.”

“Thanks for helping us out,” Dani said.

“Glad to do it. Ah, and this wee lass here, that’d be Ria. And you I recognize,” he said as Balastar stepped up. “Nice to meet you, councilman.”

Balastar shook hands. “Just Balastar now.”

“Aye. Interesting times these.” Trulass looked into the cruiser. “Wasn’t expecting five. Who’s that?”

“That’s one of my Earth Protectors. He’s a Portal Master and pulled a fifth port getting my father away from Gordat.”

“A fifth?” It was clear he knew the dangers and the chance of failure. “Right, since when does Rucon have ’is own Portal Masters?”

“It’s a long story,” Ian said. “Let’s get him loaded and get out of here. He needs help. Balastar has a medic on his transport.”

“Let’s do it then,” Trulass said, leading the way.

Balastar used his psi to move the large man into the shuttle. Ria followed behind and climbed in.

Ian took Dani’s hand. “Hold on.” He pulled her toward him and kissed her. “I just want to say I’m sorry, one last time. And to let you know, I’ll never hurt you again.”

Dani place her hand on his cheek. “I know. I trust you more than I ever thought possible.” The extent and truth of the statement amazed her.

He grinned. “As soon as you’re clear, there’s something we need to finish.” Ian trailed his thumb over her lips.

“I’m impressed with your restraint,” she said, giving his thumb a teasing nibble. “I haven’t sensed your psi since we landed in the vale.”

“That’s because one slip and you could be set back for days. That would be torture on a whole new level.”

She didn’t want to think where they would be if the bond couldn’t be finished. She took his hand and kissed it. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. I was thinking about it in the cruiser. It’s like—”

A bright red beam ripped through Ian’s chest. Later, she’d wonder if she really did see
through
his body before he staggered against the cruiser.

Balastar roared with anger and fired back at the guards by the hangar door.

“Get in the shuttle now,” Trulass shouted.

Ria braced herself by the door and fired over their heads providing cover.

Balastar rushed over to Ian and hoisted him up with psi.

Dani had her hands over his wounds but, there was no stopping the flow of blood.

A beam of laser buzzed next to Dani’s ear.

“Move it, guys,” Ria shouted and took out the source of the fire. She and Trulass covered them while they got Ian through the door of the ship and placed him on a cot near Armond.

Dani was shaking, her hands and arms covered in blood.

Ian’s face was getting paler by the second and his breathing more rapid and shallow.

“Get me something to stop the bleeding,” Dani yelled.

Trulass jumped inside and grabbed a first aid kit from the wall.

Ria slowly backed up toward them, keeping the door covered.

“Get in lassie,” Trulass said. “We’re leaving here now.” He punched a few buttons on the console and a solid door slid across the entire side of the hangar.

“What are you doing?” Ria said. “We have to leave through those doors.”

“Not to worry. I’m just buying us a few minutes.” Trulass closed the door of the ship and rushed to Ian, rolling him on his side. From the kit he pulled out a flat package. He ripped it open and unfolded a piece of material twelve inches across. He slapped it over the bleeding wound and rolled Ian onto his back. He quickly pulled out another package and did the same to the front wound. The material morphed. It formed itself to Ian’s body with a one- or two-inch indent where the hole was.

Dani was sick at the thought of what was missing from that hole, then realized she didn’t know for sure which side his heart was on. “His heart,” she said aloud.

“Left. Just like yours,” Ria said, strapping Ian into the bed below where Armond lay.

“Why are you doing that? You have a Gravity Modulator, right?”

Trulass laughed. “Not on this old boat. We have dampers and shields, no GravMod. Now everyone buckle in. It’s going to be a rough start.” He headed to the controls and strapped himself in.

Balastar and Ria did the same.

Dani remained standing, not wanting to leave Ian’s side.

Ria pointed to a jump seat at the head of the bed.

Dani pulled it down and strapped in.

“Reclining,” Trulass called from the cockpit.

Dani’s heart skipped a beat as her seat slid forward and her back and headrest assumed a near forty-five degree angle. She looked out a window above Ria’s head. This wouldn’t be good for Ian. She put a hand on his shoulder.

Ria shook her head and showed Dani how to place her hands on the grooves of the arm rests.

“Where you goin’ Trulass?” Ria called out.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, just a little back door I was hoping I’d never use. Hope I can get someone to send me my stuff, cuz they’re not going to let me come back here after this.” His voice rose as he flipped a series of switches.

The light in the hangar changed.

He opened the roof.
Dani gripped the arm rest.

A siren blared throughout the cabin and Trulass let out a crazed “Whoooo Yaaaa! Let’s go, baby. Say goodbye to Sandaria!”

Gravity pressed her against the seat back. She fought for each breath as the sky outside paled from blue to black. Spots danced in front of her eyes. Just when her consciousness was slipping away the weight lifted and she was slammed to the left as the craft shot out of the atmosphere. Now she weighed ounces. Ian barely touched the bed as his body pulled against the restraints. His chest rose and fell sporadically.

The crushing weight on her chest had nothing to do with gravity.
You can’t die. Not now.

Ian’s chest stilled.

Dani waited.

He wasn’t breathing.

“He’s dying!” she screamed as she pulled at her buckles.

“Hold up there, girl,” Trulass said. “We just broke every airspace rule in existence. I’m hoping they have more on their minds right now than a rogue shuttle. Here, that should help.”

Partial gravity returned and Dani leapt to Ian’s side. “You can’t do this, Ian.” She started chest compressions. “It’s a hundred beats a minute, right?” she asked through her tears to no one and any one.

“Yeah. A hundred,” Ria said at her side.

“Get the shocker from the cabinet above the jump seat,” Trulass called out from the cockpit.

Balastar grabbed what looked like a round clothes iron with a cord. “Step back, Dani.”

Ria ripped his shirt aside and Balastar placed the iron over his heart. “Now,” he said before pressing the button.

Ian’s body convulsed, then collapsed back down.

“Come on Ian, we have unfinished business, remember?” Dani shook him.

He didn’t move.

Balastar shocked him again with no effect.

Dani stared at Ian’s lifeless body.
This can’t be happening. We just got it right.
She grabbed Ian by the shoulders and shook. “We just got it right,” she screamed at him. Anger flared through her and she shook harder. “Damn you, Ian.” She stopped and he just lay there.
No. No. No. No. No. No!
Her psi exploded. She flew away from Ian and slammed into the wall behind. Searing pain shot through her head as she slid to the floor and everything went black.

The little men were back. Banging on her brain with their hammers. They’d been worse before. She blinked her eyes and winced at the bright light. Her eyes stung and her vision blurry, but she could tell someone sat in a chair next to her. She pulled herself up and leaned against soft pillows, blinking until her vision cleared.