Nicolas: Love me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance (11 page)

“We have every memory ever lived from his lineage. It is stored in our DNA. Our children will also carry every memory stored deep in their DNA.”

Janis blanched as she thought what her children might know about her. That was, if she were his mate. She allowed the thought that she could actually be one with him to relax her.

The room disappeared around her, making her head feel woozy for a few seconds, before a world appeared. She’d expected a forest and trees or at least a camp like the Native Americans lived in. Something that could be moved if need be.

She got none of that. She was standing in the midst of a city. Not steel, brick, and glass like she was used to, but a city none the less.

The inhabitants were all similar to her alien knight. The males were dressed as warriors or business people and the females wore brightly colored, flowing materials. The buildings were one story constructions, but covered lots of land.

“This is a residential area.” Nicolas’s humanoid shape was gone. In his beast persona, he fit in with those around him.

Reaching out, he took her hand and led her to a dwelling not too far from where they were.

“That is Anu. He is the last male in our line before the Created were born.”

“How do you know this?”

“Since he was the last, his are the easiest memories to access.”

They followed Anu into the dwelling. The place was massive. No wonder the brothers had a thing for huge spaces. The single story dwelling was taller than she’d realized. The ceiling was at least twelve feet high if not higher. The room they stood in, which she would call the living room, was about the size of the whole first floor of her house. The furniture was exquisite, but sturdy, while drawing in the eye.

“Nicolas, how am I understanding and recognizing what everything is? I know that oddly shaped piece of black material is Anu’s favorite chair.”

“You’re in his memories, Janis. You know everything he does.”

“Anu, you’re home.” A beautiful female walked out of one of the rooms that had been closed off.

“Amia.” Anu walked over to her, taking her in his arms kissing her. “I’m home, but not for long. I will have to leave soon.”

The smile showing lots of fang dropped from Amia’s face. “We have discussed this. I don’t want you to go, Anu. Why does it have to be you?”

“Who should I let go in my place? Besides,” he stroked her cheek and wiped a tear that fell, “the A’rouk may be wrong.”

“The A’rouk are never wrong.”

“Then tonight you will conceive my child. We have tried for so long and tonight it will finally happen.”

“What should bring joy only brings me sadness at the thought of raising our child without you.” Her voice was thick with tears. “How can you go, knowing you’ll never come back?”

“How can I let them get away with what they plan to do to the galaxy?”

“The centuries it will take to stop the one who will be responsible is madness.”

“I’ll invest the centuries, even knowing I’ll never see you again, to keep you and our child safe. If I don’t go, we will face certain doom.”

He took her in his arms and cuddled her close. “Come, I wish to feel the softness of my mate surrounding me.”

They walked out of the room, leaving Janis staring at Nicolas. “What did they mean?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never seen this memory before. I’ve come here many times and watched my ancestor with his mate. They struggled for years to conceive, but were never able to in the memories I saw. To know I have another sibling out amongst the stars is amazing.”

“What makes you think your sibling is still alive?”

“This race has an extremely long life span. Come with me.” Nicolas held out his hand. Janis took it and followed him.

They left the highly evolved world they were on to set foot on a primitive planet. The animals she saw were massive, walking on four feet as opposed to two.

“Where are we?”

“On another planet where part of my DNA can be found. This is the dominant species on the planet. They will eventually evolve into highly intelligent beings. They are not at that point yet. We are looking at one of the more primitive species the Scientists chose to splice into our DNA. They picked a prime specimen to use.

What they have going for them is their ferociousness. No one is willing to start a war with them. They are also cunning, demonstrating the intelligence they will fully embrace one day. They, like the people you saw before them, mate for life.”

They watched a large male as he was approached by another. The body was fur covered with eyes that were the palest lavender she’d ever seen. The approaching male did so with caution, as if getting close to the first one may have been a bad idea.

The first male, the bigger of the two, stood on two feet and roared. The other male fell backwards. He quickly stood and retreated, giving up the ground he gained.

All alone, the first male began to sniff the air as if he smelled another threat. He began to search the area filled with foreign plants that were so different than what Janis was used to. The plant life grew thick and seemed to wrap around itself, looking like a wall of green instead of individual plants. There were no tall trees with branches reaching for the heavens, but there were multiple hiding places.

Janis and Nicolas watched as the male became more agitated. He turned to leave just before they appeared. There were ten of them surrounding the male. They stood somewhere around five five with humanoid shapes and square heads.

Janis frowned at their appearance. Something about them raised her hackles.

“Who are they?” she whispered to Nicolas not wanting to interrupt the memory.

“The Scientists who created us.”

She clenched her hands together not liking what she was seeing, yet grateful Nicolas stood at her side.

“He will do.” Janis heard the words translated in her brain, although what she heard in her ears sounded like gibberish.

“It’s barely intelligent. Why do you insist we use it?” one of the Scientists asked.

“It’s fast. It can stand on two feet when it chooses and the way it defends itself or those around it, is a trait we want in our warriors.”

“It has no intelligence. See how it looks at us without comprehension.”

Janis looked into the eyes of the beast as the humanoids bickered around it. What she saw made her step back. The beast not only heard, but understood every word that came from the humanoids. That in and of itself took her back. But the understanding he’d set himself up increased her respect for him.

He’d made sure the smaller beast was nowhere around when the Scientists decided to show themselves.

“If you want this beast, then you shall have him.” The humanoid who spoke caressed the first humanoid’s face.

“Don’t kill him yet. Capture him and take him to the ship.”

The beast never fought, going willingly to his doom. As they led the beast away, the first humanoid stopped. He looked around as if he could feel them watching him. He finally raised the visor over his eyes.

It was the yellow of them that reminded Janis of an animal and took her breath away.

Nicolas took her hand and led her out of the room.

“Don’t you find it strange? That two of the beings that contributed to your DNA willingly went to their deaths?” Janis asked him.

“We don’t know if it was willingly.”

“Weren’t you in the same room I was in? The beast did not put up a fight. He could’ve torn them into pieces, but he chose not to. I could see him holding back even though he knew he was going to die. He could’ve sacrificed the smaller one to them, but didn’t. Why?”

“I’ve never seen these memories before Janis. I don’t understand them, but I don’t want to make swift judgments on them either.”

They left the hangar to find the day had slipped by them and night had fallen.

“Let’s get back to Aran’s,” Nicolas said, taking her hand.

She nodded and walked out. Nicolas had taken the time to share his past with her. She felt a soft glow warm her as she followed him deep in thought. He wasn’t ashamed of his origins.

Chapter Fourteen

There was a full house in the game room at Aran’s. All it took was one look at the faces waiting there to know they waited for them.

Janis mumbled “hi” as she walked in, her arms wrapped around her body. The understanding of her physical condition was just beginning to hit her. How totally violated she’d been for so many years was making her want to rail against the military, the government, and anyone else who had been involved in it.

The thoughts of all she’d missed in her life because she was a random target of an experiment designed to hurt a race, who as far as she could see, had never done anything to hurt humans were overwhelming her. The unhappy looks on the faces around her was enough to make her run for a bed to hide under.

Nicolas looked around the room and stopped when his gaze met Aran’s. “What has happened?”

Aran looked at Ash. “Tell them.”

Ash stood looking uncomfortable.

Janis eyed Ash. He was the redheaded brother. His hair always seemed out of place to her. It wasn’t just the hair, it was the eyes. No one ever commented on them, but they made her uneasy. Blinking once again, she told herself no one could have eyes that color. Contacts?

Ash pegged her with a stare, causing her to shiver. “I went to your house. I wanted to take a look around, to find out what happened and why, if possible. I noticed immediately your house was still being watched. I set up several surveillance cameras. I was able to uncover that several of your neighbors did nothing but watch you. You’ve never been safe there. I believe they had plans to bring you in that day or terminate you. Either was acceptable.”

“Kill me?”

He nodded his head and looked at Aran. “Continue, Ash.”

She looked from Aran to Ash. How could there be more to add?

“There were several crews of workers in your house, including medical personnel. They were testing clothing, bedding and anything that would’ve had remnants of your DNA.” He stopped to look at Nicolas. “They were testing for other things also, but I wasn’t able to get close enough to discern what they were looking for.”

Ash started to pace. “Could you have something belonging to them? They were going through every item in the house looking for something.”

Janis put her hand over her heart, rubbing the ache that was there. “I have no idea what they are looking for. There’s nothing in my house. Nothing worthwhile anyway.”

Moving her hand, she began to pull at her hair. It was all too much. The tears she’d been denying welled up in her eyes. Was it just yesterday that she was simply the freak who couldn’t be touched? Today she was on the run, associated with a bunch of aliens and on the kill list from her government. The tears fell fast and hard.

The feel of Nicolas’s arms slipping around her was her undoing. She buried her head in his chest and let out loud sobs until the tidal wave passed.

She lifted her head, knowing she should be embarrassed, and met Nicolas’s eyes. He was looking at her with compassion and understanding. In that minute, she realized it was sometimes ok to break down and lean on someone else.

As sudden as the tears came, they left to be replaced with slightly hysterical laughter. She really needed some even ground to stand on.

The room grew silent. Janis looked around. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence where everyone was shuffling their feet and darting their eyes, wondering what to say next. It looked as if they were communicating without words. She shook her head. She was becoming highly paranoid.

Dante stood, his body elongating until it became massive. He glowed. Between one blink and the next, he was standing there, looking no different than normal. Janis rubbed her eyes, thinking she needed sleep.

“Everyone is invited to dinner at the restaurant tonight. It’s closed to customers.”

Rena had been sitting on Aran’s lap with her head buried in his shoulder, looking like she was asleep. Now she moved. Her head lifted and she showed real interest in what was happening.

Dee and Lorali, who were also sitting with their mates, threw Dante appreciative smiles when they saw Rena perk up.

Janis found herself smiling at him in thanks, too. Family. She’d never really had one, but seeing this family in action warmed her heart.

Dante gave a slight bow of his head, acknowledging them, before walking out.

“I don’t have anything to wear.” Rena placed her hand on her obviously pregnant stomach as she complained in a slightly stronger voice than earlier.

Dee and Lorali were laughing so hard, tears rolled down their faces. Rena glared at them with her lips trembling from suppressed laughter.

“You forget, we’ve seen your closet, woman! We know what you have, but if you need help, I’m more than willing to raid it again.”

“Dee Jones, you keep those questing fingers out of my closet. It’s never the same after you visit it. Amazing, since you can’t wear my clothes.”

“But you have such nice accessories.”

Rena shook her head. “No accessories for you. Not that it matters, because Janis will be raiding my closet tonight. Isn’t that right, Janis? I have a dress I already know will flatter you. I’m betting I even have a pair of heels that will fit you.”

Rena leaned back into Aran’s chest and closed her eyes, taking away the opportunity for Janis to protest.

Janis looked around the room as innocent looks were on every face she saw. So this was family. She could get used to it.

“Nicolas?” Janis turned to look at him. “Don’t you need to go home and change?”

“I have some clothes here.”

“Looks like I have a closet to raid.”

The soft sound of laughter filled the room.

***

Janis stood staring at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a dress that was a deep shade of purple. She protested when Rena had shown it to her. The dress was brand new and something she would never have bought herself. It wrapped around her breasts, making them noticeable, while downplaying the stomach and hips that made her self-consciousness. It flared out, making her look enticing. She twirled in the mirror and watched how it gave a tantalizing view of her legs. She loved it. It brought a hint of color to her pale cheeks and made her grey eyes look alive. Her dark hair fell nicely against the dress. Rena was a genius.