Fiery Match (3 page)

“I could translate it into your language if you want.”

“What country did you say you came from?”

“Not country, baby. Rhyn is a planet.”

“Wait.” Nikka folded the napkin and then tucked it in her apron’s pocket. “Let’s back up a bit. What do you mean
planet
?”

Here we go.
“I’m an alien and Rhyn is my planet. I’ve been here on Earth for two years searching. You have no idea how many women—”

Nikka shook her head. “You know, I wouldn’t take you for a comedian—some kind of a soldier, maybe. Did you, perhaps, fight in Iraq or Afghanistan, and lost it? You can tell me. I won’t judge.”

“I am a soldier but not for Iraq or Afghanistan. I fought for Rhyn. And I haven’t lost it. I may sound like it, though.”

“Alright, Cor. You wanted to make up for your botched up, initial intro and you are doing fine. You don’t have to go overboard and go weird on me. Now, you can browse. Walk around the store and see if you find anything you like. I hope you’re not allergic to flowers. I’ve had to call nine-one-one on a guy before. He couldn’t breathe in here. Poor thing turned purple. Good thing the Fire Department is only five minutes away from here.”

Kyr warned him that telling humans who he was would make him sound crazy. He could use his power to prove himself, but he might only scare Nikka. Besides, it wasn’t safe to do it. Orkins could be anywhere and might sense his power. Only if necessary and life was at stake would he use his power.

Right now, though, it was tempting. He raked his hair with his fingers. Damn fuck. He’d been waiting for this time to come. Now that it finally happened, he felt fucking stupid. He didn’t even know what to say right now. Worse, his skin tingled. Nikka’s nearness aroused him. If he weren’t careful, he’d turn green in front of her before he could explain everything about him. That would be bad.

“At’vi, I know I sound mental to you, but I wouldn’t joke about who I am. If you’d give me a chance, I’ll explain everything. Why I’m here. How I could help you and why I believe you are my match. Just let me—”

“Stop.” Nikka let out a loud sigh. “Cor, I’ll be honest. When I noticed you watching my store for days, I felt weird. My friend, Samuel, said you decided to watch me just like a hawk because I gave you cold shoulders after you asked me out. Today, when you didn’t show up at the usual time, I began to wonder—”

“Wonder?”

“Worry. That something might have had happened. You see, you pretty much set up a pattern so—”

“You worry about me?” Cor saw a glimpse of hope. He grinned. Jade could be right.

“Don’t make this more than what it is. Now, like I said, I worry about you, but don’t make me regret it. You seem to be a nice guy and thank you for thinking that I’m your match, but don’t think I’m stupid to believe you are an alien.”

“No, at’vi.” He took a step closer to her, but she stepped back. “Damn it.” He would probably regret this, but what the hell. “Watch, at’vi.” He lifted his hand, palm facing out, and, one by one, the flowers inside the store started blooming.

“Oh, my God! What’s happening with my flowers? They are not supposed to bloom.”

“They’re not?” He quickly used his powers to make the flowers back to how they were.

“Holy goat! Did that really happen? Cor, please tell me you didn’t make the flowers…of course, you didn’t. Did you?”

“I can do more, but it’s not safe. At’vi, please.”

“Stop calling me at’vi. What is that supposed to mean anyway.”

“Baby. Term of endearment.”

“Baby? You know I would’ve probably liked that if something weird didn’t just happen here.” She waved her hand. “The flowers bloom! I know I didn’t just imagine that. God, maybe I did. Did I?”

“No, you didn’t. Can we talk somewhere? I’ll tell you everything.” He took a step forward.

“Stop.”

Cor did.
Damn.

“I won’t hesitate to use my scissors on you, Cor, because you’re freaking me out.”

Did she think he would hurt her? Fuck. He would rather cut his own hand than let anything bad happen to her. “There is nothing to be afraid of.”

“No? You just made my flowers bloom! Using your hand!”

“I thought flowers are supposed to bloom.”

“Not until after the customers buy them and put them in their vases.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You said you could do more. Like what? Turn me into a turnip?”

He thought to tease her by giving her an evil smile.

“Cor, don’t you dare.”

“I wouldn’t, at’vi. You’re too pretty to become a turnip. Maybe a carrot?”

“Not funny! Okay this is weird. If you’re not buying anything, I think you should go.”

Damn. Blowing up Orkins’ heads was far easier than this. “Nikka, I am here on a mission.”

“What mission?”

“To keep my race from extinction.”

“Extinction? Ah, I see. You’re supposed to be a giant ant, right? Pretending to be human?”

Cor couldn’t help but smile at her comment. “Don’t know about that. What you see is who I am. We all look like this in Rhyn.”

“There’s more who look like you.”

“My brothers kind of look like me.”

“Oh, dear.”

“Why?”

Nikka’s cheeks turned the color of the dark pink roses on the vase beside her. “Nothing.”

Cor’s brow shot up. According to Jade, nothing meant
something
to a woman.

“You’re not going to leave, are you?”

“No.”

Nikka’s brows furrowed. “You said I made your sun shine brighter and your color change. What do you mean by that?”

Alright, Cor. A chance. Grab it by the throat.
“With my sun brighter? Literally. With my color changing?” He rounded the counter and took a couple steps closer to Nikka. “I’d rather that I show you.” Before she could move away, he touched her face.

Like a spilled wine on a white tablecloth, tint of green quickly spread from the tip of his fingers, arms, and face. Even without seeing it, he knew his whole body had turned green.

“Oh, my God. What’s happening to you?”

To Cor, Nikka looked nervous. She kept moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue. Oh, how he wanted to catch that pink tongue with his lips and suck her hard.

“This happens because of you, at’vi. No one else can make me change like this.”

“Should making you turn green be a compliment? Oh, my God, Cor, you’re face!” Nikka’s hand raised, but withdrew right away when she was inches away from his cheek.

“I’m your match, Nikka,” he breathed the words. “No other woman could do this to me.”

“Strange.” She touched his face.

Cor hissed at the sweet painful feeling that ran from deep in his gut, traveling to his cock. He’d waited for this. To get this close to Nikka. Now, he couldn’t believe that it was finally happening.

“Cor, is this some kind of a magic?”

“No.”

“Affliction?”

Cor smiled. “No. A physical reaction.”

“Men in Rhyn change color if they’re near the woman they are attracted to. Is that right?”

“Right. I am attracted to you, Nikka. Since the day I saw you.”

“You’re crazy. I’m attracted to Christian Bale, but I don’t turn green, and I highly doubt he’s my match.”

“Who?”

“Batman.”

“And who’s crazy?”

“Hey, don’t be a smartass.”

“I know this is too much to take in, but if we could sit—” Cor’s arm hair stood on ends. Through his peripheral vision, he saw tall figures walking by slowly in front of the store. His heart doubled its beat. He looked at the window. Sure enough, two really pale men wearing dark sunglasses were there. One stopped and peered closer.

Son of a bitch
. He’d know those fucking bitches anywhere. The Orkinians. They have pale skin, grey eyes, barely visible eyebrows, and overly wide mouths that reminded him of a shark. They were fuck-ugly.

Those two must have sensed it when he released his power earlier.
Fuck!

He could take them both by luring them to the back alley and blowing them to kingdom come. Still, he couldn’t leave Nikka now. They’d eliminate her before him. Fucking shitheads. Without second thought, he pulled Nikka toward him. “We gotta go.”

“What? I haven’t agreed to you being my match, and I think turning green is a trick. Let go of me.”

“Orkinians are outside.”

“Orki what?”

“No time to explain. I can’t leave you here alone. It’s not safe.”

She tried to pull her hand from his grip. “Cor, if this is your way of making me believe that we match, it’s not working.”

“Baby, trust me on this. Trouble is already outside your door.”

“I’ve been renting this store for years. Everything is okie dokie. You walked in here and within a span of few minutes, you tell me it’s not safe. It
is
safe. I have a baseball bat. Let go!” Nikka pinched his arm.

“Ow! Fuck, woman. That hurts.”

“I should have kept my bat within reach. Oh, wait! There was never a need for it until now.”

“Not even your government’s powerful weapon could defeat the Orkinians, love. Can you walk or do I have to carry you?”

“Neither. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Where is the backdoor exit?”

“Behind that red curtain. You’re welcome to use it. Just don’t take me with you. Let go!”

Cor had to pull Nikka harder to get her to move. They had to make a beeline to get to the door. “Keep moving, at’vi.”

“You are one deaf alien. Release me or I’ll scream if you don’t.”

The bell rang. Both he and Nikka stopped. Through the tall potted ferns, he watched as the Orkinians walked inside.
Fuck!

Nikka was about to say something, but Cor covered her mouth with his hand to stop her. He looked at her wide eyes, then shook his head.

One of the Orkinian kicked a pot while the other wiped the counter clean with one sweep of his hand.

Cor felt Nikka stiffen, but kept his hand on her mouth. Nikka pointed in the corner of the room where an old baseball bat leaned against the wall. He looked at her. Boy, her eyes registered rage. And damn he wanted to kiss her.
No
, he mouthed. With a tight grip on Nikka’s hand, he slowly turned the doorknob.

The bastards looked in their direction, grinned, and then fired.

All hell broke loose.

He pushed Nikka behind him hard. She squeaked. He wasn’t sure if he hurt her, but the situation didn’t give time to check.

The Orkinians blasted them with yellow electrical discharge that could fry them until they resembled lava rocks. He blocked them with a blue shield that to anyone, looked like a giant clear glass.

Nikka screamed. “Cor! What the hell is going on?”

“Stay behind me, Nikka.”

The bastard shot at them again.

“Hey, you dolt!” Nikka screamed. “Stop that. Are you trying to cook us?”

“Baby, that is exactly what he’s trying to do. I’d rather you don’t give him any ideas, though.” He spotted bricks on the floor where the pots sat. With a wave of his hands, the bricks floated in the air. He flicked his wrists and the bricks flew toward the Orkinian having fun shooting them with lightning. The ugly bastard flew backward and hit the shelves when the bricks hit him simultaneously.

“Oh, my God! My roses!”

Pissed, Cor used the broken shelf and stabbed the Orkinian with it. He landed on the floor unmoving. They may be aliens, but they weren’t immortals.

The second Orkinian faced him. His pale face contorted with malice. Then he grinned. “We’ll meet again, Rhynian. Next time, I’ll make you watch your woman die.”

“Just try, flour face!”

“Is he talking about me? I hope not. Tell him I’m not your woman, Cor,” Nikka whispered behind him.

“Stay behind me, baby.” Angry with himself for leading the Orkinians to Nikka, he blasted the one sneering at him with a ball of fire.

Laughing, the bastard caught it with a fire whip. Like a boomerang, he used the whip to send the ball of fire back at him. Cor grabbed Nikka, then dove on the floor.

“Pathetic. Your power is no match with us, Rhynian. Haven’t you learned that?”

Fire quickly gobbled the back wall. Cor raised his hand and faced his palm toward the wall. Icy cold water cascaded down like waterfalls on the wall. He looked at his enemy and was about to give him another hit when a back door opened.

“Police are coming! I’d run if I were you.”

The pasty Orkinian gave him a nasty grin and then took off.

“Nikka. What’s going on? Sounds like someone’s having fun breaking everything in your store.”

“Samuel someone tried to barbecue us.”

“I take it you didn’t get eaten.”

“No. But the store is a mess.” To Cor, she whispered, “He has poor vision. Bad cataract.”

Samuel opened the door wider. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, Samuel. But she will be if she stays here,” Cor explained.

“Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Nikka?”

“Can’t hide anything from you, can I?”

Lines around the man’s eyes appeared when he smiled. “Blurry vision doesn’t mean I can’t see at all, girl. Who are you, young man?”

Cor didn’t have time for pleasantries, but he answered Samuel nonetheless. “My name is Cor, Samuel. Nikka’s boyfriend.”

“What? I’m not—”

“Cor. I’ve heard about you—the man who parked himself across the street to watch Nikka all day long. Glad to know you finally packed up the courage, son. Now, she won’t have to fill my ears about your wonderful physical attributes. Well, good to know she’s not alone anymore.”

“She won’t be alone from now on, Samuel.”

Samuel nodded. “Watch over her, Cor.”

“I promise, Samuel.”

“Guys, you know I’m here, right?”

The police sirens were getting closer. They really need to take off. “Hey, Samuel. We have to go. The store is a mess.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll cover for you.”

“Thanks. Nikka will call to fill you in on what happened here, Cor interjected.” He placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “You can trust me, Sam.”

“I know.”

“How?” Nikka asked. “You just met him?”

“His voice. If you begin to lose your eyesight, you stop depending on it when it comes to judging people.”

“Well, you know, Samuel. Cor is not really human. He’s an alien.”