Valerie Rumson placed the brown paper bag she had stuffed into her locker early that morning onto the wooden picnic table in the schoolyard. She frowned, fighting back the hunger pains as she opened the bag and peered inside, already knowing what she’d find.
“Peanut butter and jelly again?”
She looked up to see Brandon’s smiling face. Valerie nodded. “My stepmother enjoys torturing me.”
Brandon reached into his bag and pulled out a sandwich, passing it to Valerie. “Roast beef on rye, with lettuce, tomato, onion, and horseradish sauce. And a dill pickle.”
Valerie’s face lit up. “If you were straight, I’d kiss you.”
Brandon cracked a smile. “Maybe I should try offering my pickle to Reza.”
“No luck on that front?”
Brandon shook his head. “I don’t think he’s gay, but even if he is, I think I’ve been friend-zoned. In first period, he called me his American buddy. Hardly the stuff of great romances.”
Valerie put her arm around him. “If I were a guy, I’d be totally into you. He doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.”
“At least I’ve got you guys.” He looked around the schoolyard. “Where’s Courtney?”
Valerie pressed her finger to her lips. “Skipping school in the name of true love.”
“Courtney has a boyfriend and nobody told me?”
Valerie unwrapped the roast beef sandwich and took a bite. “Mmmm, good. Not exactly. She met a guy last night and she’s been crushing nonstop ever since.”
“So is she with him now?”
Valerie took another bite and shook her head. “She doesn’t know his last name, or where he lives, or how to get in touch with him. Between you and me, it sounds like they were two ships passing in the night but Courtney’s convinced they’ll somehow be drawn to each other like a bad eighties romantic comedy.”
“So she skipped school to look for him?”
Valerie nodded. “Yeah, because you know that always works in the movies. She may be my bestie, but Courtney’s led a sheltered life. She thinks the real world is like what she sees in the movies. But we know better, don’t we?”
“Being gay does make life a little harder,” Brandon admitted.
“So does having the stepmother from Hell. But it’s different for Courtney. She’s that innocent child we all used to be before life showed us how messed up the world can be. But Courtney lives in a nice house with her mother and father; and a little white dog with a pedigree better than I have; and a report card filled with ‘A’s and ‘B’s. She has the perfect life and—”
“And you’re jealous of that?”
“No, I’m worried for her. Because one day something’s going to happen to show her the world isn’t anywhere near perfect and on that day, when she loses her innocence, her entire world will shatter.”
The limousine pulled up to the entrance of the Neptune Corporation and Kevian and Courtney stepped out. “Are you certain you don’t wish the driver to take you to your destination?”
“Thanks, but the bus stop is on the corner and the school’s a short ride from here.” Courtney didn’t want to call attention to herself by arriving at school in a chauffeur–driven limousine on the day she was skipping classes. “I take the bus downtown all the time searching for an after-school job at the department stores.”
Kevian cocked his head. “Do all of the young inhabitants both study and work?”
“Inhabitants? You’re not from around here, are you?”
Kevian became apprehensive. “What makes you say that?”
“The way you talk; some of the words you use. It’s like English is a second language for you.” Courtney noticed the expression on his face. “Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you. I think it’s remarkable when someone from another country comes here and learns our language. I certainly couldn’t do that.”
“Another country,” Kevian repeated pensively. He could use that excuse to explain any gaffes he might make. The human girl was proving useful. “You strike me as a very capable young person. I’m sure you are an adept learner; and perhaps an excellent teacher, as well. But you never answered my question. Do all of the young… people study and work simultaneously when they are your age?”
Courtney shrugged. “Some, like my friend Valerie, have to to save money for college. My folks make enough to pay my tuition but my dad says a part-time job would look good on my college application.” She shook her head. “It’s tough, though; most places don’t want to hire a kid.”
Kevian found it easy to talk to Courtney and thought he could learn a lot about humans from her. By letting her believe he was a foreigner from another country, rather than from another planet, Courtney would eagerly answer all his questions without her suspicions becoming aroused. More than that, the longer he spoke with the Earth girl, the more he realized he enjoyed her company. He decided it was time to make his first executive decision. “I believe the Neptune Corporation would be willing to hire a kid. If you come by tomorrow and ask for Mr. Bellamy I’m quite certain he would have a job for you.”
Courtney grew excited. “Really? That would be fantastic! It would get my dad off my back and give me a little extra spending cash. Do you really think I could get a job here?”
Kevian smiled. “Definitely. Bellamy will make whatever arrangements are necessary. I hope I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Absolutely. Thanks for the ride, Kevian… And for the job too, if it comes through.”
“Oh, you may count on it.” Kevian watched the girl as she capered off to the bus stop. Then he entered the Neptune Corporation building.
Courtney took her seat in math class beside Valerie just as the bell rang.
“I thought you’d be gone all day,” Valerie said. “So how did it go? Did you see dream boy?”
Courtney pouted. “No. I couldn’t find him. But I did get a job downtown, I think.”
“No way! Which department store?”
“Not retail; in an office building. Kevian said he could get me hired there.”
“Who?”
“Miss Rumson, kindly refrain from speaking during class,” the teacher called out from the front of the room.
“Yes ma’am,” Valerie replied. “Sorry.” She waited until the teacher turned her back to write on the board, and then whispered to Courtney, “Who’s Kevian?”
“He gave me a lift into town.”
“You got into a stranger’s car?”
“It wasn’t a car; it was a chauffeur-driven limo. And even though he looked like a college kid, Kevian was dressed in a sharp business suit.”
“Maybe he’s one of those Internet geeks who invented a multimillion-dollar app.”
“I’m not sure what he does, but he works for the Neptune Corporation. His English is a little shaky; damn, I forgot to ask what country he’s from.”
“Miss Cartwright,” the math teacher called out sharply. “If you and Miss Rumson have that much to talk about perhaps you’d like to continue your conversation in detention this afternoon.”
Courtney grimaced. She looked at Valerie. “Hope you didn’t have plans for after school.”
Kira turned to Brexa, panic etched on her face. “He needs to drink human blood to survive but there are no humans on the ship. I don’t want him to die.”
“My princess, it is unseemly for one of royal blood to show such concern for an inferior alien.”
“I don’t care. We must find a way to keep Jaxson alive.”
“But as you said yourself, my princess, the only source of humans is the planet we just left.”
“Then we must return.”
Brexa shook her head. “The king demanded we lift off to protect us and the mission. King Skar would never jeopardize his ship and crew for the life of a creature like that.”
Kira grimaced. “You’re right, of course. I’ll have to take him there in a raptor.”
“The raptors are designed to be single pilot fighter crafts. It would be difficult to fit two people in a raptor, let alone three.”
“Three?” Kira asked.
“My duty is to protect you, my princess. I cannot allow you to go down to a hostile planet alone.”
“You forget your place, Brexa. You do not allow me to do anything.”
“I’m sorry Princess, but you know I would not hesitate to give my life to protect yours. I will obey any command unless it puts your life in jeopardy. If you attempt to go by yourself I’ll be duty-bound to inform your father.”
Kira realized Brexa was right. While her words made it appear she was opposing her, Kira knew they were uttered out of loyalty and a sense of duty. They were also sensible; Earth was a hostile planet and if her true identity and motives were discovered her life would be endangered. She looked pleadingly at Brexa. “You of all people know what my life is like. It isn’t easy being Skar’s daughter, or constantly jockeying for position with Kevian. Many envy the royal family but they don’t realize how much we have to give up because of our station. Even the lowest peasant may find happiness in ordinary pleasures we are denied. Jaxson brought me a kind of happiness I’ve never experienced before. We shared an intoxicating passion I found lacking in other men. A fire burns within me now, Brexa, and I can’t let it be snuffed out simply for lack of human blood when there is a planet with billions of humans below us.”
Brexa frowned. “You know your father would never approve. Nor would the people if they found out.”
“I know,” Kira replied quietly.
After a few moments of painful silence, Brexa said, “We could take a shuttlecraft. It would be slower than a raptor but it could easily hold twice our number.”
Kira grew excited. “I’ll tell father about the vampires. I’ll say I’ve extracted information from Jaxson and must bring him to Kevian so he can reveal the location of his fellow vampires.”
“I’ll pack some supplies in case you decide not to come back right away after we return the vampire to Earth.” She eyed Kira. “We are coming back, aren’t we, my princess?”
“Of course.” Kira sighed. “We must all do our duty, mustn’t we, Brexa?”
Brexa passed Kupfir on her way to Kira’s quarters. She realized Kira might not be content simply to drop Jaxson off and return to the ship. If the princess decided to spend some time with Jaxson on Earth before returning, it could be a while before she saw Kupfir again. Brexa had never felt the kind of passion Kira had described, and certainly not with Kupfir, despite the fact that he was destined to be her mate. Nonetheless, she felt obligated to tell him she was leaving the ship for an indefinite period.
Kupfir took it in stride. He would miss her, but not with the aching longing of human lovers. It wasn’t that he couldn’t feel such depths of love but rather that their culture never allowed them the opportunity to experience it. He took her hand. “I will miss you while you are gone… and think of you often,” he added awkwardly.
Brexa nodded. “As will I.” She realized now there was something missing from their relationship. She envied Kira for having discovered this emotion called passion. “I must pack some clothing for the princess. Could you bring some blankets and an extra first aid kit from the storage room to the shuttlecraft?”
“Of course,” Kupfir said. And with that, they parted.
Moments later, Kupfir approached the storage room. He heard voices from within, which struck him as odd. No one should be in the storage room, let alone be having a conversation… unless they did not want to be overheard, he thought. He placed his ear against the door and recognized Jansa’s voice.
“This may be our last communication until the ship returns to Earth’s orbit. If we signal you before then, it means we have killed the king and princess, and you must be prepared to slay the prince immediately.”
Kupfir pulled his ear from the door, shocked. He looked down to see his hands were shaking. He could not fathom having uncovered an assassination plot against the royal family. He pondered what to do. He could tell the king, but what if, in his rage at the message, the king were to kill the messenger? Yet he had to tell someone. Brexa would know what to do. She could tell the princess, and the princess could inform the king. He backed away from the door and bumped into a female crewmate.
“Kupfir!” Quill exclaimed. “You’re as pale as a sheet. Are you ill?”
He shook his head. “I must go.”
“What are you doing here?” Quill asked. She was a woman of great strength and great beauty. Unlike Kupfir, Quill had fought in the water wars and her presence commanded respect.
“Brexa asked me to bring her some blankets for the shuttlecraft. She and the princess are going back to Earth.”
“Really?” Quill’s countenance expressed her surprise. She noticed him trembling. “If you’re not ill, why are you quivering like a Denubian slush monster?”
Kupfir leaned in to her and whispered, “I overheard Jansa in the storeroom plotting to assassinate the royal family. I must warn the princess there are rebels aboard the ship.”
Quill’s countenance turned to shock. “You actually heard Jansa say that? Are you certain?”
“Absolutely. I must find the princess.”
“No,” Quill said. “We must confront Jansa. Accuse her to her face. I can tell if she lies. If it’s true, we will subdue her and bring her to the king for her treason.”
Kupfir preferred to shy from confrontation but he knew a warrior like Quill would choose to act in a forceful and forthright manner. He knew Quill, with her muscular arms and military training, could easily subdue Jansa. “All right.” Together, they entered the storeroom.
Quill placed her arm around Kupfir’s shoulder. “Jansa, Kupfir tells me he overheard you plotting the deaths of the royal family.”
“What?” Jansa asked, surprised. “How…?”
Quill faced her with an annoyed mien. “That was careless of you.” She slipped her arm from Kupfir’s shoulder to his neck, locking him in a chokehold. He gasped for breath as his face turned blue. Jansa heard a sudden snap and Kupfir ceased struggling. Quill released her grip and his lifeless body fell to the floor. “He was on his way to warn Kira. How could you be so sloppy?”
“I—I didn’t think anyone would hear me in here. What will we do with the body?”
“Jettison him with the trash. With fewer people on the ship you should be able to toss him out of the airlock unseen, assuming you learn to be more discreet.” She took some blankets from a shelf. “Meanwhile, I’ll bring these to the launch bay so Brexa doesn’t come looking for them… or for Kupfir.”
Moments later, Quill entered the launch bay. It appeared deserted. She saw a shuttlecraft with its door open and she approached it, cautiously peering inside. It was also empty, save for a valise bearing the royal seal. She set the blankets down and turned to leave. Then, she had an epiphany. The princess would be on this shuttlecraft; What if…? She stepped over to the pilot’s seat and reached below the steering mechanism. When she pulled her hand out, she was clutching a handful of brightly-colored wires. She sliced the red and yellow wires and spliced them together before shoving them all back underneath the panel. That should short-circuit when the craft decelerates for entry into the planet’s atmosphere, Quill thought. How tragic for the princess to lose her life in a crash landing. She grinned, never one to waste an opportunity.
“What are you doing here?”
Quill turned at the sound of Brexa’s voice. She pointed to the blankets. “Kupfir asked me to bring those here. He said you needed them.”
How like Kupfir, Brexa thought. A passionate lover would have used the blankets as an excuse to say another goodbye but he merely delegates it like any other task. “Thanks.”
Kira appeared in the shuttle doorway supporting Jaxson. “Help me get him strapped in.”
Quill assisted her. When Jaxson was strapped into his seat, Quill turned to leave. “Safe journey, my princess.”
“Wait!” Brexa called out.
Quill froze, afraid she had given herself away. Were the wires showing? she wondered.
“I can’t protect the princess and look after this invalid,” Brexa said. “Strap in; you’re coming with us.”
“No!” A wave of anxiety shot through Quill’s body. “I mean, I have duties to attend to on the ship.”
“I’m sure someone will cover them for you,” Brexa said. “Or do you have a duty greater than that which you owe to your princess?”
Quill gulped. “Of course not.” Reluctantly, she sat beside Jaxson and watched the shuttle door close and lock into place.
Kira sat to the right of Brexa, who was piloting the shuttlecraft. The launch bay doors opened and Brexa started the engine. The small craft glided through the aperture into space.