The Price of Discovery (15 page)

“What's gotten into you?”

Erin looked up into Greg's questioning blue eyes. “Nothing. I'm fine.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Okay. Is that all you came over for?”

“Well…” She tapped her chipped fingernails on the tile countertop and desperately glanced around the room. Why was she here?
 

Because she couldn't face the apartment alone. Because she'd just had the best sex of her life and used the guy for her story. She was a tramp. And a damn horny one at that.

“Do you
really
think you saw a spaceship?”
 

 

 

Drakor stormed out of the house, the welcoming heat enveloping him like a fog. He pushed his way past the young trees and deeper into the woods until he reached the creek.

Anger and helplessness surged in his veins, making his headache worsen. He squatted along the muddy banks and rinsed his hands in the cool water. He couldn't bear to hear his father throw up again. He couldn't watch his mother scurry to the kitchen yet again for some human concoction to calm his father's stomach.

It was that medicine the Researchers gave him. The ones that were supposed to prevent his bones from weakening, prevent his life from deteriorating in sickness. Now his father was dying. And he refused to leave Earth to see if he could be saved on Elliac.

Drakor swirled the bottom of the creek, sending up clouds of dirt and disturbing several tiny fish. He couldn't do this at home. After an hour in that sun, he'd be in the hospital. No amount of clothing or skin protection could help them. About the only redeeming thing on Earth was its weather.
 

And Erin.

Drakor walked over to the spot he saw her at last night. Was it only a few hours ago that he found her out here? So much happened in that time.

He fought the urge to find his way back to her. How he longed for the peace and contentment of her arms instead of the worry and anger of his father dying. The memories of himself inside of her haunted him throughout the day. Brundor knew instantly that something transpired while he was gone. And it only served to fuel his brother's jealousy and hunger.

The sooner they all got off this planet the better for all of them.

Drakor swatted at some insects swarming around his face and moved out of the trees and back toward the house.
 

Did he hear singing? There it was again. A soft, sweet sound coming from the far corner of the yard. His eyes scanned the area until he saw Sitora near the swinging tire.

He strode over to her, all the while her angelic voice soothing his torn soul. She held her battered doll in her hands while she tried to push it on the swing. He could see it was difficult for her to hold and swing at the same time but she didn't give up.

“Hello, Sitora.”

She looked up at him and he could see the redness from the heat covering her cheeks. Her long hair hung limply over her shoulders and for a moment he wished he could pull it up the way Erin sometimes did hers.
 

Drakor pulled out a corner of his shirt and wiped the sweat from her face. “What are you doing outside?”

She shrugged and swung her doll again. “I don't like it inside.”

“Why not?”

“Father is sick and Mother and Ankra are crying.”

“I know.” He looked down at the grass at their feet. “I'm sorry. Are you afraid Father will die?”

Sitora didn't answer him but resumed her song instead. It was a bedtime song from Elliac. He remembered it from his own childhood. He always thought that one day he would sing it to his own children. But that wouldn't happen now. He would never find his
Mharai
in time.

Drakor leaned against the tree, his chest squeezing with her off-key words. “Sing another song. Don't you know something else?”

“Will you push me in the swing?”

He couldn't do that now. Not with his father dying inside and his future crumbling within his spirit. “I can't, Sitora. Not now.”

Her dark eyes glared at him. “Erin would.”

His heart clenched. “What?”

“Erin would play with me. She's the only one who does. When is she coming back?”

Drakor felt his throat closing. He couldn't let himself think of Erin now. He couldn't see her again. It hurt him to leave her this morning, more than the agony of before when he could not touch her.

He swallowed and found his voice. “When did she play with you?”

“When you went somewhere with her brother. She played with me in my room. She tickled me.” Sitora held her doll close to her chest. “No one else ever did that.”

A warm sensation washed through Drakor. He had images of Erin holding a baby, chasing after a toddler, tickling Sitora. Images of her pregnant body enfolded in his arms.
 

No!

Drakor threw his head back against the tree trunk. A blast of pain ricocheted through his skull.

“Is she coming over again?”

He didn't want her to, but he knew she would. He never told her not to come. And since she was investigating them, she was due to return soon. He should have told her something to keep her away. But he needed her. His body needed her contact. And needed to see if she could help him locate Alaziri.

She is not like some of the other females on this planet who can mate without giving something of themselves. Erin will be heartbroken when you are gone from here.

Even if it were true, he couldn't worry about that. He couldn't let Erin discover who they really were. He couldn't let himself get lost in her embrace again.

“She isn't coming, is she?” Sitora said, blinking up at him.

“I don't know. We may be gone from here if she does come.”

“I want her to come with us.”

Drakor managed a smile. “That's not possible.”

“Why not?”

“We cannot bring a human back to Elliac with us.”

“Why not?”

“Because they don't belong there.”

“We don't belong here.”

He sighed. “It isn't the same. We are only staying a short time. And we've come for a reason.”

“She can come for a reason and only stay a short time. You can bring her back.”

“It isn't that simple.”

“Why not?”

“Because it isn't. Sitora, you are too little to understand. Humans belong on Earth and we belong on Elliac. That's the way it is.” Unless a child of mixed heritage comes back inside the belly of a sacrificial Elliacian.

She crossed her chubby arms over each other. “It doesn't have to be that way. You are just being mean.”

Drakor glared at her, his exasperation bubbling. “I am not being mean. I just know more than you.”

She put her nose in the air and stomped away. “If you really liked Erin,” she said over her shoulder. “You would ask her to come back with us.”

If he really liked Erin, he couldn't leave without her.

Sitora wandered around to the front of the house and Drakor watched her go. What else was there to do? Ankra would not say whether or not she had been able to convince Greg to leave off the condom. In fact, his sister did nothing but weep most of the day. And yet, she insisted that she'd rather sacrifice her body, her future, her very father so that she could help Elliac.

“Drakor!”

He looked up at the sound of his mother's voice. She called to him from the other side of the house. Immediately, he could see lines on her face deepened and the weak pallor of her skin. She looked about as ill as Father.

He hurried over to her. “What is it?”

“Your father. He is calling for you. You must come now.”

Drakor sighed and followed her inside the house. He passed a weeping Ankra sitting on the top step and a shuffling Brundor near their bedroom.

Inside his parents' bedroom his father lay on the bed, his face shining and as white as the Earth clouds outside. Dark circles rimmed his glassy eyes and his chest rose and fell with too rapid a pace. The smell of sickness punctured the air and Drakor swallowed.

He moved close to his father's side and knelt down next to the bed. “I am here, Father. You've called for me?”

“Drakor…” He reached his shaking hand out and Drakor took it in his own, ignoring its coldness.

“I am here.”

“You must take my place. Be the leader…the leader of this mission.”

“I do not have the same values as you, Father. I cannot jeopardize the rest of the family for this. Is it not enough that we might lose you?”

His father winced. “I am already lost. I would have been lost on Elliac. You must save our world.” He stopped and closed his eyes briefly. “It is up to you to bring back what the Researchers need.”

A hot flush of anger bloomed in Drakor's chest. Human genes could not be the answer to their problems. How can a culture, a people, so vastly primitive, have what they don't?

“We will be discovered if we stay longer, Father.”

He tried to shake his head. “You must prevent it. You cannot return home until-until it is complete.”

Drakor let his father's hand drop. “Erin is a journalist and she suspects we are not as we seem. She could expose us.” But would she? After last night, would she tell the world what she learned?

“You will do what-whatever it takes to keep her away.”

“What if I can't?”

“Then you will become Alaziri. All of this will be for nothing.”

Drakor stood, pain and outrage feuding in his heart. Everyone first thought Erin was his
Mharai
, now she was his enemy.

“Call the family in here,” his father croaked. “I must say my good-byes.”

Drakor forced down the lump rising in his throat and waved his family in. They gathered around the bed—Mother and Ankra crying and clutching hands and Brundor staring down at his feet. But where was his littlest sister?

“Where is Sitora?” Drakor glanced about the room.

No one seemed to hear as Father rasped out a few words of good-bye and that he would one day see them on the far side of the Sun. Drakor started for the door to find Sitora, when a sudden gasp blew from Father's mouth.
 

Mother wailed and threw herself across his body. Ankra sank to her knees and put her head on Father's arm. Brundor turned away, his shoulders sagging.

Drakor stared at them, his own heart falling for the man he never agreed with. This man who was his father. Then the ghostly image of the rainbow flickered before his eyes.
A tragedy prophesied to the viewer
. Father was dead and he was now in charge of this mission. If he stayed on Earth, how many other tragedies would ensue? If he returned home immediately, how much disgrace would shadow his family?

With his birth anniversary a few days away, was peace lost to him forever?

Chapter Thirteen

Drakor turned to leave the room, his family's overpowering emotions choking him. Right now he could not grieve, he could not mourn. Not now anyway. There were more important matters to attend to.

“No, don't go!”

It was Mother. Her dark, wet eyes implored him. Tear tracks scattered among the lines and wrinkles on her face and her bottom lip trembled. She reached out her hand.

“You must help me. Drakor, my son.”

He held his breath, every muscle rigid, anticipating her next words with dread. “Help you?”

She nodded and gripped Father's gray hand. “I cannot stay here without him.”

Exactly what he feared. Drakor squeezed his eyes closed and released his breath in a hiss. The dull ache inside of his skull continued to pulsate. “You don't have to do this, Mother. We are here for you.”

“He is my
Mharai
. We are meant to be together.” She sniffled. “Always.”

Drakor leaned against the doorframe. “That doesn't mean you have to forfeit your life when he is gone.”

Her weeping began again in earnest. “You don't understand the feeling. The connection. If you find your
Mharai
, then you will understand. You won't want to ever be separated.”

Even his own mother thought he would never find his destined mate. Why would she? She knew nothing of his relationship with Erin, but she knew full well how soon the anniversary of his birth was.

Despite her plea, he could not help her kill herself. “I cannot do it.”

Ankra rose from her spot beside the bed. She planted herself before him. “You would deny Mother her last wish as you denied Father his?”

Drakor set his jaw. “I did not deny Father his wish. I feared we would be exposed if we remained here much longer.”

“I just need more time. And you should tell Erin the truth. If she really cares for you, she won't reveal us.”

Tell Erin the truth? Just hand a journalist the story that aliens were on her doorstep, that she mated with an alien and so did her brother. He couldn't trust a human with information like that. Not even Erin.

“We will remain until you are pregnant and not a moment sooner, even if I have not found Alaziri. No one will reveal who we are or why we are here.” He looked over at Brundor, who had sunk against the windowpane. “No one.”

Ankra crossed her arms. “Are you going to help Mother, or not?”

He wouldn't let himself glance over at his mother, still leaning against her mate's legs. He couldn't bear to see the pain and entreaty on her face. “I cannot take part in her death. It was hard enough to be forced to take part in Father's.”

Ankra's voice hardened. “Then I will do it and you can be the coward that you are.”

Heat flared at Drakor's ears and his pulse intensified. “First I have no allegiance and now I am a coward. You should watch your tongue, sister.”

Her eyes challenged him. “And you should care more about others than yourself sometimes.”

“I care a great deal about this family. That is the whole reason I did not want to come, why I want to go. We are in danger here. Why does no one recognize this but me?”