The Arrival (20 page)

Great. It was an Eslite pissing match. 
I scooted to a safe distance, and then slowly eased to a chair.

“Miranda Mays has violated several
orders.” Kavan stood his ground. “She must be punished, and I will see to it
that she receives the prescribed discipline.”

“What?” I jumped to my feet. “Are you
kidding me?  I’m not some sort of juvenile delinquent, and I didn’t surrender
my freedom when I agreed to help save your race.”

Miranda, please. Do not interfere.

That asshole isn’t going to touch me.

Do you want to live?

The expression on his face told me to
trust him.

Yes.

Then sit down and be quiet.

I obeyed, pressing my lips firmly
together as my parents appeared stunned by my unexplainable and unusually
obedient behavior.

“I assume full responsibility for her
actions.” Dimas shot me a quick glance. “In this unfortunate affair, she is
blameless, therefore, there are no violations.”

Kavan cocked his head. “You cannot
override Eslite order—”

“Yes, I can.”  Dimas flexed his fingers
and then rolled them into a ball, as if ready to punch Kavan. Every muscle
flexed beneath the snakeskin spandex. “You see, Miranda has accepted my offer
of koinonia, therefore, she falls under my protection.”

“I did what?” I blurted.

With an upraised his hand he reminded me
to stay silent.

What are you talking about? What is
koinonia?

I will explain later. Agree with me,
please.

Not until I know what you are talking
about.

If you want to survive, then you will do
as I say. Kavan will kill you. Do you understand?

Yes. Sorry.

“And you think that gives you ultimate
authority over her?” Kavan snickered. “She’s human, not Eslite.”

“You are mistaken.” With hands on hips, Dimas
took a deep breath. “She is half Eslite, and that invokes Eslite Order 2.24.”

“She’s what?” Dad sprung forward,
stepping between them.

“Oh, my God.” Mom covered her mouth and
wept uncontrollably. “What have they done to you?”

“I’m what?” I couldn’t believe what he’d
said so casually. I wanted to hurl. It couldn’t be true. I paced nervously and
tried to comprehend his words.

I’m half Eslite, half human?

Yes.

Although I had suspected that Dr. Ridus
told the truth about the genetic modification and the injections, I had hoped
that being a superior donor meant that I somehow had been given a reprieve. Yet
that probably served as the determining factor for the change.

Damn you.

Miranda, I am sorry. I will explain
later.

“No, you’ll explain now,” I said,
lunging toward him and pushing my dad aside. “Why did you do that to me? Why?”
I screamed, pounding his chest.

“Miranda, stop.” He wrapped his arms
around me, constricting my movements.

A strong, forceful presence, the voice
that wasn’t a voice, entered my mind. I met it head on.

Leave me alone.

Miranda, calm yourself.

I’m a Mays and will never show weakness.

Take it easy, or neither of us will
escape.

One after the other, Dimas pushed his
thoughts into my mind, and they hit me like a tidal wave. My brain protested,
but I surrendered to the soothing warmth surrounding me. Reassuring comfort
flowed over me, settling the storm brewing inside me, till I relaxed and obeyed
of my own free will. How did he have that effect on me? As much as I wanted to
fight it, and slap the hell out of him, I gave in, connecting my mind to his.

Everything will be okay, Miranda. Trust
me.

But you changed me. Why?

Because I care about you.

But that doesn’t make sense.

It will. You have to trust me, or we
will both die.

I don’t understand.

Just pay attention to what I am about to
say, and agree with me.

If you say so.

 “You could not resist, could you?”
Kavan’s tone, full and resonate, stilled the room. “Is Adamas aware of your
actions?”

“Yes. In fact, he gave the order, and I
complied.” Dimas explained with a straight face. “I am taking her with me.”

Holding me close, Dimas pushed past
Kavan and the guards. His mind-numbing trance rendered me speechless, leaving
me under his complete control. And for some reason, I enjoyed it. I craved the
sensation of his powers, as a bee loves honey. My body hummed for more.

“Where are you taking my daughter?” Dad
asked, even though I doubted he really cared.

“To Ephesus.” Dimas turned and said,
“Where she will become my gune and remain with me during our philiasis until
parturio is successful.”

Say what?

“I beg your pardon?” Mom whimpered.

“My apologies.” Dimas hugged me close
and smiled. “On earth, I believe you refer to it as marriage and the honeymoon
period a husband and wife enter until a child is produced.”

Are you serious?

My heart raced but our spellbinding
trance kept me quiet and relaxed. Rational thoughts replaced fear, as I
processed his words. He wanted to make me his bride and have a baby with me.
Why didn’t that freak me out? Why wasn’t I yelling and screaming? Wasn’t that
absurd and unrealistic? I was too young to get married and have a baby.

I didn’t love Dimas—or did I?

“Was that in the agreement?” Dad
furrowed his brow. “Because I’m not—”

“No, no.” Mom shook her head. “Richard,
don’t let him take her.” She grabbed Dad’s arm.

“Yes, it’s true,” I said, the words
slipping effortlessly from my mouth. I wanted to be with Dimas.

I placed my hand on his cheek. Our minds
connected, interlocking so tightly that no force could rip us apart. Mystical
yet indefinably natural. I traced the ripples of his chest, stopping at the
beat of his heart. It pulsed beneath my palm, igniting a physical attraction
that captured me.  In that moment, I wanted to be his gune, or whatever the
hell he wanted me to be, just to be with him. I longed for his affection—for
his love. I ached to taste his cosmic kiss, to thrill to his undeniable power,
as it bathed me in a glow from out of this world.

For some reason, his presence made me
forget about everything. What I had set out to do. What I was fighting for —
the girls. Freedom for some reason didn’t seem that important any more. Only
moments ago I was willing to risk it all, and now I surrendered to an Eslite.

“Do you agree?” He whispered against my
flesh.  “You accept my offer?” His green gaze sparkled, and his intoxicating
scent overwhelmed my senses.

“Yes.” I closed my eyes, waiting for our
lips to meet, but to my disappointment he kissed my forehead. And then it
struck me. Only with his help could my plan succeed. So I had to go with him,
but I wouldn’t abandon my friends at Nidus.

I would wait.

I would plot.

And I would win.

With renewed purpose, I said, “Now take
me.”

“Done,” he replied. In one swift
movement, he lifted me into his arms and carried me outside, into the sunlight.

In the parking lot, a very large space
ship, unlike any I’d seen, hovered.

“That’s not a Nidus transport.”

“No, it is not.” Dimas grinned. “Those are
too small for our journey.”

“Where are we going?” I asked with a
shiver.

“My home planet—Ephesus.”

θ

To
Be Continued

in

The
Eslites

Out
of this World

Book
Two from The Eslite Chronicles

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Born and raised in the United States of
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