A giant lake spread before us. Birds unlike any I'd ever seen flew past to land with a glide on the water. At the edge of the lake were reeds, amongst which I could see small splashes as what I assumed were fish—or perhaps turtles—moved about just below the surface of the water. I placed my hands on the brickwork and leaned forward, drinking in the view.
On the far side of the lake was another set of ruins, nestled amongst a stand of trees. Everything had the same but slightly different appearance to it. There were lots of green leaves and green grass, but many of the trees had bright pink and purple leaves. The sky was the same blue that I was used to, but as I leaned further out over the wall and looked up, I saw two ghostly moons hanging in the sky, much larger than Earth’s single moon.
I turned back toward Jon, who had taken a blanket like the one I was wearing and wrapped it around his waist like a sarong. The fabric rode low on his hips, and I felt hot as I watched him stalk toward me.
“We need to leave,” he said.
He turned to the other alien who had walked up next to Jon. “Luk 8th, this is my mate, Kitty.”
“Hello.” I was pleased he had introduced me as his mate. We had a future to figure out, but we would do it together. I smiled at Luk 8thand offered him my hand, but jerked it back with a squeak as Jon’s hand tightened on my waist.
Was that a growl?
“Uh,” he looked uncertainly between me and Jon, his eyebrows raised and sweat beading on his forehead. “Your mate?”
“Yes.” There was a note of steel in Jon's voice, and I shot a look at him to see his face had taken on a fierce, challenging expression. “And you're going to help us escape.”
I looked between the two men, as Luk 8th took a step backward and held up a hand. “H-help you? To escape?” he asked, stumbling over the words. He tripped, falling backward to land on his backside on the dusty floor. Jon took a step toward him, looming over the smaller man.
“Yes,” Jon said. He reached down and offered a hand to the other man, who looked at it for a second before accepting it and being pulled to his feet. “I have no option but to trust you. Though it goes against everything that I am to trust an Elite.”
“He's an Elite?” I asked, the words falling from my lips. I could feel my eyes open wide as I stared at Luk 8th, trying to see what made this man so different from Jon.
He was shorter, younger-looking, and not as broad ormuscular. The physical differences didn't stop there, though. Where Jon's hair was light and the spots that decorated his neck and shoulders were barely a tone darker than his skin, Luk 8th’s hair was dark brown with deep purple streaks and the spots over his skin were much darker purple. And, from what I could see, they were everywhere. The spots were on the back of the hand that gripped Jon's, as well as all over his face.
“Yes,” Luk 8thsaid. “Not that I have any say in it.”
That was interesting. He didn't seem like he was keen to be an Elite. I tilted my head to one side as I considered him. “Will you help us, please?” I asked.
He pulled his hand from Jon's and wiped at his brow. “Yes, I'll help you.” He looked between Jon and me. “As long as you help me when I need it.”
Jon’s eyes narrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. “Of course. We’ll do what we can to repay the favor.”
Jon turned to scowl at me, but I lifted an eyebrow and met his gaze. “It’s still Christmas. The season for giving and being charitable.”
He pressed his lips together but nodded, then turned and clapped Luk 8thon his back with one hand while pulling me against him with his other. “Then let's get out of here.”
We left the small structure that housed the transportal, stepping out into the bright daylight. The grass was soft under my bare feet, and I wriggled my toes, enjoying the feel. The air was cooler out here, and I shivered. Jon and Luk 8thhad walked ahead, toward what must be a spaceship that was parked a short distance away. I turned and followed them, making note of the compact ship in front of me.
It looked like a small jet, but with short stumpy wings.There was clearly a cockpit with a glass window, and a larger cargo area toward the back, from which a ramp had descended. Jon and Luk 8thheaded up the ramp, Jon pausing halfway to reach a hand toward me.
“Come, Kitty. I’ll find you something to wear and get you settled.”
I stepped onto the ramp, leaving a planet that I'd barely visited behind me. Jon ushered me into the spaceship and toward a small room, where he reached into a locker and handed me a bundle of clothing. He turned and pressed a button on the windowless wall, and a panel slid open to reveal a small multipurpose bathroom. I was pleased to see the familiar shape of a toilet, and a showerhead that came from the wall.
“It works just like your shower,” Jon said, as he showed me how to operate the temperature control and pointed out the dispenser for soap. He left me to clean up, and I quickly showered and dressed before leaving the small bathroom.
When I entered the room next door, it was to find that Jon had donned an outfit that looked much better than a botched pair of jeans and an ill-fitting shirt. His hair was pulled back from his head and braided, the tuft of fur at the end of his tail glossy and smooth. His shoulders were encased in what looked like the alien equivalent of a tight, black tee shirt, and he was wearing a pair of trousers similar to those that Luk 8thwas wearing, but Jon filled them out so much better. I grinned as I watched his tail where it flicked backward and forward behind him, at odds with his relaxed posture.
The clothes he had given me were a simple wrap skirt that fell to my ankles, and what was obviously one of his shirts. Similar to a button-up style dress shirt, and it was solarge I had rolled the sleeves up and then tied it in a knot around my waist, so the excess fabric didn’t swallow me.
I bit my lip nervously, and Jon turned to greet me. He smiled and crossed the small space toward me before pausing, so close I could feel the heat from his body. He reached forward with one hand to capture one of my curls in his large fingers.
“My beautiful mate,” he said reverently. His eyes were intense as they met mine, and any uncertainty I had melted away.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jon
