Page 12 of Forbidden Desires

“What do I have to do other than watch the humans?”

“I bet that’s not fun.”

“I don’t know. Sharon is cheating on Mark, her boyfriend, for Richard, who is cheating on her with Brad. Then there is Jim,who is in love with Janet but doesn’t think he makes enough money to support her. Janet is rolling in dough, but she tries to keep Jim in the dark, so he’ll court her. There is…”

“Enough, I get it. You shouldn’t eavesdrop on those humans. If you are going to eavesdrop, find some who are well-adjusted.”

“Who do you suggest?” Amelia’s mouth opened and closed until she realized she didn’t know one well-adjusted person.

“On second thought, those are as good as anyone else.”

“I thought so. How can I help you?” She refused to allow the smooth, cultured voice of the AI to throw her off her game. She was going to Earth and then she’d disappear on a sandy beach drinking tropical cocktails.

“I skipped cruiser 101 in college. Where is the start button?” She held her breath, hoping the AI would cooperate. Did AIs have names or were they just thought of as necessary technology and treated that way?

A button lit up with a green light. She quickly pushed it, and when nothing happened, she repeatedly stabbed it with a finger and grew red in the face.

“Nothing is happening.” Amelia flinched from the high decibel of her voice. She was getting nervous. She looked at the open door and spun back to the control panel.

“Of course not. Diza technology is sought all over the galaxy. You didn’t think they would make a ship start with the push of a button, did you?” Amelia ignored him. His question seemed genuine, but it wasn’t helping her get home.

“Tell me what to do.” She tried to say it, so it didn’t sound demanding but failed.

“Why?” He sounded more curious than anything else.

She had to move now. Zylar would notice she was missing soon, and this was the first place he’d look for her.

“I want to go home.” She could hear the pleading in her voice, but couldn’t stop it. Everyone thought they knew what her future should look like, but no one was asking her what she wanted.

“My opinion should matter.” She was close to tears but refused to cry. Why should she when her cousins hated her? Hell, she didn’t feel all that good about herself, either. “If I can disappear, then it’s out of sight, out of mind. No one will miss me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ll miss you.” She swung around in the chair to find Zylar leaning against the door. His hulking purple presence overshadowed the door and everything around it.

She gasped. Had he gotten bigger? Was that even possible?

“Why? I ran from you, and you don’t know me. If you did, you’d shun me.”

“That seems like a harsh punishment for such a minor crime.”

“Harsh? Minor? I almost got my cousin killed!”

“What do you humans say? Almost only counts in horseshoes and…”

“Hand grenades.” Her breath was hitching, and the tears were going to flow if he didn’t turn around and walk away.

“They’ll forgive you.” He walked over to her, squatting, so he wasn’t looming over her.

“They won’t.”

“Yes, they will.” He picked her up, his hand stroking down her back. Amelia had all she could take. Two weeks on the run was too many. She started crying, burying her head in Zylar’s chest.

Amelia had the sensation of moving, but she was lost in her tears and didn’t know what was going on. By the time they reached Zylar’s cabin, she was sniffing. If only a good cry could make it all better, but it didn’t. She was still the same person riddled with guilt.

He set her down on the couch and she realized that this was where her punishment began.

“Am I going to get a spanking?” She realized she was saying spanking like it was an erotic sex act and she’d want to do it again. Then her mind switched to thinking about fists and claws. That’s what she deserved.

“Don’t move.” Her eyes followed him as he went through the door that led to his bedroom. Briefly, she thought of running again. Where would she go? Not back to the garden with the T-Rex or back to the ship with the AI that wasn’t helpful. Could she hide out in the shafts that she assumed went through the ship? The Enterprise had them, so this ship should have them too, right? Normally she’d say fight to the death, but she was tired of fighting.

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