Page 24 of Chieftain
Right?
"We haven't seen you in forever." She pulled away, giving his bicep a playful swat. "Siemba, did you get on to him for staying away so long?"
"Yes, my love," the lion said in an indulgent voice.
I tried to ignore the relief barreling through my system and the insinuation the woman and lion were together—especially when large brown human eyes turned to me.
“What do we have here?”
"Dixa, this is Emmy." Khaion motioned for me to step closer, which I obliged. "Emmy was recently taken, and we are trying to find her friends who were taken as well."
"Oh no," The distress on the blonde's face was sincere. Slender arms wrapped around my shoulders, surprising me with their strength. "Don't you fret, honey. Khaion's one of the good guys. If he says he'll find your friends—then he will."
“I know.” I glanced at Khaion, catching the shy smile he offered in my direction.
Dixa clapped her hands twice before guiding me toward the sofa. "Why don't you boys go meet your spy? Emmy and I will get caught up on Earth things."
A small woman who might be the same species as Orzon trundled in with a tray set for tea. Honest to-goodness tea, the aroma didn't lie.
Khaion waited until I nodded in agreement before he and Siemba returned to the bar.
"Thank you, Lartie," Dixa said as the woman sat the tray on a small chrome table before the sofa. Dixa took my arm and led us to a plushy-appointed red velvet sofa. She waited until we were alone before handing me a teacup. "Now, I want to hear all the gossip from Earth. It's been awhilesince I've been there."
The way she enunciated the wordwhilemade me curious. "What year were taken?"
Her brown eyes twinkled, and her full pink lips twisted into a pouty smile. "Let's see here it was…" she counted on her fingers. "It was 1962—August 1962.”
1962.
I blinked; a lifetime of images flashed in my mind as I suddenly realized why she looked so familiar.
“Holy fucking shit—you’re Marilyn Monroe!”
Chapter 8
Emmy
"I see Earth curse words haven't changed much in sixty years,” Dixa said with a laugh.
“I--I’m sorry," I mumbled, flustered by my sudden inability to communicate. "It's just. You're Marilyn Monroe, aren't you?” Now that the realization hit me, I saw the face of the starlet despite the few changes in her appearance. Her hair was longer, and the haunted look Marilyn Monroe's eyes always held was gone, replaced with glowing happiness.
Slim shoulders rolled upward, held for a moment, then dropped as she sighed. “I haven't heard that name in forever. I go by Dixa now.”
“But you….” I swallowed hard, not sure how to proceed. Surely, she knew by now her fate on Earth. “On Earth, you died from a drug overdose.”
“I heard,” Dixa huffed an aggravated snort. "You would think Johnny and Bobby would give me a more interesting death after all we meant to each other.”
My hand didn't reach my lips in time to stifle the gasp. “Johnny and Bobby? Kennedy?" I asked from behind, the fingers resting on my lips.
Dixa shrugged, her irritation palpable. Still, she served me a cup of tea with finesse. I took a sip, the hints of mint and sugarin the liquid, something I thought lost forever. Dixa grinned at my contented sigh.
"You know, many people think the Kennedys murdered you because you knew too much." I wondered how much she knew of the events surrounding her supposed death.
“Knew too much what? That Johnny snored?” She quipped with a roll of her eyes.
“You did have an affair with the president.” My jaw dropped with amused surprise at her ready admission.
“Oh, honey, everybody did." The brown eyes danced with mischief as she sipped her tea.
