Page 23 of Abalim

In that moment, it was clear his kiss forever changed her life.

“I wish you were real,” she whispered, pulling him closer and resting her forehead against his. “And that you really were coming to get me.” He smiled when she chuckled. “I never thought I’d like being the damsel in distress. But I gotta admit it has its perks.”

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I am real, and I’m coming to Qorath for you.” He returned her hug and nuzzled her neck. “But most of all”—he spoke softly into her ear—“I’m looking forward to holding you in my arms in the real world.”

Abalim’s form faded until there wasn’t anything left to hold.

Profound loss swept through her before darkness once again claimed her.

Lisa jerked awake. Her eyes flew open. She searched for the elusive Abalim, only to find herself alone. She shut her eyes and swallowed hard. Damn, what made her think her dream man was real? Tears blurred her vision and slid down her temples. Sniffing, she wiped her wet face.

Lying here crying wasn’t going to do any good. For all she knew, the stupid aliens somehow put her ideal man into her subconscious. Well, she wasn’t going to fall for that crap. She’d be better off pretending it never happened.

Swinging her legs until her feet touched the floor, she gripped the side of the mattress. Closing her eyes, she hung her head and took in a deep breath.Get a grip, Lisa. So, you’re being held hostage by some damn aliens. It’s not like you’ve never written this scenario before. All you gotta do is act like one of your heroines. Be smart and figure a way out of this.

Throwing her shoulders back, she opened her eyes and studied where she was. The sparse room had all the charm of a derelict, abandoned factory in the middle of the swamp. Without the odors. Would it kill the Xeltrians to brighten up the place a bit? That mind-numbing shade of grayish white would depress anyone. The only other furniture was the table she’d eaten at, and it was colorless, bleeding into the background. All in all, the place evoked a sense of complete emptiness. Like gazing at a blurry black-and-white photograph frozen in time.

She got off her butt and went to the part of the wall where she guessed Rerqel left through. Nowhere did she see any type of seam or doorknob to open it. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface. The only thing she got was a sense of palatial disorientation, as if the room’s boundaries blurred into a vast, endless expense.

Once upon a time she’d dabbled in oil painting, and this wall’s smooth texture was like a blank canvas waiting for an artist’s touch. Before she pulled her fingers away, something surged underneath it like water going through a tube. With a gasp, she yanked her hand back with a fist and stepped away. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear the freaking thing was alive. Now didn’t that just ramp the creep-o-meter up to a whole new level?

The wall dissolved open, revealing Rerqel in all his alien glory.

“The injection you were given should be taking effect now.”

It was strange watching his lipless mouth not move.

We will now communicate through a better method of understanding.

“Huh?”Take that!Who said she didn’t have a stellar command of words?

Rerqel clasped his long fingers together in front of him.I am not sure what I’m supposed to take, but I assure you we can communicate mind to mind. With what you humans call telepathy.

Lisa pressed her lips together. In one of the series she wrote, the heroine had been captured by a bunch of telepaths that liked to squirm around her brain and muck out her insecurities and phobias to use against her. Not going to happen to this girl. She crossed her arms and mentally visualized a solid wall made of steel and rock that hopefully would keep anyone out. If she kept the visual in her mind’s eye, it might work. Time to test it. “What’s supposed to take effect?”

Rerqel’s large oblong eyes blinked with inner lids closing and opening sideways.

She must’ve caught him by surprise.

He tilted his head as if speaking to her.

Too bad the block worked both ways. Time to make it look like she was surprised. She widened her eyes. “Hello? Cat got your tongue?”

If the tall, gangly alien was frustrated, he didn’t show it. “We do not need to discuss Earth creatures at this juncture. Did you not hear me within your mind?”

“In my mind? What, do I look like the Amazing Kreskin to you?”

Rerqel straightened. “Fascinating. You are either stronger or weaker than we’d ascertained.”

Lisa bit her bottom lip so she wouldn’t giggle like a dork. Too bad the alien didn’t have an eyebrow to raise like Mister Spock. The squeeze in her chest lightened. Yay! Looked like her little experiment worked. Now came the hard part. Let’s see if she could keep it up.

“So, now what?” She rubbed her sweaty palms down the side of her pant legs. What she wouldn’t give to have one of her precious energy drinks just about now. “I don’t suppose you’re going to feed me again?” And let her use the bathroom. Her bladder was screaming. She’d better hurry, or she wouldn’t be responsible for what happened if she didn’t. “And I gotta go.”

“Go?” Rerqel’s tone sharpened. “Did you not just say you wished for some repast again? Why would we go before that occurs?”

It was hard, but Lisa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I mean, I have to go to the bathroom. You know, to relieve myself.” She was going to do the pee-pee dance any second now.

The alien let out a loud breath that made the skin around his lipless mouth wobble. “Bathroom? Relieve yourself?”

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