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  “What is it?” Emma asks, her eyes bulging as she turns all directions, her hands rubbing together. She comes closer to me, her back pressed against mine.

  “I don't know. But it's coming from above.” I grab her hand and squeeze it tightly as a moving shadow gets my attention. I look up and stop breathing, my hair raising at the sight of a humongous flying creature. Its skin, a greenish color, with scales covering its body. The head appears to have a beak-like part, the wings similar to that of a mythical dragon. It's circling us, a roar escaping the creature’s throat as it gets closer.

  “What the heck is that ugly bastard?” Emma’s voice barely utters the words, her palms sweating. I squeeze tighter and desperately look all around, looking for a place to hide. This damn place is bare. The few trees are far away, out of immediate reach.

  “It’s coming for us. Run!” Emma shouts, dragging her palms down her legs. Her complexion looks pale and sickly; her hands tremble continuously as she points to the imminent approach of the flying creature. The ugly monster is heading for us in a downward movement, like an arrow falling to the ground.

  I run, the shakiness in my limbs making it difficult to reach any spectacular speeds. I desperately look for a place to hide. The prospect of getting eaten but a flying creature makes my stomach roll. I’m too young to end up being a monster’s breakfast. I want to find love, a family, and all the joys of life.

  “Oh, Jesus Christ! The bastard is gonna get us!” I scream my heart out. I trip over, falling to my knees. I cover my head with my hands, the weight in my chest making it difficult to breathe. I bend more, my forehead touching the ground, waiting to die, like a prisoner awaiting his sentence.

  “Jess, I don’t want to die like this!” Emma whispers and hides behind me.

  The beast lands right in front of us, swaying its head from side to side. I cover my eyes and wait for the inevitable attack. I hear a strange whistling sound and the creature releases a devastating growl, then falls flat on the ground. Everything goes silent. I take my hands off my eyes and glance at the creature in front of me. Its gargantuan body lies motionless in a puddle of blood.

  “It’s dead!” I say, trying to lift my bruised body off the ground. “Who killed it?” I glance in all directions, trying to figure out who or what killed the beast.

  “Oh, thank God. I thought we would be food,” Emma says as she struggles to stand.

  I help her get up and hear a buzzing sound approaching. A small flying vehicle approaches and lands a few feet away. It is like a flying saucer made of shiny metal. The size is no bigger than a van. The buzzing sound stops and the top part of the machine opens. Three humanoid males descend and come near us, pointing some kind of weapon at us.

  “Get back, get back,” I shout to Emma and push her behind me. She gets behind me as we amble, taking small steps.

  “Leave us alone,” I shout at the strange-looking males. There is no reaction and they continue to get near.

  They are tall and of massive size. Their skin is a pale blue hue with ridges on the arms and shoulders. The one in the middle gets even closer. He’s wearing tight leather pants and some tall boots. His torso is bare, covered only by a strap going from his right shoulder to the left side, which reveals his rippling muscles. His body looks strange, but perfect. It would make any serious bodybuilder seem like a joke. I glance at his face and notice the same ridges on his nose, his eyes the most vibrant blue I have ever seen. His hair is ash blond and tied in a knot. The strangest thing is this glowing circle of light on his forehead.

  “Stay away!” I shout and reach for a stone on the ground. I grab it and throw it at the male standing before me. Rippling waves of energy released from the device he is holding, deviate the stone away.

  The other two males move forward but stop at the signal of the one in the middle.

  “Al’akan heriba,” he says in a weird, gloomy voice. I do not understand what that means. I try to understand what has happened. We’re in this weird place, probably an alien planet, attacked by an alien creature. Now, this alien male speaks in this weird language. This is just too much to take in. I guess I was right all along. The Maya civilization had secret encounters with aliens. We must have arrived on this planet through the device in the pyramid. It is probably a portal or a teleportation device. Who the fuck knows?

  “What do you want?” I shout and look straight into his compelling eyes. Strangely, I feel attracted to this alien male. This is funny because I’ve never felt this attraction before for any human man.

  “Al’akan heriba,” he repeats the same phrase.

  “What’s he saying, Jess?” Emma asks.

  “How the hell should I know?” I shrug my shoulders. “We’re so fucked up right now. We’re on an alien planet. Remember the spinning device back in the pyramid? Well, I think it was a portal or a gate to this planet.”

  “An alien planet?” Emma raises her eyebrows. “I really hope it's just a stupid nightmare and I'll wake up soon.”

  “I’m Jessica,” I say to the male and point my finger to my chest. “Thank you for killing the monster.“ The male just looks at me, his weapon still pointing to us.

  “We mean you no harm.” An intrusive thought invades my mind. The light on the alien's forehead shines brightly as the message resonates in my mind. I think he's sending me a telepathic message. The male puts down his weapon and steps closer.

  “Vishu’ Ka’el.” The alien speaks in his language and points to himself.

  “You’re Ka’el? Is that your name… Ka’el?” I ask and point to him. The alien male nods his head. Leaving aside the ridges and light on his forehead, this alien is HOT. Strangely, I'm very attracted to him. It is like I'm drawn to him by an invisible force.

  I cross my arms and rub my hands on them. My body shivers uncontrollably. The alien says something to the others and one of them returns to the spacecraft and fetches some blankets. The alien male comes closer and hands us the blankets. I cover myself with the blanket, clinging it against my body.

  “Thank you!” I say and look at the alien in front of me. He stands there, towering over me with his huge size. I don't understand how come he's not cold. It must be well below zero and he’s bare-chested. The light on his forehead flickers as he fixes me with his eyes. Those gorgeous blue eyes of his scan over me, head to toe. I must look like shit, cold, tired, hungry, thirsty.

  “What are we gonna do? How the heck do we get back to Earth?”

  “I don’t know, Emma. Right now, let’s focus on staying alive. I’m freezing and I could eat a whole cow,” I say.

  “Asmithal sahuni verht’ek,” the alien speaks and swings his arm, pointing to the aircraft. He says something to the others and they open up the top part of the flying vehicle.

  “I think he's telling us to go with them,” I say to Emma.

  “Oh, no. I'm not getting in there… What if they kill us or something?” She rubs her hands and stomps her feet, trying to get warm.

  “They would’ve killed us by now if that's what they wanted. We either go with them or freeze to death.”

  “I hate you for dragging me into this mess,” she groans.

  “You can hate me later. Now let's get the hell out of here,“ I say and take her hand. “It’s our only chance.”

  The alien sways his arm again, inviting us to get on the spacecraft. I rub my hands and feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I walk to the aliens. I turn to Emma who's just standing there, next to the beast’s dead body.

  “Come on, Emma! This is your best bet,” I shout to her.

  She grits her teeth and mumbles something. “Fine, let’s fucking go with them.”

  Ka’el puts his palm out in front of the spacecraft, and an automatic platform emerges. He signals me to climb on it and get in the spacecraft. I put my right foot on the platform and try to climb it, but it's too high for my height. Ka’el takes my hand and helps me climb. His hand is soft and his touch is so warm. The moment our hands touch, the light
on his forehead flickers more brightly. My body shivers from his touch, tingling sensations running down my spine. I get a feeling of peace and calm. It is like I am where I'm supposed to be. I shake my head, trying to free my mind of such confusing feelings as I get into the flying saucer.

  There are six seats, two in front of the control panel, and four in the back. Emma climbs too and follows me. We sit in the back while the aliens get in too. Ka’el sits in the front with another male. He pushes a button and the top of the spacecraft closes. My stomach clenches at the thought of flying in this spacecraft. The uncertainty is such a weird feeling.

  “Weer ishlab herhath,” a robotic voice says. Ka’el responds in this strange language and the spacecraft takes off. Emma squeezes my hand tightly as the spacecraft takes altitude. “It's gonna be OK,” I assure her. I’m not that sure myself, but going with them is our only chance. The temperature on this planet is way too low for us to survive much longer.

  Ka’el turns his head and stares into my eyes. His gaze is mysterious and hypnotic. The light on his forehead flickers again and another intrusive thought pops into my mind. “You’ll be fine.“ I place my right hand on my chest, over my heart, and smile at him.

  Chapter 3

  Ka’el

  “Take us back to Hellion,” I instruct the automatic pilot of the spacecraft. The vehicle begins its ascent and speeds northwest towards Hellion, the major city of Valkrya. The two females are in the back. They look so different from Valkryan females. Their skin is white and their bodies so fragile. The one with red hair, Jessica, is feistier. She threw a stone at me and almost hit me. I feel this strange connection, this powerful attraction that leaves me powerless in front of her. My kahuni flickers and vibrates in her presence. It's like it has chosen her as my mate. But how can it be possible? She is not my kind.

  “I must report this to the Council,” Veekhal says and looks back at the two females. He’s a devoted supporter of the Council, hoping to secure himself a comfortable position. “For what we know, they might be enemies, spies of another race seeking to invade our planet.”

  “Really, Veekhal! Look at them! They’re so weak. Do you really think they’re here to invade us?” I groan and pat his shoulder.

  “Ka’el, we’re under the command of the Council. We have to report their presence on the planet.”

  “This will get them killed. They’ll lock them up and put them through tests in the lab.”

  “Ka’el, do you like this female? I saw your kahuni flicker in the presence of the one with red hair.” Veekhal glances at the redhead, then turns his head, facing me again. “She’s too weak for our kind and so different. How can you possibly find her attractive? Her skin is white, and she lacks the ridges. Valkryan females are much stronger and bulkier. What’s to like about this bag of bones? The Council won’t allow it. If you mated this alien female, your offspring would be hybrids.”

  “Aren’t we already hybrids, Veekhal? Have you learned anything about our history? Thousands of years ago, in the age of the great virus that left all females infertile, our ancestors brought hundreds, if not thousands of specimens of an alien race from an underdeveloped planet. The males were made slaves, and the females were mated with Valkryan males. That’s how our race survived.” I bring out a hologram which exemplifies the birth of our current race. Veekhal stares at the hologram in total disgust.

  “You’re insane! We’re not hybrids,” he says as he closes the hologram. “We’ll land at the Council’s location. We must hand the females over.”

  “I’m your commander and I forbid you,” I order Veekhal. “You must obey my orders under all circumstances. Is that clear?”

  “Clear,” Veekhal says in an angry voice. He clenches his fists and grits his teeth as he looks at me with cold eyes.

  I glance back at the redhead female. She glances out of the window, watching the bareness of the land as the spacecraft flies over. Valkrya is a bare planet with few vegetation and life forms. The other one looks scared. She continuously rubs her hands, her eyes looking in all directions.

  My heart pounds rapidly in my chest as I gaze upon this female, Jessica. Her presence is like a magnet, drawing me closer. “My kahuni can’t be wrong,” I think to myself. Valkryans are endowed with a kahuni, a symbiotic organism that regulates our body temperature and allows us to have telepathic and telekinetic abilities. At birth, each Valkryan newborn receives the kahuni. They insert it through the nose of the child and it migrates up. It’s visible as a flickering light in the forehead. The kahuni also helps us choose a mate. It flickers strongly when in the presence of the chosen one. And mine flickers constantly in the presence of Jessica.

  “We are approaching Hellion,” the computer says. “We will reach the destination shortly.”

  My breath quickens as the spacecraft approaches Hellion. I am worried about the fate of the females, especially the redhead one. I don’t care about the other, but I couldn’t bear the thought of someone harming Jessica.

  “Computer, head toward the city library,” I instruct the automatic pilot.

  ***

  Veekhal and Anil’ha get off first and I wait for the females to descend. The spacecraft has landed at the city library. It’s the biggest building and the most important one. It contains information about the history of our race and our technology. “It’s OK. You’re safe,” I close my eyes and try to reach Jessica’s mind. Her smile is proof she’s received my message. I take her hand and help her get off the vehicle. The other female is right behind us.

  “Ka’el, this can’t be. You’re betraying the Council. You have to tell them what we found,” Veekhal groans. He appears restless, his nostrils flaring as his eyes stare at me with anger and disdain.

  “I am your superior, Veekhal. My rank is higher than yours and you must obey.”

  Veekhal grits his teeth harder and draws his weapon. I am faster and a better warrior than he is so I activate the magnetic field around me and the females. The sonic wave is blocked by the magnetic field and the redhead is safe. I am more worried about her right now. Her body is so feeble that his weapon can instantly kill her. In a blink of an eye, I draw my weapon and hit Veekhal before he has any chance to activate any magnetic field. He drops unconscious on the ground. Not knowing what to do, Anil’ha grabs Emma, holding the weapon to her head.

  “Hand over the other female or I’ll fry her brains out,” he threatens me. He moves backward, his left arm holding the female, while his other one points the weapon at Emma’s temple. Our weapons are powerful and with a press of a button, the female would drop dead. Valkryans are tougher. The sonic wave does not kill us. Veekhal should be able to recover in a short time.

  Jessica goes behind me, covering her face with her hands. She breathes quickly and her body shivers, partly from the extreme cold of the planet and partly from being terrified.

  “Don’t hurt her, Anil’ha. You’re better than this. Put the weapon down,” I growl.

  “Surrender the female to me and I’ll let her live,” he shouts.

  I amble toward the spacecraft, Jessica behind me. I point my weapon at Anil’ha and he knows I can knock him down faster than he can. I press the controlling device on my belt and the top of the spacecraft opens up. I push Jessica up the platform and inside the craft. “Prepare for takeoff,” I instruct the autopilot as I get inside.

  “What are you doing Ka’el?” Anil’ha shouts in a commanding voice. “The Council will have you executed for this. You’re betraying your own kind for an alien female.”

  The redhead female seems agitated. She cries and speaks in her language, but I can’t understand a word she’s saying. Tears run down her cheeks as she gazes at her friend below us. The spacecraft hovers a few meters above before activating all the engines. “Full speed,” I order the computer. The ship gains full speed when I hear a loud explosion. The spacecraft shatters and I realize Anil’ha has shot us with the sonic weapon.

  One engine is down, but our flying vehicles
can continue the flight for some time with one engine. It’s risky, but I’ll take this risk. Landing now would mean surrendering Jessica to the Council and I can’t do that.

  “Shall I proceed with the landing operation?” the computer asks. “Continue at full speed,” I give my orders. We have to get away to safety as soon as possible. I am sorry about the other female, but I cannot bear the thought of losing Jessica. She has this power over me that makes me desire her so much. Her skin is so soft, her eyes having so much depth and warmth. Valkryan females have such cold eyes. In fact, Valkryans have learned to shut emotions down. They teach us from an early age that feelings and emotions make us weak. When we choose a mate, the relationship is purely sexual and for procreation. And Valkryan males DO enjoy mating. The redhead’s smell is so arousing and enticing. I feel an uncontrollable urge to mate this female, my cock hardening inside my pants. I refrain myself, but it takes a lot of willpower and concentration. My kahuni can’t be mistaken. It has chosen her as my mate and I have to do whatever it takes to protect her.

  “Computer, head toward the ancient city of Ashlan.” Ashlan is an abandoned city, the remnant of our ancestors’ civilization. It’s been uninhabited for a long time, since the invasion of the Zhaxani.

  Chapter 4

  Jessica

  The ship lands in this deserted city. I wipe my tears and look around. There are ruins everywhere, some buildings appearing more intact than others. The entire place gives me chills. I keep staring outside, thinking of Emma who was left behind, a prisoner to the alien males. My stomach clenches at the thought I should have stayed with her and I shouldn’t have abandoned her. I need to get back. I need to save her. But how?

  “Rhahuli vishna kuulkio,” Ka’el speaks in his powerful voice. Oh, how I wish I could understand his language. “What do you mean?” I ask.