Our New World: Science Fiction Romance Read online

  She swallowed her bitterness at the situation and rose from her bed to grab her keys. She had spent longer in her apartment than she intended, and she knew it was time to enact her plan to see Ka freed with his people. She took the elevator downstairs, blessedly alone as she enjoyed what would likely be her final moments of peace. She stepped out of the elevator, slipping out of the apartment complex and into her car. The drive to the Geomex compound was a long one. She turned up the radio, and some sappy love song played through the car speakers as she traveled down the highway. Then, she turned down the dirt road that led to the secret government facility. Something seemed off about the situation as she pulled into the garage, but she could not put her finger on it. She slunk down to the employee entrance of Geomex, biting back a scream as hands gripped her from behind. She was lifted as if she were nothing and slammed against the side of the building.

  “Kill her, Li! Before she sounds the alarms!” a gruff voice called out, and Selina staggered to her feet, looking out to spot a group of men who did not look dissimilar to Ka.

  “Wait!” she cried out, holding her hands up in an attempt to placate the alien lifeforms. “I’m on your side. I want to help Ka escape,” she offered desperately, hyperaware of the amount of distrust that shone in their eyes.

  “Why should we trust you? It was your people who captured Ka to begin with. We know now that your kind is not a peaceful people,” one of them bit out. The one that had grabbed her before seemed a bit hesitant but held Selina roughly in his arms, preparing to crack her head against the concrete of the outer wall. As he made to slam her down, Ka could be heard crying out to them.

  “Stop—she is not one of them!” he screamed, slamming into Li’s side and knocking the other extraterrestrial off his feet. Li bared his teeth in a snarl before realizing who it was that had knocked him down.

  “Ka, you’re safe,” he called out, embracing the other male. Ka returned his embrace just briefly before the sounds of gunshots in the distance caught their attentions. “We must take to the skies,” Li called, turning and moving to dart away. He was intercepted by a troop of humans, who fired their weapons upon him in a flurry of bullets. Blood spurted from Li’s body as the draconic alien fell limp to the ground. Ka rushed toward him, dropping to his knees at Li’s side.

  “They have improved their weapons through their research!” Selina called out in dismay. Ka lay a hand on his brother fulgonian as his body ceased twitching.

  “They killed Li. Enough—I have had enough! If it is a war these humans want, it is a war they shall receive,” Ka said, shifting into his dragon form and blowing vicious plumes of flame toward the troops that had shot his friend. One of the other aliens threw his head back in an inhuman shriek. He was answered by a chorus of the same sound from what sounded like hundreds of creatures.

  Selina remained at Ka’s side, jolting away as assault rifles began to fire upon the dragon. He took the blows without flinching, though green-tinted blood flowed freely from his wounds. He put up a desperate fight, taking out as many of the Geomex security troops as he possibly could. All around them, more and more dragon-like creatures flew onto the scene, and the Geomex troops seemed endless. Another shot fired through Ka’s side, and he fell to the ground, shifting back into his human form. Selina rushed toward him, gathered him up as best she could, and darted off the scene. Gunfire and explosions seemed to echo all around them. She was not sure where to go until she recalled that there was an older, underground bunker for protection against alien invaders. The irony of her taking one of those very aliens into the bunker for protection was not lost on her. However, she moved swiftly, carrying a limp Ka across the battlefield. His fellow fulgonians seemed to sense her intent and protected both her and Ka with their bodies, obscuring her from Geomex eyes as she ran. Bullets spattered through the fulgonians’ bodies, but they fought on in spite of it. They seemed determined to protect their own, even if he was in the arms of one of their supposed enemies.

  Selina spotted the bunker in the distance, nearly dropping her lover as she closed the final distance across the battlefield to the bunker’s underground entrance. She darted into the bunker, laying Ka on the ground and drawing her hand to her mouth in shock. Blood continued to seep from his wounds, and she knew if she did not see him bandaged soon, he would likely fall in the way his fellow fulgonian Li had. She rummaged through some supplies that were stashed in the bunker, noting that most were decades old. However, the bandages and cleaning solution would still serve their purposes well enough. She crouched at Ka’s side, cleaning each of his wounds meticulously and wrapping them with care. He seemed lost in something of a haze as he stared past her, but she could manage as long as she got his most serious wounds tended to.

  “I should be out there with my people.” Ka muttered, trying to sit up. Pain shot through him, and Selina carefully pushed him back to the ground.

  “Your people are the reason we were protected enough to make it this far. Do not let their efforts go in vain,” Selina said in a hushed tone. This seemed to calm her draconic lover, if only slightly, and he sagged to the ground, staring toward the roof of the bunker. The sounds of explosions could still be heard overhead, and he breathed a sigh, glancing towards Selina with a troubled expression.

  “Then what do we do?” he implored. She took a seat beside him, taking his clawed hand in her own.

  “We wait,” she offered simply. There was little more she could say, and, though the answer was anything but satisfactory, Ka could offer no argument. He fell silent, eyes locked on the roof of the bunker. Though Selina worried that he was angry at her, the tightening of his hand on her own seemed to make those fears dissipate. Perhaps, they were simply waiting for death. Perhaps, they would somehow get out of this alive. All the same, Selina was happy to have the extraterrestrial at her side.

  Selina continued to listen carefully to the uproar that was taking place over their heads, and the bunker gave the occasional quake with each explosion. She went about the task of changing Ka’s bandages, knowing of the male’s devastation but also knowing there was little she could do to help it. He seemed to become increasingly agitated as time passed. Selina glanced toward him as if waiting for some explanation, though it was likely not forthcoming.

  “Both sides are growing weaker. Their numbers are dwindling,” Ka said after some time of silence. Selina’s eyes widened, and she gripped his hand once more. He considered her with a bittersweet expression, his lips quirked in the slightest of smiles. “The remainder of my people not engaged in battle are waiting for me east of here. I must find a way to meet them so we may return home before the utter extinction of my species,” he continued, sitting up. Selina swallowed the dismayed feeling in her gut, bringing his hand to her lips and pressing a kiss to the back of his knuckles.

  “I…” she started but fell back into silence, unsure of what she even wanted to say.

  “I wish I could remain here on earth with you. But I know now that is impossible,” he murmured, brushing a hand through her hair. She tried to force a smile. She wanted to explain that she knew he was not an object of permanence in her life. She wanted to explain that it was okay, but something kept her quiet. It was the fact that she truly did not want to lose him. “I know that you feel a great deal of affection for me, Selina. Know that I feel the same. I would go as far as saying I love you…” He trailed off, looking thoughtful for a moment. “My people, they are not like humans. They would forgive you. You could join us on our journey if that were your wish. We could be together until our spirits depart,” he said passionately, and she looked into his eyes, seeing a love she had never seen nor experienced before. She leaned in to kiss him, and he drew her on top of him. As if he already knew the answer to his proposition, he removed her shirt and kissed along her neck and collarbone.

  “Ka,” she murmured, allowing him to reverently disrobe her.

  “If this is to be the last opportunity I have to hold you in such a way, I do not plan to
let the chance escape,” he murmured. She smiled tenderly down at him, and he adjusted slightly, his length penetrating her. She moaned, rocking against his manhood with tears streaming down her cheeks. Perhaps, this was their last moment together. As much as the thought saddened her, she planned to enjoy it for all it was worth. She rocked against him, and his body shuddered in a mix of pleasure and pain. She moved to stop, but he guided her to continue, jerking his hip upward to meet hers.

  “I love you, Ka,” she gasped, clenching around him as she reached her peak. He gasped out her name as he filled her with his seed once more. The two all but collapsed together on the floor of the bunker, embracing each other and whispering sweet nothings. They lay together like that for a long moment, reveling in the sheer intimacy and love they felt. Then, knowing that they had to move quickly, Selina pulled away and clothed again before rising to her feet and helping Ka up as well. They looked toward the outer door of the bunker, which continued to shudder with each bang that sounded outside.

  “We must move quickly,” he murmured. She nodded, guiding him to the door.

  Outside was a bloodbath, and the two fought not to retch at the sight of their fallen comrades. The fulgonians’ numbers had dropped drastically since the initiation of the fight, though the same could be said of the Geomex security troops. Death surrounded them from all angles, bodies torn limb from limb and scattered across what had become a warzone. Selina scoped out the area with her eyes, desperately seeking some way for them to escape with their lives.

  “There!” Selina gasped out, pointing toward a parked military vehicle. Ka hesitated for a moment, looking to her in disbelief. “I can drive it,” she assured him, and, if he did not believe her, he gave no indication. As he nodded his approval, the two darted toward the military vehicle. Once there, they scoped out the entirety of the vehicle, checking for passengers. Finding none, Selina settled into the driver’s seat as Ka leapt into the passenger seat. “Direct me where to go,” she said simply, firing up the engine and tearing off the battlefield. She could hear a distant shout that sounded much like her own name but paid it little mind as she drove farther and farther away from the compound. The sounds of the combat began to fade into a whisper.

  Selina reached down to take Ka’s hand, directing the car where he indicated. She followed his instructions to a T, driving the vehicle with skill she did not know she possessed. As soon as they were within ten miles of the massive space ship that had brought Ka and his people to earth, she spotted it, and she was grateful they were so far from areas civilians frequented. “That thing is huge,” she cried out, driving ever closer to it. Ka rumbled in amusement, and Selina idly wondered if it was for the same immature reason that human males would be laughing. However, no that’s what she said seemed to be oncoming. Relieved and excited, she jammed the accelerator down to the floorboard, and the military vehicle surged forward.

  The flashing lights of the fulgonian vessel were almost hypnotic. It was as if the ship were calling out to them to welcome Ka home. As they closed the distance, Selina and Ka could make out the forms of several extraterrestrial creatures that she recognized as being of Ka’s species. The scant remainder of his species seemed to number around five creatures, Ka making a total of six remaining fulgonians. Ka leaped from the vehicle before it had even stopped, rushing toward the group to embrace his people in his arms. They rejoiced to be together again, and Selina watched the scene with a smile. Though she knew her time remaining with Ka was limited, she was content to see him so happy among the people with whom he belonged. He gestured for her to step forward, and the fulgonians parted to make room for her. She hesitated before obliging, falling into step beside the group of alien creatures.

  “This is Selina Murphy. She is a human, but she is not like the others. She saw that I found my way to all of you and orchestrated my entire escape. Perhaps, we can convince her to join us on our flight?” he implored with a smile.

  A smaller fulgonian—a child, likely—began to chirp excitedly. It reached out to take Selina by the finger, examining her unwebbed hand. “A human! Coming with us?” it exclaimed cheerfully, voice laced with awe. It traced its small finger along the gaps between her fingers, giving an excited, little shudder at the exotic feeling. An elder female, apparent caretaker for the child, rested her hand on the young one’s shoulder, drawing him toward her.

  “Yes, she should certainly join us. There is always room for more in our shuttle, especially for anatomically compatible species.” Another of the females smiled, and a blush blossomed on Selina’s cheeks. “You have tested her for anatomic compatibility, have you not? You are absolutely glowing, Ka,” she added, stepping toward Ka and ruffling his hair.

  He grunted unhappily, batting her hand away before snidely replying. “I am afraid she would be anatomically compatible with only me,” Ka bit out with a glare to the lecherous-looking males of the group. Selina laughed before smiling tenderly, and, as Ka turned to look toward her, she found herself truly considering his proposition for the first time. Earth was her home, the very home that these creatures were seeking out. Personally, she could scarcely fathom visiting the moon, let alone another planet entirely. However, the longer she considered it, the more she was convinced she would be happier joining the fulgonians on their venture for a new home. Though the earth was her home planet, nothing truly held her there, except a father who hadn’t shown her love since her mother died. She met Ka’s gaze, smiling at the draconic man’s excitement.

  “I feel that you have made a decision,” he rumbled, somewhat hesitantly. Selina smiled, gripping Ka by his clawed hand and giving it a squeeze. The other fulgonians gathered around them, chirruping and clapping their hands excitedly.

  “Yes, please, do tell us your decision,” the child said, cheering and looking imploringly toward the human female.

  “It would be a joy to join you,” Selina murmured. She had decided without a shadow of a doubt that her new home would be with Ka and his people. There was no sense remaining solely for her father, in spite of the many years she had striven to gain his approval. A sense of bitterness settled in her stomach, and she tried desperately to cast aside thoughts of her father, wanting to enjoy the joyous moment for what it was. As if the thought of the man summoned him, the voice of her father echoed across the field.

  “Selina! Selina Murphy! What in the name of all creation has gotten into you?” he screamed, leading even more troops toward the space shuttle. Ka growled protectively, but Selina stepped away from the fulgonians, throwing her arms up as she shouted out to the older man. She hoped against hope that she could appeal to the small part of him that still had a soul. The part of him that could still love.

  “Dad, stop! If you ever loved me, you will let them go. You’ll let us go,” Selina cried out, receiving a disbelieving snort in reply.

  “You? Let you go? What on earth are you talking about?” he roared, holding a hand up to temporarily halt the troops. Taking this as a cue to continue, Selina took another step forward, inhaling deeply and steeling her nerves before speaking.

  “I’ve made the decision that I am joining Ka and his people on their quest to find a new home planet. Please, Daddy. I know the man you used to be is still in there. Let us go. Let me be happy,” she implored.

  He seemed to consider her words for a long moment before leveling his assault rifle towards her in reply. His face was stoic as he spoke, and, though he had never been a warm individual, Selina was certain she had never heard his tone so cold. “I would see you killed before giving you up to these beasts,” he said quietly, just scarcely loud enough to be heard. Selina hesitated, drawing away from the man as he fingered the trigger, his face twisting in rage. “You belong to me, you foolish girl! I’ll kill you myself,” he screamed, firing upon her.

  She fell back and away, trying to avoid the onslaught of bullets. Ka roared in anger, shifting into his dragon form and leaping protectively in front of her. She gasped for breath, fear pounding in her c
hest as she watched the other fulgonians gather around her, shifting into their fearsome, draconic forms as well. The group seemed to be forming a protective barrier around her, and she realized that, though the others hadn’t even truly gotten to know her, they already cared more for her than her own father. Ka took the next onslaught of bullets as if it were nothing, leveling a snarl toward Selina’s father. He rushed forward, slamming the human man into the ground. If Selina felt any lingering affection for her father, it did not show as the sound of his bones cracking echoed into the night. He screamed in agony, his spine snapping in half beneath Ka’s mighty talon. He gurgled for a moment, blood spilling past his lips until he began to jerk and spasm as if choking on his own blood. Selina watched for a long moment, a feeling of emptiness settling in the pit of her stomach.

  The troops exchanged a collective look, a murmur sounding amongst them. With their leader effectively destroyed, it seemed the troops were considering backing away from the fight. The group of troops turned from the fulgonians and Selina, marching in the opposite direction. As the crowd began to dissipate, Selina threw her arms up, cheering joyously as the enemy troops made their way toward the horizon. Sensing the overwhelming defeat that the Geomex troops felt, the fulgonians began to rejoice as well. The extraterrestrials shifted back into their human forms.

  Ka rushed toward Selina, picking her up and swinging her in a wide circle. He smiled giddily, setting her back on the ground and leaning in for a tender kiss. Their rejoicing was cut short, however, as the sound of a single shot echoed all around them. Selina’s face went pale, and Ka looked down just in time to see the bullet entering her back, exploding out of her stomach, and into his gut. He felt a brief stinging sensation, and felt Selina’s blood splash against the front of him, but the bullet barely pierced Ka’s skin. It seemed as if the path the bullet had made through the entirely of Selina’s gut slowed it enough to not harm him. Ka screamed in anguish as Selina collapsed to the ground before him, and he wheeled around to face their assailant. A lone human stood behind the retreating forms of the others, and he quirked his lips into a wicked smile. Ka recognized the face of the human immediately, realizing with a start that it was no typical soldier. Instead, there stood the scientist who had led the studies on Ka and his people and who had treated Selina so badly from the start.