cosmicshifts (10 page)

Alika
rode him hard. As she did, he felt her tails brushing his legs. She did not balk at his length; instead, she seemed to enjoy his Bigfoot girth and he pounded into her as they built together for a climax. He tried to hold back, but the human in him was not around to take control. He grabbed a hold of his lover’s hips and thrust into her, knowing that they were the perfect fit together. And even the beast did not want to let her go. He could feel that and knowing that both of his personalities yearned to be with
Alika
for all time, he thrust into her one last time and came with a loud roar while she howled.

She collapsed on top of him and then rolled to the side to nestle up to his side. She buried her head against his shoulder. Phillip was able to feel his humanity take over and let his shape switch back to human. And for the first time, it was not painful. The sluggishness of sleep wove through his muscles. He snuggled against
Alika’s
chest, loving how her breasts cradled his head.
“That was different.”

“I told you it wouldn’t be so bad if you just embraced it. You almost had it there for a few minutes. Next time it’ll be different.”

Phillip nodded and wondered whether he would ever be able to master the curse that gripped him.

* * * *

Phillip stared at the setting sun, and the change was weighing down his bones. He had wondered if he would be able to control it this time.
Alika
said it would not happen right away. He would have to get comfortable with this other side and stop thinking of it as a curse. But how could he do that when it had been that way for centuries? Maybe she was right, and he could overcome it and be one with it the same way she was with her wolf side.
Alika
still lay curled in the sleeping bag after their lovemaking. He was completely satisfied and knew that no matter what happened
,
he was going with her. She had talked about other women on her planet offering
themselves
to him, but he was not so sure about that. It was difficult to fathom that he was even going to leave the planet. If he did, would the curse leave him? He was not sure. Keeping a careful eye on the horizon, he saw something shoot across the sky. Her device began to beep.

Alika
woke up and then grabbed her communicator. She pressed a few buttons and looked at him. “They’re here! They made it.”

“That’s wonderful. When are they going to pick you up?”

She pressed her fingers to the side of her cheek. He heard a voice that sounded high-pitched and melodic, the same way
Alika’s
did. She responded in her language, and he was not able to understand. It appeared that she was happy because she got up and bounced around the cave. He watched her for as long as he could and began stripping. It was time for Bigfoot to take over. The twists of agony always started in the pit of his stomach and spread like fire through his body. On instinct he tried to fight it. All his muscles tightened. Phillip fell to the floor, gripping his head. A scream came from his mouth, and he felt her hands on him.

“
Shh
…relax. Remember before, when we were together. How it felt. I’m with you. Don’t let it plague you. Embrace the gift you were given.”

He breathed, and some of the pain eased. The transformation seemed to lift off of him. Phillip closed his eyes and still felt the burden of it. He saw his beloved’s face in his mind. It was the first time he had seen it in so long. A wave of peace washed over him. His body relaxed. In
Kaylana’s
eyes he saw love and peace. When that happened, he felt his body change. When he opened his eyes, he had completed the change and was still in
Alika’s
arms. She hugged him strongly and then kissed him.

“See.
Much easier.”

He nodded.

She returned to the device and tapped in a few more numbers. “We need a place where the ship can land. Can you suggest something?”

Phillip saw the overhead images that flashed across the laptop screen. He pointed at one a couple of miles away with a flat space where they could land the ship.
“
There’s the best place, and we can get there quickly. When is it coming?”

Alika
asked this question, and her brow furrowed. “She said in a couple of hours. She has to circle around the moon first. She’s been trying to avoid detection from any of the countries here. Do you think we should leave now?”

Phillip glanced at the sky, searching for some sign of the craft.
“
We can. We just have to be careful and take everything that you need.”

Alika
nodded and proceeded to take one of the backpacks, filling it with the things she needed, including the device she had rigged up and a couple of the loose crystals. She folded the clothes that Phillip had and added a few bottles of water. He had nothing else to take with him. All of his books were back at the other cave, and that had been ransacked.

“I think I have everything.”

He nodded. Phillip felt a sense of remorse settle over him as he would never see the cave again, but he knew that was okay. It was time to make another life for
himself
. He took a light and led
Alika
through the cave system. They emerged into the night. Phillip sniffed the air, trying to smell any humans around, and he did not. He led
Alika
through the woods toward the landing site. Halfway there, he heard knocking, echoing in the distance, and some shrill whistles. He motioned for
Alika
to stop.

“What is it?”

“
Bigfoot hunters.”

“Hunters?
Are they going to find you?”

Phillip heard the fear in her face. He chuckled.
“It’s nothing you need to worry about. They are searching for evidence that I exist.”
Plucking a few hairs from his pelt, he left them on a tree trunk.
“They are scientists and not harmful. Come on.”
He slipped his fingers through hers and led her to the landing site.

The clacks and the howls continued, getting a little closer. He pressed his foot down into the soft earth so they could find a footprint. A flash of light appeared in the sky.
Alika
squeezed his hand. Her smile spread from ear to ear. Seeing the elation, he knew that this was what she had wanted all along. Phillip hugged her close. It was just a matter of time. A loud rumble started above them that shook the air and his bones. However, no wind stirred the trees or the air around him. He glanced up and saw no ship; all he saw was the reflection of the stars and the land. The craft had to be cloaked in some way.

“Hold it right there!”

They were surrounded by men dressed in black, pointing guns at him and
Alika
. Phillip snarled and shoved her behind him. Nothing was going to happen to her. The rumble of the craft above him did not faze the army as they advanced slowly. He growled and held her closer. There was nowhere for them to escape. The men with guns were on three sides, and the ship was at their back. All he needed was for it to open, and they would make a run for it. Hopefully,
Alika’s
comrade would have some defense system or weapon to protect them.

“I won’t let them hurt you. No one is ever going to hurt you.”

“They won’t. We just have to keep them busy for a couple of minutes.”
Alika
gripped his arm.

The men were closing in around them. As they did, the line before them parted and two men wearing lab coats stood before them. One had a clipboard. They were talking among themselves, and he did not like the subject of their conversation.

“You were right! She’s green. I can’t believe it! You won the bet. I wonder if she’s from Orion.” This was the younger of the scientists with blond hair and thick, black, rimmed glasses. He was shorter than the others by a good foot and somewhat round.

“Jeez, Cleveland.
She’s not an Orion slave girl from
Star Trek
.” The other man shook his head and then flashed a smile at them. Phillip could smell their fear. It was a pungent odor that hung about them. He figured that they were trying to mask it with the small talk.

“Sorry, Mike, but damn. She’s hot for an alien chick,” Cleveland commented.

“Get over it. See what’s standing next to her. I’ve always dreamed it was true. Bigfoot is real!” the other scientist said.

Of course I’m real, you idiots. Now stop being fucking nerds and let us get out of here.
Phillip smiled at them. He raised his arms and stepped forward. The scientist shied away. He made a low grunt of frustration and the other men screamed like women. It was apparent that they assumed he was going to attack them. Phillip could not help but laugh. After a moment, Mike appeared to get up the courage to approach them. He held out a hand and slowly stepped toward Phillip.

“Nice, Bigfoot!
We don’t want to hurt you or
your…
er
…friend.”

Alika
stepped out from behind Phillip. “If you didn’t want to hurt us, then what is with the guns?”

“You can understand me?” the scientist asked. The guards raised their guns, but the scientist gestured for them to lower them. “Wait. Just wait.”

“Of course I can understand you. I do have a translator that allows me to understand your base language. Don’t you realize that we just want to leave this place?”

“But there is so much that we can learn from the both of you,” Cleveland said.

Phillip stepped closer to
Alika
to protect her.
“Are you sure you want to talk to them?”

She gave him a look that he figured meant to leave her alone and that she knew what she was doing. “You can learn whatever you want from my ship that you stole. But you’re not getting me or Phillip.”

“Bigfoot has a name?” the other man asked her.

Before she could answer, lights split the sky and the ship above them revealed
itself
. The blast from the engines blew many of the men backward and sent the scientists running. The door yawned open. Everyone froze. All they had to do was board the ship, and they could be gone. He would not miss the guns and waiting to be caught. All the hiding would be behind him. A woman much like
Alika
, wearing a black leather bodysuit, walked down the ramp.
Alika
ran toward the female coming toward them. At that moment, Phillip heard a shot. One of the soldiers must have gotten spooked and fired. It headed directly for
Alika
. He jumped in front of the bullet and felt the sudden heat hit him square in the chest. He fell back and landed on the bottom of the spaceship’s ramp. He heard commotion around him and then the rumbling of the engines again. After that, there was nothing but blackness.

* * * *

Alika’s
face appeared above him. Her beautiful jade cheeks were streaked with tears. He reached up and brushed a stray one away. Phillip noticed that his hand was human and not hairy.
“Why are you crying?”

The sadness in her eyes cracked when she realized that he was alive. “You were dead. You transformed back into a man, and you weren’t breathing. We tried to heal you, but not even the machine could do anything.”

He sat up slowly, drew her into his arms, and kissed her lightly on the lips before cupping her face in his hands.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I heal from all my wounds. It might take a while for me to come back, but I always do.
Getting shot hurts though.
Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. We dragged you into the ship and then took off. They shot at us, but it didn’t damage the hull. We lifted off after that. We’ve just passed Saturn. It will take us a little while to get back to
Rovan
.
Elarna’s
not pushing the ship. I hope this is what you wanted.”

Phillip lifted
Alika
into his arms and held her close. This was all
he
desired.
“It doesn’t matter what planet or moon I’m on. The only thing I ever wanted was to be with you. I’ll follow you across any solar system.”

“Well, you won’t have to chase me across the solar system. I’ll always be here for you.”

He kissed her, pressing his lips to hers.
“I love you,
Alika
.
My green beautiful alien.”

She giggled. “And I love you, my gigantic hairy beast.”

Phillip smiled and still felt the Bigfoot living inside of him. For the first time, he decided that he was not cursed at all. He was blessed. A woman loved him, and he was off to discover new adventures with her on another planet where wondrous things awaited him.

Come & Yeti

Chapter One

Swirling black clouds blanketed the sky, covering the three suns. The heavy gale compacted more snow against the five foot drift that partially hid the front of his dwelling. The colossal storm raged outside, and the howling wind reminded him of a wounded
Griglach
. It sent a few shivers under his fur. The drafts reached deep inside his cave and stirred the flames of his fire. The warmth was not something he needed; he used it for the light and to cook his food. Unlike others of his kind, he did not rely on technology to assist him. He didn’t need a house made of stone, metal, and ice. Living in the mountains like his ancestors was what he was meant to do. No one understood his need to give in to his animal urges, the primal side of the
Yetan
nature to hunt with his claws and teeth. Others of his kind looked down upon him, but it didn’t stop them from coming to him when they needed to be healed.

With the severity of the storm, he heard the
Griglach
hide flapping about. He sighed and picked up one of the
luma
stones he used to light the darker parts of the cave. The cavern had an abundance of the
luma
stones. The stone he chose was a foot long and three inches around. When he blew on it, the warmth of his breath interacted with the crystal, and it illuminated a light blue. He charged a few by the fire in case he needed them. As he walked toward the front of the cave, he tore a leg from the
sorna
he’d caught, a large winged creature that had wandered into one of his snares attracted by the meat he had left behind. This one had a five foot wingspan and more fat on it than usual. It was a lucky catch.
Sorna
mostly kept to the air unless they were breeding and it was mating season. They made their nests deep in the ice by clawing out a hole with their four inch talons and dangerously curved beaks. He had gotten a few pecks even through his thick pelt. He took another bite before setting the drumstick down and headed toward the cave entrance

The
luma
stone gave him enough light to see through the snow storm. The large hide had been wrenched free from most of the pegs that held it into the stone. He thrust the
luma
stone into the snow drift and held fast against the battering wind. Some
Yetan
were thought to have been blown away by the great gusts. Ancient tales told that
spirts
had ridden the wind and stolen away his people, but he wasn’t afraid of archaic legends or the gusts. He lifted a hunk of ice and pounded the fasteners back into the stone. Some of the ice shaved off with each whack, but the repairs were easier than he expected. Working on the last pin, he heard a whistling sound overhead and then a large boom. Golden light exploded in the sky and streaked across the horizon. As he watched, another smaller flash broke off from the main one. In an instant, a sonic boom whooshed across the landscape, sending a wave of snow throttling toward him. He braced himself for the impact but didn’t know what had crashed. The surge washed over him and weighed him down, but he was far enough away that it didn’t bury him. With one good shake, he rid himself of the snow. He grabbed the
luma
stone and decided to investigate what had fallen from the heavens.

As he approached the crater, he noticed a silver ship protruding out of the mountain of snow it was immersed in. Parts of the hull and the insides were scattered across the frozen landscape. His father’s warnings sounded in his mind about how, in the past, their species had been hunted by beings
who
had come down from the sky. He had not seen this other race, but he didn’t doubt his father. Exposed wires and other sections of the craft sparked as he got closer. The way it landed made him think it ought to have cracked into more pieces. The scent of burnt ozone lingered in the air. He scrunched his nose at the stench of some putrid fluid that poured out of one side of the craft. Others from the village would be coming soon to investigate the crash. If they found any survivors they would be brought back to the town to be examined.

He should leave it alone, but he noticed a form submerged in the white drifts. An arm and a leg clad in black material was a stain upon the pristine snow. Off in the distance a loud shriek echoed on the wind. The storm had slowed, but it was only a lull. One look at the sky and the dark clouds told him that it would start up again soon.

When he looked up, he saw a two, large
Gorap
flying toward the crash site. Their black skin was slicked down with a few feathers. Their twenty foot wingspan made it easy for them to slice through the air. The
Yetan
Guard rode them for air patrols if any ship or foreign object came down onto the planet. They would take back anything they found and return to gather the remains of the vessel. He only had a few minutes before he would be spotted among the wreckage. He worked his way through the thigh high drifts and came upon a passenger that had been thrown from the spaceship. He scooped under the arm and leg and pulled out a female. He pressed his ear to her chest and barely heard her heart beating. As he listened, he realized there were two thumps instead of one. A small moan passed from her lips when he readjusted his hold on her and hugged her close. Once she touched his pelt, his whole body was electrified. It was his body’s reaction to her internal injuries because he had the ability to heal. First he had to get her out of the frigid environment. With her thin skin she would not survive long in these harsh conditions. She coughed when he moved her and a green liquid he assumed was blood bubbled over her lips. She muttered something in a lyrical tongue that he could not understand.

“Don’t worry,” he answered her. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.” He held her against his chest, knowing that she would be warm from his pelt. His body shook again as he fought the transformation that threatened to overtake him. He gritted his teeth, but he was in control. As he trudged through the snow, the
Goraps
’ shrieks sounded above him once more. Snow fell harder than before, but it blanketed his footprints. The wind picked up again, slicing him with cold even through his fur. He breathed out and felt ice crystals forming around his mouth and nose. Standing out here was not doing any good. He used the
luma
stone’s light to make his way back to the cave. Once he entered the hollow, he tugged on the hide to make sure it was secure once more. He rushed to the back and placed her on his bed of furs. He laid his hand on her forehead and a spike of agony speared his spine as he felt her internal injuries were worse than he realized. She didn’t have long to live. When he pressed his head to her chest again, only one of her heats beat this time. He quickly stoked the fire and added a few lumps of coal to build up the heat. Thankfully, his cave was stone and
not ice
. He was far back within the mountains and if needed, he could navigate the tunnels that ran through them.

The fire grew higher. Condensation from the ceiling fell onto the flames and made them hiss. He glanced at the blaze to be sure it was still contained in the hearth. He turned his attention back to the woman. Her breathing was shallow. He was her only hope. Energy poured through him, and this time he didn’t try to contain it. The change was coming upon him. He knelt before her and felt his form shrinking as he was able to take better stock of the woman before him. He grabbed a knife from the shelf above the bed carved into the wall. The black blade was made from a
sorna’s
talon, and it was stronger than any metal weapon he owned. He slipped it through a hole in her garment and sliced it along her side and then over her chest so he could peel
back
the cloth. Once he had removed all her clothing and set it aside, then he could heal her. All the while, his form shrank and his hair receded. Once the transformation was complete, his hands were similar to hers except dark in color, almost as black as the female’s clothing. He shook off the feeling of being hairless and focused on the woman before him. She had full breasts that were a darker indigo than her amethyst flesh. He closed his eyes, and in his mind’s eye he saw the internal structure of the alien. One of her two hearts had been pierced by a couple of broken ribs. Some of her other organs that he didn’t have a name for were also damaged. Her healing would take more than one session for him. All he had to do now was get her stabilized. Her remaining heart was creeping to a halt.

The heat of the fire seared his bare skin. Sweat beaded on his forehead that he wiped away with the back of his hand. Then he placed his hands on her chest. The intense wave of pain that consumed him made him cry out. He had worked on serious injuries before, but her physiology was different than what he was used to. His instincts guided him like a sixth sense so he could heal the woman. Underneath his discerning hands, the bones of her ribcage rearranged and clicked back into place. Once that happened, she inhaled a large breath, but she wasn’t out of danger. More sweat ran down his brow as the heat ignited within him and settled over his heart. He concentrated the energy down his hands and into her slowing heart. After it hit the organ, it started beating at a normal pace once more.

With that done, he felt a little bit better. Now he could focus on her other heart. It had not restarted. It was dead in her chest. He knew that without the other beating she could not be able to live. More warmth, stronger than before, gathered within him. It seemed he would burn up from all of the energy. He ground his teeth as another bolt buzzed along his muscles. He screamed when he pushed that energy into the other heart located diagonally from the other one. It took a moment before it started. Once it did, he could feel the punctures in it healing. There was still more for him to do, but he just didn’t have enough stamina to completely repair any more major injuries. Instead, he went through her system slowly and made sure he healed what he needed to do to keep her alive so he could recover his strength.

When she was no longer in danger, he let out a sigh of relief. Exhaustion had him. He took a deep breath and spread his hands before the fire to warm them. He flinched at his hairless flesh and thought how different his ebony skin was compared to his pure white pelt. Right now he couldn’t muster the power to shift back into his rightful form. No matter how grateful others were when he healed them, his hairless appearance always brought ridicule. The blaze lulled him into a half sleep. He watched the flames dance and felt his eyes close.

The alien woman mumbled something, and it brought him out of his stupor. He turned back to her and touched her cheeks. She was hot. He scrunched his forehead together as he tried to figure out what he had missed. He placed his hands on the center of her chest once more and tried to sense what else was wrong, but there was nothing. Maybe she just burned hotter than his species. She babbled again and opened her eyes. Under those purple lids were the bluest eyes he had ever seen. They focused on him for a second before she closed them again. He waited to see if she would awaken once more, but she slipped deeper and deeper into slumber. He pulled a blanket over her half-naked form. He didn’t need her dying from a chill after all the work he had done. The fire had burned down, and he could feel the nip in the air on his naked flesh.

He stood up, and his muscles took on greater mass from regaining his original form. His instincts said his charge would be okay for now and didn’t require any more mending at the moment. He rolled his shoulders to loosen his muscles once he returned to his
Yetan
form. He made his way back to the front of the cave to check to see if others had come from the city to commandeer the ship’s wreckage. He peeked through a hole in the
Griglach
hide and saw the
Yetan
Guard had set up a perimeter around the crash site. The red sashes they wore stood out against the white landscape. If the royal guard was involved, he prayed they would not come into his cave. Just in case, he would set aside some provisions and made sure he had a quick getaway planned. They would not get their hands on her. If that happened, there was no telling what experiments they would perform. He did not want to see her eviscerated and used for study. He remained still and observed as the guard collected what debris they could carry. Then he slipped back and snuffed out the fire lest they see the smoke escaping from behind the hide. He gathered a few more hides and piled them on top of the woman so she could stay warm.

He gathered some dried
sorna
jerky, a few pieces of clothing for her and for him if he changed back into his hairless shape. Then he slipped under the furs with the alien and molded his body to hers, covering
her the
best he could so the extra blankets, hides, and his furs could keep her warm. Already she was trembling and the temperature was plummeting. Even with the fire extinguished, the
luma
stones embedded in the cave wall gave off a faint blue light, enough that he could see her. She was peculiar and attractive wrapped into one fine package. Her hair was shoulder length and white as his pelt. Her eyelashes and eyebrows were the same hue as her hair. Her cheekbones were sharp like the fine edge of a
luma
crystal. She wasn’t beautiful in the way he was used to because all
Yetan
females were covered in hair.

She was unique.

His guest whispered something once more in her lyrical tongue and thrashed around. He laid his hand on her forehead. “Don’t worry. You’re safe. No one is going to harm you while you’re with me. I swear.”