In a world ravaged by ruins, the game of hide and seek takes a scandalous turn as Macon is whisked away from Earth by two smoking-hot aliens. Brace yourself for this extraterrestrial adventure! One alien declares himself as Macon's soulmate, while t...
Tears streamed down Macon's face, an unwarranted whimper escaping her lips. The alien stared down at her with an unreadable expression, his icy eyes piercing her soul, making her feel exposed and vulnerable.
Finally, he knelt, turning his head to the side as if to get a better look. He studied her features intently. Her golden brown hair was a wild mess of waves, and in the lantern light, he could just make out the light brown of her dewy skin, which seemed to beckon him to touch.
Macon's brows furrowed. She had expected something more horrific than the being crouched before her now. With his powdery grey skin and hypnotic lavender eyes, he appeared far more human than she could have ever imagined. Suddenly, one side of his lips perked up in a half-smile, revealing sharp teeth. At the sight, she was struck back to reality and the realization of how dangerous he actually was.
Instantly, she pushed herself out from under him and against the wall, her heart racing.
The alien's smile faded, replaced by a look of mild amusement. He watched her with a predatory interest, as if deciding whether to pounce or play. Before he could make a move, the other two emerged onto the balcony, their presence sending another jolt of fear through her.
Macon shook with terror, feeling her legs give way beneath her. Her vision blurred, dark spots dancing at the edges. She tried to hold on to consciousness, but the overwhelming fear and exhaustion were too much. The last thing she saw was the alien's intense gaze before everything went black.
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*Chiss*
This day had taken an unexpected turn, one that Chiss knew would linger in his memory for a long time. As he gazed into her blue eyes, reminiscent of the serene pools of his home planet, he felt something irrevocable shift within him. His heart laid claim to her in an instant, binding him to her in a way that would soon prove problematic. Xane had intended to keep her for himself, and only moments before, Chiss had joked about taking her if Xane didn't, earning a growl in response. The joke had been a reckless provocation, but now it felt like a premonition.
Xane was his commander, his superior, and what had just transpired was meant to be decisive. Yet as Chiss watched Xane scoop her fragile, unconscious body into his arms, he felt a searing pain. The sight of her pressed against Xane's chest ignited a primal growl that he barely managed to suppress as they made their way back to the pods.
According to the UGF (United Galaxy Federation) agreement ten years ago, all remaining topsiders were fair game. The Aturians were allowed to search among them for potential mates before returning home. This was their final rotation on Earth, and they were tasked with bringing back all the remaining females they could find.
Chiss longed for the warmth of home. Nothing compared to the sunrise on Aturi or its lush forests. It wouldn't be long now. He sighed, turning on the auto-docking feature as their pods neared the quad just outside Earth's atmosphere. Once they reached their respective stations, Chiss listened to Commander Xane give flight commands, signaling the start of their journey home.
Two days into the journey, Chiss could no longer contain his turmoil. He broke his silence. "Puri, I require information on imprinting between humans and Aturians," he blurted out, unable to stop himself from seeking answers from his onboard database AI.
"Human-Aturian imprinting has become a natural occurrence over the past decade. It now occurs between 56% of mated pairs," the automated voice responded.
"Are you experiencing symptoms of imprinting?" Puri asked, its tone neutral but probing.
"Oh... umm," Chiss stammered. "No!" He hoped the AI wouldn't alert any superiors about his impulsive query. He should have known that imprinting between species was possible. He just never expected it to happen to him.
He had always assumed he would imprint on Vosi once he returned home after his service. Leaving Aturi at sixteen rotations and spending the last ten on Earth, he felt more human than Aturian at this point. Vosi had been a close acquaintance of his family and a friend of his. Her siblings had often teased them about their supposed union, but nothing had ever come of it. Chiss didn't know how she'd feel about him now. He was far from the Aturian he'd once been.
Many of his kind had picked up human mannerisms and qualities after living among them for the past decade. Some Aturians had even spent time in topsider camps, where humans had begged to return to Aturi with them, desperate to escape their deteriorating planet. But that wasn't the case with the brown-haired female currently resting in the hyper-sleep chamber at the quad's base.
Thinking of her stirred an uncontrollable urge within him to see her again. Xane had watched her closely for the past two years. She was fiery and strong. "She'll make a great mate for a commander," Xane often boasted. They had almost lost track of her six months ago when she decided to head south. It had been Chiss who found her living near the water's edge. He had never approached her, but even then, he had been drawn to her.
Now, she was here, within reach, and the connection he felt was undeniable. Chiss knew he had to tread carefully. The journey home would be fraught with challenges, not least of which was his burgeoning feelings for a human he was forbidden to claim.
