Startled at the memory, he tried to grasp it before it floated away. No such luck. He fisted his hand and hammered it on the unforgiving floor in frustration.
Anything loose around him floated up, then crashed hard on the metallic floor.
“Going up. Going down. Make pretty sound.”
Ari twisted to look behind him at the singsong litany of a masculine voice. The room barely had enough light to see anything clearly. He squinted at a large shape across from him several feet away. At first, all he could make out was a huge blob of some kind of humanoid creature. Two legs, two arms, a torso, and one head.
No fur or short stature. Not an Ozevroc then. Ari scratched his head. Didn’t Morgan tell him the only species on the ship were them and those fuzzy, creepy aliens? If that wasn’t an Ozevroc, then what was it?
The dim lights in the room flickered before going out.
“Food. Food. Food. I need. I find.” The deep baritone continued to sing. “Fuzzy no good. Taste bad. Find better food. Follow the light. Follow the light. As’ni follow the light.”
Ari waited. No other sounds. Like the creature vanished. Great, alone in this disgusting place, wherever he was. Goddess, what he wouldn’t give to have some light.
And just like that, his palm raised up, and a shining, rolling a ball of light perched just above his skin. He jumped back with a girly squeal and shook his hand.
Darkness took over again.
What the hell? He raised his hand to look at.Duh, no can do in pitch darkness, moron.Rubbing his opposite thumb against his palm, he was surprised there was no pain. Nothing singed or burned. Okay, he might not have an explanation for what just happened, but he couldn’t stand here with his thumb up his ass all day. Raising his hand palm up again, he concentrated on getting some light.
The illuminating ball of fire returned.
Ari brought it closer so he could study it. His brows raised. Dang thing didn’t generate any heat. Just light. How odd. Well, no telling how long this would last. Shining the light in front of him, it was clear he was still on the Ozevroc ship. In their disgusting garbage holding area. With a grimace, he searched his back pocket for the multicorder Morgan had given him.
Of course, it wasn’t there. He wasn’t wearing his jeans. Just some shorts he’d put on before searching for dreamland in his little niche of paradise in the engine room. Now that he noticed he wasn’t in the climate-controlled engine room, chill bumps broke out, and he shivered. His breath came out in a foggy whisper with each exhale.
Ari turned around, casting the light on the walls to see if he could find a door of some kind. Nothing. The walls were solid. A shrill squeal was the only warning he got when a trap door slid open above his head. Seeing a load of unsavory items ready to tumble down, he leapt out of the way before a mass of garbage rained down, missing him by inches. The air filled with a choking stench—a fresh but nauseating blend of rotting food, burned electronics, and the acrid tang of spilled chemicals. His eyes watered as he surveyed the mess, seeing twisted scraps of metal, broken containers leaking dark, viscous fluids, and a tangle of wires sparking intermittently. The gleam from his ball of light cast eerie shadows on the piles, making them seem alive, like some grotesque, breathing monster.
Sucking in a shallow breath, he closed his eyes and hung his head. His heart raced, making it hard to concentrate. He had to get out of here. He had to…
“Take a deep breath, Ba, and relax.” A distant, familiar memory of a man’s calm voice filtered through. An exercise he’d been through before. Many times.
“All you have to do is relax and envision where you want to be.” The steady tone made Ari’s stiff muscles relax.
“That’s it.” The encouraging voice in his memory continued. “Can you see where you want to be?”
“Yes,” Ari whispered out loud. He wanted to be with Morgan. He yearned to be with Morgan. Back at the chaotic mess of the engine room. He craved to hear the musicality of her feminine voice. To savor the way her body moved in perfect harmony, a person comfortable in their own skin. The intelligent, practical way she tackled everything without a hint of panic.
“Now imagine you are already there…” The name Azazel floated away as his tranquil voice faded.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Morgan’s sharp demand shattered Ari’s serenity.
His eyes popped open.
And… there she was. Standing with her lips pressed into a frown, her fists resting on her trim hips in all her annoyed glory.
Ari did the only thing a man like him could do. He swept her into his arms and kissed the living shit out of her.
Just the feel of holding the pliant, warm woman in his arms made everything fade into the background for Ari. The sensation of her open mouth against his became an invitation to dive deep inside. One he was eager to take, so he didn’t hesitate. Tangling his tongue with hers, he grasped her firm yet supple butt and pulled her against him. He swallowed their dual groans as his hard erection rubbed against her soft belly.
He walked her backward, aiming for the beckoning allure of her makeshift bed just a few steps away.
Then the lights and gravity went out.
Free floating, their bodies separated.
